Rebecca (1940)

 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Rebecca (1940) – A. Hitchcock

Less a thriller or a suspense film than a gothic melodrama (popular at the time: Wuthering Heights, 1939; Gaslight, 1940/1944, etc.) which stayed true to the novel by Daphne du Maurier (purchased for Hitchcock by producer David O. Selznick). Joan Fontaine is the awkward young woman (a paid companion for a boorish and matronly society lady) who meets wealthy Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) at Monte Carlo where he is vacationing, trying to escape memories of his late wife, Rebecca. After a whirlwind romance, Fontaine’s character becomes the new Mrs. de Winter and takes her place as the head of the household at the beautiful and remote English mansion Manderley. From the start, she feels that she does not measure up to the beautiful and sophisticated Rebecca and this feeling is encouraged by Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), the unfriendly and hard-hearted housekeeper who was overly fond of the previous Mrs. de Winter (some reviewers have suggested a same-sex attraction). Husband Max does not make things any easier for Fontaine’s character (who is given no first name), often reacting angrily and moodily when Rebecca comes up – and indeed, since there are monogrammed R’s everywhere in the house, this is very often.  In their excellent book about Hitch, Rohmer and Chabrol point out that pairing an emotional woman with an unemotional man in a two-shot became a trope of the director, something I never noticed before (but is clear in Notorious, 1946, too).  Fontaine impresses as she transforms from vulnerable and insecure to become a more confident partner to Olivier -- and both of them, as well as Anderson, received Oscar nods in addition to Hitchcock himself along with best screenplay, score, and a slew of technical category nominations. The film won Best Picture and Best Cinematography, which held true to the Gothic style and produced an air of mystery and ultimately suspense -- which Hitch injects into the film in its final minutes as a startling twist is introduced and foppish cad George Sanders almost destroys the burgeoning romance between Olivier and Fontaine.  When Truffaut suggested to Hitchcock that he developed his interest in the psychological dynamics of his characters when working on this film, the great director agreed.  A must-see.

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Thief of Bagdad (1940) – M. Powell & L. Berger & T. Whelan

This version of the oft-told tale, the one featuring Sabu, is my favourite.  Amon and I watched it last night and, although the plot involves a flashback at the start, he handled it fine and was rapt throughout.  King Ahmad (John Justin) is tricked and imprisoned by evil magician Jaffar (Conrad Veidt) who has been acting as his grand vizier – he escapes with the help of Abu (Sabu), the titular thief, who helps him to meet a beautiful princess (June Duprez) who Jaffar also desires.  When they are again captured, Ahmad is blinded and Abu turned into a dog.  The rest of the story tells how they are transformed back into themselves, rescue the princess, and defeat Jaffar.  Along the way, they encounter a djinni in a bottle, fight a giant spider to steal the all-seeing eye, visit some ancient holy men and steal their magic carpet, and have numerous other adventures.  Having just watched a number of Ray Harryhausen films, I feared that Amon might find the special effects here too primitive (they are all done with models and superimposition, not stop-motion animation) but he was completely engrossed with the story (only remarking that the flying djinni seemed plastic).  I also found the film, with its fast-moving series of episodes and exuberant performance from Sabu, to be completely enjoyable. Highly recommended!

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Philadelphia Story (1940) – G. Cukor

Not quite as screwball as I remembered (or would have hoped) but it is endlessly fascinating to watch the very different comedic work by Cary Grant (droll) and Jimmy Stewart (more exaggerated). Of course, this was the film that Katherine Hepburn used to overcome the label of “box office poison” that she had earned from earlier efforts – she plays an independent high society woman on the rebound from her divorce from socialite Cary Grant and about to marry a self-made businessman (John Howard).  However, Jimmy Stewart’s writer (slumming for a celebrity magazine) falls head over heels for her (despite his photographer girlfriend Ruth Hussey also being there) and she finds herself swooning.  A few suggestions from the menfolk in her life that she doesn’t have enough empathy for them helps to soften her attitude, particularly toward Grant. (This might not actually be politically acceptable these days, although Grant’s only sin was drinking, not cheating).  George Cukor directed and the final 10-15 minutes (and the last shot) bring all the emotions home.  Stewart won the Oscar as did screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart.  Perhaps all of the stars did their best work elsewhere but this still has star power to spare.

Foreign Correspondent (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Foreign Correspondent (1940) – A. Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock’s second American picture (just after the Oscar-winning Rebecca, also 1940) is more of a thriller in line with his best British films (The 39 Steps, 1935; The Lady Vanishes, 1938) – which means there is a MacGuffin (the secret clause in the treaty between Holland and Belgium that relates to what happens if they are invaded by the Nazis) and everyone is trying to find it or to prevent someone from finding it.  In this case, the secret clause is known by Mr. Van Meer, a Dutch diplomat, who is variously kidnapped or shot dead by those who wish to disrupt any peace process.  Joel McCrea is the newspaper reporter of the title, sent to Europe to interview Van Meer and to get a story.  He falls in with the leader of an organisation pushing for peace, led by Herbert Marshall, and falls in love with Marshall’s daughter, played by Laraine Day.  George Sanders (also in Rebecca) is on hand as a rival reporter who supports McCrea in tracking down the villains who have kidnapped Van Meer.  Of course, Hitchcock uses all of his powers to make this adventure an exciting one, creating suspense and excitement, even while offering next to no detail about the MacGuffin (his own term for the thing that drives the plot dynamics).  He gives us the clichés about Holland – windmills chiefly (but with a few mentions of cheese) and when the setting moves to England, he pokes a bit of fun at his own culture too.  McCrea is likeable as always and, although a bit of a dolt at times, he manages to be in the right place at the right time to deliver the happy ending required.  Hitch dazzles with a tremendous airplane crash, as well as a few other set-pieces (those umbrellas in the rain); he’s already a master of his craft by this point in his career.  The ending, a monologue by McCrea seeking to encourage Americans to get involved in the War, was tacked on afterward, just before release and just around the time the Nazis started bombing London.  A real period piece, then, and while not in the highest echelon of Hitch’s films, still very enjoyable and worth your time.

  

His Girl Friday (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

His Girl Friday (1940) – H. Hawks

One of the fastest talking screwball comedies that there is, with Howard Hawks directing Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell to tread all over each other’s lines and to mutter a few zingers almost under their breath.  She plays a star reporter on the paper where he is the editor.  They used to be married.  Now she has returned from some time away, declaring that she is leaving the paper to marry Ralph Bellamy (who plays the gentle slow-talking patsy, just as he did in The Awful Truth, 1937).  Grant wants none of this and tries to entice Russell to work on his latest scoop, an interview with a death row inmate who may or may not be insane but is expected to be hung the next morning.  As is typical with Hawks, the press room at the courthouse is a boys’ club where chummy camaraderie is highlighted, despite Russell fitting right in and trading wisecracks with the best of them (a delightful gender twist introduced into the original play, The Front Page, by Hawks and his writers).  Grant does everything he can to throw cold water on the Bellamy/Russell engagement and Bellamy suffers indignity after indignity, until this winds up being another example of the “comedy of remarriage” genre.  You know that Grant and Russell are made for each other and Hawks makes you feel the underlying sentiment beneath the sarcastic barbs flying furiously between the two.  Of course, the “plot” (focused on the poor sap in prison) is just an opportunity to create chaos and confusion and to roll out a host of comic character actors who flit in and out while Grant and Russell fall back in love (if they were ever out of it). 

The Sea Hawk (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Sea Hawk (1940) – M. Curtiz

Another rousing swashbuckler from director Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn.  This time Flynn is a pirate captain working for Queen Elizabeth I, plundering Spanish ships and freeing the galley slaves that have been entrapped by the Inquisition.  At his side is Alan Hale and others who may be familiar from earlier similar pictures.  However, The Sea Hawk is a slight notch down from Captain Blood (1935) or especially Robin Hood (1938) because Brenda Marshall makes a duller love interest than Olivia de Havilland (Flynn’s usual starring partner) and Henry Daniell is wicked but not quite as wicked as Basil Rathbone.  Both of these stellar co-stars turned this picture down to seek different horizons.  Claude Rains is here but with little to do.  Still there is no denying the thrilling adventure scenes, often shot in the giant Maritime soundstage at Warner Brothers where giant sailing ships battle each other and men leap from one to the other cutlasses drawn.  Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s score undoubtedly adds to the effect. 

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) – J. Ford

Enthralling tale of Okies being thrown off their land during the Dust Bowl/Depression and subsequently heading west to California to live in squalor with others seeking jobs. Henry Fonda is suitably rebellious as Tom Joad, the kid just back from prison who has to pack up with his family (11 all told) and navigate the route and the perils upon it.  So, it’s a road movie of sorts, but the real drama takes place in the Golden State when their hopes and dreams are dashed. Director John Ford chose his character actors well (they are not all recongizable stars) and cinematographer Gregg Toland uses light beautifully both on location (particularly in the desert) and on the studio sets. Yet, for all the realness infused here, you can’t forget this is a prestige picture, as the flow of things comes to a sudden halt every now and again when one of the players let loose with a hefty chunk of text from John Steinbeck’s source novel.  Fonda gets the meatiest quotes (“Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there…”) but the picture ends nobly with Ma Joad’s (Jane Darwell) “We are the people” speech, apparently producer Zanuck’s idea against John Ford’s wishes for a more downbeat ending.  But how downbeat can you get?  That said, I reckon the actual reality for folks at that time was harsher and less cinematic.  For all their attempts to p a collective solution to the problems of poverty and exploitation by the owning classes, Steinbeck and Ford wound up being investigated by HUAC (even though Ford was a noted conservative).  You can’t win.

Contraband (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 

Contraband (1940) – M. Powell

Another early film from Michael Powell, scripted by Emeric Pressburger and starring Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson, following on from the group’s earlier The Spy in Black (1939).  Again, in a sort of Hitchcockian vein, we find ourselves following Veidt who is the captain of a neutral Danish ship that is halted and examined for contraband by the Brits on its way back from America.  While docked, two passengers steal the Captain’s courtesy landing passes and escape to London – one of them is Hobson.  With his interest piqued, Veidt follows and soon they are both ensnared by the Nazis (and it is refreshing that Veidt is not playing one of them).  Things become comic when the staff of a Danish restaurant (headed by Hay Petrie) are called upon to help.  With his usual flair for the lyrical moment, Michael Powell elevates this spy thriller into something more deeply enjoyable than the usual run-of-the-mill thriller and Veidt is excellent in a fun role.

The Mortal Storm (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Mortal Storm (1940) – F. Borzage

Perhaps this film is all the more unsettling because, despite its blistering attack on the authoritarianism of Hitler’s government, no one in Hollywood could yet know the magnitude of the evil being enacted and/or contemplated in Nazi Germany at that point. Now 75 years later, at a “safe” distance, a viewer is forced to contemplate “could it happen again?”  It does seem unlikely…but politicians who espouse keeping Muslims out of their countries or locking refugees up in detention centres for unspecified periods of time seem to be moving us closer to that alternate reality.  But back in 1940, Jimmy Stewart is prepared to stand up to the other young people who have fallen in with Hitler (including Roberts Young and Stack), because he wants to be free to think what he wants.  He is in love with Margaret Sullavan who is the daughter of a famous (presumably Jewish) professor (played by Frank Morgan) who is arrested for teaching that the blood of people from all races is chemically and biologically identical.  Although the Nazi sympathizers are portrayed extremely negatively, this is less a political treatise and more a story of thwarted romance, as Stewart’s love for Sullavan is complicated when the authorities force him to flee the country but then prevent her from doing so.  A daring escape becomes the only way out.  If only they knew then that Austria would not be far enough away. 

  

Rebecca (1940)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Rebecca (1940) – A. Hitchcock

Revisited this last night and was impressed by Joan Fontaine's fragility, Olivier's distraction, George Sanders' biting evil, and Hitchcock's masterful control over the gothic romance.