The east coast ice storms delayed our meeting for a week. We resumed with a rather unusual film, if only for the cast: 1941's When Ladies Meet.
Ms. Crawford plays Mary Howard, an author who has recently changed
publishers, primarily due to the fact that she has fallen in love with Rogers
Woodruff (Herbert Marshall), a philanderer who has enticed Mary to come
under his wings, in more ways than one. Mary's best friend is
Jimmy Lee (Robert Taylor); finally able to afford a wife, he proposes
to Mary, only to discover SHE has moved on to Rogers. Her new book
reveals her plan - confront the wife of her lover, and reveal her love
for him. Certainly, she assumes, no woman would willingly hold on to a
man who so truly loves another.
This is by no means a comedy. Though Jimmy's plan to break up Mary and Rogers - introduce Mary to Rogers wife Clare
(Greer Garson), in the belief that once Mary KNOWS Clare, she won't
want to break up the marriage - sounds like it SHOULD be the plot of a
comedy, it is wholely in earnest. Unfortunately, the plot line turns
out to be cruel, hurting the two women, and really having very little
impact on the two men who should have been penalized for their actions.
We
did NOT like either off the men. Taylor's Jimmy is a silly, vain,
unthinking moron, who cares about what he wants, and uses poor Clare as
his scapegoat to get his way. And then there is Marshall's Rogers -
WHAT a cad! Our hope was that Clare would dump his clothes out the
window and change the locks on him! We also thought that Mary would be
better off remaining single (she certainly is capable of taking care of
herself) than tying herself to either of these idiots.
The bright point in this movie is Spring Byington as Bridget
Drake. Bridget is a delight, a kind, caring woman who is sweet and
gentle. She claims to not be particularly bright, but give me her innate
kindness and regard for other people over the pseudo-intellectual
snobbery of Rogers and Mary!
Here's a trailer for your enjoyment:
Next week, we venture into WWII territory with our Ms. Crawford.
When we decided to view Joan Crawford's movies, A Woman's Face
(1941) was one of the movies I was most looking forward to seeing with
my friends. A totally underrated movie, with a beautiful, understated
performance by Ms. Crawford, I was sure everyone would love it. And they
did.
Joan plays Anna Holm, a young woman who works as a blackmailer,
and who was horribly scarred as a child. During one of her blackmail
missions, she encounters Dr. Gustav Segert
(Melvyn Douglas), a plastic surgeon with a remarkable record of
successes. Fascinated by Anna's scars, he offers to attempt a series of
surgeries that will possibly correct the damage. Anna consents; she
had recently met Torsten Barring (Conrad
Veidt), and hopes to be part of his life, scar-free. Unbeknownst to her,
Barring is far more interested in luring her into a murder plot, a murder that
would leave him the heir to millions.
Crawford
is just perfect in this role. Her acting is subtle; watch her
reactions to fire (Anna is terrified of fire), her mannerisms before
and after her surgery, and the restrained but definite reactions that
we see in her eyes as she reacts to a variety of frightening and
horrifying issues. Also magnificent is the always wonderful Conrad
Veidt. Veidt began his career in the silent cinema of his native
Germany, and generally played the hero. In the 1930s, he managed to
alienate the Nazis (he loathed Hitler and everything Hitler stood for),
and escape to England (where he became a citizen). Of course, his
career in American movies generally cast him as either a villain (as
here) or a Nazi (as in his most famous performance - Major Strasser in Casablanca).
While we know at the start that there is something a tad slimy about
Barring, we are able to watch Veidt construct a maniac before our eyes.
We watch as his insanity is more clearly and definitely revealed with
each passing scene.
Finally, we wanted to say a word about Richard Nichols as Lars-Erik. Nichols did not have a long career, but we've seen him in several films (most notably Kitty Foyle and All This and Heaven, Too).
Nichols has a rather childlike speech pattern that is hard to miss, but
he is SO much the little boy in this movie (and in everything he does),
that it is hard to remember he IS an actor. Witness Lars-Erik bouncing
around on a cable car, and then looking back to see if he will be
scolded for doing something so dangerous. So totally 5 year old boy!!
And with a sense of tension ably supplied by the astute direction of
George Cukor! We hope you will give this one a try. We think it is worth a viewing, especially if you've not seen it before. Here's a brief scene to give you a glimpse of the film:
Clark Gable and Joan Crawford ended their on-screen partnership with the 1940 film Strange Cargo.
And a very strange movie it is. Gable plays a convict in penal colony
in French Guiana. Though he only has a few years left on his long
sentence, Verne spends his days finding ways to escape. Verne meets
Julie (Crawford), a young woman working at a local dive; however his
advances only success in getting her ejected from the colony. Verne
becomes immeshed in a plot to escape; however he is beaten by Moll
(Albert Dekker). However, Verne is able to follow, thanks to
instructions left by Cambreau (Ian Hunter); he meets up with his fellow
prisoners - Julie in tow (having rescued her from a local nasty, Marfeu,
enroute). As the journey continues, and the prisoners begin to die,
each finds himself seeking comfort from the mysterious Chambreau.
The
Christian motifs are laid on with a trowel in this movie. Witness,
especially, the near drowing of Chambreau towards the end of the
picture! That being said, Ian Hunter plays the part with remarkable
restraint. We all felt that, with a less subtle performance and
direction (by Frank Borzage), this movie would have been impossible to
watch. Hunter takes a part that is rife for caricature and makes a
breathing human being out of it.
It's worth noting that
Crawford spends most of the movie without any
makeup, and dressed in rags, yet her beauty is still palpable. One wishes
she had more opportunities to play this kind of bare, unglamorous role.
Gable is rough and tough, of course, but he too gets some good moments,
especially towards the end. Having just release Gone with the Wind the
previous year, he was certainly at the top of his game. For Crawford,
who had already been labeled "box-office poison", her years at MGM were
numbered. However, her greatest movie role was still to come. Regardless of their status in Hollywood, the chemistry between
Crawford and Gable is still quite evident.
Here's a scene from the movie featuring the two of them:
Next time, join us for another Crawford film from the early 1940s.
Sadie McKee (1934) feature Joan Crawford as the title
character. The daughter of a cook, who works for a wealthy family, Sadie
has been raised quite happily with the scion of the house, Michael
Alderson (Franchot Tone). Newly returned from school, Michael
immediately alienates Sadie by criticizing her beau Tommy Wallace (Gene
Raymond). In anger, Sadie elopes with him to New York. However, before
their actual wedding, Tommy is lured off by stage singer Dolly Merrick
(Esther Ralston) to work in her act. While working in a club, Sadie
meets Jack Brennan (Edward Arnold), a very rich, but constantly drunk
gentleman who married Sadie on a whim, much to the disgust of his friend
and lawyer, Michael Alderson.
We really enjoyed this movie. It
is one that is rarely discussed, and seldom seem, which is unfortunate.
Given that Sadie spend the night with Tommy and is not punished, this
film certainly falls into the pre-code category. The scene is subtle,
but it is quite clear that Sadie has good reason to expect marriage the
next morning, and is truly devastated when Tommy betrays her. Another
interesting aspect to this film are the characterizations. Quite
honestly, with the exception of Dolly Merrick, there was something to
like about every character. Even Tommy is redeemed in the end. We were
particularly impressed with Sadie's relationship with her husband,
Jack. Her determination to see him back to sobriety and health because
"Mr. Brennan has always been good to me" shows us the essential kindness
of Sadie. But it is not just her goodness - take for example the
character of Phelps the Butler, here played by the every wonderful Leo
G. Carroll (in his first role, listed only as Leo Carroll). Phelps is
smuggling alcohol to Jack behind Sadie's back. In a rage, she fires him,
then discovers that Phelps thought he was helping his employer. Once
Sadie explains the situation, Phelps and every member of the staff vow
that no one will bring him booze.
Of course, the complicated
relationships of the movie all reach a satisfactory ending. And our Ms.
Crawford is truly wonderful as she takes on this ride into the
adventures of the kind Ms. McKee; a character one would love to meet
again! In this scene, Tommy serenades Sadie:
Dancing Lady, which stars Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, was
not the first time Ms. Crawford had danced, but it certainly put her in
with the most illustrious dancing company of her career. Her partner,
in his screen debut at MGM, is none other than the magnificent Fred
Astaire, playing himself. Of course, he would not continue with MGM,
moving over to RKO, where he would find fame with a remarkably better
dancer named Ginger Rogers. Crawford plays Janie Barlow, a would-be dancer who becomes involved with playboy Tod
Newton (Franchot Tone). Tod quickly falls in love with Janie, first
trying to help her career by getting her a job with Patch Gallagher's
(Clark Gable) new show; then sabotaging the show after he gets Janie to
promise to marry him if the show flops. Of course, Janie is a hit, and
Tod must give in gracefully.
As
with everything she does, Crawford attacks her dancing with a vengeance.
She is all arms and legs and ENERGY. When she dances with Astaire,
quite honestly, your eyes do keep moving over to Astaire, whose grace
and screen presence are already well in evidence. However, when she
dances alone, Crawford's joy is transparent. Even though she is not the
best in the world, she is fun. She makes you smile as you watch her.
Gable
is at his manly best as Patch. Witness the exercise scene with
Crawford. The sexual tension that bounces between the two of them is
transparent. (It's also very clear that this IS a pre-code film!) You
can feel the attraction through a screen (and through the many years).
With Tone (who would later become her husband), there is more of a
sibling relationship. It is interesting to note that Tone and Crawford
remained friends for life, and that Crawford actually looked after Tone
in his senior years when he was no longer able to care for himself.
Much like Grand Hotel, MGM
is showcasing some of there talent here. We have The Three Stooges
throughout the film (sorry, we are not fans, and could have lived
without them). Nelson Eddy briefly appears in the final play as
himself. And, of course, Astaire. Another nice surprise is Eve Arden
as an actress trying to land a part by affecting a southern accent. Any
time one gets even a peek at Eve Arden, it's a good day.
We
had actually seen this movie before - when we did the Precode series,
and I had blogged about it then. But, as with all good movies, each time
you see something a little different. This time, our concentration was
on Ms. Crawford. I hope we are not being redundant when we revisit a
movie! Here, we'll show you a scene without any music - just Crawford and Gable:
We hope to see you next time, with another early Crawford film.
Our latest movie is Grand Hotel, wherein Joan Crawford appears as Flaemmchen,
a stenographer who almost falls into a fate worse than death. Released
in 1932, this movie certainly falls into the Precode period. With
a stellar cast, that includes John and Lionel Barrymore, Greta Garbo,
Wallace Beery, and Jean Hersholt, the movie runs several different
plotlines that have all managed to intersect by the conclusion of the
film. Most famous as the source of Greta Garbo's most famous line ("I
want to be alone"), Grand Hotel is a showcase for MGM's biggest stars.
The
relationship of Crawford's Flaemmchen, John Barrymore's Baron, and
Lionel Barrymore's Kringelein is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the
movie. There is a real chemistry among the three, and watching the two
Barrymore brothers bounce off one another is a delight. We also get to
watch Crawford's character become infatuated with the Baron (who, of
course, is falling in love with the ballerina Grusinskaya
- played by Garbo). When we get to the conclusion, with Flaemmchen
falling into a temptation she finds almost impossible to resist, the
Baron getting into a predicament he cannot escape, and General
Director Preysing (Wallace Beery) finally getting his comeuppance, we
find ourselves mostly satisfied with the ending, if a little saddened by
its inevitability.
If you get the
opportunity to see the DVD of this film, do check out the excellent
mini-documentary that is included in the special features - it is a real
treat. This trailer will give you a look at all the stars:
As Dr.Otternschlag (Lewis Stone) tells us, "Grand
Hotel... always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever
happens." But of course, it does, and with life-changing effects. Next
time, join us for another star-studded Crawford film.
We begin today a series of viewing devoted to the films of Joan
Crawford. We are rather bound to what is in our personal collections,
but I think we can promise you some interesting choices.
We begin with one of her odder films - 1954's Johnny Guitar.
First off, it is rather strange to see Joan in a Western. I don't
believe she had ever done one before, nor did she ever do another one.
As directed by Nicholas Ray, this is also a very peculiar western. For
one thing, the lead protagonists are two women: Vienna,
as played by Joan Crawford has opened a gambling saloon just outside
town, as she waits for her land's value to appreciate with the arrival
of the railroad; and Emma Small, a local rancher who loathes Vienna for a
number of reasons, not the least of it is Emma's attraction to The
Dancing Kid (Scott Brady), who rather has eyes for Vienna. In this scene, Johnny and Emma hint at their past:
The
whole movie is centered around the conclusion, the battle between
Vienna and Emma. More than a simple catfight, it is the kind of battle
one normally expects of the male rivals in the film. In fact, for the
most part, the men are rather weak. Sure, Vienna has hired Johnny Guitar
(Sterling Hayden) to work for her - he is a reformed gunfighter and her
former lover - but he revolves within her orbit, not she around his.
Vienna and Emma are clearly alpha females. The men do their bidding.
The
personal antagonism of Ms. Crawford and Ms. McCambridge has become the
stuff of legend. On screen, they spit fire at one another. The film is
both electric and fascinating for its oddness. It verges on film noir,
yet it isn't quite.
Costuming is an important feature in Johnny Guitar.
Witness Vienna, posed in her flowing white dress, positioned next to
Emma in her black mourning weeds: Even when Vienna switches to clothing
that is less conspicuous, she puts on a blazing red shirt - matched
precisely to Ms. Crawford's bold red lipstick. Crawford
looks tall and stately (though she was only 5'4"), next to the "tiny"
Mercedes McCambridge (who was 5'3"). Even Ms. McCambrige's name in the
story - Small - speaks to her personal and physical attributes. As a
result, Vienna always stands out. Ms. Crawford makes sure of that!
Next time, we'll go on to a much earlier Crawford film. Please join us.
We close our Olivia de Havilland film festival with a film that is a personal favority of mine, 1962's Light in the Piazza. Margaret Johnson (Olivia) and her daughter Clara (Yvette Mimieux) are traveling in Italy, when they meet Fabrizio
Naccarelli (George Hamilton), a young Florentine who is immediately
besotted by the dazzling Clara. Unfortunately, Clara has a secret:
injured as a child, she has the mental capabilities of a 12-year old.
Though Margaret initially discourages the growing connection between the
couple, as Clara falls more deeply in love with Fabrizio Margaret finds
her opposition weakening.
I think
this is a beautifully romantic movie. Ms. de Havilland's role is a
tricky one. You have to believe, with Margaret, that her choices are
the best ones for both Clara and Fabrizio, not merely the romantic
imaginings of a delusional mother. Most of this is achieved by the genuine caring that Ms. de Havilland shows for her child. But a great
deal is accomplished by her co-star, George Hamilton, who portrays
Fabrizio with such beauty and sensitivity. Watch the scene where Clara
becomes hysterical, and look at the way Fabrizio gently pulls her back
from her attack. And then there is the final scene. In both cases, it
is Margaret's commentary that provide the complement to Hamilton's
caring scenes. In this scene, the lives of Clara and Margaret Johnson change forever:
We all thought that Barry Sullivan (as Clara's father, Noel) is the weak link
in the movie. Sullivan plays Noel as rather cold and distant towards
his child. We felt that we should understand his frustration with
his wife's obsession towards his daughter, but that some of the lines
(like his comment "Don't skip, dear" to his naive daughter) just made
him distasteful. You almost would rather the lovely Margaret would
remain in Italy, and find herself a nice guy (though NOT Fabrizio's
father, Rossano Brazzi. He's a bit of a cad - and married).
Light in the Piazza
was made into a Broadway musical some years ago. Though engaging, it
is not comparable to the movie. Somehow, the musical did not really
portray the romance of this film.
Next week, we'll begin a new series with another Hollywood lady. Please join us.
As we near the end of our Olivia de Havilland Festival, we have saved
the best for next to the last (we have one more to go after this one).
It's The Snake Pit - Olivia's Academy Award nominated performance as the tortured Virginia
Stuart Cunningham, whose mental collapse lands her in a mental
institution. This is truly a tour-d-force performance. What Ms. de
Havilland does with a brief glance, other actors could not do with their
entire bag of tricks. Watch her reactions change from ignorance to
disbelief to suspicion to anger in the briefest second - it is truly
magnificent. That Ms. de Havilland did not win the Oscar for 1948 is
due perhaps to the fact that her competition was fierce - she lost to
Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda.
