tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22885546942496183702024-02-19T09:09:23.312-08:00The Movie Night Group's Guide to Classic FilmA weekly examination of classic films by a group who meet to discuss a selected film.Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.comBlogger612125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-60712559029545255402021-11-15T15:51:00.000-08:002021-11-15T15:51:09.312-08:00Jean is No Angel<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIioaEu5zlQ03Nl8JKetN1TZ7r3ojPWN4uK9X70Vs1EUwEY6g7ED5f7izSYglWkjckzV7yyzpF_H7pzmLTPZwybL4cZADEUO_6dnq-FswbWsfU8MieiHTlLGYAsosgvJ38_croKGVEiEs/s549/Review_66_Photo_2_-_Angel_Face_%25281953%2529_220_549_90.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIioaEu5zlQ03Nl8JKetN1TZ7r3ojPWN4uK9X70Vs1EUwEY6g7ED5f7izSYglWkjckzV7yyzpF_H7pzmLTPZwybL4cZADEUO_6dnq-FswbWsfU8MieiHTlLGYAsosgvJ38_croKGVEiEs/s320/Review_66_Photo_2_-_Angel_Face_%25281953%2529_220_549_90.jpeg" /></a></i></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ambulance driver Frank Jessup (Robert Mitchum) is wooed by Diane Tremayne (Jean Simmons) after he responds to an emergency call involving Diane's stepmother Catherine (Barbara O'Neil). Diane convinces him to accept a job with her family as a chauffeur, ostensibly to help Frank earn enough money to open a garage. However, Diane has other plans for Frank. Our film this week is <i>Angel Face </i>(1953).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the great attractions of this film is the presence of three really strong women. Mona Freeman, who finally gets to play a character with gumption; Jean Simmons playing the determined murderess; and Barbara O'Neill as the bane of Ms. Simmons existence. These are all performances worthy of these excellent actresses.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jean Simmons stars as the malevolent Diane, who hungers to again be alone with her father. In the way is her wealthy stepmother, Catherine. When Diane meets Frank Jessup, she sees him as a possible accomplice in the removal of her stepmother from Earth. Ms. Simmons is excellent in the role that she really didn't want. She was under contract to Howard Hughes, who was furious at Ms. Simmons for cutting her hair, and with 18 days left on her contract, forced her into this film. Mr. Hughes told director Otto Preminger to make the set as uncomfortable for Ms. Simmons as he could, so Mr. Preminger felt quite comfortable slapping Ms. Simmons one day when he was annoyed with her. He came to regret his actions - Robert Mitchum punched him back in retribution (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2422/angel-face#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>). <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTOLiNgaaakeTyvyvV5uTwmk5Tyr9ZRk1BqB_mIHyijzZolCY9MuL5VKJNzU-SkKoUCEnKARgZduhioRpS17drSULLGXnNLxsBaUo5SG1DenrWqa4fumXOcnL6utYzNKa2l6FBgreJ1g/s713/angel-face-german-dvd-movie-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTOLiNgaaakeTyvyvV5uTwmk5Tyr9ZRk1BqB_mIHyijzZolCY9MuL5VKJNzU-SkKoUCEnKARgZduhioRpS17drSULLGXnNLxsBaUo5SG1DenrWqa4fumXOcnL6utYzNKa2l6FBgreJ1g/s320/angel-face-german-dvd-movie-cover.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Once Diane sees Frank, she is determined to lock him in. That means getting him away from his long-time girlfriend, Mary Wilton (Mona Freeman). Frank is quick to cheat on Mary - we wondered how many times he had done this before. While Mary is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in the beginning, a meeting with Diane makes Mary question her feelings for Frank. Ms. Freeman plays the character with resolve. She's no meek mouse allowing a man to get away with anything. She wants her man to love her, not every female in the vicinity.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Catherine Tremayne, on the other hand, is satisfied with being second in her husband's life. She's aware that her writer-husband (who's been unable to produce a book for years) married her for her money. But he has affection for her, She is generous to him, and to Diane, but Diane is obsessed with her father, and sees Catherine as a barrier to her relationship with her father. Barbara O'Neil paints a portrait of a warm woman who is being maligned by her ungrateful stepdaughter.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxRmpVfzpRK8AhSZ_gL75SCl2VQ2nrsZQXzI7H-vdS7pKtlRg48UiiRooO9bN2hHj5Y_KOLUMAgryJXbowcrqBRZux_ZsI3dki0GOmSM9moNsa4ej21_VAIqeA-PFxGIUMe8cZ6h0h50/s800/30486_2_large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxRmpVfzpRK8AhSZ_gL75SCl2VQ2nrsZQXzI7H-vdS7pKtlRg48UiiRooO9bN2hHj5Y_KOLUMAgryJXbowcrqBRZux_ZsI3dki0GOmSM9moNsa4ej21_VAIqeA-PFxGIUMe8cZ6h0h50/s320/30486_2_large.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Which brings us to the male members of the cast. Robert Mitchum
does a good job playing a not very strong man - Diane especially leads him around by the nose. Shortly after we meet Frank, he's lying to his long-time girlfriend - and we don't trust him. Frank is a fairly unambitious man. He's interested in Diane, but it's a lazy kind of interest. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Herbert Marshall (Charles Tremayne) is a good companion to Frank - he too is subservient to the women in his life - both Diane and Catherine. Charles is weak and has lost any drive he might have had. One can see Frank becoming the same person in later years. </span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JO8zitr8IyKahyt4S3zk1os9s38ejTB-ji7odq7eD3-DZYhYTLJxFlMfqjV3Z9LeOjA3VBE0jKvT0vPwGOICH2lzJcS2YGgex73tTKYDeT9EGPu4GOEVGjhqGp3IT64Ah1wXarfIkHY/s662/MV5BY2MyYzk0MmItYmVkYS00OTJlLWJkMzctN2RjNTFhYTkwNjA3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDMxMjQwMw%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="662" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JO8zitr8IyKahyt4S3zk1os9s38ejTB-ji7odq7eD3-DZYhYTLJxFlMfqjV3Z9LeOjA3VBE0jKvT0vPwGOICH2lzJcS2YGgex73tTKYDeT9EGPu4GOEVGjhqGp3IT64Ah1wXarfIkHY/s320/MV5BY2MyYzk0MmItYmVkYS00OTJlLWJkMzctN2RjNTFhYTkwNjA3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDMxMjQwMw%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The story was loosely based on the case of real-life case of Beulah Louise Overell and George Gollum who were accused of killing her parents (<a href="http://catalog.afi.com/Film/50392-ANGEL-FACE" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1953/04/25/archives/the-screen-in-review-freudian-drama-bows.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Howard Thompson (H.H.T.) was unenthusiastic, but this is an excellent, dark movie, with references to <i>Out of the Past</i>, <i>Double Indemnity</i>, and <i>The Postman Always Rings Twice</i>, without being a copy of any of them. For more detailed information on the film, I invite you to view Eddie Muller's Noir Alley <a href="https://youtu.be/YgjewMhW9u8" target="_blank">intro</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/R3ZbpwmtBsY" target="_blank">outro</a> to the film's airing. Here's a trailer to give you a peek at the picture.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="317" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/da4jHmpKFU0" width="455" youtube-src-id="da4jHmpKFU0"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-89005706400021470292021-10-23T08:33:00.002-07:002021-11-04T20:47:18.187-07:00Don't Disturb Doris<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYmWOlU9mRyP6LwDTRowUYyOLc93jabw0wrHJ4DHEUT47RdLbkHUy83cSGfOJEix01xGbVp_JOhnzQdgwP8U0bkQi842snHZnL13kvcWfaPk99K_dY8pewBi_UoYNPZAgEyl1g2KGDuU/s1959/MV5BYTM4MDUzZGEtYzgxMS00MDViLTliMGQtNDFjNTE1NDJmYjE3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjc1NDA2OA%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1959" data-original-width="1572" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYmWOlU9mRyP6LwDTRowUYyOLc93jabw0wrHJ4DHEUT47RdLbkHUy83cSGfOJEix01xGbVp_JOhnzQdgwP8U0bkQi842snHZnL13kvcWfaPk99K_dY8pewBi_UoYNPZAgEyl1g2KGDuU/s320/MV5BYTM4MDUzZGEtYzgxMS00MDViLTliMGQtNDFjNTE1NDJmYjE3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjc1NDA2OA%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Having relocated to England for her husband, Mike's (Rod Taylor), job, Janet Harper (Doris Day) is busily trying to learn the local currency and find a place for them to live. Only Mike wants an apartment in London, close to work while Janet goes out and rents a house far outside the city. They begin to bicker as Mike spends more time away from home with his assistant Claire Hackett (Maura McGiveney), and Janet spends her time redecorating with the help of Paul Bellari (Sergio Fantoni). Our film is <i>Do Not Disturb</i> (1965).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This post is part of the Classic Movie Blog Association's blogathon <a href="http://clamba.blogspot.com/2021/09/cmba-fall-blogathon-laughter-is-best.html" target="_blank">Laughter is the Best Medicine</a>. Click on the link to read other posts in this series.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On his deathbed, Edmund Gwenn said "Dying is easy. Comedy is hard." He wasn't kidding. And things that were funny in 1965 are not necessarily humorous in 2021. That's one of the problems with this film. Though blessed with an excellent comedienne in Doris Day, the movie today is one sexist trope after another.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sex comedies were a thing in the 1960s: <i>Sex and the Single Girl</i> (1964), <i>Sunday in New York</i> (which also featured Rod Taylor) (1963), <i>Under the Yum-Yum Tree</i> (1963) are a few examples. Doris Day was in another one as well - <i>Lover Come Back</i> (<span>1961), And while some of that film is dated, it has the benefit of Ms. Day working with Rock Hudson. One of the problems with <i>Do Not Disturb</i> is that there is precious little chemistry between Ms. Day and Mr. Taylor (they did a little better when they appeared together in <i>The Glass-Bottomed Boat</i> (1966)). </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUG9MMtKlWRFL03DPBiHJzEbJLoIBXG8L8joxQuBiSE9vprrDqK7l1mAzVKeGNHQrF-tLH0taQjPgsWjnOvRbSeWxcKghe3Ag2CL4f45qHe0L2K_YKt9gzlnaFR0boJLBLJT78Tp-nWsM/s700/MV5BN2IyMjZmOGQtZjEyOC00N2ZmLTk1OTgtM2U4MjEwNjRjMjQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzg1ODEwNQ%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="497" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUG9MMtKlWRFL03DPBiHJzEbJLoIBXG8L8joxQuBiSE9vprrDqK7l1mAzVKeGNHQrF-tLH0taQjPgsWjnOvRbSeWxcKghe3Ag2CL4f45qHe0L2K_YKt9gzlnaFR0boJLBLJT78Tp-nWsM/s320/MV5BN2IyMjZmOGQtZjEyOC00N2ZmLTk1OTgtM2U4MjEwNjRjMjQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzg1ODEwNQ%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" width="227" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Another problem with the film is that Janet is clueless. She complains that he husband is never home, but she's rented a house in the country - it takes him hours to get home from work (and Janet can't even find the train station). She says she wants to learn to use English money (back in the days of farthings and shillings) but never really figures it out. She also jets off to Paris with another man, and proceeds to get blind drunk. Unlike other Doris Day heroines, Janet is a dimwit, with little regard for her husband's feelings.</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Not that he's all that liberated. Mike is told by his colleagues that he needs to attend stag parties, which he does (without telling his wife). He's also hired an assistant, Claire Hackett (Maura McGiveney), who is eager to use Mike as a stepping stone for her own career in any way he might want. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjvkVXugHzM0jZ8fNkT8-Rf5eJsSKJTsyVafA-KVGZB6EksvdQlbusPBn2_bFLUX4EPLvxtr2C4ry7gRNhe-ohpe7-txo27R9NWhjXV5E8r8F2m36NGdUyCQOnxh-0ugdy7_6DLrL2xg/s400/DO-NOT-DISTURB-Japanese-B2-movie-poster-1965.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="285" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjvkVXugHzM0jZ8fNkT8-Rf5eJsSKJTsyVafA-KVGZB6EksvdQlbusPBn2_bFLUX4EPLvxtr2C4ry7gRNhe-ohpe7-txo27R9NWhjXV5E8r8F2m36NGdUyCQOnxh-0ugdy7_6DLrL2xg/s320/DO-NOT-DISTURB-Japanese-B2-movie-poster-1965.jpg" width="228" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There is also a problem in the relationship between Ms. Day and Mr. Taylor. He's a much better dramatic actor; he doesn't have the comic flair of, say, Rock Hudson or James Garner. Even with a weak script, the chemistry between Ms. Day and the these wonderful actors mitigates some of the chauvinism in their respective films (<i>Pillow Talk</i>, <i>The Thrill of it All</i>). Because you don't feel that special relationship between Mike and Janet, it's hard to believe they're really married. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCDPHVrvnI6OEQB9vbKa2FVrV5EYEilMZ5tAIwbsRe8ukhuSlmjf7gWW_YMhEa-n6Pk1lv14MEPnlwofPMe8OqCJiSvihYJHByOB_mf1gD4BNyohEcl9pBoEdPygkcbPJ50V5H5wUc6w/s1500/do-not-disturb1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCDPHVrvnI6OEQB9vbKa2FVrV5EYEilMZ5tAIwbsRe8ukhuSlmjf7gWW_YMhEa-n6Pk1lv14MEPnlwofPMe8OqCJiSvihYJHByOB_mf1gD4BNyohEcl9pBoEdPygkcbPJ50V5H5wUc6w/s320/do-not-disturb1.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite a negative <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1965/12/25/archives/do-not-disturbdoris-day-decorates-home-in-england.html?searchResultPosition=2" target="_blank">review</a> from <i>New York Times</i> critic, Bosley Crowther, the film did well financially (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/22886" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>) (proving indeed that times were different then). Though it was not her choice to do this film, her manager/husband Marty Melcher signed her up for it without her knowledge or consent (<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Doris_Day/UU3yDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=do+not+disturb+doris+day&pg=PT109&printsec=frontcover" target="_blank"><i>Doris Day: All American Girl</i></a>). Here is the film's trailer:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="353" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B3LlkGaOtl4" width="474" youtube-src-id="B3LlkGaOtl4"></iframe></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This post is part of the Classic Movie Blog Association's blogathon <a href="http://clamba.blogspot.com/2021/09/cmba-fall-blogathon-laughter-is-best.html" target="_blank">Laughter is the Best Medicine</a>. Please visit the link to read the other noteworthy posts in this blogathon.</span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXu3UbtL6JYEl4KJSXGL4fUbILvUbj6hE7PY9P4mtJQB8g520SH4RiBchlzs6qM_pUfjHEApfeX33Re_8_djE-eCvDd2CQZ_PYRUEspgZI_C77bglevKn0EqWrVCJuD3-ecvb9wiLn20/s888/4-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="888" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXu3UbtL6JYEl4KJSXGL4fUbILvUbj6hE7PY9P4mtJQB8g520SH4RiBchlzs6qM_pUfjHEApfeX33Re_8_djE-eCvDd2CQZ_PYRUEspgZI_C77bglevKn0EqWrVCJuD3-ecvb9wiLn20/s320/4-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-44078144338933939542021-10-19T18:52:00.001-07:002021-11-15T16:10:57.750-08:00Claudette Goes Mad<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_AwoeG8DLP32lJVEJbAVUjwPDwymur9ujSSxWTho7a8uvp3Ly5mTbk8PUoHxmSYNuMkOmEl_SdEnimgOZuVCOT_u0QEwxq65KfxaJXcMf7ap8aygNciyAoJ0PSugNL1bkqitpS66MqE/s1674/d19eb49cd800ef26979e14b490a0cb2d_XL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_AwoeG8DLP32lJVEJbAVUjwPDwymur9ujSSxWTho7a8uvp3Ly5mTbk8PUoHxmSYNuMkOmEl_SdEnimgOZuVCOT_u0QEwxq65KfxaJXcMf7ap8aygNciyAoJ0PSugNL1bkqitpS66MqE/s320/d19eb49cd800ef26979e14b490a0cb2d_XL.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">As Ellen Ewing (Claudette Colbert) is about to take her wedding vows to David McLean (Robert Ryan), a stranger accuses her of already being married to another man, Lucian Randall (Dave Barbour), a charge which Ellen denies. Ellen and David attempt to disprove the charges, but a succession of people claim to have been a part of the so-called wedding. Our film this time is <i>The Secret Fury</i> (1950).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a fun film, primarily because of the performances of Ms. Colbert and Mr. Ryan. Though the script has more holes in it than a piece of Swiss cheese, it does have a decent mystery story, and you will be hard pressed to identify the villain until the very end. Regardless, it is a lesser work of Ms. Colbert.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite that, she is very good as a woman being driven slowly mad for no apparent reason. A gifted pianist, with a substantial inheritance from her father, Ellen seems rock solid. However, as more and more strangers contradict her beliefs, her mind deteriorates and she ends up institutionalized, giving Ms. Colbert the opportunity to play a character who has completely lost her place in the world. Ms. Colbert was interested in the part because Mel Ferrer was directing (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/89417/the-secret-fury#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>).<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFu_bnHXL7y17X77epGlolLJ7umexM6KWYAHA39bl93Lzjvjk2JSQ6vvVksk5HfDzOpp8IEhvW5VbTdXnegg-LH2g9Bbi3EWvEQXd6eixaoReSTGe3HvrjQ5Iu2DmiVnUQ8uCSG8Ruj4/s1500/MV5BZDZmMjBjYjQtYjM0Ni00MjM4LWEzMDQtYjdkYmI5NTI3YmZmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MDI5NjE%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFu_bnHXL7y17X77epGlolLJ7umexM6KWYAHA39bl93Lzjvjk2JSQ6vvVksk5HfDzOpp8IEhvW5VbTdXnegg-LH2g9Bbi3EWvEQXd6eixaoReSTGe3HvrjQ5Iu2DmiVnUQ8uCSG8Ruj4/s320/MV5BZDZmMjBjYjQtYjM0Ni00MjM4LWEzMDQtYjdkYmI5NTI3YmZmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MDI5NjE%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the major attractions of this film is Robert Ryan, who gets to play a good guy. David never loses faith in Ellen, despite the evidence piling up against her. He keeps digging to get at the truth. Mr. Ryan makes David a warm and engaging character. He's funny, he's loyal, and he is clearly in love with Ellen.</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Also in the cast is Jane Cowl as Ellen's Aunt Clara. We're never quite sure of Aunt Clara. Like many of the other characters, she suspects that Ellen is either lying or has gone insane. Ms. Cowl manages to keep Aunt Clara ambiguous. Likewise, Paul Kelly as DA Eric Lowell also questions Ellen's mental status and becomes suspect to the audience. This, of course, keeps the audience guessing through the whole film. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBB5CxHVJdre4megVZlagdzt_kRm_so1P856eBXwLw84tQ8706U9hzLOsf1cfZtJIZUpGJk54Saz3yrnY9Mm1MWbcU_d6DYUfsuAPLdn_-cgxpXWf63klJEWmhrzNQYOzY91vSqtV_Yo/s750/fFZFkWmNNog90iUu190tPs9jww9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBB5CxHVJdre4megVZlagdzt_kRm_so1P856eBXwLw84tQ8706U9hzLOsf1cfZtJIZUpGJk54Saz3yrnY9Mm1MWbcU_d6DYUfsuAPLdn_-cgxpXWf63klJEWmhrzNQYOzY91vSqtV_Yo/s320/fFZFkWmNNog90iUu190tPs9jww9.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This was the film debuts for both Philip Ober (playing Ellen's lawyer Gregory Kent) and his then-wife Vivian Vance (playing Leah, the hotel maid) (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/26485" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). Ms. Vance is quite interesting as the cagey maid. The marriage to Mr. Ober would end nine years later; Ms. Vance would go on to play Ethel Mertz in <i>I Love Lucy.</i> One more actor to watch out for is Jose Ferrer in a cameo appearance.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As I've mentioned before, I'm always on the lookout for women playing physicians in films. We have one here - Elisabeth Risdon as Dr. Twining, Ellen's psychiatrist. Dr. Twining is a competent physician and a kind person. As is often the case in these films, there is no questioning by the patient or their family of the presence of a female physician.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxJGmGKmRHKZZHVvW4R3j2upo78o-t1PMjxSea-DTP82w0Md-7GFxfIIHkRtJo2yHMe_pDYSQFq1D2TO6qFedVnv21sYTwv1y-ba9s-AA6pSs4tehLKqyjoxK2-VwTZAclTkwApgbSOQ/s500/51d9Ni9z0QL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxJGmGKmRHKZZHVvW4R3j2upo78o-t1PMjxSea-DTP82w0Md-7GFxfIIHkRtJo2yHMe_pDYSQFq1D2TO6qFedVnv21sYTwv1y-ba9s-AA6pSs4tehLKqyjoxK2-VwTZAclTkwApgbSOQ/s320/51d9Ni9z0QL.jpg" width="224" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Bosley Crowther was unimpressed with the film in his <i>New York Times</i><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1950/06/22/archives/the-screen-in-review-secret-fury-with-claudette-colbert-and-robert.html" target="_blank"> review</a>, puzzling as to why "a respectable cast...descends to such cheap and lurid twaddle." While we would not quite call the film twaddle, we should note that it doesn't seem to be particularly film noir (it was advertised as such on the film channel), and the script IS inferior to the talents of the cast. But we do recommend it to see Mr. Ryan and Ms. Colbert together. We'll leave you with a scene from the film:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="354" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3O_UngtoNUI" width="424" youtube-src-id="3O_UngtoNUI"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-16167841428020105292021-10-11T08:11:00.000-07:002021-10-11T08:11:33.888-07:00Bette Doesn't Age<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vAWT-AIakMbvF5lqtx0MLdb3MQStzJkfV3G4MdvDQG-uhoCAhyphenhyphenU1dfXzHIFfpwR5eC8zesa1Sc332A2r7_r_VNmwTFPEXkYnM_-UmLABOXvcowvYYjwTtMPQD7oD8Dd79Aed_bVgkHo/s445/71oDp1VYQhL._SY445_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="334" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vAWT-AIakMbvF5lqtx0MLdb3MQStzJkfV3G4MdvDQG-uhoCAhyphenhyphenU1dfXzHIFfpwR5eC8zesa1Sc332A2r7_r_VNmwTFPEXkYnM_-UmLABOXvcowvYYjwTtMPQD7oD8Dd79Aed_bVgkHo/s320/71oDp1VYQhL._SY445_.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Reknowned New York beauty Frances Beatrice "Fanny" Trellis (Bette Davis) is being pursued by most of the eligible bachelors in the City. Fanny relishes the attention; even though she and her brother Trippy (Richard Waring) are deeply in debt. One evening, <i>Mr. Skeffington</i> (1944), Trippy's boss arrives to inform Fanny that Trippy has stolen $24,000 from his company. Intrigued that Job Skeffington does not seem to respond like her other suitors, Fanny elopes with Job, alienating Trippy.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's Interesting that the film is named <i>Mr. Skeffington</i> when Job disappears for most of the latter part of the film. As you can see from the Italian poster, they just changed the title to reflect the real focus of the film, the beguiling Fanny Skeffington. But the title change misses a point. Yes, the film is about Fanny, but it is Fanny as reflected by Job. Even when he is gone, Job Skeffington is an influence on Fanny's life, much to her chagrin.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bette Davis was not the first choice for the role of Fanny Skeffington - Katharine Cornell was originally approached; when she declined, Irene Dunne and Claudette Colbert also turned it down. Next up was Tallullah Bankhead; that deal was nixed by Hal Wallis (<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dark_Victory/vlbwEvqXIukC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%20skeffington" target="_blank"><i>Dark Victory: The Life of Bette Davis</i></a> by Ed Sikov), after which, Ms. Davis was approached. She was reluctant - she worried about the aging of the character, which originally had the story told in flashback (and Fanny going from old to young and back again). Adding to her anxiety, her husband, Arthur Farnsworth died just as production was to begin (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2372/mr-skeffington#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>), Regardless of her fears, she is letter-perfect making it Fanny's charm that is the attraction, not her beauty.<br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDago7y4StqsaDtQJejSIVcKrVOWvli7zJySMqH_gf7KXts2q1sZfga7sIkfIUNB_wWZmqCQ7C1Qwz3XzZ5FY1tpD-aBxTAzAcP6fqAhG_0qrkEFp4NWEirGeL-_h9Ya-RsWWqH_dVWU/s480/image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDago7y4StqsaDtQJejSIVcKrVOWvli7zJySMqH_gf7KXts2q1sZfga7sIkfIUNB_wWZmqCQ7C1Qwz3XzZ5FY1tpD-aBxTAzAcP6fqAhG_0qrkEFp4NWEirGeL-_h9Ya-RsWWqH_dVWU/s320/image.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film, however, lives and dies on the character of Job
