Tis St. Patrick's Day ... so lets rewatch THE QUIET MAN (sure we never tire of it) and let's not forget those little people ...
Kamis, 17 Maret 2011
Top of the morning to you ...
Tis St. Patrick's Day ... so lets rewatch THE QUIET MAN (sure we never tire of it) and let's not forget those little people ...
Selasa, 15 Maret 2011
Japan
A moment to be serious. This photo of a woman and cat at a rescue centre in Japan really caught my attention. We may be innured to tragedy after all those natural disasters hitting much poorer countries but seeing large parts of Japan reduced to matchwood makes one wonder how on earth can people get over this when one's home and town have just vanished, not to mention family and neighbours .... and of course animals too.But we learned a new word today: " gaman" - alongside the chaos and utter devastation wrought by nature have been scenes of heartbreaking orderliness and self-control as people try to remain calm and carry on. There seems to be no looting or panic. Western news crews search for images of fear and anguish as the survivors try to maintain their dignity. This stoicism can be summed up by the word "gaman" roughly meaning calm forebearance, perseverence and poise in the face of events beyond one's control. It is so commendable. Japan has emerged from devastation before so it will have to do it again.
Minggu, 13 Maret 2011
People We Like: the great dependables ...
Jack Hawkins [1910-1973]. No wonder when Howard Hawks was casting LAND OF THE PHAROAHS in ’55, he chose Jack for his Pharoah, he has the required natural authority here to be a very commanding Egyptian king. No wonder when William Wyler was casting BEN-HUR he chose Jack for the part of the Roman admiral Quintus Arrius. Again, Jack was perfect here, and no wonder when John Ford was casting his GIDEON OF SCOTLAND YARD in ’58 Jack was the obvious choice for the police commander – which led to all those cop dramas on television. Hawkins it seems always had that natural authority which made him ideal for military men in war dramas and costumers. Odd to think that when young he and Jessica Tandy were married to each other. Other great Hawkins roles of course include his Allenby in LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (below), THE CRUEL SEA, ZULU, THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, with Loren in JUDITH, with Ty Power in THE BLACK ROSE (1950), MANDY, THE MALTA STORY, LORD JIM, WATERLOO and he is perfect as the leader of THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN in 1960. I won't mention the dreadful SHALAKO or GREAT CATHERINE in '68!
An aside: a lot has been written about the supposed "gay subtext" inserted by Gore Vidal in BEN HUR, concerning Boyd and Heston, but I wonder if they did not have a word with Jack too, as although his hobby is training fighting men in Rome, he practically slavers when he sees the hunky Ben at the oars, and that whole scene and the ones following are all about Hawkins and his attraction to Heston. Is it just me or is that whole "ramming scene" very suggestive .... later Ben is like his hunky boyfriend when they arrive in Rome and Hawkins then "adopts" him, giving Ben his signet ring - it's almost like a civil partnership ceremony! Hawkins though lost his voice in 1966 but continued acting with a voice box and being dubbed (usually by Charles Gray). A brave man indeed.
Trevor Howard [1913-1988]. Trevor was a star and a leading man for a long time, and then like Hawkins and James Mason had a good run in the 60s in strong supporting parts and kept busy right until the end. One always knew one was going to enjoy any movie with Trevor. He was married to actress Helen Cherry and seems to have been a bit of a hell-raiser in his time, but what an actor. I like him as the young leading man in THE GOLDEN SALAMANDER, ’49 with the teenage Anouk Aimee, and THE CLOUDED YELLOW, in 1950 with Jean Simmons, after his breakthrough roles in BRIEF ENCOUNTER (he is just right as Alec Harvey), GREEN FOR DANGER, THE WAY TO THE STARS, THE THIRD MAN and for Lean, his lover coming back into the life of married Ann Todd in THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS in 1948 (a recent discovery, and several of Howards are reviewed here, as per label). THE HEART OF THE MATTER and OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS are also key roles, as are his African roles in THE ROOTS OF HEAVEN for Zanuck by Huston, and Jack Cardiff’s THE LION in 1962, where his gruff manner is
perfect. I like RUN FOR THE SUN with Jane Greer and Widmark in ’56, where he is he Nazi holed up in the jungle, and his evil villain in INTERPOL with Anita Ekberg and Vic Mature in ’57. Then there were Carol Reed’s THE KEY with Loren and Holden, and of course SONS AND LOVERS for Cardiff where he and Wendy Hiller are ideal as the warring parents. He crops up in OPERATION CROSSBOW, is ideal in THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (top with Harry Andrews), and BATTLE OF BRITAIN, and of course back with Lean in Ireland for that priest in RYAN’S DAUGHTER. He was re-united with Celia Johnson for that nice telefilm STAYING ON in 1980. Then there was Wagner for Visconti in LUDWIG in ’72 with Silvano Mangano as Mrs Wagner, Losey’s A DOLL’S HOUSE as Dr Rank, STEVIE with Glenda Jackson, and a schmaltzy Christmas movie CHRISTMAS EVE with Loretta Young in ’86. These are just a few in a long and varied career – and of course his Captain Bligh opposite Brando in the ’62 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY. They don’t really make them like Trevor any more.
Nigel Patrick [1913-1981]. Nigel was a dapper gent, very insouciant, bred in the theatre and had a some good movie roles in the ‘50s and ‘60s. He is ideal as the teacher who regrets carrying on with Michael Redgrave’s wife in Rattigan’s THE BROWNING VERSION in 1951, and the test pilot who marries Ann Todd in Lean’s THE SOUND BARRIER in ’52, as well as Mr Jingle in THE PICKWICK PAPERS, young Audrey Hepburn’s husband in YOUNG WIVE’S TALE in ’51, and the test driver who wrecks his racing car for love of Ava Gardner in PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. He pops up in RAINTREE COUNTY in ’57, and that year stars in and directs a droll black comedy HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE, which is too little known now. He is ideal as the police superintendent solving the mystery of SAPPHIRE, a race drama from 1959, and he is the defence council who defends Peter Finch’s Oscar Wilde in THE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE in 1960, a splendid performance, as is his turn with Jack Hawkins in THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN in 1960. Other roles of note were in ALL FOR MARY in ’56 and THE SEA SHALL NOT HAVE THEM, BATTLE OF BRITAIN as well as lots of theatre and television. We like Nigel a lot.
HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE - Having also recently seen Charles Coburn again in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, Nigel Patrick in THE BROWNING VERSION and THE SOUND BARRIER, and Wendy Hiller again in I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING, it was a pleasure to see them together in the 1957 British comedy HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE, directed by Patrick, who also plays the lead and is as splendidly insouciant as ever. He and wife Wendy are the impoverished aristocrats trying to bump off their American relation – Coburn – but every attempt goes wrong, leading to members of the family being bumped off instead. It is low key but nicely droll and should be a much better known black comedy. Supporting players are those wonderful eccentrics Athene Seyler and Katie Johnson (from THE LADYKILLERS), with a young Anthony Newley and an almost silent Michael Caine in one of his first bit parts. A Warwick film which Columbia used to distribute.
Harry Andrews [1911-1989]. Like Anthony Quayle Harry is another ‘great dependable’, equally at home as military men in any war film, or in costume in those ‘50s epics like his Persian king Darius in Rossen’s ALEXANDER THE GREAT in ’56, Balthor the advisor to Gina Lollobrigida’s queen in SOLOMON AND SHEBA, or Hector in the best film about HELEN OF TROY, in 55. He excels of course in ICE COLD IN ALEX, Lumet’s THE HILL, and again like the others here had a very prolific progidious career. He is just right too as the brother of Beryl Reid in the 1970 film of Orton’s ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE eager to get his hands on that enterprising young man. Then there were his roles in Huston’s MOBY DICK, Preminger’s SAINT JOAN, war films like A HILL IN KOREA, a little film I like REACH FOR GLORY with Kay Walsh in 1962 (I must report back on that one), Nick Ray’s 55 DAYS AT PEKING, NOTHING BUT THE BEST, Lumet’s THE DEADLY AFFAIR, THE JOKERS and so many others, BATTLE OF BRITAIN of course, Losey's MODESTY BLAISE with Vitti, and his Lord Lucan in Richardson’s THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE in ’68. Harry kept going until the end of the 80s. He was certainly a trouper.
