Waterloo

Genre: historical war drama 

With: Rod Steiger (Napoléon Bonaparte), Christopher Plummer (Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington), Orson Welles (Louis XVIII), Jack Hawkins (Gen. Sir Thomas Picton), Virginia McKenna (Duchess of Richmond), Dan O'Herlihy (Marshal Michel Ney), Rupert Davies (Gordon), Philippe Forquet (La Bédoyère), Gianni Garko (Drouot), Ivo Garrani (Soult), Ian Ogilvy (De Lancey), Michael Wilding (Ponsonby), Sergo Zakariadze (Blucher)

Director: Sergey Bondarchuk

Screenplay: H.A.L. Craig, with help from Sergey Bondarchuk and Vittorio Bonicelli (Italian dialogues in another version by Mario Soldati)

Release: 1970

Studio: Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Mosfilm

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.4/10 

 

‟I don't know what they'll do to the enemy; but, by God, they frighten me.” 

 

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Story-line: on the strength of his military exploits and political savvy, Napoléon became emperor of France (replacing the old monarchy with his own brand of absolutism) and was bent on imposing his will on much of Europe. In time, however, he would face setbacks: his armies were repulsed in 1812 and, two years later, he found himself under siege in Paris. Forced to abdicate, banished to Elba and replaced by King Louis XVIII, he managed to escape in 1815, determined to regain power. His next challenge would be to reclaim his old army and then to face off against Prussian and English troops in a (Belgian) village called Waterloo.  

Pluses: superb acting by Rod Steiger (note how well he conveys Napoléon’s psychology, hyperactivity, mannerisms and physical presence), Christopher Plummer (as the phlegmatic, restrained Wellington) and a stellar cast (Orson Welles and Jack Hawkins are welcome sights), strong direction (especially during the well-choreographed battle scenes), a solid screenplay featuring pointed dialogues, telling scenes and the pathos of battle, splendid cinematography and attentive camera work, studious editing, appropriate production values and an august musical score by Nino Rota.

Minuses: there are scenes of violence, unavoidably so. By focusing solely on the events of June 18, 1815, the film may disappoint viewers interested in context and history generally.

Comments: the battle of Waterloo was immensely important – it involved 140,000 men, 40,000 of them perishing on the day – and Sergey Bondarchuk’s work has done justice to this pivotal, gripping event by insisting on the vicissitudes of war – the strategies chosen, the value of time, the long wait and muffled anxiety, the physical layout of the battlefield, the weather prevailing and the mistakes made. Although spectacular and riveting in many ways, WATERLOO clearly states that, on a human level, war is waste and bloody carnage. On this point, it is especially informative to see the psychological conclusions drawn by the two generals as the dust settled over the dead – the contrast couldn’t be more striking between these two men. Despite its dismaying subject, this movie commands respect. 

 

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Napoléon

Also known as: Napoléon vu par Abel Gance

Genre: historical adventure film (silent; in black and white)

With: Albert Dieudonné (Napoléon Bonaparte), Vladimir Roudenko (Napoléon as a child), Edmond Van Daële (Robespierre), Alexandre Koubitzky (Danton), Antonin Artaud (Marat), Abel Gance (Saint-Just), Gina Manès (Joséphine de Beauharnais), Philippe Hériat (Salicetti), Pierre Batcheff (General Hoche), Nicolas Koline (Tristan Fleuri), François Viguier (Couthon), Max Maxudian (Barras), Annabella (Violine Fleuri and Désirée Clary)

Director: Abel Gance

Screenplay: Abel Gance

Release: 1927

Studio: Ciné France, Films Abel Gance, Isepa-Wengeroff Film GmbH

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.9/10  

 

‟The destiny of an empire often rests upon a single man.”

  

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Story-line: at Brienne College in 1783, a stern young man shows remarkable leadership and strategic prowess during snowball fights with other students. Later, as an army lieutenant, he embraces the fledgling French Revolution – spearheaded by Danton, Marat and Robespierre – against the reigning monarch and becomes a national hero when France must defend itself against neighbouring kingdoms opposed to its Republican ideals. Said young man, who would later figure in history books worldwide, was a Corsican named Bonaparte… Napoléon Bonaparte.

