The Golden Era of Animation starring Tom and Jerry

Multiple 12/30/12, Best Animated Shorts

I was fortunate enough to get 15 animated shorts on one disc (Academy Awards’ Animated Collection)which was very convenient and actually not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. Seven of the shorts (and when they say short, they mean short, everything was between seven and ten minutes) were Tom and Jerry; in fact, in the 1940s they won four in a row. From what I could gather from Wikipedia, I was watching the uncensored/unedited versions, which was pretty interesting from a historical perspective. Keep in mind that these are mostly from the 1940s and 1950s when cultural sensitivities were not what they are today, and the depiction of minorities back then would be considered totally unacceptable now. And while many of those portrayals wouldn't be drawn today, the violence shown sixty-five years is pretty unabated in 2012, and may be even more so. I’m not sure how winners were determined back then (I’m really not sure now, either) but the cartoons were fun, and you probably have seen some of them over the years.

The Milky Way 1940 – MGM  This is a story about three kittens who are sent to their room because they lost their mittens; what follows is a tale of the kittens’ dream come true – a world where everything is milk: geysers spewing milk; glasses full of milk; a world where they would never be without milk. Can there be too much of a good thing? You’ll have to watch and see. It’s cute and simple, but captures how a lot of kids probably imagine their utopia.

The Yankee Doodle Mouse 1943 – MGM Tom and Jerry This is the first of seven Oscars won by the cat and mouse team, and the first of four in a row. In 1943, World War II was going on and patriotism was found throughout the entertainment industry, cartoons were no exception. This provides a military twist on the timeless battle between Tom and Jerry.

Mouse Trouble 1944 – MGM Tom and Jerry Tom decides to read a book on various ways to catch a mouse. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and it is funny to watch Tom try the different foolproof tactics.

Quiet Please! 1945 – MGM Tom and Jerry This short co-stars Spike the bulldog who is trying to take a nap and is not pleased with the racket caused by Tom and Jerry (of course, poor Tom gets all the blame) and he threatens Tom with bodily harm if it’s not quiet. Cue Jerry and his every attempt to disrupt Spike’s forty winks and get Tom in trouble.

The Cat Concerto 1946 – MGM Tom and Jerry (7 minutes) Tom starts out as the star in this short as he is playing the piano at a concert (playing Liszt, not my favorite) and Jerry trying to sabotage his efforts by slamming the lid on his fingers, removing keys, etc. Tom, to his credit, keeps going, but to little avail, Jerry still gets all the applause.

 Tweetie Pie 1947 – Warner Bros. Sylvester and Tweety Bird This is the introduction of that beloved canary (I think he’s a canary), Tweety Bird and his nemesis, Sylvester the Cat (although that isn’t his name in this short, but it’s clearly Sylvester). It’s in the cat’s nature to try and eat the bird, but luckily for Tweety Bird, there is some human intervention who always seems to catch Sylvester just before something bad happens. Tweety isn’t as aggressive to Sylvester as Jerry is to Tom, but it’s the same general idea, the cat gets outsmarted by his much smaller nemesis.

The Little Orphan 1948 – MGM Tom and Jerry It’s Thanksgiving time and Jerry is hosting an orphan mouse named Nibbles; he should have been named Jaws because he eats everything in sight. And of course, it then because the two mice versus Tom. It’s no contest, although there is a little twist at the end.

For Scentimental Reasons 1949 – Warner Brothers Pepe Le Pew Just from the title you could probably guess who stars in this short, Pepe Le Pew, the species-blind but odoriferous skunk. He starts chasing an unsuspecting cat who has had white paint poured on her, giving her a white stripe. Not a big stretch to imagine what happens as he fruitlessly chases her, although this does have a little twist at the end as well.

The Two Mouseketeers  1951– MGM Tom and Jerry Nibbles makes another appearance here as this short is set in 18^th century France and the dialogue is in French (very little dialogue, though), and Tom, Jerry and Nibbles are dressed as musketeers. Jerry and Nibbles are trying to enjoy a delicious banquet when they encounter Tom. The usual antics transpire. The end was a bit of a surprise, and while not totally explicit, it was still kind of shocking: Jerry and Nibbles are on the street and look up to see a guillotine being dropped; it is implied (in French) that the victim of the guillotine is Tom. I’m not sure how that gets explained to kids.

Johann Mouse 1952 – MGM Tom and Jerry Tom and Jerry are living in the house of Austrian composer Johan Strauss, and Tom displays more of his piano playing chops. Tom and Jerry still have an adversarial relationship, except when Tom plays and Jerry dances; they actually sort of become famous. That is until their basic animal instincts take over.  

Speedy Gonzales 1955 – Merrie Melodies with Sylvester Speedy Gonzales, the Mexican mouse with blazing speed is called on to handle Sylvester the Cat who is harassing Speedy’s relatives and friends. Andole! Sylvester is totally out of his league with Speedy, and his attempt to blow up all the cheese to keep it away from the mice definitely does not have the desired effect…for Sylvester.

Birds Anonymous 1957 – Merrie Melodies with Sylvester and Tweety Bird Sylvester is convinced to give up hunting Tweety and to join Birds Anonymous (B.A.) and the surprise star of this short is the cat who convinces him to join. I liked this episode (and I’m fairly certain I have seen this on television) and you get to see how Tweety actually enjoys the little games with Sylvester and misses him when he tries to go straight. Never fear, you know it can’t last.

Knighty Knight Bugs 1958 – Loony Tunes Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam Bugs and the blustery Yosemite Sam star in this take on a tale from King Arthur’s Round Table. Bugs, who is a court jester, is ‘volunteered’ to get the singing sword from the black knight (Sam). This was the only Oscar for the famous wascally wabbit.

The Dot and the Line a Romance in Lower Mathematics 1965 – MGM This short does not feature any anthropomorphized animals or cartoony people. The stars, as you might infer from the title, are a line and a dot. It seems very 1960s (which it is) and to me, starts to mark a shift to the animated shorts that are made today. It is narrated by Robert Morley, the English actor, and is about the pursuit of the Dot by the Line, which seems like a hopeless quest as the Dot is infatuated with the Squiggle. This might be my favorite from the whole disc because it has this wonderful flow that reminded me a little of the work by Bill Plympton that came later in the 1980s and 1990s.

So much for so little – Best Documentary Short Subject 1949 – This animated short was included on the disc, but was actually the winner for the Best Documentary Short Subject from 1949. Given the raging debate these days about publicly funded health care, watching this was very timely. It also seemed like some things haven’t changed that much. The premise of this short was to highlight how many children die each year in the US (obviously based on 1949 information) due to lack of proper medical care, and how little it would cost each taxpayer to improve the health of citizens. It follows one little baby through his life, and then at the end points out that John E. Jones might not survive, given the odds at that time. I’m not sure it would qualify as a ‘documentary’ based on the last twenty or thirty years, but it was an interesting view of public health that in some ways has not changed.

Perry Mason, southern-fried

My Cousin Vinny 12/29/12, Best Supporting Actress, 1992

It took me twenty years to watch this movie. Silly me. It uses the fish out of water premise by dropping two New York City friends into the South, Alabama actually, and having them charged with murder. Enter Cousin Vinny, played by Joe Pesci, a lawyer who has never tried a case and is terribly unfamiliar with trial procedure. Fred Gwynne (beloved Herman Munster) plays the judge who is offended by Vinny’s disregard or lack of knowledge of proper etiquette, which leads to some of the movie’s best exchanges. Vinny appears to be severely overmatched by the District Attorney and his own ineptitude, until he miraculously finds his inner Perry Mason and starts to turn things around. The one person who believes in him the whole way, and bails him out when necessary, is his fiancee Mona Lisa (Lisa)Vito, played by Marisa Tomei who won for Best Supporting Actress. Lisa wants very much to help Vinny, but he’s determined to do it all on his own, until he finally realizes she has found a key piece of evidence. That’s all I’m going to tell you because watching the story unfold was one of the best parts of the movie. There are so many fun threads that run through the movie: Vinny and Lisa’s challenge in finding a quiet place to sleep; the sparring between the Judge and Vinny; big city versus small southern town. As I write this, it occurs to me that the two ‘utes’ (one of whom is Ralph Macchio of Karate Kid fame) who started this whole thing are almost peripheral to Vinny’s storyline. I only saw two of the other films that were nominated with a Best Supporting actress, Howard’s End and Enchanted April, and I remember very little, except those films, and the others nominated, were very serious and somber. Perhaps that’s why Tomei’s performance stood out so much, because it wasn't overtly comical or slapstick and certainly not dour, but funny and endearing. She and Pesci had great chemistry, and her scene toward the end of the movie probably sealed the deal. There is quite a lot of swearing in the movie (don’t get me wrong, I swear all the time), but I think that’s why it got the ‘R’ instead of ‘PG-13’, but other than that, I think it’s more watchable than some of the nighttime television that we have these days. If you haven’t seen it in a while, it’s definitely worth watching again, and if you haven’t seen it at all, you should.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 12/22/12, Best Sound Editing, 1989

This is the third in the Indiana Jones series, and it starts off with a young Indiana Jones (played by River Phoenix) and Indy displays his knack for finding artifacts and trouble. The story also introduces his father, played by Sean Connery. Set during the Nazi era, but pre-World War II, Indy and his father head off on a quest for the Holy Grail under the duress of an agent of the Nazis. It has a boat chase, rats, secret codes and some comedic interplay with Connery and Harrison Ford. The movie won for Best Sound Editing going up against Black Rain and Lethal Weapon 2. It took me a long time to watch this movie because for some reason I just never got into the whole franchise and only really remember the first movie even though I know I saw the second one. I started to like the movie a lot more once Sean Connery’s character came on screen, it was a lot more fun and funny. 

