Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 417-419: Days of Future Past Part Five

After completing the first decade of the 21st century I find myself almost eighty years back in the past as I look at three more films that I've unearthed from the 1930s.

We start with a film from the 1931 ceremony in the rather controversial Trader Horn. The film itself was ground-breaking as it was the first non-documentary film to be shot on location in Africa. Trader Horn certainly makes use of this fact by including plenty of facts about the country's various wildlife population. In fact at times these scenes, some of which were shot in Mexico, felt like they were straight out of a nature documentary as lead actor Harry Carey informed the audience of the beasts' various attributes. The story, which was very slight, saw Carey's titular ivory trader take his new apprentice down the Nile whilst avoiding hungry native tribes and the brainwashed missing daughter of a missionary. At times the film would just stop and start without a lot of explanation whilst a lot of the sound recording was patchy at best. Part of the reason for this would be that a lot of the sound was re-recorded in the States although this led to suspicion that the film hadn't actually been shot in Africa at all. Trader Horn is almost more interesting for its behind-the-scenes stories including the fact that two crew members died; one eaten by a crocodile whilst the other was gored by a charging rhino. Meanwhile lead actress Edwina Booth's career was effectively ended when she contracted a disease, possibly malaria, which she took the next six years to recover from. Although viewed by modern eyes Trader Horn is quite hokey, there's no denying that it's influential in the way it shot on location. If you take into consideration that film-making was still in its infancy then director W.S. Van Dyke needs applauding for the risks he took whilst making Trader Horn. Ultimately, even though it doesn't hold up today I believe that Trader Horn's historical significance at least justifies it a place amongst its fellow best picture nominees.

Moving forward three years we have Sidney Franklin's The Barretts of Wimpole Street which essentially tells the story of how Elizabeth Barrett married Robert Browning. The majority of the film felt like a play that had simply been put on the big screen primarily as it was almost all in set in one room. The room in question was the one in which Elizabeth had been recuperating following an illness that had left her incredibly weak. The illness was being used by her despicable father Edward to keep her with him for as long as possible as he felt all of his children were deserting him. Elizabeth's redemption came through her correspondence with Browning who later appeared at the house in person and eventually convinced her that she wasn't as ill as she believed. Everything about The Barretts of Wimpole Street is pure melodrama from Herbert Stothart's overly dramatic score to the performances given by the primary cast members. Norma Shearer definitely plays to her strengths as the damsel in distress who is both subdued and rescued by seemingly stronger men. Meanwhile Frederic March is every inch the dashing hero as Browning who isn't particularly convincing as one of literature's most famous figures. Meanwhile, as Edward, Charles Laughton hams it up big time as he delivers all of his evil lines with great aplomb. If there was an image that perfectly summed up the film then it would be one of the many times that Laughton appears out of nowhere to confront one of his troublesome daughters. His arrival is coupled with ominous music whilst Laughton himself lays on an expression that just screams out villain of the piece. I think the film best demonstrates the fact that ten nominees during the 1930s was just too many especially if movies like The Barretts of Wimpole Street rank among the year's best.

I would echo that sentiment when it comes to another Frederic March vehicle, Anthony Adverse. The film is based on Hervey Allen's epic novel and is directed by the dependable Mervyn La Roy. Anthony Adverse is essentially a nuts and bolts literary adaptation filled with overblown exterior shots and cloying heart-to-hearts between characters. The titular character initially grew up in an orphanage after his mother's despicable husband dropped him off after learning he was the product of an affair. As chance would have it, Anthony ends up working for and living with his grandfather who knows of his identity but never informs him of it. As Anthony grows up, and is eventually portrayed by March, he falls in love with Angela; the daughter of the housekeeper. Angela and Anthony eventually marry but are separated soon after as he goes to Cuba and then Africa where he attempts to recoup his family fortune by participating in the slave trade. If this doesn't sound far-fetched enough then the film climaxes with Anthony learning that opera singing Andrea is now Napoleon's mistress but not before giving birth to her husband's baby. There were only a couple of things I liked about Anthony Adverse the first being an enthralling carriage ride that climaxed in an unfortunate servant plummeting to his death. Additionally I felt that Claude Rains delivered the best performance of the bunch as the despicable Don Luis who attempts to bring down Anthony several times as revenge for his mother's infidelity. Unfortunately March and female lead Olivia De Havilland don't make much of an impression and the adapted screenplay makes the whole plot feel even more overblown than it is. Anthony Adverse's only lasting legacy is the fact that it made Oscar history by containing the winner of the first ever Best Supporting Actress Award. The performer in question was Gale Sondergaard who played Don Luis' partner in crime, devious ladies' maid Faith. Whilst Sondergaard did thrive in her handful of scenes, I don't think she did that much to warrant being awarded an Oscar. Thankfully the recipients of the prize only got better from here on in and I would say that Anthony Adverse was another nominee that didn't really deserve its place amongst the Best Picture contenders.

I will return soon with more films from the 1930s and 1940s.

Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 358-360: Days of Future Past Part One

Since I started this quest four years ago, a lot of the older movies that I once hadn't been able to track down have since popped up online. So I thought, before I left the twentieth century entirely behind, I'd look back at some of these offerings from prior decades.

I started with Smilin' Through a film nominated at the sixth Oscar ceremony back in 1934. Upon first watching it I'd forgotten just how basic some of these films from the 1930s were and it was evident that the actors were still struggling to deal with the cameras. Based on the play by Jane Cowl and Jane Murfin; Smilin' Through was the story of Leslie Howard's John Carteret who learnt to love again after adopting his young niece. John had been heartbroken after the death of his wife, at the hands of her jealous former lover, and had sunk into a deep depression. Raising Kathleen, John finds a new purpose but oddly doesn't seem perturbed by the fact that she looks exactly like his late love due to the fact both are played by Norma Shearer. The rest of the film deals with Kathleen's feelings towards Kenneth Wayne, the son of the man who killed her uncle's love and John's refusal to accept their romance. Despite Kenneth being played by the brilliant Frederic March, I still didn't feel much sympathy for the character when he was injured during the first world war. I think part of the reason for this is that I didn't buy into the romance between Kenneth and Kathleen primarily due to the lack of chemistry between March and Shearer. Furthermore I've never been a massive fan of Leslie Howard's acting and found he struggled with the filmic setting the most. Of the three key players I found that Shearer was the most engaging as she shone in the scene in which she had to perform the film's titular tune. The film is at its strongest in the flashback scenes which add some context to John's feelings and the love he had for Moonyeen. But for a lot of the times the film was confined to characters speaking in rooms and so it felt like director Sidney Franklin had simply recorded a version of the original play. Smilin' Through was a film I really wanted to like more, and it was an easy watch, but unfortunately it felt quite stagy and too melodramatic for my liking.

Nominated for Best Picture that same year, State Fair is an adaptation of Philip Strong's novel and is directed by Henry King. Many of you will know State Fair better as a Rogers and Hammerstein musical, which itself had two film adaptations, but this version predates both of those. Following the exploits of the Frake family, State Fair basically does what it says on the tin as we see the clan prepare for the titular event. The film features moments of big drama such as when Ma Frake over-brandies her mincemeat or when her husband uses her hairbrush to beautify his prize pig. The main draw for the majority of the audience would be the film's central romance between Janet Gaynor's naive Margy and Lew Ayres' newspaper reporter Pat Gilbert. Their whirlwind fling that begins on a rollercoaster is certainly the film's most involving plot but one that I felt needed more time devoted to it. It doesn't help that the story about Margy's brother Wayne's relationship with a trapeze artist basically mirrors that essential plot. Controversially Wayne's relationship troubled censors at the time as his seduction at the hands of Emily was strongly hinted at on screen which angered certain moralists. I can certainly see why State Fair later became a musical, because this straight version is a little dry and extremely dull at times. Director King at least attempted to make State Fair visually appealing and the rollercoaster scene was particularly well-executed given the time the film was released. The film certainly did its job in recreating a State Fair as I felt immersed in all of the pickle judging and hoop-tossing that came along with the event. Of the cast, Gaynor gave an incredibly breezy turn as the sweet-natured Margy whilst Will Rogers was perfectly convincing as Frake patriarch Abel. Although State Fair hasn't aged well, it was at least an interesting watch and it was clear to see that King had tried his best to visually recreate the original novel.

Our final film comes from the next year's Oscar ceremony in the form of operatic drama One Night of Love. The film features operatic soprano Grace Moore as Mary, a talented singer who journeys from New York to Italy in order to broaden her musical horizons. Whilst performing in a restaurant, Mary catches the eye of music teacher Guilio Monteverdi who agrees to tutor her as long as she does everything he says. The fact that Guilio insists that none of his pupils ever fall in love with him gives you the sort of idea as to where One Night of Love goes next. However the path of true love never did run smooth and the couple's potential relationship is tested by one of Guilio's ex-students as well as a friend of Mary's from New York who proposes to her. Although the story in One Night of Love is quite basic, the film thrives thanks to its musical scenes and the multiple performances by Grace Moore. The film climaxes with two performances as Mary stars in Carmen in Italy and then returns to New York to star in Madame Butterfly. In addition to her brilliant singing, Moore is an accomplished actress and convinces as the trainee opera diva attempting to make her mark in the world. One Night of Love won three Oscars; all of which were related to its musical score and sound recording. Aside from winning the sound and music awards, One Night of Love won a special achievement Oscar for its revolutionary use of the Vertical Cut Disc Method in order to present the musical sequences on screen. The production design throughout the film is also quite impressive given the time period and I was particularly taken by the fact that the entire Metropolitan Opera House was recreated on Columbia Studio's largest sound stage. Though it never blew me away, One Night of Love was a fun little film which was easy to watch and was ultimately a showcase for the incredibly talented Grace Moore.

I'll return soon with more films from the 1930s.

Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Day 99-101: Catch-up Part 7

And to end two Film Noirs that possibly should've won the Best Picture award. Firstly Mildred Pierce which lost to The Lost Weekend at the 1946 ceremony. The film sees Joan Crawford's Mildred Pierce recount the story of her life after her second husband is murdered. As the story is told its seems that Mildred will do anything for her oldest daughter Veda but just can't seem to please her. When Mildred divorces Veda's father she has to become a waitress something that infuriates Veda and she can't even be pleased when Mildred starts to make money by owning her own restaurant. Mildred's second husband Monty starts to spend all the money that Mildred makes so much so that she loses her restaurant. It is then revealed that Veda and Monty have been conducting an affair but it is in fact Veda who shot Monty after she found out that he never loved her and like eveyrone else in his life he was simply using her, in the end Mildred fails to protect her daughter and Veda goes to jail. I thoroughly enjoyed Mildred Pierce and in particular Joan Crawford's central performance as Mildred a role that won her a Best Actress Oscar. Everything about the film from the story, to the camerawork, to the twists and turns made it a classic and I think it had a little bit more going for it than The Lost Weekend.

There was also One Foot in Heaven a film starring Frederic March that I actually forgot I watched originally which gives you some kind of idea how memorable it was. The long and the short of it is that March stars as a preacher who journeys to a town, clashes with the parishioners and has to face several trials with his children. While the film did have things to say about religion and family it really didn't seem like it should've featured in the Top 10 films of that year.

But possibly won of the biggest Oscar injustices happened the year before at the 1945 ceremony where Best Picture was won by the jovial but lightweight Going My Way. The film that probably should've won that year is Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity a film that is so perfectly plotted and executed that the fact it failed to win any of the six Oscars it was nominated for is a travesty. The film, like Mildred Pierce, is told in flashback by Fred MacMurray's insurance salesman Walter Neff who is confessing all that he has done to his colleague played by Edward G Robinson. MacMurray narrates the tale of how he got dragged into the murder of Mr Diectrechson so his young wife could collect on his life insurance. The plot thickens when Neff realises that the lovely Phyllis may not be the innocent victim that he once felt when he gets to know Diectrechson's daughter Lola and finds out that Phyllis may've been instrumental in the death of the original Mrs. Dietrechson. As Robinson's Barton Keyes starts his investigation Neff begins to worry more and more and in the end thanks to Phyliss' deviousness, Neff's part in the plot is finally revealed. I thoroughly enjoyed Double Indemnity and thought that even the six nominations it received were too few as there was nothing for either MacMurray who led the whole story or Robinson who has a few cracking scenes in which he acts his socks off. Although this is Barbara Stanwyck's film and she did deservedly get a nomination for her role but lost out to Ingrid Bergman for Gaslight. Stanwyck's Phyllis is the total embodiment of the classic femme fatale - innocent when she needs to be but with a dark side. Although it went home empty handed at the Oscars, Double Indemnity has certainly gone on to be a classic and is certainly a lot more well-known than the film that won that year.

Okay catch-up done, Oscar Challenge will return with more winners and nominees from the 1940s.

Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Day 75: Post War Blues

Even though all these films are over sixty years old some of them still resonate and are relevant in today's environment. That's especially true of the winner at the 1947 ceremony, The Best Years of Our Lives, which does in fact share some similarities with the final scenes of this year's winner The Hurt Locker. The film follows the post-war lives of three men who meet on a plane flying back to the small town in which they all live. They are Sergeant Al Stephenson played by Frederic March, Captain Fred Derry portrayed by Dana Andrews and navy man Homer who lost both arms during the war and now has hooks as replacements. Fred returns to find that Mary the girl he married just before the war has moved into an apartment of her own and is now working in a nightclub. Fred struggles to find work eventually returning to the drugstore where he was once employed he earns a pittance and finds himself working under the man who was his assistant before the war. The only joy he finds is in meeting Al's daughter Peggy who helps him when he has nightmares, he falls for her but thinks he has a duty to Marie. After getting fired from the drugstore and finding out about Marie's other man he moves away and ends up helping at a building scheme to turn old scrapped airplanes into new buildings. Meanwhile Al has developed a bit of a drinking problem but is helped through it by his long suffering wife Milly, played by Myrna Loy, as well as his two children. Al is promoted at the bank where he works because of his military service but later gives a loan to a former soldier who has no collateral and is criticised by his boss. Homer's story is possibly the most interesting although he has lost both of his hands he still wants to be as independent as possible. His family and his 'girl' Wilma both try and act like they're find with what has happened but are both secretly upset. One of the film's most heart-breaking scenes is where Homer shows Wilma how helpless he is without his hands and that he always needs someone to help him before he goes to bed. This is meant to warn Wilma off but she decides to stick with Homer and the final scene is their wedding where Al and Millie are guests and Fred is the best man. The final shot is of Peggy and Fred's eyes meeting across the room and finally embracing as the film ends.

The film's title The Best Years of Our Lives refers to a line in the film spoken by Marie in which she tells Fred that she gave up the best years of her life for him. But I think generally it refers to the time that three men spent in the war, that was the best years of their lives and now they are struggling to get their lives back on track. I mentioned The Hurt Locker because it resonated with the final scenes in which the Jeremy Renner character decided that he couldn't live his mundane life and decided to return to action. And indeed the men here find their lives mundane and things have changed a lot. The performances are faultless with two of the three leads winning Oscars for their roles. Frederic March won the Lead Actor Oscar however I would argue that Dana Andrews possibly deserved it more because Fred's journey is a lot bigger than Al's and Andrews gives a stunning portrayal of a man who just isn't coping. Harold Russell, as Homer, won Best Supporting Actor and also a Special Award for bringing hope and comfort for veterans who had been injured in the war. In fact Russell wasn't a professional actor and was spotted in a documentary about wounded serviceman by director William Wyler. Having found that out after watching the movie I'm surprised as Russell's performance was absolutely captivating, and he is only one of two non-actors to win an acting Oscar, the other being Haing S Ngor for The Killing Fields.

After the last two Oscar winning films I watched turning out to be fairly ordinary or overly theatrical its nice to watch a film that truly deserved all of the accolades that were given to it. A truly amazing piece of work that I would recommend to anyone.

Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Day 59: Journeys to India and France

