Ms. Lombard Meets Mr. Powell

One so frequently thinks of Carole Lombard as the madcap that we forget the many dramatic parts she does. THIS is one of them. This week, we are looking at her 1931 film Man of the World.  Here she plays heiress Mary Kendall, who is close to marrying Frank Thompson (Lawrence Gray), but falls in love with con-man and blackmailer Michael Trevor (William Powell).  Just when it seems that Trevor is about to give up his wicked ways for Mary, he realizes that their life together is doomed and openly blackmails her uncle, in order to drive Mary away.

We were surprised at the bleakness of this film. Unhappiness is rampant here. No one ends this film on a happy note (except maybe Frank). And given that this is precode, we expected a warmer ending.  But, it seems everyone gets punished for Michael trying to mend his ways. 

Lombard is, as always, lovely.  She is also touching. Her Mary is warm and fragile, deeply in love with Michael, willing to forgive his past, and devastated by his betrayal.  And Powell is also wonderful here. His Michael truly loves; he even has feelings for his partner-in-crime, Irene (Wynne Gibson). She loves him and finally convinces him that his relationship with Mary is impossible, leading the the unhappy ending.

This film was released before Lombard and Powell married, and it was here that they met. While the marriage didn't last all that long, the friendship between the two did. They are quite sweet together in the film; their affection for one another is evident. It also was nice to see them in something other than My Man Godfrey (oh, and we all LOVE My Man Godfrey). We enjoyed having the opportunity to see something that was serious.

Next week, we do another serious Lombard movie - In Name Only.

Carole Lombard Joins Movie Night

We've decided to begin a mini-Carole Lombard festival for movie night (mini in the sense that we've done a bunch of her movies in the past, and won't repeat most of them) We started with We're Not Dressing.  This is a very silly movie.  Carole plays an heiress, pursued by two men (one of who is a very young and callow Ray Milland!!), but she instead falls in unwilling love with a hand aboard her yacht.  His claim to fame? He can sing to her pet gorilla.  He, of course, is Bing Crosby, so we get treated to a number of songs by the maestro of 1930s pop. 

We wondered if Lina Wertmuller (Swept Away) had seen this movie, because it is the same plot, only done for humor.  And we have additional humor in the form of the delicious Gracie Allen.  We talked a lot about Gracie.  As always, she is so funny - living in her own world, and bemused that others don't get it.  This movie, however, shows the earlier incarnation of George Burns, as an exasperated and annoyed onlooker to Gracie's viewpoint.  We much prefer him in the 50s, when his response to her nonsense was always "I love her, that's why". 

We were also amused by the "special effects", obvious cuts between a real gorilla and a man in a costume.  Really, they did do a decent job in the transition.  (Why we needed the dumb gorilla, we never quite figured out.  It really was silly beyond belief). 

Is this a great movie? NO. Is it funny - yes, it is.  Thanks to Gracie Allen, and some lovely work by the ever luminous Ms. Lombard, it is funny.  Certainly worth a look (and if you like to listen to Bing Crosby singing, again - worth your time.)  And here is Crosby singing to Lombard in the trailer:

Wayne and Colbert

Again, we had a bit of a break in our meetings, but we are back together, and decided to follow up The Searchers with another (and very different John Wayne movie.  This time, we saw Without Reservations, a light comedy feature Claudette Colbert as hit writer Christopher "Kit" Madden (think of her as Margaret Mitchell crossed with Ayn Rand), whose best-seller is about to be turned into a motion picture.  En route to the west coast, Kit meets two fliers, Rusty Thomas (John Wayne) and Dink Watson (Don DeFore). A few seconds with Rusty, and Kit is convinced that he is the embodiment of her lead character, Mark Winston.  She attaches herself to him, in hopes that he will portray her character in the upcoming movie. 

We found it a bit disconcerting to see Claudette Colbert going so totally gaga over a man as to be downright silly.  She doesn't want to tell Wayne her real name, so she adopts the pseudonym Kit - short for Kitty - Klotch.  Klotch?? She is a writer; one would think she could write herself a better character. And then she gets on a train without a ticket (because the boys are going on the less expensive train. She has first class accommodations on the SuperChief). Of course, hijinks  ensue, and love - eventually - follows.  Here's a scene on the train, in which Rusty discusses Kit's book:


On the plus side was a cameo by Cary Grant (always welcome), and Don DeFore as Dink was quite fun.  We spoke at some length about DeFore, an actor who we felt was highly underrated, and probably should have had a more extensive career.  But John Wayne making eyes at Dona Drake (as Dolores Ortega) just made no sense when the lovely Claudette was there.  We kinda wondered why Kit would stand around doing dishes while the men flirt with Dolores. The car they are in belongs to Kit. If WE were Kit, we would have left them behind!! (And gone looking for Cary Grant).

Okay, so not our favorite movie, but we didn't hate it. It's tongue is mostly in its cheek, and it does seem to know how totally silly it all is.  With the second World War over, this lighthearted look at a couple of fliers must have been a welcome relief.

We will be back soon. We'll be spending some time with the glorious Carole Lombard.

Searching for "The Searchers"

We haven't met for awhile (vacations and family issues), and returned to our get-together with the decision to step away from Pre-code for awhile.  One member of our group had never seen The Searchers. So, we ventured into Monument Valley, to the land of Ford and Wayne.

It is pointless to say this is a brilliant movie.  My friend was struck immediately by the beauty of the scenery.  The cinematography here is unparalleled.  The vistas breathtaking.  The differences between the beauty of the country, and the almost dingy homes of the settlers is, at times, unnerving: low doors compared to endless skies.   

We had to note this is NOT a holiday movie - with Christmas almost here, it was a leap of faith for my friend to watch this.  It is a relentless film. At times, the pain is overwhelming.  After the film, we looked again at the scene where Ethan bids Martha goodbye, with Ward Bond carefully not watching their interchange. With minimal dialogue, this chaste kiss on the forehead becomes palpably heartbreaking. We know that these two have a past; we know too, they have no future.  Here is that scene:



Finally, there is John Wayne. His Ethan Edwards is a revelation. Every one of his critics should be forced to watch this brilliant performance. Certainly, it is his best performance (and that is saying a lot, when you consider his work in Red River, Stagecoach, The Quiet Man, and the cavalry trilogy), and I think his most unusual.  One doesn't think of John Wayne being so callous. The character's bigotry is hard to watch, but put in the context of the rest of the movie, he is, in many respects, no different than the other settlers.  Listen to Laurie Jorgenson's (Vera Miles) attitude to Debbie's possible return.  Even Marty is tainted - his treatment of Look is unforgivable, in fact it makes your skin crawl.  The only character who is, I think, truly good here is Olive Carey's Mrs. Jorgenson, who continues to love Debbie, no matter where her life has turned. 

Next week, we'll be heading to a more festive film.  Hope to see you then.

Crawford Sings and Dances

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.

Precode Royalty - AHH Garbo!

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:



Next time - Dancing Lady

Precode Golddiggers

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.

Precode, Busby and Cagney

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.

More Berkeley next time.

I Cover the Waterfront

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!

Halloween and the Precode Era

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:

Happy Halloween all!!