Short Review: Tom, Dick and Harry (1941)

 
Feb. 4, 2011

29. Tom, Dick and Harry (1941)

Starring Ginger Rogers, George Murphy, Alan Marshal, Burgess Meredith

Directed by Garson Kanin

Plot: “Working girl Janie is proposed to by a conservative car salesman, a bohemian auto mechanic, and a millionaire playboy and must make a choice.” (from IMDb)

I like Ginger Rogers. I really do. She was wonderful in Stage Door, The Major and the Minor, Primrose Path, Vivacious Lady, the musicals with Fred, etc. It’s just that the last few movies I’ve watched of hers have not been my favorite. Sooo, prepare yourself for another dud review. First of all, she just acts really stupid in this. (I guess there’s not a nice way to say that.) It’s like her character has the intelligence of a four-year-old (if even). It’s not even genuine—it sounds exactly like a 29-year-old woman talking in baby-talk (which it is). I can imagine an actress like Jean Arthur or Betty Hutton (think her character in The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek) doing a much better job with this role. Ginger herself could’ve done better if she would’ve played it differently. But that’s just my opinion. Though really, a better lead would not have saved the film. The plot itself is pretty thin and there are some bizarre ‘dream’ sequences that are at best crazy and at worst downright creepy (especially with the little ‘babies’ *shudder*). Also, all three of the male leads are pretty much unlikable. I found myself not really caring much about them. I will give the movie credit in that it kept one guessing up until the very end who she would ultimately pick to marry. I really had no idea! But even when she did pick The One, I just didn’t feel satisfied in the conclusion. One has the feeling that the marriage would not go so well and Janie would come crawling back home looking for her pacifier pretty soon. What I think she should do is tell all the men ‘no’ and grow up a little, maybe go to college or travel. But of course that didn’t happen. Maybe I’m being unnecessarily cruel here. I hope not. It’s just that I didn’t care for this film (if you can’t tell). There was not one character that I can think of that I actually liked (even her family was strange—especially her sister, Butch. I’m not even joking; that was here name.) Ginger did wear a pretty dress and wrap, though, when she went to Chicago…I guess that counts for something? Honestly, that’s the best I can do for positives. Let me know if I’m missing something here!

New Poll: What era of Cary Grant do you prefer?

In my last review, I mentioned that I prefer the earlier Cary Grant to his later roles. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll watch just about any Cary Grant movie—’30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, or ‘60s—and I do enjoy a lot of the older ones. But the reason I prefer him in his earlier films is because he seemed to loosen up more. He was more fun and crazy, not afraid to do handstands or play a persona outside his Cary Grant ‘image’. In some of his later roles he sometimes comes across (to me) as bored, indifferent and distant.

Anyway, this got me to thinking about a discussion that Millie and Kate had a while back (click on their respective names to see those posts) whether the ‘30s/’40s Cary or the ‘50s/’60s Cary was better. I decided to put up a poll and see what YOU think.

Here is a partial filmography to get a better idea of what films were made in which decade. (I put an asterisk next to and bolded the ones I’ve seen so you know where my bias is coming from :) ).

In the 1930s and 1940s these are some of the films he made:

Blonde Venus
She Done Him Wrong
Thirty Day Princess
Wings in the Dark
Sylvia Scarlett
*Topper
*The Awful Truth
*Bringing up Baby
*Holiday
Gunga Din
*Only Angels Have Wings
In Name Only
*His Girl Friday
*My Favorite Wife
*The Philadelphia Story
*Penny Serenade
*Suspicion
*The Talk of the Town
*Once Upon a Honeymoon
Destination Tokyo
*Arsenic and Old Lace
None But the Lonely Heart
Night and Day
*Notorious
*The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
*The Bishop's Wife
*Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Every Girl Should Be Married
*I Was a Male War Bride

In the 1950s and 1960s these are some of the films he made:

Crisis
*People Will Talk
Room for One More
Monkey Business
Dream Wife
*To Catch a Thief
*An Affair to Remember
Kiss Them for Me
Indiscreet
Houseboat
*North by Northwest
Operation Petticoat
*The Grass Is Greener
That Touch of Mink
*Charade
Father Goose
Walk, Don't Run

What do you think? Vote in the poll on the side bar.

Short Review: Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942)

Feb. 3, 2011
28. Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942)
Starring Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Walter Slezak, Albert Dekker, Albert Basserman
Directed by Leo McCarey
Plot: “In pre-WW2 Europe, a woman notices that wherever her husband goes, the Nazis seem to follow. Meanwhile, a charming reporter is following them…” (from IMDb)
This film is an uneven blend of serious wartime drama, romance, and comedy. Despite genuine moments in each of these genres, the film does lag significantly in parts. Add to that a storyline revolving around the serious subject matter of the Nazi over-take of Europe and deportation of Jews, and the audience isn’t sure what to think—or when to laugh and when to cry. As for the acting, although at least one contemporary critic praised Ginger as giving one of her best performances, I could not agree. She evens out as her character matures, but near the beginning she is all over the map. I am usually a fan of Ginger, but in this film she sporadically uses and drops an accent, and sometimes just acts really odd. Cary, on the other hand, was extremely charming and enjoyable in this role. It’s watching films like this—where he is so full of life and spontaneity—that reminds me why I prefer his earlier screen roles to the later, more hardened image he adopted in the ’50s and ’60s. But back to the movie… It’s not an altogether awful film, but somehow it just doesn’t mesh. 
For better old films set against the onset of the Second World War in Europe, I recommend:
For comedy: Lubitsch’s To Be or Not to Be (1942)
For suspense/drama: Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent (1940)
I’m drawing a blank on the romance angle, though I’m sure that there is one out there.

Short Review: Mildred Pierce (1945)

Feb. 1, 2011

27. Mildred Pierce (1945)

Starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Lee Patrick

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Plot: “After her cheating husband leaves her, Mildred Pierce proves she can become independent and successful, but can’t win the approval of her spoiled daughter.”

This was an interesting movie. The blending of noir and melodrama was nicely done, and I was surprised at some of the twists in the plot—especially near the end. The use of flash-backs was compelling and the lighting and shadows accentuated the different moods of the story. I also thought the acting was top-notch and contained some very memorable characters. This was a very entertaining and well-done movie. If you haven’t seen it already, I recommend checking it out.

Short Review: To Catch a Thief (1955)

Jan. 30, 2011

26. To Catch a Thief (1955)

Starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Plot: “When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence. ” (from IMDb)

Some view this film as more of a Hitchcock “lite”, but I really enjoyed it. The plot was fun, the on-location shooting on the French Riviera was breathtaking, costumes by Edith Head were stunning, the dialogue was witty, Jessie Royce Landis was delightful as the mother, and the two leads played nicely off each other. Surprisingly, I did not really like Grant much in this role (though I know I will probably get lambasted for saying that). He just seemed a little…I don’t know…dull and bland. Maybe his performance will grow on me, though. But the picture as a whole is lot of fun and a wonderful escape into the glamorous Technicolor world of Europe, intrigue, mystery, and romance. What more could I ask for?

Short Review: Pillow Talk (1959)

Jan. 28, 2011

25. Pillow Talk (1959)

Starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter

Directed by Michael Gordon

Plot: “A man and woman share a telephone line and despise each other, but then he has fun by romancing her with his voice disguised.” (from IMDb)

Doris Day movies are kind of a guilty pleasure for me sometimes. They are silly, contrived, unrealistic, and oh so entertaining. This one certainly met those expectations. It’s fun to see the idyllic New York of the late 50s and just be strung a long into the cuteness and charm of it all. In a supporting role, Tony Randall is hilarious and steals every scene he is in. Doris Day is adorable as always and I enjoyed seeing the beautiful Jean Louis wardrobe she modeled. Plus there are some really funny scenes in the film. Rock Hudson’s character seemed to me to be a little bit of a cad, and not the kind of man possessing the traits desirable in a husband. However, I tried to take the movie’s own advice and not take any of it too seriously.

Short Review: To Have and Have Not (1944)

Jan. 26, 2011

24. To Have and Have Not (1944)

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan, Lauren Bacall, Dolores Moran, Hoagy Carmichael

Directed by Howard Hawks

Plot: “A skipper-for-hire’s romance with a beautiful drifter is complicated by his growing involvement with the French resistance.” (from TCMDb)

I personally didn’t find the plot in this that incredible, but it’s definitely worth the watch to see the legendary Bogart and Bacall light up the screen in their first film together. Needless to say, they had great chemistry and it’s fun to see their characters play off each other and trade one-liners. The rest is interesting enough and the movie moves along fairly quickly. 

P.S. Here is an amusing YouTube video that shows how Howard Hawks often repeated dialogue in his movies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FXpfYQPSGY