CAMILLE

Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor

CAMILLE (1936). Director: George Cukor. Colorized. 

"I didn't know rich men ever looked like that." 

"Cows and chickens make better friends than I have ever met in Paris."

"Love isn't always selfish, nor goodness dull, nor men faithless."

Marguerite Gautier (Greta Garbo of Mata Hari), a former farm girl, is now an infamous courtesan living in Paris in 1847. One night at the theater she meets two men who will become quite important to her: the very, very rich Baron de Varville (Henry Daniell of The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake); and the very, very handsome Armand Duval (Robert Taylor of Valley of the Kings). 

Henry Daniell with Garbo

Marguerite allows herself to be taken off by the baron, who sets her up in fancy quarters and takes care of her while she spends and spends and spends. Despite her reputation, Armand is convinced that he is in love with her, and she dares to hope that they might actually have a chance. They retreat to the country, where -- wouldn't you know? -- the baron's utterly magnificent castle (too bad we never get to see the inside of it as Marguerite does) lies just over the hill. However, despite this reminder of her past, the couple are very happy until Armand's father (Lionel Barrymore) visits and tells Marguerite in no uncertain terms how she is essentially ruining Armand's life and chances for real success. She makes a fateful decision ... 

Armand and the Lady of the Camellias 

Camille is a romantic masterwork that excels in just about every element. The performances are wonderful, with Garbo -- despite being a bit mush-mouthed at times -- creating an indelible and poignant portrait of a woman who may be mischievous and clever but certainly not evil. Taylor possibly gives the best performance of his career, up there at Garbo's level throughout the picture. Daniell is as superb and icily cutting as ever. Jessie Ralph as old Nanine, who loves Marguerite like a mother; Laura Hope Crews as the scatterbrained yet shrewd Prudence; Lenore Ulric as the rather catty Olympe; and Rex O'Malley as the boyish yet kindly Gaston, are all on the money. I might have wished for heavier scoring by Herbert Stothart, but the music is pleasant, and the film is very well-directed by George Cukor, famous for his work with actors, and well-photographed by Karl Freund and William Daniels. 

Lovers in the mirror

Camille had been filmed several times before and after, but I feel confident that this is the best version. It is, of course, based on Alexandre Dumas fils famous novel "The Lady of the Camellias," written when he was only 23 and after an affair with a courtesan he based the character on, who died at that same age. Garbo was 31 and Taylor 25; the difference in their ages is obvious but it makes no difference, as Armand clearly doesn't care about his great love's age or occupation. 

Verdict: Near-perfect, and with a genuinely moving finale. ****. 

DAVID COPPERFIELD (1935)

Freddie Bartholomew and W. C. Fields

DAVID COPPERFIELD (aka The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger/1935). Director: George Cukor.

"They seem rather obstinate oysters!" -- Aunt Betsey.

After his beloved mother's death, little David Copperfield (a wonderful Freddie Bartholomew) finds himself at the mercy of his hated stepfather, Murdstone (Basil Rathbone) and his equally loathsome sister (Violet Kemble Cooper), then sent off to work in a factory where he is befriended by the benevolent Micawber (W. C. Fields, pictured). Then the poor boy has to make his way on foot, penniless, to the home of his peppery Aunt Betsey (Edna May Oliver). The problem is that when David grows to manhood and is played by the relatively colorless Frank Lawton, he becomes a supporting character in his own story, which on the whole is full of too many characters that you just don't care about. For the most part, the acting is excellent, however, with Oliver and Rathbone as good as ever -- not to mention Jessie Ralph as nurse Peggotty -- and Roland Young making a striking Uriah Heep. Lewis Stone, Elsa Lanchester, Lionel Barrymore, Una O'Conner and others are lost in the episodic and sometimes dull picture, but Fields and Bartholomew make an engaging pair. Even at 130 minutes' running time there's simply too much plot crammed into the movie, and the second half is not nearly as good as the first. I generally like honest sentiment, but in David Copperfield the sentiment is often treacly, the characters' affection for one another bordering on the cloying. Everyone is just too "cutesy." However, the movie certainly has its admirers.

