The Sea Wolf Directed by Michael Curtiz Written by Robert Rosson from a novel by Jack London 1941/US Warner Bros. IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime rental
“I turned to the circle of brutal and malignant faces peering at me through the semi-darkness. A sudden and deep sympathy welled up in me. I remembered the Cockney’s way of putting it. How God must have hated them that they should be tortured so!”
― Jack London, The Sea-Wolf).
Curtiz made several iconic movies about life at sea. This is one.
This is an adaptation of the Jack London novel. The story begins in San Francisco. George Leach (John Garfield) and Ruth Brewster (Ida Lupino) are fugitives from justice. Humphrey van Weyden (Alexander Knox) is a writer and philosopher with a more mysterious reason to wander. These people wind up booking passage on a sealer “The Ghost” which is captained by the iron-willed and cruel “Wolf” Larson (Edward G. Robertson) . Leach and Brewter fall in love almost immediately.
The wanted trio try desperately to get off the ship but Wolf insists they will remain on board and the ship will not put into port until it returns to San Francisco. With Barry Fitzgerald as the ship’s cook and Gene Lockhart as its pathetic drunken doctor.
This is a solidly mounted production with a beautiful score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and atmospheric cinematography by Sol Polito. And what a cast! This was supposed to be some sort of Hitler analogy but I didn’t pick up on that.
The Little Foxes Directed by William Wyler Written by Lillian Hellman, additional scenes and dialogue by Arthur Kober, Dorothy Parker, and Alan Campbell 1941/USA The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Repeat viewing/Warner Home Video DVD
Regina Giddens: I was lonely when I was young. Not in the way people usually mean. I was lonely for all the things I wasn’t gonna get.
This is a great film that should be on everyone’s Movies I Should See Before I Die list.
The story takes place in the Deep South in the year 1900. The Hubbards produced a litter of “little foxes”, always out for themselves. Ben, the eldest brother, is the ring leader. He has put together a deal with a Northern cotton mill owner to build a mill in his home town in exchange for $225,000, low wages, and abundant water provided courtesy of a bribe to the governor. Younger brother Oscar is on board, too. The brothers need $75,000 from their sister Regina’s husband Horace Giddens (Herbert Marshall). Regina (Bette Davis) is perhaps the most ruthless of the bunch. She bargains for a 40% share to be taken from Oscar’s share on the understanding that his son, the shiftless Leo (Dan Duryea), will marry their daughter Alexandra (Teresa Wright).
The catch is that Regina must convince her emotionally estranged husband to invest his money and he is in a Baltimore hospital recovering from a heart attack. She knows his weak spot and sends Alexandra to fetch him home.
Horace returns home tired and ill, unable to exert himself enough to walk. He has no appetite whatsoever for the investment. But the siblings all have their own wicked ways of getting what they want. With Patricia Collinge in a heartbreaking performance as Oscar’s browbeaten, gentle wife Birdie and Richard Carlson as Alexandra’s free-thinking sweetheart David.
Wyler does such a fabulous job that one would never guess the film’s stage origins. I just love the natural but intricate way he blocks groups of people. The film looks splendid, too, amply deserving all those Oscar nominations. If there had been a Best Costume Design award in 1941, this film would have been a shoe-in.
But it is the acting that is the true glory of the film. I haven’t seen all of Bette Davis’s films yet but I am confident that she was never better than in this one. She is like a harder, older version of Jezebel who married the Henry Fonda character and set about making his life miserable. All the other actors rise to match her fire.
The Little Foxes was nominated for nine Academy Awards: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Actress; Best Supporting Actress (Collinge); Best Supporting Actress (Wright); Best Writing, Screenplay; Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black and White; Best Film Editing; and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture (Meredith Wilson) .
Ball of Fire Directed by Howard Hawks Written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett from an original story by Wilder and Thomas Monroe 1941/USA The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Repeat viewing/Warner Home Video DVD
[box] Professor Bertram Potts: Make no mistake, I shall regret the absence of your keen mind; unfortunately, it is inseparable from an extremely disturbing body.[/box]
I love this film. Started smiling when I watched the trailer and didn’t stop until it was over.
The inventor of the electric toaster was miffed at his omission from the Encyclopedia Britannica so left a small fortune to a group of professors to compile a new and “improved” version. One of the stipulations is that the professors be single. The “leader” of the eight experts is linguist Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper), who realizes he is not up with the times on American slang. He hits the streets to learn how American English is spoken in 1941 and to put together a “round table” on the subject. One of his star finds is nightclub entertainer Katherine “Sugarpuss” O’Shea (Barbara Stanwyck).
