My Life As A Film: April 2012

The Quiet Man kicked of my movies this month. It's a film that I've always been aware of, having seen that famous kiss between John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara many times growing up watching E.T: The Extra Terrestrial. Despite liking Wayne, I've never been interested to see this film. Again it's directed by one of my favourite directors in John Ford, who did the equally coloquial How Green Was My Valley. The Quiet Man tells the story of an American (Wayne), who returns to the Irish villages he was descended from and falls in love with a local girl (O'Hara). As he tries to court this tempestuous girl, he runs into various conflicts from those trying to stop the union, at which point his shady past begins to catch up with him. The film is has more of a comedic tone, than the dramatic How Green Was My Valley, and I think this is what sadly dates the film. Though there are funny moments, it sometimes comes across as too slapstick at times, and the times without the comedy I found a bit dull. The story is one that maybe has been adapted to film in different versions many times and so the story seemed a bit tired to me. Having said that, I can certainly see why it's one of Ford's and Wayne's more loved works, indeed it's very amusing watching Wayne in this rural Irish setting. My biggest problem, is that I will always compare it to How Green Was My Valley, which I think is a much better, if more sombre film. One day I may revisit The Quiet Man, but whenever I want a slice of Ford's idealistic, quaint take on rural life in the early 20th century, there's only one film I'm going to watch.

Next up I caught Becket, Peter Glenville's biopic, which was based on the Jean Anouilh play. This was a real treat, a film that I had often put off, due to my lack of interest and knowledge in the subject matter. However, Richard Burton as Thomas Becket and Peter O'Toole as King Henry II were simply subliminal in their roles. Their chemistry was electric and their performances only profited from this. It's shocking that these two actors had 15 Best Actor nominations between them, and they haven't won one between them. For me it's O'Toole who really shines, as the unscrupolous King who tries to manipulate his kingdom by manouevering church and state to his advantage. He employs his good friend and current Chancellor, Becket (Burton), as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, it is at this point that Becket allies with God at the expense of his king and former friend. It really is riveting stuff and it's a shame that they don't make regal, theatrical films like these anymore. I can't wait to catch The Lion In Winter now, which also has the brilliant O'Toole reprising his role as King Henry II.

I continued my Marilyn Monroe season by watching As Young As You Feel, it was one of her smaller roles, just before she became an A-Lister. It was a very similar type role to that of her one in Monkey Business, she again plays a company secretary, this time she's the foil to Monty Wooly's character, who has masqueraded as his own company's president in order to settle his own personal injustices. Although directed by Harmon Jones, it very much as the feel of a Hawks' comedy of that time. In a way it is slightly ludicrous that so many people fail to recognise Monty Wooly's disguise as he is so unique, but the film does serve as a fun and amusing slight on big business that still resonates today. It interesting to note that this is based on a story by Paddy Chevsky who later went on to write a more serious toned satire in Network. The screenplay was also written by Lamar Trotti who was involved in classics such as Young Mr. Lincoln, The Ox-bow Incident and Drums Along The Mohawk. There is more wealth of talent Thelma Ritter and Jean Peters (who would later appear alongside Marilyn in Niagra), so in that sense it's an interesting piece to watch in the context of these various different artists. Like the other comedies of the period it's very much more of the same, though I do think it had a bit more bite in it's attack of big business, which was probably quite near the mark for that time. It's a shame it's probably only watched today more as a Monroe piece, which it definetly isn't and it should be regarded on it's own merits.

I also used the month to purchase a copy of The Heiress, which I had long been interested to see. Comprising of a cast including Montgomery Clift, Olivia De Havilland and Ralph Richardson, as well as being directed by one of my all time favourites in William Wyler, this for me seemed like a great, if a little strange marriage of talent. Indeed it was rumoured De Havilland was a little bullied on set by thespian Richardson and method actor Clift, who both deemed her beneath them. I have to say though I was impressed by De Havilland, who I sometimes find too bland, here she played the socially awkward daughter to Richardson, who falls for the young, handsome and charming Clift, who Richardson suspects of "fortune hunting". In terms of character development, the film is enchanting as we see this young naive woman wake up to the cruelty of some (including her father). It is at times heartbreaking watching De Havilland in this movie, and I'd be surprised if she ever put in a performance as worthy as this one. To outdo both Richardson and Clift is no mean feat, but I feel she just about steals the movie here, although I imagine her naivity may be a bit grating for some. Wyler for me proves once again he can tackle any story, to my mind one of the most underrated directors ever. Whilst this does trail off a bit in parts, I still find it a fascinating film that is different to most. I know it's a cliché but they really don't make them like this anymore, a bit of a gamble in terms of casting and production, but it pays off.

The Way We Were was also viewed this month, another Barbara Streisand vehicle, perhaps best remembered for it's Oscar winning song "Memories". It's a coming of age tale that centres on the relationship of a political activist (Streisand) and her fellow college student (Robert Redford). It is in some ways an unconventional romance story, as their love doesn't really blossom until several years after leaving college. Whilst she is a stern and serious Jewish girl, he takes a more laid back approach to life, which puts strain on their relationship. Whilst their love for each other is evident, their differences begin to tear them apart. Whilst it is quite a interesting film, I couldn't help but find myself constantly confused by both the plot and timeline. The character's decisions at times to me seemed questionable, and I had trouble coming to terms with the believability of Streisand's character. Despite this she does produce a very enigmatic performance, unlike her previous roles, but like Funny Girl, I felt there was too much pandering to her performance, which meant that the other actors, including Redford suffered. Redford's performance is interesting in the fact that it's very similar to his next film role in that of The Great Gatsby. Whilst it was emotionally stirring and at times powerful, I couldn't help but feel let down by some of the lacklusture elements of the writing, and questionable motives of the main characters. In the end it's a film worth seeing once, but it is too much of mixed bag to find endearing.

John Sturgess' modern western Bad Day at Black Rock, helped me rediscover my testosterone. It starred Spencer Tracy as a one armed man, who arrives unexpectedly in a desolate town just after the end of the second world war. He is treated with hostility by the locals, who seem apprehensive as to what his intentions in the town are. He soon learns that the town are trying to keep a terrible secret about their recent past. I'm not a massive Sturgess fan, but the film contains a great character study of small town communities, and is possibly one of the first to really bring this to the big screen. In this sense it is almost like a precursor to later films of the 70's such as Straw Dogs and The Wicker Man. It's also a very subversive film and I'd be surprised if any Hollywood films before it had dealt with American civilians hostility towards the Japanese during the war. Indeed it was so subversive that the studio president at the time wasn't going to release the film. Even more suprising in terms of Sturgess is the brevity of this piece, it is half the length of his major films The Great Escape and Ice Station Zebra. Despite this though, the film still contains that broad intensity that drives the character development and conflicts in those films. Another element I enjoyed in this film was the casting of the small town, featuring western stalwarts such as Robert Ryan, Walter Brennan, Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin. Interestingly Borgnine and Marvin were on the brink of breaking into stardom themselves just after this movie. Whilst the film as a whole seems very low key, it's broodiness, style and boldness make it different to the majority of other American Westerns.

My next film was another intriguing case study, that took a guise not to dissimilar to a modern day "slasher" movie, albeit with more developed and less one-dimensional characters. Hitchcock's Lifeboat was made at the height of WW2 and starts of aboard a Lifeboat that gradually accumulates passenger's who have survived a U-Boat bombing, the last passenger to board, happens to be that U-boat captain. It was a screenplay written by legendary author John Steinbeck whose social commentary for this project was as equally present as in his previous works. It is also the first film I've seen with the infamous Tallulah Bankhead, along with Hume Cronyn, who is probably more known to modern audience for his roles in Batteries Not Included and Cocoon. The remainder of the cast seemed to comprise of theatrical players, rather than film stars. Nonetheless everyone involved did a telling job in helping evolve their characters, with the limited time available to them. This was also the first of Hitchcock's 'limited setting' films, followed by Rope, Dial M for Murder and Rear Window; and though it carried the same intensity and intrigue as those other movie, it began to fall flat towards the end. The problem with it, was that ultimately (despite what the Hitchcock fans will say) this was a propaganda piece, which led it to become a bit overzealous in painting certain characters in a bad light. Of course you could argue this point both ways, but ultimately, it made some of the characters and plot that bit less believable, and in some way made the ending anti-climatic, which was strange for a Hitchcock film.

Technically, it is one of Hitchcock's most impressive acheivements, conveying a range of character in a confined environment, across a limited space of time. It probably stands up well against other contemporary propaganda pieces, but against Hitchcock's other work, it falls slighlty short. It still serves as an interesting piece regardless of it's political and historical context, and of course for Bankhead uttering her trademark "Dahlings" intermittently throughout the picture.

From the Queen of decadent socials, to the Queen of aloofness with Greta Garbo and her second Hollywood film The Temptress. Like her first one, this too was based on an Ibánez classic, this time pairing her opposite MGM's answer to Valentino in Antonio Moreno. In a vamp role, she would make her own throughout her silents, she plays a character that seemingy destroys all those men who come into contact with her. As soon as Garbo appears on screen her technique is masterful, as she conveys the most powerful emotions a silent actress can display, with the subtlety of movements that make her seem almost natural. Her seductive nature and tones are always conveyed with her sultry longing eye movements, but at the same time the measure is just right, as if not to overact. Her final scene is one of her greatest, and is the only time she would appear in such a manner on film. Not to take anything away from the rest of the cast who all perform amicably (including one Lionel Barrymore). Antonio Moreno is one of Garbo's men who manages to at least compete with her on screen, and though he may not quite have the charm or charisma of a Valentino or Gilbert, he is a good performer. Fred Niblo's direction is also of merit as he captures some impressive shots, including a well constructed tracking shot during a banquet; and makes use of the local Californian landscape. It is certainly a film that would stand up without Garbo's presence.

It's interesting to note that this filming experience was not a pleasent one for Garbo, who's mentor Mauritz Stiller was sacked from it as director. She also received news of her sister's death during filming, and was not given a leave of absence. She maintained that it was her least favourite movie, probably due to these issues. It is suprising to think this is the same girl, that spawned from the large framed, gawky and unrefined teenager from her Swedish P.U.B. commercials just five years earlier. The MGM star-making machines had worked wonders and it was with her performance in this that cemented her place as the studios new icon. This then led Irving Thalberg to pair her with MGM's leading male icon (John Gilbert) in her next film Flesh and the Devil, which subsequently propelled her to unfathomable heights of stardom.

Another Garbo film I caught, was the sole surviving 9 minute footage of her 1928 film The Divine Woman. The film was the only one of Garbo's Hollywood ones thought to be lost, until this segment was found in a Moscow cinema in 1993. It tells of a soldier (Lars Hanson), who before leaving to be posted in the Algiers, has one last rendezvous with the woman he loves (Garbo). From the footage available, it seems that Garbo has taken a conscious leap from the vamp roles she's most assosciated with during the period, and plays a more wholesome girl. The footage ends on a cliffhanger as he worries that she'll find someone else while his gone, at the same time she wants him to stay, but then he'd be branded a deserter. It's a shame that the rest is lost as it is the only time Garbo worked with her fellow native Sjöström and is also her last film of three with Lars Hanson. Plus it seems like she played against type (also according to contemporary reviews), maybe one day we'll know for sure.

I also caught the MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Judy Garland and directed by her future husband Vincente Minelli. It opened in glorious Technicolor, but sadly the title track was pretty poor and I was starting to worry for the rest of the picture. The songs did improve, but not to a level where it made me enamoured with the movie. The best thing about the whole thing is without doubt Judy Garland, the movie would be lost without her. Sure, she was probably given the best and most humorous lines, and being the star she looked head and shoulders above her support in terms of beauty. But it really is with the songs that she shines, when other cast members are singing, it fails to hold my attention, but when Garland comes in it sounds great. The best example of this is the famous 'Trolly Song', where the vigour and razmataz of the background cast fail to inspire me, before Garland steps in. As for the plot, it's pretty unappealing to me and I think many modern day audiences would struggle with it's over-simplistic and somewhat whitewash view of life in St. Louis at the turn of the century. Still it ends with Garland's rendition of the timeless 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas', which again helped the film. Overall though it's pretty bland and a bit dated, but I will still give A Star is Born a try.

I returned to Garbo by watching her first notable screen role in Gösta Berlings Saga and her last ever film The Two Faced Woman. Although she wasn't the main star of Gösta Berlings Saga she had a prominent and plot-centric role as an Italian Countess. The film centred on the title character, played by Lars Hanson (who would go on to join Garbo in Hollywood and two films), his character is a desposed minister who finds solace working as protector of a large country manor house, with other fellow outcasts. 'Saga' really is the apt word to describe the film as it involves a complex, intertwined plot that takes 3 hours to unravel. Despite the run time, the story is really quite interesting, and the plot twists and turns from one point to the next as we follow our hero fall in love with various different women along the way. He soon believes that is him who is a curse to the lives of others, and he seeks some form of solace in his life whether by romance or personal acheivement. As for Garbo, she is still somewhat off that Hollywood look she would acquire 2 years later in Hollywood, but the foundations are definetly there. Her eyes and gesturing still provide that Garbo allure that would become her trademark, and here she is a cuter beauty, being slightly fuller figured as well as playing a role of relative goodness. Directed by her mentor Mauritz Stiller, he offers a lot in technical ability in this film, with some of the scenes simply marvellous. Most notable of these are the fire at the manor house as well as a sleigh ride across a frozen lake. I used to think Swedish cinema started with Ingmar Bergman, but this film certainly proves this not be the case, albeit this possibly marked the end of Sweden's prominence in the field until Bergman. I must say also add that so far I've only seen three Lars Hanson films, but he's always a fascinating watch and this was my favourite of his performances. Though I probably wouldn't watched this film had Garbo not been in it, it was well worth watching and probably a necessity for any film historian. Some silent films can be quite hard to stick with, but I had no such problems here as it was a riveting and somewhat mystical story.