Lesson learned (I think): don't try to cram in eight movies and expect to be able to write anything interesting or witty on every single one. This was the fifth or sixth movie from the holiday weekend and the tank was empty. My apologies to those seeking enlightenment. The good news, only 793 movies to go...the bad news, the 2013 Oscar season is right around the corner. 

Not Fade Away - The Buddy Holly Story

The Buddy Holly Story 12/22/12, Best Adaptation Score, 1978

Buddy Holly never won a Grammy, but the movie about his life won an Academy Award for Best Adaptation Score, beating out The Wiz and Pretty Baby. I had to look this up because the music in the film was all by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, so it wasn’t original, but apparently the arranger, Joe Renzetti, arranged the music and taught the actors/musicians to play it and they played it live while being filmed, something totally new at that time. You may not care about those details, but I needed some context. And on some level, I don’t care either; I just really loved the music. Watching the movie and hearing all those songs, songs that over the years have been covered by so many other artists, was like hearing for the first time. Gary Busey did the singing, and whatever you think about him now, he did a great job as Holly and I almost forgot it was a movie (not really, but you know what I mean). The movie follows Buddy Holly and the Crickets from around a year or so before they hit it big to the last concert that Holly ever did, in Clear Lake, Iowa in 1959. Holly seemed to be way ahead of his time in terms of producing his own music, some of his arrangements and his desire to collaborate across the color barriers of his time; he performed at The Apollo Theater in New York and toured with black musicians before the country began integration, the late 1950s (there is a funny scene in the movie where the Crickets, touring with Same Cooke and others, try to check into the same hotel as the black musicians; Sam Cooke is told that the hotel is ‘restricted’ and Holly and company can’t stay there; Cooke introduces the band as his valets, and the clerk is so impressed that he has THREE white valets, he lets them stay). Buddy Holly influenced musicians like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and others. The music is great and the movie is really good. I will be downloading some Buddy Holly songs this week. Rave on!

The Age of Aquarius

Woodstock 12/21/12, Best Documentary, 1970

Woodstock was a landmark event at a time when there were so many landmark events: Vietnam, the moon landing, assassinations of political and civic leaders and other events that made life exciting and chaotic. Woodstock was billed as three days of peace and music; the rain and 500,000 people were a bonus. The documentary shows the setup of the stage area as the concert promoters take over Max Yasgur’s farm, and interviews with people, some you may recognize and some you may not. It is a little funny watching this documentary forty years after the fact, with the benefit of hindsight and a historical framework. The editors and director used the split-screen effect, which let them put more on the screen, but I found it annoying sometimes; and the documentary showed much of the footage out of order, which really annoyed me (I’m kind of linear that way). But, once you get past that, it is really fun to see these events unfold and hear and see the music, including a very young Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and so many others. There were a lot of artists who were not included, not even in the very extended Director’s cut which was over 3 hours long, including Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Grateful Dead and more. The documentary gets aired every once in a while on PBS during pledge drives, and VH1 and MTV used to play it when they were piggybacking on all the nostalgia back in the 90’s. There was a documentary on Martin Luther King and one on Jack Johnson that were also nominated, and perhaps Woodstock won because it captured the spirit of the time, I’m not sure. It is worth a watch if you haven’t seen it, but probably not for the youngsters because there is a TON of drug references and usage, as well as a bit of the hippy free love experience. Sit back, watch and listen, and be glad that you are inside and warm and dry. Peace out.

Great performance, so-so movie

BUtterfield 8 12/16/12, Best Actress, 1960

Usually if it takes me this long to write something about a movie, there’s something wrong and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Elizabeth Taylor won her first Oscar for her role as Gloria Wandrous, of an inexact profession (she seems to make appearances at clubs or restaurants wearing designer clothes; I think there’s a name for that but cannot remember it right now). Whatever her real profession is, she spends a lot of time with different men, and has a slightly unsavory reputation. Laurence Harvey comes along and may be the one man who can change her path, and she his. Harvey is Weston Liggett, a bored corporate executive who drinks too much and is tired of his life with his wife and her moneyed family. Gloria is a complex person, she loves her mother and hates hurting her with her bad behavior; she loves her oldest friend, Steve (played by her then-husband, Eddie Fisher), but he seems to enable her self-destructive actions; and she longs for someone’s approval, Steve’s, her mother’s, Liggett’s? I was surprised at how impressed I was with Taylor; I thought she did a fabulous job with her portrayal. It was nuanced and subtle, and then fiery and passionate. Taylor won an Oscar for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? which was an assault on the auditory nerves and painful for me to watch, so this was a totally different performance. I think the conflicting feelings came in because I just don’t know if I would recommend this movie. So, I guess I will leave it to you: if you like Elizabeth Taylor and want to see her before any of the Cleopatra or Virginia Woolf histrionics, you should see it; if you really don’t think you care, you can skip it.

A Man Called Shaft

Shaft, 12/15/12, Best Original Song, 1971

I've heard the theme song ‘The Theme from Shaft’ by Isaac Hayes, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, many times, but have never seen the movie. Shaft is John Shaft (played by Richard Roundtree), a private detective in New York City who gets involved with some gangsters and later the Mafia. At the time the movie was released, the early 1970s, it was known as part of the ‘Blaxploitation’ genre of films; watching it forty years later, it just seemed like a gritty private eye movie. There are gun fights, fist fights, language and even a little sex. There are many instances when the race of John Shaft and the police lieutenant he spars with are raised; this was the early 70s after all, and it would be naive to ignore them. The theme song was competing with a song from Bedknobs and Broomsticks (one of my favorites) and Bless the Beasts and the Children; I think because Shaft opens the movie it really sets the scene for the action and drama, and the personality of John Shaft. Also, looking back, most people will know the song if you start singing it or doing the wah-wah effect of the guitar; I don’t think many people know of the songs from the other nominees. If you like PI movies, you will like this; I've been trying to watch Chinatown, borrowed from the library, but the disk is defective, but that’s another on the list. 

Oh, You're a Vegetable

A totally must-see documentary

Who are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids? , 12/15/12, Best Documentary 1977

I watch a lot of documentaries, I figure it’s a great way to be introduced to a topic and then I can decide if I want to learn more, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. I usually watch documentaries alone because they are not always the happiest or exciting (as in Avengers or Mission Impossible) movies. Also, a lot of documentaries aren't always for families/kids because the subject may be too mature or complex, but I really think anyone can watch this movie, and they should. The DeBolts are a couple who had six biological children between them and then adopted 14 kids….That’s not a typo, FOURTEEN (the 20th was adopted after the movie was completed in case you are questioning my math). And not 14 healthy kids, either. They adopted 14 kids from a variety of countries and several of them had disabilities, including paralysis, missing limbs, and blindness. You have probably stopped reading and are thinking, ooh, this is great…It is, it’s amazing. The kids are amazing and funny. There are some great moments that made me just laugh out loud. The DeBolts do not coddle their kids, they all have chores, it doesn't matter if you have no arms and legs, or use crutches. Some people, especially in this day and age of what seems to me to be over-coddling of kids, may think this is harsh and cruel. It’s not. They learn to function and cope and overcome a world that at that time (in the 1970s) was not as aware and conscious of people with disabilities. There’s a lot of laughing in this family, and it’s awesome to watch. JR, who is blind and a paraplegic, was told he would never walk (he was wheelchair bound when the DeBolts adopted him), and not to spoil it, but he learns to walk with crutches and it’s pretty cool. I think it would be great to watch this with kids to see their reaction and have one of those teachable moments. I have not seen the other documentaries from this year, but I think this was a deserving selection. Just a side note, the disk I borrowed from the library also had a 45 minute follow up documentary as well as text on what the kids were up to (as of at least the 1980s, I couldn't tell), and this one spends a lot of time on JR and his adventure in a regular Junior High (he had been going to a blind school).

Special note: If you enjoy my ramblings or insights (depending on your point of view), I wrote a book in 2006, called Oh, You’re a Vegetable about my solo trip around the world in 2006. It is now available as an eBook. Please check it out if you are so inclined. Thank you for checking out this blog. As of today there have been over 1,000 views from places like Russia, Germany, the UK and France.

