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Doctor Who: The Androids of Tara: Part One (1978)
Dr Who: The Androids of Tara
Well we've had Ronald Colman, Stewart Granger and even Peter Sellars had a go - so it was only fair that Tom Baker got to take his turn at his own version of "The Prisoner of Zenda" in this pretty obvious homage to that famous Anthony Hope story. He and "Romana" (Mary Tamm) arrive on the eponymous planet just as it's weakling prince "Reynart" (Neville Jason) is to be crowned king. Thing is, the evil "Graft Grendel" (Peter Jeffrey) has set his own sights on the throne and by manipulating his android version of a princess who could be the identical twin of "Romana" he hopes to kill quite a few birds with one stone. Luckily, though she falls into the wrong hands, the "Doctor" and "K9" fall into the more loyal ones of "Zadek" (Simon Lack). Now it's straight to the impersonation game with the crown likely to go to robot with the most durable power pack... I enjoyed this. It gives Baker a chance to show off his sword fencing skills, there's a good old fashioned dose of thespian ham from Jeffrey and some of the doubling-up shows off the improving skills of the visual effects department as this four-parter hits the ground running delivering a fun costume adventure in the "Key to Time" series. There's plenty of outdoor photography and Leeds Castle in Kent makes for a perfect backdrop to the mediaeval plot.
Restoration (1995)
Restoration
"Merivel" (Robert Downey Jnr.) is an aspiring doctor who just happens to be in the right place at the right time. Charles II (Sam Neill) has just been restored to Britain's post-Cromwellian thrones and is rather fond of his spaniel. It's poorly, the doctor makes it better and next thing he's enjoying the life of a libertine at the king's court. Now the king has a reputation as a bit of a Lothario, so he decides to get his favourite physician to marry one of his mistresses so as to turn the heat down a little. The only stipulation is that he isn't to fall in love with "Celia" (Polly Walker) but you can guess how successful that strategy proves. Furious, what the king giveth he can taketh away, and promptly "Merivel" is out on his ear - just as plague sweeps the country. Perhaps salvation might come in the form of wench "Katharine" (Meg Ryan)? At times it's bawdy fun, but for the most part it's just a rather dull interpretation of life at a legendarily vibrant and debauched court that's all too devoid of fun. Downey embraces the character to an extent, but I felt he relied way too much on the design (production and costume) to present his persona or to really show us how seriously he took his profession. Sam Neill is just plain wooden as the mischievous king and though the ensemble cast enter into the spirit of the film with varying degrees of enthusiasm, even this familiar array of British thesps can't make this sow's ear into a silk purse. History tells us that though Charles II was undoubtedly a ladies' man, he was also quite a philanthropist and had the writers tried to raise this above the level of a latter day "Carry On" film, we could have put some more meat on the bones of a story about people at a crossroads in history. There's some period Henry Purcell to be found amidst the soundtrack and it does look great, but somehow it just doesn't deliver.
Hustle & Flow (2005)
Hustle & Flow
Terrence Howard really does put his heart and soul into this gritty story of an aspiring man who wants to leave his pimping days behind him and become an hip-hop MC. Living in Memphis, the city has an huge musical tradition but his own personal baggage threatens to drag him down at every opportunity as he tries to attach himself to visiting superstar "Skinny Black" (Ludacris). He knows that this is likely to be his last opportunity to escape the cycle of hopelessness he faces, but can he stay focused, on-course and away from crime long enough to prove his worth? The main characterisation of "Djay" is strongly portrayed here with guts and a degree of viscerally plausible credibility that really works at times. Sadly, though, the bulk of the rest of it resorts to more aggressive and would mouthed stereotyping that reinforces so many pejorative views of how African American men treat each other and the women (and children) in their lives. It's that very sad predictability that rather ruined the potency of Howard's effort here, and by mid-way through I can honestly say I couldn't have cared less whether he succeeded or not. Too many lives had already been ruined by his previous behaviour, so why should he escape the consequences of a vicious circle he had quite an hand in creating? There's plenty for fans of the musical genre to get their teeth into as that offers a boxing-like conduit for those without academic credentials to use their more creative talents to escape their torpor and find hope. It may well resonate more in the USA, but elsewhere it can come across as a story of an unlikeable man who played in the dog-eat-dog world until it no longer suited him, then tried to escape being eaten himself.
