PATHS OF GLORY (1957)

Color Me Kubrick Month (Post #5)

Paths of Glory

This anti-war/political manipulation classic set in the French trenches of World War I still remains a powerful work today.

Here are three memorable scenes:

1)The battle scene. And there's only one. And It's not expansive. But it is effective.

2)The courtroom scene. Kirk Doulas vs. Richard "Six Million Dollar Man's boss" Anderson. A stunning example of justice not served.

3) The scene with the firing squad featuring the cowardly squad leader having to blind fold the man he unfairly chose to be executed as well as the always bizarre Timothy Carey.

THE KILLING (1956)

Any list of must see films of the magnitude of the number 1001 should basically just inlcude "entire Stanly Kubrick catalog." It practically does, though The Killing is strangely absent from the 1001 list.

Color Me Kubrick month (Post #1)

The Killing (1956)

Expectations before watching again: Classic film noir. First of the great Stanley Kurbrick films. A favorite. And why is this not in the 1001 book again?

After viewing: The great heist in the film told by different viewpoints (which is the reason Kubrick chose this source material) is what really sets this apart. The cast of character actors is quite good, the ending (different from Lionel White’s book) is a doozy and everything really comes together here. One question though: What is the deal with Maurice,the Russian chess player/wrestler whose dialogue is almost incomprehensible?

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Elisha Cook Jr. I’ve made many posts on this blogsite giving out my imaginary Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award. I think the main reason I decided to do it was because of Mr. Cook in this movie.

In The Killing, Cook becomes part of the elaborate plan to rob the racetrack. It’s the one chance he has to impress his sexy blonde wife, who they both know is out of his league. Of course, she’s two-timing him, doesn’t really love him and you could almost feel sorry for the guy if he weren’t so naïve. Small of stature and rather plain looking, Described by critic Leonard Maltin as “the ultimate nebbish,” Mr. Cook had a long career that ran from The Maltese Falcon to The Big Sleep to Shane to The Killing to Rosemary’s Baby to later as a lawyer on the Court-Martial episode of Star Trek and then as Ice Pick on the television show Magnum P. I.

Always a second banana and usually a good bet to not survive to the film’s closing credits, Cook proves that you can have a long career in Hollywood by getting bumped off a lot.

ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953)

It’s OK for a guy to watch a Romance/Chick flick/ Women’s picture month (Film 4 of 12)

It’s OK for a guy to watch a Romance/Chick flick/ Women’s picture if...

Audrey Hepburn is in it.

CARMEN JONES (1954)

Musicals Month (Film 12 of 12)

I really didn’t know what to expect from Carmen Jones. A more modern retelling of Bizet’s Carmen done with an all-black cast? But after viewing, I can see why the movie was included on the 1001 list. It has the music, or at least traces of the original operatic music, integrated nicely into updated songs by Oscar Hammerstein. And the cast is very good, especially Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen. It also made me want to listen to the music of the original Carmen, which I suppose is as good an endorsement as any.

Two things I learned from watching eleven musicals in a row
1. I appreciate them more having watched so many in a row, however…
2. Don’t watch them in a row. You may end up suffering from musicals overload. Spread them out next time.

SONG OF THE SOUTH (1946)

Musicals Month (Film 11 of 12)

I saw this movie in re-relaease at the Fox Theater in Atlanta in the early 70’s. I thought it was wonderful at the time. The main character was this whiny kid, so it was definitely someone I could relate to! The best part of the film is of course, the imaginative stories of Uncle Remus about Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox (whose voice sounds just like Eddie Murphy to me). It was quite a wonder to see the cartoon characters and live action actors interact.

Seeing it today, the story is a bit thin. Eh, so what? The wonder is still there for me, because the Uncle Remus stories are still imaginative and fun. Too bad the film isn’t in wider distribution.

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (1953)

Musicals Month (Film 9 of 11)

Marilyn Monroe’s other entries on the 1001 list (Her small but memorable role in The Asphalt Jungle and the classic Some Like it Hot) are both films I like more than this one . But Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is probably the film that shows Marilyn (as Lorelei Lee) at her most Monroeviest. I'm talking about the ditz who is a bit of a golddigger, but still comes equipped with a healthy supply of gold already in her heart. And we also get to see her perform “Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend,” probably her most famous screen moment. My favorite line in the movie comes from veteran character actor Charles Coburn, who replies to Lorelei’s line that she was expecting someone older when she meets him with, “Older than what?”

P. S. Jane Russell isn’t exactly chopped liver either, and does a pretty good Marilyn impersonation during the courtroom scene.

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954)

Musicals month (Film 8 of 11)

The best way to find a wife, as we all know, is to throw a sack over their head and abduct them, especially when seven brothers desperately need wives. Well, there is a suspension of disbelief when it comes to musicals that you have to accept, because it is usually more about the songs and how they fit into the plot. Of course, this one may be more memorable for its dance numbers. And it also takes an even greater suspension of disbelief to accept these rustic mountain folk dancing so gracefully and so damn well. I do think the dance numbers are the highlight of the picture. My favorite is the number where the brothers are chopping wood, dancing, twirling with axes and pining about how they’d rather be sleeping with women than with sheep.

Wunderkind: Stanley Donen directed (or co-directed) three entries on the 1001 list: On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, all well before his thirtieth birthday!

The seven brothers include future Jet from West Side Story, Russ Tamblyn.

The seven brides include: Future Catwoman Julie Newmar (Newmeyer) and future dice roller from the 70’s Alex Trebek game show High Rollers, Ms. Ruta Lee.

GUYS AND DOLLS (1953)

Musicals month (Film 7 of 11)

I’ll be brief since all these musicals are beginning to wear me out-Engaging story, some pretty good songs, but some of the scenes with Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons are a bit long. When I see Brando and Sinatra together I can’t help but think of Brando in The Godfather in his scenes with the Sinatra stand-in Johnny Fontaine. Is that just me?

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)

Musicals month (Film 5 of 11)

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

This most famous of musicals is a pretty interesting piece to see after just seeing the recent Oscar-winning film The Artist cover similar terrain.

The plot of Singin' in the Rain involves two silent movie stars who have trouble adjusting to the new "talking" picture phenomenon. It's funniest moments involve either Jean Hagen and her grating voice or Gene Kelly's sidekick Donald O'Connor.

Kelly's mammoth Broadway Melody number is memorable,though his waterlogged rendition of the title song is such a part of movie lore it overshadows virutally everything else.

THE BAND WAGON (1953)

Musicals month (4 or 11)

The Band Wagon (1953)

So that's where the song That's Entertainment came from first! Or did I already know that?

The thing about watching a lot of muscials in a row is that you get to the point where you say to yourself, why did I choose to watch so many musicals in a row? So I went into watching The Band Wagon with probably not the best of attitudes. All I knew about it was that rather over-the-top triplets number where Fred Astaire, Nanette Fabray and the other guy do that rather annoying song dressed as babies.

But as I watched, I began to like the whole musical within a musical storyline. The numbers seem pretty inspired to my untrained eye and Astaire and Cyd Charrise make a pretty good team. And the other guy (Brit Jack Buchanan) is pretty good, too.

BREATHLESS (1959, FRANCE)

Le bloc en cinq tableaux

Tableux one: Introduction to Godard

Everything seems so inconsequential, yet so substantial and full of meaning.

I apologize. Jean-Luc Godard’s landmark French New Wave film Breathless has left me totally confused and resonating with clarity.

Or does it?

I am indeed breathless.

But is it a good breathless or a bad breathless?

Breathless has the feel of a documentary, but some of the contrivances and unnecessary film edits never let you forget it’s a movie.

Is he trying to say something about the duality of man?

Godard tries to make his film different than anything that came before it, but he openly embraces traditional Hollywood films.

Round up the usual suspects, but ignore them.

Important plot points, like the killing of the police officer that has the main character on the run are rushed through and scenes with inconsequential small talk linger and linger.

What is he running from again?

This film is now fifty years old. Has anybody really figured it out yet? A lot of people have, but nobody has.

I’m in a morass of confusion. I am not ready to commit an opinion on this.

What does Ebert say? What did Gerald Mast say again? What does the blogsophere say?

No, No. Forget all that. I’ve got to work this out on my own.

One film isn’t enough.

I've got to see more Godard.

Which is good.

And bad.

I’m honestly in a quandary. Have I already said morass?

Everything seems so inconsequential, yet so substantial and full of meaning.

SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)

Chicago/Prohibition week (4 of 7)

Day 4 Some Like It Hot (1959)

Billy Wilder’s classic film has Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis playing two Chicago musicians that witness the St. Valentine’s Day massacre and have to go in disguise as women and join an all-girl band featuring Marilyn Monroe. The AFI voted Some Like It Hot the number one comedy of all-time and bascially, any fan of film really should see Some Like It Hot.

Random thoughts: I like the way George Raft’s coin flipping from Scarface was reprised here. I think Jack Lemmon in drag is especially good among a lively cast. And Marilyn’s “I Want to Be Loved By You,” was reprised by Lou Ann Poovie in an episode of Gomer Pyle…I did say these were random thoughts.

“Well, nobody’s perfect.”

TITANIC : THE MUSICAL (1997); JAMES CAMERON'S TITANIC (1997) vs A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (1997)

Benjamin Guggenheim from Titanic: The Musical:
Is it possible, do you think, that we have this coming? I can’t help remembering something Balzac wrote. He said, “Behind every great fortune lies a great crime. So let’s confess it. Who wants to start?”

I was not very familiar with Titanic: the Musical until our community theater put on a production in the Spring of 2012. When I was approached about appearing in it, in my hubris I agreed and thought I could handle this with no problem. Equipped with a set of song and dance skills that are a bit below professional standards, I soon found myself a bit over my head.

I quickly found myself like Sam Beckett from an episode of Quantum Leap where I leaped into the body of (some Broadway actor, I don’t know, Tommy Tune maybe?) a song and dance man with the pressure to perform at a high level.

I was playing the millionaire “playboy” Benjamin Guggenheim who (spoiler alert!) goes down with the ship after getting his French mistress safely on the lifeboat.

These are the songs I had to learn. (All the music throughout the show is very good, much of it quite inspiring.)

Act I
“Godspeed Titanic”
The opening. The words to this one came fairly easily, but I found it really hard to sing in spots. I hear people around me singing it so beautifully. I just hope I don’t mess it up too much.

“What a Remarkable Age This Is.”
A very fun song. I do enjoy a lot of the lyrics in this one.

“A fellas invented see through film, he calls it cellophane, another has built a parachute for jumping out of an airplane. Remarkable things flow endlessly throughout the human brain. Indeed and what a remarkable age this is.”

It was just a question of learning blocking on this one…and also how to properly put on a cummerbund.

“Ladies Maid”
The easiest part to learn, but did point out another problem. In this scene, I am not playing Benjamin Guggenheim, I am playing a third class passenger who is an aspiring millionaire. The problem is changing into a third class outfit after wearing a tuxedo after changing out my boarding outfit from the first scene. After this, I put back on my boarding outfit…not to mention wearing pajamas in scene two before once again putting on my boarding outfit. It’s not the lines or even the music I was most worried about-It’s the damn changing of clothes!

“Ladies Maid” is my favorite scene that I’m in the whole show. I have my only solo bit here.

“I want to be a millionaire! Millionaire in America strike it rich and spend the fortune I amass!”

Just hope my voice holds out as I don’t have a spare.

“The Latest Rag”
This song has the frightening possibility that I may have to dance. Yes, I’m dancing or something approximating dancing. This went from being my favorite song in the show to the one I dread the most. I had a friend who saw the show who said it was so great how you were pretending you couldn’t dance and your partner kept telling you what to do. Note to friend-I wasn’t pretending!

No Moon #2
Well there’s an iceberg dead ahead. Mr. Guggenheim and friends are playing a friendly game of cards and everyone is on the stage singing dramatically until we strike it. A wonderfully staged scene among many wonderfully staged scenes from our production.

Act II

Opening of Act II
Not a song…but I have to begin Act II by banging on John Jacob Astor’s door. So essentially if I forget my first line, we can’t do act 2. No pressure!

“Dressed in Your Pyjamas in the Grand Salon”
This has become about my favorite song in the whole show and not just because I get to sing it wearing pajamas! I wanted to do the scene carrying a teddy bear, but had to remind myself that I was playing Benjamin Guggenheim, not Thurston Howell the Third! I have some fun lines from a brief duet.

“Dressed in your pyjamas in the grand salon, looks to be bizarre to the extreme. Things would improve if the steward opens the bar!”

“Getting Into the Lifeboats”
Act frantic! The ship is going down! Don’t forget your cues. There is one part where I’m the only one singing. Of course, we’re high up on deck and in my one song line I’m basically going to just scream so the audience can hear.

Mr. Guggenheim then gets to repeat the quote from Balzac from the top of this page before going down with the ship.

“Finale”
Will be singing as one of the dead. (Alas, poor Benjamin did not survive the journey)

This has been an amazing experience. The musical talent around me has been inspiring (and a little intimidating) The sets were amazing (How’d they do that!). And the director’s vision for this project was titanic in every way.

