Tag: Romance

Doctor Strange (NOW PLAYING)

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NOTES: This is a SPOILER-FREE review.  If you go see this film, wait to see the mid credits scene (which I caught), as well as the end credits scene (which I missed). 

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One of the first things I learned re: this film (via social media outlets) was re: the casting controversy of Tilda Swinton, which drew accusations of whitewashing, as the character is portrayed as a Tibetan man in the source material.  Director/writer Scott Derrickson wanted the Ancient One to be an Asian woman, but felt that it would be perceived as exploiting Asian fetish and “a fanboy’s dream girl.”  He decided to cast a non-Asian actor in the role, but to still take the opportunity to cast “an amazing actress in a male role.”  He thus wrote the role of the Ancient One especially for Swinton, feeling that she was the obvious choice for such a mystical and mysterious role. One proposed reason for the change is that a movie featuring a Tibetan character will not be acceptable in China (a very important foreign market). Hmmm… What do YOU think about this?

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I’m very excited about that spiritual dimension. It’s something that’s been a huge part of my life. I meditate a lot, that’s a huge tool in trying to calm myself, get away from the crazy circus of it all, have a focused mind as well as be a kinder, considerate person in the world.  –Benedict Cumberbatch

The Batch was the MAIN draw for me (as well as  other non-comic book or regular Marvel fans)!  I was VERY interested when I found out he was cast.  It was cool to see Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo), as well as Benjamin Bratt (Jonathan Pangborn) from Law & Order.  Cumberbatch has an American accent for this role (which is quite good); his voice is deeper and his physicality is different (from what we’re used to seeing in previous roles).  He embarked on a strict training regimen by working w/ a personal trainer, drinking protein shakes and eating double his usual amount of calories.  Yes, there is a shirtless scene where we see the result.  On Jimmy Kimmell Live, Cumberbatch exclaimed: “I worked out for seven months!” 

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…the humour comes from the fact Strange thinks he can crack one liners but can’t.  It was meant to be awkward.  The audience I saw it with got that and were laughing away.  -IMDB reviewer

He tries to make a joke that almost intentionally falls flat, and the comedy is in the awkwardness (the non-reaction that he gets from people).  -Charlie, Emergency Awesome

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It has a very psychedelic grounding, and most of the work is about other dimensions. –Ben Davis, cinematographer, re: Disney’s Fantasia (1940)- one of the visual influences for this film

In a time when special effects usually cover up for weak screenwriting, I think this is a film where the SFX are another character and actually help tell the story. -IMDB reviewer

Doctor Strange is “a solo origin story” (as Charlie, host of YouTube’s Emergency Awesome channel says in his review.)  I agree w/ him that there is “an underdeveloped villain” (Kaecilius, played by Mads Mikkelson), but “a great set-up.”  If you’re NOT a comic book fan, do go see it anyway, b/c ALL the actor’s performances are great!  Even though Rachel McAdams doesn’t have a BIG role, she does a good job here as Dr. Christine Palmer (who has a complicated relationship w/ Dr. Stephen Strange). As for Asian representation, that comes mainly in the form of British-Chinese actor Benedict Wong (recently seen in The Martian).  He is a librarian/warrior who is NOT amused by Strange’s jokes. 

The Crown (Netflix): Coming NOV 4th

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Queen Elizabeth II (Claire Foy) wearing her famous coronation jewels , sash, and gown.

The Crown focuses on Queen Elizabeth II as a 25-year-old newlywed faced with the daunting prospect of leading the world’s most famous monarchy while forging a relationship with legendary Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. The British Empire is in decline, the political world is in disarray, and a young woman takes the throne….a new era is dawning. Peter Morgan’s masterfully researched scripts reveal the Queen’s private journey behind the public facade with daring frankness. Prepare to be welcomed into the coveted world of power and privilege and behind locked doors in Westminster and Buckingham Palace….the leaders of an empire await. -Netflix Summary

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Matt Smith, Claire Foy, and John Lithgow

Lead Actors: Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth II), Matt Smith (Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh), & John Lithgow (Sir Winston Churchill)

Supporting Actors: Jeremy Northam, Eileen Atkins, Victoria Hamilton, Harriet Walter, Ben Miles & Alex Jennings

Director: Stephen Daldry

Writer/Producer: Peter Morgan

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Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and the real queen in wedding clothes.

