"To the memory of those who made us laugh: the motley
mountebanks, the clowns, the buffoons, in all times and in all nations, whose
efforts have lightened our burden a little, this picture is affectionately
dedicated."
Thus reads the prologue title page of Preston Sturges’ 1941 film, Sullivan’s Travels.Dedicated to those who make
us laugh, Sturges' film explores a complex concept: the purpose of film. A particularly interesting topic to examine in a film itself. Sullivan's Travels asks the questions: what should people get out of a movie? Should it make them laugh or make them think?
The film opens with Hollywood director, John Sullivan (Joel
McCrea) announcing that he wants to forsake his typical light-hearted comedic
films, and make a serious film that will "be a commentary on modern conditions." His goal is to document the current, desolate state
of humanity, and "hold a mirror up to society." His producers, however, quickly remind him that he has never experienced
the harsh suffering or struggles of the less fortunate. So Sullivan decides to
set out on his own with nothing but the clothes on his back and 10 cents in his
pocket, in order to truly experience misery. Along the way Sullivan meets a
down-on-her-luck aspiring actress (Veronica Lake) who, despite Sullivan's protests, joins him on his travels.
Sturges’ witty writing is what makes this film; he includes
an entire range of comedic devices. From pratfalls, to goofy car chases, to the witty
banter between McCrea and Lake- the film keeps you laughing and in good spirits. Even though some of it is expected and silly, it's like Veronica Lake's line, "Oh, that was a wonderful scene. Of course it was stupid, but it was wonderful." Sure there are silly scenes- some of which are on the verge of being stupid- but it also made me laugh, which means it did its job.
Sullivan's Travels is also a fantastic satire on Hollywood, which is one of the reasons why this film was so personal for Sturges. As Sullivan explains that he wants his next film to be a "true canvass of human suffering," his producers beg him to add “a little bit of sex”
to it, and “how about a musical?” Ever the Hollywood businessmen. Sullivan himself is hilarious as well, trying on
various coats with his butler to decide which one looks the most authentic
and hobo-like for his travels. It is obvious that these scenes are Sturges' personal reflections on the ridiculousness of Hollywood- reflections that are still relevant today.
Sullivan trying on his hobo-looks with his butler. Via.
About 3/4th of the way into the film however, Sullivan's Travels takes an unexpectedly serious turn, when Sullivan is attacked and consequentially sent to a labor prison. It's a sudden change in tone that is a stark juxtaposition to the previously light-hearted and fanciful comedic scenes. Sturges made the prison scenes realistically dismal, not glossing over the abusive nature of the prison system. For once Sullivan can no longer call upon his Hollywood backup to get him out of a situation; he finally has to suffer true hardship and experience firsthand the struggles he wants to depict.
Ironically, Sullivan’s
Travels is for the most part (with the exception of the prison scene) the type of movie McCrea’s character, Sullivan, doesn't
want to make. It’s a lighthearted film with goofy scenes, "a little bit of sex", and even a musical number worked into it (the Gospel
church scene.) And as Sullivan himself says, "There's always a girl in the picture; haven't you ever been to the movies?" In this case "The Girl" (which literally is the only way her character is ever referred to) is nineteen year old Veronica Lake.
Knowing Lake mostly as a cool and mysterious femme fatale, it was
interesting to see her in such a light-hearted and somewhat unglamorous role. As a New York Times journalist
wrote in a 1942 review, Lake proves that she "is a person when she comes out from behind her hair.” Not only is she relatable, Lake is absolutely charming in the role of Sullivan's silly sidekick. Her and McCrea's chemistry is perfect and their banter is entertaining throughout the film. However, Veronica Lake's behind-the-scenes relationship with her co-star and their director was not as ideal.
As the story goes, Sturges fought hard to get Lake for the
role of The Girl, and was very disappointed, and more than a little outraged, to
find out only a couple weeks into filming that Lake was 6 months pregnant.
Before Sturges had secured Lake the role, he confronted her in person about the
rumors he had been hearing that she was pregnant. He explained the role was very physical and would be too exhausting for a pregnant woman to take on.
Lake, who desperately wanted
the role, lied to Sturges face promising him there was no truth to the rumors. For
a while, the only person on set who knew of her 6 month pregnancy was costume designer
Edith Head, who was designing flowing and loose-fitting costume to help hide Lake’s
secret disposition. According to Lake’s autobiography, Sturges literally had to
be held back from attacking her when he found her out. Lake filmed Sullivan’s Travels through to the 8th
month of her pregnancy. And Sturges was right; the role was very physical and involved a lot of stunts; Lake spent most of the time on set exhausted and miserable- and effectively made the rest of the cast and crew just as miserable.
