Category: Classics

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

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Lana Turner
Georgia Lorrison (Lana Turner)

NOTE: This review contains MAJOR spoilers! 

This film takes some time to get going, but when it gains momentum- yowza!  Near the start of the film, ambitious movie producer Jonathan Shields (Kirk Douglas) notices potential in young actress Georgia Lorrison (Lana Turner).  Boldly, he goes over to her ratty apartment very late at night.  Georgia stumbles home drunkenly and finds him just sitting in her armchair.  Georgia is a bit shocked, but then hits on Jonathan.  (That’s how she gets parts, after all.)  He’s disgusted, letting her know that she needs to quit drinking and sleeping around, if she ever hopes for a real career.

Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner
Jonathan talks (show) biz w/ Georgia

It turns out that both of them had successful fathers.  Georgia keeps a little shrine to her father, a Hollywood legend, in one corner of her place.  At first, it’s all (show) business: Jonathan boosts up Georgia’s confidence by standing up to her detractors,  believing in her potential, and promoting her for a juicy part. 

Jonathan and Georgia have a falling out
Jonathan and Georgia have a falling out

Georgia falls deeply in love with Jonathan, but he can’t return her feelings.  They have a tremendous fight instead of celebrating their mutual success.  Georgia never works with Jonathan again, but she becomes one of Hollywood’s most sought after leading ladies.

The professor (Dick Powell) and his wife (Gloria Grahame)
The professor (Dick Powell) and his wife (Gloria Grahame)

A Southern academic, James Lee Bartlow (Dick Powell) writes a novel which becomes very popular.  Jonathan wants the author to write the screenplay for a feature film, so he invites the unassuming professor and his devoted/lovely wife, Rosemary (Gloria Grahame) to Hollywood.  To ensure that Bartlow has time to write, Jonathan plans a weekend getaway for Rosemary and a suave actor.  It goes tragically wrong, but compels Bartlow to write a book about Rosemary.  Bartlow feels that only Georgia Lorrison is capable of bringing his wife to life onscreen. 

b&b_final

In the last scene, we see a director (one of Jonathan’s business partners), actress (Georgia), and writer (Bartlow) come close to the phone to listen in on Jonathan and a studio head. They all want to be in his light (literally) once more.  Jonathan used them to get ahead in his career, but their own careers were improved because of him. 

Kirk Douglas is impressive as a complicated anti-hero.  Jonathan feels alive when he’s working, but after that, he goes through a troubling time.  Douglas is more than up for the challenge of this role- you can’t see the acting!  Lana Turner is much more than a (very) pretty face.  Her character goes through a transformation- from troubled B-movie actress to headliner.  Gloria Grahame’s role is small, yet pivotal.  She’s a Southern belle who loves her husband, believes in his talent, yet is awed by the glamor of Hollywood.   

Green Dolphin Street (1947)

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MGM wanted June Allison to play Marguerite opposite Lana Turner.  She turned the role down because she didn’t think anybody would believe that William could prefer her to Lana.  MGM then essentially drafted Donna Reed into the role, whose misgivings were also strong (but she had no clout at the studio). 

Doona Reed as Marguerite
Donna Reed as Marguerite

On the island of St. Pierre in 1847, young adult sisters Marianne (Turner) and Marguerite (Reed) lead happy, comfortable lives as the daughters of shipping magnate Octavius Patourel (Edmund Gwenn, who played Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street) and his wife Sophie (Gladys Cooper).  Marianne has a sharp mind and knows a lot about her father’s work, which he thinks is not quite ladylike.  Marguerite is more reserved and dreamy.  From afar, Marianne is loved by a young local man, Tim Haslam (Van Heflin), much to the dismay of his girlfriend.   

When new neighbors move in next door, the sisters rush over to welcome the family: Dr. Edmund Ozanne (Frank Morgan, who played the wizard in The Wizard of Oz) and his handsome son William (Roger Hart).  At first, William is not that impressed with the girls, but thinks they’re very pretty.  But in no time, the three become good friends.  

William and Marianne dream of adventure
William and Marianne dream of adventure

One day, Marianne insists on taking William out to see a large shipping vessel, The Green Dolphin.  It’s under the command of a gruff, yet kind-hearted Irishman, Captain O’Hara (Reginald Owen, who played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol).  He proudly shows the young people around his ship, and tells them a bit about his adventures.  He’s been as far away as New Zealand!  Both Marianne and William are fascinated by the thought of such a life.

Marianne with her father
Marianne with her father

Since William wants to be a sailor, Marianne convinces her father to provide the funds.  (Being a man, he can do the things she’s always dreamed of doing.)  William goes off to London for 2 years. Their families don’t realize that William and Marguerite have fallen in love; they decide to keep it a secret.  They do, however, write letters to each other.    

Lana captured Marianne’s pragmatic, incisive, ambitious nature which veils a deep-seeded vulnerability and need to be loved.  And Donna Reed was certainly lovely even next to Lana, and did well with Marguerite, who is sweet-tempered, feminine and agreeable, but not as intellectually captivating as her sister.  Marguerite is more like William.  They are both indolent, romantic and playful.  But Marianne has the drive, savvy and fortitude…  –Comment on IMDB

I’m not going to reveal too much, because I want you all to check it out!  I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys large-scale, old-fashioned epics (such as Gone with the Wind).  However, because of its few main leads and focused theme (first love vs. love that grows over time), it seems like a small picture.  There is fine acting, sharp dialogue, and lots of character development.  I especially liked Heflin’s anti-hero character. 

Imitation of Life (1959)

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This melodrama is based on a novel and directed by Douglas Sirk (known for his distinct style and focus on “women’s problems”).  In our time, his influence can be seen in Todd Haynes’ Far from Heaven and the AMC’s Mad Men.  

Widowed/single mother, Lora Meredith (Lana Turner), temporarily loses her 6-year old daughter, Susie, at the beach on Coney Island.  She scrambles to find the girl amid the crowd, and runs into a handsome photographer, Steve Archer (John Gavin), who offers his help.  When she finds Susie, she is with a kind black woman, Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore) and her 8-year old daughter, Sarah Jane (who has dark brown hair and looks white).  “Her father was almost white,”  Annie explains to the surprised Lora, who thought Annie was the girl’s nanny.  It turns out that Annie is also a widow, and she and her child have no place to stay.  Lora asks them over to her humble Manhattan apartment. 

In no time, the four are functioning as family.  Lora goes out into the theater world to seek work as an actress; Annie takes care of the home, kids, and picks up little jobs now and then.  The girls go to school and grow up like sisters, though conflicts arise when Sarah Jane insists on hiding her true racial identity.  For many months, Steve and Lora date.  Though he loves his art, he gets a stable job in marketing.  He’s good with Susie, too.  But he’s not as perfect as he seems…

In time, Lora achieves the success she dreamed of professionally.  She becomes a star of theater, then movies, working with notable directors.  The family moves to a spacious house on Long Island.  Annie is always there- the “wind beneath her wings”- serving as a homemaker, confidant, and partner.  In one poingnant scene, Lora admits that Annie was more of a mother to Susie than she was (because of her high ambitions).

The girls grow into beautiful, charming, independant-minded teenagers.  Susie (petite, blonde Sandra Dee) has a positive outlook on life, though Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner, an actress of Czech and Mexican heritage) is troubled and restless. 

There is much to admire in this film, but also troubling aspects (reflecting the limitations of Hollywood and US.)  Why is Annie always humble, obliging, and wise?  Why doesn’t she have weak moments, like Lora?  Why weren’t African American actresses chosen to play Sarah Jane (as in the 1934 version)?  I’ll have to watch that version, too.  Some of the themes in this film are very modern: navigating a man’s world without a husband, raising a child as a single parent, and mother-daughter conflicts. 

Lora and Annie are like two sides of a coin- one has the strength to face the outside world (with her beauty and confidence), while the other has a quiet, inner strength (stemming from her spirituality).  Moore won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance. 

I was impressed by Kohner’s performance; I thought she did a fine job of a rebellious, conflicted individual seeking a place in the world. 

Gilda (1946)

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In post-WWII Buenos Aires, Argentina, petty American gambler Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) is rescued by wealthy businessman Ballin Mundson (George Macready).  In no time, Johnny becomes his “right-hand man,” managing his casino.  Why does Mudson help Johnny so much?  (Many critics pointed to the homoerotic dialogue and imagery in the first section of the film.)  

Ballin goes to the US for a short time; when he returns, Johnny learns that his wife is an American dancer, Gilda (Rita Hayworth), Johnny’s former love.  We can tell that they had a bitter, nasty break-up.

When Gilda is brought back to Argentina by Tom, she slaps Johnny hard across both sides of his face. In reality, Rita Hayworth’s smacks broke two of Glenn Ford’s teeth. He held his place until the take was finished.   -IMDB

Gilda: If you’re worried about Johnny Farrell, don’t be.  I hate him!
Ballin: And he hates you.  That’s very apparent.  But hate can be a very exciting emotion.  Very exciting.  Haven’t you noticed that?

