Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) works as a junior writer on the comedy series Comedy Cavalcade starring Stan "King" Kaiser (Joseph Bologna). He has a crush on K.C. Downing (Jessica Harper), but she's not interested. Benjy's life takes a dramatic change when a guest star on the show has to be minded, Benjy is required to keep an eye on Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), an actor famed for his swashbuckling roles, and his deep regard for alcohol and women. Benjy spends the next several days trying to keep Swann sober and out of trouble, while being tutored by Swann about life and love. This week, we'll discuss My Favorite Year (1982). Allegedly based on Errol Flynn's appearance on Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, this is a film chock-full of wonderful performances. However, the film rises and falls on Peter O'Toole, who he is wonderful as the conflicted actor. He
manages to give the character just the right amount of pathos (his lack
of interaction with his young daughter is a source of embarrassment and
regret to him), but never wallows in it. Albert Finney was also considered for the part (AFI catalog).
This was Mr. O'Toole's seventh
(of eight) Oscar nominations (he lost to Ben Kingsley in Gandhi).
I suspect even Mr. O'Toole didn't expect to win this one - despite the
fact that "dying is easy, comedy is hard" (attributed to Edmund Kean on
his deathbed and repeated by Alan Swann), actors just don't win for
comedies (TCM article). The role for which he should have won - T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia (you can see him discussing the film in this TCM commentary) - was released in the wrong year. Mr. O'Toole lost to Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird (and it's hard to argue that selection). That he lost the Golden Man to Cliff Robertson (for Charly) the same year his co-star, Katharine Hepburn, won for The Lion in Winter, is doubly sad. He was enthralling as King Henry II, a role for which he'd been nominated four years earlier in Becket. Ultimately, the Academy tried to make up for his record of most nominations by an actor without a win (Entertainment Weekly) by awarding him an honorary Oscar in 2002. You can see him accepting the Award here,
(and let me just add how furious I am that the Academy no longer gives
due credit to the Honorary Award winners, relegating them to a separate
ceremony and allowing them no opportunity to share their win - usually
one long overdue - with their fans and colleagues). Robert Osborne provides a very lovely overview of Mr. O'Toole's impressive here in this video which introduces an interview at the TCM film festival.
The film boasts an amazing ensemble of character actors. Selma Diamond as Lil, the costume designer is a beyond funny, especially in her one scene with Mr. O'Toole (in which they discuss his presence in a Ladies Room. Her reaction to him is spot on). Ms. Diamond had been a comedy writer on Your Show of Shows and was the inspiration for Sally Rogers on The Dick Van Dyke Show (Jewish Women's Archive). While one spends a lot of time shaking one's head (and laughing) at Belle Steinberg Carroca (Lainie Kazan), it's clear that Alan Swann admires her honesty. They clearly like one another, and Swann is both impressed and humbled when Belle scolds him for avoiding his child. Ms. Kazan is over-the-top, as is Belle, so it works. Many of the other characters are based on real people: Rookie Carroca (Ramon Sison) was based on a Filipino sailor that lived in Mr. Brooks Brooklyn neighborhood; Herb Lee (Basil Hoffman) resembled Neil Simon, a writer on Your Show of Shows; Benjy Stone is a combination of Mr. Brooks and Woody Allen; Boss Karl Rojeck (Cameron Mitchell) was Jimmy Hoffa (Mr. Brooks personally asked Mr. Mitchell to do the part while both were eating lunch at the MGM commissary); and of course, King Kaiser (the always excellent Joe Bologna) was Sid Caesar, The King of Comedy!
Make sure you take a look at the actress who dances with Alan Swann in the Stork Club - that's Gloria Stuart, 15 years before her Oscar-nominated performance in Titanic. Adoph Green - the songwriter with partner Betty Comden of musicals like Bells are Ringing and Wonderful Town - appears as producer Leo Silver (based on Your Show of Shows producer Max Liebman). Mr. Green was himself nominated for two Oscars - screenwriting for The Band Wagon and It's Always Fair Weather. So, was this really based on Errol Flynn's appearance on the Sid Caesar variety show? Two opinions seem to exist. According to this Los Angeles Timesarticle, Flynn's appearance on the show was uneventful, and the writers had little interaction with him. However, in 1997, Brooks stated that "I was locked in the Waldorf Towers with Errol Flynn and two red-headed Cuban sisters" and that Flynn kept trying to get the 20 year old Brooks drunk (The Baltimore Sun; Ben Mankiewicz intro). Which is true? Who knows.
I was looking forward to viewing this film with my group; it's a
favorite of mine, and I was expecting they would all like it. I was
wrong. One person disliked it; one said it was okay, but no more than
that. The other members really enjoyed it. It did do well on release - the opening weekend, it earned over $2 million. The New York Timesreview was quite positive. The story was remounted as a Broadway musical (with Lainie Kazan reprising her role) which didn't do particularly well - it only ran for 45 performances. Here is a trailer from the film and a suggestion to visit the films of the always impressive Peter O'Toole:
It's England, 1940. Robert Wilson (Robert Donat) has volunteered for service in the Royal Navy. He'll be leaving his wife Catherine (Deborah Kerr) behind and he worries that she'll not be able to care for herself. Catherine seems to have a perpetual cold, and without her husband's income will have to struggle to get by. Once onboard ship, Robert is shocked when he learns that Catherine has joined the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service). In the three years that they are separated, the Wilsons mature - and begin to wonder if this Vacation from Marriage (1945) should be a permanent one. Filmed during the war (TCM article), this movie paints a picture of the results of war-related separation on a marriage. We'll see something similar in America in 1946, with The Best Years of Our Lives, where we are introduced to the three couples whose relationships have been altered by years of division, and the requisite responsibilities that the parties need to assume. In Vacation from Marriage, we are introduced to one couple whose marriage is already troubled before the war. Being independent and forced to face a world turned upside down, the two are forced to grow. But neither is aware that the other has matured as well. Thus, any reunion is going to result in a horrible tension for individuals who are no longer the persons they once were. Quite frankly, the Wilsons are initially dull and uninteresting. To quote Henry David Thoreau, they "live lives of quiet desperation." Robert hates his boring office job; his stomach is an ongoing problem, requiring bland foods. Catherine, a stay-at-home wife, is always sick; at the same time, she lives her life to please her husband - her constant reply to change is that "Robert wouldn't like it." Four years of marriage has made them into ghosts who go through life on autopilot. Whatever love they felt for one another has deteriorated into a routine of sameness. They are together because they are used to being together.
It's likely that Catherine joins the Wrens merely from financial necessity, but she finds a purpose in the work that she assumes. Deborah Kerr is almost unrecognizable in the early scenes, so plainly is she made up. Ms. Kerr is able to make the gradual changes to Catherine very believable. It is obvious that, by contributing to the war effort, Catherine begins to find the self-worth that she lost as a housewife. And she quickly realizes that she cannot go back to the life - and the man - she left behind. Similarly, Robert Donat goes from milquetoast to assertive seaman as he too finds his wings. Like Ms. Kerr, he shows the steady growth of the character; the communication with his wife in the three years they are apart are sent to the woman he left behind. Neither reveals anything about their new lives to the other, creating a disconnect. Then again, how do you tell your spouse by mail that you've become someone else?
There is a grittiness to the story: it's very dark because most of the the scenes are at night. Even when they go into pubs or nightclubs, they are dimly lit; it accentuates the danger inherent in the wartime atmosphere - the night is the time of the bombings that are devastating London. Our one breath of fresh air to the sorrow we feel for the Wilsons is Glynis Johns as Catherine's new friend, Dizzy Clayton. Dizzy is funny and upbeat. Ms. Johns is excellent as someone who (in spite of the fact that her fiance is also overseas) brings humor to the character. Dizzy may be changing as well with her new responsibility, but as a person, she tries to maintain her humanity; you know that she and her fiance will have a future together after the war's end.
In the US, an introduction was added, with an uncredited Peter Lawford
providing the narration. The film also marks the first (uncredited) role
for Roger Moore as a soldier. The movie is based on a story by Clemence Dane (who also wrote A Bill of Divorcement). Ms. Dane won an Oscar for original story.