Life from a teenager's perspective

The Diary of Anne Frank, 12/8/12, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction – Set Decoration, Black and White, Best Cinematography – Black and White 1959

I would say that while this isn't the best movie I have ever seen, the subject makes it a must see film for movie-viewers of over the ages of 12. The movie is good, don’t get me wrong. The young actress who played Anne Frank, Millie Perkins, did a great job of capturing the annoying and endearing qualities of many teenagers (I know this from first-hand experience, my own adolescence). There are times you want to reach into the screen and slap Anne upside her head, and then you realize, she’s 13, stuck in an attic with her parents and sister, another family, and the very particular Mr. Dussell, away from her friends and no way to escape from all the grown-ups, except through her diary, where she writes all her thoughts and dream and hopes; I think get surly occasionally. This movie is based on the diary of Anne Frank, a young girl from Amsterdam living during the time of the Second World War. Most people are probably familiar with the story, so this will focus on the movie. The director and set-designers do a good job of creating the claustrophobic atmosphere of the attic space where the Franks and others hid; the movie won the Oscar for Set-Decoration in a black and white film as well as in cinematography for a black and white film. Since the director had the option to use color, I am really glad he stuck with black and white; there is something atmospheric and appropriate about the gray-scale instead of a full color palette. The movie was also based on the play, and it does seem more play-like as opposed to something written totally for a film. Millie Perkins was a good choice for Anne Frank and seemed to really embody Anne. Shelley Winters won for Best Supporting Actress for playing Petronella van Daan; after watching the movie, I’m not sure how Gusti Huber didn't even get nominated for her role as Edith Frank, Anne’s mother. Shelley Winters was good, but I didn't think her performance was as pivotal or influential as Anne’s mother. Maybe by the end of watching all these movies, I will have an understanding of the voting guidelines. The fact that Anne lives on in her writing, the play and a few movie versions is a tribute to the universality of her teenage viewpoint. 

The Duke delivers

True Grit, 12/8/12, Best Actor, 1969

I wasn't all that thrilled to watch a Western; I thought, I don’t like Westerns, they’re so outdated and predictable, etc. etc. As I was going through the list of Westerns I have watched: The Magnificent Seven, Unforgiven, the remake of True Grit, and a couple more, it occurred to me that in fact, I might actually like Westerns. And, I’m not a huge John Wayne fan either (don’t hate him, just don’t watch his movies very often, intentionally, on purpose), so this was going to be an interesting couple of hours. John Wayne won for Best Actor as Rooster Cogburn, going up against Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy (this will appear in a totally separate entry) and the mellifluous Richard Burton in Anne of a Thousand Days. Seriously. AND HE WAS FREAKING FANTASTIC. This may not have been the best movie ever made, but it sure had its moments. I also thought of Wayne as pretty wooden, and he was anything but, with the way he interacted with Kim Darby as Mattie Ross and Glen Campbell as La Boeuf (pronounced La Beef) was fluid and fun and to me, believable (as much as the whole scenario was believable). It was his only Oscar in his long career and I think totally deserved. Mattie Ross’s father is killed by Tom Chaney and Mattie is of course out for revenge and wants Chaney captured and tried and eventually hung. He goes into Indian Territory and one of the best Marshalls to go get him is Rooster Cogburn, who has a little bit of a drinking problem; La Beouf is after Chaney for crimes committed in Texas. All three embark on the quest to get Chaney, although both men are reluctant to bring Mattie along, she is quite insistent and a strong personality even though she is only 14 years old. The movie follows their journey and along the way they meet some characters that Rooster has met before and some good old fashioned shootouts ensue. A few of the best scenes are where Mattie engages the adults in the film in debates about a variety of topics, including horse trading (with Strother Martin [Cool Hand Luke]) and the price of chicken dumplings with the proprietress of the hostel where she is staying. The movie has a G rating, but there are a few violent scenes, so perhaps not for the wee ones. There are some differences between this and the more recent remake by the Coen brothers, but I did like both of them. So, kids, the lesson for today – shut up and watch the movie and then decide if you don’t like it. 

Flashback, part deux

Flashback, part deux

In the spirit of the season and all that jazz, I thought I would give a recap of some of the Oscar-winning films that I grew up watching with my family. As I was going through the list of movies that I have already watched and that had some sentimental value or that might be good holiday fare, I realized the list was very heavy in musicals, so I tried to limit those to include other genres. Perhaps if the spirit moves me, I'll add to this list (or if I don't get my movies from the library in a timely fashion).

Miracle on 34^th Street, 1947 Best Supporting Actor, Best Writing Original Story, Best Writing Screenplay – I remember watching this for the first time with my dad, and that’s probably the best memory. Made when there was a Macy’s AND a Gimbel’s and in a less cynical time, it features Maureen O’Hara, a young Natalie Wood, and Oscar-winner, Edmund Gwenn as Santa Claus. People were outraged when Ted Turner colorized it, so much so, I don’t know if that version is shown at all anymore.

The Miracle Worker, 1962 Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress – Anne Bancroft won for Best Actress for her role as Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher, and Patty Duke won for Best Supporting Actress as Helen Keller. The story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan is inspiring without the dramatization; if possible, it’s even more so with the outstanding performances by Bancroft and Duke. Arthur Penn directed the movie, and it’s hard to believe he’s the same guy who directed Bonnie and Clyde. I think the first time I saw this movie was in elementary school and it made me want to learn more about Sullivan and Keller. Perhaps not your typical holiday movie, but who wants to be typical?

The Sound of Music, 1965 Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Scoring of Music, Best Editing – I grew up watching this movie, listening to the record (yes, the record and I still have the original Broadway cast recording) and saw it live onstage. It’s based on the true story of the Von Trapp family and full of beautiful scenery, fabulous songs and not terrible acting featuring the wonderful Christopher Plummer and the irreplaceable Julie Andrews. If you haven’t seen it (and I think there are people who pride themselves on that – shame on you), it’s definitely a family-friendly movie with a few fun scenes that will hold the attention of the kids (and I know, because I was one of those kids).

Fiddler on the Roof, 1971 Best Song Score Adaptation, Best Cinematography, Best Sound – Directed by Norman Jewison and starring Topol, this film has made me laugh and made me cry, and again, has a special meaning to me and my family. Even if you have not seen the whole movie, you have probably heard bits of many of the songs, and perhaps even hum them, Tradition, Sunrise, Sunset and one of my favorites to sing, Matchmaker. The story is set in 1905 Russia, a time of pogroms and uncertainty for Jews in Europe, and that complex existence is captured with humor and bittersweet sentimentality. Topol plays Tevye, the adoring father struggling to marry off his daughters and make a living in Tsarist Russia. Perhaps you could watch this during one of the eight nights of Chanukah, or any time. And don’t blame me if you start humming.

Murder on the Orient Express, 1974 Best Supporting Actress – There is nothing better than Agatha Christie, and the setting of the snowy Balkans makes it close enough to a holiday film for me, and this cast is a collection of some incredible actors, including the winner of Best Supporting Actress, Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, Vanessa Redgrave and Sean Connery. The story is based on the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, and it’s a twist on the locked room mystery and I think one of Christie’s best stories. Albert Finney stars as Poirot, and I like him, but David Suchet is my ideal Poirot. All of the characters have some reason to kill the victim, Ratchett, and Poirot must interview all of them, and that's where the genius lies. I have enjoyed reading and watching Christie since junior high, and I think teens who enjoy mysteries, maybe the most recent Sherlock Holmes movies, might like watching this movie.

A Who's Who of comedic history

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, 11/29/12, Best Sound Editing, 1963

This movie is a cornucopia of comedic personalities from the 1930s through the early 1960s, from Jack Benny to Jonathan Winters, including The Three Stooges, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney and Ethel Merman, led by the great straight man, Spencer Tracy. It was fun to watch as actors flitted in and out of scenes, some for two minutes and others for fifteen. The premise of the movie is the suspect of a robbery (Jimmy Durante) is racing away and crashes his car off a cliff. Of course before he dies, he tells the witnesses (including Buddy Hackett, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, et al) that there is money buried somewhere in Santa Rosita, California. Everyone sees dollar signs and sets off to find the loot after they can’t agree on how to split it (the amount from 1963 was $350,000, over $2 million in 2012 dollars). You can only imagine the chaos that ensues (or watch the movie and see for yourself). There is a lot of physical and slapstick comedy. The movie won for best sound editing, and I don’t know all the nuances that go into deciding the award, but there were a lot of explosions and wacky sound effects that if they weren't edited well, it would have looked like a badly dubbed foreign film. Was it the best that year, I don’t know, and there was only one other film in the running (A Gathering of Eagles). Stanley Kramer directed this ensemble piece, and it seems like a huge change of pace for the man who directed serious movies like Judgment at Nuremburg, Inherit the Wind and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (all starring Spencer Tracy). I kept watching the movie because I had to see what kind of trouble the characters would get into, would Sid Caesar succeed in blowing himself up, would Jonathan Winters get back at the dentist who tried to leave him stranded in the desert, and would anyone be able to get Ethel Merman to stop shouting? Every time she opened her mouth I heard ‘There’s no business like show business’ in my head. She had to be a good sport, because she (her character) was manhandled, dropped, and subject to a series of pratfalls. Kramer didn't make short movies and this is no exception; apparently there are several versions of the movie, one exceeding 200 minutes. I got the version the library had which was 161 minutes; I can only imagine that a few cameos were cut out, or the chase scenes were shortened. There are a few interesting and funny twists and Tracy is great at leading this crazy circus. If you like or remember the comedians of the past, or like playing ‘name that actor’, you should watch this movie. There are a few adult themed scenes, but nothing like what’s on TV these days. I was trying to imagine if they could remake this movie today, and who would be the cast and the cameos. I don’t know, I think we’re past that golden age, but maybe I’m just past it. Watch this and then watch some of Kramer’s other films. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

A musical buddy movie

Anchors Aweigh, 11/17/12, Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture 1945

The plot for this movie is really threadbare, in my opinion, and that’s fine, it’s not like it’s a Bergman film or anything. It’s really a nice excuse to watch Gene Kelly dance and hear Frank Sinatra sing. Kelly and Sinatra play sailors on leave from the Navy in Hollywood, and after that it is a string of fun, ‘buddy’ wise guy dialogue, athletic dancing by Kelly and singing by Kelly, Sinatra and Kathryn Grayson (who plays the female lead). My major complaint, and it’s not a new one, is that the movie is way too long. Honestly, it’s not like there’s a storyline, it could have ended at any moment. There are twenty songs in the movie (per my counting in Wikipedia, feel free to check my math) and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, performed by Jose Iturbi and a plethora of pianists at the Hollywood bowl could have (and should have) be omitted. I am not a big fan of Liszt anyway, it just sounds like plinking and plonking on the piano to me and served zero purpose here. The iconic and probably most famous scene, where Gene Kelly dances with Jerry the Mouse, was cool to watch in its entirety (you have probably seen it in excerpts). If they cut out the whole storyline and just let Kelly dance, that would have been okay with me. He was amazing, he dances like a gymnast doing a floor routine, so physical and athletic (if you haven’t seen Singin’ in the Rain, you should do that…it’s long too, but Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds are fabulous). There are not a lot of family movies these days, but if you can sit through it, this might be one. There is a little boy, Donald, who admires Kelly’s character, Joe, who might keep the younger viewers interested. 

