A Fine Bromance - Part III (Last one!)

At long, long last - the final installment!

Recently I took up salsa dancing.  It’s a lot of fun, but also a lot to remember, especially for someone like me who is far from being graceful on her feet.  After a particularly long night of dancing, on a new pair of high heels too, I complained to my friend that I felt a lot more sympathy towards Debbie Reynolds.  Having a dance teacher like Gene Kelly, who literally made you dance till your feet bled, couldn’t have been easy.  Now my feet weren’t bleeding, but I couldn’t help thinking of the comparison – simply put, some films are a part of our lives because they are timeless.  Some movies age better than others, but there are a few rare gems that still maintain their initial charm and beauty that transcends the ages.  Now the first two Sinatra-Kelly films don’t quite make this level (although Gene’s dance with Jerry the mouse is a timeless cinema treasure), but I think their third and final film, On the Town, easily earns the title of “true classic.”

On the Town (1949)– Gabey and Chip

It truly is the dancing that makes On the Town a stand-out.  The film starts with three sailors on a 24-hour leave in New York City.  Gabey (Gene Kelly) spots a poster of the monthly Miss Turnstiles and decides that she’s the girl he’s after.  He meets her for a moment by chance in the subway, but loses her and recruits his two buddies Chip (Frank Sinatra) and Ozzie (Jules Munshin) to help him find her.  They’re aided by Hilde, a lady cab driver (Betty Garrett) and Claire, a woman studying anthropology to avoid chasing men (Ann Miller).  But Hilde is clearly more interested in Chip than in finding Miss Turnstiles, just as Claire is far more interested in Ozzie than her studies.  The group splits up to look for the mystery woman, Ivy Smith (Vera-Ellen).  Gabey finds her, and thinks that as Miss Turnstiles, she must be very important.  She’s really just a nobody, working hard to study dancing and music, but she lets him think she’s a somebody.  She agrees to go out with him that night, and all six friends reunite at the top of the Empire State Building (where else?) for the classic title song and dance number.  The three couples start painting the town, but Gabey’s good spirits sink when Ivy must leave him at midnight (she has to go to work as a cooch dancer in Coney Island and doesn’t want him to know).  The others try to cheer him up, even getting Hilde’s obnoxiously-voiced roommate Lucy (Alice Pearce) to stand in as a replacement date.  With a stroke of luck, they run into Ivy’s dance teacher, who tells them the truth about her and where she is working.  The gang race to Coney Island, determined to reunite Gabey and Ivy before his 24 hour pass expires.  A lot of reckless driving and cross-dressing later, they find Ivy, who breaks down and tells Gabey the truth – that’s she’s not the celebrity he’s made her out to be, but just a girl from the same small hometown as him.  But before a final kiss is allowed, the boys are dragged away by the shore patrol for all the fuss they’ve made.  So it’s up to an impassioned speech from Hilde and the good folks of Brooklyn to reunite the guys and the gals for a goodbye kiss.

As I said before, dancing is the highlight of the film.  Sinatra’s learned a lot since his first appearance with Kelly, and the trio of sailors makes some great music together.  Their opening number is still considered a classic in its own right – “New York, New York, It’s a Wonderful Town” is catchy enough, but it also follows the guys through some of the best sites in the city.  I mean, they even get a carriage ride around Central Park.  Funny story: apparently the song was originally worded “New York, New York, it’s a helluva town,” but code regulations (and probably someone who wanted to draw in a younger audience) had it changed to Wonderful.  One of the strengths of the film comes from the talents of the women too.  Ann Miller is an amazing dancer, and delivers with her solo routine in “Modern Man”.  Vera-Ellen is also a knock-out because she’s such a great match for Kelly.  Their duet and dance routine in “Main Street” is endearing and earned the song an Oscar nomination.  But perhaps the most mesmerizing dance is during Gabey’s dream sequence.  In the dream he’s dancing with Ivy on a set of parallel ballet bars.  Everything is dark with just a white hot, tightly closed spotlight on them.  The light hits the backdrop to the right, which is a deep, sensuous pick.  And because of the lighting and the amazing dance, you barely watch the two dancers – you watch instead their shadows, which blend and move into one another.  If you ever thought dancing in musicals didn’t code for sex, this may very well change your mind.  The whole sequence is hypnotizing and very dream-like.  In fact, in years later, Gene Kelly’s daughter said that at a time in Hollywood when it was considered in good taste to go to psychoanalysts and such, her father never did – he dealt with his own psyche through dance.  And it shows. 

The dancing emphasizes the relationships between the characters, and that is truly what carries the film.  It’s a straightforward plot, so the characters especially have to be engaging enough to hold your interest.  While Ivy and Gabey are central to the story, and Ozzie and Claire add to the comic relief, I think the third couple, Chip and Hilde, are my absolute favorite (and one of my all time favorite film couples).  Hilde, as a character, is a lot stronger than most women in musicals – she’s not only witty and charming, but independent and not afraid of declaring (and going after!) exactly what she wants.  She’s Barbara Stanwyck in tap shoes.  She and Chip have some great songs together, like “Come Up to My Place” (ahem, that’s Hilde doing the inviting!) and one of the best in the film, “You’re Awful”.      

Not only do the romantic relationships develop and give the film depth, but we also see a great relationship between the guys, particularly Chip and Gabey.  Perhaps the most touching scene is when Gabey leaves the group, distraught that Ivy left him.  He’s outside coming out of a daydream when Chip comes to get him. 

            Chip: I know you’re taking it hard, Gabe.

            Gabe: I know you know.  That’s why I love you.

There’s something very poignant about that simple exchange.  It not only speaks to their characters (enhancing the male-buddy theme), but to some extent their off screen friendship, which would continue the rest of their lives.  Why did they make such a good team?  Because they were so alike in personality and both geniuses in their respective musical fields, I think they had a mutual respect for one another as well as a fierce dedication to the work.  They were supposed to team up again in 1955 for It’s Always Fair Weather, a film about three soldiers who reunite 10 years after coming home only to find that they no longer have anything in common.  It would have been a great follow up for the Gabey-Ozzie-Chip set, but it wasn’t meant to be.  Instead, Sinatra and Kelly would reunite on the small screen, appearing in numerous television specials and shows.  In 1977, on one such program, Kelly was toasting Sinatra and closed by talking about a song they had done called “Nice and Easy,” to which Frank had sung while Gene had danced.  “As I try to sum up our relationship over the years,” Kelly said that night to Frank, “that seems to say it.  Nice and Easy.  And for that, this battered old Irish hoofer says thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

It’s hard not to love the Kelly-Sinatra films if only to watch them work together.  On the Town represents not only their greatest collaboration, but a true classic in the world of musicals.  It’s aged the best of their three films and should be a required film on everyone’s list.  I mentioned earlier how timelessness sets apart the great films and allows audiences of any generation to love them.  A few years ago, I watched the film Sleepy Hollow with some of my friends.  At the end, Johnny Depp is walking down a street in turn-of-the-century New York City.  He says to his companion, “You'll soon find your bearings, young Masbeth. The Bronx is up, the Battery is down, and home is this way.”  I’m not sure if it was the phrasing or the delivery, but something made me want to stand up and cheer.  I was half expecting him to say “it’s a helluva town,” but even though he didn’t, I know that Gene and Frank would have approved.     

A Fine Bromance - Part I

I first fell in love with The Voice when I was thirteen.  I was lying on the floor of my grandmother's living room, propped up on my elbows with my feet lazily kicking in the air as I flipped through her collection of cassette tapes, records and CDs.  I put on something that looked good and soon the sound of Frank Sinatra's voice filled the room.

Watch the trailer on TCM.com

It wasn’t long afterward that a string of new loves came along – first the Rat Pack, then Dean Martin, then all those old movies.  I can’t quite remember when I first saw Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly together, or which movie it was, but I remember thinking those guys really had a great relationship.  They were quite a force to be reckoned with, as both men were at the top of their game in singing and dancing, respectively.  I learned much later that the two had made a total of three films together from 1945 to 1949, but had remained friends for the rest of their lives, appearing on television specials and staying in touch.  It gives me a bit of hope to read about their lasting friendship, and makes the films themselves even more enjoyable.  As I had already watched two of the three films for my post on Betty Garrett, I decided to watch the third (and earliest) one this weekend to round out this trio.

I know the term “bromance” only originated in the 1990s, but I feel like it can be dully applied to the Sinatra-Kelly friendship.  Frank and Dean Martin were certainly closer and more deserving of the term, but the affection between Frank and Gene comes through in their characters.  So perhaps it would be more apt to say the bromance was between Gabey and Chip or Eddie and Denny or the earliest (and sweetest) between Joe and Clarence.

Joe and Clarence – Anchors Aweigh (1945)

MGM had signed both Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra by 1944, and decided to put the two forces together for a big, colorful musical along with another great star, opera-trained Kathryn Grayson.  Frank had, up to this point, only made a handful of movies, all of which were short, B-list productions (side note: Higher and Higher from 1943 is one of my guilty pleasure movies and one you should definitely check out – not only is Frank adorable, but he stars alongside Jack Haley, Mel Tormé and Victor Borge).  The film was Anchors Aweigh, a musical that followed a lot of wartime pictures in tone – innocent, upbeat, fun and a good distraction.  But unlike some of those wartime films (I’m thinking of Thousands Cheer from 1943), this one is of a far better caliber.

The story is pretty simple – two sailors get a four day leave in Los Angeles.  Joe Brady (Gene Kelly) is notorious for being a “sea-wolf”, the kind of guy with a list of girls in every port.  He’s trying to get to a hot date with someone named Lola, but he’s trailed by his shipmate, shy, awkward Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra).  He agrees to get Clarence a date with a girl just to get rid of him, but the two are sidetracked when the police ask them for help with a little boy who has snuck out of his house and run away to join the Navy.  They take the boy home and meet his aunt Susan (Kathryn Grayson) and instantly Clarence falls for her.  There are a lot of problems that the pair of sailors has to overcome to get the two together, most notably a blatant lie that they can get her an audition with famed band leader José Iturbi (she’s been trying desperately to become a professional singer).  To make things even more complicated, Iturbi seems impossible to find, and Joe finds himself falling for Susan.  Does it all work out?  It’s an MGM musical from 1945 – you better believe it has a happy ending, complete with a big brass band!  Gene Kelly years later summed up Anchors Aweigh like this: “It was about two sailors trying to win the war by singing, dancing and getting José Iturbi to play the piano.  But it must have worked – we won!”       

As I mentioned, Frank had never made such an in-depth movie before.  He said in an interview that pictures he had done prior to Anchors Aweigh had taken six weeks of filming total.  This one took six weeks just for one dance routine.  Now Frank had never danced before, so to be dancing for the first time with a master like Gene Kelly was a daunting challenge.  But Sinatra trained for it and his hard work shows, particularly in the film’s most memorable dance routine with the two sailors jumping on the beds at the boarding house.  It took Sinatra so long to do that routine because he kept missing the beat on the jumping, and then had to land in time with Kelly and go immediately into a new step.  It’s a difficult dance, but sure looks great on screen!  And you can tell the two guys enjoyed it too (not to mention they also look so relieved in that final close-up!).  What impressed me was that the two men remained friends after all that; Gene Kelly had a bit of a reputation as a demanding teacher with a bit of a temper – you’d dance till your feet bled until you got it right.  But Frank was just as stubborn and had a temper too, so I think maybe they just made a good match right out of the gate because they were so similar. 

