Film 39: 12 Angry Men (1957)

Netflix Summary: Knowing full well that a guilty verdict means death, a jury of 12 men (including Jack Warden and Jack Klugman) must decide the fate of an 18-year-old boy accused of fatally stabbing his father. But only one juror (Henry Fonda) wants to take the time to coolly deliberate the case. Sidney Lumet (Network) made his directorial debut with this Oscar-nominated drama that illuminates all the petty impediments on the path to justice.

From Wikipedia: The film was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing of Adapted Screenplay. It lost to the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai in all three categories.

Film Viewing Due Date: 8/10

Baby Doll Review

Juror #3 says: Well, that was a creepy movie. In a way I wish David Lynch had gotten a chance to take a stab at this screenplay first. I would have enjoyed a more surrealist view of this script I think. Where to begin... well, Baby Doll was originally a one-act play by Tennessee Williams, who then extended the plot into a feature screenplay. The story revolves around a middle-aged man who receives permission from the father of a young woman to marry her, under one condition - he must wait until she is 20 years old to have sex with her. A short time before the woman's 20th birthday we find out the married couple has fallen on hard financial times and its causing a rift between the two. The man will do anything to reach his goal of "having the woman" and commits a crime in order to gain financially and thus keep the young woman happy enough to fulfill her promise. The creepy part of the film isn't necessarily the age discrepancy between the married couple, instead it's in the child-like nature of the woman, who is first seen sucking her thumb as she sleeps in a crib in a nursery of an old house. On one hand the story can be seen as a coming of age for "Baby Doll" as the young woman is affectionately referred to. But in the end you get the feeling that she came of age a long time ago but psychologically prefers to revert back to a more simple state. There is clearly a message here about gender roles and the way men treated women in this period but I'm not sure I completely got it. Overall the movie stuck with me though, and I attribute much of that to the solid acting. My biggest disappointment was that this was basically a stageplay being filmed and reminded me of some of the films we saw in the early forties, not something consistent with the evolution of filmmaking we had scene recently in the fifties. Overall I rate it 3/5 stars on Netflix. I applaud the effort to stretch the boundaries of societal acceptance but somehow it didn't fully work for me.

girl by locker says: Wow…and people thought the love scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr was steamy in From Here to Eternity. In comparison to Baby Doll, From Here to Eternity was child’s play. Baby Doll is a story of a decomposing south at the end of the cotton heyday and a lovers triangle. In one corner we have Baby Doll (Carroll Baker) who is a young, married virgin who agrees to consummate her marriage when she turns 20 years old. In the other two corners, we have her husband Archie Lee (Karl Madden) a failing businessman struggling to keep his wife happy and Silva Vacarro (Eli Wallach) a Sicilian foreigner and current king of cotton in this sleepy southern town.

When Mr. Vacarro’s cotton gin ends burns down in a fire, there is one suspect (Archie Lee) and Vacarro heads to his gin in order to get proof. While Archie Lee spends the day trying to gin out the cotton, Mr. Vacarro seduces his wife Baby Doll. I am talking 30 solid minutes of raw, sexual attraction that must have shocked the viewers of the day. In fact, the Catholic Church banned the movie and probably excommunicated any of its parishioners that saw it.

The reality of the fact is, by today’s standards the movie is relatively mild – no nudity, not swearing, no visual acts of sex. However, I always find the suggestion of sex and romance much more revealing and the scenes between Mr. Vacarro and Baby Dollwere pretty stellar. In the end, you don’t know for sure whether or not they actually did the deed, but I think they did. Baby Doll goes from wearing white to black by the end of the movie and Mr. Vacarro comments on how he sees her different.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars. Solid acting, solid script, solid directing – and much steamier than Burt and Deborah love scene.

Film 38: Baby Doll (1956)

Netflix Summary: Written by Tennessee Williams, this black comedy tells the story of cotton gin owner Archie (Karl Malden) and his sexy teenage wife (Carroll Baker), who won't consummate the marriage until she turns 20. When Archie battles a rival (Eli Wallach), he could lose his business -- and his bride. Baker earned an Oscar nod, and director Elia Kazan won a Golden Globe for his steamy and, at the time of its release, controversial film.

