A Reel Retro Review: BETRAYED (1954)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

Last week, Reel Speak reviewed a late-career film of Vivien Leigh, who was mostly known for her role as Scarlett O’Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND. Since we can’t have Scarlett without her Rhett, this week’s Retro Review features a late-career film from her co-star, Clark Gable. 

It is WWII. Col. Deventer (Gable), is an intelligence agent of the exiled Dutch government, who recruits singer Fran Seelers (Lana Turner), to go undercover into the Nazi-occupied territory to laisse with underground freedom fighters, led by a man known only as The Scarf (Victor Mature). 

Every movie has a hook, or a nucleus…the one thing that grabs our attention and gives our characters something to do. This hook comes in many forms; kill the shark, save the princess, destroy the space station, obtain a rare antiquity. The hook usually comes within the first 10 or 15 minutes of the film, or at least somewhere in the first act. With BETRAYED, the true hook of the story doesn’t come until very late. The bulk of the film spends time with Deventer and Seelers, as they prepare for the mission in Nazi occupied territory while a romance between them begins to take shape. 

Around the third act, it becomes clear that there is a spy in their midst, as the Dutch freedom fighters, acting independently, suddenly begin to suffer heavy losses; their surprise attacks against the Nazi’s not-so-surprising. Who is the spy giving up information? There are suspects everywhere; is it Seelers? The Scarf? Or is it Deventer himself? It’s an issue of double-agents and treason, and it comes in so late it almost feels tacked on. 

Based on a true story of a Dutch resistance leader, BETRAYED still offers a lot as a forgotten slice of WWII history. Director Gottfried Reinhardt keeps things close to the ground, moving us through war strategies and battle plans. The film has the feel of a predecessor to James Bond, with spies lurking everywhere and hidden passages to command centers and hideouts. Deventer himself, as a master-spy, even uses a gadget hidden in a horse cart to send radio signals. 

Even though Gable was near the end of his career, he still gives it his all. This was his fourth (and final) film with Lana Turner, and the chemistry between the two leaps off the screen. The show is stolen by Victor Mature, who is one of those blokes who seems to be having a blast fighting the war. 

The identity of the double-agent doesn’t come as a huge shock, as the seeds are planted early on of who it could be. But the script does not spoil itself, and the reasons behind the betrayal makes sense in hindsight. BETRAYED is a fine look at the legendary Gable late in his career and life, and also holds up as a curiosity piece; an early film that would help usher in Cold War spy films. Its unconventional structure just keeps it from being a must-see. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

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Reel Facts: BETRAYED was the final film Gable would make under his MGM contract, having first signed with the studio in 1930. He would complete nine more films over the next seven years before his death in 1960. BETRAYED co-stars English actor Alfred Hyde-White, who would gain international fame for his role in MY FAIR LADY (1964), and later would play Dr. Goodfellow in TV’s BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25^th CENTURY (1979-1981). 

Chadwick Boseman: 1976 - 2020

Actor Chadwick Boseman has passed away at 43. 

Internationally known as the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Chadwick Aaron Boseman was born in South Carolina in 1976. In his junior year of high school, he wrote his first play, and staged it at the school after a classmate was shot and killed. His early goals were to write and direct, and he graduated Howard University in 2000 studying directing. He later attended a summer program of the British American Drama Academy in London. 

In the early part of his career he lived in Brooklyn and worked as a drama instructor. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, and scored his first role on TV’s THIRD WATCH in 2003. He would appear in television episodes of LAW & ORDER, CSI:NY, and ER. 

His first feature film would come in 2008 in THE EXPRESS: THE ERNIE DAVIS STORY. In 2013, he would be cast as baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson in 42. Boseman and the film were well reviewed. He would follow that up with another role as a black icon; James Brown in GET ON UP in 2014. 

In 2016, he would make his first appearance as Prince T’Challa; the superhero Black Panther and future king of Wakanda in the MCU film CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. By taking on the character who was the first black superhero in comic book history, he planted the seeds for his rise to a civil rights icon. In 2017, he would play yet another real-life black hero, when he played Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice in MARSHALL. 

