WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[Robert Regan]

I'll take a look at that thread, Alison. I was just looking at Jones' filmography, and I was surprised to see that she actually played very few of those "nice girl" parts. I guess they made a big impression that colored my view of her later work for a long time. We live and we learn!

[charliechaplinfan]

I think I started with the nice girl parts, I wasn't as impressed with The Portrait of Jennie as others but preferred her lesser known roles, she's the best Emma Bovary I've ever seen.

[Robert Regan]

Yes, Alison, she was a wonderful Emma. Madame Bovary may be the only great novel to be well filmed three times, by Renoir, Minnelli, and Chabrol. There was also a BBC adaptation that I recall as being good, too. I can't remember who played Emma, but I think Tom Conti was Charles.

[MikeBSG]

Today my son and I saw the new "Amazing Spider-Man" film, directed by Marc Webb. (I suppose with a name like that, he was the logical choice for a Spiderman movie.)

I have to say that I really enjoyed this film. I'm not the world's biggest Spiderman fan, so while this film made some changes in the Spiderman origin story, they didn't irk me at all. The chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone is terrific, but what I found refreshing was that Spiderman is a hero finding his way in this film. He saves New York City, but the city also saves him at a key moment. (It actually reminded me a bit of "It's a Wonderful Life" in a way.)

I never saw the three Spiderman films from the last decade, so I can't compare this movie to its predecessors, but the new movie is very enjoyable.

[charliechaplinfan]

I would love to watch Good Morning Miss Dove but alas it's not available here, Selznick meddled far too much. She was one of the best and prettiest actresses of her generation but he made it so difficult for her.

[movieman1957]

The Bride dragged me to see "Spiderman" as well. Parts of it were fun especially as he found out what he was becoming. But for me it always gets too big and too fast and too unreal, which I suppose is the point. She loved it.

Is it me or is James Horner (composer) and many other film composers just in the business of filling background? Except for a few moments none of the music seemed particularly memorable or even trying to make a point. So much just seems to be filler. It's often too much and too seldom quiet and supportive.

[Robert Regan]

Yes, Alison, I agree that Selznick was not really good for Jones' career, and I mentioned earlier that it was the same with Hearst and Davies. Now I am wondering who are the behind the scenes men who have been beneficial to their acting wives or lovers. Two come immediately to my mind, not considering their private lives, but only professional matters. Walter Wanger provided Joan Bennett with some of her best parts and is said to have urged her to keep the dark hair. I have always felt that the collaboration between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow resulted in the best work that either of them has yet done. Can you think of other couples on either side of this issue?

[CineMaven]

THE SHORT & THE LONG OF IT.

Seems like Selznick took Jennifer from Robert Walker only to put her inside his gilded cage and make her his personal property.

Sure she left Walker of her own volition and married Selznick ( who happened to be a very powerful producer. ) Do you think waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay in the back of her mind, she might've thought that marrying him would get her closer to some good parts. I've not read a biography on Jones, and hopefully I'm not casting aspersions on her integrity b'cuz I'm a fan of hers from the first time I saw her..."cutes" or no. Selznick might have lost his edge as a producer...and as a husband. How do I figure? Well...as a producer, he had a really good actress under his wing in Jones, that could have made him more money had he allowed her to do more pictures. As a husband, he had a beautiful woman that you'd think he'd want to make happy by giving her anything her heart desired. Aspersions on Selznick I have no problem casting. Speculations all.

...Now I am wondering who are the behind the scenes men who have been beneficial to their acting wives or lovers. Two come immediately to my mind, not considering their private lives, but only professional matters. Walter Wanger provided Joan Bennett with some of her best parts and is said to have urged her to keep the dark hair. I have always felt that the collaboration between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow resulted in the best work that either of them has yet done. Can you think of other couples on either side of this issue?

Irving Thalberg - Norma Shearer come to mind for me, Bob. I'm thinking, a happy wife makes a happy producer.

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On a brief other note: Ladies...can you imagine Rosanno Brazzi begging you to "please don't go,"...and you go?!!!! Aaaah Kate. My, she's got the strength of Job. Next week on The Essentials, from the beginning of Hepburn's career "Alice Adams"; sort of a bookend to her performance here in "Summertime."

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Elsewhere (on SSO/FaceBook) the Mighty Finnie suggests "THE JOURNEY" coming up on TCM after midnight. I don't have a cat...but I do have the popcorn and the vodka ready. King Rat suggests it as well, but he left out the popcorn and vodka.

P.S. Why does Peter Ustinov in "The Sundowners" remind me of W.C. Fields?

[Robert Regan]

Yeah, Theresa, Irving and Norma seemed to get along pretty well personally and professionally.

