GREETINGS BLOGGERS! Welcome to my world. I am 25 years old (draagg! apparently I have to start being a 'grown up' soon. society expects far too much from me, y'know?!) and I'm a student. Though I'm looking for part time employment, the world has so far rejected my attempts to join that of the working tribe. I'll keep truckin though, I am nothing if not persistent. Just ask my parole officer! juuust kidding.
Okay so I'm mid twenties and I'm doing media studies. I love love love films. I love their ability to tell a story in such an affecting way. I cry if the book I'm reading is too sad and I get furious and stalk around the house if one of the characters acts like a fuckwit and makes me angry. But there are people who don't feel that same intensity from reading that I do. And I love how universally accessible the film form is. Not to mention the lack of boundaries or limits it enforces on the story teller. You can do more than paint a picture or set the mood, you can completely and totally create a scene that would go so far beyond the viewer's imagination and take them to a place they could only in part dream of. You can reach them and bond with them over shared goals, views and experiences. Because we all respond to the character we can relate to, and we all feel that jolt when we see something horrible or wonderful that we too have been through. If it's done well, if it's done honestly, it's not just film it's art. I don't want to start sounding wanky, I hate those pretentious bastards who wax lyrical about film and only watch the critically acclaimed stuff. That is NOT me. I'm obsessed with Tom Hanks. I have watched 'Forrest Gump' 93 times in my life. I laughed so hard during 'Superbad' and 'Zombieland' that my tummy ached afterwards. I am no scholar when it comes to film. I like crap too. A LOT. But I ultimately it's the art of film that I'm attracted to. And I hope that I don't bore and irritate people here. OH and I hope I don't offend anyone. That happens sometimes. Ask my Screen Matters tutor... *shudder* that was a bad bad day.
The film for discussion today is 'It Happened One Night' with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, directed by Frank Capra in 1934. I know a little of the historical background because of school but apart from a tiny delicious bit of gossip about ol Gable at the time, I won't regale you with the specifics. Let's get this out of the way first though.. okay so rumour has it Clark Gable was signed to MGM at the time. And you know the deal with the studio system back then, they were contracted to studios and could only do films for them. But ol Clarkey boy was a bit of a firecracker! He got leant to Columbia Pictures because MGM were all mad at him and shit. He'd turned down a movie they wanted him to do and well... he liked the drink. He was somewhat of a 'wino' and the studio was all straight edge about that stuff. Translation: kill joys. Turns out it worked brilliantly for Gable though because It Happened One Night was a huge commercial and critical hit. It won FIVE academy awards that year- Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Writing-Adaptation and Best Film. SUCK IT MGM! YOU FOOLISH FOOLS!
The film itself is brilliant. It has a way of pushing the boundaries because they had SOOO many rules back then during the 'hays code' era. So they inferred to a lot of things which made it a little more racy but also within the guidelines. What I loved about this film was its ability to mix whimsy with reality. My favourite scene is when they're all singing together on the bus. It's such a fun scene. But they also show the horror of the 1930s when one of the ladies on the bus faints because she hasn't eaten in days. It's a small shout out to the many many movie goers at the time. To the 90 million americans who were frequenting cinemas as a form of escapism, from the cold, the depression, and mostly from the poverty that they surely thought would never end. The basic idea of the film is this... Ellie (Claudette Colbert) a famous and wealthy heiress, has just married this dude called King (I know, it's such a douchey name. but the guy's a douche so it fits) and her father does NOT like this. He's all knowing and stuff (like Mufasa in the Lion King) and tries to tell Ellie that King is a punk ass gold digger who just wants her money. He annuls the marriage which pisses Ellie off hardcore. She escapes him and begins her journey back to the man she loves (too bad he cares more about her cash than her ass). So Ellie boards a train to reunite with her money grabbing hubby. Enter Peter, a just-fired reporter who recognises her and gives her two options... 1. He helps her get where she needs to go and hides her from the leeches in exchange for her exclusive story, 2. he calls her father and tells him where she is and collects the reward. Obviously, Ellie chooses option 1 because mama didn't raise no fool! and so the journey begins and their love blossoms and the rest I will not reveal.
Clark Gable plays Peter and he is a very handsome man. He's my type at least, all quirky looking and dark, but then lights up when he smiles. There were times though that I just wanted to slap him. I think it's because it's a different era. The way he talked to Ellie was probably more acceptable in those days. Now though, if he tried that domineering, short-tempered bollucks on me I'd be all "I don't care how sexy you are! talk to me like that again and i'll sew all of your pants together to make a blanket for a hooker!" but then he was adorable at times. When he was trying to teach Ellie to hitchhike.... *swoon* I wanted to hug him for ever and ever.
Colbert is at times supremely annoying also. She is SO spoiled! She won't eat raw carrots because they're crunchy! And her hairstyle (though I think it would look amazing on say... Audrey Tautou or Natalie Portman) does not suit her features at all. She gets all hysterical at times and you just think 'c'mon lady! Don't be THAT girl!' but again, it's how it was then, you know?! She has moxie though. Again I mention the hitchhiking scene because not only is it brilliant but it's iconic. See 'Sex and the city 2' movie for a reference to this scene. She lets him do his thing but then throws a curve ball by showing her dynamite leg to get a ride. Lady knows how to work it.
Classical Hollywood was defined by this movie. And even though it's now almost 80 years old it is still a relatable tale. there are elements that will remain timeless. A sheltered girl trying to live her own life without being controlled, a father that wants above all else to make sure his little girl is happy and given everything she deserves, an underdog, stallion of a man who is deep down a lovely, giving, moral human being despite his many flaws and finally (the message we all need to learn on our own, even if we do make the mistake many many times) the man to beware of... the man who is stone cold and does what is in his best interest always and with no regard to other people's feelings. I've dated this type of man in three different variations. One of whom took delight in hurting me in every way he could think of, because he still hadn't forgiven his mother for leaving when he was 7. So I was slightly disappointed when this 'King' character didn't get horrifically maimed at the end of the film, but at least Ellie didn't settle for him.
I'd definitely recommend that everyone watch this film at some point in their life. It's so good. It's like melting a snickers bar and drizzling it over cookie dough ice-cream. Get on it.
That's all for my first post. Muchos gracias amigos! Thank you for reading and stay tuned for my next instalment, which will most likely be 'Inception' cos that's the next film I have to watch for school.. (yes I've already seen it. It has Joseph Gordon-Levitt in it! How could I NOT see it?!)
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