Come Live With Me

Come Live With Me is one of a string of romantic comedies that James Stewart made in the 1930s that saw Stewart play the romantic lead before his "aww shucks everyman" persona saw him transition to suspense, western, and more "fatherly" roles in the actor's post-World War II career. Apparently Stewart's co-star, the lovely Hedy Lamarr, received some of her best acting notices for her performance in this film. Starring opposite a star of Stewart's persuasion, that should come as no surprise. *wink* Come Live With Me is a sweet-natured, charming confection from start to finish, necessary viewing for fans of Lamarr and especially Stewart.

In a case of life (vaguely, at least) imitating art, Lamarr's character in Come Live With Me is an Austrian political refugee, illegally staying in New York after her visa expires rather than face deportation back to Nazi-occupied Austria. (In real life, Lamarr was the only daughter of Jewish parents who married Viennese arms manufacturer Friedrich Mandl, a Jewish Nazi sympathizer. In 1937 Lamarr fled the marriage, obtained a divorce in London, and arrived in Hollywood in 1938.) Johnny has been carrying on an affair with Barton Kendrick (Ian Hunter, King Richard in The Adventures of Robin Hood), a publisher who is apparently in some sort of "open marriage" that allows him to carry on his romantic shenanigans with the "blessing" of his wife Diane (Verree Teasdale) - or so he THINKS, because in reality good ol' Barton is a classic example of male STUPIDITY. :P (Really, the thought that Lamarr would choose Barton over Stewart is in my mind proof the woman could act!)

Johnny's happy times in the US are in peril when I.C.E. raids her apartment (I exaggerate, but the result is the same - also, were immigration officials referred to as I.C.E. agents in 1941? Who cares --) to kick her out of the country because of her flagrant disregard for visa expiration dates. But the I.C.E. agent takes pity on Johnny, urging her to get married ASAP so she can stay in the good ol' US of A (I'm sure immigration officials LOVED that). Johnny's in a quandary - she doesn't want to get deported, but the man she's in love with is married and she doesn't want to be the cause of a divorce that would hurt his wife (gotta love that reasoning - *sigh*). But the perfect solution drops in Johnny's lap when she meets Bill (Stewart), a penniless writer with a bit of a chip on his shoulder (because no one wants to publish his great American novel). She proposes a marriage of convenience - his name allows her to legally stay in the country, while she provides him with $17.80 a week in living expenses (SERIOUSLY! I cannot wrap my head around how CHEAP that seems!) so he can continue to write. And we all know how marriages of convenience end in romantic comedies, right? They remain STRICTLY PLATONIC of course! (Riiiigggghhhtttt...) :)

I really just love watching Stewart in this movie, as he's at his adorable best falling in love with Johnny through their once a week meetings and writing his best work inspired by his fascination with her and their extremely unorthodox arrangement. Seriously, how can you not love a guy who insists to his divorce-minded, recalcitrant bride that they must get to know each other before they can get divorced - so he "kidnaps" her and takes her to his grandmother's house.

And Bill's grandma is a pistol. Come Live With Me was Adeline De Walt Reynolds film debut - at the age of 79! Reynolds must've been QUITE the lady. She raised four children after her husband's death in 1905, survived the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, and entered college in her 60s, graduating at 70. And then, THEN she embarked on a film career that would last nineteen years! Talk about INSPIRATIONAL, just sayin'! Even though she doesn't appear until the film's final third, Grandma's folksy wisdom and humor are central to the love story, playing a large part in softening Johnny's heart towards Bill.

If you think about the ending too hard, you won't be able to watch this film with a straight face. I am convinced that only Jimmy Stewart could deliver the whole spiel about firefly mating habits with a straight face and manage to come off as earnestly romantic in the bargain. Between delivering a toothbrush, the firefly speech, and reciting Christopher Marlowe if you allow yourself to surrender to the romanticism of the moment, you cannot help but be charmed by this film and Stewart's off-the-charts adorableness. A wonderful showcase for Stewart's understated brand of charisma and featuring one of Lamarr's best performances, Come Live With Me is a sweet treat for classic film fans.

"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe

Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove,
That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the Rocks,
Seeing the Shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow Rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing Madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of Roses
Andd a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of Myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty Lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and Ivy buds,
With Coral clasps and Amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love.

The Shepherds’ Swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me, and be my love.

With a taste in poetry like that, one wonders why Bill felt the need to go off on his fireflies tangent. *wink*

Summer of Hitchcock: Rear Window

Spoilers…

Rear Window is not only one of my favorite Hitchcock films, it’s one of my favorite films, period. It’s also the third film up for discussion in My Friend Amy’s Summer of Hitchcock. A bit about the story…

James Stewart plays magazine photographer L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries, sidelined to a wheelchair for several long, boring, HOT weeks thanks to a broken leg. Out of sheer boredom, he takes to “observing” his neighbors, getting to know them through the glimpses of their lives afforded through their apartment windows. His high society girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly), best friend police detective Thomas Doyle (Wendell Corey), and nurse/physical therapist Stella (Thelma Ritter) are all exasperated with his voyeuristic pastime. All that changes when Jeff discovers that the nagging, invalid wife of a salesman living across the way has suddenly disappeared. The more Jeff sees, the more he becomes convinced that he’s discovered a murder – but how can he possibly prove it from the solitary, limited vantage point of his living room window?

I have a very distinct memory of the first time I watched Rear Window – AMC aired the film 2 or 3 times after it was remastered several years ago (perhaps around 2000?). I was sitting on my parents’ sofa and I watched the film all the way through twice in a row. I was thoroughly absorbed by the story and fascinated by the sheer amount of storytelling and information that Hitchcock crammed into each frame of film. The first time I watched the movie, you focus on Jeff, Lisa, and the murder. The second time, though, I allowed myself to focus on each of the “mini movies” playing out in the apartment windows within Jeff’s view. Those little “slice of life” vignettes are one of my favorite aspects of the film. I especially love how “Ms. Lonelyhearts” goes through some wrenching experiences but eventually finds happiness with the Songwriter. It’s the romantic in me, I know. :)

I love, love, love James Stewart and Grace Kelly in this film. Their chemistry is – surprisingly – off the charts. Their banter as they work through their relationship issues, over Jeff’s penchant for traveling and dangerous jobs, her image as a “fragile” high society flower, is both hilarious and tons of fun to watch. Stewart is absolutely fantastic in this picture. He’s a lot edgier than what you get in his sweeter (I need a better word, only one I can come up with at the moment), more “wholesome,” all-American roles (think Harvey or Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation). Grace Kelly is absolutely terrific as Stewart’s foil. Her looks and poise make it abundantly clear that she was born to privilege, but she balances that out with a ton of humor and outright spunk. I love how she refuses to give up on Jeff and she’s more than game for the challenge of catching the bad guy, and so much the better if she gets it through Jeff’s thick head that she’s more than just fancy society window-dressing.

The supporting cast is tremendous, particularly Thelma Ritter as Stella. She’s funny, sarcastic, and completely fearless when it comes to speaking her mind. I also enjoy seeing Wendell Corey make an appearance as Jeff’s friend Thomas – he is always a solid character actor, and he gets extra points for appearing in another one of my favorite films, Holiday Affair. Perhaps the biggest casting shock is Raymond Burr as the villain, Lars Thorwald. It’s quite jarring to realize that the man playing this cold-blooded, creepy killer is best known as the paragon of justice & virtue that is Perry Mason. Underrated actor, no?

I’m so glad for the excuse to view Rear Window again and blog about it. Grace Kelly embodies all the wit, charm, and sophistication you could wish for – with backbone to boot! – and James Stewart is funny, humorous, and endearing as our scruffy voyeur. I do wonder, though, what Hitchcock would think of society today. Rear Window still provides food for thought on society’s penchant for voyeurism, how far is too far, etc. With the explosion of the 24-hour news cycle, growing penchant for a “cult of celebrity,” and social networking on the internet, voyeurism has come a long way since 1954. Or is it more accurate to say that the more things change, the more things stay the same – people and their motives haven’t changed, just the voyeuristic methods? All that aside, the one thing Rear Window guarantees is a thoroughly absorbing, fascinating viewing experience. It's a movie I never get tired of watching. The movie is available in single disc and double disc DVD editions (I recommend the latter, the 2nd disc is loaded with tons of special features).