Film_Fatale

I'm a "purist" when it comes to calling films "film noir." What I mean by this is that I consider films noir to be films made in the 40s and 50s. So, in a purist sense, I'd say The Informer is not a film noir. But, in terms of content and style, I'd say The Informer is most definitely a film noir. I was actually reminded of a film noir called Edge of Doom, while watching The Informer. It's a film noir that I consider to be very underrated. In other words, it is and it isn't. It's nice to have the cake and eat it, too. Now that is absolutely brilliant. I wholeheartedly concur. The wanted poster does reach out and grab him before he makes any kind of decision. Fate has tagged him. So you are very right. The wanted poster also tags "Frankie" soon thereafter. And I do agree with Gypo being weak-willed. There's nothing in the movie that really demands one to believe there is any such thing as fate. Yes, it makes for a more interesting movie if he goes on with the betrayal. But just because of the poster isn't enough to say it's fate. One could also have created a fairly compelling movie with him deciding not to go through with it. But it wouldn't have been quite as compelling as a movie that explores what happens if he succumbs to temptation, imho. Here is "fate" chasing after Gypo. Gypo is selected. Those are certainly possible interpretations. But one could just as easily say the poster just happened to be carried by the wind and got stuck in his leg. And Gypo could just as easily have interpreted that as a message to his conscience about what he shouldn't do. So one doesn't necessarily have to interpret this as having anything to do with fate. As I wrote on another thread, I like films that make me feel and think, in that order. I end up feeling more with tragedy than I do with happiness. It's easy to process happy endings, it's more difficult to do so with tragedies. You have to take inventory with those. I like that feeling. That's not to say I don't like happy endings, because I do. Well of course, there's always bittersweet endings, too! The Informer really plays like a mafia (mob) film more than anything else. Men are asked to do deeds for the "family." If you turn your back on the family, you're gonna get whacked. The only difference, of course, in that the mafia doesn't involve a political struggle for independence from colonial rule. B-) I mostly agree with you. Gypo is definitely on the childish side because he lets his emotions do his thinking for him most of the time. But I do believe he calculated his informing. He knew what would happen once he did that, but he still chose to do it and I think he did it for Katie. The way it is presented in the movie suggests the "decision" is really more of a spur-of-the-moment thing, imho. And although he is definitely emotional, I'm not so sure that necessarily makes him a particularly childish person; surely he is very much aware of the possible consequences of the struggle with the British.

> {quote:title=studio139 wrote:}{quote} > I am not sure who posted the comment, but I agree that you > can give little weight to information from a documentary, and > Polanski has sought to avoid the consequences of this crime > in the past, and often seeks public opinion to support his appeal. > Personally I think dismissing the charges would not serve justice > and would set a harmful precedence for this type of crime and > show that celebrity carries unfair advantage with the law. studio 139, have you actually seen the documentary? Just wondering...

I just watched the new documentary called *Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle* and posted a few screencaps here: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=130411

Lynn, I was watching *Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle!* and as soon as Las Vegas came up, I thought you'd enjoy watching this part! This new DVD documentary is pretty much as you'd expect arguably something of a vanity project, but it does have some fascinating footage, most of it from Mitzi's TV specials, but also a little bit from her days in Las Vegas. (Very little mention is made of her movie career, with just a few brief clips from *South Pacific* thrown in. Apparently she created quite an uproar, and people wanted more. This was a number from her first TV special The show included some comic routines, like this one with George Hamilton. Some of it was kind of out there for TV at the time I guess. This outfit apparently got her in trouble with the censors. When my mom watched this, even she thought it was "too provocative!" Her shows were full of wild imagery, in all kinds of ways that might have been unusual at the time. Hope you (and others) may have enjoyed those screencaps. This is a pretty fun DVD to watch if you're a Mitzi fan. I almost wish it could have been shown on TCM because it would have reached a wider audience. B-)

> {quote:title=Minya wrote:}{quote} > *Oh, when?...Feb 4, 2009 (after which the longest seven months in the history of calendar takes place, i.e., the end of one football season and the beginning of another).* > > This cracked me up (actually, so did your crying emoticon and the nyaahing gecko ) because for my Dad, the longest number of months is from when baseball season ends to when Spring training starts. He really starts to look a little tense right before and then suddenly he regains a sense of calm. That crying emoticon is really cute. I think I'm going to have to steal it from laffite. Well, sometimes I'm just glad I'm not too much into sports. This is one of those times.