In 2018, he would make history when Marvel Studios released BLACK PANTHER to enormous success with critics, fans, and the box office. BLACK PANTHER became the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination, and Boseman would win a Screen Actor’s Guild Award and an NAACP Image Award for his performance. He would reprise the role in two more MCU films; AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018), and AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019). 

Other notable roles included DRAFT DAY (2014), GODS OF EGYPT (2016), 21 BRIDGES (2019), and Spike Lee’s DA 5 BLOODS (2020). 

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Chadwick Boseman was a huge (understatement) representation for the black community. From adults to kids, he was an inspiration. He understood that responsibility, and as time passes, we will wonder what more he could have done. The enormity of what he carried for so many people was his motivator. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, and in the last four years he gave us four MCU films; acting in a physically demanding role. He was suffering during his entire run as the Black Panther, but no amount of pain could stop him from what he had to do; acting, red carpets, interviews, extensive travelling…the weight of it all and keeping his condition private must have been worldly. But much like his character, he carried it. That’s what heroes do. That’s what legends and kings and leaders do. For millions of fans his passing is a great loss, and now it’s on us to carry on what he started.  

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best College Films

As stated in last week’s blog on the Top 10 Best High School Films (HERE), late August is the time of year when back to school is plastered on every store in sight. For high schoolers, it can be time of dread. But for kids who are college-bound, it is a glorious time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a freshman or a senior or a class in-between, the thought of going back to college is liberating; a time to get away from home, partake in the fun and wildness on campus, and earn what’s needed to step out into the real world. 

The college life has had a fine representation on the silver screen. Just like high school, sports is an easy go-to, with campus dramas such as RUDY (1993), and THE PROGRAM (1993) tackling the gridiron. Campus competition is always a source for good drama, with the Anna Kendrick-led PITCH PERFECT (2012) a good example. Even the Rodney Dangerfield-led BACK TO SCHOOL (1986) took a dip into collegiate sports. College of course is all about getting ready for the real world, with THE GRADUATE (1967), featuring a young Dustin Hoffman figuring out his future, and Joel Schumacher’s ST. ELMO’S FIRE (1985) looking at graduates who never really left college. Even Pixar got into the game in 2013 with MONSTERS UNIVERSITY. The best college films are the ones that sum up the campus experience; all the learning, un-learning, insanity, and the transition to adulthood. These are Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best College Films. 

So let’s give it the ol’ college try…

10. EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!! (2016)

It’s hard to read the title of this film without hearing the catchy chorus of the Van Halen tune of the same name, and that’s a good thing…because that tune sums up this Richard Linklater-directed romp perfectly. A hang-out movie without much of a plot, WANTS SOME spends its time in the first few days of a new year on campus, where students are not only figuring out where to go, but the pecking order and cliques that will define their social status for the next 10 months. Firmly set in the glorious 1980’s, it’s realistic, fun, and makes for a perfect double-feature paired with Linklater’s high school comedy, DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)

9. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

David Fincher’s Oscar-nominated drama about the founding of social-media giant Facebook. Much of this film takes place off-campus as it moves to courtrooms and the Silicon Valley, but the focus never leaves these young men…college students, who somehow manage to take what education they have and create a product worth billions of dollars. Seduction and betrayal happens, perhaps helped along by their young minds. It’s not the best message, but it also shows the great things a motivated student can accomplish, and sometimes it’s best to shake up the old establishment. 

8. HORSE FEATHERS (1932)

The great-grandfather of college films, brought to us by the Marx Brothers. Groucho and his ‘stache plays a president of a fictional school recruiting new football players to boost their chances against a rival. Those new players (Chico and Harpo), come to school and spark a whole lot of tomfoolery. HORSE FEATHERS is set in a time long gone, where college was a lot more formal. But the Marx Brothers were always ahead of the game, and much of the fun here comes at the expense of that formality; the jokes poke fun at that stuffy attitude towards academia of the time. 

7. REAL GENIUS (1985)

Val Kilmer, years before he would become Doc Holliday or Batman, plays a very chill super-genius at a prestigious school for science who refuses to get burned out over heavy workloads…while corrupting his new freshman roommate (Gabriel Jarret), and working on a top-secret laser-gun project for his shady professor (William Atherton). The plot involving the laser is a tad absurd, but REAL GENIUS brilliantly takes sci-fi and sprinkles it on college life, and the experiences that the students have here are universal. Workloads and burning out are an important theme, and the film shows us that having a little fun here and there is vital. 

6. GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997)

Matt Damon plays a self-taught genius working as a janitor at MIT, who reconsiders his future after combative therapy sessions with a psychology professor…played by the late great Robin Williams. College years are all about taking our present and applying it to our future, and that is the way for this Gus Van Sant-directed drama. Loaded with emotional moments and an excellent cast (Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Stellan Skarsgard, Minnie Driver), GOOD WILL HUNTING finishes strong and makes an impression. Nominated for nine Oscars and winner of two; including Best Supporting Actor for Williams. 

5. THE PAPER CHASE (1973)

One of the more obscure entries here, but that doesn’t take away from its importance. Timothy Bottoms plays a first-year student at Harvard Law who gets off to a rocky start, and then goes onto to start an affair with his professor’s daughter. The heart of the film comes when Bottoms breaks up his classmates into groups; those who give up, those who are trying, and the upper echelon. It’s a classification system that works on every campus in every era, and provides ground zero for every college story that has come since. Nominated for three Oscars and an inspiration for a TV series of the same name. 

4. LEGALLY BLONDE (2001)

Reese Witherspoon re-invented herself in this comedy, playing Elle Woods, a stereotypical sorority girl who decides to give Harvard Law School a try (what, like it’s hard?). Directed by Robert Luketic, LEGALLY BLONDE doesn’t hang on the dumb-blonde thing, and shows any one person can be smart without being snooty, and can enjoy all things pink while also practicing law. Discovering one’s many likes (and dislikes), is an important part of college life, and that is the basis for the film which gives it a weight. Witherspoon took home a Globe for her performance, and the film spawned one sequel (so far), and a musical. 

3. HIGHER LEARNING (1995)

The late great John Singleton directed this drama following three freshman at a fictional university; an athlete (Omar Epps), who struggles with academics, a naïve and shy girl (Kristy Swanson), and a lonely kid feeling out of place (Michael Rapaport). Aside from capitalizing on the usual campus characters, Singleton bravely looks at race relations, sexual assault, and moral responsibility…all issues and lessons that his characters learn the hard way long before they graduate to the real world. It’s a dark film and that’s part of its greatness, as it stands out in a large crowd of breezy comedies. It sports an ensemble cast including Ice Cube, Jennifer Connelly, Regina King, Busta Rhymes, Adam Goldberg, Kari Wuhrer, and Laurence Fishburne. 

2. REVENGE OF THE NERDS (1984)

Before Anthony Edwards doctored TV’s ER into a ratings monster, he was nerdy Gilbert; loyal companion to equally nerdy Louis, as played by Robert Carradine. Together, the two nerds head off to college together full of hope, only to come under persecution from elitist jocks and stuffy fraternities. This film wasn’t a box office or critical hit at the time, but over the years has earned a cult following and rightfully so. The persecution the nerds deal with is akin to a civil rights story, and in broad strokes it has the classic sensibilities of good vs. evil. The usual elements of college pranks, smoking up, hooking up, and a subtle message of brains over brawn are used to great effect, and the overall theme of friendship makes this 1980’s romp timeless. 

1. ANIMAL HOUSE (1978)

The standard by which all college films are judged by. Directed by John Landis and written by the late great Harold Ramis, ANIMAL HOUSE is an unbridled look at campus life in the early 1960’s, with a trouble-making fraternity challenging the authority of the Dean. It’s loaded with hedonism and anarchy, and many of the jokes and scenes have not aged well into today, but it does capture the wildness of a fraternity; the rebellious nature of youth and the freedom that comes with being on your own. The film made the late great John Belushi a sudden movie star, and his scenes to this day have survived into pop culture in the form of posters on dorm walls and social media memes. College can be nuts, and there’s no movie nuttier than ANIMAL HOUSE.  

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST COLLEGE FILMS

1. ANIMAL HOUSE
2. REVENGE OF THE NERDS
3. HIGHER LEARNING
4. LEGALLY BLONDE
5. THE PAPER CHASE
6. GOOD WILL HUNTING
7. REAL GENIUS
8. HORSE FEATHERS
9. THE SOCIAL NETWORK
10. EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!

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Special thanks to fellow film blogger Rich Drees for inspiring these last two scholastic blogs. 

A Reel Retro Review: THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE (1961)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

After actress Vivien Leigh took home the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1939 for her now-historic role in GONE WITH THE WIND, her star seemed to be in ascent. Although she would win another Oscar in 1951 for her part in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, her many periods of inactivity would have her complete only nine films in 25 years after GONE WITH THE WIND. With such a small sample size, any film of the famed actress is worth having a look, with one late-career retrospective coming in the 1961 drama, THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE. 

Once an acclaimed stage actress now late in her career, Karen Stone (Leigh), loses her husband to a heart attack. She retreats to Rome, where she encounters Paolo (Warren Beatty), who is in league with the Contessa Magda (Lotte Lenya), to swindle money from her. 

MRS. STONE is a film that is in no hurry to unfold its plot. Most of the film is spent with Paolo and Karen carrying on a love affair, with Paolo’s endgame to swindle as much cash as he can from her…which he will split with the Contessa. Karen is at a vulnerable stage in her life; having just lost her husband and her stage career nearing its end. Paolo and the Contessa don’t have much backstory or motivation given, and are just there as a plot device…as anything Palolo tells Karen is just a way to seduce and exploit. 

Director Jose Quintero, who was primarily a stage director and helming his one and only film, has several themes going at work here; Karen’s ongoing issues with her fading career and her mortality, along with Paolo eventually questioning if he really is falling in love with Karen and can carry on with the scheme. These themes are only lightly explored and feel like they could have gone deeper. Quintero also stages most scenes as if he were still in the live theatre, which mostly works as it leaves a lot of room for monologuing…some of which pays off in big ways towards the end. 

Shot on location in Rome, the film plays as a tourist guide showcasing the grand city and its countryside. For the most part it’s a gorgeous production, but the film doesn’t spend enough time out-of-doors. It establishes a location with a beautiful wide-shot and then cuts to an exterior scene which was obviously done in a studio. The lighting never matches and it’s always jarring. 

Vivien Leigh embraces the role of the aging star nicely. In a way the film is autobiographical for her as both she and her character were at the end of their careers and lives. Warren Beatty pulls off the Italian accent to great effect, and Lotte Lenya is excellent. 

MRS. STONE has several long monologues by nearly every primary character, with two of them looping back around to the very end; an ending which can seem very abrupt and stupid if one hasn’t been paying attention to the many monologues. MRS. STONE is a light look at fading stars and long-term coping with grief. The execution could have better but this is still worth a look as a curiosity piece. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

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Reel Facts: Lotte Lenya would be nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the Contessa, and would go on to play the James Bond villain Rosa Klebb in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963). Vivien Leigh would only complete one more film before her death in 1967. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best High School Films

Late August is the time of year when three words are floating about that strikes feelings of dread and joy in kids and parents; back to school. For parents it’s a welcome break, while for kids it can be a time to catch up with old friends, resume sports or other activities, or a time to duck and hide behind garbage cans from the bullies. The high school years, a time where kids begin the transition into the real world, can be a source of great stories; a source that the silver screen has done well for a very long time. 

Over the years, many films have explored the psyche and adventures of high school kids. Sports was an easy go-to, with films such as HOOSIERS (1986) and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004) bringing on the emotional gut-punches. Moving from high school to either college, the military, or the working world can be a scary ordeal, and these feelings were looked at by George Lucas in AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973), and LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971). The high school film has dipped its toes into many genres, including horror with CARRIE in 1976, superheroes in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING in 2017, and many comedies…including SUPERBAD in 2007. The best high school films are the ones that capitalize on the high school experience, and capture the feelings of youth in those locker-lined hallways; fully expressing the joy, dread, happiness, and great sorrow that can come with the first day of school to the last. Other criteria are cultural impact and the test of time. These are Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best High School Films. 

So let’s go back to school…

10. SCHOOL TIES (1992)

Brendan Fraser leads an ensemble cast of young Hollywood upstarts in this 1950’s drama about a Jewish high school student and football star who keeps his heritage a secret from his antisemitic classmates and friends. On top of dealing with bigotry, SCHOOL TIES takes a hard look at the pressures bearing down on seniors from the upper class, showing that even the rich kids have that fear meeting their parent’s expectations. Fraser turns in one of his best performances, and is well-supported by the young cast of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, Cole Hauser, and Anthony Rapp. 

9. DAZED AND CONFUSED (1993)

Oddly enough, high school movies tend to work as “high school” for young actors, who use said film as a learning and graduation process to bigger and better things. Richard Linklater’s 1993 comedy is one fine example, with a budding cast of Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Milla Jovovich. The film was a cultural smash thanks to McConaughey’s now famous one-liner that would define him, and its themes of high school cliques and what-to-do-next on the last day of school are explored nicely. 

8. CLUELESS (1995)

Amy Heckerling spent time observing high school students of the 1990’s to figure out their mannerisms and slang, and it really shows in her coming-of-age comedy that became a cultural hit. Alicia Silverstone plays a rich and clever student who gets into a complicated matchmaking web, and finishes with a morality lesson that all high school kids should learn before donning that cap and gown. 

7. SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984)

Director John Hughes spent most of his career making classic films about teens and high school, with one of his best coming in 1984. Molly Ringwald plays a misfit teen whose 16^th birthday is upstaged by her older sister’s wedding, and also has to deal with bullies and a nerd that won’t leave her be. Firmly set in the 1980’s, the film defines the era while keeping the realism of adolescent behavior. 

6. HEATHERS (1989)

Where most of, if not all the teen movies of the 1980’s were colorful and funny, HEATHERS went the opposite way in this dark and gutsy comedy. Winona Ryder plays a popular girl with three best friends all named Heather, whose life is spinning out of control when she falls for the new kid, played by Christian Slater…who convinces her to kill off the Heathers. Directed by Michael Lehmann, HEATHERS takes a deep dive into those popular, if not annoying high school cliques, and shows that even the kids who are “in” aren’t necessarily happy about it. 

5. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (2004)

Perhaps the best sleeper-hit comedy of all time. Jon Heder plays the title character; a loner high school student who has a need to belong but still wants to be himself. It’s not overly deep and lacks any cinematic monologues that many films of this genre are known for, but it perfectly captures the spirit of those high school kids that are on the fringe. 

4. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (1986)

Teen rebellion may have started with James Dean in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955), but John Hughes (once again), gave it a new purpose in this gem that seems to get more and more popular with each passing decade. This time around, Ferris (Matthew Broderick), is a rebel with a cause; to simply have a day off from school. Not much of this actually takes place in the school (that’s the point), but the film does smell like the teen spirit of rebellion; with the establishment offering very little to Ferris compared to the real world. 

3. GREASE (1978)

Sometimes the most important thing in a high schooler’s life is to be with the one that they love, and that is the basis for this adaptation of the popular musical. John Travolta plays Danny Zuko, who comes home from Summer break telling stories of his new-found love, Sandy (Olivia Newton John)…who much to his surprise, has just come to his own Rydell High as a transfer student. A cultural smash that rocketed Travolta to stardom and brought the tunes of the musical to the world, GREASE was all about teen love while fighting through those troublesome cliques and the fear of what comes after graduation. 

2. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982)

It’s impossible to talk about high school films and ignore the one that has the name of the school in the title. Amy Heckerling, in her directorial debut, helms this coming-of-age comedy which explores teen sexuality; a favorite topic among high school students. A cultural hit that is quoted to this day, it accurately captures teenage life in all aspects, and did for high school movies what ANIMAL HOUSE did for college films. It is also packed with a young cast that would graduate into Hollywood royalty; Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and Anthony Edwards. 

1. THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)

This may seem like the obvious choice, but there are darn good reasons why it is. Director John Hughes takes the closed-quarters concept of the classic film 12 ANGRY MEN (1957), and applies it to a Saturday afternoon high school detention. Hughes takes the typical high school identities; the brain (Anthony Michael Hall), the athlete (Emilio Estevez), the beauty (Molly Ringwald), the recluse (Ally Sheedy), and the rebel (Judd Nelson)…and locks them in a room and lets their personalities go at it. Conflicts arise, alliances made and broken, and backstories fleshed out in a single setting that defines every one of us from our high school years. Hughes was a master at communicating the feelings of teenagers, and here was his crown jewel. It has a wide reach that speaks to us all; everyone sees something of themselves in THE BREAKFAST CLUB.  

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST HIGH SCHOOL FILMS

1. THE BREAKFAST CLUB
2. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
3. GREASE
4. FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
5. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
6. HEATHERS
7. SIXTEEN CANDLES
8. CLUELESS
9. DAZED AND CONFUSED
10. SCHOOL TIES

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Special thanks to fellow film blogger Rich Drees for inspiring this topic and next weeks blog: The Top 10 Best College Films. 

A Reel Retro Review: THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

There are many genres for cinema to pull their stories from; sci-fi, fantasy, crime, action, the Old West…just to name a few. One genre that Hollywood has created on their own is the movie-about-a-movie; a story that pulls the silver screen back and reveals the stories behind the stories. Most of these films feature a lot of back-patting and adds more glamour to the perceived glamorous movie-star life, but others show no fear in showing just how rough it can be. One such example of the latter is THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. 

Jonathan Shields (Kirk Douglas), is a successful, Oscar-winning producer who has betrayed three of his closest colleagues on his way to becoming the head of his own studio; actress Georgia Lorrison (Lana Turner), writer James Bartlow (Dick Powell), and director Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan). 

THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL unfolds in an unconventional way. In the very beginning, the damage has already been done, with Jonathan’s former friends and colleagues having already been chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood machine. They are summoned by movie producer Harry Pebbel (Walter Pidgeon), who is acting as a liason for Jonathan…who would like to work with his former friends one last time. What follows next are three extended flashbacks, as told by each former friend…which reveals Jonathan’s rise to the top and his eventual betrayal of all three. 

It’s a cynical look at Hollywood and moviemaking. Although great work is done by director Vincente Minnelli to show just how much work goes into putting a film together, it’s a story of how a person’s soul is destroyed rather than saved by the tinsel of the town. Each flashback and story reveals a little more about Jonathan, who was the son of a powerful Hollywood producer…providing a motivation for his eventual treachery. 

Acting is superb with the great Kirk Douglas leading the way. His character goes through a lot, and this film is one of his best examples of his range. The rest of the cast is equally outstanding. The show is stolen by Gloria Grahame, who as the wife of the writer, provides a shocking tragedy near the end of the film. 

THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL doesn’t paint the movie producer in the best light, which makes this 1952 film a unique entry in an era where giddy optimism was common. It’s not quite a downer of a film, but it does stand as a strong morality tale of what can happen under the glare of those Hollywood lights. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it. 

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Reel Facts: Actress Gloria Grahame appears in the film for less than 10 minutes but would win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. At the time it was the record for the shortest performance to win an Oscar. Overall the film would win five of its six nominations, and to this day holds the record for the most Oscars without being nominated for Best Picture. 

A Reel Retro Review: HAWAII (1966)

With no new films to review for the foreseeable future, Reel Speak will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week. Not just for the sake of filling time, but to hopefully introduce some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

One of the great joys of digging through films of the long past is discovering a movie packed with Hollywood legends before they were known as legends. One such example is George Roy Hill’s 1966 epic drama and Oscar nominee, HAWAII. 

The year is 1819. Newly ordained minister Reverend Abner Hale (Max von Sydow), volunteers to bring Christianity to the islands of Hawaii. After meeting the requirement of being married, he takes his new bride Jerusha (Julie Andrews), and a group of missionaries which includes his friend Dr. John Whipple (Gene Hackman). Once on the island, Abner deals with a clash of cultures and the arrival of Jerusha’s former suitor; whaling Captain Hoxworth (Richard Harris). 

Based on the 1959 novel of the same name by James A. Michener, HAWAII is centered on Abner’s cold and unrelenting faith and strict interpretations of the Bible, where even his love and affection for his own wife can be considered sinful. This creates tension between Abner and Jerusha, which makes the good Reverend’s life all the more stressful as he tries his hardest to teach, or hammer into the heads of the natives the word of God. Abner is resolute and relentless in his mission, going as far as eradicating thousands of years of Hawaiian tradition and beliefs. The arrival of Captain Hoxworth and his rowdy crew makes things even more difficult, and Abner finds himself in a battle on many fronts. HAWAII ultimately is a story of one man’s indomitable faith, one that deflects every stone cast. At the heart of it is Jerusha, who remains faithful despite many hardships. 

Directed by George Roy Hill, HAWAII films the island beautifully and in all of its glory. The sea-crossing, which includes high waves and a nearly flooded ship, is executed very well and is impressive for 1960’s standards. Elmer Bernstein’s score is excellent. 

Acting is also excellent from the ensemble cast. Max von Sydow commands the screen, and finds a balance between protagonist and villain. The great Julie Andrews is wonderful as always, and a scene where she painfully gives birth without medication shows her great range. Gene Hackman is his usual great self, and Richard Harris nearly unrecognizable as a young sea captain. Carrol O’Connor, years before he would become Archie Bunker, comes in as Jerusha’s father and is a treat. 

HAWAII ends as a tragic film, but as any good tragedy should do, offers a ray of hope. Faith, culture, and family are its explored themes and each one serves as an excellent backdrop in what finishes as an impactful story. At 189 minutes it is indeed epic, and worthy of that name. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

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HAWAII would be nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Supporting Actress for Hawaiian actress Jocelyne LaGarde, who was in her first film role. She would win a Golden Globe in that category. Director George Roy Hill would go on to direct BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969), and THE STING (1973). Entertainment legend Bette Midler makes her first film appearance here. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Movie Monologues

The Monologue. Anyone who has seen more than one movie knows it when it comes. The story takes a pause, and a character or two launches into a speech that goes longer than one or two lines. The technique is used to express character thoughts, provide exposition, or to rally the story forward. It has roots in ancient Greek theatre, and has been in film for so long that is often parodied or even drawn attention to, with Pixar’s THE INCREDIBLES (2005), famously poking fun at it. 

Despite being around for so long, the monologue still works as an effective way to push the story, and over the years we’ve had many iconic examples. War movies are a perfect home for the rallying speech, with George C. Scott’s opening speech in PATTON (1970) one of the best, along with one or two memorable ones from APOCALYPSE NOW (1979). Quentin Tarantino, one of the best dialogue writers of our generation, has penned many great ones, with some of his best coming via Samuel L. Jackson in PULP FICTION (1994), and with David Carradine’s superhero-breakdown in KILL BILL VOL. 2 (2004). Those superhero movies are also a good home to the monologue (as THE INCREDIBLES told us), with some standouts coming from SUPERMAN (1978), and THE DARK KNIGHT (2008). Al Pacino had a movie full of them in THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (1997), and the late great Robin Williams had a pair of greats from GOOD WILL HUNTING (1998), and DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989). The best monologues are the ones that are often quoted, stand out tall in the film, stand the test of time, and are essential to the film’s functionality. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Movie Monologues. 

So let’s get…..

10. Mad as Hell

From NETWORK (1976)

This Blogger has always found NETWORK to be way too over-the-top, but there is no denying the cultural impact the film has had over the last 40 years. Peter Finch plays Howard Beale, a former news anchor whose firing leads him to on-air rants that his network looks to exploit. It’s a story of network-business ethics, and Beale’s iconic “I’m mad as hell” is a rallying cry for all the common folk to unite against a world going to heck. As relevant today as it was in 1976. 

9. There was an idea

From THE AVENGERS (2012)

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) rallies Earth’s mightiest heroes together after a crushing defeat in Joss Whedon’s genre-breaking super-team blockbuster. AVENGERS may have been a spectacle, but Whedon’s knack for dialogue shines in Fury’s speech which provides the motivation for bringing together extraordinary people; to fight the battles the rest of us never could. This became not only the root of all the following AVENGERS movies over the next decade, but ground-zero for all superhero films. 

8. Get busy living

From THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

One would not expect a drama about a man going to prison for a crime he didn’t commit to have a rousing, inspirational impact…but Frank Darabont’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella does exactly that; with the exclamation point coming at the very end by way of Morgan Freeman. Freeman plays Red, an old convict finally out of prison and on his way to find his friend. His monologue, which closes the film, addresses hope and importance of capitalizing on second-chances at life. Freeman earned an Oscar nomination for this film and has since then become Hollywood’s favorite narrator…both well deserved. 

7. People will come

From FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

The love we have for baseball is summed up beautifully in James Earl Jones’ speech near the end of one of the best baseball films ever made. Things are not looking good for Ray (Kevin Costner), and his family, as they are about to lose their farm and magical baseball field. But he is swayed to stay the course thanks to this poetic speech, which inspires hope and sums up American baseball, along with the power of nostalgia, in a nutshell. 

6. They may take our lives…

From BRAVEHEART (1995)

Mel Gibson’s rally-cry at the head of a battle has often been imitated, mocked, and parodied with and without love…and all that points towards a speech that has made an impact one way or another. Gibson directs, and stars as legendary Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace in this Best Picture winner, and his thunderous war-rally on horseback in front of starving and outnumbered fighters is enough to get anyone into battle. 

5. Men of the West

From THE LORD OF THE RINGS – THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)

Peter Jackson’s Oscar-sweeping adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary masterpieces may have taken a page out of Gibson’s BRAVEHEART with this scene and rally-speech, but that’s perfectly fine because this one really gets the job done in an emotional wallop. Viggo Mortensen plays Aragorn, destined to be the next King of Men…facing an incoming army of orcs that has him outnumbered. Fear strikes into the heart of his army and himself, but as any great leader is supposed to do…he delivers a speech that unites. What makes it even better is that the monologue is a summation of the journey Aragorn has taken through the films; from closed-off recluse to an inspiring King. 

4. In the name of God

From TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

Gregory Peck plays Atticus Finch, a defense attorney tasked with defending a black man in this adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic novel. Finch’s closing argument on the surface may seem like something right out of TV’S LAW AND ORDER, but underneath is a call for justice in the name of equal rights. Finch addresses God, American ideals, and the true duty of the jurors; to put aside prejudices and judge by the evidence. 

3. You can’t handle the truth!

From A FEW GOOD MEN (1992)

Jack Nicholson plays Col. Jessup; the commander of a base in Cuba who may have taken his ideas of defending his country a bit too far; ideas that lead to the death of a young Marine. While on the witness stand, Jessup explodes into this memorable rant on his perception of what it takes to defend a country, and when prodded by the defense (Tom Cruise) for the truth, the now famous line that has been quoted endlessly was born. Everyone knows where this line came from. 

2. The U.S.S. Indianapolis

From JAWS (1975)

Robert Shaw co-wrote and delivered this quiet, yet epic speech in Steven Spielberg’s all-time great, JAWS. Shaw, in the role of Quint, the Ahab-like shark-hunter, tells the story of his time aboard the doomed battleship Indianapolis during WWII, which ended with him and his crewmates in the ocean for days surrounded by sharks. The based-on-a-true-story serves several purposes; to give the necessary backstory and motivation for Quint’s obsession with destroying sharks, and to give the movie the necessary pause, or Just Before the Battle, Mother moment before the finale. Perfectly written, shot, and acted…this is a highlight of JAWS and part of the template for blockbuster films for the next 40 years. 

1. Let us all unite

From THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940)

The most astounding thing about this masterpiece of writing is that it was composed eighty years ago and it is even more relevant today. The legendary Charlie Chaplin, in his first full-sound movie, plays a Jewish man who is mistaken for his country’s dictator in a comedy at Hitler’s expense. It was a mockery of Hitler years before Pearl Harbor would even bring America into WWII, which right away put Chaplin ahead of his time. The stirring speech is a condemnation of dictators and a praise for democracy, and it is also a call to arms which would eventually serve as a rally-cry for America. When played today, it is remarkably relevant and hasn’t aged a day. Chaplin delivers this monologue with a passion that leaps off the screen. This is one for the ages. 

 REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST MOVIE MONOLOGUES 

1. Let us all unite - THE GREAT DICTATOR
2. U.S.S. Indianapolis - JAWS
3. You can't handle the truth - A FEW GOOD MEN
4. In the name of God - TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
5. Men of the West - THE RETURN OF THE KING
6. They may take our lives - BRAVEHEART
7. People will come - FIELD OF DREAMS
8. Get busy living - THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
9. There was an idea - THE AVENGERS
10. Mad as hell - NETWORK 

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Special thanks to Dom Errico, friend of the blog, for suggesting this topic!