During World War Two: 1939 Movie Recs

To wrap up the “During World War Two” series, and I can’t believe we’re wrapping it up because I LOVE it, I thought it would be nice to pick my Top Ten or Top Twelve recommendations for every year of the war. These will be in chronological order, so ranking won’t be a thing. I’ll have reviewed a lot of these recs, so where possible I will link to the articles if anyone wants further info.

1939, of course, is still the most successful year in Hollywood history, with hit after hit after hit, but we’re going to focus on the movies that came out after war was declared. Well, with one exception, and that would be…

The Wizard of Oz (August 25)

Yes, technically this movie came out right before the Second World War started, but I always include it in World War Two recommendations because it meant so much to people in the service and out, all over the world. Someone wrote a parody of “We’re Off To See the Wizard” called “We’re Off to See Herr Hitler” which was sung during the D-day invasion, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” always brought up feelings of longing for those who missed loved ones and those who were far from home.

The Women (September 1)

The Women would have immediately followed The Wizard of Oz in MGM’s release schedule, and it premiered on September 1, the day the war started. A sumptuous mix of rapid-fire dialogue, deft character development, biting wit, and wall-to-wall fashion, this movie would have been rather decadent if it had been released later in the war, as fashion was somewhat curtailed by rationing. And yes, the Technicolor fashion show in the middle of the proceedings must have seemed a little random (it still does today), but it’s undeniably eye-popping. Read my review here.

Intermezzo (September 29)

Intermezzo, the story of a renowned violinist who has an affair with his accompanist, has an interesting history. Not only was it Leslie Howard’s bargaining chip, as he only agreed to play Ashley Wilkes on the condition that Selznik allow him to produce this film, but it was Ingrid Bergman’s first English-language title. Intermezzo closely remakes the Swedish version of the same film and is not as noticed nowadays as much as it deserves. Read my review here.

Jamaica Inn (October 13)

A young woman goes to visit her aunt and learns, much to her horror, that her uncle is involved in a profiteering racket. Widely considered one of Alfred Hitchcock’s worst movies, Jamaica Inn is still remarkable because it marks the film debut of an eighteen-year old Maureen O’Hara.

Babes In Arms (October 13)

1939 was a busy year for both Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, but especially Judy, who would have two hit movies within a couple of months of each other. Babes In Arms showcases both Mickey and Judy’s musical talents nicely, as well as those of June Preisser, Sidney Miller, Betty Jaynes and Douglas McPhail. While some aspects of the film are dated, Babes In Arms has a lot of staying power, and the Broadway show it’s based on still sees revivals in both community and professional theater. Read my review here.

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (October 19)

James Stewart is, of course, the man, the myth, the legend, and one of his best-known and best-loved parts was of Jefferson Smith, green-as-grass junior senator who learns a thing or two about the cutthroat world of politics. Partially derided in its day for hitting too close to the jugular, the film is still immensely relevant to our current day and can teach us a thing or two about patriotism and what makes the United States a special place. Read my review here.

The Roaring Twenties (October 28)

James Cagney is another man, myth, legend, and here he plays opposite Humphrey Bogart, who was still in his second banana stage. Both play soldiers who return from World War One to find that the world has moved on without them. Each of them has to figure out how to handle their now-foreign existences and it doesn’t play out so well. An excellent film, The Roaring Twenties was one of the last of the gangster films so prevalent in the nineteen-thirties. Read my review here.

Ninotchka (November 23)

We’ve all heard how everyone waited with bated breath to hear Garbo utter her first audible words of dialogue in Anna Christie. In Ninotchka, everyone waited to hear Garbo laugh, and delightfully so. This charming, sparkling Ernst Lubitsch comedy is a lot of sumptuous fun and full of surprises. Read my review here.

Gone With the Wind (December 15)

It’s hard to explain how highly-anticipated Gone With the Wind was in 1939. Margaret Mitchell’s novel was a best-seller, everyone had their own ideas as to who should play which part, and the public would accept nothing less than a superb adaptation of the material. Selznik and Company more than delivered, although it would take plenty of blood, sweat, tears, and headaches. Controversial in its day and today, Gone With the Wind is nonetheless a work of art and a remarkable character study, both within the movie and without it. Read about the night the film premiered at the Fox Theater in Riverside here.

Mexican Spitfire (December 23)

The second installment in the Mexican Spitfire series, this film released only six months after its predecessor, The Girl From Mexico and featured Lupe Valez as Carmelita, a Mexican woman with a fiery temper. Quite a few of the stories involve Carmelita’s husband, Dennis, trying to ink business deals with the distinguished Lord Epping, who bears a remarkable resemblance to Dennis’s Uncle Matt. While these films are pretty much of their time, they’re also undeniably hilarious.

Another post is coming out tomorrow. Thanks for reading, all, and I hope to see you then…

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The Wizard of Oz (Blu-ray and DVD), The Women (Blu-ray and DVD), Intermezzo (Blu-ray), Jamaica Inn (DVD), Babes In Arms (DVD), Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (Blu-ray and DVD), The Roaring Twenties (Blu-ray and DVD), Ninotchka (Blu-ray and DVD), Gone With the Wind (Blu-ray and DVD) and Mexican Spitfire (DVD) are available from Amazon.

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