Author: Snugglecub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Casablanca – 1943

Casablanca is another war-time drama, which is not surprising since World War II was still in full swing. The year was 1943 – still two more years to go until the end of the war. But the movie was significantly different than most other war-time films. The characters were iconic and memorable. The setting and the costumes were wonderfully exotic. The plot was engaging and the music was timeless. A great movie, well worth the Best Picture award.

The whole story took place in the city of Casablanca, which is the capitol city of Morocco. For those who don’t know, Morocco is on the north-western tip of the continent of Africa. Casablanca is right on the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the film takes place in an upscale nightclub and casino called Rick’s Café American. Humphrey Bogart plays Rick, the owner of the popular bar. In comes Ugarte, a small-time criminal played by Peter Lorre, who has in his possession letters of transit, which are basically free rides to the free world. Ugarte gives the papers to Rick for safe-keeping before being arrested and killed, and the drama begins.

Rick is a great character. He is incredibly noble, fighting for the good guys, doing what is right, helping those in need, all the while keeping his hands clean by knowing when and where to do his good deeds. He professes to be completely amoral and neutral in the affairs of politics, even though he is eventually revealed to be anything but. He turns out to be a patriot, fighting for the free world in his own way. But all that is thrown into jeopardy when the leading lady walks in.

Playing opposite Bogart is Ingrid Bergman playing Ilsa, his former Norwegian lover who once mysteriously left him at the train station in Paris, breaking his heart. (This is starting to sound like a day-time soap opera!) She shows up in Rick’s Café with her husband, infamous Czech freedom-fighter Victor Laszlow, played by Paul Henried. Ilsa makes a point of keeping her past a secret from Rick as much as she can, and she has the misfortune to fall in love with two men for two very different reasons. Her loyalties are torn and Bergman seemed to pull off the character’s internal conflict effortlessly.

The entire movie was so well cast and the actors did a fantastic job. Bogart was very believable, but I have to mention one criticism. He often didn’t open his mouth wide enough to be understood clearly. He spoke through his teeth and it sometimes sounded like he had cotton balls in his cheeks. Bergman was gorgeous enough to get the soft-focus treatment almost every time she was on the screen. Most critics call Henreid’s performance too stiff, but I thought he portrayed Laszlow as a man with a demeanor that was calm and practiced, clear-headed and yet passionate, making him seem more noble and righteous.

Another actor who stood out to me was Claude Rains. He played the corrupt French Police Chief Louis Renault. Even though the character was undeniably compliant with the German oppressors who, lets face it, really controlled the city (a man who, in real life, would have been detestable), Rains played the part with an almost devil-may-care smile and cocky attitude, making the character likeable, even though he was a willing puppet of the Third Reich.

The music was, of course, very memorable. The song “As Time Goes By” is the most famous tune that was used in the film, but “It Had to be You”, and “The Very Thought of You” were also great songs. In fact, only one song was written specifically for the movie called, “Knock on Wood.”

Interesting Note: I always notice in movies whether actors are actually playing their instruments or not. Watch Sam’s (played by Dooley Wilson) hands whenever you can see them tickling the ivories. There is no way he is really playing that piano, and it is painfully obvious.

The movie is also famous for its many memorable lines. “Here’s looking at you, kid.”, “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By‘” (which most people remember as “Play it again, Sam.”), “Louis, I Think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”, “Round up the usual suspects“, “We’ll always have Paris,” and “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” Many people who have never even seen Casablanca know where those lines are from. OK, so maybe some of the film’s dialogue is a little hokey, but who doesn’t love those lines?

I was also impressed with the wonderful costumes. The German and French military costumes were authentic-looking and impressive. Fez hats are always fun, the long skirts on the women’s evening gowns were appropriately fashionable, and the men’s tuxedos were neat and stylish. All that, combined with the garb of the Moroccan locals gave the whole movie a feeling of civility in the midst of the wilds of the Sahara Desert.

Any movie that deals with World War II, having intimidating Nazi characters, always has an underlying tension that the viewer often feels more than sees. Casablanca is no exception, and I bet that the movie-going audiences of 1943 felt it even move poignantly than would the audiences of today. Sure, Casablanca was a Hollywood movie, but things like that were actually happening at that time, all over the world.

Interesting note: The specific use of bar-like shadows in the background of many scenes are meant to give the viewer the feeling of being in a prison. Very clever subliminal manipulation. Thank cinematographer Arthur Edeson for that little trick.

This was an excellent movie. I had seen it before a long time ago, but I think I understood more of the subtleties of the plot the second time around. The great cast of actors really did a fantastic job of drawing me into the story and making me feel for the characters they were portraying. I enjoyed the film and think it is a fine addition to the list of Academy Award Best Picture winners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Miniver – 1942

Here we have another war-time drama, this one dealing with World War II in rural England. In fact, it was so relevant for its time and was such an inspirational film, President Roosavelt used it as a morale-builder for the American people, as the United States had just entered the conflict. The initial filming was finished before the attack on Pearl Harbor, but once the America joined the war, certain scenes were re-filmed with stronger anti-German and pro-British sentiments.

Mrs. Miniver is the title character of the film, played my Greer Garson. From the very beginning, she appears to be the perfect wife and mother. Her husband, Clem Miniver, played by Walter Pidgeon (who also happened to be in the previous year’s Academy Award Best Picture winner) is a successful architect, and they appear to have the perfect life. They have no worries, plenty of money, and a beautiful home and family. But then the war comes and their charmed lives are threatened by the horrors of the World War.

As I watched I was, at first, a little disappointed by Mrs. Miniver’s character. I thought she had a fairly weak personality. She did very little to actively move the plot along. Everything happened to her or around her and she simply reacted. Even when a wounded German fighter pilot parachutes into her yard and holds her at gun-point, she does what she is told, giving him food and water, until the soldier passes out from his injuries. Then she picks up his gun and calls the police.

But upon further reflection, I realize that her character displayed an incredibly brave, stiff upper-lip in the face of danger. It is a very British trait. Really, what else could she have done in that situation? She shows courage under pressures that would make most people shudder with fear. Even with her husband gone for nearly a week, assisting with the Dunkirk Evacuation, and her son, a British Fighter Pilot engaging the enemy in the air, she remains calm and brave, waiting for them to return. Yes, Garson did a fine job portraying courage under pressure. In fact, Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the role.

Interesting note: Garson’s acceptance speech at the Awards Ceremony was the longest acceptance speech in Academy Award history, coming in at five-and-a-half minutes. Shortly thereafter, acceptance speeches were limited to forty-five seconds.

Now, the real emotional gravity of the film was in Mrs. Miniver’s son’s story line. Vin Miniver is the family’s eldest boy, played by Richard Ney. Shortly before the start of the war, he meets and falls in love with young Carol Beldon, played by Teresa Wright. She is beautiful and intelligent, and I loved watching her. Her character was just lovely and pleasant. Mr. and Mrs. Miniver are happy to welcome her into their family.

But war is never fair. I kept expecting Vin or even Clem to be killed in action. I was stunned when the tragedy happened, and it was Carol who was shot during a German air raid, only two weeks after her marriage to Vin. The fact that she was so young and vivacious made her death that much more shocking and emotionally devastating. I really felt for Mrs. Miniver, holding her daughter-in-law’s body and finally losing her iron British composure, breaking down into sobbing tears.

The final scene is a powerful sermon given by the local vicar, played by Henry Wilcoxon. This is what really inspired Roosevelt to use the film as a morale-builder to a nation at war. He ordered the film rushed into theaters as a propaganda film. With the crumbled wall of the church behind him, he preaches, “It is the war of the people, of all the people. And it must be fought not only on the battlefield but in the cities and in the villages, in the factories and on the farms, in the home and in the heart of every man, woman and child who loves freedom.” The Minivers and the rest of the congregation then sing loudly and proudly “Onward Christian Soldiers.”  All this, as the camera pans up to show the bombed-out ceiling of the church.  You can’t get much more inspirational than that.

Interesting note: At the end of the closing credits, as the words “The End” faded from the screen, but before the music ended, the following admonishment unexpectedly appeared on the screen: “AMERICA NEEDS YOUR MONEY. BUY DEFENSE BONDS AND STAMPS EVERY PAYDAY.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Green Was My Valley – 1941

First, let me say – How Green was My Valley?  Not very.  The movie was black and white.  This would have been better done in color.  In fact, it was originally intended to be filmed in color on location in Wales, but World War II was in full swing, and they had to build a set on Fox Ranch in Malibu Canyon – which doesn’t really explain why it wasn’t filmed in color.  A color film would have served the plot well.

The story is told through the recollections of a young man who, as a boy, who grew up in an impoverished mining town.  At first everything is green and beautiful, but by the end of the film, the town is even poorer and blackened with mining spoil.  The young boy, Huw Morgan, is played by a 12 year old Roddy McDowall.  Of course, we all know that McDowall has been in many fine films as an adult, but it was interesting to see him as such a young actor.  As child actors go, I thought he did a very good job.

His father Gwilym Morgan, played by Donald Crisp, was also a stand-out member of the cast.  I watched a 1941 trailer for the film before watching the movie.  The voice-over of the trailer called him “the tyrannical father.”  But I thought he was anything but a tyrant.  He was certainly stern and ruled his house as best he could, but he was also compassionate at the right times, and obviously wanted the best for his children.  Crisp won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role.  Well done, Donald.

