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Synopsis:
When a wealthy teen named Val (Merrie Spaeth) develops a mad crush on womanizing pianist Henry Orient (Peter Sellers), she and her new friend Gil (Tippy Walker) pursue him all around New York, repeatedly disrupting his plans to seduce a nervous married woman (Paula Prentiss); their fun is over, however, when Val’s philandering mother (Angela Lansbury) returns to town, and Val and Gil catch her pursuing Orient herself.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Angela Lansbury Films
• Coming-of-Age
• Friendship
• George Roy Hill Films
• Infidelity
• Musicians
• New York City
• Obsessive Love
• Oscar Levant Films
• Paula Prentiss Films
• Peter Sellers Films
• Womanizers

Review:
This unique coming-of-age tale — based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Nora Johnson — is a true delight from start to finish. Featuring sparkling performances by its two unknown leads (Merrie Spaeth and Tippy Walker) and a marvelously droll turn by Peter Sellers (whose character was apparently modeled after Oscar Levant), The World of Henry Orient perfectly captures the hyper compulsion of teenage female friendship. Val and Gil’s rapport together is inspired: each time they turn to give each other a meaningful gaze, one wants to erupt in laughter (particularly given Val’s awkwardly orthodontized mouth — it’s easy to see why Orient views this adolescent cyborg as monstrous!). And they’re so deliciously smart (Val in particular) that it’s a true joy to listen to them as they discuss their dreams and passions.

Other than its marvelous performances, the magic of Henry Orient lies in director George Roy Hill’s skill at merging humor with genuine compassion for teenage angst. Given how little control children have over the direction of their lives (Val, truly a “poor little rich girl”, is shipped from one place to the next, never experiencing a “real home”), it’s no wonder they develop the type of complex, baroque fantasies presented here — which, significantly, Val and Gil recognize as merely make-believe, but most of the adults around them imbue with cynical fear. Ironically, Val’s rich-bitch of a mother (Lansbury is perfectly cast) takes the girls’ crush on Orient and turns it into a devastatingly real situation — one which acts as the film’s final catalyst before its bittersweet ending.

P.S. The wonderful supporting performances in Henry Orient deserve mention, with Paula Prentiss earning special kudos for her comedic role as nervous Mrs. Dunnworthy, Tom Bosley providing indelible proof of why he was cast as “Mr. C.” in Happy Days, and Phyllis Thaxter emerging as one of cinema’s ultimate “cool” moms.

P.P.S. See this fun website — NotStarring.com — for a list of actors who were considered for the lead roles (including Hayley Mills, Patty Duke, Dick van Dyke, and Tony Randall).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Peter Sellers as arrogant Henry Orient
  
• Merrie Spaeth as Val
  
• Tippy Walker as Gil
  
• Paula Prentiss as the perennially nervous Stella Dunnworthy
  
• Angela Lansbury as Val’s bitchy, promiscuous mother
  
• Tom Bosley as Val’s understanding dad
  
• Phyllis Thaxter as Gil’s kind mom
  
• Jane Buchanan in a tiny but unforgettable role as the girl on the bus who knowingly informs Gil that Val is seeing a psychiatrist
  
• A wonderfully authentic portrait of teenage female friendship
  
• Henry Orient performing an atonal piano concerto while audience members cringe
  
• Good use of New York locales
  
• Creative direction by George Roy Hill
  
• Nora and Nunnally Johnson’s remarkably clever and informed screenplay
  
• Elmer Bernstein’s score

Must See?
Yes. This one is a true gem, and shouldn’t be missed by any film fanatic. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Cult Movie
• Good Show
• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• DVD Savant Review

Synopsis:
While spending the summer at the beach in Normandy, a beautiful young divorcee (Arielle Dombasle) and her 14-year-old cousin Pauline (Amanda Langlet) become involved in complex romantic entanglements.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Coming-of-Age
• Eric Rohmer Films
• French Films
• Romantic Comedy
• Vacation

Review:
After completing his cycle of “Six Moral Tales” (which ended with 1972’s Chloe in the Afternoon), French New Wave director Eric Rohmer embarked on a new cinematic series entitled “Comedies and Proverbs”; Pauline at the Beach is the third of these six films. A surprisingly breezy sex farce with an undercurrent of philosophical contemplation, Pauline… remains one of Rohmer’s most enjoyable and accessible outings — indeed, it was enormously successful upon its release in America (thanks in part, no doubt, to a poster depicting sexy Arielle Dombasle in a close-cut bathing suit). As usual in Rohmer’s low-budget films, the narrative consists primarily of long shots with characters conversing, and not many “action” scenes; the emphasis instead is on exploring the diverse ways in which humans approach sex and love, and how this inevitably leads to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. The final exchange in the movie — between Pauline (wonderfully played by the worldly-wise Amanda Langlet) and Marion (Dombasle) — reveals that Marion will likely continue to delude herself in affairs of the heart, while Pauline has learned some valuable lessons from the adults around her on how not to approach romance.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Amanda Langlet as Pauline
  
• Arielle Dombasle as Pauline’s sexy but clueless cousin, Marion
  
• Feodor Atkine as womanizing Henry
  
• An effective look at females of different ages struggling to understand love and sex
  
• Pauline reacting to Henry’s “innocent” caresses
  

Must See?
Yes. This surprisingly light-hearted romantic comedy is one of Rohmer’s most enjoyable movies, and should be seen by all film fanatics.

Categories

• Important Director

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Movie Diva Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A detective (Charles McGraw) escorting a gangster’s widow (Marie Windsor) on a cross-country train tries to protect her from ruthless assassins.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Hit Men
• Marie Windsor Films
• Mistaken or Hidden Identities
• Richard Fleischer Films
• Widows and Widowers

Review:
Richard Fleischer’s Oscar-nominated The Narrow Margin is widely regarded as one of the best B-noirs ever made. At just 71 minutes, the story moves quickly, making effective use of claustrophobic locales (most of the action takes place on a rattling train), mistaken identities (hardly anyone is who he/she seems to be), and hardboiled characterizations (McGraw and Windsor are both perfectly cast). While there are some minor plot discrepancies — which can’t be discussed without revealing spoilers — they’re easily excused, given that they don’t detract from the overall urgency of the narrative. I watched The Narrow Margin years ago, but had (conveniently) forgotten the central plot twist, and found it just as enjoyable the second time around. Highly recommended.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Gravelly-voiced Charles McGraw as Detective Brown
  
• Marie Windsor as the irrepressible Mrs. Neall
  
• Paul Maxey in a bit role as Mr. Jennings: “Nobody loves a fat man — except his grocer and his tailor.”
  
• Creative cinematography and direction
  
• Plenty of zingy dialogue:
  

  Detective Brown: You make me sick to my stomach.
  Mrs. Neall: Well, use your own sink!

• Earl Felton’s Oscar-nominated screenplay — taut, crisp, never lagging

Must See?
Yes. This well-received B-thriller is an all-around good show.

Categories

• Good Show
• Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Noir of the Week Review
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
When an Australian mining company tries to conduct geological tests on sacred land, Aborigines stage a protest, and their struggle soon goes to court.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Australian Films
• Mining Towns
• Native Peoples
• Race Relations and Racism
• Werner Herzog Films

Review:
Iconoclastic German director Werner Herzog remains somewhat unique in his lifelong commitment to making both narrative and documentary films — with significant overlap between the two. Indeed, Where the Green Ants Dream is a classic example of Herzog’s refusal to draw a fine line between fiction and reality, with the titular Aboriginal “myth” created out of whole cloth by Herzog himself. Unfortunately, Green Ants’ title remains the most creative thing about it: the screenplay is stilted and overly sincere, the acting is fairly awful, and, despite its compelling subject matter, the movie as a whole fails to engage. This one is only for true Herzog fans.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Striking imagery of Australian Aborigines refusing to deviate from their long-held beliefs
  
• Many typically Herzog-ian panning shots of vast landscapes
  

Must See?
No. As one of Herzog’s more self-indulgent films, this will likely only be of interest to true fans of his work. Listed as a Sleeper and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
A Mayan creation myth accompanies footage shot by Werner Herzog in the Sahara Desert and other parts of Africa.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Africa
• Deserts
• German Films
• Werner Herzog Films

Review:
Fata Morgana — named after a Sicilian mirage believed to be caused by fairies — is perhaps Werner Herzog’s most representative early work, clearly displaying his fascination with landscapes, diverse humans, and moments of unexpected quirkiness. Unfortunately, while it’s lauded by nearly every critic as an experimental masterpiece (Time Out calls it “brilliantly original, utterly haunting”), I find Fata Morgana to be three parts emperor’s clothing to one part enigmatic vision. Herzog originally set out to create a science fiction story, but abandoned this idea and ended up editing his footage into a three-part “creation story” — Creation, Paradise, and The Golden Age — which doesn’t really reveal much about any of these three topics. Instead, in characteristic Herzog-ian fashion, he seems primarily concerned with aiming his camera at random images, then holding it there for far longer than convention would imply; sometimes this works, but more often it’s simply tedious. Listening to Herzog’s commentary on the DVD illuminates much of what was going on in his mind while shooting and editing the film — but without these insights, it’s difficult to maintain interest even for 79 minutes; the images in Fata Morgana will remain with you, but the “story” — such as it is — won’t.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Some trippy desert mirages
  
• Disturbing shots of desiccated cattle strewn across the sand
  
• The truly odd closing shots of a pimp and a madam performing in a brothel
  
• Many striking images of desert landscapes and peoples
  
  
  
  
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look simply for its place in cinematic history. Listed as a Personal Recommendation and a film with historical importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
A wealthy socialite named Susan (Joan Crawford) “finds God” while vacationing in Europe, and uses her newfound religious convictions as an excuse to meddle in her friends’ affairs; meanwhile, her tippling husband (Fredric March) and awkward teenage daughter (Rita Quigley) hope that Susan will decide to settle down into family life.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Fredric March Films
• George Cukor Films
• Joan Crawford Films
• Marital Problems
• Play Adaptation
• Religious Faith

Review:
Anita Loos’ adaptation of Rachel Crothers’ stage play (originally starring Gertrude Lawrence as Susan) gave Joan Crawford one of her most unusual vehicles, playing a self-absorbed woman who one IMDb poster has accurately labeled “Crystal Allen on speed”. Susan’s new religion — based on Frank Buchman’s Oxford Group, which inspired the 12-step movement — requires converts to freely confess their “sins”, a fact which Susan’s eternally hopeful husband (a rather bland Fredric March) uses to force her into acknowledging her own shortcomings as a wife and mother. Crawford is perfectly cast as Susan — all grandiose arm spans and mile-a-minute monologues — and, naturally, completely overshadows her co-stars; while her character isn’t particularly likable (and it’s difficult to see why March is still so in love with her), her sheer level of energy and enthusiasm is impressive. The second hour isn’t nearly as engaging as the first, and the stagy narrative goes on for too long altogether; but Susan and God remains an intriguing entry in Crawford’s oeuvre, and is worth a look for her performance alone.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Joan Crawford as Susan
  
• Adrian’s occasionally stunning, sometimes gaudy, often distracting, but always inimitably unique gowns
  
• Clever dialogue
  

  March: “You’re an awfully pretty woman.
  Leonora (Rita Hayworth): “Aren’t you nice…”
  March: “Not very.”

Must See?
No, though it’s recommended simply for Crawford’s performance.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• TV Guide Review

Synopsis:
College student Stanley Sweetheart (Don Johnson) explores sex, drugs, and underground filmmaking in New York.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• College
• Counterculture
• New York City
• Sexuality

Review:
Based on Robert T. Westbrook’s semi-autobiographical novel, this counterculture curio is primarily notable for featuring Don Johnson in his screen debut. While Stanley’s not exactly sympathetic (like many 20-something males, he’s both self-absorbed and sex-obsessed), his attempt to keep his two disparate lives — one sex-and-drug filled, the other monogamous — separate from each other is unique and somehow believable. Johnson is a charismatic cutie, and folk singer Holly Near as Stanley’s pudgy yet sexually confident conquest is enjoyable as well. With that said, the screenplay (which clings faithfully to its source material) often feels like simply a filmed version of a more introspective narrative, with the resolution (a key character suddenly dies) coming out of nowhere; because we can’t see into the “magic garden” of Stanley’s mind, we don’t understand the true significance of this event in his life. Ultimately, Stanley Sweetheart remains a flawed and dated film, but is worth a look if you stumble upon it; my dark-hued copy was taped off of TNT years ago.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Don Johnson in his screen debut as Stanley Sweetheart
  
• Michael Greer as “Cherry”
  
• Holly Near as redheaded Fran
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended, and a must for any Don Johnson fans.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TV Guide Review

Synopsis:
When a disturbed young woman (Mia Farrow) insists that a prostitute (Elizabeth Taylor) is her “missing” (dead) mother, Taylor takes advantage of the situation and moves into Farrow’s enormous house. Soon Leonora (Taylor) begins to feels protective of the childlike Cenci (Farrow) — but their domestic tranquility is threatened by the presence of two meddling aunts (Peggy Ashcroft and Pamela Brown) and Cenci’s incestuous stepfather (Robert Mitchum).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Elizabeth Taylor Films
• Incest and Incestuous Undertones
• Joseph Losey Films
• Mia Farrow Films
• Mistaken or Hidden Identities
• Orphans
• Robert Mitchum Films

Review:
This melodramatic thriller of mistaken identities, mental disturbance, and sexual deviance — based on a prize-winning short story by an Argentine civil servant — received reasonably positive reviews upon its release, but has since been criticized by most as either campy and/or “ill-conceived”. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in between: while the convoluted narrative occasionally defies belief (and completely devolves by the end), it remains bizarrely compelling until then, thanks in large part to the brave performances given by both Farrow and Taylor. From her first appearance on-screen, Farrow — wearing a long, black wig and tights:

— is completely convincing as a 22-year-old with the mind of a child; but it’s Taylor who really cements the story: while her performance gets off to a bumpy start, we’re soon captivated by her increasingly nuanced portrayal as a self-sufficient prostitute who knows a good deal when she sees it, yet can’t help feeling genuine maternal concern for Cenci. Despite its flaws, Secret Ceremony offers enough provocative moments to make it worth checking out.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Mia Farrow as Cenci
  
• Elizabeth Taylor as Leonora
  
• Peggy Ashcroft and Pamela Brown as Cenci’s thieving aunts
  
  
• Effective use of mirrors as a visual device
  

Must See?
Yes, simply for its status as an unusual cult favorite. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Cult Movie

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TV Guide Review (spoilers alert)
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A middle-class French teen (Valerie Mairesse) helps her older neighbor (Therese Liotard) secure money for a much-needed abortion, and a lifelong friendship ensues.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Feminism and Women’s Issues
• French Films
• Friendship

Review:
One Sings, the Other Doesn’t is Belgian director Agnes Varda‘s unabashed paean to female solidarity. As a narrative, it’s not all that successful: several plot devices (particularly the final one, involving Mairesse, her Iranian husband, and their baby) are clearly contrived, and Varda’s voice-over adds an unnecessary sense of solemnity to the proceedings. Making matters worse, Pomme (Mairesse) is not a very good singer, and the lyrics of her band’s ultra-feminist hymns (“I am woman, I am me”) come across as ultra-laughable today.

Yet the film on a whole is so goodhearted and idealistic that one hesitates to fault it (or Varda) very harshly; it’s best viewed as a quaint if dated fable of womanhood and grassroots feminism.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Therese Liotard as Suzanne
  
• Valerie Mairesse as Pomme
  
• A heartfelt portrait of female solidarity
  

Must See?
Yes, simply for its historical importance.

Categories

• Historically Relevant
• Important Director

Links:

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