Based on the sci-fi novel by H.G. Wells, The Invisible Man is the story of a scientist who tries to reverse an experiment he conducted where he became invisible as he deals with his condition. Directed by James Whale and screenplay by R.C. Sheriff, with un-credited contributions from Philip Wylie and Preston Sturges, the film is about a man trying to fix his condition only to deal with the chaos of his experiments as the titular character in Jack Griffin is portrayed by Claude Rains. Also starring Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Dudley Digges, Una O’Connor, Henry Travers, and Forrester Harvey. The Invisible Man is a riveting and compelling film from James Whale.
The film follows a scientist who had become invisible as he hides in a hotel trying to find the formula to reverse his condition while succumbing to madness. It’s a simple premise that plays into a man’s obsession as he would use his condition to wreak havoc on a small town as its people would upset him as he’s trying to work forcing him to reach towards an old friend for help only to create more problems. The film’s screenplay by R.C. Sheriff does play into Jack Griffin’s troubled state where he arrives to this inn hoping for a room to stay and not be bothered as he’s trying to work on an antidote. Yet, he’s interrupted by the people running the inn as he gets upset while they learn who he is as he causes trouble while there are those in Griffin’s life such as his former fiancée Flora Cranley (Gloria Stuart) who is concerned about his whereabouts and state of mind. Even when her father and Griffin’s former employer Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers) reveals that Griffin might have used a substance that has contributed to his troubled behavior.
James Whale’s direction does emphasize on simplicity in terms of the compositions that he creates yet it is in the way he builds suspense and intrigue as it relates to Griffin’s condition that gives the film an edge in its approach to suspense. Shot largely at the studio lots in Universal Studios in Hollywood, Whale would create a world that is set in England where it’s set largely at a small town where there aren’t any cars except for those who are rich. Whale would use some wide shots to establish the locations but emphasizes more on medium shots and close-ups for a look into the inn that Griffin would stay in as well as some of the moments in which Griffin would reveal his condition to those who are trying to bother him. Notably in a sequence where he scares the innkeeper Mr. Hall (Forrester Harvey) while wreaking havoc in the street as he’s invisible and naked.
When a manhunt for Griffin emerges, Whale’s compositions play into the chaos as well as Griffin’s willingness to outsmart them as there is an element of humor into the film. Even as it play into the fact that there’s people trying to capture Griffin but they can’t see him and he’s playing around them as they can’t see him. The element of trickery that Whale creates with the help of his special effects team as well as scenes of Griffin shedding his clothes and bandages to unveil what he’s like as an invisible man. The film’s third act that plays into the manhunt but also Griffin’s increasingly mad behavior where he takes advantage of his condition and creates disarray in cities and small towns. Even as some welcome this element of anarchy that Griffin is bringing but it would eventually become deadly prompting action from those close to Griffin to stop him in embracing his role as the invisible man. Overall, Whale crafts a rapturous and haunting film about an invisible man trying to find an antidote for his condition.
Cinematographer Arthur Hedeson does excellent work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography as it play into usage of low-key lights and moods for the scenes set at night while being straightforward for the scenes set in the day. Editor Ted J. Kent does terrific work with the editing with its stylish usage of transition wipes as a montage as well as rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense. Art director Charles D. Hall does brilliant work with the look of the inn as well as the town exteriors and the home of Dr. Cranley and the home of one of Griffin’s friends.
The special effects work of John P. Fulton and Frank D. Williams is brilliant for the unveiling of the titular character as well as how objects move and what he’s like when he’s wearing one or two articles of clothing. The sound work of Gilbert Kurland is superb for the sound as well as the scenes that play into the chaos that Griffin creates. The film’s music by Heinz Roemheld is wonderful for its orchestral score that play into the suspense with soaring string arrangements as well as a few somber pieces for the drama.
The film’s incredible cast include some notable small roles from Dudley Digges as a chief inspector trying to outwit Griffin, John Carradine as an informer who claims to have seen Griffin, E.E. Clive as Constable Jaffers who immediately dismisses the idea of the invisible man until he sees it for himself, Forrester Harvey as the innkeeper Herbert Hall, Una O’Connor as Hall’s wife, and Henry Travers as Dr. Cranley who is concerned about Griffin’s well-being but also is aware of what Griffin used for his experiment believing it’s the cause of Griffin’s troubled behavior. William Harrigan is excellent as Griffin’s colleague and friend Dr. Arthur Kemp who reluctantly lets Griffin hide out to continue the experiments only to be troubled by Griffin’s behavior leading to Griffin to wanting to save himself.
