The Caddy (1953)

About eight or ten years ago, I walked into my local Blockbuster and spent a few minutes looking through the racks.  It wasn't a large store, but seemed to have a pretty nice variety just the same.  I finally spotted a sales associate at the counter and asked her if she could help me.  I asked if they had any of the Martin and Lewis films.  She looked like a high-schooler and had the typical bored teenage attitude.  She gave me a blank stare as if I had spoken French.  She turned up her nose and asked, "who?" and that's when I knew I was in trouble.  Of course Blockbuster didn't have any of the Martin & Lewis films, so why should the staff know about them?  I left soon after and went home.  I felt disappointed, not because they didn't carry the films, but that most people today have no idea who these guys were.  If you had asked someone back in the late forties and fifties, he or she would probably have told you all about the Italian singer from Steubenville (Dean Martin) and the skinny Jewish comedian from Newark (Jerry Lewis).  You might even hear about Times Square.

But since this is 2011, I'll tell you about Times Square.  There are very few times in history when New York's Times Square has been completely shut down by a crowd of people.  I'm not including New Year's, either.  No, I'm talking about swarms of people gathering and physically shutting down the intersection.  It happened back when Martin & Lewis were on top - they were the number one act in America and growing in popularity around the world.  The story goes that the guys were performing in Times Square and had gone to their hotel room in one of the places on the Square.  They were leaning out the window and all their fans saw them and began to crowd in to see them.  I don't know if they threw fliers for their show or autographed photos or what from their window, but they drew one of the biggest crowds in New York's history.  If you can't imagine it, the footage of the event was kept and integrated into one of their films - 1953's The Caddy.  

I just finished reading an incredible book by Mark Rotella called Amore: The Story of Italian American Song.  I can't give it enough stars.  It chronicles not only the history of Italian American singers, but also provides a history of where that music started and the journey and hardships of Italian immigrants as they came to settle in America.  The book mentions the film The Caddy for a number of reasons.  The movie focuses on an Italian American family in San Francisco, where the father is a fisherman.  His son, Joe Anthony (Dean Martin), hates fishing and tries his hand at playing golf, hoping to win enough money to support his family.  His soon-to-be brother-in-law Harvey (Jerry Lewis) is the son of a pro-golfer, and takes on the job of Joe's caddy.  The Caddy references Joe DiMaggio's real life, as he too was a son of Italian immigrants.  His father was also a fisherman, he grew up in San Francisco, and he later left the family business for a life in sports.  My favorite line in the film comes from Joe's first introduction to a group of upper-class golfers at the country club.  The group (all very wealthy and noticeably with a WASP background) asks Joe what business his family is in, to which Joe replies "fish."  An English gentleman asks "exporting or importing?"  Joe, without missing a beat, replies just as arrogantly, "catching."       

Did you know that Joe DiMaggio refused to eat garlic?  He refused to eat it later in life because he didn't want the stereotypes that went with such an "Italian" smell.  While the movie's Joe Anthony didn't have that problem, you can't help but notice the "Americanization" of the name Joe Anthony.  That name change is common with many Italian-American singers; even Dean Martin was born Dino Crocetti.  The only one that I've read about who kept his given name was a blue-eyed crooner from Hoboken named Francis.  But I'm getting off track.  The second reason Mark Rotella discussed The Caddy in his book was because it features the very first time Dean Martin ever sang "That's Amore."  The scene (and the song) is so stereotypical that it borders on insulting, which is why Dean Martin initially refused to record the song.  In the movie, Joe's family throws him a huge welcome home celebration at the family restaurant.  A feast of traditional Italian foods is served and the guests are all clearly Italian families (with the exception of Harvey).  Joe's mother asks him to sing and he obliges, belting out the song, "That's Amore."  The song would not only sell millions of copies, but would define both Martin's career and the image of Italians in America.  Italians knew about love.  They knew how to laugh at their own stereotypes.  They weren't just the garlic eating laborers; they were the opera stars, baseball heroes and entertainers who could stop traffic in Times Square.

I know Martin and Lewis weren't the first comedy team to try the crooner-comedian formula.  Crosby and Hope had perfected it years earlier when they began making their "Road" pictures.  And Martin and Lewis aren't the most memorable of all comedy duos.  I wonder if that girl at Blockbuster would have recognized Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello.  But what Dean and Jerry had really was magical - the right balance of comedy, music, and good old fashioned fun, not to mention a great working relationship.  And they knew their audience.  That being said, today we might cringe at some of Jerry's clowning (and heaven knows his fake voice is like nails on a chalkboard at times).  During the peak of their popularity, they made The Caddy.  It isn't a monumental film or even a great one for that matter, but it is a wonderful slice of history.  It shows us what made people laugh in the 1950s and also captures something in the course of Italian American history.  The presentation of the Anthony family is a horribly stereotyped character sketch, but one thing hits home - Joe's ability to transform from the son of immigrants to a famous celebrity.  It's the American dream, served up with an unforgettable song.

*A note on the photo -  I couldn't figure out how to format a caption, so here's the story.  The church is Sts. Peter & Paul Church in the Italian neighborhood of San Francisco.  It's the church where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe posed for wedding photos (they had been married in the courthouse).  I made sure to find the church and snap a photo during my trip there.  So not only could the son of an Italian fisherman become an American hero, he could also marry the most desired actress in Hollywood.

Room for One More (1952)

Is this a movie or an ad for the Boy Scouts?

Intro.

They say laughter is the best medicine, so last week while I was down with a stomach bug and could finally crash on the couch, I decided to watch a premier film showing on TCM called Room for One More.  I don't think it's a well known film, but it has a good story, a lot of heart and the adorable chemistry of real life husband and wife Cary Grant and Betsy Drake.  Did you know they starred in two films together?  I didn't!

Overview

Anna Rose (Betsy Drake) is a happily married mother of three and a heart the size of Texas - she is the woman in the neighborhood who can't pass a stray dog or cat without taking them home with her.  So when her women's group tours an orphanage, she considers adopting one of the older children, who have a much harder time getting adopted than babies.  She convinces her stressed but tolerant husband George (Cary Grant) to let a troubled girl, Jane (Iris Mann), stay for two weeks.  The family needs a lot of love and understanding (spearheaded by Anna) to help Jane feel secure in her new home and pretty soon she becomes a part of the family.  Alright stretched pretty thin, the Rose family accepts another orphan - a little boy with a very bad attitude named Jimmy (Clifford Tatum Jr.), which may stem from his always being teased for the large braces he wears on his legs.  George is the one to lead the crusade to have Jimmy welcomed in their home.  It takes a great deal of patience, second chances and even a vote by the kids as to who can stay.  The film follows the growing family (even the bunny is pregnant), and especially Jane and Jimmy, as they adjust to their new home.    

Highlights

Okay, I'll start with the obvious.  Cary Grant and Betsy Drake are adorable together.  They make a great couple and have a natural back and forth banter.  I like how you can tell when two people get along and it shows through in the acting - think Tracy and Hepburn or Bogart and Bacall.  I loved how Cary Grant turns from the protesting father frustrated by trying to make ends meet into an accepting, all-around good Dad.  He's the one who makes the decision to let Jane stay and he's also the one who goes out looking for Jimmy when he goes off on a ten mile hike in the middle of winter to get his Eagle Scout award.  He's also pretty entertaining as the put-upon husband who just wants an evening alone with his wife (which, of course, he spends the whole movie trying to get).  And Betsy plays the kind of mom every kid wants to have, full of warmth and wisdom.