This
film is full of wonderful performances, and features some of the
premiere actresses of the day. Let's start with Celeste Holm and Betsy
Blair as Grace and Hester, the bookends to Virginia's confinement.
Holm's Grace cares for Virginia as she begins her confinement; as
Virginia heals, she becomes mentor to the disturbed Hester (Blair).
Other patients in the hospital are portrayed by Beulah Bondi, Ruth
Donnelly, Lee Patrick, and Isabel Jewell. Though their parts are small,
each adds to the atmosphere of the hospital in their own unique way.
Another interesting performance is that of Natalie Schafer as Virginia's
mother, certainly high on the list of dysfunctional parents! On
the distaff side, we have Leo Genn as Dr. Kik, Virginia's psychiatrist,
Mark Stevens as her husband Robert, and Leif Erickson as her one-time
boyfriend, Gordon. The men however, merely serve as window-dressing.
It is the women who rule this picture. It is their performances you will
remember.
The Strawberry Blonde from 1941 is one of those wonderful
movies that I think people just don't know about. Here our Ms. de
Havilland plays Amy Lind, a gutsy nurse whose best friend is Virginia
Brush (Rita Hayworth), the titular Strawberry Blonde. Olivia is just a
delight as she attempts to shock James Cagney (as T.L. "Biff" Grimes)
with her suffragette ideas and outspoken manners. One of my favorite
scenes is Virginia, laying out her plan to entice Biff and Hugo Barnstead (played as a complete slime by Jack Carson) over, without looking forward. "That will show them we're good girls and they can't trifle with us" asserts Virginia. "What did we come for if not to be trifled with?" questions Amy with some indigence. Here is part of that scene:
It
is rather a shame that Olivia and James Cagney did not get to do more
pictures together. They are a quite delightful pair. And again,
combined with the stellar character actors that inhabit this movie, this
movie is a lot of fun. Rita Hayworth, in what is essentially a
supporting part, is excellent as the at first naive, and later
hard-as-nails Virginia. Watch her in the final scene. Her very voice
will make you cringe. George Tobias as Nick, Biff's best friend Nick, is
adorable. And then there are the always wonderful Alan Hale (as Biff's
father) and Una O'Connor (as a next door neighbor to Mr. Grimes). Oh,
let's not leave out George Reeves as the obnoxious college man who lives
next door to Biff and Amy.
The movie is told in flashback, a
technique that works beautifully here, as we see the growth of Biff and
Amy. We know something really awful has happened to them, but not what
or why. We know that Biff has reached a crossroad, but not how he will
deal with it. The ending is satisfying, and we come to love these two
people, who discover their love for each other though adversity and
conflict. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and try to catch
it the next time it is on. I think you will like it.
This week, our discussion looks at the ever wonderful The Adventures of Robin Hood.
I have to admit that it is hard to add anything worthwhile to a
discussion of this movie. Oh, I'm willing to admit to some flaws -
perhaps Errol's tights are a little to green and shiny; perhaps Sherwood
Forest is a TAD too perfect, but still - has ANYONE ever approached a
role with a more appropriate swagger than Flynn. His introduction to
our Ms. de Havilland is perfect: "Welcome to Sherwood, my Lady", issued
with aplomb from a tree limb! And then there is Olivia - so beautiful,
radiant even, as Maid Marian. She is spunky, in all the best senses of
the word, brave, and daring. Here, she is put on trial for helping Robin's cause:
And then, there is the perfect
character castings - the ever wonderful Claude Rains as Prince John. He
is unctuous, supercilious, and all-together bad to the bone. His perfect match in evil is provided by Basil Rathbone as Sir
Guy of Gisbourne. His fencing scene with Flynn is magical - and it so
delightful to remember that Rathbone was himself an excellent fencer;
easily the match of anyone to whom he (almost always) lost to.
Eugene
Pallette as Friar Tuck is delightful (though I always seem to see him in
The Mark of Zorro, bopping the enemy on the head as he
mutters, in his gravel voice, "God forgive me"). And of course, let us
not forget Alan Hale as Little John, and Una O'Connor as Marian's maid
Bess. This is an exceptional cast - a representation of the
brilliant character casts available at Warner Brothers.
Tune in next time for another Olivia de Havilland movie.
Our discussion this week focused on 1936's Anthony Adverse. Fredric March plays the titular orphan who loves the young peasant girl Angela Guisseppi, who grows up to be Olivia de Havilland AND a great opera singer. Interestingly, we
learned from Robert Osborne that Kitty Carlisle auditioned for the role
of Angela (which makes a certain amount of sense. While she is not the
actress that our Olivia is, she is certainly an opera singer. That being
said, Ms. de Havilland is lovely in the role of a young woman who grows
to be a widely renowned opera star AND the courtesan of Napoleon
Bonaparte.
This is another of those films with an amazing cast.
Let's start with the prologue - Louis Hayward and Anita Louise as
Anthony's parents. And the always wonderful Claude Rains as the
dastardly Don Luis. We did have one question, which might have been
answered in the book (which none of us have read) - why on earth would
the wonderful John Bonnyfeather (Edmund Gwenn)
convince his adored daughter to marry such a horrible man? Short of
reading the book, I guess we'll never know. And then, as Anthony grows,
there is Gail Sondergaard as Faith
Paleologus, Mr. Bonnyfeather's housekeeper. She is just so wonderfully
bitchy. She and Rains make the perfect pair in this movie (maybe even
MORE perfect than Anthony and Angela!!) And Billy Mauch as the
10-year-old Anthony, who is quite good (and rather adorable, without
being sugary).