Sturges himself is another interesting character behind the
scenes of Sullivan’s Travels. He was
one of the original behind-the-camera triple threats: a screenwriter, director,
and producer. Sturges entered the directing scene around 1940 and went on to make numerous
screwball comedies. Sullivan’s Travels is considered his most personal and ambitious film. According to Sturges, the driving
force behind the film was “an urge to tell some of my fellow filmwrights that
they were getting a little too deep-dish and to leave the preaching to the
preachers.”
Veronica Lake, Joel McCrea, and Preston Sturges behind the scenes of Sullivan's Travels. Via.
"There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did
you know that's all some people have? It isn't much but it's better than
nothing in this cockeyed caravan." - John Sullivan
In the end though, Sturges didn't actually agree with the conclusion his character, John Sullivan, comes to. By the end of the film, when Sullivan gets out of the labor prison, he announced he wants "to make a comedy." He no longer wants anything to do with serious "message" film he was planning, believing that there's enough hardship and heartache in the world already. Sturges' however said that did not agree that screwball comedies were the only type of films that needed to be made; "I don't believe that now [the remaining days of the
Great Depression and the start of World War II] is the time for comedies or
tragedies or spy pictures or pictures without spies or historical dramas or
musicals or pictures without music," he explained. "I believe that
now is the time for all forms of art, and that now is always with us."
Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake in Sullivan's Travels. (Notice Lake's protruding baby bump). Via.
Personally, I couldn't agree more with Sturges. Although film is a form of escapism, and many people go to the movies escape their current problems, film is also an artistic form. Sometimes art is meant to entertain, sometimes it's meant to make you think, and sometimes it's purpose is to remind you that you're not alone out there in your suffering. There is no right or wrong; as long as you leave the theater with some sort of emotion- whether that be happy, sad, contemplative- the film has made you feel. And, to me, that's the overall purpose of film.
After reviewing my blog posts, I decided that it was
time to write about a more uplifting and cheerful film, rather than the darker
and more serious films I've recently written about. So today, instead of
raining on everyone’s parade, I’m going to talk about Singing in the Rain. This is without a doubt my favorite movie
musical. The talent both on screen and behind the camera is astounding, and
the story line is as fresh and entertaining as it was when it debuted in 1952.
The idea for Singing
in the Rain was first dreamed up by MGM producer, Arthur Freed. Arthur
Freed and his creative unit were regarded as MGM royalty throughout the movie
musical era (roughly the 1940’s- the early 60’s).
Arthur Freed talking with Judy Garland on set (not sure of which film). Via.
Freed got his start in the late 1920’s as a lyricist,
collaborating most frequently with musical composer Ignacio Herbert Brown.
Together, Freed and Brown wrote numerous hit songs of the 1920’s and 30’s, including
“The Broadway Melody,” “The Wedding of the Painted Doll,” and, of course,
“Singin’ in the Rain.” Quickly hired by MGM, Freed went on to produce a series
of successful movie musicals for the studio. Meet me in St. Louis, On the Town,Royal Wedding and Show Boat are
just a few of the box office successes Freed created. (All of which are
fantastic films that I highly recommend you check out!)
Poster for Musicals, Great Musicals, a documentary about MGM's Freed Unit. Via.
Following the overwhelming success of his 1951 Oscar-winning
film, An American in Paris, Freed had
the brilliant- albeit slightly narcissistic
- idea to produce a movie that would showcase all the hits of the Freed and
Brown composition team.
Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Freed’s go-to screenwriters,
were given the challenging task of writing a screenplay around the song list,
having to think of ways to naturally fit in the already-established musical
numbers. Since the majority of the songs had been written in the 1920’s and 1930’s,
Comden and Green decided the songs would live most naturally in that setting-
making the backdrop for the film the roaring 20’s and the birth of the
“talkies.”
Gene Kelly, being one of the main actors in the Freed unit,
was already set to star in and co-direct the film. Veteran stage hoofer, Donald
O'Connor was quickly named a shoe-in for the comic sidekick, Cosmo. The leading
lady to play the role of Kathy, however, entailed a more extensive search. It
was decided, that Kathy had to be played a new-comer; that way the character’s
young, star-struck adoration would be completely realistic. Enter 19 year old
Debbie Reynolds.
Reynolds had signed a contract with MGM just a couple years
prior, but as a singer- not a dancer. Consequentially after being cast in Singing in the Rain, Reynolds was given three
different dance instructors, a rigorous rehearsal schedule, and only 3 months
to accomplish the same level of expertise as Kelly and O'Connor. It was such a
trying experienced that Reynolds said in later years, that childbirth and Singing in the Rain were the two most
painful experiences of her life.
On her first day of filming, they were scheduled to shoot
the dance number “Good Morning,” which in my opinion is one of the longest and
most advanced dance sequences Reynolds has in the film (not exactly a easy
first day on set). In the middle of filming, Reynolds became so frustrated and overwhelmed
by Gene Kelly (who was known to be quite the perfectionists), that she ran off
set to empty sound stage. She took refuge under a rehearsal piano, and sat
there crying until pair of long legs appeared in front of the piano. It was none other than dancer, Fred Astaire;
he told her to come out from underneath the piano and asked her what was wrong. Reynolds
cried that the dancing was too hard and that it wasn't easy for her like it was
for him and Kelly. So Astaire had her sit through his own rehearsal. After an hour, he’d effectively showed her that dancing is always hard and challenging work-
even for dancers with years of experience. Then Astaire told her to get back on set and finish the
scene. Reynolds went back to the set
with Astaire’s advice, and, after 14 hours of filming, the scene was officially
in the can. Later however, when Reynolds took off her little blue shoes, her
feet were completely blistered and bloody. Astaire wasn't kidding.
Despite the trials and tribulations of filming, Singing in the Rain premiered in 1952
and quickly became a smash success. There’s something so timeless and
effortlessly charming about this film. The interesting thing to me is that while
Singing in the Rain depicts the lost
silent era of Hollywood, the film itself was made right at the end of another
Hollywood era. After Singing in the Rain, the Freed Unit and the rest of Hollywood had only a few more successful movie
musicals. With the early 1960’s came the new wave of Hollywood; audiences no
longer wanted to see happy-go-lucky musicals that took place in a universe where
people sang and danced out their problems. They wanted to see movies that
portrayed real life, along with real problems and real controversies. The world
of musicals did not have a place in this new Hollywood. Right before Singing in the Rain premiered, Louis B.
Mayer, the long-running head of MGM, was fired. Throughout his almost 30 years reign
as President of MGM, Mayer’s aim was to make wholesome movies that depicted an
idealized American dream; this dream however that was no longer realistic or, more importantly,
acceptable by the 1960’s. Not long after Mayer was fired, the age of movie
musicals- and essentially the entire studio era- came to an end.
What makes Singing in
the Rain so iconic is the fact that it is both of its own time, and yet
still timeless. Movies today aren't made the way they were back during the studio
era- I’m not saying one way is better or worse; they are just different. When
you watch Singing in the Rain you are
watching a part of history. Who can ever forget the timeless image of Gene
Kelly dancing with that black umbrella, or Donald O'Connor running up the walls
at the end of “Make ‘em Laugh?” These iconic scenes remain timeless and just as
impressive today, because no else could ever replicate them. All the performances in Singing in the Rain were such unique
and individualized performances which perfectly displayed the actors' talents. The
film is truly one of a kind.
"It’s very cruel to discover one’s mediocrity only when it’s too late.”
That is one of the opening lines of the 1934 film Of Human Bondage. Thus begins one of the
most depressing movies of all time. The story is not just depressing; it’s
melodramatic to the point of frustration and eye-rolling. Yet, despite the
overdone drama there is still a reason to watch this movie; the incredible
Bette Davis.
Fiery, passionate, and strong-willed as ever, Bette Davis
takes on the role of the cold-hearted, opportunistic, and incredibly
unsympathetic Mildred Rogers. The (initially) pretty, yet unfeeling
middle-class waitress becomes the object of Philip Carey (Leslie Howard)’s
obsession. This is where the film gets frustrating; despite her immediate and
unwavering disinterest, Philip continues to pursue Mildred. Time and time
again, Mildred ditches, dumps, uses, abuses, and makes fun of Philip; not once
does she act the slightest bit
interested in him. Yet he continues to follow her, never giving up on his
so-called love. She is his ‘human bondage’- she’s the burden that he can’t
escape and is preventing him from achieving any sort of success or happiness. Like
a parasite she feeds off of him, using his feelings for her to better her own
situation. It takes the deterioration and eventual death of Mildred, for Philip
to finally escape her lethal bondage.
In the midst of its melodrama, Of Human Bondage has some great camera angles and impressive
costume/make-up transformations that, to me, were more interesting than the
storyline. The director, John Cromwell, uses a series of extreme close-ups,
bringing to audience into the conversations and exchanges. You get the full
effect of Bette Davis’ manipulative stare, immediately followed by a close-up
of Leslie Howard’s pathetic, trace-like gaze. It’s the opportunity to
experience what it’s like to be on the receiving end of their overwhelming and,
in the case of Davis, calculating emotions.
It was also fun to see how the film portrays Mildred’s deterioration.
Never afraid to take on unglamorous and physically revolting characters, Davis
goes all out when depicting the degradation of Mildred. There is a constant and
obvious decline each time Mildred reappears. This progression, along with the
change in Davis’ mannerism to match her character’s decay, is impressive.
Despite the sometimes hokey storyline, the main reason I was
drawn to this movie is because it’s an opportunity to experience a performance
by a young, blonde, and
not-yet-a-star Bette Davis. And she was astounding. In 1934, Bette Davis wasn’t
the household name she became soon after; she was a virtually unknown actress striving
to make a place for herself in the business. Up until Of Human Bondage, Davis had been stuck under the repressive control
of the Jack Warner of Warner Bros. She was given a series of forgettable roles
that allowed for little artistic development. So Davis took her career in her
own hands, demanding to be loaned to RKO for the movie adaption Of Human Bondage. Since then, the film
has been known as her breakout role. With every line she spits out a Leslie
Howard, you can see a star in the making.
Bette Davis and Leslie Howard on set reading through the novel the film is based on. Via.
Of course, Bette Davis wasn’t your average studio era star;
she was a ballsy and fiercely independent woman who wouldn’t let anyone-
especially Jack Warner- stand in the way of her career. When the 1934 Academy
Awards came around, Hollywood was shocked when the nominations for Best Actress
were announced; Davis was not nominated for her role in Of Human Bondage. For a contemporary perspective, the public and
critics alike had a similar reaction to the outrage at Argo being shunned from the Best Film nomination last year at the 2013 Oscars. There was such an uproar in 1934 however, that Davis-supporters
convinced the Academy to allow a write-in vote where they could fill in the
name of Bette Davis on the ballot. Despite the large number of write-in votes she garnered,
the Oscar went to Claudette Colbert for It
Happened One Night. After the 1934 awards, the Academy made write-in voting
prohibited.
The rest of Davis’ career followed a similar pattern- always
fighting for new opportunities. She demanded the roles she knew she deserves
and always bounced back from any industry or personal failures. Buried in
L.A.’s Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Davis’ tomb stone reads “She did it the hard
way.” I feel like this sums up Bette Davis perfectly. So many times in her life
she could have taken the easy way out; she could have submitted to the control
of Warner Bros. or given up after her various career slumps. But not Bette
Davis; she did the hard way, fighting for what she wanted.
Leslie Howard and Bette Davis in Of Human Bondage. Via.
Many people today could watch Davis’ performance in Of Human Bondage and considered it
overdone or over-the-top. If this is case, you are missing the point. Those distinguishing
mannerisms and affectations are what make this a classic Bette Davis
performance. That’s her acting style, and she owned it better than any other
actress I can think of. That is why I’d recommend watching Of Human Bondage, to get an idea of what the world of film
experienced when they got to see Bette Davis shine for the first time.
"The man who's too afraid to die, is too afraid to live."
- Gay Langland
If you follow me on Pinterest, you probably could have
guessed which film I would write about next based on the theme of my recent
pins. This past weekend I watched the 1961 film, The Misfits for the first time. I had been wanting to see this
movie for a while as it's the last film of its two stars. Clark Gable suffered
a heart attack two days after filming ended; ten days later he passed away
after a massive second heart attack. Marilyn Monroe died a year and a half
after finishing The Misfits. Although
in-between she had been cast (then fired, then re-hired) in the movie Something’s Got to Give, she passed away
in the middle of filming, making The
Misfits her final, completed film.
At the time of its release, The Misfits was a box-office bomb; some even say it was the flop of
its time. Having now seen the film, I can only assume this failure was due to a
lack of understanding on the part of audiences and critics. It’s undeniable
that The Misfits was way ahead of its
time; the overall feel of the film is much more reminiscent of late 60’s and 70’s movies. Arthur Miller wrote an intimate screenplay that takes a look at the lives
of four very vulnerable, lost characters. As a result of its unsuccessful
debut however, it is often an overlooked and forgot film, which is a shame
considering the fantastic performances by the entire ensemble.
Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Misfits. Via.
The script, which was written as a Valentine’s gift for
Miller’s then wife Monroe, was inspired by Miller’s own trip to Reno in the
late 50’s. He had been staying there while waiting out a divorce from his first
wife, in order to more publicly pursuit Monroe. There he became fascinated by
the life of the cowboys; these were not the cowboy dandies of Hollywood, but
real cowboys who by the 20th century, had long outlived their place
and purpose in the world. This displacement and inability to adjust to their environment
is the idea that initially gave life to The
Misfits. His four main characters are all drifters and dreamers who have
relocated to the isolated west trying to escape something; it’s in the deserts
of Nevada that they look for a reconfirmation of life.
Cliff, Monroe, and Gable goofing around on the set of The Misfits.Via.
Before even watching the film, what struck me was how appropriate the title was for the actors starring in it. Like their characters, Gable, Monroe and Montgomery Cliff were all themselves misfits in Hollywood.
According to most sources, Gable never fully recovered from
the sudden death of his third wife, Carole Lombard. On top of that, Gable was
59 years old at the time of filming, and no longer felt at home in the “new
Hollywood;” he was apparently very nervous about taking on the role of Gay in The Misfits, as its other three stars
(Cliff, Monroe, and Eli Wallach) had all been trained in “The Method,” which, for
Gable, was a mysterious and foreign approach to acting.
Montgomery Cliff’s personal life at the time of The Misfits was a sad one as well. It was marked by heavy
alcohol abuse, internal demons and guilt as a result of hiding his sexuality,
and massive physical recovery (as this was 5 years after his 1956 car crash and
consequential face reconstruction.)
And then there was poor Marilyn Monroe; she essentially played
herself in The Misfits- a lonely and
lost divorcee who is trying to rediscover life and something to live for.
Now, don’t get me wrong- I do not dislike Marilyn Monroe; I personally find it frustrating, however, that Marilyn Monroe “the legend” has far outlived and out-shadowed Marilyn Monroe “the actress.” In pop culture today Monroe is synonymous with beauty, glamour and sex; most idolize her without even having seen any of her performances. People too often are seduced by the idea of her, the dream of her.
I found Monroe’s performance in The Misfits impressive- was it the best performance I've ever seen? No, not by a long shot. But, it was the best Marilyn Monroe performance I've ever seen. Maybe that’s because she finally set aside the dumb blonde caricature, or maybe because she was playing a character so similar to herself. Either way, her portrayal was moving and heartfelt- heartbreaking even.
The best scene of this film is without a doubt the climax of
the movie- the mustang-hunting scene. This scene is what solidified the film
for me. Miller outdid himself with the writing, and the performances of all four
actors on screen are so real and so touching.
As I watched the three men
(Gable, Cliff, and Wallach) take on a mustang stallion, capturing it to be sold
(and not for riding- but to be butchered and turned into dog food), I couldn’t
stop myself from comparing the poor horse to Monroe’s character, Roslyn. These
men are all trying to tie down this beautiful, wild thing, just as all three
men have been trying to win over Roslyn throughout the entire story.
As Guido
(Wallach) notes early on in the film, Roslyn “has the gift for life. The rest
of us, we’re just looking for a place to hide and watch it go by.” But Roslyn,
like this stallion, just wants to be free and won’t stop struggling against
these men who see her as salvation in their troubled world. Each man reacts differently to Roslyn’s screams and insistent demands to leave the poor horses alone.
All three male characters undergo massively dynamic transformations. Their true
selves are revealed in this scene; some are for the better and some are not.
It’s truly an engrossing scene that deserves multiple viewings.
The Misfits is an
interesting film, partially because of the legends behind the camera and
partially because of Arthur Miller’s thought-provoking story. Although I did
enjoy the film, it does not earn a spot on my list of favorite movies. Some
scenes, especially in the middle of the film, are less than notable; the final
20-or-so minute showdown hunting the mustangs, however, warrants a
recommendation. If you haven't already seen it, give it a try one night and see what you think.
John Huston, Arthur Miller, and cast of The Misfits.Via.
Also check out the PBS documentary The Making of the Misfits which is on YouTube, uploaded in three
separate sections. This short documentary shared very interesting insights into
the tension and stress behind the scenes of The
Misfits; from the 108 degree Nevada heat to the disintegrating marriage
between Miller and Monroe, the set was more than taut with frustrations,
resentment and anxiety. Definitely take the time to watch this documentary
after experiencing this film.
