1917 (2019) and some interesting articles about the Oscars

Last weekend I did go to see this and it was good; I liked it, even though it reminded me of Saving Private Ryan at times, but I like this movie much better. I'm not sure the "long take" style was absolutely necessary, but I did like this style because you feel like you're right there with the characters and see their point of view. I wish more movies were shot like this, actually. I don't think it's as easy to do as imagined.  My friend I was with said afterwards that it reminded him of Paths of Glory, a WWI film with Kirk Douglas (I haven't seen it yet). Both films might make for a good double feature.

It may win some Oscars this weekend and I think they'd be deserving. The set direction was very impressive.

Spoiler alert (skip this next paragraph if you haven't seen it). My main problem with the film is that I found it totally unbelievable that the things that the soldier carried in his pocket would survive everything he endured, including the trench collapse and the escape down the river (and the waterfall drop). No way the maps and letters and photos he had would survive after being water-soaked for so long, in my opinion. Unless they were in a steel case of some kind, but I missed that.

Also I liked seeing some soldiers of color in the film, though their appearances were brief. There was a Sikh soldier with a very small part and some speaking lines, which I appreciated seeing on film. His scene happens on the back of a truck which is one of my favorite parts. I like that scene because it shows the experience of one soldier - grieving the death of his friend -  coming into contact with another group with established comradery. Then he needs to jumps off the truck and we never see the others again.

It's a bit of an episodic film, and I liked that knowing that the film is based on the memories of director Sam Mendes' grandfather.

This is a good article from NBC News about the WWI contributions of Sikh soldiers.
Other bloggers who recently tackled this film
Just a Cineast - blog post
Two Dollar Cinema - blog post
Bobby Rivers - blog post

Cliched Monologues - blog post

Some other interesting articles I read recently:

Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot: '1917' Is "Gimmicky," Renée Zellweger "Nailed It"
(The Hollywood Reporter)
A male member of the Academy's producers branch, granted anonymity to speak freely, shares which films earned his precious vote (and why).

The Oscars' 'Harriet Tubman problem'
(CNN.com Opinions)
Joaquin Phoenix's impassioned BAFTA acceptance speech, in which he criticized the lack of diversity in filmmaking, showed the persistence of structural racism. Phoenix implicated himself before an overwhelmingly white, and largely stunned, audience -- and cast a strong spotlight on the lack of racial diversity in the nominations for this weekend's Academy Awards.

Jimmy Stewart in The Shopworn Angel (1938)

The Shopworn Angel is one of my favorite movies because it's not a typical romantic comedy with a happy ending.

The year is 1917 and WWI is underway. Jimmy is a soldier stationed in New York before being sent overseas. We get a sense of his character's loneliness when he goes into a soda shop to write himself a few postcards. 

Margaret plays Daisy, a nightclub singer famous enough to get her picture in a magazine or two. How to describe her personality? Well, let me put it this way; from the first minute she appears onscreen in her high-rise apartment, you get a good idea of how she might treat someone like Jimmy if she ever had the chance.

Alas, they do meet-cute and Jimmy is instantly hit by cupid's arrow (bless his little heart) despite unreciprocated feelings from Daisy and sneers from her jealous boyfriend-manager, played by Walter Pidgeon (Mrs Miniver). Jealous of a country bumpkin, you might ask? It's true - in one scene, Mr. Miniver knocks over what appears to be a ceramic Statue of Liberty that Jimmy won at Coney Island (Ah, the days when they gave out fragile ceramic prizes).  

Jimmy is very good in this role. His character, Private Bill Pettigrew, has all the idealism that we love about Jimmy Stewart which makes the character so convincing. Pettigrew's sincere determination to win over Daisy before he leaves for the trenches will melt your heart. I swear, every time I watch this movie and see Jimmy with a box of chocolates in one hand and flowers in the other I ask myself will they or won't they? He and Margaret Sullivan had such great chemistry; it's hard for me to choose which movie with them I love more - this one or Shop Around the Corner.

All of the performances are top notch, including a very memorable performance by Hattie McDaniel who has to make a very brave decision toward the end of the film. If you have not seen this film, I highly recommend adding it to your must-see list. It's a beautiful, thought-provoking film.  Directed by HC Potter.

If you want to read more about the making of the film, check out the TCM full synopsis here, where you'll find trivia and more about the production (before she died, Jean Harlow was considered for the part of Daisy). 

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This post is part of the James Stewart Blogathon hosted by the Classic Film & TV Cafe. You can view the complete blogathon schedule here.

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The White Cliffs of Dover (1944)

Irene Dunne stars in this touching Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer wartime romance that was a very big hit at the box-office.

In the beginning of the film - set in early 1914 (pre-WWI)- she's on a ship with her dad on a 2-week business trip.  She's quite knowledgeable about England, and is anxious to visit for the first time. On the ship, she flirts with Van Johnson, a dapper entrepreneur who wants to keep in touch with her.   I thought Van would have a much larger role in the film - and in her life - but alas, it's not meant to me; his character only symbolizes what Irene will eventually be leaving behind. 

Frank Morgan - as her dad, an American newspaper publisher who says things like "Sufferin' cats" and "You're darn tootin'!". In one bit, he's complaining about the food. In another, he's arguing with someone about a chess set. To put it mildly, he just wants to go home. His presence brings to the film a light comedic tone; once he goes back to America - and Irene stays in England - the film's tone becomes more serious.  

Romance blossoms in Irene's life when she meets a handsome aristocrat (Alan Marshal) who sweeps her off her feet. She marries him, and they have a son.

Then, WWI erupts. Her husband is called off to war. Oh, Irene.

My favorite scene is when she holds her baby up to see the parade of American soldiers march through the streets and she says to her newborn, "you're half-Yankee and I'm never going to let you forget it!"

We then follow the family up to the present day - during the Second World War.

You'll have to see the movie to find out what happens to the family. 

Several MGM stars make appearances including a young Elizabeth Taylor, a young Roddy McDowell, a young June Lockhart, and a young Peter Lawford (!) The film also has a distinguished cast of old-guard vets such as C Aubrey Smith, Dame May Whitty, and Gladys Cooper. What a cast!

Directed by Clarence Brown, master of tearjerkers.
Recommended. Available on DVD.

Note: The Vera Lynn song "Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover" is not heard in this film. For those itching to hear it, I've included the song in this post here. Enjoy! 

The Well-Digger's Daughter (2012)

Pascal (Daniel Auteuil) and his six daughters

A charming period film, set in southern France during WWI.

A saintly young 18-year old woman (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) - the title character - has an affair with a wealthy pilot, just before he is called off to war.

When she has a baby out of wedlock, her widowed father - played by Daniel Auteuil who also directed -  is determined to keep his family's honor.

Wonderful performances by the entire cast, including Ms Bergès-Frisbey, who is perhaps best known as the mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  

Beautiful music, scenery, and costumes. Highly recommended.

Language: French / Color / 1 hour, 49 minutes / Available on DVD

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film a glowing review (read his review).

WWI Veteran Celebrates 110th Birthday

Check out this story about the last living US veteran of WWI:

WWI veteran to celebrate 110th birthday today - herald-mail.com

That's right - World War One, not Two.

110 years old.

God bless him.

Heroes for Sale (1933)

Richard Barthelmess plays Tom, a returning WWI veteran who experiences a series of unfortunate events - including a prison term - as he adjusts to civilian life. Without giving it all away, one of his struggles involves an addiction to morphine. How the character overcomes the addiction - and what he decides to do with his life - becomes fascinating storytelling that will leave you captivated from start to finish. The film is only 71 minutes, but it feels like 2 hours.

Tom finds his way to Chicago in the mid 1920s. He meets some interesting characters in a family-run soup kitchen (Charles Grapewin is the father; playing his daughter is the wonderful Aline MacMahon, who falls love with Tom from a distance). They are so much fun to watch. Loretta Young brings some romance to the story, and she is so lovely in this; there's a tender and humourous love-at-first sight moment.

Throughout the film are scenes that were considered heavily political for its time, including a scene of an angry mob and several Red Squad sequences. One character espouses a number of communist sympathies, yet over time he evolves, which is interesting to watch. It's as if the character was written to represent various political extremes under certain circumstances.

This movie reminded me of The Best years of Our Lives, the widely acclaimed film that defined the experience of returning American vets after WWII. Heroes For Sale has similar themes, and is one of the few films dealing with returning WW1 vets. References to newly elected president Roosevelt, lots of authentic signs and billboards: "Keep Moving: No Work Here". This is the kind of film that has the stories that your grandparents or great grandparents might tell you if they were in America during this time.

Directed by William Wellman. Highly recommended. Available on DVD in the box set series, "Forbidden Hollywood Volume 3". For another perspective, the blog Movie Classics has a great review of this film here.