Sunday, December 4, 2011
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Rebecca (1940)
Rebecca is a 1940 psychological/dramatic thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock as his first American project, and his first film produced under his contract with Selznick. The film's screenplay was an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel of the same name. It stars Laurence Olivier as Maxim de Winter, Joan Fontaine as his second wife, and Judith Anderson as his late wife's housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers.
The film is a gothic tale about the lingering memory of the title character, which still affects Maxim, his new bride, and Mrs. Danvers long after her death. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Picture out of a total 11 nominations. Olivier, Fontaine and Anderson were all Oscar nominated for their respective roles.
Atmospheric and moody, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca is a masterpiece of style and substance, an extended meditation on how the dead haunt the living. Photographed in somber shadows, few movies before or since have taken such glorious advantage of black-and-white film.
She (Joan Fontaine) meets the enigmatic and temperamental Maxim DeWinter (Laurence Olivier) in Monte Carlo, and on a whim marries him. We never learn her name: Maxim calls her "dear" or "darling," and to others she is simply Mrs. DeWinter, or to distinguish her from Rebecca, her husband's first wife, the second Mrs. DeWinter. He takes her home to foggy, rainy Cornwall, where he owns Manderley, a rambling country manor house that's as much as a character in the film as any of its human inhabitants. She is awkward and uncomfortable in the big house with its army of servants. Worse, the ghost of Rebecca is everywhere, reminders of the first Mrs. DeWinter.
"She knew everyone that mattered, and everyone loved her," says Mrs. Danvers, the creepy housemaid who came to Manderley when Rebecca was a new bride, who is trying desperately to make the second Mrs. DeWinter feel unwanted. Her husband, whom she barely knows, seems to be withdrawing from her, avoiding her. The new Mrs. DeWinter grows nervous and suspicious: Did he have something to do with his first wife's untimely death?
In true Hitchcock style, Rebecca twists and twists again, creating a haunting and memorable film.
The film is a gothic tale about the lingering memory of the title character, which still affects Maxim, his new bride, and Mrs. Danvers long after her death. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Picture out of a total 11 nominations. Olivier, Fontaine and Anderson were all Oscar nominated for their respective roles.
Atmospheric and moody, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca is a masterpiece of style and substance, an extended meditation on how the dead haunt the living. Photographed in somber shadows, few movies before or since have taken such glorious advantage of black-and-white film.
She (Joan Fontaine) meets the enigmatic and temperamental Maxim DeWinter (Laurence Olivier) in Monte Carlo, and on a whim marries him. We never learn her name: Maxim calls her "dear" or "darling," and to others she is simply Mrs. DeWinter, or to distinguish her from Rebecca, her husband's first wife, the second Mrs. DeWinter. He takes her home to foggy, rainy Cornwall, where he owns Manderley, a rambling country manor house that's as much as a character in the film as any of its human inhabitants. She is awkward and uncomfortable in the big house with its army of servants. Worse, the ghost of Rebecca is everywhere, reminders of the first Mrs. DeWinter.
"She knew everyone that mattered, and everyone loved her," says Mrs. Danvers, the creepy housemaid who came to Manderley when Rebecca was a new bride, who is trying desperately to make the second Mrs. DeWinter feel unwanted. Her husband, whom she barely knows, seems to be withdrawing from her, avoiding her. The new Mrs. DeWinter grows nervous and suspicious: Did he have something to do with his first wife's untimely death?
In true Hitchcock style, Rebecca twists and twists again, creating a haunting and memorable film.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
The Philadelphia Story, is a 1940 American romantic comedy film. It was directed by George Cukor, starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart. Based on the Broadway play of the same name by Philip Barry.
