Category: 1940s

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Citizen Kane (1941) – Rewatch

After watching Mank, I decided I needed to revisit this. I honestly didn’t get a whole lot out of it the first time I had watched it many years ago. With more film knowledge under my belt, I sadly still don’t connect much with the story and really can’t find reason to care about a fictionalization of William Randolph Hearst and others like him. I appreciate that the story more or less circles back on itself in a creative, though not really surprising, way. Visually it is striking and this subsequent watch gave me an opportunity to appreciate the framing, which is innovative for its time even when it feels overused. I don’t know what the Best Movie Ever actually is, but this still wouldn’t get my vote.   Best Picture Nomination

Oscar Win: Best Writing, Original Screenplay

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture; Best Actor in a Leading Role; Best Cinematography, Black-and-White; Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White; Best Sound, Recording; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture

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The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

Essentially an earlier version of Aladdin, any Disney fan wouldn’t be surprised with the general storyline here. Filmed in Technicolor emphasizes the glorious sets and costumes, but also shines a spotlight on the loads of unfortunate brownfacing exhibited in the movie. Highlights are Sabu as the scamp thief Abu and Rex Ingram as the Djinn, plus special effects that are rather impressive for their time.

Oscar Wins: Best Cinematography, Color; Best Art Direction, Color; Best Effects, Special Effects

Oscar Nominations: Best Music, Original Score

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Cabin in the Sky (1943)

I really dug this one. I do have a soft spot for older films with all Black casts partially because there are so few of them. I also enjoy Faustian tales, though I really feel for the long-suffering spouses in such tales, played with particular dedication by Ethel Waters in this iteration. My favorite part may be the depictions of Lucifer and his minions. They seem to take special joy in their roles here.  Musical

Oscar Nomination: Best Music, Original Song

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Samson and Delilah (1949)

Not knowing anything but the bare details of the story of Samson, I’m not entirely sure I came away with much more after watching this film. A thoroughly lavish production, it follows Samson using his otherworldly strength in vengeance against the Philistines who stole away his bride. The cast is filled with an array of stars from Victor Mature’s Samson and Hedy Lamarr’s beautiful Delilah to supporting roles by George Sanders and Angela Lansbury. It’s visually stunning with plenty of action of Samson displaying his strength in battles and collapsing of temples. The story isn’t incredibly compelling beyond that action.

Oscar Wins: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color; Best Costume Design, Color

Oscar Nominations: Best Cinematography, Color; Best Effects, Special Effects; Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture

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Bewitched (1945)

There are two women living inside the body of Joan Ellis, played by Phyllis Thaxter. Joan would rather kill the body than allow the aggressive Karen to kill the man she loves. It’s all incredibly silly and scientifically questionable, but it does have Edmund Gwenn as the doctor trying to save Joan from herselves. There is some nice tension and interesting flourishes, such as having a different actress portraying Karen’s voice, that make the film much better than it probably should be.

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Too Late for Tears (1949)

Lizabeth Scott has wanted to be rich her whole life. Fortuitously a bag of money practically falls in her lap. Unfortunately various men, including Don DeFore and Dan Duryea, try to get in her way from coming in to her own. A film noir with the femme fatale as the lead, Too Late for Tears has the expected twists and turns but delivers them in unconventional ways.

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Blithe Spirit (1945)

As a lesson to not mess with the supernatural, Blithe Spirit features Rex Harrison as a British author who realizing he needs more material for his next book hires a medium to perform a séance in his home. Unfortunately the séance is too successful and brings forth his dead former wife to haunt him. Despite an unfortunate makeup choice where the ghost looks like the Wicked Witch of the West, the film is witty and amusing, culminating in an end where everyone receives their just desserts.

Oscar Win: Best Effects, Special Effects

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All My Sons (1948)

Edward G. Robinson has two sons: one who is a missing in action Army pilot and the other whom he had hoped would take over the family business but instead wants to move to Chicago with the daughter of Robinson’s former business partner, a man who is serving time in jail for selling defective plane parts. The story twists together in predictable ways, but Robinson is great here as a man who believes strongly that the ends justify the means. Burt Lancaster is his match as the son who has thus far stuck around.

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