Pluses: superb performances by Albert Dieudonné and Vladimir Roudenko (playing Napoléon as a fiery, self-assured fellow), Edmond Van Daële (a cunning Robespierre), Alexandre Koubitzky (the popular, passionate Danton), the renowned Antonin Artaud (Marat), Abel Gance (an utterly ruthless Saint-Just) and Gina Manès (a somewhat conceited Joséphine), masterly and dynamic direction, a clear, richly detailed and action-packed screenplay replete with historic references and revelatory snippets (Nelson’s presence at sea, the Suez Canal), remarkable picture composition and cinematography, strong editing, convincing special effects, fine production values and an omnipresent musical score (by Carmine Coppola) that adds to every mood or event.

Minuses: (1) some critics have panned the acting as over-the-top but, IMHO, Napoléon was always a rather hyper dude. (2) Although expertly restored by Kevin Brownlow and BFI National Archive in 2000, the print obviously shows its age – as when you see Napoléon riding his horse at 80 mph! (3) The movie ends with the triumphant Italian campaign of 1796 – giving us a much too glorious portrait of Napoléon as a man – although it does not hide his creeping megalomania and the abuses committed by revolutionary leaders and angry mobs desperate for change. That being said, Napoléon’s on-screen aggrandizement is understandable: Gance’s picture (originally clocked at 480 minutes) was the first segment of a larger (!) work he never completed because his audacity scared off would-be backers.

Comments: at almost three times the length of an Olympic marathon (333 minutes), Abel Gance’s epic stands out in movie history as a stupefying experiment in filmmaking. Always an innovator, Gance was the first to use superimposed images and polyvision (involving three projectors). NAPOLÉON was his only masterpiece – although some of his other works were also worthwhile – but his pioneer spirit would mark the seventh art for all time to come. Breathtaking, relentless, unequivocally modern even a century later, NAPOLÉON is cinema on steroids. The sheer magnitude of this opus will overwhelm you.

 

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Casque d’or

Genre: crime and romance drama (in black and white)

With: Simone Signoret (Marie, a.k.a. ‟Casque d'or”), Serge Reggiani (Georges Manda), Claude Dauphin (Félix Leca), Raymond Bussières (Raymond), William Sabatier (Roland Dupuis), Paul Barge (Inspector Juliani), Odette Barencey (Mother Eugène), Gaston Modot (Danard), Loleh Bellon (Léonie Danard), Jean Clarieux (Paul)

Director: Jacques Becker

Screenplay: Jacques Becker, Jacques Companéez, Annette Wademant and Romi

Release: 1952

Studio: Spéva Films, Paris-Film Production, Robert and Raymond Hakim

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.7/10

  

A Woman They Could Kill for 

 

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Story-line: the setting is France during the Belle Époque. On a glorious Sunday afternoon, a  close-knit group of men and women arrives at a riverside café. They all look quite content except for one couple, sexy Marie the prostitute and bossy Roland who treats her like dirt. At the café, one member of the group, Raymond, chances upon Georges Manda, an old buddy from reform school. While they chat, Georges notices Marie and she stares at him intensely. Yes, love is in the air… but Roland, as jealous and quick-tempered as he is, doesn’t intend to be a pushover.    

Pluses: excellent performances by the great Simone Signoret (as the sharply-dressed, sharp-tongued Marie), an intense Serge Reggiani, a ruthless Claude Dauphin and a strong supporting cast, top-notch direction, a complex and brilliant screenplay full of spicy dialogues, interesting details and well-drawn characters, true-to-life production values, an effective musical score embracing different styles (popular tunes, romantic interludes, operatic flourishes) and a potent ending.

Minuses: none I can think of. In a literal sense, ‟Casque d'or” means ‟helmet of gold”, a clear reference to Marie’s blond head of hair.

Comments: CASQUE D’OR contains all the elements of a French classic – magnetic protagonists, a torrid love story, rivalries, lust, danger, violence – and is indeed considered a magnum opus in cinema. There is a lot to this movie I cannot reveal because I don’t want to spoil it for you. Why is Manda hiding behind a new identity? The group of revellers at the café… who are they really and what is their connection with Félix Leca, the dealer in wines and spirits? And Marie, is she just playing games, with all those men hovering around her? Jacques Becker’s film will speak to your heart – and to your mind – with its stunning scenes, vigorous drama and flights of lyricism worthy of CARMEN or TOSCA in the world of opera. 

 

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Amour

Genre: psychological drama

With: Jean-Louis Trintignant (Georges), Emmanuelle Riva (Anne), Isabelle Huppert (Éva), Alexandre Tharaud (Alexandre, the pianist), William Shimell (Geoff), Ramón Agirre (Méry), Rita Blanco (Mrs. Méry)

Director: Michael Haneke

Screenplay: Michael Haneke

Release: 2012

Studio: Les Films du Losange, X-Filme Creative Pool, Wega Film et al.

