I haven't been to a double feature in a lot of year, and I miss it. So, it was a pleasure to attend the Fathom Event which featured two Christmas films. I've already discussed the first feature in an earlier post. Christmas in Connecticut (1945) was feature two. Barbara Stanwyck stars as Elizabeth Lane, the popular author of a cooking column in a national magazine. She's an imaginative writer, who shares wonderful recipes and household hints, speaking at length about her life in Connecticut with her loving husband and baby. There's only one little problem. She isn't married, has no children, lives in a small New York City apartment, and she can't cook. At all. Her recipes come from her adored Uncle Felix Bassenak (S. Z. Sakall), the owner of a popular restaurant which Elizabeth helped to fund at start-up. Her editor Dudley Beecham (Robert Shayne) is well aware of her deception, but the magazine owner Alexander Yardley (Sydney Greenstreet) is not. And he's a stickler for the truth. The action starts just before Christmas, and a young sailor, Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan) is hospitalized, after spending 18 days on a raft, with little food and water. His nurse, Mary Lee (Joyce Compton), is eager to get a husband, and Jeff (or "Jeffy-boy" as she calls him) seems like a prime candidate. To encourage a yearning for family in Jeff (who claims to have no family roots), she contacts Mr. Yardley (she once nursed his granddaughter), and asks if Jeff can spend the holiday with his favorite author, Elizabeth Lane. To save her and Beecham's jobs, Elizabeth consents to marry John Sloan (Reginald Gardiner), who has a home in Connecticut where she can host Jeff - and Mr. Yardley, who's decided to tag along. Hijinks, as they say, ensue.
In the various Barbara Stanwyck films we've discussed thus far, we've not had a chance to look at her comedies. She was a brilliant comedienne, but didn't always get the chance to demonstrate her remarkable timing. Interestingly, this film is only one year after the role that she is probably most remembered for - Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity (1944); definitely NOT a comic part. Ben Mankiewicz, in the introduction to Christmas in Connecticut, informed us that Ms. Stanwyck was not the first choice for the role of Elizabeth Lane - Bette Davis was (this is, after all, a Warner Brothers film, and Davis was under contract). But Ms. Davis declined, and Ms. Stanwyck, who had already shown her comedic abilities in The Lady Eve and Ball of Fire, was hired. The film was released two days after the Japanese surrender, but
(since it was filmed while the war was in progress), the military and
the war are very much in the forefront of the story. Jeff is at a military hospital when Mary Lee contacts Mr. Yardley; Yardley sees hosting a war hero as a civic duty (and good publicity for his magazines) and there is an implication at the end of the movie that Jeff will be returning to active service in the Pacific (where he was when his ship was destroyed). War efforts abound in the film - even the dance which Elizabeth and Jeff attend is more a war bond function than a Christmas party. This doesn't detract from the humor, but it is a note in the background of the film. This TCM article briefly discusses the film's positive reception (though the New York Times did NOT like it very much). As a side note, I discovered that, when it was released in New York City (at the Rialto) it was on a double bill with a Lon Chaney, Jr. horror film: The Frozen Ghost!
Wonderful character actors abound in the film. Una O'Connor as Sloane's housekeeper, Norah is very funny. Sidney Greenstreet as Yardley is also amusing, in his always gruff way. But the film is really stolen by S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, primarily because of the way he reacts with both Greenstreet and O'Connor. His love for and loyalty to Elizabeth is ever-present. His tacit dislike of Sloane is always evident. He methodically finds ways to prevent the wedding of Elizabeth and Sloane, making him all the more endearing. He is the film's Cupid, trying to make sure his beloved Elizabeth finds the right man. I'll close with a clip. It's probably the most famous scene in the film, in which Elizabeth Lane tries to flip a flapjack. Stanwyck, as always, is priceless.
In 1952, Joan Crawford closed out her Warner Brother's contract with This Woman is Dangerous.
Beth Austin (Ms. Crawford) is the leader of a gang that pulls major
heists. Their latest involves the robbing of a casino. She controls
her henchmen (David Brian and Philip Carey as Matt and Will Jackson),
but Beth has a problem - she is going blind, and needs immediate surgery
to prevent it. She heads to the hospital of Dr. Ben Halleck
(Dennis Morgan), the only physician capable of performing this delicate
surgery. And, of course, she falls in love with him.
The
commentary provided by Robert Osborne in the introduction informed us
that Crawford's considered this her worst film. It is rather silly, but
certainly not the worse thing SHE had ever done. She's actually pretty
good in it. We did find Philip Carey (as Will) rather amusing. His
bug-eyed mania was VERY overstated, from an actor we've always found to
be rather an UNDER-actor. Ditto David Brian. This is not the acting
one would expect from the person we had so recently seen in Flamingo Road. He's really over-the-top crazy in this.
We
enjoyed Dennis Morgan (also at the end of HIS contract with WB), but
the actor who was a breath of fresh air was little Sherry Jackson as Susan
Halleck, Dr. Halleck's young daughter. Crawford seems so comfortable
with the child; she becomes easier and happier in the scenes with her.
On top of all the sturm and drang of the soap opera plot, the innocent home-life of this little girl considerably lightens up atmosphere.
Here is an interesting scene from the later part of the film. It won't give away any plot, but it does show Crawford when she is nails the scene (plus some wonderful cutting on the part of the editor, James C. Moore:
We're
not sure if we would recommend this, but it is has its moments. So you
might want to give it a try. If only to see the one Joan Crawford
loathed!!
This week, we turn to another dramatic movie. Olivia de Havilland takes second billing again to Bette Davis in In This Our Life. This time, they are sisters, Stanley and Roy Timberlake. Roy (Olivia) is married to Dr. Peter Kingsmill (Dennis Morgan) and Stanley (Bette) is engaged to
Craig Fleming (George Brent), but Stanley has developed a grand passion
for Peter, and induces him to run off with her. Roy and Craig become
friends out of loneliness, and then decide to marry. Only Stanley, of
course, comes back. And, of course, has decided that Craig would make a
nice trophy on her mantle. And so it goes.
The
movie is very much Davis'. Her Stanley is an unapologetic bitch. She
wants everything, and gives nothing in return. Davis' scenes with her greedy
uncle, played by almost lasciviously by Charles Coburn, are wonderfully revolting. The old man
slobbers over his "favorite" niece, giving her anything that she wants.
And, she takes whatever he offers; she is beyond flirty as she butters him up for
even more rewards. Here the trailer from the film, to give you a glimpse of Ms. Davis' character:
The men are
merely window dressing to the women. Too bad really, with actors as
good as George Brent and Dennis Morgan, you would like them to have more fleshed out characters. But this movie is much more concerned with the ladies: Bette and Olivia
are yin and yang to one another - with Olivia as the good, loving, kind
sister. The men are there to function as sex objects - the temptation
for Stanley and the source of goodness for Roy.
An
interesting acting turn in the picture is that of Billie Burke as Lavinia
Timberlake, the girls' mother. For those of us used to the dippy
Billie of Topper or Father of the Bride, this role is a
bit of a surprise. You can see where Stanley got her attitude: her
mother is a piece of work, totally self absorbed, whiny, and nagging. She is an invalid who is trying to rule her husband and daughters with guilt, but since it doesn't really work any longer, she just tries harder and gets more whiny.
I
don't want to forget Hattie McDaniel, as the Timberlake's maid, but also
as a mother whose innocent son is accused of murder. Her scene with
Roy is extremely touching. As always, Ms. McDaniel takes a small role and makes it pivotal. Next week, another drama. Do join us.
