Film 34: Forbidden Games

Netflix Summary: Director René Clément's bittersweet drama depicts the ravages of war on its youngest victims. After being orphaned when a Nazi strafing kills her parents and her dog, 5-year-old Paulette (Brigitte Fossey) is taken in by farm boy Michel Dolles (Georges Poujouly) and his family. While his parents are busy feuding with their neighbors, the youngsters cope with the death surrounding them by creating a cemetery for animals killed in the fighting.


Forbidden Games won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1952.





Film Viewing Due Date: 4/28

An American in Paris Review

Juror #3 says: I've always been a big fan of Cary Grant, from movies "To Catch a Thief" to "Charade" Cary Grant was always a smooth operator - he was so at ease in front of the camera that the confidence oozed from him. Why am I starting a review for "An American in Paris" talking about Cary Grant? Because Gene Kelly was that and more. I was mesmerized by his performance and, being previously unfamiliar with his work, see why he is considered one of the greats. An American in Paris is as much a love story about Paris as it is between the two stars of the film, but in the end it's a bit too generic, happy-feely for me. Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is an American studying art in Paris. He picks up a benefacter who admires his art but not quite as much as she admires him. Jerry however has eyes for Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron) who is dating a friend of his, unbeknownst to him. It's likely you can guess the rest. Even with the predictable plot I really enjoyed the film performances and up until the last 20 minutes would have rated the movie an easy 4/5 stars. But I was bored out of my mind with the choreographed ending in which the film seems to go off script to enable a more theatre-like grand finale. Overall, the film is worth watching for Gene Kelly alone. I rate it a 3/5 stars (if I could give it a 3.75 I would, but that's not how it works).

girl by locker says:
Forty five minutes before the end of An American in Paris I texted Juror #3 and said, “OMG. There is still 45 minutes left of the movie.” I wanted it to end. The story is predictable: Starving artist (Gene Kelly) in Paris meets rich woman who takes an interest in him and his art. Starving artist falls for a different girl (Leslie Caron, who, in my opinion, was stiff, uninspiring and an unlikely love interest for Gene Kelly). The girl loves Gene Kelly back but is obligated to another man because he saved her during the war. I’m sure you can figure out what happens. Yes, Gene Kelly gets the girl. In the middle of the love story, there are random dances and dream sequences that don’t really seem to have a place.

In spite of what I write above, I still give the movie 3/5 on Netflix. Why? Because of Gene Kelly. His dancing saved the movie. Every time I began to wander and wish the movie would end, he would begin dancing and I was amazed at how good he was. Yes, he is that good. I also really enjoyed the final dance sequence that lasted almost 20 minutes, a dance that basically illustrates the courtship between Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. It was a bit surreal and a bit out of place in the movie, but enjoyable nonetheless.