Blog Update: Lent Reviews Year 8 and more!

     I am pleased to announce that, once again, I will be reviewing religious movies throughout the Lenten season as I have since 2014. This was my first "series" of reviews and it is the one I look forward to the most at this point. As I am anticipating a major change in my employment next fall (for the better!) I am not sure whether I will be able to find time for blogging in the foreseeable future, so it is possible that this will be the last year. Whatever happens I would like to thank all of my loyal followers who have kept up with this blog throughout the years!

     On a cheerier note, I do have some immediate plans, both for this blog and my YouTube channel, that I will be pursuing between now and September, so stay tuned for more (I talked about some of these plans on a recent livestream on my channel which you can view below) ...

Musical Monday: Royal Wedding (1951) (Fat Tuesday Special #2)

 

     Royal Wedding was released on March 23rd, 1951. It is directed by Stanley Donen and features songs by Burton Lane (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics). The film stars Fred Astaire as Tom Bowen, a Broadway star who, along with with his sister (Jane Powell), takes their show to London to capitalize on the imminent wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.

     Like the Astaire musical I reviewed last year this film focuses on rootless, cosmopolitan entertainers, portrayed here by Astaire and Powell, who are at first completely opposed to getting married but, in the end, find a more lasting happiness through marriage. Powell pursues an increasingly affectionate relationship with Peter Lawford's playboy, Lord John Brindale while Astaire falls for Sarah Churchill's Anne Ashmond, one of the chorus girls in his show who is engaged to a man living in America. Perhaps it is not insignificant that they make their decision amidst the old fashioned grandeur of the royal wedding.

     The story took inspiration from Astaire's early career singing and dancing on Broadway with his sister, Adele Astaire. In any case the plot is almost incidental in this film, serving as a vehicle to display the song and dance numbers. This becomes increasingly obvious as the film's treatment of both relationships is rather perfunctory and the film spends as little time with it as possible. Certainly, this is the films biggest weakness and it leads to some erratic pacing. Nonetheless, the singing and dancing are Royal Wedding's raison d'etre and they are consistently great.

     "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life", which has the longest title of any MGM musical, is the standout, with its witty lyrics and the wonderful, vaudeville style antics between Astaire and Powell. The films opening number, "Ev'ry Night At Seven", is quite good as well, and nicely sets the tone for the rest of the picture. On the other hand, "I Left My Hat in Haiti", which is the films "big money" number, really pales in comparison despite its impressive set design. 

     The dance choreography, by Nick Castle, is some of the most impressive of Astaire's career. "Sunday Jumps" is a magnificent display of Astaire's talent, particularly his ability to animate the inanimate, as the actor dances around on the ship's gym using the various gym accoutrements as his partner in lieu of Powell, who has neglected to show up for practice. This was inspired, in part, by real events, as Astaire's sister Adele often became annoyed with her brother's obsessive rehearsal habits. "Open Your Eyes" wherein Astaire and Powell fly around below deck as the ship is buffeted by the waves, was also inspired by a real life episode between Fred and Adele. Though technically impressive, this is just a warmup for "You're All the World to Me" where, in a now iconic scene, Astaire literally dances up the walls and on the ceiling.

     Astaire has good chemistry with Powell and with Sarah Churchill (who, by the way, was the daughter of Winston Churchill). His interactions with Albert Sharpe (who plays Churchill's father) are especially endearing. Jane Powell and Peter Lawford are also quite good together. Meanwhile, Keenan Wynn gets all the laughs in his duel role of Irving Klinger, Astaire and Powell's agent, and his English twin brother Edgar.

      Though Royal Wedding has a bit of a rushed story, it almost doesn't matter. The songs are swell, the cast is having a wonderful time, and Astaire was never in better form. 

Score: 8/10

Saturday Evening Cartoons: Song of the Sea (2014) (Fat Tuesday Special #1)

     Song of the Sea was released on December 10th, 2014. It is directed by Tomm Moore and produced by the studio Cartoon Saloon. Like their first feature, The Secret of the Kells (2009), it borrows heavily from Irish folklore, telling the story of a young boy named Ben (voiced by David Rawle), who gets whisked off on a supernatural adventure after finding out that his sister is a selkie, a mythological sea creature who can change into human form.

     The story begins with the birth of Ben's sister Saoirse (Lucy O'Connell). Shortly before giving birth, his mother Bronagh (Lisa Hannigan) disappears, leaving the child behind. It is later reveled that Bronagh was a selkie and was turned to stone by the sea-witch Macha (Fionnula Flanagan), who, ever since her son, the giant Mac Lir, had his heart broken, has made it her mission to take away the pain of others, bottling up their emotions in literal jars. The story is all about coming to terms with grief, which most of the characters are running away from in one way or another. Ben has repressed his memory of his mother's death and harbors a deep seated fear of the sea (it later revealed that she drowned, or seemed to), though he still cherishes his seaside home as it reminds him of her. His father, though he initially tries to cherish the memory of his wife and keep his family in their old home is ultimately persuaded by his overprotective mother (voiced, like Macha, by Fionnula Flanagan) to separate and she takes them to her home in the city. It is only when these characters confront their fear that the world can be set right.

     This theme is a little lacking in subtlety at times, which is certainly the film's biggest flaw. Nevertheless, it is often handled quite deftly. Take Macha, who is intentionally paralleled with Ben's overprotective grandmother. Though her motives are relatable her actions are clearly wrong and she is able to acknowledge this and to make amends before the end of the film (the grandmother, on the other hand, who simply made an error in judgement because she didn't fully understand the situation, is embraced by Ben's family at the end of the film without any resentment).  This stands in contrast to mythical villains in other animated movies (Moana comes to mind) who never take responsibility for the damage they've done. 

     Tomm Moore depicts a faerie world that exists right on the fringes of the ordinary human one. Characters travel back and forth between the two worlds in an almost matter-of-fact manner, to the point where it is hard to distinguish one from the other. This, in my estimation, is the mark of good fantasy. The film also features all kinds of Catholic milieu (again, like Kells) which exist side-by-side with the film's pagan elements, though they never seem to possess the same sense of mystery or enchantment. This may be a matter for concern for concerned Catholic parents, but it is less problematic then the pagan/Christian dichotomy in Kells. 

      Song of the Sea features some really gorgeous, stylized animation. It takes the angular style established in Secret of the Kells and improves on it, feeling more natural and utilizing more fluidity of movement. The characters, as a result, are more expressive (which is fitting since they are also more fleshed out from a writing perspective). The design is simply beautiful but the film is also rich in its subtle use of of light and shadow. The score, by Bruno Coulais and Irish folk music band Kíla (who also collaborated on Secret of the Kells), is stirring but also subtle, and is used sparingly to punctuate emotional moments, rather then serving as a constant accompaniment to the characters journey, as is so common in modern cinema. 

      Song of the Sea is another solid effort from Tomm Moore and Cartoon Saloon, improving, in many ways on their first feature while retaining its low-key, subtle sensibilities. 

Score: 9/10

Western Wednesdays: Days of Jesse James (1939)

     Days of Jesse James was released on December 20th, 1939. Starring Roy Rogers, George 'Gabby' Hayes and Don 'Red' Barry it is directed by Joseph Kane and was distributed by Republic Pictures. In this film, Roy plays a peace officer hired by the Bankers Association to track down the James brothers after they, allegedly, rob a bank. 

     It turns out that the robbery was actually committed by the owner of the bank, who wants to take the money for himself while pinning the robbery on James' gang. Helping Roy is Gabby Whittaker (Hayes), the owner of a rich gold mine who lost his fortune in the robbery and whose daughter (Pauline Moore's Mary Whittaker) has seen Jesse face-to-face. Of course, Mary and Roy fall for each-other by the end of the picture and the bankers plans are foiled after Roy and Gabby infiltrate James' gang, and discover that they were not responsible for the robbery. 

     Given that it was released the same year, it is likely that this film was made to cash in on the success of Henry King's Jesse James. Like that film it has, as you might expect, even less regard for historical fact and paints the titular outlaw (here played by Donald Barry) in a sympathetic light. Jesse has been forced into his life of crime by corrupt bankers and railroad men, and he cares deeply for his family. Barry, better known as Don 'Red' Barry, came to Republic in 1939 after spending most of the 30's playing bit parts. The same year that he played Jesse he played the villain in Saga of Death Valley, also with Rogers, and in the Three Mesquiteers' film Wyoming Outlaw. The following year he signed on with the studio as a contract player and got his big break playing the titular character of Republic's Adventures of Red Ryder serial.

     Barry does a good job playing James, imbuing the character with a sense of honor ands humanity but also a dangerous, violent streak. The scene where he goes to visit his family is quite touching and later, when he stands up for Mary to against an overbearing lawman (who is unaware that James is the man he is hunting), he is able to show his honorable side. It's no wonder the actor went on to be a western star in his own  right. The rest of the cast acquit themselves nicely as well. The always solid Harry Worth puts in a good turn as Jesse's brother Frank. Glen Strange is his usual menacing self as Cole Younger. Roy has good chemistry with Pauline Moore and, as always, with Gabby Hayes. Arthur Loft brings plenty of sleaze to the role of the corrupt banker. Fred Burns is solid as the local sheriff who aids Roy in his investigation while Harry Woods acts a a foil for Rogers as railroad detective Captain Worthington.

     The subplot involving Worthington, who wants to keep the reward for capturing Jesse to himself, adds yet another plot thread to the already complicated story but, somehow, the script, by Earle Snell and Jack Natteford, manages to balance all these disparate threads into a fairly cohesive 63 minutes. Director Joseph Kane keeps the economically paced story moving at a good clip and the action is especially well handled. There were three songs featured in the movie but the version I saw (which was edited for TV) only retained one, "Echo Mountain," which Roy sings to Mary's organ accompaniment upon meeting her and reprises at the end of the film. It's a decent enough little tune. 

     Overall, Days of Jesse James features the same consistent level of quality that would mark Roy Rogers westerns as long as Kane was in the producer's chair. Just don't go in looking for a historically accurate movie about the life of the outlaw. 

Score: 8/10

Western Wednesdays: Silver Lode (1954)

     Released on July 23rd, 1954 Silver Lode is directed by Allan Dwan and written by Karen DeWolf. In this film John Payne plays Dan Ballard, a man who is falsely accused of murder on his wedding day when an old enemy, claiming to be a U.S. Marshall, shows up in town with a warrant for his arrest. Though Dan's friends are initially supportive, they gradually begin to turn on him as he fails time and time again to clear his name, and the evidence against him seems to mount.

     Many have commented that the film plays out like an allegory for McCarthyism in the same vein as High Noon. The parallels are certainly striking (the villain is even named McCarty!) and its likely no coincidence that screenwriter Karen DeWolf, an aspiring actress during the silent era who discovered a love for screenwriting, was blacklisted for alleged Communist ties shortly after the release of this film. While this adds some interesting subtext to the film it's also its biggest weakness, as it is rather heavy handed at times and relies too often on convenience to move the plot forward. 

     Director Allan Dwan, who was 69 when he made this film, got his start when the medium was in its infancy, and is something of an unsung hero of the movie business. He directed many overlooked action/adventure classics throughout his career (including Robin Hood with Dougals Fairbanks) and was known in the industry for his technical innovations. According to some film historians, he invented the dolly shot in 1915. Modern directors like Johnnie To owe a lot to Dwan. 