A bit of globe-trotting now as we journey to India and then to France. First off is the Lives of a Bengal Lancer which was nominated for Best Picture at the 1936 ceremony. It's hard to describe the film as it isn't really a war film although it does feature scenes of conflict. It is set during the days of the British Raj where Lt. McGregor is stationed and welcomes two new Lieutenants the cocksure Forsythe and Tom Stone the son of the unit's commander Donald. It is this relationship between father and son that is the backbone of the film, as Tom is captured following being tempted by a woman working for the villainous Mohammed Kahn. Despite being told by Donald not to go after his son, Forsythe and McGregor journey to the enemy camp where they are captured and all three are tortured. Tom eventually gives out sensitive information to Kahn but before he can use it Donald and his men burst in and in the ensuing battle Tom kills Kahn but McGregor dies. Tom and Forsythe are given medals of honour and McGregor is posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Although not exactly packed full of action, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer was still a very accomplished picture. This was mainly due to the screenplay, which was nominated for the Oscar, which gave opportunities for all the central characters chances to grow and develop and also develop some laddish banter, especially that between Forsythe and McGregor. The acting is also very good with Gary Cooper giving his best performance so far on this quest and Richard Cromwell was also very stoic as Donald the man who wanted to get to know his son but his life as a soldier and almost stunted his emotions. The film was nominated for eight Oscars in total but only one two Oscars for its assistant directors, which is a shame as I really enjoyed this one.

After looking at Charles Dickens adaptations the other day, we have another adaptation this time of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, now much better known as a musical than from its source text. In this version it is Frederic Marsh who plays Frenchman Jean Valjean the man who is imprisoned and after escaping is treated almost like a beggar but is able to rehabilitated by a kindly priest. He then transforms himself into Monsieur Madelaine a factory owner and later mayor however he encounters Inspector Javert, played by Charles Laughton, the head of the police who he remembers from his time in prison. At the same time Madeline takes in the woman-of-questionable-morals Fantine and her daughter Cossette. Javert reveals that a man is being tried under the name of Valjean, as he is about to be imprisoned the real Valjean reveals himself. Just before Javert is able to bring him to justice he escapes along with Cossette. Valjean is then able to work as a gardener and make enough money to enrol Cossette into a fancy school. During this final part of the story there is an uprising in France as groups start to rebel against the harsh nature of the police. Cossette falls for the leader of the group, who themselves start to attract police attention. This means that Javert comes back into Valjean's life, although Javert is captured by Valjean he reconsiders and lets him go. Javert continues to pursue Valjean but in the end commits suicide by jumping in the river and Valjean and Cossette are reunited. Having only been faintly familiar with the story I think Richard Boleslawski did a good job of bringing it to life. The scenes at the end of the film involving Javert and Valjean are incredibly startling as our Valjean's life following him leaving prison. Like with a star is born, Frederic March is able to display a full range of emotions as Valjean while Charles Laughton steals the show as the villainous and despicable Javert. The film doesn't outstay its welcome and hits all the main plot points without lingering on any one character for too long. However it lost to another Laughton film, Mutiny on The Bounty.

Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Day 39: Wishing on a Star

Obviously I was aware of A Star is Born, but have never seen the two well-known version starring Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand respectively. However I didn't know the format pre-dated Garland and the first version starred Janet Gaynor as the up-and-coming starlet and Frederic March as the leading man who helps her on her way. The film is also historic in its use of Technicolor and won a special Oscar for its use of the technique, it is also the first film I've watched in this quest that has a scene at the Oscar ceremony itself. For those unfamiliar with the story it sees a young girl go to Hollywood to make her mark. After several unsuccessful attempts she meets Norman Maine a screen icon who's latest performances have been criticised, Maine introduces her to his agent who renames her Vicki Lester. Maine and Lester get married but soon she begins to flourish and he starts drinking heavily, goes into rehab and is almost sent to jail following a brawl. She gives up her career to look after him but eventually he decides to commit suicide leaving her heartbroken. With the help of her grandmother she decides to return to the screen with a tribute to her late husband.

I rather enjoyed A Star is Born, I believe the later versions are both musicals but this worked well being a straight piece of drama. In the lead role Janet Gaynor is a triumph, and was nominated for Best Actress, she lets the audience see her journey from small-town North Dakota gal, to struggling actress to Hollywood star. However it is her fellow nominee Frederic March who steals the show as soon as he comes on the scene. You feel for him as his career leaves him and he becomes almost a secretary for his wife. There are also some nice supporting performances most notably from Lionel 'Max from Hart to Hart' Stander who, as he did in Mr Deeds Goes to Town, plays the wise-cracking aide. As well as the nominations I've mentioned and of course Best Picture, the film did win Best Screenplay and was also nominated for Best Assistant Director an award that would disappear that year. A very good and compelling film, A Star is Born ultimately lost out to The Life of Emile Zola, but left more of a lasting legacy than most of the films up against it that year.