Johnny Simmons

I always feel a little bad for Anne Baxter. Sure, she won her (deserved) Oscar playing a sympathetic prostitute in The Razor’s Edge. But, few recall that film or her performance in it. She’s remembered today for her duplicitous Nefertiti in The Ten Commandments, and the like minded Eve Harrington in All About Eve. It suggests that she has little range, but that’s not true. The thing is the film is supposed to be all about Eve – but it isn’t. It’s a giant irony actually, since the film is really all about Margo. But I like to remember Anne Baxter though, because she’s just as important (and excellent) as Bette Davis. The thing is, I’ve never been overly fond of Ms. Davis. I’ll always appreciate her talent, but I’ve never found myself particularly enamoured with her. I’ve often preferred her less popular work (Now Voyager, The Letter) to her more admired (What Happened to Baby Jane, Jezebel). But I can firmly champion Margo Channing as her more ardent fans do, even if it’s still not my favourite of hers. Still, if Tracy Lords represents the fullest representation of our Lady Kate on screen then Margo Channing is most certainly the embodiment of diva-Bette. But, as usual, I’m getting ahead of myself. I should retrace my steps.

All About Eve is a story that’s not original, but not clichéd either. Margo Channing – a celebrated actress of the stage is realising that her career is waning. She is simultaneously accosted by an overzealous fan who seems (despite the ostensible) intent on replacing the great diva. That is the story – in a nutshell, and yet it doesn’t do justice to the excellence that is All About Eve. It's a film with everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end. Of course, any classic worth its weight depends particularly on the dialogue, and Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s writing in All About Eve is exceptional, but I don’t think of the writing of the lines when I remember All About Eve so much I think about the line readings. It’s not a conceit on my part to pinpoint each actor in All About Eve – particularly the women – as being at the top of their game (case in point, four of them were nominated for Oscars). But by pinpointing the women I fail to identify one of the most fully nuanced characters of the piece – Addison Meredith, played beautifully by George Sanders. The tagline for All About Eve reads “It’s all about women and their men.” I’m never sure that that is an accurate tagline, but for some reason I rarely recall the men in this show, it’s not that they don’t achieve their task but being caught up in the delicious machinations of the casts we often only remember the ladies (and George).

All About Eve is mostly remembered for its climatic part scene where Davis’ Margo drifts deeper into cynicism. It’s a rare and beautiful moment to see all those excellent actors together in one room literally playing off each other. A young Marilyn Monroe makes as appearance here as Miss Casswell and she as excellent. I’ve never been overly fond of her work, but as I’ve said before, she does wonders with a bit role here. It’s as we watch the tug-of-war between Margo and Eve that I come to appreciate the talents of both ladies. It really does seem to be a perfect match of protagonist and antagonist and it’s all really handled well, but if I were forced to give a favourite performance of the film (more nepotism, than talent based) I’d probably single out Celeste Holme. Celeste plays a friend to Margo who realises Eve’s duplicity too late. The role is a bit contrived but I just find Ms. Holme so mesmerising in it. It is her face (and narration) that takes us back to our first meeting with Eve, and for such a silly role she handles it with a surprising amount of grace. But, honestly, I wouldn’t pick between them. From Davis, to Baxter, from Sanders to Holme, even Ritter in a bit role and all those other performances from actors who's names have become lost in history (George Merrill, Hugh Marlowe).

All About Eve is a rarity, it cruises dangerously close to perfection...who knows? It even achieves it at times. Quotable lines, classic performances, smart direction. It sits comfortably at #18 on my list of favourite films. Slow curtain, the end.

It really is difficult making a list of your favourite films, especially when it’s a hundred of your all time favourites. I’m feeling a little nostalgic though and I want to give you a look at four films that are not in my top 100 of Personal Picks but are good nevertheless. If you haven’t seen them as yet [and shame, shame, shame if you haven’t] go and see them. And if you have seen them, look at them again. Or not.

Elizabeth (1998) – Cate Blanchett, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush [B+]

This movie was the first Cate Blanchett film I saw, at the time I didn’t know who she was – I didn’t even know the name of the movie. I’ve always been interested in Queen Elizabeth I, and I don’t need to say that Cate was outstanding in the role – but I will anyway. This is my favourite film – big screen or small – on Queen Elizabeth. Of course quite a few liberties were taken with the plot, but that’s film for you. This is actually one of the reasons that it’s not higher on the list – then of course there was that sequel... But we’ll not speak of that, either.
Why You Should Watch – I’d recommend this film for anyone who wants to see where Cate Blanchett started. It was her first major screen role and she earned her first Golden Globe (and Oscar nomination) for it. It also features good performances by Geoffrey Rush and Joseph Fiennes. And it’s just a really good film. The script is nice, but it’s not indulgent like recent films like this have been (The Duchess, comes to mind). Indian Director Shekhar Kapur does a good job in managing the cast, and of course the costumes and art direction are worthy of mention.
Favourite Scene – A few come to mind, but my favourite is the ever popular one where Cate rips her subjects a new one with her whole I am no man Elizabeth’s speech. Total immersion of character and though I loved her in Bandits and The Lord of the Rings, it wasn’t until The Missing that I didn’t think Cate Blanchett was a cold hard bitch. Love her though. Absolutely love her.

Jerry Maguire (1996) - directed Cameron Crowe [A-]

I’m not really a fan of Cameron Crowe. He’s a good director, and his movies are good – I mean, Almost Famous was a well made movie – but it won’t be on my list of favourites. I have absolutely no desire in seeing it again, which is essentially what makes a film a favourite. Jerry Maguire is my favourite Crow film; it’s a really good film and features Tom Cruise at his best (says me). Renée Zellweger is not bad either.

Why it’s Good – Scripts are important to any film, but I always feel that in romantic comedies it’s a make or break situation– and the script here was terrific. Who can forget the legendary – you had me at hello? Not me. I still can’t believe this film made it to the Oscar top 5 though, but I didn’t mind. This is probably the only movie I liked Cuba Gooding Jr. in; okay this and As Good As it Gets, but I don’t really like that movie generally (Helen Hunt – I blame you!). Who can forget – show me the money! Priceless. This movie also has Regina King in one of her earlier roles. Wasn’t she to become a breakout star in 2004? What with Ray and all that? Casualties of Hollywood, I suppose.
Favourite Scene – Weird, but I like the scene where he gets fired. And how poor little Ms. Zellweger is the only one who’ll go with him. It’s sad and funny all wrapped in one delightful scene.

The Ten Commandments (1956) - Anne Baxter, Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner [A]

They show this movie EVERY Easter on TV in Guyana. I have probably seen this movie like 50 times. What a cast Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and the delicious Anne Baxter. I used to have such a crush on her Nefretiri – how demented is that? Who the hell am I kidding? I have such a huge crush on her. It’s quite long, but if you haven’t seen this because you were under some stone for the whole of your life, take a look. It’s a good movie, somewhat romanticised, but isn’t that why we love it?

Why it’s worth It – I never saw Around the World in Eighty Days, but I am certain it was no where as good as this film. Snubbed for the Best Picture win it did win the Award for Special Effects though. Why wasn’t any of the cast nominated for this? I can’t remember what the lineup looked like that year, but the three top stars all gave Award worthy performances. Of course all three HAVE Oscars and strangely enough Anne Baxter is the only one playing a different role than usual. Heston and Brynner just played variations of Moses and Rameses in The King & I, and Ben-Hur. But it’s all good. They're classic film stars, so they're forgiven.
Favourite Scenes – God, there’s so many. I have three. I love the final Anne Baxter scene – do you hear laughter Rameses? – that line gets every single time. She was just a major bitch, but she has a heart as we saw in the scene where she begged Moses to spare her child. Good acting. And the scene where she begs Moses to spare her son is beautifully done. She is a great actress but in a time when Hollywood was wrought with vampish Brunettes she sort of got overlooked. Oh well, she’ll always be Eve Harrington/

Favourite unimportant scene – the one where the seven sisters find Moses in the well, it’s just so sweet and nice. Funny – but not hilarious.

Well there you have it. Three films to revel in. They’re all good to varying degress and I do love them all. But which ones do you really love. which ones do you just hate. What’s your favourite scene. Come on shout it out,

The Graduate is a 1967 comedy starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman. Mike Nichols won an Oscar [his only] for directing it. When a disillusioned college graduate [Hoffman] comes home after graduating from school he finds himself complete discontented with the suburbs. He enters into a sexual relationship with Mrs Robinson [Bancroft] an older woman who just happens to be a neighbour of his parents. With this relationship Benjamin thinks he has finally found that elusive something that he has long been looking for…that extra addition to his life that not only makes him a man, but a complete human being. The relationship though is not a walk in the park and sometimes Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson [which he continues to call her] experience some fierce arguments, the last of which centres on Mrs. Robinson’s daughter a college student about Benjamin’s age. Mrs. Robinson forbids Benjamin to ever date her, something he had never thought about. As fate would have it though Benjamin eventually does go on a date with Elaine which severs the ties of the relationship and leads to much suspense and hilarity as Benjamin finds that he has found his true love in Elaine.

The plot for The Graduate does not really sell it well. If they wanted to, Lifetime could take it and turn it into sappy sob fest. But despite a plot that’s not exactly groundbreaking the script for The Graduate is on point. It’s one of the best comedy scripts I’ve ever read and it’s incredibly easy filled with some snappy dialogue. And even though it’s a comedy it’s not vacuous like the so many of the comedies we are privy to today. It’s a true testimony to a script [and a film] when it becomes a part of pop culture and the phrase Mrs. Robinson has become a staple in modern dialogue. I mean of course The Graduate was based on a book but it wasn’t the book that made every one know who Mrs. Robinson was…

With a good script, a good cast is essentially. Dustin Hoffman bears the brunt of the work since this is essentially HIS film. I know that this was quite early in his career; but for me this film represents the quintessential Dustin Hoffman. As Katharine Hepburn said all the right actors win Oscars but for the wrong roles. I don’t know if that’s right for everyone, but it’s true about Dustin. With all due respect Kramer vs Kramer was not a bad performance – he actually does some good stuff but it’s not that good. And as for Rain Man – I just hate it. Maybe it’s Tom Cruise, but I despise the film and am not a big fan of Hoffman in it. Hoffman was at his best in the sixties with this, Midnight Cowboy and the mid seventies All the President's Men he was just marvellous. Anne Bancroft was not throwaway either, she actually reminded me of another Ann [Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments] with her vampish walk and her sultry voice. I’m not sure if I’d say she was robbed of the Oscar like so many are wont to say. I think Kate was the right person for it, and if not her I’d give the other Hepburn [Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark], but I digress. Anne Bancroft is marvellous in this, and although the second half of The Graduate is my favourite I kind of hate it that she’s off screen.

Her husband [Murray Hamilton] and Benjamin’s parents [William Daniels & Elizabeth Wilson] are also effective with little screen time, Hamilton has a biggish scene towards the end which he plays just right. I’ve always felt that Katharine Ross playing Elaine was at an inherent disadvantage. Mrs. Robinson is morally ambiguous, we cannot deny that, but she’s completely alluring and the audience is drawn to her. To an extent we’re already on her side and in the past I have judged her harshly. But watching it again last year I realised that she did give a good performance. It’s hard making good interesting on film and she does deserving that Oscar nomination. And at the end of the day you do root for her, you do want her to win,

I’ve always thought that it’s difficult saying so-and-so directing did a good job with that film but with The Graduate for some reason I can just felt that it was directed wonderfully. There was just the way some scenes were shot that had me enchanted including this famous one above. It was great to see Nichols get his due in a decade when so many good directors were snubbed [Kramer for Judgement at Nuremberg, Harvey for The Lion in Winter, Kazan without even a nomination for Splendor in the Grass].
The last sequence of The Graduate is so interesting and is open to much interpretation. Benjamin and Elaine escape the conformist and get on the bus, the adrenaline is pumping. Then they sit down at the back of the bus and they give each other a look. But what does that look say? This is fun. I love you. What the fuck did I just do? I don’t want anyone spoiling my happy ending so I’ll go with the second option but what’s interesting is no matter what it means it’s still a great film. And what’s more interesting is that this is my number nine and yet it’s not my favourite of the 60s. Imagine that.