Now, Voyager (1942)

Intro.

Now, Voyager is one of those movies I've heard referenced but never had a chance to see.  It seems to come up any time Bette Davis is mentioned and also happens to pop up in questions on the game Scene It: Turner Classic Movies Edition.  It was on a few nights ago and I recorded it on a whim.  Last night I had some time to myself and took a break from my November writing to watch.  What a fascinating film!

Overview

Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis) is the spinster aunt in the very wealthy, very prominent Vale family of Boston.  She lives with her aging mother, Mrs. Vale (Gladys Cooper), who had two sons and then much later in life had Charlotte.  As the film opens, nervous and emotionally battered Charlotte is met at home by her sister in law, Lisa (Ilka Chase), and a famous psychiatrist, Dr. Jaquith (Claude Rains).  After meeting her controlling mother, they meet agitated Charlotte, and Dr. Jaquith talks to her up in her room for some privacy.  Charlotte is in the middle of a nervous breakdown and goes with Dr. Jaquith to his country sanitorium for some rest and therapy.  She makes remarkable progress, even losing some weight and realizing that she doesn't need glasses (she was just hiding behind them).  She gains enough confidence to go out and try something, so Dr. Jaquith books her on a cruise to South America.  On the first shore trip, Charlotte shares a cab with the only other single passenger, dashing Jerry Durrance (Paul Henreid).  As they spend the afternoon together, Charlotte discovers that Jerry is married and has two little girls.  Although initially disappointed, Charlotte and Jerry wind up forming a close friendship which, with the help of a car accident that forces them to spend the night in a cabin together, blossoms into romance.  But Jerry can't get a divorce from his controlling (and also ailing) wife and Charlotte must go back home to face her mother again.  Charlotte asserts her independence from her mother at last, but their final fight ends with her mother dying from a heart attack.  Racked with guilt, Charlotte goes back to the sanitarium, where she befriends a twelve-year old girl (Tina) who is exactly how Charlotte was at that age (right down to the mother problems).  Charlotte becomes her caregiver and invites her to live with Charlotte in Boston, in a home where she will be wanted and respected.  The fact that the girl is Jerry's youngest daughter is what makes this seemingly happy ending very dark and very complicated.

Highlights

There is good reason why this film is considered Bette Davis' tour de force.  She is incredible as Charlotte, both strong and vulnerable, coming into her own while still holding onto that troubled self-consciousness.  Her transformation and wonderful presence really make this film.  What's so remarkable is her subtlety as she plays this role.  She makes Charlotte more than the conventional "basket-case" heiress who makes a breakthrough.  We can see that she is still vulnerable under that sarcasm while on the tour of South America and while taking care of Tina, she is also taking care of herself.

Also stand-outs in their performances are Paul Henreid and Claude Rains.  Rains was reportedly not going to do the picture initially, but after his part was built up, he took it and did a marevellous job.  I wasn't sure at first how believable he'd be as a psychiatrist (maybe I have him stuck in my head as Capt. Renault), but he does a great job and is really fun to watch.  Paul Henreid is equally good as Jerry, making his character both lovable and easy to hate.  He makes Jerry a round, dynamic character instead of playing him off as the trapped husband.  I especially enjoyed Tina, played by Janis Wilson, who can be a real scene stealer.

I have a few random points I'd like to bring up here, so forgive the disjointedness here.  First is that the ending caught me by surprise.  Not to give anything away, it was much more realistic and sad than I had expected.  You won't find all that Hollywood feel-good stuff here and don't expect wedding bells.  But it is still a triumph - an assertion of Charlotte coming into her own and being happy with her life.  Also pleasantly surprising was seeing Mary Wickes make an appearance as Mrs. Vale's nurse.  Can't place her?  She's been in everything from Higher and Higher to White Christmas to the more recent Sister Act.  She adds a great touch of comedy to the picture and I always love seeing her.  Finally, one bit of Hollywood trivia - Now, Voyager ran late in filming, and Paul Henreid literally finished his shooting on the film one night and bright and early the next day was on the set for that other 1942 gem, Casablanca.   

Now, Voyager is a film about finding yourself and accepting happiness, even if it does not come in the dream you were expecting.  It is deep, poignant and timeless in its portrayals of family duties and personal responsibilities.  The title refers to a line from Whitman, which Dr. Jaquith gives to Charlotte as she embarks for South America.  It goes: "The untold want by life and land ne'er granted, /
Now, voyager sail thou forth to seek and find."  What a fitting line for Charlotte's journey towards her own self-discovery.

