BUtterfield 8 vs. Breakfast at Tiffany's

[ClassyCo]

More than ever, I'm perplexed why Liz bothered to steal Eddie Fisher from Debbie; what a charisma-free lump of a man he was.

Eddie Fisher was handsome in that boy-next-door-type way, but I have no opinion on him as a singer. I have no recollection to ever hearing his music, and my memory of him in BUTTERFIELD 8 is murky. So, I guess I haven't any opinion on him as an actor, either.

Eddie and Debbie had that cutesy, All-American, sweetheart couple vibe to them that was very '50s. They were cute together, and the public loved them together. Just listen to the audience response when the two of them showed up as mystery guests on WHAT'S MY LINE? in 1956. There was a uproar of applause, whistles, and squeals as the two of them entered.

The Elizabeth/Eddie/Debbie love triangle caused a lot of controversy, as we all know. The tabloids called Elizabeth a homewrecker, Eddie was trashed, too, but Debbie gained public sympathy and was at a career high in the late-50s and early-60s while the media circus spiraled around her. Just listen at how the audience explodes with applause and admiration when Debbie appeared as a solo mystery guest on WHAT'S MY LINE? in 1959. The public (or at least some of them) clearly sided with Debbie.

 

[ginnyfan]

I finally got around to watching BUTTERFIELD 8, with a mixed-positive reaction. The biggest surprise to me is that I thought Liz was excellent in the film. I admit, I have never before been impressed with her as an actress. I have found her to be pleasantly adequate (the FATHER films) or shrilly overwrought (her 60s films with Burton). I mostly avoid her movies. I knew she won an Oscar for this performance but was under the impression it was a sympathy win; Liz herself was harsh on this movie and, I think, even her performance. I found it a well modulated vocal performance. Perhaps distracted in other instances by her voice, I've never noticed before how expressive her face and eyes could be. I have opinions on her second Oscar win, but this one was well deserved.

I liked the film's atmosphere. I often find myself seeking films this time of year that have an autumnal vibe; they are hard to come by. Aside from at least a few outdoor scenes complete with frosty breath, the entire film is soaked in earthy shades of browns, oranges, mossy greens and the occasional splash of red. It doesn't get much more autumnal than the look of this movie.

Liz and vibes aside, the movie ain't much. I doubt I could recap the plot because I'm not sure there was one. Other characters seemed to exist only to talk about Gloria (Taylor) when she was off screen. That's the kind of star vehicle narcissism I'd expect only in a Crawford movie. Lawrence Harvey may well be the most unlikable actor in the history of acting. Even playing an unlikeable character, he was too unlikeable. More than ever, I'm perplexed why Liz bothered to steal Eddie Fisher from Debbie; what a charisma-free lump of a man he was.

Glad you enjoyed it. Great point about the autumn vibes and gorgeous visuals. I love all the NY outdoor scenes, Gloria getting a cab on the big avenue, getting rid of the ticket on her car etc.

As I wrote few years ago, this is one of those movies I watched all of my life, and I've seen it yet again few months ago. I just always tune in when it's on TCM so the scenes and characters feel so familiar, like people and moments from my past. So I actually like Eddie's character, his relationship with Gloria, his bitter Debbie like girlfriend, Gloria's mum's bitchy neighbor etc.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Glad you enjoyed it. Great point about the autumn vibes and gorgeous visuals. I love all the NY outdoor scenes, Gloria getting a cab on the big avenue, getting rid of the ticket on her car etc.

Yes, @Crimson and I share the opinion that Hollywood has way under-represented autumn to an astounding degree. (I recently saw on the TV machine a horror movie from the mid-2010s -- I forget the title -- which did a wonderful job of portraying a Halloweenish autumn, and I marveled at how rarely, almost never, that is done).

The crisp winter of BUTTERFIELD 8 is, again, a specifically early-'60s thing. (Check out, for example, RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE from 1961 for a similar vibe -- mediocre sequel, with the obligatory Scorpio Rising villainy of Mary Astor). It's one of those period things that hard to explain or describe -- is it just the film stock??

 

[Crimson]

the opinion that Hollywood has way under-represented autumn to an astounding degree. (I recently saw on the TV machine a horror movie from the mid-2010s -- I forget the title -- which did a wonderful job of portraying a Halloweenish autumn, and I marveled at how rarely, almost never, that is done).

The rarity, I kind of understand. Autumn is fleeting. If you've ever planned a road trip to see the changing fall foliage, you know it can be maddeningly capricious. Now imagine building a movie production around that. In the post-summer pre-Halloween season, I always yearn for some media with an autumn vibe. More often than not, I end up just watching the first season of MTM; even the non-autumn episodes of that season feel autumnal.

And honestly not even just autumn. Any movie that makes the effort to seasonal specificity feels more special. A movie like GRUMPY OLD MEN is greatly enlivened by being set in the snowy Minnesota winter. But, especially in the classic era, most movies were made in seasonless SoCal.