Preston Sturges

Discussion of the actors, directors and film-makers who 'made it all happen'
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JackFavell
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by JackFavell »

And knitty, don't feel bad! You express yourself so well that I can understand your feelings, relate to them, and never feel like I am being attacked in any way. We can have differing opinions on a couple of things, can't we? :D

Maven -

I am so sorry I stepped on your post. I was going to reprint it after I got done here, but there were so many more actors than I expected in the Sturges repertory that I kept on posting and posting! Sorry.

kingrat - making this list was a great learning experience for me. I did not know the names of over half of these actors! I actually did not even know Al Bridge's name, and he's probably my favorite.

Here are the last of the bunch, guys!

Eric Blore

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Everyone's favorite fake priest and fake British noble. Blore can turn any line into an entire soliloquy. "If I were not such a gentleman's gentleman, I could be such a cad's cad".

Emory Parnell

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Originally a concert violinist, his red faced look of frustration made him a natural at bankers such as Mr. Tuerck, the nemesis of Constable Kockenlocker in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek.

Dewey Robinson

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Burly actor from Connecticut (!) who made a career out of playing hulking presences in gangster films. He plays a bigot who turns into a joyous fan in The Jackie Robinson Story. If he made that work, he must have been a great actor.

Chester Conklin

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Chaplin friend and co-worker was a comedian in his own right. Despite a horrible childhood (his mother was found burned to death in their garden, his religious father was tried but not found guilty) which he escaped (he never went back home), Conklin made a career for himself on stage mimicking his boss, who had a bushy walrus moustache and a thick accent. He came to the movies working with Mack Sennett, but came into his own at Fox. He worked steadily through his life, even in the 1950's when his acting career stalled out - he worked as a department store Santa to support himself. In the 1960's he entered the Motion Picture Home and Hospital and fell in love with another patient there, June Gunther. He was 79 and she, 64. He made A Big Hand for the Little Lady before dying in 1971.

Byron Foulger

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I always worry when I see Byron Foulger, because you just know something bad is going to happen if he shows up. For me, his standout performance is in The Prisoner of Zenda as the gatekeeper who gets it while trying to prevent the bad guys from opening the gate. He was not as wimpy as his roles seemed to imply, he once threatened to punch Errol Flynn for flirting with his wife, Dorothy Adams, whom he remained married to for 49 years. A mere showing of his face was enough to bring laughter in movie theaters, as in the film A Pocketful of Miracles.

Arthur Hoyt

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Hoyt acted from the silent era onward, nabbing substantial roles in The Lost World, Souls for Sale and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He directed two silent films, and played the motor court manager in It Happened One Night. He appeared in all but two of Sturges' films.


Akim Tamiroff

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Tamiroff won the first ever Golden Globe for best supporting actor for his performance in For Whom the Bell Tolls(1944). He trained at the famed Moscow Art Theatre, and eventually made it to Hollywood, though his accent was so thick it was doubtful he would be cast. He worked with Orson Welles, and his malaprop filled performance in The Great McGinty was said to be the basis for the character of Boris Badenov on the cartoon show The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Gosh another great character actor I love. Guaranteed to make any movie better.

My apologies to George Anderson, on whom I could find nothing.... no picture no information. Nitz. He was a Broadway actor who managed careers on the Great White Way and in films from the teens on.

And that's the list. If anyone can think of an actor I have left off the list, please feel free to post.
Last edited by JackFavell on July 2nd, 2012, 1:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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JackFavell
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by JackFavell »

Roscoe Ates

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Ates was another concert violinist (??) who overcame a bad stutter in his youth, only to purposefully bring it back again once he started in vaudeville. He created the character of Soapy Jones, sidekick to Eddie Dean, singing cowboy hero in the movies. He is an Ale and Quail club member extraordinaire, and for me, the one who sticks out the most.

CineMaven wrote:Image Image

A BAKER’S HALF-DOZEN: PRESTON STURGES, MASTER CHEF.

Oh I’m sure there are thousands of writer/directors out there who put their one-two punch & spin on things. Right now, I can only come up with Wilder. Lubitsch. Sturges. All with a scientist’s eye. They put human nature under a microscope, stare, probe and dissect it with laser beamed precision (...mixed metaphors not withstanding). It was swell of TCM to put Sturges’ 24-karat gems on display like diamonds, rubies and emeralds laying before us like in a glass at Tiffany’s.

His observations and commentary on the human condition are incisive ( think of V incisors V ). The comedy might have a vinegary bite, BUT the humor is so fast and furious the medicine goes down quickly, and, hopefully, gives you food for thought later as you wrap your aching ribs.

