WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[klondike]

Roland Young, who gave us the goofy, disingenuous little horndog in Philadelphia Story, and the dithering, forgetful, slapstick midas in Topper, actually steps into character as Dickens' cold & creepy Uriah Heep?
I need to catch up with this one!
(And Edna Mae Oliver to boot? Can't beat that with a stick!)

[JackFavell]

They are both great- the only flaw in this movie is that they are not in it long enough.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've never seen David Copperfield, to bring that huge Dickens novel to a successful screen adaptation, is quite a feat. One to look out for.

La Strada does feel very real. Yet I find myself sitting here thinking about how close Zampano came to knowing human gentleness, kindness and love, if only in a comapionable way. He doesn't realise that she would defend him to the end of the earth and be steady and constant for him. She's just to strange for him, he cares about what others think of him, yet he introduces her to everyone as his wife as social constraints of the time would dictate. It takes a couple of punches, with dreadful consequences for him to realise and be absolutely helpless to help her, I think he thinks he's being kind when he leaves her. He does care for her, one can only wonder how long he's be coming undone without her, perhaps he's been searching for her all these years to see that she's better off without him.

I thought it was time I took a look at 81/2. I really enjoyed it although I prefer La Strada because it feels more personal.

I am quite sure I didn't get even half the import of 8 1/2.... it was a complex film, but not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be - still very much about the human condition like La Strada - but this time Fellini explored

The Ambivalences of Modern Life:

1. simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action

2. continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite)

3. uncertainty as to which approach to follow


all perceived through his own screwed up or maybe not so screwed up psyche, which is what really makes the movie fascinating.

I thought the use of the music was fabulous in this movie and I can see why it is a favorite of directors. It's filmed very much in shadows, sometimes you can't quite make out the faces because of shadows. Surprisingly the two lead actresses, Claudia Cardinale, a dream figure for Guido, hardly appears and Anouk Aimee appears only in the second half. At first it's a confusion of all the people in Guido's life, parents, lovers, friends, work colleagues, a wife and the reality of being a director with everyone running to you for decisions on a film that's slowly unravelling in your mind. It's really excellent, even if I prefer the simplicity of La Strada I can fully appreciate the skill and cleverness that put this film together.

To answer my own question about Marcello Mastroianni, I thought he was better here than in La Dolce Vita, he has the right level of humour and seriousness for these Fellini classics.

[JackFavell]

I had trouble in 8 1/2 figuring out what was real and what was fantasy - it needs at least a second viewing for me to be able to grasp it a little better. I would think something was a dream sequence only to discover it was real, not memory or made up entirely in his head.

I agree, though, it's a great movie, filmed beautifully - I'll have to pay more attention to the music next time.

The second half of David Copperfield lagged just a bit, but still, it's worth checking out, if only for the cast and especially Fields and Oliver.

[knitwit45]

Wow, love your new avatar, JF..whosit?????

[JackFavell]

It's Tallulah Bankhead, thanks!

[knitwit45]

gorgeous!

[JackFavell]

Not as gorgeous as yours...

[feaito]

Yesterday I watched two films:

"Forever and a Day" (1943), an all-star British film that depicts the Saga of a family from 1804 to 1943, kind of "Upstairs, Downstairs" meets "Cavalcade". Many writers and directors are credited. The exception to the rule that all-star productions aren't good. Completely absorbing, well done, honest and well acted all around. The sequence that touched me the most and that would make alone this film a masterpiece is the one involving Gladys Cooper as the mother of a 21 year old British flyer (a national hero) during WWI, when she and her husband get the news that he's been killed....it's so subtly done, her reaction and inflections are so nuanced and convey all the sorrow the character feels, without falling into trite sentimentality. Superb! I'd like to know which director handled this sequence, could it be René Clair? Merle Oberon, Ida Lupino, Bob Cummings, Ngel Bruce, Ray Milland, Anna Neagle, Dame May Whitty, Ruth Warrick, Brian Aherne, Claude Rains, C. Aubrey Smith, E. E. Horton, Vic McLaglen are among the featured stars. Must-see.

"Susan and God" (1940). I had a good time watching this rather odd film, with Joan Crawford cast againts type as a fluffy, scatterbrained society woman who neglects her husband and daughter. I still can't make up my mind if she gave a good performance or not, but one can tell she put a lot of work and energy in her role. She seems more artificial at the beginning playing high comedy or maybe we're just not used to her in such a role? The film turnd more interesting as it gets along, specially when Crawford is reunited with husband March and their daughter (Rita Quigley). A superb supporting cast, with Rita Hayworth, Rose Hobart and especially Ruth Hussey (gotta love that woman) giving noteworthy performances. The Art Direction is top-notch thanks to MGM high production values and there's a parade of beautiful Adrian outfits for the ladies. Interesting and worthwhile. I must admit that Fredric March, who's a favorite actor of mine, at certain points seemed to give a rather hammy performance, whereas in others he was very good....I especially dislike when he plays drunks.

[charliechaplinfan]

I had trouble in 8 1/2 figuring out what was real and what was fantasy - it needs at least a second viewing for me to be able to grasp it a little better. I would think something was a dream sequence only to discover it was real, not memory or made up entirely in his head.

I agree, though, it's a great movie, filmed beautifully - I'll have to pay more attention to the music next time.

The second half of David Copperfield lagged just a bit, but still, it's worth checking out, if only for the cast and especially Fields and Oliver.

Me too, but it was part of the charm of the film. Anouk Aimee was so starchily dressed, she looked like a doctor with the blouse that she had on, I thought she was part of the hospital treatment, mixed up in his thoughts. Was he actually taking a cure? The place seemed incredibly lax with people toing and froing in and out, taking spring water. It definetly needs another viewing.

I felt exactly the same about Susan And God, in parts I thought Joan was out of her depth, at others she was very good, the second part working better for Joan. Fredric March is a favorite of mine, he often is in supporting roles to the big female stars, yet never seems overwhelmed.

[feaito]

Yes Alison, Susan and God is defintely an odd choice for Joan...I read that it was first intended for Norma Shearer, but Joan wanted it badly and got it. It's a film with an ambivalent atmosphere, that works better on certain levels.

[JackFavell]

Thanks for the tip on Forever and a Day, it sounds wonderful - I am on a search for British movies about war at home... there is a scene I saw years ago that I have no idea what movie it came from...maybe this one is it.

Alison, I think he was supposed to be taking a cure, but he certainly didn't do much "curing" except maybe mentally. The movie is sort of like a "purge", I think.

[feaito]

Wendy, your Talloo avatar is gorgeous! Which is the scene?

[JackFavell]

Thanks! I've always been awestruck at how beautiful Tallu was in her youth.

The scene I remember has two women having tea in the garden and an air raid starts... the bombs are falling and though they are nervous, they keep chatting over their tea and keeping a very British "stiff upper lip". I really loved the movie, but can't remember anything else about it. I thought one of the women was Celia Johnson, but I must be wrong. I never have been able to track it down.

[feaito]

Tallulah was beautiful indeed and very interesting, especially in the late teens and during the 20s...

The scene that you describe is not featured in "Forever and a Day"....but sounds familiar...I can't place it though....