If a Man Answers (1962)

Mar. 4, 2011

41. If a Man Answers (1962)

Starring Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin, Micheline Presle, John Lund, Cesar Romero, Stefanie Powers

Directed by Henry Levin

Plot: “Rich socialite Sandra Dee meets and marries photographer Bobby Darin and attempts to ‘train’ him to be the perfect husband.” (from IMDb)

I thought this film was really cute. The plot is silly and outlandish, but it’s also original and entertaining. Although I would consider this in the Doris Day vein of comedy, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin add a touch all their own to the genre. Sandra Dee, especially, was adorable in this role (she had a great wardrobe, too!). She has a very likable screen presence and a lot of comedic talent. I also loved the setting of this film—the sixties clothes, scenery, and décor is a treat in itself. I’m sure if someone really wanted to analyze this film they could find all kinds of problems with the messages presented. But I don’t think this genre wasn’t ever meant to be taken too literally. Personally, I just thought this film was a lot of fun! : )

 
Chantal (Sandra Dee) and Eugene (Bobby Darin) when they first meet.

 
Chantal (such a pretty name!) offers to cook dinner for the won’t-be-pinned-down bachelor.

 
This film also features a young Stefanie Powers in a minor role. Maybe it was just me, but at times she and Sandra looked like they belonged more in middle school than as a newlywed and an a actress, respectively.

 

 
I love the apartment!

 

Chantal’s mother (played by Micheline Presle) certainly had a lot of ‘interesting’ thoughts on marriage. Always amusing, though. :)

Celebrating Jane Russell

I was shocked and deeply saddened today to hear of screen legend Jane Russell’s death. Since my interest in classic Hollywood piqued about a year ago, this is the first death that I can recall of a legendary star whose work I knew and enjoyed. I just watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes this summer and Jane was truly hilarious in that film. I remember thinking how she really had a way with a line.

 
Left: With Gentlemen Prefer Blondes co-star Marilyn Monroe.  Right: With Robert Mitchum in Macao

Not too long ago I also listened to the TCM Private Screenings Uncut Podcast which had the full interview that Robert Osborne conducted with Jane Russell and her friend and former co-star Robert Mitchum. Jane came across as a very warm woman who was also strong, brassy, and unafraid to speak her mind. That is what I love about Jane Russell. Onscreen and off, she was very genuine. From listening to the interview, I got the sense that she never took herself or her fame too seriously and always kept her values in perspective.

More facts about Jane (from IMDb):

- Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award in 1989.

- Discovered by Howard Hughes working as a receptionist for his dentist.

- In the late 1930s she was a member of Max Reinhardt's Theatrical Workshop and attended Maria Ouspenskaya's Drama School for six months.

- As a little girl Jane was a tomboy. She had four brothers: Tom, Kenny, Jamie and Wally.

- Her favorite book is the Bible. She reads a passage from it every day.

- A longtime pro-life activist, she opposes the use of abortion in any circumstance including rape or incest.

- Member of America's Future.

- Has a street named after her in Iowa City, Iowa.

Source

- Through her organization, World Adoption International Fund (WAIF), Russell has placed 51,000 children with adoptive families.

- Unable to bear children, Russell championed the passage of the Federal Orphan Adoption Amendment of 1953, which allowed children of American servicemen born overseas to be placed for adoption in the United States.

- Her three adopted children are Tracy, Thomas and Buck.

- A born-again Christian decades before the term was coined, she held weekly Bible study at her home which was attended by some of the industry's biggest names.

- Attended the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953.

- Leonardo DiCaprio visited Jane while filming The Aviator (2004) in order to find up close and personal what Howard Hughes was really like.

- A political conservative, she sided publicly with an industry panel that urged the removal of certain provocative scenes in one of her films.

- In 2006 (at age 84), Jane put together a musical show entitled "The Swinging Forties" that plays twice a month at the Radisson Hotel. The show features herself and about a dozen local Santa Maria residents, including a choir director, lay preacher and retired police officer. She formed the show out of boredom and because there was nothing much going on in town for the older folks to do.

Personal Quotes:

“I have always been a Republican, and when I was in Hollywood long ago, most of the people there were Republican. The studio heads were all Republican, my boss Howard Hughes was a raving Republican, and we had a motion picture code in those days so they couldn't do all this naughty stuff. We had John Wayne, we had Charlton Heston, we had man named Ronald Reagan, we had Robert Mitchum, James Stewart,Clark Gable.”

“Publicity can be terrible. But only if you don't have any.”

“I like a man who can run faster than I can.”

