JULIA MISBEHAVES
US, 1948, 99 minutes, Black and white.
Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Lawford, Cesar Romero, Lucile Watson, Nigel Bruce, Mary Boland, Reginald Owen, Fritz Feld, Aubrey Mather, Henry Stephenson.
Directed by Jack Conway.
Julia Misbehaves has been described as a desperate attempt to find a vehicle for a fading star team, Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon had many successful box office films in Blossoms in the Dust, Mrs. Miniver, Mrs. Parkington, Madame Curie etc. After this film they were to make The Miniver Story, Scandal at Scourie and appear together in That Forsyte Woman.
However, while the film is rather silly, in retrospect it is quite entertaining. Greer Garson seems to relish the opportunity to change her image (if not persuasively). Walter Pidgeon is not a particularly good comic actor but has a nice sense of timing and seems to enjoy things. Elizabeth Taylor appears. most attractively, as their daughter. She receives her first adult screen kiss from Peter Lawford. There are some excellent people in supporting roles, notably Cesar Romero as an acrobat, Mary Boland as his alcoholic mother. The whole thing has been seen in various guises before but, played for laughs, it is not unenjoyable.
1. An entertaining comedy, farce? Impact in the late 1940s? Now?
2. The stars and their reputations, expectations? Greer Garson's success at being light, flighty, sexy and silly? Walter Pidgeon succeeding in comedy, as a clod and a clown? The attractiveness of Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Larvford? The supporting cast and their contribution, style?
3. M.G.M. and its treatment of light comedies? London locations, Paris - in the studios? Stunts and acrobatics? Comedy timing. farcical styles - the muddy ending!
4. The familiarity of the basic plot: the war, marriage, break-up, two separate lives, a wedding, snobbery, motivations? The situations leading to comedy?
5. The farcical aspects - and their continued popularity? Mistaken identities, revelations?
6. Greer Garson as Julia: the mock suicide, her bath scene, the boat, the encounter with Freddie, the performance on stage and the farcical acrobatics, her singing? Her arrival, the encounter with Susan, her maternal instincts coming to the fore, the money and her cadging from the Colonel, her intervening and changing the colours for the wedding, organising the picnic for Susan to be with Richie? Freddie's arrival, the complications, the announcing of the engagement? Her urging Susan to elope? The family clashes? The ending in the mud? Sprightly sequences with Walter Pidgeon, the battle of the sexes?
7. The contrast with Walter Pidgeon's Bill: domination by his mother, wanting success, love for Susan, everything proper, going to Paris and enjoying the show with Julia, the encounter with Freddie's mother, his changing his mind about love for Julia, the rehearsal, taking her out on the boat and its sinking, the clash with Freddie, the set-up with the Colonel and exposing Julia? The elopement and the finale?
8. Bill's mother and her severity, snobbery? The vicar and the English atmosphere? The in-laws at the wedding rehearsal? Hollywood version of England, English characters and manners?
9. Susan and Richie - the initial clash, Richie's kissing her, Susan resembling her grandmother, snobbery? Richie and the painting of Lady Godiva, kissing Susan? The picnic and their being thrown together? Susan seeking her mother's advice? Julia advising Richie? The elopement and the happy ending?
10. The comedy with Freddie and the acrobats, the alcoholic mother - on the ship's funnel, her encounter with Bill in Paris, the arrival at the house? Freddie and his serious tones - and his shock at Julia's relationship with Bill?
11. The Colonel and the girls, the encounter with Julia, the fashion shop and Julia's tricking him, his conniving with Bill and exposing her?
12. Pleasant unreality - what if... and would be... ?
