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Post by kijii on Jan 18, 2019 18:06:43 GMT
Look Back in Anger 1959, directed by Tony Richardson, based on a play by John Osborne, staring Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Mary Ure, Dame Edith Evans, Gary Raymond, Glen Byam Shaw, Donald Pleasance and others. British Drama "A disillusioned, angry university graduate comes to terms with his grudge against middle-class life and values". One of those famous movies that I didn't understand why they are famous, not saying that it is a bad movie. There are amny good and interesting things too in this movie. Richard Burton's character is at war with the whole world, most of it goes out over his poor wife (Ure), in fact I found him very repulsive, he want's "everything and nothing" as he says to one of the few persons he is nice to, an old lady (Evans) who sold her spot on a market square to him. They are renting a home in a very depressing buildings' loft apartment. Disrupting their lives is an actress friend (Bloom) of the wife (Ure) who moves in with them..Great use of locations in London and Essex, locations that are seldom or never seen in tourist brochures. teleadm-- I agree. This movie is famous and I didn't quite understand the reason for its fame either...Nevertheless, I once tried to write a user review of it on the IMDb user reviews. And, here is what I came up with at the time: John Osborne's 'angry young man' play coined the phrase & started the movement kijii19 November 2016
This film was based on John Osborne's very successful autobiographical play. When a press release of Osborne's 1956 play called him an 'angry young man,' this coined the phrase and started the movement.
As the movie begins, we see Jimmy Porter (Richard Burton) with his trumpet jamming at a jazz club. This may be one of Jimmy's freeist and happiest moments in the whole movie, because here he is free to be rebellious, and the audience in the jazz club loves it and appreciates it.
When he gets home to his cramped attic apartment, he must face his demons---life with his wife, Alison (Mary Ure) and their friend, Cliff (Gary Raymond), who cohabits the apartment with them and serves as sort of a peacemaker between them, just by his presence. As Jimmy rants, we realize that he is from the lower class and Alison is from the upper- middle class. Before they were married, Jimmy had to campaign hard against her family's disapproval in order to marry her.
Jimmy's anger is not so much against Alison as it is against what she stands for by continuing to write letters to her mother. He hates to compete against Alison's family for her love. He wants her to make a decision between him or them, and Alison is unable to do it: reference in continually made to her as a fence sitter—unable to commit to one side or the other.
For income, Jimmy and Cliff operate a sweet stall in a public market that is owned by Jimmy's friend, 'Ma' Tanner (Edith Evans). Ma makes an appearance to see how her investment is going. But, the symbol of evil petty middle-class values is best shown by the constant badgering from the market's inspector, Hurst (Donald Pleasence), who is always threatening to have them closed down for one violation or another.
Next, we find out that Alison is pregnant and, temporarily, wants to abort the baby. She first tells Cliff about the pregnancy; Cliff urges her to tell Jimmy about the baby as soon as possible. But, before she can tell Jimmy, he learns that Alison's friend, Helena (Claire Bloom), is going to stay with them for a week while acting in a local play. Jimmy openly despises Helena. As tensions grow, Alison returns to live with her parents after Helena sends them a telegram to come and rescue her. When Cliff learns of this, he leaves Helena behind to give Jimmy the news about Alison's departure.
Jimmy is angry because he is informed by a note that Alison left behind with Helena rather than in person. As far as Alison having a baby is concerned, he 'could care less' because he has been busy looking after Ma Tanner while she is dying. When Ma Tanner dies, he is angry because Alison doesn't think to send a letter of condolence or flowers to the grave site.
After Alison leaves, Helena stays with Jimmy and Cliff for a while longer. Unlike Alison, Helena is up to Jimmy's anger; when he slaps her, she slaps back and the two of them fall in love. The chemistry between Burton and Bloom in this film--neither of which was in the original stage play—is electric. As Cliff notices their closeness, he tells Jimmy that he wants to strike out on his own and leave the business. As Helena and Jimmy are at the train station to say good bye to Cliff, Alison reappears and tells Helena she had lost the child. Feeling guilty, Helena leaves Jimmy, and Jimmy and Alison make up.
In their happier moments in the movie, the two had compared themselves to a bear and squirrel. As the movie ends, they again use this comparison. Somehow, the loss of the child seems important in bringing them back together again. Now, Alison had learned the pain and uncertainty of life and death. Now. Alison is no longer sitting on the fence. And now, Jimmy knows that Alison understands his rage and its cause.
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Post by teleadm on Jan 18, 2019 18:42:58 GMT
Du rififi chez les hommes aka Rififi in the rest of the world, directed by Jules Dassin, based on a novel by Auguste Le Breton, staring Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel, Janine Darcey, Pierre Grasset, Robert Hossein, Magali Noël, Perla Vita (Jules Dassin under an alias) and many others. French Crime-Thriller-Drama. "Four men plan a technically perfect crime, but the human element intervenes... " What was sensational back then might not be so sensational today, but it's still a damn good movies, that at least in some parts of the world gave us a new word "Rififi". The 32 minutes sequence of the actual theft without anyone uttering a word is still stunning, it's the story up to that moment that feels a bit routine and frankly a bit boring, the story after the theft is much better as a little mistake by one of the four sidewinds their whole theft and how to dispose of the theft and transfer it into money, as local gangsters are on their trail. The dialog is for the most part very sparse, so it's easy to follow with subtitles. The actors are mostly unknowns for anyone outside middle-European movie fans, but that is actually a benefit. I didn't like the moral ending, it felt a bit plastered and forced. Great use of Paris and suburbs locations. Jules Dassin won a Cannes Pale d'Or
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Post by kijii on Jan 19, 2019 5:48:38 GMT
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) / John D. Hancock Thanks to pimpinainteasy's thread, I rented this movie and it is everything he said in his comments. I would have missed seeing this movie without pimpinainteasy's thread: imdb2.freeforums.net/thread/149051/bang-drum-slowly-1973There are so many great character actors in this movie (ones I had sort of forgotten) and they all contribute to this movie to make it a memorable experience: Vincent Gardenia (who was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor here), Phil Foster, Ann Wedgeworth, Selma Diamond, to name a few who are no longer with us. Bruce Pearson (Robert De Niro) : Everybody'd be nice to you if they knew you were dying. Henry Wiggen (Michael Moriarty): Everybody knows everybody is dying; that's why people are as good as they are. Henry Wiggen : From here on in, I rag nobody.
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Post by kijii on Jan 19, 2019 6:49:09 GMT
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) / Barry Jenkins Seen at the movie theater today
Based on James Baldwin's novel, Barry Jenkins wrote this one-of-kind screenplay. I think it may be the best movie I have seen this year other than perhaps, Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) in which I still see Rami Malek as the actor to beat.
But, Barry Jenkins has given us something else here. The plot of the movie is presented slowly, with much of it in closeup shots. The slow, deliberate pace helps put us into the story (much of it told in retrospective narrative) is like nothing I have ever seen. The young couple, Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne) and Alonzo 'Fonny' Hunt (Stephan James), had known each other since they were young tots playing together. Now, they young adults, a loving couple who conceive a child before they can get married. But, they are at a disadvantage: Alonzo is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. To say that this movie is sad would be a gross understatement; the real crime here is what they are forced to endure by loving each other through a glass prison window as their child grows in her belly.
www.imdb.com/title/tt7125860/videoplayer/vi2767108633?ref_=tt_ov_vi
Wikipedia Plot with possible SPOILERS: While the film is presented in a non-linear structure, this plot summary is written in a linear fashion.
Clementine "Tish" Rivers and Alonzo "Fonny" Hunt have been friends their whole lives, and begin a romantic relationship when they are older. They struggle to find a place to live as most landlords refuse to rent apartments to black people. They eventually find a place in a warehouse that is in the process of being converted to an apartment building. Levy, the Jewish landlord, agrees to rent it to them at a reasonable rate due to the fact that he enjoys seeing couples in love, regardless of their race.
One night, when Tish is shopping at a mostly white grocery store, she is harassed by a man. When he begins to assault her, Fonny physically throws the man out of the store. A nearby policeman, Officer Bell, witnesses the incident and attempts to arrest Fonny, but reluctantly lets him go when the lady who runs for the grocery store vouches for them.
Fonny is later arrested for raping a woman. Despite the fact that it would have been virtually impossible for Fonny to travel from the scene of the crime to the apartment where he was arrested in the short amount in time in between the rape and the arrest, the case against Fonny is considered strong due to Officer Bell's testimony to seeing Fonny fleeing the scene and Victoria Rogers, the victim, disappearing after identifying Fonny as her rapist. Tish, as well as Fonny's friend, Daniel, were with him at the time of the rape, but their testimony isn't considered reliable due to Tish's romantic relationship with Fonny, and Daniel's previous conviction for grand theft auto (despite his claim to not even know how to drive a car).
Tish visits Fonny in jail as he awaits trial, and reveals to him that she is pregnant with his baby. Fonny is excited to be a father, but is saddened by the fact that his child might be born with him still behind bars. Later, Tish tells her parents, Sharon and Joseph, and sister, Ernestine about her pregnancy. Though worried for her, Tish's family is supportive of her. They decide to invite Fonny's family over to share the news of the pregnancy. Frank, Fonny's father, is excited about the pregnancy. However, Fonny's highly religious mother declares the child to be a sin due to being conceived out of wedlock and goes into a rant about how Tish is damned, which is ended when Frank hits her. As Mrs. Hunt begins to leave with her daughters in disgust, Sharon reminds her that she has just condemned her own grandchild, leaving her emotionally distraught as she is escorted away by her daughters. In a bar, Frank discusses how he is worried about paying for a child, but Joseph convinces him that they'll be able to provide for their grandchild the same way they provided for their children.
After tracking Victoria to her native Puerto Rico, Sharon travels there to confront her. Sharon attempts to convince Victoria that she made a mistake when she identified Fonny as her rapist, but she refuses. When Sharon gently touches her, Victoria begins to scream, attracting the attention of her neighbors, forcing Sharon to leave. Fed up with his trial constantly being postponed, Fonny eventually accepts a plea deal. Years later, Tish visits Fonny in jail with their son, Alonzo Jr, as they all look forward to Fonny's eventual release.
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Post by ZolotoyRetriever on Jan 19, 2019 22:46:05 GMT
The Bamboo Blonde (1946). Directed by Anthony Mann, with Frances Langford, Ralph Edwards, Russell Wade, Jane Greer, Iris Adrian, Paul Harvey, Jean Brooks, et al. DVR'd off of TCM telecast (will be aired again this coming Tuesday morning, January 22). First-time viewing for me.
Interesting, at times silly, fast-paced "war" movie about a B-29 pilot (Russell Wade), a beautiful blonde nightclub singer (Frances Langford) he meets right before shipping out to the Pacific to bomb Japan, his supposed fiancée (Jane Greer), and assorted other colorful and entertaining people. Made shortly after the end of WWII, it gives the illusion that, for American servicemen anyway, the war was a whimsical romp. I guess this was par for the course back then, but looking at it today, the light-hearted vibe it exudes is a bit eye-roll inducing.
Still, for classic film fans, it's an enjoyable film on several levels. One thing I do after watching many of these classic films is to make a quick search of the bios of some of the key players. For this one, I looked up Russell Wade, Frances Langford, Jane Greer, Ralph Edwards, Jean Brooks, et al. All made for fascinating reading, especially that of Jean Brooks, who had a small, almost insignificant part - this was her second-to-last film role. A quick glance at her Wiki page is quite fascinating.
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Post by kijii on Jan 20, 2019 7:21:50 GMT
A Medal for Benny (1945) / Irving Pichel Viewed from a DVD
I have been searching for this movie for years but to no avail. The reason for the search has been its 2 Oscar nominations: J. Carrol Naish for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and John Steinbeck & Jack Wagner for Best Writing, Original Story. I was finally able to find a good homemade DVD on ebay and bought it.
As it turns out, this movie plays much like another one based on a Steinbeck story: Victor Fleming's Tortilla Flat (1942). It is a story about simple "Paisanos" in a slum section of a small fishing village on Santa Cruz Bay. One of the main differences between these two movies is that these "Paisanos" are not left to their own devices, as they were in Tortilla Flat. Here, they are manipulated by the town's "good" citizens to make the most out of the fact that a citizen from Santa Cruz--who had had been run out of town--had been awarded the Congressional Metal of Honor. Therefore, a movie that, at first, seems simple, and later, totally madcap, can be seen to have deeper meaning as these two cultures clash.
It is important to remember that this movie came out during the war, and like so many of the movies of that period, the war is still clearly in the public's consciousness.
Here, I insert a IMDb user's review: Full synopsis from TCM with SPOILERS: In 1942, in Pantera, a small town in California, ne'er-do-well Joe Morales buys a fishing boat with Charley Martin's money in order to make a living so that he may marry Lolita Sierra. Lolita, however, is promised to Benny Martin, Charley's thieving son, who was exiled from town after a fracas in which he bit off and swallowed the end of a policeman's gun. After the boat sinks, Charley, who has been desperate for rent money since Benny left, is threatened with eviction. Lolita has not heard from Benny in months, but remains loyal to him and refuses Joe's affections. After Lolita's little brother Chito tells Joe that Benny was always buying Lolita gifts, Joe swindles the naïve Charley out of twenty-five dollars he needs for rent. He then buys Lolita a dress for the town dance, but she refuses it when she learns how he got it. At the dance, Joe arrives with a tough-talking woman named Toodles Castro, who claims to know Benny. When Lolita sees Toodles wearing the dress bought for her as well as Lolita's father's wedding ring that she had given to Benny, she fights Toodles, and Joe leaves humiliated. Lolita suddenly realizes she loves Joe and goes to him. When Charley attempts to use his animals as collateral for a bank loan, he is ignored. Meanwhile, the news wire reports that Benny Martin of Pantera is a war hero and is about to be awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for single-handedly killing one hundred Japanese soldiers in the Philippines. Joe, who meanwhile has sold the boat back to its original owner, returns Charley's money to Lolita. The mayor arrives to tell Charlie that his son is a hero, but sadly informs him that the medal is to be awarded posthumously by the governor and an army general. The chamber of commerce uses the event as a publicity stunt and sets Charley up in a beautiful house to avoid the embarrassment of showing him in his humble home. When Charley realizes the scheme, however, he refuses to go to the rally, and the general presents the medal at Charley's home. In his speech, Charley says that Benny will live on in his and Lolita's hearts. She then tells Joe that she cannot marry him yet, because it might break Charley's heart, so Joe volunteers for the army.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Jan 20, 2019 18:14:02 GMT
Sleuth (1972) A fun and twisty mystery, most of the twists not too surprising since this movie was famous for it's twists long before I finally got to see it. The real joy is watching these two actors together and just going for it with pure joy at exercising their acting muscles.
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Post by kijii on Jan 20, 2019 18:44:33 GMT
Sleuth (1972) A fun and twisty mystery, most of the twists not too surprising since this movie was famous for it's twists long before I finally got to see it. The real joy is watching these two actors together and just going for it with pure joy at exercising their acting muscles. Lebowskidoo-- If you like this interaction between two characters, I would highly recommend another movie (in the same vain) that I just saw last year for the first time. Deathtrap (1982), directed by Sidney Lumet from a Broadway play by Ira Levin
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Jan 20, 2019 18:50:16 GMT
kijii I did see Deathtrap back in the 80's, and these two movies reminded me of each other, with their twists and Michael Caine.
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Post by ZolotoyRetriever on Jan 21, 2019 19:55:26 GMT
When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922). Directed by Robert G. Vignola, with Marion Davies, Lyn Harding, Forrest Stanley, William Norris, William Powell. DVR'd from TCM "Silent Sunday" telecast a while back. First-time viewing for me.
Nicely done silent, black & white historical comedy-drama, about Henry VIII's (Lyn Harding) attractive younger sister (Marion Davies), whom the king endeavors to marry off to whatever European royal house will pay the best price - or serve to create the best strategic partnership for him and England. It's all about quest for power, and the hapless sister, who prefers to pursue her love of a handsome young Guardsman (Forrest Stanley) - who unfortunately is not of the nobility - is caught up in this "game of thrones," and does her best to defy the King and all his schemes to marry her off "properly."
The print shown on TCM was very high quality, underscoring the fact that a lot of restoration work went into this one. Simply put, it looks great for a film nearly 100 years old. Costumes and set design for this picture were very elaborate, too. Interesting to note that this picture was produced and bankrolled by William Randolph Hearst, who reportedly spent 1.5 million dollars on its production back in 1922 which, at the time, made it possibly the most expensive picture ever.
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Post by vegalyra on Jan 21, 2019 22:48:28 GMT
Killer Likes Candy (un killer per sua maestra) 1968 An Italian/French co-production, it's hard to find a good quality version of it. I picked up the "Rare Films" DVD and it's clearly just a dub from a pan and scan VHS tape. It's not too bad though, but the film was clearly meant to be seen in a wide format. Kerwin Mathews is "Angel Face" a for hire security expert/secret agent tasked with keeping the king of a middle eastern country alive while he is in Rome. Apparently the West wants to sign an oil contract with him, and an assassin (Bruno Cremer) is doing what he can to kill the king before a deal is reached. Gordon Mitchell of so many earlier sword and sandal films plays one of the lead henchmen trying to kill Kerwin Mathews. Location shooting is interesting, including some ancient ruins and the Roman catacombs (complete with deteriorating skeletons). The budget is pretty small though but the film is pretty fun, especially after watching the old OSS 117 series. I almost think this would have been an OSS 117 film but the producers probably didn't want to pay the naming rights. Lots of pretty italian girls and cool '60s era cars throughout.
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Post by kijii on Jan 21, 2019 23:54:49 GMT
...Still continuing to concentrate on Douglas Sirk & Nicholas Ray movies..On Dangerous Ground (1951) / Nicholas Ray Seen on DVD with commentary track
This is about the third time I have seen this movie, and I think I understand it better now. To being with, I don't consider this movie to be film-noir anymore than I consider In a Lonely Place (1950) to be a film-noir per se. To me, they are both dramas about loneliness. [If one wanted to continue this line of reasoning, one might alone consider Rebel Without a Cause (1955) yet another movie about the loneliness of being an outsider in a society that beckons for conformity.]
Here, Jim Wilson (Robert Ryan) is a dedicated NYC policeman who just does his job and accepts the downside of being called a "dirty cop" by pimps, hookers, informers, alcoholics and other druggies. He is use to seeing, and even using, this underbelly of society to get his job done. And, he doesn't really care about what happens to the people he uses as long as he gets the job done. Jim is just a cop who lives alone, unappreciated. And, unlike his partners, when he goes home, he has no family to take his mind off of his "dirty" job. Jim Wilson (Robert Ryan): [yelling] So I get thrown off the force! What kind of job is this, anyway? Garbage, that's all we handle: garbage! Pop Daly (Charles Kemper): Don't you know? That's the kind of job it is. Jim Wilson : You've been doing it for sixteen years; you ought to know. How do you do it? How do you live with yourself? Pop Daly : I don't! I live with other people. When I go home I don't take this stuff with me, I leave it outside. But you! The way you carry it around with you, you must like it!
But, he does get the job done, sometimes to a fault. When his boss, Capt. Brawley (Ed Begley), notices this; he sends Jim upstate to work on another murder case. Capt. Brawley (Ed Begley) : Make up your mind to be a cop, not a gangster with a badge.
But, the murder case upstate is different. A girl has been murdered in a more rural setting--different environment and a different type of people. When Jim meets the victim's father, Walter Brent (Ward Bond), he sees that Walter just wants revenge for the murder. Walter and Jim come upon an isolated house in the snowy mountains and stay there overnight there with a young blind woman, Mary Malden (Ida Lupino). While Walter goes out the next day to find the killer, Jim stays behind to learn that the murderer is Mary's mentally ill brother. She is alone but not lonely...
Mary Malden (Ida Lupino) : Tell me, how is it to be a cop? Jim Wilson : You get so you don't trust anybody. Mary Malden : [who is blind] You're lucky. You don't have to trust anyone. I do. I have to trust everybody.
Mary Malden : The city can be lonely too. Sometimes people who are never alone are the loneliest.
Full synopsis from TCM with SPOILERS: While hunting down the killer of a fellow policeman, veteran detective Jim Wilson grows increasingly morose and violent, causing his more even-tempered partners, Bill "Pop" Daly and Pete Santos, concern. Acting on a tip from a news vendor, Jim goes to see Myrna Bowers, whose boyfriend, Bernie Tucker, is rumored to be a cohort of the suspected murderers. Jim convinces the battered Myrna to reveal Bernie's whereabouts, and after he tracks Bernie down, beats him into betraying his partners. Although Jim's actions lead to the arrest of the killers, his superior, Capt. Brawley, informs him that Bernie's lawyer is threatening a brutality lawsuit and cautions him to take it easy. Later, however, while on patrol, the detectives hear a woman scream and discover Myrna being beaten by two thugs. Jim grabs one of the men and, without thinking, starts to rough him up. After interceding, Pop, a father of seven, angrily advises Jim to stop wallowing in the job. The next day, Brawley yells at Jim that he is becoming a liability to the department and assigns him to assist in the investigation of a young woman's murder in the rural north. Jim drives to the snowy mountain town of Westham, where Sheriff Carrey fills him in on the case. Carrey and Jim then go to the victim's home and talk briefly with her sister, Julie Brent, who witnessed the crime. Just then, the victim's brother rushes in to announce that the killer, a stranger, has been spotted running across a nearby field. Along with Julie's revenge-hungry father Walter, Carrey and Jim chase after the fugitive, but he hijacks a car before they catch up to him. Walter and Jim pursue in another car, but blinded by drifting snowfall, end up crashing into the killer's abandoned vehicle. The murderer's snowy footprints lead Jim and Walter to a farmhouse, where soft-spoken Mary Malden invites them in. Although Mary insists that she lives alone and has not seen anyone that night, Walter searches the house for clues. When Walter reports finding men's clothing in an upstairs room, Mary admits that her brother sometimes stays with her, but has been gone for a few days. The rifle-toting Walter demands to know where her brother is, but Jim, who has deduced that Mary is blind, suggests that they continue their search outside. Jim soon comes back inside, and he and Mary talk about loneliness and trust. Mary thanks Jim for not pitying her and, after insisting that he and Walter stay the night, confesses that her disturbed brother, Danny, is, in fact, hiding on the farm. Promising to protect Danny, Jim persuades Mary to talk to her brother about surrendering. At dawn, Mary slips out of the house and brings Danny, who is hiding in the storm cellar, some food. Although Mary convinces the confused teenager to "go away" with Jim, Danny runs off when Jim discovers them. Jim chases Danny to a shack, and there, while holding Jim at bay with a knife, Danny alludes to the fact that Mary passed up a sight-saving operation to stay with him after their mother died. Just as the unarmed Jim is about to grab the knife, Walter bursts in and fires a shot at Danny. Jim wrestles with Walter, knocking the rifle to the floor, and Danny takes off with the weapon. Jim and Walter pursue Danny to a rocky cliff and, while struggling to reach the top, Danny slips and falls to his death. Upon seeing Danny close up, Walter cries out that he is "just a kid" and carries his body to a nearby house. Later, a grief-stricken Mary says a tearful prayer over Danny's body, then stumbles back to her own home, followed by Jim. When Jim asks her about the eye operation, Mary admits she is afraid to try it, because its failure would mean the end of all hope. Crying, Mary begs Jim to leave her alone and, defeated, Jim heads for the city. As he nears his home, however, Jim reflects on what others have said about loneliness and need. Unable to return to his old life, he drives back to Mary, who embraces him with love.
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Post by kijii on Jan 22, 2019 6:30:15 GMT
...Still continuing to concentrate on Douglas Sirk & Nicholas Ray movies.. This movie that deals with several social taboos of the day: marriage of an older widow (with grown children) to a younger man; marrying below one's class and station in life; and marriage to a man who was not a social climber. But, the thing that really stands out about this movie is the rich color imagery and cinematography. One could just watch this beautiful images, with the music, over and over and still discover new things.
Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) : Mick discovered for himself that he had to make his own decisions, that he had to be a man. Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) : And you want *me* to be a man? Ron Kirby : [Giving her a knowing smile] Only in that one way.
Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) : You can't ignore convention. Dr. Hennessy (Hayden Rorke) : So you gave up a man you were in love with because you were afraid of Mona and the others. And you have the great satisfaction of being taken back into the fold. Cary Scott : Well I was thinking of my children. Dr. Hennessy : You're just as lonely as you were before. Lonelier, in fact. Kay married. And Ned abroad. So what good was your noble sacrifice? Cary, marry him.
Full synopsis from TCM with SPOILERS: In the New England town of Stoningham, widow Cary Scott is disappointed when her friend, Sara Warren, cancels a lunch date, and so invites her landscaper Ron Kirby to share the meal. Immediately, Cary is drawn to Ron's strength and calm, but his youth and blue-collar social status make a romance unthinkable to her. That night, Cary's children, budding executive Ned and co-ed Kay, come home and grant their approval to Cary's date with the sole local bachelor, staid hypochondriac Harvey. Cary and Harvey go to the country club, where a new neighbor, Tom Allenby, is already being targeted by a young blonde woman. After neighborhood gossip Mona Plash criticizes Cary's red dress as inappropriate, the married Howard Hoffer makes a pass at Cary, who deflects it. Harvey takes her home and there proposes to her, but Cary, who yearns for some of the passion she felt with her husband, demurs. Weeks later, Ron returns to prune the trees, and Cary is surprised at the disappointment she feels after he announces he is quitting in order to run his tree farm. When he asks her over to see his trees, she reluctantly agrees, only to be charmed by his rustic greenhouse cabin and down-to-earth manner. As she explores the abandoned mill next door, a bird frightens her and she falls into Ron's arms. Cary then turns to leave, but Ron stops her, and they share a passionate kiss. Weeks later, autumn progresses, and Cary, horrified by Sara's advice to buy a television set to keep her company, accepts Ron's invitation to a dinner party. It is held at the home of his friends, Alida and Mick Anderson, former suburbanites who, at Ron's urging, have turned to living on the land for fulfillment. Alida explains that they live by the words of Henry David Thoreau: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." As the party begins and she dances with Ron, a joyful Cary realizes how much she admires Ron's lifestyle and strength of mind, and feels a twinge of jealousy when she sees Alida's pretty niece, Mary Ann, flirting with him. By winter, Ron and Cary are spending all their time together, and he surprises her by showing her how much of the mill he has remodeled. When he tells her that he has built the house for them to share, however, she insists that the union would be impossible, because her friends and children would not accept him. She begins to leave, but breaks down crying, and soon after they declare their mutual love. Within days, Mona spies them together and spreads a rumor that they began their relationship before Cary's husband died. The faithful Sara suggests that Cary bring Ron to a party that weekend so their friends can meet him, but at the party, the local couples disdain Ron as "the gardener" and snub him. After Howard declares Cary a tease, Ron slugs him, and the couple quickly leave. At home, Cary tells Ned and Kay that she is going to marry Ron, and although they were amenable to her relationship with Harvey, they are horrified to think she might marry "beneath" her and sell the family home. After Kay cries that her life has been ruined by the gossip and Ned threatens never to return home, Cary tells Ron they must wait to be married. He demands that she choose between her love for him and her need for social acceptance, and even though she is devastated, Cary leaves Ron. Weeks later, her friends and family have welcomed Cary back into their fold, but she remains despondent and suffers headaches. Soon, the kids are too busy to visit, and a lonely Cary is crushed when she sees Ron and Mary Ann together. At Christmas, Kay shows off her engagement ring and Ned announces that he is moving to Paris and wants to sell the family house. When Cary sees their gift, a TV set, she breaks down, realizing that her rejection of Ron was pointless, and her future holds only loneliness and boredom. The next day, she visits Dr. Dan Hennessy, who opines that her headaches are caused by depression, and that she should marry Ron. Although she goes to Ron's, she hesitates at the door and returns to her car. Ron, who has been hunting, spots her from atop a hill and, in his rush to stop her from leaving, falls off a cliff and suffers a concussion. That night, Alida informs Cary that Ron is unconscious, and they race to his cabin, where Cary admires the beautiful home Ron has built and anguishes over why it has taken her so long to discover her true values. When Ron finally wakes the next morning, he is delighted to see Cary, who assures him that she has finally come home.
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Post by teleadm on Jan 22, 2019 18:23:22 GMT
The Bravados 1958, directed by Henry King, based on a novel by Frank O'Rourke, staring Gregory Peck, Joan Collins, Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Henry Silva, Kathleen Gallant, Barry Coe, George Voskovec, Lee Van Cleef, Andrew Duggan and others. Revenge Western "A man (Peck) is chasing four outlaws (Boyd, Salmi, Silva and van Cleef)who killed his wife and finds them in a small town's jail but they escape to Mexico". This was a surprice, a very good Western, with a very good twist near the end. It's a very strange town Peck's character rides into, a sleepy little town were nothing nearly happens, yet they have a gigantic church there, with a big chanting choir. Director Henry King (who did everything) keeps the movie at a good and steady pace as we learn more and more about the characters involved in this we stern, Peck's character is at the start very stern, but softens up along the way, though not against the foursome he is obsessed with hunting down and kill. Silva and van Cleef stands out as the outlaws, giving their characters a bit heart, while Collin's character as a woman Peck's character used to know, is a rather thankless role that doesn't add much to the story.Made entirely on Mexican locations that is used to great advantage. Lionel Newman's at times rousing score also helps.
The colours seems to have fades on the last picture and doesn't represent to copy I watched.
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Post by jeffersoncody on Jan 23, 2019 4:43:23 GMT
...Still continuing to concentrate on Douglas Sirk & Nicholas Ray movies.. This movie that deals with several social taboos of the day: marriage of an older widow (with grown children) to a younger man; marrying below one's class and station in life; and marriage to a man who was not a social climber. But, the thing that really stands out about this movie is the rich color imagery and cinematography. One could just watch this beautiful images, with the music, over and over and still discover new things.
Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) : Mick discovered for himself that he had to make his own decisions, that he had to be a man. Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) : And you want *me* to be a man? Ron Kirby : [Giving her a knowing smile] Only in that one way.
Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) : You can't ignore convention. Dr. Hennessy (Hayden Rorke) : So you gave up a man you were in love with because you were afraid of Mona and the others. And you have the great satisfaction of being taken back into the fold. Cary Scott : Well I was thinking of my children. Dr. Hennessy : You're just as lonely as you were before. Lonelier, in fact. Kay married. And Ned abroad. So what good was your noble sacrifice? Cary, marry him.
Full synopsis from TCM with SPOILERS: In the New England town of Stoningham, widow Cary Scott is disappointed when her friend, Sara Warren, cancels a lunch date, and so invites her landscaper Ron Kirby to share the meal. Immediately, Cary is drawn to Ron's strength and calm, but his youth and blue-collar social status make a romance unthinkable to her. That night, Cary's children, budding executive Ned and co-ed Kay, come home and grant their approval to Cary's date with the sole local bachelor, staid hypochondriac Harvey. Cary and Harvey go to the country club, where a new neighbor, Tom Allenby, is already being targeted by a young blonde woman. After neighborhood gossip Mona Plash criticizes Cary's red dress as inappropriate, the married Howard Hoffer makes a pass at Cary, who deflects it. Harvey takes her home and there proposes to her, but Cary, who yearns for some of the passion she felt with her husband, demurs. Weeks later, Ron returns to prune the trees, and Cary is surprised at the disappointment she feels after he announces he is quitting in order to run his tree farm. When he asks her over to see his trees, she reluctantly agrees, only to be charmed by his rustic greenhouse cabin and down-to-earth manner. As she explores the abandoned mill next door, a bird frightens her and she falls into Ron's arms. Cary then turns to leave, but Ron stops her, and they share a passionate kiss. Weeks later, autumn progresses, and Cary, horrified by Sara's advice to buy a television set to keep her company, accepts Ron's invitation to a dinner party. It is held at the home of his friends, Alida and Mick Anderson, former suburbanites who, at Ron's urging, have turned to living on the land for fulfillment. Alida explains that they live by the words of Henry David Thoreau: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." As the party begins and she dances with Ron, a joyful Cary realizes how much she admires Ron's lifestyle and strength of mind, and feels a twinge of jealousy when she sees Alida's pretty niece, Mary Ann, flirting with him. By winter, Ron and Cary are spending all their time together, and he surprises her by showing her how much of the mill he has remodeled. When he tells her that he has built the house for them to share, however, she insists that the union would be impossible, because her friends and children would not accept him. She begins to leave, but breaks down crying, and soon after they declare their mutual love. Within days, Mona spies them together and spreads a rumor that they began their relationship before Cary's husband died. The faithful Sara suggests that Cary bring Ron to a party that weekend so their friends can meet him, but at the party, the local couples disdain Ron as "the gardener" and snub him. After Howard declares Cary a tease, Ron slugs him, and the couple quickly leave. At home, Cary tells Ned and Kay that she is going to marry Ron, and although they were amenable to her relationship with Harvey, they are horrified to think she might marry "beneath" her and sell the family home. After Kay cries that her life has been ruined by the gossip and Ned threatens never to return home, Cary tells Ron they must wait to be married. He demands that she choose between her love for him and her need for social acceptance, and even though she is devastated, Cary leaves Ron. Weeks later, her friends and family have welcomed Cary back into their fold, but she remains despondent and suffers headaches. Soon, the kids are too busy to visit, and a lonely Cary is crushed when she sees Ron and Mary Ann together. At Christmas, Kay shows off her engagement ring and Ned announces that he is moving to Paris and wants to sell the family house. When Cary sees their gift, a TV set, she breaks down, realizing that her rejection of Ron was pointless, and her future holds only loneliness and boredom. The next day, she visits Dr. Dan Hennessy, who opines that her headaches are caused by depression, and that she should marry Ron. Although she goes to Ron's, she hesitates at the door and returns to her car. Ron, who has been hunting, spots her from atop a hill and, in his rush to stop her from leaving, falls off a cliff and suffers a concussion. That night, Alida informs Cary that Ron is unconscious, and they race to his cabin, where Cary admires the beautiful home Ron has built and anguishes over why it has taken her so long to discover her true values. When Ron finally wakes the next morning, he is delighted to see Cary, who assures him that she has finally come home.
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Post by jeffersoncody on Jan 23, 2019 5:18:01 GMT
...Still continuing to concentrate on Douglas Sirk & Nicholas Ray movies.. This movie that deals with several social taboos of the day: marriage of an older widow (with grown children) to a younger man; marrying below one's class and station in life; and marriage to a man who was not a social climber. But, the thing that really stands out about this movie is the rich color imagery and cinematography. One could just watch this beautiful images, with the music, over and over and still discover new things.
Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) : Mick discovered for himself that he had to make his own decisions, that he had to be a man. Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) : And you want *me* to be a man? Ron Kirby : [Giving her a knowing smile] Only in that one way.
Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) : You can't ignore convention. Dr. Hennessy (Hayden Rorke) : So you gave up a man you were in love with because you were afraid of Mona and the others. And you have the great satisfaction of being taken back into the fold. Cary Scott : Well I was thinking of my children. Dr. Hennessy : You're just as lonely as you were before. Lonelier, in fact. Kay married. And Ned abroad. So what good was your noble sacrifice? Cary, marry him.
Full synopsis from TCM with SPOILERS: In the New England town of Stoningham, widow Cary Scott is disappointed when her friend, Sara Warren, cancels a lunch date, and so invites her landscaper Ron Kirby to share the meal. Immediately, Cary is drawn to Ron's strength and calm, but his youth and blue-collar social status make a romance unthinkable to her. That night, Cary's children, budding executive Ned and co-ed Kay, come home and grant their approval to Cary's date with the sole local bachelor, staid hypochondriac Harvey. Cary and Harvey go to the country club, where a new neighbor, Tom Allenby, is already being targeted by a young blonde woman. After neighborhood gossip Mona Plash criticizes Cary's red dress as inappropriate, the married Howard Hoffer makes a pass at Cary, who deflects it. Harvey takes her home and there proposes to her, but Cary, who yearns for some of the passion she felt with her husband, demurs. Weeks later, Ron returns to prune the trees, and Cary is surprised at the disappointment she feels after he announces he is quitting in order to run his tree farm. When he asks her over to see his trees, she reluctantly agrees, only to be charmed by his rustic greenhouse cabin and down-to-earth manner. As she explores the abandoned mill next door, a bird frightens her and she falls into Ron's arms. Cary then turns to leave, but Ron stops her, and they share a passionate kiss. Weeks later, autumn progresses, and Cary, horrified by Sara's advice to buy a television set to keep her company, accepts Ron's invitation to a dinner party. It is held at the home of his friends, Alida and Mick Anderson, former suburbanites who, at Ron's urging, have turned to living on the land for fulfillment. Alida explains that they live by the words of Henry David Thoreau: "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away." As the party begins and she dances with Ron, a joyful Cary realizes how much she admires Ron's lifestyle and strength of mind, and feels a twinge of jealousy when she sees Alida's pretty niece, Mary Ann, flirting with him. By winter, Ron and Cary are spending all their time together, and he surprises her by showing her how much of the mill he has remodeled. When he tells her that he has built the house for them to share, however, she insists that the union would be impossible, because her friends and children would not accept him. She begins to leave, but breaks down crying, and soon after they declare their mutual love. Within days, Mona spies them together and spreads a rumor that they began their relationship before Cary's husband died. The faithful Sara suggests that Cary bring Ron to a party that weekend so their friends can meet him, but at the party, the local couples disdain Ron as "the gardener" and snub him. After Howard declares Cary a tease, Ron slugs him, and the couple quickly leave. At home, Cary tells Ned and Kay that she is going to marry Ron, and although they were amenable to her relationship with Harvey, they are horrified to think she might marry "beneath" her and sell the family home. After Kay cries that her life has been ruined by the gossip and Ned threatens never to return home, Cary tells Ron they must wait to be married. He demands that she choose between her love for him and her need for social acceptance, and even though she is devastated, Cary leaves Ron. Weeks later, her friends and family have welcomed Cary back into their fold, but she remains despondent and suffers headaches. Soon, the kids are too busy to visit, and a lonely Cary is crushed when she sees Ron and Mary Ann together. At Christmas, Kay shows off her engagement ring and Ned announces that he is moving to Paris and wants to sell the family house. When Cary sees their gift, a TV set, she breaks down, realizing that her rejection of Ron was pointless, and her future holds only loneliness and boredom. The next day, she visits Dr. Dan Hennessy, who opines that her headaches are caused by depression, and that she should marry Ron. Although she goes to Ron's, she hesitates at the door and returns to her car. Ron, who has been hunting, spots her from atop a hill and, in his rush to stop her from leaving, falls off a cliff and suffers a concussion. That night, Alida informs Cary that Ron is unconscious, and they race to his cabin, where Cary admires the beautiful home Ron has built and anguishes over why it has taken her so long to discover her true values. When Ron finally wakes the next morning, he is delighted to see Cary, who assures him that she has finally come home.
ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS is such a beautiful film kijii. I love it passionately, and it is second favorite Sirk film - after the magnificent WRITTEN ON THE WIND. Perhaps the best thing about ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS is that it inspired Todd Haynes' dazzling homage FAR FROM HEAVEN.
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Jan 23, 2019 6:16:12 GMT
Close.
Liked it much more than I would
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Post by ZolotoyRetriever on Jan 23, 2019 6:36:03 GMT
The Bravados 1958, directed by Henry King, ... Lionel Newman's at times rousing score also helps. teleadm: It's one of my all-time favorite Western theme songs:
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Post by teleadm on Jan 24, 2019 18:41:52 GMT
L'armée des ombres aka Army of Shadows 1969, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, based on a novel by Joseph Kessel, staring Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret, Claude Mann, Paul Crauchet, Christian Barbier, Serge Reggiani and others. WWII war drama. "France, 1942, under German occupation. Philippe Gerbier (Ventura), a civil engineer, is a French Resistance commandant. Denounced by a French collaborator, he is interned in a concentration camp. He manages to escape, and rejoins his network in Marseille, where he has the traitor executed. This movie reveals rigorously and austerely what life was like in the French Resistance: the solitude and fear of its members; their relationships with one another; the constant threat of arrest by the Gestapo; the Resistance command structure and the way its orders were carried out". Joseph Kessel and Jean-Pierre Melville were both veterans of the "Army of Shadows" A meticulous and fragmentary movie that I finally came to grips with and it's very worthwhile. It doesn't show the sometimes idyllic approach that can be seen in some movies about the resistance, as they coldy disposes of persons within the resistance that might leak, without any sentimentality whatsoever. All actors acts very sparse, and are very good, even minor parts. As usual with Melville's movies the dialog is sparse and is only there if it needs to be, so it's very easy to follow with subtitles. Great cinematography and use of locations in Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, London and the French countryside. Some locations used were actual locations were the restistance were imprisoned, and on locations that the resistance used as hideouts.
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Post by ZolotoyRetriever on Jan 24, 2019 20:03:17 GMT
I watched a couple of early 50s quasi-noir crime films, both featuring Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell:
His Kind of Woman (1951). Directed by John Farrow (and others), with Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price, Raymond Burr.
Macao (1952). Directed by Josef von Sternberg and Nicholas Ray, with Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, William Bendix, Thomas Gomez, Gloria Grahame, Brad Dexter. DVR'd from recent TCM telecast.
I've seen both of them several times, and find each of them quite enjoyable. Macao has great chemistry between Mitchum and Russell, and a great script with lots of wisecracks and playful sarcasm being bandied about. Excellent B&W cinematography, and a good plot, although the ending scenario allowed for large amounts of implausibility. I think the only downside to this one was that the intended "heavy" of the picture, Vincent Halloran (played by Brad Dexter), was too insipid to be taken seriously as a bad guy. I kept thinking he should've been replaced by somebody like Raymond Burr. Which brings me to the next picture...
His Kind of Woman is a rather unique and fascinating picture - both on-screen as well as off, when one considers the almost bizarre production process it went through at the hands of RKO executive producer Howard Hughes. At Hughes' insistence, the film went through a number of changes, re-writes, re-shoots, and recasting of the main bad guy Nick Ferraro, finally settling on Raymond Burr - which necessitated many previous scenes being completely redone. Whatever the case, the film, which starts out as a noirish crime drama full of mystery and intrigue, later strays into comedy and farce largely thanks to the character "Mark Cardigan," an aging ham actor convincingly played by Vincent Price with what appears to be gleeful relish. The film then morphs back into a deadly serious noir with a bit of an over-the-top ending featuring violence, madness, flogging, a hypodermic needle, more ham from Vincent Price, and... oh, you'll just have to see it to believe it.
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