Rivalry & Racism Fuel ‘In This Our Life’ 1942

Bette Davis & Olivia de Havilland cast, in order, as a sexy sister & her dull sibling. OK!

Often dismissed as an over-baked Bette Davis melodrama, In this Our Life was actually based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Ellen Glasgow.

In This Our Life is a southern dysfunction drama, with a strong racism subplot—a point of pride for Virginia writer Glasgow. In The Little Foxes genre, the family drama depicts the aggressive characters dominating the weak. The subplot shows the same entitled folks imposing their will over powerless blacks.

Sibling rivalry takes on a new dimension WB's 'In This Our Life.'

Bette Davis is Stanley Timberlake, a frantic flirt, who steals the husband of her sister Roy (Olivia De Havilland)—yes, they have male names. Stanley dumps her own fiancé, Craig, and runs off with Peter. Roy consents to a divorce, and then Stanley marries the aspiring doctor. She drives Peter to drink, and he kills himself, in record time. The family takes Stanley back, especially at the prodding of her lecherous uncle, William Fitzroy, who has incestuous designs on Stanley.

Dennis Morgan's doc is about to leave his 'plain,' sensible wife (De Havilland) for her sister!

Bette Davis is the sexy sister who brings out the beast in men!

This soap froths to a head when Stanley wants her old boyfriend back, who is now with Roy. Maybe WB should have called this movie All in the Family. Stanley’s chaos climaxes when she gets stood up by Craig at a bar, and then tipsily roars off in her car. She runs down a mother and her little girl, the latter of whom dies. Stanley tries to blame a young black man, Parry, the son of their family maid. Everyone believes Stanley, despite her erratic driving history. Yet, the proof is too hard to hide, especially when Stanley is her own worst enemy. The former boyfriend confronts her, which sends Stanley on one last joyride. Let’s just say that Bette shouldn’t overact and drive!

Bette Davis as Stanley Timberlake, trying her darn best to look super feminine!

Here's Bette in the next scene, driving the menfolk wild!

What overrides In This Our Life is Bette Davis—but not in a good way. Davis is 33 and plays a sociopathic but sexy belle. Even at the time, Bette admitted she was too old for the part. Plus, Bette was not beguilingly beautiful, as when Vivien Leigh or Elizabeth Taylor played southern belles. Davis credited her WB team—Orry-Kelly’s frilly dresses, Perc Westmore’s mask-like kewpie doll makeup, and Maggie Donovan for her girly hairdo. They would perform the same camouflage two years later with Davis on Mr. Skeffington. Bette freely admitted she was not a great beauty, but could give the illusion thereof, with their cosmetic and her acting skills. Bette might have gotten by in this ruse if Olivia De Havilland hadn’t been cast as her sister—the plain sister, to boot! As any classic movie watcher knows, Livvy was lovely; at 25, De Havilland was also eight years younger than Bette. Olivia’s subdued ‘do and duds made her looks as understated as her acting—which made Davis look even more cartoonish and over the top.

Bette's above barroom scene plays like a preview of this!

At times, Bette’s deranged doll looks like a dress rehearsal for Young Baby Jane. There’s even a drunken car accident that gets covered up! Olivia is warm, bright, gentle, human, and subtle; Bette shouts half her lines, pops her eyes like an angry owl, and uses her favorite acting trick, a higher pitched speaking voice to sound more youthful. Plus, she’s the only one who affects a southern accent in the film. So, Bette’s character is a standout… seemingly from another movie! Despite Davis’ overdone dramatics, Bette gets big credit for playing a racist character, without any qualifying sop to make Stanley more “sympathetic.”

John Huston caught in the middle between Olivia De Havilland, who he was smitten with,
and competitive Bette Davis, who he was probably afraid of!

Why on earth did WB assign alpha male directors John Huston and then Raoul Walsh to this women-dominated drama? Huston later wrote that he allowed Bette to “let the demon out”—big mistake! Walsh took over toward the end of shooting, so Huston could report for duty to the government’s war department. No-nonsense Walsh instantly clashed with diva Davis.

Charles Coburn as creepy Uncle William & Bette as niece Stanley. Davis pops her eyes more than Audrey Totter in Robert Montgomery's 'Lady in the Lake!'

There is some fine character support by Frank Craven and Billie Burke as the ineffectual Timberlake parents, and Burke’s overwrought character at least indicates who Davis’ Stanley takes after! There’s an especially wicked performance by Charles Coburn as the scheming, greedy, and pervy Uncle Fitzroy.  Only de Havilland comes off well, of the four younger leads. Peter and Craig are played by mild-mannered actors Dennis Morgan and George Brent, which means that bad Bette knocks them over like bowling pins. Bette is so bananas as Stanley, that Olivia is the only one who comes off like a recognizable human being.

This line from Hattie indicates that Olivia takes after the plain side of the family!

Sadly, the racial subplot rings true, but stays in the background. Though toned down from the book, WB gets credit for accurately portraying the racial injustice toward the young man. This film was made in the rah-rah war years, when it would have been easy to just dump the racial storyline. Hattie McDaniel is Minerva, the boy’s mother and the Timberlake’s maid, who appears at the beginning and end of the In This Our Life. McDaniel is believable and natural always, and gets to perform without the “Mammy” persona.

Olivia's Roy encourages Ernest Anderson's Parry to better himself.

Here’s an exchange between Roy and Parry, who tries to help better himself. Mind you, this movie was made nearly 80 years ago:

Roy: What made you decide to become a lawyer?

Parry: Well, you see, it's like this, Miss Roy. A white boy, he can take most any kind of job and improve himself. Well, like in this store! Maybe he can get to be a clerk or a manager. But a colored boy, he can't do that. He can keep a job or he can lose a job. But he can't get any higher up. So he's got to figure out something he can do that no one can take away. And that's why I want to be a lawyer.

Roy: Why, Perry, that's wonderful. I had no idea. Minerva never told me.

Parry: Ma's afraid for a colored boy to have too much ambition.

Davis' Stanley uses wiles & white privilege to get Parry (Ernest Anderson) to take the rap.
George Brent ain't buyin' Bette's bull.

Bette Davis & Ernest Anderson reunited on 'Baby Jane,' where Davis once again is on lam in a flashy car!

Another Bette Davis plus is that she’s the one who got newcomer Ernest Anderson the role in Life, and insisted he be allowed to play Parry without stereotype. After this film, Anderson served in WWII. Unfortunately, when Ernest resumed his acting career after the war, he could only play bit parts. One bright note: Anderson appeared again with Davis, as Ernie, the ice cream guy, who sells her ice cream at the beach, in the finale of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Ernest Anderson could only get bit parts after his stint in WWII. Here he is in 'Baby Jane.'

In retrospect, In this Our Life is an uneven film, where the subplot is more skillfully realized than the main story. Also, unlike other melodramas where Bette plays a baddie, this movie is too serious to be enjoyed as campy fun. If you do watch, enjoy the upsides of Life, which is sensitive work by Olivia De Havilland and Ernest Anderson.

Heaven help the misters, who gets between these sisters!

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Can Marilyn Monroe Cure ‘The Seven Year Itch?’ 1955

Marilyn as 'The Girl' upstairs, figuring out how to beat the NYC summer heat!

Despite the capable cast, clever dialogue, and sexy premise, a memorable Marilyn Monroe is truly the whole show in1955’s The Seven Year Itch.

George Axelrod’s Broadway smash, The Seven Year Itch, is one of film’s first "sex" comedies, directed by Billy Wilder. Itch is a light look at what was considered racy and irreverent about the sexes in the ‘50s. That’s also the problem with Itch, much like the later Pillow Talk. Both film farces are now dated and while clever, only skin deep. That makes Itch more of a curiosity today, though there are people who prefer a past sensibility. An indicator that this material hasn't stood the test of time is that nobody has done a remake of the movie or a Broadway revival of the play. The lone time it’s been done on a major stage was London in 2000, with 40-year-old Daryl Hannah as ‘The Girl’!

Evelyn Keyes as Helen, leaving hubby Richard (Tom Ewell) alone for a summer in The Big Apple.

The Seven Year Itch is set at the start of a NYC summer, when all the wives and kiddies get away to beat the heat, and the husbands stay behind to sizzle and bring home the bacon. While the mice are away, the tom cats will play, according to this movie’s satirical view. One is a scaredy cat, Richard Sherman. After this hubby sees his wife and young son off, he vows not to smoke, drink, overeat, and keep his eyes to himself. That all goes out the window when Richard meets ‘The Girl’ upstairs.

Richard toils at a paperback publishing company. His editing marks show what's on his mind!

Marilyn Monroe’s effortless breeziness as ‘The Girl’ is offset by Tom Ewell's one-note performance as Richard. The dynamic here is the same as a decade later with one of Wilder's worst comedies, Kiss Me, Stupid, with Kim Novak and Ray Walston. Marilyn was far better than Kim, as the good hearted sex object, but at least Novak tried for pathos. Ewell and Walston both played comedy sitcom-style, which is very wearing in a two hour movie. Ewell played the sexless sap later with two other Marilyn wannabes, Sheree North and Jayne Mansfield. His bug-eyed shtick gets old real fast. Ultimately, The Seven Year Itch is about MM watching and Tom Ewell overacting.

In 1955, Marilyn Monroe was all that and a bag of chips, plus a bottle of bubbly!

Marilyn looks terrific here, in her physical prime, and adorable in her Travilla summer outfits. Given that MM is playing ‘The Girl,’ who’s just the object of the married man’s fantasies, Marilyn is surprisingly warm, human, naturally funny, womanly, and sexy, in a most appealing way.

In the Broadway play, Richard & 'The Girl' hook up. On film, the romance is all in his head.

Wilder feels The Seven Year Itch copped out by not having the film duo have a fling. Well, that wouldn’t have flown in 1955. Even a decade later, in Wilder’s ’64 sex farce, Kiss Me, Stupid, censors, critics, and audiences were put off  by the hero’s wife having a one night stand. The fantasy sequences in Itch are clever, well-done, and blend in with the actual action quite well, though the film still feels stage-bound. The Seven Year Itch’s humor is passé: The Manhattan ‘Indians’ intro; the interior designer ‘roommates’ upstairs; the ‘wacky’ health food restaurant; the sex maniac males; and anatomical humor relating to ‘The Girl.’

The fantasy sequences of 'Itch' are still funny and wittily performed by MM and Ewell.

Hollywood’s age game skews things, too. The movie couple’s been married seven years. Richard says his wife Helen is 31, and that he almost 38. “The Girl” confides that she is 22. Well, when Itch was released, Evelyn Keyes was almost 40, Ewell 46, and Marilyn almost 30. While MM looks great, she looks too mature to possess a child-woman persona. Keyes and especially Ewell look a bit timeworn to be parents of a young child. Jack Lemmon and Jean Hagen might have been a more vibrant couple.

Marilyn as 'The Girl,' the morning after, in a fluffy robe and hairstyle!

The Seven Year Itch is most famous for the memorable scene of Marilyn’s white dress blown up by the air from a subway grate. Marilyn Monroe, like that billowing dress, is heavenly as she floats above the material, while the rest of the movie feels earthbound.

While 'The Seven Year Itch' is a product of its time, Marilyn Monroe will still dazzle you!

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‘Burke’s Law’ Big on ‘60s Style 1963-66

Crime solver millionaire Amos Burke, flanked by his chauffeur and detective.

Burke’s Law is an enjoyable time capsule of a show, especially if you’re a nostalgia buff. This show is so specific to its era and formulaic to a fault, that I can see why its run was brief. There is fun to be had, with a fine mix of veteran and then-youthful guest stars, crazy plots, sexy and swanky attitude—early ‘60s style.

Burke's version of the batmobile, his Rolls Royce, to the rescue!

Amos Burke is a millionaire who loves solving crime so much that he became a police captain. And when you’re loaded, you can treat your limo like it’s the batmobile, with a chauffeur, and solve only the most entertaining crimes.

The murder victim is always dispensed within the first five minutes, and their corpse comes tumbling out. Burke is frequently clad in a tux when he gets the call to a crime scene, and usually leaves a sexy babe in the lurch. Cue to the Rolls Royce, with a sexy voice purring, “It’s Burke’s Law!” over the credits.

As Amos Burke, Gene Barry often sported an ascot or tux.

Amos Burke is a mix of Cary Grant, James Bond, and Hugh Hefner. Unfortunately, Burke is played by Gene Barry. Star of Bat Masterson and later The Name of the Game, Barry was of those actors who acted mainly with his voice, like future Game co-star Robert Stack. The veteran actor’s competent enough, but doesn’t exactly light up the screen, more stodgy than sexy. Barry is classy and intelligent, but he ain’t bubbly champagne like Cary Grant! And Burke’s “banter” with his young detective, underlings, and women doesn’t date well, as his attitude seems superior and sexist. Hey, this was the early chauvinist ‘60s.

Gary Conway as the multi-talented sidekick Detective Tim Tilson.

Burke’s detective is Tim Tilson, a puppy-ish know it all, who Amos likes to put him in his place. Played by the pleasant ‘60s style hunk Gary Conway, Tim knows his stuff, but Burke always knows a bit more. And Burke doesn’t mind showing off his wisdom, ending with his catchphrase “Burke’s Law!”

Gary Conway is blue-eyed, square-jawed, buff, and energetic as the dedicated detective, but definitely plays second fiddle here. The few times that Conway gets to show off his athleticism and rockin’ bod are high points of the show. Regis Toomey as Detective Hart and Leon Lontoc as chauffeur Henry rounded out the cast.

Gary Conway's athletic abilities were occasionally utilized on 'Burke's Law.'

What really makes this show fun is the array of guest stars, from up and comers to showbiz veterans. Even before The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, and his gaggle of night time soaps, producer Aaron Spelling had a soft spot for casting the old-time stars and savvy to cast attractive newcomers.

Did Gloria Swanson ever play a normal person after 'Sunset Boulevard?'

These are just some of the guest stars, who ranged from guest stars to showy cameos: June Allyson,  Mary Astor, Frankie Avalon , William Bendix, Joan Blondell, Ann Blyth, Rory Calhoun, John Cassavetes, Dick Clark, Jeanne Crain, Arlene Dahl, Sammy Davis Jr., Linda Darnell, Laraine Day, Yvonne DeCarlo, Diana Dors, Joanne Dru, Barbara Eden, Nanette Fabray, Rhonda Fleming, Anne Francis—as Honey West, Annette Funicello, Eva and Zsa Zsa Gabor, Gloria Grahame—as a junkie, Jane Greer, George Hamilton, Phil Harris, June Havoc, Celeste Holm, Tab Hunter, Betty Hutton, Carolyn Jones—the then Mrs. Aaron Spelling appeared a lot!, Buster Keaton, Eartha Kitt, Fernando Lamas, Dorothy Lamour, Elsa Lanchester, Gypsy Rose Lee, Ida Lupino, Tina Louise, Paul Lynde—in a very gay role!, Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Maxwell, Virginia Mayo, Burgess Meredith, Vera Miles, Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalban, Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, Rita Moreno, Sheree North, Janis Paige, Fess Parker, Suzy Parker, Walter Pidgeon, Juliet Prowse, Basil Rathbone, Martha Raye, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Ruth Roman, Cesar Romero, Mickey Rooney, Gena Rowlands, Janice Rule, Telly Savalas, Lizabeth Scott—in a trippy appearance, William Shatner—as a beatnik artist!, Nancy Sinatra—still brunette, Jan Sterling, Jill St. John, Susan Strasberg, Gloria Swanson—in a fright wig and Lily Munster’s dress, Mamie van Doren, and Michael Wilding. The casting has a country club atmosphere, with preferred performers making repeat appearances. If you binge watch, viewers may be amused by recycled gags, bits of business, and even furnishings and props!

June Allyson with producer Aaron Spelling and his then-wife Carolyn Jones.

Even back in the day, Burke’s Law was considered escapist entertainment, at best. Every episode’s title began Who Killed… as in Who Killed Jason Shaw? My question is, “Who Killed Burke’s Law?” The third season was totally revamped to cash in on the James Bond films, now titled Amos Burke: Secret Agent. It was cancelled mid-season. An attempt to bring back Burke’s Law with Gene Barry in the ‘90s didn’t last, either. Enjoy the two seasons of Burke’s Law, at its best.

Gene Barry as 'Amos Burke: Secret Agent.' Except for the smoking gun,
Barry's attempt at Bond looks more at home at the country club!

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‘In the Heat of the Night’ 1967

Big city detective Virgil Tibbs VS. racist small town Sparta, Mississippi. Note the telling sign.

When In the Heat of the Night was released Aug. 2, 1967, racial strife was rife across the U.S. That summer, my family was living in Milwaukee, WI, where citizens were under curfew, enforced by The National Guard. This prompted my small town, white parents to move us back to Upper MI. I was only 7 and had no idea until my mother mentioned it recently, in reference to current racial tensions. Watching In the Heat of the Night in 2020 makes me realize how the film still resonates, and that moving or looking away is no longer an option.

On April 10, 1968, In the Heat of the Night won five Oscars. With tragic irony, the Academy Awards were postponed two nights, in honor of the funeral for the assassinated Martin Luther King. Heat won the Best Picture Oscar for 1967. Veteran actor Rod Steiger won for Best Actor against tough competition, for his nuanced portrayal as Police Chief Gillespie. Future director Hal Ashby got the nod for best film editing, as did Stirling Silliphant for best adapted screenplay, and Heat also scored for Best Sound. Amazingly, Sidney Poitier received no Oscar nomination for 1967, despite or because of the fact it was his biggest year in film: In the Heat of the Night; To Sir, With Love; and Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?

Rod Steiger as Police Chief Bill Gillespie. Known for his "big" performances, Steiger shines in his small moments.
Here, the small town cop reacts to Tibbs engaging the suspect.

Heat gets the rap in some quarters for winning Best Picture Oscar over the innovative and iconic The Graduate and Bonnie and Clyde. Certainly, those two films broke ground and spoke to its then-younger generation. Heat was also more of a genre picture than the other two, but it too pushed the envelope, in its depiction of racial tensions. Over 50 years later, in terms of storytelling, I’d say that In the Heat of the Night holds its own just fine, and it isn’t dated at all. In fact, one recent review I’ve read aptly described Heat as ‘once timely, now timeless.’

Chief Gillespie & Virgil Tibbs try to make lemonade from lemons with their uneasy alliance.

Except for a few well-chosen tweaks, In the Heat of the Night is a faithful version of the John Ball novel. The Oscar-winning screenplay by veteran Stirling Silliphant is taut and tough. The story of a murder in a small southern town, with a white police chief grudgingly asking the help of a black Philadelphia detective who’s passing through, is precisely told. There’s hardly a wasted moment in Heat. And as the local racial tensions mount over the visiting black cop going through their dirty laundry, screenwriter Silliphant’s dialogue doesn’t pull any punches. 

Warren Oates offers wonderful comic relief as Sam Wood, the Barney Fife of Sparta.

While Heat’s mystery is intriguing and the racial element most direct, what makes this movie especially watchable is its character study of small town life—southern gothic, really. The small town folks, when it faces a controversial crime, reminded me a bit of Anatomy of a Murder. As someone who grew up in one, these characters are quirky, flawed, but totally real. Director Norman Jewison caught the disparity of small town life beautifully. He juxtaposes the black and white, the rich and poor, rural with “progress,” good ole boys and bad girls, and all the folks in between, uneasily living together.

Anthony James as Ralph, the diner employee who may be Sparta's quirkiest resident!
James, memorable as the creepy chauffeur in 'Burnt Offerings,' passed away in May, 2020.

The strong characters are reinforced by a stellar ensemble cast, one of In the Heat of the Night’s many strengths. Poitier makes a terrific leading man and Steiger is a dynamic star character actor. Sidney was 40 at the time and didn’t look it, but I was shocked that Rod was only 42 as the aging, small town cop! Carroll O’ Connor was 64 when he reprised the role on television in 1988. Rod Steiger chews gum like Bugs Bunny munches carrots throughout this film, and gives me TMJ just watching him!

Steiger's Chief Gillespie may not be a crime solving genius, but he's got Virgil's number.

I am not a fan of Rod Steiger. I think he's talented, but for me, he’s the male version of Shelley Winters—a gifted actor who was too often an outrageous ham. That said, I think Steiger strongly deserved his Oscar. Except for a few scenes where he goes loud and does his motor mouth bit, I was so engrossed in the police chief's character that I at times forgot I was watching Rod Steiger. Gillespie, while a slightly scary and tough character, is ultimately decent, and most affectingly, a sad and lonely one. Steiger has some incredible moments here, sometimes with just a sad look in his eyes, or with uncomfortable body language.

Poitier's Tibbs' trip back home to Philly is interrupted during a fateful stopover in Sparta.

Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs is often the observer, watching and wondering how to deal with all these racist locals. Richard Burton once wrote that Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando both had the gift for stillness, making each physical movement count, and act as much with their eyes as through their dialogue. That describes Sidney perfectly here. He has some great moments of power, like when he's frisked, or consoles the widow, and when he shares a cell with the suspect.

These superb actors plus the ensemble cast are a major strength for 'In the Heat of the Night.'

The tension between Poitier's Tibbs and literally the rest of the cast is incredible. With the exception of Mrs. Colbert, the victim's wife, Virgil meets hostility and downright hatred at every turn. Tibbs is a black man who—in the eyes of the locals—has stepped above his subservient station, and is therefore a threat. The only difference between then and now, it was the norm back then. Poitier plays it cool for most of the movie, with the sense that his character has seen this all before. From the get go, the cop picks him up at the bus station as an instant suspect for the murder. Virgil continues to be quiet, though not obedient, until he hits his breaking point. It’s then Poitier pointedly proclaims his famous line: “They call me Mr. Tibbs!”

Larry Gates recalls his cultured professor in another small town melodrama, Some Came Running. Only here, as town big shot Endicott, his charm is only skin deep. Gates’ lone, long scene contains the classic slap-off between his white bigot and the black cop.

Larry Gates as Endicott, the town big shot bigot. Doesn't he look like Dick Cheney?

Scott Wilson made his film debut, as a suspect Harvey Oberst, followed up with the same year’s In Cold Blood, in which he was promoted to star and killer. As troubled Harvey, Wilson uses those child-like blue eyes to great effect. Warren Oates as Sam, the Barney Fife wannabe tough cop, is very funny and likeable, despite the fact he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. He also gradually respects Tibbs' detective skills.

Scott Wilson as Harvey, a wrong suspect. In '67, Wilson starred as a real killer 'In Cold Blood.'

Lee Grant was back on the big screen in ‘67, after being blacklisted for more than a decade. She’s fascinating to watch as Mrs. Colbert, the widow of the Yankee who was going to start a factory to compete with local big wig Endicott—and hire “colored people!” Grant is pent up intensity personified, and with that distinctive husky voice to boot, though I found some her hand gestures a bit too Actors Studio. The recently deceased (5/26/2020) Anthony James is funny and spooky as Ralph, the diner dude, gleefully hiding pie from Oates’ cop. Quentin Dean is feral as Delores, the tough, small town tart. Fine familiar faces William Schallert and Beah Richards have their moments, too. The entire cast builds a most believable world here.

Lee Grant, back on the big screen, here as the victim's widow & as Sharon Tate's sister-in-law in 'Valley of the Dolls.'

Sparta, Illinois substitutes for Sparta, Mississippi as a backdrop for In the Heat of the Night. Why? Star Sidney Poitier did not feel safe travelling to the second Sparta, circa 1966. The week-long stint to film cotton fields was done in Tennessee, and Poitier slept with a pistol. However, director Jewison makes evocative use of his locales to depict hard scrabble small town life.

'Heat' catches the feel of small town life, thanks to Haskell Wexler's cinematography.

Haskell Wexler and Norman Jewison’s collective vision is great. Like Jewison’s first breakout dramatic hit The Cincinnati Kid, In the Heat of the Night melds the visual, soundtrack, dialogue, and performances in a pleasing rhythm. Jewison started out directing musical and musical comedy productions, including the legendary Judy Garland variety series. Cinematographer Haskell Wexler, who just had the job of making 33-year-old Elizabeth Taylor look 20 years older in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ?, now rose to the rare task of giving a black man the star treatment, which Poitier credited with enhancing his leading man status.

The look on Poitier's face as Tibbs, reacting to his fellow blacks picking cotton, is haunting.

In the Heat of the Night is filled with memorable shots: Sam’s bloody hand in front of the cop’s headlights; a close up of Tibbs, framed by his arms against the wall, as he is frisked; and Virgil’s staring at the chief, the car window a backdrop to cotton pickers as they drive by, as Gillespie jibes that this life is not for Tibbs. Perhaps the most classic shot is Philly detective Virgil Tibbs and southern cop Gillespie sitting on a bus stop bench together, a spin on the classic Nichols and May expression "proximity, but no relating."

Note the body language of Tibbs and Gillespie, as they reluctantly agree to team up.

And the cherry on this cinematic sundae is the jazzy soundtrack is by Quincy Jones, with Ray Charles singing the title song.

A few film writers have criticized that the eventual admiration between Tibbs and Gillespie was too pat—in the real world, perhaps. However, the screenwriter and director do a great job of giving subtle gradation to the breakdown in their defenses and growing respect for each other.

Ultimately, In the Heat of the Night still cooks on all burners. For anyone who thinks Heat is out of date, compare it to the same year’s instantly obsolete racial comedy, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Given what’s going on in this country as of 2020, I’d say In the Heat of the Night is a hotter film subject than ever.

'In the Heat of the Night's' final scene, Tibbs and Gillespie have come to respect one another.

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Dire Message of ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ 1951

Stop your world, I want to get off! Michael Rennie as alien visitor Klaatu.

What if an unexpected event changed your daily life?  Imagine living with a constant sense of dread, as fear and hysteria take everyone over. What happens next, when your world comes to a complete halt?

No, I am not writing about the unrest of today's world, caused by the Coronavirus, the economic fallout, and escalating racial protests. I'm talking about the still-timely message of The Day the Earth Stood Still, released nearly 70 years ago. Director Robert Wise uses the sci-fi "visitor from another planet" plot to symbolize the USA's collective fears in the '50s. When this Hollywood sci-fi classic was released, the United States had led a victory in WWII, but was already embarking on The Korean War, engaged in a Cold War with Russia, and the threat of atomic war between super powers promoted paranoia for more than a decade. All of this was the dark flip side to the sunny “Fab Fifties.”

'The Day the Earth Stood Still' still stands the test of time, since its 1951 release.

I watched The Day the Earth Stood Still over Mother's Day weekend with Mom, who was a child of the '50s, and she still enjoyed the film. Given what was going on with the Coronavirus pandemic, especially some of our fellow Michiganders fear and anger over staying-in-place, certain dialogue jumped out at us. Watching Day a second time to review, at the end of May, the story seems scarier than ever... and not from space aliens, but from our own people’s primal fears about one another, and how we act upon them.

Klaatu takes a bullet twice during his short stay in Washington, D.C. Rennie w/ Patricia Neal.

The Day the Earth Stood Still begins when Klaatu, representing an interplanetary league, arrives in a space ship, upon the Washington Mall. People whip themselves into a frenzy of speculation and the U.S. Army swiftly surrounds the ship. Despite Klaatu’s greeting that he comes in peace, when he reaches into his uniform for a gift to the President, a trigger-happy soldier shoots him—some things never change! Luckily, it’s not serious and Klaatu brings along an instant-healing salve that would sell like hotcakes on TV infomercials. Klaatu’s request to seek an audience with all of the world’s leaders is met with rejection—again, what a surprise. The alien visitor then decides to go incognito amongst the American people to see what makes humans tick, in less than 24 hours. Good luck with that. Klaatu takes the name Carpenter, from a dry cleaning bill on a suit he snags, and checks in at a boarding house. There, he befriends a war widow mother and her little boy, and also seeks out a genius professor for help. Meanwhile, the government is on the lookout for Klaatu, with the aid of the Army. This public’s fears are further stoked, and the Army finally gets their man, fatally shooting him. Luckily, Klaatu brought along a giant robot for the ride, which the widow memorably activates with three little words. Gort the ‘bot brings Klaatu back to the ship, where he is brought back to life, and goes back out to deliver his interplanetary ultimatum to the earthlings.

Klaatu: “I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason.”

Robert Wise came up through thrifty RKO studio, and won his first Oscar nomination for editing Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, where he observed Orson’s cinematic sleight of hand to suggest great wealth. In the fledgling director’s first movies, like Curse of the Cat People and The Body Snatchers, Wise further learned how cinematography, soundtrack, and atmosphere could heighten suspense. And these skills came in handy later, with Wise’s subtle The Haunting.

Professor Barnhardt: “It isn't faith that makes good science, Mr. Klaatu, it's curiosity.”

At just over 90 minutes, there's hardly a wasted moment in The Day the Earth Stood Still. The simple (but not simplistic) story, Wise’s subtle direction, Leo Tover’s noir-ish cinematography, mesmerizing score by Bernard Herrmann, thoughtful dialogue by Edmund H. North, and an excellent cast, all elevate this beyond the sci-fi flick genre. While The Day the Earth Stood Still is interesting as a snapshot of '50s life, the bigger picture of the movie's message still holds true. The Washington, D.C. location footage gives the film a strong sense of place—the Arlington Cemetery, Washington Mall, and Lincoln Memorial—all very much on our minds—what with Memorial Day, the recent death toll in this country, and the Lincoln Memorial and Donald Trump recent sharing camera time together. 

Klaatu: "Did all those people die in wars?"  Bobby: "Most of 'em. Didn't you ever hear of the Arlington Cemetery?"
Klaatu: "No, I'm afraid not."

Originally, Spencer Tracy and Claude Rains were considered to play Klaatu. Great actors both, but visualizing stocky Spencer or shorty Rains in a space suit is a giggle. The film’s producer suggested a newcomer, Michael Rennie—good call. Rennie's imposing physical presence is a huge plus, with his 6'4" height, striking, chiseled face, and lean appearance. Robert Wise’s wise advice to the British actor was to play Klaatu with dignity, not superiority. Rennie plays the role with great subtlety, in an era that often wasn't the case, another reason this movie remains compelling, not campy.

Klaatu: "I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it."

Patricia Neal is widowed mother Helen Benson, who is drawn to Klaatu’s calm voice of reason. Neal is a great contrast to Rennie's cool demeanor. During a period when Patricia often overplayed, Neal is intense as usual, especially with her fervid, darting eyes. Yet, she is restrained as the mother, whose world is shaken by alien visitors, with fear for her son, and later, disappointment in her fiancee. 

Those three little words that Gort needs to hear!

The supporting cast is strong, in their archetypal roles: Sam Jaffe, born to play the Einstein-esque Professor Barnhardt, with his wild hair and wide eyes; Hugh Marlowe's nice guy persona gets a nice twist as Helen’s opportunistic beau, Tom Stevens; Billy Gray of Father Knows Best is Bobby, the personification of the nice '50s kid; and there’s many other familiar faces. Look for Frances Bavier, doing a dress rehearsal for her beloved Aunt Bea. Lock Martin, at nearly 7 feet tall, had the thankless task of donning the Gort robot suit. And several real-life correspondents, such as Drew Pearson, bring authenticity to this tale.

Klaatu (Michael Rennie) gets a tour of Washington, D.C. by Billy Gray's Bobby.

You can take The Day the Earth Stood Still at face value film entertainment or view the movie’s message through today’s eyes. Either way, it's a great Day. I’ll give Klaatu the final word, with his parting shot to planet Earth:

“I am leaving soon, and you will forgive me if I speak bluntly. The universe grows smaller every day, and the threat of aggression by any group, anywhere, can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure. Now, this does not mean giving up any freedom except the freedom to act irresponsibly. Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them. We of the other planets have long accepted this principle. We have an organization for the mutual protection of all planets and for the complete elimination of aggression. The test of any such higher authority is, of course, the police force that supports it. For our policemen, we created a race of robots. Their function is to patrol the planets—in space ships like this one—and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression, we have given them absolute power over us; this power cannot be revoked. At the first sign of violence, they act automatically against the aggressor. The penalty for provoking their action is too terrible to risk. The result is that we live in peace, without arms or armies, secure in the knowledge that we are free from aggression and war—free to pursue more profitable enterprises. Now, we do not pretend to have achieved perfection, but we do have a system, and it works. I came here to give you these facts. It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet. But if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: Join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer; the decision rests with you.”

Klaatu and Gort leave Earth with a message to ponder.

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