Marcello Giordani and Eva-Maria Westbroek in Zandonai’s opera ‘Francesca da Rimimi’ performed at the Met and broadcast Saturday on HD in movie theatres worldwide
Screen cap from Christian Mongiu’s austere and powerful Romanian film “Beyond the Hills”
by Sam Juliano
A day late, but a Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all! Those still with the Irish fever, can pick from among many movies with Irish settings, themes, or characters for a mini festival that is unique, featuring unusual diversity. Some suggestions: The Dead, Darby O’Gill and the Little People, Once, The Quiet Man, The Informer, The Field, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, The Butcher Boy, The Secret of Roan Inish, The Magdalene Sisters, In Bruges, My Left Foot, Waking Ned Devine, The Field, Into the West, Angels with Dirty Faces, Odd Man Out, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Michael Collins, In the Name of the Father, Ryan’s Daughter, In America, Snapper, The Commitments, The General (Boorman), The Crying Game, Bloody Sunday, Hunger, Da, Borstal Boy, Cal, Adam & Paul, I See a Dark Stranger, An Everlasting Piece, Breakfast on Pluto, The Secret of Kells, The Long Good Friday. Admittedly the list is extensive, and it may take until St. Patrick’s Day of 2014 to complete it! Lucille’s maternal grandmother (nee Hughes) was half Irish and half English, so my own children are only 7/8 Italian descent. Yet there you have it, they are distinctly part Irish and wore some green yesterday.
My Habemus Papam post on Thursday pretty much covered the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires (Pope Francis) so I will now move on the same way I departed from past MMD coverage of President Obama’s re-election, the Olympics, the passing of former NYC Mayor Ed Koch, unspeakable tragedies, the Oscars, family trips and excursions, and various festival and awards competitions that periodically mark a weekly column that always attempts to expand cinematic horizons with a full consideration of the world around us. As such discussion is always encouraged on any or all, of the subjects I broach or offer capsule commentary on. Alas, I am an incurable competition junkie when various contests are part of the equation.
Lucille’s date for gall bladder removal is Thursday, April 4. Many thanks to those who have express concern and confidence with the procedure.
Thanks again to Dee Dee and Tony for their vital assistance in navigating the sidebar and link activities over the past weeks. R.D. Finch’s The Movie Projector blogothon on acting icon James Cagney draws closer with an early April launching.
After a tame week, Lucille and I enjoyed a busy weekend, attending three films in theaters, two with Sammy, and a Metropolitan Opera HD simulcast which I took in alone.
Riccardo Zandonei was a late nineteenth century/early twentieth century composer who was a student of the great Pietro Cavelleria Rusticana Mascagni, who composed several operas that are still performed, of which only one, FRANCESCA DA RIMINI has achieved lasting popularity. The work is admittedly uneven in ways, but so much of the music is so beautiful that new stages are desired, even demanded by opera fans, who have come to appreciate Italian lyricism that is decidedly more musically complex than some of his contemporaries, in fact some have pointed to the shadow of Wagner on the proceedings. Leitmotifs are prominent, and there is an abundance of spacious melody, though the harmonic detail is in in fact post-Wagnerian that more persuasively suggests Liszt and especially Debussey. The period flavor of Francesca seems to be embodied in genre scenes colored with what in 1914 must have seemed aptly “medieval effects”; the instrumentation and orchestral textures are as intricate as any Italian opera of it’s day, including those by Puccini, though it must be said that the singing roles yield less lyrical beauty than found in Puccini, Verdi, Giordano or Zandonai’s teacher Mascagni. The Metropolitan Opera’s HD broadcast of Saturday’s live afternoon staging is largely an impeccable affair with two superlative lead turns by Eva-Maria Westbroek and Marcello Giordani in the leads. Ezio Frigerio’s exquisite sets and Franco Sqarciapino’s lavish costumes are striking carry-overs from the 1984 production that was reprized for this year’s resurrection. As always the HD presentation offers opera lovers a close in look at a production that could only be similarly appreciated with premium seats at the expensive Metropolitan Opera. That early production featured Renato Scotto and Placido Domingo, which is really a difficult if not impossible act to follow.
Movies seen in theaters:
Beyond the Hills **** 1/2 (Friday night) Montclair Claridge
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)***** (Saturday) Jersey City’s Loews
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)***** (Saturday) Jersey City Loews
BEYOND THE HILLS, the latest film by Romanian wonderkind Christian Mongiu is set in a remote convent, and it concerns an exorcism, lesbianism, love and free will while straddling the line between hope and despair. It’s an austere work that examines it’s characters intimately and slowly builds to a powerful climax. It’s early in 2013, but I can see this extraordinary film leaving a lasting impression.
Seeing two Capra masterworks, MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON on the Landmark Loews gigantic 70 foot screen is a rare delight, and both are forever spectacular, with the latter 1939 film about a Senate filibuster starring James Stewart remaining one of the greatest American films of all-time. It was thrilling to gauge young Sammy’s ultra-favorable reaction on his first viewing of both.
