Category: Classics

A Variety of Movies: It Happened One Night, Cape Fear (1962), Miller’s Crossing, White Palace & Shattered Glass

Emma2 Comments

It Happened One Night (1934)

Peter (Clark Gable) & Ellen (Claudette Colbert)
Peter (Clark Gable) & Ellie (Claudette Colbert)

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!

Peter puts up a "wall" in the cabin
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.

When trying to hitch a ride, Peter insists "it's all in the thumb"

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)

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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 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!

The concerned family man- Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck)

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)

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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.

Troubled couple: Tom (Gabriel Byrne) & Verna (Marcia Gay Harden)
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)
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)- a VERY young widower
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)
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?
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
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.)

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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.

Hanging out here… cable TV offline today!

Emma2 Comments

Pics of Today:

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At least it’s sunny…

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but I’m in a LOUSY mood!

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I heard MANY DC ppl didn’t go to work yesterday!

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My lunch: tuna salad sandwich, baby carrots, & roasted red pepper hummus.

Recent iTunes Downloads:

Hindi Songs:

Haule Haule – Salim-Sulaiman & Sukhwinder Singh (Saavn Presents: Bollywood Hits 2008)

Jashn e Bahaara – A.R. Rahman (Johaa Akbar film soundtrack)

Jai Ho – A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack)

Nachley – Daler Mehndi & Kunal Ganjawala (Lakeer soundtrack)

Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte – Salim Sulaiman & Sonu Nigaam (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi)

Ringa Ringa – A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack)

Country Songs:

Never Loved Before – Alan Jackson & Martina McBride (Alan Jackson, Good Time)

Sweet Thing – Keith Urban’s new single

Things a Mama Don’t Know – Mica Roberts & Toby Keith (Mica Roberts’ debut CD)

Quick Movie Reviews:

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I had to be careful where I went because I was a Jew, because I was young and because I was handsome. It made me wiry and erratic and paranoid, which is what I still am. Always on guard.  –Tony Curtis

Trapeze (1956)

Two gorgeous guys in tights- what’s not to like?  This film stars Burt Lancaster (gymnastics kept him off the streets as a kid) and Tony Curtis (who didn’t have the required skills at first, but was very enthusiastic).  Curtis’ willingness to learn impressed Lancaster very much.  The two men did most of their own stunts in this film- wow!

This classic pic is set in Paris, and focuses on the working relationship and friendship btwn an older, injured former trapeze star Mike Ribble (Lancaster) and his energetic, young protege Tino Orsini (Curtis).  Tino came all the way from NYC to learn a difficult/dangerous trick on the trapeze (that only Mike can teach him).  But an ambitious/manipulative  young woman, Lola, also in the circus, has her eyes on Tino.

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Tony Curtis has always been an actor who has refused to play it safe, and has devoted his working life to performing in a vast array of characters… Yet what stands out about all his performances in the inner vulnerability and humility he finds in his unsympathetic characters and the never-say-die attitude of the heroes he plays.  -IMDB bio

Life is to be lived within the limits of your knowledge and within the concept of what you would like to see yourself to be.  –Burt Lancaster

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Another pic w/ Lancaster & Curtis, BUT there are few nice guys here!  J.J. Hunsecker (Lancaster) is a powerful, much-feared gossip columnist.  He doesn’t feel guilty about ruining careers, marraiges, and his sensitive little sister’s budding romance.  (You can see the blemishes on Lancaster’s skin in this film; that suits the flawed character he plays.)  Sidney Falco (Curtis) is his ruthlessly ambitious publicist.  Friends worry that working w/ J.J. has corrupted Sid.  Just how far will Sid go to get a taste of success?

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A Soldier’s Story (1984)

This is a very thought-provoking ensemble fim based on a successful Broadway play; a young Denzel Washington playing a key role here.  It’s set in a Southern army camp during WWII; soldiers were segregated by race at that time.  They spent a lot of time playing baseball (many hailed from the Negro Leangue), waiting for a chance to fight.  The recruits may have clashing personalities, but they share a hatred of their drill instructor, Sgt. Waters (Adolph Caesar).

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Though Waters is black, too, he is very hard on his men.  His moods go up, down, and every which way.  Waters is not hesitant to use the “n” word to refer to those men he sits as “bad for the race.”  Waters takes no excuses from anyone, so no recruit is too upset when he meets w/ a mysterious death.  The white officers are worried, however, and call for assistance from Washington.

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Washington sends down Capt. Davenport (Howard Rollins from the TV series In the Heat of the Night); he’s a black officer/lawyer.  It’s not an easy case- Davenport quickly discovers.  The rag-tag group of recruits do a double take when they see an articulate/strong black officer, and the white officers fear that Davenport is the wrong man for the job.  “Folks around here won’t talk to you!” an older white officer exclaims.  But Davenport remains calm and professional, determined to find the truth.

Did You Know?:

– Burt Lancaster turned down the lead in Ben Hur (and the $1 million salary) b/c he thought it would be awful.  He set up his own production company (rare for an actor of his time) to do his own projects.

– Both Lancaster and Tony Curtis are native New Yorkers.  Who can mistake Curtis’ strong Bronx accent?

– Lancaster admitted to being nervous when working w/ Montgomert Clift in From Here to Eternity:

The only time I was ever really afraid as an actor was that first scene with Clift. It was my scene, understand: I was the sergeant, I gave the orders, he was just a private under me. Well, when we started, I couldn’t stop my knees from shaking. I thought they might have to stop because my trembling would show. I was afraid he was going to blow me right off the screen.

Movie Review: “Room at the Top” (1959)

Emma2 Comments
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The English factory town is dreary, but Joe Lampton has landed a job with a future.  To have something to do at night, he joins a theatrical group. His boss’s daughter, Susan, is playing ingenue roles on stage (and in real life). She is attracted to Joe, and Joe thinks about how much faster he will get ahead if he is the boss’s son-in-law.  This plan is complicated by his strong desire to be with an older woman who also belongs to the theatrical group.  Alice is French and unhappily married to a wealthy and powerful older man.  Joe believes he can get away with seeing both Susan and Alice.

–IMDB synopsis

Hey readers,

It’s ALMOST Valentine’s Day- good or ill, depending on how your personal life is going!  Don’t look for good clean romance in this controversial (for its time) Brit film!  The anti-hero (Hey, some women LOVE bad boys!) is played by an intense, enigmatic, and engaging actor- Laurence Harvey (who I’ve seen in The Manchurian Candidate). 

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I learned that Laurence Harvey was born in Lithuania; this explains the sharp features.  He grew up in South Africa, and eventually came to the English stage.

Harvey was born to play Joe Lampton, if not in kin, then in kind. Lampton was a working-class bloke who dreams of escaping his social strata for something better. It was a perfect match of actor and role, as the icy Harvey persona made Joe’s ruthless ambition to climb the greasy pole of success fittingly chilling.

 -Excerpt from IMDB  bio

25 y.o. Joe (Harvey) has recently gotten a job as an accountant in a factory in a small industrial town.  He shares a small flat (as the Brits call an apt) w/ a co-worker, and is friendly with the guys around the office.  The audience slowly learns that there are MANY layers to Joe, though he seems quiet and guarded at first. 

From the moment he glimpses his boss’ bubbly young daughter, Susan, he can’t keep her out of his head.  He eyes her hungrily- a prize to be won.  Though she has a steady man in her life, the inexperienced Susan is quickly drawn to Joe.  “I’ve never met a man like you,” she says with wonder in her eyes.  While Susan ponders what Joe is REALLY like, another woman catches his eye.  

Alice (Simone Signoret- an Oscar winner for this role) is a blonde, buxom, older woman w/ a sad look in her eyes.  When Joe snaps angrily at another man for mocking his working-class roots, Alice goes to console him.  From her expressions, you can see that she relates to him.  Soon they are a VERY hot item!  (This movie contains dialogue and romantic scenes QUITE different from other ’50s films.)

Though Susan wants to see Joe, her family and friends treat him like an interloper to their moneyed circle.  Joe replies politely to these snobs, but his anger is bubbling underneath.  George, another man who likes Susan, mentions his own war record.  We learn that even during wartime, not all men were treated equal! 

Joe lets the rage out when he’s with Alice, but it doesn’t scare her.  Alice stands up to him, saying that he is a “coward.”  Joe is insecure about his background.  He holds double standards, too.

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Joe shares some tender and happy moments with Alice, giving his calculating side a rest.  You may wonder if he really DOES love her!  Signoret does a terrific job of portraying a passionate, vulnerable, yet also strong woman.  Her character really pops off the screen; she kept it “real” (as the kids would say).  Harvey has a strong physical presence and a sense of danger about him- fitting for this role.  He makes Joe a very compelling young man!  Both actors handled some great/snappy dialogue and played emotional scenes very well. 

Check this film out if you want something different, multi-faceted, and intelligent.  Room at the Top is about ambition, lust, love, morality (different for men than for women), and above all- social class. Accent is sometimes tied to class; Joe switches to his Northern accent (Sean Bean has one!) when he’s angry or talking with family.  But at other times, that accent is much lighter.   The posh set don’t have such an accent, or they hide it!  (Joe is NOT the only one in the town w/ a contradictory nature.) 

Morality is underlying everything, too.  Joes’ roommate/friend warns him that flaunting an affair in this little town is dangerous.  People start to talk- Alice does NOT escape unscathed.  Susan’s patience and virtue are also tested by Joe, but she thinks they can live happily ever after.  Go see for yourself what happens!

Movie Review: “Fanny” (1961)

EmmaLeave a comment

Put a little smile on your face…

 

It’s a movie that stands on its own. It’s sentimental but in a very endearing way, not sickeningly sweet.  I recommend this movie highly for charm, humor and a look at parental domination, a relevant issue even today.

-A reviewer on IMDB.com

 

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Hey all,

This is for those of you who need some cheering up- like me.  I’ve pretty much become a cranky/depressed/couch potato these past few weeks.  I know I need to start working out again, but the economy and my job situation are keeping me down.  

 

So, I felt a bit better when I saw Fanny, nominated for Best Picture in 1961.  It’s about young love, community (set in Marseille, France), friendship, and MORE!    The title character is Fanny (Leslie Caron- also see in Gigi, Damage, and Chocolat), a sweet/honest/beautiful teen girl who helps her widowed mother sell fish on the waterfront.  She’s deeply in love with a young man (a bartender who works with his dad) she grew up with, but he desperately wants to go to sea.  Will he choose love or ambition? 

 

This film has GREAT music, too!

 

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All the best,

EMMA.

Movie Review: “Sweet Bird of Youth” (1961) starring Paul Newman & Geraldine Page

EmmaLeave a comment

Hey readers!

Are we all ready for MORE Paul Newman?  He’s not a straight-shooting hero in this picture- he’s immoral, ambitious, and even… desperate.  He still looks SUPER-HOT!

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I saw this film last week on TCM; it’s based on a Tennessee Williams play, but not as well-known as say A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on aHot Tin Roof, or The Glass Menagerie.  This film is a MUST-SEE for anyone who likes snappy dialogue, complex characters, and SMART classic stuff!

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Chance Wade (Paul Newman) drives into his little hometown (a tropical Southern locale near the sea) with drunken/depressed actress Alexandra Del Lago (Broadway star Geraldine Page).  At a large/fancy hotel, he checks her in as “Princess.”  He has to carry her up to the room; the staff starts to gossip about them (of course).  Then Chance sets off to locate his boyhood love, Heavenly Finley (a very blonde and thin Shirley Knight; you may’ve seen her in As Good As It Gets).

But getting together w/ Heavenly is NOT easy; her father Boss Finley (a wealthy/powerful politician) keeps tabs on her every move.  Her older brother Tom (Rip Torn- back then he didn’t have red hair) is a violent thug in a suit.  Heavenly’s maiden aunt is the only sympathetic one in the bunch.  Even the servants on the Finley estate warn Chance to stay away.

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We learn (via flashbacks) that Chance was very friendly with the Finleys growing up.  He and Waverly fell in love, and planned to marry.  But her father had other ideas… 

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Chance: I had my picture on the cover of Life magazine! Woo-ha!  And at the same time I was… employing my other talent…

Why is Chance with Princess if he STILL can’t forget Heavenly?  What does he want from her?

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Chance: I like you. You are a nice monster.

I pondered on these questions as I watched:

Why do we find it odd when men use their handsome faces/great bodies to get ahead? 

Why can’t women be in charge of their own bodies?  

How does aging affect women, particularly beautiful ones? 

How/why is a daughter’s behavior tied to family honor?  

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Chance: This is pretty high-class pot. Where’d you get it?
Alexandra: You beautiful, stupid young man. That is not pot.  It’s hashish, Moroccan, and the finest.

Yes, they’re talking about drugs.  This movie deals w/ difficult ADULT matters; it’s NOT a feel-good film. But you definitely MUST check it out!

Best to all, EMMA.