Beau James (1957)

Beau James (1957)


Plot Summary

The story of Jimmy Walker (Bob Hope) who became mayor of New York in the '20s. Used by professional politicians and money-grabbers, Walker himself was "stupid but clean", although his open affair with Betty Compton (Vera Miles) cost him dear.

This was one of only two truly more serious/dramatic roles that Bob Hope ever essayed on the big screen and here he does a great job portraying the larger than life Jimmy Walker who was mayor of NYC during the Jazz Age. Walker was a guy who was carefree and thus didn't take his job too seriously. This made the role perfect for Hope as he could make a few wisecracks and get away with it and also be able to not put the mood completely in the dumps during the sadder points in the film.

This was a typical whitewashed romanticized biopic that Hollywood was famous for in the 1950s but here there was a little more depth to it and the heartfelt love letter to the New York of the 1920s is so wonderfully done that you forget some of the weakness of the script and reality of the times. Walker wasn't quite the innocent do-gooder that he's presented here as he grew up within the Tammany Hall system as his father was an alderman in the state of New York however, that is not to say that Walker didn't at least want to do some good as his one term as mayor saw prosperity and good times for the city.

I want to focus on the love letter to New York City for a bit. The movie makes it abundantly clear that to Walker his one great love in life was the city. Yes, he chafed from his parents dreams of him being a big time politician by making it big in broadway as a songwriter and such but when tasked by Al Smith to lead the Democratic ticket for the mayor of New York he took the job and ran with it. There are numerous scenes of Hope singing New York themed songs and in one segment at a fundraiser for Walker he gets up and sings "The Sidewalks of New York" with Jimmy Durante. Hope has to deliver lines that seem cheesy on paper about how he loves "this cock-eyed city" etc etc yet he makes it work despite the cheese factor.

The main story though is the relationship between Walker and Betty Compton, a young singer/dancer whom he meets after going on a bender after winning the election and being rebuffed by his estranged wife Allie (Alexis Smith) who worked on the campaign trail with him in order to get him elected.  Allie is interesting as it seems she wanted him to climb up the ladder of success but she could never take Walker's carefree nature and wandering eye yet despite that she's there for him and does whatever she can to save his political career not just for him but because she knows he's good for the city. Anyways, Walker goes on a bender and is discovered by Compton who literally has to drag him to her place and call a doctor. Throughout this Walker is completely out of it and singing New York themed songs. Apparently Walker had suffered a hemorrhage and his people completely take over her place. Chris Nolan (Paul Douglas) who's basically Walker's campaign manager/liaison to Tammany Hall tries to buy her off which she rebuffs. Later on Walker shows his appreciation to Betty for helping him by pulling strings and getting her a job on Broadway. Well that didn't work out too well as she storms into City Hall and tells him how she isn't going to take it and doesn't want him in her life as it's ruined her. Walker than tells her that she's far too young and he's married. Why would he want to be with her? He was only showing appreciation and tells her to take the gig. In a great bit though, as Walker leaves his office he tells his press secretary that he doesn't believe a word he said.

Walker than sees her on Broadway and completely falls in love with her which leads to a relationship much to the chagrin of his people. This becomes the focus of the film as there's a big stink about a married man being with a younger woman even though everyone knows that for years his marriage has been all but over. This hand wringing over the Compton affair becomes the focus rather than what is historically the main issue that corruption got so bad that it led right up to Walker's desk. There's a scene where Walker goes to the investigation hearing and everybody in the administration is dirty in one way or another and Walker's mortified.

This leads to his people more or less forcing Betty to ditch Walker so that he could work on clearing himself as getting rid of her would allow the people at Tammany Hall to back him and put pressure on the investigative body. Their tactics don't work and try as they might to talk Walker out of his relationship he won't budge. This gives some pretty good scenes of Hope being tough and putting the screws on Douglas as they both need each other. Walker's the only clean guy and Tammany Hall needs him to be cover for all the rats running under him. it takes Allie meeting Betty and basically telling her that Walker would never fully give himself to her as New York is his mistress. When Betty realizes this she dumps Walker and he's totally out of it.

I won't say much more but I will add this, the last 15 or so minutes include two great monologues by Hope that shows he could more than just be a comic. Even at the very end it becomes so very New York as it occurs at Old Yankee Stadium. The love affair between Walker and the city comes full circle as he faces the people who have turned against him.

So yeah, this movie can be a bit cheesy, sentimental and schmaltzy but you know what? It works. The love for the New York of the '20s shines right through the screen. There's even a great segment early on when Walker's running for mayor where he stumps in all the ethnic neighborhoods singing "will you love me in December as you do in May?" in the various languages and in Harlem he does some tap dancing with a young girl. It's so very BIG and so very New York that you can't help but love it.

So while the film is flawed by not being a bit more truthful and showing the uglier side of Jimmy Walker it's still a good little flick. It's pure Hollywood sentiment but done in a way that is very hard to pull off in today's cynical world.

*** stars