Tag Archives: James Stewart

1977 Films, Adventure, Christopher Lee, Disaster, George Kennedy, Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Joseph Cotten, Lee Grant, Olivia de Havilland

Airport ’77-1977

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Airport ’77-1977

Director Jerry Jameson

Starring Jack Lemmon, James Stewart, Olivia de Havilland

Scott’s Review #1,072

Reviewed October 20, 2020

Grade: B+

The word that springs to mind following a viewing of the disaster flick Airport ’77 (1977) is entertaining. Whether this is positive or negative depends on the viewer and what that viewer wants out of a film.

As a huge fan of the disaster genre, I was one satisfied customer though there is little to distinguish the film from other efforts. It is a more cohesive and professional-feeling effort than its predecessor, Airport ’75.

The fun is watching the cast, the grandiose list of who’s who of Hollywood heavyweights gracing the opening credits.

We wonder who will survive and who will not.

The star is the airplane. Showcased by way of both interiors and exteriors, the luxurious privately-owned Boeing 747-100 is a great highlight of the picture.

Owned by wealthy philanthropist Philip Stevens (James Stewart), the plane is packed with VIPs and priceless art traveling to his Florida estate for a party.

The wealthy travelers are drugged, and the aircraft is subsequently hijacked before crashing into the ocean in the Bermuda Triangle and sinking 100 feet, prompting the survivors to undertake a desperate struggle to live.

The airplane set is a feast for the eyes. A double-deck plane (naturally!) the plush green carpets and the spiral staircase complete with a robust bar stocked with every type of liquor imaginable are wonderful trimming.

It allows the viewer to forget all about the typical in-flight treats like their seat being kicked, a screaming baby, or a fat man snoring, and escape to the pleasures of champagne, caviar, and slippers.

Seriously, the sets are tremendous and worthy of their accolades.

Jerry Jameson, primarily a television director, sticks to a formulaic approach that makes the film look like a long television series. Think Murder, She Wrote, Dallas, or Dynasty at 30,000 feet.

I say this because the melodrama is sky-high (no pun intended) and situations arise between flight crew and passengers to create more tension than the crash itself.

The juiciest drama exists between husband and wife Martin (Christopher Lee) and Karen Wallace (Lee Grant). He flirts with women at the bar, drinks too much, and gets jealous. They squabble. You get the idea.

What a joy it is to see some of the stars on-screen together, specifically Stewart, Olivia de Havilland, and Joseph Cotten. As Nicholas, Cotten is a romantic match for de Havilland’s Emily Livingston, and they appear to be old friends.

Fans of classic cinema will undoubtedly associate him with Shadow of a Doubt (1943) and her with Gone with the Wind (1939) and to see the legendary stars side by side is darling, nearly worth the price of admission.

Stewart is perfectly cast as the rich and distinguished man eager to see the impending arrival of his estranged daughter and her son, hopeful of a happy reunion.

These delights are why I love this genre.

The actors teeter back and forth between phoning in their lines and enthusiastically having a ball with their respective roles. Sometimes it’s hard to tell which is which. I’ll bet the set was tension-free as everyone was earning a bundle of cash.

And why not? The budget is plentiful and filled with overabundance.

The plot is generally ludicrous as is to be expected. The thought that anyone, let alone nearly everyone, could survive a crash into the ocean and remain unscathed as it sinks to the depths of the water is beyond silly.

Suddenly, when all passengers conveniently emerge from their drug-induced stupor simultaneously, hysterics erupt which is quite humorous. As the water slowly begins to seep into the plane a frenzied effort to find a way out commences.

The last portion of the film involving a rescue crew coming to save the passengers is a disappointment, lacking much captivation.

Airport ’77 (1977) has all the elements its target viewer expects it to have. If the well-known cast were instead unknowns the crash peril and its following adventure were not danger personified, and the dramatic and romantic tensions left out, the film would be a disappointment.

The film is like sinking your teeth into a fattening, highly caloric Whopper from your favorite Burger King. It’s a guilty pleasure that you wouldn’t necessarily tell your health-conscious friends you get so much enjoyment from.

But, it’s fun, so why not indulge from time to time?

Oscar Nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design

1946 Films, Christmas, Donna Reed, Drama, Frank Capra, Gloria Grahame, Henry Travers, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell

It’s a Wonderful Life-1946

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It’s a Wonderful Life-1946

Director Frank Capra

Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed

Scott’s Review #863

Reviewed February 5, 2019

Grade: A-

A popular holiday tradition in many households eager to cozy up in front of the fire with an enduring and entertaining classic, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) serves an important purpose and is the ultimate annual festivity passed from generation to generation.

While not one of my standards I do recognize the influence and the endearment the film offers and cannot fault its power to bring people together with its humanistic and sweet message.

James Stewart is perfectly cast as the wholesome and likable George Bailey, who strives to help all those needing help in his small community while neglecting himself.

Depressed by the failure of his bank one Christmas Eve in the 1945 snowy locale of Bedford Falls, New York, George is visited by a guardian angel named Clarence (Henry Travers) who teaches him what life will be like if he chooses the dire path of ending his own life.

Along with Stewart, Donna Reed as the wife, Mary Hatch Bailey is cast exceptionally well and is the perfect counterpart to George.

Together the actors immerse themselves in their roles holding their heads high as the leaders of the sleepy little town they reside in and set an example for the other townspeople with their kindness and thoughtfulness.

A sound “king and queen of the prom” the duo radiate and illicit tears from audience members living their lives vicariously through the couple.

A perfect companion piece to A Christmas Carol, perhaps the version from 1951 for similar periods, both spirited and teaching life lessons, is recommended.

Both are thematically similar in the visitation by a heavenly spirit and offering glimpses into the past, present, and future, the comparisons are endless to say nothing of the Christmastime elements both possess.

Arguably, It’s a Wonderful Life is the most uplifting, both good and bad. The lesson constantly voiced is to be good to other people and one will then be rewarded or at least have peace of mind.

This is not a bad lesson, which is the main reason for the film’s lasting appeal. Bad luck and financial hardship will inevitably make their mark on everyone, but kindness is forever enduring.

The timing of the creation and release of It’s a Wonderful Life is also worth mentioning. As the United States, to say nothing of many European nations, struggled to pick up the pieces after the devastation of World War II, what an opportune time for the picture to immerse itself into the lives of many people in need of a strong and uplifting message.

No wonder the film was popular when first released as the feel-good film of 1946.

The black and white cinematography does wonders to portray the film’s magical atmosphere as the cold and snowy bridge scenes are the high point.

Controversial years later was the colorization, and some would say the ruination, a decision that was met with anger by star Stewart who went as far as testifying in court to voice his displeasure.

At the risk of being raked across the coals and deemed a “Scrooge”, portions of It’s a Wonderful Life are saccharin and manufactured in the utmost goodness-sometimes too good.

Admittedly coming across as a bit trite at times, the characters of George, Mary, and their children seem to glimmer and radiate with only benevolent characteristics never having an improper or impure action. In a fantasy film, the overly humanistic approach can sometimes be a tad silly.

The same can be said for the angel, Clarence.

Nonetheless, films such as It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) serve their purpose in the annals of cinema history.

With a powerful and heart-warming message, the positive vibes cannot be denied and the warmth and emotion the film possesses radiate even the coldest hearts and the harshest of critics willing to accept and be enraptured by the film’s staying power.

Oscar Nominations: Best Motion Picture, Best Director-Frank Capra, Best Actor-James Stewart, Best Sound Recording, Best Film Editing

1948 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Best Film of the Year, Cedric Hardwicke, Farley Granger, Hume Cronyn, James Stewart, John Dall, Scott's Top 100 Films, Thriller

Rope-1948

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Rope-1948

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Farley Granger, John Dall, James Stewart

Top 100 Films #33

Scott’s Review #323

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Reviewed January 5, 2016

Grade: A

Rope (1948) is one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films and a film that rather flies under the radar amongst his catalog of gems.  Made in 1948, the film- set as a play (and based on a 1929 play), using one set only- and appearing to be one long take- is an understated film.

The action is inside a luxurious Manhattan apartment, with a gorgeous panoramic skyline. Intelligent with subtle nuances that in current viewings are not as subtle, the tiny (nine) cast is fantastic at eliciting a fine story that never seems dated.

Starring Hitchcock stalwart, Jimmy Stewart, the film features Farley Granger (Strangers On A Train-1951) and John Dall.

Granger and Dall portray Phillip and Brandon, two college students who strangle a fellow student as an experiment to create the perfect murder. Immediately after the murder, they host a dinner party for friends, including the father, aunt, and fiancée of the victim, all in attendance.

Stewart plays Brandon and Phillip’s prep school housemaster,  Rupert Cadell, who is suspicious of the duo.

To further the thrill, the dead body is hidden inside a large antique wooden chest, in the center of their living room, as their housekeeper unwittingly serves dinner atop the dead body.

The film is macabre, clever, and quite experimental.

The very first scene is of Phillip strangling the victim, David, with a piece of kitchen rope, which is an unusual way to start a film. Typically, there would be more buildup and then the climax of murder, but Hitchcock is far too intelligent to follow the rule book.

Phillip is ironically the weak and submissive one, despite committing the crime. Brandon is dominant and keeps Phillip in check by coaxing him to be calm and in control.

The fact that many of the guests have a relationship with the deceased, munching on their dinner while wondering why David is not attending the party, is gleeful irony. Plenty of drinks are served and as Phillip gets drunker and drunker, he becomes more unhinged.

The film reminds me of some aspects of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, also based on a play and largely featuring one set- both dinner parties with alcoholic consumptions, secrets, and accusations becoming more prevalent as the evening goes along.

The chilling way that the plot unfolds throughout one evening as Rupert slowly figures out that what he had previously taught Brandon and Phillip in an intellectual, hypothetical classroom discussion, has been taken morbidly seriously by the two.

The homosexual context is hard to miss in this day and age, but remarkably, was over the heads of the 1948 Production Code censors, who had no idea of what they were witnessing.

Phillip and Brandon are a gay couple who live together and this Hitchcock has admitted to in later years. If watched closely, one will notice that in any shot where Brandon and Phillip are speaking to one another, their faces are dangerously close, so we can easily imagine them kissing.

This is purely intentional by Hitchcock.

Rope (1948) is a daring achievement in innovative filmmaking and should be viewed by any aspiring filmmaker, or anyone into robust and clever camera angles, story, and seeking an extraordinary adventure in a calm, subtle, great story, and more.

1954 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Best Film of the Year, Gig Young, Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Scott's Top 100 Films, Thelma Ritter, Thriller

Rear Window-1954

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Rear Window-1954

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly

Top 100 Films #50

Scott’s Review #317

60000397

Reviewed January 2, 2016

Grade: A

There are several Alfred Hitchcock films that I love dearly and Rear Window is very high up on that list.

The film is a unique experience in that much of the filming is through the point of view of the main character L.B. Jeffries, played with conviction by James Stewart who is a fixture in several of Hitchcock’s great films.

Wheelchair-bound and confined to his Manhattan apartment, he has nothing more to do than spy on an apartment full of neighbors across the street.

He witnesses a crime and a cat-and-mouse game ensues.

What is great about this film is the viewer gets to know the series of neighbors L.B. watches and glimpses into their lives, some happy lives, some sad.

Rear Window is shot sort of like a play. The chemistry between Stewart and Grace Kelly is nice but quite secondary to the great main story.

Rear Window can be watched repeatedly and enjoyed with each subsequent viewing.

Oscar Nominations: Best Director-Alfred Hitchcock, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Recording, Best Cinematography, Color

1952 Films, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Cecil B. Demille, Charlton Heston, Drama, Epic, Gloria Grahame, James Stewart

The Greatest Show on Earth-1952

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The Greatest Show on Earth-1952

Director Cecil B. DeMille

Starring Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, James Stewart

Scott’s Review #204

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Reviewed December 14, 2014

Grade: B+

Considered by some critics to be one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time, The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) is quite an impressive Hollywood spectacle and tells the story of the world’s largest railroad circus as they launch a tour and travel throughout the United States, with plenty of drama to experience throughout the film.

The film stars Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, and James Stewart as the general manager, acrobat, and clown of the show, respectively.

The film used over 1400 real Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s people in the production as well as hundreds of animals giving it an authentic circus feel.

Unfortunately, the film also has a schmaltzy quality to it and does not have the best acting, which surprisingly does not bother me and, strangely enough, sort of works in a melodramatic way.

Various characters have affairs with each other or fall in and out of love rather quickly- it makes for good drama anyway.

The main appeal is the extravagant show, of course. While the drama sometimes takes center stage, the lavish production and real circus events shine through.

My favorite, and arguably, only interesting character with any depth in The Greatest Show on Earth is Buttons the Clown, played by James Stewart.

Buttons wears his clown costume complete with full makeup at all times. He is kind and mysterious. We learn that he “mercy killed” his dying wife and has joined the circus for protection from the police.

A wonderful human being, he was once a Doctor and tends to anyone in the circus troupe who needs assistance. Later in the film, he plays a very important role after a tragic accident occurs.

His heartbreaking, tender conversation with his elderly mother, whom he only sees secretly once a year for seconds as she tearfully and discreetly visits him in the audience, is painfully sad to watch and is such a sweet scene.

The Greatest Show on Earth’s best scene by far though, which still impresses today, is the massive train wreck, close to the conclusion of the film.

Made in 1952, the special effects and direction of Cecil B. DeMille are brilliant. The way that the train derails one night is just perfect- highly effective in its enormity, crashing into an approaching train and derailing.

The scene does not look silly.

The way that all of the drama comes together in this scene- Harry, the crooked midway concessionaire and the vicious elephant trainer, Klaus, responsible for the accident, Button’s true identity being revealed, and a major character in peril, make this scene top-notch and a satisfying conclusion to the film.

The film’s stories involving Brad, Holly, Sebastian, and Angel are soapy and melodramatic and the weakest point of the film- as a viewer I couldn’t care less which character lusted after which or who wound up in bed together, but the film itself is a spectacle and that is my main enjoyment of it.

The brightness, the revelry, and the circus performances are all wonderful.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Motion Picture (won), Best Director-Cecil B. DeMille, Best Story (won), Best Costume Design, Color, Best Film Editing

1956 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Best Film of the Year, Doris Day, James Stewart, Scott's Top 100 Films, Thriller

The Man Who Knew Too Much-1956

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The Man Who Knew Too Much-1956

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring James Stewart, Doris Day

Top 100 Films #38

Scott’s Review #176

60020329

Reviewed September 26, 2014

Grade: A

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a classic Alfred Hitchcock film from 1956 starring James Stewart and Doris Day, who share tremendous chemistry.

They play a successful married couple- Ben and Jo McKenna, he a Doctor, she a well-known singer, who travels on a lovely trip to Morocco, with their young son Hank in tow.

They are a traditional American family on vacation abroad that the viewer trusts and believes in from the onset of the film.

Suddenly, they are approached by a Frenchman named Louis Bernard, who seems a bit too curious about Ben and his work. Jo is immediately suspicious of the mysterious man and thus begins a series of events involving mistaken identity, an assassination attempt on England’s Prime Minister, and the couple traversing to London in an attempt to locate Hank, who has been kidnapped by criminals.

As with other Hitchcock films- think North by Northwest, the motivations of the assassins are unclear and one might argue, unnecessary. Why are they attempting to assassinate a political figure? Is there money to gain? Is there power to be obtained?

These questions are never answered- the film is not about that, but rather about Ben and Jo’s predicaments. The villains- primarily an innocent-seeming English couple and a sneering, rat-like assassin, are one-dimensional characters as their motivations are not revealed.

A remake of a 1934 version with the same title, but far superior, the film is a suspense/ political thriller.

Some interesting comparisons to other Hitchcock films released around the same time that I continue to notice with each passing viewing-

North by Northwest– the ordinary man falling into international intrigue and Vertigo– Jo is dressed in almost identical fashion to Madeleine/Judy- a classic, sophisticated grey suit with a pulled-up bun hairstyle; the musical scores are extremely similar- almost identical in instances; Vertigo’s bell tower is reminiscent of Ambrose Chappel in The Man Who Knew Too Much. Stewart’s Ben climbs up the bell tower in The Man Who Knew Too Much whereas in Vertigo is terrified of heights, let alone climbing.

These are fascinating tidbits to note for any Hitchcock fan.

Impressive to me is Doris Day’s performance, which is her greatest. Known for the lightweight, romantic comedy, and fluff roles, she turns in a wonderfully emotional and dramatic role and is quite effective in her own right.

The six-minute climactic final sequence, set at a musical concert at the Royal Albert Hall, is among the best in film history and uses no dialogue. This technique is jaw-dropping as one realizes just how much transpires within the six minutes, solely on physical activity and facial expressions alone- the entire plot of the film reaches a searing crescendo- quite literally.

Day is particularly strong in this sequence.

James Stewart, in his fourth turn in a Hitchcock film, is charismatic as always playing the everyman tangled in a web of deceit and espionage.  He takes charge, but is identifying to the audience- he can be your friend or neighbor and we trust his character- he is a successful doctor after all.

The now-legendary song from the film “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” is an important part of the finale and remains with the audience in a happy yet terrifying way long after the curtain closes on the film.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) is exciting, suspenseful, interesting, and fun- just what a Hitchcock film should be.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Song-” Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” (won)

1958 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Best Film of the Year, James Stewart, Kim Novak, Scott's Top 100 Films, Thriller

Vertigo-1958

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Vertigo-1958

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring James Stewart, Kim Novak

Top 100 Films #6

Scott’s Review #151

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Reviewed August 7, 2014

Grade: A

Over the years Vertigo has easily become one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films and I learn, appreciate, or see something new with each repeated viewing.

It is an absolute masterpiece.

The primary appeal to Vertigo is its mystique and dream-like quality which provides a beautiful cinematic experience. It is ominous, psychological, and gloriously complex, even confusing at times, but that makes it wonderful.

The colorful opening visuals are dynamic and groundbreaking.

The story involves a retired detective, Scottie, played by Hitchcock stalwart Jimmy Stewart. Scottie suffers from vertigo, which hinders his daily life. After an incident in which a police officer is killed and Scottie blames himself and his vertigo for causing the death, he whiles away the days brooding and keeping companionship with Midge- a college friend whom he was once engaged to.

One day he is hired by another college friend to follow his wife, played tremendously by Kim Novak, who is acting strangely and periodically disappearing, having an obsession with a painting of a woman from years past.

From this point, the plot twists and turns in a great mysterious fashion, and mixed in is a romantic, bizarre, obsessive, love story.

Is Scottie in his right mind? Will his vertigo continue to haunt him? What is the secret to Madeleine and Judy? Is Midge as sweet as she appears?

The score to Vertigo is haunting and unforgettable and adds so much mood and ambiance to the film.

Set in San Francisco, several location shots are featured- Golden Gate Bridge, downhill streets, the Mission, and Red Wood forest.

As with all Hitchcock films, all sets and details in the film are perfect from paintbrushes, coffee mugs, curtains, and furniture, to the gorgeous bright red décor of the restaurant heavily featured in the film.

How exquisite does Kim Novak look in the film??

Originally critically panned upon its release it is now considered one of the greatest films of all time, deservedly so, and has influenced countless other films with its unique camera angles and slow, methodical pacing.

The film is not always an easy watch as it is complex, to be fair, but like a fine wine, it gets better and better.

Vertigo is a layered psychological thriller that is appreciated more and more with each viewing.

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound, Best Art Direction

1959 Films, Drama, George C. Scott, James Stewart, Lee Remick, Otto Preminger

Anatomy of a Murder-1959

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Anatomy of a Murder-1959

Director Otto Preminger

Starring James Stewart, Lee Remick

Scott’s Review #61

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Reviewed June 24, 2014

Grade: B+

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) is a thought-provoking, courtroom/legal thriller that is not a black-and-white, good and bad story.

It is deeper and more complex than that.

Starring James Stewart as an everyman defense attorney, the film, shot effectively in black and white, pushed barriers for its time by using certain words such as “rape” and “panties” that were never spoken in films before this time.

Much of the action takes place inside the courtroom.

The film pushed the envelope and is still enjoyable today.

Throughout the film, which is admittedly slow at times, the audience finds itself unsure of the guilt of the defendant and is wary and suspicious of him from the start, which makes for great drama.

The rooting value is with Stewart, who is the hero, and the interesting supporting cast provides deeper layers than similar type films that run the risk of being wordy or preachy.

As each new fact or twist and turn arrives throughout the film, it becomes more and more engaging until it reaches a satisfying climax.

Oscar Nominations: Best Motion Picture, Best Actor-James Stewart, Best Supporting Actor-Arthur O’Connell, George C. Scott, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Film Editing