Classics: A Review of Algiers by Lauren Ennis

Atmosphere, intrigue, romance, and suspense are all in a day’s work for France’s most notorious jewel thief, Pepe Le Moko. In the classic romantic thriller Algiers, Pepe’s exploits showed audiences just how right it could feel to be on the wrong side of the law. Released in 1938, the film is one of the earliest examples of the emerging film noir genre, which highlighted the isolation, paranoia, and existential ennui of modern life, even in the midst of the exotic underworld of the Algerian capital.

A bad boy with a heart of 14 karat gold to be exact

The story begins with police tracking Pepe (Charles Boyer) in the most recent in a long line of unsuccessful sting efforts. Recently arrived Commissioner Janvier (Paul Harvey) is humiliated when his strong-arm techniques fail and scoffs as veteran officer Inspector Slimane (Joseph Calleia) continues to maintain a strangely amiable game of cat and mouse with the elusive thief. As his criminal associates celebrate their latest success against the local authorities, however, Pepe remains aloof. It is then revealed that despite his latest victory against the authorities Pepe is in fact already a prisoner, albeit in a cell of his own making. Regardless of however many victories he may have against local inspectors, he is all too aware that should he leave the native quarter known as the Casbah he will find himself at the mercy of the full force of the French police, whom even he can’t elude forever. After years resigned to his fate he meets the alluring French tourist, Gaby (Hedy Lamarr), who is similarly trapped by her own efforts to enter high society through an impending loveless marriage. Invigorated by the first genuine connection that either of the mercenary duo have felt Pepe and Gaby hatch a plan to escape not just the Casbah but the lives of quiet desperation that they have resigned themselves to, no matter what the cost.

While at first glance Algiers appears to be just another exotic romantic drama, upon closer observation the film is revealed to be an innovative catalyst in Hollywood filmmaking. Perhaps best remembered today for inspiring amorous cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew, the remake of the French hit Pepe Le Moko was one of America’s first efforts to integrate European techniques since the use of German Expressionism during the silent era. With its claustrophobic settings, murky morals, and existential outlook, the film introduced the philosophical and social themes prominent in European films, while still maintaining the cleverly entertaining guise of a romantic adventure. The film also successfully merged American and European cinema through its gritty focus upon the criminal lifestyle reminiscent of the American gangster film, while still maintaining its core European sensibility. Although produced four years after the enforcement of the Hays Code, the film managed to lend viewers a frank look at modern sexuality through its portrayals of Pepe’s relationships with both local beauty Ines (Sigrid Gurie) and kept woman Gaby, without condescending to pass judgment on its complicated cast of characters. The film also offered a starkly modern finale in an interesting twist on the typical crime film by presenting Pepe’s tragic end not as an example of the ways in which ‘crime doesn’t pay’, but instead as the ultimate form of freedom. The film featured breakout performances for both Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr (who made her Hollywood debut in her role as Gaby) and went on to inspire a host of thinly veiled imitations, including the now classic Casablanca. In fact, it is reported that when screenwriters Philip and Julius Epstein persuaded producer David O Selznick to loan out Ingrid Bergman’s contract to Warner Brothers for the role of Ilsa, they only succeeded after describing Casablanca as “A lot of s*** like Algiers”.

It's all about the bling

Although a faithful remake of Pepe Le Moko, Algiers became a classic in its own right through its truly star-making performances. Joseph Calleia exudes a fascinating combination of world weariness and sly charm in his role as Pepe’s greatest ally and most dangerous foe, Inspector Slimane. Sigrid Gurie takes what could have been a one-note role as Pepe’s scorned mistress and transforms Ines into a truly complicated woman who is at once the epitome of worldly sensuality and the picture of damaged vulnerability. Hedy Lamarr is luminous in her role as the elusive Gaby, aptly capturing both Gaby’s ambition and desperation while still maintaining a sophisticated façade. In the scenes that she shares with Boyer she perfectly embodies the playful excitement and anxious hesitance of new love with such nuance that it is little wonder that she quickly became a household name. Despite the multi-faceted performances surrounding him, the film truly belongs to Charles Boyer, whose charismatic anti-hero is at once a Robin Hood-esque rogue and a tragic figure. While Boyer himself felt that his performance paled in comparison to Jean Gabin’s, modern audiences continue to hear the name Pepe Le Moko and immediately picture Charles Boyer, and with good reason.

