College widow and swordfish

 THE HORSE FEATHERS (1932)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Harpo Marx gets to impressively play the harp for an extended period of time and catch some dogs, maybe a policeman. Groucho Marx gets to uproariously sing "Whatever It Is, I'm Against It" as a professor in front of the faculty, and makes a mockery of everyone. Chico Marx is finicky about getting the right password for entry to a speakeasy, and argues until he accidentally gives it away ("Swordfish" of course). Zeppo Marx, the most normal of the Marx Brothers, is interested in the "college widow" (Thelma Todd). Meanwhile there is some business about kidnapping two college football players.

"The Horse Feathers" is pure tomfoolery fun, though not nearly as anarchic as "Monkey Business" or "Duck Soup" (the latter is tied with "A Night at the Opera" as their greatest comical work). There is so much to enjoy here from the double, sometimes triple takes delivered by Groucho as well as his various one-liners. I howled with laughter at many but especially at Groucho who believes that a "father further" is more appropriate than "Anything further father?" The constant interruption in the college girl's bedroom from Groucho coming and sitting on her lap while opening an umbrella, to Chico and Harpo both bringing in blocks of ice and throwing them out the window (Not sure what the heck that is all about). The football sequences are insanely funny, particularly the antics of the Marx Brothers playing cards and eating hot dogs or leading a chariot with horses tied to a garbage wagon in the middle of the field. 

For a 1932 flick pre-Code, most of "Horse Feathers" is gleefully inoffensive and never crude (though double entendres are plentiful). There's also the unusual sight for its time of Groucho breaking the fourth wall and telling the audience to head to the lobby while Chico sings and plays piano. You just gotta love the glorious antics of the Marx Brothers because anything goes. 

Note: The term "college widow" refers to a young woman who remains in a college year after year dating different male students. Nothing further father.   

High School as a big garbage can

 THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

I would argue that for potency alone, "The Blackboard Jungle" has not lost none of it nor is it dated. This 1950's school of juvenile delinquents may not have cell phones or computers or carry guns but their attitudes have not changed nor their propensity for violence (it has only gotten worse). In the 2020's, the grossly negligent attitudes of the 50's have now become practically nihilistic. This movie seems innocent by comparison but not completely alien by any standards.

Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford), a Navy veteran, is is seeking the most noble of jobs - a high-school teaching position in English at an inner-city school overrun with misfits and gang members. One of them, Artie West, the leader (Vic Morrow), taunts "Teach" relentlessly. First, Artie might listen to Mr. Dadier, then he ignores and scoffs at him. Eventually, there is a brutal assault on the streets of this rough neighborhood where Dadier is beaten up along with math teacher Josh Edwards (Richard Kiley). Police are called yet Dadier has no idea who beat him up or slashed his briefcase. Naturally, he suspects one of the students and it doesn't take long for him to find the culprit in Artie. Only the shenanigans go beyond the classroom when Artie starts sending letters to Dadier's wife with false adultery accusations. There are also false bigotry accusations within the classroom. A Navy man can only take so much before making a stand. Mr. Edwards quits after his jazz records are all destroyed by these students. Dadier's pregnant wife (Anne Francis) insists that her bruised husband quit and teach elsewhere. Nothing will make Dadier quit, however, not even hearing the heartless remarks by another teacher (Louis Calhern) who calls the school "a big garbage can."

"Blackboard Jungle" shows some students are willing to learn despite peer pressure from Artie and other loyal members. One of them is Miller (Sidney Poitier), who calls Dadier "chief," and he is the smart guy of the class whom others listen to. Miller also has interest in music and is preparing for a Christmas play at school. Dadier knows that with Miller's help, he might be able to reach his students. Dadier will not quit no matter how often he's pushed or threatened with switchblades. 

"The Blackboard Jungle" is a rough, tough picture for its time, showing how far juvenile delinquents have gone to defy the establishment. What may have irked some audiences back in 1955 wasn't so much the teens in the audience finding something that spoke to them but rather the cold reality of the school system. One teacher is either sexually assaulted or beaten or they have their property destroyed - no one is safe from the teens' wrath. Being destitute brings forth desperation and anger and the teens felt it and, I suspect, so did the teenage audience who danced in the aisles to the tune of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" playing in the opening credits (later the song became synonymous with "Happy Days"). The movie is ostensibly a rock and roll-type picture with the vastly underrated Glenn Ford showing he is the perfect idealistic teacher - the one who is ready to fight for what he believes in. We have had cinematic teachers for many decades but Ford has that special gift and that is, beyond his tough exterior, he shows he cares. He genuinely cares. Not dated at all.

Note: Look for Paul Mazursky and a beaming Jamie Farr (listed in the credits as Jameel Farah) as students in Dadier's class.    

Spruce Goose as a flying ocean liner

 NON-STOP NEW YORK (1937)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Starting off as a noir piece about a mob killing amidst the Depression-era of New York, "Non-Stop New York" doesn't settle long enough for a thriller dynamic with a love story and some sociological tension. The movie is a non-stop roller coaster ride filled to the brim with wit, pungent casting and a futuristic-looking plane that seems to be years ahead of Howard Hughes' own Spruce Goose. Except of course that this Spruce Goose is seemingly a mini-ocean liner with propellers!

A zestful English actress, Jennie Carr (Anna Lee), is penniless and is eager for at least a cup of coffee. Thankfully she has enough change for a coffee, which she promptly drops on the floor when bumping into a guy named Billy (James Pirrie). Billy is a mob attorney and wants out of the business, only Jeannie doesn't know that. She is invited to Billy's apartment and then ejected when the mob boss Brant (Francis L. Sullivan) and some goons arrive and a shot rings out. Jennie had seen the men but not the murder, and there is a vagrant who witnessed it and is charged for a crime he didn't commit. You see, it looks as if the film is building to another noir until we enter Hitchcock terrain via a Trans-Atlantic flight from New York to London.

What is delightfully escapist fun about "Non-Stop New York" is the eclectic cast of characters including the aforementioned Anna Lee's Jennie Carr, who's a little on the naive side. John Loder is the disbelieving Scotland Yard inspector who takes an interminable time to believe Anna's story (I would have trouble with her version of events too). There's also a bespectacled young musical prodigy (Desmond Tester) who annoys all passengers with his saxophone (which leads to a great joke about a parachute); Jerry Verno as a steward who has his share of double entendres, and the grand villainy of Francis L. Sullivan as Brant who pretends to be a Paraguayan general named Costello (isn't Costello normally an Irish or Italian surname?) 

"Non-Stop New York" has a wildly contrived plot (why all the shenanigans to put Jennie in jail briefly and then have Brant follow her back to New York?) Still, I did not mind and found the film fluffy yet never less than breezy fun. Wait till you get to the parachute joke!