There's been a murder. Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott), the second husband of Mildred Pierce (1945) is dead, and the prime suspect is Mildred's (Joan Crawford) ex-husband, Bert (Bruce Bennett). As Mildred relates the story of her life with Bert, Monte, and her children, we realize there are several suspects to the crime, including Bert's former partner Wally Fay (Jack Carson) and the Pierce's oldest daughter, Veda (Ann Blyth). Our group discussed Mildred Pierce back in 2011; we decided it was time for a re-watch. The first reaction to the film this time was remembering how much we all despised Veda Pierce. Ann Blyth plays her part with such supreme self-obsession that it's hard to find anything good about Veda. Even when she is telling her doting mother how much she loves her, Ms. Blyth has a look in her eyes that displays her manipulative behavior. It's a remarkable performance, and one which Ms. Blyth does not couch by trying to make the audience like her (Shirley Temple was considered for the part - Director Michael Curtiz was not sympathetic). Ms. Blyth did an interview at the TCM Film Festival (you can see her discussion of this film begins beginning at 5:14).
Jack Carson was, at one point, considered for the role of Monte Beragon (AFI catalog). It's hard to imagine him as a loafer - Wally Fay is constantly in motion, always looking for a deal, always on the make for one woman or another. Zachary Scott, on the other hand seems tailor-made for the passive Monte, a man who's never lifted a finger to do anything besides play polo and take other people's money. The casting of Mr. Scott is an easy choice - it's helpful that he looks rather caddish, and since we know from the start that Monte is the victim, the audience can just wait to find out what he did that resulted in his murder (Zachary Scott: Hollywood's Sophisticated Cad by Ronald L. Davis).
Zachary Scott was born in Austin, TX; he left his home town at age 19 - he dropped out of college and worked on a freighter bound for London, where he worked in repertory theatre for nearly two years. Once back in Texas, he continued to appear on the stage; there, he was noticed by Alfred Lunt. Small parts on Broadway followed (he appeared in 6 Broadway productions throughout his career), which led to a contract from Warner Brothers. He never really evolved much beyond supporting roles in films like Shadow on the Wall (1950) and Flamingo Road (1949); his major starring role was in The Southerner (1945). By the 1950s, he was moving to television like many of his colleagues. Married twice (he had a child with each wife), he died in 1965 at the age of 51 of a brain tumor.
If there is one person who comes close to stealing the film from Joan Crawford, it's Eve Arden (Ida Corwin). Besides bringing some humor to this melodramatic story, she the voice of truth She has what is perhaps the best line in the film (certainly the best comment on Veda): "Personally, Veda's convinced me that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young." Ms. Arden received her only Oscar nomination (with Ann Blyth) in the Supporting Actress category (they both lost to Anne Revere in National Velvet). She would later say that she never expected the part to bring her a nomination (TCM articles).
Though it was nominated for 6 Oscars, the only winner that night was
Joan Crawford, who wasn't even the first choice for the role - Michael
Curtiz wanted Barbara Stanwyck. Ms Crawford wasn't at the ceremony,
however. Fearing she would not win (see Ann Blyth's TCM tribute
to Joan Crawford), Ms. Crawford took to her bed and called in sick.
However, when she was notified that she had indeed won the award, she
invited the press into her bedroom, where she prettily sat in her
sickbed with the Oscar in her hand.
The story was remade as a television miniseries in 2011 starring Kate Winslet. With more time (five one-hour episodes), and no production code to deal with, the miniseries is closer in plot to James M. Cain's original book. Carol Burnett did one of her memorable spoofs, "Mildred Fierce" (shoulder pads and all!). The film was added to the National Film Registry in 1996. If you've never seen this production, treat yourself and find a copy - it's one of Ms. Crawford's finest performances (allegedly, her favorite role), and a film noir par excellence. Here's a trailer to whet your appetite.
