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Synopsis:
The top clerk (James Stewart) in a small gift store quibbles with his new colleague (Margaret Sullavan), not realizing she’s his secret romantic pen pal; meanwhile, their boss (Frank Morgan) becomes increasingly distracted and moody as he learns his wife is carrying on an affair with one of his employees.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Ernst Lubitsch Films
• Frank Morgan Films
• Jimmy Stewart Films
• Margaret Sullavan Films
• Mistaken Identities
• Play Adaptations
• Romantic Comedy

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “enchanting Ernst Lubitsch comedy” (like most of Lubitsch’s farces) “has to do with mistaken identity, deception, and characters masking their true selves”. He points out that “Stewart and Sullavan (a marvelous team!) conceal their idealistic, romantic visions of the world, life, and love”, “Morgan conceals the depth of of his humanity behind a gruff exterior”, and other characters eventually turn out to be more (or less) than they seem. He notes that despite the presence of a “gossipy, word-twisting, back-stabbing sneak” in the store (I won’t say more at risk of giving away mid-narrative spoilers), this remains “Lubitsch’s gentlest, most chaste … comedy, one in which he was more interested in revealing the humanity of [most of] his characters … than in sexual innuendo”. Meanwhile, as Peary writes, “we fall in love with the people at [the store], as individuals and as a family” — indeed, despite the obvious stagebound origins of the story (it’s based on a play by Hungarian Miklos Laszlo), we can’t help solidly believing in these characters and their unique milieu.

The subplot involving Morgan’s discovery of his wife’s infidelity plays an important role in the overall storyline (and it’s wonderful to see Morgan given such a meaty, nuanced part) — but at the heart of the film lies the love-hate relationship that develops between Stewart and Sullavan. We know from the beginning that they are each others’ secret paramours, and Stewart finds out roughly half-way through the film — so the crux of the narrative tension revolves around how, when, or if Stewart will choose to reveal what he’s discovered. To that end, the scene in which Stewart initially learns about Sullavan’s identity is decidedly bittersweet; Sullavan’s reaction to Stewart “barging in” on her intended rendezvous shows her in a surprisingly negative light, and it took me a while to understand how Stewart could so easily forgive her and reconcile her “real life” persona with the one she’d revealed to him in letters (there’s clearly more going on in his mind than we’ve privy to). Ultimately, however, their complicated dance of gradual recognition rings true — now more so than ever, as more and more individuals (myself included) meet their beloved in virtual reality before encountering one another in person. Film fanatics should certainly check out this finely acted, expertly directed human comedy at least once.

Note: Laszlo’s play was remade two more times — first as the Judy Garland/Van Johnson musical In the Good Old Summertime (1949), and later as You’ve Got Mail (1993), starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan; neither is must-see viewing.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Margaret Sullavan as Klara Novak (nominated as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in Peary’s Alternate Oscars)
  
• James Stewart as Alfred Kralik (nominated as one of the Best Actors of the Year in Alternate Oscars)
  
• Frank Morgan as Mr. Matuschek
  
• Felix Bressart as Pirovitch
  

Must See?
Yes, as a classic romance by a master director. Nominated as one of the Best Pictures of the Year in Alternate Oscars.

Categories

• Genuine Classic

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review
• TV Guide Review
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Articles
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
The day before her marriage to a boring millionaire (John Lund), an exacting heiress (Grace Kelly) must deal with the presence of both her jazz-playing ex-husband (Bing Crosby) and a Spy Magazine reporter (Frank Sinatra) and photographer (Celeste Holm), who intend to cover the nuptials in exchange for not printing a revealing article about Kelly’s philandering father (Sidney Blackmer).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Bing Crosby Films
• Celeste Holm Films
• Frank Sinatra Films
• Grace Kelly Films
• Louis Calhern Films
• Love Triangle
• Musicals
• Romantic Comedy

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “even if you didn’t know this pleasing musical was a remake of The Philadelphia Story, you’d still guess that Grace Kelly (in her last screen role) was basing her spoiled society girl on something Katharine Hepburn did”. Yet I would argue that Kelly admirably holds her own in a role tailor-made for her patrician sensibilities; indeed, the “criminally beautiful” Kelly — who “is dressed to match the sets” of this “nice-looking film” — “turns in an acceptable comedic performance”, and in some ways is almost better suited for the story than Hepburn (who, as noted by Peary in his review of TPS, “never seems like a prig or someone who will accept only perfection”).

Peary posits that “the major problem is that Kelly is so energetic that Crosby, 25 years her senior, seems much too old for her” — but I disagree; in fact, I actually find it easier to imagine that the uptight character of “Tracy Lord” (Hepburn/Kelly) would have a problem with Crosby’s easy-going jazz musician than with Cary Grant’s alcoholic (perhaps because we never actually see evidence of the latter issue in TPS).

Meanwhile, Sinatra and Holm make a suitable impact in the roles originated by James Stewart and Ruth Hussey:

— and while the narrative has been watered down quite a bit, the film “moves at a brisk pace” and contains “many musical highlights”.

As Peary notes, “Cole Porter songs serve for memorable duets by Crosby and Kelly (their hit ‘True Love’), Crosby and Sinatra (‘Did You Evah?’), Crosby and Louis Armstrong (‘Now You Has Jazz’), and Sinatra and Holm (‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’)” — in addition to “Sinatra sing[ing] Kelly an emotional… ‘You’re Sensational'”. While this one isn’t quite a classic like its predecessor, it’s a surprisingly enjoyable remake, and remains worthy viewing in its own right.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord
  
• Some fun performances of Cole Porter songs — including “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and “Well, Did You Evah”
  
  

Must See?
No, though it’s recommended.

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Digitally Obsessed Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
After returning from a weekend retreat on sensitivity, a documentary-maker (Robert Culp) and his wife (Natalie Wood) decide to be completely open with one another — but when Culp admits to having a sexual fling and an unperturbed Wood thanks him for being honest, their married best friends (Dyan Cannon and Elliott Gould) don’t know what to make of the situation.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Comedy
• Counterculture
• Dyan Cannon Films
• Elliott Gould Films
• Infidelity
• Marital Problems
• Natalie Wood Films
• Paul Mazursky Films
• Sexuality

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary argues that this “still funny debut film by Paul Mazursky, about the changing and confused sexual mores of the upper middle class in Southern California during the late sixties… was not as thematically daring as it pretended to be”, and ends with a “cop-out” — but that until its final moments, it is “well written and contains many hilarious vignettes, including an aroused Gould and a disinterested Cannon (both new film stars) in bed after hearing of Culp’s infidelity:

… Culp telling Wood of his affair and becoming slightly annoyed that she’s not jealous:

… Cannon talking to her psychiatrist about her sexual confusion:

… [and] Culp offering a drink to a nervous lover”.

While I agree with Peary that each of the above scenes (among others) is cleverly written and dryly humorous, I disagree with his assertion that the film’s ending is disappointing in any way. This may be a “mainstream movie with an ending… that allowed middle-class viewers to go home happy”, but Culp’s willingness to be open with his wife about his infidelity actually comes across as quite radical, and leads to an equally “radical” response by Wood — not to mention an incisive skewering of gender norms (there’s a dilly of a double-standard that emerges at a certain point in the script, and is nicely handled).

Peary also asserts that “one problem” in the film is that “all four characters come across like jerks by the end,” but I think this is exactly the point. When given permission to follow their desires at whim, without concern for (traditional) social conventions, these characters temporarily devolve into expected narcissism — which doesn’t exactly make them likable; they’re experimenting, and part of the fun in watching their travails is to see how foolishly they flounder.

The only character who emerges semi-triumphant within the new state of affairs (at least until the culminating scene) is Wood — who, on a side note, was indeed “never prettier” (a fact which slyly contributes to the inanity of Culp’s decision to cheat on her). The picture’s ultimate moral, I think, is that social strictures and contracts (complete with strategic deception, as needed) exist for a reason, serving as useful tools for navigating the undeniably tricky waters of long-term relationships; it’s to Mazursky’s credit that his film — rather than seeming dated — remains such a potent example of this fact.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Natalie Wood as Carol
  
• Dyan Cannon as Alice
  
• Elliott Gould as Ted
  
• Robert Culp as Bob
  
• The hilariously incisive opening sequence at the retreat
  
• Mazursky’s surprisingly sharp script

Must See?
Yes, for its historical significance, and as an engaging marital drama.

Categories

• Good Show
• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
When the wife (Bette Davis) of a plantation manager (Herbert Marshall) is accused of murdering a man (David Newell) who tried to rape her, a family-friend lawyer (Joseph Stephenson) is determined to get her acquitted; but when he learns from an envoy (Victor Sen Yung) about a letter possessed by Newell’s wife (Gale Sondergaard) — supposedly sent to Newell by Davis on the day he was murdered — circumstances suddenly become much more challenging.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Bette Davis Films
• Blackmail
• Cecil Kellaway Films
• Herbert Marshall Films
• Lawyers
• Plantations
• Play Adaptation
• William Wyler Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “second film adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s play” — originally starring Oscar-nominated Jeanne Eagels in a 1929 silent version — features a “fine performance by Davis”, who he argues is better than all other actresses “at playing characters who act their way through life”; indeed, thanks to superb direction by Wyler (with whom she had a close romantic and professional connection), Davis never hits a false note in her portrayal as an endlessly deceptive woman whose true motivations and loyalties we’re kept guessing about until the very end.

