The Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon is being hosted by The Wonderful World of Cinema, and the film that I have reviewed for the blogathon is Mogambo.
Directed by: John Ford
Released: 1953
Country: United States
Genre: Adventure, Romantic drama
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
Victor Marswell (played by Clark Gable) is a hunter working in Kenya. When a false promise by an Indian maharajah lands the lively Eloise Kelly (played by Ava Gardner) in Kenya, Victor initially doesn't take her seriously but over the course of time he comes to appreciate her. Donald Nordley (played by Donald Sinden), an anthropologist and his wife Linda (played by Grace Kelly) arrive (they are there for Donald's work, he hopes to study certain traits of gorillas there). Linda is sophisticated, simple and sensitive, completely different from Kelly. While it is evident that Victor loves Kelly, he finds himself falling in love with Linda as well. Thus starts a love triangle in the middle of wildness and jungles, wild animals and dangers. Over the course of the film we get to know more about the three main characters and realize that they are, in one way or another, looking for fulfillment.
''Mogambo'' is a really good film. I really liked the way the characters were gradually developed, the way their emotions and feelings for each other was portrayed. Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly are brilliant in their roles, and the setting (that includes exotic jungles and wild animals) is simply great.
Directed by: George Seaton
Released: 1954
Country: United States
Genre: Drama
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
Theater director Bernie Dodd (played by William Holden) hires actor Frank Elgin (played by Bing Crosby) for his new play, and because his (Frank's) alcoholism bothers him, he pays a visit to his home. Bernie comes to think that Frank is manipulated by his wife, Georgie (played by Grace Kelly). There was a time Frank used to be a well-known actor but his career has declined, his alcoholism making it particularly hard for him to find work. Bernie is concerned and is prepared to help Frank at any cost. Over the course of time, however, Bernie comes to realize that everything is not what meets the eye.
''The Country Girl'' is indeed a powerful, emotionally raw film. The characters are very realistic. Grace Kelly's performance is phenomenal, while William Holden and Bing Crosby are great in their roles as well. The secrets revealed over the course of the film make the characters stronger and layered.
Directed by: Nicholas Ray
Released: 1955
Country: United States
Genre: Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''Rebel Without a Cause'' reminded me of everything I love about films. It is such a very powerful and riveting film that I found myself loving it and it has surely become one of my all-time favorite films.
Jim Starks (played by James Dean) has recently moved to a new town with his parents. Jim is frustrated and feels that his parents don't understand him. We are introduced to two other teenagers, Judy (played by Natalie Wood) and Plato (played by Sal Mineo). Judy feels slighted by her father. Her father never pays her the attention that she wants from him. She feels that her father does not care for her anymore. Plato is extremely lonely and longs for friends, which leads to frustration that often causes him to become violent. On Jim's first at school, he is bullied by a boy called Buzz (played by Corey Allen). Jim is humiliated when he is called a chicken (signifying a coward) and then gets into trouble with Buzz, something that results in a severe tragedy. Traumatized and feeling guilty about the tragedy and also deeply affected by the frustration they have to go through everyday, Jim, Judy and Plato form a close bond over the course of a single evening, while the outside world that has never understood them keeps haunting them, something that ultimately results in a tragedy.
Here are three characters who want to belong somewhere, to somebody. They have never felt that sense of belonging anywhere. Finally, the three of them find one another. Perhaps, they think, this is what they have been looking for? This kind of friendship and emotional bond had been missing in their lives, and when they finally find one another they discover that they can finally expect to let go of the loneliness that has been haunting them.
How can a film possibly be this much emotionally overpowering? I have seen films about loneliness and frustration and the discovery of someone who fully understands you, but very few of them were as powerful as ''Rebel Without a Cause''. The film knows just how to explore the subject. And when it comes to the characters, the success of character development depends on whether you can feel emotionally attached to them and want to spend more, much more time with them. ''Rebel Without a Cause'' fully succeeds in that. James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo are excellent in their roles. The film makes us want to spend more time with Jim, Judy and Plato. It makes us desperately want a happy ending for the three characters we get to love. We anticipate a tragedy of some kind or other but we just don't want it to strike, we just want our characters to be happy.
These are universal themes- frustration, loneliness, communication gap and the eager desire to belong somewhere. The world is a complicated and lonely place and we are all looking for acceptance. It is tragic if teenagers- at an age when they are at the peak of the emotional development- find that there is now a distance between themselves and their parents, that they don't know just who they are, what their identity is, where they belong, who their friends are.
Teenagers often ''get into trouble'' when they find acceptance nowhere. It is the duty of others- particularly parents- to be compassionate and understanding towards teenagers. At the same time, we- whether we are children, teenagers or adults- go on looking for belonging and acceptance and once we find it, we feel a sort of fulfillment we have never felt before. ''Rebel Without a Cause'' thus explores several themes that are identifiable and understandable. It is one of the best films I have ever seen.
Directed by: Satyajit Ray
Released: 1956
Country: India
Genre: Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''Aparajito'', Satyajit Ray's second film, is a sequel to his first, ''Pather Panchali''.
Harihar (Kanu Banerjee) and Sarbajaya (Karuna Banerjee) and their son, Apu (Pinaki Sen Gupta) have moved to Varanasi. Although there is poverty and a lot of troubles, they are initially happy but then, suddenly, Harihar dies. Sarbajaya is left to fend for herself and her son. They move to Sarbajaya's hometown, a remote village. The film follows the difficult lives of Sarbajaya and Apu (the adolescent Apu is played by Smaran Ghoshal) and how Sarbajaya has to come into terms with the painful changes once Apu moves to Kolkata for his education.
''Aparajito'' is quiet and unpretentious but the characters go through and display a wide variety of emotions. The most powerful performance is delivered by Karuna Banerjee, who plays Sarbajaya. You can feel the pain she feels when her son- the person she is still, after all the troubles she has been through (including the death of her daughter and husband), bravely facing life for- goes away to Kolkata. We can feel her longing for her son, the loneliness she goes through. Apu, too, is a character with depth. There is a scene- right after Sarbajaya and Apu move to the village- when Apu can hear the sirens from a train and rushes to see it passing by. Emotions are reflected on his face. What is he thinking of? Perhaps the time- depicted in ''Pather Panchali''- in which he and his elder sister had run to see the train passing by? When he decides to move to Kolkata, little can he imagine the loneliness his mother will go through. Being a teenager with little experience with human emotions, he can hardly comprehend his mother's emotions- something that he eventually comes to regret.
''Aparajito'' is a deeply moving and powerful film.
Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Released: 1950
Country: United States
Genre: Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''All About Eve'' starts in an awards show- the Sarah Siddons Award- that recognizes the best in theater. The young Eve Harrington (played by Anne Baxter), a rising actress, wins an award. Several people present in the ceremony recall how Eve made her way up the ladder- and the story is told in flashback.
Just a few months before, Karen Richards (played by Celeste Holm)- the wife of a famous playwright- had seen Eve waiting outside a theater. A play starring the famous theater actress Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis) had been taking place there. Karen had seen Eve waiting outside the theater before and Eve told her that she had seen every show of the play so far. When Eve expressed her admiration for Margo, Karen was impressed and took her to Margo. Margo was impressed by Eve, felt pity for her (as she said that she had lost a husband in the war and had evidently not had a very smooth life) and took her under her wing. Although initially very fond of Eve, Margo eventually started to feel insecure. Margo had been feeling insecure about her age and career lately (now being in her forties) and Eve's beauty, charm and youth seemed threatening to her. Although others around her thought that Margo had no reason to feel this way, Margo's insecurity grew over the passage of time and it also became evident that had certain plans up her sleeve.
Oh,
how I loved ''All About Eve''! I loved the way the story eventually
unfolded. I loved the way the characters were developed. I loved
everything about it: the story, the screenplay, the way the film is narrated, the performances,
everything. This was the second time I watched the film- I had first
watched it back in 2013- and this time I loved it way more than the
first time!
The performances, the characters. I have a great deal to say them about them. The performances of the women, in particular, really impressed me. Bette Davis is simply great as Margo Channing. You can understand her, you can understand the reasons for her insecurity and fears. I loved the way Anne Baxter played her character. We eventually get to know the true nature of Eve and when we do, we cannot help being shocked. Celeste Holm, as Karen, is wonderful as well. Thelma Ritter shines in her small supporting role as Birdie, Margo's protective maid.
Gary Merrill plays Margo's boyfriend Bill, Hugh Marlowe plays playwright Lloyd Richards and George Sanders plays theater critic Addison Dewitt. All of them- particularly Sanders- are excellent in their roles.
I am glad that I decided to rewatch ''All About Eve''. I loved and appreciated it way more than I did during my first watch. It is a great film.
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1955
Country: United States
Genre: Romantic comedy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
Billy Wilder's ''The Seven Year Itch'' starts with the narrator describing a practice among the native Americans living in Manhattan centuries ago. When summer came, they would send their wives and children to colder and comfortable places, while they would stay behind for their work. However, once their wives would go away, many of the men would become smitten by beautiful women. The narrator then tells us that the film has nothing to do with native Americans, but that the story would be set in the modern day Manhattan.
The narrator implies that nothing much has changed in men in the present day Manhattan. Our narrator, Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell) is a middle-aged man working for a publishing company. As it is summer, he sends his wife and son to Maine, but stays behind for his work. He tries his best not to feel attracted to women and not to smoke, but when a beautiful young woman (Marilyn Monroe) moves to an apartment in the same building, his determination is tested and he must now try his best not to become attracted to her.
''The Seven Year Itch'' is a very funny film. Richard is pretty paranoid and often expects the worst. His imaginations and fantasies are hilarious. There are scenes in which he imagines his attraction to his neighbor will be publicly revealed and he imagines hilarious consequences. The kind of background music heard in those scenes are music you would expect in a serious drama film or even, at times, in a thriller film. However, the film is not even close to being a serious drama: the film is very lighthearted. The background music reflects Richard's paranoia and it makes everything way more hilarious.
Tom Ewell and Marilyn Monroe are both wonderful in their roles. Monroe is charming and cute as the innocent neighbor Ewell is great in his role and the scenes in which his character talks to himself, imagining the consequences that can come if his attraction to his neighbor is publicly revealed, are hilarious.
''The Seven Year Itch'' is a very entertaining and amusing film. A Billy Wilder film has, till now, never disappointed me.
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1959
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Romantic
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
I might say this every time I review a Billy Wilder film but it is such a delight watching his films! ''Some Like It Hot'' is a hilarious film: it is wacky and funny and it can also be, at the same time, very romantic.
''Some Like It Hot'' tells the story of two friends, Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) who are jazz players working in Chicago. After, for some reasons, they find themselves unemployed, they start looking for jobs, but the only job that is available requires only girls: it is a post in an all-girls' band. However, when Joe and Jerry accidentally witness a murder by a gang, they decide that they should leave the city as soon as possible as the gang, having seen them, is looking for them (they had managed to escape). They get an idea: disguising themselves as two girls- Joe calling himself Josephine and Jerry calling himself Daphne- they join the all-girls' band. The band is headed to Florida. Doing this, they secure for themselves not only jobs but also an opportunity to get out of the city. On the train, they become friends with a beautiful member of the band, Sugar- played by Marilyn Monroe. Sugar- who keeps saying that she is not very ''bright''- intends to marry a millionaire. Both men are attracted to Sugar (who does not know that they are actually men) and as soon as they reach Florida, hilarious, wacky things start happening.
