Conformity is the enemy of the iconoclast. Herb Gardner’s 1962 production of A Thousand Clowns gives us an inside look at a man forced to conform in order to maintain custody of his nephew. It examines social issues, abandonment, and personal expectations as well as societal expectations and responsibilities. Jason Robards and Barry Gordon originated the characters of Murray and Nick Burns on stage and were retained when the film adaptation was made just three years later. This makes for an interesting conundrum when certain lines are spoken that seem to suggest the seventeen-year-old actor, Barry, is much younger, as he would have been on stage in 1962. The age upgrade also makes a scene involving a memorable lamp take on an additional, humorous, meaning.
The story follows Murray Burns (Jason Robards), a long-time unemployed television writer with no interest in ever going back to work. His nephew Nick (Barry Gordon), abandoned by his mother, tries to convince him to find work again since a report he wrote in school has attracted attention from the school who have been trying to get in touch with Murray on behalf of Nick. But every time Nick brings up the subject of work Murray deftly changes the subject, offering to take Nick somewhere new in the city to shift the focus away.
When two social workers show up at their door, Murray ratchets up his deflection game. Sandra (Barbara Harris) is charmed by the duo but her partner Albert (Williams Daniels) is a no-nonsense individual and the two argue over how to proceed. Albert leaves for their next appointment leaving Sandra behind and she has a breakdown in front of Murray. She agrees to spend the night in his studio apartment and, in the morning, urges him to seek employment lest he lose custody of Nick. He reluctantly agrees but doesn’t take the task seriously, walking out on his job interviews and returning home ready to deflect any questions about how it all went.
This is a story about growing up in both senses of the word. Murray is protective of Nick and doesn’t feel he can let go of the boy until she boy shows some backbone. But Murray himself needs to do some growing up, too. His worldview is incompatible with proper society and raising a child to be a citizen of the world. Throughout the course of the film he justifies his choices by spouting on about conformity and how getting a job will erase his identity and confine him to a life of drabness and boredom. He believes he must fight with everything he has to avoid being swept up in a life like that. His brother and agent, Arnold (Martin Balsam), counter-argues that conforming to societal expectations has made himself “the best possible version of Arnold.” Murray knows that he must set aside his pride and go back to work if he is to keep Nick with him.
When Albert revisits Murray later in the film it strikes a much different tone than on that first visit. Albert is calmer and more in control of himself now that he knows what to expect from Murray. He’s also more introspective, acknowledging his personal weaknesses with children while also explaining that it isn’t enough just to have a loving relationship the way Nick and Murray do. There has to be stability, too. Both need to be present in order to successfully raise Nick and it’s important that Nick grow up understanding expectations and responsibilities.
Murray finally agrees to see his former boss, the host of Chuckles the Chipmunk, Leo Herman (Gene Saks). Nick is present and doesn’t find any of Leo’s jokes funny which sets the man off. When he insults Nick, the boy calmly but harshly puts the man in his place, not mincing words with what he thinks of the comedian. Murray sees that Nick has finally grown a backbone and has come of age. He agrees to go back to his old job, writing jokes for Chuckles. The film concludes with him stepping out in the morning and joining the masses as they all head their own ways into the workforce. In a way it is a bit of a sad ending but one that comes about by necessity.
Director Fred Coe’s primary experience was as a broadway producer but he had done film before. His instincts were correct here in trying to make the film more cinematic. Often times plays converted for the screen can come across stifling, wordy and even claustrophobic. In some instances a filmmaker can use that to the film’s advantage. 12 Angry Men is a prime example of this where the claustrophobia is an important element to the overall feel of the film. Other times, such as in John Huston’s Annie, the film version isn’t opened up enough to let the story breathe and it hinders the cinematic experience. Fred Coe’s knew the play A Thousand Clowns was wordy and needed to be punched up for film audiences. His solution, though, is a bit head scratching. Much of the film still amounts to a few characters sitting around talking, but in-between these scenes are a series of montages set to Sousa marches symbolizing soldiers marching in unison without any real sense of identity. This mantra is repeated multiple times in an attempt to break up the dialogue scenes and it gets a bit distracting after a while. It does give the film a bit more character but it is overused and undercuts the emotional core of the play.
Martin Balsam was the only performer here to get recognition from The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. His acting chops are undeniable as seen in his character of Juror #1 in 12 Angry Men. His screen time in A Thousand Clowns is limited but he gets one of the best scenes of the movie when he finally confronts his brother and clues him in to what is really at stake here. This conversation appears to hit a brick wall but actually resonates with Murray as he has his confrontation with Leo and Nick in the final act. Martin was good enough here to secure him the win at the 38th Academy Awards.
There is plenty of thought provoking dialogue and insightful moments in A Thousand Clowns, enough to discuss for hours. Murray has a point of view that some may agree with to an extent, too. He and Albert are two opposite sides of the coin and they both have valid points of view on the world. Nick is the deciding factor, though, and Albert is right - A loving relationship is important but there needs to be more than just that in order to make sure Nick’s needs are being met. He needs stability, too. Murray has to grow up and put the needs of his adoptive child first. Once Nick has grown up and moved on then, if he so desires, he can return to a life of non-conformity where the only one affected by that choice is himself.
Academy Award Nominations:
Best Picture: Fred Coe
Best Supporting Actor: Martin Balsam (won)
Best Screenplay - Based on Material from Another Medium: Herb Gardner
Best Scoring of Music - Adaptation or Treatment: Don Walker
____________________________________________________
Release Date: December 13, 1965
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Not Rated
Starring: Jason Robards, Barbara Harris, Martin Balsam and Barry Gordon
Directed By: Fred Coe
Comments
Post a Comment