The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)

It's the movie that Humphrey Bogart dubbed "The Amazing Doctor Clitoris" so would it be appropriate to say that this film tickled me pink? Perhaps not.  All joking aside, this is probably one of my top favorite films. Edward G. Robinson plays Dr. Clitterhouse, a well-dressed and highly-intelligent doctor who services the society crowd of New York City. He's developed a scientific fascination with crime that starts with him robbing wealthy ladies of their jewelry why they are distracted by champagne (or other drinks) and conversation during lavish parties. Then he takes it another step further, joining a group of criminals, including Rocks Valentine (Humphrey Bogart). He takes their temperature, draws their blood, checks their blood pressure and monitors their physical reaction to their criminal activity. But he gets in too deep and Rocks (Bogie) is about to make things really difficult for him. Robinson is exquisitely dressed with fine suits, scarves, cuff links, pocket squares, starched collars, white bow-ties, the works. Even Bogie, as a less well-off racketeer, is dressed very well. In fact, I stopped and asked Carlos (who works in the men's clothing industry)  what exactly Bogie was wearing on his collar and tie. Turns out he wore a Tie Pin and a Collar Pin, both are practical items but in this case they have an added dose of bling. Here you have a two-bit criminal who likes to show off his success in stealing jewels and furs by displaying a bit of sparkle on his person. I hadn't noticed all the accoutrement until this viewing which just goes to show you that all viewings are not created equal.

The Brothers Warner (2008) Documentary

The Brothers Warner - documentary
The Brothers Warner - book

This documentary follows the history of the Warner Bros. studio through the lives of the 4 brothers who founded it: Harry, Sam, Albert and Jack. It's written and directed by Cass Warner Sperling, granddaughter of Harry Warner and daughter of writer/producer Milton Sperling, and features interviews (some previously recorded) by various family members and industry people, including Dennis Hopper, who had worked with or were familiar with the brothers. Because this documentary is presented by someone from the Warner family, produced by Warner Sisters Productions and distributed by Warner Bros., there is going to be a little bias about the studio and the brothers. However, I think this documentary is very enlightening and informative and you'll walk away from it with a greater knowledge of film history and the great contributions Warner Bros. made to said history. The documentary is kind of choppy. At certain points it doesn't flow very well, I think mostly during the interviews. However, overall it felt cohesive and structured.

Something I learned about the original Warner Bros. studio that I didn't know before is that they would make socially conscious pictures even at the cost of profit. That's pretty much unheard of these days and it went against the notion of profitability in those days as well. The brothers took risks to provide audiences with movies that would "entertain, educate and enlighten". Their investment in Vitaphone and in the production of The Jazz Singer was mocked even by big studio heads like Irving Thalberg. Their attempt to enlighten the public about Nazi activity with films like Confessions of a Nazi Spy brought them severe criticism and even death threats. They took risks that paid out big. They put their money in many pots rather than all in one pot which saved them during difficult times. Now the documentary didn't say much about Warner Bros. treated their actors. Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Olivia de Havilland were among numerous actors who fought against Warner Bros. However, it did reveal a lot about Jack Warner and how show business and wealth turned his heart to stone over the years. I highly recommend watching this if you are a serious classic movie buff and want to know more about the studio system!

Make sure you stop by the excellent blog Dear Old Hollywood and check out Robby's post "An Evening with Cass Warner."

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

The 1920s gets a lot of love, even today, decades later. We see the 1920s in shows like Boardwalk Empire, in Halloween flapper costumes, in artwork, fashion, books, movies, etc. We love bootleggers, speakeasies, dancing the Charleston, fringe dresses, rolled stockings, Cloche hats, and saying things like "the bee's knees", "and how" and "the cat's meow". We will love the '20s even when we reach the 2020s (boy won't that be confusing). So when did this nostalgia for the 1920s begin? I imagine it started even before the 1920s were over. The Stock Market Crish of October 1929 put an end to the carefree culture of the 1920s. Ten years later, Raoul Walsh would direct a nostalgia picture that reminisced about the old days of bootlegging and gangsters. It would also serve as a big send off for James Cagney, who had been playing gangsters for years and was ready to move on. Cagney plays Eddie Bartlett, a World War I soldier who comes home from France to find a very different America, a land without opportunity, waiting for him. Bartlett is a victim of his circumstances. He's a good guy trying to stay straight in a world that won't let him. He first becomes a bootlegger and then runs a night club. It's Prohibition and the party-loving culture of the 1920s that makes Bartlett successful. And while he still longs for the innocence of his past and sees that in soft, doe-eyed Jean (Priscilla Lane) he's is in too deep in his racket. He takes on fellow soldier George (Humphrey Bogart) who is still blood-thirsty even years after World War I ended. Although this is Cagney's movie, Bogie plays a significant part and this is considered one of his last supporting roles. This film comes at an important time. America has been in the grips of the Great Depression for nearly a decade and World War II had just begun. It's a scary time and perhaps looking back at the previous decade gave people hope that America could once again be a land of opportunity and place to pursue happiness.