Fred Dances in the Dark

After years as a major film star, Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) has sold his California home and memorabilia, and returned to New York City. He's met by his dear friends, Lester (Oscar Levant) and Lily Marton (Nanette Fabray), who have plans - a new play they've written just for him. They plan to enlist Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan), a major theatre director and actor, to head the production. But Jeffrey's concept of The Band Wagon (1953) is far different than the musical that the Martons had envisioned.

Our group had all seen this delightful film before, and were enthusiastic about seeing it again. One of the Freed Unit musicals, this story is biographical in nature, taking inspiration from the lives its star, its writers, and from other Broadway notables.  

Fred Astaire is perfection as the movie star who decides to retire rather than face a declining public. Many aspects of Tony Hunter are taken directly from Mr. Astaire's own life. He had starred on Broadway in 1931 musical The Band Wagon (then dancing with his sister, Adele), in which he'd sung "I Love Louisa" (The musical revue also featured the song "Dancing in the Dark"). In 1946, Mr. Astaire decided to retire, thinking that his career was starting to peter out (Starring Fred Astaire by Stanley Green & Burt Goldblatt). And he did express concern that his potential dancing partner Cyd Charisse (Gabrielle Gerard) was too tall for him (TCM The Big Idea). All these little nuances gel to create a character with some depth.

By 1953, Cyd Charisse, had been at MGM since 1944. She'd lost Easter Parade (1948) to Ann Miller after Ms. Charisse broke her leg (interestingly, Mr. Astaire returned from retirement to take on Gene Kelly's part when Mr. Kelly broke his ankle). And she was too pregnant to star in An American in Paris (1951). Her big break came in 1952, when she danced in the "Broadway Rhythm Ballet" in Singin' in the Rain. She's poetry in motion in this film. Just watch her do "Dancing in the Dark" with Mr. Astaire; the simple beauty of the dance - and the dancers - is perfection. She wasn't the first choice for the part - Vera-Ellen was initially considered. 

Ms. Charisse's singing voice was supplied by India Adams; sadly, one of her numbers was cut - "Two-Faced Woman." MGM didn't give up on the song though - they later used it in Joan Crawford's film Torch Song (they should have left it in The Band Wagon!). For more information on Ms. Charisse, take a look at this brief video from TCM on her career. And to quote Mr. Astaire (from this bio) "When you've danced with Cyd, you stay danced with."

Jeffrey Cordoba was originally intended for Clifton Webb, but as he'd become rather a big star by 1953, he wasn't interested in a secondary part. He suggested Jack Buchanan instead (TCM The Essentials).  MGM also considered non-dancers Vincent Price and Edward G. Robinson (AFI Catalog) before deciding on Mr. Buchanan.  He's very funny and an able song-and-dance man in a character that was inspired by both Orson Welles and José Ferrer; between 1950 and 1954 Mr. Ferrer staged and/or starred in TEN Broadway plays.

We were especially impressed by the costumes of Mary Ann Nyberg - they are beautiful, and in many cases, quite simple. The white flair dress that Ms. Charisse wears in "Dancing in the Dark" is perfect for a night scene - the simple lines of the dress flow with her dancing; the light color spotlights her and Mr. Astaire as they dance. In the documentary that accompanied the DVD of the film, Ms. Charisse commented on the red dress she wore in the "Girl Hunt Ballet" - it was one of her favorites.  Liza Minnelli (interviewed in that documentary) recalled that Ms. Nyberg made dresses that mirrored those of the stars for 6-year old Liza.  She loved them!

Musicals, of course, entail a lot of work. The "Triplets" number was especially difficult for the principles, involving multiple takes and painful leg binding - they were dancing on their knees and no one could stand the discomfort for more than 20 minutes. But that was not the only problem for those involved. Fred Astaire's wife was in the last stages of terminal lung cancer. Oscar Levant, always a curmudgeon, was even more belligerent, having just recuperated from a heart attack. When he yelled at Nanette Fabray just once too often, she told him off, and the entire crew applauded. Jack Buchanan decided to use his time in America to have some much needed dental surgery. Vincente Minnelli was distracted by his ex-wife, Judy Garland's problems while filming A Star is Born (TCM Behind the Camera).

