If you ever want to know what the "New Lad" movement was about, show them this - cockney Michael Caine gets out of prison and has it off with a series of hot birds, then plans a heist in Italy. There's a Matt Munro credits tune, gorgeous Italian scenery, sideburns, women in knee high boots and mini skirts, wacky crooks, the mafia, training sequences, colourful clothes. The chant the prisoners give Noel Coward at the end is just like one at a football ground - so too is the song "The Self Preservation Society".
There are plenty of endearing references to England's declining position as a world power - getting revenge on those Europeans, the poor balance of payments, the power of the Americans, Noel Coward's worship of the queen, digs at obnoxious Pommy tourists abroad.
The first half of this I found a little bit of a strain, to be honest, despite Caine's charm. But once they get to Italy it improves and the heist itself is sublime. Cute minis driving up and down stairs and down sewerage pipes and on to the back of the bus accompanied by Quincy Jones' theme song - what's not to like about that? And "you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" is a funny line in the context of the movie.
Sunday, July 08, 2012
Movie review - "Shout at the Devil" (1976) **1/2 (warning: spoilers)
The novels of Wilbur Smith have plenty of action, romance, sex, adventure and historical interest, but they often have a South African background, so have been problematic for film producers since the 1960s.
This was presumably thought safe because its set in World War I Zanzibar, and is a cross between Donovan's Reef and The African Queen: Roger Moore and Lee Marvin squabble and bicker as partners in Africa who poach ivory and one up a local German commander. Moore has an affair with Marvin's daughter, Barbara Perkins (beautiful but a bit too old - I felt someone that hot would have gotten married beforehand), then war comes and they team up to sink a German ship.
Smith's original novel was tricky in that it started as a comic romp but then half way through the Germans kill the baby belonging to the lead couple then it gets dark, and all the leads died at the end. They keep the baby killing here (an extremely harrowing sequence) but Moore and Perkins are allowed to live.
Roger Moore is very good - he's perfectly cast, does action and handles the serious stuff too. Marvin does his Marvin thing - he's a charismatic actor and the two are a good odd couple. The material isn't the strongest - the story is kind of all over the place, consisting of sequences rather than a coherent tale (i.e. this is where they meet sequence, this is a raid sequence, this is an aeroplane sequence).
It goes for over two hours, and sorry to be PC but sometimes is a bit racist: the black African characters are just background figures, porters, servants or slave victims; the only time they do much is when soldiers who are depicted as grinning savages kill Perkins baby by tossing it into the fire (I'm not saying such things would never happen but they don't have any decent non savage African characters in this movie, or even someone with three dimensions); also Moore blacks it up for the final attack.
Still there is plenty of action and production value; the final attack on the ship is genuinely exciting; the locations are terrific.
This was presumably thought safe because its set in World War I Zanzibar, and is a cross between Donovan's Reef and The African Queen: Roger Moore and Lee Marvin squabble and bicker as partners in Africa who poach ivory and one up a local German commander. Moore has an affair with Marvin's daughter, Barbara Perkins (beautiful but a bit too old - I felt someone that hot would have gotten married beforehand), then war comes and they team up to sink a German ship.
Smith's original novel was tricky in that it started as a comic romp but then half way through the Germans kill the baby belonging to the lead couple then it gets dark, and all the leads died at the end. They keep the baby killing here (an extremely harrowing sequence) but Moore and Perkins are allowed to live.
Roger Moore is very good - he's perfectly cast, does action and handles the serious stuff too. Marvin does his Marvin thing - he's a charismatic actor and the two are a good odd couple. The material isn't the strongest - the story is kind of all over the place, consisting of sequences rather than a coherent tale (i.e. this is where they meet sequence, this is a raid sequence, this is an aeroplane sequence).
It goes for over two hours, and sorry to be PC but sometimes is a bit racist: the black African characters are just background figures, porters, servants or slave victims; the only time they do much is when soldiers who are depicted as grinning savages kill Perkins baby by tossing it into the fire (I'm not saying such things would never happen but they don't have any decent non savage African characters in this movie, or even someone with three dimensions); also Moore blacks it up for the final attack.
Still there is plenty of action and production value; the final attack on the ship is genuinely exciting; the locations are terrific.
Movie review - "Valerie" (1957) **1/2
My expectation couldn't have been lower for this Western - it's obscurity, the fact it was the only film made during Anthony Steel's Hollywood sojourn that produced all those drink driving arrests, its the only teaming of Steel and then wife Anita Ekberg. It's also shot very much like an episode of a TV show. But I found it surprisingly engrossing.
It starts with a bang, literally: Sterling Hayden entering a homestead, a shoot out eventuates; later on it turns out his ex wife Ekberg is gravely wounded and her parents are dead. We hear about events leading up to it: Anthony Steel is a local reverend fresh off the boat who may or may not have been having an affair with Ekberg who may or may not be a slut and Hayden may or may not have been a devoted husband and/or tortured people in the Civil War. Plus there's Hayden's dodgy brother and assistant.
It's not a classic: any movie which ends with a convenient confession-by-taking-someone-hostage loses points (a device used a lot in Westerns); the acting is a bit iffy (they don't give Steel too much to do - he was the perennial "second male lead", Ekberg is beautiful but simply wasn't much of an actor, Sterling Hayden glowers); it looks cheap. But it had ambition and at least tries.
It starts with a bang, literally: Sterling Hayden entering a homestead, a shoot out eventuates; later on it turns out his ex wife Ekberg is gravely wounded and her parents are dead. We hear about events leading up to it: Anthony Steel is a local reverend fresh off the boat who may or may not have been having an affair with Ekberg who may or may not be a slut and Hayden may or may not have been a devoted husband and/or tortured people in the Civil War. Plus there's Hayden's dodgy brother and assistant.
It's not a classic: any movie which ends with a convenient confession-by-taking-someone-hostage loses points (a device used a lot in Westerns); the acting is a bit iffy (they don't give Steel too much to do - he was the perennial "second male lead", Ekberg is beautiful but simply wasn't much of an actor, Sterling Hayden glowers); it looks cheap. But it had ambition and at least tries.
Movie review - "Bonnie Prince Charlie" (1948) **
A famous flop at the time, this isn't that bad - it's just dull. And it's a shame because it needn't be - the historical story is a very exciting one, there is money to spare, the colour is gorgeous, there's some great Scottish locations, the cast impresses.
And for the first half I didn't mind this that much. David Niven is admittedly disastrously miscast in the title role - as George MacDonald Fraser pointed out, it must have been thought that as a charming Scot he was a natural but he isn't. Because Niven's persona was that of an officer and a gentleman, a decent stick who was brave and good with an anecdote. He's not good at conveying being an adventurer, Italian, full of passion, impetuosity... or anything that would make this role work. Who else could've done it who was a star? Stewart Granger? James Mason? Not John Mills. Maybe it was impossible, in a film where Bonnie Prince was a lead - these sort of erratic ruler roles are best in support parts.
But it has pace because the rebellion shouldn't have even got off the ground, but enjoyed tremendous success. Jack Hawkins is a believable Lord Murray, there's a good Battle of Prestonpans, some romance for the Bonnie Prince. With its heavily accented King George II and Duke of Cumberland, it seems Alex Korda was getting audiences on the side of the Prince.
Then at the retreat from Derby things start to get wonky - long romantic scene with the Prince and Clementine, who then disappears from the story; we aren't shown the Battle of Culloden; then almost half the movie - half! - consists of Charlie's flight from the British. So there's endless trudging over the glens with Margaret Leighton, with endless talk, and I'm never sure what they're getting at - a romance between the two? The rebellion was a good thing? A bad thing? It's all a hopeless muddle. Also, like An Ideal Husband the sets are too rich and opulent at times.
Korda made some classics but also some duds and this is a dud. It's not awful, you don't hate yourself for watching or Korda or cinema, but it's a misfire.
And for the first half I didn't mind this that much. David Niven is admittedly disastrously miscast in the title role - as George MacDonald Fraser pointed out, it must have been thought that as a charming Scot he was a natural but he isn't. Because Niven's persona was that of an officer and a gentleman, a decent stick who was brave and good with an anecdote. He's not good at conveying being an adventurer, Italian, full of passion, impetuosity... or anything that would make this role work. Who else could've done it who was a star? Stewart Granger? James Mason? Not John Mills. Maybe it was impossible, in a film where Bonnie Prince was a lead - these sort of erratic ruler roles are best in support parts.
But it has pace because the rebellion shouldn't have even got off the ground, but enjoyed tremendous success. Jack Hawkins is a believable Lord Murray, there's a good Battle of Prestonpans, some romance for the Bonnie Prince. With its heavily accented King George II and Duke of Cumberland, it seems Alex Korda was getting audiences on the side of the Prince.
Then at the retreat from Derby things start to get wonky - long romantic scene with the Prince and Clementine, who then disappears from the story; we aren't shown the Battle of Culloden; then almost half the movie - half! - consists of Charlie's flight from the British. So there's endless trudging over the glens with Margaret Leighton, with endless talk, and I'm never sure what they're getting at - a romance between the two? The rebellion was a good thing? A bad thing? It's all a hopeless muddle. Also, like An Ideal Husband the sets are too rich and opulent at times.
Korda made some classics but also some duds and this is a dud. It's not awful, you don't hate yourself for watching or Korda or cinema, but it's a misfire.
Movie review - "Tower Heist" (2012) **1/2
Very commercial but enjoyable Brett Ratner film which has plenty of stars and a decent story. The first half hour feels overly mechanical as they set it up - but half an hour in it improves a lot when Eddie Murphy becomes involved in the heist. Matthew Broderick is fun but I wish he'd been given more to do; Casey Affleck's voice is really annoying; it's a shame the relationship between Ben Stiller and Tea Leoni couldn't have been more developed, or that the movie couldn't have gone in harder on the judicial system and/or government who let crooks like Alan Alda get away with near murder. It feels like its been overly developed to death but it chugs along well enough.
Movie review - "This Sporting Life" (1963) **1/2
Every actor should get a vehicle like Richard Harris got with this when they are young, strong and spunky - in it's way it's as great a launch pad as Tom Cruise had with Risky Business or Errol Flynn with Captain Blood: Harris gets to glower and swagger, thump around on the rugby league field, kiss and roger (and slap) women, suffer unrequited love, have people lust after him (even his male manager squeezes his leg), rail at the unfairness of life like the Hairy Ape, be nice to kids, have tormented relationships with everyone.
It's very 60s New Wave - black and white, Northern England setting, non-linear narrative, frank depiction of sex, working class heroes, etc. Lindsay Anderson directs with verve - it feels real and authentic, great atmosphere of the clubs, on the field, back grooms, dingy boarding houses. Harris is a charismatic star with his bulk and glowering presence.
But it goes for too long - it's over two hours - and is depressing and lacking in warmth. Harris is meant to love Rachel Roberts but he seems to rape her in one scene and slaps her in another and she's a miserable git too. There's an awful lot of Acting (yell! I want to love! yell!) which is easy to mock but it does have power. There's a strong line up of character actors (people like Colin Blakely) and it's probably the best movie ever made about rugby league.
It's very 60s New Wave - black and white, Northern England setting, non-linear narrative, frank depiction of sex, working class heroes, etc. Lindsay Anderson directs with verve - it feels real and authentic, great atmosphere of the clubs, on the field, back grooms, dingy boarding houses. Harris is a charismatic star with his bulk and glowering presence.
But it goes for too long - it's over two hours - and is depressing and lacking in warmth. Harris is meant to love Rachel Roberts but he seems to rape her in one scene and slaps her in another and she's a miserable git too. There's an awful lot of Acting (yell! I want to love! yell!) which is easy to mock but it does have power. There's a strong line up of character actors (people like Colin Blakely) and it's probably the best movie ever made about rugby league.
Movie review - "After the Fox" (1966) **
Ah, the sixties - when you'd get caper films written by top Broadway playwrights, with faded Hollywood stars playing faded Hollywood stars, directed by Italians with great art house reputations in Italy, climactic chase scenes, lazy satire. This has a pretty good idea - crooks need super cook Peter Sellars to smuggle some gold into the country so he covers for it by making a movie. There's location footage, Britt Ekland as an Italian (Sellars' sister), a jaunty theme song penned by Burt Bacharach warbled by Sellars and the Hollies.
It's silly and fun enough - I wasn't wild about it. The pace never seems right, it takes too long to get going, and Sellars mugs ceaselessly. It feels weird Ekland and Sellars playing brother and sister when they should play lovers. Maybe the digs about Italian art house cinema were fresher in 1966. I did like the sexy woman who mimed the voice of her Italian cohort, and Victor Mature as a washed up Hollywood star.
It's silly and fun enough - I wasn't wild about it. The pace never seems right, it takes too long to get going, and Sellars mugs ceaselessly. It feels weird Ekland and Sellars playing brother and sister when they should play lovers. Maybe the digs about Italian art house cinema were fresher in 1966. I did like the sexy woman who mimed the voice of her Italian cohort, and Victor Mature as a washed up Hollywood star.
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