The one performance we found totally laughable was that of Steffi Duna as Neleta,
Anthony's tropical mistress. Someone seems to have told Ms. Duna that
they way to express evil was to continuously narrow and widen her eyes.
We were in stitches (luckily, she is not on the screen for too long). A
quick check of her film history revealed that she did, in fact, appear
in 22 films - until she married Dennis O'Keefe in 1940. Then she seems
to have retired.
This is one of
those impressive epic adventures, whose reputation seems to have not
survived as well as it should. It has a lot of excellent performances (Gale
Sondergaard won the first Best Supporting Actress award that year - the
first year it was awarded. She won against such notables as Maria
Ouspenskaya and
Beulah Bondi). If you get a chance to see it, it is certainly worth
your time. And while our Ms. de Havilland doesn't have much screen
time, she makes good use of what she has (especially the early scenes
with March).
Here's the trailer:
Next time, join us for one of Ms. de Havilland's more serious performances.
This week, we're discussing Errol Flynn's first western, 1939's Dodge City. In it, Olivia plays Abbie
Irving, a young woman who is forced to move to the godless Dodge City
after the death of her father. Unfortunately, she has to get there with
her drunken brat of a brother (William Lundigan),
who starts a cattle stampede with his gun-play, and ends up getting
himself killed. Of course, Abbie blames wagon master Wade Hatton
(Flynn). Wade meanwhile, enters Dodge City to find it being run by
former adversary Jeff Surrett (Bruce Cabot), and after a horrible incident decides he is the one to bring law and order to Dodge.
This
movie is full to the brim with wonderful character performances. We
have the usual Flynn sidekick, Alan Hale as well as Guinn "Big Boy"
Williams. We have a rare character visit from the gorgeous Ann
Sheridan (one wonders if Jack Warner was angry at her that week to give
her such a small part), as well as the ever-wonderful Frank McHugh as newspaper
publisher Joe Clemens. And the adorable Bobs Watson as Harry
Cole, the reason that law comes to Dodge. With a cast like this, (and
these names are just the tip of the iceberg) can you really lose?
I
have major problems with seeing Bruce Cabot in pretty much anything
since I heard about his horrible actions to Errol Flynn later in their
careers. But one must admit he is truly loathsome here. Olivia is
spunky, in all the best senses of the word, especially in the later
portions of the movie (it is as though we get to watch Abbie grow up). Here is one of their love scenes:
It is truly funny to see the screenwriters making an excuse for
Flynn's presence in a Western (Wade is from Ireland, and has traveled
the world). Finally, we all adored Frank McHugh - he is funny and
touching in this small, but important role. His performance in the film is well worth emphasizing.
This week, our movie is 1955's Not as a Stranger, wherein Olivia plays a superior OR nurse named Kristina Hedvigson,
who falls in love with medical student Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum).
Marsh wants to be a doctor, and will do anything to get there, including
marry Kristina (whom he does not love), in order to pay his way through
medical school. The big problem with Marsh, though, is not that he
doesn't love Kristina - he doesn't love ANYONE. He does love medicine,
wants desperately to be an excellent doctor, but will not brook any kind
of medical mistakes. As a result, he is cold and unforgiving, with no
patience for his colleagues.
Olivia's Kristina is a good woman.
Somewhat unsophisticated, but an excellent nurse and a caring human
being. But she is plain. It is interesting the way this is
accomplished. The blonde wig and very white makeup that Olivia wears
makes her looked washed out. Her usual vibrancy is replaced by a
ghostly, almost surreal invisibility; a symbol, perhaps, of the fact
that Lucas never really sees her. In this scene, the young doctors learn about the human spirit:
This movie is also chock-full of
supporting performances by actors one doesn't always see in supporting
roles. Frank Sinatra, for example as Alfred Boone, another medical
student who is just not up to Lucas' standards, but is a good, caring
man, is just wonderful here. His sympathetic nature radiates. He is
the perfect foil to Mitchum's uptight perfectionist. Broderick
Crawford, as one the medical school's key instructors and Charles
Bickford, as the doctor who gives Lucas his first job, are also
excellent, again providing a glimpse of the humanity that is necessary
to a successful medical career. Bickford especially shows us medicine
as a caring profession; he knows every one of his patients, and treats
them with understanding and love.
Finally, there is our only other
major female role, the always fascinating Gloria Grahame as Harriet
Lang, a wealthy widow who is looking for excitement. And of course, the
rather studdily Mitchum is quickly within her sights.
A big thumbs up for this so often overlooked movie. If you've never seen it, by all means, give it a try.
There is something to be said for delightful little pieces of froth,
which is exactly what this week's movie is. We're talking about My Love Came Back
(1940), wherein Ms. de Havilland plays Amelia Cornell, a music student
who is having quite a hard time financially. Her family is having
problems back home, so Amelia is forced to take on teaching assignments
in order to continue her training at the prestigious Brissac Academy of Music. Only problem is, her meager scholarship forbids her to teach. Enter Julius Malette (Charles Winninger), a wealthy man (he manufactures
musical equipment) who is captivated by her, and begins to anonymously
send her another "scholarship", and not so anonymously take her to
concerts, theater, and even the circus. However, things get complicated
when he sends his Vice-President, Tony
Baldwin (Jeffrey Lynn), to break a date for him. Baldwin is delighted
with her, but also suspects that Amelia and Malette are MUCH more than
friends. Things get even MORE complicated when her friends Joy
O'Keefe and Dusty Rhodes (Jane Wyman and Eddie Albert) cash another of
Malette's check, further intensifying Baldwin's belief that Amelia is
seeing Malette for money.