The film was very funny, very funny indeed! From the time Joe and Jerry got on the train, there were very few moments in which I did not laugh! It kept me laughing, it did! There are so many funny things happening in the film concerning disguised identities, a very rich man having a yacht, a man disguising himself twice, and so many other things!
The performances by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were very impressive. Marilyn Monroe was wonderful as well; I loved her performance so much! She portrays Sugar as coquettish, charmingly innocent (she is talking to someone pretending to be a ''rich man'', and the man asks her if she plays the stock market, and she replies that she plays the ukulele) and very romantic. Her character is so very sweet and memorable. And then there is Joe E. Brown, playing a very interesting and hilarious character indeed. It is Brown's character that says the last dialogue in the film, and this quote remains an iconic quote in film history.
Excellently directed, written and acted, ''Some Like It Hot'' is a very, very funny film!
Directed by: George Stevens
Released: 1951
Country: United States
Genre: Romantic drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
In ''A Place in the Sun'', Montgomery Clift plays the role of George Eastman, a poor relative of the wealthy Charles Eastman (Herbert Heyes), a wealthy industrialist. He is given a job by Charles Eastman in a factory owned by him. Meek and from a poor background, George is intimidated by the upper class lifestyle of the Eastmans and the people they associate with. In the factory, George meets Alice Tripp (played by Shelley Winters), a plain and simple co-worker and finds himself falling in love with her. However, he is soon befriended by Angela Vickers, played by the elegant Elizabeth Taylor, and he finds himself falling in love with her too. Angela, a renowned socialite, introduces George to the upper class society and their relationship gradually deepens. However, when he discovers that he cannot abandon Alice easily- for a reason grave and serious- he becomes confused and ultimately, the situation leads to disastrous consequences.
I started watching the film expecting it to be a simple romantic drama. However, the plot development and turns in the story astounded me. It was heartbreaking and emotionally intense. Monty Clift, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelley Winters brought their characters into life. As the protagonist, Monty Clift's performance is extremely powerful. I am not going to get into details as I definitely don't want to spoil anything, but- thanks to the screenplay and Clift's excellent performance- the character develops a great depth over the course of the film. Elizabeth Taylor is magnificent as the glamorous Angela, and the scenes she shares with Clift are truly memorable. However, I think Shelley Winters's performance stands out from the rest because of her character. I felt for her, I felt great sympathy for her character; she was trapped in situation and that is not her fault at all. The scenes by the Loon Lake are atmospheric- the atmosphere being pretty different from that of the rest of the film- and the calls of loon birds make the atmosphere even more haunting.
Ultimately, with its plot and character development, excellent screenplay, and great performances, ''A Place in the Sun'' turns out to be a heartbreaking and emotionally powerful film.
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1954
Country: United States
Genre: Romantic comedy, Drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
Sabrina, the protagonist and titular character of the film, is played by Audrey Hepburn. This was her second major film role, the film being released in the year after the great ''Roman Holiday'' was. Directed by Billy Wilder- who also happens to be one of my favorite directors- this is a charming little film, a sweet love triangle, and has extremely funny moments that evoke great laughter.
The film begins when Sabrina is still a teenager. She is the daughter of a chauffeur employed in the household of the Larrabbees, an immensely wealthy family. Linus (Humphrey Bogart) and David (William Holden) are the two sons of the elderly Mr and Mrs Larrabee. Linus is serious, hardworking and workaholic, while David is careless and carefree, having already married and divorced thrice. Sabrina has been infatuated with David since her childhood, and is heartbroken when she finds herself unnoticed, finding her feelings unrequited. Sabrina's father arranges for her to go to Paris and study cooking. Sabrina goes rather unwillingly; however, living in Paris helps her view life with more optimism. She returns several years later, now a polished and sophisticated young lady, and immediately captures David's attention. David falls in love with her, and Sabrina is delighted to find her feelings finally being returned. However, the Larabees are planning a marriage between David and the wealthy Elizabeth Tyson, an association which would be greatly helpful for the family business, and seeing David falling for Sabrina, Linus decides to somehow divert Sabrina's attention from David, but instead finds himself falling for Sabrina, while she, in spite of herself, also finds that she is drawn to Linus.
I really admired the film. I liked the way it remains an interesting love triangle without becoming sappy. Audrey Hepburn's performance is full of emotional depth. At the beginning of the film she is an innocent, immature teenager who feels devastated when her love is unrequited, but when she is older, the character is more mature, more understanding, and though still in love and delighted when David returns her feelings, does not let love fully drive her. Humphrey Bogart, playing a serious middle-aged man who has never fallen in love before, makes the character of Linus believable and interesting. William Holden's character, David, is rather very carefree and careless and so has slightly less depth than the other two major characters. But still, all three of them deliver performances that leave us impressed. The supporting characters are impressive as well. I specially admired the performances by John Williams, who plays Sabrina's father, a person who is deeply concerned observing how his daughter is deeply in love with his employer, and Walter Hampden, who plays David and Linus's elderly father and brings a lot of comic relief in the film! Trust me, Hampden's performance is wonderful!
Besides romance, there is a lot of humor in the film as well. There were quite a few scenes that made me laugh out loud! They really did! While the overall film has a significant amount of emotional depth, the comic reliefs and funny scenes actually make us laugh out loud! The screenplay is excellent, perfectly balancing the tone of the film, making it emotionally deep but at times lighthearted as well.
I know I probably write this thing in every single Billy Wilder film I review but I must write it here as well: the more I watch films by this man, the more I admire him. ''Sabrina'' is a wonderful little film with an excellent screenplay, sufficient emotional depth, humor and comic relief, and very memorable performances.
4 out of 5
Directed by: Elia Kazan
Released: 1951
Country: United States
Genre: Drama
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is an intense and powerful film, with two of the most powerful performances I have ever seen. Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando, two of the greatest film stars of all time, give extremely powerful performances as Blanche DuBois and Stanley Kowalski, respectively. Vivien Leigh's performance is simply so strong that by the end of the film, I was literally in tears, seeing the fate of her character, Blanche. On the other hand, Marlon Brando's character, Stanley Kowalski, is so excellently-developed that by the end of the film the only thing that I felt for the character was pure hatred and outrage.
The film's protagonist, Blanche DuBois, arrives in New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella (Kim Hunter) and her (Stella's) husband, Stanley. Blanche claims that she has taken a leave from the school she works at, because she has been suffering from depression. In reality, there are secrets that she has been hiding. Dark secrets. The short-tempered, violent and wild Stanley doesn't let things go on smoothly. He often treats Blanche with contempt, and then decides to look into Blanche's past. He finds out about the circumstances that caused Blanche to move to New Orleans.
I was greatly saddened, greatly shocked, and literally terrified seeing the torture and the difficulties that Blanche has to go through. Sure, she might not have had an agreeable past. But HOW can Stanley treat her, torment her in the way he does? How can a human treat somebody in this way? Stanley Kowalski is definitely one of the most hate-able movie villains I have ever seen. I mean, this character is inhuman and savage. And how excellently the character development is done! It takes time. Initially I felt only a mere loathing and even pity for Stanley, but by the end of the film, I felt pure hatred towards the character. For all the things that he does to Blanche.
The most memorable line from the film is definitely ''Stella! Hey Stella!'' These lines, spoken by Brando's character, are spoken twice during the film, when Stella, tired of her husband's violent nature and torments, decides to leave her husband (twice). The first time this happens, I felt pity for Stanley, because of the circumstances, and because of the way he calls Stella. But by the second time he says this, at the very end of the film, my heart was filled with pure hatred, extreme loathing for the character of Stanley. The character development is done gradually, and I couldn't possibly feel any sympathy for him after the things he does over the course of the film. By the end of the film, I was left with tears in my eyes, having been shocked and saddened seeing Blanche's fate, and outraged and terrified seeing the inhumanity and savageness of Stanley. Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh both give extremely memorable performances- perhaps two of the most powerful performances in the history of cinema.
This is indeed one of the most powerful, one of the most intense, one of the most shocking, and one of the most excellently-acted films that I have ever watched. Elia Kazan's direction is, definitely, excellent, while Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh's performances are unforgettable and powerful enough to be called two of the greatest performances in film history. Besides the direction and the acting, the cinematography and the background score are great as well, and overall, this is a powerful film, a must-watch.
Directed by: Delbert Mann
Released: 1955
Country: United States
Genre: Romantic drama
Cast: Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair, Esther Minciotti, Augusta Ciolli, Joe Mantell, Karen Steele
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
''Marty'' is one of those simple, lovely little films that are so charming that you can never forget about them. It is a film that is a must-watch for those who are fond of sweet love stories.
The titular character, Marty (Ernest Borgnine) is a 34-year-old man. He has never been married. All of his siblings have already married and settled down. His mother is quite worried for him. Marty is also worried for himself, as his friends constantly insist him to get married. At his mother's insistence, he goes to a dance one evening, and there he meets Clara (Betsy Blair), a 29-year-old schoolteacher whose date abandoned her. Marty asks Clara to dance with him, and she does, and spending the entire evening together, they gradually discover that they are in love, and that they are loving the time that they are spending together.
There is also a subplot as Virginia, wife of Marty's cousin starts complaining about her mother-in-law. Virginia thinks that the presence of her mother-in-law is ruining her privacy. This subplot deals with the problems and conflicts that both mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law tend to get through. The mother suffers from a kind of insecurity that her daughter-in-law is poisoning her son against her, while the daughter-in-law strongly feels that her mother-in-law is an obstacle to her leading a happy life,
But more importantly, ''Marty'' is a great love story! I mean, it is so sweet that it will definitely bring a smile on everybody's face! The scene in which Marty and Clara walk after the dance and Marty cannot even stop talking- that scene was so lovely! The way in which the two characters come to understand each other- in spite of having known each other only for a short time- is really amazing. Perhaps this understanding is because of the fact that they can identify with each other's problems and insecurities. Neither Marty nor Clara is glamorous, but what they possess is good heart, what they possess is love. The chemistry between the two main characters was excellent! Betsy Blair is so cute and charming, and Ernest Borgnine's performance is really great. I admit it is not a great film that emotionally overpowered me or something, but yes, it is an excellent love story that brought a smile on my face and left me impressed- it is a beautiful film, well-written, well-directed, and well-acted.
4 out of 5
Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
Released: 1952
Country: United States
Genres: Western, Drama, Thriller
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
In ''High Noon'', Gary Cooper plays Marshal Will Kane. The film tells a story that spans just a few hours- and within these few hours, a lot of things happen: tension, disappointment, fear, thrills, apprehension. It is a western thriller full of thrills and tension- and one that I would highly recommend.
Marshal Will Kane marries Amy Fowler (Grace Kelly), but just a few minutes after their marriage, they get a terrible news: a man, Frank Miller, whom Will had sent to prison, has been released, and is coming back to take revenge on Will. Everybody advises Will to get out of the town before Frank arrives, and Will initially agrees, but soon returns to the town. Amy is furious at him: she wants him to leave the town with her, but when he disagrees, she decides to leave the town on her own. She waits at a hotel near the station, waiting for the train. On the other hand, some friends of Frank are waiting for him at the station, ready to welcome him back. Will starts looking for help, looking for people who would help him face Frank. But nobody agrees to help him: some out of fear, and some because of their dislike for Will (ironically, the only people who want to help Will are a one-eyed man and a teenager). And as the minutes fly by, Frank's train keeps approaching...
One of the things I loved about this film is it's simplicity: it tells the story that spans just a few hours, and within those few hours, the characters go through such incidents, such fear, such thrills, such tension. Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly are definitely excellent in their respective roles, and I should also mention Katy Jurado, who plays Helen Ramirez, who had been the lovers of both Frank and Will.
''High Noon'' is a thrilling film with excellent screenplay and performances. I'd highly recommend it.
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: Charles Laughton
Released: 1955
Country: United States
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, Billy Chaplin, Evelyn Warden, Peter Graves, Sally Jane Bruce
Genres: Thriller, Crime, Drama, Film noir
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
There are probably very few villains whom I hated in the way I hated Harry Powell, the antagonist of the film ''The Night of the Hunter''. And, there are very few films that I loved as much as I loved ''The Night of the Hunter''. Scary, thrilling, suspenseful, and at the same time, gorgeous and magnificent, this is one of the greatest films I have ever watched.
What is the most memorable thing about this film? The storyline, the scary plot and the suspenseful and extremely frightening moments? The beautiful cinematography? The beautiful backgrounds and settings? The excellent performance from the talented cast? Everything is memorable, everything is unforgettable. It is the combination of all these that makes it one of the films that you can never forget. While it is one of the most thrilling and suspenseful films I have ever watched, it is also one of the most sublimely beautiful and captivating films I have ever watched.
Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is secretly a serial killer while claiming himself to be a preacher. He is arrested as he was driving a stolen car. In the prison, he happens to meet Ben Harper (Peter Graves), a man who, in order to financially support his wife and two young children, robbed a bank, and had to kill two people. Harper tells Powell that he had hid the stolen money, and that his two young children are the only people who know where the money is hidden. Harper is hanged. Soon, Powell is released. He plans to get hold of the money by persuading Harper's children to tell him where the money is actually hidden. He goes to the little village where Harper's widow and two children live, and using his charm and amiable behavior he manages to impress everybody and ultimately persuades Harper's widow, Willa, to marry him... But his true intention is to get hold of the money, and when the children refuse to tell him the location of the hidden money, he gets violent, he reveals his terrifying true colors, bringing in bloodshed and torture... He will go to any length to get hold of the money, even if he has to kill or torture people for that.. How will the two little children get rid of his torture, of the horror of his mere presence?
Oh, what a magnificent gem of a film it was! It is definitely one of the scariest films I have ever watched. It indeed is. And oh, the antagonist, Harry Powell. He is definitely one of the villains whom I hated with all my heart. He is one of the scariest villains I have ever come across. Robert Mitchum gives a powerful performance that definitely remains unforgettable.
Lillian Gish plays Rachel Cooper, an elderly woman who provides John and Pearl with shelter after they run away, and does her best to protect the two children. Thirty-six years before the film was made, this very woman played a helpless girl who was oppressed by her father in one of the most heartbreaking films I have ever watched, ''Broken Blossoms''. Thirty-six years after ''Broken Blossoms'', this woman gave a powerful performance in ''The Night of the Hunter''. This time she played a powerful and righteous woman who stands up against all injustices, all oppressions.
And yes, the two children, Billy Chaplin and Sally Jane Bruce, are excellent and powerful in their roles as John and Pearl, respectively.
And oh, the cinematography. The beautiful images. These make the film so atmospheric, so beautiful-looking, these give the film nearly a Gothic, dark, and sublime atmosphere. There are scenes that are unforgettable because of their beauty, their excellent atmosphere, their beautiful cinematography. I must mention those scenes where we see John and Pearl rowing, amidst the darkness of the night. The water, their boat, and all the animals watching them (frogs, foxes, etc.) all these make these scenes so beautiful. There is a scene where Pearl sings a song on the boat, while John is deep asleep, and we get glimpses of the water, the frogs that are watching them. Sublime. Magnificent. These two words easily sum up my thoughts about the cinematography.
One of the greatest films I have ever watched, ''The Night of the Hunter'' is frightening, it is beautiful, it is magnificent. A scary and atmospheric film with excellent cinematography, excellent performances and great screenplay, it is a must watch.
Directed by: Ingmar Bergman
Released: 1957
Country: Sweden
Genre: Drama
Cast: Victor Sjöström, Bibi Andersson, Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Jullan Kindahl, Folke Sundquist, Björn Bjelfvenstam
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
Isolation. Emptiness. Loneliness. How much can isolaion impact somebody's life? It is quite obvious that isolation can cause emptiness, it causes loneliness. Where does selfishness, antisocial attitude lead us to? How long can somebody remain satisfied if he keeps himself isolated, if he dislikes social interactions? Can somebody change himself if he understands the true meaning of life? Through the dreams and reminiscences of the protagonist Professor Borg, ''Wild Strawberries'' poses these questions. It is a remarkable story of self-discovery.
Our 78-year-old protagonist, Professor Isak Borg, had a successful career as a physician and bacteriologist. We get a glimpse of his life in the very first scenes of the film: he leads a very lonely life, with only a housekeeper to take care of him. His wife died years ago; his son rarely contacts him; his mother, though still living, lives far away. He has to go to Lund to receive an honorary doctorate degree. He decides to drive to Lund, and his daughter-in-law Marianne, who has been living with him for some time, having apparently had some problems with her husband, decides to accompany him. She wants to meet Evald, her husband (and Isak's son) in Lund. On their way to Lund, Isak has such experiences, strange dreams, reminiscences, thoughts, that ultimately lead him to realize how emptiness can affect somebody's life, how small things can deeply affect someone's life, how isolation can leave a terrible impact in somebody's life, and all these ultimately lead him to self-discovery, and make him determined to change his way of life, to learn how to love and appreciate people, to leave the life of selfishness and social aloofness.
Over the course of the film, Professor Borg learns to identify himself, he learns to identify how meaningless an empty and lonely life can be. It is definitely one of the most beautiful and emotionally impacting films about self-discovery.
The dream sequences, the flashbacks are so beautiful that it's impossible to forget them. The amazing cinematography, background scores- these are unforgettable. The dream sequences and the memory sequences are beautifully executed.
The performances are, of course, excellent. Victor Sjöström, as Isak Borg, is amazing throughout the film. Ingrid Thulin plays Marianne, Isak's daughter-in-law who initially dislikes Isak but over the course of the journey gets closer to him and starts liking him. There are two characters named Sara and they are played by the same actress, Bibi Andersson. The first Sara is the woman to whom Isak was ''secretly engaged'', but later she had married Isak's brother. We see her in flashbacks. The second Sara is a young girl who (along with two friends) joins Isak and Marianne in their journey. The three young people remain with Isak and Marianne throughout the journey, and these spirited, cheerful young people help Isak self-discovery as well.
''Wild Strawberries'' is a hauntingly beautiful film. It is emotional, it is beautiful, it is thought-provoking. It is definitely one of the best films about self-discovery, and about the very meaning of life, ever made.
5 out of 5
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1957
Country: United States
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
''Witness for the Prosecution'' is directed by Billy Wilder and is based on a short story by Agatha Christie- amazing, isn't it? And the film is amazing as well: well-written, well-directed, puzzling, grave, and witty. It has got such a bunch of memorable characters, and the entire film is really enjoyable. I think it was quite unpredictable and it had a really great twist and ending.
Sir Wilfrid Robarts, played by Charles Laughton, is a barrister who has recently had some cardiac problem, and has been strictly advised by the doctor not to take any criminal cases. Miss Plimsoll (Elsa Lancaster) is a nurse who is taking care of him, and strictly disapproves of his actions, including hiding cigars in his canes. However, he soon gets the offer to take a murder case: a man named Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) has been accused of murdering a middle-aged woman, Emily French, and Vole wants Sir Wilfrid to defend him. Soon, it is revealed that Emily French left Vole a large amount of money, which becomes a possible motive for murder, and Vole is arrested.
Though Miss Plimsoll wants Sir Wilfrid not to take the case as it may have drastic effects on his health, Sir Wilfrid decides to defend Vole, and takes the case. Things don't go quite smooth, as there are several evidences are against Vole, and most importantly, there is Christine (Marlene Dietrich), Vole's mysterious wife, whom Sir Wilfrid calls a ''remarkable woman''...
The film was amazing! An extremely puzzling story, excellent screenplay, the mystery, the performances of Charles Laughton, Elsa Lancaster, Marlene Dietrich, and Tyrone Power- all these make the film such an enjoyable, entertaining, memorable journey. Sir Wilfrid and Miss Plimsoll are two characters I absolutely loved. It is strange that Miss Plimsoll did not really have any role in the case the film is about, she is just the nurse of Sir Wilfrid, yet she is one of the most memorable characters of the film. such an amusing, such a funny character that I really, really admired! Elsa Lancaster won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film, and she definitely deserved it! She gives such a memorable performance! Charles Laughton, as Sir Wilfrid, is really excellent as well! In spite of being discharged from the hospital only recently, he is eager to resume working, taking up murder cases, and is very intelligent, very devoted to his work. What an excellent performance! Marlene Dietrich is very memorable as well.
It is a thoroughly entertaining film: the courtroom scenes are enjoyable with the numerous twists and turns that happen throughout the film, culminating in an unpredictable and extremely memorable ending. Excellently-directed, ,acted, and written, witty, puzzling, twisted and entertaining, this is a wonderful gem of a film. (This is only my fourth Billy Wilder film, and he is now a favorite of mine. Two of his films, ''Sunset Boulevard'' and ''The Apartment'' are among my all-time favorite films).
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: François Truffaut
Released: 1959
Country: France
Genre: Dtrama
Cast: Jean-Pierre Leaud, Albert Remy, Claire Maurier, Patrick Auffay, Guy Decomble
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
Francois Traffaut, in his first feature film ''The 400 Blows'', tells the sad, emotional story of a teenaged boy- a misunderstood, mentally tortured boy- his trials and tribulations, bearing all the tortures and injustice silently. It's an emotional, beautiful little film- amazing cast, beautiful cinematography, excellent screenplay, and overall, a great presentation and an emotional, touching story.
Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Leaud) lives with his almost indifferent parents- his mother is very harsh to him, behaves rudely with him, though his father (stepfather, as we come to know later), is softer and friendlier, and yet, more or less, indifferent. They don't hate him, yet they pay very little attention to him, and thinks that he is mischievous. At school, his teacher cannot stand him.
The film deals with the events of the young teenager's life, his difficult times at home, at school, indifference of his mother, cruelty of his teacher, and ultimately, running away from home (because his teacher suspended him from school, accusing him of plagiarism), involving himself in theft, leading to worse consequences...
The film is beautifully presented. The cinematography is marvelous, and the score... it is simply so beautiful, so melodious. Jean-Pierre Leaud's performance really amazed me. The character of Antoine Doinel was so strong, so well-develop, that once cannot but marvel. Amazing. It's not that his parents hate him. It's not that his teacher hates him. But he is misunderstood. He wants to be treated well, he tries his best, but he almost never gets the affection, the care that he wants, from his mother. There are scenes, though, when we come to understand that his mother, deep in her heart, loves him; she is worried because Antoine hadn't returned home the previous night, and comes to his school to take him home. At home, she talks affectionately with him, telling him of the importance of sharing his sorrows and worries with parents, and about the importance of education, and promising to reward him if he scores well in the class tests. The following few scenes are quite sweet, as we see him eventually getting closer to his parents, but even this is ruined after he is suspended from school- he runs away from school, leading to more dreadful consequences. The conversation between Antoine and his mother at the reformatory was not only shocking but also so saddening. And there is a screen where we see a conversation between Antoine and the psychiatrist (whose face we never see), and Antoine recounts his whole life, further making us realize what a sad life he has been leading since his childhood.
The last few scenes are so wonderful, so memorable. We see him running, running away, and the camera moves with him- so wonderfully made, so thematic, so symbolic. And the very final scene, which shows him looking at the screen, is extremely unforgettable as well. Wonderful film, touching, emotional, with beautiful cinematography, score, screenplay, and an excellent performance by Jean-Pierre Leaud.
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
Released: 1953
Country: United States
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Montegmory Clift, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, Phillip Ober
Genre: Drama, Romance, War
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''From Here to Eternity'' mainly tells the story of two people, Private Robert ''Prew'' Prewitt (Montegmory Clift) and First Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancester). Set during the World War II, the film starts when Prew is transferred to Oahu. He is an expert boxer, and Captain Dana Holmes (Phillip Ober) expects him to box for him, but Prew refuses, because he gave up boxing after he had accidentally wounded a friend. Holmes doesn't give up. He decides to persuade Prew to join his boxing team, using cruel method, trying to make life for Prew as miserable as possible. Prew befriends Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra), who frequently gets into fights with Staff Sergeant James Judson (Ernest Borgnine).
First Sergeant Milton Warden starts an affair with Karen (Deborah Kerr), the wife of Holmes. Holmes has affairs with several other women, and has never treated Karen well, causing Karen to feel lonely, neglected and depressed. Warden and Karen start loving each other deeply, in spite of knowing that if their affair is released, Warden will be sentenced to a 20 years' imprisonment. Karen suggests Warden to try to become a Captain, which will make it easier for her to divorce Holmes and marry Warden. This causes Warden to fall into a great dilemma- while he wants to be with Karen, he would never like to be a Captain. He thinks that being a Captain will cause him to become a cruel person like Holmes.
I'm not sure which of the two stories I felt more attracted to- the story of Prew gets more screen presence, but on the other hand, the love story of Warden and Karen is extremely beautiful and touching. The kiss scene on the beach is perhaps one of the most unforgettable movie moments. Both the stories are equally touching and emotionally intense. Prew, who starts becoming a victim of torture, falls in love with Lauren (Donna Reed), a girl who works at a gentleman's club, yet sweet and deeply in love with Prew. The story of Prew also features Maggio, Prew's friend who gets into fights with Sergeant Judson and ultimately meets a tragic end.
''From Here to Eternity'' is a film emotional and touching--- the main characters are so well-developed that we feel them, we feel sympathy for them- especially the characters of Prew, Warden and Karen. The cast is extremely strong as well: Montegmory Clift, Deborah Kerr, Burt Lancester, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, and the others- give excellent performances (the supporting cast is mentionable). I loved this film, I really did. The ending almost brought tears to my eyes. The last scene that features a conversation between Karen and Lauren felt heart-wrenching and emotional to me- a short, but sad little scene. A deeply moving film- a story of torture, misery, loneliness, and the love that can overcome all these things, and yet a love that is uncertain... Magnificent film.
5 ou of 5t
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1950
Country: United States
Genres: Drama, Film noir
Cast: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stronheim, Nancy Olson
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
Watching ''Sunset Boulevard'' was a unique movie experience. The film has a strange melody: a dark, Gothic atmosphere, a sad tune, a drama, a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. Gorgeous cinematography, some unforgettable, excellent performances, a great story presented in an intense way- it is undoubtedly one of the best films I have ever seen.
The film starts showing us police cars running to Sunset Blvd, to a manor, where, in the pool, the dead body of the protagonist, Joe Gillis, is floating. Joe himself starts narrating the film. He tells the audience that in order to what is actually happening, they have to know the whole story, and for this, they have to know what six months ago, from where it had all started...
