The Great Race

As part of TCM's Summer Under The Stars event taking place all throughout August, this Wednesday August 22nd salutes an entire day, with a collection of 11 of films, devoted to Jack Lemmon.  To promote this mega cinematic event on Turner Classic Movies this month, Jill of Sitting On a Back Yard Fence and Michael of Scribe Hard are hosting the #SUTS Blogathon which can be followed on either of their sites or via twitter @TCMsutsBlog. I happily join the blogging fun by discussing my love for a madcap comedy favorite, Blake Edwards' THE GREAT RACE (1965). You can join the fun at 2:45pm EDT.

This hilarious slapstick spectacular truly has it all~ comedy, romance, adventure, music, gorgeous costumes, classic 'motor cars', magnificent saloon brawl, a grand scale pie fight, swashbuckling fencing and a truly stellar cast. Tony Curtis stars as our dashing hero always dressed impeccably in all-white, The Great Leslie. Natalie Wood plays the beautiful and feisty suffragette, Maggie Dubois. Jack Lemmon steals the show as the dastardly villain, Professor Fate. Peter Falk plays Professor Fate's ever-loyal and dutiful side-kick Max Meen. Sporting a handle-bar mustache,  Keenan Wynn portrays The Great Leslie's faithful companion and mechanic, Hezekiah Sturdy. Many wonderful supporting cast continues the list like Arthur O'Connell, Vivian Vance, Dorothy Provine, Larry Storch, Ross Martin, George Macready, Marvin Kaplan, Hal Smith and Denver Pyle. 

Director Blake Edwards sets the tone, even before our story begins with an illustrated turn-of-the-century 'magic lamp' slide projection of credits that introduces our main characters. This comes complete with audible cheers for our hero, jeers for our villain and wolf howls for our femme fatale. Another Edwards touch is placed right at the start with his dedication "For Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy", as this film was his homage via slapstick and style to the greats of silent film. 

Our story begins as we see ladies helplessly swoon over the Great Leslie, the professional daredevil and consummate gentleman. As he confidently masters daring feats of bravery with ease, arch-rival Professor Fate and Max unsuccessfully and comically attempt to make their own record-breaking daring feats. Always decked in black, our villainous duo obsessively make repeated attempts to sabotage and thwart any of Leslie's successes. Then, Leslie presents the ultimate daring challenge to a motor car company, an westward route automobile race from New York to Paris. As Leslie, Fate and others prepare for this enormous challenge, an unforeseen contender enters the scene. Maggie Dubois forcefully utilizes her feminine charms her way into the role of the new and only female reporter for the The New York Sentinel. She makes it known to her fellow racers and her new employer that she's entered the race for the dual purpose of covering the story with a truly first-hand perspective but also intends to win the race to prove the emancipation of the female sex. There are many funny and running gags throughout so be sure to look for them... like the shimmering occasional glints coming from Leslie's eyes and smile or the moose head in Fate's dark, eery mansion (if you look closely you'll see the rest of the moose on the other side of the wall.)

The race begins and takes us into multiple cities, cross-country and cross-continent paced in a heavily competitive adventure. As they each try to stay ahead in the race, they occasionally meet hilarious challenges both on and off the road. This leads to everything from an Old West mega bar brawl to a polar bear encounter on a floating ice block to bare-chested saber fighting to pie fights and even imprisonment. One item I failed to mention earlier (SPOILER ALERT!), Lemmon actually plays another role- one he fails to get properly credited for... Prince Hapnick. This additional role is hysterical and displays more of Lemmon's extraordinary acting gifts. These dual role scenes of Fate and Hapnick are Edwards' salute to The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). Throughout, Maggie Dubois struggles to assert her female independence while reporting the race updates via pigeon carrier. As you might expect of any classic romantic comedy, the feisty and beautiful Dubois and our debonair Leslie fall for each other despite themselves. 

This was a highly anticipated reunion of Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis after the popular SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959). While the two met earlier in 1951, they became close friends when Lemmon was working with Curtis's wife Janet Leigh in MY SISTER EILEEN (1955). Natalie Wood met Jack Lemmon at the 1956 Oscars' ceremony. Both were nominated and Lemmon won that year! He was nominated and won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance as Ensign Pulver in MISTER ROBERTS (1955). Wood was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her legendary role in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955). After the L.A. screening of THE GREAT RACE, Natalie Wood said of her co-star's brilliant performance: "He can do mad slapstick comedy and is an incredibly funny guy off-screen too. But he can also certainly do drama, and that showcases what a wonderfully amazing actor he is, so versatile." As a matter of fact, when Natalie was pregnant with her first child Natasha in 1970, Jack Lemmon was with her when she fell into labor and he was the one who drove her to the hospital! Lemmon also became fast friends with Peter Falk as a result of this film. Lemmon, Curtis and Falk all loved playing pool so much that they arranged for a pool table on the set to play in between filming. Falk was known as the best player amongst them. Peter Falk stated THE GREAT RACE as his personal favorite film of his entire career.

For me, there are many highlights I adore about this film. Jack Lemmon's brilliant performance is foremost. His maniacal laughter and expressive responses crack me up every single time I've seen this. The multitude of costumes are visually stunning, especially for Natalie Wood's Miss Dubois which were mostly in a flattering pink and absolutely gorgeous. The song, "The Sweetheart Tree" is a real lark because while it's a lovely song that holds it's own it also comes with a bouncing ball lyrics scroll along the bottom of the screen. I can't help but enjoy the famous pie fight. It's actually a record-holder as the largest pie fight in film history. They used 2,357 REAL pies of fruit, custard and whipped cream variety. In the midst of the pie-throwing chaos Lemmon's Prince Hapnick shouts, "more brandy!" with his face covered in brandy-flavored pie and he gets smacked in the face with yet another. He then tastes the new pie smatterings from his face and announces: "Rum! I never mix my pies." The best bit here is that while pies are constantly flying all over the room, Leslie stays untouched in his all-white outfit.  

Warner Brothers spent a whopping 12 million dollars to make this film- an investment that paid off. This film received five Oscar nominations including Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing and Best Music Song ("The Sweetheart Tree") and won in the category of Best Sound Effects. If you're a Jack Lemmon fan and have somehow missed this gem, this is a MUST SEE. It's also a great one to enjoy with the entire family. If you can't play hooky to see this technicolor treat, by all means- DVR it! And for you 'cool kids' out there, there's an actual GREAT RACE 'drinking game' I've discovered. (Non-alcoholic beverages work too). I'm happy to provide the details~ just let me know! Now...Ready, Set... "Push the button, MAX!!"

Bringing Up Baby

As part of TCM's Summer Under The Stars event taking place all throughout August, today marks an entire day, with a collection of 12 of films, devoted to Katherine Hepburn.  To promote this mega cinematic event on Turner Classic Movies this month, Jill of Sitting On a Back Yard Fence and Michael of Scribe Hard are hosting the #SUTS Blogathon which can be followed on either of their sites or via twitter @TCMsutsBlog. I happily join the blogging fun by discussing my enduring love for a screwball comedy classic, Howard Hawks' BRINGING UP BABY (1938). You can kick-off your weekend in style with this madcap romantic comedy at just past midnight, 12:15am EDT early Saturday morning.

BRINGING UP BABY is a film I have placed in my all-time 'top 10' of classic films since my grade school days. It belongs in the collection of one of my earliest film memories.  Katherine Hepburn stars as Susan Vance, the eccentric and quirky heiress. Cary Grant stars as Dr. David Huxley, the scholarly zoology professor/ paleontologist. The supporting cast includes familiar character actors like Charles Ruggles, Walter Catlett, Barry Fitzgerald, May Robson and even Asta as George the dog plus a slew of uncredited well-known's such as Ward Bond and Jack Carson.

