Nov. 27th 1988
Watching 'shadow of a Doubt'
After years of delay, MCA Home Video has released "Shadow of a Doubt," the most disturbing and involving of Alfred Hitchcock's directorial efforts. This 1943 film is the last of Hitchcock's American movies to be released on tape, and I think 1937's "Young and Innocent" is the only one of note from his British period that is still not available.
Hitchcock was brought to the U.S. by young David O. Selznick, owner of the best "independent" studio in Hollywood, and creator of the enormously successful film version of "Gone with the Wind."
Hitchcock directed the Academy Award winning "Rebecca," truly more a Selznick film than a Hitchcock, and from then on, ironically, made his best movies while out on loan to other studios, with such moving works as "Notorious" (1946), "Suspicion" (1941), and "Shadow of a Doubt." Once released from Selznick's contract, Hitchcock produced and directed a series of successes that made him the best known director to filmgoers. During the 1950s, Hitchcock's name on a film guaranteed box-office cash.
Grotesquely fat and drinking heavily, he and his work went into decline during the '60s and '70s, but he left behind more then 50 films with fascinating tricks of audience involvement.
Made while the director was on loan to Universal Studios, "Shadow of a Doubt" effectively uses the theme of such earlier works as "The Thirty Nine Steps," that of a man on the run from the police, and in this case turns it on its head. "Uncle Charlie" Oakley, played with chilling intensity by Joseph Cotton is in reality the "Merry Widow Murderer," a man who makes a good living marrying, and the killing rich old ladies. He takes refuge in the small town of Santa Rosa, at his sister's house, and it is his niece, "Charlie," named for the beloved uncle, who slowly discovers the truth about him.
Those who have seen other movies by the director will recognize the situation: an innocent, in this case an entire family living in a routine-formed vacuum, is struck by lightening, yet only young Charlie realized it. The family is beautifully cast: Henry Travers plays the unassuming head of the family, fearful of his boss and anxious to keep up appearances. His doting wife is played with charm by Patricia Collinge. As the younger kids, Charlie Bates and Edna May Wonacott are unusually distinctive characters for the '40s film, and the prize is Teresa Wright the oldest child, "Charlie."
"Shadow of a Doubt" is not just a simple thriller. It is also an appealing portrait of small town life (everyone knows young Charlie by name), yet also giving an occasional glimpse of Sana Rosa's underbelly. One of the most poignant scenes is when Uncle Charlie drags his niece into a bar to talk over what she suspects. They are waited on a by a dull eyed, apathetic girl who admits to having been a waitress in "half the bars in town." She turns out to be an ex-classmate of young Charlie, and gives us a glance at what direction charlie might have gone.
But the most chilling thing about this movie is its bent towards nihilism. If the Merry Widow Murderer is not found out, it won't mean a whit to the small town - nobody except the principals will be the wiser. Amidst the bosom of family and the friendliness of the neighborhood, each individual is an island, and some are pretty bleak islands at that. The Thorton Wilder, Sally Benson, Alma Reville script is clever and entertaining, the music is adequate, and cinematic tricks show Hitchcock hitting his maturity, and the dark vision amidst the bright cinematography is a juxtaposition that won't leave you laughing.
This one's a winner.
Shadow of a Doubt" can be rented locally at The Video Stop and the The Record Rack, and it would make a great "keeper" at its reasonable purchase price of $24.95.
Mac Rush works in the Banner's composing room.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Watching two old friends
Nov 20th 1988
Watching two old friends
Two old friends are back on network TV; and, as sometimes happens when old friends visit, one outwears his welcome quickly and the other has potential to be invited for a long stay.
Our "cocktails only" guest is "The Dick Van Dyke Show," on CBS's WRGB Channel 6, Wednesday at 8p.m. Van Dyke stars in a half-hour sit-com about a small rural theater owned by the fun-loving Dick and his competent partner/son played by this real life son, Barry. In spite of the script writers' attempts to distinguish between the two, these players are so alike that it is like being in a time machine.
Dick is the same old Dick as he was in the 1961-66 show of the same name, dissembling, fumbling, mumbling when confused, and easily upset but afraid to express it, Or, to put it another way, the "Rob Petrie" character that was so funny when the Van Dyke was 36 years old has not developed a bit now that he's 63.
Watching this season's "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is like being in a time machine in more then that, however. It is like watching of the 50's or 60's situation comedies in color, complete with cloying, sentimental music to start, a separate moving shot of each character with the actor or actresses name displayed (actually a boon to a critic), and unrealistic, space-cadet plots where the minor glitches in the flow of people's lives become major crises. Attractive, helpful, all-knowing women, an amusing Black man, jack of all trades, and an adorable angelic, tow-headed child complete the picture of a show that is not for the 1980s.
The saddest thing about this effort is that Van Dyke showed such potential early on. Through too young for vaudeville, he certainly carried on the tradition of Jimmy Durante, George Burns and Bob Hope with a nice balance of slapstick and quick gags, while adding a depth of uncertainty that was appealing in the 1960s Rob Petrie character. But he seems to be a case of arrested development in the new show and that's a shame for a person who had such promise.
Once Dick leaves, we can welcome his old co-star, Mary Tyler Moore, a woman whose talents have developed considerably since the early '60s. As Laura Petrie, she was a whiney beauty with a partially developed personality and comedic sense. By 1970, she was brilliant in her show about a single, reasonably well adjusted career woman tackling professional and personal problems in hilarious fashion on what I think was the greatest sit-com aired.
True, Moore's career has been a series of ups and downs; she was a disaster in Broadway and Hollywood after "The Dick Van Dyke Show," came to fame and fortune on "Mary Tyler Moore Show," became a surprising success in a new try at film and theater, yet failed in two attempts to make another hit in prime time.
But Mary's back again, in "Annie McGuire," following Van Dyke at 8:30 p.m.At age 52, she obviously keeps herself in fine shape, perhaps looking a bit too dieted and overexercised. After all why shouldn't a woman of 50 look 50?
Moore plays the still-lusty wife of a widower, Nicky, played in chunky, charming style by Dennis Arndt. The most unusual convention of "Annie McGuire" is that is uses voice-overs to show what our characters are thinking, and in that way it's reminiscent of an old Rock Hudson, Doris Day movie, but with no virgins. Her character is much as it was in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"; she double-deals in her personal relationships, not because she is "bad," but because of an odd quirk in her personality.
I'd hardly call this show brilliant but it shows promise if it gets away from the overdone look of the otherwise welcome sexual tension between Annie and her husband.
"Annie McGuire," unlike "...Van Dyke...", has the potential to grow, and seeing whether it does or not makes is at least a house-guest for a few weeks at my place.
And glory on glory it has no laugh track.
Mac Rush works in the Banner's composing room.
Today is my dad's birthday, I miss him.
Watching two old friends
Two old friends are back on network TV; and, as sometimes happens when old friends visit, one outwears his welcome quickly and the other has potential to be invited for a long stay.
Our "cocktails only" guest is "The Dick Van Dyke Show," on CBS's WRGB Channel 6, Wednesday at 8p.m. Van Dyke stars in a half-hour sit-com about a small rural theater owned by the fun-loving Dick and his competent partner/son played by this real life son, Barry. In spite of the script writers' attempts to distinguish between the two, these players are so alike that it is like being in a time machine.
Dick is the same old Dick as he was in the 1961-66 show of the same name, dissembling, fumbling, mumbling when confused, and easily upset but afraid to express it, Or, to put it another way, the "Rob Petrie" character that was so funny when the Van Dyke was 36 years old has not developed a bit now that he's 63.
Watching this season's "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is like being in a time machine in more then that, however. It is like watching of the 50's or 60's situation comedies in color, complete with cloying, sentimental music to start, a separate moving shot of each character with the actor or actresses name displayed (actually a boon to a critic), and unrealistic, space-cadet plots where the minor glitches in the flow of people's lives become major crises. Attractive, helpful, all-knowing women, an amusing Black man, jack of all trades, and an adorable angelic, tow-headed child complete the picture of a show that is not for the 1980s.
The saddest thing about this effort is that Van Dyke showed such potential early on. Through too young for vaudeville, he certainly carried on the tradition of Jimmy Durante, George Burns and Bob Hope with a nice balance of slapstick and quick gags, while adding a depth of uncertainty that was appealing in the 1960s Rob Petrie character. But he seems to be a case of arrested development in the new show and that's a shame for a person who had such promise.
Once Dick leaves, we can welcome his old co-star, Mary Tyler Moore, a woman whose talents have developed considerably since the early '60s. As Laura Petrie, she was a whiney beauty with a partially developed personality and comedic sense. By 1970, she was brilliant in her show about a single, reasonably well adjusted career woman tackling professional and personal problems in hilarious fashion on what I think was the greatest sit-com aired.
True, Moore's career has been a series of ups and downs; she was a disaster in Broadway and Hollywood after "The Dick Van Dyke Show," came to fame and fortune on "Mary Tyler Moore Show," became a surprising success in a new try at film and theater, yet failed in two attempts to make another hit in prime time.
But Mary's back again, in "Annie McGuire," following Van Dyke at 8:30 p.m.At age 52, she obviously keeps herself in fine shape, perhaps looking a bit too dieted and overexercised. After all why shouldn't a woman of 50 look 50?
Moore plays the still-lusty wife of a widower, Nicky, played in chunky, charming style by Dennis Arndt. The most unusual convention of "Annie McGuire" is that is uses voice-overs to show what our characters are thinking, and in that way it's reminiscent of an old Rock Hudson, Doris Day movie, but with no virgins. Her character is much as it was in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"; she double-deals in her personal relationships, not because she is "bad," but because of an odd quirk in her personality.
I'd hardly call this show brilliant but it shows promise if it gets away from the overdone look of the otherwise welcome sexual tension between Annie and her husband.
"Annie McGuire," unlike "...Van Dyke...", has the potential to grow, and seeing whether it does or not makes is at least a house-guest for a few weeks at my place.
And glory on glory it has no laugh track.
Mac Rush works in the Banner's composing room.
Today is my dad's birthday, I miss him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)