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Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Heaven Can Wait
Maybe Warren Beatty was also a fan of Powell & Pressburger as this has shades of "Matter of Life and Death" (1946) to it. Rather than a fighter pilot though, it's quarter-back "Joe" (Beatty) who is erroneously selected to take the Concorde to heaven. He protests to supremo "Jordan" (James Mason) who discovers that his new charge is still supposed to have another fifty-odd years with his mortal coil. OK, let's just put him back. Ah, well no - he has already been cremated. That's just one jigsaw puzzle too much, even for the celestial. "Jordan" decides that he can borrow the body of someone next in the queue, and he settles on millionaire industrialist "Farnsworth". This man has more enemies that he'd care to count, not least his scheming wife (Dyan Cannon) and the pesky British campaigner "Betty" (Julie Christie) who is adamant that her local village isn't going to be demolished to make way for an oil refinery. Now safely ensconced his new body, he only has thoughts of going back to playing ball - only now he can afford to actually buy a team. Re-uniting with coach "Max" (Jack Warden) whom he manages to convince of his true identity, we now embark on a gentle comedy that extols the virtues of team building and environmentally aware business practice. Cannon steals this as the plotting spouse, but Mason doesn't really make much impact and otherwise it's all just a rather blandly predictable offering that has it's moments but just not enough of them. Watchable, though, on a wet afternoon if it's on the telly.
Five Days (1954)
Five Days
Despite the fact that this was probably made in a week on a shoestring budget, Monty Tully churns out quite a decent effort with Dane Clark as "Nevill", a failing industrialist who bullies his friend into killing him so his wife "Andrea" (Thea Gregory) can inherit his insurance. The snag is, his business deal doesn't go quite so sour after all, and he has to call off his would be assassin "Paul" (Paul Carpenter) who is proving quite persistent with his task... Or is he? The story is quite complex and as we head to the slightly unpredictable ending with Clark, his secretary "Joan" (Cecile Chevreau) and wife "Andrea" all have enough skin in the game to keep it interesting...
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat (2024)
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
This documentary is a serious testament to the archivist's art as it pieces together an impressive array of imagery of the great and the good of American Jazz and combines that with some intimate actuality of the turbulence ongoing in the Congo as it strived for independence. Why might anyone care about the future of an impoverished African nation that had all but bankrupted it's "owner" - King Leopold II of Belgium? Well that's because it holds enormous deposits of the uranium required by both the West and the Soviets - and that's just the start of it's reputedly $23 trillion worth of mineral assets. Emerging from the populace to lead this new country is Patrice Lumumba. He's an articulate man who unlike so many who took their nations out of colonial-hood, is not constantly bedecked in medals and ribbons with armed men at his back. What we see over the next couple of hours uses a superb musical soundtrack from the likes of Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis - you name it, to provide a backdrop to CIA shenanigans, petulant strops from Nikita Khruschev, accusatory comments from just about everyone from Malcolm X to Fidel Castro and some extremely cynical insights into the Eisenhower presidency's approach to this man; to the problems he may bring or solve and to the precedents he was bound to set. As you'll expect, this freedom fight is tied-in closely with the fight for desegregation and equal/human rights for African American people and it uses that platform to illustrate just how ineffective the US-dominated United Nations was at brokering anything akin to a peaceable solution that was in anyway neutral or beneficial to the populace of this vast territory. The secession of Katanga - where the mining was at it's more lucrative and the privatisation of it's principal enterprise ensured that the West still pulled the strings, sets the tone for the final phase of the history and it's tragic conclusion. I knew some of this but I wasn't aware of just how exploitatively the American administration used unwitting people, many globally recognised household hames and who were still treated as second-class citizens (if citizens at all) at home, to peddle a political message of brotherhood and unity in Africa and at just how effective these deceptions were whilst the CIA experimented with new ways of assassinating. There's an arrogance here that's writ large as the local population are treated with a casual disdain that makes your flesh crawl. Fans of jazz will love the accompaniment which mixes some characterful performances of the more famous pieces of music from the genre with some more specifically written and delivered themes that directly address the issues of slavery, exploitation and freedom that led to a protest within the impotent General Assembly chamber itself. It is curious that many of the criticisms levelled at the UN in the mid 1960s are just as valid today, and that little progress as been made changing the format that was established by world powers in the 1940s whose "permanent" roles embedded in the political infrastructure remain unaffected sixty years later. This isn't a film about corporate greed, it's one about political influence and domination and has been thoughtfully put together to open a hornet's nest. Did you know that Dizzy Gillespie actually ran for US President?
