Present Joys

“We thank the Lord of heaven and earth
who hath preserved us from our birth
for present joys, for blessings past,
and for the hope of heaven at last.”

Tag adolphe menjou

1 post from January 2012

Watched Frank Capra’s 1948 film State of the Union earlier this week. It starred Spencer Tracy as an idealistic, down-to-earth businessman who got mixed up in corrupt political system during a run for the presidential nomination. Adolphe Menjou (Tracy’s crooked campaign advisor) was as suave and double-breastedy as you’d imagine. Katharine Hepburn (Tracy’s estranged wife) was surprisingly sympathetic and sweet. Spencer Tracy did a great job with his role, too. In general, the characters were well-developed and enjoyable to see interacting.

The problem with this movie, as with Capra’s other films, is that it was mushy and sentimental. While I appreciated the film’s portrayal of the corrupt political system, its conclusion was unsatisfying and impractical. Perhaps it’s just my anarchocapitalism showing…

Though it’s long, it’s worth watching. If you don’t know what a Sazerac is, you’ll want to look it up.