Film Persona

  Michael Curtiz's "Yankee Doodle Dandy" Going in to Michael Curtiz's 1942 musical biopic " Yankee Doodle Dandy ," I felt a little uncertain. On paper, this film is not something I would typically enjoy. However, I was utterly charmed by this film; its unabashed earnestness, its lighthearted tempo, and most specifically for James Cagney's performance.  The film is a biographical picture detailing the entire life of George M. Cohan, as known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway." Starting out in his early days of vaudeville, Cohan travelled with his father, mother, and sister in a troupe called "The Four Cohans." As he begins to thrive as a playwright and songwriter, Cohan starts to make his mark on patriotic anthems like " Yankee Doodle Boy ," " Over There ," and " You're a Grand Ole' Flag ." The film is a celebration of the life of Cohan and a celebration of his impact on Broadway and American culture.

  Max Ophuls' "Le Plaisir" I feel as though there was far more to Max Ophuls 1952 film " Le Plaisir " than meets the eye. However, I was not in the right state of mind to notice. It's never a good idea to watch a film when you have too much going on around you. That being said, I was still fascinated by this film and wanted to mentally dive in more than I did.  The film centers on three separate stories, each circling the dramatic theme of 'pleasure.' The first and third act as a sort of prologue and epilogue to the longer, more expansive second story. The first is a quick account of an elderly man who attends balls while donning the mask of a much younger man. The second is a more extensive story recounting a trip taken by a group of madams from a brothel. They visit a small village in which one of their nieces is attending her First Communion. The prostitutes are moved by the ceremony, but all any man around them ever cares about is getting frisky

  Alfred Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent" Although it was the second film Alfred Hitchcock shot in the US (1940's " Rebecca " being the first), 1940's " Foreign Correspondent " feels very much like Hitchcock's British films from the 1930s. It centers on an American journalist who travels to the UK to be a foreign correspondent, only to get wrapped up in a web of conspiracy and espionage. Sounds like " The Man Who Knew Too Much ," " The 39 Steps ," doesn't it? " Foreign Correspondent ," however, is perhaps the final 'teetering on the brink of war' of these films, as war finally breaks out by the film's conclusion.  I've got to say that " Foreign Correspondent ," although checking all of the 'Hitchcock' boxes, like everyday individual getting caught up in a conspiracy much bigger than them, the 'wrong man' trope, and the 'nobody believes you' circumstance,

  Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" Famed Italian poet and director Pier Paolo Pasolini once described Federico Fellini's 1960 masterpiece " La Dolce Vita " as being too important to even be discussed as one would normally discuss a film. I feel this absolutely to be the case. Not only is " La Dolce Vita " a monolith of cinematic history, it also set a precedent for how cinema would be constructed thereafter. Its DNA can be found in the very components of modern cinematic convention. It's themes and story points are as relevant today as they were in 1960, providing it a sense of timelessness. To call " La Dolce Vita " a masterpiece would be an understatement.  The film is not told in the same traditional narrative style as most films. Rather, it is told through various interconnected episodes. It stars Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini, a tabloid journalist who aspires to write literature. Through the cafe society of Rome, he s

  Yasujiro Ozu's "Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family" After taking a 3 year hiatus from making films, Yasujiro Ozu returned in 1941 with his film " Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family ." The film centers on the Toda family, who, after their patriarch dies, grows selfish over having to take care of their widowed mother. Like most of Ozu's films, " Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family " provides a domestic intimacy with its characters, as Ozu's quiet observance of daily life in a family allows for the viewer to feel a connection to the story through their own personal domestic life, as well. I enjoyed this particular film and felt the pain of distance and isolation often associated with family and the guilt one feels over being that distant. Although it was a film I enjoyed, I've got to say that it has, so far, been my least favorite of Ozu's filmography. That is saying a lot, since Ozu is a master and all of his films are an

  Michelangelo Antonioni's "La Notte" After the controversial success of his 1960 film " L'avventura ," Michelangelo Antonioni continued down the path of atmospheric filmmaking. With his 1961 film " La Notte ," Antonioni replaces traditional storytelling narrative in favor of visual composition, atmosphere, and mood. This type of film caused hostile audiences at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival when Antonioni screened " L'avventura ." But, the creative support around the film helped Antonioni continue on his journey of anti-drama cinema. With " La Notte ," he brought along with him two of the greatest acting talents in the international film scene: Jeanne Moreau and Marcello Mastroianni.  The film takes place over the course of a single 24 hour period in the deteriorating final throws of a couple's relationship. A famed writer and his wife go to a fancy soiree, only for it to end in shambles. Throughout the whole film, we w

  Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" Often considered one of Ingmar Bergman's most significant films, 1957's " Wild Strawberries " takes the psychology of an aging physician and places its audience directly into his psyche. Bergman had initial come to the idea of the film when he was in his hometown. Driving by his grandmother's house, he had wondered what it would be like to open its doors and see everything just as it had been in your youth. He wanted his next film to focus on this nostalgic melancholy. After being hospitalized for gastric issues and general stress-related physical symptoms, Bergman wrote the screenplay for " Wild Strawberries " in his hospital bed.  The film focuses on Professor Isak Borg, a 78-year-old grouchy, stubborn egoist who is about to accept an honorary degree from his former college. On the trip to the event, he rides with his solemn daughter-in-law Marianne, whom does not like him very much. Along the way, t

  William Wyler's "The Little Foxes" William Wyler's 1941 film " The Little Foxes " would go on to be the very last time that he and frequent acting collaborator, Bette Davis, would ever work together. Davis and Wyler had such a great working relationship, which is what originally got Davis cast in the role when Wyler took over directing duties. The film, based on the 1939 play of the same name, was written by the playwright herself, Lillian Hellman. In Hellman's original production, the lead role belonged to Tallulah Bankhead, who garnished much critical acclaim. However, Wyler refused to work with Bankhead and wanted Davis instead. Samuel Goldwyn, the film's producer, agreed due to the fact that none of the films Bankhead starred in went on to any commercial success. After being cast, Davis wanted to go a completely different direction that Bankhead. This, along with other insistences about makeup and stage production, lead to the heated arguments

  Roberto Rossellini's "Stromboli" Perhaps the most famous note taken from the result of Roberto Rossellini's 1950 film " Stromboli " is that it united him with his muse and future wife, Ingrid Bergman. The creation of the film was sprouted after Bergman wrote Rossellini a note saying that she would like to work with him. After the two of them set up a joint production company to start working on the film, they set up a production deal with RKO and its then owner, Howard Hughes. While working on the film, Rossellini and Bergman, who were both married to other people at the time, had an extramarital affair that would not only unite them as future spouses, but would cause much controversy globally. The film itself centers on a young Lithuanian woman, Karin, who secured release from an internment camp in Italy by marrying an Italian ex-POW fisherman. He takes her to his home island of Stromboli, a volcanic island located between Italy and Sicily. She soon disco

  Preston Sturges' "The Palm Beach Story" By 1942, Preston Sturges was on a roll in Hollywood with a string of commercial successes. That is until " The Palm Beach Story ," which ended up being panned by critics who had felt like the typical Sturges charm had deteriorated with this film into something more bland and banal. Like most of his films, I suppose you could call " The Palm Beach Story " a screwball comedy. In this film, an inventor, Tom, and his wife, Gerry are down on their luck financially. Gerry decides they both would be better off if she left. Gerry takes a train to Palm Beach where she meets John D. Hackensacker III (an obvious replication of John D. Rockefeller III), who offers to take her on his boat. When they arrive in Palm Beach, Tom is there waiting for her. She pretends that Tom is her brother and more shenanigans ensue.  I suppose the main thematic pull from this film is its observance of class divisions. Tom and Gerry are both f

  Rene Clair's "I Married a Witch" During the second World War, many Western European filmmakers escaped to the US in order to continue their filmmaking career. Rene Clair, the father of the French poetic realist movement, was one of these prominent directors. While in Hollywood, he filmed what would be his most memorable Hollywood film, 1942's " I Married a Witch ." The film was brought to Clair by Preston Sturges, who offered it as a vehicle for actress Veronica Lake. Lake, who had just starred in Sturges' 1941 film " Sullivan's Travels ," would make " I Married a Witch " the role she was most remembered for in her career.  Personally, I found " I Married a Witch " to be far too silly and uninteresting. I was captured by its charm at the beginning of the film, but it quickly devolved into utter nonsense. I also am completely uninterested in Veronica Lake, as I find her acting to be very bland and boring. 

  Sacha Guity's "Desire" and "Quadrille" I recently watched this pair of Sacha Guitry films, 1937's " Desire " and 1938's " Quadrille ." I was excited to watch after thoroughly enjoying his previous two efforts, 1936's " The Story of a Cheat " and 1937's " The Pearls of the Crown ." I felt as though Guitry had some quirky and comedic style that really entertained and was able to tell stories in a unique and fruitful way. It was a style that seemed very out-of-the-box and almost proto-New Wave in its simplistic yet innovative metatextuality and unconventionality. That being said, it was TOO out of the box to create an imbalance in the filmmaking climate at the time. These films still adhered to a level of conventionality that still was necessary for the sake of storytelling and entertainment.  I felt, though, that " Desire " and " Quadrille ," although having this Guitry aesthetical flare

  Sacha Guitry's "The Pearls of the Crown" In the late 1930s, French film and poetic realism had reached its zenith and there were plenty of filmmakers that were coming out of the French market that attracted artistic fervor. One of the these filmmakers was Sacha Guitry, who had his own unique style of storytelling. Often presenting his stories through an intercut and flashback narrative form, stories were told through Guitry and his character's own flavor of quirky stylings. One of the two films he made in 1937, " The Pearls of the Crowns ," has Guitry's character recounting to his wife the history of the seven crowns of England. Through a series of flashbacks and Guitry's narration, we see much of the history of France, England, and Italy, all told with creative irreverence and comedy. When we arrive back to Guitry, he and his wife (along with two other gentlemen), go out scavenging for the missing three pearls that remain.  I found " The Pear

  William Wyler's "The Letter" William Wyler and frequent acting collaborator Bette Davis teamed up once again for the adaptation of the 1927 stage play " The Letter ," written by W. Somerset Maugham. The story, based on the true events of the Ethel Proudlock case, in which the Eurasian wife of the headmaster of a school in Kuala Lumpur was convicted in a murder trial after shooting dead a male friend in April of 1911. In the film, Davis' character defends herself by declaring self-defense, while a mysterious letter threatens this story. I found the film to be rather boring and uninteresting. The whole crux of the film hinges on a letter than must be obtained in order to secure a guilty woman's innocence. There is nothing much to say about it, as it is a simply straightforward drama with no real juice. It has the aesthetics of something more noir-ish or melodramatic, but it did not engage with me in the slightest.

  George Franju's "Eyes Without a Face" An early influence in the horror genre, George Franju's 1960 film " Eyes Without a Face ," was very much disliked upon its initial release. Centering on a doctor who kidnaps young girls in order to transplant their face onto his disfigured daughter's face, the film caused much controversy. Many critics felt the B-movie horror was too low brow for acclaimed director George Franju and many audiences left their theaters, particularly during the heterografting sequence. However, the film has since become a cult classic and has influenced numerous films thereafter. I personally found the film to be rather dull. In fact, whilst reading the reviews of the film when it came out in the 1960s, I completely agree with most of them. I particularly agree with the review from " Variety ," which notes of the film's "stilted acting, asides to explain characters and motivations, and a repetition of effects lose t

  Satyajit Ray's "The Music Room" After the failure of his 1956 film " Aparajito ," Satyajit Ray desperately needed a box office success. To achieve this, he decided to adapt a popular piece of literature, the short story " Jalsaghar " by Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay. Ray's adaptation, 1958's " The Music Room " tells the story of a Bengali landlord, Biswambhar Roy, who loves to spend his days listening to music and arranging public performances, even to the detriment of his duties as landlord. A rich commoner begins to develop wealth and power through modern enterprise, which not only challenges Roy's own wealth and power, but challenges the foundations of systematic pedigree that Roy stands upon. Roy spends the rest of the film sacrificing his family jewels, his palace, and even his own family to hold tightly to his self-delusions.  The story and themes of " The Music Room " are not hard to grasp. A wealthy landlord slowly

  George Cukor's "The Philadelphia Story" Based on the stage play of the same name, George Cukor's film adaption of " The Philadelphia Story " could not have been made without its star, Katharine Hepburn. Now considered perhaps her finest performance, Hepburn's role in getting the film made extended way beyond simply starring in the production. She had been the lead actress of the stage play version and had performed the part 417 times from 1939 to 1940. The playwright of the production, Philip Barry, had even wrote the part specifically for Hepburn. Hepburn, who had just been labelled 'box-office poison' a couple of years earlier after the commercial failures of films like " Bringing Up Baby " and " Holiday ," wanted to revigorated her reputation by bringing this project to the big screen. In order to accomplish this, she had her romantic partner, Howard Hughes, purchase the film rights for the play and gave them to her. Hepb