Author: thehorsesheadblog

#573) Pass the Gravy (1928)

OR “Chicken Nugget”

Directed by Fred L. Guiol

Written by Reed Heustis

Class of 1998 

The Plot: Silent film comedian Max Davidson plays a gardener who has an ongoing feud with his neighbor Schultz (Bert Sprotte), owner of prize-winning rooster Brigham. The two decide to put their differences aside when it is announced that Schultz’s son (Gene Morgan) is engaged to Max’s daughter (Martha Sleeper). The two families have dinner, and Max’s son Ignatz (Spec O’Donnell) is tasked with buying a chicken. But Ignatz keeps the money for himself and steals Brigham instead. All goes smoothly, until Ignatz notices that the cooked chicken still has a First Prize tag on its leg, which has just been served to Schultz. Hilarity ensues.

Why It Matters: The NFR’s very brief write-up mentions Max Davidson’s status as a German-Jewish performer who “caricatured established Jewish stereotypes of the day”. Silent film expert Steve Massa is on hand with an essay with more information on Davidson’s film career.

But Does It Really?: I…guess? Max Davidson is all but forgotten today, but his comic facial expressions manage to stand out amongst the likes of Keaton and Chaplin. “Pass the Gravy” is still entertaining (although be warned there is a bit of animal cruelty), and thankfully doesn’t lean on the Jewish stereotypes Davidson was famous for. As a representation of Max Davidson, “Pass the Gravy” has just as much a right to be in the NFR as any other lesser-known silent star. “Pass the Gravy” gets one of my trademark “slight pass” designations for NFR inclusion.

Everybody Gets One: Emigrating to the US from Germany as a young adult, Max Davidson started out as a performer in vaudeville. These performances led to silent shorts with Biograph, where he played a Jewish caricature named Izzy. By the 1920s, Davidson was working for Hal Roach, eventually getting his own series of starring roles as a put-upon father.

Title Track: No one actually says “Pass the gravy” in this short, so…what was the point of that title?

Other notes 

• Leo McCarey is credited here as Production Supervisor, and I’m not sure what that means. McCarey started off as a gag writer for Hal Roach, working his way up to director and producer. The only description I can find of his supervisor work is that he “supervised the direction by others”. I guess it would be the equivalent of a TV showrunner today?
• There are already way too many intertitles in this movie. One states that while Max’s character raised flowers, Ignatz raised “what it’s not polite to mention”. I assume they mean Hell.
• Ignatz is played by Walter “Spec” O’Donnell, who earned his stage name thanks to the large amount of freckles on his face. It truly is a sight to behold.
• As I mentioned earlier, there is an uncomfortable amount of animal abuse in this movie. Chickens are being handled aggressively and thrown into the air, culminating in a shot where an entire flock is thrown over a fence. This is entertainment? For the record: American Humane did not start supervising on-set animal treatment until about 1940.
• I will admit, the reveal of the First Prize tag made me laugh out loud. Unfortunately the rest of the short is everyone slowly figuring it out, and then spending half the film trying to explain it to Max. There’s some fun pantomiming from Morgan and Sleeper, but man does it go on forever.
• Oh my god; figure it out, old man! And when is someone gonna pass the gravy!?

Legacy 

• Max Davidson transitioned to supporting roles in sound pictures, but a rise in complaints from Jewish communities (as well as the continued suppression of depictions of Judaism in film) led to Davidson’s career fading away. Davidson died in 1950 in a retirement home, his film career long over.
• Like Max Davidson, the rest of the cast transitioned to sound films, though none of them ever became big names. The only members of the “Pass the Gravy” team that would go on to fame and fortune were cinematographer George Stevens and production supervisor Leo McCarey; both of whom would go on to be successful film directors.

• “Gravy” director Fred Guiol would go on to collaborate with George Stevens on several of his movies, co-writing the screenplays for “Gunga Din” and “Giant“, and serving as associate director for “A Place in the Sun” and “Shane“.

• Hmmm, a movie where they kill off a character’s prized animal for retaliation. Where have I seen this before….?

