Pictures at the Revolution

[srowley75]

I saw this book at the library this past week and now wish I'd have picked it up. Guess I'll join the group and weigh in on the films, though I'm not sure what new insights I have to offer at this point in the discussion.

*Bonnie and Clyde: Been a while, but other than the climactic shoot-out, I can't remember anything about this picture that ever really impressed me. Though I do need to view it again with an open mind (like others, I'm no Beatty fan) and a sharper critical eye. Acting was fine as I recall but not outstanding. Estelle Parsons has always given me a migraine in everything she was ever in, but then in some roles (e.g., her stint on Roseanne) that was an integral part of her character. But her Oscar win for this film stuns me. Michael J. Pollard undoubtedly lists this film at the top of his resume.

*Doctor Dolittle: If a bad film had to find its way onto the Best Picture roll this year, I wish it'd been a fun bad flick like Valley of the Dolls (which unlike Dolittle at least performed impressively at the box office). Doctor Dolittle will have you sawing logs faster than any drug.

*The Graduate: The most important, most meaningful, and most culturally significant American film of 1967 was this box-office blockbuster. All things considered, it'd have probably gotten my vote. I have to chime in with Dewey here: I think casting Doris Day as Mrs. Robinson would've lent the role added irony, given her rep (especially considering the lyrics of Simon and Garfunkel's song) but Bancroft's performance makes the role no less memorable. Of the nominees, I'd have probably reluctantly looked past Edith Evans (whom I think was the critical darling that year, for The Whisperers) and given Bancroft Best Actress.

*Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: Yet another heavy-handed Stanley Kramer message film finds its way onto a list of Best Picture contenders, though in this case Spencer Tracy's death probably helped matters. Yes, Tracy's last speech is full of poignance and was probably the one portion of the film where I wasn't rolling my eyes, but otherwise there's too much blubbering and preaching. And I have never really understood the odd relationship between the Houghton and Poitier characters anyway - race aside, they simply don't seem like a good match. (Now if Poitier's character in To Sir With Love had hooked up with fellow teacher Suzy Kendall, that might've been more interesting.)

*In the Heat of the Night: Given the still-potent influence of old Hollywood, I suppose we should be grateful that Heat - the film that best qualifies as a bridge between the two - managed to walk away with the Best Picture award. And I do applaud Steiger's Best Actor win. Others have mentioned Poitier's take on his performance in this film, and I remember thinking how gratifying it was to see him playing such a relatively hard-nosed character after having played so many gentler, more mild-mannered types.

Not that anyone will care, but my nominations probably would've been Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, In Cold Blood, In the Heat of the Night, and Point Blank. Other personal favorites from that year were Valley of the Dolls (a milestone in bad taste and camp - how can you not love it?), Wait Until Dark, Cool Hand Luke, and The Dirty Dozen.

PS: Don't know if this has been mentioned or not (perhaps in another forum?) but 4 of the 5 will be airing on TCM one night in October, on a night dubbed "Pictures at the Revolution" (I'm guessing the author will be on hand with Osborne):

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/index.jsp?s ... =EST&cid=N

Only Doctor Dolittle was omitted, and I'm guessing Fox is too embarrassed to allow TCM to lease it aside those other 4 films.

-Stephen

[srowley75]

For what its worth, I still enjoy Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Burton and Segal are absolutely mesmerizing and it's even more incredible when you realize how Burton's character underpins and provides a foundation that lets the other characters dance on the edge of mania. Little do we know that this meek, bookish man holds all the cards.

I have a love/hate relationship with Virginia Woolf. It's a good film thanks largely to Burton and Haskell Wexler's cinematography, and I hold the minority opinion that Sandy Dennis gives a great performance as well. And it's amazing that a film version of the play - one that retained much of the racy dialogue - was such a box-office draw.

On the other hand, part of me wishes that Warner Bros. would've gone with Albee's suggestion for the leads (Henry Fonda and Bette Davis) rather than opting for then-current supercouple Burton and Taylor as George and Martha. And I've always been irritated that Ernest Lehman's adaptation pulled the cast out of that wonderfully claustrophobic house for a large part of the movie. The conflict is so much more powerful when everyone's in that confined living room space.

-Stephen

[MikeBSG]

I can't stand the opening minutes of "Bonnie & Clyde," but once the two actually become a couple, I find myself enjoying the rest of the film. I especially like Gene Hackman, and Gene Wilder's scene as the mortician has always been a favorite of mine.

[jdb1]

You know, Lynn, I forgot to ask before -- I haven't read this book. Which revolution is the author taking about? As I recall it, the big "Revolution" (you know, the "Power to the People" one) took place in 1968, not '67.

[Lzcutter]

Judith,

The author puts forth that the films up for Best Picture in 1967 were some of the first volleys fired of the change that was coming to Hollywood films in terms of breaking the back of the Production Code, adult themes and the death of the big-budget musicals that just two years before had been blockbusters.

Harris credits these films for making Easy Rider possible.

[melwalton]

Lynn

In re" 'In thr heat of the night'. You hit the nail on the head with that one. Steiger was perfect. every word, every gesture PERFECT! .... mel

[klondike]

P.S. to Bryce: The shame line for liking Steiger's performance in DR. ZHIVAGO starts behind me. With two of us now, we can stand proudly.

And whom shall stand with me and confess a heartfelt affection for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner ??
You know, cop-outs, shortcomings, warts and all?
Ha! Just what I thought - tough to stay loyal to Hydrox when everybody else is munching Oreos, ain't it?

[moira finnie]

I'm sure that I've spouted off about Rod Steiger before, but, I find many of his performances to be overdone and poorly conceived. His acting in Dr. Zhivago, The Pawnbroker, The Heat of the Night, and The Sergeant, however, are among the most moving and even entertaining on film. A gifted man, if only he could have gotten out of his own method acting way more often, and channeled that desire for expression into more golden performances. Maybe he needed more direction and a little less "inner work"?

I think he gave the most nuanced performance in Zhivago, followed by Ralph Richardson.

[MikeBSG]

Out of David Lean's "Dr. Zhivago," I like Alec Guiness and Klaus Kinsky.

I was far more impressed by the British-made "Zhivago" that aired on PBS about five years ago or so. Keira Knightly was Lara, and this film just seemed much more genuine than Lean's.

[ChiO]

As much as I like Rod Steiger in DR. ZHIVAGO, it is Klaus Kinski that gives the most favorably memorable performance for me.

Caught another Steiger performance this weekend for the first time: Samuel Fuller's RUN OF THE ARROW (1957). Great potential for overacting with Steiger, in his first leading role, portraying a Southern rebel with an Irish accent who wants to be consider Sioux. Perhaps he did need a strong director.

Fuller wrote:

We shot the scene over and over. Steiger refused to follow my direction. By noon, cast and crew were losing their patience with this war of wills between the director and his lead actor.

"Listen, Rod," I called out. "You're going to do it my way or we'll stay here till the goddamn moon comes up!"

Stubborn and enraged, Rod started screaming all kinds of insults up at me.

"Okay, lunch!" I yelled.

By the time we came back from lunch, Rod had figured out that he couldn't win. He finally did the scene my way.

I loved his performance once I got into the rhythm of the film (for Fuller, its pace was almost slow). I need to to revisit NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY. And given two of the other movies I watched over the weekend, I daresay that Steiger's performance was nuanced. Two of the other movies watched: CHESTY ANDERSON, U.S. NAVY (1976) and THE MERMAIDS OF TIBURON (1962), each with a bravura performance by the master of auteur acting, Timothy Carey.

[jdb1]

You know, Gang, I've always found Mr. Fuller's films pretty hard to take. However, I watched his interview on that "Men Who Made the Movies" series run by TCM a few weeks ago, and now, thanks to Mr. Fuller himself, I see the body of his work a little differently, and I'm eager to re-visit. (Guess I'm growing up!)

[melwalton]

Moira

Help me , please.
I'm all confused about this method acting. in the "Heat' what should Steiger have done differently? I'll iterate. I ihought he was perfect,
I've heard the phrase 'method acting and still don't understand it. Can you give me a brief explanation, Keep it simple tho'. Remember whom you're dealing with. thanks, .... mel