Classic Film Reviews
Hallelujah/ The Naked City/ Young Mister Lincoln
All appeared in www.filmsinreview.com
Hallelujah/ The Naked City/ Young Mister Lincoln
All appeared in www.filmsinreview.com
YOUNG MR. LINCOLN
Some may wonder why Criterion lavished so much care on their DVD release of John
Ford’s 1939 biographical drama YOUNG MISTER LINCOLN. It’s a good film, and a
beautifully made film. However it doesn’t reach the heights of other Ford films that have
not yet made it to DVD, films like THE INFORMER, WEE WILLIE WINKIE, THE PRISONER
OF SHARK ISLAND and THE FUGITIVE.
Having said that, it’s tough not to like YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. When Ford approached
the youthful Henry Fonda to play Lincoln, Fonda at first backed off. Ford told Fonda he
wasn’t making a film about the Great Emancipator, the Civil War President. He was telling
the story of 23-year old Abraham Lincoln trying his first law cases. That sold Fonda on
the idea, and he gives a terrific performance. His Lincoln is an eccentric, an odd,
likeable, bird-like man who is as masterful at trying his first murder case as he is at
winning a pie-eating contest.
Ford’s films are always high on sentiment, and YOUNG MR. LINCOLN is no
exception. The film begins with Lincoln courting his sweetheart, Ann Rutledge.
Historians have long debated the extent of this legendary love affair. Only Abe and Ann
know if it was infatuation, or full-blown romance. Ford bypasses showing that Ann
Rutledge died at age 22 of typhoid fever, an event that threw the real Abraham Lincoln
into dangerous depression. Instead, Ford cuts, in a very haunting way, from Ann and
Abe courting to Abe visiting her snow-covered grave. (Ford’s heroes often visit the
graves of departed relatives or wives.) This mild shock helps the sentiment along.
This is a two-disc set. The second disc features interviews with the older, grumpier
(yet always entertaining) Ford, a BBC-TV interview with Henry Fonda from 1975, and a
short film on John Ford’s early career.
YOUNG MR. LINCOLN has many fans, including the great Russian film director Sergei
Eisenstein. Included in the disc is a ten-page essay by Eisenstein about the film. In it he
writes: “There are films that are richer and more effective. Ford has made more
extraordinary films than this one. Nevertheless, of all American films made up to now,
this is the film I wish, most of all, to have made. Why do I love it so? It has a quality, an
amazing quality that every work of art must have - an astonishing harmony of all its
parts, a really amazing harmony as a whole
Some may wonder why Criterion lavished so much care on their DVD release of John
Ford’s 1939 biographical drama YOUNG MISTER LINCOLN. It’s a good film, and a
beautifully made film. However it doesn’t reach the heights of other Ford films that have
not yet made it to DVD, films like THE INFORMER, WEE WILLIE WINKIE, THE PRISONER
OF SHARK ISLAND and THE FUGITIVE.
Having said that, it’s tough not to like YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. When Ford approached
the youthful Henry Fonda to play Lincoln, Fonda at first backed off. Ford told Fonda he
wasn’t making a film about the Great Emancipator, the Civil War President. He was telling
the story of 23-year old Abraham Lincoln trying his first law cases. That sold Fonda on
the idea, and he gives a terrific performance. His Lincoln is an eccentric, an odd,
likeable, bird-like man who is as masterful at trying his first murder case as he is at
winning a pie-eating contest.
Ford’s films are always high on sentiment, and YOUNG MR. LINCOLN is no
exception. The film begins with Lincoln courting his sweetheart, Ann Rutledge.
Historians have long debated the extent of this legendary love affair. Only Abe and Ann
know if it was infatuation, or full-blown romance. Ford bypasses showing that Ann
Rutledge died at age 22 of typhoid fever, an event that threw the real Abraham Lincoln
into dangerous depression. Instead, Ford cuts, in a very haunting way, from Ann and
Abe courting to Abe visiting her snow-covered grave. (Ford’s heroes often visit the
graves of departed relatives or wives.) This mild shock helps the sentiment along.
This is a two-disc set. The second disc features interviews with the older, grumpier
(yet always entertaining) Ford, a BBC-TV interview with Henry Fonda from 1975, and a
short film on John Ford’s early career.
YOUNG MR. LINCOLN has many fans, including the great Russian film director Sergei
Eisenstein. Included in the disc is a ten-page essay by Eisenstein about the film. In it he
writes: “There are films that are richer and more effective. Ford has made more
extraordinary films than this one. Nevertheless, of all American films made up to now,
this is the film I wish, most of all, to have made. Why do I love it so? It has a quality, an
amazing quality that every work of art must have - an astonishing harmony of all its
parts, a really amazing harmony as a whole
THE NAKED CITY
Connecticut born Jules Dassin began his career in New York, and THE NAKED CITY, his
most exciting American film, reflects his love of the city. In fact, this film begins like a light-
hearted documentary of New York; it's narrator (Producer Mark Hellinger) targets fun
details only the New York nightlife can have. Then, we move into the film's story.
Streetwise but sweet Detective Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) and a rookie to the force
(Don Taylor) investigate the murder of a young model. Their investigation takes them,
and us, through the actual sights and sounds of post World War II Manhattan.
Cinematographer William Daniels used newly developed portable lights to shoot on
location. In fact, most of the film was shot on location. Now, finally on DVD, you can see
the marvelous detail Dassin’s and Daniels' camera picks up on city streets, subway
platforms, offices, and stores. Film fans will enjoy keeping their eyes peeled for cameos
of past and future stars in THE NAKED CITY. One can spot Enid Markey (Tarzan's first
cinematic "Jane"), comedian Paul Ford, future stars James Gregory (as a cop), John
Marley, John Randolph, Arthur O'Connell, Nehemiah Persoff and Yiddish Theatre icon
Molly Picon (in a funny bit as a lower east side whistle-blower "Sir, youse don't vant your
root beer?"). According to Internet rumor, another extra is teenaged Stanley Kubrick
(According to the book STANLEY KUBRICK, A LIFE IN PICTURES, Kubrick was on
Dassin's set as a Look Magazine Photographer.)
The dazzling location photography is the centerpiece of THE NAKED CITY, but Dassin
gives us a centerpiece on top of that centerpiece. The killer is found, and a chase to the
top of the Williamsburgh Bridge climaxes the picture. Every camera angle accents either
the texture of the bridge or the Manhattan skyline behind the tense confrontation.
William Daniels won an Oscar for his work on THE NAKED CITY, and rightfully so.
Screenwriter Albert Maltz was one of the blacklisted Hollywood Ten. Like Dassin, his
career suffered setbacks. During and after the witch-hunt, Dassin went to Europe and
made unique crime thrillers such as NIGHT AND THE CITY (in England), and RIFIFI (in
France) His wonderful 1960 Greek comedy, NEVER ON SUNDAY, starred his second
wife, Melina Mercouri.
Connecticut born Jules Dassin began his career in New York, and THE NAKED CITY, his
most exciting American film, reflects his love of the city. In fact, this film begins like a light-
hearted documentary of New York; it's narrator (Producer Mark Hellinger) targets fun
details only the New York nightlife can have. Then, we move into the film's story.
Streetwise but sweet Detective Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) and a rookie to the force
(Don Taylor) investigate the murder of a young model. Their investigation takes them,
and us, through the actual sights and sounds of post World War II Manhattan.
Cinematographer William Daniels used newly developed portable lights to shoot on
location. In fact, most of the film was shot on location. Now, finally on DVD, you can see
the marvelous detail Dassin’s and Daniels' camera picks up on city streets, subway
platforms, offices, and stores. Film fans will enjoy keeping their eyes peeled for cameos
of past and future stars in THE NAKED CITY. One can spot Enid Markey (Tarzan's first
cinematic "Jane"), comedian Paul Ford, future stars James Gregory (as a cop), John
Marley, John Randolph, Arthur O'Connell, Nehemiah Persoff and Yiddish Theatre icon
Molly Picon (in a funny bit as a lower east side whistle-blower "Sir, youse don't vant your
root beer?"). According to Internet rumor, another extra is teenaged Stanley Kubrick
(According to the book STANLEY KUBRICK, A LIFE IN PICTURES, Kubrick was on
Dassin's set as a Look Magazine Photographer.)
The dazzling location photography is the centerpiece of THE NAKED CITY, but Dassin
gives us a centerpiece on top of that centerpiece. The killer is found, and a chase to the
top of the Williamsburgh Bridge climaxes the picture. Every camera angle accents either
the texture of the bridge or the Manhattan skyline behind the tense confrontation.
William Daniels won an Oscar for his work on THE NAKED CITY, and rightfully so.
Screenwriter Albert Maltz was one of the blacklisted Hollywood Ten. Like Dassin, his
career suffered setbacks. During and after the witch-hunt, Dassin went to Europe and
made unique crime thrillers such as NIGHT AND THE CITY (in England), and RIFIFI (in
France) His wonderful 1960 Greek comedy, NEVER ON SUNDAY, starred his second
wife, Melina Mercouri.
HALLELUJAH
In 1929, the art of sound film was taking it's first clumsy baby steps. While many
early talkies were simply filmed recordings of stage plays, King Vidor's HALLELUJAH is
a cinematic marvel, shot on location in an energetic documentary style. It's a tale of
temptation, and the restoration of faith amongst African-Americans in the rural south. In
the film, we follow Zeke, a simple black cotton-picker living and working blissfully with his
religious family. He ventures into the big city to sell the fruits of his and his community’s
labor- a truckload of cotton. It's there, with his newfound fistful of moullah, he meets up
with Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), a fast-talking she demon of a city-slicker who uses her
charms to scam him out of his entire bankroll. A fight breaks out, and Zeke winds up
accidentally killing his younger brother. Zeke discovers religion, and becomes a
preacher. All is going well until Chick comes back into his life.
With it's fast pace, brilliant use of locations (King Vidor shot the film in Arkansas and
Tennessee), local unprofessional talent, and sometimes- expressionistic sound, King
Vidor works wonders with his first sound film. His silent films, such as THE BIG PARADE
and the superb THE CROWD proved he was a master visual storyteller. (Vidor was also
instrumental in solving a fellow film director's murder during the silent era!)
HALLELUJAH ends with a beautifully- shot, eerie, moonlit chase through the southern
swamps. There’s no doubt Akira Kurosawa mimicked this scene for the chase that
concludes his gangster film, STRAY DOG.
As Chick, Nina Mae McKinney steals the film from Haynes and everybody involved!
She was promoted at the time as "The Black Garbo". A lively singer and performer
whose film career never fully took off, the pint-sized Ms. McKinney is simply a pocket
rocket. In HALLELUJAH, she has more spunk and sex appeal in her eyebrows than
Angelina Jolie has in her entire body! Just watch some of her staccato dance
movements here. It's Elvis Presley thirty years ahead of schedule!
On the commentary track, Black Cultural Scholars Donald Bogle and Avery Clayton
remark that in early Hollywood films, black characters were simply maids, train porters,
shoe shine boys - servants to white people. This is the rare film where we watch blacks
before World War II live their everyday lives. Bogle and Clayton also note that because
of the limited roles offered black actors and actresses at the time, talented performers
like Nina Mae McKinney were denied a rightful film career. Daniel L. Haynes is
magnificent as Zeke (his bizarre outdoor sermon is simply hypnotizing!) Haynes would
only show up here and there in small parts in later films (He was Boris Karloff's rifle-
bearer in THE INVISIBLE RAY)
The HALLELUJAH DVD comes with two exciting vintage musical shorts, both starring
Nina Mae McKinney - PIE PIE BLACKBIRD (1933) and THE BLACK NETWORK (1936).
In 1929, the art of sound film was taking it's first clumsy baby steps. While many
early talkies were simply filmed recordings of stage plays, King Vidor's HALLELUJAH is
a cinematic marvel, shot on location in an energetic documentary style. It's a tale of
temptation, and the restoration of faith amongst African-Americans in the rural south. In
the film, we follow Zeke, a simple black cotton-picker living and working blissfully with his
religious family. He ventures into the big city to sell the fruits of his and his community’s
labor- a truckload of cotton. It's there, with his newfound fistful of moullah, he meets up
with Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), a fast-talking she demon of a city-slicker who uses her
charms to scam him out of his entire bankroll. A fight breaks out, and Zeke winds up
accidentally killing his younger brother. Zeke discovers religion, and becomes a
preacher. All is going well until Chick comes back into his life.
With it's fast pace, brilliant use of locations (King Vidor shot the film in Arkansas and
Tennessee), local unprofessional talent, and sometimes- expressionistic sound, King
Vidor works wonders with his first sound film. His silent films, such as THE BIG PARADE
and the superb THE CROWD proved he was a master visual storyteller. (Vidor was also
instrumental in solving a fellow film director's murder during the silent era!)
HALLELUJAH ends with a beautifully- shot, eerie, moonlit chase through the southern
swamps. There’s no doubt Akira Kurosawa mimicked this scene for the chase that
concludes his gangster film, STRAY DOG.
As Chick, Nina Mae McKinney steals the film from Haynes and everybody involved!
She was promoted at the time as "The Black Garbo". A lively singer and performer
whose film career never fully took off, the pint-sized Ms. McKinney is simply a pocket
rocket. In HALLELUJAH, she has more spunk and sex appeal in her eyebrows than
Angelina Jolie has in her entire body! Just watch some of her staccato dance
movements here. It's Elvis Presley thirty years ahead of schedule!
On the commentary track, Black Cultural Scholars Donald Bogle and Avery Clayton
remark that in early Hollywood films, black characters were simply maids, train porters,
shoe shine boys - servants to white people. This is the rare film where we watch blacks
before World War II live their everyday lives. Bogle and Clayton also note that because
of the limited roles offered black actors and actresses at the time, talented performers
like Nina Mae McKinney were denied a rightful film career. Daniel L. Haynes is
magnificent as Zeke (his bizarre outdoor sermon is simply hypnotizing!) Haynes would
only show up here and there in small parts in later films (He was Boris Karloff's rifle-
bearer in THE INVISIBLE RAY)
The HALLELUJAH DVD comes with two exciting vintage musical shorts, both starring
Nina Mae McKinney - PIE PIE BLACKBIRD (1933) and THE BLACK NETWORK (1936).
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