Desk Set (1957)

A consultant (here called a "methods engineer") is advising a large company (which has "broadcasting" in its name, so it must be a TV or radio company, or both) in its computerization process. A certain chemistry arises between him and the head of the Research Department, who is already in a complicated relationship with her boss.

Making a fun comedy about such a theme as the effect of computers on the unemployment rate increase is not supposed to be an easy task, and yet Desk Set does not come off too badly at that. I had a hard time trying to figure out exactly who were the users of the Research Department, but, after several more-or-less plausible hypotheses, I gave up on a positive answer. But the major problem of the movie, if you choose to call it a problem, is that the romantic subplot does not have much relation with the, say, sociological one (I mean the installation of the computers and the effect on the company's personnel), and so you have a double-headed monster. Most films are that way, I suspect, so let us not raise hell about it. I guess the main thing is that it is very ably written and directed, and is entertaining enough.

Rating: 55

Tora no o wo fumu otokotachi (1945)

English title: The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail

A disgraced general is being hunted by his brother the Shogun. The general and his six samurai disguise as monks and go through a mountain path. They are stopped at a control guard post.

Naive tale very much in the line of a folk story. The comic relief is provided by a baggage porter who is played in a very histrionic way. Watchable but a little too primitive for my taste.

Rating: 41

Week-end à Zuydcoote (1964)

English title: Weekend at Dunkirk

In 1940, France is suffering heavy German bombing; in a beach near Dunkirk, Sgt. Maillat tries to get embarked to England, but this proves very difficult. He and his friends spend their time protecting themselves from the bombs and making small talk; Maillat meets a young woman in a house in town and tries to convince her to abandon the place.

Realistic portrayal of a specific moment and place in World War II. The film is very well directed, and, while not possessing a strong storyline (it is basically a series of episodes), it is enjoyable.

Rating: 59

Scener ur ett äktenskap (1973) (TV miniseries)

First integral viewing; theatrical version viewed on February 4, 1990.

English title: Scenes from a Marriage

Johan and Marianne are seen as a happy couple, but one day this image falls apart: Johan tells Marianne he is leaving her for another woman.

Very uneven, ranging from brilliancy to straightforward soap-opera to mere opaqueness. The intelligence of some of the dialogue is admirable, but the drama as a whole is not as convincing as I thought on my previous viewing (of the theatrical version). Also, it is rather tiresome due to the absence of action; everything is shown through dialogue. It goes beyond the simple chronicle of a specific marriage; it intends to be a summing up of all marriages. The evidences for this ambition are multiple, but listing them would make this review too long; suffice it to point out that Marianne's second marriage only repeats the patterns of the first, implying that all marriages follow them. Several behavioral oddities defy credibility; the last episode is entirely absurd.

Rating: 60 (down from 87)

Damsels in Distress (2011)

Violet is in college, and she is a sort of leader to a small group of girls whose ambition is to exert a good influence on their school environment, especially through their work in the Suicide Prevention Center. A new student arrives in college, and Violet and her friends take her under their wings. Their involvement with boys adds new complications to their well-being and mutual friendship.

Interesting comedy, which avoids dramatic patterns and formally opts for a sketchy development. The dialogue is very prominent in it, and is usually intelligently written. Very early on, it becomes clear that the film's universe is not realistically fashioned, and this becomes even more evident as the film progresses. All of the acting (and all of the casting too, it is important to mention) is exemplary.
It should be commended for its courage to be personal, but I think its inspiration seemed a little trivial at times. For example, was the best that they could think of for the 'sambola' a compilation of other known dancing styles? Another thing I am not sure I understood: if missing kindergarten is the explanation for Thor's particular knowledge lacuna, are we to conclude that he is not stupid?
Apart from the example in the previous paragraph, and although this is not a psychological drama, I think there is a good deal of consistency in the characters; for example, Lily accuses Violet of being attracted to doofi (and thus accuses Fred of being one) and yet she, Lily, is the one who displays an abnormal tolerance to being exploited. The implication is that real doofi cannot see in the first place that they are the real doofi.
The film's title may be a wicked reference to the untruthfulness of another film's title (The Virgin Suicides), by way of a certain point made in Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón.

Rating: 59

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)

Second or third viewing. Latest was on April 8, 1989.

A series of comical sketches, each entitled with a question regarding an aspect of sex.

A very good film, which offers a sort of panorama of sexuality. The first episode ("Do Aphrodisiacs Work?) is perfect as an introduction, stating how in the past repression was explicit and consequences were physical; in such times guilt was not an issue, or rather it had a merely legal aspect. Moving on to modern times, we find that more than one episode are centered on the theme of Sex vs. Culture; two of them deal with it more or less straightforwardly: the zoophile ("What Is Sodomy?", an inaccurate title) and the crossdresser ("Are All Transvestites Homosexuals?"), another one shows the ambiguity in the aforementioned duality ("Why Is It So Difficult for a Woman to Reach Orgasm?"), in which sexual fulfillment is inextricably entangled with cultural repression; yet another reverts surrealistically the expectations on this theme ("What Are Sex Perverts?"), with an insight into the 21st century and its culture of trivialization and self-exposure. In "How Accurate Is the Scientific Knowledge About Sex?", there is an analysis of science-fiction films, from the vantage point of sex. The final episode ("What Happens in Ejaculation?") covers the biological aspect, and is in certain ways the most ambitious of the lot. Even though the humor displayed in this film is not always all that groundbreaking, I think overall it is a remarkable work.

Rating: 71 (down from 78)

Eu tu eles (2000)

English title: Me You Them

In a poor rural place in Brazil, a woman makes somewhat unconventional arrangements with several men (amongst them her husband) in order to get on with her life as best she can and raise her children (who keep coming).

Poorly staged. Seems too infatuated with the landscapes. Passable storyline. Mostly competent cast.

Rating: 45

West Side Story (1961)

Second viewing; first was on January 16, 1987.

Two youth gangs, one of whites and the other of Puerto Ricans, fight for dominance in the New York West Side; a Puerto Rican girl falls in love with a white boy.

I didn't have a bad time (re)watching this, and I think this is overwhelmingly due to the music (and, in most cases, also the lyrics, I should add). The choreography is OK, I suppose, but there just isn't enough in it to justify the praise it has received over the years (but mind you I am talking about the movie, not the play,which I haven't seen). The dramatic side is not without flaws, but the basic plotline and a few scenes I found moving, even knowing that in many aspects it is not realistic.
The excellent "Officer Krupke" lyrics is mind-blowingly appropriate to the historical moment that my country is going through, even with the caveat that these kids are way nicer than Brazilian young hoodlums.

Rating: 65 (up from 50)

Pillow Talk (1959)

Second viewing; first was on January 24, 1995.

A womanizer and a single woman share a phone line (a "party line" is what they call it) between themselves, and dislike each other intensely. He sees her by chance in a public place and from then on can only think of getting her to bed.

Funny comedy, with some very sophisticated screenplay aspects, and a few others which are sillier but still are very funny. The whole film is splendidly directed.
The songs Doris sings are terribly uninspired, though. The ending, too, is unsatisfactory, I think.

Rating: 73 (down from 77)

The Wrong Box (1966)

Second viewing; first was on April 23, 1989.

Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne, first published in 1889.

A lottery is established which takes as participants several children and has as a rule that the last survivor among them shall be the winner. It so happens that many years later two brothers are the only two living remnants, and this causes some anxiety in one of them, as well as on two inheritors of the other.

A funny film from start to finish; the humor may not be of the most intellectual kind, but it is certainly effective, and I was rarely without at least a smile on my face while watching it (and this, if I remember right, on both occasions).

Rating: 65 (down from 70)

O mandarim (1995)

English title: The Mandarin

Supposedly, this should work as a filmic essay on the life of Brazilian singer Mário Reis.

Do not waste your time on this. Seek information about this great singer by other means. This film is a fine example of how money is wasted in Brazil on projects of little worth. For the sake of fairness, it should be said the main actor's professionalism seems misplaced in this.

Rating: 11

The Rat Race (1960)

Second viewing; first was on June 2, 1990.

A saxophone player from Milwaukee comes to New York City to live and work there. He ends up sharing an apartment with a taxi-dancer.

(1) I hugely overrated this on my first viewing.
(2) Although I do not know the play, the film has every characteristic of a hugely bowdlerized text.
(3) It is still not a bad film, if you just relax and enjoy it (what am I saying?). Anyway I confess to having a crush on Debbie.
(4) This is not much of a review. Would it fix it if I said that the screenplay is only so-so, but it is so well directed one kind of gets carried away?
(5) What's with the sentence numbering?

Rating: 57 (down from 87)

Hans Christian Andersen (1952)

In this musical fiction which usurps the name, work titles and a few geographic data from the famous Danish writer, Hans is a cobbler from a small town who likes to tell stories to children. He goes to Copenhagen and gets involved with a ballet troupe.

The attempts at establishing a connection with its real-life referent are pitiful and ultimately render the movie incomprehensible. I didn't care much for the songs either. When taken in isolation, some dramatic sequences are effective. The Little Mermaid ballet is well done, the decor is particularly impressive.

Rating: 33

The Wolf Man (1941)

Second viewing; first was on August 9, 1997.

Larry comes back from America to his home town in Wales. He falls in love with a woman who is already engaged. Larry is bitten by a wolf, or at least that is what he thinks.

This is a modest film, and arguably perfect within its ambitions, except for the werewolf's costume, which by today's standards is not very impressive. This is the kind of story which allows endless readings. On a trivial level, Larry is simply a homicidal maniac. The film is disturbing because within its frame of reference he is just as much a victim as the ones he kills. As a consequence, no one is really guilty of anything; thus, the concept of responsibility is wiped out from the film's moral universe. This is in tune with dominant modern worldviews, especially Freudian-shaped ones.

Rating: 51 (up from 46)

Cuba, une odyssée africaine (2007) (TV)

English title: Cuba, an African Odyssey.

Documentary about the Cuban role in the political struggles in Africa in the sixties, seventies and eighties.

For me, this was an excellent source of information, and very enjoyable too.
I am not in the position to judge the accuracy of all the information it delivers; for example, a quick web research shows there is some dispute about the movie's depiction of Kabila's role in the Congolese rebellions.
On the whole, I found it reasonably unbiased and well made.

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

Second viewing; first was on June 3, 1990.

Inspired by events in the life of the famous American president.

A beginning lawyer with humble origins accepts to defend two brothers accused of murdering a man. This lawyer is a very cunning man, and has great rhetorical ability too.

This is basically a courtroom drama, with a prologue telling a little of the lawyer's previous life. The reason for this prologue is obviously the intention of rising up to the movie's title. In fact, the two parts of the movie, albeit both good, do not connect a great deal with one another. I have never been a big fan of biopics because of this type of "impure" structure. But I cannot decide whether Young Mr. Lincoln is a worse film because of that; anyway I am sure it has a refined script and a very intelligent central performance. I am not much of a reviewer, and thus could not instantly write anything that even remotely would do justice to the many facets of the film. If, however, I am allowed to pick an angle, I will say that the stupidity of the masses (which never changes) against the intelligence of one man is an important theme of this film; I would go further and say that the intelligence of one man consists mainly of acknowledging the stupidity of the masses (and that it never changes).

Rating: 85 (unchanged)

Never a Dull Moment (1950)

A successful Broadway composer marries a cow rancher with two kids from his late first wife. She faces difficulties adapting to the life of a housewife, and a rural one to boot.

I read this was elected at its time as the dullest movie of the year, and, although it is certainly not true, I can see why an organization made up -- exclusively, I guess -- of urban people would make such a pick. The film did not appear realistic to me, but afterwards I read it is based on a semi-autobiographical novel, so I think I too must be a little prejudiced. Modern audiences would possibly frown at the sight of what they would see as the self-effacement of a talented woman.
All that being said, the film is watchable, although it does fall short of being credible in its premise, and is a little too trivial in its development, not to mention too abrupt in its ending.
Saw a dubbed copy, a detail which usually affects my assessment negatively, but I do not think it did in this case.

Rating: 36

Moonraker (1979)

Second viewing; previously seen in 1979 or 1980.

British agent Bond investigates a certain Drax after one of the space shuttles he manufactures is stolen.

It is probably one of the weakest of the series. The word that comes to mind to describe this film is "tidy". All seems to obey a rigid formula, both in terms of script and direction. Creativity is nowhere to be seen.

Rating: 33 (unchanged)

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Second viewing. First was on December 15, 1990.

There is a big banker who wants to wipe George Bailey's father's small bank out from the face of the Earth. George is not attracted to banking and has many plans as a young man, but, as Robert Burns once said to a mouse about best-laid plans...

There is a great film inside It's a Wonderful Life. It is the life of George Bailey, mostly as it is told in the movie. The story of a man who feels that he hasn't lived the life he wanted, who somehow feels his potential is being wasted, is a great story, full of rich meditations. The screenplay has many intelligent solutions, which are rendered into magnificent sequences. Perhaps it could use a little more sobriety here and there; just to give an example, in the scene where George and Violet are talking at a busy avenue, in my version there would not be a crowd coming out of the blue and making a lot of fuss about their private conversation. Above all, I would lose the proto-Twilight Zone angle, that is, all mention of supernatural creatures such as angels, gods, etc would be dumped. Would George kill himself in the end? I do not know. It would probably be best to leave that out of the movie, a suicide does not tell much about a person's character at any rate. What the hell, you could eliminate the whole episode of Billy losing the money and Potter stealing it. You could even soften Potter's villainy. You don't need to outdickens Dickens by making a common thief out of your Scrooge.

Rating: 63 (unchanged)

Les amants naufragés (2010) (TV movie)

Based on the novel Les veufs (The Widowers), by Boileau-Narcejac, first edition 1970.

Stanislas is a young writer who does dubbing jobs to make a living. He anonymously submits his novel to a literary contest. Stanislas is in a relationship with Mathilde, a model and struggling actress, and both suffer because of his constant jealousy. He suspects she is having an affair with her employer, a fashion designer.

The plot is ingenious, and the film is competently written and directed. Not bad for a TV movie.

Rating: 51

La ilusión viaja en tranvía (1954)

English title: Illusion Travels by Streetcar

Two tramway workers "kidnap"  a tram wagon, experiencing several incidents along the way.

Not much to say about this. It is not intensely funny, and the ending narration raising doubts about the interest of it all is possibly a valid self-criticism. But it is easy to watch, and agreeable, with a gentle humor which is not devoid of social observation.

Rating: 52

Cluny Brown (1946)

A young woman is sent to a country manor to work there as a maid. A foreign writer who is in England fleeing the Nazis is staying there as a guest. Both had met before and get along very well. She is somewhat unconventional and he has a libertarian worldview.

It starts out as a screwball comedy, but loses some of its energy along the way. I suppose it was meant to cheer people up after World War II (although the book was written before the war was over), but seen with today's eyes some of it is rather silly, especially the Belinski character. Most of the cast does well, but I am not sure Jones achieves the right amount of zaniness her part requires. Overall I think it is an enjoyable film, but overrated.

Rating: 55

Angel (1937)

Second viewing; first was on February 22, 1989.

The wife of a League of Nations delegate meets a man in Paris and has a one-day romance with him. Back in London, she meets him again, now in the company of her husband.

A moderately charming picture, a bit moralistic in the end but with well-written dialogue, a coherent plot, and some funny bits too. The performances are all decent. Can't quite explain my previous antipathy for it, unless it was the moralistic aspect that put me off.

Rating: 52 (up from 33)

Valdez Is Coming (1971)

A sheriff of Mexican ethnicity enters in conflict with a rancher on account of the latter's refusal to contribute 100 dollars to the widow of a man who was wrongly killed.

Western with a complex -- and, I confess, slightly bizarre -- plot. It is sort of a compilation of liberal themes (as they existed at the time it was made), which somehow make for a sufficiently engaging narrative.

Rating: 50

Union Pacific (1939)

Second viewing; first one was on February 07, 1989.

U.S.A., after the Civil War. The project of a railroad from Omaha to California is approved. A banker hires an unscrupulous businessman in the field of entertainment to distract workers from their duties. His purpose is to delay the construction of the railroad and thus profit from his financial speculations.

As a narrative, it is childish from start to finish. Within these constraints, it has some amount of narrative inventiveness and a good deal of mise-en-scène competence to deliver its goods.

Rating: 58 (down from 62)

Razzia sur la chnouf (1955)

English title: Razzia

A man known as "Le Nantais" (which means someone from the French city of Nantes), who had been working in the U.S. in the drug business, is called back to France as some sort of CEO for the drug dealing operation in Paris, with the mission of increasing profits. They set him a front business as a bar owner.

The amazing cinematography and the amazing production design are possibly the high points of this French policier. The film has lots of ambiance, being overall sufficiently entertaining. There is a certain amount of hypocrisy in its concept, which exploits the attraction toward sordid environments that it ostensibly condemns, but I think this is no big news for anyone who has watched a film or two. Also, more than 50 years after its release, the state of the world in regard to drugs places its proposition in a somewhat dubious light.

Rating: 51

Charley Varrick (1973)

Second viewing (first one: July 16, 1989).

A small-time gang robs a small bank and is surprised to find that they have stolen an enormous amount of money. They begin to fear for their lives, as they suspect the money belonged to the Mafia.

This belongs to a type of film (or, more generally, of fiction) that might be called "the smarter guy", and it seems it would achieve its highest popularity in the 90s, e.g. with The Usual Suspects.
The main problem with this type of film is that it depends on some arbitrary parameters, since the screenwriter can ultimately decide how smart the main character's opponents will be. Charley Varrick does not come off too badly when this is taken into account. Varrick's opponents are made to have a reasonable amount of intelligence, well above plain stupidity, but also safely below the protagonist's brilliance.
The middle section of the movie is not as good as the rest of it. Some scenes seem too gratuitous and borderline incomprehensible (e.g. a woman being slapped in the face and then going to bed with her slapper; Varrick, an utterly unattractive guy, succeeding in going to bed with an attractive woman he just met; etc.). I think these bits have annoyed me somewhat disproportionately on my first viewing.
Overall it is a well-made film, with an very good first act, which develops into an entertaining cerebral story, only slipping now and then into some poorly conceived narrative solutions.

Rating: 60 (up from 50)

För att inte tala om alla dessa kvinnor (1964)

English titles: All These Women; Now About These Women.

A critic is writing the biography of a cellist, and spends some time in his house. In there he gets acquainted with several women who have some kind of relationship with the musician.

This arguably should give a famous author of comedies some comfort for his alleged frustration at not being able to be convincing as an author of grave dramas. Because in this film his artistic idol proves that he in turn is not capable of comedic lightness.
The film works mainly as a libel against critics, from the point of view of artists. The film implies that critics are parasites. The contempt and hatred held by the author toward the central character is so strong that he refuses to give the film its correct title, which should be something like Now About This Critic.
The author's central thesis -- the distinction between artist and critic -- is built from images that ridicule the critic at the utmost. He does not once show the musician. Perhaps he is afraid of tainting the image of purity that he associates with him (and perhaps with Music as an art). He builds that ideal image by avoiding any real image.
The film is a denial (which, like all denials, when duly analyzed is actually an affirmation) of the ambiguous relationship between an artist and his audience (and a critic may be seen as a representative of that audience). It is a love-hate relationship. The artist cannot exist without his audience, but he somehow wished he could.
The film chooses the vantage point of the artist; when it allows the critic to expose his, it does so in a satirical way. Aesthetically, this bigoted worldview translates into dull and awkward comedy, made marginally interesting by its agreeable production design and the correct performances by its actors.

Rating: 32

La marche de l'empereur (2005)

English title: March of the Penguins.

Documentary about the reproductive habits of the Emperor penguins.

This film is a feat, no arguing about that. Also, the zoological facts it narrates are interesting and entertaining. However, it possesses some stylistic traits which I simply do not care for, chief among them the new-age-ish musical score.

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)

The Black Swan (1942)

Second viewing (first one: September 16, 1989).

Henry Morgan, an English pirate, is appointed governor of Jamaica by the king of England. He invites his former partners in crime, amongst whom is young James Waring, to assist him in the Jamaican government. Captain Leech is the only one who prefers to continue in piracy. Waring falls in love with the former governor's daughter, but she despises him, and besides is already engaged to another man. A series of attacks on English ships pose a threat to Morgan's position.

Well-made swashbuckler, good-looking and with an agreeable narrative flow.

Rating: 54 (down from 62)

Another Year (2010)

The routine of some people who know one another. The tacit center of the group is at Tom and his wife Gerry, he a geologist, she a psychological counselor. Mary is Gerry's secretary and best friend, who leans on Tom and Gerry at her difficult times. Then there is Tom and Gerry's bachelor son Joe, Tom's brother Ronny, and some other minor characters.

Remarkable study of human relations at their most unexceptional. All these characters ring true, and will even probably resemble someone you and I know. Deceitfully casual, the progression of events has a very smart sense of humor to it, of a penetrating yet somehow compassionate kind. This is the kind of film a person who has enjoyed it will feel inclined to talk endlessly about, and end up with the feeling of failing to do justice to it, or reach its essence. It is also possibly the best film of its director I have seen, with the caveat that I have seen everything since Life Is Sweet (excepting the shorts), and nothing prior to it.
A little note to myself (and whoever else would be interested); there is an intriguing scene in this film, which might be just a bit of a slip on the part of the filmmaker, or perhaps something else. Gerry and Mary are talking in the kitchen, when Mary is at Gerry's uninvited and unannounced. Mary asks whether Gerry is angry at her, and Gerry says she has let her down. Gerry then says Mary must take responsibility for her actions. It is not clear to me what actions are these. It could not be merely because she dropped by without calling first (not such a big thing, I think). Nor it would be related, it seems, to Mary's behavior when she was introduced to Katie (Joe's girlfriend), since nothing of consequence happened. So, the only explanation I can come up with is that something happened outside the film's narrative. The reasons for such a hypothetical ellipsis are not clear.

Rating: 89

Jesse James (1939)

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

In 19th-century America, the railroad company employed dishonesty and, if necessary, force, to grab the land they wanted. The James brothers resist and Jesse shoots the railroad agent in self-defense, being subsequently accused of criminal conduct. The situation gets even worse for the Jameses and they must hide and live as outlaws.

The beginning is strong, some scenes near the end are fine too, the midsection is uneven, on occasion being unimaginative and unexciting.

Rating: 52 (up from 51)

My Darling Clementine (1946)

Second or third viewing (last one: March 13, 1988; an uncertain previous one may have happened between 1983 and 1986).

Wyatt Earp and his brothers are taking their cattle to California and pass through a desertic mining town called Tombstone, where his brother James is murdered and his cattle is stolen. He and his other brothers decide to stay, and Wyatt accepts the job of town marshal, in the hopes of finding his brother's killers, whom he strongly suspects to be the Clantons. He befriends Doc Holliday, a Tombstone resident, who used to be a medical doctor and now is a kind of gunfighter.

Very touching Western, virtuosically directed, and with many memorable scenes and sequences.

Rating: 77 (unchanged)

I Saw What You Did (1965)

Second viewing (first one: March 29, 1998).

Two teenage girls and one child are alone one night in the house of one of them. To pass the time, they play pranks with the telephone.

A well-calculated entertainment, with an intelligent script and a flawless execution.

Rating: 61 (up from 52)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Second viewing.

About an elderly box gym owner who trains a young female boxer and becomes her best friend.

Probably one of the saddest films of all time. The screenplay plays by the rules of convention, and it works.

Rating: 69 (unchanged)

The Hurt Locker (2008)

A bomb-disarming squad's adventures in Iraq. Some conflicts appear between the reckless bom-disarming technician and his teammates.

A mediocre screenplay sets the general level of this very mildly entertaining film. I cannot think of anything more to say.

Rating: 40

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Second viewing.

Based on the novel by Anthony Burgess (1st ed. 1962).

A delinquent youth with authoritarian and sadistic traits is the leader of a gang in the near (?) future. He is arrested, and, while in prison, offered a new treatment which, it is claimed, would cure him of his antisocial tendencies.

Very stytlized farce, fairly amusing. The futuristic jargon seemed a good idea at the time, but today it comes off as a frivolity with no reason. When I saw it in a Brazilian theater back in 1982, censorship had all female's nipples and all genitals covered with dots superimposed upon the image.

Rating: 57 (up from 56)

The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)

Second viewing (First one: February 07, 1989)

Biography of one of Germany's World War II generals, who commanded the Afrikakorps, and later joined the conspiracy to kill Hitler.

An interesting film, about the dilemma of the military man's position. It has to be said, however, that Churchill's statement, shown in the end of the movie, that Rommel "came to hate Hitler and all his works", has no evidence in the film to support it. What the film does show is that Hitler was a disastrous military commander, and that is all there is to the conflict with Rommel, per this film. The use of Churchill's phrase is a romanticization, an attempt to go beyond the limits of the film itself.

Rating: 61 (unchanged)

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

A fictitious drama based on the predicament of Thomas More, in 16th-century England, who would not give his explicit support to King Henry VIII's establishment of the Church of England so that he could remarry.

This is a case which fits very neatly into T.S. Eliot's theory of objective correlative. In the essay "Hamlet and His Problems", Eliot charges Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" of lacking the so-called "objective correlative", meaning that his source material did not possess the right elements to convey the concepts he intended to. I do not exactly agree (and perhaps do not exactly understand) why that would apply to "Hamlet", but I think it does apply to A Man for All Seasons. The real Thomas More, a religious fanatic, is not adequate material for a play or movie purporting to discuss the supremacy of individual conscience. Even if you totally ignore that this is supposed to be a historical movie, it doesn't work, precisely because certain facts remain faithful to History. The result is a Frankenstein monster, albeit a surprisingly watchable Frankenstein monster. Its parts are infinitely better than its whole.

Rating: 63

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Second viewing (First one: January 01, 1988).

A down-on-his-luck Hollywood writer is stranded by chance in a rundown mansion inhabited by a former star from the silent days. She invites him in, and from then on it is all downhill for him. Gosh, what is with all the "down" words?

I am considerably less dazzled by this movie after this viewing. Some of its effects seem a little facile (the staircase scene at the ending, to mention one). The whole structure still packs some power, yes, and some sequences are marvelous (the beginning, the whole studio sequence, etc.). Most of it seemed terribly predictable, but (1) I do not find this a flaw in itself, and (2) the fact that I saw it before may have something to do with it.

Rating: 73 (down from 97)

Machete (2010)

A Mexican-born day laborer is hired to kill a rightwing senator who is running for reelection.

A parody of low-grade thrillers of the 70s, even though I am not aware of any example which features Mexican Americans. The humor is based on graphic over-the-top violence, and also on a few surrealistic touches. The plot itself is a satire of both rabid rightwingers and nutty liberals. The point against liberals is perhaps less evident, but one needs only think of the absurd dimension of the fictitious pro-immigrant "network", devoted to ensure that every Mexican wishing to come to the U.S.A. is allowed to do so and have a good life there. So much energy would be better spent improving the quality of life in Mexico. Furthermore, if this was taken to its ultimate consequences, all Mexicans would cross the border, thus turning the U.S.A. into an exact reproduction of Mexico, with its same problems, and from which, logically, people would feel the need to emigrate all over again.

Rating: 51

Ladyhawke (1985)

Third viewing (First one: 1985 or 1986; Second one: August 10, 1993

The Middle Ages. A bishop falls in love with a young woman, but she rejects him for the captain of the castle guard. The bishop then throws a curse on the couple: he takes the form of a wolf by night; she takes the form of a hawk by day; thus, they can never meet as man and woman, except for a few seconds during twilight and dawn. A teenage thief escapes from the castle dungeons and meets the captain, who takes him under his wing.

A film both entertaining and good-looking. It is notoriously ruined by the pop score, but I am not taking this factor into consideration in my rating.

Rating: 69 (unchanged)

The Paradine Case (1947)

Second viewing (First one: January 26, 1989)

A woman is accused of murdering her husband, a blind man. The lawyer who will defend her falls in love with her, even though he is married, happily so to all appearances; he begins to think the dead man's valet played a part in the mysterious death in question.

The first time I saw this I did it on a dubbed and badly scraped copy. I now had a reasonable one at my disposal, but its length was 115 minutes, less than that of the original release, 132 minutes (or 125 in the PAL version). So, there were at least 10 minutes of film which were absent from my copy. Although I do not know to which part or parts of the film these absent bits belonged, I suspect that they must have to do with the process of falling in love that the defense lawyer goes through, because there is nearly nothing in the film I saw depicting that process. In any case, I retract from my previous hostile opinion towards the movie; there are enough qualities, both scriptwise and directionwise, in it to provide for a pleasurable viewing. It is clear to me that this is a film about the effects of a trial on those involved with it, either directly or indirectly, and it tackles this theme ably.

Rating: 60 (up from 30)

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Second viewing.

Two brothers, one of them just released from prison, try to reassemble a rhythm-and-blues band, and also pay a religious institution's income tax debt.

It is hard to say anything new about such an abundantly seen and commented film. That it somehow has an excessive fame, it's been said and it's correct. That the musical numbers are good, ditto. Other than that, there is a humor based on mayhem that is mildly funny.

Rating: 58 (unchanged)

What Planet Are You From? (2000)

An alien from an all-male planet comes to Earth with the mission of impregnating a woman.

Feeble comedy, repetitive and only at times mildly funny. Goodman is absolutely extraordinary as always, and the rest of the cast do what they can to make it all bearable.

Rating: 31

Play It Again, Sam (1972)

Second viewing.

Alan is left by his wife, and his friends Dick and Linda, who are married to each other, try to set him up on dates. Dick is a businessman who is always busy, and Linda, who, like Alan, suffers from anxiety, feels a little neglected.

This movie's humor, while showing his influences very clearly, has a certain dryness that is unique to it and to some other films by the same author. Grotesque is also an important feature. I am not sure I understood the more radical stylistic aspects of the movie when I first saw it. At any rate, for whatever reason I seem to have liked it in the right measure then.

Rating: 71 (unchanged)

Argo (2012)

In 1979, Iranians take the American embassy in Iran, holding several people hostage. Six of them escape from the building and take shelter in the Canadian ambassador's house. The CIA engineers a rescue plan which consists of faking a movie production which will use Iran as a shooting location.

Mediocre thriller. Most of the dramatic licenses it takes result in poor, 30s-serial-like dramatics, and are detectable by a moderately experienced viewer who knows nothing of the real events. Most of the additional dramatic filling suck even more, relying on the always reliable man-separated-from-wife-who-needs-to-connect-with-son thing, which not only is boring but adds nothing to the story. Anyway, parts of it are not so bad, and it is an eventful movie.

Rating: 35

Gumshoe (1971)

Second viewing.

There may be light SPOILERS below.

A nightclub host and comic decides to work as a private detective, and gets involved in a very complicated case. Foreign countries may be involved. His own brother seems to have a connection to it.

A moderately successful pastiche of films noirs (specifically of the private detective subgenre). The style and some plot elements introduce the subtheme of americanophilia, which may be read as a sign of the times, and the complete reversal of then-defunct anglophilia. The dialogue is agile, the plot is agile too (and well structured). The plot contains politically charged elements which were not common in the cinema of that period. The connection of these elements with the love of all things American is not something I can analyze in this terse review, supposing there is anything to be analyzed at all.

Rating: 51 (up from 37)

Topkapi (1964)

Second viewing (first one: January 14, 1998).

A woman communicates to a long-time friend her wish to steal an emerald-incrusted dagger from the Topkapi museum in Istanbul. He agrees, and hatches what he thinks is a perfect plan, using only amateurs with no police record. They begin the execution by picking a man with the sole function of driving a car into Turkey with some guns and grenades (which will not be used for killing or hurting anyone). And so on...

A good heist film, leaning towards the comedic, and very entertaining.

Rating: 65 (unchanged)

The Rose Tattoo (1955)

Second viewing (first one: December 25, 1999).

An American Southern town. A woman idolizes her husband. He is a truck driver who does some illegal transportations on the side. She does a little sewing for extra money. They have a teenage daughter. They are of Italian extraction. A tragic incident will divert the course of their lives. (I am not sure it would be okay to disclose more information about the plot.)

A potentially interesting story, not very well developed. The presence of an italiana in the cast does not hide the fact that it relies mostly on stereotypes. I wonder why the Italians get this treatment in non-Italian fiction. I guess people like to write about foreign or minoritary ethnicities, but why is it almost always the Italians who get such heartwarming 'tributes'? And they never complain, that I know of (maybe that is wise of them). Anyway, I do not know what I liked about it the first time I saw it. It is not a worthless film, but some parts of it are a little annoying (and others are, perhaps unintentionally, hilarious).

Rating: 47 (down from 66)

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)

Second viewing (first one: April 21, 1998).

Dr. Watson is working at a manor which holds convalescent officers. A series of murders take place there, and he calls Holmes to solve the case.

Complicated and entertaining mystery which has some lovely touches (e.g. the raven at the pub). The solution is not extremely plausible.

Rating: 51 (up from 32)

The Way Back (2010/I)

In 1941, some people escape from a prisoner camp in Siberia, and face the adversities of nature in a long walk to freedom.

Pretty standard adventure which nevertheless entertains and has very nice landscapes.

Rating: 56

Catfish (2010)

I think the text below contains what people might call SPOILERS, so beware.

This documentary tells the adventure that a guy goes through when he starts a long-distance relationship.

I had never, to my recollection, heard of this movie until it got recommended to me by a pen pal of mine (I do not know whether he would like to see his name disclosed here), who by the way I am pretty sure is a real person, and not someone else's spin-off personality, although I have never met him personally. Anyway, this is a rare case where I am not sure I agree with him. This is an easy-to-watch film, but I am not sure I can pin it down, unless it is just the mildly entertaining account of the effects of a lonely loony lady's shenanigans on a bunch of receptive filmmakers. Is there something more to it? I guess I will, for the time being, leave it at that, and perhaps rewatch it some day.

Rating: 51

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Second viewing.

A lawyer heading to a small western town has his coach held up by bandits and gets a rough beating. He soon hears from the town's fastest gun that there is no place for the law in that town.

A pretty intelligent film, mostly funny too. It sums up, in a cartoonish way, the transformation of the American West into a civilized place (a favorite topic of westerns and a true obsession from the late 50s onwards). Although it has a very distinct comic streak throughout it, the film's crux is tragic. It hinges on the man whose values are being swept by progress, but whose actions are nevertheless necessary to effect change. He is thus compelled to self-effacement, and that makes him a tragic character. I am not sure I understood it well enough on my first viewing.

Rating: 62 (up from 57)

Body Heat (1981)

Third viewing.

A lawyer starts an affair with a married woman, and at one point proposes to kill her husband.

Mostly well-written and well-directed updating attempt on the noir genre (specifically the femme fatale subgenre), with some interesting ideas, and an attractive cast, but not as good as I thought.

Rating: 66 (down from 73)

Rear Window (1954)

Second viewing.

A photographer is wheelchair-bound with a broken leg. To pass the time he looks out his window watching the goings on in his neighbors' lives. One day he sees something that looks like a murder.

A very entertaining film, but I honestly find the romantic subplot tedious, awkward, implausible, and with little thematic connection to the suspenseful section of the film. How detrimental this is to the film may be assessed by considering that instead of this subplot one could have something that not only would be more reasonable but would also enrich the film.

Rating: 69 (unchanged)

Dracula (1931)

Second viewing.

Based on a play from the novel by Bram Stoker (novel's first ed.: 1897).

A Transylvanian count moves to England and starts preying on his neighboring ladies. He is actually an abnormal creature who feeds on blood and never ages, a condition which is contagious.

On my first viewing I was a little put off by the film's static scenes and the main actor's unnaturalistic performance. I think now that these characteristics should be respected as style, and that there is a good deal of artistry in the compositions and staging. As has been said elsewhere, the really scary part of the movie is the beginning. Nevertheless, there is a creepiness that is sustained throughout all of it. I am still not sure it is a great movie, but I like it much better than I did.

Rating: 60 (up from 50)

The Tin Star (1957)

Second viewing.

A bounty  hunter arrives at a small town to collect his prize on a wanted man whom he brought dead. The town has just lost its sheriff, and has a young inexperienced man filling in for the job. The bounty hunter takes the young sheriff under his wing.

A well-structured screenplay, perfectly realized. The elements that make up the totality of the film are not original, but they are intelligently combined into a satisfactory whole.

Rating: 61 (unchanged)

Margaret (2011)

Lisa lives with her mother, an actress currently starring in a play, and her younger brother. She unintentionally provokes a fatal bus accident by diverting the driver's attention. She gives a false statement to the police so that the driver will not be punished, but later is haunted by doubts over the her lying.

A character study. Teenage angst is the theme, or one theme anyway. A tremendous central performance is a valuable asset of the movie. I am not exactly sure what I dislike about it, if anything. Some parts of it just seem of little relevance (and what with a length of 2 hours and a half...). Anyway, a certain lack of focus seems to be the problem, or one problem. The ending was just wrong, too, or felt wrong, anyway. It was like the film suddenly revealed itself to be just a mother-daughter melodrama.

Rating: 60

Les belles de nuit (1952)

Second viewing.

English Title: Beauties of the Night.

A poor musician is the butt of his fellow villagers' jokes, and takes refuge in dreams.

An interesting film which makes the point that nostalgia is based on an illusion, namely that previous eras were better than the present one. The general theme is the opposition of ideal versus real. A recurring motif used to illustrate its theme is noise versus music. It has been compared to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, with which it has intersecting points; other aspects bring it close to A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). Frequently yielding to farce pure and simple, its philosophical agenda never goes past a superficial analysis. Taken on its own terms, there is much to be enjoyed.

Rating: 66 (down from 74)

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)

Second viewing (first one: April 22, 1998).

The famous detective is summoned by the British government to find out who and what is behind a series of Nazi terrorist acts which are always accompanied by a radio broadcast.

The screenplay is absurd and ridiculous in practically every detail, although the general plotline contains potentially good ideas. The film is well photographed, though, which counts for something.

Rating: 25 (unchanged)

Dressed to Kill (1946)

Second viewing.

Sherlock Holmes investigates the case involving three music boxes made by an inmate at Dartmoor Prison. The boxes are sold at an auction, and coveted by thugs.

Efficient little mystery, concisely told and entertaining, yet little more than that.

Rating: 52 (unchanged)

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Second viewing.

Two homicide cops, one grieving and suicidal over the loss of his wife, the other on his 50th birthday and looking ahead to a happy retirement, team up to investigate a high-class prostitute's death. They uncover a plot involving ex-CIA agents, Vietnam veterans and mercenaries, and large scale drug smuggling.

Action thriller which ably shifts from the main characters' personal dramas and their partnership problems to the criminal investigation they are pursuing. It is an image-oriented film, technically proficient, and, while perhaps not exactly innovative, entertaining enough and never dumb.

Rating: 54 (up from 49)

Death of a Gunfighter (1969)

Second viewing.

In a turn-of-the-century western town, the town marshal becomes very unpopular among the town elite, but refuses to resign.

This film has an interesting plotline which nevertheless has some obscure zones. The main character's attachment to his office is not an obviously understandable position, and not even a necessarily likeable one. The eminent citizens who want him out are not likeable either, of course, and this lends the movie a detached tone which may be alienating to some, but which I personally find seductive. The film had two directors, and I think I can perceive a difference in style in different sections of the movie. One of the directors is a TV guy, and most of the film has a very TV-like feel; the replacement director is probably responsible for some more dynamical sequences where the technical expertise he became famous for is evident.

Rating: 63 (unchanged)

Reap the Wild Wind (1942)

Second viewing.

In the 19th century, the seacoast of Florida is ravaged by crooks who specialize in arranging shipwrecks in cahoots with crew members. The film's plot revolves around a sea captain, a lawyer, and a young woman whom both covet. The lawyer tries to bring the gang of pirates down.

A very eventful film, with an imaginative screenplay. I didn't dislike it as much as on my first viewing. It's pretty childish from start to finish, but its narrative solutions are not entirely without intelligence.

Rating: 41 (up from 18)

Fantastic Voyage (1966)

Second viewing.

A team is miniaturized and injected into the body of an important scientist in order to perform the removal of a blood clot in his brain.

Entertaining fiction which blends true and fake science. The mystery in the plot is structured with a red herring and a consistent set of clues to the real culprit. There is an opposition between the "spiritual" and the "cynical" or "materialistic" scientists. Guess who the bad guy is.

Rating: 56 (unchanged)

White Material (2009)

A white woman strives to remain on her farm during a civil war in Africa, even at the risk of death for her and her family.

Not an altogether bad film, it has a strong leading performance, and interesting aspects of Africa are approached. On the other hand, it seems like it was not done with the proper care, as it seems patchy and vague at times and some plot details are bizarre or incomprehensible.

Rating: 44

Last Days (2005)

A musician is depressed and tries to avoid social contact. He spends his days in a secluded house, also used by a number of his friends. His relatives try to locate him but he hides from them.

Not very interesting, is what I can say about this movie. The depiction of numb youths and their silly thoughts is kind of funny sometimes, but the film makes every effort to remain on the surface of things.

Rating: 33

The Vikings (1958)

Second viewing.

The vikings raid the English coast and kill a king, who is replaced by his tyrannical cousin. The widow of the deceased king, who was raped by the viking leader, has a son of the latter. Later, the boy is taken to viking country where he becomes a slave and has a fight with the viking leader's son.

Fun kitsch from the author of Benjamin Blake. Well-filmed.

Rating: 58 (down from 66)

Cloak and Dagger (1946)

Second viewing.

During World War II, a scientist travels to Switzerland as an operative for the American secret service. His mission is to obtain information about the German atomic research, and possibly persuade a scientist working for the Nazis to change sides.

Unremarkable espionage thriller, with large doses of implausibilities, but with several well-made set-pieces, the best of which is probably a body fight between the hero and a fascist agent.

Rating: 40 (up from 38)

Detective Story (1951)

Second viewing.

A day at a police precinct, with the various characters -- policemen, criminals and newspapermen -- who usually are found in such a place. The central plot line concerns a police detective who is investigating a crooked doctor, unaware that his wife has a connection with him.

An engaging movie, albeit a problematic one. One of the problems stems from the bowdlerization to which the film writers submitted the source play. In the play, the doctor is an abortionist, as is obvious that he should be, for the story to make sense. In the movie, he is an obstetrician, and his crimes are a little vague: he is responsible for several deaths, but we do not know whether he does not have a license, or is just plain incompetent. Even imagining the original set-up, the film's central dramatic situation comes off as a little dated. Once the viewer makes concessions for those problems, the film has enough qualities of text and direction to make for a pleasant experience.

Rating: 57 (up from 40)

Criss Cross (1949)

Second viewing.

A man is still in love with his ex-wife, but when he comes back to his hometown hoping to find her, she is hooked up with a criminal.

Very good criminal drama, which I didn't value enough on my first viewing, due in part to having seen it in a lousy, dubbed copy. A complex film, a veritable study on duplicity. Lancaster gives an impressive performance as the sucker.

Rating: 73 (up from 49)