It so happens that her gangster boyfriend Joe Lilac (Dana Andrews) has been picked up for murder and the police are looking for her. She parlays Pott’s invitation to participate in the round table into a place to take cover for a few days. All the old professors are gaga for her and Potts falls in love. But Joe has decided that the best way to deal with his problem is to marry her so she cannot testify against him … With Oskar Homolka, Henry Travers, S.Z. Sakall, and Leonid Kinsky as a few of the professors and Dan Duryea as Duke Pastrami, Joe’s henchman.
One of the best kissing scenes ever
Based loosely on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, Wilder and Brackett’s screenplay is a hoot. Stanwyck and Cooper carry over their great chemistry from Meet John Doe and the cast of sterling character actors is superb. This is just a whole lot of fun and quite romantic to boot. Hawks keeps the zingers flying.
Ball of Fire was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Actress; Best Writing, Original Story; Best Sound, Recording and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture (Alfred Newman).
Charley’s Aunt Directed by Archie Mayo Written by George Seaton from a play by Brandon Thomas 1941/USA Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
First viewing?/Netflix rental
[box] Babbs Babberley: I’m Charley’s nut from Brazil where the aunts come from.[/box]
Jack Benny’s English accent is ludicrous but that doesn’t stop him from being funny in this take on the old stage play.
The setting is 19th Century Oxford. Charley Wickham and Jack Chesney are in love and need a chaperon for meeting their beloveds. They had been counting on Charley’s aunt Donna Lucia from Brazil to do this duty. When Lucia doesn’t show up, they blackmail Babbs Babberly (Benny), who already has the clothes from his role in a campus play, to take over. Jack’s father Sir Francis (Laird Cregar) is broke and starts courting the “lady”, who is said to be worth millions. Old Stephen Spettigue (Edmund Gwenn) isn’t far behind. Finally a client of Babbs’s father (Kay Francis) appears, and it looks like the jig is up. With Anne Baxter as one of the young ladies.
This isn’t hilarious or anything but it is amusing and a pleasant way to spend 80 minutes. Jack Benny does quite well at a role that is outside his general miserly persona.
Promo – Jack Benny talking about Charley’s Aunt with Tyrone Power and Randolph Scott, who briefly plug their parts in A Yank in the RAF and Belle Starr
Rage in Heaven Directed by W.S. Van Dyke Written by Christopher Isherwood and Robert Thoeren from a novel by James Hilton 1941/USA Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/Amazon Instant Video
Title card: “Heaven hath no rage like love to hatred turned.” – Milton
Rage in Heaven is kind of a mess, but an interesting one.
The story begins in Paris where psychiatrist Dr. Rameau (Oscar Homolka) has called the British Consul into his asylum to help learn the identity of a paranoiac patient known as “Ward Andrews”. By the time Rameau can introduce his patient, he has escaped.
Segue to London, where Ward Andrews is being paged at his hotel. The phone is delivered to Ward Andrews (George Sanders). Having heard the page, his friend Philip Monrell (Robert Montgomery) goes to him. Coincidentally, both have just returned from Paris. Andrews has a couple of days before starting a job in Scotland and Philip invites him up to his family’s country estate. There they meet Philip’s mother’s new companion the lovely Stella (Ingrid Bergman). Both men promptly fall in love with her but Philip pushes her toward Ward. However, it is Philip Stella loves and they marry shortly after Ward’s departure.
It is not long before we learn that Philip has serious problems. He admits that he posed as Ward in Paris to feel more confident. Despite Stella’s evident loyalty and love, he has also become convinced that she actually loves Ward. He invites Ward back to their home and gives him a job. After that, he repeatedly concocts ever more devious “tests” of Stella’s devotion. In his mind, she fails every one of them and he begins to plot an elaborate revenge.
One of the reasons I watched this was because it was billed as a film noir in Keaney’s Film Noir Guide. I think that’s stretching a point – the film is strictly a Freudian melodrama with a Gothic slant. It went through three directors before being finished by Woody Van Dyke while he was on a 14-day leave from the Marines and the pacing suffers. The first part drags a bit and the third act is badly rushed.
Still, I thought all the principals were good, though Bergman is still finding her way as an actress. It is always nice seeing George Sanders play outside his cynical “type” as the decent friend of the family. I don’t know how accurate the psychology was but I thought Philip’s machinations were pretty scary.
