Wednesday, April 24, 2019

‘Some Came Running’ Stars Go the Distance 1958

Frank Sinatra & James Jones' realism versus MGM & Minnelli's gloss in 'Some Came Running.'


Some Came Running has a critical reputation that has run the gamut over the decades. Running was a big commercial success back in 1958, but received mixed reviews. Critics were kind to the actors and Minnelli’s magnificent finale, but not to the source material and MGM gloss.
Today’s critics, film fans, and TCM have revised this movie into the realm of an “essential” film. I always enjoy Some Came Running as a highly entertaining melodrama, with a strong cast, top-notch production values, and an intriguing look at postwar middle-class American morals, as filtered through Hollywood's studio system era. However, an essential classic? Not quite. Censorship and MGM’s “classy” gloss dilutes Some Came Running’s consideration as a classic.
Look what the Greyhound dragged in! Sinatra as the boozy ex-soldier and MacLaine as the brassy babe.

Some Came Running, James Jones' 1200 –plus page follow up to his breakthrough novel From Here to Eternity, was a critical flop, but reader curiosity made Jones’ soldier homecoming story a commercial success. Then MGM bought the behemoth, boiled it down, which was directed by stylish Vincente Minnelli. Frank Sinatra made one of Hollywood's most famous comebacks as scrappy Maggio in Eternity, and was enthused to star in another James Jones’ saga.
Sinatra's Dave and Martin's Bama in their first film scene together.

The old ‘you can’t go home again’ advice certainly proves true for Sinatra’s Dave Hirsh. The army vet rolls into town on a bus, sleeping off a drunk, though how he could catch any zzz’s with Elmer Bernstein’s bombastic opening score is beyond me. With Shirley MacLaine’s good-time Ginny tagging along, Sinatra decides to stick around Parkman, Illinois, where he proceeds to get into non-stop trouble. His partner in hi-jinks is Dean Martin’s Bama Dillert, a gambler and boozer. Not helping Dave’s homecoming is Ginny’s psycho ex-boyfriend, who won’t take no for an answer. Meanwhile, Dave’s older “respectable” brother Frank has introduced him to an academic daughter and father, Gwen and Professor French. Dave is instantly in love with her, but his bad boy baggage gets in the way, not to mention Gwen’s inhibitions. Things come to a head at Parkman’s Centennial celebration, vividly depicted by director Minnelli’s acclaimed carnival climax.
Minnelli expertly introduces the characters and their stakes in the film’s opening scenes. Mid-way, though, Running begins to stroll, dwelling too long on the cynical soldier’s romance with the respectable writing teacher. Perhaps the several drunken altercations could have been tightened up, too. The 137 minute melodrama could have easily been kept at two hours.
Shirley MacLaine got her first juicy role with 'Running' as tart with a heart Ginny Moorehead.

At first, the female stars of Some Came Running got the lioness’ share of praise. Running is recalled as Shirley MacLaine's big breakthrough and Martha Hyer's career peak. Both got Oscar nominations, so that was the take at the time. 
Shirley MacLaine, looking like Stella Dallas, confronts tasteful teacher Martha Hyer over Sinatra's soldier.

Shirley MacLaine rightly became a star in Some Came Running, after several years of getting miscast or stuck in middling material. As Ginny Moorehead, this became the Shirley MacLaine boilerplate role for many years: the tart with a heart. MacLaine is warm, charismatic, funny, and dramatic as the floozy who follows Frank’s Dave Hirsh to his hometown, and now works at a bra factory. However, the flip side of Shirley's star quality is present as well: over the top and too “on.” A decade later, MacLaine’s mugging would turn to caricature as yet another bimbo in Sweet Charity. At times, Ginny comes off like Lucy Ricardo's trashy sister! Part of this is due to the screenplay. In one scene, Ginny actually calls the library a 'li-berry.' Is anyone really that dumb? Minnelli should have dialed Shirley's shrillness down a notch, but both he and MacLaine had a tendency toward overstatement. Running set Shirley MacLaine off on a long career. While Shirley’s Ginny is great fun and touching, she’s also grating instead of ingratiating, at times.
Martha Hyer as Gwen French, the 'classy' other woman in Frank's Dave Hirsh's life.

Martha Hyer had a rather odd career. Hyer was 30 when her career finally got traction, and was often cast as the bland second lead that lost the leading man to the unique Audrey Hepburn or Sophia Loren. And while she wins Sinatra at the end of Some Came Running, Shirley stole the show. Somehow, Hyer got a best supporting actress Oscar nom as Gwen, the prudish college teacher who lives with her father. Even more astounding is how Hyer got a nomination over Judith Anderson and Madeleine Sherwood in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, also an MGM production. Hyer always reminds me a pod person who gives slightly stilted line readings, as if she’s visiting planet Earth. To be fair, she has some of the movie’s worst lines, not to mention constantly referring to Sinatra’s character by his full name. Hyer was another actress pitched as the next Grace Kelly; let's just say that Martha Hyer was at least more talented than Tippi Hedren. The one scene where Hyer comes to life is when she and Frank get down to business and her Gwen has a hard time warming up. Totally ‘50s, all silhouettes and symbolism, with the uptight teacher letting down her hair, in every way, it is still an effective scene.
When Hyer's frigid Gwen allows Sinatra's Dave to let her hair down, it unleashes her womanly desires!

As skillful as the supporting actresses are, they’re working against the stereotypical female roles that they're given to play—and this is true of stars MacLaine and Hyer, as well. The women are typecast as whores, virgins, bitches or saints. That the actresses breathe any humanity and life into the roles is to their credit, as well as Minnelli, an empathetic woman's director of the highest order. Leora Dana bristles as Agnes, Frank Hirsh’s frustrated country club wife. As rigid as Dana is, she gives you a feel for how trapped Agnes is in her life. Betty Lou Kiem is bright and likable as Dawn, the good daughter, and not insufferable like so many ‘50s movie ingĂ©nues. Nancy Gates is genuinely touching as Frank’s secretary, Edith Barclay, who lets her guard down and goes for a romantic drive with the boss. When discovered, she’s the one who must pay. Nancy Gates had a sympathetic and sensual quality that should have led to bigger opportunities. Connie Gilchrist is a warm presence as working class local, Jane Barclay, Edith’s mother. She runs into Sinatra’s Dave at Smitty’s, the local watering hole, and Gilchrist is a breath of fresh air, as always.
Nancy Gates' secretary takes boss Arthur Kennedy out for an after work drive.

I think the male performances are the real standouts in Some Came Running, as they are more naturalistic and hold up better. This is partly because the women's roles were archetypes that are more aptly stereotypes today. The other is the way the actresses played them, when female stars' performances were still more "elevated" than their male co-stars, during the last gasp of studio era “star” acting.
After praise in several post-Eternity roles, Frank Sinatra's persona was rapidly overshadowing his acting roles, and critics began to downplay his abilities. Some non-Sinatra fans claim that he just walked through his movies. The fact that he was famous for doing one or two takes only didn't help.
Frank Sinatra at his naturalistic best, a mostly complementary contrast to Shirley MacLaine's splashy performance.

I think Frank Sinatra's terrific in Some Came Running. As Dave Kirsh, he's the prodigal son who comes back home after 16 years. Aside from a wanderer and carouser, Dave’s been a writer, a soldier, and he's now back where he started. Sinatra is a natural actor, his wry, sarcastic humor is terrific, but he's not afraid to show his tender side, either. His scenes with MacLaine’s tart are alternately sweet or volatile. Dave’s sarcasm toward his phony brother is funny, as are his bantering scenes with Dean’s Bama. Frank’s scenes with love interest Martha Hyer, as Gwen French, become increasingly tender, after his character’s initial bad boy come-ons. Aside from his famed vocals, Frank had a very distinctive and expressive speaking voice, no surprise, for a singer famed for his phrasing.
Like The Manchurian Candidate, Frank is depicted as a deep thinker who loves books, when he's not boozing or chasing broads. Sinatra always came across as street smart, so it's believable that his character is a rough and tumble writer. 
On the flip side, this is yet another movie where Sinatra is at least a decade too old for his role. Honestly, he was even long in the tooth at 38, as Private Maggio, in From Here to Eternity. But Frank's 'bad boy' rep lasted decades. So, Sinatra was 43 in Running, yet his character left boarding school before he was 18 and gone for 16 years as the film begins... Another familiar Frank trope is there's a fight scene where Sinatra is super unconvincing. He still sports the famed scrawny physique here, and the fights feel “stylized,” and it’s about as convincing as Elvis' karate moves!
Frankie's rep as a lover boy is a bit pandered to here, where he's all over Martha Hyer like white on rice. It looks worse by today's standards, but even for '58, 40-something Sinatra acting like he's never seen a woman before is a bit much.
Especially amusing is when Martha's Gwen, the frigid writing teacher who maintains she's only interested in Dave the writer, not the frisky bad boy. After reading a story that the struggling novelist had given up on, Gwen summons him and announces with a straight face: "Dave, you have a very exciting talent!" Any Sinatra fan worth their salt knows that Frank was famous for an exciting talent, other than his singing pipes. And he proceeds to apply that talent to Gwen’s own analysis paralysis!
'Some Came Running' introduces Dean Martin as a strong dramatic and comedic actor.

The real surprise was how good Dean Martin was as Bama Dillert, the seemingly sanguine gambler who never takes his hat off. Martin, one of the most laid back show biz personalities ever, is another actor easy to underrate. But Martin just about steals the show and that's saying something with MacLaine turned loose here. Martin is likeable and great with the one-liners and double takes, but he's also a bit melancholy and fatalistic. 
As the gambler who gloms on to Frank’s new guy in town, Martin is at first his genial self. But as time goes by, you realize Dillert's willful obliviousness that life is just one long party is a defense mechanism. Later, when Sinatra’s Dave decides to marry MacLaine's Ginny, Martin’s Bama lets him have it, and he's pretty harsh about it. And Dean plays those not-so-genial moments well, too.
'Kid' brother Frank Sinatra to Arthur Kennedy in 'Some Came Running.' Arthur was a year older than Frank!

Arthur Kennedy once specialized in playing sensitive guys. As he grew older, Kennedy also excelled at playing creeps. Now a character actor, he was most memorable as sleazy janitor Lucas Cross in1957’s Peyton Place. Kennedy is great here, too, as Sinatra's “older” brother, Frank Hirsh, who married well and abandoned his kid brother Dave in a boarding school. In real life, Arthur was only a year older than Frankie! Kennedy is a comic bad guy here, the sanctimonious ass who is actually a sad case. Frank Hirsh reminded me of Frank Burns on M*A*S*H. Kennedy's scenes tangling with Sinatra are alternately dramatic or offer comic relief. Still, the scene when Kennedy's restless Frank takes his secretary out for a drive captures that small town desperation well. 
Vincente Minnelli, who gets downgraded by some critics for his non-musical films, does a great job giving Some Came Running in-depth characters, dramatic situations, and some Douglas Sirk-like subtle digs at American social mores. Yet, his love of MGM gloss gets the better of him, especially with the French father/daughter characters, who are pure drivel.
The home of the phony French family, complete with kitchen/library combo, perfectly sums up intrusive MGM gloss.

The extensive location scenery in Madison, Indiana as the fictional Parkman, Illinois gives authenticity against the MGM gloss. Elmer Bernstein’s score starts sonorously, like a Bible epic, but once Running gets going, his usual trademark jazzy and bombastic style kicks in.
As someone who grew up in a middle-America small town, Some Came Running has a real feel for that life. However the duality of that authenticity versus the genteel MGM version of upper middle class life keeps Some Came Running from being a true classic. The post war era feels right, though I often forgot the movie was set just after WWII. Except for Frank’s uniform and a marquee playing Elizabeth Taylor’s 1946 Courage of Lassie, the movie feels like 1958. Still, the post war era of celebrating peace and prosperity with smoking, drinking, gambling, and hanky panky was a party that lasted a mighty long time! Frank has more fun doing all of the above with Martin’s gambler and MacLaine’s bimbo, than engaging in stilted banter with the collegiate French family—who can blame him?
Frank Sinatra and Shirley MacLaine in the brilliant Minnelli finale of 'Some Came Running.'
Watch Some Came Running for its stellar cast and James Jone’s recognizably human characters in this mid-west version of Peyton Place.
FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 


Friday, April 12, 2019

Reynolds & Deneuve Do the ‘Hustle’ 1975

We'll always have Paris... or Rome. The lead characters of 'Hustle' long for an escape from life in LA.

I'm sticking up for Hustle, because the 1975 neo-film noir has a by-rote reputation as one of Burt Reynolds’ lesser efforts and a box office bomb. The Robert Aldrich directed precursor to Lethal Weapon is better than that. Hustle has a solid dramatic performance by Burt Reynolds and, while no classic, is one of the action star’s better movies. Word of mouth about this downbeat flick kept it from raking in the really big bucks, like The Longest Yard, the first Reynolds-Aldrich collaboration. But Hustle is still one of Burt’s top ranking hits.
Lethal what?! Burt Reynolds and Paul Winfield as the cocky and the by-the-book cops, respectively.

Hustle may offend the PC Police and by today's standards, there are situations that are indeed sexist and racist. But it also feels realistic, in an era that was just adjusting to both the women’s and racial equality movement. Just remember that this film is almost 45 years old, as of this writing.
The story is '70s gritty, with the only relief a glamorized duo of the weary cop and high class call girl, as played by Reynolds and Deneuve. Their characters, Lt. Phil Gaines and Nicole Britton, are tired of their professions and looking for a way out. She longs to go back to Paris, and he to Rome, where he apparently made wonderful memories. Both are in "agreement" about their current no-strings situation, but it is beginning to fray.
Burt's depressed cop doesn't like that call girl Deneuve brings her work home with her!

This movie has a feeling of a modern day Chinatown, though Hustle is obviously not in the same league. The story is adapted by screenwriter Steve Shagan’s own novel, City of Angels. There are essentially two stories going on. One is the cautionary tale of a young woman from an unhappy upbringing, a dicey adult life, and now a washed up corpse on the beach. The other is crime story of deadly corruption by a high powered lawyer, who is linked to the girl.
Ben Johnson, as the dead girl's father, seeks justice. That's Catherine Bach, pre-Daisy Duke, as the girl's roommate.

Frankly, I found the girl’s tragic trajectory more interesting, because it is a more timely topic than ever, of young women who are exploited by powerful men. Also, the characters surrounding her are more realistic and compelling. The story of the tangled web of the crooked lawyer, while entertaining, is nothing new and panders to the sleazy side of this film.
While Hustle sometimes feels like an elevated TV movie, the situations and language quickly demonstrate that this isn’t just a big screen episode of Reynolds' previous cop series, Dan August. What doesn't help the movie is Robert Aldrich's longstanding weakness for longwinded storytelling and sensationalism. The movie clocks in at two hours. And while not as rambling as say, Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte, this cop with character flick should have clocked in at the standard 1 hour and 45 minute mark. For instance, the scene at the airport bar serves no purpose, yet meanders on. The bigger issue is with Aldrich’s pushing the taste envelope too far. On the one hand, the cops' world of the cesspool of criminals feels authentic, as does the dead girl's descent into stripping, porn, and prostitution. However, there is a lingering, lascivious quality at each stop that adds to this movie's exploitive reputation. Shock value was an Aldrich trademark, from The Big Knife to Baby Jane to Sweet Charlotte to The Killing of Sister George to The Legend of Lylah Clare and in his later cop movie, The Choirboys
Ernest Borgnine's broad performance as the chief of police is about as authentic as that B&W window view!

The movie has two climactic scenes. One feels false and the second comes out of left field. The first is when Phil tries to right the wrongs of the movie’s prior events—very movie-ish. The last scene, where Burt may be the first movie cop to make that seemingly ordinary yet fateful stop along the way home, ready to start a new life. Don't stop, Burt, keep driving home to lovely Deneuve!
Aldrich brings back some of his favorites here: Cinematographer Joseph Biroc provides no-nonsense photography for the crime story and a more moody look for the stars’ romantic scenes. Music is again by Frank DeVol. And long-time Aldrich actor Ernest Borgnine makes his 6th appearance for the director.
Reynolds’ fondness for nostalgia is utilized. His character Phil loves old time movies, stars, and music. Burt often got classic era stars to appear in his films—here it’s Ben Johnson and Don "Red" Barry, two former cowboy stars. Burt's self-deprecating humor is on full display in Hustle, but there are tell-tale moments when Reynolds southern-style "Rat Pack" mentality started creeping in. Some critics then noted that the nostalgic aspect of Reynolds’ character was a bit much as movie shorthand for sentiment. They were right—way too many classic movies playing in the background and tearjerker old time songs, as well.

Burt Reynolds in his 1975 prime, in a role that requires more than his beefcake good looks.

Ultimately what makes this movie worth watching is the acting, by two great stars and a stellar cast of character actors. 
Burt Reynolds played a cop for about half his career—I'm surprised he wasn't given an honorary badge! Hustle is definitely one of his most straightforward film performances. As Phil Gaines, Burt is charming and blasĂ© as always, but is preoccupied beneath the glib surface, wondering how much longer he can tap dance around the fact he’s burned out. Burt's wry, deadpan humor fits in perfectly with the gallows humor of the movie version of LAPD and the day to day hell Phil deals with. There’s moments when his character steps up and is the kind of man he wants to be, and Reynolds is quietly effective. One scene is when Phil Gaines admits to Ben Johnson's distraught father that they should have covered his daughter's body before showing him the corpse.
True, Deneuve and Reynolds aren't exactly typecast in 'Hustle,' as the weary LA hooker and cop.
But audiences probably wouldn't have flocked to see veteran supporting stars Eileen Brennan and Ben Johnson in the roles!

Reynolds’ scenes with Deneuve’s Nicole Britton feel authentic, that they have a history, and their scenes are alternately romantic, sexy, funny, and also sad.  Critics were quick to point out that there probably weren't too many high class French hookers in LA, much less ones who were devastatingly beautiful like Deneuve. True, but I doubt if there were too many weary veteran cops who looked like Burt Reynolds in his prime, either. The main concession to mainstream movie making is the glamour of Hustle's stars.
Catherine Deneuve in one of her few American films, as Nicole Britton, in 'Hustle.'

Catherine Deneuve is just as effective in her acting style as Nicole. And like many great film actors, Deneuve conveys a great deal with a flicker in the eye or a slight turn of the head. Catherine reminds me a bit of Garbo here. Her cool restraint complements Burt's more brash American style of movie star acting perfectly. Deneuve said much later that she enjoyed Burt’s charm and humor, though she felt the movie didn’t ultimately work. Reynolds’ dark masculine good looks and Deneuve’s picture perfect blonde beauty make them one of the most handsome movie couples ever.
Ben Johnson and Eileen Brennan give 'Hustle's' best performances as the bereaved parents with baggage.

Then there’s that supporting cast: As Sgt. Belgrave, Paul Winfield brings authority to the proceedings, as Burt's partner and the voice of justice for the dead girl. Ben Johnson is intense as the outraged, grieving father. And Eileen Brennan is just as good as the resigned, weary mother. As flawed but decent people, Johnson and Brennan as Marty and Paula Hollinger give the film's two best performances. Johnson’s escalating frustration with the investigation borders on scary. And Brennan has a great scene with Reynolds, her realistic mother opening up to the cop, at a cocktail lounge. Eddie Albert, always so likeable in film and on TV's Green Acres, got to be effectively nasty for Robert Aldrich here and in The Longest Yard, much like Fred MacMurray did for Billy Wilder in Double Indemnity and The Apartment. As evil lawyer Leo Sellers, Albert is a smiling cobra. Likeable Ernest Borgnine is encouraged to play to the broad side of his persona as police chief Santoro, and frankly his scenes are the movie's weakest.
'Green Acres' Eddie Albert enjoys an entirely different type of Hooterville as sleazy lawyer Leo Sellers.

Familiar faces show up for a single scene: Don “Red” Barry is the airport bartender and Queenie Smith is the whiny liquor store customer. Future familiar faces pop up, too: Fred Willard as the baby-faced interrogator; Catherine Bach as the dead girl's roommate; and Freddie Krueger himself, Robert Englund is the liquor store robber who seals Reynolds' fate.
Robert Englund, forever Freddie Krueger shortly after 'Hustle,' plays a hold up guy at the liquor store.

Bonus for baby boomers: If you're looking for a '70s nostalgia fix, look no further, Hustle has it all: Brown is the predominant color throughout; transistor radios, rotary phones, and televisions on stands; and 8-track tapes for the car, with vinyl for the living room! 
Hustle is worth checking out for the fine cast and a look back at mainstream ‘70’s filmmaking style.
A very good copy of Hustle can be found here, as of 4/12/19: 

Deneuve's Nicole gets the bad news, which Catherine admirably underplays at the finale of 'Hustle.'