Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Christmas Film to End All Christmas Films
The entire film is posted here on YouTube, but if you want a quicker version, you can watch the version that is done in 30 Seconds With Bunnies. You can find a webgroup dedicated to the film here. The town of Seneca Falls, which was the real Bedford Falls, has a site dedicated to the township and preserving the memory of the classic film that was made there, with links to important places, events, and people from the film. Here is a quiz about the movie, so you can test your smarts and tell if maybe you've seen the flick one too many times. And here is a travel blog about the "It's A Wonderful Life Festival" held every years in Seneca Falls.
A few articles also explore the darker side of the film. This article from Newsweek talks about the mortgage crisis and financial lessons to be learned from the film. Another article from The New York Times, talks about the scary since of the movie and how some people love it for all the wrong reasons. And here is an article from Salon about how it would probably be a lot more fun to live in jazzy Pottersville than clean-cut Bedford Falls. Call them humbugs if you want, but I encourage you to check out their stuff all the same.
With all that said, a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Three Wisemen: Western Style
The Story of The Exodus
Monday, December 22, 2008
Have you met John Doe?
A Christmas Carol: Fantasy Football Style
The films we watched were the 1938 version starring Reginald Owen, the 1951 version starring Alistair Sim, the 1984 television version starring George C. Scott, and the 1992 Muppet’s Christmas Carol with Michael Caine in the title role. After analyzing these three versions of the film, this is the results my mother, father, and I came up with (Please forgive any lopsidedness with the chart. Blogger is not very chart friendly):
Categories Scrooge Fred Bob Cratchit Ghost of Christmas Past Ghost of Christmas Present Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come Marley Best Film Best Style (costume, setting, etc.) | Dad Alastair Sim (1951) Brian Worth (1951) Mervyn Johns (1951) Michael Dolan(1951) Donald Austen Muppets 92 C. Konarski (1951) Michael Hordern(1951) Scrooge (1951) A Christmas Carol (1984) (1951) | Mom Alistair Sim (1951) Roger Rees (1984) Gene Lockhart 1938 Ann Rutherford1938 Edward Woodward (1984) RobertTygner Muppets 92 Leo G. Carroll (1938) Scrooge(1951) A Christmas Carol (1984) (1984)/(1938) | Me Alistair Sim (1951) Roger Rees(1984) Gene Lockhart Jessica Fox Muppets Francis De Wolff (1951) Michael Carter (1984) Leo G. Carroll (1938) Scrooge (1951) A Christmas Carol (1984) (1984) |
Sunday, December 21, 2008
“Who would ever think that so much can go on in the soul of a young girl?”
The diary was turned into a Pulitzer award-winning play and then was adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett into a film, which was directed by George Stevens. The 1959 film, The Diary of Anne Frank, was a major project of Stevens and he put a lot of himself into telling the story. Stevens spent four years working on the film, used black and white to create more drama, and Otto Frank as well as Johannes Kleiman were consulted during the making of the film.
The role of Anne was offered to both Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood. Audrey refused because she had lived in Holland during the same time as Anne and has witness the Nazi occupation and brutality first hand. She did not want to bring back old memories. Millie Perkins, instead, played Anne with Joseph Schildkraut as her father Otti, Gusti Huber as her mother Edith, and Diane Baker as her sister Margot. Shelley Winters played Mrs. Van Daan and won one of the three Oscars for the film for the supporting role. Other roles were Ed Wynn as Albert Dussell, Richard Beymer as Peter, Lou Jacobi as Mr. Van Daan, Douglas Spencer as Kraler, and Dodie Heath as Miep.
There are a plethora of reviews for the film. You can read this one, thanks to Apolloguide.com. Another comes from Altfg.com. This one comes from the Oscar Movies blog. And another great review and synopsis can be found here, thanks to beliefnet.com. If you want more information about Anne Frank, you can access the home site of the American Anne Frank Museum or the site that houses both the one of the house she hid in and the official Anne Frank website. At the bottom of this post, I will place the trailer for the 1959 film.
In one of the last pages of her diary, just before she was captured and taken away, Anne wrote: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart”. I believe this is a testament to how brave and how hopeful humanity can be, even surrounded by the most fearsome adversity and despair. No matter your religious practices, this is the spirit that the holiday season embodies. And to any Jewish readers out there, Chag Chanuka Sameach.
