Overdosing on Cary Grant and a Dose of Darth (Scotland Days 5&6)

Day 5-Sun. 21 Feb.
Today was the big day for the Glasgow Film Festival with 3 films (all Cary Grant) on the bill, plus a special appearance by James Earl Jones. The Cary Grant films for today were Only Angels Have Wings, His Girl Friday and Bringing Up Baby.

Only Angels Have Wings
The first film of the day was Only Angels Have Wings, which stars Cary Grant as the head of an airline flying the mail in South America that flies through a foggy pass. While the program billed as an "adventure yarn." I did not find the film very adventurous and fairly slow moving. Also, like Howard Hawkes, the director of the film, I did not find Jean Arthur's performance satisfactory. Grade B.

His Girl Friday
Better things were to come with the second film of the day, His Girl Friday. A screen adaptation of the stage play, Front Page, this film was an incredibly fast-paced, witty comedy.Cary Grant plays a newspaper editor who will do just about anything to get his best writer to stay and not go off and marry an insurance salesman. The star reporter, played by Rosalind Russell in a fantastic performance, also happens to be his ex-wife. Russell was actually director Howard Hawkes' last choice to play the role. After seeing her performance, you are sure that any doubts Hawkes may have had are completely gone. Grade A.

Then it was time for a break from the films, but not from the Film Festival. The next event was a special appearance by James Earl Jones. He came up to Glasgow from London, where he is currently starring in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, to discuss his film career and take some questions.

The session began with a series of clips from some of his movies. He then did an interview with one of the directors of the Film Fest. When asked about his varied career in television, film, and stage, he said he prefers not to be associated with a certain medium. He then took questions from the audience. I left with a strong desire to go and watch as many of his films as I could. Unfortunately he did not sign autographs, but I did wait outside in an attempt to get one, and I wasn't the only one left disappointed. But on my way out, I did manage to snap this photo:

Bringing Up Baby
It was then off the final film of the day, Bringing Up Baby. Yet another comedy starring Cary Grant, but this time he starred opposite Katherine Hepburn, and again directed by Howard Hawkes. Overall, the movie was very funny, but it relied too much on the same comedic gags, such as people talking over each other so no one knows what is being said. This grew a little old after a while, but it nonetheless was still a very enjoyable movie. Grade B+

Day 6-Mon. 22 Feb.
Today was simply a travel day back to London, starting with a 7:30 am train to the airport. Luckily my hostel was close to the train station so I didn't have to get up way in advance of my train. My plane was delayed getting back because of bad weather at Stansted, which turned out to be very light mix of rain and snow, hardly enough to delay a flight for nearly an hour, especially when the flight itself was just over an hour.