FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
A young man (Martin LaSalle) becomes addicted to pickpocketing as a way of life, much to the distress of his concerned friends (Marika Green and Pierre Leymarie).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Character Studies
• French Films
• Robert Bresson Films
• Thieves and Criminals

Review:
While most reviews and analyses of this Crime and Punishment-inspired character study by Robert Bresson are adulatory, DVD Savant’s take rings the truest to me. He argues that “Bresson’s deliberately intellectual approach is going to be a long reach for all but the most dedicated and focused audiences”, and he humorously notes that the primary actors — infamously directed by Bresson to not act — all “have a slightly glazed look in their eyes, like Pod people not quite comfortable in human bodies”, moving “as if it took a conscious act of will to do simple things like turn around or look in a certain direction”. Indeed, while LaSalle is effectively enigmatic for about the first ten minutes of the film, his mannerisms (an intense yet empty gaze; a tendency to look down at the floor, then glance back up again) quickly become not only tiresome but downright irritating.

Meanwhile, it’s devilishly difficult to care at all for his Raskolnikov-inspired character, who we’re purposely emotionally distanced from — given that he (and all the other characters) “behave in a way that expresses nothing beyond the exact words they say and things they do”. To that end, the most useful advice I’ve read about Bresson’s films is to view them more like graphic novels than filmed theatrical dramas; Bresson was aiming for “pure cinema”, and believed this was the best artistic direction to take. While Pickpocket is cited by many as Bresson’s masterpiece, however, I would argue that his earlier Diary of a Country Priest (1951) is the film in which his ascetic directorial style is best served. And for a much more engaging look at the “art” of pickpocketing, check out Sam Fuller’s vigorously anarchic Pickup on South Street (1953) — a truly enjoyable “must see” classic.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• The remarkably tense opening pickpocket sequence (at the racetrack)
  

Must See?
Yes, simply for its historical relevance; but it won’t be for all tastes. Listed as a film with Historical Importance and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Historically Relevant
• Important Director

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

• IMDb entry
• Slant Magazine Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Q Network Review
• Combustible Celluloid Capsule Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A mysterious guest (Terence Stamp) at an Italian villa provokes erotic desire in all its inhabitants — including the mother (Silvana Mangano), the father (Massimo Girotti), the teenage son and daughter (Andres Jose Cruz Soublette and Anne Wiazemsky), and their maid (Laura Betti).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Bourgeois Society
• Catalysts
• Italian Films
• Pier Paolo Pasolini Films
• Sexuality
• Terence Stamp Films

Review:
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s enigmatic religio-political allegory (is Stamp a Christ figure, an emissary of the dark side, or a quietly liberating revolutionary?) falls squarely within his unique oeuvre of audaciously provocative films. Little overtly “happens” in Teorema, and even less is said; most of the film’s sparse dialogue occurs midway through the narrative, as each character reflects on how Stamp’s arrival has changed them, and the impact his imminent departure will have upon them (with responses ranging from “You’ve simply destroyed the idea I’ve always had of myself.” to “You have filled my life with a total, real interest.”). Otherwise, the bulk of the screenplay is filled with surprisingly chaste erotic encounters, and bouts of personal crisis — the most intriguing of which is Betti’s emergence as some sort of village saint. As Dan Callahan notes in his review for Slant Magazine, “It’s all very grand and vague and shapeless, filmed better than most of Pasolini’s movies, but indulgent and fairly meaningless”; DVD Savant accurately asserts that “viewers will need to already be riding Pasolini’s specific philosophical wavelength to appreciate it — for most it will be a slow and uninvolving experience.” Featuring a weird, often incongruous score by Ennio Morricone.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Effective cinematography and lighting
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look simply for its historical importance. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
A headstrong widow (Gene Tierney) develops an unusual relationship with the ghost (Rex Harrison) haunting her new seaside house.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Anna Lee Films
• Gene Tierney Films
• Ghosts
• Historical Drama
• Joseph L. Mankiewicz Films
• Natalie Wood Films
• Rex Harrison Films
• Romance
• Sailors
• Star-Crossed Lovers
• Widows and Widowers

