Quote of the Week

Posted by Marisa on December 13, 2015

This week’s quote is from an independently published memoir by and about Robert Austin Brady, acting coach and former member of the American Mime Theater. He was briefly employed as assistant and driver to Stanley Kubrick, just before Kubrick started shooting 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Apparently while driving Kubrick around, Brady got a chance to chat with him quite a bit about his films. While discussing Paths of Glory (1957), this choice interchange occurred. It is a remarkable, and let’s face it, rather disappointing read, for Kubrick throws major shade at Timothy, and also at Karl Malden.

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BOB: Absolutely. I think that was Kirk Douglas‘s best performance, and George Macready, who can also play heavy-handed, was terrific. And Timothy Carey, in several scenes, was riveting–unforgettable. You cast him earlier, in “The Killing“.

SK: Never again. He was wild–almost dangerous to have around. He was almost impossible to direct. He never matched his movements to his lines. He accidentally hit Ralph Meeker so hard in the face that we had to stop shooting for the day. He was brilliant, but impossible. As a matter of fact, my next film was going to be “One Eyed Jacks” with Marlon Brando as star/producer. I brought in Calder Willingham to adapt the script. Calder and I adapted “Paths of Glory“. I worked on the script for two months but then I decided to drop the project. My main reason was that Brando fired Calder, and my enthusiasm faded. The other factor was casting. Marlon had promised Karl Malden and Timothy Carey, the co-starring parts. I knew Karl Malden was not a worthy adversary for Marlon. He lacks charm and empathy. I don’t think he’s a good actor. I wanted Paul Newman for the part, or somebody like that, somebody the audience could feel some sympathy for and I certainly didn’t want to work with Timothy Carey again. So, Brando wound up directing.

Robert A. Brady, “Vis-A-Vis (Bob Brady and Stanley Kubrick have a conversation)”, from Tales, Observations & Notes: BOB An Actor’s Mentor by Susan Doukas Brady; CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 11, 2012)

One-Eyed Jacks

Quote of the Week

Posted by Marisa on September 27, 2015

Scene

1957 / Paths of Glory – Timothy Carey kills a cockroach.

U.S. Director: Stanley Kubrick. Cast: Ralph Meeker, Timothy Carey.

Why It’s Key: A quintessential character actor achieves his apotheosis when his character kills a bug.

To cover up his vain blunders, a French general (George Macready) in World War I orders three of his soldiers (Ralph Meeker, Joe Turkel, Timothy Carey), chosen almost at random, to be court-martialed and then shot by a firing squad for dereliction of duty, as an example to their fellow soldiers. When their last meal is brought to them, they can mainly only talk desperately about futile plans for escape and the hopelessness of their plight. Then Corporal Paris (Meeker) looks down at a cockroach crawling across the table and says, “See that cockroach? Tomorrow morning, we’ll be dead and it’ll be alive. It’ll have more contact with my wife and child than I will. I’ll be nothing, and it’ll be alive.” Ferol smashes the cockroach with his fist and says, almost dreamily, “Now you got the edge on him.”

We’re apt to laugh at the absurdism and grotesquerie of the moment — especially Timothy Carey’s deadpan delivery, as if he had a mouthful of mush and was soft-pedaling the phrase like Lester Young on his tenor sax. One of the creepiest character actors in movies, he doesn’t fit the period; even if we accept him as a French soldier, accepting him as one in World War I is more of a stretch, because he registers like a contemporary beatnik. That’s also how he comes across in East of Eden, One-Eyed Jacks, The Killing, or The Killing of Chinese Bookie. But for precisely that reason, he gives the line the existential ring it deserves.

Jonathan Rosenbaum, “Five Key Moments,” from Defining Moments in Movies, edited by Chris Fujiwara (London: Cassell, 2007)

Pic of the Day: “Andrew Johnson” revisited

Posted by Marisa on March 25, 2014

Our pic of the day today takes another look at the Profiles in Courage episode “Andrew Johnson”. It was first broadcast on February 28, 1965. Timothy is a ruffian by the name of Hartwick, the leader of a gang of disgruntled torch-bearing voters out to intimidate President Andrew Johnson (Walter Matthau).

Profiles in Courage took as its jumping-off point the 1957 book by then-Senator John F. Kennedy. The series provided work for many of Tim’s past and future colleagues, including Ted de Corsia (in this episode, actually), John Cassavetes and George Macready. It is long overdue, in my humble opinion, for an official DVD release.

Pic of the Day: “Unwed Mother” revisited

Posted by Marisa on November 4, 2013

Today’s pic takes another look at Unwed Mother (1958), Walter Doniger‘s cautionary tale of what can happen when you do the hanky-panky without benefit of marriage. As the beleaguered title character, Norma Moore pays a visit to Timothy’s unnamed back-alley abortionist. The expression on his face tells us all we need to know of his opinion of this little trollop – er, unfortunate woman.

Doniger began his Hollywood career as a scriptwriter in the 1940s. He directed his first film, Duffy of San Quentin (featuring two of Tim’s future Paths of Glory co-stars, George Macready and Joe Turkel), in 1954. He really made his mark in television, directing scores of episodes from the 1950s through the 70’s. His directing style was apparently a bit brusque. According to Robert Vaughn’s autobiography, while shooting this film Doniger clashed with Tim over certain characterizations Tim wished to bring to his character. Tim was forced to back down after Doniger threatened to have him kicked out of the Screen Actors Guild.

Video of the Week: “Paths of Glory”

Posted by Marisa on September 11, 2013

This week’s video comes to us once again from the fine folks at Movieclips.com. It features our first glimpse of Pvt. Maurice Ferol in Paths of Glory (1957), as General Mireau (George Macready) chooses him at random for his standard condescending pre-battle pep talk.

Macready was one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time, with his cultured voice, patrician delivery and genteel but sinister air of superiority. He and fellow art connoisseur Vincent Price opened a very successful art gallery, the Little Gallery, in Beverly Hills in 1943. They were unfortunately forced to close it as their film careers demanded more and more of their time. By the way, that scar on Macready’s cheek was real, the result of a college auto accident.