} Crítica Retrô: Meu Querido Maluco (1941) / Love Crazy (1941)

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Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Meu Querido Maluco (1941) / Love Crazy (1941)

Há pouco mais de sete anos, eu me formei no ensino médio e fiz a melhor escolha da minha vida: decidi não ir à formatura e passar a noite vendo dois filmes clássicos na TV. Um desses filmes era o peculiar faroeste “Johnny Guitar” (1954). O outro filme era “A Ceia dos Acusados” (1934) – e foi ele que me apresentou Myrna Loy e William Powell.

A little over seven years ago, I graduated high school and made the best decision of my life: I decided to not attend prom and watch two classic films on TV instead. One of these films was the unusual western “Johnny Guitar” (1954). The other film was “The Thin Man” (1934) – the one that introduced Myrna Loy and William Powell to me.
Os fãs de cinema clássico não podem negar que Powell e Loy são, especialmente quando interpretam Nick e Nora Charles, um exemplo de casal 20. Juntos, eles fizeram 14 filmes, e é uma árdua tarefa escolher o melhor deles. “Meu Querido Maluco”, de 1941, certamente fica entre os 5 melhores porque trata de um assunto que ninguém relaciona com Powell e Loy: o divórcio.

Classic film fans can’t deny that Powell and Loy, especially when playing Nick and Nora Charles, are #relationshipgoals. Together, they made 14 films, and it’s hard to choose the best of the bunch. And “Love Crazy”, from 1941, is among the TOP 5 because it deals with a subject you wouldn’t associate with Powell and Loy: divorce.
É o quarto aniversário de casamento de Steve (Powell) e Susan Ureland (Loy). Eles têm um jeito tradicional de comemorar a data, mas decidem fazer tudo ao contrário... até que a situação foge do controle. Primeiro a mãe de Susan (Florence Bates) chega com um tapete como presente e uma carta para Steve enviar.

It's Steve's (Powell) and Susan Ireland's (Loy) fourth wedding anniversary. They have a traditional way to celebrate, but decide to do it backwards... until everything goes out of control. First Susan's mother (Florence Bates) arrives with a rug as a gift and a letter for Steve to send.
Depois Steve encontra uma velha conhecida, Isobel (Gail Patrick), no elevador, e descobre que eles moram no mesmo andar do prédio – e também descobre que, mesmo sendo casada, Isobel ainda está interessada em conquistar Steve.

Then Steve meets an old acquaintance, Isobel (Gail Patrick), at the elevator, and finds out they now live in the same floor – oh, and also that, even though she is married, Isobel is still interested in pursuing Steve. 
A mãe de Susan, como é de se esperar, é a primeira a reparar que há algo estranho no comportamento de Steve durante e depois do jantar. Quando Susan precisa sair por algumas horas para pegar uma tia na estação de trem, Steve precisa fazer companhia para a sogra. Seguindo o velho estereótipo, ela se mostra uma mulher insuportável, e Steve mente dizendo que vai ver um amigo, mas na verdade sai com Isobel.

Susan's mother, as expected, is the first one to point out that something in Steve's behavior during and after dinner is weird. When Susan has to go out for a couple of hours to get her aunt at the train station, Steve has to stay with his mother-in-law. Following the old trope, she proves to be an unbearable woman, and Steve lies saying he'll meet a friend, but in fact he goes out with Isobel.
Quando Susan descobre como Steve passou a noite, ela fica furiosa. O que se segue é uma sequência muito engraçada envolvendo uma confusão de identidades, e finalmente Susan decide pedir o divórcio. Para que a decisão do tribunal demore o máximo possível, Steve finge ter enlouquecido.

When Susan finds out how Steve spent the evening, she gets mad. A very funny follow-up with a few mistaken identities follow, and finally Susan decides to file for divorce. In order to postpone the divorce from going to court, Steve pretends to be insane.
William Powell está simplesmente perfeito como Steve. “Meu Querido Maluco” é um dos pontos altos de sua longa carreira – Powell trabalhou no cinema de 1922 a 1955, em diversos gêneros. Ele era charmoso, às vezes assustador, e tinha um timing especial para a comédia. Neste filme ele tem falas divertidíssimas e, bem, este momento:

William Powell is nothing but delightful as Steve. “Love Crazy” is a highlight in a long career – Powell worked in films from 1922 to 1955, in several genres. He was charming, sometimes scary, and had a special timing for comedy. In this film he has wonderfully funny lines and, well, this moment:
Já falamos o suficiente sobre Myrna e Bill – vamos falar agora sobre os coadjuvantes. Logo no começo do filme, fique com os olhos bem abertos e você verá que o jovem ascensorista é ninguém menos que Elisha Cook Jr. Jack Carson é Ward Willoughby, morador do mesmo prédio em que Steve, Susan e Isobel vivem. Lá pela metade do filme, você verá que a matrona dona da festa, Mrs. Bristol, é interpretada por Kathleen Lockhart, que era esposa de Gene Lockhart e mãe de June Lockhart. Vladimir Sokolof, ator russo que também trabalhou na Alemanha, interpreta um médico, e outro membro da equipe médica é interpretado por Edward Van Sloan, que fez Van Helsing em “Drácula”, de 1931. A secretária ajudando os médicos é May McAvoy, antiga protagonista de filmes mudos, como “Ben-Hur” (1925).

Enough about Myrna and Bill – let’s talk about the supporting cast. In the beginning of the movie, keep your eyes sharp and you'll realize the elevator boy is no other than Elisha Cook Jr.. Jack Carson is Ward Willoughby, also a resident of the building Steve, Susan and Isobel live in. By the middle of the movie, you'll see the matron at the party, Mrs. Bristol, played by Kathleen Lockhart, who was Gene Lockhart's wife and June Lockhart's mother. Vladimir Sokoloff, Russian actor who also worked in Germany, plays a doctor and you'll also find a doctor played by Edward Van Sloan, who was Van Helsing in 1931's “Dracula”. The secretary helping the doctors is May McAvoy, former leading lady in silents like “Ben-Hur” (1925).


Steve e Susan têm tradições e atitudes peculiares, assim como Nick e Nora. Talvez um hipotético divórcio de Nick e Nora se parecesse muito com o que vemos em “Meu Querido Maluco” – embora eu duvide que Nora possa ser tomada pelos ciúmes. Na verdade, Nora provavelmente riria da ideia de que o marido a traiu, pediria um Martini para si e outro para Nick, e continuaria curtindo a vida.

Steve and Susan are as peculiar in their traditions and actions as Nick and Nora. Maybe a Charles vs. Charles divorce would be just like the one in “Love Crazy” – although I doubt that Nora Charles could be consumed by jealousy. Actually, Nora would laugh all the suspicions off, ask a Martini for her, another for Nick, and would keep on enjoying life.
Meu Querido Maluco” é mais uma das comédias sobre divórcio que – você já deve estar imaginando – não termina em divórcio. Claro que não poderia terminar assim: Powell e Loy tinham muita química, e o apelido de Loy era “A Esposa Perfeita”. Mais uma vez ela teve de provar que era uma nas telas, mostrando como uma esposa deve confiar no marido e aceitar as esquisitices e até criancices dele.

Love Crazy” is another divorce comedy that – I bet you already know – doesn’t end in divorce. Of course it couldn’t: Powell and Loy had great chemistry, and Loy’s nickname was “The Perfect Wife”. Once again she proved she was one onscreen, showing how a wife must trust her husband and keep up with his shenanigans or even childishness.
Meu Querido Maluco” deveria figurar entre as melhores comédias já feitas – em muitos momentos, o filme me fez rir mais do que “Cupido é Moleque Teimoso” (1937). Além de ter uma dupla perfeita e um ótimo grupo de coadjuvantes, ainda há as falas engraçadas e uma boa quantidade de comédia física. Mesmo que tenham se passado mais de 75 anos de sua estreia, podemos dizer que “Meu Querido Maluco” ainda é adorável, amalucado e muito divertido.

Love Crazy” should be among the best screwball comedies ever made – some moments made me laugh harder than I did with “The Awful Truth” (1937). It not only has the perfect duo and a great supporting cast, but also very funny lines and a good amount of physical comedy. Even if more than 75 years have passed after its initial release, we can say something: “Love Crazy” is still lovely, zany and extremely funny.

This is my contribution to the Bill and Myrna New Year’s blogathon, hosted by Emily and Laura at The Flapper Dame and Phyllis LovesClassic Movies.

5 comments:

Caftan Woman said...

Honestly, I think Bill Powell has given more hearty laughs over the years than almost any other actor I can think of. I really enjoyed your look at Love Crazy, and I agree that it should be more well known as a perfect screwball comedy.

Brittaney said...

What a fun film and your lovely review has me wanting to watch it all over again.

Flapper Dame 16 said...

OMG- I LOVE THIS MOVIE

The most sexy part has to be when Powell is in the ward and so not pretending but pretending to need a kiss from Myrna- and he just goes for it anyways- you go Bill!!!

Thanks for writing- always a pleasure to read your words!!
Emily

Michaela said...

Loved this review! You're so right -- this movie is one of the best screwball comedies! Myrna was no slouch, but let's be real: William Powell owns this film with his hysterical, perfect performance.

Unknown said...

Believe I read Hitchcock of all people said Powell was the best practitioner of physical comedy in Hollywood, the master of suspense was right about the master of slapstick! Apparently Hitch wanted to cast Powell as black widow serial killer Uncle Charlie in Shadow of a Doubt, Metro wouldn't loan him out! Later he wanted Loy to play the broken down old hooker mother in Marnie,she turned him down - only Hitchcock could look @ Nick & Nora Charles & see a mass murderer & a prostitute, he was right, though,they'd have been great!

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