Lovable old codger Charles Coburn, born in 1877 in Georgia, began as a stage actor, making his debut on Broadway in 1901. His first movie role didn’t come along until 1933, after which he maintained a steady career in supporting roles on film, stage and later in television, almost right up until his death in 1961. Mr. Coburn can be enjoyed in the following, in two of which co-starring alongside the great Jean Arthur.
The More the Merrier (1943, Dir: George Stevens)
With war-time Washington packed with visitors and housing at a premium, Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) considers it her patriotic duty to rent her apartment’s second bedroom to another woman. Unfortunately, Benjamin Dingle wheedles his way into renting the room, and the next day, rents half of that room to handsome draftee Joe Carter (Joel McCrea). For the sake of propriety, Connie finds herself shielding both of them from the attention of her fiancée, while falling in love with Joe, just as Dingle’s match-making predicts. Coburn won a best supporting actor Academy Award for his role as Dingle.
The Devil and Miss Jones (1941, Dir: Sam Wood)
When millionaire-tycoon J.P. Merrick (Coburn) finds the staff of his flagship department store are trying to form a union, he decides to go undercover. Getting a job in the shoe department under the name 'Higgins', Merrick intends to find the agitators and fire them. He is soon befriended by Mary Jones (Jean Arthur), and her boyfriend Joe (Robert Cummings), both of whom are among the ringleaders. 'Higgins' then falls for his co-worker Elizabeth Ellis (Spryng Byington) resulting in a suitor-rivalry with their snide-snobby supervisor Hooper (Edmund Gwynn). As a strike looms, the store employees walk out, marching to the mansion home of their unseen boss Merrick for a showdown.
The Lady Eve (1941, Dir: Preston Sturges)
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 father (Charles Coburn) are wanted con-artists. Intending to seek revenge, Jean shows up in Charlie’s wealthy circle, posing as English aristocrat, Lady Eve. Charlie is happily duped, Mugsy is adamant Eve is Jean, while Charlie’s father, Horace (Eugene Pallette) is eager to have his son to marry into the nobility.
In this Our Life (1942, Dir: John Houston/Raoul Walsh)
If you want to cause family dysfunction, give your two daughters male names. Based on a Pulitzer-prize winning novel, Coburn plays Uncle William, who is creepily close to his unstable niece Stanley (Bette Davis). Stanley runs off with the husband of her sister Roy (Olivia de Havilland) resulting in mutual misery and his eventual suicide. Stanley returns home, only to cause distress to all those around her. (The movie’s making as was miserable as its themes. Three days after Pearl Harbour, director Huston was called up for active duty, and Raoul Walsh stepped in to finish the production. He and Bette Davis clashed viciously, and her fury is evident in her performance.)
29 April 2010
13 April 2010
.. the Love of Sport
Movies about Sports – do they work? Not always; most of them fail to capture the spontaneity, grace and passion that fans enjoy. But here are four films that not only reflect the glory of the sports involved, but also the behind-the-scenes, joys, sorrows, sacrifices and political machinations surrounding the athletes in their obsessions to be the Best - Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in motion.
Grand Prix (1966, Dir: John Frankenheimer)
Formula One Racing has the one true racing pedigree, surviving in one form or another for over half-a-century. This Academy Award winning film centres on four F-1 drivers through a fictionalized version of the 1966 season. Originally shown in 70mm Cinerama and filmed on location at actual races, the ensemble cast reflects the international spirit of this form of racing including: James Garner (U.S.), Brian Bedford (U.K./Canada), Toshiro Mifune (Japan), Yves Montand (France). Look out for cameos from some of the greatest F-1 drivers of the period, such as Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Jim Clark and Jack Brabham.
Chariots of Fire (1981, Dir: Hugh Hudson)
Winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this movie has one of the most memorable beginnings ever filmed and a truly unforgetable soundtrack. Based on the true lives of two British runners, Cambridge undergrad Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Scottish Missionary Liddle (Ian Charleston), each facing their own challenges; Abrahams fights a chip on his shoulder from recurring religious and class prejudice, and Liddle ponders whether his passion for running may be keeping him from ‘the Lord’s work’. Both runners earn a place on the 1924 British Olympic Team, competing in Paris, and Abrahams longs for a chance to avenge his defeat by Liddle in earlier race. Fate however may intervene, as Liddle finds his religious principles clash with what others see as his patriotic duty.
