Film Persona

  Max Ophuls' "Everybody's Woman" After Max Ophuls fled Germany in 1933, he stationed himself temporarily in Italy. The only film he would ever make in Italy was 1934's " Everybody's Woman ." It was the film that also made Isa Miranda a global star.  Isa Miranda stars as a famous film star who, after attempting suicide, remembers the events in her life that led up to that moment. Through various twists and turns, lovers and possessors, there was tragedy everywhere.  I really don't have much to say about this film. Max Ophuls direction always keeps me engaged, especially his use of tracking shot. However, the story left me wanting more. I originally thought that the film was going to be about a woman who is possessed by everyone, never truly having her own identity. However, the film takes a different, more commercially melodramatic turn that didn't really engage with me. Overall, a fine watch but nothing to write much about.

  W.S. Van Dyke's "The Thin Man" W.S. Van Dyke's 1934 film " The Thin Man ," based on the Dashiell Hammett novel of the same name, was a smash success that launched a Hollywood film franchise. The film centers on a retired detective who, along with his socialite wife, get pulled into a murder mystery. The relationship between the detective and his wife is the heart of the film, as their playful, flirtatious chemistry provides the spark the film needs that elevates it above mild mystery entertainment. Overall, it's a very enjoyable commercial film.

  Carol Reed's "Night Train to Munich" Many have described Carol Reed's 1940 British thriller " Night Train to Munich " as somewhat of a spiritual sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 " The Lady Vanishes ." After all, both involve the situation of a war-torn continental Europe, both are scripted by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, both feature two of the exact same characters - slightly eccentric and cricket-mad English travelers Charters and Caldicott, both films feature the similar settings, as well as similar character architypes. I cannot deny all these similarities, especially the two exact same characters played by the exact same actors. However, to me, they are completely different films all together with completely different thematic points of view. " Night Train to Munich " is about a British secret service agent who must safety escort an inventor and his daughter out of the imprisonment of the Gestapo at the onset on the war.

  Roberto Rossellini's "Paisan" After the rousing success of 1945's " Rome Open City ," Roberto Rossellini continued with the neo-realist style with another depiction of the liberation of Italy. With 1946's " Paisan ," Rossellini tells six episodic stories all centering on the partnership between the American military and both the Italian military and its citizens. Although not as critically and commercial successful as " Rome Open City ," " Paisan " still managed to become an important Italian film that demonstrated the continued success of neo-realism as well as communicated sentiments about the war and its far-reaching effects. Each episode contains different characters in different parts of Italy. Each episode all features different aspects of the war raging in the country. Each episode also contains immense tragedy and heartbreak. Although I did not engage with " Paisan " and much as I did with Rossellini'

  Elia Kazan's "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" The 1945 film " A Tree Grows in Brooklyn " is most notable, to me, as the directorial film debut of famed director Elia Kazan. Beyond this, it is a relatively benign coming-of-age story with a lot of heart. That isn't to say I didn't like the film. In fact, it is one of the more tonally engaging Hollywood films from this era.  The film centers on a young girl who lives with her poor family in Brooklyn. Through various economic downfalls, an alcoholic father, domestic tension, and other personal tragedies, the bright young girl tries to hold on to hope amidst all the hardship her and her family faces. The film reminded me of something akin to the tone of Frank Capra's " It's a Wonderful Life " the following year. In the post-war landscape, the globe was traumatized by war and individuals were facing personal hardships. Films like " A Tree Grows in Brooklyn " seemed to acknowledge these