Lady in a Cage

Tags

1960's, Ann Sothern, James Caan, Jeff Corey, Jennifer Billingsley, Lady in a Cage, Olivia de Havilland, Rafael Campos, Thriller, Walter E. Grauman

Film Title

Lady in a Cage

Director

Walter E. Grauman

Starring

• Olivia de Havilland as Mrs. Hilyard
• James Caan as Randall
• Jeff Corey as George
• Ann Sothern as Sade
• Jennifer Billingsley as Elaine
• Rafael Campos as Essie

Stark and highly suspenseful, Lady in a Cage is a surprisingly lurid and at times brutal thriller from the 60’s. Parts of it reek of being dated and melodramatic, but I was still surprised by how effective and shocking this movie was at keeping me on edge like all good thrillers.

Mrs. Hilyard, a wealthy widow is recuperating after breaking her hip. To get around her house better, she has had an elevator installed to help her get between the two main floors. With her son away, who she often mollycoddles a lot, Mrs. Hilyard attempts to find something to take her mind off being alone. But when she uses the elevator, which at times resembles a cage, a power failure causes it to stop midway and she is left trapped. She tries to call for help but no one seems to come. That is until the homeless alcoholic stumbles into her home and instead of helping her because of his addiction, steals some of her belongings. He proceeds to visit his only real friend, the weary prostitute Sade. Both are desperate for money so they return to the house to see what else they can hawk for cash. The duo gains the attention of a violent troika of teenage hoodlums; savagely brutal leader Randall, lecherous Essie and violence loving Elaine. The teenagers cotton on to the idea of money and riches and follow George and Sade to the house. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hilyard is slowly beginning to crumble in fear and things get a whole lot worse when Randall and his posse arrive and indulge in games of violence and torment with her, and Sade. Can this civilised and well-bred woman manage to survive the ensuing brutality around her and free herself from the eponymous cage?

Walter E. Grauman coats Lady in a Cage in a bleak and unforgiving light, that makes the events that transpire even more horrifying. Themes of indifference and cruelty are explored with a lot of dramatic impact generated. The fact that when Mrs rings for help no one seems to notice taps into society’s culture of being to busy to notice important things and it is presented against the backdrop of savagery that soon invades her house. The stark and at times harsh black and white cinematography is used to terrifying effect as it brings more darkness to the film, despite the events all taking place over a sunny day. Now it must be stated that Lady in a Cage despite holding up well in various areas, does have parts that have dated badly. The main instance is the inner monologue of Mrs Hilyard, which seems like a good idea but eventually becomes more than a little repetitive. In other instances some of the film gets a bit histrionic, but thankfully due to some of the content that is still shocking today it succeeds above these two flawed elements. A shifting score of tempo and volume ushers in uneasy feelings for the characters and audience.

Olivia de Havilland is excellently cast as the trapped woman of the title. Through her performance, we as the audience share her suffering and turmoil as her civilised world is torn apart and she must fight to survive the carnage. Sympathetic, desperate( as evidenced by the fact that Mrs Hilyard makes her own conversation to alleviate her panic) and traumatised, yet still holding on, de Havilland is oh so marvellous in the part and she displays such tangible emotions that we can’t help but want her to live through the terrifying plight she endures. In his first really substantial film role, James Caan is disgustingly evil as the leader of the gang who delight in terror. He really strikes fear into the heart of this film and many of the shocking events unfold as a result of his character’s cruelty. Jeff Corey and Ann Sothern manage to make their characters, who are in essence thieves sympathetic, because they may break into the house but their violence and means are nothing as vicious as the trio of demented teenagers. And speaking of the horrid teenage hoodlums, Jennifer Billingsley and Rafael Campos as the loyal followers in the gang are equally as creepy and filled with disturbed menace.

A thriller film that isn’t afraid to be shocking and disquieting, Lady in a Cage showcases talented acting and dark subject matter in a highly compelling and difficult way. Archaic as some of it is, one can’t deny the power of the film and what it taps into. Who knew a movie from such a long time ago could still retain a brutal impact?