Skeffington, and Claude Rains does not disappoint. He is marvelous as a
man floored by his love for a woman who is incapable of loving anyone
but herself. You might ask why such a sensible man would fall for such a
woman, but Mr. Rains makes us appreciate his feelings, and his growing
sorrow as he realizes that Fanny will never love him. Both James Stephenson (Mr. Stephenson died before production began) and Paul Henreid were considered for Job (AFI <a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/24077" target="_blank">catalog</a>). <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Walter Abel
(George Trellis) is also excellent as Fanny’s tolerant cousin. A good
man, who cares deeply for Fanny and Trippy, he also forms a bond with
Job following Job’s marriage to Fanny. George acts as a conscience for
Fanny, reminding her when she is being more selfish than normal - not
that she pays much attention!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsP_D0BPWCmZC_2Fl-AaOQsZhzlnUsLnXd9L6_grJW9t8Pb_Qx5YAlc2JbWeaTepUtjiWbOR71GX7xAOXoU-f575FyE-kKH0gbZmizspx7O-ybQohbfRiU1nNk7TAu9J6hwsmIr7mgRs/s900/mr-skeffington-bette-davis-1944-everett.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="737" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsP_D0BPWCmZC_2Fl-AaOQsZhzlnUsLnXd9L6_grJW9t8Pb_Qx5YAlc2JbWeaTepUtjiWbOR71GX7xAOXoU-f575FyE-kKH0gbZmizspx7O-ybQohbfRiU1nNk7TAu9J6hwsmIr7mgRs/s320/mr-skeffington-bette-davis-1944-everett.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There are some excellent performances by other members of the cast. Marjorie Riordan as the grown Fanny Rachel Trellis, who has lived in her mother's shadow all her life, is quite good as a daughter battling her dislike of her mother with her father's desire that she always treat her mother with affection. The trio of suitors played by John Alexander (Jim Conderley), Jerome Cowan (Edward Morrison), and Peter Whitney (Chester Forbish) are delightfully ridiculous, with Jerome Cowan leading the pack in the last section of the film. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobODi_kK5hcP4i1_hIQfUGLei20uloayyNocVc7GxJZMiWVnnSqoVqNzd2OcdKuALobQTSGY4NxRsjAZ9WMQuTI6d5HIHA_eHfWtSCm5uLHgUfJtg3cZmsSVUEIACUc5JOHAmCBf-V80/s276/mrskeffington.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobODi_kK5hcP4i1_hIQfUGLei20uloayyNocVc7GxJZMiWVnnSqoVqNzd2OcdKuALobQTSGY4NxRsjAZ9WMQuTI6d5HIHA_eHfWtSCm5uLHgUfJtg3cZmsSVUEIACUc5JOHAmCBf-V80/s0/mrskeffington.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1944/05/26/archives/mr-skeffington-with-bette-davis-and-claude-rains-opens-at-the.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Bosley Crowther was not enthusiastic. Regardless, the film did well at the box office. It was adapted for the <a href="https://youtu.be/hIQlyRd47RQ" target="_blank"><i>Lux Radio Theatre</i></a> in October 1945 with Bette Davis and Paul Henreid as the two leads.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is an excellent film, and while a tad long, well worth the time. We'll leave you with a trailer:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="352" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/em4ouBJ91IU" width="467" youtube-src-id="em4ouBJ91IU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-59616902094206402742021-10-04T15:43:00.000-07:002021-10-04T15:43:33.570-07:00Spencer's Daugher Gets Married<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk-kFIAlcG2S07Az6NOLXJRIubN6uX71F3tvQAbFnVmrTKx9DxNEKbRVWyyPaXmk5GTlyAr1uYc0N7kYnQsCgOwITXGFnhG8qo21KVfkj3fXBunailz9gD0yV3wpo5lg48YCtR4g_YdE/s270/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk-kFIAlcG2S07Az6NOLXJRIubN6uX71F3tvQAbFnVmrTKx9DxNEKbRVWyyPaXmk5GTlyAr1uYc0N7kYnQsCgOwITXGFnhG8qo21KVfkj3fXBunailz9gD0yV3wpo5lg48YCtR4g_YdE/s0/images.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When Kay Banks (Elizabeth Taylor) informs her doting parents Stanley (Spencer Tracy) and Ellie (Joan Bennett) that she is engaged to be married, all hell breaks loose as Stanley tries to deal with the loss of his daughter to a husband he barely knows, and to the escalating wedding arrangements that Ellie is planning. It's not easy to be the <i>Father of the Bride </i>(1950).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Spencer Tracy is perfect as the indulgent daddy forced to confront his daughter's big step into adulthood. He's warm and loving and completely flummoxed by his wife's obsession with a fancy wedding party. Though director Vincente Minnelli wanted Mr. Tracy from the start, Dore Schary agreed to let Jack Benny (who badly wanted the part) to star. Mr. Minnelli insisted on a screen test; he found he could not get Mr. Benny to refrain from doing his famed double takes. Finally permitted to ask Mr. Tracy, Mr. Minnelli was turned down - Mr. Tracy wasn't interested in being second choice. When Mr. Minnelli told him that he would turn down the directing work if Mr. Tracy was not in the film (and Katharine Hepburn interceded), Mr. Tracy agreed to take on the part (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2894/father-of-the-bride/#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>). </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkuX0H9GlGwIB_JWHkTepJA0ZM9S6XNM6ukqQZckN2ydiZ1J7P6pF1i8kp5QQpRsV-bbYvo6I2kOjUadbJk6-2C4VRiiSeKxkVLDdfaV-ZHfumuF51rQ6XnOPOkCjNf_HXi556XZotd8/s2048/images.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1522" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkuX0H9GlGwIB_JWHkTepJA0ZM9S6XNM6ukqQZckN2ydiZ1J7P6pF1i8kp5QQpRsV-bbYvo6I2kOjUadbJk6-2C4VRiiSeKxkVLDdfaV-ZHfumuF51rQ6XnOPOkCjNf_HXi556XZotd8/s320/images.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Joan Bennett is lovely as Ellie Banks. A loving mother and wife, she's completely absorbed in the ideal of a fancy church wedding for her only daughter - something she missed when she got married. She had already worked previously with Spencer Tracy, and he was happy to work with her again. Mr. Tracy said
obviously their marriage in <i>Me and My Gal </i>(1932) had worked and look at the offspring they
produced!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Which brings us to the eldest of that offspring - Elizabeth Taylor is a delight as Kay Banks. Torn between pleasing her mother and her own desire for a smaller affair, Kay embraces the fancier reception, while trying to calm her panicked father. Ms. Taylor was on the verge of marrying Nicky Hilton, and MGM was ecstatic at using Ms. Taylor's real wedding to publicize the film. Besides stocking the wedding with every MGM star available to attend, the wedding was timed to coincide with the film's release (<i><a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1995-04-26-9504240470-story.html">South Florida Sun-Sentinal</a></i>); sadly, the marriage was over in less than a year, thanks to Hilton's drinking and womanizing. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QOYlB-ne2EjuX7svr1UXX_Ob6i-YGdmf0pQuJ1mB1Vuf2iQhMqbOSarAy3OTWZmw7OcmgZ_JQke0Wl7ffHBShQ3url7T7ym3-uwzpsT6OINMQcAVp1HZo4GLf0uEftYqHN8rJZql4-o/s708/images.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QOYlB-ne2EjuX7svr1UXX_Ob6i-YGdmf0pQuJ1mB1Vuf2iQhMqbOSarAy3OTWZmw7OcmgZ_JQke0Wl7ffHBShQ3url7T7ym3-uwzpsT6OINMQcAVp1HZo4GLf0uEftYqHN8rJZql4-o/s320/images.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The movie is blessed with a remarkable supporting cast. The always wonderful Billie Burke teams with Moroni Olson as in-laws to-be Doris and Herbert Dunstan. Don Taylor is convincing as their son, Buckley. Sadly for him, most of his scenes are with Ms. Taylor, so one doesn't really spend much time looking at the groom! Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn has a small part as Tommy Banks, and Tom Irish is the other Banks son, Ben. Mr. Irish appears as Ben in the 1991 remake of the story! Finally, Leo G. Carroll steals all his scenes as wedding planner, Mr. Massoula - a bit of snob, but that is part of his charm.</span><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbnUcS0ZLie21g3WYCPVgJ326ShyPfV1CAO6PSnTQi1UAwFKywjxOxxIMPFEFS9MyISjqc1dX1K1RGBjlcrWjy1UUf9hyoit0GL1_eLJLssxBWwoGYhOpsfhVefn8uP_OnFY29asAd18/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film opened at Radio City Music Hall and received a glowing review from Bosley Crowther in his<i> New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1950/05/19/archives/the-screen-in-review-spencer-tracy-plays-father-of-the-bride-in-new.html" target="_blank">review</a>. Before the film has even opened, a sequel, <i>Father's Little Dividend </i>(1951) was put into production (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/26312" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). In 1991, a remake with Steve Martin, which was also very successful, was released. The film had previously been a TV series with Leon Ames as the titular character. <br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">For anyone who has ever been married, been friends with someone who has married, or attended a wedding, this is the movie for you. The film manages to show the truths in wedding planning, but with warmth and humor. If you've seen the film before, it's worth a rewatch. If not, treat yourself to a visit with <i>The Father of the Bride</i>. In the meantime, here is a trailer:</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="362" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oIhnPMYtB9Q" width="435" youtube-src-id="oIhnPMYtB9Q"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /> </p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-17269420127113818702021-09-27T11:13:00.000-07:002021-09-27T11:13:03.073-07:00Charles Painted<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry_dSlpHl1gZQ_w1LYG-c-iKhpXmNGHOmdfO-j1Hx9yJ59TgXpQjWr2pRdcGuzzQ-uQHpMmsjIgZR9u1is1VSsRreryEgZQHXAAq_PljVIfrKkBipLxwLSxoaL-tIMJjZ5r9IZhTWYCc/s2842/MV5BZjI0YWQxODMtNjliMi00M2Q1LTkxNmYtNmJkMzBmZWE0ZjI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODcwODg0OQ%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2842" data-original-width="1106" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjry_dSlpHl1gZQ_w1LYG-c-iKhpXmNGHOmdfO-j1Hx9yJ59TgXpQjWr2pRdcGuzzQ-uQHpMmsjIgZR9u1is1VSsRreryEgZQHXAAq_PljVIfrKkBipLxwLSxoaL-tIMJjZ5r9IZhTWYCc/s320/MV5BZjI0YWQxODMtNjliMi00M2Q1LTkxNmYtNmJkMzBmZWE0ZjI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODcwODg0OQ%2540%2540._V1_.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Coast Guard officer Scott Burnett (Robert Ryan) can't shake the trauma of a shipwreck. He resists becoming involved with Eve Geddes (Nan Leslie), a local woman who loves him, and spends much of his free time riding his horse on the shore. But when he happens upon Peggy Butler, <i>The Woman on the Beach </i>(1947), he is captivated. Peggy, however, is married to Tod Butler (Charles Bickford), a renowned painter who has completely lost his sight.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This film showed such promise - a great cast and what could have been an intriguing story. Sadly, it's not. The characters are undefined, the plot is haphazard, and the actors are given precious little with which to work </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Let's start with Robert Ryan. The film opens with the reveal that Burnett is badly affected by post-traumatic stress. He has a woman who loves him and who he claims to love. But one look at Peggy Butler, and Burnett is obsessed. Does it have to do with his illness? It's hard to say - Joan Bennett is at her alluring best in this film; at the same time, Peggy is not particularly pleasant, and as we quickly discover, has a proclivity for taking strange men into her bed. It's pretty clear from even their first meeting that she's not a particularly nice person. <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI52d6e8C6W0PKd1c1OEivk-FZUzhZuG_U-YOJKqHcoUGoGUnPYihwyrkWezgROhvGBkbv_2OxC0f3EEUkIW8K2nIy3HrMFpQv-JO1ZiTH0pp5E7kThsKfRFFzuQh9KsiG2Kx5fE34ynY/s713/the-woman-on-the-beach-italian-dvd-movie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI52d6e8C6W0PKd1c1OEivk-FZUzhZuG_U-YOJKqHcoUGoGUnPYihwyrkWezgROhvGBkbv_2OxC0f3EEUkIW8K2nIy3HrMFpQv-JO1ZiTH0pp5E7kThsKfRFFzuQh9KsiG2Kx5fE34ynY/s320/the-woman-on-the-beach-italian-dvd-movie.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It might have worked had there been any chemistry between Ms. Bennett and Mr. Ryan, but there isn't - he's stiff - even his "lovemaking" is uninterested. Would the film have been better with the original actor slated for the role - George Brent (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/96169/the-woman-on-the-beach/#articles-reviews?articleId=92472" target="_blank">article</a>)? It's hard to say. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The other side of the triangle is Charles Bickford as the blind painter. Tod Butler is a nasty piece of work - his wife was the cause of the accident that blinded him, and he is making sure she pays for her sins. It's hard for the audience to sympathize with him - he's a brutal bully. And you should have some pity for this man who lost his livelihood and much of his identity because of his drunken carousing. But he (along with Scott) spend so much time brooding, you just don't really care.<br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0l7A4hPaD8WBHGQIt732q4LYEgS1-zeaHaLa9qYyvaM9sy43uIt4TImZgSpnk9NyVGjsiQeXQPNHkzQLAwBUOQW4p3tAjHxRuKed3CjRiY9Z3hwC1KI0rl7BkA7-DYy7aFfmTk-i6zU/s1229/wotb2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0l7A4hPaD8WBHGQIt732q4LYEgS1-zeaHaLa9qYyvaM9sy43uIt4TImZgSpnk9NyVGjsiQeXQPNHkzQLAwBUOQW4p3tAjHxRuKed3CjRiY9Z3hwC1KI0rl7BkA7-DYy7aFfmTk-i6zU/s320/wotb2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ms. Bennett was very involved with the project - it was she who recruited Jean Renoir as the director (Val Lewton was originally slated to direct). She and Mr. Renoir were friendly - that she could easily converse in French added a level of comfort to their relationship. But, bad previews led to rewrites and reshoots to the point where the film was probably lost in the shuffle.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There are a couple of other actors worth mentioning. Nan Leslie as Eve is a totally useless character. She's a cypher, and adds nothing to the story. We don't know very much about her, she's not really appealing, and so we don't really want her to be with Scott. Irene Ryan (Mrs. Wernecke) is supposed to provide some comic relief, but as good an actress as she is, there just isn't any humor in her part. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKpbFLCBNj8RCc9qHrug_U_Ng4qbXQsoixqNdTfchwn1x2BaJbrWCabn8u3FE0eJkdRW0q_VvB04qdo_otQ5gMQbtIgSuFFv42no9FVfooTeToI9mktf6uXCKq6WDuOyt51_OS0jSOEM/s706/the-woman-on-the-beach-italian-dvd-movie-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMKpbFLCBNj8RCc9qHrug_U_Ng4qbXQsoixqNdTfchwn1x2BaJbrWCabn8u3FE0eJkdRW0q_VvB04qdo_otQ5gMQbtIgSuFFv42no9FVfooTeToI9mktf6uXCKq6WDuOyt51_OS0jSOEM/s320/the-woman-on-the-beach-italian-dvd-movie-cover.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Based on the novel <i>None So Blind</i> by Mitchell Wilson, the movie was filmed with the working titles of <i>None So Blind</i> and <i>Desirable Woman</i> (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/25431?cxt=filmography" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>). The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1947/06/09/archives/the-screen-in-review.html" target="_blank">review</a> by A, H. Weiler (A.W.) wanted to like the film, but felt it needed "a mite more clarity."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We can't recommend this film at all, but we'll still leave you with a clip from the film's opening:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="336" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AndwzptW1F4" width="405" youtube-src-id="AndwzptW1F4"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-63638712648393677712021-09-20T07:53:00.000-07:002021-09-20T07:53:46.963-07:00Ida Goes Mad<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7aUXOpzoUt_pFQpFp6xlmQmifkc-RZadYMIQp-H3l3lf7jmVZXnm8Mq10lce0MqiivfHCKL_sALrjXZRyC_HqcTmmQoft40bH6cdnfEblo9_Nm7Gaq65aNVcjbR7wCCFPCSl_F_Npz4/s432/510d963f6267a220b27ab63151cb8ddd.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7aUXOpzoUt_pFQpFp6xlmQmifkc-RZadYMIQp-H3l3lf7jmVZXnm8Mq10lce0MqiivfHCKL_sALrjXZRyC_HqcTmmQoft40bH6cdnfEblo9_Nm7Gaq65aNVcjbR7wCCFPCSl_F_Npz4/s320/510d963f6267a220b27ab63151cb8ddd.jpg" /></a></i></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Joe (George Raft) and Paul Fabrini (Humphrey Bogart) are trying to beat the odds by running their own trucking service. With their one truck, <i>They Drive by Night</i> (1940) moving produce from one city to another. It's an exhausting and dangerous job, as they try to acquire enough money to pay off their truck and build a successful business.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a well-acted film with an engaging storyline that will keep you interested throughout. It's got an impressive cast, but frankly, it's Ida Lupino (Lana Carlsen) who steals the entire film. More on her later.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">George Raft is convincing as the determined trucker who's trying to beat the odds in building his own business. While I'm generally not a fan of Mr. Raft, he does a good job in this film, primarily because of the actors he plays against. Raft and Humphrey Bogart make convincing brothers; there is a subtle intimacy between the two. While we witness the strain between the brothers - Paul wants to be home more with his wife, while Joe is convinced they can beat the system - there is affection and understanding too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Humphrey Bogart's role in the film is relatively small. As Joe's brother, he is constantly complaining about the stress of their work and his ongoing reluctance to leave his wife alone yet again. Gale Page (Pearl Fabrini) is in much the same situation - she's there to represent the wives who fear for their husbands' safety. She's a much better actress than the whining Pearl allows her to be.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqW2HMc0o1kn0zeYL8PxI_kDpN2hvMgqrG-s93jFFbJb4P4TW7DzVSUzguJmJnQh58jb59XWOu_b7Tmp0nUz8U3sVYdByM0A-iIYr3rIzi5gSMn_Jh-XbM5H-a6GVWktXpg6ZH4bz1sc/s2048/lf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1609" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqW2HMc0o1kn0zeYL8PxI_kDpN2hvMgqrG-s93jFFbJb4P4TW7DzVSUzguJmJnQh58jb59XWOu_b7Tmp0nUz8U3sVYdByM0A-iIYr3rIzi5gSMn_Jh-XbM5H-a6GVWktXpg6ZH4bz1sc/s320/lf.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Alan Hale (Ed Carlsen) fairs much better as the jovial, if hard drinking, owner of a major trucking company. Ed came up through the ranks and built a thriving business. He's a loyal friend, who's been trying to convince Joe to join his company. The fly in the ointment is Ed's wife Lana - unbeknownst to Ed, Lana has been pursuing Joe, who is having none of it. Mr. Hale is awfully good in the part, and his loss is felt. <br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ann Sheridan (Cassie Hartley) gets to wisecrack in her early scenes in the film but as she becomes more involved with Joe, she becomes more subdued. By the end, we know who is going to be in charge in their marriage; Cassie is a strong and loyal woman who will always support her man. We particularly enjoyed the scene when Joe collapses on her bed in exhaustion, and Cassie spends the night on the sofa.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU8J6SCYVrCFPw2B6-0NfPm4TbU_H3PiqCt6QqalMJjinUBs4Sjz0WGAFN2LJUPK8vNyxUdxrHxVikvhnoYq8TfnOT7R75WyBj4HyYSdZQ_7ClBrDn0uw-QLreUlAU_-YeY2QzKREW_E/s2048/c95774474e6ad80d672f9f1c3fbf4605.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyU8J6SCYVrCFPw2B6-0NfPm4TbU_H3PiqCt6QqalMJjinUBs4Sjz0WGAFN2LJUPK8vNyxUdxrHxVikvhnoYq8TfnOT7R75WyBj4HyYSdZQ_7ClBrDn0uw-QLreUlAU_-YeY2QzKREW_E/s320/c95774474e6ad80d672f9f1c3fbf4605.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It was George Raft who recommended Ida Lupino for the role of Lana (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/720/they-drive-by-night#articles-reviews?articleId=31527" target="_blank">article</a>), and as we mentioned previously, she steals the film. She's crafty and scheming; disgusted by her husband but eager to spend his money. She dominates every scene in which she appears, but it is the last part of the picture where she rules. Her desire to get Joe into her bed, her growing guilt over her husband's death, and her resentment of Cassie all lead to a perfect storm in the film's conclusion. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>They Drive by Night</i> is also blessed with a number of Warner Brothers contract players, including Roscoe Karns (as pinball addict Irish McGurn), George Tobias (as fruit seller George Rondolos), and William Bendix (as another truck driver). All combine to make a very well-rounded film. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTbDTGFs19wgUEAWgFz5jy_isg-whB5BxyTjWvUrWp0Z72L_yOR8ZQw_1q5PsGB1PK1rTiFqs1I2qhstFbDiw0xB8eUKuyUKFlavdS6uYzvI7YFsTw3yEytzKpzC9-0zl1ugyq481Pfc/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTbDTGFs19wgUEAWgFz5jy_isg-whB5BxyTjWvUrWp0Z72L_yOR8ZQw_1q5PsGB1PK1rTiFqs1I2qhstFbDiw0xB8eUKuyUKFlavdS6uYzvI7YFsTw3yEytzKpzC9-0zl1ugyq481Pfc/s320/unnamed.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The story is loosely based on the 1935 film <i>Bordertown</i> (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/4635" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). It was aired by <a href="https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/drama/lux/lux-radio-theater-41-06-02-310-they-drive-by-night" target="_blank"><i>Lux Radio Theatre</i></a> in June of 1941 with George Raft, Lana Turner, and Lucille Ball. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1940/07/27/archives/the-screen-they-drive-by-night-is-tough-stuff-at-the-strand-in.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Bosley Crowther was positive, calling it "an entertaining ride". We concur; if you are a fan of Ms. Lupino, you must see this. And if not, there is still plenty of good acting to catch your eye. We'll leave you with the film's trailer:</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="318" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dZCbLFGYf9E" width="487" youtube-src-id="dZCbLFGYf9E"></iframe></div><br />Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-77472934679117454132021-09-13T11:35:00.000-07:002021-09-13T11:35:15.140-07:00Errol Escapes<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVYFkSbCepb88F8kI0_dJbfA0sac12PBj7ZhoLy3tk3q9-cQv6lbGTTSP3iYMcfIXCP-EAItmjbKH_mKSsGnJObK5v2eQZvP2T8koZrl8FAfzO20gf41mEKkgaXlCxGHbx_8VTeh3TbM/s300/s-l300.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVYFkSbCepb88F8kI0_dJbfA0sac12PBj7ZhoLy3tk3q9-cQv6lbGTTSP3iYMcfIXCP-EAItmjbKH_mKSsGnJObK5v2eQZvP2T8koZrl8FAfzO20gf41mEKkgaXlCxGHbx_8VTeh3TbM/s0/s-l300.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">When their bomber crashes in Nazi Germany, a group of Allied airmen make a <i>Desperate Journey</i> (1942) to get out of the country with information that may help the war effort. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Let's begin by admitting that this is very much a wartime propaganda film. According to this movie, five Allied officers can take down the entire Nazi war machine and defeat it without breaking into much of a sweat. Regardless, it's an interesting adventure, with snappy (albeit somewhat jingoistic) dialog and a good rapport among the lead and supporting actors.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">Errol Flynn gets top billing as Flight Lt Terrence Forbes, an Australian working with the Allied command in Europe. This is one of the few times in which Flynn gets to play someone from his native land, and he's quite good as the cocky, but competent Forbes. Errol Flynn was examined by the draft board, but physicians discovered that he had tuberculosis. Knowing that he would be unable to work (and would not be entitled to any money during his recuperation), Mr. Flynn declined to let the studio know of his illness, nor accept any of the treatments available to him (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2659/desperate-journey/#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>). As a result, he lost a tremendous amount of weight (forcing wardrobe adjustments). Frequently late for work, he was difficult to work with during the shoot.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xwuiAsMdRCk8nhRNHjx1Op4RA6W7HxrRt9xnpSvbjoJ1RxO0MtilssN_IZics3K2CSYZL04KF2LQgcvI95NWeYgUjV3MfxGcZ7FOYjq3V6t_7esvcArgbHqhU5dIiNUZIfkAm0q-_is/s805/MV5BZTY0MjUxYmUtMDRiMS00MGEyLThlMDUtOGFkMjBhYzg4NjJhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzI2Mjg4MDg%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="567" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xwuiAsMdRCk8nhRNHjx1Op4RA6W7HxrRt9xnpSvbjoJ1RxO0MtilssN_IZics3K2CSYZL04KF2LQgcvI95NWeYgUjV3MfxGcZ7FOYjq3V6t_7esvcArgbHqhU5dIiNUZIfkAm0q-_is/s320/MV5BZTY0MjUxYmUtMDRiMS00MGEyLThlMDUtOGFkMjBhYzg4NjJhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzI2Mjg4MDg%2540._V1_.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ronald Reagan (Flying Officer Johnny Hammond) was just off his rousing success in <i>King's Row</i> (1942), and gets second billing above the title with Errol Flynn. He's good as the devil-may-care American, and got to be the hero of the piece, knocking out Major Otto Baumeister (Raymond Massey), albeit off-camera. Errol Flynn wanted to the the one to do that particular deed, but he was told no. Mr. Reagan was called up for military service while shooting the picture - they allowed him a week to finish up the production. His three years of service did not help his career; he was never able to regain the momentum following <i>King's Row</i>. However, he eventually had other career goals.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The role of Kaethe Brahms was originally intended for Kaaren Verne, but she was replaced by Nancy Coleman (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Film/27196-DESPERATE-JOURNEY" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). It's not a big part, but Ms. Coleman does her best to make Kaethe heroic and appealing. If there is one fault in the film, it is the scene where the escaping flyers share a meal with Kaethe's parents. Relaxing for the first time in awhile, the men talk liberally - something no soldier would do in these circumstances. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_uBmsKrKVFjLuPdRNRytIB3OTMXW1eYW3LU9JHe8_cgsDYnuYMT-q16buB4Lh5cMmwvKVSf3O0_1YhtqBiqgEcN1uoRLgtDGKlYNnNTlF5n7065MTv6y-A_MmzRreTmct16lJOxTbRg/s2048/lf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1607" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_uBmsKrKVFjLuPdRNRytIB3OTMXW1eYW3LU9JHe8_cgsDYnuYMT-q16buB4Lh5cMmwvKVSf3O0_1YhtqBiqgEcN1uoRLgtDGKlYNnNTlF5n7065MTv6y-A_MmzRreTmct16lJOxTbRg/s320/lf.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Raymond Massey has the most thankless part. Major Otto Baumeister is downright stupid, and his Nazi soldiers resemble nothing more than the Keystone Kops. Massey is a good actor, but you wouldn't know it here. He's really given nothing with which to work.</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We have a number of other good actors in the film - Alan Hale as Flight Sergeant Kirk Edwards gets to do some of the comic relief. Arthur Kennedy (Flying Officer Jed Forrest) is the conscience of the group - trying to keep them on task towards getting home with the information they've obtained. This would be Ronald Sinclair (Flight Sergeant Lloyd Hollis) last acting role (he'd been a child actor) - he became a film editor, working with Roger Corman.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroawEltWYNcwBhMDvmBFfqAWvKLzAOUd-Z-FbyX4MsmT6myBFu2nPkynC2oETRYfkSYmMwTtw2InoUVbV4OOADCx_A1HmwAopYzfa2aVO3jx2Cmhz4leI134kkZEBfMTdsaUNHmDroc8/s444/desperate-journey-movie-poster-1942-1010412521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroawEltWYNcwBhMDvmBFfqAWvKLzAOUd-Z-FbyX4MsmT6myBFu2nPkynC2oETRYfkSYmMwTtw2InoUVbV4OOADCx_A1HmwAopYzfa2aVO3jx2Cmhz4leI134kkZEBfMTdsaUNHmDroc8/s320/desperate-journey-movie-poster-1942-1010412521.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bosley Crowther, in his The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1942/09/26/archives/the-screen-desperate-journey-a-futile-chase-through-germany-with.html" target="_blank">review</a>, was unimpressed with the movie - "an invasion of Nazi Germany which would put the Commandos to shame." It was nominated for an Oscar for Special Effects (it lost to <i>Reap the Wild Wind</i>). While this is not the best movie ever made, it's fun, with an enjoyable cast. We'll leave you with this trailer: </span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="376" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JttiUOQeIis" width="432" youtube-src-id="JttiUOQeIis"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-78175685853196585302021-09-06T19:09:00.000-07:002021-09-06T19:09:12.805-07:00James Defends a Murderer<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ464rEGmOfPKtwc-AUtxwBi4sayJ7PR4fzuM2F8vbgxLL-U9fXjRfh8sEhBl3UCmgDF6_igqZ48Slz0Vnx4wEuSdtTyxBbJxRSYmGvbkju6fb7X_RACDq2du1xhdA9izjdtGTyJ1Ivc/s2017/anatomy_of_a_murder_R66_linen_original_film_art_5000x.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="1462" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ464rEGmOfPKtwc-AUtxwBi4sayJ7PR4fzuM2F8vbgxLL-U9fXjRfh8sEhBl3UCmgDF6_igqZ48Slz0Vnx4wEuSdtTyxBbJxRSYmGvbkju6fb7X_RACDq2du1xhdA9izjdtGTyJ1Ivc/s320/anatomy_of_a_murder_R66_linen_original_film_art_5000x.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">Paul "Polly" Biegler (James Stewart) returns from a fishing trip to find an urgent message asking him to call Laura Manion (Lee Remick). His secretary Maida Rutledge (Eve Arden) informs him that Ms. Manion's husband U.S. Army Lieutenant Paul Biegler (Ben Gazzara) has been accused of the murder of popular innkeeper Barney Quill. Ms. Manion wants to retain Paul's services as defense attorney in her husband's trial. Our film this week is <i>Anatomy of a Murder </i>(1959).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An exceptional cast make this courtroom drama riveting. Led by James Stewart, the film, though dialogue driven, keeps the audience guessing from the second it starts. Mr. Stewart was nominated for an Oscar for the role, which he later said was his most challenging part since <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i> (1946) (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3737/anatomy-of-a-murder#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>). The laconic Stewart charm is still present, but he uses it to camouflage a cagey attorney, who employs every tool at his disposal to defend his client.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Lee Remick is remarkable as the rape victim who keeps the audience's sympathy from start to finish. A kittenish vamp, who enjoys showing off her rather attractive body - and who tells us that her husband also enjoys showing her off, until he gets jealous - seems to be out looking for a lover. But, she informs Polly that she has never cheated on her husband, and we believe her when she says she was beaten and raped by Barney Quill. We also know that she is an abused wife, who stays with her husband out of fear and sympathy. Lana Turner was originally cast as Laura, but left the production after a run-in with director Otto Preminger.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UIhx0NYdrU5czdeWVBqt_JDk2MQsEYhb0xiVoelrDqpGKw0F4VddIkwcZxgwxq9tFtVrzngWTilQyCrhyphenhyphenBd02fhRwyYDTTAdlksd02NULFrbZ51DyaLT4GxQoYBFACDSYpSyrOO-EN0/s1311/anatomy-of-a-murder-md-web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UIhx0NYdrU5czdeWVBqt_JDk2MQsEYhb0xiVoelrDqpGKw0F4VddIkwcZxgwxq9tFtVrzngWTilQyCrhyphenhyphenBd02fhRwyYDTTAdlksd02NULFrbZ51DyaLT4GxQoYBFACDSYpSyrOO-EN0/s320/anatomy-of-a-murder-md-web.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ben Gazzara is properly sinister as the accused murderer and abusive husband. He brings just the right amount of seething anger to the part; you know he is a dangerous man, but is he defending his wife or simply getting vengeance for Barney Quill's usurpation of Manion's personal property? This was only his second film.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The supporting players are equally remarkable. Arthur O'Connell was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Polly's partner, Parnell Emmett McCarthy, a former lawyer with a drinking partner. The case provides Polly with a mean of getting Parnell on the wagon. Also nominated in the supporting actor category was George C. Scott as visiting prosecutor Claude Dancer. Mr. Scott would later comment on his regard for James Stewart: " Some actors have a tendency to...sort of phone it in from there. But
not Mr. Stewart...(he) came and stood by the camera and performed for me
alone. It was a lesson I've never forgotten."</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixblwj39dDqRbc9CtnQvJcpMxhGMYqr7z7fZ1LgpZ_6vGiiNQM4I-yMHZRn2Zcl-IPKQvVblIM6WiEZDVzSyIOq5IF6rTAxm6D-7ysdBX_V1kiVYjhTpuKQtPo0yLhEbJ6QigWOpHr5N4/s474/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="258" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixblwj39dDqRbc9CtnQvJcpMxhGMYqr7z7fZ1LgpZ_6vGiiNQM4I-yMHZRn2Zcl-IPKQvVblIM6WiEZDVzSyIOq5IF6rTAxm6D-7ysdBX_V1kiVYjhTpuKQtPo0yLhEbJ6QigWOpHr5N4/s320/unnamed.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Kathryn Grant (Mary Pilant) is excellent as Barney Quill's live-in bar manager. The mystery surrounding her relationship with the dead man haunts the proceedings, with a surprise reveal. Finally, there is Eve Arden; the wisecracking Maida is patience on a monument - the business has so little money, Maida can't pay her own salary. But her loyalty to Polly is unswerving.</span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Both Spencer Tracy and Burl Ives were invited to play presiding judge Weaver; both turned it down. Instead, the part was offered to lawyer Joseph N. Welch who came to prominence in the McCarthy era. Acting as counsel for the U.S. Army, which was being accused by Senator McCarthy of \trying to blackmail him into ceasing an investigation of Army security practices, Mr. Welch said to the Senator "Have you no sense of decency?" the beginning of the end of Senator McCarthy's reign of terror (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/52812" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>).Mr. Welch bring a sense of veritas to the role. The judge is both amusing and professional.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYovHrTIo9yAZEzhzsKFkdEE6zSPYZpEkcB3Ch64UQ8lBXvQgXkZHwhn03xqKMfpScrzeCp6h-sGfA6arXLdcJMoQPzs0hZsxMap7agke-2AP2zQfT3k__nrtDAbfn5U2oXl7gS3qo-k/s2000/Yv9RBFRs_0802212036041gpadd.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1465" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYovHrTIo9yAZEzhzsKFkdEE6zSPYZpEkcB3Ch64UQ8lBXvQgXkZHwhn03xqKMfpScrzeCp6h-sGfA6arXLdcJMoQPzs0hZsxMap7agke-2AP2zQfT3k__nrtDAbfn5U2oXl7gS3qo-k/s320/Yv9RBFRs_0802212036041gpadd.jpeg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bosley Crowther's <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1959/07/03/archives/screen-a-court-classic.html" target="_blank">review</a> was extremely complimentary, calling the film "the best courtroom melodrama this old judge has ever seen.". The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, for Supporting Actor - Arthur O'Connell and George C. Scott; Actor - James
Stewart; Film Editing; Motion Picture; Cinematography
(Black-and-White); and Writing (Screenplay--based on material from another
medium). It was added to the <a href="https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/" target="_blank">National Film Registry</a> in 1993. </span></p><div class="view-grouping-content"><div><div class="views-field views-field-title-field"> </div> </div>
</div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll leave you with a trailer and a strong recommendation that, even if you've seen it before, you give this excellent film a viewing.</span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="316" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/meHflk7RYkk" width="438" youtube-src-id="meHflk7RYkk"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-35214092353005300702021-08-30T08:23:00.000-07:002021-08-30T08:23:41.904-07:00Joan's "Lost" Film <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZcCQi-OFJ60EF_DbpnAZ5e1mFnox4auaW2YPmnFfQ8__J3jvtd7Fo4QbPt6Mh4DHlhVajnPalMblF_hcvQcwLMhbxLwzoN24sGQwitbWNVufEbphUPJ0ZRmTDs986Z7eHu7wOaCq9xM/s360/Letty1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="137" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZcCQi-OFJ60EF_DbpnAZ5e1mFnox4auaW2YPmnFfQ8__J3jvtd7Fo4QbPt6Mh4DHlhVajnPalMblF_hcvQcwLMhbxLwzoN24sGQwitbWNVufEbphUPJ0ZRmTDs986Z7eHu7wOaCq9xM/s320/Letty1.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Wealthy<i> Letty Lynton</i> (1932) (Joan Crawford) left the United States to live in South America. She's been in an assignation with the domineering Emile Renaul (Nils Asther), who is insistent that she will never leave him. Letty escapes to a U.S. bound ship, where she meets Jerry Darrow (Robert Montgomery); romance follows, but the threat of Emile is a clear and present danger to Letty's happiness. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The legend of <i>Letty Lynton</i> has existed since it was taken out of circulation in 1936, following a battle about the copyright of the story. It was a film I’d always wanted to see (what WAS the <i>Letty Lynton </i>dress??), and while I normally avoid pirated films, the opportunity to see it on stream from another country was just too tempting to resist. The copy was pretty awful, which I expected, but the full film was there. And so we got to watch this Joan Crawford movie we never expected to view.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is Ms. Crawford's film - she is
the focus of the story and is in nearly every scene. As good as her supporting cast is, that is what
they are - support for the story of Letty's decision to try and change
her life. She's awfully good - we were especially impressed with a
scene mid-film in which Letty tries to reconnect with the Mother (May
Robson) who emotionally withdrew from Letty when Letty was a child. Letty's
meanderings have been an attempt to avoid her mother's coldness and
find some semblance of love. With the possibility of a new life with
Jerry, Letty makes one more appeal to her mother. Ms. Crawford never
loses her cool but her face reflects the pain she feels as her mother
yet again withdraws from her. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9y6tTn2CkfW2fUvcAKI0ei6bvdruZlcaxtQ6NDLifTd0gFW5PizdvB2AGfQS6fCRaBYYS0Qx90fzeylNufxOyyNQHBmnDU3qhSLWrfTaX2aNyi0biI3gcmSP3DadgkeTePLt1lbd12DA/s1064/32letty17apr1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="807" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9y6tTn2CkfW2fUvcAKI0ei6bvdruZlcaxtQ6NDLifTd0gFW5PizdvB2AGfQS6fCRaBYYS0Qx90fzeylNufxOyyNQHBmnDU3qhSLWrfTaX2aNyi0biI3gcmSP3DadgkeTePLt1lbd12DA/s320/32letty17apr1.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We always enjoy Robert Montgomery, and he is very good in what is essentially a minor role. Sure, he’s the romantic lead, but as we mentioned, this is Letty’s story, not his. Mr. Montgomery is able to bring Jerry to a higher level - he gives him an inner strength that is crucial to the film’s ending. Interestingly, he was not the first actor considered - Robert Young was also considered for the part. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There is nothing in the least attractive about Nils Asther’s Emile. He’s a bully, abusive, and a stalker. If we were supposed to have any sympathy for his passion for Letty, it’s pretty much gone when he shows up at the dock in New York. Nils Asther started his Hollywood career during the silent era, when his strong Swedish accent didn’t matter. While his career continued into the talkies, it was limited to playing foreigners, like the General in <i><a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2014/01/barbara-doesnt-drink-tea.html" target="_blank">The Bitter Tea of General Yen</a></i> (1933). He would continue in films and television until 1961. Briefly married to Vivian Duncan, the couple had one daughter. Mr. Asther died in Sweden in 1981 at the age of 84.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84BAa-hy_IgYdoo0EpvTy6oIvdIqOgw4Xyf353vG0Pnc75k6dpX8oMZvhwoBV4JB9GELdbSYY0gG8qFz90ufO__BYP3Hi-FFk6jh9Kl5QkDKoxkhCyF_utBXYs5eJ5b_-wEd5LjJXdV4/s800/Letty_Lynton-728798551-large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="572" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84BAa-hy_IgYdoo0EpvTy6oIvdIqOgw4Xyf353vG0Pnc75k6dpX8oMZvhwoBV4JB9GELdbSYY0gG8qFz90ufO__BYP3Hi-FFk6jh9Kl5QkDKoxkhCyF_utBXYs5eJ5b_-wEd5LjJXdV4/s320/Letty_Lynton-728798551-large.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film makes a nice counterpoint between the relationships of Letty and her mother to Jerry's loving and affectionate parents (played by Emma Dunn and Walter Walker). We do have a brief scene with them and Letty - Ms. Crawford again nicely shows the longing Letty feels for such a family dynamic without being over-the-top.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Letty's true mother is played by her maid and confidant, Miranda (Louise Closser Hale). She sweet, if at times a bit muddled, but her affection for Letty is very clear from the start of the film, and her desire to get her charge to a better place is also obvious. Ms. Hale is a delightful actress, with great range; this film shows another aspect of her talent.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, Lewis Stone (John J. Haney) drops in as a policy investigator towards the end of the film. He's not very bright, and is rather superfluous to the story. The scene itself IS necessary to mend a bunch of fences, but Haney is a head-shaker of a police officer.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YBKYuPOSJo__4Cjh70p3LNzT-fJ7Sbw3b8PH-dmXFhyE2nUe9lJPYLEYLXb1nk2DydmLnwt3aPnXMmFzLmAD7eh30uEkSj58ULyveyGOCkRnqFob-kyUDNOtgwxiL8ZxTSyM0GADYjc/s350/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YBKYuPOSJo__4Cjh70p3LNzT-fJ7Sbw3b8PH-dmXFhyE2nUe9lJPYLEYLXb1nk2DydmLnwt3aPnXMmFzLmAD7eh30uEkSj58ULyveyGOCkRnqFob-kyUDNOtgwxiL8ZxTSyM0GADYjc/s320/unnamed.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1932/04/30/archives/joan-crawford-and-robert-montgomery-in-an-adaptation-of-a-novel-by.html" target="_blank">review </a>by Mordaunt Hall was negative; however, the picture was popular - Letty's white dress becoming a fashion sensation. When the studio attempted re-release, a lawsuit followed (for more information, the <a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/4984" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a> details the particulars), and the film was eventually relegated to the archives. Letty's story may have been influenced by the murderer Madeleine Smith. Her story made the screen in 1950 in the David Lean film <i>Madeleine</i> with Ann Todd as the notorious Ms. Smith<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll leave you with this scene of Letty and Jerry falling in love. Here's hoping the film is eventually able to be re-released with a decent print.