"Of all the arts, movies are the most powerful aid to empathy, and good ones make us better people."
-- Roger Ebert, The Great Movies

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Top Hat


  • Title:  Top Hat
  • Director:  Mark Sandrich
  • Date:  1935
  • Studio:  RKO Radio Pictures
  • Genre:  Musical, Comedy, Romance
  • Cast:  Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, Helen Broderick
  • Words and Music:  Irving Berlin
  • Format:  Standard, Black and White
  • DVD Format:  R1, NTSC
"Oh, that call wasn't for me, it was for you. Somebody has registered a complaint." - Horace Hardwicke (Edward Everett Horton)
"I know! I've just seen the complaint and she's lovely, she's delightful, she's charming, and she wants to sleep." - Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire)

"May I rescue you?" - Jerry
"No thank you. I prefer to be in distress." - Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers)

"You want this show to last two nights? Get me a plane, now!" - Jerry
"What kind of plane?" - Horace
"One with wings!" - Jerry

Top Hat  is a a romantic comedy filled with mistaken identities and misunderstandings, and music! Like any farce, it's the type of plot that would be resolved in five minutes if anyone in the cast actually talked to each other for five minutes, rather than making assumptions. But that's not really a negative - because it's light, frothy romance with no harsh realities at all. The sets are marvelously art deco and beautiful - especially the Venice hotel with it's waterways and boats.

The story begins in London, with Jerry Travers waiting in a very quiet English gentleman's club for his friend Horace. The club is one where Silence Must Be Observed at all times, and everyone stares at Jerry when he drops something, or turns the page of his newspaper. Horace finds Jerry, starts to talk to him, then realizes where he is, and urges Jerry to leave so they can talk. Just as he's leaving, Jerry does a quick tap dance on the floor simply to annoy everyone - and as a joke.

Horace takes Jerry to his hotel, Jerry - excited about seeing Horace, and their new show, begins tapping in his hotel room ("No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)") - waking up the young woman in the hotel suite below. She calls to complain to the manager. Horace takes the call, gets confused, and goes down to the hotel desk to tell the manager he doesn't want a young woman in his hotel room because it wouldn't be proper. Meanwhile, Dale goes to the hotel suite and complains. Dale doesn't introduce herself - and Jerry's so taken with her, he doesn't introduce himself either. This proves to actually be a very important part of the plot.

The next day, Jerry goes to the hotel flower shop and orders that all the flowers be sent to Ms. Tremont's room (by room number) - then charges the very expensive bill to Horace by his room number.

Horace, afraid that Dale might be a "designing woman" sets his valet, Bates, to following her. This is another part of the plot that's considerably more important than it seems. Horace also warns Jerry off, telling him about a woman he met called Violet who took advantage of him.

Meanwhile, we learn Dale is a social model. A dress designer named Alberto Belleni pays her to wear his dresses, so her friends will see them, ask about them, and he will get more contracts to design dresses and sell more of his designs. But, since he's financially supporting her - this is something not good for Horace to find out as he'd get the wrong idea. Dale is also close friends with his wife, Madge.

Jerry tries to meet Dale again, she rebuffs him - mentioning she's going for a ride in the park. Jerry gives her a ride to her lesson in the park, and again tries to get her interested in him without luck. During her ride, Dale gets caught in the rain. She shelters in a gazebo. Jerry arrives and tries to calm her down by telling her a story about clouds. He then sings "Isn't it a Lovely Day? (To get Caught in the Rain)" to her, and the two dance in partner tap. Ginger is wearing jodphur-pants. Fred and Ginger also mirror each other beautifully when dancing.

Later at the hotel, Ginger asks the concierge to point out Horace. The concierge points to "the man with the briefcase and cane" on the walkway. But Horace runs into Jerry and hands him his briefcase and cane - thus making Dale think he's her friend Madge's husband. This type of thing continuously happens - Dale keeps thinking that Jerry is Horace, and thus her friend's husband and a terrible cad to boot.

Jerry is in the middle of his show, changing between acts, when Horace reads his wife's telegram and finds out she and Dale are heading off to Venice. Jerry insists they hire a charter plane and go to Venice as well.

The production number, part of Jerry's show, is "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" which has Astaire dancing with a chorus of men in formal wear. During the dance he "shoots" the men with his cane. His short tap dancing routine gets a standing ovation from the audience.

In Venice, Dale meets up with Madge, and they meet the sea plane - but Dale isn't there when Madge says hello to Jerry - whom Madge actually wants to set-up with Jerry.  The hotel is full - so Horace and Jerry end up sharing the bridal suite, while Madge and Dale share their own suite.

Bellani, thinking that Horace has designs on Dale confronts him, but Horace has no idea what's going on.

Dale talks to Madge about her husband's flirting. Madge says she knows he flirts, but it doesn't mean anything. Dale decides to "teach him a lesson" and goes to his room to throw herself at him - and again runs into Jerry. Jerry turns the tables and flirts back.

