It's a wide question, however I thought about this while watching his films. Did he influence other Hollywood-filmmakers
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Frank Capra
DrMulholland — 19 years ago(February 01, 2007 11:04 AM)
It's a wide question, however I thought about this while watching his films. Did he influence other Hollywood-filmmakers (or filmmakers in general) and if so in what ways? I haven't seen many old Hollywood-films, so I actually don't have an idea about it myself.
Off-topic I think it was great to see James Stewart again. He's really a brilliant actor. But it's like I only see him in Hitchcock-films. -
collin-reid — 19 years ago(February 02, 2007 06:36 AM)
I generally feel Frank Capra was a lot more influential than most people give him credit for:
- He was probably one of the best directors in the early thirties dealing with sound. Most of the early 30's films were very stagey and his films showed innovative flashes to improve the cinema experience of the technical limitations of sound. American Madness was a medicore early sound movie until the rumor montage about half through. Then it built the tension extremely well.
- I think he helped define sound acting that accented fast, almost interrupting, dialogue.
- He defined romantic/screwball comedy with It Happened One Night and I would say most of these movies follow the same model.
- He was one of most effective directors with supporting actors and allowing them to add to a movie. Unfortunately, the era of great supporting character actors ended around 1950 as they would end of television.
Probably, the director he influenced the most was the one who ridiculed him in Sullivan's Travels, Preston Sturges. I just finished watching both box sets (excellent buys may I add) and you see the same fast dialogue as well as Sturges would use all the same supporting actors in this movies.
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guidofellini — 19 years ago(February 03, 2007 05:22 AM)
Well, he influenced Hawks in his comedies (Bringing up baby, His Girl Friday, Monkey business, I was aMale war bride). The man and the girl are arguing at each other during the whole film and finally they get married. That's what we see in It happened one night. Hawks did this in all his comedies.
"you see the same fast dialogue as well as Sturges would use all the same supporting actors in this movies."
Yes, but Sturges is also slapstick. So was Capra who worked with Harry Langdon.- Who is God ?
- When you close your eyes and make a wish, God is the one who doesn't care about.