JackFavell
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Posts posted by JackFavell
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Ooh, Scotchie, *Cracker* is really good- it's fascinating in the same way that Prime Suspect is. I would say that *Prime Suspect* is a wee bit better, but they are both really solid, interesting shows with flawed lead characters.
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I've got my list narrowed down to about 32..... I don't know if I can pare any more out of my heart to get down to 15......
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> It's silly, but I always think of Fred Sanford (yes, that Fred Sanford) whenever I hear this
> movie mentioned. There is an episode of "Sandford and Son" where he goes on and on
> describing a scene in this movie between Tracy and Myrna when in reality his son Lamont
> was referring to WHIPLASH.
Oh my gosh! How hysterical!
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Ro- that story had me laughing so hard! Oh, my gosh, East meets West... I loved it. And it sounded sooo familiar.....
At my house, I warmed up leftover lasagna, made some salad, put some olives on the table, while hubby made garlic bread (his specialty). The movie came on while I was finishing up, but I said to myself, "that's OK.I missed the first five minutes, but I can watch it during and after dinner. Well, I saw bits and pieces, but could not get any sense of plot, other than the older guy helping the younger guy stuff, and I couldn't remember any details from watching it before. My daughter was doing homework and needed help, and then she did gymnastics in front of the TV. So much for my in depth review of *The Tin Star*.
What I did notice was this:
Bogardus was filmed as a giant shadowy head on the left front of the screen the first two times he appeared. The camera sits over his shoulder, looking down at the town. This leaves us with a nice view of the people's reaction to him. They feel small- because they are filmed that way.
Mann used a TON of over the shoulder shots, closeups, and tightly blocked, deep focus shots. He also uses a shot from up under a character, but only once in while, for effect. I now realize that his style is vastly different from Ford's, and I think it was probably because he had no money. Ford's camera stays stationary, letting the action snake around the screen, usually from back to front and at the same time left to right and up and down. I think Ford was able to do this because he had enough cash (or chutzpah) to create his sets as if they were the real thing. So, for instance, if there is a crowd of people in a Ford film, more than likely they will be standing on a hilltop, away up in the top corner of the screen, with sand and rock dwarfing them, the landscape even coming in between us and the people. In the Mann film, the crowd of people will be close to us, but tightly ranged on the left and extending deep into the background (his composition is beautiful), while Fonda stands alone on the right side of the screen. You can see every single person clearly and see their expressions, no matter how far back from the camera they are standing. This cuts out most of the background, leaving us with a tiny view of a short, western street (set). It also makes the situation clear- Fonda is not wanted here- the people are literally blocking him with their bodies.
Mann did most of his action shots separately as well, creating more atmosphere and movement through editing, quick cuts and depth rather than through lots of landscape. So if Fonda gets on his horse to ride, we see him in a mid shot get on the horse (cut) closeup of Fonda (cut) mid shot of horse turning away (cut) horse riding away from us deep into the screen (cut) long shot of horse and rider turning to the left (cut) long shot of horse again traveling to the left (cut).......then maybe a cut to the boy he is following, in long shot travelling left (cut) the boy's face, looking right (cut) then back to Fonda, travelling left. Mann's riders always seem to travel in the same direction that they started .... but suspense is built by all those quick cuts......
At the end, when Perkins stands up to Bogardus, I noticed that Bogardus is filmed again with a huge head, but this time, I think, we are looking slightly up and underneath his face (the better to see his crumbling reaction). It's as if he is not on solid ground anymore, he is off kilter. He is so top heavy, he might just fall over at any minute. I think the camera then cuts to Bogardus from overhead- he becomes smaller..... then I missed the rest of the movie.
And that's it. I can't go into depth of character or any of the things I really like to do, because I wasn't able to concentrate on the story. I just watched from a distance......like a camera.