So the movie itself isn't in PAL format?

> {quote:title=WonderMoon wrote:}{quote} > You seem obsessed about this. Well for someone who registered last week, you sure seem to have rushed to conclusions. I started this thread a long time ago and had already forgotten about it until someone brought it back up. I'm not really paying much attention to the story as it develops, because it's not something that affects my enjoyment of movies very much. > That makes me feel sad for all the truly innocent, non-celebrity people who don't have fan clubs. Well, I'm sure a lot of other people feel the same way. > If he wasn't a minor film director with some celebrity, no one would even be talking about him, filming documentaries on his behalf, or posting about him > > His celebrity is what gives juice to this Well, he's an Academy Award-winning director but I don't know if he's much of a celebrity outside of film buff circles. Certainly not a celebrity the way O.J. is. But if you think it's all about celebrity, then we can just agree to disagree.

Kathy, Definitions of what constitutes noir vary somewhat from one person to another. I am sure Frank is going to have an interesting opinion that might be more to your liking, but I'd just say that if it feels like noir to you, that probably should be good enough for you. Generally the 40s and 50s are considered the classic period of noir, but there's certainly some movies from the 30s that could be considered noirish, like *You Only Live Once* for example. Actually it is a very poignant aspect of the story. And the music sort of mingles with the atmosphere of the movie...sometimes it matches the mood...and sometimes it almost "contrasts" with it... Along w/ the "face" thing that I have mentioned in the past...I think Ford had a knack for knowing just the right song to place in certain scenes. That's certainly a good point. I almost wish there was a YouTube video of that song somewhere. But I'm sure if there was, you'd have found it already.

> {quote:title=WonderMoon wrote:}{quote} > Polanski's victim showed up at a public event for an HBO special about this whole thing and was featured prominently, and she said she wanted him punished > > So Polanski's victim is not shy about the publicity. Something else is going on that the public will never find out about What is your source? The AP article indicates otherwise: Complicating matters further is an affidavit filed Monday by the rape victim, Samantha Geimer, now 45, who wants the case dismissed in order to stop renewed waves of publicity. Geimer, now a wife and mother of three who has been public about the case since 1997, said she feels she is being victimized anew by prosecutors who recite the "lurid details" of her assault in their legal papers. > I don't think celebrities should be given special rights Neither do I. And I don't think anyone's suggesting he's got special rights. > and other than the campy creepiness of The Tenant, Polanski is no great talent. He's hyped by the media, but that doesn't mean a thing. I think he has some pals in Hollywood trying to help him out, but I don't think the US misses Roman Not everybody feels that way, but ultimately it is beside the point. He was not charged with being a mediocre director.

Oh, that's a great anecdote, Charles! I would have loved to see the look on her face when she heard that.

So when's the superbowl? B-)

> {quote:title=coopsgirl wrote:}{quote} > Here's a colorized pic I did from *Ball of Fire*. Angie, you've really outdone yourself! I especially like the color you picked for the back wall, it looks really nice with those shadows. Very lovely! :x

well yes, i looove to sing to everything, literally, and i can sing better to the female voices obviously, ..my entire family constantly teases me about singing anywhere and everywhere. heehee! hey, i can't help myself. i just love to do it! i cant ever not sing to a song playing when i actually know it, unless my throat is bothering me. i actually do love to sing to a lot of male voices too, especially frankie's music, b/c then i love harmonizing with him. i also love harmonizing to Dean Martin, but i love frankie's voice more. Theresa, Sounds like your friends must love going to karaoke bars with you. Personally I like to sing a lot, too, except usually not in the company of others, because I think I have too much respect to torture friends and acquaintances like that!