Verdict: Has its moments, but it's no Tale of Two Cities. **1/2.

JOAN ON THE BBC

JOAN CRAWFORD ON THE BBC.

Crawford did a late sixties interview for the BBC which covered her entire career and her thoughts on current movies and performers. At first Joan seemed a bit guarded and not relaxed, and complained how the British seemed obsessed with age (apparently some reporters came right out and bluntly asked her how old she was). "I know some people think there are very few things before my time," she said. She relaxed a bit more as the interview with the young admiring host continued, although when she answered a question she didn't always really answer the question, but said -- as stars are wont to do -- what she wanted to say. She talked admiringly of Bette Davis and said she enjoyed working with her on Baby Jane, calling Davis a "fascinating actress" but saying they really hadn't had time to become friends. She was, however, close friends with Barbara Stanwyck, whom the interviewer compared to her, pleasing Joan. Joan apologized in a way for making negative comments about Liz Taylor's personal life, but praised her acting skills, and said, next to Gable, John Garfield was her most dynamic co-star. Joan said that "I never had a sense of humor about myself until I worked with George Cukor." During the interview she is friendly, smiles, makes amusing comments and reacts to same, but it still comes off, understandably considering her years in front of the camera, as if it's another performance. and while it may not be fair to say she is humorless, she is,as mentioned, holding herself in warily. She expresses the wish that pictures had more romance and glamor, and suggests that Warren Beatty is ornery, while admiring Natalie Wood, whom she feels hasn't reached her potential, that there was no longer any help or guidance for actors as in the studio days. Joan talks affectionately of Lionel Barrymore, but while admiring his genius, admits that John Barrymore could be difficult while making Grand Hotel. Basically Joan is ever the professional, and the interview, while not that probing, is a good one. It probably didn't hurt that Joan seems to like the kind of cute interviewer.

Verdict: Joan talks! ***.

SARATOGA

Jean Harlow and Clark Gable

SARATOGA (1937). Director: Jack Conway.

Margaret Hamilton to Frank Morgan: "You have no idea what my face looked like before I used your cream."

Frank Morgan to Margaret Hamilton: "I can imagine."

Race track gambler Duke Bradley (Clark Gable) thinks that Carol Clayton (Jean Harlow), the daughter of his friend, Frank Jonathan Hale), is a bit snooty. Carol is engaged to the rich "sucker" Hartley Madison (Walter Pidgeon), but she finds herself drawn to the cruder Duke even as she engages in verbal fisticuffs with him. Will Carol and Duke admit their feelings for one another? This is the slight premise of Saratoga, which also has some bits of business about bidding on horses, switching jockeys at the last minute, and betting on the climactic race, most of which is a little confusing and even a bit on the dull side. This is a shame, because each and every cast member is working at the top of his or her game, and that not only includes the already-named, but Una Merkel as Duke's racing pal; Frank Morgan as her befuddled and jealous husband, who markets cold cream as "Harriet Hale;" Hattie McDaniel as Carol's saucy and lovable maid/companion; Frankie Darro as an obnoxious jockey; and George Zucco (doing a rare turn at comedy) as a slightly strange doctor. Margaret Hamilton also scores in a small role as one of Morgan's unsatisfied customers, and Lionel Barrymore is fine, as usual, working in his befuddled, cranky, old-timer mode.The acting in this is just wonderful and there are some memorable scenes, such as a near-silent one in which Duke communicates to Carol that her father has died. There's a very enjoyable train scene with the various principals taking turns at singing a chorus, their acting skills and personality making up for untrained voices. Despite several genuinely amusing moments, the film has an air of sadness because Harlow died tragically young while making this picture, and her scenes had to be finished with a dubbed double seen only from the back or behind binoculars. The film has an amiable nature, even though the Walter Pidgeon character is treated especially shabby, and Carol doesn't come off like the most likable of creatures.