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*Whipsaw*
Yay! How exciting to see Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy! As I see more and more of her early roles, I am continually impressed with Loy. She had a poise and understated style that I was beginning to think just sprung from nowhere. In 1932, Loy was already 27, and I think this accounts for her strong personality in movies from the start.
Yes, I know in Thirteen Women and her other early "half-caste" roles she is a little phony, but is it her acting, or is it the way she is directed and filmed? I noticed this morning that every time she had a big scene of hateful malice, the camera closed in on her like a telescope, or she was forced to make a move that no woman on earth could pull off- like hypnotizing Irene Dunne by simply staring at her. Without those gimmicks, her acting actually comes off as pretty believable.
When I look up the word poise in the dictionary, it says, "to carry things in balance". I think this is a perfect description of Loy. Her acting is never all one direction or the other. She weighs her choices carefully, thinking out her actions before jumping into the fray. What I love about her protrayal of "Palmer" in Whipsaw, is her quiet, determined scepticism. Her ability to see through "bunk". She is no-nonsense, all American, and tough, without resorting to an over the top "act". Tracy, was actually a bit more stagy from the beginning. This surprised me, until I realized that he was literally "acting" the part of a thug. I won't give any more away, since to me, the beauty of this film was not knowing who these two people were, then finding out what kind of humanity they each had.
There is a scene, about halfway through the film, in which she and Tracy are at a farmhouse. They are alone, and he expresses that she is "alright", meaning, a good person. The scene just took my breathe away, since it was the first moment in the movie that both Tracy and Loy dropped their defenses in front of each other. It was a superbly intimate moment. I liked how Tracy lowered his voice to show he meant it, and how pleased Loy looked when he complimented her for the one thing she had doubts about. It cut through all the BS and got right to the heart of the plot.
Anyway, I enjoyed the movie immensely.
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FrankGrimes- *Lasagna* - the verdict was.......they didn't say. They were too busy eating. (I snuck in some shredded zucchini. shh. don't tell.) Everyone had two helpings. I take this as a sign that they liked it. Everyone is still alive this morning. too. Would you care for some elderberry wine, Frank? It's homemade.
Aaaah. I found the favorites list, but haven't got time to read it yet. I will think about my list while doing chores....See ya later!
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I must admit, Ricky was the best actor in the family. Now, I'm not sure that's saying a whole lot...
And I'm happy to say that Clash of the Titans wasn't the first Laurence Olivier movie I ever saw. That honour belonged to A Little Romance :x
FF- That was my first Olivier as well. I really loved that movie when I was a kid. Thanks for posting the pic. Uh-oh! Another to add to my queue....
Frank, have you seen Scotchie's new black gloves? -
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The Old Dark House should have been called "The old dark print". I feel guilty but could not watch it because of how bad the contrast was.....
FF- I am glad you posted that clip from The Grapes of Wrath. It made me remember how much the movie inspired me as a kid- how much it still inspires me. I have never been moved by any film, before or since, quite so much. Watching it, I realize again how important it is to help the underdog, the person with no voice....
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It's like Sullivan's Travels - sometimes just being able to entertain people and maybe help them escape reality for a couple of hours is enough of a gift in itself. Of course in DeMille's case, it was sometimes for 3 or 4 hours at a time.
Well said!
Coopsgirl- I think that editing was one of the jobs traditionally open to women. I copied this from Wiki -
In the early months of film, editing was considered a technical job; editors were expected to "cut out the bad bits"(Avent, 74) and string the film together. Indeed, when the Motion Picture Editors Guild was formed, they chose to be "below the belt", that is, not a creative guild, but a technical one. This was very helpful to women. Women were not usually able to break in to the "creative" positions; directors, cinematographers, producers, and executives were almost always men. Editing afforded creative women a place to assert their mark on the film making process. Many film editors were women, for example Anne Bauchens, Margaret Booth, Adrienne Fazan, Eda Warren, and Blanche Sewell. Although not the majority today, women are still part of the field of working editors.
