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| gromit |
 Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:30 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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Dickens often crusaded against injustice and poor treatment of the poor.
His father had been in a debtor's prison for a time.
Children raised in a debtor's prison could come and go, and presumably try to work off the family debt.
A Little Dorrit drawing:
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| bartist |
| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 1:24 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6965
Location: Black Hills
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| The Trip is a British answer to Sideways, more restrained in tone (well, the mission is gourmet dining rather than wine tasting), and more limited in that the actors play themselves, but it has some very funny moments and the two men do manage to uncover some truths about themselves - you are left feeling that two friends who have been chafing on each other, perhaps drifting apart, have found their way back. Their little contests, especially in doing impressions of film stars (Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino....the usual targets of mimicry), and mutual critiques are fun to watch. If you've ever seen The Italian Job, you may be hearing its most famous line more times than you would have conceived possible in a two hour period. Coogan and Brydon make it all look easy and natural and got-it-in-one, and the landscapes of the North are stupendous to look at. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| yambu |
| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 4:27 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
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| Thank you for reminding me of The Trip. It is time for another viewing. The Michael Caine mimics are precious, but the whole film works. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:39 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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| TCM showed "The Fountainhead" this afternoon. Interesting. Beautiful cinematography, great actors--Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, and Raymond Massey had faces built for black-and-white shadows. But it was like a very intellectual (and ideological) puppet show, or a robot demonstration. The dialogue was elaborate and stiff, the situations ridiculous (New Yorkers shutting down a newspaper because they don't like the editorial POV?), the concept downright silly (sure, Americans hate anything new and individual--I guess Ayn Rand never heard of Frank Lloyd Wright, and what would she have thought of Frank Gehry?). Topped off with a characteristically melodramatic movie courtroom climax. But all so deadly serious and without a moment's glimmer of humor. Glad I saw it, though. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:52 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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carrobin wrote: TCM showed "The Fountainhead" this afternoon. Interesting. Beautiful cinematography, great actors--Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, and Raymond Massey had faces built for black-and-white shadows. But it was like a very intellectual (and ideological) puppet show, or a robot demonstration. The dialogue was elaborate and stiff, the situations ridiculous (New Yorkers shutting down a newspaper because they don't like the editorial POV?), the concept downright silly (sure, Americans hate anything new and individual--I guess Ayn Rand never heard of Frank Lloyd Wright, and what would she have thought of Frank Gehry?). Topped off with a characteristically melodramatic movie courtroom climax. But all so deadly serious and without a moment's glimmer of humor. Glad I saw it, though.
Damn. I meant to see that. Watched The Las Vegas Story instead--a combination film noir/musical from 1952 with Jane Russell, Victor Mature, Vincent Price, and Hoagy Carmichael. Silly but fun. I have never been able to completely understand why I love Jane Russell and Victor Mature as much as I do, but there you have it. As for Hoagy Carmichael, it's easy to understand. He's just terrific. |
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| carrobin |
| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 7:06 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 7795
Location: NYC
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With a title like "Las Vegas Story," I'd be expecting Mafia involvement.
One more thing about "The Fountainhead." During Gary Cooper's speech in his own defense in court, he had a lot to say about "creators" versus "parasites." It reminded me very much of the "makers vs. takers" Republican mantra during the last election. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 7:21 pm |
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Billy, I also love Russell and Mature. Neither is a great actor, though Mature was very good in Kiss of Death, but they were stars.
I read The Fountainhead. It was crap. Then I saw the movie later and it was silly, (maybe not silly but ridiculous), beyond words.
Oh yeah, I enjoyed Las Vegas Story. |
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| knox |
| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:25 am |
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Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Posts: 1246
Location: St. Louis
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yambu wrote: Thank you for reminding me of The Trip. It is time for another viewing. The Michael Caine mimics are precious, but the whole film works.
"You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" I thought the Caine compulsion was a useful device to show his character. I liked the scene where they pretend to give each other's funeral eulogy. Also where Brydon tells Coogan to shut up when he is endlessly explaining the geology on a hike....and then Coogan is subjected to a geology lecture from some motormouth Yorkshireman. I think what Sideways had, that The Trip doesn't, is a real plot. The Trip is more like My Dinner with Andre, with wheels attached. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:35 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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marantzo wrote: Billy, I also love Russell and Mature. Neither is a great actor, though Mature was very good in Kiss of Death, but they were stars.
I read The Fountainhead. It was crap. Then I saw the movie later and it was silly, (maybe not silly but ridiculous), beyond words.
Oh yeah, I enjoyed Las Vegas Story.
The Las Vegas Story was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be. It was a virtual rewrite of Casablanca, however. Hoagy Carmichael sat in for Dooley Wilson's Sam, with "As Time Goes By" being replaced by the amazing Carmichael classic "I Get Along Without You Very Well." Jane Russell was Ingrid Bergman, coming back to the casino where she once sang, with a new husband (Vincent Price replacing Paul Henreid) in tow, hooking up with old b.f. Victor Mature (Bogart). Of course the story was sufficiently different, but TLVS is to Casablanca as Storm Warning and Blue Jasmine are to A Streetcar Named Desire or Match Point is to A Place in the Sun--unofficial remakes that don't quite qualify as plagiarism, but almost.
More litigation-worthy is Fatal Attraction's debt to Play Misty for Me. Outrageous. And the fact that Glenn Close's Alex got Oscar-nominated while Jessica Walter's Evelyn in PMfM was forgotten is...don't ask. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 5:05 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6965
Location: Black Hills
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Quote: I think what Sideways had, that The Trip doesn't, is a real plot. The Trip is more like My Dinner with Andre, with wheels attached.
Maybe. I do think Steve and Rob get somewhere. Which constitutes a plot, in my understanding of the word. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 3:59 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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The Mayor of Hell (1933) is a Warner social consciousness film about reform school, with a snappy title. It stars James Cagney though he doesn't pop in until 25 minutes into the film, and then a lot of scenes are between the kids and the evil warden. I got the impression that Cagney was making some other films at the same time and they got him into this film in order to be a draw.
In any case, Cagney is a corrupt ward-heeler who gets an appointment to oversee the reform school. It's intended as a sinecure, but on an annual inspection Cagney takes an interest in the mistreated boys, who of course remind him of himself. taking control, he turns the joint into a model reform school self-administered by the boys, until he has to go on the lam and the Dickensian warden gets to re-institute awful food, double-time marching, and guard brutality.
The film got remade twice in the late 30's with the Dead End Kids, once with Bogey and then again the following year with Ronald Reagan. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:01 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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I've been picking up all these Warner 30's Films individually, but they come from the Warner Gangster box sets. (I finally looked the films up to check).
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 1
The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 2
Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men
Warner Gangsters Collection: Vol. 3
Smart Money / Picture Snatcher / The Mayor of Hell / Lady Killer
Volume One has some of the most iconic Warner Gangster films.
I picked up an actual box set of that about 8 years ago.
Vol.2 was quite impressive I had only heard of G Men which might be the weakest. Unfortunately Lady Killer hasn't turned up and that sounds like an interesting Cagney vehicle.
Vol. 3 a bit more uneven and less essential, though still fairly fun and interesting films. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:04 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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Hope Vol 4 turns up:
Disc 1: THE AMAZING DOCTOR CLITTERHOUSE
Disc 2: INVISIBLE STRIPES
Disc 3: KID GALAHAD
Disc 4: LARCENY, INC.
I've wanted to see Dr. Clitterhouse for a long time |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:31 am |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6965
Location: Black Hills
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Quote: Disc 1: THE AMAZING DOCTOR CLITTERHOUSE
I think I saw a double feature of that with The Remarkable Dr. Vulvario. |
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He was wise beyond his years, but only by a few days. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:03 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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bartist wrote: Quote: Disc 1: THE AMAZING DOCTOR CLITTERHOUSE
I think I saw a double feature of that with The Remarkable Dr. Vulvario.
Hurry, bart. I think you're late for Beavis and Butthead 101. |
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