The Whales of August

Tags

1980's, Ann Sothern, Bette Davis, Drama, Lillian Gish, Lindsay Anderson, The Whales of August, Vincent Price

Film Title

The Whales of August

Director

Lindsay Anderson

Starring

• Lillian Gish as Sarah Webber
• Bette Davis as Libby Strong
• Vincent Price as Mr. Maranov
• Ann Sothern as Tisha Doughty

A splendid cast of cinematic icons stars in The Whales of August; a warm, subtly moving and charming story of growing old and reflecting on life in the twilight years, that takes place over the course of a day and a half.

On a Maine island in an old-fashioned cottage, aging Sarah Webber lives with her older sister Libby Strong. Sarah is the genial, warm yet firm sister, whereas Libby, who has gone blind, is bitter and cantankerous towards everyone around her. The cottage they live in is one they have been linked to for decades. As young ladies, they would stay and watch as the whales passed by. Now all those years later, the two sisters are living together in the autumn of their lives. Yet while there is love between them, Libby’s mean streak and bleak outlook put her at odds with sincere Sarah, who wants to still do things while she’s able to. As the two attempt to make a sort of compromise, they begin to recall their past adventures and events in their lives. Both women are widowed and craving a sense of companionship, but the waspish Libby pushes people away while Sarah is gregarious. Their childhood friend, well-meaning but nosy Tisha Doughty stops by to check on them and reminisces on their friendships over the long years. Also passing by is Mr. Maranov, a member of Russian nobility who is now penniless and depends on the kindness of others. Maranov takes a shine to the sprightly Sarah and this causes her to think of the husband she lost and what she should do about Libby. Should she ask for help with her difficult sister? Or should she stick with her and attempt to reach her buried good side in the hopes of mending their often fractious relationship?

With a natural sense of direction, Lindsay Anderson creates a film of moving warmth and tenderness. He doesn’t overplay anything and makes do with the small but very beautiful setting of Maine. There is no visual trickery to speak of, just good old-fashioned directing that is simple to follow. He allows the actors to really show their ability and never lets them resort to histrionics. In fact, one of my worries before watching The Whales of August was that it would be very dull. I was pleased when I found that the film was anything but. There are those who will say that nothing much happens during the course of the movie. In fact, quite a lot of things takes place over the day and the half the movie covers. It just doesn’t do it in an overly dramatic way, everything is subtle and very authentic. And to be honest, this movie wouldn’t have worked if it was melodramatic and over the top. The tone just feels so right in this movie and while some of it is a bit slow, it is a minor niggle in a beautiful film examining how we react to growing older and the passage of time. There is also a welcome lack of sentimentality to The Whales of August, which benefits the movie hugely. Sure the film is warm and sweet, but it never becomes cloying in the slightest due to the precise direction, subtly drawn drama and work of the actors. A fleeting and very wistful score goes to the heart of the themes on show and creates the nostalgic longing for the past that is expressed by many of the characters.

Lillian Gish, who was 93 at the time of making this movie, is a complete marvel. Sprightly and filled with guile and warmth, she makes Sarah such a beautifully sympathetic character. I liked how Gish didn’t resort to making Sarah just a saint, she showed that she could be firm and decisive, while still recalling the days of her youth with a fondness and bittersweet taste. This was the last film role for Lillian Gish after a career spanning multiple decades, and it was a stunning send off to a gifted actress. Bette Davis, who was old at the time and suffering with her health, also delivers a splendid performance. She is extremely adept at showcasing Libby’s bitterness brought on by age and blindness, but through subtle gestures we see that underneath everything she just wants someone to care for. Davis was not exactly known for her subtlety in her performances, but her work here shows a moving natural progression from waspish to ultimately longing and caring. Vincent Price, in a non-horror role, is suitably amiable and full of grace as Mr Maranov who becomes fond of Sarah. Ann Sothern is utterly delightful as the slightly nosy but always loyal best friend to the sisters.

An evocative study of age, the memories we collect and the autumn years of one’s life, The Whales of August is a beautifully rendered movie, given depth by wonderful direction and especially the work of silver screen legends Lillian Gish and Bette Davis.