Maridinho de Luxo (1938)

A woman decides to place an ad looking for a husband, offering a salary for the chosen one. It is meant to be a marriage in appearance only.

The premise does not make much sense (especially in what regards the woman's motivations), the film is unfunny, all the women are ugly. But it is a very curious thing to see how people talked and looked in the thirties in Brazil, and some street scenes, etc.

Rating: 20

Flesh and Fantasy (1943)

Second viewing (first one January 16, 1989).

The second story is Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, by Oscar Wilde (first publication 1887).

Three stories. (1) On Mardi Gras, an ugly woman wears a mask and decides to talk to the man she loves; (2) A fortune teller on a party reveals to a man that he is about to commit murder; (3) A circus performer who does the high wire act has a dream in which he falls and in it he sees a woman screaming in the audience.

The first story is horrendous. The middle one is excellent. The last one is passable.

Stories 2 and, to a lesser extent, 3 are structurally similar to Oedipus Rex, dealing with the question of predetermination and fate.

Rating: 57 (unchanged)

Stanley and Livingstone (1939)

Second viewing (first one: November 4th, 1990).

In the 19th century, a newspaperman goes to Africa in search of a missionary who has gone missing.

I found everything odious in this film, but I have a clear distinction in my mind between an odious film and a bad one, and this is not a bad one. Putting aside minor improprieties like a totally artificial and out-of-place love story, we get to the main issue: Stanley and Livingstone is entirely an ideological fiction, and on occasion it is a factual lie also (e.g. the real character of Stanley was far more controversial than what the film shows). The importance which is attributed to finding this person called Livingstone is something impossible to be understood, except in the light of the inversion of values which has been one of the main characteristics of the capitalist press ever since its origins. There is a particular scene which shows ideology at work in a very neat way: an African native is caught stealing a small object from Stanley's bag, and is punched in the face for it. Stanley is then scolded by Livingstone for his violence, and then lectured about the efficacy of softer methods. The opposition between Stanley and Livingstone poses a certain conflict which excludes tacitly the reality of the situation, namely, that in the native's culture there is not the concept of stealing, simply because there is no private property as the Europeans know it. The real violence is the imposition of the European culture. Why then I consider it a good film (within its artistic limits, of course)? Because it is a coherent lie, and as such it somehow gives a smart viewer a glimpse of the truth it conceals. It is not a great film, obviously.

Rating: 57 (down from 63)

Duel (1971) (TV movie)

Second viewing (first one: between 1983 and 1986).

A man in a car heading for a business appointment is chased by a tanker truck (IMDb calls it a "tractor-trailer", I did not know the word).

Well-made one-idea movie, thrilling and repetitive in roughly the same proportions. The allegorical component is pretty obvious, he is a henpecked husband, incapable of asserting himself, and a coward when his wife was harassed by another man, now all his domestic troubles are, so to speak, amplified into monstrous dimensions. The problem with allegory is that they seldom hold intact when probed for consistency, in this case he wins by a blend of cunning and luck, I do not think this would work with his other problems.

Rating: 53 (unchanged)

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Second viewing (first one: between 1983 and 1986).

British agent Bond is sent to South Africa to investigate a series of diamond thefts. After a tour which includes Amsterdam and Las Vegas, he discovers a plot that threatens the balance of power in the world.

The action sequences, the sense of humor, and the imaginative plot provide sufficient entertainment.

Rating: 51 (up from 39)

Whisky Galore! (1949)

On an island of the Hebrides, during wartime, the shortage of whisky makes everyone sad. A shipwreck off its coast is providential, and you may guess what its load is.

Comedy depicting the life in a small community of islanders. Not the funniest film I ever watched, funny enough though.

Rating: 57

The Train (1964)

In 1944, one German general orders all the paintings in a Paris museum transported to Germany. The Resistance tries to stop the train without harming the works of art inside it.

No question of it being an attractive story, and well-filmed. The philosophical discussions it brings forward are interesting too. The Frenchmen who are in charge of  the action are not art lovers, but this is neither here nor there, it is a consequence of the characteristics of the Occupation. There is also the question of whether it is worth it to sacrifice people in order to save objects of art. But perhaps the most relevant question of all is: is a cruel murderer entitled to claim any status as a true art connoisseur? That art he admires, doesn't it stem from, and somehow stand for values which are opposite to his conduct and the regime he works for? Sometimes, Art is admired without being understood; it is an empty admiration.
I must confess to not having fully understood a certain plot detail of this film in which Labiche sneaks out of his hotel room in order to, as it appears, make a phone call. I thought he was calling the 'Maurice' guy to give him some information about the train, but later in the film we see that they still need to call this guy. Perhaps he was called, and had to be called again, to be fed more information?

