Preston Sturges made several comedies in the 1940s that were both zany and edgy, perhaps even dark. He started out as a successful playwright, which led to screen-writing and winning an Original Screenplay Academy Award for ‘The Great McGinty’. His brand of off-beat gritty comedy made him a Maverick and his frequent clashes with the studios made him unpopular in Hollywood. Here are four to whet your appetite.
The Lady Eve (1941)
Abroad a luxury ocean liner, grifter Jean (Barbara Stanwyck) sincerely falls hard for snobby explorer Charlie (Henry Fonda), but they're abruptly parted when Charlie’s snooping valet Mugsy (William Demarest) discovers she and her party are wanted con-artists. Intending to seek revenge, Jean shows up in his wealthy circle, posing as English aristocrat, Lady Eve. Charlie is completely (and happily) duped, Mugsy's adamant Eve is Jean, and Charlie’s father Horace (the marvellous Eugene Pallette, who gets no respect - and no breakfast!) wants his son to marry nobility. Chaos ensues.
Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
Joel McCrea plays a spoilt movie director of what he calls ‘fluff’, who decides to go incognito across the country, to research a ‘serious’ film about the suffering poor. Despite his studio bosses trying to stop him, he swaps clothes with a street bum, puts a dime in his pocket and takes off. Along the way he teams up with an out-of-work actress (Veronica Lake). Sullivan, a victim of his own naivety, he gets a lot more than he bargained for.
The Palm Beach Story (1942)
Geraldine (Claudette Colbert), impatient wife of struggling inventor Tom (Joel McCrea) hatches a plan to escape to Palm Beach and find a millionaire to marry, to get Tom the money he needs to finance his new invention. When Tom finally tracks her down, she's already in the company of millionaire John (Rudy Vallee) so she introduces Tom as her brother Mac. Geraldine then finds herself torn between securing John and keeping ‘Mac’ out of the hands of other women.
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)
Woodrow (Eddie Bracken) comes from a long line of military men, but he’s 4F - medically unsuitable for military duty – a fact he’s hidden from his family. His big-city civilian war work ends and he’s too scared to go back to his home town. In a bar he meets a group of sympathetic Marines, one of whom (William Demarest) fought with his father in WW1. The Marines hatch a plan for him to return home as a uniformed decorated hero – dragging the hapless Woodrow in their wake.
27 March 2010
26 March 2010
... Claude Rains
Bette Davis maintained throughout her career that Claude Rains was her favourite co-star. Rains was born into an English theatre family, making his stage debut aged 11, and also become a sought-after acting coach, the young Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud amongst his pupils. In 1932, Universal screen-tested Rains and he never looked back. Best known for character and supporting roles in such classics as 'The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), 'Casablanca' (1944) and David Lean’s epic 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962), here are some other chances to appreciate Rains’ great talent.
Mr. Skeffington (1944, Dr: Vincent Sherman)
Of the films Rains and Davis did together, the only one where they shared top billing. Davis plays Fanny, a well-bred vain penniless socialite, who marries Job Skeffington for his money. Job takes her as she is, loving her in spite of her heartless affairs and neglect of their daughter. Only decades later does Fanny realize just what his love and loyalty are really worth.
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945, Dr: Gabriel Pascal)
Based on George Bernard Shaw’s wordy and witty play, Rains shines as the aging pragmatic Julius Caesar, easily conquering Egypt, but perhaps not entirely taming the young kittenish Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh). It’s a witty film adaption one of Shaw’s great plays, showcasing some great British actors in support including a young Stewart Granger and (Dame) Flora Robson.
Notorious (1947, Dr: Alfred Hitchcock)
A tense Ben Hecht screenplay based around a group of Nazis in South America, Rains plays the role of Sebastian with relish. Sebastian suspects his wife Alicia (Ingrid Bergman) of having an affair with American Devlin (Cary Grant), but then discovers that Devlin isn’t her lover but her handler, as she is spying on his German friends for the U.S. So which betrayal is the worse?
Here comes Mr. Jordan (1941, Dr: Alexander Hall)
Re-made more recently by Warren Beatty as 'Heaven can Wait', Rains plays Mr. Jordan, a supervisor sent down from Heaven when a novice angel messenger plucks a boxer named Joe (Robert Montgomery) out of a plane crash to save his suffering, only to find Joe wasn’t destined to perish. Adventures ensue before Mr. Jordan can get find a suitable ‘body’ to allow Joe to live out the rest of his days. (Also watch out for wonderful James Gleason as Max.)
Mr. Skeffington (1944, Dr: Vincent Sherman)
Of the films Rains and Davis did together, the only one where they shared top billing. Davis plays Fanny, a well-bred vain penniless socialite, who marries Job Skeffington for his money. Job takes her as she is, loving her in spite of her heartless affairs and neglect of their daughter. Only decades later does Fanny realize just what his love and loyalty are really worth.