There are so many things I love about Anchors Aweigh – the music, for one thing, is wonderful.  The orchestra directed by Iturbi is sensational, plus we get Kathryn Grayson’s beautiful voice.  She’s a wonderful star on her own, and to pair her with these other two legends just makes it more enjoyable.  Her numbers showcase her operatic voice (she was a coloratura soprano, according to her biography on imdb.com).  We also have Sinatra, who during his downtime was still wooing all those bobby-soxers at sold-out concerts.  His Technicolor debut introduced everyone to those legendary blue eyes and attached scores of viewers.  He doesn’t have many songs in this film, but those he has are beautiful.  “I Fall in Love Too Easily” is one of the saddest, most bittersweet songs ever, and “What Makes the Sunset?”, an equally poetic song.  Then there’s Gene.  Gene Kelly has some great dances in this film, aside from those with Sinatra.  His Mexican hat dance is hilarious, and his “dream sequence” with Kathryn Grayson reminds me a lot of his later film, The Three Musketeers (a film which he’d wanted to do for a long time, probably even as this one was being shot).  But the most well known is his dance with Jerry the mouse (of Tom & Jerry fame).  Gene had been consulting with animators to try and do a number like this, but Disney refused to discuss it, so they couldn’t use Mickey Mouse.  I bet Disney regretted their decision after seeing how well Gene’s performance went!  As lovely as it is, what I always go back to in Anchors Aweigh is that dance scene at the boarding house.  The heart of the film is the relationship between Clarence and Joe.  Clarence starts out as a bit of a nuisance for Joe, but through this unforgettable four day leave, they become best friends.  It provides a solid foundation for the film and opens the door to future movies. 

To be continued….

A Hole in the Head (1959)

Frank might have "High Hopes" but he's got a very low bank account. Make that non-existent.

Intro.

I took a break from holiday movies the night before last.  As I near my 100 film goal, I decided I wanted to review one last Sinatra film, and this one was fresh on my DVR and also one I hadn't seen.  The premise sounded good, but after watching, I still have some mixed feelings. 

Overview

An owner of a run-down Miami hotel, Tony Manetta (Frank Sinatra) tells his story straight: "If anyone thinks I'm a well-heeled bigshot out on a spree, they've got a hole in the head.  Truth is, I'm broke."  Not only is he broke, but he is trying to support his twelve year old son Ally (Eddie Hodges) and raise enough dough to dodge their eviction.  Tony's respectable, business-owner Mario (Edward G. Robinson) and Mario's wife Sophie (Thelma Ritter) come down from Brooklyn, worried about Ally's well-being, as Tony is notorious for living recklessly and often going broke.  At first they want to take Ally back to live with them, but then they hatch a plan to get Tony married to some nice, respectable girl (Sophie's friend Mrs. Rogers (Eleanore Parker) happens to fit the part) so Mario can get him set up with a shop and a nice, respectable home.  But Tony can't quite shake his get-rich-quick schemes or his penchant for "wild" women and good times.  What comes across though is how strong his bond is with Ally, who loves him unconditionally.  It's that bond which takes center stage in the film and ultimately saves Tony.

Highlights

Okay, Eddie Hodges has to be one of the cutest kids ever.  He is so much fun to watch and a complete scene stealer.  I loved his reaction when he sees Mrs. Rogers for the first time and is shocked at how lovely she is.  And his interaction with Frank Sinatra is really something to admire; they work very well together, which is great because their relationship is really the heart of the film.  Tony might not be in the running for best father of the year, but it isn't for his lack of trying.  I think Sophie says it best when she tells Ally that "He's a child of 41 and you're a grown man of 11."  He decides to have Ally go and live with Mario and Sophie in the end and hates himself for it and hates that he can't be the kind of father Ally deserves.  The ending, not to give too much away, is really bittersweet.

I also loved Edward G. Robinson in this non-gangster role!  What a treat to see him as the respectable older brother.  And Thelma Ritter makes a great match for him.  But especially good is Eleanore Parker, who is undeniably sweet and charming and helps Tony sort things out in the end.  And then there's Frank, who does a great job.  I think the reason I felt so conflicted about this movie is because I both loved and hated Tony a little, but in the end just kind of felt sorry for him.  I wanted to be on his side the whole time, but when he went to the dog track, I just knew something bad would happen.  He just didn't know when to quit.  I think it gets summed up best in the song that Frank sings during the opening credits.  The song is "All My Tomorrows" and the line I loved was "And all the dreams I can beg, steal or borrow on some bright tomorrow belong to you."  Basically this movie will not follow a traditional pattern of a romantic comedy or family drama - it falls somewhere in-between and seems at times a bit superficial.  I wish I could have had more time with these characters and gotten to know them better.

Review and Recommendation

While I found this movie entertaining, I wouldn't say it was extraordinary.  It was a pretty standard film; like I said, about middle of the road.  The cast is all very good and the little boy is adorable, but there is still that vein of despair mixed in with the humor.  I haven't really made up my mind about recommending it, but if anyone out there has seen it and would like to comment, please do!      

The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

Pick your poison - alcohol, money, drugs, or an insane amount of guilt.

Intro.

I'm finding the 1950's to be a very fascinating era to study.  Right now I've been watching a lot of films that pushed the limits and broke the rules of the strict Hollywood codes put in place by the Breen office (see The Moon is Blue), thanks to TCM's recent film series.  Otto Preminger is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors, mainly because of his sheer determination to break as many of the constricting codes as possible.  In The Man with the Golden Arm he goes after the rule that drugs, drug paraphernalia, usage and all things associated with drugs are forbidden.  You couldn't show someone taking drugs and it could never be said out loud.  So this film, which centers on a man struggling to kick his heroin addiction, exploded out of the box.  And what an explosion!

Overview
Right from the get-go we know that Frankie Machine (Frank Sinatra) is coming back home from some time in drug rehab.  He first stops at the local bar, where he is greeted by all of his colorful neighbors, including his good friend, petty thief Sparrow (Arnold Stang).  His old boss is there too, Zero Schwiefka (Robert Strauss), who runs high-stakes, back room poker games.  Frankie's heroin dealer Louie (Darren McGavin), is also there, and offers him a free "fix".  Frankie refuses and keeps refusing as he tries to get away from that kind of life.  He returns home to his wife Zosch (Eleanor Parker), who is in a wheelchair and tells her he has learned to play the drums in rehab and wants to go into the music business.  She begs him to go back to being a dealer for Schwiefka because she doesn't want anything to change (she doesn't want him to ever leave again).  It seems like Frankie can't get a break though, as he waits to hear back about auditions and has to constantly turn down offers from Louie and demands from his wife to go back to the shady poker games.  He gives in to both though, and from there he begins a downward spiral.  The only people on his side are Sparrow and Frankie's neighbor Molly (Kim Novak).  Molly and Frankie are in love, but Frankie won't leave Zosch until the doctors can cure her.  What he doesn't know is that Zosch has already been cured and is only pretending to be disabled to keep Frankie from leaving her.  Frankie hits bottom when he first flubs his one real chance at getting a job as a drummer in a big band (his one dream) and then gets caught cheating as he deals at poker (losing his valuable "golden arm" reputation).  He had cheated in an exchange with Louie so he could get another fix.  Pushed to the edge, he decides to do his own withdrawal.  He has Molly lock him up in a room of her apartment and begins the long, painful process of recovery.  But an angry Louie shows up and catches Zosch up and walking.  From there the tensions keep rising until, much like the Breen codes, the film's ending shatters the lives of all the characters.
 
Highlights
Frank Sinatra may have won his Oscar for From Here to Eternity but man, he should have gotten an Oscar for this film.  TCM host Robert Osborne said that Sinatra had researched and prepared for this role for weeks and never worked harder to get such a realistic performance.  Sinatra always has a bit of that manic side showing through, and he puts it to good use here.  The withdrawal sequence especially showcased just how hard he worked - it's painful and heartbreaking to watch, even when you tell yourself he's only acting.  He's also joined by some equally talented co-stars like Kim Novak and Eleanor Parker (who I finally found out looked familiar because years later she played the Baroness in The Sound of Music). 

The relationship between Frankie and Zosch needs to be discussed.  It's such a tragic situation - we learn that Zosch was injured in a car crash where an intoxicated Frankie was driving.  Once in the hospital, doctors said she'd never walk again and not long thereafter she and Frankie married (out of guilt, you think?).  They've been together three years and her passive-aggressive nature just turns on the guilt whenever Frankie wants to do something different that may take him away from her.  The worst part is that she really can walk!  You go from feeling kind of sorry for her to despising her.  She's just as dependent on Frankie as he is on heroin.  She needles him constantly (no pun intended) to give up his hopes of joining a band and instead do exactly what she wants him to do.  Their whole relationship runs on guilt.  That's probably why Frankie and Molly get along so well - she's the exact opposite of Zosch and willing to do whatever it takes to help Frankie kick his habit for good, even at the risk of jail time.  Her own crutch is an alcoholic boyfriend, whom she finally banishes from her apartment. 
 

Finally, the storytelling in the film is really well done.  I liked the intertwining stories of Frankie being a dealer (at poker) and his need for a dealer (in drugs).  It took me awhile in the beginning to realize the difference, as everyone kept calling Frankie a dealer - I thought he had been a heroin dealer who had gotten addicted.  Then there's the name of the film.  Frankie's called "the man with the golden arm" because of his prowess as a card dealer, but he's also got a golden arm for playing the drums and of course those are the same arms that he's destroying with his shots of heroin.  It all creates a tight, compelling tale of addiction that anyone can relate to - like Frankie says, "everybody's a habitual something".  

Review and Recommendations

One of the reasons directors like Preminger wanted to break the codes in the fifties was to create films with more adult themes and lure consumers away from the new fad called television and back into the movie theaters.  And you can't break out of the code any more than The Man with the Golden Arm does.  Not only is it an engrossing story, but one of Sinatra's best performances.  Definitely worth watching! 

High Society (1956)

Intro.

Normally, I hate remakes.  If a film isn't particularly good, then I can understand wanting to redo it, or if there's some big change or improvement (like making a silent film into a talking picture) that warrents a new film.  I also appreciate it when the new film's director pays homage or does something to respect the new film.  Case in point, Cape Fear.  The original Cape Fear from 1962 starred Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum.  When it was remade in 1991, Martin Scorsese made sure that both men had roles in the film (both of them play lawyers in the remake).  That shows class and respect.  High Society is a different kind of remake.  It takes the movie, The Philadelphia Story, and makes it into a musical.  As it has changed genres, the film loses some of its punch, but adds some beautiful songs.  It's enjoyable in a wholly different way, which is one of the reasons I like it.

Overview
Wealthy Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) is getting remarried at her family estate.  Her ex-husband, C. K. Dexter Haven (Bing Crosby) however, lives next door and has opened his home to a jazz festival which will coincide with (and possibly ruin) her wedding.  Dexter is still in love with his ex-wife, despite her cool condescension of his work as a "jukebox hero."  Tracy's snobbery extends to her father, who has left home due to rumors of an affair with some showgirl.  Her wedding plans get even more complex when Spy Magazine threatens to run a tell-all story about Mr. Lord - a threat which is stopped in exchange for an inside scoop of Tracy's wedding.  The two magazine reporters, Mike Conner (Frank Sinatra) and Liz Imbrie (Celeste Holm), don't know about the deal, and hate their job almost as much as Tracy hates having them there.  If things couldn't get any harder for her, her father shows up unexpectedly, Mike starts to fall for her, and in the end her in tact virtue starts to crumble when a drunken late night swim with Mike leaves her uncertain of just how far they had gone.  Her fiancee refuses to marry her, thinking her unfaithful, and the resulting mess turns into a great ending after all.

Highlights
To judge this film on its own merits, it is a very fine piece of entertainment.  I wouldn't say it was the best musical I've ever seen, but certainly one of the most charming.  I mean, how can you resist Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in a love triangle?  Each performer in the movie is definitely worth watching.

I think the music really adds to this film.  Songs like "True Love" and "You're Sensational" are well-performed and showcase the two singer-turned-actors.  I have always loved the Sinatra/Crosby duet, "Well, Did You Evah?" which is a funny portrait of the follies of the upper class.  You also have to laugh at the Sinatra/Holm duet, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"  And of course, we can't forget the jazz festival, which features none other than Louis Armstrong as himself (how cool is that?).

It's difficult to watch High Society and not compare it with The Philadelphia Story.  Each movie is fun, entertaining and features some great talent.  That being said, I think the point of the story - Tracy's fall from grace and final understanding that no one is perfect - is portrayed much more effectively in The Philadelphia Story.  In some ways, I consider that film to be a comedy-drama.  The characters are much more developed and fragile.  In the original, Dexter is an alcoholic and hit Tracy, which led to their divorce.  In High Society, their divorce isn't really explained except that Dexter is just another crooner.  Likewise, Mike's character is much more developed in The Philadelphia Story - he is a real person trapped in a job he hates who connects with Tracy after talking to her about his writing.  In High Society, Mike's a more of a plot device (I hate putting it that way!) used to make the story work.

The addition of music allows the film to not only be light-hearted, but to sort of poke fun at the upper class more so than the original film did.  One thing that really struck me in High Society is the scene where Tracy takes Mike to see the "graveyard" of the rich - mansions abandoned because the taxes are too high.  The world she belongs to is falling apart and she wants to make sure he realizes it isn't all about dinner parties and pink champagne.  But that is as serious as the film gets.  And I think that's really what they wanted to achieve - to take a comic look at the "rich and mighty", not a deeper one that borders on the dramatic.

Review and Recommendation
On its own, High Society is a fun, upbeat musical comedy.  Grace Kelly is magnificent, as are her two crooning suitors, Sinatra and Crosby.  The score is incredible, and I guarantee you'll have at least one of the songs stuck in your head afterward!  While not as deep or well-developed as The Philadelphia Story, the film achieves its purpose to entertain and to showcase three legends on screen together.  This is one remake I can love and recommend!

P.S. The original Cape Fear is still far better than the remake, by the way.

Pal Joey (1957)

Intro.

I love hearing the backstories of films from TCM's host Robert Osborne.  For example, he explained that the story of Pal Joey began back in the 1930s as a Broadway play.  At one point it starred Gene Kelly, so when studios began trying to  make it into a film, he was their first choice.  However, due to the racy nature of the story and Hollywood's strict codes, it took a long while to be green-lighted.  Finally, Columbia Pictures made it, and cast their biggest star of the 1940s and 50s, Rita Hayworth.  They also cast up-and-coming star Kim Novak.  The problem was finding a leading man - Kelly wasn't available, so they tried Marlon Brando (who couldn't do it) and Jack Lemmon (who was still more or less unknown and Rita Hayworth did not want in the film).  At last Frank Sinatra was cast and the film was a perfect fit for him. 

Overview

Pal Joey feels almost like a Sinatra biography - or at least, the life he presented to the world.  The film opens with Joey (Frank Sinatra) getting thrown out of town for seducing an underaged girl.*  He winds up in San Francisco, where he looks up an old friend in the nightclubs on Barbary Coast.  He talks his way into a job as a singer and it's clear from his first performance that he excels at the job - women throughout the club start falling into a trance just listening to him.  It seems that the only one not affected is one of the chorus girls, Linda English (Kim Novak), who is a bit more reserved than the rest.  Joey pretends not to care about her, but then deliberately moves into the apartment next to hers.  Their first evening job away from the club is at a big fundraiser gala.  The much admired hostess Vera Simpson (Rita Hayworth) puts on a class act, but Joey happens to recognize her from her time as a famous stripper.  When the auction falls short of the monetary goal, Joey pipes up that he'd pay a thousand dollars to see her do her most famous routine right there on stage.  The bidding opens and the goal is met.  But that's only the beginning of an interesting push and pull between Vera and Joey.  Meanwhile, Linda starts to soften towards Joey, thanks to an adorable terrier named Snuffy.  Vera finally makes peace with Joey as well as a deal to open a new nightclub in Joey's name.  Joey's lifelong dream finally comes true, but is short lived as he realizes he's working with a very jealous woman.  The love triangle drives Joey to finally make his choice, but can both women live with it? 

Highlights

Pal Joey is a musical without feeling like a musical.  It's along the same lines as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes or Young at Heart: the songs are a natural part of the plot.  Almost all of the songs are done as nightclub performances, when you'd expect to hear them, not out in the middle of the street just for the heck of it.  And these songs are wonderful!  They are all Rogers and Hart numbers, and very familiar to many Frank Sinatra fans.  I loved hearing and seeing him perform some of my favorite songs like "I Could Write a Book" or "The Lady is a Tramp."  Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak each had some great numbers (like "Bewitched" and "My Funny Valentine"), though I learned afterward that they had both been dubbed.  Dubbed or not, it was still a great score and a lot of talent.

I want to talk briefly about icons.  I noticed that in this film, there's a part where a large poster of Joey is put up outside the Barbary Coast club.  That poster is one of the iconic Frank Sinatra images - it's the one where he's got his hat forward and his trenchcoat slung over his shoulder.  I mentioned before that this film was a perfect fit for Frank and it was.  I can't imagine anyone else in this role (except maybe Gene Kelly).  It's almost as if Angelo Maggio** had survived Pearl Harbor and was working the coast after the war.  Joey is the legend of Sinatra - singer, swinger, heartbreaker with all the swagger and bravado we know and love.  As much as I love Frank Sinatra, I know he wasn't the most handsome of leading men, but his voice and confidence more than make up for it.      

Rita Hayworth at this point in her career had already been a top leading lady for a number of years.  She was #1 at Columbia Pictures, having made her mark in films like Only Angels Have Wings (1939), Cover Girl (1944) and Gilda (1946)***.  Kim Novak had just started to rise, having made a huge success in the film Picnic only two years earlier.  As Robert Osborne said, this film was like a "passing of the crown" from Columbia's former leading lady to the new one.  Both women are great, talented actresses and each one does a phenomenal job in this movie.  I think Novak, Hayworth and Sinatra have equal roles in the film, though ultimately it does bring sharp focus to just Sinatra's character.  The film is a strong vehicle for all three performers and a must-see!

I have to mention some of the great lines in this movie.  First, upon seeing Joey sing for the first time, one of the chorus girls remarks how cute he is.  Her friend says: "You think everyone with pants is cute." To which the girl replies: "That's not true.  I like lots of people without pants."  Later on, Vera tells Joey he has "all the subtlety of a battering ram."  I think I've heard this line before, but never delivered as well as Rita Hayworth does it!  A few times we also hear the line, in reference to Joey, that "one false move and you're out on your Francis!"  I don't know how they came up with that line, whether it was really a figure of speech or not, but I laughed as Sinatra is a Francis.  Joey throughout the film spells out his words for emphasis, but never spells them correctly.  I wasn't sure each time if he was being funny or if he was uneducated.  For example, he spells classy "K-l-a-s-y".  Some of those misspellings Frank Sinatra kept using off stage - his line to Snuffy to get off the bed: "Get off, O-R-F, off!" was used during his performances at the Sands in the 60s.  Just another way that films cross into real life and legends are made.

Review and Recommendation

Pal Joey is a brilliant showcase for three legends of Hollywood.  It's a fun, energetic story full of romance and great music.  Maybe not one of the most famous of musicals, it's nevertheless an entertaining one and well worth watching.

Random Film Trivia:
* Sinatra was once arrested for "seduction and adultery in New Jersey in the 1930s.  Charges were eventually dropped, but the story stuck with Sinatra.
** Angelo Maggio was Sinatra's character in From Here to Eternity (1953); a performance which won Sinatra an Academy Award.  He wanted the part because he said it was a perfect fit for him and he wouldn't even have to act. 

*** For modern movie fans, Gilda was the film being shown in The Shawshank Redemption (1994), which is why Andy asks for Rita Hayworth.  The original story by Stephen King is called Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.  I highly recommend both the film and the novella!  I got the movie listing from IMDb.

The Godfather (1972)

Intro.

Never has a film had such a powerful opening line as The Godfather.  It opens on a black empty screen and then you hear a voice heavy with a Southern Italian accent and a strong conviction: "I believe in America."  As the speaker continues, we begin to see his face and eventually more light brings into focus the rest of the room.  His name is Bonasera, and he has come to the one man who can give him justice that the government has denied him - Don Vito Corleone.  Right from that first moment, you know this is going to be a powerful movie.

I was fortunate enough to see The Godfather in a theater this past weekend, and one of my friends made an interesting comment - it was a very good movie, he said, but it was really predictable.  As I thought about the time it was released, The Godfather could really be called the first modern gangster movie.  So many films and other media outlets have borrowed, stolen or parodied it.  It has become a part of our essential culture, whether we like it or not.  How many times have we heard "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" or "he's sleeping with the fishes"?  It became the icon of the mafia and an example of outstanding film making.

Overview
At a length of about three hours, The Godfather has many, many plot points that I won't be able to cover in a summary.  Basically the film follows the lives of the Corleone family, one of the Five Families in the New York City mafia of the late 1940s.  The don, Vito (Marlon Brando) is the thoughtful, strong, traditional father.  Santino, called Sonny (James Caan), is the headstrong, womanizing, fiery-tempered eldest son; lawyer Tom Hagan (Robert Duvall) is the level-headed orphan taken in and raised as a son by the Corleones; Fredo (John Cazale) is the sheepish, clumsy, easy-going middle son; Michael (Al Pacino) is the favorite youngest son - a reserved outsider who never joined the family business.  The film opens with their sister Connie's (Talia Shire) wedding.  No Sicilian can resist a favor asked of him on his daughter's wedding day, so everyone comes to see Don Corleone.  It sets up the tone of the film as Michael explains to his girlfriend Kay how his family works through violence and intimidation.  "That's my family Kay," he says, "it's not me."  That will eventually start to change though, as a big drug supplier comes to the city looking for support from the Five Families.  When Vito refuses, an attempt is made on his life.  An all out war begins and escalates when Michael steps out of his civilian status in order to get justice for his father's shooting.  He hides out in Italy, but the violence even catches up with him there.  A few deaths and plot twists later, and Michael returns home to take over as the new Don.  A huge blood-bath finale brings to a close one of the most gripping films of all time.   

Film History & Highlights
Over the years, I've read a lot about The Godfather.  The film itself has become so steeped in myth there are all kinds of stories.  First, the horse's head in the bed.  The entire story begins with Vito's godson Johnny (Al Martino) coming to the wedding.  He's a famous crooner down on his luck, and asks his godfather to help him get a part in a new film in Hollywood.  He says the part is written for him - he can just be himself and it would get him back on top.  Vito sends Tom to talk to the famous director.  The director says he hates Johnny and refuses to give him the part because it will make him a star.  The next morning, the director awakens with blood all over his silk sheets and pulls back the blanket to discover the bloodied severed head of his prized stallion.  The screaming alone sends chills through the audience.  It's worse still when you read afterward that it was a real horse's head from a butcher shop in New Jersey.  But what I find most interesting is that the story is itself a myth based on the great comeback of Frank Sinatra.  In 1952, Sinatra faced a horrible low point in his career.  Feared that he was a has-been crooner, he heard about the part of Angelo Maggio in From Here to Eternity.  The role was perfect - he wouldn't even need to act.  But he couldn't get the role.  Now with his many friends who were in the mafia, there were all kinds of rumors, but according to an interview with Ava Gardner, the real secret was that Frank agreed to do the picture for free.  That's what did it - no decapitated horse.  Audiences watching The Godfather in 1972 would probably have remembered Sinatra's comeback Oscar win, and adding that kind of American legend to a film already rich with the myths of the Italian mafia's power only heightens the film's overall stunning effect.      

The Godfather is the perfect capstone for the already amazing career of Marlon Brando.  He is brilliant in his subtle performance of Vito.  He is real, he is a man of the people, he is above all, a sympathetic hero.  You almost forget that he can have someone killed with the nod of his head.  He's a family man and always spends time with his children and grandchildren.  The film also helped make the other actors into stars - who knew at the time that young Al Pacino would rise to such iconic status?  The Godfather was only his third film!  I am always especially impressed with James Caan, who captures the hot-headed temperament of Sonny perfectly.  The supporting cast is equally wonderful (I mean, who can not love Clemenza with his line "Leave the gun; take the cannoli"?).       

I do have to admit that the film is long and feels long in some parts.  Really, it is trying to encapsulate the long, complex story of Mario's Puzo's book, and some first-time viewers may not understand all that happens.  Trust me, watch a second or even third time and you will enjoy it more each time.  The beauty of Coppola's style is that the characters and their conversations are all so realistic.  They aren't stylized, they aren't gangsters - they are family members with a fierce loyalty to one another.  Family is what the film is really about - family loyalty and the dark side of the American dream.  There is much more I could say and if you'd like to discuss it further, feel free to leave comments.

Review and Recommendation

Sometimes as a descendant of Italian immigrants, I feel ashamed to enjoy this film.  The Godfather served to fuel the negative stereotypes that groups like the Sons of Italy have fought against for generations.  But I feel that some of the underlying themes of the film are what really draw me into it and make it something Italian-Americans can value.  Devotion and love of family are central to the film's core.  Even with Santino's poor morals when it comes to adultery and murder, he will not sit still one moment when it comes to the abuse of his sister by her husband.  Vito's last talk with Michael really say a lot about immigrants the world over - "I never wanted this for you," he explains.  "I wanted you to be the one holding all the strings someday."  He wanted Michael to go farther, to live an honest, important life.  I think this depth and humanity, above all else, is what makes this film a standout from all other traditional gangster films.  Undoubtedly, The Godfather is one of the most influential films of all time across genres.  If you want to see how all our mafia cliches really started, watch this film.  You will see magnificent acting, directing, cinematography - truly every aspect is great.  As I said, it runs long and a bit slow at times, but the many breathtaking, edge of your seat scenes and haunting end sequence will show you why this film is a true classic.

Kings Go Forth (1958)

Intro.

Despite being a huge Frank Sinatra fan, I haven't seen all of his films yet.  Sure, I've seen quite a few, including the awful ones like The Kissing Bandit and The Pride and the Passion.  But I've missed some of his most well-respected or well-known, like Kings Go Forth.  Not only is it a good war story, but a good romance and a good reflection of human character.

Overview

Lt. Sam Loggins (Frank Sinatra) is the leader of a group of men who have marched through Italy and into France during World War II.  As they fight for a small valley occupied by the Germans, he gets a group of recruits including the suave, smooth-talking standout Britt (Tony Curtis).   Then on a pass in Nice, Sam meets beautiful Monique (Natalie Wood) who is American but has lived her whole life in France.  He falls hopelessly in love with her, but she does not fall for him.  She instead tells him that her father, two years deceased, was a Negro, which is why her family moved to France when she was born.  Sam takes it a bit hard, coming from a prejudiced background as was pretty common in the forties (American troops weren't even desegregated until 1948).  However, he decides to come back to Monique, but as happy as she is to see him, she soon takes interest in Britt, whom they run into while at a nightclub.  It's clear that Britt and Monique are infatuated with each other and each time the three meet, Sam becomes the third wheel.  He bows out one night to allow them to be together, only to realize that they are out all night.  Confronting Britt the next morning, he discovers that, with Monique's mother's insistence, the two are now engaged.  Sam remains friends with them both - that is until he discovers that Britt purposefully did not submit the marriage paperwork to the Army.  Furious, he makes Britt admit that he had no intention of marrying a half-black woman and a distraught Monique runs out of the house.  Sam follows her, but is too late because she gets hit by a car.  But the story doesn't end there!  Sam and Britt go out on a dangerous mission.  The only problem is, Sam has told Britt he will kill him for what he did to Monique.  The resulting battle is a harrowing night for both men that will change both of them forever.

Highlights

Not all of the cinematography was outstanding in this film, but there were a few shots that just took my breath away.  If you watch, keep an eye out for some unique angles along the streets of the French Riviera and again during some of the battle scenes.  And Natalie Wood looks amazing (of course).

Frank Sinatra and Tony Curtis are well cast in this film and each one delivers a great performance.  Frank's acting is pitch-perfect too.  When he confronts Curtis and learns that he's engaged, we aren't sure if Frank is going to smile or punch Curtis.  In fact, Tony Curtis and I both jumped when Frank stuck out his hand and growled "Congratulations."  I also really enjoyed watching Leora Dana as Monique's mother - she has a great presence and really gives her story a lot of heart.  Frank Sinatra also narrates the film.  At first I was confused, as his narrator tone was a lot softer, more reflective and sentimental than his brash speaking voice.  It makes sense though, because he is looking back on all of this as he tells the story - we can imagine he is telling it after the war is over and after he has changed.  I think that's a pretty important storytelling technique and well done.  It's hard to show two sides of a character and explain how one changed into another.          

Finally, there's the heart of the matter - whether or not such a thing as race and background can change the basis of love.  That's what we, along with Sam, discover: Love is more enduring than prejudice and the human spirit is resilient even in tragedy.

Review
Okay, I loved this movie.  It reminded me at times of From Here to Eternity in its depth and sometimes melodramatic tone.  There's also a great scene where Frank is seated at an outdoor cafe table watching Britt and Monique dance and I swear, I thought he was going to start humming "What Makes the Sunset."  But enough fan girl movie allusions - this film stands on its own two feet.  It has many layers and some great talents.  Definitely a movie worth seeing.


*"What Makes the Sunset" is from Anchors Aweigh.  Frank sings it when his girl (Kathryn Grayson) starts to dance with and fall for Frank's best pal, Gene Kelly.  Sound familiar?

The Pride and the Passion (1957)

Intro.
As February was going to be focused on leading men we adore, I thought the perfect film would be one starring both Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra.  I mean, two of my favorite guys in one film - how could I go wrong?  Well, it turns out there was a reason I had never heard of The Pride and the Passion until I went hunting for Sinatra films I hadn't seen yet. 

Overview
Cary Grant plays a British officer named Anthony, who is sent to Spain during the Napoleonic Wars to salvage a huge cannon that the French army has discarded.  What he finds is a group of Spanish resistance fighters who have not only found the cannon, but have fixed it and are trying to take it cross country to the town of Avila, which is protected by a fortress now occupied by the French.  Anthony is only interested in getting the gun back to England, but he needs the Spanish group to help him move it (that sucker is heavy!).  So he and the Spanish leader Miguel (Frank Sinatra) make a deal - Anthony will help them take the fortress with the gun (because he knows all about artillery) and they in turn will help him haul the gun to a ship bound for England.  The rest of the story is pretty solid - lots of pushing, lots of hiding from the French, lots of Anthony hooking up with Miguel's girlfriend, Juana (Sophia Loren).  The love triangle affects the whole film and we are finally drawn from Anthony's dilemma to Juana's as she has to choose between the two men (what a choice to have!!).  The ending is pretty spectacular as hundreds upon hundreds of Spaniards rush the fortress in order to save the town of Avila from the French.  I won't ruin it, but let's just say that Juana finally learns that she can't have it all.

Highlights (and some Low Points too)
First of all, there is an undeniable chemistry between Cary Grant and Sophia Loren.  I thought at first I was imagining it, since it was on the set of this movie that Cary supposedly proposed to Sophia.  Those shots where we see Anthony watching Juana, you can't help but wonder how much of that look is love and how much is just darn good acting.  It makes the film much more interesting to watch at that point, particularly for the, how shall I say it, "well censored" love scene between the two.  Oh I love when films subtly hint at sex and just as the couple embraces, the camera cuts to something like trees and then later comes back to the couple after the fact.  Such is the case here. 

This is not one of Frank Sinatra's best roles, though it is still much better than The Kissing Bandit.  His accent comes and goes (which is actually kind of endearing) and that haircut just doesn't look right on him.  But it is pretty neat to see him hold his own with Sophia and Cary.  Sophia Loren didn't seem as polished, but it could be because this was her first English film (although another film, Boy on a Dolphin was released sooner).  And Cary is good, but not his usual scene-stealing self (except when he's charming Sophia, of course!).   

Most importantly, the ending is really well done.  For a film that didn't hold my attention much, I was glued to the screen once they reach the fort and Juana must choose to either stay behind with Anthony and the cannon (where she'd be safe) or to go with Miguel and risk her life for her country.  I also enjoyed the scene before it where they ask for the help of the church in Avila - there is a beautiful mass that is held and the music and color fills up the screen.  That scene, particularly the statue of "The Pieta," is echoed in the film's ending in a delicate way.  It made me wonder if the film I had started to watch was really the same as the one that I was finishing.        

Review
While there are some good moments to this film (aside from those mentioned above, there is a great part where Anthony must explain to a puzzled Miguel why the cannon will "weigh" more going downhill and tries to use the laws of physics to show the math behind it), it feels long and heavy, as if you're pushing the cannon along with that mob of people.  It's a cool piece of Hollywood history because of Sophia Loren's earliest US work and her off-screen relationship with Cary Grant.  I didn't like the film, but I liked the history and really, any chance to watch Sinatra (even in awful roles) is still a chance I'll take.  

Want to read more?  Check out IMDb.  Also, if you are interested in a Cary Grant love triangle film, try The Philadelphia Story or The Grass is Greener.  Both films are fantastic - look for write-ups on those in the weeks to come!