An American Treasure

Bullets over Broadway, 11/17/12, Best Supporting Actress 1994

The more I watch them, the more I like Woody Allen’s movies. I like them better when he’s not in them, however because the typical neurotic characters he plays can be very annoying, but he writes a good story and gets great performances out of the actors. Bullets over Broadway is set in 1928 New York, complete with gangsters and Prohibition-era alcohol. It’s about an idealistic playwright, played by John Cusack, and his desire to get his play produced on Broadway. It starts out as too intellectual and too heavy and he can’t get it produced until he makes a deal with the devil in the form of a local gangster to put the gangster’s girlfriend, Olive (played by Jenifer Tilly), in the play. That begins the slippery slope of compromise that leads to the fatal end of the movie. This seems to be very thematic of Allen’s movies, basically good people take shortcuts or are willing to be corrupted to achieve their ends (money, fame, love) only to have so much of it unravel in the end (Cassandra’s Dream, Match Point, Crimes and Misdemeanors). However, the difference in this movie is there is broader comedic edge which makes it fun to watch, especially with an incredible cast, including winner of the Best Supporting Actress, Dianne Wiest, John Cusack, Chazz Palmintieri, Jennifer Tilly, Jim Broadbent and several others. The great thing about this film, and many other Allen films, is the performances he gets from the actors even if they’re only on the screen for a few scenes, like Tracey Ullman. David Shayne, Cusack’s character is the playwright and the director, but the actors are struggling with his words and his vision; Cheech (Chazz Palmintieri) a gangster and ex-con has the soul of a writer and comes up with many improvements to the script and becomes personally invested in its success. Helen Sinclair (Dianne Wiest) is an actress in the boozy twilight of her career, looking for one more shot, and doesn't think it is with Shayne, but things start to come together, especially because Shayne fawns all over her and makes her believe that she is still the star she used to be. Wiest is great and she is a familiar face in many of Allen’s films; I really like watching her take on the life of her characters. Jennifer Tilly is also a treat, and she was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actress. Woody Allen’s movies aren't for everyone, and some of them have had to grow on me, too. If you’re leery about his movies, this might be a good one to try (or any of the ones where he isn't in it) and you may be surprised. The language, the dialogue and the quirky characters make it a good watch.

A little costume drama

Dangerous Liaisons, 11/16/12, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Art Direction 1988

I am so perplexed as to how Glenn Close still has not won an Academy Award, seriously (please see Albert Nobbs and Damages {not a movie, but she is awesome}). This may not have been her best performance ever, but you sure do believe her as the Machiavellian Marquise. She lost out this year to Jodie Foster in The Accused, and the competition was really stiff.  The movie did win for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction; it certainly was a beautiful movie to watch, and I think it’s really hard to mess up the sumptuous dresses and gowns from 18^th century France. The movie revolves around several intricate plots to spoil/despoil/deflower Madame Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Cecile de Volanges (Uma Thurman) by Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich). There is a lot of dialogue and great use of language; I’m glad we don’t speak like that anymore because we would never finish any conversations, but it would be nice every once in a while to make flowery speeches with double entendres tucked so innocently away. Valmont is just sleazy and creepy and apparently he wears these characteristics as a badge of honor. Stephen Frears, who directed The Queen and My Beautiful Laundrette, uses the scenery and architecture of France to great advantage, and I am partial to 18^th century music and there is a nice smattering of that throughout the movie. The scheming and debauchery hold up in comparison to 21^st century series like The Borgias or Rome. Michelle Pfeiffer was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but lost out to Geena Davis in The Accidental Tourist. I think it would have been very easy to overact in her role and be very cheesy, but she wasn't at all. I don’t get how she kept going back to Valmont, that seemed a little crazy and unbelievable, but you can’t have everything. 

I'm a little bit country

Nashville, 11/4/12, Best Original Song 1975

Nashville was directed by Robert Altman, who also directed MASH, Gosford Park, Prairie Home Companion and more. Like many of those movies, this was an ensemble piece, with so many actors and storylines going on, you really need a program (or Wikipedia) to follow along. Watching the movie twenty years later, it was fun to see who was in it then and think about what they are doing today: Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Keith Carradine among others. There was also a certain irony in that it was the week of election day that I watched it, and the connecting theme in the movie was the presidential election of 1976 and unseen candidate, Hal Phillip Walker of the Replacement Party, campaigning through Nashville connects the characters. The characters are all somehow connected to country music, and there are plenty of songs throughout the movie, several written by the actors. There are country star wannabes, new country stars and legendary stars all intertwined with a culminating political event. Some of the characters are quirky, like Geraldine Chaplin’s BBC correspondent who is star struck by anyone touched by fame; the waitress who wants to sing so badly…and she does, she’s horrible, but has no clue; Shelley Duvall’s character…I’m not sure exactly what her role was. And that’s kind of the problem with this movie, and some of Altman’s other films, there is so much going on, it seems that some plots or characters are superfluous and really don’t add anything to the story. At a movie clocking in at over 2 ½ hours, you really don’t need superfluous. I did like the movie and was more interested in certain plots than others (really, why was Shelley Duvall’s character in the movie?), like the fragile country star, Barbara Jean, who seems to have a breakdown every other scene she is in and her rival. I liked the movie, I have enjoyed many of Altman’s films (Gosford Park for one), the ensemble casting and the subtle nuances that show the humanity in the characters, but you may have to watch them more than once (and I have 800 plus films to watch, so I don’t have time). Altman never won an Oscar for directing, and this year he was up against One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but the movie did win for Best Original Song ‘I’m Easy’ written and performed by Keith Carradine (who plays a kind of sleazy folk singer who can’t keep his pants on). It was a good song, but I don’t know how it beat out ‘Theme from Mahogany(Do You Know Where You’re Going to) sung by Diana Ross, which is an awesome song. If you liked Prairie Home Companion (Lily Tomlin is in that, too), MASH or Gosford Park, or if you like country music (circa Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette) this is definitely worth a watch.

Money, Money, Money

I didn't intend to have any themes this weekend as I embarked on my movie viewing; I just order a bunch of movies from the library and then hope one of them will actually play on the DVD player. It occurred to me after I finished two of the movies last night that they were both about money and the fun in making it, perhaps by a scam or two; and both movies were on the list because the lead actors won for Best Actor. I don't think I could have planned it better if I tried.

The Color of Money 11/3/12 Best Actor 1986

I am a huge Paul Newman fan, love him. It has nothing to do with him being from Shaker Heights, Ohio, or went to Kenyon College in Ohio (although it doesn't hurt). In so many of his roles, he doesn't even seem like he’s acting, he really is Hud, George Gibbs, Cool Hand Luke and Fast Eddie Felson from the Color of Money. I don’t think I was avoiding this movie, exactly, but I never really had it on my ‘I have to see this’ list either. I enjoyed it, the soundtrack is fabulous, done by Robbie Robertson with some sweet songs by Willie Dixon, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler; Newman is easy to watch and believe as Fast Eddie; I even liked Tom Cruise, although he was probably one of the reasons I didn't see this movie sooner. It always amazes me when I watch a Martin Scorsese movie and someone doesn't get their heads kicked in or blown off. Paul Newman won the Best Actor for his role, and he was super good, but I am not convinced that Dexter Gordon should not have won for his portrayal in ‘Round Midnight’ (watched and reviewed in July 2012). Newman had been overlooked before, so perhaps this was one of those Academy decisions, I don’t know. The Color of Money is the sequel to The Hustler, twenty-five years later; I don’t think you have to see The Hustler first (I've seen it, but don’t remember a whole lot). Fast Eddie was a pool shark who finds Vincent (Tom Cruise) and sees a great opportunity for some first class scamming. They embark on a classic road story, a clashing of styles, and an eventual parting of the ways. The movie features a young Forest Whitaker and John Turturro as pool hustlers. I recommend this movie, especially if you are a Paul Newman fan, like good music in your movies, or just want to relax and not have to ponder the imponderables.

Wall Street, 11/3/12 Best Actor 1987

Not an Oliver Stone or Michael Douglas fan, and after the last few years, I wasn't sure I really needed to see a movie about Wall Street’s greed? Really, it’s in the news every dang day. But I need to relax, it’s just a movie. So, I popped in the library’s DVD and, uh oh it was skipping. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Thank goodness it played on the old laptop. Wall Street, starring Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen and Martin Sheen was directed by Oliver Stone and set in the financial capital of America. The mid-1980s was a time of greed, insider trading, and all that jazz (the more things change, the more they stay the same), and this focuses on that. Michael Douglas won for Best Actor for his part as Gordon Gekko; I haven’t seen the other movies nominated in that category, so I don’t have an opinion on if he should have won. He was very good and very believable as Gekko, the ruthless takeover king. Charlie Sheen has a massive man crush on him, much to the eventual dismay of his father, played by Martin Sheen. I saw Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps before I saw Wall Street, which was kind of interesting now seeing the original. Watching the movie twenty-five years after its release was fun; the technology seems so archaic now and the historical perspective is educational. Don’t watch this movie if you feel like you’re still in the economic downtown, it will just irritate you. Otherwise, I would say it is a movie to watch and see Charlie Sheen act.

Short shorts 2002

The Chubbchubbs!  10/28/12, Best Animated Short 2002

One of the benefits of watching the winners in the Short Film/Animated categories is that you usually get to watch the competition at the same time as part of a compilation. And as a result of that, you can make almost instantaneous comparisons (or at least with an hour or so). The Chubbchubbs! was originally released with Men in Black 2. After watching all of the contenders, I really don’t know how this won. It’s funny and kind of cute, and there’s an irony in these cute little chick-like creatures being so fierce, but I don’t think it should have won. If you want cute and cuddly and funny, Mike’s New Car, starring Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc. is just that. If you want intellectual and thought-provoking, Katedra or Atama-Yama would be the ones (although I really didn't get Atama-Yama). If you get the compilation disk, then you can judge for yourself.

This Charming Man 10/28/12, Best Live Action Short 2002

This Charming Man was an entry from Denmark, and is an interesting take on racism and discrimination in a country that is not usually associated with those topics. Lars is an out-of-work accountant who gets his identity mixed up with El Hassan, a Pakistani immigrant. There are a few twists and turns along the way, and considering that this was made just one year after 9/11, it was a fairly bold way to look at one’s country. I’ll wait for the next one was from France, and was very clever, but I thought was a little mean-spirited (yes, I do have a heart); fait d’hiver was from Belgium and reminded me of a scary story told around a campfire (most of my campfires have been in suburbia, but in my imagination, it would be told around a campfire), something from Hitchock or Steven King. I did not see the end coming at all, but perhaps that’s why it didn't win. Inja was from Australia but set in South Africa. At first, I thought it was some cute little story about a boy and his dog. Um, yeah, I didn't see that coming at all. It’s a reap what you sow story, and that’s one of the name of the songs that is sung. The animation and live action came on one disk, and if you want to see a lot of different ideas and stories without a huge time commitment, then you should check these out.

Left wanting more

A Fish Called Wanda 10/21/2012 Best Supporting Actor 1988

I've been trying to think why it has taken so long to review this movie, one of the funniest movies ever (or so I've been told). It might be my brain is unaccustomed to humor after all the serious downer films I've watched lately, or perhaps it wasn't all that funny. I think it’s somewhere in between. Kevin Kline won for Best Supporting Actor as the rabid, manic, pseudo-enlightened Otto. Eh. I actually thought Michael Palin and John Cleese were funnier, especially the story line with Michael Palin as Ken, who loves animals and experiences an unfortunate series of events; reminding me of a great skit from a sketch comedy series (not quite Python-esque). The movie is about a jewel heist and the aftermath as the thieves back-stab each other and the story goes all over as Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) has relationships with whoever will get her closer to the jewels. John Cleese is one of those men, and he finds himself in some interesting situations as well. It was funny in parts, but made me think more about Python than anything else. So, I leave it up to you. I feel the same way I do after I have lunch at this Greek place in the skyway, high hopes only to feel sort of satisfied when I’m done, and thinking I should have had LeeAnn Chin instead.

I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore

Network 10/13/12 Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress 1976

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”, no, I’m fine, but we've all heard this quote at some time or another, and I finally saw the source of the quote, Network a movie about television, specifically the television news business. Peter Finch, who won for Best Actor (posthumously), yelled this and many other things as troubled/enlightened news anchor, Howard Beale. There is a lot of yelling in the movie and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Overall, the movie works. Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men amongst others) directed and Paddy Chayefsky (Marty) wrote it. It was released in 1976, but if you added some technological updates, like social networks and cable news, it could be made now; in fact, I’m surprised it hasn't been remade given the dearth of originality in Hollywood. Howard Beale is a news anchor in the twilight of his career, but he makes a comeback as a voice of the people, railing against The Establishment, much to the chagrin of the news producers. Beale’s unscripted, profanity-laden diatribes strike a chord with the audiences. Faye Dunaway, as Diana Christensen, head of the programming department, thinks he’s brilliant; Dunaway won the award for Best Actress for her ambitious and aggressive portrayal.  The movie is actually filled with great performances from a cast of greats: William Holden (he was nominated as Best Supporting Actor, but lost out to Ned Beatty, his co-star in the movie),Ned Beatty and Robert Duvall; Beatrice Straight won for the Best Supporting Actress (I quibble with this one; her performance was good, very brief, but I don’t understand how it was better than Jane Seymour’s in All the President’s Men) or Marlene Warfield who played Laurene Hobbs also from Network, who was wonderful as the over-the-top Angela Davis-like member of the Ecumenical Liberation Army. The movie is a satire, so everything should be taken with a grain of salt (note the Mao-Tse Tung Hour). I love watching William Holden, I think he may be underrated, and certainly unappreciated by today’s audiences (see The Bridge on the River Kwai, which also has the shape-shifting Alec Guiness). There is so much going on in this movie, and it’s very fast-paced, and I hardly noticed the running time (which I almost ALWAYS notice). If you’re a fan of television, television history, enjoy great acting and smart writing, you should watch this. You may enjoy comparing it to television today and how incredibly prescient Chayefsky was in his characterization today's infotainment. You’re welcome.

In case you are keeping track, I have 808 winners to watch, and I think it may take around 3 years to finish, or at least get current. A few people have asked me the most obvious question of 'Why?' Well, I like to know where things come from, including famous quotes in their original context, the influence of one director or actor on another, etc. It's kind of fun understanding the whole origin of Howard Beale's breakdown and the genesis of his famous phrase, quoted above. Or being able to see the evolution of an actor's career (Conchata Farrell has a small role in Network and is now the wise-cracking housekeeper on Two and a Half Men). If you have any thoughts on the next movies I should watch, let me know. I'll see if Netflix or the library will oblige.

I did get a craving for gefilte fish

Yentl 10/12/12 Best Original Song Score or Adaptation Score 1983

I am totally conflicted on this movie, I feel like culturally I should love this film and tell everyone to see it, you will gain a great understanding of Jewish culture and history from early 20^th century Europe. I just don’t know if I can. It wasn't terrible (is this like a backhanded compliment?), but I think I would have liked it without the singing, I don’t think it needed to be a musical. I’m not even sure it’s a true musical, it’s really only Barbra Streisand who sings, isn't Mandy Patinkin a singer? How come he didn't warble a little something? How come there wasn't great cantorial music (I don’t know if that’s a word, but if you know what a cantor is, then you understand). The movie is set in Eastern Europe (Poland I think, although in the early 20^th century, those things weren't always clear) in 1904 and Yentl is a young woman who wants to study and learn about the Talmud, which is not allowed; women aren't supposed to read and learn. After her father dies, Yentl embarks on a journey to study the Torah and the Talmud by masquerading as a young man. All kinds of things happen, including a friendship with Mandy Patinkin, and an eventual ‘marriage’ to Amy Irving (this was fun for me to watch because I enjoyed the wedding celebration with the traditional dancing) and the great reveal. Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote the original short story in Yiddish on which this was based, and from what I could gather, Barbra Streisand went to great lengths to get this movie made, so it really was a labor of love for her. I wish I had millions to work on my labors of love. It was easy to imagine the shtetl where Yentl lived to be one where my great-grandparents may have lived, going to the market, going to synagogue, etc. Parts of the movie were filmed in Prague (doubling as Lublin) and they cross the Charles Bridge and I wanted to love the movie more; maybe less singing would have helped. I don’t know, something just didn't click. Maybe I was hoping for Fiddler on the Roof? The movie won for Best Original Song Score or Adaption Score which was done by Michel LeGrand (he of The Thomas Crowne Affair soundtrack) and Marilyn and Alan Bergman, there were only three nominees, perhaps they should have skipped that category. On a side note, Amy Irving was nominated as Best Supporting Actress, she lost out to Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously, which was the right choice, in my opinion. I’m not sure how she got nominated, the role was pivotal but she wasn't (you can see Amy Irving in Crossing Delancy another cultural favorite set in the 1980s or 1990s in New York City). So, again, should you watch it? Yentl, I mean. See Fiddler first, set about 20-30 years earlier in Tsarist Russia; it’s much more of a musical, with the great Zero Mostel. That should hold you for a bit. 

