Feb 3, 2023
Our MGM 1942 episode is a problematic Spencer Tracy double feature in which we're treated to the full range of his persona, from smug saint to semi-demon: George Stevens' brilliant but flawed Woman of the Year, the first Hepburn-Tracy romantic comedy, and Victor Fleming's Tortilla Flat, in which Tracy co-stars with John Garfield, Akim Tamiroff, and Frank Morgan as John Steinbeck's idea of Monterey, California paisanos. We try to explain just how Woman of the Year's humanist critique of feminism ends up going so badly wrong, but defend its infamous ending, before moving on to Tortilla Flat's critique of the work ethic and property ownership. And in Fear and Moviegoing in Toronto, we react to a 35th anniversary screening of Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin buddy pic Midnight Run.
Time Codes:
0h 00m 45s: WOMAN OF THE YEAR [dir. George Stevens]
0h 46m 58s: TORTILLA FLAT [dir. Victor Fleming]
1h 10m 55s: FEAR & MOVIEGOING IN TOROTNTO – Midnight Run (1988)
Studio Film Capsules provided by The MGM Story by John Douglas Eames
Additional studio information from: The Hollywood Story by Joel W. Finler
+++
* Marvel at our meticulously ridiculous Complete Viewing Schedule for the 2020s
* Intro Song: “Sunday” by Jean Goldkette Orchestra with the Keller Sisters (courtesy of The Internet Archive)
* Read Elise’s latest film piece on Preston Sturges, Unfaithfully Yours, and the Narrative role of comedic scapegoating.
* Check out Dave’s new Robert Benchley blog – an attempt to annotate and reflect upon as many of the master humorist’s 2000+ pieces as he can locate – Benchley Data: A Wayward Annotation Project!
Follow us on Twitter at @therebuggy
Write to us at therebuggy@gmail.com
We now have a Discord server - just drop us a line if you'd like to join!