Speaking of kids, the children really do steal the show.  Jane's transformation from angry adolescent to glowing and gracious young lady is remarkable, but it isn't overnight and she can't do it alone.  Jimmy's transformation is harder because he's had different kinds of troubles, notably his leg braces.  But his final achievement of becoming an Eagle Scout is really a great moment both for him and for his parents, George and Anna.  As he says at the end, he's had a leg up on the rest of the guys trying to make it to the Eagle Scout award, because he was able to choose his parents.  That's where the heart of the film lies - the choices we make about our lives and our happiness and how much love we have to give.


Review
Room for One More is what they mean by old-fashioned feel good movies.  You can't help but smile while watching the antics and even some of the drama faced by this family.  I also learned that it was based on a memoir.  While I didn't find it as funny as another popular growing-family type of film, Yours, Mine and Ours (the version with Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda), it more than makes up for it with heart.  I'd recommend it to anyone with a bit of a sappy side like me and to any Cary Grant fans who haven't seen it yet - it's maybe not his best or most memorable, but still worth seeing for his role with Betsy Drake!*

*The other film they made together was Every Girl Should Be Married (1948).  Not sure how I feel about the title....     

**Love seeing Cary Grant playing a father?  I have to absolutely recommend Father Goose - it's fabulous!  Definitely one of his funniest (and most un-Cary-Grant-ish of roles).

Topper (1937)

Poor Topper doesn't stand a ghost of a chance when his two friends decide to haunt him.

Intro.

Okay, so I know Topper isn't really in the realm of this month's horror/thriller/Hitchcock themed films, but it does star two mischief making ghosts and I couldn't resist.  I'm also bending one of the rules in the Production Code, as I had seen this movie previously.  It had been many years since I had seen it though, and I didn't remember much of it, so I decided to watch it again the other night.  I'm so glad I did!

Overview

George Kirby (Cary Grant) and his beautiful wife Marion (Constance Bennett) are an extremely wealthy, fun-loving couple.  They are the typical roaring twenties type of couple living in the thirties, leaving a 3 day anniversary party at their penthouse to go into town for the annual bank stockholder meeting.  Their friend Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) is the bank president, and while annoyed at George's adolescent remarks during the meeting, he nevertheless cares deeply for his friends.  Marion decides that she wants to help Topper shake off his stuffy, responsible attitude and enjoy life.  However, Mrs. Topper (Billie Burke) is the exact opposite of Marion, and insists that her husband remain the uptight, respectable businessman.  Everything changes though when an awful car crash kills the Kirbys.  George and Marion's spirits cannot move on then, presumably because they were so busy enjoying themselves in life that they hadn't done any good deeds.  Topper soon becomes their good deed.  Together, George and Marion follow Topper, appearing and disappearing at their whim.  It causes quite a bit of confusion and pretty soon they've not only gotten Topper to drink for the first time in his life, but get him into a fight with the police, resulting in his arrest and name in the paper.  He and Mrs. Topper fight and he leaves.  Marion goes with him to the Seabreeze Hotel, presumably for the first night where he can drink and dance and enjoy himself.  Many comedic moments follow, as the house detective finds something funny about a man talking to a woman who is there in voice, but not visible.  Then a very jealous George appears and has a row with Marion.  However, to help George avoid more trouble with the police, they trash the hotel while invisible, much to the shock and terror of all the guests.  They get an unconscious George safely back home to his wife, and when he awakens, both are relieved that he is alright.  More than that, Mrs. Topper agrees that she has been too rigid and wants to relax and enjoy life again.  Happy at last, Topper and his wife finally rekindle their love and the Kirbys get to pass into the afterlife.    

Highlights

I don't recall ever seeing Constance Bennett before, and after a quick search on IMDb, I realized that I didn't recognize any of the films she had made.  It often amazes me how many Hollywood films were made in the 30s and 40s and how many of them aren't shown anymore.  I'm not saying it's because of quality so much as it is just a staggering number.  TCM is always having first showings of films they'd never aired previously.  I think I could spend my whole life watching every film that came out of each of the studios in Hollywood in the 30's and 40's and never have to watch the same film twice.  Granted, this was also a time when the movies didn't have to compete with television - higher demand and supply.  Still, I would really enjoy watching more of Ms. Bennett, as she is a wonderful, bright and fashionable woman.  She's the perfect match to the comedic, light-hearted side of Cary Grant (whose performance in Topper reminded me of his role in Holiday).   

Overall, the film struck me for its commentary on high society.  True, their foolhardy recklessness gets them killed, but even in the afterlife, the Kirbys are much happier than Topper is in his own life.  It isn't about money so much as it is about enjoying the little things - taking time to spend with your husband/wife or go out dancing.  But more than that, it's about loosening up a bit.  Mrs. Topper is shocked when the wives of the highest members in society ask her for lunch only after they see that Mr. Topper was arrested.  Apparently that made the Toppers "interesting" and worthy of joining that slightly eccentric upper crust.  That seems odd but somewhat typical of the time - most people in America with money during the Great Depression are usually depicted as more than a bit strange.  That may be why the main point of the film is so well done - all the Toppers need to be happy are each other, not all that money.  The Kirbys are proof enough of that, making up after their big fight in the afterlife.

Finally a word about the special effects.  I'm not familiar with the history of special effects or what was cutting edge at the time of a film's release.  However, I was impressed by how well the effects were done in this film.  The fading on and off screen might seem a bit silly, but it works well for the story.  The best parts are when things start to move and float seemingly by themselves - the car almost fixes itself, papers are thrown up into the air at Topper's (and Marion's) passing, and general chaos like that.  A few of the tricks I could figure out, but most of them are just entertaining and believable enough because the perpetrators are two such likable characters.

Review and Recommendation
While not a very well-known film, Topper is a classic example of comedies from the 1930s.  It is warm, silly and entertaining.  I recommend it to fans of Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, and to anyone interested in depictions of the upper class.

P.S. Best line was from Cary Grant.  Marion asks George what he's doing walking along the roof peak like a tightrope.  His response?  "I'm practicing to be an angel!"  It's nice to think that he'd make a great angel too, years later in The Bishop's Wife.  

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 Moon is Blue (1953)

Intro.

As much as I am a fan of movies, I am also a bit of a television nut.  It helped that I lived with two friends during college who also watched a lot of television, and our inevitable "television nights" became a great refuge.  One of my favorites was (and still is) M*A*S*H, which I watched every day in reruns as a kid.   One episode I remembered involved some of the M*A*S*H surgeons, Hawkeye and BJ, trying to get a copy of a film called The Moon is Blue, which had recently been banned in Boston.  It's a pretty funny story of trying to wheel and deal in order to get that film, which turns out to be very inoffensive after all. I thought of that when I saw the listing on television and my curiosity got the best of me.

