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May 16th is Classic Movie Day. The day was created by Rick Armstrong, the founder of the Classic Movie Blog Association, of which I am a very proud member and board member. The CMBA board have encouraged our members to put together articles to celebrate this day. You can learn about how I became a classic film fan below.

I have decided to take this opportunity to highlight some hidden gems made outside of America. While I understand and share the acclaim and attention directed at classic era American cinema, it is a fact that many of the greatest films, directors and actors were found outside of Hollywood. World cinema is a treasure trove. I hope my article will encourage more film fans to explore classic era films made outside of America. Please don’t be afraid of subtitles. Please don’t be put off by unfamiliar actors and directors.

Nayak: The Hero(1966). This is one of the most underrated flicks from the filmography of Indian director Satyajit Ray. Nayak focuses on film star Arindam Mukherjee( Uttam Kumar)who is travelling by train to attend a film award ceremony in Delhi. He is approached onboard by Aditi(Sharmila Tagore), a reporter who interviews him for her magazine. Their chats lead him to think deeply about his life and reassess parts of his past. I love the intimacy of the setting, as well as the performances of Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore. I love the style and overall look of the film as well. It is also one of my favourite films set onboard a train.

Corridor Of Mirrors(1948). This British gothic romance focuses on bored party girl, Milfanwy (Edana Romney), who finds herself drawn to the mysterious, Paul (Eric Portman), who believes her to be the reincarnation of his lover from a past life. As the pair grow closer, dark secrets and suspicions threaten to intrude on their love and unique situation. There is an otherworldly atmosphere and look about this one. I consider it to be the cinematic twin of the very similarly themed Pandora And The Flying Dutchman(1951). The performances, gorgeous cinematography, costumes and set design are particular highlights. I especially love the sequence of the costume party held in the gardens of Paul’s home.

I love Mr. Thank You(1936)so much. It infuriates me that this gem is not more widely known, even amongst those of us who regularly watch Japanese cinema. Hiroshi Shimizu’s(the most underrated of Japan’s master directors in my opinion) gentle comedy drama follows a group of passengers travelling on a bus from a rural community headed to Tokyo. The driver(Ken Uehara) is known as “Mr. Thank You” due to the courtesy he shows to other road users who move out of the way of his bus. As the journey gets underway, we learn about the passengers and why they are all taking this particular trip, and the driver becomes drawn to a young woman who is extremely sad and introverted. During the trip he makes it his business to find out what is troubling her. I won’t say any more. Do yourself a favour and step on board this bus and experience the journey for yourself. I think that this would make a perfect double bill with Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night. You can read my full review here.

Regular readers know how much I love me some Film Noir. Robert Hamer’s British Noir The Long Memory(1953)is based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Howard Clewes. This is one of my favourite hidden gems of classic era British cinema. I love the performances of John Mills and Eva Bergh. The Long Memory was the first film that Hamer made after leaving Ealing Studios. John Mills(playing against type in one of his most psychologically complex performances)is Phillip Davidson, a man who is set up and wrongfully convicted of a murder after a fight and a fire break out onboard a boat. He is paroled after serving twelve years. The need for revenge has filled his heart while sitting behind bars. He now sets out to trace the other survivors from the boat incident who know the truth of what happened that night. He finds companionship and salvation in the form of Illse(Eva Bergh), a traumatised WW2 refugee who tries to persuade him to give up his vengeful quest. It was filmed on location in Gravesend and Stangate Creek(Medway Estuary) with these particular locations adding to Phillip’s desolation and isolation.

Ettore Scola’s A Special Day(1977) is an emotionally draining and poignant drama set in a tenement building in Italy. It takes place over the course of one day – 4th of May, 1938 – the day that Hitler visited the country to meet with Mussolini. The focus of the story is on lonely housewife, Antoinetta, and her gay neighbour, Gabriele(Marcello), who is targeted for arrest due to his sexuality and for being anti-fascist. As many of the brainwashed masses(including her husband and children)gather in the streets to cheer on those intent on stamping out societal freedoms, established rights, laws, safeguards and rules – something which is disturbingly happening again now – Antoinetta and Gabriele are drawn together and emotionally cling to each other like two life vests floating in a dark and vast ocean. Sophia and Marcello are so emotionally raw here. They look exhausted(both physically and emotionally) and deliver arguably the finest performances of their respective careers. We want these decent and gentle souls to escape the coming increasing horror and despair, but we know that sadly cannot be the case. At least we know each will retain and cling to their shared memories of their private special day for as long as they can. You can read my article about Marcello and Sophia’s screen partnership here.

The Goddess(1934). Few films have ever affected me as much as this powerful and deeply moving Chinese silent. Ruan Lingyu(known as the Greta Garbo of China) delivers a performance for the ages as a single mother forced into sex work in 1930’s China in order to provide for her young son(Lai Hang). She finds herself trapped under the control of a ruthless pimp(a scene-stealing Zhang Zhizhi)and must try and hide any earnings that she can from him. As her son grows older he suffers bullying and possible expulsion from school on account of his mother being a “Goddess”, a euphemism for a sex worker. His headmaster seeks to help the boy and his mother. This is my favourite Ruan Lingyu film, with The Little Toys coming in a close second. Ruan was such an extraordinary actress. Tragically she took her life a year after this film was made. She was just 24. Her funeral procession was three miles long and was attended by more than one hundred thousand people.

The Trapp Family(1956). I didn’t know this film even existed until a few years ago. A chance discovery on YouTube introduced me to the original screen version of the true story of the Von Trapp family. Almost a decade before The Sound Of Music was released there was this non-musical German version. You all know the story. A young nun called Maria(Ruth Leuwerik)is employed by the widowed Captain Von Trapp(Hans Holt)as governess to his children. Maria and the Captain fall in love. Later the family must flee the Nazis and make their way to America. The cast and crew reunited in 1958 for The Trapp Family In America, which focuses on the challenges faced by the family upon arrival in the States. Both films are a delight. I especially love the performances of Ruth and Hans. It’s crazy that most people around the world know about The Sound Of Music but not these originals. You can find both on YouTube. Sadly the picture quality isn’t the best(we deserve a Blu-ray restoration release).

Keep watching classic cinema and writing about it!

The audacious, hilarious, delightful and exciting Trouble In Paradise was a huge hit with audiences and critics upon its release in 1932. Unfortunately its mature treatment of sex, relationships, and unrepentant – as well as unpunished- criminal activity didn’t half make the bores and prudes at the Hays Office(the censors)clutch their pearls and reach in unison for the smelling salts. In 1934, killjoy -in- chief, Joseph Breen, assumed position as head of the now enforceable Motion Picture Production Code. Breen refused to allow this film to be reissued commercially for decades due to its content breaching the Code. It annoys me so much that audiences were denied access to this gem for so long. It hurts to realise that this could so easily have become a lost film.

There are few film scenes as perfect as the one in which the lead characters meet and get acquainted in Trouble In Paradise. Adorable pickpocket Lily(Miriam Hopkins) and smooth jewel thief Gaston(Herbert Marshall)are flirting over dinner in Gaston’s hotel room in Venice. Lily lets slip that she knows he has robbed a wealthy guest at the hotel of his wallet. An amused Gaston responds by revealing he knows that she has stolen that very wallet from his possession because he felt her tickle him in the process.

