jamil-5

OK, guns are too readily available in the United States. OK, guns don't kill people...people kill people. I also understand that so-called "Law-abiding citizens" commit a large percentage of the murders in the United States. There is no doubt that the murder rate would decrease if weapons ownership were restricted to cops and crooks. So what? The makers of this tedious movie were more interested in scoring debating points and "making people think" about firearms issues than they were in making an entertaining film. "Joe" makes his point by killing a few people with his sniper rifle...but, hey, it's OK, because they're BAD people. Gimme a break! Perhaps the film's makers end up making their point by virtue of the fact that some wacko like "Joe" has access to a sniper rifle. The novelty wore off quite quickly. This is a b-o-r-i-n-g film.

The titles call this film "Old Heidelberg." Perhaps the longer title was added later to cash in on the popularity of Romberg's operetta, "The Student Prince," or to differenciate this 1927 silent film from an earlier version. Although director Ernst Lubitsch is a bit ham-handed about hammering home the fact that the obligations of royalty can lead to unhappiness (characters musing about how wonderful it must be to be a prince/king...the irony is too heavy-handed, which isn't like him), the point, at least, does get made. The movie abounds in gorgeous, evocative images that enhance the dramatic situations. There are many very telling moments that reveal the Master's touch...the prince steps out of the train, his momentary jealousy when he sees Kathi's popularity with the students, his stiff reunion with his former friends, who can no longer be his friends, and his realization of it. Ramon Novarro is an eager puppy-dog of a prince, charmingly, almost unbelievably, naive and enthusiastic, which makes his dilemma all the more touching as he begins to realize that there are some things a king can't have; if Norma Shearer, by comparison, seems more calculating and "actressy," she's still quite effective (when she and Karl Friedrich embrace before he heads back home because of his uncle's illness, her eyes tell you that she suspects she may never see him again), and the lesser roles are cast to near-perfection. After performing as a successful screen villain, Jean Hersholt was so good as the Prince's loyal tutor and companion that he established a nearly-unshakable image of weary kindliness. Production values are high--Lubitsch spent a lot of money but, in this case, it wasn't wasted. As one who generally finds silent films hammily-acted and dated in sensibility, I was pleasantly surprised to find this movie so absorbing. The Carl Davis score with which it is now shown, was added much later and does its own part to enhance the movie. Highly recommended.

I just watched it last night. The mixture of Michener stories is skillfully managed in the musical book but the movie moves at a glacial pace and switches uneasily back-and-forth between a stylized, staginess and gritty realism. Giorgio Tozzi, who was Brazzi's singing voice, ended up playing the part of de Becque onstage (to very good effect...they could have used him in the movie!) after his Met career was over. Did anyone notice these three names in the final credits: Joan Fontaine (as a lark) was one of the Polynesian women; Beverly Aadland (Errol Flynn's last girlfriend when she was a teenager) played a nurse, and Doug McClure appeared briefly as a wounded pilot. Joshua Logan's use of color filters in the musical scenes was inspired by the lighting in the original Broadway musical. He was told that, if he changed his mind about it, the filtering could be undone. He did change his mind after the film was assembled but was then told that it would be too expensive to undo so he was stuck with it and the result is frequently bizarre and pretentious. Pedantic point: if France Nuyen's Liat can't speak English, how can she mime Juanita Hall's words in "Happy Talk"? I've never been completely satisfied with this 1958 movie or with the 2001 TV remake, which does have a swifter, more realistic (despite the integrated military) quality to it. I admire Glenn Close's performance in the 2001 version as Nellie even though she really was too old and seemed too sophisticated to play a self-described "hick." I could do with a lot less Luther Billis, whose stupid clowning is reduced in the 2001 version...a point in its favor. His antics never amused me and he holds up the action. In the 1958 version, Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr (Unlike some commentators, I think he's absolutely right for Lt. Cable), Juanita Hall, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, and the rest of the cast are excellent. In the final analysis, I think the 2001 version does more justice to Michener and the 1958 version does a little more justice to Rodgers and Hammerstein. They are both enjoyably frustrating, if that's not an oxymoron!