419. My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady
1964
Directed by George Cukor

Happy New Year, everybody.  It is 12:03 right now and I want to get this post written before I go to bed.  Mostly because I had too much caffeine and there are annoying fireworks outside but also because this is going to be a great blogging year and I want to get started right away.

This is one of those movies that I know I should love but I can't get behind.  I love musicals, makeover stories, and George Bernard Shaw.  But this film just lacks in every area, from the acting to the musical numbers.  In fact, The Book notes that there is a large amount of dead time in the film.  If The Book actually admits that something is boring (it maintains that Apocalypse Now is not) than you can bet it is going to be dull.

Eliza Doolittle is a street urchin that sells flowers.  Henry Higgins comes along and is affected, not by the obvious squalor that Eliza and her friends live in, but how freaking annoying her Cockney accent is.  He vows to fix her in the most condescending manner possible, while simultaneously taking all the fun out of a musical by speaking all of his songs.

I have already voiced my opinion on Audrey Hepburn acting skills so I will not rip on her anymore, lest a horde of teenage girls show up with pitchforks at my door.  I actually did enjoy a few songs but a lot of them weren't good enough to be included if they didn't at least move the story along.  I also felt like the film was trying to push Eliza and Henry together romantically when it is quite clear that Henry is gay.  Now, I know I can't really fault them for that since it was a different time but Eliza is in for quite an unpleasant surprise.

It is such a classic that you should probably see it but there are such better musicals out there!  Oh well, on to the next one.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Rex Harrison said that Audrey Hepburn was his favorite leading lady.

Henry Higgins' character was considered too intellectual to sing his songs.  Buzz kill.

Audrey Hepburn was 35 years old while her character was supposed to be 19.

Hepburn's voice was dubbed by Marni Nixon.

My favorite song of the movie:

275. A Star Is Born

A Star Is Born
1954
Directed by George Cukor

Judy Garland is such a weird actress.  Something about her has always unsettled me.  Maybe it is because The Wizard of Oz and Meet Me In St. Louis were so creepy or maybe the blackface she wore in Babes In Arms is still rather fresh in my memory.  Still, this is probably the best movie I have seen her in; it's almost like she was made for the role.

This movie is about a drunk actor who makes Judy Garland into a star.  He changes her, she thinks she can change him.  These things rarely end well.

So this was an interesting film albeit way too long, clocking in at three hours.  That is just way too long for a musical, especially when virtually every song sounds the same.  This is one of the first musicals I have seen on the list that has an actual deep plot.  You can see what is happening, but there is no stopping it.  It is especially poignant if you know Judy Garland's real life story.

Like I said, the songs aren't very original.  I have never been a huge fan of Garland's singing either; just way too low for me.  Still, worth a watch.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Judy Garland was hit so hard in the film when James Mason's character slapped her, that the whole side of her face was bruised.

Groucho Marx reportedly said that Judy Garland not winning an Oscar for her performance was the "biggest robbery since Brink's."

217. Adam's Rib

Adam's Rib
1949
Directed by George Cukor

This is an awesome movie.  Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy have some of the best chemistry in all of cinema; you can tell they not only love each other but really like each other as well.

You can tell that this is going to be cooky film just by this brief synopsis: two lawyers represent different sides in a murder trial…and they are married!?!?!

This is an outstanding movie for a number of reasons.  First of all, the fact that there is a smart female lawyer is pretty progressive, considering all the women in these movies recently have been sexy troublemakers.  Did I just say sexy troublemakers?  Maybe it is getting a little too late at night to be writing this.

Anyway, the acting is great of course and the dialogue is smart.  There is also a great song in it called "Farewell Amanda".  Little known fact: I inspired that song.  Well, that is actually speculation but I am sure I am right.

One of the best romantic comedies of all time.  This review would be a lot more thoughtful if I wasn't already asleep.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Ranked #7 in AFI's top romantic comedies of all time.

Based on real life couple William and Dorothy Whitney.

169. Gaslight

Gaslight
1944
Directed by George Cukor

Two short posts before I hit the proverbial sack.


I found this movie enormously frustrating.  Don't get me wrong; it is a great flick.  The film centers on Ingrid Bergman as she struggles to hold onto her sanity despite her husband's efforts to make her go postal.  Since the viewer knows what is going on and Bergman is kind of wimp, the entire film is just one long "NOO!".  This doesn't necessarily make it a bad movie, just an infuriating one.  This is actually a credit to the filmmakers because they get you so involved with the characters.


The costumes are particularly beautiful since the film is set in 1885, and I usually don't even notice these things. Ingrid Bergman rocks this picture as does evil Charles Boyer and Joseph "Johnny Everyman" Cotten. Although the plot is not surprising in the least, it is an engaging movie and one that should be watched.

RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:


The studio tried to get all prints of the 1940 version of this film destroyed.


Bergman spent time in a mental institution to research for the role.

135. The Philadelphia Story

The Philadelphia Story
1940
Directed by George Cukor

I have had to write a few movie posts today and I am getting tired.  So here is the lowdown on the story: Katharine Hepburn is a spoiled rich girl, some random guy is her fiancee, Cary Grant is her ex husband, and Jimmy Stewart is the journalist covering her wedding.


Having three such talented actors is truly a delight no matter what is coming out of their mouth.  Thankfully, the movie is really witty and funny.  I prefer the musical version, High Society.  Still, this film is really entertaining and definitely worth a watch.

RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:


Katharine Hepburn wanted Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable to plain the main male roles.


Jimmy Stewart won the Best Actor Award.  The word "Philadelphia" was misspelled on his Oscar.

Trailer:

99. Camille

Camille
1936

As soon as I started to read the Netflix envelope, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.


Firstly, this film was based off of a Alexander Dumas story.  I love Dumas (Count of Monte Cristo is one of the best novels of all time) so I was really excited.  Then I realized that this movie has basically the same plot line as my favorite film, Moulin Rouge!.  Needless to say, I almost wet myself.


This movie is about a courtesan who falls in love.  She is also dying of tuberculosis.  The fact that I was comparing this to Baz Luhrmann's story did it a great disservice.  I never think Garbo has that great of love stories.  She has such an amazing screen presence that I don't think there is room for anyone else.  Still, this is a really great movie that is packed with emotions.  I love movies that you can reflect on for days.  I recently saw Philadelphia and I am still thinking about it.  Worth a watch.


RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:


Alexander Dumas based this film on Marguerite, a woman he had an affair with who died when she was twenty-three.  AWWW!

Garbo's favorite of her films.

Trailer: