Author: Snugglecub

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Hotel – 1931 – 1932

Grand Hotel was a grand movie. There were big stars, big sets, and big drama. It had an ensemble cast that included Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Berry, and Lionel Barrymore. Those were some pretty big names back then, so it was a pretty big deal. I’m not surprised it was given the Outstanding Picture award.

The plot was an intriguing tapestry of different stories as they overlapped and intertwined. It was interesting to see how one story affected another and how the writer made the characters easily jump from one story to another. The characters were all likable at times and unlikable at other times. To me, that made them all the more realistic. But for all the grand scale of the film, the overall plot was remarkably simple and easy to follow. True, some of the dialogue was a bit melodramatic and some scenes were a little over-acted, but it was still fun to watch.

The first thing about the film that really stood out to me was Greta Garbo. I have never seen any of her other films, but I have always heard her name mentioned as one of the superstars of her time. I never understood why until I watched Grand Hotel. She seemed to steal the screen in every scene she was in. She effortlessly drew my attention away from all of her famous co-stars. She was gorgeous and captivating to watch. I didn’t always like her character. I don’t think I was supposed to. But even then, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Greta Garbo? OK – I get it now.

Interesting note: I now understand where that famous line “I want to be alone” comes from.

Another member of the cast that I liked watching was Wallace Beery. At first I was sympathetic to his character, but as the plot progressed he did a good job of showing his true colors. He was not a very likeable man and by the end, I was satisfied that he would get what he deserved. He also had to work with an accent, which is not always easy for an actor to do. But he pulled it off well enough without sounding fake.

Another thing I liked about the film was the costumes and the sets, both of which were beautiful. I bet this movie would have been absolutely fabulous to watch if it had been in color. The set for the hotel lobby alone must have been a magnificent sight, though I think it was actually diminished somewhat because it was in black and white.

One disappointment, however, was the music. For the most part, I don’t remember there being any original music to the score. It was all nice classical music, which was fine, but I think a big sweeping original score (something like the John Williams score for the 1995 version of Sabrina) would have made the movie that much more grand.

The star power alone was enough to bring the movie to Academy Award status. The wide scope of the plot and elegant setting certainly didn’t hurt either. It was a good drama, but there were plenty of moments of light hearted banter and even a bit of comedy.

But watch out for the last line of the movie. “Grand Hotel. People come and go. Nothing ever happens.” After all the interesting stories, that line left me a bit confused. You never really get to know the character who says it, or understand why he says it, unless he is just trying to demonstrate the ennui of the rich and powerful.

Cimarron – 1930 – 1931

Cimarron was not as bad as they say. I went into this movie knowing only what I read about it. It has been called one of the most undeserving movies to ever win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Honestly, I think it is getting a bad rap. It wasn’t the greatest movie in the world, but then again, I enjoyed it more than The Broadway Melody of 1929.

Interesting note:  The budget for this film was 1.5 million dollars, a huge sum of money for 1931, as the nation was in the grip of the great depression.  Even though the film was considered to be a success, it actually lost $565,000 during its initial release.  Fortunately, it earned more when it was re-released in 1935.

Again, I love epics, and this was certainly an epic. The movie follows the lives of strapping young newspaper entrepreneur and lawyer Yancey Cravat, played by Richard Dix and his young wife Sabra, played by Irene Dunne, as they move to the new frontier of the recently opened Oklahoma Territory, otherwise known as the Cimerron Territory.

At the outset, the film tries to portray Yancey as the prime example of a fine and noble man with the morals of a saint. He always does the right thing and is respected by his peers. He helps those in need, defends the weak, and has no patience for lawbreakers. But as the plot progressed, I think the focus shifted. The main character was no longer Yancey, but his wife Sabra.

You see, for all his fine and noble qualities, Yancey had one major flaw. He had the desire to constantly be building the new frontier. Nevermind that he had a wife and two kids at home who needed him. What a jerk! I didn’t know whether to admire him for his nobility, or hate him for abandoning his family to satisfy his own wander-lust.

