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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Don’t Look Now

Genre: horror movie

With: Julie Christie (Laura Baxter), Donald Sutherland (John Baxter), Hilary Mason (the visually impaired Heather), Clelia Matania (Wendy, Heather’s sister), Massimo Serato (Bishop Barbarrigo), Renato Scarpa (Inspector Longhi), Leopoldo Trieste (the Hotel Manager), Nicholas Salter (Johnny Baxter), Sharon Williams (Christine Baxter), David Tree (Anthony Babbage), Ann Rye (Mandy Babbage)

Director: Nicolas Roeg

Screenplay: Allan Scott and Chris Bryant (based on a story by Daphne Du Maurier)

Release: 1973

Studio: Casey Productions, Eldorado Films, D.L.N. Ventures Partnership, Paramount

Rating: R

MBiS score: 8.5/10

 

 

In memory of Donald Sutherland (1935-2024) 

 

‟She is dead! Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead!” 

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Story-line: after the death of their daughter Christine at home in England, John and Laura Baxter send their son Johnny to the Babbage boarding school and leave for Venice where John has been hired to restore a 16th century church. Logically, a change of scenery should soothe them as grieving parents… but brute logic has little to do with what’s coming their way.

Pluses: excellent acting by Julie Christie (a vulnerable Laura), Donald Sutherland (the anxious and frustrated John) and a fine cast in less-than-reassuring roles, competent and very guarded direction, an original and unpredictable screenplay that cultivates a strange and ominous mood, high-quality production values, superior cinematography (Anthony B. Richmond makes Venice looks great but also dark and spooky), very effective editing (Graeme Clifford), a scary musical score by Pino Donaggio and a startling ending.

Minuses: although it is usually labelled as a horror movie, DON’T LOOK NOW also deals with paranormal phenomena.  

Comments: this movie’s great strength is its skilful buildup of tension. After a tragic opening, it sets a quiet mood, traces psychological portraits of its characters and then uses a series of events – either meaningless, inexplicable or important – to set the stage for a stunning third act. Unlike run-of-the-mill slasher movies that are long on carnage but short on value, the subtle and persistent DON’T LOOK NOW is disturbing because it remains anchored in reality. This is accomplished cinema, no doubt about it.

  

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M – Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder

English title: M

Also known as: M le maudit

Genre: crime thriller (in black and white)

With: Gustaf Gründgens (Schränker the Safecracker), Peter Lorre (Hans Beckert), Otto Wernicke (Inspector Lohmann), Ellen Widmann (Frau Beckmann), Inge Landgut (Elsie Beckmann), Theodor Loos (Inspector Groeber), Friedrich Gnaß (Franz the burglar), Fritz Odemar (the Cheater), Paul Kemp (the Pickpocket with Six Watches), Georg John (Heinrich, the blind beggar), Rudolf Blümner (the defender)

Director: Fritz Lang

Screenplay: Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang (based on an article by Egon Jacobson)

Release: 1931

Studio: Nero-Film AG

Rating: -

MBiS score: 9.0/10 

 

Maniacs Are Bad for Business 

 

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Story-line: when several children disappear and it becomes apparent that a serial killer is on the loose, the government pressures the police commissioner to get results, arrests are made willy-nilly and impatience grows among the citizenry.

Pluses: credible acting all around, modern and active direction, an ingenious, well-written screenplay rich in suspense, pointed dialogues and effective tos-and-fros, able cinematography and editing, good production values and a high-impact ending.

Minuses: if this film doesn’t click for you early on, it will once you reach the halfway point.

Comments: teaming up with Thea von Harbou, his screenwriting partner for the great METROPOLIS, Fritz Lang (1890-1976) proves with this formidable film that inventive and captivating moviemaking already ruled a century ago. What struck me most in M is that its story-line focuses less on the killer – he is identified early on but remains in the shadows until the third act – than on the reaction to his crimes and the frantic attempts to stop him. As I reflect on this work of art, I am reminded of a comment made by Paul Schrader a few years back… that most commercial films are devoid of interest. Considering Schrader’s vast contribution to cinema, I respect his opinion and share his love for the classics. More than a movie, M is a marvel, a monument, a masterpiece. 

 

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