Now I'm thinking of Sternberg and Marlene, and Rossellini and Bergman.

[feaito]

Theresa, I recommend to you Epstein's Bio on Jennifer Jones, which I briefly commented on, in the What are You Reading thread?

Today I have watched three films and versions of the same story: “Ariane” written by monsieur Claude Anet.

First I watched “Ariane” (1931) directed by Paul Czinner in German with Elisabeth Bergner in the title role.

I must admit that I liked this version better than the French film, because, although Bergner was 34, old to portray an 18 year old girl, her elfin-like appearance made her perfect for the role.

Ariane is a Russian expatriate that lives in Switzerland. She was raised by her aunt and her father is always away on business. She looks more mature than her actual age and she’s very sure of herself. She’s a skilled student and goes to study Mathematics to Berlin.

There she meets and older man with whom she has an ongoing affair; no strings attached. She pretends to be a woman of experience and the man believes she’s been around; but perhaps, her obvious inexperience in love (and in bed) and true innocence –I think- draws him inexplicably to her; making him jealous –afterwards- of her supposed lovers…She also has this playful, mischievous nature.

The scenes are subtly handled by Czinner but I felt a decadent “Weimar Republic” air in the picture, which suits perfectly the story. This is a drama, no romantic comedy like the Wilder take on the story. There’s a scene in which a lecherous doctor, probably the aunt’s lover, looks at her very lustily when she lying sleeping half-naked on a chaise-longue…he touches her leg and she puts in him in his place. In the French version the scene is less charged, overt and decadent.

A very good film, and a rather watchable print.

Then I saw the alternate version in French “Ariane Jeune Fille” (1931) starring Gaby Morlay, which does not have subs, so it was great to have had seen the German subtitled one previously.

Morlay is a good actress but being around 38 years old and heavier (Bergner is very slim) did not help to make her look right as an 18 year old girl. Notwithstanding this she gives an energetic performance.

Victor Francen is very good as the older lover in the scene by scene remake of the German version.

The print though, is absolutely gorgeous; a joy to watch, so sharp and pristine.

There’s an English version also with Bergner which I have not seen.

Thanks Christine for sharing these precious and rare films with me.

Lastly I saw the disarmingly charming romantic sophisticated comedy based on the same novel: "Love in the Afternoon" (1957), which I had seen before but which was like watching it and fully appreciating its utter charm and appeal and making it justice for the first time.

If there ever was an heir to Lubitsch this film demonstrates that Billy Wilder was THE MAN; he succeeds in making work something very similar to the Lubistch touch in this wonderful comedy.

Another thing: I have always read that Gary Cooper was absolutely miscast as the American Playboy for whom the lovely Ariane (Audrey Hepburn) falls and that Cary Grant would have been ideal for the role. Well, I think that Cooper was fine for the role. Grant in 1957 wouldn’t have looked as old as Cooper does and one of the aspects of the story was that Ariane was supposed to be very young (18? 19?) and the older man at least 45 or 50. Audrey was about 28 years old and Cooper 56, so I think it was a fine match. Grant looked much younger than his actual age at this time.

May I add that I think that Cooper’s persona and skill works perfectly when he turns from a devil-may-care man of the world into a jealous man, perhaps better than if Grant had played the role, because Cooper still had at this time that air of naïveté to him; conveying that reaction of a pampered boy when somebody annoys him or takes away a treasured toy from him.

I also did not remember that Wilder had managed to make a quite adult comedy by 1957 standards, openly implying a sexual relationship between a virgin and a man of the world. The two leads’ scenes are quite believable and their chemistry works fine.

There are so many subtle -and elegantly displayed- details in this story: the Band of Gypsies that follows Cooper even to a Turkish bath; John Mc Giver’s wonderful impersonation of the jealous husband; how later on Cooper runs into him in a Turkish bath and how he passes him advice about this great private detective (Chevalier) who turns to be Ariane’s father; the lady who constantly scolds unfairly the poor small dog at the hotel; there are many endearing vignettes; the anklet…the whistling of Fascination….It really looked like a Lubitsch film made in the 1950s.

I realized what an even greater director Wilder was. A master!

I wonder if he saw the Czinner's film while in Germany and there he got the idea of making a romantic comedy out of the story.

An absolute delight.

[Ann Harding]

Really glad you enjoyed the three versions, Fernando. The two 1931 versions are obviously completely different from Love in the Afternoon. Wilder gave it a more comic slant. And let's face it, 50s cinema was very different from the early talkie period. I still believe that Czinner is a forgotten talent now that I have seen 4 of his silents and several early talkies. I used to love intensely Love in the Afternoon which I first saw about 20 years ago in a cinema. My last visit was less enthusiastic. I found Cooper too old (unlike Fernando) though the cinematographer lit him with the care devoted usually for actresses (shadows, soft-focus, etc.). I don't think the Czinner pictures are masterpieces, but they have a certain raw honesty that strikes a chord with me.

[Ann Harding]

Yesterday I saw The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937, G. Fitzmaurice) with William Powell and Luise Rainer. It's amusing spy-comedy where Powell plays a Polish spy trying to outwit a dangerous Russian spy in the person of Countess Olga Mironova (L. Rainer). They both hid some ultra-secret messages inside a couple of candlesticks equipped with a secret compartment. When the candlesticks are stolen, they try desperately to recover them. The very beginning of the film was lovely with Grand Duke Peter (R. Young) arriving at a masked ball and meeting a lovely lady dressed as Juliet (M. O'Sullivan) who turns out to be a Polish patriot. The film picked up with the start of the chase between the two spies (Powell & Rainer). But, unfortunately, the film slowed down in the middle and lacked the extra sparkle that could have made it really above average. Beyond that, Rainer was interesting in a part that allowed her to be more than just a 'weepy abandoned wife'. The cinematography by Hal Rosson was great. I want also to mention the score by Franz Waxman. It's sparkling compared with the usual tedium of the Herbert Stothart treacle we have to endure in 30s MGM pictures.

[CineMaven]

Theresa, I recommend to you Epstein's Bio on Jennifer Jones, which I briefly commented on, in the What are You Reading thread?

Thanks Fernando, for citing the Jones' bio. I'll look for your thoughts on that thread.

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Put out the cat, pop the popcorn and pour the shots of vodka all 'round midnight tonight! THE JOURNEY (1959), director Anatole Litvak's story of love, deception and human nature in the midst of The Hungarian Revolt in 1956, is on TCM at 12:15AM (ET), July 8th. The beautifully photographed film (with fine color work by cinematographer Jack Hildyard) has a stellar cast headed by a scintillating Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr, Jason Robards (making his film debut), Robert Morley and Anouk Aimee, among others. - SSO/FaceBook page

“The Journey”?? I know of it, I think. Refugees, fighting the Cold War or something...I don’t know. Spies? Awww gee Moira, do I hafta? You sweetened the pot adding the winning combination of the “popcorn / vodka” thing so I’m in. I’m s’posed to be keeping my New Year’s Resolution (of 2000) and see movies I haven’t seen before. Well I’ve seen it.

Guess I’ll bump up the old ANATOLE LITVAK thread to write about whatever this movie is.

[ChiO]

Yesterday we continued our Continental journey with Woody Allen and TO ROME WITH LOVE.

Penelope Cruz....
(Sigh...There...It's almost out of my system now....We should continue....)

Allen bounces us around through four stories, and the beautiful part of it is that they are not interlocking and they do not come together by some Dickensian twist at the end. It's just four separate stories going on at roughly the same time....kinda like Life.

If MIDNIGHT IN PARIS was Allen recycling some of his early jokes through a new situation and characters, this is recycling some of his situations and characters with new jokes. Shades of the surrealism of TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN and BANANAS, with the characters of PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM and ANNIE HALL, and a wistfulness of the latter two mixed with some acid from STARDUST MEMORIES.

A young American architecture student, living with his American girlfriend, is confronted by the sexual vibe of his girlfriend's best friend and is cautioned against leaving his girlfriend by an older American male tourist architect who had lived in the same neighborhood as a student (reminding one of an inverted Bogart from PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM -- now older and wiser, the moral is faithfulness, not sweeping a friend's woman off of her feet). A middle-class, middle-brow Roman clerk becomes extraordinarily famous. Why? Because the media has decided to make him famous. Why? The surrealism of Allen's earliest movies is combined with a memory of stardust. An American opera promoter decides that his son's Roman father-in-law has a magnificent operatic voice. The mere fact that he is only able to sing while taking a shower cannot be allowed to avert his ascent to stardom (there's that surrealism again). Italian newlyweds move to Rome so that the husband can take a job with his fabulously wealthy uncles. Unfortunately, due to a mix-up, they catch him in bed with a prostitute (sigh...Penelope Cruz...sigh)...as his wife, while lost in Rome, is seduced by, first, a screen star and, then, a burglar.

Although Allen is in only one of the story lines (he's the opera promoter), each story can be seen as having a character that represents him at various stages in his life -- from youth to retirement. And though there is much to remind one of his early films, the tone and approach in many respects differ and yield a new result. Overall, an enjoyable reflection on the career of Woody Allen.