Joseph L. Mankiewicz

 Joseph L. Mankiewicz




The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

All About Eve (1950)




RANKED:


3. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)


Adapted from the 1945 Josephine Leslie novel of the same name, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1947 film "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" is a supernatural romantic fantasy that follows a widowed single mother in the early 1900s who encounters a ghost in the new seaside chateau she recently purchases. The ghost, a former seaman who died in the home only 4 year prior, develops a friendship and eventually romantic interest in the titular Mrs. Muir. "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" is a very sweet and romantic film that is now considered a classic of Hollywood.




2. A Letter to Three Wives (1949)


After the second World War, the United States was in a period of rapid growth and wealth incline. There were radio commercials, new fashions, and rapid industrialization that existed under a new framework of the American nuclear family. What Joseph L. Mankiewicz's adaption of the 1945 novel "A Letter to Three Wives" demonstrates is the anxieties felt by women in the new, modern world. The story centers on three women who receive a letter from the illustrious and mysterious Addie Ross, who confesses that she ran away with one of their husbands, although she does not reveal whom. Throughout the film, the women agonize over whether their respective husband was unfaithful. Through this process, it becomes evident that the expectations placed on the modern women in this new American framework can become unbearable. The notion that these women might not be meeting some ascribed notion of wealth, beauty, and downright perfection causes immense anxiety, self-doubt, and even overcompensation. Despite being tagged as a 'studio film,' Mankiewicz was able to construct a glimpse into the anxieties and internal struggles of the modern American woman.




1. All About Eve (1950)


Often compared to "Sunset Boulevard" from the same year, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1950 film "All About Eve" details the fall of one aging star and the rise of a younger, more ambitious one. The aging star in question is played by the incomparable Bette Davis, in perhaps her greatest on-screen role. "All About Eve," despite its straightforward plot about the structural makeup of the entertainment industry, can be a more abstract film about life. As one young woman sacrifices all of her relationships to attain wealth, glamour, and fame, the aging star must reconcile with what's more important in her life and whether her personal relationships are more valuable than her perceived control over her career and her perception by others. When it was released, "All About Eve" was a huge success, especially for critics and people in the entertainment industry. After all, the film centers on them. However, the film could also be said to be about the fall of the Golden Age of Hollywood and the oncoming changes that were just beyond the horizon. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rio Bravo (1959)

Image
  Howard Hawks' "Rio Bravo" To conclude the filmography of Howard Hawks, I watched his 1959 western film " Rio Bravo ." I've got to say that I was expecting a lot more out of this picture based on all the praise for the film. That is not to say that I didn't like it, it was a fine time at the cinema (I was not at the cinema, I was at home). I can't say that I should have expected more, as I'm not entirely that big of a fan of Howard Hawks. Even his best film (to me), " The Big Sleep " is arguably one of the weaker film noirs that I've seen. " Rio Bravo " is a film that apparently is a response to 1952's " High Noon ," which was an allegory about Hollywood's blacklisting and McCarthyism. Howard Hawks and John Wayne felt the film was anti-American and instead made " Rio Bravo " to broadcast an alternative perspective in which the hero of the story doesn't shy away from justice. I personally ha...
Read more

King Kong (1933)

Image
  Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack's "King Kong" There are many post-Depression American 'box office' films that I have seen in my film studies journey. Most of these post-Depression box office films don't typically sit right with me. The films I have in mind are the gangster and monster films that swept the nation in the early 1930s. These films typically were meant to placate an anxious American audience. However, the depth to their thematic intricacies leave something to be desired. Even without this depth, the 'entertainment' aspect of these films were not very entertaining to me. However, there is one film that utterly surprised me, 1933's adventure epic " King Kong ."   The story is well-known. A group of filmmakers travel to a remote island to take advantage of strange and interesting natural wildlife unknown to the outside world. There they meet an indigenous people, all terrified of a large, monstrous primate living on...
Read more

The Big Sleep (1946)

Image
  Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep" After watching Howard Hawks' 1946 film noir " The Big Sleep ," I have to say that it is not one of my favorite film noirs. That being said, it was definitely the best Howard Hawks film I've seen thus far. It did not have the typical dark ending that permeates the whole film with bleak darkness, which probably made it a lesser noir for me. In fact, it felt more like a 'studio noir,' if that makes sense. I'm not going to go into the entire plot of the film, especially because the entire plot is incredibly convoluted. In fact, this was a major strike against the film at the time of its release. Many reported that they could not keep up with what was happening. I've got to say that, for myself, this was the case as well. I found myself having to rewind to figure out what exactly I missed or who was who. However, upon reflection, the convoluted plot may only add to the feverish intoxication of the film.  Because...
Read more