With so much talent behind the camera (W.S. Van Dyke, Joseph L.
Mankiewicz and George Cukor) and on the screen (Myrna Loy, Clark Gable, William Powell, Nat
Pendleton, Mickey Rooney, etc.) I was really expecting more out of MANHATTAN
MELODRAMA, but unfortunately the entire thing is too melodramatic to be
taken seriously.
The story is your basic Cain and Abel hokum with two orphans growing up as
brothers. One goes the straight and narrow to become a prominent political
figure and the other the local kingpin of illegal gambling. Throw in the fact
that they are both in love with the same woman and you got…well, nothing really.
You would expect for there to be fireworks, but the script plays it safe from
beginning to end and there’s never any tension or surprise moments.
Worth watching for fans of classic Hollywood, but everybody else would probably be bored.
Interesting trivia:
John Dillinger was
leaving the Biograph Theater in Chicago, Ill. when he was confronted by federal
agents and then shot in the back. Here is a picture of the Biograph Theater with
MANHATTAN MELODRAMA on the billboard:
Showing posts with label George Cukor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George Cukor. Show all posts
Friday, June 28, 2013
Monday, August 8, 2011
THE WOMEN (1939)
Director George Cukor had a hell of a year in 1939. First, after spending two
years in pre-production on GONE WITH THE WIND, he parting ways due to
disagreements with David O. Selznick. During this time he also worked on
THE WIZARD OF OZ
where he altered the look of Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Wicked Witch. And if
that's not enough, after being dismissed from GWTW he directed THE WOMEN, which
I'm confused as to why it wasn't even
nominated for any Academy Awards. Could
it have been because Cukor was pretty open about his homosexuality? How the fuck
should I know! But I do know that Rosalind Russell was robbed...of a nomination,
not the win. Olivia
de Havilland was the one robbed of the win in 1939.
Anyway, THE WOMEN is a mile-a-minute drama/comedy about a bunch of cackling bitches who get no greater joy in life than making their friend's lives miserable. The target of their cruelty for this movie is the kind-hearted Norma Shearer who is madly in love with her husband, so naturally when the pack hear a rumor that Shearer's husband is messing around with a shopgirl they get all worked up into a frenzy and will stop at nothing to break up Norma's marriage. Nothing is too brutal for these women to say, they even bring Norma's daughter into their verbal attacks!
One of the things that I always found strange about THE WOMEN is the 10 minute fashion show right in the middle of the movie! It doesn't benefit the story in any way and more than anything it brings the story to a screeching stop right before an emotional scene. From what I've read Cukor didn't like the scene either, but it got left in anyway. My advise: when it starts just skip the chapter and forget that it ever existed. Other than that, I like this movie quite a bit, especially Rosalind Russell who is hilarious as the lead bitch. Her "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" scene was great.
Being over 70 years old this film is dated and over melodramatic, but if you can get over that you'll find a very enjoyable movie with a lot of witty dialogue. Fans of classic Hollywood should definitely check it out.
Anyway, THE WOMEN is a mile-a-minute drama/comedy about a bunch of cackling bitches who get no greater joy in life than making their friend's lives miserable. The target of their cruelty for this movie is the kind-hearted Norma Shearer who is madly in love with her husband, so naturally when the pack hear a rumor that Shearer's husband is messing around with a shopgirl they get all worked up into a frenzy and will stop at nothing to break up Norma's marriage. Nothing is too brutal for these women to say, they even bring Norma's daughter into their verbal attacks!
One of the things that I always found strange about THE WOMEN is the 10 minute fashion show right in the middle of the movie! It doesn't benefit the story in any way and more than anything it brings the story to a screeching stop right before an emotional scene. From what I've read Cukor didn't like the scene either, but it got left in anyway. My advise: when it starts just skip the chapter and forget that it ever existed. Other than that, I like this movie quite a bit, especially Rosalind Russell who is hilarious as the lead bitch. Her "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" scene was great.
Being over 70 years old this film is dated and over melodramatic, but if you can get over that you'll find a very enjoyable movie with a lot of witty dialogue. Fans of classic Hollywood should definitely check it out.
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