A Who's Who of comedic history


It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, 11/29/12, Best Sound Editing, 1963
This movie is a cornucopia of comedic personalities from the 1930s through the early 1960s, from Jack Benny to Jonathan Winters, including The Three Stooges, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney and Ethel Merman, led by the great straight man, Spencer Tracy. It was fun to watch as actors flitted in and out of scenes, some for two minutes and others for fifteen. The premise of the movie is the suspect of a robbery (Jimmy Durante) is racing away and crashes his car off a cliff. Of course before he dies, he tells the witnesses (including Buddy Hackett, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, et al) that there is money buried somewhere in Santa Rosita, California. Everyone sees dollar signs and sets off to find the loot after they can’t agree on how to split it (the amount from 1963 was $350,000, over $2 million in 2012 dollars). You can only imagine the chaos that ensues (or watch the movie and see for yourself). There is a lot of physical and slapstick comedy. The movie won for best sound editing, and I don’t know all the nuances that go into deciding the award, but there were a lot of explosions and wacky sound effects that if they weren't edited well, it would have looked like a badly dubbed foreign film. Was it the best that year, I don’t know, and there was only one other film in the running (A Gathering of Eagles). Stanley Kramer directed this ensemble piece, and it seems like a huge change of pace for the man who directed serious movies like Judgment at Nuremburg, Inherit the Wind and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (all starring Spencer Tracy). I kept watching the movie because I had to see what kind of trouble the characters would get into, would Sid Caesar succeed in blowing himself up, would Jonathan Winters get back at the dentist who tried to leave him stranded in the desert, and would anyone be able to get Ethel Merman to stop shouting? Every time she opened her mouth I heard ‘There’s no business like show business’ in my head. She had to be a good sport, because she (her character) was manhandled, dropped, and subject to a series of pratfalls. Kramer didn't make short movies and this is no exception; apparently there are several versions of the movie, one exceeding 200 minutes. I got the version the library had which was 161 minutes; I can only imagine that a few cameos were cut out, or the chase scenes were shortened. There are a few interesting and funny twists and Tracy is great at leading this crazy circus. If you like or remember the comedians of the past, or like playing ‘name that actor’, you should watch this movie. There are a few adult themed scenes, but nothing like what’s on TV these days. I was trying to imagine if they could remake this movie today, and who would be the cast and the cameos. I don’t know, I think we’re past that golden age, but maybe I’m just past it. Watch this and then watch some of Kramer’s other films. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

A musical buddy movie


Anchors Aweigh, 11/17/12, Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture 1945
The plot for this movie is really threadbare, in my opinion, and that’s fine, it’s not like it’s a Bergman film or anything. It’s really a nice excuse to watch Gene Kelly dance and hear Frank Sinatra sing. Kelly and Sinatra play sailors on leave from the Navy in Hollywood, and after that it is a string of fun, ‘buddy’ wise guy dialogue, athletic dancing by Kelly and singing by Kelly, Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson (who plays the female lead). My major complaint, and it’s not a new one, is that the movie is way too long. Honestly, it’s not like there’s a storyline, it could have ended at any moment. There are twenty songs in the movie (per my counting in Wikipedia, feel free to check my math) and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, performed by Jose Iturbi and a plethora of pianists at the Hollywood bowl could have (and should have) be omitted. I am not a big fan of Liszt anyway, it just sounds like plinking and plonking on the piano to me and served zero purpose here. The iconic and probably most famous scene, where Gene Kelly dances with Jerry the Mouse, was cool to watch in its entirety (you have probably seen it in excerpts). If they cut out the whole storyline and just let Kelly dance, that would have been okay with me. He was amazing, he dances like a gymnast doing a floor routine, so physical and athletic (if you haven’t seen Singin’ in the Rain, you should do that…it’s long too, but Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds are fabulous). There are not a lot of family movies these days, but if you can sit through it, this might be one. There is a little boy, Donald, who admires Kelly’s character, Joe, who might keep the younger viewers interested. 

An American Treasure


Bullets over Broadway, 11/17/12, Best Supporting Actress 1994
The more I watch them, the more I like Woody Allen’s movies. I like them better when he’s not in them, however because the typical neurotic characters he plays can be very annoying, but he writes a good story and gets great performances out of the actors. Bullets over Broadway is set in 1928 New York, complete with gangsters and Prohibition-era alcohol. It’s about an idealistic playwright, played by John Cusack, and his desire to get his play produced on Broadway. It starts out as too intellectual and too heavy and he can’t get it produced until he makes a deal with the devil in the form of a local gangster to put the gangster’s girlfriend, Olive (played by Jenifer Tilly), in the play. That begins the slippery slope of compromise that leads to the fatal end of the movie. This seems to be very thematic of Allen’s movies, basically good people take shortcuts or are willing to be corrupted to achieve their ends (money, fame, love) only to have so much of it unravel in the end (Cassandra’s Dream, Match Point, Crimes and Misdemeanors). However, the difference in this movie is there is broader comedic edge which makes it fun to watch, especially with an incredible cast, including winner of the Best Supporting Actress, Dianne Wiest, John Cusack, Chazz Palmintieri, Jennifer Tilly, Jim Broadbent and several others. The great thing about this film, and many other Allen films, is the performances he gets from the actors even if they’re only on the screen for a few scenes, like Tracey Ullman. David Shayne, Cusack’s character is the playwright and the director, but the actors are struggling with his words and his vision; Cheech (Chazz Palmintieri) a gangster and ex-con has the soul of a writer and comes up with many improvements to the script and becomes personally invested in its success. Helen Sinclair (Dianne Wiest) is an actress in the boozy twilight of her career, looking for one more shot, and doesn't think it is with Shayne, but things start to come together, especially because Shayne fawns all over her and makes her believe that she is still the star she used to be. Wiest is great and she is a familiar face in many of Allen’s films; I really like watching her take on the life of her characters. Jennifer Tilly is also a treat, and she was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actress. Woody Allen’s movies aren't for everyone, and some of them have had to grow on me, too. If you’re leery about his movies, this might be a good one to try (or any of the ones where he isn't in it) and you may be surprised. The language, the dialogue and the quirky characters make it a good watch.

A little costume drama


Dangerous Liaisons, 11/16/12, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Art Direction 1988
I am so perplexed as to how Glenn Close still has not won an Academy Award, seriously (please see Albert Nobbs and Damages {not a movie, but she is awesome}). This may not have been her best performance ever, but you sure do believe her as the Machiavellian Marquise. She lost out this year to Jodie Foster in The Accused, and the competition was really stiff.  The movie did win for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction; it certainly was a beautiful movie to watch, and I think it’s really hard to mess up the sumptuous dresses and gowns from 18th century France. The movie revolves around several intricate plots to spoil/despoil/deflower Madame Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Cecile de Volanges (Uma Thurman) by Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich). There is a lot of dialogue and great use of language; I’m glad we don’t speak like that anymore because we would never finish any conversations, but it would be nice every once in a while to make flowery speeches with double entendres tucked so innocently away. Valmont is just sleazy and creepy and apparently he wears these characteristics as a badge of honor. Stephen Frears, who directed The Queen and My Beautiful Laundrette, uses the scenery and architecture of France to great advantage, and I am partial to 18th century music and there is a nice smattering of that throughout the movie. The scheming and debauchery hold up in comparison to 21st century series like The Borgias or Rome. Michelle Pfeiffer was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but lost out to Geena Davis in The Accidental Tourist. I think it would have been very easy to overact in her role and be very cheesy, but she wasn't at all. I don’t get how she kept going back to Valmont, that seemed a little crazy and unbelievable, but you can’t have everything. 

I'm a little bit country


Nashville, 11/4/12, Best Original Song 1975

Nashville was directed by Robert Altman, who also directed MASH, Gosford Park, Prairie Home Companion and more. Like many of those movies, this was an ensemble piece, with so many actors and storylines going on, you really need a program (or Wikipedia) to follow along. Watching the movie twenty years later, it was fun to see who was in it then and think about what they are doing today: Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Keith Carradine among others. There was also a certain irony in that it was the week of election day that I watched it, and the connecting theme in the movie was the presidential election of 1976 and unseen candidate, Hal Phillip Walker of the Replacement Party, campaigning through Nashville connects the characters. The characters are all somehow connected to country music, and there are plenty of songs throughout the movie, several written by the actors. There are country star wannabes, new country stars and legendary stars all intertwined with a culminating political event. Some of the characters are quirky, like Geraldine Chaplin’s BBC correspondent who is star struck by anyone touched by fame; the waitress who wants to sing so badly…and she does, she’s horrible, but has no clue; Shelley Duvall’s character…I’m not sure exactly what her role was. And that’s kind of the problem with this movie, and some of Altman’s other films, there is so much going on, it seems that some plots or characters are superfluous and really don’t add anything to the story. At a movie clocking in at over 2 ½ hours, you really don’t need superfluous. I did like the movie and was more interested in certain plots than others (really, why was Shelley Duvall’s character in the movie?), like the fragile country star, Barbara Jean, who seems to have a breakdown every other scene she is in and her rival. I liked the movie, I have enjoyed many of Altman’s films (Gosford Park for one), the ensemble casting and the subtle nuances that show the humanity in the characters, but you may have to watch them more than once (and I have 800 plus films to watch, so I don’t have time). Altman never won an Oscar for directing, and this year he was up against One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but the movie did win for Best Original Song ‘I’m Easy’ written and performed by Keith Carradine (who plays a kind of sleazy folk singer who can’t keep his pants on). It was a good song, but I don’t know how it beat out ‘Theme from Mahogany(Do You Know Where You’re Going to) sung by Diana Ross, which is an awesome song. If you liked Prairie Home Companion (Lily Tomlin is in that, too), MASH or Gosford Park, or if you like country music (circa Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette) this is definitely worth a watch.

Money, Money, Money

I didn't intend to have any themes this weekend as I embarked on my movie viewing; I just order a bunch of movies from the library and then hope one of them will actually play on the DVD player. It occurred to me after I finished two of the movies last night that they were both about money and the fun in making it, perhaps by a scam or two; and both movies were on the list because the lead actors won for Best Actor. I don't think I could have planned it better if I tried.


The Color of Money 11/3/12 Best Actor 1986
I am a huge Paul Newman fan, love him. It has nothing to do with him being from Shaker Heights, Ohio, or went to Kenyon College in Ohio (although it doesn't hurt). In so many of his roles, he doesn't even seem like he’s acting, he really is Hud, George Gibbs, Cool Hand Luke and Fast Eddie Felson from the Color of Money. I don’t think I was avoiding this movie, exactly, but I never really had it on my ‘I have to see this’ list either. I enjoyed it, the soundtrack is fabulous, done by Robbie Robertson with some sweet songs by Willie Dixon, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler; Newman is easy to watch and believe as Fast Eddie; I even liked Tom Cruise, although he was probably one of the reasons I didn't see this movie sooner. It always amazes me when I watch a Martin Scorsese movie and someone doesn't get their heads kicked in or blown off. Paul Newman won the Best Actor for his role, and he was super good, but I am not convinced that Dexter Gordon should not have won for his portrayal in ‘Round Midnight’ (watched and reviewed in July 2012). Newman had been overlooked before, so perhaps this was one of those Academy decisions, I don’t know. The Color of Money is the sequel to The Hustler, twenty-five years later; I don’t think you have to see The Hustler first (I've seen it, but don’t remember a whole lot). Fast Eddie was a pool shark who finds Vincent (Tom Cruise) and sees a great opportunity for some first class scamming. They embark on a classic road story, a clashing of styles, and an eventual parting of the ways. The movie features a young Forest Whitaker and John Turturro as pool hustlers. I recommend this movie, especially if you are a Paul Newman fan, like good music in your movies, or just want to relax and not have to ponder the imponderables.

Wall Street, 11/3/12 Best Actor 1987
Not an Oliver Stone or Michael Douglas fan, and after the last few years, I wasn't sure I really needed to see a movie about Wall Street’s greed? Really, it’s in the news every dang day. But I need to relax, it’s just a movie. So, I popped in the library’s DVD and, uh oh it was skipping. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Thank goodness it played on the old laptop. Wall Street, starring Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen and Martin Sheen was directed by Oliver Stone and set in the financial capital of America. The mid-1980s was a time of greed, insider trading, and all that jazz (the more things change, the more they stay the same), and this focuses on that. Michael Douglas won for Best Actor for his part as Gordon Gekko; I haven’t seen the other movies nominated in that category, so I don’t have an opinion on if he should have won. He was very good and very believable as Gekko, the ruthless takeover king. Charlie Sheen has a massive man crush on him, much to the eventual dismay of his father, played by Martin Sheen. I saw Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps before I saw Wall Street, which was kind of interesting now seeing the original. Watching the movie twenty-five years after its release was fun; the technology seems so archaic now and the historical perspective is educational. Don’t watch this movie if you feel like you’re still in the economic downtown, it will just irritate you. Otherwise, I would say it is a movie to watch and see Charlie Sheen act.

Whiling away the time while staying at home

There is no denying that these are very strange and tumultuous we're living in. Obviously I haven't been blogging too much lately, i...