Overview

Donald Gresham is an easygoing architect, full of charm and swagger.  When he exchanges smiles with a pretty stranger, Patty O'Neill (Maggie McNamara), he has no idea what he is in for.  He follows her to the top of the Empire State Building, where they meet and begin talking.  He tries to pick her up and succeeds when one of his coat buttons comes off.  She offers to sew it back on, but he conveniently "loses" the needle.  So they head over to his office, where there are no needles.  Donald starts to realize that Patty is an odd mix of naivety and cynicism when it comes to men, and he becomes determined to pursue her.  They decide to go to dinner, but first Donald must change his coat (it's still missing a button, and that isn't fit for a restaurant), so he gets her to go to his apartment.  It begins to pour, so instead of a rain-drenched date, Patty offers to cook for them.  Donald leaves for the corner store to get some groceries.  While he's gone, his upstairs neighbor David Slater (David Niven) comes down and finds Patty.  They start to talk about love, marriage, children and he finds her to be very inquisitive and opinionated.  She only wants to marry an older man.  "I want to be appreciated, not drooled over," she says.  Oh and she adds, "romance is for bobbysoxers."  What she learns though, is that David's daughter, Cynthia (Dawn Addams), just broke up with Donald and is still very angry.  Donald returns, then Cynthia shows up and things go from funny to crazy.  One angry father, a black eye, lots of misunderstanding and two marriage proposals later, Donald and Patty end up where they started on top of the Empire State Building, but a lot happier.   

Highlights

I couldn't help but wonder how on earth such an innocent romantic comedy as The Moon is Blue could wind up breaking censorship codes so much it would be banned.  Turns out the director, Otto Preminger, set out to do just that - to test the limits of the Breen code.  The Moon is Blue was the very first film to use the word "virgin" as well as other banned words like "seduce" and "mistress".  And I think all of these words are used by Patty, who is a girl determined not to give in to playboys and keep her virtue until marriage.  There's no nudity, no blood and gore, no depictions of sex, just a few words.  However, all of the conversations center on sex, love, marriage and the like.  It isn't so much suggestive or erotic as it is a hard look at what relationships in the 20th century really were.  It's so different from films today, where there are no holds barred.  The more sex, violence and foul language, the bigger the hit seems to be.  Hollywood and American culture have both come a long way.  I'm just not so sure I like where we're headed.

Although it's a bit of a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, The Moon is Blue does feature some good acting.  William Holden is charming as ever as Donald, but David Niven gives a great performance as an equally charming (though a bit more lecherous) playboy.  I think what surprised me the most was how good Maggie McNamara was.  A newcomer to the film business, she gives life to such a complicated role.  Patty is both a modern woman and an old-fashioned one.  You're torn the whole movie between thinking she's really smart and really naive.  The key moment in the film comes near the end of the film, where Patty hesitates outside of Donald's bedroom door, wondering if her morals are really what she wants them to be.  As David puts it, "understanding is almost as precious as virtue."  We don't know what she's really going to do and her hesitation speaks volumes.

Review and Recommendation
The Moon is Blue is a fun piece of Hollywood history.  Preminger eventually got those bans dropped, but the entire incident was the first blow to eventually bring down the staunch Breen code.  I recommend it as a light, entertaining romantic comedy not to be taken too seriously.  The ending is a bit too cute, but sometimes that's what we really want to see, right?  Good old fashioned comedy.

P.S. Want to read more about the Breen code?  Check it out here.

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.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Intro.

Lately I've been thinking about today's films, specifically comedies, and what makes them appeal to different audiences.  I often don't understand modern comedies that are popular today, and that got me wondering how comedy films have changed over the years.  Screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby were popular back in the 1930s, but haven't been made lately.  It was a different time and laughter, especially aimed at the trials and tribulations of the priviledged upper class, would have relieved a lot of the nation's stress.  Where Public Cowboy #1 helped give voice to the struggle of farmers in the 1930s, screwball comedies could help all Americans laugh. 

Overview

The film opens with zoologist David Huxley (Cary Grant), who is nearing the completion of a brontosaurus skeleton as well as his marriage to fellow museum worker Alice Swallow (Virginia Walker).  His museum is on a list of contenders to receive a $1 million gift from Mrs. Carlton Random.  As David tries to make a good impression on Mrs. Random's lawyer, Mr. Peabody, but he does just the opposite.  That's because he keeps crossing (and criss-crossing) paths with Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn), the pretty socialite who's not all that bright.  Just when he thinks he's rid of her, the next day David is excited to receive the final bone for his brontosaurus and to get ready for his wedding that afternoon.  However, Susan calls to ask for help because there's a leopard in her apartment.  Much to David's chagrin, there really is a leopard there.  Good-natured David helps Susan get the leopard, named Baby, to Susan's aunt's farm in Connecticut.  Things only get crazier as Susan plots to keep David with her as long as possible - a plan that is only helped when her aunt's dog George steals the brontosaurus bone, Baby escapes, and a local circus loses its leopard that has attacked its trainer.  In all the hilarious hunting, Susan and David continue to bicker and eventually wind up arrested.  I won't ruin how they get out, but their madcap escapades are great!

Highlights

Bringing Up Baby is a classic comedy and one of the best.  It's also Katharine Hepburn's first comedy, and she was unsure of her abilities at first.  Cary Grant coached her and encouraged her to just be herself.  The result is one of her best performances.  Both she and Grant handle themselves well and they have a natural chemistry.  As for the plot, it can't get much screwier!  At a time when class was still more divided in the U.S., I could see the appeal this film would have as it made fun of the antics of the privileged.   

There is a scene in the Connecticut house after David and Susan arrive where David has to take a shower.  While he does, Susan steals his clothes (to paraphrase Susan: "he can't leave because he's the only man I've ever loved!").  David is then forced to wear the only thing he can find, which happens to be a very flimsy woman's bathrobe trimmed in feathers.  As he proceeds to look for Susan, her aunt comes home and is disgusted by his appearance.  After asking him repeatedly why he is dressed like that and where his real clothes are, an exasperated David leaps into the air and announces "because I just went gay all of the sudden!"  They originally had to leave this out to get the film past the censors, but it was put in at the last minute and made film history.  It also furthered rumors that Cary Grant was gay, but that's another post for another time.

Finally, Bringing Up Baby has some great quotes - the writing is outstanding.  At the beginning, Susan mistakenly hits David's golf ball.  He is trying to explain to her that it was his ball.  He's talking about the brand marking: "There, you see, it's a circle."  Susan: "Now of course it is, do you think it would roll if it were square?"  When David sees Baby in Susan's apartment, he says "Susan, you have to get out of this apartment!" Susan replies, "I can't David, I have a lease!"  Some of the scenes in the film have become comedy staples too, including the accidental removal of part of Susan's dress.

Review and Recommendation

Bringing Up Baby is an excellent film that is full of good, clean entertainment.  It's sophisticated and silly all in one package, and features two of Hollywood's greatest talents at their very best.     

Woman of the Year (1942)

Intro.

It was Katharine Hepburn day on TCM and I cheered!  What a great salute to a sensational actress.  I had been wanting to see more films featuring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, so this presented the ideal opportunity.  As I read the description of Woman of the Year, I realized how similar it was to Designing Woman, which I had recently seen.  Watching the original or the movie that inspired another is always great, so I picked the perfect film.

Overview

Woman of the Year begins with top newspaper columnist Tess Harding (Katharine Hepburn) giving a radio interview about international affairs in which she says that sports have no purpose.  Sports writer Sam Craig (Spencer Tracy), who works for the same paper, takes offense and writes his next column as an attack on Tess's statements.  She in turn writes a ripping rebuttal, but before the war can continue, their editor calls them into his office to meet in person and make nice.  They do more than that as Craig falls in love at first sight with Tess.  From their, the mismatched pair continues a fun courtship including a baseball game where Sam has to explain every single move and play on the field to Tess, and then Tess throws a dinner party where Sam is the only English-speaking guest.  They wind up married, but right from the start we can see they're in for a lot of headaches (well, at least Sam is).  While Tess might be spending all of her time trying to improve the world, she spends no time trying to improve (or even have) a marriage.  It all comes to a head when she is named Woman of the Year on the same night that Sam moves out of their apartment.

Highlights
Hepburn and Tracy have undeniable chemistry.  This was their first movie together; in fact it was the first time they had met in person.  And from there, as they say, the legend was born.  A thirty year romance started off-screen, and the love comes across in some wonderful acting on-screen.  

This film is an unusual look at marriage, particularly because Tess is the one career-driven while Sam is the one neglected at home.  The film moves from comedy to drama after the marriage, and Sam's disappointment grows.  It's refreshing to see such real characters and impressive when Sam finally moves out.  I couldn't help but think it was a pretty daring move for an audience of 1942 and would still be considered pretty bold by today's standards. 

Not to give away too much, but the film concludes with both Sam and Tess realizing that marriage is a melding of their two lives, a constant compromise, a meeting in the middle.  That's why Sam has such a good ending line: "I don't want you to be Tess Harding or Mrs. Sam Craig; what about Tess Harding Craig?"

Review and Recommendation

Woman of the Year is one of the great films by one of Hollywood's best couples.  It is a humorous, yet still powerful look at marriage.  It will pack an emotional wallop.  An enduring, endearing film, I'd recommend it to everyone. 

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Intro.

You know those days when you think everything's going well and nothing could possibly go wrong, and then you come home and find a dead body in your aunts' windowseat?  Okay, so maybe we don't all have that happen, but it doesn't make it any less funny when it does happen to Mortimer Brewster.  Thus begins one of the all time best dark comedies of all time. 

Overview

Finally taking the plunge into marriage, dramatic critic Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) rushes home to tell his family - his two sweet, grandmotherly, unmarried aunts.  While in the midst of all their happiness, he discovers a dead body in their windowseat.  Not only do his aunts know about the dead man, but they confess to killing him as well as eleven others, all of which are buried in their basement.  Conveniently, they have another nephew who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt (John Alexander), and is all too happy to dig "locks" in the Panama Canal in their basement and bury the "yellow fever victims."  Mortimer, out of love from his aunt, tries to figure out how to get Teddy committed to a psychiatric hospital (Happy Dale) so that if the deaths are discovered, they can safely be pinned on Teddy (he can't go to jail if he's committed).  Nothing seems to go Mortimer's way as one complication builds onto another - culminating in the arrival of his frightening brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey), who brings his accomplice, Dr. Einstein (the wonderful Peter Lorre), as well as the body of their latest murder victim.  It all comes down to his new bride, Elaine, (Priscilla Lane) finding the bodies in the basement that really brings everything to an hysterical end.

Highlights    

One of the things that make this film such a classic comedic gem is the timing.  Everything is just right, and the pace of the film picks up as Mortimer's madness grows.  Each time I watch Arsenic and Old Lace, I notice something else.  In this case, it was how appropriate the setting felt.  Between Mortimer's house and Elaine's father's house is an ancient graveyard, the story takes place on Halloween, and it also is set in Brooklyn - a strange land according to the opening credits.  It also takes place mostly in the aunts' house, which gave it a sort of Hitchcock feel, and made it creepier for its claustrophobic effect.  What struck me most was how Mortimer, an author of books like Mind Over Matrimony has done the exact opposite of his world view.  It's almost as if that marriage is the start of his own madness, which only gets worse when he discovers his entire family is crazy.

What I also noticed was how different comedies can be from one another.  Arsenic and Old Lace is an example of a dark comedy.  I mean, really we spend the whole time laughing about two women who poison old men and bury them in their basement.  That's pretty grim, and in tone it's a lot like Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.  We understand when Mortimer freaks out.  Who wouldn't freak out?  What's more, we can identify with the basic premise - how when you're in a crisis, nothing seems to go right, even to the point where you doubt your own sanity.

Review and Recommendation

Arsenic and Old Lace is one of those films rightfully called a classic.  It's a great example of writing, directing, acting and all around good movie making.  Cary Grant and Peter Lorre (and in fact, the whole case) give wonderful performances and you're guaranteed at least one laugh.  Definitely a must see!

Trivia: If you look closely when Mortimer is out in the cemetery by himself, he sits on one of the gravestones.  Just past him is another stone bearing the name Archibald Leach - Cary's Grant's real name.       

Scared Stiff (1953)

Intro.

We all have those feel-good movies that we watched when we were younger, right?  When I was in middle school, I started watching the old Martin and Lewis comedies.  My mom recently gave me a box full of my old VHS tapes, among them all of my Martin and Lewis movies.  This past week was horrible, so one night when I was stressed to the max, I decided to settle down with my old friends, Dean and Jerry.  And sure enough, that old charm of those 50s comedies came back and melted my stress away.

Overview

Scared Stiff opens in a nightclub where we find Larry Todd (Dean Martin) as the star singer who is having a fling with one of the showgirls.  She, however, is the main squeeze of the biggest mob boss in town - Shorty.  Shorty orders Larry to come to his hotel room to "work things out" but Larry's best friend, bumbling busboy Myron (Jerry Lewis) decides to go first and scare Shorty into leaving Larry alone.  Larry goes after him and of course things go from bad to crazy as Larry thinks he has accidentally shot someone.  With the police after him, he and Myron escape with the help of a beautiful woman named Mary Carol (Lizabeth Scott), who has just inherited Lost Island, just south of Cuba.  Lost Island is supposedly haunted, populated by zombies, you name it.  Mary will not be stopped, even after voodoo threats and offers to buy her out.  Larry, who has become quite taken with Mary, promises to go with her to check out the island.  Myron of course comes too and after a lot of terrifying run ins with ghosts and a zombie, the threesome finally find the real secret of Lost Island - a secret that people are willing to kill for.

Background and Highlights
Martin and Lewis became the leading comedy act in the US in the early 1950s.  They teamed up in a nightclub in 1946 and stayed together until 1956.  They made a total of 16 films together and starred on the Colgate Comedy Hour.  In fact, they were so popular, they once completely stopped traffic in Times Square when they leaned out of their hotel room window and all of their fans gathered around.  The fans themselves filled Times Square and inspired a scene in the film The Caddy.  Theirs was perhaps the most successful of the crooner-comedian pairings and it made national news when they broke up and went their separate ways.  Some of their films are very silly, some good and innocent fun, and still there are a few that touch on that once close but then strained brotherly relationship.  Scared Stiff came in the middle of their film career, and is still in that innocent fun mode, where they had the formula to make America laugh.

There is a good balance in this film - Jerry is able to have some great comic routines like the argument with himself in a mirror and his amazing impersonation of Carmen Miranda (oh my gosh, Jerry trying to dance in those heels while keeping all that fruit balanced on his head makes the whole film worth watching).  And Dean has some fantastic musical numbers, including what may be my favorite in all of the Martin & Lewis films - "When Someone Wonderful Thinks You're Wonderful".  They are great together too, and Lizabeth Scott is a wonderful addition as a great leading lady.

What really struck me when I watched this time, was how funny Dean Martin could be.  I knew that when he later performed with Frank Sinatra on stage, he was responsible for writing their jokes, but I've heard it wasn't so clear who wrote what for Martin and Lewis.  Regardless, he delivers some of the best lines in this film.  A few favorites include: "Don't give me away, please!  Someday you may have a little boy and he'll grow up and commit an innocent murder too!" and "I'm just dropping a few eaves." 