The film is about a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist. It is considered one of the best examples of a comedy of remarriage, a genre popular in the 1930s and 1940s, in which a couple divorce, flirt with outsiders and then remarry. The Philadelphia Story was nominated for six Academy Awards, and won two: Stewart for Best Actor and Donald Ogden Stewart for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Philadelphia Story, originally a hit Broadway play, was the studio picture designed to resuscitate Hepburn's career after she had been labeled "box office poison." Although Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart share top billing with Katherine Hepburn, this is clearly Hepburn's movie. Hepburn has a tremendous sex appeal when she's playing know-it-all women in control, who say they know what they want, and she's also just glorious when she lets her hair down and indulges in mania. Who else but Hepburn was so bold, yet so smart, and at the same time so beguilingly funny?
The movie opens with a scene of marital disaster, that legendary scene in which Cary Grant (playing the C. K. Dexter Haven), before leaving his home for good, palms Katherine Hepburn's face and pushes her down to the floor.
I don't think The Philadelphia Story would have worked nearly so perfectly without Grant, who was ignored at that year's Academy Awards because his character's struggles are largely internal. Add Hepburn's persona, beautifully explored here in all its wonder, and Stewart's likeability, and George Cukor's sensible, subtle, and lovingly unrushed direction of a firecracker script.
This movie is about as close to perfection as any romantic comedy ever made, and thank heavens no one has had the audacity to try to remake it. Well, in truth it already was remade, but as a musical called "High Society". Thankfully, this musical mostly used the same script, but even with some marvelous songs by Cole Porter, it never was any match for the original, and with all due respect - Grace Kelly was no Katharine Hepburn, and Bing Crosby was far too old to play Cary Grant's role.
The film is about a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist. It is considered one of the best examples of a comedy of remarriage, a genre popular in the 1930s and 1940s, in which a couple divorce, flirt with outsiders and then remarry. The Philadelphia Story was nominated for six Academy Awards, and won two: Stewart for Best Actor and Donald Ogden Stewart for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Philadelphia Story, originally a hit Broadway play, was the studio picture designed to resuscitate Hepburn's career after she had been labeled "box office poison." Although Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart share top billing with Katherine Hepburn, this is clearly Hepburn's movie. Hepburn has a tremendous sex appeal when she's playing know-it-all women in control, who say they know what they want, and she's also just glorious when she lets her hair down and indulges in mania. Who else but Hepburn was so bold, yet so smart, and at the same time so beguilingly funny?
The movie opens with a scene of marital disaster, that legendary scene in which Cary Grant (playing the C. K. Dexter Haven), before leaving his home for good, palms Katherine Hepburn's face and pushes her down to the floor.
I don't think The Philadelphia Story would have worked nearly so perfectly without Grant, who was ignored at that year's Academy Awards because his character's struggles are largely internal. Add Hepburn's persona, beautifully explored here in all its wonder, and Stewart's likeability, and George Cukor's sensible, subtle, and lovingly unrushed direction of a firecracker script.
This movie is about as close to perfection as any romantic comedy ever made, and thank heavens no one has had the audacity to try to remake it. Well, in truth it already was remade, but as a musical called "High Society". Thankfully, this musical mostly used the same script, but even with some marvelous songs by Cole Porter, it never was any match for the original, and with all due respect - Grace Kelly was no Katharine Hepburn, and Bing Crosby was far too old to play Cary Grant's role.
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, is a 1939 American drama film starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, about one man's effect on American politics. It was directed by Frank Capra and written by Sidney Buchman. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was controversial when it was released, but also successful at the box office, and made Stewart a major movie star. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Story. In 1989, the Library of Congress added the movie to the United States National Film Registry, for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
The story is simple: A U.S. senator dies, and a replacement has to be found. But the rivalry between the camps that support the two possible candidates is so fierce that the governor fears for his political future, since picking either one would automatically alienate a large number of voters.
There has only ever been one human being alive who could play Jefferson Smith, and that is of course James Stewart. Because Stewart was the real deal, he was no sunshine patriot. Some people view Ronald Reagan or John Wayne as heroes, with their outspoken manners, but neither of them ever served their country in the military. Stewart on the other hand, walked the walk. Shortly after he finished filming the scenes where he spoke so eloquently of patriotism, he was flying missions over Germany in World War II, and that only happened because he managed to talk a recruitment officer into to throwing away his physical, which initially rejected him because he was too skinny. Not only that, but he also gave his son to the service of his country, and lost him, in Vietnam.
This makes it a lot easier for me to not merely accept, but also genuinely believe Stewart’s performance.
The honesty of the film was recognized outside of the US, too. When the ban on English and American films was made in Nazi occupied France in 1942, the film the theatres picked for their last movie was Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It is a lovely movie; a truly enjoyable treat indeed. Age will always remove the realistic qualities of such films, but this remains a worthwhile film to watch, both for the entertainment value, as well as the political aspects of it.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Dodsworth (1936)
Dodsworth is a 1936 American drama film directed by William Wyler. Sidney Howard based the screenplay on his 1934 stage adaptation of the 1929 novel by Sinclair Lewis. Through the title character, it examines the differences between US and European intellect, manners, and morals.
Dodsworth is a really solid film, with all of the sophistication and maturity that screwball comedies eschew. There's a great balance to everything in this story. It takes no time to see that Sam Dodsworth represents the American dream - a man who has worked extremely hard to create a successful company, yet has not lost his zest for life. The only thing missing at the beginning of the story is his ability to enjoy leisurely pursuits.Once in Europe, we see the stark contrast between a man like Sam and the upper-crust Europeans who are wealthy from their ancestors' deeds rather than their own.
Beyond the engaging plot and the cinematography, is the acting. While Ruth Chatterton's turn as the snobbish Fran Dodsworth is appropriately annoying with her New England affectation and selfish arrogance, Walter Huston is awesome. I completely buy into his salt-of-the-earth persona who is, in turns, sensitive and tortured, calm and commanding, and exuberant. Even the minor roles are exceptional, especially Mary Astor as Edith Cortright, the mature soul-mate whom Sam eventually finds. With this movie, I'm finally seeing consistently relaxed and more naturalistic acting.
Overall, this one was a treat to watch, and I'd see it again. Anyone who enjoys classic movies with more depth than your standard Hollywood romance would be well served to check this one out.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Vampyr (1932)
Vampyr (German: Vampyr - Der Traum des Allan Grey) is a 1932 horror film directed by Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer. The film was written by Dreyer and Christen Jul based on elements from J. Sheridan Le Fanu's, In a Glass Darkly. Vampyr was funded by Nicolas de Gunzburg who starred in the film under the name of Julian West among a mostly non-professional cast. Gunzberg plays the role of Allan Grey, a student of the occult who enters a small village outside of Paris which is cursed by supernatural creatures known as Vampyrs who lure townspeople to suicide so they can become servants for the devil.
Vampyr was filmed between 1930 and 1931. With everything being shot on location, Dreyer believed it would be beneficial by lending the dream-like ghost world of the film as well as allowing them to save money by not having to rent studio space. Dreyer originally wanted Vampyr to be a silent film, as it uses many elements of the silent era such as the use of title cards to explain the story. Dialogue in the film was kept to a minimum. For the scenes with dialogue, the actors mouthed their lines in French, German and English so their lip movements would correspond to the voices that were going to be recorded in post-production. There is no record of the English version being completed. The scenes in the chateau were shot in April and May 1930. The chateau also acted as housing where the cast and crew lived for the filming period. Living in the chateau was unpleasant for them as it was cold and infested with rats. The church yard scenes were shot in August 1930. The church was not an actual church, but a barn with a number of tombstones placed around it. As i have said the film was shot entirely in Courtempierre (France), and to enhance the atmospheric content, Dreyer opted for a washed out, fuzzy appearing photographic technique. Vampyr had a delayed release in Germany and opened to a generally negative reception from audiences and critics.
