Last week, I mentioned that Edward G. Robinson, the iconic gangster, was equally adept at playing the milquetoast. Well, if you need more proof, tune to TCM Friday night for John Ford’s The Whole Town’s Talking (1935). Eddie G. plays the notorious gangster “Killer” Mannion as well as “The Man Who Looks Like Mannion”- the nebbish clerk Arthur Ferguson Jones. Nothing like watching one of Hollywood’s premiere tough guys slapping himself around.
This film leads off Eddie G. Does Comedy night on TCM. It’s followed by Larceny, Inc. (1942), another “gangster comedy” co-starring Jane Wyman, Broderick Crawford and a very young Anthony Quinn. If the premise sounds familiar-crooks buy a legitimate business next door to a bank with the intention of breaking in, but are confounded when the business becomes a success-you may be thinking of Small Time Crooks (2000) Woody Allen’s remake co-starring Tracy Ullman.
The evening is topped off by A Hole in the Head (1959), featuring one of the great screen couples in Hollywood history: Eddie G. and Thelma Ritter. It doesn’t get any better. Add Frank Sinatra as his ne’er-do-well younger brother and the stage is set. All in all a fun night of viewing.
Also this week: A Thousand Clowns, Herb Gardner’s very funny 1963 stage comedy, becomes a very funny film in 1965. Murray (Jason Robards, jr) is a TV writer, unemployed by choice, being raised by his 12-year-old nephew Nick (Barry Gordon), the adult in the relationship. Murray can’t abide the life of quiet desperation. Nick wants Murray to get a job.
In addition to being highly entertaining, this film is interesting for a number of reasons. For one, it’s a film about dropping out, made when The Summer of Love and “turn on, tune in, drop out” was still two years away. Also of interest is the fact that the film was shot on location in New York at a time when the city was still in the throes of “urban renewal.” Robards block on W. 94th street, for example, shows rubble strewn vacant lots where once stood brownstones and now stand high-rise apartment buildings. And the film is also notable for the innovative editing contributions of Ralph Rosenblum,detailed in his exceptionally informative book When the Sooting Stops…the Cutting Begins. His use of montage, integrating images, music, and dialogue creates meaning not found in the original material.
On TCM Sunday morning at 11:00.