Ravishing Sistine Chapel photo after pope’s election recalls 1963 film “The Shoes of the Fisherman”
Links are re-posted:
Judy Geater reviews “The Band Wagon” at Movie Classics: http://movieclassics.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/the-band-wagon-vincente-minnelli-1953/
Samuel Wilson reviews “Diva” at Mondo
70 http://mondo70.blogspot.com/2013/03/diva-1981.html
Tony d’Ambra reviews 1955′s “The Big Knife” at Films
Noir.net http://filmsnoir.net/film_noir/the-big-knife-1955-bore-me-deadly.html
John Greco reviews Roberto Rossellini’s “Stromboli” at Twenty Four Frames http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/stromboli-1950-roberto-rossellini/
Laurie Buchanan takes a close look at “Housekeeping–The Kind That Matters” at Speaking From the Heart http://tuesdayswithlaurie.com/2013/03/05/housekeeping-the-kind-that-matters/
Sachin Gandhi offers up a review of ‘Nacer Khemir’s Desert Trilogy’ at Scribbles and Ramblings http://likhna.blogspot.com/2013/03/nacer-khemirs-desert-trilogy.html
Srikanth (Just Another Film Buff) reviews “Far From Heaven” at The Seventh Art http://theseventhart.info/2013/03/10/flashback-87/
Jon Warner reviews Borzage’s “Street Angel” at Films Worth Watching http://filmsworthwatching.blogspot.com/2013/03/street-angel-1928-directed-by-frank.html
Dean Treadway talks about Oscar night at Filmacability http://filmicability.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-final-thoughts-about-2013-oscar.html
Terrill Welch offers up “West Coast Blues in Photography and Painting” at the Creativepotager’s blog http://creativepotager.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/west-coast-blues-in-photography-and-painting/
Joel Bocko has a “March update” at Lost in the Movies http//thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2013/03/lost-in-movies-status-update-march-2013.html
Shubhajit Lahiri reviews Kiarostami’s “Certified Copy” at Cinemascope http://cliched-monologues.blogspot.com/2013/03/certified-copy-2010.html
Jaimie Grijalba offers up “The Act of Seeing with One’s Own Eyes” at Overlook’s Corridor http://overlookhotelfilm.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/the-act-of-seeing-with-ones-own-eyes-1971/
Patricia Hawthorne reviews the book “Chin Music” by Lee Edelstein at Patricia’s Wisdom http://patriciaswisdom.com/2013/03/chin-music-lee-edelstein/
Marilyn Ferdinand reviews Rossellini’s “Journey in Italy” at Ferdy-on-Films http://www.ferdyonfilms.com/2013/journey-in-italy-viaggio-in-italia1954/17807/
Murderous Ink reviews “Evangeline After Fukushima” (Part 5) at Vermillion and One Nights
http://vermillionandonenights.blogspot.com/2013/02/evangelion-after-fukushima-part-5.html
Roderick Heath reviews “Gangster Squad” at This Island Rod http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2013/02/gangster-squad-2013.html
Dee Dee features Gary Tooze’s review of Robert Florey’s 1949 “The Crooked Way” at Darkness Into Light http://noirishcity.blogspot.com/2013/03/9313-looking-at-3-post-world-war-ii.html
Pat Perry offers up an Oscar round-up at Doodad Kind of Town http://doodadkindoftown.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-oscars-2013-good-bad-overlooked-and.html
Richard R.D. Finch reviews “The Breaking Point” at The Movie Projector http://themovieprojector.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-breaking-point-1950.html
Weeping Sam has posted Dennis Cozzalio’s latest quiz (Jean Brodie) at The Listerning Ear http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/2013/03/lost-in-movies-status-update-march-2013.html
David Schleicher reviews the German film “Barbara” at The Schleicher Spin http://theschleicherspin.com/2013/03/10/theyre-coming-to-get-you-barbara/
Ed Howard reviews “The Bridesmaid” at Only the Cinema http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-bridesmaid.html
Brandie Ashe offers up an exciting February update at True Classics http://trueclassics.net/2013/02/01/state-of-the-blog-february-2013/
Anu has his Tope 10 of 2012 leading up at TheConfidential Report http://theconfidentialreport.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/top-ten-of-2012/
Kaleem Hasan offers up the Malick “To the Wonder” trailer at Satyamshot http://satyamshot.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/to-the-wonder-trailer/
Craig Kennedy offers up a trailer to Sophia Coppola’s new film http://livingincinema.com/2013/03/08/teaser-sofia-coppolas-the-bling-ring/
Drew McIntosh reviews “Saddle Tramp” at The Vial http://thebluevial.blogspot.com/2013/02/saddle-tramp.html
Jason Bellamy reviews “Zero Dark Thirty” at The Cooler http://coolercinema.blogspot.com/2013/01/everybody-breaks-bro-zero-dark-thirty.html
Kevin Olson review John Carpenter’s “The Fog” at Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies http://kolson-kevinsblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/john-carpenter-fog.html
Hokahey reviews “Oz the Great and Powerful” at Little Worlds http://hokahey-littleworlds.blogspot.com/2013/03/ive-feeling-were-not-in-kansas-anymore.html
J.D. LaFrance looks at “After Dark My Sweet” at Radiato Heaven http://rheaven.blogspot.com/2013/03/after-dark-my-sweet.html
Matthew Lucas reviews “Beyond the Hills” at From the Front Row http://www.fromthefrontrow.net/2013/03/review-beyond-hills.html
Paddy Mullholland offers up “V/H/S” at Screen on Screen http://screenonscreen.blogspot.com/2013/03/review-vhs.html
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
Wonders in the Dark 
There is a continuing technical gliche which for the second week in a row is preventing my dear friend Judy Geater’s MOVIE CLASSICS link from being ‘live.’ If anyone knows what the problem is please let me know. Thanks.
