Dragnet (1954)
“Why does the law always work for the guilty?”
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Serpico (1973)
“Who can trust a cop who don’t take money?”
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Director Sidney Lumet and DP Arthur Ornitz make impressive use of seemingly countless (actually 104) New York locales — and while Mikis Theodorakis’s invasive, maudlin score mars many scenes, the film is still worth a one-time look. Note: Check out this 2010 New York Times docu-short in which the real Frank Serpico comments on the film, and we’re updated about his current life. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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St. Martin’s Lane / Sidewalks of London (1938)
“There ain’t no justice and there ain’t no logic; the world ain’t made that way.”
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Leigh’s character, on the other hand, is intentionally hard to sympathize with — though she redeems herself nicely by the end and is certainly no villain.
Refreshingly, Laughton’s romantic interest in Leigh only occurs after they’ve lived (platonically) and worked together for awhile; until then, he maintains appropriately paternal/brotherly affection for her. Fine period detail and stark cinematography make this tale visually appealing, but it’s only must-see for fans of Leigh or Laughton, or those interested in pre-WWII busking culture. Note: The storyline has strong parallels with A Star is Born (1937), given Laughton’s “fall from [relative] grace” while Leigh’s star is rising. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Man of Aran (1934)
“It is a fight from which he will have no respite until the end of his indomitable days, or until he meets his master — the sea.”
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… and a pivotal scene — when a group of fishermen spend two days capturing a shark — was staged after teaching the participants how to carry out this survival skill of their recent ancestors. With all that said, Man of Aran remains an undeniably striking film, and accomplishes its goal of demonstrating how challenging it can be for humans to exist in less-than-convenient geographic locations.
While not must-see, film fanatics will likely be curious to check this title out at least once — and if you do, be sure to follow up immediately by watching the essential 1976 documentary How the Myth Was Made (included on the DVD), in which a filmmaker tracked down the original actors and crew and learned how the film impacted the tiny island community (primarily in terms of tourism, it turns out).
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Stepfather, The (1987)
“All we need is a little order around here.”
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John Lindley’s cinematography perfectly captures the dichotomy between O’Quinn’s desired pastel Americana (complete with a home-made bird house, Thanksgiving turkey, and block party):
and the darker recesses of his sick psyche; meanwhile, director Joseph Ruben handles the entire narrative with tension and expert pacing, producing some genuinely freaky scenes. While not quite a gem like its Hitchcockian inspirations, this horror-thriller deserves its status as an ’80s cult flick, and is worth a revisit every now and then. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Murder, My Sweet / Farewell, My Lovely (1944)
“A black pool opened up at my feet again, and I dived in.”
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Response to Peary’s Review: While the storyline is dense (typical for Chandler) and requires concentration (or perhaps multiple viewings) to fully absorb, I agree with Peary that Murder, My Sweet remains a highly effective, well-acted, atmospheric noir. Powell is a stand-out:
… but the rest of the supporting cast is excellent as well, most notably the ever-reliable Claire Trevor, “coming across as sexy as Lana Turner”:
… and Mike Mazurki as “huge ex-con Moose Malloy”.
Meanwhile, Esther Howard gives a fine “cameo” performance as a boozy informant, remarkably similar to her turn several years later in Born to Kill (1947).
Perhaps the true co-star of the show, however, is Harry J. Wild’s cinematography (see stills below), augmented by Vernon L. Walker’s “special effects for the memorable scene in which the drugged Marlowe has hallucinations”. Remade in 1975 as Farewell, My Lovely with Robert Mitchum, but this earlier version is much better. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Links: |
Phantom Lady (1944)
“Don’t you realize this can result in an awful long rest cure for you?”
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… Siodmak keeps us guessing about who each of the primary characters are, what role they may eventually play in the mystery (or not), and who’s ultimately behind the murder of a character only seen post-mortem in a glamorous portrait a la Laura (1944) (released later that same year).
We are eventually let down by the unsubtle inclusion of a character whose deluded state of mind is far too transparent, and whose performance edges into campy territory. However, expressionistic cinematography and memorable sets make the film a consistent visual treat, and the central mystery — who IS that phantom lady, and why was she so determined to keep her identity a secret? — builds to a nice reveal. Watch for a truly deranged Elisha Cook, Jr. playing a cartoonishly lustful drummer:
… and Carmen Miranda’s sister Aurora as a performer literally seething at the idea of another woman wearing one of her designer hats.
Note: Leading man Alan Curtis plays a radically different — and much more sympathetic — character here than in High Sierra (1941), where he was cast as Lupino’s abusive boyfriend ‘Babe’; he’s also known for his leading role as a paratrooper in Douglas Sirk’s Hitler’s Madman (1943). Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Forever and a Day (1943)
“Americans haven’t much feeling for old houses, have they?”
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Review: The next, much more light-hearted vignette centers around a woman (Jesse Matthews) eager to convince her iron-mining husband (Ian Hunter) to install a bathtub in their house; this is eventually completed by Buster Keaton and Cedric Hardwicke, with Charles Laughton on hand as a tippling butler. Generations pass (with Anna Lee, Edward Everett Horton and Cecil Kellaway quickly flitting across the screen), and we watch Ida Lupino’s Cockney housemaid desperate to gain a glimpse of the Diamond Jubilee as it crosses the streets of London. She’s whisked away to America by her lover (Brian Aherne), and thus begins the American branch of the extended family. Eventually we come to World War I and the saddest of all the stories, as we’re solidly reminded that this film was made during a time of unimaginable death and uncertainty. An American soldier (Robert Cummings) arrives at the (now boarding) house and instantly falls for its beautiful manager (Merle Oberon); meanwhile, as a giddy maid (Elsa Lanchester) flits about, a stoic couple (Roland Young and Gladys Cooper) wait patiently for the arrival of their heroic son… Their understated performances are shattering. As the film closes during the present era and an air raid rocks the house, we get a final glimpse of Winston Churchill on the wall — a solid visual presence behind the entire narrative of American-British alliance: “Let Us Go Forward Together”. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Criminal Code, The (1931)
“An eye for an eye: that’s the basis and foundation of the criminal code. Somebody’s got to pay!”
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Pyx, The (1973)
“You’re going to help me achieve a miracle.”
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Review: Note: This film’s more colorful video-release title was The Hooker Cult Murders. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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