Tracy & Hepburn in Capra’s ‘State of the Union’ 1948

Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn 's characters already have problems
before he decides to run for president, in 1948's "State of the Union."

State of the Union, successful in 1948, has been long considered second-tier Frank Capra. Hard to top a string of hits from original material during one's youth, for sure. Post-war, Capra questioned his place in movie making. He turned out It's a Wonderful Life in '46, not a smash but not the flop that legend has long claimed.

Frank Capra's "State of the Union" still has some pertinent political zingers!

Noteworthy is the fact that State of the Union came from a 1945 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, from Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, the creators of Life with Father, among other hits. Capra wasn't exactly slumming here! And this was a faithful rendition, with plenty of its sharp political humor intact. Technically a Frank Capra Liberty film, State of the Union was essentially a MGM movie, with their contract talent. Metro head L.B. Mayer probably wouldn't have permitted all of this adult, liberal material. Still, it reunited Tracy and Hepburn much more successfully than the previous year’s soapy Sea of Grass, directed by the young hotshot Elia Kazan.

The stars of Frank Capra's political comedy-drama, 1948's "State of the Union."
L to R: Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson, & Angela Lansbury.

State of the Union was filmed in the last quarter of 1947. Spencer Tracy was 47 and looked much older; Katharine Hepburn was 40 and looked great onscreen, with the aid of MGM's glam squad. Then there’s Angela Lansbury as the villainous other woman, who turned 22 during production! Angela always looked older and was cast as such, though she could have been cast as Tracy and Hepburn's daughter. 

Spencer Tracy as self-made man and presidential hopeful Grant Matthews,
in 1948's "State of the Union."

Katharine Hepburn as Mary Matthews, the estranged "good wife"
of Spencer Tracy's presidential candidate, in 1948's "State of the Union."

Tracy is the beacon of decency as Grant Matthews, though that light flickers a bit since he has had an affair with Angela Lansbury's Kay Thorndyke. In his latest test of integrity, running for President, the self-made man has a hard time not being made over by political hacks. Fear not, Grant is played by Saint Spencer, who will come through it all, decency intact. 

Kate, fussing over Spence as usual,  in 1948's "State of the Union."

Hepburn plays her political wife well, though her '40s woman, whose man has wronged her, feels that she deserves a kick in the pants... for not being unquestionably loyal. I also didn't realize that Kate’s doting on Spence so slavishly onscreen went back this far. Most movie fans eat it up, but I find it a bit much. That said, Tracy and Hepburn perform with their usual professionalism, intelligence, warmth, and wit as a couple who have had their ups and downs.

Political pillow talk with Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn's at odds couple, 

in 1948's "State of the Union. "

Angela Lansbury's performance as Kay Thorndyke steals the show, from a cast at the top of their game. As a newspaper heiress, her Kay wants to determine the next Republican presidential candidate. The ruthless character is played with precision and no mercy, reminding me of Faye Dunaway's mad programmer in 1976's Network.

As the malevolent political opportunist, Lansbury gets a dress rehearsal for her classic political manipulator of nearly 15 years later, in The Manchurian Candidate. And once again, Angie was cast as much older. At 37, she was cast as Laurence Harvey's mother!

Adolphe Menjou & Angela Lansbury are the political heavies of 1948's 

"State of the Union." Angela's thinking maybe a game of solitaire to pass the time!

Lansbury's performance is extraordinary at such a young age. And had it been an actual MGM movie, Angie might have scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination. The film's opening scene, where Kay is saying farewell to her dying news magnet father (an excellent Lewis Stone), is chilling, and made me think of Bette Davis at her stone cold best.

Angela Lansbury as Kay Thorndyke, about to be come heir to her father's
 newspaper empire.  With Lewis Stone in 1948's "State of the Union."

Van Johnson, not a favorite of mine, is very good as a one man Greek chorus of non-stop humorous sarcasm. As Spark, he has some of the best lines in this movie, reacting to all the political monkey business. The only scenes with Van that I didn't like was of the maid (Margaret Hamilton) mooning over him, and Spark wincing in response—it seemed like a cheap shot at her expense.

Van Johnson is Spark, the freckled Greek chorus of 1948's
"State of the Union."

Adolphe Menjou was famously a right-wing Republican, so he's well-cast as Jim Conover, who only wants a candidate that will win. Menjou was an expert actor in comedy and drama, and it's fascinating to watch him in scenes with the famously liberal Hepburn. 

Adolphe Menjou schools Katharine Hepburn & Spencer Tracy's characters
on political realities, in 1948's "State of the Union." 

Frank Capra must have had a soft spot for Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer. Capra gave the fading young star a fun bit in It's a Wonderful Life and a showy one in State of the Union as the over-tipped bellboy.

While some of the dialogue in State of the Union is dated, it makes you realize that nearly 80 years later, there's nothing new in the world’s second oldest profession!

Director Frank Capra is in good form here as a storyteller and State of the Union is stylishly done and moves at a good clip. Capra only goes Capra-corn when Tracy's idealist waxes political and the about-face finale where Grant reclaims his integrity. Corny, but Capra and the cast put it over.

It struck me as unbelievable that Kay Thorndyke would try to shoehorn old flame Grant Matthews into a typical Republican candidate. By this time, the actual party was becoming even more conservative and Grant's political views were very liberal left. Kay may think she can tone down Grant's pie in the sky liberalism, but the tough cookie should know better. BTW, director Capra was a populist who later became a Republican.

Old flames in 1948's "State of the Union." Well, at least one was old!
Spencer Tracy was 47 and Angela Lansbury was 23.

The only scene I found flat-out too much was the flying scene where Tracy goes all Top Gun with a fellow pilot, capped by tubby, middle-aged Spence putting on a parachute and leaping out of the plane. What a he-man! 

State of the Union may be the first film to look at the packaging of a political candidate with the modern media of television. This State is not a classic, but classy entertainment boasting a great cast and a subject that never goes out of style.

Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn, on the set of 1948's comedy-drama,
 "State of the Union."

MGM’s 1942 drama, Keeper of the Flame.

MGM’s suspense story Keeper of the Flame is one of two dramas that Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn made, from their nine films together. This is the story of a revered American hero who turns out to be a cultish fascist. Spencer is the reporter on the story; Kate is the hero’s widow. My take here: 

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Eternal Romantic Classic: ‘Brief Encounter’ 1945

A railroad track cinder in the eye brings two people together, Celia Johnson
& Trevor Howard, in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

 

I can now check another classic film off my popcorn bucket list: 1945's Brief Encounter.  I have no real explanation as to why I have waited so long to see this romance classic. The British film never seemed to be on TV during my movie watching youth. Then a beautiful copy of Brief Encounter popped up on YouTube and I thought, "Oooh, I should watch this."

That’s the understatement of the century, right? Noel Coward’s Brief Encounter is many amazing things: a snapshot of an era; a simple but universal story; nostalgic but timeless; and superb storytelling with some subtle surprises.  

There are a number of moments that caught me off-guard in Brief Encounter. I think that's because I grew up watching American classic movies. As the story of Brief Encounter is about an extramarital affair, I had preconceived ideas as to how the story would play out. If this mid-‘40s film had been made in golden age of Hollywood, the stars would be impossibly gorgeous, suffer selflessly, with noble or judgmental dialogue to appease the almighty censors. And maybe a car crash at the finale, to punish the sinners.

Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard are superb as the extramarital lovers of 1945's

 "Brief Encounter." 

Here, Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard play two seemingly happily married people, Laura and Alec, who fall in love after a chance meeting. These two ordinary people randomly keep bumping into each other, without a Max Steiner score to trumpet the growing attraction. Eventually the two share lunch and a movie together, enjoying each other’s company. This leads to more meetings. He's a doctor, she's a housewife. In a Hollywood version, even if their occupations were the same, they would suffer in glamour, not at a gloomy train station diner. The same year, Gene Tierney and Cornell Wilde romanced in luxury, starting as strangers on a lavish train in Leave Her to Heaven. The restraint of the married lovers in Brief Encounter actually raises the tension. The couple never consummates their love, though they come close. There are no fireworks or waves crashing to suggest otherwise, just a great deal of romantic tension and yearning. Eventually, the couple decides to break off the romance, before they cause real damage to their marriages. The finale is a real tearjerker, in every sense.

There was much location shooting for 1945's 
Brief Encounter, especially impressive since WW 2 was still on.

Without totally giving anything away, there were a number of subtle moments and twists that I thought were wonderful. While there's an immediate spark of attraction between the leads in Brief Encounter, it's not the Hollywood sledgehammer love at first sight that is still a silly staple in mainstream movies. Their love develops over the simple things in their lives—no exotic backdrops, mansion-sized sets, tuxedos or designer gowns. When she returns home the first time, her husband and children are perfectly normal. His wife is never shown. Neither of their spouses is presented as villains. Both of the lovers are decent people, but the genuine joy they take in each other is eventually clouded by their having to lie and sneak around.

Celia Johnson's Laura, as she now sees herself, lying to cover her affair
in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

Brief Encounter’s finale comes full circle at the train station’s refreshment shop. Alec is morose, Laura feels suicidal. He is moving his family to Africa for a new job and to put distance between them. She will go back to her housewife life.

The train scene, where the lovers admit that their affair has nearly reached 

its final destination, is a classic, in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

When she runs out to see Alec’s train one more time, Laura considers jumping. There’s no noble copout; she doesn't back down because of her family.  Laura admits that she didn’t have the courage and that she’s exhausted by feelings. The wife returns home to her husband Fred (Cyril Raymond), who acknowledges their distance not with judgment, but understanding... and not the Herbert Marshall style of long-suffering spouses!  Unlike some people, I didn’t take Laura’s marriage to be unhappy, just unexciting.

The final moments of 1945's "Brief Encounter," when Laura's husband Fred
(Cyril Raymond), acknowledges her recent distance, is genuinely moving.

Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard are superb as the lovers Laura and Alec. As the focus is on Johnson's middle-class matron, she gets more of a chance to shine. The restrained characters, true to their era, make Laura's guilt and heartache even more touching. Usually female characters get the brunt of punishment in these illicit romances, but not in this grownup British film. Even when Mary's late coming home from her lover, and finds that her son's been in a minor car accident—it’s handled realistically, where the guilt dissolves as the son is obviously okay. 

Johnson's huge eyes convey so much emotion and her husky Ethel Barrymore-esque voice adds immeasurably to her superb inner monolog. The finale, where her lover leaves on his train, to her reconciling with husband at home, is utterly heartbreaking in its even-handed realism. I've never seen Celia Johnson in anything and now I wish she had won the 1946 Best Actress Oscar instead of Olivia de Havilland for To Each Their Own. And this comes from an Olivia admirer! Brief Encounter was released in the United States in the summer of 1946.

Celia Johnson's huge, expressive eyes and distinctive voice make her
interior monologues devastating, in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

Trevor Howard, who I've only seen in later movies as an older, wizened man, is intense as the doctor who's sure of his love for Laura. And yet, he’s so gentle toward her doubts and guilt. He's very strong and masculine here, appealing without being a pretty boy, in the mold of a young Liam Neeson. 

Trevor Howard's rugged looks are an interesting contrast to his
gentle demeanor, as the doctor in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

Supporting cast standouts are Stanley Holloway as the ticket inspector and Joyce Carey as the refreshments room owner, conducting their own humorous courtship. They offer much needed levity. An interesting storytelling choice is that the train station and refreshment room folk take no notice of Laura and Alec falling in love.

The workplace romance of Stanley Holloway's ticket taker & Joyce Carey's
 refreshment room owner offers needed levity in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

Everley Gregg deserves a shout-out as Laura’s oblivious acquaintance, Dolly Messiter. Clueless and chatterbox she may be, but dear, dense Dolly does helps Laura pull herself together when she becomes undone at the train station, after her lover has departed for the last time.

The lovers, played by Trevor Howard & Celia Johnson, meet one last time,
 only to be intruded upon by Everley Gregg's garrulous Dolly Messiter,
in 1945's "Brief Encounter."

The story and screenplay is a model of economy and excellent storytelling. The Coward one-act was expanded into a feature film, perfectly timed at just under 90 minutes. Noel Coward, David Lean, and future director Ronald Neame (The Poseidon Adventure) all polished this gem of a character study. One of four collaborations with Coward, director David Lean’s smaller films of the ‘40s and ‘50s are a striking contrast to his later epics, like Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago. Lean’s prior experience as film editor shows, with Brief Encounter’s tight storytelling. The effects used to depict Laura’s climactic emotional state are simple but effective. And the restrained but rich performances by the leads speak to Lean’s strengths as a director.

The cinematography by Robert Krasker, especially at the train station, is mood-setting. Krasker also worked with director Carol Reed several times, and won an Oscar for Reed’s The Third Man. There was much location shooting for Brief Encounter, not all done at a studio, like the same year's American whirlwind lovers Judy Garland and Robert Walker in The Clock.

The second movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 that’s played several times at key moments of Brief Encounter was later an inspiration for Eric Carmen's 1975 hit All by Myself. 30 years apart, and proved that Rach's music was still a cause for romantic tears!

I see there was a 1974 modern day TV version of Brief Encounter, with Richard Burton and Sophia Loren. Two great stars, totally miscast as average people, not to mention the story was taken out of its WWII era morality to modern day. No thanks, not even out of curiosity! 

The beautiful 1945 Brief Encounter has stayed in moviegoers’ hearts for over 90 years now. At age 66, as of this writing, this adult romance is now in mine. 

Noel Coward's screenplay of 1945's "Brief Encounter" is an expansion of a
one-act play. Coward's story of two extramarital lovers is extraordinary
in its emotional depth.

Van Johnson in Hitchcock-Style ‘23 Paces to Baker Street’ 1956

 

Van Johnson plays a blind man who overs the kidnap plan of a child,
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street."

I had never heard of 1956's 23 Paces to Baker Street, but read that it was considered Hitchcock-esque, which always gets my attention.

This Henry Hathaway-directed film was indeed Hitch-esque, in a good way. 23 Paces to Baker Street is the story of a blind playwright that overhears a plot to kidnap a child, only to become a target himself. The suspense flick has elements of Alfred Hitchcock classics Rear Window and The Man Who Knew Too Much, and 1967’s Hitch-like Wait Until Dark.

"23 Paces to Baker Street," a solid 1956 suspense film, in the Hitchcock style.

23 Paces to Baker Street stands on its own, despite Hitchcock comparisons, derived from Philip McDonald’s Warrant for X in1938. The popular British novelist also wrote The List of Adrian Messenger. Yet, the film does shape the story in the Hitchcock mold. The result is a solid and stylish suspense film.

A 20th Century Fox film in Cinemascope, 23 Paces to Baker Street is beautifully lensed, with a fair amount of eye-catching post-war London location shooting. Milton R. Krasner, one of Fox’s top cinematographers, does a fine job here. Henry Hathaway, perhaps Fox's best studio director, tells the story with some style and with a sure hand. These old pros were in the last hurrah of their studio tenure.

Van Johnson is a blind and bitter playwright in the 1956 mystery,
"23 Paces to Baker Street."

Van Johnson, whose stardom had peaked at this point, was doing some latter day dramatic roles. They seemed to tap into Van’s bitter and petulant off-camera side, as his star was fading at 40, post-MGM glory years. It works for the role as the blinded playwright, Phillip Hannon. Van’s acting is natural and not overdone, as he could be at times in his Metro heyday. Phillip now uses his other senses to compensate, and hence uses his playwright's listening skills to get a bead on the kidnappers.

Vera Miles got the closest to playing a glamorous Hitchcock blonde
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street." Note the gray suit!

Vera Miles plays Van's ex-fiancee, Jean Lennox, who the playwright spurned in self-pity after his accident. Vera is quite pretty and does a good approximation of the game Hitchcock blonde, right down to the fitted gray suits. A shame Miles’ character wasn’t as carefree as Grace Kelly’s Lisa in Rear Window, instead of a long-suffering ex. Miles was 26 here, a promising starlet. As of April 2026, Vera is still with us, and turns 96 August 23!

Vera Miles was 26 the year "23 Paces to Baker Street" was released. 

Cecil Parker is a scene-stealer as man servant Bob Matthews to Van’s tense playwright; Patricia Laffan (Quo Vadis villainess) is a shady lady governess from the employment agency; Estelle Winwood is the good egg bar maid from the pub: Natalie Norwick is sought-after Janet Murch; and Isobel Elsom is charming fun as Lady Syrett. A excellent supporting cast round out the various cops, bystanders, and bad guys in this tense mystery. 

Estelle Winwood offers fun character flavor, in "23 Paces to Baker Street."

Once the unknown villains are on to the playwright's being on to them, the stakes become much higher, leading to some precarious moments for the blind man. The scene where Van's amateur detective is lured into a condemned building is a nail biter. The finale is very reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's Wait Until Dark, but this movie came out a decade before, and it’s also exciting.

The villain, who's been stalking the blind playwright, about to be revealed, 
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street."

As Van's playwright, his manservant, and ex-girlfriend aid the police investigation, there are a few quirky surprises along the way. Alfred Hitchcock was so often imitated on film that the better examples are often called "Could Have Been Hitchcock." The main difference is that the imitations usually lack Hitch's twisted subtext. All in all, 23 Paces to Baker Street is a nifty little nail-biter!

Van Johnson, the blind playwright who puts himself on the edge of danger,
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street."

Rear Window remains one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best Technicolor blockbusters. My look at Rear Window here:

"Rear Window," 1954

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