Marilyn Monroe Premiere Collection

More Marilyn Delights!

By Kristin Battestella

Thanks to my lucking out on finding the Marilyn Monroe Premiere Collection box set on sale at Target, I am back into all things Marilyn, including several previously unreviewed gems and early Monroe appearances.

All About Eve – Monroe of course has a small role in this much-lauded 1950 classic headlined by Bette Davis (Jezebel), Anne Baxter (The Ten Commandments), Supporting Actor winner George Sanders (Rebecca), Celeste Holm (Gentleman’s Agreement), and Thelma Ritter (Pillow Talk). Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz (A Letter to Three Wives) accents the tongue in cheek winks and play within a play look at the stage versus Hollywood, its stars, scandals, and the interconnected, Dickensian favor or demise with fun name drops, freeze frame narrations, and Shakespearean asides. Contemporary audiences may not like all the telling, yelling, multiple narrators, or flashback frames, but the stories, characters, archetypes, and interplay unfold spectacularly – and the furs, fashions, cigarettes, score, and theatre dressings look so sweet. The filming here looks like a stage presentation yet its story telling constructs heighten the drama and feel quite modern. The then cutthroat ambition, catty attitudes, latent symbolism, us versus them curtain divides, and aging starlets really haven’t changed all that much have they? Ageism, sexism – there will always be a younger actress waiting in the wings. Where does the stage stop and reality begin and who do you trust or stab in the back to go on with the show? For her part as a would be aspiring actress, Monroe only has a few scenes forty-five minutes in, but she holds her own with the heavyweights thanks to a great script, witty lines, and fine delivery from the entire company. This is the Black Swan of its day, so why aren’t there more pictures like this now?

As Young As You Feel – Thelma Ritter joins Monty Woolley (The Bishop’s Wife) and David Wayne (Adam’s Rib) for this 1951 switch-a-roo comedy, a neat 77 minute time capsule of social and financial issues then and now. Forced retirement, struggling whilst on social security, men working to support a wife before marriage, a woman expected to leave a job upon marrying – people back then waited and worked one job their entire lives yet still found difficulty because someone else said otherwise regardless of age, money, or romance. The plot is a little slow to get rolling thanks to exposition or to and fro transition scenes, but the older ensemble provides the comedic music, dancing, and tomfoolery amid the straightforward conversation and mature relationships. Marilyn, of course, is a secretary to die for complete with a great white dress that pops onscreen. Despite the sexy, she’s actually a capable assistant and keeps up with these cantankerous older men! Acting old is what makes you old, indeed – there are some serious and cranky truths here. Once the bemusing games are afoot, however, this remains an entertaining little piece of fun and study.

 

O. Henry’s Full House – The John Steinbeck narrating frame for this 1952 anthology showcasing the eponymous author’s works is a treat in itself – add Charles Laughton (The Private Life of Henry the VIII) as a charming bum with refined tastes alongside David Wayne for the first tale “The Cop and the Anthem” and the touching scene with Monroe sets off the irony and spiritual accents. Madcap crook Richard Widmark (Don’t Bother to Knock) then steals the morality in “The Clarion Call,” an interesting little look at both sides of the law and how men can’t quite escape their criminal pasts. Story tres “The Last Leaf” is a snowy period piece featuring an ill Anne Baxter. The illicit suggestion and bleak countdown perfectly capture the bittersweet of art and life cut short before really having started – but at under 2 hours, this anthology packs a lot into its vignettes. Each story is a separate, well paced, quality drama thanks to the often ironic literary source. Next, Howard Hawks (Red River) directs the humorous backwoods kidnapping in “The Ransom of Red Chief.” The backfiring getaway vehicle and blasé, whatever parents may seem out of place amid the character dramas, but the lighthearted Fred Allen radio star sass goes a long way before the Victorian holiday finale “The Gift of the Magi,” starring Jeanne Crain (State Fair) and Farley Granger (Strangers on a Train). The sad newlywed faces gaping in store windows as others buy exorbitant gifts while they scrimp on food and count hidden pennies is still quite relevant. They give of themselves and sell their most treasured things, but are they really worth it? Not only will fans of the author delight, but the commentary, literary extras, and restoration notes make for a quite pleasing finish here.  

We’re Not Married – Fred Allen and David Wayne are here again beside Ginger Rogers (Top Hat), Mitzi Gaynor (There’s No Business Like Show Business), Zsa Zsa Gabor (Moulin Rouge), and more for this 1952 humorous romance. Miss Mississippi Monroe is a young beauty queen more interested in pageant success then her bitter househusband or baby, and it is intriguing to see this mid century time capsule of marital mood and relationship mores – they are certainly different from today’s casual couplings! Some transition scenes are slow as we bounce from one couple’s story to the next – our players never crisscross but rather serve as separate not so wedded bliss vignettes. This halting approach must restart with each segment, making the comedy and drama uneven as these unhappy duos react to their marriage dilemma with varying degrees of heavy or comical. The tone would have been more balanced and witty if our couples had interacted and thus perhaps reacted differently to their situation. Illegitimacy, military legalities, and the serious latter half make the time here a bit overlong at 85 minutes. Some pairs are more likeable than others are, and the script isn’t as funny as it thinks it is. Fortunately, the then scandalous unwed notions, bumbling judges, licensing technicalities, and holiday accents make for some lightheartedness and social interest along with pleasant fashions, fifties décor, and behind the scenes radio show drama. And dang, young Zsa Zsa, wow!

A Split Decision!

Let’s Make It Legal – I’m not a fan of Claudette Colbert (It Happened One Night), but she and Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart) look so young in this 1951 comedy! The separate beds and set dressings feel somewhat mid century standard, but Colbert shockingly shows off her legs and signs those divorce papers. She’s a little too feisty to be a grandmother and the way these men – who are actually younger than she is – fight for her affection feels awkward. The misogynistic dialogue is also too of the time casual, with men discussing the legalities of beating a woman while gambling on horses instead of paying their alimony. This script is perhaps meant to be witty as the battle of the sexes complaints go round and round, but the dry, back and forth meddling gets tiresome fast. Fortunately, young model Monroe adds a much needed spark with a great bathing suit, fun delivery, and a brief, but juicy zing. At 77 minutes, the attractions and rivals feel under cooked and on the nose – the score is largely silent and this kind of romantic charmer has been developed better with a more likeable cast elsewhere. Fans of the stars and fifties comedies, however, may yet enjoy the fun along with Wagner’s commentary and the bemusing period newsreel featurettes.

About the Premiere Collection set

Certainly it’s understandable that not every Marilyn Monroe film has been included here – namely less quality fair such as Hometown Story or Clash by Night or even well done, but minimal Marilyn fair such as The Asphalt Jungle. However, it is very surprising that River of No Return and The Prince and the Showgirl are absent from the Premiere Collection. Granted there may be an MGM or Warner, non-Fox Studios technicality in place, but other non-Fox films are included and it is ironic that films where Monroe has one or two scenes are here over such starring roles. Fortunately, the features on the individual discs are retained – subtitles, commentaries, trailers, photo galleries, newsreels, restoration comparisons, and more. The streamlined box also has a pleasant design with three separate volumes folding out to create fun Marilyn centerfolds. I was apprehensive in purchasing the Premiere Collection online after hearing this somewhat cardboard packaging caused damaged discs, but the $30 I lucked upon at Target was cheaper than Amazon and there have been no set problems. Despite any perceived selection or box set flaws, Monroe completists will delight in this convenient edition, and my Marilyn collecting sister probably knows what her next gift is going to be! 

 

I Confess

I Confess a Lovely Little Murder Mystery Thriller

By Kristin Battestella

I’m not sure why the 1953 Alfred Hitchcock noir treat I Confess seems so unloved. Bias alert! I love Montgomery Clift, I love Alfred Hitchcock, and despite their trouble behind the scenes, this Catholic infused and French flavored thriller feels like a match made in heaven.

Father Michael Logan (Montgomery Clift) is alone in his Quebec City rectory one night and finds handyman Otto Keller (O.E. Hasse) distressed. Father Logan hears Otto’s confession, and it is indeed a confession – to murder. Soon enough, Inspector Larrue (Karl Malden) is investigating the crime, and each clue leads him to suspect Father Logan –who is increasingly wracked with guilt over this truth he cannot reveal as Keller pressures him and further implicates Father Logan to the police.  The distraught priest turns to his pre-war flame Ruth Grandfort (Anne Baxter), but their friendship is more a hindrance than a help for Father Logan. Not only is he a priest, but Ruth is married to a high profile politician. To keep her past romance with Father Logan from becoming public scandal she was being blackmailed – by Keller’s victim.

 

I Confess has a very interesting premise and plot from writers George Tabori (Thunder in the East) and William Archibald’s (The Innocents) adaptation of Paul Anthelme’s original play. The crime preys upon our religious securities and sanctities at a time when the church was absolute- further heavies were excised from the first draft due to the studio’s fifties sensibilities. This is sacred stuff- even a murder heard in confession – and the dark filming, lighting tricks and shadow works, and claustrophobic designs add to the atmospheric dilemma. Director Hitchcock (no reference needed) films in cramped confessional booths with extreme angles and lighting thru gratings and objects. Backs are turned in the frame, faces are hidden, and strategic shadows overwhelm the background. Camera shots on the conflicted Clift are up close, tight, and intense like his inner turmoil or wide extremes of the tiny robed man in the big city or crowd, overwhelmed by the situation. By contrast, Law offices and court proceedings are traditionally shot bright and revealing sequences – each visual is used to reflect the mood at hand perfectly. Flashbacks are used to tell the crime itself or past happiness, and the recountings work because these memories and viewpoints are shaded, distorted, and unreliable testimonials. The audience knows who the killer is, yet the pace, story, and cast deliver the suspense, scandal, blackmail, and twists.  