Oh Wow! I can already tell you're ten paces ahead of me with this film, and that you saw A LOT more in it than I did. I wonder if it's because, as I personally feel, it's told in a very male-oriented point of view, even visually. You picked my favorite scene to illustrate with caps. Margot Grahame ("Katie") gives a very deeply felt performance in a remarkably brief part---too brief. I wish to see so much more of her. Her performance and character remind me STRONGLY of Karen Morley's in Ford's movie with Wallace Beery, Flesh made in 1932. In fact, Beery's "Polakai" is a lot like Gypo, too. It's a good comparison. Of course, Polakai had to rely on his physical strength to a lot greater degree, but I'd say both of them certainly seemed to love beer. Gypo seems like a, oh, it isn't the right description but "child of nature" is the closest I can think of right now. He is very simple, and almost pure in his impulses because there is never any real calculation behind them. True, he grinds around the thought of the 20 pounds and turning in Frankie but to me that's wrestling with temptation, not calculation. Like Kathy pointed out in her earlier ramble about the film, he couldn't even go through with an assignment to assassinate someone on the orders of his IRA superiors. He is gullible and has no resistance, but he's also very susceptible to good---yes, that's the rub because WHERE are the good influences? Ford is at pains to create a bleak, black cesspool of a world where no one seems in a hurry to urge Gypo to good. I bet he's just always been used for his brawn. Even Frankie used him didn't he "Me with my brains you with your brawn, what a team we make" or words to that effect he says. Well, sometimes it's hard to find a good influence, especially when it seems like a lot of people don't really care or don't appreciate you. I'll respond more later to each of your observations but wanted to get that out. Hopefully, others will chime in. Always happy to chime in. B-)

> {quote:title=JakeHolman wrote:}{quote} > *The Great Gene Hackman...* > 5. Superman II The Richard Lester version, or the Richard Donner cut that just came out on video?

(2000 posts... HA!! NOW who is the blabbermouth??) :-) Belated congrats, Kathy.

> {quote:title=lzcutter wrote:}{quote} > The last time I saw *Mary of Scotland* on TCM was during November 2006's salute to John Ford though it may have been on in October as part of the salute to RKO. > > Either way, Fredric March and Katharine Hepburn are quite good in it. According to the extended version of *Directed by John Ford* that ran during that tribute, Hepburn and Ford fell in love during the filming of it. I remember that! I think they played a phone conversation the two of them had had. Gotta watch *Directed by John Ford* again soon, I have almost given up any hope that WHV or even TCM could get it released on DVD.

DarkShadow, As Frank pointed out, there are two DVD versions currently available. Because the rights to the movie are owned by Universal, it doesn't show up on TCM very often. Interestingly, the title of a movie-within-the-movie, *O Brother, Where Art Thou?* actually inspired the Coen brothers to make a movie called just that. Now it would be interesting to see if anybody would try making *Ants in Your Pants of 1939*.

bigbru, There is a thread in *Westerns* comparing the 1936 and 1948 versions: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=138525 Both versions aired within 3 days of each other in December; the '36 version stars Chester Morris and is in black-and-white; the '48 version stars John Wayne and is in Technicolor. And welcome to the forums! B-)

> {quote:title=FredCDobbs wrote:}{quote} > That's interesting. So the dancing should be slightly different for each version. Also, some of the actors should be closer together in scenes shot for the standard version. > This DVD review includes screenshots of both versions, so you can compare how the composition was different in each one: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare10/7_brides.htm

> {quote:title=Scottman wrote:}{quote} > My five pre-1950 films would be: > > THE VIKING (1928) > BECKY SHARP (1935) > THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) > THE YEARLING (1946) > BLACK NARCISSUS (1947) I limited myself to 3-strip technicolor, so that ruled out all pre-1935 movies. As for *Becky Sharp*, it would be nice if the version that was restored by UCLA would be available to the public, but AFAIK all the video versions that are available right now are public domain and look horrible.

> {quote:title=PrinceSaliano wrote:}{quote} > Would he have to register as a sex offender or would some type of scarlet letter suffice? He just said he's not interested in returning to the U.S. but still wants the charges dropped. Also, as the article indicated, Polanski's victim wants the case dismissed in order to stop renewed waves of publicity.

Those are awesome photos, Daria! Thank you for sharing, and welcome to the forums.

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote} > Nice to know that someone managed to put Ford in his place for a spell. He's one of those of whom I wish that I hadn't learned some personal things. Oh, tell me about it, Charles, and I'm just barely reading on of his biographies. Sometimes it sounds like he had a lot of demons inside. I haven't seen *Mary of Scotland* or don't remember it very well, but maybe I'll catch it when it plays again. I do think the cast is appealing, if nothing else.

Thank you, Joel, that's really an awesome poster, and the movie looks very interesting. I'll be recording that one for sure. B-)