“My son said, 'Mother you can't say the word bigot because that has to do with nationalities and things.' I said, 'No darling, it's a verb. It means I can't stand these people who are trying to take the Ten Commandments off the wall, take prayer out of school and take prayer out of football games.' It's too ridiculous. The Lord put this country together or we wouldn't be like we are.”

"These days I am a teetotal, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot, but not a racist." (2003)

“People should never, ever have an abortion. Don't talk to me about it being a woman's right to choose what she does with her own body. The choice is between life and death.”

“I want to save America. I do not want a one-world order, a one-world government, at all. I think that our Founding Fathers had exactly the right idea, and we've got a great country, and let's go back to God.” (2001)

“I've been working a lot to get the Bible back in schools because I think a great deal of our loss of wisdom as a society results from the fact that a lot of children have never read the Bible. I've been helping Elizabeth Ridenour [of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools] get the Bible back in school by going on television shows for her. She's gotten it into 38 states and 117 school districts, and as a result of this effort 60,000 children have now been able to read the Bible.”

“Music has gone just as bananas as the movies. But kids are learning swing and going back to the music of the forties. There's a swing club near my home in Santa Barbara, and the kids are fantastic. There's no drinking, no smoking, just dancing all night long.”

“My father was a Republican, and he couldn't stand what Franklin Delano Roosevelt was doing to the country. I always say I'm a mean-spirited narrow-minded right-wing, conservative Christian ... I start out with that, and if you don't like it, you can lump it. I am not politically correct.”

“It was always an accident; I wish I could take some of the credit. My mother used to say, 'You have a path from heaven and if you fall off of it, it'll be a problem, Jane.' It was always the case where no matter what way I wanted to go, the Lord wanted me to go this way.”

“I really think the 1940s were the best generation for Hollywood. Everybody was patriotic then. Nobody was talking the way they do now, against the soldiers. It was a different era, a different Hollywood then, and we respected our country, our leaders and our fighting men. Sure, I'll admit, I'm a mean-spirited, politically conservative old actress. I'm not bigoted against any race, just those idiots who want to spit on our soldiers' hard work or remove the Ten Commandments from our schools and courtroom walls.”

From Classic Film Scans

We will indeed remember Jane Russell every time we enjoy one of her films. But she will also live on through all of those that she has positively affected--both personally, and though her charitable work. That is her legacy.

Miss Russell stylishly waves good-bye. [Source]

Blog Announcements

If you have one of the classic film blogs listed in the left sidebar, I’m sorry if I haven’t been commenting as much. My Internet connection has been acting really weird lately and the Blogger comment system rarely has been working. A couple times I have typed comments up and then wasn’t able to post them. Argh!

You may also notice the new header. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the old one and the new one.


This one was very fuzzy and just looked bad.

Recently, I found an online tutorial about how to make a header on PhotoScape (I’m fairly helpless when it comes to technical stuff, if you can’t tell. :P). It’s still not the best, but I like the new photo of Jean Arthur with a typewriter. I think the subtext may be a little hard to read, though. I may design a new one eventually, but for now I’m just glad this one isn’t fuzzy! It was surprisingly easy to do, thankfully!

Just a reminder: today is the last day to vote in the Cary Grant poll. You will find it at the top of the right sidebar.

I haven’t been posting as many movie reviews lately because I haven’t been watching as many movies! Mostly I’ve just been viewing some TV shows. I may decide to do a post on one of those, though. We’ll see.

If you are having an Oscar party this evening, have fun! I don’t usually get much into the Oscars unless there is a film or performance I really care about. Who/what are you rooting for this year?

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)

 
Feb. 26, 2011

40. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)--REWATCH

Starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen
Directed by Blake Edwards

Plot: "A young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building." (from IMDb)

****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS****

I first saw this quite a few years back and I remember thinking it was very strange. I decided to give it a second look. While I'm glad I rewatched it, I still wouldn't count it as one of my favorites. There are things I really like about the film--such as the stylish clothes and settings, the beautiful score, and Audrey's genuine performance. Mostly, however, I find this film to be quite overrated. Capote or no Capote, to me the story seems rather weak and superficial. I also have to mention (you knew this was coming) that Mr. Yunioshi (Mickey Rooney) really bothers me. Any scene he is in makes me want to bang my head against a table. Although his character is especially offensive, he's not the only crude caricature in this film. Although the themes are serious enough, many of the characters seem like little more than cartoons. In my opinion, that kind of detracts from the genuineness and believability of the movie. Though I suppose some people just find that charming or humorous. I do feel like the ending message of how we sometimes 'build our own cages in search of freedom' is a good one, but the muddled path getting there detracted from any ultimate merit.

Other things…

I liked:

 
Holly’s tasseled earplugs. (I want a pair!)

The tub sofa (a bathtub sawed in half and used as a couch) featured in Holly’s apartment. I’ve never seen one of these before!

The fashion (of course), especially the black hat (above) and pink outfit (below).

Notice I did not include that iconic black dress.  Sometimes I feel like if I see one more coffee mug, t-shirt or poster with that image on it I will gag. Which is a shame, because it is an elegant ensemble. Just waaay, waaay, waaay overused. (I feel very much like Sarah does about Audrey Hepburn). /rant over

 
Moon River. I love the song and the way Audrey sings it. The rest of the Oscar-winning soundtrack is also a highlight.

The Tiffany’s salesman, played by John McGiver. His dry, verbose delivery is quite hilarious. One of the few actually-funny-and-amusing moments in the film.

In addition to what I noted in my review, I also disliked:

• That they stole stuff. Even if it was just two masks. I’m a firm believer that you don’t have to steal something just to have a good time. :P
• I didn’t really think watching people get drunk was really that entertaining or funny. I actually found it rather distasteful.

As you can see, it was mostly only the minor elements of the film (music, costumes) that I liked. The plot and characters really fell flat for me.

What are your thoughts on Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Do you love it, hate it, or fall somewhere in-between?

Classic/Contemporary Celebrity Look-a-likes

Reading the “look likes” on Noir and Chick Flicks has inspired me to post some actors that I think look alike (at least in these pictures).

 
                Diane Varsi                               Keri Russell


            Keri Russell                               Lee Remick

  Edward Everett Horton          Anthony Andrews

What do you think?

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Feb. 18-19, 2011

39. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, George C. Scott

Produced & Directed by Otto Preminger

Plot: “In a murder trial, the defendant says he suffered temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. What is the truth, and will he win his case?” (from IMDb)

I’m a big fan of court room dramas and I really enjoyed this one. It is long but I didn’t feel the length because I was so interested. The casting in this is flawless and I can’t think of one actor that didn’t give a good performance. Some of the best moments of the film occur in the argumentative courtroom spats between the determined James Stewart and fiery George C. Scott, moderated by the judge—who in stark contrast to the riled-up lawyers has a very slow, deliberate manner. I also loved the small-town, lazy Michigan setting of the story. It provided a unique atmosphere and contrast to the intrigue of the plot. I relished every moment of this film, but…

****POSSIBLE SPOILERS*****

The ending was kind of a let-down. The verdict is given and the screen fades into the next scene. We don’t get to hear the closing statements or the reaction of the characters after this verdict. There is no final plot twist—it’s just a straight-up case. Or is it? You see, the audience is never quite certain that the defense’s story is true; we aren’t convinced of the man’s innocence or even completely sure that James Stewart’s lawyer character is entirely noble. At first this is frustrating, but it does add to the artistic merit of the story. It shows the ambiguous nature of many cases and, after the film ends, leads us to ponder the facts and fill in the gaps for ourselves. 

A Note on Content: This film often gets a reputation as a racy Code-breaker. The subject matter may have been surprising for the time, but I felt like it was done in a tasteful matter. There isn’t gratuitous sex, violence or language. Yet it is necessary when addressing subjects such as rape, murder, and possible infidelity to discuss things which are undoubtedly for a more mature audience. In other words, this isn’t one I would let kids watch. There are also some mild profanities, but none which seemed unwarranted by the plot.

The Razor’s Edge (1946)

Feb. 17, 2011

38. The Razor’s Edge (1946)

Starring Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Anne Baxter, Clifton Webb, Herbert Marshall, John Payne

Directed by Edmund Goulding

Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham

Plot: “A adventuresome young man goes off to find himself and loses his socialite fiancée in the process. But when he returns 10 years later, she will stop at nothing to get him back, even though she is already married.” (from IMDb)

At nearly two and a half hours, this film takes its sweet time getting anywhere. But if you can plod through some of the more tedious parts, the plot starts to come to a head in the last hour. Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney are a well-matched and stunning pair. The acting was adequate (for most) but the cinematography and many different settings of the film are what stood out to me. ***SPOILERS*** I thought the whole business of Power’s character’s enlightenment was a little heavy-handing and corny. Those also happened to be some of the few scenes were I didn’t think the ‘atmosphere’ (of India) was very convincing. This is an okay film if you have a few hours to waste. It really wasn’t my favorite, but most of the film kept my interest. :)