Tag: Romance

“The Caine Mutiny” (1954) starring Humphrey Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Van Johnson, & Fred MacMurray

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When a U.S. Naval captain shows signs of mental instability that jeopardizes the ship, the first officer is urged to consider relieving him of command. -Synopsis

During WWII, the crew of a ship in the Pacific fleet experiences something unlike any event experienced by the US Navy before. The ship’s captain, Lt. Cmdr. Queeg (Humphrey Bogart), is removed from command by his Executive Officer, Lt. Maryk (Van Johnson), in an act of mutiny. As the trial of the mutineers unfolds, we realize that Queeg is mentally unstable. The Navy must decide: Was the Caine mutiny a criminal act, or was it an act of courage to save a ship from destruction? If you’re a fan of A Few Good Men (1992) and/or Crimson Tide (1995), then you should check out this classic film.

As one viewer noted: “in the 1950’s, films about the problems that you encounter during wartime (that have nothing to do with the enemy itself) began to appear.” WWII threw all kinds of people together; here we find career Navy, along w/ the other men drafted into the service b/c of war (disrupting their plans, BUT they had to make the best of it). Queeg is a petty jerk everybody ends up hating; he’s a compulsive authoritarian who sticks to the minute details of the rules (to the detriment of the ship). This film received 7 Oscar noms, incl. one for Bogie. His performance in the (climactic) courtroom scene even captivated the crew; after filming was done, they burst into applause!

A romantic subplot which frames the story w/ a young couple (played by newbies Robert Francis and May Wynn) distracts attention from the real story. I’m sure this was written to appeal to women and younger viewers; too bad it wasn’t effective. Sadly, Francis (who plays college grad/pampered son- Ensign Keith) had an untimely death about a year after this movie was released! I’m usually NOT impressed by Johnson, BUT this role suits him V well. I recently learned that Johnson was one of the (closeted) gay stars from the “golden age of Hollywood.” The actor I most enjoyed watching (aside from Bogie) was MacMurray; he plays Lt. Keefer (a writer in civilian life/reluctant naval officer). As the defendant’s assigned lawyer, Lt. Greenwald (Ferrer), gets to show his stuff in the last 30 mins. of the film; being recently injured, he is (finally) able to practice law. Lt. Cmdr. Challee (E.G Marshall- a prolific character actor) is a worthy counterpoint for Greenwald, as he is an experienced lawyer/no-nonsense proponent of Naval protocol.

[1] Having served in the U.S. Navy for 32 years, I can accurately state that many of the characters and situations depicted in Wouk’s book and in the film are all very real...

[2] The Caine Mutiny works well on so many levels. It is a great insight into navy life, a first rate legal drama, and an unforgettable character study. […]

Bogart spectacularly conveys the sheer complexity of his character: the quirks, the devotion to duty, the demand for perfection, the refusal to accept his own fallibility. 

[3] Bogart is brilliant, giving the greatest performance of his career, his quirky mannerisms and tortured demeanor contrasting starkly with his usual roles. MacMurray is superb as the glib slippery novelist who must eventually deal with his own cowardice, more damning than Queeg’s because of his intelligence and insight.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935) & “The Bounty” (1984)

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Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Y’all probably know this (classic) story: while sailing from England to Jamaica (West Indies), 1st mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) leads a revolt against his sadistic commander, Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton); this is based on a real-life 1789 mutiny. This is the only film to receive 3 Oscar noms for Best Actor: Gable, Laughton, and Franchot Tone (who plays midshipman/linguist Lt. Roger Byam). After this occurred, the MPA introduced a Best Supporting Actor Oscar to ensure this situation wouldn’t be repeated. These actors all lost to Victor McLaglen for The Informer (1935). Check this movie out (free on streaming) IF you’re a fan of B&W films &/or Gable. No, he doesn’t use an English accent here (as he’s playing a version of himself– a dashing Hollywood star). For the more natural performance, see Tone’s portrayal as a newbie sailor.

[1] “Mutiny On the Bounty” is a well-made movie, with one of the best musical scores I have heard. […] Strong performances, great camera work, a well-written script, and an astounding musical score. All in all, this is a movie worth seeing!