Do Not Ask For Whom The Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls, 10/6/12 Best Supporting Actress 1943

Full disclaimer:  Not a Hemingway fan, not a huge Gary Cooper fan, and yet, I didn’t hate this movie. I didn't love it, but it was not as bad as I thought I would be. I actually took a Hemingway/Fitzgerald class in high school and kicked myself for a whole semester, actually that’s not true, a good friend and I had fun mocking one of the 20^th century’s great writers. For Whom the Bell Tolls is the story of an American in Spain to fight with the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. ‘Roberto’ played by Gary Cooper is an expert at bridge demolition and he connects with a group of Republicans, including Ingrid Bergman as ‘Maria’ (sorry, I didn't buy that either) and Best Supporting Actress winner, Katina Paxinou as ‘Pilar’. As I said, I read the book, and I liked the character of Pilar the best, and that would be the same in the movie. There is a passion and fire in Pilar that holds your attention and you want to know more about her (kind of the way Jane Darwell had a quiet intensity in The Grapes of Wrath). Roberto and Maria of course fall in love, but other than that, I won’t ruin it for you. It is interesting to watch this movie about a piece of history that many people do not know. The Spanish Civil War (the Republicans versus the Monarchy/Fascists and Francisco Franco) was a precursor to the World War in Europe, the way the invasion of Manchuria was in Asia. There are parts of the movie that are beautiful to watch, the cinematography and scenery are wonderful. The movie shows how and why civil wars are not easily understood, sometimes you join forces with your enemy against a common foe, but then perhaps turn on your former ally. Politics and war make strange bedfellows.

Sometimes Gary Cooper is so wooden you half expect to strings and a puppeteer, other times you totally believe him and his character. I love Ingrid Bergman, but this just didn’t work for me. Apparently, there wasn't an actual Spaniard in the main cast; in fact, you sometimes hear what sounds like Russian accents (really). Paxinou was a Greek actress. If you’re wondering if you should watch this movie, maybe, if nothing else is in your top twenty and you want to get a high level introduction to the Spanish Civil War and see a great Best Supporting Actress Performance (see the next review for a not Best Supporting Actress nomination), then yes, you should watch it; if you read the book, sure, watch the movie. Otherwise, you’ll survive if you don’t.

A Happy Accident

A Star is Born, 10/5/12 Best Original Song 1976

Well, if you read my previous post, I hope you haven’t been waiting too long – I failed miserably at getting through the five movies. I picked the longest movies in the world to watch, and I just couldn't find the energy. Then when I found the energy, and the time (mostly the energy/desire), I wound up watching a movie that wasn't even on my flipping list! Ah!! I only found this out midway through the three hour movie. However, it wasn't all in vain, and it was actually part of my master plan, sort of. The movie I watched was A Star is Born from 1954 with Judy Garland (Grand Rapids, Minnesota’s own) and James Mason. I swear it was on the list, but alas, it was not. For those of you that do not know, there are actually three ‘A Star is Born’ movies, one from 1937, 1954 and this one from 1976. The movie from 1937, with Janet Gaynor, actually won an Oscar for Best Story. That is in the queue, so look for a review soon. The 1954 version with Judy Garland was really good and she was nominated for in the Best Actress category, but lost out to Grace Kelly. I thought she was fabulous, and really carried the movie. She showed why she was such an amazing star. I didn't really see James Mason as her husband, I just didn't buy it (I love James Mason, most especially Eddie Izzard’s impersonation of James Mason as God). The story is a tragic love affair, and even if you see the end coming, it’s still sad. The 1954 version is much more in the musical tradition with big song and dance numbers; Judy at her best.

The 1976 version, with Kris Kristofferson and Barbra Streisand won for the best song. I don’t know if it’s irony or just funny (to me only, maybe), but “Evergreen” the song that won, was co-written by Streisand and Paul Williams. Paul Williams also wrote “Rainbow Connection” from the Muppet movie.  I don’t think I have ever watched the movie in its entirety before, but I liked it. There was nothing too sophisticated or high-brow, or even surprising, but it had some good music, except when Kris Kristofferson was singing. It sounded like a cat was being tortured. I guess that goes to show you can write great songs, but maybe not be the best singer in the world (he wrote “Me and Bobby McGee” amongst others). I've never been a big Barbra Streisand fan, so I wasn't sure how this would go, but she was really good. The story pretty much follows the story arc of the other two movies, with some modern updating. If you have 800 movies on your list to watch, I don’t know that I would move this up with a bullet. I would put the Garland version higher on the list. But, if you’re a Barbra fan, and somehow missed this, you should watch it.

Two winners from 2011

A Separation, 9/22/12 Best Foreign Language 2011

A Separation is an Iranian film following the family trials and tribulations of Nader and Simin. Although set in 21^st century Iran, it really could be set in any city anywhere as it covers divorce, caring for elderly parents and raising a pre-teen child. There are some cultural experiences which may be unique to a country like Iran, but that just makes it more interesting to watch. Simin, Nader’s wife, wants to go to leave Iran so their daughter doesn’t grow up under the current regime. Simin can’t leave because he has to take care of his elderly father who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Simin hires a woman to stay with his father during the day and that move takes the family down a path that nobody could have foreseen. Razieh is the woman that is hired and I was really focused on her and her struggles; I thought hers was a very interesting story and is probably a viewpoint that isn’t told very often. My sentimental favorite was In Darkness by Agnieszka Holland who does incredible work and makes powerful films, but I like the statement made (perhaps in my mind only) that a film like A Separation, from Iran, can win one of the highest honors from the American film community.

The Muppets, 9/25/12 Best Original Song 2011

I love the Muppets, there’s something about them. I was reluctant to watch this movie though, because, well, sometimes you can’t go back. Well, I was right, you can’t go back, but this movie manages to go forward while bringing a healthy dose of nostalgia and fun with it. You don’t watch the Muppets (in any incarnation) for enlightenment or thought-provoking story lines, you just watch it for fun, or in this case so I can cross it off my list. It was a fun movie, with all the favorite characters, and one new one (Walter). Jason Segal (who really reminds me of someone from high school, but I can’t figure out who) is Walter’s brother, and Amy Adams is his girlfriend and they head to Hollywood for a vacation, taking Walter with them. Walter’s passion for the Muppets starts them on the journey that is a Muppets movie. There’s plenty of singing, and the song “Man or Muppet” won the Oscar, although I wish there was a way for “Rainbow Connection” to win since Kermit sang that in this movie as well. Compared to the last movie I watched that won for Best Original Song (The Thomas Crown Affair)I did enjoy this song, at least it sounded good.

I planned to watch The Red Shoes, however, the DVD and I had a disagreement, I wanted it to play and it refused, so it goes back in the hopper and onward I go. I have about 5 movies to get through this weekend. We’ll see how it goes.

If you're expecting Professor McGonagle, think again

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, 9/21/12, Best Actress 1969

Hopefully I saved you all from The Private Lives of Henry VIII, you’re welcome. Now you can thank me for this: watch this movie. If you just think of Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagle from Harry Potter, you will be totally amazed at the transformation of Dame Maggie, although the voice is the same. I have seen a couple of the other nominees for Best Actress from this year, Anne of a Thousand Days with Genevieve Bujold and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? with Jane Fonda (just an aside, it’s not about horses but a dance marathon and I suffered through it, but you don’t have to), and I think the best actress/performance won in this instance. Jean Brodie is a teacher at an all-girls school in 1930s Edinburgh who is ‘in my prime’ as she likes to say. She is unmarried (a spinster in 1930s terms), but not unattached, in fact, two fellow teachers vie for her affections, one a married man who is the Art Master (played by her real life husband, Robert Stephens), and the other, unmarried and the Music Master (the elegant Gordon Jackson).  The movie follows Miss Jean Brodie through her relationship with ‘the Brodie girls’ – a group of select girls that go on special field trips, have tea, and are being ‘groomed’ by Miss Brodie; Jean’s relationships with Mr. Lowther and Mr. Lloyd; and her hate-hate relationship with Miss McKay, the headmistress. Jean Brodie does not lack for self-confidence, in fact, she thinks very highly of herself and her ability to ‘put big heads on little girls’. She is a very colorful character amongst the monotones of the school uniforms and her fellow teachers, especially with her red hair (notice how she will be the only person in color when she’s surrounded by the others). Brodie has this strange fascination with the Fascist personalities of the day, especially Mussolini. She also her own cult of personality that she has developed over the years. Sandy, one of the Brodie girls, is a great foil for Miss Brodie, and they have several great scenes together. I can’t imagine being a young actress going toe-to-toe with Maggie Smith, who even in 1969, was recognized as one of the best. The actress who played Sandy, Pamela Franklin, was incredible, and I was stunned to find out she wasn’t nominated as ‘Best Supporting Actress’, that was a crime.The movie bursts with sexual tension, but barely reveals a thing, there is only one brief shot of nudity and that is during an artist’s session; no foul language; just the incredible words of the writers and the great acting, but you can feel it. And if you think about it, this was released in 1969, the height of the sexual revolution (so I’ve read, I was only two), but set in the 1930s in Scotland – not what you think about when you think of illicit affairs and passion (I always think of John Knox myself, wrong century, but still). I am sure I will be recommending a lot more movies with vigor and enthusiasm, but until I do, check this out. There is so much more to say, but I don’t want to ruin it.

Just a note, I was writing this while watching Miss Congeniality (a laugh out loud movie); I find some irony in that. Coming soon: The Muppets and The Red Shoes. Stay tuned.

