What classics did you watch this week? (5/23-5/29)

Madame Butterfly (1932)

A young Japanese girl (Sylvia Sidney) becomes a geisha in order to support her family. An American Naval Lieutenant (Cary Grant) is attracted to her and marries her rather nonchalantly as he knows he must eventually return to America where his fiancee (Sheila Terry) is waiting for him. Based on the 1898 short story by John Luther Long which in turn was dramatized in 1900 for the stage by David Belasco and eventually turned into the acclaimed opera by Giacomo Puccini in 1904, which he revised several times. As directed by Marion Gering, there are important differences from the opera but Puccini's music is incorporated into the film's underscore. The opera is passionate and heartbreaking but here, without Puccini's glorious music, it all seems rather cruel and sordid. I don't think I've ever found Grant as unappealing as he is here though granted his character is shamefully dishonest and cowardly. As usual for films of this period, almost all the major Japanese characters are played by Caucasians. That aside, Sylvia Sidney, she of the liquid eyes, is both lovely and charming and she conveys so much emotionally that it's a pity it's not a stronger film. With Charles Ruggles, Irving Pichel and Louise Carter.

The More The Merrier (1943)

Set in Washington D.C. during WWII, a young woman (Jean Arthur) reluctantly rents a room in her apartment to an elderly businessman (Charles Coburn in his Oscar winning performance) as part of her patriotic duty in alleviating the city's massive housing shortage. But when he rents part of his room to a younger man (Joel McCrea), problems ensue. Directed by George Stevens, it's no great shakes as cinema but it's awfully charming until it loses its way in the last fifteen minutes. I imagine the idea of an unmarried woman living under the same room with two men might have been rather titillating in the 1940s but it all seems rather innocent today. The film is lucky to have three expert farceurs in the leads and there's nary a misstep between them. As always, McCrea's underplaying stands out among the more frenetic performances of Arthur and to a lesser extent Coburn. Remade in 1966 as Walk Don't Run. With Bruce Bennett, Richard Gaines and Ann Doran.

The Man In The White Suit (1951)

An eccentric chemist (Alec Guinness) invents a fiber that never wrinkles, wears out or gets dirty. But when the fabric industry as well as its workers realize that his invention will render them obsolete, he becomes an enemy and must be stopped. I'm not a fan of the popular Ealing studio comedies from Great Britain. Everyone seems to adore them but they leave me indifferent. The Man In The White Suit is an exception, I'm quite fond of it. Directed by Alexander Mackendrick (Sweet Smell Of Success), the film is a pointed satire on big business and the nature of planned obsolescence as well as the power of unions. At the center of all this is Alec Guinness, one of the most acclaimed dramatic actors of his generation that we tend to forget he's a master at comedy too. Add that minx Joan Greenwood to the mix and the film is a real treat. Mackendrick directs at a brisk clip and gets us to the end without wearing out its welcome. With Cecil Parker, Ernest Thesiger, Michael Gough and Vida Hope.

Alexander The Great (1956)

Living in the shadow of his father (Fredric March), the young Alexander (Richard Burton) is torn between his love for his mother (Danielle Darrieux) and proving to his father that he is a worthy heir. When offered the role of Alexander in this film, Charlton Heston turned it down reputedly saying, "Alexander is the easiest kind of picture to make badly". This is a noble attempt but the film was taken away from its director Robert Rossen (All The King's Men) by the producers and cut by an hour. This is problematic among other things in that there is a plethora of supporting characters and we're never quite sure who they are in relation to Alexander. The film is of interest as long as it concentrates on the family dynamics of the rivalry of Alexander's parents as each uses him as pawn for their own political purpose. But once March exits the picture, it becomes just another stodgy epic. Burton provides the kind of overacting he thinks such epics deserve, his performance here similar to his work in The Robe and Cleopatra. Normally, Fredric March is more than happy to chew the scenery too but he's actually quite good here. All in all, one of the weaker Hollywood epics of the 1950s. With Claire Bloom (terribly wasted), Stanley Baker, Harry Andrews, Peter Cushing, Niall MacGinnis, Michael Hordern, Peter Wyngarde and Gustavo Rojo.