The Corsican Brothers Directed by Gregory Ratoff
Written by George Bruce and Howard Eastabrook based on the novel by Alexander Dumas pére
1941/USA
Edward Small Productions
First viewing/Amazon Prime Instant Video
[box] “True, I have raped history, but it has produced some beautiful offspring.” ― Alexandre Dumas[/box]
I thought this was a very well-done swashbuckler.
The Countess Franchi gives birth to Siamese twins Mario and Lucien on the day the evil Colonna (Akim Tamiroff) kills her and the rest of the Franchi family. Dr. Paoli (H.B. Warner) separates the twins. Lucien is sent off to the forest with a loyal Franchi servant (J. Carroll Naish) and Mario is adopted by aristocrats and goes off with them to Paris. During their childhood, Mario keenly feels Lucien’s feelings even though he is ignorant of his existence. On their 21st birthday, the twins (both played by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) are reunited in Corsica and swear a solemn vow to restore the Franchi family and kill Colonna and his supporters. Complications arise when Mario and Lucien discover they are both in love with the Countess Gravini (Ruth Warrick). In his jealousy, Lucien vows to kill Mario and be free of his influence.
On the whole this is well acted and exciting with many good sword fights, some between the twins themselves. I kept wondering how the script would resolve the rivalry between the twins and didn’t quite expect the ending.
Dimitri Tiomkin was nominated for an Academy Award for his scoring of The Corsican Brothers.
Detour Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer Written by Martin Goldsmith 1945/USA Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC)
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime Instant Video
#186 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Al Roberts: Oh, sure, Phoenix. You look just like a Phoenix girl.
Vera: Are the girls in Phoenix that bad?
This classic shows what a gifted director can do with six days and a shoestring budget.
Al Roberts (Tom Neal) narrates the story of how “Fate put the finger” on him. Al was working as a accompanist to singer Sue, his girlfriend, in a dive. One day, she announces she is going to try to make it in Hollywood and takes off. Later, he impulsively decides to try to hitchhike cross the country to join her with only a ten dollar tip in his pocket.
He picks up a ride with a bookie who, like him, is on his way to Los Angeles. The man is friendly and treats Al to a good meal. When the man tires, Al takes the wheel and, out of nowhere, the man dies. Al can’t think of anything better to do than switch identities with the fellow and hightail it with his wallet and car to LA. Continuing with this logic, Al can’t see any problem with picking up a hitchhiker himself. Unfortunately, this turns out to be Vera (the aptly named Ann Savage), she-devil from Hell, who sizes up the situation in seconds and decides to start a new career as a blackmailer and dominatrix.
I’m of the camp that believes old Al is an unreliable narrator who is trying to lay the responsibility for a couple of murders on “Fate” when avarice seems to be the much more likely motive. The story doesn’t hang together otherwise.
Ulmer, who got is start in Germany, had experience at just about every craft in movie making, including directing, and by this point had both the desire and the ability to tell a story vividly with masterful economy. He was aided by a couple of heartfelt perfomances and a tight, colorful script. This is roots noir with its look and feel dictated by a pulp sensibility and a small budget.
You’ll Never Get Rich Directed by Sidney Lanfield
Written by Michael Fessier and Ernest Pagano
1941/USA
Columbia Pictures Corporation
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Martin Cortland: Do anything so long as you make my wife believe I was telling the truth when I was lying to her![/box]
A predictable musical gives viewers the opportunity to see Rita Hayworth dance.
This could be the plot of almost any movie starring Fred Astaire. Robert Custis (Astaire) is the choreographer and star of a Broadway musical. Sheila Winthrop (Hayworth) is a dancer in the chorus. Martin Cortland (Robert Benchley), the show’s wealthy producer, is a philanderer and currently has his eye on Sheila. He buys her an engraved diamond bracelet, which she, being a good girl, refuses. The bracelet is discovered by his wife who threatens to divorce him so he makes Robert pretend that it was a gift from Robert to Sheila. In the course of this drama, Robert discovers he is in love with her himself.
The Peacetime Draft catches up with Robert. Sheila shows up at base to visit her sometime boyfriend who is an Army Captain. Robert does various things to capture Sheila’s heart, all of which lead to misunderstandings and land Robert in the guard house — that is until Cortland decides to put on a show on base.
This is OK but the script lacks the sparkle that animates Astaire’s best work. Hayworth started out as a dancer in vaudeville and does a fair job in keeping up with Astaire in their numbers together.
Cole Porter was nominated for an Academy Award for his original song “Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye” and Morris Stoloff was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.
