Comments on: James Stewart: Artfully Simple

By: Samantha

Samantha — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:35:14 +0000

I always melt when I hear him go through that “hellfires and holocausts bit” in A Philadelphia Story. He and Cary Grant had great moments in that film.

He’s never made my favorites list but I always smile when I see him on the screen. That poem about Beau always makes me tear up because it is honest in its simplicity, just like Jimmy was.

By: TCM’s Movie Blog

TCM’s Movie Blog — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:04:06 +0000

[...] the Westerns that Anthony Mann made between 1950-1955 with the squarest of actors, Jimmy Stewart, there’s also an appealing grandeur and all too human unruliness in the movies that appeals [...]

By: moira

moira — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:12:19 +0000

Hi Jim,I'm very grateful that you took time to post your comment. I think we all have our favorites among James Stewart's movies. The absence of a mention of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in this article was primarily because: 1.) It is not among my favorite roles for Mr. Stewart, whose skittish performance is very well-balanced by his co-stars Claude Rains and Jean Arthur. While I generally prefer James Stewart's often fine post-war work, The Mortal Storm is an exception and might deserve to be better known by today's audiences. 2.) So much has previously been written about this Frank Capra film that my words would be superfluous. I do think that I'll be writing about the screenwriter Robert Riskin in the near future, however. After reading the recent bio of Mr. Riskin, called In Capra's Shadow: The Life and Career of Screenwriter Robert Riskin by Ian Scott (University of Kentucky Press, 2006), and the very well written autobiography of Fay Wray (who was Mrs. Riskin from 1942-1955), called On the Other Hand: Fay Wray; Riskin seems to be among the most interesting and shadowy creative figures behind Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I'm sure that I'll look at Mr. Smith... more closely again when I try to take a brief look at Riskin's career here. I hope that you'll find it worthwhile and will comment on it too. Thanks again!

By: jim

jim — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:41:47 +0000

I enjoyed your tribute to jimmy stewart but, I was surprised you did not
mention one of his best performances, Mr. Smith goes to
Washington (1939).

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 23 May 2008 23:57:42 +0000

Moira–I didn't even realize you're the one who wrote
this–I'm very familiar with you from the TCM boards. Thank you for
the kind words. I'm not saying I disliked everything he did, just
the ones for which he's most famous. I remember seeing The
Cheyenne Social Club with my mother back in the 1960's and I still
have fond memories of that one. I was so disappointed in the tribute to
him the other day. Besides The Mortal Storm I didn't watch at all
that day. It had all the usual suspects. And while I've seen most of
Hitchcock's films, I don't really enjoy them with a few
exceptions. But that's not why we're here–to discuss Hitchcock.
I do appreciate what Stewart meant to cinema and why he's held in
high regard.

By: moira

moira — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:13:32 +0000

Hi John,I partially agree about the narrowness of James
Stewart's range, (wouldn't want to see him in a
medieval story, would you?), but his development from the pre-war years
on is exceptionally well done. Some believe that
Stewart, like other stars of his time, transcended
story and directors, re-creating his character repeatedly on
film–though that description may overlook the skill involved in doing
just that. As the actor mentioned in 1987, "I'd like to be
remembered as somebody who worked hard for what happened, and who had
certain values that he believed in." I'm not enamored of all
the values that Mr. Stewart mirrored for us in his
time, but I've great respect for his work ethic and for what appears
to be a remarkably decent life on and off screen. Thanks very much for
your incisive comments.Oh,
Patricia,
You're very welcome about the warning about
"Beau". I think that the "poetry readings" by
Stewart on The Tonight Show deserved to be
recalled, since his recitations were miniature performances in
themselves and like his larger, better remembered turns, a blend of the
touchingly real, the sentimental and the awkward. Hi
Helen,I share your affection for The Mortal
Storm. I think that this was one occasion when Margaret
Sullavan & Frank Borzage helped to bring
out the best in an unsure Stewart, (as well as
Frank Morgan, who was excellent). I understand your
feeling about the over-familiar Stewart films, which is
why I tried to focus on two of his less appreciated performances, both
of which indicated his growing skill. I find that avoiding his
best known films for a couple of years and revisiting them can be quite
revelatory. I appreciate your discernment and the fact that you took the
time to post a thoughtful reply here.I appreciate all your
comments.

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:13:28 +0000

I have mixed feelings about Stewart. While I think he was a competent
actor and was in a lot of movies, I find that I can barely stand most of
them. While the writer of this article says they didn't like him in
his 1930's efforts, for the most part these are some of my favorite
performances. I adore The Mortal Storm and the one with Eleanor Powell
where he sings Easy to Love (the title escapes me at the moment.) But
most of his films from the 1940's & 1950's I don't care
for except Anatomy of A Murder. He's very good in that one. I also
like his part in How the West Was Won, even though he's probably a
bit too old for the part. There are lots of others too numerous to
mention. However, the parts he gets the most recognition for like
It's A Wonderful Life, The Philadelphia Story, Harvey, the biopics
he did in the 1940's, the Hitchcock films–I'd just rather not
see those. I don't put the blame on him; I think it's because
they are so played out that I can barely tolerate them anymore. Sounds
like heresy, I know, but like I said I can't like everything he did.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:36:40 +0000

Thank you for the warning regarding the clip of "Beau".
At least I was prepared!

By: john

john — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:08:31 +0000

thank you for that fine tribute to jimmy stewart. he was not a great
actor by any means,but he was good representation of the average
american and in many of his films that is exactly what he played. i
cannot image him as hamlet, or macbeth or lear or the lead in a miller
or oneill play, but within his narrow range he was splendid. the movie
business is better for his being in it!

By: john

john — Wed, 21 May 2008 21:08:29 +0000