Death Takes a Holiday (1934)

In recent weeks, I have bumped Fredric March from one of my top-10 faves to one of my "beloveds."  (I now have 8 great loves, with over a dozen more hovering just below that status.)  I have been an appreciator of Mr. March's talents since the first time I ever saw him---in The Best Years of Our Lives; however, the more I see of his works, the more impressed I am with him and the more I love him.  I have come to completely adore him!!  Thus, I've been on a quest to see as many of his films as I can, and Death Takes a Holiday was one I was dying to see (pun intended).  A romantic drama from 1934, the film also stars Evelyn Venable, with Guy Standing, Henry Travers, and Helen Westley taking on supporting roles.

Fredric March is Death, and in an endeavor to discover why mortals fear and hate him, he takes a 3-day holiday from that role, and, inhabiting the body of a prince, becomes a mortal himself. Spending his holiday at the home of Duke Lambert (Guy Standing), he finds himself falling in love with the beautiful Grazia (Evelyn Venable).  While some of the duke's house guests find him odd and even fear him, Grazia does not.  She loves him and is willing to follow him anywhere.  But does anywhere mean leaving the land of the living?

This is an interesting, well-acted film...and Fredric March is more handsome than I have ever seen him. Except for that early-1930's "lipstick look" which makes the men a bit too feminine-looking for my taste, I think he is completely gorgeous here!  Looks aside, Mr. March's acting in Death Takes a Holiday is completely over-the-top, something I happen to think is spot-on.  Given that he was playing an other-worldly character, I think the overacting goes with the territory; however, I know others who think he was actually laughable in this role.  Each viewer will need to make up his own mind.

The supporting players are all a real treat.  I would have liked to have seen their characters fleshed out a bit more, though that is hard to do in a 78-minute movie.  Had the film been longer and more developed, I might have rated it higher.  As it is, I'm calling this a solid 3-star film.

The film is out on DVD and part of the Classic Flix inventory (that's how I caught it); however, it is also available in its entirety on YouTube (HERE).

Happy viewing!!

One Foot in Heaven (1941)

One of the ten films up for Best Picture of 1941 was One Foot in Heaven, a little-known sentimental drama starring Fredric March and Martha Scott.  Directed by Irving Rapper, and with a Max Steiner score, One Foot in Heaven is a gem of a film, garnering 4 stars from me. Based on the autobiography of Hartzell Spence, this touching movie covers approximately two decades in the life of the author's father, Methodist minister, William Spence (Fredric March).

Reverend Spence's story begins in 1904, in Ontario, Canada, where he surprises his fiance, Hope Morris (Martha Scott), and her family, with the news that having been touched by the Spirit of God at a revival meeting the previous week, he has abandoned his plans of practicing medicine and, instead, has given his life to the healing of men's souls.  Not only has his vocation plan changed, but so have his living arrangements---he has been offered a church in a tiny town in Iowa.  Speaking a passage in the Bible about going where he goes, Hope offers her support to William, and the two are wed and then embark on their new life.

The film chronicles the ups and downs of the Spences life as they go about living with "one foot on earth, and one foot already in Heaven."  From welcoming two sons and a daughter into their family, to seeking to raise their children according to their religious convictions, to financial pressures, shabby housing, self-righteous parishioners, and moves to other cities, the Spences face each day with faith in God and each other.  (There's a scene in which Reverend Spence, in an effort to teach Hartzell the "dangers" of movies, takes his son to the theatre.  The two see a William S. Hart silent film, The Silent Man.  That is the closest I've been to a non-talkie since turning off Wings six years ago!)

One Foot in Heaven isn't an overly exciting film---there are no major action scenes---but it is, nevertheless, a sweet, touching, and very worthwhile film.  It depicts a healthy, loving, functional family; a strong belief in God;  a desire to live a moral life, without making the morality akin to self-righteousness.  While action-craving audiences of today might find a film like this boring, I appreciate the opportunity to see a devoutly religious person living out his faith without being depicted as a sanctimonious hypocrite.  After catching Rain (reviewed HERE) last year and being troubled by the self-righteousness of the preacher in that film (Walter Huston, in a fantastic performance), One Foot in Heaven is a lovely breath of fresh air.  While the family has a strong moral code by which they live, they are never "holier than thou" about it.  They simply live their lives according to their convictions, all the while extending love and kindness to those who might not see things as they do, sometimes even being willing to change with the times.  The preacher's annoyance wasn't with "the sinners," but with the church.  In fact, at one point he said, "The real heathen are in the church."  As a deeply religious person myself, I appreciate the positive portrayal of a faith I hold dear.



The film's cast is wonderful.  Some of the supporting players include Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart, Moroni Olsen, Elisabeth Fraser, Frankie Thomas, Laura Hope Crews, and Harry Davenport.  Martha Scott, who will always be Judah Ben-Hur's mother to me, is really lovely here. And Fredric March---very nearly at "beloved" status in my book---is terrific.  He portrays Reverend Spence with an appropriate mixture of sternness and love...and his prayers are powerful indeed!

Incidentally, when I popped by TCM to look for a video to include, I noticed that there are 11 pages of reviews for this lovely film.  That is, by far, the most reviews I have ever noticed for any film on TCM.  I read only 3 pages of them, but every single one was glowing in its praise and begging for the film to be made available on DVD; the overall TCM star rating was 4 1/3, and the Leonard Maltin review gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars. Obviously, despite being a film of little "action," its charm more than makes up for that.  If you enjoy inspiring, uplifting stories, this ought to fit the bill nicely.

Not out on DVD and rarely on the TCM schedule, however, One Foot in Heaven may prove to be quite difficult to track down.  If you get a chance to see it, though, I highly recommend it...if only to be transported to a time that is no more.

Happy viewing!

We Live Again (1934)

We Live Again, starring Fredric March and Anna Sten, is a 1934 period drama based on Leo Tolstoy's novel Resurrection.  Fredric March is Dimitri, a Russian nobleman, who is getting caught up in the beginnings of socialism.  He believes in equality of persons, and thus, he spends the bulk of the summer enjoying the company of Katusha (Anna Sten), a beautiful peasant girl who works for his family.  Although Dimitri and Katusha are very much in love, by summer's end, they separate, as Dimitri must pursue military training.

Over the next two years, Dimitri's views change, and by the time he returns home, he is not the same man he was before.  He does still desire Katusha, though, and in short order, seduces her.  The morning after their interlude, Dimitri rides away and out of Katusha's life, leaving nothing behind but an envelope with a piece of money contained within.

Katusha is humiliated and devastated by Dimitri's actions.  Soon, though, she discovers that she is pregnant, which makes her situation even worse, for the royals dismiss her from her position. Driven from her home and job, Katusha falls onto very bleak times and, ultimately, finds herself on trial for murder.  It is at that point that Dimitri re-enters her life.



As already noted, this movie is based on Leo Tolstoy's novel Resurrection.  Some might think that you would need to be a Tolstoy fan in order to enjoy this movie.  I don't find that to be the case.  I actually don't care for Tolstoy.  War and Peace is a huge challenge for me to get through, and I have never been able to get through Anna Karenina.  I've never read the novel on which We Live Again is based, but I definitely enjoyed the movie...I even found myself getting misty-eyed on a couple of occasions.  Two warnings, though...first, the ending is highly unrealistic.  Second, there is a scene in the church about 25 minutes into the movie that was far too long, in my opinion.  It went on for about three minutes, and I very nearly gave up on the movie at that point.  But I persevered through the boredom...and I'm glad I did. Although this isn't an excellent movie by any means, I think it's a solid 3 stars (more like 3.5) and definitely worth watching.  Fredric March gives his usual terrific performance, and Anna Sten, who I'm not overly familiar with, is lovely and very good in her role.

By the way, there is a very strong socialist message in this film, but don't let that deter you from seeing it. It's more a beautiful love story and a story of repentance than anything.  The film is out on DVD, so it should be easy enough to track down.

Happy viewing!!

Death of a Salesman (5 stars)

Yes, it's the middle of September, but I am still in August mode (Fredric March) as far as movie reviews go.  I have three of Mr. March's movies to review, but I just haven't had the time to do them until now.  So, despite the fact that I had intended to focus on George Raft in September, Fredric March will still be seeing quite a bit of action here at They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To.

One of the films I enjoyed for Mr. March's August birthday celebration is the film which garnered him his fifth Academy Award nomination.  That film, which I caught for the very first time and which is one of my 5-star film discoveries of the year, is 1951's Death of a Salesman. Based on the Arthur Miller play of the same name, Death of a Salesman is a powerful, moving, emotionally-charged drama also starring Midred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, and Cameron Mitchell.

The salesman in Death of a Salesman is 60+ year-old Willy Loman (Fredric March), who after 36 years with his company, has just been removed from salary and put on straight commission.  Although Willy resides in New York, he is in charge of a New England route and is, thus, on the road every week.  His wife, Linda (Mildred Dunnock), worried because Willy's mind wanders and he has nearly had a car crash, suggests that he approach his boss about working out of the New York office instead.

Discontent with how his life has turned out, Willy spends much of his time reminiscing about former "good" days and thinking about his brother's success in Alaska.  Beyond that, as Linda confides to their sons, Willy has been borrowing $50 a week from a neighbor and pretending it is his pay.  He also has been trying to kill himself.

Willy and Linda's two adult sons, Hap (Cameron Mitchell) and Biff (Kevin McCarthy), return home for a visit, and immediately, there is strife between Biff and his father.  Though he showed promise as an athlete when in high school, Biff has been irresponsible and unmotivated since then, and he has never amounted to anything in Willy's eyes.  Willy has no idea that it was he, himself, who set Biff on the path of restlessness.

The situation soon reaches a crisis point---Willy asks about being given a local position...Biff meets with an old employer, hoping he will invest in a business venture...Hap abandons his father at a restaurant after picking up girls...Biff declares his father a fake...and Linda laces into her sons for their disrespect of their father.  And overriding it all is the fact that Willy cannot accept that he is just an ordinary man with ordinary sons.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.




Death of a Salesman has enjoyed decades of success both on the screen and on the stage.  I have never seen any of the other versions and, in fact, had no knowledge even of the story until my viewing of this film.  Therefore, I am unable to compare one version to another---my review is based solely on what I saw in this film.  And what I saw here was completely sensational.  This is a powerful "message" movie, as it takes on some very deep, profound subjects...such as what constitutes success, acceptance of one's children for who they are, the yearning for parental approval, and the plight of aging workers.

While the acting of everyone in this film is fantastic, Fredric March and Kevin McCarthy moved me in an especially powerful way.  I could relate to Mr. McCarthy's character and, thus, was deeply touched by him.  I thought Mr. McCarthy's portrayal was heartfelt and completely real.  As for Mr. March...his portrayal of Willy Loman blew me away.  I already thought he was a sensational actor, but he was completely brilliant here.  This was the year which Humphrey Bogart won the Academy Award (for The African Queen), and I have long-said that I thought Mr. Bogart ought to have won for other films (namely Casablanca and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, for which he wasn't even nominated), but that Montgomery Clift ought to have won in 1951 (for A Place in the Sun).  Then, I saw Detective Story, and I thought Kirk Douglas was fantastic.  Though he didn't even garner a nomination, he could have given Mr. Clift a run for his money.  Now that I have seen Death of a Salesman, I definitely believe it ought not to have been Mr. Bogart's year.  Hands-down, I think Fredric March's portrayal of Willy Loman was the performance of the year.  (Even beating out my beloved Monty in my all-time favorite movie.)

This film is not out on DVD, and I don't believe TCM airs it very often.  At least, I don't recall seeing it on their schedule, and since I generally record most Fredric March films, I'm usually pretty observant of his name in a cast.  For those reasons, this has been a difficult film to track down, but I finally found it on YouTube (in parts).  Click HERE for part 1.  Definitely try to see this amazing and powerful film.

Happy viewing!!

Happy Birthday, Fredric March!!

Happy 115th birthday to the incredibly talented Mr. Fredric March, one of my top 10 favorite actors of all-time.  (August 3l, 1897 - April 14, 1975)

Born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel, the two-time Oscar winning (and five-time nominated) Mr. March enjoyed success on both the screen and the stage.  In fact, in addition to his two Academy Awards, his stage performances garnered him a Tony Award on two different occasions.  With a career spanning five decades, Mr. March was an extremely versatile actor, fully capable of light comedy and heavy drama.

Mr. March has the distinction of having 2 of his films on my 10 all-time favorite movies list.  By the very narrowest of margins, The Best Years of Our Lives (reviewed HERE) receives the honor of being my absolute favorite Fredric March film.  A completely awesome movie (with the equally awesome cast of Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell, Virginia Mayo, and Hoagy Carmichael), Best Years is one of the films for which Mr. March won a Best Actor Academy Award.  He was completely stellar in his role...and very worthy of his Oscar win.

Rounding out my list of five favorite Fredric March films are:

2.  Middle of the Night  (with Kim Novak, this is also one of my 10 all-time favorite
     movies---reviewed HERE)

3.  A Star Is Born  (with Janet Gaynor---reviewed HERE)

4.  Death of a Salesman  (with Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, and Cameron
     Mitchell---reviewed HERE)

5.  The Desperate Hours  (with Humphrey Bogart)

Just FYI, The Bridges at Toko-Ri is also a very favorite Fredric March film; however, since he is in support there (to William Holden), rather than a leading player, I decided to go with The Desperate Hours instead.

So, Mr. Fredric March, here's to you on your 115th birthday!  You were a sensational actor, and you will always be one of my very favorites.  Thank you for beautifying my life through so many wonderful films, including two which are among my ten favorite movies of all-time.

A Star Is Born (5 stars)

A Star Is Born, from 1937, is a tearjerker romantic drama starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March.  Directed by William Wellman, this touching film features a Max Steiner score and the supporting talents of Alophe Menjou, Lionel Stander, Andy Devine, and May Robson.  William Wellman and Robert Carson picked up the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story for their work here.

Fascinated by Hollywood and the moving pictures, North Dakota farm girl, Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor), dreams of becoming a famous actress.  Although she gets no support or encouragement for her dream from her father and aunt, Esther vows that she's going to be somebody, and her beloved granny (May Robson) not only validates the longings of Esther's heart, but she gives her the necessary funds to make the move to Hollywood.

With hopes high, Esther sets out to land her first job, but she soon finds out that her chances of making it are 1 in 100,000.  There are just hundreds more actresses than there are parts for.  Undaunted, however, Esther wonders if, perchance, she might be that one.

While on waitress duty at a film director's party, Esther meets film actor Norman Maine (Fredric March).  Though quite popular and famous, Maine's current drinking problems have gotten him into trouble.  While his producer, Oliver Niles (Adolphe Menjou), manages to keep the news of Norman's escapades out of the paper, directors no longer want to work with him due to his unsavory reputation.  Still, though, for Esther, the meeting with Norman is a great boost to her career, as he encourages Oliver to give her a screen test, after which, she is signed by him.

After having her name changed to the more suitable-sounding Vicki Lester, Esther is given the opportunity of a lifetime.  With Norman's current film in need of a female lead, Vicki Lester takes center stage.  In fact, she more than takes center stage---she steals the show. It is Vicki---not Norman---who the critics and public rave about.  It is Vicki's star which begins to rise, while Norman's penchant for drink and his erratic, undependable behavior, cause his star to plummet.

Eventually, Esther and Norman marry, but as Norman spirals ever-further downward, he finds himself unemployable and, thus, doing little more than taking phone messages for his incredibly popular, Academy Award-winning wife.  With one life soaring and another crashing, heartbreak is bound to follow.  How everything plays out is the balance of the film.



A Star Is Born is a beautiful, touching, well-acted film.  Both Janet Gaynor and Fredric March received Academy Award nominations---deservedly so---for their work here.  I'm not overly familiar with Miss Gaynor, having only seen maybe two other of her films; however, I am a huge Fredric March fan, and this is definitely one of my all-time favorite of his films.  Plus, while I think he was a terrific actor and gave many wonderful performances, his portrayal of Norman Maine is definitely one of his best.  (I think his work in Middle of the Night is his most brilliant work, however.)   For his work in Captains Courageous, Spencer Tracy beat out Mr. March for the 1938 Best Actor statue, and much as I love A Star Is Born and Mr. March's portrayal of Norman Maine, I am going to concur with The Academy's choice of Mr. Tracy, as he really was spectacular in Captains Courageous.)  In all, A Star Is Born received seven Academy Award nominations (which garnered one win).  Additionally, the film has a completely wonderful supporting cast.  Plus, it touches my heart and brings me to major tears---and I always love a film which does that!

This film has been remade twice---in 1954, with Judy Garland and James Mason in the lead roles, and in 1976, with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson taking center stage.  I have never seen the 70's film, so I cannot compare that one to the 1937 original, but I have seen the 1954 film, so I will share a few thoughts about that one.  Yes, it is beautiful and glamorous, and, yes, Judy Garland did an amazing job.  For me, though, it dragged on occasion and was about 45 minutes too long.  Because it was so long, I was relieved when it finally ended; therefore, I was only mildly misty-eyed.  It definitely didn't touch me (or bring me to sobs) like the original did.  Also, the Garland/Mason version lacked the sweet tenderness of the original.  Judy Garland never had the innocent air that Janet Gaynor did.  Also, while James Mason was very good in the role of Norman Maine, since I am a huge Fredric March fan and count this among my favorite of his films, Mason just didn't click for me.  If the original A Star Is Born wasn't already a beloved film, I might have enjoyed the remake more.  Definitely try to catch them both and see for yourself which one you prefer.

The film is out on DVD, plus it is available in its entirety on YouTube.  I think it is a must-see.

Happy viewing!!

An Act of Murder (4 stars)

An Act of Murder, from 1948, is a controversial-themed drama starring Fredric March, his wife Florence Eldridge, and Edmond O'Brien.  Featuring Geraldine Brooks in a supporting role, this little-known gem takes a look at the issue of mercy killing.

Hard-nosed judge Calvin Cooke (Fredric March) sits on the bench, having little tolerance for defendants or defense attorneys.  Because of his notoriously unsympathetic attitude towards those convicted of crimes, he has earned the nickname Old Maximum.  Even his daughter, Elly (Geraldine Brooks), feels that he stops being human as soon as he puts on his robe.

Just as Calvin and his wife Kathy (Florence Eldridge, Mr. March's real-life wife of 45+ years) prepare to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary, Kathy finds herself having severe headaches, coupled with visual and hearing disturbances and loss of feeling on one side.  Though she has ignored the symptoms for close to a year, she makes an appointment with the family doctor, and in short order, Kathy is diagnosed as having terminal brain cancer.  Several physicians concur that the situation is completely hopeless.

The doctor informs Calvin of Kathy's prognosis; however, he lies to Kathy that she is fine---and he requests that Calvin, also, not tell her the truth of her impending death.  Though the disease will progress rapidly and Kathy will be in a great deal of pain, Calvin arranges the second honeymoon which his wife had been requesting.  On the trip, Kathy takes a dramatic turn for the worse, and Calvin, unable to bear seeing his beloved wife in agony, decides to perform a mercy killing, an action which makes him a lawbreaker and exactly the kind of man for whom he has no tolerance in the courtroom.  Defending him is none other than Dave Douglas (Edmond O'Brien), a defense attorney with whom he often clashes.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.



An Act of Murder is a really great, well-acted film, and it handles this controversial issue very well---a bit safely, but very well nonetheless.  Fredric March gives his usual terrific performance.  I really loved his character, and I loved seeing him evolve from a "black and white only" kind of guy to one who realizes that there are sometimes gray areas.  As one who has previously held tenaciously to "black and white only," but who has found that there are, indeed, gray areas, I could really empathize with and relate to Mr. March's character.   I was moved by this film and found myself getting teary-eyed on more than one occasion.   I think the fact that the real-life Mrs. Fredric March was the wife in this film probably made the situation that much more personal and real, as I felt like I was witnessing Mr. March's actual response to the terminal illness of the woman he loved.  Edmond O'Brien was very solid and capable in his role---actually, I've never seen him give anything but a quality performance.  Finally, since An Act of Murder deals with a very controversial subject---which is still greatly debated today---it makes a great discussion piece kind of film.  I think it's a definite must-see!

The film is not out on DVD, nor is it on the TCM schedule; however, it is available on YouTube.  Try to catch it there if you can.

Happy viewing!!

My August Agenda

With so many things going on right now, blogging has, by necessity, taken a back-burner. To my disappointment, I found I didn't adequately showcase Barbara Stanwyck and James Cagney in July, nor did I do a birthday tribute post for #2 gal Susan Hayward back in late June.  I can't promise that August is going to be much better; however, when I am able to blog, these two men---two of August's birthday boys---will be my emphasis.


Robert Taylor

and Fredric March

Both Mr. Taylor and Mr. March are firmly entrenched among my top 10 favorite actors; in fact, they occupy slots 9 and 10.  They often flip-flop with one another, and either of them may occasionally wrestle the #8 position from Tyrone Power.  All that to say, both men are very dear to my heart, and I look forward to showcasing them (as I am able) this month.  I hope you'll join me and perhaps discover some of their lesser-known films.

Middle of the Night (5 stars)

Last night, I had an evening to myself, so I poured a glass of merlot and sat down to enjoy one of my absolute favorite romantic dramas---Middle of the Night, starring Fredric March and Kim Novak. Based on Paddy Chayefsky's play and directed by Delbert Mann, this touching 1959 film, which is actually one of my 10 favorite movies of all time, explores a very controversial subject---that of a middle-aged man's romantic involvement with a woman less than half his age.  Although I reviewed this film here last July, I am so crazy about it that I felt it was time to re-work that post and thereby, hopefully, bring this lovely film to the attention of many others.

Jerry Kingsley (Fredric March) is a 56 year-old widower, with two 25+ year-old married children and two grandchildren.  Early on, we find that he has attempted to date again and, in fact, even asked the woman to marry him, but she turned him down and ended up getting engaged to someone else.  The pain and loneliness Jerry feels over her rejection is agonizing (especially to this viewer).

Betty Preisser (Kim Novak), a 24 year-old divorcee who works as a receptionist at Jerry's company, has some papers which Jerry is in need of, so he stops by her apartment to get them.  While there, he senses that Betty is distraught about something, and he offers the shoulder she needs as she grieves her recent divorce.  Although Jerry initially offers fatherly advice to Betty, he quite soon becomes interested in her romantically and asks her out to dinner.

Initially concerned about the 30+ year age difference and fearful that one of them will be hurt, Betty is hesitant to continue seeing Jerry; however, he pushes her anxieties aside and suggests they get married.  At that point, their love is put to the test, for Betty's mother, sister, and friends think she's insane to marry an old man, and Jerry's family thinks he is making a total fool of himself, something he begins to believe as well.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.




