FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
In post-war Japan, 28-year-old Noriko (Setsuko Hara) is pressured by her family and friends into thinking about marriage. When her boss (Shuji Sano) finds her a suitable match, her family is thrilled — but Noriko surprises everyone with her decision.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Feminism and Women’s Issues
• Grown Children
• Japanese Films
• Ozu Films

Review:
Yazujiro Ozu — who, ironically, remained unmarried and childless throughout his career — specialized in meticulously crafted films about Japanese family life. Early Summer, featuring many of the same actors who starred in his Late Spring (1949) and Tokyo Story (1953), primarily focuses on the marital status of lovely Setsuko Hara. Though happy working as a secretary and living at home, Hara is pressured into selecting a husband; her resolution to this issue (a decision which seems to come out of nowhere, and surprises everyone) propels the final portion of the film, as we witness the ripple effect of her choice on everyone around her.

Interwoven with this central story are classic Ozu-style vignettes of family life and intergenerational conflict, all of which speak volumes about the shifting roles of men, women, and children in post-war Japan: Noriko’s spoiled nephews (Zen Murase and Isao Shirosawa) are consistently rude to their elders, who in turn are both bemused and frustrated by the boys’ behavior; Noriko’s parents (Ichiro Sagai and Chieko Higashiyama) are contemplating moving away and “leaving the house to the young people”; Noriko and her friend Aya (Chikage Awashima) giggle knowingly over their options as independent working women.

As always, Ozu’s distinctive directorial style — low camera angles, long shots, luminous b&w photography — makes for an evocative, leisurely viewing experience, one which is deceptively simple on the surface, yet packs an emotional punch. While firmly grounded in Japanese cultural mores, Ozu’s films are remarkably accessible to western audiences, who will easily be able to relate to the universal themes of family and independence — and the difficulty in maintaining a delicate balance between the two.

Note: Hara plays a character named Noriko in three of Ozu’s films: this, Late Spring (1949), and Tokyo Story (1953).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Setsuko Hara as Noriko
  
• Haruko Sugimura as the mother of Noriko’s childhood friend
  
• Chikage Awashima as Noriko’s friend Aya
  
• The surprising moment at which we discover Noriko’s true intentions
  
• Noriko and her friends — two married, one not — discussing the pros and cons of marriage
  
• An insightful, heartfelt look at the complexity of family dynamics in post-war Japan
  
• Yuuharu Atsuta’s luminous b&w cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Foreign Gem

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Blue-collar worker Joe Smith (James Whitmore), his very pregnant wife Mary (Nancy Davis), and their son Johnny (Gary Gray) hear a mysterious voice on the radio one night, claiming to be God; soon the entire town — and the entire world — is waiting to hear what The Voice will say next.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Fantasy
• James Whitmore Films
• Pregnancy
• Radio
• Religious Faith
• William Wellman Films

Review:
This most unusual B-picture — produced by MGM, directed by William Wellman, and starring Nancy Reagan (nee Davis) before she married Ronnie — is a rare little treat. Decidedly understated, and more concerned with inner growth than outer conflict, the story unfolds gradually and gracefully, only occasionally descending into the realm of campy humor. While we’re presented with what in many ways looks like a prototypical 1950s nuclear family — working husband, pregnant wife, and paperboy son — we’re also allowed to see the small frustrations and fears each possesses: Joe is harassed by his unfeeling boss (Art Smith); Davis is worried about the appearance of her first gray hair, as well the upcoming birth of her second child; and Johnny is horrified to see his father come home drunk one night. They may represent the all-American dream, but there are clearly issues left to be settled.

In a clever twist, we never actually hear “God’s” voice on the radio: while this decision was likely influenced by a reluctance to commit sacrilege, it works well as a narrative device, helping us to focus instead on people’s reactions. Also interesting is the fact that The Voice is heard by all people in all countries — in “churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques” — and that the name Jesus is never mentioned; this allows the film’s decidedly Christian elements (the lead characters are named Joe and Mary; Mary is pregnant) to remain refreshingly vague; one could even read The Voice as a harbinger of world unity.

With that said, the film does possess some more laughable elements — including Davis’s pregnancy (she’s supposed to be days away from delivering, but only looks about 5 months pregnant, and not very realistically); some of the more cliched interactions between Joe, Mary, and Johnny; Mary’s unexplained fear of giving birth (despite the fact that she’s done so successfully before); and the overly preachy scenes towards the end. Nonetheless, I was surprised at how quickly I got caught up in this gently charming fable, which never tries to be more than it is, and certainly has its heart in the right place.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• James Whitmore as “Joe Smith”
  
• Nancy Davis (a.k.a. Reagan) as “Mrs. Mary Smith”
  
• Gary Gray as the Smiths’ son, Johnny
  
• A sanitized yet sensitive look at ’50s blue collar family values
  
• Good use of suburban L.A. locales
  
• Johnny perfectly imitating his father’s morning ritual with the car
  
• A decidedly unusual and thought-provoking premise
  
• David Raksin’s score

Must See?
Yes, for its status as an erstwhile favorite.

Categories

• Good Show
• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• SciFilm Review
• TCM Article
• NY Times Original Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Years after his pregnant girlfriend, Cathy (Carol White), has an abortion, a psychopath named Kenneth (Scott Hylands) tries to “even the score” by getting the now-married Cathy to kill her newborn child.

Genres:

• Larry Cohen Films
• Mark Robson Films
• Pregnancy
• Psychological Horror
• Psychopaths
• Revenge

Review:
Written by Larry Cohen and directed by Mark Robson — best known for helming Valley of the Dolls (1967) — this oddly-titled psycho-thriller is based on an intriguing ethical dilemma: should a fetus in a woman’s body be considered solely hers, or does it “belong” just as equally to the father? Unfortunately, however, the film fails to exploit this rich subject, instead using it simply as a convenient narrative crutch. Cathy and Kenneth’s relationship is glossed over in a heartbeat, and we never get into the mind of Kenneth — a creepy bastard, yet someone who’s clearly got an interesting story to tell.

Instead, we follow the travails of the rather insipid White — who, unlike Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby (1968), fails to involve us on more than a surface level in her maternal crisis (though this could be at least partly a function of the script). Equally egregious is an unconvincing plot device in which Cathy is conveniently “prevented” from telling her aspiring-politician husband (a bland Paul Burke) about her checkered past, due to fear of public scandal. This choice makes no sense, given that a dark secret between husband and wife doesn’t need to go beyond the bedroom doors.

To their credit, however, Cohen and Robson handle the thriller elements of the story quite well: in a satisfying narrative decision, it’s left unclear throughout the first half of the film whether or not Cathy is imagining Kenneth’s stalking; and, once it’s established that she’s not, things kick into high gear. The final 1/2 hour is particularly tense, as Cathy’s baby is shown to be in genuine danger — from Cathy herself. Overall, however, this provocatively-themed film — which could have been so much better — remains a disappointment.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• A provocative premise
  
• A few genuinely heart-pounding moments
  
• The final climactic sequence
  

Must See?
No. While based on an intriguing idea, this psycho-thriller ultimately fails to deliver on its potential.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review (spoilers alert)

Synopsis:
As Ferdinand (Albert Prejean) travels towards his wedding, he discovers that his horse has eaten the straw hat of a married woman (Olga Tschechowa) canoodling in the bushes with her lover, Lieutenant Tavernier (Geymond Vital). Tavernier demands that Ferdinand find a replacement for the hat, threatening to destroy his apartment unless he complies; meanwhile, the beleaguered Ferdinand has a wedding to get through.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Comedy
• French Films
• Play Adaptations
• Rene Clair Films
• Silent Films
• Weddings

Review:
In this clever French farce, director Rene Clair successfully transfers a stage play to the silent screen, conveying the story almost entirely through visuals. In one of the first scenes of the movie, for example, Ferdinand discovers that Mme. de Beauperthuis is married (but not to Lt. Tavernier) by looking closely at their ring fingers; his facial reaction at this moment is enough to tell us precisely what he’s thinking.

While the story, at nearly two hours, goes on for a tad too long — some editing would have helped — it remains enjoyable throughout; it’s hard not to laugh out loud as one situation after the other makes poor Ferdinand’s plight even stickier. Adding to the humor are a series of long-running character gags, which rarely fail to amuse: Ferdinand’s near-deaf uncle (Paul Ollivier) remaining consistently clueless about surrounding events; an uptight woman trying to get her inattentive husband to fix his neck tie:

… a puzzled servant catching Tschechowa swooning in the arms of a different man each time he opens the door. It’s easy to imagine audiences of the day laughing hysterically at this frothy situation comedy.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Albert Prejean as Ferdinand
  
• Olga Tschechowa as Mme. de Beauperthuis
  
• Effective transformation of a stage play into a silent film

Must See?
Yes, as an early classic of French cinema. Listed as a film with historical importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Foreign Gem
• Important Director

Links:

• IMDb entry
• All Movie Guide Review
• FilmsdeFrance.com Review

Synopsis:
Journalists investigate an aging German industrialist (Gustav Rudolf Sellner) who may have been responsible for the massacre of a Greek village during World War II.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Flashback Films
• German Films
• Guilt
• Journalists
• Maximilian Schell Films
• World War II

Review:
In his second directorial effort, Maximilian Schell tackled the enormous, daunting topic of post-war German guilt. The story itself isn’t entirely successful: it wanders off into too many disparate, didactic directions, and Schell relies too heavily on stylized flashbacks. Yet there are many quietly powerful moments — as when Sellner suddenly begins to reflect on the potential folly of his wartime acts, and tells a bedtime story to his grandson:

“Where must I go to find happiness?” the boy said.
“Happiness?” Death said. “Come with me.”

While Sellner’s grandson goes happily to sleep at the end of the story, it’s evident that Sellner himself — regardless of his sense of guilt — will never be quite the same. Ultimately, The Pedestrian comes to the sticky conclusion, voiced by a journalist towards the end of the film, that while “there may not be collective guilt, there should be collective shame.”

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Gustav Rudolf Sellner as Heinz Giese
  
• Giese explaining to his grandson that “some mistakes are final”
  

Must See?
No, but film fanatics will probably be curious to check it out.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
When corrupt police lieutenant Nyman is murdered in his hospital bed, Detective Beck (Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt) and his colleagues investigate the mystery. Soon they discover that a bitter ex-cop (Ingvar Hirdwall) whose diabetic wife died under Nyman’s custody may be taking revenge.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Corruption
• Murder Mystery
• Police
• Revenge
• Scandinavian Films

Review:
In a 1962 treatise entitled Vision in Swedish Film, director Bo Widerberg notoriously spoke out against Ingmar Bergman’s dominance in Sweden’s cinematic landscape, noting the need for Swedish films which dealt with “earthier” concerns than those traditionally addressed by Bergman. This mystery thriller by Widerberg is, ironically, a bit of both — a decidedly action-filled film, but one grounded in a more serious exploration of corruption. For the most part, it’s an enjoyable, satisfying movie, one which takes us through Stockholm’s streets, and shows us — in its final climactic scenes — the city’s gorgeous rooftops.

Unfortunately, however, the screenplay is marred by a serious lack of focus: while Detective Beck is squarely posited as the central protagonist, by the end of the film we’re inexplicably following a different set of (younger) policemen altogether. At this point, although the action is undeniably exciting, we’re no longer invested in the ultimate outcome — especially given that the mystery of the killer was solved much earlier.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Many excitingly filmed action sequences — particularly the lengthy finale
  
  

Must See?
Yes, simply for its historical importance as a popular Swedish film of the ’70s.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A Spanish photographer named Gustavo (Antonio Resines) spends the summer in New York, where he struggles to learn English, tries to sell his work to a big-name magazine, and woos a beautiful Spanish expatriate (Beatriz Perez Porro).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Immigrants and Immigration
• New York City
• Photographers
• Spanish Films

Review:
Writer/director Fernando Colomo clearly based much of this semi-autobiographical film on his own experiences as a visitor in the United States. He perfectly captures the frustration of not being able to understand or speak the language around you, and of expats’ tendency to latch on to those few who do. Yet the story itself fails to compel, mostly because Gustavo’s stubborn insistence on trying to sell his photos of New York buildings (which, by the way, we never see) doesn’t make any sense; when told very gently yet directly that the kind of work he’s created has already been done, he doesn’t seem to take the hint. Similarly, he continues to pursue a young woman (Porro) who’s never expressed any interest in him. Worst of all, however, is the film’s ending, which is enormously unsatisfying. Overall, this one is a disappointment.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• An honest depiction of the language difficulties faced by immigrants and expatriates in America

Must See?
No.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
When a private investigator (Gene Hackman) is hired to bring a runaway (Melanie Griffith) back home to her mother (Janet Ward) in L.A., he unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a multiple murder mystery.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Arthur Penn Films
• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Gene Hackman Films
• James Woods Films
• Murder Mystery
• Runaways
• Susan Clark Films

Review:
Arthur Penn’s Night Moves is smart ’70s noir — a psychological thriller with multiple twists and turns. Gene Hackman is perfectly cast as Detective Moseby, and is surrounded by fine supporting actors — including Susan Clark as his philandering wife; Jennifer Warren as the mysterious, earthy blonde who uses Moseby in unexpected ways; young Melanie Griffith as a runaway teen; and James Woods (ever smarmy) in an early bit part. Alan Sharp’s screenplay makes good use of settings in both Florida and L.A., and never gets stale — we’re continually kept guessing as to what will come next. Definitely worth checking out.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Gene Hackman as Moseby (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actors of the Year in his Alternate Oscars)
  
• Susan Clark as Moseby’s wife
  
• Jennifer Warren as the mysterious, over-tanned Paula
  
• Melanie Griffith as the sexpot runaway
  
• Good use of distinctive settings in both L.A. and Florida
  

Must See?
Yes. This edgy detective thriller is one-of-a-kind. Listed as a Cult Movie and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Important Director
• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
After meeting at a family wedding, a woman (Marie-Christine Barrault) and her distant cousin (Victor Lanoux) become friends and then lovers, while their philandering spouses (Guy Marchand and Marie-France Pisier) get increasingly jealous.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• French Films
• Infidelity
• Romantic Comedy

Review:
This lilting French comedy — essentially a tale of romantic revenge — is listed as a cult movie in the back of Peary’s book, and was remade in 1989 as Cousins, starring Isabella Rossellini and Ted Danson. It’s easy to understand why American audiences were so taken with it, given that it represents a decidedly “European” approach to love and marriage — one which allows for an unconventional, free-spirited attitude towards extra-marital affairs. From the beginning of the film, we’re made to sympathize with the long-suffering Barrault and Lanoux, who accept their spouses’ philandering with an air of insouciant sadness; once they discover their attraction for one another other, we can’t help but cheer them on, because their spouses deserve to worry and wonder. A frothy souffle, but worth a look.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• A light-hearted look at infidelity and sexual mores in the 1970s
  
• Marchand breaking things off with his six extra-marital lovers
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for one-time viewing.

Links:

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