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945, Dr: Gabriel Pascal)
Based on George Bernard Shaw’s wordy and witty play, Rains shines as the aging pragmatic Julius Caesar, easily conquering Egypt, but perhaps not entirely taming the young kittenish Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh). It’s a witty film adaption one of Shaw’s great plays, showcasing some great British actors in support including a young Stewart Granger and (Dame) Flora Robson.
Notorious (1947, Dr: Alfred Hitchcock)
A tense Ben Hecht screenplay based around a group of Nazis in South America, Rains plays the role of Sebastian with relish. Sebastian suspects his wife Alicia (Ingrid Bergman) of having an affair with American Devlin (Cary Grant), but then discovers that Devlin isn’t her lover but her handler, as she is spying on his German friends for the U.S. So which betrayal is the worse?
Here comes Mr. Jordan (1941, Dr: Alexander Hall)
Re-made more recently by Warren Beatty as 'Heaven can Wait', Rains plays Mr. Jordan, a supervisor sent down from Heaven when a novice angel messenger plucks a boxer named Joe (Robert Montgomery) out of a plane crash to save his suffering, only to find Joe wasn’t destined to perish. Adventures ensue before Mr. Jordan can get find a suitable ‘body’ to allow Joe to live out the rest of his days. (Also watch out for wonderful James Gleason as Max.)
25 March 2010
... an Anti-Valentine's Day Party
Tired of the sappy unrealistic romance of ‘chic flick’ movies? Forget sighing over not receiving lovey-dovey cards, fattening chocolates or exploitively expensive Roses! Gather your single friends together for an impromptu pyjama party, find a great wine and a strong cheese, and take your pick of these:
Letter from an Unknown Women (1948, Director: Max Ophüls)
Stefan, a jaded composer (Louis Jourdan) receives a death-bed letter from a Covent hospital. Seemingly from a stranger named Lisa (Joan Fontaine) she writes she has known and loved him three times over, each time to her detriment. Stefan, a notorious womanizer, remembers nothing of her, but the letter reveals all.
Dangerous Liaisons (1988, Dr: Stephen Frears)
or Valmont (1989, Dr: Milos Forman)
Opt for either the American (Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer) or European (Colin Firth, Annette Benning, Meg Tilly) version - same story, different ensemble. Simply take one bitter French widow and one dissipated Count then watch the ever-increasing ripples of destruction created when they contrive a cynical bet to bring down one virtuous woman.
The Good Earth (1937, Dr: Sidney Franklin)
Adapted from Pearl Buck’s beloved novel of China, this is a tale of Wang-Lung, an unassuming dirt-poor farmer (Paul Muni) whose luck changes when he is given O-lan (Luise Rainer), an unwanted house slave, as a bride. Despite neglect, bad harvests and near starvation, she remains a dutiful wife even when her loyalty is sorely tested, as her husband’s sudden good fortune goes to his head.
Immortal Beloved (1994, Dr: Bernard Rose)
Composer Beethoven (Gary Oldman) dies, leaving friend and executor of his will Anton (Jeroen Crabbe) to discover the ‘immortal beloved’ to whom Lugwig has left a bequest. With only one love letter to go on, the movie follows Anton as he searches for Beethoven’s loves and muses, including the enigmatic Anna Marie (Isabella Rossellini).
Letter from an Unknown Women (1948, Director: Max Ophüls)
Stefan, a jaded composer (Louis Jourdan) receives a death-bed letter from a Covent hospital. Seemingly from a stranger named Lisa (Joan Fontaine) she writes she has known and loved him three times over, each time to her detriment. Stefan, a notorious womanizer, remembers nothing of her, but the letter reveals all.
Dangerous Liaisons (1988, Dr: Stephen Frears)
or Valmont (1989, Dr: Milos Forman)
Opt for either the American (Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer) or European (Colin Firth, Annette Benning, Meg Tilly) version - same story, different ensemble. Simply take one bitter French widow and one dissipated Count then watch the ever-increasing ripples of destruction created when they contrive a cynical bet to bring down one virtuous woman.
The Good Earth (1937, Dr: Sidney Franklin)
Adapted from Pearl Buck’s beloved novel of China, this is a tale of Wang-Lung, an unassuming dirt-poor farmer (Paul Muni) whose luck changes when he is given O-lan (Luise Rainer), an unwanted house slave, as a bride. Despite neglect, bad harvests and near starvation, she remains a dutiful wife even when her loyalty is sorely tested, as her husband’s sudden good fortune goes to his head.
Immortal Beloved (1994, Dr: Bernard Rose)
Composer Beethoven (Gary Oldman) dies, leaving friend and executor of his will Anton (Jeroen Crabbe) to discover the ‘immortal beloved’ to whom Lugwig has left a bequest. With only one love letter to go on, the movie follows Anton as he searches for Beethoven’s loves and muses, including the enigmatic Anna Marie (Isabella Rossellini).
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