Classic Film Review: The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Although Lana Turner is billed first, The Bad and the Beautiful really revolves around Kirk Douglas's character, Jonathan Shields. Shields is a floundering producer who has called upon three people he previously damaged to try and revive his career: director Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan), actress Georgia Lorrison (Turner) and writer James Lee Bartlow (Dick Powell). They gather together and each tell their own personal stories about why they hate Shields and why they've vowed never to make another film with him. This was directed by Vincente Minnelli and is a scathing look at Hollywood and the people it attracts. What struck me was that this was essentially a male All About Eve (1950) (reviewed here): Shields, like Eve Harrington, is not afraid to stamp all over people to reach the top. That's the lesson we get from his experiences with Fred Amiel and James Lee Bartlow. The lesson from his relationship with Georgia Lorrison is altogether more complicated and provides some of the best scenes of the film.

The performances from all the major players along with Walter Pigeon as Shields's assistant and Gloria Grahame as Bartlow's wife are excellent. There are a few moments with Turner, particularly the car scene, which feel over-acted but she compensates for them in others, specifically the apartment scene when Shields is waiting for Georgia when she gets home drunk and their major confrontation scene at the end of her segment when the argument with Shields takes on a more sinister feeling, exposing layers to his character the viewer hasn't encountered before.

This being a Minnelli piece, the direction is superb with small touches throughout that add to the overall effect. It's a film that treads on thin ice, depicting the industry as vicious and those who inhabit the world as either innocents waiting to be torn to shreds or ruthless people waiting to do the shredding. There are also a couple of interesting scenes involving Douglas and Turner where the former is teaching the latter how to act and to hold an audience. It's little parts like that which make this film so captivating.

This is an exceptionally good film, though I still maintain the leading credit belongs to Douglas. It's the movie behind the movies and, as such, merits a watch for any film fan of the classic era. Beside which, it toys with the audience, bluffing about where it's going to go next. I have to say, though, that Shields gets steadily worse and, unfortunately, it's difficult to turn your head away.

Classic Film Review: The Big Trees (1952)

Despite reading some fairly negative reviews, I rather enjoyed The Big Trees. It doesn't pretend to be anything it's not and is enjoyable as a lesser Kirk Douglas film. Douglas plays timber baron Jim Fallon (yes, I know that rhymes but that's the way IMDB describe him) who aims to take advantage of a new law and make a fortune by chopping down some valuable Californian redwoods. Unfortunately, a group of Quakers live on the land he intends to desecrate so he plots to manipulate them and get the wood any way he can. Two things stand in his way - Quaker Alicia Chadwick (Eve Miller) and the friends he's managed to alienate during his rise to fortune. The most significant of these is Walter 'Yukon' Burns (Edgar Buchanan), the kind-hearted man Fallon sent on ahead of him to California.

Some of the Quaker scenes are admittedly a little cliché and I don't see the attraction between Fallon and Alicia. What does shine through, though, is the relationship between Fallon and Yukon - while I could never accept Alicia as a legitimate reason for Fallon to change, I could accept it in combination with what happens to Yukon. There are numerous forgettable characters surrounding these main three and, in all honestly, when it came to the big moments they were involved in I almost forgot who they were. The film fails a little in keeping all threads going but the main few are consistent.

There are a couple of memorable moments worthy of mention. When Alicia and Yukon are trying to think of a legal (and morally righteous) way of derailing Fallon's plans they settle on a 'cataclysm' - that is, complete chaos caused by a cat. Secondly, the runaway train with Alicia trapped in it is quite effective, although Fallon's rescue attempt is a little lengthy. It felt like the film had a double climax though, with the train crash rather diluting the effect of the explosive finale.

This isn't a ground-breaking film but it's an enjoyable one. Kirk Douglas is ideal as unscrupulous Fallon and although some of the dialogue and plot are a little clunky it works overall.

Classic Film Review: The Vikings (1958)

The Vikings tells the story of two half-brothers who don't know their connection and hate each other. Einar (Kirk Douglas) is the only son of Ragnar (Ernest Borgnine) born in wedlock and is lightly mocked by his father for believing he's so attractive that he should shave his beard to show off his beauty. Slave, Eric (Tony Curtis), puts paid to this by setting a bird on his face, leaving Einar permanently scarred and setting up a reoccurring rivalry between the two. This is only enhanced by both falling for the same woman - the prisoner, Morgana (Janet Leigh), taken from the British King with the intention of ransoming her back to them.

Douglas and Curtis do Viking rather well. Douglas, especially, seems to revel in the role, capturing Einar's lust for both battle and Morgana very well. While it would've been easy for his attraction to Morgana to seem contrived, Douglas explores the many facets of Einar's character as the film progresses - excellent warrior, obedient son, forlorn lover - without difficulty. Eric is naturally a more reserved character as a slave and someone who faces death several times within the film, but he gets a couple of humorous moments to lighten what is a very battle-heavy film. The battle scenes themselves are well-staged and the setting is perfectly evoked with some beautiful outdoor locations used. The Vikings may not be historically accurate but it certainly conveys a good sense of what the era was like in a manner perfectly suitable for film.

I was a little unconvinced by the casting of Janet Leigh as Morgana but she does quite well in a film surrounded by men. When Eric is stealing her away from Einar in a small boat, her complaints that she can't row in her bodice lead to her bodice being ripped open - one of the most amusing moments in the film. She's also a little feisty and capable of at least trying to defend herself. Perhaps, in hindsight, Leigh wasn't the best choice for the role but I do adore her and could easily watch her performance again.

The Vikings is both interesting and thrilling. It may not appeal to those who don't like their historical with a dose of Hollywood alongside but the leads give good performances and it's worth watching the battle sequences alone. However, it certainly isn't for everyone and the scenes of men being threatened with hungry wolves aren't for small children - they unnerved me quite enough!