FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
In a film set in 19th century England, a biologist (Jeremy Irons) engaged to an upstanding young woman (Lynsey Baxter) falls in love with a mysterious “fallen woman” (Meryl Streep). Meanwhile, the actors (Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep) playing the leads carry on an affair during the film’s shooting.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Actors and Actresses
• Historical Drama
• Karel Reisz Films
• Meryl Streep Films
• Morality Police
• Obsessive Love

Review:
Meryl Streep is nothing short of extraordinary in Karel Reisz’s film version of John Fowles’ The French Lieutenant’s Woman. As both the titular heroine and the modern-day actress (Sarah) playing her, Streep astonishes us with her ability to completely immerse herself in dual roles. Yet it’s Anna — the “French lieutenant’s woman” — who ultimately captures our interest most keenly; she’s far more complex — and intriguing — than one would have imagined. Jeremy Irons, with his perennially concerned expression, is appropriately cast as Anna’s forlorn suitor, and the supporting cast members are all effective as well — but it’s Streep we’re really watching and waiting for.

Playwright Harold Pinter wrote the film’s screenplay, adding the parallel love story set in modern times in an attempt to provide a latter-day commentary. While it’s ultimately unnecessary, it never detracts from the power of the primary story, and remains a clever narrative device. Yet it’s the historical drama which holds the most interest, as we anxiously await the outcome of Irons’ doomed attraction. Fortunately, we’re rewarded for our patience: the plot takes unexpected twists and turns, and, like any good romantic mystery, makes us question what’s come before.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Meryl Streep’s wonderful performance(s)
  
• Jeremy Irons as the fatally love-struck Charles
  
• Beautifully evoked period detail
  
• Effective use of natural settings to convey the turmoil of Charles and Sara’s burgeoning romance
  

Must See?
Yes, for Streep’s standout performance

Categories

• Noteworthy Performance(s)
• Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review

Synopsis:
A visionary young architect (Gary Cooper) refuses to compromise his artistic integrity at any cost.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Courtroom Drama
• Gary Cooper Films
• King Vidor Films
• Love Triangle
• Non-Conformists
• Patricia Neal Films
• Raymond Massey Films

Review:
King Vidor’s adaptation of Ayn Rand’s bestselling novel is just as stilted as its source material. Rand wrote her own screenplay, and, like her central hero, refused to compromise the integrity of her philosophical vision; as a result, the characters are — as noted by DVD Savant — simply “walking ideas and arguments”, and the film itself comes across as “a presentation of a radical social philosophy using a soap opera format”. With that said, some believe there’s more to The Fountainhead than meets the eye; Savant himself refers to it as an “emotionally powerful piece of cinematic insanity, a movie that bears careful watching.” I’ve seen the film twice now, and must admit I find it difficult to take seriously — while it’s nothing if not sincere, it fails to involve viewers on anything more than a superficial level, and the didactic dialogue is an enormous distraction. Cooper’s infamous, lengthy courtroom speech in the final section of the film is frustrating rather than satisfying, given that his logic is hopelessly skewed:

Ultimately, it’s hard to root for this staunchly selfish man, who considers his own needs more important than everyone else’s.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Patricia Neal — stilted but undeniably beautiful in her first major film role
  
• Robert Burk’s stark cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes, for its status as an over-the-top cult favorite.

Categories

• Cult Movie

Links:

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

Synopsis:
While spending the summer on the French Riviera, a spoiled, hedonistic teenager (Jean Seberg) plots to keep her beloved playboy father (David Niven) away from his controlling bride-to-be (Deborah Kerr).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Coming of Age
• David Niven Films
• Deborah Kerr Films
• Father and Child
• Flashback Films
• Jealousy
• Jean Seberg Films
• Love Triangle
• Otto Preminger Films

Review:
Bonjour Tristesse, based on the bestselling novel by 18-year-old Francoise Sagan, received scathing reviews upon its release: “Almost everything about this picture, which opened at the Capitol yesterday, manifests bad taste, poor judgment and plain deficiency of skill”, pronounced Bosley Crowther of the NY Times. Director Otto Preminger had brought back the star of his previous film (the poorly received Saint Joan, 1957) and cast her in the central role of Cecile: a willful, spoiled young woman who finds her carefree summer threatened by the arrival of an unwanted maternal figure. It’s an odd story — not entirely successful, yet somehow riveting, and not nearly as awful as Crowther’s review suggests; we watch with the uneasy knowledge that a train wreck is about to happen, yet recognize it as the inevitable fallout of adolescent callowness.

Unfortunately, young Seberg hadn’t yet discovered her acting chops; her delivery of lines is stilted at best, and the obvious post-dubbing doesn’t help matters any. Yet she exudes charm and youthful beauty, and remains compelling to watch. Her character’s close relationship with Niven (nicely cast against type) reminds one of Gidget and her widowed father, though with a decidedly sensual tinge; Cecile is remarkably comfortable with the explicit knowledge of her father’s summertime affair with the sexy yet safely innocuous Elsa (Mylene Demongeot). Also impressive is Deborah Kerr in a thankless yet pivotal role as Cecile’s godmother — a ruinous presence in Cecil’s idyllic existence.

Other than Seberg and Kerr, the most memorable elements of the film are the gorgeous Technicolor visuals and sun-drenched French Riviera settings — this is very much a summertime film, with events compressed into the span of one tragically memorable vacation. The closing shot — reminiscent of Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons — makes for a daringly downbeat finale in an era of mostly cheerful denouements; in a way, it’s easy to see why modern critics (such as Eric Henderson at Slant Magazine) cite Bonjour Tristesse as a film waiting to be reclaimed: like Douglas Sirk, Preminger is now viewed by many as an auteur whose talents remained largely misunderstood during his lifetime.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Saul Bass’s opening titles
  
• Jean Seberg as Cecile — not a great actress, but exuding abundant charm and attractiveness
  
• David Niven as Cecile’s carefree dad
  
• Deborah Kerr as Anne
  
• Striking Technicolor cinematography
  
• A compelling “love triangle” between father, daughter, and stepmom-to-be
  
• Gorgeous settings in the French Riviera
  

No, but it’s recommended.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
Aided by a Frenchman (Maurice Chevalier), a girl (Hayley Mills) and her brother (Keith Hamshere) enlist the help of Lord Glenarvan (Wilfrid Hyde-White) and his son John (Michael Anderson, Jr.) in traveling the 37th parallel to search for their shipwrecked father.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• At Sea
• George Sanders Films
• Hayley Mills Films
• Jules Verne Adaptations
• Maurice Chevalier Films
• Search

Review:
In Search of the Castaways (based on a Jules Verne novel of the same name) once again demonstrates why Hayley Mills was one of the most popular young actresses of her time: as always, she’s resolutely plucky and adventurous, ready to take on any number of obstacles in a decidedly “un-girly” fashion while remaining enormously appealing to boys. Equally game is Maurice Chevalier, perfectly cast as the perennially cheerful Jacques Paganel; with Chevalier on board, one can be assured that nothing so bad will occur that it can’t be cured by a song.

Unfortunately, it’s the lack of any real danger which makes In Search of the Castaways disappointing as an adventure film; as noted by DVD Savant (see review link below), certain sequences — such as the wild avalanche slide through the Andes — seem more like Disneyland rides than genuinely life-threatening situations. Equally disappointing are the special effects, especially in the first half of the film, when it’s obvious the actors are traveling along a sound stage with painted matte backdrops. Nonetheless, ..Castaways has its heart in the right place, and manages to provide a few genuine thrills (i.e., Hamshere nearly being dropped from a rope down into a tribe of vicious Maoris; don’t expect p.c. depictions here), as well as a sweet would-be romance between Mills and heartthrob Michael Anderson, Jr. If you don’t analyze it too closely, this remains innocuously enjoyable family fare.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Hayley Mills in yet another appealing performance
  
• Maurice Chevalier as the always-smiling Jacques Paganel
  
• Michael Anderson, Jr. as Hayley’s love interest — no great actor, but quite the charming heartthrob!
  
• Several exciting sequences
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for Hayley Mills fans.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review
• Ultimate Disney DVD Review

Synopsis:
A biographer (Wallace Shawn) enlists the help of theatrical agent Peggy Ramsay (Vanessa Redgrave) in discovering what led Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina) to kill his lover, playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Biopics
• Flashback Films
• Homosexuality
• Jealousy
• Mentors
• Vanessa Redgrave Films
• Writers

Review:
Playwright Joe Orton — author of Entertaining Mr. Sloane and Loot — lived a life nearly as bizarre as the characters in his darkly comedic plays. After a rapid rise from obscurity to fame, he was killed in 1967 by his long-time companion, Kenneth Halliwell; in 1978, John Lahr (son of actor Bert Lahr, the Cowardly Lion) wrote an investigative biography of 34-year-old Orton and his death. This film, directed by Stephen Frears, is based on Lahr’s book, and is — above all else — a fascinating character study of both men.

Because the film opens with Orton’s bloody death, there’s no surprise about the outcome of events; instead the shifting power dynamics in Orton and Halliwell’s evolving relationship is the focus of the screenplay. We’re shown Halliwell’s pathological inability to deal with Orton’s sudden success, and Orton’s refusal to leave Halliwell behind despite his desire to be with other men. (In many ways, Prick Up Your Ears is a post-modern variation on A Star is Born.)

The acting throughout is commendable: Oldman is note-perfect as Orton, showcasing his cockiness and pan-sexuality, and Molina is mostly effective (and appropriately creepy) as Halliwell, though he gradually loses our sympathy. Also notable is the incomparable Vanessa Redgrave, in a small yet pivotal role as the third party left behind to tell the world about Orton and Halliwell’s tragic love story.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Gary Oldman as Orton
  
• Vanessa Redgrave as Peggy Ramsay
  
• A powerful tale of love, jealousy, loyalty, and ambition
  

Must See?
Yes, for Oldman’s remarkable performance.

