Stingaree

STINGAREE was the first of the great Irene Dunne musicals: SWEET ADELINE; ROBERTA; SHOW BOAT; HIGH, WIDE, & HANDSOME; and JOY OF LIVING, count ‘em, six films (aside from 1930's LEATHERNECKING, but no one counts that!) is all you got. How can that be? She's my favorite! She sang in other pictures, but these six were the full-blown star vehicles for Kern's favorite movie soprano. Without a doubt, STINGAREE is the strangest, and, oh yeah, Jerome Kern is no where to be heard. We get some "Martha" and "Faust," and mostly several reprisals of a song called "Tonight is Mine," written by the talented Australian bandit, the Stingaree, himself. He let's her have this song, dedicated to her, and thus sets her on her path to international Opera acclaim. Sure, she is assisted by impresario Conway Tearle, and along the way we meet dignitaries and governors and even Disraeli, but no one can ever touch her true heart like the Stingaree could. And why not, after all, it is RKO's resident veteran stud, the Rod Taylor of the Twenties, Mr. Richard Dix who is portraying the dashing, debonaire, and musically inclined robs-from-the-rich, etc, legend. We get the music, the scenery, the costuming, the lush period detail, the horses, the chases, the fisticuffs, the... hey, what is this, a Richard Dix western, or is it one of the great Irene Dunne musicals? Well, there you have it. Based on E. W. Hornung's (RAFFLES) novel, STINGAREE is one of the most neglected, forgotten hybrids of the decade. It was screened in Syracuse last year, and while everyone questioned the reasoning behind its creation, all agreed it was an unusual, entertaining achievement. For STINGAREE is, in fact, a rather exciting (if fabulously improbable) action picture AND a desert topping. It was one of the big RKO releases of that season, and as such, boasts the best the studio could muster, and this included some important character work by some of our finest, including Andy Devine as Mr. Dix's (and the pictures') comedy relief side-kick (another vote for "it's a western"). Henry Stephenson (DOUBLE HARNESS; HEARTS DIVIDED; CONQUEST), not to be confused with another marvelous actor, James Stephenson (THE LETTER), is on hand to play the husband of a flighty, self-important woman who attempts to stand in poor Irene Dunne's way, and who else could portray such a woman but the great Mary Boland? Not simply a pitiful comedic plot device, Boland's fearless performance blends the charming and the likeable (and often purposefully annoying) Mary Boland, with un-reigned egoism, calculated duplicity, and an unexpected Agnes Moorehead-level guile. Let's hope they can find the funding to restore this classic!

Richard Dix and Irene Dunne, both from Cimarron, star in this very strange little film about an opera-loving outlaw on the run. Richard Dix happens to meet Irene Dunne and hears her sing. When Mary Boland (who is a total hoot as a self-absorbed patron of the arts and herself), from Greer Garson's Pride and Prejudice, won't let her audition for an influential friend, but only sings herself in her own off-key and shrill way, Dix fixes it so that Irene can audition for the V.I.P., despite the fact he puts himself at risk in doing so. As usual, Dix likes to ham it up, but endears himself at the same time. Ms. Dunne has never sung better in some very dramatic songs. And, what this film may lack in some technical ways and by feeling rather dated and old, it makes up for in originality and presentation. Overall, I liked it, despite its flaws and its incredibly unrealistic ending! Just go with the flow with Stingaree!

"Stingaree" is a comedy romance with drama, mystery, crime and even music. Much of it takes place in the wilds of Australia, so one might consider it also a Western. Then there's a fairy tale aspect of the mean step mother and the oppressed girl. It struck me also as a sort of Robin Hood of the bush. One can see bits of all sorts of genres in this film. It's a sort of swashbuckler romance with an outlaw and a fair maiden with a beautiful singing voice.

So, what's not to like about a film that gives an early look at a very talented Irene Dunne with a talented leading male actor from the silent screen age, Richard Dix? The filming location in Sherwood Forest of California represents the pastoral setting of Australia. The scenes of Hilda Bouverie's (Dunne) theater performances were filmed at Universal studios.

Dix and Dunne give good performances, as do all of a fine supporting cast. They include a young Andy Devine, old hands Mary Boland and Henry Stephenson, and Conway Tearle, Una O'Connor and Reginald Owen. As others note, this is one of several early films in which Dunne gets to use her beautiful voice for a number of songs.

This is an entertaining film that most movie buffs should enjoy - including the fairy tale ending. To some it may be preposterous, but to those of us who are still young of heart, it's a nice fairy tale for adults.

The red flags went up the moment I spotted William A. Wellman's name as the director of this hybrid western/musical which has RICHARD DIX as an Australian bandit named "Stingaree" who also happens to be a noticeably ungifted song writer responsible for some of the numbers IRENE DUNNE is forced to sing in this film. He's a bandit who finances the career of a pretty operatic singer. (One number, in particular, gets quite a tiresome workout from Dunne's quavering soprano).

Wellman's name is usually associated with much sturdier material than he has here--films like WINGS, BEAU GESTE and THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY. On the other hand, STINGAREE is not a formulaic musical so perhaps he knew what he was getting into.

While Miss Dunne is one of my favorite actresses (and I know she was chosen to play Magnolia in James Whale's SHOW BOAT), she has never been one of my favorite sopranos and this film didn't change my mind at all. Indeed, the film itself does nobody any great favor because the plodding script goes off in so many different directions, you're never quite sure whether it's meant to be serious or comic. Only when ANDY DEVINE and MARY BOLAND give out with some non-subtle comic relief in supporting roles can we be sure what the intentions are.

Let's just say that not every film that turns up on TCM's "lost and found" package of RKO films deserves to be resurrected--nor are they necessarily classics, so to speak. STINGAREE is one of them, best forgotten as an outmoded and lumbersome sort of film easily ignored unless you happen to be an ardent admirer of either Miss Dunne or Mr. Dix, both of whom have done better work elsewhere.

Dunne excelled in the '30s and '40s as a woman who was usually one step ahead of, and smarter than, the man (a more feminine version of the characters Katharine Hepburn often played). As the ingenue of a mixed up western, she's not exactly in her element and Richard Dix (even with a mustache) is just as hard to believe as a bandit as Nelson Eddy was in THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST. At least he and Jeanette had some good songs to sing.

For comic relief, we have reliables like ANDY DEVINE, MARY BOLAND (a stridently over-mannered performance), HENRY STEPHENSON and UNA O'CONNOR on hand, but nothing really helps.

Summing up: A curious misfire that must have had a target audience once upon a time in pre-code 1934, but that audience no longer exists outside a small clique who love anything made in the '30s, whether good, bad or indifferent, as long as TCM presents it. The title song sounds suspiciously like a Rudolf Friml reject.

Trivia note: Dunne and Dix were both better received in CIMARRON made three years earlier and without music.

Australia, 1874. The famous bandit Stingaree is in the neighborhood; the prominent London music producer, Sir Julian Kent, is also visiting. Everyone is excited:

Mrs. Clarkson (Mary Boland), the nutty (and annoying) lady of the vast Clarkson estate, is determined that she will impress Sir Julian with her singing. Mr. Clarkson (Henry Stephenson) is not so sure, but he is curious to see the famous Stingaree.

Servant girl Hilda dreams of singing for Sir Julian herself—but Mrs. Clarkson is banishing her to the neighbors' during his visit. Hilda is crestfallen….might Sir Julian have been her once chance of escape from this lonely life?

Irene Dunne is wonderful as Hilda, and her performance makes this picture worthwhile. When she sits down at the piano, thinking herself alone, and sings—what a beautiful song, and scene.

Richard Dix is rugged yet refined as Stingaree, the dashing and notorious outlaw. He excels at disguises, takes bold risks…and has a keen appreciation for music. One very exciting moment: he's leaving in a hurry, cops in pursuit — he races toward the front door — sees Dunne standing there — picks her up in his arms and carries her off with him!

Andy Devine plays it fairly straight as Stingaree's loyal sidekick, Howie. (Neither Dix nor Devine attempts to sound remotely Australian or English, by the way—with the exception of Devine's hilarious phony accent when helping set up a robbery.) Conway Tearle is the devoted and reliable Sir Julian—it's a good performance but the role doesn't offer much except bland sincerity and mild passion.

The plot is outrageously silly—a suave criminal with a musical ear finds a girl in the sticks who sings like an angel and he risks life and limb to promote her career.

Nevertheless, the picture certainly has its moments. It's not every 1930s operetta-style musical that is highlighted by its songs, at least not to my taste…but Irene Dunne's singing really is most excellent, and she creates a character we do want to cheer for. A couple of neat plot turns offer pleasant surprises right up to the rather abrupt but satisfying ending.

Odd—but entertaining.