[2] Gable always carried with him a touch of the theatre where he cut his teeth, and proves himself a powerful counterpoint to the blustering Charles Laughton. With his barrel chest, wavy hair and easygoing swagger he does have the makings of a swashbuckling hero, and this is the role Fletcher Christian takes in this adventuresome adaptation. […]

Charles Laughton’s performance as Captain Bligh is integral to the movie. You realise here that Laughton was rather a short man, and he plays on this, making Bligh a jumped-up, Napoleon-complexed bully: all sharp, jabbing motions, an arrogant stance and a face like a dead fish.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

The Bounty (1984)

The cast here is headed by Anthony Hopkins (as the experienced naval officer- Bligh) and rising star Mel Gibson (as his young friend turned adversary- Christian); it also incl. future stars Daniel Day-Lewis (a cautious officer- Fryer) and Liam Neeson (as , hot-headed sailor- Churchill). Gibson brought on fellow Aussie, Roger Donaldson, as the director. A replica of the H.M.S. Bounty was built for the movie (w/ steel hull). It was originally set to be filmed in 1975 w/ David Lean as director. The production values are high and the settings are gorgeous. Hey, who wouldn’t be impressed w/ sunsets, Gibson (w/ shirt open), and DDL’s steely glare? So what went wrong w/ this movie!? The two leads shared their thoughts below.

I think the main problem with that film was that it tried to be a fresh look at the dynamic of the mutiny situation, but didn’t go far enough. In the old version, Captain Bligh was the bad guy and Fletcher Christian was the good guy. But really Fletcher Christian was a social climber and an opportunist. They should have made him the bad guy, which indeed he was. He ended up setting all these people adrift to die, without any real justification. Maybe he’d gone island crazy. They should have painted it that way. But they wanted to exonerate Captain Bligh while still having the dynamic where the guy was mutinying for the good of the crew. It didn’t quite work. -Mel Gibson

It was such a sad mess of a film, such a botched job. Yet I’d put so much time and effort into the role. So right then and there I decided: Never again. I will no longer invest so much effort in something over which I have no control. It’s too frustrating. That film was a sort of turning point for me. For years I’d been trying to cultivate a don’t-give-a-damn attitude. After watching “The Bounty” I knew I had it. -Anthony Hopkins

Though the film was made on time and w/in budget, the production was troubled. Hopkins and Donaldson clashed over how Bligh should be characterized. Gibson was getting drunk after the shooting day ended; one night, he was injured in a bar fight- yikes! I think his acting is fine; his English accent is believable. Hopkins (who had quit alcohol many yrs ago) is giving it 100%, as we’d expect, so that Bligh becomes less of a “bad guy.” Neeson gets a few good scenes; he made the best of his experience, I’m sure. DDL doesn’t have much to do until the last act; he has a strong screen presence. I expected there to be more of a build-up to the mutiny. The Tahiti scenes go on too long, as many critics/viewers have noted. A LOT of folks seem to have complaints re: the soundtrack, BUT it didn’t bother me.

“Paris, 13th District” (2021) starring Lucie Zhang, Makita Samba, & Noemie Merlant

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Émilie meets Camille who is attracted to Nora, who crosses paths with Amber. Three girls and a boy – they’re friends, sometimes lovers and often both. -Synopsis

The movie opens w/ a Rear Window-like scene w/ a couple singing karaoke in the nude. We are then informed, “It began like this.” A woman in her mid-20s, Emilie Wong (Lucie Zhang), works in telemarketing; her side income comes from renting out a room in her 2bd. apt. She wants a female roommate, only this Camile Germain (Makita Samba) turns out to be a male teacher working on his PhD. There is a spark btwn the pair; she agrees to let him move in. Later on, we meet a 30-ish woman who is new to the area, Nora Ligier (Noemie Merlant from Portrait of a Lady on Fire), who is V excited to return to law school. Things don’t go as Nora expected, so she goes back to a role she knows- real estate agent.

I’ve fallen in love with people on screens before I’ve ever met them, so I can understand it. -Noemie Merlant (when asked how she related to her character)

This is an adaptation of 3 stories from Optic Nerve, a comic book series by Adrian Tomine. Three days before shooting began, the movie was acted on a Paris stage, as a rehearsal, in order to see what worked and what didn’t. This was also to speed up the shoot and limit COVID-19 exposure for cast/crew. The movie was filmed during the COVID pandemic; director Jacques Audiard said they took a lot of protective restrictions w/ constant testing. Audiard commented on the peculiarity of the situation, when most people were avoiding contact, the two stars would come on set, strip off their clothes, and climb into bed naked together.

The French title (Les Olympiades) refers to the Parisian district where the story takes place; it is a group of high-rises built in the ’70s (known as the largest “Chinatown” in Europe). The movie is shot in black & white, which may NOT appeal to younger audiences. A French viewer said that it made this (NOT so pretty) area look better. The (diverse) characters are rare to see in French movies, as some viewers commented. We realize that Emilie (the lead) is a BIT abrasive; this is rare for modern movies. Camile is brainy, yet avoids emotions; he doesn’t think sex (incl. friends w/ benefits situations) is a big deal. I think that the relationship btwn Nora and the cam girl was interesting; they start out as online friends. As a whole, it’s an under-cooked story. There is a LOT of nudity/sex; this will push away sensitive viewers. I was wondering: “Where is the chemistry and sensuality that we expect from French media?” I just didn’t buy it!

[1] The truly bilingual and bicultural reality of the main character here- Émilie- is awesome to watch- the switching between the 2 worlds between Voltaire and Kong Fu Tzu without even a blink. All the actors here are excellent and Audiard has produced yet another minor masterpiece…

[2] This film is not about millennials’ life in Paris, it’s about what an old man apparently- completely out of touch with the youth- imagines it to be. Dialogs sounds completely fake throughout. Parisian millennial friends and I spent the whole movie laughing at the innumerable absurdities.

The only thing that sounds sincere is the relationship between Nora and Amber.

[3] I was very disappointed with this movie. […] The actors are OK, but their characters are superficial, and I couldn’t care less of what happens to them. Even the black and white is not pretty. I think it was selected for Cannes 2021 only because of the reputation of Audiard.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Love Crime” (2010) starring Ludivine Sagnier, Kristin Scott Thomas, & Patrick Mille

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An elegant business exec, Christine Rivière (Kristin Scott Thomas- who speaks fluent French), brings on Isabelle Guérin (Ludivine Sagnier) as her protege. Christine seems to enjoy toying w/ the young/naive woman. Christine is involved w/ Phillipe (Patrick Mille), an arrogant/charming lawyer who consults w/ this company. Soon, Isabelle’s ideas become creative enough for Christine to pass off as her own. In time, we see that Christine has underestimated Isabelle’s ambition/cunning!

As one viewer commented, this is “not a whodunit, but more of a what’s-she-gonna-do next” story. I heard about this French neo noir film on the Fatal Attractions podcast. Alain Corneau (1943-2010) was a Cesar Award-winning French writer/director; he died soon after Love Crime was released. The American remake (undercooked and boring) was titled Passion (2012); it was directed by Brian De Palma and stars Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. If you like this movie, you may want to check out The Business of Strangers (2001) starring Stockard Channing and Julia Stiles.

The French ain’t like us (Americans) y’all- that can be surprising (yet refreshing) to watch! They don’t need big budgets, expensive sets, action scenes, or likeable lead characters. They also don’t carry the (Puritan) baggage when is comes to nudity, sex, or relationships btwn men and women. After a meeting out of town, Isabelle jumps into Phillipe’s arms and kisses him w/ fervor (looks a BIT aggressive). These women are battling it out in (and out) of the boardroom! The filmmakers don’t shy away from melodrama. If you like psychological thrillers, then I recommend this movie.

…Mr. Corneau makes witty use of the contrasting faces and temperaments of the two main actresses. Ms. Thomas, her manner as impeccable and dry as her French, is all angles and edges, most terrifying when she seems most at ease. Ms. Sagnier, soft and skittish and visibly struggling to maintain her composure, turns out to be even scarier.

