His Girl Friday (1940) Walter Burns (Cary Grant) is an editor for The Morning Post. His ex-wife, Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), was a star reporter for his paper, but quit when she got engaged to Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). Walter goes to great lengths to convince Hildy to return, including framing Bruce for various petty crimes,… Continue reading Best of the 1940s
Tag: National Film Registry
Porgy, Dillinger, and the unbearable Bess
The Unbearable Lightnesss of Being (1988) When waitress Tereza (Juliette Bincohe) moves in with her lover, brain surgeon Tomas (Daniel Day-Lewis), she’s confused by his Bohemian lifestyle. When Sabina, one of Tomas’s other lovers, gets Tereza a job as a photographer, she inadvertently photographs Soviet tanks invading Czechoslovakia, and, realizing their importance, smuggles them to… Continue reading Porgy, Dillinger, and the unbearable Bess
The King was born in a manger sans the alluring cross
Allures (1961) This trippy combination of sounds and images by Jordan Belson was preserved in the National Film Registry in 2011. Most people will never see it, and their lives will be no less fulfilling. Sans Soleil (1983) This avante garde documentary by Chris Marker explores the creation and maintenance of cultural memory with an essay… Continue reading The King was born in a manger sans the alluring cross
Inside the future dogmen
Prelude: Dog Star Man (1961) Dog Star Man: Part I (1962) Dog Star Man: Part II (1963) Dog Star Man: Part III (1964) Dog Star Man: Part IV (1964) Stan Brakhage is one of America’s foremost experimental twentieth century filmmakers, but when I read reviews discussing his capitalistic critique or Jungian analysis, I feel like I’m missing something. I… Continue reading Inside the future dogmen
An old man goes to a hell house and a flood breaks out
Venus (2006) Elderly actor Maurice (Peter O’Toole) begins a relationship with Jessie, the much younger niece of his friend Ian. Jessie tolerates his amorous advances because she’s struggling financially and Maurice provides her with a steady income, while the pursuit of Jessie provides Maurice with a purpose and renewed vitality. Richard Griffiths, Leslie Phillips, and… Continue reading An old man goes to a hell house and a flood breaks out
All my orphans
Orphans of the Storm (1921) In the late 18th century, Henriette (Lillian Gish) takes her blind sister Louise (Dorothy Gish) to Paris to find a doctor who can cure her condition. The two are separated by the political forces of the French Revolution. This romantic epic is really a warning about the then contemporary dangers of Bolshevism and… Continue reading All my orphans
DNA testing the men of the Robinson clan
Gattaca (1997) In this version of the future, genetic testing determines everything. Vincent Anton Freeman (Ethan Hawke), wants to be an astronaut, but is denied this opportunity because his genetic code indicates weakness and a limited lifespan. In order to pursue his dream, he assumes the identity of Jerome Morrow (Jude Law) who has a perfect genetic… Continue reading DNA testing the men of the Robinson clan
A pathetic explanation and a delightful blue bird
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain (2013) This is a concert film of Kevin Hart’s 2013 sold out Madison Square Garden show. I enjoyed the television show Undeclared, and Hart’s 2013 Saturday Night Live appearance was decent, but this was my first exposure to his stand up act. Sadly, most of his “jokes revolve around the difficulties of being… Continue reading A pathetic explanation and a delightful blue bird
Taxes, water, and fashion statements
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) During the middle of a severe drought, one 19th century Indian village asks the local British magistrate for relief from the annual land tax (lagaan). Somehow, this request turns into a wager: if the villagers defeat the magistrate’s cricket team, their land tax is cancelled for three… Continue reading Taxes, water, and fashion statements