If ever there was a masterpiece of comedy film, this is it. It's hard to even know where to start writing about this ingenious collection of silliness, gender commentary, silliness, mob violence, silliness, witty dialogue, and silliness. Writer and director Billy Wilder manages to seamlessly entwine his clever social commentary into enormously frivolous situations without diminishing the impact nor "cheesing" the humor in the combination. Few directors are as skilled.
Filmed in black and white to avoid making the two leading men look more atrocious than they already do, the film initially feels like an older 1940s Film Noir or crime story. Once the comedy starts, however, the dippy lead characters juxtaposed against the film's many "straight men" are accentuated by contrast even further by that B&W tone and crime-story structure. The film could not be better cast, and the performances are extraordinary. Tony Curtiss, Marilyn Monroe, and Joe E. Brown all avoid the cardinal mistake of comedic acting by playing their intensely ridiculous characters with sincerity and conviction. The honesty in the acting keeps the characters real and likable enough for the audience to care about them and laugh at them at the same time. The film is stolen, though, by Jack Lemmon, who, with his typical performance perfection, lifts this film from a really funny and well made comedy to a timeless classic. His deliveries are flawless and his mannerisms are so unexpected and entertaining that a simple look can produce a laugh. Brilliant. Put all that together with witty, fast-paced dialogue and convincing, well-timed performances by George Raft and Pat O'Brien as the "straight men" gangster and cop duo (and a short, but exceptional, performance by Nehemiah Persoff as Little Bonaparte, the mafia don) and you end up with a solidly entertaining and immensely funny classic comedy. Everyone should see this film at least once just to learn how comedy is done.
0 Comments
So, to start off, I thought I'd go with a tough one. 2001: A Space Odyssey, positive or negative, is a film the earns a reaction. Most people have heard of it, many have seen it (though perhaps not all of it), thousands of other films, television shows, songs, paintings, etc. reference it; and yet, very few people understand it -- perhaps with good reason.
You've got to think during this one. About five years in the making, the film is by far one of the most carefully designed and intelligent pieces of media in our history. Under the tight control of auteur director, Stanley Kubrick, and with powerful scientific and theoretical insights from author, Arthur C. Clarke, the film explores a scope of millions of years including the origins of mankind, our future as a species, and the order behind the chaos of the universe. Each careful element carries part of the meaning, and nothing can be ignored -- from the tiniest sound effect to the largest and most complicated visual effect (even down to the reflections on a window or visor). The film's doggedly (and sometimes outright boringly) realistic portrayal of space travel lends weight to its themes, the stilted and flatly realistic performances turn the characters into types and symbols of banal human reality, and the stunning quality of the special effects (many designed by Kubrick himself and created without the aid of CGI) makes the entire film seem not just possible, but plausible. Drawing heavily on the theories of Charles Darwin and the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche (with a healthy dose of theoretical mathematics and subtle religious symbolism mixed in) the film's suggestions about humanity's potential are staggeringly epic and stunningly original. Intelligent, thoughtful people should not miss this film. In fact, it isn't just a "must see," it's a "must see more than once and ponder." Or, like John Lennon, you could simply see it every week as a convenient way to enhance your illicit narcotics. Sigh. I often get asked for movie recommendations, so I thought that I would make a place I could send people. Hopefully, I will eventually have several reviews here (along with content information) for some of my favorite films. Feel free to comment on any review and compare to your own favorites.
|
Details
SAXTON'S FILM PICKS
People are always asking me what my favorite movies are, so I thought I'd make a list with reviews. I'll try to add a new pick every so often until my huge list of favorites is complete.
If you've seen one (or more) of the films, please add your own (appropriate) comments and reviews. Archives
May 2014
Categories |