Apostasy (2017)
Apostasy
Siobhan Finneran really does turn in an effective performance as the mother "Ivanna" in his skin-crawlingly toxic drama that depicts a close family of Jehovah's Witnesses. She has two daughters who enthusiastically spend time trying to spread the word of God (in Urdu, frequently) amongst their community going from door-to-door. Quickly, we learn that "Alex" (Molly Wright) is not doing so well, and that there are issues about a life-saving blood transfusion that conflict profoundly with the family's faith. Her sister "Luisa" (Sacha Parkinson) adds to the complications when she announces that she's expecting a child with her boyfriend - and he's not in the congregation nor are they married. The expected tragedy duly ensues and this seriously tests the faith of "Luisa" who ends up ostracised by her peers to the extent that even her mother is largely forbidden from contact. As this separation continues, both women have to deal with their priorities and that's where the story becomes really quite visceral. This isn't the place to discuss the relative merits of the religiosity, but what we see here is an example of just how disagreeable zealousness can be when it's codification results in unhappiness for just about everyone. The promises made by so many religions that what's good in life is a "gift" and what's not is a "test" is potently conveyed here by auteur Daniel Kokotajlo and leaves us with a distinctly unpleasant taste in the mouth. The two women at the centre of the story manage to create an environment that really does get under your skin and they are ably aided, quite subtly, by the really quite odious characterisations of "Steven" (Robert Emms) and "Brian" (James Quinn) whose constant "we understand, but..." approach to the troubles faced in grief and despair make you want to throw something at the screen. As a drama, the production is simple as it allows the theology to do the work - and though it's not an easy watch, it does provoke quite a bit of thought and question the concepts of blind faith.
The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
The Greatest Show on Earth
Hyperbole is quite common nowadays with a premium paid for hype and superlatives; but this film really does deserve one such accolade - it is a spectacular feast for the eyes. Set in a travelling circus that appears to employ the population of a small town, we are taken on the frequently bumpy journey of this collection of artistes, misfits and animals as they criss-cross America delighting audiences young and old. It's all headed up by "Brad" (Charlton Heston) who has quite a juggling act of his own trying to keep the profiteers from encroaching on his schedules, his staff from eating each other and to find time for a little romance of his own. On that latter front, we can look to lively efforts from Betty Hutton, Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame and Cornel Wilde as the modestly monikered "Great Sebastian" as the lives, loves and jealousies of these performers take shape. The photography is great - it takes you back to when a circus was a must-see event for millions presenting artistic feats of airborne gymnastics and all facets of humanity - and the animal kingdom - to a spellbound audience. Oscar winning Cecil B. De Mille and cinematographer George Barnes work well to create a colourful and sumptuous film to look at. Sadly, though, it is a bit of a triumph of style over substance. The dialogue is wordy and actually fairly poor, and neither Heston nor Wilde are at their best as the melodrama gradually supplants the imagery creating a rather dreary love-triangle style romance that I found actually quite dull. It's way too long - the skilful photography can only carry the extravaganza so far before it all just starts to drag and although there are some interesting interventions from real life circus performers, the actors just don't blend in quite so well. Except, that is for the clown - James Stewart - who seems to serve as a sort of benign agony aunt to the troupe, whilst concealing secrets of his own. Of all of the epic cinema produced by De Mille, this is probably his least well remembered - and although the production standards are as high as any trapeze artist could ever hope to get, I still couldn't get the scent of manure out of my mind... It is a film one ought to watch though, a part of the history of an industry that set a standard for many to come, but as a piece of drama it is lucky it has a net.
1976 (2022)
Chile '76
Aline Küppenheim turns in quite an impressive performance here as the middle class woman, married to a doctor, who finds herself embroiled in some clandestine activities at the height of the Pinochet administration in Chile. All she actually wants to do is get their beach house repainted, but when the local priest (Hugo Medina) approaches "Carmen" and asks her to take care of an injured young man, she finds herself exposed to quite a few dangers as she discovers "Elías" (Nicolás Sepúlveda) has a bullet hole in him and is on the run with the police looking for him. Over the next ninety minutes we get quite a sense of the peril in which she has to live; of her nervously sneaking about watching her own every move; telling lies and swapping buses when she travelled - all more akin to something from a John Le Carré novel rather than life in a supposedly civilised 1970s nation. What adds to the effectiveness of this drama is the fact that aside from some television actuality, we see little of the actual oppressiveness of the regime. It's the changes in her behaviour and her attitude to the young "Elías" that subtly embeds the sense of menace throughout the film. I didn't love the soundtrack and some might not like the inconclusiveness of the denouement, but I found that - like life in this turmoil-ridden country itself, made it all the more potent. Worth a watch.
