Lena Horne was fantastic in Cabin in the Sky. I wish she had more screentime. Ethel Waters was also great. That woman for sure deserved more than just a nomination for Pinky. Member of the wedding is still my favorite performance from hers and the one that should have won awards.
Holy matrimony. Great performances all around. That's all.
And later tonight will finish Old acquaitance. Hopkins was... bad...Davis was great. Mercedes Moran as Hopkins's daughter is a choice. Also Rich and famous is a remake of this film? Because it kinda reminder me that film for whatever reason.
Ugh, yeah, Waters really deserved a nom for Cabin in the Sky. What an effortlessly warm screen presence. Her “Happiness is a Thing Called Joe” is one of the loveliest solo numbers in a movie musical that I know of.![]()
Also, everyone MUST see the other musical with an all-Black cast from this year, Stormy Weather, if only to marvel at the Nicholas Brothers performing the single greatest dance number ever put to film. :bow.
Douce (Claude Autant-Lara)
The first several seconds of the film were concerning. All I saw was a black screen but I also heard the most gorgeous score, one of my faves in some time. Fortunately, the production co. logo appeared, I breathed a sigh of relief and had a feeling I'd be in for an experience I'd treasure. (Come on, even the font used for the credits is so elegant!) Needless to say, I was right. In fact, there wasn't a single second of the picture I didn't love. I never say that!
Just the Bonafe estate alone made me swoon. Particularly when adorned for Christmas.
Every single character is interesting and acted to perfection. My favorite is the Countess (or "Your Ladyship") de Bonafe portrayed for all she's worth by Marguerite Moreno. The Countess is so imperious and never without a complaint or condescending comment. I didn't think any supporting actress turn from 1943 could surpass that of Anna Svierkier (Day of Wrath) but let's just say Moreno is just as good. Or perhaps more Cooperesque.
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The lead character, Douce (the captivating Odette Joyeux), is a multi-layered, demanding role. I admire this teenager's boldness when expressing her ardor for someone considered unsuitable. Not to mention the fact the fellow - Fabien - is already intimately involved with someone Douce is quite familiar! This willful girl's courage, risking everything to attain her heart's desire, makes for fascinating cinema.
I love films about secrets featuring romantic triangles. Or in this case, a quadrangle of sorts. The grand setting and vivid characters make it that much more delicious.
The Raven and especially Day of Wrath are masterworks but IMO this movie is even better.
So am I!I'm grateful to you for FYC-ing it. Now you'll understand why I'm such a pest when it comes to encouraging you to share your cinematic favorites with us. 1943 is coming along quite nicely as a top-tier year for film.
To think that mere months ago (prior to seeing Day for Night and especially Children of Paradise) I never thought I'd fall in love with a French film!
I agree. Everyone must see the Nicholas Bros!
I saw this in my Colbert marathon and I couldn’t believe it! Lake stole the whole thing. The whole movie was surprisingly bold but her big scene really is a big scene and the reaction shots of her costars to what she is saying seem completely real.
Last edited by BTN; 08-06-2022 at 10:57 PM.
Okay, So Proudly We Hail is going in my watchlist. Sounds like the kind of gem I was hoping for with this canon.
Try Douce !
(But I love so Proudly too ...)
Angels of Sin (Robert Bresson)
At the beginning of the film, set at a Dominican convent, several Sisters sit around a table, examine what looks like a map and speak of a tough cabbie as though he were a getaway driver. I understandably wondered, "Are these crazy nuns planning some sort of heist?"
If only they had been. I might've enjoyed the picture more. Please don't get me wrong. This is a very good film, beautifully photographed and well-acted by the ladies. It's just that, at a certain point, Sister Anne-Marie's quest to befriend and reform ex-con Therese (who, despite wearing a habit was not yet a full-fledged nun) turned into an all-consuming obsession with no small amount of ego, impudence and dereliction of her duties involved.
Yes, I know that was exactly Bresson's intent but I became weary of it. Particularly when Anne-Marie turned into a loon, blamed Blackie the cat for all that was wrong in the convent and even mistreated the animal.
OTOH, Therese was a fascinating, sympathetic anti-heroine throughout the entire film. I wish the whole picture had been about her. Who the heck could blame Therese for resenting and getting creeped out by Anne-Marie hovering over her constantly?
However, I must admit that before Anne-Marie got to the point of residing on my last nerve, her psychic connection with Therese was rather interesting. While in the middle of a recitation with the other nuns, Anne-Marie was the only one who heard someone at the convent door. Anne-Marie also somehow knew the individual wishing to enter was Therese.
I could end on a positive note and praise the perfect final shot of the film but I must point out the subplot involving a police investigation was executed perfunctorily in every respect.
CABIN IN THE SKY
One of the most auspicious debuts ever, Minnelli's first movie and first musical is a non-stop visual and aural delight that, regardless some possibly dated touches in the way the whites portrait black communities, gave opportunities to shine to many black performers, and gave us all the opportunity, decades later, to enjoy all that talent, that we wouldn't have recorded without films like this one. But it is a seriously great movie too.
Fires Were Started
Not the last of the British 40s and 30s documentary school that I'll FYC, this is usually considered Humphrey Jenning's masterpiece, and it's a gripping (and brief!) look at the dauily lives in a firemen station.
The Song Lantern
A rare period film by Naruse, perhaps more Mizoguchiesque than Narusesque, but to me it's still his last great one before he entered in the career slump that lasted until 1952.
I would like to FYC again La Main du Diable, because I really think some people here (not my twin Cooper necesseraly, maybe more someone like McTeague ?) could enjoy this kind of "magic", mysterious, oniric movie, very french in the mood, but with great visual appeal. Well, Pierre Fresnay is my favorite french actor and is great, as always.
My friend, I would love to give the movie a whirl (particularly since the recommendation comes from you) but if the Russian site has it with Eng. subs, I couldn't find such a version.
I started Osessione (sp?) late last night and it looks really good. Helping matters tremendously is that the leading man and woman are extremely hot!
Actually, her performance (I'm pretty fan of it) was very well received and she received one of the few accolades apart oscar of the days (can't remember wich one, it was given by some critics, I have the list somewhere, it was on Variety or Screenland or Photoplay
) She was considered supporting.