Verdict: So many fine actors and so many good things in it that it's too bad this really isn't all that memorable. **1/2.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946). Producer/director: Frank Capra.

"Youth is wasted on the wrong people."

Facing what he sees as the worst crisis of his life, suicidal George Bailey (James Stewart) attracts the attention of an angel, Clarence (Henry Travers of Dark Victory), who reviews his past history while up above, then descends to earth to show George what life would have been like for everyone if he had never been born. This fantasy comedy-drama is a wonderful if imperfect picture with a terrific performance from Stewart and a marvelous supporting cast. Bailey is certainly a flawed hero, which makes him more interesting -- and perhaps less sympathetic -- as a character. If, to paraphrase, the measure of a man isn't what happens to him him but how he reacts to it, then George certainly fails the test. When $8000.00 disappears and George realizes he and his business can be ruined, and he might even face criminal charges, he takes it out on his wife and children, and even screams at some poor teacher on the other end of the phone when he goes home. In real life people have faced worse situations and still kept their heads, but poor George simply becomes hysterical. Part of this, of course, is because George never wanted to stay in the little town of Bedford Falls and take over his father's business, Bailey Building and Loan, in the first place; and his frustrations have finally caught up with him [it's possible that not quite enough is done with this aspect of the story]. One could also wonder why, if George no longer exists, and no one in town can recognize him, they can still see and talk to him. The business with George's wife, Mary (Donna Reed) turning into a stereotypical old maid (if he was never born) complete with glasses and drab hair is unintentionally comical, and most of the business with Clarence, especially the prologue in heaven, is rather tiresome. Still the movie is well-made, very well-directed by Capra, beautifully photographed [you must see the crisp new digitally remastered version to fully appreciate this], and has several superior performances in addition to Stewart's. Thomas Mitchell is excellent as Uncle Billy, who misplaces the money and is cruelly treated by his nephew. Lionel Barrymore is the cackling personification of hate and greediness as Mr. Potter (who never does get his comeuppance). H. B. Warner [City of Missing Girls] scores in his sad portrait of the druggist, George's employer, who is mourning his son and nearly makes a fatal error. There are also nice moments from Lillian Randolph as the wise Bailey maid, Annie; Robert J. Anderson as young George; and Todd Karns [Andy Hardy's Private Secretary] as George's brother, Harry. The movie is full of interesting touches, such as the menagerie Billy keeps in his office, including that persistent crow, and the squirrel that climbs on his shoulder as if in sympathy.

Verdict: That ending is pure fantasy all right, but if you take it with a grain of salt this is still an entertaining and admirable picture. ***1/2.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

Lionel Barrymore, Spring Byington and Sara Haden

A FAMILY AFFAIR (1937). Director: George B. Seitz.

"Holy Jumpin' Jerusalem! A party with girls!" -- Andy Hardy. 

When 20th Century Fox adapted a play and came out with Every Saturday Night  -- which led into the long-running Jones Family series -- MGM also adapted a play the following year and came out with this picture, which also became a long-running series. Spring Byington played the small-town mother, as she did in Every Saturday Night and in all of the other Jones' films, but she was replaced by Fay Holden for subsequent Hardy entries. Lionel Barrymore was the first Judge Hardy but his replacement in all the other films in the series, Lewis Stone, is understandably more associated with the role. Both Byington and Barrymore are very good, although one could argue that the latter seems a bit pooped, weird, and possibly inebriated, but that was often the actor's style. The plot has to do with Judge Hardy putting a temporary restraining order on an aqueduct that might mean great prosperity for Carvel, and earning the enmity of the ingrate townspeople. Daughter Marion (Cecelia Parker) has fallen for a man, Wayne (Eric Linden of No Other Woman), who may lose his job because of the Judge's actions, while her sister Joan (Julie Haydon), who was never seen or mentioned again, is having serious marital problems. Son Andy (Mickey Rooney), who is horrified at the prospect of taking a girl to a party, changes his mind when he gets a load of old playmate Polly Benedict (Margaret Marquis of Escort Girl). Aunt Milly (Sara Haden, who played the role in most but not every Hardy picture) remarks that Joan "feels things too intensely," while the Judge observes that in his day young people were awkward about talking about "the facts of life" -- which elicits a gasp from Mrs. Hardy -- but now it's religion that has them squirming. There's an exciting scene when Marion and Wayne nearly have a disaster when two drunks tow their car to a gas station -- or at least try to -- and they come afoul of a truck whose brakes have failed. The entire cast is wonderful, with especially nice work from Eric Linden, Julie Haydon, and the remarkable Mickey Rooney, who pretty much makes it clear even in this first outing why the series increasingly focused on young Andy. Eric Linden's character of Wayne, who gets engaged to Marion, was never seen again. Marquis is good as Polly if not quite as distinctive as Ann Rutherford, who took over the role.

