THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947)

I really enjoyed posting two straight weeks of blogs on Hollywood films from the 1930's, and so for the 1940's I'm going to up the ante and try for three weeks worth. Looking at titles I have left from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, this shouldn't be a problem. As before, I’ll list my expectations for each film going in and state whether these expectations are reached or not. And I’ll once again give each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award because there was such a bounty of great supporting performers from this period and I just like doing it.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
Expectations: I’m actually surprised this is an entry in the book. When I think of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, I only have a vague memory of the late 1960’s television series with Hope Lange.

After Viewing: This film about a beautiful widow haunted (but in a totally not-scary way) by an earthy (but deceased) sea captain actually has a lot of charm and wit.

Curiosity: Movie fans bemoan and ridicule the strict Breen Code that censored Hollywood films tremendously from 1934 through the early 50's. Yet, despite these limitations, there are plenty of good films from this era. You wouldn't think this would be so. The commentator to this film states (and I'm beginning to agree with) that screenwriters and directors from this era had to learn to be more subtle in their writing and learned to work this limitation for dramatic advantage. The salty sea dog's cursing with the word "BLAST!" gets the point across well enough just as Mrs. Muir's response by angrily typing out a four-letter word (we don't know what the word is, but we get the idea)when she's angry.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…George Sanders. I most recently saw Sanders as the oily boyfriend in Rebecca. He plays a similar part here. I can’t really see him playing anything but a cad. (Though he did later play Mr. Freeze on an episode of Batman). I should also give a nod to screenwriter Phillip Dunne (How Green Was My Valley) as well.

HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941)

I really enjoyed posting two straight weeks of blogs on Hollywood films from the 1930's, and so for the 1940's I'm going to up the ante and try for three weeks worth. Looking at titles I have left from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, this shouldn't be a problem. As before, I’ll list my expectations for each film going in and state whether these expectations are reached or not. And I’ll once again give each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award because there was such a bounty of great supporting performers from this period and I just like doing it.

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Expectations: This was the John Ford film that beat out Citizen Kane and Sullivan’s Travels for best picture at the 1941/1942 Academy Awards. Haven't seen it.

After Viewing: And it is a good film. A sweeping story of 19th century Welsh coalminers. I can see why the Academy picked it over the brilliant but more controversial Kane. Of course, How Green Was My Valley was a little controversial with its pro-Union message.

On the accompanying DVD commentary track by film historian Joseph MacBride, he can’t seem to understand why the unattached minister Walter Pidgeon turns down the advances of the beautiful Maureen O’ Hara. Well, let me explain…Maybe it’s because he puts her on so high a pedestal that he is so afraid of disappointing her. Maybe it's because he feels that his devotion to the community is more important. Maybe he thinks it would interfere with his higher calling to the church, maybe he…Ok, I don’t understand it either.

Note to self: Since this is the second film in a row I’ve watched where a young character has read Ivanhoe, (Shadow of a Doubt’s precocious Ann being the other) I must put Ivanhoe on the top of my reading list immediately! Malcolm Gladwell's latest book will just have to wait!

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Master Roddy McDowall (that’s how he’s billed). Now why wouldn’t I give this to Donald Crisp as the Morgan family patriarch? He did win a supporting Academy Award for this after all. I agree that his performance is memorable. It is also a lead role in my book.* You can almost make the same argument for Master Roddy. In fact, this is one of the few films from this era that I really couldn’t pick out who the star of the film is. I know Walter Pidgeon and Maureen O’ Hara are top billed, but they too are really supporting players in my book. **

* My book is on sale in the lobby.
** My book is still on sale in the lobby.

SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943)

I really enjoyed posting two straight weeks of blogs on Hollywood films from the 1930's, and so for the 1940's I'm going to up the ante and try for three weeks worth. Looking at titles I have left from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, this shouldn't be a problem. As before, I’ll list my expectations for each film going in and state whether these expectations are reached or not. And I’ll once again give each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award because there was such a bounty of great supporting performers from this period and I just like doing it.

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Expectations: The king of directors competition in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die contest is pretty much a slam-dunk in favor of Sir Alfred Hitchcock. There are 18 Hitchcock movies listed. 18! The second place director, Howard Hawks has only 11. (I think I did the math right).
I’m looking forward to watching Shadow of a Doubt as I haven’t seen it and no next to nothing about it.

After viewing: The plot really unravels slowly, but I didn’t mind that. The story gets where its going at its own speed and the slow arc heightens the drama. A good cast (led by Joseph Cotton and Teresa Wright), a good story and a pretty decent director too.

And as I often do when I spot them I must point out a great librarian moment. Teresa Wright has got to get hold of a newspaper article from the local public library that may or may not incriminate her Uncle. But the library has just closed! And what does the kindly librarian do? She lets the distraught young lady in and gets down the newspaper in question and gives Teresa three minutes to find the article she is looking for so the plot can continue. A thoughtful professional, I must say.
Let this be a reminder: If you need to use the public library, please make note of library hours and judge your time accordingly. Librarians have lives too!

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to…Screenwriter Thornton Wilder. Certainly a big name Hitchcock got to pen the majority of this screenplay, which is well done. But who knows how much is Wilder and how much are the script doctors (including Mrs. Hitchcock). Other memorable supporting players in this film include Henry (Clarence, Angel second class) Travers, Hume (he was actually young once) Cronyn, Patricia (the sweet mother who is slow to catch on) Collinge and daughter Edna May (the smart daughter, whose character has read Ivanhoe, which makes her a better man than I am, Gunga Din) Wonacutt and Wallace (Wasn’t he the one who was going to buy Schlitze the Pinhead a hat with a feather coming out of it in Freaks?) Ford.

GASLIGHT (1944)

I really enjoyed posting two straight weeks of blogs on Hollywood films from the 1930's, and so for the 1940's I'm going to up the ante and try for three weeks worth. Looking at titles I have left from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, this shouldn't be a problem. As before, I’ll list my expectations for each film going in and state whether these expectations are reached or not. And I’ll once again give each film my Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award because there was such a bounty of great supporting performers from this period and I just like doing it.

Gaslight (1944)
Expectations: This is a movie I’ve heard about since I was a kid, but have never seen. I know that Charles Boyer tries to drive his wife Ingrid Bergman insane. To what end? I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to watch.

After viewing: A good psychological thriller. And why do movie trailers (Like the one for this film) show scenes from the last parts of the movie? If you show me how it ends, I’m much less likely to want to see it. This was true of trailers in the 40’s and true of movies today. I’m just wondering.

I can see why they gave the Oscar to Ingrid Bergman. She loses her marbles with great aplomb.

And “to gaslight” someone-I imagine comes from the play and subsequent movie (technically movies since there is a British version of Gaslight as well). But does anyone use the term any more? It never really comes up that much for me.

And the Elisha Cook Jr. supporting player award goes to...Angela Lansbury. Who’d have thought Angela Lansbury was ever a teenager, let alone a teenager with an attitude?