DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939) *** Jimmy Stewart figures he can clean up the wild west without using firearms. Marlene Dietrich sets fire to the whole thing with song. Naturally, not many people like either of 'em very much. The first hour or so isn't all that much. Not terribly pedestrian, but we've seen Jimmy and Marlene's schtick before. It's good, no matter what you paste it onto. So far as that goes, Mischa Auer steals the funniest scenes, and Irene Hervey is probably a better representation than Marlene of the best of feminine charms, but those aren't exactly the ones that made Marlene famous either. Somehow, her voice was part of it. I'm thinking that the rise of the Nazi party in Germany was tragic for a lot of reasons, obviously, but one of the lower-tier tragedies is that Marlene never made a film with Leni Riefenstahl. They could have revolutionized something, I think, probably in a good way. No more damsels in distress tied to railway ties, anyway. So just as you're satisfied that the best parts of the film are that it's fairly entertaining, and makes you think on profound hypothetical geopolitical tangents, George Marshall busts out Frank Skinner's music at absolute volume, and the entire thing starts taking off so hard, and sideways, that it would probably be a relief if its wheels came off. More surreal than overt surrealism, and more political than most anything that identifies itself that way; it's all kind of a morality tale opening up its raincoat.
back to Brilliant Observations on 1776 Films page, or Index
go back home, or send me email
Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your novel!