"All Quiet On The Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque

Every now and then I get around to doing what I had intended upon doing when I began this blog; that is, to compare books and the movies that are made from them. I don't seem to get around to it that often, but it is what I'm supposed to be doing here.

In the opening years of the 1930's, Hollywood had a new toy to play with, "talkies."At first the template was set with films such as "The Jazz Singer" and then a plethora of musicals came along. These were all very fine and showcased the advent of sound by creating lavish musical numbers and featuring singing. But literature was about to weigh in, and it would change what people expected from motion pictures forever.

The 1930's saw the first real effort to bring great literature to the screen. And one of the first books chosen was the contemporary best seller by Erich Maria Remarque, "All Quiet On the Western Front." The book is one of the best anti war pieces of literature ever written. Bringing it to the screen was a challenge, in that sound was new and "talking" motion picture actors were still a rare commodity. So many of the silent screen idols couldn't speak a line, while many of the finer stage actors considered movies, particularly "talkies", to be a passing fad, geared only towards slapstick comedies, or overly emoted love stories and westerns.

"All Quiet On the Western Front" has stood the test of time as a novel. It's characters are brilliantly painted, the story finely developed. It centers around a group of students and their war mongering teacher. The teacher gives them all the bravado they need to go out and fulfill their destinies on the field of battle. The town cheers as they march off to war. The local postmaster becomes dictatorial in his treatment of the recruits, and the boys get a taste of what war is really all about. And in the end, all of the deaths are revealed as having been worthless.

One of the most poignant passages in the book speaks volumes about the war and the men who lived, or died in it. "We are forlorn like children, and experienced like old men, we are crude and sorrowful and superficial - I believe we are lost."

The book is fluid and the prose flows like water. It states coherently the message that war is hell. It underscores the abuse of authority by those who have no right to it in the first place. In comparison, the movie is stilted and choppy. The direction is almost chaotic.

But the one saving grace of this film is that it opened the door for filming more of the great classic literature. Within the the next few years classics such as "David Copperfield", "Oliver Twist", "Mutiny on the Bounty", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", and so many others, would come to the screen; not as silent synopsis' of these great works, but as feature films with actors who actually spoke. Leslie Howard, Lionel Barrymore, and scores of others would leave the stage and bring some of the world's finest literature to the screen. The techniques would change, and the sound and direction would improve. But for all of it's flaws, "All Quiet On the Western Front" is still a good movie to watch, if only to see the rapid advances made once sound was introduced to the movies.

"Mae West - A Personal Biography" by Charlotte Chandler

Often, when I have been watching an old Mae West film, I have wondered how much different the character she plays is compared to the “real” Mae West. Thanks to Charlotte Chandlers’ book I finally have my answer – Not much!

In 1980 Ms. Chandler, armed with an introduction to Ms. West from legendary Director George Cukor, was able to interview the star who had weathered all of show business from Vaudeville and on through the Golden Ages of Movies and Radio. And she did it on her own terms at a time when women were not supposed to be so bold, working as performer, writer and even director of some of her own films.

Born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn before the turn of the 20th century, Ms. West was raised as a privileged child. She was always told by her mother that she was destined to do great things. Her father was a sometimes boxer and later carpenter and horse stable operator. She loved both her parents deeply and credits them with her early independence and success.

The book is, in a sense, an oral autobiography, in that the author has used Ms. West's responses to posed questions in order to create a seamless narrative of her life in her own words. Extraordinarily insightful reading on so many levels, this book gives us a close up look at the life of a real legend and the times in which she reigned.

Beginning with her childhood the author takes us through Ms. West’s early years, World War One and Prohibition. The 1926 “SEX” trial is of extreme interest. She was charged with “Producing an Immoral Performance.” She was found guilty and sentenced to a $500 fine or 10 days on Welfare Island (now Roosevelt Island) in the same wards where Mary Mellon (Typhoid Mary) had been held a few years earlier. Ms. West relished this experience and it left her with a new understanding of those who had not had the love she received when growing up. All in all, she counts the experience as being one of the most influential experiences of her life.