Gaston and Lily engage in a delightful contest in which they reveal their respective thieving skills to each other. We discover that Lily has also not only pocketed Gaston’s watch, but she has fixed the time(it was running slow); Gaston has taken the broach from the front of her dress, as well as taking(and refusing to part with)her garter. The pair cannot contain their giddy delight at each other’s skills and guile. Two soulmates have found one another. This whole sequence is an example of the wittiest and most elegant foreplay. Within minutes the pair are in each other’s arms and kissing passionately on the couch. Thanks to the editor, we see them literally dissolve into each other as they begin to make love, leaving behind an empty couch. The scene is playful, hilarious, sexy and sophisticated. It is a prime example of the famed touch of director Ernst Lubitsch, and it was actually this film that first got people talking about the “Lubitsch Touch.” Right from the opening title sequence, Lubitsch makes it immediately clear to the audience that this is above all else a story about sex and relationships, with the illustration of a double bed appearing in between the words trouble and paradise.

After Lily and Gaston get together(as a couple and as professional partners in crime)they move to Paris, where Gaston sets his sights on his next mark, the chic Madame Mariette Colet(Kay Francis looking stunning draped in Travis Banton designed slinky gowns)owner of her late husband’s popular Colet perfume empire. Gaston steals her jewel encrusted clutch bag and then boldly goes to see Mariette to claim the 20 grand reward. He ends up being rewarded not only with the money, but also getting hired as her private secretary. He enlists Lily(rocking a pair of glasses) to pose as his secretary at Madame Colet’s art deco home. The pair bide their time until the moment is right to clear out the Colet safe and make a run for it. Things become complicated when one of Mariette’s two constant admirers(Edward Everett Horton and Charlie Ruggles are a priceless double act as love rivals)recognises Gaston as the man who robbed him at the Venice hotel. Further complications arise when Gaston and Mariette unexpectedly fall for one another. While Lily will always have Gaston’s heart, he cannot deny his feelings for Mariette. When Lily discovers this development, she becomes consumed by anxiety and jealousy. How is this resolved? You must have the pleasure of discovering that for yourself.

My favourite things about the film are the two very different relationships between Mariette and Gaston, and Gaston and Lily. Mariette is so warm, kind(I love how she stands up against her board of directors and denies their demands to cut the wages of Colet workers) and generally fabulous, that we fall for her as much as he does. It’s clear this is no brief dalliance. There is also the interesting hint of kink present in their relationship. Gaston tells Mariette that if he were in charge of her, “I would give you a good spanking. In a business way, of course.” Mariette replies, “what would you do if you were my secretary?” “The same thing”, Gaston replies. Mariette gleefully smiles and excitedly hires him on the spot. She also seemingly delights in him taking control of some of her daily activities and bossing her around a bit. The chemistry between Kay Francis and Herbert Marshall is electric. I especially love Herbert’s subtle performance in scenes where he is trying to deny to himself that he is falling for her. Her response to learning the truth about him is both unexpected and refreshing. It is a credit to both actors that we would not be against Gaston finally ending up with Mariette over Lily.

With Lily and Gaston, it is clear from the very beginning that their relationship goes well beyond the physical. Theirs is the kind of love that really does not come along as regularly as the bus. Many will go their entire lives sadly never finding a partnership or marriage like this. They would do anything for each other. They accept each other fully. They will not permit the other to become a sell-out or to settle for a gilded cage existence. Lily sums up their relationship perfectly when confronting him about Mariette, “Darling, remember you are Gaston Monescu. You are a crook. I want you as a crook. I love you as a crook. I worship you as a crook. Steal, swindle, rob. Oh, but don’t become one of those useless, good-for-nothing gigolos.” Now that is a line for the ages. These two are relationship goals. Be yourself. Love your partner for who they are. Don’t allow them or yourself to become something else that you will grow to loathe or be bored of in time. I find it so refreshing to see both relationships depicted as being such fun. Both of these couples absolutely revel in sex, flirtation and excitement. Trouble In Paradise is one of the best examples of what makes Pre-Code cinema so damn good. I only wish that we could have had a series of films about Gaston and Lilys’s further adventures. For as long as there are cinemas, televisions and DVD players, audiences will still be enjoying Ernst Lubitsch’s shimmering cinematic gem. Take that, Mr. Breen! If you also love this film and its depiction of relationships, then I highly recommend Lubistch’s other masterpiece, Design For Living, in which Miriam Hopkins plays the luckiest woman in the world, as she enjoys a relationship with both Gary Cooper and Fredric March. It’s such a shame that neither Herbert Marshall or Kay Francis reunited with the director. Anyway, that’s it from me. I’m off to spend some more time in the company of Gaston, Lily and Mariette.

This is my second entry for the Make ‘Em Laugh Blogathon being hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association. Be sure to visit their site to read all the other entries.

How come so few people know about this film? That is the question I always end up asking myself after every viewing. Holiday is a delightful, witty, touching and inspiring Screwball gem, featuring a perfect balance of comedy and poignant drama. The comedy here lies not in the form of slapstick or constant Marx Brothers-esque verbal zingers, but instead in the verbal and physical reactions of certain people to certain situations and things said or done by others. The film’s focus is on the importance of individuality, of following your heart, and of never allowing yourself to be ground down and stifled by your employer, your job or your family. It also features my favourite screen performance from Katharine Hepburn.

Holiday was the second screen adaptation of Philip Barry’s 1928 play of the same name. During the original run of the play, Katharine Hepburn had served as understudy to Hope Williams, the acclaimed stage actress who played the rebellious Linda. Katharine tried to imitate Williams’s androgenous and swaggering style during the one time she went on to perform in her place, but was left devastated by the negative audience response to her performance. In 1932, during the screen test for her first film, A Bill Of Divorcement, she auditioned for director George Cukor – with whom she would forge a lifelong friendship and professional collaboration – with a scene from Holiday.

Unlike Edward H. Griffith’s lifeless and pretty dated 1930 screen adaptation, Cukor’s adaptation of Holiday feels alive and spontaneous, especially through the performances and the cinematography of Franz Planer. I also love seeing Cary being given the opportunity to show off his acrobatic skills(he had joined the famous Pender circus Troupe when he was fourteen)several times throughout. I also appreciate that Katharine was brave enough to join him in performing a tumbling trick, for which he helped train and prepare her. The fact that this moment looks so effortless on screen is a credit to them both.

This was the third of four films that Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant made together – the others being Sylvia Scarlet, Bringing Up Baby, and their undisputed masterpiece, The Philadelphia Story – and it is my favourite of the lot. One of the things I love most about Holiday is seeing Cary and Katharine actually inhabiting the characters they’re playing, and having fun doing so, instead of coming across as though they are merely reciting lines and going through the motions. I have long felt that up until the end of the 1930’s both Cary and Katharine were stiff actors on screen, both in terms of their performances, as well as in the way that they delivered their lines. Katharine also had a tendency to overact and shout her dialogue in many of her early films such as Little Women(1933). Producers and directors clearly never really knew what to do with Cary right from the start of his career. He often looks awkward in most of the films he made earlier in the decade, but from The Awful Truth(1937) onwards, not only was that magic Cary Grant persona in play, but he had also discovered the ability within himself to actually become the character he was playing on screen. Both actors had become two of the best screen performers of their generation by the time the 1940’s began.

Holiday focuses on John ‘Johnny’ Case(Cary Grant)a self-made man who grew up in poverty and has been working in various jobs since he was ten. Johnny currently works in banking but his heart really isn’t in it. Johnny has been walking around on cloud nine in the wake of his recent whirlwind romance with the glamorous Julia Seton(Doris Nolan). The pair met while holidaying at Lake Placid and want to get married. The film begins with Johnny being invited to her family home to seek the approval of her domineering banker father(Henry Kolker). Johnny is also introduced to Julia’s siblings – gentle and tragic alcoholic Ned(Lew Ayres delivering a deeply poignant performance), who wanted nothing more than to be a musician, but instead found his spirit crushed down by his father who forced him to follow him into banking; and the vivacious, straight-talking and passionate Linda(Katharine Hepburn), who feels stifled by her opulent upbringing and is the only one of the three siblings with the strength and courage to follow her own path in life. Johnny and Linda instantly recognise a kindred spirit in the other. Watching their affection and camaraderie grow is both the highlight and heart of the film. Linda does her best to help Julia and Johnny attempt to bring their father round to agreeing to their engagement. Seton Sr is however appalled to discover that Johnny is intending to quit work for a period(the holiday of the title) in order to discover himself and find a job/profession that he actually enjoys and wants to do. Seton Sr cannot understand anyone who doesn’t just want to make money for its own sake. Johnny’s decision has interestingly become a common situation in the modern world. Nowadays there are many people who are quitting regular jobs and earning their income through mediums such as YouTube channels and Substack for example. People are more aware now of the need for a work-life balance and the importance of finding a job that they actually want to do and find fulfilling and meaningful, but sadly too many still don’t get the opportunity to do this and are stuck in jobs they hate in order to be able to pay the rent, bills and mortgage.

As soon as Johnny arrives at the Seton home on New York’s Park Avenue, it is immediately evident how out of place and overwhelmed he feels by how the family live. The Seton’s sprawling city mansion is all marble, towering columns and overly ornate walls – the vast sets designed by Stephen Gooson and Lionel Banks were Oscar-nominated – and you could fit multiple families inside and never feel even remotely overcrowded. The house feels more like a museum or palace than a home. The only room with a homely feel is Linda’s cherished playroom – a cosy, bright and warm room that was designed by the children’s beloved late mother. The playroom is a space in which to have fun, be creative, seek and find comfort, freedom and relaxation, and to always be honest and open with fellow occupants. Formality and public masks are to be left at the door before entering this magical space.

On the evening of Julia and Johnny’s lavish engagement/New Year’s Eve party, Linda, Johnny, Ned, along with Johnny’s best friends, Susan Potter(Jean Dixon) and her husband, Professor Ned Potter(the fabulous Edward Everett Horton reprising his role from the original)seek refuge in the playroom for a more intimate and fun party. Johnny and Linda begin to realise they are falling in love and don’t know how to react to that fact. You will have to discover how this is resolved for yourself. Interestingly it is the Potters who pick up on Linda and Johnny’s feelings long before they do(the Potters were the original shippers). Nick and Susan are two of my favourite characters from the classic era. They’re so loveable and fun. Theirs is a marriage of complete equality. The banter and chemistry between Edward and Jean is effortless. They provide much of the film’s comic relief. They remind me a lot of Ron’s friends from All That Heaven Allows(1955). I don’t know about anyone else, but I would love to sit and chat with them on all kinds of subjects. They’re a delight and a riot. It is such a shame that this was Jean Dixon’s final film role, although she continued to act on stage and on television for decades afterwards.

I cannot get enough of Cary and Katharine’s performances. They are perfectly in sync throughout. They don’t miss a beat. Nothing about their performances feels rehearsed. There is such a spontaneity, childlike innocence and sense of fun present in so many of their shared scenes. I especially love the scene where Linda is eating an apple and offers Johnny a bite; without missing a beat, Cary takes a bite, then takes the whole apple off her. Look at their body language during the scene where they share a New Year’s Eve dance and then chat by the window. You can see how much they want to fall into each other’s arms, but you can also see the great effort both are summoning up in order to hold themselves back from doing so. I’ve seldom seen two actors convey yearning, tension, intimacy, sorrow so convincingly through body language alone in quite the way Katharine and Cary do here. So much is spoken between them throughout the film through shared glances. They’re so natural and easy together throughout. They really brought out the best in each other here. The deeply moving scene where Linda has a very emotional stand-off with her father always stays with me the most. Katharine gave everything she had to that moment. She breaks my heart every time. Cary is especially superb in the New Year’s Eve scene; you can almost spot the exact second that Johnny realises that he loves Linda. It’s so subtle and perfectly executed.

I have to include a shoutout to Robert Kalloch for his exquisite costumes. My favourites are Linda’s flowing black evening gown, with its white scarf pinned by a jewel, fixed to the shoulder; Julia’s slinky backless lame evening gown; and Julia’s black dress with the flowers on the front. He did some of his best work in this film. I also want to shoutout the great Henry Daniell, usually cast as odious and cold villains, here playing the Seton’s dull and pompous cousin. It’s always a treat to see Henry show up. Do yourself a favour and watch this film. You won’t regret it. A trip to the Seton playroom is what we all need in order to counter the darkness and insanity of the world right now.

This is my first entry for the Classic Movie Blog Association’s Make ‘Em Laugh Blogathon. Be sure to visit the CMBA site to read all the other entries.

I have recently realised that in all the years I’ve been writing that I have never honoured my favourite actress with her own Blogathon celebration. It is time to rectify that. Now is the chance to celebrate all things Audrey Hepburn.

For this Blogathon you can write about any of Audrey’s films, her humanitarian work, her life in general, her status as a fashion icon, any books or documentaries about her life and career, pen a personal tribute. The list of possibilities is endless. For that reason I won’t be accepting duplicate posts, but it is fine for a film or performance to be discussed multiple times if it is part of a list or tribute article. Participants can write up to two posts each if they wish. The Blogathon will take place on June 12th, 2026. Please send me the links to your entries on or before that date. Please let me know as soon as possible if you can no longer take part nearer the time. Please let me know below what you would like to write about, and then take one of the banners to put somewhere on your own site to help promote the event.

Participation List

Classic Film And TV Corner – Two For The Road(1967)

Whimsically Classic – Funny Face(1957)

18 Cinema Lane – The Children’s Hour(1961)

NitrateGlow – The Nun’s Story(1959)

The Midnite Drive-In – Wait Until Dark(1967)

I Found It At The Movies – Charade(1963)

Taking Up Room – Audrey’s WW2 experiences and friendship with Otto Frank

The Everyday Cinephile – Roman Holiday(1953)

Three Enchanting Ladies – Audrey’s film outfits

If you are lucky enough to find your true love somewhere along the way during your walk down the path of life, then you should make sure that you hold them tightly to you and never let them go. Finding your soulmate and the type of love that comes out of that particular bond is rare. It’s more precious than the most priceless of jewels. You are a fool if you close your heart and push that person away because you fear what others will say about who you love, or because you feel that you are past the age that you should or can experience love.

This subject is explored in Breezy, an underrated American film directed by Clint Eastwood – who appears in the film in two brief cameos, one of which is in poster form- which focuses on the relationship between a middle-aged man and a young hippie who meet in California. This was the third film that Clint directed. It is unlike anything else he’s directed since. It’s a film that I wish more people knew about.

The screenplay was written by Joyce “Jo” Heims, a former model, who wrote for both TV and film. She and Clint had first met and become friends while working at Universal. Jo would work with Clint on several projects, including writing the script for the psychological thriller Play Misty For Me, which became his directorial debut. While writing the script for Breezy, Jo had initially developed the character of Frank with Clint in mind, but she rewrote him as an older man after the pair decided that Clint was too young. It is to Jo and Clint’s credit that they were able to make the characters and their situation come across as natural and not remotely sleazy, unpalatable or exploitative. Jo sadly died of breast cancer in 1978, aged just 48.

William Holden was approached to play Frank Harmon. He jumped at the chance. At the time he was approached for the role he hadn’t been in a film since The Wild Bunch back in 1969. He generously told Clint that he would work for no salary, asking instead for a percentage of the profits. The film didn’t do well at the box-office, which led Clint to pay Bill four thousand dollars for his work. I consider his performance here to be the most vulnerable he ever gave. Bill unusually insisted on screen testing with all of the actresses auditioning for the role of Breezy. Nineteen-year-old Kay Lenz was eventually cast as a result of the chemistry between her and Bill. It was noted by Clint that Bill was incredibly gentle and supportive towards Kay throughout the shoot. I think both actors were very brave to take these roles. Clint also gave Kay veto power over the handful of very tender and tastefully shot scenes which feature partial nudity. Unless Kay gave Clint her approval, then those particular scenes wouldn’t be included in the completed film. At the time of her casting in Breezy, Kay had been working in guest roles in TV series such as Ironside and The Andy Griffith Show, as well as having a small role in George Lucas’s American Graffiti. When I first watched Breezy, I couldn’t believe that this had been Kay’s first major role. She is so effervescent and emotionally raw and makes you feel everything that Breezy is going through.

Breezy follows divorced estate agent Frank Harmon. Frank is a cynical and weary middle-aged man who thinks love has now been permanently relegated to his rear view mirror. His soul leaps back into being thanks to Edith Alice ‘Breezy’ Breezerman. Breezy is a homeless, gentle and bubbly young hippie who meets Frank when she hitches a ride from him. After encountering each other a few more times after this, a friendship develops which soon unexpectedly turns into love. The pair have completely different outlooks and life experiences but are drawn to one another like magnets. This is no mere brief and fun fling; this is the real deal. They are each the special someone that the other has been waiting for. My favourite thing about the film are the parts where the pair begin to realise they are falling in love. I think it really hits Frank during the scene on the beach when he takes Breezy to enjoy her first sight of the ocean. Clock his reaction and dawning realisation in the moments after they share a spontaneous kiss. Frank cannot deny it to himself any longer. It’s such a beautiful moment, and I really love how Bill chose to play it.

While Breezy is aware that there is something special developing between them early on, it takes Frank much longer to accept and welcome that fact himself. He initially thinks she is out for nothing more than to take him for money and a roof over her head: “I’m nobody’s fool, sweetheart.” Part of his cynicism and hesitancy no doubt also stems from the widespread distrust and fear of hippies in the wake of the horrific Tate-LaBianca murders committed by the Manson family in 1969. Frank is also very hesitant regarding the age gap between them. They are both aware of the age difference but Breezy isn’t phased at all by that fact. I especially love the scene where Breezy says the following to Frank regarding his response and his age: “Is that how it is, Frankie? Do you stop feeling because the outside of you makes it seem foolish? Is that it? Does becoming older mean feeling foolish? Well, what’s there to look forward to, then, if you can’t go on loving or being loved?” Spot on. This moment really hit me and has always stayed with me since my first viewing.

Breezy and Frank’s relationship gets to a point where all seems good, that is until they are spotted at the cinema(watching Clint’s High Plains Drifter)by Frank’s odious friend, Bob Henderson(a terrific turn from Roger C. Carmel, who will always be the roguish smuggler Harry Mudd to us Star Trek fans).From this point on Frank starts to retreat inside himself again and tries to push Breezy away. He cannot stand Bob’s comments about the relationship and how he turns it into something dirty. This makes Frank become deeply self-conscious now about his relationship with Breezy. The saying goes that the course of true love never runs smooth. That’s certainly the case for Breezy and Frank during the second half of the film. Will they find a way to work through these problems and give the relationship another go? Will it work? You will have to see for yourself.

While Bill and Kay deliver the standout performances, there are superb performances from the supporting cast, including Joan Hotchkis as Frank’s ex-wife, Paula; Roger Carmel as Bob; and Marj Dusay, who delivers a very poignant performance as Frank’s friend Betty. I also must include a shoutout to the scene-stealing, adorable and sad-eyed dog playing the injured stray adopted by Breezy and Frank, who they affectionately dub Sir Love – a – lot. The film’s gorgeous score was written by French composer Michel Legrand. The ethereal and lovely theme song, ” Breezy’s Song”, was performed by American singer Shelby Flint. Clint shot on location around California, including in Malibu; Fisherman’s village in Marina Del Rey; Plummer Park in Los Angeles. The house used for Frank’s gorgeous home is the Triangle House in Tarzana. This is one of those films that managed to capture a specific time and place on film for eternity. Breezy is a hidden gem from William Holden’s filmography. I hope more of his fans check it out.

This is my entry for the 7th Golden Boy Blogathon: A William Holden Celebration, which is being co-hosted over the next couple of days by my pals, Emily at The Flapper Dame, and Ginnie at The Wonderful World Of Cinema. Be sure to visit their sites to read all of the other reviews and articles honouring the life and career of William Holden.

The King And I is one of the most beloved and popular of all the Rodgers And Hammerstein stage and screen musicals. Who can forget all those wonderful songs such as “Getting To Know You”, “Hello, Young Lovers”, “Shall We Dance?” The 1956 film and the stage musical have become legendary. We all think we know this story inside out, but the individuals and events which inspired the hit stage musical, four films, and a short-lived television series, were very different indeed. Before exploring the various adaptations, let us first learn about the true story that inspired this beloved musical.

Anna Harriette Leonowens was born Ann Emma Edwards on November 5th,1831, in India. She was born shortly after her father died. Both her maternal grandmother and mother were Anglo-Indian. Her father had been a British Sergeant in the East India Company’s Corps of Sappers and Miners. She later changed her name to Anna Harriette and dropped the use of Emma entirely. The story she told about her origins was a complete fabrication, most likely done to ensure that she, and later her children, had access to good opportunities and better treatment in society than what they would have unfortunately most likely received if they were open about their mixed-raced heritage.

Anna had a gift for storytelling long before she ever put pen to paper. She claimed to have been born in Caernarfon, Wales, gave her surname as Crawford and said that her father had been a Captain. In reality Anna wasn’t a daughter of the valleys and never even visited Britain until much later in her life. She married Thomas Leonowens in 1849. Thomas was an Irish Protestant who served with the 28th Regiment of Foot, working his way up from the rank of Private to become a Paymaster’s Clerk(not the British officer Anna described him as). The couple had four children together and moved to live in Australia in 1852, and then moved to Singapore in 1857. Thomas died in 1859 leaving Anna and their two surviving children in financial difficulties. Anna established a school in Singapore for the children of British officers. In 1862, she accepted an offer made to her by Siam’s Consul-General to Singapore, Tan King Ching, to travel to the royal court of Siam(present-day Thailand) to take up the post of teacher to the eighty-two children and more than thirty wives and concubines of King Mongkut. Upon accepting the post of tutor to the Royal family, Anna sent her daughter Avis to school in England, and then left for Siam with her son, Louis. Anna was vehemently against slavery throughout her life and was also a feminist. She later became a suffragist and died in Canada, in 1915, at the age of 83. Fellow classic film fans will be interested to know that she was also the great-aunt of actor Boris Karloff.

King Mongkut was born on the 18th of October, 1804, in the old Thonburi Palace, which later became the site of the Royal Thai Naval college which was established by Mongkut’s son Chulalongkorn in 1906. Mongkut had lived as a Buddhist monk for the twenty-seven years before he ascended to the throne in 1851. During this period he went by his ordination name of Vajirayan and sought out a western education – studying English, Mathematics, Latin and Astronomy. Upon becoming King he quickly set about modernising his country, something which would earn him the name “The father of science and technology.” He improved women’s rights, brought in education and religious reforms, banned forced marriage, gave his concubines the freedom to leave the palace and remarry if they wished, and opened up trading relations with other countries. He also wished his family to receive a Western and secular education.Anna served at the Royal court until 1867, first as teacher to the King’s family, and then assisting him as his language secretary. Louis was taught by his mother alongside the Royal children, and he became close friends with Mongkut’s heir, Prince Chulalongkorn.

While Anna was on health leave in England in 1868, the King died suddenly. He and Chulalongkorn had contracted Malaria whilst on an expedition to the village of Wakor to view the solar eclipse. Chulalongkorn survived his illness, but his father passed away on October 1st, and fifteen-year-old Chulalongkorn became the new King. Two years earlier King Mongkut had correctly calculated and predicted the precise type of eclipse that would happen, as well the exact place and time at which it would occur.His calculations were later proved to have been two seconds better than those of the French astronomers, who acknowledged his accuracy. The event became known as “The King of Siam’s eclipse”. Chulalongkorn chose not to continue with Anna’s services after his father’s death, but the pair corresponded regularly over the years, and he remained friends with Louis. Chulalongkorn became one of the most progressive monarchs in Siam’s history, abolishing slavery, establishing sanitary districts, establishing Military and Naval Academies, and bringing in Tax collection reform etc.

In 1870, Anna published her memoir The English Governess At The Siamese Court, which not only brought her immediate fame, but also brought with it claims that several elements had been sensationalised. The book and its sequel, Romance Of The Harem(1873), were the source of great controversy in Thailand and remain banned there to this day – along with Margaret Landon’s book Anna And The King Of Siam, the stage musical and all of the films – due to the historically inaccurate and offensive depiction of King Mongkut. There’s also the issue of Anna being depicted as having influence over the King and some of his decisions. There are also issues with the implication that Chulalongkorn and his father only became concerned about slavery because Anna Leonowens persuaded them it was morally wrong.The alleged incidents she writes about concerning wives who displeased the King being thrown into dungeons, the public torture and murder at the stake of Tuptim and the monk with whom she had fallen in love with, have also been discredited. American William Warren, who was a longtime scholar of Thailand, stated that the watery soil of Bangkok couldn’t support the construction of dungeons or basements, and that there were also no public records of any such incident during the period that Anna mentions. Mongkut’s great-granddaughter Princess Vudhichalerm Vudhijaya stated in a 2001 interview that “King Mongkut was in the monk’s hood for 27 years before he was King. He would never have ordered an execution. It is not the Buddhist way.” There was a Tuptim at the royal court, but she was actually one of Chulalongkorn’s wives, and the Princess also said that Tuptim was her grandmother.

In 1944, American author Margaret Landon published her semi-fictionalised novel Anna And The King Of Siam, about Anna Leonowens, and it sold over a million copies. Darryl F. Zanuck read Landon’s book and bought the rights for 20th Century Fox. The novel was adapted for the screen in 1946 and directed by John Cromwell. Irene Dunne was cast as Anna, Rex Harrison as Mongkut, Lee J. Cobb as the Kralahome, Gale Sondergaard as Lady Thiang and Linda Darnell as Tuptim. The film won two Oscars for Cinematography and Art Direction. I’m just going to come right out and say that this is such a terrible film. The only positives in it for me are the costumes and the sets. In addition to having to endure the awful sight of Rex Harrison and Lee J. Cobb in yellowface, this film is riddled with so many inaccuracies that it becomes laughable. One of the most bizarre examples of this is when Anna’s son Louis is killed in a riding accident at the palace, when in reality he outlived his mother and died in 1919! Pretty much every character in this version is also either unlikeable(especially the King) or comes across as miserable for much of the time. The other screen adaptations are much more enjoyable than this one and most of the cast did far better work elsewhere. It also features an incredibly disturbing sequence, which is especially graphic for the period, showing the execution at the stake of Tuptim and her lover. For a film made at the height of the Hays Code, it’s baffling that it was even allowed to be shot as shown in the first place.That scene is doubly difficult to watch when you know that Linda Darnell was herself killed in a fire in 1965.

In 1950, British actress Gertrude Lawrence’s business manager and lawyer, Fanny Holtzmann, was searching for a new project for her client when she received a copy of Margaret Landon’s book Anna And The King Of Siam. After seeing the 1946 film, Gertrude Lawrence felt that a musical adaptation of the story would work best for her. Cole Porter was initially approached to write the score for the musical but he turned the project down. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were approached next. They purchased the rights to Margaret Landon’s book. The King And I would become their fifth musical. The pair had first met while attending Columbia university, where they quickly became friends, but they wouldn’t work together professionally until decades later. Rodgers was initially in a song-writing partnership with Lorenz Hart before breaking with him in the 1940’s. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first joint collaboration was Oklahoma! in 1943. Various actors including Rex Harrison were considered to play the King on stage but they were either already contracted elsewhere or were too expensive to hire. Actress Mary Martin suggested that her co-star Yul Brynner, with whom she had worked in the 1946 musical Lute Song, should audition for the role. Richard Rodgers would later have this to say about Yul’s audition: “They told us the name of the first man. Out he came with a bald head and sat cross-legged on the stage. He had a guitar and hit his guitar one whack and gave out this unearthly yell and sang some heathenish sort of thing, and Oscar and I looked at each other and said, “well that’s it!” ”

It was clear once rehearsals began that Yul was the perfect choice and he brought an intensity and gravitas to the part. He and Gertrude had incredible chemistry too. Yul was persuaded to shave his head for the role(something he was deeply uncertain about doing)and the new look quickly became his trademark and remained his look ever after. Rehearsals for the production began in January of 1951. Gertrude missed several due to bouts of ill health. When the tryout began in February, the show was running to around four hours long, and Gertrude missed the dress rehearsal but managed to make it through the first public performance. Rodgers and Hammerstein decided that several songs should be cut in order to shorten the running time. A new song was added to the first act called “Getting To Know You”. The show opened on Broadway on the 29th of March, 1951, to rave reviews. Gertrude Lawrence won the Tony for Best Actress In A Musical and Yul Brynner was named Best Featured Actor.

The joy however was to be sadly short-lived. Unbeknown to cast, crew, audiences, and Gertrude herself, Gertrude was dying from undetected liver cancer. Her physical weakness was made worse by the regular dancing she had to undertake and the heavy dresses, weighing around 75 pounds each, that she had to wear on stage. Gertrude began to miss matinee performances and was replaced by her understudy, Constance Carpenter. She began taking more sick leave and the quality of her performance began to noticeably decline. She collapsed after a performance on the 16th of August, 1952, and was rushed to hospital, where she slipped into a coma and died on the 6th of September. She was 54 years old. She became the first actor for whom the lights of Broadway were dimmed after their death. She was buried in the ballgown that she had worn in the second act of the musical. Constance Carpenter replaced Gertrude as the lead actress in the production and gave 620 performances as Anna. Yul Brynner rarely missed a performance during the run. The original production ran until March, 1954, after 1,246 performances. Other actresses who played Anna during the run included Celeste Holm and Patricia Morrison.

The musical was again adapted for the big screen in 1956. It was directed by Walter Lang, and saw Yul Brynner reprise his role as King Mongkut. It is undoubtedly the performance he was born to give. Several actresses including Maureen O’Hara were considered for the role of Anna, but Yul suggested Deborah Kerr play the role and she was eventually cast, with Marni Nixon being brought in to dub her singing voice. Yul and Deborah quickly became friends during filming and remained so until Yul’s death in 1985. The film would go on to win five Oscars, including Best Actor for Yul. Dorothy Dandridge had been the first choice to play Tuptim, but she turned the role down because she no longer wished to play slave roles. Rita Moreno was brought in to do a screen test and won everyone over with her performance and received the role. The film expanded upon the stage show and increased the grandeur and size of the sets. The result was a visual spectacle which wowed audiences around the world. The standout moment has to be The Small House Of Uncle Thomas performance,in which the story of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is performed before the Royal court and distinguished guests, and is depicted as being set in Siam. Deborah and Yul’s chemistry is incredible(if you want to see them together in a more overt romance, then do check out their 1959 film The Journey). That unforgettable sequence where the King slowly walks across to the breathless Anna, slips his hand about her waist drawing her closer to him, and then the pair of them begin to dance around to the strains of “Shall We Dance”, remains one of the most iconic moments in cinema history. For the record, I wish it known that I too long to be flung around a ballroom by Yul Brynner. While I can’t help but cringe at the glaring factual inaccuracies found in all versions of the story, I will always love the 1956 film and the performances in it. It undoubtedly remains one of the best screen musicals ever made, and for better or for worse, this is the one that continues to serve as the introduction for many to the story of the King and Anna. My hope is that I’ve helped share the historical facts and issues with more people and that they will bear them in mind during their next viewing.

In 1972, the story was once again adapted for the screen, this time for television as a CBS comedy series(complete with annoying seventies laugh track). Anna And The King saw Yul Brynner(who was still playing the King on stage at the time)reprised his role as the King, with British actress Samantha Eggar cast as Anna. The series ran for 13 episodes before being cancelled. It remains more of a curiosity piece than anything else. One for Yul Brynner completists only I’d say.

Two big screen adaptations of the story came along at once in 1999. An animated musical was released in March that year, with Miranda Richardson as Anna, and Martin Vidnovic(who had played Lun Tha in the 1977 stage revival)as the King. In December of that year, Andy Tennant’s dramatic adaptation was released. This film starred Chow Yun-Fat as the King and Jodie Foster as Anna. This version is my second favourite after the 1956 one and I’m surprised it’s such an underrated film. Viewed on its own terms it is very good and quite touching. It also has a far more realistic feel about it than previous adaptations. I can forgive Jodie’s dodgy British accent on account of her performance. She and Chow Yun-Fat have a lovely chemistry. Bai Ling undoubtedly delivers the standout performance as the ill-fated Tuptim. What are your thoughts on each of the screen adaptations of this story?

Sources: Anna Harriette Leonowens – Britannica; The Real ‘King and I’ – the story of new Thai King’ s famous ancestor. Reuters. com. 03.05.2019; I And The King: A Delicate Balance by Laurence Maslon. Rodgers and Hammerstein. com; ‘King and I’: History Takes Back Seat. South Coast Today. com. 13.04.1996; Solar eclipse of August 18, 1868 – Wikipedia.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is a deeply moving coming of age story in which a child comes to perceive the adults in her life very differently to how she has done so previously. It is also a tale in which the cruelness of reality encroaches upon the dreams and aspirations of individuals and crushes them to dust in the process. The title not only refers to the tree which grows in the courtyard of the tenement building in which most of the film takes place, but it also refers to the girl around whom the story is centred.

The tree of the title metaphorically refers to Francie Nolan’s desire to get a good education and to grow beyond her poverty-stricken roots in much the same way trees grow until they tower above us out of reach of their ground roots. Francie is hungry for knowledge and wants a better life than the one she has. She is an avid reader and goes crazy for library books the way other children of her age go crazy for sweets. Her ever-loving father does everything he can to support and encourage her dreams and wishes but his battle with the bottle, coupled with his inability to find a well paying regular job, mean that the family remains poor and Francie’s situation remains the same. 

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn holds a very special place in my heart. The film serves to remind us that those of my generation(child of the 90’s here) and younger are so lucky to have been born in the modern era because we have rights, choices and opportunities that just weren’t on the table for the working class in past centuries. It hits home so much because it shows us what our ancestors went through. Think how many children didn’t get an education in the past, or had to give up school in order to start work at a very early age to help their families get more money. Think how many millions of people had their aspirations and dreams crushed by the reality of their lives.I was the first person in my family to be able to go to University. I felt that fact most keenly as I walked into my university for the first time. While I felt great pride at that moment, I also felt deep sorrow for what my parents and past generations of relatives were denied access to.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is an adaptation of the semi-autobiographical debut novel of the same name, which was written by Betty Smith(born Elisabeth Lillian Wehner), and was published in 1943. The novel focuses on the life of Francie Nolan,a poor girl living with her family in the New York tenements during the early part of the 20th century. The novel is split into five sections, with each section focusing on a different period of the characters lives. The novel was hugely successful upon release selling over 300,000 copies in its first six weeks alone.It was a particular hit with soldiers serving in the Second World War and the book was even released in a special Armed Services Edition, which meant that books shipped out to Armed Forces personnel were specially designed to fit into the pockets of uniforms. With its extremely moving story of family and the desire for better options in life, it’s not surprising that the film studios were quick to secure the rights to the book. The bidding war for the rights began even before the novel was actually published, with 20th Century Fox successfully acquiring the rights for $55,000. The film would focus on a specific period in the Nolan’s lives, this in contrast to the book which covers several years. The screenplay for the film adaptation was written by married couple Tess Slesinger and Frank Davis, whose efforts on the script would be rewarded with an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay.

The film marked the feature film directorial debut of Elia Kazan. At this point in time he had mainly worked as a stage actor and theatre director, and had also co-directed the 1937 documentary People Of The Cumberland. Kazan is of course best known for founding the Actors Studio workshop and for the realism he strived to achieve in his films. Kazan did several things during filming to ensure he had as much genuine emotion as possible present in the performances, including encouraging Peggy Ann Garner and James Dunn to bond so that they developed a genuine emotional attachment to one another: the result of which is one of the most touching father/daughter relationships ever depicted on screen. Kazan also used Peggy Ann’s fears and worries about her dad – who was serving in the Second World War at the time the film was being made – to make her become genuinely upset when shooting a particularly emotional scene.

The film would not only introduce a new film director to the world, but it would also resurrect the career of actor James Dunn, who had been a successful star during the early 1930’s, and had co-starred several times with Shirley Temple. By the end of the decade his career was waning partly as a result of his ongoing battle with the bottle. James was cast as the tragic patriarch of the Nolan family and he would win his only Oscar for his poignant and utterly convincing performance here. James knew better than most what this character was going through and who he was.Twelve year-old Peggy Ann Garner was cast in the lead role of Francie. Initially the studio had wanted an older actress to play Francie but Elia Kazan held firm and insisted that a younger actress was cast. It was the right call and Peggy Ann’s performance as Francie is possibly her finest hour on screen. Peggy was rewarded for her powerful performance in the film with a special juvenile Oscar. The studio originally wanted Alice Faye to play Francie’s mother, but Alice was unavailable, and so the search was on to find another actress for the role. Gene Tierney was brought in to do a screentest but in the end Dorothy McGuire was cast. She is superb as the long suffering wife and mother who isn’t really as tough and harsh as she makes out. Joan Blondell shines as Katie’s outgoing sister, Sissy. Ted Donaldson was cast as Francie’s younger brother Neeley and steals every scene he’s in. Lloyd Nolan was cast as police officer McShane, the local beat cop who falls hard for Katie and helps the Nolan family whenever he can.

The film was shot on the 20th Century Fox lot in 1944, with a full stage taken up by a four story replica of a tenement building. At the time it was constructed the set was one of the most elaborate ever to be assembled. Veteran Cinematographer Leon Shamroy lensed the film and provides us with some beautiful photography and use of light. The film begins during summer. Francie Nolan(Peggy Ann Garner)is a thirteen year old who lives with her mum, Kate(Dorothy MacGuire); her food obsessed younger brother, Neeley(Ted Donaldson); and their kind father, Johnny(James Dunn). The Nolan family are poor and rely on the money Johnny brings in from any work he can get as a musician. Unfortunately Johnny is a functioning alcoholic. He tries his hardest to do right by his family but sometimes squanders the small wages and tips he makes on booze instead. Katie and Johnny are desperately in love but Katie is becoming weary of it all. Katie can sometimes be harsher to her children than she means to be, while Johnny in contrast is always gentle and fun.

Katie’s younger and more fun-loving sister, Sissy(Joan Blondell) has been married several times, something which has caused quite the scandal(oh, the horror!). Sissy drops in when she can to brighten Neeley and Francie’s days. Sissy is the healer in this story. She supports her sister, brother in-law, and her niece and nephew and she tries to ease any upset and tension. She’s the sort of person who makes you feel everything will be okay when they’re around. Joan Blondell delivers one of her best performances and makes you miss Sissy when she’s not on screen. Francie is a bright child who loves reading and desperately wants to become a writer. She encourages her father to write a letter to the headteacher of a better school in their area to request a transfer for Francie. To Francie’s delight the request is accepted and Francie is enrolled. When Christmas comes around Katie finds herself pregnant again and the little money they have getting tighter, so she arranges for the family to move into a cheaper and even smaller apartment than they were in before. She suggests that Francie drops out of school and gets a job to help out.

Knowing how shattered his baby will be if she has to give up her dreams, Johnny goes out in the bitter cold to look for any type of work he can get. Tragically he falls ill in the process and dies. Upon his death the family receive such kindness and hear from so many local people how beloved and special Johnny was. Johnny always tried to help people and cheer them up. Francie and Neeley get after school jobs to help out and Katie prepares to bring her third child into the world. Since her father’s death, Francie has retreated into herself and hasn’t grieved properly. She blames her mum for his death and doesn’t think Katie loves her as much as she loves Neeley. This isn’t true of course and soon Francie will begin to see her mum differently. She will also come to accept that her beloved papa wasn’t this perfect figure she so believed him to be(something interestingly that Neeley had already realised while their dad was still alive). At her graduation ceremony Francie will discover just how much her dad believed in her ability to make her dreams come true and succeed. If you don’t cry at this moment then you must be heartless.The film reminds us that while we all obviously have to face reality, there is nothing wrong with being imaginative and having dreams and aspirations. Never let anyone or anything stop you from following your heart and wishes.

I think the film also serves to remind parents that their situation in life should never stop them from actively encouraging their children to follow the path they want to in life. Don’t force your children to take a job or get into a profession that you think they should be doing, instead listen to what your child is telling you about the profession they want to go into, and try your best to support their choice. I also love how positively librarians and teachers are portrayed in this film. When Francie announces she is working her way through the library books in alphabetical order and takes out a book with heavy content more easily understood by adults, the Librarian is clearly bemused, but she lets her take the book despite knowing its content could well go way over her head. The Librarian also selects a purely escapist and more age appropriate novel for Francie to take home in order for her to have a backup book should she struggle with the other one. Library staff are the guardians of knowledge and should never put up barriers in the way of someone wanting to borrow and explore the books in their care. Having worked in libraries myself, this scene always stays with me and always makes me smile. I also love the scene where Francie’s teacher is extremely kind and non-judgemental when she asks to take a pie home from school for the family to enjoy .There is no judgement or interference on the teacher’s part, she responds to Francie gently and doesn’t make her feel awkward. Many who work in schools and higher education will sadly know many students who rely on their educational establishment to provide them with access to food, toiletries etc, and this scene hits home because it is sadly still a reality for many in modern society. It’s just heart-breaking to know that while there has been so much positive change and modernisation in society, there are sadly some things that haven’t changed since the days of the mass poverty and slums that the working classes were forced to live in around the world. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is a beautiful, poignant and heart-warming tale of family, love, hope and overcoming the odds in life. 

While To Catch A Thief isn’t one of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest films, it is certainly his most playful, visually beautiful and stylish. It is also one of his most underrated. His ingenious use of innuendo and subtext here is unforgettable. I love that so much of the film is light and full of comedy and romance, but that it also throws in a couple of quite dark and shocking moments which have more of an impact due to how jarring they are. There’s something in this one for everyone to enjoy. I especially love watching Cary Grant break the fourth wall a couple of times, firstly with that smug look and smile after being kissed by Grace Kelly, and secondly with that truly bemused look while he sits between an elderly lady with a cage of birds and Alfred Hitchcock on the back seat of a bus.

To Catch A Thief is based on the 1952 novel of the same name by American mystery author David Dodge. Hitchcock bought the rights to the novel for $15,000 and then sold it on to Paramount Pictures for $105,000. When Hitch began to work on adapting the novel he hired John Michael Hayes to write the script. The pair had first worked together the previous year on Rear Window(1954). Hayes would also go on to write the screenplays for The Trouble With Harry(1955)and The Man Who Knew Too Much(1956). Much of To Catch A Thief was shot on location in the glorious French Riviera and its beautiful and sunny footage has helped ensure that this remains one of the all-time great summer films.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I always develop the strongest desire to head to the beach whenever I watch this; I doubt that I would be lucky enough to discover anyone remotely like Cary Grant lounging around on the sand when I got there though. I was initially left feeling very disappointed with this one upon my first viewing because its content was so drastically different to the other Hitchcock films I had seen up to that point. I had fallen into the trap of expecting all of his films to be dark and serious and to not deviate from that type of subject matter. My appreciation of the film grew on subsequent viewings and it is now one of my favourites.

To Catch A Thief was the first film that Alfred Hitchcock made for Paramount Pictures. It was also the first of his films to be shot in Paramount’s newly created VistaVision. This higher resolution widescreen process had made its debut the previous year with the release of White Christmas. Along with the likes of 3-D, travelogue films, widescreen and roadshow theatrical releases, VistaVision formed part of Hollywood’s response to the industry-wide recession in America at the time, which was being caused by the increasing popularity of television keeping more people at home and leading to lower audience turnouts in cinemas.

Robert Burks was hired as the Cinematographer and shot his footage in three-strip Technicolor. This was the fifth of twelve films that he would make with the director. His stunning cinematography for To Catch A Thief saw him rewarded with the Best Colour Cinematography Oscar at the 1956 Academy Awards. I wish the Oscar that year could have been shared by Burks and John “Jack” Hildyard, for his equally beautiful Venice location cinematography in David Lean’s Summertime(1955). In my opinion Burks should have received a second Oscar for his truly gorgeous lensing of Vertigo(1958). The legendary Edith Head was hired as the costume designer. This was the second of eleven films that she and Hitch would make together. Her standout costumes in this are three dresses worn by Grace Kelly: the blue chiffon evening dress with its sheer blue wrap; the white strapless chiffon evening dress; and the spectacular gold Lamé ballgown that she wears during the finale. Edith received an Academy Award nomination for her exquisite work here.

Hitchcock wanted Cary Grant and Grace Kelly to play his lead characters John Robie and Francie Stevens. Grace happily accepted the role of the adventurous American heiress. This was sadly destined to be the third and final film that she and Hitch would make together before she left her film career behind to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco the following year. A few years later the director would unsuccessfully attempt to persuade his friend to come out of retirement to play the troubled lead character in his latest film Marnie(1964). Getting his favourite leading man on board however would prove to be something of a challenge. At the time that he was approached by Hitchcock, Cary Grant was retired from the film industry and in no mood to come back to work. The actor had become disenchanted with Hollywood for a variety of reasons and had chosen to step away from the cameras soon after completing the romantic comedy Dream Wife in 1953.Cary felt that he was getting too old to continue on as the romantic lead on screen, and he was also infuriated over the blacklisting and banishment from America of his idol Charlie Chaplin, following in the wake of the communist witch-hunt hysteria of the late forties and early fifties and the infamous HUAC hearings of 1947. Hitch took Cary out to lunch, showed him the script and told him that he would be working with Grace. Eventually the lad from Leytonstone managed to persuade the lad from Bristol to take a chance and step back in front of the camera for him. Cary ended up enjoying his time on the film so much that he continued to make films for the next eleven years before permanently retiring in 1966. This was the third of four films that Cary and Hitch would make together, with their finest hour arriving just a few years later with the stylish thriller North By Northwest(1959).

To Catch A Thief opens in an expensive hotel room on the French Riviera with a close-up shot of a female guest screaming the place down(harking back to similar shots in The 39 Steps and Rope) as she discovers that her jewels have been stolen. I love the visual contrast between the two halves of this opening scene. The scene begins during the day amidst bright sunshine, and then immediately cuts to the darkness of night(this footage is tinted with the same deep green hue present during key scenes in Vertigo)as we see a cat slowly walking along a rooftop. We then witness a hand, clad in black gloves, deftly reach beneath a sleeping woman’s pillow to remove a small jewel case. The police immediately lay the blame for this latest string of jewel thefts at the door of former French Resistance member and notorious jewel thief, John Robie(Cary Grant) – who is known as “The Cat”- due to the current robberies matching his exact modus operandi. John however has long been a reformed criminal and pleads his innocence. He evades the police and sets out to discover who the new “Cat” on the prowl is and set a trap to catch them. John’s criminal history interestingly inverts the director’s frequently used trope of the completely innocent man who is wrongly accused or suspected of a crime and has their ordered life turned upside down. Along the way John becomes romantically entangled with the thrill-seeking American heiress Francie Stevens(Grace Kelly)and sparks fly between the pair. He is also aided in his task to escape the police and prove his innocence by Danielle Foussard(Bridget Auber)the young daughter of his former resistance group colleague; dapper insurance man H.H. Hughson(the always wonderful John Williams); and Francie’s straight-talking and hilarious mother(Jessie Royce Landis), who also has her eyes set on John. Is John Robie really telling the truth about his innocence? Is someone trying to frame him? Just who is the current “Cat” on the prowl?

The relationship and chemistry between John and Francie is the highlight of the film. Both greatly enjoy their back and forth flirtatious banter and ongoing game of one-upmanship. It helps that Grace and Cary have wild chemistry and look like they’re having a wonderful time in these sequences in particular. Pretty much every other line they exchange is a double entendre. Francie interestingly seems to get a thrill out of putting herself at potential risk by telling John that she knows he is the “Cat”, and she even seems turned on by the thought of becoming his apprentice in crime. Her excitement and slightly aggressive pursuit of John make you wonder if she is the “Cat” and is enjoying toying with him for sport during her downtime. When I first watched the film I was utterly convinced that Francie would be revealed as the real thief and that John would face a moral dilemma as to whether or not he should turn her over to the law or let her go. I think the film would actually be a lot stronger if that had been the case. While the eventual reveal of the true “Cat” is certainly a surprise, I feel that the reveal and grand finale of the film lacks the overall emotional and shock impact it could have had if Francie had been the one unveiled instead. I love that during the height of the prudish and ultra-conservative fifties, Hitch not only made Francie the instigator in the romantic relationship, but he also made it clear that she was a single gal who had enjoyed several flings outside of marriage. In John Robie she has finally met her match both in and out of the bedroom.

The innuendo in the script caused much agitation amongst the censors who demanded excisions and rewrites, as well as requesting the removal of that firework sequence, but Hitch stood firm and retained both the firework scene along with copious amounts of risqué dialogue. I also love the hilariously bitchy dialogue during the verbal sparring between Danielle and Francie out at the float, while a bemused and very awkward John looks on as they all tread water. Interestingly it is hinted earlier in the film, during the nouns and adjectives exchange, that John was Danielle’s first lover, and therefore it is hardly surprising that both women get competitive and act territorially around him. To Catch A Thief features many moments and shots that bring to mind previous Hitchcock films and foreshadows future ones. One of my favourites is the nail-biting sequence where Francie gives a nervous John the car ride of his life, which is reminiscent of Ingrid Bergman’s drunken Alicia making Cary’s Agent Devlin very nervous during an evening drive in Notorious(1946). This chase sequence also foreshadows Fiona Volpe giving James Bond a lift in Thunderball(1965) and managing to scare the living daylights out of him with her fast driving. The way in which John, Francie, and the police officers pursuing them during this car chase, lean dramatically to the left and right as they hurtle round the bends in the road is just like Tippi Hedren’s Melanie and her two feathered companions as they arrive in Bodega Bay in The Birds(1963). The car chase sequence takes on an eerie quality once you learn that the road Grace Kelly is speeding down in the film is the same one on which she suffered a stroke and lost control of the car in which she and her youngest daughter Princess Stephanie were travelling in 1982. Grace died the day after the crash.To Catch A Thief is pure escapism. With all the horrors, viciousness and tensions in the world right now, what could be better to lower your stress levels than escaping for a couple of hours to the South of France to spend some time with Grace and Cary? This film is just what the doctor ordered.

This month is Women’s History Month. I thought I would recommend four great films from the classic era that were directed by women. All of these films deserve more views and attention today. Let me know if you’ve seen any of these. I hope you will check them out if they are new to you. These are all either available on DVD or on YouTube.

The Eternal Breasts(1955), which is also known as Forever A Woman, was directed by Kinuyo Tanaka. This deeply moving film follows Fumiko(Yumeji Tsukioka), a mother of two who is diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and must undergo a mastectomy. Fumiko writes about her experience in the form of poems. The film is based on the life of Japanese poet Fumiko Nakajō. Anchored by an unforgettable performance by Tsukioka, this is Tanaka’s magnum opus. Tanaka was one of Japan’s greatest film actresses, and was the muse of fellow director Kenji Mizoguchi, she made history by becoming Japan’s second female director with her directorial debut Love Letters in 1953. This is a hidden gem awaiting discovery by more audiences outside of Japan.

Merrily We Go To Hell(1932)was directed by Dorothy Arzner, the only female director working in America between the end of the silent era and her retirement in 1943. This is one of the most heart-breaking and frank depictions of what it is like to live with an alcoholic. Sylvia Sidney and Fredric March deliver career best performances as Jerry and Joan, the young married couple whose love is tested by Jerry’s crippling addiction to the bottle.

Ida Lupino’s Outrage(1950) was controversial when it was released due to the frankness with which she dealt with the subject of rape and its aftermath. The Hays Code forbade Ida from even using the word rape in the film. Instead the heinous act is referred to as criminal assault. The film follows Ann(Mala Powers)who is stalked and raped while walking home from work one evening. Ann’s attacker is the man who runs the refreshment kiosk at her workplace. He has been verbally harassing her whenever she buys anything from him. As she physically recovers from the incident, Ann cannot stand the fact that her parents, fiancé, and others in her community know what has happened to her. Outrage is so ahead of its time and sadly remains all too relevant today. It’s one of the best films I’ve seen which focuses on the psychological trauma experienced by survivors of rape, assault and abuse. Ida captures the loneliness, the shame, the constant fear, the flashbacks, the recoil from any human touch(however innocent and well intentioned), the PTSD and the completely misplaced feelings of self-blame etc. Watching this one makes you realise how little has changed for women and girls. I consider this to be Ida’s second directorial masterpiece after The Hitch-Hiker, which saw her become the first American female director to make a Noir film.

Shoes((1916) was directed by Lois Weber, one of the most successful and popular American directors of the Silent era, whose films often focused on topical societal issues such as female sexuality, poverty and abortion. Shoes remains one of the most grim and moving films to focus on the daily reality of living in poverty. The film focuses on Eva(Mary MacLaren),the sole breadwinner for her family, who is desperate for a new pair of shoes, as hers are literally falling apart, but she has no spare cash left over. She is so desperate that she agrees to sleep with a man in exchange for money. The film made a star of MacLaren, whose performance lingers long after you’ve finished watching. In a cruel twist of fate, MacLaren herself descended into poverty at the end of her life in the 1980’s.