1939 was one of the greatest of years in the history of Cinema and no less than 13 films represent the year. Many of the 13 are ICONS of film and I will write two posts on the movies that came out in the year that in addition to heralding in the horror of WW2 also created some cinema masterpieces.
Stagecoach
“Stagecoach” is a milestone of a movie and one of the greatest Westerns ever made. John Ford was one of Hollywood’s great directors and he made many fine films. Not all of them Westerns. However he is best known and loved for his Westerns and Stagecoach is the movie that made people notice. It was also the film that made a movie star out of John Wayne. Wayne was a large, 6 foot, broad shoulder, giant of a man, who demanded the camera and the camera loved him. Before “Stagecoach” he was just a small B movie actor. Famously, Ford saw in Wayne what we all know today. He had a bold screen charisma that shoots right out of the screen. So strong was his belief in Wayne that he agreed to cut the budget of this movie in half for the right to cast Wayne as the main hero of the film. This film contained a few other milestones as it was the first talkie western that Ford directed and the first Western he directed at Monument Valley, in Arizona and Utah. Monument Valley is now famous for westerns with its mountains and vast desert landscape. It gave the film a real feel of uncharted and lawless lands that are one of the essential issues of all westerns. Ford also filmed this landscape with a wide scope, giving us a feel of vastness and unknown. When he filmed his actors up close, he would emphasize the hot wind of the area. In this movie when we first meet Wayne, he is standing outside of the stagecoach, as a larger than life figure within the large empty landscape that was the desert of Monument Valley. The movies theme, shown here is something that we find familiar today but was fresh and new in 1939. A stagecoach riding through wild lawless country, carrying a group of strangers, who each have their own unique character and reason for being on the coach. We have the Prostitute with the golden heart, the alcoholic doctor (who will need to overcome his vice as the film progresses), a wholesome and good pregnant lady, riding to meet her cavalry officer husband, the whisky salesman representing the opportunity the uncharted west ready for ambitions of business people at the time, the Stage driver who does his dangerous job in constant fear, a US Marshall representing what there is of law and order, a gambler and a southern crook trying to run away with embezzled money from the bank he used to work in. . Then there is Wayne as an escaped fugitive whose horse went lame forcing him to ride in the coach. There are a lot of characters here and it is a great credit to Ford and his screenwriter that each character has a level of depth that makes us believe in his/her situation. The first rate acting throughout helps as well. Without going into depth with the plot, we get some great scenes of character interaction in the crowded coach that pulls us into the lives of the people. There is also some slam dunk action scenes when the coach gets attacked by Indians and when Wayne has his revenge, at the end of the film, against the men who killed his brother and father. This is 1939 and not the politically correct world of today, so people may be offended by the portrayal of the Indians here. There is no straight out negativity, but they are portrayed as a force of nature, similar to the scorching desert. The Indians are a threat and nothing more. The scene of the Indian attack on the coach rates right up there with some of the most exciting western action scenes ever filmed. Real horses were used because this was 1939. While it hurts me to acknowledge that some of these horses were probably gravely hurt in the filming, the action sequence have speed and violence that would put the makers of today’s mindless car chases to shame. This movie is also my favorite John Wayne film. He shows here strength and determination with a hint of danger that makes for a complex character that would guide him throughout his career. This movie is one of the greatest Westerns ever made.
The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (Zangiku Monogatari)
Everybody understands that Japan and especially, pre WW2 Japan, was a country of cold unemotional and calculated people. They were thought to be daring in Business and War, while being merciless in the control of their emotions. Japanese directors would forever and up until today, try to debunk this theory, by showing the deep and eastern emotions the always permeated within Japan. One such director was Kenji Mizoguchi, who strove to show the deep pain and anger created through such strict structural society. His masterpiece is “The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum”. Western film makers could never give a movie a title such as this! The movie is a stirring story of a celebrity family of Kabuki theater actors. The Father and head of the family is a famous actor admired by all. He has one married natural son and one adopted son. Both are meant to continue the family tradition as Kabuki actors. For those of you who do not know, a Kabuki actors is a female impersonator. In Japan, female impersonators were considered great artists, not the comedians that the west views them as. This movie shows desire and ambition and a war of classes within 19th century Japan. The story resides around the adopted son, who is a bad actor. Everyone, including the Father are afraid to tell him the truth, except for the Nanny of his baby Nephew. These two fall in love and she inspires him to improve his acting. Class struggles force both of them to leave the troupe. They get married, and struggle with poverty, while he works when he can and strives to greatly improve his acting ability. They marry and she sacrifices her entire life for him, creating one of the great female heroines of cinema. When he is finally able to act well, she secretly begs his Father to allow him to return and act for the troupe. The Father agrees only if she leaves his son. She does exactly that, not telling him why and he becomes a great star, only to be reunited with her on her death bed. Sounds like a Turkish soap opera right? What puts this story apart and special is the way it is filmed. Mizoguchi refrained from filming close ups and filmed long panning shots that would stay in one spot for long periods of time while the action was being played out. A process that at first felt like it was slowing a short story needlessly, but as the movie continues in its telling, great tension and tragic feelings are felt through these long and sometimes powerful shots. The movie is distinct in its emotional power but take patience on the part of the viewer making us truly appreciate what Mizoguchi is trying to show. That the Japanese feel, hurt, cry and die suffering like everyone else. That they are human just like us.
