The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

Humphrey Bogart makes the best fairy godfather ever.

Intro.

1954 was the year of fairy tales, at least for Humphrey Bogart's filmography.  First he had a huge success with The Caine Mutiny, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.  Then he made Sabrina, which is in itself a fairy tale about a little girl turning into a fine lady and falling in love.  And then came The Barefoot Contessa, an interesting Hollywood take on the Cinderella story.  The Barefoot Contessa is the third in the trio of classic films often referenced as the best ones made about the industry (the others being The Bad and the Beautiful and Sunset Boulevard).

Overview 

The Barefoot Contessa opens with a funeral for the title character, led by a voiceover from Harry Dawes (Humphrey Bogart), a writer-director who knew the whole story.   He tells us of the Contessa from the beginning, back when she was just a poor nightclub dancer in Spain named Maria Vargas (Ava Gardner).  Millionaire producer Kirk Edwards (Warren Stevens), his PR guy Oscar Muldoon (Edmond O'Brien) and Harry.  Maria is anything but impressed by them and when she leaves the club without warning, Harry is ordered to find her or lose his job.  He does and she comes to realize that he's not like the others - he's honest.  He sees her unstable family and her desire to leave Spain and she in turn tells him about being a poverty stricken child hiding shoeless in the dirt during the Civil War.  She has a world weariness attached to this pure hope of something beautiful, like a fairy tale coming true.  She taps into that duality and becomes a smash hit in Hollywood, where Harry directs her in three films.  Her career hits a curve ball though when her father is arrested back in Spain for the murder of her mother.  Instead of laying low and avoiding the press, Maria goes to Spain and defends her father in open court.  It's a huge trial and she takes an awful chance on her career, but really she is keeping her values and her honesty in a business where that isn't easy.  Back in Hollywood she tires of being under contract to (and under the thumb of, really) Kirk Edwards.  It comes to a head during a fancy society party and she agrees to go with Kirk's enemy, Alberto Bravano (Marius Goring) to Monte Carlo.  Oscar goes with her (as we learn since he has taken over the narration now), having quit Kirk and joined up with Bravano as well.  He describes Bravano's extravagance and quick temper, which he takes out on Maria, who doesn't at all fit in with the high society set.  Not only does she still keep company with lower class workers and gypsies, she has a string of lovers.  But when Bravano finally goes too far and verbally attacks Maria in the hotel, a handsome stranger steps in and defends her.  The stranger walks off with Maria as if in a dream and then we switch to the stranger's narration.  He is Count Vincenzo Torlato-Favrini (Rossano Brazzi) and he had seen Maria earlier dancing barefoot in a gypsy camp as he drove to Monte Carlo.  For him it was kismet that they meet again at the hotel and that he swoop in to defend her.  They have a quick, lovely romance back at his villa in Italy, where he decides to make her the last Contessa.  Harry picks up again, recounting when he had gone to Italy for a picture and run into Maria as she was about to marry Vincenzo.  In Harry's words, "the Prince had finally caught up with Cinderella and all that was left was the slipper business."  Maria marries her Prince alright, but the marriage is a far cry from the happy, Disney-style fairy tales when we learn exactly what Vincenzo meant by calling her the "last Contessa."  His meaning, however, takes a much darker twist, ending with the death of Maria.

Highlights
I really liked that Harry Dawes was a writer-director, as that writing side came out with his great narration.  Vincenzo and Oscar did a good job with their stories, but Harry's is the stuff that sticks.  He's got some wonderful lines in here, besides the slipper one.  On describing Edwards, Harry says "he had as much in common with anything creative as I have with nuclear physics."  My favorite line though is "Life every now and then behaves as if it's seen too many bad movies; everything fits too well."  Not only is the writing good, but the delivery is impeccable.  It reminded me a great deal of Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard, which makes sense as both characters are writers disenchanted by Hollywood after having hit its rocky bottom.

