Showing posts with label Paramount. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paramount. Show all posts

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

“Three angels came to earth that night and all around the stars were bright.”

Sally of Flying down to Hollywood is hosting “Twelve days of Christmas Movies” and I am doing my bit with this entry about my favourite holiday’s film: Paramount’s classic of 1955 WE’RE NO ANGELS by Michael Curtiz – based on a French play by Albert Husson and brought to you in glorious Technicolor.


In a nutshell:

Christmas eve 1895, prison colony of French Guyana - Devil’s Island: The three convicts Joseph (Humphrey Bogart), Albert (Aldo Ray) and Jules (Sir Peter Ustinov) have escaped from the prison. Before they leave the island they want to rob the store of Felix Ducotel (Leo G. Carroll). But they soon find out that Felix, his wife Amelie (Joan Bennett) and their daughter (Gloria Talbott) are really decent people, who are in deep trouble when Felix’ arrogant and greedy cousin AndrĆ© Trochard (Basil Rathbone) arrives with his nephew Paul (John Baer). So the three convicts stay and help the Ducotel family – with a little assistance of the fourth escaped prisoner: Adolphe – a cute little viper..

Watch out for:

Humphrey Borgart wearing a pink apron – and boy: does it bring out the colour of his eyes!


Schmooze:
  • The film's working title was ANGELS' COOKING which is the translation of the play's title which is LA CUISINE DES ANGES.
  • This is the 6. and last film Humphrey Bogart an Michael Curtiz made together - one of the other movies they did together was CASABLANCA.
  • There two other films which are based on Albert Husson's play: WE'RE NO ANGELS (1989) with Robert De Niro, Sean Penn and Demi Moore and ORE-TACHI WA TENSHI JANAI by Takashi Miike (1993).
  • It is said that Gloria Talbott insisted that when her character passes out her head would always fell to the left because she found her profile would look best then. - I got to confess that I never look at her when she passes out. Naughty me - poor Gloria passes out so often that she could have earned my attantion..

A nodding acquaintance:

  • John Baer played title character Terry Lee in 1953s television series: TERRY AND THE PIRATES (1953).

  • Gloria Talbott played Jane Wyman's daughter in ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1955) and played Moneta in television series ZORRO (1957-59).

  • John Smith who played medical officer Arnaud made his (uncredited) debut in GOING MY WAY (1944) as a choir member. In TV series CIMARRON CITY (1958-59) he played Deputy Lane Temple and Slim Sherman in series LARAMIE (1959-63).

Sing a Song:

In this film a wonderful song by Frederick Hollander is featured: “Sentimental Moments” and you can also hear “Hark! The herald angels sing”.


My favourite feature:

The shop! There’s so much to see! And the whole set of the Ducotel house is amazing. And they have gladioluses, which are one of my favourite flowers – they’re often seen in 1930ies films because they’re sooo elegant!

Scene to see

I can’t decide which one is the best or initial scene – so: Please watch the whole film. But maybe this scene will give you an impression - though the colours in this seem to be faded:


See the beauty in it:

Joan Bennett’s dresses are gorgeous. The wardrobe was designed by Mary Grant.

What the critics said:

In 2006 Time Out London found the convicts an
"ill-assorted trio of Bogart, Ray and Ustinov"
and go on with
"The lowest point comes when they all line up to croak Christmas carols."
*ouch!*
" ...it's static and laden with leaden talk, with nothing to interest the eye as recompense. ... Bogart looks particularly ill-at-ease and silly."

- sorry, they must have seen another film than I did, well the three prisoner are not the Rat Pack or Bing Crosby or some other croonin' fella but their singing is nothing to make a great point out of it. I think the trio is a perfect match and I love that Humphrey Bogart was not afraid of looking silly.

Quotes Corner :

“We came here to rob them and that’s what we’re gonna do. Beat their heads in, gorge their eyes out, cut their throats. – As soon as we wash the dishes.”

