This week, we decided to watch Dancing Lady (1933), famous for
Joan Crawford's only turn at dancing with Fred Astaire (it was his first
picture - as himself). In some senses, this movie is wannabe Busby
Berkeley. Watch the sillouhette scene, where we see young ladies
apparently undresssing, and then the reveal to show that they have
changed into a rather revealing costume for a good example of this.
Joan Crawford stars as the titled Dancing Lady - Janie Barlow, a
burlesque dancer who is determined to hit the big time. With the
assistance of high-society's Tod Newton (Franchot Tone), Janie gets a
letter of introduction to Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable), a Broadway
producer. Her dancing skills land her a part in the chorus; her
determination and pluck land her the lead in the musical.
Of
course, we have a love triangle here: Janie, Tod and Patch; though, in
some ways, her love of Patch is as much her love of dancing. Tod is
high society; he attempts to change Janie ("No shoes with bows on
them". "But I like shoes with bows!"), Patch loves her for who she is.
It is interesting that in some senses this triangle mimicked Crawford's
real life. There have long be rumors of liaisons between her and Gable;
she and Tone were married from 1935 to 1939.
Precode naughy bits
run through the movie. The previously mentioned dance number, the
burlesque strip that opens the film (and almost results in Janie's
imprisonment), a scene where Janie undresses for bed, as the flashing
neon lights outside her NYC apartment flash to reveal what her slip
covers. And then, there is Tod's interest in setting Janie up as his
lover (which she rejects). All rather racy by standards a year later.
Finally, there is the dancing in the movie. It is wonderful to see Astaire in his first picture, and of course his dancing is great. But Crawford, who did start out as a dancer is rather an odd dancer. Her style is rather flapper-ish - her arms and legs splay around. She's not really graceful.
We took a look at an earlier dance number that was featured in That's Entertainment, and it is pretty much the same. A trailer gives you an idea of some of the dancing:
Thankfully, Crawford turned to dramatic parts. We'll look at one of those next time.
For this meeting, we looked at Garbo's Queen Christina.
This is a wonderful film in so many ways. Let's begin at the beginning
- before we even see the glorious Garbo. We were so impressed by Cora
Sue Collins as the young Christina. Just her walk told her story. Only
six years old, but already with a mind of her own, and the ability to
rule, she is both amusing and enthralling. I look forward to seeing a
few more of this actress' films (she appears to have "retired" in 1945).
Then,
we get to Garbo. Her relationship with Aage (C. Aubrey Smith), her
body-man, is unique indeed. How many films actually show a man walking
unbidden into a woman's bedroom to awaken her for the day's work?
Immediately, we understand the dichotomy that is Christina. We quickly
discover she has a lover (Ian Keith, as Count Magnus) and perhaps
another one in the person of her lady-in-waiting, Ebba (Elizabeth
Young). The kiss that Christina bestows on her young maid, and her
anger at discovering Ebba with a young man point up that there is much
more to this relationship than merely that of a Queen and her
handmaiden.
Finally, we get to her nights with John Gilbert. How
is it that EVERY item in the room seems to be phallic? Even a bunch of
grapes make one sit up and take notice. We felt that John Gilbert is a
very underrated actor. We were not sure why his career ended so early.
As we all know, his voice was just fine. Perhaps a bit tenor, but
certainly not unpleasant, and the chemistry between him and Garbo is
palpable. His duel with Ian Keith was exciting; his death scene totally
moving. And then, there is Garbo again. Her face a mask of
determination and pain. I defy anyone to not be moved at the sight of
her staring off into her future. Here it is:
This week, we look at Gold Diggers of 1933, another Busby
Berkeley musical. It looks at the Depression through the eyes of
showgirls who are trying to survive as theatricals close under them.
Enter Brad Roberts (Dick Powell), a young man eager to break into show
business as a songwriter. He agrees to finance a show, as long as it
features his music and stars his love, Polly Parker (Ruby Keeler). Brad
is, it seems, quite wealthy, the younger son of a family that has agreed
to his ambitions as long as he changes his name. However, once his
older brother Lawrence (played by William Warren) finds out that young
Brad is planning on marrying a showgirl, mayhem ensues. Carol's friend
Polly (Joan Blondell) is mistaken by Lawrence for Carol, and Polly
decides to play along.
