Once Upon a Time in America

Genre: crime drama

With: Robert De Niro (David ‟Noodles” Aaronson), James Woods (Max Bercovicz), James Hayden (Patrick ‟Patsy” Goldberg), William Forsythe (Philip ‟Cockeye” Stein), Elizabeth McGovern (Deborah Gelly), Larry Rapp (Fat Moe), Treat Williams (Jimmy O’Donnell), Amy Ryder (Peggy), Tuesday Weld (Carol), Darlanne Fluegel (Eve), Burt Young (Joe Minaldi), Joe Pesci (Frankie Minaldi), Arnon Milchan (Chauffeur), Danny Aiello (Police Chief Aiello), Gerard Murphy (Crowning), Robert Harper (Sharkey)

Director: Sergio Leone

Screenplay: Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli,  Franco Ferrini and Sergio Leone, with help from Ernesto Gastaldi and additional dialogues by Stuart Kaminsky (source material: Harry Grey’s novel)

Release: 1984

Studio: The Ladd Company, Regency, Embassy International Pictures, Warner Bros., Producers Sales Organization

Rating: 18A

MBiS score: 8.9/10 

 

‟What is someone supposed to say after… after more than thirty years?” 

 

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Story-line: New York City, 1933. ‟Noodles” Aaronson, an important bootlegger, is forced to leave town when his long-time partners Max, Cockeye and Patsy die at the hands of the police and his girlfriend is killed by rivals who are out to get him. Thirty-five years later, while living quietly in Buffalo, he is called back to the Big Apple in circumstances so odd that he believes someone has found him and wants to knock him off.   

Pluses: an impeccable group of actors led by Robert De Niro and James Woods, expert direction that shows the cast to full advantage and maintains a satisfying pace, a brilliant, detailed and busy screenplay that answers every question raised and features several startling moments (one discussion between Noodles and Carol inside a parked car is nothing if not a cinematic gem), blockbuster production values that superbly recreate the eras at issue, magnificent cinematography, Ennio Morricone’s sublime musical score and, of course, a stunning 30-minute final act. 

Minuses: the non-linear narrative may throw you off in the first half hour but everything falls into place as the story develops. If possible, watch this movie in its 229-minute version... which doesn't seem longish at all. On the negative side, the hospital caper  seemed a bit far-fetched to me but, even so, it remains a very minor episode within the story. There is violence, as one can expect from this type of movie.

Comments: the tragic ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA is an astounding epic recounting the rise and fall of an audacious gang dealing in booze, robbery, intimidation and murder, with particular emphasis on the bond between Noodles and Max. Despite its brutal subject matter, it leaves room for romance and the women who, for better or for worse, gravitate around the gang. As I watched along, I realized that Sergio Leone was not only a master of the spaghetti western but a great filmmaker generally. I won't mince words... this triumphant mob flick stands on equal footing with the best of the  GODFATHER trilogy.  

 

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Day of the Jackal (The)

Genre: crime drama  

With: Edward Fox (the Jackal), Michael Lonsdale (Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel), Terence Alexander (Lloyd), Michel Auclair (Colonel Rolland), Alan Badel (the Minister), Tony Britton (Superintendent Brian Thomas), Cyril Cusack (Gozzi the Gunsmith), Maurice Denham (General Colbert), Timothy West (Berthier), Olga Georges-Picot (Denise), Derek Jacobi (Caron), Barrie Ingham (St. Clair), Delphine Seyrig (Colette), Donald Sinden (Mallinson), Eric Porter (Col. Marc Rodin), David Swift (Montclair), Denis Carey (Casson), Jean Martin (Viktor Wolenski)

Director: Fred Zinnemann

Screenplay: Kenneth Ross (based on Frederick Forsyth’s novel)

Release: 1973

Studio: John Woolf Productions, Warwick Film Productions, Universal Productions France

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.6/10 

 

‟Crisis?... What crisis?” 

