Category Archives: A Majority of One

A Majority of One (1961)

rosalind russell a majority of one
Rosalind Russell as Bertha Jacoby in A Majority of One (1961)

I know it’s been a while since I wrote a review. I wrote this short one (for me, that is) on the wonderful A Majority of One. It stars Rosalind Russell (of course) and veteran actor Alec Guinness, who was known for more than just being Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars series. This was one of the first films Rosalind Russell filmed after her smash hit Auntie Mame in 1958. Unfortunately, she struggled with some health problems that came her way right after filming Auntie Mame. She was out of commission for the next 3 years, but she bounced back like the resilient woman she was. She filmed several movie versions of famous plays in the 1960s, such as Gypsy, Five Finger Exercise, and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feelin’ So Sad (and what a mouthful that one is!). But I think one of the most heartfelt and beautiful renditions she did of a play was in A Majority of One.

rosalind russell alec guinness a majority of one
Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness in A Majority of One (1961)

Although originally played by true blue Jewish actress Gertrude Berg, Roz, with her Catholic background, had an amazing transformation.” Her New York (but also a little European) Jewish inflections are rather genuine, considering everything. She put her heart and soul into this role, trying her best to make it authentic. She says Jewish prayers, she speaks like New York Jews do, and even spouts a Yiddish word now and then. I had seen most of her films up to this point and although it was hard to get used to, I came to LOVE this character.

rosalind russell alec guinness a majority of one
Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness in A Majority of One (1961)

A Majority of One concerns a Jewish widow, a Japanese businessman, and the prejudices present during this time between the two very different people. In a small Brooklyn apartment lives a Jewish widow named Bertha Jacoby. She lives mostly around other Jewish people, certainly not mixing on a daily basis with people of different cultural backgrounds. She has a daughter named Alice, who is married to a diplomat named Jerry Black. Jerry and “Mama,” as they both call her, clash sometimes. When she finds out that they will be leaving for another diplomatic assignment in Japan, she is taken aback. Having a son who died in World War II “at the hands of” Japanese men (according to her), she is not happy. She harbors deep prejudice for the Japanese, even though so much time has passed. In spite of all this, they are able to convince Mama to accompany them to Tokyo and live with them.

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Rosalind Russell and George Takei as Mr. Asano’s son. I’m not going to lie. I just noticed this is him!

She doesn’t have a very good boat trip abroad. But things change when she meets Mr. Asano, a very important Japanese businessman. Granted, this “Japanese” man is played by a white British man (Alec Guinness), but that’s how it was played on Broadway as well. It might be done differently today, but if we can get past how wrong this actually is, we can enjoy the story. First impressions can be tough. She is very cold to him when he does nice things for her, like picking up something she dropped on the floor. He is as polite as can be and over time, he doesn’t understand why she treats him this way. They have a serious conversation about the war. He tells her he lost a loved one in the war, too. But do we need to blame every Japanese and every American living today for the atrocities of war? She softens toward him and they share a beautiful friendship. She is finally having fun for the first time in a while, but her daughter and son-in-law don’t like it. Mr. Asano is actually someone Jerry has to deal with when he gets to Japan. He doesn’t appreciate how cozy they’re getting. Mama agrees to cut off ties with Mr. Asano if it’ll make her children happy, but she reminds them they called her a bigot before, and now they are the ones who are prejudiced.

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Rosalind Russell in A Majority of One (1961)

Mama has a tough time getting used to Japanese life and is always clashing with their house servant, Eddie. Eventually, Mr. Asano is hurt by the brush off he got from his good friend, Mrs. Jacoby (this is how they always address each other). He starts acting badly at business meetings with Jerry, and when it’s the final straw, Jerry blames his mother-in-law. She informs him that he was the one who forced her to break off the friendship. Feeling badly about it, she tries to find Mr. Asano to explain. In the best scene of the movie, she dresses up in a kimono, tries sake for the first time (getting gloriously drunk on it), and samples Japanese delicacies that remind her of foods she’s had in the States. She is hilarious in this scene and has a lot of fun. But when Mr. Asano formally asks her if he can court her, things get complicated. Prejudice rears its ugly head as her daughter and son-in-law cannot stand the idea of her being with a Japanese man, someone so different from her.

rosalind russell alec guinness a majority of one
Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness in A Majority of One (1961)

This film has wonderful highs and lows—dramatic scenes with heated arguments; comically charming lines; sparkling interaction between Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness. I will not reveal the ending and what became of them, as I think I have done enough! Please watch this film at least once in your life. You might not take to it, but there are many things to discover.

SCHEDULE: Rosalind Russell Birthday Marathon on TCM tomorrow June 4!

Here is the schedule for tomorrow’s marathon in Roz’s honor:

NOTE: All times are in Eastern Standard Time. If you’re like me and are in PST, all of these movies will be on 3 hours earlier for you!

6:15 AM EST They Met in Bombay (1941)

Starring: Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell

Rival jewel thieves on the run find love in the Far East.

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Clark Gable and Rosalind Russell in They Met in Bombay (1941)

8 AM EST Fast and Loose (1939)

Starring: Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell

Married book-dealers Joel and Garda Sloane investigate the killing of a noted collector.

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Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell in Fast and Loose (1939)

9:30 AM EST A Majority of One (1961)

Starring: Rosalind Russell, Alec Guinness

A Jewish widow falls in love with a Japanese businessman.

rosalind russell alec guinness a majority of one
Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness in A Majority of One (1961)

12 PM EST Auntie Mame (1958)

Starring: Rosalind Russell, Forrest Tucker

An eccentric heiress raises her nephew to be a free spirit.

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Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame (1958)

2:30 PM EST The Trouble with Angels (1966)

Starring: Rosalind Russell, Hayley Mills

Two free spirits cause problems at a convent school.

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Rosalind Russell in The Trouble with Angels (1966)

4:30 PM EST No Time for Comedy (1940)

Starring: James Stewart, Rosalind Russell

A wealthy culture vulture tries to steal a playwright from his actress wife.

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Rosalind Russell and James Stewart in No Time for Comedy (1940)

6:15 PM EST The Feminine Touch (1941)

Starring: Rosalind Russell, Don Ameche

An author writing a book on jealousy discovers his wife is an expert on the subject.

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Rosalind Russell and Don Ameche in The Feminine Touch (1941)

The Citadel (1938)

The Citadel, a film released in 1938, marked a few important events. First of all, it was the last time Rosalind Russell would play a British woman. After this film, she only played Americans (with the exception of the Russian Jewish mama in A Majority of One), but still with her very unique way of speaking. Secondly, the premiere of The Citadel in London was the first time Frederick Brisson, her future husband, caught a glimpse of her. He said he and his friend stretched their necks, trying, in a glimmer of hope, to see a real, live movie star.

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

Neither of them had any idea they would fall in love and be married just 3 years later. When Rosalind arrived in London to film this British movie, she was not exactly welcome. Everyone in the cast (Robert Donat, Ralph Richardson, Rex Harrison, and so on) were British, except for the female star (Roz) and the director (King Vidor). The film revolved around the miners in a Welsh mining town, and so the labor unions were in an uproar about the main actress and director not being authentically British.

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

She gave a good performance with several opportunities to turn on the waterworks, but being a doctor’s wife is clearly not where Roz excels, and the showstopper is Robert Donat, who was nominated for an Oscar for this role.

Robert Donat plays Andrew Manson, a young doctor eager to start his first job. He has been hired as the assistant doctor in Dr. Page’s practice.

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Rosalind Russell, Rex Harrison, and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938) – looks like a deleted scene

Dr. Page (Basil Gill) is a very ill, old man who is confined to his bed, allowing his wife to take over everything. Andrew will be doing all the work at his practice because Dr. Page is simply unable to do anything. Andrew will be staying at their house while he works for Dr. Page, but he immediately gets a glimpse of what his life away from work will be like with the domineering, cruel Mrs. Page (Dilys Davies).

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Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

Mrs. Page does not pay Andrew well for his hard work. She does not feel she has to treat him as well as he deserves because this is his first job and he shouldn’t expect much. She also starves him by giving him a very small amount of food at mealtimes, while giving herself large quantities of food. He enjoys his work anyway, even though he comes up against some obstacles and disappointments along the way.

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

One day, when he is examining a young boy with measles at the boy’s apartment, his mother tells Andrew that her other son is at school because it’s so hard to do her housework with both boys there all day. Andrew is outraged that the schoolteacher, Miss Barlow, has allowed this because the boy should be in quarantine. The mother assures him that Miss Barlow simply wanted to help out. He hurries over to the local school and first meets Miss Barlow, first name Christine, face to face. He calls her out immediately in front of her class and he finds that Christine (Rosalind Russell) is a feisty, stubborn young woman not willing to back down so easily. She yells back at him, “Does it occur to you that I’m the mistress of this class? It’s my word that counts!”

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Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

He threatens to report her and she replies, “Well, then you better report me.” She asks her class to say goodbye and thank you to him, and as he leaves, she shoots him a withering look to show her dissatisfaction. That night, he tries over and over again to write out a letter to report Christine, but he can’t finish it.

