Saturday, the 19th of November
‘Jimmy Stewart Nite’
‘Destry Rides Again’
It's true that she (Dietrich) had starred previously with equally naive and all-american Gary Cooper in both in "Morocco" and "Desire", but the former was a Pre-Code set in Von Sternberg's "exotic" vision of the world (the desert in this case) and the latter wasn't "outside" Diretrich "bounds" either (as a myth), because it was a sophisticated continental romance, produced by Lubistch.
But boy!, in this film Marlene is so different from her previous roles an highly convincing as a notorious saloon singer, "Frenchy" (she's from New Orleans, Louisiana), who's the mistress of the town's villain (Brian Donlevy, great).
After Bottleneck's sheriff (the name of the town) is killed, in rather "obscure" circumstances, Donlevy arranges that the town's drunk (engagingly played by Charles Winninger) is given the job, `cos it's for sure that he wouldn't cause any trouble at all...
But, he's wrong, as everybody else, because Winninger calls for Tom Destry to become his deputy-sheriff, whose heroic father he knew when he was young, ....but, wait a minute!!... this mild-mannered guy (Stewart) cannot be "notorious" Destry's son...but not all is said, `cos this peculiar guy is a no-nonsense man!
Great support too from Mischa Auer, as Winininger's hilarious Russian brother-in-law, so desperately trying to be addressed by his own last name (Androvsky? or sth. like that), and not as "Callahan", his wife's (Una Merkel) very respectable, late first husband.
Mention apart deserves one of the best women-fight I ever saw onscreen, between Merkel and Dietrich.
The only thing that displeased me was one "aspect" of the ending, which I'm sure must have been imposed by the strict Production Code regulations (you'll know what I'm talking about after watching the movie yourselves), but in all, it's a great film!
The DVD copy is OK, considering the film's from 1939.
Fernando Silva "fedo" (Santiago de Chile.)
"I've
wrestled with reality for 35 years,
Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it."
Jimmy Stewart, in one of his personal favorite film and stage roles,
portrays Elwood P. Dowd, a gentle philosopher and harmless alcoholic
who, after his mother's death, befriends an imaginary - or is he? -
6'3.5" white rabbit; a "Pooka" who goes by the name of Harvey.
Unfortunately, it seems that Harvey is invisible to everyone but
Elwood. Elwood wanders through life perfectly happy, harming no one,
but alienating his family and many of the townspeople with his "friend".
Josephine Hull, (who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role
in the film; she also played the part on stage) portrays his sister
Veta Louise Simmons, and she steals the film, IMO; her facial
expressions and gestures are priceless (she also played one of the
aunts in "Arsenic and Old Lace", 1944).
The pacing is fast and furious, and the dialogue alternately hilarious
and touching in this whimsical, bittersweet tale of illusions and
realities. Jimmy Stewart found himself personally identified with the
role for many years, much to his delight, remarking in interviews how
strangers would sometimes stop him in the street and seriously ask him
if Harvey were with him, only to be kindly told, "No, he's at home
today, with a slight cold" or some other humoring excuse for the lack
of his invisible friend.
Of course the movie is dated and implausible today in several respects;
however it still holds a gentle, childlike appeal that transcends time.
It's a great, simply-told "feel-good" movie to start off the holiday
season.
Reviewed by B. Mann
Visit the reviewers websites at http://www.artbybillie.net
http://classicfilmreviews.blogspot.com
The DVD copy is OK, considering the film's from 1939.
Fernando Silva "fedo" (Santiago de Chile.)