Farewell to Arms, A (1932)

Farewell to Arms, A (1932)

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“I’ll come back to Catherine — I’ll always come back.”

Synopsis:
During World War I, an ambulance driver (Gary Cooper) falls in love with a nurse (Helen Hayes) but his jealous friend (Adolphe Menjou) prevents them from staying in touch with one another.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Adolphe Menjou Films
  • Doctors and Nurses
  • Frank Borzage Films
  • Gary Cooper Films
  • Helen Hayes Films
  • Romance
  • Star-Crossed Lovers
  • World War I

Review:
Ernest Hemingway wasn’t happy with this Hollywood-ized rendering of his autobiographically inspired best-selling novel — though he eventually became lifelong friends with Cooper (whose performance he admired). Indeed, Cooper and Hayes are fine as the star-crossed lovers whose happiness is repeatedly doomed by the pesky realities of war:

However, their story is essentially a soaper, so your enjoyment of the tale (directed with atmospheric style by Frank Borzage) will depend entirely on how much you appreciate this type of fare. The film is also notable for being made as a PreCode title, and thus filled with plenty of scenes and insinuations that wouldn’t pass muster just a few years later.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Fine central performances


  • Some refreshingly candid pre-Code content

  • Atmospheric cinematography

Must See?
No; you can skip this one unless you’re a fan of the stars or Borzage.

Links:

Blue Light, The (1932)

Blue Light, The (1932)

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“Those crystals — they are a danger for you, and the whole village.”

Synopsis:
A semi-feral woman named Junta (Leni Riefenstahl) who lives high up in a mountain with a young goatherd(Franz Maldacea) is menaced by local townspeople, who believe she is a witch given how many young men lose their lives climbing the mountain to reach the beautiful blue crystals at the top. Will a sympathetic man (Mathias Wieman) be able to save Junta from her doomed fate?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Fantasy
  • German Films
  • Witches and Wizards

Review:
Film fanatics may be familiar with this early “mountain film” — written, directed by, and starring Leni Riefenstahl — given clips interspersed throughout the 1993 documentary The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl, which details the infamous Nazi propaganda films Riefenstahl made under Hitler’s regime. This earlier, fairy tale-like film is notable for its lovely aesthetics, with Riefenstahl crafting an impressively other-worldly yet grounded existence through on-location shooting in the Brenta Dolomites of Ticino, Switzerland, and in Sarntal, South Tirol.


The storyline is quite simple, structured as a “frame story” in which Junta’s tale is told after visitors at a local hotel ask about her portrait:

Junta is perceived as a witch given her primitive existence in the mountains — and how many men die trying to reach the treasures she lives nearby — but Junta is actually a sympathetic presence, making the story’s denouement all the more tragic (though perhaps not surprising). This film isn’t must-see, but those who enjoy innovative films by early female directors may be curious to give it a look.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Beautiful cinematography and imagery

  • Fine location shooting

Must See?
No; you can skip this one unless you’re curious.

Links:

Cesar (1936)

Cesar (1936)

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“Sure, they had devoted fathers — but I don’t think any could compare to mine.”

Synopsis:
When his adoptive father (Fernand Charpin) dies, grown Cesar (Andre Fouche) learns from his mother (Orane Demazis) that his biological father (Pierre Fresnay) — son of his godfather (Raimu) — was a sailor who may still be alive, and sets out to meet him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Death and Dying
  • Father and Child
  • French Films
  • Grown Children
  • Waterfront

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “Marcel Pagnol directed as well as wrote the final chapter of his Marseilles Trilogy,” which takes “place about 17 years after Fanny (1932)” and presents “a lovely, deeply moving film with the usual rich characterizations and passionate performances.”

He notes that “highlights include Cesar’s discourse on Death and God, all scenes in which one character reveals love for another (which happens throughout the trilogy), and when Panisse’s friends gather around his deathbed.”

He concludes his review by writing that this “fine example of Pagnol’s ‘human’ cinema” can “be enjoyed without having seen Marius or Fanny” — though I actually find it to be the least satisfying of the three, primarily given the dull character played by Fouche:

… and the silly miscommunication that ensues when he sets off to find Fresnay. Even the humor among the elderly townsfolk feels less fresh this time around, especially with Charpin gone:

However, fans of the series will of course find this film indispensable, simply in order to learn what happens to the characters.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Atmospheric sets and cinematography

Must See?
No, though fans of the trilogy will naturally be eager to check it out.

Links:

Fanny (1932)

Fanny (1932)

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“You can’t buy a girl — especially not one like Fanny.”

Synopsis:
After her boyfriend Marius (Pierre Fresnay) goes away to sea, Fanny (Orane Demazis) discovers she’s pregnant. With support from her mother (Alida Rouffe) and Marius’s father, Cesar (Raimu), Fanny agrees to marry her older suitor, Honore (Fernand Charpin), and allow him to be the father of her child — but what will happen when Marius learns about the baby?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Father and Child
  • French Films
  • Play Adaptations
  • Pregnancy
  • Waterfront
  • Widows and Widowers

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “second part of Marcel Pagnol’s Marseilles Trilogy” — “falling between Marius (1931) and Cesar (1936)” — “picks up exactly where Marius left off”; indeed, it’s a true sequel without any gap. He notes that once “again the film succeeds because of the believable, lovable characters rather than the direction [by Marc Allegret], which is theatrical,” and points out that “Raimu is splendid, and Charpin, Demazis, and Fresnay make strong impessions.”

Peary also reminds us that “Jacques Demy borrowed the basic plot (eliminating the Cesar character and making the boy a wartime soldier rather than a sailor) for his 1964 musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” and that “the 1961 film Fanny” — starring Leslie Caron and Maurice Chevalier — “was derived from the entire trilogy.”

I’m a fan of these gently humorous stories (though I’ll admit to watching them at a slightly sped up pace). This second entry is particularly poignant, given the candid discussions taking place between all parties, and how excited Charpin is to finally be a father after so many years. I appreciate that seafaring Fresnay is gone for most of the movie, allowing this portion of the narrative to focus on Demazis’s decisions on behalf of her child. While there is — of course — heartbreak and compromise to be had, we also see plenty of collaboration and joy, making this film more uplifting than one would expect.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Fernand Charpin as Honore Panisse
  • Raimu as Cesar Olivier
  • Orane Demazis as Fanny
  • Atmospheric sets and cinematography

Must See?
Yes, as a compelling second entry in Pagnol’s trilogy.

Categories

  • Foreign Gem

Links:

Marius (1931)

Marius (1931)

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“I long for distance places.”

Synopsis:
The son (Pierre Fresnay) of a cafe owner (Raimu) in Marseilles loves a young woman named Fanny (Orane Demazis) whose mother (Alida Rouffe) runs a seafood stall, and who is being pursued by an older widow (Fernand Charpin) — but Marius (Fresnay) can’t stop dreaming about running away to sea…

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • French Films
  • Love Triangle
  • Play Adaptations
  • Romance
  • Waterfront

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that this “first of Marcel Pagnol’s Marseilles Trilogy, to be followed by Fanny (1932) and Cesar (1936),” has “slow pacing due to [the] static, unimaginative direction of Alexander Korda, but Pagnol’s characters are a wonderful lots, particularly bar owner Cesar (Raimu, one of the greatest French actors)”:

… “and his middle-aged friends, with their hats, pot bellies, and funny philosophizing and quibbling.”


In his review, Peary shares more about the plot, which inevitably leads to spoilers — but he also simply notes that the “picture has warmth, humor, [and] marvelous acting by Raimu” in addition to being “one of the first films not only to deal with premarital sex but to make it seem natural.” He points out that “highlights include an affectionate scene between Cesar and his son (parental love is vital to the trilogy)”:

… “and a card game between Cesar and his pals.”

While it is slowly paced (and arguably needs to be seen with its trilogy counterparts for full appreciation), Marius remains a cornerstone of early French cinema, and should be seen once by all film fanatics.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Fine performances

  • Atmospheric sets and cinematography

Must See?
Yes, as a classic of early French cinema.

Categories

  • Foreign Gem

Links:

Threepenny Opera, The (1931)

Threepenny Opera, The (1931)

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“This truth you cannot shirk: man lives exclusively by dirty work.”

Synopsis:
In 19th century London, crime boss Mackie Massler (Rudolf Forster) marries the daughter (Carola Neher) of the city’s top begging racketeer (Fritz Rasp), who is unhappy about Polly (Neher) being wed to a rival criminal, and asks the chief of police, Tiger-Brown (Reinhold Schunzel), to help capture Mackie. Meanwhile, Mackie’s former lover Jenny, a prostitute (Lotte Lenya), pines over Mackie and tries to help him escape.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Corruption
  • German Films
  • G.W. Pabst Films
  • Musicals
  • Play Adaptations
  • Thieves and Criminals

Review:
G.W. Pabst’s adaptation of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s musical play about widespread societal corruption was fraught with conflict and drama — most specifically Brecht’s frustration with Pabst’s very loose interpretation of his work (Brecht quit midway through production, and Weill was eventually fired). It’s notable for being a film banned by the Nazis, with all prints they could find being destroyed — though thankfully, it was eventually reconstructed and recently restored. It remains a highly atmospheric film, with striking sets and cinematography throughout:

… and a noteworthy film debut by Lotte Lenya (in a supporting role):

The storyline — a broad satire of capitalism — is one that will probably appeal most to fans of Brecht’s work. I’ll admit I wasn’t overly familiar with the play, and had a hard time following along at first, as we see Forster seducing a couple of women (what exactly are his intentions?):

… and eventually marrying one of them in a truly weird, crook-filled ceremony constructed completely from stolen items.

Eventually, however, Neher emerges as an unexpectedly strong female, taking over Forster’s business when he’s captured and successfully converting it into an even more high-toned operation:

While I consider this film to be more of a curio than a masterpiece, it should probably be seen once by film fanatics given its historical significance.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Strong performances by the leading cast

  • Andrej Andrejew’s art direction and sets
  • Fritz Arno Wagner’s cinematography
  • Kurt Weill’s score

Must See?
Yes, once, simply for its historical relevance. Listed as a film with Historical Importance and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Historically Relevant

Links:

Up the River (1930)

Up the River (1930)

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“Ever since I met you, I’ve been in trouble.”

Synopsis:
When a street hustler (Spencer Tracy) and his bumbling compatriot (Warren Hymer) meet a well-to-do con (Humphrey Bogart) in prison, they receive support from Bogart’s incarcerated new girlfriend (Claire Luce) in escaping, and later help prevent newly released Bogart from being blackmailed by a crooked salesman.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Ex-Cons
  • Humphrey Bogart Films
  • John Ford Films
  • Prisoners
  • Satires and Spoofs
  • Spencer Tracy Films

Review:
When The Big House (1930) was released, John Ford changed his plans for starring two of his recent stage discoveries (Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart) in a prison drama, instead pivoting to this satire of the new genre. Unfortunately, it’s a mess of a movie, straying so far from realism it too often smacks of fantasy — i.e., the warden’s daughter is allowed to befriend the convicts:

… male inmates have easy access to female inmates:

… and inmates perform a variety show involving knife throwing!

Meanwhile, the plot skitters around like crazy, shifting from inside the prison to out and then back again, with a visit to a country manor and a couple of baseball games thrown in for good measure. This one is only worth a look if you’re curious to see Tracy and Bogart in their cinematic debuts.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart in their screen debuts

Must See?
No; you can skip this one unless you’re a major enthusiast of Ford, Tracy, or Bogart.

Links:

Pinky (1949)

Pinky (1949)

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“I’ve been away a long time, Granny. I’ve known another kind of life. I’ve been treated like a human being!”

Synopsis:
When a white-passing nursing graduate (Jeanne Crain) goes to visit her Black grandmother (Ethel Waters) in the south, she’s asked to care for Waters’ ailing employer Miss Em (Ethel Barrymore), who leaves her house to “Pinky” (Crain) when she dies. Will Crain cede the property to Barrymore’s racist relative (Evelyn Varden) and escape town with her kind white fiance (William Lundigan), or decide to stay and fight against local prejudice and injustices?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • African-Americans
  • Deep South
  • Doctors and Nurses
  • Elia Kazan Films
  • Ethel Barrymore Films
  • Inheritance
  • Jeanne Crain Films
  • Mistaken or Hidden Identities
  • Racism and Race Relations

Review:
Elia Kazan was rushed in after one week to replace John Ford as director of this earnest if inevitably troubled “message film” about race relations in the south, particularly the notions of “passing” and inter-racial relationships. It makes sense that Ford wasn’t comfortable with the female-centric storyline being addressed here, and Kazan does a fine job within the inherent limitations of the material — including the fact that a white woman had to be cast in the lead role (to assuage racist southern audiences), given her romance with a white man.

Crain is appropriately cipher-like as Pinky, spending most of the film looking either puzzled or annoyed, with expressions of deep thought on her face; to that end, Elia Kazan’s comments on working with Crain are interesting:

Jeanne Crain was a sweet girl, but she was like a Sunday school teacher. I did my best with her but she didn’t have any fire. The only good thing about her face was that it went so far in the direction of no temperament that you felt Pinky was floating through all of her experiences without reacting to them, which is part of what ‘passing’ is.

A much more dynamic presence is Waters as Crain’s Granny:

… and Barrymore is well-cast as a feisty older woman intent on breaking social norms.

