Movie Classic Films — Let's Discuss

[sandeano]

The Perfect Crime with Joseph Cotten and Aldolfo Celi (Largo in Thunderball) I think also starred Gloria. I haven't seen it in 15-20 years, but I do remember it was pretty terrible.

I have dozens of Edwige Fenech DVD's, she is one of my favourite 70's starlets. One of them has a recent (2006) interview with her, and she is still one the most beautiful women in Italy, looks early 40's at the most.

Yes, The Perfect Crime sounds about right.

I co-presented a paper at the BAD cinema conference eariler this year that focused on the way Edwige (and others, but mostly Edwige) was presented in the magazine "Continental Film Review". Easy to get a good reception when all of these fussy old academics are sitting there with their tongues hanging out..

 

[jacqui9]

G'day Jacqui9,
You've raised a most interesting point. The influence of European film makers, actors, musicians and technicians on pre-war and wartime Hollywood. Somebody must have written a definitve text on this subject. It's huge and would make a fascinating series of documentaries. The depth of talent is immense, ranging from UK imports like Hitchcock to all the war 'refugees' from middle Europe. One stunning example is the 'Anthem Singing' scene from 'Casablanca'. When the French National Anthem was sung on the set of 'Rick's Cafe Americaine' those were real tears on the faces of the female singer and several of the extras. A huge proportion of the cast of that film were honest to god refugees and the emotions evokes in the scene became real. Curtiz left it all in, I guess he orchestrated it, perhaps.
Try to imagine what Hollywood would have been like had there not been such an influx of extraordinary talent from the rest of the world. So sad to see what Hollywood has become these days, but without the imports Hollywood would not have had it's Golden Years from the late 30s through to the 50s.
Pitch the doco idea to the History Channel or one or more of the movie channels on pay TV... it's worth a try.

Have you seen the short films from George Melies, Dees?

Devo and Sandeano, anything from Murnau is an absolute treat!! I want the Fox Murnau boxset, but it was a bit out of my reach expense-wise.

 

[CURVE]

Yep, I have that same version of "To Be Twenty". Quite an amazing difference between the versions.

The Murnau set sounds great - One of these days I'll buy the Murnau and Borzage at Fox set. One of these days, one of these days...

The Marnau films include Sunrise, Four Devils and City Girl, but because I don't know a great deal about Frank Borzage, it won't be on my wishlist until I know a little more about the guy and see a few of his films.

 

[sandeano]

The Marnau films include Sunrise, Four Devils and City Girl, but because I don't know a great deal about Frank Borzage, it won't be on my wishlist until I know a little more about the guy and see a few of his films.

A Frank Borzage retrospective has just finished at ACMI here in Melbourne. A great, lush visualist. Like a completely sincere and irony-free version of Sirk, to put him loosely.

 

[jacqui9]

Not a big fan of Sirk or Frank Capra (whose films I loathe) incidently.

Just on your comment about Michael Curtiz, Sandeano. I would place Robert Wise in that catagory. He made films at both MGM and Fox, worked with the big name stars, and made some remarkable films. He didn't have a particular 'genre', he had a hand in almost everything the studios contracted him to do. From noir (House on Telegraph Hill, Born to Kill) to Sci Fi ( The Day the Earth Stood Still) to horror (The Haunting), Sport, (The Set-Up, Somebody Up There Likes Me), War (The Desert Rats, The Sand Pebbles) and Musicals (That awful West Side bloody Story that denied The Hustler of Best Picture in '61).

 

[CURVE]

Not a big fan of Sirk or Frank Capra (whose films I loathe) incidently.

Just on your comment about Michael Curtiz, Sandeano. I would place Robert Wise in that catagory. He made films at both MGM and Fox, worked with the big name stars, and made some remarkable films. He didn't have a particular 'genre', he had a hand in almost everything the studios contracted him to do. From noir (House on Telegraph Hill, Born to Kill) to Sci Fi ( The Day the Earth Stood Still) to horror (The Haunting), Sport, (The Set-Up, Somebody Up There Likes Me), War (The Desert Rats, The Sand Pebbles) and Musicals (That awful West Side bloody Story that denied The Hustler of Best Picture in '61).

I like Robert Wise but he has two HUGE black marks against his name, West Side Story, which you mentioned and The Sound Of Music, the worst film ever made. On the plus side is The Body Snatchers (I think his version is the original) and The Day The Earth Stood Still, one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time.

The Hollywood foreigner who's films I enjoy is Otto Preminger. Laura is one of the finest of the film-noir genre, Saint Joan gets some mixed reviews but I've always like it, and it takes some guts to put place and inexperienced "no name" (Jean Seberg) in the lead. Whirlpool, Angel Face, The Moon is Blue and Anatomy Of A Murder and other greats. Along with Hitchcock and Billy Wilder (Another Hollywood foreigner) would have to be my favourite director from the 40's and 50's.

 

[sandeano]

I like Robert Wise but he has two HUGE black marks against his name, West Side Story, which you mentioned and The Sound Of Music, the worst film ever made. On the plus side is The Body Snatchers (I think his version is the original) and The Day The Earth Stood Still, one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time.

The Hollywood foreigner who's films I enjoy is Otto Preminger. Laura is one of the finest of the film-noir genre, Saint Joan gets some mixed reviews but I've always like it, and it takes some guts to put place and inexperienced "no name" (Jean Seberg) in the lead. Whirlpool, Angel Face, The Moon is Blue and Anatomy Of A Murder and other greats. Along with Hitchcock and Billy Wilder (Another Hollywood foreigner) would have to be my favourite director from the 40's and 50's.

Wise's "The Body Snatcher" was more of a Burke and Hare tale when he was part of Val Lewton's troupe. During that time he also directed "Curse of the Cat People" a beautiful film that is just as good as the excellent "Cat People" and one of the first horror/fantasy films to provide a child's-perspective. You are right though, those 60s big-budget musicals ("Star!") is even worse, really sully his reputation. After that he did make "The Andromeda Strain" which is very effective, however.

Preminger is great, but like Wise his late 60s films show he had really lost it. It is hard to believe that a guy so far ahead of the game in the 1950s could be making "Skidoo!" and "Hurry Sundown" around a decade later.

Then again, there are few directors who have more than 20 years of continued quality, so it is fair enough to expect some duds near the end of all fine careers.

 

[sandeano]

Not a big fan of Sirk or Frank Capra (whose films I loathe) incidently.

Got to say that although I love Sirk, I have never seen the appeal of Capra. I feel like I am suffocating in apple pie each time I watch his films (although I don't mind "Lost Horizon").

 

[CURVE]

Wise's "The Body Snatcher" was more of a Burke and Hare tale when he was part of Val Lewton's troupe.

You are correct, I got it mixed up with the Invasion Of Body Snatchers movies. Too many other things on my mind. It was still an enjoyable romp though.

 

[Dees 31]

G'day Jacqui9,
No, I've not seen the shorts of George Melies. My European film education is sadly lacking. Too much time writing film reviews for the popular press. Doesn't leave much time to catch 'good films'. Although writing for Farrago and the early days of the Melbourne Times I did get an exciting taste of foreign cinema.
Cheers,
Dees 31

 

[Dees 31]

Just on Michael Curtiz - I know he does not get much of a claim from auteurists and other scholars and his films are generally credited to the remarkable Warner Brothers system of the time, but anyone whose name is associated with so many great films has to be more than an efficient craftsman.

Regarding film noir - Curtiz's The Breaking Point is one of the best I've seen, a highly underrated 1950 version of "To Have and to Have Not" which is far superior to the Hawks film of a few years earlier.

G'day Sandeano,
Glad to see the discussion about 'Hollywood Refugees' is continuing.

Curtiz, I think, is a special case and one can be tempted to pigdeonhole him as a 'workmanlike' director who conformed, perhaps too quickly, to the Studio System.

Michael Curtiz could not speak one sentence of English when he landed in the US. He had a hugely diverse directorial CV when he arrived in the New World. He was a big shot where he came from and he had the ego to go with it. He had an abrasive manner (Partly because he simply didn't understand what was being said to him, most of the time {although he was a fast learner} he used to bluff his way through the shortcomings of his language skills.) Like the old story of a stage hand who brought Curtiz a poodle one day, on the set. Curtiz dismissed him and said he wanted a "puddle" of water, on the set.

