Johnny Simmons

Apparently I have too much of an affinity to films where the protagonists end up dead, so I’ve inevitably covered a number of them in the meme already. I didn’t cover Zeffrelli’s 1968 interoperation of Romeo & Juliet and though it’s as clichéd as it can be but it’s still sad because Shakespeare’s is as timeless as can be and Olivia Hussey and Leonardo Whiting give two of the best debut performances I’ve ever seen. And if the original Romeo & Juliet makes it, of course the musical version makes it too. I already mentioned how sad an ending it is, even though more than a few say they don’t care for Richard Beymer  in West Side Story (the moment is all Natalie’s though).

        

When American Beauty ends I’m not particularly sad that Lester has died because as excellent as Kevin Spacey is I have little affection for the character. But it’s implications of the death; it’s really pointless in so many ways and only underscores the banality of the characters’ lives.

And just because 1996-199 is one of my favourite Best Picture streaks I have to mention Jack Dawson and Katherine Clifton. I think I’ve dedicated enough space on this blog to Titanic and The English Patient – so I won’t tire you with more. But yes, I do consider the respective deaths of the protagonists to be sad.

It’s a bit of a loaded question, truly (considering all the films anyone has seen) but which character death stands out to you?

                

       

And yes, this is all for the MOVIE MEME

I vaguely remember answering this question for another meme before, and I feel no need to change it. I’ve become a bit obsessed with Broadway Cast Recordings in the last few years. It’s my own way of experiencing actual Broadway vicariously before I finally see a real show. I’ve never really been crazy about movie soundtracks, so it makes sense that the soundtrack I consider special is based on a Broadway play. That’s not really what’s important, what’s important is that the lyrics of the soundtrack were written by Stephen Sondheim. I have a large amount of brain-envy for the man, probably my favourite musician at the moment. West Side Story was early in his career, before he started doing music and lyrics – it’s not my favourite of his works, but it’s good enough. Leonard Bernstein who provided the music is no slouch in the music department either.

     

I’m not going to review West Side Story (go HERE) and if you haven’t seen it, I’ll admit I’ll find that extremely disturbing. Yes, Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer aren’t the ones singing here…but that doesn’t matter. Here are three of my favourite numbers from the score, actually that's erroneous these aren't my favourite numbers. But there's one from the lovers, one from the Jets and one from the Sharks (really my favourite songs: "One Hand, One Heart", "Tonight", "Officer Krupke", "Something's Coming" - "Cool" is the best scene though.)

The first film that came to my mind which possibly gives it away to some of you, but there it goes (and no if you guess I’m not telling you; yet). I didn’t want to post about it just yet though. So I racked my brains…lies actually, three other films jump out at me. What makes us tearful? Death does, departure does, and inertia does. It makes me lose some significant “cool” points but I shed a tear for each.

I understand that we only get a day in the lives of each character, and only so much can happen in a day, but it’s depressing how even though so much seems to happen nothing really changes. Or instead, it’s strange how the more things change, the more…they don’t. Clarissa probably moves the furthest, but even that is volatile. Laura Brown’s life has been wrought with regrets; Richard’s life was (for him) a disaster, and Virginia Woolf’s life is enough of an exercise in ennui and sadness that even the world’s biggest cynic could be moved.

The Remains of the Day, ironically being the last of the successful films from Merchant Ivory, has an ending so bleak it can’t NOT make me just a little teary eyed. Stevens reunion with the former head-maid should be more momentous, she knows it. He’s too set in his ways to reciprocate, too set in his ways to be anything but to stoic (albeit polite) man he was raised as. When Emma Thompson tearfully waves goodbye to him…who can blame her?

I can never hear Bernstein / Sondheim’s “Somewhere” with getting depressed (but I’m a masochist, so I keep on listening). I’ll keep on saying that I think Richard Beymer is remarkable in West Side Story, as is Natalie Wood (of course). It makes me sadder than Romeo & Juliet because at least they were down with their deaths (well, a little). I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that he dies with a song, or maybe it’s Natalie’s rant afterwards (what a monologue!). Whatever it is, it makes me want to cry. Yes indeed, yes indeed. (and they killed Russ Tamblyn? Who the hell does that?)

Yesterday was Natalie Wood's birthday and I forgot to post something about it. She's often remembered and yet so underrated as an actress. Here are five excellent contributions from Ms. Wood.

“I believe... I believe... It's silly, but I believe.”

“I love somebody. All the time I've been... I've been looking for someone to love me. And now I love somebody. And it's so easy. Why is it easy now?”

“Te adoro, Antone.”

“That's what love is - bells and banjos playing? How they brainwash you! And here I spend my whole life like a nut waiting for what? A stranger.”

“Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower, we will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind.”

There are some persons I’m not sure if it’s their characters that are forgotten, or just them completely. Ask anyone to name a good musical of the sixties, and though My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music might take a number of votes Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ 1961 piece will turn up invariably. The thing is, everyone remember The Sharks – Rita Moreno (very good), Natalie Wood (similarly good) and George Chakiris (not so much). Everyone forgets The Jets? Why is that? I don’t though, hence the following commemoration…

        

             

I’m a fan of Russ Tamblyn, remembering particularly his work in Peyton Place…I’m always nonplussed to the love for George Chakiris’s uninspired take on Tybalt/Bernardo when Russ’ superior take on Mercutio/Riff is forgotten. Similarly, I often wonder why Beymer isn’t remembered as Tony. Sure, he’s lip synching, but that doesn’t make his performance any worse. Take that early moment where Tamblyn and Beymer discuss the imminent batte. The chemistry between the two is strong as Riff cajoles Tony to attend that fateful dance. Sure, I’d give Tamblyn the edge – he is the stronger of the two, but Beymer’s reticent charm shouldn’t be left unnoticed. I will say, in a decade of excellent lip synchers (Kerr, Hepburn, Wood) Beymer takes the cake. I don’t know if it’s sheer luck on his part that they found a singer who’s voice is so close to his speaking voice, but it all just comes together well. The tentative romance with wood is a beauty to watch, even though I don’t see them as obvious complements to the other. Few romantic moments are as honest as the meeting on the fire escape in “Tonight”.

                      

The Sharks have their moments with “America”, of course it’s more female centred because a large part of the story revolves around Anita. The female Jets aren’t as lucky. Sure, they do their dancing at the dance but they rarely get a moment to shine. Still Trikonis and D'Andrea come off well with the light comedy. I like their cutting remarks at Anybodys.Trikonis’s line-reading is a favourite of mine, “An American tragedy!” she says referring to the adrogynous girl. This soon segues into “Officer Krupke”, an oft forgotten number. It’s not as eclectic as “America” but I love it just as much. The number is sold by Tamblyn who just has a knack for the physical comedy. He completely understands the irreverent leadership of Riff (as opposed to Bernardo’s iron fist), but he’s just as loyal. Riff’s (perhaps, misguided) devotion to Tony is a significant part of his character. As they said at the beginning, “birth to earth, womb to tomb”. It’s for this reason that Riff’s death makes me sad. Bernardo’s death is only one that saddens me incidentally, I know Anita will be hurt and so will Maria. But I feel no connection to Chakiris, which is perhaps, as it should be.

You know West Side Story to inevitable tragedy but Beymer’s (and Wood) innocence still have you hoping something will happen. As honest as “Tonight”, “One Hand, One Heart” takes it just a little further. It’s a striking romantic duet, and measured against the inevitable fallout only makes it more poignant. And of course it only gets sadder, “Somewhere” has to be the most moving bits of lipsynching, and it makes you realise how much work Beymer (and Wood) are putting into it. We may not be hearing their voices, but all the emotions we’re seeing are real and effective. It’s as if all the Jets are saving up their best work for after Riff’s death. Like the way that Smith effectively steps into place as the interim leader. The rendition of “Cool” is the easily the strongest group number of the entire score and placed right there after the heat of the two murder’s makes it more than just an extraneous number. It's Smith's moment to shine, along with all the other Jets - and they do. It’s the same way that the annoying Anybodys becomes more grounded after Riff’s death too. It’s like everything comes into motion. It doesn’t make their coffee shop with Anita any more forgivable, but it’s depressing when we put into perspective. I suppose that moment skewers the narrative in the direction of the Sharks when it comes to sympathy. It’s all leading up to the inevitable tragedy. Beymer’s strongest moment as Doc tells him of Maria’s “death”. It’s unlike the Tony we’ve seen before and it’s the moment of bliss on his face as he spies her in red suspended there as his life expires that most profound.

                  

Sure West Side Story went on to win ten Oscars (the most for any musical) but there seems some injustice that Beymer, Tamblyn and all those other Jets haven’t endured over time…or do you remember them too?

I’m still patiently waiting for Nine to come out. The recent news that many of the songs have been cut has been somewhat disconcerting, but I have faith in Rob Marshall, and way more faith in Anthony Minghella, so I’m holding out. Meanwhile, I’m thinking about musicals when musicals were the thing and have such compiled a list of my nine favourite musical scenes. Don’t look for anything recent, because it won’t be here.

#9 – The Man That Got Away from A Star is Born [1954]
I absolutely love this song. Alex in Movieland was saying the other that he’s not very impressed with Judy’s acting in this role, sensing a sort of coldness from her. I’m not that harsh but it’s not my favourite Judy acting moment, but this song is still really good and this wonderfully directed scene from George Cukor is beautifully done.

#8 – I Have Confidence from The Sound of Music [1965]
It’s a tough choice for the best song from this musical and my favourite is probably the hauntingly beautiful Something Good. But I love this particular scene. Maria’s just found out that she’s leaving the convent, but wonders what time of a governess she’ll be. I know others will remember 'My Favourite Things' and 'Do-Re-Mi', but this remains as the iconic scene from The Sound of Music for me [just barely edging out 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen'].

#7 – Cool from West Side Story [1961]
Aah. This is another tune I’m biased towards. This scene, though, is just really well directed. I was always more a fan of the Jets than the Sharks [just as the preferred the Montagues to the Capulets]; and it was unfortunate that the Jets’ women couldn’t have larger roles. This number is really good though, and I like the wittiness of having Ice sing about staying Cool. I’m tempted to say that this is the best stand alone song from the movie…

# 6 – Cabaret from Cabaret [1972]
Mien Herr is the best performance number for Liza and Maybe This Time is the most poignant, but this is the most iconic. This scene is just well done. Every nuance every line, every shot… Bob Fosse really deserved this Oscar for direction. The scene just plays wonderfully.

#5 – Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins [1964]

I remember this song disconcerted me as a child. This is the best song of the film, hands down. Julie Andrews is always great when she gets emotive. And it’s more special too because of Jane Darwell’s cameo as The Bird Lady. It’s nicely envisioned with the snow globe as the template turning it into a most magical and poignant experience.

#4 – The Yellow Brick Road from The Wizard of Oz [1939]
This is definitely the song that sticks with you. As the two [then three, then four] friends travel down this famous road with that little black down, this recitative continues. From the slightly idiotic dancing, to the glint of the ruby slippers on the yellow road, the splash of Technicolor… it’s all just lovely.

#3 – Put On Your Sunday Clothes from Hello, Dolly! [1969]

Hello, Dolly! Is too often forgotten when we remember musicals of the 1960/1970 period. If you haven’t seen it, go and get it now. The colour, the movement, the dancing it all seems really busy, but it all still works. Barbra Streisand is at her best playing the loquacious Dolly Levi and you can just see the fun she’s having. It’s a feast for the eyes and ears.

#2 – Tonight [Reprise] from West Side Story [1961]
Sung just before the fateful rumble this is done by the ensemble. There is not a false moment in this number. The dark light shrouding Anita is suggestive not only of a romantic encounter but also seem to foreshadow the imminent deaths. The shades of red is mesmerising, the cutting from the Jets to the Sharks and back again. The audience is on their toes. And the song ain’t too bad either.

#1 – Willkommen from Cabaret [1972]

What’s my number one? It’s Fosse again. Joel Grey is delightful as the androgynous Emcee and I can’t help but love the covert sexual references to the guys and the girls. I dare you not to tap your feet along. This song is just really catchy tune. A perfect opening number…actually, it’s a perfect number period.

This list, like many that I do, is arbitrary somewhat though. So, tell me what I missed. What I overvalued. What you’d glorify. Which musical sequences get your feet tapping?