Rating: 59

Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

Second viewing (first one: between 1984 and 1986).

An artists' agent tries to revive a singer's career, and gets in trouble while trying to bring the singer's mistress to attend a performance.

It is a little lacking in the plot, and mostly relying, for its humor, on the one-liners and stereotypes. It is funny, but not especially brilliant.

Rating: 60 (down from 71)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)

Second viewing (first one: between 1983 and 1986).

Based on the novel by James M. Cain, first published in 1934.

A drifter employs himself as a gas station mechanic, and starts an affair with the owner's wife.

Dry, amoral and very graphic rendition of the novel. Although I do not think it is an entirely successful film, my earlier bad opinion of it is unreasonable. At that time I was too easily bored.

Rating: 58 (up from 30)

The Fly (1958)

Second, or maybe third, viewing (latest previous one: May 1st, 1987)

A scientist experiments with teleportation, and suffers a horrible accident when he teleports himself.

Surrealism, the Hollywood type. Never mind the pseudo-science or the physical impossibilities, this film is not about the physical, logical world but about the average, nonscientific person's fears regarding science. It is thrilling and shocking, in a way that is no longer done (and perhaps no longer possible) in the cinema.
It can also be watched for allegory. There is always a fly in the process of accomplishment of a dream or plan, isn't there?

Rating: 58 (up from 55)

The Spoilers (1942)

In 19th-century Alaska, there is a gold fever, and it brings with it violence and chaos. A new judge is appointed and the miners count on him to stop claim jumping and all sorts of dishonesty. In this context, a love story goes on between a cabaret croupier and a miner; his affections are coveted also by the judge's daughter. On the other hand, the croupier is coveted by the gold commissioner.

The plot is fairly conventional, but the screenplay is well written, and the film is superbly directed. There is a larger than usual number of minor characters whose contributon to the story is well handled.

Rating: 58

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Second viewing (first one: May 24, 1987) .

A retired thief and former Resistance member is wrongly accused of being the author of an on-going series of jewel burglaries in the French Riviera. He uses his skills to find the real culprit.


A finer pastime than I thought on my first viewing, but it strikes me as an empty one. It is probably my fault, I must be blinded by some prejudice or other. Who knows a third viewing will disclose something more (but I will not live forever, or so they tell me, which makes third viewings an improbable event).

A horrible casting absurdity I tried to ascribe to humor, but simply could not: the "adolescent" woman is played by an actress older than the "adult" one; not as ghastly, but also did not help verisimilitude: the main actor and romantic object is a man of fifty.

A person hanging from a roof edge would be back three years later in the director's oeuvre.

Rating: 51 (up from 42)

Baisers volés (1968)

English title: Stolen Kisses.

Antoine is discharged of the army and looks his old girlfriend up. He goes through a succession of jobs: doorman, detective, driver. He and his girlfriend do not seem to be getting along very well either.

Unpretentious comedy, with an offbeat style. The theme is the passage to adulthood. It is mostly an agreeable film.

Rating: 51

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Second viewing (first one: somewhere between 1983 and 1986).

Based on a short story ("Traitor Hands", 1925) and later play by Agatha Christie.

** The text below may give away, directly or indirectly, some plot points. **


A man with no income befriends a richer, older widow. He is married to a German expatriate. An aging lawyer recovering from a heart attack takes the case.

This is an entertaining criminal story, with a good balance of comedy and drama. The ending, which I will not disclose here, is ingenious and shows good insight into human psychology as applied to trials. Some details do not resist a fine analysis (e.g., leaving a husband is not such a hard thing as it would require for a wife to incriminate him), but I think they do not compromise the film.

Rating: 61 (unchanged)

Design for Living (1933)

A woman meets two guys on a train who are long-time friends, and both become interested in her. She reciprocates.

Albeit morally superior, especially in the ending, which I suspect would not be possible under the Hays code, it is overall an artistically mediocre film, and not very easy to watch. Of the performances, March's is the only truly remarkable one.