This film is hilarious. Of course there are moments when I have tears in my eyes. I am a bit sentimental, but and I think a good film touches you. So this is another plus for this movie and a good addition to extremely funny dialogues. I also like the fact that neither Adolphe nor the deaths or corpses are seen. I would have liked to see the snake but I think it is much more funny and also does not stress an animal. *yay*
I love the characters and the cast is amazing. Basil Rathbone is elegant as always in a light grey suit – and not quite so elegant wearing a nightcap. I can’t imagine how anyone could not like these four Christmas angels. I can’t make up my mind, which one of them is my favourite.

Thank you very much, Sally, for having me in your meme!

It is an honour for me. So, as I said before: Thank you.


“Right these way, please. This way to Christmas!”


The End? Wait and watch!

Yours (well and) truly

Frl. Irene Palfy

Friday, 3 December 2010

"A jester unemployed is nobody's fool"

Written, produced and directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama came a movie into the film theaters which was the most expensive at that time ($4 Mio.) and did not at all paid out at the box offices ($2.2 Mio). Though it should become a favourite on TV: THE COURT JESTER (1956).


In a nutshell
:

King Roderick (Cecil Parker) has unrightful took possession of the throne. But one member of the true royal family has survived: it is a little baby boy, who Hawkins (Danny Kaye) - a ex-carnival artist - takes care of. Hawkins belongs to a gang of rebels lead by The Black Fox (Edward Ashley), who wants to put back the real king on the throne. When Hawkins and Maid Jean (Glynis Johns) - who are in love with each other - are on their way to bring the baby king into safety they meet famous court jester Giacomo (John Carradine).

Hawkins takes Giacomo's place to dispossess the king - but what he did not know: Giacomo is also an infamous assassin who was engaged by the king's mean minister Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone) who fears to loose his power. And then there is King Roderick's daughter Princess Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury) who dreams of a romantic lover to abduct her from the court and she browbeats her lady's companion Griselda (Mildred Natwick), who is able to use magic to get her such a hero - and who do you think Griselda will choose?


Watch out for:

The fighting scene bewtween Ravenhurst and Hawkins - this scene also bears a little reminiscence of Basil Rathbone's famous final fighting scene with Tyrone Power, jr. in THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940) - the candles!!

You should always watch carefully when Basil Rathbone is fencing: He was one of the best sword fighters in Hollywood and he was still great though he was in his 60ies and they had to double him in one scene because Danny Kaye - at an age of 42 - was a bit too bursting with energy and not that professional which means he was a bit dangerous for his combatant..


Schmooze:

  • Danny Kaye received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Actor - Comedy/Musical.
  • Glynis Johns is best-known as Mrs. Banks in Disney's MARY POPPINS (1964).
  • The high speed marching maneuvers ("yay verily yay") was done by an U.S. Civil War reenactment group.
  • Mildred Natwick is maybe best-known as Miss Ivy Gravely in Alfred Hitchcock's THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955).
  • When Hawkins/Giacomo is talking German he says: "What have you.." and than starts bubbling unintelligibly. In the German version at this point he "talks" Danish.
  • John Carradine is the father of Chris, David (whose death body was found in a most ungraceful pose last year), Keith and Robert Carradine.
  • The song "The maladjusted jester" was written by Sylvia Fine, who was Mrs. Danny Kaye. The other songs she wrote in cooperation with Sammy Cahn.
  • For the German version Danny Kaye was dubbed - like he mostly was - by Georg Thomalla, who also dubbed Jack Lemmon in almost every German release of his films.
  • Danny Kaye had to wear "leg falsies" so that his legs would look more thewy - which makes it much more funny that Hawkins (under the spell of Griselda) offers Gwendolyn amongst other things his "legs and calves".
My favourite character:
I love Griselda - she is awesome. I am a big fan of Mildred Nastwick. It's always great when she appears. And I also like Sir Griswold (Robert Middleton) very much. But I got to confess that I love the whole cast! They're marvellous!!


Scene to see:

The famous "the vessel with the pestle"-scene! Not my favourite one - but the one every one will recognize and Danny Kaye's daughter Dena later stated that when her father was in public people often came to him and recite the whole speech. Look for yourself:






Quotes corner:

"Who are we to say nay to miracles?"


This picture, which you could also take as Robin Hood parody - even Basil Rathbone does a version of Sir Guy of Gisbourne - is just fun to watch. There some of my favourite actors/actresses in this film: Glynis Johns, to whom I fell in love as a kid, when she appeared in MARY POPPINS (my first suffragette!), Basil Rathbone - elegant and malicious -, Danny Kaye, Angela Lansbury and Mildred Nastwick..

Though you can watch it with children of any age I find some scene quite sexy. Don't fear: nothing to corrupt any character. ;")

When I was a kid we often watched this film around christmas season, that way it became a holiday film for me without any direct connections to the season. Do you have some "traditional holiday films" like that?

"The real king is on the throne, Jean is my very own..."


The End? Wait and watch!

Yours (well and) truly,

Frl. Irene

Saturday, 21 August 2010

"I always wanted to meet Mrs. Thorwald!"

In 1942 Cornell Woolrich (whose real name was William Irish) wrote a short story called "It had to be murder", in which a man watches a murder from his window. It should become an immortal film classic in 1954 - directed by Alfred Hitchcock and with a changed title: REAR WINDOW.

In a nutshell:
After an accident photojournalist L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries (James Stewart) is forced to stay in his appartment. He passes the time watching his neighbours across the courtyard. After a chain of strange events he assumes that his neighbour Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) has killed his wife.
Jeff, his girlfriend - the glamour girl Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) - and Stella - Jeff's nurse (Thelma Ritter) - start to investigate. ...


Watch out for:
  • Alfred Hitchcock's cameo!


Schmooze:

  • Judith Evelyn - Miss Lonelyheart - played also in GIANT (1956) and THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV (1958).

  • Allegedly Raymond Burr was supposed to colour his hair grey, because he should look like David O. Selznick, with whom Hitchcock has had some quarrels.
  • Though they were within the Paramount studios and especially build for this movie, the apartments in Thorwald's house had electricity and running water, and could actually be lived in. Miss Torso (Georgine Darcy) allegedly relaxed in her "apartment" between the takes as if it was her real home.
  • You may know Ross Bagdasarian - the Songwriter - as the singing soldier in STALAG 17 (1953) and creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
  • Hitchcock did the direction directly from Jeff's apartment - the other actors outside had little earpieces to get the direction.


  • For the German (-speaking) filmviewers: After the rights to this movie reverted to Hitchcock all prints with the first German dubbing of 1955 were destroyed, so that a new dubbing had to be created in 1984 for the new release. (I think, this is why Jeff uses the word "arse" - I am pretty sure, that he didn't do that in the 1955 version..)

  • This was the 4th and last score for Hitchcock by Franz Waxman.

  • Maybe you have recognized the voice of Jeff's editor Gunnison, whilst he is talking to Jeff on the phone: It's Gig Young!

Murphy's Law:
  • Lisa's slippers are magically arranged after she had tossed them in her suitcase shortly before. Where can I learn that, please? This would do wonders for my packing skills!
  • The drinks in several glasses seem to refresh themself.

My favourite feature:

The set!! All this lights and people and stories!! It's a bit like a giant living dollhouse!

Scene to see:

Jeff is set about to eat his breakfast and Stella starts talking about how Thorwald possibly could have cut up his wife. - But, please!, watch the whole movie!! I can't imagine that you'll regret that!

Window shopping:
Lisa's night gown, her white and black dress from her entrance scene, her jeans and her black dress will go perfectly with my garderobe. (I sure have a soft spot for Edith Head's fashion!)

Quotes corner:

I picked this one, because right now it fits the weather situation (here) perfectly:

"You'd think the rain would've cooled things down. All it did was make the heat wet."



This film may be the perfect Hitchcock film for beginners. You can relate to the hero (you are watching movies like he is watching his neighbours, so I guess you are at least a bit interested in other ones' lives..), Grace Kelly is so photogenic it almost kills me and these little stories about the neighbours intrigue every one I know so far. Plus: I am a huge Thelma Ritter fan! I love wise-cracking dames!
















(I love how James Stewart turns and starts talking to the audience. I like my stars talking to me..)

Goodbye! I've got to go and watch another movie and:


"Oh, I love funny exit lines."