Classic Movies - American War Heroes: Sullivans

We would like to conclude our veterans honors week by paying tribute to an entire family of five brothers who, during WW II, gave the ultimate sacrifice--their lives. They became national heroes through this sacrifice. This post is in remembrance of those who bravely fought and/or died for our freedom.

The War Heroes Classic Movie we would like to review today is The Fighting Sullivans (1944). This film was based on a true story about five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, who grew up in a close-knit family, and served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. It chronicled the brothers' childhoods, their mischief, loyalty to each other, romances, and their decision to join up together after the tragic news of Pearl Harbor. The film resonated with a war-weary nation, a reminder of the values for which American troops were fighting.

In November of 1942, the Sullivan brothers were all serving aboard the cruiser U.S.S. Juneau in the Pacific when the ship was torpedoed by the Japanese during the battle of Guadalcanal. The brothers, who had received special permission to serve aboard the same ship, were all killed. The family's tragedy captured the public imagination, and by March of 1943, Twentieth Century Fox revealed that they would make a film about the Sullivan brothers. The film was originally titled The Sullivans (the name was later changed to boost the box office results). In spite of its finale, The Fighting Sullivans is not considered a war film. The brothers' military service took up just a few minutes at the end of the film. As Bosley Crowther wrote in his New York Times review, "It is a story of typical Americans, with love of home and love of family at its core....This is a story of why the Sullivans fought, not how."

The Fighting Sullivans was made with the cooperation of both the Sullivan family and the U.S. Navy. The parents, sister, and Al's widow all watched parts of the filming, and served as technical advisors. Their participation assured that the film was mostly true to the facts, evidently one incident was not. In the film, the officer who signed up the brothers personally delivers the bad news to the family. In reality, the boys’ father, Thomas, was preparing to go to work when the parents were notified of their deaths. Three men in uniform a lieutenant commander, a doctor and a chief petty officer, approached their front door on January 12, 1943, two months after the incident. "I have some news for you about your boys," the naval officer said. "Which one?" asked Thomas. "I'm sorry," the officer replied. "All five." The climactic scene of the Juneau's sinking was shot on the first anniversary of the actual event.

After the deaths of the Sullivan brothers, the Navy declared that family members could not serve on the same ship during wartime. The “Fighting Sullivan Brothers” were national heroes. President Franklin Roosevelt sent a letter of condolence to the parents, Tom and Alleta. The Iowa Senate and House adopted a formal resolution of tribute to the Sullivan brothers. The Sullivan parents traveled at length making speaking appearances at war plants and shipyards on behalf of the war effort. Mrs. Sullivan christened a destroyer named USS The Sullivans after her sons on April 4, 1943. (Al's granddaughter christened another ship named after them twenty-three years later.)

In remembrance of all the soldiers who fought and died for the freedom of the United States, we have dedicated our blog this week. We hope and pray that our country will continue to have the freedoms that have cost our country and our families so dearly. May we never forget the sacrifices our servicemen and women made and still make to protect the love of home and family. We salute the American soldier: U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard. Thank you for making us safe.

**Trivia Question for Today: The Sullivan brothers also had one sister. What was her name?

Trivia Answer from Previous Post: Audie Murphy’s first starring role was in the movie Bad Boy (1949). His character name was Danny Lester.

Classic Movies - Famous Child Star: Margaret O'Brien - Meet Me In St. Louis

Judy Garland and

Margaret O'Brien - 1944

Today we will continue to talk Classic Movie Child Star - Margaret O'Brien. The movie we would like to feature in today's post is probably one of our favorite movies, at least one of our favorite musicals - Meet Me In St. Louis (1944). In her most memorable performance and the one for which she earned her special juvenile Oscar, Margaret O'Brien played Judy Garland's youngest sister "Tootie" in Vincente Minnelli's turn-of-the-century mid-western musical.

Meet Me In St. Louis is a 1944 romantic musical film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which tells the story of four sisters living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair in 1904. It stars Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart, and Joan Carroll, and was released by MGM. The movie was adapted by Irving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe from a series of short stories by Sally Benson, originally published in The New Yorker magazine, and later in the novel 5135 Kensington.

The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli, who met his future wife, Judy Garland, on the set. In the film, Garland debuted the standards "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", which both became hits after the film was released. Another wonderful song, The Boy Next Door, is Judy Garland at her best.

Meet Me in St. Louis is a heart-warming story about the Smith family, who lead a comfortable middle-class life in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Alonzo Smith (Ames) and Mrs. Anna Smith (Astor) have four daughters: Rose (Bremer), Esther (Garland), Agnes (Carroll), and Tootie (O'Brien); and a son, Lon Jr. (Henry H. Daniels Jr.) The film highlights a year in the life of the Smith family, beginning in the summer of 1903. Esther, the second eldest daughter, is in love with the boy next door, John Truett (Drake), although he does not notice her at first. Rose is expecting a phone call in which she hopes to be proposed to by Warren Sheffield (Robert Sully). Agnes has been keeping cool at the swimming hole. Tootie is delightful on the ice wagon helping Mr. Neely (Chill Wills) deliver ice to his customers. The Smith household are anticipating the upcoming World's Fair in St. Louis, echoing the song throughout the opening scenes, Meet Me in St. Louis.

Fall arrives and Esther finally gets to meet John properly when he is a guest at the Smith's house party, although her chances of romancing him don't go to plan. Agnes and Tootie are up to mischief on Halloween, which is one of our favorite scenes of the movie. Tootie is declared "The Most Horrible" from all the neighborhood kids because of her bravery. After all the chaos from the young Smith girl's prank, the family enjoys each other's company while having cake made by their maid, Katie (Main). Then Mr. Smith announces to the family that he is to be sent to New York on business and eventually they will all move. The family is devastated and upset at the news of the move, especially Rose and Esther whose romances, friendships, and educational plans are threatened. Esther is also aghast because they will miss the World's Fair. But father insists that they will move shortly after Christmas. Everyone in the Smith household deems Mr. Smith as a villian and leaves him alone to eat the cake, but Anna consoles him. As Alonzo and Anna sing a duet, one by one the family decides to join them.

Meet Me in St. Louis forwards to the next season, Christmas. The family has been packing and preparing for their move. An elegant ball takes place on Christmas Eve. Esther is devastated when John cannot take her as his date, due to his leaving his tuxedo at the tailor's and being unable to get it back. But she is relieved when her grandfather (Harry Davenport) offers to take her instead. While dancing with Grandpa, she is overwhelmed when John unexpectedly turns up after somehow managing to obtain a tuxedo, and the pair dance together for the rest of the evening. Esther returns home to an upset Tootie. She sings her "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". Tootie, however, does become more upset at the prospect of the family's move and runs downstairs, out into the cold to destroy the snowman they have made. Mr. Smith sees his daughter's upsetting outburst.

Mr. Smith later announces that the family will not leave St. Louis after all when he realizes how much the move will affect his family. He also discovers that St. Louis is a wonderful city, with the 1904 World's Fair just around the corner. John declares his love for Esther and Warren declares his love for Rose and together they state that they will marry at the first possible opportunity. And all of the family finally are able to attend the World's Fair in the spring season.

We highly recommend Meet Me in St. Louis. It is a wonderfully, inspiring movie. The music is great - mixed with romance, laughter and emotions, Meet Me in St. Louis is one of the finest musicals ever made. This film holds a special place in our hearts because we live only 40 miles away from St. Louis! Read "Let's Talk Classic Movies" every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for more classic movie presentations and trivia.

**Trivia Question for Today: Who was originally cast as John Truett in Meet Me in St. Louis?

Bonus Trivia: The house at 5135 Kensington Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri was the actual home of Sally Benson, author of the short stories that Meet Me in St. Louis was based on. There was another well-known movie of the 1940s that used this same house for a family based on a true story. What was the name of the film?

Trivia Answer for Previous Post: The 1942 movie Journey for Margaret inspired her to change her name from Angela to Margaret, because she so identified with the character she played in this film.

Classic Movies - Famous Child Star: Margaret O'Brien - Jane Eyre

Margaret O'Brien and

Joan Fontaine - 1944

This week we will conclude our Back to School month and talk Classic Movie Child Star – Margaret O’Brien. One of the most popular child actresses of the 1940s, Margaret O'Brien was precocious- yet-genuine, and unlike-any-other-girl-in-the-neighborhood in a variety of starring and supporting roles for MGM during the World War II and immediate post-war era. Set apart from other cute faces of the time by her mature acting abilities, Margaret even earned a special juvenile Oscar in 1944. Young Margaret made her film debut at age four in the Mickey Rooney/ Judy Garland musical Babes on Broadway (1941). She didn't sing, but had an uncredited "bit part" as a little girl who auditions for Broadway producer Thornton Reed crying, "Please! Please! Don't send my brother to the chair! Don't let him burn!" It was hardly a role, but it made an indelible impression.

After signing with MGM at age five, O'Brien was given her first starring role in Journey for Margaret (1942), also starring Fay Bainter, Robert Young, and Laraine Day. Her performance as a young war orphan in World War II London made her an instant audience favorite, and MGM wasted no time publicizing her as the most gifted child actress since Shirley Temple (avoiding comparisons with the 1930s song-and-dance prodigy). Recognizing her value as a performer lay in her grown-up acting talents, Journey for Margaret director W.S. Van Dyke called her a young Sarah Bernhardt, and the studio set about trying to find suitable vehicles for its rising star.

In 1944, Margaret was loaned to 20th Century-Fox for another supporting part. She portrayed a young French girl, Adele Varens, in Jane Eyre, which is the movie we would like to feature today. The film was adapted from Charlotte Brontë 's novel of the same name. Jane Eyre also featured two other rising child stars, Peggy Ann Garner and Elizabeth Taylor, though O'Brien received the highest billing of the three girls. Directed by Robert Stevenson, the film stars Joan Fontaine, Orson Welles, Margaret O’Brien, John Sutton, Agnes Moorehead, Sara Allgood, Henry Daniell, and Hillary Brooke.

Jane Eyre begins in Gateshead Hall, where a ten-year-old orphan named Jane Eyre (Garner) is living with her mother's brother's family. The brother, surnamed Reed, dies shortly after adopting Jane. His wife, Mrs. Sarah Reed (Moorehead), and their three children (John, Eliza and Georgiana) neglect and abuse Jane, for they resent Mr. Reed's preference for the little orphan in their midst. In addition, they dislike Jane's plain looks and quiet yet passionate character. Thus, the novel begins with young John Reed bullying Jane, who retaliates with unwonted violence. Jane is blamed for the ensuing fight, and Mrs. Reed has two of the servants drag her off and lock her up in the red-room, the unused chamber where Mr. Reed had died. Still locked in that night, Jane sees a light and panics, thinking that her uncle's ghost has come. Her scream rouses the house, but Mrs. Reed just locks up Jane for longer. Then Jane has a fit and passes out. A doctor, Mr. Lloyd, comes to Gateshead Hall and suggests that Jane go to school.

Mr. Brocklehurst (Daniell) is a cold, cruel, self-righteous, and highly hypocritical clergyman who runs a charity school called Lowood. He accepts Jane as a pupil in his school. Jane is infuriated, however, when Mrs. Reed tells him, falsely, that Jane is a liar. Jane finds life at Lowood to be grim, but is impressed with one pupil, Helen Burns (Taylor), who accepts the school's deficiencies with passive dignity, practicing the Christian teaching of turning the other cheek. Jane admires and loves the gentle Helen and they become best friends, but Jane cannot bring herself to emulate her friend's behavior. While the typhus epidemic is raging, Helen dies of consumption in Jane's arms. Jane refuses to go back to school and has given up until Dr. Rivers (Sutton) encourages her to go back to get educated and prepare her life to do God's work.

Eight years later – Jane Eyre forwards as Jane has been a teacher at Lowood for two years now, but she thirsts for a better and brighter future. Small, plain and poor, Jane Eyre comes to Thornfield Hall as governess to the young French girl, Adèle Varens (O’Brien), ward of Edward Rochester (Welles). Denied love all her life, Jane can't help but be attracted to the intelligent, vibrant, energetic Mr. Rochester, the brooding lord of a mysterious manor house and a man twice her age. But just when Mr. Rochester seems to be returning the attention, he invites the beautiful and wealthy Blanche Ingram (Brooke) and her party to stay at his estate. Meanwhile, the secret of Thornfield Hall could ruin all their chances for happiness.

Will Jane’s love be revealed? Will the secret of Thornfield Hall ruin their lives? We highly recommend watching 20th Century-Fox’s Jane Eyre. Read “Let’s Talk Classic Movies” for more classic movie presentations and trivia.

**Trivia Question for Today: Margaret O’Brien was named Angela Maxine O'Brien at birth. What inspired her to change her name to Margaret?

Trivia Answer for Previous Post: There were 11 movie adaptations made from the novel Treasure Island (including the 1934 version). The first film was made in 1920.