The Amazing Adventure

I love movies like this because they are as close to time travel as we'll ever come. I've just read Cary Grant: A Biography by Marc Eliot, and to be able to see this movie after reading about it and what was going on in his life at the time is just wonderful.

The movie itself--well, it's tough to judge objectively when movies have changed so much in the intervening years. No car chases, no explosions, no body count--there aren't even any sound effects in the big fist-fight scene, just quiet little thuds instead of the "crack" "pow" "bam" noises we're used to hearing as fist hits chin. A quiet movie. A simple Aesop's fable of human values and the importance of meaningful work, starring an astonishingly beautiful man. Definitely worth watching.

As stated before me, this is a story that's been done before, most notably "Sullivan's Travels", made a few years hence. A rich young man takes a bet that he can live on a working man's wages for a year, and ventures forth to prove it. The most notable difference here is Cary Grant in the lead, vs. Joel McCrea. Now, I have nothing against Mr. McCrea. But there is a reason why Cary Grant became a mega star, and Joel McCrea didn't. Comparison of these two films makes the differences quite clear. Grant had a glib, polished presence that somehow translated into believability for most of us, and it shows through, even in this early film. The story is predicable, but not so as to make you want to stop watching. Spend the time, and enjoy the performances of Grant and Mary Brian.

In '36 the idea of being so wealthy you actually suffered must have seemed truly ludicrious. Many Americans were still struggling post the great market crash so wealth was more like what would fix rather than break one's quality of life. So when the young Earnest Bliss (Grant) finds his health in the doldrums he is challenged by his doctor to quit living like a millionaire as nothing else is wrong with him. Bliss being somewhat insulted decides to take the doctor up on a bet that he can't live like a regular person living paycheck to paycheck. Wanting to prove he can live without almost unlimited income Bliss finds a much different life.

In this movie there's lots of room for comedy as well as social and moral commentaries. One thing early on is that it often takes money to change things, but triffles like this aside Bliss finds meaning in his brushes with poverty. It often makes people too desperate even criminal. There is much that needs balancing with good morals And what can a meaningful life be without love. Love is the way forward and has the power to trump compromised morals. Greed is a multi-faceted downfall of the human condition. It's all here and if not done stupendously it entertains and challenges some thought. A quite modest movie with a larger message? Maybe? Still worth a watch no matter. Early Grant shows promise no doubt.

The Amazing Adventure (1936)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Ernest Bliss (Cary Grant) is a millionaire whose doctor says any ill-health would be because he's a spoiled person who doesn't know what hard work is. The doctor then makes a bet with Bliss that he wouldn't be able to live without his inheritance, which Bliss disagrees with. Soon the once millionaire is starting from scratch and trying to live like an average man for one year.

After several years in Hollywood, Grant returned to Britian where he made this film, which was originally released under the title of THE AMAZING QUEST OF ERNEST BLISS. Grant would return to Hollywood where he's start some of the most famous films of his career. However, when this film finally hit America, it did so under the title THE AMAZING ADVENTURE and its original 81-minute running time was cut down to just 61-minutes, which is the version reviewed here.

During this era there were quite a few movies that were about rich brats who took bets to live like your average poor man. The story certainly wasn't anything fresh or original and overall the quality of this movie isn't the greatest but if you're a fan of Grant then it's certainly worth watching especially since he turns in such a good and fun performance.

I thought he was extremely believable int he role of this rich man who finally and quickly sees how hard the working man has it. Grant brought the class to the role that you'd expect and he also handles the more charming moments perfectly and especially at the end. Mary Brian plays the love interest and she too is good in her role, although it certainly wasn't the best written in the film.

I'm not sure what's missing or whether or not it improved the film or not. With that said, the direction isn't the greatest and the film doesn't have much style going for it. What it does have is a charming story and the wonderful performance by Grant, which makes it worth watching to his fans.

The year 1936 marks the end of Cary Grant's long apprenticeship. Filmographies differ as to the precise order of the films he released in this period, so this film -- the only one he made in Britain in the '30's -- makes a convenient watershed. Of his films released that year, this one is probably the weakest.

Cary at this point has his mature mannerisms, but he still lacks the sparkle. Moviegoers would have to wait another year. He really comes into his own in 1937 with "The Toast of New York", "Topper", and "The Awful Truth" in particular.

This film's plot follows the conventional Depression formula of a man of affluence temporarily renouncing his wealth in order to become a man of the people, with predictable results.