A Filmmaker's Guide to: James Stewart

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

James Stewart

Who was he?

James Stewart was an American actor born in 1908. He started his career off in the Princeton University Theatre whilst he was studying architecture there. He got into films in around 1932 and continued to act until he was accepted by MGM Studios to be in films funded by their backing in the mid-30s. He had some commercial failures and even though he was considered to be leading man material, MGM became scared to cast him as the leading man because there were other good leading men at the time including the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable - which means James Stewart would not stand much of a chance on his own. Instead of doing it themselves, MGM loaned him out to other studios who turned him not only into a leading man but into a commercial success on par with the two big actors previously mentioned. So good that he went on to work with Hitchcock in a few different films as the lead.

What did he do in film?

James Stewart was known for portraying intelligent and often obsessive men who are learning something new about themselves, embracing in self-discovery or even trying to solve a problem with themselves that they've had for a long while. Often these are complex, deep and very introspective characters which required a lot of what is now known as 'method' acting, and to watch some of James Stewart's interviews and movies is to know his process. It is like watching the master at work - you can tell he knows what he is doing and he can do it very well.

Let's have a look at some of his most well-known and acclaimed performances in order to get a feel for this trend throughout the order of his career:

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) dir. by Frank Capra

Not only is Frank Capra a wonderful director and one of my personal favourites, the portrayal of Jefferson Smith by James Stewart is absolutely brilliant. That thing that I was saying about the introspective character on a journey of self-discovery is definitely played out within this film and very well too.

The Philadelphia Story (1940) dir. by George Cukor

Portraying Mike Conor and co-starring Katharine Hepburn, this brilliant film that gives a new meaning to the term rom-com went on to win James Stewart (and rightly so) the Academy Award for Best Actor. Something that was overdue by this point.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) dir. by Frank Capra

There are not many Christmas films as good as "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946). The self-discovery and meaningful introspection is definitely present here and it has since become one of the most beloved films in all of history because it celebrates the way in which we can be grateful for our families and for the time we can spend together. We can have this introspection and gather meaning at a time when family means so much.

Rear Window (1954) dir. by Sir Alfred Hitchcock

A psychological thriller in which a photographer is convinced a murder has taken place across the street because he saw strange happenings through a telescope means that Jeff (James Stewart) now has to convince his girlfriend (Grace Kelly) that she has to help him. Again, the self is in danger of being disbelieved or broken down by guilt if he sits back and does nothing.

Vertigo (1958) dir. by Sir Alfred Hitchcock

Possibly my favourite James Stewart performance of all, Scottie is falling in love with a woman who may actually be someone else. Through the experience of deception, Kim Novak delights the film with a terror of identity familiar to many Hitchcock movies and James Stewart moves in to try as he may to set things straight. And even he questions whether he can.

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) dir. by Otto Preminger

I absolutely adore this movie and this is probably on par with "Vertigo" for my favourite James Stewart performances. Paul is a lawyer who is trying to solve a case of rape, assault and murder and when he is confronted with multiple stories and different pieces of evidence, witnesses etc. he must make some shocking decisions when his initial story that he was given is falling apart at the seams.

Conclusion

Yes, it is a big list but James Stewart was a great actor and throughout his career, he was a massive success in the noir, crime and thriller department. He starred in movies that outlived him by a mile and when he died, a lot of his lesser known movies came back into the spotlight. His career was more successful than MGM studios even thought it would be.