But the movie did not follow him on his new adventures. The movie then shifted and followed his wife through the hardships she was forced to endure with her husband missing, never knowing if he was alive or dead. But her character was strong enough to not only get by, but thrive.  She raised her two children, ran the newspaper that Yancey started, and eventually became one of the first women elected to congress.

Interesting note:  There was actually one noted fabrication in the plot.  In the film, Yancey Cravat is the Progressive Party’s candidate for governor of Oklahoma.  The film took place in 1907, but in reality, the Progressive Party did not form until 1912.

The movie followed the lives of the characters from their younger days to their golden years. I thought the make-up artist, Ern Westmore (who won a special Academy Award for make-up on the film) did a fantastic job, making the cast look believably aged. And the actors did a fine job portraying both young and old.

A particular gem in the film was the character of Mrs. Tracy Wyatt, played by Edna May Oliver. She had a supporting role as the town’s hoity-toity busy-body. She had a better-than-thou sneer that was quite sufficient to provide both comic relief and a small amount of drama. She had a small role, but wonderfully caught my attention every time she was on the screen. Well done Edna May!

The movie certainly had the scope and feel of a true epic. There was a large cast of extras, giving the film a grand scale. Like I said before – I think this movie is getting a bad rap when people call it one of the most undeserving Best Picture winners.

Interesting note: The movie was remade in 1961, showing the Native American Indians in a kinder light, but the remake wasn’t nearly as successful as the 1931 version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Quiet on the Western Front – 1929 – 1930

I will start off by saying that this was an excellent movie for a number of reasons. It did a great job of portraying the horrors of World War I. I liked that the story was of a group of German soldiers. It showed that the war was just as horrible for them as it was for American soldiers. Sometimes, as Americans, I think we tend to forget that there are two sides to every conflict.

At first, the plot was difficult to follow because main characters were not established and names were not explicitly given. You learn these things as the film progresses, but you have to figure them out for yourself. The very first scene is of a teacher in Germany as he gives a speech, inspiring his young students to join the German military. They all cheer and go out to sign up. At this point, there are so many students that it is hard to tell one from another or who the main protagonist is.

As they gain combat experience and meet other soldiers, you begin to recognize that the story is following one soldier in particular. He is Paul Baumer, played by Lew Ayres. The film still tells the stories of his fellow soldiers, but concentrates mostly on him.

As I watched, I was reminded of the movie Saving Private Ryan. The battle scenes were very complex and jarring. The constant shell explosions and falling soldiers, the loud sounds and screaming men, the dirt and blood, all made for a very realistic depiction. Some of the imagery was pretty disturbing.  The film displayed war and military service as neither clean nor glamorous.  It is a sad and pointless tragedy that takes in innocence and turns it into sorrow and pain.  It maims and kills friends and comrades.  It scars everyone touched by its cold fingers.

The psychological and physical horrors endured by the characters, both the young new recruits, and the old experienced soldiers are easy to empathize with. You see the school boys transform from naïve children into hardened and emotionally damaged men, and you believe such a terrible change to be not only possible, but inevitable.

The final scene is heart-wrenching.  As Baumer is reaching for a thing of beauty in his terrible reality of pain and loss, he is killed senselessly and needlessly.  Then two images are shown together, one overlaid above the other.  They show Baumer as he had been before the war killed his spirit, something close to an innocent smile on his face.  The other image is a mass graveyard displaying little white crosses as far as the eye can see.  It makes the point that Baumer’s death is just one among many, and implying that his death is the only way the story could have ended.

I happen to love epics and this movie was clearly a prime example. There seemed to be hundreds of extras and a story spanning years. It was exciting to watch. True, the ending was pretty depressing, but that doesn’t make it a bad ending – just a depressing one. The overall message of the film was very anti-war, and it shouted that message loud and clear.

The film boasted no big Hollywood names but the large cast did a fine job of drawing the audience into the hardships, the fear, and the physical and emotional desolation of such a terrible conflict as WWI. The end of the movie would not have been as effective if they didn’t make you really feel for the characters (despite the fact that they were not on “our” side of the war.)

All in all, this is a very engaging epic film. Even if you are not a war buff, this movie is a great example of a war-time drama. There have been several remakes of this movie, but this remains the most widely renowned version.

The Broadway Melody – 1928 – 1929

The second movie to win Outstanding Picture was The Broadway Melody of 1929. (as opposed to The Broadway Melody of 1936, 1938 and 1940) It starred Anita Page, Bessie Love and Charles King. I was actually a bit confused as to why this movie won an Academy Award. Granted, I did not see any of the other nominees, so I could be mistaken, but it seemed to me that it was a pretty unremarkable film.

The acting was passable, but it was billed as a musical. For the most part, they seemed to take their one good song (the title song of the film) and just sing it over and over again. Yes, there were other songs, but they were so unmemorable, that I have trouble recalling any of them.

That being said, the film did have some redeeming qualities. The plot was simple on the surface, but there was a subtlety to it that really came out in the development of the characters. The things that they did and the reasons behind their actions and motivations became interesting to watch.

The plot revolves around two sisters, Harriett “Hank” and Queenie (Love and Page) who have a vaudeville act, and who try to make it big in New York. Hank is in a relationship with songwriter, Eddie (King) who writes a big hit song and dance number which he wants to give to the sisters.

But, too bad for you, Hank. Queenie is prettier, and everybody, including Eddie, falls madly in love with her. I guess it just goes to show that in show-business, it is better to be pretty than to be talented. (Though, in truth, I found both actresses to be equally pretty.)

Like I suggested, sometimes, especially in the latter half of the film, the characters’ motivations were the most interesting thing to watch. There was complexity and subtlety to the drama. The sisters displayed palpable depth when they made personal sacrifices to protect each other from situations that could have easily torn them apart. King did a good job in his portrayal of Eddie as he tried to protect both of the sisters from the consequences of his shifting affections. As much as I wanted to dislike his character, I ended up liking him in the end.

Queenie’s motivations were particularly well written.  She didn’t seem very smart at times, and got by mostly on her looks.  But when she saw that Eddie was falling for her, knowing that her sister was in love with him, the only way she could think of to effectively spurn his affections without letting Hank know what Eddie was doing, was to recklessly accept the attention of a wealthy admirer for whom she had no feelings.  The more Eddie pursued her, the wilder and more reckless her behavior became.  Of course, all Hank and Eddie saw was Queenie turning into a wild partyer.

In the end, though, everyone is happy… except for Hank.  Queenie leaves show-business to be with Eddie and Hank has to find another girl to replace her.  Hank loses her sister in the act, loses her man, and is almost left alone to fend for herself.  She tries to put on a brave face, but it is clear that she is no longer as happy as she had been at the beginning of the film.

For me, the problem with the movie is that I was ready for a musical with more than one catchy tune, and a message that was more than “Only the pretty girl finds happiness.”

Interesting note: This was the first Academy Award winner that had speaking. The sound quality of the DVD was not the greatest. I believe this was because the film is pretty old and recording quality back then was not the same as it is now.

Also, interesting to note: This film was also originally released as a silent film, because many theatres at the time were not equipped to show films with sound.

Adendum – It has been a few years now since I first watched this movie. I just watched it again for the 4th time, this time because Bessie Love was nominated for Best Actress for playing the role of Hank.. I have to say, I have developed a new appreciation for the drama inherent in the film. The relationship between Hank and Queenie is a wonderful one. The lengths to which they go to protect each other, to give each other happiness, was touching. And I have to make special mention of the scene in which Hank spurns Eddie, challenging him to fight for Queenie’s love. She is still in love with him, and yet she pushes him away, saying she wouldn’t marry him if he was the last man on Earth, and maybe not even then. The two end up screaming at each other. When he storms out of the room, and she is utterly alone, she then has to humble herself even further by calling her uncle, who is also her agent, and tell him she wants him to pair her up with someone other than Queenie. She crushers her own dreams so that Queenie and Eddie can be happy together. Bessie Love really sold the scene, and I have to respect her for that.

Wings – 1927 – 1928

Wings was the first movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, although back then it was actually called Outstanding Picture. (The term Best Picture wasn’t used until 1962)

Interesting to note: It actually won for 1927 – 1928. They didn’t start using a single year until 1934.

This was the only silent film to win the prestigious award until The Artist in 2011. As such, it had music throughout the entire film, which was re-orchestrated and recorded when the film was restored. In theatres, the soundtrack would have been played live on a pipe-organ as the audience watched the film.

The movie gave top billing to Clara Bow, who did a fine job as Mary Preston, though she was very much a secondary character in the plot. At times, it almost felt like the writers went out of their way to give her character more screen time than the plot deserved, simply because they had a big name actress. The story was really about Jack Powell and David Armstrong, played by Charles “Buddy” Rogers and Richard Arlen, respectively. They portray ace fighter pilots in WWI who are from the same home town, and who happen to be best friends.

There is a strange little sub-plot that takes place in the middle of the film, in which Mary joins the army as an ambulance driver and is stationed in France, where Jack and David are on leave.  This really didn’t make much sense because they made a point of showing that Mary is a terrible driver.  She runs into Jack at a party, but he is so incredibly drunk that he doesn’t even recognize her.  The images of bubbles floating up all over the screen are amusing, and are meant to show how intoxicated Jack is on champagne.  Mary gets Jack back to his room and starts to change back into her military uniform.  But the men bringing Jack’s orders saying that his leave is over see her undressed in his room.  For this, she is discharged from the Army and sent home.  This sub-plot seemed a little unnecessary.  But they had a big name actress and did what they could to use her as much as possible.  Another reason for this scene, surprisingly, was that it was an opportunity to show Bow’s bare breasts, if only briefly.

The rest of the plot is fairly simple, and you end up feeling for the characters when it reaches its climax. You see tragedy coming and know that they can do nothing to avoid it. When Armstrong’s plane is shot down behind enemy lines, he steals a German plane and uses it to fly back to friendly territory.  Of course, it is easy to see where the story goes from there.  At the sight of an enemy plane flying towards them, they send Powell, their best fighter pilot, up to shoot him down.  Unfortunately, he succeeds, not knowing until it is too late what he has done.  He lands and finds his friend dying.  The grief he feels for his friend overwhelms him and he weeps for his comrade.  And at the end, he returns home to find Mary waiting for him.  Sure, all the loose ends were tied up, giving the audience closure, but it is a bitter-sweet end.  There is no denying that this is good story-telling.

I was actually surprised by the special effects of a silent film from 1927. The complex aerial battle sequences were exciting to watch. When a plane was shot down, they used a special technique called the Handschiegl color process for flames and explosions, making them appear red and orange in a film that was otherwise completely black & white.

Interesting note: Gary Cooper received fourth billing, even though he only had a few minutes of screen time before getting killed off.  I think I read somewhere that those few minutes were enough to really launch his career.

Rogers and Arlen share one of the earliest examples of a same-sex kiss on the big screen, though it is fraternal (during Arlen’s death scene) and not romantic. But even more “scandalous” than that for an old film is the amount of nudity! Naked men in the background of a scene at the recruiter’s office, and Clara Bow’s bare breasts! I wouldn’t have thought those things would have been allowed on the silver screen in 1927. But apparently, the Motion Picture Production Code, restricting nudity in film, wasn’t enforced until 1934.

By today’s standards, it is difficult to see the silent film as anything but quaint or even nostalgic, a visit to a bygone era.  But the story was fairly well written.  The action sequences were surprisingly well done, considering the filmmaking technology of 1929.

I have no real complaints about the movie, though I will take a moment to make one final comment on the acting in the film.  The style of acting was completely different than the modern style of acting.  Sound is a great factor used to convey a character’s emotion.  An actor can use his voice to change a statement from happy to sad and anything in between with a simple change of inflection.  However, in a silent film, that tool cannot be used.

The result is that actors in silent films must rely on over-exaggerated facial expressions and body language to convey what the voice cannot.  Therefore, if someone is excited, they do not look simply excited.  They look insanely, deliriously excited.  If someone is sad, you really have to be able to see that frown, if not those tears.  Unfortunately, subtlety gets thrown out the window.  But that was the style of the silent era.  It had to be in order for a film to touch an audience emotionally.

All in all, the movie was well acted and fun to watch. It was easy to follow and the aerial combat scenes were very well done. I think it was a worthy start to the Academy Award category that would eventually be known as Best Picture.