Verdict: Fun old movie with that irrepressible Mickey. ***.

THE SECRET HEART

Claudette Colbert

THE SECRET HEART (1946). Director: Robert Z. Leonard.

On shipboard, Lee (Claudette Colbert) is romanced by Chris (Walter Pidgeon), who urges her to marry him instead of his "friend," Larry Addams (Richard Derr), to whom she is engaged. But Lee does marry Larry and finds herself trapped in a relationship with a neurotic, paranoid composer -- basically an asshole -- who takes a long time to finally dispose of himself. Chris comes back into Lee's life, but she resists him out of guilt. Another complication is that her step-daughter, Penny (June Allyson), thinks she's fallen in love with the much older Chris -- when she learns the truth of whom he really loves will she go the way of her father? The Secret Heart is an absorbing enough romantic melodrama, bolstered by some very good performances, especially from Colbert, Derr [Terror is a Man], Robert Sterling [Bunco Squad] as Lee's stepson and Patricia Medina as his fiancee. Lionel Barrymore is in Wise Old Owl mode as Penny's shrink, and Marshall Thompson is charming as a young man who is attracted to a dismissive Penny. June Allyson is not bad as Penny, although, as usual, she's a trifle cloying, and Pidgeon manages to hold his own with Colbert without being on her level. Elizabeth Patterson and Dwayne Hickman are also in the cast. Leonard also directed the far superior In the Good Old Summertime.

Verdict: Some people you can live without. **1/2.

DUEL IN THE SUN

Jennifer Jones watches as horse gives Gregory Peck a kiss

DUEL IN THE SUN (1946). Director: King Vidor.

In post-Civil War Texas, the tempestuous "half-breed" Pearl (Jennifer Jones) comes to live with her aunt Laura (Lillian Gish) after the death of her father (Herbert Marshall), who was convicted of murdering her mother. Laura's husband, Senator McCanles (Lionel Barrymore) is an anti-Indian bigot who refuses to accept Pearl, and whose main occupation is keeping the railroad off of his property [leading to a tense confrontation between cowboys and train men halfway through the movie]. McCanles has two sons, the decent Jesse (Joseph Cotten) and the more unsavory Lewt (Gregory Peck). While Pearl falls in love with the kind Jesse, she can't fight her attraction to the sexy "bad boy," Lewt, creating a lot of problems, not to mention a highly perverse climax. Producer David Selznick was hoping for another Gone With the Wind when he made Duel in the Sun, but the film is almost forgotten. The acting in this entertaining "epic" is generally of the second-rate "Hollywood" variety across the board, but on that level it isn't bad. Jones [Love Letters] gives a good performance, although she looks almost ugly in some shots, and a miscast Peck [Mirage] does his best with a role he's really not suited for; neither Peck nor Jones are that good with transitions of mood, which occur frequently in their exchanges. Barrymore, Butterfly McQueen (who is great despite the patronizing attitude held toward her by both the other characters and the filmmakers), Charles Bickford (as one of Pearl's suitors), Otto Kruger, Charles Dingle as a sheriff, and Scott McKay as nasty Syd all make a favorable impression. Some beautiful cinematography from Lee Garmes and others. King Vidor also directed Beyond the Forest and the silent masterpiece The Crowd. Possibly the first of the "sex-westerns," as lust has a lot more to do with it than cow-punching.