Ben-Hur: The Stories Behind the Story
The original story was written by Lew Wallace, a Union general in the civil war, statesmen, lawyer, and author. Wallace’s book Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was originally published in 1880, making the story close to 130 years old. The book was the bestseller of the Nineteenth Century and has never been out of print since it’s first publishing, though more people know the story of Ben-Hur than they do anything about Lew Wallace. Later, in 1899, the book was turned into a Broadway play, literally setting the stage for it to be filmed when the technology came along.
The first film version of the movie was made in 1907, titled simply Ben Hur. Most versions made of the biblical epic are at least two hours long, since the book is around 575 pages long. Not this version. Canadian director Sidney Olcott managed to condense the film down to a mere 15 minutes, which is some serious talent. You can read two reviews I have found for this version, the first one at the Bible Films blog and another thanks to absoluteastronomy. I have also posted the films below here divided up into two parts. The first is a mere eight minutes and the second is a little over three, so it isn’t a long drawn out film to watch.
The next version is yet another silent one, from 1925, titled Ben-Hur. It followed a similar plot to that of the book and the more famous 1959 version. This version has been preserved by the National Film Registry. You can get some film stills and history on this page and you can access some of the music from the film here, thanks to You Don’t Have to Visit blogspot.
Below is a trailer from this 1925 film.
And finally, we come to the famous 1959 version, which for a long time held the record of the most Academy Award nominated film. If you want more information on this flim, you can access this page, thanks to Filmsite.org, or this one, thanks to reelclassics.com. For a good review, you can read this article, thanks to Associate Content.If you notice, the one thing all of the film versions have in common is that they all include the chariot race scene, perhaps since this is action not to be missed out on. Below is an original trailer from this Ben-Hur for some entertainment.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
A Murder Mystery for Christmas
Nick Charles (William Powell) comes to New York with wife and dog Asta in tow, only to be lured back into the detective business by his sweet, funny, and curious wife Nora (Myrna Loy), the NYPD, and the case of a murderer who Nick might know. Dorothy Wymant (Maureen O'Sullivan) comes to Nick, asking him to help track down her father and Nick’s old friend, Clyde Wymant (Edward Ellis). Soon after Wymant goes missing, his girlfriend Julia Wolf (Natalie Moorhead) is murdered and Chris Jorgenson (Cesar Romero), Wymant’s ex wife Mimi’s (Minna Gombell) new husband, goes missing as well. Everyone believes that Wymant is behind the crime, except for Nick, who has a hunch. During the course of the film, Nick is attacked on Christmas Eve by gangster Joe Morelli (Edward Brophy), getting questionable info from Wymant’s lawyer MacCaulay (Porter Hall), and is surrounded by a loony cast of characters who all could have had a hand in the crime. It is up for Nick to reveal the truth at a dinner party he and his wife are throwing, with a real murder mystery as the main entertainment.
The film was originally intended to be a “B” picture, but gained so much fame it became a profitable series. The “Thin Man” in question was supposed to be Edward Ellis’s character of Wymant but so many audience members and critics assumed that Nick was the Thin Man, and so the name stuck. The films have considerably infiltrated the pop culture and the pair of Nick and Nora Charles was parodied in the 1976 mystery comedy Murder by Death, in which Dame Maggie Smith and David Niven played Dora and Dick Charleston.
The film has a large following and his become somewhat of a cult classic, if not a classic film. The Thin Man series has its own fan site and you can learn more about Nick, Norah, and the original book series here. Filmsite.org does a great review and synopsis, which can be found here. And I also have two reviews for your second or third opinion, this one from cinematical.com and this review from Roger Ebert himself from his site. If you want a good mystery for Christmas, The Thin Man is the way to go, but don’t blame me if you get addicted to Nick and Nora. Just in case you want a watch, here is the cleverly done original trailer for the film:
"Baby, you're what I want for Chrismas"
Steve Mason (Mitchum) is a department store clerk, who meets Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh), a customer willing to spend top dollar. What Steve doesn’t realize is that Connie is a commercial spy, trying to get the goods on his company. Steve comes to the realization that Connie isn’t what she seems, but in the Christmas spirit, he lets her go rather than turning her in. Of course, the store doesn’t see this as an act of kindness and fires him. Steve goes on a date with Connie, despite the complications with Connie’s boyfriend Carl Davis (Wendell Corey). Connie’s son Timmy (Gordon Gebert) , however, despises Carl and would much rather have Steve as his future step-father. As rom-coms go, the plot is very simple and easy to figure out with your basic complications and funny moments. Still, the film is sweet and great for Chris mast time.
The film still has a pretty big following, despite the fact that it is hard to find and not as well-known as other holiday films. You can find some other reviews of the film, however, like this one from Classicfilmguide.com. Frank’s Movie blog has done this review, this one is provided by the blog Out of the Past, and Eltremendo3000 has this to say about the film. The film was also ranked by Dirty Harry’s Place as one of the Top 25 Christmas films. A synopsis can also be found here, thanks to Turner Classic. The film is great if you want to see a romantic holiday comedy as well as see Mitchum in a new light or see Janet Leigh in a picture other than where she gets stabbed in a shower.
Further Proof that Martha Stewart Holidays are Impossible
Elizabeth Lane (the lovely and amazingly comedic Barbara Stanwyck) is sort of the Martha Stewart of her generation and her columns about her husband, baby, beautiful farm in Connecticut, and wonderful meals she cooks in fictional magainze Smart Housekeeping make her extremely popular, especially with fan, war hero, and recently rescued naval officer Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan). The only problem? Elizabeth doesn’t have a husband or a baby or a beautiful farm in Connecticut and she is such a terrible cook, she needs a recipe to boil water. The magazine publisher and Elizabeth’s boss, Alexander Yardley (Sydney Greenstreet, who is probably more famous for his villainous role in The Maltese Falcon) invites himself and Jones over for the holidays to Elizabeth’s place, putting her in a sticky situation. Elizabeth’s recipes actually come from her Uncle Felix (S.Z. Sakall), a cantankerous bistro owner. Self-involved architect John Sloan (Reginald Gardiner) offers Elizabeth use of his home to set up the charade, only if she will accept his marriage proposal. Before the ceremony can take place, however, the guests arrive and the comedy ensues. The entire plot his hilarious in the way it unravels though my favorite was the side bits between Sakall’s tempestuous Greek character and Una O'Connor’s Irish housekeeper.
If the house looks familiar, its because it is the same one used in the Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant classic, Bringing Up Baby. Elizabeth Lane’s character was actually based on Good Housekeeping columnist, Gladys Taber, who did live on a farm in Connecticut.
Tons of reviews have been done about this movie for you to access. This one comes from Times Record News, this one from the blog Flick Filosopher, another from T-G.com, this one from Screenhead.com, a review from Foster on Film, and finally, one from The Record. The site Dirty Harry’s Place also rated this film as its #14 on the best of holiday films.So, take some time this holiday season and enjoy Christmas in Connecticut.
Friday, December 19, 2008
A Dark Christmas Holiday
Deanna Durbin, more frequently known for being a “girl next door”, Abigail Martin, falls for a Robert Manette who is charming but also has a murderous side to him, played by Gene Kelly. Yes, song and dance man Gene Kelly, the same Gene Kelly from Singin’ in the Rain. Even after she finds out her husband is a louse and a killer, and that his mother (Gale Sondergaard) is an overbearing, sort of Mother Bates type. Abigail moonlights as Jackie Lamont who is a whorehouse singer, even though the film never explicitly says so. In this film, Kelly shows his complexity as an actor and Durbin nails the role of a femme fatale. The film weaves in suspense, remorse, and forgiveness.
If you’re tired of the same old, same old, happy cheery Christmas movies, this is the one for you. Don’t believe me? You can read some of the reviews others have written on it. Noir of the Week his written this review and this one comes from Movie Martyr. Yammering Magpie has also done a review and you can buy the film from them. If you want a most officious sounding source, you can read this review from The New York Times. And for a special treat, here is footage of Durbin singing the song “Always” from the film.
It begins when Episcopalian Bishop Henry Brougham (David Niven) is trying to build a cathedral financed by a widow Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper). What Brougham doesn’t notice is that his wife Julia (Loretta Young) is miserably unhappy, he is forgetting why he became a minister in the first place. He prays that someone will come to help with his troubles surrounding the new cathedral and is answered by an angel named Dudley (Cary Grant). Dudley helps everyone meet their needs and is well-loved among the parishioners, even by non-religios Dr. Wutheridge (Monty Woolley). Brougham is the only person not enchanted by Dudley, especially with Dudley’s relationship with Julia, which has become increasingly complicated the more they bond and the more absent her husband is. Brougham has to stand up to Dudley and realize what about is life is the most important.
If the plot sounds familiar, its because the film was remade in 1996 and retitled The Preacher’s Wife, which starred Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington. Also, if the character of Matilda looks familiar, its because she is legendary scream queen Elsa Lanchester, most famously known as playing the title role in The Bride of Frankenstein.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A Bio Pic of Biblical Proportions
The cast, as I mentioned before, is one of the greatest assemblages of acting talent in motion pictures. The leading role of Jesus was portray by Swedish actor Max von Sydow, an acclaimed actor who has done mostly foreign language films. Michael Anderson Jr. played John the Baptist, Carroll Baker as Veronica, Pat Boone as the Young Man at the Tomb, and Charlton Heston as St. John the Baptist. Mary and Joseph were respectively played by Dorothy McGuire and Robert Loggia. I won't name every single part, but the cast list continues on with such fine actors and actresses as Claude Rains, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, Ed Wynn, John Wayne, Angela Lansbury, Van Heflin, Sal Mineo,Telly Savalas, Paul Stewart, Harold J. Stone, Joseph Schildkraut, Victor Buono, Jose Ferrer, Robert Blake, Donald Pleasence, Richard Conte, Jamie Farr, David McCallum, Ina Balin, Janet Margolin, and Cyril Delevanti. This film figures in at Christmastime not just because of the Jesus element but also because of his retrospective on faith and its meaning.
Darryl F. Zanuck was the one who acquired the rights for the film from Oursler, who was then a senior editor of Reader's Digest. Zanuck, as many of you know was working for Fox and now the film is in the hands of MGM. George Stevens at the time was directed the film version of The Diary of Anne Frank (which we'll get to on Hanukkah) and since the studio wasn't doing anything with the rights, decided he wanted to produce the epic of biblical proportions. The American southwest was chosen for many of the films locations, since Stevens wanted to give a dramatic look to the film he did not think he would find in the settings of the Middle East. The film took years to right and an estimated $20 million to make. Critics were divided when the film was released, though Stevens thought the film was a masterpiece.
You can watch the film divided up into short segments here thanks to YouTube and Google Video. MGM now owns the film and has a site for it with trailers, info, and still shots from the movie, which can be found here. Some wonderful screenshots from the film can be found at the Movie Screen Shot Blog and more info and a synopsis can be found here, thanks to Mahalo.com. You can read two reviews, one from The New York Times and another from soulfoodcinema.com. And if you want to see the film on your TV rather than your computer, Turner Classic Movies is running the film on Christmas Day, which you can read about here.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Little Hope for the Holidays
The premise of the movie begins when the Lemon Drop Kid aka Sidney Melbourne (Bob Hope) comes from New York City to work the Florida racetrack. He falls in with the beautifully dumb Stella (Andrea King) and persuades her to change her bet. When the bet looses, The Kid finds out Stella is the girl of gangster Moose Moran (Fred Clark), who wants The Kid to reimburse him for the money his girl lost him at the racetrack. The Kid tries to get the money from girlfriend Brainy Baxter (Marilyn Maxwell) and then from fellow miscreant "Oxford" Charlie (Lloyd Nolan). He spies a man dresses as Santa Claus and decides collection donations as Santa is the perfect scheme. After a night in jail, he realizes he needs a backer for this scheme and puts his so-called charitable intentions towards Nellie Thursday (Jane Darwell), a woman who can't get a home because of her incarcerated husband's reputation. A bunch of fellow small time crooks get involved in The Kid's scheme to collect the money under Nellie's name and use it for himself. Of course, no one knows that The Kid is collecting for himself and this is where things get tricky. The plot ties itself up and then unravels wonderfully with just the hint of suspense that comedy needs to make it truly funny.