In The Matter Of Robert Mitchum-Redux-Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum’s “Holiday Affair” (1949)-A Film Review

In The Matter Of Robert Mitchum-Redux-Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum’s “Holiday Affair” (1949)-A Film Review

DVD Review

By Leslie Dumont

Holiday Affair, starring Janet Leigh, Robert Mitchum, Wendell Corey, 1949   

In 2017 Sam Lowell a fellow writer in this space and who before his retirement from the day to day operations of the film review department had been the chief film reviewer here (and at Progressive Nation and American Film Gazetteer respectively before that) literally went crazy commemorating the centennial of the birth of the well-known 20^th century actor Robert Mitchum. Sam’s take on Mitchum centered on his durability as an actor having been featured in over one hundred films in his long and honorable career and in his best roles his durability in seeking a little rough justice in this wicked old world (Sam’s term) with a build built for heavy lifting, for taking a punch or seven or a couple of slugs if it came to that. What in those days, maybe was known too although I haven’t seen the term used much recently as called “beefcake” complete with maybe not film relevant bare chested shots of his barren chested physique to set the female audience’s hearts a-flutter (mine too when Sam and I watched a few films in 2017 as part of the retrospective Sam did on Mitchum. He most famously and creditably showed that durability in films like the classic Out Of The Past with Jane Greer  where he got twisted in a knot trying to deal with a wanton gun-simple femme and yet died with a smile on his face when things went south on him.

Naturally in a career and at a time when studio contracts were the norm hunk, yes, hunk Robert did a number of films which did not display that durability and that chest and the film under review Holiday Affair is one of them. In this one Robert playing a guy named Steve is kind of a drifter after World War II like a lot of guys then and now who had trouble settling down to the nine to five life after years of combat. Moreover he had a dream of building boats out in his native California. Unfortunately that dream career was on hold since he was slumming along as a toy department salesman in a large New York City department store at Christmas time (hence the “holiday” part of the title the “affair” part is not what you think but a come on for the unwary) when the action begins. From there the thing turns into another variation of the classic tried and true boy meets girl formula that has been a hallmark of half the films ever produced in Hollywood land.        

Enter Jane, played by Janet Leigh a comparison shopper for a rival department store who is under orders to buy a train set in said toy department but who is rather ham-fisted about the whole thing so Steve know what she is up to, especially when next day she shows up to return the item (after emotionally tearing up her young son Timmy who thought that was a present for him but which working mother war widow could not afford). He should have reported her to his floorwalker but after she gave him a sob story about being the sole support of young son Timmy he fell on his sword and did the honorable thing and gave her a refund. Which cost his job.

That could have been the end of the story and nobody would have cried but naturally they meet again and Steve starts putting the classic moves (in those cinematic days “classic moves” play) and the full press. Problem, Carl problem, played by Wendell Corey a staid if stand-up lawyer who can offer Jane stability and upward mobility if not reciprocal love on her part since she is still in a fog over the loss of her late husband. The threesome (not ménage) play out their respective roles with Carl finally seeing the writing on the wall that she only has eyes for Steve (without inspecting the beefcake since there is not one such scene in this one). After some indecision and a serious egging on by Timmy who is indifferent to Carl but who goes for Steve in a big way especially after he bought him that coveted train set Jane chases him down on a train heading west to California where he will finally pursue that boat-building dream. You know thought Sam is right Robert was built for heavy-lifting and an occasional punch or slug this gooey good guy stuff is not what made his career. Them is the facts, Jack.             

In The Golden Age Of The Musical-Miss Judy Garland And Mickey Rooney’s “Babes On Broadway” (1941)- A Film Review

In The Golden Age Of The Musical-Miss Judy Garland And Mickey Rooney’s “Babes On Broadway” (1941)- A Film Review

DVD Review

By Zack James

Babes On Broadway, starring Miss Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, 1941

I don’t want to get into how I wound up doing this review since I am neither a fan of Broadway musicals nor much into older black and white movies but I do feel the need to mention that I mentioned to Greg Green, the current site manager, that somebody should do a review of a Miss Judy Garland film in light of what Allan Jackson has recently said about one of the reasons that he went to San Francisco among other places out West after he was disposed of in an internal fight at this publication in 2017. That reason Allan had wound up in that town was to borrow, if possible, since he still had pressing alimony and college tuition payments due some money from Madame La Rue or Miss Judy Garland two people he had helped in the pass to tide him over until better times.

That Miss Judy Garland part was not the real song and dance Judy Garland but a drag queen, a gay guy, Timmy Riley whom he had known in the old growing up days in the Acre section of North Adamsville where they grew up. Where I grew as well knowing these guys only through my oldest brother, Alex, who was friends with all of them in high school. Timmy too although he had only found out about Timmy being gay and being a drag queen (not necessarily the same thing at all) quite recently since Timmy had flown the old town in the late 1960s a few years after high school when he could no longer suppress his real desires once his parents disowned him and kicked him out of the family house (and went to their respective deaths cursing his unhallowed devil name with specific requests that he not be allowed to attend their funeral Masses or anything else when they passed). On that basic I made my suggestion to in a way honor Timmy and his early travails and to see why he gravitated, as other drag queens have, toward the character of Miss Garland on the runway. I didn’t volunteer for the job but here I am with it nevertheless.

The late 1930s, 1940s really were the golden age of the musical, the song and dance centered genre as witnessed here and as witnessed in the slew of films done by Fred Astaire with a few dance partners. One would be hard-pressed to think of such an array of talent doing song and dance stuff much pass the 1950s with Gene Kelly and his various partners. Now such doings come as a surprise after some smash hit on Broadway begs to be taken to the silver screen. Part of it is that Tin Pan Alley folded long ago as did the treasured art of serious songwriting for popular non-teen  consumption. Names like Cole Porter, the Gershwin Brothers, Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern, of course, Irving Berlin and the like (although this musical production songwriting cohort was anchored by Brother, Can You Spare A Dime writer Yip Harburg who would later take serious heat when the Red Scare scalp-hunters were in vogue looking under every bed for commies).        

This film moreover in the time-honored Hollywood tradition (emulated by others when Hollywood ruled the roost alone) was part of a trilogy dealing with this same subject matter-mainly star-struck kids trying to make it on the Great White Way and never having to return except in triumph to Hoboken, Peoria, Winnemucca, Richmond, Albany and all points east and west. Let’s face it the song and dance part is what 1941 audiences paid good money for not some has-been half-assed script which wouldn’t hold together on its own without the music. So Tommy, Mickey’s role is the ball of fire (literally if on name only) ready to bring Broadway to her knees if can only get a “hook,” something to hang his hat on for an idea. See even though he thought he was a ball of fire there were twelve million others as well and, well, the producers weren’t looking for untried young kids from nowhere.

Lightbulb idea. Perform a show on their own. For a cause, for charity (helping inner city kids get some fresh country air for a few weeks the hook). The thing got off the ground no problem especially when the romantic interest Penny, Miss Garland’s role, comes on board after deep-sixing the big freeze she had for old Tommy at first. Needless to say after the twelve necessary snafus that threatened to cancel the show were cleared the thing worked and all aboard went to real Broadway and the big lights. For today’s audience though the last segment, the last bright idea would not go down well, not at all. Tommy, Penny, and a whole lot of white breads don blackface to perform a minstrel show. WTF. 

WTF as well is why Timmy Riley who I barely remember but who was at our house many times decided that he would hitch his star as a drag queen to that of Miss Garland. She could sing and dance but there was something not there there that I could not quite put my finger on but was scratching my head over when I thought about it later. In any case as Allan Jackson told me Timmy is running the number one drag club in Frisco and turning away tourist business dying to see the show like crazy. And yes Timmy lent Allan the money to keep the wolves from his door just like Allan did when Timmy was on the ropes.