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.7/10 

 

‟I don't remember the film either. But I remember the feeling.” 

 

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Story-line: responding to an emergency, firemen use a battering ram to enter the apartment of an elderly Parisian couple, Anne and Georges Laurent. In the bedroom, they find Anne’s body on the bed, lifeless and surrounded by flowers. Michael Haneke’s film reveals the circumstances behind this sad event.

Pluses: treasurable acting by Emmanuelle Riva (1927-2017) and Jean-Louis Trintignant (1930-2022), fine support from Isabelle Huppert as their sometimes disapproving daughter, professional direction, an honest and unflinching screenplay, top-flight cinematography, modest production values.

Minuses: due to its subject matter, the movie’s pacing is deliberate but, more importantly, it truly reflects the cadence of old age. Story-wise, AMOUR doesn’t lose any interest by revealing its outcome very early; from my point of view, this makes the ending even more startling and powerful.

Comments: the closed-in and touching AMOUR describes the increasingly difficult life of two old souls fighting against illness while their relationship hangs by a thread and their daughter despairs. This Palme d’or winner from 2012 is very enlightening as it shows how little we matter in the grand scheme of things and how much patience, courage and love is required during a family crisis. It also displays, for posterity, the exceptional talents of Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant in one of their last appearances on screen. (By the way, Jean-Louis Trintignant also played a man named Georges Laurent in HAPPY END (2017), another Haneke film starring Isabelle Huppert.) 

 

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Bai ri yan huo

English title: Black Coal, Thin Ice

Genre: crime drama

With: Fan Liao (Zhang Zili, the badass detective), Gwei Lun-Mei (Wu Zhizhen, the widow), Jingchun Wang (Rong Rong, the laundry owner), Ailei Yu (Captain Wang, Zhang’s friend), Jingyang Ni (Su Lijuan), Xuebing Wang (Liang Zhijun)

Director: Yi’nan Diao

Screenplay: Yi’nan Diao

Release: 2014

Studio: Omnijoi Media Corporation, Boneyard Entertainment China, Fortissimofilms et al.

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.5/10 

 

‟Hey, did they find the head?” 

 

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Story-line: in 1999, while cracking a gruesome murder case in which victims were dismembered, Zhang loses two colleagues and is severely injured during the final arrest. Five years later, given to drink and scraping by as a security guard, Zhang feels his investigative instincts rekindled when an old buddy on the force tells him about a new string of murders committed in much the same way as in 1999.

Pluses: solid acting by Fan Liao (a Silver Bear winner in Berlin as the dominant character here), Gwei Lun-Mei and a flawless supporting cast, tight, economical but dynamic direction, a busy, quirky and mysterious screenplay bolstered by interesting characters, odd events and a few very funny moments, lovely and unusually atmospheric cinematography (as most of the action happens in winter), top-quality production values, a fine, varied musical score and a bizarre, open-ended denouement.

Minuses: be especially alert during the first 20 minutes when facts come by fast and furious (or watch the opening segment a second time to really get into the groove of things).

Comments: I will be brief because I don’t want to spoil this one for you. The more you watch this product of recent Chinese cinema, the more it grows on you with its action-packed, enigmatic story and spunky protagonist. Kudos to Yi’nan Diao, a Golden Bear winner, and to everyone involved! 

 

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A Touch of Evil

Genre: crime drama (in black and white)

With: Charlton Heston (Mike Vargas), Janet Leigh (Susan Vargas), Orson Welles (Police Captain Hank Quinlan), Joseph Calleia (Police Sergeant Pete Menzies), Akim Tamiroff (Joe Grandi), Joanna Moore (Marcia Linnekar), Ray Collins (District Attorney Adair), Dennis Weaver (Mirador Motel Night Manager), Valentin de Vargas (Pancho), Mort Mills (Al Schwartz), Marlene Dietrich (Tanya)

Director: Orson Welles

Screenplay: Orson Welles, Franklin Coen and Paul Monash (from the novel by Whit Masterson)

Release: 1958

Studio: Universal International Pictures

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

The (Very) Long Arm of the Law 

 

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Story-line: while on their honeymoon in a town straddling the US border, Mike Vargas, a Mexican official, and his bride Susan are near witnesses to a crime that may have international implications. Volunteering as a legal observer, Mike readily finds fault with the investigation carried out by Captain Quinlan, who openly complains that Mike is interfering with his work. A mild disagreement, perhaps…

Pluses: excellent acting by Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and a very impressive Orson Welles, fine support from an able cast (Marlene Dietrich’s contribution is priceless), brilliant, fast-paced direction, a busy, complex and scary screenplay allowing for lots of atmosphere, action and punchy dialogues, winning cinematography, thoughtful editing, top-grade production values, a varied musical score responsive to every mood and a potent, disconcerting ending.