Babes in Arms
Hollywood of the 1930s was big on musicals and had no inhibitions about child labor. Quite a few talented children had bit, cute parts in many of the classic musicals. What places “Babes in Arms” apart from most of these films is the fact that this was a film that placed the star power on the kids. The success of “Babes in Arms” resulted in a number of lesser children musicals. This film, like all the others had a corny story and played on cuteness with its cast. It also had wonderful songs, dance numbers and two electrifying stars in Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. This is not Shirley Temple making cute, but two professional young entertainers giving us a show. Having the movie be based on a successful Broadway musical did not hurt either. The songs in the play were mostly replaced with new songs and the songs zip along. The pleasure of this movie is the dancing of Rooney and the singing of Garland. Later on that year Garland would go on to star in “The Wizard of Oz” (see below), but we see her immense talent here as well. The film also has the distinction of being the first film directed by the famed Choreographer Busby Berkley. The movie is a light and amusing 93 minutes and will have you humming to its tunes.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
We tend to forget, with today’s world of social media, on how once, most of the population had no idea how their Governments ran our worlds and how power corrupts. In 1939, while the world was spinning out of control in Europe, the United States was running a similar type of Government that is run today, bribery, power and special interests ruled. In those days the average Joe did not understand this, so when “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” screamed out that corruption ruled and the good honest guy gets changed by power, it was pretty powerful stuff. It also had one of the nicest heroes ever put on film, played by the delightful James Stewart. Stewart would have a hard time playing people who were not so nice, after he made this film. Stewart is Mr. Smith and he is a lover of all that is good in America. The movie places him as a handpicked Patsy as a newly appointed Senator, chosen on behalf of his small town, by an old friend of his Father , who he greatly admires, but who has been ruined by power and uses him as a patsy and fool. This use and abuse goes on for most of the film and the director, Frank Capra, lets us all be part of this mistreatment of such a nice man. His old idol is played by the great Claude Rains, who appears in so many of the movies found in the book. Here he plays the part with perfect distinction that we almost believe him and his lies. This is important for the film because it allows us to understand how Mr. Smith gets railroaded and used without his knowledge. Throughout the film Capra gives us a very lightweight and frivolous feel in his deft touch and direction. For this reason we are not as repulsed by the abuse of power he shows. That is what makes the second part of this interesting film so powerful. It begins when our Mr. Smith finally realizes what is happening to him and he decides to fight back. Movie goers throughout the ages have always loved watching the little guy get revenge. Here it is done in a very original way. A filibuster is when a senator raises an issue on the senate floor, forcing everyone to stop and listen until he is finished. The filibuster that Stewart does as Mr. Smith goes on for days, without sleep and food until he is exhausted and can’t stand anymore. His determination not to leave the stand forces all the corrupt politicians to feel ashamed, which results in turning their support to him and for what is right. It is a grand victory that is played with Power by Stewart and has us standing up, cheering our hero. Kind of like how audiences cheered with “Rocky”, except here we are watching a political drama without any real physical action. Pretty impressive stuff. Frank Capra was an impressive director and this is an impressive film.
The Wizard of Oz
Everybody knows, “The Wizard of OZ”, as it is one of the magical movies of Hollywood. A Technicolor fantasy with great songs and delightful visuals. For many years it was shown once a year on network television during the holidays and every parent would sit on their sofa and watch it with their children. More than once. It is one of those films that people enjoyed over and over again I real marvel. In thinking about how it affected me I have to think in two directions. First as a child, I loved every minute of it. It was a wonder that gave me joy, each time I saw it. I loved the dwarfs singing “Follow the Yellow brick road”. Loved the lion, the tin man and the scarecrow. Happy fun characters who spoke to me about my own fears. Was I brave, good hearted and smart? All children wonder this about themselves. The movie dealt with this wonder and as a child it was my favorite non animated movie. For this reason it must be considered one of the greatest children’s movies ever made. As an adult I watched the movie a little bit differently. For as a child I saw it as a linear fantasy story, now I see it for what it was. A child’s nightmare. Remember, Judy Garland’s Dorothy was miserable and alone in her home farm and the movie is one big nightmare proving to her that home is the best and safest place to be. Throughout her adventure in Oz she is in danger of death and does everything to get back home. This is not a childhood dream of sugar and spice. Seeing the film in this context gives it added texture. Regardless of how you view the movie today, its overriding joy are its songs and music. Everybody knows the tunes to “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and; “follow the yellow brick Road” as well as many others. The movie also had the distinction of making a star out of Judy Garland and her singing here is not the singing of a child. Rather it is the powerful serenade of a major star. You would be hard pressed to find someone who has not seen this movie, but for me it will always be a dream from my childhood that will consistently draw me in for yet another peak.
Destry Rides Again
“Destry Rides Again” is a western. A very different type of western. It has a hero who refuses to wear a gun and drinks milk instead of whisky. It is a western for pacifists. A sort of anti-Spaghetti western. I also has very pleasant performances by James Stewart as Sheriff Destry and the purring sex appeal of Marlene Dietrich as the hooker with a golden heart from France. Forget that Dietrich is German, for Hollywood an accent is an accent. The fun of this movie is watching Stewart outwit everyone with speed and intelligence and without pulling a trigger. There are also a couple of very sensual songs sung by our German/French heroine. Our hero gets called by an old friend of his Father to become Sheriff of a corrupt town run by a nasty gambler who just finished murdering the last Sheriff. Stewart stopped using guns after his father was killed in a gun fight. The townsfolk are all aghast to find out that Stewart will not carry a gun, but are soon turned around by his charm and intelligence. This is a nice little fluff ball of a film and enjoyable throughout.
1001 Movies before you die 