Huw had five older brothers and an older sister.  The brothers were pretty non-descript.  Their personalities and story arcs were pretty much all the same.  But the sister Angharad Morgan, played by Maureen O’Hara had her own story line which carried a fair portion of the emotional content of the movie.  She falls in love with the local priest, played by Walter Pidgeon.  But he refuses her love, saying that as a priest, he has resigned himself to a life of poverty, and cannot ask her to share that life.  So instead, she enters into a loveless marriage with a rich man.  But even then, much of the characters’ emotions seemed to be played under the surface.  Even when certain characters died in the mine, the family’s display of grief appeared to be short and almost unimportant.  But then again, I suppose that being married to a miner means living with the knowledge that fatal disasters can happen at any time.

Over all, it was a pretty slow paced movie.  However, there was one sequence in the film that was especially satisfying to watch.  When Huw goes off to school, a bully beats him up, so his father gets a man in the village named Dai Bando, wonderfully played by Rhys Williams, to teach the boy to fight.  The next time Huw is at school, he beats up the other kid.  Unfortunately, the teacher sees him fighting and as punishment, he uses a cane to give Huw the beating of his life.  After that treatment, Huw’s brothers offer to teach the teacher a lesson.  Huw makes them promise not to because, after all, he had been told not to fight.  Dai Bando, however never makes that promise, and the next day, he walks into the classroom and beats the teacher senseless in front of his students.  The whole time he is speaking to the students, giving them a lesson in boxing.  After the teacher is unconscious on the floor, Dai Bando addresses the class and says, “I’m afraid he will never make a boxer.”  Like I said – a particularly satisfying sequence.

Another aspect of the film that is worthy of note is the singing.  At first it seemed strange that a choir called the Welsh Singers were in the opening credits.  Then in the film, the men of the village turned out to be a pitch perfect choir that would sing at the drop of a hat (or after a drop of whiskey).  Not terribly realistic, but I thought that just because there were singing men in the script, Hollywood was just showing off by hiring a professional choir.  At least they justified the musical towns-people by making the choral music part of the story.

The movie had an overwhelming sense of futility and depression, but that might have just been the subject matter.  I mean, coal mining in those days was probably never a happy subject.  Neither is child labor, strikes, mining accidents, and child abuse.  At least they didn’t explore the subject of black lung.  The only happy parts of the movie were those in which the Morgan family was together and united.  But over the course of the film, the family slowly dissolved.  Some of them moved away and others died.  The only ones left in the end were the women and children.  Of course, the whole film was a flash-back, so really the women are all gone as well, leaving Huw to leave the valley alone.

So, what am I saying?  This wasn’t really a bad movie, but it was too slow paced and depressing for my tastes.  Not exactly my kind of film.

Interesting note:  The author of the original book actually wrote three sequels which follow the adventures of Huw as he moves to Argentina, of all places, and eventually back to the Valley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rebecca – 1940

Alfred Hitchcock is best known for his psychological thrillers and mysteries.  Rebecca is a perfect example.  The byword of the day is creepy!  This was a creepy movie, from the characters and the settings to the music and the plot.  I would say that Hitchcock gave us what we were waiting for, except that this was one of his earlier films, so I should say he was letting us know what to expect in the future.  While I enjoyed the film, there was one aspect which was never explained.  But more of that later…

The opening shot is an intriguing one, where the camera is following a winding path on a dark and misty night.  The spooky music is playing in the background and a woman’s melancholy voice is describing how she sometimes comes here to this place.  Eventually, the road leads to the burnt-out shell of a house.  I found myself wondering who was speaking, a live woman or a ghost.  With Hitchcock, you never know.

The main character is, for some reason, never named.  The credits list her as the Second Mrs. de Winter, never giving her a first name.  She is played by Joan Fontaine, and is a woman who has so little self-confidence, or so much shyness (or maybe both) that she can never look anyone in the eye, not even when she is in a face-to-face conversation with them.  Creepy!  But despite this extreme fear of connecting with anyone, she is able to catch the eye of super-rich Maxim de Winter, played by Lawrence Olivier.   He pursues her, and within the space of a few weeks, she falls madly in love with him.

Of course, he has a temper that rears its ugly head whenever she mentions the sea, or his past, or costume parties, or anything that reminds him of his first wife, Rebecca, who is dead.  Never-mind the fact that his head housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, played by Judith Anderson, keeps all Rebecca’s things exactly as they were when she was alive.  Apparently, Maxim doesn’t mind that, but he flies into a rage any time the Second Mrs. de Winter even begins to so much as look too much like Rebecca, or does anything to remind him of her.

Mrs. Danvers is the creepiest character of all.  Hitchcock even turned up the volume on the spooky haunted house organ music when she is first introduced, as if he wanted the audience to have no doubt that this was the scary bad guy.  But he needn’t have gone so far.  Anderson’s wonderful portrayal was enough.  Almost immediately, you could tell that she resented Maxim’s new bride.  The only time she ever smiled was the scene in which she was showing off Rebecca’s old room to the Second Mrs. de Winter.  She had, of course, kept the room exactly as it had been before Rebecca’s death.  Creepy!  But then when she began to fondle Rebecca’s old fur coat, and even took a moment to caress the other woman’s face with it, I finally began to understand.  Even though the movie never explicitly stated it, the lesbian tendencies in Mrs. Danvers suddenly became all too evident.

Interesting note:  Apparently, the original book that the movie was based on made Mrs. Danver’s obsession with Rebecca one of maternal love, not romantic or sexual love.  We can thank Hitchcock for giving it that little twist.

Another thing that caught my attention about the film was that in nearly every scene or shot, there are shadows.  Some shadows were on the walls, some on the floor, and some on the actors.  I don’t know if this was a conscious decision on Hitchcock’s part or not, but it gave the entire film a subtle mysteriousness.  It was like a subliminal manipulation, making the viewer imagine a variety of hidden things – hidden motives, subtle subtext, buried emotions, unseen dangers.  Creepy!

In my research, I found that the movie remained pretty close to the book, due largely in part to producer David Selznick.  The one major difference that he had to concede to was the ending.  Apparently, in the book, Maxim actually did murder Rebecca by shooting her.  But in the movie, he only thought of killing her, whereupon she fell, hit her head, and died.  You see, that little detail had to be altered to comply with the Hollywood Production Code which stated that the murder of a spouse had to be punished.  We can’t have him getting away with something like that!

One of the things that the movie never explained to my satisfaction was the reason behind the Second Mrs. de Winter’s crippling social anxieties.  They gave very little of her back story.  That being said, I really enjoyed Fontaine’s performance.  She made the character’s transition from a painfully shy nobody to the mistress of a rich and powerful man’s estate very believable.  She was overwhelmingly intimidated by her new position and status, and little by little, her character grew into someone who could own the role of being the millionaire’s wife.

All in all, it was a good movie, but then again, you can rarely go wrong with Hitchcock.  He really knew what he was doing.

One last thing.  Watch out for the character of Ben, played by Leonard Carey.  Super-creepy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gone With the Wind – 1939

OK Folks – Sit tight.  This is one of the big ones.  My apologies if the review turns out to be a long one, but I think this movie deserves it.  Gone With the Wind was a truly great movie.  I went into it having already seen the movie before.  It had been my opinion that I didn’t like the movie, because at the end of the film, I didn’t like any of the characters.  I couldn’t identify with or sympathize with any of them.  But upon watching it again, I have completely changed my opinion.

This was a great movie for a number of reasons.  The acting was incredible.  Just because I don’t like a character, it doesn’t mean that it was not well acted.  Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable (again!) were the two main leads, Scarlet O’Hara and Rhett Butler.  Leigh was, at times, the least likeable character of all, and in my opinion was the best part of the movie.  Scarlett’s amazing strength of will and endurance transcended my dislike of her personality.  Despite her monumental selfishness, and her overwhelming obsession with Ashley, a man who did not belong to her, she was able to survive the Civil War, the Restoration of the South, and the saving of her home, Tara.  And while doing so, she inadvertently helped others to survive as well, though most of them seemed to conveniently overlook that aspect of Scarlett’s actions.  Leigh was phenomenal, playing the spoiled Southern Belle, the strong survivor in the face of the Civil War, the determined provider during the restoration of Tara, the uncaring wife, the distant mother, the not-very grieving widow, the obsessed woman in love with the wrong man, and everything in between.

My biggest change of heart was the character of Rhett.  I originally thought that his character was mean and uncaring, but he was actually quite the opposite.  He was a true and honest man.  He never pretended to be anything other than self-serving.  He accepted himself as he was, flaws and all.  And to be certain, he had his flaws.  He was also supremely selfish and obsessed with a woman who did not love him.  He tried everything he could to win her affections away from Ashley.  But in the end, by the time he did, it was too late.  Scarlet had spurned him once too often, and even the most persistent man has his limits.  When she finally professes her love for him, he has already had enough and leaves her.  This, of course spawned that most famous of lines: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

Interesting note:  This was not the original line.  It was supposed to have been something like, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t care.”  Gable improvised the line using the word “damn” instead.  The producer, David Selznick, liked it enough to keep it in the film.