As the evening unfolded, I smiled when I saw the same character actors used over and over and over again. I’ve got to go to IMDB and research those names. You just know they knew each other’s rhythms and timing. Oh boy, Esther Howard trying to put the moves on Joel McCrea. She kind of looks like a female Raymond Walburn...those eyes! What I also know is this: his “go-to” guy has got to be WILLIAM DEMAREST. Feisty & irascible, you can put him in any role and Demarest can do ANYthing; be a father, a Marine, a bodyguard. I never fully appreciated his talent more than seeing him over and over...and over again, Saturday night, yellin’, screamin’ and scowling! He’s a human diamond in the rough. ( Bang! Bang! ) He was born to work with Sturges. Was he Sturges’ alter ego or were the male leads?

For me, the shock and awe of the first twenty minutes of “Sullivan’s Travels” was worth more than the last ten years of movies. A hyperbolic claim, you say. Yeah, maybe. Sturges might’ve been a little “wham, bam...” but he’ll give you a chance to catch your breath before he makes you run the gauntlet again. Just make sure you fasten your seatbelt.

These are some of the ( very very general ) observations I noticed, but things happen too fast and furiously to give many examples of each:

( * ) He packs sight gags upon sight gags. And not only are sight gags piled one on top of another...but there’s the fast repetitive wordplay too. I’m not sure if Cagney or Roz Russell would have the delicate finesse for Sturges, but they definitely had the speed to spit out his words. Hmmmm...I wonder why Cary Grant or Lombard didn't get a Sturges shot in the arm.

One small moment stands out for me in “The Great McGinty.” Donlevy & Tamiroff are having one of their typical all-out brawls. They cause such a commotion that they bring the governor’s (Donlevy) staff a-running. One of the characters quietly walks in the opposite direction of the brouhaha, throws his gun in the garbage and quickly walks away. Funny. (BTW, did the lead actress remind anybody else of Irene Dunne?)

( * ) There are set pieces of insanity, where the world turns topsy turvy; that wild bus ride throughout the countryside...the entire neighborhood community turns on the merchants who wants their gifts returned. Oh, and turning the Club Car into a shooting gallery in “The Palm Beach Story” to name a few.

I usually cringe when I see the “feets-do-yo-stuff” type schtick given to Black performers back then. But when I saw the cook in the kitchen during that bus ride flailing and falling and pots and pans and flour going every which way, I roared. I saw that he was just part of the madness just like everyone else. When Demarest and his buddy start using live ammo in the club car and shot out the window, my jaw dropped. How absurd & insane to start shooting in close proximity. Again, I couldn’t help laughing. And who doesn’t laugh at a little comedic anarchy?? I also appreciated that Sturges had to spend time doing each set-piece and give it his whole attention...so it could really stand alone. It wasn't just slopped together. Thought. Preparation.

( * ) Everybody gets a chance to get into the act and be nonsensical from the leads down to the bit players, and non-sensical surnames.

The train porter in “The Palm Beach Story” gets to tell how the rich guy only gave him a dime tip from NY to Florida. The crinkling sound Rudy Vallee’s glasses made ev’ry time they broke.

Darn it, I fell asleep on “Hail The Conquering Hero” but only b’cuz it was two in the morning. I got my second wind at 4:AM with “The Palm Beach Story.” But I saw enough to know that if Sturges was involved in the casting ( I’ve got to read up on him ) he did an excellent job. His leads have great chemistry with each other.

Joel McCrea / Veronica Lake......... “Sullivan’s Travel”
Brian Donlevy / Akim Tamiroff..... “The Great McGinty”
Dick Powell / Ellen Drew............... “Christmas in July”
Stanwyck / Fonda......................... “The Lady Eve”
Eddie Bracken / Ella Raines........... “Hail the Conquering Hero”
Joel McCrea / Claudette Colbert.... “The Palm Beach Story”

They really do fit each other like a glove. Craziness surrounds them and events grow out of control.

I've seen all of these movies at least once or in pieces some time or another. But this past Saturday, I left a friend's barbecue early to get home in time to see the Sturges festival. Who needs bbq hamburger or chicken when you can have steak...or diamonds.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Don't step away Nancy, I didn't care for Hail The Conquering Hero, perhaps I will if I see it again.


I forgot about The Lady Eve, add that to my favourites :D
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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knitwit45
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by knitwit45 »

Isn't it funny that one or two movies can be absolute favorites (Palm Beach Story and The Lady Eve) while the rest of his movies leave me cold? I'm sure that's the case with many of our people here at the O...love one, dislike another..film, that is.... 8)
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by charliechaplinfan »

Yes, I saw Sullivan's Travels and The Lady Eve and thought how wonderful they were and Hail The Conquering Hero was so dissappointing by comparison. That was perhaps the problem, I was expecting a film like the other two, if I watched it again I'd probably get more from it. We can't like everything.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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JackFavell
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by JackFavell »

I've noticed with Sturges that every fan has at least one if not a couple of his films that they don't like.

I wasn't sure about Sullivan's Travels, didn't like Hail the Conquering Hero much (except for Eddie Bracken's speech to the crowd where they think he's just being modest) and I still haven't been able to get through Unfaithfully Yours.

