Doris Attinger (Judy Holliday) shoots her philandering husband, Warren (Tom Ewell) after she finds him in the arms of Beryl Caighn (Jean Hagen). The case intrigues attorney Amanda Bonner (Katharine Hepburn), who sees it as a means of striking a blow for women's rights. But there is a complication - her husband Adam (Spencer Tracy) is the assistant DA assigned to prosecute the case. Our film this time is Adam's Rib (1949).
Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy are delightful as a happily married couple on opposite sides of the political fence (she's a Democrat; he's a Republican) and opposing each other in a media circus of a trial. Amanda is convinced that if the defendant were a man, she would not be on trial for shooting her cheating spouse. Adam says the gender shouldn't matter - it's the letter of the law that counts, and someone who shoots another deserves jail time, no matter the reason for it.
The dialog between the couple fairly crackles - it's smart, sexy, and amusing. Written by Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon (who were friends of Tracy and Hepburn), the screenplay was written with the acting duo in mind. The story was inspired by the divorce of Raymond Massey and Adrianne Allen, who hired a married couple as their representation. The Massey/Allen divorce resulted in two divorces, when lawyers William and Dorothy Whitney also divorced, each to marry their client (TCM's The Big Idea).
While this was not Judy Holliday's first film, it was a major breakthrough for her. She's wonderful as the remarkably dim Doris - the audience feels sorry for her, at the same time shakes their collective heads at her naivety. Ms. Holliday was appearing on Broadway in her first starring role - that of Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday. In fact, she filmed Adam's Rib during the day, and rushed back to the Henry Miller Theatre to appear in the play each evening. Ms. Holliday badly wanted to appear in the film version of Born Yesterday, but Columbia's Harry Cohn had no interest in her. So, Katharine Hepburn devised various means to bring Ms. Holliday into a position that Mr. Cohn could not say no (TCM The Essentials), even going so far as to plant stories that Ms. Holliday was stealing the movie (TCM's Behind the Camera) from Tracy and Hepburn.
Jean Hagen is also spectacular as the Other Woman. This was her first film, and she's a riot in her small scene with Katharine Hepburn. Beryl Caighn is reminiscent of Ms. Hagen's most famous role - Lena Lamont in Singin' in the Rain, but we should never forget that Ms. Hagen was a versatile actress who really never rose to the level of success that she should have.
If there is one weak link in the film, it's Tom Ewell as the cheating husband. It's hard to imagine what either Doris or Beryl could see in this uncouth lout. A cheater, an abusive husband - he's despicable, and Mr. Ewell doesn't attempt to make him in any way attractive. We're not particularly fans of Mr. Ewell - it seemed to us there should be something about him that would seem appealing to two women. We didn't see it.
David Wayne (Kip Lurie) has the pleasure of singing a "Farewell, Amanda" which Cole Porter wrote for the film. He's really funny as a fey composer who is the bane of Adam's existence. He's flirtatious, rude, and downright obnoxious - a man with some talent who thinks he can dominate every event. We wondered why the Bonner's would have it at their party (to play the piano), when Kip spends most of his time insulting the guests and Adam. It was Katharine Hepburn who convinced Mr. Porter to write the song, but he would only do it if they changed the name of the character from Madeleine (AFI catalog). At which point, they decided to also change the name of the male character from Ned to Adam.
Several other actors have small parts, and their presence in the film is most welcome. Marvin Kaplan as the Court Stenographer will be remembered more for his voice than his face - he was Choo-Choo in the animated series Top Cat. Madge Blake, who played a plethora of older women (including Aunt Harriet on the Batman television series) appears briefly as Adam's mother. And Hope Emerson (Olympia La Pere) gets to play a strong woman who has one of the funnier bits in the film.
The film has been criticized for undercutting Katharine Hepburn's bit for women's rights at the end (Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial in Film by Cynthia Lucia), but we felt that the movie did justice to the points of view of both attorneys. Amanda is right - women are treated unequally by the law, but Adam is right that men should be held to the same standards.
Two other titles preceded this one - Love is Legal and Man and Wife (Spencer Tracy: A Biography by James Curtis). The second title was changed, as the PCA found it suggestive. What they didn't seem to notice was that in the first scene in Adam's and Amanda's bedroom, while it has two large beds, clearly only one of them was used that night - the second bed is neatly made, and the other pillow in Adam's bed is has a head dent in it!
The New York Times review by Bosley Crowther was quite positive, calling it a "bang-up frolic". Other reviews were equally complimentary (TCM Critics Corner).
In 1973, there was a very brief TV series based on the film with Ken Howard and Blythe Danner. The film has also been included in Jeremy Arnold's first book of The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why they Matter. This is definitely a film that should be on your must-see list - here's a trailer:
Cole Porter (Cary Grant), a law student at Yale opts to discard a career as a jurist to take up songwriting in Night and Day (1946) a very loose interpretation of Mr. Porter's life and career.
Since the release of DeLovely (2004), Night and Day has had to bear the brunt of its claim to being a biography of Cole Porter. Quite frankly, it's not. It's a way of incorporating a vast array of Mr. Porter's glorious music into a film, and tell a story at the same time. Let's go over a few of the facts, and then we can talk about the film as a story, not a biography.
