CHAMPAGNE FOR CAESAR
US, 1950, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Ronald Colman, Celeste Holm, Vincent Price, Barbara Britten, Art Linklater, voice of Mel Blanc.
Directed by Richard B. Whorf.
Champagne for Caesar is very much a film of 1950. However, the entertaining screenplay and the performances ensure that it is still very entertaining.
Ronald Colman, in one of his final roles, is an unemployed genius. Interested in a television quiz, he goes on and decides to win all the money and the soap company which sponsors the show. The owner of the company is played with great eccentricity and mannerism by Vincent Price. Art Linklater, the radio and television host, later to become author, anti-drug campaigner and humanitarian, is the compere. (Linklater was still living at the beginning of the 21st century in his 90s with his wife whom he married in 1935.)
Colman is superb as presenting the unflappable Englishman. He had many excellent roles in the 1930s including the classic Tale of Two Cities. He won an Oscar in 1947 for A Double Life. Celeste Holm is the villain who falls for him – she also won an Oscar in 1947, best supporting actress for Gentleman’s Agreement. She was also nominated in following years for Come to the Stable and All About Eve. She had appeared in such films as High Society but concentrated on television as did Barbara Britten who plays Ronald Colman’s sister.
The film shows the popularity of quizzes in the American entertainment world. It also shows the beginnings of commercial television and the popularity of radio as well as poking fun at sponsors and advertising.
Caesar of the title is a parrot who is able to talk – but also is a recovering alcoholic (voiced by Mel Blanc who was to voice many characters in cartoons in Hollywood).
1. An entertaining comedy? Of 1950? Of media, television and radio, the popularity of quizzes, audiences, sponsorships? Its relevance in later decades?
2. The black and white photography, Los Angeles, the city and homes, the studios? Offices of big companies? The musical score?
3. The plausibility of the plot – the unemployed genius, his answering quiz questions, his plan to win the soap company? Later quiz champions – on such programs as Jeopardy?
4. The opening, the tongue-in-cheek looking at Frosty, her sunbaking, the men looking at her – and her then becoming a minor character in the film, sympathetic?
5. Beauregard Bottomley as her neighbour, his imperturbable reading, his reading everything, knowing everything? The confirmed bachelor? Living with his sister Gwenn? Their going to watch the science program in the shop window, stopping to watch the quiz program? His thinking that the quiz was the destruction of knowledge and education? His decision to go on the show, his winning? His decision to continue – and the growing popularity, being a celebrity, in the papers and magazines, people wanting his autograph? The build-up to the forty-million-dollar question? His going to the employment agency, genial, going to the soap office, the eerie atmosphere, voices but no people, people appearing and disappearing? His going to Burnbridge Waters’ office? His reaction to Waters? His answering him back, Waters dismissing him? His motivation for wanting to take the factory over?
6. Burnbridge Waters, Vincent Price’s idiosyncratic performance? His voice? Sitting in contemplation and not in contact with the world? His suddenly coming to? The first meeting with Bottomley, not employing him? The show, his fears with Bottomley’s success? The board meetings and his high-handed treatment of his staff? The plans and plots with Happy Hogan? His desperation? Meeting Bottomley and taking him around the factory? His getting ideas? His scheming? His calling in Flame O’ Neill? Wanting to upset Bottomley? The questions, his being in the studio and watching? Flame getting the question about relativity? Einstein himself ringing in to confirm that the answer was correct? The final deal with Bottomley?
7. Happy Hogan, the genial announcer, his meeting with Gwenn, not noticing her, polite? Waters forcing him to find out more about Bottomley’s real life? His falling in love with Gwenn, their going out together, Bottomley’s suspicions? The build-up to the sessions, the final question? His wanting to marry Gwenn whether Bottomley had money or not?
8. Flame O’ Neill, hard-hearted, the set-up, coming in as Bottomley’s nurse, her performance, sleeping on the couch, laughing? Upsetting him? Flirting, twittering, not coming on the date, setting him up with the explanations? Getting the question out of him? His falling in love with her, going out, her terrible driving? At the studio? Her change of heart? Her wanting to marry him even if he had no money? The happy ending – and his having the car and all the wealth?
9. Gwenn, commonsensed, the piano lessons, Gerald and his visits and comments? Her attraction towards Happy Hogan, his not noticing her, Bottomley and his disregard, undermining her relationship with Happy Hogan? Her suspicions of Flame, her turning the tables on Bottomley? The final show, his losing? The issue of the money? Weddings?
10. Gerald, the neighbour, helpful? Frosty and her helping out?
11. The visualising of the show? The audiences, the cult of celebrity? The sponsorship? The issues of popularity of the soap, the popularity of the program and the interrelation between the two?
12. A bright comedy, performances, witty dialogue, satirical approach?
