I rated it an 8 -- one more point than I gave The Lodger (1944). Laird Cregar's performance, Bernard Herrmann's score and Joseph LaShelle's photography are the highlights.
Do you love this movie? Hate it? Do you feel somewhere in between?
... Justin
Good for you! When you get the chance, you'll find the DVD extras are really worth it.
The documentary about Cregar is interesting and sad. And after you see him in heavier days and return to his slimmed-down look in HANGOVER, it's particularly sad. Well, you've seen LODGER -- you know how heavy he was before.
His over-zealous dieting killed him. He also employed amphetamines to speed up the weight loss, and finally elected to have some sort of gastro surgery, which was too much for his heart. (I wonder what the hell kind of surgery they were experimenting with back then -- surely our current bypass technique is much newer!)
But I'm trying to say that the background info about Cregar brings an extra emphasis to the movie itself. Almost like the performer and his performance are too closely intertwined. He initiated the whole project and brought it to the studio's attention -- the part wasn't offered to him as much as HE said, "lets DO this!" It was his baby and he wasn't pleased with some changes the studio decided were necessary (actually they were probably VERY helpful changes) Maybe it's just Cregar's great acting ability, but I associate Mr Bone a little too close to Cregar himself.
I too preferred HANGOVER to LODGER. I saw both of them over 30 years ago and ever since anticipated watching them again. THE LODGER turned out to be slightly disappointing, but HANGOVER was no letdown. And each time I rewatched it (for the commentaries) I was all the more taken by the look of the film. I usually don't bother with commentary tracks because it doesn't seem worth the time and effort for the sake of some trivia -- but HANGOVER was visually arresting even with the soundtrack missing
You're right that Bernard Herrmann's contribution was a huge factor. I also think that much of his work over the years find its roots in this movie's score. Not that he lifted themes note for note, but I do sense similarities with his more famous scores -- I forget off the top of my head but I believe VERTIGO and MARNIE and even his last project OBSESSION -- others too. I'll have to listen to the music again to identify the passages specifically, but I had a very strong feeling that he was mining some musical ideas for the first time here, which he returned to again and again.
The director and photographer seem to be at their best, never matching this movie for the rest of their career. EVERYONE involved somehow rose to an exceptionally higher level for this production.
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Hi, Swift. Yeah, I heard very strong suggestions of Vertigo. I can't remember detecting any Marnie, except in a general way. For both Marnie and Hangover, Herrmann needed a strident piece of music to suggest sudden mental shock. Laird Cregar experiences it whenever he hears a loud, discordant sound. Tippi Hedren endures it every time she sees the color red.
I got to hear a little bit of one of the commentary tracks before I returned the movie. I listened to the one with Faye Marlowe. Interesting that she regretted not having appreciated her experience at the time. She was only seventeen, and all she wanted to do was read great literature. She said that instead of getting out on the set and learning her craft, she sat in her trailer and read Stendhal. That's an appalling story for movie fans -- but there are worse things she could have been doing in her trailer.
Laird Cregar's brief career reminds me of Raymond Burr. Burr was another homosexual actor, who dieted like crazy to move from villainous roles into leading man parts. Of course, Burr's story didn't end in early tragedy.
... Justin
And he LOOKED like Raymond Burr. They say that if Cregar had lived, he would have taken many of the parts that ended up going to Vincent Price. But I also wonder if he would have stepped on the toes of Burr.
Eh, maybe not, since he was trying to groom himself for leading roles. Whereas Burr and Price (at least in the 40s and 50s) were strong support.
I preferred the commentary track that you did start. The other one by Richard Schickel was "okay" but nowhere near as interesting. Faye's track was a collaboration with a film historian. I forget his name, but he dominated the conversation -- not to be a hog, but I don't think Faye's personal anecdotes were somewhat limited. But his observations and background info were very good. I particularly like the story about the placid implacable George Saunders getting steamed up enough to punch out the producer!
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I've read that Raymond Burr was a huge admirer of Laird Cregar's and early on modeled himself somewhat on Cregar, being large and hulking, and he arrived on the Hollywood scene not long after Cregar's death. Vincent Price was a good friend of Cregar's, delivered his euology at his funeral.
Indeed, I can see Burr channeling Cregar's pathos into some of his performances, though he was really a different sort, more contemporary and (seemingly) streetwise. Burr could play a modern gangster, politician, crooked lawyer or D.A., while Cregar seemed more at ease in period films. There was an elegance to Cregar, a natty quality, a lordliness, that Burr didn't have. Cregar was stylish, Burr was realistic. I always got the sense that Cregar was better than his material, that he gave performances so good that the films he appeared in didn't seem worthy of his talents, while Burr, to my way of thinking, served his material, and served it well, was better than most of the films he appeared in, did fine work, yet he didn't have much in the way of flair, the grand manner. Vincent Price did, but I don't think he was as talented as Cregar. Burr, in my opinion, was at his best better than Price. Put them together and you get Cregar.
Actually, as I've thought about it, I think that the actors who'd have suffered the most had Cregar lived a long life, worked through the 50's and beyond, would have been the Method guys, the younger generation that began in films in the postwar era, the Clifts, Brandos, Deans and Newmans. When they came along it was like they blew away the competition. They were the critics' darlings, the Big New Thing in Hollywood. With an alive and well Laird Cregar, as good as any of them (better than all save maybe Brando, in my humble opinion), I'm not so sure. Brando especially wouldn't have stood quite so tall against Cregar, and not just due to his being about a foot shorter , but due to Cregar's being in his league as an actor, and then some (it's good to keep in mind that Cregar wasn't that much older than these guys, so it's not like he was the older generation or anything like that). That he'd had better classical training than the new guys, such a superb voice, would have given him an edge, too. Mostly, though, for me, it's sheer talent. I've watched many great actors in my life, have never seen a better one than Laird Cregar, anywhere, in any medium.
It's a shame that Laird Cregar is forgotten, while James Dean continues to be a pop culture icon. I'll bet that Cregar's early death robbed us of more great performances than Dean's. Certainly, Cregar would have been far less hindered by age, since he was already playing characters old enough to be his father.
... Justin
Although Price delivered the eulogy, he said that he didn't really know Cregar that well; the family asked him because they'd work together a little. (Or maybe they were much better friends, but Price made that comment because he wanted to publicly distance himself from a "Sexual Suspect" -- ?)
"Burr, in my opinion, was at his best better than Price. Put them together and you get Cregar." --great comment. You should hold onto that one.
But I can't quite picture Cregar competing with the next decade's Method Actors. (Can you imagine a late-30s/40'ish Cregar wearing Dean's red jacket and playing chicken in a hot rod??) But it's not that he lacked the chops; I just doubt the studio would try to market him. Like you said, the new batch were darlings of the critics. And beyond his control, the critics would snub if Cregar tried to circulate in that company.
No, I think if he had lived he would need to find peace within himself to be himself ... because I don't think he would pull off the leading man category. If he could be content enough for "character actor" he would've got some plum roles. Did someone say earlier "addison de witt"? It would be sacrilege to picture anyone other than Sanders, but I could see Cregar in that caliber of role/performance.
Reminds me of the equally tragic discontented Everett Sloane.
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No, can't picture Laird in a hot rod or riding a Harley. He wouldn't have been in the same kinds of films as Brando, Dean and Clift, nor, in all likelihood, would he have worked with the likes of Kazan, Zinnemann, Wyler, Kramer and others one associates with postwar Hollywood. There might have been some mixing up with Webb and Sanders, with Cregar as Mr. Belvedere or the role of the father in Titanic. A lot would have depended on whether Cregar would have stayed with Fox or maybe left for Broadway and freelancing. A distinct possibility. I agree that the man needed to find some inner serenity, something to hold onto. He was so young when he died. Another matter to take into consideration regarding the If Laird Had Lived business would be whether Cregar would have emerged as a genuine star in films, a headliner comparable to the Charles Laughton of a decade earlier,--or would he have wound up reuinted with Victor Mature playing the Saran in Samson and Delilah? One of the worst case scenarios for an alive and well Cregar would be a gradual downward drift in status as the times changed, with the poor man stuck, as Sanders and Price so often were, in costume fare: Ivanhoe, King Richard and the Crusdaers, The Ten Commandments, Knights Of the Round Table and things of that nature, perfectlty respectable entertainment but way below Cregar's potential. After that, a syndicated Nero Wolf TV series that would last one season, guest shots on Route 66, The Fugitive, Burke's Law...oh my, this is getting depressing...featured roles in movies like The Oscar, Valley Of the Dolls and The Legend Of Lylah Clare. I really should stop. Maybe Albert Dekker's bizarre demise in 1968 could have served as a wakeup call for Cregar...
But seriously, the man's self-loathing was huge and heartbreaking to read about. One can only wonder if he had any real friends. I remember when Everett Sloane died, though not the circumstances, which I believe were hushed up at the time. When I was a kid I used to confuse him with Claude Rains, whom Sloane seemed an American version of. I'd see Claude and I'd say "Everett", or Everett and "Rains". Like Cregar, Sloane was a superb actor hampered somewhat by his size, though he was at the opposite end of the spectrum from Cregar, being small and bird-like. The intensity of his playing could be electrifying, as in Patterns, in which he just about blows everyone else out of the movie. He's so good I feel like cheering for him and going to work for the vicious bastard by the time the movie's over; sort of the Gordon Gekko of the 50's, but brainy as much as ruthless, winning as much because he could out-think everyone else as on account of his being the boss. One tough little alpha male, all 96 pounds of him. I remember reading Mercedes McCambridge's autobiography many years ago and her commenting on Sloane, on what a fine actor he was, sensing in him a frustrated, passionate, deeply romantic man when she acted with him. McCambridge had a pretty tough life, too, and was like Cregar in being loaded with talent but with no sex appeal, though I must admit to finding her strangely magnetic
I gave it a 9; one of the most technically superb movies of the forties, from Herrmann's score, LaShelle's Oscar-worthy cinematography and the terrific art direction by Maurice Ransford and Lyle Wheeler. Then there's the imaginative direction by John Brahm; and the supporting performances by Darnell and Sanders, and last but by no means least the superb performance of Laird Cregar, who I am convinced would have gone on to be one of the greatest, most versatile actors ever to have lived, were it not for his tragic death.
" Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough."
We certainly lost a good one when Cregar died. I'm glad to hear from another fan--of Cregar and the film.
...Om
This movie was on TCM 9/1/09; the first time I had seen it in many years. Always was struck by the civility of the characters. Even for Brits the doctor and police are amazingly kind and understanding to Bone, given the brutalness of his murders and the sheer audacity of using a Guy Fawkes fire to get rid of the singer's body. However, and this fault must lie with the director: you have to knock a point or two off for Laird eye-bugging every time a fit takes him over. It looks silly and we don't need such a cliched and obvious clue that his Mr. Hyde had taken over.
shareAlways was struck by the civility of the characters. Even for Brits the doctor and police are amazingly kind and understanding to Bone, given the brutalness of his murders and the sheer audacity of using a Guy Fawkes fire to get rid of the singer's body.Now that you mention it, the characters were remarkably civil and sympathetic - perhaps more so than similar characters in a similar situation would be today.
Some very excellent observations throughout this thread. What a great read.
I too would give this a very high rating. I've watched it three times in the past week ... thanks to two very good commentary tracks (I happen to like Schickel's laid back style). It's a marvel. As is (of course) the great Cregar.
I realize its one of the many changes from the novel, but man ... that Guy Fawkes sequence is jaw dropping. That, along with the iconic final scene, makes me wonder why the studio didn't give Director John Brahm more projects. The man had an incredible visual style.
Thanks for the reply!
I've heard the movie is very, very different from the novel - almost unrecognizable. I don't even think the book is even set in the Victorian age. I have the book from the library, so I'll be able to report on that later.
Who knows why John Brahm never had a real movie career after making a few remarkable movies? He went into television afterwards. He did a great job with several "Twilight Zone" episodes, including the classic "Time Enough at Last" with Burgess Meredith.
...Justin Glory be, Delbert, you should eat! You're a count, for God's sake!
I am not sure if you will see this response this long after your last post J.Spurlin but I just saw that episode of the Twilight Zone where Meredith wants to read all the time but his overbearing wife won't allow it LOL, and then he ends up with "Time enough at last". Great episode and you know I had never made the connection until now.
I recently purchased the 3 dvd box set of Fox Horror Classics vol.1 and 2 and vol.1 being the 3 Brahm films, 2 of which are Cregar films- Hangover Square and The Lodger. Man it was so sad watching the 20min mini-bio feature on the Hangover Square disc. I had no idea how tragic Cregar's life had been there towards the end. Him using Benzedrine to aid his 100lb weight loss and then him checking into a hospital to have the "stomach shrinking" procedure (what the hell could that have been like back in the 1940s??). I realize that he was homosexual and I suppose the stress of that (not being able to come out in the 40s) combined with other major stresses such as the arguments Cregar had on set with director Brahm during the final scenes of Hangover Square (arguments that were made public and apparently the whole cast had signed a petition that they were on Brahm's side of the feud (ouch) and then Cregar was called back to shoot re-takes)(ouch again) plus given the rapid weight loss amongst other stresses its no wonder it lead to a heart attack But its just so sad that there wasn't someone there to help him or to pull him out of the stressful situation he was in. Its so obvious looking back that Laird Cregar would have had an amazing career such as that of Vincent Price amongst others.
If anyone is interested in Laird Cregar and his films then I would recommend getting the 3 dvd box set Fox Horror Classics vol.1 which has 2 great Cregar films, The Lodger 1944 and Hangover Square 1945. I found the 3dvd set on amazon for about 20 bucks and it was well worth it. I also would recommend the film noir I Wake Up Screaming 1941 where he gives another great performance.
I am not sure if you will see this response this long after your last post...Luckily, I get email notifications. I enjoyed your post very much.
Cool glad to see you get email notifications.. I need to make sure mine are turned on lol.
I also came across Cregar somewhat by accident. One day I was watching one of my Criterion dvds (I stumbled upon Criterion a few years back and man they put out some great stuff such as The Third Man, Seven Samurai, Black Narcissus etc) which was Heaven Can Wait.. and Cregar played the devil. I almost looked him up on that occasion but for some reason forgot. Then a few days later I was watching the Black Swan and noticed him right off and had one of those "hey isn't that so and so from that other film.." moments and then I looked Cregar up. I actually somehow overlooked the bio on his IMDb page but I did look at his list of films which led me to the IMDb pages for both Hangover Square and The Lodger. Being a huge Hitchcock fan I had obviously heard of the title "The Lodger" before however I had not seen the 1944 Brahm/Cregar film. I am a big fan of anything Film Noir or Mystery or Classic Horror and I was really curious about Cregar so when I saw that I could get both The Lodger and Hangover Square in the same set with special features I jumped on amazon and ordered a set. I was so enthralled by Cregars performances in both films that I had to get on here and talk to some fellow cineasts (did I say that right?lol) that also were mulled over by Cregar.
I don't think I have seen that Alice Faye musical Hello Frisco Hello but I do love musicals and recently re-watched the Musicals Great Musicals feature on my Singin In The Rain dvd. I was always impressed with Stanley Donen who began as an assistant/dance coach to Gene Kelly and then went on to direct so many great musicals and not only did he direct some great musicals but he also directed Charade which is one of my favorite films of the 60s. If you watch it make sure you see it in a decent release such as the Criterion Collection dvd so that it is good quality. Charade has been in the public domain and therefore has many many poor quality releases. Also there is an awesome commentary on the Criterion Charade dvd featuring Donen and Peter Stone who wrote Charade, they are so funny always zingin eachother with one-liners and you can tell they are pals. Dang sorry to get off topic but thinkin about that Alice Faye musical made me think of that documentary I just watched and Stanley Donen was in the Documentary which got me thinkin of Charade. What I was gonna ask is was the Alice Faye musical that Cregar was in any good? I will check it out.
Re Hello Frisco, Hello. I enjoyed that Technicolor musical quite a bit. The plot and comedy scenes aren't much, but the songs are terrific and the photography, costumes and sets are great to look at. By most accounts, it is one of Faye's lesser films, but since I had never seen her before, I had nothing else to compare it to. I found her very appealing.
Re Charade. I used to own a tape that I recorded off TCM. The print was in wide screen, but it wasn't otherwise in very good condition. I still need to pick up the Criterion version, so that I can really see it at its best.
Re Cregar: I liked Heaven Can Wait quite a bit. If you want to see more Cregar, I recommend Charley's Aunt with Jack Benny and This Gun for Hire with Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. He's funny in the former and nice and villainous in the latter. He's not the main attraction of either film, of course, but they're both good movies, and he's good in them.
...Justin
Just wanted to say I concur with everyone's opinion on the quality of this film and the talent of Laird Cregar. I enjoyed his and John Brahm's "The Lodger" very much also, but I think this was the more creative and unique of the two. The finale really is a virtuoso display of filmaking, and of course Bernard Herrmann's score gives it a huge boost. Puzzling indeed why Brahm did not have a more notable career, but he certainly distinguished himself with these two. Sad indeed, also, to ponder the performances we lost due to Cregar's early death, as I have absolutely no doubt based on the few performances he left us that his was a versatile, brilliant talent.
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