Lola rennt (1998)
Run Lola Run
"Manni" (Moritz Bleibtreu) calls his girlfriend in distress to tell her that he's left DM100,000 on the subway and unless he can repatriate it by noon, he's going to have to rob somewhere else he is toast! What now ensues sees three scenarios play out as "Lola" (Franka Potente) tries to figure out a way to raise this fairly huge sum of cash in the twenty minutes allowed. Her dad is a bank manager - so perhaps he could help (willingly or otherwise)? Maybe she could chance a bet on a roulette wheel? Maybe she could not get there at all and let him do some robbing? What ever happens, she is going to have to do some running and timing is going to be crucial. It's filmed at break neck speed for the most part, with both characters simultaneously trying to find a solution to the predicament - and sometimes that produces some comedy, sometimes some tragedy, some furniture gets a bit trashed, some dirty laundry gets aired and the permutations all provide us with an answer - just maybe not the ideal one, or maybe yes - the ideal one. It's also quite a fun observation on just how frustrating tiny amounts of time can be when you are in a rush. This is well exemplified by the security guard at her dad's bank, but also by the traffic and the pedestrians and other obstructions that a few seconds of patience would easily (and probably just as quickly) overcome. It's quirky this film, it's short and focussed and I did enjoy it.
Finestkind (2023)
Finestkind
I suppose the real thing to take away from this is just hard it can be for folks to make a living running a small fishing boat. Thereafter it's a bland family drama about two half brothers caught up in a drug smuggling caper as they desperately try to keep their business afloat by picking up drugs that have been deposited out at sea and bringing them ashore. When one such shipment goes pear-shaped then the family encounter brutality of their unscrupulous partners, all whilst the coastguard - in the USA and Canada - start to make their presence felt too. Matters are also made worse by the fact that their father (Tommy Lee Jones) is diagnosed with cancer and the pair - "Tom" (Ben Foster) and "Charlie" (Toby Wallace) - are determined not to let him down. To be fair, it doesn't quite follow the usual shipping lanes but the acting - especially from Tim Daly and Jenny Ortega is pretty rotten and the dialogue the others are left with is hardly the stuff of a Pulitzer prize, There is some decent maritime photography and we do get a sense of just how vulnerable they are on the eponymous trawler as the seas get livelier, but sadly that's the only thing that gets lively and I'd recommend that you just give this a miss, sorry.
dinnerladies (1998)
Dinnerladies
Set in the canteen of a factory in Manchester, these two BBC series follow the day-to-day antics of it's workers. Writer and star Victoria Wood has assembled a formidable array of character actors to portray an eclectic mix of characters to ensure that there are a plethora of daft scenarios to explore across the sixteen episodes. Everyone works for the cancer-suffering "Tony" (Andrew Dunn) who has a bit of a crush on supervisor "Brenda" (Wood). Then there are best pals "Dolly" (Thelma Barlow) and "Jean" (Anne Reid); dander-wielding handyman "Stan" (Duncan Preston) and then the two youngsters - the glass half empty "Twinkle" (Maxine Peake) and the not-so-bright "Anita" (Shobna Gulati). Each episode tends to give one of those their moment in the sun, but it's the collegiate nature of the comedy that really works here. There are loads of barbed remarks, the men hopelessly outnumbered, outgunned and outwitted by these women who think nothing of discussing their most intimate problems across the shepherd's pie. The dialogue is distinctly grown up, with plenty of references to pelvic floors, buns of lard and even vulcanised rubber. Julie Walters rekindles her successful relationship with Wood as her caravan-living mother "Petula" as does Celia Imrie as the hapless but well meaning HR officer "Philippa" and both add enormously to the observationally witty richness of this drama that uses the team and the setting as a perfect conduit for some stories that probably touch most of us. It's the dynamic between Barlow and Reid that works best with me - especially when they are taking hips and germicidal hand cream, but just about everyone has the ammunition to make you smile more often than not. If I am honest, I preferred the first season where the humour was grittier and more entertaining. The second series turned in on itself a little with too much emphasis on their romances, but taken together this is great example of a well written and professionally executed sitcom series that mixes some expert comedy timing, some stereotypical ribbing and generally lots of fun amongst appliances that spit fat.
El castillo (2023)
El castillo
I wonder if this isn't quite a good example of being careful what you wish for? Justina Olivo served as housekeeper for her mistress until she died, and was rewarded with ownership of her ramshackle mansion house on the Argentinean Pampa. She is determined to make a go of it, and with her daughter Alexia they try to keep the place running. They have cattle to bring in some cash, but with the humidity and the frequent rainfall the roof is leaking and the building is beginning to reach a point of no return. The remoteness of the location is also taking it's toll on Justina as her daughter starts to feel restless and she has to come to terms with the loneliness this existence delivers. It's perhaps that loneliness that's best portrayed in this rather pace-less documentary. Locked off cameras and telephone imagery illustrate quite effectively just how cut off they are and at how relentless their routine of maintenance is, but after a while that becomes a little soporific to watch. From a practical perspective, though there seems an abundance of electrical power, the plumbing has long since bitten the dust and so her quality of life isn't the best, either. Justina doesn't want to sell it, but even if she did - could she sell up? Would anyone want to buy it? This provides quite an interesting observation for about forty minutes, but once it's made it's point then it does rather repeat itself. That does emphasise her feelings of ennui but it might also induce a certain similar feeling in the audience too.
Farrebique ou Les quatre saisons (1946)
Farrebique ou Les quatre saisons
If Vivaldi had been around to make a feature film, then he could easily have crafted this artful piece of cinéma vérité that follows three generation of a family who have farmed the land for generations. The second world war has just ended and life is tough for these labouring farmers who have little by way of technology to assist with their relentless toils. Despite their traditional existence, they are a forward looking family making sure that school features for the youngsters and they worship faithfully as their priest and his congregation pray for the continued blessings of God on their enterprising. Of course, as the seasons change their work becomes more and less onerous and that also gives director Georges Rouquier an opportunity to let his photographic imagination run wild a little, with time-lapse photography capturing some of the essence of the natural environment as the days shorten, darken and winter sets in then the reverse occurs as the spring brings buds and flowers start to emerge indicating the cycle is about to start all over again. It's not just nature that proves cyclical here, the family sees changes that cause them distress and joy - with death, birth and aspiration which tests the commitment of those left to persevere with a working life that isn't for everyone. It's a very natural film to watch with the cast presenting an honest and raw appraisal of family life that's tough yet rewarding, loving and occasionally quite fun!
Nature's Half Acre (1951)
Nature's Half Acre
This might have been better for me had they scaled back on the jolly score and left us with some actual sounds of the nature we are watching. Instead, we get a surfeit of different musical styles and tempos accompanying Winston Hibbler's commentary of life in an half acre of ground upon which mankind has yet to make his presence felt. There is some innovative time-lapse photography and clearly time was spent collating and editing this fascinating look at just how diverse the range of critters are, trying to make a life (and avoid being eaten) in this wilderness. Some are astonishingly adaptable, hungry, beautiful, hungry, violent, hungry and even amorous and again the imagery captures quite a bit of that as well as the comical and the eat or be eaten mentality that not only nourishes those further up the food chain, but protects the plant life from their insatiable appetites. (Did I mention these things are hungry?). It's fun watching newly hatched chicks trying to digest worms that are quite possibly heavier than them and though maybe this could have been shortened a little, it's an entertainingly scripted foray into the world of natural history that mixes some elementary science into a film that still bears watching.
