Un linceul n'a pas de poches (1974)

 International English title: No Pockets in a Shroud

Based on the novel by Horace McCoy, first published in 1937.

A newspaper reporter gets fed up with having his stories censored by his boss, and decides to start his own publication, a magazine. He specializes in denouncing the evil deeds of the powerful: bribery in sports, the illegal (and fatal) abortionist practices of a conservative deputy, and the liaison between the mayor and a teenage boy, which entailed the murder of the latter's father. This last case involves several powerful people, who set out to stop the journalist by any means necessary.

Drama with a very serious subject matter. I suspect that it must feel a little dated in France, where corruption doesn't seem to pay anymore, and conservatism has lost its hegemony, but of course I could be wrong. Anyway, it's not a great movie, but it has some great sequences. The plotline is very complex, and the film is a bit long, with some parts dragging somewhat.

Rating: 50

Making a Living (1914)

Second viewing; previously viewed on January 6. 2006.

This is about a reporter and a man who keeps getting in his way and thus becomes a source of great annoyance and trouble to him. The reporter witnesses by happenstance a car accident and rushes to cover it. The jobless man, as expected, shows up at the scene of the accident.

Passable silent short comedy. The most interesting aspect of it is probably the way it portrays who is unsympathetic to people in a situation of need (the reporter gives money to the begging man with reluctance and mutters 'bum' after his initial encounter with him). Instead of being rewarded for his moderate generosity, he is punished with continuous setbacks. The film's implicit message seems to be that people without real compassion are always doomed. Or something like that.

Rating: 50 (unchanged)

Against the Wind (1948)

A team of saboteurs engaged in the Resistance during World War II must rescue one of their top men who has been captured by the Germans after an operation in occupied Belgium.

I've read that this is one of the first films about the WWII Underground. As such, many of its story elements will feel like déjà vu to modern audiences. Even so, it stands out for its excellent craftsmanship, and two or three sequences are really thrilling. There are some errors in the Wikipedia page for this movie.

(...) Michèle the Belgian émigrée (Signoret), whose sweetheart has died after the occupation of Belgium (...)

Michèle's sweetheart has not died; he has turned quisling.

On completion of their training Fr Elliott and Julie are parachuted into Belgium, briefed to destroy a Nazi records office in Brussels and to spring prominent SOE agent Andrew from custody (...)

The records office was destroyed by agent Andrew, who subsequently is captured by the Germans.

Rating: 51

Toda Donzela Tem um Pai que É uma Fera (1966)

 Joãozinho is living with his girlfriend in his apartment without the latter's father's knowledge. When her father finds out about it, he becomes enraged and tries to enter the building where Joãozinho lives. Joãozinho hears the ruckus and manages to hide his girlfriend with a friend who lives in the same building. A series of mix-ups ensue.

Comedy which artificially stretches the initial situation into the duration of a feature film. Although the plot development is in itself tedious and more than a little implausible, the film is done with such verve that it somehow succeeds, albeit only barely, at holding the viewer's attention. Other than that, the cinematography is fine, and the film has some interest as a record of a contradictory period in Brazilian history.

Rating: 34

Un drôle de paroissien (1963)

English titles: Heaven Sent (UK); Light-fingered George (US); Thank Heaven for Small Favors (unknown)

 A penniless aristocrat turns into robbing churches' alms boxes for a living.

Comedy which has no other apparent ambition except lightly entertaining its audience. All the same, one could draw some psychological truths (or truisms) from it, such as that one's morality is conditioned by one's familial environment. This is the theme of lots of Mafia movies. Here, however, the crimes are of a less shocking nature and no one gets hurt.

Rating: 51

Solo (1970)

Upon his return to France, a diamond smuggler looks his brother up and discovers he is a terrorist in hiding. He tries to locate his brother and in the process ends up becoming a suspected terrorist also.

Routine thriller with much dialogue and the most repetitive musical score you will ever hear. It has some entertainment value, but not much.

Rating: 44

Pygmalion (1938)

Based on the play by George Bernard Shaw which premiered in Vienna (in German) in 1913 and in London (in English) in 1914.

A phoneticist makes a bet that he can teach a flower seller to talk like a person from the nobility.

This follows the strange pattern of so many films of that era, starting out as though it were approaching an important or interesting social theme and later simply shifting into a purely romantic conflict. The way the character Eliza moves and speaks after her transformation resembles that of an automaton, which draws a weird parallel with Hoffmann's short story The Sandman. Despite lacking any kind of depth, this film is entertaining on a scene-by-scene basis.