Another note on the narration - I really loved the set up for Bogart.  There in funeral, in the pouring rain, we get his gravelly, nasal, distinctively weary voice and the camera passes over all of the mourners in black, hiding under black umbrellas and then we see Harry Dawes, no umbrella, just an old raincoat with the collar turned up, standing apart.  It sets up his character well.  I think it's risky to reveal the death of a character (especially the title character) right at the beginning, but the overall story and the changing narration helps to keep The Barefoot Contessa moving and interesting.  I think it works so well because we want to know where the fairy tale went horribly wrong.  I did want to hear it from her point of view, but I guess telling it from the outside creates more of a legend, of a woman on a pedestal or out of a story book.  I was miffed that her story is told by three men (come on, people!  Couldn't we get Jerry a story line?  She was awesome as Harry's wisecracking girlfriend!) though truth be told, I'm glad that Kirk didn't get a narration, because he was a bit possessive and creepy.  I'm wondering now if Maria's really long monologue when Harry finds her is really her way of narrating (since they can't make a dead person talk, unlike Sunset Boulevard).  Now I realize that's probably why we have that scene; I was annoyed at first that Ava Gardner was talking so much and for so long to this guy she just met, but in the overall storytelling purposes I think I can understand.   

Now what about all this fairy tale business?  What is it about marrying the idea of a perfect life and romance with the dark side of Hollywood?  We've seen it in many films that focus on the film industry, but The Barefoot Contessa goes out of its way to make Maria into a Spanish Cinderella.  What's really interesting to me is the duality of her character as both this honest, loyal woman wanting a perfect romance but still a bit rough around the edges and unprepared for the curve ball Vincenzo throws (oh, you know you want to watch now so you can see it!).  But in reality, we didn't need to make her a film star or get her involved with Hollywood at all to make the story work - Sabrina didn't send Audrey Hepburn to Hollywood; it sent her to Paris.  So what is it about this industry of dream-making that is both so hopeful and attractive, but also so crushingly sad? (Ha, another duality!)  Why doesn't the dream work?  Is it that when something is too well put together, like one of Harry's "bad movies" it is bound to fall apart?  Is it that the dream creators see behind the gossamer and paper cutouts and the dream is lost on them?  What does that say about our own cynical culture?  There are so many questions, and films like The Barefoot Contessa, The Bad and The Beautiful and Sunset Boulevard do a wonderful job of trying to find answers.  The mystery of film-making isn't beautiful from the inside.  All that glitters is not gold, but can look like it in Technicolor.  Lastly, would this movie have been as good or as powerful if she had lived?  What if it had a Sabrina type ending where Prince Charming and his Cinderella lived happily ever after?  Does Maria set her own course for sadness and disappointment (and death)?  It's an interesting perspective on destiny and one I'd like to consider as I re-watch this great film.

As if to reinforce my point, I heard a great back story from TCM host Robert Osborne.  It was something I had actually suspected while watching and was really interested to hear afterward.  Bogart and Gardner have a great relationship on screen - their characters are great, they seem like a matched pair.  Harry even refers to himself as her "fairy godfather" at one point.  You'd think they would get along swell off screen - Ava Garnder was a self-possessed, confident, hard drinking, straight talking kind of woman - Bogart's kind of woman.  However, in 1954 Ava had just ended (though not officially by divorce; that would come in 1957) her rocky marriage to Frank Sinatra, Bogart's good friend and member of Bogie's Rat Pack.  So Bogart and Gardner weren't exactly friends by any means.  It always amazes me at how that kind of animosity can be so well camouflaged by darn good acting.     

Review and Recommendation
I highly recommend The Barefoot Contessa.  It's a fascinating look based on the real life rise of Rita Hayworth, who married Prince Aly Khan (but didn't have the whole devastating ending) and some aspects of Gardner's life as well.  It's a great story with depth and beauty that will leave you rethinking all those happy ending fairy tales.

*One additional side note: I had no idea Muldoon had been played by Edmond O'Brien, whom I had seen and loved in an earlier film, a film noir called The Killers.  Guess who co-starred with him in that picture?  Ava Gardner.  I love these connections!  He does a good job here in The Barefoot Contessa; well enough to earn an Academy Award. 
 
*Also, one major gripe.  Remember how I said women don't have a voice in this movie?  I just saw the film's tagline on IMDb: "The world's most beautiful animal!"  Is that for real?  I hope not.  Maria is a strong woman with a definite mind and will of her own, not an animal.  I'm angry about this, but really, I don't want to rant, because I'd ruin such a great movie if I went on about this poor marketing line.  So watch it and decide for yourself.
     

Golden Boy (1939)

Violins and boxing rings don't go together, even if you are William Holden with fabulous hair.

Intro.

Just when I thought that William Holden month was over, I came home Friday night and discovered that I had long ago set up some recordings and two of his films were waiting for me.  It was a very pleasant surprise, and after a lot of errands, cooking and general chores, I finally let myself unwind with some popcorn and Golden Boy. 

Overview

Golden Boy opens with struggling sports agent Tom Moody (Adolphe Menjou) telling his girlfriend Lorna (Barbara Stanwyck) that he can't afford to divorce his wife and marry her.  He only has one client, a boxer, but as luck would have it, a lanky young man with floppy curls barges into his office to tell him his client just broke his hand.  The young man follows Tom and Lorna down to the gym, asking to be given a chance to sign with them as a fighter.  Tom only listens though when he learns that the young man, Joe Bonaparte (William Holden) is the one responsible for breaking his prize fighter's fist.  So Joe gets signed and starts boxing.  He's never had any formal training, but he learns quickly and has a beginner's enthusiasm and reckless courage.  He also has a very loving family who know nothing about his first fight.  His father, an Italian storekeeper, has saved up enough money to buy Joe a beautiful $1500 violin for his upcoming 21st birthday.  Joe's played the violin since he was very young and has earned a music scholarship, but with the tempting new world of boxing and fast money, Joe comes to a difficult decision.  Which life should he pursue?  He loves music, but he wants to provide for his father and earn enough money for them to live comfortably - boxing allows for big money like that.  Joe's talented in both fields.  But nothing is that simple.  Lorna, trying to help Tom stay in business, charms Joe and convinces him to keep boxing.  Joe rises to become a great sensation, but at the price of his music - 8 months on the road without playing have made his hands tough and shaky on the violin.  To make things even worse, Mobster Fuseli (Joseph Calleia) wants a piece of Joe's contract.  And he keeps raising his price in exchange for Joe's signature.  Joe accepts, much to the dismay of Lorna, who has met Joe's family and has found herself falling in love with Joe.  What it all comes down to is a big fight against the middle-weight champ in Madison Square Gardens and devastating consequences.

Highlights
I am now a Barbara Stanwyck fan.  What an actress!  She's one of those actresses that steals every scene with her talent, charm and beauty.  Not to mention her strength.  She is outstanding as Lorna, both the "girl Friday" to Tom and yet the compassionate friend and then lover of Joe.  We can see her character transform from a middle-aged cynical spinster into a warm, devoted part of a family.  She has a real presence and gives the film its heart.  I am looking forward to finding more of her films to watch and enjoy!

Barbara Stanwyck lobbied to get unknown William Holden into this film as the title character.  I read somewhere that something like 5000 actors had been considered for the role, but it was Barbara Stanwyck that really pushed for Holden and in the end, got him cast.  It did more than that too - it launched his whole career and even earned him the nickname of "The Golden Boy" of Hollywood.  Check it out - if you search IMDb's site for "Golden Boy" you'll get William Holden listed before the movie itself.  Holden was so grateful to Barbara Stanwyck for her support that he reportedly sent her flowers every year on the anniversary of their first day of shooting.  He also trained pretty hard for this role, taking both boxing and violin lessons so as to make his performance look more natural.  It's the stuff that movie legends are made of.

Although the story line was a plot that I'd seen in variations before (youth trying to choose between two different worlds/careers), it was very well done here.  Most of that is due to the fine acting of Stanwyck and Holden, but a good part of it is also due to the way the events unfold.  There is a great deal of love and tenderness in the film and Joe's family (although sadly stereotyped) is one of the happiest families on screen.  We come to care for them the same way Lorna does.  This is just as much her story of finding happiness and a family just as much as it is about Joe finding out who he really is and accepting his destiny.  It isn't nearly as straightforward as my overview might make it seem, and the ending will definitely come out of left field.    

Review and Recommendation

What did you accomplish when you were 21?  If you were William Holden, you were making a film that would jump-start your career.  It's astonishing to think about where I was at 21 (probably struggling through my class in organic chemistry) and to see how cool and confident he appears on screen.  His performance and the great performance by Barbara Stanwyck make this film worth seeing.  If you're interested in a Hollywood legend or like films about boxing or even if you just want a good, solid hour and a half of entertainment, give Golden Boy a try.  


P.S. Also, just to satisfy my fan-girl side, I have to say that when Holden appeared at first, tall, a bit lanky and sporting some gorgeous, floppy dark curls, I thought for a moment there was a mix-up because he looked an awful lot like Tom Hanks in the movie Big.  Just now I'm watching the opening of Sunset Boulevard and man, there's a scene where I swear he could be Hanks.  Or would that be, Hanks could be Holden?  I wonder if Tom Hanks could be considered the "Golden Boy" of modern films.  I know he's been called the Jimmy Stewart "everyman", but I think he definitely follows Holden's footsteps too.  That's a post I'll have to write another day.

Sabrina (1954)

Bogart's a little too old, Holden's a little too blond, but Audrey is just right.

Intro.

I think everyone is familiar with the story of Sabrina. An ordinary girl falls in love with a rich man who doesn't know she exists, she goes away and transforms into a lady and upon her return, he falls in love with her.  There's more to it, of course, but at its heart, Sabrina is in every sense a Cinderella story.  With a seemingly perfect combination like Billy Wilder, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn, Paramount was excited to see what a great film would be created.  They were right, though the off-screen story was far from a fairy-tale.

Overview
"Once upon a time, on the North Shore of Long Island, some thirty miles from New York, there lived a small girl on a large estate."  So begins the story of Sabrina Fairchild (Audrey Hepburn), the timid young daughter of the chauffer employed by the very wealthy Larrabee family.  She is in love with the younger of the Larrabee sons, David (William Holden), who is a playboy with three divorces to his name and no work ethic.  That ethic is instead present in his older brother, Linus (Humphrey Bogart), who is a regular workaholic with no time for fun.  Distraught because David doesn't know she exists, Sabrina tries to commit suicide, only to be stopped by Linus.  Her father has saved his money and sends her to Paris the next day to cooking school.  Over the next two years, she not only learns how to cook, but also how to live and returns to Long Island as a sophisticated, knowledgeable and absolutely beautiful lady.  David is quick to notice her now and finds himself ignoring his fiancee in favor of Sabrina.  Linus won't stand for that, though, as David's marriage is part of a company merger in a multi-million dollar plastics manufacturing deal.  So Linus decides to distract Sabrina so that she'll forget about David; he'll even pay her off it that's what it takes.  None of them expect what happens next, as Linus learns to loosen up some and winds up falling for Sabrina himself.  When Sabrina gets two tickets to sail back to Paris, just who will accompany her?   
 

Highlights

Sabrina has all of the charm and humor of a classic romantic comedy.  It is one of the best examples of the genre and I believe a lot of that has to do with the fine writing and even finer performances.  You can tell Bogart and Holden are well versed in acting, and even though this was only Audrey Hepburn's second film, she is captivating and ideal for the role.  I know I wouldn't want to be in her shoes as Sabrina, having to choose between Linus and David.  What a sweet, funny movie.  Sabrina proves my point that a great film doesn't need violence, awful language or sex to be entertaining.  I swear if you don't at least smile when David is getting broken glass removed from his rear end (yes, he sat on two champagne glasses) and Linus calls out "goodbye, Scarface," you don't have a sense of humor.

As I mentioned above, the back-stage story is even more interesting than the one on the celluloid.  I have a DVD of Sabrina, and watched the short documentary for the first time.  Like the film it was upbeat, innocent and featured a voice-over that sounded more like a trailer introduction than a documentary.  Originally Cary Grant had held the role of Linus, but had to back out one week before shooting began.  Paramount needed an older, well-established star and turned to Bogart.  This was unlike any role he had previously held, and he was excited for it.  He even remarked during production that "if I were as handsome as Bill Holden, I wouldn't have any doubts as to why Bacall married me."  That's all well and good, but I knew something was a bit off, so I pulled out my copy of Bogart by A.M. Sperber and Eric Lax (a fabulous book that I highly recommend!) and checked into it.

There's a very funny story from Bogart.  In 1939, Bogart was a bit upset that he took fourth billing after much younger William Holden in a film called Invisible Stripes.  On set, Holden insisted on doing a stunt by himself, where he drove a motorcycle with Bogart as the passenger.  The book has it written this way: "Bogart objected - 'That S.O.B., he'll crack it up!' - but Holden insisted. He promptly ran the bike into a wall.  Only egos were injured. (pg. 103)"  No wonder Bogart was a bit leary when he worked with Holden again. 

According to Sperber and Lax, Bogart was excited to do Sabrina, but that excitement faded once he realized that Holden and director Wilder were already buddies (they had just made Sunset Boulevard and Stalag 17 together), and along with young Hepburn, they formed a sort of clique that left the older star out in the cold.  As they wrote in their biography, Sperber and Lax talked about the private meetings and lunches between the others.  "Evidently no one thought of inviting Bogart.  Then again, probably no one observing one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, with one of the loveliest women waiting for him at home, would have guessed the wells of insecurity tapped by this exclusion." (pg. 492)  He just wanted to be asked, to be recognized.  He became difficult to work with, arguing and throwing tantrums, though he wasn't the only difficult one - Wilder was just as difficult, and would sometimes get Hepburn to pretend to be sick because he didn't have the day's script finished yet.  None of those problems show in the finished film, however.  Bogart and Wilder made peace a few years later, but what happened during the filming of Sabrina is still a part of Hollywood history.

One last point I should make is that the Paramount costume and wardrobe designer was Edith Head, whom I adore.  She designed all the gowns in What a Way to Go! and those absolutely jaw-dropping dresses for Grace Kelly in Rear Window.  So when Audrey Hepburn decided to ask new fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy to make her clothes for the post-Paris part of the film, I was a bit disappointed.  Not by the gowns, because they are gorgeous.  Still, I should say it must have been harder to make dresses for Audrey Hepburn that made her pretty but still a bit school-girlish.  And those were entrusted to Edith, who did as wonderful a job as ever.  I think I have a bit of a crush on her, or at least on her work.

Review and Recommendation
Sorry to make this such a long post!  All in all, Sabrina is a true classic.  Funny, charming and sweet, it's a perfect example of a romantic-comedy.  I highly recommend it for the great acting, the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, and those early dresses from Edith Head.  Can I say the obvious tagline?  Let your heart be stolen by Sabrina!

P.S. Bogart really is one of the best biographies I've ever read.  Maybe even the best.  It's by A. M. Sperber and Eric Lax, published by William Morrow and Company, New York, 1997.  No copyright infringement intended. 

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Intro.

Everybody knows the line.  "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."  And just about everyone knows the image that goes with it - Gloria Swanson decked out in a gown and glitzy headpiece from the 1920's, descending the stairs, her chin up and huge eyelashes held on unblinking eyes.  I knew this line well, but had never seen the film which featured it: Sunset Boulevard.  I just watched it a few nights ago and I have to say, it's my new favorite film.  I've always liked movies about Hollywood and the film business, but Sunset Boulevard outdoes any of the others I've seen.  

Overview

Sunset Boulevard opens on its namesake following a squad of homicide police cars past palm trees and luxuriant mansions.  A voiceover tells us he's going to tell us the real story, before you get the messed up version from the reporters.  The police all gather around a swimming pool, where we see a dead man floating face-down.  The narrators says he's been shot twice in the back and once in the stomach.  He's "nobody important.  Just a movie-writer with a couple of B-pictures to his name."  We get a look at the poor guy's face again as the narrator adds, "poor dope.  He always wanted a pool."  Then the film goes back to six months earlier, and the narrator switches to telling us about himself.  His name is Joe Gillis (William Holden), and he's a penniless writer cranking out two stories a week which he can't sell.  The finance company shows up to repossess his car, but he says he lent it to a friend.  Joe of course does have the car, and goes to Paramount to talk to a producer friend of his about a story he sent in.  The reader's department has given the story a poor rating, so Joe's out of luck.  He goes to see his agent, who says that losing his car will be great because he'll be inspired to write more.  Just as Joe's driving back, the finance company guys spot him and start to pursue him.  Joe pulls into one of the big estates on Sunset Boulevard and hides in a deserted garage.  Safely hidden, he goes towards the house, thinking it's deserted.  That's why he is so startled to see a butler appear at the door and usher him inside.  Turns out that Joe has been mistaken for an undertaker because the homeowner's pet chimp has died.  And the homeowner is just as extravagent and outrageous as the house - her name is Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), famous silent film era movie star.  "You used to be big," Joe nods in recognition.  "I am big," she corrects him.  "It's the pictures that got small."  She asks Joe to stay and read the script she's been writing for several years - her big picture to mark her return to the screen.  She hires Joe to help her rewrite the script.  He spends the rest of the day there reading and when he wakes up the next morning, he finds all of his belongings have been moved in for him.  Before Joe realizes it, he becomes a kept man.  His car is repossessed, Norma won't let him leave, and soon she's buying him clothes and cigarette cases.  On New Year's Eve, she throws a party but he's the only guest.  He snaps, tells her he wants a life of his own, and storms out to go to his friend Artie's party.  He comes back, however, because Norma was so overcome, she took the razor from his room and slit her wrists.  She survived, but the night changed them both.  Joe stays with Norma after that and she confidently readies herself for her great return to the screen.  She even manages to go to Paramount and see Mr. DeMille, who doesn't have the heart to tell her that her script is awful.  While at the studio though, Joe sees Artie's girlfriend, Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson), who proposes making a script out of one of Joe's old short stories.  He agrees to start meeting her late at night and continue working on the script.  There are a few complications though, as first Betty falls in love with Joe and then Norma discovers a copy of the script with Betty's and Joe's names on it.  It all comes to an end when Norma calls Betty to warn her about Joe, but Joe interrupts and tells Betty to come over and see his situation.  I won't give away exactly what happens, but it's a wonderful ride all the way to the very end, where the camera finally gives Norma her close-up.

Highlights
I love how Sunset Boulevard is written.  The dialogue and the narration are both outstanding.  Besides the line I quoted at the beginning of this post, there's also the wonderful descriptions and reflections of Joe Gillis.  He speaks like a writer, which is probably why it comes across so well.  He sees the big mansion and calls it "a big white elephant of a house."  He realizes how deeply troubled Norma is as he narrates, "she was still sleepwalking along the giddy heights of a lost career."  Then we have Norma's madness-induced lines like "no one ever leaves a star - that's what makes one a star."  Through it all we get a keen sense of Joe's cynicism and Norma's desperation.  That's what the film really comes down to - two people who have seen the dark side of Hollywood.

Gloria Swanson gives an amazing performance as Norma.  I didn't know it at the time, but Gloria had been a star back in the days of silent films, and those movies Norma watches are actually Gloria's old ones from the 20's.  As Norma, she is both pitiable and detestable - I really didn't make up my mind about her character until the very last scene, where you can't help but feel sorry for her.  The best word for her is denial.  In Joe's words, she's "still waving proudly at a parade that had long since passed her by."  Her fans, her friends, everyone in the cold world of show business has given her the brush, but she refuses to believe it.  Her denial is narcissistic perhaps, but very human.  She refuses to believe that she's getting older, that she's past the best years of her life.

Just as Gloria Swanson is a perfect fit as Norma Desmond, William Holden is just as perfect for the role of Joe Gillis.  I think very few actors could have delivered that dead-pan cynical narrative as well as Holden.  Maybe it was the kind of character he usually played or maybe it was a bit of his own personality, but there's something very engaging in his performance.  Just as engaging is the sweet, optimistic Betty, played by the beautiful Nancy Olson.  She too has been snubbed by Hollywood, but has adjusted rather well.  She and Norma are polar opposites, which may be why Joe is so drawn to Betty.  Their dynamic is fun to watch and gives the film a lot more depth.

Finally, I have to comment a little on the satiric look at Hollywood.  Entire books have been written about it, so I'm just going to make this short.  I loved how real shots of Paramount studios and Schwab's Drugstore were used - it gives a realistic feel to the film.  I also loved how real celebrities were discussed - Joe Gillis mentions Selznick, Tyrone Powers, Alan Ladd.  And to make it even better, Cecil B. DeMille appears as himself!  Also keep your eyes out for Hedda Hopper and Buster Keaton, also playing themselves.  It makes the impact of the film more pronounced, more identifiable. It also doesn't shy away from how quickly stars can be forgotten or how cruel fans and reporters can be.  We see it every day in pop culture headlines - which celebrities are in rehab, which are in jail, which are causing the latest scandal.  But when the publicity stops altogether, that can be the end of a career.

Review and Recommendation
Honestly, I could write a lot more about why Sunset Boulevard is a great movie, but I won't.  What I can do is give it one of my strongest "must-see" recommendations.  If I had a 5-star system, this would get 8 stars.  It's a film about films and movie-lovers everywhere will find something to like and admire.  It's easy to see why it won 3 Oscars.  So sit back, enjoy and be prepared for Norma Desmond to stare directly at you, you "wonderful people out there in the dark."

P.S. For any Stephen King fans out there, this film definitely reminded me of a non-gory version of Misery.  Don't believe me?  Watch it and see!

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Tagline: Kirk Douglas has swagger to burn!
Intro.

When I talk about books with my friends and co-workers, we inevitably mention our growing "to read" piles - books that have been recommended or even lent to us, books we've been itching to read but haven't been able to find time for or books that we know we should read because they are classics or bestsellers.  This last group, books that we should read, I think can be applied to a sort of loose canon of literature.  You know, those books we were all expected to read in school.  I think the same idea of a canon can be applied to film as well.  We can focus it on world film as a whole or on films of a particular country.  If we took American films, for example, some classics in the canon would include The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, you get the idea.  That got me thinking - what determines a film's place as a real classic?  On this site, I use the term "classic" loosely to mean any film more than 30 years old.  But you can't very well say two films like Carolina Moon and 12 Angry Men are classics in the same sense of the word.   Does it have to do with the number of Oscars a film wins?  Or the performances of the actors or actresses in their careers?  What about the place of a film within the history of Hollywood or in the film's culture?  What about the film's recognition in today's world (like how many people today have ever seen or even heard of films like The Life of Emile Zola or Grand Hotel - both are Best Picture Oscar winners)?  This is what I was thinking about when I saw that one of the films on my "should watch" list was on television.  The winner of 5 Oscars, The Bad and the Beautiful promised to be a great film, so I eagerly settled in to watch.

Overview
The Bad and the Beautiful starts with phone calls - one to a director, one to a beautiful woman, one to a writer.  All of the calls are from Jonathan Shields and all go purposefully unanswered.  All three of those people meet up at the house of studio head Harry Pebbel (Walter Pidgeon).  Washed out film producer Jonathan (Kirk Douglas) is ready after two years to make his comeback, but needs all three of those people to make the film with him.  As Harry pleads with them, each person tells the story of how Jonathan entered and then ruined their lives.  First up is director Fred Amile (Barry Sullivan), who met Jonathan when the latter first came to Hollywood.  Jonathan's father had been a big time producer and Jonathan aimed to do even better, but had to start at the very bottom.  Together, the two men began directing films back when they were very production-line oriented.  As the studio executive tells them, "I don't want to win awards.  I want to make pictures that end with a kiss and black ink in the books."  The men learn their trade through long hours and hard work, and finally make a really successful film.  Fred has a story outlined from a popular book and is dying to be lead director on his own picture.  But Jonathan is the one who can sell, and gets the picture made, though part of the bargain is to bring in an experienced director.  Fred disowns Jonathan, though back in the present tense of the film, Harry reminds him that Fred finally stopped hanging on Jonathan's coattails, became a great success on his own and has a great life.  Then the story switches to beautiful actress Georgia Lorrison (Lana Turner), who was discovered by Jonathan.  Her flashback shows us what a wreck she was - an alcoholic steeped in depression.  Jonathan takes care of her, teaches her to be a lady and gets her the role in his next big picture, despite the protests of the director.  Their fondness turns to love (at least on her part) and the night of the premier she is haled as the next great star.  But Jonathan isn't there to share her joy.  She goes to his house only to find him angry at her presence.  That's probably because he has another woman upstairs.  Completely crushed, she leaves him and almost has a car accident because she's crying so hard.  Thus, she blames him for using her.  Since then, however, she has continued to be a great star and studios everywhere are eager for her to work with them.  Finally the last story is told through the screenwriter, James Lee Bartlow (Dick Powell).  His connection with Jonathan started when he published his book on the history of Virginia.  Jonathan convinces him to come to Hollywood to turn the book into a film.  James is reluctant to stay and write the screenplay, but between Jonathan's influence and James's wife's desire to see Hollywood, he stays.  When he can't focus on the screenplay, Jonathan arranges for he and James to spend two weeks in the country.  He also arranges for a sexy actor called Gaucho (Gilbert Roland) to distract Mrs. Rosemary Bartlow (Gloria Graham), a charming Southern belle with a knack for disrupting her husband whenever he tries to work.  James finishes the script, but returns to Hollywood to find that Gaucho and Rosemary have been killed in a plane crash.  When the truth finally comes out, James disowns Jonathan.  So at last James, Georgia and Fred have to decide whether or not to give Jonathan another chance.

Highlights
I'm a big fan of flashbacks.  The way that The Bad and the Beautiful, uses three long flashbacks to tell the story of a man's life is very well done.  In fact, the whole film is very strong in its storytelling.  Part of it is the way it all ties together.  The three central characters (James, Georgia and Fred) all know of each other and appear in multiple flashbacks.  The opening itself is a great way to introduce the three of them as well as Jonathan - a man so hated no one will take his call.

Kirk Douglas carries the film so well.  He makes Jonathan both despicable and yet so endearing.  It's magnetism.  He can talk his way into or out of anything.  One word I thought of immediately was swagger.  The whole movie rests on how much swagger he has.  That and his perfect, unmovable hair.  But I digress.  Kirk Douglas should've won an Oscar for this performance - his character is the absolute epitome of everything we both love and hate about Hollywood.  I think that's why the film is such a classic.  It's not only about a man who will stop at nothing to get to the top, but also the story of old Hollywood, or at least the kind of story we want to see. 

Review and Recommendation
The Bad and the Beautiful has some great aspects and the Oscars it won (Art Direction, Cinematography, Writing, Costume Design, and Supporting Actress for Gloria Grahame) are deserved.  It's not as dark as most "inside Hollywood" films, but also not as light as say Singin' in the Rain.  While I don't think it's a "classic" as much as some other films, it is nevertheless a fine piece of movie-making history.  An all-around good film, I recommend it also for Douglas's fine acting and a great story.

It's a Great Feeling (1949)

Intro.

I caught It's a Great Feeling just after it began last night and as it was already pretty late, I recorded it and watched it this morning.  It was a nice, delightful way to begin a perfect summer day.  The film was made back in 1949 because Warner Brothers had promised a film with Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson that would feature vendors within the Warner studios.  The original film had been canceled, but as the vendors began to complain, the studio decided to make this one.  They hired a writer and as everything was filmed on the actual lots and buildings owned by the studio, no sets had to be made.  The entire film was done in 6 weeks!  Although it does feel a bit short, the film is nonetheless entertaining and filled with enough cameos to make every film buff happy. 

Overview

Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson play themselves in the film - two actors who have been around the block in Hollywood.  They find themselves set to work on a film (Jack directing and Dennis as the lead) and try to find their leading lady.  As it so happens, a waitress in the studio commissary, Judy (played by Doris Day), convinces Jack that she can act and agrees to help him prank Dennis in order to get a part in the film.  Well, Jack doesn't keep his word, so Judy decides to go back home to Wisconsin.  The two men realize that they need a leading lady or their film will be canceled, and convince Judy to stay.  However, there's one problem - they need to convince their producer Arthur Trent (Bill Goodwin) that he discovered Judy, or he won't okay the use of an unknown leading lady.  A lot of gags and problems follow and they end with Judy again on a train bound for Wisconsin.  I won't give away the ending, but it is wonderful and a bit disappointing.  All in all, it is a funny commentary on the inner workings of Hollywood.

Highlights

Doris Day shines as Judy in this film.  She outsings, outacts and outshines her co-stars.  She has some wonderful songs including "Big Fat Lie."  Throughout the madcap antics, she holds her own and keeps the film together.  And the antics are great, including an attempt to pass her off as a famous French movie star.  But perhaps the best part of the film is the feeling that you are really behind the scenes at Warner Brothers.  That's because you are - the filming is all done in the studio, from the wardrobe department to the commissary to the sound stage.  And they have the cameos to prove it.  Here are the ones I wrote down: Ronald Regan, Gary Cooper, Danny Kaye, Joan Crawford, Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman and Patricia O'Neal.  I'm sure there were others I missed, but boy, what a cast!

Review and Recommendation

I liked this film a lot more than I did Thousands Cheer, despite the fact that both had many famous stars make brief appearances.  While this film had a somewhat shaky plot and even though I really wanted it to go on longer, I think it perfectly captured a side of Hollywood at which we can laugh.  Definitely a fun film to watch, especially to do some star-spotting! 

P.S. The film background is from Robert Osborne's intro that was featured on TCM.  To read more about It's a Great Feeling or more films, check it out here.