Minuses: some lines of dialogue are quite demeaning to Mexicans.

Comments: in a way similar to Roman Polanski’s CHINATOWN, A TOUCH OF EVIL draws you into a world of tawdry dealings and amoral characters. Memorable for its perversity, enigmatic story and star power, Orson Welles’ perfect work is a must-see for movie buffs. Some experts have rated it a masterpiece… and I won’t argue with that!

  

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Manbiki kazoku

English title: Shoplifters

Genre: crime drama  

With: Lily Franky (Osamu Shibata), Sakura Andô (Nobuyo Shibata), Kirin Kiki (Hatsue Shibata), Mayu Matsuoka (Aki Shibata), Jyo Kairi (Shota Shibata), Miyu Sasaki (Yuri Hojo), Sôsuke Ikematsu (4 ban-san)

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda

Screenplay: Hirokazu Koreeda

Release: 2018

Studio: AOI Promotion, GAGA, Fuji TV Movies et al.

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.4/10

  

The More the Merrier  

 

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Story-line: one winter evening, after shoplifting a grocery store, Osamu and his son Shota hear a noise in a back alley and see a little girl alone inside a cold building. Moved by her helplessness, Osamu decides to bring her home to his family.

Pluses: top-level acting by an endearing cast (in spite of their characters’ faults), professional direction, an intelligent and understated screenplay that develops naturally and musters a full range of situations and emotions, credible production values, attractive cinematography, a versatile musical score and a surprising ending.

Minuses: (1) to help you understand the plot without revealing too much of it, I should mention that the main characters here are Osamu, Nobuyo (his lady), Shota (their teenage ‟son”), Aki (Nobuyo’s ‟sister”) and Hatsue (‟Grandma”), who live together as a loosely structured family of odd jobbers and shoplifters; Yuri, the little girl, will become its sixth member. (2) One piece of advice: this film needs a full 30 minutes to introduce its characters and prepare for takeoff; it may feel mundane at first but your patience will be amply rewarded later on.

Comments: SHOPLIFTERS is a very well-made, complex and intriguing film that becomes increasingly poignant – and astonishing – as you follow the Shibata family through thick and thin. This Oscar and BAFTA nominee and Palme d’or winner caught me off guard with its slowly developing but potent drama. 

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Pickpocket

Genre: psychological drama (in black and white)

With: Martin La Salle (Michel), Marika Green (Jeanne), Pierre Leymarie (Jacques), Jean Pélégri (the Police Inspector), Dolly Scal (Michel’s mother), Kassagi (the first accomplice), Pierre Étaix (the second accomplice)

Director: Robert Bresson

Screenplay: Robert Bresson

Release: 1959

Studio: Lux, Compagnie Cinématographique de France

Rating: G

MBiS score: 8.5/10 

 

‟I had made my decision some days before. But would I have the nerve?” 

 

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Story-line: one day at the Longchamp racetrack, while anxious bettors throw money on thoroughbreds, Michel looks for a chance to pick someone’s pocket. Given an opportunity, he seizes it, experiences great pleasure as he leaves the track… but is promptly arrested by plainclothes policemen.

Pluses: fine performances by Martin La Salle (the meticulous and taciturn Michel), Marika Green (a quietly brave Jeanne) and cast, restrained direction, a patient, disciplined and surprising screenplay notable for its pauses, shifty characters and spare dialogues, strikingly spartan production values, a discreet but ever supportive musical score and a challenging ending.

Minuses: none I can think of. However, as noted when I reviewed A MAN ESCAPED, you will need several minutes to get used to Robert Bresson’s cryptic, radical moviemaking.     

Comments: this sketchy, introspective and minimalist film shares the seriousness of Truffaut’s psychological studies and the philosophical underpinnings of Camus’s great existential novel, The Stranger. Bresson’s work is about ideas as much as action as it toys with Michel’s weaknesses, hidden desires and inability to communicate. Intelligent, original, even daring, PICKPOCKET ably demonstrates that less is more, in a vein that reminded me of David Mamet’s excellent HOUSE OF GAMES. It also serves as a warning to us all: do be careful when in a crowd or a public place. 

 

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Becket 

Genre: historical drama 

With: Richard Burton (Thomas Becket), Peter O'Toole (King Henry II), Donald Wolfit (Bishop Folliot), David Weston (Brother John), Sir John Gielgud (King Louis VII of France), Martita Hunt (Empress Matilda, Henry’s mother), Pamela Brown (Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry’s wife), Gino Cervi (Cardinal Zambelli), Paolo Stoppa (Pope Alexander III), Percy Herbert (Baron), Siân Phillips (Gwendolen), Inigo Jackson (Robert de Beaumont), Felix Aylmer (Archbishop of Canterbury)

Director: Peter Glenville

Screenplay: Edward Anhalt (based on Jean Anouilh’s play, translated by Lucienne Hill)

Release: 1964

Studio: Paramount Pictures, Keep Films

Rating: PG-13

MBiS score: 8.6/10 

 

‟Oh Lord, how heavy thy honor is to bear.” 

 

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Story-line: circa 1170, some 104 years after William the Conqueror and his Norman armies seized England and began oppressing its Saxon population, his great grandson Henry II sits uneasily on the throne. Denounced and humiliated, he travels reluctantly to Canterbury in order to make peace with his deceased Saxon friend, Thomas Becket, the former Archbishop with whom he had quarreled on issues of great import.   

Pluses: superb acting by Richard Burton (as a serious, humble Becket) and Peter O’Toole (a scheming, fiery Henry), a fine supporting cast, a virile and very credible screenplay characterized by the gravity of its subject, acute dialogues and moments of cinematic magic (one symbolic scene begins under blue skies and ends under cloud cover as Thomas and Henry forge a fragile truce), first-rate cinematography, impressive production values and an imposing musical score.

Minuses: if this strong movie doesn’t captivate you from the start, don’t despair! Things pick up admirably around the 28-minute mark.

Comments: BECKET is a hefty film rich in drama, ideas and ideals, a fitting example of English historical cinema (although based on a French play, no less!). In spite of their closeness, you can always sense a latent antagonism between our protagonists, a discord that will be set ablaze when Henry bestows on his friend an honor that would weigh heavily on anyone, even the noble Thomas Becket. As the great Saint Augustine once said, “There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future”. Thomas Becket certainly answers to this quintessential description. 

 

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Ascenseur pour l’échafaud

English title: Elevator to the Gallows

Genre: suspense film (in black and white)

With: Jeanne Moreau (Florence Carala), Maurice Ronet (Julien Tavernier), Georges Poujouly (Louis), Yori Bertin (Véronique, Louis’s girlfriend), Jean Wall (Simon Carala, Florence’s husband), Iván Petrovich (Horst Bencker), Elga Andersen (Frieda Bencker), Lino Ventura (Cherrier)

Director: Louis Malle

Screenplay: Roger Nimier, Louis Malle and Noël Calef (based on Calef’s novel)

Release: 1958

Studio: Nouvelles Éditions de Films

Rating: -

MBiS score: 8.7/10

 

 

Basic Math for Extramarital Affairs: 3 - 1 = 2 

 

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Story-line: from a phone booth somewhere in Paris, Florence contacts her lover Julien, who is still working on this Saturday evening, and tells him how eager she is to see him. ‟When it’s done, she says, you’ll come in your big car… I’ll get in next to you… and we’ll be free.” The ‟it” she is referring to is the murder of Simon Carala, her husband and Julien’s boss.

Pluses: fine acting by an ardent Jeanne Moreau, a cool and calculated Maurice Ronet and a solid cast, a deliberate, chilling screenplay that uses snippets of humour to balance out its gravity and keeps its best moments for the final act, stylish direction by a top-notch helmer, Henri Decaë’s superb monochrome cinematography, quality production values, a marvellous musical score by Miles Davis and an explosive ending.

Minuses: none I can think of.

Comments: this stunning film recounting one eventful weekend in and around Paris is remarkable not only for its potent drama but also for its treatment of Jeanne Moreau’s status as a cinematic sex symbol. In scenes that pop up like running gags at different stages of the movie, you will notice that (1) wherever she goes, people can’t help staring at her and (2) when you see her walking, even in dire circumstances, she doesn’t seem particularly hurried (nobody rushes Madame Moreau, capisce?). The hypnotizing ASCENSEUR POUR L’ÉCHAFAUD, a masterwork by one of the main proponents of the nouvelle vague, is intriguing, arty and memorable. Love, whether adult or adolescent, can be a very dangerous thing.

 

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