During the musical numbers, Billy Barty is
back, again as a child in the "Pettin' in the Park" number, oogling all
the lovely ladies. The number ends with the famous scene of him handing
a can opener to Dick Powell, so he can cut the "protected" Ruby Keeler
out of her tin armor. But as racy as the number is, perhaps the
interaction among Joan Blondell, William Warren, Aline MacMahon (as
Trixie Lorraine, another showgirl) and Guy Kibbee ("Fanny", the object
of Trixie's golddigging). The girls con expensive hats out of the men -
retribution for their mission to break up Brad and Carol. And let's not
forget the lovely Fay (Ginger Rogers), whose last name is Fortune, and
who, quite frankly, is looking for one.Of course, all comes right in
then end - Brad get Carol, Polly gets Lawrence, and even Trixie get
"Fanny".
We were surprised that, in this lighthearted romp, the
number that ended the musical is "Remember My Forgotten Man". Its somber
tone is in direct contrast to the rest of the movie, and that it ends
the movie is a statement in and of itself. Coming out in the middle of
the Depression, it reminds the audience of the environment to which they
must return. Here is that scene:
And so, next week we pick up with a more serious story. Hope you'll visit with us again.
We decided it was time to go back to some lighter fare, and since Footlight Parade had a brief moment in Wild Boys of the Road,
we opted to start there. It goes without saying that this movie is
worth seeing if only to watch James Cagney dance (and act. Then again,
he could read a telephone book, and I would watch). But this is a fun
movie, with the added attraction of Joan Blondell. A little tap dancing
from Ruby Keeler, a song from Dick Powell - this is a movie not to be
missed.
In some senses, the plot is not important here. It's the
musical numbers you pay closest attention to. Indeed, most of the more
suggestive bits of this movie are in the musical numbers: "Honeymoon
Hotel", with the silhouette of the apparently naked ladies; "Sitting on
a Backyard Fence" (did Andrew Lloyd Weber see this before making Cats?),
and, of course, "Shanghai Lil". Billy Barty's
Mouse/Little Boy is just oh -so naughty!! Here is the "Shanghai Lil" number:
Busby Berkeley has this
way of making his number ever so slightly off-color, yet they are so
spectacular, that you end up going "did I just see that"? But this
suggestion goes with the lush sets of the musical numbers; it
compliments and enhances the over-the-top and unique vision that is
Berkeley. And then there is Cagney: brash, gutsy, sexy, and with a
dancing style that is hard to imitate (the closest I ever saw was
Mikhail Baryshnikov in his wonderful tv special Baryshnikov on Broadway). We so rarely get to see Cagney dance; double pleasure here.
I'll just start out by saying that this movie was a big
disappointment. We were all so pleased to find another early Claudette
Colbert movie, but she has so little to do here that it was just a waste
of her great talents. I Cover the Waterfront follows reporter
Joe Miller (Ben Lyon) as he tries to get the goods on Eli Kirk (Ernest
Torrence), a smuggler who deals in illegal Chinese immigrants. The
beginning is pretty horrific - about to be trapped by the authorities,
Kirk throws his "cargo" overboard (bound with chains to make absolutely
sure he sinks), with a shrug and the comment that "He knew what he was
getting into." The big complication here is that Kirk has a daughter,
Julie (played by Colbert), and our hero Joe falls in love with her. In
the end, Julie must choose between Joe and her father.
The
meeting between Julie and Joe IS rather funny. Joe receives a report of a
nude woman swimming in the ocean. It's Julie, and it seems she does it
all the time. She doesn't like swimsuits (then again, if one thinks of
the suits at THAT time, one can understand why!). Joe camps himself
beside her clothing, so she is unable to get dressed, and of course, he
won't leave until she agrees to meet him again. Here's a later scene, with Julie and Joe:
We can't really recommend this one, though it is nice to see Claudette in just about anything. Better yet, get Torch Singer!
To celebrate Halloween, we decided to watch the 1931 Dracula
with Bela Lugosi in the title role. What can we say about this iconic
film? To get a bit of perspective, we looked at a scene (the "I never
drink...wine" scene) from the 1931 Spanish-language version which was
shot on the same set as Lugosi's film. Carlos Villar (also known as
Carlos Villarias), who plays the infamous Conte Dracula, probably ends
up being unfairly compared to Lugosi. Sure, he's good, but Lugosi's
Dracula is charismatic. It is why, when we think of Dracula today, we
still tend to think of Lugosi. He's overstated at times, but he is
arresting. It is hard to take your eyes off of him. And of course, they
could not make this sensual a Dracula for years. Perhaps the Frank
Langella version 1979 is an attempt to recapture the sexual nature of
the Count on film.
