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Johnny Guitar
By 1954 Joan Crawford was middle aged, hard on looks and tough as nails. The masculine persona that was always present in her countless melodramas were much more pronounced at this point in her career. She decided, rightfully so, that she would need to take control of her upcoming projects in order to remodel her career during her aging or middling period. Tough and hard went well in drama as a leading lady when you are young and physically attractive. However, once you close in on the 50s, these attributes arouse a more intimidating and even masculine effect. She needed to transform herself into a cinematic heavy. “Johnny Guitar”, was the missing link start of that transformation. While she did not pay a definite heavy in the movie, her Vienna was aggressive, full of confidence and not very attractive. Taking a note from Renoir’s, “The Golden Coach”, the film has this almost repugnant character is shown as being irresistible to all men. The film itself is a western and may be the strangest western ever made. It has an almost dreamlike feel to it, seemingly existing in some far away land of make believe. Not the old west. The plot involves a lady of means named Vienna (Crawford) who controls a gambling saloon just outside of some western town that is more deserted than not but located on a property designated for the railway to pass through. The railway will make the property and the saloon worth a lot of money. The area has some gun fighting prospectors who are the only proprietors of the Saloon. This group is led by “The Dancing Kid” (Scott Brady and I kid you not on the name). Vienna also sends for a hired hand named, you guessed it, “Johnny Guitar” (The ultra-serious Sterling Hayden. With names like that you almost expect this to be a musical. It is not a musical however as Guitar’s name is actually Johnny Logan and he is Vienna’s ex-lover. He is also a fast drawing gunslinger. The Kid is also fast on the draw and is in love with Vienna. If that is not enough of a bit of melodrama we are then introduced to the villain or villainess. This is the cattle baron of the area and she is a petite lady named Emma (Mercedes McCambridge). Emma hates Vienna and we are meant to think it is because she is in love with the kid, except she never really looks at the kid. All she looks stares and glares at is Vienna. She plays the stilted lover perfectly except it seems like Vienna is the lover who did her wrong. Of course in the 1950s, this could only be hinted at, but the longer you watch this film the more pronounce its lesbian themes seem to be. There are some loud gunfire, a tragic lynching and a showdown between the two woman for its grand finale. The acting is clichéd but the script is so over the top that nothing but clichéd acting would be suitable to its content. Throughout all this the movie evokes a form of power from its larger than life characters and bombastic plot outline. The low budget production only added to its unique quality as over the top dialogue and relationships serve to overcome the lack of background scenery and depth. It is a truly unique and stylistic film that would serve as an influence to many future low budget and innovative filmmakers from Leone to Tarantino.
On the Waterfront
Elia Kazan was a marvelous director who was looked down upon in the eyes of many for his cooperation as a friendly witness to the, “House Committee on Un-American Activities”, having named names of colleagues who were communist sympathizers. “On the Waterfront”, was Kazan’s attempt in explaining his position as something noble and brave. For this reason, the film became his personal and emotional cry for justification of his actions. The movie is not about communists, but has unionists as its villains and a stool pigeon as its hero. The producers spent their heart and soul into the writing, casting and directing of this powerhouse drama. The result is one of the greatest pieces of American Cinema ever made. It is a film that transcends period and time. A black and white masterpiece that stands out strong and compelling today as it did back in 1954. This is a film that believes in itself and stays true to its convictions. It is a marvel to watch over and over again. An enthralling viewing experience that is hard to explain. The script would be refined over and over again until its perfection became clear to Kazan and the producers. The acting is stirring throughout, from the smaller dock worker character to the simple minded and tender hearted lead Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando in an unforgettable performance). Terry is a dock worker who was an ex-boxer resorted to doing small and dirty favors for the corrupt Union Boss, Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb), until one of his favors causes the murder of one of his friends. That is when his conscience starts to speak to him. There are many great and quotable lines here and one of them has Terry stating quite simply, “Conscience. That stuff can drive you nuts”. Then we watch as his conscience almost drives him crazy before it allows him to see the world clearly. Terry’s older brother Charlie (Rod Steiger), is a smart educated lawyer who is the strategist for Friendly, helping him plan and consolidate his corruption and power. At the same time there is a federal investigation going on due to all the reports of corruption at the docks through their unions. It is abundantly clear that the union is controlled by the Mob and the murder of Terry’s friend for speaking to the committee emphasizes the threat and danger. Terry falls in love with his dead friend’s sister (Eve Marie Saint in her great screen debut) and by so doing drifts further and further from evil, the union, the mob and his brother. Finally in the end he decides to do the right thing and report all of the corruption to the investigating committee. His final decision results in his initial ostracization before his stance is shown as being self-sacrificing and noble. As the older Brother Charlie Stieger brings a realism built on natural love of ones brother to the brutal fact on the way he makes a living. The most famous scene in the movie is the taxi cab scene where Charlie must convince Terry not to speak to the commission before he is forced to kill him. The scene is an exploding tender performance by two masterful actors. Terry’s cry of anguish (I coulda been a contender…), touches the deep recesses of Charlie’s soul. Cobb is all greed and nastiness as the union mobster and has the perfect large hooked face to convey the nastiness of the part. There is also a local Priest used to verbally convey the voice of conscience to Terry. The Priest is played by Karl Maldon who brings his every man goodness to the role. Even with all the great acting, the movie could not be called an ensemble piece because of the one great performance that towers over them all. That would be Brando in probably his greatest role. As Terry he has to show physical thugery and deep tenderness at the same time. He portrays uneducated doubt and emotional intelligence that reflects pain of a lost soul. He is a physical presence who at the same time seems tender in every scene. Consider the scene where after Charlie draws a pistol on Terry, in the taxi, and Brando gently puts his hand on the gun pushing it away while showing pain for his brother rather than fear for himself. It is a performance of a lifetime that raises a good movie into greatness.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
If you were told a movie was going to be about a group of backwater, uneducated hillbillies who sneak into a 19th century town in the middle of the night and kidnap with the purpose of bedding (raping?) single virginal woman, you would probably think I was talking about a horror film. That is the premise for Stanley Donen’s, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”, which is not a horror movie, but rather a Hollywood musical. As tasteless as the premise sounds the movie itself is made with such a light soft touch that results in an even greater feeling of disgust or bewilderment at what transpires on the screen. Backwoodsman Adam Pontipee (Howard Keel) who lives in the snow covered mountains, decides he needs a woman. He meets Milly (Jane Powell) and immediately after meeting her, proposes marriage. She accepts his proposal for a completely unexplained reason. Maybe she accepts because physical appearance is more important to her then actual character. When he takes her home, she finds out that he lives with six brothers, all of whom are single. She initially and rightfully appears shocked at her new predicament in life, but quickly succeeds in getting on their good side with her song, dance, cleaning and cooking. Everybody needs a woman to clean, cook and sing and they became convinced that they each need their own woman. To do so they perform the aforementioned kidnapping right at the start of winter, which results in closing off their isolated farm from all pursuers, due to the heavy snow fall. Now they have the woman all to themselves until the end of winter. Throughout all of this heavy handed plot of violence against women, our protagonists sing and dance together every chance they get. The songs are not that memorable either adding to the empty feeling in the movie. The dance numbers are colorful but bland in all but one number. That one number, however is such a unique and imaginative delight that it almost makes up for the rest of the movie. This is the wood-chopping scene that choreographs basic manual labor to the rhythm and beat of the music. The music moves to a slow pulsating beat while the brothers chop wood and do other manual labor chores to its beat with delightful choreography. Watching this number made me forget the numbness I felt up to that point and the insulting plot of the film. I would highly recommend that instead of watching the entire movie, to go to YouTube and search for the wood-chopping scene.
The Devils (Les Diaboliques)
For 90% of the Henri George Clouzot’s, “Les Diaboliques”, we are treated to a superb combination of suspense thriller and Horror. This is one of those films that thrives on surprising us with an unexpected ending that is meant to shock. I will not talk about the ending here, and let every viewer decide for themselves. I will only say that I believe the ending ruins the bulk of the film. There are some of the most powerful scenes of macabre and foreboding every filmed in this movie. We are introduced to a boy’s boarding school run by an evil, sadistic head master, Michel (Paul Meurisse), his weak, good hearted wife Christina (Vera Clouzot) and his sexy, blond girlfriend Nicole (The magnificent Simone Signoret). Christina knows about the Nicole who is a teacher at the school and not only does not care, but considers her a friend. This is due to the horrible way that Michel treats them both. Especially Christina. They hate him with a passion and the film goes to great pains in making sure that we see his despicable character as it is. They plan and perform his murder. The actual drowning scene of the murder of the drugged Michel is more frightening and shocking then the countless and more graphic murder scenes seen in today’s modern films. Clouzot places us into the secluded scene of the killing allowing the viewer to feel as if we are an accomplice to the crime. The drugged Michel is even seen as fighting to survive through his drugged state and while being drowned. It is as powerful as any murder scene done by Hitchcock. Throughout all of this Christina is still given a favorable light and allowing us to root for the murder to go undetected. At this point after the two killers throw Michel’s body in the school pool so that it appears he accidentally drowned, the film veers into the realm of horror. The body disappears and Christina keeps seeing his ghost appearing around the school resulting in her slowly losing her sanity. The plight of the missing head master catches the interest of a retired police inspector Alfred (Charles Vanel) who starts his own investigation. Alfred is an unassuming dope like and disheveled character whose appearance hides his sharp wit and eye for detail. This character was used years later as the influence in making the hit TV show Colombo. His investigation and Christina’s madness results in the famous ending. It is an ending that I am not fond of as I feel it ruins some of the more powerful elements of the film. Those being the dark recesses of a murder and the subsequent revenge of the undead. The movie from start to finish oozes with atmosphere and foreboding in the secluded school and run down small hotel. The acting is first rate adding to its stirring effect. Regardless of what you think of the ending this is an oft copied masterful thriller.
Animal Farm
In the 1950s, the only animated films produced were movies made for children and full of colorful fantastic characters that had a wholesome message made for the entire family. Walt Disney were the prime producers of these films. “Animal Farm”, is a different type of animated feature and audiences at the time were not sure what to make of it. Most people brought their children to the film and came out bewildered. The film is based on a serious book that dealt in deep political issues, written by the deep thinker, George Orwell. The Story spoke about totalitarianism, revolution and communist ideals. The novel addressed these complex topics by using farm animals as speaking thinking beings. The movie version here is the first serious animated film ever produced for a wide audience and gives a very literal interpretation to the book. The animals living in Manor farm are fed up with their dictatorial treatment they receive from Mr. Jones (The farm owner). They rebel, violently kicking out Jones from the farm, taking over themselves. The initial takeover is led by “Old Major”, the pride boar who installs a governing system whereby all animals are created equal. However it is clear in the novel and the movie that all the leadership positions are taken over by pigs and that the strong horse is worked even harder than he was during the rule of Jones. Still Old Major is good at heart and has great intentions, which give him the appearance of weakness that a younger and more ambitious boar named Napoleon takes advantage of. Napoleon allies himself with the puppies of the deceased house hound and they grew into vicious animals that he uses to consolidate his power by killing both “Old Major” and his ally Snowball (another boar). The new rule of Napoleon is more vicious and cruel then the rule of Jones. This results in the changing of ideals from “all animals are created equal”, to the ideal, “All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others”. Eventually Napoleon himself is disposed of by the Donkey Benjamin and we are led to believe that this vicious circle will continue. The novel is a powerful political epic that is required reading in today’s education system. The movie however while revolutionary, is extremely flat and stilted. The animation is not very mobile as the pictures seem to stand still on many instances. The voices are also quite ordinary and do not succeed to standing out regardless of the action taking place. While this movie should be noted for its ambition and courage that opened opportunities for many fine and better animated films, as a standalone picture it is a dated and unimaginative animated picture.
Rear Window
The great Alfred Hitchcock made countless technically superior and outstanding films. None more so then this voyage into the human weakness of voyeurism. The movie tells the tale of a successful news photographer Jeff (which is in itself a profession of voyeurism) (played by James Stewart), bedridden with an encompassing cast that leaves him imprisoned in his apartment and needing the use of a wheelchair. Remember that in 1954 there was not a lot of handicapped access for people in wheelchairs, which left Jeff enclosed in the four walls of his New York flat. He is only visited by two people. His housekeeper (Thelma Ritter) and his beautiful fiancee (Grace Kelly, just before she became a princess). His apartment is in Greenwich Village and his living room window overlooks a courtyard and an adjacent apartment block. Jeff passes his time by using binoculars to watch his neighbors. He is so obsessed with his new hobby that he continues to peep even when the enchanting Kelly is in the room. That is what I call obsession. There are many humanistic typical characters in the apartment block he is viewing. There is a lonely sad woman, a promiscuous waif, a budding musician, a female sculptress among others. He wonders with glee as to whether the lonely lady will commit suicide and delights in seeing the troubles of others. One of these objects of his watchful eye is a husband of a sick and demanding wife (Raymond Burr). He hears sounds and notices the nonappearance of Burr’s wife, that makes him conclude that Burr has killed her and then through his watchful eye, and collaboration of his fiancee, goes about looking for proof of the murder. His not so innocent obsession becomes an obsessive drive that puts him and the fiancee in harm’s way. Hitchcock took great pains in constructing a movie set that was an exact replication of an actual village courtyard and apartment building. His camera also discreetly follows the path of the telescope during Jeff’s invasion of his neighbor’s privacy. The result of this method give us the viewer a feeling of joining in the voyeurism and makes us feel like an accomplice. The initial segments of the movie gives us just enough detail on each neighbor allowing the viewer to be sucked into the lives of these strangers. Grace Kelly’s character is disgusted by Jeff’s new hobby and attempts to constantly seduce him back to her. Her unsuccessful attempts attest to the obsessive and dark nature within Jeff. With this movie James Stewart continues with his expanded acting roles and uses his good old boy persona well, as it allows him to act out the more unsavory elements his character contains. Once the realization of an actual murder takes place, Hitch effortlessly moves the action into the edge of exciting suspense. All the action continues to stay in Jeff’s apartment and through the perspective of his telescope but now he is searching for a killer and uses his fiancee to leave his supposed safe room, sending her out to get proof at the apartment across the courtyard. Jeff’s realization that he has sent her in harm’s way adds to the tension which is then increased when the killer discovers his location. The movie makes ingenious use of light and dark giving very real effects of the time of day which adds to its chilling atmosphere. By previously making the viewer feel complaisant, Hitch ratchets up the tension as the killer approaches our hero. Here the movie makes great use of light as the only weapon Jeff has is his camera and its great flash of white light the he uses to blind his attacker in a scene that flips our viewpoint, as we the audience get blinded and are now looking at the viewpoint of the killer. This is an ingenious film that is a required viewing for all lovers of cinema.
A Star is Born
Hollywood developed an original screenplay in 1937 about a Major Star discovering a young naïve starlet and watching as she grows into a stardom greater than his while his career slowly flounders away. It is a great premise and has since been filmed numerous time (A new version is due out in 2018). It is however 1954’s version of, “A Star is Born”, that reigns as the version to be admired. The film features James Mason at his peak and a triumphant return to the screen of Judy Garland. The film opens with a fitting introduction to Norman Maine (James Mason), who is an alcoholic and established matinee idol arriving dead drunk at a function for which he is the star. Bursting on the stage drunk, he is saved from embarrassment by Esther Blodgett (Garland) who is a cabaret singer on the same stage, who while seeing his predicament, add libs as if his drunken antics are part of the show. Later that evening, Norman attends a rehearsal that Esther is having with her band. This is Judy Garland and her voice is the voice of an angel. He is enamored, convinces her to leave the band so that she can start her career in Hollywood. A sudden illness due to his alcoholism takes hold and the next morning Norman fails to show up for Esther. Forced to work manual jobs and the occasional TV commercial, Esther is still determined to succeed. Norman meanwhile gets better and seeing one of her commercials tracks her down again. This time he uses his connections in getting her a bit part contract with a movie studio. The Studio quickly casts aside Esther’s name, re-naming her Vicky Lester. As Vicky she soon becomes noticed due to Norman’s determination and her amazing voice. Her career shoots up to the stars while at the same time Norman who still has a drinking problem, experiences a steep decline of his own career. In the meantime the two were wed and deeply in love. The heart of the film is the conflicting feelings and emotions felt by the two leads. Love and Jealousy co-exist and contrast allowing for some deep dramatic encounters. The ending recalls a Greek Tragedy with its style and content. “A star is Born”, is unique in that it was the first time that a musical film was based on its drama, enhanced by music and not the other way around. The musical numbers occur during shows, rehearsals and band standing renditions and are limited to Garland who shines. At the beginning of the movie she is plain and shy (which Garland actually was), but at its end she was beautiful and glamorous. A transformation that Hollywood produces quite often, from “Cinderella” to “My Fair Lady”, but never as complete as here. When she sings, Garland looks the part of an angel. Mason for his part was born to play Norman. He moves from anger to tenderness and back to anger with grace and charm. He looks and acts the part of the alcoholic that you just want to save. He makes the tragic ending that much more poignant. While the movie is a deep felt drama taking place in Hollywood, at its core it is a tender and bittersweet love story.
The Barefoot Contessa
“The Barefoot Contessa”, is a Hollywood women’s drama that borrows from both Citizen Kane and Rashamon in its style. It is about a Spanish sex goddess who makes it big as a star in Hollywood, while living a tragic private life. Its plot has a similar feel to it as real life Hollywood starlets whose private lives and lost loves are printed out in tabloids every day. To tell its story however, the film makes use of flashbacks post mortem taken from the perspective of various people who were part of the starlets life and are attending her funeral. This is similar in style as to that of Citizen Kane. In addition each perspectives overlap some occurrences and show them just a little bit differently from the perspective of the person telling the tale. This is a direct reference to “Rashamon”. The Contessa is Maria Vargas (Ava Gardner) and she is convinced to work as a star in the privately made film made by the Howard Hughes like millionaire Kirk Edwards (Warran Stevens). Kirk is a cruel man of power who believes that through coercion and power he can get whatever he wants. He also falls in love with Maria. She is convinced to work for Kirk by the Director Harry Dawes (Humphrey Bogart in an atypical and mellow supporting role). There is also the sweaty, sleazy publicist Oscar Muldoon (Edmond O’Brien in a firebrand performance) who switches alliances as soon as it is to his benefit. Since the film starts at her funeral, it is not a mystery that Maria ends her life young and tragic. She marries an impotent Count (Rossano Brazzi) and has an affair with a Gypsy due to his impotence. All this leads to her death and to the finale of the funeral which introduces the film at the beginning. Once again I am underwhelmed by the performance of Ava Gardner whose beauty was stunning but talent limited. Each time the role required her to dig deep into her character she fails miserably. That is a shame because the rest of the acting is first rate with O’Brien outdoing everyone. The pity is that all the details and reference points shown in each protagonists memory goes for not due to Gardner’s limited ability to act. Nonetheless, this is an interesting film and well worth a look.
1001 Movies before you die 