Grant, Cary Grant

Cary Grant was probably the most glamorous, magical star Hollywood has ever produced. But not everyone agrees. For instance, here's a comment by reader Denver Guy:

"I've never been a big Cary Grant fan apart from [North By Northwest]."

Well, let me make some suggestions for Grant films you might check out. Unfortunately, my main suggestion is watch his films on a big screen with an audience. Good films usually work best this way, and it's especially important for comedies. It's also helpful for an actor who's so charming, and has calibrated his performance for the big screen.

His name was Archie Leach. He was born in 1904, in England. A child performer, he came to America in 1920 and stayed. As a young, tall, handsome adult (with that weird accent) he worked on Broadway until Hollywood beckoned. He signed with Paramount (some say as a threat to a recalcitrant Gary Cooper) but worked with all the studios. He also changed his name.

From 1932 to 1936, he'd make four or five films a year, and while he had fans, he really hadn't found himself on screen yet. But occasionally, films such as George Cukor's, Sylvia Scarlett, where he played a Cockney con man, showed there was more here than just a pretty face.

Then, in 1937, with Topper and, more important, The Awful Truth, the charming, witty, delightfully screwball Cary Grant burst forth. He became a major star, and remained a top romantic lead until the day he retired--voluntarily--in 1966.

From 1937 to 1941, he had a streak of great films almost unparalleled in Hollywood--he averaged three films a year, almost every other one a classic. He was the king of romantic comedy, but also tried and succeeded at a few other genres.

For the rest of his career, he'd rarely match those heights. This is because he was now an independent agent, big enough to choose his roles, and, for the most part, played it safe. He gave the audience what it wanted--the hero, the charmer, the man all the women chase after. Indeed, some would say after 1941, the only director who ever challenged him, and took him out of his comfort zone, was Alfred Hitchcock.

He's usually worth watching, but I admit his films vary greatly in quality. So here are some highlights you might consider, in chronological order:

The Awful Truth (1937). The film that made Grant a star, and one of the essential screwball comedies.

Bringing Up Baby (1938). Grant's first film as Katharine Hepburn's romantic lead, and one of the wildest, and darkest, screwball comedies.

Holiday (1938). Another with Hepburn where he's funny, but plays it a little straighter. He also gets to show off (with the help of a stunt man) some of the acrobatics he did as a child performer.

Only Angels Have Wings (1939). Howard Hawks' adventureland, where Grant plays a tough as nails pilot when he's not romancing the girl (mostly by ignoring her).

Gunga Din (1939). An epic adventure that George Stevens, with a lot of help from Grant, basically turns into a comedy.

His Girl Friday (1940). The fastest-talking comedy ever, where Grant and costar Rosalind Russell face off romantically as editor and reporter, all while chasing after the big story.

The Philadelphia Story (1940). While Jimmy Stewart and Katharine Hepburn carry most of the plot, Grant steals the film by making smart comments from the sidelines.

Penny Serenade (1941). Grant together again with Irene Dunne, this time flirting on the edge of overacting in a melodrama.

Suspicion (1941). His first film with Hitchcock, who brings out the unsavory side of Grant as no one else.

Arsenic And Old Lace (1944). Capra has Grant overact as never before. Grant hated it, but it's fun to see how far he was willing to go in this farce.

Notorious (1946). From Hitchcock, another ride full of ambiguity.

Charade (1963). Stanley Donen does ersatz Hitchcock, and the film is as much about playing on the "Cary Grant" character (this time with a new Hepburn--Audrey) as it is about the plot.

As you can see, the majority of titles I chose are from that 1937-1941 run. But I don't mean to imply the stuff he made before and after is worthless. Quite a few of those films are very enjoyable, if fairly conventional. And most of them, especially those made after 1941, were hits, so someone must have liked them.