Clifton Webb’s Mr. Belvedere Still ‘Sitting Pretty’ 1948

 

Clifton Webb as Mr. Belvedere teaches his new employers' child an important lesson
 on table manners in 1948's comedy "Sitting Pretty."

Sitting Pretty was the type of good-hearted comedy that 20th Century Fox did so well in the 1940s and '50s. Sitting Pretty was a satire of post-war American suburbia, with the acidic genius Mr. Belvedere providing the comic sting. 

Hummingbird Hill is the suburban setting of Sitting Pretty, which looks innocuous on the outside. A young couple can’t keep a housekeeper to cope with their hectic offspring, much less get a babysitter for date nights. Exasperated, the wife takes out an ad, and gets a response from a Lynn Belvedere. She seems to have all of the qualifications, but the couple is surprised when she turns out to be Mr. Belvedere, and a self-proclaimed genius at that! What follows is a still-funny spoof of post-WW II social mores, all of which is duly noted by the mysterious Belvedere. The prickly “manny”/housekeeper marches to his own drummer, but whips the frazzled family into shape, while working his own mystery project.

Mr. Belvedere is not intimidated in the least by the busybodies of Hummingbird Hill,
 in 1948's suburbia satire, "Sitting Pretty."

Mr. Belvedere is played by Clifton Webb, at his most acerbic. The young couple, Harry and Tacey King, is played by Robert Young and Maureen O’Hara. Though Young seems a bit mature as the junior lawyer, Father Knows Best was just around the corner, and his wry humor works well here as the film’s straight man. O'Hara is lovely and spirited as the young homemaker, who could use a hand on the home front. Their young boys are basically adorable, but rascals.

Maureen O'Hara & Robert Young are the happy but harried couple of 1948's comedy,
 "Sitting Pretty."

The nosy neighbors are an old biddy and her sissy son, a movie and TV staple. The latter is Clarence Appleton, played by Richard Haydn, who made a career of such fusspots, with his clothes pin on the nose voice. Haydn appeared in everything from Ball of Fire to The Sound of Music to Young Frankenstein, an expert comedy actor. Ed Begley, Sr. is the alpha male boss of Young’s lawyer, complete with cigars and barked orders. The bobbysoxer babysitter, Ginger, who reminded me of an amped up Shirley Temple, is played by Betty Lynn. She later found TV fame as Barney Fife’s girlfriend Thelma Lou, on The Andy Griffith Show. John Russell and Louise Allbritton are pleasant as the King’s best friends, Bill and Edna Philby. Russell, who looked like a caricature of Clark Gable, later became a western star.

Clifton Webb as Mr. Belvedere, with John Russell & Robert Young as young lawyers,
in 1948's social satire, "Sitting Pretty."

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Clifton Webb got an Oscar nomination for his performance as Mr. Belvedere. Comedy performances aren't always recognized by the Academy, but Webb’s razor sharp performance is the core of this film. Webb lobs zingers at the reactionary husband and nosy neighbors with comedic precision, but also rations out the right amount of warmth as he grows closer to the family. Webb’s Belvedere is gleeful to watch because he says and does exactly what he thinks. And the last act, when Mr. Belvedere’s project is revealed, wraps everything up in a neat comedic package.

What's fascinating about Clifton Webb is that he became a film star straight away with Laura in 1944. There was great concern at Fox that Webb's flamboyant personality would not go over with mainstream movie audiences. Well, Laura was an instant classic and Webb should have won his first Oscar as Waldo Lydecker. But sentimental fave Barry Fitzgerald won Best Supporting Oscar for Going My Way for that year. Webb scored another nod for The Razor's Edge as socialite Elliot Templeton, another great performance. And his third and final nom was for Sitting Pretty. He scored a huge hit in 1950 as the patriarch in Cheaper by the Dozen and might have scored another nom if the Best Actor category didn’t already have classic comedy performances by James Stewart for Harvey and Spencer Tracy as Father of the Bride. The star character actor also appeared in some big hits through most of the '50s, like Three Coins in a Fountain and Titanic. Like the later Paul Lynde, Webb was hiding in plain sight as a gay performer, but he was so funny and likable, audiences didn't either catch on or seem to mind. And especially rare for the homophobic era, Webb's characters were smart and had the upper hand, and not the butt of jokes. 

Clifton Webb, as Mr. Belvedere, who adds author to his laurels at the finale of 1948's
 "Sitting Pretty." Note the statue on the right, courtesy of O'Hara's character.

Sitting Pretty is still pretty darn funny, with the stars at their most charming. The story is so clever that I'm surprised that nobody's done a remake. I could see Jim Parsons, who played Sheldon on the beloved sitcom The Big Bang Theory, as Mr. Belevedere, but I think the original is just fine.

See below for a link to "Sitting Pretty."

Here’s an excellent, free copy of Sitting Pretty on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgcNdOHZW6I

A link to my review of "Laura" below,
which made Clifton Webb a film star.

Here’s my look at the timeless classic film noir, Laura, with Clifton Webb as venomous columnist Waldo Lydecker:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/04/laura-1944.html

 

Fox’s Faithful Rendition of ‘The Razor’s Edge’ 1946

Gene Tierney & Tyrone Power are the well-cast leads in the 1946 all-star version
of "The Razor's Edge."

The Razor’s Edge from 1946 is remarkably faithful to W. Somerset Maugham’s best-seller, with many key passages of dialogue lifted directly from the book. While movie adaptations still run roughshod over their source novels, back in the golden era, studios were even cavalier with movie versions. The smart movie makers knew to adhere to the story as much as possible, as David Selznick did with Gone with the Wind and Rebecca.

Studio head Darryl F. Zanuck personally oversaw the production of 1946's
"The Razor's Edge."

20^th Century Fox head honcho Darryl F. Zanuck was intrigued by the public’s response to W. Somerset Maugham’s spiritual best-seller. The autobiographical novel’s hero is questioning life after WWI and no doubt mirrored many readers’ feelings after WWII. Star Tyrone Power, having just served in the war, felt a similar chord regarding this work.

Lovers Isabel & Larry can't reconcile their opposite worlds in "The Razor's Edge."

Reading the source novel of The Razor’s Edge, one can see how well Fox cast the film. Larry Darrell is described as dark, slim, with incredibly striking dark eyes. Rich girl Isabel, once she loses her youthful baby fat, is described as sleek and sensual with striking hazel eyes, like Gene Tierney. The stylish society snob, Elliot Templeton, is a great role for Clifton Webb. And tragic Sophie, who’s described as attractive but not beautiful, is fiercely played by young Anne Baxter. Her volatile character is played just as she’s described in the novel. Herbert Marshall makes a most urbane author as M. Somerset Maugham. The only dud is John Payne as Isabel’s “regular guy” husband, Gray. While pleasant enough in musicals and comedies, Payne’s out of his league here.

Tyrone Power's Larry Darrell, both fresh out of the service, in "The Razor's Edge."

The Razor’s Edge was filmed April through July of '46. Power went into the production right out of the service and turned 32 during filming on May 5. Tyrone is at the peak of his male beauty, charm and sensitivity, and with the gravity of having just served in the war. While Power’s seeking Larry Darrell is the mouth piece for the film’s spiritual philosophies, Tyrone is much more natural and convincing than when Gary Cooper looked most uncomfortable reciting Ayn Rand’s beliefs in 1949’s The Fountainhead. When one compares Power to MGM’s robotic Robert Taylor, Tyrone had a genuine quality that complemented his talents and great looks. Director Edmund Goulding also guided Ty through another challenging role, in 1947’s Nightmare Alley.

Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell, after he's sought spiritual enlightenment.

Gene Tierney was 25 during filming and Anne Baxter turned 23 just two days after Power's birthday. It is incredible how actresses back then seemed more womanly, while so young. Tierney is incredibly sophisticated as Isabel and Baxter looks older than her years as working class girl Sophie, who hits the skids after suffering great personal tragedy.

Gene Tierney & Anne Baxter as younger Isabel & Sophie, in "The Razor's Edge."

Gene Tierney was not a highly praised actress in her time. And Gene got some sharp critical jabs in The Razor’s Edge, but I think Tierney's terrific as Isabel. And it's a well-rounded character, not one-dimensional and softened. Gene plays the bright and charming, but self-centered rich girl pitch perfect.

Gene Tierney wows as Isabel, on her last night with Larry, in "The Razor's Edge."

Clifton Webb, while he gets to be the acerbic scene-stealer in a number of scenes, per usual, he also gets to be generous and good-humored. Webb’s deathbed scene surprised me in his touching emotionalism, as the social snob who sobbingly acknowledges that he’s been forgotten by his in-crowd. 

Clifton Webb is genuinely moving in his final scene from "The Razor's Edge."

Herbert Marshall is empathetic, but with dry humor, as author Maugham. Marshall had quite an association with screen works of W. Somerset Maugham, appearing in Garbo’s The Painted Veil, with Bette Davis in The Letter, and George Sanders in The Moon and Sixpence.

Herbert Marshall is W. Somerset Maugham, the author of "The Razor's Edge."

The Razor’s Edge is an intelligent, adult adaptation, though tweaked somewhat to be studio movie-friendly.  Zanuck and those involved in the production put great effort into this film. Edmund Goulding, who directed literate fare such as Grand Hotel, does a great job balancing movie style without letting it take over the film’s story. Since the movie was filmed immediately after WWII, location shooting was out of the question. The production offers a convincing depiction of Paris and other locales, without being obvious—like plunking a landscape of the Eiffel Tower outside of Larry’s apartment window!

Anne Baxter is startling as Sophie, who can't overcome tragedy in "The Razor's Edge."

It’s interesting to compare Power in The Razor's Edge with The Sun Also Rises, two literary Darryl F. Zanuck super productions just over a decade apart. But the difference between Power then and later is a shock. It's really a shame that they didn't film Sun right after Razor.

Gene Tierney's Isabel later looks at Anne Baxter's Sophie as an adversary in 1946's
 "The Razor's Edge."

The comparison to The Sun Also Rises is similar in their lead characters. Both male leads have suffered in WWI, leaving them at odds with the tantalizing women they love.

Also, there’s great similarity in characters between The Razor’s Edge and The Great Gatsby: lone wolfs Larry and Jay; society belles Isabel and Daisy; tragic Sophie and Myrtle; Gray as a nicer Tom Buchanan; and Maugham as the outsider observer, like Nick Carraway. They're variations of certain character archetypes. And wouldn't Tyrone and Gene have made a marvelous Jay and Daisy, as well? Finally, Tierney’s Isabel has a bit of Scarlett O’ Hara in her makeup, willing to be tough as a means to an end. And Power’s Larry is a bit of Rhett and Ashley!

Larry’s transformation is very detailed in the book version of The Razor’s Edge, but the movie does a skillful job of skimming his spiritual change. Both the novel and the ’46 adaptation of The Razor’s Edge are very worthwhile, indeed.

Tyrone Power at his peak, as Larry Darrell, in 1946's "The Razor's Edge."

Tyrone Power in his personal favorite role as a carny con man in the cult classic, 1947’s Nightmare Alley. My take here:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/01/tyrone-powers-personal-best-nightmare.html

Here’s my look at Gene Tierney in her signature role, as 1944’s Laura:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/04/laura-1944.html

20th Century Fox does justice to W. Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge."

Laura 1944

Gene Tierney's "Laura" and her men: Vincent Price, Clifton Webb, & Dana Andrews.

What is left to say about 1944’s Laura, one of the most celebrated film noirs? So much has been written, that I can only comment that Laura is one of my all-time favorite films, regardless of genre.

When I was younger, I found dark, nightmarish film noirs fascinating and very adult. As I’ve grown older, this genre usually grates on my nerves, especially those with stories that hinge on incredible coincidences or characters who seem to be telepathic. For instance, my eyes roll routinely if I catch The Postman Always Rings Twice, where Leon Ames’ D.A. is on to John Garfield and Lana Turner’s illicit lovers from the start—before they even consider wrong-doing! The same goes for Double Indemnity, when scheming couple Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanywck can’t catch a break with Fred’s insurance company boss Edward G. Robinson around.

Dana Andrews as the detective who seems to be love with a portrait of a dead woman.

For me, what makes Laura such a great film noir is not about the plotting and double-crossing, it’s about the mood and characters. Frankly, I never thought there was much mystery regarding Laura’s killer. While every character in the film is crazy about lovely Laura, you wonder what she sees in them—they’re mostly a pit of vipers.

'Laura' and the men in her life: the columnist, the playboy, and the detective!

The much-imitated story revolves around Laura Hunt and her social circle after it is thought she has been shot to death, right in her beautiful face. No-nonsense detective Mark McPherson is on the case and while sifting through the evidence and Laura’s life, becomes infatuated with her. There’s also a stunning portrait of Laura over her fireplace to inspire him. Mooning over the dead beauty while sorting through the case, he falls asleep at her apartment, only to be awakened by Laura, who isn’t dead after all. The murdered woman turns out to be a co-worker, with everyone a suspect—even Laura herself. The fun isn’t in the mystery, but the motives of each character, and the detective sizing them all up, to determine whodunit.

Clifton Webb in the role that made him a star, as the aptly named Waldo Lydecker.

Clifton Webb is routinely cited as stealing Laura. A former Broadway performer, Clifton created a classic character as catty columnist Waldo Lydecker, who’s obsessed with Laura. While Webb’s way with cutting comedic lines gets most of the praise, he also gives a great dramatic performance as the older man drawn to an ideal young woman, who knows that he can’t truly have. With Laura, the acidic, flamboyant Webb became an unlikely but big movie star, moving on to dramas like The Razor's Edge as well as the classic Mr. Belvedere comedies and the family favorite, Cheaper by the Dozen.

One of the great beauties of '40s films, Gene Tierney in literally her signature role as 'Laura.' 

Gene Tierney is usually touted for her great beauty, and rightly so. During her heyday, critics weren’t often kind, and a few felt that Tierney wasn’t all that Laura was touted to be, by the other characters. Gene wasn't as dynamic of an actress, as say, Vivien Leigh. Yet, Tierney radiated class and intelligence, something that studios went to great pains to give the illusion of in many of their actresses. However, like Leigh, Gene’s picture perfect, placid beauty had an undercurrent of emotional tension, which gave an extra dimension to her performances. Both actresses had turbulent personal lives and struggled with emotional illness, and worked hard to keep an even keel. I think Gene’s background and persona made her perfect as Laura Hunt. Consider that Hedy Lamarr was an early choice for Laura, and it’s easy to see how well Gene Tierney works in the role.

Vincent Price as the weak charmer, Shelby, the type of role that made him a character star instead of a matinee idol.

Vincent Price became typecast after co-starring as Gene's smarmy, slightly campy second-string love interest in both Laura and the next year in Leave Her to Heaven. Yet, Price plays the type so well! Vincent is sly and self-deprecating as boy toy Shelby Carpenter. And Judith Anderson is both sympathetic and sinister as Ann Treadwell, Laura’s aunt and rival for Price’s Shelby.

Dana Andrews is effortlessly natural as the street-smart detective Mark McPherson.

However, the unsung hero of Laura is Dana Andrews as detective Mark McPherson. Andrew’s gumshoe is street smart and tough, but with a tender side, which causes him to fall for Laura's bewitching portrait. Dana Andrews is a bit like Humphrey Bogart, but without the more obvious mannerisms. Andrews is the perfect every man in which audiences can view lovely Laura and her circle of friends. Amidst the movie’s intrigue and baroque characters, Andrews is the movie's rock.

Movie composer David Raskin wrote Laura’s theme, a recurring refrain throughout the film, and became justifiably famous. Later, lyrics later added by the great Johnny Mercer, and became even more popular.

Azadia Newman, wife of the original director of 'Laura,'
was a portrait painter. This was her take on Joan Crawford;
her portrait of Gene Tierney as Laura was not used!

This film is so smooth and near flawless, that it’s hard to fathom that Laura had such a fraught production. Fox’s head honcho Darryl F. Zanuck first refused to let Otto Preminger direct, but only produce. Rouben Mamoulian was brought in, but nobody was happy with his vision of Laura. So Rouben was given the boot, along with his painter wife Azadia Newman’s portrait of Laura. Even with Preminger now on board, Zanuck, a notoriously “hands on” mogul in more ways than one, called for a change in Laura’s ending. That is, until he showed it to columnist pal Walter Winchell, who basically commented, “Great picture, except for the ending!” I’m giving you the Reader’s Digest version, as my Mom likes to say, because the behind the scenes drama is a movie in itself.

Dana Wynter as Laura in '55's 'Portrait of Murder.'

This sublime slice of cinema was hilariously remade as a TV movie in the 1955. Robert Stack, with his glowering eyes and otherwise stony face, plays Dana Andrews’ detective role. The future Untouchables star only demonstrates how subtle Andrews was, compared to Stack, who always sounds like a morose radio announcer. Since this was 20^th Century Fox’s foray into television, who else but Fox contract player George Sanders would do as Waldo Lydecker, right? Sadly, Sanders is on acid-tongued autopilot here and the cartoonish script has his Lydecker getting decked by the detective. Dana Wynter, a pale substitute for Tierney as Laura, comes across like a prim secretary. And since this is ‘50s TV, there’s even a wise cracking kid, who was Laura’s smitten neighbor, and says things like, “Gee, why would anyone want to kill a swell girl like Laura?”

Robert Stack and George Sanders reprised their roles a dozen years later
in yet another TV remake with Lee Radziwill as 'Laura.'

Even stranger was another TV remake over a dozen years later, in ‘68. Aging Robert Stack and George Sanders were trotted out once again as the detective and the columnist, opposite Jackie O's sister, Lee Radziwill, as Laura. Lee was getting mentored by writer/society pal Truman Capote as an actress—I’m surprised Tru didn’t suggest himself as catty scribe Waldo Lydecker! The reviews were lethal and any copies of the production are now hard to come by.

Also, did you know there was a 1962 German TV version of Laura, with Hildegard Knef as Laura? You can watch it on YouTube.

Who remembers the Carol Burnett spoof, 'Flora?'

And TV fans, do you remember Carol Burnett’s spoof of Laura, called “Flora?” I only remember Vicki Lawrence as Bessie, the hysterical maid, and Steve Lawrence as the wisecracking detective. And I’m sure Harvey Korman played the imperious Waldo Lydecker. Does that leave Lyle Waggoner as Shelby Carpenter? I’d love to find this!

So, what do I love about Laura? That it gave Gene Tierney her signature role? That it made Clifton Webb a movie star at 55? That it makes audiences appreciate the naturalistic Dana Andrews even more today? That it has one of the loveliest movie themes ever? Laura is one of those rare films where all the elements come miraculously together, despite what was going on behind the camera, to create movie magic.

1944's 'Laura' all comes together in one lovely film noir.

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB  movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/