Thursday, May 5, 2022

For the Caftan Woman Blogathon: Champagne for Caesar (1950)


In memory of our friend and world class classic film lover and blogger, Paddy, we gather to celebrate her with this, our Caftan Woman Blogathon: Honoring Patricia Nolan-Hall. Click here for links to all participating blogs.

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I don't know exactly when Paddy and I first virtually met, but it must've been about ten years ago through the Classic Movie Blog Association. What I remember more clearly is my reaction to her blog name, Caftan Woman, and the tagline under the pink-cheeked caricature of Paddy on her blog header, "Faster than a speeding scooter! Able to leap tall dust bunnies in a single bound! Cozily clad film fan with a blog." Disarmed and charmed by her gentle whimsy was I, and  that was before I'd read a word she'd written on classic film.

As for her blog posts, I quickly learned that Paddy's interests were vast and varied, and it wasn't uncommon for my comments on her reviews to run along the lines of, "I haven't seen this in years, you remind me it's time to revisit" or "I haven't seen this, now I'll search it out." But there was the time she posted on a film I not only hadn't seen but that was also completely unknown to me. And it was a film I felt I should've known about, the 1950 comedy Champagne for Caesar. Not long ago, as I once commented on Paddy's blog that I would, I found the film - on the Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/ChampagneforCaesar_201512) - and watched it for the first time.

Originally, I was surprised I hadn't heard of Champagne for Caesar mostly because of its players; it seemed to me that I should know of any film with these folks in the cast. Caesar stars Ronald Colman, a favorite of mine since a first childhood viewing of A Tale of Two Cities, and whom Paddy described in his Caesar role, "As always...perfect." Co-starring are Vincent Price (delivering, in Paddy's words, a "mad and hysterical performance") and Celeste Holm as femme fatale Flame O'Neill (Paddy: "What a name! What a woman!"). Equally interesting, the film's spoofing of soap-sponsored quiz shows and their hosts, classic character types (tycoon, intellectual, man-trap) and new-fangled, mid-century time-saving gadgets and gizmos.

Beauregard Bottomley (Colman) is an unemployed intellectual living with his piano teacher sister (Barbara Britton) in one of those vintage bungalow court apartments that were at one time scattered throughout Los Angeles (also seen in In a Lonely Place, The Grifters, etc.). As ever, Colman's character is urbane and and quietly dashing. Bottomley is also quite arrogant about his intellect and knowledge, though he admittedly hasn't managed to master "how to make a buck" yet.

The story takes off when Beauregard and sister Gwenn go for a walk and happen upon a TV set in the window of a nearby store. A large crowd has gathered outside to watch the quiz show "Masquerade for Money," a game for which contestants dress in costumes (i.e., Cleopatra) and compete for money by answering questions about the person/thing their costume represents. Beauregard is appalled at this tacky spectacle, foreseeing the decline of civilization in such lowbrow fare, but Gwenn appreciates the fun in it and finds the game show host, Art Linkletter as Happy Hogan, appealing.

Shortly, job-poor Beauregard is sent by the state employment agency on an interview for a research position with Milady Soap, coincidentally the sponsor of "Masquerade for Money."  While waiting to interview with the CEO, Beauregard prowls the waiting area, a room that seems a slightly less manic black-and-white precursor to PeeWee's Playhouse for, as Paddy remarked in her review, the place "looks as if Dr. Seuss was hired as interior designer." As it turns out, the decor reflects the head of the company, Burnbridge Waters (Price), an eccentric oddball who imagines himself a genius and doesn't hesitate to say so - often. Genteel Beauregard and overbearing Burnbridge, who is dismissive of intellectuals and "dreamers," naturally do not hit it off and this sets Mr. Bottomley on a path to take his revenge on the man and his company via "Masquerade for Money."

And so, Beauregard Bottomley appears as a guest on the quiz show costumed as an encyclopedia and, when not trading barbs with the program's smarmy host, correctly answers question after question after question - and refuses to leave the program when he has hit the prize money limit ($160). Beauregard's scheme is to win every cent of Milady Soap's money and thereby kill two birds with one stone: make a vault full of money for himself and bankrupt Burnbridge Waters' company. When the soap company's attempts to toss Beauregard off the show fail, Burnbridge resorts to what he believes is a fail-safe solution, sending in irresistible and brainy Flame O'Neill (Holm) to seduce and utterly befuddle Mr. Bottomley once and for all. 

While the send up of quiz shows, character types and mid-century geegaws is prescient and amusing, it is the performances that shine in Champagne for Caesar. Ronald Colman is indeed perfect as scholarly Beauregard Bottomley. In what could have been an insufferable role, Colman is a winning protagonist, with much credit going to his low-key dapper grace and that famously rich "velvet" voice of his. Vincent Price has a field day as an out-of-touch, over-the-top CEO, and it isn't much of a leap from Burnbridge Waters to what became Price's later specialty, a series of wildly camp turns for Roger Corman and others. And then there's Celeste Holm, best known for the calm, cool, collected ladies in supporting roles she usually portrayed. As "Flame," Holm has a chance to have some fun and plays the vampy part of a whip-smart seductress to the hilt. One wishes she'd broken type more often.

It's not Lubitsch and it's not Sturges, but Champagne for Caesar, directed by Richard Whorf, is a well-cast, amiable light satire from a moment of relative innocence - the time before scandal. For those who don't remember or aren't aware of the scandals, Robert Redford's Quiz Show (1994) revisits the most memorable of them, the late '50s revelation that the popular primetime TV quiz program, Twenty-One, was rigged and that its celebrated winner, handsome Columbia University professor Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes) - very much a Beauregard Bottomley type, had cheated. This was something Champagne for Caesar did not foresee and perhaps could not, for Beauregard, who knew everything, would never resort to cheating.

Oops...I nearly forgot about the Caesar of the title. Caesar is a parrot Beauregard found in the street and brought home. The bird's previous owner taught him foul language and a liking for liquor. Voice wizard Mel Blanc (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, et al) provided Caesar's blasphemous outbursts. It may not have been a big part for the parrot, but, still, it was the title role...

~

Thanks to all who are participating in this blogathon tribute to Paddy. As all who knew her will agree, she was - and is - much beloved and is terribly missed. Please visit her blog here, delight guaranteed.



 

26 comments:

  1. Thank you Lady Eve for hosting this Caftan Woman commemorative blogathon. And in true Paddy spirit you've selected a classic film that I've never seen. I almost always had to confess as much to Paddy when I commented on her posts, and thanked her for introducing me to those films. As we know she was always gracious and generous in her own praise to my own posts as she was to others over many years. Perhaps we could re-post some of her former posts on our site? Thanks again for hosting.along with Another Old Movie Blog.

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    1. I hope you'll follow the link I included in my post and watch Champagne for Caesar. My only regret is that I didn't see it earlier and have the chance to thank Paddy. As I watched it, of course, I thought of her throughout. It's such a "Paddy movie."

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  2. Like you, there are many films I was introduced to through Paddy's blog, and now this one is another on my list of have-to-see. It's a lovely post, and Paddy would have loved your take on it. Thanks for co-hosting, Patty. Ronald Colman and Celeste Holm? Sign me up.

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    1. Thanks, Jacqueline. Champagne for Caesar is "classic Paddy" and I think you'll enjoy it. Wacky, fun - and, of course, Ronald Colman and Celeste Holm.

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  3. Well, I'll just have to mirror yours and my comments on many of Paddy's blog as I have never seen Champagne for Caesar. It sounds like a lot of fun. How you approached this tribute to Paddy by including her own words made me a bit misty. She sure is missed. Thank you for this, a post she would have adored.
    Aurora

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    1. Realizing that so few who are commenting here have seen Champagne for Caesar has made me feel a little better for not having seen it (or even known about it) pre-Paddy. It is fun, there's a point in the middle where it goes off the rails, but it's that kind of movie. Hope you have a chance to see it soon, Aurora. Maybe break out the champagne and raise a glass to Paddy.

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  4. First of all - thank you for hosting this event and giving us all a chance to remember her in our own ways. I'm sure she is seated with the angels - hopefully watch a Charlie Chan flick. As for this film - I watched it for the first time in decades during the first few months of COVID lockdown. It is, as you say, a delight. And Vincent Price is just a dilly here.

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    1. I hope Paddy is not only with the angels but also with the Chan family, John Ford, Bret Maverick and Perry Mason having a ball. At last, someone else who has seen Champagne for Caesar! As I mentioned in another reply, I was thinking of Paddy as I watched and sort of seeing it as I imagined she did.

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  5. I noticed the same whimsical details about Paddy Lee's blog. Her "comfy corner of the Internet" really was comfy. Thank you so much for co-hosting the blogathon in tribute to Paddy Lee.

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    1. Paddy truly created a unique and "comfy" corner in the classic film blogosphere. I think we were all well aware of it while she was with us, but now that she is gone, there is this sense of a gaping hole. She so deserved our tribute and it has been heartwarming to see how many have turned out to celebrate her.

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  6. I have to admit I have yet to see Champagne for Caesar. I will definitely have to check it out! Of course, it is fitting you wrote about a movie as I have yet to see, as Paddy often did so herself. And, of course, Paddy had impeccable tastes. It was a guarantee that if Paddy liked a movie, I probably would too. She was such a wonderful person and she is so very missed.

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    1. Until this blogathon I didn't realize I wasn't the only one who so often hadn't seen films Paddy reviewed. She was incredible. I hope you'll follow the link and check out Champagne for Caesar, it's a classic Paddy recommendation.

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  7. I loved your post, Patty. I've never seen this film but, interestingly, a few weeks back when I tweeted about Celeste Holm's birthday, two of my followers mentioned Champagne for Caesar and I added it to my watchlist. It sounds like lots of fun, and the cast is great. I'm interested, too, because of the director -- I know Richard Whorf from his role in Christmas Holiday, and as quite an accomplished painter!

    I thank you and Jacqueliine, again, for hosting this blogathon in Paddy's honor. It was a joy to participate, and a joy reading all the entries.

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    1. Well, thanks, Karen. It seems Paddy was one of the few who's seen this movie. As I said, I'd never heard of it 'til I saw Paddy's review. It is fun - and zany and off-the-wall - the cast is great. Hope you have a chance to see it soon. Thanks for taking part in the blogathon, it has been a real pleasure to see so many honoring Paddy in a way that I think would've pleased her enormously.

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  8. A lovely post and such a fun movie to watch—Price had me laughing out loud at times. I just recently discovered it and wrote about it, too, and of course Paddy commented with that fantastic wit! https://classicfilmobsessions.blogspot.com/2021/10/fifty-years-of-film-in-50-weeks-30.html

    It has been an honor to have interacted with her—thanks so much for hosting the blogathon!

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    1. I'll pop over to your blog, Jocelyn, and check out your Champagne for Caesar review. I loved Paddy's. Thanks for joining the blogathon.

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  9. I've seen this title floating around and heard great things about it. Your terrific post furthers confirms Champagne for Caesar is a must see. The casting alone sounds simply marvelous!

    Thank you for highlighting this film and for hosting this lovely blogathon in Paddy's honor! It's been a pleasure participating and reading everyone's tributes.

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    1. It's a wacky movie, well worth watching for its zany fun. Hope you have a chance to see it soon. Just follow the link... and think of Paddy as you watch. It's a "dandy."

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  10. Thanks for hosting this wonderful tribute! “Champagne for Caesar” is a very fun movie and your post hopefully brings it more attention.

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    1. If Champagne for Caesar develops a following, we can give the credit to Paddy.

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  11. I love this film, and I remember Paddy's post on it. Perfect casting here, especially Ronald Colman who, as you said, is a likeable protagonist and never becomes insufferable.

    As for Paddy, you nailed it when you said her interests were wide and varied. You never knew what she'd be writing about next, but you knew it would be good. She introduced SO many "new" films to me.

    Great tribute. Thank you for co-hosting this blogathon. The entries are superb, each one.

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    1. Paddy's scope of interests and knowledge - and her ability to blog regularly as well as follow and comment perceptively on so many other blogs - amazed me. As I mentioned, from the moment I saw her blog - the title, the caricature, the tagline - I knew there was a unique character at work. Of course, that was just the beginning. She may not have had as many years as she deserved, but she packed a lot of life and love into the time she had.

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  12. When Paddy and I first met online, we bonded over two films: Champagne for Caesar and The Court Jester. Each ranks among our favorites. The former deserves to be better know; it's a very funny film with a satirical edge and also provides Price with one of his finest roles.

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    1. I'm not sure why it is, Rick, that Paddy's 8-year-old review of Champagne for Caesar was the first film I thought of when this blogathon was forming...maybe it had to do with you, too.

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  13. "Flame O'Neill." This movie sounds so cool, and your tribute is wonderful. Thanks again for co-hosting this blogathon--it's been great remembering Paddy Lee this way. :-)

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    1. Happy you were able to join us in paying tribute to Paddy, Rebecca. I think you'll enjoy Champagne for Caesar (just as I think I'll like The Patsy).

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