} Crítica Retrô: O Mordomo Trapaceiro (1967) / Fitzwilly (1967)

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Friday, May 6, 2022

O Mordomo Trapaceiro (1967) / Fitzwilly (1967)

 

Foi no Letterboxd que eu vi que um dos meus amigos havia assistido a “O Mordomo Trapaceiro” (1967) – naquele momento, eu já adicionei o filme à minha lista para assistir mais tarde, afinal, seus protagonistas são duas estrelas que eu adoro: Dick Van Dyke e Barbara Feldon. Não me lembro de qual amigo viu “O Mordomo Trapaceiro”, mas eu lembro bem de que, poucos dias após adicionar o filme à minha lista, minha amiga Paddy escreveu sobre ele em seu blog Caftan Woman (em inglês). Foi o que faltava para eu me animar a vê-lo logo, afinal, Paddy tinha ótimo gosto e só recomendava bons filmes. Este texto é para Paddy.

It was on Letterboxd that I saw that one of my friends had watched “Fitzwilly” (1967) - in that moment, I added the film to my watchlist, after all, it stars two actors I adore: Dick Van Dyke and Barbara Feldon. I don’t remember which friend had logged “Fitzwilly”, but I do remember well that, a few days after I added the film to my watchlist, my friend Paddy wrote about the movie in her blog Caftan Woman. I was sold, after all, Paddy had great taste and recommended only the best movies. This review is for Paddy.

Claude R. Fitzwilliam, mais conhecido como Fitzwilly (Dick Van Dyke) trabalha como mordomo para a senhorita Victoria Woodworth (Edith Evans), ou Miss Vicki, uma senhora excêntrica que atualmente está escrevendo um dicionário para pessoas que não sabem soletrar – um dicionário com todas as maneiras erradas de se soletrar uma palavra. Para este trabalho ela precisa de uma secretária, e aí entra Juliet Nowell (Barbara Feldon), uma jovem estudante que é contratada por Miss Vicki. Desde o começo, Fitzwilly e Juliet não se dão bem, mas ela é contratada do mesmo jeito.

Claude R. Fitzwilliam, better known as Fitzwilly (Dick Van Dyke) works as a butler for miss Victoria Woodworth (Edith Evans), or Miss Vicki, an eccentric old woman who is currently writing a dictionary for people who can’t spell – a dictionary with all the wrong ways to spell the words. For this endeavor she needs a secretary, and then enters Juliet Nowell (Barbara Feldon), a young student who is hired by Miss Vicki. From the beginning, Fitzwilly and Juliet don’t get along, but she is hired anyway.

O problema com Miss Vicki é que ela costumava ser rica, mas não é mais. Entretanto, para manter o estilo de vida dela e suas constantes doações para a caridade, seus empregados, comandados por Fitzwilly, se envolvem em uma série de esquemas. Isso faz de Fitzwilly um tipo diferente de Robin Hood: ele rouba dos ricos para dar para quem não é mais rica – melhor ainda: só companhias de seguro são lesadas no processo! A chegada de Juliet, no entanto, coloca em perigo todos os esquemas.

The issue with Miss Vicki is that she used to be rich, but she isn’t anymore. But, to maintain her lifestyle and her constant donations to charity, her employees, commanded by Fitzwilly, are involved in a series of schemes. This makes Fitzwilly a different kind of Robin Hood: he steals from the filthy rich to give to someone who isn’t rich anymore – better yet: only insurance firms are harmed in the process! Juliet’s arrival, however, puts all the schemes in jeopardy. 

Com o tempo, Juliet passa a gostar de Fitzwilly e até a admirá-lo. Ela acha que Fitzwilly é inteligente demais para ser um mordomo, uma profissão que não é estimulante o suficiente, na opinião dela, e assim Juliet decide convencer Fitzwilly a encontrar um trabalho mais adequado. Ao mesmo tempo, Fitzwilly não vê outra saída a não ser fazê-la desistir do trabalho como secretária, pois sua interferência com os negócios de Miss Vicki está crescendo demais – por exemplo, ela faz um dos empregados, Albert (John McGiver), se arrepender de fazer parte dos esquemas.

With time, Juliet starts liking Fitzwilly, and this liking grows into admiration. She thinks Fitzwilly is too intelligent to be a butler, a profession that is not exciting enough in her opinion, and she decides to convince Fitzwilly to find a more suitable job. At the same time, Fitzwilly sees no other way out than making her quit her job as a secretary, as her interference with Miss Vicki’s businesses is becoming too big – for instance, she makes one of the employees, Albert (John McGiver), repent for taking part in the schemes.

Assim como eu, você deve conhecer Barbara Feldon como a Agente 99 da série de TV “Agente 86”. Ela já estava interpretando a esperta agente na TV – afinal, “Agente 86” estreou em 1965 – e “O Mordomo Trapaceiro” foi seu primeiro papel no cinema. Não é um papel desafiador, mas Barbara está bonita e é um bom contraponto, mais pé no chão, para o trapaceiro Fitzwilly.

Like me, you might know Barbara Feldon as Agent 99 from the TV series “Get Smart”. She was already playing the clever agent on TV – after all, “Get Smart” premiered in 1965 – and “Fitzwilly” was her first movie role. It’s not a challenging role, but Barbara looks cute and is a good down-to-Earth counterpoint to Van Dyke’s schemer.

Dick Van Dyke está ótimo como o personagem principal, mas ele não foi a primeira escolha para o papel. De acordo com fontes da época, Alec Guinness e Cary Grant foram cotados para o papel protagonista antes de Van Dyke ser escalado. Guinness teria sido uma escolha bem interessante, e Cary Grant também seria fantástico no papel, considerando seu carisma e persona cinematográfica elegante.

Dick Van Dyke is excellent as the title character, but he wasn’t the first choice for the role. According to sources from the time, Alec Guinness and Cary Grant were considered for the main role before Van Dyke was cast. Guinness would have been quite an interesting choice, and Cary Grant would also be great in the role, considering his charisma and debonair screen persona.

O Mordomo Trapaceiro” foi dirigido por Delbert Mann e produzido por Walter Mirisch. Mann foi o diretor de “Marty” (1955), um dos filmes mais ternos a ganhar o Oscar de Melhor Filme e o filme mais curto até hoje a ganhar na categoria principal – e também o primeiro filme de Mann como diretor. Walter Mirisch, com seus irmãos Marvin e Harold, produziu muitos e variados filmes, como “Quanto Mais Quente Melhor” (1959), “Amor, Sublime Amor” (1961) e “No Calor da Noite” (1967). Embora os anos 60 tenham sido sua era de ouro como produtor, Walter continua trabalhando, aos 100 anos de idade.

Fitzwilly” was directed by Delbert Mann and produced by Walter Mirisch. Mann was the Oscar-winner director of “Marty” (1955), one of the tenderest Best Picture Oscar winners and the shortest film to date to win in the main category – and also Mann’s first film as a director. Walter Mirisch, together with his brothers Marvin and Harold, produced many varied films, such as “Some Like It Hot” (1959), “West Side Story” (1961) and “In the Heat of the Night” (1967). Although the 1960s were his golden years as producer, Walter is still working at age 100.

Eu fiquei surpresa ao descobrir – lendo o texto da Paddy – que a trilha sonora de “O Mordomo Trapaceiro” foi composta por ninguém menos que o grande John Williams, então no comecinho da carreira. Ele é até creditado como “Johnny” Williams! No começo do filme, a música é mais solene, depois se torna mais brincalhona, conforme assistimos aos esquemas de Fitzwilly e torcemos por ele e, finalmente, no golpe final, a música é triunfante. Há também uma canção composta por Williams, “Make Me Rainbows”, com letra de Marilyn e Alan Bergman, que é ouvida brevemente.

I was surprised to learn – through Paddy’s review – that the soundtrack for “Fitzwilly” was composed by none other than the great John Williams, then in the very beginning of his career. He is even credited as “Johnny” Williams! In the very beginning of the film, the music is more solemn, then it becomes more playful as we watch Fitzwilly’s schemes and root for him, and finally, in their final caper, the music becomes triumphant. There is also a song composed by Williams, “Make me Rainbows”, with lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman, that is heard briefly.

O Mordomo Trapaceiro” é um filme da MGM que se parece com um filme da Disney dos anos 60, por causa do tema leve e principalmente por causa da presença de Dick Van Dyke. É um filme bem divertido, embora previsível. Ambientado na época do Natal, o filme é uma boa pedida para assistir no final do ano. É um filme que eu gostei muito de ter visto. Obrigada por mais essa recomendação, Paddy.

Fitzwilly” is a MGM movie that looks like a Disney movie from the 1960s, because of the light, family-friendly theme, and mainly because of Dick Van Dyke’s presence. It’s a quite funny movie, although predictable. Set during Christmastime, the movie is a good choice to watch during the holidays and a film I really enjoyed watching. Thanks for another recommendation, Paddy.

This is my contribution to the Caftan Woman blogathon, hosted by Patricia and Jacqueline at Lady Eve’s Reel Life and Another Old Movie Blog.



12 comments:

  1. What a fun movie to choose to remember Paddy, Le. I love it and admit to loving McGiver especially. He never fails to make me roar with laughter.

    Thank you for this commentary and your lovely Paddy thoughts.

    Aurora

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  2. This is a great choice Le for a tribute to Paddy. This movie should be better known as it is fun and entertaining with a clever plot and good acting. It also starred the great Dame Edith Evans of the English stage. Thank you for selecting it.

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  3. I haven't seen Fitzwilly, but it sounds like fun. Maybe over the this year's holidays...I also had the idea that it was a Disney film - must've confused it with Mary Poppins or - ? A great pick for Paddy's blogathon, Le, I enjoyed it much. And...I didn't realize Walter Mirisch was 100 years old - bravo, sir!

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  4. If Paddy liked it, it is worth watching - that's my motto. She had such a unique way of pointing out films that somehow flew ever so slightly below the radar. Your post is a lovely tribute to her impeccable taste.

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  5. Fitzwilly is such a fun movie and I can understand why Paddy loved it. Of course, her tastes in movies were impeccable! I have to agree with you that it seems almost like a Disney film from the era--it still surprises me that it was from MGM! Anyway, this is a wonderful tribute to Paddy.

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  6. Fitzwilly sounds like such a fun film. I love Dick Van Dyke, and I can't believe that I haven't seen this one yet. Another plus is John McGiver. He was so great in his bit part in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

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  7. Paddy would have loved your post. Thank you for joining the blogathon in tribute to her, and for sharing this delightful movie. It's such a fun holiday film with a cast of favorites. I especially like the parts filmed in the big department store. Those were the days.

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  8. I greatly enjoyed your write-up, Le -- and I love the story behind your selecting it for the blogathon. I share your fondness for Dick Van Dyke (I keep hoping against hope that he'll show up at the TCM film festival!), but I've never seen this one. Your review makes me want to check it out!

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  9. Like you said, Paddy had wonderful taste in film. And if she wrote about a film you weren't particularly fond of, you came away with a new appreciation for it. (One of those, for me, was "The Trouble with Harry".)

    This is an excellent choice to honour Paddy.

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  10. This looks like a fun film, Le, and a wonderful way to remember Paddy. I remember Paddy's post on Fitzwilly but haven't gotten around to watching it yet. Thank you for the reminder to do so.

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  11. I'll have to admit that Dick van Dyke is an under-represented part of my "seen it" list, but between you and Paddy, I will need to do something about that :)

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  12. Great choice! I remember Paddy reviewing this one, too--it must have been so cool to hear really early John Williams.

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