The supporting cast was also incredibly capable.  Olivia de Havilland played Ashley’s saint-like cousin/wife. (I guess that kind of thing was common back then.)  She, who had the least reason to, always believed the best of Scarlett.  Ashley, played by Leslie Howard, was also a good man.  Though he was often tempted by Scarlett, he was never unfaithful to his wife.  Mammy, a house servant, was wonderfully played by Hattie McDaniel.  Her character could easily have been very one-dimensional, but McDaniel made it stand out.

Interesting note:  Hattie McDaniel, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role, was the first African American to win an Academy Award.  Well done Hattie!

Gone With the Wind was the 12^th movie to win Outstanding Picture.  But it is significant to note that it was the first color film to win.  As I have been watching all the Best Picture winners, so far, they have all been black and white.  It was beautiful to finally have color on the screen.  I can only imagine what a monumental feature it must have been for audiences of 1939 to finally see a film in Technicolor.  And director, Victor Fleming, really used it to his advantage.  The cinematography was spectacular.  There were plenty of wide shots of amazing skies and open country, clouds blazing with bright brilliance.  The vibrant greens of Tara, the O’Hara plantation, the dirty browns and greys of the Civil War scenes, the luminous red fires of the burning of Atlanta – all were a feast for the eyes of movie-goers that knew only black and white!

And the costumes!  They seemed to spare no expense when it came to the costumes.  The southern belles and their elaborate dresses were amazing.  And, of course the famous green velvet curtain dress worn by Scarlett was just fantastic.  (Although, I wondered – if the Yankees took everything of value in Tara, why would they not have taken the beautiful curtains as well?)

And finally, there was the music.  At last, we have a true epic with a score that really steps up to the plate.  The composer, Max Steiner, spent twelve weeks writing a score that conveyed the grandeur of the story and, in my opinion, actually enhanced the visual glory of the cinematography.  There were plenty of period specific songs used like “Louisiana Belle”, “Dixie” and “Bonny Blue Flag”, but there were also huge and sweeping orchestral melodies that did an incredible job of supporting the epic nature of the film.

Gone With the Wind was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards, eight of which it won, and in addition, won two honorary awards.  Aside from Outstanding Picture, it also won for Best Director (Victor Fleming), Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel), Best Cinematography, Color, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction.

This movie came in at just under four hours, a long movie, even by today’s standards, but it was such a pleasure to watch, that it didn’t feel that long at all.  This one well deserved the Award for Outstanding Picture.

Interesting note:  In total, Gone with the Wind has grossed over $390 million globally at the box office.  Turner Entertainment estimates the gross to be equivalent to approximately $3.3 billion when adjusted for inflation to current prices, making it the most successful film in cinema history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You Can’t Take It With You – 1938

You Can’t Take It With You clobbered me.  It beat me over the head with a message… but I didn’t mind.  The message of this Outstanding Picture winning movie was:  There are things in life that are more important than money.  It is a very true statement, to be sure, and at times the message was so blatant and unrepentant that it bordered on being preachy.  But that being said, I really did enjoy the movie.

We’ll start off with the cast of actors.  Jean Arthur as Alice Sycamore, our kooky female romantic lead, Lionel  Barrymore as Grandpa Martin Vanderhof, Alice’s eccentric grandfather , Edward Arnold as Anthony Kirby, the stuffy business man, and a very young James Stewart as Tony Kirby, our other romantic lead.  Barrymore did a particularly good job as the head of the Vanderhof/Sycamore/Carmichael clan.  His character was very gentle, loveable, understanding, self-sacrificing, and charming, and yet human enough to lose his temper and really blow up at someone when driven to it.  Barrymore brought all this out quite believably.  Kudos to him.

Interesting note:  Barrymore’s arthritic foot was written into the script as a sprained ankle, allowing the actor to be on crutches for the entire film.

And then, of course, James Stewart is always great to watch.  He has a very easy on-screen presence.  He seems to be completely comfortable in front of the cameras whether the situation is romantic, comedic, or dramatic.  One curious thing about his character, though:  James Stewart has a very slight southern drawl.  You hear it in nearly every role he plays.  It doesn’t matter that none of the other actors who play his family in the movie have this accent.  But hey, it’s Jimmy Stewart, so I didn’t mind.

The movie is a feel-good movie.  By the end of the film, you end up liking all the characters.  You feel happy for all of them.  The bad guys become good, the young couple in love can get married, and everyone becomes friends.  And by the way… Did I mention that there are things in life that are more important than money?

The plot is a simple one.  The son of a rich, stuffy, and ruthless business man falls in love with a girl from a poor, eccentric, and loveable family.  Of course, the rich man wants to buy the poor man’s house, but the poor man cares nothing for money and will not sell.  But when the love-birds bring the two families together, there is an awkward culture clash that has pretty funny results.  As a matter of fact, I would even call this movie a zany comedy at times.  But there were also profound dramatic moments that made you feel for characters from both families.

Something else that caught my attention is the fact that most romantic comedies are somewhat predictable.  But this movie made me pause.  At the climax of the film, I couldn’t easily tell which way the story would go, and that gave more weight to the drama.  And did I mention that there are things in life that are more important than money?

Two supporting actors in the film who stood out to me were Spring Byington who played Alice’s mother, Penny Sycamore, and Dub Taylor who played Alice’s brother-in-law Ed Carmichael.  Byington played a mother who loved being artistic in any way that took her fancy, but a few of her off-the-wall lines almost made her seem like a loveable air-head.  Taylor’s character was an amusing country bumpkin.  He is not particularly smart at times, but he is a good-hearted guy who obviously loves his wife, played by a fifteen year old Ann Miller. He also plays a mean xylophone!   They were both fun to watch.

This movie had a lot to offer.  It had comedy, drama, romance, big name actors, a good message, and a story that left me smiling when it was all over.  It was definitely worthy of the Outstanding Picture Award.

Interesting note:  In 1938 the country was still coming out of the Great Depression.  The message of the movie was probably very appealing to a lot of audiences.  There are indeed things in life that are more important than money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Life of Emile Zola – 1937

Emile Zola was a French author who lived in the mid 1800’s. According to this biographic movie, he started his career as a poor and starving writer living with poor and starving painter. As artists, they both had a need to find truth, both in their world and in their work. Zola began writing works criticizing the government and the military. Of course, those he criticized were not happy and they censured his work. But as we all know, the best way for a book or a movie, or any trend or fashion for that matter, to become immensely popular, is to censure it.

Thus began The Life of Emile Zola. Today, most Americans have never heard of Emile Zola, but I can think of two reasons why audiences of 1937 might have known who he was. First, he was a much more recent figure. After all, he died in 1902 – only thirty-five years before the movie had been made. Of course, that would be one hundred eleven years before today. Second, let’s face it, books were much more prevalent back then and more people had read his works.

The movie followed his career from around 1860 to his death. However, most of the film is centered around the Dreyfus case, in which an innocent man is sent to prison, and Zola’s involvement in it. Zola, played by Paul Muni, is very charismatic. Not only is he a successful writer, but he also is able to give inspiring public speeches when he needs to. I looked up pictures of the real Zola, and Muni really looked the part – sometimes difficult to do when the film is a biography. There was never a point in the movie in which I did not like his character portrayal.

Ultimately, I enjoyed watching the movie, but to me it was a bit unmemorable. It was really a political drama. I have never taken a huge interest in politics of any kind. There was no exciting action or heavy emotional drama. It was all about a man who incited political and social changes in his beloved country, so in that respect I found pacing of the movie to be a bit slow. There were two speeches given by Zola that were able to catch my interest and stir the blood a little, but they were only brief moments in the movie.

The rest of the actors in the film all did a good job. I was particularly impressed with Joseph Schildkraut who played the part of Captain Alfred Dreyfus and also with Gale Sondergaard who played the part of his wife, Lucie Dreyfus. Most of the emotional content of the film belonged to them as they are wrongfully separated for five years. Lucie never stops trying to prove her husband’s innocence. There was a brief scene where she visits him in prison, but can only see him for a few minutes without being able to touch him. The whole visit is supervised by guards. They both acted that scene very well.

Unfortunately, that was the extent of the emotional drama. Again, the main focus of the movie was Zola’s trial. Yes, Zola himself was put on trial for speaking out against the injustice of the Dreyfus case and another closely related case. It was the other case, however, for which he was arrested and the trial was a complete sham. That was also interesting to watch, although, if the real court case was anything like it was depicted in the film, I can’t imagine how anyone would not see what a horrible injustice was being perpetrated by the French court.

I didn’t particularly care for the end of the movie – specifically, Zola’s death. Apparently, he died of carbon monoxide poisoning, which was historically true. But the movie didn’t show what really happened. Actually, a Parisian roofer claimed to have murdered Zola by closing his Chimney for “political reasons.” But the movie only shows his wife putting a brick on the fire and leaving the room. There are a few shots of smoke entering the room through the chimney pipe, and then he dies. Maybe if the film had shown what really happened, I’d have felt more emotional sympathy for the character. As it was, I thought it a rather anticlimactic ending to the film, which makes his death seem like nothing more than an accident. But then, I also thought the movie itself was pretty anticlimactic. So in that regard, the ending was an appropriate one.
All in all, it was a good enough movie, though a little too slow for my tastes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Ziegfeld – 1936

Florenz Ziegfeld put on some of the greatest spectacles to ever hit the stage. Even by today’s standards, his shows, known as the Ziegfeld Follies, were over the top and beyond compare. The movie is a fictionalized biography of his career from 1893 until his death in 1929. There were many things about the film that moved it from good to great, earning it the Academy Award for Best Picture.

