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Snow-White (1933)
A Delicious Feat of Genius!
In today's Politically Correct world, something like this is an absolute treasure; the sort of thing even the best of today's cartoons don't even approach. "St. James Infirmary Blues," what a great song; Cab Calloway, what a GREAT musician! The collective imagination of the artists who created the breathtaking imagery of happy skeletons laughing and playing games during the Great Depression's darkest year -- what a treat!
These cartoons were made for the general public and that included children. Funny how I never hear stories about cartoons such as this one leading to all variety of societal ills. A work of art such as this is timeless, as is all great art. What a pity it need probably be purchased in order to be appreciated -- no commercial television station in our plastic age of ready-made souls would dare air it. And that's a real shame.
People Will Talk (1951)
Under-appreciated.
SPOILER ALERT.
This film is about loyalty, friendship, love and ethics during the peak of McCarthyism-driven paranoia. Above all, this picture deals with humanity. "The dog is frightened and unhappy," remarks Shunderson (Currie; note the first four letters of his name), "He has that in common with humanity," replies Praetorious (Grant).
Jeanne Crain (Deborah) is as wonderful as she is ravishing in this film, a movie not necessarily meant to be completely believed, but perhaps intended to make one look at life and the circumstances of individuals within it from a different point of view. As Cary Grant despised the "sophisticated light comedy" for which he is primarily remembered, this film must have appealed to him. There is fine support from Sidney Blackmer, Walter Slezak and Hume Cronyn.
Rather than a book report type review, here are a few things to consider. One, censorship problems regarding the actual word "pregnant" forced some of the situations which appear absurd to the modern viewer. Two, again, the confusing murder scenario described at pictures end can be attributed to Hollywood censorship of the day. Currie's character Shunderson commits murder in CANADA, and Canadian law loopholes are jumped through to make his story technically plausible in 1951 in the USA. Three, three major characters have accents. Since when has this stopped Hollywood from making a film? Four, Cary Grant, a gynecologist, enjoys classical music and as an avocation conducts a local orchestra. There is nothing wildly unusual about this. Particularly when compared to the grotesque, un-American spectacle which was occurring in the US Congress at the time. The film deserves to be praised for having been made and released at all.
Sidney Blackmer, "May I ask, Dr. Prateorious, is Mr. Shunderson your servant?" "He's my friend," replies Cary Grant, without rancor. Exactly.
8/10