 

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Story-line: after France lost its Algerian colony in the early 1960s (as we have seen in Gillo Pontecorvo’s masterly THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS), some French nationals felt betrayed by President de Gaulle who had once uttered the words ‟Long live French Algeria”. Their resentment reached such a crescendo that threats were made against de Gaulle’s life. THE DAY OF THE JACKAL recounts one devilish plot engineered in 1963 by the OAS, a group made up mostly of French army veterans, with the help of a hired assassin codenamed ‟Jackal”.

Pluses: note-perfect performances by Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale and a strong cast, very tight and efficient direction that keeps you on alert from the first frame to the last, a chilling screenplay rich in important characters and intelligent dialogues, high-quality cinematography and editing, convincing production values and a nerve-racking finale.

Minuses: this movie was on my list for years before I had a chance to see it… but it was well worth the wait. One curious fact: Jean Martin, an OAS operative here, played a French officer in THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS.

Comments: even though history tells us that de Gaulle survived the attempts made against his life, THE DAY OF THE JACKAL remains a mind-boggling thriller that works much like a jigsaw puzzle, methodically describing the Jackal’s preparations and modus operandi. Get ready for a fierce and twist-filled manhunt. ‟Your contact is Valmy. Telephone number Molitor 5019.” 

 

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Madeo

English title: Mother

Genre: crime drama

With: Hye-ja Kim (Mother), Won Bin (her son Yoon Do-joon), Jin Goo (Jin-tae, Do-joon’s friend), Je-mun Yun (Je-moon), Mi-seon Jeon (Mi-sun), Sae-byeok Song (Sepaktakraw Detective), Yeong-seok Lee (Junk Shop Elder), Hee-ra Mun (Moon Ah-jeong), Woo-hee Chun (Mi-na)

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Screenplay: Bong Joon Ho and Eun-kyo Park (based on Bong Joon Ho’s story)

Release: 2009

Studio: CJ Entertainment, Barunson E&A

Rating: 14A

MBiS score: 8.6/10 

 

I Guess It Runs in the Family 

 

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Story-line: Bong Joon Ho’s film transports us to a South Korean town where ‟Mother” tries to make ends meet by selling herbs and stuff while watching over Do-joon, her mentally-challenged son who has a knack for getting into trouble. On this particular day, Do-joon is run over by a speeding Mercedes – right in front of Mother’s shop – and luckily comes out of it unharmed. The real trouble begins when he tries to find the driver with the help of his friend Jin-tae.

Pluses: convincing acting by Hye-ja Kim (as the sympathetic, resourceful Mother), Won Bin (her frustrating son) and Jin Goo (the suspicious-looking Jin-tae), good support from a competent cast (playing mostly untrustworthy types), expert direction that wastes no time and stages the mystery effectively, a creative and brilliant screenplay, clean cinematography, satisfactory production values, a superb musical score (by Byung-woo Lee) and a really stupefying ending.

Minuses: none.

Comments: I remember hearing Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel – a long time ago but it’s still fresh in my memory – explain how their job as film critics was wonderful when a movie is good but excruciating when it’s a dud. Not being a professional critic, I don’t have to watch everything out there… and I’m rather fussy about the films I watch. So rest assured, movie buffs: MOTHER is one motion picture you will rave – and not rage – about. Easy on the eyes, nourishing for the mind and intriguing till the very end, Bong Joon Ho’s work is astounding as well as devastating. Never discount a mother’s instincts… and an offbeat movie like this one.  

 

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Mio fratello è figlio unico

English title: My Brother is an Only Child

Genre: comedy drama

With: Riccardo Scamarcio (Manrico), Elio Germano (Accio), Angela Finocchiaro (their mother Amelia), Massimo Popolizio (their father Ettore Benassi), Alba Rohrwacher (their sister Violetta), Diane Fleri (Francesca), Luca Zingaretti (Mario Nastri), Anna Bonaiuto (Bella, Mario’s wife), Vittorio Emanuele Propizio (Teenage Accio), Ascanio Celestini (Father Cavalli), Claudio Botosso (Prof. Montagna), Ninni Bruschetta (Bombacci)