We really
enjoyed this movie. Olivia is just lovely in in. Her Amelia is sweet
and unassuming. And the filming of her violin sequences is quite well
done. You will believe she is playing the violin. We also have some
great supporting performances here.
Spring
Byington as Mrs. Malette is delightful. She knows quite well that her
husband is not just working late, but it is also clear that she trusts
him. She seems to understand that he needs to be a little "naughty" and
she is able to give him the freedom he needs to work out his mid-life
crisis. We loved her interaction with Amelia; her ability to gently put
the girl at ease just makes you like Mrs. Malette all the more. We also enjoyed Paul
Malette (as played by William Orr). Originally convinced that Amelia
is a disreputable person, he meets her and falls immediately in love.
And though he thinks badly of his father for his "relationship" with
Amelia, he bravely tries to protect both him and Amelia when he believes
his mother is about to find out "the truth".
Finally,
there is the teaming of Jane Wyman and Eddie Albert. You really want
to kill them when the steal Amelia's check, but it is hard to not like
them. And it is good to see Jane Wyman in almost anything. She is
always a bright light in any film. We found a rather unusual trailer (with George Reeves in it - he is NOT in the picture!):
Next time, we'll be venturing back to more serious Olivia territory. We hope to see you then.
This week, we look at the 1956 comedy The Ambassador's Daughter,
wherein Olvia plays the title role. Joan Fiske lives in Paris with her
ambassador father (Edward Arnold). She is engaged to Prince Nicholas
Obelski (Francis Lederer) and happily serves as her father's hostess.
Into their lives comes crusading Senator Jonathan Cartwright (Adolphe
Menjou) and his wife (Myrna Loy). He has decided that Paris has a
terrible influence on their naive servicemen, and wants to ban it as a
destination for the military. The Ambassador, of course, needs to
prevent this - the soldiers are a huge source of income for the nation
still recovering from the war, and he does not share the conservative
senator's fears. Thus, Joan enters into a bet that she will woo a
soldier (John Forsythe), and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that
American soldiers are gentlemen.
This is not a great movie, but it
has its moments. The scene in which Myrna Loy tries to convince John
Forsythe that Olivia is actually a good girl (he has come to believe
that she is the Senator's mistress) is hilarious, and Olivia doing her
best French accent is delightful. But the movie has one little problem -
the romantic leads are just a tad too old for the subject matter.
Forsythe, who was 38 when the film was released, is far too mature to be
so ignorant. And Olivia, at 40 is just too adult to be mistaken for
any kind of an innocent. The other problem is the timing of the movie -
why is Forsythe still in the armed services? Korea is three years over,
and it is 10 years since the Second World War (which of course would
have been the impact factor in France). Why are all these soldiers still
in France? And why isn't Forsythe back in the states working as an
engineer? Tis a puzzlement!
But if you have a chance, give it a
look see. Just suspend you disbelief at the door, and let Myrna and
Olivia whisk you away to a more innocent time.
Next time, another comedy, but from a much earlier time.
Our discussion this time centered on the role that Olivia de
Havilland is perhaps best remembered for: Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in Gone With the Wind.
Perhaps there is nothing that can be added to the volumes that have
already been devoted to this film, but when has that stopped us? First
off, Olivia is positively radiant as Melanie. And it is more than just
Melanie's goodness ("the
only truly kind person I have ever known", as Rhett Butler so aptly
puts it). It is her iron will and strength of purpose. Watch her come
down the staircase with a sword she can barely carry; then look at the
steely determination in her eyes when her husband's safety depends on
her. As Scarlett so aptly puts it "What a cool liar you are, Melly!"
Could another actress have so effortlessly merged two such apparently
divergent characteristics so beautifully? It is hard to imagine!
We
also spent some time discussing the other characters, primarily
Scarlett and Mammy. Of course, the wonderful Hattie McDaniel is dynamic
here. Her eyes tell us everything we need to know about her attitude
to Scarlett. And did you ever notice that, though she is quick to
correct Scarlett on every other thing, when Scarlett goes after sister
Sue-Ellen's beau, Frank Kennedy, Mammy says nothing? Could it be she
knows that Scarlett will support her entire family on Frank's money,
whereas Sue-Ellen will high-tail it out of Tara faster than scat, and
leave them all to fend for themselves?
Finally,
there is Scarlett. I personally like Scarlett. The film's Scarlett is
no way as hard as Scarlett in the book (that Scarlett is so clearly a
collaborator after the war; the film's Scarlett is just selling to
them), but she is basically a responsible person. Even though she
believes that Ashley is dead (more evident in the book than here), she
still supports his wife and child because she made a promise to do so.
And her vow to "never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk."
And she means it. Everything she does supports the family, not just
herself. A brat? You bet. But if I had to have someone in my corner,
it would be Scarlett. And Melanie, more than anyone else, with her
clear picture of all those she loves, knows it.
Just for fun, here's a deleted scene that we found:
Next time, we jump to the 1950s for our next film.
This week, our movie is from 1959. It is Libel,
starring Dirk Bogarde and Olivia de Havilland, as Sir Mark and Lady
Margaret Lodden, a well-to-do couple living happily in England (he is
English nobility; she is an American who wed him after he returned from
World War II. Their life is happy, until the day a former war colleague
of Mark's who recognizes him, not as Mark Lodden, but as the fairly
heinous Frank Welney, another soldier who was a
dead ringer for Sir Mark. When Mark will not acknowledge that he is
Welney, the colleague, Jeffrey Buckenham
(Paul Massie) goes to the newspapers and provides an interview accusing
"Sir Mark" of killing and replacing the real Mark Lodden. In turn, Mark
and Margaret sue the newspaper and Buckenham for libel.
If
this is not the best movie ever made, it is certainly suspenseful. Is
Mark Frank? Does Margaret believe Mark? And who is Number 15 (to find
out, watch the movie!) You won't be quite sure until the last scene.
And both actors are wonderful at keeping you guessing. Dirk Bogarde's
hesitation throughout the movie keeps you wondering just WHAT his
problem is - is it amnesia, as he claims, or is he really NOT the person
he claims to be. And Ms. De Havilland goes from loving wife to doubter
as the court case progresses. And you understand why. It is a lovely
symmetry between the two actors that you are sucked into the mystery.
The movie, interestingly, is based on a play from 1935-1936, starring Colin Clive (of Frankenstein fame), and directed by Otto Preminger. In the scene below, Margaret sees the toll that that accusations are having on her husband:
Next time, we'll spend a few minutes with an Olivia performance that is one of her most famous, and perhaps one of her best.
This week, another Olivia/Errol adventure flick, and again we get history via Warner Brothers. It's They Died with Their Boots On
(1942), wherein Errol Flynn plays an unrecognizable (but wonderfully
heroic) George Armstrong Custer, and Olivia plays his devoted wife, Elizabeth
"Libby" Bacon. The film starts with Custer's arrival at West Point (we
are told he scored lower at the Point than did U. S. Grant), and where
he meets his future wife. He also meets his nemesis
Ned Sharp (played with mustache-twirling nastiness by Arthur Kennedy).
During Custer's tenure at West Point, the Civil War erupts, and he is
graduated early to serve in the active army. Finally, he is able to get
back to Olivia (having become a hero in the war) and wed her (despite
her father's dislike of the Custer, who has a tendency to drink too
much).
There is an excellent
documentary on the DVD, and if you have a chance to get your hands on
the DVD, do take the time to watch it. There is a bit of discussion
about the actual history of Custer (and of course, he was no way near as
dashing as Errol. Nor was he anywhere near as pleasant as the character
created by the talented Mr. Flynn). Olivia's Libby is just lovely, and
she gets to do a bit more here than in (say) The Charge of the Light Brigade. Of
course, her parting scene with Flynn (much cited when her performances
are discussed) is gut-wrenching. But also lovely are her scenes with
Hattie McDaniel (as her servant Callie). Finally, there is the scene in which Libby
delivers Custer's "deathbed" statement. Her quiet power is obvious. Some other people to look out for here are Regis Toomey as Fitzhugh
Lee, who leaves his position at West Point to join the Confederate Army
(very nicely done) and Errol Flynn's scenes with Sydney Greenstreet (as Lt. General Winfield Scott) are quite funny, with Scott portrayed as a gourmand with a taste for onions. And I must not omit Anthony Quinn as Crazy Horse; his Chief is Custer's
military equal - a nobleman who is in the right, pretty much throughout
the picture.
We'll be back soon with a much later Olivia film. We'll leave you with the trailer to the film:
This week, we looked at The Charge of the Light Brigade, another Warner Brothers attempt at rewriting history. Errol Flynn plays Major
Geoffrey Vickers, a military officer in India who is engaged to Elsa
Campbell (Olivia de Havilland). Only problem is, Elsa had fallen in
love with Geoffrey's younger brother Captain
Perry Vickers (Patric Knowles) while both were in Calcutta (and
Geoffrey was off on a mission). Naturally, this causes a falling-out
between the brothers, and some antagonism from Elsa's father (Donald
Crisp), who MUCH prefers the gallant Major Vickers to his office-bound
sibling.
When all the inhabitants of Chukoti are massacred by Surat
Khan (who spares Geoffrey and Elsa because of a debt he owes to
Geoffrey), revenge becomes the goal of the Light Brigade. And Geoffrey,
who has nothing to live for without Elsa, is the leader in the Light
Brigade's charge to kill Surat Khan (who has escaped to the Crimea!)
What
any of this has to do with the actual Charge is a mystery. They use a
few lines from Tennyson, and the costuming is pretty much on target, but
any other relation to history is purely coincidental. The appeal of
the film though, lies not in its plot; the movie is all Flynn. If there
is a problem with it, it's just that it is hard to understand why
Olivia would prefer Patric Knowles to Flynn (No offence to Knowles, but
he has NOTHING on Flynn. An attractive man, Patric Knowles just does
not have the electricity that Flynn brings to all his roles.)
The
ending scene is glorious. So what if it is totally wrong? Only the
Warner Brothers could make you think that the British actually WON the
Charge of the Light Brigade! Here's a trailer:
Next week, we'll join Olivia and Errol again as the rewrite history.
This time, we're looking at 1935's Captain Blood - Errol
Flynn's first major film role and his introduction to our heroine,
Olivia de Havilland. This film, seventy-five years later, is still
magic. The chemistry between the leads is palpable (yes, the word
chemistry is overused. But with Olivia and Errol, it is the only word
that works), and the sense of adventure is in the air. Our Ms. de
Havilland glows as Arabella Bishop, Flynn has a rakish air as Dr. Peter
Blood, and love-hate relationship between the two characters is
beautifully portrayed.
Perhaps one of our favorite characters here, though, is Captain Levasseur,
as beautifully portrayed by Basil Rathbone. I'm sure all here know
that Rathbone was a brilliant fencer, and could have beaten any of his
co-stars without even breaking a sweat; the fight sequences between him
and Flynn are wonderful - like watching a dance, but a dance where the
prize is Olivia. We also talked a bit about Ross Alexander, who plays
Blood's friend Jeremy Pitt. Alexander
died only two years later, a suicide. This was to be Alexander's
breakthrough role; unfortunately his wife's suicide and his own private
issues (according to the IMDB, Mr. Alexander was gay. Of course, one
didn't admit to that and remain a successful actor in 1926) proved too
much for him. We also noticed
that the pirate ship Captain Blood sails is named the Arabella. It's
never dwelled upon - unfortunately, on a small TV screen, it's hard to
notice; but it must have been quire apparent on a big screen. Such a
little thing, but it tells us so much about Blood and his passion for
Arabella. Here's a trailer from the movie, for your enjoyment:
Next week, we'll be back to visit Ms. de Havilland and Mr. Flynn in somewhat different roles.
Though A Midsummer Night's Dream was actually Olivia de Havilland first film role, the first movie in which she was actually appeared was a comedy. The movie - Alibi Ike,
a vehicle for comedian Joe E. Brown, in which Brown plays Frank X.
Farrell, a big-league baseball player (for the Chicago Cubs, no less!)
who is unable to tell a straight story. Whatever happens, Frank has to
make up some kind of lame story to excuse his behavior (thus, the title
and his nickname on the team). He meets and falls in love with the
sister-in-law of the team's manager (Dolly Stevens, played by Olivia).
Of course, there is eventually conflict between them (because of Frank's
inability to face up to ANYTHING in public), and a threat to our hero
from some gamblers who want him to throw the big game.
Olivia
doesn't get to do much in this film; it is Joe E. Brown's vehicle (who
was at the peak of his popularity at this point). However, she does have
one really good scene - she overhears Frank (who has just proposed to
her) denying their engagement, and saying that she was merely an
annoyance to him. Her rage and hurt are done beautifully. You can see
the pain in her eyes as she listens to Frank being an idiot.
We
spent some time as well discussing Joe E. Brown. No, this is not a movie
to remember, but ultimately, you can see how likeable Joe E. Brown
was. This film points out WHY he was so effective many years later in Some Like it Hot.
Brown is an endearing man. You like him, in spite of all the
nonsense. Thus, in the 50s, Billy Wilder was able to make Daphne's
(Jack Lemmon) gold-digging humorous. Brown's affection and wide-eyed
"Well, nobody's perfect" make everything Daphne and Josephine do all
right. And, an interesting piece of trivia here, Brown played professional baseball for a time, worked as a broadcaster for the Yankees in the 1950's, and was the first president of PONY League Baseball and Softball. His love for the game (he would make two more baseball-related films) ran deep.
In this trailer, you can catch a glimpse of Ms. de Havilland - as we mentioned, she is not the star in this film:
Join us again next week for an early swashbuckler.
Our film this week is Government Girl. None of us had ever
seen it before, and I wish I could say it was a forgotten gem, but not
so much. This is a movie that wants to be screwball in the worst way,
but only manages to be overdone and silly. Olivia play Elizabeth
"Smokey" Allard; Smokey (and her stupid name is never really explained.
Childhood nickname. She doesn't know why) works for the War Department
as a secretary, and ends up under the newly hired Ed Browne (Sonny
Tufts). Of course, there is a funny meeting (he finds her crawling on
the floor looking for her friend May's (Anne Shirley) lost wedding band,
and, of course, he assumes she is the bride. And HE manages to steal
May her her fiance's (James Dunn) hard won wedding suite (because they
were 5 minutes late, and he is important), infuriating Smokey.
Everything
here is overdone. Olivia does a pratfall, but the staging is WAY over
the top. She takes Ann Shirley out for dinner; the staging is
farcical. However, this isn't supposed to be a farce, and we know that
actors like Ms. De Havilland and Ms. Shirley are fully capable of silly
comedy. This just can't quite cut it (and if you compare it to the
similarly plotted The More the Merrier, well, there just IS no comparison)
Meanwhile, Smokey is dating Dana
McGuire (Jess Barker),who has distinct political ambitions. And this is
where the movie really begins to get spooky. Jess Barker plays Dana as
close to being psychologically abusive. When he tells Smokey (having
canceled their date) that she WILL see him the following day, his voice
radiates a threat that is more frightening and sexy. If we are supposed
to at least understand what Smokey seems in this man, Mr. Barker was
certainly not the actor to do it. Apart from white-bread good looks, he
is nothing if not unpleasant. We rather wanted to shower after he
showed up.
One interesting thing
about the film is the "special effects". We noticed a credit for special
effects in the film. Well, scenes of Smokey and Ed riding a motorcycle
around Washington are clearly filmed IN Washington, D.C., while scenes
of Olivia De Havilland and Sonny Tufts on the motorcycle clearly were
not. It is rather fun to see these shots of the District, circa 1943.
And a quick tip of the hat to Ann Shirley and James Dunn as the best
friends of Smokey. Good to see them; we wished they had better parts. Here is a clip of the movie - watch for Agnes Moorehead in a truly bit part:
