On The Town-1949-Directors: Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen
If one looks at the first 6 of my top ten, you will see one musical. Well, fasten your seat belts because more are on the way! I love musicals. I didn't always. I remember a time my mom was getting ready to watch a thing called Showboat, which my eleven or twelve year old mind had never heard of. But I was willing to give it a go. About twenty minutes into it I had to excuse myself. BORING! Oh my lord, I figured if one looked up boring in the dictionary, this movie would be the definition.
Times change. People change. As I entered my teenage years [ you know, those years when one knows it all ], I started to act in plays in school. And, of course, musicals were performed in school once a year, usually in the spring. Now I performed in a few of these little epics: The Apple Tree, Guys & Dolls, The Fantasticks, etc. I grew to have an appreciation for this genre. Musicals aren't as easy as they may appear to be. A lot of work and sweat and effort go into making a song and dance effortless. I began to see behind the facade. Not that all musicals are great, good, or wonderful. Far from it. But the best of them are sublime.
So aside from The Wizard of Oz and The Beatles' efforts, I didn't have much use for musicals. A couple of odd ones, like 1954's A Star is Born made inroads on my conscious mind. Gypsy was also an early favorite. But other than that, not much. Then in 1979, shortly after the purchase of my first VCR, PBS, channel 28 out of Los Angeles, broadcast 7 or 8 musicals during the summer, a different film every Thursday and repeated the following Sunday. What a life changer for me. The first movie selected that wonderful summer was On The Town, starring Gene Kelly & Frank Sinatra. I don't think I had ever seen either in a movie before. Well, this movie grabbed me, shook me loose, and woke me up to the fun and exuberance of Hollywood musicals. The minute those two sailors and their buddy Ozzie (Jules Munchin) leave the deck of the ship that has docked in New York City and start to sing "New York, New York" (not the one made famous by Ol Blue Eyes decades later), I was hooked. This story is about three sailors on a 24 hour pass, and all they really want to do is get laid. They meet three young, willing and able ladies who are after love and adventure as much as they are. To a twenty year old male, this was one thing I could relate to.
This movie taught me that musicals need not be stuffy. It has a breakneck pace, energetic dance numbers ("Prehistoric Man ") and sing-able tunes ("Let's Go to My Place "). This was also one of the first musicals to go on-location. Kelly & Donen convinced MGM that the only way to make the film authentic was to shoot on-location in the Big Apple. MGM said ok, but only two weeks. Those two weeks were spent on the opening number that took them all around the city. Another precedent was sent by having Kelly & Donen direct this film themselves. Gene Kelly was and is one of the most important figures in the world of film musicals and to have a actor-hoofer direct a film was audacious. Unless one's name was Orson Welles, actor's didn't direct. Certainly they didn't direct a film that they were in. And what was the result of all this effort? A smash hit that made millions for MGM when the company needed it most (1948 being an especially hard year profit-wise). The success of On the Town made it possible for An American in Paris to be made 1951, and Singin' In The Rain in 1952. I have introduced it to a select few over the years, two such are my niece Susannah and my good friend Alan. Susannah has a long and fertile love of musicals, and I like to think it started here. Alan is my constant buddy. Where and whenever we get together if I say "Where shall we go?" he, without pause, will sing, "Let's Go To My Place." Even if his place is out of town.
On The Waterfront-1954-Director: Elia Kazan
This is the movie that convinced me Marlon Brando is the greatest film actor ever placed before a camera.
I saw it on the old channel 11, KTTV out of Los Angeles , on a spring weekend in 1975. Every weekend that channel had a program called "Festival of Classics." They would show one film twice on Saturday and twice more on Sunday at four and eleven PM. I was so enthralled by this film I recorded it on audio, as I didn't have a VCR back then. In fact VCR's were kind of a sci-fi invention not known by the general public at that time.
The story concerns Terry Malloy (Brando) who must come to grips with his conscious when he unknowingly sets up a man to be murdered for informing on the mob, which controls the waterfront docks in the New York/New Jersey area. To make matters worse, he falls in love with the murdered man's sister, Edie Doyle, played by Eva Marie Saint. His brother Charley, played by Rod Steiger, is the mob's lawyer. Terry is a former boxer who, as we find out as the plot unfolds, had to take a "dive" in the ring so that the mob could collect a vast sum of money on the other boxer. Terry is a man who has untapped warmth and potential for tenderness. Edie's love and guidance shows him that life on the waterfront is corrupt and keeping silent about something he knows is wrong is, in itself, wrong. The story is about the redemption of Terry Malloy's soul.
The movie from beginning to end belongs to Brando. His confusion about his feelings for Edie, the betrayal of his "friends", the realization of his brother's betrayal, is poignantly portrayed. It is also the beginning of Kazan finding his way as a filmmaker. A respected and admired Broadway director (Death of a Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire, etc) Kazan, in his own mind, wasn't a bonafide filmmaker yet. In his autobiography he writes about being "out of it" when it came to the planning of his films. "Waterfront" changed that. It was a very personal story for him. Kazan had cooperated with the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and named friends as communists. Kazan, like Terry in the film, informed on people in knew. In the words of mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) he "ratted" ("You ratted on us, Terry!") on them. Kazan was also ostracized by many in the theatre and film world. As recently as 1999, when Kazan was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Science, there were as many boos as applause. Some wounds never heal.
When Brando first saw this film in rough cut, he fled the screening room without a word. He felt that he was "in & out" of character and didn't think it was one of his better portrayals. Time and several awards later have proven otherwise. It is considered one of his finest. In his first six films Brando racked up an impressive four Best Actor Nominations from the Academy. "Waterfront" itself won eight out of twelve nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Supporting Actress for Eva Marie Saint in her screen debut.
For me, the personal identification comes from Terry being treated as a bum a second class citizen among people not worthy to walk in his shadow of speak his name. Of course this is the film with the famous taxi cab scene above, but "Waterfront" abounds with great scenes: Terry and Edie's first encounter in the park when the mob breaks up a meeting at the local Catholic church, Terry and Edie's first "date" in a saloon with Terry buying Edie her first ever alcoholic beverage, Terry's confessional conversations with Father Barry (Karl Malden), the parish priest, and the finale with Terry beaten to a bloody pulp by Friendly and his henchmen.
A Star is Born -1954 - Director : George Cukor
Ok, I know, I just posted a blurb a few days ago on the anniversary of the opening of this movie. But it's still a fave and one I cannot ignore. I first saw this with my sister, my memory tells me it was a New Year's Eve showing. It was about 1970 or 1971, which means we were way too young to go out that night. But I believe my parents did, which was why we had our way with the TV that night. I'm sure it was sister's idea to watch this, her being a few years older and far more sophisticated than I in her choice of movies, at that time. It being a long movie, I think we were still up when the folks got home sometime after midnight.
There are so many goodies in this movie, I can hardly fit them all in: The performances by Mason & Garland are really special. Judy's is well-remembered to this day, but Mason's, less showy but always spot on, is more subtle. Some of these scenes are heartbreaking - almost all involve Mason's character Norman Maine's fading alcoholic screen idol. The scene after the preview of Garland's first movie, when it is obvious she will make it as a star in the movies (all with the help of Maine), Garland's Vicki Lester tells Norman how she feels about, telling him how much she cares for him. But Norman, knowing of his life and how dead he feels inside, tells her it's too late. It's a wrenching scene:
The movie from beginning to end belongs to Brando. His confusion about his feelings for Edie, the betrayal of his "friends", the realization of his brother's betrayal, is poignantly portrayed. It is also the beginning of Kazan finding his way as a filmmaker. A respected and admired Broadway director (Death of a Salesman, A Streetcar Named Desire, etc) Kazan, in his own mind, wasn't a bonafide filmmaker yet. In his autobiography he writes about being "out of it" when it came to the planning of his films. "Waterfront" changed that. It was a very personal story for him. Kazan had cooperated with the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and named friends as communists. Kazan, like Terry in the film, informed on people in knew. In the words of mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) he "ratted" ("You ratted on us, Terry!") on them. Kazan was also ostracized by many in the theatre and film world. As recently as 1999, when Kazan was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Science, there were as many boos as applause. Some wounds never heal.
When Brando first saw this film in rough cut, he fled the screening room without a word. He felt that he was "in & out" of character and didn't think it was one of his better portrayals. Time and several awards later have proven otherwise. It is considered one of his finest. In his first six films Brando racked up an impressive four Best Actor Nominations from the Academy. "Waterfront" itself won eight out of twelve nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Supporting Actress for Eva Marie Saint in her screen debut.
For me, the personal identification comes from Terry being treated as a bum a second class citizen among people not worthy to walk in his shadow of speak his name. Of course this is the film with the famous taxi cab scene above, but "Waterfront" abounds with great scenes: Terry and Edie's first encounter in the park when the mob breaks up a meeting at the local Catholic church, Terry and Edie's first "date" in a saloon with Terry buying Edie her first ever alcoholic beverage, Terry's confessional conversations with Father Barry (Karl Malden), the parish priest, and the finale with Terry beaten to a bloody pulp by Friendly and his henchmen.
A Star is Born -1954 - Director : George Cukor
Ok, I know, I just posted a blurb a few days ago on the anniversary of the opening of this movie. But it's still a fave and one I cannot ignore. I first saw this with my sister, my memory tells me it was a New Year's Eve showing. It was about 1970 or 1971, which means we were way too young to go out that night. But I believe my parents did, which was why we had our way with the TV that night. I'm sure it was sister's idea to watch this, her being a few years older and far more sophisticated than I in her choice of movies, at that time. It being a long movie, I think we were still up when the folks got home sometime after midnight.
There are so many goodies in this movie, I can hardly fit them all in: The performances by Mason & Garland are really special. Judy's is well-remembered to this day, but Mason's, less showy but always spot on, is more subtle. Some of these scenes are heartbreaking - almost all involve Mason's character Norman Maine's fading alcoholic screen idol. The scene after the preview of Garland's first movie, when it is obvious she will make it as a star in the movies (all with the help of Maine), Garland's Vicki Lester tells Norman how she feels about, telling him how much she cares for him. But Norman, knowing of his life and how dead he feels inside, tells her it's too late. It's a wrenching scene:
Norman : It's too late, I tell you.
Vicki: No it's not, not for me.
Norman : It is, I tell you! I destroy everything I touch! Forget about me; I'm a bad lot. You've come too late.
But of course he doesn't listen to himself and falls in love with her anyway. Another great scene is Judy's as she tells her boss and friend Oliver Niles about Norman's failed effort to stop drinking and how he tries so hard, how he fails to stop, and how she feels a failure for their love not being enough to get him to stop. And Norman's suicide in the Pacific Ocean, one of the most touching and romantic gestures ever put on film. Put that together with the music, camerawork, set design, script, etc and what one has is a powerful movie experience.
The movie also captures a Hollywood in transition. The 1950's may have been "I Like Ike," apple pie, and The Mickey Mouse Club, but in tinseltown major upheavals were taking place: Wide Screens, stereophonic sound, witch hunts (a hold over from the late '40s), TV and a fickle public. The film was originally to be filmed in the standard 1.66, ratio but with the success of Fox's The Robe in 1953 (filmed in CinemaScope), Jack Warner, head of the studio that bears his last name, reconsidered the process and had director Cukor start from scratch in the widescreen process after about 10 days worth of filming. This along with the usual delays and anxieties of Garland pushed the budget further up from it's original 3 million. The final tally on the budget is in the neighborhood of 6 million.
The film was put together by Judy and her then husband Sid Luft (she had 5 total, Luft coming in 3rd), so there was no doubt who would play the female lead, but the leading man's role was hotly contested by some and, according to Ron Haver's book on the making of the film, many were considered: Laurence Olivier topped Garland's list. Number 2 was newcomer Richard Burton, who had just made a splash in The Robe a year earlier. Also Tyrone Power, Cary Grant, James Stewart, Glenn Ford, Stewart Granger, Gregory Peck and Ray Milland. Of all the listed names, Cary Grant's was the one that delighted everyone. Jack Warner considered Humphrey Bogart. Frank Sinatra was very interested and put forth his services to Garland and Luft. But Bogie was a bit old for it, and Warner didn't think Frankie had the acting chops (his comeback in From Here To Eternity still hadn't seen the light of day). So James Mason won the part, by default so to speak, but it was a great choice.
The Wizard of Oz -1939 Director: Victor Fleming
Yep. You knew it was coming, right? This was my favorite movie pre-Butch Cassidy. As a little boy I LOVED this movie. Watched it every year on commercial TV, which means with commercials. And on a B&W television. This means that when Dorothy lands in Oz and steps out of her house, it wasn't in color like it is now. It was still B&W for me until a few years later with the family purchase of a color TV.
Amazing thing about this film is that it still can affect me today. If I haven't seen it for a while I can get caught up in the plot and characters still. "Over The Rainbow" still chokes me up. Who doesn't want a place where you can go and hide and be happy, beyond the moon beyond the stars. I guess some (most?) of the FX look dated to the modern eye, but realizing how they did those affects and how primitive the circumstances, they are still pretty special and a barometer for today's more sophisticated green screens. The music, despite the cliched "Off to See the Wizard" and "Follow the Yellowbrick Road," still live within everyone who has seen it. The film has pathos, humor, spectacle, suspense, horror, philosophy and heart. A lot of heart. One of my favorite movie lines of all-time is: "Remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."
The movie also captures a Hollywood in transition. The 1950's may have been "I Like Ike," apple pie, and The Mickey Mouse Club, but in tinseltown major upheavals were taking place: Wide Screens, stereophonic sound, witch hunts (a hold over from the late '40s), TV and a fickle public. The film was originally to be filmed in the standard 1.66, ratio but with the success of Fox's The Robe in 1953 (filmed in CinemaScope), Jack Warner, head of the studio that bears his last name, reconsidered the process and had director Cukor start from scratch in the widescreen process after about 10 days worth of filming. This along with the usual delays and anxieties of Garland pushed the budget further up from it's original 3 million. The final tally on the budget is in the neighborhood of 6 million.
The film was put together by Judy and her then husband Sid Luft (she had 5 total, Luft coming in 3rd), so there was no doubt who would play the female lead, but the leading man's role was hotly contested by some and, according to Ron Haver's book on the making of the film, many were considered: Laurence Olivier topped Garland's list. Number 2 was newcomer Richard Burton, who had just made a splash in The Robe a year earlier. Also Tyrone Power, Cary Grant, James Stewart, Glenn Ford, Stewart Granger, Gregory Peck and Ray Milland. Of all the listed names, Cary Grant's was the one that delighted everyone. Jack Warner considered Humphrey Bogart. Frank Sinatra was very interested and put forth his services to Garland and Luft. But Bogie was a bit old for it, and Warner didn't think Frankie had the acting chops (his comeback in From Here To Eternity still hadn't seen the light of day). So James Mason won the part, by default so to speak, but it was a great choice.
The Wizard of Oz -1939 Director: Victor Fleming
Yep. You knew it was coming, right? This was my favorite movie pre-Butch Cassidy. As a little boy I LOVED this movie. Watched it every year on commercial TV, which means with commercials. And on a B&W television. This means that when Dorothy lands in Oz and steps out of her house, it wasn't in color like it is now. It was still B&W for me until a few years later with the family purchase of a color TV.
Amazing thing about this film is that it still can affect me today. If I haven't seen it for a while I can get caught up in the plot and characters still. "Over The Rainbow" still chokes me up. Who doesn't want a place where you can go and hide and be happy, beyond the moon beyond the stars. I guess some (most?) of the FX look dated to the modern eye, but realizing how they did those affects and how primitive the circumstances, they are still pretty special and a barometer for today's more sophisticated green screens. The music, despite the cliched "Off to See the Wizard" and "Follow the Yellowbrick Road," still live within everyone who has seen it. The film has pathos, humor, spectacle, suspense, horror, philosophy and heart. A lot of heart. One of my favorite movie lines of all-time is: "Remember, my sentimental friend, that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."
This is a movie beyond great. It is in our blood, our genes, our DNA. It is beyond judging. Even if one doesn't like this film one cannot deny it's power, not only over children, but the affect it has on those children as they reach adulthood and don't even recognize that everyone they meet down life's path will some way or other resemble Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion and the Great & Powerful Wizard of Oz.