However, I have revised my opinion on ST, and Hail is growing on me.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by Rita Hayworth »

JackFavell wrote: I wasn't sure about Sullivan's Travels, didn't like Hail the Conquering Hero much (except for Eddie Bracken's speech to the crowd where they think he's just being modest) and I still haven't been able to get through Unfaithfully Yours.

However, I have revised my opinion on ST, and Hail is growing on me.
I have seen both Sullivan's Travels and Hail the Conquering Hero too ... I like Travel better than Hero. I just don't care for Hero and I've seen it twice and vowed never see it again. I love Travels and I seen it and it's has better acting and script.

And, I have not seen Unfaithfully Yours yet.
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movieman1957
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by movieman1957 »

Nancy:

I'm kind of opposite of you. Never cared for "The Lady Eve" though I like Fonda and Coburn very much. I don't care for the way Fonda's character is treated so I don't like the film.

I like "Creek" and I think it is funny for a variety of reasons but I think the basic story is funny in retrospect because it must have been so shocking at the time it was done. Now it wouldn't seem so surprising. I think the way Bracken treats her helps soften the seriousness of the situation.

I haven't seen "Hero" in sometime but I remember liking it. An older me may not enjoy it so much.

And as far as your opinions go, no reason to apologize. It's just us.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by charliechaplinfan »

I've seen Unfaithfully Yours, I wasn't overly keen either, it seems he either hits the spot or his films are a bit of a misfire wit hme. I think I like the zanier, more screwball type of movies.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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JackFavell
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Re: Preston Sturges

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My father told me his favorites -

1. The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
2. The Palm Beach Story
3. The Great McGinty
4. The Sin of Harold Diddlebock


He said that back in the 1940's, he loved McGinty, seeing it at the age of eleven. What we don't realize today is that when The Miracle of Morgan's Creek came out 3 years later, Donlevy and Tamiroff were unbilled in the prologue. NO one knew that there would be a "quote" from McGinty in the picture. In some ways, this made the beginning and end of the picture that much funnier to audiences of the time. They really appreciated Donlevy and Tamiroff reprising their roles in the new film.

He also noted to me that Sturges player and character actor from way back Raymond Walburn looked not only like Esther Howard but like Esky, the Esquire Magazine mascot:

http://eclecticentertaining.blogspot.co ... hosts.html
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CineMaven
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Re: Preston Sturges

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ESKY???!!! Ha. You're dad is right.

Again, I've got to tell you, I see all the work you did posting Sturges' Rogue's Gallery. Excellent job. I still love Hitchcock. But now I want to have an affair with Sturges.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

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JackFavell
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by JackFavell »

Right now, I think you are the most experienced of us all in Sturges, having sat up all night watching every one of them in a row.

I liked your 'incisors" paragraph. It's true, his caustic humor, nay, even, dare I say, pessimistic views are masked with that one two punch of physical slapstick. It goes down easy.

I wish you had seen The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. I am most familiar with it, then The Palm Beach Story. Christmas in July is rapidly moving up my list. The more I think about it, the more I love that speech by Harry Hayden, Dick Powell's boss. Looks like I need a marathon of Sturges myself.

So I am curious, was there one that really got you? A personal favorite? Was there one that you didn't like so much? I agree that his casting is phenomenal, there is an easy, sexy rapport between his leads in pretty much every movie.

Alice told me yesterday, after watching Sully's Travels, that she didn't like my old movies that much because you always know which couple is going to get together at the end. Sheesh. She's right, but that's half the fun! I should show her The Palm Beach Story.
RedRiver
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Re: Preston Sturges

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The first twenty minutes of this film is better than the last ten years of movies.

When talk turns to the great screen comedies, I mean the very top shelf, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS is the one that comes to mind. It's silly, romantic, socially conscious and disturbing. And it settles the initial argument of whether people want light comedy or "important content." Preston Sturges gives them both! The story is plot oriented. Mistaken identity, misplaced money, wrongful conviction. It's character driven. None of this would have happened had it not been for Sully's quest. It drives to its climax in high fashion.

This is not my favorite comedy. It's not the funniest or the most artful. It is the one whose greatness shines through. It's the one I would show a "drama snob" whose attitude was "it's only a comedy." Not only. It's also one of The Great American Movies.
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JackFavell
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by JackFavell »

That's a great, great review, Red.

And it's interesting when you say it's character driven. Sully is suffering from a huge case of hubris. Very modern hubris. I never thought of it before your post, but his travels are kind of a modern take on Greek literature. Even the fact that he always winds up in Hollywood can be a parable for man's lot in life. I'm so glad you posted. Fascinating.
RedRiver
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Re: Preston Sturges

Post by RedRiver »

I've never heard anything really good about UNFAITHFULLY YOURS. I haven't seen Sturges' film. The 1980's remake is positively dreary!
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