We also talked a lot about the way in which certain films (this one and Frankenstein, in particular. Both, by the way, from the Precode era. Frankenstein was released only a few months before Dracula) completely overpower their original work. Frankenstein the movie, has so entirely kidnapped the book, that when we say "Frankenstein", who do we automatically think of? - the creature, of course. And it is the wonderful Boris Karloff that we remember. We forget that "Frankenstein" is the DOCTOR, not his creation. And I think, even with all the Frankensteins that have come after, we forget that there ever was a Creature other than Mr. Karloff. A tribute to his portrayal, and the wonderful makeup created by Jack Pierce.
Dracula, the book certainly is very sexual And it is wonderful that this mood
was able to be captured on film. Though, the film goes away from the
book frequently (we lose Lucy the vampire, and Jonathan Harker does not
go to Transylvania), we were rather taken from one major change -
Renfield as the lawyer who ends up as Dracula's first victim. It makes
rather a nice touch to have this explanation for Renfield's madness (and
an explanation as well for his rebellion against Dracula when Mina
Seward is threatened).
This montage of clips from the film might be of interest:
For those of us only familiar with Gloria Swanson's work in Sunset Boulevard, Indiscreet
is a revelation. No, this is not the Cary Grant / Ingrid Bergman film,
but a 1931 romantic comedy which is a lovely vehicle for Gloria
Swanson's many talents. The story centers around Gerry Trent; we come
in on her life as she breaks up with her cheating boyfriend, Jim
Woodward (Monroe Owsley). We find out quickly that their relationship
is more than casual when Gerry hands Jim his golf clubs from her hall
closet!
Several months later, Gerry meets and falls in love with
Tony Blake (Ben Lyon). After much consideration, she decides to tell
Tony about her prior relationship. He accepts her confession, asks that
she not tell him the name of the man, and tells her that he wants to
marry her. Problems ensue when Gerry's younger sister returns with her
fiance - Jim Woodward. Gerry is horrified, and attempts to break up Jim
and Joan (Barbara Kent). However, her attempts appear to Tony to be an
affair with Jim, and Tony decides to leave for Europe. All is resolved
when Tony releases that he is being an idiot and goes back for Gerry.
They will marry on the ship.
This is a total vehicle for Swanson,
with director Leo McCarey using all her varied talents, comedic and
dramatic. Swanson's pantomime skills, as she tries to convince party
guests that she is loony, are a joy, as is a similar scene when she
tries to sneak aboard the ship on which Tony is leaving the country.
She will have you in stitches. But, she also sings (and isn't bad); and
her Gerry is so sweet and sympathetic that she has you rooting for her
all the way.
This is a delightful movie; a real surprise, and I heartily recommend it. We'll leave you with a clip of Ms. Swanson singing in the film.
Hell's House from 1932 is one of the precode era's
social reform pictures. It is the story of a young man, living with his loving
aunt and uncle after the death of his mother, who is befriended by a
bootlegger. In an effort to make a little extra money, young Jimmy
(played by Junior Durkin) begins working for the bootlegger, is caught, and is sent to an horrific reform school, where
the boys are routinely tortured by the cruel punishments. In an effort
to save his dying friend Shorty, Jimmy escapes and tells his story to a
newspaper. Alas, it is in vain, Shorty dies from his punishment. But
Jimmy is saved when the bootlegger Kelly finally agrees to confess that
he alone was responsible, and that Jimmy had no idea of Kelly's
occupation. It was strange to see Pat O'Brien playing such a
callow fellow. One is not used to seeing him as a villain. And Bette
Davis is in a very minor role as Kelly's girlfriend, a sweet woman (NOT a
moll), who is horrified when she learns of Jimmy's fate, and that her boyfriend was the cause.
This is not a great movie by any means, but
interesting to see the social concerns of the era. Certainly, the boys'
lives in the detention center are no walks in the spring rain, but the
"horrors" are mild by comparison of what we would see today. See it for
an opportunity to view an early Bette Davis film, or Pat O'Brien in a
completely different vein. Here's is a bit of the film's opening:
Wild Boys of the Road! We laughed about the title for
weeks. We were sure it would be quite silly We were WRONG. This is a
fascinating movie. It focuses on three children - two boys and a girl,
about age 15 - who set off on the road because the depression has made
them a burden to their families. The boys, Eddie (Frankie Darrow) and
Tommy (Edwin Phillips) are friends; Tommy's family is already feeling
the poverty of the era, when Eddie's father loses his job. Eddie tries
to help by selling his car, but it is not enough, so the two boys
determine to leave home in order to find work. Of course, they can't.
They meet other children in the same predicament and are chased from
place to place, as their numbers grow and town citizenry become
disenchanted with this gang of impoverished children.
The unique thing about Wild Boys of the Road is that none of the children are mean-spirited or cruel. When Sally (Dorothy Coonan, who would become Wellman's wife) is raped, it is by an adult - her companions rush to her defense. When Eddie loses a leg in an accident, all the children work to support him. Here's that scene:
The beauty of this film is the fact that director Wellman
makes sure that the children are seen in a positive light. Their
existence is almost communal, with all the children staying together, all
contributing to the support of the group. Though they seem to lose
track of their original goal, to support their impoverished families, we
later discover they still hold that goal close to their heart. It is
just that the crushing poverty in which they find themselves make
survival become the priority. The performances, especially Frankie
Darrow, are a joy.
We watched a few minutes of the commentary
(and I look forward to watching the rest of it at a later date); what we
heard was fascinating. The ending is a positive one, but we learned
that Welllman had wanted a far more downbeat ending. We agreed with the
commentator who said that we preferred the positive ending. Had the
film ended differently, I think it would have been unbearable. [And -
an aside - look at the picture on the desk of NYC judge. He will become
famous as a TV actor in later life. The answer is in the commentary].
Don't let the title turn you off. Do watch this. We think you will agree with us, that Wild Boys of the Road is a forgotten gem.
Heroes for Sale is nearly unrelenting in the intensity
of pain that the character of Tom Holmes (Richard Barthelmess) goes
through. A soldier in the first World War, who is severelywounded in an
enemy action, he ends up addicted to morphine when his German doctor can
only relieve his pain rather than remove the shrapnel in his body. He
returns to America to find that his fellow soldier George (Grant
Mitchell) has been given awards for bravery for leading the action in
which Tom was injured, while George hid in a foxhole, paralyzed with
fear. George attempts to help his friend, as much out of fear of being
revealed as anything else, until Tom's addiction becomes known, at which
point Tom is fired from his bank job and put into a rehabilitation
center.
Cured of his drug problem, Tom starts over, marries
(Loretta Young as Ruth), becomes successful, only to have everything
taken away from him yet again. He loses his job, his wife, his son and
finally ends up one of the depression homeless, primarily because he
refuses to live upon the pain of his fellow man.
William Wellman
never lets up in this story. Just when you think Tom will make it,
something else happens to him. Richard Barthelmess is wonderful as Tom.
We felt for him at every moment. He had had a remarkable career in
silents, which continued into the 1930's, finally petering out
(unfortunately) in the 1940's. We had previously seen him in Only Angels Have Wings, and looked forward to seeing him in a lead role; he was not a disappointment.
Unlike the previously discussed Midnight Mary, Loretta Young plays an innocent girl in Heroes for Sale, someone who loves her husband and son
with her whole heart. Young is quite good in what is really a small part.
Besides Barthelmess, though, the other actor of real interest is Aline MacMahon as Mary Dennis. Of particular note is a
scene during which she realizes that Tom has feelings for Ruth. Watch her face -
Aline MacMahon will break your heart.
Ms. MacMahon began her career in 1931, and continued working until 1975. She had started on Broadway, appearing in The Madras House in 1921 - she would continue to work on the New York stage until 1975. She spent her film career in supporting roles, like Trixie Lorraine in Gold Diggers of 1933 and Mrs. Murray in The Search. Married once (from 1928 until her husband's death in 1975), she retired in after completing For the Use of the Hall. She died in 1991, aged 92.
Here's a scene with the always wonderful Aline MacMahon and Richard Barthelmess:
Next week, we conclude this particular precode set with Wild Boys of the Road.