Rudy (1993, Dir: David Anspaugh)
Long before he went on his epic adventure alongside Frodo, Sean Astin took the title role of this college football film. Based on a true story, Rudy Ruettiger comes from a blue-collar family of steel workers, but dreams of playing football for Notre Dame. Rudy gets accepted to a minor college, leaving home with a heartfelt but disappointing warning from his father (Ned Beatty) that ‘Ruettigers don't belong at college’. When Rudy’s tenacity - and some luck - finally gets him into Notre Dame, he defiantly tries out for the legendary football team, demonstrating just what ‘Fighting Irish’ really means.
The Hustler (1961, Dir: Robert Rossen)
Paul Newman stars as ‘Fast Eddie’ Felson, a small-time hustling pool shark, emphatically trounced by the great ‘Minnesota Fats’ (Jackie Gleason). Now broke, he encounters the fragile Sarah (Piper Laurie) in the café at the bus terminal. The couple begin a hesitant affair as she nurses him after an attack by thugs. Abandoning both Sarah and his long-time manager, Eddie signs on with a sleazy new agent (George C. Scott in only his third film role). Eddie finally gets another shot at Minnesota Fats, but at just what cost? Giving a truly classy performance, Gleason, T.V.’s premiere funnyman at the time, did all his own pool-playing (Newman needed a ‘technical advisor’ for his trick shots).
Grand Prix (1966, Dir: John Frankenheimer)
Formula One Racing has the one true racing pedigree, surviving in one form or another for over half-a-century. This Academy Award winning film centres on four F-1 drivers through a fictionalized version of the 1966 season. Originally shown in 70mm Cinerama and filmed on location at actual races, the ensemble cast reflects the international spirit of this form of racing including: James Garner (U.S.), Brian Bedford (U.K./Canada), Toshiro Mifune (Japan), Yves Montand (France). Look out for cameos from some of the greatest F-1 drivers of the period, such as Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Jim Clark and Jack Brabham.
Chariots of Fire (1981, Dir: Hugh Hudson)
Winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this movie has one of the most memorable beginnings ever filmed and a truly unforgetable soundtrack. Based on the true lives of two British runners, Cambridge undergrad Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Scottish Missionary Liddle (Ian Charleston), each facing their own challenges; Abrahams fights a chip on his shoulder from recurring religious and class prejudice, and Liddle ponders whether his passion for running may be keeping him from ‘the Lord’s work’. Both runners earn a place on the 1924 British Olympic Team, competing in Paris, and Abrahams longs for a chance to avenge his defeat by Liddle in earlier race. Fate however may intervene, as Liddle finds his religious principles clash with what others see as his patriotic duty.
Rudy (1993, Dir: David Anspaugh)
Long before he went on his epic adventure alongside Frodo, Sean Astin took the title role of this college football film. Based on a true story, Rudy Ruettiger comes from a blue-collar family of steel workers, but dreams of playing football for Notre Dame. Rudy gets accepted to a minor college, leaving home with a heartfelt but disappointing warning from his father (Ned Beatty) that ‘Ruettigers don't belong at college’. When Rudy’s tenacity - and some luck - finally gets him into Notre Dame, he defiantly tries out for the legendary football team, demonstrating just what ‘Fighting Irish’ really means.
The Hustler (1961, Dir: Robert Rossen)
Paul Newman stars as ‘Fast Eddie’ Felson, a small-time hustling pool shark, emphatically trounced by the great ‘Minnesota Fats’ (Jackie Gleason). Now broke, he encounters the fragile Sarah (Piper Laurie) in the café at the bus terminal. The couple begin a hesitant affair as she nurses him after an attack by thugs. Abandoning both Sarah and his long-time manager, Eddie signs on with a sleazy new agent (George C. Scott in only his third film role). Eddie finally gets another shot at Minnesota Fats, but at just what cost? Giving a truly classy performance, Gleason, T.V.’s premiere funnyman at the time, did all his own pool-playing (Newman needed a ‘technical advisor’ for his trick shots).
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