Diagonale du fou (la)

English title: Dangerous Moves

Genre: psychological drama

With: Michel Piccoli (Akiva Israelovitch Liebskind), Alexandre Arbatt (Pavius Fromm), Liv Ullmann (Marina Fromm), Leslie Caron (Henia Liebskind), Wojciech Pszoniak (Grand Master Felton, a Fromm assistant), Jean-Hugues Anglade (Miller, a Fromm assistant), Daniel Olbrychski (Tac-Tac, a Liebskind assistant), Hubert Saint-Macary (Foldes, Fromm’s business agent), Michel Aumont (Stepan Ivanovitch Kerossian, a Liebskind assistant), Pierre Vial (Anton Heller), Bernhard Wicki (Pühl, the referee)

Director: Richard Dembo

Screenplay: Richard Dembo

Release: 1984

Studio: La Cécilia, Michael Arthur Films et al.

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.2/10





As Much a Battleground as a Chessboard





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Story-line: LA DIAGONALE DU FOU takes us back to the 1970s or early 1980s in Geneva, site of a head-to-head chess match between masters of the game. On this occasion, the stakes are especially high since the participants are Liebskind, a Soviet veteran, and Fromm, a young defector now representing the West… both of them genuine embodiments of the Cold War rivalry. Though the playing appears brilliant and merciless to onlookers in the hall, it will pale before the personal issues, psych-out ploys, political manoeuvring and money wranglings behind the scenes.

Pluses: a fine cast led by a convincing Michel Piccoli, Alexandre Arbatt, Daniel Olbrychski, Michel Aumont and Liv Ullmann, a pressure-laden and even paranoid screenplay that goes from one surprise to the next (one particular character might be a triple agent), competent direction, adequate production values, Gabriel Yared’s tortured score inspired by César Franck and, of course, a startling ending.

Minuses: beware the unnerving, ever louder tick-tock of the game clock.

Comments: this modest but interesting movie about a match within a match brings to mind that famous faceoff between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in 1972. If boxing is brutal physically, chess can be intellectually and I truly admire Liebskind and Fromm for keeping their concentration in spite of obsessed helpers and incessant shenanigans around them. LA DIAGONALE DU FOU, an original piece of work whose title refers to the movement of bishops on the chessboard, was a worthy winner of the Louis Delluc Prize and the Oscar for Foreign Film. In affectionate memory of Michel Piccoli (1925-2020).





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Bad News Bears (The)

Genre: comedy

With: Walter Matthau (Morris Buttermaker), Tatum O'Neal (Amanda Whurlitzer), Vic Morrow (Roy Turner), Joyce Van Patten (Cleveland), Jackie Earle Haley (Kelly Leak)

Director: Michael Ritchie

Screenplay: Bill Lancaster

Release: 1976

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.1/10





Boys Will Be Boys... But What About The Girls?





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Story-line: a washed up baseball player is recruited to coach a Little League team made up of hapless and hopeless losers.

Pluses: cranky performances by Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal and an unruly bunch of youngsters, a mature and very refreshing screenplay that doesn't play according to formula, sensible direction, modest but adequate production values. 

Minuses: this is not a squeaky clean sports movie... expect naughtiness all around! 

Comments: although most of its characters are kids, THE BAD NEWS BEARS feels like it was made mainly for adults. With its memorable scenes, true surprises and nasty ending, Michael Ritchie’s work is much more than a guilty pleasure. It's a seriously funny film... and a treat for movie buffs. Enjoy!





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Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes

English title: Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Genre: colonial docudrama   

With: Klaus Kinski (Don Lope de Aguirre), Helena Rojo (Inez), Del Negro (Brother Gaspar de Carvajal), Ruy Guerra (Don Pedro de Ursua), Peter Berling (Don Fernando de Guzman), Cecilia Rivera (Flores), Daniel Ades (Perucho), Edward Roland (Okello)

Director: Werner Herzog

Screenplay: Werner Herzog

Release: 1972

Studio: Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Hessischer Rundfunk

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.8/10





I Just Know You’ll Hate This Guy



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Story-line: the setting is Peru in 1560. Having completed their destruction of the Incan empire, Spanish conquerors catch gold fever when they hear about El Dorado, a mineral-rich region on the other side of the Peruvian mountains. Pizarro and a large contingent, including Ursua, Aguirre and Guzman, set out to claim the area for the King of Spain; Gaspar, a monk, will accompany them and document their quest for untold riches.  

Pluses: credible acting by a committed cast but especially by a dour-faced Klaus Kinski (as the ultimate megalomaniac), strong direction and editing, a compact and spellbinding screenplay supplying heavy drama and a few unintentional laughs (mainly at poor Okello’s expense), spectacular cinematography and outdoor settings, Popol Vuh’s haunting musical score (reminiscent of early Pink Floyd) and appropriate production values.

Minuses: none really.

Comments: the brutal and very original AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD takes place in the Amazon but it might as well be on Mars, so uncommon are its looks and subject matter. Leading hundreds of men and hauling heavy gear into the jungle was a monumental – if not suicidal – enterprise centuries ago but, even in the 1970s, Werner Herzog’s project must have been a huge technical challenge. As for the cold-blooded Aguirre, he may claim to be an agent of God but you’re certainly entitled to think otherwise.          





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De rouille et d’os

English title: Rust and Bone

Genre: personal drama  

With: Marion Cotillard (Stéphanie), Matthias Schoenaerts (Alain van Versch), Armand Verdure (Sam), Céline Sallette (Louise), Corinne Masiero (Anna, Alain’s sister), Jean-Michel Correia (Richard, Anna’s husband), Bouli Lanners (Martial), Mourad Frarema (Foued), Yannick Choirat (Simon)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Screenplay: Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain, from a story by Craig Davidson

Release: 2012

Studio: Why Not Productions, Page 114, France 2 Cinéma et al.

Rating: 18 A

MBiS score: 8.1/10





A Human Being, No Matter What





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Story-line: Alain, a lone parent with a young son and no permanent home, is put up by his sister and finds a job as a bouncer in a local disco. One night, he is called upon to rescue Stéphanie, who has been bullied on the dance floor, and drives her home. The encounter doesn’t go so well (he blames her for being ‟dressed like a whore”) but you just know these two will meet again before long…

Pluses: a gritty turn by Marion Cotillard – oozing star power as always – and the impressive Matthias Schoenaerts, a raw, schematic screenplay that mixes interesting themes (parenting, marine parks, boxing, physical disability) and deftly uses silences to further its story, impressionistic cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine (some scenes are truly wondrous) and competent direction by Jacques Audiard (DE BATTRE MON COEUR S’EST ARRÊTÉ).

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: this very watchable film features impatient and imperfect characters who struggle to patch up their broken lives and find happiness or, at least, some level of contentment. They may be rough here and there, they do make mistakes but they’re also survivors… and that’s what makes DE ROUILLE ET D’OS a compelling choice for movie buffs.  





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La meglio gioventù 

English title: The Best of Youth

Genre: slice-of-life drama

With: Luigi Lo Cascio (Nicola Carati), Alessio Boni (his brother Matteo), Adriana Asti (their mother Adriana), Andrea Tidona (their father Angelo), Lidia Vitale (their sister Giovanna), Valentina Carnelutti (their little sister Francesca), Sonia Bergamasco (Giulia Monfalco), Jasmine Trinca (Giorgia), Fabrizio Gifuni (Carlo Tommasi), Camilla Filippi (Sara), Claudio Gioè (Vitale Micavi), Maya Sansa (Mirella Utano)

Director: Marco Tullio Giordana

Screenplay: Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli

Release: 2003

Studio: BiBi Film, Rai Fiction, Film Commission Torino-Piemonte

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.6/10




“In life, everything is beautiful.”





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Story-line: Rome in the summer of 1966. Once the academic year is over, Matteo Carati, a literature student, and his brother Nicola, who studies medicine, plan to visit Norway with friends Carlo and Berto. Unexpectedly, Matteo’s part-time work with a neurology patient will upend their travel plans… and send them on different paths for the rest of their lives.

Pluses: strong acting by Luigi Lo Cascio and cast, an epic and eventful screenplay combining sympathetic characters, surprising twists and poignant episodes, excellent direction, satisfying production values and a lovely score featuring Cesaria Evora (1941-2011), one of the greatest singers in recent decades. 

Minuses: you may lose interest at some point in the first half – understandably, since the film is 6 hours long and does need time to jell – but the second half is nothing short of enthralling.   

Comments: for more than three decades, LA MEGLIO GIOVENTÙ follows Matteo, Nicola and other members of the Carati family as they cope with private, public and even national events in their native Italy. And they will live through a lot: student protests and career changes, broken relationships and personal challenges, family problems, institutional malfeasance, political issues and even terrorism. Kudos to Marco Tullio Giordana and crew for a film of genuine human value that blesses viewers with a charming, invigorating climax.    





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Stalag 17

Genre: war movie (in black and white)

With: William Holden (Sefton), Don Taylor (Dunbar), Otto Preminger (von Scherbach), Robert Strauss (“Animal” Kuzawa), Harvey Lembeck (Shapiro), Richard Erdman (“Hoffy” Hoffman), Peter Graves (Price), Neville Brand (Duke), Sig Ruman (Sgt. Schulz). Michael Moore (Manfredi), Peter Baldwin (Johnson)

Director: Billy Wilder

Screenplay: Billy Wilder and Edwin Blum (based on a play by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski)

Release: 1953

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.0/10





“This ain't no Salvation Army – this is everybody for himself, dog eat dog.”





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Story-line: in December 1944, when two American POWs escaping Stalag 17 are caught and killed in a matter of minutes, prisoners inside the camp realize that someone in their midst has tipped off the Nazis. But who could this traitor be?

Pluses: a fine cast energized by William Holden’s Oscar-winning turn as the pesky, enterprising Sefton, a screenplay built around well-drawn characters and sensible dialogues, faultless direction by one of Hollywood’s most celebrated helmers, realistic sets and solid production values.

Minuses: more often than not, the comic interludes – especially one ludicrous intrusion into the Russian compound – undermine the more interesting elements of the story.  

Comments: after an uneven first half mixing drama and humour with middling results (imagine a wobbly cross between THE GREAT ESCAPE and the television series HOGAN’S HEROES), STALAG 17 gets down to business and delivers both genuine suspense and a very satisfying climax. Overall, Billy Wilder’s film is quite watchable but, even with its deserving characters and William Holden’s contribution, I'd rather recommend THE GREAT ESCAPE for its powerful action or Jean Renoir’s gentlemanly classic LA GRANDE ILLUSION to any movie buff who can’t see more than one POW movie.





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Skammen  

English title: Shame

Genre: relationship and war drama (in black and white)

With: Liv Ullmann (Eva), Max von Sydow (Jan Rosenberg, her husband), Gunnar Björnstrand (Jacobi), Sigge Fürst (Filip), Hans Alfredson (Fredrik Lobelius)

Director: Ingmar Bergman

Screenplay: Ingmar Bergman

Release: 1968

Studio: Cinematograph AB, Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.4/10

On the Fierceness of Wars, Whether Collective or Private  

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Story-line: Scandinavia, the 1960s. Eva and Jan, former musicians who have settled down on an island to farm and live in peace, are subjected to increasing pressure when civil war on the mainland threatens to spill over into their part of the world.

Pluses: superior performances by Liv Ullmann (a fiery Eva), Max von Sydow (a quieter, mostly fragile Jan) and Gunnar Björnstrand, expert direction from a master helmer, a realistic, chilling and somewhat apocalyptic screenplay about civilians dealing with armed conflict, Sven Nykvist's usually excellent camera work, adequate production values and an intriguing ending.

Minuses: none really but, this being a Bergman, you should expect very serious and slightly depressing fare.

Comments: although it broaches typical Bergman themes (personality issues, communication problems, marital woes and death), SKAMMEN takes place in a surprisingly different context that exacerbates the fickle relationship between Eva and Jan – who had fallen into a familiar routine – and pushes them toward uncharted territory. This Bergman also shuns symbolism to focus on basic survival issues. As for the titular shame, you will feel it yourselves when you see how war compromises all characters involved, even those who never wanted to get their hands dirty. What a mess…



In tribute to Max von Sydow (1929-2020)





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What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Genre: psychological horror movie (in black and white, appropriately enough)

With: Bette Davis (‟Baby Jane” Hudson), Joan Crawford (her sister Blanche), Victor Buono (Edwin Flagg), Maidie Norman (Elvira Stitt), Marjorie Bennett (Dehlia, Edwin’s mother), Anna Lee (Mrs. Bates, the neighbour)

Director: Robert Aldrich

Screenplay: Lukas Heller (based on Henry Farrell’s novel)

Release: 1962

Studio: Associates and Aldrich

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.4/10





She Was Cute Back Then. She Ain’t Cute No More.





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Story-line: the relationship between Blanche Hudson, a Hollywood actress, and her sister Jane, a former child star, takes a tragic turn when a car accident confines Blanche to a wheelchair and casts Jane as her caregiver.

Pluses: pitch-perfect performances by Bette Davis (in a nasty, showy role) and Joan Crawford, smart support from Victor Buono and cast, a spellbinding and tightly-wound screenplay, implacable direction, Frank De Vol’s hyperactive and highly effective musical score, impressive production values (Jane’s makeup, the Hudsons’ fortress-like house) and a stupefying ending.

Minuses: although rich in protein, Jane’s cooking may not cater to all tastes.    

Comments: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? is an unsettling film that all movie buffs should see at least once in their lifetime. Pay close attention to the accident scene at around the 15-minute mark and to the car interior especially. Whatever you think of that pivotal scene, there’s one thing we will all agree on: Baby Jane Hudson will forever be one of the silver screen’s most celebrated kooks, along with SUNSET BOULEVARD’s Norma Desmond.





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Infamous

Genre: psychological drama

With: Toby Jones (Truman Capote), Sandra Bullock (Nelle Harper Lee), Daniel Craig (Perry Smith), Peter Bogdanovich (Bennett Cerf), Jeff Daniels (Alvin Dewey), Hope Davis (Slim Keith), Gwyneth Paltrow (Kitty Dean), Lee Pace (Dick Hickock), Juliet Stevenson (Diana Vreeland)

Director: Douglas McGrath

Screenplay: Douglas McGrath (based on George Plimpton's book)

Release: 2006

Studio: Warner Independent Pictures, Killer Films et al.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.3/10

A Capote Double Bill –  

‟There's a Gold Mine in the Sky”

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Story-line: New York City, 1959. When Truman Capote reads a newspaper item on the murder of a Kansas family, he decides to write about the tragedy. Finding who did it is not important, he tells his editor... it’s how this crime has broken mutual trust in the community.       

Pluses: a star-studded cast led by Toby Jones (showing great range as an extravagant, quick-witted and sometimes abrasive Capote), Sandra Bullock (virtually unrecognizable as Nelle), Daniel Craig and Juliet Stevenson, sturdy direction, an alternately funny and devastating screenplay featuring documentary-style snippets and startling exchanges about personal matters and literary work, flashy production values, superb period detail and Gene Autry's very topical song (written by Nick and Charles Kenny).

Minuses: having been released after Bennett Miller's CAPOTE, INFAMOUS was thoroughly trounced at the box office and largely overlooked on the awards circuit... which is really a pity. 

Comments: although based on the same pivotal event as CAPOTE, INFAMOUS places it in a wider context and, in so doing, better illustrates what the novel In Cold Blood meant for Capote on a personal level. Less tragic and solemn than Miller's work, funnier in parts and ultimately quite moving, INFAMOUS throws several interesting issues into the mix, notably the nature of evil, Nelle's own literary success – which clearly bothered Capote – and the risky relationship that can develop between writer and subject. Frankly, there is little to choose between CAPOTE and INFAMOUS, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toby Jones, Bennett Miller and Douglas McGrath. And I didn't mind seeing both films within a relatively short time... proof positive of their individual value.         

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Capote

Genre: biographical drama

With: Philip Seymour Hoffman (Truman Capote), Catherine Keener (Nelle Harper Lee), Clifton Collins Jr. (Perry Smith), Chris Cooper (Alvin Dewey), Bruce Greenwood (Jack Dunphy), Bob Balaban (William Shawn), Amy Ryan (Marie Dewey), Mark Pellegrino (Richard Dick Ricardo Hickock)

Director: Bennett Miller

Screenplay: Dan Futterman (based on Gerald Clarke’s book)

Release: 2005

Studio: United Artists, Sony Pictures Classics et al.

Rating: 14A

MBiS score: 8.4/10

A Capote Double Bill –  

‟More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones.” 

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Story-line: New York, 1959. When he learns of the brutal murder of the Clutter family in Kansas, Truman Capote decides to write about it for the New Yorker. Without delay, he hops on a train to the Sunflower State with Nelle Harper Lee, his childhood friend, who will act as a ‟research assistant and bodyguard”.   

Pluses: Philip Seymour Hoffman's Oscar-winning turn as the multi-faceted and flawed Capote, fine support from Catherine Keener, Chris Cooper and Amy Ryan, an intellectually stimulating screenplay that offers glimpses of literary work but no clear-cut answers, unshowy direction, beautiful cinematography, a superb rendering of the late 1950s and Mychael Danna's quiet musical score. 

Minuses: none really.

Comments: although a bit cold, slow and static, CAPOTE maintains interest from beginning to end because of the tension exerted on its protagonists by a murky and morally difficult situation. Capote, who had undertaken his Kansas assignment rather lightheartedly, faced a life-changing challenge as a person and a writer. Was he exploiting a tragedy and glorifying a crime for the sake of a book... which became one of America's most celebrated novels? Or did he allow himself to be manipulated by Smith and Hickock, the two men charged with the crime? These questions, combined with issues of trust, prejudice, love and clashing personalities are at the heart of this stimulating film that dovetails with the worthy DEAD MAN WALKING, another grave drama about criminal behaviour, justice and redemption.  

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