A Summer Place 1959
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Films of the 1950's
“As for you Troy Donahue, I know what you wanna do!”
If you are Familiar with the ‘Notebook this is a must see this is the godfather of period thwarted teenage love ,but when they made this when it was actually based in its time, the dawning of the golden age of Camelot in American which ended abruptly with bye bye birdy and the assignation of JFK in 1963..
After 2o years of absence Ken Jorgenson (Richard Egan) comes back to Pine Island a Wealthy ,Exclusive Isolated community of the coast of Maine where he worked as a lifeguard as a teenager,Now A Millionaire he brings his family to the mansion belonging to the Hunters who’s servants quarters he used to sleep in . Now a Holiday House as the Hunters have lost their fortune Bart Hunter a chronic alcoholic ( Arthur Kennedy) is indignant at the prospect of having the former help Lord it over him, however when he arrives that is the very least of his troubles, and Old Flame between Ken and Barts Wife Sylvia (Dorothy McGuire) is rekindled and the Children of both Ken and Bart
Johnny (Troy Donahue) and Molly (Sandra Dee) fall madly in love, all Goes belly after Johnny and Molly spend the night washed overboard from a dingy alone on and island, when Molly’s Mother played Mercilessly by (Constance Ford) a morally bankrupt hypocrite , demands Molly have a Medical Examination by a doctor to see if her “Virginity” is in tact.After the examination Molly Runs away and Johnny threatens to kill Molly’s Mother because of whats shes made her daughter go through, its then revealed that Johnny’s Mother is Having an affair with Ken Molly’s dad.
The children are separated by the Lawyers the hatred for their family but Johnny and Molly Still Try to write to Each over despite that happens hoping upon hoping they will meet again someday.
This Film had Risque Dialogue and Subject matter for 1959 including infidelity, divorce and premarital sex , and you still feel for the who you consider to be the good people in this case the adulterous married lovers, and despise the morally superior and upper Middle Class for their greed and their selfishness .
The only things people will remember (if anything at all) about this film if the popular theme by Max Steiner (Gone with the Wind) and a little song from grease called ‘Look at me Im Sandra Dee” The Film may seem like a soap in all its 1959 CinemaScope glory , but it still has the desired affect,you do feel for Johnny and Molly and what terrible consequences brought the two together
and you hope against hope nothing will pull them asunder
Tags: Alcoholism, Based off Novel, Divorce, Forbidden Love, Infidelity, Lost Love, Love for Children, Love Triangle, Marriage, Max Steiner
The Seven Year Itch 1955
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
Here Comes The Breeze from the Subway
A Window into a cultural phenomenon perhaps long past
In the summer in New York during the hottest Month The Husbands of New York Send off their Wives and Children on Holiday to the beach for at least a month, in that time the Husbands shave, buy a new shirt get a facial, and go ‘Wild” ,they go get plastered on alcohol they stay out all night they get tattoos, and pick up women. ‘The Apartment’ and The Seven year Itch’ Chronicles this perhaps forgotten mid century pastime. Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell,” Adams Rib”) Like many of his fellow New Yorkians has sent his wife and kid off for the summer with stick instructions not to drink too much and not to smoke,Richard is a mind mannered man in a publishing company who is nearly sitting on 40 , Alone in his family’s apartment his imagination goes wild , he starts to imagine many beautiful women throwing themselves at him ,but rejecting them all on the basis of him being married, all of a sudden who walks into his life but
but one of the most sexy woman of the 20th century.
An unnamed girl (Marilyn Monroe) moves into the apartment upstairs,and gets her Fan , stuck in the doorway (so to speak) from then on Richards imagination runs wild with the possibilities .He struggles between finding excuses to for her to come down to his apartment by luring her over with his apartment air conditioning and the guilt about feeling the need of cheating on his wife, Marilyn was never better in fact if any reason at all if you’ve never heard of Billy Wilder the director or Saul Bass the maker of the main titles (who did work for Hitchcocks Vertigo,Pyscho, and for Martin Scorsese Cape Fear and Casino) You will see this film because of the famous scene with Marilyn in her white Gown with the wind from the subway blowing up which is featured on every poster of this film.