-Excerpt from NYT review by A.O. Scott

[1] The narrative style is one of omniscient point of view. As an audience, you are along with the perpetrator for a ride all the time. The fun is in seeing (and sometimes guessing) how she uses the “self-framing” trick (think “The Wrong Man,” but in that movie the audience is in the dark and are in for a big surprise, unless they are really smart) to get away with murder, literally.

[2] What makes the film so fascinating is the clever move/countermove screenplay that provides tantalizing hints increasing skullduggery. The two female leads play beautifully off each other and the hapless men that get in their way are interesting in their own right.

[3] …here we have real human action. With women as the characters, “action” does not have to constitute external phenomena as is the case with men. For women, “action” is the deadly silent conflict between personalities, and how they outwit each other. This is a true “psychological thriller,” whereas many claims of that kind are made by films which are not all that psychological.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022) starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Pete Davidson, & Lee Pace

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When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong. -Synopsis

This movie had a viral moment after Amandla Stenberg (who plays the lead- Sophie) messaged NYT film critic, Lena Wilson, after Wilson called the film a “95-minute advertisement for cleavage.” In a direct message (DM), the 25 y.o. actress wrote: “Ur review was great, maybe if you had gotten your eyes off my tits you could’ve watched the movie.” The title/game played are based on Body Body (or Murder In The Dark) where players run around in a dark room while the murderer “kills” players by tapping them, hoping to get away w/ “killing” the entire group. This is Dutch director Halina Reijn’s 1st film to be made in the US; she allowed the (young/Gen Z) cast to choose songs and improvise some of the dialogue. The screenwriters are Sarah DeLappe and Kristen Roupenian (who worked on the viral op ed turned movie- Cat Person). As this movie takes place mostly in the dark, w/ the only source of light being cellphones, a headlamp, and glow tubes, the cast was instructed on how to light scenes/themselves from the cinematographer, Jasper Wolf.

As one critic commented: this movie (distributed by A24) shows how “Gen Z’s social life has been greatly affected by the use of social media.” Another issue here is toxic masculinity, as the director noted. This cast is mostly little-known, though some may be familiar w/ 30 y.o. Pete Davidson (who plays Dave, Sophie’s BFF); he’s known for SNL and relationships w/ famous women. The other man here is played by the handsome/tall (6’5″) Lee Pace (now 45); he’s the slacker/Tinder hook-up of Alice (Rachel Sennott). As I noted before, Sennott appeared recently in two indie comedies- Shiva Baby and Bottoms. For sabering-the-champagne-bottle near the start of the movie, Pace practiced at home using Thranduil’s sword from The Hobbit (2012)- LOL!

The movie opens w/ a close-up of two young women kissing and sharing their emotions; it soon shifts to them in a car texting on their phones. Such is modern life! Sophie and her gf, Bee (Maria Balalova- a Bulgarian actress seen in Borat 2) go to a hurricane party at a mansion. These diverse partiers are ALL from wealthy families, perhaps aside from Bee (w/ an Eastern European accent) and Greg (who they assume to be a war vet). There is little character development; most of these ppl are NOT likeable. As they drink, take drugs, and- worst of all- treat each others cruelly, your patience might wear thin. The dialogue is often banal and unfunny, as many critics/viewers have commented. I realize that this is NOT geared to ppl my age; however, it’s an undercooked waste of time!

[1] A modern horror of sorts, no scares and mild action. Mostly focused on trying to study the breakdown of people in the wake of suspicion. As I was looking for some good scares, I left feeling disappointed. I should have kept my old ass at home.

[2] Part of me wants to rate this well for how good it is at touching on a lot of what Gen Z is today. A lot of me wants to give this a thumbs down for how completely unlikable the characters are, how overplayed the point is, and how predictable and dumb the whole movie ends up being.

I give it points for it’s grounded approach. It advertises itself as a slasher, but it really ends up mostly being a deconstruction of these characters. Nothing over the top or typically slasher. Unfortunately, everyone here is a cliche.

[3] Bodies isn’t scary and there’s only so much tension and excitement to be gleaned from the premise. The acting was fine, but it was also hampered by the characters being so self-absorbed and hard to like. While the twist is kind-of new, it didn’t mean much and I was still left disappointed that I sunk an hour and a half into this.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews