Jason's Blog, page 195

An old drawing

I have no idea what this drawing is about.

My favorite Wife

Cary Grant has his wife Irene Dunne declared dead so he can marry another woman. Then Dunne turns up alive, having been shipwrecked with Randolph Scott for seven years. Produced by Leo McCarey.

It's a RKO film; I've always liked the logo with the tower in the opening. Anyway, it's not a bad idea for a film, but it doesn't really have that perfect structure the best screwball comedies have, where all the pieces fit in the end. Scott has more of a guest appearance than a real role. Too bad, since he could have been a real competition for Grant - the opposite of Ralph Bellamy in The Awful Truth. It's also the funniest part of the film, Dunne showing Grant a short, bald guy as the man she was shipwrecked with, and Grant already having found out the truth . As is often the case in these films, the plot is based upon people behaving irrationally. Why couldn't Grant just tell his new bride that his wife had reappeared, in the beginning? But then, of course, the film would only be ten minutes long.

The Awful Truth

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne is a couple facing divorce. They have regrets and try to make the other person jealous. Also starring Ralph Bellamy, directed by Leo McCarey.

It's a sophisticated screwball comedy. Dunne isn't quite Katharine Hepburn, but still does okay as a partner for Grant. It's Bellamy, though, that almost steals the film. The energy drops after he exits two thirds into the film and the last half hour isn't quite that funny. Grant again gets to show how well he does physical comedy. The bit with the hat is probably the funniest part in the film.

Cary Grant

Three reasons why it's difficult to take the Oscars seriously:

1. Cary Grant never won for best actor.
2. Hitchcock never won for best director.
3. Crash won for best film. One of the worst films ever made; it's more of a lecture, actually, than a film, without a single credible character or line of dialogue. It's like a guy yelling "Racism is bad!" in your face for two hours. Or one hour in my case since I left the cinema - the only time I've walked out on a film before it was finished.

Anyway, back to Grant. It's difficult to choose, but I'd say His Girl Friday might be his best performance. I haven't seen all his films, though. I've been buying some more of them lately. I had planned on watching Operation Petticoat first, but gave up after half an hour. Apparently not all his films are masterpieces, especially from his later period. So I rather popped in Holiday, his second film with Katharine Hepburn, directed by George Cukor. If you base a comedy on how many times you laugh, this is a poor film. It's more appealing than actually funny. Grant gets to show off some of his acrobatic skills, and of course he's got great chemistry with Hepburn. The film's got class, okay?

Oh, and reason number four: Al Pacino won for best actor - not for The Godfather or Scarface or Dog Day Afternoon, but for Scent of a Woman.

15 favourite cartoonists

Hergé
Charles Schulz
Hugo Pratt
Dan Clowes
Jaime Hernandez
Chester Brown
Lewis Trondheim
Jim Woodring
Julie Doucet
Christopher Nielsen
Joe Matt
Fabio
Serge Clerc
Christophe Blain
Moebius

This list is from a facebook challenge of naming 15 favourite cartoonists that have been an influence, in less than 15 minutes.

Return of The Fly

The son of the original scientist apparently didn't learn anything from that film and keeps messing with nature. Starring Vincent Price.

The original The Fly has it's moments. The sequel is a lot sillier. You can imagine the scriptwriter having sleepless nights trying to come up with a reason for the son of the scientist also turning into a manfly. And producers breathing down his neck: "We not only want a manfly, we also want a manrat. Have the script finished on Friday." The sollution doesn't make much sense. On the other side - we learn that the story takes place in Montreal, so that explains the French accent in the original film. And it's only 75 minutes.

It makes you wonder, though, were people actually frightened by these films? Or were they giggling in the aisles back in 59? It's sort of a horror movie for kids. I would have liked to see this film when I was nine or ten.

Another page...

... from L'Île aux 100 000 Morts. Script by Fabien Vehlmann, colours by Hubert. To be published by Glenat in January.