3 Godfathers (1948)

Three bank robbers, a baby and a lot of sand.  Think they'll manage?

Intro.

I went back to holiday films the day of Christmas Eve in order to watch one that I usually forget about but still enjoy - 3 Godfathers.  It's a take on the story of Christ, with enough religious allusions to keep any analyst happy.


Overview
Robert Hightower (John Wayne); Pedro, "Pete" (Pedro Armendáriz); and William, the Abilene Kid (Harry Carey Jr.), are three cowboys who come into the town of Welcome, AZ and rob the bank just a few weeks before Christmas.  They make a good break for the border too, with the Kid getting shot in the shoulder.  But Marshall Buck Sweet (Ward Bond) is on their trail with a posse in no time and a game of chess plays out as both groups try to get to the few water towers in the middle of the Arizona desert.  Bob, Pete and the Kid make it to the first tank, but find that the Marshall's boys have beat them to it via the railroad.  The posse follows the railroad to the next stop, Apache Wells, but the three outlaws decide to double back and head to Terrapin Tanks.  They barely make it, having run out of nearly all their water and baking in the sun.  The Kid isn't doing well without water and when they hit a massive windstorm, they have to take shelter and lose their horses in the night.  They walk the rest of the way, but find that someone has dynamited the tank and destroyed the well.  A wagon is there without horses and in it they find a woman about to give birth (her husband died chasing after their stock).  Pete helps deliver the baby as Bob and the Kid squeeze some barrel-head cactus to get some water.  The three men talk to the woman once the baby's born and it's clear that she isn't going to live through the night.  With the last of her strength, she names her child Robert William Pedro Hightower after his three new godfathers, who have agreed to save him.  After she dies, the three men try their best to care for the child, which means heading to the nearest town - Welcome.  Still without water, Pedro and the Kid both die on the way, and Bob barely makes it into the town before collapsing at the Marshall's feet.  But what will become of little Robert William Pedro and his sole godfather?

Highlights

There are a lot of reasons I like this movie.  The first is that it's a tribute film; the movie was originally made back in 1916 and starred Harry Carey, who was friends with director John Ford.  After Carey's death in 1947, Ford dedicated his remake of the movie to Carey.  The beginning shot has a rider coming up a ridge and pausing in moonlight, with the words "In memory of Harry Carey, Bright Star of the Western Sky".  Even better, Carey's son, Harry Carey Jr., is in the film as well, and it marks his introduction to film (probably in a main role, as he had already appeared in a few films, including the only one to feature both of the Careys - Red River).  This time the film's in technicolor and has a bit of a different storyline (though I can't comment more as I haven't seen the 1916 original). 

Not only did Ford make such a fine film, but he called on a lot of his regular actors and actresses: John Wayne, Ward Bond, Harry Carey Jr., Mildred Natwick, Jane Darwell, Hank Worden and of course, Ben Johnson (see my Ben Johnson fangirl blurb here), all of whom give good performances.  Harry Carey Jr. does a great job in this role - this is, in truth, how I always picture him too, as a young kid with a good heart even when he gets mixed up in some trouble.  It's sort of an iconic trio that the three make that appears in many Westerns.  Bob's the leader, the planner, the one who's been around before and has to make the decisions.  William is both in name and character "the Kid", young, more or less innocent (he was just the lookout), shy and in need of protecting.  And Pete is sort of the in-between guy with some knowledge and a past no one really knows (what? He was married and has kids somewhere??), but he's the one to keep looking on the bright side or cracking jokes.  The premise is pretty simple too, as each group (the lawmen and the outlaws) try to outfox each other.  But what makes this Western different is the baby.  Well, it starts before the baby, as Ford sets up these "outlaws" to be the heroes.  We get the feeling they're not too terrible from their general kindness towards the folks in town and how Bob and Pete take care of the Kid.  And we start rooting for them as we see them struggle across the desert.  So it's natural that we keep cheering for them once they decide to throw away their money and their freedom (and quite possibly their own lives) to save this orphan.  It's their redeeming act and the extenuating circumstances that come up in Bob's trial.  That decision to honor the woman's request that they save her child is the real turning point of the film.  It's a very human decision to have to make and it's what separates the good guys from the bad.

Having the story take place in the West is a perfect setting, as the West is often associated with rebirth and opportunities to start over in life.  To further that image of rebirth are all the allusions and parallels to the story of the birth of Christ.*  First we have these three men who find a child.  The same child ultimately saves them too.  When the men are trying to figure out where to go with the child, the closest towns all coincidentally have Biblical names - Damascus, New Jerusalem and Cairo.  This might be minor, but the men are also denied water from three tanks before finding the child (sound like being denied at three inns?).  The men also find a family Bible in the baby's wagon, and consult it for answers.  When Bob is about to give out, he opens the Bible and reads a passage about Christ asking for a donkey to be untied and brought to him so that he may ride into town on it (I think that's the passage about Palm Sunday).  Sure enough, a donkey appears and helps Bob and the baby get into town.  But the biggest part of the parallel is that the story takes place just before Christmas; Bob arrives in town late on Christmas Eve.       

Finally, a word on John Ford, my favorite director.  Ford strove for authenticity in his pictures, often shooting on location.  There are stories about how he'd get actors roaring drunk at night then wake them up at the crack of dawn to do a scene when their character would have to have a hangover.  In 3 Godfathers he waited until a real sandstorm came and forced everyone to bear the weather in order to film the scene.  Also important to Ford was to have some sort of civilization even in the harsh wilderness, and often used rituals to illustrate it.  Most of his Westerns contain a wedding, a social dance, or a funeral.  3 Godfathers is no different, as the men hold a funeral for the woman, with the Kid singing "Shall We Gather at the River" (which, I swear, must have been Ford's favorite hymn of all time).**  It brings a certain feeling of order and familiarity to the otherwise brutally harsh West.  It's a reminder of compassion in the face of cruelty as well, just as sure as there's a heart of gold beneath the rags of a bank robber. 

Review and Recommendation

Although not as famous as many of his Westerns, I'd argue that 3 Godfathers is a great example of Ford's work.  A simple yet elegantly told story has all the right aspects to make it a great film.  Fine acting, good story lines and brilliant directing make it one of my must see - not just around the holidays, but at any time of the year.

*I was going to make a comment about the three wise men and how they were following that "Westward leading" star.  Although that's a good thought for the fact that the film takes place in the West, the men go in just about every direction but West until Bob has to return to Welcome with the baby.

**Harry Carey Jr. has an amazing singing voice.  I really wanted to say that.  Also, he sings a "lullaby" to the infant, which sounds great till you realize he's singing "Streets of Laredo," an old folk song about a dying cowboy.  Surely you'll know some of the chorus: "so beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly, sing the death march as you carry me along.  Take me to the green valley, there lay the sod o'er me, for I'm a poor cowboy and know I've done wrong."  He doesn't sing all of that to the baby, but he knows the song and his singing it is kind of like him singing about his own death.  One of the many details that makes this film worth seeing.

Key Largo (1948)

That Florida hurricane isn't the only ill wind that's descended on the Largo Hotel.    

Intro.

Bogart and Bacall are probably the most iconic couple in Hollywood.  There's even a song about them called "Key Largo" by Bertie Higgins, which has the line "we had it all, just Bogie and Bacall."  You can find references to them just about anywhere, but the best place to see and learn about their chemistry is in the four films they made together.  Key Largo was the last of those four. 

Overview

Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) comes down to the Largo Hotel on the Florida Keys to visit the father and wife of his friend and fellow soldier George, who died in the war.  While he gets a warm reception from George's father James Temple (Lionel Barrymore) and George's widow Nora (Lauren Bacall), he doesn't take to well to the gangsters who have holed up in the hotel.  At first the men say they've rented the whole place out to go fishing, but when they beat up a police officer who recognizes the leader, Rocco (Edward G. Robinson), the truth comes out.  With the gangsters is Rocco's alcoholic girlfriend Gaye Dawn (Claire Trevor), whom Frank pities and tries to help.  Tensions start to brew when a hurricane forces the group to stay together within the hotel.  Rocco dares Frank to kill him, to get rid of all their trouble.  He's just a gangster who was deported and trying to sneak back into the US - who would miss him?  But Frank doesn't fight anyone else's battles.  At least, not until Rocco threatens Nora - we don't hear what Rocco says to Nora, but she spits on him.  Frank reminds him that there would be too many witnesses if Rocco tried to take revenge.  Things go from bad to worse as the hurricane gets closer.  Rocco's getaway boat disappears, Gaye has a breakdown, and the police officer they've been holding gets killed.  Not only that, but a police detective shows up and discovers the body.  With the arrival of some of Rocco's friends (and some freshly laundered money), it's clear that they have to figure out what to do with the hostages and how to escape.  They take Frank with them and overtake a nearby boat in the harbor, forcing him not only to drive the boat, but to try and put an end once and for all to their evil plans.

Highlights

Key Largo is a must for any Bogart and Bacall fans.  It's clear right from the start that their chemistry isn't manufactured.  I loved some of their unspoken interactions as we see Frank and Nora start to care for each other.  One of the most tender actions is when Nora's asleep and Frank, sitting beside her, brushes her hair back gently to wake her.  This is the stuff that makes legends.  The best part is that Bacall had matured since her first film and holds her own as a great leading lady, something that would only get better with time.  As wonderful as Bacall is in the film, it's Claire Trevor who is the real standout.  She's a sweet but tormented woman who has taken the brunt of both Rocco's anger and the alcohol she craves.  She won a well-deserved Oscar for her role too.
  
