Screen Gems: Casablanca (1942)

It took some time but I have now finally seen Casablanca. I don't think any introduction or synopsis of one the most enduring classics needs to be put down here so, I'll just give you my thoughts on the film.

Casablanca had all the makings of a wonderful film, starting with an A-list cast, an exotic and dangerous setting, justifiable melodrama, witty dialogue, and sentimental heroism. All in all a very sophisticated and entertaining propaganda film that exploits American values like freedom, liberty and opportunity. Ironically, the script wasn’t even finished before production began and no one knew how the film would end. I especially enjoyed it because it had a great balance of melodrama and humor. I also enjoyed it because you could never get a good feel on the people in Casablanca, were they sincere or looking out for themselves? Rains turns out to be a pleasant surprise.
Casablanca features Bergman at her best. I have seen her in few films and have not truly appreciated her talent until now. She is able to transcend both screen and time with her struggle between Rick and Victor. Not to mention the wonderful lighting that highlighted her weeping eyes to her advantage. As for Bogart, this is a film that gave him a little more range, at least for me who has only seen him as the tough as nails character he always plays. Rains and Greenstreet elevate Casablanca to a new level with their wit and European charm, and it was refreshing to see Dooley Wilson on a somewhat level playing field with the other cast members, being portrayed as the witty and sensible entertainer.
Overall, I really did enjoy this film, I wasn’t bored for a minute of it and until the end I was rooting for Rick.












Side note:
While preparing to film a movie entitled A Night in Casablanca, the Marx brothers received a letter from Warner Bros. threatening legal action if they did not change the film’s title. Deeming the title to similar to the 1942 version of Casablanca. Never one to back down from a fight, Groucho Marx dispatched the following letter to the studio’s legal department:

Dear Warner Brothers,
Apparently there is more than one way of conquering a city and holding it as your own. For example, up to the time that we contemplated making this picture, I had no idea that the city of Casablanca belonged exclusively to Warner Brothers. However, it was only a few days after our announcement appeared that we received your long, ominous legal document warning us not to use the name Casablanca.
It seems that in 1471, Ferdinand Balboa Warner, your great-great-grandfather, while looking for a shortcut to the city of Burbank, had stumbled on the shores of Africa and, raising his alpenstock (which he later turned in for a hundred shares of common), named it Casablanca.
I just don’t understand your attitude. Even if you plan on releasing your picture, I am sure that the average movie fan could learn in time to distinguish between Ingrid Bergman and Harpo. I don’t know whether I could, but I certainly would like to try.
You claim that you own Casablanca and that no one else can use that name without permission. What about “Warner Brothers”? Do you own that too? You probably have the right to use the name Warner, but what about the name Brothers? Professionally, we were brothers long before you were. We were touring the sticks as the Marx Brothers when Vitaphone was still a gleam in the inventor’s eye, and even before there had been other brothers—the Smith Brothers; the Brothers Karamazov; Dan Brothers, an outfielder with Detroit; and “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” (This was originally “Brothers, Can You Spare a Dime?” but this was spreading a dime pretty thin, so they threw out one brother, gave all the money to the other one, and whittled it down to “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”)
Now Jack, how about you? Do you maintain that yours is an original name? Well it’s not. It was used long before you were born. Offhand, I can think of two Jacks—Jack of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and Jack the Ripper, who cut quite a figure in his day.
As for you, Harry, you probably sign your checks sure in the belief that you are the first Harry of all time and that all other Harrys are impostors. I can think of two Harrys that preceded you. There was Lighthouse Harry of Revolutionary fame and a Harry Appelbaum who lived on the corner of 93rd Street and Lexington Avenue. Unfortunately, Appelbaum wasn’t too well-known. The last I heard of him, he was selling neckties at Weber and Heilbroner.
Now about the Burbank studio. I believe this is what you brothers call your place. Old man Burbank is gone. Perhaps you remember him. He was a great man in a garden. His wife often said Luther had ten green thumbs. What a witty woman she must have been! Burbank was the wizard who crossed all those fruits and vegetables until he had the poor plants in such confused and jittery condition that they could never decide whether to enter the dining room on the meat platter or the dessert dish.
This is pure conjecture, of course, but who knows—perhaps Burbank’s survivors aren’t too happy with the fact that a plant that grinds out pictures on a quota settled in their town, appropriated Burbank’s name and uses it as a front for their films. It is even possible that the Burbank family is prouder of the potato produced by the old man than they are of the fact that your studio emerged “Casablanca” or even “Gold Diggers of 1931.”
This all seems to add up to a pretty bitter tirade, but I assure you it’s not meant to. I love Warners. Some of my best friends are Warner Brothers. It is even possible that I am doing you an injustice and that you, yourselves, know nothing about this dog-in-the-Wanger attitude. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to discover that the heads of your legal department are unaware of this absurd dispute, for I am acquainted with many of them and they are fine fellows with curly black hair, double-breasted suits and a love of their fellow man that out-Saroyans Saroyan.
I have a hunch that his attempt to prevent us from using the title is the brainchild of some ferret-faced shyster, serving a brief apprenticeship in your legal department. I know the type well—hot out of law school, hungry for success, and too ambitious to follow the natural laws of promotion. This bar sinister probably needled your attorneys, most of whom are fine fellows with curly black hair, double-breasted suits, etc., into attempting to enjoin us. Well, he won’t get away with it! We’ll fight him to the highest court! No pasty-faced legal adventurer is going to cause bad blood between the Warners and the Marxes. We are all brothers under the skin, and we’ll remain friends till the last reel of “A Night in Casablanca” goes tumbling over the spool.

Sincerely,
Groucho Marx

Unamused, Warner Brothers requested that the Marx Brothers at least outline the premise of their film which Groucho did. Needing more clarification to Groucho's hilarious explanation, Groucho sent another even more confusing one. Warner Brothers did not reply and A Night in Casablanca was released in 1946.


Dear Warners:

There isn’t much I can tell you about the story. In it I play a Doctor of Divinity who ministers to the natives and, as a sideline, hawks can openers and pea jackets to the savages along the gold Coast of Africa.
When I first meet Chico, he is working in a saloon, selling sponges to barflies who are unable to carry their liquor. Harpo is an Arabian caddie who lives in a small Grecian urn on the outskirts of the city.

Sincerely,
Groucho Marx



Dear Brothers:

Since I last wrote you, I regret to say there have been some changes in the plot of our new picture, “A Night in Casablanca.” In the new version I play Bordello, the sweetheart of Humphrey Bogart. Harpo and Chico are itinerant rug peddlers who are weary of laying rugs and enter a monastery just for a lark. This is a good joke on them, as there hasn’t been a lark in the place for fifteen years.

Sincerely,
Groucho Marx


Thanks to:
Dr. Macro for the wonderful screen stills.
Chilling Effects for the first Warners letter.
All Movie Talk for the subsequent Warners letters.



Tonight on TCM!
The Far Horizons (1955) Romanticized version of Lewis and Clarks voyage of discovery through the American West.Cast: Fred MacMurray, Charlton Heston, Donna Reed, Barbara Hale Dir: Rudolph Maté

The Passionate Friends (1949)

A story comprising of a flashback within a flashback, The Passionate Friends tells the story of Mary (Ann Todd) and Steven (Trevor Howard) who were once lovers until Mary refused to wed Steven, insisting that though she loved him, she didn’t want to belong to anyone but herself. Mary instead opts for a comfortable and secure, if passionless marriage to Howard Justin (Claude Rains). When Mary and Steven run into each other nine years after her marriage, the spark is still there and Mary vows to leave Howard for Steven. When Howard finds out about the affair before Mary can tell him, he convinces her to stay. Nine years later and by complete coincidence, Mary and Steven run into each other while on holiday. After spending the day together, Mary learns and somewhat regrets how happy Steven is with his marriage and children. Howard, arriving late to the hotel spots them together and mistakes their friendly encounter as another betrayal. He immediately files for divorce citing Steven as the cause. Mary is too late to warn Steven and is witness to Howard’s lawyer serving papers to Steven at the London Underground station in front of his wife. Mary, after seeing how this is destroying Steven’s family, has a brief Karenina moment at the train station but reconsiders. She calls on Steven and lets him know that there will be no divorce much to Steven’s relief. Mary then calls on Howard who is still courteous and kind until Mary tries to convince him she did not have an affair. Howard raves at her, breaking a vase and admitting he knew they were never a love match; that he was comfortable with their marriage situation until he realized he had fallen in love with her. When he turns to confront Mary after this admission, he finds her gone but she has left her purse behind. Mary, desperate now to save Steven from misery, has returned to the Underground station to kill herself. She is saved from jumping by Howard who grabs her at the last moment. Understanding the sacrifice she was about to make, Howard reconciles with Mary and they go home together.










This is my second David Lean film and no, (gasp!) it wasn’t Dr. Zhivago, it was The Bridge on the River Kwai. I was absolutely enthralled with The Passionate Friends which is exciting because from what I have read, it pales in comparison to Brief Encounter (1945). Now I have another movie I must see! As for The Passionate Friends, I enjoyed this movie for a few different reasons. Let’s start first with Todd’s character Mary. Throughout the film I found her stand on marriage a bit selfish and cold however, since the movie is set in the year 1948 and not at the turn of the 20th century when H. G. Wells wrote the story and when a woman’s independence was on the level with emancipation- Mary’s view understandably loses some of its charm. But Todd makes up for it in the latter half of the film when she realizes that she truly regrets not keeping a hold on Steven, when she sees how happy he is and that she is not the cause of that happiness. Yet, instead of grasping at the chance to have him again because Howard is finally willing to let her go, she instead decides to sacrifice her life for Steven’s continued happiness. When she is standing on that platform with visible beads of sweat marking her forehead, you can’t help but wish that someone would save her. When Howard did it was a teary moment for me.
Howard is the more mature and glacial of the two men yet, Rains is able to express his passion with more flare and comprehension in just a few scenes than Howard’s character Steven throughout the whole film. Besides, Steven loses momentum as the amorous lover when he leaves Mary behind to face her husband's wrath. It is easier to feel sympathy for Rains because of the aforementioned selfishness of Mary. He is simply keeping up his end of the bargain whereas Mary keeps changing her mind thus undercutting the whole idea of belonging to herself. I found Rains almost as heroic and endearing here as in Mr. Skeffington.
Now, for the pièce de résistance of the entire film, the signs. If anyone else has seen this film and picked up on any other signs beyond the three I note here, let me know. I’m not the most observant person even when I am enjoying a wonderful film. The first sign I noticed was the forgotten theatre tickets. Mary and Steven allegedly went to the theatre to see the show First Love, aptly named as Mary and Steven were each others first loves. As the camera rapidly moves back and forth between Howard’s face and the tickets the tension in the scene builds and the viewer is privy to how torn Howard is. Should he go to the theatre and confirm what he already suspects or keep safe in his denial?
The second and third signs are at the end of the film when Mary enters the London Underground. You know what she is there to do, if not, the sign on the wall spells out her intentions. As she dazedly enters the station and before she descends into it's darkened depths, Mary pauses at the WAY OUT sign that is accompanied by an arrow. Then when Howard saves her from jumping and seats her on a bench nearby there is a poster with the word SAVED to her immediate left. I thought these signs really added another layer of richness to the film and peaked my interest in the director David Lean.

Side note:
Ann Todd, also known affectionately as "The Pocket Garbo" due to her diminutive, blonde beauty married David Lean in 1949. He was her third and final husband. He also directed her in directed Madeleine (1950) and Breaking the Sound Barrier (1952).


Tonight on TCM!
The Harvey Girls(1946) Straitlaced waitresses battle saloon girls to win the West for domesticity. Cast: Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Ray Bolger, Angela Lansbury Dir: George Sidney

My Favorite Actors

William Powell
Obviously due to The Thin Man collection. I also enjoyed him in Fashions of 1934, Libeled Lady, Double Harness, My Man, Godfrey, Life with Father, and Mister Roberts. Having only seen his comedic side, I am unsure if I want to see him play any of his seedier, meaner characters that were a part of his repertoire before The Thin Man. I say this having grown up enjoying Cary Grant as a funny man and then recently seeing him in movies like Suspicion and None But the Lonely Heart. Really good movies, especially Suspicion, but not the Cary Grant I am used to. Betch had range!

John Wayne

John Wayne was a staple in my household growing up. My father, any time John Wayne was or is on TV, will tell me how his father reacted to this scene or that. Most recently was a few days ago when I visited and he was watching North to Alaska. Another movie that is the epitome of how I like my John Wayne. I have seen him in war films like Sands of Iwo Jima, The Green Berets and enjoyed In Harm's Way. I have seen him in Westerns like The Sons of Katie Elder, Eldorado, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. But I prefer John Wayne when he's funny- which is to say, I like it when John Wayne has had enough and goes about fixing the situation...his way. All time favorite film, The Quiet Man. The flashbacks of Sean Thornton's former life and the way he is provoked into breaking the promise he made to himself never to fight again is both poignant and hilarious and culminates into what I think is one of the best fight scenes on film. John Wayne teams up again with Maureen O'Hara in McClintock! my second favorite film of his. He's also delightful in Donovan's Reef.

Claude Rains
I enjoy him best when he co-stars with Bette Davis. My favorite Claude Rains film is Deception. Watching his character, Alexander Hollenius, unravel when his protege cum lover (Christine)continues to lie about her former relationship to a cellist (Karel) whom she thought was killed in the war is fantastic. And then in the end, he is all that is calm and resolute as he tells Christine how he plans to ruin Karel's career. My other favorites are Mr. Skeffington- he plays such a piteous character, and Now, Voyager.

Lionel Barrymore
Most people of my generation were probably introduced to Mr. Potter of It's a Wonderful Life before seeing any of Lionel Barrymore's other work. As far as I can recall, I was and I actually have not seen any of Barrymore's earlier work, beyond Grand Hotel from 1932. I enjoyed him best in You Can't Take It with You. Grandpa Martin Vanderhof is the best grandpa in the world! Possessed of simple wisdom, unrelenting sympathy for the downtrodden and a bit eccentric to boot, this is essentially how I view and enjoy Lionel Barrymore. Other films I enjoyed were Camille and Dinner at Eight.

George Sanders
I was introduced to George's dulcet tones early on via my favorite Disney film The Jungle Book. But it wasn't until this past year that I actually saw George Sanders on film. The movie was All About Eve- I don't think I need to be yet another person to gush about how wonderful this film is. Suffice it to say it is one of the best films out there. George Sanders character Addison DeWitt is a conundrum, you don't know whether to feel sorry for him as he is slightly misrepresented by his association with Eve or glad that in giving his comeuppance to Eve, he gets a little of his own. Either way, George Sanders does unsavory well.
The way he delivers his plans in All About Eve or his advice to Dorian in The Picture of Dorian Grey or menacingly teases the second Mrs. de Winter in Rebecca, in a nonchalant demeanor, gazing not at his quarry but rather taking interest in something going on outside the scene is hallmark Sanders.

Gary Cooper
Two movies: Sergeant York and The Pride of the Yankees. I simply love Gary Cooper's quiet demeanor whether he's earning a medal for bravery or dying young. He shows more passion in The Fountainhead and Meet John Doe, but I prefer simple and slightly funny. That and he was just gorgeous like Cary Grant and Clark Gable.

Clark Gable
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn...about Gone with the Wind. Although Clark Gable is a man's man and delightful settled in his southern debauchery, that movie is too long for technicolor. My favorite movie of Clark Gable's is It Happened One Night. Full of threats, adventure, narrow escapes, and blanket-partitioned hotel rooms known as the "walls of Jericho", there's no better way to fall in love. I love it when Clark Gable is playfully mischevious.

George Brent
Although another great onscreen partner to Bette Davis, my favorite film of his co-stars Myrna Loy in The Rains Came. There isn't anything, in my mind, that is particularly outstanding about George Brent. He doesn't have the humor of William Powell or the sex appeal of Cary Grant but there is something solid about his character. Most of the films I have seen him in, he is the man every woman can rely on. Other good films are In This Our Life, The Great Lie, and Dark Victory.

Cary Grant
I cannot put him down without taking a moment to just drool over how gorgeous and debonair Cary Grant is. Despite the fact that even messy he would look better than me on my best day, despite the fact that the older he got, the oranger he got. Even orange, he was hot. It's hard to say which movie is ultimately my favorite and since there are so many, I won't go into too much detail. My first experience with Cary Grant was Topper. I thought he was charmingly funny in a rascally way and prefer my Cary Grant like that. My top three favorites would have to be Bringing Up Baby (dealing with the wrong leopard- hilarious!), My Favorite Wife (trying not to draw attention to himself after he barges in on what he thinks is his wife having an affair- priceless!), and Arsenic and Old Lace (realizing what exactly his aunts have been up to- signature Grant).
I recently watched Suspicion and it's my second favorite Hitchcock film to Vertigo. I think I was on the edge of my seat throughout most the film because I had never seen that side of Cary Grant before. He was not a gentleman, he was not courageous or witty, or even funny. He was downright scary. Even when the film was over, I wasn't so sure about Johnnie.




Lee Marvin
Paint Your Wagon. Enough said. Ok, maybe not. I mean, there is The Dirty Dozen and Donovan's Reef.

Richard Burton
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. I didn't think they could pull it off. They soooo pulled it off. Also enjoyed him in Becket and The Night of the Iguana. Oh, and he's très gorgeous, no?



Tonight on TCM!

7:30 PM
Morris Engel The Indendent (2007)
This documentary explores the life and career of independent filmmaker Morris Engel. Dir: Mary Engel. Followed by movies from director Morris Engel.