It is not uncommon for actors to be cast in roles to which they are very well suited. Whether it be in look or in style, casting decisions frequently turn out well. However, it is rare for an actor to be so well cast that they not only become synonymous with character, but actually improve on it. This is the case for William Powell and Nick Charles, Powell took Dashiell Hammett's Charles which was well written to begin with, and made it into one of the best characters in movie history. Powell embodies Charles' wit, humorous, sarcasm, class, and brains in The Thin Man, managing to make you believe that this wise-cracking man with a Wire Fox Terrier named Asta (Skippy) is also a brilliant private detective who solves the case of a missing man (Edward Ellis) and barely leaves has to leave his robe to do it. The Thin Man isn't a one man show though, Powell has a perfect foil in Myrna Loy, who plays Charles' wife Nora. The two have dynamic on screen chemistry and the scenes they are in together breeze by with such charm that you forget that you are watching a mystery. But then, The Thin Man is just as much a comedy as it's a mystery, with elements of slapstick along with zinging one liners as well as back-and-forth screwball elements. Powell especially is absolutely delightful firing verbals barbs way over the heads of wanna-be tough guy thugs. Like all great movies, The Thin Man defies labeling and is just an entertaining, funny, movie with two actors at the top of their game and one adorable dog. It also happens to have a pretty good mystery in it too.
14. The Awful Truth (1937)
Because sound in the movies allowed for spoken dialogue on the screen, screwball comedies, which are based mostly on verbal humor, exploded into Hollywood during the 30s. This was perfect for the time because audiences were desperate for lighthearted entertainment to take the minds off of the Great Depression. One of the best screwball comedies of the 1930s is The Awful Truth, starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as a married couple who, after a misunderstanding, are determined to gets a divorce, disagreeing over who will get their dog Mr. Smith (Skippy again!). Dunne moves on to the kind-hearted Dan Leeson (Ralph Bellamy) while Grant turns to socialite Barbara Vance (Molly Lamont). However, their hearts aren't really in it and throughout the course of the movie they try to sabotage the other's relationship. It is a story that is as more about their love for one another than any vitriol after the misunderstanding, which is a welcome difference from the more negative turns most romantic comedies take these days. Though he was in two dozen or so movies before it, The Awful Truth marked the beginning of Grant's rise to stardom, a reign that would last for three decades, a run of hit after hit at the box office. It is easy to see why Grant became a star after this performance, his comedic ability and charisma are irresistible. And though Dunne never became as big a star as some of Grant's other leading ladies, the two make a terrific screen pairing that was repeated again two more times. The Awful Truth is one of the very best, and funniest screwball comedies that also manages to tug the heart strings at times as well.
In Europe during the lead up to World War II there was an abundance of political intrigue taking place as unrest grew. This led to an influx in spy fiction, which eventually invaded the movie theaters as well. The 39 Steps, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is a prime example of this, containing mysterious women, secret organizations, spies, and vague stolen documents. It is also an early example of Hitchcock staples of the wrong man and a MacGuffin. The innocent man on the run is Richard Hannay (Robert Donat), plays a Canadian visiting London, who meets a mysterious woman named Annabella Smith (Lucie Mannheim) who is clearly distressed. Richard brings Annabella back to his apartment where she explains she is a spy who has uncovered a plot to steal British intelligence plans, as well as mentioning something called "the 39 steps" in Scotland. The next morning, Richard finds Annabella dead and, knowing he will be accused of the murder, flees to Scotland to clear his name. Along the way, Richard becomes involved in the intrigue, first hindered and then assisted by the beautiful Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) as he attempts to thwart the enemy agents. Though it has a fairly grim premise and some pretty dark plot elements, The 39 Steps never gets too bogged down with its own seriousness. There is plenty of humor and a love story, which reflects a a common characteristic of 1930s cinema: most movies of that time, no matter how serious the overall plot, usually had some lighter parts. The 39 Steps manages this balance as well as any, as it is both charming and gripping at the same time.
It would take much, much more than a couple of paragraphs to describe the comedic genius of the Marx Brothers, and then it would take up even more space describing their influence on comedy. Each one of the main three, Groucho, Chico, and Harpo, had their own distinct comedic style, yet they could also play off one another in multiple different ways depending on the scene. Each one could effortlessly go from straight-man to comic, alternating between delivering the humor and being the butt end of the comedy. It's not just that they were uproariously funny, but also that they were experts at things the little things in comedy, like timing and rhythm, and revolutionary in their approach to humor. It also helped that they had been performing together since they were teenagers. A Night At The Opera is the best of their traditional comedies, almost all of which are completely hilarious. Groucho plays Otis B. Driftwood, who is trying to get money (and marriage) out of the rich widow Mrs. Claypool (Margaret Dumont), though he has a rival for her affections in Herman Gottlieb (Sig Ruman), the head of the New York Opera Company who wants to use her money to sign Opera star Rodolfo Lassparri (Walter Woolf King). Also wishing for a big break with the Opera is bit player Riccardo Baroni (Alan Jones), who hires his friend Fiorello (Chico) to be his agent. Also kicking around the Opera house is Lassparri's dresser Tomasso (Harpo). To attempt to describe any of the multitude of humorous scenes would not only be futile, but also a disservice. The Marx Brothers are best enjoyed but just sitting back, watching, and hoping you aren't eating or drinking anything during certain scenes.
After the collapse of the stock market in 1929, many were becoming disillusioned with the American Dream and patriotism was slowly dying throughout the 1930s. Corruption, whether real or not, was thought to be rampant in both business and government while rights and values were being trampled in the ground by greedy crooks. Enter Frank Capra, who placed the title of hero squarely on the shoulders common man willing to do what is right no matter the circumstances around him. Whether it's Longfellow Deeds or George Bailey, Capra's leading men are usually surrounded by corruption, but instead of letting that kill their spirit, it inspires them to stand up and fight for the American Dream. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is the clearest example of this, with it's hero, Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), going from idealistic Boy Rangers leader to Washington D.C. Senator. He is selected by his state's governor (Guy Kibbee) to serve as junior Senator to the revered Sen. Joseph Paine (Claude Raines) but also to be the unknowing figurehead for corrupt political boss Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold). Smith arrives in Washington eager to see the monuments and make a modest difference, but soon discovers just how much corruption there is political structure of his state, and even the Senate itself. Smith begins, with the help of his secretary Clarissa Saunders (Jean Arthur), to do all he can to expose Taylor, but soon runs into more and more trouble as the crooked political machine keeps turning. Though it has some comedic parts, much of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is more drama and even turns tragedy as Smith is left a broken man after his last ditch filibuster fails, but in the end American values triumph. Released a month after the beginning of World War II and just two years before Pearl Harbor, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington provided a much needed shot in the arm to disillusioned Americans that would need all the fortitude they could muster for the next of four years of war.
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