Ava Takes a Bath

Mogambo (1953), the remake of Red Dust is unique in that the same actor plays the lead over twenty years later.  And frankly, it's hard to imagine anyone else doing it.  Victor Marswell (Gable) is a big-game hunter in Kenya.  Most of his work involves trapping animals for American zoos, though he will take on the occasional tourist or researcher.  But when  Eloise Y. (Honey Bear) Kelly (Ava Gardner) arrives, he is not prepared for the consequences.  She is there to meet the Maharajah of Bungalor, who it happens, canceled his trip without informing Honey Bear.  Since the next boat back isn't for a week, Honey Bear is stuck; a romance quickly develops between her and Vic.  But not for long, because when the boat arrives, Vic happily shoves her on it - he assumed a brief fling, she (unbeknownst to him) had other ideas.  The boat is also the bringer of business - Donald Nordley (Donald Sinden) and his wife of 7 years, Linda (Grace Kelly) alight.   Donald plans on researching gorillas in the back country.  Vic is at first reluctant - he considers gorillas far too dangerous, but changes his mind as he becomes attracted to Linda.  Further complications ensue when Honey Bear returns - her boat broke down - the tension between the two women is palpable, as each makes her bid for Victor's affections.

Mogambo does not veer extensively from the story of Red Dust.  It changes character names,  the location of the action, and the reason for the visit of the Nordleys.  It also extends the story somewhat.  Much of this is in the nature of a travelogue.  We are treated to many shots of stunning African vistas, exotic animals, all in wide-screen and Technicolor.   Much of this is done to attract an audience that is dismissing film for their television -  TV is not really available in color, so the film entices audiences with the promise of excitement and beauty.  And viewes Clark Gable without his shirt (still a rather pleasant slight).  The film was shot on location, a huge incentive for hunters Gable and director John Ford, and for Grace Kelly, who was delighted at the idea of a trip to Africa.  Allegedly, Gable and Kelly also became romantically involved while there (at least according to Donald Sinden).  This series of TCM articles is worth a read for many tidbits about the film.

Other actors were considered before the cast was finalized:  Stewart Granger (as Victor - Granger actually suggested the remake, with himself in the lead.  Sam Zimbalist, however, wanted Gable); Deborah Kerr, Greer Garson, and Gene Tierney (for the part of Linda) and Lana Turner (as Honey Bear).  And while some of our group members were not impressed with Kelly (her Linda is much harder than Astor's Barbara), there was overwhelming praise for Ava Gardner.  Her character has much more depth than that of Vantine - we learn a little about her past, and her gradual growth into acceptance is a  big plus in liking Honey Bear.  Gardner also get all the best lines.  One of my personal favorites is: "The only lions I ever want to see again are in front of the public library."  Spoken like a true New Yorker!

One thing that the character of Linda has that Barbara does not is more backstory.  Linda and Donald are childhood sweethearts (she's known him since she was five years old).  They've been married for 7 years, and she is only 27 (Barbara and Gary are newlyweds), and Linda has traipsed around the world with her husband, despite that fact that what she really wants is a set home and children.  The affair with Victor becomes all the more understandable when one has all this background information - that she's been trying to sustain the marriage for many years, has been a "good sport" about her husband's penchant for exotic travel, and that she is reaching an age where the call for a family is probably quite loud (a call that Donald doesn't hear).  Her husband's illness, and Victor's rescue of her from an animal trap make him Sir Galahad in her eyes.  Small wonder that she falls for him.

If Gable at times seems impatient, we wondered if it could have been the difficulties he was having with John Ford, who resented Gable's need for retakes (Gable - compromised by years of drinking -  now suffered occasional palsies, that would come unbidden.  He would need to reshoot scenes if they popped up onscreen).

The one problem with the remake is there seems less reason for Victor's attraction to Linda.  Certainly, Kelly is a beauty par excellence, but Gardner is no slouch in the looks department, and demonstrates a sense of humor and good fellowship that Linda sorely lacks.  Yet, Gable shows his to Kelly attraction immediately: Victor's eyes light up when he sees Linda, but there is a gentleness behind it, almost out of character for the rather gruff Victor.  Nevertheless, it does make Victor more attractive - he is not the "two-legged boa constrictor" Honey Bear describes in his relations with Linda.  And even 20+ years older, Gable is stunning - he mesmerizes on the screen, and it is perfectly understandable that Zimbalist would want him rather than Stewart Granger.  No one else could duplicate the role; Gable is too dynamic.