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FF- Thanks for that clip from the Times.
It makes me once again think about how strong a movie *The Grapes of Wrath* is. For me, anyway, this is Ford at his finest. He inspires me to be more understanding, and to work harder for the underdogs of this world and their rights. As I have said before, nothing has ever moved me, before or since, like this film.
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> And just a word more for the man who silently witnesses the exchange and who shares the frame
> (the "right" side) with Jughead. Jack Pennick, for those who are unfamiliar with Ford's
> extended "family", was probably the man who knew the director best and most intimately, having
> traveled and trained and worked with him for decades in Hollywood and the military. What
> Jughead was to Wead, you might say Jack was to Jack. I like to think putting him in this scene,
> sharing the shots with Daily as if to place them on the same basis, was Ford's way of saying
> what he could not put into words either: "Thank you, friend. I know you are there."
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Lovely. I did not know that. I am sure Ford put him there on purpose....
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I prefer Vegetarian, but hubby prefers meat, lots of meat.
I usually add so much meat and cheese that I don't have much room left for noodles... -
That was an incredible review! I never noticed these things in the movie, but you are spot on.
I have to admit to being less than thrilled with the movie, and I think the isolation you speak of is part of it. Wayne and O'Hara are filmed separately so much that it makes it hard to see it as a cohesive film. It is almost as if it were two films edited together. And yet, everything you say is correct. I also was struck that this story of "Spig" the hero was really a bit of a slam on his choice to stick with the navy rather than his family. Maureen is indeed very strong in the movie, and I can't imagine playing that entire movie alone the way she did. I was also very impressed with Dan Dailey as Wayne's friend. I can't remember liking Dailey any more than in this movie. He and O'Hara seem far more heroic in some ways than "Spig".
Again, as in The Quiet Man, Ford makes a huge statement on marriage and relationships. It isn't always easy, love doesn't always win out, and people can grow apart from one another over time. For a fifties film to acknowledge this, and to also show how those two people try to compensate for their own failings is kind of amazing. he shows how people can grow apart, but still love each other, right through missed opportunities and unshared experiences.
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I make a killer lasagne. I'll save some specially for you, Frankie. B-)
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Some of them are very entertaining, but I think on the whole, he was overrated. He needed someone to help him edit....
Plus, his dialogue, especially for the biblical epics, is really silly. Sometimes, like on Easter, that is exactly what I want. I won't berate him for making films people wanted (and still want) to see. But I just don't think he was the greatest director on earth.
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> I've got somewhere around 2,000 DVD-R recordings to catch up with (mostly TCM and FMC) so I've got ways+ to go.
You make me feel so much better.
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Coopsgirl-
I have to agree with you completely about DeMille, and especially about DeMille's pics with Gary. At times he could be such a blowhard, crushing every last bit of entertainment out of a movie. I personally think DeMille was at his best in silent film.....
The Plainsman is the only one with Gary I have ever really liked, and I think it has more to do with Gary and the wonderful Jean Arthur than anything else.
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Good afternoon, Cabman Grey.
+But I'm not sure when I'll get to it. My unwatched DVD
list is currently over 350, and that's not an exaggeration.+
I can totally relate to this- My rental list is at about 400, and that doesn't include the ones in my own collection that I still haven't watched yet....
and I can't for the life of me figure out why I am still sitting here typing! I am supposed to be making lasagne!
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I see a rememblance between Frances Farmer and Geena Davis:
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Good morning, Miss Fatale!
so many movies, so little time! groan! I hear ya! I keep watching TCM instead of watching my Netflix movies! I shhould watch them today, but I have to make lasagne, and vacuum, do laundry and wrap some presents for my daughter's birthday! Then she has parent's night at ballet tonight, so that blows the whole day, for movies anyway........
Re: *Payment Deferred* - I hope I didn't give anything away.... I wish I had taped it. Monday is our night to watch sitcoms, so I usually come in at about 9:00 on TCM. Normally I check the schedule first, but yet again, I didn't.
I don't have any more room on my hard drive anyway. My only hope is that they show it again someday, so I can see the beginning. I definitely saw a little Hitchcock in this one.I wasn't crazy about Henry VIII either, other than Laughton, Donat and Lanchester....
Message was edited by: JackFavell
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You will love Thief of Baghdad, I think, Frank. It's a great adventure story, full of cool special effects.
I am so glad you mentioned that scene in which Veidt longs for TRUE love from the princess, movielover. It's one of the best parts of the movie, as far as I am concerned. Except of course, for the giant spider....
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I also would love a discussion of *The Tin Star*. It's one of the westerns I actually like.....
I saw it a long time ago, and just sort of fell for it's tight, strong direction, and I can't think of two people mre suited to their roles than Fonda and Perkins. Mann is probably my second favorite western director. Let me know if you are rambling about it here, or over in westerns......
Saw the last half of *Payment Deferred*. It was rather dull going as I came in, but I realize now that it was showing Laughton's tender relationship with his wife. I absolutely loved the ending. Laughton's last scene with the doctor was AMAZING! This is why Laughton was considered one of the best actors of his time. His scenes from then on were so moving, I was in tears for the rest of the movie.
Maureen O'Sullivan is one of my very favorites. She brings a fresh energy, and a really good-natured feeling to every role. So I was surprised at the few scenes I saw her in in this movie. She was spoiled and seemed rather hard, then did a quick turn-around at the end. I really didn't see enough here to make any comments, but I don't think I have ever seen her give a bad performance. She can make a small role come completely alive. Her voice is wonderfully clipped, but never phony. Of course she is wonderful as Jane in the Tarzan movies, but I am especially amazed at her performances as Dora in David Copperfield, Henrietta in Barrett's of Wimpole Street, and as Jane in Pride and Prejudice. These are roles that I think most actresses have trouble with, because they are badly defined characters. They are simply a means to an end- a way to show off the main character, or get that character to where they should have been all along. But she gives them all such a life of their own! Her Henrietta is such a perfect depiction of a younger, outspoken sister (I admit that I identify with that strongly) that I stop even thinking about Norma Shearer when O'Sullivan is on the screen. Dora is shown in all her imperfections- a girl who never had to grow up, and who relied on her looks all her short life. Maureen makes you love Dora anyway, with all her faults. I always wonder whether she would have become a good wife to David had she lived? Or was it just the spectre of death that made her see her own flaws at the end? And her Jane Bennet- well, it is perfection. She is the only actress I've seen play this role who really fits the description of Jane given in the book- Beautiful, quiet, and modest.
Well, I didn't mean to digress into a list of the many attributes of Maureen O'Sullivan! I meant to talk about Mr. Laughton and his talent. I will mention that I tried desperately to stay up for The Canterville Ghost, a movie I remember liking tremendously as a young girl. I dropped off about the time the ghost first appeared. I will have to rent this one, and watch it with my daughter, I think (though I may lop off the beginning, for my daughter's sake. The walling up scene was a bit gruesome even for me).
So far, I have enjoyed all the Laughton films very much. But my favorites are the ones in which he imbues his character with a wistful yet down to earth quality- Rembrandt, and Payment Deferred. Then again, he's so great at blustery comedies, I just can't make up my mind.
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I am most interested to see the character of young Lotta progress....
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I'm a library nut. I love the library, always have. I haven't checked there recently, but I am pretty sure they don't have Morocco there. I am pretty familiar with the movies they have. I may go down for a visit this week anyway, so I can check again.
I don't have any more room on my hard drive anyway. My only hope is that they show it again someday, so I can see the beginning. I definitely saw a little Hitchcock in this one.
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I've watched it occasionally. Though I do think it's funny when I see it, I rarely get a chance to watch it. I am too busy watching my 400 + movies.....