</span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">W<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="320" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/INlNkfV38JY" width="485" youtube-src-id="INlNkfV38JY"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-32464962045711832132021-08-16T14:07:00.000-07:002021-08-16T14:07:27.125-07:00Is Robert a Liar?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlN9ZXrg2Kj9MeTBKNRAP6Z_kP7f-zVWQzwmiZVGwJdlo5sfnx1PL_2cqFfDJw1XKXwwp4TKa_87FobPKKV-j2zh_Qxz-B5246nW-XB7o4etXHp1_h4DAUDOy2OFbriE5bCv0jwZX96VE/s637/8be3c555f426a5a871ef065c929ace51.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlN9ZXrg2Kj9MeTBKNRAP6Z_kP7f-zVWQzwmiZVGwJdlo5sfnx1PL_2cqFfDJw1XKXwwp4TKa_87FobPKKV-j2zh_Qxz-B5246nW-XB7o4etXHp1_h4DAUDOy2OFbriE5bCv0jwZX96VE/s320/8be3c555f426a5a871ef065c929ace51.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Larry Balantine (Robert Young) is on trial for the murder of his lover, Verna Carlson (Susan Hayward). His defense attorney has put him on the stand to tell his bizarre tale of adultery and larceny. Our film tonight is <i>They Won't Believe Me</i> (1947).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Robert Young gives an excellent performance as a suave and rather creepy opportunist. Told in flashback, his story IS unbelievable, but the film leaves it entirely to the viewer to decide fact from fiction. That Larry is so reprehensible a human being makes the audience doubt his word. Yet, his story is so entirely ludicrous, one wonders if even he could make it up.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Mr. Young's film career started in 1931 (he had three uncredited appearances in short films in 1928 and 1929), with a small role in a Charlie Chan film,<i> The Black Camel</i>. He worked consistently in supporting and leading roles, appearing in <i>H.M. Pulham, Esq</i>.(1942), <i>Crossfire</i> (1947), and <i>Three Comrades </i>(1938). In 1954, he started a new phase of his career, as the star of <i>Father Knows Best</i>, a TV series which ran for six years. In 1969, he began work on another TV series, as the kindly <i>Marcus Welby, M.D</i>., which ran for seven years. He worked in television until 1988. Married to Betty Henderson for 61 years, he became a spokesperson mental health issues - he had suffered from depression and alcoholism for thirty years. The Robert Young Community Mental Health Center is named for him because of his work to support mental health issues with the passage of the 708 Illinois Tax Referendum. Mr. Young died in 1998, at the age of 91 - he was survived by his four daughters and many grandchildren.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hWKjFmyCGjXRcqjQdylTLfHkMvu0kwnP2O1UnkIi1nCfGB1_Ih9Z7OgdT_913U8YvgE45UdfpivBmJ4H18TGNBVr15k5Yjf4t39oKU8lSQEbCHgHJZA4mmFawGEqBt_l_o1i4_B0N0s/s1000/71FLayIUfTL._AC_SL1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hWKjFmyCGjXRcqjQdylTLfHkMvu0kwnP2O1UnkIi1nCfGB1_Ih9Z7OgdT_913U8YvgE45UdfpivBmJ4H18TGNBVr15k5Yjf4t39oKU8lSQEbCHgHJZA4mmFawGEqBt_l_o1i4_B0N0s/s320/71FLayIUfTL._AC_SL1000_.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Mr. Young is ably supported by three excellent actresses. Susan Hayward is believable as Verna Carlson, his secretary and mistress. She's far smarter than Larry, ambitious, and independent. She's willing to marry for money - she's already planning to marry Larry's partner Trenton (Tom Powers) when Larry shows up. What at first begins as a flirtation turns into something deeper, as the pair try to decide if they want each other, or wealthy spouses. Ms. Hayward had been borrowed Walter Wanger, and RKO had to shoot around her as she finished up work on <i>Smash Up: The Story of a Woman</i> (1947) (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Film/25384-THEY-WONT-BELIEVE-ME" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>). <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jane Greer's Janice Bell is also smart, but she is far more gullible than Verna. Where Verna has no illusions about Larry's character, Janice believes he is better than he is, even falling for him when she has been convinced he might be a murderer. Of the three actresses, her's is the least fleshed out character. It's hard to say we get to know Janice in great detail. But the part would bring her much more attention, landing Ms. Greer what is possibly her most famous film, <i>Out of the Past</i> (1947) (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2177/they-wont-believe-me#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>). </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzDudZ_pyixlnr9ow3-I8SnqIH-jjMYt9pWhMAnR1nzeNhGUC6tvVs12lu6XbXVYueqI3QAl_NqTavh9XvBw75N5krWP-M5Zl1X6kXSC6MeoWwIIZGrIyUR22CiIRxb-KjnV8Ni-DnkM/s679/they-wont-believe-me-danish-movie-poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigzDudZ_pyixlnr9ow3-I8SnqIH-jjMYt9pWhMAnR1nzeNhGUC6tvVs12lu6XbXVYueqI3QAl_NqTavh9XvBw75N5krWP-M5Zl1X6kXSC6MeoWwIIZGrIyUR22CiIRxb-KjnV8Ni-DnkM/s320/they-wont-believe-me-danish-movie-poster.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Rita Johnson is probably best remembered today for two villains - in <i>The Major and the Minor </i>(1942) and <i>Here Comes Mr. Jordan </i>(1941). While Greta Balantine is a bit of conniver, she's a very sympathetic character. For some reason, she genuinely loves Larry, even though she is well aware of his infidelities and the fact that he married her for her money. Regardless, she's willing to overlook his straying, and give him some of the things he wants, but on her terms. Sadly, Larry is better at thwarting her - he has no affection for her. She's merely a bank account.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film was produced by Joan Harrison, who was at this time one of only three female producers in Hollywood. Ms. Harrison's career was discussed in some detail in the Noir Alley <a href="https://youtu.be/NZddeyB1J5k" target="_blank">intro</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/_33DKetY7hA" target="_blank">outro</a> to the film. Eddie Muller discussed Ms. Harrison's career with Christina Lane, the author of <i>Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock.</i><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWil_02Zk_A4hby6G-snpdPknF7YYPKU74THmkAskRFO2zG9XYiH0V4-Tg5-nRAIfHt6u0gOkLphpoKfmzTVZs4RXxpnzxrqnK6NSs_sxHSnOlQtqK_w5sJaHGsGLSGa96JUbeViiizEQ/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="229" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWil_02Zk_A4hby6G-snpdPknF7YYPKU74THmkAskRFO2zG9XYiH0V4-Tg5-nRAIfHt6u0gOkLphpoKfmzTVZs4RXxpnzxrqnK6NSs_sxHSnOlQtqK_w5sJaHGsGLSGa96JUbeViiizEQ/s320/unnamed.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>New York Times</i> review by A. H. Weiler (A.W.) was positive, callinig the film "engrossing entertainment." Sadly, in 1957, 15 minutes were cut from the film in order to make it more attractive as part of a double feature. It was this cut version that was available from that time forward. In 2021, the film was released on BluRay (and on Turner Classic Movies) with the cut scenes restored.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We highly recommend this excellent film - and try to see the original version. We'll leave you with this excerpt featuring Robert Young, Susan Hayward, and Rita Johnson</span>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="331" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2RHI3JIlzrk" width="443" youtube-src-id="2RHI3JIlzrk"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>
<p></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-6904138575017792232021-08-09T06:44:00.000-07:002021-08-09T06:44:50.727-07:00Claudette is on the Run<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMiOACD3MDoVyPeaRcRzDimjPSI3r3T6gryUsQSCGY9Vx22BPjKPPH4OCuEr67iq6npikwW6EniptvIjTsKlLZo7nnXDYI-riCUFR6pV3-HIYmw-PpUklxU6wt6_hDDdnEJZp5NdssMg/s995/MV5BNGVmOTllMzUtMzkzMy00MzBiLWI2ZjMtNzJjYzEwMzg0ZjI2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="995" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMiOACD3MDoVyPeaRcRzDimjPSI3r3T6gryUsQSCGY9Vx22BPjKPPH4OCuEr67iq6npikwW6EniptvIjTsKlLZo7nnXDYI-riCUFR6pV3-HIYmw-PpUklxU6wt6_hDDdnEJZp5NdssMg/w284-h223/MV5BNGVmOTllMzUtMzkzMy00MzBiLWI2ZjMtNzJjYzEwMzg0ZjI2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" width="284" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">Private detective Guy Johnson (James Stewart) is hired by millionaire Willie Heyward (Ernest Truex) to protect him from himself - he's a notorious lush and womanizer. After Heyward's marriage to Vivian Tarbell (Frances Drake), Heyward goes (drunk) to bawl out a former flame - who's murdered while he is there. Guy tries to protect Heyward, but is arrested with him and sentenced to a year in prison, while Heyward gets the death penalty. On his way to prison, Guy sees a personal ad that leads him to believe he can catch the real murderer; he escapes from the train. And promptly kidnaps Edwina Corday (Claudette Colbert), a renowned poet. Our film this week is <i>It's a Wonderful World</i> (1939). <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's always a pleasure to see Claudette Colbert, and she's delightful in this film. Edwina is smart and resourceful, but there is a problem - we could not understand why she would go out of her way to help Guy Johnson. He's horrible to her from the start, and he just really isn't that attractive a man that she should fall in love with him. Personally, we thought she should have run the minute she saw him. Both Myrna Loy and Frances Drake were considered for the part of Edwina - Ms. Loy was not available, and Ms. Drake was instead cast as Vivian. So, Ms. Colbert agreed to appear in the part. She was taken aback by director W.S. Van Dyke, II's fast style of direction, and not satisfied with the film in the end. (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1460/its-a-wonderful-world#articles-reviews" target="_blank">article</a>). <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2JDZC4pkd5JB-1vTG0XiPvCV8CKWE5zEYin6N3Tz7gCnB5oxahwjpjErONB9qOOf1xDCPV98JDx6SF3Sf7kLyQWHTUYC4X_VMumGaSYDoGbSAq0GcVS6nAwJq08qMc_IBDKkjPXmOis/s1004/MV5BN2EwNGMwZjctOTRjOC00MDg1LWIyZDEtOThkYjA5Y2Q5NjFhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1004" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2JDZC4pkd5JB-1vTG0XiPvCV8CKWE5zEYin6N3Tz7gCnB5oxahwjpjErONB9qOOf1xDCPV98JDx6SF3Sf7kLyQWHTUYC4X_VMumGaSYDoGbSAq0GcVS6nAwJq08qMc_IBDKkjPXmOis/s320/MV5BN2EwNGMwZjctOTRjOC00MDg1LWIyZDEtOThkYjA5Y2Q5NjFhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Where one rather likes Edwina, the same cannot be said for James Stewart's Guy. He's mean, nasty, and violent. He hits Edwina, he almost drowns a police officer, and his motivation for trying to save the man who is about to die for a murder he did not commit is money, and nothing more. Mr. Stewart and Ms. Colbert never really gel as a couple. It's hard to imagine the pair living a life together at the close of the film. Mr. Stewart does have some good comic moments, especially when he is trying to hide behind thick eyeglasses, but it's not enough to make the audience really like him.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-HE6jKHi1l5cTMt8W8ys9UOBJMwinN7H0xIZafCG8vjN9rW0O9wnQIKl-hAyWUY-wR2nNa_SBxCWh-I1Ywxce1HVksO6Tyjx4nZtJGdFK8l8pmvcY6zVRmR2nNEXOfhHMW7aqHU8_Yw/s2048/MV5BMDk5ZGQ3YzgtMWMxNi00MGFiLThiZmEtNDRhOThmNDgyZTQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjE5MjUyOTM%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1371" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-HE6jKHi1l5cTMt8W8ys9UOBJMwinN7H0xIZafCG8vjN9rW0O9wnQIKl-hAyWUY-wR2nNa_SBxCWh-I1Ywxce1HVksO6Tyjx4nZtJGdFK8l8pmvcY6zVRmR2nNEXOfhHMW7aqHU8_Yw/s320/MV5BMDk5ZGQ3YzgtMWMxNi00MGFiLThiZmEtNDRhOThmNDgyZTQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjE5MjUyOTM%2540._V1_.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The film is blessed with some excellent supporting players - Guy Kibbee (Cap Streeter) as Guy's surprisingly supportive partner has some good moment. Nat Pendleton (Sergeant Koretz) AND Edgar Kennedy (Lieutenant Miller) provide humor as two bumbling police officers; sadly, they are even dumber than Guy. Sidney Blackmer (Al Mallon) is menacing as the villain - Vivian's lover and enforcer. And Frances Drake does a good job as the malicious wife out for her husband's fortune. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDeB_e3tAsXuoUWTvJl1Hu30xkRYooBcGNn7MtSNZDnBe8G9mMSMuOEN1dTuMKUCQFSs9py9uj8WCkVuuK8r85cIn0braAWuH3bWcPMg3Tqn1QolsMwkr2cLHfddxs5vPH4JiuCLZZkg/s218/55E7401AEF-7a03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDeB_e3tAsXuoUWTvJl1Hu30xkRYooBcGNn7MtSNZDnBe8G9mMSMuOEN1dTuMKUCQFSs9py9uj8WCkVuuK8r85cIn0braAWuH3bWcPMg3Tqn1QolsMwkr2cLHfddxs5vPH4JiuCLZZkg/s0/55E7401AEF-7a03.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1939/05/19/archives/the-screen-murder-outs-farcically-in-its-a-wonderful-world-with.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Frank S. Nugent was not positive; they were especially critical of the script by Ben Hecht. In the long run, the story is too similar to <a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2019/05/clark-rides-night-bus.html" target="_blank"><i>It Happened One Night</i></a> (1936), and not nearly as funny. It's entertaining in places, but frankly, it is far from a perfect film.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are a James Stewart or Claudette Colbert completest, you'll want to catch this for the good moments. Otherwise, you might just want to see them in some of their better films. Here's a trailer from the film:</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="368" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iQdYHQZtWY4" width="442" youtube-src-id="iQdYHQZtWY4"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-22483108661612716032021-07-19T18:25:00.000-07:002021-07-19T18:25:34.470-07:00Spencer Interviews Katharine<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGp9MohAU24DrvtK13InOnxWi6q_DxTgTXHuitFmkHkugPfwZr3jhK15y2lBSZRe4kF1sTYo_gBnpeQLwa8jM5NSzccCcLB0-nCcdo30zDqX1u-4Wf8QSEV3Dhdof6GHIcMltf7-svt8/s1440/p3654_p_v8_aa.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGp9MohAU24DrvtK13InOnxWi6q_DxTgTXHuitFmkHkugPfwZr3jhK15y2lBSZRe4kF1sTYo_gBnpeQLwa8jM5NSzccCcLB0-nCcdo30zDqX1u-4Wf8QSEV3Dhdof6GHIcMltf7-svt8/s320/p3654_p_v8_aa.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family: arial;">The sudden death of American war hero and businessman Robert Forrest throws the country into a tailspin. Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy), a journalist who recently returned from war-torn Europe, is one of Forrest's many admirers, and has decided to write a book about the great man. He seeks the assistance of Forrest's wife, Christine (Katharine Hepburn); she initially tries to keep her distance, then consents to assist in the biography. Steven, however, finds her reticence concerning as she attempts to be the <i>Keeper of the Flame</i> (1942).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As we enter the world of <i>Keeper of the Flame</i>, it seems we are being introduced to a mystery - who killed Robert Forrest? In a sense we are in the middle of a mystery, but it isn’t the one we think it is. The tension of the story is enhanced by the excellent performances throughout the film, ably led by the two leads. The chemistry between Tracy and Hepburn is apparent in the film, and is a contributor to the power of the movie </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Over the objections of screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart, Ms. Hepburn insisted on changes to the script that strengthened the romance between Christine and Steven (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/249/keeper-of-the-flame/#articles-reviews?articleId=158611" target="_blank">article</a>). This sometimes gives the film a feeling of <i>Rebecca</i>-ish gloom, with the imposing Forrest estate as the stand-in for Manderley. It also gives more opportunity for Tracy and Hepburn to interact, which, frankly, is one of the main pleasures of the film. One looks forward to seeing them spar. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxh1ySDesmD0kpA7TI9AFGkkgHkIdRWuThzN0XBVAb6EzBFBd2YNRoGwSwYMbZ6T9mGrbQOHsUoZh-WfJYCmLVV2hHihOsLLV8mOisL8mFWfUgJU821D6Dnxa373L5hMUNbsak0dl6zg/s475/MV5BODA2NTI5NTgzM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTk2NjcxMQ%2540%2540._V1_SX300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOxh1ySDesmD0kpA7TI9AFGkkgHkIdRWuThzN0XBVAb6EzBFBd2YNRoGwSwYMbZ6T9mGrbQOHsUoZh-WfJYCmLVV2hHihOsLLV8mOisL8mFWfUgJU821D6Dnxa373L5hMUNbsak0dl6zg/s320/MV5BODA2NTI5NTgzM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTk2NjcxMQ%2540%2540._V1_SX300.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Audrey Christie is excellent as Steven's friend and fellow reporter, Jane Harding. The part is relatively small but memorable. This was Ms. Christie's first film, and her casting was recommended by Katharine Hepburn (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/528" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). Ms. Christie had been appearing on Broadway since 1933, and Ms. Hepburn and Ms. Christie would appear together in the 1942 production of <i>Without Love </i>(which Ms. Hepburn brought to the screen in 1945). Audrey Christie would continue on Broadway, film and television until 1982. She's probably most remembered today for her performance as Mrs. Loomis (Natalie Wood's mother) in <i>Splendor in the Grass</i> (1961). Married once, with one son, Ms. Christie died in 1989 (three years after her husband) of emphysema. <br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We were not as impressed with Richard Whorf, Robert Forrest's personal secretary Clive Kerndon. Mr. Whorf plays the character as a fanatic, yet the information that we learn about him is that he is a tool of more powerful men. That his fanaticism is telegraphed the minute we meet Kerndon is unfortunate; a gradual building of suspicion towards the character might have been more effective. As an aside, the same year he appeared in this film, he was also in <i>Yankee Doodle Dandy </i>as Sam Harris. <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxC6iF0pI3Ofh4NrkY9XUIgCvUNPE8hVcowpBZlmh1RwPPDMGHLIxqNSzlt3SY4EKjttZetU8lPBvtSYDR-ydxMItNWsVQSXDflCZ_8pBfVd5Pym0m6RTGbByM5H7-dm0XlyyWCInIBZw/s900/kotf2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxC6iF0pI3Ofh4NrkY9XUIgCvUNPE8hVcowpBZlmh1RwPPDMGHLIxqNSzlt3SY4EKjttZetU8lPBvtSYDR-ydxMItNWsVQSXDflCZ_8pBfVd5Pym0m6RTGbByM5H7-dm0XlyyWCInIBZw/s320/kotf2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There are so many good performances in the film, it's hard to go into detail in this small space. But, mention should be made of Howard da Silva as Jason Rickards, Forrest's surly gatekeeper and fellow war veteran. Though we get no details about his life, we quickly realize that he is perhaps the person who knew Forrest the best. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Margaret Wycherly has a small part as Forrest's insane mother. Stephen McNally (here listed as Horace) is fellow reporter Freddie Ridges, who has eyes for Jane Harding. Forrest Tucker plays Christine cousin Geoffrey Midford, who might be involved in Forrest's death. Darryl Hickman is guilt-ridden Jeb Rickards, who holds himself responsible for Forrest's death. And we can't forget to mention Donald Meek as innkeeper Mr. Arbuthnot and Percy Kilbride as cabbie Orion Peabody. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSSVr-qL4ZpuNDUraJHsKMass9DidJ1e9dviu8Ka_j5Dij1dw30c8pHdWGGYFZ0I_C6-wMhLteox1qUgyDLsnNRgV-Sb5koi0GBrc3wWHsTQZq2iRa1WxghSrL-idshn3bD63xSc3Lbs/s1500/91Pj7jPpiLL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1063" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSSVr-qL4ZpuNDUraJHsKMass9DidJ1e9dviu8Ka_j5Dij1dw30c8pHdWGGYFZ0I_C6-wMhLteox1qUgyDLsnNRgV-Sb5koi0GBrc3wWHsTQZq2iRa1WxghSrL-idshn3bD63xSc3Lbs/s320/91Pj7jPpiLL._SL1500_.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The production design is a very powerful element in the film. As we mentioned before, the house is almost oppressive in its elegance. The windowless stone fort that Forrest used as an office signals the sinister nature of his activities. The portrait of Forrest dominates the house, yet upon his death, no photos are included in the newspapers. Our only image is a stylized painting of the great man.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEbATwX9mrIKekpavFWJvf8P5T8NeQ2VTTpqMOJbQq2jbQ9PhJGeHYicNl2Pwj3H2On1XhYSco7MO_kDrwiz9lu0Ff-_hO_FvlULhzbvtuP_bQzJYfuzG-cdv8NOiNWozlMtDF31_Cxk/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEbATwX9mrIKekpavFWJvf8P5T8NeQ2VTTpqMOJbQq2jbQ9PhJGeHYicNl2Pwj3H2On1XhYSco7MO_kDrwiz9lu0Ff-_hO_FvlULhzbvtuP_bQzJYfuzG-cdv8NOiNWozlMtDF31_Cxk/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Keeper of the Flame</i> received an enthusiastic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1943/03/19/archives/article-11-no-title-keeper-of-the-flame-in-which-spencer-tracy-and.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Bosley Crowther in <i>New York Times</i>, calling it "a courageous and timely drama which touches frankly upon a phase of American life that is most serious and pertinent today." It opened at Radio City Music Hall, and was held over for several weeks, but ultimately it was not a top grosser for MGM (<a href="https://archive.org/details/variety153-1944-01/page/n51/mode/2up?view=theater"><i>Variety</i></a>), and is considered the least effective of the Tracy/Hepburn film. Perhaps the darkness was too much for people. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the final analysis, this is a good film that is discussing a still (sadly) timely issue. It may be a bit preachy at times, but tells its story well. Here's a trailer: </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="340" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f6tYbUCGVd0" width="479" youtube-src-id="f6tYbUCGVd0"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-70421399516237575512021-07-12T08:08:00.000-07:002021-07-12T08:08:03.500-07:00William Cheats<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIv7xQeG-R3t7yATv3koxfK_QYkuwtYRzmNw6tDsoj25lzSoaj3GVHb08Oafr1T2aDOBaTPOFE7R25c7Fu4z3ON0aaEfgHU0NvzwiYSmbVyMADx7rfGf8C4_azAY2FHCzXj2A19dbLcM/s879/71JqwaEJRwL._AC_SY879_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="335" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIv7xQeG-R3t7yATv3koxfK_QYkuwtYRzmNw6tDsoj25lzSoaj3GVHb08Oafr1T2aDOBaTPOFE7R25c7Fu4z3ON0aaEfgHU0NvzwiYSmbVyMADx7rfGf8C4_azAY2FHCzXj2A19dbLcM/s320/71JqwaEJRwL._AC_SY879_.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Crane Stewart (Charles D. Brown), the <i>Night Editor </i>(1946) of the <i>New York Star</i>, attempts to educate one of his reporters by relating the story of Police Lt. Tony Cochrane (William Gargan), an allegedly happily married man who is having an affair with socialite Jill Merrill (Janis Carter). Wracked with guilt, Tony meets Jill for a rendezvous, and tells her he is ending their relationship. As she woos him back to her, they witness a murder. Tony is now in a quandary of indecision - if he tells his superiors, his affair will become public; keep it quiet and the murderer gets away. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As in <a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2021/05/glenn-is-framed.html" target="_blank"><i>Framed</i></a> (1947), the audience is aware that Jill Merrill is trouble from the minute they see her. Ms. Carter has a way of making her face hard as a rock, which instantly displays the character's distasteful nature - in his Noir Alley <a href="https://youtu.be/o7g96PWx_dQ" target="_blank">intro</a>, Eddie Muller called her "feral". The problem is that one wonders what on earth Tony would see in this horrible woman? Within minutes of her introduction, we find out what a heartless, callous excuse for a human being this creature is. She hasn't got any redeeming qualities, and while she is pretty enough, she could chew nails.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As a result William Gargan seems almost passive as the hapless police detective. He keeps attempting to break up with his mistress, and then immediately is back pawing her. Tony is horrified by Jill's behavior, but expects her suddenly develop morals. She doesn't, of course (if anything, she becomes worse), and he is faced with letting an innocent man die, or confessing his own complicity in the murder. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqdxmU3ITQKIO5VZR7wfSW7hcucY8G5WWtpqXi6Ivs7G2x1ZAITrz2GCxHARRLLELvUHTU6Pqeu1ounJtBDmkf5yqO6oaHMoKEK9o6Po3Y3i0yVN6bFW1wMRuqHHoPYES-7eZmpXCGms/s1187/ztbHM-1585069407-2710-movie-NightEditor_800x1187.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqdxmU3ITQKIO5VZR7wfSW7hcucY8G5WWtpqXi6Ivs7G2x1ZAITrz2GCxHARRLLELvUHTU6Pqeu1ounJtBDmkf5yqO6oaHMoKEK9o6Po3Y3i0yVN6bFW1wMRuqHHoPYES-7eZmpXCGms/s320/ztbHM-1585069407-2710-movie-NightEditor_800x1187.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">There are a number of interesting minor characters in the film, the best of which is Paul E. Burns as Police Lt. Ole Strom. Mr. Burns gives a very subtle performance as a fellow police officer who senses what is going on, but decides to waits for Tony to see the error of his ways. He knows Tony well enough to realize he will
come to his senses, and is the conscience of the film. Between 1930 and his death in 1967 (at the age of 86), Mr. Burns amassed 259 film and television credits (as well as seven Broadway plays). His final role was that of the bum who gets Robert Redford's coat in Washington Square Park in <a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2020/07/robert-is-in-park.html" target="_blank"><i>Barefoot in the Park</i></a>.<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jeff Donnell is good as Tony's wife, Martha. It's pretty clear from the start that she is aware that her husband is straying, but is patiently waiting for him to see the error of his ways. In later years, she, Janis Carter, and Ann Savage would live close to one another in New York City, becoming best friends (Eddie Muller's <a href="https://youtu.be/VPIKv_JU4TI" target="_blank">outro</a> on Noir Alley). The Cochrane's film son, Doc is played by Michael Chapin, the brother of Lauren Chapin (of <i>Father Knows Best</i> fame).<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSC8IUzl-eGUCDG98zmM1ybkquaUvOtE7o2ap_lyA9A2G56OR02wNgs9aGmRr8nyTCqSYwNeoqW0I0kbE49GNHgOEIcDnkrGFwLKAubB_7ASUWTavdRBR6lATplxQfY72-xktLXaI6vA/s1024/gettyimages-1137240143-1024x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSC8IUzl-eGUCDG98zmM1ybkquaUvOtE7o2ap_lyA9A2G56OR02wNgs9aGmRr8nyTCqSYwNeoqW0I0kbE49GNHgOEIcDnkrGFwLKAubB_7ASUWTavdRBR6lATplxQfY72-xktLXaI6vA/s320/gettyimages-1137240143-1024x1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Though the film had the working title <i>Inside Story </i>(<a href="http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/24892" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>), it was intended to be the first of a series of <i>Night Editor</i> movies, reminiscent of the radio series that inspired the film (<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Columbia_Pictures_Movie_Series_1926_1955/FUzc4If3M8gC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=night+editor+1946&pg=PA268&printsec=frontcover"><i>Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926-1955: The Harry Cohn Years</i></a> by Gene Blottner). The box office was not good enough for the series idea to continue. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the end, we enjoyed the film; as Mr. Muller points out, it is able to get away with a lot of weirdness that A films would never be permitted. We'll leave you with a clip from the film:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="351" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8hcH5udrq0M" width="431" youtube-src-id="8hcH5udrq0M"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-42603307260315178992021-07-05T06:01:00.000-07:002021-07-05T06:01:49.517-07:00Has Pat Cracked Up?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkijs16FXfrmluOpnEQgG9p5-lyUiilVVx9w6mvE56hyphenhyphen70SKLn1vmpNyuEzRxibi6L1PDmpJSgL4haHNbeO5GQrFnFPZIjg03RloAs4B3vJgYbHHjkgCccxgCvxv5keDvLeXZ3XYJKpOw/s336/220px-Crack-Up_%25281946_film%2529_poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkijs16FXfrmluOpnEQgG9p5-lyUiilVVx9w6mvE56hyphenhyphen70SKLn1vmpNyuEzRxibi6L1PDmpJSgL4haHNbeO5GQrFnFPZIjg03RloAs4B3vJgYbHHjkgCccxgCvxv5keDvLeXZ3XYJKpOw/s320/220px-Crack-Up_%25281946_film%2529_poster.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">George Steele (Pat O'Brien) assaults a police officer trying to get into the Manhattan Museum, where George works. George is confused, and says he was in a train accident. But Lieutenant Cochrane (Wallace Ford) from the police detective unit assures him there have been no train accidents in over seven months. Is George about to <i>Crack-Up</i> (1946)?<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Pat O'Brien gives a good performance as a war veteran who genuinely believes he was involved in a train wreck, but can't prove it. If there is one problem with his portrayal it is that Mr. O’Brien is obviously too old (he was 47 when the picture was released) for the part he is playing. That aside, you do believe him both as a man being driven to the edges of sanity, as well as an intellectual with a deep interest and knowledge of art history. Mr. O'Brien's did only one other film noir, but he makes the most of it in this outing (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2209/crack-up#articles-reviews?articleId=86482" target="_blank">article</a>). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">He's well matched with Claire Trevor (Terry Cordell), herself a veteran of films noir. She'd already done one notable noir - <i>Murder, My Sweet </i>(1944), and would win an Oscar for her performance in <i>Key Largo</i> (1948) two years after our film. It's a shame she doesn't have more screen time, but when she does appear, either working with Mr. O'Brien as his love interest, or with Herbert Marshall (Traybin), she takes command of the screen. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6W1UGHlmDI4NjjEJLKhcCC0cU6EzKQYYqUgi8NbXfTiz6ueapvEJY2EUtePIz4dSiMHMG8aSB_33krf_j2Ei_AxcPFxOpMw0Upl-u0GOMFbPn1ztPep1q6eqFubZQ69rtQIkKC4PhcQ/s511/crack-original-1946-lobby-card-film_1_dd5456bededb099e33d0fa02c9511b06.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="511" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6W1UGHlmDI4NjjEJLKhcCC0cU6EzKQYYqUgi8NbXfTiz6ueapvEJY2EUtePIz4dSiMHMG8aSB_33krf_j2Ei_AxcPFxOpMw0Upl-u0GOMFbPn1ztPep1q6eqFubZQ69rtQIkKC4PhcQ/s320/crack-original-1946-lobby-card-film_1_dd5456bededb099e33d0fa02c9511b06.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Though Herbert Marshall's part is small, he is used to good effect. You are never quite sure of the reliability of the character. Ray Collins (Dr. Lowell) is also in the same position. By keeping the characters ambiguous, the audience is kept engaged in the action. <br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One small oddity in the film comes at the beginning. During an art lecture given by George Steele to a group of museum donors, Steele compares an old Master to a modern painting (which bears a passing resemblance to Dali), and trashes the modern painting. He is interrupted by an angry man in the audience; the man speaks with a distinct foreign accent and is nearly hysterical in his passion for the modern piece. It's an odd insert into the movie. As Derek Sculthorpe points out in his book on Claire Trevor (<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Claire_Trevor/zr5YDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=crack-up+o%27brien+trevor&pg=PA93&printsec=frontcover" target="_blank"><i>Claire Trevor:The Life and Films of the Queen of Noir</i></a>), the screenplay seems to be linking modern art to radicalism - an acknowledgement to the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">increa</span><span style="font-family: arial;">sing Red scare?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRDfXpeVPpr7wGyAg6-i_n3W0SA2C7rRzo9-tEvwz6_LDvG7j1EW7K72eHLNKzNGyhD8SGpVUT4Edz5uUMqsYKyDVGhDEuTvadHKQRNFifz6_wnR1B_ZX7o5v1zvlxeu1gZW6J-IgXIo/s423/crack-up-poster4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRDfXpeVPpr7wGyAg6-i_n3W0SA2C7rRzo9-tEvwz6_LDvG7j1EW7K72eHLNKzNGyhD8SGpVUT4Edz5uUMqsYKyDVGhDEuTvadHKQRNFifz6_wnR1B_ZX7o5v1zvlxeu1gZW6J-IgXIo/s320/crack-up-poster4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Based on the story <i>Madman's Holiday</i> by Fredric Brown, the film was not well received; Bosley Crowther's <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1946/09/07/archives/the-screen-ive-always-loved-you-is-new-feature-at-loews-criterion.html" target="_blank">review</a> found him "overwhelmed by [the film's] inadequacies." Regardless, in December 1946 <i><a href="https://youtu.be/lKUdTeR2KM4" target="_blank">Lux Radio Theatre</a></i> did a production with Pat O'Brien and Lynn Bari. (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Film/24734-CRACK-UP" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While this is by no means a perfect movie, it certainly is worth a viewing, if only to see this very good cast work together. We'll leave you with a trailer:</span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="376" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MEyjEx_OM64" width="453" youtube-src-id="MEyjEx_OM64"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-7705202143769393152021-06-28T05:49:00.000-07:002021-06-28T05:49:21.097-07:00Leslie is Icy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYpAcYuPn2ErqLSNMmPplLb7SKRxIaow8_exeaSSvDhxDbU_DfKD5T52vFxjQqdypHZdVnKZW8lgUF5tmv1zrmlFmqRPDKZDik5-Ywb4MGXSWCGxO4wZn9GbPxppcY7yZVedzijMaHWE/s1600/blonde+ice+poster+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="825" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYpAcYuPn2ErqLSNMmPplLb7SKRxIaow8_exeaSSvDhxDbU_DfKD5T52vFxjQqdypHZdVnKZW8lgUF5tmv1zrmlFmqRPDKZDik5-Ywb4MGXSWCGxO4wZn9GbPxppcY7yZVedzijMaHWE/s320/blonde+ice+poster+2.jpg" /></a></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Reporter Claire Cummings (Leslie Brooks) has ambitions. To get what she wants, she marries wealthy Carl Hanneman (John Holland) and dumps fellow reporter Les Burns (Robert Paige). Marriage is no barrier to getting everything she wants for Claire - she continues to write love letters to Les. It doesn't take long for the jealous Carl to discover he was married for his money; he informs his wife he'll be divorcing her immediately, and using the love letters to get out of any financial obligation. Claire, however, is not going to let a little thing like divorce get in the way of her plans. Our film this week is <i>Blonde Ice</i> (1948).<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">To say this is a Poverty Row film is an understatement. A transparent script, actors who rarely appear in anything but very minor roles, and a budget that was apparently in the single digits make this a really cheap production. Our group had a mixed reaction to it - I personally found it painful after awhile, but several members of the group enjoyed it - they found it amusing (though that was probably not the intent of the director and screenwriter).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film is anchored on the leading lady, Leslie Brooks, who plays the avaricious Claire. From the minute she appears on screen, you know Claire is up to no good. She's gotten through life on her good looks. One would think that, as ambitious as she is, she'd have a brain in her head, but sadly, she doesn't. She has no sooner said "I do" than she is trying to make time with her ex-boyfriend. While on her honeymoon, she's sending him love letters, which she carelessly drops and allows her new husband to read. His immediate reaction - divorce - gives Claire a new task. She'll kill him before he can file any papers. However, she's not awfully good at staging a suicide.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13UKz9eflCHbXp3RkXjdbcaX5O81seBZlhysn8mf6rx1VJJJ4V1WIpjgkBBM3-MzeiNxRfd8cTXrU1Iku1ZMmNRArfAF8_PE0HshvNECARR7I05OhkFMRa7X1vyyFBUc76gmq8BvzzvM/s252/index.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13UKz9eflCHbXp3RkXjdbcaX5O81seBZlhysn8mf6rx1VJJJ4V1WIpjgkBBM3-MzeiNxRfd8cTXrU1Iku1ZMmNRArfAF8_PE0HshvNECARR7I05OhkFMRa7X1vyyFBUc76gmq8BvzzvM/s0/index.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">One major problem with the plot is the ostensible suicide of Carl Hanneman. There are no powder burns on the late Mr. Hanneman's hands or clothes, and no fingerprints on the gun, but the police dither around as they try to decide if Mr. Hanneman was murdered or not. And of course, there is the fact that Claire is stupid enough to believe that she can just toss a gun on the floor and have it ruled suicide. <br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There is one more female character - Mildred Coles (June Taylor). She seems smart when we first meet her, but the script doesn't capitalize on it. She's the only one who appears to have Claire's number, and she also seems to have feelings for Les, but the script just drops her quickly from view. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Russ Vincent who plays the blackmailing pilot Blackie Talon married Leslie Brooks two years after this picture was released. They had three daughters (and one daughter from Ms. Brooks first marriage), and were married for 51 years, until his death in 2001. <br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ABXNO05cxduwsvLc0itpD3eQ0aFNeEFUvK8-zY1u_tikBCwjMdvHe5iX7kcgbiK31b71qp4Y3iMetI36KEREp9KDzXf8peeIF-9E1VbJJgcJvqHvMXOCy7cHTtCWH7Dk4hjmkBamwuk/s333/220px-Blonde_Ice_Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ABXNO05cxduwsvLc0itpD3eQ0aFNeEFUvK8-zY1u_tikBCwjMdvHe5iX7kcgbiK31b71qp4Y3iMetI36KEREp9KDzXf8peeIF-9E1VbJJgcJvqHvMXOCy7cHTtCWH7Dk4hjmkBamwuk/s320/220px-Blonde_Ice_Poster.jpg" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When the film was restored and released on DVD, one critic suggested it might be an "undiscovered gem". (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/69065/blonde-ice#articles-reviews?articleId=61239" target="_blank">article</a>). I'm not sure I agree, but it does have an amusement factor. We'll leave you with a clip from the opening of the film: </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="377" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JksMV-dqs7g" width="453" youtube-src-id="JksMV-dqs7g"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-37142533237046463002021-06-21T06:09:00.000-07:002021-06-21T06:09:08.357-07:00Bette Writes a Letter<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5zK5I8ivahpNqYj2kwxK2gtGRB6hRltLKg24Pu-s0byIf9B5mFCjEUB2WscmVVCeASdemTTTkBLkUPJbicoaY3pKCREzoyoSZFBEvhKCZhdcEbvNVmjo1kQ8-Dd-oyej-8CBxI7MKPo/s705/the-letter-italian-movie-poster.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5zK5I8ivahpNqYj2kwxK2gtGRB6hRltLKg24Pu-s0byIf9B5mFCjEUB2WscmVVCeASdemTTTkBLkUPJbicoaY3pKCREzoyoSZFBEvhKCZhdcEbvNVmjo1kQ8-Dd-oyej-8CBxI7MKPo/s320/the-letter-italian-movie-poster.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nighttime at a rubber plantation in Singapore; most of the workers are sleeping peacefully when shots ring out. A man stumbles from the main house, pursued by a woman with a gun. She fires into the man over and over again. She then calmly sends one of the workers for the district officer, saying it was an accident. We are discussing <i>The Letter</i> (1940).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This film features one of the more dramatic openings in movie history - a peaceful night interrupted by gunfire, as a woman pursues a fleeing man. The report of the gun, the sounds of the previously quiet jungle screaming with panic - director William Wyler did 33 takes of the scene, though producer Hall Wallis told Wyler that it was the first take that he used in the final film (<a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2024/the-letter#articles-reviews?articleId=220542" target="_blank">TCM Behind the Scenes</a>). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bette Davis is the dominant force in the film. She is powerful even in scenes of quiet. While you are suspicious of Leslie Crosbie from the start (we did after all watch her gun down a man), Ms. Davis gently feeds the information to us strand by strand, much like the crochet lacework that is constantly in her hands. Ms. Davis was eager to work with Mr. Wyler - they'd previously worked together on the <i>Jezebel</i>, a performance which had won Ms. Davis an Oscar. (<a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2024/the-letter#articles-reviews?articleId=220541" target="_blank">TCM The Big Idea</a>). Nonwithstanding of their mutual affection and regard for one another, they still had disagreements - in a late scene, Mr. Wyler insisted that Ms. Davis look into Herbert Marshall's (Robert Crosbie) eyes to tell him she loved another. Ms. Davis was horrified - it was too cruel, she said, but Mr. Wyler insisted. When she won the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, Mr. Wyler was in attendance. "Even today 37 years later," he said, "we still disagree on it. Well,
Bette read it the way I asked her to, but I'm sure she would like
nothing better right now than to drive over to Warner Bros. and re-shoot
the scene her way." The camera caught Ms. Davis nodding her head vigorously in agreement (<a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2024/the-letter#articles-reviews?articleId=220545" target="_blank">TCM Trivia</a>)<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3YHEfkIFDTtDtiqJWS_15MohC1EMG4qmepE1dduf39NRE8_b-QvHvJH5I81cGmzj8_YzNp_v82JlzxnLEPLWZ-o6Lq2KUWisqKkUoFjcg9cLqj13IBe7H8LR2CT8glSt7cBiTMBHGSE/s340/220px-The_Letter_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3YHEfkIFDTtDtiqJWS_15MohC1EMG4qmepE1dduf39NRE8_b-QvHvJH5I81cGmzj8_YzNp_v82JlzxnLEPLWZ-o6Lq2KUWisqKkUoFjcg9cLqj13IBe7H8LR2CT8glSt7cBiTMBHGSE/s320/220px-The_Letter_poster.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">James Stephenson brings nuance to the character of lawyer Howard Joyce, the man who first grasps the levels of Leslie's duplicity. He'd appeared in a variety of parts since he began in films in 1937 but this film was the first to use him to good effect. He had his issues with Mr. Wyler, but Ms. Davis would convince him to try Wyler's way. Ultimately, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (he lost to Walter Brennan in <i>The Westerner</i>). Sadly, Mr. Stephenson would only appear in five more films - he died in 1941 of a heart attack. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The first actress considered for Mrs. Hammond was Anna May Wong, but William Wyler felt she was too young and too attractive to portray the sinister widow. Instead, Gale Sondergaard was given the part, and she is excellent in a part that relies on facial expression and body language for her communication with the audience (Mrs. Hammond does not speak English). Ms. Sondergaard would eventually be forced to leave Hollywood for the New York stage when her husband Herbert Biberman was accused of being a communist. She eventually returned to Hollywood, where she worked in film and television until her retirement in 1982. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfGQfw4N4-Pk9B_jkZyqJiVorJuB1EdJ2-XE0qCSsEnzaw-38lcXL3FLB3Mm0khYJ0vEivTaaqp9NiNpwF33yXSiUUWCIAEOacvUkCsftzTJkJWRj9EWx4pmRFTzdw-qXGmY3YD5WovU/s1000/c0865abe573a2a5acc69ce408f9e1222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="710" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfGQfw4N4-Pk9B_jkZyqJiVorJuB1EdJ2-XE0qCSsEnzaw-38lcXL3FLB3Mm0khYJ0vEivTaaqp9NiNpwF33yXSiUUWCIAEOacvUkCsftzTJkJWRj9EWx4pmRFTzdw-qXGmY3YD5WovU/s320/c0865abe573a2a5acc69ce408f9e1222.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Herbert Marshall is very good in what is basically a thankless role as the cuckolded husband. He'd appeared in the 1929 version of the film (as the murder victim) (<a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2024/the-letter#articles-reviews?articleId=220544" target="_blank">TCM Pop Culture</a>). He has several heartbreaking scenes at the end of the film that reveal much about this misused man. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's worth noting the presence of Frieda Inescort (Dorothy Joyce) in a very small role as defense lawyer Joyce's wife. Victor Sen Yung (here billed as Sen Yung) is quite convincing as </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ong Chi Seng, </span>the somewhat shady lawyer in training, who is the first to reveal the existence of the Letter. <br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">There is one other character in the film, and that is Leslie's lace crochet. We see it immediately after Geoff's death, and slowly the project grows as Leslie's lies become more and more intricate. The dropped lace project at the end signals the film's ultimate conclusion, much like the three fates weaving out the lives of mortals. <br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WWfXFeH-IG0CCQ_KBWk3WDb7JO_9wbu8E5hkR9tgs4Ertb1DDktEhZnuXv6ah-TlWvdzRtwDaMWa_g5t3RnNO9Zb5iDjjISm42E41Mb62d7RqAD2fXO62XZROmbMuTIwhai3asFCx_Q/s514/letter3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WWfXFeH-IG0CCQ_KBWk3WDb7JO_9wbu8E5hkR9tgs4Ertb1DDktEhZnuXv6ah-TlWvdzRtwDaMWa_g5t3RnNO9Zb5iDjjISm42E41Mb62d7RqAD2fXO62XZROmbMuTIwhai3asFCx_Q/s320/letter3.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>New York Times</i><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1940/11/23/archives/the-screen-the-letter-with-bette-davis-and-james-stephenson-a.html" target="_blank"> review</a> by Bosley Crowther was glowing, and the film was ultimately nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Picture; Supporting Actor, Actress, Editing, Direction, Original Score, and Black and White Cinematography (it didn't win in any category) (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/5075" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jeanne Eagles starred as Leslie in the 1929 film version (which had a very different ending, the Production Code not being an issue at that point). There were three <i>Lux Radio Theatre</i> productions - <a href="https://youtu.be/sdooRcJO4yo" target="_blank">May 1938</a> with Merle Oberon and Walter Huston; <a href="https://youtu.be/K7b44V24R_k" target="_blank">April 1941</a> with Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, and James Stephenson; and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dze5tV3YY4" target="_blank">March 1944</a> with Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall and Vincent Price. The October 1956 <i>Producer's Showcase</i> television version was directed by William Wyler and featured Siobhan McKenna, John Mills, and Anna May Wong (who finally got to play Mrs. Hammond). Lee Remick starred in a 1982 television movie remake; also featured in that version was Sarah Marshall, the daughter of Herbert Marshall. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll leave you with a trailer of this remarkable film: </span><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="382" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MdsLv75cTsQ" width="459" youtube-src-id="MdsLv75cTsQ"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-57979470770379469062021-06-14T06:34:00.000-07:002021-06-14T06:34:29.151-07:00Ann is Unfaithful<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnTX66lohxcSQ_9WWhxGW7LTZIA5wwvqI0qfZTYZWRUoZvaJKE6Y3PyvARpbiz_Tqd76JoNy57jmbv3FVj7r7Lo5C9yl5xJRLxvzrOS3zUW3XiNDeWsDwci6HsnNlBlxpgxSEqpk_hgY/s268/0039937.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnTX66lohxcSQ_9WWhxGW7LTZIA5wwvqI0qfZTYZWRUoZvaJKE6Y3PyvARpbiz_Tqd76JoNy57jmbv3FVj7r7Lo5C9yl5xJRLxvzrOS3zUW3XiNDeWsDwci6HsnNlBlxpgxSEqpk_hgY/s0/0039937.webp" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Christine Hunter (Ann Sheridan) returns home after a late party and is accosted on her front porch. She's forced into the house; we hear a scream and fighting. The next morning, her husband returns from a business trip to discover homicide detectives, a dead body, and his distraught wife. Our film this week is <i>The Unfaithful </i>(1947).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An exceptional cast and a tight script make this film thoroughly enjoyable. Led by the always excellent Ann Sheridan, the cast portray characters that feel like real people. Ms. Sheridan plays Christine with an underlying insecurity that makes you believe she could be swayed by loneliness and grief. But her clear love for her husband, Bob (Zachary Scott) also makes us sympathize with her as her world begins to fall apart. The film reflects the aftermath of the war - an increasing divorce rate as couples who married quickly find that they are incompatible. Chris and Bob are not, but the misery brought about by wartime separation is really the crux of this movie. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Ms. Sheridan is ably supported by Lew Ayres (Larry Hannaford), an attorney who spends much of his time in the divorce court. Larry sees Chris and Bob as a model of marital happiness, so when the truth about Christine is revealed, he is as offended by her "crime" as her husband. However, Mr. Ayres makes his character pull back mentally and apply some objectivity to the case, which also helps the audience to side with Chris. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSQQH1p4KJoy1-JholgXNgl9HKeNLx7926FLTB4NbOH_-gUjU2PTWupnrC-21j__hwcXSgZRgt7d3uUqLyxPFhSn2YaK7OnmoiFsmrjeBIUIP5OV_UXVcDFtOpCNv03jSR9PHhlmvIMw/s428/2255336.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSQQH1p4KJoy1-JholgXNgl9HKeNLx7926FLTB4NbOH_-gUjU2PTWupnrC-21j__hwcXSgZRgt7d3uUqLyxPFhSn2YaK7OnmoiFsmrjeBIUIP5OV_UXVcDFtOpCNv03jSR9PHhlmvIMw/s320/2255336.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This was Mr. Ayres second film after returning from service during World War II. He was derided before the war for declaring himself a conscientious objector. Though he refused to kill, he was was quite to serve as a non-combatant; he won three battle stars as a medic and chaplain's aide in the Pacific. He returned to his film career, which must have seemed an impossibility at the start of the War - his studio (MGM) and the public were horrified at his unwillingness to kill the enemy - he continued working in films and television until two years before his death at age 88 (<i>Washington Post </i><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1997/01/01/lew-ayres-dies/41fbd427-2364-4432-81ca-2909e27f43c5/" target="_blank">obituary</a>). </span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Zachary Scott is frequently the villain in films, but not here. He's a loving husband who watches his life fall apart when his wife is assaulted. Once he discovers Chris' indiscretion, Bob does come across as petulant. He is redeemed by his interactions with Eve Arden.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iGDnS1mt5HiskoiOIQkBmJnQQ79-aEtWHidnmiAmehRqq7xDBZv3RzB0Y5dphgx4fHgxhbv4lb8DNX5wXjOHQG-907oEi2Ou4UhfY6wakzad0_QtRW3a8as36y2GDQRAYl7O-Z5-g_4/s337/220px-The_Unfaithful_movie_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iGDnS1mt5HiskoiOIQkBmJnQQ79-aEtWHidnmiAmehRqq7xDBZv3RzB0Y5dphgx4fHgxhbv4lb8DNX5wXjOHQG-907oEi2Ou4UhfY6wakzad0_QtRW3a8as36y2GDQRAYl7O-Z5-g_4/s320/220px-The_Unfaithful_movie_poster.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Eve Arden (Paula) steals the movie in her big scene with Zachary Scott. Paula, Bob's cousin, appears on the surface to be a completely thoughtless person - a gossip who rather dislikes her cousin-by-marriage and takes a certain amount of joy in putting Chris in her place. But when the chips are down, it is Paula who sees the truth in Chris' story, and is not going to let Bob get away with his judgemental attitude. It's a magnificent scene. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Normally, we enjoy Jerome Cowan (the Prosecuting Attorney), but he ends up being distracting more than convincing. We found that we sought out Larry Hannaford during the courtroom scenes. His quiet dignity made the courtroom scenes more believable. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqaBkFl8CH3_M9SXjs1RXvSB4WO91IlJh7jvh26Js90Ls16PiqS1HJJtpMeI6vEK6JOPyeDur8Rgvb3e8szGiSXBAOZLunZvQ0K-Arc3jA1VTDjTNWS-rbZ1kV5Jxkn334RMiewSi3DE/s500/1e6d8ef1f7cca8ed7a582b1795de0b59.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqaBkFl8CH3_M9SXjs1RXvSB4WO91IlJh7jvh26Js90Ls16PiqS1HJJtpMeI6vEK6JOPyeDur8Rgvb3e8szGiSXBAOZLunZvQ0K-Arc3jA1VTDjTNWS-rbZ1kV5Jxkn334RMiewSi3DE/s320/1e6d8ef1f7cca8ed7a582b1795de0b59.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>The Unfaithful</i> is loosely based on <i>The Letter </i>(1940); though much of script was unfinished when production started (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1187/the-unfaithful#articles-reviews?articleId=333857" target="_blank">article</a>). In his <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1947/06/28/archives/the-unfaithful-postwar-study-starring-ann-sheridan-lew-ayres-and.html" target="_blank">review</a>, Thomas M. Prior (T.M.P.) was not impressed with the script, though he was full of praise for the three leads. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is very much a film about forgiveness, and as Jeanine Basinger points out, the topic is unique in this post-war film (<i><a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/I_Do_and_I_Don_t/3_5vDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=unfaithful+sheridan+1947&pg=PA277&printsec=frontcover" target="_blank">I Do and I Don't: A History of Marriage in the Movies</a></i>). Clearly, the MPAA thought so as well, as they allowed a film about adultery to be shot, though with one proviso: "the MPAA agreed to allow this if the film clearly conveyed the message that divorce is undesirable" (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/25407" target="_blank">AFI catalog)</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We really enjoyed this film and heartily recommend it. We'll leave you with the trailer:</span><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="404" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N7nPRuRq3O8" width="486" youtube-src-id="N7nPRuRq3O8"></iframe></div><br />Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-27808174026540964482021-06-07T05:26:00.000-07:002021-06-07T05:26:03.301-07:00Bette Deceives<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16UASxeAy9DLh7d1yAAgiM5UD_jotQ7-x4WRk5RPTcJMY9Y-7stSqpXa6f3lz_mxCZSzNmPASZ9lvZ0nM6jT-IJmZeoXGSzDdAqxq6Re5YnX7-iKlBn-IcGdAIsopKv-y2VW8zANVXL0/s779/5a3dd77b9050b1ec0ab2b6603a4c6ec8.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16UASxeAy9DLh7d1yAAgiM5UD_jotQ7-x4WRk5RPTcJMY9Y-7stSqpXa6f3lz_mxCZSzNmPASZ9lvZ0nM6jT-IJmZeoXGSzDdAqxq6Re5YnX7-iKlBn-IcGdAIsopKv-y2VW8zANVXL0/s320/5a3dd77b9050b1ec0ab2b6603a4c6ec8.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Christine Radcliffe (Bette Davis) races to a concert at a local college. A solo cellist, Karel Novak (Paul Henreid), new to the United States, performs to great acclaim. Before the war, he and Christine were lovers in Germany, but Christine has long believed him to be dead. Their reunion is joyful, until the jealous Karel demands an explanation for Christine's luxurious life style. The <i>Deception</i> (1946) begins when Christine lies about her life since the war, and her relationship with the brilliant, but ego-maniacal composer Alexander Hollenius (Claude Rains).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Just who is the villain is one of the questions in this film. On the surface, one's instinct is to place Hollenius, a self-absorbed egoist if ever there was one, in that position. But, it's clear from the start that Christine has long ago learned how to deal with Hollenius' moods and demands, so why is she so spooked by him? The answer may be that Karel's jealousy is deranged. He almost strangles Christine when they meet again. His mania and her fears start the string of lies that lead to Christine's downfall. What certainly is clear is that Christine has lousy taste in men.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I5Hqh_askGlaZN6hrRMNDQDwATMFDa8a2SbmVLVulMb43ySQ1lXMpOCLoXczTXbsf9OYPGnY3F2uqvlCnE0WkhmEGg83jRthKJPOc3DNoyeMFP3iwLAmFs-xr6M9EuBuEXZAmNMGt30/s640/9aae8bebc2e1f276b08114ad42895202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1I5Hqh_askGlaZN6hrRMNDQDwATMFDa8a2SbmVLVulMb43ySQ1lXMpOCLoXczTXbsf9OYPGnY3F2uqvlCnE0WkhmEGg83jRthKJPOc3DNoyeMFP3iwLAmFs-xr6M9EuBuEXZAmNMGt30/s320/9aae8bebc2e1f276b08114ad42895202.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Beyond a doubt, this is Claude Rains movie. As domineering as Hollenius is, it's hard to actually dislike him. He glories in his power and in his talent. He enjoys his life, and while he isn't actually mean, he doesn't appreciate anything that thwarts what he wants. The problem for Christine is that Karel thwarts Hollenius, and while she is immune to his head games, the troubled Karel is not. To see Mr. Rains at his absolute best, watch him manipulate Christine and Karel when they dine out. It is a masterwork of acting (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3222/deception#articles-reviews?articleId=133178" target="_blank">article</a>). In his commentary on the DVD, Foster Hirsch mentioned that some people claimed Mr. Rains stole the scene from Bette Davis - clearly (as Mr. Hirsch pointed out) no one steals a scene from Ms. Davis. If you watch her during the scene, she's reveling in Mr. Rains performance. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Paul Henreid has the unenviable job of playing a man who is just short of being insane. His fits of anger are positively scary; he's worse then Hollenius in many respects because he has no clue that his self-absorption is so complete. Mr. Henried does a good job playing an abusive individual and does make you feel that some of his behavior stems from his experiences during the war (though not all of it). <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAsECsfUrtJYJSbkJjGGd_NInKPKsApd72PnAW-DnLv8U71yX3mP7gZpKFT449l2jgvWfZeSWfl-p0hVy6ssSLQHmL55j9iS2a1_uHGR3PqV7TyIfS3BHvebBF2dL5cUJ0lPS3ze0i7I/s960/deception-md-web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAsECsfUrtJYJSbkJjGGd_NInKPKsApd72PnAW-DnLv8U71yX3mP7gZpKFT449l2jgvWfZeSWfl-p0hVy6ssSLQHmL55j9iS2a1_uHGR3PqV7TyIfS3BHvebBF2dL5cUJ0lPS3ze0i7I/s320/deception-md-web.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While Bette Davis could play the piano (and practiced hard to do the one scene in which she played), Jack Warner asked her to not worry about it - they would get a pro to do the actual music (but you can tell by her hands that she knows what she is doing). Paul Henried, however, did not know how to play the cello, and had to have two actual cellists use their arms to make it appear that he was actually playing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This was the first Warner Brothers film in which Ms. Davis appeared that did not make money (partly due to the production running overtime, due to Ms. Davis' illness). She would only make three more films for Warners. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkJGxGykXmch78Ie9NmQeNVizIF2MxoyuHwyolZP27KIXQZM4Cjbz6_Wf6xTJbCjV4oeYDKjr2JxBzSymQ5k6Yncm5lsFO_n8WVbPH7bfY4J0UOKPixLvw00u94GOVq9qMJEmpH8WJgc/s300/s-l300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkJGxGykXmch78Ie9NmQeNVizIF2MxoyuHwyolZP27KIXQZM4Cjbz6_Wf6xTJbCjV4oeYDKjr2JxBzSymQ5k6Yncm5lsFO_n8WVbPH7bfY4J0UOKPixLvw00u94GOVq9qMJEmpH8WJgc/s0/s-l300.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Based on the play <i>Obsession</i>, which was on Broadway in revival when the film opened, the original was a two-character presentation - just Karel and Christine. It was at one point intended as a vehicle for Barbara Stanwyck and Paul Henreid (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/24753" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). </span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1946/10/19/archives/the-screen-deception-warner-film-with-bette-davis-and-claude-rains.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Bosley Crowther was not particularly complimentary - but Mr. Crowther didn't like the play much either. He was, however, very taken with Claude Rains who "fills out a fascinating portrait of a titanic egoist". <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is not Ms. Davis' best film, but it is a tour de force for Mr. Rains, and as such worth your time. We'll leave you with the trailer:</span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="384" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c2ul7MvuqgU" width="461" youtube-src-id="c2ul7MvuqgU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /> </p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-59447279755831879142021-05-31T15:13:00.000-07:002021-05-31T15:13:08.820-07:00Dorothy is a Teacher<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6CRCwLUOW1gypDHM3_u2QCpnd36HG_e2X5483okRZRdcBMXQJqzVejvkpd7BvQrpzmadBGRa08OVreyNnXRp-BDLbd8bhR3Am6QJ4I5XEWJ7DI1OxC1HRU97CFUauH87tErqgkAHwPY/s1214/b6d74bec923ac4bb06054dfbe5f4d229.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="889" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6CRCwLUOW1gypDHM3_u2QCpnd36HG_e2X5483okRZRdcBMXQJqzVejvkpd7BvQrpzmadBGRa08OVreyNnXRp-BDLbd8bhR3Am6QJ4I5XEWJ7DI1OxC1HRU97CFUauH87tErqgkAHwPY/w240-h328/b6d74bec923ac4bb06054dfbe5f4d229.jpg" width="240" /><p><i> </i><br /></p></a><p>
<span style="font-family: arial;">Primary schoolteacher Jane Richards (Dorothy Dandridge) starts her first job at a rural school and becomes interested in C.T. Young (Philip Hepburn), a youngster with a history of underachievement in the school - now in 4th grade, C.T. has been left back in every grade. Determined to find something that will interest this child, Jane begins to find ways to draw him out. Our film this week is <i>Bright Road</i> (1953).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A gentle story that tells the story of the growing relationship between a young boy and his teacher, this is an effective film that features many outstanding performances. First and foremost is Dorothy Dandridge in her first major role as the schoolteacher who won't give up on this neglected child. So many films about teachers and students portray adversarial relationship. This one does not. Ms. Dandridge plays a teacher who wants to understand her students' needs, not just teach at them. Ms. Dandridge had worked for years with her sister, Vivian as part of The Dandridge Sisters, a singing trio (the other member was Etta Jones). She worked again with Vivian here - Vivian worked as a hairdresser for the cast, then filled in as Miss Nelson, one of the other teachers (<a href="http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/53505">AFI catalog</a>). <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnSexJE0wp71bwxo84fYmkq3yovFknN5ApWqEsBXpKC23CH5MSGSA_jtaVUdl1jgLxYX3C0tAh7c1meeSYm3jcmEaApPx__DaMcVoHDiBjFm6TcIawNaBIWwpPCQyEYZmZLV086NFH94/s1024/gettyimages-1137185234-1024x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnSexJE0wp71bwxo84fYmkq3yovFknN5ApWqEsBXpKC23CH5MSGSA_jtaVUdl1jgLxYX3C0tAh7c1meeSYm3jcmEaApPx__DaMcVoHDiBjFm6TcIawNaBIWwpPCQyEYZmZLV086NFH94/s320/gettyimages-1137185234-1024x1024.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Also remarkable is Philip Hepburn as the youngster who seems unable to learn. C.T. is never rude, but he does feel that the classroom is a distraction from the world, and that adults don't really help him all that much - he is more interested in his bees (a source of income for him and his family), in caterpillars, and in his younger siblings. It's a sad commentary that none of his prior teachers realized that the child was hungry - it's clear that the teachers know that C.T.'s father is a part-time laborer, but only Miss Richards puts this together. What does make this film different from other films about educators is that C.T. comes from a loving family. They may be poor, but his parents and siblings are caring people, who all love one another. This was Mr. Hepburn's only film - he made two more appearances on television, then left the business. </span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Barbara Ann Sanders (later Barbara Randolph) also had a short film. She's lovely as Tanya Hamilton, C.T.'s best friend. She would later go on to a successful career as a singer, working with a number of singing groups. She'd later appear in <i>Guess Who's Coming to Dinner </i>(1967), her final film appearance. She died in 2002 at the age of 60.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmZFNBuey1fK1cmv4Xztuk2EV7bY24ygEBDzyBREBCt7DAqJgha23Ka7TK-PF-MXbFKV2plTBhRFcCmpQq3oZQ0tWFGJHk7WRZ3_0e3kxcz5foGfhdJduNaVYzj3JBJOu2q4Y1157FUM/s1768/lf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmZFNBuey1fK1cmv4Xztuk2EV7bY24ygEBDzyBREBCt7DAqJgha23Ka7TK-PF-MXbFKV2plTBhRFcCmpQq3oZQ0tWFGJHk7WRZ3_0e3kxcz5foGfhdJduNaVYzj3JBJOu2q4Y1157FUM/s320/lf.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Harry Belafonte (Mr. Williams) in his first film role, has a relatively small part in the film - he's excellent in his few scenes. He brings authority to the principal, a caring man who is intrigued by the intensity of his new teacher. Mr. Belafonte even gets to sing a bit in the film. Later in his career, he would become a film producer - his HarBel Productions did <i>Odds Against Tomorrow</i> (1959), in which he also starred. <br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Other performances worth mentioning are Maidie Norman as Tanya's mother. She has only one scene (with Ms. Dandridge); it's a touching and sad moment that is beautifully done by Ms. Norman. Robert Horton (Dr. Mitchell) plays a dedicated doctor who is called to aid a sick child. He's very good in the part. It's also interesting that he is the only white actor in the film, nor is it called out that his practice is dedicated to a Black community.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-xHd9yY0a9vJP9NtZaHD5qmu6v4ctSPQXmqYCc_PpXnxY3lo-XZMisV9kfzd0kK-aV2eTbDXufOrgG3_plGT34yxO1AkY9Ui-6h2EC17atoG5DjszL7xOb6FDrSPKcIPa099v2lQ7Hk/s326/220px-Bright_Road.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-xHd9yY0a9vJP9NtZaHD5qmu6v4ctSPQXmqYCc_PpXnxY3lo-XZMisV9kfzd0kK-aV2eTbDXufOrgG3_plGT34yxO1AkY9Ui-6h2EC17atoG5DjszL7xOb6FDrSPKcIPa099v2lQ7Hk/s320/220px-Bright_Road.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The director of the film, Gerald Mayer, was the nephew of Louis B. Mayer, and spent most of his career in B films. He would eventually work successfully in television (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/639/bright-road#articles-reviews?articleId=17734" target="_blank">article</a>).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1953/04/29/archives/the-screen-in-review-mgms-bright-road-at-55th-street-catches.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Bosley Crowther was lukewarm - he enjoyed the story, such as it was, but had expected more social commentary. We found this a warm and enjoyable film, that tells the story of a struggling community well. We'll leave you with a trailer: </span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="417" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KhzHFRCPIu8" width="503" youtube-src-id="KhzHFRCPIu8"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-6024732780307630162021-05-24T05:55:00.000-07:002021-05-24T05:55:32.377-07:00Farley is on the Run - Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjRgtuO89tdDxrej4ruMqk-0YKk6HTjYRphgXt_yXq8L7_j30tVIHdX9uq49GTSC_Zue1MU5NbzWnMGd5M-AMXZvIzVjZZM_h24j3GEBEOJFNnKlXsH0ceEG6Oj3aOBVxC33YlSwYyHA/s1061/MV5BNmRhNGM0YWYtMjZhMy00YTNiLWFhMTgtYjZlNGI5YjljYzlhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc1NTYyMjg%2540._V1_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjRgtuO89tdDxrej4ruMqk-0YKk6HTjYRphgXt_yXq8L7_j30tVIHdX9uq49GTSC_Zue1MU5NbzWnMGd5M-AMXZvIzVjZZM_h24j3GEBEOJFNnKlXsH0ceEG6Oj3aOBVxC33YlSwYyHA/s320/MV5BNmRhNGM0YWYtMjZhMy00YTNiLWFhMTgtYjZlNGI5YjljYzlhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc1NTYyMjg%2540._V1_.jpg" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Having lost his gas station, Joe Norton (Farley Granger) and his wife Ellen (Cathy O’Donnell) are forced to move in with her parents. The only work he can find is as a temporary mail carrier. With a baby on the way, Joe steals what he thinks is $200 from a man on his delivery route, only to find the file contains $30,000. When he tries to return the money, he discovers it has disappeared, and the criminals from whom he stole it are now after him. Today, we’re looking at <i>Side Street </i>(1950).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our initial reaction to Farley Granger's Joe was that the character is a complete idiot. He starts out as almost listless and passive, then endangers himself, his wife, and his child by stealing from an office to which he's been delivering mail. Finally, to add insult to injury, he gives the money (wrapped in some brown paper) to a bartender to hold for him. These early scenes have the viewer constantly head shaking because Joe is SO stupid. Happily, the character begins to grow and Mr. Granger is ultimately able to make us care for him - first because of his family, but finally because he cares about his wife so much, and really does repent his actions.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film starts with voice-over narration by Paul Kelly (Captain Walter Anderson); while some of it is interesting (especially the information about New York City, circa 1950), much is superfluous. Mr. Kelly is very good in what is really a very small part (removed from the narration), and perhaps his reassurances at the end of the film might be welcome to some members of the audience. Mostly though, it felt as though the filmmakers really wanted to be compared to <i>The Naked City</i> (1948).<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_S-mneXzL5CMHyfTm9NFpwnUMHcpKVAJIf597I79HNB5pgQJ4q4vr_Ew019xwWBhu4gOrOiFZITz6i7SJI4U6dOR0Fkl41NW_YCkfFUEFDEPqUVOafCrZRjA2VE7NlANK5jHk87GC6U/s480/hqdefault.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_S-mneXzL5CMHyfTm9NFpwnUMHcpKVAJIf597I79HNB5pgQJ4q4vr_Ew019xwWBhu4gOrOiFZITz6i7SJI4U6dOR0Fkl41NW_YCkfFUEFDEPqUVOafCrZRjA2VE7NlANK5jHk87GC6U/s320/hqdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Whether you agree with everything director Anthony Mann did, it is apparent that he hired actors who gave some amazing performances. The first that comes to mind is James Craig as Georgie Garsell. If your mind immediately goes to images of Editor Halverson in <i>Our Vines Have Tender Grapes</i> (1945) or reporter Mike Regan in <a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2018/01/margaret-looks-for-magic.html" target="_blank"><i>Lost Angel</i></a> (1944), think again. Georgie is a psychotic individual whose eyes gleam when he knows he is a going to kill someone. Mr. Craig plays him with some degree of relish, but never goes over-the-top. He makes Georgie both scary and human.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The always impressive Jean Hagen (Harriet Sinton) is wonderful in a part that is almost a cameo. This is only her third movie, and she is convincing as an alcoholic singer with the hots for Georgie. She has a brief scene with Mr. Granger (making an interesting foil to his real love interest), and then a scene with Mr. Craig. You will, however, remember her at the end. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsod-6cyb4I4wGx1XhR4cPspU-DGmSWUHbR3FKPPrD3ajX2adtn_frqDRbCw__tB1TybL0Gf-a4wwG9yo8GSZRpN1zrC9lhOBJuIwXcSpH7YQIaPc_zn_zSsn4Ch3qkUvKudMlwfwQzc/s1500/MV5BYmE0NGU1MGEtYjZkMi00OTM0LTkzYzctNmY0NDhlM2I5MDZhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmsod-6cyb4I4wGx1XhR4cPspU-DGmSWUHbR3FKPPrD3ajX2adtn_frqDRbCw__tB1TybL0Gf-a4wwG9yo8GSZRpN1zrC9lhOBJuIwXcSpH7YQIaPc_zn_zSsn4Ch3qkUvKudMlwfwQzc/s320/MV5BYmE0NGU1MGEtYjZkMi00OTM0LTkzYzctNmY0NDhlM2I5MDZhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Cathy O'Donnell's part is also relatively small, but she makes an impact in all of her scenes. A loving wife who is completely thrown by her husband's sudden secretiveness, she's the person that makes you initially understand that Joe has something worth liking. As with their appearance together the previous year, <a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2020/07/farley-is-on-run.html" target="_blank"><i>They Live by Night</i>,</a> they are an appealing couple, much of it thanks to Ms. O'Donnell's delicate performance. </span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Several other actors should be acknowledged, many in uncredited roles. Charles McGraw has a brief appearance as Detective Stanley Simon. Richard Basehart appears briefly - and uncredited - as a bank teller; likewise, King Donovan as Detective Gottschalk and Ben Cooper, in his first film role as Young Man at Cleaners are not listed in the credits. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgC38orypsrtfosOK3agnFjs0tcxyM7LSiGRIuyPWh7HrtFQkMihA0j9ZmLvCrP_7OqIjWnn16lR3DeHzENGH_yIVIuR_GTCMWQhRpJbPl_0s4oprH8V-UtJOUDGlcMpe6wD7G0Lacjw/s673/side-street-belgian-movie-poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjgC38orypsrtfosOK3agnFjs0tcxyM7LSiGRIuyPWh7HrtFQkMihA0j9ZmLvCrP_7OqIjWnn16lR3DeHzENGH_yIVIuR_GTCMWQhRpJbPl_0s4oprH8V-UtJOUDGlcMpe6wD7G0Lacjw/s320/side-street-belgian-movie-poster.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Shot on location in New York City (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Film/26104-SIDE-STREET?" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>), the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg is impressive. He uses aerial shots to increase the claustrophobic atmosphere of the city, making the skyscraper streets appear as mazes. In her book on <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Anthony_Mann/WTdffrlu9qYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=side+street+granger&pg=PA58&printsec=frontcover" target="_blank"><i>Anthony Mann</i></a>, author Jeanine Basinger comments that "[Joe's] world is one he can neither control nor see fully, trapped as he is in the small canyons below." There is also an impressive car chase scene in the narrow confines of New York's Wall Street area (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/90076/side-street/#articles-reviews?articleId=25845" target="_blank">article</a>).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are at all interested in New York City locations, I suggest visiting the <a href="https://nycinfilm.com/2018/01/02/side-street-1950/" target="_blank">NYC in Film blog</a> and take a look at some of the amazing photos the author has compiled showing the City then and now. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While not well received by Bosley Crowther in his <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1950/03/24/archives/the-screen-new-crime-story.html?searchResultPosition=6" target="_blank">review</a>, the reviews at the time were mixed, and the film has been more fairly judged in recent years. This is an enjoyable film that will keep you interested throughout. We'll leave you with a trailer: </span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zR7gRki-XKM" width="469" youtube-src-id="zR7gRki-XKM"></iframe></div><br />Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-69394709391821030652021-05-20T09:08:00.001-07:002021-05-20T09:08:21.052-07:00Barbara is on Her Own<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hm_s93_Hl14aICxjUudw9QuE2i3ab-NS8xhqpjzaZKxrQAR5UFy76NV2W1NJgO8KO0TuL-DUfvRHLkDcRKYZ0NYTufq1AiHWWm05EmVTjOISPIn_s-Rte6FD_kflhtogDjeLOFXiveQ/s2048/lf.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hm_s93_Hl14aICxjUudw9QuE2i3ab-NS8xhqpjzaZKxrQAR5UFy76NV2W1NJgO8KO0TuL-DUfvRHLkDcRKYZ0NYTufq1AiHWWm05EmVTjOISPIn_s-Rte6FD_kflhtogDjeLOFXiveQ/s320/lf.jpg" /></a><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Patrice Harkess (Barbara Stanwyck) sits holding her baby, Bill Harkess (John Lund) nearby. They are waiting for something, and Patrice believes that, when it comes, Bill will leave her. The phone rings - it's the police, and they are on their way over. Our film tonight is <i>No Man of Her Own</i> (1950), part of the <a href="http://clamba.blogspot.com/2021/05/cmba-hidden-classics-blogathon-may-18th.html" target="_blank">Hidden Classics Blogathon</a>, hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This has long been one of my personal favorite Barbara Stanwyck films, and it was one she was eager to do (<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Barbara_Stanwyck/PJDzTfV4CMMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22no%20man%20of%20her%20own%22" target="_blank"><i>Barbara Stanwyck: The Miracle Woman</i></a> by Dan Callahan). She is perfection as a woman thrown into a morass, and comes back to look it square in the eye. For Patrice Harkness is a name forced on unwed mother Helen Ferguson. Abandoned by her lover, Stephen Morley (Lyle Bettger), with only a train ticket to New York to her name, she finds herself on the train, unable to find a seat, and with no money for food. She's "adopted" by Patrice (Phyllis Thaxter) and Hugh Harkness (Richard Denning), a young couple pregnant with their first child, en route to meet his family for the first time. In less capable hands, it would be hard to understand just why the Harknesses take on this needy young woman, but Ms. Stanwyck makes you understand from the start the inner goodness of Helen Ferguson, who only wants to be able to make a decent life for her and for her coming child. That Helen was originally to be a prostitute (<a href="http://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/MovieDetails/26426" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>) seems outlandish having seen the film. The audience must care for her, and Ms. Stanwyck wraps her audience around her lovely finger. She also has the inner determination to handle the problem that is Stephen Morley (TCM<a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/85108/no-man-of-her-own#articles-reviews?articleId=480367" target="_blank"> article</a>). <br /></span></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd8S3rGpoyRdELlTaqsldrrGPwFLrK76DH-D9iGvhN2q16waHUYVRZhHgp9pv3GSZVdF5N9-7fkLNcXPxxojwg27n6owvRbTxIlzU9QetV_V5yI1pJMpbzPsXONf5doDrPYiRb-gWLjo/s500/No_Man_of_Her_Own-841379985-large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbd8S3rGpoyRdELlTaqsldrrGPwFLrK76DH-D9iGvhN2q16waHUYVRZhHgp9pv3GSZVdF5N9-7fkLNcXPxxojwg27n6owvRbTxIlzU9QetV_V5yI1pJMpbzPsXONf5doDrPYiRb-gWLjo/s320/No_Man_of_Her_Own-841379985-large.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">While it is true that John Lund is not an actor in Ms. Stanwyck's league (then again, who is?), he does a good job in keeping their relationship on an even keel. A particularly telling scene is one in which his father (Henry O'Neill) adjusts his will. The audience is starting to realize that Bill is suspicious of Patrice; but when she reacts with horror at the news about the will, Bill's reaction sets us up for the rest of their relationship - it doesn't matter to him any longer who she is. He knows the kind of person she is and that is all the information he requires. <br /></span></div><div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Jane Cowl (Mrs. Harkness) is superb as the loving mother who looks to Patrice and her baby as the final link to her deceased son. She's warm, friendly, and protective. But she is also smart;
she knows very quickly that Patrice is in some kind of trouble and she begins immediately to find a way to safeguard her family - including Patrice - from any danger. Ms. Cowl only made a total of seven pictures (in <i>Stage Door Canteen</i>, she played herself). However, between 1903 and 1947, she was in 33 Broadway plays, many of which she wrote and/or directed, including <i>Smilin' Through</i> (which was made into a film with Norma Shearer). She died in 1950, at the age of 65. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLTleL5o81AvPIAQtycT4h45n-kF6NNeKWsQlS8Hp_dxdDT6yH1BFI3Bgquk9adptPO916FiMr_4upCk0pNvw9RTYVGhIsth4ZY71mDI1iiozci06LIysppTCuTBcFbh2kczJqV5RPPM/s500/image45.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLTleL5o81AvPIAQtycT4h45n-kF6NNeKWsQlS8Hp_dxdDT6yH1BFI3Bgquk9adptPO916FiMr_4upCk0pNvw9RTYVGhIsth4ZY71mDI1iiozci06LIysppTCuTBcFbh2kczJqV5RPPM/s320/image45.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Lyle Bettger (Stephen Morley) is deliciously evil as a horrible man who keeps the audience on tenderhooks. We never really believe him, but at the same time, it's hard to think that anyone could be as bad as he is. In his first scene, we watch him ENJOY Helen's heartbreak. This is his lover, pregnant with his child, but he's done with her. He's like a peacock preening at her misery, which of course he sees as her need for HIM. A little hint of the future is given when we meet his new inamorata, Irma (Carole Matthews) who is disgusted at his treatment of Helen.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Using Phyllis
Thaxter (Patrice Harkness) and Richard Denning (Hugh Harkness) as the young married couple is an interesting conceit. Both are well enough known to the audiences that one is lulled into thinking they will be with you
for the whole movie. Sadly, that is not to be, but both are lovely in their brief scenes with Ms. Stanwyck. Their warmth echos what Helen will find when she inadvertently adopts Patrice's identity. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrN5Bq9RzKGMwW6Yv2ulBwqlJCDpmt9bz7M0-9xCSMJzuS1-dj9bTwRdZnwcCjEkm0iBkNifnGatqs_DGmgPF73WGrGl-MWJ_XEJ3iQ7NObLfOoseprBjwwacPScf0OqJz70glhK7y7z8/s612/e8f9a4a0-37a8-473f-a9e1-9bf11fc41701_1.3081c96aeb7b1084487eee70d5e1d8f2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrN5Bq9RzKGMwW6Yv2ulBwqlJCDpmt9bz7M0-9xCSMJzuS1-dj9bTwRdZnwcCjEkm0iBkNifnGatqs_DGmgPF73WGrGl-MWJ_XEJ3iQ7NObLfOoseprBjwwacPScf0OqJz70glhK7y7z8/s320/e8f9a4a0-37a8-473f-a9e1-9bf11fc41701_1.3081c96aeb7b1084487eee70d5e1d8f2.jpeg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film was based on a story by Cornell Woolrich, <i>I Married a Dead Man</i> (<a href="https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2005/cteq/no_man/" target="_blank">Senses of Cinema</a>). The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1950/05/04/archives/the-screen-in-review-no-man-of-her-own-starring-barbara-stanwyck.html" target="_blank">review</a> by Bosley Crowther is unimpressive, but in a 2012 <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/movies/homevideo/mitchell-leisens-no-man-of-her-own-and-bedevilled-on-dvd.html" target="_blank">commentary</a> upon the DVD release, Dave Kehr discusses the intricacies of director Mitchell Leisen's work. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The <i>Screen Director's Playhouse</i> aired a version on television in September 1951 with Ms. Stanwyck in the lead. The film was remade in 1996 as <i>Mrs. Winterbourne</i> with Ricki Lake in the title role. Nothing, however, can beat Ms. Stanwyck, and we heartily recommend this wonderful film. We'll leave you with a trailer</span>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="354" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gEV0SRGM-M4" width="466" youtube-src-id="gEV0SRGM-M4"></iframe><p></p></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Before you go, I suggest you visit the <a href="http://clamba.blogspot.com/2021/05/cmba-hidden-classics-blogathon-may-18th.html" target="_blank">Classic Movie Blog Association</a> page for this blogathon, and look at some of the other films being discussed for this celebration. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCW2DVd0oQrKh5_hNjreWguY53krARhEPI7SZn6kvl2DfgwdxMZuq2k1suqjt76sN7JjUWJKe22N9GGQgQs9KpAdIK6v8-ZEHV7he1ZwUhxrSy8dQTV-lu54SUl7JKXNR9vxA5FZSnqI/s387/Nomanofherown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="387" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCW2DVd0oQrKh5_hNjreWguY53krARhEPI7SZn6kvl2DfgwdxMZuq2k1suqjt76sN7JjUWJKe22N9GGQgQs9KpAdIK6v8-ZEHV7he1ZwUhxrSy8dQTV-lu54SUl7JKXNR9vxA5FZSnqI/w395-h297/Nomanofherown.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-34980181645902030692021-05-16T06:50:00.002-07:002021-05-16T06:50:42.822-07:00National Classic Movie Day 2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjwccYZzYK2reHoGkQBcie6m5l7bWoFrvgtfSHtY-DwWcz9HTbMp-og2a2Aoia94aPQK9AdS-cPwIZ38WymYb7ywgjeJS6brGy2xO5yvTJrHiFQ7-O9sBJ-OpcdjNTyzUFNAgjJO5dQk/s385/6+Films+6+Decades+Blogathon+ver+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjwccYZzYK2reHoGkQBcie6m5l7bWoFrvgtfSHtY-DwWcz9HTbMp-og2a2Aoia94aPQK9AdS-cPwIZ38WymYb7ywgjeJS6brGy2xO5yvTJrHiFQ7-O9sBJ-OpcdjNTyzUFNAgjJO5dQk/s320/6+Films+6+Decades+Blogathon+ver+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Welcome to our celebration of National Classic Movie Day for May 16, 2021. As part of a blogathon hosted by the <a href="https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2021/03/6Films-6Decades-Blogathon.html" target="_blank">Classic Film and TV Cafe</a>, we're going to discuss six films - one from each decade beginning in 1920. We hope you've seen these films. If not, perhaps you'll consider giving them a viewing. All are worth your time.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span> </span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVCmlndDPtUHHs3pkalZo_bRB4QsEMqP80fpNuhL6gGSnnMp-KiIME-GNxMKBmpIGTiAkSnt34bPuK9hJLWdKUkTRL98GOnyVE2e8hyJ5W9Wxb-AFN99Nm2oGhpGSMHh2wUicWaUX1Oc/s2000/Waydowneast1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1353" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVCmlndDPtUHHs3pkalZo_bRB4QsEMqP80fpNuhL6gGSnnMp-KiIME-GNxMKBmpIGTiAkSnt34bPuK9hJLWdKUkTRL98GOnyVE2e8hyJ5W9Wxb-AFN99Nm2oGhpGSMHh2wUicWaUX1Oc/w208-h309/Waydowneast1.jpg" width="208" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll start our discussion right at the beginning of our first decade with <i>Way Down East</i> (1920). Lillian Gish stars as Anna, an unwed mother who is thrown out of her home after becoming pregnant. Following the death of her infant, she finds work as a servant girl and falls in love with David Bartlett (Richard Barthelmess), the son of her employer. But gossip reaches the Bartlett farm about her past, causing her to flee out into the storm. What follows is a spectacular scene in which Ms. Gish gets trapped on an ice floe, while Mr. Barthelmess attempts to save her. The scene was actually filmed in the midst of a blizzard and Ms. Gish suffered hand pain for the rest of her life (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/5884/way-down-east#articles-reviews?articleId=651219" target="_blank">article</a>). You can see that scene below. In the meantime, you get to see some fine acting and an engaging script. It's a powerful film, primarily because of Ms. Gish's abilities. If you've never seen her in a silent film, this may be the one with which to start. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZnzxputIr-U" width="372" youtube-src-id="ZnzxputIr-U"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZVIGXLNGSUQouzkTcltrmEhg8Gfk04EtL2MzGuUvDsYL8jDSqad2mVTs_YFOuey-w5ICUYUPCc5Nvt6cy4VWwqO0VQP5JJRK9NyLO_dIXdNTpy5kAd3OlkxVXgzvin7GF1mmma47-L8/s268/index.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZVIGXLNGSUQouzkTcltrmEhg8Gfk04EtL2MzGuUvDsYL8jDSqad2mVTs_YFOuey-w5ICUYUPCc5Nvt6cy4VWwqO0VQP5JJRK9NyLO_dIXdNTpy5kAd3OlkxVXgzvin7GF1mmma47-L8/s0/index.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll go to the end of the 1930's for our next film. The Christmas rush over, Polly Parrish (Ginger Rogers) uses her lunch hour to begin job hunting; by Christmas Eve, she'll be unemployed again. She sees a woman abandoning a baby on the steps of an orphanage, and rushes over to make sure the baby doesn't fall - and is mistaken by the orphanage personnel for the mother. <i>Bachelor Mother</i> (1939) changes Polly's world as she becomes tthe mother of a strange child, and is wooed by the scion of the department store for which she works. Ginger Rogers is delightful as the reluctant unwed mother. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The beauty of this remarkable film is the way in which all around her treat Polly after discovering she has a child. David Merlin (David Niven) wants to give her a permanent job; Polly's landlady, Mrs. Weiss (Ferike Boros) volunteers to take on baby-sitting duty, and David's father John Merlin (Charles Coburn) decides the baby is his grandchild. The film circumvents the code by showing sympathy to a mother on her own, by making that mother an adoptive one. It's a remarkable and genuinely sweet film, and definitely worth viewing. The trailer will give you a good idea of this lovely movie:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="389" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yfmrf8NcZyU" width="468" youtube-src-id="Yfmrf8NcZyU"></iframe></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXStNtleAhyphenhyphenagItxN5KczmlkEJFQsZP5lEUqc-6xy_b68p6SO0OfcdUPLvEB5Bwol5h3F60P3jpUiwENv4QSimHfU1g-8ahqTXHbNfSS7yomsD7WzaPD8LPV-BbpAJky724TGT4mFp9gY/s264/index.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXStNtleAhyphenhyphenagItxN5KczmlkEJFQsZP5lEUqc-6xy_b68p6SO0OfcdUPLvEB5Bwol5h3F60P3jpUiwENv4QSimHfU1g-8ahqTXHbNfSS7yomsD7WzaPD8LPV-BbpAJky724TGT4mFp9gY/s0/index.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The 1940s was an especially difficult decade to nail down just one film, so I opted to go to the directing master Alfred Hitchcock, and discuss <i>Notorious</i> (1946), which for me is one of his often ignored masterpieces. Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a convicted German spy, is recruited by T. R. Devlin (Cary Grant) to spy on another suspected spy, Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains). Part of the beauty of this film is that Alicia is no innocent - she's been running with a fast crowd since her father's conviction, and knows exactly what comes with her mission, consenting to wed Sebastian to get the needed information. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The combination of Grant and Bergman is intoxicating. Their's is not so much a love story as a lust story that grows despite the reluctance of the leading man. Mr. Grant makes Devlin a dark and angry man, who finds himself loving a woman he thinks is unworthy of him, only to find that she is a far better person than he. Claude Rains turns the tables on the viewer by making the audience actually sympathize with him, despite the fact that he is a Nazi spy and murderer. It's a world turned upside down, and the viewer is given a wild ride to a tense ending. The trailer will give you a look at this absorbing tale.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="381" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H8f4UOtLf5Q" width="458" youtube-src-id="H8f4UOtLf5Q"></iframe></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3j8t_Er0J6Zvs-AeczridjCg-y5X92P9KuI9Oe9OIC0ZAMyJOqBCXpdtOrO2zL8ljarcC2wY7_NzK1lJmGVBOaPezan28Y_IIYpFH05_VLVLRN5CcX9e-D3ovk_6GInBPK0bgjLnGmcY/s272/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3j8t_Er0J6Zvs-AeczridjCg-y5X92P9KuI9Oe9OIC0ZAMyJOqBCXpdtOrO2zL8ljarcC2wY7_NzK1lJmGVBOaPezan28Y_IIYpFH05_VLVLRN5CcX9e-D3ovk_6GInBPK0bgjLnGmcY/s0/images.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The role of women had changed as the 1940s ended, and the 1950s began. Women who had left the home to work were now been forced back into the home. In response, Emily Dunning Barringer, a physician in New York, wrote an autobiography about her years as an ambulance surgeon in 1902 (she was the first woman to hold this position). The film that was made of her book is <i>The Girl in White</i> (1952). It's possibly the only biography of a female physician, and gives a clear picture of the kinds of abuse that women who were entering the field had to face. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">June Allyson brings both innocence and strength to the young woman who is bucking the system. Arthur Kennedy is good as her suitor, who originally wants her to give up her career and become the supportive wife and mother. Without going into detail, the ending of the film is an eye-opener, and not the traditional Hollywood fare. If you've never seen this before, I strongly recommend it. This trailer will serve as an introduction.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="342" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AZEzYJ40SPE" width="458" youtube-src-id="AZEzYJ40SPE"></iframe></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglc-EjCtff1koax5K8SvyrHVjdTibPFz0DMmDyTiMksuGmVIHr832o9vwCBqp6-YiRfbAuiA4Rjgf80nYuSg9cG6FdVtASHzPGjlyYYpNgABV40VuvjDOlK20OCWLHi-gdTL1VQoxv7_I/s273/index.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglc-EjCtff1koax5K8SvyrHVjdTibPFz0DMmDyTiMksuGmVIHr832o9vwCBqp6-YiRfbAuiA4Rjgf80nYuSg9cG6FdVtASHzPGjlyYYpNgABV40VuvjDOlK20OCWLHi-gdTL1VQoxv7_I/s0/index.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> I had to think long and hard in selecting a representative film of the 1960s. In keeping with my theme of strong women, I selected <i>The Lion in Winter</i> (1968). Katharine Hepburn is dynamic as the power-seeking Eleanor of Aquitaine; she won her third Oscar (tying with Barbra Streisand - the only time thus far the Actress category has resulted in a tie).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The interplay between Ms. Hepburn and Peter O'Toole is dynamic. Sure, the dialog is not period but they film crackles with superb lines. My favorite has got to be Ms. Hepburn musing on her marriage annulment from Louis VII of France: "Good, good Louis. If I'd managed sons for him instead of all those
little girls, I'd still be stuck with being Queen of France and we
should not have known each other. Such my angels is the role of sex in
history." You can see that scene in <a href="https://youtu.be/vxPZ2Rmjlgg" target="_blank">this discussion </a>of Ms. Hepburn's career by Anthony Hopkins<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Peter O'Toole had a discussion about Ms. Hepburn with Robert Osborne which is available <a href="https://youtu.be/ufrGpXYpa9U" target="_blank">here</a>. He had approval rights for the film, and he wanted Ms. Hepburn. While there was a remake of the story in 2003, with Patrick Stewart and Glenn Close - both marvelous actors and favorites of mine - nothing can top the electricity between all the actors in the 1968 film. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you've not seen it - please get hold of a copy. I hope this trailer will serve as an encouragement.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="366" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5cVwBjwRGgg" width="474" youtube-src-id="5cVwBjwRGgg"></iframe></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDC7T5mL47LBlsYoFcf7B3nEP4qaHsKmVWewLNRxETfpTL1fEc74bLgMd0_2SWymdoPXF0OQkxyaWwdTKK2Cu6QuAYUnSk9MLgFf4i18BeacFWpdgVmUqMGV6um97GQXh4HiKNntvk9w/s275/index.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDC7T5mL47LBlsYoFcf7B3nEP4qaHsKmVWewLNRxETfpTL1fEc74bLgMd0_2SWymdoPXF0OQkxyaWwdTKK2Cu6QuAYUnSk9MLgFf4i18BeacFWpdgVmUqMGV6um97GQXh4HiKNntvk9w/s0/index.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As the 1960s gave rise to more violent films, I admit to not seeing many of the "greats" of the 1970s, so making a selection took some thought. I decided on <i>The Way We Were</i> (1973). Again, a strong woman attempts to take on the world - or at least her part of it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand) is a college radical who falls in love - initially over her better judgement - with jock Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford). When they meet again during World War II, their love for each other flames and they decide to marry. But Hubbell's career takes them to Hollywood, where Katie's radical past becomes a threat to their future.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If there is one thing I regret about this film, it is the fact that a decision was made to cut a scene that explained the real reason for Hubbell and Katie's eventual divorce. You can see that scene and a few others in this <a href="https://youtu.be/XDfdzcLD1s4" target="_blank">excerpt</a> from a documentary about the film. In my humble opinion, the inclusion of the one scene would have made an already great picture perfect. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I had my own personal connection to the movie - they filmed the scenes outside Katie's apartment a few blocks from where I lived in New York, and I got there just in time to see the trucks leave. Sigh. But it was exciting to see the finished scenes in the film. You can actually see that location in this trailer from the film.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="297" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CKvBvWb0Wzg" width="479" youtube-src-id="CKvBvWb0Wzg"></iframe></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In conclusion, Happy <a href="https://www.classicfilmtvcafe.com/2021/03/6Films-6Decades-Blogathon.html" target="_blank">National Classic Movie Day</a>. Please be sure to visit the other blogs that are posting for the day, and find out about some additional great films. </span><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-87396665271190484432021-05-10T05:23:00.000-07:002021-05-10T05:23:43.825-07:00Sidney Goes to the Park <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lba0GdgNCab8itg7e6cJ7KH8Sf7uOLORxN2ZlRCAkYhMayNGyJE-fqilHGsW3ZtEWooB34hIwRU3-qjtVequ1DHJOH2sBVm1xZPJUmBes_Kd01SrNOWXVA6wh-EH96fZMkEZuTv3YkM/s1727/1741498.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1727" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lba0GdgNCab8itg7e6cJ7KH8Sf7uOLORxN2ZlRCAkYhMayNGyJE-fqilHGsW3ZtEWooB34hIwRU3-qjtVequ1DHJOH2sBVm1xZPJUmBes_Kd01SrNOWXVA6wh-EH96fZMkEZuTv3YkM/s320/1741498.webp" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Blinded in an accident as a small child, Selina D'Arcey (Elizabeth Hartman), lives with her prostitute mother, Rose-Ann (Shelley Winters) and her alcoholic grandfather, Old Pa (Wallace Ford) in a small apartment. She keeps the home clean and to bring in some money, strings beads for Mr. Faber (John Qualen) who visits a few times a week. But Selina yearns to get out of the apartment; when Mr. Faber offers to bring her to the park one day, a new world opens for Selina, especially after she meets Gordon Ralfe (Sidney Poitier). The week, we discussed <i>A Patch of Blue</i> (1965).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On some levels, it is sad that this movie still resonates so clearly with us, since it is so much about racism. When you see the way Rose-Ann lives, as compared to Gordon and his brother Mark (Ivan Dixon), and then hear her refer to Black people as trash, it's all you can do to not scream. Rose-Ann D'Arcey is probably one of the ugliest characters in any film. She makes trash look good, quite frankly. But as we learn from her, and from Gordon's conversations with his brother, race is ever-present barrier to this story of love and friendship.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HRcv30EFzgr-k81C3-VLg-_HRMjKF4tf_ofvSxOV9uf-AJkj1RBClr7_BH3-b_eK60v8ClKIwDSLtR11sAvKZyLbIylFs5nvAtqbYDUZCGmJe7hi3ZedMfTWxHeWMAlRlyovkaPCYzE/s407/A_Patch_of_Blue-104492755-large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HRcv30EFzgr-k81C3-VLg-_HRMjKF4tf_ofvSxOV9uf-AJkj1RBClr7_BH3-b_eK60v8ClKIwDSLtR11sAvKZyLbIylFs5nvAtqbYDUZCGmJe7hi3ZedMfTWxHeWMAlRlyovkaPCYzE/s320/A_Patch_of_Blue-104492755-large.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">To say that Sidney Poitier is magnificent in the part is an understatement. His characterization of Gordon walks a very thin line - we can see his growing love for Selina, but it is mixed with pity, anger, and regret. Does he love Selina romantically? It's hard to tell, because Mr. Poitier tries very hard to subdue any romantic feelings for this lost lamb. Of course, the race issue is key, but there is more to it - he knows that this is a girl who has no concept of life and love. Her feelings may be gratitude; his may be pity. The romance needs time to see if it is durable and Gordon is careful to keep the barriers firmly in place.</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Likewise Elizabeth Hartman makes Selina both naive and worldly at the same time. Her vision taken from her when her mother tried to throw acid into her husband's face, but hit 5-year old Selina instead. She's been kept at home as a servant, taught nothing, raped as a teen-ager by one of her mother's clients, and been beaten and verbally abused by her mother. Ms. Hartman wore specially designed contact lenses to obscure her vision (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/22891" target="_blank">AFI catalog</a>); she invests the character with an intelligence that is admirable. We know that she has taught herself to maneuver within her small world. As it expands, so too does her ability to broaden her own confines. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2d95f7CCSODl3OcCtM0vwZWwtwWLBSHhdL1x-t3OQopLdazTnOa0tt-at8ghthZ-S19RfAc1cl8vnip4kabT-bqsg3BkII3NmlLFCU6tjWWeuGsbqJPMmmg-ZdxNEOScAs_syUDcXwE8/s421/A_Patch_of_Blue-335994359-large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="br" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2d95f7CCSODl3OcCtM0vwZWwtwWLBSHhdL1x-t3OQopLdazTnOa0tt-at8ghthZ-S19RfAc1cl8vnip4kabT-bqsg3BkII3NmlLFCU6tjWWeuGsbqJPMmmg-ZdxNEOScAs_syUDcXwE8/s320/A_Patch_of_Blue-335994359-large.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Shelley Winters won her second Oscar (Best Supporting Actress) for her work in this film. She said that she always tried to find "something to like in the characters I've played, but not this time...I really hate this woman" (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1040/a-patch-of-blue#articles-reviews?articleId=12485" target="_blank">article</a>). Ms. Winters pulls no punches in her portrayal of this despicable woman. She's willing to put herself out there and make Rose-Ann the monster she needs to be in order to display the utter ludicrousness of this woman's bigotry. It was a well-deserved award for a performance that digs into the depths of cruelty to create a masterful performance. One does wonder how Rose-Ann managed to convince social services to allow her to keep her child!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film is blessed with other fine performances. John Qualen's Mr. Faber is a gentle soul. His affection for Selina ("my best worker") is sincere. With his small gesture - taking her into the park a few times a week (where she can work in the fresh air) - he opens the door for her transformation. The character's goodness becomes even more apparent the further we get into the film, but Mr. Qualen's touch is one of kindness. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TRqEI495dHpbd_S8Ra1ESVYfNG1lBkzGQmc-AoPpLwmbVBU_Fm01p0itlnvbnC0FPs08gx-hdfpp4pptMV9pdkEfR68_hkqBm7TKwYsHCzlYSIwqC-6MrFMGXubw6d1Gq_buIeePLkQ/s718/Screen-Shot-2016-08-30-at-1.55.08-PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="492" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TRqEI495dHpbd_S8Ra1ESVYfNG1lBkzGQmc-AoPpLwmbVBU_Fm01p0itlnvbnC0FPs08gx-hdfpp4pptMV9pdkEfR68_hkqBm7TKwYsHCzlYSIwqC-6MrFMGXubw6d1Gq_buIeePLkQ/s320/Screen-Shot-2016-08-30-at-1.55.08-PM.png" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">It's always a pleasure to see Ivan Dixon in any role, and he is excellent as Gordon's brother. A hospital intern who has had to struggle to get into his chosen profession, he worries that Gordon is over his head in taking on the responsibility for a poor, white, blind girl. Mr. Dixon got his acting start on Broadway, in <i>The Cave Dwellers</i>; later, he would appear in <i>A Raisin in the Sun</i>, a part he would recreate for the film version. He would continue to act in films and on television (notably as a regular in <i>Hogan's Heroes</i> for five years). He also became a director, primarily in series television. He died in 2008 of kidney failure - his alma mater North Carolina Central University has named their theatrical troupe The Ivan Dixon Players. <br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg-RtAVXe49SUPS7ALylo2E7FMnLIb2oFs-1uy4jEnwd-5vNtTikjxOeqTvWEhQxYcaLBxa9ZZp604Ub5xjul4QUo9KUAdoiJuTm-h9YlYjTp03MQGY__g3EAyl9xz7rPPU7pbSdsD7M/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg-RtAVXe49SUPS7ALylo2E7FMnLIb2oFs-1uy4jEnwd-5vNtTikjxOeqTvWEhQxYcaLBxa9ZZp604Ub5xjul4QUo9KUAdoiJuTm-h9YlYjTp03MQGY__g3EAyl9xz7rPPU7pbSdsD7M/s320/unnamed.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Elisabeth Fraser (Sadie) plays Rose-Ann's literal partner in crime. She's almost as bad as Rose-Ann. It's a small, but important role as Sadie sets in motion the final act, in which Selina's future hangs by a thread. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Wallace Ford had a long and impressive career. He started on Vaudeville; by 1921, he was appearing on Broadway (he did 11 productions between 1921 and 1939). He started in films in 1929; in 1931 he co-starred with Clark Gable and Joan Crawford in <i>Possessed.</i> He worked steadily in both films and television, frequently as the star, until <i>A Patch of Blue</i>. This was his final film appearance, and he is marvelous. A drunk, Ole Pa has wasted his life, but he genuinely cares for his grandchild and it is that which radiates through his performance.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo0opAz_DWEkrt97Tp1VzOSrflEwt7XoOnEnCoLcTaYYRuk-Wsc8TN3jTrz7ow0fi41is_Gg-_z3ZoBA7pDDZGgLdKGWChdlC2OjL5tINT59dDw2_iRCi8OQjN26Kh5YyTVnbz1eOVAc/s2048/a-patch-of-blue-vintage-movie-poster-original-1-sheet-27x41-1810_1313x.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo0opAz_DWEkrt97Tp1VzOSrflEwt7XoOnEnCoLcTaYYRuk-Wsc8TN3jTrz7ow0fi41is_Gg-_z3ZoBA7pDDZGgLdKGWChdlC2OjL5tINT59dDw2_iRCi8OQjN26Kh5YyTVnbz1eOVAc/s320/a-patch-of-blue-vintage-movie-poster-original-1-sheet-27x41-1810_1313x.webp" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The film was based on Elizabeth Kata’s 1961 novel, <i>Be Ready With Bells and Drums</i> (though the book's very downbeat ending was changed). The film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards (including Actress, Black & White Cinematography, Black and White Art-Set Direction, and Music). <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the things we enjoyed about the film is that it is a story that you can discuss past the action of the film - what DID happen to Selina and Gordon after we leave them? We'll leave you to ponder that question, as well as a trailer: <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iMaUGPg3CA8" width="470" youtube-src-id="iMaUGPg3CA8"></iframe></div><br /><p></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288554694249618370.post-75493916288473221552021-05-03T05:31:00.000-07:002021-05-03T05:31:54.517-07:00Glenn is Framed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNYKYPx_mvGvpY5Y8pk8t0Zkhu5HEvQEMREPGG1rzNGeDm5Ha5iNzZwS6B3lJSlzEEC8QVGNg8cY2-7CVnag05ZbHKB7Kcv4Lu2xZ0Tj33j5CuU4R23lvxD6XVOuf68Lt9dLEgzEj_S0/s1262/MV5BY2Y0NGE4NzMtNGM0Zi00MTQ1LTk1ZDgtMDEyNThhY2NkMWUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="484" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNYKYPx_mvGvpY5Y8pk8t0Zkhu5HEvQEMREPGG1rzNGeDm5Ha5iNzZwS6B3lJSlzEEC8QVGNg8cY2-7CVnag05ZbHKB7Kcv4Lu2xZ0Tj33j5CuU4R23lvxD6XVOuf68Lt9dLEgzEj_S0/w107-h281/MV5BY2Y0NGE4NzMtNGM0Zi00MTQ1LTk1ZDgtMDEyNThhY2NkMWUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" width="107" /></a><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Michael Lambert (Glenn Ford) is a down-on-his-luck mining engineer. He agreed to drive a truck to get to a place where he can find a job, but is arrested for running the truck into another car. He’s bailed out by Paula Craig (Janis Carter), but doesn’t know why. He is also doesn’t know he is about to be <i>Framed </i>(1947).<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the spirit of honesty, I'll start by mentioning that I'm not a fan of Glenn Ford. He's done some good work (<i>Gilda</i>, primarily), but by and large I find him a one-dimensional actor, who does self-pity or anger, and not much more. And I didn't find more than that in this film. In the final analysis, two members of our group liked the movie, and two didn't The two that enjoyed it liked the story, though they said it could have been tighter. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We know that Michael Lambert has managed to get to his destination to find a job as a mining engineer, but we know precious little more about him, except that he is an alcoholic. While the story doesn't tell us why he drinks so much, it works as a plot point - it makes it easier to set him up as a victim. <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gn2ChQ2955wNUZm9QwFk9O5RXItyzNDrf0zqzuMEqWvVwor1CXg3Er7AU3Z4otJYDbtxtdoZB79LOxVXYsGymsCsim0TDQUErinXRRHFq9O73FJMcCJKh1imuQdQXV8hXsg5CUvpIFo/s300/s-l300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gn2ChQ2955wNUZm9QwFk9O5RXItyzNDrf0zqzuMEqWvVwor1CXg3Er7AU3Z4otJYDbtxtdoZB79LOxVXYsGymsCsim0TDQUErinXRRHFq9O73FJMcCJKh1imuQdQXV8hXsg5CUvpIFo/s0/s-l300.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">We were also not impressed with Janis Carter. From her first second on film, we know that Paula is up to no good; it's apparent that Michael knows it too. Yet, he still keeps hanging around her. This is no <a href="https://movienightgroup.blogspot.com/2021/02/john-hears-bell-twice.html" target="_blank"><i>The Postman Always Rings Twice</i></a>, because there is no chemistry or connection between the characters. It seems clear that they are not enamored of one another, nor are they trusting of one another. Ms. Carter was cast in hopes of creating a new <i>Gilda</i> for Mr. Ford (TCM <a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/1115/framed#articles-reviews?articleId=245480" target="_blank">article</a>). Sadly, it didn't work <br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Barry Sullivan (Stephen Price), however is good as the dishonest banker who's clearly using Paula to his own ends. That there doesn't really seem to be much between them works in the movie's favor - their relationship is a business deal, pure and simple, and Mr. Sullivan's distancing works for the film. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMamSqbxc-L2wr-cHvEPdubjxGPspdekOAA0Ng7Ts2yvGWq4dyfZSTlLPKbF3ESNZTooFEWjyrV92nrq-WD2HqoT_P8uCNfESwkogOrs-VIcz6nHTig0tHyQzPxlKZx0i9cNFN5b9_-s/s424/MV5BYzc4OGRkZjYtN2JmZi00N2QwLWI0M2UtNjY4MTNjNzg5ZDFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMamSqbxc-L2wr-cHvEPdubjxGPspdekOAA0Ng7Ts2yvGWq4dyfZSTlLPKbF3ESNZTooFEWjyrV92nrq-WD2HqoT_P8uCNfESwkogOrs-VIcz6nHTig0tHyQzPxlKZx0i9cNFN5b9_-s/s320/MV5BYzc4OGRkZjYtN2JmZi00N2QwLWI0M2UtNjY4MTNjNzg5ZDFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY%2540._V1_.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Two minor characters are worth noting. Edgar Buchanan (Jeff Cunningham) plays a prospector who hires Michael as his mining engineer. It's the one clue we have that Michael is good at his job, because Jeff is a smart man, not the ditzy movie prospector we generally expect to see. Karen Morley (Mrs. Price) has a nice scene as Barry Sullivan's neglected wife. She does a lot with the character in very little screen time, and we were sorry not to see more of her.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2xPMdz8le8ZerIwKMDfIvzfOtsVJH0pV_-R51Tsy4FxaYj-0_a3VJIoqTkEqtJCoByeiC2AtMeYql4PgGuAdYoGlVRuNstYKTJAeS2GM9uXVgHeM6T7B4UfNdIJPx4gs5lU2dyQEPek/s445/51RxxPDcQuL._SY445_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2xPMdz8le8ZerIwKMDfIvzfOtsVJH0pV_-R51Tsy4FxaYj-0_a3VJIoqTkEqtJCoByeiC2AtMeYql4PgGuAdYoGlVRuNstYKTJAeS2GM9uXVgHeM6T7B4UfNdIJPx4gs5lU2dyQEPek/s320/51RxxPDcQuL._SY445_.jpg" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The original title for the movie was <i>They Walk Alone</i> (<a href="https://catalog.afi.com/Film/25171-FRAMED" target="_blank">AFI Catalog</a>). The <i>New York Times</i> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1947/05/26/archives/wages-of-sin-reap-the-usual-reward.html" target="_blank">review</a> by A. H. Weiler (A.W.) was positive. It's got a decent story, and if you can overlook some of the casting issues, it's an interesting enough film to watch. We'll leave you with a scene featuring our three leads:</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="305" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNGVR_fCgZg" width="472" youtube-src-id="MNGVR_fCgZg"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Patriciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839825074161909564noreply@blogger.com0