I went into the movie knowing nothing about the real Ziegfeld, so when the film introduced him as a carnie played by William Powel, I was a little put-off. I had the idea that he was a great man with impeccable taste and a keen business sense. How else could he have been incredibly rich, super successful in all his endeavors, and loved by the entire industry? But as the movie progressed, I learned how. He was a con man.

He apparently had such a charming and winning personality that he got people to give him all the money he needed. Granted, he had a unique vision of a grand and beautiful stage spectacle, but in order to produce it, he needed money that he rarely had. Powel was very believable in the roll. He was very charming and smooth with a nice smile and a complete disregard for propriety and rules. He could smooth-talk and lie his way out of almost anything.

Luise Rainer played Ziegfeld’s first wife, Anna Held. Rainer was a German actress but played a French character. I liked watching her and it is interesting to note that she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the role. Other notable actors in the film were Myrna Loy as Billie Burke, Ziegfeld’s second wife, and Frank Morgan as Jack Billings, Ziegfeld’s professional competition. Morgan was famous for a different role in his career – more about that later! He was particularly fun to watch. His acting always seemed very free and easy, like a real person – almost like he wasn’t acting.

The film’s music was wonderful. The movie was not a musical, but it had music in it whenever Ziegfeld’s productions were part of the movie. Several numbers from the Ziegfeld Follies were shown, featuring Ray Bolger and Fanny Bryce, both playing themselves. Bolger’s style of dance is always fun to watch. The big number was a song called “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody.” And boy, this is one of those musical numbers that blew the roof off! Not only was the score and the singing wonderful, but the visuals really sold it. This was the big number of the movie.

A gigantic carousel covered with glitter and girls revolved slowly as the curtains that covered it were strategically lifted, craftily revealing the enormous cast of smiling faces. Circling the carousel was a wide staircase, upon which the girls sat. The camera started at the bottom of the winding staircase and simply rose slowly, catching all the elegant glitz and glamour you can imagine. The sequence seemed to take forever, and by the time the dazzling girl at the top of the carousel was revealed, I was just amazed at the beauty of all the women and the grand scale of the music. Then the camera panned back to show you just how huge the set actually was. It was an amazing sequence! That girl at the top better not be afraid of heights!

You see, Ziegfeld’s formula was simple. Lots of beautiful girls to look at, lots of costumes, lots of music, and lots of sparkle! And it worked! The girls didn’t even have to sing or dance, or even move, really. Leave that to the couple of dancers and the few singers. Just sit there, smile, and look pretty. Let the revolving carousel and the clever curtains take care of the rest.

Interesting note: The connections to the Wizard of Oz were plentiful. Frank Morgan was the Wizard himself. The character of Billie Burke was Glinda the Good Witch. Ray Bolger, who played himself, was the Scarecrow.

Another interesting note: Even though Fanny Bryce and Ray Bolger played themselves in the film, and even though the real Billie Burke was contracted with the studio that made The Great Ziegfeld, she was not a big enough star to play herself.  Myrna Loy was cast instead. Billie was apparently not happy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mutiny on the Bounty – 1935

We’re off on the high seas for an adventure! The Bounty – a merchant ship owned by the King of England, charged with procuring breadfruit plants from Tahiti. It’s Captain, the cruel Captain Bligh, played by Charles Laughton. Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, our hero and all around good guy, is played by Clark Gable. That would make it the second year in a row that Gable was in the Best Picture winning movie. This is a story that has had several film adaptations. As a matter of fact, two years earlier, Errol Flynn starred in an Australian version that was not very successful. There were even two movie re-makes done in later years starring such big names as Marlon Brando, Anthony Hopkins, and Mel Gibson.

Obviously it is a popular story, and if you don’t know it, you need look no further than the title. There was a boat named the Bounty, upon which there was a Mutiny. Pretty simple. But there was clearly more to it than that. Despite the fact that I knew what was going to happen, they did a good job of building up to the inevitable, holding my interest.

I have often heard the name of Captain Bligh mentioned in connection with harsh cruelty, and sure enough, in Mutiny on the Bounty, my expectations were met. But now I at least know the context. Laughton acted the part well. I very quickly hated the character. His cruelty bordered on insanity right from the first time he is on the screen and it almost never let up. But after a while, I began to realize that there was a problem.

