esrosedotblog

HISSTORY

When I was a kid, the Alger Hiss case was almost constantly in the news.

I was fascinated with it. And I was only 11 or 12 when it all came down.

I remember that as a beginning of my skepticism around government and the people in it.

Hiss was a hobby horse for the McCarthy crowd to ride; a commie in the State Department.

Unless you were around at that time, you cannot imagine the depth of paranoia about communist infiltration of the government.

Since Hiss had a great deal to do with the founding of the United Nations, his 'guilt' was used to undermine the US role in it.

Today, UN enemies still run the bullshit to keep the United States from full support and participation.

Richard Nixon (below) got his start by Hiss-baiting.

The Hiss case still resonates as a subject for conspiracists on both sides.

Here is the latest:

Alger Hiss spy trial's gay angle revealed

This is a new gay angle incidentally.

We already know that Hiss' accuser, Whitaker Chambers, was a closet case and half a nut.

It is a fascinating story that will not go away.

Hiss lived a long life and continued to fight for his reputation in a very gentlemanly way. His sons continue the campaign even today.

Labels: blacklist, communists, nostalgia

ZERO TIME

Today's film in the Zero Mostel Film Fest was Elia Kazan's

Panic in the Streets (1950)

Here, Mostel plays it straight as a killer partnered with Jack Palance. They kill a guy over a gambling debt. The guy is off a ship and has pneumonic plague. So they have it too.

It sounds like a stretch but it is not. The film is very good and has great acting by Richard Widmark (an old flame), Paul Douglas, and Barbara Bel Geddes.

It rates at least a 4 out of Netflix5.

One of the amazing things is to see Mostel move in the final chase scenes. There are no stunt men or doubles. There is running, jumping, sliding, falling. He could always make the moves. Like a lot of fat men.

He and Palance (another maverick) are great together.

Another aside.

Kazan disgraced himself by naming names at the HUAC hearings.

Remember we saw The Front the other day?

Mostel and Bel Geddes were on the blacklist.

This film was made right before the naming. I don't know if they were on Kazan's list but it makes you wonder.

Decades later, when Kazan got a lifetime Oscar, some people remained seated or turned their backs on his acceptance speech. It was very controversial. He is still not forgiven by many in the business.

Mostel didn't work for a few years and then got back into the theater which was not as badly hit by the purge.

Ten years later he was a star in Something Happened on the Way to The Forum both on stage and in the film—that was in the festival too.

This is just another side of this man that makes him so interesting.

We have one more Mostel film to see but it has not arrived yet; Rhinoceros which is actually a filmed theater piece.

They had to send it from someplace in NY State. I guess we don't have much call for filmed theater out here. At least not starring Zero Mostel.

So we will be back to the NYTimes Best Films tomorrow. Then back to Zero.

Labels: blacklist, films, Zero Mostel

NAMING NAMES

Today's Zero Mostel Film Festival Film was Martin Ritt's

The Front (1976)

which is about the blacklisting scandals of the 1950's.

The film was made with 7 or 8 people who were blacklisted themselves.

The credits roll with each name and their blacklisted date. A fine payback for the McCarthy and HUAC bastards.

A lot of this will seem familiar; Kafka-esque investigations that sort of crawl up their own assholes but still scare and intimidate people and actually destroy some people's lives.

Zero Mostel plays the comic Hecky Brown who is unable and unwilling to name names. His friendship with Woody Allen (the star) is what turns Woody, the front for blacklisted writers, into a rebellious witness.

It is all very good preserving a delicate balance between comedy and tragedy.

Mostel's role capitalizes on his ability to maintain this balance in all his career. He is hilariously funny and has this underlay of tragic awareness.

I saw this when it came out and was excited about seeing it again.

He is a 5 and the film is a 4 out of Netflix5.

Labels: blacklist, criminal morons, films, Zero Mostel

ROMAN FARCE

Today's entry in the Zero Mostel Film Festival was Richard Lester's

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

In this one, Mostel recreates his stage role.

He is the star.

Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford and Buster Keaton add to the stew.

We see the patented, full bore comic actor Mostel; the rolling eyes, the wild gestures, the 'sounds' that only his voice can make.

Type casting.

The film itself is quite enjoyable. Funny. Fast paced.

A Keystone Cops kind of chariot race near the end drags the film down. Bad decision.

Zero could really sing well. He went on to star in the original Fiddler on the Roof. Sadly, they decided not to use him in the film.

I am sorry that I never saw him on the stage.

Nevertheless, I have this film to watch and listen to for his musical self.

This was Mostel's big return from his blacklisted appearance.

We will see more on this when we watch The Front.

Labels: blacklist, films, Zero Mostel