FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
A shy actress (Kim Novak) named Elsa is recruited by a reclusive director (Peter Finch) to play the lead role in a biopic about his ex-wife, Bavarian movie star “Lylah Clare”, who died mysteriously some 20 years earlier. Soon Elsa begins acting more and more like Lylah, even imitating her deep, gravelly voice — but is she doomed to repeat Lylah’s fate?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Actors and Actresses
• Dick Miller Films
• Ernest Borgnine Films
• Hollywood
• Kim Novak Films
• Michael Murphy Films
• Peter Finch Films
• Possession
• Robert Aldrich Films
• Untimely Death

Review:
Robert Aldrich made a number of classic films — including Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) — during his 32-year career as a director, but this ill-conceived, horribly executed fiasco — his first film outside the studio system — exists squarely in the realm of “what was he thinking?” mishaps. While Peter Finch and Ernest Borgnine try their best with the insipid material (and fans of Coral Browne will undoubtedly enjoy her brief turn as a Louella Parsons-esque gossip columnist), the rest is an incomprehensible mess. The film’s one (potentially) redeeming quality is the level of camp it achieves through sheer ineptitude: whenever Elsa starts acting like a bitchy diva, for instance, her voice is inexplicably dubbed with a deep, gravelly, almost mannish German accent; unfortunately, while it’s hinted that Lylah may somehow be inhabiting Elsa’s body (conveniently enough, they look identical), it’s never made clear whether Elsa really is possessed, or is just doing a darn good imitation of her deceased doppelganger. By the time the utterly confusing denouement — involving a trapeze act and a dogfood commercial — rolls around, most viewers will no longer care enough to try to figure out what it all means.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Peter Finch as Lewis Zarkin
  
• Ernest Borgnine as a self-important Hollywood bigwig
  
• The campily constructed “flashback” scenes
  
• The truly awful, deep-voiced dubbing when Elsa is “possessed” by Lylah
  
• Some amusing dialogue: “You’re moving like a deeply offended Tibetan yak!”

Must See?
No. Although it has a small cult following, I can’t in good conscience recommend this mess as a “must see” for film fanatics.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Two female friends (Sandy Dennis and Anne Heywood) living on a farm find their idyllic existence interrupted by the arrival of a young man (Keir Dullea), who immediately falls for Heywood and wants to marry her.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Keir Dullea Films
• Lesbianism
• Love Triangle
• Sandy Dennis Films

Review:
Mark Rydell’s gorgeously rendered adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s 1923 novella posits an intriguing love triangle: two females (well played by Anne Heywood and the inimitable Sandy Dennis) who live and work together on a self-sustaining chicken farm, and a headstrong man (the “fox in the henhouse”) who shatters their seemingly idyllic partnership. While it’s widely regarded as a “lesbian film”, lesbianism is actually not addressed in The Fox until the end of the movie, and even then it’s tame; although the two women share the same bed — and it’s clear that Dennis is unhealthily dependent upon Heywood — we never see any overt sexual activity between them. Instead, the story is about more generalized sexual longing; we’re shown almost right away (in a racy bathroom masturbation scene) just how sexually unsatisfied Heywood is, and how much she may be willing to sacrifice for a chance at fulfillment.

Yet gratification in the form of male sexuality is posited as disruptive (and ultimately catastrophic) to their female existence; once Dullea’s character arrives on the farm (which belonged to his grandfather before the women took it over), tensions immediately develop, with Dennis viewing him simply as a brother-figure, but Heywood immediately recognizing her deep attraction to him. Interestingly, Dullea doesn’t merely hope to sleep with Heywood; in the story’s one anachronistic “flaw”, he demands her as his wife — a plot device which would make much more sense in the 1920s than in the 1960s.

While The Fox is a smart, well-acted character study for most of its running time, it’s marred by its notoriously melodramatic ending, when one of the women is made to pay dearly for her lesbian longings. This ending unfortunately frames the movie (for some) as simply another “homosexuals must pay for their sins” entry in 1960s cinema. Yet it’s worth watching on its own merits, and is certainly a must-see film for anyone devoted to D.H. Lawrence’s work — as well as those interested in how homosexuality was addressed on-screen during the 1960s.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Sandy Dennis as Jill
  
• Keir Dullea as Paul
  
• Anne Heywood as Ellen
  
• An effective portrayal of a sticky love triangle
  
• Beautiful cinematography of snowy landscapes
  

Must See?
Yes, for Dennis’s performance and for its historical notoriety.

Categories

• Historically Relevant
• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Ten years after a peaceful socialist revolution has taken place in the United States, women have still not achieved true equality. When a young black lesbian (Jean Satterfield) who has been agitating on behalf of the revolutionary Women’s Army dies in a prison cell, her female comrades take up arms.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Feminism and Women’s Issues
• Revolutionaries
• Science Fiction
• Terrorists

Review:
Independent filmmaker Lizzie Borden’s directorial debut — which took five years to shoot, on almost no budget — remains a thoughtful, controversial, decidedly unique sci-fi cautionary tale. Borden radically posits that not even a socialist revolution would eradicate gender inequalities; in her imagined future, it would still fall upon women (rather than the government) to protect one another and fight for equal rights. As a narrative, Born in Flames leaves much to be desired, but this is relatively easy to forgive given the remarkable imagery Borden dares to present: several strong, black, lesbian protagonists; butch females on the subway moving in immediately to protect a woman as she’s openly harassed by a man; a group of women riding up on bicycles to scare away a rapist; women taking collective action to fight for the right to keep their jobs. Like the best incendiary films, Born in Flames makes one think differently about life itself, and remains a powerful reminder of independent film’s potential to “subvert the dominant paradigm”.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Several strong black female protagonists
  
• A refreshing look at a society in which women pro-actively protect one other against harm
  

Must See?
Yes, as a one-of-a-kind, much-debated indie flick. Listed as a cult film in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Time Out Capsule
• TV Guide Capsule Review

Synopsis:
While on board a cruise ship, a woman (Jayne Mansfield) desperate to have a baby mistakenly believes that her secretly sterile husband (Tommy Noonan) has finally made her pregnant; after a drunken night of revelry with their married cabinmates (Mickey Hargitay and Marie McDonald), Noonan learns that his wife IS pregnant — but not by him!

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Infidelity
• Jayne Mansfield Films
• Play Adaptation
• Pregnancy

Review:
This infamous Jayne Mansfield vehicle holds a “special” place in cinematic history for its groundbreaking display of Mansfield’s “two best assets” in all their naked glory; unfortunately, the film itself — purportedly a light-hearted sex comedy — is a tedious, unfunny bore. As noted in Stuart Galbraith’s DVD Talk review, Promises! Promises! is “fascinating as film history and from a pop culture perspective but downright grueling as entertainment”. Surprisingly, Mansfield’s bosom is bared within the first few minutes of the film, leaving nothing for male admirers to wait anxiously for; director King Donovan (this was his only movie — thank goodness!) then flashes the same shots over and over again during “flashbacks”, but the effect is clearly strained.

For what it’s worth, the central premise of the film — Mansfield’s desperate desire to get pregnant, and the mix-up that ensues post-drunken hijinks — makes no sense either logically (Noonan’s character contracted the mumps while in the military, which would lead to sterility, NOT impotence — yet the entire film revolves around a doctor [Fritz Feld] trying to treat Noonan’s psychological insecurity) or scientifically (there is a certain cycle a woman’s body undergoes throughout the month, with only a small window of time available for conception — not that movies ever bother with this insignificant detail when it comes to on-screen pregnancies…). The only mildly amusing — and somewhat astonishing — aspect of the film is the inclusion of drag star T.C. Jones as an obviously gay male hairdresser aboard the cruise ship; he seems to be having fun with it all, particularly during a strange baby shower sequence when he dons a series of wigs and imitates, among others, Jayne Mansfield herself.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• T.C. Jones as “Babette”, the ship’s indubitably gay hairdresser
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look simply for its historical notoriety.