Truly great and ingenious films have a tendency to be ahead of their time. While Vampyr has not found the wide popular audience at the time, it is nevertheless ripe for mass rediscovery as what is perhaps the finest horror film ever made.
Vampyr was filmed between 1930 and 1931. With everything being shot on location, Dreyer believed it would be beneficial by lending the dream-like ghost world of the film as well as allowing them to save money by not having to rent studio space. Dreyer originally wanted Vampyr to be a silent film, as it uses many elements of the silent era such as the use of title cards to explain the story. Dialogue in the film was kept to a minimum. For the scenes with dialogue, the actors mouthed their lines in French, German and English so their lip movements would correspond to the voices that were going to be recorded in post-production. There is no record of the English version being completed. The scenes in the chateau were shot in April and May 1930. The chateau also acted as housing where the cast and crew lived for the filming period. Living in the chateau was unpleasant for them as it was cold and infested with rats. The church yard scenes were shot in August 1930. The church was not an actual church, but a barn with a number of tombstones placed around it. As i have said the film was shot entirely in Courtempierre (France), and to enhance the atmospheric content, Dreyer opted for a washed out, fuzzy appearing photographic technique. Vampyr had a delayed release in Germany and opened to a generally negative reception from audiences and critics.
Truly great and ingenious films have a tendency to be ahead of their time. While Vampyr has not found the wide popular audience at the time, it is nevertheless ripe for mass rediscovery as what is perhaps the finest horror film ever made.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
M (1931)
M (German: M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder) is a 1931 German drama-thriller directed by Fritz Lang and written by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou. It was Lang's first sound film, although he had directed over a dozen films previously.
The film become a classic which Lang himself considered his finest work.
Fritz Lang’s first sound film is often cited as the first and greatest of all psychological thrillers. The expressionistic style which was prevalent in German cinema of the late 1920s is brilliantly used by Lang to create a sense of claustrophobic paranoia and panic, a world of shadows, suspicions and betrayals.
In the first significant role of his career, Peter Lorre, as the chubby, pop-eyed serial killer. Lorre has the aura of a dangerous psychopath but he also conveys a touching child-like pathos, most notably in the end of the film, in the trial scene. Don't really know if i should say this, because it may give away the end of the movie, but i'll say it anyway: Lorre’s character is condemned because he cannot help killing, and so it is society’s obligation to kill him.
What i like the most in this film is that "M" is disturbing at many levels. The way in which it is filmed, with bold expressionism, induced me to think about Kafka's universe, with a storyline filled with convincing characters, and a subtext which admits various interpretations.
I think Peter Lorre’s character is an effective visual metaphor for the German Society of the 30's. On the surface, he is respectable, even likable man of no real significance. Yet, given the right stimulus, this outward shell of normality is cracked and a crazed killer is unleashed. Does this make sense to you?
The film become a classic which Lang himself considered his finest work.
Fritz Lang’s first sound film is often cited as the first and greatest of all psychological thrillers. The expressionistic style which was prevalent in German cinema of the late 1920s is brilliantly used by Lang to create a sense of claustrophobic paranoia and panic, a world of shadows, suspicions and betrayals.
In the first significant role of his career, Peter Lorre, as the chubby, pop-eyed serial killer. Lorre has the aura of a dangerous psychopath but he also conveys a touching child-like pathos, most notably in the end of the film, in the trial scene. Don't really know if i should say this, because it may give away the end of the movie, but i'll say it anyway: Lorre’s character is condemned because he cannot help killing, and so it is society’s obligation to kill him.
What i like the most in this film is that "M" is disturbing at many levels. The way in which it is filmed, with bold expressionism, induced me to think about Kafka's universe, with a storyline filled with convincing characters, and a subtext which admits various interpretations.
I think Peter Lorre’s character is an effective visual metaphor for the German Society of the 30's. On the surface, he is respectable, even likable man of no real significance. Yet, given the right stimulus, this outward shell of normality is cracked and a crazed killer is unleashed. Does this make sense to you?
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