Review
Scared Stiff isn't necessarily a classic - it's not in the ranks of The Philadelphia Story or Some Like It Hot.  It is a wonderful comedy though and a great example of what Martin and Lewis could accomplish at the height of their career.  It has something for everyone - Jerry's juvenile antics appeal to younger crowds while Dean's more subtle jokes (and crooning) appealed to older crowds.  It's also a good look at what entertained audiences in the early fifties.  As I wrote earlier, this was one of my favorite movies from when I was about thirteen and I love it even more now.  It still has that innocent, feel-good quality that so many of today's comedies are missing, and I recommend it.

Fun Facts
First, there is a great, great cameo at the end of the film, which I won't spoil, but it relates to a cameo that Dean and Jerry had in an earlier film.  Also worth mentioning is how Larry, upon seeing the underground railroad tracks and spooky lanterns says "reminds me of my hotel room in Steubenville."  Steubenville, Ohio is, of course, Dean Martin's hometown.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Intro.

Can you believe The Blues Brothers is already thirty years old?  It was one of those films I had always heard about and seen parodies of as I grew up, but I didn't watch it until college.  And then recently, as it hit its big 30 year anniversary, I went to see it at the AFI Silver Theater and it was like seeing it again for the first time.     

Overview

The film opens with Jake "Joliet" Blues (John Belushi) getting out of prison.  His brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) picks him up in his new car - an retired police car.  Elwood makes Jake keep his promise to go and see the nun (Kathleen Freeman) who ran their orphanage.  She is still there and as terrifying as ever, but has some sad news - the county tax assessor told her that unless she can pay them $5000 in 11 days, the county will close the orphanage.  After an inspiring sermon from Pastor Cleophus (James Brown) the brothers realize that they are on a mission from God - get the old blues band back together and make enough money from their gigs to pay the back taxes.  It isn't easy though, as first they have to convince all the guys to join them (in spite of protests from Aretha Franklin), get their instruments out on a loan (from Ray Charles), and then find some venues (including a great Country bar where they have to perform the theme from "Rawhide").  Meanwhile they manage to get the police after them as well as the Illinois neo-Nazi party.  They manage to arrange a huge benefit concert, but have some trouble getting out.  It all culminates with one of the funniest chase-scenes in film history, and at the time held the record for the highest number of crashed cars in a movie.  

Highlights

There is definitely a fun, campy feel to this movie - it manages to be ridiculous without ever becoming cheesy.  You can see how it had grown from a simple Saturday Night Live skit.  I think a lot of that is due to just how seriously Jake and Elwood take themselves.  Jake only removes his sunglasses once, and that is just to convince Carrie Fisher's character to stop trying to kill him.  Buildings blow up, cars careen upside-down in parking malls, the entire police force of Chicago is after them, and these guys don't even break a sweat.  They're the perfect heroes of modern America - the bad guys trying to do good, even if "doing good" involves a few crimes.  Ends justify the means, right?

Part of the reason the film has that campy feel because it doesn't quite stick to one genre.  It's clearly a comedy and stays one throughout, but it also takes in elements of police (cops-and-robbers) films as well as musicals.  But it manages to pull off this genre-version of musical chairs quite well.  I think that's because for the music they only wanted to work with the best - all of the guys in the Blues Brothers band are actual musicians (and quite talented ones too!).  Plus there are all those great cameos - I mean, Aretha Franklin belting out into song in her diner?  Classic! 

Overall, this is one of the most legendary of all buddy films.  I mean, we don't even know for sure if the two guys are really brothers (they were raised in an orphanage, so we don't know for certain) but it doesn't matter.  Their relationship is at the heart of the film - you can't have Elwood without Jake or Jake without Elwood.  That was what I took away from this film - not just the fantastic music or ridiculous car crashes, but the brotherhood. 

Review
I love this movie.  It's not the kind of film I'd normally watch, but it is so well done and so enjoyable, I can't help but love it.  I have a feeling you will too, as long as you can just relax and go along for the ride.

Clue (1985)

Intro.

I know I've mentioned before that the usual designation of a "classic" film is that it must be thirty years old.  These are the films I try to stick to with my write-ups, but sometimes you need to bend the rules a bit.  At 25 years old, Clue has really earned a place in the realm of classic comedies.  As I was fortunate to see it in theaters last weekend, I feel as though I need to review it.

Overview

Based on the classic Parker Brothers board game, Clue takes place in a remote mansion, where six strangers arrive as guests.  They are greeted by a butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry), then served by a maid (Colleen Camp) and a cook (Kellye Nakahara).  Each guest is given an alias - one of the characters from the board game - and all are seated in the dining room to await their host, Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving).  But when Mr. Boddy is killed, we learn that each guest was being blackmailed by him.  That means anyone could be guilty of murder.  Things go from bad to worse when they discover the cook has also been murdered.  The group splits up to search the house for any other people who may be there.  It seems no one is safe from the murderous rampage - the maid, a stranded motorist who comes in to use the phone, a police officer who came in out of the rain, even a singing telegram girl.  With only a short time before the police come to arrest the killer, the group of guests and the butler rush around to try and figure out who did what where and with what weapon (sound familiar?).  In the end we are treated not just to an ending, but three different endings - as if you're really playing the game.  Was it Ms. Scarlet in the Library with the Gun?  Colonel Mustard in the Study with the Rope?  Professor Plum in the Kitchen with the Wrench?  You'll have a lot of fun trying to figure it out in this mad-cap mystery!  

Highlights

It would have been very easy to go overboard with the comedy in this film, but what the actors did so well (especially Tim Curry) was keep it at just the right speed.  Everything is well timed and well executed.  It creates quite a wild ride that only grows faster and more frantic until you reach the ending at breakneck speed.  Each murder ups the anxiety of the guests and the humor of the film.  It does a great job of following the board game without really overdoing it.  The talented stars really create unique characters too - Martin Mull is Colonel Mustard, Christopher Lloyd is Professor Plum, Madeline Kahn is Ms. White, Eileen Brennan is Mrs. Peacock, Michael McKean is Mr. Green, and Lesley Ann Warren is Ms. Scarlet. 

The best part of the film is the ending.  Wadsworth gathers everyone for his grand revelation and says they have to "retrace" the steps of the evening, which they do at a fantastic run!  He sums it all up and makes his accusation and the murderer confesses.  Then a card comes up on screen like in the old silent films.  It says - "That's how it could have happened." (card changes) "But how about this?"  The second ending then plays out, resuming from the same point where Wadsworth first began his revelation.  At that conclusion, another card appears with "But here's what really happened" and we are treated to yet another answer. 

Review

Clue is a great comedy.  It works on many levels and has the added interest of bringing the much loved board game of whodunit to life.  I know some people who find it a bit too silly, but there are many more I've met who not only love it, but quote it often.  A favorite line among my friends is "Communism was just a red herring."  It's definitely a fun film to watch and enjoy, and I'd recommend it to anyone. 

I should also mention that Clue is very similar to one of my all time favorite comedies, Murder by Death (1976).  That film stars Alec Guiness, Peter Falk, Truman Capote, Peter Sellers, David Niven and many other amazing comedians.  Instead of a board game, it is a spoof of famous literary detectives - Sam Spade becomes Sam Diamond, Hercule Poirot becomes Milo Perrier, and so on.  All the guests arrive at a strange mansion at the request of a mysterious host, Lionel Twain (Capote).  It too is a crazy and hilarious murder mystery and one I'd also recommend - maybe even for a double feature!

