North by Northwest (1959)

Why it's here:
Another chance to see Cary Grant, here in one of his best known roles, and to show my kids the beyond-iconic moment in cinema when a plane chases down Cary Grant.

Specs:
Over 2 hours, color

Our family's average rating on a scale of 1-10:
7.5

More about the film and our reaction to it:
What struck us most about the film is that it seemed to be recreating "Notorious", yet just wasn't quite as good. Most people to write about this film think it is Hitch's very best work. I'm not a Hitchcock expert, so while I appreciate certain touches in this film enormously and thought that overall it was a really good movie, we weren't blown away.

Even though Cary Grant is the coolest, most appealing character that ever lived on screen, he's starting to seem a bit old for the dashing romantic lead and the age difference between him and Eva Marie Saint is beginning to be too much. His acting is superb and as always he creates the embodiment of something you want to live for and aspire to. He is a golden star - the best that ever lived.

This film contains scenes that would rank among are some of the most incredible in our festival (such as the aforementioned crop duster chasing down Grant, and Grant driving drunk along a windy road, the characters cavorting all over Mt. Rushmore, the scene in the UN where someone gets stabbed with a thrown knife). These elements are profoundly memorable, but somehow, for us, the film as a whole was not. 

Iconic shot:

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)

Why it's here:
Someone recommended this to my husband. Problem is, he doesn't remember who : ) So we know somebody thought it worth seeing and put it on the list.

Specs:
1 1/2 hours; black and white.

Our family's average rating:
7.13

More about the film and our reaction to it:
The film has a bit of a slow start as we explore Grant's feeling hemmed-in in his New York apartment. Grant, a big time Madison Ave. ad man (a dozen years before Mad Men is set) is frustrated with his urban life and convinced that moving out into the country will address what ails him, his wife (lovely Myrna Loy) and their two daughters. They set about building the house that will be an escape from it all. Unfortunately, every financial deal he undertakes blows up in his face. It's the makings of a "city slick meets country stubborn" tale and it ends up being a pretty good one.

The film is different than other Cary Grant films we've seen in that its a bit slower, sweeter and domestic. It is great to experience Grant as the straight man while Melvin Douglas, who I had not really seen before, hams it up as the hilarious wise-cracking lawyer/best friend. Loy, too, is a joy in the film and the performances of these three lift the film out of what might otherwise have been just mildly amusing, into something worth spending the time with.

The kids really got a kick out of the construction scenes -- especially seeing the steam shovel that looked just like Marianne (from Mike Mulligan) digging the basement, carpenters using hand saws and hammers, the awesome guy who dug the well, the odd little closet upstairs that people kept getting locked inside, and on and on.

In terms of a history/learning moment, it depicts the earliest migration of the upper class out of cities and into larger tracts of land in the suburbs in search of that little slice of paradise and is interesting for that reason as well. All of this adds up to an excellent film for family viewing, though not necessarily amazing cinema.

Iconic shot:

Notorious (1946)

Why it's here:
Included as one of my all time favorite films.

Specs:
Just over an hour and a half, black and white. Available on dvd in a beautifully restored version with lots of special features.

Our family's rating on a scale of 1-10:
8.75

More about the film and our reaction to it:
In the commentary to the film, Alfred Hitchcock is quoted as explaining the difference between "surprise" and "suspense." A bomb unexpectedly going off, he says, causes surprise and you have the audience's reaction for a few short seconds. But, he says, if you first disclose that there is a bomb, allow the camera to show where it is, then, cut to a clock and film people chatting about stupid things, all the while the the viewer is thinking "look underneath the table! there's a bomb! don't just sit there chatting!" -- well, that's suspense and it can last for a long time.

In Notorious, suspense is everywhere and used so powerfully, that viewer can hardly breathe. One of the most powerful dramatic devices, for instance, is the camera showing the champagne bottles at the climatic party, fewer and fewer of them, and with each one gone, a growing likelihood that Claude Rains will have to go to the wine cellar. The brilliance of Hitchcock lies in his use of simple objects (like the key to the wine cellar) taking on so much meaning. Hitch can make a key an object of tension! I found it hilarious that after the movie, while cleaning up in the kitchen, I looked at the counter where my husband's key ring was lying and it gave me a real start!

The film is profoundly good both a thrilling spy story and a powerful romance. The briefest plot summary goes like this: Bergman plays Alicia, who's father is sentenced for treason at the start of the film. We learn that she is a devil-may-care party girl and does not share her father's politics. She is approached by the spy, Devlin (Grant), to do a job for the feds, infiltrating the organization that her father had been a part of. In doing so, she gets close to, and ultimately marries Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains).

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are incredible stars and give profoundly great performances. Their relationship is nuanced, beautiful and heartbreaking. They are both loved by the camera and you can just gaze at their beauty for an hour and a half without needing more. But, there is so much more . . . On the spy story end, it is amazing how much tension and fear can be created when there is absolutely no violence, gore, terror or death shown on screen or even threatened. The script is fantastic, and the cinematography dramatic, meaningful and very beautiful. All aspects of the film seem to layer on top of the others to add to the experience. Even hairstyles and costumes are meaningful. Edith Head dressed Ingrid Bergman stunningly and so appropriate to the themes and drama.

Family viewing notes:
Although my 10 year old was impressed with the movie (its hard not to be), I would recommend this one for 13+ simply because the plot is too complex and the human emotion too grown up to really expect most children to follow or enjoy. On the other hand, because there is no real violence nor outright fear-inducing scenes, and most of the troublesome undertones will be incomprehensible to younger kids, it makes a good starting picture for younger people to experience Hitchcock.

The film is full of adult themes - ultimately Alicia is willing to sleep with the enemy and even marry him to serve her country - though, is it really to serve her country?? Oddly, she seems to marry this other man because Devlin wishes it - or at least doesn't tell her not to. There is extraordinary passion depicted between the two (famously, through a very long passionate kissing scene, punctuated for dialog every couple of seconds so as not to run afoul of the censor's 3-second kissing rule). There is also a fair amount of inuendo and slights on Alicia's character for being a woman of loose morals who has been with many men in her life. The double standard for women is unsettling.

Iconic shot:

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Why it's included:
Directed by George Cukor and starring not just Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, but Jimmy Stewart as well. What's not to love.

Specs:
About 2 hours, black and white. Available on dvd. Our library had a copy

Our family's average rating on a scale of 1-10:
8.33

More about the film and our reaction to it:
I do get star-struck, I can't lie. Halfway through the movie I was sitting there watching Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart sharing the screen and felt giddy and goose pimply. Here were three enormous talents with enough star power to light up the sky for a week, together in a smart, sophisticated, beautifully filmed production. It is really almost more than words can get around.

This is a brilliant picture -- in the bright sparkly wonderful sense of the word. I've seen it several times and wanted to share it with my kids, but after having done so, I do have to say that on the whole this might not have been the best movie choice for families.  The film really is over the head of most kids with its adult themes (divorce, philandering husbands, heavy social drinking and its after-effects, the intrusiveness of the press, blackmail, etc. etc.) not to mention its witty, ironic tone. But the performances are wonderful throughout and one of our favorites was the 13 year old actress, Virginia Weidler, who played Hepburn's little sister in a charming and very funny way. The humor in the film is more grown up and glittering, than some of the screwball comedies we've been watching of the era, so we appreciated a slightly different style of movie.

While both of my kids liked the movie, their 11 year old friend who was over only gave it a "3"! My kids are a bit more used to classics and already knew the three leads from other film appearances, which always adds to the experience, but overall, it is probably less accessible for family viewing than some others we've watched.

That said, it is cool that shortly after watching this, we caught a reference to the film in an episode of the TV show Phineas and Ferb! "My she was yar!" is a line exchanged a couple of times as the characters reminisce over their happier days on a yacht designed by Grant's character CK Dexter Haven. ("Yar" meaning particularly well-built, seaworthy and fine.) We spent a fair amount of time discussing the idea of "yar". So we nearly swallowed our gum when Phineas said the same about about an ocean liner he'd just built for his friend: "My she's yar!" An homage to The Philadelphia Story for sure. One of the neatest things about watching classics has been noticing that references to classic film is all around us in pop culture.  We are pretty sure that most other viewers of Phineas and Ferb did not pick up on this one.

Iconic shot:

His Girl Friday (1940)

Why it's here:
Cary Grant may be the reason it got put on our list, but truly, the reason should be Rosalind Russel. Russel is amazing in this great fast-talking, sharp-witted power roll.

Specs:
1 and 1/2 hours - Black and white. And very much a talkie :)

Our family's average rating on a scale of 1-10:
8.25

More about the film and our reaction to it:
Welcome to 1940! Its hard to believe we're in the 40s already, but what better way to welcome them in than with one of my favorite Cary Grant films, His Girl Friday.

I love Cary Grant. I do, but in this film, the powerhouse attraction is truly Rosalind Russel. I am not sure, but I'd bet she has more screen time than Grant. She certainly fills my mind till it is spilling over and, when all is said and done, feels like the true the star of the film. Though Grant is undoubtedly essential to its greatness.

They say that this is the first film where actors overlapped their lines so that one started talking while the other was still speaking. That touch adds immeasurably to the intense dynamic feel of the film. So too does the press room with fast-paced phone calls and reporters barking out their stories. This is a fast furious funny movie, directed by Howard Hawkes to a perfect pitch.

Be aware that the fast pace and quick witted dialog makes it pretty hard to follow the action (for adults as well as kids). And although there probably are all sorts of adult themes buried in the dialog, there's no way anyone can understand them well enough to be bothered by them : )  Just strap on a seatbelt and enjoy as much of the picture as you can get your ears around.

Iconic shot:

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Why it's here:
We'd seen this film before and knew it was fantastic; we included it in the festival to enjoy it again and to help spread the word.

Specs:
About an hour and a half, black and white. We found it on VHS tape from the library. Oddly there was a long waiting list for the title. So clearly others have good taste too!

Our family's average rating (on a scale of 1-10):
8.5

More about the film and our reaction to it:
This is truly a great movie!  Laugh aloud funny throughout, it is fast-paced, silly and surprising. It benefits from Katherine Hepburn in a ditzy role and Cary Grant in a nerdy one. The two are always good together and this film showcases their individual and collective appeal to tremendous advantage. The whole cast is deeply talented and everyone seems to get into the absurdness of the film.

The plot turns on the paleontologist David (played by Grant), seeking a huge donation from a Mr. Peabody, and tracking him to a golf club where David instead encounters Susan (Hepburn). As she blazes into his space, playing his ball and crashing, then taking, his car, David realizes he is seriously in over his head and wants only to get away. But for her part, Susan falls in love quickly and does all in her power to keep him around. When her brother sends her a beautiful tame leopard ("Baby") they all end up at Susan's aunt's country home attempting variously to keep track of the leopard, find David's "intercostal clavicle" dinosaur bone, deny David's identity, and stay out of the crazy house, or the big house. It's good stuff.

One of the more amazing things about the movie is the beautiful leopard "Baby," played by Nissa who seems really quite gentle and reportedly got on splendidly with Hepburn - who clearly was not afraid of the cat. The movie made use of optical effects (split screen and rear screen projection) and puppets in order to portray the cast interacting with Baby. These effects are really well done and never distracting.

It is extremely family friendly a picture -- kids (and grown ups) are bound to enjoy it. My kids were laughing fit to burst and we can't wait to watch it again. We recommend it highly.

Iconic shot: