MOVIE, MOVIE
US, 1978, 106 minutes, Black and White (Dynamite Hands) Colour (Baxter's Beauties).
Dynamite Hands: George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Red Buttons, Eli Wallach, Harry Hamlin, Ann Reinking, Art Carney, Jocelyn Brando, Barry Bostwick.
Baxter's Beauties: George C. Scott, Barbara Harris, Barry Bostwick, Trish Van Devere, Red Buttons, Eli Wallach, Rebecca York, Art Carney.
Directed by Stanley Donen.
Movie, movie is delightful entertainment from director Stanley Donen. While it parodies 42nd. Street (in colour) and so many '30s musicals and the John Garfield slum-boy boxing melodrama (in black and white), we don't laugh harshly at the film but with a certain fondness for coincidences, hoary conventions and cliche dialogue (delightfully co-authored by Larry Gelbart who wrote Oh God). The cast, led by George C. Scott, enters into this spirit even to a mock trailer in the middle of an Errol Flynn Dawn Patrol type movie. The film, though satirical on movie basics and audience response, is nostalgic for the romantic values of the dream factory and rueful that they are gone.
1. An enjoyable and appealing film? An expression of the nostalgia of the '70s? Interest in the history of the movies, the entertainment value? Humour in the memory of the movies? Parody?
2. George Burns and his introduction, explanation of the 'good old days' of the movies, invitation to participate?
3. The enjoyment value of the programme: the musical, the boxing film? The same start, the conventional plots, the humorous dialogue, the cliches and conventions and their gentle parody? The contribution of the trailer ? the parody of Errol Flynn and David Niven in Dawn Patrol?
4. The choice of the topics: the musical, the colour, the Busby Berkley style? Echoing the '30s, the choreography and stylishness of the '70s? The contrast with the black and white photography and the copying of the '30s realistic style? A happy blend of types? A satisfying double bill?
5. The enjoyment of cinema parodies, audience knowledge of the originals? Picking the conventions, remembering the dialogue, the stars made up to look like '30s stars? The musical and the story from 42nd. Street, echoes of Ken Russell's The Boy Friend and its use of 42nd. Street? Ruby Keeler, Ginger Rogers, Warner Baxter? The black and white styles of the '30s boxing film , the hero looking like John Garfield? The echoes of On The Waterfront on the rooftops, the parody of Rocky?
6. The quality of the humour, memories of the past, how much laughing at the conventions, how gentle the laughter?
7. The quality of the writing and its humour: the one-liners and the stressing of the obvious, the use of coincidences, cliches, poses, contrivances, the stock situations and characters and expected reactions? How funny the film, how much sentiment, how much niceness? Clear good and bad, black and white values?
8. The presentation of the musical of the '30s, the lavish treatment and style, the title and the focus on 1933? The conventions of the backstage dram, the announcement of imminent death and Art Carney's humorous presentation of this, problems of money and the $36,000, the mysterious daughter and the coincidence of her turning up, Trixie and her continued fidelity, Isabel and her tantrums as prima donna, the parody of her drinking and the lavishness of her room, her flirting with Dick, he drunkenness and breaking her ankle, Dick and the bungling accountant and his ability to compose songs even on the rooftop, his infatuation with Isabel, the true love, themes of jealousy, the speaking of the truth, the crisis of the show, the need to find the heroine, the humour of getting her to the theatre on time, the policeman helping, the final success, Baxter and his choreographer, the humour of the death and the happy ending?
9. George C. Scott's comic style as Baxter - as the gangster entrepreneur type and the echoes of Ziegfeld? Art Carney and the satire of the doctor and telling the truth? Trixie and her fidelity? Isabel and her glamour? Pop and his words of wisdom, the choreographer and his devotion to Baxter?
10. The hero and heroine - the clumsiness of their meeting, the cake, the meeting on the rooftop and the composition of the songs, ‘it just shows to go'? Dick and his dating of Isabel, jealousy? The heroine and her giving the money, the discovery of her father? The humour of the songs and their lyrics?
11. How well did the film draw on the conventions of the '30s black and white boxing film? The humour of the title and its use? The archetypal character of 'Gloves'? Peanuts, his assistant? The look, the manner of the ex-champ and trainer? The world of the gymnasium, the convention of the delivery boy and his naivety, his ability at punching? The how situation, poverty, the sister with the eye problems, the need for a vast amount of money? Joe's decision to fight? Calling his girlfriend by her full name, Betsy Maguire? The parody of On The Waterfront with the pigeon sequence on the roof? His great successes and the collage of his fighting? The introduction of the world of the gangster with Vince Marlowe, the nightclub sequence and Troubles Moran and her Marlene Dietrich imitation? His hurting Betsy Maguire? His decision to work for Marlowe with the hope of Madison Square Garden? His rejection of Gloves yet keeping him as trainer? The conventions of the collage, the fights., the train and the journeying throughout the United States? The build up to his final fight? The disillusionment with Vince wanting him to take the fall? Gloves and the final advice? The realisation of his deceiving himself, alienating Betsy? The importance of Gloves putting all his wealth on the fight, his mother and father betting the shop? The fight and his going down? The irony of his sister going to Vienna with the gangster boyfriend ? and Joe's comment on gangsters, especially after his fight with him and his own double standards? (His disillusionment with Vince and finding Troubles at his home?) The victory. the shooting of Gloves, the pathos and the heavenly choir at his death? The vengeance and Joe going through law school quickly to prosecute.. his summation in the court case. everybody happy. the jury giving its verdict without retiring? The immortal words of Gloves and his being seen in the centre of the screen giving the final words of advice? The moralising of the '30s films?
12. George C. Scott and his interpretation of Gloves, past glories, advice, the good man. his death? Peanuts and his assistance?
13. Vince and the suave gangsters, the manner in the nightclub, the pressure on Joey, Troubles at his house? Johnny as a young gangster and his love for Angela? Joe's reaction?
14. Joe as the naive young man, ability, deceived by success? His law ambitions? The tender and sentimental sequences with Betsy? The conventions of Betsy as the town librarian and shy? The Popchiks and their home, Joey's reference to it as the next slum, their arguments., support of Joey at his training.. arguments? Angela as the sweet young sister, the love for the gangster, going to Vienna and being cured?
15. Slum life and the contrast with wealth, the world of the fights, the conventions of the court sequences?
16. The humour of the dialogue, the parody of the style of the '30s. the one-liners, the jokes about eyes, the earnest way in which all these lines were delivered?
17. The successful tone of the actors and actresses in not ridiculing their material but making it humorous and even engaging?
18. The film and its humour and its insight into how people respond to basic stories, sentiment, feeling, success? A satisfying piece of American nostalgia?