The windmills of my mind, no, really

The Thomas Crown Affair, 9/16/12 Best Original Song, 1968

I didn’t know what award the movie won when I started watching it, but once the song started, I knew in my bones it was the song. Not because I thought it was a particularly wonderful song, but it seemed like it was a movie song that would be at least nominated. “Windmills of your mind” by Michel Legrand was the big winner for 1968; admittedly, the competition was pretty lame, although my vote would have gone to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” from the movie of the same name. But the song aside, the movie was fun, I like the elegance of the way the bank heist was carried out. Steve McQueen is a millionaire businessman who suffers the ennui that I imagine most people with jillions of dollars in disposable income must experience and looks for activities that will give him that adrenaline rush, like polo, fast cars, making ridiculous bets and coordinating bank robberies. Faye Dunaway is the insurance investigator brought in to find the criminal mastermind. It seems within minutes, she has determined that Thomas Crown is the mastermind; not that I want to give short shrift to any female detective, but I didn’t buy it. I guess I didn’t have to, but I would have liked to believe it. It’s a fun cat and mouse game, and the movie was fun to watch. They did a remake with Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo, but I haven’t seen that. The score was really good, very jazzy, with muted trumpets; all very much of the period. Some of the filming effects seemed to get a little overused after the first 5 or 6 times, multiple images fading in and out; kind of like someone discovering all the cool animation effects on PowerPoint. Steve McQueen is so cool, to use a term that has lost all meaning, but he really is; check out The Magnificent Seven or Bullitt among others.

I was going to review two movies, but my second movie was misbehaving, so I will try again tomorrow (I love the library, but some library users must use DVDs as platters for their pizzas; I can’t think of any other reason the movies have so much schmutz on them).

Flashback, part numero uno

Flashback numero uno 9/9/12

Please note, it says ‘Flashback’, not ‘Flashdance’, which I just realized is actually on my list (nope, never seen it, but I guess I will). It could be several days before I get my next movie in from the resource-packed Dakota County Library or Netflix, so I thought I would take the liberty of recapping my thoughts on previously viewed movies. As usual, there is little methodology, so just go with it:

     Captains Courageous 1937 Best Actor – I remember watching this movie for the first time with my dad and just being totally captivated by the bratty kid who gets his comeuppance and learns a lot of life lessons on a fishing ship at the knee of Spencer Tracy. I love Spencer Tracy, and not just because he was named after me. Okay, there is no connection whatsoever, but a girl can dream. I still enjoy this movie whenever I can catch it.

     A Streetcar Named Desire 1951 Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress – I wanted to see what was so special about this movie. Everything – the cast: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Kim Hunter; the setting – New Orleans; the story by Tennessee Williams. It’s hard to take your eyes off of Vivien Leigh; and Brando before he became a caricature of himself 30 years later. This film is the subject of so many social and cultural references.

      The Ten Commandments 1956 Best Visual Effects – What do you mean you have never watched this movie? What is wrong with you? The late 1950s through the late 1960s were known for their great biblical and mythological epics. This movie was as much a part of our family’s tradition as Passover. It was a great treat to see the whole movie (inevitably shown on Easter Sunday and running way past my bedtime). To see the plagues made life-like, and the parting of the Red Sea was so cool. Better than Sunday School.

       Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1966 Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction (B&W), Best Costume, Best Cinematography (B&W) – I’m sure what I’m about to write will make place me outside the pale, but ugh, this movie was so painful to watch. Perhaps that was the point, some deep psychological probing into the miserable lives of these two couples, but, again UGH. Glad I saw it, to cross it off my list, but I do not ever need to watch it again. You’re welcome.

      Gone with the Wind 1939 Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction – This is the movie that started me on this whole journey. After watching it on the big screen at a theater, and thinking what a great year for movies 1939 was (Wizard of Oz, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Wuthering Heights among a few). So, I began my informal list and here we are. Vivien Leigh shows why she was one of the greatest actresses of her time. The colors, the sounds, the story and the wonderful performances were something to watch on a full-sized movie screen (even if the audience was made up of high school students who were probably angling for an easy A in some social studies/history class – ooh, my snob is showing).

Before the 'Oscar' was 'Oscar'

Wings, 9/9/12, Most Outstanding Production, Best Effects – Engineering Effects 1927/1928

I have seen little snippets of silent movies over the years, usually the more comedic ones, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Keystone Cops, etc., or the really melodramatic, exaggerated drama – doe-eyed women hoping Dudley Doright will rescue her. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Wings, but I really thought it was important to see this movie (and others from this early period) sooner than later. It was awarded the award for 'Most Outstanding Production' (now known as 'Best Picture'). I was a history major, after all. And after watching The Artist, I wanted to see what an original silent movie was like. I have to say that watching many of these movies has been a wonderful experience. Again, my complaint has more to do with the length of the movie, really 141 minutes? Ugh. It would have been shorter if they cut out the relationship silliness with Clara Bow (she might have agreed as she acknowledged this was a man’s film). I listened to Wings with a newer score that was put together (I think for the most recent release in 2012). That really helped capture the mood and feeling of the action, and I honestly didn’t miss the dialog once I got into the story. There were intertitles to convey some of the interactions, but if you pay attention, you know what is happening. The story is basically about two young men heading off to fight in World War I in Europe as aviators. They start off as rivals, coming from the same hometown and loving the same girl, but become the best of friends. There are some wonderful flying scenes, and I don’t know how they did that over 80 years ago, no CGI, less sophisticated technology, but they did and it’s awesome. I have watched a lot of war movies and seen many combat scenes, and I think these scenes definitely hold their own. If this wasn’t World War I, it could have been World War II, Korea, Iraq; in this instance, it’s not the geography that is as important as the relationship between David and Jack. The end of the movie, or maybe it’s really the penultimate sequence (there’s more love story stuff at the very end) has a dramatic twist that was well-done. Clara Bow was the original ‘It’ girl and was quite the star in her day. I don’t know if she’s in any more of the movies on my list, but I think she is worth checking out; Richard Arlen (David) was originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, he was wonderfully understated in his role, and I could easily see Steve McQueen or William Holden playing that part; Buddy Rogers (Jack) was fun to watch, and you could see him grow up from a young adult to a man (although the very obvious grey around his temples was a little much). If you like The Artist, I would totally recommend this movie; if you didn’t like The Artist, I still recommend it, but understand if you’re a little leery of a movie that’s almost two and a half hours long with only a soundtrack to move it along.

Two American Classics on Labor Day Weekend

I didn't plan it this way, but I watched two great American classics (that may seem like a little bit of hyperbole when you consider that I am trying to watch movies that have been recognized as the best of film, but after watching some of them, I would disagree). Anyway, I digress. I watched two American classics that seemed very apropos to the Labor Day holiday weekend, The Grapes of Wrath and Yankee Doodle Dandy. I didn't plan it that way, so I say, here's to serendipity. Watching The Grapes of Wrath this weekend, especially seemed to fit, and certainly made me thankful for those who labor on our behalf, whether it's migrant workers or construction workers, and everyone in between.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, 9/2/12, Best Actor, Best Music – Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Sound – Recording, 1942

Yankee Doodle Dandy was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three, including Best Actor for James Cagney. I wasn’t sure how much I would like the movie, but I really like watching James Cagney (see Public Enemy, White Heat, Angels with Dirty Faces), and I always enjoy ‘The Yankee Doodle Boy’ whenever it’s shown as a clip, so what did I have to lose (especially after Henry VIII the night before). Yankee Doodle Dandy tells the story of George M. Cohan, the writer of songs like ‘The Yankee Doodle Boy’, ‘Give My Regards to Broadway’ and ‘Over There’, amongst others. You may have hummed those songs and had no idea who wrote them. The movie shows a glimpse of what the vaudeville life may have been like; for many people today, it’s probably a totally foreign world, but think about the great TV variety shows and you may get some idea. Cagney is so fun to watch, he actually had a background of dancing, and the dance numbers alone make the movie. The movie was released in 1942, which was right in the middle of World War II, and I would imagine had an impact on the morale of the country. Check out this movie, and then White Heat to see a totally different Cagney.

The Grapes of Wrath, 9/2/12, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, 1940

I cannot believe I have not read the book. How did that happen? I’ll blame Hemingway. So, there will be no comparisons between the movie and the novel by John Steinbeck, however, I will be getting it from the library. Having made that disclaimer, I’m kind of glad I didn’t have any preconceived notions from the book and could watch it with a clean slate. I always find it interesting that when there was the option to use color and a director chooses to stay with black and white film (Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz were both released in 1939 in full-blown color). I think the use of black and white and shadows totally fit the movie, the mood, everything. Color would have been a distraction. Jane Darwell won for Best Supporting Actress as Ma Joad, and she was wonderful as the de facto head of the Joad clan (you can also see Jane Darwell as the Bird Lady in Mary Poppins). John Ford won for Best Director (one of four wins, so you will see his name again). Henry Fonda stars as Tom Joad and was nominated for Best Actor but lost out to James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (although 1940 was a great year for movies and for leading actors, with Olivier in Rebecca and Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator). The movie tells the story of the Joad family who move from Oklahoma to California looking for work in the fields. It’s a rough road and provides a little insight into the young labor movement; it’s hard to imagine that .05 an hour seems like a living wage. I kept waiting to hear Woody Guthrie in the background; that would have been super obvious and might happen if someone is crazy enough to remake this classic. It’s hard to believe that things that are portrayed in the movie actually happened, until you look at it compared to what has happened in the country in the last four years. It’s not that big of a stretch to think of families being forced to give up everything they’ve known through misfortune; families being forced to make every last bit of food stretch to last as long as possible. But throughout the movie, there is a hope that comes through Ma Joad. She even gives a nice explanation to Pa Joad as to why women can adapt better than men. I’m sorry I waited so long to see it and to read the book.