Joe is (I'm using the present tense, because almost the entire story is presented in a flashback) a screenwriter, but recently, he hasn't had any jobs, and has been suffering from financial crisis. He is threatened that if he is not able to pay some money in the due time, he will lose his car. He tries to earn the money, trying to sell his recent script and trying to borrow some money- but is unsuccessful in doing that. He is then chased by the repossession men, and he ends up in the garage of an old, creepy looking mansion. The mansion looks so deserted that it instantly reminds him of the residence of Mr Havisham of ''Great Expectations''. And then. A servant comes out of the house, and calls him in. Joe, surprised, goes in, and is met by a middle-aged woman. Joe instantly recognizes the woman as Norma Desmond, one of the most famous actresses during the silent era, whose career ended due to the advent of sound films (''talkies''). Norma called Joe in because she had mistakenly thought Joe to be the man who was arranging the burial of her dead pet chimp. As Joe starts leaving, she calls him back, asking him to have a look at something she wrote. She always dreams to return to film industry. She wants to act again, she wants to be the greatest star Norma Desmond again. And for that, she has written her own script, for a film where she has decided that she will play the major role. She asks Joe to edit the script, to polish it, and in return, offers him a huge amount of money. Joe thinks that the script is dreadful, but since he is in urgent need of the money, he admits to do so. Norma asks Joe to stay in the house during the time he will work on the script, and Joe has to agree, reluctantly.
Living in Norma's house, Joe becomes familiar with Norma's life. She still lives in the past, she still thinks that she is the great Norma Desmond, the most famous, the most popular movie star. The only other person in the house is Max, her faithful old servant, who cares a lot for her. She doesn't seem to accept that her time ended twenty years ago. She lives in, and wants to live in the past. Very often, she persuades Joe to watch a film with her--- and those films star herself. Joe becomes really uneasy and feel uncomfortable in Norma's house, and Norma soon becomes overly attached with him, and starts loving him. Joe is absolutely disgusted, thinking that Norma doesn't even think that he might have a life of his own. He quarrels with Norma, and leaves, but when comes to know that Norma attempted suicide, he comes back, and to ensure that she doesn't do any such thing again, he starts living in her house again, the house which he describes as a ''peculiar prison''. Ultimately, Norma's obsessions will have drastic consequences...
Obsession. Sympathy. Sincere love. These three feelings persist throughout the film, through the major characters. What Norma suffers from is obsession. An obsession with the past. An obsession with her past fame. A obsession with herself. An obsession with Joe. And what does Joe experience? Why does he live in Norma's house? At first, he does it because he is badly in need of some money. And then he does it out of pure sympathy for Norma. Does he ''love'' her? Certainly not. Norma is obsessed with the past and with Joe, and if she is brought out from the illusion that her days have ended, she will certainly do something drastic. Joe plays along, pretending to love her deeply, out of sympathy.
And there is Norma's servant and chauffeur, Max von Mayerling, played by Erich von Stroheim. We can understand from his actions and words that he deeply loves Norma, and at one point, his past and identity is revealed, quite like a bolt from the blue. Max sincerely cares for Norma, and doesn't want her to know that her days, her time, her popularity had ended long ago. Norma thinks that she still receives thousands of fan letter and autograph requests per week. This leads Joe to think that Norma is still quite popular, that she has not been entirely forgotten. When he tells this to Max, the latter reveals that there is actually no fan letter; all the letters that arrive are written by Max himself. He has persuaded Norma to believe that she is still loved by the people. His feelings for Norma is sincere and deep; without Norma, his life would be incomplete...
After watching this film, I was so impressed with it that I wanted to know to more about it's background and history. I read about it in several websites, including Wikipedia. I came to know that this film is actually based on real incidences, real people. It's not directly based on real incidents, but the concept of this film comes from very genuine incidences, many real-life events. After the silent era ended, a lot of silent film actors naturally lost their job. But we will talk about the silent era, when the lives of the silent film actors were grand, extravagant. When the income of the actors increased, many of them started to live in grand, extravagant houses in Sunset Boulevard. Even after their careers of many of them ended due to the advent of ''talkies'', many of them still lived in those grand houses. A famous actress from the silent era, Norma Talmadge, is often said to have been the inspiration for Norma Desmond. However, the life of the actress who played Norma Desmond, Gloria Swanson, is also, in many ways, similar to that of the character. Swanson, too, was a very popular star during the silent era, and when the silent era ended, her film career (well, temporarily) came to an end. She, however, accepted this, and moved on, acting in television and appearing in radio. She also lived in a grand house at Sunset Boulevard. When she was contacted to play Norma in ''Sunset Blvd'', she accepted the role, and made a comeback to the film industry, and gave one of the most powerful performances I have ever come across. Swanson was absolutely perfect, gave an extremely powerful, intense performance as Norma.
I am writing all these history and inspirations for the film because after I read these things in Wikipedia and in Roger Ebert's article, I was really fascinated. So many things are, somehow or other, based on real incidences. Even the character of Max von Mayerling is so similar with the actor who portrayed him, Erich von Stronheim. Several famous personalities from the silent era appear in this film, as themselves, including director Cecille B DeHolme playing a supporting role, and Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson, Hedda Hopper, and several others, playing themselves. The film is about a long-forgotten silent film star, and the film stars two such actors, Gloria Swanson and Erich von Stronheim, who had such great reputation during the silent era, in two major roles, and also has several silent film personalities playing themselves.
And overall I absolutely loved this film. I loved the atmosphere, I loved the cinematography, I loved the performances, I loved the screenplay, I loved the story. The way William Holden narrates the whole film is really, really impressive, and the way he describes the house during his first night there gives it a really Gothic, dark look. This is certainly not a Gothic film, but the atmospheric touches, cinematography, and the style of Joe's narration make it have quite a Gothic tone. Gloria Swanson's performance is unforgettable, and I think the final scene was really so intense, so powerful. And one word to describe this film? Sad? Emotional? Intense? Powerful? Unforgettable? It will definitely be a combination of all these words: Overwhelming.
5 out of 5