Review

I really enjoyed this movie, even though I wasn't so sure I would at first.  The rich characters and fine acting create a story worth seeing that transcends 1942.  I could go on about Now, Voyager, but the last line of the film really captures the essence of the whole film.  Charlotte looks out the window and says, "Oh Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon; we have the stars."

Casablanca (1942)

Intro.
Casablanca.  The name alone conjures the now-iconic images from the film: Bogart slumped at a table drinking and muttering about all the gin joints in all the world, the look on Ingrid Bergman's face as she asks Sam to play "As Time Goes By", the ending that leaves us breathless - the plane, the fog, the beginning of a beautiful friendship.  This film above all others defines what it means to be a classic. 

The first time I saw this film, I have to say, I wasn't all that impressed.  I couldn't follow the German/French resistance storyline and Claude Rains just got on my nerves.  But now that I've seen it about four times, I have to say that it's grown to be one of my favorite films.  However, like some of the people I've talked to, I have to be in the right mood to watch it, mainly because it is a bit slow in some parts.  I wasn't feeling very festive this past Valentine's Day, but TCM aired the film and for some reason I couldn't turn it off.  That's when I knew I had to bend my blog rules and write about it.

Overview

Rick (Bogart) runs a bar and nightclub in the town of Casablanca.  It's 1942 and while Morocco is unoccupied, the German Gestapo is a real presence.  With WWII raging in Europe, many refugees are coming to Casablanca in order to make the trip to America.  Travel papers are hard to come by, so most of them come to Rick's to find contacts.  Such is the case of Victor Laszlo and his wife Ilsa.  Rick, it so happens, has gotten two passes to America - tickets to freedom.  And Ilsa happens to be the woman he loved a long time ago in Paris (hence "we'll always have Paris") who left him without explanation and completely broke him.  Ilsa and Rick must ask themselves if their love is still alive and worth fighting for, despite the danger that lies for Victor, who is a key leader in the Resistance.   

Highlights

I think part of what makes this film work is the mood - as I wrote earlier, you have to be ready to watch it.  Despite its usual label of a "love story" I would argue that it is instead a film about love and heartbreak.  I'm never ready to watch it when I'm happy or want a fun movie to cheer me up.  I want to see it on those days when I'm curled up in blankets on the couch with the rain beating down on the windowsill.  It's a melancholy type of film.  We see the love that Rick and Ilsa had and we are made painfully aware that it is gone.  Ilsa tries to convince Rick she still loves him, but does she really?  I change my mind each time I watch.  Which leads to the next point - great acting.  Ingrid Bergman is beautiful, smart and such a natural.  Claude Rains is funny and a bit over the top as Captain Renault (although after viewing it a few times, I've noticed more of his backstory, which made him more endearing).

I was going to keep this post short since it's such a famous movie, but I can't stop without mentioning Bogart.  Humphrey Bogart makes this film.  It was his "breakout" role in the sense that it established him as a romantic leading man, not just a gangster or tough guy or wisecracking detective.  He had just done The Maltese Falcon the previous year, and established himself as an icon in film noir.  This film, however, makes him even more of a star.  And most of that is how well he plays the role of Rick.  This tough, neutral-standing saloon keeper lets down his rocky facade and shows how vulnerable he is.  It's moving, it's completely human and it's darn good movie-making.  Rick becomes the classic American hero - he is willing to sacrifice his own happiness for the "greater good."  He's got a criminal past, he runs a saloon with illegal gambling, has lousy friends yet somehow we love him. 
 

Review

This part I will keep short - if you haven't seen this film, watch it.  If you've seen it once and not been too impressed, wait awhile and watch it again, preferably on a rainy night when you're in the mood to think about things like lost loves and old memories.

As always, check out IMDb, and if you get a chance, try to see the documentary "Bacall on Bogart."  It's a great look at the life and career of Bogie, and will shed some light into this film as well. 

Notorious (1946)

Intro.
I have to admit, I've never been one for suspense films.  I've liked some Hitchcock films, but also fallen asleep on some.  But as January is Cary Grant month, I was determined to watch a few of the pictures considered his best - Notorious being one of them.  Immediately, I was drawn into the story and stayed fixated until the end.  It aired on Turner Classic Movies as one of "The Essentials" and I have to agree, as far as a stellar entry in Hitchcock's filmography, it is also one of the greatest performances of both Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant.  It also marked Hitchcock's first film as both director and producer.

