It’s been a while since my last post…

… but I’ve grabbed a few movies along the way and I’d like to share them with you. Even without a full review, you'll enjoy them, I'm sure. 

The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963; starring Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor)

- The special effects may look cheap by today’s standards but this horror flick remains a classic. Tentative score: 8.8

Margin Call (J.C. Chandor, 2011; starring Paul Bettany and Zachary Quinto)

- Though not as hard-hitting as WALL STREET, this financial market drama is well-acted and quite watchable. Tentative score: 8.1
  

Brodeuses (A Common Thread) (Éléonore Faucher, 2004, starring Claire Moutiers and Ariane Ascaride)

- From a slim premise (a pregnant girl struggles to find work), Éléonore Faucher has crafted a serious, touching little film about life. Tentative score: 8.2

Hemingway & Gellhorn (Philip Kaufman, 2012, starring Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman)

- Unforgettable characters, romance, drama, politics and irony. A potent mix, a superb film. As Hemingway would say, ‘The best way to know if you can trust someone is by trusting him.’ Tentative score: 8.6
  

Le gamin au vélo (The Kid with the Bike) (Luc et Jean-Pierre Dardenne, 2011, starring Thomas Doret and Cécile De France)

- The Dardenne brothers have done it again… a small-scale drama that entertains and rings oh so true. Tentative score: 8.2

Bye now!

MBiS 

© 2012 - All rights reserved

Irma la Douce

Genre: period comedy
With: Shirley MacLaine, Jack Lemmon, Herschel Bernardi
Director: Billy Wilder
Release: 1963
Studio: United Artists Films
Rating: –
MBiS score: 8.2/10


QuickView 


Story-line: in the gay Paris of old, the arrival of Nestor Patou, the new cop on Casanova Street, upsets Irma la Douce and other local prostitutes.
Pluses: wonderful acting by leads MacLaine and Lemmon, a funny screenplay, exemplary direction and that charming little dog named Coquette.
Minuses: none, except for the ending that some may consider fanciful.
Comments: forget shocking exposés on the oldest profession… IRMA LA DOUCE is a superlative feel-good film played for laughs and little else. It’s so cute it feels like a fairy tale for grown-ups. Three cheers for Billy Wilder, one of the greatest directors ever!


MBiS

© 2012 – All rights reserved

Petite chérie

Also known as: Little Darling, Little Darlin’
Genre: black comedy
Director: Anne Villacèque
Release: 2000
Studio: Arte France Cinéma, Tadrart Films, StudioCanal, GAN Cinema Foundation, Ognon Pictures
Rating: –
MBiS score: 7.9/10


He May Be A Creep But He’s Mine, All Mine


At 30, Sybille (Corinne Debonnière) works in a bank and lives with her parents (Patrick Préjean and Laurence Février) but, ever a romantic, she hasn’t stopped looking for Prince Charming. While coming home one night, she meets a (not very) tall (but definitely) dark stranger named Victor (Jonathan Zaccaï). Could he be the one?

I don’t consider myself a diviner − especially not in matters of the heart − and I feel much safer writing about things that are known or verifiable. That being said, I can confirm one crucial fact about PETITE CHÉRIE: love will reach Sybille’s doorstep… only it won’t be the stuff of dreams and romance novels. In fact, her every effort to attain happiness will yield surreal or disturbingly funny results. And that’s what I like best about this movie… it refuses to play nice, even with a subject as sensitive as a woman’s quest for love. What Anne Villacèque has achieved here, with the help of co-screenwriter Élisabeth Barrière-Marquet, is neither tender nor mawkish. PETITE CHÉRIE gives no quarter.

Formally speaking, Anne Villacèque’s film is modest but accomplished. It boasts adequate production values and a credible cast led by Corinne Debonnière as the quiet but determined Sybille, Laurence Février as her bubbly (!) mother and Jonathan Zaccaï as the prize. For now, that’s all you really need to know.

Of course, I have no way of knowing if you’ll watch this film − given my poor predictive powers − but I’m sure you won’t cry your eyes out if you do. PETITE CHÉRIE is a movie played for laughs… that may also keep you awake a little longer than usual at bedtime.


