Plot Summary - Thirties comedy which begins in Paris, 1908, where an English valet named Ruggles (Charles Laughton) is won in a game of draw power by an American cowboy millionaire from a wild west town called Red Gap, Washington. Leaving his job as valet to a Lord (Roland Young), Ruggles begins his job working for Egbert and Effie Floud (Charles Ruggles and Mary Boland), the wife full of ambitions to turn her hootin' and hollerin' bumpkin hubby (who has a fondness for cowboy hats and tacky checked suits) into a gentleman. Ruggles gives him a makeover - new suit, spats, and a mustache trim, Egbert's soon looking like a swell - but just on the outside. Egbert and Ruggles hit a Paris sidewalk cafe, Egbert switches between calling him "Bill" or "Colonel" and insists Ruggles sit down and join him for a drink. Ruggles is the ultimate gentleman's gentleman and prefers to keep proper master and servant rank. But Egbert don't go for that kind of stuff and continues to treat his manservant like a pal. Soon they all head for Red Gap where the town mistakes Ruggles as a real colonel and family friend, and all the attention goes to Ruggles head. He feels important and decides he wants more from life than just being a servant - so he decides to open a restaurant in Red Gap. And meanwhile he befriends a town widow (Zasu Pitts) while attending a "beer bust" with his employer and she works in service too, could be a nice little romance for our Ruggles!
Review - This is a cute comedy with lots of nice performances. Roland Young is quite amusing as the Lord, Charles Ruggles kind of hoot in this cowboy role (Egbert and Effie come across as sort of the Beverly Hillbillies), and Charles Laughton plays a great English manservant (I like the expressions he gets on his face as the stiff servant while all is chaos around him!). And don't forget, as Ruggles says "Spats make the difference between a man well turned out and a man merely dressed". Good fun. Rating - 8.5/10 stars
Showing posts with label Charles Laughton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charles Laughton. Show all posts
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Film Review
Watched this last night on Turner Classic Movies channel.
Plot Summary - Classic tale, based on a true story, of the HMS Bounty, helmed by perhaps the cruelest, hard-hearted captain ever to sail the sea, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton), on a late 18th century voyage from England to Tahiti to pick up breadfruit trees. Men are shanghaied from taverns for the two-year voyage, others choose sailing over jail, then there's the handsome first mate, Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable), and midshipman Byam (Franchot Tone), a young officer and gentleman on his first voyage. Watch out for Bligh - the slightest wrong word or look and a man will be keelhauled, or made to go up top of the ship to the crow's nest in a huge storm - or given a hundred lashes even after death. Bligh accuses men of stealing bananas even after it's noted they were brought to his house, he later accuses Mr. Christian of stealing coconuts. The men are under-fed and brutalized and finally Mr. Christian and most of the other men (or "rabble" as Bligh calls them) finally get fed up and start a mutiny, taking over the ship and putting Bligh out on an open boat along with his few loyal men to find their way on the sea, or die trying.
Review - This one is amongst my favorite films from the thirties, I've seen it many times. Charles Laughton gives a mesmerizing performance in this, one of the great character portrayals in the history of film - every time he's on screen it's hard to look at anything else, he owns every scene. But, I was noticing how great Clark Gable is in this too, very powerful as Mr. Christian. Of course, my personal favorite thirties heartthrob, Franchot Tone, is wonderful and cute to boot here. Okay, I do seem to enjoy a good tale at sea, especially when there's a wicked captain you love to hate. And this film includes plenty of eye candy of the male variety, for those interested - Clark Gable and Franchot Tone spend quite a few minutes in this film roaming about shirtless. While in Tahiti the two of them meet two extremely beautiful, sweet-natured young island gals who romp about in sarongs and speak no English, but fall for our fellows anyway - and the men are, obviously, smitten immediately. This is a film not to be missed. Rating - 10/10 stars
Plot Summary - Classic tale, based on a true story, of the HMS Bounty, helmed by perhaps the cruelest, hard-hearted captain ever to sail the sea, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton), on a late 18th century voyage from England to Tahiti to pick up breadfruit trees. Men are shanghaied from taverns for the two-year voyage, others choose sailing over jail, then there's the handsome first mate, Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable), and midshipman Byam (Franchot Tone), a young officer and gentleman on his first voyage. Watch out for Bligh - the slightest wrong word or look and a man will be keelhauled, or made to go up top of the ship to the crow's nest in a huge storm - or given a hundred lashes even after death. Bligh accuses men of stealing bananas even after it's noted they were brought to his house, he later accuses Mr. Christian of stealing coconuts. The men are under-fed and brutalized and finally Mr. Christian and most of the other men (or "rabble" as Bligh calls them) finally get fed up and start a mutiny, taking over the ship and putting Bligh out on an open boat along with his few loyal men to find their way on the sea, or die trying.
Review - This one is amongst my favorite films from the thirties, I've seen it many times. Charles Laughton gives a mesmerizing performance in this, one of the great character portrayals in the history of film - every time he's on screen it's hard to look at anything else, he owns every scene. But, I was noticing how great Clark Gable is in this too, very powerful as Mr. Christian. Of course, my personal favorite thirties heartthrob, Franchot Tone, is wonderful and cute to boot here. Okay, I do seem to enjoy a good tale at sea, especially when there's a wicked captain you love to hate. And this film includes plenty of eye candy of the male variety, for those interested - Clark Gable and Franchot Tone spend quite a few minutes in this film roaming about shirtless. While in Tahiti the two of them meet two extremely beautiful, sweet-natured young island gals who romp about in sarongs and speak no English, but fall for our fellows anyway - and the men are, obviously, smitten immediately. This is a film not to be missed. Rating - 10/10 stars
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