WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[JackFavell]

Great to hear that, ChiO. it's always an adventure going to see the Coen Bros.' movies, but I've been waiting for a movie as powerful as Barton Fink for a while.

[ChiO]

I think it is as powerful, but in a quieter way. It doesn't have quite the bizarre and perverse comic touches of BARTON FINK; however, John Goodman, in a relatively small role (in terms of on-screen time) once again provides most of the bizarre and perverse comic touches it does have.

It may be too obvious, but when this comes out on DVD, I think I'll do a home double-feature with CRAZY HEART.

[JackFavell]

Can't wait to see it. Thanks for the double feature advice. I really liked Crazy Heart, so this is all good.

[CineMaven]

I love "The Marrying Kind." I think it is one of Cukor's best films. A wonderful, daring movie that is a true rollercoaster of emotions. (And I like seeing Charles Bronson in the background.)...

I saw Charles Bronson as an extra, as one of the guys ribbing Aldo with earplugs as a wedding gift. He didn't have a line, but he was laughing with the other fellas. Also saw Gordon Jones ( "Mike the Cop" from the "Abbott and Costello" tv show ) in that scene.

T, I'm glad you gave The Marrying Kind a chance. Thank you for a great write-up. I think it's one of Cukor's best, and showcases Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray well. I'm with you all the way on their voices--you have to adjust to them, but then it seems right. The writing gives us perspective on the couple that they don't have, but never condescends to them. This is hard to manage.

The Marrying Kind takes an unexpected turn, just like Terms of Endearment, and to me it's more successful at marrying the opposing tones, almost different genres.

Thanx Brother Rat. I like what you say about the writing giving us perspective that the couple doesn't have. Nice! Didn't even think of "Terms of Endearment" but I see wha'cha mean.

For Aldo Ray at his sweetest, try We're No Angels. Bogie, Ustinov, Rathbone, Bennett. Delicious!!!

Love We're No Angels...perfect for this time of year!

Thanx Ladies! I'll give that one a try. I've always avoided that movie. ( Don’t like my Bogey funny. ) But now...Now I have an incentive. Thanx again!

I have the same maternal...well, maybe not so maternal....feelings for Aldo. He was a cutie pie when he was starting out, that's for sure. The noir is called Nightfall, I think. I don't know why I have such a mental block for the name of that movie...

You're right...uhmmmm..."maternal" doesn't quite describe it. "Nightfall" is on my radar.

THE MARRYING KIND is clever, thoughtful and touching. Extremely well written. My completely insane brother ("John Ford was the only great filmmaker") considers it an underrated masterpiece. And there's not a cavalry charge in it!

Red Rover Red Rover...I was quite pleasantly surprised.

[CineMaven]

Don't worry about Born Yesterday, I'm sure you are going to enjoy it. Try it, you'll like it! After all, you've got charming William Holden to hold your hand through it. And for me, he's at his best looking, most ingratiating here.

Born Yesterday is a favorite in our family. Holliday is wonderful as the dumb blonde who always isn't so dumb. There are some poignant moments too.

* * * * *

Egads, I’m hooked.

I am hooked, lined and sinkered on JUDY HOLIDAY. I thought she did an amazing job in “BORN YESTERDAY.” She can make you laugh or wring tears out of you. She’s rather innocently heartbreaking.