The problem was with the script, not with Laughton’s performance. The character was so constantly mean and sadistic that he was very one dimensional. The writers seemed to beat you over the head with how horrible the character was supposed to be. There was no subtlety and therefore was not very realistic. As I did my research, I learned that the real Captain Bligh was not as extreme a man as was depicted in the film. He was apparently no more cruel than any other Captain of his day. However, as a film, it was certainly entertaining to see the depths to which the despicable character sank. It made me want the mutiny I knew was coming all the more.

They did, at least, give him one moment of worth. When he and those loyal to him were cast off and left adrift in the middle of the ocean with little hope of ever reaching the shores of England, he was able to get his faithful followers back home alive. During that terrible voyage, he showed leadership skills and even compassion to his sick and starving men.

Then there was the character of Fletcher Christian. Noble and honorable, he seemed completely justified in his mutiny. Who wouldn’t rebel against such an insane tyrant? His character was a little more realistic. He was at least conflicted between his sense of duty and his desire to put an end to Bligh’s cruelty. And, of course, Gable put in another fine performance.

Tahiti was depicted as a true paradise with happy and beautiful people – especially Tehani and Maimiti. They got the soft-focus treatment when they were introduced. I am really starting to see the trend in movies of that era, giving beautiful women soft-focus to make them appear more ethereal and alluring whenever possible.

One thing I really liked about the movie was its treatment of the rough and dangerous ocean waters and powerful ocean storms. The violent waves, the howling winds, and the constant spray were very well done. The actors must have had a difficult time of it during filming. That aspect of the movie seemed very realistic and was exciting to watch.  So Hollywood took some artistic license with historical facts. It was neither the first, nor the last film to do that.

Interesting note: Apparently, in reality, the utopian society that the noble Fletcher Christian and the mutineers tried to create on the island of Pitcaim was a colossal failure. Most of them, including Christian, died violent deaths as the men devolved into drunkards, rapists, and murderers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It Happened One Night – 1934

It Happened One Night was a romantic comedy starring Clark Gable as Peter Warne, a newspaper reporter who is down on his luck and getting fired. His co-star was Claudette Colbert playing the part of Ellie Andrews, the pampered daughter of a rich banker. Ellie runs away from her father, meets Peter, who sees her as a story that will win him back his job, and hijinks ensues.

Before watching the film, I was a little surprised that a comedy that has been described as a screwball comedy, had won the Academy Award for Best Picture. After watching the movie, I was still surprised that it had won, but for different reasons. In my humble opinion, it didn’t seem worth it. The plot was pretty shallow and lackluster. As a comedy, it wasn’t overly funny. As a drama, it wasn’t very dramatic. As a love story, it was only mildly romantic.

I admit that my opinion is a bit biased. I’ve never been a huge fan of romantic comedies. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but for a Best Picture winner, I guess I was expecting more than I got. The characters were two-dimensional, the plot was predictable, and there were a few editing errors that were obvious enough to catch even my attention. From what I read, the actors didn’t even want to be in the movie. When filming was completed, Colbert even went so far as to tell her friend “I’ve just finished the worst picture in the world.”

Fortunately, for Gable and Colbert, they were good enough actors that their disinterest in the project did not come across on the screen. They looked like they were enjoying themselves and they shared a good on-screen chemistry. There was a scene in which the characters had to pretend to be a fighting couple. You could tell that the actors enjoyed filming that scene and it was fun to watch.

There were several things about the movie that did catch my attention, though these are not criticisms of the movie itself. These are just signs of the era in which the film was made. I had never seen a movie starring Clark Gable before. I had heard about his prominent ears on several occasions, but was caught off guard the first time he was shown head-on. They really did stick out from his head a lot. Colbert’s eyebrows were frightening, at least by today’s standards. And finally, I was amused by the men’s fashion of pants that were worn incredibly high, several inches above the belly-button. I will also mention that Colbert’s leg in the famous “hitch-hiking” scene was quite beautiful and shapely.

Interesting note: This was the first film to win the “Big Five”. Not only did it win for Best Picture, but it also took home Oscars for Best Director (Frank Capra), Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actress (Claudette Colbert), and Best Writing, Adaptation (Robert Riskin)

To me, the film may not have been worthy of all the Academy Awards that it won, but the audiences of the 1930’s loved it. In fact, audiences around the world since then have loved it, too. There have been two re-makes (Eve Knew Her Apples in 1945 and You Can’t Run Away From It in 1956), numerous parodies, and even two Bollywood re-makes.

I guess its popularity might make a little more sense when you consider the times in which the movie was released. The country was right at the lowest point of the Great Depression. I can see how movie-goers might have liked seeing a story about a rich girl who falls for the common man with no money. An appealing fantasy for people with very little money themselves.