Considering his Old Hollywood movie star looks, it seems odd to say Montgomery Clift (From Here to Eternity, A Place in the Sun) looks the part of a priest, but his method works are simply on form.  Father Logan is humble in his robes, delicate about setting the alter, and unassuming of all else. Any other day, he seems like he would be a likeable, dutiful, good, believing, and God-fearing man. Clift quickly ingrains this history before the titular confession, pursuit, and lost romance slowly unravels both the man and the priest.  Everything Father Logan is withholding is to help others at the expense of himself; it’s a willingly martyrdom because it is the right, by the rules thing to do, yet Father Logan has been given too much to handle and unwilling carries this secret. He could walk away, make it easy for himself – but he doesn’t. Father Logan’s conviction is both admirable and undoing him. So, let’s add what looks to be an affair on top of that turmoil! Despite my Monty love, I can see how his obsessive not breaking character routine – especially for a character that’s so priestly calm on the outside and boiling inside – would drive Hitchcock insane. However, I must say the behind the scenes antagonism probably added to Clift and his character in knots portrayal. It’s a pity star and director didn’t get along, as I would have liked to see this push and pull collaboration again. I Confess gets more intense as it goes on, and this is one of those films where you find yourself getting closer to the TV and shouting.  Halfway thru I’m always yelling, “Just tell them! Tell! God will forgive you just this one time if you tell!”

Where classic film aficionados may argue for and against Clift and Hitchcock, I think it is universally agreed that Anne Baxter is the weakest point of I Confess. Certainly that old time censorship was already touchy over relations between a married woman and a priest, but Baxter (All About Eve, The Ten Commandments) is too clingy and over the top compared to Clift’s decidedly subdued style. They don’t have a lot of chemistry; in fact, they seem rather awkward – especially when Ruth is adorned with pigtails in the romancey flashback.  Normally I love Baxter in her feisty, sassy, tough roles, but Ruth is too fearful and jittery for someone who is supposed to be an upscale politician’s wife.  She’s made up to look so golden and wholesome, yet Ruth is also portrayed as a scandalous, illicit housewife. Perhaps one woman could be both, but that balance isn’t happening in this love story offshoot.  Of course, if Ruth appeared less, it wouldn’t be so bad, but her narration of said romancey flashback drags down the interrogation in the middle of the film and forces an unnecessary female element into I Confess. The man alone inside/out priest conflicts, O.E. Hasse (Betrayed) and his crazy desperation wild eyes, and Dolly Haas (Broken Blossoms) as Keller’s haggard, fraught wife are far more interesting than any decades old love lost.

Fortunately, Karl Malden (A Streetcar Named Desire, The Streets of San Francisco) as Inspector Larrue proves a worthy chest player for Clift’s Father Logan. Their interrogation scenes are great – what begins as supposedly casual and open, helpful conversations repeatedly wear and rise into angry, difficult, intrusive trial drama.  The viewer dislikes Larrue because he is wrongly pursuing Father Logan.  Yet as fellow puzzle piecing players, we like his rough, go to techniques and want to see him find the truth and catch the real killer. Despite their fundamental impasse, both men do want the same thing.  What first time viewers won’t know is how far Larrue is going to take his incrimination of Father Logan. Technically both sides have every rule abiding reason to take their respective courses of action – but only one can be the victor and justice must be done.

The Quebec City scenery itself also lends unique support to I Confess.  The outdoor filming and lovely church iconography add a distinctly foreign and ecclesiastic flavor, and these elements standout among Hitchcock’s repertoire. Likewise, multiple Hitch composer and Oscar winner Dimitri Tiomkin’s (High Noon) score accents the highs and lows perfectly as the intensity of I Confess escalates. Granted, some of the mid century Canadian legal practices might be confusing to those accustomed to today’s typical and oft seen American law dramas. However, the courtroom elements and any French references don’t hinder the plot at hand. Subtitles are essential to hear some of the soft voices, and the Turner Classic Movies Hitchcock Thrillers Collection DVD set offers a behind the scenes short and vintage newsreel treats.  Of course, I own this set I Confess shares with Suspicion, Strangers on a Train, and The Wrong Man, and yet I can’t help but watch every time it comes on television.  You think you know it by heart and can just casually have it on in the background, but no.  I Confess draws you into its secrets. 

Longtime Hitchcock fans have probably already dissected I Confess, but budding Sir Alfred fans, lovers of mysteries and suspense, fans of the cast, and classic film connoisseurs should definitely give this little conflicted church gem their undivided attention.

 

Three Violent People

Three Violent People A Flawed, Fun Western Romp

By Kristin Battestella

Alas, here we are at another one of my affectionately coined, ‘Heston Hokeys’.  1956’s Three Violent People has the potential for some good western drama and action, but one inescapable element unintentionally and humorously stands out, even if it technically doesn’t exist.

Ex- woman of the night from St. Louis Lorna Hunter (Anne Baxter) stumbles into wild post-war Texas and meets Confederate cavalry Captain Colt Saunders (Charlton Heston). Their whirlwind romance leads to marriage, and with her past unknown to Colt, the newlyweds settle in at the Bar S Ranch.  When Colt’s black sheep brother Cinch (Tom Tryon) returns to the homestead and carpet bagging commissioner Cable (Forrest Tucker) demands back taxes and restitutions, blackmail opportunities and the exposure of Lorna’s past threaten all.

Director Rudolph Mate (The 300 Spartans) opens the titular violence with a fast fight in the streets and plenty of post Civil War unrest.  Witty confusion and mistaken introductions follow, setting up the proposed marital bliss.  But only…dun dun dun! What’s worse than a prostitute past? A one armed brother! The audience would think Colt’s noble but rough attitude coming to a head over his wife’s secret would be enough drama- there’s absolutely no need for a reckless, wounded brother going nowhere angle. Had the sibling rivalry and amputation injury been the focus of the tale and dealt with in its proper heavy, Three Violent People wouldn’t feel hokey at all. Unfortunately, the entire aspect is played so askew. The over the top drama is too much scandal and not enough pain.  Which burden takes precedence- the brother or the fact that his wife didn’t tell him she’s a working girl?  We’re supposed to like Lorna’s sass, but she’s quite a liar. She had the immediate opportunity to own up. Hey, people had to do things of which they weren’t exactly fond during the war. Is this coming clean what Three Violent People’s about? Toss scheming carpetbaggers into the mix with guns and blackmail and things become just a bit uneven.  Touches of cavalry action, Confederacy regret, and reconstruction dilemmas are also light amid the romance and scruples.  Three Violent People feels as if it could have been epic, sweeping, and massive. However, the weird lens on our three little people and their hill of beans is slow, ill plodding, and nothing new. Though not a typical western and seemingly a more womanly oriented vehicle, there are still too many Victorian clichés- don’t faint over the big reveal, Lorna!  Where’s all the supposed indiscretion in Three Violent People? How could it all boil down to an illicit pregnancy? They’re married. How illicit could it be?

Well, Anne Baxter makes a bemusing entrance in that stunning red dress!  We’re accustomed to her sexy, husky sound in All About Eve and The Ten Commandments, so the Southern accent feels somewhat iffy, but the reddish hairstyling looks good. These put ons just take some getting used to- as does Lorna’s attitude. Sure, she doesn’t mean to deceive Colt and create a gold digging plan- or maybe such thoughts did occur to Lorna? When swept off her feet to become Mrs. Saunders, perhaps this falling in love and feeling as if she belongs really does come to mean her all? With this vague emotional beginning, what could possibly go wrong? Lorna’s even befrocked in symbolic white dresses and good ranch wife attempts- we should be rooting for this triumph over her past. However, it all seems too rocky and wayward to care. The prostitution revelation isn’t even the tipping point; Lorna’s producing a tainted heir is what makes things go sour. After all the laid on thick positive relationship possibilities, the back and forth hatred comes on so quickly. Are we still supposed to like them when they hate each other? We don’t even get to see Lorna pregnant! It’s mentioned, and then Three Violent People cuts to snow on the ranch and the doctor being called.  All the great period Texas at large potential is dropped for this roller coaster romance, yet we can’t even tell if we’re supposed to feel for the lady or despise her. These missteps seriously hamper the audiences’ interests, but Baxter does her best in keeping the whirlwind entertaining.  Lorna’s ultimate threat to NRA pimp Charlton Heston? “If I had a gun!”

Ah yes, Moses himself!  Baxter’s Ten Commandments co-star looks good in a cowboy hat and fills the buckskin coat and stocky persona needed for Colt Saunders’ strong, hard man reputation. Although the fifties punches and fight scenes are obviously pulled, the Confederate captain- snappy in his full gray uniform- carries respect and valor along with some forced mid-century sex appeal. Chuck, unbuttoned to the naval and lying on the bed, putting Lorna over his knee and letting the hoop skirt fly up! The ‘Oh My!’ isn’t so scandalous today, and mixed signals don’t help. Is Three Violent People funny or sexy? There aren’t any cute music cues or laugh tracks, but Colt’s banter isn’t as tantalizing as it should be. For a supposedly high-end gentleman, he’s easily off on the wrong foot with the ladies. The humble, golly gee, runaround aspects stilt Heston, and the tacked on speaking Spanish feels phony. The rough, worn, and multidimensional capabilities from Heston have no depth in the script; Colt doesn’t even speak that much in Three Violent People.  He can keep a scene together as needed and Heston’s presence makes up for some of the backward character development, but it’s tough to believe Colt’s tumultuous emotions and conflicting actions. He’s angry with Lorna. He kicks her out. He drags her back. He doesn’t want her to be pregnant. He will pay her to have his child.  Oiy! And remember a marriage proposal and a kiss from Charlton Heston is “not the least bit like double entry book keeping, is it?”  What?

Now, despite some scripting faults and poor character development, one might think that Three Violent People doesn’t sound that hokey, or in the least, not as bad as the killer ants and mail order brides guilty pleasure of Heston’s The Naked Jungle. Perhaps this picture isn’t cheesy in itself, no.  Except today’s viewer might not be able to see past the unbelievable ridiculousness that is Tom Tryon as Colt’s angry one-armed brother Cinch.  Yes, Tryon (later author of The Other, who knew?) has both his limbs and features, and Three Violent People unintentionally makes the exact thing Cinch isn’t supposed to have incredibly obvious. His first scene is shirtless, yes- Cinch is meant to be the sizzling, wild, dangerous younger brother who resembles his onscreen kin in no way whatsoever. Every stance and camera angle accentuates the poor trickery; it’s as if Cinch has his fictitious hand on his hip. The editing cutaways to avoid completely showing the ill begotten right side are forced into the frames at the wrong times, thus ruining the narratives and heavy conversations. Cinch is both cut and spliced into the film! Not to mention all this trouble is for someone who today would be considered unimportant in comparison to the leads, adding more flame to Three Violent People’s uneven and distracting fire.  My goodness, cast someone of equal caliber, go with a limp, and save yourself the trouble of turning Three Violent People into a farce. I know I sound harsh in some of this one-armed bemusement, but this is a completely fake and unrealistic representation of an amputee, and it sidelines the entire picture.

Unfortunately, on top of the brotherly angst gone tucked behind one’s back, Three Violent People also hinders itself with very stereotypical African American treatments. All the servants are portrayed as giggling, happy folk seemingly blissfully unaware that the Civil War has just transpired.  The Bar S ranch hands are handled slightly better thanks to a charming performance from Gilbert Roland (The Bad and the Beautiful) as foreman Innocencio, but the rest of the Mexican workers fumble with their English and must be prodded into remembering to remove their sombreros. They drink too much, sing off key, speak like Speedy Gonzales; their women weep, they all have a dozen kids, and everyone is related.  At best, it’s as if the subordinates of Three Violent People simply weren’t given a second thought in regards to the time portrayed or the fifties mentality at work.  At worst, the Black and Spanish are deliberately made small and simple in every aspect in order to make the White Ranch Master look good. These mistakes don’t take up much of the movie, but they are glaringly painful for today’s viewers when they do happen.

 

Thankfully, there is some period panache accenting Three Violent People. Fun music and folks whistling ‘Dixie’- literally- add to the Technicolor candlelight and frilly Victorian furnishings. This is a very colorful film, perhaps too fifties inaccurate thanks to the colorful ladies costumes. Did the gals really wear all that glitter and shine with full width hoop hems way out in the post-war wilderness? Due to the clean cut filming of the time, even the working girls seem overdressed compared to the now standard imagery of exposed corsets, petticoats, and naughty lace. Baxter’s yellow dress certainly brightens a room, but honestly, it looks completely 1950s before 1850s. Outside of a few buttoned up and proper frocks, most of Lorna’s stylized necklines and modern tops don’t match the over packed, reserved bottoms. Her low cut pink number looks 1955 off the rack vintage! Even for a fan of costuming, there are too many unnecessary swoopings, twirlings, and focuses on those big skirts. We notice the dresses; seriously, we can’t miss ‘em!   Likewise, the Bar S interior sets are cool, but a little weird.  There’s lots of stone and big Old World style akinning the grand- but apparently only two room- house to a transported Spanish castle. However, wooden beams, barrels, cobwebs, and ropes hang about the place, too.  Like the rest of Three Violent People, the decoration is a little lacking in scale and sweeping scope. There are nice Union and cavalry designs and lovely outdoor scenery, but it’s not enough.

When I was a kid, for years I didn’t know the name of this movie. I just referred to it as, ‘The other Heston one with the flashy Anne Baxter costumes and the guy who so didn’t have the one arm.’ Delighted fashionistas can study Baxter’s stunning but erroneous gowns, granted. Otherwise, Three Violent People is a plodding, back and forth, double crossing, slow talking western with contrived plotting and too little of the expected action. Some viewers will certainly tune out of all this ridiculous pretentiousness, understandably. Yet all these faults don’t mean Three Violent People isn’t entertaining. One really can enjoy the potentially quality storylines and performances- so long as you take the classic corny, expected flaky, and unintentional humor, too. Unbemused audiences who don’t appreciate this hokey will find there simply isn’t much else here- although contemporary viewers can make a drinking game of that damnable arm. I mean, when he’s hanging off the back of the wagon with the sleeve flapping in the wind! Seriously, my cat’s eyes were dancing at the prospects! Laugh, delight, and indulge your id unabashedly with Three Violent People. 

Classic Blu-Ray Joy!

Classic Blu Ray Joy!

By Kristin Battestella

I’ve written previously on the fountain of youth and magical restorative powers of blu-ray for classic film.  Thanks to plenty of Christmas and birthday gifts, I have even more must see evidence!

Ben-Hur – I’ve spoken briefly on this spiritual essential before, but the massive 3 Disc Limited Edition 50^th Anniversary set needs a conversation all its own-and then some.  Not only is the 1925 silent Ben-Hur also restored on blu-ray, but the 1959 1080p feature glory takes two blu-ray discs along with two commentaries and an isolated score. Sweet Jesus indeed the three documentaries are long, and there are more storyboards, vintage trailers and newsreels, screen tests, 1960 Oscar footage, and 2 books!  Of course, we can’t forget the rousing main attraction itself- Best Actor Charlton Heston’s embittered quest for revenge and his freeing encounter with Christ never looked so good.  I’ve seen this film- low balling it- at least fifty times, and I’m finding things I have never seen.  From the grand Overture’s first bars to the final chorale, it’s as if we’re watching a contemporary film made to look old.  Yes, there’s mid century over acting and melodramatic stylings that perhaps give it away, but 50^th Anniversary my foot.  We believe this is real stonework, vintage armor, and truly a cast of thousands- for now you can count every single one of them hearing the Sermon on the Mount.  Such clarity and attention to detail- the patina on the golden plates, the stitching on Judah’s robes, sweat and dirt flinging from men and horse, oh heck even the eyebrows!  Already colorful and full of zest, the opening Nativity sequence is stunning, the galley scenes and naval battle epic- models and painted backdrops this cannot be!  CGI cannot recreate this kind of atmosphere. Do you believe I found myself tilting my head to the rocking of the Arrius’ ship?  The white stallions in Ilderim’s tent, the Roman mosaics, sets and locations- you just have to witness the chariot race for yourself because I’m running out of adjectives! Director William Wyler knew how to use the scope of his physical sets, and it finally shows as it was meant to be. The internal depth of scenery, perspective, performance, and inspiration is incredible- distant plants and Roman plumes blowing in the breeze, townsfolk in the far marketplace and the hills of Jerusalem beyond, the awesome healing power of God- this is how you make a film three-dimensional!  Avatar?  F*ck Avatar! You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen Ben-Hur on blu-ray.  Jesus wept…and so did I.

Casablanca – The package design of this Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray is cumbersome, but the treats are so, so delightful.  Two discs worth of features, with introductions and commentaries from Lauren Bacall and Roger Ebert, deleted scenes, audio and score accompaniments, trailers, and television adaptations.  Not to mention four documentaries, cartoons, a photo book, reproduction poster cards, and Warner production notes, wow! Of course, this Best Picture winner is already spectacular as far as the spectacular of cinema spectacularness goes- and yet this digital renewal adds a new pinnacle. The onscreen locales are simple awesome; the smoke and arching walls of Rick’s Café create a physical illusion to represent the tense claustrophobia of the titular town and times.  Remember, this film was made during World War II with a lovely international supporting cast of expatriates and refugees, and the tragedy, danger, and heart of it all still comes across stunningly. Everyone looks so suave yet untouchable, too- white dinner jackets, uniforms of all flavors and every button, medal, and insignia upon them.  It’s so formal and yet reckless- the perfect shadows and lighting design say everything that can’t be said in this most amazing Oscar screenplay. You can practically feel every slick in the men’s hairs and wipe Peter Lorre’s sweat from his brow. It’s so easy to be swept up in the incredible music, too. The layered montages are clear and defined as well, but somehow hazy and hypnotic- as if we are going back to Paris, too. Seeing all these details anew…it’s just like watching a new film for the first time! Just to think, I haven’t even mentioned the performances yet. That sparkle from Ingrid Bergman’s earrings, the tears in her eyes, the fog as she and Bogie…well, I can’t give everything away to the two people on the planet who haven’t seen Casablanca!  What’s wrong with you two? “Play it!”

The Maltese Falcon – Also already reviewed at length previously, you would think I have nothing more to say- or that black and white doesn’t cater to the wonders of blu-ray.  But no.  The palette from director John Huston is crisp and truly silver, indeed. The depth of the monochrome breaks free from the colorless full screen frame with dimension and layers for every fabric and decoration onscreen.  The pinstripe in Humphrey Bogart’s suit, the pattern in Mary Astor’s fur stole- Bogie looks better than that Tales from the Crypt stunt!  The classic uses of shadow and light are increased ten fold, and I feel as though I can walk into this picture ala Pleasantville. Okay, the white subtitles are tough to see in some spots, but the sound is pitch clear to hear all the double-talk and melodrama.  And the features! There’s a ‘One Magnificent Bird’ half hour retrospective with author Dashiell Hammett experts and stars of today singing their praises, a 45 minute TCM collection of Bogart’s film trailers and dozens more vintage previews. Radio clips; commentaries; forties bloopers and outtakes with the likes of James Cagney, Gary Cooper, and Jimmy Stewart; test shots, and more. These rarities look sweet and are a real treat – and it’s all subtitled, too!  Thanks to this lifelike facelift and appreciation, it’s very easy to be caught up in the quintessential noir mystery all over again. This disc is a must for any classic film connoisseur.

The Ten Commandments – And you thought I talked too long on Ben-Hur! Another epic that needs to be recognized again and again- and usually is thanks to yearly network airings for Passover- this 2 disc blu-ray release is simply magical! Growing up, I think I was actually more partial to this 1956 Cecil B. DeMille magnum opus over any other Biblical epic. From the dirty Vincent Price with his silk hanky ready to wipe any offending grease and his wicked snake successor Edward G. Robinson to the dry and bitchy perfect Judith Anderson versus the snarky and wonderful Anne Baxter, top to bottom everyone in this awesome cast comes to play.  Beautiful Lily Munster- er Yvonne De Carlo, true flower Debra Paget, strong Henry Wilcoxon- I’ve shown my share of Heston love! Though I confess, I do prefer Yul Brynner’s voice and presence. I still speculate his 1956 Best Actor Oscar is really for his work here and in Anastasia in tandem with The King and I. And oh my, look at that oil lathered up on John Derek! Despite the 1956 over the top acting style, the script is profoundly solid with touching quotations and sentiments.  This is a vivid world of inspiration, love, jealousy, and deliverance.  It’s a perfectly personal and intimate drama amid an epic, ancient scale with one of the best booming, rousing, almost voluptuous scores ever to tidy it all up!  All these classics on blu-ray have very pleasing, easy to navigate menus and presentation, I must say; one more thing the modern jumbled and flashy discs should learn.  Although DeMille’s introduction would never fly today.  After all, he tells us how long we have, that there’s an intermission, and it’s all divinely inspired.  Any one of those would scare contemporary audiences!  Fortunately, the Oscar winning color cinematography and divine scale speak for themselves on blu-ray: inlaid stonework, Egyptian jewelry, what color and flamboyant hieroglyphics! That fire upon Mount Sinai, the glow of the Burning Bush, the plagues and that freaky green mist coming for the first-born. I can’t stop- the Exodus, Ramses’ chariot pursuit, and that parting of that so, so blue Red Sea.  The blues alone in this picture- every shade of the spectrum indeed for Edith Head’s costumes. Of course, dramatic liberties are taken, the sound is big and the voices are low, and framing lines on the matte paintings are visible. There’s a simplicity to the original editing as well, with the master track only cut for a reaction or spectacle shot. It might jar some today, but this style allows longer stage drama scenes to play. The Ten Commandments is not without flaws, no, but it’s a truly complete picture nonetheless.  Who knew that a little grain, sand, mud, and water could do so much for a viewer’s soul?  

Yes, the prices of these collector and special edition blu-ray sets only seem to be getting higher, and they are delicate indeed.  Quicker editions are cheaper, but often deny the viewer all the bells and whistles. However, for the classic enthusiast or film historian, the movie restoration and complimentary material are essential pieces in the celebration and preservation of vintage cinema. 

For more classic blu-ray evidence, here are a few more of our reviews (so far!):

Gone with the Wind

Planet of the Apes

The Searchers

Wizard of Oz

Yellow Sky

Yellow Sky a Fine, Gritty, and Dare I Say Kinky Western

By Kristin Battestella

I’d thought I’d seen them all, but I was very pleasantly surprised to discover the 1948 western Yellow Sky late one night on cable. For those anti-western folks that think this genre is nothing but singing cowboys and warpath Indians, Yellow Sky proves them wrong with gritty suspense and desolate, desperate action.

After stealing away from their latest bank job, Stretch Dawson (Gregory Peck) takes his gang deep into the desert. Despite their lack of water and objections from Dude (Richard Widmark) and aging Walrus (Charles Kemper), the gang reaches the abandoned settlement of Yellow Sky. Only tough girl Constance ‘Mike’ Mae (Anne Baxter) and her Grandpa (James Barton) remain in the town, and soon Lengthy (John Russell) and Bull Run (Robert Author) fight over each other’s intentions with Mike. Dude, however, has more on his mind-he suspects there’s gold in Yellow Sky and he intends to find it.

Yellow sky opens with a swift heist and director William A. Wellman (A Star is Born, The High and the Mighty, The Ox-Bow Incident) never slows down from there. The subsequent demons in the desert, mutinous gang members fighting over water, and the arduous salt plains slow things down to a torturous viewing, but we still can’t look away from the intensity. Bleak comparisons between the gang members and the harmless lizards in the desert add somber realizations and intelligent reflections, too. Yellow Sky is a great analysis of how easily we can be seduced and turned on each other for the right-or wrong- reasons. W.R. Burnett’s (Little Caesar, The Asphalt Jungle, The Great Escape) story and screenwriter Lamar Trotti’s (There’s No Business Like Show Business, Young Mr. Lincoln, Drums Along the Mohawk) examination of gold fever in the desert isolation is deep, complex, and great fun to watch. It’s the simplicity of man versus nature, man versus man, and man versus himself at its finest.

I just love Gregory Peck; he’s one of my classic leading men favorites-but he isn’t so wholesome this time around, is he? Peck totally assumes the part of whatever role he’s in-from Captain Horatio Hornblower to To Kill A Mockingbird and Moby Dick. He’s on his western form and looking great with a dirty five o’clock shadow here, but we can’t have our beloved Gregory Peck truly be a wholehearted villain, can we? Stretch is somewhat of a mystery-he has Apache issues, Civil War history, Biblical knowledge, and some bank robbing ambiguity. He threatens to get his way, but expects his men to behave at the same time. Stretch’s leadership-for good or ill- should be above question, but his alliance is uneasy, always on the verge of mutiny. Peck excels at the iffy circumstances while also keeping Stretch charming onscreen.

We know Anne Baxter (All About Eve, The Razor’s Edge, The Ten Commandments) can be a tough broad to match the boys, but she and her Mike are very young and innocent in Yellow Sky. Baxter’s tough and distinctive voice works with Mike’s attitude, but it’s odd to see such a beguiling classic dame in jeans with a holster. Mike’s rifle-though dangerous- doesn’t hold up against Stretch’s charms-but we can’t help but watch the coy cat and mouse games. Baxter’s eventual submissiveness and Peck’s forcefulness are a little reversed from the casting we’d expect, and this ups the tension ante in Yellow Sky. Likewise, Richard Widmark (The Alamo, Cheyenne Autumn, Kiss of Death) keeps things pissy. Dude has a protest for Stretch’s every move-he thinks he has all the answers and calls out Stretch’s ‘nobility’. Dude keeps his ‘leader’ in line so he can be about his own nefarious business, and the internal odds are delightfully intelligent to watch. Though also much younger than modern, casual audiences are used to seeing him, Widmark owns Dude’s stylized black hat and pinstripe suit. He looks slick and menacing against Stretch’s scruffy style. It’s a stereotypical and simplistic trick, yes, but it’s also a fine subtlety to further wrench the ambiguity of our bad boys.