As David Grant (Ronald Colman) walks down the street, he spies Jean Newton (Ginger Rogers). David is taken with her, and as they pass each other, he wishes her luck. When her errand results in a lucky encounter, Jean seeks out David and asks him to go half on a sweepstakes ticket; they are, she believes, Lucky Partners (1940), and together they can win enough money for Jean to marry her fiance Freddie Harder (Jack Carson). David agrees, but with a caveat - Jean must go away with him on a trip if they win. He promises it will be all above-board, but he wants a few days with alone with her. This is a cute, if slight film, that borders on being a waste of some excellent talents. In their only film together, Ginger Rogers and Ronald Colman work well as a pair. They are an engaging couple, and it's a shame they didn't have a stronger script. Though at some point rumors arose of discontent between the two actors, Ms. Rogers firmly denied the charges. She agreed to the role (turning down His Girl Friday!) because of her eagerness to work with Mr. Colman. She professed in her autobiography to being nearly a fan girl on the set, grinning with delight every time she watched him work (TCM article). Ms. Rogers opted for dark hair for the part, and later regretted the decision. Though she looks very different from the Ginger Rogers we are used to, we didn't think the dark hair was that bad. Her wardrobe, while simple, is totally appropriate to the character, a working girl in New York City.
Mr. Colman had just started his own production company; this film, and My Life with Caroline were the results. Sadly, they were the only scripts he could acquire. He plays the part of David with a twinkle in his eye, but even with the little bit of serious business at the end of the film, he really doesn't have a lot to do except be charming. It is important that we like David, and that we understand why Jean is attracted to him. With Mr. Colman, there is no question as to her reactions. Jack Carson is such an excellent actor that he does a wonderful job playing a total oaf. This was his first big role, and he handles it quite well. Though director Lewis Milestone later recalled that Carson was in such awe of his costars that he was originally overwhelmed by his casting. Ginger Rogers was reluctant to have Carson in the role of her boyfriend - she recalled he had been an extra on one of her films. It was up to Mr. Milestone to remind her that she too gotten her start as an extra.
Mr. Carson started his professional career in vaudeville. He began getting uncredited screen roles in 1937; in 1938, he started performing on radio. His distinctive voice proved an asset, and he was soon hosting shows. The year after this film, he starred with James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, and Rita Hayworth as the conniving Hugo Barnstead in The Strawberry Blonde. He played another loud in Mildred Pierce (1945). But he also could play leading roles, as in Roughly Speaking (1945), in which he appeared as Rosalind Russell's adoring husband. By the 1950s, Mr. Carson had segued to television, appearing in a number of shows, including The Twilight Zone and Bonanza. Married four times, he had two children with his second wife. He died in 1962, age 52, of stomach cancer.
Spring Byington has the thankless role of Jean's Aunt. While we usually love Ms. Byington, she is completely wasted in this outing. The character is more of an annoyance than a help to the film. It's a shame, because she is an engaging actress of great versatility. One scene that was quite appealing was a small interlude with an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester, who Jean recognizes as children's book authors of whom she was a fan. Portrayed with delicacy by Brandon Tynan and Cecilia Loftus, the scene was sweet, primarily because of the performances of this lovely couple. Without giving too much of the plot away, the film attempts at the end to deal with a fairly serious subject - that of pornography. But the courtroom scene in which this is played out is so desperately silly, that it loses its punch. We have the wonderful Harry Davenport as the Judge, but even he can't pull the sequence out of the morass of nonsense. It's a shame, because it was fascinating to see a film trying to explain the distinction between art and pornography.
Adapted from a French film by Sacha Guitry entitled Bonne Chance (1935) (AFI catalog), Lucky Partners got a surprisingly excellent review from New York Times critic Bosley Crowther when it opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York. It also did well at the box office, earning $1.39 million. We'll leave you with the trailer from the film. It's got some fun moments, and it IS your only chance to see Mr. Colman with Ms. Rogers.
This past Sunday (September 15th, 2013) was the 75th Anniversary of the Silver Theatre (now the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center). To commemorate this notable event (and the restoration of the theatre by AFI in 2003), AFI ran exactly the same program that the Silver Theatre ran in 1938. We went to see 3 of the 5 films that were part of the celebration, all released in 1938. I'll be blogging about each of them over the next few weeks. Carefree, with Fred Astaire as Dr. Tony Flagg, Ginger Rogers as Amanda Cooper, and Ralph Bellamy as Stephen Arden, was our first film of the day. The plot, as in most Astaire-Rogers movies, is secondary to the dancing, but in this movie, Ginger Rogers is given a lot more to do than in some of the pairings. Amanda Cooper thinks she is in love with Stephen Arden, but she can't bring herself to marry him. So, Stephen asks his friend, Tony Flagg, a psychiatrist, to talk to Amanda, to see if her can find out why she is reluctant to wed. Tony encourages Amanda to dream, to find out the subconscious reason for her concerns - turns out, she's in love with Tony. But when she tells him, Tony hypnotizes her to hate him, then has second thoughts. Okay, so it's a rather silly plot. But there is some magnificent dancing here. One of my personal favorites is The Yam, a boisterous, energetic number, which has Fred throwing Ginger over his upraised leg. The picture below gives you just a taste of the grace and joy of the routine. It's also one of the few dance numbers where Ginger sings and Fred doesn't, and where she wants him to dance, and he is the holdout. This article at TCM discusses that dance in some detail, including the fact that Ginger Rogers came up with the idea of the leg lifts.
