Betty (1992)

Second viewing; first viewed on March 21, 1998.

Based on the novel by Georges Simenon (1st ed., 1961).

A young woman with sexual and alcoholic compulsions is taken under the wing of an older woman who first encounters her in a bar. A series of flashbacks to the former's life sheds some light into the roots of her situation and behavior.

Interesting psychoanalytic drama, which at a couple of moments may ellicit a reaction of hilarity in response to the situations it engenders. It is a masterfully executed film, given more spark by two splendid leading performances. The text itself has insightful psychological and sociological elements which perhaps should have cohered into a more substantial plot.

Rating: 68 (unchanged)

Recordações da Casa Amarela (1989)

U.S. title: Recollections of the Yellow House

A tenant at a boarding house is obsessed with the owner's daughter. He leads a colorless life, without money and with health problems. He gets involved with a prostitute. He eventually loses his sanity.

An examination of poverty and everything that accompanies it. The main character at one point defines himself as "a leftist intellectual". It is a pointed joke, for, if he really were that, he would probably be leading a much more comfortable life than he is. Like its protagonist, the film is a very poor production, but, unlike him, transcends that lack of means with artistic imagination. There are some interesting reviews of this film, here and, for those who read Portuguese, here and here.

Rating: 65

Remorques (1941)

U.S. title: Stormy Waters.

Drama about the life of tugboat workers. The protagonist is a boat's captain. He is torn between his wife and a woman he meets while on a rescue job.

Drama about moral choices regarding love versus marriage. Lots of maritime action scenes add to the entertainment value. The tribulations of working seafolks are honestly depicted. Not an outstanding film, but the imagery is occasionally stunning. The special effects are good by the standards of that time, but the conspicuously gigantic water drops in the storm scenes may put modern audiences off.

Rating: 51

Pièges (1939)

English titles: Personal Column; Snares

A series of disappearances of young women who have answered personal ads is being investigated. A friend of one of the victims decides to help the police by anwering the ads herself.

Almost like three consecutive films in one, this is a mildly interesting mystery story about a type of character which would become immensely popular a few decades later: the serial killer. Some plot details, including the ending, are very unsatisfactory, but it's a watchable film. I have noticed that, no matter the genre, whenever Chevalier is in a movie, he has to sing. Bizarre...

Rating: 51

L'année des méduses (1984)

Second viewing; first viewed on March 30, 2016

Former blog post:

[quote]
English title: Year of the Jellyfish

At a beach in the South of France, mother and 18-year-old daughter are spending some time. The mother gets involved with a younger man. The daughter has a wild sexual behavior and some psychological issues.

A lot of gorgeous women flaunting their breasts most of the time, and occasionally all her bodies. Total amorality. The young govern the old. It is well directed and flows nicely, despite the thinness and reticency of the plot. I knew there was a flashback somewhere because the daughter is sixteen in some scenes and eighteen in others, but I couldn't discern the exact point when real time transitions to flashback and vice-versa. Reportedly there is a novel that could shed light on some of those doubts.

Rating: 51
[end quote]

Now I understand the film better. It's not as reticent as I supposed. Young Chris's fixation on Romain, which goes way back -- before his involvement with her mother -- is an important plot point which I probably overlooked on my first viewing. For finer psychological points, there is always the novel, which I still haven't read.

Rating: 52 (up from 51)

Outpost in Morocco (1949)

A Foreign Legion captain falls in love with a Moroccan emir's daughter; her father leads a revolt against the French.

Colonialist adventure, with a negligible plot, and nice, if somewhat darkened, visuals, both outdoors and indoors. It was shot on location and in America; Moroccan scenes with the main cast are superimposed upon a background image.

Rating: 37

Klondike Annie (1936)

A Chinese restaurant owner's mistress who is being kept as a prisoner flees, and boards a merchant ship bound to Alaska. The ship's captain falls in love with her. A missionary woman comes aboard and befriends her.

Although horribly cut by censors, this is an interesting film on the benefits and dangers of being a sexual object. The film is also prophetic regarding showbusiness Christianity. Today's audiences may find chubby West an unsuitable choice for the title role, but she wrote it, and so was entitled to it. Somehow. TV Guide has a good review.

Rating: 51