Director: Daniele Luchetti

Screenplay: Daniele Luchetti, Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli (adapted from Antonio Pennacchi’s novel)

Release: 2008

Studio: Cattleya, ThinkFilm, Warner Bros. Pictures

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.3/10 

 

A Fascist Can Be Quite Handy Around the House 

 

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Story-line: Italy, 1962. Accio, an impetuous and anguished young man, is looking for a way to channel his energy. Should he become a seminarian? Try as he may, he’s not destined for it. Work in a factory? His father forbids it. Undertake classical studies? It’s OK for his sister but not for him. Frustrated, impatient, he surrenders to a new passion, hard-core fascism, much to the dismay of his left-leaning brother Manrico.

Pluses: good acting from Elio Germano (incredibly enough, he makes fascism look cool!), Riccardo Scamarcio, Diane Fleri and a fine cast, brisk direction, a breathless, no-holds-barred screenplay that twists and turns at a furious pace, lovely cinematography, production values that are gorgeously retro and an atypical ending.

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD, a companion to Lina Wertmüller’s quirky works, makes fun of dysfunctional families and the contradictions of life. It also deals with serious issues – political rivalries, sibling loyalty, among others – in an ironic and incisive way. The adventures of the Benassi family are one more example of how life works in mysterious ways, sometimes for the better. An exhilarating, unpredictable watch for movie buffs! 

 

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Peeping Tom

Genre: horror thriller

With: Karlheinz Böhm (Mark Lewis), Anna Massey (Helen Stephens), Maxine Audley (Mrs. Stephens), Moira Shearer (Vivian), Brenda Bruce (Dora), Pamela Green (Millie), Esmond Knight (Arthur Baden), Shirley Anne Field (Pauline Shields), Michael Goodliffe (Jarvis), Bartlett Mullins (Peters)

Director: Michael Powell

Screenplay: Leo Marks

Release: 1960

Studio: Michael Powell (Theatre) Ltd.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.5/10 

 

‟Do you want me to act frightened?” 

 

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Story-line: one night in London, Mark approaches a prostitute while filming her with a hidden camera. Without even looking at him, she says, ‟It’ll be two quid” and enters a building. He follows obediently, knowing that he will soon be rewarded with his greatest of pleasures: seeing that woman in a state of deathly fear.

Pluses: excellent acting by Karlheinz Böhm (EFFI BRIEST) as a bruised, conflicted and dangerous character, fine support from Anna Massey and a magnificent Maxine Audley, economical direction, an unusually detailed screenplay (for horror movies) bolstered by strong dialogues and disturbing surprises, modest but efficient production values, fine cinematography and a powerful, tormented musical score by Brian Easdale.

Minuses: this suspenseful film is so creepy that it caused permanent damage to Michael Powell’s career in cinema.

Comments: this suspense film à la Hitchcock is remarkable for its painstaking − and successful − efforts to investigate Mark’s motivations and psychology. It all adds up to a haunting, effective and very gutsy thriller that will astound any movie buff. If you don’t trust me on this, trust Martin Scorsese… he’s a big fan of PEEPING TOM.

  

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Fontane Effi Briest

English title: Effi Briest

Also known as: Fontane Effi Briest or Many People Who Are Aware of Their Own Capabilities and Needs, yet Acquiesce to the Prevailing System in Their Thoughts and Deeds, Thereby Confirm and Reinforce It

Genre: psychological drama (in black and white)

With: Hanna Schygulla (Effi Briest), Wolfgang Schenk (Baron Geert Instetten), Ulli Lommel (Major Crampas), Lilo Pempeit (Mrs. Briest), Herbert Steinmetz (Mr. Briest), Ursula Strätz (Roswitha), Irm Hermann (Johanna Paaschen), Barbara Lass (Mrs. Kruse), Karlheinz Böhm (Wüllersdorf), Andrea Schober (Annie), Rainer Werner Fassbinder (the Narrator)

Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Screenplay: Rainer Werner Fassbinder (based on the novel by Theodor Fontane)

Release: 1974

Studio: Tango Film Produktion, Nummer Drei

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10 

 

Ambitious Aristocrat Seeks Dutiful Trophy Wife for Long-Term Relationship 

 

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Story-line: Hohen-Cremmen (Germany) in the late 1800s. Effi Briest, an attractive and impetuous 17-year-old, catches the eye of Geert Instetten, a nobleman who had courted her mother twenty years before. A marriage is proposed, approved and promptly arranged. Congratulations, Effi and Geert!