Though critical to Yellow Sky’s plot, the supporting players have some goofy names, and it’s tough to tell who is who on occasion. Thankfully, James Barton (The Shepherd of the Hills, The Misfits) is perfection as the mining-hardened Grandpa who still has enough wit and heart to defend his keep. Likewise, John Russell’s (Rio Bravo, Lawman, The Outlaw Josey Wales) Lengthy is fairly kinky and juicy in his pursuit of Mike. However, Robert Arthur (Twelve O’clock High) and a very young Harry Morgan (Dragnet, M*A*S*H) are a little too similar as the young kid Bull Run and uh, young kid Half Pint. Though akin to better witty old men like Walter Brennan, Charles Kemper’s (The Shocking Miss Pilgrim) cranky Walrus adds just the right amount of snark when you need it.

Now, the titular color refers to the gold hunt at hand, but the black and white photography doesn’t do Yellow Sky justice. Not only does the name not make much sense if there’s no color, but also the lovely Death Valley location shooting would have been better served by wonderfully lit and colored vistas. The desert sequences and abandoned ghost town facades are great, too, really showcasing the isolation and dangerous territory we’re in. The Civil War brevity and Apache talk is a little stereotypical, but if you tell a tale in ‘The West, 1867’ you can’t not touch upon such topics. Thankfully, Yellow Sky is also a very quiet film. There’s not a lot of overblown, melodramatic music-its all natural western sounds and harmonicas in the echoing desert. And of course, I should mention there is one great rifle barrel camera shot that beautifully predates the trademarked Bond element. That’s not bad for this seemingly unknown and unassuming little western!

I have to say, Yellow Sky is also a little kinky for its day. The natural use of now tame but then scandalous curses like jackass is surprising to hear in an older movie. The rapacious suggestions are also a topic not usually touched in Old Hollywood. Six men ogling one nearly solitary woman in the desert can’t be good-and then we get those same six frustrated me shirtless, sweaty, and digging for gold. Instead of stunt laden distant riding action and comically obvious raids, the individual, personal violence is also a step above in Yellow Sky. The men are brutal to each other, and the lengthy, shadowy kisses are just as rough. Yowza!

Fans of Gregory Peck, serious classics, and lovers of all things westerns will adore Yellow Sky. Some sensitive scenes with dehydrated horses might be difficult for younger viewers, as is some of the heavier innuendo; but the intelligent, gripping drama wins out. Students of critical film and old school fans should rediscover and dissect this DVD tonight. While Yellow Sky doesn’t have the all-star gold fever power of The Treasure of Sierra Madre, it’s gritty, entertaining, and intense. Yellow Sky will have you feeling the need to whet your own whistle!

Essential Easter Viewing

Essential Easter Viewing (And a touch of Passover, too!)

By Kristin Battestella

I’m later than I’d like in this informative list of films, TV shows, and documentaries for the Easter Holidays, but I thought what the heck, it’s never too late for some quality, wholesome, inspiration, family viewing-am I right? Naturally, I hope to write in more detail on some of these greats.

Here’s some Passion centric viewing for Christians and even non-believers.

Ben-Hur - Who can forget Charlton Heston’s Judah as he rows his way from a path of revenge towards redemption with Christ? The chariots, the lepers-even if you don’t like some of the over-the-top styles of fifties films, you must see this film once in your lifetime.

The Passion of The Christ- Mel Gibson’s controversial Passion Play tour de force is not for the squeamish or folks under 15, and its not the best film to introduce newcomers to Christ’s ministry. Nevertheless, this bloody film can inspire the faithful by lavishly detailing the brutality of the Crucifixion.

Jesus: The Complete Story- This Discovery channel series devotes almost three hours to exploring Jesus. From his birth to his ascension, it’s refreshing to see a program tackle as many of Jesus’ aspects from as many angles as possible. Narrated by Avery Books, young and old can be inspired here. In the Footsteps of Jesus is another fine series that also can’t be found on television anymore.

The Robe- Yes, Richard Burton tends to over act just a tad, but this lovely story about the centurion who crucified Christ and takes his cloak leads us on a haunting road to salvation. Though tame to most, the execution montage may be upsetting to kids. It’s beautiful, yet tragic imagery makes this one staple holiday viewing. Victor Mature also stars in the sub par, but still wholesome Demetrius and the Gladiators.

Elmer Gantry- Burt Lancaster gives an Oscar winning performance here as the titular con man who starts out as a fake and pays the ultimate price before learning the error of his ways. Not necessarily an Easter film, Elmer Gantry nonetheless shows us how sin and salvation are never apart in our lives-in fact; they are closer than we think.

King of Kings/ The Greatest Story Ever Told- I don’t mean it in a mean way, but if you must have the television on while the family’s about for the holidays, these two lengthy epics are the perfect way to keep the true meaning of Easter about the house.

I haven’t forgotten about our Friends celebrating Passover, but there’s really only one big one:

The Ten Commandments- You can’t go wrong with this 1956 classic anytime of year. Teen audiences may prefer the 2006 miniseries of the same name, and for the kids there’s the charming Prince of Egypt; but there’s nothing like a Cecil B. DeMille epic to get you into the spirit of things. This is one of my favorite movies ever. Growing up, I used to watch it daily-I kid you not. I learned how to make sheets into togas and pin towels to my head, but strangely, I always preferred Yul Brynner’s ruthless Rameses to Charlton Heston’s booming Moses. The music, the exceptional cast, the dialogue-there’s so many iconic and dare I say divine moments here for any person of faith, young or old.