This is one of the MOST beautifully lighted movies I’ve ever seen! It also has an unusual, engaging, and (unapologetically) romantic storyline. If you liked The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, you should check out Portrait of Jennie. Eben Adams (Joseph Cotton) is a struggling artist in NYC, hoping and waiting for a spark of inspiration. He paints for a living, earns some money, BUT wants to create a great piece.
"I wish you were older," Eben tells Jennie.
One day in Central Park, Eben meets an unusually pretty, cheerful young girl named Jennie Appleton (Jennifer Jones). They chat as she skates across the pond. Eben is captivated by Jennie’s face, and wants to paint her portrait. But Jennie has to leave.
Eben tells his friends, art dealer, and gallery owner (played by Ethel Barrymore) about Jennie; she has become his inspiration. He looks for her in the park for several days. When he sees Jennie again, she has grown a bit older! How can that be? Eben asks to meet her parents, so he can get permission to paint her. Jennie says that her parents died in a high-wire accident. She doesn’t give her address. Eben does some research to find out more about this mysterious girl.
The third time Jennie appears, she’s in Eben’s studio. She’s a full-grown woman, ready to attend convent school (college). Eben, overjoyed and in love, can finally work on her portrait.
We always want what we can't have!
Before the portrait is finished, Jennie has to go away again. She’s gone for some time, and Eben despairs of ever seeing her again. He waits by a park bench as night. When she does come again, Jennie (a sophomore in college) admits that she’s in love with Eben. They walk through the streets of NYC all night, talking and wishing they could stay together for longer.
The finished portrait
This film has an aura of mystery, suspense, and sweetness. Is Jennie a ghost? And is there any way for these lovers to be together?
This is one of my mom’s fave classic films, BUT I just recently watched all of it. It’s Hitchcock, but also VERY romantic (note the lighting). And we get the pleasure of seeing Hollywood’s two most GORGEOUS, sophisticated, and talented actors working together!
Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) is a beautiful/young/strong-willed Miami socialite who has turned to drinking and carousing since the imprisonment of her father. At a party one night, she gets very drunk, and has to be driven home by T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant).
Grant and Bergman have insta-chemistry!
Devlin learns that Alicia, who loves America, is bitter that her father worked as a German spy. Devlin proposes that Alicia work as a spy for the American government on a special assignment in Rio de Janeiro. The country could use someone w/ her background and talents, Devlin’s superiors say.
NOT just contact and spy!
Even before the plane lands in Rio, Dev and Alicia are deeply into each other. She quits drinking, resigned to be a better person. That night, she says she’s in love with Dev. But the new romance is suddenly halted when Dev learns what Alicia will be required to do IF she accepts the assignment. She’ll have to get VERY close to wealthy businessman Alexander Sebastien (Claude Rains), one of her father’s close friends. Devlin’s bosses explain that Sebastien was in love w/ Alicia years ago, and is eager to see her again!
This is a 4 star classic film noir that you MUST-SEE! Out of the Past reminded me of A History of Violence. It has snappy dialogue, interesting characters, twists and turns, and gorgeous lighting. Because of censorship laws of the ’40s, some events are (cleverly) hinted at, instead of shown outright. This adds to the originality of the film!
Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum) has lived for 2 yrs in a small California town running a gas station. His assistant is a deaf/mute teen boy. Jeff (a seemingly normal, quiet guy) often goes fishing w/ a pretty, sweet local lady- Ann Miller. He plans to marry her in the near future. One day, a big-city guy drives into this little community and starts asking questions about Jeff. This stranger (from Jeff’s old life) is surprised to learn about his (now ordinary) life.
Jane Greer: The femme fatale
Jeff confides in Ann after seeing the man from his past. No so long ago, he was a sort of private detective in San Francisco. Jeff and his partner, Brodie, got in over their head when they started working w/ crime boss Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). Whit paid them to look for his runaway girlfriend, Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer), even AFTER she tried to kill him!
Kirk Douglas & Robert Mitchum
Jeff traveled to Mexico, met the mysterious/beautiful Kathie, and quickly fell in love w/ her. After 2 weeks, Whit showed up w/ a group of his men. Jeff met w/ them, but then ran away w/ Kathie. But that’s NOT the end of this story!