This controversial-themed movie is handled very tastefully.  I think it is an incredibly beautiful film, with completely spectacular performances by both Miss Novak and Mr. March.  Actually, I think this could possibly be the performance of Fredric March's career.  I am a huge March fan, and although The Best Years of Our Lives, which is one of the films for which he won a Best Actor Academy Award, may be slightly more beloved to me than this film, I think his performance in Middle of the Night is even more superior.  He is totally brilliant here!!  I could SO feel his pain as he struggled with the passionless existence expected of men his age.  Kim Novak is equally wonderful in her role.  If anyone wonders why I really didn't like her in her Marilyn Monroe-ish dumb blonde role in Phffft (reviewed last week HERE), this film will show why.  She was capable of so much more than that.  Miss Novak and Mr. March definitely click in this film.  Their chemistry is spot-on!

Bottom line---I think this film is totally awesome, and I highly recommend it.  Out on DVD as part of the Kim Novak Collection, it should be fairly easy to track it down.  Fans of Fredric March, Kim Novak, or May-December romances will not want to miss this one.

Happy viewing!!

Tomorrow---the World (4 stars)

Tomorrow---the World, from 1944, is a wartime drama which explores the indoctrination of The Hitler Youth.  Starring Fredric March and Betty Field, Tomorrow---the World was originally a Broadway play (in 1943), with Ralph Bellamy and Shirley Booth in the starring roles.  Skippy Homeier, who had the part of the youth on Broadway, reprised his role in the film.  Agnes Moorhead takes on a supporting role in the film.

As the film begins, widower Mike Frame (Fredric March) is preparing to welcome his young nephew, Emil (Skippy Homeier), into his home.  Emil, a German boy nearly twelve years old, is the orphaned son of Mike's sister, Mary, and her husband, Karl  Bruckner, a German resistance supporter, who died in a concentration camp. 

Shortly after arriving at Mike's home, Emil changes his clothes...donning the uniform of The Hitler Youth.  His hatred for all things non-German is soon obvious, as is his disdain for women and Jews.  Shouting "Heil, Hitler," Emil informs Mike that  he is willing to die for his fuhrer.  He further informs Mike that his father, a traitor to The Third Reich, was a coward who committed suicide.  Refusing to listen when Mike attempts to set the record straight, Emil destroys the picture of Bruckner which hangs on the wall in Mike's study. 

While the family continually tries to love Emil and, thereby, remove the Nazi indoctrination from his mind and heart, they are continually thwarted.  The Hitler Youth very successfully programmed the mind of the young boy, and undoing their work may prove to be impossible.  Whether they are able to do so is the basis for the remainder of the film.

This film was powerful and, from what I have learned through a lengthy study of the rise of Nazi Germany, quite accurate in its portrayal of the young German boy.  The Hitler Youth completely sought to control the minds of its young people, often turning them against their own parents.  Although Fredric March gets top billing, the real star of this film is Skippy Homeier.  He was totally fantastic in the role of Emil....down to the clicking of the boots!   Quite honestly, his portrayal was so realistic, I found myself shivering a few times.

Being totally honest, however, I must admit that I have a couple concerns with the film, though they in no way influence me to rate it lower.  First, I found it unrealistic that the Nazi government would have sent one of The Hitler Youth to live in America...even if he had been orphaned.  Why would they have allowed their enemy to have one of their own?  That just didn't ring true to me.  Also, the ending was a bit too pat for me.  I won't say more than that, as I don't want to give away how things turn out; suffice to say, that it seemed quite unrealistic.  Those things aside, however, I still greatly enjoyed this film, which is out on DVD and should be quite easy to track down.

Happy viewing!!

The Bridges at Toko-Ri (5 stars)

With it being Veteran's Day weekend, Grace Kelly's birthday, and the 30th anniversary of William Holden's death, I decided to watch The Bridges at Toko-Ri today.  This film, from 1954, which stars William Holden and features Grace Kelly, Fredric March, and Mickey Rooney in supporting roles, is a very realistic war drama.  Based on the James Michener novel of the same name, it takes place in  November 1952, during the Korean War.

William Holden is Harry Brubaker, a Naval Reservist who had already served in WWII but who is called up for action in Korea.  Not only is he war-weary, but he is resentful of having been called back to duty...he just longs to go home to his wife, Nancy (Grace Kelly), and their two young daughters; however he is also committed to fulfilling his duty as a Reserve officer, so he agrees to an extremely dangerous mission in which a group of American planes will fly over Korea and attempt to bomb some bridges that are very important to the North Koreans.

Before the mission gets underway, however, Admiral Terrant (Fredric March), who has a paternal fondness for Harry, allows him leave, to spend time with his wife and daughters.  All too soon, though, Harry must bid goodbye to his family and take off on the bombing run.  His anxiety level is high, and feeling as though he won't make it home alive, he begins a farewell letter to Nancy.  Noticing Harry's jitteriness, his commander gives him an option to stay grounded, but Harry goes through with the mission.

As always, Bill Holden is great to look at....especially in the dress blues he wears while on leave in Tokyo early in the movie. Oh, and that smile of his!!  Grace Kelly, always the epitome of elegance and beauty, is stunning, and her dresses are incredibly gorgeous.  I, for one, wish we gals still wore dresses like that every day! Although Grace's part in the movie is fairly short, she was perfect in the role...and the chemistry between her and Holden was undeniable.

Mickey Rooney has some great comic relief moments.  Also, there is a funny scene in a Japanese bath house where Harry takes Nancy and the girls. Because bathing there is nude, he had reserved the pool for his family. However, a Japanese family has also booked the pool, and it is quite comical to watch the American family try to maintain their modesty.

The lighthearted moments are few, though, and this IS a war movie...a realistic one at that.  I have seen this film several times, and it never fails to move me.  The acting of William Holden is beyond incredible.  The way he brought Harry Brubaker to life was completely amazing; truly, Harry became very real to me.  I could totally feel his resentment at having to serve again and his anxiety over the upcoming mission.  I think William Holden had many spectacular performances, and this is definitely one of his very best.  Oscar-worthy, in my opinion.  (It is Holden's acting and the powerful, realistic ending that take this film from 4 to 5 stars for me.)

I don't know for sure if this is out on DVD, though I do believe it is on VHS.  Also, TCM airs it on occasion.  Definitely try to catch it.  I think this film is an absolute must-see! 

Happy viewing!!!

The Best Years of Our Lives (5 stars)

The Best Years of Our Lives, the Academy Award winning film from 1946, is our family's annual Veteran's Day movie.  I have to admit, that is a hardship for me.  Oh, not because I don't like it...on the contrary.  I absolutely, totally love this film.  It is easily one of my top ten favorite movies of all time, which means, I really would prefer to watch it more often than once a year; however, to keep it "special," watching it once a year is precisely what I am doing.  (Sort of like keeping It's a Wonderful Life for the once-a-year Christmas night viewing.)  Since today is Veteran's Day, it's time for me to enjoy this beloved film once more, and even though most everyone probably knows it, I'm re-running the review I posted when I first began this blog in February.

The Best Years of Our Lives was the Academy Award winner for best picture in 1946. In fact, it won many Oscars that year, including Fredric March for Best Actor and Harold Russell for Best Supporting Actor and William Wyler for Best Director. It was this movie that shut-down the beloved It's a Wonderful Life in the Oscars that year.

A bit on the long side (about ten minutes shy of three hours), The Best Years of Our Lives is a wonderful movie that explores a problem that was very much in existence in those early days after the second world war....the plight of the war veterans who were returning home to a country that in many ways had gone on without them while they were away. The movie stars Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell, and Virginia Mayo.

The movie begins when Al Stevenson (Fredric March), Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), and Homer Parrish (Harold Russell), all war veterans from different branches of the service, attempt to find flights home to the hometown they share in common. Unable to find an available commercial flight, they are routed onto a military craft, and lifelong friendships are born as the men get to know one another.

Al is an Army veteran who has been married to Millie (Myrna Loy) for twenty years and has two upper teenage children. Fred, a bomber pilot, had a whirlwind romance and married Marie (Virginia Mayo) only a few short days before leaving for war. And Homer, who joined the Navy fresh out of high school, has two hooks in place of arms, the result of a shipboard tragedy. (I must digress here and say that Harold Russell, who plays Homer, was not a professional actor at all. Rather, like his character, he was a real disabled Navy veteran, who had lost his arms at sea...He actually won two Academy Awards for this role...the best supporting actor and an achievement award as well.)

Anyhow, the men's arrival home is difficult, as life has gone on without them. Al barely recognizes his children, so grown they are. Fred's wife has taken a job and moved out of his parents' home and into an apartment of her own. And when he finally tracks her down, she is none too keen on the fact that he is not a man in uniform anymore. And Homer, painfully aware that his two hooks are disturbing for his family and high school sweetheart to look at, withdraws into himself.

The first night home, Al takes his wife and daughter Peggy (Teresa Wright) to a local bar, where he unexpectedly meets up with his two new friends, Fred and Homer. When Al and Fred end up totally drunk and completely passed out, Millie and Peggy take them back to the Stevenson apartment so they can sleep it off. Peggy puts Fred in her bed, removes his shoes, and heads to the couch. In the middle of the night, however, she is awakened by Fred screaming, as he has a nightmare about a bombing raid. She soothes him, and then they both go back to sleep. In the morning, she drives him to his wife's apartment, and there is a definite connection between them.

Fred's reunion with his wife does not go well. She doesn't like that he now needs to find a civilian job or the fact that he is a man out of uniform. (The uniform was one of the reasons she had wanted to marry him!!) Add to that, she wants to party and be out all the time, including hanging out with other men. When the only job Fred is able to obtain is as a soda jerk at the drugstore where he formerly worked, Marie belittles him.

Al, who is a bank executive, begins to be unsettled with the bank's treatment of war veterans who are applying for loans. When these men, who have faithfully served their country, are denied loans because of insufficient collateral, Al is angered and often attempts to extend loans anyway.

And Homer, feeling like a freak show with his two hooks, is angry all the time. He no longer wants to marry Wilma and completely withdraws from her...and everyone, except for Al and Fred.

To reveal anything more about this movie would spoil your viewing pleasure, so I'll stop here. I hope that I've whet your appetite, that I've made you interested in the characters so that you want to discover how things turn out. I totally love this movie....it's on my top 10 list, and although I am an It's a Wonderful Life fan, I am SO in agreement with all the awards The Best Years of Our Lives racked up.

Not only is this film out on DVD, but TCM airs it frequently, so you shouldn't have a problem tracking it down.  I think it's a definite must-see!!  Happy viewing!!

The Best Years of Our Lives (5 stars)

The Best Years of Our Lives was the Academy Award winner for best picture in 1946. In fact, it won many Oscars that year, including Fredrich March for Best Actor and Harold Russell for Best Supporting Actor. It was this movie that shut-down the beloved It's a Wonderful Life in the Oscars that year.

A bit on the long side (about ten minutes shy of three hours), The Best Years of Our Lives is a wonderful movie that explores a problem that was very much in existence in those early days after the second world war....the plight of the war veterans who were returning home to a country that in many ways had gone on without them while they were away. The movie stars Fredrich March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell, and Virginia Mayo.

The movie begins when Al Stevenson (Fredrich March), Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), and Homer Parrish (Harold Russell), all war veterans from different branches of the service, attempt to find flights home to the hometown they share in common. Unable to find an available commercial flight, they are routed onto a military craft, and lifelong friendships are born as the men get to know one another.

Al is an Army veteran who has been married to Millie (Myrna Loy) for twenty years and has two upper teenage children. Fred, a bomber pilot, had a whirlwind romance and married Marie (Virginia Mayo) only a few short days before leaving for war. And Homer, who joined the Navy fresh out of high school, has two hooks in place of arms, the result of a shipboard tragedy. (I must digress here and tell y'all that Harold Russell, who plays Homer, was not a professional actor at all. Rather, like his character, he was a real disabled Navy veteran, who had lost his arms at sea...He actually won two Academy Awards for this role...the best supporting actor and some sort of achievement award as well.)

Anyhow, the men's arrival home is difficult, as life has gone on without them. Al barely recognizes his children, so grown they are. Fred's wife has taken a job and moved out of his parents' home and into an apartment of her own. And when he finally tracks her down, she is none too keen on the fact that he is not a man in uniform anymore. And Homer, painfully aware that his two hooks are disturbing for his family and high school sweetheart to look at, withdraws into himself.

The first night home, Al takes his wife and daughter Peggy (Teresa Wright) to a local bar, where he unexpectedly meets up with his two new friends, Fred and Homer. When Al and Fred end up totally drunk and completely passed out, Millie and Peggy take them back to the Stevenson apartment so they can sleep it off. Peggy puts Fred in her bed, removes his shoes, and heads to the couch. In the middle of the night, however, she is awakened by Fred screaming, as he has a nightmare about a bombing raid. She soothes him, and then they both go back to sleep. In the morning, she drives him to his wife's apartment, and there is a definite connection between them.

Fred's reunion with his wife does not go well. She doesn't like that he now needs to find a civilian job or the fact that he is a man out of uniform. (The uniform was one of the reasons she had wanted to marry him!!) Add to that, she wants to party and be out all the time, including hanging out with other men. When the only job Fred is able to obtain is as a soda jerker at the drugstore he formerly worked at, Marie belittles him.

Al, who is a bank executive, begins to be unsettled with the bank's treatment of war veterans who are applying for loans. When these men, who have faithfully served their country, are denied loans because of insufficient collateral, Al is angered and often attempts to extend loans anyway.

And Homer, feeling like a freak show with his two hooks, is angry all the time. He no longer wants to marry Wilma and completely withdraws from her...and everyone, except for Al and Fred.

To reveal anything more about this movie would spoil y'all's viewing pleasure, so I'll stop here.  I hope that I've whet your appetite, that I've made y'all interested in the characters so that you want to discover how things turn out. I totally love this movie....it's on my top 21 list, and although I am an It's a Wonderful Life fan, I am SO in agreement with all the awards The Best Years of Our Lives racked up.

For our family, The Best Years of Our Lives is a Veteran's Day tradition. It is THE PERFECT Veteran's Day movie, though I must admit, viewing this movie only once a year is a bit of a hardship for me.  I love it so much and could actually watch it more often than we do.