Review:
Made during a decade replete with supernatural fantasies — including Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), A Guy Named Joe (1943), The Canterville Ghost (1944), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), A Matter of Life and Death / Stairway to Heaven (1946) and Portrait of Jennie (1948), among many others — The Ghost and Mrs. Muir remains one of the best of the bunch. Gene Tierney gives a mature and heartfelt performance in the title role as a widow and single mother determined to survive on her own; her romance with Harrison emerges naturally and gradually, alongside their respectful “working relationship”. Indeed, Philip Dunne’s nuanced screenplay — based on a novel by R.A. Dick — effectively weaves feminist issues into period romance, deftly incorporating a love triangle (George Sanders is nicely cast as a dubiously motivated author attracted to Tierney) and a number of plot twists along the way. Perhaps most satisfying is the fact that we’re led to wonder whether Tierney’s belief in Harrison’s presence — is he “real”, or a figment of her imagination? — might simply be a function of her loneliness and desire for “true love” at last; I’ll buy that as a compelling premise for a ghost story any day. Haunting cinematography, fine period sets, and Bernard Herrmann’s lovely score all contribute to making Mrs. Muir a surprisingly enjoyable minor classic.

Note: Nearly all reviews give away major spoilers, so if you haven’t seen it yet, be forewarned.

Note: Watch for Natalie Wood in a small role as Lucy’s young daughter, Anna.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Gene Tierney as Lucy Muir
  
• Rex Harrison as Captain Daniel
  
• Charles Lang’s cinematography
  
• Fine period detail and sets
  
• Philip Dunne’s romantic screenplay
  
• Bernard Herrman’s score

Must See?
Yes, as a most unusual and satisfying supernatural romance.

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

Categories

• Genuine Classic

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review (spoiler alert)
• DVD Savant Review (spoiler alert)
• Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review

Synopsis:
The daughter (Jean Parker) of an American businessman (Eugene Pallette) falls in love with the destitute owner (Robert Donat) of a Scottish castle, which is haunted by Donat’s doomed ancestor (also Donat).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cross-Class Romance
• Elsa Lanchester Films
• Ghosts
• Heiresses
• Jean Parker Films
• Mistaken Identities
• Rene Clair Films
• Robert Donat Films

Review:
Rene Clair’s first English-language film (produced by Alexander Korda) was the highest grossing film of the year in Great Britain, and received glowing reviews from the New York Times, which labeled it “gay, urbane and brilliantly funny”. These days, however, it pales somewhat in comparison with Jules Dassin’s superior The Canterville Ghost (1944) — also about a ghost doomed to haunt his castle until he’s able to commit a specific deed. In this case, Donat’s “Murdoch Glourie” — killed while kissing a lass rather than paying attention to a battle — must avenge his family’s honor against a rival clansman; meanwhile, Jean Parker’s sweet Peggy Martin falls for the modern-day (“real”) Donat, though mistaken-identity plot complications ensue (naturally) when Parker believes the ghostly Murdoch is merely Donat dressing up.

The script also incorporates some rather pointed barbs about American mores, as Pallette’s blustery millionaire arranges to have Donat’s castle shipped over to America brick by brick (!), and engages in petty one-upmanship with a business rival over “ownership” of the castle’s ghost.

Donat — whose Scottish accent noticeably slips in and out — is appropriately handsome and charming as the lady-loving Murdoch, but rather bland and forgettable when playing his modern-day heir, Donald; Murdoch should have been given more screentime. While it holds some historical interest given its enormous popularity, this one is no longer must-see viewing for all film fanatics.

Note: Elsa Lanchester is sadly underused in a tiny role as a paranormal enthusiast showing up for dinner during the film’s final climactic scene. Was this meant merely as a cameo?

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Robert Donat as Murdoch Glourie
  
• Atmospheric sets
  

Must See?
No, unless you’re a fan of the ghostly genre.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A sociology professor (Steve Allen) under fire for corrupting his students (including Mamie Van Doren) is investigated by an inquisitive journalist (Jayne Meadows).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• College
• Elisha Cook Jr. Films
• Falsely Accused
• Herbert Marshall Films
• Journalists
• Mamie Van Doren Films
• Morality Police
• Professors

Review:
Albert Zugsmith directed and produced this tepid exploitation flick meant to capitalize on both the success of 1958’s High School Confidential (also co-starring Mamie Van Doren) and the era’s infamous Kinsey Reports. Unfortunately, Irving Shulman’s screenplay tries so hard to be sensationalistic that it comes across more like a loosely focused series of vignettes than a compelling narrative. Numerous characters — including Elisha Cook, Jr. as van Doren’s irate father:

Pamela Mason as Allen’s jealous fiancee, Herbert Marshall as Allen’s sympathetic supervisor, and Ziva Rodann as a lusty “foreign” bombshell with the hots for Allen — are introduced for a scene or two, then disappear completely from the story; meanwhile, the identity of the person “framing” Allen is patently obvious to anyone half paying attention. The dialogue throughout is laughably campy (“Now I’m going to shock you good people even more than before: I’m going to reveal the source books of my questions — first of all, the Bible itself”), and while Zugsmith aims for stylistic creativity in his direction:

… it’s often simply clumsy — as when he positions the camera from inside a refrigerator for a lengthy scene, or awkwardly shifts perspective time and again during van Doren’s heated argument with her father and mother. According to TCM‘s article, Allen apparently signed on to this project thinking he was giving himself a rare non-comedic role to bite into; little did he know that he would instead be starring in what Peary refers to as a “camp classic”.

Note: While College Confidential is no great shakes as entertainment, it’s infinitely more watchable than the other college-themed Mamie Van Doren film Zugsmith directed and produced (later that same year): the utterly abysmal Sex Kittens Go to College (1960).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Some amusingly campy dialogue:
  

  “Have I ever stopped you from being strong and silent?”

Must See?
No. Listed as a Camp Classic in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review (spoiler alert)
• TCM Underground Article

Synopsis:
A war hero (Humphrey Bogart) investigates the mysterious death of his buddy (William Prince), who was accused of murdering the husband of his lover (Lizabeth Scott).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Amateur Sleuths
• Femmes Fatales
• Flashback Films
• Humphrey Bogart Films
• John Cromwell Films
• Lizabeth Scott Films
• Veterans

Review:
Dead Reckoning is often dismissed as merely one of Humphrey Bogart’s “lesser” noirs — perhaps due to the presence of Lizabeth Scott (in lieu of Lauren Bacall) as Bogie’s femme fatale love interest, or perhaps due to its meandering storyline (scripted by no less than five authors), which occasionally lacks focus. Yet director John Cromwell and cinematographer Leo Tover do a fine job establishing an atmosphere of tension and intrigue throughout, and there’s enough deliciously hardboiled dialogue (“Stalled again — like a jeep on synthetic gas.”) to keep fans of the genre happy. Meanwhile, Bogart is as dependable as ever, and husky-voiced Scott isn’t nearly as bad as some reviews would lead you believe. While it’s not must-see viewing, Dead Reckoning is certainly recommended for one-time viewing.

Note: Be sure to check out David Sterritt’s insightful analysis of the film for TCM.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Humphrey Bogart as Rip Murdock
  
• Lizabeth Scott as Dusty Chandler
  
• Fine noir cinematography
  
• Plenty of hardboiled dialogue:
  

  “Maybe she was all right; maybe Christmas comes in July.”

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Film Noir of the Week Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review