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Two Mules for Sister Sara

Genre: western
With: Shirley MacLaine, Clint Eastwood, John Kelly
Director: Don Siegel
Release: 1969
Studio: Malpaso Productions, Universal Pictures
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 7.6/10


QuickView


Story-line: during the occupation of Mexico by French forces (1864-1867), an American mercenary rescues a nun and agrees to escort her.
Pluses: fine performances from an engaging Shirley MacLaine and a tough Clint Eastwood, solid action, competent direction and some really funny moments.
Minuses: none, except for outbursts of violence.
Comments: a suspenseful and amusing ‘buddy movie’ coupling saint and sinner in circumstances where faith needs to be backed by dynamite. As for the mules… don’t ask.


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Suddenly, Last Summer

Genre: psychological drama
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Release: 1959
Studio: Horizon Pictures – Columbia
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.4/10


What’s On Your Mind, Catherine Holly?


When the new neurosurgeon at Lyons View asylum, Dr. Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift), objects to his working conditions and threatens to go back to Chicago, the asylum director, Dr. Hockstader (Albert Dekker), pleads with him to stay on. Hockstader doesn’t deny that his institution lacks even the basics but he’s convinced that a local philanthropist, Mrs. Violet Venable (Katharine Hepburn), will provide it with much-needed cash. There is one possible hitch, however: Mrs. Venable wants Cukrowicz to perform a lobotomy on her disturbed niece, Catherine Holly (Elizabeth Taylor). With Mercedes McCambridge (Mrs. Grace Holly, Catherine’s mother), Gary Raymond (George Holly, Catherine’s brother) and Mavis Villiers (Miss Foxhill, Violet’s secretary).

Yes, this kooky film may be difficult to size up… but some background info will certainly help. SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER is based on a play by Tennessee Williams and takes place circa 1938 in New Orleans (typical Williams country). It’s essentially a tragic tale sprinkled with symbolism, ferocious humour and grisly stories about plants, turtles and bugs. On screen, it translates into an interesting, wholly convincing and expertly rendered film that will satisfy all movie buffs.

In SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER, you will find some features emblematic of the theatre, like a slow narrative buildup, a clear emphasis on psychology and conflict, truths uncovered piecemeal and precise, instructive dialogues. Moreover, you’ll meet vigorous characters representative of Williams’ world. Violet, a Southern aristocrat, reminded me of two other of the playwright’s creations, Amanda Wingfield (THE GLASS MENAGERIE) and Blanche DuBois (A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE); the patently troubled Catherine may also recall Tom Wingfield, Amanda’s impatient and rebellious son. To support these two strong characters, Williams has imagined the suspicious-looking Holly family that witnesses the drama while Cukrowicz and Hockstader plan the operation. As for themes developed, you will again recognize Williams’ handiwork and logical, masterful storytelling… but I won’t go into details. Patience is a virtue and SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER handsomely rewards the patient viewer.

Formally, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and crew have done justice to Williams’ play, delivering a motion picture poetic in its horror and awesome in its power. The film showcases two of the greatest actresses to have graced the screen, Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, in memorable, powerhouse roles. An inspired supporting cast does the rest, especially Montgomery Clift and Mercedes McCambridge whose stunningly funny turn contrasts with her rock-hard rendition of Sadie Burke in ALL THE KING’S MEN. Form and content lead to an unpredictable and potent climax that will stay with you long after the movie’s final frames have dissolved from the screen.

Luck may have nothing to do with it but, nevertheless, I hope you’re lucky enough to catch SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER. As Violet would say ‘[…] what a blessing, Doctor, to be just peaceful. To be just suddenly peaceful. After all that horror. After those nightmares.’