Tom Ewell plays the same midlife crisis man he always seemed to play and well and Evelyn Keyes (Gone with the wind)who has some scene stealing moments . This could be culturally appropriated today on stage and you could cast Pamela Anderson for all anyone cares but Pam could not hold a Candle to the moments of sensitivity and sensuality especially in that quarter where the veil drops and reveals the girl isnt just a bubblehead but actually quite deep in her thinking and empathetic ,this film today still stands as the ultimate Mans Midlife crisis film and how differently he uses his energy to have a last gasp at youth, some men come to the same conclusion as Dorothy in the wizard of Oz ‘that at the end of the day there’s “no place like home’ and others use adultery to change partner and their lifestyle for good for good . Perhaps when Im older I may Appreciate this film a little more as someone who feels the need to be invigorated by the youth or the attraction of another to show men a different reflection in another’s eyes, but unfortunately it wont be Marilyn Monroe.
Tags: Based off Play, Billy Wilder, Comedy, Dream Sequence, Imagination, Infidelity, Marilyn Monroe, Midlife Crisis, New York, Temptation
Lizzie 1957
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
Dont You Look at Me That Way!
the ‘three faces of Eve’ gene
Elizabeth (Eleanor Parker, ‘The Sound of Music”) Is Just your Average Girl, From your neighborhood, shes works a dull job, she has a boyfriend and lives with her aunt, and shes in her early twenties , The trouble with Young miss Bess is that’s she continues to have reoccurring headaches and slight cases of insomnia , often sleeping in her on set of clothes and waking up in other set .
Almost overnight he starts to receive threatening letters left in places she will only know where to look signed by a ”Lizzie” , a name she is apparently not familiar with in her day to day life .Her Mental condition starts to wither away rapidly and her Aunt (Joan Blondell,”Grease”,Nightmare Alley “)decides to take her to a Dr. Wright (Richard Boone) who after seeing her decides to put her under hypnosis . Unknown to all, Deep in her subconscious, Dr. Wright finds that Elizabeth carries three personalities around with her ,One is Elizabeth, the shy one that everyone knows,” Lizzie”, the wild ,tarty ,nymphonical , sociopath .And three ,Beth, the good asexual moral guardian that Elizabeth feels she should have been. Dr. Wright must find a way of exorcising the other two personality’s and help create a dominant personality to help rule ,
this ones ”VERY” camp, in a 1950’s sort of way (which we Love) and lets face it, between Joan Blondell and the three personalities of Parker ,someones gonna choke from trying to chew up all the furniture,
But on a serious note along with “three faces of Eve” strangely also released in 1957 and ‘Possessed” (1947) released a good ten years before one of the earliest films (aside from the Jekyll and Hyde franchise)that explores Multipal personality Disorders as a serious medical disorder.
Eleanor Parker , who is usually good at playing both side of the field, either self sacrificing wives (Above and Beyond 1952)or , people with twigs up their ass (”Scaramouche” , the baroness from ”The sound of Music” ) , or people who are bordering on a multiple Personality (See ”Woman in White” on this Blog), although considered to be in second place to Joanne Woowards portrayal in ‘Eve” its certainly worth a look ,its not a lesser film , it seems to fall in the shadow.
Tags: Madness, Multiple Personality, sickness
A Star Is Born 1954
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
One Star Rises as Another Falls
Directed by George Cukor
The Second of Four Major Remakes which include….
What Price Hollywood,Title of the same name,and the Barbara Version….euh
But is undoubtedly the best Version, Esther Blogett(Judy Garland) is picked up off the sidewalk of divebars and side shows an is transformed into Hot Hollywood Property with a Makeover and name change ‘Vicki Lester’, by Hollywood Falling Movie Star, Norman Maine (James Mason), Her Triumph , is Ultimately his failure , its the oldest story in Hollywood , and although its not the first its the ultimate Musical and Dramatic Staging , with Numbers sung by Garland like ‘The Man that Got Away’ and ‘Swannie’ and that breakdown scene in the trailer, If People think all Garland did on film thats worth watching was “The Wizard of OZ”
Tags: Alcoholism, George Cukor, Movie Star, Musical, Oscar, Remake, Rise to fame, Self Sacrifice, The Price of Fame
High Noon 1951
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
This is like goodnight and goodluck if it were a western it deals with the very same issue ‘The Red Scare’.