The Four Tones sing “Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye” while Astaire taps
Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth tap dance at a rehearsal
The 47 Ronin (“Genroku Chûshingura”) Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi
Written by Kenichiro Hara, Seika Mayama, and Yoshikata Yoda
1941/Japan
IMA Productions/Shôchiku Eiga
First viewing/Streaming on Hulu Plus
[box] “Bushido is realized in the presence of death. This means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death. There is no other reasoning.” ― Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai[/box]
The Japanese Ministry of Information commissioned this film as propaganda to promote loyalty and sacrifice for WWII. What it got was a contemplative and non-violent film of great beauty that has outlived its original purpose.
This is a two-part film relating one of Japan’s most famous historical legends, the Ako Vendetta of 1702. It is a true story that has been embellished in countless plays and movies.
Lord Asano is helping to arrange a ceremonial welcome for Imperial messengers at the Shogun’s place. Chief of Protocol Lord Kira insults his efforts. Asano loses his temper and attacks Kira, failing to kill him. For this outrageous breach of decorum, the shogun orders Asano to commit harakiri. He accepts this calmly, saying his only regret is that he didn’t kill Kira. Most of the Lord’s property is seized as well, leaving his retainers masterless. Lord Kira is not criticized at all. Gradually, public opinion takes Lord Asano’s side in the dispute.
Oishi, Lord Asano’s Chief Counselor, takes charge of the ex-samurai (ronin). Most of them want to immediately slay Lord Kira to avenge their former master. Oishi counsels patience and puts them through long and frustrating deliberations. Forty-seven ronin finally agree to attack and pledge to follow Oishi unquestioningly. Then, there is another long delay while the shogun decides whether to restore the Asano House under Lord Asano’s brother. During this delay, Oishi leads a life of dissipation and the ronin scatter, most of them living in extreme poverty and disgrace.
One year after Lord Asano’s death, the ronin attack Kira’s castle and kill him. His head is placed on Asano’s grave. The ronin have honorably avenged their Lord so that his soul can rest without bitterness. After further deliberations, all the ronin are ordered to commit harikiri. They do this with great bravery and honor.
The story might presage a samurai epic with plenty of swordplay and gore. In fact, other than the scuffle with Lord Kira at the beginning, the attack and all the suicides take place off-screen. It is really the story of Oichi and the hard decisions he has to make, many of them very unpopular, to preserve the Asano honor, and the great discipline with which the ronin follow him, even when they bitterly disagree.
I was not looking forward to a four-hour samurai epic at all but I loved this film. First off, it is just so gorgeous that I probably could have happily spent the running time gazing at the images with the sound and subtitles turned off. I think the story would have been lost in a shorter film. The message almost required that the viewer live with Oishi’s deliberations and the long delays. Fortunately, Mizoguchi has a special interest in the plight of women, and there are several sub-plots showing their roles and fate. The acting is pretty wonderful. Recommended.
Clip – end of Part I – Oishi’s wife and younger children leave him
The Spell of Amy Nugent (AKA “Spellbound” and “Passing Clouds”) Directed by John Harlow
Written by Miles Malleson and Hugh Benson based on the play “Necromancer” by Robert Benson
1941/UK
Pyramid Amalgamated Pictures
First viewing/Amazon Instant Video
And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? — Isaiah 8:19 ESV
According to the British Film Noir Guide, this is one. It’s more of a ghost story and a pretty bad one to boot.
Mrs. Baxter is a pillar of society. She is trying to arrange a marriage between her son Laurie and family friend Diana Hilton. Laurie, however, is in love with Amy Nugent, daughter of the local shopkeeper. The difference in class horrifies his mother but Laurie is determined to go through with the wedding. Before this can happen, Amy dies of a sudden illness.
Laurie, an Oxford scholar preparing for his exams and a leading track star, is devastated. He is ripe when one of his mother’s friends leaves behind a book on spiritualism. He visits the friend’s house where he meets a medium named Mr. Vincent. The medium does conjure up Amy. Laurie’s Oxford tutor is a skeptic but Laurie will not listen, Finally, he brings in Mr. Cathcart, a believer who fled the movement. Laurie sinks deeper under the spell of Mr. Vincent. Can Cathcart or Diana break it before Laurie goes insane?
Derek Farr
At first, I thought this movie was going somewhere interesting with Amy’s demise. Not so. In addition, at only 82 minutes, the film drags. I thought Derek Farr over did it as Laurie. I suppose some of the lighting is noirish but low-key lighting is suitable for horror as well and does not turn a ghost story into a film noir, in my book.