Screen Two: The Clothes in the Wardrobe (1993)
The Summer House
Waris Hussein was an accomplished director so perhaps all he had to do for Jeanne Moreau, Joan Plowright and Julie Walters to turn up here was offer them an opportunity to sit around reminiscing whilst necking copious amounts of booze. For that, folks, is just about all that happens in this drama that sees old friends and family getting together for the wedding of "Margaret" (Lena Headey) to "Syl" (David Threlfall). It's hardly an arrangement made in Heaven, this one - indeed she could hardly be more indifferent to the entire enterprise. That's because she met a much hunkier lad whilst holidaying in Egypt and her future isn't looking so bright now she is home. "Lili" (Moreau) arrives at their country home promising to be seen and not heard, but after a few glasses she alone seems to spot the huge great elephant in the marital room - but can she find a way of delicately asserting herself without offending the groom, his mother (Plowright) or the bride's (Walters)? What's also quite clear is that her own husband isn't there either - and we have to wonder if he is ever going to show up. It's a gently paced affair that only really comes alive when the red-haired Moreau gets her teeth into her part. Otherwise, even though there is a little twist in the tale of the Egyptian excursion that wasn't what I was expecting, the rest of this is all a rather pedestrian television drama that's over-scripted and seems to spend a great deal of time opening curtains and harking back to their respective pasts. Sadly the total is nowhere near the sum of it's parts and though nicely photographed, I found it all entirely bland.
Hedging (1942)
Hedging
This makes for quite an interesting ten minutes that might make you look at the hedges you walk past on your country walk a bit differently next time. It does matter how tall or short they are: too short and dense and the sunshine can't penetrate; too high and the lower parts thin out negating the value of this thing altogether. In many ways it's artistic to watch the hedge man (and his women's land army buddy) as he chops, cuts, weaves and layers the branches whilst removing the dead wood and brambles. By the conclusion, after the hazel or willow binding, it all looks completely natural and will serve to keep things in (and out) for the next twenty years with the thorns proving more effective than barbed wire ever could. The narration is a little dryly descriptive, but i wonder if it's a dying art we are watching here?
The Return of Mr. Moto (1965)
The Return of Mr. Moto
Right from the start I thought it was a young Jack Palance in the title role. It took me ages to realise it was Henry Silva who'd picked up the mantle investigating just who was up to no good in the oil-rich Middle East. The Foreign Office and the oil company are both worried that this is all part of a plan to destabilise the oil markets and to see the latter forced into bankruptcy when it's leases expire and are not renewed. "Moto" quickly smells a rat and that sees him start to sport a delicate pencil moustache and impersonate a Japanese industrialist in the hope that he can smoke out the perpetrator before political turbulence in the tiny emirate causes chaos. I'm afraid that though it was worth a go, Silva hasn't the charm or the glint in his eye of Peter Lorre and that really makes this struggle. The concept is formulaic and the supporters - Terence Langdon and Suzanne Lloyd - don't do much to help. Nor does the unlikely casting of Marne Maitland as an embattled Sheikh in charge of his desert kingdom (in Ealing, West London). It does pass the time amiably enough, but there is a question about why resurrect the character if the plan was to put this little creative effort (and cash) into it. Disappointing, sorry.
The Sailor from Gibraltar (1967)
The Sailor from Gibraltar
"Alan" (Ian Bannen) is a Scotsman on holiday in Italy when he has a bit of a barny with his girlfriend "Shiela" (Vanessa Redgrave) and strops off in the company of the enigmatic and wealthy "Anna" (Jeanne Moreau). She is busy searching for a sailor she knew decades ago, and with virtually no chance of ever finding him the two set off on her luxury yacht on their nautical wild goose chase. It's on this boat that they encounter the larger than life "Louis" (Orson Welles) who suggests to "Alan" that all may not be right with his friend. Indeed, he - like we may have already considered - wonders if this mythical sailor ever really did exist, or was perhaps he just a fantasy? That's the interesting gist of the film, really. Is there such a thing as true love or is it all just a sexual yellow brick road with there always being another exciting curve up ahead. "Anna" is certainly no shrinking violet when it comes to enjoying herself with the opposite sex, and Moreau exudes a certain ethereal beauty with her characterisation. Perhaps Bannen just did too good a job, though, as his character just came across as an arse and I struggled to understand why she would ever have aligned with him in the first place. Welles owns his few scenes but hasn't really enough to do to make great impact on the plot and sadly that leaves us with an all too bitty drama that does pose some interesting questions about the nature of "love" but hasn't quite the oomph to deliver those strongly enough. There is some lovely Mediterranean photography but otherwise, it's a bit undercooked.