From Wikipedia: The movie was banned in many countries, such as Sweden, due to what was called exaggerated sexual content. The film was also condemned by Time magazine, which called it the "dirtiest American-made motion picture that had ever been legally exhibited". Due in part to the attempts to have it banned or suppressed, the film was not a commercial success. Kazan reported that it never made a profit.
Film Viewing Due Date: 7/28

Rebel Without a Cause Review

girl by locker says: With a movie like Rebel Without a Cause, you really hope you’re not going to be disappointed. It is such a classic movie and one of the few James Dean movies made so you want it to be great, and I can assuredly say that I loved the movie. It had a different feel to movies we had seen prior to this one – different theme and more sophisticated script.
The major themes of the movie are the relationships between adults and their teenage children and the underbelly of 1950’s suburbia. Maybe the golden era of American life wasn’t quite as golden as people wanted it to be.
Jim Stark (James Dean) is the movie version of Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye and he is filled with classic emotions familiar to teens - confusion, angst, alienation, and rebellion. He has zero respect for his father, and there is an interesting scene in which Dean’s father tries to have a man-to-man talk with his son while wearing an apron obviously meant for a woman to wear, thus providing a view into 1950’s gender roles.
In keeping with the underbelly of 1950’s suburbia, we have Judy (Natalie Wood) who has a strange incestuous relationship with her father she desperately tries to please and Plato (Sal Mineo) with an obvious sexual attraction to Jim. Plato has been abandoned by his parents and looks to Jim as his father and friend but it is evident that he is in love with him as well. I have read that Nicholas Ray (the director) has denied the sexual attraction between Jim and Plato, but with modern eyes, I can’t see how that is possible.
Because, as I mentioned earlier, this movie had a different feeling from others in our cinema study, I give it 4 out of 5 on Netflix. I deduct points because the actors were prone to over-acting except for when it was necessary – like when Buzz goes over a cliff and dies. No one seems upset at all and everyone just runs away. Overall, this is definitely a must see for anyone interested in movies.

Juror #3 says: The first time I saw Rebel Without a Cause it was on the big screen at a local theater in NYC. I had never seen a James Dean film and remember my perception being that he was going to be a smooth, calm and cool character that every man would aspire to be.  Instead we see a vulnerable, angry and confused teenager that I would have no interest in being.  I walked out of the theater thinking how amazing it was to capture THE moment a teenager loses his innocence in a worldly way, and I loved what the film had done. Watching the movie for a second time was no less thrilling. To capture the teenage angst and confusion in a way that transcends time is a goal often sought and seldom achieved in art. If I wanted to be nit-picky I could focus on some flaws in the production, some poor directing and even a few lines of dialogue that seemed almost too generic to be real. But what makes Rebel Without a Cause an undisputed classic is the emotion it captures, and the feeling it portrays. Everything James Dean does in this role perfectly exemplifies the “puzzle with too many pieces” part of growing up. From his sad eyes to his insecure giggle, James Dean reminded me what highschool FELT like. There isn’t much more to say about Rebel Without a Cause except this: If you are looking for a film that anyone who was ever a teenager can relate to, this is the one. For that reason alone I rate it 5/5 stars on Netflix.

Film 37: Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Netflix Summary: When Jim Stark (James Dean) arrives in a new town with his troubled past firmly in tow, he quickly falls for the girl next door (Natalie Wood) and befriends the vulnerable Plato (Sal Mineo), forming a surrogate family fueled by alienation. From a deadly game of chicken to the spectacular climax at Los Angeles's Griffith Park Observatory, director Nicholas Ray's Oscar-nominated portrait of teen angst provided a jolt to 1950s America.





Film Viewing Due Date: 6/30

La Strada Review

girl by locker says: I wanted to like this movie a lot more than I did. It is a Fellini film, after all, and he is one of the masters of cinema. But I didn’t really, if I’m honest with myself. Maybe I was in a bad mood or too tired when I started watching it, but it just kind of rubbed me the wrong way and, at times, I was bored.

La Strada is a journey movie combined with a love story and aside from Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), the young girl Zampano (Anthony Quinn) buys from her mother to be his sidekick, none of the characters have any redeemable qualities. In fact, Gelsomina was the bright point of the movie for me – not because she was the one likable character but also because of her Chaplinesque performance that brought me back to the 1920’s of Cinema Cram. Masina did a great job with the role and really caught our hearts with her naiveté and innocence.

Anthony Quinn actually did a great job with his performance as well, but I had a hard time relating to his brutish behavior or feeling any emotion for him at the end when he realizes he loved Gelsomina. The final scene is Zampano sitting by the ocean, old, alone and drunk left to reflect on the choices of his life. It was a powerful image, and one of the reasons I see why people call Fellini a master. However, I couldn’t help but think that Zampano had choices and he screwed it all up. He ended up where he was because of his own actions and, movie or not, I have a hard time with that quality in people.

All that being said, I still give the movie 3/5 on Netflix, and I would like to see more Fellini movies. His movie was beautiful and artistic and would like to see more before I officially decide I’m not a fan of his work.

Juror #3 says: This is my second time watching La Strada. I'm glad I watched it again because I enjoyed it more this time. I'm a fan of the "European style" of film and appreciate the method of placing the camera in locations to observe rather than lead the audience or assist with telling the story. In doing so, each scene becomes a canvas and Fellini is masterful at painting gritty, bitter images. I thought Anthony Quinn (Zampano) did a terrific job portraying the hardened traveling strongman. Giulietta Masina (Gelsomina) had the puppy dog eyes that bring sorrow, but at times she annoyed me when apparently channeling her inner Charlie Chaplin. None-the-less, you feel for this quirky character - who I occassionaly wondered whether she was mentally handicapped. 

I was completely engaged in this film but two things turned me off: 1) I would have preferred to have seen what happened to Gelsomina as opposed to being told, and, 2) I didn't understand the ending exactly. I enjoy thoughtful and challenging films but I can't say I completely got this one. And if the ending signified an enlightenment for Zampano then I don't buy it. I originally rated the film 3/5 stars on Netflix and although I would raise it half a star if I could, I'll keep my rating as is. 3/5.

Film 36: La Strada (1954)

Netflix Summary: Federico Fellini's powerful rumination on love and hate, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. The story follows the plight of gentle Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), who's sold by her mother to a bullying circus performer (Anthony Quinn), only to have a clown win her heart and ignite a doomed love triangle.

From Wikipedia: Bob Dylan cites La Strada as an influence for the song "Mr. Tambourine Man"
Kris Kristofferson has said that La Strada was an inspiration for the song "Me and Bobby McGee", which is heard in the road movie Two-Lane Blacktop.

Film Viewing Due Date: 6/14

From Here to Eternity Review

Juror#3 says: It's funny, a common complaint from screenwriters today is that Hollywood is only interested in adapting books, not producing original screenplays. As if it's something new. Clearly, it's not. From Here to Eternity is yet another literary adaptation chosen for our film study, and it didn't disappoint. The film follows a handful of soldiers stationed at Pearl Harbor in the time leading up to the infamous attack. The soldiers are all dealing with essential internal issues like purpose, and of course love. In the end, the role of perception is seen as being a human security blanket, or survival tactic. Frank Sinatra won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and he was really good but in my opinion Montgomery Clift and Burt Lancaster put on the real acting clinic. The directing is fantastic, with strategic camera placements leading the audience along the way. The dialogue is exceptional and I have added the book to my summer reading list to see how close to the original writing the adaptation stayed. There were some great lines like when Prewitt says, "Nobody ever lies about being lonely." or the following exchange between Alma and Prewitt:

Alma: Sit down and get comfortable. I'll make you a martini and see what's to cook for dinner.
Prewitt: Hey, this is like being married, ain't it?
Alma: It's better.

I'm not going to talk about the famous beach scene because I think it's a shame that this movie is remembered for that particular scene - there is so much great stuff in this movie! I rate it 5/5 stars.

girl by locker says: With the movie billed as having one of the steamiest love scenes in cinematic history, I was looking forward to see this rolling around in the surf between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. I know I probably shouldn’t have expected more, in particular since we are in the 1950’s and movies were not yet as sexually graphic as they are now. However, I did expect a bit more than a 3-second romp and I certainly didn’t expect the leads to get into a fight about Kerr’s promiscuity with other soldiers. I read that Lancaster was “testing her sincerity and feelings” but it still kind of irritated me. It was a steamy love scene but can’t say that it is one of the steamiest – Blue Valentine can give it a run for its money.

Overall, I have to say I really liked the movie and would give it 4/5 on Netflix. It was an interesting look at life pre-Pearl Harbor and while watching I would compare it to our generation’s attack on US soil – 9/11. It must have been particularly exciting for an audience to watch while in the theater being that they were more versed with times in which the Japanese actually attacked and knowing it was about to happen. I knew the date but not the times so wasn’t sure if bombs were about to drop or if that would happen later. Burt Lancaster was solid in his role as First Sergeant and Frank Sinatra was most definitely worthy of his Oscar. Without a doubt, From Here to Eternity is a classic film and worthy of watching for anyone interested in history or film.

Film 35: From Here to Eternity

Netflix Summary: This gripping adaptation of James Jones's novel about Army life in Hawaii in the idyllic days just before Dec. 7, 1941, boasts one of the hottest love scenes in screen history: Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling around in the sandy surf. All told, the film won eight Oscars, including awards for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress (Donna Reed) and Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra).

From Wikipedia: Legend has it that Frank Sinatra got the role in the movie because of his alleged Mafia connections, and that this was the basis for a similar subplot in The Godfather.

The film won eight Academy Awards out of 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Fred Zinnemann),Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Sinatra) and Best Supporting Actress (Reed).

Film Viewing Due Date: 5/23/11

Forbidden Games Review

girl by locker says: It has been a while since I have seen a movie this good. From the first scene in which we see Parisians fleeing their city across a bridge being attacked by Nazis, to the final, gut-wrenching scene where we see Paulette yelling in the crowded train station for Michel, I was hooked. The plot is simple - a young girl is orphaned while her family flees from Paris and is taken in by a peasant family. The girl, Paulette, befriends the young boy in the family, Michel and as a way to cope with death and the horrors around them, they fall into a fantasyland and begin creating a cemetery for dead animals and bugs they find. I read a review that stated the movie is a masterpiece because it does not compromise on two things: "the horrors of war and the innocence of childhood" and I couldn't agree more. Rene Clement, the director, does not shy away from the despair and awfulness that is war nor does he he fall into a trap of overly sweet dialogue with Paulette and Michel. He also does an amazing job working with the two child actors. This movie, hands down, is a must see. I give it 5 out of 5 stars on Netflix, and I would give it more if I could. A brilliant look at how death and war could be perceived by children.

Juror #3 says: I'm glad we chose to watch Forbidden Games, it's our first international film as a part of our film study. I enjoyed seeing the roots of what has made French Cinema my style of choice. For instance - patience with the story, reoccurring musical themes, and thoughtful cinematography. One of the glaring differences between the American films we have watched up to this point and Forbidden Games is the framing of a scene. Where as the American films like to center the focus of a scene, Forbidden Games off-sets the focus of the scene thereby creating the feeling of a story within a larger world.
Overall I thought the movie was really well directed, with a fantastic plot line. But it seemed to lack a compelling secondary throughline which would have helped make the film a bit more engaging and impactful in the end. Overall I rate the movie 3/5 stars and applaud the classic French production style.

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.

Sunset Boulevard Review

girl by locker says: Sunset Boulevard is a timeless masterpiece and there is so much that I love about it, I hardly know where to begin. In terms of plot, the movie centers around an aging silent film star, Norma Desmond (played by Gloria Swanson), trapped in time and clinging to her glory days. She takes in (or traps) a penniless young writer by the name of Joe Gillis (William Holden). From this pairing, Billy Wilder takes us on a harsh journey into the realities of Hollywood, what one must do to get ahead and then what happens to them when their moment has passed.

Billy Wilder took chances with this movie using real movies, names and actors to comment on his own industry. The silent film heyday only ended about 22 years before this movie premiered so many of the stars were still around. In fact, there is a great scene in which Norma Desmond is playing bridge with some of her former silent movie stars and we see Buster Keaton as himself. Norma and Joe would frequently watch movies together and the movies were always old silent movies Norma starred in (though in reality they were old Gloria Swanson silent movies). He even tossed in some Gone With the Wind references in which a producer kicks himself for passing it up because “Who wants to watch a movie about the Civil War?”

The acting is impeccable. I have read that this is Gloria Swanson’s greatest role and though I haven’t seen anything else with her in it, I can easily believe this is her best. She knocked it out of the park, and I actually felt pain for her character. It was so real. Whether it is someone who can’t get past his game winning touchdown in high school or an aging movie star holding on to her fading brilliance, we know people who can’t let go and live in the present.

To me, that is what makes this movie truly timeless - the theme. It is interesting how each era we find ourselves in, the glory days were only just before it. Even in the 1950’s, an era we now consider “golden” in Hollywood history, people thought the movies were better a decade or two before because “they don’t make them like they used to.” Producers have always been in it for the money and humanity has always used one another to get ahead in life. Nothing ever really changes.

I could go on. The cinematography, the other actors, the set, the house, the dead monkey…but I will simply just say that I rate this movie 5/5 on Netflix and would recommend putting it in your queue.


Juror #3 says: Sunset Boulevard had me engaged from the opening scene, with the daring music beating over the street curb title. Billy Wilder isn't considered a master for nothing, he uses every tool available to move the story forward and keep the audience alive. William Holden plays a down-and-out screenwriter who meets a former silent screen star (Gloria Swanson) looking for her rebound back into Hollywood. The two performances are masterful and complement each other in a ying-yang way, and in a slightly eery way as well. There are several one-liners I recognized but was unfamiliar that they were born from this film. As the movie was coming to an end I thought to myself, "it was good, I liked it." And then comes the final performance from Gloria Swanson - which catapults the movie into the "chills up the arm" category. There was however one part of the movie that surprised me, and I'm still trying to figure it out. Maybe someone here can help me. Why did Joe (Holden) cast away Betty? Was he so over Hollywood that he just couldn't continue on anymore? Other than that bit of mystery, I rate Sunset Boulevard a 5/5 stars.

Film 32: Sunset Boulevard

Netflix Summary: Running from debt collectors, screenwriter Joe (William Holden) stumbles upon the crumbling mansion of former silent-film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). As he begins working for Norma, writing a comeback screenplay, their professional relationship evolves into something more. A provocative look inside Hollywood show business, Billy Wilder's classic noir won Academy Awards for Art Direction, Music and Screenplay. 

  

From Wikipedia: In 1989, the film was among the first group of 25 deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.  Polls conducted by the American Film Institute have demonstrated the lasting appeal of Sunset Boulevard and the esteem in which it is held by the modern filmmakers who respond to these polls. In 1998, it was ranked number twelve on a list of "100 Greatest Films".

Film Viewing Due Date: 3/29

Film 30: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Netflix Summary: Wrapped in a classic tale of adventure, this Academy Award winner helmed by John Huston follows a trio of gold prospectors who set out to strike it rich and agree to split the take … until paranoia and greed consumes one of them. Delivering superb performances as the three miners are Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt and Walter Huston, who copped a Best Supporting Actor Oscar while son John scored statuettes for his direction and screenplay.

From Wikipedia: Director Stanley Kubrick listed The Treasure of Sierra Madre as his 4th favorite film of all time in his list of his top ten favorite films, and director Paul Thomas Anderson watched it at night before bed while writing his film There Will Be Blood.

Film Viewing Due Date: 3/3

Out of the Past (1947) Review

Out of the Past scored a perfect 10 by Cinema Cram.


girl by locker says: I loved this movie. Loved it. I loved seeing a young Kirk Douglas gracing the screen as a crooked gangster. I loved seeing the onscreen chemistry between Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer and the witty banter between the two. I loved the story - a detective (Mitchum) going in search of a gangster's mistress only to fall in love with her himself and then to discover how rotten she is. I loved how Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) is the perfect femme fatale - beautiful, smart and wicked though not done as a caricature. I loved how the movie ended (which I won't give away). I loved how beautiful the movie looked. The cinematography was amazing. There isn't a single thing I didn't like about this movie except perhaps some of the logistics to the "set-up", but I forgive because I was along for the ride. I give this movie a 5/5 on my Netflix queue.


Juror #3 says: I'm really loving the Film Noir genre.  Out of the Past is created in the same great mold as Double Indemnity, and I really enjoyed it.  There was fantastic acting by everyone involved, the cinematography is dark and gritty, and the script is witty and mysterious.  I may go so far as to say that this film had the best acting cast-wide of any of our previous movies.  I was extremely impressed with the flow of the film and how smoothly the characters and storylines intertwine.  Jane Greer plays a different kind of femme fatale in Out of the Past - seductive in a wide-eyed innocent way, as opposed to an overtly sexual way.  All the characters were well-rounded, in particular the lead role of Jeff Bailey played by Robert Mitchum - a former detective running from the ghosts of his past.  The ending provides a dark twist, which normally I would love, but in this case I felt disappointed a bit.  It's as if they weren't sure how to wrap it all up.  In any case, I highly recommend Out of the Past and rate it 5/5 stars on Netflix.