Not exactly Illicit

 THE SECRET BRIDE (1934)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Despite a quick pace for a drama with a few thrills thrown in, the title for this film is all wrong. Anyone expecting a serious drama with Barbara Stanwyck as a recently married woman and the issues with marriage (not unlike her earlier pre-Code "Illicit") will be a mite disappointed. 

"The Secret Bride" involves Stanwyck trying to keep her marriage to an assistant attorney general (Warren William) secret due to a troubling crime with her father. You see her father is Governor and a bank deposit of ten grand not to mention an alleged suicide and possible bribery...well, it may lead to the filing of Articles of impeachment against the governor! The attorney general's office finds that an incriminating letter found in a safe was typed in the governor's very own computer. Alas, another murder occurs and a saucy secretary, Glenda Farrell, may be implicated. Glenda is played by Hazel Normandie who is the brightest spurt of energy in the whole film.  

The screenplay is hogwash though the actors are hardly banal - it is just them uttering banalities. Nothing in the murder investigation yields much in the way of surprise. Warren William seems ready to burst through the screen with force yet he never gets there as the savvy hubby. Barbara Stanwyck does just fine with her role yet it is the couple I was more interested in than the mediocre plot. You kinda wish there was a rewrite and that Stanwyck and William were given more to do than to be used as pawns in a story we've seen a million times before.

Jane stay with me in jungle

 TARZAN ESCAPES (1936)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

The Lord of the Apes has dominated the silver screen for so long that it is easy to forget how good the Johnny Weissmuller flicks were. The Olympic swim athlete giving that Tarzan yell and swinging on vines as he summons the wild animals of Africa still gives me goosebumps. "Tarzan Escapes" is fairly solid and terrific fun with the usual brand of British white villains and African tribal members being pushed around while looking for the legendary Lord of the Apes and sweet Jane herself. 

Jane's cousins, Rita and her brother Eric (Benita Hume and William Henry), are standing to receive an inheritance and they need Jane to come back to England to sign it. The cousins procure help from the reluctant white hunter with a black heart Captain Fry (John Buckler) to lead them to Jane in the deep dangerous jungle where rumors persist of a white gorilla. It is actually Tarzan, who is no white gorilla, and he is happily living with Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) in a tree-top hideaway with actual running water and a makeshift elevator platform with suspension ropes operated by an elephant! Why would anyone want to give up on this natural paradise for stuffy British mansions? 

"Tarzan Escapes" is lively and very well-paced with the all too typical white hunter who has a murderous bent and want to exhibit Tarzan for his own pleasure. This Fry is deliciously evil and charming, and thinks nothing of shooting tigers and tribal members. Weissmuller is a convincing enough monosyllabic hero who understands and conveys hurt when Jane considers leaving. Maureen O'Sullivan has a startling beauty that makes me wonder who styles her hair and makeup in the thick of the jungle, but never mind. Herbert Mundin is a welcome addition as the naive Rawlins who marvels at Tarzan and sight of the elephants doing Tarzan's bidding. And who can forget more comic relief given by Cheetah!

"Tarzan Escapes" was initially far too violent for test audiences and was reshot in its current releasable form. There is nothing here to scare anyone other than wild animals cavorting with Tarzan, and a sizable mortality count (probably too many deaths from high cliffs could give one pause). The violence overall is fairly mute. A sensual scene between Tarzan and Jane and a flower, as Jane lays on the ground with Tarzan casting a shadow over her, is breathtaking. And it is delicious fun to see Tarzan swinging around the jungle, sometimes with the help of rear-screen projection. An entertaining adventure movie.

Sincerity sells

SALESMAN (1969)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

The title sounds dull. The subject seems duller. "Salesman" is actually not a dull film but a hypnotic, daring and somewhat down-in-the-gutter documentary. The material could give one pause since it focuses on the grim, demanding and sometimes unrewarding job of being a Bible salesman, or really any kind of salesman. This is not everyone's cup of tea yet the Maysles brothers (one did the cinematography, the other did the sound) have given us the fly-on-the-wall look at what a salesman does and how he does it. "Salesman" is bracing and actually entertaining.

The film is shot in black-and-white so the Bible salesmen, despite different personalities and different sales techniques, all look the same dressed in dark suits and pristine white shirts. They travel from the snowy conditions of New England during the Christmas season to the sunshine and beaches of Florida. They chain smoke and stay in motels, and they drive around to the different leads they have for potential customers. Some customers pay within their budget and others have no money (of course, some already have the Bible). The Bible they push is newer, up to date and has beautiful illustrations and for the expensive price (at that time) of $49.50 (there are payment plans available).  

Most of these salesmen do well, and they are identified by names like "Gipper" and the "Rabbit." Paul Brennan, "The Badger", is the one we gravitate to - he is middle-aged and an Irish Catholic and he can come on too strong in his sales pitch. He's obviously having issues selling yet one day, he almost makes a clean break. Then it is back to zero sales. Paul simply doesn't have the charisma or the powers of persuasion that the younger guys have. Despite having been a Bible salesman for eight years, Paul is just not connecting to the customer and we see it in the faces of the salesmen and the customers. 

"Salesman" will remind many of 1992's brilliantly coarse "Glengarry Glen Ross" by writer-director David Mamet who must have been somewhat influenced by this film. "Glengarry" saw salesmen as playing the art of the con (Jack Lemmon's Shelley Levene definitely is a cinematic cousin to Paul in this film). In "Salesman," they are doing a job and hope to sell Bibles but they are not conning people because they believe in what they are selling. They say sincerity sells and "Salesman" ultimately is about selling something that really should be free. Or you might find it in a desk drawer at a motel.

Dirty Little Coward

 I SHOT JESSE JAMES (1949)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Samuel Fuller's often engrossing first feature could either be about the morality of an outlaw shooting an outlaw or an outlaw shooting his own best friend, or both. Roughly hewn together with various fade-to-black transitions, it is nonetheless a solid punch in the gut western. As Fuller made more films, his punches grew more and more painful and he wouldn't be Fuller without them.

The oft-told tale of the Wild West involves Robert Ford (John Ireland), an outlaw hiding out with his best friend Jesse James (Reed Hadley). They were part of a gang that robbed banks and trains. Morality takes a backseat when it comes to rewards offered for Jesse James' capture. Ford sees this as his exit and his future with a theatre actress, Cynthy (Barbara Britton) whom he wishes to marry, not to mention a full pardon for his association with the James Gang and $10,000. A capture is not enough in Ford's mind and, for inexplicable reasons, he shoots Jesse in the back killing him instantly. The notoriety of a criminal shooting the infamous Jesse James begins and envelops him in a vise. Ford makes things worse for himself by appearing in a play that serves as a reenactment of his crimes. That means every performance, he must pull that trigger and remember what he did.

"I Shot Jesse James" is at its best when we witness Ford's guilt over shooting Jesse and how it affects him, at least on the surface. John Ireland has been directed to never let on any real guilt, thus it is hard to feel much sympathy and perhaps Fuller wanted none of that. Why Ford killed Jesse remains one of those lingering questions of Old West legends. He's willing to exploit the tragedy for money but it never transpires because he can't bring himself to keep pulling the trigger - nobody will forget what he did. One of the best scenes of the film shows Ford listening to a guitarist sing the Jesse James ballad and Ford does his best to maintain his composure. 

When silver is discovered in the mountains, Ford along with many others takes on the challenge of a prospector and makes a fortune. That may still not be enough to convince Cynthy who is mortified that he killed Jesse and lived to tell the tale as a performer. There is also the issue of a gentlemanly prospector named Kelley (Preston Foster) who Ford is jealous of, despite Kelley not having the slightest romantic interest in Cynthy. These subplots do not undermine the central focus of Ford's doom - they just show the noose getting tighter around Ford's neck. 

 "I Shot Jesse James" is crude, lewd and often lacking in subtlety and, heck, that pretty much defines the life and work of a maverick like Samuel Fuller. That also defines Robert Ford, that dirty little coward.

The Suspense of signing the Magna Carta

 THE ROGUES OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1950)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"The Rogues of Sherwood Forest" has the spirit of adventure and the grand use of locations that we can come to expect from this oft-told tale, particularly the grayish interiors of castles lit by torches and the shades of bright green of Sherwood Forest that shaped the masterful "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Technically a sequel, intended or not, to the classic Errol Flynn film, it looks terrific in Technicolor and often the colors jump out of the screen. What the film does not have is a rousing hero, only the rousing nature of the aged Merry Men.

The story is fairly basic - the greedy and evil King John (George Macready, ushering in the accented tones of Claude Rains) wants to tax all Englishmen and kill Robin Hood's son (John Derek) so that he can't inspire anyone to join forces to keep the King in line. In other words, nothing new other than King John wants to recruit Flemish mercenaries to help thwart the Englishmen and, oh some business about the signing of the Magna Carta. 

One of the delights of this semi-sequel is seeing Alan Hale Sr. reprise the role of Little John, a role he played with great joy in the Errol Flynn classic and the Fairbanks Sr. film version. The other Merry Men are fun to watch yet John Derek (who looks like Errol Flynn's son) has no elegance in the role - the look is right but there is no attitude, no spark. Same with Diana Lynn as a passionless Lady Marianne De Beaudray - whatever she sees in Robin's son must have been left on the cutting room floor.

The action scenes are hardly spectacular, not to mention the swordfights. There is no real flair to even the endless scenes of a cluster of horses running through Sherwood Forest - sometimes, the same angle is repeated in different locations. So a decent villain in King John followed by a dull hero and intermittent merriment from the Merry Men makes for talky, only barely exciting fare. Let's be honest - a climax where the Merry Men pressure the King to sign the Magna Carta doesn't exactly stir the imagination. 

To Live or Not to Live in Sin

 ILLICIT (1931)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Barbara Stanwyck usually appeared as a woman of intelligence, a woman who sought to be on her own and stand up for her beliefs. It is a little disappointing that such an actress who could not follow through on that promise in 1931's harmless though enticing "Illicit." 

Stanwyck plays Anne Vincent who has been fraternizing around town with the wealthy and lovable Dick (James Rennie). The opening scenes shows them preparing dinner for each other, eggs and toast and some tea. There is something lovably sweet about these scenes because it convinces us that both are in love. When Dick brings up marriage, Anne doesn't seem sure fearing a life where it all boils down to having children and eventual divorce rather than fueling the romance. It is a striking thing to hear women talk that way then and Stanwyck milks it beautifully for what it is worth. Once Dick and Anne get married, she makes it clear she wants time to herself and Dick is not receptive. So both have affairs, or at least one of them does (an offscreen kiss in a kitchen as seen by Anne and her company of friends is one for the Pre-Code books). So I suspected that "Illicit's" ending would have Anne living her independence, to be the free spirit who is not beholden to anyone. It doesn't turn out that way at all. 

I like some of the supporting characters especially the lively and charismatic Ricardo Cortez as Baines, who is in love with Anne despite Anne maintaining solely friendship terms; Charles Butterworth as the lovably drunk Georgie Evans, and Claude Gillingwater as Dick's father who shows with subtle humor how scandalous it is to live in sin yet comforts the seemingly free Anne all the same. "Illicit" doesn't stick to Anne's rebellious nature through the end. Love wins and yet I can't say that such a predictable finish dissatisfies me. Either way, Barbara Stanwyck makes it memorable.

Eureka, I am free!

 THE 400 BLOWS (1959)
An Appreciation by Jerry Saravia

Kids' movies in America tend to be sentimental and very rarely anything but syrupy (Steven Soderbergh's "King of the Hill" was one of the few modern exceptions about a home alone child during the Depression). European movies about kids are a whole other ball of wax. 14-year-old Antoine Doinel, possibly the most famous French lad in cinematic history, is allowed to stream some tears when he is placed under arrest for stealing a typewriter but he is not looking to pull your heartstrings - he wants you to see how tough it is be a poor kid who despises school and possibly dislikes or disapproves of his parents. When he has a school assignment to write something off the cuff, he chooses to write about his grandfather while plagiarizing the writer Balzac (though I am sure he sees it as homage). It is a defining moment for him where he exclaims to himself "Eureka!"

Based on debuting director Francois Truffaut's own troubling childhood, "The 400 Blows" (the title literally translates to 400 dirty tricks) is a deeply evocative and realistic look at the life of a directionless, troubled 14-year-old kid who does nothing but get in trouble. Shot in the streets of Paris in the style of the French New Wave in astounding black-and-white, the look of Paris during the gloomy days or the noirish nights are fitting for this young kid who is slowly coming of age. If Antoine steals a "Summer of Monika" poster from a local cinema, it is no big deal. If he runs from gym practice or plays hooky, no big deal - all in a day's work. If he lights a candle in memory of Balzac in his bedroom, well there might be a fire that is put out by his parents (they celebrate preventing a tragedy by going to the movies). If he has to come up with excuses why he didn't attend school, he just might say his mother passed on. Antoine is a liar and a thief and yet you can't fully blame him. The teachers at school are physically abusive and it feels more like a prison term or detention than an inviting school. At home, he is in his bedroom and takes out the trash yet he'd rather sleep in a sleeping bag than an actual bed. The parents, one is a slightly apathetic stepfather (Albert Rémy) who wants Antoine to be disciplined, the other parent is his mother (Claire Maurier) who is having an affair from someone at the office (Antoine catches them in the act on the streets while playing hooky). The mother turns from cold and distant and tough to maternal and sweet (no doubt because she was caught sinning by her son). When Antoine is eventually sent to a juvenile detention facility, it looks no different than his school. So his parents want nothing to do with him, the abusive teachers and the police want nothing to do him. 

Jean-Pierre Leaud plays Antoine (and continued to play the role in Truffaut's subsequent films) and it is the most remarkably confident performance by a child I have ever seen (watch closely his interview with the therapist especially). He is absolutely spot-on playing a kid who longs for freedom and to rebel against the society that constrains him. Leaud still shows him having fun playing pranks and being a troublemaker yet he longs for a vast space to roam free. He loosens the restraints and is on the beach in the final famous freeze frame that ends the film. Is he happy or sad? Who knows, he is just free. Eureka!