Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

Same here, it's been while, but I didn't noticed nothing different in their moves.

Right off the start....I noticed this had some impressive people working on it. The Assistant Director is Robert Aldrich and the Cinematographer is the legendary, James Wong Howe. The story unfolds seamlessly with just the right touch of artistic cinematography but not too much for a boxing movie. Every element fits together nicely, a very smooth movie.

Boxing rags to riches....this is the kind of story I love. We hunker down and really get to know the characters and their neighborhood. We're transported back in time to the depression era in a poor New York neighborhood full of gambling, speakeasies and hoods trying to make a quick buck. This all looked pretty real to me too.

My favorite scenes....were the ones early in the film when John Garfield's buddy 'Shorty', tries hustling the big man in the pool hall, played to perfection by William Conrad. I love the way he keeps trying to promote his boxing buddy and won't give up for nothing, he's very gutsy. And that's what the film is about, going for the bucks and the glory and not ever looking back, no matter who gets hurt.


The Boxing scenes....Geez those looked real to me. I don't follow boxing but Garfield looked like he knew his way around the ring. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he was a boxer at some point in his life. The other wickedly cool thing about the boxing scenes was the way they were filmed. To me it looked like a different camera was used, as it looked more grainy than the reaction shots of the crowd watching the match. I'd wouldn't be surprised to learn that they used a super 8mm or something along those lines. I can't put my finger on it, I just know the format looks different and so does the frame rate, it seemed reduced.


The Cast....I like John Garfield as an actor, but I like him best when he plays troubled characters with a huge chip on their shoulder. He was good here too, but I never cared about what happened to him. I didn't care if he won the day or got the girl...and I think that's because his character doesn't have heart and so I couldn't sympathize with him.

Lilli Palmer I did like her, she had this intellectual air about her that contrasted well with Garfield, while being sensible and down to earth, which is a bit odd for an artist if you think about it. She's pretty too, and that's a plus.

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Day of Wrath (1943)

Vredens dag (original title)
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Cast: Thorkild Roose, Lisbeth Movin, Sigrid Neiiendam
Genre: Drama, History
Language: Danish


Bravo! I'm impressed...I starting watching this late at night and wasn't in the mood for a movie, but right from the start the movie hooked me and drew me into it's dark netherworld of religious zealots and witch hunts. Set in the dark days of 17th century Denmark...a time when women were powerless and the church and the men who called themselves holy had the power of life and death over those poor souls accused of witchcraft.

The film has this air about it, like time standing still. The people speak in slow weighted speech, as if their entire world is dark and bleak and each second is an entirety...Only when Anne falls in love with Martin does the tone lighten some...but even then it's a foreboding happiness and the heady atmosphere of despair fills each scene, layered on top of her joy. This is a very atmospheric film.

Besides the dramatic opening act , the film is subdued. There's something about the stillness and lack of action that speaks louder than words. This is sublime film making, it says a lot with little dialogue and less action.

All of the cast was well suited to fitting their archetypes. I scarcely even thought of them as actors. I took them for the real thing as if I had a telescope that could see back to the 17th century. I especially was intrigued by Lisbeth Movin, Ann who was the young wife of the Reverend. She had both a sincere and otherworldly quality about her, that made her seem alive....while the Reverend and his mother seemed to be the walking dead.




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Director: Howard Hawks
Writers: Charles Lederer (screenplay), Ben Hecht (from the play "The Front Page")
Cast: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance


What color do you think the hat and blazer that Rosalind Russell is wearing is? On the DVD cover it was purple with stripes. I suspect it wasn't as gaudy looking as it's been colored to be and was probably gray with black stripes. It's a very odd looking outfit but it wasn't chosen randomly, they never do that in movies. It was selected for a reason and I'd venture a guess that it was the 1940's version of a 'power suit'. Rosalind certainly looks commanding in it and it gives her a sense of showmanship....and that's what this film is about, showmanship.

The title His Girl Friday sounds somewhat demeaning to Hilda (Rosalind Russell), it sounds like Hilda is just a skirt in an office full of old crusty newspaper men and her only job is to powder her nose and make coffee for the boys. Uh uh...not true, Hilda is a self made woman. Make no mistake about it she's in control of the situation and not Walther (Cary Grant). She knows her mind and knows how to write a news story that cooks! All the boys in the newsroom are in awe of her gutsy anything-for-a-story journalist skills. Hilda's a power house and if anything this is a movie that empowers women. So the title is kind of funny, cause Hilda's nobody's lackey.

I read that this has some of the fastest dialogue spoken in a film at 240 words a minute! Add to that this early example of actors deliberately speaking over each others lines all while ad-libbing over an already fast paced script and you get one helluva a unique film that takes one's full attention to fully follow it.

There's two things that makes this movie special: the witty banter and the intense chemistry from Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Oh and Ralph Bellamy plays the straight man to a tee.

His Girl Friday is so complex in it's dialogue that I feel I missed some of the more subtle witticisms. The first witty word play comes during the title credits...did you spot it?

His Girl Friday just showed up on Filmstruck. Feels time for another watch.

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Letterboxd

“Except for markf, you’re all a disgrace to cinema.”

It's one of those films that does get better and better on repeat watches.

Body and Soul (1947)

A fine film directed by the veteran Robert Rossen, who went on to direct one of my favorite movies, The Hustler in 1961. The picture may not have the same societal punch (pun intended) today as it did in 1947 due to the reaction at that time to the obvious leftist themes. Rossen had been a registered member of the Communist Party (which he later renounced), and his theme of gangland type corruption was meant to be anti-capitalist.

Also enjoyable was William Conrad, fresh off his first big role in The Killers the previous year. He went on to fame and fortune in several very popular TV series, Cannon, Nero Wolfe, and Jake and the Fatman.

~Doc

You picked a doozie there, CR! This is an immensely enjoyable screwball comedy that showcases virtuosic performances by Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Their back and forth banter and underlying smoldering feelings for each other are breath taking. Grant was a perfectionist, and presumably Russell was as well. Consequently there must have been dozens of takes on some of their dizzying, rapid fire scenes.

This was a remake of 1931's The Front Page, which was also very enjoyable. "Hildy" in that film was a male character portrayed by Pat O'Brien played against Adolph Menjou in the part of the editor. It's a fine film, being only 5-6 years into "talkies", but it doesn't quite rise to the heights of His Girl Friday.

~Doc

The best role I've ever seen William Conrad in was, The Killers. He's wicked in that and in a subtle but intimidating way.

I tried watching The Front Page once, but the video and audio quality was so poor on the copy I had, that I couldn't make out what was going on. I'll have to find a better copy of it and give it another go.

Citizen, I'd appreciate your assistance in providing a short-list of essential films from the black and white era you think I might enjoy. I don't expect you to study my habits or anything as far as film watching goes, but for the last 6 months or so I've determined that if anyone is going to turn me onto the classics, it's going to be you.

Sure Joel, happy to help

I'm still getting to know your movie taste, but after a few Hofs with you I think I have an idea of what you might like. Have you seen any of these classic B&W era Hitchcock films?

Strangers on a Train 1951
Notorious 1946
Spellbound 1945
Lifeboat 1944
Shadow of a Doubt 1943
Rebecca 1940

Those are all highly regarded and pretty accessible to modern audiences.

Love this movie...this was your first time seeing this, Citizen?

Third time I think. It gets better with each viewing.

I have not seen any of those.

I will choose a few and add on 12 Angry Men since I've been wanting to see that, anyway. Feel free to throw more my way. I love the lighting in older films, esp B&W since it utilizes dimension with shadows, rim lighting and sets depth by using contrast. Throw a good story with terrific performances on top of that spectacle and I may very well be more of a peer to you lol.

12 Angry Men would be a perfect place to start. The cinematography is awesome, especially the opening sequence into the court.

Based on what I 'think' you liked in past Hofs, I think (and hope) these would be up your alley. I love them at any rate!

Baby Face (1933)
Freaks (1932)
Lost Horizon (1937)
Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
The Devil Doll (1936)

Oh, goody!

You've started me in the 1930's...when La Grande Illusion was made. Seems fitting. I'll work my way up, just like I did when my starting point was the 1970's.

Yup! I have a plan I'm hosting the MoFo Top 100 1930s Movie Countdown and I need help! I need as many people as possible to submit a voting list of between 10 to 25 of their favorite 1930s movies. Luckily the 30s was the golden age of Hollywood and there's tons of movies of all types...even full technicolor films.

Those 1930s movies I listed are a bit unusual, I think you'd get a kick out of them based on your movie reviews and what you like. In other words those few last 30s films are all fun! different! and creative!

That sounds tremendous...but I did not know that the 1930's had color films. ASnd I'm a little bit embarrassed by that because I thought color didn't come around until midway through the 1940's.

@Citizen Rules, when is this HOF? I need time to take at least 10 films in if I'm going to be of any use...and even then, I'll be just adequate, not especially endowed with 1930's film knowledge. But, I'd still like to have some sort of discussion, providing I can get the movies under my belt.

It's not an HOF it's a MoFo Countdown. Like the Top 100 of the Forties which was the last one we did. Those are linked.

The MoFo Top 100 of the Forties: The Countdown
Which was hosted by SilentVamp. If you click the List link on top of the MoFo board, you can see all the previous MoFo Top 100 Countdown list, us members have created. I think that's really cool

Next up is The MoFo Top 100 Films Directed By Women Countdown
Hosted by Iroquis, there's still time to submit a voting list to that one as the deadline is 11:59 p.m. AEST on March 31st, the rules are on the 1st post.

So after that one is done and over with, then I'll start the MoFo Top 100 1930s Films, which will approximately start in 4-5 months from now. So plenty of time to watch a bunch of 1930s movies!