I like how the movie unfolds. It takes its time, and doesn’t have some pat, magical, instaneous movie stuff in it. I’ll explain that in a bit. All kudoes to GEORGE CUKOR who directs this film with ease and GARSON KANIN whose writing is sharp and incisive. ( Cukor directs Holliday in “Born Yesterday” “The Marrying Kind” and “Winged Victory.” ) As you already know, the cast includes HOLLIDAY ( as "Bille Dawn" ) and WILLIAM HOLDEN ( you're right Wendy, he IS ingratiating, as nice guy, bookwormed Henry Higgins Reporter "Paul Verrall." ) I kept waiting for him to get take off his glasses and get tough. But again I was pleasantly surprised, and kind of kept off-kilter by the movie not going according to Hoyle. And I like how Cukor withholds letting us hear That Voice. I was waiting for it. When she bellows out a “WHAT?!!!” I burst out laughing. She cuts quite a sight with that Las Vegas show girl figure of hers and that Voice which is part of her character's DNA. Whereas I had a little problem in “The Marrying Kind” with her voice until I got used to it, here in “Born Yesterday” I was totally accepting. BRODERICK CRAWFORD ( as Junkyard King/Bluto "Harry Brock" ) is the brutish loutish rich boyfriend. This could be a thankless unsympathetic role, but he revels in his meanness. Cukor and Kanin do NOT pull punches on this meanness. He bellows and shouts and intimidates. As his assistant Jim Devery says: “Don’t mind him. He’s always lived at the top of his voice.” The Assistant is played by Howard St. John a very good foil for Broderick Crawford. Just check him out on the sidelines; he shows the effects of 'selling out' very well and swallows his pride with an alcohol chaser.



Harry Brock mixes it up with the politicos in D.C. and it's apparent that Billie is out of her element. I'm hurt to see that she’s seen as an embarassment.

* * *



Harry, who ain’t no Emily Post himself, realizes he’s got to get Billie some class if he wants to hang with the hoi polloi of Washington, D.C.. Appearance, class and bearing are important for this crowd and he gets reporter Paul, to polish up Billie. She’s none to happy about it and realizes that Harry thinks something’s wrong with her.

* * *



...And so the lessons begins. Newspapers, books, music, philosophies. And no joke...it’s daunting for Billie to take it all in. There’s no magic pill. You know how movies are; characters take a magic pill and totally do a 180-degree turn. I kept anticipating that. Her education is causing acute cognitive dissonance. ( How's THAT for being fancy schmancy? ) I kept being thrown off to see that her thirst for knowledge was not met with a change of voice or delivery. I marvelled at Holliday. She’s playing a character, just as Chaplin played the Little Tramp. She plays the Ditzy Blonde. And in “Born Yesterday” Holliday gives Billie, a full life. Tales of her sad homelife hurt my heart. She wears her ‘bump and grind’ chorus days comfortably. She is poignant. And IN her own world.

* * *



I marvelled at Holliday in this card game scene. I didn’t find her hamming it up. It spoke to Billie’s character, putting her mind to something. Ha! Cukor just keeps the camera on Holliday. Oh my, we watch her like Crawford's character watches her. She deals, she counts, she hums, she’s in her own skin. I reveled in her antics. She's oblivious because she really is her own person.

And then Billie falls for Paul.

* * *



Ahhhh love. What better motivator is love. Billie's incentive is now Paul. To tell the truth, I was just the teensiest suspect that Paul falls for Billie so quickly. I kept waiting for him to drop the other shoe. You know...get her smart and edumacated, and then tell her “we live in two different worlds. I gotta go.” But he didn’t and it made me soooo happy. But there was a long way to go till that happy ending. We have a travelogue through the sights of Washington which Billie learns about. We watch how Billie incorporates her new-found knowledge into her everyday way of speaking. She becomes disturbed by this new-found knowledge. It's not quite sitting right with the way she and Harry relate. She's struggling.

* * *



The tensest moment comes when she won't sign any more corporate documents. You see, Harry now regrets getting her educated. He liked her dumb. ( She's said, “He’s right. I’m stupid. I like it.” ) But now she's questioning things and saying no. When she's refused to sign some contracts, Harry comes in the room as she's looking up a word in the dictionary. He stands on the staircase seething; she stops dead in her tracks at the book. ( Remember when slaves were not allowed to learn to read or write? ) She tries to stand courageous but is smacked down by Harry. Literally. His slap shook me. Harry's menace is intense. But you know what, he's really afraid. I think all his bravado is fear-based. He can't afford to lose. His dollars and cents and self-worth depends on his intimidation. “I don’t own nothing cheap, except you!” Oooh, that was a brutal thing for him to say to her. He bullies Jim, he bullies the politician, he bullies his cousin, he's bullied Paul ( who rather laughs at him ) and he's bullied Billie...but not for long. I silently cheered her ( and Lesley Gore's ) response “You don't own me.”

