Film Pairing — Cary Grant Times Two

With the possible exception of To Catch a Thief, these two films may be the best of the Cary Grant films, certainly of those with suspense at the core.  Romance, humor and danger are an entertaining mix for a double feature to snuggle up to some chilly night. In fact, it is such an obvious pairing I’m almost embarrassed to pair them.

Cary Grant And Eva Marie Saint

North By Northwest — As you would expect there is disagreement about which of Alfred Hitchcock’s films is his greatest. This one is toward the top of my list. By fluke, a Manhattan advertising executive (Cary Grant) is mistaken for a CIA agent. He is kidnapped and marked for death by a smuggler, played by James Mason. Grant’s character escapes and the chase begins — trains, planes, cornfields and national landmarks. Enter a love interest.  Eva Marie Saint portrays the smart (smarter than the usual Hitchcock blonde), beautiful, if not devious, damsel in distress.  Martin Landau is strong in a supporting role.  And I always like to see Leo G. Carroll. As usual, watch for Alfred’s trademark cameo                      

Cary Grant And Audrey Hepburn

Charade — A slightly darker film, but not all that dark, Charade is decidedly more of a mystery. A man is murdered, thrown off a train.  His widow (Audrey Hepburn) soon realizes she had no idea who her husband really was. Unfortunately for her, his unsavory cohorts believe she has the money her husband stole from them. And they want it back. When a handsome and charming stranger (Cary Grant) enters her life, she believes he’s there to help her.  Is he?  Stanley Donen directed this 1963 film based on a short story, “The Unsuspecting Wife,” by Peter Stone and Mark Behm. The strong supporting cast includes Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy. There are many good reasons to watch this film. One is the score by Henry Mancini. The other is Charles Lang’s stylish cinematography.

As a number of critics have pointed out over the years, Charade seems like a Hitchcock film. If it were, it would be among the legendary director’s best. This alone makes it an interesting double bill. The opening credits on both films are also worth watching.  

Incidentally three years ago, Life Death and Fog polled visitors to vote on their favorite Hitchcock movies.  Click here for this blog’s top ten by the master.

Libations: With the Hitchcock film, try a Gibson. This is the drink he orders on the train. It is really a gin martini, usually served with a small, silverskin onion. Stirred, not shaken. With Charade, we need to drink in the spirit of Paris.  Perhaps now that it’s legal in the U.S., some absinthe.  For those who want to keep a clear head in order to keep track of Grant’s identities, mix tonic, lemon, citrus bitters, and rock candy for a great mocktail.

Film Pairings — Exposing The Flaws In Our Legal System And Ourselves

The adversary system we use as the means to determine guilt or innocence may be the best we can do. But much like the rest our democratic process, there is considerable room for improvement. These two courtroom dramas deal with the inherent problems and collateral damage of our deeply flawed justice system.

The Verdict — While this tough, taut film focuses more on one attorney’s personal redemption, it also provides a good look at what money can buy. Paul Newman plays the troubled lawyer caught between conscience and success, between alcoholism and altruism.  The cast is superb. In addition to an incomparable Newman, we are blessed to have Charlotte Rampling, James Mason and Jack Warden. Based on the novel of the same name by Barry Reed, The Verdict was turned into a screenplay by David Mamet and directed by Sidney Lumet.  This 1982 film is highly recommended, especially for its uncanny sense of realism.

… And Justice For All — The Verdict is single minded, intensely focused, dark and gritty. Justice exists in a thinner atmosphere, but has a broader vision. There are moments of humor.  We almost don’t notice as lives are destroyed by injustice, corruption, ambition and greed. We almost don’t notice, much like real life, as the bodies pile up and souls sour. Al Pacino is the prime character in this ironic drama, about an attorney who can’t quite believe there is nothing he can do to make things right. This 1979 courtroom drama was written by Valerie Curtin and Norman Jewison, who also directed. The supporting cast is superb: Lee Strasberg, Jack Warden, John Forsythe, and Jeffrey Tambor.  Recommended

In addition to the courtroom setting and the similar morality tales, we have two of this country’s finest actors as East Coast (Boston and Baltimore) lawyers in somewhat similar roles in movies only a few years apart. For those who imbibe, whiskey was popular then and perhaps even more popular now.  For many, something like a Pomegranate Spritzer might work.