     Dwan directs with real vigor here and the film is relentlessly paced. The situation just keeps escalating and escalating, building to a crescendo in the third act where Ballard must fight for his life. It is here that Dwan and Cinematographer John Alton really show what they are capable of. One long tracking shot, following a wounded Ballard as he stumbles through the town searching for shelter, is simply masterful. Sadly the climax, where the villain awkwardly tries to shoot an unarmed Ballard who's standing behind the church bell, instead of simply walking around it to get a better shot, is a bit anti-climatic and the denouement feels a little rushed compared to the rest of the film.

     Silver Lode is well cast. John Payne does a good job as the stoic lead as does Lizabeth Scott as his conflicted bride-to-be. Dan Duryea is great as usual in the role of the villain, McCarty, and Dolores Moran shines as the saloon girl with a heart of gold. Emile Meyer, perhaps best known for playing Rufus Ryker in Shane (1953) is also great as Wooley, Silver Lode's sheriff, who is torn between his loyalty to his friend and his duty as an officer of the law. The rest of the cast is filled with familiar faces like Harry Carey Jr., Robert Warwick, Alan Hale Jr., Morris Ankrum and even Stuart Whitman in an early role.

     Its somewhat contrived story and weak climax make it come up short of greatness but, all in all, Silver Lode is a really solid western, and is expertly directed by Allan Dwan.

Score: 8/10

Saturday Evening Cartoons: Frozen II (2019)

     Frozen II was released on November 22nd, 2019. The 58th animated film produced by the Walt Disney Animation, it is written and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. In this sequel to the 2013 hit, Elsa and Anna are living an idyllic existence which is interrupted when a mysterious, mystical force from the past returns to haunt Arendelle. 

     The film opens with a flashback, wherein a young Elsa and Anna are told by their parents the story of the Enchanted Forest. Their grandfather, King Runeard, established a treaty with the inhabitants of the forest, the Northuldra, by building them a dam, but when a fight broke out between them the elemental spirits of the forests were angered and trapped everyone within the forest in a wall of mist. Only their father, Agnarr, lived to tell the tale, saved by a mysterious rescuer. In the present, Elsa hears a mysterious voice calling out to her, and follows it only to awaken the elemental spirits who strip many of the kingdoms resources away, forcing the inhabitants to flee. Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf must discover the secret behind the Enchanted forces and set things right.

     As with the first film, Frozen II features some stunning animation but the unique setting and more diverse atmosphere this time around allow for some really gorgeous landscapes. The first film was remarkable for the way it animated snow, but the sequel also plays with water, ice and snow in ways I've never seen before. The addition of a new culture here means we get plenty of new, elaborate costume designs this time around as well. 

     But if the sequel surpasses the original in the areas where it excelled, it stumbles even more in the areas where it fell short. The music is, once again, a mixed bag. The songs are memorable but inconsistent in tone and style, and never really mesh with the orchestral score. "Lost in the Woods," which Kristoff sings around the halfway point, after Anna and Elsa leave him behind, is particularly out of place, starting off somber and then turning into self-parody by the end. It also features 80's style rock instrumentals, which clash with the films Nordic, choral infused score.

     The big weakness of Frozen was its script. The source of Elsa's fear of her powers, namely her parents misguided reaction to them, was rather contrived. This film exacerbates this issue by revealing that Elsa's mother was one of the Northuldra. If this is true, why hide it from her husband and daughter and why not be more supportive of her gifts? But the problems don't end their. If the first film was lacking in focus at times, this one is even more so. Elsa's arc here seems to be about discovering her true heritage and the source of her power. Anna's arc is being able to let go of her sister and allow her to pursue her own destiny. Meanwhile, Kristoff is given a subplot of his own, trying to propose to Anna throughout the film but bungling every opportunity. This is mostly played for comedic effect and, while I actually found it the most consistently entertaining part of the film, it's perhaps selling his character a little short.

     In any case, it's in the climax where the film really gets lost. Discovering that her grandfather tricked the Northuldra and made the dam to reduce their resources, she sends this information to Anna before becoming frozen as a result of wandering too far into Ahtohallan. It appears, at this point in the film, that Elsa has died and Olaf, without her magic, fades away as well. Anna is distraught, having lost the person she loves most in the world, and must decide to go on herself. She determines to destroy the dam, even though this will mean the destruction of Arendelle. 

     This decision is made far too quickly considering its disastrous consequences and no alternatives are considered. There is really no reason for this urgency as the Northuldra have been trapped in the enchanted forest for years anyways. The whole thing comes across as needlessly reckless. Compounding these problems, Elsa is quickly thawed out as a result of the dam being broken and she saves Arendelle from being destroyed in the flood. Soon after Olaf too is restored to life. So the stakes, which were pretty high even in a contrived way, are almost instantly deflated. The denouement is equally frustrating. Why does Elsa decide to stay with the Northuldra, who she's only just met? In many ways this seems to go against the message of the first movie. Perhaps this is why fairy-tales films should not, generally, have sequels. 

Score: 5/10

Western Wednesdays: The Squaw Man (1914)

    The Squaw Man was released on February 12th, 1914. The first feature length film to be shot in what we now call Hollywood, it is written and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and Oscar C. Apfel. In it an English Calvary Officer named James Wynnegate (Dustin Farnum) leaves his homeland to go out west after taking the blame for his cousins embezzlement of the 16th Lancer's orphans fund in order to protect the family name. 

     Arriving in America, Wynnegate befriends a ranch-hand named Big Bill (Dick La Reno), who takes the Englishman to Wyoming where he starts up his own ranch. In Wyoming he befriends Tab-y-wana, chief of the Utes (Joseph Singleton), and his daughter Nat-u-Ritch (Lillian St. Cyr) and runs afoul of fellow rancher and cattle rustler Cash Hawkins (William Elmer) when he saves the chiefs daughter from him. Nat-u-Ritch shoots the vengeful Hawkins to protect James and they eventually fall in love but, when the sheriff finally traces the murder back to Nat-u-Ritch, the future of Wynnegate's new found family is placed in jeopardy. 

     For a film based on a play The Squaw Man has a rather disjointed narrative. Much of the film is taken up with pointless excursions like the fire that takes place aboard the boat which brings Wynnegate to the United States. At other times the film obtrusively jumps forward in time with no real transition. It all makes for a frustrating experience. This is too bad as the film features some really innovative filmmaking. Already, director Cecil B. DeMille was experimenting with his unique lighting style. Paticuasalry impressive is the scene where Wynnegate daydreams about his life in England, which uses double exposure to superimpose an image from the magazine Wynnegate is looking at with the memory of the woman he left behind in England. The film also features some really good performances, particularly from  Dustin Farnum and co-star Lillian St. Cyr. 

      It is of note that Lillian St. Cyr, better known as Red Wing, was born into the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and, along with her husband James Young Deer was one of the first successful Native Americans in Hollywood. I'd imagine that the romantic pairing of Red Wing and Dustin Farnum caused quite a stir back in 1914 when interracial marriage was still illegal in many states. Miscegenation is a major theme in the movie. When his cousin dies near the end of the film and admits his wrongdoing, James is told that he can return to England and claim his cousins fortune but he refuses to leave his Indian wife, who he knows will not be accepted in the old country. With his ranch failing and the sherriff after his wife however, he is persuaded to send his young son back to England in order to secure his financial future. The end of the picture, where Nat-u-Ritch kills herself (possibly out of grief or possibly to ensure that her husband and son are not seperated) is truly tragic.

Despite this, the films awkward pacing prevents it from really coming together in a satisfying way. It's no wonder DeMille would go back to this material, remaking the film in 1918 and again, with sound, in 1931.

Score: 6/10