An enduring memory of the ‘80s is an edition of “This Is Your Life” which was devoted to Harry – and to his, and our, astonishment, out walked Gina Lollobrigida in full Queen of Sheba dress, including that hair ornament, to thank Harry for helping her with her English during the shoot of SOLOMON AND SHEBA. Then she sat down next to a bemused Beryl Reid. Pity I didn’t get to video that…. His IMDB profile lists lots of theatre work with Gielgud and Olivier. I think Harry was what was mentioned then as a “confirmed bachelor” – it is always a pleasure to see him in any role, large or small.
An aside: a lot has been written about the supposed "gay subtext" inserted by Gore Vidal in BEN HUR, concerning Boyd and Heston, but I wonder if they did not have a word with Jack too, as although his hobby is training fighting men in Rome, he practically slavers when he sees the hunky Ben at the oars, and that whole scene and the ones following are all about Hawkins and his attraction to Heston. Is it just me or is that whole "ramming scene" very suggestive .... later Ben is like his hunky boyfriend when they arrive in Rome and Hawkins then "adopts" him, giving Ben his signet ring - it's almost like a civil partnership ceremony! Hawkins though lost his voice in 1966 but continued acting with a voice box and being dubbed (usually by Charles Gray). A brave man indeed.
Trevor Howard [1913-1988]. Trevor was a star and a leading man for a long time, and then like Hawkins and James Mason had a good run in the 60s in strong supporting parts and kept busy right until the end. One always knew one was going to enjoy any movie with Trevor. He was married to actress Helen Cherry and seems to have been a bit of a hell-raiser in his time, but what an actor. I like him as the young leading man in THE GOLDEN SALAMANDER, ’49 with the teenage Anouk Aimee, and THE CLOUDED YELLOW, in 1950 with Jean Simmons, after his breakthrough roles in BRIEF ENCOUNTER (he is just right as Alec Harvey), GREEN FOR DANGER, THE WAY TO THE STARS, THE THIRD MAN and for Lean, his lover coming back into the life of married Ann Todd in THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS in 1948 (a recent discovery, and several of Howards are reviewed here, as per label). THE HEART OF THE MATTER and OUTCAST OF THE ISLANDS are also key roles, as are his African roles in THE ROOTS OF HEAVEN for Zanuck by Huston, and Jack Cardiff’s THE LION in 1962, where his gruff manner is
perfect. I like RUN FOR THE SUN with Jane Greer and Widmark in ’56, where he is he Nazi holed up in the jungle, and his evil villain in INTERPOL with Anita Ekberg and Vic Mature in ’57. Then there were Carol Reed’s THE KEY with Loren and Holden, and of course SONS AND LOVERS for Cardiff where he and Wendy Hiller are ideal as the warring parents. He crops up in OPERATION CROSSBOW, is ideal in THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (top with Harry Andrews), and BATTLE OF BRITAIN, and of course back with Lean in Ireland for that priest in RYAN’S DAUGHTER. He was re-united with Celia Johnson for that nice telefilm STAYING ON in 1980. Then there was Wagner for Visconti in LUDWIG in ’72 with Silvano Mangano as Mrs Wagner, Losey’s A DOLL’S HOUSE as Dr Rank, STEVIE with Glenda Jackson, and a schmaltzy Christmas movie CHRISTMAS EVE with Loretta Young in ’86. These are just a few in a long and varied career – and of course his Captain Bligh opposite Brando in the ’62 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY. They don’t really make them like Trevor any more.
Nigel Patrick [1913-1981]. Nigel was a dapper gent, very insouciant, bred in the theatre and had a some good movie roles in the ‘50s and ‘60s. He is ideal as the teacher who regrets carrying on with Michael Redgrave’s wife in Rattigan’s THE BROWNING VERSION in 1951, and the test pilot who marries Ann Todd in Lean’s THE SOUND BARRIER in ’52, as well as Mr Jingle in THE PICKWICK PAPERS, young Audrey Hepburn’s husband in YOUNG WIVE’S TALE in ’51, and the test driver who wrecks his racing car for love of Ava Gardner in PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. He pops up in RAINTREE COUNTY in ’57, and that year stars in and directs a droll black comedy HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE, which is too little known now. He is ideal as the police superintendent solving the mystery of SAPPHIRE, a race drama from 1959, and he is the defence council who defends Peter Finch’s Oscar Wilde in THE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE in 1960, a splendid performance, as is his turn with Jack Hawkins in THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN in 1960. Other roles of note were in ALL FOR MARY in ’56 and THE SEA SHALL NOT HAVE THEM, BATTLE OF BRITAIN as well as lots of theatre and television. We like Nigel a lot.
HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE - Having also recently seen Charles Coburn again in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, Nigel Patrick in THE BROWNING VERSION and THE SOUND BARRIER, and Wendy Hiller again in I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING, it was a pleasure to see them together in the 1957 British comedy HOW TO MURDER A RICH UNCLE, directed by Patrick, who also plays the lead and is as splendidly insouciant as ever. He and wife Wendy are the impoverished aristocrats trying to bump off their American relation – Coburn – but every attempt goes wrong, leading to members of the family being bumped off instead. It is low key but nicely droll and should be a much better known black comedy. Supporting players are those wonderful eccentrics Athene Seyler and Katie Johnson (from THE LADYKILLERS), with a young Anthony Newley and an almost silent Michael Caine in one of his first bit parts. A Warwick film which Columbia used to distribute.
Harry Andrews [1911-1989]. Like Anthony Quayle Harry is another ‘great dependable’, equally at home as military men in any war film, or in costume in those ‘50s epics like his Persian king Darius in Rossen’s ALEXANDER THE GREAT in ’56, Balthor the advisor to Gina Lollobrigida’s queen in SOLOMON AND SHEBA, or Hector in the best film about HELEN OF TROY, in 55. He excels of course in ICE COLD IN ALEX, Lumet’s THE HILL, and again like the others here had a very prolific progidious career. He is just right too as the brother of Beryl Reid in the 1970 film of Orton’s ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE eager to get his hands on that enterprising young man. Then there were his roles in Huston’s MOBY DICK, Preminger’s SAINT JOAN, war films like A HILL IN KOREA, a little film I like REACH FOR GLORY with Kay Walsh in 1962 (I must report back on that one), Nick Ray’s 55 DAYS AT PEKING, NOTHING BUT THE BEST, Lumet’s THE DEADLY AFFAIR, THE JOKERS and so many others, BATTLE OF BRITAIN of course, Losey's MODESTY BLAISE with Vitti, and his Lord Lucan in Richardson’s THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE in ’68. Harry kept going until the end of the 80s. He was certainly a trouper.
An enduring memory of the ‘80s is an edition of “This Is Your Life” which was devoted to Harry – and to his, and our, astonishment, out walked Gina Lollobrigida in full Queen of Sheba dress, including that hair ornament, to thank Harry for helping her with her English during the shoot of SOLOMON AND SHEBA. Then she sat down next to a bemused Beryl Reid. Pity I didn’t get to video that…. His IMDB profile lists lots of theatre work with Gielgud and Olivier. I think Harry was what was mentioned then as a “confirmed bachelor” – it is always a pleasure to see him in any role, large or small. 
Next: some great female dependables and a couple of dames!
Jumat, 11 Maret 2011
Black Swan
Now that the fuss about BLACK SWAN has died down a bit (friends of mine could talk about nothing else for weeks) and it certainly was a vivid exhilarating experience when watching it and for a day or two afterwards, but – like THE KING’S SPEECH – seems curiously forgettable now. It is directed by Darren Aronofsky and stars Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey & Winona Ryder, and Portman certainly deserved all the acclaim and her best actress award. But my title for it could be SHOWGIRL’S REPULSION AT RED SHOES!
Nina Sayers (Portman) is committed to her art as a ballet dancer and lives behind locked doors with her over-protective mother (Hershey), herself a one time dancer. When Nina`s ballet company announce that a production of Tchaikovsky`s Swan Lake is seeking a new prima ballerina to play the Swan Queen, Nina pushes herself still further to land the role. But with the role comes more pressures. Her instructor, Thomas (Cassell) urges her to exp
lore the darker passions within her so as to nail the Black Swan part of the role as her mother becomes even more over-bearing and a new arrival to the production, Lily (Kunis), pushes her fragile state of mind to the limit. Perhaps more worrying is that Nina appears to have a doppelgänger lurking within her enclosed world… as she becomes attracted to her real or imagined rival. It would seem that its creators must have studied Polanski’s REPULSION in detail as so many details are here, even that heavily bolted door to the apartment which is Nina’s refuge, and her fantasies and fragile state of mind. Then there is the glitz and exposed flesh of SHOWGIRLS welded to the dedication to one’s art as set out in Michael Powell’s THE RED SHOES with that other obsessed ballerina …
So many sequences we watch turn out to be fantasies so one hardly knows what is real by the climax, and that sequence as the Back Swan takes over with the feathers sprouting is indeed mesmerising, but will it all bear repeated viewing? Time will tell.
Nina as a character is hard to feel any sympathy for as she pushes herself to the limit. Also, does the plot really add up? All great thrillers or horror stories have to have a basis in reality. One cannot say too much about the climax as one does not want to spoil it for those who have yet to see it, but it just does not make sense, even if it is vivid cinema. So it is camp horror or serious psychological drama? It hasn't though stayed with me like ANOTHER YEAR or I AM LOVE or UNCLE BOONMEE... or those discoveries I have enthused about like LA LOI or THAT MAN FROM RIO or THE SOUND BARRIER!
Nina Sayers (Portman) is committed to her art as a ballet dancer and lives behind locked doors with her over-protective mother (Hershey), herself a one time dancer. When Nina`s ballet company announce that a production of Tchaikovsky`s Swan Lake is seeking a new prima ballerina to play the Swan Queen, Nina pushes herself still further to land the role. But with the role comes more pressures. Her instructor, Thomas (Cassell) urges her to exp
lore the darker passions within her so as to nail the Black Swan part of the role as her mother becomes even more over-bearing and a new arrival to the production, Lily (Kunis), pushes her fragile state of mind to the limit. Perhaps more worrying is that Nina appears to have a doppelgänger lurking within her enclosed world… as she becomes attracted to her real or imagined rival. It would seem that its creators must have studied Polanski’s REPULSION in detail as so many details are here, even that heavily bolted door to the apartment which is Nina’s refuge, and her fantasies and fragile state of mind. Then there is the glitz and exposed flesh of SHOWGIRLS welded to the dedication to one’s art as set out in Michael Powell’s THE RED SHOES with that other obsessed ballerina … 
So many sequences we watch turn out to be fantasies so one hardly knows what is real by the climax, and that sequence as the Back Swan takes over with the feathers sprouting is indeed mesmerising, but will it all bear repeated viewing? Time will tell.
Nina as a character is hard to feel any sympathy for as she pushes herself to the limit. Also, does the plot really add up? All great thrillers or horror stories have to have a basis in reality. One cannot say too much about the climax as one does not want to spoil it for those who have yet to see it, but it just does not make sense, even if it is vivid cinema. So it is camp horror or serious psychological drama? It hasn't though stayed with me like ANOTHER YEAR or I AM LOVE or UNCLE BOONMEE... or those discoveries I have enthused about like LA LOI or THAT MAN FROM RIO or THE SOUND BARRIER! The Pleasure Girls
THE PLEASURE GIRLS, 1965, no not THE PLEASURE SEEKERS (they were Ann-Margret, Pamela Tiffin and Carol Lynley in Spain) – these are 4 English girls sharing an apartment in Kensington in 1965 London and this long-unseen black and white little film by Gerry O’Hara nicely captures that.
The blurb on the dvd reads: "Illicit love. Passion. Brutality. Riotous Parties and Sudden Heartbreak all play their part in this frank story of five bachelor girls who seek fame and fortune amid the bright lights of London.
Each girl has her own code, her own problems. Each is faced with the dilemma of how to pay the price demanded for a measure of happiness in the glitter and glamour of London's smart set.
Told with realism, compassion and compelling candour this is a story up to the minute as this morning's headlines. The pitfalls that await young girls drawn to the metropolis are unblushingly revealed in a film that combines gripping entertainment with an honest appraisal of today's morality". Beat that!
It is more Sixties in aspic as I knew that area in the 60s and lots of apartments like the one here. Francesca Annis (after her stint as CLEOPATRA’s handmaiden) is the nice country girl new in London to study at model school as she joins three other girls and the guy who lives in the apartment downstairs. He Paddy (Tony Tanner) turns out to be a happy uncomplicated ordinary gay guy (this was 2 years before the law regarding homosexuality was changed in England) – and not even a photographer like Roland Curram in the same year’s DARLING! Francesca gets involved with lad about town Ian McShane, while Anneke Wills is the girl who cannot get a boyfriend; Rosemary Nichols is the one who gets pregnant by no-good Mark Eden, a compulsive gambler; and Suzanna Lee is Dee the nice upper-class girl who discovers she really loves her racketeer landlord boyfriend Klaus Kinski (relatively restrained here). It touches on slum landlords which was topical in London then, and nicely captures that era – and makes a nice contrast to DARLING which got all the awards and attention.
Annis [now one of our senior actresses, in series like CRANFORD] and Lee were going places then. O’Hara was on the fringes of the exploitation market [his MAROC 7 (already reviewed here, Cyd Charisse label) is quite lively too], this was produced by Compton Films who specialised in these kind of films and who also distributed Polanski’s British films REPULSION and CUL-DE-SAC as well as items like A STUDY IN TERROR and THE PENTHOUSE. In all, a nice addition to those London just about to swing 60s titles, like NOTHING BUT THE BEST and SMASHING TIME. It's best companion pieces would be Michael Winner's THE SYSTEM from 1964 and Clive Donner's HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH from 1967, both of which I will have to return to. These though are now interesting dvd releases.
The blurb on the dvd reads: "Illicit love. Passion. Brutality. Riotous Parties and Sudden Heartbreak all play their part in this frank story of five bachelor girls who seek fame and fortune amid the bright lights of London.
Each girl has her own code, her own problems. Each is faced with the dilemma of how to pay the price demanded for a measure of happiness in the glitter and glamour of London's smart set.
Told with realism, compassion and compelling candour this is a story up to the minute as this morning's headlines. The pitfalls that await young girls drawn to the metropolis are unblushingly revealed in a film that combines gripping entertainment with an honest appraisal of today's morality". Beat that!
It is more Sixties in aspic as I knew that area in the 60s and lots of apartments like the one here. Francesca Annis (after her stint as CLEOPATRA’s handmaiden) is the nice country girl new in London to study at model school as she joins three other girls and the guy who lives in the apartment downstairs. He Paddy (Tony Tanner) turns out to be a happy uncomplicated ordinary gay guy (this was 2 years before the law regarding homosexuality was changed in England) – and not even a photographer like Roland Curram in the same year’s DARLING! Francesca gets involved with lad about town Ian McShane, while Anneke Wills is the girl who cannot get a boyfriend; Rosemary Nichols is the one who gets pregnant by no-good Mark Eden, a compulsive gambler; and Suzanna Lee is Dee the nice upper-class girl who discovers she really loves her racketeer landlord boyfriend Klaus Kinski (relatively restrained here). It touches on slum landlords which was topical in London then, and nicely captures that era – and makes a nice contrast to DARLING which got all the awards and attention.
Annis [now one of our senior actresses, in series like CRANFORD] and Lee were going places then. O’Hara was on the fringes of the exploitation market [his MAROC 7 (already reviewed here, Cyd Charisse label) is quite lively too], this was produced by Compton Films who specialised in these kind of films and who also distributed Polanski’s British films REPULSION and CUL-DE-SAC as well as items like A STUDY IN TERROR and THE PENTHOUSE. In all, a nice addition to those London just about to swing 60s titles, like NOTHING BUT THE BEST and SMASHING TIME. It's best companion pieces would be Michael Winner's THE SYSTEM from 1964 and Clive Donner's HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH from 1967, both of which I will have to return to. These though are now interesting dvd releases. 
Kamis, 10 Maret 2011
Showpeople (10): Judy's duets
I was far too young of course to see any of Judy Garland's early 60s tv shows, but a programme of duets from it makes for fascinating viewing now - and dvds are available too! Fantastic seeing the young Streisand with Judy and the obvious respect and rapport the two have for each other - and Judy with the likes of Peggy Lee and Lena Horne, Bobby Darin and young Jack Jones [below] (Michael Buble? who he? - it's reminded me I liked an album of Jones' back in the late 60s "Without Her", a nice contrast to all that Doors and Airplane stuff). There's also Judy with Ethel, Mel Torme, and of course Liza ....
I have read though the book Mel Torme (who worked on the shows) wrote on his unhappy time on the Judy show, as though settling scores with Judy, which though mean-spirited also showed how demanding she could be. But Judy looks good here - her weight see-sawed a lot then, but in '63 she looks her best, as she did in that last film from then I COULD GO ON SINGING. This has also reminded me of how different and fantastic young Barbra was then - no wonder she was the new sensation and we rushed out for those early albums of hers. I didn't have to wait too long to see her in 1966 in the London FUNNY GIRL .... touching too to see those troupers Judy and Mickey still in full flow.
I have read though the book Mel Torme (who worked on the shows) wrote on his unhappy time on the Judy show, as though settling scores with Judy, which though mean-spirited also showed how demanding she could be. But Judy looks good here - her weight see-sawed a lot then, but in '63 she looks her best, as she did in that last film from then I COULD GO ON SINGING. This has also reminded me of how different and fantastic young Barbra was then - no wonder she was the new sensation and we rushed out for those early albums of hers. I didn't have to wait too long to see her in 1966 in the London FUNNY GIRL .... touching too to see those troupers Judy and Mickey still in full flow.
Rabu, 09 Maret 2011
2 more '30s curios ...
THESE THREE – the 1936 version of Lillian Hellman’s play THE CHILDREN’S HOUR makes a fascinating comparison with Wyler’s 1962 version (which has been shown a lot lately here on TCM UK). Like THEODORA GOES WILD (1930s label) it is really the 1930s in aspic as those two teachers set up their girls school and have to cope with the awful Mary Tilford and small town gossip. Wyler’s first version makes the malicious girl's lie a heterosexual one, that the doctor (Joel McCrea) is also having a relationship with Martha Dobie (Miriam Hopkins), who is the main character here. It is Martha who finds out about the stolen b
racelet and goes back to confront Mrs Tilford, and of course Martha is also in love with McCrea, but stands aside so Merle Oberon (Karen Wright) and the doc Joe can be together. This just does not make any sense. The children though are much better than in the later version – Bonita Granville as Mary is the real deal. The climax here is provided by the Wicked Witch of the West as Margaret Hamilton [right] plays Mrs Tilford’s maid Agatha and when Mary starts acting up again Agatha gives her a resounding slap that must have brought cheers from the cinema audiences. Oh, 
and Martha does not have to hang herself, but strides off into the distance as Karen and Joe, now in Germany, can finally be together (though Germany in 1936 would hardly be a safe place…) . The 1962 version though benefits from that magisterial performance by Fay Bainter as the imperious Mrs Tilford, and Miriam playing the silly aunt. The current stage version is a hot ticket here in London, with Keira Knightley, Elisabeth Moss, Ellyn Burstyn as Mrs Tilford and Carol Kane as the aunt. It's Broadway bound too. (right: Shirley McLaine and Audrey Hepburn in Wyler's 1962 version) 
This 1939 John Ford film is a comparative rarity, not a "western" as such, it depicts the settlers in the new land, fighting those hostile natives in Upstate New York around the time of the War of Independence. What makes this so striking is the vivid early Technicolor - I had imagined it would be in black and white. Henry Fonda is the young rancher with his new wife Claudette Colbert - out of her comfort zone here but she blends in nicely as the young couple settle down and then after their homestead is burned down have to go into service for widow Edna May Oliver (scene stealing as usual). Frontier life is depicted in all its harshness as those marauding indians return, and the fort is beseiged. Ford adds his usual touches of sentiment with births and deaths, and several of his stock players are present, one fears for Oliver as she lies in bed as indians enter determined to set the place on fire ... another interesting movie from that great year 1939 then.
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