Gloria Stuart is brilliant as Flora Cranley as Griffin’s former fiancée who is worried about him as she wants to help him get better. Finally, there’s Claude Rains in a phenomenal performance as Jack Griffin as a man trying to find an antidote for his condition while wreaking havoc when he’s completely invisible and naked as Rains spends much of the film hiding under masks and bandages while doing a lot of the talking as it is an iconic performance from Rains.
The Invisible Man is a spectacular film from James Whale that features a great performance from Claude Rains as the titular character. Along with its ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, bombastic score, and lively special effects that were primitive for its time. It’s a film that play into the idea of a man who is given powers to create mayhem as he struggles with his sanity to try and fix himself only to deal with the implications of his experiments. In the end, The Invisible Man is a sensational film from James Whale.
Related: The Invisible Man (2020 film)
James Whale: (Journey’s End) – (Hell’s Angels) – (Waterloo Bridge) – Frankenstein - (The Impatient Maiden) – (The Old Dark Horse) – (The Kiss Before the Mirror) – (By Candlelight) – (One More River) – Bride of Frankenstein - (Remember Last Night?) – (Show Boat (1936 film)) – (The Road Back) – (The Great Garrick) – (Sinners in Paradise) – (Wives Under Suspicion) – (Port of Seven Seas) – (The Man in the Iron Mask (1939 film)) – (Green Hell) – (They Dare Not Love)
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the story Two Bad Hats by Monckton Hoffe, The Lady Eve is the story of a con artist who boards an ocean liner to con a rich heir only to fall for him. Written for the screen and directed by Preston Sturges, the film is a screwball comedy that is set in an ocean liner where a woman is torn in her feelings for this heir as well as doing the job. Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, Martha O’Driscoll, Melville Cooper, William Demarest, Janet Beecher, and Eric Blore. The Lady Eve is a whimsical and delightful film from Preston Sturges.
The film follows a woman who is part of a trio of con artists with her father and a friend of her father’s as they target the heir of a popular ale brewery who is socially-awkward due to his fascination for snakes rather than women. It’s a film with a simple story as it explore a woman pretending to fall in love with this man only for things to not go her way as she becomes conflicted in her feelings to do her job as well as falling for him. Preston Sturges’ screenplay explores not just who Charles Pike (Henry Fonda) is as this man that just arrived from South America to an ocean liner in carrying a rare snake. He’s also this man who is quite naïve and shy around women until a woman accidentally trips him in Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck) who woos him as she is really targeting him for his money. Jean pretends to be a rich woman with her father (Charles Coburn) pretending to be a colonel yet Pike is accompanied by his minder/valet Muggsy (William Demarest) who is suspicious towards Jean and her father.
Sturges’ script would be filled with some stylish dialogue that is very playful as well as carry the story as much of the first is about Pike’s attraction to Harrington as well as the growing conflict in Harrington as she is on the ship. The film’s first half mainly takes place on the ocean liner from South America to New York City as the second half takes place in parts of the city as well as the countryside where Pike lives with his rich father Horace (Eugene Pallette). It is where the film takes a bit of a change in tone where it would become funnier once Harrington would take part in another con game as it becomes something extremely comical with Pike being the cuckold all of a sudden.
Sturges’ direction definitely has some elements of style though much of the compositions he creates in the film are quite straightforward. Shot mainly in soundstages, Sturges would play into some of the light-hearted moments that goes on throughout the film as he would use some wide shots for scenes involving big crowds or for a party scene during its third act. Yet, he would emphasize mainly on medium shots with some close-ups to play into the moments between Pike and Harrington as they get to know each other or be involved in something comical. Sturges would also allow these scenes to play out in a few minutes for some shots so that it can focus on the actors reciting dialogue and not show too much or cut immediately during a conversation. For the film’s third act revolving around a party, Sturges would create gags that are very inventive as he knows where to show the joke and moments that do bring in big laughs. Especially as it relates to Pike dealing with the situation he’s in as it relates to Harrington as well as the con he is being roped into with Harrington becoming more torn over her love for Pike. Overall, Sturges creates a witty yet heartfelt film about a beautiful con artist falling for her mark in a socially-awkward ale brewery heir.
Cinematographer Victor Milner does excellent work with the film’s black-and-white photography in the usage of lights for many of the interior scenes including the party scene in the third act. Editor Stuart Gilmore does brilliant work with the editing as it is very straightforward in playing up to the humor and some of the dramatic moments it would use some rhythmic cuts for some of the funnier moments of the film. Art directors Hans Dreier and Ernst Fegte do fantastic work with the look of the sets such as the dining room in the ocean liner to the interiors at the Pike family mansion.
The costumes of Edith Head does amazing work with the look of the suits that Pike wears as well as the dresses and gowns of Harrington. The sound work of Harry Lindgren and Don Johnson do terrific work with the sound as it is quite straightforward with the exception of a few created sounds for the ship and cars. The musical direction of Sigmund Krumgold is wonderful as it features an array of music from different composers as the music ranges from some light-hearted orchestral pieces to bits of jazz and the pop music of the times.
The casting by Robert Mayo is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Luis Alberni as Pike’s chef, Robert Grieg as Pike’s butler, Martha O’Driscoll as Pike’s maid, Janet Beecher as Pike’s mother, Melville Cooper as Mr. Harrington’s associate Gerald, and Eric Blore as a fellow con artist who claims to be a royal in Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith. William Demarest is superb as Pike’s minder/valet Muggsy as a man whose job is to watch out for Pike as he is suspicious about Harrington and her father as he provides some very funny moments. Eugene Pallette is terrific as Pike’s father Horace as a man that is trying to make sure his son finds the right woman while providing some big laughs such as a scene about the whereabouts of his breakfast.
Charles Coburn is fantastic as Mr. Harrington as a man pretending to be a colonel in an attempt to swindle Pike from his money as he wonders what his daughter is doing being aware of her own internal conflict. Finally, there’s the duo of Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Charles Pikes and Jean Harrington. Fonda provides this very low-key approach to his performance as someone that is quite shy and awkward where it his reactions that are funny while he proves to be adept in performing physical stunts. Stanwyck’s performance exudes charm as she says some of the funniest lines as well as be quite seductive and cool where she is a joy to watch. Fonda and Stanwyck together display have some great chemistry and comic timing as they are the highlights of the film.
The Lady Eve is a spectacular film from Preston Sturges that features incredible performances from Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck. Along with its witty script, dazzling comic sequences, and top-notch visuals, it’s a film that is a fun romantic comedy that play with the conventions while providing moments that are funny. In the end, The Lady Eve is a rapturous film from Preston Sturges.
Preston Sturges Films: (The Great McGinty) – (Christmas in July) – Sullivan's Travels - (The Palm Beach Story) – (The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek) – (Hail the Conquering Hero) – (The Great Moment) – (The Sin of Harold Diddlebock) – (Unfaithfully Yours) – (The Beautiful Blond of Bashful Head) – (Vendetta (1950 film)) – (The French, They Are a Funny Race)
© thevoid99 2017
Written and directed by Preston Sturges, Sullivan’s Travels is the story of a Hollywood filmmaker who decides to make films about the real world as he pretends to be a hobo as he struggles with what story he wants to tell. The film is an exploration into the world of artistic freedom as it’s told with a lot of humor as it revolves a man who is known for making comedies as he wants to do something serious. Starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake. Sullivan’s Travels is a witty yet whimsical film from Preston Sturges.
Set in the final years of the Great Depression, a comedy filmmaker wants to make a film about the poor as he pretends to be poor only to get into some bad situations that forces him to crawl back to his life of comfort. It’s a film that plays into a man who wants to see if he can make something very serious as he decides to dress up like a hobo and endure the same suffering as the poor. Yet, things don’t go well for John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) as he endures a series of humiliating moments until he is aided by a wannabe actress (Veronica Lake) who would join him in his quest to pretend to be poor. Still, Sullivan and this young woman would cope with not just the strange realities of being poor and having to ride trains illegally but also elements that end up being very comical.
Preston Sturges’ screenplay is very witty about the not just Sullivan’s struggles to feel the reality of the poor but also the disconnect that he has since he is someone that is known for making escapist comedies. Part of Sullivan’s motivations to do this adaptation of O Brother, Where Art Thou? revolves around the unhappiness of his own life as he’s in a loveless marriage while feeling unfulfilled creatively. By pretending to be a hobo for research purposes, things don’t go as its planned as the studio hires various people on a bus to follow him where a lot of hi-jinks ensue prompting Sullivan to make a brief retreat to Hollywood after meeting this young woman who would join him in another attempt to understand the poor. The woman’s motivation isn’t just wanting to become an actress but also not return home as a failure as she finds Sullivan as her chance of success and hope.
Part of the success for their relationship isn’t just two people dealing with loneliness but also the dialogue that Sturges creates which is very stylish and rhythmic. The monologues that Sturges creates for these characters including the smaller ones are very to-the-point as well as showcase a sense of frustration and determination into what they want. There’s also some humor that play into the dialogue as it adds to Sturges’ own approach of timing and in fleshing out the characters. Especially in moments when there’s no dialogue as it plays into what Sullivan wants to do and what he wants to say for the people living in such hard times.
Sturges’ direction is very engaging for not just capturing the world of Hollywood but also its emphasis to provide people something that is escapist which Sullivan want to stray away from. While much of the compositions that Sturges creates are simple, he does manage to infuse some style into his direction such as long takes in a scene where Sullivan talks to his bosses about what to do as it is told in one entire take in a medium-wide shot. Sturges’ approach to directing actors and knowing where to place them in the frame not only add to the sense of wanting to capture something real but also combat with Hollywood’s own artificiality in a very funny way. Most notably a sequence where the bus full of reporters and studio people following Sullivan are forced to chase him as it’s among these moments that are just crazy. It’s among some of the hilarity that Sturges wants to create while many of the scenes involving the poor and how they live are taken very seriously.
The direction also has elements where Sturges knows when to just keep things simple which include the scenes between Sullivan and the young woman who joins him as there’s bits of comedy but it’s mostly very low-key. Sturges doesn’t go for a lot of close-ups as he wanted to showcase more of what Sullivan and the woman are doing in their surroundings. It’s in these locations where it helps tell the story of where they are as they would endure moments that are quite grim but also show that there is still elements of life. Even in the film’s third act where Sullivan would endure a journey of his own as it plays into the harsh realities of those who are suffering where he would have his own epiphany about himself and his role as a filmmaker. Overall, Sturges creates a very entertaining and exuberant film about a filmmaker trying to understand the struggles of the poor by becoming poor himself.
Cinematographer John Seitz does amazing work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to play into some of the stark look of the scenes where the poor lived with its unique approach to lighting that feels entrancing as opposed to the more simplistic yet lively approach to the world of Hollywood. Editor Stuart Gilmore does excellent work with the editing with its stylish use of rhythmic cuts, montages, and dissolves to play into the humor as well as some of the stranger elements that Sullivan would endure in its third act. Art directors Hans Dreier and Earl Hedrick do fantastic work with the set design from the bus the studio people and journalists would use during Sullivan’s journey as well as the design of his home and the drab places he would go to.
The costumes by Edith Head does brilliant work with the costumes from the dresses that the young woman would wear as well as the hobo clothes she and Sullivan would wear. The sound work of Harry D. Mills and Walter Oberst is terrific for the sound that is captured on location as well as some of the effects that play into the film‘s humor. The film’s music by Leo Shuken and Charles Bradshaw is superb for its orchestral score that ranges from playful for its humorous moments to some somber pieces for its drama and sense of despair.
The casting by Robert Mayo is great as it features notable small roles from Georges Renavent as an old tramp Sullivan would encounter, Margaret Hayes as one of the studio bosses’ secretary, Robert Harwick and William Demarest as the studio bosses, Robert Grieg as Sullivan’s butler, and Eric Blore as Sullivan’s valet as Grieg and Blore both give very funny performances. Finally, there’s the duo of Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea in phenomenal performances. Lake brings a sense of beauty but also humility and humor as a young woman who joins Sullivan on his journey as she helps him try to survive being broke. McCrea brings some grit and humility to his role as John L. Sullivan as this filmmaker wanting to find some realism as he later endures the harshness of reality. Lake and McCrea as a duo have this very lively chemistry that has both of them be funny but also serious as they allow themselves to be characters to root for.
Sullivan’s Travels is a spectacular film from Preston Sturges that features exhilarating performances from Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake. Not only is it is comical road film but also an engaging one that explores the world of the Great Depression from the view of an outsider. Especially as it is presented with elements of somber reality mixed in with elements of comedy that does more than just entertain. In the end, Sullivan’s Travels is an exquisite yet incredible film from Preston Sturges.
Preston Sturges Films: (The Great McGinty) - (Christmas in July) - The Lady Eve - (The Palm Beach Story) - (The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek) - (Hail the Conquering Hero) - (The Great Moment) - (The Sin of Harold Diddlebock) - (Unfaithfully Yours) - (The Beautiful Blond of Bashful Head) - (Vendetta (1950 film)) - (The French, They Are a Funny Race)
© thevoid99 2015