#572) Return of the Secaucus Seven (1980)

OR “OK Boomer: The Motion Picture”

Directed & Written by John Sayles

Class of 1997

The Plot: More than 10 years after their college activist days, seven friends reunite for a weekend in New Hampshire. Teachers Mike and Katie (Bruce MacDonald and Maggie Renzi) serve as hosts for the weekend, coping with several shifting arrangements. J.T. (Adam LeFevre) is an aspiring folk singer aware that his window of opportunity is closing. Med student Frances (Maggie Cousineau) reunites with local gas station clerk Ron (David Strathairn). Political speechwriter Irene (Jean Passanante) brings along her somewhat square boyfriend Chip (Gordon Clapp). But the real drama comes from Maura (Karen Trott), who arrives without her longtime boyfriend Jeff (Mark Arnott), having just broken up. Jeff eventually shows up, after Maura has already rebounded with J.T. It’s a long weekend with these Baby Boomers coming to terms with what their lives have become.

Why It Matters: The NFR praises the film’s “insightful script”, “naturalistic acting”, and “Altman-like editing and overlapping dialog”.

But Does It Really?: Sure. There’s no shortage of movies in which boomers face the realities of adulthood, but Sayles did it first, and “Secaucus” perfectly captures time and generation. Like many a low-budget indie, “Secaucus” has a clear point of view and delivers it through a well structured script and an impeccably cast ensemble. While John Sayles may not be as well remembered or revered today as his contemporary filmmakers, he is more than worthy of NFR recognition, and “Secaucus” is a natural choice.

Shout Outs: Quick allusions to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs“, “Bambi“, “The Hustler“, and a real odd passing mention of “Salt of the Earth“.

Everybody Gets One: John Sayles started off as a novelist, eventually pivoting to screenwriting. Sayles used the money he earned writing scripts for Roger Corman to fund “Secaucus 7”. Fun Fact: John Sayles also worked on the screenplay for “Night Skies”, the proposed “Close Encounters” sequel that eventually became “E.T.“.

Wow, That’s Dated: Filmed in the fall of 1978, “Secaucus” makes references to then-President Jimmy Carter, the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, and Michael Dukakis, who was Governor of Massachusetts during filming, but had lost his re-election bid by the time the film was released.

Title Track: As explained in the movie, the title is an in-joke between the seven main characters when they were arrested in Secaucus, New Jersey on the way to a Vietnam protest in D.C.

Seriously, Oscars?: No Oscar nominations for “Secaucus”, though the film did win the Los Angeles Film Critics award for its screenplay. John Sayles would eventually receive Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay for his later films “Passion Fish” and “Lone Star”.

Other notes 

• John Sayles wanted to make an “audition film” he could show studios to get more directing gigs, and allotted himself a budget of $40,000 (about $163,000 today). Sayles shot “Secaucus” in 25 days, primarily at a rented ski lodge which doubled as cast and crew accommodations. The actors were all unknowns from local theaters, and Sayles wrote several subplots so that the movement between scenes would help make up for the lack of movement in the scenes.
• This movie suggests that there was a time when Boomers were young and not blaming all of society’s ills on Millennials and Gen Z. I don’t know…sounds like pure fantasy if you ask me.
• I’m used to David Strathairn’s more recent filmography of straight-laced business types, so it’s fun watching him pull a 180 as Ron, the guy who didn’t leave his hometown after high school. Seeing Strathairn in a jumpsuit being awkward and shooting the shit is a delight. Plus this is his film debut!
• I will try my best not to make the inevitable comparisons between this film and “The Big Chill“, but if forced to choose between Gordon Clapp or Meg Tilly as my movie’s audience surrogate, I think we all know who wins that round.

• There really isn’t a weak link in this ensemble. I particularly enjoyed Maggie Renzi as Katie, who gets several great one-liners, and Karen Trott, emitting some serious Lauren Bacall vibes as Maura.

• Side note: Maggie Renzi is the real-life partner of John Sayles. In addition to her performance, Renzi served as the film’s unit manager, location manager, and assistant editor.
• Despite the NFR’s praise of Altman-esque overlapping dialogue, very little of this film is improvised. The actors stuck to Sayles’ script for the most part.
• Longtime readers know I’m a sucker for scenes that are covered in a single take, and many of the film’s more intimate conversations are presented this way. As much as I like to write these off as a purely artistic choice, I also recognize that single-take scenes are a great time and money-saver for your low-budget indie.
• As well-made as this movie is, it does drag in a few places, at least through my modern lens. At one point I thought I was watching this weekend happen in real time.
• Just as I say this movie is dragging, along comes some full-frontal nudity from the male cast, including David Strathairn! It’s brief, but does give us the best line in the movie: Katie, upon seeing the men in the buff from a distance, “Jesus, now we know what Irene sees in Chip.”
• In true low-budget fashion, John Sayles cast himself in the small role of local friend Howie. Didn’t realize it was him until the credits, which says a lot about how well he blends in with his cast.
• While watching this, it occurred to me how many NFR movies center around groups of seven: this, “The Magnificent Seven“, the aforementioned Seven Dwarfs. Heck, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” does it twice! This bodes well for “The Trial of the Chicago 7”, less so for “Se7en”, but that’s for other reasons.

Legacy 

• “Return of the Secaucus 7” was never intended to get a theatrical release. John Sayles entered it into the Los Angeles Filmex festival in the hopes of getting a TV distribution deal, but the film ended up being the surprise hit of the festival, and got a theatrical release from Libra Films. “Secaucus” was a critical success, and earned $2 million at the box office.
• Since “Secaucus”, John Sayles has directed several films, his most recent being 2013’s “Go for Sisters”. Many of his films feature appearances by his “Secaucus” ensemble.

• Despite their great work in this movie, most of the cast didn’t appear in too many films after “Secaucus”, and for some this was their first and only movie. Major exception David Strathairn aside, Gordon Clapp would go on to be a regular on “NYPD Blue” (winning a Primetime Emmy), and Jean Passanante has written for every major network soap opera (winning 5 Daytime Emmys).

• “Secaucus” inspired the “Reunion movie” sub-genre of the 1980s, in which a bunch of Baby Boomers, now in their early 30s, reunite and discuss what happened to then between the idyllic ’60s of their youth and the more conservative ’80s of their adulthood. The most famous of these is 1983’s “The Big Chill”, whose director/screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan has gone on record saying he had never heard of or seen “Secaucus” before writing his movie.

#571) Destry Rides Again

OR “…But I Did Not Shoot the Deputy”

Directed by George Marshall

Written by Felix Jackson & Gertrude Purcell & Henry Myers. Suggested by the novel by Max Brand.

Class of 1996

The Plot: When the Sheriff of Bottleneck (Joe King) mysteriously “leaves town”, town drunk Wash Dimsdale (Charles Winninger) is appointed the new sheriff, a tactic to keep corrupt saloon owner Kent (Brian Donlevy) in business. Wash sends for Tom Destry, the town’s former sheriff, to appoint him as his new deputy and help clean up Bottleneck. When Destry arrives, it’s actually his son Tom Jr. (James Stewart), a quiet man who believes in non-violence. The town is immediately dismissive of this new civility, but Tom proves them all wrong with his strong convictions and skilled gunmanship. Oh, and Marlene Dietrich is there as Frenchy the saloon girl.

Why It Matters: Weirdly, the NFR write-up doesn’t give any superlatives or explain why “Destry” is on the list. It gives the plot, mentions this film within the context of Stewart and Dietrich’s careers, and cites the many other iterations of this story.

But Does It Really?: I’ll chalk this one up to a “minor classic”. “Destry Rides Again” is a quick, enjoyable film that gets lost in the shuffle of classic westerns (and other 1939 movies). That being said, “Destry” holds up remarkably well (especially in comparison to the other, more problematic westerns on this list), with strong performances from Stewart and Dietrich, and a surprising humorous streak. “Destry” is an underrated gem that I hope keeps getting rediscovered alongside its fellow NFR entries.

Wow, That’s Dated: Mostly the sexism that shows up in these types of movies, like the scene where Destry tells Frenchy she’d be prettier if she didn’t wear makeup. Great, now I got that Amy Schumer song stuck in my head.

Title Track: Wash assures the townspeople that when his new deputy comes to town, “Destry will ride again.”

Judges?

….Ooh, sorry, but we’re looking for an exact match.

Seriously, Oscars?: Like many of the 1939 greats, “Destry Rides Again” was shut out at the Oscars. Two of its main cast, however, did receive nominations for other films that year: Brian Donlevy for Supporting Actor in “Beau Geste”, and James Stewart for Lead Actor in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington“.

Other notes

• The original novel of “Destry Rides Again” (and its 1932 film version with Tom Mix) is about cowboy Harrison Destry seeking vengeance on those who framed him for a robbery. Obviously, the film took a different route, hence the “Suggested by” designation in the opening credits. And despite the title, this is not a sequel to anything.
• Marlene Dietrich’s career had hit a slump when “Destry” came her way, having been labeled “Box Office Poison” a few years earlier. She wasn’t sure about playing Frenchy, but was encouraged by her longtime collaborator Josef von Sternberg, who allegedly told her, “I made you into a goddess. Now show them you have feet of clay.” If nothing else, Dietrich does more emoting in one scene of “Destry” than she does in all of “Morocco“.

• This movie is filled with character actors I’ve started to recognize on sight thanks to this blog: Billy Gilbert, Una Merkel, Mischa Auer, Dickie Jones. Also popping up here is Lillian Yarbo, a sensation in the Harlem nightclub scene of the 1920s, but like many a Black performer of the time, seen here as the stereotypical help/comic relief. 
• Dietrich sings three songs in this movie, but not “I’m Tired”? Come on!
• My favorite line may not be one from the movie: In a scene where Frenchy is sticking money into her bra, she originally patted her chest and said, “There’s gold in them thar hills”. The Hays Code made Universal delete the line.
• James Stewart was a rising talent in 1939, his breakout in “Mr. Smith” finished but not yet released when he made “Destry”. Stewart landed the role of Tom Destry when Gary Cooper and Joel McCrea turned it down. This is one of Stewart’s more unsung performances, and it’s fun watching an actor who is clearly ready for his breakout role.
• One of my notes reads “Hey, this one’s fun.” After a run of NFR westerns that are either heavy on action, philosophy, or racial insensitivity, it’s a relief to watch a western with a sense of humor. I laughed out loud quite a bit during my viewing.
• This is the movie where Marlene Dietrich gets into a catfight with Una Merkel. According to Merkel, as well as Dietrich’s grandson Peter Riva, the two actors did the entire fight themselves without calling in their doubles. The fight was allegedly unrehearsed and filmed in one take. You gotta admire anyone who does their own stunts.

• Charles Winninger is giving me older Mickey Rooney vibes; he overplays everything but it’s more endearing than annoying. And the dynamic of the comic sheriff and his straight-laced deputy is what we call a “Reverse-Andy Griffith”.
• I’m enjoying the running gag of Tom constantly telling stories about friends he knows. It’s somewhere between Gabe Kaplan’s family stories on “Welcome Back, Kotter” and Betty White’s St. Olaf run on “The Golden Girls”.
• “The Boys in the Backroom” is the best remembered of Frenchy’s song, though it’s not that different from her other saloon numbers. Side note: All the songs in this movie were co-written by Frank Loesser, future composer of “Guys and Dolls” and “How to Succeed in Business…”.

• At one point Frenchy mentions going back to New Orleans. Back? She must be from the same part of Louisiana as Yul Brynner in “The Magnificent Seven“.
• Watching the climactic fight with hundreds of people in a crowded saloon, I have to say: I’m really going to miss social distancing.
• [Spoilers] The ending seems tough on Frenchy, but then I remembered the Hays Code, and knew that she had to be punished for her role as co-conspirator. I will point out, however, that Tom thinks of Frenchy in the epilogue when he hears children singing “Little Joe, the Wrangler”…a song Frenchy sang about 15 minutes before Tom showed up in this movie.
• This is one of the rare classic movies that does something creative with its closing credits. The last shot is Tom telling another story about a friend of his, with the cast list scrolling past him as he keeps talking. It’s hilarious.
  

Legacy

• “Destry Rides Again” did okay with audiences and critics, not helped by the fact that the film was released a week after “Gone with the Wind“. Luckily, “Destry” is one of many films that got rediscovered through TV reruns.
• Although Jimmy Stewart is often associated with his many westerns, “Destry” was his first, and he would not return to the genre until 1950’s “Winchester ’73“.

• There are two kinds of remakes of “Destry Rides Again”: the ones that follow the novel’s plot, and the ones that follow the movie’s plot. The former is represented by a TV series starring John Gavin that came and went in the spring of 1964.

• Retellings that favor the movie include “Destry”, a 1954 almost shot-for-shot remake directed once again by George Marshall, and a Broadway musical starring Andy Griffith. Hmmm…Griffith as the town sheriff. Interesting…

• “The Boys in the Backroom” became a staple for Marlene Dietrich, who performed the song at various USO tours and nightclubs over the years. The song is also a favorite of Dietrich impersonators. 

The results are in and the bonus June post will be…

… “All the President’s Men“!

The last time I covered this film was in 2017 when, let’s say there were certain parallels that attracted me to this film at the time. I’m curious to see what watching this movie is like in a post-that one guy America. Stay tuned.

Now on to the June poll: You know what I haven’t covered yet in my revision series? Any animation. Here’s a few of my favorite bits of animation that’s in need of a rewrite. But which one to choose?

Let me know your choice, and I’ll announce the winner on July 1st!

#28) Rushmore (1998)

OR “Wunderkind Powers, Activate!”

Directed by Wes Anderson

Written by Anderson & Owen Wilson

Class of 2016

This is a revised and updated version of my original “Rushmore” post, which you can read here.

The Plot: At Houston’s prestigious Rushmore Academy, Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is an overachiever in every extracurricular activity from fencing to beekeeping, but is failing his actual classes. Max unexpectedly bonds with Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a local industrialist whose two sons also go to Rushmore. Around the same time, Max meets Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams) the school’s first grade teacher, and develops an intense crush on her. Over the next few months, Max is expelled from school, and finds himself in a bizarre (and unrequited) love triangle with Rosemary and Herman. All of this told through the symmetrical, saturated lens of a young Wes Anderson.

Why It Matters: The NFR calls the film “a cultural milestone of Gen X and millennials”, praising Wes Anderson’s “incisive detail to pop sensitivities” (which means…?). There’s also a quote from Anderson and Owen Wilson about the film’s “slightly heightened reality, like a Roald Dahl children’s book.”

But Does It Really?: Oh sure. In the last 25 years Wes Anderson has become one of the few American directors whose name is as much an audience draw as his biggest stars. “Bottle Rocket” would have been a good choice for NFR induction, but “Rushmore” is the first one that really feels like a “Wes Anderson movie”: the wonderfully framed cinematography, the detailed props and costumes, the appearances of Schwartzman and Murray. I’m glad the NFR found a spot for Wes Anderson, and “Rushmore” is a marvelous representation of his filmography.

Shout Outs: Wes Anderson has cited (among other movies) “The Graduate“, and “Harold and Maude” as influences on “Rushmore”. I get it: the former with its isolated young protagonist and an extended shot in a swimming pool, the latter with its age-gap relationship and Cat Stevens needle-drops. Also, “Apocalypse Now” is one of several Vietnam War movies paid homage to in Max’s play “Heaven and Hell”.

Everybody Gets One: Perhaps the least stereotypically Texan person to come out of Houston, Wes Anderson started making movies as a child with his dad’s 8mm camera. While attending University of Texas at Austin, he met fellow student Owen Wilson, and the two collaborated on a script about their prep school days (Anderson attended St. John’s in Houston, Wilson at St. Mark’s in Dallas). The “Rushmore” script sat on the back-burner while they focused on “Bottle Rocket”. Once that film was completed, the two returned to “Rushmore”.

Wow, That’s Dated: The usual late ’90s staples: cassettes, checks, giant desktop computers, smoking in public places. Though the biggest dated aspect is the idea that the romantic obsession a 15 year old has for an adult could be played for laughs.

Seriously, Oscars?: “Rushmore” was originally intended for a spring 1999 release, but Touchstone Pictures was so impressed with the film they bumped up the release date to qualify for the 1998 Oscars. Despite a slew of critics awards (and two wins at the Independent Spirit Awards), “Rushmore” received zero Oscar nominations. Although his subsequent films have been recognized by the Academy, and Anderson has received seven personal nominations, the Oscars have yet to hand a trophy to the man himself.

Other notes

• This movie is Wes Anderson from frame one. Any other movie would just have their establishing text added to the lower third in post-production, but “Rushmore” has it projected onto a stage curtain.

• This is Jason Schwartzman’s film debut! Unsurprising for someone in the Coppola/Shire/Schwartzman/Cage gene pool, he hits it out of the park. Every detail about his characterization is perfect; the costume, the physicality. You learn so much about Max even before he says his first line.

• Brian Cox: Because Albert Finney costs how much!?
• Anderson and Wilson wanted Bill Murray to play Herman Blume, but were convinced their script would never get to him. Luckily, Murray’s agent was a big fan of “Bottle Rocket”, and Murray loved the script so much he offered to do the film for scale. What makes Bill Murray work within the universe of “Rushmore” is that he adapts his talents to support the movie, and not the other way around.

• I do love Seymour Cassel in this movie, he’s such a sweetheart as Max’s supportive dad. A total 180 from his other NFR appearance, the carefree playboy in “Faces“.
• “Diving for Sunken Treasures” by Jacques Costeau? File that one away for later, Anderson.
• Still the best line in the movie: “In summation, I have one question: Is Latin dead?”
• That is, of course, Luke Wilson, Owen’s younger brother and fellow future movie star, as Dr. Peter Flynn. Watching Max become increasingly jealous of Peter is a highlight.

• This movie could easily have been people sitting around talking, but Anderson and his team do a masterful job of making the dialogue scenes visually exciting. There’s a lot of movement, and wonderful usage of location shooting (Max and Herman’s scene at the factory comes to mind). Equally impressive, Anderson knows when to reign it in for the more intimate conversations.

• Oh yeah, I forgot Alexis Bledel is in this. A Houston native, Bledel is one of the student extras at Grover Cleveland High, and was about two years away from her breakout role as Rory Gilmore.
• Shoutout to Mason Gamble as Max’s sidekick Dirk Calloway. Only upon doing research for this post did I realize Gamble was also Dennis the Menace in the 1993 film version with Walter Matthau. That story again: Jane Fonda: 0 NFR movies, Kid from “Dennis the Menace”: 1.
• This movie has one of my favorite tropes: the second act “everyone is sad” montage.
• Alright, another “Die Hard” Not-Christmas movie, complete with Vince Guaraldi!
• “Rushmore” benefits from something a lot of these NFR movies have in common: super charming lead actors distracting you from how awful everyone is. Schwartzman, Murray, and Williams are all so charismatic in their performances, you forget that their characters are all kind of the worst.
• In the four years since my last “Rushmore” post I have gotten “Oh Yoko!” stuck in my head at least once a month. In fact, kudos to everyone who put together this soundtrack. “Rushmore” is a prime example of why there should be an Oscar category for compilation scores. Repurposing pre-existing material is as much an art form as creating an original composition.
• Ah yes, that point in the late ’90s when we could start using the Vietnam War for comedic purposes. Not necessarily making fun of the war or its veterans, but rather poking fun at the heightened dramatic versions of the war a la “Platoon”.
• Of COURSE a Wes Anderson movie would have a credit for “Calligrapher”.

Legacy

• “Rushmore” was a modest success upon release, earning a decent box office return and receiving much critical praise. The film’s success led to Wes Anderson’s continued outpouring of highly stylized movies.

• Wes Anderson’s dream to create a style akin to a Roald Dahl book came true in 2009 when he adapted “Fantastic Mr. Fox” into a cussin’ great movie.

• Bill Murray pivoted from SNL alumni/movie star to indie darling with this movie, and has appeared in every Wes Anderson movie since “Rushmore”.
• Pop culture doesn’t necessarily parody specific Wes Anderson movies, but rather his overall aesthetic. I still love “The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders”, further proof that the best SNL skits of the past decade aren’t necessarily the live ones.