Rating: 38

My Friend Irma (1949)

Irma, clumsy, absent-minded and not very bright, is engaged to unemployed Al, who is always after some get-rich-quick scheme. Her roommate Jane wants to marry a rich guy and sees an opportunity when there is a vacancy for secretary to a millionaire. Al meets Steve and is impressed with his voice.

Vapid romantic comedy with some songs along the way. Comic relief is provided by the title character, also by the legendary Jerry, who in pictures was (with his fellow Martin) startin'.

Rating: 34

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947)

Second viewing (first one: August 30, 1994).

When the head of a family dies leaving them in financial straits, they ask for the help of a rich relative. However, he is an egotistical scoundrel who aims to take advantage of their bad situation. Nicholas, the young son, is sent to work at a school for boys, but soon he finds out that education is the least of its owner's concerns. He runs away with one of the interns, who was badly mistreated in there. Meanwhile, Nicholas' mother and sister are supposedly taken care of by their rich relative.

I had to moderate my admiration for this film, in view of certain problems with the plot. It starts out well engough, and has some well-defined characters. The depiction of exploitations of several kinds is quite powerful and shocking. On the other hand, said plot relies for its progression on angelical benefactors who appear suddenly out of nowhere and are romantically inclined to boot. Also, a certain action by the main villain unacceptably contradicts some basic tenets of human psychology regarding fatherhood; also, his motivation for it is all but incomprehensible. All that being said, the film is superbly directed and acted, and it may be said that it captures very much the essence of Dickens; too bad that this essence is a little problematic.

Rating: 66 (down from 82)

Grands soirs & petits matins (1968)

I was not sure which year to assign it; the Internet Movie Database says 1978, without explanation, and lists 1993 as the first known date of release (in Germany); a French DVD site reports the date as 1971, but it doesn't say if it is a date of release, or the year the film was completed. I chose to put the year it was filmed.

English release title: Maydays.
French title's translation: Big Evenings & Small Mornings.

The version viewed was less than 2 hours long (IMDb says there is a 240 minute version).

Documentary about the manifestations in Paris, in May 1968, in which students and workers, and also some intellectuals, took part.

I am not commenting much on the political side to it, which is more or less evident per the account of the film itself. As a document, it is extraordinary, of course, although it is not very didactic -- the only explanations are the brief intertitles which precede each sequence. And it is not only instructive, but also entertaining -- the snippets of discussions will interest the politically educated (and educate the politically interested), and some more prosaic aspects, like the mother who telephones to know about her missing son, are amusing too.

Merci pour le chocolat (2000)

Loosely based on the novel The Chocolate Cobweb, by Charlotte Armstrong (1st ed. 1948).

English titles: Nightcap; Thanks for the Chocolate.

A young pianist introduces herself to a renowned pianist who might be her biological father. She notices some strange behavior by the man's wife, and as she becomes closer to his family (which includes a son from a previous marriage) learns of some past incidents in which the wife might be involved in a malicious way.

The plot is completely absurd, but this only becomes clear to the viewer after it is over. It is not impossible that the endless inconsistencies are the result of oversight on the part of the screenwriters, but their sheer abundance, plus some stylistic characteristics, lead me to believe that to be highly unlikely. I would bet on a prank of sorts, maybe an unusual and weird attempt at sending up the whole mystery genre. The result is curious at its best, but mostly sophomoric and inarticulate.

Rating: 11

So Evil My Love (1948)

A widow is returning to England from Jamaica; she tends a sick man aboard the ship. She becomes her lover, unaware that he is a wanted criminal. She goes to work as companion to a rich woman.

According to established terminology, this belongs to the "gaslight noir" subgenre. It is a very well-made film, but I could not bring myself to enjoying it much. Maybe it is too conventional, or the plot fails to stir a deeper interest, or maybe both. It is inspired by the Charles Bravo case.

Rating: 44

Into the Storm (2009) (TV)

The actions and life of Churchill during World War II, and in the aftermath.

A sequel to The Gathering Storm, with different actors but the same writer. I guess the same comments I made to that movie apply here more or less, except the color is fainter in this one, maybe to give an idea of a grimmer time.

Rating: 51

Notorious (1946)

Second viewing (First one: January 27, 1989).

In the aftermath of World War II, Nazis are still trying to revive the old party. The daughter of a Nazi agent in America is proposed a job of investigating a gang of Nazis in Brazil. She falls in love with her American contact.

Although it is technically awesome, and the actors do their job to perfection, I still could not join the general wave of adoration that this film inspires. The central situation is interesting: a woman is faced with a dangerous job; matters of her reputation weigh in on her decision; her personal feelings for a man may factor in too. It is all quite artificially concocted; the actual experience of the film was not all that exciting for me.

Rating: 55 (up from 50)

The Gathering Storm (2002) (TV)

The film dramatizes Churchill's life in the 30's, before World War II. He tries to regain power by alerting England against Germany's increasingly bellic attitude.

A historical telefilm, which means it stood little chance of interesting me beyond a certain extent. But it is a watchable film, very good-looking and with a competent cast. Politicians are the opposite of heroes in my scale of values, but a tasteful and careful production like this one turns their relative insignificance into something amusing.

Rating: 55

King of the Khyber Rifles (1953)

In 19th-century India, a rebel leads the population to an uprising. The British forces prepare to defend its rule. One of its commanders is a man of mixed ethnicity, who suffers discrimination, and with whom his superior's daughter falls in love.

Routine adventure, with very little excitement to it, and with a reactionary slant to it. It was filmed in California, but some background exteriors are of India. The main actor seems to have had his face smudged with a darkening product. I am out of interesting things to say about this film.

Rating: 34

Young at Heart (1954)

Second viewing (first one between 1983 and 1986, probably).

The film explores the romantic entanglements of three sisters, always having marriage as the explicit goal. One of the sisters receives more attention of the plot than the other two. The husband candidates comprise an upbeat composer, a downbeat arranger-singer, a former plumber who has his own business, and another chap whose profession I do not recollect having been mentioned.

Romantic drama. The theme concerns young women faced with decisions about their lives, but those amount here to who's going to marry whom, and very little else. A side theme explores the issue of optimistic versus pessimistic approaches to life. This is done in a stereotypical and slightly ludicrous way. Cigarettes have an important dramatic role. There are nice songs thrown in, which are sung by two of the main characters, and which relate thematically to the plot. It is a moderately agreeable film, albeit laden with fifties' ideology which clouds social issues, including those of gender roles.

Rating: 52 (up from 44)

Les amants (1958)

Second viewing (first one: June 16, 1996).

English title: The Lovers.

The wife of a rich newspaper owner living in Dijon thinks she is not getting enough attention from her husband. She goes to Paris periodically to see her lover, a polo player. A series of events will affect her in unpredicted ways.

A bourgeois fantasy and, as such, inevitably simplistic. Owning a rightwing newspaper, playing polo, doing archeological research, what is the difference between them? One might say that the first acts to keep the state of things, the second benefits from it, the third washes his hands. The fourth player is a woman, which means she does not play at all, except as a lover, how's that for feminism? (At the time, even that was considered an advancement.) The major excuse for the film's existence is its aesthetics. It is all very well filmed, and the night outdoors sequence is dazzling. The dialogue, on the other hand, by the author of Madame de..., is ludicrously artificial.

Rating: 65 (down from 81)

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Possibly a second viewing (first one may have been in the 70s or even in the late 60s).

A female cocker spaniel who lives at a middle-class house meets a street mutt and they fall in love with each other.

The fifties were a prosperous time, and the flipside of that was fifties' conservative ideology, which had cinema (not all of it, to be sure) and TV (practically all of it) as conscientious inculcators. Cartoons were certainly no exception, and this comes from a major company. It is artistically done, and, whilst scots are amiably made fun of in the guise of a schnauzer, a message is put through that freedom should be given up in favor of domestic life. Weddings and babies, that's the name of the game (that's the name of a movie too, a fifties movie, which I haven't seen).

Rating: 58

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938)

Second viewing (first one: February 18, 1989).

Based on a play by Alfred Savoir, first staged in 1921.

An American multimillionaire with several marriages in his past is vacationing in Nice and meets a French woman not exactly well-off. She marries him with a pre-nuptial contract, ostensibly for money only.

This comedy would be perfect for illustrating church meetings promoting the education of young Christians. It is filled with conservative and well-behaving malice. And it is mildly amusing too.

Rating: 52 (down from 57)