Two out of three isn't bad

Considering how many movies I expect to be watching, I am always pretty happy when I only dislike a couple. This weekend's watching had one 'stinker' out of three (I still have two movies to watch). 'Stinker' is probably relative, and maybe harsh, but that's how it goes.

Departures, 8/31/12, Best Foreign Language Film, 2008

This is a movie that kind of sneaks up on you and pulls you in to its warm embrace. Story revolves around a newly out of work cellist who moves back to his hometown, away from Tokyo. He needs a job and shows up for what he thinks is a travel agent. Not exactly. It’s an ‘encoffiner’, a type of mortician. If you’re grossed out, or think it’s creepy, it’s not. It’s a very sensitive portrayal of one of life’s milestones.  While the topic is serious, and one we avoid, the story incorporates the right kind of humor, the humor that real-life situations bring us when we’re not expecting it. The job of an ‘encoffiner’ is not looked at as a prestige career, and you get the feeling they may be shunned, until they provide their very important service to the family. Watching his wife’s attitude, in particular, change and grow into respect for what her husband does is beautiful to see; to see through her eyes how tender and gentle he is with the deceased, the care he gives. The characters are likeable and relatable, you want to know how it ends, and to me, what’s more important, I really am interested in how the story continues after it’s over. The music for the film is fabulous. I haven’t looked to see who won for best score, but this should have been nominated in that category, and maybe a few others, as well. I tend to look for things not to like, because that’s what I do. I couldn’t find anything. There is no profanity, no nudity, no violence. This may be on the ‘watch again’ list. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

Slumdog Millionaire, 9/1/12, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Editing, Best Sound Mixing ,2008

Ok, I may be the last person on the planet to have seen this movie. I thought I’d wait until all the brouhaha settled. The movie was nominated for 10 awards and won 8; so the best thing is, I knock out 8 awards with one film J. The story is told with flashbacks, which I think can be overused and ruin a movie, but they work here; they help tell the story of how Jamal knows the answers when he has had no formal education. The younger actors were wonderful to watch; I can’t imagine how hard some of those scenes were to do. Danny Boyle directed Millions which has a similar feel, a kid with a dream who comes out on top at the end. He has a great way with child actors. He also directed Trainspotting, which I didn’t get at all. Anyway, it was a great movie, and if you haven’t seen it, you really should, if only for the Bollywood tribute at the ending credits.

The Private Lives of Henry VIII, 9/1/12, Best Actor, 1932/1933

Well, Charles Laughton was great….that’s it, that’s all I’ve got. I’m not sure how you tell the story of Henry VIII and only give Anne Boleyn about 10 minutes on screen, but Katherine Howard gets over 30 minutes. How does that happen? Katherine Howard? Really? Anne of Cleves, played by Elsa Lanchester, was refreshing and it always amuses me, his least favorite wife, but dear friend, always seems to make the most appearances in stories about Henry VIII. Maybe it’s because he didn’t kill her. Catherine Parr seems such a shrew at the end, and I’m not sure that’s accurate (but this movie isn’t exactly historically accurate). I don’t know why I disliked the movie so much, but I did. I think you can live without seeing it. Watch Laughton in The Hunchback of Notre Dame instead.

Two very different movies

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 8/25/12, Visual Effects 2006

I’m a believer that if a movie is going to be longer than 2 hours, it should be the next Spartacus or Exodus or My Fair Lady….this is not the case. It has been a long time since I watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and even then, I’m not sure I really paid attention, so I didn’t remember a lot of things that carried over into Dead Man’s Chest. But, the movie won for Visual Effects, and those were really well done. Bill Nighy as Davy Jones was super, and the crew of the Flying Dutchman was computer-generated and they were fun to watch. I enjoyed the pirate who had the head of a hermit crab, which was occasionally dislodged from his body, and had a mind of its own. I think the first 40 minutes could have been cut out, and it would not have hurt a thing, because once the action started, I enjoyed the movie. But still – at 2 ½ hours, it was way too long.

Taxi to the Dark Side, 8/26/12, Best Documentary Feature 2007

There are documentaries that reinforce your belief in human nature, there are documentaries that make you laugh, and there are documentaries that make you angry. For me, Taxi to the Dark Side is the latter. Dilawar was an Afghan taxi driver who was taken into custody to Bagram prison and died from the beatings he suffered while in captivity. Alex Gibney interviews the men responsible for interrogating Dilawar and takes a broader look at US policies around using torture to get information. Many people are interviewed, including attorneys for the Army and Navy, journalists, politicians, and other footage of Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney and President Bush. It was infuriating watching interviews advocating the torture of men who had not been convicted of anything, who may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time, and then to hear that the men on the ground, carrying out the orders were given very little guidance, but received the brunt of the punishment and seem to carry the most guilt. The men at the top, Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush appear to feel no guilt and constructed some kind of policy, rule of law that prevents them from ever being charged with war crimes. This is a documentary well-worth viewing, because to ignore it is unconscionable. Alex Gibney also directed The Smartest Men in the Room about the Enron debacle, also worth watching. 

How do they pick the winners anyway?

Bonnie and Clyde 8/12/12, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography 1967

In its day, the movie was released in 1967, it was known for using the special effect to make gunshots bloody (if you watch old gangster movies, there was a lot of shooting, but not a lot of blood). This was pretty bloody, I actually thought it was directed by Sam Peckinpaugh; it wasn’t, Arthur Penn directed (I just found out he directed one of my favorite movies, Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman). I’m not a big fan of Warren Beatty, I just never believe him. I really didn’t believe him here. The movie had a certain cartoonish tinge to it in some the scenes, particularly the one with Gene Wilder. That was actually pretty funny. Estelle Parsons won for Best Supporting Actress and I have no idea why. I don’t think she added anything to the movie in terms of her performance, there was no subtlety, no nuance, just a lot of screaming. Beah Richards was nominated for her performance in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and I think she should have won for that; I have not seen the other movies for which the other actresses were nominated.  I can cross it off my list and move on.

The Danish Poet 8/16/12, Best Animated Short 2006

Disclaimer: Liv Ullman could narrate the Oslo phone book and I would listen. She narrated this short and I watched. I may have been too enthralled with listening to her narration and inflections, but I think I missed why this won the award, although, I was only able to watch one of the other nominees(Maestro), and I didn’t think that was Oscar-worthy either, cool animation, but I didn’t care. The Danish Poet is a story of beginnings, serendipity and making the best of a situation. It’s very charming, and shows an interesting perspective of how the different Scandinavian countries view their cultural history.

West Bank Story 8/17/12, Best Live Action Short Film 2006

A Middle Eastern take on the current Arab-Israeli conflict with a humorous touch. Interestingly, the film was made in California. Even though it was a ‘short’ film, there were moments where I thought it went on too long. I kind of liked the premise; comedy and humor have a way of telling a story and delivering a message that can be very effective, and perhaps that’s why it won. I’m not really sure of the criteria for winning, and since there are no other categories (like best actor, best writing, etc.), it seems to be a winner takes all. I was able to watch some of the other nominees, and personally, I think Binta and the Great Idea or The Savior would have been a better selection. Binta and the Great Idea is set in Senegal, and has multiple story lines, and the main story line (the Great Idea) is not revealed until the very last scene. The Savior is a religious satire, and while it pokes fun at Mormons, it also has a little fun at the expense of atheists. The short films were available as a collection on one DVD (some of the animated nominees were missing, but there were several extra shorts included).

Anastasia 8/18/12, Best Actress 1956

I read a book on the Anastasia mystery before watching the film, so I had some idea of the historical context, realizing that the film took many liberties with facts (even as they were known at that time). It was a beautifully filmed movie, with wonderful costumes and music (the score was nominated for an Oscar). I was ready to say that film was overacted, but that seems to be typical of films from that time. The movie has an incredible leading cast: Yul Brynner, Ingrid Bergman, and a favorite of mine, Helen Hayes. Ingrid Bergman won for Best Actress; I have not yet seen the other nominated actresses, but I don’t have too many qualms about the win. She certainly embodied the role and the internal conflict that the real Anna Anderson (Koreff in the film) experienced. Helen Hayes is absolutely fabulous as the Dowager Empress, Maria Federovna. She is understated, not overplaying the Russian/Danish accent and letting the action happen around her. I have not seen the other nominated roles for Best Supporting Actress, but Helen Hayes wasn’t even nominated, and that is a total shock. Her role was pivotal to the story (film and real life), and Helen Hayes’ portrayal was wonderful to watch. I don’t know if she is as appreciated today as she should be; perhaps more amongst fans of the theater more than film, but she was a treasure. For kicks, I recommend Candleshoe, a movie from the late 1970s. It is no Oscar winner, but it has a lineup that should make any movie fan salivate: Helen Hayes, David Nive, Jody Foster and Leo McKern (I repeat: this is no Anna Karenina, but it is a fun family film).