On the Making of Out of the Past (1947)

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Robert Mitchum's birth. Mitchum and his classic film noir Out of the Past (1947) have been such a part of my classic film journey. It seems fitting that for my blog's 10th anniversary and Mitchum's 100th that I dedicate today's post to this movie.

Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer on the set of Out of the Past (1947)

Out of the Past (1947) was based on the 1946 novel Build My Gallows High by Geoffrey Homes, a pen name for author Daniel Mainwaring. The film rights were up for auction before the novel was even published. RKO's William Dozier beat out Warner Bros. with the winning bid. Although the book was released as Build My Gallows High, that title wasn't quite right for the movie. A Gallup poll conducted by RKO confirmed that such a morbid title would scare off potential viewers. The name change to Out of the Past happened after filming was wrapped up.

RKO brought Mainwaring on board to work on the screenplay. He took a crack at it but it proved to be too complicated a story and the flashback structure just wasn't working. Various sources say that author James M. Cain (Postman Always Rings Twice) also attempted to write the screenplay by making numerous changes to Mainwaring's story and characters. Director Jacques Tourneur read both screenplays and requested his own changes. A third writer, Frank Fenton, solidified the structure and added some colorful dialogue. Although multiple screenwriters worked on the adaptation, only Mainwaring (as Geoffrey Homes) received credit. In the end Tourneur still thought the final product was confusing but went ahead with the production anyways.

Originally Edward Dmytryk was announced as director but a scheduling conflict with the filming of So Well Remembered (1947) caused him to drop out. Jacques Tourneur recently had some success at RKO making pictures with Val Lewton and came on board as director bringing cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca with him. They had previously collaborated on the RKO film Cat People (1942).

Jacques Tourneur and Nicholas Musuraca meeting with Jane Greer and Robert Mitchum. Out of the Past (1947)

Mainwaring first envisioned Humphrey Bogart for the part of Jeff Bailey. He even went so far as to meet with Bogart and present him with the script. Bogart might have been interested but his studio Warner Bros. wouldn't loan him out with RKO. Was Warner Bros. bitter because they lost the auction? Perhaps. However, the story from Warner Bros. was that Bogart was far too busy with other projects and they couldn't possibly loan him out. Other actors were considered including Dick Powell, Pat O'Brien and John Garfield. RKO finally settled on Robert Mitchum, their contract up-and-comer who could work on the cheap. Mitchum had potential as a leading man; he just needed a opportunity to show his worth. The role of Jeff Bailey matched Mitchum's personality. It was a natural fit.

RKO built a cast of relative newcomers to round out of the film. These included Kirk Douglas, Jane Greer, Virginia Huston, Rhonda Fleming, and Paul Valentine. Former child actor Dickie Moore, who'd recently recovered from a crippling virus that put his acting career on hold, was signed on for the part of the deaf-mute "kid". He spent four weeks learning sign language for the part. Mitchum was paid around $10k for over 10 weeks of work in comparison to Kirk Douglas who was on loan from Paramount and received $25k for a much smaller role. Jane Greer, who was Howard Hughes' discovery, was just 22 when she landed the femme fatale role of Kathie. It was a great part for her and boosted her confidence in her acting abilities.

The crew set out to Bridgeport, California, a small town in the Sierra Mountains to scout out locations and start filming. Out of the Past was shot in Bridgeport, Upper Twin Lake, Lake Tahoe and even San Francisco. (Check out Laura's awesome post about the different Bridgeport locations featured in Out of the Past.)

A week later Mitchum flew out to Bridgeport in what turned out to be one of the most dramatic entrances and proves sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. Mitchum biographer Lee Server recounts that RKO's Warren Duff and Robert Mitchum took a four-seater plane out to Bridgeport. As they landed, the wheels hit the runway but plane wouldn't slow down because the brakes had failed. The pilot tried with all his might to stop the plane. Server says "the aircraft smashed through a fence, hopped a ditch, and knocked over an outhouse before it came to a complete stop." Mitchum and Duff were knocked unconscious but no one was seriously injured. Who else can say they arrived for a film shoot by way of a crash landing?

Once settled, the cast and crew would film in Bridgeport for three weeks. There wasn't much to do in town. During their free time, they'd hang out at a local tavern. According to Server, "RKO sent up a projector and some spare prints, so in the evening people would gather around and watch Tom Conway as The Falcon..." RKO's publicist arranged for Mitchum to be involved in a publicity stunt. Mitchum, who was part Native American, was initiated into the Shoshone Indian tribe complete with headdress and photo op. When he wasn't at the beck and call of RKO, he'd write poetry and share it some of his fellow cast members including Dickie Moore. Newcomer Virginia Huston developed a massive crush on Mitchum and I can't say I blame her.

Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer - Out of the Past (1947)

After the location shooting wrapped up, the whole unit traveled back to Los Angeles to film the remaining scenes at the RKO lot. That's when the rest of the cast including Jane Greer and Kirk Douglas, started working. Mitchum and Jane Greer got a long really well on set and soon became fast friends. Their friendship would last for decades. According to a few sources, Mitchum and Kirk Douglas got along fine but there was a professional rivalry between the two. They both played to the camera in an effort to steal a scene or two. This rivalry would continue for years but on a low-key basis with both figures being dismissive of the other. But it's not like Mitchum would admit to this. In an interview with Jerry Roberts, Mitchum was asked about tensions on set and his response was, "Hell no. We had just seen him in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers and were all delighted that he was in the picture." Director Tourneur and Mitchum were a match made in heaven. Tourneur found in Mitchum what he was looking for: an actor who was charismatic yet reserved and whose good looks and personality would bring a dreamy sensuality to Jeff Bailey.

Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum in Out of the Past (1947)

Production wrapped up in January of 1947 but Out of the Past wasn't released until November of that year. In the midst of filming, RKO had hired Dore Shary as head of production. He dismissed basically every project RKO was working on before he was hired and Out of the Past suffered as a result. The film was released with little to no publicity. It made a modest profit for the studio but it wasn't considered the great classic it is today. In fact, it wasn't until decades later when Film Noir was defined and studied as a genre that Out of the Past was truly appreciated.

Out of the Past has had various home video releases over the years. It's currently available in a stunning blu-ray edition available from the Warner Archive Collection.

Sources
Baby I Don't Care: Robert Mitchum by Lee Server
Robert Mitchum In His Own Words edited by Jerry Roberts
TCMDB Article Laura of Laura's Miscellaneous Musings

Undercurrent (1946)

In 1946 Robert Mitchum was under contract to RKO. They had loaned him out to MGM for two pictures Undercurrent (1946) and Desire Me (1947) which were filmed back-to-back. He had relatively small roles in both as the third person in a romantic melodrama. Both films turned out to be box office failures. Not that this hurt Mitchum's career trajectory at all. In fact, placing Mitchum in movies with the type of high-caliber stars that were missing from RKO's line-up, in this case MGM heavyweights Greer Garson in Desire Me and Katharine Hepburn and Robert Taylor in Undercurrent, was incredible exposure for Mitchum. And the following year he'd make Out of the Past (1947) which would help secure him a spot as a popular leading man in Hollywood.

Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor and Robert Mitchum's shadow in a publicity shot for MGM

Directed by Vincente Minnelli, Undercurrent (1946) is part film noir, part neurotic melodrama. Katharine Hepburn stars as Ann, a scientist and 30-something daughter of well-respected Professor Hamilton (Edmund Gwenn) whom she lovingly refers to as Dink. She's a tomboy, wears pants, loves chemistry, and doesn't fuss too much over her appearance. But in the world she lives in she's really just a dowdy woman on the verge of spinsterhood. When charming young inventor Alan Garroway (Robert Taylor) comes to visit Professor Hamilton, Ann is soon swept away by his romantic gestures. Garroway is attracted to Ann much in the same way he would be to a new idea for an invention. He sees possibility to transform her into a glamorous socialite. All seems well in their marriage until it becomes apparent that Garroway harbors dark secrets. He's severed his relationship with his brother Michael Garroway (Robert Mitchum) and in conversation with Ann he paints the picture of unforgivable sibling betrayal. Ann believes him until she discovers Alan's first lie and things begins to unfold. Ann suffers the internal battle between her love for Alan and her desire for the truth. Is Alan really the man she fell in love with? And where is Michael?

Katharine Hepburn and Robert Mitchum in Undercurrent (1946)

 "Is there good swimming?" - Ann

"No, riptide." - Michael

"Looks very calm." - Ann

"You can't always see that undercurrent." - Michael

"Like life." - Ann

Clearly I watched this movie for one reason: Robert Mitchum. While his character Michael is central to the story, Mitchum himself doesn't appear until 62 minute mark of a 2 hour movie and his total screen time is probably less than 10 minutes. Needless to say this was a disappointment for me but I was grateful for to check off another Mitchum movie off my to-be-watched list.

While it's categorized as a film noir, I like the term "neurotic melodrama" a lot better. It really captures the overall theme of the movie. The build up of tension is slow and methodical. None of the roles suited the main players. Ann was a weak role for Katharine Hepburn whom we all know shines when she has strong characters to play. Mitchum as the mysterious brother was also a weak character for him. Robert Taylor's performance was decent. I grew more fearful of his character as the story progressed so I thought that was an effective part of the movie. I think this film is worth watching for the main players, the melodrama and the build up of tension. This was Jayne Meadows film debut. She plays Sylvia Benton, a no-nonsense socialite who was unwillingly caught in a love triangle with the two brothers. She has a small but fantastic part as the tough woman who opens Ann's eyes to what's happening around her. Clinton Sundberg plays Taylor's right-hand man. Marjorie Main has a small role in the beginning of the film as the Hamilton's maid and mother figure to Ann.

This movie was a departure for Minnelli so he wasn't the only one on set who out of his element. From what I've read, Hepburn and Mitchum didn't get along which could be why there is very little to no tenderness between them in what should be tender scenes in the film. In an interview with Dick Lochte, Mitchum remembered overhearing Hepburn refer to him as a "cheap flash actor." This was the only time they worked together which was probably for the best.

The film didn't perform well in theaters. In 1947 playwright Fay Elhert sued MGM for using the title of his play, one he submitted to MGM for consideration, for this movie. Laraine Day had been promised the title role of Ann in exchange for her appearing in Keep Your Powder Dry (1945). MGM didn't hold up their end of the bargain and Day severed her contract with them.

I'm conflicted about this movie. I want to like it but something pulls me back. I can't quite put my finger on it. It could be shorter with even more tension. Maybe other actors better suited to the roles would have improved the film for me. But otherwise it's just an ordinary movie that I just happened to enjoy but not too much.

