In a series of four vignettes, the purchase of the latest Paris Model (1953) effects the lives of five women in France, in New York and in Los Angeles. We picked this film because it had some excellent actors in the cast, but having them there didn't help. This is an AWFUL movie. Even at a mere 80 minute running time, it felt like we were watching the movie forever. The script is bad, the sets are cheap, even the dress that is the focus of the film looks like it came from the bargain-basement in Walmart. The picture consists of four stories; each focus on women who buy this particular dress design (unlike the 1942 Tales of Manhattan where a tailcoat's owners are the focus, it is NOT the same dress). Gogo Montaine (Eva Gabor) in the first vignette buys a Paris original (and charges it to one of her lovers). Gogo is in the boyfriend business - she gives them the look, and they melt at her feet. Except, while Ms. Gabor can be really funny, and she is quite pretty, giving the sultry "look" is not really in her acting ballpark. She looks remarkably silly and unconvincing as she tries to seduce a variety of men into doing what she wants them to do. It's not all her fault - the camerawork also succeeds in making her look idiotic rather than alluring. In the next story line, the usually wonderful Paulette Goddard plays Betty Barnes, an avaricious secretary in New York City on the make for her married boss Edgar Blevins (Leif Erickson). She purchases her dress (a knock-off of the Paris model - in the first story we see a woman sketching and taking notes at the Paris showroom) in order to seduce Blevins. She's such a despicable woman, you can't possibly root for her, and you surely don't like her. Leif Erickson's characterization is of a unattractive, henpecked husband who is also unattractive. When you see his wife Cora (Gloria Christian) during a phone conversation, you don't think too much of her either. With no-one with whom to sympathize, what's the point?
In the next tale, the dress has become even cheaper (it's now "a copy of a copy of a Paris original"). Marion Parmalee (Marilyn Maxwell) is attending a retirement party for her husband's boss, and she wants to make sure that Patrick James Sullivan (Cecil Kellaway) names her husband as his successor. How better to do it than to wear a sexy dress and tease P.J. into naming Jack (Robert Bice). She needs to get P.J. away from his wife Nora (Florence Bates), but that, she reasons will be easy with this marvelous dress. As with the prior tale, we have a thoroughly unpleasant, greedy woman, and a horribly lecherous man that you can't wait to get their comeuppance. Cecil Kellaway is ill-served in the part - he's usually an appealing actor; here, he is just creepy.
This particular segment has the benefit of Florence Bates as Nora (one of the only nice people in the film). Ms. Bates, who is best remembered as the odious Mrs. Van Hopper in Rebecca (1940) was equally adept at comedy and drama - my favorite of her roles was as Florence Dana Moorehead, the author who likes to "eat good" in I Remember Mama (1948). Ms. Bates started out to be a pianist, but had to change careers due to a hand injury. Then, she got a degree in mathematics, and taught math; after her 1909 marriage, she stayed home to raise their daughter. A divorce led her to study law and become the first female lawyer in Texas. Her father's death resulted in her working with her sister in their father's antique store, which Ms. Bates sold after her sister's death. When her second husband (to whom she was married from 1929 until his death in 1951) lost all his money, the family moved to Los Angeles and opened a successful bakery. She went onto the stage after she arrive in LA (she'd done some bilingual radio work in Texas); an introduction to Alfred Hitchcock led to her role in Rebecca and her film career. This film was her last one; she died the following year of a heart attack at the age of 65.
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The final yarn has Marta Jensen (Barbara Lawrence) buying the dress from a thrift shop. She's eager to convince her boyfriend, Charlie Johnson (Robert Hutton) to propose marriage. Charlie, however, is a cheapskate and a bore. While Marta seems a nice enough girl, her eagerness to marry this louse is distasteful. Ms. Lawrence gives the part as much as she can, but she's working opposite Mr. Hutton who is about as engaging as a piece of white bread. Tom Conway, totally miscast as he Maharajah of Kim-Kepore, repeats his role from the Paris story; he might as well be sleepwalking for the energy he brings to it. The whole episode is set in Romanoff's - except it's an obviously cheap imitation (TCM article). We do have a guest shot by "Prince" Michael Romanoff - he's the only personable character in this segment.
The original title of the film was Nude at Midnight (AFI Catalog), the name of the dress all the women purchase (AFI Catalog). You can see the dress in the lobby card below. The movie really has nothing to offer, and we strongly suggest you pass this one by should it ever show up on your TV screen.
We return for a visit with an old friend - Olivia de Havilland in Hold Back the Dawn (1941). This is an absolutely wonderful film, romantic and engaging. Sure, it's a melodrama, but in the best sense of the word, with characters that grow and keep you engaged in their stories. It also continues to be a timely story - that of immigration and the desire for people to find a home in the United States.
The film is narrated by Georges Iscovescu (Charles Boyer), who is on the run and trying desperately to get some money. He sneaks into the Paramount lot, to tell his story to Hollywood director, Mr. Saxon (played by Hold Back the Dawn's actual director, Mitchell Leisen). The war in Europe is raging, and Georges has escaped Europe to Mexico, intent on settling in the U.S. However, the U.S. immigration quota for Romania (Georges' place of birth) has already been exhausted, and there is a long waiting list. Georges finds himself stuck in a seedy little bordertown hotel, with other hopeful immigrants, waiting from five to eight years for a spot to open up. The arrival of Anita Dixon Shaughnessy (Paulette Goddard), Georges former dancing partner and lover, presents another option: marry an unknowing American and get a green card as the spouse of a U.S. citizen. Once in the country, divorce the duped spouse, and go off with Anita. Georges sets his sights on Emmy Brown (Olivia de Havilland), a shy schoolteacher in Mexico for the day.
The film contains some absolutely outstanding performances. Charles Boyer is wonderful as a cad who gradually changes into a decent person (and in some sense, much against his will). As he begins to fall in love with Emmy, we can see his inner battle between his growing feelings for her and his desire to resume his wayward life. As Emmy, Olivia de Havilland is sweet and generous, but with an inner core of strength that becomes apparent towards the film's end. Her conversation with Anita, and her comment that she is "from a small town. We don't have any of those fine
hotels. We eat at the drugstore... But we leave a tip just the same" is both biting and assertive. Finally, Paulette Goddard gives us an Anita who is grasping, passionate, and self-serving, but is also an absolute riot. That our immigration officer, Mr. Hammock (played with verve by Walter Abel) is also attracted and amused.
This film features a number of memorable performances by the supporting cast. Of special note is Rosemary deCamp as Berta Kurz. Patiently waiting to get into the US, the pregnant Berta is all the more sympathetic because of her desire to make a better life for her child. Without giving too much away, her actions to make sure that her child will have a secure future will have you rooting her her. Hold Back the Dawn was released in September of 1941, just before the war in the U.S. starts, but after the war in Europe has forced thousands of refugees to flee the Nazis. Though never stated, it seems obvious that Berta and her husband are Jews, fleeing the holocaust. It's interesting that the film never discusses WHAT the characters are running away from, yet you cheer for them all the same.
Costuming for the film is done by Edith Head; here she creates a variety of costumes, with bold, elaborate clothing for Anita, and simpler, more everyday garb for Emmy. The costuming tells us a great deal about the characters, adding even more dimenions to the characterizations.
Watch for the scene where Georges is escaping
from the police. It's quite well done, but has some humorous moments.
Also, George's encounter with an American woman at the bullfight is also quite
funny. Watch their faces as her marital status becomes apparent.
Finally, the lovely scene in which Emmy names some olives that Georges
shook from a tree (you have to see the film to find out why) is gentle
and romantic.
The film is based on an autobiographic story by Ketti Frings, with a script by Billy Wilder and Charles Bracken. This TCM article
discusses some of the story and script changes, causing some annoyance
to all of the authors. Despite the changes, this is still a remarkable
script. Robert Osborne, in an introduction to the film on TCM noted that deHavilland was in the unenviable position at her home studio of Warner Brothers of having to go outside the studio to find good roles. Here, she goes to Paramount, and ends up with an Oscar nomination. It is worth noting that, at Oscar time, Olivia DeHavilland was pitted against her sister Joan Fontaine (for the film Suspicion), the first time siblings had competed for the same award. Joan, of course, won, beginning rumors of a feud between the sisters. This Hollywood Reporterarticle looks at the story behind the feud.
As we leave you, here is a brief scene of Georges romances Emmy in pursuit of a green card:
That wonderful year of 1939 brought us Joan Crawford, along with a galaxy of
female stars, playing the gold-digging, husband-stealing Crystal
Allen in The Women. Norma Shearer is the star here; Mary
Haines, the woman whose husband is stolen by Crystal. The movie, as the
tagline says, stars all women, but is about men - the men in their
lives, who they talk about constantly. We have all kinds of women here,
from the innocent (Joan Fontaine) to the experienced (Paulette Goddard)
to the nearly idiotic (Mary Boland, as the hysterical Countess de
Lave). Rosalind Russell, in a supporting role, shines as the gossipy
Sylvia Fowler, and there is an equally enjoyable performance by Lucile
Watson as Mary Haines mother.
Much of our conversation focused on
the position of this movie within the "chick flick" universe - starring
only women, could it be a chick flick? Interestingly, the movie was
marketed to men. One assumes the moviemakers figured the men were the
harder sell, so the ads point up many lovely, undressed ladies ("Zips up
the back and no bone"). It is surely a movie about women; and the
little fashion show demonstrates it is a movie FOR women. But there is
enough, we thought, to keep a man watching.
Crawford is just
magnificent here. And she surely has the best line in the whole movie:
"There's a name for you ladies, but it no used in high society, outside a
kennel". Crystal may lose the fight, but she'll be back again; perhaps
to win the war!
In a series of four vignettes, the purchase of the latest Paris Model (1953) effects the lives of five women in France, in New York and in Los Angeles.
