Sadie McKee (1934) feature Joan Crawford as the title
character. The daughter of a cook, who works for a wealthy family, Sadie
has been raised quite happily with the scion of the house, Michael
Alderson (Franchot Tone). Newly returned from school, Michael
immediately alienates Sadie by criticizing her beau Tommy Wallace (Gene
Raymond). In anger, Sadie elopes with him to New York. However, before
their actual wedding, Tommy is lured off by stage singer Dolly Merrick
(Esther Ralston) to work in her act. While working in a club, Sadie
meets Jack Brennan (Edward Arnold), a very rich, but constantly drunk
gentleman who married Sadie on a whim, much to the disgust of his friend
and lawyer, Michael Alderson.
We really enjoyed this movie. It
is one that is rarely discussed, and seldom seem, which is unfortunate.
Given that Sadie spend the night with Tommy and is not punished, this
film certainly falls into the pre-code category. The scene is subtle,
but it is quite clear that Sadie has good reason to expect marriage the
next morning, and is truly devastated when Tommy betrays her. Another
interesting aspect to this film are the characterizations. Quite
honestly, with the exception of Dolly Merrick, there was something to
like about every character. Even Tommy is redeemed in the end. We were
particularly impressed with Sadie's relationship with her husband,
Jack. Her determination to see him back to sobriety and health because
"Mr. Brennan has always been good to me" shows us the essential kindness
of Sadie. But it is not just her goodness - take for example the
character of Phelps the Butler, here played by the every wonderful Leo
G. Carroll (in his first role, listed only as Leo Carroll). Phelps is
smuggling alcohol to Jack behind Sadie's back. In a rage, she fires him,
then discovers that Phelps thought he was helping his employer. Once
Sadie explains the situation, Phelps and every member of the staff vow
that no one will bring him booze.
Of course, the complicated
relationships of the movie all reach a satisfactory ending. And our Ms.
Crawford is truly wonderful as she takes on this ride into the
adventures of the kind Ms. McKee; a character one would love to meet
again! In this scene, Tommy serenades Sadie:
Dancing Lady, which stars Joan Crawford and Clark Gable, was
not the first time Ms. Crawford had danced, but it certainly put her in
with the most illustrious dancing company of her career. Her partner,
in his screen debut at MGM, is none other than the magnificent Fred
Astaire, playing himself. Of course, he would not continue with MGM,
moving over to RKO, where he would find fame with a remarkably better
dancer named Ginger Rogers. Crawford plays Janie Barlow, a would-be dancer who becomes involved with playboy Tod
Newton (Franchot Tone). Tod quickly falls in love with Janie, first
trying to help her career by getting her a job with Patch Gallagher's
(Clark Gable) new show; then sabotaging the show after he gets Janie to
promise to marry him if the show flops. Of course, Janie is a hit, and
Tod must give in gracefully.
As
with everything she does, Crawford attacks her dancing with a vengeance.
She is all arms and legs and ENERGY. When she dances with Astaire,
quite honestly, your eyes do keep moving over to Astaire, whose grace
and screen presence are already well in evidence. However, when she
dances alone, Crawford's joy is transparent. Even though she is not the
best in the world, she is fun. She makes you smile as you watch her.
Gable
is at his manly best as Patch. Witness the exercise scene with
Crawford. The sexual tension that bounces between the two of them is
transparent. (It's also very clear that this IS a pre-code film!) You
can feel the attraction through a screen (and through the many years).
With Tone (who would later become her husband), there is more of a
sibling relationship. It is interesting to note that Tone and Crawford
remained friends for life, and that Crawford actually looked after Tone
in his senior years when he was no longer able to care for himself.
Much like Grand Hotel, MGM
is showcasing some of there talent here. We have The Three Stooges
throughout the film (sorry, we are not fans, and could have lived
without them). Nelson Eddy briefly appears in the final play as
himself. And, of course, Astaire. Another nice surprise is Eve Arden
as an actress trying to land a part by affecting a southern accent. Any
time one gets even a peek at Eve Arden, it's a good day.
We
had actually seen this movie before - when we did the Precode series,
and I had blogged about it then. But, as with all good movies, each time
you see something a little different. This time, our concentration was
on Ms. Crawford. I hope we are not being redundant when we revisit a
movie! Here, we'll show you a scene without any music - just Crawford and Gable:
We hope to see you next time, with another early Crawford film.
Our latest movie is Grand Hotel, wherein Joan Crawford appears as Flaemmchen,
a stenographer who almost falls into a fate worse than death. Released
in 1932, this movie certainly falls into the Precode period. With
a stellar cast, that includes John and Lionel Barrymore, Greta Garbo,
Wallace Beery, and Jean Hersholt, the movie runs several different
plotlines that have all managed to intersect by the conclusion of the
film. Most famous as the source of Greta Garbo's most famous line ("I
want to be alone"), Grand Hotel is a showcase for MGM's biggest stars.
The
relationship of Crawford's Flaemmchen, John Barrymore's Baron, and
Lionel Barrymore's Kringelein is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the
movie. There is a real chemistry among the three, and watching the two
Barrymore brothers bounce off one another is a delight. We also get to
watch Crawford's character become infatuated with the Baron (who, of
course, is falling in love with the ballerina Grusinskaya
- played by Garbo). When we get to the conclusion, with Flaemmchen
falling into a temptation she finds almost impossible to resist, the
Baron getting into a predicament he cannot escape, and General
Director Preysing (Wallace Beery) finally getting his comeuppance, we
find ourselves mostly satisfied with the ending, if a little saddened by
its inevitability.
If you get the
opportunity to see the DVD of this film, do check out the excellent
mini-documentary that is included in the special features - it is a real
treat. This trailer will give you a look at all the stars:
As Dr.Otternschlag (Lewis Stone) tells us, "Grand
Hotel... always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever
happens." But of course, it does, and with life-changing effects. Next
time, join us for another star-studded Crawford film.
We begin today a series of viewing devoted to the films of Joan
Crawford. We are rather bound to what is in our personal collections,
but I think we can promise you some interesting choices.
We begin with one of her odder films - 1954's Johnny Guitar.
First off, it is rather strange to see Joan in a Western. I don't
believe she had ever done one before, nor did she ever do another one.
As directed by Nicholas Ray, this is also a very peculiar western. For
one thing, the lead protagonists are two women: Vienna,
as played by Joan Crawford has opened a gambling saloon just outside
town, as she waits for her land's value to appreciate with the arrival
of the railroad; and Emma Small, a local rancher who loathes Vienna for a
number of reasons, not the least of it is Emma's attraction to The
Dancing Kid (Scott Brady), who rather has eyes for Vienna. In this scene, Johnny and Emma hint at their past:
The
whole movie is centered around the conclusion, the battle between
Vienna and Emma. More than a simple catfight, it is the kind of battle
one normally expects of the male rivals in the film. In fact, for the
most part, the men are rather weak. Sure, Vienna has hired Johnny Guitar
(Sterling Hayden) to work for her - he is a reformed gunfighter and her
former lover - but he revolves within her orbit, not she around his.
Vienna and Emma are clearly alpha females. The men do their bidding.
The
personal antagonism of Ms. Crawford and Ms. McCambridge has become the
stuff of legend. On screen, they spit fire at one another. The film is
both electric and fascinating for its oddness. It verges on film noir,
yet it isn't quite.
Costuming is an important feature in Johnny Guitar.
Witness Vienna, posed in her flowing white dress, positioned next to
Emma in her black mourning weeds: Even when Vienna switches to clothing
that is less conspicuous, she puts on a blazing red shirt - matched
precisely to Ms. Crawford's bold red lipstick. Crawford
looks tall and stately (though she was only 5'4"), next to the "tiny"
Mercedes McCambridge (who was 5'3"). Even Ms. McCambrige's name in the
story - Small - speaks to her personal and physical attributes. As a
result, Vienna always stands out. Ms. Crawford makes sure of that!
Next time, we'll go on to a much earlier Crawford film. Please join us.
We close our Olivia de Havilland film festival with a film that is a personal favority of mine, 1962's Light in the Piazza. Margaret Johnson (Olivia) and her daughter Clara (Yvette Mimieux) are traveling in Italy, when they meet Fabrizio
Naccarelli (George Hamilton), a young Florentine who is immediately
besotted by the dazzling Clara. Unfortunately, Clara has a secret:
injured as a child, she has the mental capabilities of a 12-year old.
Though Margaret initially discourages the growing connection between the
couple, as Clara falls more deeply in love with Fabrizio Margaret finds
her opposition weakening.
I think
this is a beautifully romantic movie. Ms. de Havilland's role is a
tricky one. You have to believe, with Margaret, that her choices are
the best ones for both Clara and Fabrizio, not merely the romantic
imaginings of a delusional mother. Most of this is achieved by the genuine caring that Ms. de Havilland shows for her child. But a great
deal is accomplished by her co-star, George Hamilton, who portrays
Fabrizio with such beauty and sensitivity. Watch the scene where Clara
becomes hysterical, and look at the way Fabrizio gently pulls her back
from her attack. And then there is the final scene. In both cases, it
is Margaret's commentary that provide the complement to Hamilton's
caring scenes. In this scene, the lives of Clara and Margaret Johnson change forever:
We all thought that Barry Sullivan (as Clara's father, Noel) is the weak link
in the movie. Sullivan plays Noel as rather cold and distant towards
his child. We felt that we should understand his frustration with
his wife's obsession towards his daughter, but that some of the lines
(like his comment "Don't skip, dear" to his naive daughter) just made
him distasteful. You almost would rather the lovely Margaret would
remain in Italy, and find herself a nice guy (though NOT Fabrizio's
father, Rossano Brazzi. He's a bit of a cad - and married).
Light in the Piazza
was made into a Broadway musical some years ago. Though engaging, it
is not comparable to the movie. Somehow, the musical did not really
portray the romance of this film.
Next week, we'll begin a new series with another Hollywood lady. Please join us.
As we near the end of our Olivia de Havilland Festival, we have saved
the best for next to the last (we have one more to go after this one).
It's The Snake Pit - Olivia's Academy Award nominated performance as the tortured Virginia
Stuart Cunningham, whose mental collapse lands her in a mental
institution. This is truly a tour-d-force performance. What Ms. de
Havilland does with a brief glance, other actors could not do with their
entire bag of tricks. Watch her reactions change from ignorance to
disbelief to suspicion to anger in the briefest second - it is truly
magnificent. That Ms. de Havilland did not win the Oscar for 1948 is
due perhaps to the fact that her competition was fierce - she lost to
Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda.
This
film is full of wonderful performances, and features some of the
premiere actresses of the day. Let's start with Celeste Holm and Betsy
Blair as Grace and Hester, the bookends to Virginia's confinement.
Holm's Grace cares for Virginia as she begins her confinement; as
Virginia heals, she becomes mentor to the disturbed Hester (Blair).
Other patients in the hospital are portrayed by Beulah Bondi, Ruth
Donnelly, Lee Patrick, and Isabel Jewell. Though their parts are small,
each adds to the atmosphere of the hospital in their own unique way.
Another interesting performance is that of Natalie Schafer as Virginia's
mother, certainly high on the list of dysfunctional parents! On
the distaff side, we have Leo Genn as Dr. Kik, Virginia's psychiatrist,
Mark Stevens as her husband Robert, and Leif Erickson as her one-time
boyfriend, Gordon. The men however, merely serve as window-dressing.
It is the women who rule this picture. It is their performances you will
remember.
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, our discussion looks at the ever wonderful The Adventures of Robin Hood.
I have to admit that it is hard to add anything worthwhile to a
discussion of this movie. Oh, I'm willing to admit to some flaws -
perhaps Errol's tights are a little to green and shiny; perhaps Sherwood
Forest is a TAD too perfect, but still - has ANYONE ever approached a
role with a more appropriate swagger than Flynn. His introduction to
our Ms. de Havilland is perfect: "Welcome to Sherwood, my Lady", issued
with aplomb from a tree limb! And then there is Olivia - so beautiful,
radiant even, as Maid Marian. She is spunky, in all the best senses of
the word, brave, and daring. Here, she is put on trial for helping Robin's cause:
And then, there is the perfect
character castings - the ever wonderful Claude Rains as Prince John. He
is unctuous, supercilious, and all-together bad to the bone. His perfect match in evil is provided by Basil Rathbone as Sir
Guy of Gisbourne. His fencing scene with Flynn is magical - and it so
delightful to remember that Rathbone was himself an excellent fencer;
easily the match of anyone to whom he (almost always) lost to.
Eugene
Pallette as Friar Tuck is delightful (though I always seem to see him in
The Mark of Zorro, bopping the enemy on the head as he
mutters, in his gravel voice, "God forgive me"). And of course, let us
not forget Alan Hale as Little John, and Una O'Connor as Marian's maid
Bess. This is an exceptional cast - a representation of the
brilliant character casts available at Warner Brothers.
Tune in next time for another Olivia de Havilland movie.
Our discussion this week focused on 1936's Anthony Adverse. Fredric March plays the titular orphan who loves the young peasant girl Angela Guisseppi, who grows up to be Olivia de Havilland AND a great opera singer. Interestingly, we
learned from Robert Osborne that Kitty Carlisle auditioned for the role
of Angela (which makes a certain amount of sense. While she is not the
actress that our Olivia is, she is certainly an opera singer. That being
said, Ms. de Havilland is lovely in the role of a young woman who grows
to be a widely renowned opera star AND the courtesan of Napoleon
Bonaparte.
This is another of those films with an amazing cast.
Let's start with the prologue - Louis Hayward and Anita Louise as
Anthony's parents. And the always wonderful Claude Rains as the
dastardly Don Luis. We did have one question, which might have been
answered in the book (which none of us have read) - why on earth would
the wonderful John Bonnyfeather (Edmund Gwenn)
convince his adored daughter to marry such a horrible man? Short of
reading the book, I guess we'll never know. And then, as Anthony grows,
there is Gail Sondergaard as Faith
Paleologus, Mr. Bonnyfeather's housekeeper. She is just so wonderfully
bitchy. She and Rains make the perfect pair in this movie (maybe even
MORE perfect than Anthony and Angela!!) And Billy Mauch as the
10-year-old Anthony, who is quite good (and rather adorable, without
being sugary).
The one performance we found totally laughable was that of Steffi Duna as Neleta,
Anthony's tropical mistress. Someone seems to have told Ms. Duna that
they way to express evil was to continuously narrow and widen her eyes.
We were in stitches (luckily, she is not on the screen for too long). A
quick check of her film history revealed that she did, in fact, appear
in 22 films - until she married Dennis O'Keefe in 1940. Then she seems
to have retired.
This is one of
those impressive epic adventures, whose reputation seems to have not
survived as well as it should. It has a lot of excellent performances (Gale
Sondergaard won the first Best Supporting Actress award that year - the
first year it was awarded. She won against such notables as Maria
Ouspenskaya and
Beulah Bondi). If you get a chance to see it, it is certainly worth
your time. And while our Ms. de Havilland doesn't have much screen
time, she makes good use of what she has (especially the early scenes
with March).
Here's the trailer:
Next time, join us for one of Ms. de Havilland's more serious performances.
This week, we're discussing Errol Flynn's first western, 1939's Dodge City. In it, Olivia plays Abbie
Irving, a young woman who is forced to move to the godless Dodge City
after the death of her father. Unfortunately, she has to get there with
her drunken brat of a brother (William Lundigan),
who starts a cattle stampede with his gun-play, and ends up getting
himself killed. Of course, Abbie blames wagon master Wade Hatton
(Flynn). Wade meanwhile, enters Dodge City to find it being run by
former adversary Jeff Surrett (Bruce Cabot), and after a horrible incident decides he is the one to bring law and order to Dodge.
This
movie is full to the brim with wonderful character performances. We
have the usual Flynn sidekick, Alan Hale as well as Guinn "Big Boy"
Williams. We have a rare character visit from the gorgeous Ann
Sheridan (one wonders if Jack Warner was angry at her that week to give
her such a small part), as well as the ever-wonderful Frank McHugh as newspaper
publisher Joe Clemens. And the adorable Bobs Watson as Harry
Cole, the reason that law comes to Dodge. With a cast like this, (and
these names are just the tip of the iceberg) can you really lose?
I
have major problems with seeing Bruce Cabot in pretty much anything
since I heard about his horrible actions to Errol Flynn later in their
careers. But one must admit he is truly loathsome here. Olivia is
spunky, in all the best senses of the word, especially in the later
portions of the movie (it is as though we get to watch Abbie grow up). Here is one of their love scenes:
It is truly funny to see the screenwriters making an excuse for
Flynn's presence in a Western (Wade is from Ireland, and has traveled
the world). Finally, we all adored Frank McHugh - he is funny and
touching in this small, but important role. His performance in the film is well worth emphasizing.