If you've seen this film I would love to know what you think!

I watched this film on iTunes. I missed an opportunity to see it at the Brattle Theatre as part of their Robert Mitchum centennial repertory series but hope to catch another screening soon.

Sources:
TCMDB
Robert Mitchum: Baby I Don't Care by Lee Server
Mitchum in His Own Words edited by Jerry Roberts

Betrayed (1944)

In 1949, Robert Mitchum was a household name. By that time he had made a splash in the genre that was later dubbed film noir with movies such as The Locket (1946), Undercurrent (1946), Crossfire (1947) and the noir we all know and love Out of the Past (1947). That last film made him famous and his arrest in 1948 for the possession of marijuana made him notorious. The King brothers, Frank and Maurice King, must have been following the trajectory of Mitchum's career very closely. Five years earlier, Mitchum made two films for the King brothers and poverty row studio Monogram Pictures. The first one was Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1944) (you can read my review here), a WWII housing shortage comedy starring Simone Simon. Mitchum had a very minor role in that film. He got a juicier part in When Strangers Marry (1944) which also produced by the King brothers and distributed by Monogram. In that film Mitchum didn't have the lead role but he was third billed with his name truncated to Bob Mitchum so it would fit the poster. Fast forward five years and Mitchum was now making movies for Howard Hughes at RKO. And he was doing well. If you know anything about the King brothers you'd know that when they saw a money-making opportunity they pounced. With Mitchum's fame and notoriety firmly established in Hollywood, Maurice and Frank King re-released their two Mitchum movies. They bumped up his name to top billing, altered the posters to more prominently display the star and changed Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore to And So They Were Married and When Strangers Marry to the more ominous Betrayed.

When Strangers Marry (1944) poster. Compare with the Betrayed poster and how Mitchum's name is positioned.

Betrayed (1944), aka When Strangers Marry, is a film noir directed by William Castle and based on a story by George Moskov. The movie starts with the murder of wealthy drunk Charlie (Milton Kibee). He was last seen with traveling salesman Paul Baxter (Dean Jagger) who helped Charlie to his home. The police discover Charlie had been strangled with a pair of silk stockings. Baxter recently wed Mildred (Kim Hunter). The two have barely known each other, meeting only three times before they married and haven't seen each other since the wedding. Mildred can't find her husband and enlists the help of her former beau Fred Graham (Robert Mitchum) and the police. Everyone begins to suspect Paul Baxter has been up to something. He doesn't want to be seen in public and has been acting very shady. Police begin to investigate with some help from Fred. Does Mildred really know the man she married? The story takes twists and turns in the way a good mystery should.

Kim Hunter and Dean Jagger in Betrayed (1944)

This was a new-to-me noir and I quite enjoyed it. The movie can be melodramatic at times especially when things heat up towards the end. But overall its an enjoyable 67 minute poverty row noir. Dean Jagger effectively plays the paranoid salesman on the run. Kim Hunter is charming as Mildred and I like that her character grows from befuddled to more independently minded. Milton Kibbee adds a bit of dark humor at the beginning of the film. Neil Hamilton, a familiar face in the 1930s and 1940s, plays Lieutenant Blake. Rhonda Fleming has a bit part in the last scene of the movie which effectively closes the loop on the entire plot.

Mitchum and a dog. Enough said?

Then there is Robert Mitchum. I might be biased considering the fact that he's my favorite actor but Mitchum is an absolute charmer in this movie. There were a few glorious moments for swooning. He's shirtless in the Turkish bath scene. Mitchum is at the peak of his handsomeness and the camera lingers long enough on his beautiful face for viewers to take in some of his gorgeous features. And he's often seen with an adorable Boston Terrier. My husband said "Robert Mitchum chillin' with a dog, that's all you need in your life." Too true. Too true. There's one important scene at the height of the film's drama that Mitchum may have overacted. He was still relatively knew to acting and this was before subtlety became his strong suit.

Betrayed (1944) is a good noir with a fine cast, decent tension and a fun plot twist. TCM will be showing it as When Strangers Marry (1944) on Robert Mitchum day August 6th during Summer Under the Stars. That day also happens to be the 100th anniversary of Mitchum's birth.

Betrayed (1944) is available from the Warner Archive Instant Streaming. This movie is also available on DVD-MOD from Warner Archive's shop. You can buy the DVD-R by using this link. Shopping through my buy links and banners helps support this site. Thank you!

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you to the Warner Archive Instant for the opportunity to review this film!

The Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig, Gary Cooper, and the Making of a Classic

The Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig, Gary Cooper, and the Making of a Classic
by Richard Sandomir
Hachette Books
304 pages
Hardcover ISBN: 9780316355056
June 2017

Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Powells

The Pride of the Yankees (1942) is considered one of the greatest sports films of all time. It served as the template for how movies about inspirational athletes would be made. It cemented Lou Gehrig as not only a legend of baseball but an important figure in American history. And Gehrig's final speech, one that demonstrated gratefulness in spite of his dire circumstances, would inspire generations to come. 75 years after it's initial release the film still has the power to move audiences to tears.

“Its greatest achievement was to establish a formidable, continuing physical legacy for Gehrig, almost like an annuity that renews itself with each showing.” - Richard Sandomir

Lou Gehrig had a fantastic career throughout the 1920s and 1930s as the Yankee's first baseman. His records for home runs and consecutive games played are still impressive many years later. Gehrig's life was cut short at the tender age of 37 when he died from ALS. His name would become synonymous with ALS and up until recently it was generally referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. It wasn't long after he died when Hollywood realized that Gehrig's story would make for a great movie. But it took Gehrig's widow Eleanor to lead the charge.

Richard Sandomir's new book The Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig, Gary Cooper, and the Making of a Classic profiles the making of the movie in great detail. Gehrig died in June 1941 and the movie was released in July 1942. He was still in the public consciousness and with the start of WWII, audiences were ripe for a good story about a homegrown hero. Eleanor Gehrig was instrumental in getting Gehrig's story in front of Hollywood moguls. She was driven both by a desire to support herself and to honor her husband's legacy.

Producer Sam Goldwyn saw more potential in the love story between Gehrig and Eleanor than he did in Gehrig’s baseball career. The problem was Goldwyn knew nothing about baseball. In fact most of the people who worked on the film knew little to nothing about America’s greatest pastime. But what they did know is that Gehrig's story was special and if they played their cards right it would make for a blockbuster film.

The first step in making the film was to find the man who would play Gehrig. An open audition was conducted but it became clear early on that Gary Cooper would be a great fit. There were problems at first. Cooper was older, not very familiar with baseball and was a righty to Gehrig's lefty. But, as Sandomir points out, Cooper playing Gehrig was "a near-perfect marriage of modest, heroic subject and an actor who specialized in modest, heroic characters." The role of Eleanor was important too. Actress Teresa Wright was new to Hollywood but her career was already skyrocketing. She had an Academy Award nomination under her belt and this film would be her first opportunity to shine as a leading lady. With the real-life Eleanor full involved in overseeing the making of the film, there was a lot of pressure on Wright to capture the spirit of Eleanor and to do the film justice.

Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and Walter Brennan in The Pride of the Yankees (1942). Photo source: Doctor Macro

As is the case with many biopics of the golden age of Hollywood, The Pride of the Yankees plays fast and loose with the facts. However, Eleanor Gehrig made sure that her husband and his sport were portrayed as accurately as possible. Author Sandomir goes into detail about all of the preparation for both the fictional and biographical aspects of the film. There was both the care and neglect to accurately portray baseball. There was an effort to make Cooper look like a real left-handed baseball player (the author adeptly debunks the myth that the scenes were flipped for the camera). I was particularly fascinated with the scenes that didn't make it into the final film. For example, after Gehrig's baseball career ended he had a short stint as a parole commissioner, a part of his life I'm very eager to read more about. A scene in which he is checking in on a parolee dying of cancer was written for the film. However, the film ends with the rousing final speech which suited the movie and made for a more dramatic ending.

I loved reading about Gehrig’s famous “The luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech. According to Sandomir, it doesn’t exist in its entirety. There are only snippets from news clips and a bunch of transcriptions that vary greatly. It was never fully transcribed and its very possible that Gehrig had written some of it down but also spoke some lines that just came to him. The film alters the speech and includes the famous line at the very end. "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." is #38 on the AFI's top 100 list of the greatest movie quotes of all time.

Babe Ruth and Gary Cooper - The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

There's so much more in this book too. We learn about Babe Ruth's involvement in the movie and his connections to Hollywood. Then there was Lou Gehrig's own, brief and failed attempt at an acting career. There is a wealth of information about the actors, the shooting, the editing, the screenwriting, the film's reception and what happened to the key players years after the movie was released. At the heart of the book is the story of a fallen man who lived the American dream and who's story was shared in a way that ensured his legacy for the rest of the century and beyond.

If you enjoyed The Pride of the Yankees (1942) I implore you to read this book. It's a fantastic deep dive into the making of a classic. My only small complaint about the book is that it does lapse into repetition as well some unnecessary plot description. In some circumstances including the plot makes sense in context but at other points it felt like filler. However, if it's been a while since you've seen the movie the plot points included might serve as a refresher. Sandomir's book is well-rounded and well-researched. It's the story of a movie but it's also so much more than that. It makes for great summer reading. I took this book to the beach with me and lounged with it on my front porch.

This is my second review for my Summer Reading Challenge.

Thank you to the good folks at Hachette books for the opportunity to review this book. As a treat for my readers they are generously offering 10 copies of the book for giveaway! The contest runs from now until Sunday. Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW OVER. Congrats to the winners: Vanessa, Keisha, Lindsay, Meg, John, Noelle, Christopher, Christian, Moshe & JT!

Panique (1946) with Pierre Simenon at #TCMFF

Pierre Simenon and Bruce Golstein at TCMFF

Based on Georges Simenon's novel Les Fiançailles de M. Hire, Panique (1946) is a thrilling French Noir directed by the great Julien Duvivier. This rarely seen film was screened at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival . Last year I had attended the screening of the Argentine Noir Los Tallos Amargos (1956) and followed it up this year with an equally dark film. One could say that Panique, like Los Tallos Amargos, puts the Noir in Film Noir.

Panique stars Michel Simon as Monsieur Hire, a lonely voyeur. When murder of a local woman rocks a small town community, Hire has a hunch who did it. He tries to warn Alice (Viviane Romance) about her boyfriend Alfred (Paul Bernard) whom he suspects as the killer. Hire doesn't know that Alfred has already confessed the crime to Alice and fully intends to get away with it. Smitten with her beau, she battles internal conflicts then decides to lure Hire into a trap. The film is relentlessly dark with an ending that is an emotional punch to the gut.

Rialto teamed up with TCM to host a rare screening of Panique, kicking off a tour of the newly restored print. Rialto's Bruce Goldstein was on hand to interview special guest Pierre Simenon, the youngest son of Georges Simenon. Goldstein made it a point that although the novel is in French, Simenon was Belgian. He went on to give the following intro to elder Simenon:

"Simenon is best known for his 75 novels and 28 short stories featuring detective Jules Maigret. But he wrote nearly five times as many books making him a towering figure in French language literature. Simenon was the most translated French language author of the 20th century. And the 17th most translated author of all time according to UNESCO. He died in 1989 at the age of 86."

Both Goldstein and Pierre Simenon shared some interesting facts about Georges Simenon's writing career. He was the most prolific French-language Belgian author of the 20th century. 70 film adaptations and 350 TV adaptations have been made from his novels. Estimates say that Simenon's books have sold 750 million copies, in 55 languages across 44 countries. He wrote his first book at the age of 16 and the last at age 80. It would only take him 7 days to finish one novel.

Georges Simenon

Simenon had a love-hate relationship with the movies, with an emphasis on hate. As Pierre Simenon explains, "at the time he was a young writer. [He said,] 'I'm going to write the screenplay, I'm going to give my insight.' He was full of ideas. But of course as we know in Hollywood that's the last thing a producer wants. He wants to do it his own way. So the results were mixed."

The early adaptations included Jean Tarride's The Yellow Dog (1932), Night at the Crossroads (1932) and La tête d'un homme (1933) directed by Julien Duvivier who was also the director for Panique. Pierre Simenon explained, "my father was not happy with the industry. He quickly discovered that there was a lot of meddlers in the project. When you're a writer, you are just alone with the page. When you dabble in movies, there are hundreds of people with something to say and my dad didn't like that."

At one point Simenon refused to sell film rights to his books and this embargo lasted six years. Pierre Simenon joked that his father was as prolific a writer as we was a spender. There were two things Simenon wanted: money and artistic control. During the 1930s, authors made quite a bit of money with newspaper serializations. Sometimes these papers would trim the novels so sections would fit perfectly on the last page. In essence they were editing down the book; something Simenon despised. He knew there was a lot of money to be made in film and he picked the lesser of two evils by abandoning serialization altogether.

Georges Simenon with son Pierre, circa 1980. Photo source: Film Forum

Simenon struck up friendships with many key film industry figures including Jean Renoir, Charlie Chaplin, Frederico Fellini and others. Pierre Simenon shared a potentially apocryphal story of when the great Alfred Hitchcock called up his father. The secretary told Hitchcock that Simenon was too busy to come to the phone because he had just started a new novel. Hitchcock's reply, "It's okay, I'll wait."

Then there was the time Georges Simenon was the president of the Cannes Film Festival jury. His buddy author Henry Miller was on the jury and according to Pierre Simenon pleaded with Georges, "I'm here to see you, to see friends, to see the ladies and to drink a lot. Just tell me who you want me to vote for." Frederico Fellini's La Dolce Vita was up against a lot of other amazing films including L'Avventura which was the favorite to win the Palme D'or. Simenon lobbied for La Dolce Vita and it won. According to Pierre, his father was met with many boos and whistles in opposition. Pierre Simenon reflected, "[my father] was trashed by the critics and he became friends with Fellini. And if you watch the movie now it hasn't aged a bit. It's a masterpiece." Simenon had a life long friendship with Jean Renoir and Pierre remembers sitting on Charlie Chaplin's lap. At this point in the conversation, Bruce Goldstein points out that Norman Lloyd, who worked with both Renoir and Chaplin, was in the audience.  Lloyd stood up for his usual standing ovation. I was so glad to see him again!

Goldstein called Panique one of the best adaptations of a Simenon novel and asked Pierre if his father ever saw it. Pierre's response, "nobody knows. And if he did nobody knows if he liked it or not." Panique opened on Thanksgiving day 1947 at the Rialto theatre in New York. According to Goldstein, it got rave reviews in the states but got trashed by French critics. Pierre Simenon noted that in post-WWII Europe, many artists were under serious scrutiny. You were either seen as a collaborator with the Nazis or if you fled you were considered a coward. There was some push back against both stars Michel Simon and Viviane Romance. I'm not sure if Pierre meant it was because of their possible connections to the Nazi regime or not.

The original novel, translated into English as Monsieur Hire's Engagement, is very different from the film. Pierre Simenon explained that in the book there is a lack of intense action and that the lead character was very ambiguous. His voyeuristic tendencies were more pathological. Duvivier and screenwriter Charles Spaak added "social commentary about mob justice and prejudice" according to Pierre. The book was published in 1933 but the film adaptation speaks more to the post-WWII era.

Rialto continues it's nation-wide tour of Panique starting next month. Check out the full schedule here. I hope a North American Blu-Ray/DVD release is in store for this title so a wider audience can have the pleasure of seeing the film.

Alive and Kicking (2016)

What do classic movie fans do when they want to pursue their passion in other avenues? They wear vintage clothes and shoes. They style their hair in mid-century up-dos or slicked back styles. They collect big band albums and jazz records. They frequent estate sales and thrift shops. They attend historical revivals. And... they swing dance. Did you know that the resurgence of interest in classic movies of the home video era was instrumental in revitalizing swing dancing?

"Once they see those films, they really want to do it."

Let's start from the beginning. Swing dancing originated in Harlem during the Great Depression. It was a street dance with roots in the Charleston dance style of the 1920s. This dance was influenced greatly by the music of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. The African-American community brought swing dancing to the ballroom. Herbert Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, made up of dancers including Norma Miller, Frankie Manning and others, brought it to Hollywood in films like Hellzapoppin' (1940), the Marx Bros.' A Day at the Races (1937) and shorts like Groovie Movie (1944). Swing dancing transcended its Harlem roots to become a nation-wide phenomenon. While the Lindy Hop is the most popular, many styles found their niches including West Coast and East Coast swing, Boogie-Woogie, Collegiate Shag, Jive, Rock n Roll, Blues dancing and countless others.

"It was the one relief you had from the bad times." - Norma Miller on dancing during the Great Depression

Swing dancing went out of fashion in post-WWII America. New dances came into fashion and swing dancing was soon forgotten. Movies came to the rescue in the home video era starting in the 1980s and escalating into the 1990s. People watched swing dancing on screen and felt the urge to do it themselves. The craze caught on again and legends like Frankie Manning, who had retired from dancing and became a postal worker to make ends meet, were in demand again. According to dance historian Rusty Frank, the movies Swing Kids (1993) and Swingers (1996) and the widespread appeal of Gap's 1998 Khaki Swing commercial  firmly established swing dancing as part of American culture again. However this time around it wouldn't become a mainstream fad. Instead it would find a home in a community of enthusiasts who put their heart and soul into this rediscovered dance style.

"Nobody does social dancing than Lindy Hop." - Norma Miller

Susan Glatzer's new documentary Alive and Kicking (2016) explores the culture that grew from the resurgence of swing dancing. In today's technology age, everyone is constantly connected yet disconnected. Dancing forces you to be out of your head and into your body and to connect with someone face to face. It's the ultimate rebellion against the isolation of modern life because it forces you to me intimate with strangers. This documentary explores swing dancing as a community, a spiritual experience, as therapy, as a secret conversation between two people and as a way to bridge the generations. Swing dancers come in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, genders and ages. They travel the world to compete against and to connect with other dancers. While there's some money to be made by winning competitions, most dancers work full-time jobs and swing dance on the side or they make a living through teaching their art.

 "Swing dancing is the pursuit of happiness." - Evita

Alive and Kicking isn't a historical documentary. Nor is it instructional or specifically about swing dancing competitions. It truly is about the culture of the dancers. Interview subjects include swing dancing legends Frankie Manning, Norma Miller and Dawn Hampton as well as young up-and-comers Evita, Emilie and Rebecka and Steve and Chanzie. We learn about what motivates them, why they love dance and how they approach the lifestyle and prepare for competition. The film mainly focuses on these rising stars but it also includes interviews with many other dancers and experts. I enjoyed learning about these young dancers as much as I did about the legends. Manning and Hampton have since passed away and Norma Miller is still with us at the swingin' age of 97. Fun fact: you can watch all three of these dancers in the Lindy Hop scene of Malcolm X (1992).

"Happiness is just a few steps away."

This documentary includes many dance numbers with a focus on the Lindy Hop style, an improvised dance which is also highly technical. I appreciated this documentary for what it taught me about the culture and the dancers. I would have loved to learn more about the technical aspects of the dance but that was not the intention of the film. It did make me want to take a swing dancing lesson or two!

Alive and Kicking is a contemporary documentary but I think it'll appeal highly to the vintage community as well as to classic movie fans. It revitalized my interest in the vintage life and awakened my curiosity about swing dancing.

Alive and Kicking (2016) will be in theatres and available online April 7th. Visit the official website for more information. Thank you to Magnolia Pictures for the opportunity to review this film. Stay tuned as I'll be sharing my interview with writer, director and producer Susan Glatzer as well as swing dancing legend Norma Miller soon.

Till the End of Time (1946)

Till the End of Time (1946) is an RKO melodrama exploring the difficulties of repatriation in post-WWII America. The film stars Guy Madison as Cliff Harper, a highly decorated marine who heads home after almost 4 years at war. His failure to launch into the next phase of his life has his pushy parents concerned. He falls for local war widow Pat Ruscomb (Dorothy McGuire) who is holding steadfast to the memory of her dead husband Johnny while seeking solace in the arms of Harper and other vets. The story also follows his two war buddies. First there's William Tabeshaw (Robert Mitchum), a smart-mouthed marine who is determined to gather up the funds to start his ranch but is hindered bu the physical affects of the silver plate in his head, a result of a war wound. Then there's Perry Kincheloe (Bill Williams), a former champion boxer who lost both his legs in the war and struggles to move forward with his life.

Guy Madison and Dorothy McGuire

Bill Williams

The physical and mental trauma of war and the adjustment to civilian life are themes at the heart of this story. Directed by Edward Dmytryk , Till the End of Time was based on the novel They Dream of Home by Niven Busch. Many changes were made to the original story by Allen Rivkin to adapt it to the screen. For example, Kincheloe was African-American and Tabeshaw was Native American. That's not to say race didn't factor into the movie. In the latter part of the film, a bigoted group of WWII vets called the American War Patriots try to recruit the film's trio of buddies into their organization. They accept "no Catholics, Jews or Negros" a proclamation that angers Harper, Tabeshaw and Kincheloe and leads to an epic bar fight which becomes the climax of the film.

Caleb Peterson

Till the End of Time (1946) is a poor man's version of The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). The film was profitable for RKO but it suffers from a weak plot, poor character building and silly melodrama. The two principles played by Madison and McGuire proved to be a bland and uninteresting couple. I didn't care if they got together or they didn't. In fact I thought Madison's other love interest Helen Ingersoll, played by  Jean Porter, was much more vivacious and interesting character and better suited to breathe some life into Harper. Porter met director Edward Dmytryk while making this film. He must have been captivated by her charm because the two married a couple of years later and stayed married until Dmytryk's death in 1999. Porter is the sole surviving cast member of the film at the time of this writing.

"I want to kiss you goodbye. But the room's too crowded." - Harper to Ruscomb 

Dorothy McGuire

Jean Porter

I was particularly interested in how this film explored how WWII veterans suffered from the effects of the mental trauma of the war. There was one very engrossing scene with Richard Benedict. Harper and Ruscomb witness Benedict, credited as "the boy from Idaho", suffering from the shakes. It's clear he's going through some symptoms of PTSD. He doesn't want to go home because of the shame attached to "battle fatigue". It's a powerful scene and had there been more thought-provoking moments like that one it would have been a better movie as a result.

There are a lot of silly moments in this film. I thought it was hilarious that Madison's poor dancing skills were praised by the characters where as Jean Porter's real dancing skills were overlooked. And maybe it was the Howard Hughes touch but they did try to cram as much needless sexuality into this film. McGuire and Porter's characters are forward in their sexuality and punished for it. Heartthrob Guy Madison's good looks were over-utilized. Any time they could make an excuse to film him topless (in bed, on the beach, wherever) they took it.

Guy Madison, topless. Again.

Till the End of Time wins a prize for what is probably the most homoerotic publicity photo of the era. This image of Madison and Mitchum together has always confused me. What's going on? Why is Madison holding Mitchum like that? I'm glad I watched the film to finally solve that mystery.

This may come off as biased because I'm such a big Robert Mitchum fan but he's really the best part about this movie, with the lovely Jean Porter battling him for the top spot. The film would have been vastly improved if it had focused on his character instead of Madison's Harper. Mitchum's swagger is charming. He's a tough guy with a heart of gold.

How could anyone resist Robert Mitchum's grin?

  
Till the End of Time (1946) is available on DVD-MOD from the Warner Archive Collection.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you to the Warner Archive for sending me Till the End of Time (1946) for review!

The Strawberry Blonde (1941)

Biff Grimes would waltz with a strawberry blonde

And the band played on.

He'd glide 'cross the floor with the girl he adored

And the band played on.

But his brain was so loaded it nearly exploded;

The poor girl would shake with alarm.

He'd ne'er leave the girl with the strawberry curls

And the band played on.

Let's take a trip to New York City during the Gay Nineties with Raoul Walsh's film for Warner Bros. The Strawberry Blonde (1941). Adapted by screenwriting brothers Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein from a James Hagan play, the movie follows the story of two couples whose romances are complicated by one beautiful strawberry blonde.

Biff Grimes (James Cagney) is a struggling dentist, and not necessarily a very good one, trying to make ends meet for him and his wife Amy (Olivia de Havilland). He gets word that his old friend turned arch nemesis Hugo Barnstead (Jack Carson) is coming to him for some dental work. We flashback to when Biff and Hugo started fighting over the neighborhood cutie Virginia (Rita Hayworth). Thrown into the mix is Amy, a nurse with a progressive mindset. She clashes with Biff whose views are more traditional. We follow the duo as they naturally pair off and when things go sour for all involved. The story wraps up with one final encounter that leaves audiences satisfied.

Rita Hayworth, Olivia de Havilland, James Cagney and Jack Carson

The Strawberry Blonde has a fantastic cast. Among the four heavyweights that star in the film are some beloved character actors and familiar faces. Alan Hale plays Old Man Grimes, Biff's dad. He's a lovable rogue who can't hold down a job, loves a good bar fight and is a total flirt with the ladies. One object of his affection is Una O'Connor who plays a snooty neighborhood woman. Then there is George Tobias who plays Nicholas, a local barbershop owner and Biff's sidekick. He's also got an eye for the strawberry blonde but winds up with a giggle monster instead. George Reeves plays the punchy college man who picks a fight with Biff. Supposedly my favorite actress Susan Peters is in the film. After close examination I couldn't spot her. I suspect she's part of George Reeves' garden party harem but I can't confirm that.

"Freethinkers have a lot of time on their hands." - Amy

Of all the characters Olivia de Havilland's Amy was my favorite. She's a forward thinking suffragist who scoffs at societal gender norms. She eventually settles into a traditional life with Biff. This was another thankless role Warner Bros. threw at de Havilland in her post-Gone with the Wind days. She eventually broke free from the studio's contract after quite a battle. While this role isn't really worthy of her talent I think it's a fun role and in my opinion she outshines Hayworth's prim and proper strawberry blonde. I wasn't crazy about Hayworth at all in this film. Her character is beautiful but in the end rather pathetic. Her role is an example of how Hollywood sometimes tried to downplay her ethnicity.

This film has all the romance of the era. It's a nostalgia piece that pays tribute to the finer things of the Belle Epoque. There are barber shops, complete with barber shop quartets, ferry rides, beer gardens, saloons, gas lamps and horse-drawn carriages. The women wear Edwardian fashions and the men don boater hats, shirt garters, starched collars and big twirly mustaches. Orry-Kelly designed the costumes and they are of of course of top notch quality. Studios during the golden age of Hollywood would often take liberties with hair styles and clothing in period pieces but that's not the case here. Attention to detail lends to the historical accuracy of the style. It's a shame that the film is in black-and-white. Technicolor would have served it better.

This isn't a musical but music plays an important role here. Turn-of-the-century standards become the film's theme songs. Most notably The Band Played On plays a crucial part in the film. It gives the story its purpose, kicks off the initial drama and is both a boon and a curse for the main character Biff. The ending credits serve as a sing-a-long with lyrics and music encouraging the audience to sing The Band Played On. I've never seen this before and I thought it was quite fun.

The Strawberry Blonde (1941) benefits from a great cast, fun music, beautiful costumes, funny scenes, playful dialogue and an overall sweet story with a good dose of drama. There are some dull spots but overall it's a fun film. It tries to kick off with a bang but doesn't really get into a rhythm until the two female leads make their appearances. Regardless you should give this one a try. It's a fun movie for nostalgia buffs.

The Strawberry Blonde (1941) is available from the Warner Archive Collection on DVD-MOD.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you Warner Archive for sending me The Strawberry Blonde (1941) to review!

Song of Russia (1944)

Robert Taylor and Susan Peters in Song of Russia (1944)

1944 was a good year for actress Susan Peters. She was nominated the previous year for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Random Harvest (1942) and MGM was grooming her for stardom. They were giving her more substantial parts including roles in Assignment in Brittany (1943), Young Ideas (1943) and the pro-Soviet Union propaganda film Song of Russia (1944). Tragedy would strike New Year's Day 1945 when a hunting accident left her paralyzed.

Song of Russia (1944) showcased Susan Peters at her best. Peters had a sort of lingering melancholy and her eyes glistened as though she were always seconds away from crying, whether from joy, pride or sorrow. The leading role of Nadya, opposite star Robert Taylor, was perfectly suited to her because it allowed her to play herself but with a fake Russian accent.


American conductor John Meredith (Robert Taylor) heads to Russia with his manager Hank Higgins (Robert Benchley) for a nationwide tour conducting the music of Tchaikovsky. Nadja, a talented pianist, is desperate to get John's attention. She and all of the musical prodigies that inhabit her small Russian village of Tschaikowskoye want John Meredith to conduct at their humble music festival. Nadja wins him over and they soon fall in love. But their happiness is short-lived as Russia is on the brink of war with the Nazis. Will Nadja and John's love for their home countries get in the way of their love for each other?

"We have serious differences. Socially, culturally. We cannot even discuss them." - Nadja

"We'll discuss them tomorrow. The day after." - John

Song of Russia was a WWII propaganda film to help strengthen the bond between the US and it's ally Russia as they joined forces to defeat the Nazis. This was last film Robert Taylor made before he joined the Navy. Years later during the HUAC hearings, the conservative and anti-Communist Taylor suggested he was blackmailed into making this film. His reluctance to star in it met with pressure from MGM and supposedly he was told if he didn't make the film there would a delay in him getting into the Navy. Taylor named names to the HUAC but didn't go so far as to say outright that he was blackmailed. Not only did MGM deny the claim made by Taylor, they also refused to admit that Song of Russia was a propaganda film.

“It is true, of course, that Russia was our ally in 1943, and that our government was very friendly to the Soviets. But that was not why Song of Russia was made.” – Louis B. Mayer

Despite what Mayer said, no one who watches this film will see it as anything but a pro-Russia movie. It was directed by a Russian, Gregory Ratoff, and although it was filmed on the MGM lot in Culver City travelogue and documentary scenes of actual Russia are woven into the film to make audiences feel like they were there. We go on a tour of Moscow and we see real war footage. Nadja orders John a traditional Russian meal at a fancy restaurant. In order to get as many Russian terms into the scenes as possible, she goes a bit overboard and requests Borscht, beef stroganoff, zakuski, pirog and other Russian dishes. Tchaikovsky's music is the soundtrack of the movie making it a quasi-musical. Robert Taylor's John Meredith is ignorant of Russian culture so as he learns about Nadja's country the audience learns as well.

Susan Peters, Robert Taylor and Russia are the stars of this film but it's important to note some of the smaller performances by other well-known actors. Child actor Darryl Hickman plays Nadya's nephew and the script gives him some substantial scenes. Robert Benchley is under-utilized as Taylor's publicist and manager. Jacqueline White has a small and sorry role as a young resident of Tschaikowskoye. John Hodiak, Joan Loring and Tamara Shayne also appear in the movie.

I was impressed with Susan Peters' performance in this film. She aptly plays the piano (no body double or camera tricks were used) and she even does some traditional Russian dancing. She's a good match for Robert Taylor and holds her own in the picture.

Song of Russia is a WWII curio that has its place in movie history. It's a must-see for history buffs. For all it's pro-Russian sentiment, in the end audiences came away from it with one final message: America is the greatest nation of them all. Once you see the film you'll know what I mean. Whether you agree with this message or not, it was a fundamental principle that drove 1940s Hollywood.

Song of Russia (1944) is available from the Warner Archive on DVD-MOD.

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Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection.

Sources:
TCM article on Song of Russia

Film Producer Denies Song of Russia Red