All that aside, Curtiz was, I believe an inspired director who had come to America and was like a kid in a candy store. He was in directing heaven where he could have any number of lights, sets, stage hands, microphones, cameras - he had it all. He didn't really care what genre, or strata, of movie he was making; his ego was such that he knew he could tackle anything given the resources of Hollywood, at that time. He wasn't going to complain, or bitch for better pictures.

Ego-wise, the picture Curtiz was working on was always the best picture he ever made. He was a directing gad-fly if you like. He didn't have a background in Hollywood pictures and he didn't understand, nor care, about the politics of the place. He'd got out of Europe where his career was doomed, due to the political and social circumstances and if he did anything at all in Hollywood it was infinitely better than the alternatives. You are spot on Deano, the man who made all those good films cannot be overlooked or relegated to the 'job-lot' film directors that were, let's face it, usually American director-hacks in the Studio System. Curtiz didn't have to cut his teeth on umpteen C-grade westerns to earn his stripes. If Michael Curtiz was making pictures in Hollywood today he'd be bigger than Spielberg, Scorese et al.

Great discussion... keep it going... I'm learning so much about film genres that I never had time to discover... afterall, I was only a popularist film critic/reviewer.
Cheers,
Dees 31

 

[mdc]

Today's the 35th anniversary of the death of Pietro Germi, a director whose earlier films in particular tend to be overlooked due to De Sica & Visconti & the neo-realist period, and then later on I suppose he was overshadowed by Fellini and Antonioni, but he was a terrific director in his own right.

I especially like In nome della legge of the earlier stuff, and also Un maledetto imbroglio which was made some 12 years later. But really, I can't recall a particularly bad pre-60's film of his that I've seen, so anything you can track down is worth the watch.

Any other fans of his here?

 

[Dees 31]

VALE
Richard Todd
​

Born: Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd
11th June 1919
Died: 3rd December 2009 (Aged 90)

A truly likeable actor and a stalwart of the Post War British Cinema.
Catch some of his films when you can. He was always good value.

Cheers,
Dees 31

 

[mantis]

VALE
Richard Todd
​

Born: Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd
11th June 1919
Died: 3rd December 2009 (Aged 90)

A truly likeable actor and a stalwart of the Post War British Cinema.
Catch some of his films when you can. He was always good value.

Cheers,
Dees 31

I have never actually seen any of his movies, but what a tragic life, two of his sons committed suicide.

RIP.

 

[mantis]

I watched "The Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires" on GO tonight. I thought I had seen all of Peter Cushings movies, how did I miss this one? Fantastic movie, it was like Hammer Horror, meets Kung FU.

 

[Arkadia]

I Love the Old Epic Movies, the cinematograghy, the number of extras to make the film and i especially love the orchestral music that accompanied the movie.
Not in any particular order:

1. Ben Hur
2. Quo Vadis
3. Barabas
4. The Robe
5. Demetrius and the Gladiators
6. Samson and Delilah
7. The Ten Commandments
8. Spartacus
9. The Egyptian (1954)
10.The 300 Spartans (1962)
11. Jason and the Argonauts - Ray Harryhausen film - special affects ahead of its time.
12. Ulysses - Kirk Douglas
13. The Vikings
14. Cleopatra
15. King Of Kings

I particularly enjoyed the Italian sword and sandal movies 1948-1965 with contrived plots loosely based on the mythology of the Greco-Roman world

I have a large colection of European movies not necessary Italian or French.

My Favourite Actor is Gregory Peck, i have all his movies.

My Favourite Director is Elia Kazan. Controversial figure.
One of my favourite movies he directed was 'America America' Black and White movie 1963.
The French made a similar movie calle 'Europa Europa' in the 80's .

Comedy Movies i love ; Terence Hill and Bud Spencer movies
'Watch out Were Mad - 1974
Odds and Evens - 1978
Who Finds a Friend finds a Treasure, 'Ride the Red Buggy.

Most of these movies were made before i was born, you could say i am not a big fan of modern films.

 

[Dees 31]

Just saw the restored version of 'Wake In Fright'. What a magnificent film. I saw it only once before, upon it's theatrical release but that was a long time ago. I'd forgotten the power and impact of the visuals and the story. Ted Kotcheff is one of the great, unsung directors of the 20th Century. Sure, he made a few quesionable films, but for a Canadian director working post Studio System and one who was not an auteur, he had to take on a wide variety of projects.

'Wake In Fright' (AKA 'Outback') is, I can tell you, an accurate picture of the far outback of that period (probably still is like that in some remote regions). The violence and the roo shooting would problably not enable a TV screening these days - pity - all Australians should see this film. It's my No 2 Australian film of all time. If Baz Lehurrman (?) had seen this film, he might not have made his, 'Australia' as sickly sweet and jingoisticly as he did.

Not a film to be shown on QANTAS planes, or as a promo for Tourism Australia, this is a brave film that dared to show human nature in all its ugliness. Greed, sex, cruelty, alcoholism it's all there, great material and an intelligent script. Pity, you can just see some fool remaking this, or worse still some 'arty' type making an opera or a stage musical out of it.

'Wake...' doesn't have a huge moral tale to tell (apart from: if you're going on holidays DON'T get pissed and gamble!) It is an observation of a slice of life that DID exist in Australia once. It being framed and examined by an outsider (Kotcheff) fits in beautifully with the alienation of the English school teacher in the story.

I can reccomend this film to all. Nothing like it will be made again. And to think it was, almost literally, saved from the tip.
Cheers,
Keep the great posts coming.
Dees 31

 

[Dees 31]

G'day All You Movie Buffs,
Well, it's Xmas time and everyone's busy... probably why this thread has gone a little quiet.
Not that you've put up a brick wall, Arkadia, (and I'd never bag anyone about their choice of movies...) "Epic Movies" ??
Not exactly my cup of tea.
You'd be a fan of Victor Mature, who is in about half of the movies you list, more or less...
You really should catch him in 'After The Fox', starring Peter Sellars. In that, great film, Victor plays what he was... a bad actor.
It's a bravura performance and one that I respect him for. He knew he wasn't god's gift to film acting.
When he made 'After The Fox' he'd already given up 'acting' and ran a franchise chain of electrical stores in L.A.
Arkadia, I respect your choices in film but you really should try to expand your movie horizens... there are a lot of great movies out there where they are not wearing togas and short skirts.
Cheers to you and all on Big Footy for the Xmas period.
Dees 31

 

[Asgardian]

I have over 3000 movies & doco's in my collection, of which about 2000 are pre 1970. I'm a bit of a fanatic about old war movies, which includes almost anything to do with war themes, such as spy, sabotage, whatever

Happy to send you a copy of what I have if you'd like to see

 

[mdc]

Asgardian, what are some of your fav. spy films? It's a genre I should probably explore a little more.

 

[Asgardian]

I'll list some you may not have heard of

Passenger to London - 1937
The Quiller Memorandum - 1966 (one of the very best)
Hotel Reserve - 1944
The Great Impersonation - 1942
The Black Chapel - 1959
Cloak and Dagger - 1946
The Iron Curtain - 1948
Yellow Canary - 1943
Fly-By-Night - 1942
Lancer Spy - 1937
Confidential Agent - 1945
5 Fingers - 1952
Above Suspicion - 1943
Berlin Express - 1948
The Stranger - 1946
Stamboul Quest - 1934
Background to Danger - 1943
The Two-Headed Spy - 1958
Under Secret Orders - 1937
The Next of Kin - 1942
Dangerously They Live - 1941
Betrayed - 1954
The Adventures of Tartu - 1943
Espionage Agent - 1939
Cloak Without Dagger - 1956
Storm Over Lisbon - 1944
The Spy in Black - 1939
Night Train to Munich - 1940
Cottage to Let - 1941
British Intelligence - 1941
Nightmare - 1942

There's a few that I enjoy

 

[mdc]

Just a few, eh?

Might try The Quiller Memorandum on for size, first up.

 

[Dan Moody]

Cue Asgardian who will probably be able to trump most here with movie knowledge.

I have over 3000 movies & doco's in my collection, of which about 2000 are pre 1970. I'm a bit of a fanatic about old war movies, which includes almost anything to do with war themes, such as spy, sabotage, whatever

Happy to send you a copy of what I have if you'd like to see

i called this very early in the thread

i suspect asgardian is really bill collins incognito

 

[Alex99]

Some may or may not class it as a classic but it was good to see “To sir, with love” on channel 9 last night and I think Breaker Morant (ok, not a full on classic movie) was on one of the Foxtel Movie channel during the week.

But my all-time favourite classic movie would be “Cool Hand Luke”

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Irma la Douce... Excellent movie.