Reviews

I have not seen FLYING HIGH yet, so no opinion there, but wanted to respond to Lonesome Prospector's ridiculous and ignorant speculation that Bert Lahr could be copying Curly Howard. Just because you saw Curly first doesn't mean he came first.

Bert Lahr began his performing career in 1910. He worked in vaudeville for 17 years, before making his Broadway debut in 1927. According to his biographer (and son) John Lahr, Bert Lahr had established his "gnong gnong" sound before 1920, as he is working it into his cop-and-dancer vaudeville act with his then-wife in the late teens and early 20's.

Curly Howard had not thought about being a performer until 1932, when brother Samuel (Shemp) left Ted Healy's Stooges, and brother Moe asked little brother Jerry (Curly) to join. At this time, Bert Lahr had already made his feature film debut, and was midway through a career as a Broadway headliner. The Stooges were scrambling through various short subject departments until they wound up at Columbia in 1934. A careful observation of their development shows that Curly had not really set his "schtick" until 1934 or 1935.

You might not think he was a big deal because he made few successful movies, but dollar for dollar Bert Lahr was a much, much bigger star than Curly Howard. Moreover, at the conclusion of his career he performed in the American premiere of WAITING FOR GODOT, did Shakespeare. Aristophanes and Feydeau. Not to say that Curly Howard couldn't have done such things, but he was long dead of a stroke, perhaps precipitated by the years of beatings he'd received from his fellow stooges.

FLYING HIGH might not be much cinematically, but it is priceless artifact of theater history, preserving Lahr as he appeared on stage in his early peak years.

This is a beautiful, compelling and honest film. It is imbued with the good kind of machismo--notions of honor, sacrifice, and the nobility of effort. Instead of cluttering up the film with lots of story and complications, Boetticher has delved inside the heart and mind of this (to us gringos) strange sport.

My only addition to the other comments is the photography is remarkable for its era, almost an outdoor film noir, a romantic realism in black and white. (And note that in a number of shots it is clearly Robert Stack doing his own bullfighting!) I note that the film was produced by John Wayne for Republic, obviously mostly in Mexico; just one year later Republic permitted John Ford to make THE QUIET MAN in Ireland; early examples of American filmmaking in an international context.

Don't hesitate to see this extraordinary film.

This can be a wonderful guilty pleasure, as it mixes a little (and I mean a little) skin, music hall numbers, traditional burlesque routines, a slightly salacious backstage story, and film-style slapstick.

Jason Robards and Norman Wisdom are a very convincing comedy team, although Robards is a bit dark. Give the actor and the filmmakers credit for maintaining the character as a ruthless SOB and not trying to make this guy cute and lovable.

You'll also see Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion) in his last film performance, which had to be truncated as he died during production (his role would have been more important and added a touch of surrealism). Also on hand is Elliott Gould, in pre-"Bob, Carol, Ted & Alice" days as a sweet schnook (and the title character), as well as Forrest Tucker as a gangster, Jack Burns as a candy butcher (that's the guy who sells the crummy boxes of candy that MIGHT have a watch in them--and if you believe that...,) Denholm Elliott (Indiana Jones' friend) as the guy who conducts the raid, as well as some real burlesque dancers and comics from the old days.

Adams and Strouse, who wrote BYE BYE BIRDIE contribute a small group of peppy songs, including "From Head To Toe You're A Gentleman" a duet for Robards and Wisdom (the latter a beloved variety star in Britain) and the immortal production number, "Take Ten Terrific Girls But Only Nine Costumes And You're Cooking Up Something Grand."

Britt Ekland inadvertently invents the striptease (it's complicated, read the plot synopsis), but reliable rumor and legend is that the breasts on display belong to a double. Incidentally, the nudity here is about as extensive as in Titanic, so if your kids have already seen that, this will not corrupt them.

The fact is the whole thing is a curiously innocent Mulligan stew of comedy and music, given its subject matter.

Norman Lear wrote and produced in his pre-ALL IN THE FAMILY DAYS, and William Friedkin directed in his pre-FRENCH CONNECTION days. According to the book "WHEN THE SHOOTING'S DONE THE CUTTING BEGINS" by Ralph Rosenblum, the film's editor, Friedkin shot the film indifferently and left immediately. Rosenblum spent the best part of a year recutting the film with the blessing of United Artists production chief David Picker. Rosenblum uses a technique of editing in hokey old silent footage to indicate to the audience that no one is taking the story too seriously, which lifts the curse over some purple writing and acting. Also Rosenblum seems to have invented a trick of mixing authentic B&W archive footage with new footage printed in black and white, which suddenly switches to color. This is an exciting and startling effect the first couple of times, but it is a bit overplayed.

Anyway, this film is better than you probably think it is, and better than it needs to be. Give it a look, it couldn't hurt.