Cole Porter did attend Yale, and one of his classmates was Monty Woolley (Mr. Woolley, who plays himself, was NOT a professor at Yale). The sinking of the Lusitania had nothing to do with the failure of See America First, as the ship sunk in May 1915, and the musical opened in March 1916. Mr. Porter was not wounded in combat during World War I; he is listed as serving in the French Foreign Legion during the war (Broadway, The American Musical). He also spent time in Paris partying and met his future wife in Paris. Linda Lee Thomas was well aware of Mr. Porter's sexuality when they married - she had come from an abusive first marriage. Linda Lee Porter never officially left Cole - in fact, it was she that worked with the doctors to keep them from amputating his leg following his horseback riding accident. She continued as his health advocate until her death in 1954 (Cole Porter obituary). Following her death, doctors convinced him to allow the amputation, and he lived as a recluse for the rest of his life (as Linda feared). Mr. Porter was as openly gay as the era would allow (The New Yorker). Regardless, he and Linda loved one another and were inseparable - les Colporteurs (Smithsonian Magazine).
As you can see from the photo, The Porters looked nothing like their on-screen imitators. Linda wanted Alexis Smith to play her, and when she expressed her desires to Warner Brothers executives, Cole jokingly said that Cary Grant should play him (Cary Grant: In Name Only by Gary Morecambe & Martin Sterling). Mr. Grant and Ms. Smith are wonderful together, and Ms. Smith was thrilled to be working with him. Though he could be very definite in his opinions - for example, Mr. Grant demanded that his suit be cut so that only an eighth of an inch of cuff should show, Ms. Smith commented on his "care and attention" to the character (TCM article). This was Mr. Grant's first technicolor film.
Warner Brothers incorporated their best character people into the film. Eve Arden finally gets a chance to sing as French performer Gabrielle, who introduces Porter's song "I'm Unlucky at Gambling." Jane Wyman (Gracie Harris) also gets a chance to show her vocal talents. Dorothy Malone (Nancy) has some brief scenes with Donald Woods (Dr. Ward Blackburn) as her husband and Cole's friend and physician. Alan Hale (Leon Dowling) turns up as a theatrical producer who doesn't see the beauty of Cole's compositions. And Henry Stephenson (Omer Porter) is sympathetic as Cole's grandfather.
Monty Woolley gets to play himself, and get off some bon mots while he is at it. He pops in and out of the film, as Woolley wanders in and out of the Porters' lives (and back and forth from New York to Hollywood). There is some amusing banter as he goes off to film The Man Who Came to Dinner - he'd starred in the Broadway play (he almost didn't get the movie role - Warner Brother considered Fredric March, Charles Laughton, Robert Benchley, John Barrymore, and Charles Coburn).
Mary Martin, who got her start in Cole Porter's Leave it to Me, reprises her hit song from the musical, "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (though this song, along with several of the others, are cleaned up versions of Mr. Porter's sometimes rather racy lyrics). Ginny Simms (Carole Hill), the woman who works with Porter in a music store in the film, is very loosely based on Ethel Merman. Ms Merman had appeared in earlier plays, but her first starring role was as Reno Sweeney in Mr. Porter's Anything Goes (AFI catalog).
The New York Timesreview by Thomas M. Prior (T.M.P.) was positive, though even Mr. Prior pointed out that it wasn't really a biography. When the film DeLovely was released in 2004, The Times again wrote about Night and Day as part of a discussion of the biographical aspects of the two movies.
If you are not a stickler for facts, and would like to see some fine acting, pleasant singing, and spectacular songs, this film is worth a viewing or two. We'll leave you with the trailer:
Jim (Cary Grant) and Muriel Blandings (Myrna Loy) are a happily married couple living in a three bedroom apartment with their two daughters, Joan (Sharyn Moffett) and Betsy (Connie Marshall), and their maid, Gussie (Louise Beavers). Jim is a successful ad man, making a nice salary, and while he loves his family, he yearns for a home with more room. When he stumbles upon an ad for a farmhouse in Connecticut, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).
If you’ve ever bought a house, redesigned your abode, or even picked out paint samples, this film is for you. The combination of Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas (Bill Cole) is a trio not to be missed. Add in a truly wonderfully supporting cast, and you have a VERY funny movie, which even today rings so true.
Cary Grant is delightful as a family man who is feeling the physical constraints of his crowded New York City apartment. It's very clear that the Blandings are well-off by contemporary standards. Jim makes a good salary, but there are limits, and Mr. Grant effectively pulls off the frustration of a man who is sinking his salary into a construction project that feels like a money pit. Some aspects of home buying have (thankfully) changed - no one today would dream of buying a home without a professional building inspection - but Jim's limitations as a home buyer add significantly to the humor in the film. Cary Grant and Myrna Loy did three films together (the other two are Wings in the Dark (1937) and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)); this would be their final film together (TCM article).
Myrna Loy has long proved her talent for comedy, and her fine touch is demonstrated perfectly here. Her rapport with Mr. Grant is wonderful - an early scene, in which he brings her an early morning cup on coffee is a sweet comment on the intimacy of their marriage. As Jim hands her the cup, he lightly strokes the top of her head; she sleepily smiles. Later, as they try to perform their morning ablutions in their tiny bathroom, Jim gently pushes her head down so he can adjust the mirror on the medicine cabinet. It's those little touches that make this very much the story of a marriage. As Jeanine Basinger says, Ms. Loy "always remained relaxed, natural...There was an honesty to her, and a subtext that put her quietly in charge of everything." (I Do and I Don't: A History of Marriage in the Movies). One of my favorite scenes in the film is her selection of paint for the house. Think about the plethora of paint chips in the local paint store today!
The last member of the trio is the realist in their midst - Jim's best friend and lawyer, Bill Cole - who, it turns out, was also one of Muriel's beaux in college. Melvyn Douglas is wry (if somewhat frustrated) by Jim's impetuosity, and the contrast is wonderful. Their regard for one another is clear - even when Jim shows moments of jealousy, the audience knows it can't possibly last. Mr. Douglas had already appeared with Ms. Loy in Third Finger, Left Hand (1940), however they were close friends due to their mutual interest in liberal politics (TCM article).
Louise Beavers is terrific as Gussie, the one calm, practical member of the family. When all else is falling apart, Gussie keeps the home humming. Though her acting career was spent playing maids, she always brought warmth and dignity to the parts. She's best remembered today for films like Imitation of Life (1934), She Done Him Wrong (1933), and The Jackie Robinson Story (1950), and was one of three actresses to portray Beulah on television - the first television series to star an African-American actress. In her private life, she served as a board member for the Screen Actors' Guild (Hollywood Black: The Stars, The Films, The Filmakers by Donald Bogle). Her career is discussed in depth in African American Actresses: The Struggle for Visibility, 1900-1960 by Charlene Regester. Ms. Beavers died of a heart attack in 1962, at the age of 60.
The Blandings daughters are ably portrayed by Sharyn Moffett and Connie Marshall. Both girls stopped acting as they approached adulthood; Ms. Marshall died of cancer in 2001. Ms. Moffett and her husband are clergy in the Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania.
Other notable appearances in the film include Reginald Denny as Mr. Simms, the unflappable architect who keeps the Blandings house going; Ian Wolfe has one short scene as realtor Smith - a conniver if ever there was one. Lex Barker is a carpentry foreman in another brief speaking part. Jason Robards, Sr appears as John Retch, the contractor. But two actors stand out - Lurene Tuttle as Mary, Jim's loyal secretary (watch her as she waits for him to come up with an appropriate ad campaign for Wham!), and especially Harry Shannon as Mr. Tesander, who spends most of the movie looking for water. This exchange between Mr. Shannon and Mr. Grant and Mr. Douglas is priceless:
JIM: Water, Mr. Tesander.
TESANDER: Yep.
JIM: At six feet!
TESANDER: Yep.
JIM: And over there, just thirty-two yards away, you had to go down two hundred and twenty-seven feet to hit the
same water.
TESANDER: Yep.
JIM: How do you account for that, Mr. Tesander?
TESANDER: We-ll, way it seems to me, Mr. Blandings, over here the water's down around six feet and over there it's-- uh --
BILL AND TESANDER: down around two hundred and twenty-seven feet. (script).
The film was based on a book by Eric Hodkins and is a novelized account of a true story. Bosley Crowther's New York Times review was generally positive.
The story spawned an October 1949 Lux Radio Theatreproduction which starred Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, as well as a Screen Director's Playhouse production with Betsy Drake and Cary Grant in June of 1950 (AFI catalog). Mr. Grant and Ms. Drake also were the stars of the Mr. and Mrs Blandingsradio show in 1951.
New Yorkers all, we loved the introductory scenes of New York City, circa 1948. And we can certainly empathize with life in a NYC apartment. If you've never seen this movie, you'll find it a real treat (and if you have seen it, it's not a bad time to relax with the Blandings Family again). In the meantime, here's the trailer for a taste of what's to come:
Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) is about to open in a new London musical when it happens - he meets the girl of his dreams, Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers). All it takes is one dance for the two to fall head-over-heals in love. But Dale is told that the man who is romancing her is Jerry's best friend Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton), the husband of Dale’s friend, Madge Harwick (Helen Brodrick). Our film this week is Top Hat (1935).
If there is a truth to be found in any Astaire-Rogers movie, it is that the written plot is unimportant - all the information you need to know about the story is there in the dancing. We see the carefree bachelor ("No Strings"), who falls in love with the downstairs neighbor ("No Strings - Sandman"). He woos her ("Isn't it a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain"), seduces her ("Cheek to Cheek"), and wins her ("The Piccolino). Who needs words more than those penned by the great Irving Berlin?
It is because Astaire and Rogers are great actors that the film works so well. They act the words of the script, of course. But they act the dance. Watch their faces, their movements - they are telling us the story even when we think we are just watching them dance. It's not surprising that their partnership is legendary. They fit beautifully together.
The film is also remembered for the "Cheek to Cheek" dance - notable for the grace of the choreography, as well as for the ostrich feather dress that Ms. Rogers helped to design it with Costumer Bernard Newman. It too is the story of legend. Ms. Rogers loved the dress - and she is correct in her belief that its flow contributed to the dance itself. The problem, however, was that the dress shed. Badly. It left feathers all over the floor and Mr. Astaire's tuxedo. Mr. Astaire rebelled - he wanted a different dress for the number, and Ms. Rogers dug her heels in and refused to get a new dress (Actually, an old dress - they wanted her to use a dress she'd worn in The Gay Divorcee). So, the wardrobe staff came to the rescue - they spent the night reinforcing the feathers. The result is on the film - an occasional feather wafts by, but no flurries. And Ms. Rogers gained a gold charm in the form of a feather (and a note which read "Dear Feathers, I love ya!, Fred"), a song, and the nickname "Feathers" from Mr. Astaire. (Ostrich Feather Dress TCM Behind the Scenes).
Edward Everett Horton and Helen Broderick as the older married friends of Jerry and Dale are very amusing. Ms. Broderick, especially, with her deep voice and saucy manner is perfect as the attempted matchmaker. Watching her encourage Dale to get closer to Jerry is really funny (especially considering that Dale thinks Jerry is actually Madge's husband, Horace). Ms. Broderick, who spent her film career playing best friends, is also remembered as the mother of actor Broderick Crawford.
While the characters played by Erik Rhodes (Alberto Beddini) and Eric Blore (Bates) are required for the plot, they are pretty silly. Especially nonsensical is the scene with Bates (masquerading as a gondolier) and an Italian Policeman. It is reported that several scenes at the end of the film were excised to speed things up - one wonders why this particular bit remained. The character wasn't much loved either - Italy banned this film because of Mr. Rhodes portrayal (TCM Trivia & Fun Facts). It's also worth noting that Lucille Ball makes an appearance as a Flower Shop Girl in the film.
The New York Timesreview by Andre Sennwald was very positive: "Top Hat is worth standing in line for. From the appearance of the lobby yesterday afternoon, you probably will have to." (The film, in fact, did sell out Radio City Music Hall.) Other reviews were also complimentary.
Top Hat was nominated for 4 Academy Awards - Picture, Art Direction, Dance Direction (Hermes Pan), and Song (Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek"). Three songs from the picture - "Cheek to Cheek," "Top Hat" and "Isn't This a Lovely Day"--were ranked
first, second and fourth on the Your Hit Parade radio program (AFI Catalog). It's also been featured as an Essential on TCM, and is featured in Jeremy Arnold's second book, The Essentials, Volume 2: 52 More Must-See Movies and Why They Matter.
This truly is a must-see movie. Just ignore some of the plot, and watch the dancing. You'll want to dance yourself. We'll leave you with a trailer:
After years as a major film star, Tony Hunter (Fred Astaire) has sold his California home and memorabilia, and returned to New York City. He's met by his dear friends, Lester (Oscar Levant) and Lily Marton (Nanette Fabray), who have plans - a new play they've written just for him. They plan to enlist Jeffrey Cordova (Jack Buchanan), a major theatre director and actor, to head the production. But Jeffrey's concept of The Band Wagon (1953) is far different than the musical that the Martons had envisioned.
Our group had all seen this delightful film before, and were enthusiastic about seeing it again. One of the Freed Unit musicals, this story is biographical in nature, taking inspiration from the lives its star, its writers, and from other Broadway notables.
Fred Astaire is perfection as the movie star who decides to retire rather than face a declining public. Many aspects of Tony Hunter are taken directly from Mr. Astaire's own life. He had starred on Broadway in 1931 musical The Band Wagon (then dancing with his sister, Adele), in which he'd sung "I Love Louisa" (The musical revue also featured the song "Dancing in the Dark"). In 1946, Mr. Astaire decided to retire, thinking that his career was starting to peter out (Starring Fred Astaire by Stanley Green & Burt Goldblatt). And he did express concern that his potential dancing partner Cyd Charisse (Gabrielle Gerard) was too tall for him (TCM The Big Idea). All these little nuances gel to create a character with some depth.
By 1953, Cyd Charisse, had been at MGM since 1944. She'd lost Easter Parade (1948) to Ann Miller after Ms. Charisse broke her leg (interestingly, Mr. Astaire returned from retirement to take on Gene Kelly's part when Mr. Kelly broke his ankle). And she was too pregnant to star in An American in Paris (1951). Her big break came in 1952, when she danced in the "Broadway Rhythm Ballet" in Singin' in the Rain. She's poetry in motion in this film. Just watch her do "Dancing in the Dark" with Mr. Astaire; the simple beauty of the dance - and the dancers - is perfection. She wasn't the first choice for the part - Vera-Ellen was initially considered.
Ms. Charisse's singing voice was supplied by India Adams; sadly, one of her numbers was cut - "Two-Faced Woman." MGM didn't give up on the song though - they later used it in Joan Crawford's film Torch Song (they should have left it in The Band Wagon!). For more information on Ms. Charisse, take a look at this brief video from TCM on her career. And to quote Mr. Astaire (from this bio) "When you've danced with Cyd, you stay danced with."