This highly-anticipated series will be available on November 4th. Two seasons with a total of 20 episodes are planned (so far), as noted in Variety.  Daldry was the director of Billy Elliott and The Hours.  In 2006, Peter Morgan wrote The Queen (starring Helen Mirren).

Rather than finding this woman and this predicament less and less interesting it becomes more and more interesting.  The Queen’s story is a good way to examine the modern history of England because she is so intertwined with the British constitution and the British soul. -Peter Morgan

I’m excited to see Foy in a starring role; she was great in the miniseries Little Dorritt.  Matt Smith (best known for Dr. Who) can handle both comedy and drama.  Maybe he will get a chance to do both? And it’s so cool to see the film/stage veteran, Lithgow, in good shape and working regularly!  The official trailer (below) gives us some hint, BUT not too much, re: the crux of the series- how a young woman manages different roles (daughter, queen, wife, and mother).       

 

In This Our Life (1942) starring Bette Davis & Olivia de Havilland

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Poster for the film “In This Our Life”

In the 2012 biography “Barack Obama: The Story” by Davis Maraniss, the author reports that Obama’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham Obama Soetoro, was named “Stanley” not after her own father, Stanley Dunham, but after Bette Davis’ character in this film. Maraniss says that Obama’s maternal grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, saw the movie while pregnant with Obama’s mother, and she thought the name sounded sophisticated for a girl.

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Roy (Olivia de Havilland) speaks with Parry (Ernest Anderson)- a clerk at her family’s store.

Warner Bros. was named to the Honor Roll of Race Relations of 1942 because of its dignified portrayal of African-Americans in this film. However, scenes in which Ernest Anderson’s character was treated in a friendly fashion were cut for showings in the strictly segregated American South to avoid offending those viewers.

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Impetuous Stanley (Bette Davis) is a stark contrast to her calm older sister Roy (Olivia de Havilland)

This (ahead of its time in MANY regards) film focuses on the Timberlakes, a prominent family based in Richmond, Virginia.  The laid-back patriarch, Asa (Frank Craven), is not as clever or ambitious as his gregarious brother-in-law, William (Charles Coburn).  Asa’s wife, Lavinia (Billie Burke), is in a fragile state, so she keeps to her room most of the time.  However, we’re not told what exactly is the physical issue.  William is head of the Fitzroy lumber business, while Asa is the manager and owner of some shares.  Best Supporting Actress winner for Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel, plays their long-time housekeeper- Minerva. 

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Peter (Dennis Morgan) and Roy (Olivia de Havilland) embrace before he leaves home… for good!

The Timberlake girls (Roy and Stanley) are front and center in this tale; Davis plays the younger sister though she was 8 years older than de Havilland.  Asa complains that Stanley drives too fast.  Minerva is sure that THIS time, Stanley will finally go through w/ her planned marriage, though Roy doesn’t look too hopeful.  Uncle William doesn’t fully approve of her fiancé, who gives legal aid to the poor. 

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Craig (George Brent) gets a polite little kiss goodbye from Stanley (Bette Davis).

Without any warning, Stanley and Roy’s handsome surgeon husband, Peter (Dennis Morgan) run away together.  Roy and Stanley’s lawyer fiance, Craig (George Brent) are left behind to deal w/ the shock and scandal.  (Brent and Davis made MANY movies together over the years.)   However, the honeymoon is VERY short for Stanley and Peter; we see that they are ill-suited to live together.   

Stanley considers herself to be beautiful, though the way Davis is dressed and made-up give off a different image. While live tweeting (@TCMParty) last week w/ some viewers, many noticed that Davis’ mouth was drawn differently than usual and a few of her dresses had loud patterns.  But de Havilland looks lovely and is dressed in demure (yet graceful) styles.  I’m sure this was done purposefully by director John Huston, who was having an affair with de Havilland during this time.  Jack Warner (head of Warner Bros) said: “Anyone could see that . . . it was Valentine’s Day on the set . . . When I saw the rushes I said to myself, ‘Oh-oh, Bette has the lines, but Livvy is getting the best camera shots’.”  Seriously, Davis DOES have the best lines!

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

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Chris Larabee Adams (Yul Brynner) drives the hearse while Vin Tanner (Steve McQueen) provides cover.