Holiday In Spain (aka Scent Of Mystery) (1960)

An Englishman (Denholm Elliott) vacationing in Spain stumbles across a plot to murder a young American girl (Beverly Bentley). With the aid of a reluctant taxi driver (Peter Lorre), he attempts to track her down, tell her she's in danger and protect her. Adapted from the novel Ghost Of A Chance by Audrey Kelley and William Roos (a married couple) and directed by master cinematographer turned director Jack Cardiff (The Red Shoes). Originally released as a roadshow in Cinerama (sort of like 3D without the glasses) as Scent Of Mystery and the first film released in Smell-O-Vision, a process where scents would permeate the theater during certain scenes like fresh bread coming out of the oven. The film (and the process) was not a success and the film was released in Europe as Holiday In Spain without the Smell-O-Vision and cut by about 15 minutes. As to the film itself, its plot is a flimsy excuse for a travelogue on Spain. To that end, it's a handsome looking film as we see Spain from her cities to her countryside, from planes and autos and the panorama no doubt would be impressive in actual Cinerama. It's a harmless lightweight curio and an archival example of showmanship in cinema. With Paul Lukas, Diana Dors, Leo McKern, Peter Arne and Elizabeth Taylor, billed here as Liz Rolyat.

La Gifle (1974)

A geography professor (Lino Ventura) is a strict single father to his daughter (Isabelle Adjani). But she's reached the age where she begins rebelling against his parental authority and wants to strike out on her own. But she's rather immature and has no focus. Directed by Claude Pinoteau, this is essentially a drama laced with some quirky comedic moments. To the film's credit, it doesn't tip the balance toward either the father or the daughter. Each is highly flawed, the father being rather unfeeling and short sighted while the daughter seems drifting without knowing what she really wants. Add to the mix, the ex-wife and mother (Annie Girardot) now living in Australia and one gets a bit more insight on the family dynamics. It's not an especially thought provoking film but Pinoteau (who co-wrote the screenplay) gets an authentic vibe to the father/daughter push and pull relationship. This was only Adjani's third movie but she would really come into her own the next year in Truffaut's Story Of Adele H. There's a very nice score by George Delerue. With Nathalie Baye, Nicole Courcel, Francis Perrin and Jacques Spiesser.

Brainstorm (1983)

A researcher (Louise Fletcher) and her colleague (Christopher Walken) have developed a device that allows the recording of someone's feelings and transferring them to another person via an electronic headset. But they are unaware that their boss (Cliff Robertson) has sold them out to the U.S. government who has plans for the device that were never intended. One of only two films directed by the special effects wizard Douglas Trumball (the other one was Silent Running), most noted for his stunning work on Kubrick's 2001. It's an ambitious film but too much of it is wasted on the domestic problems of Walken and his wife (Natalie Wood) which simply aren't compelling enough to earn our interest. The film's special effects and visuals are excellent but to what end? The film's resolution has a bit of The Black Hole, a bit of Altered States but its new age-ish gibberish makes very little intellectual or artistic sense. It's a double pity because this was Wood's last film (she died during production) and it would have been nice if it had been a stronger swan song. Fletcher's performance is a strong plus as is James Horner's underscore. With Jordan Christopher and Darrell Larson.

Cujo (1983)

A big and friendly St. Bernard dog is bitten on the nose by a rabid bat. A housewife (Dee Wallace) feels trapped in a small town life and is having an affair with a local man (Christopher Stone). But soon the the woman and her son (Danny Pintauro) and the dog will have a fateful encounter. Based on the best seller by Stephen King and directed by Lewis Teague (Alligator). The film opened to mixed reviews but was a huge hit anyway. It has developed a large cult following in the ensuing years and it's easy to see why. Teague and his team of screen writers have done a nice job of starting off with a bang and then alternating between the necessary exposition of the family's problems and the dog's deteriorating condition. The film's lengthy showdown (almost half the film) is between the mother and son and the dog and it falls to Dee Wallace to keep everything grounded in a reality to keep the movie from spilling over into silliness and she does a superb job. The film sticks close to the novel except it gives the movie a somewhat "happy" ending which is understandable as the book's ending was a bummer. The lensing by Jan De Bont (Die Hard) and the score by Charles Bernstein contribute immeasurably. With Daniel Hugh Kelly, Ed Lauter and Kaiulani Lee.

Moonlight And Valentino (1995)

When her husband is suddenly killed in an accident, a woman (Elizabeth Perkins) must deal with the aftermath and things left unspoken. Her sister (Gwyneth Paltrow), stepmother (Kathleen Turner) and best friend (Whoopi Goldberg) attempt to help her but they all have baggage of their own. Based on the 1989 play by Ellen Simon (Neil's daughter) which is semi-autobiographical. At its worst, it's the kind of movie that gives "chick flicks" a bad reputation. The dialogue is contrived and weighted down with psycho babble and homilies. On its own terms, I suppose one could call it a superior example of a Lifetime movie. On the plus side, and it's a big plus, the four lead actresses often do some amazing things with the material, giving it better than it deserves. But isn't that what a good actor is supposed to do? Paltrow comes across the least but to be fair, her character is almost impossible to play. Turner has the best moment in the film, a small speech that doesn't come till the very end. If you require more from a film than good acting, you can safely skip it but there's a thrill about seeing good actors overcoming weak material and finding some truth. Directed by David Anspaugh (Hoosiers). With Jon Bon Jovi, Peter Coyote, Jeremy Sisto and Josef Sommer.

Another Day In Paradise (1998)

A teenage petty thief and junkie (Vincent Kartheiser, TV's Mad Men) and his girlfriend (Natasha Gregson Wagner) are befriended by an older couple, a small time thief (James Woods) and his junkie girlfriend (Melanie Griffith). The four of them hit the road with plans to steal drugs from a pharmacy and make a financial killing on the street. But, of course, things go horribly wrong. The director Larry Clark is best known for his debut feature Kids and this was his follow up film. In spite of having a "seen it all before" patina, it works fairly well for the most part. When your four main characters are drug dealers, junkies, alcoholics and thieves, you know it's not going to end well. The acting is uniformly good though I would have been more impressed with James Woods' out of control psychotic if I didn't know it was a role he could do in his sleep. More impressive were Griffith's maternal junkie and especially Kartheiser's baby faced wannabe tough guy. Clark's direction is often uneven, scenes that should crackle with tension fall flat and his use of music during certain scenes derails the effectiveness. With Peter Sarsgaard, Lou Diamond Phillips and James Otis.

Love & Frienship (2016)

Forced to live on the kindness of relations and friends, an impoverished widow (Kate Beckinsale) in 1790s England schemes, plots and manipulates her way into a profitable marriage. Based on an unfinished book by Jane Austen and directed by Whit Stillman (Last Days Of Disco). It may be from the pen of Jane Austen but if you're expecting a stuffy BBC Masterpiece Theater presentation or a tasteful Merchant Ivory production, you'll be surprised. Stillman tweaks the conventions of these period films and it has more in common with, say, Tom Jones (1963) than A Room With A View. Smart and witty but with an acidic bite, the film is anchored by a terrific lead performance by Kate Beckinsale. Her Lady Susan is an amoral, self centered schemer but so assured in her drive that you can't help but like her. The rest of the ensemble are impeccable though I found Tom Bennett's doofus more annoying than amusing though my audience seemed to adore him. Even if costume period films aren't your cup of tea, I think you'll find much to savor. With Chloe Sevigny, Stephen Fry, Xavier Samuel, Emma Greenwell, Morfydd Clark, James Fleet and Jemma Redgrave.

In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. They have never forgotten this

I remember going though a stage of watching those Ealing studio comedies from the late 40s and early 50s with Alec Guinness.
The Man In In White Suit was great!

As I said, I'm not big on those Ealing comedies and I've seen the major ones like The Lavender Hill Mob, The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts And Coronets etc. but The Man In The White Suit is the only one that worked for me. As a rule, I'm not big on British humor in general. Monty Python for example leaves me cold. 

In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. They have never forgotten this

I'm not a fan of the popular Ealing studio comedies from Great Britain. Everyone seems to adore them but they leave me indifferent.

You do know that I have recently taken up rifle sports? And that I own a gun and I'm pretty handy with it?



The Spikeopath - Hospital Number 217

I'm not worried. I'm protected by two vicious demon cats who will rip your face off! 

In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. They have never forgotten this

Well I would never mess with cats! God's cunning beauties 

Ah, well I know Brit comedy is a chore for you, your complete rotten reaction to Will Hay left both Trevor and myself wanting to stick your head in a microwave oven and defrost for 2 hours.

However, I'm not a Python fan either, something which utterly bemuses my father, who is a monster fan. So there's hope for us yet.

Oh BTW, I saw a great Western the other day called The Searchers, I think you would like it 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend 



The Spikeopath - Hospital Number 217

Of course, the whole issue of "whitewashing" has become a hot topic today, but the 1930s was a riot of such casting. It's a tough call, because so much of it remains egregious, yet it should be said that sometimes, the performance (as a performance) was impressive. That's certainly the case with Luise Rainer in THE GOOD EARTH (listen, if there's any performance that justified Rainer's peculiar stardom, it was her Olan in THE GOOD EARTH), and it's also the case with Sylvia Sidney in MADAME BUTTERFLY. But (unfortunately) Paramount was top-heavy with (as Variety used to say) femme talent in the 1930s (under contract: Miriam Hopkins, Carole Lombard, Claudette Colbert, Mae West, Marlene Dietrich, etc.) and Sidney had a hard time fighting for roles so many of her vehicles wound up at the low-end of the chain. MADAME BUTTERFLY is typical: it's such an obvious backlot job, and the sets are on the tacky side, and the cast is rather blah (people who don't think Cary Grant can be bad should check this out), but as a star vehicle for Sylvia Sidney, it works.

Jean Arthur was nearing the end of her reign as Columbia's leading lady (Rita Hayworth was on the cusp, and would finally overtake Arthur with GILDA) and she couldn't wait: of all the movie stars in the Hollywood Golden Age, she definitely ranks as the most reluctant. She's starred in some movies with the younger leading men at Columbia, such as William Holden (ARIZONA) and she was skittish: insecure about her looks to begin with, she felt she looked like their mother. So when George Stevens asked her to be in the two comedies he did during the war years (TALK OF THE TOWN and THE MORE THE MERRIER), she was relieved: Cary Grant and Ronald Colman (TALK) and Joel McCrea (MERRIER) were at least her age! Joel McCrea talked about the making of this movie: he was simply offered the role because Jean Arthur had insisted (they were friends and had worked together in the 1930s). One last thing: it was such a huge box office hit that it wound up nominated for several Oscars, including Arthur for Best Actress. She's charming but it's far from her best performance, but it shows how difficult it was to get nominated for comedy.

The most famous story about Alec Guinness is the one where he met a child who had seen STAR WARS over 100 times, and Guinness said, promise me you won't see STAR WARS again! (Fanboys always use this story to show how "insensitive" Guinness was, but the upshot is that the boy has since written about this - he understood what Guinness was trying to say, that he shouldn't just obsess over this one film, and the boy did - he didn't see STAR WARS again. Also: the story fanboys tell always has the boy bursting into tears; well, the boy didn't cry, he simply asked, what should i see instead?) Alec Guinness was right: idiot Americans are too limited in their knowledge of anything, and so he's known for STAR WARS, as if decades of work in film and theater, where he played in Shakespeare, Dickens, Graham Greene, etc. mean nothing. But he became one of the most unlikely movie stars (and he was) in the 1950s: he became the face of the Ealing comedies. And THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT is just about perfect of its type. People forget: these movies were so popular that they were successes in the US, and Guinness became a movie star in the US based on his English movies.

Robert Rossen is a director who was never comfortable working in a period setting: his best work always dealt with contemporary American themes, as in BODY AND SOUL, ALL THE KING'S MEN, and THE HUSTLER. ALEXANDER THE GREAT is a slog: it's the kind of movie where the dialogue seems dubbed, no matter who's speaking. And the oddity of international casting: Fredric March, Danielle Darrieux and Richard Burton don't make a convincing family.

When i saw HOLIDAY IN SPAIN, i wasn't aware of its Smell-O-Vision roots, and it seemed a minor mystery enhanced by some really spectacular scenery.

Because of the vagaries of distribution, it's hard for American audiences to know what's happening in other countries. Though Isabelle Adjani had been developing a reputation for her stage work while she was still a teenager, it wasn't until THE STORY OF ADELE H. that she became known here. Though she'd done challenging work on stage, she'd been cast in the French version of "teen movies" (she once said, "I was the French Sandra Dee") and LA GIFLE was typical. It was also a huge box office it in France.

There are some movies which come burdened with too-much-information, and BRAINSTORM is one of them. It's hard to know what the film could have been because the shoot was shut down when Natalie Wood died, and then, when they resumed, they rushed through what they had to shoot, and changes were made so that Wood's part wouldn't seem truncated. It's a mess, but it does have some wonderful special effects (as it should since Douglas Trumball was the director). It's also sad because Louise Fletcher is excellent, but few people noticed because the focus was on Natalie Wood.

CUJO was one scary movie: for anyone who has ever been phobic about animals, it's really nightmarish! I'm glad you made a note of Dee Wallace's performance, because it's a rarity in horror: an excellent performance which helps to give the movie some dimensions, because she makes the terror believable.

It's hard to remember how careers have changed: when MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO opened, Gwyneth Paltrow was on the rise, Kathleen Turner had been out of the public eye for a while, Elizabeth Perkins was somebody that was getting excellent reviews but she hadn't found the role that would make her popular (she got it with her outrageous character in the TV show WEEDS), and Whoopi Goldberg was in the rut of playing the "black best friend" of the heroine (SOAPDISH, BOYS ON THE SIDE, etc.). I think i did see MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO when it was on Lifetime (or was it the Hallmark Channel?) and it was a perfect fit.

ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE was an anomaly in Larry Clark's career, because it is (for him, anyway) a "professional" production, with a crew that was mostly industry professionals, and actual actors. The "problems" in most of his work (the lackadaisical approach to continuity, the scenes that run on too long, the absence of pacing) haven't exactly vanished, but ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE is a little better than his other work in terms of its craft. And it also shows that good actors really do bring something to a movie: Melanie Griffith and James Woods frequently surprise, because they're finding things in their roles that might not be obvious.

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP is another movie that i hope is remembered during award season! I think Kate Beckinsale shows you what someone with talent can do when they get a truly good role. After decades in the UNDERWORLD series and a lot of performances based on stunt doubles, she's back! The actress who was so charming in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, COLD COMFORT FARM and THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO reminds us that she always had superb comic timing, and she adds to it a haughty quality that's hilarious. Whit Stillman's return to filmmaking (after decades) hasn't been easy (DAMSELS IN DISTRESS was uneven, and his attempts at TV work, like THE COSMOPOLITANS, were flat), but here, it all works.