FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
A stage actor (Klaus Maria Brandauer) in pre-WWII Germany colludes with the Nazis in order to continue working.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Actors and Actresses
• Character Studies
• Nazis
• Social Climbers
• World War II

Review:
Hungarian director Istvan Szabo helmed this fascinating update on the Faustian legend of “selling one’s soul to the devil”. Based on an early-20th-century novel by Klaus Mann, it remains one of the most compelling cinematic portraits of life in pre-WWII Nazi Europe — thanks in large part to a powerhouse performance by Klaus Maria Brandauer. Brandauer embodies ambitious actor Hendrik Hoefgen with true passion and energy, brilliantly showing the complexity of a man who is both sympathetic (we relate to his impulses) and pathetic (his choices are ethically dubious). The film’s narrative moves quickly, in what was called by the New York Times “a daringly compressed style” — perhaps the inevitable result of translating from novel to screen; but this ultimately serves the larger purpose of showing us Hoefgen’s transformation over the years from idealistic socialist to compromised theatrical superstar. By the final powerful scene of this movie, we are no longer sure what to think or feel about our enigmatic protagonist — yet we understand that we could be there ourselves, but for the grace of God.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Klaus Maria Brandauer as Hendrik
  
• A fascinating, believable look at the seduction of political collusion during WWII
  
• A unique update on the Faustian legend of Mephistopheles
  
• The powerful closing shots
  

Must See?
Yes. Brandauer’s performance makes this must-see viewing.

Categories

• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

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

Synopsis:
The loyal friend (Ralph Morgan) of a dead railroad magnate (Spencer Tracy) relates stories about the magnate’s rise to power and romantic losses.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Flashback Films
• Marital Problems
• Rise-and-Fall
• Spencer Tracy Films
• Tycoons

Review:
Years before he became a renowned director of screwball comedies such as Sullivan’s Travels (1941) and The Palm Beach Story (1942), Preston Sturges wrote the screenplay for this unique flashback tale, directed by William K. Howard. The story itself is fairly straightforward — a poor man rises to power, only to find that his marriage has suffered in the meantime — and Tracy’s character is never fully developed (he goes from contented trackwalker to ruthless tycoon without much of a legitimate trajectory in between). But it is Sturges’ decision to tell this story in asynchronous vignettes — switching back and forth in time, as the actors wear wigs and make-up to show their advanced age — which makes the film so special; we’re used to this kind of structural device these days, but in 1933 it was (as far as I know) unheard of. Orson Welles purportedly watched this film again and again as he explored ideas for what was to become his masterpiece, Citizen Kane, and the influence is clear — in subject matter (both are posthumous stories about the rise-and-fall of a business tycoon), and in narrative exposition. While it doesn’t come close to the overall greatness of Kane, The Power and the Glory nonetheless deserves special recognition in cinematic history.

Note: In one particularly creative sequence, as Morgan is relating the tale of how Tracy proposed to Moore, we see an effective technique (coined by the film’s producer as “narratage”) in which Morgan dictates while the characters’ mouths are silently moving.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Spencer Tracy (who Peary nominates for an Alternate Oscar as best actor of the year) as the self-made tycoon
  
• Colleen Moore as Tracy’s ambitious yet loving wife
  
• Tracy proposing to Moore after convincing her to hike all the way up a mountain in her Sunday best
  
• Creative early use of flashbacks, nonlinear narrative structure, and “narratage”
  

Must See?
Yes. While not entirely successful, this movie holds a special place in film history, and should be seen by all film fanatics if possible.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
Aspiring actress Jeanne Eagels (Kim Novak) rises to stardom on Broadway, with the help of her carnival-owner friend (Jeff Chandler).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Actors and Actresses
• Agnes Moorehead Films
• Alcoholism and Drug Addiction
• Aspiring Stars
• Biopic
• George Sidney Films
• Jeff Chandler Films
• Kim Novak Films
• Rise-and-Fall

Review:
George Sidney’s fanciful biopic of stage- and silent screen-actress Jeanne Eagels (who died of a heroin overdose at the age of 39) is primarily notable as a starring vehicle for Kim Novak, a year before she was to appear in Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Beautiful Novak is less stiff than usual here, and convincingly embodies the hopeful young ingenue who will stop at nothing to “be an actress”. Jeff Chandler is passable as her lover (though his character is completely fictional):

and Agnes Moorehead makes a welcome yet all-too-brief appearance as Eagels’ acting instructor.

Unfortunately, none of the actors are helped much by the clunky script, which inexplicably veers far from the true facts of Eagels’ interesting life, instead relying on predictable and poorly conceived narrative devices. While we know that Eagels is desperate to achieve stardom, for instance, her callous betrayal of an aging actress (Virginia Grey) for a plum part in a play nonetheless seems wildly out of character for someone we’ve been rooting for since the beginning of the film:

… And her sudden descent into alcohol and drug addiction comes as just of much of a surprise, since we’ve seen no hints of this before.

Fortunately, Novak’s performance keeps us watching even when the movie’s disappointing screenplay fails.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Kim Novak’s sensitive portrayal of Eagels as both a young ingenue and a tragic has-been
  

Must See?
No, though fans of Kim Novak will undoubtedly want to check it out.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Austin Chronicle Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A Los Angeles secret agent (William L. Petersen) swears to avenge the death of his partner (Michael Greene) by capturing notorious counterfeiter Eric “Rick” Masters (Willem Dafoe).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cat-and-Mouse
• Counterfeiting
• Dean Stockwell Films
• Los Angeles
• Police
• Revenge
• Thieves and Criminals
• William Friedkin Films

Review:
Few films define the 1980s as decisively as William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A.: from its synthesized soundtrack to its outlandish fashion sensibilities, every aspect of the film evokes flashbacks to this notorious decade of questionable taste. Stylistic issues aside, however, the film remains a top-notch thriller, one which follows a familiar storyline trope — cop seeks revenge for his dead partner — but is executed with panache and skill. As noted below, Friedkin (ably assisted by cinematographer Robby Muller) makes excellent use of L.A.’s grittier environs, and the lengthy freeway car chase is a worthy follow-up to the infamous chase scene in his earlier cop classic, The French Connection (1971). Performance-wise, stage-actor Petersen isn’t all that charismatic or memorable in the lead role, but he does a fine job showing his character’s moral struggle; however, it’s Dafoe’s cold-hearted criminal who truly shines here, oozing greed and amorality at every turn.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Willem Dafoe as Petersen’s personal nemesis
  
• A fascinating glimpse at high-tech counterfeiting
  
• Excellent use of realistic L.A. cityscapes, streets, and alleys
  
• A truly exciting freeway car chase
  
• The “very ’80s” synthesized soundtrack by Wang Chung

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
When a newly married ex-con (Nicolas Cage) and ex-cop (Holly Hunter) discover that they can’t have or adopt children of their own, they kidnap a baby (T.J. Kuhn) from a local furniture tycoon (Trey Wilson) and his quintuplet-bearing wife (Lynn Dumin Kitei).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Comedy
• Ex-Cons
• Kidnapping
• Nicolas Cage Films
• Thieves and Criminals

Review:
While it’s not for every taste (Roger Ebert panned it upon its release, and it has a Metacritic score of only 55), Raising Arizona remains — in my humble opinion — a delightfully surreal and colorful comedy. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter (both early in their careers) are perfect as the desperate childless couple: Hunter’s spontaneous expression of love for her new baby boy (“I love him so much!” she sobs) is classic; and it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Cage embodying “Hi” (who, as put so delightfully in Rita Kempley’s review for the Washington Post, “is a deep thinker, without the IQ to support his habit.”) Not everything about the film works, however. Many supporting characters — most notably Randall “Tex” Cobb as a greasy Motorcyclist From Hell — are too broadly written to be amusing, and there’s an over-abundance of slapstick violence. In addition, John Goodman and William Forsythe as Hi’s escaped-convict friends — who play an essential role in the plot later on — are only intermittently entertaining, and quickly devolve into stereotype. Nonetheless, for every ho-hum scene in Raising Arizona, there’s another hilarious one just up ahead — and this, combined with our sympathy for the surprisingly likable protagonists, make the film well worth watching.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Nicolas Cage in one of his best comedic roles
  
• Holly Hunter as Hi’s intensely maternal wife
  
• Goodman and Forsythe emerging from the mud like newborn adults
  
• Cage and Hunter stopping to pick up a package of dropped Huggies during a getaway
  
• A unique and touching premise for a comedy
  
• Many juvenile yet unexpectedly laugh-out-loud lines:
  

  “Son, you got a panty on yo’ head!”

Must See?
Yes. This early comedy from the Coen Brothers set the stage for their later films, and remains one of their most successful endeavors to date.

Categories

• Important Director

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

Links:

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

Synopsis:
On behalf of a business syndicate, a wealthy southerner (Jeff Bridges) visits a local gym and tries to persuade its owner (R.G. Armstrong) to sell. Meanwhile, he finds himself attracted to a petite gym employee (Sally Field), and fascinated by the lifestyle of muscleman Joe Santo (Arnold Schwarzenegger).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Big Business
• Bob Rafelson Films
• Cross Class Romance
• Deep South
• Ed Begley Jr. Films
• Jeff Bridges Films
• Non-Conformists
• Sally Field Films

Review:
Bob Rafelson’s comedic follow-up to The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) is, in a word, quirky. More concerned with unusual characters and settings than plot, the story meanders along at a leisurely pace until, just like Jeff Bridges’ character, we forget what our original goal (in watching) was, and instead simply allow ourselves to enjoy each scene as it comes. Indeed, Stay Hungry is full of countless strange and humorous moments (see “Redeeming Qualities and Moments” below) — and when things devolve into hectic slapstick by the end of the film, we accept this, simply because it’s in keeping with the movie’s general tone of irreverence.

Unfortunately, there are a few needlessly uncomfortable moments in the film: an African-American gym employee (Roger E. Mosley) commits actions which are meant to be funny, but instead stereotype him in an offensive way; and the gym’s owner (a buffoonish R.G. Armstrong, wearing a hideous toupee) turns inexplicably violent at the end. However, these detractions are more than redeemed by the film’s strengths: a refreshingly subtle commentary on class relations in the “new south”; (mostly) likable characters; a sweet, believable romance between Bridges and Field; and an overall aura of infectious eccentricity.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Jeff Bridges as the wealthy nonconformist who undergoes a major change of heart
  
• Sally Field — looking all of twelve years old — as Bridges’ spunky new love interest
  
• Arnold Schwarzenegger’s slightly stilted yet sympathetic performance as the sensitive “Mr. Olympia”
  
• Kathleen Miller asking Schwarzenegger about the “romantic leanings” of musclemen
  
• Bridges dancing with refreshing abandon in the midst of a group of fiddlers
  
• Bridges stealing a gaudy painting from a bank simply to impress Field
  
• Some truly bizarre imagery of body builders roaming the streets of Birmingham
  
• A frank look at class relations in “the new South”
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth checking out once. Peary lists it in the back of his book as a Cult Movie (and it still has many fans).

Links:

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

Synopsis:
A professional safecracker (James Caan) becomes involved with the Mafia, but soon realizes that his dreams for early retirement with his wife (Tuesday Weld) and child have been put on hold.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Ex-Cons
• Gangsters and Mafia
• Heists
• James Caan Films
• Revenge
• Thieves and Criminals
• Tuesday Weld Films
• Willie Nelson Films

Review:
Michael Mann’s directorial debut features exciting action sequences, a fascinating glimpse at high-level safecracking, and a powerhouse performance by James Caan.

Unfortunately, however, it remains a less-than-satisfactory film, due primarily to a lack of vested interest in Caan’s character. He comes across as bull-headed rather than sympathetic, and his unwise decision to get involved with the Mob shows that he isn’t really ready to come clean. The moral of the film is crystal-clear: a connection with the Mafia is for life; don’t try to delude yourself otherwise.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• James Caan as the thief longing to go straight after a lifetime of crime
  
• Some fascinating, lengthy scenes of big-scale safecracking
  
  
• Fine cinematography
  
  

Must See?
No, though fans of Michael Mann will undoubtedly want to see his directorial debut.

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
A radio d.j. (Jack Nicholson) visits his petty-gangster brother (Bruce Dern) in Atlantic City, where he learns about Dern’s unrealistic plan to “get-rich-quick” by buying property in Hawaii.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Bob Rafelson Films
• Bruce Dern Films
• Ellen Burstyn Films
• Gangsters and Criminals
• Get Rich Quick
• Jack Nicholson Films
• Love Triangle
• Siblings

Review:
In his follow-up to Five Easy Pieces (1970), director Bob Rafelson presents a similarly no-holds-barred look at family relations and broken dreams in America. Unfortunately, however, Marvin Gardens comes across as too relentlessly bleak for its own good — while Five Easy Pieces had many classic moments of humor interspersed with its more serious themes (remember the cafe scene?), this film seems hell-bent on leading us towards its tragic conclusion, without providing much relief along the way. On the other hand, it does possess a number of redeeming features. The performances are uniformly excellent — especially by the always-reliable Dern, and by Ellen Burnstyn as his jealous aging girlfriend. Additionally, Rafelson makes effective use of Atlantic City’s gloomy seaside ambiance; and the connections between Dern’s wild dreams (he hopes to buy a hotel) and Monopoly are subtle enough to be clever rather than cloying. Ultimately, however, this remains a ceaselessly downbeat tale, one which is probably not for every taste.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Bruce Dern as Nicholson’s “big-dreaming” brother
  
• Ellen Burstyn’s stand-out performance as Dern’s middle-aged lover
  

Must See?
No. While it’s considered an underrated classic by many, it’s ultimately not must-see viewing.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
The prime minister (Peter Sellers) of the smallest nation on Earth (ruled by the Grand Duchess Gloriana, also Sellers) decides to invade the United States in order to receive millions of dollars in reparation aid. His plans are foiled, however, when his military leader, Tully Bascombe (also Sellers), accidentally gets ahold of a dangerous Q-bomb, and the United States surrenders.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cold War
• Comedy
• Jack Arnold Films
• Jean Seberg Films
• Nuclear Threat
• Peter Sellers Films
• Satires and Spoofs

Review:
This classic Cold War comedy (based on a novel by Leonard Wibberley) has dated a bit since its release nearly fifty years ago, but nonetheless remains a humorous look at international diplomatic relations post-WWII. Peter Sellers got his first chance (a la Alec Guinness) to perform several separate roles in one movie, and clearly shows a hint of the genius that was to come in later films such as Dr. Strangelove (1964). While The Mouse That Roared devolves into a bit too much slapstick in its second half, there are enough moments of clever satire to make it well worth watching at least once. Followed by a sequel (The Mouse on the Moon, directed by Richard Lester) in 1963.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Peter Sellers in several radically different roles
  
  
  
• The spectacularly inept Tully Bascombe leading his tiny army through the empty streets of New York
  
• A group of politicians playing a Monopoly-esque board game called “Diplomacy”
  
• Jean Seberg in one of her all-too-rare screen performances, as daughter of the scientist who created the Q-bomb
  

Must See?
Yes. While it’s somewhat dated and considered by many to be overrated (see review links below), this comedy classic is must-see viewing due to Sellers’ performance(s).

Categories

• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

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