Bullets or Ballots (1936)

While I was watching the extras in the Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection (see my review and vlog here), a trailer for Bullets or Ballots (1936) caught my eye. I was so dazzled by the cast that I just went "gimme gimme". It went to the top of my Netflix queue and I eagerly anticipated it's arrival. 

It's a shame it didn't make it into the Bogie boxed set. It's more Bogie than most of the other gangster films he made with Warner Bros. Bogie plays one of his angriest roles as mobster Bugs Fenner. I've never seen Bogie make so many angry faces in one film! Bugs Fenner is part of a team of mobsters headed by Kruger (Barton MacLane) who takes his orders from 3 wealthy men who oversee the entire operation. Only Kruger knows who those 3 men are but Bugs Fenner isn't satisfied with being second to Kruger or third to the wealthy triumvirate. He wants all the power, he wants it now and he doesn't care who or what is in his way. In steps Johnny Blake (Edward G. Robinson), a police detective who's got an in with the mob and while he has always been good on his word is about to double-cross Kruger and all the mobsters in order to help the police bring the whole racket down. This is an excellent Bogie-Robinson film and it just gets better with the scenes showcasing spunky Joan Blondell as Lee Morgan, a numbers game gal whose making serious dough off of Harlem and the Bronx with her nickel and dime games.

Fenner (Bogie), Kruger (MacLane) and Blake (Robinson). The other triumvirate.

I'm angry, see? But I still look impeccable in my dapper suit and slicked back hair. 

Bogie and Robinson made 5 films together and this was their first one. The others include: Kid Galahad (1937), The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938), Brother Orchid (1940) and Key Largo (1948). I've written about all of them and I'm sad there are no more new Bogie-Robinson films for me to discover. Bullets or Ballots (the title makes little sense in terms of the plot), is an entertaining and fast-paced 1930s gangster movie that is enjoyable and worth a viewing. Robinson excels as a mock-mobster as well as a police detective and Bogie wears a scowl so well in this film you'd figure that was the way his face was fastened on!

Breakdowns from 1936

Lots of stars featured in this blooper reel fro 1936 including Warren William, Humphrey Bogart, Kay Francis, Edward G. Robinson, Joe E. Brown, Ann Dvorak, Leslie Howard and James Cagney. A lot of the scenes include actors cursing "god damn it" whenever they get something wrong. I wonder what other curses were left out? I think it's interesting too that several scenes show that movie studios crashed cymbals to end the scene instead of just yelling "cut". I found Breakdowns of 1936 in the extras for the DVD of Bullets or Ballots (1936) and lucky for us it's also on YouTube. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas from Out of the Past ~ A Classic Film Blog

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

King of Kings (1961)

King of Kings (1961) was directed by Nicholas Ray and stars a 33-year old Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus Christ. It's details like that, choosing an actor who was currently living in his Jesus Year (Jesus was 33 when he was crucified), that make this film simply astounding. It could have been a cheesy, over-the-top epic production. The 1960s were full of badly dubbed versions of those. However, Nicholas Ray and company made a respectful and timeless epic about the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ. There are no special effects in this film. You do not watch Jesus walk on water, turn water into wine, feed hundreds with 7 loaves and fishes and you do not watch him ascend into heaven after his resurrection. There are no angels, no devil, no representation of god. You hear the devil speak to Jesus in the desert and you see the sun shine down upon Jesus when he's on the cross but that's it. They could have gone there but they didn't. Instead what you see in King of Kings is what people who lived during Jesus Christ' time probably saw. A holy man who walked among the meek and was there to uplift them and comfort them during a time of taxation and oppression.

Jeffrey Hunter was amazing as Jesus. He had piercing blue eyes that seem to cut right into your soul and a steadiness to his countenance that I imagine Jesus would have had.

Siobhan McKenna as Mary had the same: piercing eyes and a steady countenance.

The choice of Robert Ryan as John the Baptist was genius. His scenes were by far my favorite.

Brigid Bazlen as Salome was also exceptional. Watch for the erotic dance she performs for King Herodious in exchange for John the Baptist's head. Oh, yes and we don't see the severed head. I liked that too. That would have gone into the realm of cheesy but instead they kept it classy. We know what happens but we don't have to see it. Glorification of gore is not necessary in order to understand pain or death.

Now I'm by no means religious. However, I did grow up Christian and the story of Christ is one that has always interested me. I've always found comfort in the Sermon on the Mount and have always been deeply pained by the passion. This Christmas, King of Kings (1961) was what I needed. I didn't need a Christmas film from the good ole days when people were nice to each other and everything turned out well. I wanted to see a film about oppression and hope.

Before you comment on this post, just note this is not a forum to start religious debate.