On the day he gets married and hangs up his badge, lawman Will Kane is told that a man he sent to prison years before, Frank Miller, is returning on the noon train to exact his revenge. Having initially decided to leave with his new spouse, Will decides he must go back and face Miller. However, when he seeks the help of the townspeople he has protected for so long, they turn their backs on him. It seems Kane may have to face Miller alone, as well as the rest of Miller’s gang, who are waiting for him at the station…
Tags: Corruption, Cowboy, David and Goliath, Hidden Agenda, Red Scare
My Cousin Rachel 1952
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
Remember Melanie From Gone with the Wind..?
Imagine her now with a potential streak for homocide! When Philip Ashley’s (Richard Burton “Cleopatra” before hitting the bottle and Liz)much-loved (and rich) cousin Ambrose dies, he is convinced that Ambrose was murdered by his new wife Rachel (Olivia De Haviland “Gone With The Wind)to inherit his wealth. But when he meets Rachel he falls in love with her,He starts to second guess himself and places Rachel in Pride of place in his Household. A cloud soon descends upon the Ashley estate and it soon seems that dear Cousin Rachel is not all she says she is,Is it just paranoia or she seriously trying to use Philip to get at the estate Ambrose left to him instead of to her And will she ‘really’ capable of cold calculated murder!
Originally slated for Greta Garbo,with George Cukor Directing , Garbo which she Ultimately Rejected, next in Line was Vivian Leigh, but for what ever reason, She wasnt able to commit to it either, Enter Olivia De Haviland,having not done a film for a couple of years after her oscar winning performance in ‘The heiress” and she does a brilliant job, You spend all of the movie racking you brains wither or not she is a genuine loving human being or she is indeed out to do ill, which is the greatest thing about this film, With a score by Franz Waxman who strangely did the score for another Famous Daphne du Maurier Novel ”Rebecca” (see Blog) which Ironically starred De Haviland’s real Life Sister Joan Fontiane, Like Rebecca This is a Gothic Noir Film, that plays against the wild plains of the windswept English countryside, which is not that far removed from Wuthering Heights.
Its a Beautiful mystery but do not at any point assume anything about Rachel or what she does. all you need to remember is what Richard Burton says in the beginning of the film
Murder Begets Murder
Tags: Based off Novel, Daphne du Maurier, Franz Waxman, Gothic, Movies Garbo Rejected, Mysterious Death, Richard Burton, sickness, Victorian Era
Legend of The Lost 1957
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Paul Bonnard (Rossano Brazzi “South pacific”)arrives in Timbuktu in search of a guide to escort him into the Sahara desert. American Joe January (John ‘
Duke’ Wayne) a jolly drunkard takes the job despite misgivings about Bonnard’s plans. Dita,(Sophia Loren) a prostitute who has been deeply moved by what appears to be Bonnard’s spiritual nature, follows the two men into the desert. Eventually the trio arrives in the ruins of a lost city, where Bonnard hopes to find the treasure his father sought years earlier before disappearing. But what Bonnard finds alters him in unexpected ways, with tragic results
A remake with jolie could be interesting but Loren’s shoes are hard to fill
with the bulk of the film reaches the desert, ‘cabin fever sets in , you can tell the cinematographer was a little bit in love with Loren because there is no point in the film where she looks bad, she and the duke play well off each over,almost better than Cary Grant in Houseboat this ones a”lust in Dust” film
dont get sand in your undies!
Tags: Accusation, Alcoholism, Cowboy, Crisis of Faith, Desert, Femme Fatale, Love Triangle, Madness, Treasure
Johnny Guitar 1954
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
Im gonna Kill you......
