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! 

The Trail of Broken Men

 COWBOY (1958)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

I sort of ran into this film by pure accident. I am lover of westerns and have enjoyed many from the 1950's and beyond so a western starring Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon gave me goosebumps. It is a solidly fine western, a more realistic look at what it was really like being part of a cattle drive. "Cowboy" has got much to recommend though some of the characters are shopworn  - you may not mind it because a specific look and feel of the life of a cowboy is still splendidly told. 

When the name Reece is announced at a Chicago hotel, all the hotel employees do what they can to accommodate the cattle rustler (this includes changing rooms for the guests who have already settled in). The hotel desk clerk Frank (Jack Lemmon, in a curiously understated performance) is miffed that guests have to be relocated especially the highly regarded cattle baron Señor Vidal, and his daughter Maria (Anna Kashfi, severely underused) whom Frank is in love with. Naturally El Señor Vidal disapproves. But what about this Reece (Glenn Ford, in a typically forceful performance) and why all the fussiness over this man and his cattle hands? I can't say except he is a regular visitor though apparently he is not a very good poker player - he loses his winnings which he needs for the next cattle drive. Guess who wants to finance his next cattle drive and come along! Why none other than Frank himself who might know how to mount a horse but has no skills against handling horned cattle.

"Cowboy" shows the arduousness of the frontier west and the dangers one encounters like poisonous rattlesnakes. It also deals with the tough decisions to bury those who die on the trail due to snake bites or other factors and to move on because a job needs to be done. When Reece shows a coldness and remove from the death of a cattle hand, Frank is taken aback. Later we learn through Glenn Ford's extraordinarily subtle performance that his actions and emotional reserve need to change when Frank is slowly becoming as indifferent as Reece. 

Based on Frank Harris's semi-autobiographical novel "My Reminiscences as a Cowboy," "Cowboy" is often stirring and surefooted in its style, not excluding how beautifully shot it is from what looks like mostly outdoor shots (very few rear screen projection shots). One amazingly tantalizing shot in particular is when Frank meets Maria at a Guadalupe church shown in silhouette near dawn - John Ford would've killed for shots like that. Less successful is the inclusion of Reece trying to place a ring on a bull's horn as he rides his horse - this sequence goes on forever. Jack Lemmon would also not have been my first choice to play Frank - he is too modern an actor to play that role. A very fine western overall and watching Ford and Lemmon go at each other's necks is often riveting entertainment.

Clap your hands if you believe in fairies

 PETER PAN (1924)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Though I have not seen the 1953 adaptation of J.M. Barrie's fantastical creation in quite some time, "Peter Pan" that is, this 1924 version that was thought to be lost for years can stand on its own two flying feet as a lively, sometimes astonishing version with moments that soar and rekindle the innocence of being a child.

At first, I was a little thrown off course by "Peter Pan." In the opening sequence, we see someone obviously dressed as an oversized sheep dog giving a bath to the Darling children in the house (the dog is played by George Ali). The other kids, including the older Wendy (Mary Brian), are genuinely turned off by this dog who looks like a nightmarish canine with immobile scary eyes. Nevertheless, we do get to the good stuff when we meet the flying Peter Pan (played by a 17-year-old girl named Betty Bronson) who is trying to find his shadow. Wendy helps him stitch his shadow back on and accompanies him along with the two other Darling boys to Never Never Land. Yep, the land of high adventure that features nasty pirates, the dastardly Captain Hook, alligators, a Native American tribe (yes, the Redskins - don't forget this was 1924), mermaids on the beach, fairies and of course the one and only Tinkerbell who looks just like a firefly. She bares some jealousy towards Wendy and her interest in kissing Peter. Peter of course discovers kissing has more to do than sharing a thimble and shows his love by building Wendy a house complete with a chimney created from a hat (!), with the hopes that she will be mother to him and the Lost Boys. Wendy has a more romantic inclination in mind with the naive Peter.

For a silent film of that era (and there were many magical films during this period, the favorite fantasy of mine was "The Thief Of Bagdad" with Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.), "Peter Pan" is slow-going at first but it builds into a wondrous, marvelous film full of astonishing flying scenes (not sure how they did it) and an essential childlike sense of innocence - you kind of want to be a boy forever after meeting this joyful Pan. It is Betty Bronson who gives the most animated performance of the whole cast - the exuberance is felt every time she appears on screen. She stands proud when she has to, fights like a true swordsman, has poise and remarkable chemistry with Mary's Wendy. She encompasses everything we love about Peter Pan. "Peter Pan" is a treat for all ages.