I’m not of the can-kicking, shovel-carrying, ear-scratching, torn T-shirt school of acting. There are very few real men in the movies these days. Yet being a real man is the most important quality an actor can offer on the screen.  -Yul Brynner

I saw this movie for the second time a few days ago; the first time, I didn’t pay much close attention.  The large ensemble cast is lead by Yul Brynner, undoubtedly one of the first leading men in Hollywood to transcend race.  Though his famed bald head is covered here, his unflinching gaze and deep authoritative voice (w/ its hard-to-place accent) are on full display.  In The Magnificent Seven, Chris is referred to as a “Cajun” by his old friend, Harry Luck (Brad Dexter).  It turns out that Yul’s paternal grandfather was of Swiss-German origin; his paternal grandmother was Russian, and was said to be of part Mongolian/Buryat ancestry.

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Calvera (Eli Wallach, one of Hollywood’s most respected character actors) is the ruthless Mexican bandit leader.

I’ve never lost my appetite for acting; it’s innovative and challenging.  -Eli Wallach

Speaking of “exotic” men, the main villain in this story is played by Eli Wallach, the Brooklyn-born son of Jewish immigrants from Poland.  He grew up in an Italian neighborhood; he would go on to play Italian and Mexican characters in his six-decade career. 

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Eli Wallach is the main reason you should watch “The Holiday” (2006).

My wife says that stage acting is like being on a tightrope with no net, and being in the movies, there is a net – because you stop and go over it again. It’s very technical and mechanical. On stage you’re on your own.  -Eli Wallach on film vs. theater acting

Wallach (who died in 2014 at age 98) studied “The Method” alongside Marlon Brando at The Actor’s Studio; this style would’ve differentiated him from several of his co-stars in The Magnificent Seven.  He learned to ride a horse for this role, w/ help from the Mexican stuntmen. 

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Bernardo O’Reilly (Charles Bronson) is a Mexican/Irish gunfighter becomes a hero to 3 young boys of the village.

Acting is the easiest thing I’ve done, I guess that’s why I’m stuck with it.  -Charles Bronson

Speaking of 1st gen Americans, Charles Bronson (best known for his tough guy roles in Westerns) was the son of Lithuanian parents who settled in Pennsylvania.  You probably don’t recall seeing him as a young man, since he was a latecomer to Hollywood.  Bronson worked in the coal mines at age 16 to help support his family, then served in the Army as a young adult, then used the GI bill to study art- VERY cool! 

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In this film, Bronson has a rare good guy role.  Three boys in the village grow close to him, much to his surprise and bemusement. These kids admire his skills, but (in one pivotal scene) Bernardo explains that gunfighting is NOT what makes a man “brave.” 

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Britt (James Coburn) is skilled w/ a knife AND gun.  Catch him in “The Great Escape” (also w/ McQueen & Bronson).

I came from dust bowl folk — ordinary people who were stultified by the American Dream. 

I’m a jazz kind of actor, not rock’n’roll.

-James Coburn

Tall and lanky character actor, James Coburn (who hailed from Nebraska), is here more for his presence.  He has only a FEW lines on dialogue, and his usual big grin doesn’t come out (NOT apropos for his quiet, no-nonsense character).

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Lee (Robert Vaughn) suffers from PTSD as a runaway from the Civil War.

With a modest amount of looks and talent and more than a modicum of serendipity, I’ve managed to stretch my 15 minutes of fame into more than half a century of good fortune.  -Robert Vaughn

The relatively-unknown Vaughn was suggested for his role thanks to college buddy, Coburn.  There was an actors’ strike going on also, so director (James Sturges) was open to the idea.  He’s more known for TV than film; you’ve probably seen him in commercials for law firms (all over the US).

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They youngest of the bunch- Chico (Horst Buchholz)- attempts to motivate the frightened farmers.
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Chico discovers that the young unmarried women of the village are hiding in the woods.
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Chico watches for Calvera’s gang while Petra (Rosenda Monteros) admires him.

The one member of the seven that provides some humor (as well as romance) is Chico, a young/inexperienced Mexican man who has something to prove.  Chris recognizes this, as well as his fast reflexes, and he joins in protecting the village.  Horst Buchholz is the German actor who was sought after to play this role.  The film was a hit, first in Europe, then was re-distributed in the US (earning high profits).  His accent does NOT match w/ that of the Mexican-origin actors, BUT that’s just something you have to ignore to enjoy this film.

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Hmmm… what to say re: Vin (Steve McQueen)?  He’s got that trademark tan, gorgeous blue-gray eyes, and GREAT skills on a horse.  The way he gets on and off his horse is even cool!  I liked this role for him, as it has hints of humor.  However, I think he shines even more in The Great Escape (which I saw a few weeks ago for the first time).  You can’t deny that this actor has screen presence!    

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The Mexican farmers await the arrival of Calvera’s gang.

Donald Trump (ugh) would NOT like this film!  Why is that?  The Mexican villagers in it are portrayed like REAL people- they venture out to another town to hire gunmen, show kindness and hospitality, and (eventually) take up arms to stand up for themselves.  Being border people, they speak English VERY well, too (gasp)!  The three leaders of the village decide that they won’t be victims anymore, then convince everyone else to join in the effort to get rid of the bandits.   

Devotion (1946) starring Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino & Paul Henreid

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On the moors: Bramwell (Arthur Kennedy), Emily (Ida Lupino), and Charlotte (Olivia de Havilland) Bronte

I’m certainly relishing the idea of living a century. Can you imagine that? What an achievement!  -Olivia de Havilland

Devotion, filmed in 1943, but released in 1946, has some real-life drama behind it.  Olivia de Havilland is an actress w/ a goody-goody public image, BUT she waged a 2 yr. legal battle against Warner Bros. over extending her contract for time she spent on suspension (for refusing a handful roles that she felt were too small and unsuitable to her talents). She won the case in California’s Supreme Court and went on to freelance, making two films for Paramount.

MOST of you know de Havilland as Melanie Wilkes, the cousin/wife of Scarlett O’Hara’s first love, Ashley Wilkes, in Gone with the Wind.  Others may know her as the lady love of MANY different characters played by the swash-buckling Errol Flynn in 8 films (early in her career).  Olivia and her sister, actress Joan Fontaine, had a VERY combative relationship for most of their life. 

Ida Lupino (who is simply fabulous in Devotion w/ real-life close friend, Paul Henreid) was ALSO a trailblazer in Hollywood.  She was one of the first women to be inducted into the Director’s Guild of America.  Her paternal ancestors came from Bologna, Italy to England, from where she sailed to the US at age 15 to begin her own career.      

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Emily wants to stay at home; Charlotte yearns for travel.

This film showed some of the biographical background that would shape Charlotte’s (Olivia de Haviland’s) and Emily’s (Ida Lupino’s) fiction.  Emily’s loved the wild moors, which would translate into her imagery for Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights.  Charlotte had an infatuation with a foreign tutor she knew in Belgium (played by Belgian actor Victor Francen) which is used in creating the character of Paul in Villette.  Anne (Nancy Coleman), who wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, doesn’t have much to do in this film. 

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The Bronte sisters with Rev. Arthur Nicholls (Paul Henreid) at a ball.

I’ve seen this film several times in my life. Each time I saw it, my heart broke anew for Emily Bronte. Miss Lupino’s performance was nothing short of wonderful. She truly conveyed the feelings of unrequited love.  -IMDB comment

The fiction is tied to a ruthless streak in Charlotte at her (perhaps more talented sister’s expense), especially over Reverend Nicholls (Austrian actor Paul Henreid from Casablanca).  In reality, Emily never yearned for Nicholls, or any man Charlotte liked.  Branwell (a young Arthur Kennedy, noted character actor in Westerns) is closest to Emily of all the siblings.  He tries to support her, but he becomes a drunk after failing to get a foothold in London b/c he doesn’t have any connections or much money.  (The Bronte’s father was a minister in a small/secluded town in Yorkshire.) 

Many literary critics consider Branwell as part of the inspiration behind Catherine’s older brother, Hindley Earnshaw, who becomes a drunk and gambler while away at college in Wuthering Heights.

Branwell was talented and educated, and had high hopes of success in the arts.  In fact, he planned to travel to London (and may have done so) to apply for the Royal Academy in 1834/1835.  His high hopes disappeared as he moved from job to job and scandal to scandal.  He wasted his life in drinking and drug-taking and was going through some of his worst situations when Emily was writing her novel.  It is likely that she based much of the degradation of Hindley on observations and experiences with the decline of her brother.  –The Reader’s Guide to Wuthering Heights

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Nancy Coleman (right), who played Anne Bronte, was model for Disney’s Snow White.

 

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Disney’s Snow White with her forest friends.

In the last act of the film, Vanity Fair novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray (Sidney Greenstreet) escorts Charlotte around London, lending her his social prestige. However, he is more impressed by Emily’s writing (which is more imaginative and powerful) while Charlotte’s work is more polite.  Thackeray’s social snobbery comes out when he sneers at street kids in the East End (Not my public!), and when he warns Charlotte against Charles Dickens.