While the ending was seen by many as pandering to segregationist ideology, it actually functions well — or well enough — as an expression of Pinky’s growth, and a certain type of progress being made. Modern viewers should watch this film once, simply given its rarity as a movie addressing racism at a time when this was mostly ignored in the cinema.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Ethel Waters as Dicey Johnson
  • Joseph MacDonald’s atmospheric cinematography

Must See?
Yes, for its historical importance. Listed as a film with Historical Relevance and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Historically Relevant

Links:

Destination Tokyo (1943)

Destination Tokyo (1943)

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“I could pop him off with a clear conscience.”

Synopsis:
Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant) of the USS Copperfin submarine guides his men to Tokyo Bay to assist in preparing for the Doolittle Raid. Along the way, “Wolf” (John Garfield) tells stories about his exploits with women, Raymond (John Ridgeley) shares his experiences growing up in Japan, “Cookie” (Alan Hale) gripes that no one appreciates his cooking, “Tin Can” (Dane Clark) explains why he won’t attend funeral services, and “Pills” (William Prince) conducts an emergency appendectomy on Tommy (Robert Hutton).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Alan Hale Films
  • Cary Grant Films
  • Delmer Daves Films
  • John Garfield Films
  • Submarines
  • World War II

Review:
Delmer Daves made his directorial debut with this WWII-era propaganda film highlighting the bravery and strength of America’s “Silent Service” (submarine warfare). The screenplay is based on a true story of two U.S. submarines being sent to look for enemy ships in Tokyo Bay, though everything else is fictional, and (naturally) heightened for dramatic effects. During the first half, we see a fairly standard tale of diverse crewmen passing time together — including both humor (i.e., Cookie dresses up as Santa Claus; Wolf regales the men with stories of his womanizing ways):

… and tension (i.e., Pills conducts surgery without training; Tommy defuses an unexploded bomb):

Things really get exciting during the final battle sequences, which admirably show the type of intense bombardment submarines were subjected to, and how legitimately fearful the men were for their lives.

Viewers should be forewarned that there is plenty of “anti-Jap” rhetoric on display here — though the screenplay (by Daves and blacklisted writer Albert Maltz) is notable for including an attempt (by Grant) to explain why a captured Japanese soldier has just knifed and killed a crewman named Mike (Tom Tully) who was trying to bring him safely on board:

“At 7, a Jap kid is taking marches under an army instructor. At 13, he can put a machine gun together blindfolded. As I see it, that Jap started on the load 20 years ago to putting a knife in Mike’s back. There are lots of Mikes dying right now, and a lot more Mikes will die — until we wipe out a system that puts daggers in the hands of 5-year-old children.”

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Bert Glennon’s cinematography

  • The exciting depth charge battle

Must See?
No, though of course fans of WWII-era military films will want to check it out.

Links:

Operation Petticoat (1959)

Operation Petticoat (1959)

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“A submarine’s not designed to be co-educational.”

Synopsis:
A Navy admiral (Cary Grant) reflects back on his service in the Philippines during World War II, when he had to deal with a creaky submarine, an insubordinate junior officer (Tony Curtis), and the sudden arrival on board of five stranded Army nurses, including a busty klutz (Joan O’Brien), a beautiful blonde (Dina Merrill) with eyes for Curtis, and a handy brunette (Virginia Gregg) who helped out the ship’s machinist (Arthur O’Connell).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • At Sea
  • Blake Edwards Films
  • Cary Grant Films
  • Comedy
  • Flashback Films
  • Military
  • Submarines
  • Tony Curtis Films
  • World War II

Review:
Blake Edward directed this popular “service comedy” which put Cary Grant into the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest paid actor at the time, given that he earned a percentage of the profits (good for him!). There’s not much to this highly unrealistic flashback tale other than Curtis getting to work alongside his idol (Grant):

… and plenty of humor about how busty women make it even harder to squeeze by one another on a packed underwater vehicle:

The humor is sophomoric at best — i.e., women’s undergarments turn out to serve a crucial role in the boat’s operation:

… Curtis steals a hog from a poor local farmer, then passes it off as a drunken sailor:

… and the submarine is painted pink simply because red and white are the only available colors (I think I missed the part about why the ship needed re-painting in the first place):

Sigh. I can understand how former servicemen and women might have enjoyed breathing a deep sigh of relief and poking fun at the extreme danger they were in during World War II, but this type of humor really hasn’t dated well.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Russell Harlan’s cinematography

Must See?
No; you can skip this one unless you’re a Grant, Curtis, or Edwards fan.

Links: