Director Dissection with Seanc and Rauldc

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I didn't mind Joan Blondell but it wasn't necessarily a standout performance. I enjoyed much of the others performances over hers.

I'm going to for sure be getting to another Kazan on Monday. I'm thinking it will be Gentleman's Agreement.



I didn't mind Joan Blondell but it wasn't necessarily a standout performance. I enjoyed much of the others performances over hers.

I'm going to for sure be getting to another Kazan on Monday. I'm thinking it will be Gentleman's Agreement.
Ugh I made a typo, I had originally typedabout Joan Blondell, I do not think she was miscast.

I meant to say the opposite: I do think she was miscast. But she wasn't a deal breaker, in fact she adds a little levity to the film which helps contrast the other characters.

Did anybody get the feeling that A Tree Grows in Brooklyn seemed like a Frank Capra film?



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Wild River



This was a really big surprise for me. I hadn't even heard of the film until it was recommended by Citizen here. I really liked the authentic story telling by Elia Kazan. He takes a true story (or at least loosely based true story) that is a fairly simple tale but he packed it full of emotion and great acting. I must admit I wasn't so sure whether or not Montgomery Clift would completely win me over with his performance, but by the time the movie was half over I knew the right casting decision was made. I was initially worried about him in a lead role as it seems he plays a "sidekick" role much better. Van Fleet as the grandma was a very genuine performance. It was rather heartbreaking to see her by her husband's and her future grave, talking about how she needed to hang onto her place. And Lee Relock is an actress that continues to be of interest for me. Her best scene was when she was telling Chuck that he would make a good husband and that her kids wanted him to stay around. I felt she definitely got lost in her role and became her character. She was probably my favorite of the three. Thank you for picking this one Citizen, certainly a rather powerful film with a powerful ending too. It would be this or A Tree in Brooklyn that would get my 4TH spot from Kazan right now.




Wild River Raul, I'm glad you connected to the film, I thought it was pretty special myself.

I must admit I wasn't so sure whether or not Montgomery Clift would completely win me over with his performance, but by the time the movie was half over I knew the right casting decision was made. I was initially worried about him in a lead role as it seems he plays a "sidekick" role much better.
I know what you mean, I really like him as an actor but at first I wasn't sure if he would be good as the leading man. But his quiet, inner turmoil really reflected the hard decision he had to make. Literally the conflict of the plot can be seen on his face.


Van Fleet as the grandma was a very genuine performance. It was rather heartbreaking to see her by her husband's and her future grave, talking about how she needed to hang onto her place.
I liked her much better here than in East of Eden, (she was good there too). Usually characters are either really bad and you hate them, or good and you cheer for them, but she was both! and had a real duality to her. That's rare for characters to have. Gene Hackman in the Unforgiven has the same duality.

And Lee Remick is an actress that continues to be of interest for me. Her best scene was when she was telling Chuck that he would make a good husband and that her kids wanted him to stay around. I felt she definitely got lost in her role and became her character. She was probably my favorite of the three.
Lee said this was her favorite movie. Have you seen her in Days of Wine and Roses?

Thank you for picking this one Citizen, certainly a rather powerful film with a powerful ending too.
Thank you and Sean for letting me join in



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I haven't seen Days of Wine and Roses, but sounds like something I'd like to see.

Clift when all was said and done, gave a very accurate and convincing performance.



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Gentleman's Agreement



I liked this more than the first time that I watched it. I thought that Peck and McGuire had great chemistry and their admiration for one another was believable. I also liked Celeste Holm's performance more this time around, I think she did a really good job. Like Sean, I wish the story had a bit more of substance to it. It was certainly an appealing theme but I can't help but to think in reality not a lot really happened in the film. Kazan reminds me of a classic David O. Russell in that he is always getting the best out of his actors and actresses, regardless of how well the movie actually is. I'm glad I saw it again. It used to be my least favorite Kazan but I would probably put it above Splendor in the Grass now. Of course, I've seen mainly just the acclaimed ones.

+




Gentleman's Agreement

I rewatched this one last night. Previously I had thought it decent, but not my favorite Kazan...and not all that powerful of a film. I still don't think it packs a lot of emotion. But I came to the conclusion that its lack of strong emotions about racial injustices, actually makes it more effective and grounded in reality.

I don't know how many movies I've seen about bigotry, that shows the victim being horribly mistreated, which then infuriates the viewer producing a strong reaction. But that emotional manipulation by directors is a bit like a chief who pours to much Tabasco in his dish. A little is good, a lot isn't.

I felt the kind of anti-Semitism bigotry this film explored was more realistic than the bombastic type that could have been shown. I liked it that it was explored from different angles, including the bigoted Jewish secretary who was bigoted against those she thought was 'too Jewish'...The way they showed quiet discrimination taking place, made it seem more plausible to me.

Oddly Elia Kazan thought this was one of his weaker movies.
From IMDB:
Despite winning an Oscar for his direction, Elia Kazan revealed in a later interview that he was never fond of this movie, feeling that it lacked passion on his part and he thought that the romance was too forced.
I have to agree with Kazan that I don't think the romance worked well. Though I don't know what he meant by 'too forced'? I thought the script gave the two leads good reason for falling in love and I think the romance scenes were filmed well.

But IMO, Dorothy McGuire does not have that great of an acting range, she's a bit of a cold fish and had no chemistry with Peck. I did like her in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as I think she was well cast for the character. And she's well cast here too as the reserved, well to do, country club lady, but not real personable so not much chemistry.

The best romance chemistry was the scenes with Celeste Holm and Greg Peck and that's thanks to Celeste Holm. I love the subtle way she clues us in on her interest in Peck.

My favorite scene in the film is (the picture above)... is where she's alone with Peck and he's talking about his problems and doesn't have a clue she's interested. I love the way she aimlessly stirs her coffee with a spoon. Her continually stirring really spoke volumes. I wonder if that was Kazan's idea? hers? or even the script writers?

I'll finish by saying I liked Greg Peck in this and I liked the way the story was told....Oh and I loved the cottage that they visit in Connecticut. When they enter the house and she shows him around, that's a very long scene take, without an edit, impressive! I'm pretty sure that was a real house and not a studio set too.





Thanks Raul, it was a movie that made me think, so I guess I had a lot to say

My library just got my request in for:
On the Waterfront
Streetcar Named Desire

So I'll be watching one of those next.



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On the Waterfront will be my last, I may throw in a bonus movie for myself and then I'll start dissecting what I think were Kazans best achievements.




Streetcar Named Desire

This was my second watch. This movie is truly as good as film gets for me. I can't say enough about the script. Every scene is full of humanity, humor, and tragedy. The dialogue drives everything. The great performances and atmosphere all stem from this amazing script that is dark, funny, and profound.Three performances here are top notch but Brando gives one of the great performances ever. He is an absolute powder keg yet so engaging as well. I also love Hunter and Malden. Leigh takes some getting used to for me. I can see modern viewers being a bit turned off by the over the top acting by here. For me it ends up fitting in with the character quite nicely and hasn't taken me long to be good with it on either viewing.

Streetcar also proves that a movie can be one location, a stage reproduction, but still look amazing. The use of shadow here is perfect. rivaled only by movies like Third Man and Citizen Kane. Kazan also uses some flourishes I loved. Shooting part of a scene in a mirror. He uses smoke very effectively a couple times. The way he uses costume is great. Brando's ripped and sweat stained shirts. Leigh is dressed elegantly but he still manages to make her look disheveled and a bit off. Every frame is just full of life and meaning. No detail is too small. The previously crumbled lantern that gets put back up. The way Brando swings himself onto a chair and opens a bottle of beer. The cinematography is perfect.

Streetcar is a movie that deserves the acclaim it gets. It deserves to be watched multiple times and dissected for its themes of poverty, brokenness, and desire. Its display of humanity is unrivaled. This is the type of film that makes you realize masterpieces truly exist.

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Nice write up Sean...

I've wrote enough reviews to be able to tell when someone is just writing fluff, or is writing with a passion from the heart. You wrote from the heart! I can tell you were captive by that film...I'm hoping I can feel the same way about it.



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It's a powerful movie that has grown on me. Perhaps some of the best performances (I'll be diving into that soon in the future). I can certainly see why many would call this Kazans greatest work. It probably is his most beloved film.



I've been watching the DVD extras on A Streetcar Called Desire and might watch the movie tonight.

It's a 2 disc set and there's a lot of neat stuff! Like a 76 minute documentary on Elia Kazan with focus on what his directorial style was and how he achieved that. Best of all, it has lots of Kazan himself talking about his films and why he made them, why he directed them the way he did. Really interesting stuff and I learned a lot about him and his style.... Oh, and I learned I've been mispronouncing his name, it's E-lee-ah Ka-zan