Daily Archives: February 26, 2014

The Rains Came
Directed by Clarence Brown
Written by Philip Dunne and Julian Josephson from a novel by Louis Bromfield
1939/USA
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Thomas ‘Tom’ Ransome: [Describing Ranchipur to Lady Edwina Esketh] See, in Ranchipur, the important things in life are the elemental things, such as crops, starvation, and weather. In Europe, when someone says “It looks like rain,” in all probability, he’s trying to make polite conversation. But here, where people die as easily as they’re born, they’re speaking in terms of life and death. You’ll see what I mean, if you’re still here when the rains come. You’ll see them overnight turn the fields, the gardens and the jungles from a parched and burning desert, into a mass of green that seems to live, to writhe and to devour the walls, the trees and the houses.[/box]

Despite some over the top melodrama at the end, I enjoyed this disaster/romantic drama..

(The fictional) Ranchipur province  India is governed by a benevolent, progressive maharaja (H.B. Warner) and his wife (Maria Ouspenskaya).  The disreputable painter Tom Ransome (George Brent) has lived on the fringes of the palace for several years.  When Lord (Nigel Bruce) and Lady (Myrna Loy) Edwina Esketh arrive, Tom and the libertine Edwina apparently rekindle an old flame.  But Edwina is soon distracted by Major Rama Safti (Tyrone Power), a noted physician and court favorite.  She gets nowhere with the major until the rains come and an earthquake and dam failure inspire her to take pity on the sick and dieing.  With some great character actors, including Joseph Schildkraut, Henry Travers, Mary Nash, Jane Darwell, and Laura Hope Crewes.

I think this would have been a more interesting story if it had been made outside the strictures of the Hayes Code.  It was not bad as it was, containing many more wrinkles than I was able to include in my plot summary.  It was not easy to buy Tyrone Power as an Indian.  The rest of the cast was great and it was nice to see Myrna Loy back in a vamp role.

The Rains Came won an Oscar for its special effects.  It was also nominated by the Academy in the categories of: Best Black and White Cinematography; Best Art Direction; Best Sound Recording; Best Film Editing; and Best Original Score (Alfred Newman).

Clip – earthquake

Clip

The Man in the Iron Mask
Directed by James Whale
Written by George Bruce based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas pére
1939/USA
Universal Pictures
First Viewing/Streaming on Amazon Instant Video

Philippe: There is one law in life, my brother, that not even a king can escape… the law of retribution!

As swashbuckling costume drama goes, this one is OK.

Louis XIII’s wife gives birth to identical twin sons (both played as adults by Louis Hayward). Seeking to avoid strife over the succession to the throne, the king and his courtiers decide to turn one of the boys, Philippe, over to musketeer D’Artagnan (Warren William) to be raised.   All are sworn to secrecy. Unbeknownst to the monarch, evil Fouquet (Joseph Schildkraut) has overheard the plan. Philippe grows up to be a brave, loyal man but Louis XIV, who becomes monarch as a child, is idle, vain, and heartless.

Louis’s grasping ways have caused him to be widely hated among the population.  When Spanish princess Maria Theresa (Joan Bennett) comes to France to marry him, she loathes him as well.  Louis is so unpopular that he fears he will be assassinated if he emerges to light a candle at the cathedral on his father’s name day.  Fortuitously, Philippe is arrested for some crime and when the uncanny resemblance is discovered, Louis sends him out to take the risk for him.  But Philippe easily makes peace with the assassins and captivates Maria Theresa. When Louis finally learns that Philippe is his brother, he imprisons him in the Bastille locked in an iron mask.    How can justice and true love triumph?  You can be sure swordplay is involved.  With Alan Hale as one of the musketeers.

I went in with some trepidation because I couldn’t stand Louis Hayward’s mugging in the only other movie I’d seen him in.  However, he is quite OK here and especially suited to the nasty, foppish Louis.  Joseph Schildkraut, as usual, makes a really excellent villain. It drags a bit but there’s enough excitement to make it entertaining on balance.

Lud Guskin and Lucien Moraweck were nominated for the Best Original Score Oscar for this film.

Clip – scenes near end – Dwight Frye has a cameo as Fouquet’s valet at approx 3:45