Our story begins when mild-mannered David is seen working on his enormous brontosaurus skeleton as he enthusiastically reveals the good news that an intercostal clavicle bone has been found to complete his construction, years in the making. We discover he recently became engaged to his assistant, Alice Swallow. However, it quickly becomes evident that Ms. Swallow is far from the romantic type of gal and only shows interest in his work. In order to finish this major project, David must acquire a million dollar endowment for which he intends to persuade wealthy dowager Mrs. Carleton Random via her attorney, Alexander Peabody. As David attempts to meet with Mr. Peabody to impress and persuade him to make this heavy investment, a chaos-creating Susan unintentionally throws distractions and obstacles at every turn. One of the many obstacles is the arrival of 'Baby', the tame leopard Susan's brother sends from Brazil, as a gift pet to her Aunt Elizabeth. David soon learns that daffy Susan is his key to meeting Mr. Peabody as she knows him as a close family friend (but she calls Mr. Peabody, 'Boopy'). After Susan helps ensure that David makes a poor impression on her Aunt Elizabeth, David then discovers Aunt Elizabeth is actually Mrs. Carleton Random.  More hilarious additions to mistaken identities include David's introduction to Aunt Elizabeth's friend and big game hunter Major Applegate, George the dog's compulsion for burying bones (even if they are rare dinosaur bones), and intersecting with a traveling circus that loses a far-from-tame leopard of their own.  In the end, identities are restored and both Susan and David find what (or who) they were looking for all along.

I'm drawn to this romantic comedy for it's stellar cast and for the superb all-out silliness. It's a true screwball treat. The chaotic chemistry between David and Susan is exquisite and the writing reflects that:
David: "Now it isn't that I don't like you, Susan, because after all, in moments of quiet, I'm strangely drawn to toward you, but- well, there haven't been any quiet moments."

Another example in the jail cell...Susan: "Anyway, David, when they find out who we are they'll let us out." David: "When they find out who you are they'll pad the cell."

Unlike Cary Grant who was well-versed in comic timing and gags, this was Katherine Hepburns' first attempt at comedy. Howard Hawks needed to train her with the assistance of hired veteran vaudevillians. One comic that came to her aid was co-star Walter Catlett, who plays Constable Slocum. Hepburn was so grateful that she asked Hawks to make Catlett's role larger so he could also be more available to coach her. While comedy was not natural to Katherine Hepburn initially, the results show she learned quickly as the perfect companion to Cary Grant's comic timing mastery. 

However, Hepburn did feel like a natural around the trained leopard. She would fearlessly even pet it. This was just the opposite for Grant. For any scenes where his character was supposed to interact with the leopard, a double was utilized. Once, to tease him, Hepburn popped a stuffed leopard through his dressing room vent. She wrote in her autobiography Me: Stories of My Life, "He was out of there like lightening." However, Hepburn did experience a close call once with the leopard that caused the trainer to decide upon no more free roaming of the leopard on the set. She was wearing a long skirt with metal beading trim that created shimmering effect with movement. As she moved suddenly, the leopard lunged for her back side. Hepburn was saved only by the quick intervention of the trainer's whip.  From then on, Hepburn used more caution around the leopard.

This film did not do well at the box office at the time of it's release. Poorly enough that Hawks was fired from his next production at RKO. However, it has since proven to be one of Howard Hawks' best comedies of all time. I'm certainly in agreement. To me, BRINGING UP BABY is everything a romantic comedy should be. And if Cary Grant's David in his round spectacles looks a bit familiar, you're right. Howard Hawks modeled David after silent film legend Harold Lloyd, right down to those iconic glasses. Hope to see you at Summer Under The Stars @TCM!

   

It's SWING TIME!

 
Today is a magical day for classic film fans of Ginger Rogers. As part of the month-long Summer Under The Stars event on Turner Classic Movies, a full day of Ginger Rogers films will be broadcast. For me, I look forward to watching a majority of the day's collection.  I want to share my thoughts on one of these films: George Stevens' SWING TIME (1936).

Ginger Rogers is a rare treasure of the Hollywood Golden Era... a dynamo of talent in dancing, acting, singing and beauty. Born as Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, MO (about an hour from my home), Rogers grew up on the stages of vaudeville and performed in dance contests as a child. With the guidance of her single parent mother (who later met and married John Rogers while working as a scriptwriter), she quickly acquired a taste for acting. She moved to New York in 1929 and made several short films while performing on Broadway, as well. After more bit parts in movies, her big break came a few years later via her small part yet popular performance in THE GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933.  Her first pairing with Fred Astaire launched in FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933), where their dance number coupling was like lightening in a bottle. A true star was born.

Rogers and Astaire were teamed up for a total of ten films; showcasing their enormous talents of musical comedy and heavenly dance chemistry. One such gem is SWING TIME, which shows on TCM at 9:45pm EDT. This was Ginger Rogers' sixth but her favorite of all the films she starred with Fred Astaire. The supporting cast includes familiar characters like Victor Moore, Helen Broderick, Eric Blore, Betty Furness and Georges Metaxa. The basic plot revolves around a dancer and gambler, Lucky Garnett (played by Astaire) who is pranked by his fellow performers and misses his wedding ceremony. His father-in-law calls off the wedding and Lucky needs to raise $25,000 to marry his fiancee. Yet things get complicated when he meets the beautiful dancing instructor, Penny Carroll (played by Ginger Rogers).

The best part of this film, like all the musical comedies of the Rogers and Astaire duo, are those mesmerizing song and dance sequences. My favorite song is the ever-classic and Academy Award for Best Original Song winner "The Way You Look Tonight," (which later became Astaire's most successful hit record.) There are four dance routine masterpieces and "Never Gonna Dance" is a dance musical that truly stands out. 

Whenever I watch SWING TIME or any of the Rogers/Astaire films, I am swept away by the magnitude of beauty and talent of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. The gowns and tuxes are the very definition of elegance of the 1930's glamorous style. No dancing pair has ever graced the screen with such seamless grace; making every practically impossible dance maneuver seem easy. Did I mention they act, sing and are both funny too?! Beyond her teaming up with Astaire, Ginger Rogers continued a successful career of her own in film and on stage for decades. Her career successes include winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in KITTY FOYLE (1940), showing at 11am EDT today on TCM's Summer Under The Stars tribute to Ginger Rogers. She was one of the greatest Hollywood legends on the silver screen and I look forward to enjoying her collection!

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For more information on @TCM's Summer Under The Stars, be sure to follow the @tcmSUTSblog via twitter hosted by Jill at www.sittinonabackyardfence.com and Michael at www.ScribeHardOnFilm.WordPress.com

The Thin Man

To celebrate a Summer Under The Stars day devoted to Myrna Loy, I enthusiastically chose to commit a blog to W.S. Van Dyke's THE THIN MAN (1934).  Turner Classic Movies is devoting the entire month of August to "Summer Under The Stars", where each day solely reflects programming to a specific star of classic cinema. This Thursday, August 2nd you can enjoy THE THIN MAN at 11pm EDT plus many more Myrna Loy films on TCM all day long!

THE THIN MAN is the first entry in a collection of a total of six films of the enormously popular characters Nick and Nora Charles, portrayed by William Powell and Myrna Loy.  Although already well-known and experienced actors, THE THIN MAN and subsequent Thin Man series films launched William Powell and Myrna Loy into super-stardom...with good reason.

Nick Charles is a former detective who returns to town with his new bride, Nora Charles, a wealthy heiress and their lovable wire-haired terrier, Asta. In introducing our lead threesome, we see that Nick is charismatically and deeply charming, Nora is adorably sophisticated and fashionable in an unpretentious style and Asta always provides comic appeal on his own terms. We also quickly realize that Nick and Nora take social drinking to an all-new level. This two are not mere occasional hobbyists but true professionals in martini shaking and party-throwing. And most of all, we see Nick and Nora's flirtatious and playful love for one another lights up the screen with authentic and magnetic chemistry.

  

Based on Dashiell Hammett's novel of the same name, the "thin man" actually refers not to Nick Charles but to the missing 'tall, thin man with white hair' Clyde Wynant whom Nick Charles seeks throughout the film and whose mysterious disappearance is central to the plot. Clyde's daughter, Dorothy, played by pretty Maureen O'Sullivan, becomes worried about her inventor father's absence. Dorothy's step-mother is found murdered and her father quickly becomes the main suspect so she begs Nick to take her case. With Nora's thirst for thrills and adventure, she convinces Nick to come out of retirement and return to his sleuthing ways. As Nick follows leads, we are introduced to Dorothy's eccentrically odd family and circle, and the suspicious characters replete with motive begin to pile up. The police decide to work in cooperation with Nick in pursuing the case, but not before Nick and Nora throw a party so we can meet Nick's ole cronies and witness a typical heavy bender. What's revealed in this little party besides the Charles' high tolerance for cocktail consumption and their generosity in hosting, is that Nick Charles is admired and respected by both the police and the street-wise criminals he's worked with through his prior cases. (Upon surveying the room of colorful guests, Nora Charles says: "Oh Nicky, I love you because you know such lovely people.") Finally, when the police are convinced the wrong man is responsible, Nick convenes a dinner party for all possible suspects to attend and the ultimate whodunnit revelation showcases Nick Charles' brilliance in detective mastery.

THE THIN MAN is such a favorite because of the brilliant chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy. They're both perfection in these fun roles. With their quick witty banter and confident ease in exchanges, they each wear their roles comfortably as a custom-fit glove. The dialogue is sharp; and makes me chuckle and smile, every single time I watch. Here's one example of the many zingers... Nora Charles: "You know, that sounds like an interesting case. Why don't you take it?" Nick Charles: "I haven't the time. I'm too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for." Only William Powell could portray the ever-charming, while heavily intoxicated party host one moment then a brilliant mastermind detective the next, all while casually flirting with his beautiful wife. And only Myrna Loy's calm confidence and beauty could balance the sophisticated socialite who's acquired a taste for the adventure and thrill of her husband's gritty profession. Myrna Loy truly epitomized the consummate combination of beauty and brains.

For me, when watching this charming gem, there is one thing that sums up the delightful relationship of Nick and Nora Charles sublimely... the scenes when Myrna Loy playfully scrunches up her nose at William Powell and he returns the gesture in kind. If you haven't seen THE THIN MAN yet, I urge you to get those martini shakers ready and tune in this Thursday and see for yourself- I guarantee it won't be your last.

#WelcomeBackBob

Bob is coming coming back! Bob is coming back! Hip Hip Hooray!

For those of you who belong to the tight-knit, little community of true classic movie fans and specifically, hard-core TCM followers;you know exactly what this arrival of "Bob" means. I'm speaking of the 5 month agonizingly long wait for the return of TCM's beloved host, Robert Osborne.

I've had a obsessive love for classic movies since a young child. I would say it started with an introduction from my grandmother. She was a spirited, fiery red-headed Irish woman who told me amazing stories of the days of being an officer's wife of a WW2 bomber pilot stationed in England. I was intrigued by her fascinating stories- it all seemed so romantic and colorful. In addition to her stories, she also introduced me to the world of classic film. I was hooked instantly. And I soon began to think of my grandmother as a hybrid of Maureen O'Hara & Lucille Ball.

Time marched on, and my love for classic cinema deepened. I even got married in an ol' movie theatre with a classic movie theme-which even included showing a 'movie of movie clips, that my groom made for me along with place cards with infamous Hollywood couples' names. But somewhere along the way, I discovered TCM. Like my groom, I luckily stumbled upon another perfect match for me.

While classic film and TCM have been like old dear friends to me all these years, the host and steward Robert Osborne has been too. As the always amiable and expert companion, Robert is there for the journey. He's like an encyclopedia of classic cinema (oops- probably not the most current reference- okay, let's say 'google of current cinema.') I've truly missed seeing Robert as my constant comforting guide through Hollywood's golden ages. In less than 48 hours, Robert returns again; hopefully fit as a fiddle, as primetime host. And I for one, couldn't be more thrilled. #WelcomeBackBob

WHAT A CHARACTER!

Another blogathon!  One with character!

This summer is proving to be a landmark in the classic film blogosphere.  Events are planned covering an array of fabulous classic films, movie stars and topics on all things movies.
Borrowing a catch-phrase from our beloved, home of the classics, Turner Classic Movies, Kellee of Outspoken & Freckled and (@IrishJayHawk66), Paula of Paula’s Cinema Club and (@Paula_Guthat) and Aurora, of Once Upon a Screen and (@CitizenScreen) are dedicating an event to the great character actors that so enhanced our classic movies.  To the faces, the laughs, the drama presented by these wonderful actors whose names all too often go unrecognized we dedicate WHAT A CHARACTER!

• Would Casablanca be as great without the laughs provided by S. K. Sakall?
• Would we want to look out Rear Window if not for the warnings of Thelma Ritter?
• Can you measure how much Edward Everett Horton added to the fabulous Astaire / Rogers pictures?

We think these and so many others deserve their due.  So, here we are with a blogathon in their honor.
The details:
If you are interested in contributing, please go to any one of the host sites and submit a comment with your choice.  Please include the title and link to your blog.  What or whom you choose to write about is open.  We’d love to have everyone choose different subjects and topics because there are so many great character actors that deserve attention.  But we’ll leave that up to you.  As submissions come in, we’ll update the list of entries to give everyone an idea of what’s been chosen.
Host sites and contact information:
Kellee – Twitter @IrishJayHawk66      email - prattkellee@gmail.com    Blog - Outspoken and Freckled
Paula – Twitter  @Paula_Guthat      email - Paula.Guthat@gmail.com    Blog - Paula’s Cinema Club
Aurora – Twitter @CitizenScreen      email - Citizenscreenclassics@gmail.com    Blog - Once Upon A Screen
A couple of weeks before the event, we’ll post a submission schedule.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact any of us at any time.
We’re looking forward to a lot of great information on those considered WHAT A CHARACTER!

Characters already spoken for:
Aline MacMahon - Emma -  Let's Misbehave

Billie Burke - Janet Coulson - 
Charles McGraw - Ivan -  Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson- Terry - A Shroud of Thoughts
Edward Everett Horton- Jill - Sittin' on a Backyard Fence
Eric Blore- Lindsey- The Motion Pictures
Erik Rhodes and Alan Hale - Annmarie - Classic Movie Hub
Eve Arden – Kellee – Outspoken & Freckled
Felix Bressart - Kristina -  Speakeasy
Frank McHugh - Dorian - Tales of the Easily Distracted 
Gail Patrick - Laurie - One Gal's Musings  
Grady Sutton - Jessica - Comet Over Hollywood
Hume Cronyn in "Shadow of a Doubt" - Jackie - jaxbra tumbler
John Qualen - Kristen Sales - SalesonFilm  
Lee J. Cobb in "We Raid Calais Tonight"- Ruth - Silver Screenings
Lew Ayres in HOLIDAY - Marya - Cinematic Fanatic  
Louise Beavers - Margaret - The Great Katherine Hepburn 
Lucille Wilson and Maude Eburne - Patricia Nolan - Caftan Woman (9/23)
Majorie Main- Lucy - Secluded Charm
Mary Wickes- Brandie - True Classics
Porter Hall - Joel _ Joel's Classic Film Passion
Richard Jaeckel- Jack Deth - *
Sam Levene -Duke - Picture Spoilers
S. Z. Sakall – Paula – Paula’s Cinema Club
Thelma Ritter – Aurora – Once Upon A Screen
Una Merkel - Kevyn - The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World
Una O'Connor- Anthony - Zeppo Marxism
Victor Jory- Jacqueline - Another Old Movie Blog (9/24)
Victor Moore - Kari
Virginia Weidler - Nikki Lynn - All Things Classic Film
Walter Brennan in "To Have and To Have Not" and Mercedes McCambridge - Le - Critica Retro
Ward Bond - Tonya - Goosepimply All Over

The event banner is the one you see in this post.  It wasn’t easy coming up with one face, one character to focus on – so, a myriad of wonderful faces.  It would be great if you can post one on your site to help us promote this event.

The faces on the banner:
Row 1: (L-R) Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Margaret Dumont, Edward Arnold, Albert Dekker, Ann Miller, Leon Errol
Row 2: (L-R) Dan Duryea, Eugene Palette, Aline MacMahon, Charles Coburn, Lee J. Cobb, Billie Burke
Row 3: (L-R) Spring Byington, Walter Brennan, Hattie McDaniel, Gene Lockhart, Margaret O’Brien, Edgar Kennedy
Row 4: (L-R) Eric Blore, Franklin Pangborn, Frank Morgan, Guy Kibbee, Gloria Grahame, Jane Darwell
Row 5: (L-R) Judith Anderson, Edward Everett Horton, Eve Arden, S.Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, Thelma Ritter, Louis Calhern
Row 6: (L-R) Charles Lane, Kim Hunter, David Wayne, Louise Beavers, Cecil Kellaway, Shemp Howard

A night of Potemkin

 
Recently, I had the pleasure to experience a silent film landmark in a fun evening with friends. Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 infamous "The Battleship Potemkin" was showing with live orchestral accompaniment at the local arts center. A rare treat in such a setting to be certain. So, I contacted a friend and silent screen enthusiast from the twittersphere, Trevor aka @tpjost to set the wheels in motion.

My husband and I joined Trevor and a couple of his friends, whom all drove several hours from Newton, KS for dinner and drinks prior to the show. After sharing burgers, beers and stories, it was moments until showtime. We five settled into ideal seats up front and directly behind the orchestra pit. While my husband and Trevor shared that this was not their first time, it was mine and I couldn't wait to experience the legendary Russian propaganda classic for myself.  

"The Battleship Potemkin" is the stuff of legends. I was, if anything, anxious to see the film that so many of my fellow film buffs consider a basic prerequisite for any film fan. And frankly, I was curious about the iconic Odessa steps scene that inspired so many filmmakers- most paralleled in "The Untouchables". Originally intended as a propaganda film by leaders of the Russian revolution for the Potemkin uprising 20th anniversary, it resulted as Eisenstein's historically controversial masterpiece.

It's visually stunning and engages the audience with an editing technique that contrasts and juxtaposes startling images. The plot is itself is rather gut-wrenching throughout and wastes no time getting there. In the beginning we see a battleship who's crew is weary from a long and arduous journey. Overworked and malnourished, the crew is subjugated to a morning meal of rancid meat, crawling with maggots. Commanded to consume this foul meal unfit for any beast, a group of sailors stands defiant. Officers corral the rebels into a huddle, throwing a tarp over them as a firing squad assembles; ready to fire upon the helpless victims. Just as the firing squad is about to deliver their deadly shots, a lone sailor Vakulinchuk breaks the silence with "Brothers! Who are you shooting at?!" The firing squad lowers their weaponry and the uprising begins.

The most compelling sequence dramatically builds near the end of the film and is undoubtedly the Odessa steps scene. Onshore, this horrific massacre unfolds slowly down a sequence of wide steps as citizens flee for their lives, scrambling to escape their executioners' chase. A particularly emotional segment in the midst of this nightmare follows a woman desperately trying to save a vulnerable baby while also bravely attempting to plead for a truce to end the madness. Tragically, she was unsuccessful.

Silent film uses very little dialogue and with this film, its almost unnecessary as Eisenstein tells the story so brilliantly through his imagery. One of the best components of this cinematic experience was the live music in harmony to the dramatic images on the screen. This experience was thrilling and I look forward to my next silent big screen outing shared with friends.