As we look at the state of our nation today, it feels like we’re facing threats to liberty and democracy our ancestors couldn’t even have imagined. They fought for freedom on foreign shores as they battled tyrants abroad in international conflicts, like World War II. At least everyone was fighting for a common goal as “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” History is never as simple as that, however. Although the 1940s were a wonderfully patriotic time, one very insightful film reminds us freedom is never a guarantee, even in America.
Today’s moment of movie wisdom is from “Keeper of the Flame” (1942). It takes place 18 minutes into this 100-minute film. In this scene, battle-scarred journalist Steven O’Malley (Spencer Tracy) consoles a young boy, Jeb Rickards (Darryl Hickman), who is devastated by the death of his hero, Robert Forrest. Steven reminds Jeb that Mr. Forrest, who united youth around the country through his patriotic Junior Rangers program, would have wanted him to carry on with the cause. Describing the horrible oppression he has seen in war-torn Europe, Steven tells Jeb Americans could just as easily be enslaved mentally, if they don’t fight for their country’s values.
The movie begins with Robert Forrest’s tragic death, when he drives off a storm-compromised bridge at his estate. Adoring admirers flood the town to attend the funeral and pay their respects to the beloved man, and journalists flock to cover the story. Among them is Steven O’Malley, who has just returned from covering the ravages of World War II in Europe—world-weary and tired from his experiences. Steven was a great admirer of Mr. Forrest, so he vows to write a book about his life. That proves difficult, however, as the estate remains closed to all visitors, and Mrs. Forrest refuses to see anyone.
Steven earns the confidence of the gatekeeper’s son, Jeb, who is traumatized because he insists he could have warned Forrest about the bridge. Jeb shows Steven his secret entrance to the estate, and the journalist makes his way to the mansion. There, he meets Christine Forrest (Katherine Hepburn), a mysterious young woman—who he soon finds out is Mr. Forrest’s widow. Although they seem to share mutual respect, she regretfully says she can’t help him. After he leaves, Forrest’s sinister secretary, Cliver Kerndon (Richard Whorf), remonstrates her for refusing him and insists she must help Steven to avoid arousing his suspicion. Steven is delighted as she seems to open the estate and her mind to him. However, every discovery he makes drives him deeper into a web of deception around the mysterious figure of Robert Forrest.
The Scene
When I watched “Keeper of the Flame” for the second time, I found multiple scenes which could qualify as moments of movie wisdom. However, this was the first and perhaps the most poignant. The day after the funeral, Steven is walking around outside the Forrest estate, hoping to gain entry. He comes across Jeb, whom he met briefly the day before. Jeb is sobbing uncontrollably, so Steven gently comforts him, saying that dying is unimportant compared to how one lives. Those who remain must carry on for Mr. Forrest.
“We don’t want to be slaves, do we?” Stephen asks, adding, “That’s what they’re fighting for.” Jeb argues there haven’t been slaves since the Civil War. “Not here, maybe,” Steven agrees, “but Europe is full of them. It might be our turn next.” “How?” He says, “There are so many ways, it'd take me the rest of the day to explain it to you. But the general idea is that they try to get us all confused and scared and sore at each other and then, before you know it, clamp the handcuffs on us.” “Would they put handcuffs on me?” “Not on your hands they wouldn’t, because you would have to work for them. The chains would be on your mind and on your tongue.”
Its Significance
This scene is very important to the plot for multiple reasons. Firstly, this conversation about freedom and slavery is one of the only examples of Steven’s philosophy. As the film progresses, he and the audience are focused on his investigation about Forrest, but this moment shows us his inherent patriotism. Secondly, if Steven hadn’t gained Jeb’s trust, he probably never would have gained entry to the Forrest estate or met Mrs. Forrest. Although Kerndon, the secretary, acted like he wanted to accommodate Steven’s interview request, the latter knew he wasn’t sincere. When he starts talking to Jeb, though, it’s obvious Stephen is genuinely concerned about the lad’s wellbeing.Jeb is so inspired by Steven’s words that he wants to know what he can do to keep such things from happening. Steven says he plans to write a book about Mr. Forrest, but he needs Mrs. Forrest’s help. Jeb assures him Mrs. Forrest would want to help and offers to show him the secret entrance. Steven makes his way to the mansion’s living room and into Christine Forrest’s life. Although she instinctively trusts him at their first meeting, she’s afraid of letting anyone into their inner world. Kerndon, on the other hand, believes a book about Robert Forrest could be excellent for his memory if they make sure Steven writes the right story. However, Steven O'Malley is too honest and talented a journalist to sit by impassively and be fed facts. To discover the story behind the story, he probes beyond the surface, even as his discoveries become increasingly disturbing.
A Frightening Prediction
This is one of the least famous of the nine movies Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn made together. It definitely is an unusual film, not just among their collaborations but in MGM’s collection of films made in 1942. Although it made a respectable run at the box office, some people claimed it was leftist propaganda, because it gave a dark side to an American hero, albeit a fictional one. However, the secrets revealed in the film surrounding the character of Robert Forrest are not necessarily exclusive to the political left or right.Today, “Keeper of the Flame” is a frighteningly accurate prediction of what is happening in our country. Many Americans in the 1940s perhaps didn’t want to believe our wonderful nation could be manipulated by enemies from within; a disturbingly large portion of Americans still aren’t willing to believe that the masses could be controlled by a selfish few. This scene describes exactly what has happened to people, and that the loss of freedom can be prevented and reversed if the Jebs of today can hear such wisdom and say through gritted teeth, “What are we going to do about it?”