"I'm not much on rear window ethics."- Grace Kelly as Lisa
I didn't have to think twice about which classic film to spotlight
in my first post- Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 voyeuristic thriller, Rear Window. Like everyone, I have
several "favorite movies." But if someone were to hold a gun to my head and ask what my absolute all-time favorite film was, I'd be force to say Rear Window.
This movie truly has it all- mystery, romance, comedy, and,
of course, suspense. Rear Window has
several outstanding elements. These elements individually would make a thoroughly
entertaining film; combined together, however,
they create a masterpiece:
While some may disagree, for me personally, Rear Window is Hitchcock
at his best. The camera angles are magnificent, the storytelling profound, and the suspense is never-ending. All the various angles and techniques he uses, effectively turns the
audience into a voyeur alongside Jimmy Stewart.
I particularly love Hitchcock’s
first scene; with one steady shot, the audience gets an inside look at Jeff’s
apartment, and even more importantly, his story. His life. In my mind, one of the most challenging parts of writing or
filming a movie must be introducing your cast of characters to the audience. It needs to be a subtle information dump, without making it obvious to audience that you are scrambling to introduce all the
characters to them (voice-over narration is one of the most popular cop-outs). Hitchcock however
does this effortlessly by harkening back to the visual storytelling of the
silent movie era. It’s a fantastic opening scene, that never fails to impress
me.
2.Grace Kelly
Just as Hitchcock was at his best in Rear Window, so was his stunning leading lady. Grace Kelly as Stewart’s
high society girl friend, Lisa Fremont, is incomparable. Hitchcock gave her one
of the most stunning character entrances that has ever been captured on film; “The
Kiss” scene.
Quickly after her close-up entrance, however, Grace Kelly as
Lisa proves to be not just a beautiful face, but a fiercely stubborn, determined
woman who is unfortunately in love with an impossible man. One of my favorite “Lisa”
scenes is her exit after Jeff (Stewart)’s tells her there's no future for their relationship.
“Well when am I going to see you again?” - Jeff “Not
for a long time. That is… at least not until tomorrow night.” – Lisa
It’s so relatable- who of us haven’t been so head over heels
for someone that we can’t keep away- even after they tell us flat out there’s
no hope for a future. But, in the end Lisa wins Jeff over and thoroughly proves
she can keep up with his adventurous globe-trotting lifestyle.
3.Stella
As a perfect foil to the elegant high-class Lisa, you have
Jeff’s nurse, Stella. Played by the remarkable character actor, Thelma Ritter,
Stella is the movie’s most entertaining comic relief. Her one-liners are
laugh-out-loud funny, due mostly to Ritter’s wry delivery. Even more impressive than her comedic lines, however,
is the witty wisdom that is at the root of what she's saying. My personal
favorite:
“When
two people love each other, they come together-WHAM- like two taxis on
Broadway.” - Stella
Although, Stewart’s character is
primarily concerned with his suspicious neighbor, Lars Thorwald, Hitchcock
still allows the supporting cast of neighbors to have fully developed
storylines. Miss Torso, Miss Lonely Hearts, the struggling middle-aged
songwriter- all of these characters and their subplots add to the film on so
many levels. Some act as a catalyst to the story, some add comedic relief, and
some add relatable sorrow. They all add to the realism of the film- making the
courtyard of neighbors seem like ensemble we could find in our own
neighborhood.
5.The Music
Franz Waxman’s fantastic jazz
score sets the scene of Rear Window,
reflecting the eccentric group of courtyard residents and the dark secrets
hiding behind closed blinds.
As you can see, I am overzealously
passionate about this film. No matter how many times I watch it, it never
gets old. If you haven’t seen this film, I highly recommend checking it out. And
for anyone interested in hearing the behind-the-scenes process of filming Rear Window, I recommend watching Rear Window Ethic: The Making of Rear Window
which you can find in the special features on the DVD.
And just for fun, here are some awesome minimalist Rear Window movie posters I found on Pinterest. I think Hitchcock would have loved these!
My name is Lisa; I am a born and raised Chicagoan, and classic film enthusiast. This week I turn 23 years old, and, on a whim, I decided to start my 23rd year with a new experience- blogging! This is a brand new hobby for me (so bear with me as I learn the ropes).
Here on The Vintage Marquee, I plan on posting about all the classic movies I grew up watching and still obsess over today. From Hitchcock thrillers, to Gene Kelly musicals, to Bogart films noirs- I plan to write about it all! I hope you stop by to gush over one of your own favorite movies or even discover a new film to explore!
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