Repeat Performance (1947)

"Stars look down on New Year's Eve in New York. They say that fate is in the stars. That each of our years is planned ahead. And nothing can change destiny. Is that true? How many times have you said 'I wish I could live this year over again?' This is the story of a woman who did relive one year of her life."

Directed by Alfred L. Werker and based on a novel by William O'Farrell, Repeat Performance (1947) is a time travel noir that imagines a protagonist being given a second chance to change the course of events that led to a terrible tragedy. Joan Leslie plays Sheila Page, a celebrated actress married to playwright Barney Page (Louis Hayward). While Sheila's career has gained momentum over recent months, Barney's career is spiralling out of control due to his alcoholism and the lingering resentment he feels towards his more successful wife. The film starts on New Year's Eve in 1946. As partygoers usher in 1947, Sheila is reeling from the fact that she has just shot and killed her abusive husband. She confides in her good friend William Williams (Richard Basehart in his screen debut), a poet and a member of Sheila's social scene, wishing she could relive 1946 and ultimately alter the timeline that led her to this moment. Mysteriously both Sheila and William are transported back to New Year's Eve 1945 and Sheila's given a second chance. Can she prevent that fatal night from reoccurring or is she bound by the chains of destiny.

Joan Leslie and Richard Basehart in Repeat Performance (1947)

In the article I wrote for TCM, I wrote "Repeat Performance (1947) is a flimsy noir bolstered by an intriguing conceit." I'll add to this that I found the film quite gratifying for several reasons. We get to see Joan Leslie in a robust leading role (instead of a supporting ingenue part). She is dressed to the nines in costumes by Oleg Cassini and jewelry (pay attention to the broaches!) by Eugene Joseff. Leslie is able to maintain some of her wholesome image playing a character who is a genuinely good person stuck in a bad situation. As someone who loves all things New Year's, I love how the holiday is implemented in this story. It's the perfect setting since this is a prime moment when we think about the events of the past year and plot out what we'll do different in the next. I also really enjoy the fact that the way the plot plays out is not quite what you'd expect. I enjoyed the cast of characters including Tom Conway as John Friday, the smarmy theatrical producer, and Virginia Field as Paula Costello, a rival actress who tries to poison Barney's mind against Sheila. The film also examines the social politics of the theatre world and Basehart's character William Williams adds two interesting subthemes: literature and mental health.

There is one interaction between Leslie and Hayward that is blatantly sexist and a bit of a head scratcher. If you've watched the film, you'll know exactly what I mean. It's not strictly a noir but film noir expert Eddie Muller calls it a "noir fantasy" because of how the film blends noir with supernatural elements.

Repeat Performance was produced by Aubrey Schenck for Eagle-Lion Films Inc. Joan Leslie had just had a tumultuous falling out with her home studio Warner Bros. and was working as a free agent. Here is some more background on the film from my article:

"Now as a free agent, the star went to work for Eagle-Lion. Actress Constance Dowling had just left Eagle-Lion because of her own dissatisfaction with her roles and Leslie replaced her as the lead in Repeat Performance. Eagle-Lion was eager to showcase their new star and they elevated what would have been a low-budget film to a big budget production....

Repeat Performance didn't make a splash back in 1947 but it continues to linger in the minds of generations of viewers who have seen it since. At the 2013 Seattle Noir City premiere of the film, Eddie Muller called the film a "film noir version of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)." He went on to say that "over the years [many people] have told me about seeing Repeat Performance when they were young and it stuck in their mind. There is something about the premise of this film..." The introductory voiceover read by John Ireland and the conceit is also a memorable precursor to Rod Serling's hit TV show The Twilight Zone. Repeat Performance has since been remade as the TV film Turn Back the Clock (1989) with Joan Leslie in a cameo role. Leslie was a featured guest at a 2011 Noir City event and by sheer luck a 16mm print purchased by a private collector was made available just in time for the screening. Bad prints of the film have circulated over the years and this newly discovered 16mm print was in much better condition."

Repeat Performance (1947) is available in a deluxe DVD/Blu-ray set from Flicker Alley. The film was preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archive in conjunction with The Film Noir Foundation and funded by The Packard Humanities Institute. The restoration is a sight to behold. I had only ever seen bad copies of the film and the Blu-ray edition was a sight for sore eyes.

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Deep Discount — Flicker Alley

Flicker Alley's release has a robust offering of extras. The jewel case includes two discs, a reversible cover and a booklet with photos and the article Repeat Performance: A Book-to-Film Comparison by Brian Light. The disc extras include an introduction by Eddie Muller, a promotional pressbook and audio commentary by Nora Fiore. My favorite extras by far were two vignettes: Farran Smith Nehme's profile on Joan Leslie and Alan K. Rode and Steven C. Smith's Eagle-Lion: A Noir Stained Legacy. 

Thank you to Flicker Alley for sending me a copy for review!

Second Roundup: 2022 Classic Film Reading Challenge

 

There's just under a month left in this year's classic film reading challenge! You have until September 15th to read and review so there is still plenty of time. And if you can't finish all 6 don't sweat it! Read as many as you can. And more importantly: have fun.

Congratulations to Chris and Chuck who have already completed the challenge! Robert, Andy, Greg, Jess and Alejandro are our current leaders.

We currently have over 60 reviews submitted. The first round-up of reviews went up last month and this current round-up features all reviews submitted since then.