While her controlling, disinterested husband is busy running his hotel/casino and overseeing a tungsten cartel, Gilda is left to her own devices.  She buys beautiful, expensive things and openly flirts with several men, so Ballin decides to make Johnny her watchdog.  The younger man resents this position, and bites back at Gilda.  He stops her from fooling around with any men, delivering her to her husband’s mansion. 

All of the goings-on of the place are observed by a lowly (yet wise) employee, Uncle Pio (Steven Geray).  He calls Johnny a “peasant” and has empathy for Gilda’s situation. There is a sub-plot involving former Nazis and a local detective.  To find out more, watch the film.

Johnny (to Gilda): What was that word?  It [decent] sounds funny coming from you.

This is an uneven film with a flimsy plot, but it’s also well-loved by many viewers.  It packs a punch because of the presence of the gorgeous femme fatale and the (almost palpable) chemistry between Hayworth and Ford.  If you’re interested in the themes explored in this film, check out Separate Tables (starring Hayworth, Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, & David Niven) and The Lady from Shanghai (starring Hayworth and Welles).  I need to check out more movies with Ford; so far, I’ve seen 3:10 to Yuma, The Fastest Gun Alive, and The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. 

Not as a Stranger (1955) starring Robert Mitchum & Olivia de Havilland

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At the opening, Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum, one of my favorite actors) is an idealistic intern at a private hospital.  Luke has dreamed of being a doctor since childhood, though he comes from very humble roots (his mother is dead and his father is a drunkard).  His best friend is Alfred Boone (Frank Sinatra in a fine supporting role), the jovial son of a comfortable family who loves chasing women.  Al comments to a classmate that though they all want to be doctors, Luke “wants it more- he has to.”  Luke works as a lab researcher, usually late into the night.

While working, Luke strikes up a friendship with a 1st gen. Swedish-American nurse from Minnesota, Kristen (Olivia de Havilland).  She even arranges it so that he and Al can watch an important surgery.  When Luke’s father spends the money his mother saved for his education, he’s desperate (though he conceals it well).  He gets some help from Al and his teacher, Dr. Aarons (Broderick Crawford), but it’s not enough.  Dr. Aarons, who is Jewish, went through a lot of trouble to become a doctor, and sees great potential in Luke.   

When Kris invites Luke and Al to dine with her friends Bruni and Oley (Harry Morgan from M.A.S.H.), Luke learns that Kris has saved quite a bit of money.   It’s obvious that Kris likes Luke more than a friend, so he asks her out.  (After all, she’s a fine nurse with a “pretty face” and “nice figure.”)  After a few dates, he decides to propose, though Al reminds him that he doesn’t love her.  They nearly come to blows (Luke has a hot temper).  “It’s not like that.  Things are not always black and white,” Luke replies.

They marry and move into her little apartment.  They continue with their respective work; Kris helps Luke prepare for his exams and with his people skills.  (Since he has such high standards, it’s difficult for him to tolerate weakness in others.) 

Marsh, you’re one of the most brilliant students we’ve ever had here.  You’ll be a great physician.  Stop living your life like a Greek tragedy, or you’ll muff it!  -Dr. Aarons
After graduation, the couple move to a small town, where Luke shares a practice with Dr. Runkleman (Charles Bickford), the most experienced doctor in the area.  Dr. Marsh is pleasantly surprised to learn that the older man keeps up with the latest research.  The life of a country doctor is tougher and more tiring than anticipated.  

There is also temptation- a wealthy young widow, Mrs. Lange (Gloria Grahame), summons Dr. Marsh to her home late one night (to check him out).  He’s taken aback by her looks and boldness.  At home, Kris wants to start a family. 

The secret of Robert Mitchum’s success(ful) appeal as an actor was his ability to easily combine tough masculinity and tender vulnerability in one persona, unlike any of his peers (John Wayne, William Holden, Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston).  One felt that Mitchum concentrated more on fully and honestly showing all sides of whatever character that he was playing, even the weak and not-so-tough moments… 

–A commentor on YouTube

This film is a must-see for any fan of cinema!  It has well-developed characters, great dialogue, and takes the viewer on a journey.  The editing and pacing are also well done; this is important since the film clocks in at 2 hours and 15 minutes.  (The director is a groundbreaker in the field, Stanley Kramer; he also directed Inherit the Wind, The Defiant Ones, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and many others.)  The ending is fitting and very fulfilling- I got a bit teary-eyed.