HUMORESQUE d: Jean Negulesco
Humoresque (1946)
Direction: Jean Negulesco. Screenplay: Clifford Odets and Zachary Gold; from Fannie Hurst’s short story. Cast: Joan Crawford, John Garfield, Oscar Levant, J. Carrol Naish, Joan Chandler, Ruth Nelson, Tom D’Andrea, Craig Stevens
Directed by Jean Negulesco from a screenplay by Clifford Odets and Zachary Gold (based on a Fanny Hurst short story), Humoresque always frustrates me because its first 25 minutes are excruciatingly boring — until Joan Crawford finally makes her appearance during a party scene.
Crawford plays Helen Wright, a rich society lush in love with a tough-guy violin player, Paul Boray (John Garfield), who is in love with his music. Fine support is offered by Paul’s parents, played by Ruth Nelson and the fabulous chameleon-like J. Carroll Naish. Oscar Levant is the sarcastic, wisecracking piano player, who plays his part to the verge of annoyance.
The scenes between Paul and his mother are particularly intriguing, as the mother conveys her objection to Helen by lamenting, "There’s something wrong with a woman like that!" Unfortunately, the highly anticipated confrontation scene between the old lady and Helen ends much too abruptly, thus offering no resolution.
Then comes The Concert — and that famous Crawford puss goes to work in the closeup. She looks as though she is having an orgasm while watching him play, with her eyes closed and her mouth open. Crawford never looked better, especially in all those tailored black gowns.
(I always wonder why the near-sighted Helen isn’t wearing glasses in that scene — unless she’s afraid her sultriness would steam them up. Anyway, the glasses seem to be a metaphor for her character’s inability to see that Paul’s music comes first.)
Lastly, Humoresque offers one of the most romantic suicide scenes in celluloid history. Crawford walks into the ocean, drowning to the strains of "Liebestod" from Tristan and Isolde as her lover performs a concert on the radio. As far as I know, apart from the 1925 melodrama Sally, Irene and Mary, Humoresque is the only movie in which Joan Crawford dies.
Now, the only thing that bothers me about the film’s quite good violin scenes is that I keep imagining Isaac Stern standing behind Garfield with his arms wrapped tightly around the actor while manipulating his instrument.
I’d love to have seen those rehearsals.
© Danny Fortune
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
Comments
One Response to “HUMORESQUE d: Jean Negulesco”
Leave a Reply
Note: All comments are moderated. Different views and opinions are welcome, but abusive/bigoted/flaming comments will NOT be approved. Also, please be aware that the Alternative Film Guide has NO contact information for the talent mentioned in this blog or any information pertaining to or access to distributors'/producers' film prints.
Mr. Fortune’s review of Joan Crawford’s performance in Humoresque is right on the money. Any Crawford fan would agree. Good job by Fortune on Crawford. -scarlotta-