However, Peary accurately points out that “perhaps the most interesting character is Stephenson, who despises Davis yet commits a crime for her… that could ruin his career”.

Peary argues that “obviously, [Stephenson] finds himself intrigued by [Davis’s] wicked nature because that’s what makes her special and excitingly different from his conventional wife”; however, it’s equally plausible that Stephenson merely feels loyalty to his long-time friends, and dedicated to carrying out his promise of acquittal.

Character motivations aside, the film itself remains a wonderfully produced and directed piece of exotic noir. As Peary writes, “Wyler’s direction is moody” (I would use the word “atmospheric” instead), and “there are long passages in which dialogue is sparse or nonexistent and the erotic tension is built through Max Steiner’s music, shadows, sounds (wind, wind chimes), the moon floating through the clouds, character movements and expressions”; Tony Gaudio’s stark cinematography contributes as well to the film’s sense of mystery and menace. However, while Peary argues that “the worst aspect of the film is the embarrassingly invidious portrayal of the non-white characters, which almost justifies the colonialists’ matter-of-fact racism”, I can’t really agree with this assessment. True, it would have been better to cast an Asian (or Eurasian) actress in Sondergaard’s role:

… but her performance as a bitter woman grieving her murdered husband isn’t particularly offensive (I don’t blame her for feeling vindictive!); and Victor Sen Yung’s portrayal as her deceptively obsequious courier is far from dumb or demeaning, instead effectively demonstrating alternate forms of power played out by savvy non-Europeans in a neo-colonial arena.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Bette Davis as Leslie (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in his Alternate Oscars)
  
• James Stephenson as Howard
  
• Victor Sen Yung as Ong
  
• Tony Gaudio’s cinematography
  
  
• Wyler’s confident direction
  
  
• Evocative sets
  
• Max Steiner’s score

Must See?
Yes, as a genuine classic.

Categories

• Genuine Classic
• Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Savant Review
• FilmSite Review
• TCM Articles
• Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review

Synopsis:
A pair of on-leave sailors — bashful Clarence (Frank Sinatra) and ladies’ man Joe (Gene Kelly) — both fall for the beautiful singing aunt (Kathryn Grayson) of a young would-be sailor (Dean Stockwell), and promise her an audition with famed conductor Jose Iturbi, despite not really knowing him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Animated Features
• Dean Stockwell Films
• Frank Sinatra Films
• Gene Kelly Films
• George Sidney Films
• Kathryn Grayson Films
• Musicals
• Sailors

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary notes that while “Kelly became a big star as the wolf of the navy” in this George Sidney-directed MGM wartime musical, “Sinatra is better as his best friend, a bashful manchild from Brooklyn” who “falls for sweet… Grayson” and “tries to impress her by promising her a singing audition with Jose Iturbi”. He argues that the “flimsy plotline is not helped by timid romantic leads Kelly and Grayson” — but this complaint doesn’t quite hold water, since Kelly and Grayson are justifiably reticent to express their feelings for one another given Sinatra’s initial interest in Grayson (and Kelly’s noble attempt to step out of his way). Meanwhile, Peary asks, “Who cares about a story centered on orchestra conductor Iturbi?”, but this complaint also isn’t quite accurate, given that Iturbi only shows up to contribute some musical numbers, and his presence primarily functions as a plot device.

With that said, I do have some complaints of my own: while Grayson’s romantic timidity makes sense to me, she’s simply not a very nuanced or interesting character (and her singing style is way too dated to appeal to most viewers). Even worse, the film goes on for far too long (2 hours and 20 minutes!), and the storyline really isn’t all that compelling. Its primary calling card — what all viewers immediately think of when they recall the film in their minds — is Kelly’s “celebrated duo with MGM cartoon star Jerry the mouse”, executed to perfection; any film fanatic unfamiliar with this number should immediately check it out on YouTube. In addition, as Peary notes, “Sinatra’s singing (of okay songs by Jules Styne and Sammy Cahn) is silky smooth” and the “MGM Technicolor is gorgeous”. However, while it’s recommended for one-time viewing, this film is only must-see for musical fans and/or devotees of either Kelly or Sinatra.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Frank Sinatra as Clarence Doolittle
  
• Kelly’s justifiably famous animated dance with Jerry the Mouse
  
• Kelly and Sinatra’s energetic performance of “I Begged Her”
  

Must See?
No, though Kelly’s dance with Jerry is definitely must-see — check it out on YouTube.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• Classic Film Guide Review
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review