Unlike the song, Kathie was not “easy to love,” but Jeff went out of his way to protect her from Whit. We find out in the last 1/3 of the story that Kathie is NOT as defenseless as she seems. Even after 2 yrs, she’s NOT completely out of Jeff’s system! Can Jeff have a normal life w/ Ann, or will Kathie cause the undoing of him? This was (no doubt) a juicy role for Mitchum, who we know has the tough guy exterior, but also a sly humor and normal guy demeanor. Just a magnetic actor!
This intense, smart, thought-provoking, and perhaps controversial, film centers on just 2 people: John (William H. Macy), a middle-aged college professor who struggles to understand (and be understood by) one his undergrad students, Carol (Debra Eisenstadt). It takes time to get into it b/c David Mamet’s speech is NOT your everyday movie dialogue. This movie will bring up a LOT of issues (depending on what YOU make of it)… and make every viewer think! (IMHO, one of the key themes is the danger of being TOO politically correct.)
This is an eccentric, fun, and original film. It’s shot in beautiful locations w/ a great group of UK actors, including many kids.
Damien, who recently lost his mother, is an ADORABLE, sensitive, and bright boy living in suburban Ireland w/ his dad and older bro. He has a great knowledge of saints and martyrs, and imagines them as part of his everyday life. When a large bag of money falls on his playhouse, Damien thinks it’s a gift from God.
Damien sets about giving his share to the poor (using various methods), while his brother Anthony spends his half like there’s no tomorrow.
Melinda and Melinda (2005)
A film film directed by Woody Allen
This film is actually split into 2- a comedy (which features Will Farrell as a neurotic character actor) and a tragedy (where Chewitel Ejiofor plays a charming composer). Manhattan looks beautiful in the hands of Woody Allen- of course!
Melinda (petite/blonde/Australian Radha Mitchell) is the center of both stories. She does a GOOD job of portraying 2 different women w/ a range of emotions/issues.
This is one of Hollywood’s earliest rom coms… but it ALWAYS seems fun, fresh, and witty whenever I see it. (I’ve probably seen it 4X so far.) It was directed by Frank Capra. Basically, it’s about two VERY different people who fall in love (over a few days) while traveling from Miami to NYC. My fave part is when the would-be couple is getting ready to sleep in the haystack. You can see that Ellie is falling in love w/ Peter, and he ALMOST gives her a kiss as he tucks her into “bed.” The lighting is VERY romantic in that scene!
Ellie and Peter are separated by “the walls of Jericho”
See, people used to wear pjs- LOL! This may NOT be a PC movie (to viewers today), but it’s still a GREAT one! Watch how grumpy news reporter Peter cares for heiress Ellie- she’s a sheltered young woman who has never been alone for many days or w/o money. He acts tough/brusque to hide the fact that he’s interested in her. Peter is prejudiced against the super-wealthy, as we learn from several scenes.
Who can forget the hitchiking/leg-revealing scene? Peter is mad about her bold move; Ellie says “the limb is mightier than the thumb.” Many fans of this film regret the fact that there is no kiss at the end. The finale was rushed b/c both actors were scheduled to do other movies. This film was shot w/in 4 wks- WOW!!!
Did you know that there is a 1956 update to this movie (w/ song/dance added in)? It’s called You Can’t Run Away From It (w/ Jack Lemmon and June Allyson).
Cape Fear (1962)
I’ve seen this film before, as well as the remake Scorcese did w/ DeNiro and Nolte. The original is thought of as the better version by fans, though I think Nolte was quite good as the father/lawyer, Sam Bowden. To be senisitive to viewers, there is nothing more troubling than “assault” to describe the violation of women. Some scenes were cut to make the film less troubling. But after seeing Law & Order: SVU, the main issue in this thriller isn’t controversial (to modern eyes).
The consummate villain- Max Cady (Robert Mitchum)
The best acting here is done by Mitchum- he TOTALLY inhabits Max Cady, an EVIL man out for revenge against the witness who helped put him in prison. He can be charming, compelling AND menacing! While in prison, Cady studied law, so he knows how to use it to his advantage. After he beats/assaults the young female traveler he met at a bar, she is reluctant to file a report (b/c everything will be exposed in public.) Times have changed, thank goodness!
Peck has some nice moments in this film, esp w/ his wife and teen daughter. After all, he’s one of Hollywood’s most solid/trustworthy heroes. However, I thought his demeanor was sometimes a BIT too cool/controlled. There are nice parts here for helpful police chief (Martin Balsam) and clever PI (Telly Savalas). But as many fans have said, Mithchum stole the show!
Miller’s Crossing (1990)
I didn’t know anything about this Coen bros film before I saw it. This film has a small (but VERY loyal) fan base. It’s a gangster pic filmed in New Orleans (b/c that city has blocks of untouched ’20s bldngs.) At first, I thought the city was Chicago (but it goes unnamed in the film). Now, it MAY take you a mins to get used to the dialogue, esp b/c Gabriel Byrne had a much thicker Irish accent then. You’ll also hear insults/slang from the Prohibition era.
Tom (Gabriel Byrne) & Verna (Marcia Gay Harden)
Tom is a complicated/tough/clever anti-hero. He’s loyal to his boss Leo, but having an affair w/ Leo’s gf, Verna. John Turturro plays Verna’s bookie brother, Bernie. He’s the one who stirs things up in this film! The Italian mob boss is played by Jon Polito w/ loads of gusto.
Irish mob boss, Leo (Albert Finney)
All the main characters are GREAT in their roles, esp Byrne. (You’ve rarely seen a character like Tom!) I was VERY impressed by how effortlessly Marcia Gay Harden (in her 1st movie role) stands up to Byrne. IMHO, this film doesn’t always flow very well. I watched it b/c the characters were compelling, and I wanted to know what Tom’s final move would be. Will he kill for the 1st time in his life?
White Palace (1992)
Max (James Spader) plays a young widower
Opposites attract in this simple/formulaic Hollywood romance. Max Baron (James Spader) is a 27 y.o. Jewish ad exec. Since losing his wife in a car accident 2 yrs ago, he hasn’t looked at another woman. His friends/fam keep badgering him to start dating. (They have a list of pretty/Jewish/single gals ready for him.) Nora Baker (Susan Sarandon) is a 43 y.o. lapsed Catholic who waitresses at White Palace, a popular burger joint in the inner city. She lives in a little house (that she decorates w/ pics of Marilyn Monroe) in an area known as Dogtown.
Max cooks dinner for Nora (Susan Sarandon)
After his best pal’s bachelor party one night, Max doesn’t feel like going home. He decides to stop at a bar and have a drink. Nora approaches him, wondering what a guy like him (wearing a tux, no less) is doing there. He isn’t in the mood for talking, but she compliments him w/ “you have a beautiful face” and “you remind me of Tony Curtis.” Then they both reveal a painful secret from their respective pasts.
Hmmm… will this relationship last?
In no time, Max and Nora are involved in a steamy relationship. Nora wants to keep him at arm’s length (emotionally), but Max says “I can’t get you out of my head.” But is this love? And even so, can they overcome their differences: age, education, social status, etc? The dialogue in this film is rather simple, but what keeps it from being boring is the fine acting by the two leads. (The fact that they look GORGEOUS doesn’t hurt either!)
Shattered Glass (2003)
Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen) entertains his co-workers at The New Republic
This small indie film is based on a true news scandal, not unlike that of NYT reporter Jayson Blair (who was exposed in 2003). It involves Stephen Glass, a 25 y.o reporter for the small (yet VERY prestigious) magazine, The New Republic. The year is 1998, and Stephen is juggling his stressful job AND law school (to please his parents). He goes out of his way to please his co-workers, some of whom are also his friends. It becomes clear to the viewer that Stephen is VERY nervous and insecure, thanks to the characterization by Christensen. (Like many viewers said, he’s NOT wooden like in the Star Wars films.)
When one of his stories “doesn’t check out,” Stephen frantically tries to cover it up. A reporter from Forbes Online in NYC discovers holes w/in the story, too. The New Republic editor, Chuck Lane (Peter Sarsgaard), grows more suspicious w/ each new piece of info that’s unverifiable. He wonders if Stephen is merely a “scared kid” who failed to check his sources. When he questions the reporter, Stephen feels unfairly persecuted.
Sarsgaard plays his (understated) role VERY well, and steals the last 1/3 of the movie. He’s a natural/believable actor who can fit into ANY role! Chloe Sevigny plays a friend/fellow reporter who feels Stephen did no wrong. If you want to see a smart movie about an interesting topic, check this movie out.
Knightleyemma 