Later, at dinner, Madge, Jerry, and Dale meet - but no introductions are made, as Dale insists she knows who Jerry is (she still thinks he's Madge's husband Horace). Fred and Ginger dance to "Cheek to Cheek", with Ginger in the beautiful, floaty, feather dress. It's ballroom dance that begins with the two in the midst of a crowded dance floor, and moves to the two dancing on a patio that resembles an even bigger version of the gazebo from earlier. There is also some side by side and partner tap, with the two mirroring each other beautifully. But when Jerry proposes - Dale thinks he's Madge's husband, and slaps him.

Alberto Belleni flirts with Dale, and proposes to her. She accepts him but insists they must be married immediately.

Jerry, in a last ditch effort to get Dale to listen to him has Horace distract Belleni, and goes to talk to Dale. He takes her on a boat ride on the water - and finally explains who he is.

Meanwhile, Bates reports to Horace that Dale and Jerry are drifting out to sea. Horace, Madge, and Belleni go off in a boat to "rescue" Dale and Jerry.

Dale and Jerry return, happy at last, but concerned about her quick marriage and how to dissolve it. Dale rushes off. Bates tells Jerry that Madge, Horace, and Belleni went off in a boat from which he'd "removed the gasoline" while disguised as a gondolier. The local police arrest Bates for his impersonation.

There is a production number instrumental of "The Piccolino", which starts with Bugby Berkeley-styled dancers. Then the camera changes to a much happier Dale singing "The Piccolino" to Jerry. Then the perspective switches back to the elaborate production number.

Fred and Ginger dance - tap and ballroom, mirroring each other in tap. Their dance is full frame and uncut. Ginger's dress is sparkly with a trumpet skirt. They dance back to their table, saluting each other with champagne glasses.

Horace, Madge, and Belleni return. That Horace is Madge's husband is confirmed, as is the blossoming romance between Dale and Jerry. Just as everyone is wondering what they will do, Bates arrives and states he had been following Dale everywhere, and he had earlier disguised himself as a clergyman by turning his collar around. Belleni states, "But you were the one who married us!" Dale responds, "Then we were never really married!" And she rushes off in Jerry's arms!

List of Musical Numbers
  • No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)
  • Isn't This a Lovely Day (To be Caught in the Rain)?
  • Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
  • Cheek to Cheek
  • The Piccolino
Top Hat  is a simple, romantic comedy - fueled by mistaken identities, coincidences, and misunderstandings, where, of course, in the end - everything works out. But it features some of Irving Berlin's best songs and Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger's best dances. The sets, especially the boats in the waterway, are wonderful - and the Art Deco just shines. The dances are filmed full-frame and often without cuts. Certainly, there's no cuts to faces and feet - which means one can follow the dance and focus on Fred and Ginger's artistry. There are two ensemble production numbers - Fred's tap dance with a male chorus, which is part of the show he's been hired for as a professional dancer; and "The Piccolino". "The Piccolino" is a wonderful production number - but it seems out of place in Tap Hat. It starts as a elaborate production number, switches to show Ginger singing, switches back to a production number, then switches a fourth time to Fred and Ginger dancing. The production part is full of fast cuts, and elaborate patterns, using ribbons. In short, it looks like a Bugsy Berkeley musical. But when "The Piccolino" focuses on Fred and Ginger dancing together, it becomes one of their signature-style dances - shown full frame, in a single shot without cuts, with Fred and Ginger both tap dancing (briefly) and ballroom dancing. So overall, though very elaborate, it works.  Top Hat is one of my favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films, along with Swing Time and Shall We Dance. For many, it is the quintessential film for the pair.

Recommendation:  See it!
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film:  The Truman Show

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Tomorrow Never Dies


  • Title:  Tomorrow Never Dies
  • Director:  Roger Spottiswoode
  • Date:  1997
  • Studio:  United Artists / MGM
  • Genre:  Action
  • Cast:  Pierce Brosnan, Teri Hatcher, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yoeh, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Colin Salmon, Geoffrey Palmer, Vincent Schiavelli
  • Format:  Color, Widescreen
  • DVD Format: R1, NTSC
"Mr. Jones, Are we ready to release our new software?"  - Carver
"Yes, sir. As requested it's full of bugs, which means people will be forced to upgrade for years." - Jones

"Gentleman, and ladies, hold the presses. This just in. By a curious quirk of fate, we have the perfect story with which to launch our satellite news network tonight. It seems a small crisis is brewing in the South China Seas. I want full newspaper coverage. I want magazine stories. I want books. I want films. I want TV. I want radio. I want us on the air 24 hours a day! This is out moment! And a billion people around the world will watch it, hear it, and read about it from the Carver Media Group." - Carver

Tomorrow Never Dies is my favorite Pierce Brosnan James Bond film, and it's one of the best James Bond films in the modern era because for once it has a relatively realistic premise - told in the high-action style of James Bond, of course. The film is about Elliot Carver, a media mogul played brilliantly by Jonathan Pryce, who isn't merely reporting events, or even spinning events to fit his own point of view, but actually causing the events his media group reports.

For once the opening gambit of a James Bond movie actually fits with the rest of the plot. One of the items up for sale at a terrorist bazaar in Russia is a satellite encoder, which can influence (or change) GPS data. James Bond manages to locate the bazaar, and launch and take away a plane loaded with nuclear missiles prior to the British Navy's missile destroying the bazaar and the terrorists who are shopping there. However, though the analysts see the encoder, and recognize what it is - they don't realize it wasn't destroyed and that Henry Gupta - a hacker for fire escaped with it.

The encoder is important because it allows the next major event to happen. A British ship, HMS Devonshire, is cruising in what it thinks are international waters off the coast of China. The ship is overflown by Chinese migs who insist they are only 11 miles off the coast of China. The Devonshire's captain double checks their position with GPS - and then they are attacked and sunk by a stealth ship. The British ship reports they were attacked by the migs, and gives their position before calling abandon ship. The survivors are collected by Stamper, Carver's thud and enforcer, and shot with Chinese ammo. Carver reports on the developing crisis - using the potential for war, to launch his satellite news network.

James Bond is sent to investigate - first to Hamburg, where he's instructed to get close to Carver's wife, Paris (Teri Hatcher), whom he had previously had a relationship with. Paris gives him some information, and is killed for her trouble by Carver. While investigating, Bond runs into a Chinese reporter, Wai Lin. Later it will turn out she's his opposite number, an agent for the Chinese security service. Bond's able to get the GPS encoder and escape from Hamburg.

He takes the encoder to the CIA, because it's an American device. Bond's CIA contact shows it to a tech, who confirms it could have been used to send the Devonshire off course. The CIA also arranges to drop Bond into the Ocean to find the ship's wreckage. The Americans assume Bond is jumping into international waters, but one of the British naval officers on the flight realizes he's actually jumping in to waters belonging to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Bond succeeds in his HALO jump. He find the Devonshire and runs into the Chinese woman again. The two are caught by Stamper, and brought to Carver. They escape, handcuffed together, on a motorcycle. Bond and Wai Lin end-up working together, sending warning messages to both the British and Chinese governments that Carver's playing them against each other, then head out to locate Carver's stealth boat.

Bond and Wai Lin plan on blowing up the stealth boat with sea bombs, but are again caught by Carver and his goons. Carver explains his entire plot - not only is he using the crisis he created to "sell papers" and successfully launch his news network - but he's working with a Chinese general. Carver's stealth boat will launch an attack on the British fleet (after some initial minor attacks on both fleets) it will then use one of the cruise missiles stolen from the Devonshire to attack Beijing - wiping out the current government and military leaders, except Carver's general who will be conveniently stuck in traffic. After setting up his new government, the general will grant Carver exclusive media access in China - creating a captive audience worth billions. In short, Carver is creating events, for ratings.

Wai Lin and Bond again escape Carver's clutches and manage to kill Carver and his muscleman, Stamper, and sink the ship before the cruise missile is launched.

Tomorrow Never Dies has several action sequences as well:  Bond and Wei Lin handcuffed together, on a motorcycle, riding through a densely-populated area while being chased by Carver's men; Bond using a remote control built into his (rather ancient-looking) cell phone to control his car; even Bond's escape from Carver in Hamburg; and the scenes on the stealth ship, of course. All the big action sequences one expects from a Bond film - and they are well done, technically, and because we care about Bond and Wei Lin - they work in the film too. The action sequences are not overly long, overly complicated, nor do they have effects that no longer work - everything looks really good. So the film satisfies on the level of what a Bond film should be. But what I really liked about the film was the villain and the plot. Elliot Carver is a totally unscrupulous reporter turned media mogul, who's incredibly psychopathic. Throughout the film we see him fire people for "mistakes" that aren't their own (such as the woman who's fired for not knowing what caused the power outage during his media launch party) or even kill any one who gets in the way of his plans, including his own wife. And, of course, he's willing to sink a British warship, cause a crisis, and risk world war - just to get what he wants, complete power. Throughout the film - Carver gets the best lines, as he explains how the press can not only manipulate events to suit their own corporate purposes - but in Carver's case, cause events in the first place. Pryce is delicious as Carver.

I also really liked Michelle Yoeh as Wai Lin - the Chinese agent who's a female Bond. Wei Lin is just as smart as James, and just as dedicated to her country. And I'd watch a film or two about her! Yoeh also plays the part brilliantly.

And, like all of Brosnan's films, the reoccurring roles of M, Q, Moneypenny, and M's aide, are all played by excellent regulars. I love seeing Judi Dench as M. Samantha Bond is excellent as Moneypenny. And I really like seeing Colin Salmon as Dench's aide - even when he has little to do as in this film. Geoffrey Palmer, Dench's frequent co-star in BBC comedies, also appears as a British Admiral. Having the new Bond family there, as well as Desmond Llewelyn as Q just makes the Bond film a Bond film, as well as adding that unique something they all bring to it.

Recommendation:  See it
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Next Film: Top Hat