Rating: 51

Topper Returns (1941)

 A young woman returns to America to meet her father of whom she has no recollection. On the first night she spends at her father's mansion, the friend she had brought along with her, and with whom she had exchanged rooms, is murdered and her ghost summons the help of a middle-aged man who lives nearby to find the murderer.

Entertaining comedy which makes fun of mystery movies. This is the second sequel to Topper, and is perhaps the finest film of the three. There's plenty of action, the comicity, while somewhat predictable, is quite effective, and the special effects are well done. 

Rating: 51

Una muchachita de Valladolid (1958)

 English title: Girl from Valladolid

The plot centers around a couple and the matrimonial conflicts brought about by the husband's activities as an ambassador, which involve courting other women as a way of influencing their husbands.

Sex comedy which is not badly made, but is pretty conventional and tame by today's standards. I suppose the film's main merit is that it managed to adapt a theatrical play in a reasonably non-verbose manner. I didn't have the curiosity to read the play, but, for anyone who does, here's the link:

Una muchachita de Valladolid | Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes (cervantesvirtual.com)

Rating: 38

Topper Takes a Trip (1938)

 Topper's wife is divorcing him and he must follow her to France in order to avoid it. Marion, the ghost who caused all his marital troubles in Topper, comes along with the intention of helping him, but as previously she causes a lot of trouble as well.

Sequel which is more than a tad repetitive. How many times in a row can one find people marveling at a man interacting with an invisible ghost funny? There is some humor in Cosmo's wife's daft utterances, but mostly the film feels creaky.

Rating: 35

Étoile sans lumière (1946)

 English title: Star Without Light

A silent film actress fears for her professional prospects with the advent of sound. When her lover hears the cleaning woman in their hotel sing, he has an idea that could save the actress's career.

This drama has a serious script problem in that the main character behaves in an absurd manner in the end. Aside from that, the film is curious because its plot's premise is the same as that of Singin' in the Rain. Also, there is an extravagent musical number featuring pirates which might be worth seeing. As for the rest of the movie, well, it's not unwatchable, but it's obvious that the whole enterprise is just meant as an exploitation of the fame and singing abilities of its star.

Rating: 36

La grande passion (1928)

English title: The Great Passion

A millionairess falls in love with a rugby player. Another player falls in love with her. While the first player is having an affair with the millionairess, he meets a younger woman.

Silent movie about the romantic troubles of sportsmen. It has some nice moments, amongst which a sequence at the Lido featuring an indoor pond with people swimming and diving. The skiing and luging sequences are well done and provide the climax of the film. The plot is not very interesting, and the ending is rather abrupt. Some rugby sequences are poorly done with the players feigning running in front of a back projection of a crowd.

Rating: 40

L'invitée (1969)

 U.S. title: The Uninvited

Anne leaves her husband after he returns from a trip bringing a strange woman with him and confesses they have become involved with one another. Anne decides to sleep at her workplace (she is a draughtsman at an architecture office). The chief architect appears there and, as he is leaving on a business trip, she decides to come along with him.

This drama has a curious plot which is predictable but no less amusing because of that. It's a slow and well directed film with fine performances. Another curiosity is that the U.S. title is the exact opposite of the original one; one could argue that both make sense, but the original one is preferrable.

Rating: 60

The Morning After (1986)

 Second viewing; first viewed on January 9, 1988.

A former actress wakes up in a strange place with a dead body next to her. The body -- which has a knife stuck in his chest -- belongs to a photographer with a past in pornography. While on the run from the scene of the crime she meets an ex-cop who tries to help her; she also has to deal with her husband -- from whom she is separated -- filing for divorce to marry a rich woman.

This film's script makes a pathetic attempt at social commentary on California issues through a very contrived plot,  but the film itself is not as atrocious as it appeared to me upon my first viewing. It has a nice pace and the love story conveys some interesting dramatic moments at some points.

Rating: 40 (up from 24)

El buen amor (1963)

 English title: The Good Love

A young couple who's been dating for a year decide to secretly travel to another town to have a day away from everyone they know. The trip entails a series of quarrels between them, and also provides an opportunity for them to know each other (and themselves) better, and to plan for their future together.

This is a satisfactory drama about youth. It is quite realistic and the writer/director also displays a good mastery of mise-en-scène. The location shooting in Toledo makes for great visuals in black-and-white.

Rating: 62

Our Town (1940)

It centers on two families living next door in a small town, one headed by an editor and the other by a physician. Their two respective elder children fall in love and marry each other.

I guess I'm the only one in the world who didn't like this, and found its text just a collection of pseudo-philosophical platitudes, and its narrative a collection of conformist banalities. Well, anyway, I must admit that as a cinematic production, it is very well done in all its aspects of image and sound, and so I can't say it's a completely bad movie.

Rating: 42

No Mundo da Lua (1958)

Zé da Foice travels from his native State in Northeastern Brazil to Rio de Janeiro to meet the widow with whom he had been exchanging love letters. He is accompanied by Mário, a younger man. Upon arrival, the pair is noticed by Nancy, a criminal in a gang. Said gang is planning to rob a rich industrialist who happens to be Zé da Foice's exact lookalike.

Comedy with a formulaic plot and few mildly funny moments. Some musical numbers are inserted, as usual in this kind of production, the most curious of which is a rendering of The Banana Boat Song by one George Green.

Rating: 19

Incomplete Cast:
Walter d'Ávila as Zé da Foice and Matias the industrialist
Violeta Ferraz as Dora (the widow)
Consuelo Leandro as Carolina (woman who claims to be Zé da Foice's wife)
Nancy Wanderley as Nancy (Northeast-born gang member)
Tiririca (Ubyrajara Vianna) as Matias's chauffeur
Hélio Colonna as Gang Leader's Son
Reginaldo Faria as Mário (Zé da Foice's young friend)
Aracy Rosas as Magali (the widow's niece)
Mozael Silveira as Thirty-Three (escaped lunatic)
Zélia Hoffman as Márcia (woman who seduces Matias)
Saluquia Rentini as Matias's wife
Frederico Schlee as Gang Leader
Leila Miranda as Matias's secretary
Renée Brown as Nurse in Psychiatric Hospital
Francisco Martorelli as Doctor in Psychiatric Hospital

The Troublemaker (1964)

 A country man moves to New York to open a café, and has to deal with the pervading corruption which plagues the city. He is helped by a cynical lawyer friend and starts a relationship with a free-spirited visual artist.

A comic view of several aspects of New York City life in the mid-1960s, which prefigures in a way some films which tackled in a more serious manner the problem of urban corruption, such as Serpico. Although made with some verve, its sense of humor is really far from sophisticated, and gets, at its worst, annoying.

(Admittedly, I couldn't understand some of the dialogue.)

Rating: 35

Proezas de Satanás na Vila de Leva-e-Traz (1967)

 A poor village is shaken when oil is found in its vicinity. An artificial town is built around the exploration site, and all young healthy men move there, leaving only some women, old people and the invalid in the village. In the wake of that revolution, strange occurrences take place in the village. A stranger arrives into town who is revealed to be the devil himself.

Parable about economic development which makes use of popular literature and music from the Brazilian Northeast region. It's curious as an idea, but not very creative or exciting. The criticism towards it has been more of a political nature than one which would address its obvious artistic limitations.

Rating: 34

Fearless Frank (1967)

 Frank is a naïve young man who leaves his parents' farm to try his luck on the big city. Upon arriving there, he is killed by criminals belonging to a gang and revived by a scientist, who employs him in the fight against crime. That same gang hires another scientist who produces an evil replica of Frank.

Cartoonish comedy. It is a sort of parody of Frankenstein, Dick Tracy, and Superman, but the campy style is more reminiscent of Batman, the TV series, though the film reportedly was filmed before the airing of that series. Although it seems intent on annoying the viewer, it does not entirely succeed, and a few of them found it varying degrees of amusing.

Rating: 35

L'ibis rouge (1975)

 English title: The Red Ibis

Based on the novel Knock Three-One-Two, by Fredric Brown, in turn an expansion of his short story Night of the Psycho, both first published in 1959.

Raymond is in debt with a loan shark and asks his wife for her jewels, but she wants to divorce him and sell the jewels to open a hair salon. Meanwhile, a serial killer of women is on the loose.

Dark comedy. The plot has some details which do not make sense, e.g., why did the restaurant owner need the jewels at all  -- Raymond would give them as collateral in a loan -- when he could simply use his money directly to buy the house? Anyway, this is a film where the comicity comes from the characters, so the plot is not exactly the most important thing in it.

Rating: 57

A Marcha (1972)

Laerte is the son of a landowner in 19th-century Brazil. His father is notorious for his mistreatment of slaves. Laerte joins the abolitionist movement, but hides his identity under a series of disguises. A side plot has a freed slave helping slaves to escape.

While vaguely interesting for its depiction of an important historical period, it's decidely ridiculous from a dramatic point of view. The color cinematography is good, though.

Rating: 35