Stories abound concerning the difficulties of working with John Ford, and as noted above, this film was no exception.  Eventually, Gable came to terms with Ford, who had not, it seems, ever seen Gable in Red Dust.  But Gable was not the only one to suffer Ford's wrath - Donald Sinden was also a victim - the ultra-Irish Ford decided to blame the English Sinden for the troubles in Ireland!

It was Ford who insisted on Grace Kelly for the part of Linda; and, both Kelly and Gardner were nominated for Oscars for their work on the film.  The film also - at Ford's insistence, does not have a soundtrack.  He wanted, and got - animal sounds and native music to be the background to his story. 

We'll close with the scene in which we meet Honey Bear - a scene "borrowed" from the original film.  Interestingly, according to this AFI article, the Censorship Board had problems with the scene; "the PCA believed the shower scene 'involved too much exposure' and demanded that some footage be eliminated"  The ruling was protested (and, it seems MGM's Robert Vogel won).  See if you agree (the dialog is in Spanish, but a picture is worth a thousand words):

Peeping James

TCM Fathom Event recently aired the magnificent Rear Window (1954), and we were quite delighted to be able to attend.  Starring James Stewart as L. B. "Jeff" Jeffries and Grace Kelly as Lisa Carol Fremont, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and with a supporting cast to die for, this is  unarguably a Hitchcock masterpiece.  For those unfamiliar with the plot, here's a brief rundown of the premise.  Jeff Jeffries, a highly regarded international photographer has been laid up for 5 weeks in a cast up to his hip, having broken his leg trying to get a photo of a race car in action (he got the picture).  During a hot New York summer (it's the 1950s - there's no in-home air-conditioning), with one week of immobility left (stuck in a walk-up apartment he's not left since his injury), Jeff is bored, so he stares out his window, peering into the lives of his neighbors.  He's got nicknames for all of them, and he imagines their life stories from his "rear window" view.  Then, one hot night, as he dozes in his wheelchair, he thinks he sees a murder.

Some years ago, I attended a class on Hitchcock's film.  The class was taught by Donald Spoto, author of many books about Hollywood, but most especially, the author of The Art of Alfred Hitchcock. One of the points he made was that, as Jeff looks into the windows of his neighbors, what he sees are alternate versions of his own life and that of Lisa, the woman he loves (but is determined NOT to marry).  He sees a pair of newlyweds, a satisfied older couple doting on a beloved dog, a couple who bicker constantly (with Raymond Burr as the husband, Lars Thorwald), a lonely middle-aged woman (Judith Evelyn as "Miss Lonely Hearts"), a young woman surrounded by suitors, and a composer (played by Ross Bagdasarian), who can't seem to get his work noticed.  Which life will Jeff get? We'll never know (hopefully not the Raymond Burr thread!), but Lisa has own ideas, and is a pretty determined lady!

I don't think there is a movie on earth that has Thelma Ritter (Stella) in it that is bad.  Her very presence moves the film up a notch, in my humble opinion.  Ritter's part was not in the original short story by Cornell Woolrich (neither was Grace Kelly's), and according to one of the TCM articles you'll find here, Ritter's part was enlarged after the initial script was completed to provide some humor and humanity to the part of Jeff.  The film needed, according to writer John Michael Hayes, some comedy to get the audience immediately engaged with the character.  He knew that Hitchcock had cast Ritter, and there is no better mouthpiece for the human condition than the phenomenal Thelma Ritter. 

And then there is the other lady in Jeff's life, the ever-glorious Grace Kelly.  A woman of jaw-dropping beauty, Hitchcock, perhaps more than any other director, was able to make her a woman of parts - beautiful, fashionable, smart, daring, passionate.  Her Lisa is unexpected - Jeff leads us to expect she is only a fashionplate - interested in clothing and nothing else.  And while her entrance - twirling around the room in a dress that I would give my eye-teeth for - seems to support that, it isn't long before we realize that Jeff is an idiot - as Stella told him - Lisa is a jewel beyond price.

 

Seeing Rear Window in a theatre is a treat beyond compare.  While it is good on a television, it's even more magnificent when you can see the framing the way Hitchcock meant it to be seen. Filmed in wide-screen and Technicolor, the movie still manages to convey the claustrophobic atmosphere that has become Jeff's life, as he goes from a boundless world, to a confined, one-room apartment.  It is a film you can see again and again, and each time see something new and exciting.

Grace Kelly's marvelous wardrobe was designed by Edith Head.  Every one of her dresses is glorious, but I'm going to leave you with a clip that contains my personal favorite dress.  Meet Lisa Carole Freemont!: