Films at the end of the 50s – 1955 (One of the Great Movie Years) Part 1

Artists and Models

By the time the music/comic due of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin made, “Artists and Models”, it was already their 14^th outing together in the silver screen.   For those of you who do not know, Dean Martin is a slick oily dark haired Italian crooner and Lewis a super nerdy oaf who lived off the basest of physical humor.   Martin had a pleasant enough voice but usually sang bland unmemorable songs and Lewis took the silent movie, physical comedy to a noisy sound filled direction.  One either loved his loud low-browed comedy or hated it.   In their 14^th film, they did not veer far from their norm and the plot of the movie is as silly and ridiculous as anything they did in the past.    They play Rick (Martin) and Eugene (Lewis).  Rick is a struggling artist and Eugene is a wannabe children’s author who has a thing for comics.     Eugene dreams up outlandish and original comic stories in his sleep that he does not remember once he is awake.  Rick uses those stories to sell them as his own with a comic editor (Eddie Mayehoff in probably the only really funny character in the film).    Meanwhile their neighbors upstairs are the pretty comic artist Abagail (Dorothy Malone) and the scattered brain sex bomb secretary Bessie (A delightful Shirley MacLaine).   In the meantime the dreamed up comic plots being published and sold to by Rick, contain some real national secret information that brings in some stupid bad guys into the picture.  The required happy end ensues with the silly plot ending in an even more stupid fashion then the previous elements of the film.     In between everything we have a few passable songs, song by Martin and few chuckles from the physical talents of Lewis.   There is however an interesting element to the movie.  The director of the film was Frank Tashlin in his first film and who made his career in filming loony toon cartoons.    These were the kind of cartoons with talking animal characters that use visual expressions of lust and sex.   Tashlin used his unique comic vision when creating the movie resulting in very comic like fetishistic characterizations with almost all the female characters wearing very sexy and exaggerated, revealing costumes.    A great example of the comic like humor is a scene where MacLaine kisses Lewis in front of a water cooler and the water heats up with rising steam during the kiss.   There is also a pretty amazing scene during a message gone horribly wrong, resulting in wildly contorted body parts making Lewis look like Mr. Fantastic from the Fantastic 4.    Unfortunately the interesting elements of the movie are too scarce, leaving the majority of the film boring and predictable.

 

Guys and Dolls

While watching Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s film rendition of the Broadway musical, “Guys and Dolls”, I was struck by the enormous historical influence this movie made on what would become the greatest mafia saga ever made.    The influence that this film had on the Godfather saga can’t be overlooked.    It is however a light musical starring Marlon Brando, who demanded on singing his own tunes.    This is something recently done with our generations version of Brando (Ryan Gosling in La La Land).    I am certain that Mr. Gosling had this movie in mind when he agreed to make his musical.    The movie follows gambler Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) trying to organize an illegal Craps game while being under surveillance by the police.  His usual locations for the games that he arranges are refusing him access because of heat from the police.   Meanwhile his girlfriend Adelaide (Vivian Blaine in a touching performance), wants to become his fiance and for him to quit gambling.   He meets up with Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) who is a successful and more polished gambler and comes across like a suave charismatic gangster.   They make a wager that Sky will not be able to take the ultra-religious evangelistic preacher girl Sarah (Jean Simmons) to dinner in Havana (via plane), that evening.   Sky ends up succeeding in doing just that by promising Sarah that he will bring a dozen sinners to her prayer meeting the following Thursday.   They of course fall in love, Nathen arranges the craps game full of mobsters and Sky succeeds in getting all of those mobsters to the prayer meeting.   Meanwhile there are some pleasant songs as Brando does not embarrassing himself with some light dancing and mild singing.    What fascinated me about this movie was the acting of Brando.   He plays sky like a suave, powerful leading gangster.    I realized that I was watching Vito Corleone from the Godfather when he was young.    Of course, we know that DeNiro played a young Vito in, “Godfather part II”, and the similarities in the physical movements of Sky to how DeNiro played the young Vito are very similar.    When Brando played Vito in the original Godfather, I believe he looked into his role here, aging it for the new role of Vito.   The intense looks, piercing eyes of intelligence and confidence are all here.   The body language of emotion that Vito showed is shown here as well.  I believe that DeNiro also studied this film before talking on his role of Vito.    Guys and Dolls is a pleasant Hollywood musical that is taken above the ordinary, by the superb acting from the greatest actor of his and our generation making it a must see for history buffs of the cinema.

