KIRK DOUGLAS COLUMN
Part 1
It seemed like Kirk Douglas was around forever, and he almost was. He lived to be 103 years old, and he needed a lot of years to get all those starring roles in.
Douglas was nominated three times for Best Actor, but never won. He did win one of those lifetime achievement deals in 1996. He was in so many good movies, it will take two articles to document them.
I’ll begin with Champion (1949). It was the first really good boxing movie and he was good in it. He plays Midge Kelly, a fighter who rises from very humble beginnings to the top of the sport. On the way he back stabs and womanizes full throttle. Convincing Douglas to play a total jerk wasn’t easy but he made the most of it. He was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Broderick Crawford for All The King’s Men. BTW, Crawford also plays a total jerk in his winning role.
Again rising from poor beginnings to become a mean drunk, Douglas is very good as Rick Martin, cornetist extraordinary. Young Man With A Horn (1950) is the thinly disguised story of jazz great Bix Beiderbecke and Douglas does it justice. Actually, the happy ending of the movie did not happen in real life. Beiderbecke died broke and unmourned. Rick Martin winds up sober, again playing well and redeemed with his true love Jo (Doris Day). But hey, this is Hollywood!
There have been many cinematic versions of Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie, but to me the 1950 version is by far the best. Jane Wyman absolutely glows as the shy, dainty Laura and Kirk Douglas is simply wonderful as The Gentleman Caller, Jim O’Connor. He slowly and successfully draws Laura out of her shell and when he leaves she is a quite different young woman. And once again, the happy ending tacked onto this film is not like the original play. But that’s ok!
The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) is a convoluted film about Hollywood shenanigans. It has an all-star cast (Gloria Graham, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Walter Pigeon, Barry Sullivan). It is severely dated and wasn’t very good when it was new, though it somehow garnered six Oscars. Douglas was nominated for Oscar again for his role as movie producer Jonathan Shields (another total SOB). This time he lost to Gary Cooper for High Noon (a slam dunk!).
Kirk Douglas was taken to task by some for his over the top performance as Vincent Van Gogh in Lust For Life(1956). So, do you think a guy that would cut off his own ear isn’t a little past the limit? Anyway, Douglas again lost the Oscar for Best Actor, this time to Yul Brynner for The King And I. No argument here. A charming part of the Van Gogh film is matching paintings to the actual location where they originated.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults. Next time, more Kirk Douglas winners.
Friday, February 21, 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
MARLON BRANDO
The method acting and raw sexuality he brought to his early films was a new thing. Some of his lines have entered the lexicon: “I coulda been a contender”; “make him an offer he can’t refuse”. He was nominated for Best Actor seven times, and won twice. In 1993 he refused the award for The Godfather (1992) and sent a woman in his place to read a diatribe against the treatment of Native Americans. His personal life was a mess, including the trial of a son for murder and the suicide of a daughter. Marlon Brando, dead at 80, was in many ways larger than life.
Brando burst onto the screen and into the American psyche as the brutish Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role he had played for two years on Broadway and which he grew to genuinely loath. But it made him a star forever! Over 60 years later this is still a powerful film, and Brando is unforgettable.
Marlon Brando played Marc Antony in Julius Caesar (1953), one of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare. James Mason, Sir John Gielgud, Edmond O’Brien, Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr comprise a stellar cast in this excellent production.
As Terry Malloy, a washed up boxer, Brando won his first Oscar for the superb On The Waterfront (1954). With Lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Steiger also putting in great performances, this wonderful film won and deserved eight Oscars. Brando’s conversation in the car with his brother is absolutely breathtaking, the stuff that cinematic dreams are made of.
The Godfather (1972) may or may not be an accurate picture of organized crime, but it defines the Mafia for most Americans, and Marlon Brando won his second Oscar by defining for all time what we think of as the Don. His creepy, raspy portrayal digs into your soul. This film and its sequels are American film legends. .
Marlon Brando also appears in the roughly erotic Last Tango in Paris (1973); as the title character in the excellent Viva Zapata! (1952); miscast as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (1955); and as, of all things, an oriental servant in the dreadful Sayonara (1957).
I saved the best Brando quote for last: In The Wild One (1954) Brando’s totally rebellious character is asked what he is rebelling against. His famous answer: “Whattaya got?”
All of the films in this column are available on DVD. All are for adults.
The method acting and raw sexuality he brought to his early films was a new thing. Some of his lines have entered the lexicon: “I coulda been a contender”; “make him an offer he can’t refuse”. He was nominated for Best Actor seven times, and won twice. In 1993 he refused the award for The Godfather (1992) and sent a woman in his place to read a diatribe against the treatment of Native Americans. His personal life was a mess, including the trial of a son for murder and the suicide of a daughter. Marlon Brando, dead at 80, was in many ways larger than life.
Brando burst onto the screen and into the American psyche as the brutish Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role he had played for two years on Broadway and which he grew to genuinely loath. But it made him a star forever! Over 60 years later this is still a powerful film, and Brando is unforgettable.
Marlon Brando played Marc Antony in Julius Caesar (1953), one of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare. James Mason, Sir John Gielgud, Edmond O’Brien, Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr comprise a stellar cast in this excellent production.
As Terry Malloy, a washed up boxer, Brando won his first Oscar for the superb On The Waterfront (1954). With Lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Steiger also putting in great performances, this wonderful film won and deserved eight Oscars. Brando’s conversation in the car with his brother is absolutely breathtaking, the stuff that cinematic dreams are made of.
The Godfather (1972) may or may not be an accurate picture of organized crime, but it defines the Mafia for most Americans, and Marlon Brando won his second Oscar by defining for all time what we think of as the Don. His creepy, raspy portrayal digs into your soul. This film and its sequels are American film legends. .
Marlon Brando also appears in the roughly erotic Last Tango in Paris (1973); as the title character in the excellent Viva Zapata! (1952); miscast as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (1955); and as, of all things, an oriental servant in the dreadful Sayonara (1957).
I saved the best Brando quote for last: In The Wild One (1954) Brando’s totally rebellious character is asked what he is rebelling against. His famous answer: “Whattaya got?”
All of the films in this column are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
JUDY HOLLIDAY
The movie career of Judy Holliday, who died in 1965 at the age of 43, spanned only ten years. Each of her films is a joy. She was typecast by Hollywood as a dumb blonde, but she had an IQ of 172 and she won two Tonys and an Oscar. She had the rare ability to make you laugh and to feel good about life in general.
She was the wronged wife on trial for murdering her philandering husband in Adam’s Rib (1950), a Spencer Tracy-Katherine Hepburn vehicle with Tracy defending her and Hepburn prosecuting. This part was considered a screen test for Born Yesterday (1950). Although she had gloriously played Billie Dawn on Broadway for four years, the studio for some reason didn’t think she was right for the movie. Fortunately, they wound up casting her anyway.
Ms. Holliday won her Oscar for Born Yesterday, her signature role. She is the somewhat dim wife of Broderick Crawford, a ruthless business man who wants to impress (and do business with) Congressional types. William Holden is hired to give her polish. She is funny and touching, and the teacher learns lots more than the student.
It Should Happen To You (1954) is also Jack Lemmon’s first film. Judy arrives in New York determined to make a name for herself, which she does by renting a billboard. A sly comment on celebrity that stands up very well after 60 years, and a wonderful vehicle for Ms. Holliday and Mr. Lemmon.
Ms. Holliday stars as a small stockholder determined to oust a crooked board of directors in The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956). The cards are stacked, but the laughs
are frequent and genuine.
Judy Holliday’s last film is the much underappreciated Bells Are Ringing (1960). She runs a telephone answering service, and just has to meddle in the lives of her unseen clients. Dean Martin lends a hand in this fine musical. Ms. Holliday did the singing herself both on the stage and in the movie. The Party’s Over and Just In Time are highlights.She had a nice, ear-catching voice and made several records.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are suitable for children of all ages, but probably would only be enjoyed by 10 and up.
The movie career of Judy Holliday, who died in 1965 at the age of 43, spanned only ten years. Each of her films is a joy. She was typecast by Hollywood as a dumb blonde, but she had an IQ of 172 and she won two Tonys and an Oscar. She had the rare ability to make you laugh and to feel good about life in general.
She was the wronged wife on trial for murdering her philandering husband in Adam’s Rib (1950), a Spencer Tracy-Katherine Hepburn vehicle with Tracy defending her and Hepburn prosecuting. This part was considered a screen test for Born Yesterday (1950). Although she had gloriously played Billie Dawn on Broadway for four years, the studio for some reason didn’t think she was right for the movie. Fortunately, they wound up casting her anyway.
Ms. Holliday won her Oscar for Born Yesterday, her signature role. She is the somewhat dim wife of Broderick Crawford, a ruthless business man who wants to impress (and do business with) Congressional types. William Holden is hired to give her polish. She is funny and touching, and the teacher learns lots more than the student.
It Should Happen To You (1954) is also Jack Lemmon’s first film. Judy arrives in New York determined to make a name for herself, which she does by renting a billboard. A sly comment on celebrity that stands up very well after 60 years, and a wonderful vehicle for Ms. Holliday and Mr. Lemmon.
Ms. Holliday stars as a small stockholder determined to oust a crooked board of directors in The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956). The cards are stacked, but the laughs
are frequent and genuine.
Judy Holliday’s last film is the much underappreciated Bells Are Ringing (1960). She runs a telephone answering service, and just has to meddle in the lives of her unseen clients. Dean Martin lends a hand in this fine musical. Ms. Holliday did the singing herself both on the stage and in the movie. The Party’s Over and Just In Time are highlights.She had a nice, ear-catching voice and made several records.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are suitable for children of all ages, but probably would only be enjoyed by 10 and up.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
THE BEST OF 2019
1- A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (10)
2- Little Women (10)
3- Downton Abbey (9)
4- The Peanut Butter Falcon (9)
5- The Command (9)
6- Apollo 11 (8)
7- The Farewell (8)
8- Maiden (8)
9- Ford v. Ferrari (8)
10- Raise Hell: The Molly Ivins Story (8)
11- Just Mercy (8)
12- The Mustang (8)
13- Pavarotti (8)
14- Harriet (8)
15-The Two Popes (8)
16- Marriage Story (8)
17- Knives Out (8)
18- Official Secrets (8)
19- Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (8)
20- 1917 (8)
21-The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (8)
22- Knock Down The House (8)
23- Gloria Bell (8)
24- Toy Story 4 (8)
25- Parasite (8)
(Mr. Movie’s rating out of 10)
I have 23 films I rated 7 and will send these on request
I also have about 20 rated 6 or lower - in the kissing frogs area
And there are several contenders I have not seen:
One Child Nation
Uncut Gems
Jojo Rabbit
Dark Waters
Motherless Brooklyn
Queen and Slim
The Report
Joker
Arguments and disagreements are encouraged!
1- A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (10)
2- Little Women (10)
3- Downton Abbey (9)
4- The Peanut Butter Falcon (9)
5- The Command (9)
6- Apollo 11 (8)
7- The Farewell (8)
8- Maiden (8)
9- Ford v. Ferrari (8)
10- Raise Hell: The Molly Ivins Story (8)
11- Just Mercy (8)
12- The Mustang (8)
13- Pavarotti (8)
14- Harriet (8)
15-The Two Popes (8)
16- Marriage Story (8)
17- Knives Out (8)
18- Official Secrets (8)
19- Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (8)
20- 1917 (8)
21-The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (8)
22- Knock Down The House (8)
23- Gloria Bell (8)
24- Toy Story 4 (8)
25- Parasite (8)
(Mr. Movie’s rating out of 10)
I have 23 films I rated 7 and will send these on request
I also have about 20 rated 6 or lower - in the kissing frogs area
And there are several contenders I have not seen:
One Child Nation
Uncut Gems
Jojo Rabbit
Dark Waters
Motherless Brooklyn
Queen and Slim
The Report
Joker
Arguments and disagreements are encouraged!
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