Movie Meme, Day 30: Saddest Death Scene

Apparently I have too much of an affinity to films where the protagonists end up dead, so I’ve inevitably covered a number of them in the meme already. I didn’t cover Zeffrelli’s 1968 interoperation of Romeo & Juliet and though it’s as clichéd as it can be but it’s still sad because Shakespeare’s is as timeless as can be and Olivia Hussey and Leonardo Whiting give two of the best debut performances I’ve ever seen. And if the original Romeo & Juliet makes it, of course the musical version makes it too. I already mentioned how sad an ending it is, even though more than a few say they don’t care for Richard Beymer  in West Side Story (the moment is all Natalie’s though).

        

When American Beauty ends I’m not particularly sad that Lester has died because as excellent as Kevin Spacey is I have little affection for the character. But it’s implications of the death; it’s really pointless in so many ways and only underscores the banality of the characters’ lives.

And just because 1996-199 is one of my favourite Best Picture streaks I have to mention Jack Dawson and Katherine Clifton. I think I’ve dedicated enough space on this blog to Titanic and The English Patient – so I won’t tire you with more. But yes, I do consider the respective deaths of the protagonists to be sad.

It’s a bit of a loaded question, truly (considering all the films anyone has seen) but which character death stands out to you?

                

(Disclaimer: No films from the aughts make the list because that’s a separate post. Part One: HERE)

       

And yes, this is all for the MOVIE MEME

Movie Meme, Day 12: Best Soundtrack

I vaguely remember answering this question for another meme before, and I feel no need to change it. I’ve become a bit obsessed with Broadway Cast Recordings in the last few years. It’s my own way of experiencing actual Broadway vicariously before I finally see a real show. I’ve never really been crazy about movie soundtracks, so it makes sense that the soundtrack I consider special is based on a Broadway play. That’s not really what’s important, what’s important is that the lyrics of the soundtrack were written by Stephen Sondheim. I have a large amount of brain-envy for the man, probably my favourite musician at the moment. West Side Story was early in his career, before he started doing music and lyrics – it’s not my favourite of his works, but it’s good enough. Leonard Bernstein who provided the music is no slouch in the music department either.

     

I’m not going to review West Side Story (go HERE) and if you haven’t seen it, I’ll admit I’ll find that extremely disturbing. Yes, Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer aren’t the ones singing here…but that doesn’t matter. Here are three of my favourite numbers from the score, actually that's erroneous these aren't my favourite numbers. But there's one from the lovers, one from the Jets and one from the Sharks (really my favourite songs: "One Hand, One Heart", "Tonight", "Officer Krupke", "Something's Coming" - "Cool" is the best scene though.)

Movie Meme, Day 6: A Movie That Always Makes Me Cry

The first film that came to my mind which possibly gives it away to some of you, but there it goes (and no if you guess I’m not telling you; yet). I didn’t want to post about it just yet though. So I racked my brains…lies actually, three other films jump out at me. What makes us tearful? Death does, departure does, and inertia does. It makes me lose some significant “cool” points but I shed a tear for each.

    
The Hours (REVIEWED) – for the inertia

I understand that we only get a day in the lives of each character, and only so much can happen in a day, but it’s depressing how even though so much seems to happen nothing really changes. Or instead, it’s strange how the more things change, the more…they don’t. Clarissa probably moves the furthest, but even that is volatile. Laura Brown’s life has been wrought with regrets; Richard’s life was (for him) a disaster, and Virginia Woolf’s life is enough of an exercise in ennui and sadness that even the world’s biggest cynic could be moved.

The Remains of the Day (REVIEWED) – for the departure

The Remains of the Day, ironically being the last of the successful films from Merchant Ivory, has an ending so bleak it can’t NOT make me just a little teary eyed. Stevens reunion with the former head-maid should be more momentous, she knows it. He’s too set in his ways to reciprocate, too set in his ways to be anything but to stoic (albeit polite) man he was raised as. When Emma Thompson tearfully waves goodbye to him…who can blame her?

         
West Side Story (REVIEWED) – for the death(s)

I can never hear Bernstein / Sondheim’s “Somewhere” with getting depressed (but I’m a masochist, so I keep on listening). I’ll keep on saying that I think Richard Beymer is remarkable in West Side Story, as is Natalie Wood (of course). It makes me sadder than Romeo & Juliet because at least they were down with their deaths (well, a little). I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that he dies with a song, or maybe it’s Natalie’s rant afterwards (what a monologue!). Whatever it is, it makes me want to cry. Yes indeed, yes indeed. (and they killed Russ Tamblyn? Who the hell does that?)

          
How weird am I? Would you cry at any of these? 
          

And yes, this is courtesy of the glorious MEME. I'm loving it so far...

A Day Late

Yesterday was Natalie Wood's birthday and I forgot to post something about it. She's often remembered and yet so underrated as an actress. Here are five excellent contributions from Ms. Wood.

          
Susan in Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

“I believe... I believe... It's silly, but I believe.”

           
Judy in Rebel without A Cause (1957)

“I love somebody. All the time I've been... I've been looking for someone to love me. And now I love somebody. And it's so easy. Why is it easy now?”

              
Maria in West Side Story (1961)

“Te adoro, Antone.”

                          

Angie in Love with the Proper Stranger (1963)

“That's what love is - bells and banjos playing? How they brainwash you! And here I spend my whole life like a nut waiting for what? A stranger.”

Wilma Dean in Splendor in the Grass (1961)

“Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower, we will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind.”

Something's Coming [Music Break...with Tony]

...I'll be back soon, it's weird not being on line I feel a junkie experiencing withdrawal. I've been thinking of West Side Story ever since this post, and I am fan of Mr. Beymer even if he doesn't do his own singing. But, I digress, something's coming...that's all you need to know.

PS. Don't forget to send me your ideas for the new episode of LAMB Casting...
PPS. Don't forget to check the sidebar...I'm not writing, but all those bloggers are...

Forgotten Characters 2:9 (Special Edition)

There are some persons I’m not sure if it’s their characters that are forgotten, or just them completely. Ask anyone to name a good musical of the sixties, and though My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music might take a number of votes Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ 1961 piece will turn up invariably. The thing is, everyone remember The Sharks – Rita Moreno (very good), Natalie Wood (similarly good) and George Chakiris (not so much). Everyone forgets The Jets? Why is that? I don’t though, hence the following commemoration…

        

Richard Beymer / Russ Tamblyn in West Side Story (my review)

As Tony and Riff

Along with Tucker Smith as Ice, Gina Trikonis as Graziella, Susan Oakes as Anybodys, Tony Mordente as Action, Carole D'Andrea as Velma & Elliot Field as Baby John

             

I’m a fan of Russ Tamblyn, remembering particularly his work in Peyton Place…I’m always nonplussed to the love for George Chakiris’s uninspired take on Tybalt/Bernardo when Russ’ superior take on Mercutio/Riff is forgotten. Similarly, I often wonder why Beymer isn’t remembered as Tony. Sure, he’s lip synching, but that doesn’t make his performance any worse. Take that early moment where Tamblyn and Beymer discuss the imminent batte. The chemistry between the two is strong as Riff cajoles Tony to attend that fateful dance. Sure, I’d give Tamblyn the edge – he is the stronger of the two, but Beymer’s reticent charm shouldn’t be left unnoticed. I will say, in a decade of excellent lip synchers (Kerr, Hepburn, Wood) Beymer takes the cake. I don’t know if it’s sheer luck on his part that they found a singer who’s voice is so close to his speaking voice, but it all just comes together well. The tentative romance with wood is a beauty to watch, even though I don’t see them as obvious complements to the other. Few romantic moments are as honest as the meeting on the fire escape in “Tonight”.

                      

The Sharks have their moments with “America”, of course it’s more female centred because a large part of the story revolves around Anita. The female Jets aren’t as lucky. Sure, they do their dancing at the dance but they rarely get a moment to shine. Still Trikonis and D'Andrea come off well with the light comedy. I like their cutting remarks at Anybodys.Trikonis’s line-reading is a favourite of mine, “An American tragedy!” she says referring to the adrogynous girl. This soon segues into “Officer Krupke”, an oft forgotten number. It’s not as eclectic as “America” but I love it just as much. The number is sold by Tamblyn who just has a knack for the physical comedy. He completely understands the irreverent leadership of Riff (as opposed to Bernardo’s iron fist), but he’s just as loyal. Riff’s (perhaps, misguided) devotion to Tony is a significant part of his character. As they said at the beginning, “birth to earth, womb to tomb”. It’s for this reason that Riff’s death makes me sad. Bernardo’s death is only one that saddens me incidentally, I know Anita will be hurt and so will Maria. But I feel no connection to Chakiris, which is perhaps, as it should be.

You know West Side Story to inevitable tragedy but Beymer’s (and Wood) innocence still have you hoping something will happen. As honest as “Tonight”, “One Hand, One Heart” takes it just a little further. It’s a striking romantic duet, and measured against the inevitable fallout only makes it more poignant. And of course it only gets sadder, “Somewhere” has to be the most moving bits of lipsynching, and it makes you realise how much work Beymer (and Wood) are putting into it. We may not be hearing their voices, but all the emotions we’re seeing are real and effective. It’s as if all the Jets are saving up their best work for after Riff’s death. Like the way that Smith effectively steps into place as the interim leader. The rendition of “Cool” is the easily the strongest group number of the entire score and placed right there after the heat of the two murder’s makes it more than just an extraneous number. It's Smith's moment to shine, along with all the other Jets - and they do. It’s the same way that the annoying Anybodys becomes more grounded after Riff’s death too. It’s like everything comes into motion. It doesn’t make their coffee shop with Anita any more forgivable, but it’s depressing when we put into perspective. I suppose that moment skewers the narrative in the direction of the Sharks when it comes to sympathy. It’s all leading up to the inevitable tragedy. Beymer’s strongest moment as Doc tells him of Maria’s “death”. It’s unlike the Tony we’ve seen before and it’s the moment of bliss on his face as he spies her in red suspended there as his life expires that most profound.

                  

Sure West Side Story went on to win ten Oscars (the most for any musical) but there seems some injustice that Beymer, Tamblyn and all those other Jets haven’t endured over time…or do you remember them too?

Cinematic Romance: The Sixties