At once a captivating tale of romance and adventure and a psychological study of a life on the run, Algiers is a classic film with a modern edge. Through its clever dialogue, layered characterizations, and entrancing atmosphere Algiers is a journey into the good old, bad old days which audiences continue to return to. So what are you waiting for, follow Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr into the labyrinth of mystery, intrigue, and passion that is Pepe’s Casbah.

A jewel thief's greatest match; a gold-digger

Classics: An Independence Day Tribute By Lauren Ennis

Today marks the 240^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In honor of this milestone, I will be reviewing three films that capture the innovative and pioneering spirit that the United States was founded upon. Happy Independence Day!

A little frontier justice

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: Few genres are as unique to American culture as the Western and few actors are as synonymous with America as John Wayne. This 1961 film provided a unique take on the western that exposed the grit and lawlessness that made up life in the early West and left the genre forever altered. The film begins with US Senator Ransom “Ranse” Stoddard (James Stewart) traveling from Washington with his wife, Hallie (Vera Miles), to attend the funeral of rancher Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) in Shinbone (a fictional town in an unnamed state). When a reporter questions why a senator would go to so much trouble to pay respects to a rancher the film launches into a flashback of the incident that put Ranse on the path to political success.  The film then chronicles law-abiding Ranse’s efforts to rid Shinbone of local gunslinger Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), while still remaining within the boundaries of the law. What begins as a simple story of citizens versus gunslingers quickly spirals into a masterfully told tale of a region coming to grips with its place in an emerging nation, as the citizens of Shinbone contemplate impending statehood. The film excellently depicts the democratic process at work through its portrayal of town hall meetings, political debates, and a free press. While the plot focuses upon the benefits of statehood and the American political system, it reveals the resistance that statehood was often met with and the ways in which the political system is all too often manipulated. The film also examines the meaning of bravery and grit through its focus upon the initially pacifist Ranse rather than his macho counterpart, Tom. Furthermore, the film turns the typical structure of the Western on its head as it argues in favor of restraint and rule of law and only shifts its focus to genre staple Wayne after his character defies genre expectations and sacrifices both the glory and the girl for the greater good. While the film does not shy away from America’s gritty past, it does highlight the principles that this nation was founded upon through its emphasis upon the best aspects of our legal and political system and reminds us of the hope and promise which those systems were founded upon.

Everywhere around the world, they're coming to America!

Moscow on the Hudson: This 1984 film portrays modern America from the perspective of a newly arrived immigrant. The film begins with musician Vladimir Ivanov (Robin Williams) trying to eke out a living amidst the financial hardships and political repression of 1980’s Moscow. Eventually he tours the world with a circus, and after his first glimpse of life beyond the iron curtain, he realizes that he can no longer stand the deprivations and repression of Soviet life. In a scene that is at once heartfelt, suspenseful, and comical Vladimir ultimately defects to the US in the middle of a Manhattan Macy’s. The film then chronicles his efforts to assimilate to US life and struggles to make a new life in a strange land. While the film does offer commentary on democracy vs. communism and is very much of the Cold War era in which it is set, Vladimir’s tale of immigration and assimilation is one that both recalls the immigrants who founded this country and those who continue to arrive today. The film realistically portrays the struggles with language and culture that many immigrants face as such simple activities as shopping at a supermarket inspire culture shock and Vladimir struggles to understand the slang used by his coworkers and roommates. Although the film is perforated with fish-out-of-water shenanigans, it also provides a serious look at the immigrant experience as Vladimir faces prejudice, isolation, and financial hardship and ultimately begins to question if defecting was the right decision after all. Throughout his various ups and downs, however, the film maintains an infectious sense of optimism and a central message that the freedom to live your own life, regardless of how difficult that life may be, is something to be cherished.

Who says tough guys can't dance?!

Yankee Doodle Dandy: No Independence Day film list would be complete without this 1942 musical biography. The film chronicles the life and work of turn of the century composer George M. Cohan (James Cagney), best known for such patriotic standards as “You’re a Fine Old Flag”, Over There”, and of course “Yankee Doodle Boy”. The films begins towards the end of Cohan’s career as he meets President Franklin Roosevelt and is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in recognition of his contribution to American music. The film then launches into a flashback starting with Cohan’s birth to Irish immigrant vaudeville performers (Walter Huston and Mary Decamp) on, of all days, the fourth of July. The film then chronicles his years as part of the family vaudeville act alongside his parents and sister (Cagney’s real-life sister Jeanne) and the trouble the family faces when his adolescent arrogance gets them blacklisted by producers and directors. Eventually he sets out on his own and attempts to sell his songs while courting a struggling chorus girl (Joan Leslie), before finding success and humbly asking his family to rejoin him onstage. While the film’s focus is upon Cohan’s life and career, it is permeated with the same patriotic spirit found in Cohan’s music in its celebration of both American music and the American Dream. Interestingly, the film’s emphasis upon Cohan’s patriotism was in part inspired by Cagney’s efforts to highlight his own patriotism after the House on Un-American Activities Committee unjustly accused Cagney of being a communist. In an effort to redeem his public image, it is reported that Cagney overcame his personal dislike for Cohan, who had sided with producers during a 1919 Actors Equity Strike, and set out to make the “goddamnest patriotic picture ever made”. One viewing of Cagney and company’s stellar performances, and it is there is no doubt that Cagney succeeded in doing just that.

Classics: A Review of The Birdcage By Lauren Ennis

This week, I was planning on writing a Father’s Day themed review highlighting inspiring father figures in cinema. In light of the terrorist attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL, however, I have decided to alter this review to show support for the LGBT community, while still paying tribute to a pair of dads we could all learn something from. This week’s film, the 1996 comedy classic The Birdcage is at once a celebration of diversity, political satire, and an exploration of the modern American family.

There's no place like home

The story begins with nightclub owner Armand (Robin Williams) maneuvering yet another domestic spat with his temperamental partner, Albert (Nathan Lane) who is also the club’s star drag queen. In the midst of balancing Albert’s latest bout of hysterics and the club’s many demands, Armand is faced with a family crisis when his son from a previous relationship, Val (Dan Futterman), arrives and announces his impending marriage. Already uneasy with his son’s choice to marry before finishing college, Armand is mortified to learn that the bride-to-be’s parents are an ultra-conservative politician and his equally tradition-minded wife. While Armand initially balks when Val pleads with him to play it straight for one night to impress Val’s prospective in-law’s, he eventually relents. In preparation for the big event, Armand and Albert attempt to reinvent themselves as a traditional family with predictably hilarious results. By the film’s finish, both families learn the true meaning of family and the importance of being true to yourself.

Although marketed as a racy comedy, The Birdcage is at its heart a family film. At first, the central question seems to be can Armand and Albert trick Val’s future in-law’s into believing that they’re a traditional family, but as the plot progresses another, much more complicated, question comes to the fore; are they really so different from what is considered a traditional American family after all. Although both of Val’s parents are men it becomes clear that he has grown up with two parents who understand the meaning of parental guidance and sacrifice as they throw themselves into one uncomfortable situation after another, all to ensure his happiness. Similarly, both men also show an understanding of the fine line that a parent must walk as they advise Val that it would be more prudent to wait before getting married, but ultimately support his decision. The functionality of Val’s unconventional family is further highlighted by the dysfunction of his fiancée’s conformist parents. While Val immediately tells his parents about his fiancée and her family, even though his parents may disapprove, Barbara (Calista Flockhart) feels unable to openly communicate with her parents and concocts a series of elaborate lies for fear that they will try to interfere with her marriage. Although utilized as a springboard for much of the plot, Barbara’s lies also reveal the lack of trust and understanding in her relationship with her parents. The damaged dynamics of her family are further highlighted when Barbara’s parents (Dianne Weist and Gene Hackman) pressure her to move up the marriage as soon as possible to distract from a political scandal, after previously advising her to wait and reconsider. As a result, the film implies that Barbara’s parents are more concerned with their own public image than with their daughter’s future happiness. This juxtaposition of the two very different families in turn reveals that while they may defy popular convention, Armand and Albert understand the true meaning of family, perhaps better than their more conventional counterparts.

 

And which one if the fifth wheel?