Rogers really gets a chance to show her comedic skills here. After Tony gives her a sedative and leaves the room while it takes effect, Amanda is whisked out of the room by the totally ignorant Stephen. She then proceeds to create mayhem everywhere she goes. Rogers manages to make you love her, even as she does all kinds of outlandish things under the influence of the gas.
Another rarity in an Astaire-Rogers film occurs in the dream sequence - at the end of the dance Amanda kisses Tony. While kisses are often suggested in Astaire-Rogers films, you seldom see them kiss. Here, you do! The dream dance is performed mostly in slow
motion. It's a shame the modern audience has become so jaded about slow
motion, thanks primarily to its overuse. Here, the slowed speed allows
you to see the precision of the dance moves. They have to be absolutely perfect,
or the speed would show every flaw.
That Astaire was a golfer is evident in the Since They Turned 'Loch Lomond' into Swing. Astaire taps as he swings, his movements are beautiful, and he even carefully changes clubs when he wants a different shot. It's a clever and challenging dance.
Finally, there is the pièce de résistance of the film - Change Partners. The song is one of Irving Berlin's best; it has probably been performed by every major popular singer since it came out, but has there ever been a better rendition than that of Astaire? Though his voice is not the quality of, say, Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald, Astaire brings a grace to his songs that few can match. Here, he uses his voice and movements to hypnotize Rogers, in hopes of telling her of his love. It's been said that many composers wrote just for Astaire. When you hear him do this, you understand why. To close, let Rogers and Astaire hypnotize you via this magnificent number. We'll be back next week with more discussion from AFI and from our weekly meetings.
Let's just get it out of the way, Mildred Pierce (1945) is an
essential film. From the first moment that we see Mildred (Joan
Crawford), as she contemplates a leap off a bridge, to the conclusion,
this is a film that sucks you in with its performances, dialog, and
images. It is a quintessential film noir, and perhaps Ms. Crawford's
finest performance. Mildred Pierce tells the story of the
ultimate movie Mom. Mildred wants the best for her two daughters,
teenage Veda (Ann Blyth) and tomboy Kay (Jo Ann Marlowe). Mildred's
efforts to create a better world for her daughters, however, seems to
have created a monster in Veda, a selfish, nasty, and snobbish young
lady who looks down on her mother, and has no appreciation for Mildred's
sacrifices. After husband Bert (Bruce Bennett) loses his job, and
seems uninterested in getting another, Mildred strikes off on her own,
using her talent for cooking and her own personal determination to open a
successful restaurant. And that, of course, is when the problems
really start for Mildred. Her involvement with two men
Monte Beragon (Zachary Scott) and Wally Fay (Jack Carson) will only
bring her more misfortune. And Veda, now running with the wealthy
crowd, is doing all in her power to make sure she remains in the upper
classes.
The cast here is exceptional, most especially Eve Arden as Mildred's friend and partner Ida
Corwin. Ms. Arden is wonderful in everything she does, but here she
brings a tone to the movie that it so desperately needs. Without her,
the movie would have been a morass of sorrow. With her jibes and asides,
Ida acts as both chorus and comic relief in this most serious of films.
Much of our discussion focused on Jack Carson's Wally vs. Zachary
Scott's Monte; which of the two men was the bigger creep. The votes
seemed to favor Monte, who is so selfish and craven. But there was
commentary on Wally's ability to betray his business partner, his
ability to immediately attempt to seduce his wife, AND his willingness
to turn on Mildred when it is advantageous for HIM. And, when handing
out the prizes for evil, we did not forget that most famous of movie
bitches, Veda Pierce, truly a remarkably evil lady. Oh,
and the next time you watch the movie, take a look at the scene where
Mildred and Monte go swimming. The suit Mildred wears could have been
loaned to Lana Turner for The Postman Always Rings Twice! To
those who felt Ms.Crawford had no sex appeal, take a look at her here.
We surely know why all the men are interested in her! Here is a trailer:
If you haven't ever seen Mildred Pierce,
run don't walk to your local library and borrow it (or put it on your
Nexflix cue, or watch it the next time it airs on TCM). You won't be
disappointed.
