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Posts from the ‘1961’ Category

Oct 20

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One Hundred and One Dalmatians

One Hundred and One Dalmatians is a marvellously understated Disney classic. It isn’t a noisy or obnoxious film and actually features talking animals in a way that isn’t annoying. I almost hate to imagine what this movie would look like if it was made by Disney today, although I’m sure the sequels and live action renditions offer a clue. As it is, though, this 1961 animated feature is superbly entertaining.

Based on Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatians, this film is the 17th in the Disney Animated Classics canon. It is clear that a lot of what Disney learned in Bambi and Lady and the Tramp is on display here, as the animals are presented with nuance and care. Music, too, is used sparingly and effectively to augment that rather low-key delivery of the story.

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Jul 20

West Side Story

The film version of West Side Story was immensely successful. Some consider it to be one of the greatest musicals of all time and, while I’m not sure I’d go that far, it is a colourful and compelling motion picture all the same. The winner of ten Academy Awards, West Side Story is a movie of moods and colours and songs. There are many famous numbers in the musical, with a wide range of material from Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim.

Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, West Side Story is of course an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet using an urban New York setting. Wise was brought in for his experience directing urban pictures and Robbins was the director of the Broadway production, so the team worked wonders with the film to bring it to life on the big screen. Wise did direct the majority of the picture, while Robbins handled the dance numbers and some musical moments.

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Dec 2

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The Misfits

The Misfits is an interesting motion picture for a number of reasons, the least of which being what occurs on screen. It is a fascinating piece of movie history in that its stars and its director were caught in almost a constant state of turmoil, drunkenness and drug abuse during its filming. That it was made at all should probably be considered a Hollywood miracle.

The Misfits was directed by John Huston, who spent most of filming either gambling or drinking. Word was that he even fell asleep on the set on occasion and that the production company had to cover some of his gambling losses. Such is the trouble with filming in Reno, I suppose. Star Marilyn Monroe was well on her way down, what with her relationship to writer Arthur Miller unravelling and her descent into drugs and alcohol becoming more drastic by the day.

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Mar 19

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Yojimbo

yojimbo

The plot of a loner caught between two warring gangster clans has been used throughout Hollywood history. Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo utilized the idea of the wandering warrior to its fullest potential, however, and showcased a tale that would continue to influence filmmakers to this day. Yojimbo, from 1961, is a dark and comic look at a masterless samurai and a small town dealing with competing crime lords.

The incomparable Toshirō Mifune stars as the samurai. He gives himself the name Kuwabatake Sanjuro which translates into “Mulberry Field thirty-year-old.” Of course, he has made the name up in classic movie fashion by looking across to a field when asked for his identity. Bored and out of work, Sanjuro comes upon a small town with a vicious range war between two factions. Sanjuro steps into the middle of the conflict, looking to turn the situation into something advantageous for himself. It helps that there doesn’t appear to be anyone within the village worth saving.

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Jan 25

Flower Drum Song

Flower Drum Song

1961’s Flower Drum Song is a lively and exuberant musical from Rodgers and Hammerstein II. The film was based on the Broadway musical play of the same name, which came out in 1958 with music written by Richard Rodgers and lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. Both the film and the stage play were based on the 1957 novel of the same name by author C.Y. Lee. The film was unusual at the time in being one of the first films ever to feature an almost entirely Asian American cast, with the only Caucasian part in the play being that of a mugger.

Directed by Henry Koster, who also directed The Bishop’s Wife and Harvey, Flower Drum Song is a lively musical comedy. This film is one of the lightest films featuring Rodgers and Hammerstein II and may well be one of their only musical comedies, with other films having a more serious tone. Joseph Fields wrote the screenplay for the film and also authored the book of the play, making the transition from stage to screen significantly less tumultuous than normal. The film was released by Universal-International as opposed to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s standby Twentieth Century Fox, which may have affected the overall studio feel of the film. Some location shots were utilized from San Francisco’s Chinatown, but overall the film was done on a soundstage.

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