In which I explain my theory about gazebos

Captain's Log: February 1
Last movie watched: The Best Years of Our Lives (and that makes 45!)
Song currently stuck in head: Crazy In Love by Beyonce

Welcome to Part 2 of our discussion on 1960s Best Picture Winners Which I Have Seen, or “The 60s: They’re Back!”. Today’s omail (or oblog?) is brought to you by the Academy Awards for Costume, Makeup and Art Direction, or the Period Film’s Best Friends. The main contenders across all like awards seem to be Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road and The Dark Knight. The only name I’ve heard of in any of these categories is Catherine Martin, Costume Designer for Australia, and so she can’t be discounted. (No, not just because I’ve heard of her, but because I’ve heard of her because she’s good at what she does.) I’m thinking...probably Benjamin Button.

I like the costume awards. I like seeing the sketches to see how closely they end up matching to the finished product. Also I like hearing about how much research and detail went into it all. I remember hearing about Road To Perdition, when the costume designer searched high and low for fabric that would have existed in 1931 Chicago. It’s commitment, at the very least.

Speaking of costumes, especially those made out of drapes and fashioned into cute little Austrian lederhosen, it’s time to talk about 1965’s classic, The Sound of Music. It’s so catchy, and who, when perched on an Austrian hilltop, wouldn’t just want to break into song? No one, that’s who. This film also contains the basis for what I call the “gazebo moment”. It’s the moment in a musical where I really start to lose interest. In this film, it was when the adults (Maria and Captain Von Trapp) dance about in the gazebo. I was bored. All that kissy-kissy silliness. More lederhosen! Other gazebo moments include that guy falling in love with Eliza in My Fair Lady, and the “gotta dance” number in Singing In the Rain. In fact the only musical I can think of that doesn’t have a gazebo moment is Mary Poppins. It’s 100% goodness, probably helped by me being too ignorant to know what to think about Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent.

But back to the movie at hand. Says here that while the Von Trapp family ends up hiking over the hills to Switzerland, in reality they “Walked to the nearest train station”. Well jeez. No one’s gonna write a song about that. Where’s that lonely goat herd when you need him? My favourite of the kids was always Kurt. You know, the one who says “I wonder what grass tastes like?” I feel I would have gotten along well with him.

Moving on. Oh goody. It’s one of my favourite films ever. It’s A Man for All Seasons, from 1966, which follows the trial of Sir Thomas More, childhood friend of Henry VIII, who was sentenced to death for refusing to say he agreed with Henry’s divorce and subsequent marriage to Anne Boelyn. The best part about this film is that it doesn’t matter what you think about divorce and remarriage. It’s the conviction and strength that More displays in refusing to sell his faith. It's the inspiration you feel from watching a person refuse to do what is easy versus what is right. And Paul Scofield – let us not kid ourselves, this guy is fantastic. The whole film is just another example of filmmakers caring enough about their material to make it well.

OOH! This just in: Frank Langella (ie, the guy who should win Best Actor for his role in Frost/Nixon) is playing More in the upcoming Broadway play! Woo!

But check this out:

"I do none harm, I say none harm, I think none harm. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive, in good faith I long not to live."

I mean...wow. They just don’t talk like that anymore. Of course, much as I adore this film (and I really do), there is also this:

“It is so often the way, too late one thinks of what one should have said. Sir Thomas More, for instance, burned alive [untrue] for refusing to recant his Catholicism, must have been kicking himself, as the flames licked higher, that it never occurred to him to say...'I recant my Catholicism’.”

Brilliant.

Next! It’s Sidney Poitier’s favourite of his films (and you'll see why), 1967’s In the Heat of the Night. Another favourite, one I saw on a damaged print, so it came out...sorta pink. Nevertheless, it’s a strong story about racial tensions and prejudice in America, and Sidney is amazing. Its most famous scene is probably the part where Rod Steiger takes Sidney for a likely suspect (ie, black), and ends up discovering that the latter is in fact a respected detective from Philadelphia (otherwise known as the “They CALL me MISTER TIBBS” scene), but its most important scene is the one where, questioning a wealthy, white local, the man slaps Sidney in the face. And then Sidney slaps him right back. Apparently the script originally had Sidney’s character not reacting to being slapped, but Sidney, whose father had instilled in him values that he was no one’s inferior, felt that this was stupid (but in more eloquent language), and demanded that he react realistically. Ok, boil it all down and it's "Some guy slaps Sidney Poitier who slaps him back", but think about the time: it was a BIG DEAL. And man, was it worth the fight.

We have two more films to run through, first of which is 1968’s Oliver! (Oh yes, WITH the exclamation mark.) A chirpy little story about orphans, thieves, murder, and a crusty old man named Fagin. I enjoyed this movie a lot, largely due to Jack Wild’s portrayal of the Artful Dodger, also the songs are darn catchy. Its gazebo moment is a little one, but it’s when Nancy’s singing “As Long As He Needs Me”. Mushy grownup stuff. This was the only G-rated film ever to win Best Picture! Good lord, they’re a depraved little bunch over there at the Academy. It’s not, possibly, the most realistic depiction of orphan life, and hang on, there’s a murder in it, but...oh well. Kids have got to learn sometimes.

Moving from the only G-rated Best Picture winner to the only X-rated Best Picture winner: the following year’s (1969...tellingly) Midnight Cowboy. Ah, the hooker with a heart of gold. Naive young man puts on a cowboy outfit and travels to New York to begin his life as a...er...kept man. Let me tell you now, this is not a favourite film of mine (and Jon Voight ain't no Julia Roberts). In fact the only thing stopping it from joining Gigi at the bottom of the heap is Dustin Hoffman’s heartbreaking performance as Ratso Rizzo. It’s really astonishing. Also, this film made the line “I’m walkin’ here!” the perfect comeback to inconsiderate drivers. It’s also the first time the word “scuzzy” was used.

Hilarious piece of trivia: one studio executive said “If we could clean this up and add a few songs, it could be a great vehicle for Elvis Presley!” AHAHAHAH!

Also, this: The only X rated movie shown to a US President while in office.

Oh, I am SO sure...

And that’s it from me, chickadees!

Norfolk: "Oh confound all this. I'm not a scholar, I don't know whether the marriage was lawful or not but dammit, Thomas, look at these names! Why can't you do as I did and come with us, for fellowship!"
More: And when we die, and you are sent to heaven for doing your conscience, and I am sent to hell for not doing mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?
--- Nigel Davenport, Paul Scofield - A Man For All Seasons ---