WHAT FOREIGN FILMS HAVE YOU WATCHED LATELY?

[ChiO]

Don't you just love library discards! I am convinced that A MAN ESCAPED is the best gateway into Bresson's world. Mine was THE DEVIL, PROBABLY (1977), followed by DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST (1950), not a route I'd recommend.

AU HASARD, BALTHAZUR (1966) (#3 on my Bresson Hit Parade, after A MAN ESCAPED and MOUCHETTE (1967)) may not be that great a break theologically from A MAN ESCAPED and DIARY.... There is a sense of resignation in each of his films; that one can exercise free will but that it is often subsumed through ritual -- "escape" may be an exercise in free will, but trying to escape is ritualistic -- and, ultimately, acceptance.

I need to re-watch my copies of these and PICKPOCKET (1959)(good, but it didn't bowl me over as much as I expected), THE TRIAL OF JOAN OF ARC (1961)(in a struggle with SAINT JOAN for my #2 spot in Joan of Arc movies), LANCELOT DU LAC (1974)(stylistically, this seemed different to me; there are times where it is actually loud) and L'ARGENT (1982)(maybe the one that was most disappointing, thereby establishing that I need to re-watch). Then someday my copy of LES DAMES DU BOIS DE BOULOGNE will finally get watched.

Transcendental Style in Film: Bresson, Ozu, Dreyer (Paul Schrader) it is an interesting approach to their films and one of those books I keep wishing I had on my shelf for quick reference.

[Ann Harding]

Yesterday, I watched Desiderio (Desire, 1946), a film started by Roberto Rossellini and finished by Marcello Pagliero. This melodrama follows the destiny of Paola (Elli Parvo) who is a victim of men's desire. She left her family in the country to live in Rome. Having lost her job, she ends up working as a prostitute. One day she meets a kind horticulturist (Carlo Ninchi). The man is so kind with her, she fears he might discover the truth about her. She decides to travel back to her family to take a break from Rome and its crowd. Once in the village, Paola becomes prey to the desire of her brother-in-law (Massimo Girotti) and her former lover Riccardo. The story ends tragically with Paola's suicide. This melodrama was well played by Elli Parvo as the poor girl victim of men and Massimo Girotti as the libidinous brother-in-law. Interesting picture, though not a major film.

[MikeBSG]

I remember seeing "A Man Escaped" decades ago. I liked it. What impressed me about the movie was the physicality of it. Everything seemed real, and you understood what it took to break out of prison. (Something that is vanishing in these blue-screen days.)

[charliechaplinfan]

I agree, Kingrat, I love exploring foreign cinema but some times it's so very difficult to get beyond the popular films, especially in a country that shows no foreign movies on freeview TV.

[Ann Harding]

AnnH, I love your posts about all these little-known Italian films. Thank you for reminding us of the variety of cinema beyond the official textbooks.

Thanks Kingrat. Actually, I am lucky enough to see quite a lot of Italian films on French TV. There used to be even more in the past. Next Sunday, there is a Cottafavi melodrama.

[charliechaplinfan]

More names for me to learn

[Ann Harding]

Recently I saw a picture with Jean Gabin. Le Sang à la tête (Blood in the head, 1957) is a Gilles Grangier picture adapted from Georges Simenon. It belongs to a small group of good pictures Gabin made later in his career. He plays a rich shipowner in La Rochelle (a city on the Atlantic coast famous for its fishing harbour). His wife disappears one day with a former boyfriend and Gabin decides to find her. During the picture, we discover how most people in La Rochelle hate his guts because he started as a docker and became La Rochelle's most powerful figure. If you are familiar with this beautiful city, it's an absolute pleasure to see the harbour with the fish market like it used to be in the 50s. Beyond that, it's an interesting sociological view of a small city, quite typical of Simenon. Simenon lived there for many years and spent his days in a famous café listening to all the gossips. You can imagine he got plenty of ideas for his books! I enjoyed the film, even if it's a minor effort in Gabin's career.

[charliechaplinfan]

It seems even minor Gabin films are worth seeing.

[Ann Harding]

Yestarday I saw Traviata '53 (1953, Vittorio Cottafavi) with Barbara Laage. This modernized version of the 'Lady of the Camelias' takes place in contemporary Milan. Carlo Rivelli (Armando Francioli) a young engineer meets a kept woman, Marguerita, aka Rita (B. Laage) during a dinner. He falls in love with her. She is kept in grand style by an elderly banker. When the latter realises her infatuation with the young man, he manages to cut all funds for the young man's father (who owns a company). Realising what's happening, Rita leaves the young man. She becomes impoverished and dies of TB in a sanatorium. I guess Cottafavi modernized cleverly the story of Marguerite Gautier. But, what was lacking in this film was real emotion. The lead actress, Barbara Laage was French and was therefore dubbed in Italian. I felt she looked like a glossy model, but was quite expressionless. I never for one moment felt anything for her. It's funny how Italian melodramas made in the 50s were so artificial and did their best to avoid the surrounding reality. For me, these films have dated a lot unlike the later 60s pictures which had sharpness, social comments and humour.

[MikeBSG]

Just watched "Marlene" (1984) Maximillian Schell's documentary on Marlene Dietrich. It is half in English and half in German, so I'm commenting on it here.

I liked it. I know some people were disappointed that Marlene didn't talk on camera to Schell, but her refusal gave the film a hint of mystery and a dash of conflict. Was Schell going to get some secrets out of Dietrich, or was she going to thwart him?

I came away convinced that I ought to see "Dishonored" and "Stage Fright" soon. I liked that Dietrich held "The Scarlet Empress" in high regard, and she also came across as a bit of a down-to-earth person.

[Rita Hayworth]

Just watched "Marlene" (1984) Maximillian Schell's documentary on Marlene Dietrich. It is half in English and half in German, so I'm commenting on it here.

I liked it. I know some people were disappointed that Marlene didn't talk on camera to Schell, but her refusal gave the film a hint of mystery and a dash of conflict. Was Schell going to get some secrets out of Dietrich, or was she going to thwart him?

Mike, I seen that Schell's documentary on Dietrich about 2-3 times in my life and Marlene is a private person very much like Rita Hayworth (Marlene and Rita are BFF - Best Friends Forever) and I felt that Schell is pushing the "buttons" too far and trying to more out of Dietrich.

Marlene after this documentary felt that Schell disrespected (partially, to point) that causes her a little bit of discomfort; that Schell wanted to know more about the private life of Marlene Dietrich. I know that you like it Mike; but I don't because Schell was pushing it (this is way I look at it, from my perspective) too far and this forces Marlene to not to talk on camera to Schell just like you pointed it out for everyone here and therefore gave the film just like you said a hint of mystery and a dash of conflict of which I felt you did an excellent job of collaborating this documentary that Schell did on Dietrich.

[JackFavell]

Mike BSG, I really enjoyed the movie Marlene for the same reasons, and I felt that although Schell did attempt to find out about Marlene, as was his stated purpose from the beginning, the end result was very respectful of her persona. It showed a side of Marlene that didn't diminish her in any way, but maybe enhanced her mystery. for me anyway.

[charliechaplinfan]

I liked it too, I'm sure there is further discussion about it on the thread devoted to Marlene Dietrich in the people of film. I wondered why she did make it, she was a recluse and perhaps that accounts for her non appearance on screen, I felt she came across as quite frustrated with Schell and at other points playing cat and mouse with him but as a documentary it's incredibly good viewing.

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched The White Sheik last night directed by Fellini in 1952, one of his lesser known films, it's a pleasant satire concerning a young just married woman who has come to Rome on her honeymoon. Unbeknownst to new husband she has been corresponding with The White Sheik the character in a film serial. A one time butcher boy, plump and married to an even plumper, cross harridan. All the action with the young wife is juxtaposed with that of her husband trying to cover up for his absent wife with his family who have arranged for an audience with the Pope. Religion and lust at odds with one another. This was before Fellini hit the big time with La Dolce Vita and La Strada but you can see glimpses of his humour and pathos coming through, especially when Cabiria is introduced played by Guiletta Masina and character in one of his later films.