The screwball comedy
The screwball comedy has been described as
"the sex comedy without sex", but it proves that the
ripping off of the protagonists clothes is not a necessary ingredient to create entertaining films. The genre came as the rigid, censorial production code of the 1930s put an end to topics such as adultery, homosexuality, and drugs being openly addressed on the silver screen. The term 'screwball' was invented by the pitcher Carl Hubbell in the 1930's. "It's a pitch with a particular spin that flutters and drops, goes in different directions, and behaves in very unexpected ways" and the 'screwball' films work in exactly the same way: they are unbalanced, erratic, irrational and unconventional.The films are built upon a sarcastic and witty script with humour driven at the ritualistic humiliation of the male. It is predominantly a female genre, containing an eccentric heroine who saves an anti heroic man from a rigid lifestyle; satirical targets are usually men who work in the law or journalism so their intelligence can be criticised. The great depression and the transition from silent to sound film fuelled the popularity of the 'screwball' genre with an increased fascination of the upper class way of life. The new 'talkies' allowed witty verbal interaction between the protagonists; all which contributes to the farcical battle of the sexes. On the screwball comedy James Arge states:
"It's nuts, it's illogical, it's impossible, and it's hilarious. It's also abundant with endless comic variations, opened to unexpected situations, and primarily grounded in danger."
~http://www.moderntimes.com/screwball/index.html
"I married a witch" (1942)
The film was produced by Paramount pictures but released on the 30th October 1942 by United Artists. Although there is on screen chemistry between Lake and March in reality they didn't get along. Pre-production, March said Lake was "a brainless sex-pot, void of any acting capability" to which Lake replied that March was a "pompous poser": and so, the games begin.
In the opening credits one can hear the wedding theme in the musical score by Roy Webb, hinting on what is to come. The film begins with the burning of Jen and her father at the stake but the scene is made comical by announcing an intermission within the film making reference to the fact that it is a film 'show' and not reality. Then comes the montage, which provides a perfect overview to the Wooley family problems over the succeeding generations. This montage shapes the romantic story or anti-romantic story as it shows the curse in action when the Wooley man would prefer to go to fight in the civil war of 1861 than stay with his wife.Ironically as Wooley is making a speech about "a new...beginning", lightening strikes the oak tree. Although all the audience can see are two clouds of smoke, the essence of the screwball wit is still present as Jennifer states she wishes she had: "lips to whisper lies, lips to kiss a man and make him suffer." Dark: but then a man did burn her at the stake. Jennifer is not seen in body form until her father sets fire to the purposely named Pilgrim Hotel and Wooley has a strange inclination to go inside to 'save' her. This scene switches from being feminist to slightly chauvinist. Although Jennifer does lure in Wooley with her voice, she waits for him to save her and carry her out showing her as a typical damsel in distress. She seems satisfied with her new body but questions Wooley "would you have preferred me brunette?"
Lake is highly sexualised throughout the film by showing her wearing just a coat sitting with her legs on full show or wearing Wooley's pyjamas. She asks countless times whether Wooley finds her attractive, highlighting that she still wants to please her man. She comes out with witty line after witty line, sliding up and down banisters emphasising a sexual innuendo and comically speeds up time when Wooley is giving a long, dull speech on the meaning of true love. However as the film progresses Jennifer seems to lose her authority over Wooley, especially after she drinks the love potion and actually falls in love with him.In the final scenes there is screwball irrationality and mayhem: Wooley is trying to get married but keeps getting interrupted by Jennifers' father Daniel who is trying to get his long awaited revenge on the Wooley family; Jennifer is begging her father not to frame Wooley for murder; Estelle (Hayworth) is trying to get married to Wooley and having to walk down the aisle several times before eventually giving up; Daniel gets arrested for drunken behaviour; and to top it all off theres a wedding singer screeching the beginning of "I love you truly" repeatedly. Awkward, to say the least, and the audience is left wondering whether anybody will get married. Yet, true to screwball fashion, Jennifer does marry Wooley in the end and uses her witchcraft to help further Wooley's career. They have two children, a boy who resembles Wooley and a little girl resembling Lake.
"So my wife's a witch, every man has to make some adjustments."
"I married a witch" (1942) may have been Sol Saks' inspiration for "Bewitched" (1964-72) TV series, but this fact still remains unclear. However this series was one of my favourite growing up: they used to play re-runs on channel 4 on Friday mornings and I could watch the episodes again and again.
Not only does the witch, Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery), have the flowing blonde hair and the deep blue eyes of Veronica Lake but she also doesn't tell her husband, Darrin (played by Dick York 1964-68 and then Dick Sargent 1969-72) that she is a witch until after the marriage ceremony following which the hilarious battle of the sexes begins again, for 8 full seasons. "Bewitched" is a televised representation of the screwball comedy. By the 1960s feminist ideals were becoming more popular but most television shows still had idealised family values and so underwent harsh censorship. Saying this, "Bewitched" is the perfect example for showing these new male fears about women's changing sexuality and evolution of domestic institutions in a subtle way. Samantha is the doting housewife with the 'adjustable' husband who tries to lead a life without witchcraft but with a witty edge:
Darrin: "First your my wife, then you're a witch, and a wives' place is with her husband."
Samantha: "Oh good. I guess that means you want me to play golf with you this afternoon."
The series started out as success, but after a long run ratings dropped as production started to use cheaper looking sets and recycled scripts. In addition many actors were changed and replaced:"with two Darrins', two Louises', two Gladyses', and ten Tabithas, fans of Bewitched prove to be a tolerant lot. only time will tell if they will ever be able to accept another Samantha..."
~ http://harpiesbizarre.com/tabstory.htm
And alas, they definitely didn't with Nicole Kidman in "Bewitched" (2005). But a strong message that both "I married a witch" (1942) and the "Bewitched" TV series portray is that:
"Love is [definitely] stronger than witchcraft"
~ http://beyondfiction.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/i-married-a-witch-review/
So natural (earthly) order is restored, for a while. Coincidentally, as I was researching for this blog entry I found that someone on youtube has combined pictures taken from "I married a witch" and "Bewitched" and put them over the song Witchcraft performed by Frank Sinatra. Brilliant:
No comments:
Post a Comment