Song of the Little Road (Pather Panchali)

 

There are movies that succeed in transporting their audience into their world, creating such visions of reality that the viewer is lost for two hours in the visionary presence of the film.  Satyajit Ray’s, “Pather Panchali”, is one such film.   We are not transported into a medieval past, fantastic adventure or future fantasy, but into the world and life of a simple Bengali, Indian village.   This movie is the first part of the Apu trilogy, which tells the story from birth to manhood of Apu.   This movie concerns his birth and early childhood.   The story is about his life, surroundings and feelings.   He is born into a very poor home.  In fact, his Is the poorest home of all the home in the poor village he lives in.   His Father is a sweet Priest and Idealist who dreams of becoming a famous writer and in so doing does not concentrate enough in making a living.   The Mother is the holder of the home and she worries about their future each hard felt day.    They live with the Fathers aging Aunt, who needs care herself.    There is also a daughter between the age of 10 and 12 who is a lively, curious and intelligent as well as a great source of worry for the Mother.  The young girl has a special relationship with the Aunt that is indicative of special grandmother, granddaughter relationships that exist throughout the world.    Apu is born into this world and when we first see him we watch him as he wakes up, with his face all covered except for his wide opening eyes.   It is a glorious introduction that depicts childhood innocence and wonder with one shot.    The village neighbors look with distain at the poor family causing deep shame with the Mother.    It is a shame that causes her to show a lack of patience for her daughter’s mischief and to show anger towards her husband and his Aunt.    Their house is a shack that barely stands on its own and contains many holes on the flimsy roof.    Still Apu and his sister Durga live as children with adventure of the curiosity of their world.    We discover their village along with them and we are enthralled.    There are some beautiful scenes of love and life here, such as the children following the candy peddler around and around, even though they have no money to buy candy.    Durga serves as Apu’s protector and the bonding strong relationship of sister and brother is the heart of the film.     The Father leaves the family for a long period of time, in search of work and money, so that he can fix their home.    His absence is extended longer than expected and we feel the fearfulness of the family for his return.  Meanwhile the Family loses more and more of what little money they have, and are subjected to even deeper poverty.   Still the children see wonder in their world.  This wonder is portrayed through their wonderful performances and the beautiful photography of rivers, clouds, paths and brilliant forests.    The great Aunt has great love for this family, representing a generational past that while needing to be changed due to its utter poverty, is also shown as something to love and admire.   This has caused some to criticize the film for romanticizing poverty.    The showing of the poor living life through pain and happiness actually succeeds in portraying a hope that is uplifting.   The Aunt dies of old age and the two children discover her death while running to the edge of the village, so that they can catch a glimpse of the moving train.    The Aunt, similar to how aging dogs behave, choses to die outside the village, close to her natural world.    The train represents the future and freedom.   The scene of her dead body silhouetted in the foreground while the children watch the moving train is iconic and breathtaking.   During the Monsoons, Durga falls ill and dies.  It is here that we see her previously exasperated mother, grow intense and desperate in trying to save her only daughter.   The night scene where Durga dies while her mother tries to save her is as tension felt and bittersweet a scene as any every filmed and the cutting shot of birds flying at the moment of death is perfect in its expression of the sudden end of life.    When the Father finally returns with money and gifts, his discovery of his daughter’s death results in great pain of suffering that is released to him through his wife.   Throughout all of this we have Apu (Subir Banerjee), who is played by a non-actor child with such intense reality that we feel we are watching a documentary.   Apu has wide beautiful eyes that show wonder and emotion, captured perfectly by Ray in the film.     He is wonderful and lively and we care deeply about him and his family.     This is the movie that put Indian Cinema as a serious art form on the map and it is one the most beautiful and enchanting humanistic dramas ever filmed.

 

Bad Day at Black Rock

“Bad Day at Black Rock”, is a tight, well-paced political thriller, stylized like a Western.     That is quite a feat for a movie coming in at just under 90 minutes.   Director John Sturges was at his best when directing well-paced action and this, his best movie, is paced tight and energetic from beginning to end.   There is no room for lagging with its short run time and Sturges keeps everything tense throughout.    In 1945, One armed WW2 hero John J. Macreedy (Spencer Tracy who shows here that you do not need to look like Rambo in order to be a war hero), rides into the small desert town of Black Rock on the Noon Train.   It is the first time in four years that the train has to stop at Black Rock.    At the films end it will stop again.   Once he arrived he is met by a malicious and inhospitable town.    The hotel refuses him a room and the garage won’t rent him a car.    In addition he finds a drunken Sheriff and a frightened bartender.     He has come to honor a friend from the war and in so doing uncovers a nasty secret.    In Western style, the town is run, not by the drunk sheriff, but by the richest landowner, Smith (Robert Ryan in a strong performance).    Smith has two evil henchman played by Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.   Marvin was a major heavy during the late 40s and Borgnine played evil at the start of the 50s.    It is a pleasure seeing them together in this film.  They complement each other while trying to undo the other in their unfriendly depictions of nastiness.  Tracy is superb as Macreedy as he exhibits extreme confidence in his convictions and abilities throughout; regardless of the great danger he places himself in.  The scene where with one hand he takes down Borgnine is priceless.   It is the type of scene that makes you want to jump out of your seat pumping your fist in delight.     An aspect of the film that is sometimes forgotten is its addressing of the mistreatment of American Japanese citizens during the war.   The internment camps are mentioned as a Sleight of hand explanation to the disappearance of the Japanese American that Macreedy is looking for.    In addition prejudice and racial injustice is a major theme of the movie.    Regardless of the political and social commentary the movie is best loved for being a grand one against many, good against evil showcase that allows us to root for the underdog.     The movie ends with a cleansing of a sick town that results in a feeling of justice and hope.

The Mad Masters (Les Maitres Fous)

“The Mad Masters”, is a short (36 minute) documentary made by French ethnographic filmmaker Jean Rouch that concerns a bizarre religious ritual by the West African Tribal people called Hauka.   The film itself, uses a very simplistic method in its depiction of the ritual.  We are first introduced to the West African city that the Hauka call home and situated in Niger.   Hauka are locals who subscribe to an unusual religion which later spread to other parts of Africa.   The City is controlled by the British who run the Administration of the town.    The locals work for them and are shown to be colonized.  Then we are thrown into the evening, which happens once a year that the Hauka perform their strange ritual.   The ritual concerns handpicked participants thrown into a hypnotic spiritual possession of the Western bosses and colonizers.    Each possessed person takes on the spirit of certain symbols of their British conquerors.   There is the Governor, General, soldier and so on.     What is startling is that once possessed, the victims or participants look like zombies or monsters, running around in a trance like state, foaming at the mouth and exhibiting violent tendencies.   There is also a disturbing scene of a sacrifice and then devouring (raw) of a poor dog.      The effect we see is disturbing.   The film ends in showing us all the participants in their normal life back in the town.   Whether it is as a driver, sewer worker or thief.    Each person is seen as more energized and with more strength then before.   The ritual whereby they become the powerful has given them renewed strength to continue living their harsh and oppressive lives.     This short fascinating film is however a trend setting piece of work that has become an influence to the subsequent and racially repugnant Mondo films or what is referred to as the ethnofiction genre that claims to depict sensationalistic views of tribal people.   The films straight ahead depiction of the possessed Hauka was also used by future horror filmmakers in depicting the possessed.  Peter Brooks, “Marat/sade”, is one such film.    Watching the possessed sections of the movie made me note a creepy familiarization to the behaviors being depicted.   Their awkward and trance like movements, rolled up eyes and foaming at the mouths were transferred by George A. Romero to his trend setting classic horror, “Night of the Living Dead”, and all the hundreds of Zombie movies ever since.   A fact that makes this short, French, documentary an important milestone in the history of film.

 

Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer (Giv’a 24 Eina Ona)

Being an Israeli by birth and currently living in Israel, I am very familiar with the Israeli cinema.   An industry which began with, “Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer”, the first feature made by the state of Israel.   Up until the last 15 years, a vast majority of serious Israeli films were centered on the Israeli, Arab conflict and this movie concerns the heroic nature of the Israeli War of Independence.   While the movie only concerns itself with one side of the conflict, it correctly concentrates its emphasis on characterization rather than politics.   The story relates to the background of four individuals who died keeping control over said hill 24 on the road to Jerusalem, right before the armistice cease fire.   Their control of that hill (even though all four are found dead there), results in said hill being declared part of Israel after the cease fire.  This reminds the viewer of the flimsy and unrealistic way the cease fire border was declared after the war.   The film itself works in flashback fashion depicting the reasons each of the four sacrificed their lives.  We have a gentile British soldier who fell in love with an Israeli beauty.  An American Jewish tourist who was caught up in the Arab attacks of Jerusalem.   An Israeli soldier who faced in battle an Arab sympathizing Nazi.    Finally in trying to show the social consciousness of the Jewish state, a young Jewish girl thrust into battle at the start of the war.   Each story is simple and not very deep but gives a small poignant feeling that is inescapable.     The problem with the movie is that its production values are very bad, leaving its British Director Thorold Dickinson to use a Docudrama style that was prevalent in Britain during World War 2.   It is a style that is neither a documentary nor Drama and of which I am not a great fan of.    The acting is also passable but not very convincing.   The film portrays an interesting part of our history that is felt up until today and as such is an important piece of art.  As a movie to be enjoyed however, it is not very successful.

 

The Ladykillers

The Black Comedy is that film Genre that concerns itself with laughing at the darkest elements surrounding our world.  Murder, death and horror.    One the greatest examples of these films is the wonderful British movie,”The LadyKillers”.   Directed by one of England’s most underrated directors, Alexander Mackendrick’s film satirizes the heist movies made famous in Hollywood with iconic films such as, “The Killers”, and “Asphalt Jungle”.    The Dark element is centered on the murder of a sweet little old lady.    This is one of the best of the great classic Ealing comedies.   The cast is impeccable and gives us a crosscurrent of types found in the Heist films that are believable as well as funny.   Something that would not be possible unless the acting had perfect timing and great nuances in its characterization.    The cast here succeeds wonderfully in both.    A sweet old Lady (Katie Johnson in an adorable performance), lives alone and has a flat overlooking the Kings Crossing railway station that makes it a perfect location to base the heist being planned by our criminal group.    Lead by the great Alec Guinness as Professor Marcus (the Brains), the professor follows Mrs. Wilberforce (The old Lady) from the police station where she keeps imagining strange things and reporting them.  She publicly advertises a room to rent in her apartment and he follows her to her flat.   The opening of the movie that shows Marcus in the shadows with his hat, recalls the visual spender of Hitchcock whereby the dialogue is superfluous to the plot leaving the visual to tell the story.   His shadow follows her and its background hiding effect makes it clear as to the non-virtuous intentions of its protagonist, ending with the knock knock knock of the door.   She is letting an upstairs room in her flat and Marcus convinces her to let it to him.  He also tells her that he is currently practicing playing in an amateur string quintet in the room.    The quintet is actually made up of his gang.   There is the dumb muscle man (Danny Green), the spiffy British Rouge (Peter Sellers in one of his early roles), Ex-military type (Cecil Parker) and the cold hearted assassin (Herbert Lom who would later make a career of playing along Sellers in the Pink Panther series).   The plan is to rob an armed van from the King Cross station and storing the loot at the station.   The final piece of the plan is to deceive Mrs. Wilberforce in picking up the loot unknowingly herself.      Everything works to plan and done with a delightful tongue and cheek feel of suspense that lets its audience root for the criminals.    This leaves us flustered when the loot is discovered just before their escape by our loveable old lady who insists that they return the money first thing in the morning.     Her naivety that allows her to allow them to spend the night with her until the return of the money is incredulous but believable thanks to the natural and adorable performance of Johnson.   The gang now need to do away with her, but while knowing it must be done have a moral fiber in their various makeup that refutes their willingness to do her harm.    A willingness to do harm to each other however is never in questions.    This is a fabulous romp of British mores and its satirical take on a society that is willing to laugh at itself and everything else.   A wonderfully funny comedy and one of the greatest black comedies of all time.

 

Marty

Hollywood have always in the past and still today, catered to the fantasies of its audience.   Emphasis of romance are almost always centered on the beautiful and successful.   A philosophy that makes it hard to insert realism into the stories.   Delbert Mann’s, “Marty”, produced out of the teleplay written by the great Paddy Chayefsky was that outliner to this Hollywood norm.  It is a romance about normal, plain and not very physically attractive people.   A movie that depicts a real romance.   A story that real people can relate about how they first met and fell in love.   It is a mature tale that dwells in serious topics such as sibling dependence and selfish motives within families.    It dealt in the difficulties of the modern world and the shyness of fear.   It has cruel elements that ring true and result in showing the true meaning of humanity.    It has a simple view that is well acted and clearly envisioned that leaves the viewer with a sense of hope in all that is good.    Its casting is brave and spot on.   Earnest Borgnine made a successful career in playing screen heavies.  His rough heavy set look called for a rough and heavy set manner that made for memorable villains.   Even after he made and won an Oscar for this film, he continued to play the heavy.   He is however perfect in the role as Marty.    Marty is an Italian American single Butcher living in the Bronx, New York, with his aging Mother.    He is balding and a bit overweight.   He has a group of also, ordinary and single friends, who are always talking about girls as objects to be compared to.  It is clear that these people have suffered from continuous rejection due to their looks and standings and based on the type of women they look for.  Marty is sick and tired of this and is starting to begin to accept his single status as being permanent.    He is sick of being rejected and feeling bad.  His Mother ( Esther Minciotti), goes through the motions expected of her in nagging him to find a wife.   We first believe she means it and is looking out for his happiness.   Her nagging forced him to go to a club called the stardust ballroom.   At the club none of the single and attractive women want to dance with him, but a man approaches him offering him money to take the ugly girl he is stuck with off of his hands.   Marty is disgusted by this cad, and blows him off but notices the girl (Betsy Blair in beautifully understated performance) abandoned and crying.  He goes to console her and they hit it off spending the rest of the evening out in the city enjoying each other’s company.     The movie then follows the reaction of Marty’s friends and family to his good luck.    Each is afraid of the change.  The friends are jealous and worried about the reduction of their miserable numbers and his Mother and Sister are worried that he will not be there to take care of the parent.   They all make a point of emphasizing the unattractiveness of his new girl and initially place doubt in his mind based on that.      It is the simple and emphatic ending that is based on a normal and good person making the correct decision that lifts the viewer up and gives us a real and honest romance that we all can relate to.   That is the Magic of Marty.

 

The Word (Ordett)

There are some movie directors who will only make a film when their vision tells them it is worth it.   The Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer was one such filmmaker and he only made four films during his career that ended in 1968.   In 1955 he made Ordett and the film has since been given the title of the greatest religious film ever made.   Religion played a large part in Dreyer’s previous two movies, that being the silent masterpiece, “The passion of Joan of Arc” and the gothic horror spectacular that was, “Vampyr”.   Here he looks at and hits religious faith with an unblinking view that is breathtaking.   We are swept deep into the world of a religious Danish farming family living in the Danish country.   We have the head of the family Morten, his non-believing eldest son Mikkel, Mikkel’s great hearted and loving wife Inger, their two young daughters, the youngest son Anders and the intellectual disturbed son Johannes.   Johannes was sent to university to study theology and his studies drove him mad, making him believe that he is the reincarnated spirit of Jesus Christ.    The movie begins with the mad Johannes wondering off outside at night.  The entire household is awaken to search and return him.   This opening serves to show us what kind of people we are observing.   These are good people who care about each other.  Even if one of them is mad and disturbed.    Later on in the film the new Pastor asks Morten why he does not commit Johannes to a hospital.   The firm and strong response that Johannes will stay at home with him further reveals the strong moral fiber of this man and his family.  Young Andre wants to marry the daughter of Peterson the tailor.  While everyone of the two families are very religious, Peterson converted into the fundamentalist version that demands suffering and will not allow Andre to marry his daughter unless he and his entire family also converts.  At the same time Inger who is pregnant is going into labor.  We are talking about the 1920’s Danish country and during that period childbirth was a dangerous proposition.  Inger dies throwing the family and story into a whirlwind of pain, suffering, belief and true faith.   Its ending exults the viewer with a spiritual power that is breathtaking in its imagery.    The film first takes you deep into the soul of a family, making you care about each member, spends time on intellectual, theological discussions and then hits us over the head with the meaning of real faith.     It will not leave its viewer indifferent and causes many hours of thought and discussion.  It’s message is not confined to Christianity and stays relevant when looked at through the eyes of all religion.  It is a must see experience of power that leaves an imprint on the mind long after it’s over.