From Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Story written by George Bradshaw
Screenplay by Charles Schnee
Directed by Vincente Minnelli
Starring
Lana Turner
Kirk Douglas
Walter Pidgeon
Dick Powell
Barry Sullivan
Gloria Grahame
Gilbert Roland
Paul Stewart
Elaine Stewart
Vanessa Brown
Leo G. Carroll
Well, listen, our last two postings were on Kirk Douglas movies. In one I commented that he never played a character so nice (Spartacus) and the other (Lust for Life) that he was decidedly very un-Kirk Douglas. With this flick, however, all bets are off. Here is one of those signature Douglas roles where he is controlling, explosive, violent, arrogant, threatening and always in a mess with someone.
He plays movie producer Jonathan Shields who is ultimately brought to his knees by three former friends and coworkers, an actress, a director and a writer, who have no forgiveness in their hearts for the wreckage that he caused in their lives.
In black and white, it presents a bleak look at Hollywood's seedy underbelly. It's about the dream factory where the dreams are crushed. As Hollywood stories go, it could have been grimmer but as it is it's an attention-grabber and utterly entertaining.
Despite the billing, Douglas is the star of the film. It would be the first of three times that he would star in a film produced by John Houseman and directed by Vincente Minnelli. It is an MGM production and in order to get Lana Turner, one of their own, Minnelli and Houseman had to agree that she receive top billing.
Houseman had come across George Bradshaw's story which is about tyrannical Broadway producer Jed Harris. When director Vincente Minnelli read it he said that it reminded him of Citizen Kane and Orson Welles. The two men put their heads together and brought in screenwriter Charles Schnee (Red River, The Furies, BUtterfield 8) to whip it all together. They named their project The Bad and the Beautiful (which studio head Dore Schary hated) and they were on their way.
Minnelli said Schary wanted to hire Clark Gable whose career at MGM, along with everyone else's, was petering out. Gable didn't think it was a good time for him to play a louse. That was fine with Minnelli because he already had Douglas earmarked for the role. He wanted him, he said, because Douglas didn't have to portray strength because it came naturally to him. While true Douglas had a number of other traits that came naturally to him as well. He could also be an immensely charming guy when he wanted to be and that, too, became a trait of Jonathan Shields. Actually in Bradshaw's story there is little redeeming value to Shields. Minnelli asked Schnee to write Shields to show him as showing enough charm on his conquests before he uses, betrays and discards them.
Many people involved in getting the picture off the ground had their own takes on how it should be made. Some wanted a little art house film, some wanted a satirical exposé but Minnelli opted for a glossy melodrama and he got his way. He knew the public rushed to behind-the-scenes Hollywood or Broadway stories. Already in the fifties there was All About Eve and Sunset Blvd. and even Singin' in the Rain. He was excited at the cast he'd hired and couldn't wait to have a go at it.
The story has an actress (Turner), writer (Powell) and director (Sullivan) being called into executive producer Harry Pebbel's
(Pidgeon) office. He asked them if they could set aside their hatred for Shields who wants them to work for him on a comeback film. He's been on the skids for a few years and living abroad. Pidgeon says he knows they don't want anything to do with Douglas but would they do it as a favor to Pidgeon because they could make a lot of money and without them Pidgeon can't get the financing. As he speaks with each one sitting across from his desk, they tell of their lives with Shields via flashbacks.
Sullivan as Fred Amiel is up first. He's known Douglas/Shields the longest; in fact, they started out in the industry side by side. They become a producing/directing team. They're best friends and Douglas even encourages Vanessa Brown to marry Sullivan. He sees Shields as brilliant, tough and talented with a whole lot of magic. All that comes to an end when Sullivan adapts a screenplay and Shields, seeing it as the best thing he's read in ages, says they will both rise to the top of the Hollywood heap.
Shields sells the story, called Faraway Mountain, to the brass but it comes with a more successful and well-known director. This may have been the idea of the execs but apparently Shields doesn't fight for his friend to direct. The decision ruins their working relationship and their friendship.
Next up is Turner as Georgia Lorrison, the alcoholic daughter of a famous, deceased actor. There has always been speculation that her character is based on John Barrymore's actress-daughter, Diana. (Jonathan Shields was thought to be based on Gone with the Wind producer, David O. Selznick.) He decides to mold her into an actress and when it proves more difficult than he anticipated, he decides to have a hot romance with her. He is never in love with her while she is over the moon for him.
She stars in Faraway Mountain and achieves the stature that he, at least, was hoping for her. She even stops drinking. At the premier's after-party, she notices Shields is not there. She grabs a bottle of champagne and drives to his estate. It's touchingly sad to see how excited and how in love she is. He, however, is short with her, telling her that he shuts himself off from others after a movie is finished. He tries to scoot her out the door and back to the party. During an embrace she looks over her shoulder and spies a slinky Elaine Stewart (an extra in Mountain) on the circular staircase.
In one of the film's most dramatic scenes, Georgia flies out of the house and into her car, all the while hysterical. It's pouring down rain as she lets go of the steering wheel, obviously hoping to die. But the car comes to a bumpy stop on the roadside. She never sees Shields again.
Powell is James Bartlow, a successful writer from Virginia. Shields calls him out to Hollywood to work on the screenplay. Bartlow doesn't really want to go but changes his mind because his wife Rosemary (Gloria Grahame) does want to go. It doesn't take an audience long to discover she runs the show, is an obvious social-climber, ambitious for both of them and starstruck to boot. She has a habit of nibbling at her husband's ear and cooing you have a very naughty mind, I'm happy to say.
Despite Shields' prodding, Bartlow has a hard time turning out the required pages fast enough and Shields realizes that Rosemary is the impediment. Before he and Bartlow are about to head for a mountain cabin to pound out the screenplay, Shields arranges for Faraway Mountain's seductive male star, Gilbert Roland, to squire Rosemary around. Shields doesn't tell Bartlow what he's done even after Rosemary and the actor are killed in a plane crash. Shields later lets his involvement slip to Bartlett and the pair never see one another again.
While all have been hurt and betrayed by Shields and their careers suffered at the time, Harry doesn't mind pointing out to the trio that Georgia has become Hollywood's most in-demand actress, Fred has become a top director and James has gone on to win a Pulitzer Prize. Harry adds none of it would have happened had it not been for Shields.
Does it work? Will they give in and work for Shields on a new movie? They all say no as Harry takes Shields' transatlantic call. They walk outside. At this point, Minnelli adds a scene (not in the script) with the trio picking up a phone and listening in on the conversation. It leaves the audience with ambivalence over their decision. I remember the photo of this threesome from the time I was a little kid.
It was a surprisingly happy time for all. Douglas, Turner and Grahame could all be troublesome on film sets but apparently not this time. Much was made of the pairing of Douglas and Turner. Both were known for getting to know coworkers intimately. At the time both were also in between marriages so there was lots of chatter about a romance. Douglas said he was all for it but as it turned out, Turner was hot and bothered over Fernando Lamas, another MGM employee, who was insanely jealous so nothing happened... or so it's been said.
This would be among my favorite Douglas performances. There's little reason to sing his praises or highlight his darker areas because we all know what they were. That's what he gave us... a breath-taking honesty and a willingness and talent to bare it. We know that he felt deeply. The man shouldn't be remembered for the names of his movies as for the names of his characters. I always had an admiration for him as a storyteller.
Douglas, who was known to criticize some of his costars in any number of his films, was most complimentary about Turner's acting in this one and I think he's right. The remainder of the large cast also gave affecting performances.
Douglas always wanted an acting Oscar and Hollywood knew it. He was thrilled to be nominated for his wonderful turn as the unscrupulous producer along with Grahame as best supporting actress, screenplay, costume and art & set direction. It set some sort of a record for getting six nominations and winning five of them for a movie that was not nominated for best picture or best director. To think the only one who did not win was Douglas is simply too much.
Grahame did not deserve her Oscar. And this is a chance to remind readers that I bloody adored this woman and her acting and most of her films. But dammit, she did nothing exceptional here... a southern accent, pretty blond hair and fetching costumes shouldn't spell Oscar for the few minutes she was on screen. I'm not saying she wasn't good in the role but that it didn't hit the heights of an Oscar. In the same year, no less, she was much better in supporting roles in Sudden Fear and The Greatest Show on Earth. Jean Hagen should have won for Singin' in the Rain.
This was my introduction to Gilbert Roland and he opened a whole new world to this young Midwesterner. I would add him to my ever-growing list of film folk finds. He was a supporting actor when I came across him but oh what support. His presence demanded one's attention, I thought. His characters, no matter the film, were always strong and I was so struck by that. He moved with a panther-like grace, he always knew what he was talking about and, oh yeah, I'm just recalling the cigarrillos he always smoked in westerns. He gave his brief role here as Gaucho, the studly costar, all he had.
This was Dick Powell's penultimate big screen acting. He'd gone from boy crooner in some Warner Bros musicals to detective/noir work where he toughened up some and did a lot of snarling, to this film which showcased his relaxed (Perry Como-like) period. He would go on to direct and produce and head the Four Star empire.
Pidgeon always brightened up films for me and this is no exception. He was an actor that wore authority well and had such an easy-going manner and a gorgeous voice.
I probably should look over his list of films before committing here but I suspect this is likely the best film Sullivan made. His milieu was the B film where he played plenty of leads. But this film would have brought him some extra fame.
Bravo to Minnelli for his usual good work. On the dramatic side of his ledger, some consider the film to be one of his masterpieces. I am not sure I agree with that but since his plan was to turn out a highly entertaining film with an undeniable emotional power that would draw in audiences, he most definitely succeeded. MGM had a good year in 1952 and The Bad and the Beautiful is one of the reasons why.
Here's a peek:
Next posting:
A gift for my cousin
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