Sam, the link worked fine on my screen so I am guessing that you, Tony or someone else has sorted it out – thanks very much for that and for the mention!
Judy—no doubt Tony or Dee Dee has fixed this and as always I am most grateful.
I’m telling you, Sam, the way your son is going, you and I will be guest hosts for the future Oscar videos yielding to Sammy Jr. This kid has the stamina that you and I are famous for as well as the open-mindedness to any subject a film presents to him. Sammy already displays an analytical appreciation and I am floored by how he’s able to pick on and discuss the key elements, metaphors and themes of the films he sees…
This kid is a natural film critic on top of being one of the most charming children I have ever met.
Way to go Sammy Jr. !!!!!!!
Dennis—
Thanks very much for the great words about Sammy! His passionate responses to both MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON and MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN had me smiling for sure. He had quite a bit to say on the way home, and it was every bit as profound as you speculate here. He also watched a Joan Crawford film with me at home last night -HARRIET CRAIG- and made some smart observations. I also watched a Sono film on blu-ray last night with Danny, and that was quite teh experience.
Have a great week.
Sounds like you had an enjoyable time watching the opera on that HD broadcast. That’s one I am not at all familiar with. Similarly, that Romanian film really looks like an attractive choice, and hope to see it soon. The Capra double bill is a no-brainer. I’d say you had a great weekend Sam!
Peter—
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI was last staged by the Met in 1984, so it was well overdue for a resuurection. I would not myself have this on the upper level of Italian opera, but I’d say it’s quite good, and rather underestimated. The aforementioned 1985 production is the same one that was brought back here, and it’s available on a DVD, which I do own if you are interested.
Yes, BEYOND THE HILLS is a near-masterpiece, and those Capras, well they certainly do speak for themselces.
Thanks as always my friend.
Good morning, Sam!
I will be sending good thoughts to Lucille on the 4th. From what I understand (from friends and co-workers who’ve had gallbladder surgery) it’s a fairly simple procedure, so I will be wishing her speedy recovery and improved health.
BEYOND THE HILLS is available through OnDemand and I’ve already made plans to watch it tonight – cannot wait, as I loved the director’s last film FOUR MONTHS, THREE WEEKS, TWO DAYS and have very high hopes for this one.
I managed cathc up wtih a couple of 2012 films this week. SMASHED, an effective indie about a young woman who faces up to her alcholism and the demise of her marriage to a fellow alchoholic in the wake of her sobriety. A refreshingly non-histrionic, non-preachy, low-key film with a particularly fine performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. We also watched FRANKENWEENIE which was delightfully weird, as you’d expect from Tim Burton.
Pat—
First off I thank you kindly for the concerned words about Lucille, who as you do note nonetheless, should have no problems with a routine procedure. My older cousin Douglas McCartney onec had a similar procedure years back, and a stone dropped back into his ductm, requiring a second intrusion, but this is very much out of the ordinary. Thanks again. Yes, FOUR MONTHS, THREE WEEKS, TWO DAYS is masterful, and I’m sure you will find this newest effort yet another top rank work. I look forward to your reaction! Thanks for the glowing report on SMASH -which I haven’t seen- and on Burton’s FRANKENWEENIE, which I liked quite a bit! Yes, for sure it’s weird. Thanks as always Pat! Have a great week!
The Sistine Chapel fresco is a feast for the eyes. I remember ‘The Shoes of the Fisherman’ and Anthony Quinn’s superb performance as the first Russian pope. It was interesting to see the extravagant over-the-top papal rituals which were just performed five days ago for real. Your mention has me interested in watching it again. ‘Beyond the Hills’ looks like a film to go out of your way for. And it’s in Montclair. I have no excuse.
Frank, I’m thrilled to hear you remember THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN with fondness. I took a look at it again last week just a few days before the real-life conclave, and agree that they did a great job of replication. And yes, so much is precisely “over-the-top,” though from what I am reading this new pope is aiming to enact understaement in a big way. We will see. Yes, by all means get out to Montclair to take in BEYOND THE HILLS. It’s quite excellent.
Have a great week my friend!
Hi! Sam Juliano, Allan, WitD writers and readers…
To begin with…
…Mrs. Lucille Juliano, is in my thoughts as her April 04,2013 procedure approaches too!
Hmm…Now, when it comes to the films that you, and your family viewed:
Christian Mongiu’s austere and powerful Romanian film “Beyond the Hills”which received **** 1/2 [from you] looks beautifully shot and the story-line seems interesting too!…
Unfortunately, I have never watched these 2 Capra films, but I plan to seek them out to view.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
I can tell that you son Sammy Juliano, isn’t going to only watch films, but thoroughly analyze films too!
It look like you and your family watched some great films… indeed!
Thanks, for sharing the beautiful photograph from the Sistine Chapel and your Francesca da Rimini’s “Night at the Opera” experience at the [Metropolitan Opera HD simulcast]…too!
Sam Juliano, I hope you, your family, and readers have a nice week and thanks for providing the links and mention… as usual!
deedee 🙂
[Cont…}]
Dee Dee—
Many thanks to you for your profound words of concern over Lucille’s procedure on April 4th. While I am certain all will be well, and that in a general sense this is as routine as any surgery performed, I am of course jittery until it’s done. Yes, the Romanian film BEYOND THE HILLS contains a powerful story, that builds slowly in intensity. It reminds me of Powell & Pressberger’s celebrated masterwork BLACK NARCISSUS, though is rather an obvious correlation when the subject matter is considered. But it is indeed beautifully filmed. I strongly recommend both MR. SMITH and MR. DEEDS, both of which are bonafide American classics by the incomparable Frank Capra. I was personally delighted at how young Sammy took to both, and I well recall my own first viewing of this film was in my second year of college, when I watched it in an ‘Introduction to Cinema’ course at Jersey City State University. Sammy, who will turn 16 in May, got to see it here well in advance. of that! FRANCESCA DA RIMINI ran four hours, but this was a result of three intermissions, which I think was over-programmed in the sense that it is not a particularly long opera. They divided virtually every scene, no doubt because of the intricate set design. But it was a remarkable production. Yes I agree that the phoro of the Sistine Chapel after the election is visually magnificent, really as beautiful as anything one can see in this world.
Thanks as always my great friend, and I wish you a wonderful week!
Sam Juliano,
If your readers “tap” my name they can read a message from me to them
…Which I was suppose to post yesterday here on WitD too…However, I ‘m too busy fighting a cause …Which is causing me [and I’m quite sure 127 other people too!] to have endless stress and headaches… too!
Dee Dee– Thanks for that notification. I will check out the link up right now.
Hello Sam and everyone!
Well, first of all it’s nice to hear that everything’s going fine with you and your family, it’s always good to start a good week with good news. Me? I’m working my ass off, hahaha.
I’d like to thank anyone who read, enjoyed and commented on my particular new series that started last thursday, I enjoyed doing it as I’m sure I’ll continue to do so.
Sadly, I haven’t seen any of the films mentioned in this particular diary, so I’ll just go and move ahead to the next item of our weekly discussion, the movies I saw last week:
. -The Cabin in the Woods (2011, Drew Goddard) ****1/2 I saw this again because two different blogs and movie pages have asked me to see and make a review/essay/article on it, so I’m working on those things right now as we speak, in the rests that the editing job gives me, one is more a straightforward review and the other one is much more analitical, I hope I can link them both at my site soon enough. As you know, I love the film as a deconstruction of the genre.
– Cloud Atlas (2012, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski) ****1/2 I saw this one with my girlfriend last week and I was surprised at how much it holds up still, how much it evolves, how much understandable and connected the stories feel, and it’s a nice companion to the novel, that I started reading not so much ago. We laughed and she cried at the end, it was a beautiful experience and still one of the best films of the past year.
– Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912, Lucius Henderson) *** In my search for early horror auteurs I dwelve into early horror shorts, this one is one of the first incarnations of the classic tale, but it does nothing but translate the beats and do it accordingly, not so violently and absolutely not sexually.
– The Haunted Hotel (1907, J. Stuart Blackton) ***1/2 Stop motion makes this one more watchable, about a man who stays at a scary hotel.
– Up On Poppy Hill (2011, Goro Miyazaki) **** I knew that this film was opening in the USA thanks to the email you sent me, so I decided to check out the DVD that has been available for ages here in certain stores. It’s a nice animation, nothing specially memorable in terms of beauty, the story is simple, but there are certain elements inserted at the last hour of the film that make it exciting and interesting to see them through, even if the conclusions are a bit predictable and dissapointing, it’s still a good film from the best anime company ever.
– The Haunted Mansion (1908, Segundo de Chomón) **** Great scares, animation and surprises can be found in this early horror short about a group of people who try to shelter from rain, just to find themselves inside a demon’s house.
– Parker (2013, Taylor Hackford) **1/2 Repetitive and sometimes boring thriller/action starring Jason Statham, but it’s not like every other Statham film as it has been said in many reviews, because this one is just boring. Statham films usually give something to the viewer to look at, here we are given one of his most “I don’t care” performances ever, and one of the most over-complex plots that they don’t have a need for. A mess that makes itself relevant at times with certain fight scenes.
– Savage Streets (1984, Danny Steinmann) **** A harsh and dark story about a group of teenagers that go to school and find themselves trapped in the issues of rape, sexuality, gang violence and drugs. A group of school thugs rape and almost kill the deaf sister of our protagonist, she and her friends start to plot something that would make them pay for what they did. It’s a chilling film with good performances, a dark cinematography, bloody violence and above all, entertaining to watch.
– Toni (1935, Jean Renoir) **** One of the early talkie features of the french director, seen at the class that I’m the teacher’s aid of, an experience that I’m liking a lot. The film itself is a technical achievement and the story is quite surprising, but at the same time it has a middle section that it’s a bit weak in which the elements just seem to stay there and not change much. The beginning and the ending are superb though, great acting from non-professional actors and all.
Well, that’s all Sam, have a good week!
Thanks very much for that Jaimie! Your fabulous new series started off with a bang, examining one of the true pioneers of the form, and I (and many other readers I’m sure) are looking forward to the next installment. I have seen your exhautive examination of Melies first-hand over the past months, and it has really been exceptional, not to mention motivational. I would have to think you will like BEYOND THE HILLS and strongly recommend it and the two Capra treasures that are among the greatest of American films. I certainly agree with you on CABIN IN THE WOODS, which is a cracker jack of a contemporary horror film, but yet have to discover the magic of CLOUD ATLAS, a film I will watch again at some point. I knows others who love it as well. Renoir’s TONI is a great French classic (nice that you saw it as a teacher’s aide!); the 1912 DR. JEKYLL is very uneven indeed, and THE HAUNTED MANSION of course is historically significant. Yes I did indeed send you the e mail on POPPY HILL, and am amazed you’ve already seen it, and am happy it is worthwhile. I’d like to see it and that most promising SAVAGE STREETS from 1984! Have another great week my friend, and thanks as always! Your pace is inspirational!
Oh hi, Sam and all.
Wishing Lucille and you, ya big worrywart, all the best.
Watched snippets of a movie about a leprechaun who definitely did NOT fall out of a Lucky Charms box. He’s short, he’s green and he kills people, sort of a medieval Irish Chucky doll (I think the homicidal homunculus is pissed because he’s lost his pot of gold or something). No stars.
I’d love to hear Sammy Jr.’s comments on that castrating bitch Harriet Craig. After watching Crawford’s diabolical machinations he’ll remain a confirmed bachelor the rest of his life.
hahahaha Mark! Aye, I am a worry wart of an excessive nature. But I do understand that this kind of procedure is conventional, and expect Lucille will be home on the same day as is usually the practice. That Leprechan movie you saw as described does make me think of Chucky too! I tried to play the game straight when offering choices, but leaving the box is always so much fun! Ha! That would be the equivalent of showing SILENT NIGHT BLOODY NIGHT for Christmas. And true too what you say about Sammy if his exposure to wicked Joan goes beyond just a film or to! Ha! We will be watching AUTUMN LEAVES later tonight (I actually have not seen this yet) but I know she’s on better behavior there. I’ll relay the latest reactions. Thanks as always my friend! Have a great week!
Sam, I’ve never seen ‘Autumn Leaves’ either, but think I’ll order TCM’s Joan Crawford in the 1950’s box set, which includes ‘Harriet Craig’, ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Queen Bee’, and ‘The Story of Esther Costello’.
Just a quickie on a relatively new film I watched just last night, “We Need to Talk About Kevin’. It’s the old mimetic fallacy in art again: the story of a shellshocked, numb heroine (her teenage son is a mass killer) is turned into a shellshocked, benumbed movie. Tilda Swinton is wasted, she’s rarely done less in a role. She has the approriate deracinated look, but does an awful lot of vacant-eyed staring. But the biggest howler may be the mass murder by bow and arrow. You’re pulling my bow string??!!?
Did not care for this one at all.
Mark, I have always had mixed feeling for KEVIN to be honest.
Do NOT order the Joan Crawford set as I own it and am presently watching it over the last few days. Watched HARRIET CRAIG two days ago and will watch ESTHER COSTELLO and QUEEN BEE tonight.
You will be receiving a “packet” in a few days, also knowing that you need to see the Cousins documentary!
I liked AUTUMN LEAVES quite a bit! Saw it with Sammy last night, and thought Aldrich’s aggressive style kept the sugar quotient down. Joan and Cliff Robertson were excellent.
Sam,
Thanks again for the shout out. First I am hearing about Lucille’s procedure. Here’s wishing your special lady a fast and successful recovery. Dorothy and I will be keeping her in our thoughts. I am a big fan of MR DEEDS, one of Capra’s greatest films and having the talented Jean Arthur in the film is a major bonus. It’s been many years since I have seen MR. SMITH so I will hold any thoughts on that.
I did catch five films this week…
The Shanghai Gesture (***1/2) an amazingly lurid, corrupt and wicked film to come out of Hollywood during the heyday of the Motion Picture Production Code. Late Von Sternberg is not completely successful but there is some nice photography and fantastic crane shot worthy of his best work.
A Place at the Table (***1/2) Powerful doc. About hunger in America. Despite the proliferation of Food Banks and other Charity Organizations hunger in America continues to grow while the Republicaion Congress refuses to do anything.
On the Bowery (***1/2) 1950’s doc. Focusing on the life of a series of men on skid row. Directed by Lionel Rogosin.
Showdown at Abilene (**1/2) – Minor 50’s western with Jock Mahoney, Martha Hyer and a young David Jansen. Predictable.
Torchy Blane in Chinatown (**) Slight though fortunately short film about extortion and murder with Glenda Farrell as the title character, a newspaper reporter who helps the police solve crimes. Forget it, it’s far from being “Chinatown.”
John—
Thanks very much for the concern and kind words. I do recall you posting a great review on MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN a while back. Looks like you enjoyed yet another great week watching movies, and that no doubt in tandem with the posting of photos. I did see ON THE BOWERY months back at the Film Forum, and while it is a mostly lauded documentary and stylistically it’s notable, it left me cold. I nearly saw A PLACE ON THE TABLE last week at the Landmark, but we opted for another film, but will see it soon, especially in view of your fond regard. I have not seen SHOWDOWN nor TORCHY, but your response makes it doubtful I will bother. I agree with every word you pose in assessing THE SHANGHAI GESTURE. John I see you have a terrific interview posted at TWENTY FOUR FRAMES and will be over there to check it out today. Many thanks as always and have a great week.
Sam,
Thank you for the mention.
I hope everything is going well with your wife. It does make everybody nervous and mere thought of the operation is upsetting. I guess all you can do for now is to relax and wait.
During the past weeks I saw;
FLIGHT (2012)
DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012)
FEMININE MELANCHOLY (NYONIN AISHU, 女人哀愁, 1937)
SONG OF THE FLOWER BASKET (HANAKAGO NO UTA, 花籠の歌, 1937)
FEMININE MELANCHOLY is the formula melodrama of the era starring Takako Irie, directed by Mikio Naruse. Even though it is filled with interesting location shootings, and very complex spatial layout of the heroine’s house, it is somewhat dated. SONG OF THE FLOWER BASKET does not fare well either. One of the most fascinating aspects of the film is that Shuji Sano and Chishu Ryu were playing college buddies in this film. Three years later, Ryu played the Sano’s father in Ozu’s THERE WAS A FATHER.
Though FLIGHT is far from being a masterpiece, Denzel Washington is still brilliant as an alcoholic captain, along with John Goodman. I was expecting more from Tarantino’s oblique Western, but it wasn’t as magical.
I am working on a post about memories, art and experience. I guess I will post it in a week or two.
Thank you.
MI
MI—
Thanks so much for the caring words, and for your steadfast support. As I have stated to others on this thread, I am jittery, but am well-aware this procedure is seen as very routine these days. I am greatly looking forward to your planned post about memories, art and experience! That sounds like a unique and profound examination, one that will surely stoke the interest of several WitD readers. I am assuming that SONG OF THE FLOWER BASKET like FEMININE MELANCHOLY is also by Naruse. I took in a relatively comprehensive Naruse Festival at the Film Forum back in 2005, and neither of these films were on the schedule. Your mediocre assessment might furnish the reason why both were left out, but because they are such rarities I would love to get the opportunity to check them out at some point, with your opinion well noted. Seeing Ryu and Sano of course is always a delight. I liked DJANGO UNCHAINED considerably more than you did, but there are a number of others at teh site here like you who also failed to decipher teh magic, and seem to feel it’s much of the same. I agree on FLIGHT in that Washington’s strong performance is more memorable than the film, which is more of a guilty pleasure. Thanks again my very good friend. Your comments here are always deeply appreciated. Have a great week!
Sam – I love the list of Irish themed movies you provided. Len and I celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary on St. Patrick’s Day — the day we eloped.
How doggone COOL that you watched the Metropolitan Opera via HD simulcast. We’ve never done that, but the idea of it is extremely appealing to me!
The photo of the Sistine Chapel you included is breathtaking!
Laurie—
A belated congratulations on that 35th wedding anniversary. Geez, Lucille and I are only about half way there. And the elopement of course is the most romantic method of all! Those Irish movies if properly negotiated would make St. Patty’s day a three month holiday! Ha! The Met HD schedule for next year really makes some appearances quite attractive. The only downer is that tickets for these movie theater showings are either $22 or $24 depending on the theater. In many ways these simulcasts are better than attending the Met. For one they are more intimate and much easier to follow the subs. Yes I was really dazzled by that Sistine Chapel photo!
Have a great week my friend, and best wishes to you and Len!
By the way, have anyone noticed how many people that have headaches and stress have increased from 119 to 127… lol
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dee Dee, I’m afraid those number are more apt to increase than decrease, sad to say.
Hello Sam,
I am writing to you from the road and in fact am working nights this week. I left home this morning and hope to return on Friday. This past weekend my wife went away to a conference so it was just the girls and I for about 3 days. We had lots of fun and took in the Kalamazoo St. Paddy’s Day Parade and also went to the local Maple Syrup Festival. It was a bit cold for sure, but we had lots of fun nonetheless.
Mungiu’s film looks really good and I’m glad to see you’ve had a very positive reaction to it. His 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 Days was a spellbinding work and a towering masterpiece. I am hoping to see this film during this upcoming year. This last week I took in a few re-viewings of some great films….The Match Factory Girl and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner….both wonderful films. I also caught Rossellini’s Fear with Ingrid Bergman, which was an interesting and atmospheric little film, but a film that’s probably only for fans of Bergman and Rossellini.
Even though I’m working nights I do hope to watch some films I brought with me….I will be watching Coriolanus, Drunken Angel, Prince of the City.
But this week march madness kicks into full gear so I’ll be watching lots of bball. My school Illinois plays on Friday so I will see if they’re able to pull out the win! Best wishes to you my friend! Have a great week!
Jon—
Your remarkable resiliency and eternal enthusiasm is an eternal delight, and I can’t thank you enough for your incomparablem support and friendship. Taking in the St. Patty’s Day parade and the Maple Syrup Festival with teh girls does sound like tons of fun! We’ve had some of that same cold, and just last night we were pummeled by yet another urly winter mess, with a few inches of show, followed by hail and rain. We woke up to icy slush and slippery sidewalks and roads. Old Man Winter just will not yield, even with the calendar announced the start of Spring. Yes, BBall is ready to launch and my 82 year-old father is very excited too. I agree that Mongiu’s past film is a masterpiece, and the new one pushes real close in my view. Both THE MATCH FACTORY GIRL and THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER are classics, and re-viewings only enhance them. You have some most interesting choice lined up for this week as well.
Thanks so much my very good friend! I hope you have a better week weather-wise!
Sam, here’s wishing all the best to Lucille and hoping everyone has a good week. I was interested in your list of Irish films (especially love ‘The Commitments’), which includes quite a few I haven’t seen – another good Irish-themed film which springs to mind is ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’ with James Cagney. I belatedly made it to the cinema this week to see ‘The Life of Pi’, which made a return visit to a local independent cinema – I liked it a lot (though I do like the book even more) and thought the cinematography was beautiful.
I’m also in pretty much full-on Sinatra obsession mode at the moment, listening to loads of his music, so watched two of his films – ‘Can-Can’, (1960) which I found a disappointing bore although he does have one great song in it, and the strange war-movie-cum-noir-cum-soap-opera ‘Kings Go Forth’ (1958), with tony Curtis and Natalie Wood. I mainly liked that one, although it is very uneven and I’m bewildered that they didn’t include Sinatra singing ‘Monique’ in the soundtrack! Also finally caught up with the last film in my R&H box set, ‘State Fair’, which I must admit I found rather disappointing – the songs aren’t up to their usual brilliance.
Judy—
Thanks as always for the concern and kind words! The Irish list of course will take quite a bit longer that the week of St. Patrick’s Day to negotiate, but there are some there I’d really like to see very soon. I have seen most of the films on the list, and completely agree with you on THE COMMITMENTS. I adore THE LIFE OF PI (I had it #2 on my year-end list) and agree that Claudio Miranda’s lensing is magnificent. I couldn’t resist picking up the blu-ray last week. This week the blus of ZERO DARK THIRTY and LES MISERABLES are available stateside as well. I also loved the moving “new age” story arc of PI (but unlike you did not read the novel) and that lovely score by Mychael Danna.
Ah, KINGS GO FORTH! Judy, just three months back I purchased Elmer Bernstein’s extraordinary score on the Kritzerland label of the film, which many musicologists rightly consider one of the celebrated composer’s finest. It led to my buying the DVD. The movie is passable, but the score trumps it easily. Agreed with you on CAN CAN, and like you I do have my big Sinatra periods. I have always felt his Capital years as the best. Didn’t see the Cagney SHAKE HANDS, and agree STATE FAIR is flat compared with the other great R & H films in that set.
Thanks as always my friend, and the packet was much appreciated! Have a great week!
Sorry I missed Monday but I was a bit busy. Not that I have too much to report. Apart from Takashi Miike’s remake of Harakiri (Sam’s already read my review) I watched mostly Hollywood stuff, not counting the “documentary” On the Bowery. Stark stuff if too scripted or structured to really count as documentary, and a harsh reminder of the depths to which people could sink even during a peak of national prosperity. On a lark I looked at a Buster Crabbe B-western (“B” may be generous), Gentlemen with Guns with Arbuckle and Keaton’s old crony Al St. John as the grizzled sidekick. All that’s worth saying about is that the stars have reasonable chemistry and Crabbe seems looser here than in his more famous work. Saw another of Warren William’s Perry Mason films, this one being Michael Curtiz’s Case of the Curious Bride and remain struck by how they differ from the TV show. My guess is that Warners saw these as an answer to M-G-M’s Thin Man movies and William played Mason with appropriate rascality. These Masons are fun stuff, added fun being provided here by Errol Flynn as a murder victim who appears only in flashback and doesn’t get any dialogue. Still paying his dues, I guess, before Captain Blood hit. Also saw The Struggle, DW Griffith’s notorious swan song, which was neither so bad as its contemporary detractors claimed nor as good as some later apologists argued. The old man was struggling to synthesize melodramatic narrative and a location-realism aesthetic and the results are hit or miss, increasingly the latter. Last but not least is Harry D’Abbadie D’Arrast’s Topaze, adapted for John Barrymore by Ben Hecht from a Marcel Pagnol original. Whatever Pagnol envisioned, the American film ends up one of the most breezily amoral Pre-Code comedies, as no one really pays for their misdeeds but a schoolboy — but I’ll have more to say about it on my blog.
We woke up this morning up here with the radio saying the snowstorm didn’t live up to forecasts, but it’s been coming down steadily ever since so we’ll see who has the last laugh. Here’s hoping things turn out better for everyone else.
Samuel—
We actually got more snow and sleet than they had predicted for this area, so your situation presents the reverse turn of events. in any event I think peopel are really wintered out and are hoping Spring will finally make an appearance. Hopefully at the time I am replying to you here (about 3:35 P.M.) everything in the Albany area is under control. Yes you penned a terrific essay at MONDO 70 on Miike’s film. And you also (like John Greco) provide an excellent capsule on the Bogosin documentary. Acute observations for sure. I hope to get another look at this at some point. You know you really have me interested in the Wareen Williams’ Perry mason films, since I was a fanatical fan of the television series in my younger days. Obsessive to a fault, watching it at 10:00 P.M. every night except Sunday when it wasn’t telecast. But the films have me intrigued! Want to see THE STRUGGLE and that Buster Crabbe feature as well. Thanks as always my friend! Have a great week.
Thanks Sam for the mention. And all the best for you wife’s surgery. I hope everything goes as per plan and that she has a quick & complete recovery. Yeah, so a new Pope got selected, even if, as you mentioned earlier, he’s far removed from the world he lives in. Good to know that you watched & liked Mungiu’s latest film, Beyond the Hills. Its a very good film alright, even if not at par with his earlier 4 Months 3 Weeks & 2 Days, or the anthology film Tales from the Golden Age, both of which I’d absolutely loved.
Anyway, here’s what I managed to see in the past week:
– Kaurismaki’s latest film, the delectable Le Havre. Got to see La Vie de Boheme where the protagonist had previously appeared
– A likeable & satirical but escapist & simplistic new Hindi release called Jolly LLB
– The brilliant & psychologically complex Yoshida film, The Affair
– Angelopoulos’ moving, lyrical & deeply political work, Suspended Step of the Stork
As always Shubhajit I much appreciate your concern and exceedingly kind words. The procedure rarely offers any kind of problems or complications, so we are going in with teh right frame of mind. Yes, the election of the pope seems to have pleased a number of people and he’s become quite the rock star worldwide. I loved Moniu’s latest film, and to be honest the subject matter is more to my interest than that brilliantly examined in the first film. I have not seem that anthology film yet, but you make it sound quite promising. Of the ones you have seen here I am most impressed with Yoshida’s masterful work. I have not seen the Hindi or the Angelopoulos to this point. Thanks again my friend! Have a great week!
Sam, I apologize for hopping on so late.
I’m quite jealous of your recent viewing of BEYOND THE HILLS. 4 MONTHS is one of my favorite films of the last decade or so, and I can’t wait to see this one.
Pretty quiet still on the movie-watching front. The only thing I saw this past week was Rossellini’s LA PAURA. Not top shelf Rossellini in my opinion but still worth a look for Bergman and some unique moments that only Rossellini could pull off. In fact, I’m thinking most of the next, few things I’ll see are a few of the gaps I’m filling in thanks to TCM’s spotlight on Rossellini this month.
Here’s to an awesome week, Sam! Thanks so much for all that you do.