The film received three Oscar nominations - for Costume, Score, and Original Screenplay. It was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1995. It's #17 on the AFI's 100 Years, 100 Musicals.  

When it opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York, Bosley Crowther's New York Times review was glowing:"Joined with the equally nimble talents of Fred Astaire. Jack Buchanan and Cyd Charisse and some tunes from the sterling repertory of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, this literate and witty combination herein delivers a show that respectfully bids for recognition as one of the best musical films ever made." Other reviews were equally enthusiastic. We heartily concur. 

If you've never seen this film, give yourself a treat and find a copy.  Here's a trailer from the film. Enjoy the music:

Barbra is Funny

As Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) awaits the return of her husband Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif) from an 18-month prison stay, she recalls her career as a Funny Girl (1968) and her introduction to the gambler who would become her husband.

When Funny Girl opened on Broadway in 1964, the star, Barbra Streisand had appeared in only one other play - the musical I Can Get It for You Wholesale.  She had, however, become well known to the public due to television appearances - including The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. Funny Girl ran from 1964 to 1967 (Ms. Streisand was in the lead for the first year, after which she appeared in the West End production). Regardless, Hollywood did not want her - Anne Bancroft, Carol Burnett (TCM Trivia), and Shirley MacLaine (Tribeca News) were all considered for Fanny. It was the film's producer Ray Stark who wanted Streisand, despite Columbia Pictures fear that Ms. Streisand was not pretty enough. The result - an Academy Award win for Ms. Streisand, in the only tie for the Best Actress category in Oscar history (Ms. Streisand shared the award with Katharine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter). It's not a surprise - Ms. Streisand is amazing Fanny Brice, bringing just the right amount of humor and passion to this story of a career and a marriage. And while most of the songs in the film were done in the conventional way, William Wyler decided film the song "My Man" live, as Ms. Streisand was having some issues with the emotion required for the scene (TCM Behind the Camera). 

The story of Ms. Brice - a comedienne and singer from the early days of Broadway, was put together by her son-in-law, Ray Stark (Mr. Stark was married to Frances Arnstein). Not surprisingly, he took some liberties with his mother-in-law's life. For one thing, her rise to fame was not as meteoric as stated in the film - it took her years, starting at Keeney's (Frank Faylen) Theater on Fulton Street, then on tour in the chorus, to Burlesque, and then to the Ziegeld Follies. Her marriage to Nick Arnstein was fraught - both had been married before, Arnstein had already been in jail and would end up there again, and he was perfectly happy to live off his famous wife's money. Ms. Brice finally divorced him when she discovered his record of infidelities. The couple had two children, however son William Arnstein did not wish to be mentioned in the film. (Encyclopedia of Jewish Women)

 

Omar Sharif is appealing as Nicky - he's very sexy and the relationship between the couple in the first half of the film is delightful. But this is also the story of the end of a romance, and Mr. Sharif makes Nicky understandable as a man who loves his wife, but wants to stand on his own. He almost lost the part, however. There was much anger against him because he was an Egyptian national, add to that his romancing of a Jewish woman. However, William Wyler insisted that he be kept on. A romance flamed between Mr. Sharif and Ms. Streisand that surely added to their onscreen relationship, but probably ended her marriage to Elliot Gould. Before Mr. Sharif came into the production, David Janssen (fresh off The Fugitive) was being considered for Nicky.

Kay Medford  (Rose Brice) was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress as Fanny's mother. It's a relatively small part, but an important one, as Rose is the one person to whom Fanny will listen, and as her marriage becomes strained, it is Rose to whom she turns. At some point, Rosalind Russell was being considered for the role ( AFI catalog). 

Anne Francis (Georgia James) appears briefly as a showgirl in the Ziegfeld Follies. By the second half of the movie, Georgia has disappeared (sadly). Ms. Francis was frustrated by her diminishing role in the film - she would blame it on Ms. Streisand, however as much as we enjoy seeing Ms. Francis, it must be pointed out this is the Fanny Brice story. Ms Francis sued to have her name removed from the credits (TCM article).

Walter Pidgeon has a more visible role as impresario Florenz Ziegfeld. As always, Mr. Pidgeon brings just the right amount of veritas to the part. His interplay with Ms. Streisand is spot on - especially the scenes when she is auditioning for a place in the Follies. 

 

Though her part is small, Mae Questel (Mrs. Strakosh) is adorable as Rose Brice's friend. The mother of Sadie (the married lady), Ms. Questel is the original yenta, busily trying to get a husband for Fanny. Ms. Questel is probably best remembered today as the voice of Betty Boop and Olive Oyl.

Many of the train sequences on the film were shot at the and Jersey City and Hoboken Train Stations, both beautiful old stations. Hoboken has seen its share of issues in recent years, including flooding from Superstorm Sandy and a train which crashed through a bumper block into the concourse (Wikipedia).   

While the New York Times review by Renata Adler was extremely negative, many other reviewers were more enthusiastic about the film (TCM Critics Corner). It would eventually wind up with 6 Oscar nominations (including Picture, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Film Editing, Original Musical) and the win for Ms. Streisand. It was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2016 and is #16 on the AFI's 100 Years, 100 Musicals.

It was a treat to see this film again, and we heartily recommend it.  Here is the re-release trailer:

Brian Loses Control

College friends Al Mercer (Guy Madison), Brick (Brian Keith), Roy (Brian Keith), and Ronnie (Kerwin Mathews) take a vacation trip to Harold's Casino in Reno, Nevada. Upon returning to school, Ronnie comes up with a supposedly foolproof method of robbing the casino. Ronnie and Roy see it as a game - they won't keep the money, so there is no crime. But unknown to them, Brick, a Korean War vet who has had mental issues since returning stateside, is finding it hard to cope with civilian life. This week, we'll discuss 5 Against the House (1955).

At first look, this appears to be a film in the vein of Oceans 11 - it was, in fact, an inspiration for Martin Scorsese's Casino (TCM article). There is one small problem - it's not a very good movie, and it's badly miscast. 

Two of our actors are supposed to be college students in their early 20s. Alvy Moore was 34 and looks it; Kerwin Matthews was 29 and looks older. It's therefore rather hard to find them believable as naive youths. Also, Matthew's character is supposed to be extremely intelligent. But he thinks he can commit grand theft and not be charged because he's going to give back the money. Really?? He's also really unpleasant - he's constantly hazing a younger student (which is supposed to be the comic relief), and he's vain enough to decide to trap Al into his illegal scheme. All in all, he is a self-important, spoiled brat.

Guy Madison is saddled with a character who's given little opportunity to develop. We know he is a Korean War veteran, and that Brick saved his life. We know that he is in love with Kay Greylek (Kim Novak). We're also told that he is intending to study law. Other than that, he is a blank slate, and the script does not allow us to really care about him at all.

The actor who is given the most to work with (and that still is not a whole lot) is Brian Keith. He gets the chance to play a man teetering on the verge of madness. But he's given precious little of a back story, and that does not help our understanding of the man. When one thinks of other post-war films, like The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), both of which have characters that have suffered emotional trauma because of their experiences, the audience is given a chance to taste some of the horrors that plague the men. Not here - like Al, Brick is written in shorthand. It's only thanks to the skill of Brian Keith that we have any sympathy for him.

This was only Kim Novak's fifth film, and while she too is saddled with a superficial character, we do warm to her, mainly because we see that she is a strong and intelligent woman.  If any character is a savior, it is she, and the audience likes her audacity by the end.  The same year as this film was released, Ms. Novak would appear as Madge in Picnic, and her stardom was assured.  

William Conrad (Eric Berg) has a brief appearance as a casino employee - strangely, he gets billing OVER Kerwin Matthews. Well, maybe not so strange - he's a far better actor.

