Celebrating the legendary stars’ renewed popularity with two of their classic favorites.
The Archivist — Welcome to the Archive. As home video formats have evolved over the years, a multitude of films have found themselves in danger of being forgotten forever due to their niche appeal. Thankfully, Warner Bros. established the Archive Collection, a Manufacture-On-Demand DVD operation devoted to thousands of idiosyncratic and ephemeral works of cinema. The Archive has expanded to include a streaming service, revivals of out-of-print DVDs, and Blu-ray discs (which, unlike the DVDs, are factory pressed rather than burned). Join us as we explore this treasure trove of cinematic discovery!
The Emmys are now less than three weeks away, and every day there seems to be article after article speculating who will win what. With television at arguably its biggest peak since its initial introduction, the Emmys will no doubt be one of the most closely-watched events of the year. Many will be clamoring to see if Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt eclipses Modern Family, or if The Night Of’s Riz Ahmed’s can triumph over Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch, or if Stranger Things will prevail in the Best TV Drama category.
However, it’s Ryan Murphy’s Feud: Bette and Joan that is definitely expected to take home some gold thanks to a whopping 18 nominations. The miniseries, which explores the tumultuous relationship between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, gained strong numbers for its re-telling of one of Hollywood’s most notorious rivalries. Despite the show’s popularity, Murphy has rightfully been taken to task (and court) by Olivia de Havilland (the only surviving famous figure portrayed in the show) for his depiction of her and some of the events in question. Indeed, Murphy seems to be focusing his attention on the more salacious aspects surrounding the two actresses (most of the show takes place around the making of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, their sole collaboration) as well as their own insecurities and hardships during this period of their dwindling careers. For true cinephiles however, Davis and Crawford weren’t fodder for a TV series, but rather monumental figures who helped define an indelible era of film known as the golden age. In this edition of The Archivist, we’ll look at two of the actress’ titles (Crawford’s Humoresque and Davis’s The Man Who Came to Dinner) which showed that the two were more than just a feud.
Humoresque
A love story if there ever was one, Humoresque follows New York-born Paul Boray (John Garfield) as he rises from working class to high society and prominence as a classical violinist. Driven and passionate, Paul’s determination is unwavering as he fights to become the best violinist the world has ever seen. When he meets Helen Wright (Crawford), a wealthy socialite, Paul is instantly intrigued. However Helen comes with baggage; namely a marriage of convenience, a drinking problem and a number of affairs which go nowhere. It doesn’t take long for the two to fall madly in love with each other, and even less time for their differences in age and background to drive a wedge between them as Paul must choose either the music or the woman.
Made straight after Crawford’s Oscar win for Mildred Pierce, Humoresque gives the actress the kind of role she pretty much honed, namely the glamorous and wealthy heroine. However, Humoresque is a perfect illustration of how the actress was able to go beyond the window dressing of her character and reach into the conflict lurking underneath the surface. The way she brings out Helen’s torturous despair with equal parts intensity and sadness here, especially in the bar scene, is what made her one of the consummate screen performers of all time. Although this is a Joan Crawford film, Garfield likewise shares in the grief and emotional turmoil as a man at one of the biggest crossroads life has to offer, being forced to choose between two loves, only one of which he will be able to have. While a good amount of Humoresque feels like typical 40s fare, Jean Negulesco’s direction and Clifford Odet’s screenplay deepens the work, making the piece feel like a dark character study, rather than another standard soap-opera. What could have come across as melodramatic instead feels gut-wrenching as Paul and Helen agonize over a love with the power to eventually doom them both. The result paid off as Humoresque was a box-office hit, even earning an Oscar nomination for its incredible Franz Waxman score. Humoresque’s effect continues to linger, leaving a strong imprint on those who see it, including Madonna who even recreated the iconic ending for her music video, “The Power of Goodbye.”
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Based on the successful Broadway comedy, The Man Who Comes to Dinner tells the story of pompous, yet renowned author and theater critic Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley), who while on a lecture tour with his secretary Maggie (Davis), slips on some ice and falls at the home of a prominent midwestern couple. Forced to remain at the family’s home until his hip heals, “Sherry” takes full command of the house, leaving everyone cowering in fear of him, save for Maggie who begins to fall for a local newspaper man (Richard Travis). When Sherry gets wind of this, he pulls out all the stops in an effort to keep his trusted secretary from leaving his employment.
It’s usually apparent that some films began life on the stage by the way they translate to film, and that is certainly the case with The Man Who Came to Dinner, with the action rarely leaving the living room. When the play in question is as good as this one however, it doesn’t really matter. The Man Who Came to Dinner is nothing but fast-paced comedic energy and one quote-worthy line after another, most of which come courtesy of the show-stopping main character. “He’s the greatest living argument for mercy killing,” Sherry says of the local town doctor. “And now, will you all now leave quietly, or must I ask Miss Cutler to pass among you with a baseball bat,” Sherry asks the fated family after he is done addressing them. The Man Who Came to Dinner may not be an instant favorite among Davis fans, but is certainly worthy of the actress’s participation, especially since it was her who convinced Warner Bros. to buy the film rights. The movie represents one of the few comedy ensembles the actress ever appeared in, and Davis manages to hold her own opposite the larger-than-life Wooley, particularly in the scene when Sherry commands Maggie to answer the door at once. “Go, Maggie! Run! Run! Run,” Sherry excitedly shouts to which she stands still and stares icily back at him before casually walking to the door. A true classic through and through.