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
A successful coke dealer (Ron O’Neal) in Harlem decides to quit the business by making one final deal worth a million dollars — but his partner (Carl Lee) isn’t sure he’s ready to stop dealing.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• African Americans
• Drug Dealers
• New York City

Review:
Drenched in the sounds of a groovy Curtis Mayfield soundtrack, this enjoyable Blaxploitation flick (helmed by first-time director Gordon Parks, Jr.) received positive reviews upon its release, and has held up surprisingly well. These days, given Quentin Tarantino’s glorification of dealers and gangsters as hopelessly hip, it’s easy to accept Priest as a viable protagonist, someone we want to root for despite his questionable lifestyle. O’Neal — a stage-trained actor — has much to do with the film’s overall success; his performance is spot-on. While the story starts to lag about 2/3rds of the way through, the remainder of the scenes are shot with skill and energy, making this an exciting journey back to 1970s Harlem.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Ron O’Neal as Priest
  
• Effective use of gritty Harlem streets
  
• Nate Adams’ flamboyant ’70s outfits
  
• The Curtis Mayfield Experience performing “Pusherman”
  
• Several exciting action sequences
  
• The controversial “coke montage” (photographed by Gordon Parks, Sr.)
  
• The surprisingly satisfying ending
  
• Curtis Mayfield’s funky score

Must See?
Yes, for its status as a seminal Blaxploitation flick. Listed as a cult movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

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

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
An aging private eye (Art Carney) whose partner (Howard Duff) has just been killed is hired by a ditzy artist (Lily Tomlin) to find the man who stole her cat; soon he finds himself embroiled in a complex web of murder, infidelity, and blackmail.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Art Carney Films
• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Has-Beens
• Lily Tomlin Films
• Los Angeles
• Murder Mystery

Review:
Robert Benton’s second directorial feature gave veteran T.V. star Art Carney a plum role as detective Ira Wells, and allowed young Lily Tomlin to revel in her innate wackiness. The entire affair is essentially an homage to P.I. flicks of the ’40s and ’50s, with good use of diverse city locales, a host of dicey characters, and the presence of a MacGuffin (Tomlin’s cat). The primary reason to watch this good-hearted film, however, is for the lead performances by Carney and Tomlin, who are perhaps one of the oddest would-be romantic couples on-screen, and who perfectly represent the culture clash between ’40s old-school demeanor and ’70s New Age wackiness. Unfortunately, Benton’s plot is ultimately too convoluted for its own good, and prevents The Late Show from being essential viewing — but it’s still well worth a look.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Art Carney as Ira Wells
  
• Lily Tomlin as Margo Sperling
  
• Eugene Roche as Birdwell
  
• The amusing May-December rapport between Margo and Ira
  
• Good use of authentic L.A. locales
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A psychiatrist (Richard Widmark) at an upscale clinic decides it would be good therapy for his artistic patient (John Kerr) to create silk-screen designs for a set of new drapes — but the clinic’s controlling business manager, Miss Inch (Lillian Gish), wants to buy simple cotton drapes, while the psychiatrist’s neglected wife (Gloria Grahame) has more expensive ideas of her own. Meanwhile, Dr. McIver (Widmark) grows closer to his female co-worker (Lauren Bacall), while Grahame seeks attention from her husband’s alcoholic boss (Charles Boyer).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Charles Boyer Films
• Fay Wray Films
• Gloria Grahame Films
• Lauren Bacall Films
• Lillian Gish Films
• Marital Problems
• Oscar Levant Films
• Paul Stewart Films
• Psychotherapy
• Richard Widmark Films
• Susan Strasberg Films
• Vincente Minnelli Films

Review:
Vincente Minnelli’s widescreen, all-star melodrama — based on William Gibson’s bestselling novel — is a truly puzzling venture. While it seems impossible that any movie starring Richard Widmark, Gloria Grahame, Lauren Bacall, Lillian Gish, and Susan Strasberg (and taking place in a mental institute) could be a clunker, this one comes awfully close. Part of the problem stems from the format of the film itself, with the characters literally engulfed by the widescreen camera:

Equally problematic — and common to many ensemble films, especially those adapted from dense novels — is how underdeveloped each of the characters ultimately is, with none given enough screentime to truly shine. Bacall (a nominally “central” character) is especially underserved:

while Strasberg’s admittedly minor role as an inmate is so slight she barely registers.

