The Films of Frank Capra

Arsenic and Old Lace was re-released on DVD yesterday (new packaging). Unfortunately, no place in Anchorage has it. This and Meet John Doe (getting a 70th Anniversary edition Nov. 30th) are the two Capra films I don't own that I really want to get.

__________________
Family DVD Collection | My Top 100 | My Movie Thoughts | Frank Capra

I adore Frank Capra's work.

Some favorites:
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
It Happened One Night
It's a Wonderful Life
Platinum Blonde
Arsenic and Old Lace
You Can't Take It with You

__________________
A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up.
~Mae West

I have not seen Platinum Blonde yet. The others you listed are all on my list of favorites as well, along with Meet John Doe. The 70th Anniversary DVD of Meet John Doe was released this week. I hope it's as good a print as they claim it is.

The Three Endings of Lost Horizon

I just read this article discussing the various endings of Capra's Lost Horizon. I need to rewatch the entire film again one of these days, but I remember my interpretation of the final ending as being ambiguous. I was curious what others who had seen the movie thought of it. Did he or didn't he or are we meant not to know for sure?

Based on the ending I've seen in the film, I've always taken for granted that he made it back. I've never assumed that he was imagining it or just pursuing his dream. I also don't think the question of scale means anything in the context of this ending.

__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

All I knew about the film before I watched it was that Frank Capra directed it, but I didn't get a definitive "he made it" vibe from the ending. I got an "open to interpretation" feeling. He very well could have made it, but in my mind I left him searching for it and his fate undetermined.

I haven't seen it in a long time , but I definitely had the impression he didn't make it back at the end, still trying to get there.



As one of Columbia most prized classics, the studio releases the DVD with some very interesting supplemental materials. Unlike the original ending, which left more to the imagination, the "Alternate Ending" delivers a straightforward happy ending. The studio then insisted on the alternate ending, and for a while, that was how the film was shown theatrically. But Capra persisted and the original ending was finally restored. I much prefer the original ending because by not showing the obvious, my imagination is allowed to form its own conclusion, and thus the film lingered past the end credits. The "Photo Documentary" is similar to a storyboard and is narrated by film historian Kendall Miller. The documentary lasted 30 minutes as we get to see some rare behind-the-scenes photos and deleted scenes with the narration to provide much insights. There is also an audio commentary by noted film critic Charles Champlin and restoration expert Robert Gitt. The commentary provided a very educational account on the restoration process and on the historical context of the film. Other features include production notes and a theatrical trailer.

I have not listened to the commentary. It's hard enough finding time to watch a movie, let alone watch it with someone talking over it. Especially if you're the only person in the house who would be interested in it. I found the other features fascinating, however.

I don't know if anyone else is interested, and if you are you may have already seen them, but here are some interviews with Frank Capra that I find very interesting.

First, here's a two-part interview from the Dick Cavitt Show where Capra talks about Lost Horizon:





Next, here's an interview from Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show where Capra talks about Mr. Smith Goes to Washington:

Holy Directorama!

Robert Altman, Mel Brooks, Peter Bogdanovich and Frank Capra.

Thanks for posting those. I did know they chopped the first 25 or some minutes out of the beginning of Lost Horizon after the first "snobby" Santa Barbara preview and those hicks in Wilmington ate it up. HA!

Thanks for that MadMike it was great

__________________
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

I finally had some time to watch Frank Capra's American Dream (1997), a documentary/retrospective about Capra's life and work directed by Kenneth Bowser.



Actor/director Ron Howard hosts this look at Capra featuring interviews with a wide variety of directors and actors, as well as Capra's sons, Frank Jr. and Tom Capra. Capra's story, even in this non-critical review of it, is very interesting. Coming to the US at the age of 6, growing up dirt poor, working hard to make a better life for himself, voluntarily serving his adopted country in two World Wars, his classic films of course, his struggles with his success, being investigated by the government, his later days where he enjoyed traveling and talking about his work.

I thought this documentary (similar to an extended episode of Biography) was very well done. Capra's whole career was covered very well. They didn't talk about every film, of course, but all of the major films received the coverage they deserved. Directors such as Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Robert Altman and Andre De Toth, among many others, share their thoughts on the man and his work. Several actors who worked with Capra at various points also share their thoughts, such as Angela Lansbury (State of the Union), Peter Falk (Pocketful of Miracles) and Jane Wyatt (Lost Horizon). The only thing I really wish could have been included would have been some archived comments from the man himself. I know he did many interviews later in his life (as evidenced by the YouTube videos I previously posted), and it would have been nice to include bits of those.

IMDb has a rundown of everyone interviewed for the project, if you're curious.)

Over New Year's I had a chance to sit and watch The Matinee Idol (1928).



This is the first silent film I can remember ever watching. I will say that watching a silent film requires more of your attention than modern films. Without being able to hear what is going on you really have to be watching the screen or you're going to miss something.

I really enjoyed this film. While not on the level of Capra's later masterpieces, you can see all the elements of a classic Capra film. The high-and-mighty sophisticates who think they're better than everyone else. The "little punks" who put their heart and soul into what they do. The clash of the two. When the small town acting troupe goes to broadway and their Civil War drama is greeted by roars of laughter, you feel for them. The old man, so proud of the play he had written, breaks down in tears, and I almost did too. I certainly did not expect to be so moved by a silent picture. It wasn't the It's a Wonderful Life waterworks, of course, but I was misty eyed watching the old man's heart break like that.

Some people may be put off by the use of blackface in the film. Accepting that blackface was standard practice for 1928, here it is not used in any derogitory way. It is really only a means of disguise in this picture, allowing for the Don Wilson character to keep his dual identity of Harry Mann a secret.

I thought this movie was really good and a fantastic look at Capra honing his craft early on.


-----

This makes 10 Capra movies I have seen. It ranks below the other Capra films I have watched, but above a lot of modern films.

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
2. Meet John Doe (1941)
3. It Happened One Night (1934)
4. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
5. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
6. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
7. You Can't Take It With You (1938)
8. Lost Horizon (1937)
9. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
10. The Matinee Idol (1928)

If you were going to watch a silent Frank Capra, why didn't you watch The Strong Man, his first directorial effort and the best movie from comic Harry Langdon, which probably influenced Chaplin's City Lights?

I never saw American's Dream, but it is a pretty forgotten movie unlike The Strong Man.

Looking at your Frank Capra list except for ome movie which isn't easy to find, you've seen all the notable Capra talkies. His movies became mediocre after It's a Wonderful Life.

__________________
It reminds me of a toilet paper on the trees
- Paula

The Strong Man and The Long Pants (Capra's two directoral efforts with Langdon, and apparently Langdon's last really good films) are on my Capra "to watch" list. Really, I got The Matinee Idol for the Frank Capra's American Dream documentary, and because it was like $3. The Langdon DVD is around $26. I was getting Arsenic and Old Lace and Meet John Doe and just wanted enough to qualify for free shipping. There are so many Capra films I want to see, silent and sound, so hopefully my list will grow.

There's nothing mediocre about State of the Union.

I forgot about that one, defintely better than his others after It's a Wonderful Life, but still not him in top form. Capra's late films show the limitations of the auteur theory, the screenplays are weak abd the cinematography lack the crisp images of his previous films.

The Strong Man has been previously regarded as in the public domain, but apparently like It's a Wonderful Life they are claiming it isn't, which for many years was, (in the case of Life they had a court decision) and the youtube fillm has been deleted. It can be viewed on other sites which state it is a public domain film. It's a Wonderful Life was taken out of the public domain because the short story it was based on was still under copyright. It seems doubtful The Strong Man still has any kind of copyright protection. This appears to be a very new development because a few months ago there didn't seem to be any question of its public domain status.

You can watch it here. I don't know it the DVD is a better print. This isn't a download. You can watch it directly.

http://wn.com/The_Strong_Man

Based on information presented in the documentary:

After State of the Union, Capra became a Paramount contract director doing Bing Crosby vehicles. Riding High was a remake of Capra's own Broadway Bill, but it was still a Crosby vehicle. He didn't have the freedom he wanted as a director, so he walked away for a few years. When he came back Hollywood was in it's star-driven period. He made A Hole in the Head with Frank Sinatra and Pocketful of Miracles (a remake of Lady for a Day) with Glenn Ford. He apparently was no longer enjoying what he was doing and the star system did not agree with him. The results seem to reflect this.

He was set to direct The Best Man which starred Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson, but he tried to toss out the Gore Vidal script (based on his play) for one written by his right wing pal Myles Connoly that had little to do with the play.

He should have behaved himself and just directed the Vidal screenplay. In his autobiogrpahy he claimed he didn't like that the main characters said they were atheists and that's why he quit (he was actually removed). It was just a few lines. He could have simply made a minor alteration if that was his main objection. It appears he really didn't like the play at all.

I suspect the homosexual part of the plot made him uncomfortable.

I've got to get a hold of some more Capra. I've only seen You Can't Take it With You and It's a Wonderful Life. Both of those were fairly decent, but I'm figuring that Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and It Happened One Night may be even better.