We were especially impressed by the costumes of Mary Ann Nyberg - they are beautiful, and in many cases, quite simple. The white flair dress that Ms. Charisse wears in "Dancing in the Dark" is perfect for a night scene - the simple lines of the dress flow with her dancing; the light color spotlights her and Mr. Astaire as they dance. In the documentary that accompanied the DVD of the film, Ms. Charisse commented on the red dress she wore in the "Girl Hunt Ballet" - it was one of her favorites. Liza Minnelli (interviewed in that documentary) recalled that Ms. Nyberg made dresses that mirrored those of the stars for 6-year old Liza. She loved them!
Musicals, of course, entail a lot of work. The "Triplets" number was especially difficult for the principles, involving multiple takes and painful leg binding - they were dancing on their knees and no one could stand the discomfort for more than 20 minutes. But that was not the only problem for those involved. Fred Astaire's wife was in the last stages of terminal lung cancer. Oscar Levant, always a curmudgeon, was even more belligerent, having just recuperated from a heart attack. When he yelled at Nanette Fabray just once too often, she told him off, and the entire crew applauded. Jack Buchanan decided to use his time in America to have some much needed dental surgery. Vincente Minnelli was distracted by his ex-wife, Judy Garland's problems while filming A Star is Born (TCM Behind the Camera).
The film received three Oscar nominations - for Costume, Score, and Original Screenplay. It was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1995. It's #17 on the AFI's 100 Years, 100 Musicals.
When it opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York, Bosley Crowther's New York Timesreview was glowing:"Joined with the equally
nimble talents of Fred Astaire. Jack Buchanan and Cyd Charisse and some
tunes from the sterling repertory of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz,
this literate and witty combination herein delivers a show that
respectfully bids for recognition as one of the best musical films ever
made." Other reviews were equally enthusiastic. We heartily concur.
If you've never seen this film, give yourself a treat and find a copy. Here's a trailer from the film. Enjoy the music:
As Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) awaits the return of her husband Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif) from an 18-month prison stay, she recalls her career as a Funny Girl (1968) and her introduction to the gambler who would become her husband.
When Funny Girl opened on Broadway in 1964, the star, Barbra Streisand had appeared in only one other play - the musical I Can Get It for You Wholesale. She had, however, become well known to the public due to television appearances - including The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. Funny Girl ran from 1964 to 1967 (Ms. Streisand was in the lead for the first year, after which she appeared in the West End production). Regardless, Hollywood did not want her - Anne Bancroft, Carol Burnett (TCM Trivia), and Shirley MacLaine (Tribeca News) were all considered for Fanny. It was the film's producer Ray Stark who wanted Streisand, despite Columbia Pictures fear that Ms. Streisand was not pretty enough. The result - an Academy Award win for Ms. Streisand, in the only tie for the Best Actress category in Oscar history (Ms. Streisand shared the award with Katharine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter). It's not a surprise - Ms. Streisand is amazing Fanny Brice, bringing just the right amount of humor and passion to this story of a career and a marriage. And while most of the songs in the film were done in the conventional way, William Wyler decided film the song "My Man" live, as Ms.
Streisand was having some issues with the emotion required for the scene
(TCM Behind the Camera).
The story of Ms. Brice - a comedienne and singer from the early days of
Broadway, was put together by her son-in-law, Ray Stark (Mr. Stark was
married to Frances Arnstein). Not surprisingly, he took some liberties
with his mother-in-law's life. For one thing, her rise to fame was not
as meteoric as stated in the film - it took her years, starting at
Keeney's (Frank Faylen) Theater on Fulton Street, then on tour in the
chorus, to Burlesque, and then to the Ziegeld Follies. Her marriage to
Nick Arnstein was fraught - both had been married before, Arnstein had
already been in jail and would end up there again, and he was perfectly
happy to live off his famous wife's money. Ms. Brice finally divorced
him when she discovered his record of infidelities. The couple had two
children, however son William Arnstein did not wish to be mentioned in
the film. (Encyclopedia of Jewish Women)
Omar Sharif is appealing as Nicky - he's very sexy and the relationship between the couple in the first half of the film is delightful. But this is also the story of the end of a romance, and Mr. Sharif makes Nicky understandable as a man who loves his wife, but wants to stand on his own. He almost lost the part, however. There was much anger against him because he was an Egyptian national, add to that his romancing of a Jewish woman. However, William Wyler insisted that he be kept on. A romance flamed between Mr. Sharif and Ms. Streisand that surely added to their onscreen relationship, but probably ended her marriage to Elliot Gould. Before Mr. Sharif came into the production, David Janssen (fresh off The Fugitive) was being considered for Nicky.
Kay Medford (Rose Brice) was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress as Fanny's mother. It's a relatively small part, but an important one, as Rose is the one person to whom Fanny will listen, and as her marriage becomes strained, it is Rose to whom she turns. At some point, Rosalind Russell was being considered for the role ( AFI catalog).
Anne Francis (Georgia James) appears briefly as a showgirl in the Ziegfeld Follies. By the second half of the movie, Georgia has disappeared (sadly). Ms. Francis was frustrated by her diminishing role in the film - she would blame it on Ms. Streisand, however as much as we enjoy seeing Ms. Francis, it must be pointed out this is the Fanny Brice story. Ms Francis sued to have her name removed from the credits (TCM article).
Walter Pidgeon has a more visible role as impresario Florenz Ziegfeld. As always, Mr. Pidgeon brings just the right amount of veritas to the part. His interplay with Ms. Streisand is spot on - especially the scenes when she is auditioning for a place in the Follies.
Though her part is small, Mae Questel (Mrs. Strakosh) is adorable as Rose Brice's friend. The mother of Sadie (the married lady), Ms. Questel is the original yenta, busily trying to get a husband for Fanny. Ms. Questel is probably best remembered today as the voice of Betty Boop and Olive Oyl.
Many of the train sequences on the film were shot at the and Jersey City and Hoboken Train Stations, both beautiful old stations. Hoboken has seen its share of issues in recent years, including flooding from Superstorm Sandy and a train which crashed through a bumper block into the concourse (Wikipedia).
While the New York Timesreview by Renata Adler was extremely negative, many other reviewers were more enthusiastic about the film (TCM Critics Corner). It would eventually wind up with 6 Oscar nominations (including Picture, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Film Editing, Original Musical) and the win for Ms. Streisand. It was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2016 and is #16 on the AFI's 100 Years, 100 Musicals.
It was a treat to see this film again, and we heartily recommend it. Here is the re-release trailer:
College friends Al Mercer (Guy Madison), Brick (Brian Keith), Roy (Brian Keith), and Ronnie (Kerwin Mathews) take a vacation trip to Harold's Casino in Reno, Nevada. Upon returning to school, Ronnie comes up with a supposedly foolproof method of robbing the casino. Ronnie and Roy see it as a game - they won't keep the money, so there is no crime. But unknown to them, Brick, a Korean War vet who has had mental issues since returning stateside, is finding it hard to cope with civilian life. This week, we'll discuss 5 Against the House (1955).
At first look, this appears to be a film in the vein of Oceans 11 - it was, in fact, an inspiration for Martin Scorsese's Casino (TCM article). There is one small problem - it's not a very good movie, and it's badly miscast.
Two of our actors are supposed to be college students in their early 20s. Alvy Moore was 34 and looks it; Kerwin Matthews was 29 and looks older. It's therefore rather hard to find them believable as naive youths. Also, Matthew's character is supposed to be extremely intelligent. But he thinks he can commit grand theft and not be charged because he's going to give back the money. Really?? He's also really unpleasant - he's constantly hazing a younger student (which is supposed to be the comic relief), and he's vain enough to decide to trap Al into his illegal scheme. All in all, he is a self-important, spoiled brat.
Guy Madison is saddled with a character who's given little opportunity to develop. We know he is a Korean War veteran, and that Brick saved his life. We know that he is in love with Kay Greylek (Kim Novak). We're also told that he is intending to study law. Other than that, he is a blank slate, and the script does not allow us to really care about him at all.
The actor who is given the most to work with (and that still is not a whole lot) is Brian Keith. He gets the chance to play a man teetering on the verge of madness. But he's given precious little of a back story, and that does not help our understanding of the man. When one thinks of other post-war films, like The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), both of which have characters that have suffered emotional trauma because of their experiences, the audience is given a chance to taste some of the horrors that plague the men. Not here - like Al, Brick is written in shorthand. It's only thanks to the skill of Brian Keith that we have any sympathy for him.
This was only Kim Novak's fifth film, and while she too is saddled with a superficial character, we do warm to her, mainly because we see that she is a strong and intelligent woman. If any character is a savior, it is she, and the audience likes her audacity by the end. The same year as this film was released, Ms. Novak would appear as Madge in Picnic, and her stardom was assured.
William Conrad (Eric Berg) has a brief appearance as a casino employee - strangely, he gets billing OVER Kerwin Matthews. Well, maybe not so strange - he's a far better actor.
The story was taken from a Good Housekeeping series (AFI Catalog) - an odd tale for such a magazine. One nice feature is that it offers a glimpse of Reno (and Las Vegas) in the mid 1950s - not the cities that we think of today.
Unless you are a Kim Novak completist, or a fan of Brian Keith, we can't really recommend this one. Here is a trailer from the film:
George Bates (Gary Merrill) is on the run. He pulled a bank job with another man - Preston - and a guard was shot. George arrives at the home of Preston's estranged wife, Janet Frobisher (Bette Davis) to find that Preston is dead - Janet killed him when Preston started beating her. But George needs to use Janet's estate to hide out. Tonight we'll discuss Another Man's Poison (1952).
Not unexpectedly, Bette Davis dominates this film as a strong, selfish, and malevolent woman who likes her horse far better than she likes men. It's obvious that men serve one purpose in her life (since this is a PG-rated blog, I won't go into detail). Her taste in men is also decidedly bad. Her husband was a bank robber and abuser; her current lover, Larry Stevens (Anthony Steel) is a bore; and George Bates is treacherous piece of work. You'd think a woman with her brains could pick someone more agreeable. Were it not for the way she accomplished it, you could almost sympathize with the killing of her husband. It's quite clear that he beat her severely before George's arrival.
Emlyn Williams (Dr. Henderson) is also quite good as the veterinarian who suspects George is not exactly he appears. The audience gradually realizes that Henderson is quite smart, and is not letting on all he knows. Viewers today would be reminded of Columbo, as Henderson tries to worm his way into George's trust. Mr. Williams is best known as a playwright - the author of The Corn is Green. His presence in this film was one of the reasons that Ms. Davis was interested in appearing in it. Mr. Williams thrilled her when he introduced her to the woman who was the model for Miss Moffat. (TCM article).
