Sat 26 Sep 2015
Movie Review: THE REMARKABLE ANDREW (1942).
Posted by Steve under Films: Comedy/Musicals , Reviews , SF & Fantasy films[3] Comments
THE REMARKABLE ANDREW. Paramount Pictures, 1942. Brian Donlevy, William Holden, Ellen Drew, Montagu Love, Gilbert Emery, Brandon Hurst, George Watts, Rod Cameron. Story & screenplay: Dalton Trumbo. Director: Stuart Heisler.
A mildly amusing and engaging comedy-fantasy about several of this country’s forefathers (among them George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and more) coming to life from the past to assist a mild-mannered town accountant (William Holden) in his time of need. First and foremost among them is Andrew Jackson (Brian Donlevy), however, returning a favor — Andrew Long’s great, great grandfather at one time saved Jackson’s life.
It seems that Andrew Long has discovered some discrepancies in the town’s books, and when he won’t go along with hushing it up, the political elite of the city decide to frame him for embezzlement. Convinced by these illustrious guests from the past that an honest democracy is worth fighting for, Andrew Long gives a courtroom speech almost worthy of a Gary Cooper (Mr. Deeds) or Jimmy Stewart (Mr. Smith), but somehow it never caught on. No one’s heard of this movie today.
What is even more interesting is to see William Holden as an actor when he was only 24. Even though he had been picked to star in Golden Boy three years earlier, his acting skills as displayed in Andrew seem rather limited — just suitable enough to play a mild-mannered boy-next-door sort of guy who’s been engaged to a girl for five years waiting for a raise of $2.50 per week before they can get married. There’s nothing in this film to suggest in the slightest that he’d grow up to be an Oscar contender every time the nominations came around.
And oh, yes, one more thing. You may have noticed Rod Cameron’s name in the credits. I’d forgotten he was in the movie while I was watching it, and didn’t even recognize him, not all dressed up as Jesse James the way he was, complete with a wide bandito mustache. I don’t really know why Jesse James was in this movie, but he was.
September 27th, 2015 at 4:04 am
I’ve never seen this, but I remember reading that in Dalton Trumbo’s original novel Jackson issues a stern warning to Holden’s character about not getting involved in WWII. This was in line with the Soviet Union’s non-aggression policy towards Hitler. Trumbo was an ardent Communist and followed the party line. By the time that the film was made, Russia was involved in the war against Germany, and all of these references were removed from the script. Nevertheless, I wonder whether the movie was quietly buried by Paramount during the Red scares of the ’50s, worried by guilt by association with the black-listed Trumbo.
September 27th, 2015 at 7:54 am
Good point,Bradstreet.
Steve, you’re quite right about William Holden. After his debut in GOLDEN BOY it took him years to age and settle comfortably into what became his screen persona. At his peak, he was one of the few actors (Bob Cummings was another) who could play a character having an affair with a married woman and not lose audience sympathy.
September 27th, 2015 at 7:53 pm
I recall this as a favorite when I was younger, then I went years without seeing it and when I finally caught it again I was disappointed. I found it too frantic and forced and whatever appealed to me when I was in middle school was no longer noticeable when I was in late middle age. I need to watch it again and see if I just expected too much on that first reviewing.
This happened to me with a Fred MacMurry fantasy film where he played a 4F whisked through time by a genie. It was a favorite when I was younger and almost unwatchable when I saw it ten years ago.
Growing up is a pain.
This is not a bad film, just not as good as I remembered. The whimsy that this depends on was somehow lost on the adult me. The MR. SMITH part somehow conflicted with the fantasy on a later viewing.
Holden was cast as the all American boy in this era (MISS GRANT TAKES RICHMOND) following GOLDEN BOY which is why his dark turn as that character was such a revelation in SUNSET BOULVEVARD. For a time he seem doomed to play male ingénue’s though in all but a few Westerns and one or two noir outings like UNION STATION and THE DARK PAST.