5 Branded Women (1960)
Five Branded Women
As was traditional during wartime, women who were accused of collaborating with the Nazis had their heads rather brutally shorn so as to clearly brand them for all to see. Based on Ugo Pirro's quite interesting book "Jovanka e le altre" this tells the story of five such women, cast out by their Yugoslav community, who set about finding their own way of avenging themselves upon their oppressors - both foreign and domestic. Silvana Mangano ("Jovanka") leads the band of ladies who include Barbara Bel Geddes ("Maria"), Jeanne Moreau ("Ljuba") and Vera Miles ("Daniza") as they prove just as effective at carrying out their tasks as their menfolk - led by "Velko" (Van Heflin). This is one of those, quite rare, stories that demonstrates that women were no push over when it came to ruthlessness - and even though some co-operated with the soldiers more willingly than others, none did so without the permanent fear for the lives of themselves and their children - a series of scenarios well depicted here by a strong cast under good direction from Martin Ritt. It has it's fair share of ambushes, and plenty of action and double-crosses to keep the thing alive and engaging. Only a tiny bit of romance - and even that seems to engender a rather unpalatable degree of punishment - gets in the way of this plausible and at times quite gripping tale of freedom fighting.
Mata Hari, agent H21 (1964)
Mata Hari, agent H21
I thought for a moment it was Gale Sondergaard under the bejewelled crown, but no - it's Jeanne Moreau as the eponymous lady who charms the pants, literally, from the French soldiers from whom she exacts more than kisses. She lives well on the proceeds of her courtesanship, but she also augments that cash by working for the Bosch towards the end of the Great War enabling them to acquire useful French state secrets. She is cold and calculating until she encounters "Lasalle" (Jean-Louis Trintignant). There's something about him that permeates her hitherto impervious armour, and though that doesn't stop her using him, unusually she begins to care. That's dangerous thing for both of them, and when he discovers that she is still trying to tap up his superiors, he decides to abandon ship before he gets hurt - well emotionally, anyway. Physically, well some shrapnel soon lays him low and brings her to his side for a reconciliation, and from her perspective, a bit of a reassessment of her priorities. Is it all too late, though? The drama is portrayed in just a bit too staccato a fashion here and though I did think there was some chemistry between the two, the story unfolds in quite an episodic manner with little real emotion to explain why she connected with him, or even why she was up to no good in the first place. Some context on that score might have elicited a little more sympathy for her but it's not there so it's left to be a slightly disappointing soapy melodrama with espionage trimmings. I did quite enjoy it, but it could have been better.
Curse of the Fly (1965)
Curse of the Fly
"Henri" (Brian Donlevy) is a scientist obsessed with matter transportation. He's got all sorts of gadgets in the basement of his rural home and his son "Martin" (George Baker) to help out. Thing is, his son has already had a bad experience with all of this mad science, and now remarried to "Patricia" (Carole Grey) he wants out. Fat chance thinks his dad - think of your grandad who concocted all of this up in the first place. Also, well think of the previous experiments that are currently occupying some locked rooms elsewhere on the property - and of one occupant in particular. "Patricia" - that's "Patreeshia" to the uninitiated, has an habit of exploring and when she discovers a little too much she begins to question her own sanity. Can she believe what she sees? Husband and father-in-law both tell her she's imagining things. Then the police show up looking for a missing woman. Who is she? Why are they looking there? As the net begins to close in, perhaps it's the teleport than can get them to safety and new lives? Hmmm. Neither Donlevy nor Baker carry this stodgy and over-scripted effort at all well and though there's quite a creepy effort from Yvette Rees, the rest of this is all pretty lacklustre fayre that is dragged out for at least half an hour too long. What visual effects there are are straight from the papier-mâché and glue factory and the story is just too thin.
The High Bright Sun (1965)
The High Bright Sun
As Cyprus struggles for colonial independence from Britain, "Maj. Maguire" (Dirk Bogarde) is tasked with trying to track down the sabotaging freedom fighters led by "Gen. Skyros" (Grégoire Aslan). Unfortunately for visiting American archeologist "Juno" (Susan Strasberg) she manages to get herself involved as she is staying at the house of "Dr. Andros" (Joseph Fürst) who is also hosting, incognito, the general and his rather more brutally minded sidekick "Haghios" (George Chakiris). A visit from the major might just help her out though as he takes a bit of a shine to her, as does the doctor's son "Emile" (Colin Campbell) but her safety is not guaranteed, especially when "Haghios" comes to resent her developing rapport with the Briton. It's an adequate adventure story, this, but nobody really sets anything on fire; it's too wordy and what action there actually is saved up for the last fifteen minutes during which there's not a great deal of jeopardy. It's really Bogarde who must carry the burden for it's mediocrity as he puts very little effort into his role. It's not so much less is more as less is, well, less... Not that Chakiris is exactly menacing, but he is under-used in any case and Strasberg adds very little as the thing plods along without really touching on the political aspects of the plot at all. There's some nice photography (of Italy) but otherwise it's quite a long old watch that's nobody's best work.
Scrapbook for 1933 (1950)
Scrapbook for 1933
This pretty much does what it says on the tin as it takes us on a review of 1933. It's a Britain recovering from the Great War in 91 degree sunshine, but in Berlin too, with people milling around and leisurely sitting in cafés, the shadow of what's coming is beginning to eclipse events there. The US is seeing the depression in full swing with opportunity going down the drain as surely as the prohibited booze. Back in Britain, cycling helps people take to the great outdoors with some jolly community singing in the presence of the Duke of York. Society events are still thriving and the fashions are high at the horse racing with Gordon Richards dominant but not at the Derby where King George V took centre stage. Helen Jacobs and Dorothy Rand were doing their stuff at Wimbledon as was Fred Perry; J. E. Lovelock set a new mile world record, Wally Hammond was at the top of his cricketing prowess - and there was the "Bodyline" scandal too. Everton won the FA Cup and there were some celebrations afterwards with thousands turning out to celebrate. Malcolm Campbell went to Daytona beach in 272 mph almost as quick as fortunes were sliding into the dusty desert that was reclaiming the land from poverty stricken businesses. Riots and tear gas as public dissent saw the population make camp outside the White House and FDR is re-elected for his second term - "The only thing we have to fear... is fear itself" and then his famed "New Deal" implemented to give some hope to the hopeless 9ans some faces to Mount Rushmore). The UK is also clamouring for change as exemplified by writer H. G. Wells's comments suggesting that fewer and fewer people can do more and more, forcing other less adaptable folks from jobs - but all of these stories and personalities fade into insignificance when there are reported sightings of the "Loch Ness Monster". Green eyes and red nostrils that can be seen by just about everyone (who lives/drinks on it's shores) but by nobody else - even the House of Commons gets in on the act! It's this mix of the serious and perilous with the flippant and lighthearted that shines an effective light on this year. A year of no especial anniversarial significance, but one that illustrates a world that was expanding and contracting at the same time. It's gently scored and Stephen Murray provides us with a lead narration that's measured and entertaining a times, as are the contributions from the likes of Joyce Grenfell who rather ironically sounds another warning about the sense of "purpose" in a newly invigorated Germany whilst Hollywood finds roles for Charles Laughton in full ancient Roman garb or Oscar-winning Tudor ones. It's a compilation that anyone interested in general history can look at as a review of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness/power/jobs/entertainment as the thirties got going.
The Naked City (1948)
The Naked City
There's quite an affecting documentary feel to this film as "Lt. Muldoon" (Barry Fitzgerald) investigates the drowning of model "Jean" in what should have been the safety of her New York apartment. This cop is no slouch and is quickly dragging his newbie sidekick "Jimmy" (Don Taylor) all over the place in search of clues. Suspicion initially falls on the woman's close friend "Niles" (Howard Duff) but the police are pretty convinced that her maid, and also possibly her best pal "Ruth" (Dorothy Hart), may know more than they're letting on too. When they discover a bottle of sedatives, that some of her jewellery has gone missing and then a corpse floating in the East River the men must wade through a mire of lies, deceit and mis-information from witnesses who seem determined that the truth will never out. Fitzgerald is entirely convincing in this drama. He leads the process with a gritty determination and a plausible eye for not just the detail but the practical. He knows his city and he knows how to best to get results - sometimes using less conventional methods as he and his team start to hone in on the criminal and their MO. Taylor also does well here marrying the rookie approach to his task with a fresh angle less available to his less flexible boss. Hart, too, contributes well but it's really the procedural approach to the crime that sets this apart from standard mysteries. The writing reads as if it is based on real life experiences and also on an understanding of the value of the emerging use of scientific processes and team policing to narrow the field and get to the perpetrators. It takes it's time, but it never drags and there are clues for us watching to piece together too as this untrustworthy bunch look to self preservation more than to solving the killing. This takes a different approach to thriller story-telling and though I found the score a bit intrusive at times, I did enjoy it.