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Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

Soon after this, he delivers a stillborn baby and one can tell he is heartbroken over this bad reflection on him as a doctor. Just when he’s given in to defeat, he quickly gets some warm water in a basin and rubs the child desperately, giving him air into his tiny lungs until suddenly, the newborn baby has been given life, as everyone witnesses by the baby’s cries. Andrew smiles, immensely proud of himself for saving his first life. Nothing can shake the feeling of such elation as he walks away from the happy family.

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Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

Another doctor named Denny (Ralph Richardson) befriends Andrew and they start to notice a pattern in the deaths from typhoid in town. Denny discovers that a large number of people were being stricken with typhoid because of the dirty, tainted water in the sewers. So what do they do? They make their own dynamite, throw it down into the sewers, and blow it up. They have done something very illegal, but necessary to prevent a complete typhoid epidemic.

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Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

The next morning, Andrew sees Christine for the second time. She has come into his office to get a sore throat checked out, and it is obvious that although they were quite angry with each other in their first meeting, they seem rather fascinated with each other this time. Christine gushes about how wonderful it was that he saved a baby’s life. He thanks her, but acts like he doesn’t much care for anything she says. He tells her to sit down while he examines her throat.

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Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

This scene will show anyone that despite the dramatic proponents of this film, Roz has a way of being funny anyway. She makes comical faces as she opens her mouth wide and says “ah” and coughs a few times for him. As he writes out a prescription for her and she leaves his office, they discover they have a mutual friend in Denny and Christine seems vaguely eager about riding bicycles with Andrew, but doesn’t ask him. She finally leaves and they both seems happy to have seen each other again.

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Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

That same night, happy with his second meeting with Christine, he goes home only to have Hurricane Mrs. Page rip him a new one. He get into a very loud verbal argument and he starts insulting her, saying he’s fed up with her keeping portions of his salary from him and starving him to death. She fires him and he does one better: he quits and walks out as she continues screaming at him! Suddenly finding himself without a job, he hears about a mining town in Wales looking for a new doctor to treat the folks there. He interviews for the job in a room that includes the miners, who get a chance to ask the doctor questions and learn more about him. The man sitting next to him shooting him questions is named Owen and he is none other than Emlyn Williams, the one who wrote the plays Night Must Fall (1935) and The Corn is Green (1938), the latter made into a movie starring Bette Davis in 1945.

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

Andrew seems like a good fit until they ask him if he’s a family man. The job comes with a large house and they only want a married doctor. He quickly says he is engaged to be married, which is a bold-faced lie. They accept him, but if he turns up without a wife, he will be in big trouble. He sees Christine riding her bicycle in the street and he walks alongside her, striking up a conversation. He informs her of the new job he has, but he mentions that he doesn’t really have it until he has a wife. As they stop in front of her house, she says she hopes she can fix his problem and she goes into her house. He suddenly blurts out, “You wouldn’t marry me, would you?”

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

As she sticks her head out of the upstairs window, she bursts into unrestrained laughter at the thought. She sees he is serious and although she loves being a teacher, for some reason or other (and still snickering), she agrees to marry him so he can have the job. Soon, they arrive in the Welsh mining town where he will be the doctor. They install themselves in their new house and not long after they have become settled, there is a cave-in at the mines and Andrew is hard at work underground, saving lives and helping the gravely injured. Christine rushes toward him, crying and so relieved to see him alive. This is the first of several occasions in which Christine has cause to burst into tears.

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

While working in the mining town, Andrew starts to notice a tremendous outbreak among the miners of tuberculosis. After some initial research, Andrew figures out that they are getting it from the silica found in the coal down in the mines. Since nobody is willing to start searching for a cure or treatment for the disease, Andrew and Christine set up a lab in their home, using the treasured microscope Denny gave him. When Andrew isn’t working in town, he is doing experiments in their secret lab while Christine assists him. They test their findings on guinea pigs. Now, I am not sure if what they were testing was humane toward animals, but I am sure no animals were harmed during production of the film. You don’t even see the actual guinea pigs, although in my most recent viewing of the film, I noticed Rosalind Russell calls one of the guinea pigs “Clara,” something she tended to do in her films.

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Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

She mentioned the name “Clara” a few times throughout her career in different ways as an homage to her sister Clara and probably also to her mother, who was also named Clara. One day, all hope is shattered when a group of men break into Andrew and Christine’s home when Christine is home alone. Through her abundant tears, she tells Andrew that the men just burst in, broke all their slides and samples, and took the guinea pigs.

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Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

It was after this fiasco that Andrew and Christine got themselves out and moved to a bigger city, where Andrew opens up his own medical practice. They live in a tiny apartment and Andrew has a lot of trouble getting patients and so they are living hand to mouth at this point. Even so, Christine doesn’t mind the struggles at all. She loves all the locals, especially an Italian woman named Mrs. Orlando (Mary Clare) who runs an Italian restaurant in town, which she and Andrew consider to be the best food. She and her young daughter Anna are very kind and hospitable and they all become friendly.

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Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

One day, Andrew is called over for an “emergency” at a store. He finds a young woman named Toppy LeRoy (Penelope Dudley Ward) lying on the floor, screaming and obviously throwing a temper tantrum. He finds it quite distasteful for a grown woman to throw a temper tantrum in public like that and he promptly slaps her face a few times. This brings her out of it, at least. This is how Andrew suddenly becomes immersed in the lives of the spoiled rich. He meets an old classmate of his, Dr. Lawford (Rex Harrison in a very early role) in an elevator and he asks him to come over to the hospital with him. It becomes apparent that these doctors are mainly concerned with large salaries and benefits of serving the rich and famous and not with curing people or saving lives.

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Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

It isn’t long before Andrew becomes one of them and starts bringing home expensive presents for Christine, like some beautiful furs. When Christine sees things in the mail like checks made out to Andrew just for being present at operations without even doing anything, she becomes suspicious. She can see Andrew is not the same man she married and is more enamored with money than anything else. The next day, they have a beautiful picnic on a hill and she starts telling Andrew that she doesn’t want to have a rich lifestyle and she misses their old life. She explains, “Remember the way we used to talk about life? It was an attack on the unknown, an assault uphill, as though you had to take some citadel you couldn’t see but you knew was there.” After they meet up with Denny, whom they haven’t seen in a long time, he tells Andrew about his new idea of taking only small amounts of money from patients (what they can afford), so they can still receive the care they deserve.

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Rosalind Russell and Robert Donat in The Citadel (1938)

Andrew turns him down for the partnership and Denny can see the change in him as well. Although Denny was doing well with his sobriety, he suddenly goes off on a bender and in his drunken stupor, he gets hit by a car right in front of Andrew and Christine’s apartment. They both rush to the hospital and Andrew assists in the operation to save Denny’s life. However, the doctor performing the operation is one of those catering to the rich and famous and obviously does not try very hard to save Denny’s life. Denny is gone and that’s life—that’s his philosophy.

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Mary Clare, Unknown Actress, and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

Andrew tells him that “that wasn’t surgery, it was murder” and heartbroken that he has just lost his best friend, takes a very long, mind-numbing walk through town, thinking about the tragic circumstances that have just struck his life. He thinks about who he has become and who he used to be. He realizes he is a sliver of a shadow of the man he used to be and promises himself he will do better.

 

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Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

After his despairing walk, he remembers that Mrs. Orlando told him about her daughter’s hospitalization for an illness of her lungs and although he ignored her then, he will not ignore her now. He heads for the hospital and although it’s highly unethical, he snatches her from her hospital bed and making sure Mrs. Orlando tells the doctor that she is dissatisfied with his care, takes her out of there. It isn’t long before Anna is well and dancing just like she used to.

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Ralph Richardson and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel (1938)

The film ends with a very powerful scene in which there is a hearing at the English Medical Union for Andrew’s unethical medical practices and for his helping an American man with the tuberculosis cure, a non-medical man who shouldn’t be allowed to do anything. Although the union shoots Andrew down for his infamous conduct, Andrew says he is proud of his conduct because although “doctors have to live, they have a responsibility to mankind, too.”

IMDB page for The Citadel (1938)

TCM overview of the film

The trailer of the film

Rosalind Russell Marathon on TCM

They are showing a marathon of Roz’s movies tomorrow (05/25) from 6:15  am EST (3:15 am PST) to 8 pm EST (5 pm PST). I’m in! Are you? 🙂 I consider this marathon a treat after working so hard at school, haha! They are playing a great lineup of films, in my opinion:

6:15 am EST/3:15 am PST


Four’s a Crowd



8:00 am EST/5:00 am PST

Fast and Loose:

9:30 am EST/6:30 am PST

My Sister Eileen:

11:15 am EST/8:15 am PST

Sister Kenny:

1:15 pm EST/10:15 am PST

Never Wave at a WAC:

2:45 pm EST/11:45 am PST

Auntie Mame:

5:15 pm EST/2:15 pm PST

A Majority of One:

Unfortunately, I can’t technically be there during the entire marathon real time because I live in the west coast 😉 Kind of early! Haha, but I will watch as much as possible and these are great films, even my absolute favorite (AUNTIE MAME).