Overview
Notorious refers to both of the Hubermans.  First the father, who at the film's opening, has been convicted of treason and sentenced to 20 years.  Second is his daughter Alicia (Ingrid Bergman), who is a notorious party and good-time girl with society friends and a penchant for cocktails.  After her father's trial, she is approached by Devlin, (Cary Grant), a quiet and mysterious guest at her party.  The two have instant chemistry, but when she wakes the next morning, her hang-over isn't her only source of pain - Devlin is also an FBI agent who was sent to recruit her for a special assignment.  Reluctantly she agrees to go with him to Rio, where they will get further instructions.  While they wait in Brazil, the two fall in love.  This is where the sub-plot begins: Devlin suspects that he cannot fully trust Alicia, and refuses to let go of his principle job - to protect her.  He also refuses to make her decisions, a theme that recurs several times in the course of the film.  Alicia's assignment, which she carries out well, is to reunite with Alexander Sebastian, a scientist who was friends with her father and still very much in love with Alicia.  She encourages him and they wed.  We learn, and then Alicia and Devlin learn, that Sebastian is part of a group of German scientists who are up to "suspicious" activity.  While we never hear their entire plan, we do learn that they are working with uranium, and we see them plot to kill off a member who has said too much to strangers.  When Sebastian begins to suspect his wife of espionage, both plots (the FBI vs. the Germans and Alicia & Devlin's rocky relationship) twist, turn and lead to a great ending.

Highlights
There are so many topics to bring up, but I can't cover them all, so I'll pick two.  First is the unique, beautifully coordinated cinematography.  The unusual shots and angles add to the film's feeling.  There is a scene early on when Alicia wakes up with a hangover and the camera takes on her point of view, tilting up and sideways to watch Cary Grant cross the room.  The second is when she realizes she's been poisoned and fears that she will be killed - the room tightens, characters talk but only their shadows are seen.  In effect, we become as disoriented and terrified as Alicia.  Second of all, there is the way that Hitchcock ties all the elements together like a great novel.  What I especially liked was the champagne.  When Devlin and Alicia are in Rio together and in love, Devlin goes out and buys a bottle of champagne.  On his way back to their romantic night, he is called to the office and given the news of Alicia's assignment.  In order for her to work on Sebastian, Devlin has to give her up.  He forgets the champagne at the office and returns to her to bear the bad news, and you can almost hear the passion fizz out (clearly the party is over, if you pardon the pun).  Later, the champagne plays a key role during Sebastian's party.  Alicia steals the key to the wine cellar in order to allow Devlin to snoop around and find the uranium.  She fears that Sebastian will discover this when the champagne begins to run out and he is called upon to get more.  We start to see the bottles disappearing, we see Alicia begin counting glasses of champagne the waiters present on trays.  It uses a seemingly innocent item like champagne to represent something much larger and remind us of the double layer of plot.

Not to be Missed
1) Claude Rains is wonderful in this role!  He has created a character that is detestable and evil as well as empathetic.  At times you hate him, at times you feel sorry for him.  It's a wide range, but he plays it all with a cool charm that reminds you what good acting is about.

2) Edith Head (who I love!!!) designed the gowns for Ingrid Bergman and they are all lovely!  I'm not at all a fashionista or know anything about it, but I love watching the dresses Edith Head makes.  Check out her list of films here (yes, she did Grace Kelly's amazing dresses in Rear Window and all those dozens of gowns for Shirley MacLaine in What a Way to Go!).

3) The woman who plays Madame Sebastian (Leopoldine Konstantin) is truly terrifying without trying.  I think Alec Baldwin (who introduced the film with Robert Osborne on TCM) hit it when he said the reason she's so terrifying is that she never blinks.  He's absolutely right - during all of her scenes, I think I saw her blink twice.  It's just as unnerving as the off-center camera angles.

4) Finally, the kiss.  In order to subvert the Hayes code of the day that limited on-screen kiss time to four seconds, Hitchcock had Grant and Bergman kiss for several minutes, breaking every four seconds for a quick line of dialogue.  It's one of the best and most memorable of all love scenes.

Review and Recommendation
I loved this film even though I was not expecting to do so.  It has renewed my interest in the suspense/thriller drama because it has so much complexity and such great, powerful characters.  If you've decided you're not really a Hitchcock fan, consider watching this film - it may change your mind!