* * *



I kind of held my breath to see how this would all play out. Billie not wanting to sign, getting slapped, telling Paul and getting those papers back. Like I said earlier, I kept waiting for Holden to take off his glasses and knock off Crawford's block, but that didn't happen. And that again kept me off-balance, paying attention, and kind of kept me at the edge of my seat. “I know one thing I never knew before. I know there's something better.”

Judy Holliday's fellow Academy Award-nominees for Best Actress of 1950 were

Eleanor Parker..."Caged"
Bette Davis........"All About Eve"
Gloria Swanson.."Sunset Boulevard"
Anne Baxter......"All About Eve."

I know the theories about why Judy won ( Baxter canceling out Davis. ) Never having seen this movie, I just knew Judy didn't belong. And I was kind of thinking I wasn't going to like the movie. Well... ...now having actually seen Judy Holliday's performance in “BORN YESTERDAY” I can safely say in my heart...she was a very worthy nominee.

[JackFavell]

Thanks for posting this Masha! I am so glad you did, since I was salivating at Peter Lorre and Erich Von Stroheim in the same movie. Plus that title....well who wouldn't want to watch it with that title? I've only seen Zorina a couple of times, only in dance movies. I always thought she was beautiful. But I guess she was no actress.

[JackFavell]

Maven, I somehow knew that you and Born Yesterday were a good match, if not a great one. The writing I think is what keeps us hooked on this movie. There's a lot of wit here, and I thought you might enjoy it.

The sexiness between Holliday and Holden really plays beautifully, they have a serious chemistry, right from the start. I so like Holden, holding back, a bit shy, more serious but with a great sense of humor. When he finally kisses her, I like how he just falls into it, letting go, taking the lead ("well, if you don't know, I must be doing it wrong"). He's no patsy, no wimp. Just chooses a different way to fight. I wasn't sure if you were going to like him here, because I know you like your men a little more rough. Holden does a great job walking that fine line between being a show-offy know-it-all and a principled man fighting for what's right. I like his form of intellectualism, not pushy or constantly explaining, but there when you need him. He's kind of the alter ego to Barbara Stanwyck in Meet John Doe. Idealistic but able to live in the real world too...only he doesn't sell out. I talked about Joseph Cotten last night being just the right mix of gentlemanly comfort for a woman, I think Holden does the same thing here in a role that could be preachy. And he never loses his manhood - he's still strong, not a sissy, even though he never lands a punch. There's a lot of warmth here.

As for Judy, well, I find her terribly poignant. You mentioned all the scenes that make her performance so special. The card game is INCREDIBLE. I can't imagine playing that scene any other way, she is just hilarious and her comic timing is PERFECT. When an actress says she can't imagine a scene being played any better, you have to take it as a great compliment, because we are a jealous lot, prone to always watching the flaws of other actresses to show we could do it better. There is no better than Judy in this scene. There is not one way to improve that scene in a million years. Pity the poor girl who walks in Holliday's shoes trying to play this role. She brings it ALL, comedy wise.

Likewise, her serious scenes. The pathos she brings when talking about her father, and when Harry hits her.... the sobbing, the fear, and then the ANGER ("Do me a favor, Harry. DROP DEAD.") and final triumph...well, you really WANT her to come out on top, to get a better life. It's almost heartbreaking the way she plays it. She's so invested in the role, she really IS Billie. No small feat with that voice and the cartoony start of the character. And she's sexy. I LOVE how she always seems to be in a world of her own... when the senator tells asks her how many lines she had, she's already lost track of the conversation. It is a skilled performer who can take all these elements and bring them together to fit into a real flesh and blood person. I have nothing but the highest regard for Judy Holliday as an actress and comedienne. No matter that she was up against the best, in their best performances, she IS a worthy candidate. I think she must have felt like sinking into the ground collecting that academy award in front of the competition that year. But the obvious work she put into her character probably made those other actresses think twice about how they approached their next roles.

Broderick Crawford really does a fantastic job here, in a bit of a thankless role. As much as I would have liked to see Paul Douglas play this part (he was the original Harry Brock on Broadway), I can't see a thing that Broderick Crawford did wrong. He added that dimension that makes you feel a bit sorry for Harry, because you know he just lost the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he will never raise his eyes above the garbage heap. You said he was motivated by fear... I totally agree, he's a frightened man, blustering and beating to get his own way, like a big child who has found out he's strong but has nothing else to back it up. He's the dumb one, stuck being dumb because he likes it, and is too afraid to take steps to change it. Bluto is just the right name for him.

One of my favorite players in the film is enabler Howard St. John who manages to be subservient even as a congressman and still get some wildly sarcastic zingers in at Harry's expense. His is another rather heartbreaking performance. There's a reality behind the comedy here, with well drawn, almost dramatic characters thrown into the comedy mix, like St. John's alcoholic character. Maybe that's what keeps me coming back to this movie. Also have to shout out Frank Otto as Harry's errand boy, a type - gangster buddy par excellence.

Anyway, I am so glad you took the plunge to watch something out of your zone. You are constantly surprising me, Maven. You and Billie have a lot in common, a thirst to learn something new every day.

[movieman1957]

DOUBLE NEGATIVE!

One of my favorite lines that I can't remember the first part of but is when Judy offers Bill "or would you like a little action?" Kind of bold but somehow not to sleazy. It's more flirtatious.

The thing I like in Judy's character is how hard learning is for her. It doesn't come easy and it doesn't so much transform her as it just adds a new dimension to her.

Now, Maven if you want more Holliday you should go get "It Should Happen To You" and "The Solid Gold Cadillac." There isn't a lot more though so love what you can.

[JackFavell]

Yes, I love the surprise of that 'would you like a little action' line coming out of this sweet girl's mouth. It's so funny and unexpected. And sexy. And if confronted with William Holden, I'd probably say the same thing!

[RedRiver]

My "Theatre to Film" choices this weekend were not as pleasant as Judy's holiday. SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH has much going for it. Character, conflict. The whole Tennessee Williams sordid lifestyle. Strong performances by Rip Torn, Geraldine Page and Ed Begley. But some painfully awkward flashbacks drag the story down. I don't know the play, but I hope it doesn't have people saying "Years ago, after my nervous breakdown..." There must be a better way to fill in the exposition! The machinations of family and political gangs are intriguing. The self-serving choices and consequences are dramatic. I like that this story of attempted resurrection centers around Easter festivities. But the issues of the present crash head-on into less entertaining remembrances.

SUMMER AND SMOKE, also by the cynical southern dramatist, is simply dreary. This one has nothing going for it. These characters make choices too. But the results are tedious and predictable. The characters are unpleasant. The story one we've seen countless times. Ms. Page once again is featured. She's always good. But her character is a wee-wee! I'm not sure I've ever liked Laurence Harvey in a movie. (Maybe THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM!) He's a fine actor. He's just...a jerk! I don't like the man. Both these characters would be better placed in the first reel of a slasher film. Get it over with!

The movie feels long. I'm not sure of the running time. (16 hours?) All I know is, I kept thinking it was over when, in fact, it wasn't. That's a terrible thing to say about a movie. I'm proud to have said it!

[CineMaven]

The movie feels long. I'm not sure of the running time. (16 hours?) All I know is, I kept thinking it was over when, in fact, it wasn't. That's a terrible thing to say about a movie. I'm proud to have said it!

That's funny. Wendy and I were just ragging on "Hollywood Revue of 1929." We thought THAT movie would never end.

I like Geraldine Page. She seems dangerously unbalanced to me. She and Kim Stanley. They both keep me on the edge of my seat. I love hokey F. Murray Barrymore Abraham giving out this award to Ms. Page. He's a hoot:

[JackFavell]

Gosh you made me laugh hard at your comment about Summer and Smoke. I can't bear Geraldine Page, but for me Summer and Smoke is made just barely alright to watch because of Una Merkel.

[RedRiver]

G. Page and K. Stanley were born to do Tennessee Williams!