Morocco (1930)

Crappy film

A Masterpiece!

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

No discernible plot. Cooper smirking his was through his role. Dietrich showing just a hint of her allure. Those eyes. Those legs. As Hedley Lamarr says to Lily Von Schtupp in Blazing Saddles, ''Lily, Lily, Lily, oh legs, oh Lily." Dietrich even utters the line, ''When will I see you again,'' after one embrace with Cooper. Mel Brooks was even better at stealing old movie clips and re-making them for comedy than Quentin Tarantino is at stealing things for his violence p0rn. Adolph Menjou was a treat, as usual but he doesn't get enough screen time compared to the wooden Cooper. All considered this movie amounts to nothing, proves nothing, advances nothing technically, leaves no impression. Merely a historical footnote because it brought Dietrich to America.

Copyright 5 December 1930 by Paramount. New York opening at the Rivoli: 14 November 1930. U.S. release: 6 December 1930. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward: 25 February 1931 (ran five weeks). 12 reels. 8,237 feet. 91 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Café singer falls for legionnaire.NOTES: Nominated for annual awards from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the categories of Best Actress (Dietrich), Best Directing (von Sternberg), Best Cinematography (Garmes), and Best Art Direction (Dreier). Number six on the National Board of Review's list of the Best American Films of the Year. Paramount's top-grossing picture of 1931 in the U.S.A., Canada, and Australia. Dietrich's Hollywood debut, and one and only acting nomination from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.COMMENT: Few actresses made a more powerful Hollywood debut than Marlene Dietrich. The critics tossed rich superlatives her way, while the cinema public dug deep for hard-to-spare Depression coins. Morocco offered a timely escape from grim urban realities into a vivid yet vigorous world of cinema romance. It still does! As expected, von Sternberg never falters in his search for rich pictorial effects. From the stunningly beautiful sets of Menjou's home to the atmospherically lattice-worked shadows of the casbah, every frame if the film is almost breathtaking in its visual impact. The use of sound effects is also quite noteworthy. For most films, it's primarily the images (and of course the dialogue) that stays in the memory. But for Morooco, who cannot also recall all three of Marlene's huskily inviting songs (at least in the version I saw. I believe one of the songs was cut from domestic prints), the shouts of appreciation from the raucous audience at Paul Porcasi's café, and the blare of the legion's band as the soldiers march away. It all comes to a splendid climax too, with gripping images that are absolutely unforgettable. Cooper and Dietrich have a fascinating on-screen chemistry which was later cleverly exploited by Frank Borzage in Desire (for which Marlene was billed above Gary)! AVAILABLE on DVD through Universal in a Marlene Dietrich Glamour Collection box set. Quality rating: 9 out of ten.

Marlene Dietrich was one of the original film sirens and brilliant actresses in film history. In this film, she plays a singer from Paris in Morocco where she falls in love with two men. The film was directed by Josef Von Sternberg, one of her favorites. The film was filmed in 1930 in the early years of the talking film industry. This film also displayed a rare kiss between Dietrich in a man's outfit kissing a woman in the audience early in the film. It's rare in 1930 but the kiss was shocking then. It's done well without overdoing it. Dietrich's performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and it was well-earned. Gary Cooper played Tom Brown, a member of the Foreign Legion. She falls in love with him although the film's script could have been stronger. Regardless, just watching Marlene Dietrich is a joy in any film. She brings so much to the screen in her facial expressions more than words could ever say.

Gary Cooper meets Marlene Dietrich in this good-looking film. Need we say more! But I will say that Gary has never looked so appealing and so young. He was very much a pretty boy in his younger days. And, Marlene is a great entertainer with the help of memorable songs.The plot, who cares! But seriously, there is very little to know. Adolphe Menjou is in love with her, but she basically won't have much to do with him, as long as Coop is around. My favorite little detail is the way it opens and closes. Look closely at the people walking and the animals by them. Its predictable premise may not be much to intrigue the hard to please, but with Marlene who's so good she was nominated for Best Actress, it should be a great way to spend a night at the movies.