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, we watched Princess O'Rourke, a 1943 film
with Ms. De Havilland as the Princess Maria, a refugee from Europe
living quietly - much too quietly - in the United States. When she
passes out (the result of too many sleeping pills) after her flight to
San Francisco is grounded, she ends up hte in home of the pilot, Eddie
O'Rourke (played by Robert Cummings). Maria quickly becomes enchanted
by Eddie, his neighbors Dave (Jack Carson) and Jean (Jane Wyman). Eddie
and Dave are about to be inducted into the army, so there is a certain
urgency as Eddie discovers he is in love with Mary (the name Maria has
adopted). When he proposes, she is forced to reveal to him her royal
status, and he begins to discover the role he will be assuming as the
husband of a princess.
A couple of weeks ago, we complained a bit
about Jack Carson, but he is perfect in this movie. The scene where he
describes his wife's grief at his imminent departure to the armed forces
is truly heartbreaking. Equally affecting are his scenes with Jane
Wyman. Their loving banter is true and ultimately moving as we see them
trying to cope with an impossible situation. Another surprising
performance is that of Robert Cummings. Again, we are not really fans,
but he is wonderful in this. As the rules of being a consort are
explained to him, his reactions are perfect. We stay on his side
BECAUSE of the way Cummings subtly demonstrates the frustration of
Eddie. As always, Olivia is a treat. Warm, sweet, and funny. Her
Maria is a joy, and you will adore her.
On of the images that
recurs in the film is that of the caged bird; Maria is very much that
bird, which is finally released after she falls in love with Eddie. My
friend remembered that the caged bird was also the symbol of France
under the aegis of Nazi occupation. She also recalled an emblem (done
by Cartier)of the freed bird,
symbolizing the French liberation. Though the war is still underway
during the filming and release of the film, we wondered if that image of
the caged France influences the screenwriters as well.
Finally,
we loved the script. So often, writers go for the cheap release. But
these do not. Eddie ONLY rejects his role as consort when he discovers
that he will have to renounce his U.S. citizenship. Every other
"indignity" (being subservient to his wife in public, not being allowed
to serve in the armed services) he is willing to agree on. But even
today, we found the insistence that he lose his very identity as an
American to be just that one step too far.
If you've never seen
this movie, run right out and see it. In fact, set up a reminder on
TCM.com - it is being run in August. This one is a treat! Here's a scene where the Princess is on a plane:
Next time - join us for another visit with the dashing Mr. Flynn, as he rejoins our Olivia for Four's a Crowd.
This week, we watched a comedy from 1942, The Male Animal.
Ms. de Havilland (playing Ellen Turner) stars with Henry Fonda, who
portrays Professor Tommy Turner, an English teacher in a small college,
caught in the middle of school turmoil. When a young college radical
publishes in his newspaper that Professor Turner is going to read a
letter by Bartolomeo Vanzetti in class, he finds his job threatened.
Add to that, the return of his wife's former boyfriend (Jack Carson), a
football hero named Jack Ferguson.
Olivia's part in this is
relatively small. She gets to be patient and loving with Fonda, and
emulate a tiny bit of hero worship towards Jack Carson (never our idea
of a sex symbol, but it's all a matter of taste). The surprising thing
about the movie, though, is the movie's topic. Let's put this movie in
perspective. It is 1942. War has just broken out in America (even if the
film was made before December of 1941, the rest of the world was
already deeply embroiled). The names of Sacco and Vanzetti, just brief
blips in history in 2010, would have been VERY familiar to a 1940's
audience. Convicted and executed for murder, many felt they were put on
trial for their political beliefs (they were considered to be
anarchists) rather than the crime for which they were accused. For a
country reeling from an attack by a foreign nation, the reminder of
Sacco and Vanzetti would have been controversial at the very least.
The Male Animal
is based on a Broadway play by James Thurber and Eliot Nugent (who
played Tommy Turner in the original production AND in two revivals),
that ran for several months in 1940. It was revived in 1952 and 1953
(with Robert Preston appearing as Joe Ferguson). The college board's
willingness in the play to suppress freedom of speech and essentially
blacklist must have also rang very familiar in 1952, as the HUAC
investigations continued in Washington.
All in all, we enjoyed
this movie a lot, and highly recommend it. It is not Olivia's best
movie, but Henry Fonda is wonderful, and the thoughtfulness of the
subject is worth your time (and it is funny too. Here's a trailer:
