Classic Film Review: The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex stars Bette Davis in her first outing as Elizabeth I (the second one would follow in 1955's The Virgin Queen, although she would be playing a younger Elizabeth). Her co-star as the Earl of Essex is Errol Flynn, a surprising pairing but one that, for me anyway, works.

The ageing Elizabeth loves Essex but is fearful of both his ambition and the fact that he may not love her as dearly. The rest of her advisers also dislike him and take the opportunity to provoke him into a doomed campaign in Ireland. When they conspire to keep Elizabeth and Essex from contact it proves to be the catalyst for an ultimately fatal reconciliation.

Bette Davis is captivating, utterly without flaw and fitting the character as well in 1939 as she would do in 1955. There was something about her that made her ideal to play Elizabeth I and she truly makes the role her own. The direction of the film by Michael Curtiz is superbly clever at times. For instance, our first 'glimpse' of Elizabeth comes via shadows on her wall then the wait until we do actually see her face is cleverly drawn out. Shadows are also used to great effect towards the climax of the film. It's a loving piece of drama, put together using lavish costumes and some very fitting dialogue. Davis handles all her lines perfectly, providing them with enough zest for effect but not enough to spill over into melodrama.

There are three scenes which jump out at me as above the excellent standard of the rest of the film. Firstly, the mirror scene where Lady Penelope (Olivia de Havilland) jibes Elizabeth about her looks and she responds by smashing up every mirror in her room and ordering the rest to be removed. Secondly, the scene which directly follows this between Elizabeth and Margaret Radcliffe (Nanette Fabray). This is a touching, beautiful scene and I'm sorry that we saw no more of this small relationship. Finally, the final scene with Elizabeth sat in the Tower crying. Every expression perfectly befits the moment and leaves the audience with a lingering image. I can't praise Davis enough for this performance.

And what of the rest of the cast? Flynn is remarkably enjoyable and he and Davis have a good rapport (even if, as reports suggest, it was based on antipathy). Vincent Price puts in a few good lines as Sir Walter Raleigh; the same goes for Donald Crisp as Francis Bacon. Olivia de Havilland's role was unsurprisingly small and her part a little without definition but she makes a commendable effort when up against the screen presence of the mighty Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I.

Classic Film Review: The Virgin Queen (1955)

The Virgin Queen stars Bette Davis in her second outing as Queen Elizabeth I. The story revolves around her relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh (Richard Todd) from his arrival at court to gain financing for exploration to his imprisonment for marrying a woman the queen disapproves of. The plot utilises some of the key hallmarks of Raleigh's life but not completely in the right order. As with most films of this type, there is a certain amount of artistic licence taken but it adds up to a coherent film, when I suspect the true story would've been far more complicated.

Let's deal with Richard Todd first. He portrays the fierce, proud Raleigh very well, although his relationship with his eventual wife, played by Joan Colllins, was a little underdeveloped. Raleigh's consistently seen as a step ahead of most other people, able to guess the queen's reactions and work out what will happen next - until the end of the film, that is. However, as hard as Todd tries, he becomes part of the wallpaper when Bette Davis appears on screen. Endowing the queen with the aura of magnificence, her rule is believable and yet painful to watch on occasion. She is witty, bossy, strong-willed to the point of stubborn and almost prouder than Raleigh.

There are two lengthy fight scenes involving Raleigh but, really, all the memorable scenes involve Davis. There is her 'knighting' scene with Todd in her bedroom, which is also the location of her memorable argument with Collins but the final scene as she tends to her business in her office is stunning. After watching Raleigh go up the Thames on his new ship, the queen is left alone and continues working. When the door closes, however, she breaks down as the camera pulls away for the final credits. It's such a short interlude but it brings the film to a bitter-sweet conclusion that lingers in the mind. This is truly Davis's film and from accent to delivery to mannerisms she is flawless.

A note on costumes, locations and décor - all reminiscent of the period if not entirely accurate (I don't profess to be an expert). There are also some splendid supporting performances from Herbert Marshall as Lord Leicester, Dan O'Herlihy as Lord Derry and Romney Brent as the French ambassador. This is an entertaining, sometimes poignant, interpretation of history and I enjoyed it immensely.

Classic Film Review: Of Human Bondage (1934)

Of Human Bondage is labelled as Bette Davis's breakout role and she certainly shines as Mildred, a cold-hearted woman who winds trainee doctor Philip Carey (Leslie Howard) around her little finger. Following their initial meeting in a cafe, Carey is smitten, despite the fact that Mildred only tolerates him because he adores her. Although he breaks away and manages relationships with Norah (Kay Johnson) and Sally (Frances Dee), there's always the chance the Mildred will pop up and ruin everything. The film is based on the book by W. Somerset Maugham (reviewed here last year).

Leslie Howard portrays the slightly uncertain Carey magnificently but, really, this film belongs to Davis. Although her accent wobbles at times that's negated by her otherwise excellent performance. The major confrontation scene as Mildred tells Carey what she really thinks of him should go down as one of her best moments on film.

In other ways, Of Human Bondage falters a little. It's difficult to stomach Carey allowing her to repeatedly ruin his life, even more so than it was in the book. Although his club foot goes some way to explaining his choices, it's used as an all-encompassing tool to stop much character introspection. Equally, the way the film flits about a lot can be distracting, fragmenting an exceptionally long book into numerous bites of scene that occasionally only scratch the surface.

It's difficult to say a lot about this film because it essentially repeats the same pattern: Carey gets his life together, Mildred ruins it. However, there are some excellent moments in this and it's worth watching for Davis's performance alone.

Classic Film Review: All About Eve (1950)

Occasionally a film is so universally praised that you think it can't possibly live up to expectation: All About Eve is one of those films and it certainly lived up to the hype. It tells the story of Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), an aspiring actress who worms her way into the life of popular actress Margo Channing (Bette Davis) and her friends. Although she is welcomed as a fan and becomes Margo's assistant, it soon becomes apparent that she has her own agenda and is willing to do anything to achieve her goals.

The cast for this one is absolutely perfect. Apart from Baxter and Davis, you've got George Sanders as theatre critic Addison DeWitt, Celeste Holm as Karen Richards, wife to Hugh Marlowe's playwright Lloyd Richards and Gary Merrill as Margo's lover Bill. On the periphery you've got the wonderful Thelma Ritter as Margo's employee Birdie and a brief appearance by Marilyn Monroe as Miss Casswell. None of them put a foot wrong and there are some terrifically tense senses. There are three worthy of particular note. Firstly, there is Margo's meltdown in the theatre when she finds out that Eve has been appointed as her understudy is very emotional, as she manages to alienate everyone and is left sobbing on the set of a bedroom. Secondly, Karen's confrontation with Eve in the bathroom of a restaurant where the former realises just what lengths Eve will go to for her own way. Finally, the scene between Eve and Addison where he explains that he knows all about her brims with tension. Those are perhaps my three favourite scenes but they don't stand out from what is a very coherent and consistent whole.

Assisting an excellent cast is a fantastic script which never feels laboured. In addition, the use of music in the background of specific scenes is wonderfully effective without pummelling you with the subtext. For instance, after Karen and Eve's confrontation at the restaurant 'That Old Black Magic' plays in the background and 'Stormy Weather' is used at Bill's birthday party when Margo disappears upstairs. All instances of music are subtle enough to be accidental but they add to the atmosphere of the film as a whole.

It's difficult to find anything bad to say about this one. If I was to nitpick I'd say that the introductory voice-over by George Sanders perhaps lingers too long but every word of it is useful and adds to what comes after. There are no extraneous scenes or dialogue and no deviations from character. All About Eve deserved every Oscar nomination and win it received, although I can't help wishing that Celeste Holm had picked up the gong in the 'Best Supporting Actress' category. 

Truly a classic and, although long, one which seems to end too soon. 

Classic Film Review: Death on the Nile (1978)

This adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel certainly has a cast beyond compare. With all this talent on show you have to wonder whether the actual result will be disappointing under the weight of expectation. It isn't though: Death on the Nile is an excellent adaptation of an excellent mystery.

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot is played here for the first time by Peter Ustinov. Poirot is in Egypt about to take a trip down the Nile on the same boat as rich heiress, Linnet Ridgeway (Lois Chiles), who has gathered quite a few enemies through her lifetime. She has recently married Simon Doyle (Simon MacCorkindale) but stole him from his fiancée, Jacqueline (Mia Farrow). Jacqueline has decided to make their honeymoon hell, following them from place to place, even surprising them on top of a pyramid. Also on the boat are Mrs. Salome Otterbourne (Angela Lansbury) and her daughter Rosalie (Olivia Hussey) - Linnet is embroiled in a legal battle with romantic author Mrs Otterbourne after she made some defamatory remarks about her in print which makes enemies out of mother and daughter. There's also Mrs. Van Schuyler (Bette Davis), who has taken an interest in Linnet's pearls, and her companion Miss Bowers (Maggie Smith) who has an ancient grudge to settle with the Ridgeway family, whom she blames for her current dependent position. To round out the list there is Linnet's lawyer, Andrew Pennington (George Kennedy), who has been embezzling his client's funds and risks discovery now she's married; her maid, Louise (Jane Birkin), who has been seeking Linnet's permission to marry for years; Dr. Bessner (Jim Warden) who has been on the receiving end of slander by Linnet and socialist, Jim Ferguson, who believes she should be shot as a lesson to the 'others'. This makes for quite a list of motives when Linnet is killed and almost all of passengers had the opportunity. Poirot, with the help of Colonel Race (David Niven), sets out to discover the culprit but it isn't long before the bodies start piling up.

It could be said that this one takes a while to get going. The murder certainly doesn't happen immediately but this allows the viewer to grow intimate with the various suspects. The various introductions are well-paced, not overwhelming, and impart just enough information without overloading the audience. The writing is superb, which it should be given its origins, and the Egyptian scenery is absolutely breathtaking. You don't just get a formidable cast, you get it against the backdrop of some of the most majestic scenery in the world. Most of the cast getting on camels and donkeys was a sight to see also!

In all honesty, I think Angela Lansbury stole the show as drunk novelist Mrs. Otterbourne. If an actress draws your attention to her in every scene she's in, if she can play someone flamboyant to the point of invoking utter frustration in those around her and if she can scare David Niven's character just by dancing with him... Well, you've got a scene-stealer on your hands and that's no small feat alongside such an excellent cast. Bette Davis also has some stinging lines and her scenes with Maggie Smith (mainly in suits!) were pure gold. Their final exchange merits repeating: Mrs. Van Schulyer: "Come, Bowers, it's time to go, this place is beginning to resemble a mortuary." Miss Bowers: "Thank God you'll be in one yourself before too long you bloody old fossil!" Watching this film did nothing to dim my adoration of either Lansbury or Smith - in fact, it increased it which was damn difficult to achieve!

And what of Ustinov as Hercule Poirot? He was so perfect that he doesn't really merit discussion. He played  Poirot as he should be played - calculating, manipulative when necessary, amusing in his own way. There was nothing wrong with his performance, only his height. The moment where he faces off with a cobra in his bathroom is incredibly tense. That brings me to my final point: I was exceptionally impressed about how the directors weren't afraid to use silence when necessary. They seemed to accept that it ramped up the tension more than any words could. When an attempt is made on Linnet's life by a stone dropping from the top of some ruins, the viewer is alerted to what is going on by a silent look round at the suspects as they meander through the ruins then we're aware of someone climbing lots of stairs, only distinguishable by their breathing. This and the snake scene amongst others were perfect examples of how you don't need continuous noise to keep the audience on the edge of their seats - you just need something at stake. A perfect lesson to storytellers everywhere.