Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Shockproof
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Cornel Wilde Griff Marat Patricia Knight Jenny Marsh John Baragrey Harry Wesson Esther Minciotti Mrs. Marat Howard St. John Sam Brooks Russell Collins Frederick Bauer Charles Bates Tommy Marat Gilbert Barnett Barry
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1949
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: douglas-sirk, film-noir2, goflexB, melodramaB
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Magnificent Obsession
- Commentary: When I looked for links about this movie to attach to the title of this post, I found two competing write-ups by two movie reviewers I respect and couldn't decide between them, so, I did a kind of blind movie case flip (front=Emanuel Levy's review; back=DVD Savant's Glenn Erickson's review). Now that I've thoroughly perused both reviews, I have to say, I'm glad Glenn Erickson's "won", because he writes, as well, about the history of the movie and Douglas Sirk's movie art, really fascinating stuff. Here is the Emanuel Levy review, which is little more than a perfunctory rundown of the story.
Okay. So, I just received this movie, as well as two Barbara Stanwyck Christmas movies in the post. I've seen none of them. That's what I'll be doing tonight and, probably tomorrow. Not sure which movie I'll watch first. I'll decide that while I'm waiting for the sun to go down.
Later, readers.
Update 5/15/2022: Unlike the two Christmas movies I received with this, I've seen this movie at least twice since I received it. I'm turning into a fan of 1950's lush melodramas [Should I be concerned?!?], particularly if they star Rock Hudson, it seems. I obtained three such movies at the same time and have to say, yikes! Apparently, they (primarily Douglas Sirk) knew what they were doing with melodrama in the 1950's. I was born at the beginning of that decade, so I was too young (and too isolated, frankly, living on an island where going to see a movie was a chore and television, well, forget ever seeing a film on the one local channel we received) to be exposed to any of these movies. When I became interested in movies it was the late 1960's and early 1970's and quite a different kind of movie was being produced, as well as since.
Anyway, what fun to discover these movies! They are all engaging as hell. They are so good at plucking the woman-strings, even now, they almost make me ashamed to have any lingerings of high-50's-female-sentiment. I really thought I'd missed out on all that! Anyway, this one is a stunner, featuring world travel, blindness, playboy-to-physician changes of character, you name the dramatic set-up, it's in this movie. And, much to my surprise, I love it! It's not, I might add, what I would ever have wanted for my life, but I can truly understand what was so beguiling about the life-style on which this movie is framed. And Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson! Plus a dash of pseudo-philosophical bullshit, I mean, how lucky could those 1950's women get?!? And then Agnes Moorehead shows up in two out of these three tear jerkers (although, I have to admit, it takes a lot more than any of these movies to make me cry; I may have been born in the 50's, but I'm not of the 50's)? And a playfully, preternaturally wise Girl Child! Wow! Bring it on, baby!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jane Wyman Helen Phillips Rock Hudson Bob Merrick Barbara Rush Joyce Phillips Agnes Moorehead Nancy Ashford Otto Kruger Randolph Gregg Palmer Tom Masterson Paul Cavanagh Dr. Giraud Sara Shane Valerie Richard H. Cutting Dr. Dodge Judy Nugent Judy Helen Kleeb Mrs. Eden Rudolph Anders Dr. Fuss
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1954
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: Criterion3, douglas-sirk, dramaE, rock-hudson
Thursday, November 18, 2021
All That Heaven Allows
- Commentary: Once again, Rock Hudson rises to the challenge of helping Douglas Sirk subtly undermine late 1950's American lives and values. [Are they only American, and only mid-20th century, values? See the the following movie write-up, Ali: Fear East the Soul for an interesting perspective on this question.]
Once again, I haven't yet seen this movie, so I don't have a lot to write about. For an interesting perspective, though, check out the Wikipedia article linked above to Sirk's name. Further, take note that Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, a German remake of this film, was released almost exactly 20 years later.
In addition, it's interesting to note that according to the Wikipedia article linked above about Sirk, movie critics have changed their reactions to his work over time, and, apparently, continue to do so. Regarding Far From Heaven, a 2002 period film written and directed by Todd Haynes, Haynes is unabashed in his recognition of the influence of Sirk's work on him and this particular movie of his.
Update Sometime in early 2022: I have not only seen this movie, I've seen it more than once and will probably watch it again and again. For all its melodrama, it is a film to get lost in for me because it echoes an era I just missed but that, nonetheless, had a huge impact on how my generation made its way in life. This is not a movie I would have enjoyed as a young woman, but, now, I not only appreciate what it was saying and the era in which it was made, I love the lushness of the production and its subtle undermining of all it appears to promote.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jane Wyman Cary Scott Rock Hudson Ron Kirby Agnes Moorehead Sara Warren Conrad Nagel Harvey Virginia Grey Alida Anderson Gloria Talbot Kay Scott David Janssen Freddie Norton William Reynolds Ned Scott Charles Drake Mick Anderson Jacqueline deWit Mona Plash Hayden Rorke Dr. Dan Hennessy Leigh Snowden Jo-Ann Grisby
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1955
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: 20th-century-chick-flicks1, Criterion3, douglas-sirk, dramaE, melodramaA, rock-hudson, romance5
Written on the Wind
- Commentary: I haven't yet watched this movie, although the write-up on the back almost makes me feel as though I have. Pretty much, it sounds like a follow-up to Giant, or, perhaps, vice versa. Both movies were released in 1956 (I don't know which one was released first), which means they were being produced at the same time. Both star Rock Hudson (my goodness he was a busy actor), although in completely different roles. Both take place on oil "plantations" (so to speak). Both involve the reprobate behavior of a key male character and some twitchy moves by children.
If you read the Wikipedia articles about both movies, though, it's clear they had nothing to do with one another. Each has different source material. Character arcs are, well, similar, but not the same, and not attributed to the same types of characters, nor are those characters played by the same types of actors. I think the character of the times produced both of these movies at the same time ... but with clearly individual and peculiar emphases that do not cross-over with the other film. I'm guessing on this next musing, but it also sounds like this movie is going to be much more tragic than Giant, which I anticipate with relish.
At any rate, I'm exceedingly excited to watch this one. Seeing it may trigger yet another watching of Giant, just for the fun of comparison.
Wow! Look at how much I've written and I haven't even yet watched this movie! Stay tuned.
By the way, I'm guessing at all the stuff I've written above, having not seen the movie yet, so there's a good possibility that my label assignments will change after I watch the movie.
Update 5/17/2022: Okay, I've seen this movie, now. At least twice. Possibly a third time. Primarily to watch, yet again, Dorothy Malone's riot of a performance as MaryLee Hadley! The character, herself, packs a harloty punch and Dorothy Malone knows just how to twist it up and let it loose. One of the aspects of her part that I admire is that it includes more than a few scenes where she is simply thinking, remembering, and Malone is spectacular at this.
Although, of course, the movie focuses on the men, one dubious, another stalwart, and I think the message has something to do with the virtues of growing up poor versus growing up rich, this story clearly belongs to the women. Lauren Bacall, herself, is no slouch in the "I'm thinking" department. Between the two women and their internal assessments of the situations that arise due to the career machinations of the men, really, this is a women's picture par excellence. The men just sort of go about their somewhat dull, sometimes nasty, business, and nurture these lusts for the women from the side. The women play the judge and the jury and their verdict is what decides the trajectory of this picture. Fun, fun, fun! I cannot recommend this movie enough!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Rock Hudson Mitch Wayne Lauren Bacall Lucy Moore Hadley Robert Stack Kyle Hadley Dorothy Malone Marylee Hadley Robert Keith Jasper Hadley Grant Williams Biff Miley Robert J. Wilke Dan Willis Edward Platt Dr. Paul Cochrane Harry Shannon Hoak Wayne John Larch Roy Carter Roy Glenn Sam Maidie Norman Bertha
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1956
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: Criterion3, douglas-sirk, melodramaA, popcorn-and-soda7, rock-hudson, romance5, southern-gothic, tragedy2
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Imitation of Life (1959)
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None, to my surprise
- Commentary: This is Mom's favorite version. I'm not sure whether it's because it's a color version, or more 50's, which is a decade she loved, or what. I like this version, but my favorite is Claudette Colbert's.
See my comments in the write-up for the 1934 original of this film.
Unlike the 1934 original, multitudes of reviewers flocked to writing about this version. Two of the four interesting reviews I found (first of the two linked in the title of this post; second, here), while both discussed the movie, more inclined toward the subject of the movie and how it was treated. The third review I found does not shy away from the problems Sirk intended to highlight, but reviews the story, in combination with where we are now in race relations (at least, where we were in 2012 when this review was written) meticulously. Finally, the fourth review I found is kind of a combination of the other three.
I don't have a favorite among the reviews, which is why I included them all. I have to say, though, I am surprised at how much this version has been reviewed compared with how little the 1934 version was reviewed. It's almost as though they are different stories, different movies. Which, in many ways, they are.
Update 11/17/2021: This post was originally published February 6, 2005. It was one of the accidental deletions that occurred, which is covered in this post.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Lana Turner Laura Meredith Juanita Moore Annie Johnson Sandra Dee Susie Susan Kohner Sarah Jane John Gavin Steve Archer Robert Alda Allen Loomis Dan O'Herlihy Dave Edwards Mahalia Jackson Choir Soloist
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1959
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: douglas-sirk, dramaC, mother-daughter-dynamics1, romance4
