Best Picture of 1944

Although the nominees from this project's current focus are an enjoyable bunch, the decision to choose my favourite from amongst them has possibly been the easiest to date. Not because the other four are particularly weak, but simply because one film clearly hijacked my brain for a couple of hours ... in a good way.

The nominees for Best Picture of 1944 are:

• Double Indemnity
• Gaslight
• Going My Way
• Since You Went Away
• Wilson

Quite a diverse group. One feel-good musical, one epic melodrama, one political biopic, one classic noir and one noir-ish. As I stated above, there is one clear winner for me, so I will dispense with my usual back and forth. In no particular order, the four non-winners are as follows:

The Academy's pick, Going My Way, is a lovely film that put a smile on my face but nothing more. Wilson is wryly fascinating but occasionally dry. Since You Went Away is striking at times but mostly sappy and overly sentimental. Gaslight has a few elements that are similarly possessed by my favourite, namely the mystery and the noir cinematography. However, the suspense is undermined by the film's predictability making it slightly inferior in my eyes.

Those with decent deductive skills have already figured out which film has taken my first place. Its intrigue and tension combined with its evocative visual style helped it to stand out above the rest in my humble opinion. Therefore, it may now be officially declared that Double Indemnity is my favourite of the Best Picture nominees from 1944.

Best Picture of 1944
Academy's choice: Going My Way	Matt's choice: Double Indemnity

Your choice:

As always, you can vote for your own favourite using the poll above. For the next year of focus, I had considered studying 1971 for the sole reason that the IFC Center here in New York was presenting A Clockwork Orange with midnight screenings this weekend and I figured it might be nice to take this project to the big screen. But, alas, the snowy weather kept me away. That and the fact that my lovely wife loathes the film and the thought of a midnight screening on my own was not so appealing. So, I'll save 1971 for later, and instead go back to where it all began by reviewing the very first Academy Award nominees for Best Picture (or Outstanding Picture as it was known then).

And the nominees for Best Picture of 1927/28 are:

• The Racket
• 7th Heaven
• Wings

A short shortlist, to be sure, but it contains the only silent films to be nominated for the big award, so it will be an interesting week ahead. Stay tuned...

1944 - Going My Way

I've talked previously about the small differences in Australian and American language. Yesterday, however, I came across another difference that has me somewhat baffled. Backstage after my show, I witnessed a cast member grab his fellow performer by the arm, twisting his hands in opposite directions in a display of pretend torture. He referred to the prank as an Indian Burn, which was clearly a term comprehended by everyone in the room. An Indian Burn? In Australia, it is commonly known as a Chinese Burn. How on earth does that happen?

I've also discovered that the popular children's game in which a secret is whispered from one participant to the next down the line is known in the US as Telephone. Back home, we refer to it as Chinese Whispers. Either Australians are racist or the Chinese-American community is very good at damage control.

Today, I completed the Best Picture round of 1944 with...

Going My Way

Director:

Leo McCarey

Screenplay:

Frank Butler and Frank Cavett; story by Leo McCarey

Starring:

Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Frank McHugh, Risë Stevens

Academy Awards:

10 nominations

7 wins, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor

Father O'Malley (Crosby) is sent to St. Dominic's parish to help steer the church out of financial trouble. The only catch is the current pastor, Father Fitzgibbon (Fitzgerald), is unaware that he is no longer in charge. The gruff old veteran has been with the church since its construction 45 years ago and, therefore, is not easily accepting of change. In order to raise the funds to clear the church's debt, O'Malley uses his musical talents to form a boys' choir.

Going My Way is a pleasant and charming family film that has 'feel-good' written all over it. Almost everything about the picture exudes a sense of niceness. Nice story. Nice songs. Nice characters. Even the nasty characters turn out to be nice deep down. And so do the wayward characters. Oddly enough, though, I didn't pick up an overly sweet tone from the film. It wasn't over-the-top in its sentimentality at all. It was just ... nice.

The scenes trundle along with only rare moments of excitement. A number of seemingly irrelevant digressions give the rambling storyline a slow feeling. The extremely sparse score may also have something to do with that. Its absence is especially noticeable during the scene transitions. Conversely, the film contains several pleasant songs scattered throughout. No showstoppers, but plenty of songs that are ... nice.

The characters don't burst into song randomly as in a traditional musical, but instead the numbers are naturalistically incorporated into the story. It's sort of a non-musical musical. The film won a Best Song Oscar for Swinging On A Star, which is very cute and, well ... nice.

Director Leo McCarey assembled a very enchanting cast, each amiable for their own reasons. Frank McHugh as the neighbouring priest has a most infectious laugh. Stanley Clements as the young ruffian with a soft side is very entertaining, especially due to his serious face-slapping ability. Jean Heather (who also appeared in another 1944 Best Picture nominee Double Indemnity) as a rebellious teenager turned good is sweet and winsome. William Frawley (a.k.a. Fred Mertz) shows up as a music publisher. And, of course, the great Bing Crosby croons his way delightfully through the film. His naturally genial persona is just so ... nice.

Then there's Barry Fitzgerald as the irascible Father Fitzgibbon. Another delightfully pleasing performance. Incidentally, he is the only person to have been nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for the same performance. He won the latter, and then the Academy amended the rules so that couldn't happen again. Nice.

1944 - Double Indemnity

In a city of over eight million people, one certainly doesn't expect to randomly bump into anybody one knows on the street, let alone someone from one's home town 16,000 kilometres away (that's 10,000 miles in American). And yet, that's precisely what happened yesterday as I strolled up 5th Avenue. Upon passing a young man on his mobile phone (that's 'cell phone' in American), I silently pondered how similar he looked to a friend I knew from Sydney. Five metres further down the street (that's about 16 feet in American), I heard my name and turned around to discover that the reason the phone-wielding man looked so similar to my friend was that it was my friend. Small world, indeed. (That's Planet Earth in American.)

Today, I viewed one more Best Picture contender from 1944...

Double Indemnity

Director:

Billy Wilder

Screenplay:

Billy Wilder & Raymond Chandler

(based on the novella by James M. Cain)

Starring:

Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson

Academy Awards:

7 nominations

0 wins

One of the, if not, the most classic entry in the film noir genre, Double Indemnity is told in confession by Walter Neff (MacMurray), an insurance salesman who gets himself involved in a messy situation. After meeting the sultry and unhappily married Phyllis Dietrichson (Stanwyck), he quickly falls for her beguiling ways and agrees to help her knock off her husband for the insurance money. The plan is elaborately conceived in order to fool Neff's work colleague, the clever and determined claims investigator Barton Keyes (Robinson). Once the plan is set into motion, however, several twists and turns must be dealt with for the two lovers to literally get away with murder.

It's easy to understand why Double Indemnity is often cited as the cornerstone to which all other films of the genre are compared. It is about as noir as it gets. The perfect lesson in how to create a stylish, moody, gripping story. Voice over narration, a femme fatale, a clever murder plot, with lashings of mystery and intrigue and breath-holding tension, all created with such subtlety and intelligence. The subtext is almost a character of its own. It's all in the eyes, you see. A simple look can reveal so much. There's no need to hit the audience over the head with expository dialogue. We understand it all with the slightest of indicators.

And speaking of the dialogue. You could drown underneath the wonderfully colourful metaphors and double entendres. Each line is wittier than the last. For example, when Neff first meets Phyllis, she is wearing only a towel. He talks to her about not being "fully covered" but, of course, he's referring to her husband's insurance policy... or is he? When he is offered a glass of iced tea, he responds with the gem, "Yeah, unless you got a bottle of beer that's not working."

The music is the perfect complement and the cinematography is simply sublime. The shadows and the shafts of hazy light create the ideal mood. The three lead actors could hardly go wrong with this material. Just speak fast and nonchalantly and the words will do the rest. Still, Fred MacMurray as the average guy with the bad boy streak seems a little too wholesome to really pull it off. Perhaps it is just hindsight after a 12-year stint in a wholesome sitcom that prevents him from being truly convincing when he demands, "Shutup, baby" and then forcefully plants a kiss on Barbara Stanwyck.

1944 - Since You Went Away

After weeks of rehearsal, my New York stage debut has finally come and gone. Ah, the smell of the crowd, the roar of the greasepaint. We have three more weeks of shows, so for those of you in the neighbourhood, come check me out.

Of course, with last week's mad rehearsal schedule, the Matt vs. the Academy project took a bit of a back seat, so along with my stage debut, the project's 100th day and 50th post have also come and gone. A small and arbitrary feat. But even though my initial deadline for this project is becoming more and more elusive - a matter that I will address at a later date - I am still as excited as ever about this nonsensical enterprise.

Today, I continued with the 1944 Best Picture shortlist by watching...

Since You Went Away

Director:

John Cromwell

Screenplay:

David O. Selznick

(based on the novel by Margaret Buell Wilder)

Starring:

Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Lionel Barrymore, Robert Walker, Hattie McDaniel, Agnes Moorehead

Academy Awards:

9 nominations

1 win

If you're looking for melodrama, Since You Went Away should be right up your alley. Tim Hilton is doing his patriotic duty in the armed services during World War II. But this film is not about Tim. In fact, we never even see him. Instead, the focus is on his wife, Anne, and their two daughters, Jane and Bridget. At first, the family struggles to make ends meet, so they take on a curmudgeonly old retired Colonel as a lodger. The Hilton sisters, unlike their modern namesakes, are the picture of innocence. But things become complicated when elder sister Jane begins a romance with the Colonel's grandson.

This one is definitely melodrama, folks. Despite being a film about war, there are no fighting scenes. It all takes place in and around the home of a family coping with the absence of their husband and father. The somewhat episodic nature of the storyline tends to make the film seem a bit like a soap opera. Add to that a dose of patriotism and religion and you've got yourself a heavy-handed message film. In fact, sometimes - not often, but occasionally - it even borders on propaganda.

Scattered throughout the melodramatic dialogue are several accounts of artificial sobbing by all three of the main actresses. A little disappointing considering two of them, namely Colbert and Jones, had already won Oscars by this point. The third, a teenage Shirley Temple, was probably the least convincing weeper, but hey, she's Shirley Temple.

Despite the fake tears, Colbert's performance is still pleasant, and the rest of the cast manage to overcome the sappy lines they are forced to utter. Always an enjoyable actor to watch, Joseph Cotten is particularly charming here. And Monty Woolley as the retired Colonel is amusing, especially when he puts a left glove on his right hand, something that obviously went unnoticed by the rest of the film crew. Playing yet another maid, like she did in Selznick's Gone With the Wind, Hattie McDaniel is delightful as Fidelia. Also impressive is a pre-Bewitched Agnes Moorehead as a gossipy bitch.

And why is it that, in old movies, a married couple is never depicted as owning a double bed? Was there anyone who actually thought they didn't have sex? I mean, they had two children, for crying out loud.

1944 - Wilson

For my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving! For everyone else, have a good Thursday. As I write this, Kat and I are about to head off with an Australian friend to another Australian couple's place to celebrate the entirely non-Australian holiday. But there's a large turkey involved, so how can we pass it up.

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Eve, I watched a somewhat forgotten Best Picture nominee, namely...

Wilson

Director:

Henry King

Screenplay:

Lamar Trotti

Starring:

Alexander Knox, Charles Coburn, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Thomas Mitchell

Academy Awards:

10 nominations

5 wins, including Best Original Screenplay

Not a prequel to Cast Away, Wilson is a concise exploration of the political career of Woodrow Wilson from his days as President of Princeton University through his post as Governor of New Jersey to his election as the 28th President of the United States. Along the way, he must deal with the question of America's involvement in the Great War while simultaneously coping with the loss of his wife. When up for re-election, he balances the possibility of a second marriage with the possibility of a second term.

Unless you are a political historian, there is little doubt that this biopic will teach you a great deal about Woodrow Wilson. Whether or not these facts are accurate, I have no idea. But the script sure seemed delicately researched. For instance, did you know that it was Wilson who was behind the act assuring an eight-hour work day? Or that Wilson was instrumental in setting up the League of Nations? Or that Wilson's re-election campaign slogan was "He kept us out of the war"? There are also several speeches throughout the film that, I imagine, are probably ripped directly from the actual speeches Wilson delivered.

All of this information unfortunately makes the film seem a little like a detailed dramatisation in a historical documentary. As fascinating as it is to know about Wilson's political achievements, the film sometimes struggles to be emotionally engaging. However, when the story concentrates on his personal life, it becomes more satisfying, especially as his personal life becomes entwined in his political life. The most compelling sequence occurs when his marriage to Edith Galt just over a year after his first wife's death puts his re-election in jeopardy.

Two favourites of mine who prominently featured during the 1939 Best Picture race, Thomas Mitchell and Geraldine Fitzgerald, are both impressive in their roles. And Alexander Knox (pictured) is perfectly cast in the title role, portraying Woodrow with both strength and wit. I wonder, though, exactly how flawless the man was. If this film is anything to go by, Wilson was the most honest and morally righteous man that ever existed. Perhaps that can be attributed to the fact that this was the pet project of producer Darryl F. Zanuck, who appeared to have a bit of a thing for President Wilson. It's also interesting to note that, despite ten Oscar nominations and five wins, plus a fair amount of critical praise, Wilson was quite the box office disaster. Which might also explain why it has never received a DVD release.

Wilson's final speech is made all the more poignant considering the film was released during the thick of World War II, and, in fact, the words are still potently appropriate today. With stoic intensity, he freely imparts his optimism for a world without war. If only...

1944 - Gaslight

Without a washing machine in the building, Kat and I are forced to look elsewhere for our laundry needs. The easiest option is to take advantage of our local laundromat's highly convenient wash'n'fold service. Perfect for lazy husbands everywhere. You simply drop off your clothes in the morning and, just like magic, they are clean smelling and neatly folded when you pick them up in the evening. Now and then, I'll use the self-service washing machines to save a bit of money. Since the machines only take quarters, there is a handy change machine in one corner of the room. Pop in a dollar bill and out pop four quarters ... or so you would expect. Recently, upon operating this simple piece of machinery, I was mildly elated to receive five quarters for my one dollar investment. Ah, for the little wins...

Yesterday, I embarked on the 1944 Best Picture journey by watching...

Gaslight

Director:

George Cukor

Screenplay:

John Van Druten, Walter Reisch and John L. Balderston

(based on the play by Patrick Hamilton)

Starring:

Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty, Angela Lansbury

Academy Awards:

7 nominations

2 wins, including Best Actress

Renowned opera singer Alice Alquist has just been murdered in the home she shared with her niece, Paula. Understandably devastated, Paula leaves London for Italy, where, ten years later, she meets Gregory Anton. The two soon fall in love and marry, and he persuades her to move back in to her aunt's house. Once there, however, Paula is haunted by the memory of that fateful night. Strange occurrences abound as Paula misplaces objects, hears footsteps at night and witnesses the gas lamps in the bedroom dim inexplicably. Her doubt in her own sanity is reinforced by her sinister husband, who grows increasingly impatient with her, eventually shutting her off from the outside world.

The mood of this film is divine. The mystery. The suspense. The shadows. The fog... Ah, the fog. There's something about a scene of a finely dressed gentleman, cane at his side, strolling through the fog past a gas lit lamppost in the dead of night. It made me feel nostalgic for the 1940s, which is somewhat absurd considering I wasn't born until three decades later. But it just feels so classic Hollywood, despite the fact that it is set in England and the play on which it is based was written by an Englishman.

There is, unfortunately, one major flaw with this film - it's just so bleedingly obvious that Gregory is behind all the mysteriousness. Right from the outset, we are spoon-fed his evil nature as Charles Boyer, playing the mischievous husband, delivers glassy stares by the bucket load. There was a short period in which I wondered to myself, "What is he up to?" but it didn't last long and, soon, I was mildly disappointed in Ingrid Bergman's Paula for falling for his transparent trickery.

Luckily, being one step ahead of the plot doesn't substantially affect one's enjoyment of the film. The atmosphere created by the Oscar-nominated cinematography and Oscar-winning art direction is pure joy. Bergman won the film's other Oscar for her role as the crazy but sane Paula. Also, a fresh-faced Angela Lansbury makes her film debut as the Antons' maid. And an impressive debut it is.