What Classics Did You See Last Week? (5 June to 11 June 2017
Jun 12, 2017 2:00:28 GMT
Doghouse6, howardschumann, and 4 more like this
Post by mikef6 on Jun 12, 2017 2:00:28 GMT
Holiday / George Cukor (1938). Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn followed Howard Hawk’s screwball comedy “Bringing Up Baby” (which I reviewed here last week – or was it the week before) by rejoining forces under George Cukor is a completely different kind of comedy/drama that demonstrated the kind of range that both actors were developing. The rich Seton family is presided over by the tyrant of a father Edward Seton (Henry Kolker). When his second daughter, Julia (Doris Nolan) announces that she is in love with a commoner who has worked his way up in the world, the father is doubtful and tries his best to discourage her. However, when Julia’s siblings, older sister Linda (Hepburn) and her younger brother, the weak, alcoholic Ned (Lew Ayres) meet her prospective fiancé, Johnny Case (Grant) they both like him and support their sister. Johnny is something of a rebel who wants to find out who he is and why he works (sounding a lot like New Age Hippy talk about 30 years ahead of that time) and plans to make enough quick money in business to take time off – as much as he needs – to find himself. Ned (and the audience) sees at once that the sister Johnny should be hooked up with is Linda who is desperately unhappy in an idle rich life, knocking around a huge New York City mansion of cold marble. She is the self-described “black sheep” of the family. Also sensing the growing affection between Johnny and Linda are Johnny’s lifelong friends, the ordinary people, Prof. Nick Potter and his wife Susan (Edward Everett Horton and Jean Dixon) who arrive at the Seton’s New Year’s Eve party with a wonderful sense of irony intact. It is that New Year’s Eve party that is the central setting of the film, marvelously directed and acted. Grant is perfect and Kate is luminous, even lovable - as she was in "Bringing Up Baby," but different. A true enduring classic in every regard.
Air Force / Howard Hawks (1943). One of the earliest films from Hollywood to show men in combat in WWII, “Air Force” sets the tone and style and many of the tropes for many a film to come. Hawks was encouraged to make the film by five star general Henry “Hap” Arnold, an aviation pioneer and one of the first military pilots. Hawks and screen writer Dudley Nichols decided to focus on a B-17 Flying Fortress (the “Mary Ann”) bomber crew and their experiences. The biggest “name” in the cast was John Garfield who plays one of the gunners on the bomber. John Ridgely plays the pilot; Gig Young is his co-pilot. The other officers are Arthur Kennedy as the bombardier and Charles Drake as the navigator. Harry Carey (very good) is the top sergeant. Under Carey’s supervision is Garfield and George Tobias as another gunner. They are joined later by a fighter pilot who needs a lift. He is played by James Brown who boomers will remember as Lt. Rip Masters in the Rin-Tin-Tin TV series (1954-1959). The film (released in March 1943) took its first audience back in time about 15 months as seven B-17s bombers leave San Francisco on a routine flight to Honolulu in early December 1941. Minutes before beginning their landing, radio contact with the Air Force base is cut-off. They have flown into the attack on Pearl Harbor. From the Hawaiian Islands, they must make their way to Wake Island and then to the Philippines. All of the crew members are well written and given backstories. The action is plentiful and the Warner special effects crew does wonders with airplane and ship models. But for modern sensibilities, the demonizing and de-humanization of the enemy may seem excessive. There is copious use of the J-word and many expressions of what treacherous rats America is up against. The final huge battle set-piece, based on the Battle of the Coral Sea which turned back a Japanese invasion of Australia, occurs in the movie only days after Pearl Harbor and is pictured as an overwhelming American victory so is mostly fiction and deliberate rousing propaganda. Still, knowing that going in, this is an excellent film.
FUN FACT: Howard Hawks ran into author William Faulkner on the Warner lot and talked him into writing a death scene for one of the major characters. He wrote a good one, too. Reportedly, with the money Hawks paid him, the southern novelist had indoor plumbing installed at his Mississippi home.
Limonádový Joe Aneb Konská Opera (Lemonade Joe) / Oldrich Lipský (1964). You probably won’t find the name of Oldrich Lipský among the list of names of major directors of the Czech New Wave, maybe because he started earlier than the usual names like Miloš Forman, Jaromil Jireš, or Jiří Menzel, possibly because he started earlier than the New Wave newcomers. (You can find another of his films in manfromplanetx's post, above.) However, “Lemonade Joe” stands firmly within the aesthetic mode of the New Wave, especially with the absurdist humor. (My understanding is that the Czech word “limonádový” doesn’t mean “lemonade” even though it is translated that way in the title and dialog subtitles. Its true translation, I have been told, is the generic “soda pop.” Modern online translators offer “gooey, smaltzy, and sloppy” as translations but these meanings are clearly not the intention in this film.) Anyhoo, “Lemonade Joe” is a spoof of Hollywood westerns, but not an “Airplane” style spoof nor of “Carry On Cowboy.” This western takes a decidedly surreal turn. All the stereotypes and tropes are there – the hero all in white, the virginal heroine, the evil saloon owner, and the dance hall girl looking for redemption – but their story is told with strange editing tricks, crazy camera angles, and events that defy gravity and reality. Still something of a cult film in today’s Czech Republic but, I believe, not well-known elsewhere in the world.
My Cousin Rachel / Roger Michell (2017). Philip’s voiceover opens the film: “Who’s to blame?” he asks. “Did she? Or didn’t she?” Philip Ashley, orphaned as a child in 18th century England, was taken in and protected by his adult cousin Ambrose, a bachelor. They lived a bachelor existence for 20 years until Ambrose got old and ill. Doctors recommended that Ambrose leave England for the warmth of Italy. Philip takes care of the property and looks forward to receiving letters from Ambrose. Surprisingly, one of the letters reveals that Ambrose has finally married. He has met an English woman named Rachel and can’t live without her. Other letters come and the tone begins to change. Ambrose thinks Rachel now hates him and wants him dead. A final note says, “She has done for me.” When word comes of Ambrose’s death, Philip sets out for vengeance. Just missing her in Italy, he returns to his property only to learn that she is coming to him. When they finally meet, he can’t believe that the lovely, gracious, vulnerable woman he sees could possibly be a murderer. This begins a story of doubt and suspicion. The modern tradition of British historical drama from Merchant-Ivory to Jane Austen to Downton Abbey offer picturesque homes for the rich, sumptuous costumes, and magnificent scenery. These are all present in spades in this film so will satisfy all fans of this genre. Although there are certainly other actors in the film – mainly Iain Glen as Nick, Philip’s trustee until he turns 25, and Holliday Grainger as Louise, Nick’s daughter who Everybody thinks is destined to be Philip’s wife – what we have is basically a two-character drama. Sam Calflin (one of JLaw’s two boyfriends in “The Hunger Games” but frankly I don’t remember what he looked like in those films) gives a possible star-making turn as Philip. As Rachel there is yet another award worthy performance from Rachel Weisz who is magnificence itself. This new film is highly recommended just for her wonderful lead performance. This is based on a 1951 novel by Daphne du Maurier (“Rebecca”). It was filmed in 1952 with Olivia de Havilland and Richard Burton (I have only watched a few short scenes from this production.)
ANOTHER LOOK-SEE TO REFRESH MY MEMORY OR JUST BECAUSE
The Kennel Murder Case / Michael Curtiz (1933). Instead of the frenetic editing, flashing lights, and pounding noise that passes for excitement in modern movies, an earlier era sometimes leaned on a rapid fire delivery of dialog. This particular whodunit is a case in point. They manage to dash through a full-length movie in about 75 minutes. Michael Curtiz keeps things zipping along so you don’t stop to ask too many questions and William Powell is at his smoothest as Philo Vance, amateur detective. One thing bothered me this time around: except for the servants in the rich victim’s household, all of the major male characters (including Powell) had dark complexations, dark hair, and the exact same mustache, making them look very much alike. Another thing was how they pronounced “suspect.” Today, if you say, “I suspect something,” you would pronounce it sus-PECT. If the police, on the other hand, had you in custody, you would be a SUS-pect. In this early sound feature, all the characters, again including Powell, said sus-PECT for the SUS-pects, as in “I think we should release all of the sus-PECTS.” That’s for all you language mavens out there.
Les Diaboliques (The Devils) / Henri-Georges Clouzot (1955). So I’m the only person on the planet who can say that he doesn’t like “Les Diaboliques” and haven’t since my first and, until this week, only viewing from back in the dark ‘80s. My reasons all revolve around the surprise ending so they are going under the spoiler tag.
Air Force / Howard Hawks (1943). One of the earliest films from Hollywood to show men in combat in WWII, “Air Force” sets the tone and style and many of the tropes for many a film to come. Hawks was encouraged to make the film by five star general Henry “Hap” Arnold, an aviation pioneer and one of the first military pilots. Hawks and screen writer Dudley Nichols decided to focus on a B-17 Flying Fortress (the “Mary Ann”) bomber crew and their experiences. The biggest “name” in the cast was John Garfield who plays one of the gunners on the bomber. John Ridgely plays the pilot; Gig Young is his co-pilot. The other officers are Arthur Kennedy as the bombardier and Charles Drake as the navigator. Harry Carey (very good) is the top sergeant. Under Carey’s supervision is Garfield and George Tobias as another gunner. They are joined later by a fighter pilot who needs a lift. He is played by James Brown who boomers will remember as Lt. Rip Masters in the Rin-Tin-Tin TV series (1954-1959). The film (released in March 1943) took its first audience back in time about 15 months as seven B-17s bombers leave San Francisco on a routine flight to Honolulu in early December 1941. Minutes before beginning their landing, radio contact with the Air Force base is cut-off. They have flown into the attack on Pearl Harbor. From the Hawaiian Islands, they must make their way to Wake Island and then to the Philippines. All of the crew members are well written and given backstories. The action is plentiful and the Warner special effects crew does wonders with airplane and ship models. But for modern sensibilities, the demonizing and de-humanization of the enemy may seem excessive. There is copious use of the J-word and many expressions of what treacherous rats America is up against. The final huge battle set-piece, based on the Battle of the Coral Sea which turned back a Japanese invasion of Australia, occurs in the movie only days after Pearl Harbor and is pictured as an overwhelming American victory so is mostly fiction and deliberate rousing propaganda. Still, knowing that going in, this is an excellent film.
FUN FACT: Howard Hawks ran into author William Faulkner on the Warner lot and talked him into writing a death scene for one of the major characters. He wrote a good one, too. Reportedly, with the money Hawks paid him, the southern novelist had indoor plumbing installed at his Mississippi home.
Limonádový Joe Aneb Konská Opera (Lemonade Joe) / Oldrich Lipský (1964). You probably won’t find the name of Oldrich Lipský among the list of names of major directors of the Czech New Wave, maybe because he started earlier than the usual names like Miloš Forman, Jaromil Jireš, or Jiří Menzel, possibly because he started earlier than the New Wave newcomers. (You can find another of his films in manfromplanetx's post, above.) However, “Lemonade Joe” stands firmly within the aesthetic mode of the New Wave, especially with the absurdist humor. (My understanding is that the Czech word “limonádový” doesn’t mean “lemonade” even though it is translated that way in the title and dialog subtitles. Its true translation, I have been told, is the generic “soda pop.” Modern online translators offer “gooey, smaltzy, and sloppy” as translations but these meanings are clearly not the intention in this film.) Anyhoo, “Lemonade Joe” is a spoof of Hollywood westerns, but not an “Airplane” style spoof nor of “Carry On Cowboy.” This western takes a decidedly surreal turn. All the stereotypes and tropes are there – the hero all in white, the virginal heroine, the evil saloon owner, and the dance hall girl looking for redemption – but their story is told with strange editing tricks, crazy camera angles, and events that defy gravity and reality. Still something of a cult film in today’s Czech Republic but, I believe, not well-known elsewhere in the world.
My Cousin Rachel / Roger Michell (2017). Philip’s voiceover opens the film: “Who’s to blame?” he asks. “Did she? Or didn’t she?” Philip Ashley, orphaned as a child in 18th century England, was taken in and protected by his adult cousin Ambrose, a bachelor. They lived a bachelor existence for 20 years until Ambrose got old and ill. Doctors recommended that Ambrose leave England for the warmth of Italy. Philip takes care of the property and looks forward to receiving letters from Ambrose. Surprisingly, one of the letters reveals that Ambrose has finally married. He has met an English woman named Rachel and can’t live without her. Other letters come and the tone begins to change. Ambrose thinks Rachel now hates him and wants him dead. A final note says, “She has done for me.” When word comes of Ambrose’s death, Philip sets out for vengeance. Just missing her in Italy, he returns to his property only to learn that she is coming to him. When they finally meet, he can’t believe that the lovely, gracious, vulnerable woman he sees could possibly be a murderer. This begins a story of doubt and suspicion. The modern tradition of British historical drama from Merchant-Ivory to Jane Austen to Downton Abbey offer picturesque homes for the rich, sumptuous costumes, and magnificent scenery. These are all present in spades in this film so will satisfy all fans of this genre. Although there are certainly other actors in the film – mainly Iain Glen as Nick, Philip’s trustee until he turns 25, and Holliday Grainger as Louise, Nick’s daughter who Everybody thinks is destined to be Philip’s wife – what we have is basically a two-character drama. Sam Calflin (one of JLaw’s two boyfriends in “The Hunger Games” but frankly I don’t remember what he looked like in those films) gives a possible star-making turn as Philip. As Rachel there is yet another award worthy performance from Rachel Weisz who is magnificence itself. This new film is highly recommended just for her wonderful lead performance. This is based on a 1951 novel by Daphne du Maurier (“Rebecca”). It was filmed in 1952 with Olivia de Havilland and Richard Burton (I have only watched a few short scenes from this production.)
ANOTHER LOOK-SEE TO REFRESH MY MEMORY OR JUST BECAUSE
The Kennel Murder Case / Michael Curtiz (1933). Instead of the frenetic editing, flashing lights, and pounding noise that passes for excitement in modern movies, an earlier era sometimes leaned on a rapid fire delivery of dialog. This particular whodunit is a case in point. They manage to dash through a full-length movie in about 75 minutes. Michael Curtiz keeps things zipping along so you don’t stop to ask too many questions and William Powell is at his smoothest as Philo Vance, amateur detective. One thing bothered me this time around: except for the servants in the rich victim’s household, all of the major male characters (including Powell) had dark complexations, dark hair, and the exact same mustache, making them look very much alike. Another thing was how they pronounced “suspect.” Today, if you say, “I suspect something,” you would pronounce it sus-PECT. If the police, on the other hand, had you in custody, you would be a SUS-pect. In this early sound feature, all the characters, again including Powell, said sus-PECT for the SUS-pects, as in “I think we should release all of the sus-PECTS.” That’s for all you language mavens out there.
Les Diaboliques (The Devils) / Henri-Georges Clouzot (1955). So I’m the only person on the planet who can say that he doesn’t like “Les Diaboliques” and haven’t since my first and, until this week, only viewing from back in the dark ‘80s. My reasons all revolve around the surprise ending so they are going under the spoiler tag.
Originally, my objections were against how unlikely it was that a live man, however evil, could remain wet, in a bathtub, with his head under water acting dead for as long as Michel. This applies even more so to being dumped into a freezing cold and extremely dirty swimming pool at night and sinking to the bottom. It would seem to me to take a soldier with training equal to someone like Rambo or Jack Reacher to maintain that kind of discipline. I thought it to be quite ridiculous. Watching it now, the time spent in the tub didn’t seem as excessive as before (although the swimming pool is still a stumbling block) and the fact that the murder plotters mention how tough it was mitigates its far-fetchness just a little. However, I came across yet another reason to hold against the movie: the slow-motion retired detective who had already solved the case in his head, remained in the background until it was too late to save Christina. I wanted to beat him up more than Michel and Nicole.
For those who haven’t seen this film, thanks for joining us. In the U.S. of A., the film is well-known for its influence on Alfred Hitchcock, an influence which is often overstated. It is true that “Vertigo” is based on a novel by the same writers as the novel that Les Diaboliques was based on. He screened the film several times during preproduction for “Vertigo.” However, its influence probably applies more to “Psycho.” Hitch screened LB for his writers and staff and stated publicly that the French film was behind his decision to shoot “Psycho” in black and white. Here is as much as I can say about the story: Christina (Véra Clouzot, wife of the director) owns a small private school for boys. Her husband, Michel (Paul Meurisse) acts as the principal. He hates the school, is cruel to Christina, and is carrying on an open affair with Nicole, (Simone Signoret). In spite of this, Christina and Nicole have bonded in their disgust of Michel and begin to plot his death. ‘Nuff said. The film certainly does have its scary and creepy moments, I’ll give it that. I’ll also give my respect to director Henri-Georges Clouzot for his “Wages of Fear” and “Le Corbeau” (The Raven). My love for these films makes it hurt that I DISlike Les Diaboliques so much.