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By
NICK ZEGARAC
"The Gary Cooper Collection"
is a very nicely put together compendium of the
actor's early film work at Paramount that has long
been overdue for release on DVD. The collection
consists of Design for Living, Beau Geste, The
General Died At Dawn, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer
and Peter Ibbetson. The one regret herein is that
Universal Studios has been remiss in releasing
these films without the benefit of audio
commentaries, featurettes, documentaries or even a
brief bio on Gary Cooper. Hence, what we are left
with is five good reasons why Coop's legend
endures without any contextualization of the
period in which his greatest popularity was
attained.
"Design for Living" (1933) is a delightful
romantic farce about two Americans, playwright Tom
Chambers (Fredric March) and painter George Curtis
(Gary Cooper) who share everything in life. This
includes an impoverished flat in Paris. But when
they both fall for the free-spirited gal about
town, Gilda Farrell (Miriam Hopkins), the rule of
share and share alike gets stretched too far. To
resolve the issue, Gilda decides to move in with
them under a 'gentlemen's agreement'. She'll
critique their work and remain by their side but
never sleep with either of them. But when Tom goes
to London to supervise preliminary production on
one of his plays just how long will that
gentleman's agreement last? The film is based on a
not too successful Broadway production. But writer
Ben Hecht and director Ernest Lubitsch pretty much
ditched everything but the title and one memorable
line from the original story in favor of crafting
an alternative fiction that is both engaging and
witty. The DVD image on Design for Living is
perhaps a smidgeon softer than one would expect,
but clear nonetheless. The grayscale has been
rendered with considerable care, with solid deep
blacks and almost clean whites. There is a
definite grain structure but one that is not
obtrusive. Age-related artifacts are present but
do not distract. The audio is mono but sufficient
for the presentation.
Henry Hathaway's "The Lives of a Bengal Lancer"
(1935), at least in retrospect, seems to herald
the coming of the best film in this collection --
Beau Geste -- though without the latter's zest for
generating excitement or thrills. In this film,
the Bengal Lancers stand as a stoic bastion of
defense on the Northwest Frontier of British
India, guarding against invaders led by dastardly
Mohammed Khan (Douglas Dumbrille). They are led by
experienced and defiant Lieut. Alan McGregor
(Cooper), who is joined by two new recruits at the
start of the film; the self-important Forsythe
(Franchot Tone) and the naïve Donald Stone
(Richard Cromwell). The latter is the son of the
commanding colonel who expects his offspring to
follow in his galvanic footsteps and make
something of his commission in the regime. But the
rest of the film is rather a disappointment to
what one might have expected from a story taking
place in such an exotic locale; in fact, it's pure
soap opera for the most part -- following the boys
about in their daily routines to illustrate the
means by which a gradual reconciliation transforms
three pensive enemies into friends who are destine
to face down Khan's marauding armies. The DVD
transfer for The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is a
little worse for the wear than others in this
collection. Though the balancing of the grayscale
is quite satisfactory, age-related artifacts and
considerable film grain are present throughout.
There is a tendency for the image to appear softer
during long shots and more refined in medium shots
and close ups. Fine details are rarely present for
an undistinguished visual quality. The audio is
mono but nicely balanced.
Director Hathaway and star Cooper's other entrée
of that year, "Peter Ibbetson" (1935) is a
curiosity of sorts; a bittersweet Ruritanian
fairytale that ends badly for all concerned. It
begins with a young Peter's (Dickie Moore) vivid
recollection of his mother's death and his
fanciful childhood relationship with neighborhood
tomboy, Mary (Virginia Weidler). There's not much
really to recommend the fervent haunted image that
Peter carries with him once he is removed from his
home and instilled in the profession of an
architect in London. Peter -- now an adult
(Cooper) is hired by the Duke of Towers (John
Halliday) to design some stables. What he
discovers is that Duchess of Towers is Mary. But
from here on the story departs from its romantic
idealism. It eventually degenerates into a gothic
nightmare in which Peter is sentenced to life in
prison for the Duke's accidental killing. There he
endlessly fantasizes about the life that might
have been until his death. A downer in every
sense, the film is a misfire for Cooper who is
trapped in a characterization he neither
understands nor is able to relate to. The DVD
transfer on Peter Ibbetson has been very nicely
rendered. An almost clean, excellently balanced
and contrasted image with minimal film grain and
age-related artifacts greet the viewer. The audio
is mono but nicely balanced.
"The General Died At Dawn" (1936) is a typical war
torn melodrama that attempts to fit Gary Cooper
into the fedora and trench coat that would later
become Humphrey Bogart's stock and trade. On Coop'
the effect is not quite so settling. As an
American mercenary known only as O'Hara, Cooper is
somewhat ill at ease -- his tender everyman image
being pulled against type. O'Hara's been entrusted
to defuse a volatile rebel situation under the
command of warlord General Yang (Akim Tamaroff).
As per Hollywood lore, on the train to Shanghai
O'Hara falls in love with Judy Perrie (the
statuesque Madeleine Carroll). But, unbeknownst to
O'Hara, Judy's father is Yang's right hand.
Throughout the story Judy struggles between her
affections for O'Hara and her commitment to daddy
-- leading to a perilous, though inevitable
conclusion. The DVD transfer on The General Died
At Dawn is a tad disappointing. Film grain is
considerably heavier than on most of the other
transfers, and contrast levels are a tad low for
an image that is generally dull. Age-related
artifacts are persistent and occasionally
distract. The audio is mono but has an audible
background hiss and pop during quiescent scenes.
William A. Wellman's "Beau Geste" (1939) is
probably the best remembered film in this
collection. It stars Cooper in the title role.
Together with his brothers, John (Ray Milland) and
Digby (Robert Preston), the three are an
inseparable troupe of playboys living in the lap
of luxury under the patronage of Lady Patricia
Brandon (Heather Thatcher). However, the times are
not suitable for opulence and wealth. After Lady
Brandon's prized jewel goes missing Beau escapes
to the foreign legion. He is quickly pursued by
his brothers. But the three soon find themselves
under the unscrupulous command of Gen. Markoff
(Brian Donlevy) who, after learning of the
mystery, is determined to discover which brother
has the famed jewel in his possession. Buttressed
by thrilling action sequences and a genuinely
moving ending, Beau Geste is action/adventure on a
grand scale -- a film worthy of our respect and
admiration for the golden age of Hollywood film
making that continues to captivate both our hearts
and our minds. The DVD transfer for Beau Geste is
the best looking of the lot. Exceptionally
rendered with fine details present in every shot
and a nicely contrasted grayscale with minimal
age-related artifacts, the image quality
throughout will absolutely NOT disappoint. The
audio is mono but very nicely balanced and with a
clarity that is all the more remarkable when one
considers that the print is over seventy years
old. |
