Great overview of a varied career. I really like these portraits, and I hope they're compiled one day in a lovely book. I did enjoy the Leissen-MacMurray films I saw on the Criterion Channel last year (for similar reasons, I also enjoyed seeing Demarest in Preston Sturges films). However, I'm not sure about disagreeing with David Thomson, even when you're absolutely right.
I remember the surprise of seeing Professor Douglas acting tough and randy in "Double Indemnity" and thinking, "Who is he fooling?" I also was aware that he was in a few romantic comedies, but I'd never even heard of many of these films. Thanks for filling in the blanks. Off to find "Murder he wrote!"
What a wonderful review—you capture all aspects of his many talents! I love his early screwball comedies for Paramount, too, like True Confession with Carole Lombard. They had great chemistry. One of my favorite Christmas films is Remember the Night with Fred and Stanwyck...and then to see the two of them in Double Indemnity just 4 years later—both had such acting range. His musicals are fun, too...he met his second wife, June Haver, during Where Do We Go from Here? Another noir of his I enjoy is Pushover with Kim Novak.
Nice piece on Fred! I'll hunt up (down?) his Leisen films; I'm a big fan of Leisen's "Midnight," written by Brackett and Wilder, and with a fabulous cast (Colbert, Ameche, Barrymore, Astor) and hilarious story. Funny--the Wikipedia entry on that film also mentions Wilder being pissed at Leisen for cutting out scenes he wrote, and thus impelling him to direct his own films. I also noted that the film came out in 1939--what an amazing year for movies!
Double Indemnity is great (baby!) and The Caine Mutiny is one of the all time greats, and Fred was sensational in that. I can alway picture him with that martini (or was it champagne?) dripping off his face.
Really surprised Remember the Night is not more readily available, as much as TCM has rejuvenated that film. That's become one of my holiday staples. And it was your book on old movies for families that turned me on to Leisen in the the first place.
Of course I do remember the My Three Sons era AND all the Disney movies. ( I loved all of that, just like a nice suburban child of the sixties was supposed to!) ;-) But I have watched some of the more available films, and you have definitely whet my appetite for diving more deeply into the rest of the canon. Thanks!
Great overview of a varied career. I really like these portraits, and I hope they're compiled one day in a lovely book. I did enjoy the Leissen-MacMurray films I saw on the Criterion Channel last year (for similar reasons, I also enjoyed seeing Demarest in Preston Sturges films). However, I'm not sure about disagreeing with David Thomson, even when you're absolutely right.
I remember the surprise of seeing Professor Douglas acting tough and randy in "Double Indemnity" and thinking, "Who is he fooling?" I also was aware that he was in a few romantic comedies, but I'd never even heard of many of these films. Thanks for filling in the blanks. Off to find "Murder he wrote!"
The same Mr. MacMurray who wouldn't sign this 5 year olds autograph AT Disneyland???
What a wonderful review—you capture all aspects of his many talents! I love his early screwball comedies for Paramount, too, like True Confession with Carole Lombard. They had great chemistry. One of my favorite Christmas films is Remember the Night with Fred and Stanwyck...and then to see the two of them in Double Indemnity just 4 years later—both had such acting range. His musicals are fun, too...he met his second wife, June Haver, during Where Do We Go from Here? Another noir of his I enjoy is Pushover with Kim Novak.
Nice piece on Fred! I'll hunt up (down?) his Leisen films; I'm a big fan of Leisen's "Midnight," written by Brackett and Wilder, and with a fabulous cast (Colbert, Ameche, Barrymore, Astor) and hilarious story. Funny--the Wikipedia entry on that film also mentions Wilder being pissed at Leisen for cutting out scenes he wrote, and thus impelling him to direct his own films. I also noted that the film came out in 1939--what an amazing year for movies!
Double Indemnity is great (baby!) and The Caine Mutiny is one of the all time greats, and Fred was sensational in that. I can alway picture him with that martini (or was it champagne?) dripping off his face.
Really surprised Remember the Night is not more readily available, as much as TCM has rejuvenated that film. That's become one of my holiday staples. And it was your book on old movies for families that turned me on to Leisen in the the first place.
Of course I do remember the My Three Sons era AND all the Disney movies. ( I loved all of that, just like a nice suburban child of the sixties was supposed to!) ;-) But I have watched some of the more available films, and you have definitely whet my appetite for diving more deeply into the rest of the canon. Thanks!