Categories

• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

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

Synopsis:
When housecats suddenly start attacking their owners after eating Lotus Cat Food (“food for cats who love people”), a doctor (Sean Kenney) and his nurse (Monika Kelly) investigate the pet food company, run by a sociopath (Sanford Mitchell) and his business partner (J. Byron Foster).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Amateur Sleuths
• Black Comedy
• Horror
• Killer Animals

Review:
This hideously bad movie by cult horror director Ted V. Mikels never cashes in on its one-note premise: the use of human corpses for pet food. Instead, we’re subjected to countless badly acted scenes, some meant to titillate (busty women undress gratuitously), and others merely to exploit (there’s a “subplot” about a disturbed woman — played by Ann Noble — who cares for a plastic doll as though it’s her child.) Production values are low — the same shot of brown paste (meant to represent ground human flesh) being squeezed out of a tube in a flimsy contraption is used again and again — and the screenplay is sloppy (why don’t the factory owners remove clothing, hair, and bones before sending the bodies through the grinder?). Naturally, it’s exactly this level of ineptitude that appeals to fans of “bad movies”; but for most viewers, a film this awful needs MST3K spoofing to be rendered enjoyable.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• The laughable meat-grinding machine
  
• Countless pseudo-campy scenes between Dr. Glass (Kenney) and big-haired, big-bosomed Angie (Kelly)
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a one-time look simply for its status as a trashy cult hit, and as Mikels’ best-known film. But unless you’re a fan of this kind of garbage, expect to endure it rather than enjoy it.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Video Graveyard Review
• Spinning Image Review

Synopsis:
After her husband is murdered, a woman (Beverly Garland) takes his place as sheriff of Greasewood City. Soon she’s caught up in a nefarious plot involving a greedy dancehall owner (Allison Hayes) and a hitman (John Ireland).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Dick Miller Films
• Hitmen
• John Ireland Films
• Roger Corman Films
• Sheriffs
• Star-Crossed Lovers
• Strong Females
• Westerns

Review:
Roger Corman’s penchant for spending as little time and money as possible while churning out passable entertainment occasionally yielded unexpected cult hits, such as The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) (made in just two days) or A Bucket of Blood (1959). Just as often, however, his films show ample, unfortunate evidence of his slapdash approach — and Gunslinger is one of these instances. Despite a relatively intriguing premise (the idea of a female sheriff in the Old West has promise):

this movie is simply a mish-mash of poor acting, sloppy continuity and editing, and a convoluted storyline. Whatever pathos could have been generated between Garland’s character and the hitman she falls in love with (Ireland) is sublimated into silliness.

Even MST3K’s spoofing can’t (doesn’t) turn this clunker into enjoyable viewing.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• The (unintentionally) humorous final shoot-out
  

Must See?
No. This is definitely one of Corman’s less successful low-budget outings, and isn’t worth spending time on.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Combustible Celluloid Review

Synopsis:
An obsessive teenager (Keir Dullea) who fears being touched goes to stay at a mental institution, where he’s treated by Dr. Swinford (Howard Da Silva). He soon makes friends with a disturbed girl named Lisa (Janet Margolin), who speaks only in rhymes.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Character Arc
• Friendship
• Janet Margolin Films
• Keir Dullea Films
• Misfits
• Psychotherapy

Review:
Based on a novel by psychiatrist Theodore Isaac Rubin, this heartfelt story of two troubled teens who find unexpected friendship and support in one another remains remarkably uncloying, thanks in large part to the convincing performances by the two leads. In her film debut, Janet Margolin brings humanity to a role which could easily have become a caricature; and Keir Dullea, as noted in DVD Savant’s review (see link below), is “understandably mannered” in a performance which eventually grows on you. Equally impressive are Howard Da Silva and Clifton James as caring staff members with saintly patience; they make it easy to forgive the film’s overly idealistic portrait of life in a mental institution (see the more recent Manic for a hyper-realistic glimpse at such settings).

While many have expressed frustration with the story’s dated implication that David’s mother (nicely played by Neva Patterson) and father (Richard McMurray) are at least partially responsible for his illness, I found this fairly easy to forgive, given that even individuals with clinically-diagnosed OCD occasionally come from troubled backgrounds. And the fact that Lisa gradually opens up to David doesn’t imply that his friendship has cured her — it’s simply brought her one step closer along the path to wellness. Ultimately, David and Lisa should be seen as a gentle character study rather than a treatise on mental illness; and, as such, it works.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Keir Dullea in perhaps his best role
  
• Janet Margolin as Lisa
  
• Howard Da Silva as David’s caring doctor
  
• David’s father, in a heartbreaking sequence, trying desperately to communicate with his son
  
• Leonard Hirschfield’s b&w cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes, simply for its status as a beloved Oscar nominee. It’s listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

• IMDb entry
• All Movie Guide Review
• NY Times Original Review
• TCM Article
• DVD Savant Review