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Shallow Grave

Genre: crime thriller
With: Ewan McGregor, Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston
Director: Danny Boyle
Release: 1994
Studio: Figment Films, FilmFour et al. – Gramercy Pictures
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.2/10


QuickView


Story-line: Juliet, David and Alex are faced with a lucrative problem when their new roommate dies unexpectedly.
Pluses: a brisk set-up, inspired acting, a quirky mood and good direction.
Minuses: none, except for a couple of ghastly scenes.
Comments: SHALLOW GRAVE, a fresh take on a well-worn premise, was a first for Ewan McGregor and Danny Boyle, who teamed up again one year later for TRAINSPOTTING, another far-out flick. This one’s for movie buffs who want lively, suspenseful and surreal entertainment!


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Women in Love

Genre: psychological drama
Director: Ken Russell
Release: 1969
Studio: Brandywine Productions – United Artists
Rating: R
MBiS score: 8.2/10


What Is This Thing Called Love? (with many thanks to Cole Porter)


WOMEN IN LOVE is set in an English mining town during the 20s. The sisters Brangwen, Gudrun (Glenda Jackson) and Ursula (Jennie Linden), have reached that time in life when sentiments clamour or, more prosaically, a woman in their situation must resign herself to marriage. But whom should they wed? For her part, Ursula favours Rupert Birkin (Alan Bates), a philosophizing school inspector, while Gudrun is attracted to the fiery Gerald Crich (Oliver Reed). With Eleanor Bron (Hermione Roddice), Alan Webb (Thomas Crich, Gerald’s father), Catherine Willmer (Gerald’s mother), Sharon Gurney (Laura, his sister), Christopher Gable (Tibby Lupton) and Vladek Sheybal (Loerke).

To avoid any disappointment on your part, I should warn you not to expect a neat and tidy story from WOMEN IN LOVE, which is based on a D.H. Lawrence novel. Like a work in progress, this atypical and very startling film follows its four main characters over some time and doesn’t provide a definite denouement. Through Gudrun, Ursula and their mates (who, contrary to the film’s title, take up nearly as much space in the narrative), WOMEN IN LOVE’s odd screenplay examines several philosophies of love. But a film about love is not necessarily a smoochfest and, in this case, hate, misunderstanding, jealousy and cruelty spring up ever so often to mess up lives that hang by a thread. Characters discuss their feelings, complain about the duplicity around them and rail against the hardships of existence; love, it seems, won’t chase away for long their chronic, deeply rooted melancholy.

If you find such issues depressing, let me reassure you: WOMEN IN LOVE also contains eye-opening scenes of sheer bizarreness that you’d never imagine in a period film. Yes, this movie is both wrenching drama and squirmy fun. Anyway, it did teach me a few things about labour relations, graveyard etiquette, picnics and fireside sports. Seeing is believing!

Concretely, WOMEN IN LOVE is a quality motion picture. It boasts fine production values and a sturdy cast led by two intense thespians, Oliver Reed and Glenda Jackson (in her first of two Oscar-winning performances). Ken Russell’s direction is effective and sober − one tender scene between Rupert and Ursula struck me as simply ravishing − with artistic touches here and there that add symbolism to the narrative.

Is there something else I should tell you? Not really, I believe. When you feel ready for a lesson in love, even one delivered by imperfect and vacillating teachers, I do hope you’ll turn to Gudrun, Ursula, Rupert and Gerald. Ken Russell’s WOMEN IN LOVE is waiting for you.


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Ship of Fools

Genre: psychological drama
With: Oskar Werner, Simone Signoret, Vivien Leigh
Director: Stanley Kramer
Release: 1965
Studio: Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group - Pacific Title & Art Studio
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.3/10


QuickView


Story-line: in 1933, on a cruise ship leaving Veracruz (Mexico) and headed for Bremerhaven (Germany), several characters meet, bond or clash.
Pluses: a formidable cast (including Jose Ferrer, Lee Marvin, George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley), Simone Signoret’s undeniable star power, Oskar Werner’s touching turn, top-flight direction and a particularly tragic story.
Minuses: none whatsoever.
Comments: intolerance, restless love, Nazism and human misery… such is the fare offered to our tourists on the SHIP OF FOOLS. Here’s to a quality film from yesteryear that deserves to be seen by all movie buffs.


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Rope

Genre: crime thriller
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Release: 1948
Studio: Transatlantic Pictures, Warner Bros. - Warner Bros., Universal
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 8.0/10


Some People Can’t Get A Joke


In a New York City apartment where they will soon entertain guests, Brandon Shaw (John Dall) and Phillip Morgan (Farley Granger) are keeping themselves busy by strangling a good friend of theirs, David Kentley (Dick Hogan), with a piece of rope. When David dies, Brandon is so ecstatic that he calls the act a masterpiece, an artistic triumph. Has the duo committed the perfect crime? Brandon believes so… and it’s a murder for connoisseurs, not for the common man! With Edith Evanson (Mrs. Wilson), Cedric Hardwicke (David’s father), Constance Collier (Mrs. Atwater), Douglas Dick (Kenneth Lawrence), Joan Chandler (Janet Walker) and James Stewart (Rupert Cadell).

If this film’s premise seems too grotesque, cruel or disgusting to you − for good reason, I might add − you should brace yourself for a few minutes of queasy viewing while Brandon basks in the glory of his crime (Phillip’s reaction, for reasons I won’t reveal, is far less enthusiastic). When the duo’s guests arrive and the party begins ‘in earnest’, the movie will take on a less threatening tone but you mustn’t expect tact or moderation from Alfred Hitchcock, given his reputation as a ‘master of the macabre’; there will be humour, yes, but only in shades of black. Most of ROPE, which is based on true events and a Patrick Hamilton play, hinges on a few pivotal words such as ‘concealment’, ‘cat and mouse’ and ‘impunity’. It should be enough to build a fine and chilling movie spectacle… which is exactly what Hitchcock and a writing team composed of Hume Cronyn, Arthur Laurents and Ben Hecht have accomplished here.

Aside from its shocking subject matter, ROPE is a cinematic curiosity for reasons of technology. According to Moviehead, a commentator here in Canada, Hitchcock wanted to shoot his story in one long take, as if in real time, but obviously couldn’t because his cameras didn’t allow it. He thus decided to film it in segments that were linked together to simulate continuous action; you will surely notice these links, which appear as odd close-ups, interrupting the narrative every eight minutes or so. This inconvenience aside, Hitchcock’s direction is flawless and the movie’s dramatic tension develops logically and very effectively. Acting is also irreproachable (especially by John Dall) but it’s James Stewart’s inspired performance that really fires things up. As for production values, they are satisfactory but by no means extravagant… since all of the action takes place in a single apartment. The movie’s strong payoff is also well worth your time and viewing effort.

In the same way that crime requires motive, you may need some incentive to see ROPE, considering its dark, unappealing side. If you can’t find one too readily, let me suggest mine: Hitchcock’s movie instructs us on the criminal mind and on human nature itself. As abhorrent as its content may seem at first, it does reflect some people’s thinking… and thus serves a useful purpose. Chicken strangling, anyone?


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved

Gloire de mon père (La) - Château de ma mère (Le)

Also known as: My Father’s Glory − My Mother’s Castle
Genre: family biographies
With: Philippe Caubère, Julien Ciamara, Nathalie Roussel
Director: Yves Robert
Release: 1990
Studio: Gaumont, Production de la Gueville, TF 1 Films Productions, Ministère de la Culture de France − Orion Classics
Rating: G − PG
MBiS score: 8.5/10 and 8.2/10 respectively


QuickView


Story-line: this French double bill recounts Marcel Pagnol’s childhood under the smiling skies of Provence.
Pluses: fine acting, vivid dialogues (especially if you understand French), outstanding cinematography, direction and period detail, resplendent settings and one of the most beautiful musical themes ever used in cinema.
Minuses: none whatsoever. Due to its revelatory nature and stronger content, I did prefer the first picture devoted to Joseph, Marcel’s father.
Comments: as if born into nobility, Marcel Pagnol, a great writer and moviemaker revered in all of France, deserved nothing less than a blessed childhood. At first glance, you may think it was excessive to dedicate two full-length films to his parents but, once you set foot in Marcel’s magical kingdom, your enchantment will be total and your pleasure genuine. Salut, Pagnol!


MBiS

© 2011 – All rights reserved