Camp western classic with hidden Mcarthy agenda and subtle glbt themes
Vienna (Joan Crawford) has built a saloon outside of town, and she hopes to build her own town once the railroad is put through, but the townsfolk want her gone. When four men hold up a stagecoach and kill a man the town officials, led by Emma Small (Lesbian Icon Mercedes Mccambridge’ the Voice of Reagan in the Exorcist) come to the saloon to grab four of Vienna’s friends, the Dancin’ Kid and his men. Vienna stands strong against them, and is aided by the presence of an old acquaintance of hers, Johnny Guitar(Sterling Hayden), who is not what he seems,
This is a Watershed Lesbian Classic That the French critics have raved about Calling its a ”Western” Beauty and the Beast Story..
Of Course the Beauty in this case is Sterling Hayden
There was not a lotta love lost between Crawford , Hayden and Mccambridge apparently , Crawford Wanted Claire Trevor for her arch Enemy Mistress who had been a big Feature in Westerns Featuring John Wayne (specially stagecoach 1939)and had an Oscar for her troubles in ”Key Largo”, But they Opted for ‘younger’ Mccambridge, which kind of makes the Animosity between the characters Believable
One of the last feature film produced by the Independent studio Republic Pictures better know for their John Wayne Movies
Like Destry and Ranch Notorious (both with Marlene Dietrich) The Woman Takes Center Stage in a Male dominated Gene . and Does a Damm good Job of it!
Tags: Camp, Closeted Lesbian, Cowboy, Desert, Guns, Hidden Agenda, Lost Love, Of Lesbian Interest, Red Scare, Saloon
Our Man In Havana 1959
Posted by spheer2002 | Filed under Film, Films of the 1950's
Our Man Alec
Our Man Alec
Highly recommend this one…
Based of Graham Greene novel
Jim Wormold(Alec Guinness ‘Bridge on the river Kwai, Star Wars’) is an expatriate Englishman living in pre-revolutionary Havana with his teenage daughter Milly. He owns a vacuum cleaner shop but isn’t very successful so he accepts an offer from Hawthorne(Noel Coward .’The Italian job’ and the second coming of Oscar Wilde ) of the British Secret Service to recruit a network of agents in Cuba. Wormold hasn’t got a clue where to start but when his friend Dr. Hasselbacher(Burl Ives, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) suggests that the best secrets are known to no one, he decides to manufacture a list of agents and provides fictional tales for the benefit of his masters in London. He is soon seen as the best agent in the Western Hemisphere but it all begins to unravel when the local police decode his cables and start rounding up his “network” and he learns that he is the target of a group out to kill him Also starring Maureen O’Hara(The Quiet Man) as British intelligence
Written in the wake of the popularity of the James Bond Novel Phenomena, and released three years before the franchise begin with ”Doctor No” Spys and the Cold war were a score of fear and speculation at the time, the Novel and the film more so make fun of this as well as present a possibility of real espionage and contract killing as the result of ‘Hype’ of the Red Scare , this film although a parody shows the real consequences of what happens when you dont check your facts and believing in ‘Santa clause’
Although the New Government of Cuba was More than happy for Graeme Greens novel about the baptista regime, showing it to be corrupt and the thoughtless meddling s foreign spies from both Brittan and America , The Book and the Film were subsequently withdrawn after Greens comments about the treatment of Intellectuals and Gays and Lesbians ,People don’t realize when they put posters of Che Guevara on their wall , they forget when he worked with Fidel Castro he actually supported putting intellectuals and Homosexuals in concentration camps, subsequently this important film about the change in power in Cuba from the Batista’s seems to be little know in its own country.
as a time capsule of a period in history its fascinating to watch a generation who lived in fear of the Bomb and the blunderings of both sides to resolves this the best way they can by sheer stupidity.
Alex Guinness is great as a British ‘Jimmy Stewart’ everyman who wants the best for his family and plays both side of politics like a poker game with deadly consequences.
Tags: Based off Novel, Black Comedy, Comedy, Espionage, expressionist, Graham Greene, Murder, Noel Coward, Noir, Red Scare, Satire, South America, Spy
