Smackdown '38: You can't take the great waltz with you, Jezebel!
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 10:00PM In the Supporting Actress Smackdown series we take a particular Oscar vintage and explore it with a panel of artists and journalists. This episode goes way back to 1938.
THE ACTRESSES & CHARACTERS
In 1938 the Academy was still evolving and the "Best Supporting Actress" category was just three years old. Still, their all time favourite type (the long-suffering wife/mom) was already showing its strength (Beulah Bondi in Of Human Hearts, noticeably that film's only nomination). Other then-popular character types like 'the vamp' (Milja Korjus in The Great Waltz) and ditzy/funny moms (Billie Burke in Merrily We Live! and Spring Byington in You Can't Take It With You) didn't stay in vogue with the Academy for as long. In 1938 we also got an historic first: Fay Bainter was the first actor to be double-nominated, competing in both Lead (White Banners) and Supporting (Jezebel) categories simultaneously, winning the latter. Will our panel agree?
THE PANELISTS
Here to talk about these performances and movies are the actors Steven Weber and Britney Young, Joanna Robinson from Vanity Fair, and TFE's busiest duo, Cláudio Alves and your host Nathaniel R. Let's begin.
1938
SUPPORTING ACTRESS SMACKDOWN + PODCAST
The companion podcast can be downloaded at the bottom of this article or by visiting the iTunes page...
Fay Bainter as "Aunt Belle Massey" in Jezebel
Synopsis: A genteel southern woman can't control her willful niece. She watches helplessly as the young woman raises a ruckus (and then some).
Stats: Then 45 yrs old, 6th film, 6th billed. Double-nominated in lead and supporting this year (so first two of three eventual nominations). 28 minutes of screen time (or 27% of the running time)
Cláudio Alves: With a face made for playing tragedy, Fay Bainter walks away with Jezebel without ever stepping out of the shadow of Bette Davis' Oscar-winning star turn. Instead of stealing scenes and hogging the spotlight, the actress creates a fully-rounded human being out of little material and emerges as the movie's moral compass. When it's difficult to care about the unsympathetic protagonist, this actress is always there to punctuate a scene with the weary affection of a southern matriarch. She reminds us that we should be invested in the heroin's plight, for the sake of Bainter's Aunt Belle, if nothing else. Still, there are limits to her kind heart and, when Belle has had enough, her exhaustion, frustration, and withering judgment are haunting things to behold. To me, this is the platonic ideal of what a good supporting performance is supposed to be. ♥♥♥♥♥
Joanna Robinson: A classic Gone with the Wind knock-off released BEFORE Gone with the Wind I enjoy the hell out of Bette Davis’s performance, her costumes, and the gorgeous cinematography but it’s hard not to compare every other thing to GWTW. Bainter has one of the more unenviable roles in that her job is to mostly cluck at Julie and attempt to hold her back from her schemes but the scene where she has to warmly welcome and escort Pres’s new wife Amy upstairs all the while losing her mind wondering how Julie is going to react is a fantastic performance of conflicting emotions. ♥♥♥♥
Steven Weber: The marginalization of black people and black characters, and to a more immediate extent black actors in the 1930s, is now intolerable to watch. That said, the story still functions as a tale of redemption of a sort and the film itself is crisp and well-done on its face. Fay Bainter plays her role as Bette Davis’ mother with a theatrical precision that fits in with the style of the time. Her scenes between her and Davis are performed almost as if they are musical instruments, playing the notes perfectly and in harmony with the constant score, as if their parts were themselves composed and conducted by the director (Wyler). Bainter was effective and spare in her role as the reasonably sympathetic Southern antebellum matriarch. ♥♥♥♥
Britney Young: There are so many, MANY infuriating things about this movie; a lot of these issues hit close to current times, and I think unfortunately Fay Bainter’s performance gets lost amongst it all. Her performance barely made an impact on me, and I think she and every other actor got completely overshadowed by Bette Davis. Bainter plays Aunt Belle with a great warmness, but I was distracted by the cadence and delivery of her dialogue which felt out of place and would’ve been better suited for a biblical epic. I also felt her accent was all over the place and reminded me of a Disney fairy godmother rather than a southern belle. Now I don’t mean to say it was all bad. I was absolutely enthralled by how emotive her face was, easily able to convey her emotion even when she was silent. I think facial expressions are often a tool actors overlook, but Bainter used them to her advantage. ♥♥
Nathaniel R: I was surprised on this rewatch to realize that Bainter who I had remembered incorrectly as a huge part is so often backgrounded despite a lot of screentime. That said, she excels at the watchful qualities of the role. In some small way Aunt Belle is less a character than an ideal audience surrogate, continually unable to look away from Bette Davis' fiery Julie, riveted and appalled in equal measure. Until she's seen too much and breaks from audience proxy to internal film critic, if you will. The trip from her gobsmacked naive horror ("you can't fight marriage!" in closeup) to her condemnation of her kin in wide shot (the "Jezebel" scene) is like a beautifully judged withdrawal rather than a character arc. Fine playing from Bainter and gorgeously intuitive direction via William Wyler and his camera. ♥♥♥♥
Reader Write-Ins: "'I'm thinking of a woman called Jezebel, who did evil in the sight of God' You have no idea how many times I have wanted to use that line in real life on people. That delivery probably sealed the deal for her win that year. Bette Davis seems to recognize a worthy opponent but they never match again. Pity for us. " - Tom G. (Reader average: ♥♥♥½)
Actress earns 22½ ❤s
Beulah Bondi as "Miss Plimsoll" in Of Human Hearts
Synopsis: A preacher's wife struggles to the keep the peace between her strict husband and their ungrateful willful son.
Stats: Then 49 yrs old, 20th film, third billed. Second of two career nominations. 40 minutes of screentime (or 39% of the running time)
Cláudio Alves: Bondi was one of Old Hollywood's most reliable character actresses, one that I'm always pleased to watch, whether in big roles or bit parts. Her beatific portrait of motherhood in Of Human Hearts is certainly a big role, right on the edge of being a co-lead, though it presents the actress with little challenges and even fewer chances to show-off her craft. Still, Bondi does find space to add grace notes to the schmaltzy narrative, lacing her demure acquiescence with hints of disappointment and sorrow. Because of such glimpses into this devoted mother's inner life, her sacrifices gain more power than they would have had if they came from an unwavering, untroubled saint. ♥♥♥
Joanna Robinson: If Luise Rainer gets the gold medal for her martyred, selfless spouse, then surely Beulah gets the gold for this doormat performance as Jimmy Stewart’s long-suffering mother. I have to admit I had no idea about the Lincoln twist in this movie and it is WILD. I could also watch Stewart read the phone book. But every time we cut back to this lady and her woes I just found I couldn't connect. ♥
Steven Weber: BB is one of my favorite actors, most memorable for me as Mrs. Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life (the second time she played James Stewart’s mother) and she clearly has range beyond the devoted spouse she plays here. She is always authentic and committed and Of Human Hearts is no exception, despite its being a treacly story, almost a parody! There’s a lot that is wince- inducing in the film but Beulah is earnest and convincing as a devoted mother to Stewart and wife to a stern preacher played by Water Huston. (I looked up her later performances and she won an Emmy for her last appearance in an episode of The Waltons, as a longtime resident of Walton’s Mountain who has to leave her home for the last time after the death of her husband.) Again, she demonstrates uncommon depth and mastery of her craft. One of the best. ♥♥♥♥♥
Britney Young: Goodness, does Bondi give a heartbreaking performance. Like the movie, her character builds; transitioning from a supportive and loving mother and wife, to a heartbroken widow abandoned by the son she loves dearly, who's well-being she continues to put above her own, even when she isn’t doing so well. Bondi’s Mary Wilkins is so sweet and kind and is clearly taken for granted by everyone, yet Bondi plays her with such strength. She is so convincing and I found myself getting upset at other characters for treating her so terribly. Especially during a scene late in the movie between her son and President Lincoln. Bondi doesn’t appear in the scene, but her performance is so strong that it impacts the emotionality of the scene and all I could think about was this woman sitting alone in her wooden house so stricken, not knowing the fate of her only son. And don’t get me started on the scene where she sells her horse! ♥♥♥♥
Nathaniel R: Solid and empathic -- I felt a real kaboom whenever she took a beat to acknowledge her own devastation and the truth about her husband or her son's limitations. She's got obvious craft and skill, but the confines of the roles unfortunately hem her in. Quietly effective but I'd argue not much more. ♥♥♥
Reader Write-Ins: "I was invested in her heart break as she tries her hardest to keep her family together. Great close up acting from Bondi -- it’s not shocking she made this lineup, I just wish it had been in lead." - Eoin D. (Reader average: ♥♥½)
Actress earns 18½ ❤s
Billie Burke as "Mrs Kilbourne" in Merrily We Live
Synopsis: A ditzy society wife continuously hires hobos to work in her house hoping to "redeem" them. Her latest charity case is not what he appears to be and chaos erupts.
Stats: Then 54 yrs old, 40th film, 4th billed. First (and only) nomination. 24 minutes of screen time (or 26% of the running time).
Cláudio Alves: With an unforgettable patrician voice and flawless timing, Billie Burke could be a force to be reckoned with. In this My Man Godfrey-esque farce, she certainly leaves a strong impression as an airheaded society matron with a penchant for over-enthusiastic philanthropy. This is by no means a subtle performance, but there's a lot of fun to be found in Burke's broad approach. I especially love her way of inhabiting the space, often entering rooms without acknowledging, not even with her eyes, the people already in them. There's also a lot to admire about her paroxysms of childlike surprise and the slight suggestions of irony in her humor. Maybe the cheery flightiness of this woman is more deliberate than one might think. ♥♥♥♥
Joanna Robinson: One of two speeds for women in screwball comedies in this era was the child-like ditz. Burke isn’t the only one on this list but she might be the least interesting. It’s distracting, of course, to hear her Glinda the Good Witch voice shine through but that could be easily overcome if her character were a little more dynamic or had a moment of surprise depth, as is offered another example on this list. All in all a pretty messy My Man Godfrey knock-off. ♥♥
Steven Weber: First of all, an almost completely laugh-free “screwball comedy” featuring the rollicking adventures of a wealthy family whose matriarch’s hobby is to take in “tramps” and...make them...better? Directed by Norman Z. McLeod who directed some great comedies by The Marx Bros and WC Fields, this one has a crappy script and stereotypically portrayed rich people. Billie Burke is the matriarch, who is scatterbrained. I only know her from The Wizard of Oz, where she was fine and appealing; in this, she is annoying. She plays what she is given, however, so it’s not her fault. But her career consisted almost entirely of such roles and she was nominated for an Oscar for this role. I don’t know, maybe I was just tired. ♥♥♥
Britney Young: I LOVED Billie Burke’s performance! It’s very rare to see an actor play a dimwitted character so smartly, and Burke did a wonderful job. Her comedic timing was absolutely on point, and her quick one liners had me in stitches! I seriously laughed for a good few minutes after Rawlin’s told her some man came to the house acting like he lived there, and she responded “and did he?” For a movie that didn’t rely on much physical comedy, Burke’s Mrs. Kilborne elicited most of my laughs through the use of her body (that sounds weird). Her giant doe eyes enlarging to show her confusion and then acceptance of using a large wooden spoon to eat a melon, her full body mocking laugh during the dinner party scene, and her over the top dramatic crying and quick stepped run across the solarium after finding out Ambrose ran away with the silver, all were brilliant choices and made as much of a comedic impact as her dialogue. I had feared I wouldn’t be able to see her as anyone other than Glinda the Good Witch, but I was pleasantly surprised by her hilariously layered performance, and I would gladly watch this movie many times over. ♥♥♥♥♥
Nathaniel R: Delightful is too small an adjective, to be honest! There are so many things to treasure in her commited inventive performance. The best recurring detail Burke embellishes from the screenplay is Emily Kilbourne's vocal tics, always repeating things she's said herself or that she's just heard but sometimes not quite finishing them; Burke is playing her less as a dimwit and more as someone who is just not fully there, choosing to always be halfway inside her own rosier fantasies, and thus as endearing as she is maddening. Burke is consistently funny but the performance really soars in the middle of the picture during the big setpiece dinner sequence -- for an actress known best for her voice, her physical comedy is uproarious. ♥♥♥♥♥
Reader Write-Ins: "Young Oscar sure loved a ditzy matron, so it might be easy to write off what Burke is doing here. But she smartly combines the physical (the wide eyes when fascinated, pumping her voice full of helium) and the mental (accepting things at face value without a second thought, this woman cannot multitask to save her life!)." - James P. (Reader average: ♥♥♥)
Actress earns 22 ❤s
Spring Byington as "Penny Sycamore" in You Can't Take It With You
Synopsis: The mother of an unruly eccentric clan worries about losing her home as she tries out new personas like playwright and painter.
Stats: Then 52 yrs old, 37th film, billed. First (and only) nomination. 27 minutes of screentime (or 21% of the running time.)
Cláudio Alves: Capra's Best Picture champion is full of eccentric characters whose lunacy seems to sprout from a freeing lack of self-awareness. Byington's playwriting matriarch is at the eye of this storm, grounding the circus that is the Sycamore clan with smartly underplayed sentimentality and a sense of lived-in zaniness. Whether deploying cinema history's most adorable paperweight or acting as a proud hostess, Byington is always a delight. Still, hers is a role that demands little of its performer and I can't say any of the actress' choices surprised me. It's solid work that brings great warmth to the movie, but not something that demands Oscar glory. ♥♥
Joanna Robinson: Unlike Burke’s ditzy absentee mom in Merrily We Live, Spring Byington mother-of-the-soon-to-be-bride seems much more a character in her own right. She has her own arc separate from her daughter that’s tied to her house and home and her heartbreak over potentially losing it. The emotional break in her bubbly, prattling demeanor towards the end of the movie makes this one of the better performances on the list. ♥♥♥
Steven Weber: A fascinating woman, Spring had a long and varied career. This is an example of the actor being perfectly suited to the part. Reliable, hitting every note perfectly, she doesn’t strain herself trying to be real. The film itself is not as good as Capra’s later It’s A Wonderful Life though it has many similarities (including Jim the Raven, who appeared in all of Capra’ subsequent films). Byington is used sparingly in this film, unlike her competitors, who have larger roles and more screen time. Still, as stated, she is on the mark, pleasant and reliable. No false notes. ♥♥♥♥
Britney Young: If ever an angelic voice needed more screen time, it would be Spring Byington here. She plays Penny Sycamore with ease and charm, making you originally think she may be the sanest member of the Sycamore family, to only end the movie as lovingly goofy and naïve as the rest of them. Even when she is insulting Mrs. Kirby’s “silly” spiritualism hobby, I found Byington to be a delight and would’ve been absolutely thrilled if she was my potential mother-in-law. She plays her character’s eccentricities with such natural subtlety, she makes it seem completely normal to use a kitten as a paperweight or to lift up a policeman’s coat to see their gun (oooof, please don’t this!) My only complaint really, is that there simply wasn’t enough of her in this movie. And was my mind playing tricks on me, but did she spend the majority of the movie sitting down? ♥♥♥♥
Nathaniel R: Adorable and in sync with her movie... though would we miss it she wasn't? You Can't Take It With You gets comic mileage from its crowded chaos but due to just that feature the actors often get a little lost in the shuffle. I love her authenticity, like it's the most natural thing in the world to use your kitten as a paperweight, or to paint portraits while your daughter does pirouettes all around you. But I confess I don't understand why she was singled out. ♥♥
Reader Write-Ins: "She always added something in her appearances in films, whether they were good or bad. She's my pick." - Patrick G. (Reader average: ♥♥¼)
Actress earns 18¼ ❤s
Miliza Korjus as "Carla Donner" in The Great Waltz
Synopsis: An opera diva and a rising young composer Johann Strauss make beautiful music together. The problem is he's already married.
Stats: Then 29 yrs old, debut film, third billed. 1st (and only) nomination. 40 minutes of screentime (or 39% of the running time.)
Cláudio Alves: By the time The Great Waltz was shot, Miliza Korjus was an acclaimed opera star, but she was also a silver screen novice. Unfortunately, that second bit is inescapable when seeing how she stumbles her way through a first movie role. With a wooden countenance, a tendency towards mugging for the camera, and an utter inability to play coquettish flirtation, Korjus is always wobbling on the precipice of unwatchability. For those who appreciate the preponderant style of lyrical singing of the 1930s, I suppose her musical moments may justify the actorly faults. Apologies for my meanness, but I've never been a fan of that particular style and thus found her renditions of Strauss's compositions to be strident nightmares. ♥
Joanna Robinson: First of all, I had no idea this Hammerstein/Strauss jukebox musical existed so thank you for bringing that into my life. Secondly, I have maybe never hated a character or characterization more than I hated Luise Rainer as Strauss’s suffering wife. But Miliza on the other hand….she’s not a trained actress, obviously, but she has an undeniable mischievous sparkle that I love. Her sly eyes and wolfy grin and her AMAZING voice really did it for me. ♥♥♥
Steven Weber: An incredibly annoying movie that is an admitted utter fabrication of Strauss’s story, but gorgeously photographed and directed. I feel like all the actors were in need for better material, however Miliza Korjus, who I’d never seen before, was impressive and appealingly nefarious and diva-ish, with an icy stillness even in her seduction of Strauss. She was a well known opera singer but she definitely held her won against the other actors in her debut, even posing an appealing contrast to Luise Rainer fascinatingly presentational performance of Strauss’s loyal, almost doormat wife. Korjus is interesting to me and probably should have gone on to do more films. Her performance is reminiscent of the silent screen “vamps” like Theda Bara and Pola Negri, whose stock characters lured men into moral traps using her sexuality. Woo woo. ♥♥♥♥
Britney Young: I have never wanted to tell someone to stop smiling as much as I did to Miliza Korjus in “The Great Waltz.” As much as I wanted to enjoy this performance, it just felt a bit “meh” to me. I feel like this happens frequently with musicals (we can consider this film a musical, right?) where a singer is cast in a role and sings phenomenally in the film, and then all of the sudden they are nominated for an Academy Award. I didn’t think Korjus’ acting was on the same level as her singing. She shouted a majority of her dialogue and her delivery was awfully cold. To her credit she did play Carla Donner with confidence and bravado, demanding your attention any time she walked into the room, in true diva form. But I didn’t feel she was soft or vulnerable enough and I didn’t believe her compassion in the scene when she let him go back to his wife in the end. (I also kept wondering if she was the model for Lina Lamont’s (Jean Hagen) character in the “The Dueling Cavalier,” the movie within Singin' in the Rain. Once I saw the resemblance, I couldn’t unsee it.) ♥♥
Nathaniel R: It's the Jennifer Hudson syndrome and it started wayyyy back in Oscar history. In that sometimes a singer will have unmistakable star charisma and tremendous pipes and those two things will be immediately mistaken for acting chops once they're projected onto the screen. Alas, those are different talents. Korjus' singing voice is definitely stunning, and it's weirdly thrilling and memorable to watch her weaponize it with the most aggressive flirting I've seen outside of the erotic thriller or romcom genres. She sells the predatory diva quality of a star who merely takes what she wants and finds it amusing that she can. But there's zero nuance and its one of the most repetitive performances I've ever seen; the lack of acting training shows. ♥♥
Reader Write-Ins: "This movie is a big fat load of malarkey, but it's energetic malarky, and Korjus is up to its spirit: she looks ready to devour everyone and everything in her path..." - Robert K. (Reader average: ♥♥¾)
Actress earns 14¾ ❤s
Fay Bainter won the Oscar and proves a formidable contender here as well. Though she tied with Billie Burke amongst our talking heads, the reader's vote proved the tie-breaker and Bainter ekes out a win by half a heart!
Faye Bainter and Bette Davis with their Jezebel hers & hers Oscars.
THE FULL PODCAST CONVERSATION
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NEXT UP: The 1965 Oscar race will be discussed on October 8th. Watch The Sound of Music, A Patch of Blue, Inside Daisy Clover and Othello and vote before then to maximize your enjoyment of the next Smackdown. [All Previous Smackdowns]
Reader Comments (45)
Aww, I was somehow hoping Korjus could pull an upset. She's hysterical. Great discussion as always, love how divided the panel was on a lot of these.
My votes:
Miliza Korjus, The Great Waltz - A conspiracy of one. Sly, grinning, all whim and id and high notes. Feels like she has Miss Piggy, or even Mae West potential - never that bawdy, of course, but can deliver a come-on without ever giving the game away or letting the mask of refinement slip. I love her. Five Hearts
Beulah Bondi, Of Human Hearts - Too depressing to properly contemplate. One and a half Human Hearts.
Billie Burke, Merrily We Live - Perfectly cast in a role that doesn't call for much depth or variety. Burke can deliver a joke without revealing whether the character knows she's funny - sometimes to great effect, sometimes so casually it doesn't quite land. Her party hostess sequence is really a hoot, though. Three hearts
Spring Byington, You Can't Take It With You - Has the absolute least to do in a crowded ensemble. She seems like a dear, but it's hard to be sure in the time allotted. I thought she was about to get a climactic moment until other characters literally ask her to leave the scene so men can talk. One and a half hearts.
Fay Bainter, Jezebel - A character whose main trait is never raising her objections loudly enough. It's interesting that she's not just enabling, that it is clear when she has opinions and concerns even if she rarely intervenes, never has a big breaking or turning point. But she's strictly sidelines and background. Two hearts
Close race this time!
Spring Byington- You Can't Take it With You
Byington was a hard working character actress who finally got some appreciation with a nomination. But for this movie..? I mean she is there. And she gets one good emotional beat with her father when the family is about to lose the house. But that is all there is. Her character's best lines (not only the funniest but the sexy ones) from the play were removed for the movie. Instead of being just as absurd as everyone around her, Byington is muted and presented as a kind of straight man to all the craziness around her. It's not her fault but the censors of the time washed out a funny character to make due for a more stereotypical mother role. 2 hearts
Billie Burke- Merrily we Live
I think I read too much into this performance. Burke played so many roles like this before (flighty socialite severely lacking in self awareness) But it seems like she added an extra element to this one. Her Emily has whims of fancy like the others, but she puts a cause behind it. Emily jumps from one point to another unaware of others trying to keep up with her. Emily may be unaware of it too. When she forgets, there isn't simply frustration but what looks like fleeting panic on her face. How did this situation happen? What are we talking about again? As presented by Burke, Emily is not simply flighty but possibly suffering from early onset dementia. Notice how childlike she is at the beginning of the film especially compared to her daughters who are much more mature than she is. I remember that panic on her face when she becomes confused. Emily is a creature of comfort, what would she have to be even remotely upset about? Burke seems to make Emily aware of her condition and that she tries to hide it from her family and slips back into childlike fantasies to deny it herself. Maybe I am just projecting this but I'll give Burke credit anyway. 3 hearts
Fay Bainter- Jezebel
"I'm thinking of a woman called Jezebel, who did evil in the sight of God" You have no idea how many times I have wanted to use that line in real life on people. That delivery probably sealed the deal for her win that year. But outside of this moment Bainter doesn't have much to do. She worriedly dotes on her niece and tries to steer her in the right direction. The filmmakers put Bainter in the back often, just behind or outside the main action and she has to show what she feels with lots of subtlety on her face. It's good work, but only good. Only in that one moment is Bainter allowed to show that she has some pent up feelings about her ward. Bette Davis seems to recognize a worthy opponent but they never match again. Pity for us. 3 hearts
Beulah Bondi- Of Human Hearts
I'm giving her extra credit for handling that horse. Horses are intelligent but often temperamental animals. But Bondi interacts with Pilgrim like she has known that horse for years. Their affection seems so real and the scene where she must say goodbye to him is more moving than anything else in the movie. As for her human interactions, Bondi is the loving and supporting wife and mother of two stubborn men. The script doesn't ask her to be more than that. But we get the sense that Bondi isn't satisfied or completely happy with this new lot in life. Her face betrays her fatigue and sometimes contempt of the people and their aversion to learning that she must now live with. I wish the script gave her one scene of anger or to express herself. When someone is giving more than what was demanded, maybe demand more of the script. 3.5 hearts
Miliza Korjus- The Great Waltz
Korjus is the cinematic lovechild that Mae West and Jeannette MacDonald would have had if West was able to convince MacDonald to try. As a trained opera singer, she knew what a bored audience looked like and must have psychically seen ahead to know that her first film was celluloid chloroform. So Korjus is ALIVE! So active and present in each scene that the audience must be awake to take notice of her. Her voice is gorgeous and she uses it well in her speaking scenes. She is unabashedly flirtatious and bewitching. She seems to be daring the censors to cut her suggestive talk out, but she knows they won't. I don't know where Korjus got that much confidence for her first movie but I couldn't look away from her. She is the movie. There is nothing without her. And Korjus knows it. She practically winks at us the whole time. 4 hearts
Dave S -- I agree that the disagreements made this discussion lively. Particularly on Korjus and the insanity of The Great Waltz
Thomas -- i LOVE IT when the smackdown is close. It was a nail biter counting the votes but then suddenly Bainter stormed ahead and kept her lead.
Another wonderfully interesting Smackdown! Plus the two women I liked best were the top ranked, as I predicted (bully for me). Nathaniel, thank you esp for your comments on "The Jennifer Hudson syndrome." Yes, 100% yes! And apparently it really did start with Miliza Korjus. Hudson's win has always rankled me. At least Korjus had the good grace to just be a nominee!
Totally look forward to listening to the podcast tomorrow. Thanks again! And on to 1965!
Three Hearts - Billie Burke/Merrily We Live. I did not know Belinda the good witch by name, but damn if I didn't recognize that voice as soon as she spoke. A wonder that her unique instrument works equally well with such different characters.While the role was pretty broad, she made me laugh throughout the film.
Three Hearts - Beulah Bondi/Of Human Hearts. The Prince of Tides of 1938. Strong potential but then goes onto all sort of WTF directions. Bondi does a fine job as the film's heart, but isn't irreplaceable.
Two Hearts - Fay Bainter/Jezebel. I guess the scene where she actually has something to do she does well? (The one where Henry Fonda comes with a wife and she has to balance pleasantries and concern for Bette’s reaction.)
Two Hearts - Miliza Korjus/The Great Waltz. Betting this nomination is more for vocal ability than acting chops. I’ve somehow blended this movie with Alexander’s Ragtime Band in my mind.
Two Hearts - Spring Byington/You Can't Take It With You. The movie itself is a bore and poor Spring just can't demand my attention when there is such a cute kitty sitting next to her.
I would vote for Billie Burke for the win here, but if I got dealt this hand in five card draw, I might turn them all in for new cards.
My 1938 movie watching proved more successful than the supporting actress line-up. I managed to going from only seeing Bringing Up Baby to 37 ’38 films this last month (and it would have been 38 for 38 but the quality of video store’s copy of Sidewalks of London was too bad to endure). My top ten of the year is:
1. The Adventures of Robin Hood
2. Olympia I and II
3. Alexander Nevsky
4. Brining Up Baby
5. Holiday
6. The Challenge
7. Three Comrades
8. The Lady Vanishes
9. Pygmalion
10. Marie Antoinette
It’s funny Britney linked Korjus to Lina Lamont — I kept thinking of Lili von Shtupp from Blazing Saddles.
Thanks for using my quote! Always love the Smackdowns; thanks for organizing!
Kelly -- WOW. I am so impressed. Of your top ten i still have not seen a few of those.
James -- i like both connections. wasn't Britney fab?
Wow this was a close one! But my girl Fay came out on top. It was great how all over the place the opinions of the various performances were. Made for a very interesting read.
I love Beulah and Spring but their roles really weren't worthy of them.
My take:
Fay Bainter-Jezebel-SO much interiority! As I watched this with an eye to Fay’s performance rather than the juggernaut that Bette Davis is serving up I was struck time and again at how little dialog she had but how present she always is in every one of her scenes. No matter whether she is a focus or on the periphery her mind is always working as her emotions play out silently but impactfully across her face. More than any other character she is tuned into the shifts of fortune of everyone and has to recalibrate to maintain the equilibrium of those around her as best she can. While she is ever mindful of the propriety and propinquity of every situation her main concern is for Julie since she realizes the girl is her own worst enemy and tries as best she can to save her from herself. Often unable to control the whirlwind she has no problem turning her ire onto her niece, though it frequently comes too late. In her final scene her defeated withdrawal from the staircase tells you she knows she’s lost, all done without uttering a word. She’s pitch perfect from beginning to end. 5 hearts.
Beulah Bondi-Of Human Hearts-In the role of an incredibly self-sacrificing woman burdened with a husband worried about everyone else’s needs but hers and an almost unbelievably obtuse selfish child Beulah exudes a superhuman degree of patience and perseverance. Her bearing and countenance is always one of stoic fortitude while in the presence of others only allowing the mask to fall in her private moments when she’s alone or turned away. That degree of goodness is difficult to maintain without coming across as bland or one dimensional but because of her natural warmth she manages the feat. 3 hearts.
Billie Burke-Merrily We Live-One of the queens of the addlepated nincompoop she finds perhaps the ideal role of Emily Kilbourne to utilize every trick she has honed over the years. Playing a woman so vague and in her own head that she barely recognizes her own family let alone her servants another actress who didn’t have as sure a handle on her technique could have come across as a total fool or phony. But with her off center line readings and her ability to gleefully glide along as if the world needs to follow her not the other way around she steals every second she’s on screen. 3 ½ hearts.
Spring Byington-You Can’t Take it With You-The Academy fell hard for her film and Spring benefited with a nomination for a part that didn’t deserve it. She is engaging, she was always engaging, as Jean Arthur’s mother fitting into and shepherding the crazy mixed up household she lives in but she doesn’t impact the story in any significant way. Her role could have been deleted and the film wouldn’t have changed in any material way. If they were anxious to hand a supporting actress nomination to someone Ann Miller’s ditzy dancing sister is more memorable, not that I’m championing a nod for her either but she has more to do. Spring was worthy of nominations several times, and probably a win, but not here. 2 hearts.
Miliza Korjus-The Great Waltz-The biggest surprise of the contest. I had seen this unwieldy biopic years ago and the only thing I remembered before my revisit was the absurd carriage ride where supposedly Strauss created Tales from the Vienna Woods from the creak of the wheels, the birds tweet tweeting in the trees and all the lovely peasants toiling in the fields! Geesh!! But while Fernand Gravey was the same dull lummox I recalled I was enchanted by Korjus. Aside from her terribly anachronistic eyebrows she was a vision and her wardrobe breathtaking, though it took me a while to adjust to her seemingly constant smiling until I realized that because of the way her features were arranged that was her natural expression. Her role was quite large, actually or nearly a co-lead but because of Luise Rainer’s position at the time she was slotted into supporting apparently. The thing that struck me the most was her active listening when others were delivering their dialog. Unlike many less experienced performers she didn’t just fill the space as others acted but reacted in subtle ways as they spoke. Of course she was an experienced stage performer from her years of opera but film is another medium, however she seemed comfortable and very engaged. The story is so much hogwash but she was the standout. 4 hearts.
It wasnt a strong year for the category, but for me it would be like this:
1.Burke
2.Bainter
3.Brygton
4.Bondi
5.Korjus
I could change the last 2 for May Whitty (The lady vanishes) and Bonita Granville (Merrily we live)
Cafg, if i had to rank them, it's probably clear from my writeups that it would be BURKE / BAINTER / BONDI / BYINGTON / KORJUS... but only Burke and Bainter would transfer over to my own ballot for the best supporting actresses of 1938. I'm still watching movies but i can't imagine them getting knocked out of the top five since they're still 1 & 2 in my own personal list.
Love this podcast and I was cracking up at reactions to the insane Billie Burke and Miliza Korjus performances. Weber saying Korjus should play Strauss - amazing.
Goddess bless TFE.. It's so fun to explore some older movies together as a group like this - some of which i would never have thought to watch on my own.
• The Great Waltz (Miliza Korjus)- 1.5 stars. an opera singer on film. Likely it was much more enjoyable back in the day for contemporary audiences for whom I assume she was a crossover star? I did enjoy reading about her life story on wikipedia though. Very interesting!
• Jezebel (Fay Bainter) - 4 stars. I loved what her face subtly communicated in the scene when she came into the kitchen and realized that Bette Davis had already learned of Fonda's marriage before she could warn her.
• Merrily We Live (Billie Burke) - 3 stars. A fun role that is pretty one note. as bubbly as the good witch if a lot more ditzy. The clueless do-gooder routine got a little stale by the end though.
• Of Human Hearts (Beulah Bondi) - 1.5 stars. A pretty straight forward quiet saintly mother role in a really tedious movie. Until that ridiculous ending! omg- getting dragged from battlefront to be lectured by Lincoln himself about never calling your mom? Whose fever dream was this?
• You Can't Take It With You (Spring Byington)- 3 stars. She and Burke must have split the "whacky family of *characters!*" vote.
I loved the opportunity to watch a film year that prior to the smackdown I'd only seen like 3 films from. I'm happy with who won because I do agree the academy made the right choice with Bainter. Funny enough if I were a voter I would've for the one time at the academy given her the win for both her nominations. White Banners was one of the films I'd not seen her before and she is truly spellbinding in that film (1938 lead is such a strong list of the nominees the one I rank fifth is still better than a lot of best actress nominees throughout Oscars history.)
The panel provided some great insight in their writes up and the podcast was a great listen also. I would hope they all could return for future smackdowns because they all seemed to love classic film and are knowledgeable about it in a way that I feel a lot of online film people who I follow aren't as much (TFE is one of the rare places that has a love of classic cinema.)
A film from 38 that wasn't mentioned on the pod that people should be checking out is Grand Illusion. It's such a brilliant film that thankfully is fully supported as a cinematic classic. While 38 wasn't my favourite year for cinema there were some great films and performances that I was lucky to see. On to 1965 and all it has to offer.
Fay Bainter, Jezebel:
From the moment the camera introduces us to Bainter as Aunt Belle you know that your welcome. Bainter like most a supporting players during her time has a face that could match many a leading lady. She’s so expressive and alive as Julie’s (Bette Davis) aunt in this film. A scene during the middle of the film we see her caught off guard by the reveal of Preston’s (Henry Fonda) wife and in one moment we see multiple realizations played so beautifully by Bainter. Bainter gives a definitive supporting turn where she’s never at the forefront yet you remember she’s in scenes at every moment even when the camera is turned away from her. You couldn’t have Bette’s fiery performance without actors like Bainter holding strong in a far more quiet way.
Rating: 4 stars
Beulah Bondi, Of Human Hearts:
Category fraud has easily existed as long as supporting acting prizes were introduced at the Oscars and Bondi in my opinion is an example of an arguably leading role awarded in supporting. Playing the loving mother and wife of Janes Stewart & Walter Huston respectfully, she’s the only actor at both the beginning and end of the film. Bondi is a great performer who sells scenes while the film try’s its hardest not to. It’s not the most thrilling of films but when Bondi is on screen I was invested in her heart break as she tries her hardest to keep her family together. The films final scene in which her distant son returns to her is some great close up acting from Bondi and clearly frames her as the central character of the film. The constant struggle of holding her family together is so well played that it’s not shocking she made this lineup, I just wish it had been in lead.
Rating: 4 stars
Billie Burke, Merrily We Live:
First off just go watch My Man Godfrey the far superior version of what Merrily wanted to be. This film is completely empty and while it strives for screwball excellence it falls far below the line. Burke as the matriarch at the center of the film is a hoot playing witty and though she tries hard to save this film not anything she can do can saves it. This in no way is Burke at her best and her slot could’ve gone to a far more exciting supporting actress performance. Burke plays one note slightly and admittedly after some time I grew tired of her shtick. Thankfully this film was short cause I don’t think I could’ve survived much more.
Rating: 2 stars
Spring Byington, You Can't Take It with You:
Byington continues the trend in this category of actresses whose second name starts with a B (just had to point that out since that is the case for four of them). She stars in the best picture winning film of the year playing the matriarch of the large Sycamore family which the film follows. Like most of the ensemble of this film she plays even with just about everyone and while I’d say she’s good I find her being the only actor singled out slightly shocking. She does have some great line readings throughout but for me she didn’t stand out enough above the great ensemble of actors that I feel good about rewarding her here.
Rating: 3 stars
Miliza Korjus, The Great Waltz:
After about the third time Korjus broke out into singing I was over whatever this performance was trying to be. The fact this was her only acting performance makes sense after witnessing her seriously struggling in her non singing scenes. Seriously the struggle in delivering dialogue showed and no matter how hard she tried I was cringing at every word that left her mouth. Her singing scenes which she was obviously more passionate about didn’t affect me either because as I’ve mentioned it grew old quick. At least I’m filling my Oscar blind spots because this film/performance was a struggle to get through and I’ll never have to experience it again.
Rating: 1 star
A stunning looking and writing bunch. I have to say it again, us homely plain janes demand representation. When Nathaniel's the booger it's just not fair to us!
I was inclined to go with Fay Bainter of "Jezebel" and I was gratified to see that Joanna Robinson (Podcaster extraordinaire) agreed with me. So I must be right.
However it was a surprise to me that Joanna R. liked Miliza Korjus at least 2 stars more than me.
Hmmm.. Nathaniel was in complete agreement with me on Billie Burke.
So what does this mean? Anyone who agrees with me is insightful.
Anyone who disagrees with me is interesting, but not as discerning as I am.
That's why I love smackdowns!
Thanks so much for giving us a little fun during these difficult times. Thank you to everyone.
I know the double nomination for Fay Bainter is historic, but should we erase her The Children’s Hour nomination from her bio?
"Merrily We Live" is a real trial to sit through, provoking annoyance and boredom in equal measures. And - though I've generally no axe to grind with Billie Burke - she's just one more part of the problem here. If you want to see a lovely, nomination worthy comic performance from Burke, check out (the pretty much unremembered) Remember?" from '39. One doesn't expect an MGM comedy headlining Robert Taylor and Greer Garson to be all that nimble. But this one's surprisingly good - and quite daring. Burke's marvelous in support. She has a long scene involving a surprise party that always leaves me in stitches.
In the early 30's Europe produced some of the best early sound musicals. Films that pioneered innovative techniques and approaches later taken up by American directors. Many of these European musicals were basically operetta based. And there was no bigger star in the genre than Hungarian born soprano Marta Eggerth. She made her name in German films and enjoyed tremendous popularity throughout Europe, Asia and South America. Early in '33, Variety named her one of the world's top box office draws, the only one on the list to do it without breaking into the American market. Universal lured her to Hollywood in the mid 30's, intent on building a lavish vehicle around her. Unfortunate financial problems at the studio forced them to delay production endlessly. Till finally Eggerth returned to Europe to fulfill the raft of professional obligations that awaited her there. Unfortunately, within a year or two she was fleeing the Nazis, her European career torpedoed by that regime. In America by the early 40's, she enjoyed great success on Broadway (and on tour) in a legendary revival of "The Merry Widow". MGM came through with a couple of supporting roles in Judy Garland musicals and she did nicely. But no more Hollywood opportunities materialized. My point, I guess, is that Eggerth was every bit as good a singer as Meliza Korjus. But she was also quite beautiful, absolutely loaded with charm - and a very fine actress, to boot. I've always felt that if Universal hadn't cancelled their prospective Eggerth showcase, presenting her in her prime to the then operetta loving American public , she'd have been established as a major Hollywood name. And - still only in her mid-20's - would have been an absolute natural for the " Great Waltz" role that won Korjus her nomination. I enjoy "The Great Waltz" as it is and Korjus sings the hell out of her part. But - to my mind - Eggerth could have done that and a heck of a lot more. I believe she and "The Great Waltz' were made for each other.. But sadly the stars were never quite aligned to make it happen.
"the precipice of unwatchability"
I haven't even seen the movie but I felt so bad for her!
Shit, I somehow forgot to vote on this! I'd go...
Bondi - four
Byington - four
Bainter - four
Burke - four
Korjus - two
Hannah - oops. good catch. I usually mention if someone had been nominated afterwards. And she's the only member of this quintet to return to Oscar.
ken -- i love this recasting idea. I've only seen one of Eggerth's perfromances but she did acquit herself nicely.
ladyedith -- this is my favourite ever take on disagreement ;) if only every would adopt it and not get upset when people disagree with them.
SFO & Eoin -- i'm soooo happy when people take the Smackdowns as they were intended... a fun way to explore a film vintage together as a community. I've been enjoying my 1938 feep dive so much I'm having trouble but now new movies are getting busy again (festival screeners and such) so i'm afraid I can't go all in on '65 and '87 like i did '38 though i'll try to squeeze in a few extra titles.
andrew -- ooh so a good if even crowd for you.who would be your #1?
Kudos to the new panelists, especially appreciated Weber's takes on Jezebel and The Great Waltz. This is one of those years when I can barely muster any enthusiasm for the nominees or their films (except Jezebel, which I have been rewatching, adoring and hate-watching since I was a child), but it's great reading these analyses.
Nathaniel - Bondi, though I have no qualms at all about the Bainter win. (I actually give Bainter the win in Lead this year!)
Thank you for this. I couldn't vote because I couldn't find any of these to watch. Always fun to read these!
Has Weber not seen "My Man Godfrey"...?!
forever1267 -- but we posted a few times where to see all of them! or do you live outside the US?
I love Billy Burke in Merrily We Live! I'm glad she got a couple of five stars from the panel.
Totally pro Bainter here. 5/5 stars, to me it is the very definition of supporting actressing. I was surprised her reaction to the new fiancé went unmentioned, it’s a total masterclass. She has to react with shock, but no broadcast it, and the summon up the full force of her kindness and hospitality in a matter of seconds. Bainter does all that without seeming to move any muscle in her face or any demonstrative line readings.
Totally worth pointing out that it’s only when she finally turns against Julie that Julie really understands what she has done. Bainter has done such a good job showing to the audience the characters conflicted but ultimately loving relationship with Julie that it truly registers as thematic turning point when she finally breaks with Julie. These are pivotal moments in the movie and it is almost exclusively because of Bainter that the work.
Damn Cláudio went in on Miliza Korjus! Lucky you’re a contributor or there’s a good chance your comment would never see the light of day for it’s ‘meanness’ and creating a negative unhappy and unsafe place here at TFE.
Think I want to take back my choice of Byington and replace it with Billie Burke. The more I think about her screen persona, the more I feel right about her as the winner here. Plus Nathaniel has her as his number one! That said, this was not one of the years I remember fondly while I was on my quest to view all Supporting Actresses from 1936-present. Glad it is in the rear view mirror...On to 1965, a year that the Academy ignored Joan Blondell, Thelma Ritter, Elizabeth Ashley and Angela Lansbury/ Will I ever be able to sit through Olivier's Othello for a second time?
The T --No one ever said you shouldn't share negative opinions of movies ;) We only asked that you be nice to each other and to our team and this is NOT a lot to ask contrary to random disgruntled opinions..
Patryk -- i would NEVER ask anyone to sit through Othello a second time (spoiler alert the actresses are good but Larry Olivier in blackface is unwatchable) so if you've already seen it please vote.
Peter -- i really love her in it too so now i'm feeling stingy about my four stars. Burke is my choice but really it's a *very* close call and I'm totally fine with Bainter's Oscar win and Smackdown win.
Well I’ve seen a commenter match your mood and ‘niceness’ only to be silenced and shut down. But I’m different to you and am a bit of a benefit of the doubt guy. So despite evidence to the contrary I’ll agree to disagree on this point. Great Smackdown and excited for the next. Winters win seems to be met with dislike or indifference, despite embodying the character the book and screenplay sets for her. Plus I don’t really care too much for her competition that year. Should be a fun one!
Just had a chance to listen to the podcast.
Wonderfully entertaining and everyone really seemed to be having a great time both praising some movies and ripping apart others. A fantastic hour!
Thanks Nathaniel for all the work you put into these Smackdowns. Loved this one even if I didn't love all the films though the fantastic assortment of nominated actresses made it much easier to wade through even the roughest of the bunch.
Very excited for 1965!
@Nathaniel, I'm in Los Angeles. How did I miss that? Sorry!
I'm 50% done with 1965, so I'll be back
Another absolutely great Smackdown!! I love when older years are done, specifically because I get to watch lots of new movies. This year, four of the five movies were new to me (I had seen "You Can't Take It With Me" prior). They were all of varying degrees of quality (Of Human Hearts and Merrily We Live were particularly rough), but such fun to watch.
Here were my votes and explanations:
Fay Bainter - "Jezebel" (4 out of 5 hearts)
It's not just residual Bette Davis love that got Bainter the win for "Jezebel." Fay Bainter adds a great deal of shading and nuance to the eternally disapproving Aunt Belle Massey. While the script mainly asks Bainter to repeatedly chastise or warn Bette Davis' Julie, she finds ways to modulate each of their interactions. Each scene feels distinct and different, even if the tone may be the same. The way she sternly and quietly informs Julie that Pres won't be coming back to her after the Olympus Ball is great. She may have playfully viewed Julie as a thorn in her backside before, but this time she's gone too far and she shows her disappointment well. We don't learn much about Aunt Belle, but the way she cautions Julie makes me wonder what she was like in her younger years. Was she a Jezebel-type? Something must have happened that makes her understand Julie's impulses, even though she knows they won't get her what she wants.
Beulah Bondi - "Of Human Hearts" (3 out of 5 hearts)
Beulah Bondi's role fits the Oscar stereotype of a longsuffering mother to a tee. While her Mary Wilkins may not get much of an inner life, Bondi picks interesting moments to give her character some definition. She seems crestfallen twice over when trying to sell her silverware. She gets less than she asked for and is told she's being done a favor for being "the Rev. Wilkins wife." For much of the movie, she just watches on from afar, proud of her son Jason leaving home to pursue being a doctor. At first glance, there's not much to the role. Then we get to a pivotal scene where Mary receives a letter that Jason won't be home for Christmas and needs money. Dealing with a sick husband and absent son, Mary must make a quick decision of how to support the family. She sends back the groceries and sells her ring. Bondi makes us feel every step of her decision-making process, a highlight of the film. Her role exists merely in reaction shots because she doesn't need words to create a narrative. No wonder the movie morphs to be about how great of a mother she is. It may be hokey, but Abraham Lincoln was right to scold Jimmy Stewart's Jason. It's all worth it to see her overjoyed reaction once Jason returns home.
Billie Burke - "Merrily We Live" (2 out of 5 hearts)
In her introductory scene, her body language is as flighty and bouncy as her high pitched voice. She perfectly sets up her character, but doesn't take her very many places past this one joke. She's a skilled comedienne that fully inhabits each scene. One of the most fun detours the movie takes is when she insists on switching spots with her server. There's plenty of good comedy here, but there's a lot less of any character.
Spring Byrington - "You Can't Take It With You" (2 out of 5 hearts)
This sweet, but cloying, morality dramedy is chock full of performances. The house is literally bursting with kooks left and right. Spring Byrington types away on her typewriter and manages to steal moments from the large, intimidating ensemble. Yet, she never quite gets to steal scenes. She fits in with the large bunch of Sycamores and is probably the right one of the bunch to reward. However, it's a reward for the cast and less so for her performance.
Miliza Korjus - "The Great Waltz" (3 out of 5 hearts)
We knew she could sing, the question was whether or not she could act. Miliza Korjus acts best when she's singing, much like other singers turned actors (Jennifer Hudson comes to mind). That's not supposed to be a knock. It's hard to sing and play the emotions and narrative arc of a given musical number. It just seems like Korjus accesses the character best through song. In some scenes, like when she and Strauss have fled to the Vienna Woods in a carriage, Korjus seems lost or bored, like she doesn't know what to do with her body when not singing or dancing. Still, she's absolutely striking and fascinating to watch. The camera can't stop moving towards her, and she can't stop looking straight at the camera, asking us to love her.
Fabulous as always!! God this series is delicious.
Just listened to the podcast finally. Wonderfully entertaining, and everyone did a great job. Britney Young is someone you'd totally want to hang out with and Steven Weber doing his Lina Lamont is everything.
Rob -- yes totally. Great guests. Hopefully they'll all be back.
Andrew -- thank you.
Joel6 -- yes, even when the films aren't great the actresses will often get ya through. I still feel this way now with new movies.
Patryk -- which films are you referribng to with Joan Blondell, Thelma Ritter, Elizabeth Ashley and Angela Lansbury so that i may watch them ? :)
I don’t know why I get your postings at least a day late. So I know nobody will see this. ‘65 is one of my 47 completed years. I’m down to 88 pictures to go after the discovery of Eastern European and Russian Movies with English subtitles sites. Watched for the first time: The Deluge, Mephisto, Boys of Paul Street, Katyń, The Elementary School, Prisoner of the Mountains, The Brothers Karamazov (‘69). You can get a one-day pass for $5. Good quality copies. I think I’ve exhausted ok.ru, though. These last 88 are going to be hard to come by. Of course, there are like 4 or so lost forever. Like The Patriot one of the two best picture nominees I’m missing. The other one is The White Parade whose only copy is at UCLA. And I’m no longer traveling. Is anybody there ahead of me? I’m not counting docs or shorts though I’ve seen my share. Good movie going when it starts.
Domenico -- wow. I definitely have more than 88 to go. great job. I know that I'll be able to complete 1938 now though since I have such a strong start. what is the $5 site?
Eastern European Movies with English Subtitles
Russian/Soviet Movies with English Subtitles
There are other options beside the $5 a day. Three days or a week, I don’t remember, a month, and forever which is $100, For the last two choices you can upload (?) the films.
There are also subtitles in other languages.
You can look at what they have before you join.
Unless you choose $100 you get a very long access number. For the one day, they give you a bit more than 24 hours, I joined Thursday at 7 PM and had till Saturday at 2 AM. They don’t have everything. I’m still missing Cats’ Play, Nights and Days, and Private Life from these countries. There might be others. I didn’t check for the ones I had already seen. I know they Also have Hanussen, Pharaoh, Confidence. And many others. Hope this helps.
Thank Goodness that Fay Bainter won. Good work readers.
My two cents are becoming a quarter. And this comment may even be superfluous. I don’t have time to check as I should, but i think some people mentioned Fay Bainter being in Mad about Music. I imagine they took Nana Bryant to be FB. Sorry if nobody made that mistake. By the way Mad about Music is finally on OK.RU but at it is wont there it is presented with a woman and a man doing the lines of the characters over them in Russian, no regular dubbing. The singing is left alone. You can sometimes hear the original but very seldom. I cannot take it. Even though I have watched movies in languages I don’t know even dubbed in languages I don’t know, I repeat: this I cannot take. Will have to wait to complete 1938. Maybe it was Lilly Mars they were talking about. I’ll try to stay out of the site for a while. I know this old guy can be a nuisance. Love to all. Keep safe.
One of the pleasures of viewing Oscar nominees is that you sometimes get surprised by performers from movies of which you know little. I got two from this year: Beulah Bondi in "Of Human Hearts" and Billie Burke in "Merrily We Live." I kept waiting for Bondi's performance to turn slurpy and sentimental (which would make sense, given the slurpy and sentimental picture she's inhabiting), but instead it's a beautiful, forthright performance. I hadn't heard anything about "Merrily We Live." Maybe you can't classify it in the Grade A category of farces (à la "Bringing Up Baby"); it's a little dorky, and most of the actors mug for the camera. But the situations and lines are pleasantly clever, and Burke has a sparkly sense of fun.
Fay Bainter in "Jezebel," however, is unbelievably boring. But then I watched "White Banners," her Best Actress nominee from the same year, and lo and behold, surprise number three: she's remarkable. Tart and fast-paced, she gives a lively, heartfelt performance. In fact, that Best Actress roster of '38 is something to see.
Domenico -- wow. I definitely have more than 88 to go. great job. I know that I'll be able to complete 1938 now though since I have such a strong start. what is the $5 site?