THE REFORMER AND THE REDHEAD
US, 1950, 90 minutes, Black and White.
Dick Powell, June Allyson, Cecil Kellaway, David Wayne, Ray Collins, Robert Keith, Marvin Kaplan.
Directed by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank.
The Reformer and the Redhead is a pleasant social comedy of 1950. It has echoes of the films of Frank Capra with their optimism about individual heroes and their exposing of wealthy corruption. It is a star vehicle for husband and wife team Dick Powell and June Allyson. June Allyson is, as usual, a fiery heroine, Dick Powell the sympathetic orphan who wants to become mayor and compromises with the powers that be. Ray Collins is the corrupt commodore with Kathleen Freeman giving an amusing turn as his niece. David Wayne is the adviser - playing in much the same way as he did in Adam's Rib. The supporting cast includes Cecil Kellaway and Robert Keith.
There is a lot of comedy involving animals, especially lions. There are enthusiastic rallies of orphans to help in the election campaign. There is also romantic comedy and emphasis on honesty and integrity in public life. The film was written, produced and directed by the team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, directors of many comedies over several decades.
1. Entertaining comedy, romance, political themes?
2. MGM production, the strong cast, the stars? Musical score?
3. The title and expectations? Focus on the central characters?
4. The introduction to the commodore, his big-game hunting, the fraud? Lily accompanying him? Their return to the town, their position in society? The land and the cover-ups? His cronies in politics? Looking for the mayoral candidate? The meetings, the decision to support Andrew, their hold over him? Public appearances? Comeuppance? Lily and her fight with Kathy?
5. Kathy and her father, his work in the zoo, love of animals? His dismissal? His care for the lions? His love for his daughter, concern about Andrew? Kathy and her fight with Lily? Going to Andrew's office, the encounter with Arthur and Leon? Andrew and his interest in the case, her talking bluntly to him, taking him home, the incident with the lion, helping with the giving birth? Staying to dinner? Changing his attitude? Going to Sacramento and finding the documents against the commodore? Moving from his support? The political compromise? Kathy in love with Andrew? Her disappointment? Giving him the letter from her dead mother? Her listening to his speech? His change of heart, in pursuit of him? The comedy with the lions?
6. Andrew, his background, reform candidate? Arthur and his advice? The encounter with Kathy, changing him? Going to Sacramento? Compromising with the commodore? The importance of their campaign, Kathy and her ideas, the orphans, the rallies, the various national groups? Reading the letter? Kathy's visit? On the street in his pyjamas? His change of heart, his speech? The final comedy with the lion?
7. Arthur and his advice, cynicism, helping Kathy, friendship, support? Leon and his wanting a raise, getting drunk, telling Tim the truth?
8. Tim, his friendship, the law? Discovery of the truth, telling Kathy? His getting Leon to tell him what had happened?
9. The popularity of this kind of movie? Romance and comedy? Town politics? Corruption - and exposure and the prevailing of integrity? The various ways this was done over the decades?
