Killer Collaborators: Greer Carson and Walter Pidgeon

A lot has been written over the years about some classic movie couples.  Movie actors who are so closely associated that they're frequently spoken of in the same sentence.  Likely you've heard of "Tracy and Hepburn", or "William Powell and Myrna Loy", or even "John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara". And while I adore all those pairings and could go on about their films for hours, today I thought I'd focus on a classic movie couple that gets perhaps a little less attention.  I'm talking about Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon.

Greer Garson was THE queen of the movies throughout the 1940's. Forget Betty Davis, forget Joan Crawford. Greer Garson was it, and she got the classiest roles at her studio MGM.  She usually played noble, self-sacrificing, and even heroic parts.  And in most of her best performances, she was matched by Walter Pidgeon every step of the way. They made 8 pictures together, and their chemistry and warm friendship is evident in every one of them.  Tracy and Hepburn would frequently be at odds, Duke and Maureen O'Hara would have huge fights and tender reunions, and William Powell and Myrna Loy specialized in sarcasm and sophistication.  But with Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon you always got warmth, genuine affection, mutual respect, and enjoyment of each others company. Perhaps it helped that they were such good friends off screen.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Blossoms in the Dust (1941) - In their first pairing, Garson and Pidgeon play Edna and Sam Gladney, a well-to-do and happily married Texas couple, who after experiencing a miscarriage are sadly unable to have more children. Eventually this leads them to become proponents of adoption. After Sam's death, Edna carries on and eventually is prominent in the fight to remove the word "illegitimate" from Texas birth records.

The first of Garson's noble and stoic roles, and her second Oscar nomination.

Mrs. Miniver (1942) - In this war-time classic, our duo play Kay and Clem Miniver, who live an idyllic middle-class family life, until they're both forced to rise to the occasion during the Battle of Britain.  Notable for it's terrific cast - including Dame May Whitty, Henry Travers, Reginald Owen, Henry Wilcoxon, and Teresa Wright (in her Oscar-winning supporting role), and for doing it's part to convince America to join the war effort.  Garson received her own well-deserved Oscar for Best Actress, and the movie was named Best Picture. You'll laugh, and cry and feel full of fortitude. A truly terrific movie, and Director William Wyler's first masterpiece.

Trivia notes: Couple of trivia tidbits for this one that might be interesting.  Shortly after the movie wrapped production, Garson married her much younger co-star who played her son.  Who knew Mrs. Miniver was a Cougar?  Another interesting tidbit - Garson has gone down in history for the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at roughly 5 and 1/2 minutes.  In today's world the orchestra would have played her off the stage and the show would have gone to commercial.

Madame Curie (1943) - Garson and Pidgeon star in the love story of Nobel prize-winning scientists Marie and Pierre Curie, and their determination to discover the element radium.  After Pierre's death, Marie carries on her life's work and becomes a noted scientist in her own right.

Julia Misbehaves (1948) - This picture features our dynamic duo at odds with each other.  Young newlyweds Julia and William Packett are prodded into a separation by his overbearing and conservative family.  It seems Julia is a former dance-hall actress, and is not at all suitable for their boy.  On her way out, Julia leaves their new-born daughter behind, so as to be raised in a proper manner.  Years later, Julia receives an unexpected invitation to her daughter's wedding.  She decides to attend the nuptials, and all sorts of hilarity then ensues.  This movie is a real treat.  For once, Garson and Pidgeon both are allowed to showcase their comedic talents.  She in a hilarious sequence with a squad of acrobats, and he with a trained seal. Seriously silly stuff, and a nice break from their rather stuffy images. Also notable for co-starring a 16-year old Liz Taylor, who receives her first on-screen kiss from a young Peter Lawford.

The Miniver Story (1950) - A sequel to the aforementioned "Mrs. Miniver", this one picks up on VE-Day in 1945.  War has changed the Miniver family.  Youngest son Toby had been sent off to America for safe keeping, daughter Judy had joined up and been stationed in Cairo, while father Clem became an army officer stationed in Europe, and Mother Kay held down the fort in England.  As the family comes back together for the first time in years, obvious changes have taken place and they have to not only become re-acquainted, but deal with new crises.

Panned by the critics when it was first released, and nowhere near the financial success the others were, this movie is not really given it's due credit.  As a sequel, there some holes in it, not least of which is how quickly the kids have grown in so short a time (they were much younger in the original), and what in the world became of oldest son Vin (it's never mentioned).  But if you can suspend disbelief, get away from the sequel idea and take it on it's own merits, then it's a really sweet and tender movie.  Garson and particularly Pidgeon are at the top of their game, and I literally balled through the last half of it.

Getting Your Irish On

In honor of St. Paddy's Day, we present 4 great family movies for putting your Irish on.

Rudy (1993) - Starring Sean Astin in the true story of Rudy Ruettiger, who dreams his entire life of attending Notre Dame, and playing on the football team, despite the fact that he comes from a poor family, lacks the good grades, and the athletic talent.  Through persistence, perseverance, and belief in himself, he's able to make his dreams come true.

Return to Me (2000) - Starring Minnie Driver and David Duchovny.  Minnie is a heart transplant recipient who falls in love with the widowed husband of her donor.  Co-starring some terrific character actors, among them Carroll O'Connor, Robert Loggia, David Allen Grier, Bonnie Hunt and Jim Belushi.  O'Connor and Loggia play Minnie's grandfather and uncle, co-owners of the Irish-Italian restaurant where she works, and first meets Duchovny.  Sweet and funny.

Knute Rockne, All-American (1940) - Speaking of Notre Dame, this is the story of Notre Dame's great football coach, Knute Rockne, played by Pat O'Brien, and how he turned the football team into a national powerhouse. Co-starring the Gipper himself, Ronnie Reagan, as legendary player George Gipp, who tells Rock with his dying breath to go out and "win one for the Gipper".

The Quiet Man (1952) - Starring The Duke as a former prizefighter who goes home to Ireland and falls in love with Irish Lass Maureen O'Hara.  There's plenty of feuding, fighting, and drinking, all of it masterfully directed by John Ford and co-starring several regulars from his stock company, Victor McLaglen, Mildred Natwick, Barry Fitzgerald, and Ward Bond, to name a few.  A movie my family treasures and quotes from on a regular basis.

Cinema Sleeper - Touchback

It's no secret that I watch a lot of movies.  Some big, some classic, and some that I like to refer to as "Cinema Sleepers", that never got much in the way of press or box office, but are definitely worth a view.  This Week's Cinema Sleeper is a wonderful family-friendly pic called "Touchback".

It's the story of an aging High School Football hero who was injured on the final play of his final high school game, an injury that ended his football career.  He's left without the college scholarship or the way to get out of the small town, and as the years go by, he becomes increasingly bitter and desperate.  After another trial, he becomes so distraught that he attempts to take his own life.  Before he is able to do that, he is given the opportunity to re-live those high school days and review his choices. Would he do it all the same way, or would he do it differently and try to change his fate? That is the key question he has to face.

The movie is not without it's faults. Chief among them is the casting of 30-something actors in the High School roles.  They definitely look their ages.  But it's sweet, it's thought-provoking, it's got sports action, and it's got Kurt Russell. And what's not to like about that!

Skyfall

I'm not a huge fan of the James Bond franchise.  Although I've seen several of them, they've just never really floated my boat that much.  They're a little cheesy, not to mention campy, and they usually fail to make much sense.  

Now that I've finally got that off my chest, I have to say, that I absolutely adored "Skyfall", the most recent entry in the Bond series.  Daniel Craig, as Bond, was awesome, and the story really worked for me.  In this installment, an Evil Genius and his nefarious henchmen steal a list of MI6 agents and proceed to release the list to other nefarious types, who proceed to "off" said agents.  Not only that, but Evil Genius, who is a former MI6 agent, has it in for the MI6 Spymaster "M", played by Judi Dench, who he feels is responsible for his tortured and messed up life.  Bond has to try and stop the Evil Genius and save "M" in the process.

The acting is great, Daniel Craig is hot (in the most lustful sense of the word), the special effects are pretty incredible, and we get to see some Bond backstory, to give us an idea where he came from and how and why "M" recruited him.  Finally, a Bond movie that makes sense!

Oh yeah - make sure you are in your seat for the Opening Credits.  They are visually stunning, and there's a terrific song by British pop songstress Adele that ought to win the Oscar for original song.

Killer Collaborators: The Archers

Today, I'd like to introduce a new spotlight, where I discuss folks who were better as partners than they were as individuals, a spotlight that I'm going to call "Killer Collaborators".  To start us off, The Archers, otherwise known as Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.  

Powell and Pressburger together gave us a string of classics of 1940's British Cinema, pictures that were original, daring, and visually stunning.  Other than perhaps Hitchcock, I would consider them the first "auteurs" of the cinema.

They also introduced US audiences to some of the greats of British film - among them Deborah Kerr, Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, and Sabu.  In addition, they, along with their regular cinematographer Jack Cardiff, explored the use of color and lighting, so that you recognize one of their pictures the moment you come into it.  And the really cool thing is that they did it together.

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - The life of a young British Army officer, from the Boer War up to World War II, the regrets and sacrifices, and the effort to remain relevant in a fast-changing empire. Notable for Roger Livesey's starring role, and for Deborah Kerr playing three different women important to him at various stages.

I know Where I'm Going - Wendy Hiller, on her way to a Scottish Isle to join her much-older fiance, runs into foul weather and is forced to remain in the village of Mull, where she meets the young Laird, Roger Livesey. Will she choose a life of wealth and convenience, or a life of love?

Stairway to Heaven (a.k.a. A Matter of Life and Death) - David Niven is an RAF pilot who's about to crash, who connects over his radio with operator Kim Hunter, and falls immediately in love.  Complications ensue because he was supposed to be taken to Heaven, but his angelic escort missed him. Now, he needs to fight for his right to remain on earth and be with the woman he loves.  Notable for it's use of color, as well as black and white, and for his argument before a historical and heavenly jury.

Black Narcissus - Deborah Kerr is leader of a group of Nuns, who take over an old abbey high in the Himalayan mountains.  The exotic culture and mysterious atmosphere begin to have a damaging effect on the sisters and their psyches.  Notable for it's use of color and for the claustrophobic atmosphere it creates.  Watch for a very young Jean Simmons as Kanchi, a Himalayan dancing girl.

The Red Shoes - The story of a young ballet dancer, torn between her desires to become a prima ballerina under the guidance of an obsessive dance master, and her love for a young composer.  Notable for not just it's brilliant color, but it's casting of actual dancer Moira Shearer in the lead, and for it's use of ballet to tell much of the story.

Les Miz

Went the other day to see the movie musical version of "Les Miserables", or "Les Miz" as it's affectionately known.  For those unfamiliar with the story - and really, you've got to have been hiding under a rock to be unfamiliar with it - it's the story of a man named Jean Valjean. He's a Frenchman in the first half of the 19th Century who has been imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's family.  After nearly 20 years, he's released. Unable to find work or refuge, and just when he is caught stealing again, he is shown mercy by a Catholic priest. This changes him and he remakes himself, giving himself a new identity and occupation.  However, he is constantly on the run, hounded by a police inspector named Javert, who doesn't believe in mercy or repentance and would like nothing better than to throw him back in prison.  This all takes place against the backdrop of corruption, poverty, and misery that comes to a head when some rich youth try to lead the peasants in a revolt against the government of Napolean II.

If that description seems long, let me just say that's not even the half of it.  And the movie seems even longer.  I wish I could say that I loved it - I really wanted to.  I mean, they assembled a terrific cast - Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen, and had an Oscar-winning Director in Tom Hooper.  They even trot out Colm Wilkinson (the original Jean Valjean) as the priest.  So I went in with high expectations.  But alas, it is 3 hours of nothing but dirty filthy miserable people singing - and doing it off-key.  

The singing was all done live and not to a pre-recording, and not everyone could stay on key, which was a distraction for me.  And frankly I missed having some dialog.  Most of the acting was ok - I would give a shout out to Anne Hathaway (as Fantine), Eddie Redmayne (Marius) and Samantha Barks (Eponine)

If you've seen the stage musical (which I haven't), you'll likely love the movie.  I've heard stories of people sobbing through it, and huge rounds of applause at it's conclusion.  While I admit to a few tears at the end (I dare even the most hard-hearted not to have a few tinges of emotion), I was really just glad it was all over.

If you go: Take a cushion and be prepared to stay awhile. The film comes in at just under 3 hours. Also bring plenty of tissues.

Classic Character - John Ford Stock Company

Harry Carey, Jr. died today.  He was a great performer in classic Westerns.  But what makes his passing particularly notable is that he was the last of a group of actors known collectively as the "John Ford Stock Company".  John Ford was perhaps the greatest American film director ever, and he had a group of character actors that he worked with pretty much exclusively. They show up in his movies again and again.  People like Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen, John Qualen, Mildred Natwick, Jane Darwell, Ben Johnson, and of course, Harry Carey, Jr. So in his honor, today's classic character is a shout out to the entire John Ford Stock Company, and some of their classic roles.

Ward Bond - It Happened One Night, Drums Along the Mohawk, It's a Wonderful Life, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Rio Grande (aka The Cavalry Trilogy), The Quiet Man, The Searchers

Victor McLaglen - The Informer (Oscar Winner), Gunga Din, The Cavalry Trilogy, The Quiet Man

John Qualen - The Grapes of Wrath, His Girl Friday, Casablanca, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Mildred Natwick - The Enchanted Cottage, The Three Godfathers, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man, Dangerous Liaisons

Jane Darwell - Gone with the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath (Oscar Winner), The Ox-Bow Incident, My Darling Clementine, several Shirley Temple movies, and Mary Poppins

Ben Johnson - The Cavalry Trilogy, Shane, Hang 'Em High, The Wild Bunch, The Last Picture Show (Oscar Winner), The Sugarland Express

Harry Carey, Jr. - Red River, The Three Godfathers, The Cavalry Trilogy, The Searchers, Mister Roberts, Mask, Tombstone

For most of these folks, their careers lasted for several decades, spanning from the silent era on up to the 1990's, and included some of the finest pictures ever made in Hollywood, and not just those made by Ford. But it was their association with Ford that brought them all together and makes them "Classic Characters".