Filmed primarily in London (AFI Catalog) (where it was called Perfect Strangers), it did well there, though it was not really successful in the U.S.. Reviews here were very mixed. For example, the New York Timesreview
was quite complimentary, admiring the leads and the supporting players
alike in a story they called an "oft-told tale ...[told] easily and well,"
while Variety's review was scathing. We'll leave you with a clip of the not-so-happy couple parting for their various war work, and a suggestion that you give this one a viewing:
Jerry Young (Fredric March) is an American flyer during World War I. Stationed in England with his colleagues Mike Richards (Jack Oakie) and Henry Crocker (Cary Grant), the team is eager to get to France and see some action. But when they get their orders,Young finds that the emotional and physical toll is more than he counted on. Our film this week is The Eagle and the Hawk (1933). This is not a film for the faint at heart. It's tough-minded and there is nothing uplifting about it. Every second of it is a condemnation of war and its barbarity. It's also well-paced and to the point - in a brief 73 minutes we learn all we need to know about the life of this flyer squadron in general and about Jerry Young in particular. Fredric March is excellent as a man who is much too good at his job, and who is tormented by the demons of those who he has killed or have died with him. Early in the film, he is devil-may-care - excited to begin fighting the good fight, as he sees it. But, much like the men in The Way to the Stars (1945), that eagerness doesn't last long, and in Jerry's case, gives way to horror and despair. One scene that is especially striking occurs late in the film. Jerry is on R&R, and is attending a dinner party in the home of a wealthy family. After being bombarded by congratulations on his kill record and on his bravery, he attempts to leave. However, more is in store - the wife of the family brings down her small son, a lad of about 8 who wants to know all about the war. "Don't you like to kill the enemy" "What do they look like when they fall? Are they on fire? Do they explode with a great, big bang?" the eager child inquires. The look of revulsion on March's face tells us all we need to know of the agony he is experiencing.
This is a very early effort in Cary Grant's career, and so the character we get is very different than the actor we are used to from his later films. Henry can come across as petulant at times, but Grant is able to demonstrate Crocker's resentment and anger at what he feels is a bias on Jerry's part. Crocker is NOT an attractive character - in one scene, we watch as he shoots at an enemy pilot who has parachuted from a disabled plane. At the same time, it's hard to argue with his rationale - a dead man is not going to kill either Crocker or his colleagues. In the end, we appreciate the grudging respect that Jerry and Henry have for one another; but where Henry feels that morals have no place in war, Jerry cannot disassociate from his ethical code, no matter the cost. Mr. Grant was not originally cast in the part - it was intended for Gary Cooper, who had to bow out due to conflicts (AFI catalog).
Carole Lombard had already appeared in 37 silent and sound films, including The Racketeer and No More Orchids, both starring roles. Her work here is very short - she is only in about two scene, both towards the end of the movie. Regardless, the scenes are crucial in better understanding Jerry Young. Ms. Lombard's character doesn't even have a name - she is billed as The Beautiful Lady - however you will remember her after the film ends. Importantly, these are not the start of a romance, rather, it is a woman who comprehends far too well what this soldier is going through, and who seeks a way to relieve his pain, albeit temporarily. Ms. Lombard had hoped for more to do in the film; alas it was not to be (TCM article). The next year, she would finally get the opportunity to show her comedic chops in Twentieth Century; her real breakthrough was in My Man Godfrey in 1936. Jack Oakie spent much of his career in comedies; while Mike gets the humorous lines, his part is in no way comedic. None of us were particularly fans of Mr. Oakie, but he's very good in this role. It is perhaps the kind of part he should have had more of an opportunity to perform.
Most of the reviews were positive: The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and the Pre-code.com blog all expressed their regard for the film. Only Variety logged complaints. We wondered if this film might have had an impact on the pacifism that kept the U.S. out of World War II until 1942. It certainly is a film that makes demonstrates the pointlessness of war. We'll leave you with this scene, in which you'll see both Mr. March and Mr. Grant.
