February Finds [part 1]

It's turning into an ace film February for me. Two weeks before university picks up again is ripe for some good viewing. I hand over the highlights thus far:

The Good Fairy (1935) --

I'm beginning to feel William Wyler could do no wrong (yes he could do silly caper fun like How to Steal a Million, but still no wrong). In this earlier fare, he directed wife at the time Margaret Sullavan in one of the cutest of comedies (penned by no less than Preston Sturges). The film is filled with sweet and tender moments - Margaret's raspy voice and sad eyes are at full disposal in her characterisation of the wonderfully named Luisa Ginglebuscher. In my first two encounters with Margaret (The Shop Around the Corner and The Shopworn Angel) I'll admit I didn't really like her because I felt she came across as too cold and inaccesible. But upon watching The Good Fairy I've done a switch around because she's delightful here.

Along for the ride is a wonderful cast. You have suave Herbert Marshall sporting a beard, Reginald Owen's waiter who tries to protect Luisa (he has facial expressions that are sort of reminescent of Eric Blore) and Frank Morgan as a hilarious rich man who wants Luisa to himself. You couldn't ask for much better.

I'll See You in My Dreams (1951)--

I kind of wasn't expecting this to be as wonderful as it was. I mean, as much as I am a Doris Day fan, I'm a bit wary of musical biopics. They have a general reputation of being dull and unrealistic. Well, I don't know how accurate I'll See You in My Dreams is, but dull it is certainly not.

The film chronicles the highs and lows of Gus Kahn (wonderfully portrayed by Danny Thomas), memorable lyricist of such songs as Pretty Baby, Makin' Whoopee, and the beautiful title song. It is also about the woman that helped him through it all--and tried to control his career too if you want to read it that way--his wife Grace Leboy (Doris Day).

I like the film for a few reasons. For one it runs through pretty smoothly and gives us a good insight into Gus' achievements and low moments; I believe a lot of that has to do with Danny Thomas. He injected into the character a right balance of humour, inspiration and self-loathing that makes him fascinating to watch. One of the other aspects that works is that Thomas and Day genuinely have a good chemistry and you can believe in their relationship. For the film's span, they are the characters and you can imagine that they are experiencing every moment as if it were real. The songs are also nice and beautifully sung - they contribute to the plot in their own way, giving further insight into our characters' feelings.

Trouble in Paradise (1932) --

Nobody does subtlety quite like Ernst Lubitsch. And I think this film best exemplifies that. While many a film today will show rather than hint, Lubitsch did the opposite in this early 30s pre-code.

Herbert Marshall's Gaston Monescu (God I love him) is a jewel thief who meets his match in fellow thief Lily (Miriam Hopkins). All goes well until the stock market crashes and they realise they're in financial trouble. Conveniently, opportunity strikes when Gaston somehow finds himself secretary to rich Mariette (Kay Francis). Trouble brews though when he falls for her.

Getting back to the art of subtlety, there are moments in this film where Lubitsch will ask of you to use your imagination and scenes become far sexier and classier (can you have the two together?) than they otherwise would have been. Case in point. Lubitsch's camera fixates on a clock, while Gaston and Mariette are heard talking in the background. Gaston is supposed to leave the office around five and get back to Lily. The clock dissolves into later hours, Gaston and Mariette have left. After the clock finally settles on one or so, you hear Gaston and Mariette coming back. You know he hasn't gone back to Lily. On paper it doesn't look like much, but on screen it's pure Lubitsch.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

The violence factor (which wasn't too bad in the end--ugly but bearable) sort of turned me away. I mean heads being skinned sounds bad enough on paper. But I finally gave in because Basterds has been receiving some rave attention. And well, it deserves it.

I think it's probably the film of 2009 (of what I've seen) that is quite unique, so part of its director Quentin Tarentino's vision, that you couldn't quite compare it to something else. Painted with delicious visual design, intriguing characters (yes Christoph Waltz survives the hype unscathed--his character's fate is another matter-woops spoiler alert) and a plot that is really unreal.

It's called a fantasy world war 2 picture and this is perhaps why: a band of troops who call themselves the Inglourious Basterds, led by Aldo Raine (great performance by Brad Pitt) go out on a Nazi killing spree. Simultaneously, Shosanna (Melanie Laurent--great too-actually everybody in the film puts on a great show), whose family was shot by a Nazi, is out for a revenge, plotting the death of Hitler in the cinema complex she now runs. The two forces collide in a spectacular showdown at the cinema. Basically, that's the plot, but the way it unfolds is the interesting bit. It's just too bad I didn't see this at the cinema because it just felt so grand--not in a pretentious, self-aware way. Just in a well-written and entertaining way that suspends you in your seat. My predictions are that this film will have quite a cemented following.

Oscar Noms Are Out...

...and the goal is to watch every film from the Picture, Director and Acting categories. Daunting, shall have to see how it goes.

The complete list is on the Academy's site, but it's also neatly set out on imdb here.

Some thoughts thus far:

--Nice to see Up get Best Picture nomination, but as much as I love the film, it almost seems like a consolation for not nominating Wall-E in this category
--Didn't think Morgan Freeman deserved the nom for Best Actor. When I was watching the film, I felt he was concerned with mannerisms and appearing like Nelson Mandela rather than being him - though I partly blame the script for that. I couldn't sense much room for character development.
--Penelope Cruz - surprise nomination. While she does well with the time she has in Nine-and she's great at the beginning-she's practically nowhere at the end of the film and so you don't get much closure in her performance. Marion Cotillard was more deserving because I feel her character was more complete, but even then she leaves me cold. Again, I blame it a bit on the script/direction.
--A woman director winning the Oscar? It seems to be coming closer to the truth with all the buzz Kathryn Bigelow is receiving. Could be exciting.
--Harry Potter getting nommed for best cinematography? Didn't see it coming.
--So great that Fantastic Mr. Fox AND Sherlock Holmes have received noms for best score, quite deserving to me. Though I actually also think Invictus deserved one too.
--Where is Bright Star in, well, almost anything? No best director, no best actress, art design, cinematography? It gets best costume, but those snubs hurt.

Who'd I'd like to win for the moment:
--Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air - haven't seen Precious yet, so this could change soon, but Vera was great here. Seemingly so cool and laidback, but not quite so straightforward as all that. She had marvellous presence here.
--Haven't see The Hurt Locker, but hope Up gets best score
--Would like to see Fantastic Mr. Fox get best animated feature - as much as Up was warm-hearted and inspiring, Fantastic Mr. Fox was just something else. Wonderful dialogue and more subtly moving.

Need to see:

The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds**seen it
Precious**seen it
A Serious Man
Crazy Heart
A Single Man
The Last Station
Julie & Julia
The Messenger
The Lovely Bones

R.I.P Angel Face

One of the loveliest and talented ladies of the silver screen, Jean Simmons, has passed away today. She starred in many a classic, including Laurence Olivier's Hamlet, in which her Ophelia is oh so enchanting and ethereal. At a similar point she was also quite recognisable as Kanchi in Powell & Pressburger's Black Narcissus.

The film that perhaps really made me sit up and pay attention to Jean was her comedic turn in The Grass is Greener. Amongst the likes of of Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum, she ran away with the film. As Hattie Durant, Jean was deliciously kooky.

Her engaging presence and talent probably peaked in the 50s - one of my favourite performances is her femme fatale turn in Angel Face, where she comes off as both vulnerable and dangerous. She was also in Guys and Dolls and The Big Country. In 1960 she gave a truly haunting performance as Sister Falconer in Elmer Gantry. She received two Oscar nominations - one for Hamlet and the other for The Happy Ending, but I firmly believe she deserved more.



I hope Jean is forever remembered for all she has given to cinema. R.I.P dear lady.

Audrey, in a class of her own

Harley of Dreaming in Black and White has posted some really lovely things about Audrey Hepburn on the anniversary of her passing. You can view it here. It's inspired me to put in some thoughts on Audrey and why she was and still is wonderful.

"A great lady. It's quite an achievement to spend that long in Hollywood and not become a Hollywood product. She always maneuvered around that -- and that takes intelligence. She was always her own person." {David Niven

One of the first things that drew me to Audrey Hepburn, some years before I was into classic films, was how she presented herself. With one glance at a photo of hers, you could see she was poised and well-mannered. When you see a few of her films, you also notice her smile and quirky sense of humour, all while maintaining class. She reflected who she was - from the way she conducted herself to her fashion sense - and didn't compromise that.

It's interesting because when Audrey made it big with the success of Roman Holiday, she wasn't like other Hollywood actresses of the time. When I think of Audrey, I don't usually think of her as side-by-side of her contemporaries, she stuck out among other upcoming starlets of the 50s and I think that's why she was able to have such a distinguished career with star vehicle after star vehicle.

But she wasn't only a lady with a delightful screen presence, she could stretch herself in her acting. It's easy to turn to her signature role in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but I really think it was a triumphant performance. She herself said - sorry, adlibbing here - that the part called for an extrovert when she was an introvert. Audrey was also in fine form as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. Even though Audrey didn't sing her own songs, she gave a convincing stretch as a cockney girl. Then there's the straight drama parts in The Nun's Story and Two For the Road where Audrey abandoned the Givenchy and exposed her deep sadness and vulnerability to the camera.

Perhaps, though, the most admirable quality of Audrey was her kindness. She gave back to UNICEF for their aid to her during world war 2 and travelled to Africa. Footage and images show the true caring nature of Audrey. She was that rarity, a sweetheart on screen and in reality.

R.I.P Audrey Hepburn.

If Only...

I was thinking lately of things that could've/should've happened - film-wise - that didn't happen. Here is the list:

If only...

- Marilyn Monroe's last film Something's Gotta Give had been completed before her passing. I haven't seen the remaining footage that gets circulated around the web yet, but I've seen screencaps and stills for the film and Marilyn looks so refreshing and happy. I earnestly believe it would have been one of her best films, and with Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse on board, well that would have been delightful.

- Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had danced to 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' in Shall We Dance. It just doesn't sit right that this poignant song was danced by Fred with Harriet Hoctor instead.

- The original, unbotched version of Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons could be miraculously re-discovered. Because as much as the current version hints at a good film, it doesn't feel as whole as it may have been.

- Audrey Hepburn could've used her real voice - flawed as it may have been - in My Fair Lady (or else Julie Andrews should've been allowed to reprise her stage role). This might be contestable, but Marni Nixon's dub just doesn't sit right with me. Their voices don't match and so I can't suspend disbelief when Audrey's character sings. Otherwise, I did like Audrey's performance. Yet it would be interesting to see how Julie Andrews' Eliza Doolittle would have been.

And that is all I can think of know. I might make a part 2 if I come up with some more...