Now onto the reviews:

Aimee on Goodreads

"This teen nonfiction title describes how in 1947 the government committee, The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), questioned 19 men working in Hollywood about their involvement with Communism... Photographs and other documents from the time add interest."

Blacklisted!: Hollywood, the Cold War, and the First Amendment by Larry Dane Brimner

Alejandro on Goodreads

"Fernández’s life is worthy of a biography studying all aspects of his successful, tragic life. That work doesn’t exist. But I’m hoping short works such as this one continue to shed light on the need for one."

Emilio Fernández: Pictures in the Margins by Dolores Tierney

"Wilson covers a lot of ground in her writing and one can sense the huge amount of research and work she put into the book."

A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True 1907-1940 by Victoria Wilson

Andy of Journeys in Darkness and Light

"An amazing work of crime fiction... There's nothing slick or flashy about the novel. But it all feels authentic."

The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins

Angela of The Hollywood Revue

"On the whole, the book — like the movie — is light and pure fun; often laugh-out-loud funny.Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos

"I’d been wanting to read the novel version of Now, Voyager for a long time and I couldn’t be happier that I finally did so. It’s been a real pleasure to spend so much time with such a thoughtful, beautifully told story."

Now, Voyager by Olive Higgins Prouty

"For those in the camp of having seen the movie many times, the differences between the book at the movie are enough to make things interesting without deterring too much from the core story. And for those who have either never seen the movie, it’s simply a very solid and engaging story."

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell

Brittaney of The Story Enthusiast

"Sadly, Gavin Lambert’s biography is one of two written about Norma Shearer. It’s not tragic because it lacks in any way, but because Shearer deserves much more attention than she has received."

Norma Shearer by Gavin Lambert

Carl of The Movie Palace Podcast on Instagram

"the book is incredibly successful at bringing Elvis to life by placing him within his proper cultural context." 

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

"Taken together, Guralnick’s books on Elvis are a monumental achievement that capture the nuances and contradictions of a man who is too frequently subsumed by the larger-than-life aspects of his own image."

Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

"a fictionalised account of the making of Billy Wilder’s Fedora (1978), which was the veteran director’s penultimate film... this is a delightful book that I can’t recommend highly enough."

Mr. Wilder & Me by Jonathan Coe

Chris of Digging Star Wars

"lovingly written by a knowledgeable classic film aficionado."

Memorable Supporting Actors and Actresses from the 1930s to 1950s: Book 1 - A Through I by Gary Koka

"If your faith is important to you and you love movies, too - this book is for you."

Reel Spirituality by Robert K. Johnston

Chuck on Goodreads

"There are definitely other books that may delve more deeply and critically into Hitchcock's life. However, this book provides an entertaining and informative overview on Hitchcock that is sure to delight many who are fans of his films."

Alfred HITCHCOCK: Master of Suspense by Noël Simsolo and illustrated by Dominique Hé 

"Anyone who likes digging into the details of film noir or classic films from this era will want to read this book. I enjoyed taking a stroll through the galleries of this virtual art museum."

The Dark Galleries: A Museum Guide to Painted Portraits in Film Noir, Gothic Melodramas, and Ghost Stories of the 1940s and 1950s by Steven Jacobs, Lisa Colpaert

"One of the best things about the book is how Macor puts the reader virtually on the set as the movie is being made. It is one of the most detailed accounts of the actual filming of a classic film that I have read."

Making The Best Years of Our Lives by Alison Macor

Greg on Goodreads

"what you get in this book is the life story of a brilliant and very complex artist, narrated by a master storyteller. It is such a unique autobiography, as it is written and structured so similarly to the best of his screenplays..."

The Magic Lantern: An Autobiography by Ingmar Bergman

"Such a unique and fun angle on the final years of one of the funniest men that ever lived. The author certainly had a front row seat for the period of Groucho’s life that hasn’t made it into other books."

Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho's House by Steve Stoliar

Jess of Box Office Poisons: A Classic Movie Blog

"More than just a thorough story of her career, this truly captures the full life story of Doris Day."

Doris Day: Her Own Story by A.E. Hotchner

Image Source: Box Office Poisons

"Every last sentence is written with that characteristic everywoman sensibility that she carried with her on screen and on stage."

Ginger: My Story by Ginger Rogers

John on Goodreads

"A concise well-written story - like so many other of his books on Hollywood by Scott Eyman"

20th Century-Fox: The Complete History of Hollywood's Maverick Studio by Scott Eyman

"Despite those plot stretches (it is a "suspense thriller" after all), it is a short, brisk, action-filled novel..."

The 39 Steps by John Buchan

"it's a time capsule and look into the days of an early industry and how it fit into the urban landscape of a time long ago."

Silent Visions: Discovering Early Hollywood and New York Through the Films of Harold Lloyd by John Bengtson

Letícia from Cine Suffragette

Image source: Cine Suffragette

"Showing a deep understanding of what was going on in the world, Robeson took the stand and stood for his beliefs in this book." 

Here I Stand by Paul Robeson

Molly of Classic Mollywood

Image source: Classic Mollywood

"The way Finler goes through stills history (which also includes glamour shots done in studios) is fascinating. He breaks down the book by different eras and by different types of stills work. The pictures he uses to help get across his points are STUNNING!! 

Hollywood Movie Stills: Art and Technique in the Golden Age of the Studios by Jeff Finler

Raquel of Out of the Past

"The Savvy Sphinx is richly rewarding. I came away from the book feeling like I just graduated with a degree in all things Greta Garbo. Reading this book cover to cover will take a while as there is quite a lot to take in and absorb. But it's well worth your time."

The Savvy Sphinx: How Garbo Conquered Hollywood by Robert Dance

Robert of Robert Bellissimo at the Movies

"This is an incredible book. I devoured it."

FUN CITY CINEMA: New York City And The Movies That Made It by Jason Bailey

"I had a fun time reading this book... it's a really enriching experience."

Rebecca: BFI Film Classics by Patricia White

"This is one of the best "Making Of" Film books I've ever read and I highly recommend it. It's not just for film fans or fans of the film but for anyone because it's a highly engaging story full of struggles, conflicts, humour and much more!"

Ryan's Daughter: The Making of an Irish Epic by Paul Benedict Rowan

Sarah on Goodreads

"I really like Old Hollywood biographies that give a nice balance of personal life and information on the making of each of their films, and this biography fit that bill perfectly."

Mean...Moody...Magnificent!: Jane Russell and the Marketing of a Hollywood Legend by Christina Rice 

Shawn of The Every Cinephile

"Tracy Goessel’s meticulously researched biography The First King of Hollywood gets to the heart of how Fairbanks built his effusive screen image and in turn played a pivotal role in establishing Hollywood as the pristine moviemaking capital of the world."

The First King of Hollywood: The Life of Douglas Fairbanks by Tracey Goessel

"Golden in her biography does a good job contradicting these myths while also highlighting Gilbert’s unique talents and exceptional on screen performances." 

John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars by Eve Golden

"Wynne relies heavily on oral history accounts and stories to recapture how it was to work on aerial stunts during the classic era. Even if it’s not always clear how reliable these firsthand accounts given by stuntmen decades later are, these anecdotes are easily the most entertaining part of the book."

The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies by H. Hugh Wynne

The Savvy Sphinx: How Garbo Conquered Hollywood

The Savvy Sphinx

How Garbo Conquered Hollywood

by Robert Dance

University Press of Mississippi

Hardcover ISBN: 9781496833280

288 pages

November 2021

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powell's

Greta Garbo was extraordinary in many ways. She was one of the most beloved and sought after celebrities of her time. Her level of fame was astonishing for the era and nearly unmatched today. Despite coming to America not speaking English and also despite her deep aversion to publicity, she quickly became one of MGM's most bankable stars and was embraced by the public. Everyone knew who Garbo was and audiences flocked to see the majestic star on the big screen. MGM carefully curated her silent film career and her transition to talking pictures. With her growing fame and continued success at the box office, she gained more control over the particulars of her career. In an age when many actors fell victim to movie studio machinations, Garbo thrived at MGM and never worked anywhere else. When her career ended in 1941 when Garbo was 36 years old, her celebrity persisted in the decades that followed. Her elusiveness made her an object of curiosity for the press and the public. She never embraced fame and preferred to live a private life with a small circle of confidantes. Even so, she remained one of the most recognizable movie stars even though she never worked again.

Portrait collector and film historian Robert Dance's book The Savvy Sphinx: How Garbo Conquered Hollywood explores the many facets of Garbo's fame and how it conflicted with her personal life. The book boasts extensive information about Garbo's acting career in particular, one that lasted through the 1920s and 1930s. We also get a peek into her personal life, her romantic relationships, her friendships and her retirement years. Because of Dance's interest in portrait work, readers are also given extensive insights on how movie studios utilized photographers like Clarence Bull, George Hurrell, Ruth Harriet Louise, Arnold Genthe and others. The book is slightly oversized, printed on glossy paper and features many professional portraits of Garbo as well as personal photographs of the star from over the years. 

Arnold Genthe portrait of Greta Garbo, circa July 1925

Here are some interesting takeaways from the book:

• Garbo preferred to associate with European ex-pats or those who respected her need for privacy. She was quick to kick someone out of her inner circle.
• Swedish filmmaker Mauritz Stiller was Garbo's mentor and pivotal to bringing her to Hollywood and getting her a contract with MGM.
• Garbo chose her scripts, her romantic leading men and which portrait photographer she would allow to photograph her. She would also only agree to short term contracts. This level of control was quite rare in the era of the Hollywood studio system.
• Garbo avoided fans, autographs and any kind of publicity. She preferred focusing on her work.
• She was considered for films like Red Dust, Dark Victory and Song of Russia.
• Flesh and the Devil (1926) made Garbo a household name thanks to her on screen and off screen chemistry with her costar John Gilbert.
• The Divine Woman (1928) is the only Garbo film considered lost.
• For Anna Christie (1930), they decided to warm up the audience with 5 minutes of Marie Dressler before they introduced Garbo in her first speaking role.
• She frequently got out of MGM obligations including group photographs as well as bit parts in studio productions like Hollywood Revue of 1929 and The Christmas Party (1931).
• Garbo insisted that Laurence Olivier be replaced with John Gilbert in Queen Christina (1933).
• She played Anna Karenina twice: Love (1926) and Anna Karenina (1935).
• Irving Thalberg was a pivotal player in Garbo's career at MGM. When he died in 1936, it was the beginning of the end for her studio career.
• Despite starring in many serious dramas and prestige pictures, her final two films Ninotchka (1939) and Two-Faced Woman (1941) were comedies.

And here are some of my favorite quotes:

“What is clear is that Garbo possessed great ambition and self-assurance, two qualities critical for success.” 

“Garbo’s voice turned out to be ideal for sound pictures. Her deep alto with its rich timbre and slight continental accent, not quite Swedish, but not quite anything else, recorded beautifully.”

“Here was a new sort of screen siren. Blond, beautiful, irresistible to men, and irresistible to audiences, Garbo displayed an overt sexuality that was revolutionary. Never before on screen had a woman been depicted as an equal romantic partner.”

“To looks and talent must be added to Garbo's magic. Something happens in the space between the faces projected on the shimmering silver screen and the eyes of the patrons filling movie theater seats.”

The Savvy Sphinx is richly rewarding. I came away from the book feeling like I just graduated with a degree in all things Greta Garbo. Reading this book cover to cover will take a while as there is quite a lot to take in and absorb. But it's well worth your time.

I did have a few problems with the book. There were typos scattered throughout which hopefully will be fixed on future reprints. The author is protective of his subject which at times can be frustrating because of the inherent bias. Garbo's romantic relationships, especially with John Gilbert, are downplayed a great deal. Even with that said, I still enjoyed the book immensely.

I highly recommend The Savvy Sphinx to anyone who already loves Greta Garbo or anyone wanting more insights on her special brand of celebrity and fame.

This is my third review for the 2022 Classic Film Reading Challenge.

Thank you to the University Press of Mississippi for sending me The Savvy Sphinx for review.

Girls on Film by Alicia Malone

Girls on Film

Lessons from a Life of Watching Women in Movies

by Alicia Malone

Mango Publishing

Paperback ISBN: 9781642506563 

March 2022 

224 pages 

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Larry Edmunds — Powell's

This review was originally published at the Classic Film Collective Patreon in June 2022.

As movie lovers, what we watch during the different stages in our lives really shapes the person we become. This can have both positive and negative effects on our emotional well-being. Especially for women and minorities, who may see themselves reflected poorly or not represented at all in the movies that they consume. 

TCM host and author Alicia Malone explores the films shaped her life in her new book Girls on Film: Lessons from a Life of Watching Women in Movies. This book is part memoir, part film analysis with a special focus on women in movies, a topic that Malone has been passionate about for many years. Each chapter in the book chronicles one pivotal stage in Malone's life and the movies that influenced her perception of society and herself. For example, watching National Velvet (1944) as a child helped introduced Malone to classic movies, especially ones about "heroic young girls. Her early fascination with Marilyn Monroe led her to film analysis. Learning from movie reviewers like Leonard Maltin and movie hosts like Bill Collins (Mr. Movies) and Robert Osborne led her to a career in television. Learning about Ingrid Bergman and Malone's encounter with a contemporary movie star helped Malone realize what she truly wanted out of life.

The chapters each have their own themes that tie into a time in Malone's life with mentions of several related movies and an in-depth look into a couple films in particular. These include: Merrily We Go to Hell (1932), Woman of the Year (1942), The Enchanted Cottage (1945), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Cleo From 5 to 7 (1962) etc. More contemporary movies include: Carrie (1976), The Little Mermaid (1989), Smooth Talk (1985), Mad Love (1995). etc.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book include: 

"The curiosity about Marilyn Monroe led me to read film books for the first time and begin to consider beyond the images I saw on screen: to stop watching passively and start to question what was being presented to me, particularly when it came to women." — Alicia Malone

"Classic cinema felt like my secret. It was special, and my own experience—my private way of escaping life when I felt I needed to." — Alicia Malone

 "Watching classic movies with modern eyes can be a confronting experience, but one of the biggest ways we can keep classic films alive and relevant to the next generation is to engage with them. Society changes as the years go on, and our own attitude shift too, but classic films remain locked in their moment. They're time capsules, filled with relics of the past..." — Alicia Malone

They say that the more specific the story is the more universal its appeal. This definitely rings true with Girls on Film. While the book focuses on Malone's personal journey with movies and how it led to her different life decisions along the way, readers will find her story incredibly relatable. 

There were several moments throughout the book where a story Malone related triggered a core memory within me. I would put the book aside and stop to think about my own journey. It made me think of those halcyon days during high school and college when I would spent countless hours at a local Blockbuster perusing the shelves and picking just the right movie to watch. When she spoke of The Little Mermaid, I remembered how obsessed I was with that film as a girl. I played my VHS tape so many times (including 7 times in one day) that it broke. Back then Disney would limit their VHS releases of their major movies and it broke at a time when the movie wasn't available to purchase. So my mom bought be a Disney Singalong tape with an Under the Sea theme so I could at least watch a couple scenes from the movie. It held me over until I could watch The Little Mermaid again. And like Malone, Marilyn Monroe was one of several catalysts for my interest in classic film. 

Alicia Malone is a very private person and Girls on Film is a small glimpse into her world. I was particularly interested in reading about her early career in television, her work at press junkets, her start at TCM and her recent move to New England. My only complaint about the book that there weren't more stories about her work as a movie presenter.

Girls on Film is touching, relatable and ultimately grounded by a deep understanding of film history. A must read for any TCM fan.

Armageddon (1977)

 After the sudden death of his younger brother, repairman Louis Carrier (Jean Yanne) acquires a large inheritance and he sees an opportunity to make something of his life. Louis has always lived in obscurity and poverty. With his new found wealth, he concocts a plan. He wants the celebrity that comes with being an international criminal. Louis recruits his buddy Einstein (Renato Salvatori) to be his sidekick. Einstein, who wants to help his friend but isn't fully aware of the gravity of the situation, learns photography skills in order to be Louis' personal paparazzi. Einstein photographs Louis in public settings alongside well-known figures. These photos are printed, packaged with threatening letters and recordings, and sent to officials under the pen name 'Armaguedon.' Louis is threatening to commit mass murder and begins practicing on people whom he thinks are either disposable or a threat. Dr. Michel Ambrose (Alain Delon), a psychiatrist skilled at working with exceptionally difficult mental health cases, is hired to analyze Armaguedon's words and actions, track down his real identity and help the authorities find Louis before he poses a real threat to the public.

Armageddon/Armaguedon (1977) is a heavy-handed crime thriller that tries to do too much with an ultimately flimsy plot. All of the action comes at the expense of any real character development. I'm reluctant to call this a psychological thriller because even though one of the protagonists is an actual psychiatrist, there is very little conveyed to the audience about Louis' psychosis. We learn more about Dr. Ambrose' techniques but very little about him as a psychiatrist or even as a person. There is one scene where we see him with his wife and two children. Later in the film, he and inspector Jacques Vivien (Michel Duchaussoy) are seen in bed with prostitutes. No context is given. They're just expected to cheat on their wives because they're professionals who work high stress jobs and need to unwind? In general the female characters are depicted as sex objects or they're just a pawn to move the plot forward. The way the gay characters are depicted is even worse. Overall, there is no complexity or nuance with any of the characters other than some with Louis and his buddy Einstein. 

The performances are a bit of a mixed bag. Delon seems to be sleepwalking through his performance. Jeanne Yanne, on the other hand, does an excellent job conveying Louis' increasing mania and downward spiral.

The movie was directed by Alain Jessua and produced by Alain Delon. They both worked on the script, adapting David Lippincott's novel The Voice of Armageddon to screen. From what I've gathered, Jessua and Delon butted heads. According to unit manager Alain Depardieu (Gerard's brother), Delon didn't even want to breathe the same air as Jessua. This must have made for a lot of tension on set and could explain why the end result was a mess of a movie. This was Delon and Jessua's second collaboration, Traitement de choc (1973) being the first. Delon hired Astor Piazzolla to compose the film's score. French is the movie's main language but Italian, English and German are also spoken. Armageddon/Armaguedon did well at the French box office. It doesn't seem to have gotten a US release.

Armageddon/Armaguedon (1977) is worth watching if you're an admirer of Alain Delon or you're looking for a movie about the psychology behind mass murderers. Otherwise, this weird, macabre and ultimately empty thriller is one you may want to skip.

Amazon — Deep Discount — Kino Lorber

Armageddon/Armaguedon (1977) is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. The Blu-ray edition comes with subtitles, trailers and audio commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson.

The Yearling (1946)

Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Yearling (1946) stars Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman as Penny and Ora, married pioneer farmers who live and work deep in the Florida backwoods. Their son Jody (Claude Jarman Jr.) is their sole surviving child. Fearing that her love and attention was responsible for the death of her other children, she exudes a cold demeanor to Jody as a way of keeping him alive. Jody finds joy in his close relationship with his father and with the domestic and wild animals that he encounters on a daily basis. When Penny has to kill a doe in order to gather its liver for life saving medicine, Jody takes the doe's orphaned fawn under his wing and names him Flag. Jody's relationship with Flag helps him through tragedy. Unfortunately, when Flag becomes a yearling he begins to cause much destruction on the family farm. Jody must learn that when every day is a struggle, heartbreak comes hand-in-hand with survival.

Directed by Clarence Brown, The Yearling (1946) is a visually stunning and ultimately heart-wrenching film about family, tragedy and the cruelty of mother nature. It's a difficult watch for animal lovers, like myself, who hate to see the poor creatures suffer. While the animals in the film were not harmed during production, they are depicted as severely injured or dead and that can be a lot to bear for someone with no tolerance for cruelty towards animals.

The Yearling was shot on location in the Ocala National Forest and Silver Springs, Florida with additional scenes shot in Lake Arrowhead, California. Author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings served as production advisor and helped with location scouting. Rawlings was originally from the area and the novel was based on her experiences and observations growing up in rural Florida. MGM had purchased the rights to the novel in 1938 and while production was meant to start in 1940, a variety of production problems including financial burdens, casting issues, the volatility of filming in nature and acquiring trained animals for filming, pushed back production until 1945. It was around that time that the studio finally cast Claude Jarman, Jr. after a long search for their Jody. This was Jarman's feature film debut.

The trio of stars, Peck, Wyman and Jarm, are absolute perfection. Gregory Peck is charming as the former soldier turned farmer and loving father who will do anything to protect his family. Wyman gives Ora a range of emotions underneath the cold demeanor. We witness the depths of her pain and frustration as well as her fleeting moments of tenderness. Claude Jarman, Jr. is the heart of the film and through Jody he conveys a sense of innocence and sheer joy that makes one want to shield his character from the impending heartbreak.

The film was shot in Technicolor which is brilliantly enhanced with the Warner Archive Collection's restoration. They sourced a 1080p HD Master from the 4k scan of the original Technicolor negative. The quality is absolutely breathtaking. The color is amazingly brilliant and nature seems to come to life through the screen. Facial details are very important and with the rich detail that can be seen in this restoration, Peck, Wyman, Jarman and the other cast members looked like contemporaries standing right before me rather than renderings of figures from decades past.

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Deep Discount

I highly recommend getting the Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray edition of The Yearling (1946) if you can. In addition to the gorgeous 4K restoration, the Blu-ray also features English subtitles, a Screen Guild Players radio broadcast, the Cat Concerto cartoon and restored theatrical trailer.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I feature titles from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you to Warner Archive for sending me copy of The Yearling (1946).

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)

Directed by George Roy Hill, Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) stars Julie Andrews as the eponymous Millie. As a young woman living in New York City, Millie has big dreams. She sheds her out-of-date style for the new 1920s flapper look and sets her sights on a job so she can ultimately marry her boss and live a life of luxury and stability. Millie is staying at Mrs. Meers' (Beatrice Lillie) boardinghouse where the elevator requires its riders to tap dance for it to function and where a series of new tenants have mysteriously disappeared. Mrs. Meers is secretly running a sex trafficking ring with the help of a pair of Chinatown henchmen (Jack Soo and Pat Morita) who disguise themselves as launderers. She targets women who come to the city as orphans. Free of familial connections and with no one to miss them if they're gone, they're the perfect targets for Mrs. Meers to drug and sequester. Her new target is Miss Dorothy Brown (Mary Tyler Moore), a wide-eyed and naive young woman whom Millie quickly takes under her wing. Millie becomes the object of affection for paperclip salesman Jimmy (James Fox) but is adamant she will marry her boss Trevor Graydon (John Gavin) who really just has his sights on Dorothy. A series of events unfold including a wild party hosted by widowed millionaire Muzzy Van Hossmere (Carol Channing) and many attempts by Mrs. Meers to drug Dorothy. Will this quartet of love birds finally catch on to Mrs. Meers' machinations and save Dorothy before it's too late?

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) is a fun and lively musical that has a grand ole time with song, dance, costumes, color palettes and 1920s style and culture. It doesn't take itself too seriously which adds to the light and frothy feel. This was the first musical for director George Roy Hill (best known for his later films Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting). He's quoted as saying "I wanted it to be a soufflé. I knew it had to stay afloat by its own mindless nonsense." And he definitely succeeded at that. The movie was produced by Ross Hunter who had made numerous big budget films for Universal Pictures including All That Heaven Allows (1955), Imitation of Life (1959), Pillow Talk (1959) and Flower Drum Song (1961). Hunter originally wanted to adapt the 1920s themed musical The Boy Friend but wasn't able to secure the rights so he decided to pursue the 1956 musical Thoroughly Modern Millie instead.

While the movie is not meant to be a wholly accurate portrayal of 1920s life, I was impressed on how many key cultural elements were shown that were indicative of the era. These include automobiles, aviation, (a reference to) automats, dance parties, '20s colloquialisms ("banana oil", "by jingo", etc), vaudeville and most notably "buildering" (the fad of climbing buildings that Harold Lloyd depicted in his 1923 silent comedy Safety Last!) There are references to silent films including various title cards which appear as thoughts for Millie when she breaks the third wall to deliver a quip to the audience. 

My favorite visual element of the film is the changing color pallette. The set design and fashion appear in muted colors of white, black, grey and beige with a pop of a singular color. This statement color becomes the visual focal point of those scenes. We see green, yellow, orange, pink, red, black, blue, gold then purple and eventually there are more references to previous colors.

Even though the lighter elements dominate, Thoroughly Modern Millie is ultimately a problematic movie. A sex trafficking musical that features really harmful Asian stereotypes is not going to sit well with contemporary audiences. And it's not like these themes are minor ones that could easily be edited out of the musical. They're really ingrained into the overall story. 

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) was a critical darling and a box office hit. Julie Andrews is at the top of her game and both Carol Channing and Mary Tyler Moore really shine in this musical. The film was nominated for seven academy awards including Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Carol Channing and Best Costume Design for Jean Louis. Elmer Bernstein earned the only win for the film with a Best Original Score Oscar. A sequel called The Jazz Babies was planned but never came to fruition.

Amazon — Deep Discount — Kino Lorber

The Roadshow Edition of Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) complete with full overture, intermission and exit music is available on blu-ray from Kino Lorber. The movie has been fully restored in 4K by Universal Pictures. It really benefits from this restoration especially since color is such an important element in the movie. The Blu-ray disc also includes English subtitles, audio commentary by film historian Lee Gambin and art historian Ian McNally and various theatrical trailers. 

Thank you to Kino Lorber for sending me a copy to review!

Classic Movie Books I've Been Reading (2)

 In my latest YouTube video I discuss the books and reviewing so far this year. Check it out!

Mentioned in the video: 
Charles Boyer: The French Lover by John Baxter
Dervish Dust: The Life and Words of James Coburn by Robyn L. Coburn 
Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century by Dana Stevens
Girls on Film: Lessons from a Life of Watching Women in Movies by Alicia Malone
Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood 
Topper by Thorne Smith
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
Lana: The Lady, The Legend, The Truth by Lana Turner
Nazimova: A Biography by Gavin Lambert
Buzz: The Life and Art of Busby Berkeley by Jeffrey Spivak

Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to be alerted to new videos as they go live.

First Roundup: 2022 Classic Film Reading Challenge

 

I'm excited to share the first round-up of reviews for this year's Classic Film Reading Challenge. I'm so impressed with the reviews in this batch. A wide variety of selections and there are some very thorough reviews as well as great YouTube videos from Lee, Andy and Robert! Chris and Andy are the leaders of the challenge with 4 books reviewed by each so far. I'll be doing another round-up next month so stay tuned.

Alejandro on Goodreads

Image courtesy of Alejandro @alamofilmguy on Twitter

"The book is the portrait of a complicated man, and Eyman takes his time in delving into his subject’s multifaceted life with careful research and sharp reactions observation."

Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise by Scott Eyman

"It’s a rare look into the life of a Mexican-American actor building his career and the emotional toll that career had later in his life... But perhaps one day we will have a fuller text to explore all the areas of this extraordinary life. One can hope." 

The Original Sin by Anthony Quinn

Andy of Journeys in Darkness and Light

"This book is filled with great information and several surprises. If you're a fan of classic movies, you're going to love it."

Character People by Ken D. Jones, Arthur F. McClure and Alfred E. Twomey

"Bottom line, you can't go wrong with an Elmore Leonard work. Western or Crime."

Hombre by Elmore Leonard

"You watch Aldrich mature as a director and reflect on the successes and the failures, putting both into perspective."

Robert Aldrich: Interviews edited by Eugene L. Miller, Jr. and Edwin T. Arnold

Ari of The Classic Movie Muse

"[I] appreciated the additional insights into the characters from Inge’s text... We also gain a little more insight Hal’s family history and troubled background."

Picnic by William Inge

Brittaney of The Story Enthusiast

"Allanberger paints a portrait of a cunningly intelligent, often appealing woman whose independence and determination helped her succeed in a difficult business while also occasionally alienating people along the way."

Miriam Hopkins: Life and Films of a Hollywood Rebel by Allan R. Ellenberger

Chris of Digging Star Wars

Image courtesy of Chris of Digging Star Wars

"Frankel knows how to collectively share massive amounts of research in a cohesive, entertaining story that is also history – both real, cinematic, and then some."

The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend by Glenn Frankel

"Physically, the book is thin but printed in small type. In other words: it’s travel-sized but packed with information. It is also incredibly-smile-inducing for any Star Wars fan that is also a classic film fan."

Star Wars: BFI Film Classics by Will Brooker

"I loved this book. It educated me on so many levels of the Kung Fu film scene that started in the late 60s and even before that. It’s ballsy but honest. It also sets out on a mission and succeeds: these films – both good and “bad” – are a rich part of film and real world history that just can not be ignored.  

These Fists Break Bricks: How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World by Grady Hendrix and Chris Poggiali

"let me conclude by simply saying “Hurrah!” for the please-take-a-free-book-and-keep-it library in the campground WiFi room where I found this literary treasure."

True Grit by Charles Portis

Chuck on Goodreads

Image courtesy of Chuck @Chuck7703 on Twitter

"Dolce Vita Confidential is an informative and fun read that will transport you back to that exciting time period of Rome in the 1950s."

Dolce Vita Confidential: Fellini, Loren, Pucci, Paparazzi, and the Swinging High Life of 1950s Rome by Shawn Levy

"Hitchcock and the Censors is a unique and interesting look at Hitchcock's work through the prism of censorship that is a worthy addition to your film book library."

Hitchcock and the Censors by John Billheimer

"I would recommend this book to hard core Val Lewton fans or anyone with an interest in the American home during the war. Others may get bogged down in some of the analysis of this study."

Icons of Grief: Val Lewton's Home Front Pictures by Alexander Nemerov

Greg on Goodreads

"Anyone with interest in Film Noir or the Westerner genres, will be pleased to have this book as their gateway into the Sub-Genre of the Noir Western."

The Noir Western: Darkness on the Range, 1943-1962 by David Meuel

"Was expecting a little more from this book, but overall a good journey deep into classic Japanese cinema. Perhaps it's not as much about the filmmaking side of Japanese Cinema, but about the ideology behind and within it." 

Voices from the Japanese Cinema by Joan Mellen

Jess of Box Office Poisons: A Classic Movie Blog

Image courtesy of Jess from Box Office Poisons

 "ultimately this is the story of June's life as she wanted to tell it, and I guess you can't fault her for it." 

June Allyson by June Allyson

"I put this book down with the opinion that Loretta Young is a charming, eloquent, talented woman who was often ahead of her time in seeing trends and reacting to change, despite knowing that she was pretty pious and straight-laced and was never one to (openly) broker scandal."

The Things I Had to Learn by Loretta Young, as told to Helen Ferguson

Kara on Goodreads

"With each new installment, Lillian's Hollywood is fleshed out more fully with delightful cameos, recurring fan favorites like Bing Crosby and Barbara Stanwyck, and a rich (and ever-growing) cast of original characters."

Idle Gossip by Renee Patrick

"Not only are these stories fun and twisty mysteries featuring some of your favorite Golden Age of Hollywood stars, but they are also written in a way that is really enjoyable to read."

The Sharpest Needle by Renee Patrick

Lee on YouTube

"If you are of a philosophical bent... introspective narratives... purply prose... and you don't mind a spot of naval gazing... you can't go wrong with Nathan's novella."

Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan

Molly of Classic Mollywood

Image courtesy of Molly from Classic Mollywood

"This book is an easy read and you will get a sense of Granger’s personality and sense of humor."

Include Me Out: My Life from Goldwyn to Broadway by Farley Granger with Robert Calhoun

Ralph on LibraryThing

"Agatha Christie successfully broke the rules with her dark story "And Then There Were None" that has no assured detective like Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple to solve the mystery and foil the crime leaving readers to contemplate the darkness and self-deception present in people in all times and places."

And Then There None by Agatha Christie

"One of the great gifts of this book is how Ray Morton takes us behind the scenes to show the breakthrough innovations required by the special effects team lead by Douglass Trumbull as they needed to invent new ways to create the fantastic and realistic images Spielberg envisioned and demanded."

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Making of Steven Spielberg's Classic Film by Ray Morton

Raquel of Out of the Past

 

"Stevens offers a look at Keaton through a cultural history lens and readers with reap the rewards from all the historical context."

Camera Man: Buster Keaton, The Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the 20th Century 

By Dana Stevens

"I highly recommend this one for anyone who wants to go a lot further with their knowledge of film history and for anyone interested in black representation in media."

Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood

Robert B. of Robert Bellissimo at the Movies

"Highly recommended... it's a wonderful read."

Cimino: The Deer Hunter, Heaven's Gate and The Price of a Vision by Charles Elton

"this is a very important book that I think should be given to every veteran actor or young actor or someone just entering into the field... the details of it are just really mind-blowing"

The Method: How The Twentieth Century Learned To Act by Isaac Butler

Sarah on Goodreads

"You can tell how much time and research the author put into her book, and her love for Keaton was evident."

Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century by Dana Stevens

Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood

Colorization

One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World

by Wil Haygood

Knopf

464 pages

October 2021

Hardcover ISBN: 9780525656876

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powell's

“If Black Americans were to fight back against what cinema had now done to them, they would need their own filmmaker. They needed someone to tell their stories, stories with nuance and honesty and respect and comedy and joy—all the things that this magical thing called cinema was offering to mainstream society. And if such a person were to emerge, he would have to possess fortitude, and a wide vision that would remain steadfast against the forces sure to rise and be arrayed against him.” — Wil Haygood

From the beginning of film history, black representation has been a struggle. Stereotypes and racist depictions caused harmful ripple effects in our culture that ultimately lead to real life consequences. Deeply rooted racism in Hollywood held back black performers and filmmakers from realizing their true potential. Even with all the obstacles in the business and in society at large, these black visionaries persisted. Oscar Micheaux, Paul Robeson, Lena Horne and Hattie McDaniel paved the way for Dorothy Dandridge, Sidney Poitier, Pam Grier and Melvin van Peebles who made strides for Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and Martin Jenkins. The industry still struggles with black representation on screen and off. While we still have a long way to go, understanding and appreciating black film history is crucial for making strides in the decades to come.

Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood is a rich resource of information on black film history that will both educate and enlighten. Haygood draws parallels between filmmakers and actors and the particular moment in history in which they were working. This book is filled to the brim with stories and related context. The focus is more on individuals however numerous films are discussed at length. Each chapter has a particular theme and some are followed by short "flashback" chapters that hone in on an important moment in film history as it relates to the previous chapter. For example, a chapter examining Sidney Poitier's life and career is followed by a flashback chapter which recounts the night of his historic Oscar win. 

Topics discussed include: 

• D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation and its harmful impact on black representation
• Oscar Micheaux's extraordinary career as an independent filmmaker
• The relationship between authors Fannie Hurst and Zora Neale Hurston
• Hattie McDaniel, "mammy" and black maid tropes, and her landmark Oscar win
• The debacle that was Porgy and Bess.
• The different paths Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte took with their careers.
• The amazing story behind Melvin Van Peebles career.
• The impact Pam Grier had on the representation on black female beauty.
• Berry Gordy, Billy Dee Williams, Diana Ross and the films of Motown Records
• and many more

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“The wonder of it all is that the moviemaking life didn’t crush Oscar Micheaux. He had come into Black filmmaking when it hardly existed, creating much of its origins and giving it ballast and a heartbeat.” 

On Baby Face “But to Negroes the real star of the movie was Theresa Harris…Chico and Lily were one of the first, more honest Black-white friendships to be showcased on a major motion-picture screen. They were equals, and the reality of this at the time was its own kind of shock.” 

“Sammy Davis Jr had the wherewithal to survive the sexual and interracial-marriage paranoia against the backdrop of Hollywood and America, but Dorothy Dandridge did not.”  

“Poitier and Belafonte have become cultural icons, two handsome Black men, defiant soul brothers who claimed their stake in the air of American celebrity…”

Colorization is quite dense and does take some patience to get through. There is a bit of jumping back and forth between subjects within in a chapter which made me go back to reread some parts to get back on track. However, it was well worth the effort because of the book's abundance of details, insights and context. Haygood does a superb job demonstrating the effect history had on film and vice versa. I took over 11 pages worth of notes because there were so many takeaways that I didn't want to forget.

I highly recommend this one for anyone who wants to go a lot further with their knowledge of film history and for anyone interested in black representation in media.

This is my second review for the 2022 Classic Film Reading Challenge.

Thank you to Knopf for sending me a copy of Colorization for review!