TomJH

Well, James, Gina and Jennifer were certainly quite lovely in Beat the Devil but that film is, after all, an odd little comedy (okay a parody of some thrillers) while Big Sleep is, I believe, an out and out male fanatsy (with all those lovely ladies) in a film noir setting. And that's quite a collection of ladies who oogle Bogie, Joy Barlow, Dorothy Malone and Martha Vickers. Speaking of Vickers, I just watched The Burglar, one of Eddie Muller's film noir selections last Friday. An older but still beautiful and sensual Vickers made a very nice impression upon me in that film. I know you're a Martha Vickers fan so I hope you caught it. (The film itself is well worth viewing , as well, aside from Vickers).

Well, Dargo, I think the Granger Zenda duel is hurt by James Mason and the obvious doubling for him, as well. Scaramouche is clearly the most satisfactory of Granger's costume films.

James, I think that Bogie's flirting with every woman in The Big Sleep is a huge part of the attraction of the male fantasy identification with this film Marlowe, in much the same fashion as would later be the case with James Bond. This film is really a romantic film noirish fantasy. And the romantic part is that, no matter how much Marlowe flirts or even fools around with a few of the women (such as the book store clerk), it's Lauren Bacall's character that, in the end, has his heart. The fact that Bogart didn't really look like every woman's idea of a dream mate sort of adds to the film's amusement, as far as I'm concerned. As cool as Bogart's screen persona was, it still must have been comforting for a lot of males in the audience that it was an ordinary looking guy like him that seemed to have the women in such a lather in this film (rather than a Robert Taylor or Cary Grant). As I stated in the Dark Passage thread, there never was another film in which Bogie was presented as such a hot magnet to the opposite sex. And along the lines of male fantasy, we have, among others, Joy Barlow as the cabbie.

Dargo, I had a feeling that the Scaramouche line might appeal to you. As for Granger's scene-by-scene remake of the Colman Zenda, it's okay but, as you say, the Colman version is the classic. (And the silent version with Lewis Stone in the king/commoner dual role and Ramon Novarro as Rupert of Hentzau is pretty darned good, too). I just wish that good ol' Ronnie Colman hadn't looked quite so hopeless when he held a sword in his hand. Colman was a great looking guy, with that cultured voice that could make reading a telephone directory sound like pure poetry. But a swordsman he wasn't. Still, even though Granger was a superior athlete, Colman was the definitive Rudolph Rassendyll (so long as you don't mind watching a double when it comes to the physical swashbuckling).

That's right, MissW, I forgot that Andre Moreau was, indeed, related to aristocracy. All the more reason to be grateful, perhaps, that there was no sequel since it could have been messy for our hero. You may, in fact, if you care for silents, like to see the 1923 version of this tale, with Ramon Novarro as Moreau. It occasionally comes on TCM. That version does show surging angry mob scenes in anticipation of the Revolution, unlike the Granger version. As for your "Heroes in Disguise" reference, yes, it's a theme that ran through some swashbucklers, starting off with Doug Fairbanks' Mark of Zorro in 1920, the great granddady sword wielder of them all. Later Andre Moreau would hide behind a clown's mask, the audience knowing all along that sooner or later the mask would fall at the right moment for a fiery climax of fencing (well, maybe not so fiery in the silent version but a corker when it was Stewart Granger).

Dargo and MissW, I'm glad to see that you both brought this thread back to Dothery's topic. "He was born with a gift for laughter, and a sense that the world was mad." I love that line, the opening line, in fact, that Rafael Sabatini wrote for his novel, Scaramouche. Unfortunately, it's been too long since I read the book to recall the ending. Or, for that matter, how close this film version comes to the rest of the book. As your contention, Dargo, that the film's ending has loose ends, I can't say that I found that to be the case. Perhaps it's because the film ends with a double laugh, the flowery bomb in the face and then a surprise appearance by a well known historical figure. Stewart Granger will be going off with lovely ladylike Janet Leigh, while firebrand Eleanor Parker gets a firebrand of her own with the future Little Emperor. (And how pleased with himself little Nappy looked, too). That jokey ending was obviously a way of appeasing audiences so that they don;t feel too sorry for the very likable Parker, the implication being that she shall be in the money. If anyone has the most uncertain future, with the revolution brewing, it would be aristo Mel Ferrer. (But since Ferrer's life had been spared by Granger anyway, perhaps he's sort of on borrowed time). Dargo, perhaps you wish there had been a Scaramouche 2 just because you enjoyed Scaramouche 1 so much. Well, then, perhaps you should be satisfied as who knows if the sequel would have turned out so well. Granger would, in fact, followup on Scaramouche with his Prisoner of Zenda remake, a film, memory tells me, that Granger very much wanted to do.

*MissW wrote: One of my favourite moments in Scaramouche is at the end of the famous sword fight: Andre has bested him in that exciting and perfectly matched (well, almost) duel, and he has Noel at the point of his sword. But Andre cannot bring himself to kill him.* *The camera moves in on, first Andre's eyes, then Noel's, then back to Andre. It's a tense, dramatic moment. We don't want Andre to kill the Count anymore than Andre does.* *Mel Ferrer does a fine job of this, conveying pride, fear, resignation, and possibly something else -respect for his opponent - all in those few seconds of the close-up.* *A great scene.* You're correct, Miss W. I wasn't quite fair to Ferrer when I had earlier described him as merely cold-blooded. There IS a degree of complexity to his characterization which, in turn, makes him a more interesting villain. As opposed to his arrogance towards the "masses" and his cold blooded enjoyment of duelling with outclassed opponents, he is quite sensitive in his scenes of courtship with Janet Leigh. One of the things that I like about that closeup of Ferrer's face when he thinks that Granger is about to kill him is that there is no fear. He's exhausted and thinks that he's about to die and is surprised, even confounded, that Granger doesn't do so. Granger spares him in a manner that it is inconceivable he would do if positions were reversed. Nowhere in Ferrer's expression does he plead for mercy. Just as he had dispatched countless opponents in the past by foil, he is now prepared to pay the price. The great villains in movies, I feel, are those that you can admire to some degree, even if you also despise them. Basil Rathbone also lost his duels to the heroes with style. And, like Ferrer, when the chips were down, he never asked for mercy.

I didn't see Osborne's commentary about Lewis Stone last night, but I assume that he made reference to the fact that he had been in both the silent and talkie versions of the same tale. Stone played the haughty aristocrat in the silent that Mel Ferrer would later play. Ferrer was a VAST improvement in the role, in my opinion. I don't want to knock the silent too much because I'm operating on a limited memory of it, just an overall feeling of disappointment with it.

*clore wrote:* {font:arial, helvetica, sans-serif}*At the end, since we can presume that all have seen the film, it might have been better to note that originally there was an alternate ending and it was filmed. Granger and Ferrer were to be confronted outside the theater by a group of revolutionaries and the latter killed off.* {font} Thanks for the info, clore. I hadn't heard that before. And you say it was actually filmed. The '52 version is very contrasting in a lot of ways to the Ramon Novarro silent version, and mostly to the advantage of the Granger film, I feel. Certainly the final duel in the 1923 is a severe disappontment to the one between Granger and Ferrer. But, then, for the most part, silent swashbucklers are disappointing compared to the best that the talkie era produced. The '52 Scaramouche, I feel, is one of the best.

MissW, I'm struck by the irony that on a thread created in celebration of Scaramouche, you are now doing exactly what you accuse Robert Osborne of doing by bringing up an issue which doesn't have much to do with the film itself. By the way, I think you have a valid point as I also sometimes wish his comments would provide more insight into the actual films themselves. I wonder, though, if you should not create a thread on the topic rather than bring it up here. Please don't take offense at my suggestion because none was intended. I have great respect for your opinions but merely question the avenue by which you chose to express this one (and, again, the irony of it, considering your complaint).

One of the reasons that Scaramouche is so much fun is the revelation of how good Eleanor Parker is in the kind of role normally associated with Maureen O'Hara. Parker's advantage, though, is that she got to play this fiery lady in a costume film of much higher class and quality, not to mention intelligence, than the ones made by O'Hara, particularly during the '50s. Having said that, everyone else is very good in the film, too, including the intelligence combined with steely cold-blooded arrogance portrayed by Mel Ferrer. It's my understanding that Ferrer was something of a dancer, and he used a dancer's grace in the choreography of that final duel sequence. Do you recall that move he had in which, instead of merely leaping over a theatre seat during the duel with Granger, he twirled backward in the air over it, a truly balletic move. Stewart Granger was a HUGE fan of Errol Flynn, calling him the greatest film star that the film industry ever produced. He rubbed shoulders with his screen "hero" a little, too. Later he wrote, rather modestly, "You gather by now that I was - and am - a fan of Errol Flynn. Yes, indeed. I was a pretty famous swashbuckler myself in my time. They put me on the cover of Life in 1952 as 'Stewart Granger, Swashbuckler.' But I couldn't hold a candle to Errol Flynn." It may be that Granger's love of the Flynn films and Flynn's on screen style was a major motivator in his own success as a dashing costume romantic, never more so than in Scaramouche. Granger had flair, great screen presence, lovely dialogue delivery, could play humour to a degree (though he lacked Flynn's deft touch) and, like Flynn, wore costume clothes almost like he was born to model them. He also, and this is crucial, is most convincing in the fencing sequences. Flynn never claimed to be a fencer but said he knew how to look good and convincing on screen with a sword in his hand. I've always suspected, though, that Granger worked even harder at it and may, to a degree, actually have known was he was doing with a sword in his hand. It's a shame about the age difference and that Granger, like Flynn, didn't have the opportunity to shine by duelling with a superb on-screen swordsman like Basil Rathbone, a man who could match Flynn in physical presence. Having said that, though, Mel Ferrer will more than suffice as a Rathbone substitute in Scaramouche. I love that seven minute Scaramouche duel between Granger and Ferrer. It's as good as anything the screen as given us, standing up well, I feel, to Basil Rathbone's two great on screen duelling classics against Flynn in Robin Hood and Ty Power in The Mark of Zorro.

Scaramouche was unquestionably the highlight of Stewart Granger's career. With Errol Flynn's best years clearly behind him by the time that the '50s came around, Granger was the preeminent swashbuckling star of the decade, in many respects. Unfortunately, MGM was a studio that knew how to make glossy looking costume products but they didn't have a director like Michael Curtiz who brought so much style and energy to the best of the Flynns (or, for that matter, musical composers like Korngold or Steiner). Still, Scaramouche was the one outstanding swashbuckler Granger had, with one of the great duels in screen history as its deservedly famous climax. (To the best of my knowledge neither Granger nor Mel Ferrer had doubles for that match). It's fun to watch Granger's bantering with a fiery Eleanor Parker. Later, though, the actress let it be known that she couldn't stand Granger, that he was, indeed, one of her least favourite co-stars. Still, it doesn't show on screen and, ultimately, that's what matters.

As a piece of trivia, Joy Barlow (immortalized as that cabbie in The Big Sleep, brief as that scene may be) also appeared uncredited in the first of the Bogart-Bacall films, To Have and Have Not. It's a classic throwaway scene for her, as a young lady listening to the great Hoagy Carmichael as he sings "Hong Kong Blues." Here's a shot from the film: I know it's impossible to tell from this angle but that is Barlow in the foreground on the left looking at Hoagy. If you still doubt me (and I can't say that I blame you based on that picture) here's the proof. Here's a link to a YouTube recording of Hoagy doing his Hong Kong Blues thing. Take a look at the girl in the white dress leaning on the piano, just to Hoagy's right, and it's a smiling Joy, who would be smiling even more soon afterward when she was cast as the cabbie in The Big Sleep.

Sorry, my mistake for having confused the photo in Dark Passage to which NoraCharles had referred. In fact, I have a little difficulty recalling that there was more than one newpaper photo shown in the film. Here's a picture of director Daves working with his two Dark Passage stars: However, if imdb claims that the photo of the pre-surgery Parry (notice the correct spelling?) was character actor Frank Wilcox then, unless Wilcox had some kind of makeup applied, they have their facts wrong. Here is a photo I found of Wilcox: On second thought, maybe it is Wilcox, at that. (By the way Wilcox is also listed on imdb as having played a hotel clerk in Dead Reckoning, as well).

*NoraCharles wrote about In a Lonely Place:* {font:arial, helvetica, sans-serif}*Interestingly, there was nearly as big an age gap between Grahame and Bogart as Bogie and Bacall (the ladies were born less than a year apart).* {font} Gloria Grahame, though, seemed to have an older soul than Bacall, so I can't say that I was particularly aware of any strong age difference between her and Bogart (whereas with Bacall, although the age difference is more obvious, their screen chemistry triumphed over it). Grahame and Bogart had remarkable chemistry as well, of course. {font:arial, helvetica, sans-serif}*What I found really disturbing as a viewer was how much I fell into the trap of wanting Laurel to somehow be able to save Dix from himself - even after it was clear that staying was not an option.* And that's the trap that a lot of women have fallen into, trying to save/reform a bad boy, only to set themselves up for endless grief. That's why I wondered if a lot of women viewers could recognize traits of the Bogart character in a relationship of their own, and whether In a Lonely Place might strike home at little too much for them. By the way, NoraCharles, thanks for providing the interesting piece of trivia about the newspaper photo of Vincent Perry pre-surgery in Dark Passage being director Delmer Daves. I guess when cabbie Tom D'Andrea comments to the plastic surgeon that he likes Perry's pre-Bogart face, it must have made Daves smile at little. {font}{font:arial, helvetica, sans-serif} {font}

Well, NoraCharles, at least we're still discussing Bogart. And what a different Bogart it is in In A Lonely Place, as opposed to Dark Passage. Dixon Steele, in my opinion, is one of Bogie's most complex (and best) characterizations, with a great leading lady in Gloria Grahame and a strong, uncompromising ending. I wonder how many women watching this film have recognized aspects of the Bogart character in someone they knew, and it scared the heck out of them. 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!

Mongo, thanks very much for those family life scenes of Dads Bogart and Ladd. I've always found it touching that hard drinking Bogart mellowed into a happy family man in his final years after he discovered love with Lauren Bacall. Who would think that such a May-December romance would turn out as well as it did. Those three boxers asleep in that picture with Bogie are even more laid back than their master was on screen. It's my understanding that while Alan Ladd had a long marriage it may not have been the happiest one. However, I believe that he was a totally devoted father. That image of him with his daughter and son is probably an accurate reflection of their relationships with one another. This picture was taken of the actor before he, tragically, began to turn to the bottle for solace for a lot of insecurities, including that of a failing career.

Addison, it's been a few years since I last saw Dead Reckoning, a tough guy noir made when Bogart was at the peak of his career (Lizabeth Scott became a substitute when Columbia couldn't get Lauren Bacall for the film, I believe). While it's slick and reasonably entertaining, I'm inclined to agree with you that at times it comes perilously close to seeming like an unintentional parody of the film noir genre. I recall snickering at some of the tough guy (and gal) dialogue, though, unfortunately, I can't recite any of it now because, as I said, it's been a while. To the film's credit, though, I remember rather enjoying the smooth talking villainy of Morris Carnovsky (too bad, though, that George Macready hadn't been available). This film, unlike Dark Passage, has Bogie in super cool form once again and you just know he will be triumphant. It doesn't have the romanticism of Dark Passage nor any signs of the vulnerability that Bogie has in the latter film. Once again in Dead Reckoning, as had been the case in Maltese Falcon, Bogart will not play the sap for a woman. In that respect and others, there's a certain tired familiarity about the material. Slick production values still make it a visually appealing production, though, and one worth seeing for Bogart fans.

lavender, as a followup on your sensitive observation about Dark Passage's message about people needing people, it further illustrates why I enjoy Bogart's work in this film so much. Unlike his two previous efforts with Lauren Bacall, To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep, in which he was one tough super cool dude, this film allows him, even within the confines of a conventional thriller, to portray degrees of emotional vulnerability. It seems to me that his vulnerability, both physical and emotional, is particularly well conveyed by director Daves in that already mentioned scene at the bus depot when he is in the phone booth calling Bacall. His physical vulnerability is evidenced, of course, by the sight in the background, unbeknownst to him, of a cop who, at one point, looks over at him as he talks to Bacall, staring at him for a moment. More significantly, though, Bogart's face is soft as he talks to her, his eyes glisten. Bacall has to prod him a bit to get him to make his suggestion that they meet in Peru. ("You didn't just call me to tell me about Madge. There's something else you want me to know," she says, to which he replies, "I never could fool you, could I.") As the lovely strains of Too Marvelous for Words plays on the jukebox in the background, he momentarily almost looks like a little boy fearful of rejection. I like Bogart as an actor for his willingness to portray that vulnerability, and do it so well and with such subtlety.

Yes, I know, you thought there was a spelling error in that thread title, didn't you? But there wasn't. With all the talk on the Dark Passage thread about Tom D'Andrea as the cabbie, I had a thought about that other cabbie that took Bogart for a ride - the sexy lady cabbie in The Big Sleep. !data:image/jpeg;base64,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! And there she is - JOY BARLOW!!! And do you remember some of that snappy dialogue between the two? Barlow: "Listen if you ever need a ride again . . ." Marlow: "Day or night?" Barlow: "Night. I work during the day." Barlow, Marlowe, getting a little confusing, isn't it? Nevertheless, we all knew what they're talking about. I guess a lot of male viewers had many a fantasy about hitching a ride with this particular cab driver (though I'm pretty sure there never was one that looked quite like this). Well, here's a brief tribute to an actress/singer/dancer (apparently), whose film career went the same way as so many others. But she, Bogart and director Howard Hawks gave us all that moment. And, for that, Joy Barlow has a bit of film immortality.

MissW, I'm glad that you mentioned that scene. Yes, it is touching to see two lonely people in a bus station making a connection with one another like that. And overhearing their conversation gives Bogart's character the impetus to then call Bacall to ask her if she'll meet him in Peru. That set Dark Passage viewers up for a closing scene of sublime romanticism. For your information the "ordinary looking man" in that scene to whom you made reference was a character actor named John Arledge, who had been appearing in films since the '30s. He had a sizeable role in a Gable/Crawford film called Strange Cargo, and also played W.C. Fields' son in You Can't Cheat an Honest Man. Dark Passage was Arledge's last film, he dying the same year as the film's release (1947). You may or may not recall, however, that a relative of Arledge's (who calls himself brentwin) has been on the TCM message boards, the last time as recently as just May 30th, asking if any of us had any information about him. Here are the links to at least two occasions when brentwin was asking about Arledge: Last year: http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8664647� This year: http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8762784� I see that no one responded to bretwin two weeks ago. A little ironic, considering some of the dialogue that Arledge had in that last acting scene of his career in Dark Passage: "Nobody gives a hang. Nobody ever seems to care a hang about the other fella. There was a time when folks used to give each other a helping hand." (By the way, I realize that few of us have even heard of Arledge so there's only so much we can do to help brentwin out in his search for information).

Mongo, that shot of Gable reminds me of the fact that MGM wanted to promote the image of their resident studio No. 1 box office star as that of a sportsman. It's my understanding that Gable initially started hunting and fishing primarily to appease that studio desire and as time passed he genuinely came to love the outdoorsman lifestyle. This particular shot looks a bit posed to me. I have to wonder if it was an MGM photographer that took the picture.

*VX wrote: When I first saw Dark Passage, years ago, I was immediately convinced that it is a first-rate noir. I consider it to be the equal of all other Bogart-Bacall pairings, except The Big Sleep**, which I consider a truly iconic film.* VX, our tastes appear to be similar in this respect, including ranking The Big Sleep as the best of the Bogart-Bacall films. But was there ever another film in which Bogart was presented as being quite so hot to the ladies? It seems as if every woman in that film wanted to press herself up against this Marlowe's not so padded shoulders. Not only was there Lauren Bacall's character but also her thumb sucking kid sister, a bookstore clerk and a sexy cab driver (and, no, it WASN'T Tom D'Andrea). They all wanted a bit of that Bogie-as-Marlowe action, it would appear. It's a good thing, though, that the script of The Big Sleep didn't call for a scene in which Marlowe had to strip off and hang out by one of those sunny LA swimming pools littered with dozens of beautiful women just oogling Marlowe. That carefully crafted studio image of Bogart as middle aged stud material might have been somewhat compromised. See what I mean? Nice footwear, though. P.S.: I admit that I feel a little guilty about this "joke" posting because it's a bit of a cheap shot at Bogart. I'm merely pointing out the difference between studio crafted screen image and reality. The truth is, though, that this man was the love of Miss Bacall's life. And I'm sure that a lot of the reason for that had nothing to do with his appearance in swim trunks. (Then, again, maybe it did. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder).

For those interested, during the production of Dark Passage Lauren Bacall offended cameraman Sid Hickok by criticizing the manner in which he photographed one of the scenes. Director Delmer Daves had the following anecdote about how he decided to teach Bacall a lesson because of that. The anecdote also shows what a sensitive bowl of mush "tough guy" Bogart was when it came to his Baby. “I decided to teach Betty a lesson. We lined up for her last scene in the film- one in which Bogie is supposed to telephone her from a bus depot and she gets the call in her apartment. Since it was an important scene, she was anticipating a big close-up, but I told her we were going to photograph her from the back so that the audience could imagine what was going on in her mind. ‘With my back to the camera?’ she said. Tears came into her eyes, but she was a great sport about it and rehearsed it, even though her voice was trembling and she was fighting to hold back the tears. That broke me up and I relented. ‘For God’s sake, Betty, we’re lit for the front,’ I told her . ‘I just wanted to teach you a lesson because you were so cruel to Sid’ ‘I know I was.’ Tears started to come into her eyes, which was just perfect, and that’s how we shot the scene. A few minutes later Bogie came on the set. He saw her sobbing and followed her to her dressing room. When it was time for him to come on set, he had on his great Bogie face- no emotion. Usually, he was a one-take actor, but this time he kept blowing his lines and apologizing. We finally got the scene after eight takes and Bogie came over and said ‘I’m sorry about letting you down but you know what was bothering me. Betty told me what happened, and the kid can still break me up. But I think you did the right thing. Maybe she was getting a bit too big in the britches.’ This is a shot of the scene involved:

SansFin, I guess a lot of us with have to agree to disagree on this one. There is enough ambiguity about Moorehead's death scene that people can project upon it to some degree and make a case for or against suicide. It's fun to actually study the scene a few times to try to see the other person's viewpoint, or confirm your own. While it's completely true that Moorehead is vindictively in Bogart's face for most of that scene, at the very last moment, as he starts towards her, to me, she has a brief look of fear and tries ducking behind the curtain to get away from him. That's when, I believe, the accident occurs. But as already stated on this thread, accident or suicide, Bogart's character is equally in trouble. Thus his flight to South America.