Pluses: solid performances by Hanna Schygulla, Wolfgang Schenk, Ulli Lommel and a gifted cast, sober direction, a packed, clinical and dialogue-driven screenplay that carefully examines the increasingly awkward relationship between Effi, Geert, his staff and friends, strong production values evoking the moods and settings of the era, pretty cinematography that dares to be unusual when circumstances warrant.  

Minuses: this complex psychological drama may seem slow, episodic and literary to some viewers but I felt that the story in itself, supported by R.W.F.’s informative narration, moves along at a reasonable clip. If quirky details are your cup of tea, keep an eye out for Mrs. Kruse and her pet hen.

Comments: EFFI BRIEST is a quiet and thoughtful study à la Bergman in which characters who do not abide by a stifling social code risk being embroiled in compromising situations. In this intimidating little world, mirrors are ubiquitous and their use is especially revealing: characters will gaze into one to check their appearance (a sign of vanity, embarrassment, insecurity?) or to discuss issues without facing other people directly, unwittingly showing how hard it is for them to express their feelings or reach a common understanding. Although deliberate and restrained, Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s work satisfied me from its opening frames to its disturbing ending. As Effi acknowledges late in the movie, ‟l was old enough to know what I was doing.” 

 

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Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru

English title: The Bad Sleep Well

Genre: corporate and psychological drama (in black and white) 

With: Toshirô Mifune (Kôichi Nishi), Masayuki Mori (Iwabuchi, VP of Public Corporation), Kyôko Kagawa (Yoshiko, Iwabuchi’s daughter), Tatsuya Mihashi (Tatsuo, Iwabuchi’s son), Takashi Shimura (Moriyama, Administrative Officer), Kô Nishimura (Shirai, Chief of contracts), Takeshi Katô (Itakura), Kamatari Fujiwara (Wada, Assistant Chief of contracts), Ken Mitsuda (Arimura, President of Public Corporation), Someshô Matsumoto (Hatano, President of Dairyu Construction)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Screenplay: Hideo Oguni, Eijirô Hisaita, Ryûzô Kikushima, Shinobu Hashimoto and Akira Kurosawa

Release: 1960

Studio: Toho Co., Ltd., Kurosawa Productions

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.7/10 

 

If You Find One Cockroach, There’s Bound to Be More 

  

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Story-line: what was supposed to be a happy day at the Public Corporation for Land Development – the wedding between Yoshiko, the Vice President’s daughter, and Nishi, an up-and-coming executive – is marred by regrettable events. (1) Scandal-seeking journalists are on hand, looking for clues of corruption between PCLD and a construction firm, (2) one of its senior managers, Wada, is arrested by the police, (3) the bride’s brother makes an off-key speech at the banquet and (4) an anonymous prankster sends a second wedding cake that could be seen as a warning to the corporate brass. As Shakespeare would say, ‟Something’s rotten in the state of Japan”.

Pluses: remarkable acting by Toshirô Mifune, Masayuki Mori and a very adept cast, flawless direction by a world-renowned helmer, a brilliant and devilish screenplay, excellent cinematography, fine production values, a varied musical score attentive to every circumstance and a potent finale.

Minuses: this movie is rather long (at 150 minutes) and doesn’t reveal its big secret until the 80-minute mark… but what a captivating watch it is from beginning to end!

Comments: having seen a few period dramas by Akira Kurosawa, I was astounded by THE BAD SLEEP WELL, a modern film noir inspired by the American movies he loved so much. And this picture is so intense, evil and tragic that some reviewers have compared it to HAMLET. It’s the kind of story in which every character ends up damaged in some way, either by the excesses of corporate culture, the injustices of life or a love that goes awry. This one’s very close to perfection!

  

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Unagi

English title: The Eel

Genre: psychological drama

With: Kôji Yakusho (Takuro Yamashita), Misa Shimizu (Keiko Hattori, the suicidal girl),  Fujio Tokita (Jiro Nakajima, the parole officer), Mitsuko Baishô (Misako Nakajima, the parole officer’s wife), Show Aikawa (Yuji Nozawa), Ken Kobayashi (Masaki Saito, the neighbourhood nuisance), Sabu Kawahara (Seitaro Misato), Akira Emoto (Tamotsu Takasaki, a former convict), Tomorô Taguchi (Eiji Dojima, Keiko’s ex-boyfriend)

Director: Shôhei Imamura

Screenplay: Shôhei Imamura, Daisuke Tengan and Motofumi Tomikawa (based on Akira Yoshimura’s novel)

Release: 1997

Studio: Eisei Gekijo, Groove Corporation, Imamura Productions et al.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10 

 

‟He listens to what I say. He doesn’t say what I don’t want to hear.” 

 

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Story-line: in the summer of 1988, Takuro Yamashita, a trader for the Hinode Flour Corporation, makes a huge mistake after discovering his wife’s secret. Eight years later, having paid his debt to society, he endeavours to build a new life for himself in Sawara with the help of his parole officer and the pet eel he adopted while behind bars.

Pluses: fine acting all around, attentive direction, a slightly odd but ever thoughtful screenplay that develops its characters fully and measuredly through astute dialogues and interplay, appropriate production values, beautiful cinematography, a sweet musical score and a very charming ending.

Minuses: long ago, when I first heard about this movie, I thought it depicted some weirdo love affair between a guy and a fish… but nothing is further from the truth! THE EEL is a straightforward drama about redemption and doing the right thing. As for the eel itself, the more you look at it, the more you’ll understand Yamashita: that quiet bugger in the aquarium is likeable indeed. On the negative side, the film suffers from a lull after its first act but picks up very nicely halfway through when it sheds new light on the protagonist’s past and personality. 

Comments: as Yamashita finds out what to do with his life, you can feel his wariness and doubts: he wants to start anew and isn’t looking for trouble. His new surroundings, however, will bring back dark memories and muster new threats that he must avert as best he can. Modest, short on flash and long on humanity, THE EEL is a curious and refreshing film that warms your soul with its inherent tenderness. 

 

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L’année dernière à Marienbad

English title: Last Year at Marienbad

Genre: psychological drama (in black and white)

With: Delphine Seyrig (the brunette), Giorgio Albertazzi (her pursuer), Sacha Pitoëff (the other man), Françoise Bertin (a hotel guest), Luce Garcia-Ville (another hotel guest)

Director: Alain Resnais

Screenplay: Alain Robbe-Grillet

Release: 1961

Studio: Cocinor, Terra Film, Cormoran Films et al.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

I Sure Hope You’re Right, Fella!

 

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Story-line: a woman staying at a posh European hotel is hounded by a man who claims to have met her somewhere before. Was it in Marienbad? Or is the guy plainly mistaken?

Pluses: self-conscious and stilted acting (at times laughably so), amazing direction that delivers several highlights (notably the opening 13-minute set-up and one intense dance scene at the 70-minute mark), a disjointed, supremely cryptic screenplay that generates little action (except on a psychological level) yet remains astonishing throughout, dialogues both literary and impressionistic, aesthetically-minded cinematography, sumptuous production values and an oddly used, expansive and omnipresent musical score featuring romantic strings but mostly a thunderous, quasi-apocalyptic organ.

Minuses: this dry and meditative movie is definitely not for everyone. Viewers will need perseverance (or tight buttocks) during the last act. Generally speaking, if you choose to watch this film, put aside everything you know about cinema.

Comments: yes… my review sounds like an oxymoron at times but it truly reflects what L’ANNÉE DERNIÈRE À MARIENBAD is all about. Alain Resnais’s work is so different, hermetic and daring that it can only be described as an anti-movie, in a vein similar to HIROSHIMA, MON AMOUR and Marguerite Duras’s INDIA SONG. It basically involves three characters – the woman, the pursuer and the woman’s husband – while extras stand around like wallflowers or wander about aimlessly. This abstract, arty and strangely mesmerizing oeuvre has garnered nominations at several festivals – winning the Golden Lion in Venice – and is universally considered a masterpiece. So, will the guy finally get the girl? I won’t tell… it’s the whole payoff! 

 

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Il gattopardo

English title: The Leopard 

Also known as: Guépard (le)

Genre: period drama

With: Burt Lancaster (Prince Fabrizio Salina), Alain Delon (Tancredi Falconeri, his nephew), Claudia Cardinale (Angelica Sedara/Bertiana), Paolo Stoppa (Don Calogero Sedara, Angelica’s father), Rina Morelli (Princess Maria Stella, Fabrizio’s wife), Romolo Valli (Father Pirrone), Lucilla Morlacchi (Concetta), Terence Hill (Count Cavriaghi), Pierre Clémenti (Francesco Paolo), Serge Reggiani (Don Francisco Ciccio Tumeo)

Director: Luchino Visconti

Screenplay: Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Pasquale Festa Campanile, Enrico Medioli, Massimo Franciosa and Luchino Visconti (based on the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa)  

Release: 1963

Studio: Titanus, Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma, Société Générale de Cinématographie

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 9.1/10 

 

‟For everything to remain the same, everything must change!” 

 

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Story-line: the battle to unify Italy – pitting Garibaldi’s Redshirts, King Victor Emmanuel and other patriots against occupying foreign forces – has now reached the island of Sicily. While local aristocrats fear for their lives, Fabrizio Salina, the aging owner of a vast estate and the head of a well-endowed family, has decided to hang on, convinced that life won’t change much for his clan.

Pluses: a majestic performance by Burt Lancaster (as the flawed but increasingly likeable Salina), superior support from Alain Delon (the opportunistic Tancredi), Claudia Cardinale (as intriguing as she is lovely) and an excellent cast, immaculate direction that deftly strings together the pivotal elements of the story (the Battle for Palermo, Salina’s picnic in the country, the family visit to Donnafugata and an enthralling 47-minute ball sequence), an atmospheric and exquisitely written screenplay that distills drama, humour, romance and class politics through subtle twists and incisive dialogues, sumptuous production values (sets, costumes, rugged exteriors) and magnificent cinematography, Nino Rota’s sublime, quasi-operatic musical score and an understated, bittersweet ending.

Minuses: if you’re not familiar with the political context of the times, the above synopsis should suffice... just remember that Southern Italy was in a state of flux and local players were jockeying for position in the social order to come. A word of advice: don’t shy away from THE LEOPARD because of its length... those 186 minutes are entirely worth it.

Comments: the opening travelling shot of Salina’s domain in all its fading glory – notice that partially defaced statue in the garden – sets the tone for this grand story about the decaying of aristocracy and the shifting sociopolitical landscape in Italy circa 1860-1861. THE LEOPARD paints a marvellous portrait of Salina, whose regal sternness slowly gives way to an acceptance of change and a mellowing of opinions... a man’s evolution within a revolution. And Burt Lancaster, who achieves a delicate balance between pride, humility, amusement and disappointment, cuts an especially fine figure as Salina; his dance number with Angelica is so remarkable that other revellers ooh and aah with regret when they finally part... a scene that will etch itself into your memory for all time to come. This very special oeuvre by Luchino Visconti – a Palme d’or winner in Cannes – is a true masterpiece, grandiose and historically powerful, unanimously revered by critics, moviemakers and fans alike. This spectacle of beauty and surprising heft must be seen at least once by all movie buffs. 

 

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