And finally there's Bogart.  Not only was he at the top of his career here, he just falls naturally into this role.  In fact, his line about fighting his own battles sounds just like it's coming from Rick in Casablanca instead.  He's the perfect embodiment of a worn out, reluctant hero.  And his victory in the end (sorry for the spoiler) is not only a testament to how Frank was and still is a war hero, but how far Bogart had risen in his career.  In his earlier days, he was always the gangster being shot and killed by Robinson; this is the first and only time the roles were reversed.  It's a great scene too - there's no fight, no real struggle.  Just a clean, dead shot (okay, three shots).  Also, Frank's line, "my first sweetheart was a boat" isn't far from Bogart's truth - as a young boy he fell in love with the sea when he would go sailing on his father's boat.  He later joined the Navy and eventually bought his own boat, the Santana.  That's the boat that's used in the end of this film, just with the place, Key Largo, added onto the stern.  

Review and Recommendation
I know this is a bit short, but I'm afraid I'm a bit sleepy.  I might add some more points to the comments - check them out this weekend!  Key Largo is one of those films you really should see not just for its place in film history, but because it's a great example of acting, cinematography and really telling a story by what is said and what is left unsaid.  Pay attention to the silences just as much as the dialogue.  Overall, a good film noir/drama, though watching tonight on such a rainy night really made it even better.  So next time you've got a rainy day, I'd recommend this classic!

Rachel and the Stranger (1948)

Intro.

You know you are addicted to old movies when, after a very busy period that leaves no time for film-viewing, you go through a serious withdrawl.  Such is my case recently, as circumstances have kept me so busy I haven't been able to watch much of anything, let alone write a review.  So finally I got some time and decided to watch a film I'd never heard of before - it's called Rachel and the Stranger, which to me sounds like a kid's movie about the dangers of talking to strangers or perhaps a follow up to Sarah and the Squirrel.  It's far from both of these things luckily, and quite an enjoyable film.

Overview

Rachel and the Stranger is a pretty typical Western drama/comedy.  Rachel (Loretta Young) is a woman working off her father's debts as a bond servant.  Recent widower and father David (William Holden) decides that he needs a wife to care for his son Davey (Gary Gray), so he first buys her and then legally marries her, but only for convention as they will be living under the same roof.  Things get off to a rocky start as Rachel is treated more like a servant and outsider who is constantly compared against David's late-wife Sarah.  Everything changes though when David's long-time friend Jim (Robert Mitchum) - the typical free-spirit backwoodsman - comes to visit with the announcement that he's looking to finally settle down and find himself a wife.  Jim's bright spirits and good nature are a big contrast to the coldness Rachel's been getting from David, so it's only natural that she responds to Jim's growing attentions.  David begins to grow jealous and realize that he has married such a wonderful woman, not just a bond servant.  The two men come to blows when Jim suggests buying Rachel from David, and Rachel, so upset at the idea of being bartered for, ups and leaves.  It isn't safe though, as the local Indians are starting to raid nearby farms and set cabins on fire.  When their own cabin is targeted, all of the characters must come together.  And it's there under fire that true feelings finally bring a good ending to the film.

Highlights

I don't know where to start.  One of the reasons this film listing caught my eye was also one of the best parts of the film - the cast.  Holden, Young and Mitchum are great together!  Solid acting on all parts, even if it is a bit unusual to see William Holden in a Western.  Gray is also a lot of fun to watch and gets the feeling across that he misses his mother and really resents Rachel for taking her place.  I also enjoyed the initial interaction between Jim and David - Jim returns to learn of Sarah's death and in only one quick exchange we get an entire backstory between the men:  Jim loved Sarah and wanted to marry her, but as he was too wild and outgoing, she married David, a simple farmer.

The story is simple, but very well done in this film.  It did remind me of so many other films, but I think what is special about Rachel and the Stranger is that it so succinctly tells the story and each scene is very rich - there's one part where Jim and Rachel are singing and you see David in the background with Sarah's metronome, obviously still grieving.  It's so well told without too much explanation that you have to both laugh and cry at times (not to mention cheer out loud when Rachel finally gets a clean shot off with her rifle!).  I think the storytelling and cinematography reminded me of Angel and the Badman, Loretta Young's performance reminded me of her role in The Bishop's Wife, the relationship of Jim and David reminded me of Ethan and Aaron Edwards in The Searchers, and the general plot reminded me of everything from North to Alaska to The Grass is Greener and River of No Return (all of which I recommend!)**.

Finally, a few last points from my fangirl perspective.  First of all, Robert Mitchum gets to sing in this film (HOORAY!!!)  He has a great voice and he's just all around fantastic.  He is obviously enjoying his role in this film and I was delighted that he sang a few songs.  Also, William Holden is great - and shirtless in one scene (I had no idea he had so much chest hair).  I can clearly see now why so many women went crazy for him back in the day.  Finally, Loretta Young gets to kick butt with a rifle and instead of running off to civilization for help, as she rides back to the cabin under fire and starts to shoot alongside the men.  Talk about a woman turning into a strong female lead!  She does a complete 180 from the shy fragile servant and that in itself is what the film is really about.

Review

Although the storyline may be familiar, Rachel and the Stranger delivers a fine overall performance.  A wonderful cast and entertaining scenes keep the pace light and enjoyable.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in a good old-fashioned Western that doesn't take itself too seriously.  

**A word of caution - of the films I listed, I would suggest reading up a bit on The Searchers before watching it for the first time.  If you watch it without any sort of reference or understanding, it comes across as a crass Western that comes dangerously close to comedy and can be very off-putting to some viewers.  There is a reason for almost everything in a Ford Western, even the humor.

The Three Musketeers (1948)

Intro.
In one of my earlier posts, I had written about the 1921 version of The Three Musketeers, which had starred Douglas Fairbanks.  I had commented about Gene Kelly seeing that version and wanting to someday play d'Artagnan.  I finally got the chance to see the 1948 remake with Gene Kelly, and I have to say you can definitely see Fairbanks's influence.

Overview
The plot of the first hour of this film follows the original pretty closely (see the prior post).  However, where the first film ended with the safe return of the jewels, this one extended the storyline to include the whole of the original novel.  D'Artagnan returns to find each of his fellow musketeers where he had left them en route to London, and once reunited they have to find a way to earn some money.  D'Artagnan runs into the Lady de Winter and that's where things get interesting.  He pretends to be her lover in order to get her ring, and he discovers that on her shoulder is the brand of a convict.  We then learn that she is the wife of Athos and has been using men and leading them to their deaths.  She heads to London, where the Musketeers have warned the Duke of Buckingham.  He jails her and has Constance (the innocent seamstress and D'Artagnan's wife) act as jailer.  Lady de Winter feigns a serious illness and when Constance tries to help her, she kills Constance and a guard and flees back to France to seek out D'Artagnan and kill him too.  D'Artagnan, however, is in London and finds Constance.  He vows revenge, so with the help of his friends they find Lady de Winter and execute her in a very troubling, disturbing ending.  At the end D'Artagnan gets what he's always wanted - a commission with the King's Musketeers.

Highlights
One of the things Gene Kelly does so well in this film is his sword fighting.  Already an athlete and light on his feet as a dancer, he effortlessly goes from sword fight to sword fight in an almost comical manner.  It does get a bit ridiculous when he fights the captain of Richelieu's guards, but his seemingly boundless energy keeps the film going.  You do have to remember that d'Artagnan is only supposed to be 21, so it makes sense that he's a bit of a ham.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the other actors and actresses in this film.  I didn't realize it until I started watching, but this film also stars Angela Lansbury, Vincent Price (as a fantastic Richelieu!!), Lana Turner, Frank Morgan and June Allyson.  It also stars Van Heflin as Athos - he's an actor I hadn't seen much of previously, but I really enjoyed him in this role.  He adds a certain vulnerability to his character which sets him apart from the other Musketeers.

Comparison
It puzzled me that this film ran 2 hours and the 1921 version ran 2 hours but the stories were so different.  This version told in 1 hour what the 1921 version had done in 2 hours.  It made the story much harder to follow, and if I hadn't seen the 1921 version, I wouldn't have understood any of what was happening.  I missed the subtlety and development of character that was in the 1921 version.  We hardly get to see or understand Angela Lansbury as the Queen, and Vincent Price as Richelieu doesn't get nearly enough screen time.  I did enjoy seeing the entire story, though.  And I can understand why the storyline of Lady de Winter may have been a concern.  It is handled well in the remake and certainly toned down from the way the book was written.       

Review
All in all, an entertaining film.  I wouldn't recommend it as highly as other period films, mainly because the plot is hard to follow without previously knowing the story.  Gene Kelly's stunts and sword fighting are great, but his acting is too over-the-top.  I actually preferred the 1921 version, so if you like the book, start there.  I hope to see one of the newer remakes as well; who knows, maybe I'll have a series.  Meanwhile, if you're in the mood to watch some Gene Kelly, I'd recommend An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, It's Always Fair Weather (tap dancing on roller skates!!) and Inherit the Wind. 

To read more, check out IMDb.  There's also a brief write-up about the book here.