Now to the complete opposite end of Garbo's film career, the one many cited as being the one that caused her demise. Two Faced Woman was written off the back of Garbo's successful transition into comedy with her role in Ninotchka, like that film she was again paired with Melvyn Douglas, although this one was directed by George Cukor (who worked with Garbo on Camille) and not Ernst Lubitsch. It follows Garbo as she pretends to be her own fun-filled twin sister in order to try to win him back. It sounds incredulous and contrived and it pretty much is, that's not to say it's as bad a film as film history portrays it to be. In fairness it has some moments, and Garbo's image is transformed once more, from even that of Ninotchka, two years previous. She comes across almost Claudette Colbert-like and is very cute in this film, as she playfully seduces her lead. I think one of the film's problems is Melvyn Douglas, whilst watching it, I felt Cary Grant would have performed better in the role, I've sinced learned that he was Cukor's first choice. Some criticise Garbo's comedic performance, but I feel she is at the very least competent in this environment and more than competes off her lead, though maybe Contstance Bennett as her love rival is more convincing. Overall, it's not a great film when compared against Garbo's other work, but it's not the disaster legend would have you believe. Indeed it managed to break even at the box-office, I also believe Garbo though dented by the reviews, wished to make further movies, but it never came into fruition for one reason or another. It's a shame that Garbo would sign off her film career with this rather mediocre comedy, but it's still fun and gives us further insight into her capabilities as an actress.

The Mysterious Lady was the fifth Garbo picture I watched this month, with her in one of her more familiar roles as a vamp. She plays a Russian spy who seduces an Austrian officer (Conrad Nagel), in order to procure some important plans, but her mission is compromised as she falls in love with him. It is a pretty standard picture in that aspect, similar to her later film Mata Hari, like The Temptress this is again directed by Fred Niblo, who again produces some decent scenes and set pieces, but doesn't quite have the potency of the final scene of The Temptress. Garbo being her typical screen persona is hardly a negative point of this movie, as no matter how many times you watch her she never loses that allure or mystique. Her leading man Nagel is nothing more than competent, he doesn't have that extra charisma or charm that sets him apart from the rest. It's a decent film, with a couple of scenes that are among Garbo's best, but it's nowhere near career defining. I will be watching my third Fred Niblo film next month, and probably his most famous, regarded as the film he saved from destroying MGM Ben Hur: A Tale of The Christ.

I ended the month watching Mildred Pierce, a melodrama charting a woman's life as she divorce's her husband, who she learns is cheating on her, and tries to become independant in her own right. She establishes herself as a restraunteur through hard graft in order to provide her daughters with the best things in life. I personally found the first twenty minutes of the film difficult to get into, due to the non-linear structure of the opening. However, once the narrative of how we got to the present situation begins, the film starts to take shape. As the film progresses Pierce gains more confidence and business acumen, and attracts the attentions of the man (Zachary Scott) she purchases her first restaurant from. As this romance begins, she is struck by a tragic blow as one of her daughters dies from pneumonia. This makes Mildred strive harder to deliver everything to her one surviving daughter. As time passes, her daughter becomes more spoilt, and begins to resent her mother's livelihood. This brings friction between the two to a head, and the climax to the film is almost mesmerising, as Crawford is forced to face some harsh home truths. The performances are quite powerful, espescially from Joan Crawford and business colleague Eve Arden, who both showcase how powerful women could appear on screen during Hollywood's golden age. This is something that I think has been, to some degree, disregarded in films today; as back then women's assets were highlighted by the different qualities they had to men, whereas I believe today women strive to find equality in having the same qualities as men. Although the film as a whole is melodramatic, it doesn't go overboard and remains relatively grounded for something that had the potential to go too far. Even if some of Crawford's outfits aren't befitting a struggling 1940's housewife. It's a good film that I believe also works as a feminist piece, that manages to neither patronise women or it's audience, though it isn't flawless.

My Life As A Film

Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Bond at 50: The "Good" Bond Girls

Wednesday, 4 April 2012

Films of the Month: April