Fifty Years of Film in 50 Weeks, #36: The Man Who Knew Too Much, 1956

"Que Será, Será"

The Man Who Knew Too Much, 1956

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: John Michael Hayes, based on a story by Charles Bennett and D. B. Wyndham-Lewis
Cinematographer: Robert Burks
Producer: Herbert Coleman and Alfred Hitchcock for Paramount Pictures, Inc.
Starring: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda de Banzie, Bernard Miles, Daniel Gélin, 

Why I chose it
At first, I considered watching another Christmas-themed film, but when this Hitchcock popped up on a list of best films of 1956, it was an easy choice. Anytime I get to fill in a gap in an auteur's filmography, I go for it. This is the first, and will probably be the only, Hitchcock in this blog series. But you never know, so check back!

'No-spoiler' plot overview 
Dr. Benjamin McKenna (James Stewart) and his former stage musical star wife, Jo, take a holiday in Marrakesh with their school-aged son, Hank (Christopher Olsen). It isn't long before they make the acquaintance of a mysterious Frenchman, Louis Bernard (Daniel Gélin), of whom Jo is instantly suspicious. When Bernard, disguised as a Moroccan, is knifed in a market in broad daylight, the fun begins. Before dying, he whispers something to McKenna about an imminent assassination of a political figure in London along with some disconnected details. McKenna and Jo decide to pick up the trail of this intrigue in London, made more urgent by not only the impending assassination but by the kidnapping of little Hank, who is being held for ransom to ensure that the 'man who knew too much' doesn't talk to the wrong people.

Jo and Ben McKenna (Day and Stewart) try to get details about
their son's whereabouts.

Production Background
Hitchcock had already filmed this story with the same name, during his British years (1934). The earlier version was a taut black-and-white suspense story (only 75 minutes long) with different settings and slightly different characters. In 1941, David O. Selznick bought the rights to the story and wanted Hitchcock to remake it for him, but Hitchcock was not inspired. It was only a decade and a half later that his inspiration came when he was vacationing with his wife in Morocco. 

In his interview with François Truffaut, Hitchcock compared the two versions by saying that the first film was "the work of a talented amateur, and the second was made by a professional."

The only Oscar the film earned was for Best Music, Original Song, given to Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for "Que Será, Será", which became Doris Day's signature song.

Some other notable film-related events in 1956 (from Filmsite.org):

• The elegant Grace Kelly, "Hollywood's Fairy Tale Princess," married Prince Rainier III of Monaco on April 18, 1956. Kelly met Prince Rainier III while attending the Cannes Film Festival, and during the making of her third film for Alfred Hitchcock (as his icy cool blonde) - To Catch a Thief (1955). 
• Legendary producer/director Cecil B. DeMille remade his own 1923 silent epic, The Ten Commandments (1956) -- it was his last film, and his first and sole widescreen feature film. 
• Producer Michael Todd's and director Michael Anderson's Best Picture-winning Around the World in 80 Days (1956) was notable for its all-star casting -- with dozens of credited cameo roles for its many stars. The term "cameo appearance" was popularized by this film.
• The Wizard of Oz (1939) was first televised (on CBS-TV) on November 3rd, 1956 -- an event that would become an annual holiday season event for many decades. It was the first feature-length film broadcast on a major TV network in its original, uncut form. 
  

My Random Observations

• I've decided that James Stewart's superpower was playing not just the everyman, but the super-cranky everyman.  And I do mean super cranky. After years of perfecting this persona, he's at it again in this film, whether it's in scenes in which he bickers with his wife or when, unprovoked, comes to fisticuffs with a group of taxidermists (!). Even in It's a Wonderful Life, and The Shop Around the Corner, where his characters have a right to be cranky, he'll never be accused of underplaying, and I find it annoying. I recall early in the history of this blog I reviewed Destry Rides Again, and found it to contain my favorite Stewart performance because he struck a perfect balance between reluctant hero and cynic. 
  

  

  James Stewart with his "I'm really cranky right now" look.

• Even though the film was a bit long at 120 minutes, Hitchcock didn't waste any time getting the action started, putting our heroes in the middle of Marrakesh. The brightly colored Technicolor camera work combined with the on-location locales made for a sumptuous and sometimes exotic visual banquet. It was just a good way to spend a couple of hours on a rainy day.
  

  

  On a bus in Marrakesh.

  
  

  

  In London.

• For those looking for typical Hitchcock suspense, his subjective camera, or even his black humor, it's all here. I was reminded of why Hitchcock has the reputation he has.
  

  

  The composition of this shot gives me the chills.

  
  

  

  McKenna doesn't yet realize he's about to do battle with a 
  stuffed tiger here.

• One of my favorite podcasts, the somewhat irreverent 'Classic Film Jerks', has a regular segment called "So Old", in which they point out to hilarious effect all the outdated elements of the particular film they're reviewing. The Man Who Knew Too Much had many of these elements. For starters, how about leaving your young son in the care of strangers you'd just met over dinner the night before, and in a foreign country? And despite the cleverness of spunky Jo McKenna, the marital dynamics here were distinctly of their time, with her promising career truncated so she could be a wife.
  

  

  The McKennas meet the Draytons (Bernard Miles,
  Brenda de Banzie) at dinner.

• It's a great song, but the contrast between "Que Será, Será" and the Storm Cloud Symphony as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall may induce a bit of cultural whiplash.

The London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus at Royal
Albert Hall.

• For this week's edition of 'Bit Player Bingo," I present the one and only film appearance of renowned composer Bernard Herrmann, Hitchcock's frequent collaborator, and Carolyn Jones, who went on to greater fame as Morticia in the original Addam's Family TV series

Bernard Herrmann conducts.

Carolyn Jones (red dress) with other friends of the McKennas.

Where to Watch
The film is available on many streaming services to be rented for a small fee. It's on several DVDs/Blu-Ray that can be purchased or borrowed from your local library.

Further Reading
As always, TCM details more about the film's production in their article here.

Six decades of film Jameses

Yahoo! Today is  "National Classic Movie Day", and I'm celebrating virtually with my fellow classic film bloggers. This year, bloggers are writing about one favorite film from each of six decades of film history as part of a blogathon hosted by Rick of Classic Movie and TV Cafe. Check out all the posts by going to Rick's site here - there really is no better way to build up your watch list of great classics than through recommendations of this group of bloggers!

In addition to being "National Classic Movie Day", May 16th will always be a special day for me - my dad's birthday. So, for my entry in this year's blogathon, I'm taking a cue from Turner Classic Movies - during May their 'star' of the month is "Movie Roberts"-- and building my list of favorites around "Movie Jameses" in honor of my own favorite James. 

1920s: James Murray (1901-1936) The Crowd (1928)

Sadly, James Murray is known for the leading part in this movie and very little else. Originally from New York, Murray's big dream was to have a career in Hollywood, and his dream came true when famed director King Vidor found him in a casting office and, impressed with his skills, cast him in The Crowd. He did go on to make a few more films before falling victim to depression, substance abuse, and homelessness. He ultimately died at only 35 years old after drowning in what may have been a suicide. 

James Murray

Watch The Crowd because...it represents the best of the art of the silent film. It's at once visually stunning and biting in its social commentary ... a story of a young couple struggling to make it in the big city. Opposite James Murray was cast Eleanor Boardman, director Vidor's second wife. Ironically, it was made a couple of years before the stock market crash that launched the Great Depression. Director King Vidor was one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood, and his career spanned the birth of pictures through to the early 1960s. 

1930s: James Cagney,  (1899-1986), Footlight Parade (1933)

Diminutive Irish-American actor James Cagney is, of course, a titan of Classic Hollywood cinema, and a personal favorite. His talents were made for the screen, whether he's singing and dancing (for example, Yankee Doodle Dandy), or rubbing out foes that ran afoul of any number of gangster characters he portrayed (The Public Enemy). Cagney's career really took off in the 1930s, and even though he had many terrific parts in later decades, his pre-Code films are my favorites.

James Cagney (from Wikipedia)

I chose to highlight Footlight Parade, first because Cagney isn't a gangster here, he's an eternally optimistic theatrical producer who can (shock!) sing and dance. And who doesn't like watching him dance? The backstage plot revolves around Cagney's efforts to corral assorted players and sell theatrical "prologues", live showpieces that precede feature films at big-city movie houses. Almost everyone in the Warner Bros. stable is there, with Joan Blondell toning it down a bit but making a wonderful partner for Cagney, Dick Powell, Rudy Keeler (the two of them reprising their romance from 42nd Street), Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Frank McHugh, and more. And then there are the fabulous musical extravaganza numbers choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Be aware of some unfortunate dated elements; otherwise, this is a fabulous romp. Directed by Lloyd Bacon.

1940s: James Stewart, (1908-1997), The Philadelphia Story (1940)

James Stewart has little in common with Cagney, but he shares the versatility and screen legend status. Just a bit younger than Cagney, his career really took off starting in the 1940s, and The Philadelphia Story was one of his first major leading man breaks (would you believe he played the villain in the second 'Thin Man' film in 1936?) Stewart was a WWII hero, and upon returning home after the war, found he could channel some of the darkness in his personality into his later roles. He became, like one of his Philadelphia Story co-stars Cary Grant, a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock. 

James Stewart (Wikipedia)

The first time I saw The Philadephia Story I didn't like it. It seemed overly stagy and contrived. Then I had the opportunity to watch a special screening at my local cinema and was completely entranced as the subtleties that make the movie were so much more apparent. Stewart and Cary Grant orbit around society damsel Katharine Hepburn on the eve of her marriage to staid bachelor George Kittridge. All kinds of shenanigans ensue. The witty script and pitch-perfect portrayals by the leads and supporting players alike make this one a must-see. I especially love British actor Roland Young as Uncle Willie. Directed by George Cukor, this was just one of four films Stewart made in 1940. 

1950s:  James Dean (1931-1955), East of Eden (1955)
Here is another titan of film. But unlike Cagney & Stewart, his titan status is based on his potential, as seen in a total of three films he made in 1955, and that wasn't fully realized as he tragically died later that year in a car accident at age 24. (It's really hard to imagine that Dean would be 90 this year). But Dean in many ways emblemizes the 1950s, not least because of the teenage rebellion issue that seemed to capture the public imagination then, so this actor of eternal youth is my choice for this decade.

James Dean (Wikipedia)

East of Eden was actually Dean's first of his three feature films - and it's a meaty role in the film version of Steinbeck's novel which had come out only three years before. And it's not set in the 1950s, but right after WWI, focusing on the generational struggles of a family in the Salinas Valley of California, and the uncovering of secrets. Directed by Elia Kazan, it has an epic feel. Dean was able to showcase the range of attitudes he brought to a character: defiance, vulnerability, sweetness, and roughness. Julie Harris is wonderful as the love interest of both brothers in the Trask family, and Raymond Massey brings life to the difficult character of the father, a role he said was the best in his career.

1960s: James Coburn (1928-2002), The Magnificent Seven (1960)
The Magnificent Seven was a career-launching film for James Coburn, an actor who had toiled in minor parts. Here, director John Sturges cast him as Britt, a knife-thrower and sharpshooter who talks only with his weapons. Coburn has a classic scene in this film in which his wiry body and taciturn nature belies his deadliness when provoked. Coburn went on to a long career in film and television, playing rough-and-tumble types in action or Western flicks. 

James Coburn (IMDb)

I watched The Magnificent Seven for the first time last year. I was afraid that it might be one of those films that didn't live up to its classic reputation. Thankfully, I was wrong. In the hands of director John Sturges, who loved the source material, Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai, it is a compact, beautifully shot piece of Western entertainment. And I readily bought Russian-born Yul Brynner as the mercurial but tough leader of the gang who tries to protect a Mexican village from a group of marauders led by the great Eli Wallach. Steve McQueen is a second lead here and almost succeeds in taking the picture from Brynner. The film is also known for its evocative score by Elmer Bernstein. 

1970s: James Caan (1940-), The Godfather (1972)

And now for the young-un in the bunch: James Caan, who is still with us. A New York native who got his start on the stage, Caan cemented his star status as the lead in the TV movie Brian's Song in 1971. He then won the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather over Robert De Niro. His manic, explosive energy was put to good use -- he even had one of the most memorable death scenes in the movies. He garnered a nod for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar along with co-stars Robert Duvall and Al Pacino. He continued as a leading man and supporting actor over the subsequent decades, overcoming substance abuse issues and a rocky personal life. He also dabbled in directing and lived out his tough-guy persona as a Master of Gosoku Ryu Karate.

James Caan (IMDb)

The Godfather ranks as #3 in the American Film Institute of best films, and it set the standard for modern mob dramas. It's character-driven, and epic, running nearly three hours. There are several storylines that criss-cross in mostly tragic ways. In the end, The Godfather is dead, from natural causes, and the reluctant son is stepping into those shoes, poised to become even more of a monster. Despite that, you rather root for these Corleone mobsters, while despising them more for the way they treat the women in their lives than the way they dispatch their enemies. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and followed up by a sequel many consider the original's superior.

For more recommendations of classics through the decades, head over to Rick's Classic Film and TV Cafe for the master list of bloggers sharing their favorites.

Feb '17 Classic Film Screenings in Greater Boston

It's now truly the deep dark winter despite the fact that days are slowly and visibly getting longer.  To brighten those days, there are a number of tempting offerings of classic film on the big screen.

The Brattle Theatre
The Brattle gets the prize this month for arguably the greatest number and diversity of its classic film screenings.

Weds Feb 8: A 'special event' screening of Peter Bogdanovich's 1968 film Targets.  This stars Boris Karloff as a B-movie star dealing with an encounter with a mass-murderer in a drive in (!).  I've not seen this one, but being familiar with Karloff's early work as Frankenstein's monster and most recently, the night club owner in Night World, I would enjoy seeing him in his late career.  The film will be introduced live by musician and writer John Darnielle, whose novel Universal Harvester references the film.

Boris Karloff (left) and Peter Bogdanovich, who wrote, directed,
and acted in Targets from 1968

St. Valentine is appropriately celebrated the week of Feb 10-15 with the 'Great Romances' series. A few old favorites should be savored:

Sun, Feb 10:  Roman Holiday (1953) with two of the most gorgeous and equally talented people in 1950s Hollywood, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  This film is paired in a double feature with The Philadelphia Story (1940), with more gorgeousness and talent in Katharine Hepburn (no relation), James Stewart and, ahem, Cary Grant.  I say this is about a 'perfect dose' of classic Hollywood confection in one day.  Both are romantic comedies bursting with joy, fun and wit.  Both films are 35mm prints.

Tues Feb 14 & Weds Feb 15, Casablanca (1942)  Here's looking at you; happy 75th birthday to this cinema icon.  I spoke too soon about Hollywood perfection -- many would argue this is it.  At least it has the most perfect ending in all film.  Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid star, along with an exceptional supporting cast, in this tale of romance and resistance in German occupied Morocco during WWII.

Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, and Ingrid Bergman
discuss politics and love in Casablanca

The Coolidge Corner Theatre
Mon Feb 13  The Lady Eve (1941).  Of course, it's another romantic film, this time starring Barbara Stanwyck as a con artist trying to make a play for naive Henry Fonda aboard a cruise ship, but then things go in all kinds of unexpected directions.  Charles Coburn is great as Stanwyck's partner in crime!

Barbara Stanwyck gets a little help from Henry Fonda

The Museum of Fine Arts (Boston)
This is the first time I've featured this venue in my blog, but they occasionally show classics amongst their film series.  This month is devoted to a retrospective of the great director Stanley Kubrick, who got his start in the 1950s but directed all the way to the late 1990s, his last feature being Eyes Wide Shut.  However, he only directed 16 films, and all of them are screening.  The Kubrick retrospective is apparently an annual event.  The series start tomorrow, Feb 1, and goes through Feb 25.  I noted:

Thurs Feb 2 and Fri Feb 10: Killer's Kiss (1955), a tidy noir (67 minutes) also written by Kubrick, about a washed up boxer.  I've not seen it, and it's a lesser known Kubrick, so worth checking out.

Thurs Feb 23 and Sat Feb 25: Barry Lyndon (1975).  It's not from the classic era, but I LOVE this film.  It's a sumptuously shot and terrifically acted period drama starring Ryan O'Neal as an opportunist who tries to work his way into the upper echelons of society at the expense of others.

A scene from Barry Lyndon

Those who missed out celebrating the 100th birthday of Kirk Douglas could make up for that by attending either Paths of Glory (1957) on Sun Feb 5th and Thurs Feb 9, or Spartacus (1960) on Weds Feb 15.

Classic Movies on the big screen in Greater Boston -- Jan 2017 edition

The 'musical' must be the theme for classic movies on the big screen to open 2017 in Greater Boston.

I don't normally feature the TCM/Fathom Events screenings of classic films on this blog, because they are a US-wide initiative, but this January 15th & 18th the screening of Singin' in the Rain deserves your consideration, first because it's a fabulous and fun movie, and secondly, it's Debbie Reynolds' break-out role.  May she rest in peace.  For those who haven't seen it, it's a musical from 1952 that tells the story of the development of the movies from silent to sound through the eyes of fictional cinema star Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly).  There are great musical numbers and joy in nearly every scene -- and this coming from one who is not a big fan of Hollywood musicals.  It inspired, among others, the 2011 Oscar winner The Artist.

Use this link to pre-order tickets.  In the Greater Boston area the following theaters are participating:
Fenway 13 (Boston); Assembly 12 (Somerville); Revere Showcase Cinemas (Revere); Burlington 10 (Burlington); Lowell Showcase Cinemas (Lowell); Legacy Place (Dedham); Braintree 10 (Braintree); Patriot Place (Foxboro); Randolph Showcase (Randolph).

Harvard Film Archive

Speaking of musicals. at the HFA the 'Busby Berkeley Babylon' continues through much of January, perhaps an early sign that 2017 might be a good year after all!  There are too many to highlight all here, so definitely check out the link above for the complete listing.  For those new to Busby Berkeley, you must see the classics: 

Fri Jan 6th 9 PM: 42nd Street (1933) directed by Lloyd Bacon, an effort to "marry the dark, urban gangster picture with the spectacular, exhilarating musical", as described by Brittany Gravely of the HFA.  Screened using a 35 mm print.

Mon Jan 23rd, 7 PM:  For Me and My Gal (1942), with Gene Kelly in his film debut, and Judy Garland, when she was particularly vibrant.  This one was directed by Berkeley himself.

Garland & Kelly, For Me and My Gal

The lesser known films are also worth checking out as there are fewer opportunities to see them.  I'm particularly interested in:

Sat Jan 21, 7 PM: Whoopee (1930), which is the first ever film choreographed by Berkeley, featuring musical theater star Eddie Cantor.   

Sun Jan 22, 7 PM:  Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936), also directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Berkeley regulars Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, and Glenda Farrell.

Coolidge Corner Theatre

Monday, Jan 2 7:00 PM -- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg screens to open the 'Big Screen Classics' series at the Coolidge.  This French film from 1964 launched the career of Catherine Deneuve.  It's a drama/romance/musical by Jacques Demy in which all the dialogue is sung, like an opera (score by Michel Legrand).  Roger Ebert called it "a surprisingly effective film, touching and knowing, and, like Deneuve, ageless."  I've not seen it, but considering Monday is a holiday, I may go to my neighborhood theater and check it out, if I'm not at the Brattle for the Marx Bros. marathon (see below)!

The Brattle Theatre

I mentioned this last month, but starting tomorrow Jan 1 and going through Tuesday, is the Brattle's 'Marx Brothers' Marathon.'  For those inclined to binge-watching this would be the ultimate experience, as all are early-career pre-code Paramount productions, digital presentations of restored versions of these films.  The lineup tomorrow, starting at 12 noon, and going through util about 8:30 PM, are:  The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, and Duck Soup.  Then on Monday, Jan 2, a double feature of Animal Crackers and Duck Soup, then Tuesday it's a double feature of Horse Feathers and Monkey Business.  My favorite of these is Horse Feathers -- in which the brothers take over a college campus and wreak havoc, of course.  

Groucho Marx somehow is appointed the President of Huxley College

Sunday Jan 29: Then for something completely different, as part of the 'Cinema of the Occult' Repertory Series, it's Bell, Book and Candle (1958, Dir. Richard Quine).  I've not seen it, but with the big names James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, and Elsa Lanchester, it should entertain, if nothing else.  

An advantage for the Boston-area cinephile is the proximity of local experts who can curate and illuminate these screenings -- for this particular series, each film will be introduced by scholars/writers Peter Bebergal, Pam Grossman, & Janaka Stucky.  

Tues Jan 31 Also in the series is Night of the Demon aka Curse of the Demon (1957), directed by Jacques Tourneur, perhaps best known for his fabulous noir Out of the Past, and starring Dana Andrews and Peggy Cummins.  I haven't seen this but looking at the film poster, with the statement ''most terrifying story the screen has ever told", it seems one must not miss it!  It's received an average rating of 7.6 on IMDb, which is pretty good for IMDb standards.  I need to see more films by Dana Andrews so this might be a good start for the year.

Rarely Screened Treasures at the Harvard Film Archive

Last night I had the pleasure to attend a special 'Members' Weekend' screening of two rarely shown classic Hollywood romps in 35mm:  DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939), and HOLLYWOOD OR BUST (1956) at one of our best local arthouse cinemas, the Harvard Film Archive.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday evening with friends, old and new alike.

The Harvard Film Archive (HFA) houses over 25,000 items in its collection supporting film research and education in partnership with Harvard University.  They have regular public screenings of films in their collection in their 200-seat no-frills auditorium, and often program director retrospectives, sometimes with the director in attendance.  Guy Maddin was a recent guest speaker, although I missed him. In late 2014 I was privileged to attend Dame Angela Lansbury's fascinating in-person remarks after a screening of one of her lesser-known films with Warren Beatty, ALL FALL DOWN.  Among other things, she described what it was like to work with George Sanders in two films she made with him:  "George loved beautiful women.  He never made a pass at me."  And "George was often bored because he was so much brighter than everyone else around."  She was beyond lovely, and an inspiration, still working hard to entertain us at 90 years young.  And last spring I was introduced to the films of Polish auteur Wojciech Has at a multiple film retrospective. His surrealist epic THE SARAGOSSA MANUSCRIPT is not to be missed. Net, the HFA is a great place to indulge a budding film buff's thirst for discovery.  As a member, I received a special invitation to attend their 'Members' Weekend' screenings yesterday, which offered not only the films, but a reception to meet HFA staff and other members.  The event did not disappoint.

DESTRY RIDES AGAIN

The satirical western DESTRY was made in that famous "best" of Hollywood years, 1939, but it is rarely publicly screened and it doesn't enjoy the fame of others made that year, or even of other Westerns.  Directed by George Marshall, it's fantastic.  It's rather a western-screwball comedy, starring a young James Stewart, and Marlene Dietrich in a comeback role for her after being named 'box office poison.'  Brian Donlevy, who I had seen in some Paramount films with Alan Ladd, gained new respect from me as the villain of this one.  He has such swagger, menace, and yet a large helping of likability that keeps your eyes on him.  This film contained Non. Stop. Action in ensemble scenes that were breathtakingly gorgeous and witty.  Well-known character actors of the 30s such as Mischa Auer, Allen Jenkins, and Una Merkel, all played important roles with gusto.

As an Old Hollywood fan, I have never appreciated the popular Stewart as much as some other fans, and often find him too strident and harsh for the leading roles he played (e.g. in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, or THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER even).  Here, his characteristic 'edge' is pitch perfect in his role as the new town sheriff's deputy, who is viewed initially as a man not up to the task, but who knows that he is smarter than everyone and makes this clear at his own pace, in his own way.  He even steals the loyalty of Marlene Dietrich, as cabaret singer Frenchy, away from blustery Donlevy.  Dietrich is a force, as she usually is, and going in to the film I was skeptical of her chemistry with Stewart, even knowing that supposedly they had an affair during film.  Well, believe it -- it's there.  Anyway, the film, with plentiful witty inside jokes, raucous musical numbers, and just enough tone variation from humor to pathos, to keep you interested, is a must-see for any Old Hollywood fan.

Opening scenes of hard partying at the Bottleneck Saloon

Marlene and Brian Donlevy plot during an upstairs game of poker

Initial confrontation between Donlevy and Stewart

First encounter between Stewart and Dietrich. 

Close up of Stewart during an emotional moment

Women of the town aim to break up the shootout with various rolling pins and other household weapons

HOLLYWOOD OR BUST


The second film of the double feature, directed by Frank Tashlin, was the last major film ever to star Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as partners, and featured Anita Ekberg as herself in an extended cameo. Pat Crowley was the ingenue love interest of Martin's.  Essentially the two men meet under somewhat suspicious circumstances surrounding a raffle ticket racket for a new convertible.  They both capture the convertible in NYC and head out on a cross-country road trip to Hollywood and their dreams.   The ride was a lot of fun, but it's a film I won't be rushing out to add to my DVD collection. I must admit, I've not been a devoted fan of this team, in fact to date have seen none of their other pairings so obviously don't have much to compare.  I will say that a little bit of Jerry Lewis goes a long way.  Also, the film is considered a 'musical', but I don't enjoy musical numbers that prominently feature bad or purposely distorted singing voices (Lewis).  On the positive side, the team had a unique chemistry and seemed to anticipate each other's actions just enough to keep the pace of the film fast.  That they supposedly were at great odds and did not speak off-screen wasn't evident in the film at least to me.  The film benefited from some recurring visual jokes and ridiculous situations that did elicit quite a few laughs from the appreciative audience.

Dean Martin opens the film by welcoming fans of Hollywood all over the world (followed by Lewis's non-PC parodies of film fans in various countries)

Dean and Jerry hit the road with Jerry's great dane "Mr. Bascomb"

The sights one apparently sees when driving through the country

An enticing Ekberg as seen by Lewis

Thanks, HFA!