The book never stops giving as Ms. West lays bare her views on life, love, money, sex, marriage (she was married once at 17 but never lived with the man.) She explains why she never married and has only ever slept alone. When asked what she is like when she’s alone her sardonic reply is “When I’m alone I’m the same Mae West- but you’ll have to take my word for it cause when I’m alone there isn’t anyone else here.” True Mae West.

She once banned W.C.Fields from the set of “My Little Chickadee” for a day when he violated his contract and got drunk. Although not entirely a tee totaler, she would not abide a drunk. A non smoker as well, she despised cigarettes and cigars as ruinous to ones health and the skin.

She lived in the same apartment that the studio had provided her with in 1932. It was furnished with stuff from the prop department. She liked it so much- she kept it and in 48 years had made few changes.

There is so much more to this book as the author guides us through Ms. West's later career movie by movie. It is the skillful questioning of the author that unleashes this compelling story of one of the 20th Century's biggest stars.

If you like Mae West, or are a fan of her movies, then you will want to read this book. As a matter of fact, the author, Ms. Chandler, has done the same type of “Personal Biography” with the lives of Joan Crawford, Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis and Billy Wilder. You can be sure I will be reading those ones soon.

Movie Review:The Man Who Would Be King with Sean Connery and Michael Caine

In 1975 John Huston released his epic version of a 15 page short story by Rudyard Kipling and 2 Geniuses collided. The film is long, about 2 and 1/2 hours, but when it is over you are left longing for more.

Set against the backdrop of India during the late 1800's the scenery and costuming are perfect. The opening scene alone, which is a smorgasbord of an Indian market place in Calcutta, is as accurate today as it was then.

The film opens in Kiplings office at the Northern Star, where he is a correspondent.(Kipling is played by Christopher Plummer) The rest of the movie is a flashback told through the eyes of Peachy Carnahan (played by Michael Caine.)

From the theft of Rudyard Kiplings watch by Peachy Carnahan in a Calcutta train station, a chain of events ensues locking the three main characters in a saga that will take "three summers and a thousand years" to come to a conlusion. Their relationship is grounded in the fact that they are both Masons and bound to one another by this connection. The implications of this are far reaching and though Kipling is only in the movie at the beginning and at the end, he is with you through the entire story in spirit. This is Direction and Screenwriting at it's best!

Character development is the key to writing a screenplay. More so when the entire screenplay comes from a short story with so little clue as to who these guys really are. Huston delivers on that score, serving up 2 of the most cagy and uncanny anti-heroes to ever cross a screen.

The 2 principal characters, Peachy Carnahan and Danny Dravot(played by Connery)are so accessible, so familar, and grow so close to you, that you want them to reach their goal.

The plot of course, centers on Peachy and Danny. They are intent on going through the Kyber Pass disguised as Hindus, Caine as a trader and Connery as a dumb Priest.(Wait until you see Connery doing a Whirling Dervish as he tells fotunes in a language of his own device, with Caine translating.)

The journey across the mountains and through an avalanche is awe inspiring. They face death more than once, singing and rejoicing in the events that have lead them to their fruitless ends. But another event saves them and they find themselves in what is today the mountains of Northern Afghanistan, past the Hindu Kush, where they intend on establishing themselves as Kings.

Meeting the local Chieftains they vow to help conquer all their enemies. They only wish to take some "small souvenirs" as a reward. But somewhere along the way, being King becomes attractive to Connery and they push on past their original intent. This leads to disaster and also to one of the most noble scenes on film as Connery pays the ultimate price for having lost sight of himself.

Of special interest is the character Roxanne, who is played by Caines wife Shakira. She literally fell into the role at dinner one night when Huston was discussing who they could cast. She is one of the events that trip our heroes up as they struggle onward towards their goal of becoming Kings.

An extraordinary work, this film should not be missed. To make a 2-1/2 hour epic from a 15 page short story takes some talent and imagination. This movie has both in abundance.