60 of 1001 Movies: Babes in Arms (1939)

Where to begin with this one? It's one of the reasons American going into the mid-1900s got stereotyped as it did as a very "gee-golly" time. For Judy Garland fans it is something you want to see just to see her in probably one of the highest moments of her career as this was released the same year as The Wizard of Oz. Also, while some may have their tiffs with this film you can't deny the amazing fact that this is one movie in a very long career for Mickey Rooney.

Mickey was born into show businesses with his father, Joe, being a big Broadway guy himself at the time of his birth. Wanting to follow in his father's footsteps he hopes to go out again with his mom and dad one of their troupe tours, but his parents deny him this go about, and instead he is faced with the prospect of going away to a ranch with his sister, Molly, in their absence. Mickey has a plan though to team up with Patsy to put on a show to keep them in town to help, and hopefully further themselves in show business.

As said, you might need to be a hardcore fan of musicals, or both actors to get into this one. It doesn't really have any relatable content that makes it accessible to most audiences, and while it is clean enough to be watched by the family it doesn't have anything in it that can imaginably entertain younger kids. The teens are way too perfect, and by today's standard don't seem realistic. It paints the portraits of how great American used to be to people who live in the idea that America has fallen into something worse. To get through this movie the best thing to do is to try to place yourself in that setting because there will be many things that are outdated or questionable to an audience in 2012.

It's difficult to review this one, and not mention the one glaring piece of this movie that will be too noticeable not to, and that is the use of the black face. The white actors do paint their faces black at one point in this movie during their play to portray black people. Robert Downey Jr. did this a couple of years ago in Tropic Thunder, and it caused a stir. A lot of people questioned why the director Busby Berkeley didn't just hire African Americans for the role, and that is applying thinking from 2012 to 1939. No one would have thought to do that at a time where it wasn't as controversial to have that piece in your movie. To be honest though it will be a very awkward scene to watch for anyone if you choose to pick this one up.

As for the acting it is very over the top. Mickey Rooney may have had a very long career, but his acting was very in your face. He sort of topples over Judy Garland, and the rest of the cast with his acting. He may be suited for the stage, but for movies he wasn't the niche. Judy Garland can't really be measured as far as acting in this film. Her voice is nice, and she sings great, but she wasn't complex enough. That is something that is lacking with this one as a whole. The characters just have nothing substantial about them.

Either you will like it or love it, but there might not be much in between as far as feelings toward it. There are also might be some mixed sentiments about how it portrays America. This film had a certain audience for that time, and unless that audience is older most younger audiences may not really be able to relate to any of those ideas or concepts. Keeping in mind that this film was made in 1939 will hopefully help some though. America was just coming out of the Great Depression around this time, and you will find that there was a lot to celebrate for some people, and this in some ways is trying to capture that innocent celebratory attitude. If you want a musical from the 30s that really shows the genre at one of it's highest then go for 42nd Street.

Rating 2 of 5.

58 of 1001 Movies: The Awful Truth (1937)

With the earlier viewing of An Affair to Remember you find again that Cary Grant is starring in a movie that deals with the topics of people in relationships cheating on the other person. What made him so drawn to those scripts? Who knows. This one was much more memorable and fun than his 1957 film he made 20 years after this one. Cary Grant shows his younger charm alongside Irene Dunne.

When Lucy and Jerry arrive home after being away from each other their suspicions regarding what happened on their trips grow into accusations of affairs, and lies. Jerry suspects that Lucy is having an affair with her music teacher after she arrives home later than him from a night she claims she spent broke down, and stranded by the car. The two seek out new romances as soon as they decide on a divorce, but the two seem to have a problem with seeing the other move on, and make attempts to ruin the new love prospects.

From the beginning this movie is fun because of the chemistry between Grant, and Dunne. They seem to enjoy working with each other, and naturally Grant had a natural way with getting the women to want him on screen. Leo McCarey handles the film well by progressing the two to a very romantic climatic ending. There are a few scenes that are added in choppily, but he catches the comedic timing well between the actors.

Irene Dunne's Lucy starts off a tad annoying. For some reason she grows on you throughout the film though. Cary Grant changed a lot as far as his maturity over the years. In later films George Clooney like suaveness was present, and in his earlier ones he had a boyish charm about him like in this movie. It translates well to the situation he is in. You had no idea why the couple wanted to be together considering they didn't seem to have any deeper reasons for being with someone, but toward the end you're cheering them on to end up together, and you even begin to care.

Another highlight is the costumes of the time that make you just want to watch it to be immersed in that era. It takes the ultimate glam of the 30s, and puts it into a movie. How could people in the 30s relate to this becomes a question though? America was overcoming The Great Depression, and these characters are very hung up on wealth that most might have found not relatable. Perhaps, it was a bit escapism though. The story does a good job of humbling both characters to understanding what matters most though, and perhaps that is the point.

For romantic comedy enthusiasts you must check this out. It's the genre at one it's greatest, and provides a much better story than many you'll find these days. If you're not too much into singing in your movies then it might be a tad much. At some points it almost felt like Broadway on the movie screen. The Awful Truth ends up being a lot of fun, and a good light date movie that your boyfriend might be able to get into also.

Rating 4 of 5.

44 of 1001 Movies: Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)

Michael Curtis brings the crime drama to life starring a top notch cast who really helps carry the emotional gravity of this film. I would say this film almost feels too short for the character complexity offered in the film, and that is a first for me.  By the end of the film you can't help but wonder where the remaining characters will wind up.

Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connolly were once childhood friends, and while their lives took different directions they can't help but still have that bond. Jerry is now a priest, and Rocky took the path of a gangster. Laury is Rocky old crush, and she also seeks to help out in the hopes of setting him in the right path. Rocky doesn't want to break free of his gangster ways, and eventually it leads him to a path he can't turn around when he murders two men. Jerry is also worried about the effect Rocky is having on teenage boys he is trying to help living the gang lifestyle.

Angels With Dirty Faces work because the cast works well together. They all have chemistry to make the emotions flow. For example, the young teenage gang talks quick, and easily with each other as if they have been hanging out their whole lives, and in some way you feel for them because you know they must have grew up rough lives. Rocky (James Cagney) and (Pat O'Brien) take the real lead with this one though. Their two friends who different lives have put a strain between them. They are working for opposing ends, but both with what seems the same goal.

I will say that Cagney's accent annoyed me a tad bit, and it was O'Brien that I favored between the two as far as characters go. The end scene with Jerry is so powerful, and I will admit it moved me a bit though thankfully not to tears. Though I'm sure Ann Sheridan is a good actress I didn't feel she stood out enough for me in the film to really take note of anything. I wasn't even sure at times if she was supposed to have chemistry with Rocky because it just seemed like they had none.

I think if you're into gangster films, and you're looking for one to really put on the list that will precede the others than this one would be it. It has a really good shootout scene that gets pretty intense. At the end of all the battles the ending feels a little rushed though. It's almost just tacked on to the end without ever getting to say goodbye to the characters. It also captures the era of the 30 really well. We see some of the roughest places, and not a glamorized version of the time.

Rating 3 of 5.

6 of 1001 Movies: 42nd Street (1933)

Summary
Broadway producers decide to put on a play, Pretty Lady, during the Great Depression in 1932. Dorothy Brock is set to star until an injury leaves her sidelined, and in need of a replacement. The director, Julian Marsh, needs to insure this play is a success or his own reputation, and finances, so he takes a gamble on Peggy Sawyer who is new to the Broadway scene.

My Thoughts
I didn't think this movie would be so adorable, but it is! The acting is very dramatic, and I think it provides a very historical, insightful look at the early days of Broadway. At the beginning of the movie we are already thrown into the middle of casting where women are auditioning for the dancing routines. Peggy Sawyer makes a memorable entrance from almost walking into the mens' room, to falling asleep when call backs are being given, you can tell this isn't the scene she is used to.

The costumes, and stage are very elaborate, and glitzy. The acting is just as dramatic, and probably at times even over done. All the characters were so intriguing though including Dorothy Brock, and a few of the dancers hired for Pretty Lady. Above all though, Peggy Sawyer has some of the most memorable outfits of the 30s throughout the movie. If nothing else you should watch this for the incredible vintage attire.

When you get to the last twenty minutes you finally see the play, and what all this hard work has been about. It's very difficult to even turn away for those last minutes, because the music, and dancing is so entrancing. The memorable routines to songs like "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" will have you thinking about the movie long after. There were a number of scenes being tried for the first time, such as the camera zooming in between the dancer's legs, and few other scenes that will be obvious if you watch. You will see why this movie was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards when you watch.

Besides few moments that lull the movie will keep you wanting to watch. If nothing else because the music will keep you there, and the way the actors handle things so dramatically. The actors on Broadway are also perceived as some wild party people in their off hours with the suggestion of sex taking place, and the drinking. Nothing is very strongly alluded to though, but if you are the modern day viewer you might get a laugh out of how certain things are snuck in.

Rating 3 of 5.

5 of 1001 Movies: The 39 Steps (1935)

Summary
Richard Hanney is enjoying London during his vacation until a woman runs into him after a brawl breakout asking him for help. He allows her to follow him back to his place where she then begins telling him about The 39 Steps. When the woman turns up in the middle of the night with a knife in her back Richard is sent in into a spiraling mystery that sends him from England to Scotland.

My Thoughts
I was really wanting to enjoy my first Alfred Hitchcock film, but this one I struggled to get into. It was short at 86 minutes, so you didn't have to keep your attention long, but I still found myself zoning away from it. I am wondering also if another Hitchcock film would have been better to begin with. As far as I know the most critical claim this one has garnered is in British films.

I was curious to find out what was the huge mystery about The 39 Steps, but it's so silently slipped in at the end that if you were like me, and struggling to stay focused you probably had to go back again to make sure you got it. I felt that Madeleine Carroll made the  movie a lot better though. She was very entertaining, and I thought she added some comical relief. Robert Donat did a good job acting, but I found the makeup on him very distracting. That probably sounds odd, but he seemed way too primped.

There are some interesting shots in the film, and since this movie was made in 1935 you can't help but think about all the events happening around the time of this movie. I got to thinking about how World War 2 had not even happened yet for some reason. Also, for a time where special effects didn't quite exist yet they did a really good job at making certain scenes seem sort of real. The black and white film probably helped that out a little.

Despite the fact it was legendary director, Hitchcock, who directed, I was disappointed I didn't get into the movie more. I thought his directing style was good, and the plot had potential, but for some reason it didn't fully reach me.  Even the actors were good, and had chemistry with each other. Perhaps, one of his films will click with me in the future.