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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 20, 2021 14:22:55 GMT
Now that I have seen six films directed by Quine, I have formed an initial opinion of his skills. I am afraid to say that it is not a positive or favourable one.
So far, Bell, Book and Candle is his only film which I can say I liked. It has excellent cinematography from the legend James Wong Howe, a good story and plot as well as decent acting all around. I was certainly entertained. Trivia: It inspired Bewitched.
From now on it is all downhill. The next two in my mind are Pushover and It Happened to Jane. Two diametrically opposite features, both left me with an "Eh..." feeling.
Pushover is a poor man's Double Indemnity, the main character being a lawman tempted to break the law by a femme fatale and played by Fred MacMurray who is, for all sense and purposes, reprising the character of Walter Neff in a different garb. But there isn't much tension or urgency in the plot or Quine's direction. Perhaps he realized it too for he did not direct any crime thrillers later AFAIK. It is on Youtube if you wish to give a look: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKU8kMSAZRs
It Happened to Jane began in a manner that suggested to me that I would end up liking it. It has a crackling idea, of a small town businesswoman taking on a big business corporation head on. It had a number of good scenes like Jack Lemmon's stirring speech in the town hall. Doris Day and Lemmon had nice chemistry. It looked like it would turn out to be breezy fluff at least, Sadly, the antagonist played by Ernie Kovacs rubbed me the wrong way and soured my overall opinion of the film. The man is portrayed as a raving high-handed businessman as well as a misogynist and in all fairness, needs his comeuppance. But it turned out to be a damp squib. Why, the film even had the gall of trying to soften his character in the end so as to make him more palatable. That was the entirely wrong track to take.
Now I have got the one good and two barely passable titles out of the way, it's time to write about the awful ones.
Strangers When We Meet is a melodrama about adultery based on a novel and the screenplay is by the same person. It has got not a single original idea in it. All the characters behave illogically several times. I was dissatisfied by the explanation behind the two main characters' decision to walk down the adulterous path. It hits all the predictable notes in a adultery-centric drama and plods along to the inevitable conclusion. It made me realize that while I like Kirk Douglas as an actor usually, the man was not suited to play a suburban everyman kind of character. Kim Novak is also listless, something she wasn't in Pushover or Bell, Book and Candle. There is a subplot about a rape but it is treated too lightly and without a proper conclusion. It somehow made me think that Quine did not think highly of women as a general principle and it reflected in the subjects he chose to film.
How to Murder Your Wife: This one has got its share of fans. But I found it to be a thoroughly awful and aggressively unfunny film, soaked and steeped in misogyny. The murder plot did not make any sense at all. Was there any intention to commit a murder in the first place or was it all supposed to be only playacting? The courtroom scene was so whacked out impossible that it bamboozles me as to who watched it and still thought it was a good idea to keep as it is in the final product. Terry-Thomas was bloody terrible as the butler. I suppose the clipped British accent and one-liners are supposed to make me laugh but all they did was make me groan. Virna Lisi's character is purely a prop. If she had been developed in any way, maybe the film could have been salvaged. But I guess that it too much to ask of from the genius mind of George Axelrod that also brought us The Seven Year Itch, another mostly laugh-free and uncomfortable series of shenanigans of a buffoon.
Paris When It Sizzles: This one takes the cake as the bottom of the barrel. I suppose the central idea may have been appealing during a drunken brainstorm session, but the final product is a dire bore and a total chore to sit through. They had the good fortune to cast William Holden and Audrey Hepburn, two people who had good chemistry in real life that could have been successfully replicated on screen but neither was given anything worthwhile to do as bad subplot after bad subplot flitted one after the other on screen. George Axelrod strikes yet again!
On the closing note now... all I can write is that these are my initial opinions. I realize and admit that they are subject to change in the future, for better or worse. But I doubt I would ever rewatch any of these titles anytime soon - even Bell, Book and Candle. These are only my personal opinions, I am not intending to offend anyone, especially fans of Quine.
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Post by mattgarth on Jul 20, 2021 14:53:46 GMT
Not entirely in agreement (especially with JANE) -- but thanks for the thoughtful, interesting (and provocative) posting.
My father-in-law was a child extra in JANE, which was filmed in his hometown of Chester, Connecticut.
Actor Max Showalter (who played Kovacs' attorney) liked and remembered the quaint little New England community so much that years later he purchased a home and retired to the place.
Max even conducted a few film festivals there to raise funds for the town's theatrical and educational activities -- inviting Debbie Reynolds and Eileen Heckert and Dana Andrews for well-attended day-long tributes.
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 20, 2021 15:19:35 GMT
I have seen 2 dozen and the only one I'd "recommend" would be BELL BOOK AND CANDLE... and that was a bit borderline 
Some of the rest are watchable/of some interest (I'd give STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET another spin, recall it made suburbia look sexy...I have a soft spot for THE WORLD OF SUZIE WONG.... I'd give a pass to PUSHOVER, MY SISTER EILEEN, and SYNANON is oddly fascinating) and some are pretty ropey (PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES, OH DAD POOR DAD).
I enjoyed DOWN WITH LOVE far more than the film it lifted wholesale from - SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL
Kim Novak... the STRANGER next door....
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Post by Isapop on Jul 20, 2021 15:57:26 GMT
How to Murder Your Wife: This one has got its share of fans. But I found it to be a thoroughly awful and aggressively unfunny film, soaked and steeped in misogyny. The murder plot did not make any sense at all. Was there any intention to commit a murder in the first place or was it all supposed to be only playacting? The courtroom scene was so whacked out impossible that it bamboozles me as to who watched it and still thought it was a good idea to keep as it is in the final product. Terry-Thomas was bloody terrible as the butler. I suppose the clipped British accent and one-liners are supposed to make me laugh but all they did was make me groan. Virna Lisi's character is purely a prop. If she had been developed in any way, maybe the film could have been salvaged. But I guess that it too much to ask of from the genius mind of George Axelrod that also brought us The Seven Year Itch, another mostly laugh-free and uncomfortable series of shenanigans of a buffoon.
Just a few thoughts here. Yes, soaked in misogyny, and even fairly late (1965) to be excused as simply a product of its time. I don't think there was any intended murder. He was just acting it out, as always, for the sake of his comic strip. Anything funny? I'd say Eddie Mayehoff as Lemmon's friend and attorney was funny. And about The Seven Year Itch: It would have had some laughs and far less discomfort if the studio had allowed Billy Wilder his preference to cast (the unknown) Walter Matthau in the lead. Wilder wanted him, and Matthau would have been perfect. His comic abilities and appeal would have improved the movie immeasurably (and made him a star eleven years sooner).
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Post by london777 on Jul 20, 2021 15:58:32 GMT
I liked Pushover. It is a good second-tier Noir. It is unusual in that there was genuine sentiment between the mark (MacMurray) and the Femme Fatale (Novak), as confirmed at the end. You correctly describe it as "a poor man's Double Indemnity" but, hell, what Noir would not look inferior up against that masterpiece?
The rest are the sort of movies I avoid like the plague anyway, regardless of the director, so your comments will not influence me there.
Good to see someone on this board prepared to be critical about Hollywood productions and not refer to the actors as "Kirk", "Fred" and "Kim" as if they were your intimate buddies.
I look forward to your similarly tackling another director's oeuvre where I have watched more of the films.
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Post by wmcclain on Jul 20, 2021 17:27:18 GMT
The World of Suzie Wong (1960), directed by Richard Quine. William Holden's adventures with a Chinese prostitute, played by the lovely Nancy Kwan. The first half is fairly light. Holden is a perfect gentleman withstanding great temptation; in fact he seems to be made of asbestos. The second half turns romantic and weepy, with a dramatic mudslide disaster in the city hills at the end. Pretty girl and impressive Hong Kong locations, but that's about it. Two hours is a bit long for this. Kudos for letting Asian actors play Asian roles; it took a while to happen. By contrast look at Lord Jim (1965) made five years later, where they still can't quite bring themselves to allow it.  
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 20, 2021 18:30:45 GMT
Couple of other thoughts
HOW TO MURDER YOUR WIFE amused our family in the late 60s (I was about 8!) but a rewatch as an adult found it a bit wanting - but watchable - Agree Mayehoff funny and Claire Trevor raised a smile or two....as for the unwoke ambience believe me it has nothing on UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE from 1963 - where Lemmon's leering lech landlord's abuse of his role would today get him prosecuted,
You've got me lining up STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET for a rewatch  - been 40 years. Only vaguely recall the rape - for a similar sin in the suburbs romp I recommend NO DOWN PAYMENT from a couple of years earlier- this focuses on 4 young couples in a new housing estate and is much grittier - with a rape plotline. Mainly remember Novak being dreamy, plush production values and Matthau standing out.
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Post by petrolino on Jul 20, 2021 19:00:55 GMT
Nice piece on Richard Quine, thanks.
My favourite of his movies I've seen is ''Sex And The Single Girl' (1964). I also enjoy 'Bell, Book And Candle' (1958), 'How To Murder Your Wife' (1965) and 'W' (1974).
I found his pilot for 'Catch-22', with Richard Dreyfuss as Captain Yossarian, quite interesting.
Susan Peters & Richard Quine
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Post by Prime etc. on Jul 20, 2021 23:11:24 GMT
I was intrigued when I heard of Bell, Book and Candle because it came out after Vertigo. I wonder what prompted this pair up of Novak and Stewart so quickly after it.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:12:13 GMT
Not entirely in agreement (especially with JANE) -- but thanks for the thoughtful, interesting (and provocative) posting. My father-in-law was a child extra in JANE, which was filmed in his hometown of Chester, Connecticut. Actor Max Showalter (who played Kovacs' attorney) liked and remembered the quaint little New England community so much that years later he purchased a home and retired to the place. Max even conducted a few film festivals there to raise funds for the town's theatrical and educational activities -- inviting Debbie Reynolds and Eileen Heckert and Dana Andrews for well-attended day-long tributes. Thank you for that interesting bit of personal trivia.
It was obvious even to me - who usually does not notice details about set designs, costumes etc. - that It Happened to Jane was filmed on location, not some studio backlot. Not the standard practice for the time, I presume.
Was your father-in-law be one of the cub scouts in the "Be Prepared" song?
I have incidentally been watching movies recently where Max Showalter keeps popping up. Along with IHtJ and HtMYW of Quine, he also appeared in The Anderson Tapes and 10, both of which I watched in the past 2-4 months. His face has become instantly recognisable to me now, which was the reason I managed to solve an online screenshot quiz I participate in. I recognized him from one of the screenshots and found out that the movie was Fate Is the Hunter - a Glenn Ford vehicle.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:17:22 GMT
As you say, Matthau might have ended making the whole thing somewhat more bearable. But I had problem with the constant yakking-to-yourself nature of the dialogue which might have worked in the play but wasn't to my taste when filmed. Also I might be an iconoclast here but for the life of me I do not fathom Marilyn Monroe's hypnotic appeal over an entire generation. Were men of the western hemisphere this sex-starved for blonde buxom bimboes in the 50s that someone as vacuous as her could rise so high in their collective id?
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:26:57 GMT
Good to see someone on this board prepared to be critical about Hollywood productions and not refer to the actors as "Kirk", "Fred" and "Kim" as if they were your intimate buddies. I look forward to your similarly tackling another director's oeuvre where I have watched more of the films. I presume I am younger than a lot of the regulars on this board (as was the case even on old IMDb). Plus I am not an American but an Indian born and brought up, hence I might refer to Indian actors and actresses by their first names but rarely non-Indians.
I rarely feel up to starting threads, here or anywhere else, but thanks for the encouragement. Maybe I will try to be more prolific from now on.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:28:30 GMT
The World of Suzie Wong (1960), directed by Richard Quine. William Holden's adventures with a Chinese prostitute, played by the lovely Nancy Kwan. The first half is fairly light. Holden is a perfect gentleman withstanding great temptation; in fact he seems to be made of asbestos. The second half turns romantic and weepy, with a dramatic mudslide disaster in the city hills at the end. Pretty girl and impressive Hong Kong locations, but that's about it. Two hours is a bit long for this. Kudos for letting Asian actors play Asian roles; it took a while to happen. By contrast look at Lord Jim (1965) made five years later, where they still can't quite bring themselves to allow it. Good screenshots, as always! I added some keywords to the film's IMDb page; it was almost empty.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:30:52 GMT
Couple of other thoughts
HOW TO MURDER YOUR WIFE amused our family in the late 60s (I was about 8!) but a rewatch as an adult found it a bit wanting - but watchable - Agree Mayehoff funny and Claire Trevor raised a smile or two....as for the unwoke ambience believe me it has nothing on UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE from 1963 - where Lemmon's leering lech landlord's abuse of his role would today get him prosecuted,
You've got me lining up STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET for a rewatch - been 40 years. Only vaguely recall the rape - for a similar sin in the suburbs romp I recommend NO DOWN PAYMENT from a couple of years earlier- this focuses on 4 young couples in a new housing estate and is much grittier - with a rape plotline. Mainly remember Novak being dreamy, plush production values and Matthau standing out. Martin Ritt: Now there is a director I actually like a lot. Watchlisted.
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:36:09 GMT
I enjoyed DOWN WITH LOVE far more than the film it lifted wholesale from - SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL Found two opposing comparisons between the two:
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Post by Hurdy Gurdy Man on Jul 21, 2021 5:39:16 GMT
I was intrigued when I heard of Bell, Book and Candle because it came out after Vertigo. I wonder what prompted this pair up of Novak and Stewart so quickly after it. Novak told in an interview that Stewart was a great co-star and she was sorry that they did not do more films together, because the age difference was too visible and distracting.
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 21, 2021 6:41:53 GMT
Rewatched STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET last night and I did enjoy it.... Kim more animated than usual and it looked a treat. I'll stick with my original rating (a 5 in numerical terms) - but there is enough I'd say to keep many posters interested. Not sure that was a "rape" scene though - sexual threat and intimidation for sure. Anyway - hope you like NO DOWN PAYMENT if you get there. Yes Ritt is in a much higher director bracket - seen 27 of his movies and would recommend 10!  , including one top of the range mastperpiece |
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Post by timshelboy on Jul 21, 2021 6:49:50 GMT
I enjoyed DOWN WITH LOVE far more than the film it lifted wholesale from - SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL Found two opposing comparisons between the two:
Thanks - second link "blocked in my country" though... I'd say DOWN WITH LOVE is more fun if you have seen SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL. The latter may not be good but it is a key film of the the era - Mainstream Hollywood on the cusp of the permissive age. I believe Fonda hated the SEX movie as the promise to build up his and Bacall's parts that was given when he signed on never happened.... and I've never thought comedy was Natalie's forte.
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Post by Doghouse6 on Jul 21, 2021 7:43:35 GMT
I was intrigued when I heard of Bell, Book and Candle because it came out after Vertigo. I wonder what prompted this pair up of Novak and Stewart so quickly after it. I've either read or heard how that came about, and if I'm recalling correctly (and welcome corrections if I'm not), it went something like this. After Alfred Hitchcock had settled on Novak to replace Vera Miles (who had withdrawn due to pregnancy) in Vertigo, Harry Cohn at Columbia agreed to loan her only on the condition that Stewart commit to a film with her for him. Several of Stewart's best pictures - You Can't Take It With You and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington among them - had been for Cohn at Columbia, so to grease the wheels for Hitchcock, Stewart agreed. Some little irony: Cohn would never live to see the finished product. Bell, Book and Candle went into production in Feb of '58, and Cohn died before that month was out.
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Post by wmcclain on Jul 21, 2021 11:17:07 GMT
Paris When It Sizzles (1964), directed by Richard Quine. One more and I'll take a break from the Audrey Hepburn film festival... Hard drinking screenwriter William Holden has two days to write his movie, a terrible romance thriller called The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower. Audrey Hepburn is his hired typist, living in for the Bastille Day weekend. Imagine the zany madcap escapades as they put themselves in various funny and stupid movie scenarios, all the while falling in love. Well, keep imagining. They try and we have the germ of a good movie here but it never takes off, feeling strained and overwrought the whole time. It's too bad because it has some witty repartee and sly, self-referential digs at actors and writers. He explains to her that My Fair Lady (1964) has the same plot as Frankenstein (1931); one has a happy ending and the other doesn't. Frank Sinatra sings a few bars of the title song to the imaginary film. Marlene Dietrich has a cameo and Tony Curtis and Noel Coward have small parts. Nelson Riddle score. The gossip background to this one is that the stars had an affair during Sabrina (1954). Holden was still in love but this was ten years later and Hepburn was married and a mother. He still worked on her, without success. He was drinking heavily, a serious problem for him. It killed him in the end (and another man years earlier in a drunk driving accident). 
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, including one top of the range mastperpiece