Jun. 2 … “An
American in Paris” (1951) was in many
ways the ultimate mixture of art and Hollywood
musical. Made at the height of MGM’s powers as a
musical powerhouse, the film features memorable
music from the Gershwins. Gene Kelly was also at the
height of his powers in this film, and the rest of
the cast is uniformly excellent. Leslie Caron,
incredibly making her film debut, shows a maturity
that makes you think she’d been making films for
years. Her introductory dance sequence, and later
her work in the Ballet, provides some surprisingly
sexy moments. Oscar Levant is hilarious as Kelly’s
stoic pal, who gets two of the film’s best moments,
including one of the film’s most memorable musical
numbers coupling his incredible piano skills with
state-of-the-art special effects. An American in
Paris rightly ranks alongside the best of
Hollywood’s musicals, and it remains a testament to
Gene Kelly’s skills as one of the greatest dancers
of all time.
Jun. 9 … An
excellent script, unobtrusive direction, superb
performances, and a wonderfully noir-ish atmosphere
are some of the ingredients that make “House
of Strangers” (1949) a memorable
viewing experience. In one of his best performances
Edward G. Robinson plays Italian banker Gino Monetti,
who has managed to raise a pack of deceitful sons.
It is ‘King Lear’ with a modern urban setting.
Robinson’s powerful screen presence dominates the
film but Richard Conte is excellent as one of
Robinson’s sons. Susan Hayward plays a fascinating
‘dame’ - an independent-minded woman with a carefree
lifestyle. It is refreshing to see this kind of
character in an older movie. Hayward and Conte have
a wonderful chemistry and their sassy dialog
anticipates the wonderful repartees in Mankiewicz’
“All About Eve”. Milton R. Krasner’s b/w
cinematography is a plus. It is a smart,
unpredictable and totally engrossing film;
definitely one of Mankiewicz’ best.
Jun. 16 … “Waterloo
Bridge” (1940) is one of those rare
films that never seems to strike a false note nor
put a foot wrong. There is not a wasted moment in
the screenplay - every shot has meaning, every scene
plays its part, and the dialog gains its power
through the lightest of touches. Yet for a film that
centres around wartime separation and hardship in an
era where unemployment could mean literal
starvation, it contains perhaps more scenes of
unalloyed happiness than any modern-day romance. The
script is understated, sparkling with laughter, and
even at its darkest, salted with black jest, while
no-one can doubt the central couple’s joy in each
other. They themselves acknowledge, and repeatedly,
the sheer implausibility of their romance: but war
changes all the rules, makes people - as Roy says -
more intensely alive.
Waterloo Bridge has a
touch of everything: laughter, tears, tension,
misunderstanding, sweetness, beauty and fate. It
could not be made in today’s Hollywood without
acquiring an unbearable dose of schmaltz; in the era
of ‘Pretty Woman’ it probably couldn’t be made at
all.
Jun. 23 … “That
Hamilton Woman” (1941) deals with the
relationship between England’s greatest naval hero,
Lord Horatio Nelson, and his mistress, Emma Lady
Hamilton. In command of the Mediterranean Fleet in
1797 – 98, Nelson frequently docked in the allied
Kingdom of Naples. The royal family was advised
closely by Sir William Hamilton, the British
Ambassador there. Sir William and his wife Emma held
a miniature court, advising the locals and meeting
celebrities. Emma Hamilton was a very beautiful
woman, and Sir William married her because of that -
her background was not great (one of her best jobs
was working for a quack doctor in London). Emma met
Nelson, and the two fell in love. Hamilton was aware
of this, but as it was England’s greatest hero he
winked at his wife’s new lover. This film is a rare
one. It is one of the few made by Olivier and his
wife Vivien Leigh. Both give good account of
themselves as the lovers, although their
relationship was a bit more boisterous than this
account makes it. Gladys Cooper is splendid as
Nelson’s wronged wife confronting Leigh, and Alan
Mowbray gives a very moving performance as Emma’s
husband, Sir William Hamilton.
Jun. 30 … When
an unexploded bomb goes up in a street in the London
area of Pimlico, it exposes a cave containing
goblets, gold, art and other valuable artifacts. The
gold is immediately claimed by the crown, but expert
Professor Hatton-Jones comes forward with a royal
charter that proves the area is legally Burgundy.
With their newfound independence, the residents
scrap rationing and opening hours and adopt an
altogether more continental lifestyle. However,
Whitehall cuts them off, leaving Pimlico overrun by
undesirables seeking refuge from England’s laws.
Things get harder as the political tensions between
the two ‘countries’ increase. In true Ealing
fashion, “Passport
to Pimlico” (1949) is a gently comic
satire on the British way of rule. In Pimlico, the
residents are fast to turn their back on England in
favor of a life outside of rationing and rules.
Needless to say things don’t go quite as they
planned, and the more fanciful it becomes the more
whimsical it feels - it never gets silly because the
tone is so well pitched throughout to avoid it being
daft at any point. Overall this is an enjoyable
little film that has digs at the British government
and way of life but ultimately acknowledges England
as the best place to be - for all its rain, low
temperatures and taxation, it’s better than going it
alone! A witty little film that will please any
audience that is in the mood for a bit of Ealing
whimsy (and who isn’t?).
Movies in Skidompha Classic Film Series Available at
the Library
Frustrated that you could not attend
Skidompha Library’s Monday Classic Film Series
showings? No need to be. If you missed one of
your favorites, and if you are a resident of
Damariscotta, Newcastle and Nobleboro, you can check
out the DVDs or videotape movies simply by
presenting your free Library card at the front
desk. All previously shown films are in Skidompha’s
collection. Films such as Charlie Chaplin’s “The
Gold Rush”, Harold Lloyd’s “The Kid Brother”, Jean
Gabin and Erich Von Stroeheim’s “The Grand
Illusion”, Lew Ayres’ “All Quiet on the Western
Front”, and Alec Guinness’ “The Ladykillers” and
“The Captain’s Paradise”, and many more from the
past few years are available for checkout.
Residents of other towns can join
Skidompha for an annual fee of $40, and use these
cards to check out books, audio and video tapes and
DVDs as well as classic film DVDs and tapes.
SKIDOMPHA
Public
Library