Like the first three directors of Classic Hollywood cinema whose films we’ve studied, Howard Hawks got his start by working in various capacities on silent films before moving up to directing his own films. Unlike the previous directors we’ve studied, all immigrants, Hawks was the WASP that Frank Capra longed to be. Hawks was born into a wealthy industrial family whose ancestor, John Hawks, immigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1630. Along with his ancestry, Hawks had the advantage of a prep school/Ivy League education. He used his degree in engineering in an unconventional way by indulging in his passion for flying and car racing. While racing he met the director, King Vidor, who got him his entree into the movie business.
His straightforward directorial and laconic story-telling style belies a unique artistic vision running through his films that was first articulated by critics of the French New Wave. His desire to stay true to his unique vision led him to pursue independence as a producer and director in spite of the control of the Hollywood studio system at this time, an independence made possible in part by his wealth and social status. While he presented a persona of no artistic or intellectual affectations, but just a skilled craftsman and storyteller, he was described by Francois Truffaut as “one of the most intellectual filmmakers in America.”
To discern Hawks’ art and philosophy, we will be watching a variety of classic Hollywood genres that Hawks perfected in his career output of forty films, including gangster film, screwball comedy, Western, and film noir and science fiction. Among the films we’ll be watching are Rio Bravo, 1959; His Girl Friday, 1940; Scarface, 1932; To Have and Have Not, 1944 or The Big Sleep, 1946; Only Angels Have Wings, 1932; and The Thing from Another World, 1951. (Order of viewing TBA at start of class. Subject to change with notice.)
The course format will be a brief lecture then class discussion. All films will be watched individually before class. Films are available to rent for free in DVD format in public libraries or to stream on various streaming platforms, some free with membership, others for a charge of $2.99 to $3.99. Weekly preparation will be around two hours to watch films. In previous classes some students watched films twice. Viewing questions to help students prepare for discussion will be sent out about a week in advance of the film to be discussed for that week’s class.
Please note that this six-week course will begin on February 28 and end on April 3, which is during the make-up week. Also, you do not have to have seen the films of Classic Hollywood directors discussed in previous courses in this series to benefit from this class.