The rest of the cast is, at best, adequate. We're none of us particularly fans of Gary Merrill. His best role was in All About Eve, and quite honestly, he was never all that impressive in other parts. George is a nasty, petty opportunist, and we found nothing to like about him. Mr. Merrill is very over-the-top in his performance, and it would have helped if he'd been toned down a bit. The only plus was that we looked forward to seeing Janet best him; he's just no match for her on any level, which was obvious from the start.
Ms. Davis married Mr. Merrill in 1950 (after a passionate affair during All About Eve) - both needed to resolve other marriages first. When the couple headed to England to make this film, the marriage was new and relatively happy. The Merrills considered it a honeymoon, though they made the trip accompanied by their two children, two nannies, and a maid. Their union lasted for 10 years and most of it was unhappy. Sam Staggs, in his book All About "All About Eve": The Complete Behind the Scenes Story of the Bitchiest Film Ever Made, called the association "a parade of depressing floats: drunkenness, strife, abuse."
Which brings us to the Larry Stevens (Anthony Steel) / Chris Dal (Barbara Murray) subplot, which we found to be a total waste of time. As we mentioned before, Larry is totally uninteresting, and the only benefit to Chris is that she is a good match for him - equally dull. There is a scene midway through the film when Chris admits to knowing of Larry's relationship with Janet. It is so banal, we found we could mouth the dialog with her.
Frank Chambers (John Garfield) is awaiting execution on death row. He protests his innocence of the crime, and proceeds to tell his story, which begins when he arrives at the diner of Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway). Frank accepts a job at Nick's urging, only to have his life become complicated by the presence of Nick's sultry young wife, Cora (Lana Turner). Our film this time is The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).
This is a film that is regularly discussed as a touchstone for film noir, and with one very good reason. That's the star, John Garfield, who is perfect as Frank Chambers. Mr. Garfield has the laid-back and gritty sexiness that is required to make Frank convincing. Even when he is downright fresh to Cora, there is no doubt in your mind that she is falling for him. Why wouldn't you? Half the audience is falling in lust with him at the same moment. Yet he was not the first (or even the second) choice for the part. It was originally offered to Joel McCrea (who said no) and Gregory Peck was also considered (TCM The Big Idea). We would have an extremely different film with either of those two remarkable (yet likely very wrong) actors in the leading role. Mr. Garfield almost had to pull out of the film. He was called up for the draft, and Cameron Mitchell was set to step in. However, Mr. Garfield's bad heart (which would cause his death in 1959, at the age of 39 (Los Angeles Times)) released him from active service in the military.
Lana Turner has never been better in any picture that she is here. From the moment her legs appear, garbed in snow white shorts, crop top, and turban (Cora is only seen in black once - when she is planning to kill Nick), you're as hooked as Frank is. Her appearance justifies his intake of breath. She's a vision, but a tough one, and Ms. Turner plays every emotion that Cora experiences to perfection. It's hard not to compare her to Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity, because of the similarities in plot. The two actresses, however, build different creations, primarily because their motivations are so very different. Cora is far less calculating, and her emotions are all over the place; her desire to be with Frank versus her need for security are very much in conflict. As the film progresses, we begin to realize just why she married Nick, and the life she was attempting to escape. James M. Cain was so impressed by her performance that he gave her an inscribed, leather-bound copy of the novel (TCM Behind the Camera).
Cecil
Kellaway is an interesting casting choice for Nick. It's mentioned that
he's thrifty to the point of cheapness, but he's a warm, loving man who
is good to Cora and kind to Frank. MGM was hoping to mollify the
censors by making Frank a likeable fellow. He was in fact, such a nice
man, that Lana Turner would later state that "I adored Cecil
Kellaway...so much so that I hated having to help kill him on camera."
(Movies TV Network article).
But the screenwriters do make you sympathize with Cora just a bit when
we discover what her fate will be if she stays with Nick; Mr. Kellaway
brings a selfish determination to the scene that makes it all the more
convincing.
We especially enjoyed the performances of the two lawyers in the action - district attorney Kyle Sackett (Leon Ames) and defense attorney Arthur Keats (Hume Cronyn). Both capable character actors, their interplay - they have a bit of a friendly rivalry going on - is a real asset the film. The viewer is not really sure which of the two is more opportunistic. Both are using the case to their own advantage, rather than in the pursuit of justice. Another interesting performance is that of Alan Reed (Ezra Liam Kennedy) as a private investigator. Mr. Reed is best remembered today as the voice of Fred Flintstone.
This
was Audrey Totter's (Madge Gorland) first appearance in a film noir.
Her part is small - a great deal of it was cut when the original
occupation of the character - a lion tamer - aroused way too much
ridicule during the film's preview (James M. Cain actually crawled out
of the theatre in embarrassment) ( TCM article).
Thenovel was written in 1934 and was thought to be unfilmable because of the sexual content, though Mr. Cain attempted a stage adaptation in 1936, which he hoped would get it filmed. Le Derniere Tournant (1939), a French adaptation, did not do well and was not released in the U.S. A 1942 Italian film, Ossessione, was also never released in the United States because it violated Mr. Cain's copyright (AFI catalog).
The
title of the film (and novel) was a subject of discussion - there are
several tales about how it got it's name, but it was important for the
film that the title be eventually explained (by Frank, at film's end).
This list of trivia outlines those stories).
The New York Timesreview by Bosley Crowther was positive: "it is, indeed, a sincere comprehension of an American tragedy." Other reviews are varied (TCM Critics Corner). The radio show Hollywood Soundstage aired a version in January 1952 with Eleanor Parker and Richard Widmark. The film was remade in 1981 with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange.
This is a must-see film (don't bother with the remake - it's a pale copy), and we highly recommend it. In the meantime, we'll leave you with the trailer:
The crew of an Earth starship arrives at Alair IV, to investigate a team of scientists who went there 20 years earlier to set up a colony. They've not been heard from since. Upon their arrive, the ship receives a message warning them away from the planet. They ignore the alarm, and land. They are greeted (if you can call it that) by Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), the only survivor of the original colony - the others in the mission were wiped out by a mysterious force. Terrified that the carnage will begin again, Morbius advises Commander John Adams to leave the Forbidden Planet (1956).
If you have never seen this film, you are missing one of the great science fiction films of all time. While MGM claimed there was no attempt on their part to use the plot of The Tempest (Shakespeare Films: A Re-Evaluation of 100 Year of Adaptations by Peter E.S. Babiak) as the background to the movie, it is clearly Shakepeare's plot - the magician/scientist living on a deserted planet with his lovely and innocent only child; the helpful spirit - here a robot - who can make his own kind of magic; the interlopers who intrude on the magician's paradise; and finally, the evil presence that threatens the very existence of paradise. This was MGM's first venture into science-fiction; the film was so well-received on previews that the studio decided to release it as-is, rather than allow director and editor to iron out areas they felt were still rough (TCM article).
It's redundant to say that Walter Pidgeon is excellent as Dr. Morbius - when is he NOT excellent? Without his strong performance, this film could have deteriorated into one of the many mad scientist movies that dominated the 1950s. Walter Pidgeon gives the role gravitas. He is genuinely concerned for the safety of the visiting space crew, but Dr. Morbius is also determined to keep this planet to himself - it has become his haven and the source of everything he needs for his work and his pleasure. On a side note, in a visit to St. Johns, Newfoundland last year, we found this tribute to the Canadian-born Mr. Pidgeon:
Anne Francis (Altaira Morbius) has long been one of my favorite
actresses, primarily for her portrayal of the ace detective Honey West
(a show that was canceled after one year - perhaps because it featured an
independent woman who was perfectly capable of rescuing herself AND her
colleague, Sam). Altaira is a very different character, but still is
quite able. She designs her own clothing, runs her father's home, and
has the ability to interact with the many animals on the planet.
Altaira, however is naive - she is truly puzzled when Captain
Adams harangues her about her clothing (it would have been nice if Adams
instead berated his men for ogling the woman. Some things don't
change). Ms. Francis walks a fine line in making Altaira innocent, but
intelligent; she brings strength and determination to the role - as she
would continue to do throughout her career.
For the many who grew up on Leslie Nielsen as a comic actor, this film
provides the opportunity to see him as a leading man - with his tall
good looks, he seemed destined to play the heart-throb. This was his film debut (AFI Catalog), and he is good as
Adams, though the character comes off as a bit officious at times. One
does think Altaira can do better for herself (once she gets to Earth).
The character that steals the film is not, in fact, human. It's Robbie
the Robot, voiced by Marvin Miller (the star of television's The
Millionaire, and who also appeared in the film we recently reviewed, Deadline at Dawn (1946)), and acted by Frankie Darro. Robbie would end up having a long career - the following year, he appeared in The Invisible Boy. He moved to television, appearing in shows such as The Twilight Zone, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (though only his head), and Lost in Space. Robbie was eventually sold at auction for over $5 million.
Several actors who made their mark on television appear to good effect in the film. Earl Holliman (Cook) provides comic relief as he convinces Robbie to make whiskey for him. This was by no means his first film, and he would appear in a number of films in the 1950s and 1960s (he is quite wonderful in Trooper Hook the year after this film). He's probably best remembered today as Angie Dickinson's partner in Police Woman. Jack Kelly (Lt. Jerry Farman) had been appearing in films since 1939, mostly in small parts. He came to the public's attention as brother Bart in Maverick. Richard Anderson (Chief Quinn) started his movie career in 1947; he worked as a reliable character actor in film and television until he achieved fame as Oscar Goldman in The Six Million Dollar Man. Finally, Warren Stevens ( Lt. "Doc" Ostrow) is probably best known for Bracken's World, but he had a long career as a guest star (often the villain!) in many television shows.
While emphasizing its appeal to children, the New York Timesreview by Bosley Crowther was quite enthusiastic, encouraging the children to "extend an invitation to Mom and Dad to go along". The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, and was added to the Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 2013.
This is an essential film, especially if you are a fan of science fiction (or Shakespeare!), and we whole-hardheartedly recommend it. We'll leave you with a trailer:
