Posts: 31,835
Threads: 2,433
Joined: Oct 2005
Reputation:
3
Capra directs young Barbara Stanwyck & Gary Cooper in a B&W political satire. Barbara saves her newspaper column job by faking a letter to the editor by John Doe that is politically charged. The paper doubles in circulation and Gary is a hobo enlisted to be John Doe. The column snowballs into a national movement. Strange to watch now given the state of US politics. This film is very patriotic in the end - a cry for the common man combating the tyranny of capitalism.
No sword fights. DOOM recommended for those classic film buffs.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
Posts: 14,643
Threads: 919
Joined: Jan 2016
Reputation:
1
i went through all the Capras in film school. It kind of made me not watch Capra, especially when I could be watching Preston Sturges.
I compare John Doe to A Face in the Crowd although Face is much darker, especially if you consider it in light of the character Andy Griffith made famous later on in his career on the Andy Griffith show.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
Posts: 31,835
Threads: 2,433
Joined: Oct 2005
Reputation:
3
Interesting. I'n not a huge fan of Capra but he did define an era in filmmaking. I suppose that's why he fails to move me - sort of like how Van Halen typifies his style of guitar riff.
You've mentioned Sturges before. I should really explore him more.
For me, Barbara Stanwyck will always be Victoria Barkley. I watched The Big Valley faithfully as a kid, mostly because I was a big fan of The Six Million Dollar Man.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
Posts: 14,643
Threads: 919
Joined: Jan 2016
Reputation:
1
08-05-2020, 10:33 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-05-2020, 10:35 AM by Greg.)
We did a compare and contrast between Capra and Sturges in my screwball comedy class. It was quite informative. The way it was explained was that Capra was this steady glow of fame for decades while Sturges was this firework that blazed for a few years. Sturges was the example of a director who really needs a strong producer to keep him in check. He was never as good once he set out on his own. But for a period of five years there was no better comedy director in Hollywood. His crowning achievement would be Sullivan's Travels which is a movie about move making and the power of laughter. It could also be seen as a jab at Capra because the director in Sullivan's Travels wants to make a picture with a message. And Capra's pictures were always heavy on message.
The one weakness of Travels is the use of a Steppin Fetchit character. It's hard to watch but was derigueur for the time.
Stanwyck was huge in this era moving from screwball comedies to film noir. She's really good in The Lady Eve, another Sturges picture that stars Henry Fonda.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
Posts: 31,835
Threads: 2,433
Joined: Oct 2005
Reputation:
3
Interesting. We're mostly watching classics on Hoopla and Kanopy because they are free and seldom disappoint like present day cinema. Both collections are odd - some great stuff, some odd stuff, difficult to search unless you know what you're looking for - but what do you want for free? It tides us over between Netflix DVDs and PBS programs.
I did tried to watch The Six Million Dollar Man and The Big Valley recently, within the last year or so. They were nostalgic for me, but I could hardly get through them. Neither holds up well. Lee Majors was a terrible actor.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
Posts: 14,643
Threads: 919
Joined: Jan 2016
Reputation:
1
How dare you, Sir! Besmirch not the name of Lee Majors.
I hope you were watching the Bigfoot Episodes. Every time I worked at Universal and saw the collapsing I thought of how poorly it was used in the Six Million Dollar Man.
Finally, Marky Mark is supposed to be working a feature based on the Six Million Dollar Man, except it's a billion now.
I watch Sullivan's Travels All the Time. Hail! The Conquering Hero is another good one. All his Columbia Pictures are pretty good.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm
Posts: 31,835
Threads: 2,433
Joined: Oct 2005
Reputation:
3
08-05-2020, 11:29 AM
(This post was last modified: 08-05-2020, 11:32 AM by Drunk Monk.)
(08-05-2020, 10:52 AM)Greg Wrote: How dare you, Sir! Besmirch not the name of Lee Majors.
What he did to Farrah is up there with what Seagal did to Kelly LeBrock. Unforgivable.
I actually read the Martin Caidin books upon which
$6M Man was based. I even had the action figure with the bionic eye peephole through his head. I hated the
Bionic Woman and the Bionic dog and Bigfoot when I was a kid, but now I think those were the best parts. Times change...
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
Posts: 14,643
Threads: 919
Joined: Jan 2016
Reputation:
1
I read the books, too. Hated the bionic woman.
As a matter of fact, my anger does keep me warm