The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor, 1940)

"The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges."

Introduction

Every year the BFI have a 'Birds Eye View' season whereby they focus on important moments in cinema when women became fundamental in the evolution of film. Back in 2009, the season focused on screwball comedies, screening brilliant films such as It Happened One Night, Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday and The Philadelphia Story. I managed to watch a few of these, but missing out on The Philadelphia Story, instead I hunted it down on DVD. I remain in awe of Hitchcock, Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant - so a film that stars two-out-of-three in the same film was clearly a must-watch. With regards to Hitchcock, he beat The Philadelphia Story for Best Picture with one of his first US-based film: Rebecca. In addition, Empire Magazine noted how JJ Abrams watches The Philadelphia Story prior to making any of his films - I can't see much Mission Impossible 3 and Super 8 in here, but I appreciate the sentiment.

Oscar Success, but No Cigar

This film is one, of many, from the 'Golden Era' - 1939 and through the 40's - in Hollywood. The screenplay, by Donald Ogden Stewart, won at the Oscars alongside a 'Best Actor' win for Jimmy Stewart. As previously mentioned, it was nominated for 'Best Picture' but lost out to Hitchcock's Rebecca.

As I often find myself referring to some sort of connection to Dawsons Creek, I’ll get this out of the way early. If I am right, Pacey named his boat 'True Love' before setting off at the end of Season 3 with Joey - sailing off into the sunset. Returning conveniently for the new school year and Season 4 of the programme. 'True Love' is also the name of the boat Tracy (Katherine Hepburn) and Dexter (Cary Grant) sailed away on for the summer after their wedding in The Philadelphia Story.

But, much like Jen's Gram, I prefer the Frank Capra films. The Philadelphia Story is produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, as opposed to any screenplay or direction from him and I would argue All About Eve is better too. We also have Cary Grant, whom I would argue wasn't really utilised. Cary Grant can play magnificent roles - the influenced-Ross-in-Friends paleontologist in Bringing Up Baby, the I-take-no-shit newspaper-man in His Girl Friday - whereas here, he simply helped out a little and only really shone in two sequences. The first was when he told Tracy his view on her 'Goddess' and 'Queen' self-image, and the second, was when he told her exactly what to say in the final sequence. Katherine Hepburn, unlike Grant, was magnificent. Her presence alone demands your attention. Despite roles in classic films such as Bringing Up Baby, Katharine Hepburn had been deemed 'box-office poison' as the films were often commercial failures.

This was a comeback role for her, and she was well-aware of this as she accepted the film-rights from Howard Hawks. It is fascinating to see her catlike features and well-spoken, but arrogant tone of voice, matched to this role of the 'well-educated-but-vain' character.

Charm and Art

Despite Hepburns's dominance and intent, James Stewart, as Macauley Connor, was the real star - this is a character who starts off cynical and frustrated about how the Lord family lives, whilst even after an arc whereby he falls for Tracy and managing to bring himself to ask her to marry him, he is wise enough to realise why she said no to his proposal. His charm and 'artistic' attitude shows a clear insight into the mind of the working-man who strives to simply see a day, or experience the beauty of the world - such a fleeting romance with a "Goddess" woman such as Tracy Lord is an experience, but then he moves on to establish a more meaningful relationship with his photographer friend. In addition to this, Macauley Connor is supposed to strike a parallel with George Kittredge (John Howard), who is of a similar working-class background. Maybe, this is how Kittredge and Tracy first started out. Both see her as the flawless Queen, whereas Dexter is the only one who steps up to the plate and tells her how it is.

From Theatre to Cinema

An issue with many films of this period, is the clear theatrical connection. Hitchcock quite happily accepted this when making Rope and Dial M For Murder, the former appearing without a single 'cut', whilst the latter was released briefly in 3D, to imitate the stage. Written by playwright Phillip Barry, the problem arises in The Philadelphia Story whereby you can see that it is based on a play – for example, the majority of the film is set within one house and I am sure more could have been made of the 'grounds' of this affluent family. Considering Cukor had Cary Grant, and failed to truly ‘adapt’ the play technicially, you then move onto criticising the narrative, whereby the simple – almost sexist attitude – of a single, upper-class woman, surrounded by all these men begins to grate. Like Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind, do we really give a damn? If she thinks she is so special then she doesn’t need a happy ending. Possibly a bit harsh and, to give credit to the story, she doesn't get together with the pauper, instead settling for the one person who understood her initially. I would like to think of myself as more of a Jimmy Stewart rather than a Cary Grant, so I'm probably just looking out for the little guy.

Critically Referenced ... and Influential

Interestingly, The Philadelphia Story was adapted further to become a musical in High Society. But, only a year prior, a French-film, Le Regle De Jeu was released. Unlike The Philadelphia Story, The Rules of the Game – the English-language title - is more respected in critical circles, and it indeed, it does hold much more depth with regard to the allegorical nature of its plot. But it would be an interesting contrast to this. Both set within the High-class society, portraying three men of differing classes, in love with a central female character. Maybe that's an essay for a Film Studies student: Renoir's Le Regle De Jeu VS Cukor's The Philadelphia Story. It might not hold up though considering how close the release dates are. At any rate, anyone interested in Classic Cinema will need to check this out.

But watch Mr Smith Goes to Washington for better Jimmy Stewart, and watch His Girl Friday for better Cary Grant … and watch better Hepburn with Bringing Up Baby. And watch better George Cukor with his [uncredited] direction on Wizard of Oz. In fact, don’t start with The Philadelphia Story at all … watch the other films first.

This post was originally published on 14th June 2009, but it has been updated and adapted for this edition on the 'Classic Columb' for Man I Love Films

Sleuth (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1972)

"So I understand you wish to marry my wife."

Introduction

When I think about incredible scriptwriters,the first three names which come to mind are: Aaron Sorkin, David Mamet and whoever wrote the screenplay for His Girl Friday (Ben Hecht wrote the play "The Front Page", which it is based upon, whilst Charles Lederer is credited for the screenplay itself). I feel I may be adding a fourth to the list, noting the words written by Antony Shaffer. If you love the speed and perfect dialogue written in films like The Social Network, Glengarry Glen Ross and His Girl Friday then the next film to hunt down is Sleuth.

From the English Country Manor to Dr No's Lair

When you consider Ken Adams set-design in the 60's James Bond films, it is easy to automatically think about the excessive volcano-base in You Only Live Twice and the interrogation room Professer dent speaks within in Dr No. But Ken Adam's stunning sets were not limited to these expansive, iconic designs. He also designed the office for M and the living quarters of Dr No - including the infamous Duke of Wellington portrait by Goya. It is the latter designs that became the style Ken Adams worked within on Sleuth working alongside Peter Lamont supporting as Art Director (Lamont would move on to become Production designer himself on films including Titanic and Casino Royale).

As an adaptation of a two-man stage-play, the set becomes intrinsic to the story. We are forced to acknowledge the obsession of "game-playing" Andrew Wykes (Olivier) through the small set-pieces he keeps within his basement and the multiple automaton's set-up across the lounge - even his precise Kitchen etiquette and archaic taste in music (Cole Porter) reeks of a character who is false and forced to play a role in life. Until this month, it would've been a stretch to know what an automaton is - and now, through Sleuth and Scorsese's Hugo, I now have a very clear idea of what these robot-puppets are and how they predated cinema. Another visual signifier of Wyke's fake-persona and almost-robotic - and definitely outdated - political attitude.

A Fight to the Death

On the surface, we see Andrew Wykes attempting to commit insurance-fraud using Milo Tindle (Michael Caine) as his pawn due to Tindle's affair with Wyke's wife Marguerite. But this two-man show constantly shifts and changes the perspectives. We constantly question who is in a postion of power and who is not. Initially, it seems that Wyke's has Tindle in the palm of his hand - going so far to dress Tindle up in a clown outfit and reducing a man who has broken free from the working class roots his father came from, back to becoming a petty theif. This constant parrallels as Caine represents the younger, impulsive generation as Wyke's represent the older, outdated, traditional older man. The fact that both characters portray different types of men - even hinting at how Wykes is perfect for Marguerite because he can "afford" her, whilst Tindle is perfect for her in a sexual need. Wyke's is happy to tell us that he "could copulate for England at any distance" but Wyke's observation of Tindle as he changes into the clown outfit seems a little more than a passing interest ... and we also find that he hasn't "copulated" with his own mistress Tea in years...

It is the English versus the second-generation immigrant as Tindle is clear about his Italian ancestry, something that Wykes resents. Upper Class versus Working Class as Tindle works in a London Hairdressers whilst Wykes writes books isolated from society in his country manner. Fact versus Fiction as Wykes is an author of detective novels and this constantly informs out characters as to what "would" and "wouldn't" happen in a detective story - we are constantly unsure who to trust, even if we know the secret about Inspector Doppel, we are still tense as we do not know the truth about the previous situation.

I Saw This Before ...

A two-man theatre-adaptation from the early 1970's starring Lawrence Olivier and Michael Caine is unlikely to connect to the Saw franchise ... but indeed, it does. Sleuth is crucially built on the foundations on game-playing, high-stakes game-playing that highlights inequality in an upper-class world. Like Jigsaw, Andrew Wykes constantly talks in riddles, quotes and accents. The entire subtext revolves around how life "is a game" and, the set-ups, plans and ideas are for our benefit and we, as an audience, are completely kept in the dark about what will happen next. The three-act structure is clearly defined as the first act portrays a power-play duality between the two characters (trying very hard not to give anything away), whilst this flips - in terms of who has the power - during the second act. The third act, raises the stakes and we are all on the edge of our seats waiting to see how it will pan out. In fact, I wouldn't be suprised if the remake of Sleuth starring Michael Caine (playing Oliviers role) and Jude Law may have been green-lit due to the current appetite for 'game-playing' that audiences had. I know the tricks Jigsaw pulled and the games were the reason I enjoyed the Saw franchise. I doubt Leigh Whannell and James Wan watched Sleuth at any point prior to making the Saw, but if they had they would realise that their game-playing concept was nothing new - and dated right back to the 70's. I mean, there is even a puppet who has a recurring role and a creepy laugh!

Image

My closing paragraph highlights the themes of image as throughout the film, we see close-up shots of the automatons and their faces looking down on Wykes and Tindle. The idea of image is a recurring theme - Wykes lives by a code and Tindle has changed his persona to suit the higher-class of life he is living. He intially stops-short and corrects his working-class colloquialism to speak to Wykes, whilst Wykes puts on accents and even mocks Tindles heritage by offering the job in a comedic Italian-gangster accent. Bitterly ironic that The Godfather of the same year re-established the Italian-gangster crime story so that it became organised and upper-class - opposed to Wykes perspective that it only solidifies Tindles working-class roots. More upsetting is how both Michael Caine and Lawrence Olivier were nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role, whilst losing out to Marlon Brando's Don Corleone.

At any rate, I obviously recommend this film very highly if you haven't seen it and I have tried very hard to keep the many secrets of the film hidden so you can enjoy the film as I did. One thing which is clear though, is the reality of these games. Though a game - and percieved as such - this is a game that has real implications. The separation between these two men and between the areas of society they represent is very real. We can wax lyrical about the meanings and we can talk often about the news and how they depict society - but it is real and it can be the difference between life and death. Those who fail to acknowledge this are clearly under the assumption that poverty is almost a game unto itself and as long as you are "winning" then you don't need to worry.

Guys and Dolls (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1955)

"For two weeks I gambled in green pastures. The dice were my cousins and the dolls were agreeable with nice teeth and no last names."

Introduction

I mentioned it a few times, but between 16 and 18, I was part of an Amateur Dramatics society, named TADLOP in Shropshire. This led me to gaining a bit of a better understanding of musicals - specifically South Pacific, My Fair Lady and Brigadoon. Outside of these I was a part of a Summer Youth Project whereby I even nabbed a lead role in West Side Story and Barnum. So, I knew of Guys and Dolls and, in some 'lots-of-songs' performance, I even was a part of a rendition of 'Luck Be A Lady Tonight'! One thing I always wished I was a part of was Bugsy Malone (Now, at the age of 27, I am too old) but, after watching Guys and Dolls, I now regret not being a part of a Guys and Dolls performance - because I would have loved to sing some of these brilliant songs!

A Gangster Musical - with The Godfather and Sinatra

In the first instance, the actors alone are a strange combination. Originally the broadway version cast a gruff-voiced singer in the role of Nathan Detroit ... which then went to Frank Sinatra and his silky voice. In fact, many songs were omitted from the stage version - whilst two songs were added to the film: namely 'Adelaide', written for Sinatra himself. Apparently, Sinatra's 'crooning' was critisized heavily by Frank Loesser - the composer - as it was not in keeping of the character he played, but Loesser was still expected (by Samuel Goldwyn and Mankiewicz) to write the three additional songs, including 'Adelaide'. Marlon Brando was also seen as bad casting - hired only because of his recent successes having come off On the Waterfront in 1954 and The Wild One in 1955. Interestingly, in The Wild One, Brando was pitted against Robert Keith who plays a similar law-abider in Guys and Dolls, playing Lt. Brannigan rather than the Sheriff he played in The Wild One.

The gambling narrative involved Nathan Detroit (Sinatra), in desperate need of $1000 to set up an illegal card game, he bets Sky Masterson (Brando) that he can't take a "doll" - Christian Mission girl Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) - to Havana. Detroit is under the impression that Sky makes stupid bets and, this bet, will guarantee him the money to set up the card game. Funnily enough, Detroit finds out that Sky does indeed take Sarah Brown to Havana ... whereby they both fall in love...

Squeeze in Songs

Musicals often have a habit of making unneccessary songs and squeezing them into the story - and Guys and Dolls does seem to have a habit of doing this. One specific song stalls the story completely as we wait for Detroit to go to the Christian Mission and his 'doll' [of fourteen years] thinks he is lying and there is a whole song about how much she doesn't believe him and how Nathan is torn between convincing her he is telling the truth but additionally leaving to fulfill his part of the bet and go to the Mission... you want to hit him round the head and just tell him to get the hell out the door.

Having said that, they use Detroit's 'doll' exceptionally well as she is part of a dance group who perform in a local club and so all their songs fill in gaps in the story. For example, 'Pet Me Poppa', Adelaide (Detroits 'doll') sings about how - like a cat - she will roam if she is not married soon! She sings: "You know you've been mean to me/ And you know when you're mean to me/ How it always makes me wanna roam/ And you know there's a danger/ That some gentle stranger/ Might pick me up and make me feel at home". The whole song is clearly stating the same message as Beyonce's 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it)'... and when you watch the film, the leotards and high legs seem a little too similar ...

The Bet on Faith

There is a strange conflict at the centre of the story. Sky Masterson - a successful gambler - seems to 'win' Christian Missionary Sarah Brown through taking her out and getting her drunk. To make matters worse, he is content in getting her drunk without her knowing. I know this is all a joke, but it does nevertheless lead to the same Sarah Brown not only getting drunk and getting into fights but - when all the illegal gamblers reluctantly go to her Mission to fulfill Skys bet, she even lies to the police about the gamblers the previous night (whereby the group broke into the Missionary when it was unattended and conducted an illegal card game). Does this film condone lying to the police? I don't think any of the gangsters get a comeuppance either - and none of them actually turn to Christ having attended the Missionary. They are constantly begrudging the fact that they are even there at all! I think I would go so far in saying that the film actually takes the mickey out of Christian attitudes and morals - with the very clear intention of stating that Christians have a very prudish and unfulfilling life.

There is also a philosophical argument (and I'm sure people may hang me for bringing such psuedo-highbrow thoughts to a review on Guys and Dolls). Blaise Pascal created an argument aptley titled 'Pascals Wager' or 'Pascals Gambit'. The idea was that any rational person would believe in the existence of God - arguing that, if you were to bet on such a thing, it would make sense to bet on the existence of God because if you are right - you have everything to gain (post-death I presume) whereas, if you are wrong, it wouldn't matter anyway. Because you'd be dead in the ground. Take this argument and apply it to the sequence involving 'Luck be a Lady Tonight'. Sky bets everyone to merely attend the Mission for prayer that evening - otherwise he would give them $1000 each. For each of those 'sinners' they have nothing to lose - but everything to gain. Though this may be a tangible link, the idea of having faith at all is clearly central to the story - getting married has an element of risk and you have to have the faith to stand by her/him if you make the decision. Life is a game of luck, as they say.

The reality is that this is all very unclear - for example, despite Sky getting Sarah Brown drunk and involving her in a fight, he stops short of sleeping with her telling her it would be wrong... assuming his actions prior to this was right?

A Marriage Made in Heaven

The film ends with, what feels like, a random wedding. Both Sky and Sarah Brown get married after their whirlwind romance, whilst Detroit and Adelaide, after 14 years, get married in the same ceremony. Even Lt Brannigan walking Sarah Brown down the aisle. All the actors in the film make a little appearance - with the hint of the start of a relationship between different friends and families.

The casting of Brando and Sinatra, in hindsight, was great - I don't believe any other movie stars both actors. The fact that Brando and Simmons both sing simply shows how capable they are at holding a musical note. The shame is how Joseph L. Mankiewicz seems to bring to the table little considering his background. Mankiewicz is the man who directed All About Eve and he went on to direct Cleopatra and Sleuth! This film seems to play very much like the MGM musicals - bright colours, MGM dancers filling the screen, studio set, etc rather than anything more thought-provoking.

At any rate, like the best musicals, the success hunges on the songs and this film has indeed got some unforgettable songs. Specific songs about male and female attitudes to relationships, as sexist as they are, they are a lot of fun to watch. Adelaide sings about how scared of commitment Nathan - and men - can be in 'Adelaides Lament'. But then, against this, the guys follow this and sing 'Guys and Dolls' about how a guy can under the thumb. They are merely in jest and comedic in their nature but it is what holds this film together and makes it a fun watch rather than simply romantic melodies. Its strange to think that Sinatra was nearly cast as Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather, which would've marked Brando and Sinatra's second collaboration ...