Never Say Goodbye (1946)

July 2, 2011

59. Never Say Goodbye (1946)

Starring Errol Flynn, Eleanor Parker, Lucile Watson, S.Z. Sakall
Directed by James V. Kern

Plot: "Phil and Ellen Gayley have been divorced for a year, and their 8-year old daughter, Flip, is very unhappy that her parents are not together…" (you can read the rest of the summary at IMDb but be aware that it does give some plot points away)

I really enjoyed this film. It was fun to see Errol in a comedy and he and Eleanor Parker (who looks gorgeous, by the way) are charming together. I especially liked Flynn's scenes with his daughter in the film, played by Patti Brady. Hattie McDaniel also has a small role, and she's hilarious. Forrest Tucker is also great in his comedic scenes as a burly Marine whose athletic prowess leaves Errol jealous...and injured.

Interesting fact: There is a part where Errol, imitating a ruthless and jealous husband, puts on a Humphrey Bogart accent. I thought he did a great job with it...until I read on IMDb that apparently Bogart himself did the dubbing!

 
Aren’t they cute? [source]

I think this is an underrated gem that deserves to be shown more and hopefully released on DVD soon. Watch it if you get a chance. :)

12 Reasons I Love The Sound of Music (1965)

June 22-23, 2011

58. The Sound of Music (1965)—REWATCH

Starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker
Directed by Robert Wise

Plot: "A woman leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the children of a Naval officer widower." (from IMDb)

Of course this is a rewatch—it’s one of my very favorite films! I can’t really add much to what has already been said about this wonderful movie. So here (in no particular order) are just a a dozen of the many reasons I happen to love it…

Note: I’ve been having a lot of trouble with Blogger lately—not being able to post, getting error messages, etc. Well, more specifically, I guess the trouble is with Windows Live Writer (as I find it really impossible to use the Blogger post editing system). Has anyone else been having these problems?  In the case of this post, the only way it would let me publish was without the pictures and graphics. I just wanted to let you know what’s up in case something seems a little wonky on my blog or in my posts delivered via a feed reader. If anyone has any tips, I’d love to hear them! Thanks, as always, for reading. And sorry again about the blah format of this post. ~ UPDATED: Okay, I got the pictures most of the pictures to work! Yay!

1. Christopher Plummer as Captain Georg Von Trapp
Without him, I don’t think the movie would be half as good. I know we’ve all heard how he disliked the role at the time, etc. but I think that makes it all the more admirable that he pulled off such a memorable performance. It’s the little mannerisms and expressions that add so much dimension to his character. Oh, and each time I watch the film I find him more attractive. Am I the only one, or does anyone else find him rather swoon-worthy? **As a side note, I really want to see more Christopher Plummer films. I’ve only seen this one and The Scarlett and the Black (amazing film—his scenes going toe-to-toe with Gregory Peck are especially great. It’s funny to compare his role here—see above flag-ripping—to his role in that film, where he plays a Nazi!). Does anyone have any Plummer films to recommend?

2. The Rogers and Hammerstein score

They were really so talented at creating memorable and beautiful music that managed to seamlessly propel the plot. The songs from this movie are some of my favorites. The melodies have depth and emotion; they aren’t just pretty words strung together to music. The score really helps to convey the mood of the respective scenes in the film.

3. Julie Andrews as Maria

Julie was perfect in this role. Her presence conveys such warmth, genuineness, happiness, and joy. I can’t even describe it. I think she was completely terrific in this film. She had bounds of energy, yet she also carried the slow and romantic parts of the movie beautifully. I also love what she does with some of the lines. Her first meeting with the Captain is my favorite example of this. Just how she interacted here was perfect. Example: “Were you this much trouble at the abbey?” “Oh, much more, sir!”

4. The cinematography

Sweeping camera angles, beautiful colors…what’s not to love? I hope someday I can see this film on the big screen it appreciate it in all its original glory!

5. The sets/scenery

I am rather envious of the Von Trapp’s spacious dwellings. The interior of the home is lovely (I think my favorite is the ballroom!), but I especially love the outside with the well-groomed lawns, terrace, gazebo, shimmering lake, and mountains in the distance. *sigh*

 6. Eleanor Parker as the Baroness

I know some people really dislike her, but I think she adds so much to the movie with her throaty-voiced witticisms and sashaying walk. But despite her urbane, confident exterior, there is a certain endearing air of vulnerability about her. I actually end up feeling quite sorry for the Baroness. I know that her cajoling Maria to leave stems from the fact that she is afraid of losing what little she has in her empty life. Despite her riches, she is leads a rather vapid existence, and longs for security and stability with the Captain. I think it takes a special actress to make the clichéd other-woman so interesting—and even slightly sympathetic. Of course, Eleanor pulls it off beautifully. 

7. The dialogue

So many great lines I can’t even count them all. Also, terrifically quotable. I really do quote this movie all the time…

8. The chemistry between the two leads

It really makes the movie. :) I happen to find this movie incredibly romantic.

9. The nuns

These nuns are just awesome. They sing, they get Maria and the Captain back together, and they certainly aren’t about to let any old Nazis intimidate them.

10. Austria

I want to go there!!! I dare you not to feel some love for this country during the final singing of “Edelweiss”.

11. The clothes

Even if some of the fashions are sort of a morphing of 30s and 60s style, I do love a lot of the outfits in this. Some of my favorites are the blue-green dress Maria wears on her return to the Von Trapp's, just about anything the Baroness wears (but especially that pink suit), and Captain Von Trapp’s tall boots that he wears when singing at the music festival. I also find the alpine inspired costumes—lederhosen, tyrolean hats, etc.—to be really charming!

12. The wedding

So beautiful! When I was little, this was my dream wedding (hmm, maybe it still is?). I love how the camera gives us a bird’s eyes view of Maria walking up that long aisle, and then we see the Captain standing there looking oh-so-handsome in his naval uniform, and finally the view sweeps up, up, up to the very top of the bell-tower. It’s just such a cool moment.

There are really so many scenes that I just love in this film. It has it all—suspense, romance, atmosphere, music, a stirring climax… I could go on. There are moments that in turn make my heart soar, bring me to tears, have me on the edge of my seat, make me laugh, want to dance, or  just make me very happy!

Okay, hopefully this post didn’t make me sound like a total gushing fan girl!

So, why do you love The Sound of Music? (or don't you?)

**Please note that the pictures and graphics in this post are NOT MINE. No copyright or creative infringement is intended. If you feel I have used an image contrary to the author's wishes, please let me know and I will promptly remove it.**

Detective Story (1951)

Mar. 31, 2011

47. Detective Story (1951)

Starring Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell

Produced & Directed by William Wyler

Plot: "On one day in the 21st Precinct squad room, assorted characters form a backdrop for the troubles of hard-nosed Detective Jim McLeod." (from IMDb)

Anybody want to watch a really depressing movie? Not tender tear-jerker type depressing, but one—to quote the film—that makes you want to just "dry up and die"? Well, then I have the film for you!

Maybe I just feel this way because I was expecting a different type of movie (I thought this would be a mystery!). I do think that it is an intelligent film (based on a stage play) and that there are probably some kernels of truth/things of merit in it, but for some reason it just struck a wrong cord with me.

First off, the acting. Kirk Douglas is just a bit much here. I guess it’s mainly his delivery that I’m not a fan of. I like Eleanor Parker in The Sound of Music, but in the films I have seen of hers in the last few months, she seems to play a very tormented type of woman. The way her face paralyzes into this ‘tormented’ expression is, again, just a bit much. Those were the performances that I disliked—feel free to disagree. I don’t want to insult anyone’s favorites if you happen to love Kirk and Eleanor. Please enlighten me! :)

Thankfully, most of the other performances were really good (if a little stage-y). I especially liked Lee Grant (her exit was hilarious and the best part of the movie, in my opinion) and William Bendix. As a side note, it was also refreshing to see a film of this period that featured an African American (albeit in a small part) who was not portrayed as a racial stereotype.

For some reason, I seem to either love or hate a lot of William Wyler movies. I certainly did not love this one. But if you are a fan of film noir, watching characters’ lives unravel, and unhappy endings, this just might be for you.

Trivia and observations:

• Cathy O'Donnell, who played Susan Carmichael, was producer-director William Wyler's sister-in-law. Her husband, Robert Wyler, co-wrote the screenplay.
  
• I couldn’t help but wonder if Lee Grant’s line "will they shave my head?" was a nod to costar Eleanor Parker’s film Caged (1950), which came out the year before. In that film, Parker’s character gets her head shaved. But maybe I am just reading too much into it?

P.S. Tomorrow is the last day to vote in this month’s poll.

Short Review: Caged (1950)

Jan. 23, 2011

20. Caged (1950)

Starring Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorehead, Ellen Corby, Hope Emerson, Betty Garde, Jan Sterling, Lee Patrick, Olive Deering, Jane Darwell, Gertrude Michael, Sheila Stevens

Directed by John Cromwell

Plot: “A naive nineteen year old widow becomes coarsened and cynical when she is sent to a woman’s prison and is exposed to hardened criminals and sadistic guards.” (from IMDb)

Despite looking older than nineteen, Eleanor Parker does a great job showing the slow break-down and hardening of her character. This is a grim, sad—and at times, deeply disturbing—film, but it is also a very solid one.The array of marvelous character actresses each play their parts flawlessly. I particularly enjoyed Jan Sterling as 'Smoochie'. The last film I had seen her in was Johnny Belinda, and she is quite different here—even adopting an accent. As the ‘villian’ of sorts, Hope Emerson perfectly nails the role of the cruel and crooked warden, who despite her evil nature is also rather humorous (in a black way). Such stellar performances, the realistic atmosphere, and very quotable dialogue kept me riveted to the screen. In my opinion, these are the factors that elevate this movie beyond a mere ‘camp’ status. ***SPOILERS*** It is hard to imagine that such things could happen as are depicted in the film. Were prisons really that bad that? Could someone like Marie be so falsely convicted? Were wardens actually that cruel? Since this film is based on actual undercover research in a women’s prison of the day, I think it is very probable. I can only imagine that if this film strikes me as sad and tragic today, how much stronger its impact must’ve been when it was first released.

Short Review: The Man With the Golden Arm (1955)

Jan. 9, 2011

8. The Man With the Golden Arm (1955)

Starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang, Darrin McGavin, Robert Strauss

Produced & Directed by Otto Preminger
Loosely based on the novel by Nelson Algren

Plot: After coming home from rehab, a heroin addict seeks to stay clean and deal with the things in his life that are holding him back.

I was hesitant to watch this movie in the first place, because the topic kind of scared me. Addiction IS scary and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to watch a film about it. Watching it pretty much just reaffirmed those feelings. Sinatra does give a good performance and Kim Novak was also excellent. I never really thought much of her as an actress, but she did really well in this role. Curiously enough, I found her character of Molly to be the most interesting one in the film. She has the perfect combination of mystery, beauty, brassy independence, and strength. Eleanor Parker was over-the-top and annoying—like she was supposed to be. Some of the secondary characters felt a bit cartoonish, though. The atmosphere was gritty and realistic and pretty depressing. But precisely the reasons why I find this film so repugnant is probably credit to Preminger—for creating a piece that expresses the devastation and hellishness of addiction. It is not a film that I ever wish to see again.