Verdict: This could have been a lot better, but it certainly has its moments. ***.

BANNERLINE

BANNERLINE (1951). Director: Don Weis.

Mike Perrivale (Keefe Braselle) is a brash cub reporter who is itching to tackle hard news. After interviewing a dying old professor, Hugo Trimble (Lionel Barrymore), who despairs that the town and the paper has allowed corruption to persist, he gets the idea of a fake front page that will indicate something is about to be done regarding those problems. At first this is intended to be one fake paper to please the dying man, but Perrivale and old-timer Josh (Lewis Stone) decide to put it in every paper for real. This brings Perrivale into conflict with the town's head crook Scarbine (J. Carrol Naish).

Bannerline holds the attention but its premise makes little sense. Why would any newspaperman think it's okay, under any circumstances, to print fake headlines in a paper that's supposed to record the truth? Why would Perrivale throw away his career when he's on the verge of getting married?The story doesn't work but at least there's some good acting. Barrymore could have acted his role in his sleep but he's fine, and Braselle makes an appealing leading man. Sally Forrest is his pretty girlfriend and Spring Byington her mother. [She offers her cheek to Perrivle for a kiss, but he kisses the old gal on the mouth instead. She says to her daughter: "You've got something here!"] Naish is as solid as ever.The best performance comes from Elisabeth Risdon as Barrymore's wise and devoted wife of many years.

Verdict: Pleasant cast; mediocre story. **.

DINNER AT EIGHT

DINNER AT EIGHT (1933). Director: George Cukor.

"You couldn't get into the men's room at the Astor!"

The only thing on the mind of airy Millicent Jordan (Billie Burke) is the dinner party she's planning, so she doesn't realize that her husband Oliver (Lionel Barrymore) has serious business woes and even more serious health problems. But then most of the guests have their own preoccupations. Dr. Talbot (Edmund Lowe) is having an affair with an increasingly clingy Kitty Packard (Jean Harlow, pictured), whose grumpy, much older husband Dan (Wallace Beery) wants to take over Oliver's business. Faded actress Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler) has money troubles, but not as bad as has-been Larry Renault (John Barrymore), who can't pay his hotel bill and whose agent (Lee Tracy) has to deliver some devastating news. The Jordan's daughter Paula (Madge Evans) has fallen in love with Larry, even though she already has a fiance.

Although the pace sometimes drags, this is a brilliant comedy-drama that has many highly amusing lines and situations but can also slide effortlessly into tragedy as we witness the grim fate of Larry Renault. John Barrymore handles the horrifying situation with his usual aplomb. Harlow and Beery have a great scene battling together and telling each other off, and Marie Dressler is perfection (she has a funny scene with fawning Elizabeth Patterson -- Mrs. Trumble on I Love Lucy -- in a bit.) All the performances are excellent.

Verdict: They really don't make 'em like this anymore. ****.

MATA HARI

MATA HARI (1931). Director: George Fitzmaurice.

A romantic film fashioned from the legend of the famous spy Mata Hari, here enacted by the equally legendary Greta Garbo. Mata is a German spy working in Paris in 1917, taking her orders from Lewis Stone. Her latest assignment is the boyish Russian soldier, Lt. Alexis Rosanoff (Ramon Navarro). Lionel Barrymore is an aging General who is obsessed with Mata and Karen Morley is Carlotta, another, ill-fated German agent. The second half of the film turns into a surprisingly poignant love story with Garbo and Navarro both giving excellent performances. It takes a while to accept both of these actors in their respective roles, but once you do they are very creditable and convincing. This probably has very little to do with the real Mata Hari, but it's a very compelling movie. Lewis Stone is also excellent as the head of the spy ring.

Verdict: One hanky tearjerker at least. ***.