When steel magnate Arthur Parker (Robert McWade) brings his steel boss to his home for dinner, his wife, Henrietta (Florence Roberts) is insulted, and his daugher, Dorothea (Dorothy Mackaill) is amused; both expect an unkempt worker who will slurp his soup. But Dot is rapidly converted when she meets Richard Brunton (Joel McCrea); she almost immediately decides to marry him. But there is a problem; Dick is poor and is decidedly opposed to Kept Husbands (1931). This is not a great movie, but it has some nice moments, thanks to its strong cast. Dorothy Mackaill does a good job of portraying a selfish, greedy brat of a girl, who is more interested in her own satisfaction than in the needs of anyone else, including her husband. There are times that it is hard to believe that Dot truly loves Dick, though Ms. Mackaill makes it quite clear that Dot is definitely in lust for the hunky steel boss. She plays Dot as thoroughly spoiled, and quite used to getting her own way by any means possible. Watching Ms. Mackaill summon up phony tears to play on Mr. McCrea's emotions is a pleasure; her delivery is perfect. Also amusing is the wedding night scene (remember, this is a pre-code film!)
Joel McCrea is excellent as Dick. He's a man with ambitions, who knows that wealth comes from being productive, and he is willing to pay his dues to reach the top. He genuinely loves Dot, but is thrown by the contradictions of this woman who claims to love him, but is unwilling to let him be anything but her lapdog. It's interesting that Dot falls in love with a man much like her father (who states that he is "the only one in this family that works") but then tries to change that husband into a layabout. When the final confrontation happens, you want him to stand his ground. We favorably compared Dick to Gene Raymond's character in The Bride Walks Out - Dot's wealth is not the sticking point. It is her insistence that he abrogate his career and dreams, and become a parasite on her and her father that is the issue. (We would argue with this TCM article that the film is less about taking down the heiress than showing that hard work is important, whether you are wealthy or not).
There
are several noteworthy supporting actors in this film. Ned Sparks as
Hughie is amusing at times, but after a while becomes an annoyance. We
liked Mary Carr as Dick's mother, Mrs. Brunton. She's sweet (though by
the end, she is a bit too oblivious to what is going on with her son and
daughter-in-law). Ms. Carr had a lengthy career during the silent era
(unfortunately, many of those films are currently lost). She worked from
the beginning of sound (1928) through 1956 (when she played a Quaker
woman in Friendly Persuasion).
Five of her children with silent film director William Carr went on to
show business careers (son Thomas was a prolific film and television
director). When Ms. Carr found herself nearly destitute after silent
films ended, her friends in the film industry found her jobs. She died
at the age of 99, in 1973.
Clara Kimball Young (Mrs. Lucille Post) returned to film after a six-year absence with this, her first talkie (AFI catalog). She had her own company during the silent era (Women Film Pioneers Project), though there was involvement on the part of her husband, James Young, and her lovers Lewis J. Selznick and Harrry A. Garson (her eventual ex-husband would attack Mr. Garson with a knife in 1917). After this film, she primarily appeared in westerns, and in 1956, she was a correspondent for the Johnny Carson's first television show. She died in 1960, at the age of 70. In the end, we did enjoy this film. It's not the best film that either Joel McCrea or Dorothy Mackaill ever made, but it's interesting - with the caveat that you may want to throttle Dot or her mother at various points in your viewing. At 70 minutes, it's worth a look if you are interested in pre-code films or in seeing silent stars like Clara Kimball Young and Mary Carr. (By the way, it lapsed into the Public Domain and is available for viewing on the Internet Archive).
Fay Carter (Kay Francis) was born in a trunk. She's spent her life acting and touring the country; first with her actor/father, later on her own. She is determined to build a career on Broadway, but the only parts she are offered are tours. A chance meeting with Peter Snowden (Ian Hunter) may change all that. Peter yearns to produce a Broadway play, and he may have just found the actress to help him succeed. Our film this week is Secrets of an Actress (1938). We really enjoyed this film. It's compact (a mere 70 minutes) with excellent acting, a bit of drama, and a dash of comedy for Ms. Francis (who, as we mentioned in our review of The Cocoanuts is quite a good comedienne). If we had any complaint at all is that we would have liked the film to be a bit longer. A little more backstory, especially for Carla (Gloria Dickson) and Dick Orr (George Brent), as well as for Fay would have been welcome. Ms. Francis, though, has a choice part. She gets to be the straight woman for Isabel Jeans (as the frequently inebriated Marian Plantagenet), be lovelorn with George Brent, and assertive with Ian Hunter. Fay is one of her richer characters - well drawn by the writers, a strong, talented woman who is interesting and attractive to both the audience and to her leading men. It's quite easy to see why both Peter and Dick are drawn to her. She has pizzazz! (For an excellent overview of Ms. Francis, both in this film, and through her career, see this TCM article).
Gloria Dickson as the villainess is also quite good. When Ms. Dickson is on the screen, you cannot take your eyes off her. Her delivery is sharp, and her demeanor has just the right touch of self-assured nastiness. We were not familiar with Ms. Dickson, who made a total of 23 pictures between 1937 and 1944. We'd seen her before as Dolly in Lady of Burlesque (1943), but she frankly didn't make an impression. Unfortunately, she died at the age of 28 when a fire (caused by a cigarette setting fire to a sofa) engulfed her house.
Isabel Jeans as the hard-drinking Marian became rather wearing after a few scenes. The character's drinking could have been toned down a bit, which would have made her much more appealing. Her binges don't add a lot to the film; it's hard to understand what the writers were thinking. Regardless, the relationship between Marian and Fay is well done - they come across as really good friends; we did wonder how long Fay will be able to tolerate Marian in her cups. In the end, we would have preferred less of Marian and more of Ian Hunter and George Brent. There did seem to be one continuity issue. Early in the film, we see Dick ask Carla for a divorce (before he meets Fay). But later, when questioned why he has never asked for a divorce, he says there is no point. We wondered if the censors insisted that the earlier scene be included to emphasize that a physical marriage no longer existed between the couple. It did bother us that Dick didn't tell Fay that he was married - Mr. Brent plays him as an upstanding guy. By hiding the marriage, the audience loses sympathy for him.
The film had two working titles before release: Lovely Lady and The Woman Habit (AFI catalog). It has gorgeous sets by Anton Grot and exquisite gowns by Orry-Kelly. While Warner's was already starting to (undeservedly) sour on Ms. Francis, they do provide her with a lovely setting for the film. The Complete Kay Francis Career Record: All Film, Stage, Radio and Television by Lynn Kear, John Rossman call the film "uneven."
While this is a fair evaluation, this is still a film worth a viewing. Here is a trailer to whet your appetite.
Writer Tom Garrett (Dana Andrews) attends an execution with his future father-in-law, crusading newspaper editor Austin Spencer (Sidney Blackmer). Spencer has been advocating for the repeal of the death penalty, because of his belief that circumstantial evidence is being used to convict people unjustly. He and Tom come up with an idea - they will concoct evidence against Tom regarding the recent murder of a hooch dancer named Patti Grey. Once Tom is convicted and sentenced, Spencer will come forward with the information that will show it was a setup, and that the conviction could not have been Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956). I try very hard to avoid spoilers in the films we discuss; quite frankly, this is a hard one. The main reason being that the film seems to be going along on a traditional plain. You are sure you know where it is going and how it will end. And then everything hits the fan, and you are gobsmacked to find you were completely wrong. Our group went into this film knowing very little about it, and we were glad; the beauty of the film is in the surprise towards the end.
Dana Andrews is excellent as the writer who is attempting to bring down a District Attorney (Philip Bourneuf as Roy Thompson). He's treading a fine line in the film, and he does it beautifully. You would never believe that he was in the midst of an alcoholic crises that resulted in his arriving at the studio late with immense hangovers and after automobile accidents (Hollywood Enigma: Dana Andrews by Carl Rollyson). It would take awhile, but Mr. Andrews was able to control his illness by the late 1960s. In 1972, he became a spokesman for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and was able to say he had not had a drink in four years (New York Times).
We were not as impressed with Joan Fontaine (Susan Spencer). Susan is a decidedly unappealing character - she's spoiled, she's unemotional; Ms. Fontaine seems stiff and uncomfortable in the role. One never feels any love between her and Tom. When she reads a newspaper article that shows him slumming with exotic dancer Sally Moore (Barbara Nichols), Susan is offended that Tom has publicly embarrassed her. She seems far less concerned that he is sleeping with another woman. Ms. Fontaine holds the character distant from everyone, and Susan is uninterested in anything that requires thinking. With a father as intelligent as Austin Spencer, one expects a daughter more like Polly Fulton in B.F.'s Daughter. What Ms. Fontaine gives us is an enigma who cares for nothing.
While one is never sure of the motives of Roy Thompson, Jonathan Wilson (Shepperd Strudwick) and Bob Hale (Arthur Franz) are portrayed as lawyers who are honorable. The discussions between Hale and Thompson in particular, are fascinating, and display Bob's ethics in contrast with Roy's ambitions. This was director Fritz Lang's final film in America (TCM article). In fact, film editor Gene Fowler, Jr. put the film together with Lang's instructions - the director had already left the country. The director of M (1931) and Fury (1936) would make three more films in Germany; after which he essentially retired. Upon retirement, he returned to Los Angeles, where he died in 1976, at the age of 85.
Before Bert Friedlob acquired the script, Ida Lupino had intended it as a vehicle for herself, Howard Duff and Joseph Cotton (AFI Catalog). Unfortunately, the film didn't do well on release and received mixed reviews. Variety called it a "melodrama [that] never really jells." The New York Timesreview by Bosley Crowther, however, praised the "forceful" Mr. Andrews and said that "this a fairly intriguing and brain-teasing mystery film."
In recent years, the film has been discussed in a more positive light, as is demonstrated by these articles in Cineast and The Guardian. It was remade in 2009 with Michael Douglas as the prosecutor. We'll leave you with a trailer from the film. Try to avoid spoilers before you view this movie. You'll appreciate the surprise.
On a recent trip to New York City, I was able to catch a screening of a documentary. Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity (2015) was directed by Roger C. Memos, and is a tribute to Ms. Hunt (who turned 101 October 2018) both as an actress and an activist. With interviews of colleagues, friends, and admirers, this film is a must-see for classic film aficionados, as well as individuals who work to make the world a better place. Marsha Hunt was born in Chicago in 1917, and her family moved to New York City when she was a small child. After graduating from high school (Horace Mann in the Bronx), she had decided to pursue an acting career (Her family wanted her to attend college, but she felt it was a waste of time - she couldn't take any theatre courses until she was in her third year). Ms. Hunt started as a model; by 1935 she had signed an acting contract with Paramount Studios, where she was immediately cast in romantic lead roles. She grew bored with those kinds of parts, and asked Paramount for more character-driven stories. Paramount was not sympathetic; by 1938 she was no longer with the studio. She later signed with MGM, where among other roles, she appeared as Mary in Pride and Prejudice (1940).
Ms. Hunt discussed her disillusioning experience in auditioning for the role of Melanie Hamilton in Gone with the Wind (1939). Assured by David O. Selznick that he had "found his Melanie" after her audition, the following day the trades announced the casting of Olivia de Havilland. She also talked about her favorite part, the film that is often called the first movie to speak of the Holocaust, None Shall Escape (1944). Ms. Hunt recently discussed the film at the 2018 TCM Film Festival. When the writers who would eventually be tagged the Unfriendly Ten were summoned to appear before Congress, Ms Hunt was part of the contingent - The Committee for the First Amendment - that traveled to Washington DC to stand in solidarity with them. As a result (and despite years of war-related work during World War II), Ms. Hunt was eventually blacklisted. During this period, she began appearing on Broadway, ultimately appearing in six plays between 1948 and 1967. She also began working as an activist - first as a protege of Eleanor Roosevelt in support of the United Nations. Even today, at age 101, she continues to advocate in causes centered around homelessness, mental health, and hunger.
I felt privileged to be able to see this excellent film. Mr. Memos is still working to get venues to show it, and it should be seen, along with Ms. Hunt's wonderful films. We've discussed her in our comments on Lost Angel and Blossoms in the Dust, and hope to view more of her work. If you know of a venue that would be able to view the documentary, do contact Mr. Memos. A review of the film is available in the Los Angeles Times. Should you be able to catch a screening, please go - you're in store for a wonderful and enlightening experience.
Senator Sam Foley has died suddenly, and the governor of his state, Hubert "Happy" Hopper (Guy Kibbee) is tasked with naming a successor. The Governor is ordered by local boss Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold) to name one of his flunkies, but the citizenry rebel at the appointment of this yes man. The Governor's children campaign for the appointment of local Boy Ranger leader Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), a naive young man who Mr. Taylor finally agrees is the perfect solution. With no political background, Smith will be easily led by Senator Joseph Paine (Claude Rains) to vote according to Taylor's wishes. And so, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). This outstanding film was included as this month's contribution to the TCM Presents series. Originally conceived as a follow-up to Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, the film changed titles and actors when Gary Cooper proved to be unavailable. (AFI Catalog) James Stewart brings the needed innocence and gravitas to the role in his second film with Frank Capra and Jean Arthur (they had worked together the previous year on You Can't Take it With You). One problem with Frank Capra films is that he doesn't always know how to end them. It's a big issue with Meet John Doe (1941); it's a smaller issue here. Mr. Capra does seem to back his character into a corner, and then create a deus ex machina to pull him out of his problem. However, in this film the director does set up hints that Claude Rains will be both the problem and the solution to that problem.
Mr. Rains is, of course, excellent as The Silver Knight, the senior senator from Smith's unnamed state. Best friends with Smith's father (a crusading newspaperman who was murdered after he wrote editorials against a mining syndicate), Paine has been in the pay of Jim Taylor for years. But Senator Paine remembers the ideals that brought him to law and to politics. As Mr. Rains looks at Smith, we see his yearning for the purity that he had when he worked with Smith senior. A favorite villain for Mr. Capra is Edward Arnold. Mr. Arnold is able to be both affable and menacing at the same time. He helps us to understand why a respectable man like Senator Paine would fall into his clutches. He also has looming presence that gives the viewer pause - we know he is capable of any dastardly act to get what he wants. A stage actor at the beginning: between 1919 and 1933, he appeared in 13 Broadway plays, Mr. Arnold started his film career during the silent era. With his booming voice (and wonderful laugh) he was a natural for talkies, and appeared as the leading man in such films as The Toast of New York (1937) (he was billed ABOVE Cary Grant) and Diamond Jim (1935). Listed on the notorious "Box Office Poison" list, Mr. Arnold segued into more character parts, like Anthony P. Kirby, Sr. (James Stewart's father) in Capra's You Can't Take it With You (1938). Though he identified as a conservative Republican (and even ran for Los Angeles County Supervisor - he lost), he served as President of Screen Actors Guild, and was vocal in his opposition to the blacklisting of his colleagues during the HUAC era. Married three times, and divorced twice (he had three children with his first wife), Mr. Arnold died of cerebral hemorrhage in 1956 at the age of 66. His turn as Olivia de Havilland's father in The Ambassador's Daughter was released just after his death.
Jean Arthur (Clarissa Saunders) is picture perfect as the tough as nails assistant, who is sick and tired of the dishonest nature of politics. She's seen Taylor's influence on his state for too long, and is convinced that Jeff Smith is either an idiot or a stooge. When she finds he is a man of ideals, she becomes his staunchest ally. She is ALSO the smartest person in the film. She knows the rules of the Senate by heart, she understands the workings of the government, and she knows the people who work on the Hill. It's hard to imagine anyone other than Ms. Arthur giving Saunders such range. The film is also blessed with a bevy of magnificent character actors: Thomas Mitchell (Diz Moore), Eugene Pallette (Chick McGann), Capra favorite Charles Lane (Nosey), Ruth Donnelly (Mrs. Emma Hopper), Astrid Allwyn (Susan Paine), and H. B. Warner (Senate majority leader). But leading this group are the always wonderful
Beulah Bondi (Ma Smith) and Harry Carey (President of the Senate).
Though their parts are small, you remember then. One only regrets that
they are not on the screen for longer. Ms. Bondi would end up playing James Stewart's mother a total of five times (TCM article). This was the third outing in that role.
The film proved to be quite popular, though initially it was reviled by many U.S. Senators and by the Washington Press Corps. (WAMU article). Senate Majority Leader Alben Barkley described the film as "silly and stupid," adding that it made the Senate look like "a bunch of crooks." (U.S. Senate article). The film was also banned in Germany and Italy (they didn't like the fact that the film was about a democratic government, even a government that was having problems); however it did well in England, France (prior to the German invasion) and in the United States. Despite the jabs at journalists, the New York Times review was glowing, calling it "is one of the best shows of the year. "
The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences obviously agreed; it was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Picture, Actor (for James Stewart), Supporting Actor (for both Harry Carey and Claude Rains), Director, Art Direction, Film Editing, Film Scoring, Sound Recording, and Original story (for which it won it's only Oscar). But, in 1939 the competition was fierce, and the juggernaut called Gone with the Wind pretty much swept the awards (winning 9 of the 14 for which it was nominated). Among the other Picture nominees were Dark Victory, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Ninotchka, Stagecoach, Wuthering Heights, and The Wizard of Oz!
The difference in tone and texture between the two episodes is glaring. As Mr. Muller pointed out in his introduction, you know when Mr. Duvivier's sequence begins (and ends) without being told. His portion is dreamlike, but at the same time, intense and moody. Mr. Le Borg's portion is more matter-of-fact (it also doesn't help that the script he was given makes little-to-no sense. Cliff Banks is turned into an idiot in the frame story. I found the character more interesting as a monster). John Garfield had been the first choice for Cliff (when it was still part of Flesh and Fantasy).
Both Teresa Wright and Bonita Granville were considered for Ms. Jean's role (AFI Catalog).Gloria Jean was brought to Universal as a singing star in the mold of Deanna Durbin. She saw Flesh and Fantasy as a turning point in her career. Finally, she would be in a dramatic role (with almost no singing) with fine performers Like Edward G. Robinson and Barbara Stanwyck. But, when the studio pulled her segment from the film, she was devastated, and felt that this action prevented her from advancing in the film industry (The Hollywood Reporter, 2018). By then end of the 1940's, her film career was pretty much over. She did some television, but eventually worked as an executive secretary at Redken Laboratories; she retired from that job after 30 years with the company. She moved to Hawaii to live with her son, Angelo and daugher-in-law (Angelo died in 2017). A biography was published in 2005 (Gloria Jean: A Little Bit of Heaven by Scott and Jan MacGillivray). Ms. Jean died in August 2018 of heart failure and pneumonia. She was 92.
The three stories that make up Flesh and Fantasy were supposed to flow, one into the other. Despite the unnecessary interruptions of Robert Benchley (I'm not really a fan. He frequently just goes a bit too far in silliness for my taste), the vignettes do still waft from story to story. The first (sometimes called "Mardi Gras"), stars Betty Field as Henrietta, an embittered seamstress, who yearns for Michael (played by Robert Cummings), a law student who is unaware of the homely woman. It has a romantic tinge, and is reminiscent of The Enchanted Cottage (1945). Ms. Field does a good job with the part, and provides just the right touch of hope to a woman who has all but surrendered her life. Story two (often called "The Palmist") concerns Marshall Tyler (Edward G. Robinson), a businessman who is told by palm reader Septimus Podgers (Thomas Mitchell) that he will kill someone. Tyler becomes obsessed by the prophecy, and is plagued by voices encouraging to control the prediction by picking a victim now, so that he will not be accused of a crime. Mr. Robinson is a deft actor who portrays mania well (if you've never seen him in Scarlet Street (1945), give yourself a treat). He's ably supported by Mr. Mitchell (a superb character actor), along with Dame May Whitty (Lady Pamela Hardwick) and Anna Lee (Rowena). The final story features Charles Boyer as Paul Gaspar, a world-renowned high-wire performer who is having nightmares that see him falling from the wire as a lovely woman gasps in horror. While traveling back to America (and considering the future of his act), he meets Joan Stanley (Barbara Stanwyck), the woman whom he has seen in the dream. Romantic elements also infuse this story, and both Mr. Boyer and Ms. Stanwyck are excellent (and are excellent together). We also have Charles Winninger as King Lamarr, the sympathetic owner of the Paul's circus.
Originally titled For All We Know, Flesh and Fantasy also looked at actors Charles Laughton, Adolphe Menjou, Deanna Durbin and Greta Garbo as potential actors in the piece. (AFI catalog) All three stories in Flesh and Fantasy made it to radio: a Screen Guild Theatre radio broadcast on April 1945 starred Ella Rains and Charles Boyer in "The High-Wire Performer" episode; a July 1945 broadcast featured Edward G. Robinson and Vincent Price in "The Palmist" episode; and in September 1945 John Hodiak and Claire Trevor enacted the "Mardi Gras" Episode. Mr. Muller is hoping that one day, these films can be reassemble to finally show us the film Mr. Duvivier intended to release. In the meantime, I heartily suggest watching both films together, and let you mind wander over the possibilities. Here are trailers from both of the films:
