Portrait of Jennie is a dream. Or rather, it seems to spring from that narrow space between sleeping and waking, where the wisps of dreams still cling to you and blend seamlessly with reality. You don’t really watch this film; you drift along with it. Struggling artist Eben Adams (Joseph Cotten) is alone and lonely, […]
Through the (Feminist) Looking-glass
And now for something completely different: a review of one of my favourite film books. Enjoy! “A woman’s intelligence was the equivalent of a man’s penis: something to be kept out of sight.” So writes Molly Haskell in From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies: a fusillade of feminist film criticism that’s […]
Love, Laughter and Lubitsch: ‘Trouble in Paradise’ (1932), ‘Design for Living’ (1933) and ‘Ninotchka’ (1939)
Red roses, paper hearts and pink, pudgy teddy bears. Valentine’s Day may have come and gone, but fear not. For those of you still in a romantic mood, might I suggest the work of legendary writer-director Ernst Lubitsch? Sly and sophisticated, the German émigré’s films offer an irresistible concoction of wit and intelligence- all delivered […]
Love is for the Very Young: ‘Splendor in the Grass’ (1961)
A gushing waterfall. Teenagers kiss, the torrent of their adolescent passion barely held in check. Abandon all hope of subtlety, all ye who watch this movie. Deanie Loomis (Natalie Wood) and Bud Stamper (Warren Beatty, in his screen debut) are high school sweethearts living in claustrophobic small-town Kansas in the late 1920s. It’s the sort […]
Shades of Grey: ‘The Searchers’ (1956)
I’ve been working my way through a few Westerns recently: Red River, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Naked Spur, Stagecoach and The Wild Bunch. Not because I particularly enjoyed any of them, but because- just like spinach or Brussels sprouts- they’re good for me. Show me a saloon, saddle or tumbleweed and I […]
All About Charlotte: ‘Now, Voyager’ (1942)
The untold want by life and land ne’er granted, Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find. -Walt Whitman My favourite shot of Bette Davis appears about a third of the way through Now, Voyager, when she steps out onto a ship’s gangway. The camera glides from her sleek heels to chic hat, its […]
Tales of Terror: ‘The Haunting’ (1963), ‘Dead of Night’ (1945) and ‘Cat People’ (1942)
Horror thrives on explicit shock, terror on lingering disquiet and dread. This in essence is Ann Radcliffe’s famous distinction between fright and fear. Mrs. Radcliffe was the undisputed mistress of Gothic fiction- when it comes to spooky and scary, I consider her an expert. The Haunting, Dead of Night and Cat People have a few […]
The Education of an American: ‘Dodsworth’ (1936)
I’ve been doing things myself for a long time now, and I thought I’d give things a chance to do something to me. Dodsworth is a sensitive, superlative look at love, life and marriage. It’s also a neglected classic about an American abroad. After decades managing his automobile empire Samuel Dodsworth (Walter Huston) retires, setting […]
Ye Merry Olde Englande: ‘The Court Jester’ (1956)
Or, why I now adore Danny Kaye. I first bumped into The Court Jester in the back pages of Empire film magazine. The article mentioned Angela Lansbury and Basil Rathbone- always worth watching- and swordfights, but what was this about vessels with pestles? I found the scene in question on YouTube and ordered the DVD […]
Arabian Nights (and Days): ‘The Thief of Bagdad’ (1940)
Hands up, what was the last good fantasy film you saw? I mean a movie which truly thrilled you, transported you to another world and filled you with endless wonder. Was it The Lord of the Rings trilogy? Stardust? How about the Chronicles of Narnia or (some) instalments of the Harry Potter franchise? Fantasy is […]
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