Some have noted that the film’s very premise — curtains — is enough to push it into the realm of enjoyable camp:

but I failed to see it this way. Ultimately, The Cobweb is only worth seeing for the lead actors, who do their best with limited material.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Richard Widmark’s sympathetic turn as Dr. McIver
  
• Gloria Grahame as McIver’s neglected wife
  
• Charles Boyer as tippling Dr. “Dev”
  
• Fine cinematography and production values
  
  

Must See?
No; it’s unclear to me why this overstuffed melodrama has developed a latter-day following.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
During the Civil War, an upstanding young draft dodger (Barry Brown) escapes to Missouri with plans of heading west; he’s soon robbed by the leader (Jeff Bridges) of a gang of petty thieves, and finds himself joining their crew in order to survive.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Coming-of-Age
• Jeff Bridges Films
• Survival
• Thieves and Criminals
• Westerns

Review:
This unusual western — considered by many to be a true “sleeper” — was the directorial debut of Robert Benton, co-screenwriter for Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967). From the opening scenes of Bad Company, it’s clear that Benton is aiming here for a similarly “revisionist” view of America — one in which criminals aren’t always gun-toting villains dressed in black, and the difference between right and wrong is rarely clear. After all, the film’s likable protagonist (Brown) is a draft dodger, running away from his legal duty as an American citizen, and abetted in doing so by his ultra-Christian (!) parents, who are so distressed by the loss of their only other son to the war that they’ve adopted an alternative code of ethics.

At heart, Bad Company is a coming-of-age tale, with Drew (Brown) forced to confront his own values while under the influence of a charismatic leader (Bridges). What’s particularly fascinating is how readily Drew resists corruption, instead using his impressive wiles to stay autonomous despite nominally joining Bridges’ gang. To this end, the movie’s final controversial shot doesn’t quite ring true, but the entire journey until then — particularly thanks to the noteworthy performances by both Bridges and Brown, and Gordon Willis’s luminous cinematography — is well worth taking.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Barry Brown as Drew
  
• Jeff Bridges as Jake
  
• The fascinating opening sequence, as Union paddy wagons round up Civil War “deserters”
  
• The disturbing scene in which a settler prostitutes his willing wife
  
• Gordon Willis’s expansive cinematography
  
• Many well-observed details — such as a sheriff who insists on sitting in a rocking chair
  
• Harvey Schmidt’s funky solo piano score

Must See?
Yes; this sleeper is an all-around good show. Listed as a Sleeper, a Cult Movie, and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Good Show

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review (scroll down to second review)
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
When a widowed mouse named Mrs. Brisby (Elizabeth Hartman) enlists the help of some educated rats in moving her family to safe ground, she learns the secret of her husband’s death.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aldo Ray Films
• Animated Features
• Elizabeth Hartman Films
• Fantasy
• John Carradine Films
• Survival
• Talking Animals
• Widows and Widowers

Review:
The Secret of NIMH — based on the Newbery Award-winning young adult novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien — is the result of a decision by animators Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, and John Pomeroy to break away from Disney Studios and create their own independent studio. Their goal was to implement older, slower techniques — including airbrushed contact shadows and backlit animation — in hopes of evoking the “Golden age” of animation, and the visuals truly are gorgeous (see stills below). Unfortunately, however, the story itself — which deviates substantially from its source material — leaves much to be desired. I’ve seen the movie twice now, and each time have found my attention wandering about midway through; the narrative simply doesn’t sustain itself. Nonetheless, all film fanatics are sure to be curious about this historically important animation feature, and will want to watch it at least once.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Elizabeth Hartman as brave Mrs. Brisby
  
• Lovely animation
  
  
  

Must See?
Yes, simply for its importance in animation history.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• Moria Review
• Time Out Capsule Review