The Movie Jar Series: Week 9

 Bringing Up Baby:

“Bringing Up Baby” is a 1930s classic that’s been on my watch list for years. Believe it or not, but this is the first movie I’ve seen with Katharine Hepburn in it! It is a screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks. He also directed “His Girl Friday” which is one of my all-time favorite films, so I was excited to see “Bringing Up Baby”. 

This movie stars Carey Grant as David Huxley, a straight-laced paleontologist who cares very much what others think of him. Katharine Hepburn plays Susan Vance, an heiress who lives her life for herself, without another care in the world. I loved the juxtaposition of these two leads. On the eve of his wedding to another woman, David meets Susan, and quickly gets drawn into her shenanigans. Susan has a pet leopard, named Baby, whom much of the film is centered around. The story takes place over the course of 24 hours, and more twists and turns occur in this time frame than have likely ever occurred throughout David’s life. This series of comedic mix-ups leads to a romantic relationship between the two leads. 

“Bringing Up Baby” is chock-full of one-liners and physical comedy. I feel as if the plot is a little lacking and predictable by modern standards, but the comedic script makes up for this. The plot was fast-paced, yet still managed to drag due to its predictability. Hepburn and Grant delivered in their respective roles. David and Susan had palpable chemistry throughout the film as their two characters bickered over the course of the story. “Bringing Up Baby” is definitely worth viewing if you haven’t seen it yet. While certainly feeling dated, it is fun and quippy.  

Bessie: 

“Bessie” is a biopic based on the life of Bessie Smith. She was a black blues singer during the Jazz Age. I knew very little about her going into watching this film. In college, I read “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” by August Wilson, in which Bessie Smith was a character, but that was the extent of my knowledge on her. This film was a 2015 HBO production starring Queen Latifah as Bessie. 

“Bessie” is not a perfect movie, but it tells a compelling and educational story about the life of Bessie Smith. We see the story of her life unfold in her search for fame as a blues singer. Bessie Smith is a very fascinating character. She is bisexual, and consistently subverts gender norms, which was exceptionally bold to do in the 1920s. She dresses as a man to be permitted into gentlemen’s clubs, preferring to smoke and play poker with men. Her character constantly defies authority, staying true to her own identity regardless of the flak she faces. Bessie refuses to back down and conform to anything or anyone. She rises to fame, eventually touring the country on her own tour train. She faces her own demons, however, on her rise to the top. 

Queen Latifah always shines in her roles, but I have never seen her act as well as she did in “Bessie”. She is the saving grace of this film. She adds so much soul to every musical performance. I don’t have to explain the power of Queen Latifah’s voice to anyone- we all know how gifted she is as a performer! On top of that, she simultaneously adds vulnerability and boldness to Bessie. She was perfectly cast for this role. 

The plot is certainly a little color-by-numbers, and while production quality is high, it ultimately still has the feel of a made-for-television movie. The costumes and set are fantastic, and really transport viewers to the 1920s. We have seen the rise to fall to redemption storyline so many times, particularly in biopics. “Bessie” was not original in this sense. “Bessie” serves to tell the story of an under-appreciated blues icon, emphasizing the impact of her music and the boldness of her personal story. While it is not the most groundbreaking or unique films ever created, I certainly enjoyed it and learned more about Bessie Smith.