The story was taken from a Good Housekeeping series (AFI Catalog) - an odd tale for such a magazine.  One nice feature is that it offers a glimpse of Reno (and Las Vegas) in the mid 1950s - not the cities that we think of today.

Unless you are a Kim Novak completist, or a fan of Brian Keith, we can't really recommend this one. Here is a trailer from the film:

 

Bette is Poison

George Bates (Gary Merrill) is on the run. He pulled a bank job with another man - Preston - and a guard was shot. George arrives at the home of Preston's estranged wife, Janet Frobisher (Bette Davis) to find that Preston is dead - Janet killed him when Preston started beating her. But George needs to use Janet's estate to hide out. Tonight we'll discuss Another Man's Poison (1952).

Not unexpectedly, Bette Davis dominates this film as a strong, selfish, and malevolent woman who likes her horse far better than she likes men. It's obvious that men serve one purpose in her life (since this is a PG-rated blog, I won't go into detail). Her taste in men is also decidedly bad. Her husband was a bank robber and abuser; her current lover, Larry Stevens (Anthony Steel) is a bore; and George Bates is treacherous piece of work. You'd think a woman with her brains could pick someone more agreeable. Were it not for the way she accomplished it, you could almost sympathize with the killing of her husband. It's quite clear that he beat her severely before George's arrival.

Emlyn Williams (Dr. Henderson) is also quite good as the veterinarian who suspects George is not exactly he appears. The audience gradually realizes that Henderson is quite smart, and is not letting on all he knows. Viewers today would be reminded of Columbo, as Henderson tries to worm his way into George's trust.  Mr. Williams is best known as a playwright - the author of The Corn is Green. His presence in this film was one of the reasons that Ms. Davis was interested in appearing in it.  Mr. Williams thrilled her when he introduced her to the woman who was the model for Miss Moffat. (TCM article).

The rest of the cast is, at best, adequate. We're none of us particularly fans of Gary Merrill. His best role was in All About Eve, and quite honestly, he was never all that impressive in other parts. George is a nasty, petty opportunist, and we found nothing to like about him. Mr. Merrill is very over-the-top in his performance, and it would have helped if he'd been toned down a bit. The only plus was that we looked forward to seeing Janet best him; he's just no match for her on any level, which was obvious from the start. 

Ms. Davis married Mr. Merrill in 1950 (after a passionate affair during All About Eve) - both needed to resolve other marriages first. When the couple headed to England to make this film, the marriage was new and relatively happy. The Merrills considered it a honeymoon, though they made the trip accompanied by their two children, two nannies, and a maid. Their union lasted for 10 years and most of it was unhappy. Sam Staggs, in his book All About "All About Eve": The Complete Behind the Scenes Story of the Bitchiest Film Ever Made,  called the association "a parade of depressing floats: drunkenness, strife, abuse."

Which brings us to the Larry Stevens (Anthony Steel) / Chris Dal (Barbara Murray) subplot, which we found to be a total waste of time. As we mentioned before, Larry is totally uninteresting, and the only benefit to Chris is that she is a good match for him - equally dull. There is a scene midway through the film when Chris admits to knowing of Larry's relationship with Janet. It is so banal, we found we could mouth the dialog with her.

The film was based on a play (Deadlock) that was inspired by Emile Zola's Thérèse Raquin (AFI Catalog).  The New York Times review by A.H.Weiler (A.W.) was lukewarm, calling it "a static affair that rarely escapes from its sets or the scenarist's verbosity." What praise he gave to the film was saved for Ms. Davis. Sadly, we concur. If you are a Bette Davis completest, then give it one viewing (it doesn't deserve more than that). Otherwise, this might be one to pass on (and just watch All About Eve again). 

We'll leave you with a trailer:

John Hears a Bell - Twice

Frank Chambers (John Garfield) is awaiting execution on death row. He protests his innocence of the crime, and proceeds to tell his story, which begins when he arrives at the diner of Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway). Frank accepts a job at Nick's urging, only to have his life become complicated by the presence of Nick's sultry young wife, Cora (Lana Turner). Our film this time is The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).

This is a film that is regularly discussed as a touchstone for film noir, and with one very good reason. That's the star, John Garfield, who is perfect as Frank Chambers. Mr. Garfield has the laid-back and gritty sexiness that is required to make Frank convincing. Even when he is downright fresh to Cora, there is no doubt in your mind that she is falling for him. Why wouldn't you? Half the audience is falling in lust with him at the same moment.  Yet he was not the first (or even the second) choice for the part. It was originally offered to Joel McCrea (who said no) and Gregory Peck was also considered (TCM The Big Idea). We would have an extremely different film with either of those two remarkable (yet likely very wrong) actors in the leading role. Mr. Garfield almost had to pull out of the film. He was called up for the draft, and Cameron Mitchell was set to step in. However, Mr. Garfield's bad heart (which would cause his death in 1959, at the age of 39 (Los Angeles Times)) released him from active service in the military.

Lana Turner has never been better in any picture that she is here. From the moment her legs appear, garbed in snow white shorts, crop top, and turban (Cora is only seen in black once - when she is planning to kill Nick),  you're as hooked as Frank is. Her appearance justifies his intake of breath. She's a vision, but a tough one, and Ms. Turner plays every emotion that Cora experiences to perfection. It's hard not to compare her to Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity, because of the similarities in plot. The two actresses, however, build different creations, primarily because their motivations are so very different.  Cora is far less calculating, and her emotions are all over the place; her desire to be with Frank versus her need for security are very much in conflict. As the film progresses, we begin to realize just why she married Nick, and the life she was attempting to escape.  James M. Cain was so impressed by her performance that he gave her an inscribed, leather-bound copy of the novel (TCM Behind the Camera). 

Cecil Kellaway is an interesting casting choice for Nick. It's mentioned that he's thrifty to the point of cheapness, but he's a warm, loving man who is good to Cora and kind to Frank. MGM was hoping to mollify the censors by making Frank a likeable fellow. He was in fact, such a nice man, that Lana Turner would later state that "I adored Cecil Kellaway...so much so that I hated having to help kill him on camera." (Movies TV Network article). But the screenwriters do make you sympathize with Cora just a bit when we discover what her fate will be if she stays with Nick; Mr. Kellaway brings a selfish determination to the scene that makes it all the more convincing.

We especially enjoyed the performances of the two lawyers in the action - district attorney Kyle Sackett (Leon Ames) and defense attorney Arthur Keats (Hume Cronyn). Both capable character actors, their interplay - they have a bit of a friendly rivalry going on - is a real asset the film. The viewer is not really sure which of the two is more opportunistic. Both are using the case to their own advantage, rather than in the pursuit of justice. Another interesting performance is that of Alan Reed (Ezra Liam Kennedy) as a private investigator. Mr. Reed is best remembered today as the voice of Fred Flintstone.

This was Audrey Totter's (Madge Gorland) first appearance in a film noir. Her part is small - a great deal of it was cut when the original occupation of the character - a lion tamer - aroused way too much ridicule during the film's preview (James M. Cain actually crawled out of the theatre in embarrassment) ( TCM article). 

The novel was written in 1934 and was thought to be unfilmable because of the sexual content, though Mr. Cain attempted a stage adaptation in 1936, which he hoped would get it filmed. Le Derniere Tournant (1939), a French adaptation, did not do well and was not released in the U.S.  A 1942 Italian film, Ossessione, was also never released in the United States because it violated Mr. Cain's copyright (AFI catalog).

The title of the film (and novel) was a subject of discussion - there are several tales about how it got it's name, but it was important for the film that the title be eventually explained (by Frank, at film's end). This list of trivia outlines those stories). 

The New York Times review by Bosley Crowther was positive: "it is, indeed, a sincere comprehension of an American tragedy." Other reviews are varied (TCM Critics Corner).  The radio show Hollywood Soundstage aired a version in January 1952 with Eleanor Parker and Richard Widmark. The film was remade in 1981 with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange.

This is a must-see film (don't bother with the remake - it's a pale copy), and we highly recommend it. In the meantime, we'll leave you with the trailer: