Born on this Day: Richard Conte (1910 - 1975)

Richard Conte 
(March 24, 1910 - April 15, 1975)

I love Richard Conte. While, admittedly, he's not an actor I actively seek out, whenever I see his name in the opening credits I immediately get excited. True, he was never nominated for an Academy Award- but you could always count on him for a solid performance, regardless of the screenplay's overall quality. He was a workhouse- a reliable, dependable performer, with talent to boot!

Largely known for his work in film noirs, Conte was incredibly versatile and, unlike a lot of film noir regulars at the time, was never shoe-horned into a singular "type". He was capable of playing both the good guy (as seen in Thieves' Highway (1948) and Call Northside 777 (1948)) and the bad guy (as seen in The Big Combo (1955) and Somewhere in the Night (1946)). His handsome features and considerable acting range made him invaluable to 20th Century Fox, his home studio.

From 1945 to 1955, Conte made 17 film noirs and cemented his legacy as one of the genre's most prominent (and versatile) actors. From corrupt private investigator to cold-blooded killer to a wrongfully convicted death row inmate to petty crook and cop killer to a truck driver seeking revenge for his father's paraplegia to unscrupulous mobster etc. etc. etc. Richard Conte covered every square inch of the genre and remained entirely believable in every one of his performances. Because of his kind, soulful eyes and disarming smile (which seemed to be permanently plastered on his face), Conte was able to manipulate his audience with the greatest of ease, an ability he made especially good use of when portraying villainous characters.

Richard Conte with Hope Emerson in Robert Siodmak's Cry of the City (1948).

Richard Conte was born Nicholas Peter Conte in Jersey City, New Jersey on March 24th, 1910. The son of Italian-American immigrants, his mother (Julia) was a seamstress and his father (Pasquale) a barber. Not much has been written about Conte's early life, except that he was a consistently hard worker and spent his early 20's drifting from one job to another. In 1935, while performing as a singing waiter at a prominent resort in Connecticut, he captured the attention of Elia Kazan (who was 10 years shy of directing his first feature film, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). With the aid of Kazan and actor John Garfield, Conte promptly moved to New York and recieved a scholarship to study at the illustrious Neighborhood Playhouse (whose notable alumni include Gregory Peck, Tony Randall, Eli Wallach, Farley Granger, Grace Kelly, Christopher Lloyd and Jeff Goldblum).

In 1939, Conte made his Broadway debut in Moon over Mulberry Street, a financial and critical failure (though critics did praise his individual performance). After Mulberry's prompt closing, Conte was highlighted in several other plays and, towards the end of the year, was hired by 20th Century Fox to co-star in their upcoming production Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence (where he was billed as "Nicholas Conte"). While mostly forgotten today, Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence was directed by actor Ricardo Cortez and also marked the feature film debut of Glenn Ford. While Ford was immediately scooped up by Columbia Pictures and signed to a long-term contract, Conte returned to Broadway, where he remained until 1942.

"Nicholas" Conte with Jean Rogers and Glenn Ford in Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence (1939).

Upon his return to Broadway, the critical successes mounted and, once again, Hollywood came knocking. In 1942, Conte signed a long-term contract of his own with 20th Century Fox. His name was changed from Nicholas to Richard Conte and, over the next three years, 20th Century Fox molded him into a bonafide movie star, promoting him as "the next John Garfield" (an ironic title since it was Garfield who helped jumpstart Conte's career back in 1935).

He started out playing soldiers in WWII films (such as Guadalcanal Diary (1943), The Purple Heart (1944) and Captain Eddie (1945)) before transitioning to film noirs, starting with The Spider in 1945. Despite being a critical and commercial failure, The Spider saw Richard Conte receive top billing for the very first time and it defined his on-screen persona going forward. From that point on (until his contract with 20th Century Fox expired in the late 1940's), Conte was almost exclusively showcased in film noirs, the most notable of which being Call Northside 777 (1948), Thieves' Highway (1949) and Whirlpool (1949).

Richard Conte and Jack Oakie in Thieves' Highway (1949).

Richard Conte's performance in the Jules Dassin film Thieves' Highway (1949) is the defining performance of his career. While it is not the best film he ever made (it comes very close though), it is unquestionably his best performance. As the war-veteran turned truck driver Nick Garcos, Conte draws on his own experiences as a truck driver in the 1930's (one of the many jobs he trialed during his youth) to create a ruggedly sensitive, sympathetic and relatable character. Despite being surrounded by a stellar (and potentially scene-stealing) supporting cast in Lee J. Cobb, Jack Oakie and Valentina Cortese, it is Richard Conte who shines brightest. Lead by the superb direction of auteur Jules Dassin, Conte captures the audiences' attention and doesn't let go. You never once question that Richard Conte isn't Nick Garcos, such is the way he encapsulates the character. The relatively slow-paced screenplay calls for a powerful performance- without one, the audience may very well lapse into boredom. Luckily for Dassin, Conte was more than up for the challenge, executing his performance with supreme confidence and finesse.

Off-screen, in the late 1940's, Conte (despite being a staunch Republican) was a member of the Committee for the First Amendment; a group of actors, directors and screenwriters who passionately opposed the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and their inquiries into "The Hollywood Ten" (a group of screenwriters and directors who were blacklisted for refusing to answer questions in regards to their Communist affiliation). The HUAC were in charge of identifying Communist activity throughout the United States and, in 1947, began blacklisting certain Hollywood artists who they felt were spreading communist propaganda. In total, around 300 actors, screenwriters and directors found themselves boycotted by studios, while others (including Charlie Chaplin) fled overseas to escape the HUAC's reign over Hollywood. Perhaps the most famous case of blacklisting in Hollywood during that time was the actor John Garfield, who had been a friend of Richard Conte's. Garfield was brought to testify before the House of Un-American Activities Committee in 1951 and, despite denying any Communist affiliation, was blacklisted for refusing to "name names". Many who knew Garfield suggested that his fatal heart attack in 1952 (at the mere age of 39) was due to the extreme stress he suffered in the wake of his blacklisting (and subsequent unemployable status in Hollywood).

Four rows back, you can see Richard Conte marching with the members of the Committee for the First Amendment in Washington D.C. (October 1947). 

After leaving 20th Century Fox in the late 1940's, Richard Conte's career began to falter. While his overall output was relatively unchanged, the quality of his pictures declined substantially. Without the careful guidance and protection of a major movie studio, Conte was mostly relegated to B-pictures. From 1950 to 1954, Conte made a slew of forgettable films. The only notable contributions to his filmography during this time were The Sleeping City (1950)- his first film after leaving 20th Century Fox- and Fritz Lang's The Blue Gardenia (1953). It wasn't until 1955 that his career saw a (temporary) revival.

Richard Conte with Jean Wallace in The Big Combo (1955).

In 1955, Joseph Lewis cast Richard Conte as Mr. Brown in the exceptional film noir The Big Combo (one of the last notable additions to the genre before the transition to "neo-noir" in the 1970's). His performance in this film is a premiere showcase for his versatility and considerable talent (which remained unchanged in spite of his career setbacks). Later in the year, Conte starred opposite Susan Hayward in the Lillian Roth melodramatic biopic I'll Cry Tomorrow. In total, Conte released 7 films during the course of 1955 (the most released in a single year during his career). Despite this upturn in output and quality of roles, his career took a nose-dive in the years that followed due to the public's waning interest in film noirs. Subsequently, Conte transitioned into television, accepting the occasional film role when (and if) it came his way.

(far left) Richard Conte with The Rat Pack in Ocean's Eleven (1960). Conte made 19 films from 1956 to 1970, the most notable of which were Ocean's Eleven and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). Conte also directed and starred in the 1968 film Operation Cross Eagles.

While it's true that his career never reached the heights it did during the 1940's and 50's, Richard Conte's most famous role actually came in the last years of his life. In 1972, Francis Ford Coppola cast Conte as Emilio Barzini, a rival to Marlon Brando's immortal Don Vito Corleone, in The Godfather. The Italian-American Conte had campaigned for the role of Corleone but was passed over in favor of Brando. His performance in The Godfather is strong- however, he is largely overshadowed by both Marlon Brando (in what is the greatest performance of his extraordinary career) and a young Al Pacino (in only his third film role).

Richard Conte on the set of The Godfather (1972).

In contrast to the "rough and ready" characters he so often portrayed on the big screen, in real-life Conte was a gentle, quiet man who immersed himself in several artistic pursuits. To give you some idea of his creative exploits, the epitaph on his tombstone lists his accomplishments as follows; "Writer. Actor. Painter. Poet. Composer".

"A man of many talents and graces, loved by a thousand unknown faces. But he loved best and is loved most by his lover- friend- mother- child- wife" by Shirlee Colleen, Richard's wife from 1973 to 1975.

Richard Conte died of a fatal heart attack on April 15th, 1975. He was 65 years old. In his over 30 year career, Conte made 108 films and left an indelible mark on the film industry, particularly through his contribution to the film noir genre.

Resources: Encyclopedia of Film Noir by Geoff Mayer, Brian McDonnell (2007), I Saw Stars in the 40's and 50's by Eddie Garrett (2005).

Top 10 Esther Williams Films

10. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949, Busby Berkeley)

While not one of Esther's signature aquatic musicals, Take Me Out to the Ball Game has a lot of upside. Boasting a stellar supporting cast of Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Betty Garrett, this entertaining musical plays to everyone's strengths and gives Esther a chance to prove she doesn't need water to be a star (though there is a gratuitous swimming scene thrown in for good measure- this is an Esther Williams film afterall). The ending admittedly feels a little rushed but the final musical number (with the cast appearing as themselves before breaking into "Strictly U.S.A") is a lot of fun.

Trivia 

- The final film directed by the legendary Busby Berkeley. He would go on to serve as solely the musical director and choreographer for several more films over the next decade (most notably, the Esther Williams films Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) and Easy to Love (1953)).

- According to Esther's autobiography, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen had originally conceived her character with Kathryn Grayson in mind. When Kathryn turned it down, Judy Garland was next in line. Unfortunately, due to Judy's well-publicized issues with substance abuse, Esther was brought in as a replacement. Ironically enough, both Grayson and Garland are mentioned in the film's final musical number, "Strictly U.S.A".

- Gene Kelly and Esther Williams didn't get along during the filming of Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Esther recounts in her autobiography several instances in which Kelly and Stanley Donen (who staged the musical numbers with Kelly) bullied her, stating that "he and Donen made me the butt of their jokes". She describes her time working on this film as "pure misery".

- Busby Berkeley originally conceived a water ballet dream sequence for this film but, at Gene Kelly's request, it was never filmed.

9. Easy to Wed (1946, Edward Buzzell)

While this remake of the 1936 screwball comedy Libeled Lady (starring Jean Harlow, William Powell, Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy) isn't as good as it's predecessor, it is still an entertaining filmic experience. The cast assembled for the 1946 version is almost as good as the original, boasting Van Johnson (in the Powell role), Keenan Wynn (in the Tracy role), Lucille Ball (in the Harlow role) and, of course, Esther Williams (in the Loy role). 

What lets this film down is it's screenplay. Barring a few exceptions, the screenplays for Easy to Wed and Libeled Lady are almost identical. In fact, there are several scenes where the dialogue is word for word. As someone who has seen Libeled Lady several times, it is quite disconcerting and distracts from the excellent story.

What saves this film from being a cheap, technicolor imitation is the addition of several musical numbers. Unfortunately (like in Take Me Out to the Ball Game), Esther doesn't swim- but she does sing and dance in a memorable musical number titled "Boneca de Piche". Lucille Ball also performs a memorable (and colorful) rendition of "The Continental Polka" (which you can watch on YouTube here).

Trivia

- Dorothy Kingsley (who wrote the screenplay for several of Esther's other films) updated the Libeled Lady script for it's 1946 adaptation.

- The legendary 'Brazilian Bombshell' Carmen Miranda taught Esther and Van how to sing in Portuguese for their musical number "Boneca de Piche".

- Esther and her co-star Lucille Ball had their difficulties off-screen. According to Esther's autobiography, Lucy accused Esther of "stealing" her then-husband, Desi Arnaz. The way Esther tells it, it was Desi who asked her out (an offer she flatly refused several times). At the time, Esther was in love with Ben Gage (whom she would later marry) and told Lucy that, even if she wasn't in love with somebody else, she wouldn't be interested in Lucy's "silly Latin singer". According to Esther, her rebuttal to Lucy's accusations made the latter cry.

8. Dangerous When Wet (1953, Charles Walters)

While Dangerous When Wet boasts one of the strongest scripts written for an Esther Williams film, it distinctly lacks the glitz and glamour of her other musicals. Esther's films are an example of escapism at it's finest and, without all that sparkle and shine that her musicals usually have, Dangerous When Wet just doesn't stack up against some of her other films. That's not to say that it isn't enjoyable (because it is), it just isn't as good as some of her other films.

In Dangerous When Wet, Esther stars as Katy Higgins, a young woman determined to swim the English Channel with her family. However, things become complicated for Katy when she meets handsome Frenchman Andre Lanet (portrayed by Fernando Lamas) and finds herself falling in love with him- which distracts her from her monumental swim. This struggle between her professional and personal lives serves as the pre-cursor to one of Esther's most famous water ballets. 

Even if you're are not familiar with her body of work, chances are you've seen clips or pictures of Esther swimming with Tom and Jerry. This spectacular sequence re-creates the plot of the film and is, without a doubt, the highlight of Dangerous When Wet. Despite being over 60 years old, the scene's effects hold up remarkably well and it is just as enjoyable now as I'm sure it was back in 1953 (you can watch the scene here).

Trivia

- Esther recalls (in her autobiography) that during the filming of Dangerous When Wet, the sexual chemistry between her and Lamas was palpable- both on-screen and off. She even goes as far as to detail a steamy encounter they had after a late-night shoot in Portuguese Bend, California. Though they wanted to be together, Esther sensed that, if she had left her desperately unhappy marriage and ran away with Lamas, he wouldn't have been faithful to her. After filming was completed on Dangerous When Wet, the pair went their separate ways and didn't see each other again until Esther cast Fernando as the male lead in her TV Special "Esther Williams at Cyprus Gardens" in 1960. By the time they were reunited, Lamas' womanizing ways had settled and Esther felt confident that they could have a lasting relationship- and they did. The pair were married in 1969 and remained so until Lamas' death in 1982.

7. Neptune's Daughter (1949, Edward Buzzell)

Neptune's Daughter stars Esther Williams as aquatic ballet dancer (imagine that!) Eve Barrett, who becomes the business partner of Joe Brackett (Keenan Wynn), the founder of the Neptune swimsuit company. Upon learning that the South American polo team will be coming to town, Eve's scatterbrain sister Betty (Betty Garrett) sets her sights on the team's star player, Jose O'Rourke (Ricardo Montalban). Unfortunately for Betty, she has never seen Jose O'Rourke in person and a case of mistaken identity leaves her courting O'Rourke's bumbling masseur instead, the equally scatterbrain Jack Spratt (Red Skelton) who plays along with Betty's mistake. Meanwhile, while organising a swimming spectacle for the South American polo team, Eve meets the actual Jose O'Rourke and falls in love with him. As expected, Eve is horrified when Betty announces that she is also in love with Jose O'Rourke (though, of course, her beau is actually a hapless masseur- not a star polo player).

While rather whimsical in plot, Neptune's Daughter is an entertaining farce that features one of the strongest supporting casts to appear in an Esther Williams film. Each actor is perfectly suited to their individual roles and enhances what could easily have been a film to forget (had they miscast the key roles). Neptune's Daughter is also considerably enhanced by the addition of Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra, who had become a staple in Esther's aquatic musicals.

Trivia

- Esther was pregnant with her first child, Ben Gage Jr., while filming Neptune's Daughter.

- The third (and final) pairing of Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban- the other two being Fiesta (1947) and On an Island With You (1948).

- The first on-screen (and live-action) appearance of legendary voice actor Mel Blanc (who voiced such infamous characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweetie Pie). The voice he uses in Neptune's Daughter is very similar to that of his character Speedy Gonzales.

- Not many people realise that Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban introduced the Christmas standard "Baby, It's So Cold Outside" to the public. You can watch the Williams/Montalban rendition here.

- Neptune's Daughter is one of the first films to depict the use of a television set.

6. Bathing Beauty (1944, George Sidney)

This was the first Esther Williams film I ever saw. Unfortunately, it was her untimely passing in 2013 that catapulted my discovery of her incredible filmography (I frequently lament that I didn't discover her films while she was still alive). Since my first viewing of Bathing Beauty, she has become one of my all-time favourite actresses and has gone on to occupy a very special place in my heart. Her beauty and talent will never be surpassed- there was (and always will be) only one Esther Williams.

Bathing Beauty stars Red Skelton as Steve Elliott, a prominent songwriter who is preparing to marry his long-time sweetheart, Caroline Brooks (Esther Williams). When Steve's producer (George Adams) hears of his plans to give up his career once he and Caroline are married, he concocts a plan of his own (designed to keep the couple from marrying). After Steve's "wife" (an actress hired by George) interrupts their wedding ceremony, Caroline dumps her cad of a fiancé and accepts a job as a gym teacher at an all-girls school. Steve, desperate to win Caroline back, finds a legal loophole that allow him to enroll in the school for a two week probationary period- despite being a man. Naturally (as is common in a Red Skelton picture), hijinks ensue as Steve tries to convince Caroline that he loves her- and only her.

This effervescent musical set the standard for the Esther Williams films to come and features one of the most impressive aquatic musical numbers she ever performed (which you can watch here).

Trivia

- Esther's first technicolor film and the first ever "aquatic musical". 

- The film was originally titled Mr. Co-Ed and was a vehicle for Red Skelton. However, upon watching the film's first cut, MGM executives realised that the film's real star was Esther Williams. Her role was subsequently bulked up and the named changed from Mr. Co-Ed to Bathing Beauty. Esther also receives top billing, a distinction formerly belonging to Skelton.

- At the time of it's release, Bathing Beauty was the third-highest grossing movie in MGM history (behind Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ (1925) and Gone with the Wind (1939)).

5. Easy to Love (1953, Charles Walters)

In Easy to Love, Esther is Julie Hallerton, the star attraction in a hugely successful water show at the glorious Cyprus Gardens resort in Winter Haven, Florida. Despite being overworked and underpaid, Julie performs her role willingly in the hopes that her boss, Ray Lloyd (portrayed by Van Johnson), will realise that she is desperately in love with him. After announcing her imminent marriage to aquatic co-star Hank (portrayed by John Bromfield- and whom she has no intention of actually marrying), Ray decides to whisk her off to New York instead, an offer Julie sees as having romantic designs. Once in New York, Ray lines up several business appointments for Julie and she soon realises that he is still clueless to her romantic intentions. After a night on the town with handsome singer Barry Gordon (portrayed by Tony Martin)- whom she meets at a photoshoot- Julie is introduced to several promoters who promise to treat her (and pay her) better than Ray does, leaving her with an impossibly tough decision to make about her future. 

While the plot sounds incredibly simple, the chemistry between Esther and frequent co-star Van Johnson (in their fifth and final pairing together) and the spectacular aquatic musical numbers make this a film to remember. Easy to Love, which was shot entirely on location in Florida, boasts one of the most incredible (and daring) aquatic sequences to ever be captured on film. The film's flagship number, conceived by legendary musical director Busby Berkeley, features Esther and a cast of hundreds performing intricate water ski stunts just off the shore of the Cyprus Gardens resort. The number, which Esther performed while pregnant, is a remarkable and everlasting tribute to her talents as a performer (you can watch the exquisite number in it's entirety here). 

Trivia

- Esther's favourite of all her films.

- Esther was pregnant with her third child, Susan Gage, while making Easy to Love. Despite being pregnant, she performed all her own stunts in the film's spectacular water ski finale.

- The final film pairing of Esther Williams and Van Johnson. The pair made a total of five films together from 1943 to 1953 (four of which were specifically tailored Esther Williams vehicles).

- Tony Martin's wife, the legendary Cyd Charisse, makes a cameo appearance in the film. The couple were married from 1948 until Charisse's death in 2008.

4. On an Island with You (1948, Richard Thorpe)

In this bright and vibrant summer musical, Esther stars as Rosalind Reynolds, a glamorous film star shooting her latest picture, which happens to co-star her fiancé Ricardo Montez (Ricardo Montalban), on location in Hawaii. Conflict arises, however, when the film's military technical adviser Lt. Lawrence Kingslee (Peter Lawford) arrive on set with designs on Rosalind- whom he met years earlier at a USO show. 

This gorgeous musical, shot on and around Anna Maria Island in Florida, is easily the happiest of all Esther's films- a distinction not easily achieved when you look at her filmography. This colourful, highly entertaining production boasts a lively soundtrack featuring Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra and a host of impressive aquatic musical numbers. On an Island with You also stars the incomparable Cyd Charisse, who performs several dance numbers throughout the film- the most memorable of which is a sensuous dance duet performed with Ricardo Montalban (which you can watch here). 

While the plot of On an Island with You isn't the strongest, it is easily one of her most entertaining films, with a superb supporting cast and plenty of musical numbers to drive the plot along.

Trivia

- Cyd Charisse broke her leg while filming the elaborate ceremonial dance number. Luckily, she had filmed the bulk of her scenes already (including her memorable dance with Ricardo Montalban)- however, she is replaced by a body double in wide shots of the ceremonial dance, which she wasn't able to complete. Charisse was slated to next appear in Easter Parade (1948) but her injury meant she had to bow out (she was ultimately replaced by Ann Miller, who made her MGM debut in the film). Ironically, Gene Kelly also had to bow out of Easter Parade (and was replaced by Fred Astaire) due to a broken ankle.

- In the scene where she falls into a hole covered by jungle camouflage, Esther sprained her ankle due to the production crew failing to pad the bottom of the hole with cushions to break her fall. Esther ended up finishing the film on crutches.

3. Thrill of a Romance (1945, Richard Thorpe)

Thrill of a Romance begins with beautiful swimming instructor Cynthia Glenn (Esther Williams, of course) catching the eye of a handsome stranger, Bob Delbar (Carleton G. Young). After a whirlwind romance, the two marry and head off on their honeymoon. Unfortunately, on their first night at the resort, Bob is unexpectedly called away to Washington on business, leaving Cynthia alone at the luxurious resort in the breathtaking Sierra Nevadas. After befriending war hero Tommy Milvane (Van Johnson) on the first night, the pair begin a whirlwind romance of their own- leaving Newlywed Cynthia with an impossible choice to make.

While my #1 spot was a definite lock, I had an extremely difficult time deciding which film should be #3 on this list and which should be #2. I absolutely adore Thrill of a Romance- but, in the end, it landed at #3 purely because of it's musical elements.

While it boasts a superbly rich screenplay (one of the strongest in Esther's filmography), the music isn't as vibrant and fun as it is in her other films. Featuring famed tenor Lauritz Melchior in his first ever film role, Thrill of a Romance has a whopping 7 operatic numbers (most of which are accompanied by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra). While they are wonderfully executed by the supremely talented Melchior, my opinion is that musical numbers in this film don't compliment the Esther Williams formula as well as, say, Xavier Cugat and his Orchestra (who appeared in Bathing Beauty, This Time for Keeps, On an Island with You and Neptune's Daughter). This film also fails to showcase Esther in an extravagant water ballet number (though she does swim several times in the film).

Trivia

- While filming the backstroke sequences in Thrill of a Romance, Esther had to keep her hand under Van Johnson's back to keep him afloat.

- Esther states in her autobiography that MGM tried to manufacture a relationship between herself and Van Johnson. Despite being close friends, the pair were never romantically involved.

2. Duchess of Idaho (1950, Robert Z. Leonard)

While some people (including Esther herself) consider Duchess of Idaho to be a rehashing of all her previous films, I disagree. In my opinion, this is one of the most entertaining additions to her filmography- with the chemistry between Esther and Van Johnson at an all-time high. Coupled with two incredible cameos by MGM legends Eleanor Powell and Lena Horne, this film is bursting with energy and, more importantly, fun. Even Van gets in on the action, performing two vibrant musical numbers (including the incredibly entertaining "Let's Choo Choo to Idaho", which you can watch here). Unlike in their other films together, the script plays to Van's strengths (not just Esther's) as an actor and performer and he really gets a chance to showcase his own talents. The film also features two impressive Esther Williams water ballets that will no doubt take your breath away.

In Duchess of Idaho, Esther's character Chris plays matchmaker for her lovelorn roommate Ellen Hallit (Paula Raymond) and the man she loves, her boss Douglas Morrissen (John Lund). In a misguided attempt to bring the two together, Chris follows Douglas to Sun Valley, Idaho in order to seduce him. Chris' hope is that, having been subjected to a clingy, overattentive woman, Douglas will call Ellen to Sun Valley to help end the romance (something he has done in the past, with Ellen frequently pretending to be Douglas' wife in order to drive women away). Things become complicated, however, when Chris catches the eye of bandleader Dick Layne (Van Johnson) and she begins to fall in love with him. 

In the 1940's and 50's, people loved Esther Williams' musicals because they were escapism personified- and that's exactly what Duchess of Idaho is. No, it's not Citizen Kane- but, for 98 minutes, you are guaranteed to forget all your troubles, listen to some great music and go swimming with the incomparable (and truly unique) Esther Williams. 

Trivia

- This film marks Eleanor Powell's first film appearance in six years- and also her last. In Esther's autobiography, she notes that Powell rehearsed her dance scene until her feet bled. You can watch her sensational cameo here.

- This isn't technically trivia but there's a really cute excerpt from Esther's autobiography about the making of this film that I would love to share;

As happy as I was to be working once more with Van, the recycled plot lines were getting to me. At one point I turned to Van and said, "Didn't we do this scene before in an elevator?". He laughed. "Esther, this is our fourth picture together. We've done this scene in an elevator, at the side of the pool, and we've even done it swimming in the pool together, with you holding me up so I could say my lines and not go blub-blub underwater". 

1. Million Dollar Mermaid (1952, Mervyn LeRoy)

In my experiences talking to other classic film fans, it seems that everyone has a different favourite Esther Williams film. Some people love Bathing Beauty. Other people love Pagan Love Song. Much like The Marx Brothers, it seems to me that Esther's films cater to different personalities- despite all being of the same basic formula. If you asked me the question, my answer would always be Million Dollar Mermaid. 

Million Dollar Mermaid is a biopic of Australian swimming champion and aquatic entertainer Annette Kellerman- with Esther, of course, playing Kellerman. The film follows her rise to fame, culminating in a successful run at the New York Hippodrome and, eventually, a foray into silent films. While the film takes considerable creative license with Kellerman's life, the story is excellent and Esther's performance is superb. For me, there's no comparison between Million Dollar Mermaid and her other films. It not only has the best narrative of any of her films but also features the most impressive water ballets (and Esther's body suffered as a consequence- as you'll find out in the trivia section). While I could take or leave her leading man Victor Mature, their chemistry is insatiable and their scenes are the perfect blend of sexual tension and tender romance.

In my opinion, not only is Million Dollar Mermaid the best film from Esther's body of work but it is also one of the most entertaining biographical musicals produced during the studio era.

Trivia

- In the scene where Esther dives off the 50-foot platform in her golden lamé swimsuit, the impact of the golden crown adorning her head hitting the water caused her to break three vertebrae in her neck. When the director called cut, Esther was unable to move her arms and was immediately transported to hospital. She spent the next six months in a body cast before returning to complete the film. As Esther describes it, "I'd come as close to snapping my spinal cord and becoming a paraplegic as you could without actually succeeding".

- Esther and Victor Mature began a passionate affair during the filming of Million Dollar Mermaid. According to Esther, her marriage to Gage was desperately unhappy (just as it was during Dangerous When Wet) and Victor Mature was exactly what she needed at the time- emotionally and physically. Esther recounts that their relationship ended shortly after she broke her neck, despite Victor being "exceptionally sweet" during her convalescence.

- Esther broke one of her toes while desperately clutching on to the trapeze in Busby Berkeley's spectacular smoke number.

- Esther almost drowned while shooting the ballet where she curls up inside a scallop shell. After several hours of filming underwater, she started to experience "something like 'the rapture' experienced by scuba divers" and went into a trance. As Esther describes it, "It's a very dangerous dreamlike state caused by excess carbon dioxide in the body, and when it takes over; all you want to do is go to sleep even as the oxygen is running out". If it weren't for the speakers built into the pool (so she could hear the director call "action" and "cut"), Esther believes she would've drowned.

- Esther refused to take the role unless she had approval from the real Annette Kellerman. Upon talking to Esther, Kellerman said she was very pleased with MGM's choice. 

Did you agree with my choices? Did I leave out one of your favourites? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.

CinemaScope Blogathon: "Black Widow" (1954)

Directed by: Nunally Johnson

Writing Credits:
Nunnally Johnson (screen play)
Hugh Wheeler (story)

Starring: Ginger Rogers, Van Heflin, Gene Tierney, George Raft, Peggy Ann Garner and Reginald Gardiner.

Released by: 20th Century Fox

"The Black Widow, deadliest of all spiders, earned its dark title through its deplorable practice of devouring its mate".

Gene Tierney and Van Heflin in Black Widow.

For those who have never seen the film, Nunnally Johnson's Black Widow follows Nancy 'Nanny' Ordway (Peggy Ann Garner), a young writer who insinuates herself into the life of successful Broadway producer Peter Denver (Van Heflin) and his close circle of friends- including the star of his most recent stage success, Carlotta 'Lottie' Marin (Ginger Rogers). Peter takes Nanny under his wing, letting her use his apartment as a quiet place to write during the day. Things take an unexpected turn however when, upon his wife (Gene Tierney) returning home from an out of state trip, the couple discover Nanny hanging from their bedroom ceiling, the result of a probable suicide. As the police deduce it was in fact murder, suspicion immediately falls on Peter, whom Nanny intimated to several people she was having an affair with. As Peter works to clear his name, he begins to learn that Nanny Ordway wasn't quite as innocent and naive as she appeared to be.

Peggy Ann Garner as Nanny Ordway.

Shot in DeLuxe Color, Black Widow is a stunning example of what using the CinemaScope process could (and frequently did) achieve in terms of cinematography. The color is warm and inviting, complimenting the sound stage constructed sets and costumes in a way seldom seen in the early days of CinemaScope. Unfortunately, it is also the film's undoing. It has the script of a film noir- however, wherever you look within the 2.66:1 frame, the color palette is telling you that you're watching a Doris Day film. To be honest, I can't ever remember seeing a film where the presence of a pastel color palette was so unbelievably distracting.

To understand why Black Widow was shot in color, you first have to understand a little bit about the film industry landscape of 1954 and 20th Century Fox's investment in CinemaScope technology. In the early 1950's, Hollywood was facing it's greatest enemy to date- television. As television sales around the United States went up, movie ticket sales went down. 20th Century Fox President Spyros P. Skouras recognized that they had no chance of winning the war, unless they could bring something new and exciting to the table that would take audiences out of their homes and back into the movie theater. Enter CinemaScope. 

After witnessing a demonstration of CinemaScope in 1952, Skouras struck a 10-year deal with inventor Henri Chrétien that saw 20th Century Fox holding the exclusive rights to the manufacture and distribution of CinemaScope lenses worldwide (effectively leaving the other movie studios at 20th Century Fox's mercy). Shortly thereafter, pre-production on a technicolor biblical epic entitled The Robe was halted so that the brand new CinemaScope lenses could be implemented. With a budget of around 5 million dollars, The Robe (and CinemaScope) premiered on September 16, 1953 and was hugely successful- grossing an estimated 36 million dollars at the United States box office alone. In 1954, after the success of subsequent CinemaScope features How to Marry a Millionaire and The 12-Mile Reef, Warner Brothers, MGM, Universal and Walt Disney Productions approached 20th Century Fox about licensing the CinemaScope lenses for their studios.

The Robe and CinemaScope's premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater on September 24, 1953.

After the enormously successful release of The Robe in 1953, Production Chief Darryl Zanuck announced that, henceforth, all 20th Century Fox productions would be shot in CinemaScope- which brings us back to Black Widow. After 13 months of implementing the CinemaScope lenses at 20th Century Fox, "Black Widow" was the 18th production to enlist this process. But why did the film need to be in color? Unfortunately, up until 1956, 20th Century Fox and Darryl Zanuck refused to shoot any CinemaScope production in color, going as far as to publicly state; "We believe that any picture, regardless of subject matter, is better if made in color". Not only was this strictly enforced at 20th Century Fox but the licensing agreements drawn up between 20th Century Fox and the other studios expressly prevented any CinemaScope production from shooting in black and white.

Article from the April 11, 1955 issue of "Motion Picture Daily"

In 1956 Spyros P. Skouras relented, and creative decisions regarding CinemaScope productions were finally at the discretion of the individual filmmakers (and their studios)- not 20th Century Fox. Unfortunately, it was too late for several past productions that had to compromise their creative control in order to use this burgeoning technology- a technology that audiences were actually paying to see.

MGM had originally intended to shoot Rebel without a Cause (1955) in black and white CinemaScope, before being reminded of the fine print of their licensing agreement with 20th Century Fox.

Zanuck may have believed that "any picture, regardless of subject matter, is better if made in color"- but that wasn't the case for Black Widow. With black and white photography, this film could've been anything. Instead, it fails to live up to it's potential because it spends too much time pandering to technology. While the screenplay isn't perfect, Nunnally Johnson was a talented writer who wove an intricate and suspenseful narrative throughout the film's screenplay. Unfortunately, with virtually no assistance from the production designers or costume department, this film comes off as a very "mild" murder mystery rather than a hard-boiled film noir (which the script intimates it could be).

Peggy Ann Garner in the film's crucial final flashback sequence.

A great example of the film's cinematography working against the suspense of the narrative is in the final scenes, when Nanny's killer is revealed. In what should have been a jaw-dropping reveal through the use of flashback, the cinematography adds nothing to what is unfolding on-screen. As seen above, the frame is bright and cheerful, with the future deceased wearing baby pink. Instead of shadows lurking into the frame, spelling out impending doom for this young, pregnant woman, the frame is mild and still. There's no contrast, no strong shadows- everything is flat (from the colors in the foreground to the background). Instead of lending itself as a key storytelling device, the cinematography adds absolutely nothing to the narrative. All it succeeds in doing is confusing the audience as to the tone of the film.

My strong belief is that Black Widow should have been photographed in black and white. However, due to 20th Century Fox's harsh restrictions on CinemaScope productions at the time, Nunnally Johnson had no choice but to photograph his film noir in color. While incredibly difficult, it is not impossible to maximize a suspenseful narrative through color photography.

There weren't too many color film noirs made in the forties and fifties (for good reason), however Henry Hathaway's 1953 film Niagara (another 20th Century Fox production) comes to mind as a worthy point of reference. While by no means a perfect film noir, Niagara succeeds in generating a suspenseful narrative that is enhanced (not hindered) by it's color cinematography.

Henry Hathaway using lighting to engineer suspense in Niagara (1953).

Unlike Black Widow, Hathaway didn't allow the use of color photography to hinder his creative process. He knew Niagara had film noir elements and shot it accordingly, utilizing several textbook film noir devices (color or no). Instead of letting color dictate his cinematography, he shot as if it were black and white, using shadows and light to build the tension and suspense. Hathaway also made sure his film's color palette was anything but mild, utulizing strong, contrasting colors- especially when it came to the costumes and make-up of his actors. Rose (portrayed by Marilyn Monroe) is the film's femme fatale- and everything about her appearance re-iterates to the audience that she's up to no good. The only time the audience sees Rose in pastel tones is during a brief hospital stay- in every other scene in which she appears, Monroe is wearing bold, striking colors and her signature red lipstick.

Marilyn Monroe in Niagara.

The production department of Black Widow isn't completely without merit. As I mentioned earlier, visually this film is stunning. It boasts a beautiful, midtone color palette that is very easy on the eyes. I was also impressed that the cinematographer Charles G. Clarke consistently utilized (to his advantage) every square inch of the 2.66:1 frame- a remarkable feat when you consider that the film industry had been working with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 for well over fifty years (and this was only 20th Century Fox's 18th CinemaScope production). To Clarke's credit, if you were to judge this film solely on the look and feel, it is a wonderful representation of how glorious CinemaScope could be (and frequently was). However, it's not right for this script. While the pastel color palette is beautiful, it's ill-placed in a film of this genre- something Director Nunnally Johnson should have recognized and rectified since the cinematographer's output is a direct result of his vision.

Cinematographer Charles G. Clarke using the 2:88:1 CinemaScope frame to his advantage

I think this quote from the analytical reference text CinemaScope Two: 20th Century Fox by John Howard Reid sums up this film much better than I ever could;

"A murder mystery in CinemaScope certainly sounds novel and promising, but alas this movie gives the idea such an indifferent workout it's impossible to reach any conclusion as to the Scope screen's effectiveness in dramatizing this sort of entertainment".

Ginger Rogers and Reginald Gardiner as husband and wife in Black Widow.

Despite my incessant whining about pastels and production design, I actually did enjoy Black Widow. The cast assembled for this film is exceptional, boasting the likes of Ginger Rogers, Van Heflin, Gene Tierney, George Raft, Peggy Ann Garner and Reginald Gardiner. For me, the standout was Gardiner. In a cast of established stars, I was immediately struck by how confident and comfortable he appeared in his role as Brian Mullen, the overlooked husband of Rogers' Carlotta Marin. I have been a fan of his for years (ever since I first saw him in The Man Who Came to Dinner) so it was really great to see him in more than just a bit role for once. His other notable film credits, for those interested, include Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator and the beloved holiday film Christmas in Connecticut. 

MVP of Black Widow (at least in my estimation) goes to the supremely underrated Reginald Gardiner.

I did enjoy Black Widow- but, for me, it was only half way there. It boasts a superb cast and an intriguing murder mystery, but every other element of this film is deeply flawed. I've said it before and I'll say it again, cinematography is crucially important. If you deviate your cinematography and production design from the tone of the screenplay, your film isn't going to work. It's as simple as that.

To further emphasize my point, I leave you with a quote from Blain Brown's text Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors about the important role cinematography plays in filmmaking;

"When we create a film project, one of our primary tasks is to create a visual world for the character to inhabit. This visual world is an important part of how the audience will perceive the story; how they will understand the characters and their motivations".

My Rating: 

I snuck in an extra half star for Black Widow's stellar ensemble cast. They deserved better.

Reginald Gardiner, Ginger Rogers, George Raft, Gene Tierney and Van Heflin in Black Widow.

Film Trailer:

More Screencaps:

This post is part of The CinemaScope Blogathon hosted by ClassicBecky's Brain Food & Wide Screen World (all the entries can be viewed by clicking the poster below);

Resources: Ginger: My Story by Ginger Rogers (1991), Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors by Blain Brown (2002), CinemaScope Two: 20th Century Fox by John Howard Reid (2005).