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Month: March 2008

Cimarron (1960)

Cimarron (1960)

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“Honey, there’s some things in this country a man has to do a woman just doesn’t understand — it’s different here!”

Synopsis:
After losing his chance to secure land during the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889, Yancey Cravat (Glenn Ford) and his new wife, Sabra (Maria Schell) decide to run a newspaper instead. While Yancey fights against injustice and struggles with his latent wanderlust, Sabra tries to provide the best life possible for her son, Cimarron (played at various ages by Ted Eccles, James Halferty, and Buzz Martin).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Anne Baxter Films
  • Anthony Mann Films
  • Glenn Ford Films
  • Maria Schell Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Mercedes McCambridge Films
  • Russ Tamblyn Films
  • Settlers
  • Westerns

Review:
Anthony Mann’s remake of Edna Ferber’s epic novel suffers from the same problem as its Oscar-winning predecessor — there’s simply too much story here to tell in a “mere” 2 1/2 hours. With that said, there are some notable improvements: Glenn Ford is a welcome (and far more realistic) alternative to hammy Richard Dix, and Maria Schell is equally fine as Ford’s adoring yet socially-conscious wife:

— a woman willing to make sacrifices for her pioneering husband, but only to a certain point. In addition, screenwriter Arnold Schulman does a nice job providing more of a realistic context for Yancey’s extended absences — indeed, both Yancey and Sabra are ultimately more three-dimensional characters this time around. Yet the story nonetheless suffers from an inability to keep us invested in the long-term outcome of their troubled marriage; Anne Baxter as rival love interest “Dixie Lee” fails to generate much interest:

… while Sabra’s compromised “triumph” at the end of the film is particularly unsatisfying. As in the original screen adaptation, the opening land rush sequence — filmed with even more gritty violence — remains the most exciting part of the movie.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Glenn Ford as Yancey Cravat
  • Maria Schell as Yancey’s long-suffering wife, Sabra
  • The exciting, unflinchingly brutal opening “land grab” scene

Must See?
No. This one’s only must see viewing for die-hard Anthony Mann fans.

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Cimarron (1931)

Cimarron (1931)

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“We’re going into new things, Sabe — a new empire. And I want to help build it for you!”

Synopsis:
Idealistic newspaper editor Yancey Cravat (Richard Dix) settles with his wife (Irene Dunne) in Oklahoma territory, where he fights against injustice and racism. But his wanderlust soon prompts him to seek new adventures, and he leaves his family behind for years at a time.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Historical Drama
  • Irene Dunne Films
  • Settlers
  • Westerns

Response to Peary’s Review:
This early screen adaptation of Edna Ferber’s novel — which Peary refers to as a “tiresome… soap-opera western epic” — remains notorious for its status as one of the first (and least deserving) Oscar winners for Best Picture. As Peary notes, it comes across today as “extremely dated”, and boasts “uniformly awful” acting — particularly by “matinee idol” Richard Dix, who “gives an unbearably hammy, deep-voiced” performance.

Although Peary gives faint praise to traces of “unexpected feminism” in the storyline (they’re faint indeed):

he inexplicably argues that this is “undermined by some racism” — an odd statement, given that Yancey’s fearlessly anti-racist stance is one of the film’s genuine redeeming factors. Another is the infamous opening “land rush” sequence, though it unfortunately establishes a standard of excitement which the remainder of the film can’t possibly live up to. The primary problem lies in the filmmakers’ daunting attempt to adapt an epic novel spanning 40 years: numerous life-changing events — including Yancey abandoning his family for years on end — are necessarily given short-shrift, and seriously compromise what could otherwise have been an insightful portrait of a pioneer marriage.

The rushed ending is particularly egregious, and makes little sense on any level.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • The impressive opening “land rush” scene
  • Yancey’s refreshingly anti-racist attitude:

    “If you knew anything at all … you’d realize that a Cherokee is too smart to put anything in the contribution box of a race that’s robbed him of his birthright.”

Must See?
Yes, but only for its historical status as an early Best Picture Oscar winner.

Categories

  • Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

Working Girls (1986)

Working Girls (1986)

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[Note: The following review is of a non-Peary title; click here to read more.]

“Make sure the client is completely comfortable before you take any money.”

Synopsis:
A Yale graduate (Louise Smith) works part-time in a Manhattan brothel while pursuing her dreams of a career in photography.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Feminism and Women’s Issues
  • Prostitutes and Gigolos

Review:
This follow-up to director Lizzie Borden’s auspicious debut film (1983’s Born in Flames) is a noticeable omission from Peary’s book, given that it’s ultimately even more successful than its heavy-handed predecessor. Twenty years after its release, Working Girls — a fictionalized “day in the life” docudrama — remains the most revealing and honest look at female prostitution ever committed to film, offering viewers a refreshingly de-glamorized glimpse into the day-to-day operations of a modern brothel. Through an array of diverse prostitutes and johns, we learn why young women may choose this lucrative yet socially denigrated profession; how they bond together to laugh behind the backs of their often-ridiculous clients; how they maintain cleanliness and efficiency in their “office”; how they ensure that their clients aren’t cops (johns are ordered to “get completely comfortable” — i.e., strip off all their clothing — before handing over money); and how there’s no honor among thieves when it comes to ambitious “pimps” like Madam Lucy (deliciously portrayed by Ellen McElduff). While Borden and Sandra Kay’s script is undeniably didactic at times, and the performances are mostly amateurish (Smith and McElduff stand out as the exceptions), it’s difficult not to get caught up in the lives of Molly and her motley co-workers.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Louise Smith as Molly
  • Ellen McElduff as “Madam Lucy”
  • Molly’s hilarious session with “Fantasy Fred”
  • A refreshingly unglamorized inside-glimpse at the world’s oldest profession

Must See?
Yes, as a one-of-a-kind original.

Categories

  • Good Show

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Dirty Harry (1971)

Dirty Harry (1971)

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“Now you know why they call me Dirty Harry: every dirty job that comes along…”

Synopsis:
A rugged police detective (Clint Eastwood) in San Francisco tries to capture a deranged serial killer (Andrew Robinson), but finds his efforts thwarted by bureaucratic heavies, including the city’s mayor (John Vernon) and D.A. (Josef Sommer).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Cat-and-Mouse
  • Clint Eastwood Films
  • Detectives and Private Eyes
  • Don Siegel Films
  • Serial Killers
  • Vigilantes

Review:
Touted by many reviewers upon its release as simply a fascist’s fantasy (its original title was Dead Right), Dirty Harry has largely transcended its initial political pigeonholing to become a certified cult favorite, with several sequels in its wake (all listed in Peary’s book as “must see”). Eastwood basically reprises the persona he crafted in so many other films (most specifically Sheriff Walt Coogan in Coogan’s Bluff) as yet another laconic, no-nonsense “Male” who refuses to compromise his philosophy of “getting the job done” at any price; many of his sneering lines — “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” — have gone down in cinematic history.

While it’s unfortunate, as many reviewers have pointed out, that Harry’s superiors are painted as such one-dimensional nincompoops, and that his nemesis, “Scorpio”, is basically a distillation of every right-winger’s nightmare (longish hair, indeterminate sexuality, an ironic peace symbol on his buckle), ultimately Dirty Harry should be seen and enjoyed as simply a well-crafted cat-and-mouse police procedural. To this end, director Don Siegel makes excellent use of diverse San Francisco locales, and infuses his action scenes with a nice blend of tension and humor. My favorite early vignette has Harry pulled off the street to help talk a suicidal man down from a rooftop; his ability to do so within the space of five minutes, then walk away without being shown much gratitude, goes a long way towards establishing Harry as the independent, under-valued “doer” he remains throughout the rest of the film. “Dirty Harry”, indeed: “every dirty job that comes along” does seem to be his for the taking.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Effective use of San Francisco locales
  • Harry “talking” a suicidal man off a roof
  • Countless now-classic lines and scenarios:

    “You’ve got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”

Must See?
Yes, for its status as a cult favorite. Listed as a film with Historical Importance, a Cult Movie, and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

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