Wednesday 27 March 2024

Slow Horses - Season 3 (2023 Various)

There's not only Slow Horses in this but Dogs (MI5 security) and a Tiger Trap (testing the strength of your own security). A paramilitary group selected to test the MI5 instead goes rogue. London locations used well.

MI5 boss Sophie Okonedo proves to be no match for Kristin Scott Thomas and the Slow Horses, even when faced with the assembled forces of the group. In a bullet-ridden and exciting finale, the women are satisfyingly the ones that save the day - Ninja Aimee Ffion-Edwards and Rosalind Eleazar. 

With Gary Oldman, Saskia Reeves, Jack Lowden (still a step behind the story), Christopher Chung (such a sleazy character), Freddie Fox, Chris Reilly (the top 'dog'), Samuel West, Kadiff Kirwan, Jonathan Pryce. And in the story's prelude in Istanbul, Katherine Waterstone and Sope Dirisu.

Good moments of humour from various writers.

From the trailer it looks like Season 4 has been completed already.



Innocents in Paris (1953 Gordon Parry)

Written and produced by Anatole de Grunwald, this is such a strange film that at times you feel like your drink's been spiked with acid. Various 'types' visit Paris and odd things happen. Financial diplomat Alastair Sim befriends his Russian counterpart Peter Illing in a roisterous night in a Russian restaurant. A stupidly simple girl Claire Bloom allows herself to be taken to the apartment of smooth Claude Dauphin (Two for the Road) who against the odds behaves honorably - there's a scene where she cooks him chops and cabbage, when there's a perfectly good bistro 'just around the corner'. (She's also in the most trippy scene where she ends up dancing with this American fellow who is just so weird.) The drummer of a brass band (Ronald Shiner) spends the night in Pigalle and almost avoids all temptations, but ends up with Gaby Bruyere. Margaret Rutherford is a painter who at one point is pestered by a really creepy Gregoire Aslan. And a kilt wearing Scot James Copeland falls for Monique Gerard. Jimmy Edwards spends the whole trip in an English bar.

It is at least filmed in Paris, but it's really not a very good film. It might have provided some sort of entertainment to ration-ridden Brits.

With Richard Wattis, Luis de Funes, and (uncredited) Kenneth Williams and Christopher Lee.





Monday 25 March 2024

Evening (2007 Lajos Koltai)

Written by Michael Cunningham and Susan Minot, from her novel.

Vanessa Redgrave is dying; her daughters Toni Collette and Natasha Richardson are there as is nurse Eileen Atkins. But the old lady keeps flashing back to an eventful weekend - her friend Mamie Gummer's wedding, her drunkard brother Hugh Dancy and a dishy doctor friend, Patrick Wilson. Young Vanessa is Claire Danes. With Glenn Close and Meryl Streep (who is Gummer's mum).

It's one of those pretty, tragic heartwarmers with romantic setting (Newport, Rhode Island), no The Notebook however. It's a bit wet and has some rather twee elements, like the nurse appearing in Redgrave's dress at night, and Jan Kaczmarek's plinky music doesn't help. Redgrave is fantastic, however. Gyula Pados makes the most of the pretties.

Koltai is normally a cinematographer. This is one of three films he directed.

A bus.

Two friends in bed.



Sunday 24 March 2024

The Good Lie (2014 Philippe Falardeau)

Info here.

Very entertaining. Could not understand why one or all of them had not been employed looking after Corey Stoll's cows. Loved the stoners' amazement when the story of the lion is told. Very sweet.

I am pleased to report that since the last viewing I have read Huckleberry Finn.

Mr. Skeffington (1944 Vincent Sherman)

An unusually adult and interesting film from Warners, addressing Jewishness, racism and the concentration camps of WW2. It's also - at two hours 20 - uncommonly long. The Epsteins wrote it (and produced) from Elizabeth von Arnim's story.

Society beauty Bette Davis has so many suitors at her beck and call, but her useless brother Richard Waring gets the family into shame and debt. Claude Rains' Mr. Skeffington can bail them out, but Bette has to marry him even though she never loves him.

Bette's as good as ever and in choosing to appear later so aged decrepit was a brave move - Perc Westmore ages her beautifully (horribly). And Franz Waxman's score, and its orchestral arrangement by Leonid Raab, is fantastic.

With Walter Abel as her faithful cousin, Marjorie Riordan as the daughter, a strangely high-billed George Coulouris, considering he's only in one (good) scene, Robert Shayne, John Alexander, Halliwell Hobbes (uncredited as the butler; Gaslight, To Be Or Not To Be, Casanova Brown).

Photographed by Ernie Haller. Bette's husband Arthur Farnsworth died suddenly before shooting began; this may have contributed to problems on set with the star, leading to overruns in schedule and budget. According to Alexander Walker the film was a flop; the Warner Bros. Story reports that audiences were delighted (not the first time we've had that contradiction).





秋刀魚の味 / An Autumn Afternoon (1962 Yasujiro Ozu & co-scr)

Chisu Ryu is the beautiful centre of this film, playing a lovely man who despite having no wife wants his daughter to get married. His smile is everything. And this bounces off everything else - a friend who has married a much younger woman, a former teacher who has a bitter grown up daughter living with him, a secretary who is just married, a son with a strong-willed wife. So it's about everything - families, relationships, the past... and golf clubs.

It's immediately recognisable as an Ozu film by the low camera - though there's perhaps a reason for that - unless in the office or in a bar, everyone is on the floor. What amazes me is the men all sit cross legged, but the women more formally kneel - and then when they get up, they just propel themselves up so gracefully - I started wondering if I could do it (I couldn't. Couldn't get anywhere near it.)

And the empty spaces. Ozu shoots very formally, the camera never moves; but the characters behave formally too - there's no hugs, kisses or embraces.




The actual title translation is 'The Taste of Sanma' which is mackerel pike, 'an unrefined fish popularly enjoyed by ordinary folk... The Chinese character for Autumn is one of the three characters which make up the word 'sanma'.' (Kiyoko Hirano, BFI booklet).

By the way, Japan in colour in 1962 - gorgeous but somehow sterile urban landscapes, buildings, neon signs - the American influence. Contrasted with very traditional dwellings.

Not without humour also - the drunkenness of the old teacher, the friends who wind each other up. (There's a lot of drinking and eating going on.) The man who has served under him in the war, the bar they go to - and when he goes there again, it's so not the same experience.

It's ultimately really sad. But what we've seen in such simple scenes is real, human life.

The daughter is Shima Iwashita. All acting fabulous. Cinematography  Yuharu Atsuta, music Takanobu Saito.

A polite film of much subtlety. Ozu's last.


Saturday 23 March 2024

Dark Victory (1939 Edmund Goulding)

Wendy had died, and this seemed like an appropriate film to watch and wallow in and feel, as Bette Davis's character first is cured from an illness, but it has got her all along, she just isn't told. She is understandably annoyed with her lover / doctor George Brent when she finds out, but all is well, though when she knows she's dying (through loss of sight) she nobly sends him off to a medical conference without telling him. Well - he wouldn't have been very happy about that. Casey Robinson is the writer and Hal B Wallis is the creative producer.

Bette acts in super-fast mode, her speed signifying energy. Her best friend is played by Geraldine Fitzgerald and Bogie is for some reason cast as an Irish jockey. Ernie Haller shot it and Max Steiner wrote the suitably rousing music (arranged by Hugo Friedhofer).

With Ronald Reagan, Henry Travers.





Thursday 21 March 2024

Coma (2024 Michael Samuels, writer Ben Edwards)

Jason Watkins accidentally puts son of violent criminal into a coma, but as he's saved the boy's life too, he gets pulled into a relationship with the father (Jonas Armstrong). Claire Skinner is trying to be a good wife, Kayla Meikle is the investigating detective. Joe Barber is the unpleasant son, David Bradley a neighbour.

Yeah. Whatever.

4 parts on Channel 5, home of Quality Productions.

The Black Keys (2024 John Kelly)

A charming and cinematic short (15m) film, screen written (from Kelly's story) and co-produced by our dear friend Derek Masterson, involving a concert pianist who has gone blind, and the salvation he reaches when tutoring young pupils. With Barry Roe.



Wednesday 20 March 2024

Modern Love - Season 1 (2019 Creator John Carney)

The lady with the doorman is right near the Franklin Avenue subway station, which places her in the Tribeca area of lower east Manhattan. This is my favourite story. I guess that may be the Central Park Zoo the website guy visits with his girlfriend. 

The ending, when all the characters reappear, is lovely. And I liked the 'recalibrate the Universe' philosophy: If someone cuts you up in traffic, be extra helpful to the next person trying to get out. If someone steals your wallet, go and make a donation to a charity. And is your date doesn't turn up...

More detailed assessments here and here.

Monday 18 March 2024

Begin Again (2013 John Carney & scr)

Another warm hug of love from Carney, this one set in NYC, and featuring the great Mark Ruffalo, who is always totally credible in everything. I loved the way he always hits the curb in his Jag.

The band playing under Washington Arch. Do you think they had permission?


Terminus (1961 John Schlesinger & scr)

Short 33 minute documentary about Waterloo station - more a succession of moments (there's no commentary) and impressions - a lost boy, sailors, drunks, a group of prisoners en route somewhere, farewells, reunions. And unexpected touches, like that on the roof, someone's keeping a beehive. Image and sound well manipulated from no doubt tons of footage.

Music by Ron Grainer. Schlesinger graduated to features the next year - A Kind of Loving followed by Billy Liar.



The Dirty Dozen (1967 Robert Aldrich)

A war film with elephantiasis. It's all in the last hour, where our group of misfits compete in a military exercise - well, cheat - and why not? Then invade German top brass chalet and wreak mayhem - actually only one of the convicts (Charles Bronson) survives. That night finale is amusingly brightly lit, by Ted Scaife. Worth seeing for performances from Lee Marvin, Bronson, John Cassavetes; interesting early appearance from Donald Sutherland.

With Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy, Jim Brown, Richard Jaeckel, Trini Lopez, Ralph Meeker, Telly Savalas, Robert Ryan, Clint Walker, Robert Webber.

Had they shot this square on the 'Last Supper' reference would have been all too clear!

It was the top grossing film of 1967. Written by Nunally Johnson and Lukas Heller. MGM.

Sunday 17 March 2024

Sully (2016 Clint Eastwood & prod)

The only teaming of Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood. Hanks obviously relished being directed in this way ('One take? Great.') Great film, reviewed elsewhere. Great editing (Blu Murray), and sound. Which leads me to another thing I didn't know about the Malpaso family. Since Escape from Alcatraz, Clint's supervising sound editor has been Alan Murray, and he's Blu's dad!

Good all round competent cast. 'It's not the stars you have the trouble with,' Clint remarked, 'It's making sure all the smaller parts are played just as well.' Something Hitch wouldn't disagree with.



Sing Street (2016 John Carney & co-scr)

Another charming film from Carney, just what we need at the moment, which so accurately charts the life of a young band in a well caught 1980s, and the difficult waters of family, school and love life. Great songs as usual, especially in the way they emulate whoever's hot, you know - Duran Duran one week, Joy Division the next.

With Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Jack Reynor, Lucy Boynton, Mark McKenna (The Tourist), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Kin). The head teacher's a right bastard.





Sånger från andra våningen / Songs From the Second Floor (2000 Roy Andersson & scr)

I didn't really get on with this Swedish film of the absurd, a sort of sub- Bunuel mixed with Python and something stranger still, in which the traffic is endless and the protagonist's son has gone crazy through writing poetry. It was one of Mike Leigh's favourite films (though for all I know he could have been kidding, as he also named the 1912 animation How a Mosquito Operates). In theory I should have liked it, it is my kind of cup of tea. I think maybe it was just too bleak.

The one thing that did make me laugh is the vendor of Christ effigies and the one which has lost a nail in one hand and so is just swinging side to side in the background.

Looks like it might have been shot in the perpetual twilight of winter.


Saturday 16 March 2024

Once (2007 John Carney & scr)

Busker Glen Hansard meets immigrant Markéta Irglová on the streets of Dublin and they begin to make music together. Heart-warming and witty (e.g. her walking along leading her hoover). And the songs are great, particularly the one she sings on the way home in a long take. 'Falling Slowly' won the Oscar.

The camerawork is amusingly primitive - the film had a budget of €30.

That extract from Mendelssohn 'Song Without Words' is grand, so it is, so it is.

Unforgiven (1992 Clint Eastwood)

A most impressive revisionist western twists traditional myths on their heads, such as the scene where sheriff Gene Hackman explains to writer Saul Rubinek how Richard Harris really killed a man - drunk, and in a cowardly and unprofessional way; that it's not the fastest gun, but the coolest who wins; the difficulty of killing a man; the lack of rights of women. This undermining of tradition is brilliantly shown when Clint - master horse rider all his career, since the 1950s - struggles to get on (and stay on) his horse.

He and Morgan Freeman join 'killer' Jaimz Woolvett to kill two cowboys who have defaced a young prostitute. The Sheriff will have none of it, and turns out to need murdering more than anyone else. Humour evident too, such as that the young gunfighter is extremely short sighted.

Won Oscars for Film, Director, Hackman and editor Joel Cox. Clint as an actor was nominated as was David Webb Peoples for his script, Jack Green for cinematography (Tom Stern is gaffer), Henry Bumstead for art direction and various people for sound.






The ending is particularly tense. In my ending, Clint takes the damaged prostitute home to become his kids' new mom.

It's dedicated to 'Sergio and Don'.


Friday 15 March 2024

Tightrope (1984 Richard Tuggle & scr)

Funnily enough, we watched (well, started to watch, the disc went wrong 1:11 in) two films on the same day on which the producer sacked the director and took over. In this case, Clint knew after one day that Tuggle wasn't up to directing the Malpaso Way - fast and efficiently - and suggested they 'collaborate' on the rest of the film, effectively meaning Clint directed it.

The Clinty McKinky film from Clint's experimental eighties period. Detective Wes Block (who the hell comes up with these names?) is investigating the sex-related murders of women in New Orleans, but he's something of a kink himself. Clint puts himself in unusual territory here. I love the moment he moves the lamp, moves it again, and then just picks it up and hurls it across the room in a rage, punching through the wall - electrifying stuff, you so rarely see him losing himself like that. (This is after is daughter had been bound by the creepy killer.)

With Genevieve Bujold, Dan Hedaya, Alison Eastwood, Jenny Beck.

With the usual team from this period: Surtees, Cox, Niehaus, Garfagno, Stern all doing great stuff. Helicopter surveyed ending at railroad gripping (and even funny).