Although the film follows the long tradition of Hollywood screwball comedies, its message of embracing your individuality in the face of public pressure to conform is a crucial one that continues to resonate. Throughout the film, Armand and Albert face pressure to conform to traditional gender norms, with their continued failure to do so played for slapstick laughs. It is only when the couple are open and honest with themselves and those around them, however, that they are able to set things right. In the film, the pair face adversity in the form of Val’s comically ultra-conservative in-law’s, in an apt satire on 1990’s American politics. While the film’s sharp humor may be viewed in a softer light in the wake of recent developments in gay and transgender rights, Armand and Albert’s struggle for acceptance continues to resonate in the face of an all too real foe; radical Islamic terrorism. As ISIS and other radical Islamic terrorist groups have continued to gain notoriety, the western world has witnessed the ways in which radical Islam regards homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgenders not only as second class citizens, but as living affronts to their warped belief system who must ultimately be eliminated. In the counties in which terror groups dominate, members of the LGBT community are routinely prosecuted, tortured, and executed, merely for being themselves. In articles chronicling last night’s attack the notion of clubs as a ‘safe place’ for members of the LGBT community has been continually discussed. Following the attack, however, we have all been reminded once again that the world has become an increasingly dangerous place. Still, we cannot let this attack and all of the many that have preceded it alter our allegiance to our own way of life, lest we let the terrorists succeed in making our lives ruled by fear. By the same token, however, while it is crucial that we hold fast to our beliefs and way of living, it is just as, if not even more, imperative that we acknowledge the fact that terrorism is a problem facing all people who value freedom regardless of race, religion, sex, nationality, ethnicity, gender identification, political affiliation, or sexual orientation.

The Birdcage is a film that reminds us of just how fundamental the freedom to live and love as you choose truly is. It is a film that celebrates families from all walks of life and encourages us to live life to the fullest regardless of any adversity we may face as a result. At the film’s finish there is a scene that is at once comical and heartfelt as both families come together during the club’s rendition of ‘We Are Family’. As we continue to cope with the devastating effects of this latest attack we should take an example from the film’s characters and come together as individuals, families, communities, and a society and stand against the ideology of hate, intolerance, and violence that continues to threaten all that we hold dear.

A truly happy couple

Classics: A Memorial Day Salute By Lauren Ennis

Originally a Southern event designated to honor Confederate veterans of the Civil War, Memorial Day went on to become a nationally recognized holiday in the United States, which now honors all American veterans. While today the true meaning of the holiday is too often lost amidst the barbeques, beach days, and block parties that it has since become associated with, it remains at its heart a commemoration of the bravery and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. Below are three films that celebrate and honor America’s men and women in arms and all that they stand for.

Kiss this man's feet!

PATTON: Part biography and part war epic, 1970’s Patton remains an invigorating mix of the best of both genres. The film covers the years that General George S. Patton (George C Scott) spent as one of the nation’s most skilled and controversial military leaders in WWII. Throughout the film, Scott captures Patton’s brilliance and insatiable drive with equal skill, and brings the colorful and complex general to life. While lauded as one of the nation’s most successful military leaders, Patton’s career was fraught with controversy as he alienated allied leaders whom he regarded as professional rivals, and continually disobeyed Washington’s orders. The film successfully makes him a by turns frustrating and inspiring, but always fascinating character and does full justice to his complicated life and career. The film portrays the war with the same nuance that it affords its protagonist by highlighting both the animosity that existed between the allies and the political machinations that divided the war effort. The supporting cast turns in uniformly excellent performances with particularly notable turns from Karl Malden as Patton’s beleaguered right-hand man, Major General Omar Bradley, and Michael Bates as his greatest rival, smug British general Bernard Montgomery. The film’s opening sequence featuring Patton delivering a passionate speech to his troops in front of a massive American flag remains nothing short of iconic, even today, and its message of resilience continues to resonate. While the film closes with the observation that ‘all glory is fleeting’ Patton remains an example of cinema at its most glorious.

Houdini's got nothing on these guys

THE GREAT ESCAPE: Based upon another true story from WWII, 1963’s The Great Escape chronicles the mass escape from German prison camp Stalag Luft III in 1943. The film begins with the SS moving its most skilled and determined prisoners of war to a high security prison in hopes of preventing their escape. What the SS fails to account for is the fact that by placing so many ‘escape artists’ in one facility they have in fact made continued, and even more sophisticated, escape plans inevitable. The film then follows the diverse group of allied prisoners as they overcome their many differences and forge a plan for the ultimate escape. While the plot of the film follows a familiar pattern, the fact-based fate of the famed fifty escapees remains tragically poignant. Similarly the prisoners’ efforts to obtain freedom not only for themselves, but also for each of their comrades, remain an inspiring testament to the power of teamwork and camaraderie in the face even the greatest of adversity. The film’s ensemble cast brilliantly brings the story of the fifty to life with standout performances from Steve McQueen as American loner Capt. Virgil Hilts, whose repeated stays in solitary confinement earn him the nickname ‘cooler king’ and Richard Attenborough as RAF squadron leader Roger Bartlett, whose leadership earns him the codename ‘big x’. The film’s chase scene featuring McQueen attempting to elude the SS on a motorcycle and its signature tune continue to be imitated and parodied, but have yet to be equaled. For a truly great war film, look no further than The Great Escape.

And you thought he was strictly a comic actor

BEHIND ENEMY LINES: This action-packed true-story explores the United States’ involvement in the Bosnian War of the 1990’s, a conflict that is largely ignored by Hollywood. The film begins with US naval Lieutenant Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) contemplating returning to civilian life after becoming disillusioned with the military and the political bureaucracy that has ordered the military to remain largely neutral in Bosnia. Later, however, Burnett is given the chance to take matters into his own hands when he captures evidence of the atrocities that are being committed by the Bosnian-Serb army. Before he can turn the crucial evidence over to his superiors, however, his plane is shot down and crash lands in Bosnia. He then witnesses the execution of his co-pilot at the hands of the Bosnian-Serb army and is forced on the run after narrowly escaping with his life. The film then chronicles his journey of survival through enemy territory as he struggles to return home and expose the genocide that he has discovered. While the film takes liberties with the facts of the Mkronjic Grad Incident, which its plot is based upon, it does succeed in bringing attention to a conflict that is often misunderstood. The film also succeeds in providing insight into the ways that political and military agendas can contradict and come into conflict with one another even as both struggle to reach a solution that is best for the country. For an action-packed look at modern warfare, take a journey Behind Enemy Lines.

Classics: An Ode to Imitation of Life By Lauren Ennis

This week we celebrated one of the most fundamental and complex relationships; that which exists between mothers and their children. Often idealized as a combination of love, duty, and sacrifice, even the healthiest of mother-child relationships are subject to misunderstandings, unreasonable expectations, and disappointments. The contradictory nature of motherhood was so expertly captured in the Fannie Hurst novel Imitation of Life that the story was adapted into, not one, but two classic films. Although released in two very different eras, both films challenge social, gender, and race relations, but the crux of both stories remains the enduring friendship between two women and their complex relationships with their daughters. This week’s review will focus upon the ways that these films reflect their respective eras, and the ways in which their shared message of understanding, tolerance, and acceptance continues to resonate today.

Break out a double dose of the hankies

The Mothers: Although promoted as a mother-daughter story, one of the greatest strengths of both films is the friendship and working relationships between its mothers. In the 1934 version, Bea (Claudette Colbert) is a recent widow struggling to raise her young daughter amidst the upheaval of the Great Depression. Delilah (Louise Beavers) is a fellow single mother trying to raise a daughter alone after her husband walks out on their family. Together, the pair make a mutually beneficial deal; Delilah will work maintaining the house and babysitting Bea’s daughter during the hours Bea is out seeking employment in exchange for room and board. Similarly, in the 1959 version Lora (Lana Turner) is a struggling widow and aspiring actress who hires recent divorcee, Annie (Juanita Moore) to manage her house and babysit her daughter, Susie, while she seeks acting work. In both films the women become fast friends and rely upon one another’s help as they endure the ups and downs of life as working mothers.

While both films showcase strong relationships between their heroines, they also highlight the racial divisions that continue to exist between the characters in spite of their friendship. In the 1934 film, Bea and Delilah work together to form a pancake mix business using Delilah’s recipe and Bea’s business acumen. Despite their mutual efforts, however, Bea only offers Delilah twenty percent of the profits. The situation then becomes even more unequal when Delilah flatly refuses her share in a scene that today plays awkwardly at best, and Bea still goes on to use Delilah’s image as an Aunt Jemima-esque mascot for the brand. The continued inequality between the two in spite of their mutual venture and friendship is superbly captured in a shot in which the two share a heartfelt moment, only to part with Bea going upstairs to her room and Delilah exiting downstairs to hers.  While the relationship between Lora and Annie is equally poignant, the racial tensions between them are more subtly incorporated, with Annie continuing her role as devoted housekeeper as Lora embarks upon a glamorous career as a Broadway star. While the opulence of the 1959 version is pleasing to the eyes, Lora’s stage success is far less relateable than Bea’s struggle to start her own business, and the stakes of Lora chasing her dream pale in comparison to Bea’s need to support herself and her daughter during the Depression. As a result, while the 1934 version is a grittier and more realistic tale of working class America as opposed to 1959’s glamorous tale set in the post-war boom, the 1959 version reflects the advances of the civil rights movement that were beginning to take root by the late 1950’s.

What a little elbow grease can do

The Daughters: One of the most crucial strengths of the original story and both adaptations is the depth with which the two very different daughters are portrayed. In both films the African American mother Delilah/Annie becomes estranged from her daughter Peola/Sarah Jane (Fredi Washington and Susan Kohner) after the daughter attempts to ‘pass’ in white society. In the 1934 version, Peola’s rejection of her race is portrayed as a rejection not of her mother or heritage, but as a rejection of the limitations society places upon her because of her family and heritage. Rather than using the temporary freedom afforded her by her lie to pursue any lofty dreams, Peola settles for an entry level job in a small town with the hope of working her way up to a moderate success. The fact that Peola sacrifices her family for such a modest path serves to remind viewers of just how limited her options for finding a better life as an African American would have been during that time. In the 1959 version, Sarah Jane also attempts to ‘pass’, but over the course of the film her motives become murky as she strives for a show-business career reminiscent of Lora’s success, and is portrayed as hungry for fame rather than merely desperate for a better life. The 1934 film also conveys a greater sense of authenticity through its casting choice of a black woman in the role of Peola, while the 1959 version fails to suspend audience disbelief through its casting of a hispanic actress in the part. In both films, however, Peola and Sarah Jane defy stereotypes through their portrayal as complex women who want to live life on their own terms, rather than those set down for them by society.

Similarly, both films feature a common dilemma for Susie and Jessie (Sandra Dee and Rochelle Hudson), who are both alienated by their mothers’ dedication to their respective careers. As a result of their isolation, both girls seek affection in surrogate father figures in the form of their mothers’ boyfriends. In the 1934 version, Bea begins a romance while Jessie is away at college, only for Jessie to return and develop an immediate infatuation with her mother’s beau (Warren William). In this film, Jessie’s insistence upon maintaining her fantasy is portrayed as a means of lashing out against her mother rather than a genuine attraction, and parallels Peola’s rejection of Delilah. In the 1959 film, however, Susie nurses a crush on her mother’s long-time on and off boyfriend, Steve (John Gavin), in large part because he has been there for her more often than the jet-setting Laura. As a result, Susie’s misplaced affection is an attempt to cry out for her mother’s love and attention, and stands in stark contrast to Sarah Jane’s blatant rejection of Annie. One of the most emotional moments in the 1959 film explores this contrast by showing the way that Susie and Annie turn to each other for comfort as they face estrangement from their own families. This scene also reminds audiences of the ways in which racism can be overcome, as both women find the solace that they need in their surrogate families outside of their own race. Despite their different approaches, both films reveal the ways that a lack of love and guidance, even if unintentional, can impact and skew a person’s understanding of the world around them, and highlights the fundamental need of all children for their mother’s love. Indictment of injustice, family drama, and tale of friendship, are all phrases that aptly describe the tribute to the very real triumphs and struggles of motherhood that is Imitation of Life. 

Now in glorious technicolor!

Classics: A Review of Purple Rain By Lauren Ennis

On Thursday, April 28, 2016 music legend Prince Rogers Nelson, better known as Prince, died at age 57. In a career that spanned three decades, seven Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and five number one hits, Prince redefined popular music through his blend of pop, funk, R&B, and synth rock, which formed a completely unique and instantly recognizable signature sound. While best known for his work as a singer, songwriter, and composer, Prince also worked in film and starred in three films, two of which he also directed. Dearly beloved, these words have been gathered here in tribute to Prince’s film debut in which he showcased a performance that was the stuff of music legend; 1984’s rock musical Purple Rain.

Purple is officially the new black

The film begins with an everyman protagonist known only as ‘The Kid’ (Prince) struggling to start a music career amidst a troubled personal life. In order to escape his disruptive home life with his parents (Clarence Williams III and Olga Karlatos), whose relationship with both The Kid and each other is fraught with emotional and physical abuse, he throws himself into his music. Despite his devotion to his work, however, he continues to encounter personal conflict as his band becomes plagued with in-fighting and several members consider quitting to join other groups. The Kid’s primary musical rival, Morris (Morris Day), makes note of the band’s difficulties and quickly takes advantage of them by pitching a new girl-group to their club’s management and offering the position of lead singer to The Kid’s girlfriend, Apollonia (Apollonia Kotero). She reluctantly accepts the offer, which brings the already frustrated Kid to his breaking point, leading him to lash out at her in abusive behavior that directly mirrors the same abuse he has been trying to escape at home. Faced with continuing his downward spiral and repeating the very cycle of abuse he has been trying to rise above, The Kid is forced to re-evaluate his work, his relationships, and ultimately himself in a coming of age story for the MTV generation.

After numerous stale efforts throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, the movie musical threatened to become an outdated genre, but Purple Rain’s balance of tradition and innovation brought the classic genre into the modern era. While the movie musical had been an established genre since the early days of talking pictures, movie musicals had largely shied away from rock and modern pop, instead utilizing the tried and true show-tunes that the genre had been built upon.  Purple Rain reinvigorated the movie musical by not only incorporating, but framing an entire film around, modern rock and pop at their most electrifying. In many ways the film, which features several concert-worthy performances to propel its story, is as much a feature-length music video as it is a movie musical. For example, while most musicals feature characters spontaneously breaking out into song, Purple Rain restricts its musical interludes to the confines of the nightclub in which The Kid’s band performs, keeping the film firmly rooted in reality. Despite its restricted use of music, the film contains musical performances that, with their use of choreography, costuming, and sound that were all on the cutting edge of pop culture at the time of the film’s release would have fit in perfectly on an MTV special. Despite its trend-setting performances, the film’s coming of age story remains a universal one that could have been used in movie musicals of previous decades. Timelessly compelling and an apt glimpse into 1980’s pop culture, Purple Rain is truly a musical for the ages.

Chicks dig brooding

While the supporting performers all lend apt portrayals, Purple Rain truly belongs to Prince, whose charisma, showmanship, and passion carry the film. While The Kid is an everyman audiences can root for, he is also deeply flawed and displays dark tendencies. As a result, it was crucial that the role be filled by an actor who possessed the daring to fully portray The Kid without whitewashing his demons, but who could also balance the character’s faults with enough likability to ensure that audiences would remain invested in his story. In Prince’s hands, The Kid is a truly complex character whose struggle to break the cycle of his family’s abuse and make good in music is one that is at once deeply personal and wholly universal. While he holds his own as a leading man, the pop legend’s musical skills remain front and center as he brings The Kid’s story to life through a series of classic performances that have become the stuff of music history. With Prince at the helm, Purple Rain is a film experience that audiences continue to bask in today.

Singer, songwriter, composer, musician, actor, and director Prince was a true artist whose work was never less than revolutionary. In the three decades since he first appeared on the scene, music has continued to evolve and change as movements and trends have come and gone, but Prince’s influence remains a constant. In the wake of his death, his work remains a celebration of and testament to the sensuality, spirituality, and creativity that make up this thing called life. Next time that elevator tries to bring you down, look no further than Prince and his Purple Rain to give you the lift that you need.

All bow before the Prince

Classics: Three Cheers for Bette Davis By Lauren Ennis

The Kim Carnes song “Bette Davis Eyes” goes, “she’ll tease you, she’ll unease you all the better just to please you…”. Over the course of a career that lasted over five decades, Bette Davis did more than tease, unease, and please; she set the standard for what film acting at its most complex and fierce could be. From her Hollywood start as a budding ingénue to her final films in which she became known as a scene-stealing character-actress, Davis blazed a fiery trail not just for women, but for all actors seeking to create meaningful and challenging roles. In honor of what would have been her 108^th birthday on April 5^th, I will be discussing three of my favorite performances from Davis’ legendary career.

A romance that will leave you relieved to be single

Of Human Bondage: Described by Life Magazine as “the best performance ever recorded on the screen by a U.S. actress” Davis’ portrayal of wanton and malicious Mildred Rogers in Of Human Bondage was nothing short of explosive. The film follows the destructive on and off relationship between a mild-mannered medical student (Leslie Howard) and the vulgar tearoom waitress with whom he develops a masochistic obsession. After twenty films in which she was relegated to supporting roles and underwritten b-movie heroines Davis was finally able to show her full untapped dramatic range as the by turns seductive and abusive Mildred. While other actresses, including established stars Katherine Hepburn and Irene Dunne, refused to take on such an unsympathetic role, Davis rightly saw the part as an ample opportunity to make her dramatic mark. Despite the success of her performance, however, she was only nominated for a Best Actress Oscar after the Academy allowed ‘write in’ votes following public backlash when Davis was denied a nomination. She ultimately lost the Oscar to Claudette Colbert for her performance in It Happened One Night, but was awarded the title of Best Actress following year in what many deemed compensation for her earlier loss. Although her role as Mildred failed to earn her Oscar glory, Davis had passed the ultimate acting test with flying colors, and Warner Brothers took notice. Following the film’s successful release, the studio continued casting her in a series of increasingly complex and daring roles that built the foundation of her landmark career.

Bringing sexy back...to 1914

Mr. Skeffington: This 1944 drama was released during Davis’ heyday when she reigned as the queen of Warner Brothers’ studios. The film is both a cautionary tale warning of the dangers of vanity and an unlikely love story. The story begins at the eve of World War I, with Boston beauty Fanny Trellis keeping a string of suitors at her beck and call and leading a life of luxury that her family’s depleted funds can no longer afford. She is forced to face reality, however, when she learns that to provide for their mutually lavish lifestyle her brother, Trippy, has turned to embezzling from his wealthy employer, Job Skeffington. In order to sway Job from turning Trippy in to the police, Fanny schemes to court and eventually marries the awkward, but devoted, Job. Ashamed that his actions forced his sister into a marriage of convenience to the much older and Jewish Job, Trippy enlists in World War I and is later killed in battle. After Trippy’s death, Fanny quickly loses interest in her husband and embarks upon a series of affairs, which eventually leads to the couple’s divorce. Years later, however, war and illness take their toll on both Fanny and Job, and the two are eventually reunited in time to learn that it is love rather than physical feature’s that constitutes true beauty.  Although billed as a ‘women’s weepie’ or melodrama, the film is actually an apt portrait of a fading society and those who clung to it even in the face of social change. Throughout the film, Fanny insists upon behaving like the high society belle she was before the war, even as her society is changed beyond recognition. It is this inability to see beyond the superficial world of her of her youth that eventually costs Fanny her marriage, her relationship with her daughter, and nearly costs her a last chance at love. Similarly, the film indicts the prejudices of Fanny’s world by highlighting both the absurdities and dangers of anti-semitism and the ways in which the anti-semitism already present prior to World War I eventually fueled the Holocaust during World War II. While not considered one of Old Hollywood’s great beauties, Davis is flawless in her role as a spoiled and vain debutante and leaves little wonder as to how she is able to charm her many conquests. The film once again demonstrates Davis’ willingness to put glamour aside as she portrays a character who not only ages over the course of several decades, but one who is also robbed of her beauty after contracting diphtheria. Over the course of the film she portrays Fanny as she ages from society belle, to sensual vamp, to humbled woman with equal aplomb and increasing nuance. While Fanny may not be “the most beautiful girl” that she is so often described as in the film, Davis’ portrayal of her is nothing less than a thing of beauty.

You feelin' lucky, punk?

Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte: Released towards the end of her career, during which time she transitioned to a successful character-actress and horror maven, Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte is proof that even as she passed middle age Davis still had ‘it’. The film is a homage to southern gothic tales, which chronicles the ways in which an unsolved murder and the scandal that led to it have affected the citizens of a small southern town decades later. At the start of the film, local debutante Charlotte Hollis plans to run away with her married lover, John (Bruce Dern), only to later discover that he has been murdered. Although no one is ever charged with the crime, the locals suspect Charlotte and she becomes a social pariah. Decades later she has become a recluse and is struggling to keep her family estate, even as the threat of eminent domain looms. Just as it seems as though things cannot get any worse for the tormented Charlotte, a visit from her glamorous cousin (Olivia de Havilland) unearths old family resentments and secrets, which threaten the very fabric of Charlotte’s fragile existence. As the story twists and turns, questions arise concerning John’s murder and Charlotte’s sanity, which propel the film into the suspense of classic horror. The film is a prime example of Davis at her most fierce as she captures the defiance, pride, and anguish that define the character of Charlotte Hollis. While the horror plot is at times outrageous, Davis is always perfectly believable as she shows her character’s descent into a world in which not everything is as it seems, and makes audiences root for her even as evidence keeps building for why we shouldn’t. Although horror is a genre often maligned for lacking depth and complexity, Davis’ performance contains every bit as much nuance and gravitas as any of her earlier roles, and in many ways calls for even more skill. Thanks to her superb performance, even in the midst of an array of thrills and chills the film’s core remains its heroine’s entirely human struggle for understanding and empathy in the face of social ostracism.  For a horror film that truly is a scream, look no further than Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte.