mkilmer

TOPAZE (1933) is a funny movie. It is also a dramatic tale of how corrupt the writers (Ben Hecht/Benn Levy) find the capitalists to be. The capitalist in question is the Baron Philippe de La Tour (Reginald Mason) who is carrying on an affair with a girl called Coco (Myrna Loy). There is no compunction involved, and they carry on as if married. Only they're not.

The Baron La Tour wants to sell bottled water but his "scientific backing" bails on him because the water is not what is advertised. With the help of his paramour Coco, Baron Le Tour finds another scientist in the form of his son's recently fired schoolmaster, Professor Auguste A. Topaze. Unwitting and somewhat naïve, Topaze lends his name to the water which henceforth bears his name, Sparkling Topaze.

Dr. Topaze eventually discovers that, by gosh, he's being used. What he does is the perfect answer to capitalism, because it is done like a true capitalist.

The "evil capitalist" argument has never died, in this era when corporations and oil companies and big pharmaceuticals, etc., are blamed for the sundry world ills, so the story is not really dated. Barrymore is brilliant, owning the role, and Myrna Loy is dazzling. Mason is quite good as the Baron, Jobyna Howland delightful as his wife, and Jackie Searl is a joy as their son, Charlemagne de La Tour, who is something of the nemesis of Dr. Topaze.

This movie is a gem.

Cagney was great as a stubborn smart aleck, and that is what the James Cagney had a great manner of getting the girl, whether it be Bette Davis in THE BRIDE CAME C.O.D. (1941) or Gloria Stuart in HERE COMES THE NAVY (1934).

In HERE COMES THE NAVY, Chesty O'Conner (Cagney) joins the navy simply to have a shot at a rematch brawl with naval officer Biff Martin (Pat O'Brien). On board, he wants to take O'Brien's girl who turns out to be his sister (Stuart). He befriends Droopy Mullins, a sidekick type splendidly played by Frank McHugh.

This was a delightful film, a must for fans of Cagney's humor. And for navy buffs who like to note the service between the world wars, as the Department of the Navy is cited as cooperating in this film.

Oh, and my wife reminds me to point out that there is a blimp in this picture. It is dated to that extent, but its themes and comedy are always applicable. (The blackface scene being the notable exception, but as such attitudes were very present in yesterday's Hollywood, we must bit our lips and let them pass. In this film, the actual African American characters look at Cagney in blackface as if he were goofy. They, too, let it pass.)

This was a nice introduction to sound film put together by MGM with most of their biggest stars. Conrad Nagle starts as the master of ceremonies, but he disappears part way through the film and is replaced by Jack Benny. We never see Nagle again, and I've no idea why.

The highlights are many, including a young Joan Crawford, splendid "gams" and all, singing a song. Buster Keaton is as fantastic as we'd expect. Some of the choral numbers in between the real performances tend to drag, but they were gunning for the two-hour mark.

One part was somewhat troubling. Lon Chaney does not appear in the review, but there is a scene where an actor sings a warning to actresses portraying little girls, warning them that Lon Chaney, the actor, is going to sneak up at any moment and kill them all. I had read he was a gentleman in real life, but you go figure.

If you enjoy old cinema, its studios, and most especially its stars, you should enjoy this as a step back in time.