The Perfect Furlough

Blake Edwards' The Perfect Furlough introduces Lt. Vicki Loren (Janet Leigh) in a way that's par for the course for films of the era: legs first. Shortly thereafter, we witness the arctic base Loren's team of psychiatrists is assigned to look after slowly going insane from the isolation, pin-ups on nearly every wall. As expected for an Edwards comedy, libido is the picture's driving force.

But what's this "perfect furlough" in question? The men at the base suggest being in Paris with movie star Sandra Roca (Linda Cristal). With a bit of scheming, Cpl. Paul Hodges (Tony Curtis) is the one that goes on furlough but thanks to his "record", Loren has to look after him. But what will ensue once in Paris?

With a script by Stanley Shapiro (who'd write the next Edwards and Curtis picture Operation Petticoat), there's a boatload of lines that just skirt past the censors of the day. (Having Elaine Stritch amongst the cast helps too.) Playing with Edwards' penance for visual gags, they make a strong combination. (It's a shame they didn't collaborate more.)

Being a picture starring real-life couple Curtis and Leigh (the fourth of five, and one of two from 1958), it's patently obvious that they'll end up together before the credits roll. But even with that in mind, it's interesting to see their screen personas interact. She's strait-laced to his freewheeling but as they spend more time together, she relaxes and he calms down. (One wonders if their marriage was similar; probably not, seeing as they divorced four years later.)

The Perfect Furlough is top-tier Edwards (the final third is where it loses steam) but it still holds up today. If there's one thing to take away from this, it's that you see Edwards making his bones in traits that are more prevalent with his comedies in the coming decade. (Mind you, they're more restrained than what was to come.)

My Rating: ****

Experiment in Terror

The name Blake Edwards is usually synonymous with comedy. The Pink Panther series, Victor/Victoria, Operation Petticoat, The Great Race...apart from the occasional romance, this was how his legacy was shaped. But in 1962, he had two San Francisco-set films starring Lee Remick that were most definitely not comedies.

The most famous of the two is Days of Wine and Roses, which got Remick her lone Oscar nomination. The other was Experiment in Terror, which is decidedly more diabolical than Edwards' other works. (Seeing that it opens with Remick's Kelly Sherwood being threatened by a shadowy figure in close-up, that explains everything right there.)

Alongside Remick is Glenn Ford, a regular amongst film noir. As FBI agent John Ripley, he does a role similar to The Big Heat in that he'll seek justice by any means possible. (Okay, not in the same ruthless ways as Dave Bannion.) But will Ripley succeed in capturing the raspy-voiced sociopath?

In very stark contrast to Edwards' other films, Experiment in Terror is not interested in the sake of laughs. (Same with his other 1962 release.) It's an anxious picture, borrowing cues from the likes of noirs past. (It's also one hell of a follow-up to Breakfast at Tiffany's, that's for sure.)

Experiment in Terror may not be Edwards' usual fare but boy, he certainly knows what he's doing. (Apparently, his output from that year convinced him to focus more on the sillier side of life afterward.) And with it being released in a very stacked year for movies, it's clear as to why it's not as known as To Kill a Mockingbird or The Miracle Worker. But should that fact lessen one's curiosity towards it? Of course not.

My Rating: ****

The Pink Panther

Since his passing last year, I managed to catch up on Blake Edwards' work. This year alone, I saw Operation Petticoat, Victor Victoria and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I also saw what is considered Edwards' best known comedy: The Pink Panther. I wouldn't generally say that it's his best comedy, period. (That probably goes to Victor Victoria.)

The cast for The Pink Panther is recognizable by my standards. It stars David Niven, Capucine, Claudia Cardinale, Robert Wagner, and, of course, Peter Sellers. No surprise that Sellers is the focal point here, but he did have more leeway than the others.

And knowing Edwards' sense of humor, I knew what to expect. Basically it involves a somewhat silly concept getting blown out of proportion. Look, after a while, you start picking up small things.

To sum things up, The Pink Panther is entertaining but it gets too silly in parts. Also, the movie starts losing steam when Sellers isn't on screen. But if you need something to watch as a means of relaxing, The Pink Panther is the way to go.

My Rating: ****

Breakfast at Tiffany's

When a movie achieves iconic status, now and then it's clear as to why they're so iconic just from first glance. Other times, you need to watch the movie to understand why.

Take for example Blake Edwards' Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's mainly iconic for the style and glamour Audrey Hepburn displays but underneath all the glitz, it's a much darker tale. It isn't just a love story; it's about a woman's hopes to become something big.

Throughout Breakfast at Tiffany's, we find out more about Holly Golightly (Hepburn) and her past. Holly is different from other Hepburn roles because she's more self-absorbed. She only has hopes of marrying someone rich. She's not interested in feelings. At least until Paul Varjak (George Peppard) shows up.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is pretty good, though I think it's a tad overrated. I mean, as I mentioned, it's considered a love story when it's more than that. Performance wise, I liked Hepburn but I really liked Patricia Neal. (If you're wondering, yes, I found Mickey Rooney's role offensive.) In short, I liked it but not as much as most everyone else does.

My Rating: ****1/2

Victor Victoria

In a sense, Blake Edwards is a little similar to Billy Wilder. They both ventured into identical themes, particularly alcoholism (Wilder The Lost Weekend, Edwards Days of Wine and Roses) and cross-dressing (Wilder Some Like It Hot, Edwards Victor Victoria). The main difference? Edwards' films didn't have the same zest as Wilder's.

We all know that Julie Andrews can belt a tune. And from Victor Victoria, we also learn that she has wonderful comedic timing. She may not be very convincing as a man appearance wise but when it comes to singing, there's no contest.

The three major supporting actors caught my eye. James Garner has the right mixture of charm and humor. Robert Preston cracked me up with his character's flamboyant nature, as noted in the final scene. Lesley Ann Warren felt, to me, like a dumb blonde a la Marilyn Monroe with a Judy Holliday-like voice, and it works.

Oh my God, you can tell that this is a Blake Edwards movie just from the jokes in it. But you have to admit that Victor Victoria is funny as hell. Not as funny as Some Like It Hot, but very close to.

My Rating: *****

Operation Petticoat

After hearing that Blake Edwards passed away last December, I felt upset that I hadn't seen more of his movies when he was alive. I had only seen Days of Wine and Roses, but I felt compelled to see one his comedies.

The comedy I chose was 1959's Operation Petticoat starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis as stuck naval officers (and I might add that they look quite fetching in uniform). Grant is the frazzled Lt. Cmdr. Sherman, Curtis the inept Lt. Holden (an ironic role since Curtis served in the Navy before his trek to Hollywood stardom).

To describe Sherman is pretty easy. He's like David Huxley, Grant's character in Bringing Up Baby. He tries to keep everything under control, but the antics going on around him virtually get him ignored.

Describing Holden is even easier. He's a combination of Sidney Falco and Joe, Curtis' characters in Sweet Smell of Success and Some Like It Hot. All three scheme to get ahead (in Sidney and Joe's cases, they lie; in Holden's case, he lies and steals).

I already heard that Edwards was excellent at making comedies. It's safe to say that claim is true. I was honestly, pun intended, tickled pink by most of the movie. It also showed how great Grant and Curtis were at comedy.

My Rating: ****1/2

Days of Wine and Roses

Alcoholism: a habit that is frowned upon by many and is something nobody wants to admit they're suffering from. For Hollywood standards, it's considered award bait.

Kirsten Arnesen (Lee Remick) is a proclaimed non-drinker. That is, until she meets Joe Clay (Jack Lemmon). They marry and have a child, but the only thing keeping their marriage together is their love of alcohol.

There's one scene in Days of Wine and Roses that had me floored. Joe, returning from a night of drinking, enters his infant daughter's room to stop her crying. Looking at her, he realizes he's looking at innocence, soon noticing the loss of his own. That's heartbreaking stuff there.

This had to be nteresting for both Lemmon and director Blake Edwards. Both of them are getting off of high-profile lighthearted romantic movies (Lemmon in The Apartment, Edwards Breakfat at Tiffany's), and here they are doing an outstanding but bleak movie about alcoholism. Not bad.

My Rating: *****