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.

Duck Soup (1933)

Intro.

Sadly, I have not seen many Marx brothers films.  Sure, I'd seen all the classic bits and one or two films a long while ago, but I had missed Duck Soup.  That is, until TCM showed it a few days ago and I realized that going back to the original is always the best option.

Overview

Duck Soup has nothing to do with ducks or soup.  What it does deal with are four brothers having a fantastic time.  The plot is as looney as the actors - Groucho is elected the new president of Freedonia and promptly lets the power go to his head.  After he insults the ambassador to the neighboring country of Sylvania, he declares war (actually, everyone sings a lovely song about going to war).  Meanwhile, two spies from Sylvania (Chico and Harpo) are sent to follow Groucho and get his war plans.  Chico gets caught and is on trial when war breaks out (hence the singing).  After a lot of wisecracks, misdirects and shenanigans, the war ends with a food fight that wins the war for Freedonia.

Highlights

The great one-liners from Groucho keep coming like ammunition in this film.  I can't even begin to transcribe them all, but here are a few:
      I've got a good mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it.

      Why a four year old child can understand this report.  Go out and find me a four year old child - I can't make heads or tails of this.
      The Secretary of War is out of order.  Which reminds me, so is the plumbing.
      Let's give him ten years in Levenworth.  Or eleven years in Twelvenworth.

However, the true gems of the film are the sequences with two or more of the brothers. First there's the recurring car sequence with Harpo and Groucho where the motorcycle and sidecar are set to drive away but become detached every time, stranding Groucho.  When he finally switches with Harpo, of course it is the sidecar that starts and leaves the motorcycle behind.

     Then there's the way that Chico and Harpo play with the president of Sylvania - there's no straight answer to any question.  And while Chico distracts him with his interesting take on the English language, Harpo is busy with his kleptomania.  It's a wonderful bit that keeps up with the quick pace and quicker wit.  It's also a routine they continue with the rival vendor in front of the palace.  In addition to Groucho's great lines, there's also Chico's continually horrible language confusion (mistaking Tanks for Thanks, for example) as well as Harpo's silence.  I loved the phone sequence where Harpo has an entire conversation on the phone using nothing but different tones of horns.   
      Finally there is the missing mirror sequence.  In a mad dash for the war plans, both Chico and Harpo dress up as Groucho, which leads to a lot of problems.  When the wall sized mirror in Groucho's room breaks, the three begin a great look-a-like mimicry routine that has been referenced, parodied and copied so many times that it is a classic in every sense of the word.  And it is brilliant. 

Review and Recommendation

Duck Soup is a classic, I can't say it enough.  While I may not be a seasoned fan, I can definitely appreciate all of the hard work to make this comedy as seamless as possible.  The wonderful interactions between these fast thinking, fast acting brothers is a marvel in itself.  It's rare today to be able to watch such legends in a film that shaped the history of comedy.  It's definitely enjoyable for all ages, although there are a few jokes that only the adults will be able to get.  Still, if you don't laugh at least once during this film, you don't have a funny bone! 

And if you are wondering about the title, here's what John Lithgow (who introduced Duck Soup as part of TCM's Essentials Jr.) said:    
"Well, Groucho explained [....] take 2 turkeys, 1 goose, 4 cabbages but no duck, mix them all together, and after one taste, you'll duck soup the rest of your life."

Vivacious Lady (1938)

Intro.

Vivacious Lady was one of those films I hadn't planned on watching, but when I saw it come on television, I was happily surprised.  As a part of a Ginger Rogers marathon, the film emphasized how great she was even without Fred Astaire.  I especially liked Robert Osborne's commentary on the film.  Apparently the film had been delayed several times because RKO had to borrow Jimmy Stewart from his home studio.  And the good rapport between Jimmy and Ginger existed off stage too, as they used to double-date with Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball.  How cool is that?

Overview

Jimmy Stewart plays Peter Morgan, a shy, conservative professor of botany who, on a trip to New York City, meets glamorous nightclub singer Francey (Ginger Rogers).  As he gets to know her, he realizes that she is very down to earth and a perfect match for him.  They fall in love, marry, then take the train back to his home town of Old Sharon.  Peter, afraid that his parents will object to Francey's way of life, suggests that she stay with his cousin, Keith (James Ellison) while he tries to explain the situation to them.  He also has to explain it to Jenny (Phyllis Kennedy), the blue-blooded woman to whom he is engaged (or was engaged!).  A lot of twists and turns prevent Peter from confronting his father with the truth and keeps the couple apart.  The best parts include Francey attending Peter's botany class as an eager new student, an all out fist-fight between Jenny and Francey, and straight-laced Peter drinking a lot of alcohol during his class.  It all ends with a tearful Jenny and her mother-in-law leaving their husbands and then a train-stopping finale.   

Highlights

Robert Osborne said at the film's introduction how difficult it would be to find the right actor to make the role of Peter believable.  If anyone could do it, that person was definitely Jimmy Stewart.  He makes Peter a quiet, somewhat awkward professor without turning him into a bumbling, absent-minded researcher.  Charles Coburn and Beulah Bondi both give good performances as his parents and get almost as many laughs as the main couple.

Ginger Rogers really makes this film.  She is graceful and charming, with a good measure of sass.  She delivers some stunning one liners with perfect comedic timing.  Her performance reminded me of a softer version of her character in Stage Door - sweet and good-natured with a razor sharp wit beneath those blond curls.  Anyone who thinks she's just Fred's dance partner obviously hasn't seen her other films - and definitely should.   

Review

Vivacious Lady is one of those old fashioned romantic comedies where the emphasis was on the comedy.  It's little known, but definitely worth watching to see Ginger Rogers and Jimmy Stewart together.  My only complaint (and it's minor) is that we don't get to see Ginger and Jimmy dance.  That would've made it a 10+.  Anyway, it's a fun, light movie with endearing characters.  You won't be disappointed!

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Intro.

As March was supposed to be Musicals Month, I went in search of musicals tonight and stumbled across Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which I had always assumed was a comedy.  In fact it was cross-listed online as romantic comedy, classic comedy, and classic musical.  Watching the film, I thought back to a film class I once took where we talked about what defines a movie's genre - I mean really, what makes a musical a Musical?  Certainly the genre conjures memories of Singin' in the Rain, Oklahoma!, Cabaret, West Side Story and a long list of similar titles.  But what about films like the melodramatic Young at Heart or even something more lighthearted like Robin and the 7 Hoods or Road to Morocco?  Is it the story line?  The number of songs?  What?  I think we finally formed a blurry definition that a musical earns its genre title when it contains three songs performed by characters in the film as a part of the story.  Of course there will always be gray areas, like the super traditional Western Rio Grande (imagine telling the Duke he was in a Musical!), but all in all, I think it's a pretty good rule, and as such Gentlemen Prefer Blondes would be more in the sophisticated, buddy-film type of classic musical.      

Overview

Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw (Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell) are American entertainers with their own successful show.  Their beauty and their talent gets them plenty of attention, most notably of which is Gus Esmond, a shy ordinary guy with a lot of family money.  He is engaged to Lorelei despite his father's wishes.  Instead of them sailing to Europe to marry, he sends Dorothy as a chaperon with the promise that he will meet them in Paris.  While Lorelei is more concerned with money as the basis of a secure marriage, Dorothy is more in line with the idea that love alone is all that a good marriage needs.  On that point they differ, but they are clearly best friends, making the most of their voyage.  Unfortunately, the guy Dorothy meets and falls for, Ernie Malone (played by Elliott Reid), is actually a private detective hired by Gus's father to trail the ever-flirtatious Lorelei.  When he catches her with an older man (who happens to own a diamond mine), he takes pictures.  Dorothy catches him though, and the girls then have to figure out a way to steal the photos back.  Once they do, in gratitude for their work, the mine owner (Charles Coburn) gives Lorelei his wife's diamond tiara.  By the time the girls land in France, they find that not only have their letters of credit and hotel lodgings been canceled by a jealous Gus, but the police are after them for a "stolen" tiara.  The results are hilarious and well choreographed in more than one sense!

Highlights

Most musicals are well remembered because of their unforgettable songs.  In this case, I only have 6 little words for you: "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend."  In that number alone, Marilyn Monroe makes the entire picture, not to mention her legend.  However, Jane Russell is just as amazing and a great scene stealer earlier in the film with "Bye Bye Baby" and "Ain't There Anyone Here for Love?"  And the girls are also great together with their signature song, "Two Little Girls from Little Rock" and "When Love Goes Wrong" (the latter of which is my favorite from the show).

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell are phenomenal in this film, and would be even without the music.  I think they make a great team and give an interesting picture of two very confident, independent women who stick together no matter what.  But as free and fun-loving as they are, you have to remember that it's a 1950's romantic comedy, so there's only one way it can really end (I won't say more, I promise!).  Even with the obvious sexual stereotypes, it's nice to see women have the upper hand, and no one handles it better than these two actresses.  And you can't help but laugh at the line: "If we can't empty his pockets between the two of us, we don't deserve the name 'woman'."

Review

Whatever you want to call it - a comedy, a musical, or a buddy film - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is definitely worth watching.  The humor, the music, and the great relationship between two such dynamite actresses all make for a great time!

Boom Town (1940)

Intro.

I had no intention of watching Boom Town when it aired on television a few nights ago.  However, I had just turned off Doctor Zhivago and was casually channel surfing when I saw it about fifteen minutes into the film.  I almost changed the channel when I realized that this was the original plot line for the film North to Alaska (1960).  My jaw dropped, I laughed out loud and sat riveted as I watched the rest of the movie (which after the first half hour stopped being like North to Alaska).**

Overview

Big John McMasters (Clark Gable, handsome as ever) is an oil driller in Texas when he meets and becomes partners with Square John Sand (Spencer Tracy). Together they start their own drilling and hit oil.  Finally able to support a wife, Sand sends for his long-waiting girlfriend from back East, Betsy (Claudette Colbert).  McMasters meanwhile goes into town for some fun and winds up meeting Betsy.  While she figures out who he is, he doesn't know who she is, and a few drinks and crazy stunts later, they are married.  The next morning they have to tell Sand, who comes to tell McMasters that they've hit a bigger well and that they are millionaires.  Fortunes go from good to bad though when the men later have a falling out and decide to flip for the entire multi-million dollar operation.  McMasters loses, and packs up with Betsy and hits the road.  Each man has his fortunes rise and fall and we watch them handle it differently.  Meanwhile Betsy is strong, adventurous and most of all, happy when McMasters isn't a millionaire because that's when he needs her.  Finally McMasters gets back on top of the oil industry and winds up in a huge office in New York.  He and Sand meet up several times, but never do they bury the hatchet.  When they meet for the last time, Sand sees that Betsy is unhappy in New York, mainly because McMasters is spending so much time with his pretty employee Karen (Hedy Lamarr).  Sand decides to take action - first by proposing to Karen to get her away from McMasters, and then by joining a rival oil company and trying to put McMasters out of business.  What follows is a great turn of events including a trial, a big night of drunken fighting and of course a happy ending.

Highlights

There wasn't a single person in this film that was anything less than entertaining and talented.  It was great to see two actors of equal reputation against each other - it kept me (and I'm sure also audiences of 1940) from really choosing sides because one actor was more well known than the other.  And Gable and Tracy make a great team.  All in all, this film isn't about oil or business or the fortunes and failures of life, it's about friendship, and these two men act their parts beautifully.

At the heart of the film (both plot-wise and character-wise) is Claudette Colbert.  I always love watching her because she is so sure of herself.  Take this film for instance: imagine marrying a guy you've only known for a day - and you still haven't told him who you are!  Betsy is happiest when she is needed, but won't complain when she's put aside either because she worries about her son (although she does consider leaving McMasters before she's pregnant).  Her character is not only charming and warm, but gracious, forgiving and strong.  It takes quite a woman to cause such a long fight between two best friends, and it takes an even better woman to end it.  Not many actresses could pull the role off convincingly, but Claudette does.

Review
What I really loved about Boom Town was how the film played with the audience.  Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, another twist of plot threw the whole thing off course and we had to start over.  It was engaging, fun, humorous and a bit sad but with good pacing.  The writing was good, the acting superb and the whole picture was just plain enjoyable.  And Frank Morgan, just one year after playing the title role in the Wizard of Oz, is just as upbeat and fun to watch here.  I would definitely recommend watching Boom Town anytime you want a great old-fashioned comedy/drama/buddy movie (and unlike North to Alaska, the theme song won't get stuck in your head for days and days!).        


 **North to Alaska, I should mention, is a Western parody starring John Wayne in Clark Gable's role.  He and Stewart Granger (in Spencer Tracy's role) have a gold mine in Alaska instead of an oil rig in Texas, and when John Wayne goes to Seattle to get Stewart Granger's girlfriend, he finds that she's married.  In desperation, he hires a call girl to come as a "replacement" girlfriend, only to wind up falling for her himself.  It is a parody, so you get to see the Duke making fun of himself, which is hilarious.  It also has a great (although way too addictive) theme song.  So if you watch it, don't blame me if you find yourself humming it in the elevator at work a few days later.

Western Jamboree (1938)

Intro.

Gene Autry first began appearing in films in 1934, and needless to say, he didn't have much experience.  His acting was stiff and uncomfortable, but he could always save the day with a good fistfight and an even better song.  Through the years his acting improved immensely and his voice smoothed out to transform him from a yodeling cowboy to a crooner of the West.  Western Jamboree is near the early to middle part of his career, so there is some fine singing and decent acting.

Overview

Western Jamboree focuses on two storylines with Gene as the connecting thread.  He's a foreman on a ranch that is about to be taken over by a new owner.  The previous owner had discovered natural gas containing  much sought after helium, on the property just before he died, so with him gone the men who filed his claim are trying to discover the pipeline and take it over.  Meanwhile, Gene's friend Haskell (played by Frank Darien) has a problem - his grown daughter is newly engaged and coming back home from the East in order to see her father and introduce him to her fiancee and soon to be mother-in-law.  The only problem is, he's told her that he owns a dude ranch when the truth is that he's been doing odd jobs and barely scraping together enough money to put her through school.  So Gene decides to get his local friends to pose as high-society guests and turn the ranch into a dude ranch.  Haskell's daughter Betty loves the whole place, but her fiancee and his mother (both very arrogant socialites) hate it.  Gene tries his best to pass off the place as a real dude ranch, but when the bad guys try to move in on them for the gas and then the ranch's true owner turns up, the cover's blown and a fight for the ranch begins.