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Benjamin Guggenheim from James Cameron’s Titanic: “We are dressed in our best and are prepared to go down as gentlemen-but we would like a brandy.”

Since this is a 1001 movie blog, I do have to mention James Cameron’s Titanic. Of course, it won countless awards, set box office records and had the now famous Jack and Rose love story, so any criticism I have of it will fall upon deaf ears, I’m sure. Not that I don’t find it a very worthwhile movie, with a pretty amazing recreation of the Titanic disaster. That being said, I found that there were so many stories going from the ship, the relentless focus on the Jack/Rose love story kept me asking what about the other stories from the ship? I mean the film is over three hours long! What about the millionaires? What about more from Mr. Andrews or the Captain? Where is the second class during all this? I would have preferred more of an ensemble piece, sort of like Nashville. That’s it! Robert Altman’s Titanic. Keep Jack and Rose, but just as one of many stories.
Favorite character not named Guggenheim: David Warner as Cal Hockley’s evil ex-policeman bodyguard.


Benjamin Guggenheim from A Night to Remember: “We have dressed now in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen…If anything should happen to me I would like my wife to know that I behaved decently.”

The 1958 film, A Night to Remember, based on the book by Walter Lord is more of an ensemble piece. The closest thing the film has to a main character is Mr. Lightoller, played by Kenneth More. The funny thing is that one of the criticism distributors in the United States had with this movie is that there wasn’t really a star, (James Cameron made sure with his film that this wouldn’t be an issue) but I agree with the assessment that the ship is the star. Yes, they get some of the technical points wrong, as they didn’t know the boat split in half until years later. That didn’t bother me too much, as the stories on board were still moving.
Favorite character not named Guggenheim: The drunk cook who casually floats to safety on deck chairs and survives none the worse for wear.

And the winner is: A Night to Remember. Yes, you should still see the James Cameron film, but let us remember A Night to Remember.

THE KILLING (1956)

(1950’s movie #11)

The Killing (1956)

Expectations: Classic film noir. First of the great Stanley Kurbrick films. A favorite. And why is this not in the 1001 book again?

After viewing: The great heist in the film told by different viewpoints (which is the reason Kubrick chose this source material) and is what really sets this apart. The cast of character actors is quite good, the ending (different from Lionel White’s book) is a doozy and everything really comes together here. One question: What is the deal with Maurice,the Russian chess player/wrestler who you can barely undersand any of his dialogue?

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Elisha Cook Jr. I’ve made many posts on this blogsite giving out my imaginary Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award. I think the main reason I decided to do it was because of Mr. Cook in this movie.

In The Killing, Cook becomes part of the elaborate plan to rob the racetrack. It’s the one chance he has to impress his blonde wife, who knows that she is out of his league. Of course, she’s two-timing him, doesn’t really love him and you could almost feel sorry for the guy if he weren’t so naïve. Small of stature and rather plain looking, Described by critic Leonard Maltin as “the ultimate nebbish,” Mr. Cook had a long career that ran from The Maltese Falcon to The Big Sleep to Shane to The Killing to Rosemary’s Baby to later as Ice Pick on the television show Magnum P. I.

Always a second banana and usually a good bet to not survive to the film’s closing credits, Cook proves that you can have a long career in Hollywood by getting bumped off a lot.

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950)

(1950’s movie #10)
The Asphalt Jungle

Expectations: I really don’t have any. I just know it was a John Huston film and isn’t to be confused with Richard Brook’s The Blackboard Jungle.

After viewing: I’m really surprised I hadn’t seen this before and knew so little about it. It’s a terrific heist movie and a very worthy follow-up for Huston to Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

Fact only I may find interesting: Co-star Louis Calhern starred in both The Asphalt Jungle and The Blackboard Jungle.

Marilyn sighting: One of Marilyn Monroe’s early roles. She is most fetching playing Calhern’s mistress. “Some sweet kid.”

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Sam Jaffe. Despite a strong supporting cast including James Whitmore, Jean Hagen and John McIntyre, I have to once again give the prestigious Cook award to Mr. Jaffe. This time he isn’t playing a bhisti bugle boy as in Gunga Din or a scientist as he did in The Day the Earth Stood Still, but a brilliant, logical, calculating criminal with one fatal flaw: a penchant for young women. (Apparently very, very, young)

GIGI (1958)

(1950’s movie #9)

Gigi (1958)

Expectations: I think I’ve done enough film noirs this month, so I figured this colorful musical is probably about as far away from film noir as a movie can get.

After viewing: Obviously this movie gets compared to My Fair Lady because they are both Lerner and Lowe and both are Best Picture Winners. I don’t like it as much as My Fair Lady, but it does have some winning musical numbers. And also if I’m doing this list, I might as well check off all the Oscar Winners I go through as well. I just hope this doesn’t mean I have to watch Broadway Melody of 1929 and Cimarron.


And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Maurice Chevalier. Yes, I must be getting older because I’ve come to actually like the old Frenchman. It’s hard to imagine this movie without his musical numbers, “Thank Heaven For Little Girls,” and “We Met at 9.”

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA (1958)

(1950’s movie #8)

The Old Man and the Sea (1958)

Expectations: Many of us had to read this book in school. I understand all it’s symbolism of man vs. nature, man vs. himself, yadda yadda yadda, et al. I get it, but it’s still not my favorite. I hadn’t seen the movie in a long time. Or have I just seen part of it anyway? On second thought, I'm pretty sure I haven't ever seen it all the way through.

After viewing: The film and book are basically a one-man show. Since much of the film had to be done with voice over narration while the fisherman was out to sea, this film really needed an actor with stature to pull it off. Luckily, they picked Spencer Tracy, possibly the greatest American screen actor of the 20th century. He actually succeeds for the most part, though it is slow going at times.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…The fish. I guess it’s that whole man vs. nature thing.

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957)

(1950’s movie #7)

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Expectations: Not in the 1001 book, but the combination of director Billy Wilder, writer Agatha Christie and stars Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power and Charles Laughton make this something that should be seen.

After viewing: I confess that the main reason I picked this movie is because I recently played a supporting part in a local theatrical production of it.* It’s most interesting to see the workings of the British legal system, though I do find the ending a bit much.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Charles Laughton. Now why would I give the supporting award to the actor who I consider the main player in the film and has the most important part? Well, he’s billed behind Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich and doesn’t even have his picture on the DVD release of the film! Laughton completely dominates the film and is the best reason to see it. So because of billing, I give him this award, though his wife Elsa Lanchester is pretty funny here, too.

*Support community theater and God Save the Queen!

THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA (1954)

(1950’s movie #6)

The Barefoot Contessa (1954):

Expectations: One of the more famous Humphrey Bogart movies I’ve yet to see.

After viewing: I can’t say this rags to riches story of a Spanish dancer who becomes an overnight movie star would be on my list of favorites, but it did have some interesting moments. Like Sunset Boulevard (and later American Beauty) we know the main character (Maria Vargas,played by Ava Gardner) has died in the opening scene and the movie is told in flashback. It also has multiple narrators, which did give the film some several different points of view, which does give us some additional insight into Maria's character. The Joseph L. Manciwickz script is pretty sharp, though I did find the movie a bit too talky at times.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Warren Stevens (the Doc in Forbidden Planet) I guess I could have given the to character actor Edmond O’Brien as the always sweating Public Relations agent, but I’ll give it to the arrogant and unlikable movie mogul, Kirk Edwards, played by Stevens. Interestingly, Stevens’s character is almost always referred to as “Kirk Edwards,” and never just by “Kirk” or “Mr. Edwards.” Kind of like that episode of The Brady Bunch where Marsha only refers to ex-Monkee Davy Jones as “Davy Jones.” Wait, I hear a buzzer in the background which means that I’ve made a Brady Bunch reference, so I must now end this blog. There was more I wanted to say, but rules are rules.

MAN OF THE WEST (1958)

(1950’s movie #5)

Man of the West (1958)

Expectations: I honestly hadn’t even heard of this one before I saw the listing in the 1001 Movie book.

After viewing: I think I appreciate the American Western more than I used to. Man of the West seems a little above standard Western fare of an ex-killer who has gone straight only through circumstances has to hook up with his old gang and mentor. It is enhanced by star Gary Cooper, playing the hero in one of his last roles.

Director Anthony Mann did a lot of Westerns and there’s a few more of his to go through in the book.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Arthur O’Connell. I grew up seeing Arthur O’Connell as the slightly annoying Mr. Goodwin from Crest commercials from the 70’s. Making sure that everyone that came in his general store purchased Crest seemed to be Goodwin's main reason for living.

But in previous years, Mr. O’Connell did make some memorable supporting film appearances in film such as Anatomy of a Murder. In Man of the West, he plays the comic relief, a big talker who acts rather cowardly when faced with problems-only to redeem himself before the end of the movie. So here’s to you, Mr. Goodwin!