Saturday, June 04, 2022
1900
- Commentary: This is one of those "sprawling historical epics" that tends to put me in a dream state. I am a fan of the director, even though his movies are sometimes difficult on the public. I am a fan of the musical scorer and always delight when I notice his name in the credits before watching a movie, including his collaboration on what general movie mavens consider the questionable compilations The Bible Collection and The Bible Series, both to which I remain devoted and continue to watch on a regular basis. I love all the actors in this movie, including the minor ones.
I can't remember how I learned about this movie, but I checked it out of our library a few years ago, thinking I might enjoy it, despite its length and convolusive structure. I did. Once I watched it, I couldn't get it out of my head. It is a depiction of the struggle between capitalism and communism/socialism (in several guises), but on a very personal level. At the time I first watched it, I was deeply involved in the vagaries of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election and Bernie had not yet been discarded by the Democratic Party in favor of Hillary. By the time I ordered it for my movie collection I was no longer smarting from debacle of the actual election. I was, however, deep into a reading campaign of literature disparaging capitalism/neo-liberalism and arguing for socialism. Watching this movie again, owning it, helps me put politics into perspective and calms me down, especially in light of everything that's happened since. If you're really into politics and you enjoy movies, you should watch this one.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 2/5/2018 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Robert De Niro Alfredo Berlinghieri Gérard Depardieu Olmo Dalcò Dominique Sanda Ada Chiostri Polan Francesca Bertini Sister Desolata Laura Betti Regina Donald Sutherland Attila Mellanchini Stefania Sandrelli Anita Foschi Werner Bruhns Ottavio Berlinghieri Stefania Casini Neve Sterling Hayden Leo Dalcò Anna Henkel-Grönemeyer Anita Dalcò Ellen Schwiers Amelia Alida Valli Signora Pioppi Burt Lancaster Alfredo the Elder Romolo Valli Giovanni Berlinghieri Giacomo Rizzo Rigoletto
Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
Release Date: 1976
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Labels: §2, anti-fascist, burt-lancaster, donald-sutherland, dream1, gérard-depardieu, historical2, political2, robert-de-niro
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Green Card
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This is one of my favorite romantic comedies. There isn't anything about it I don't like. When I purchased the movie, though, for some reason I thought my mother wouldn't like it, so I planned my first "owned" viewing while she napped. She awoke and joined me during the scene in which "the big French Oaf" assents to play an original composition on the piano for dinner guests he's just met. After the scene she asked if we could start the movie again.
I remember once, after watching the movie, Mom said, "Isn't it interesting how such a bad ending can make you feel so good?!?"
I remember responding that, yeah, I'd never thought about it but, at the end of this story, you have absolute confidence that their love triumphed, and will continue to triumph.
At one other watching, Mom sat back satisfied at the end and said, "I remember seeing that movie when I was teaching. It came out about the time those Hepburn/Tracy movies came out."
In case you're wondering, I did not disavow her of this notion. It is a great compliment to this movie that my mother considers it in the same category as the Hepburn/Tracy romantic comedies.
Finally, I couldn't resist, here's Roger Ebert's review of this movie. He gave it three stars.
And a bonus post: a reverie of sorts about Ebert's fascination with Peter Weir's work. I share that fascination. I'm happy.
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 Gérard Depardieu Georges Fauré Andie MacDowell Brontë Parrish Bebe Neuwirth Lauren Adler Gregg Edelman Phil Robert Prosky Brontë's lawyer Mary Louise Wilson Mrs. Sheehan Lois Smith Brontë's mother Ann Dowd Peggy Conrad McLaren Brontë's father Ronald Guttman Anton Jessie Keosian Mrs. Bird Danny Dennis Oscar
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1990
Directed by Peter Weir.
Labels: comedy2, gérard-depardieu, lois-smith, peter-weir, romance4, ronald-guttman, shared-favorite
Friday, May 07, 2021
Danton
- Commentary: Under Construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gérard Depardieu Georges Danton Wojciech Pszoniak Maximilien Robespierre Patrice Chéreau Camille Desmoulins Bogusław Linda Louis de Saint-Just Angela Winkler Lucile Desmoulins Andrzej Seweryn François Louis Bourdon Serge Merlin Pierre Philippeaux Roland Blanche Jean-François Delacroix Jacques Villeret François Joseph Westermann Anne Alvaro Éléonore Duplay Roger Planchon Antoine Quentin Fouquier-Tinville Franciszek Starowieyski Jacques-Louis David Alain Macé François Héron Krzysztof Globisz Amar Ronald Guttman Herman Tadeusz Huk Couthon
Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
Release Date: 1983
Directed by Andrzej Wajda.
Labels: §1, Criterion1, drama1, gérard-depardieu, historical1, period1, ronald-guttman