Highlights

Gene has some great songs in here.  I mentioned in an earlier post that Gene's films tend toward music, comedy or action.  This one is heavy on the comedy and then on the music.  He does a great rendition of "Cielito Lindo" as well as the beautiful "Old November Moon."  And perhaps the best number bookends the picture, "When the Bloom is on the Sage."  Gene opens the film with that song, and the ensemble closes the film with it.  As for the comedy, there's never a dull moment.  In addition to Smiley Burnett's routines, there is the additional comedy inherent in the "masquerade" - Gene's friends are local folks who prefer saloons to society parties, so when they try to act high-class, you can't help but smile.  It reminded me a bit of the film Higher and Higher (which is adorable and you should definitely watch sometime!).        

Review

An enjoyable Gene Autry film, Western Jamboree is a fun movie.  It's never dull or slow, but also not as polished as his later ones.  All in all, good, clean entertainment and a wonderful soundtrack make it a standard but lovable picture. 

Want to read more?  Check out IMDb.  Also, I just found GeneAutry.com, possibly the most awesome website ever.  Seriously, any website that features a place to submit questions called "Ask Champion" just makes my day.

The Court Jester (1955)

Intro.
I am lucky enough to work with some awesome people.  Sometimes we borrow each other's DVDs - TV shows, movies, you name it.  I just found out that our art director loves old movies too, and brought in The Court Jester for me to watch.  I have to admit (a bit shamefully) that I hadn't seen any Danny Kaye movies.  Honestly, now I have no idea what took me so long!

Overview
The plot in this story is pretty interesting - an evil ruler has just overthrown the palace and killed the royal family.  The only survivor is an infant who bears the royal birthmark and who has been rescued by a group of "outlaws" - think Robin Hood and his merry men.  Two members of the team, Hubert (Danny Kaye) and Maid Jean (Glynis Johns) take the baby in disguise and try to get him to a convent for safety.  On the way they meet Giacomo the court jester, and decide to send Hubert in his place.  By gaining access to the palace, Hubert can then open the secret passageway and let the rest of the gang in for an attack.  Hubert makes it in okay as Giacomo, but once there he is hypnotized by one of the ladies of the court, who is determined to make him fall in love with the Princess (Angela Lansbury).  While in this spell, he believes he truly is Giacomo the great lover, scoundrel and assassin hired by someone in the court to kill the king!  The only thing that will bring him back to sweet, good-natured Hubert is the snap of someone's fingers.  As you can imagine, all three storylines carry onward with lots of snapping!  Hubert finds himself knighted, dueling for the hand of the Princess, trying to avoid the cup of poison and finally calling on his acrobat friends to save the day. 

Highlights
Danny Kaye is outstanding in this film.  I wasn't sure how I felt about a comedy with some singing and lots of clowning.  But if anyone could do this role, it's him.  His timing is the most remarkable part.  I've never, ever seen someone so sharp and so fast on their lines.  I read up a little on him online, and he was famous for his ability to recite tongue-twisters like the now-famous one in this film - the "pellet with the poison" bit.  Not only that, but this role required him to switch very quickly between two "characters," often in the middle of a sword fight.  While this is a film driven very much by Danny Kaye, his costars are also wonderful.  Angela Lansbury is both enchanting and powerful as the Princess, and Glynis Johns becomes a great foil for Danny.  Not to mention a beautiful love interest too! 

Review
I believe that in some films, there is one moment that just captivates you.  From that point on you are sucked in, completely immersed.  For me it was the point where Danny Kaye sings a lullaby to the infant prince.  There is something so gentle, wholesome and pure about that scene that made me fall in love with this movie even when I wasn't sure if I'd like it.  It's innocent and kid-friendly, so if you're looking for a lot of drama and intrigue, you won't find it.  You also won't find a whole lot of stale slap-stick.  Another great family comedy, The Court Jester is a delightful film that will introduce you (if you haven't already seen him) to the incredibly talented Danny Kaye.     

As always, check it out on IMDb!  There's a much better write-up there posted by jhclues in December of 01.

The Road to Morocco (1942)

Intro.
The third of the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby road pictures, The Road to Morocco definitely has the most memorable theme song!  It had been a long, long time since I had seen any of the "Road" pictures, so when TCM held a night filled with Bob and Bing, I had to catch up with this one.  It certainly illustrates the crooner-comedian format that defined many comedies of the forties and fifties and even 64 years later continues to entertain and delight audiences.

Overview
In this parody of Arabian swashbuckling adventures, Orville (Bob Hope) and Jeff (Bing Crosby) have been stranded on a raft in the ocean.  After nearly starving and getting sick of each other, they land on a sandy beach and climb aboard a camel that takes them through the desert and into a bustling city somewhere in Morocco.  Once there, Orville gets noticed by a princess (Princess Shalamar, played by Dorothy Lamour) and Jeff gets his hands on $200.  The only problem is, Jeff gets the dough by selling Orville!  Jeff's conscience gets the best of him, so he goes out to rescue Orville.  Only thing is, Orville has been sold to the Princess and is set to marry her.  But when Orville finds out that the first husband of the princess is fated to die within a week of the wedding, he tries to get Jeff to take his place.  It almost works until sheik Mullay Kassim takes them all hostage in order to marry the Princess himself.  The prophecy is found out to be false, so Bob and Bing must escape and save Dorothy and make it back to the good ole USA! 

Highlights
I love this movie.  Bob and Bing always make a terrific pair, but here is one of their best performances.  I think what makes the movie such a standout is that it doesn't take itself seriously.  Throughout the film, the boys are constantly breaking "the fourth wall" - in their opening song, they sing "I'll bet you eight to five that we meet Dorothy Lamour!"  Later, and perhaps my favorite gag, is when the sheik throws the boys in jail, Orville starts going through all of what's happened up to that point.  When Jeff says he knows all that, Orville replies, "well, the people who just came into the movie don't know that." 

I'm not normally a huge Bing Crosby fan.  Don't get me wrong, I like him and I think he can really sing well, but I guess I'm more of a Frank Sinatra girl.  But when Bing sings "Moonlight Becomes You" I have to admit, I kind of swooned.  If you ever want to know why millions of women went nuts for Bing, listen to him sing this ballad.   

Celebrity Spotings
Anthony Quinn plays Mullay Kassim.  According to Robert Osborn, Anthony was often cast in a wide range of ethnic supporting roles because of his appearance.  He was of Irish-Mexican descent, yet he looked a little Middle Eastern.  He would later go on to play in The Guns of Navarone and The Old Man and the Sea, and would win Oscars for Viva Zapata! and Lust for Life.  And he is both strong and funny as the sheik.  Also of note is Dona Drake, who plays one of the princess's handmaidens who falls in love with Orville and helps him escape.  I had to look her up on IMDb because she looked so familiar - I had seen her in Without Reservations (ironically enough, another funny road movie).  She's pretty awesome in this one too, and can keep up with Bob's quick humor.

Review
The Road to Morocco is what good family comedy is all about.  There's enough humor for everyone to enjoy and will endure as a comedy classic for a long, long time.  If you want to see a Bob Hope Bing Crosby film, I strongly urge you to start with this one - you won't regret it!  (And I'll bet you eight to one that you get the theme song stuck in your head!)

As always, read more at IMDb.com.  Want to hear the theme song?  Check it out here.