Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern had already made theatre history with "Show Boat," a deathless example of American Theatre, which is still best preserved by Universal's 1935 production, directed by James Whale (now remembered for "Frankenstein"), a wonderful movie that is also the most perfect representation of Irene Dunne, who is amazing in the role of Magnolia. Every time I watch it, I am blown away by the work of the entire cast, which includes many of the staples of the American stage.
The following year, Paramount hired Kern and Hammerstein to write them a movie, and indeed, the pair came through, writing some great songs for Dunne to sing, and, on the part of Hammerstein, coming up with a script that can't help but remind the literate of "Oklahoma!" in many ways. It also generated two of Kern's most lovely songs: "Can I Forget You?" and the perennial favorite--of singers if not of audiences--"The Folks Who Live On the Hill".
This show is interesting in many ways: one, it takes Dunne back to an earlier time--the 'teens of the twentieth century--in her interpretations, especially of "The Folks Who Live on the Hill," where she elaborately rolls her "r's" and sings in an elaborately formalized manner. It also fails to provide her with an adequate male singing lead, which she certainly had in Allan Jones with "Show Boat."
The story presages the ideas that Hammerstein brought to full bloom in his other masterpiece, "Oklahoma" (Masterpiece number one being "Show Boat".) The archetypes are all there: Irene Dunne as Laurie/Magnolia, Randy Scott as Curly (not the weak male lead required by Edna Ferber), Dorothy Lamour as a somewhat muted Ado Annie/Queenie, Charles Bickford as Jud/Frank, Dorothy Patterson as a peppy Aunt Eller/Parthy, Raymond Walburn as a textually removed but otherwise enjoyable Ali Hakim/Captain Andy (although what could go wrong with Charles Winninger in that role?). Add to that Alan Hale as the supremely evil railroad magnate--any comparison would be a stretch, and this is a perfect example of playing against type for Hale, the consummate cheerful sidekick--and you have a delightful Hollywood ensemble company, and I have neglected to mention the beloved Ben Blue, who probably parallels Rubber Face/Will Parker.
Talk to me sometime about my ideas anent archetypes: it's for sure--at least as far as I'm concerned--that Hammerstein had some definite "slots" in his scripts not only for particular actors but also for particular characters, and you can find them in subsequent hits like "South Pacific" and "The Sound of Music."
My print of "High, Wide and Handsome" was evidently videotaped off a television broadcast: the result is a posterized version whose commercial breaks were edited out; nonetheless, it is a pretty good representation of the film; I don't think that much was missing. Rouben Mamoulian, one of the great directors of film ("Love Me Tonight") and Broadway ("Carousel," need I say more?) added many of his signature effects to this movie, which also may have had some influence from John Ford, but the latter is something I'm flashing on, and I'm not sure what! Please see this sui generis film: it's not a copy of a Broadway hit; it was designed, as were many of Mamoulian's productions, as a film to be appreciated on its own.
Paramount should re-release this movie, in the most pristine version available. There are aspects of it that are antiquated, especially since two years later Hollywood brought us "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz," with all their technical accomplishments; but as a musical film achievement, there is a distinctive place for "High, Wide, and Handsome."
The following year, Paramount hired Kern and Hammerstein to write them a movie, and indeed, the pair came through, writing some great songs for Dunne to sing, and, on the part of Hammerstein, coming up with a script that can't help but remind the literate of "Oklahoma!" in many ways. It also generated two of Kern's most lovely songs: "Can I Forget You?" and the perennial favorite--of singers if not of audiences--"The Folks Who Live On the Hill".
This show is interesting in many ways: one, it takes Dunne back to an earlier time--the 'teens of the twentieth century--in her interpretations, especially of "The Folks Who Live on the Hill," where she elaborately rolls her "r's" and sings in an elaborately formalized manner. It also fails to provide her with an adequate male singing lead, which she certainly had in Allan Jones with "Show Boat."
The story presages the ideas that Hammerstein brought to full bloom in his other masterpiece, "Oklahoma" (Masterpiece number one being "Show Boat".) The archetypes are all there: Irene Dunne as Laurie/Magnolia, Randy Scott as Curly (not the weak male lead required by Edna Ferber), Dorothy Lamour as a somewhat muted Ado Annie/Queenie, Charles Bickford as Jud/Frank, Dorothy Patterson as a peppy Aunt Eller/Parthy, Raymond Walburn as a textually removed but otherwise enjoyable Ali Hakim/Captain Andy (although what could go wrong with Charles Winninger in that role?). Add to that Alan Hale as the supremely evil railroad magnate--any comparison would be a stretch, and this is a perfect example of playing against type for Hale, the consummate cheerful sidekick--and you have a delightful Hollywood ensemble company, and I have neglected to mention the beloved Ben Blue, who probably parallels Rubber Face/Will Parker.
Talk to me sometime about my ideas anent archetypes: it's for sure--at least as far as I'm concerned--that Hammerstein had some definite "slots" in his scripts not only for particular actors but also for particular characters, and you can find them in subsequent hits like "South Pacific" and "The Sound of Music."
My print of "High, Wide and Handsome" was evidently videotaped off a television broadcast: the result is a posterized version whose commercial breaks were edited out; nonetheless, it is a pretty good representation of the film; I don't think that much was missing. Rouben Mamoulian, one of the great directors of film ("Love Me Tonight") and Broadway ("Carousel," need I say more?) added many of his signature effects to this movie, which also may have had some influence from John Ford, but the latter is something I'm flashing on, and I'm not sure what! Please see this sui generis film: it's not a copy of a Broadway hit; it was designed, as were many of Mamoulian's productions, as a film to be appreciated on its own.
Paramount should re-release this movie, in the most pristine version available. There are aspects of it that are antiquated, especially since two years later Hollywood brought us "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz," with all their technical accomplishments; but as a musical film achievement, there is a distinctive place for "High, Wide, and Handsome."