Movie Review: The Passion of Joan of Arc (silent)
Year of Release: 1928
Country of Origin: France
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Cast: Maria Falconetti, Eugene Silvain
Plot outline: A chronicle of the trial of Jeanne d'Arc on charges of heresy, and the efforts of her ecclesiastical jurists to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions (IMDb).
Although silent and filmed in black and white, The Passion of Joan of Arc seems almost contemporary because of its timeless historical subject, and Dreyer's disregard for dramatic filmmaking techniques of the era. None of the actors wore makeup, and were filmed in extreme closeup under harsh lighting conditions. The kindly priests are better looking than the treacherous and bullying ones, who have enormous creases and pockmarks on their aged faces. But even St. Joan, who died while yet a teenager, is plain, especially with her masculine dress and hairstyle. The film does not attempt to put Joan of Arc's life into perspective. It is assumed that the viewer knows her background, emerging from a peasant upbringing to becoming essentially a field general for the French forces loyal to King Charles VII. Naturally, England and France have differing interpretations over Joan of Arc. For England, the hero of the Hundred Years War is Henry V, who began the conflict with a conquest of much of France. Shakespeare glorified Henry V in the play of the same name, while vilifying Joan of Arc as a witch in his "Henry VI". In France, Joan has a national holiday. Although Dreyer was from Denmark, the movie was a French production, thus portraying her as a devout patriot. He time compresses her lengthy interrogations into a single afternoon, no doubt confusing the viewer when Joan of Arc rises from her sickbed (the final sacraments were even to be performed) as if waking from a nap. He is merciless in the punishment that he inflicts on Joan, who is emotionally alone and surrounded by hostile clerics. Joan, memorably portrayed by Maria Falconetti, is frequently brought to tears from her piety and the cruelty of the clergy. The trial and execution of Joan of Arc has parallels with that of Jesus. In fact, Joan tells her questioners (the script benefits from a surviving transcript of the trial) that she is a daughter of God, just as Jesus was the son of God. Of course, this was blasphemy to the Catholic Church of the era. Nonetheless, Pope Benedict XV would canonize Joan as a saint in 1920. (BK)
My judgement: **** out of 4 stars
Movie Review: Calamity Jane
Year of Release: 1953
Country of Origin: USA
Director: David Butler
Cast: Doris Day, Howard Keel
Plot outline: The story of Calamity Jane, her saloon, and her romance with Wild Bill Hickok (IMDb).
Calamity Jane is loosely based on the real life of Wild West heroine Calamity Jane and explores an alleged romance between her and Wild Bill Hickok in the American Old West. The movie is a fine musical from an age of great musicals, which makes no pretence at being in any way historically accurate and concentrates instead on being good entertainment. Doris Day outing as Calam may have been her finest performance - and certainly her most energetic. Howard Keel is a charming, if unlikely, Wild Bill. Although the plot is a simple one, the action never flags right up until the happy ending. All the songs are outstanding, not just the Oscar-winning "Secret Love", and are performed with great joy and verve. Calamity Jane is pure unadulterated fun. (AC)
My judgement: **1/2 out of 4 stars
Movie Review: Donovan's Reef
Year of Release: 1963
Country of Origin: USA
Director: John Ford
Cast: John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Elizabeth Allen, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, Dorothy Lamour
Plot outline: A war veteran in the South Seas tries to salvage a buddy's reputation when the man's daughter comes calling (IMDb).
The movie was shot on extremely photogenic Kauai, Hawaii - where an icy Boston heiress has gone to search out her seemingly errant father. That staid lady not only discovers the beauties of the palm-studded island but also romance in the guise of John Wayne, an erstwhile heroic hand on a Navy destroyer who decided to stay on after the war and is now the owner of the island saloon of the title, among other properties. Mr. Ford and his devoted team are not overlooking that movies should move even though the dialogue is colloquial, funny and manly. Everyone, from Elizabeth Allen, as the starchy Bostonian whose reserve melts after being exposed to the amorous assaults of Mr. Wayne and the charms of the happy folk around her, to Miss Lamour, is constantly involved in physical action: Mr. Wayne belts Mr. Marvin; Mr. Wayne and Mr. Marvin good-naturedly take on an Australian Navy crew; the kids go water skiing; Mr. Wayne is forever tearing around the island in a jeep; and Miss Lamour is tossed into a pool. Miss Allen gets a watery greeting at the outset when she lands in the lagoon on missing her step off the schooner that brings her to her destination. She is never the proper Bostonian after that. Mr. Ford, to summarize, is kidding, but he also has his viewers in mind and he does not shortchange them. Everything ends as happily as a trite travelogue, and his cast behaves in customary but satisfying style. Miss Lamour's contribution is slight, but she obviously appreciates the free-and-easy spirit of the whole wacky affair. Jack Warden is merely serious as the dedicated doctor, and Jacqueline Malouf, Cherylene Lee and Tim Stafford, as his happy, half-caste offspring, are winning youngsters. (NYT)
My judgement: **1/2 out of 4 stars
Movie Review: Penny Serenade
Year of Release: 1941
Country of Origin: USA
Director: George Stevens
Cast: Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Beulah Bondi, Edgar Buchanan
Plot outline: A couple's big dreams give way to a life full of unexpected sadness and unexpected joy (IMDb).
From the moment that Miss Dunne sadly turns on the old gramaphone and, to the plaintive strains of "You Were Meant for Me," the scene fades back to her first meeting with Mr. Grant, you may recognize that you are in for a reminiscent wrench. Then, as she successively replenishes the music box with such nostalgic tunes as "Just a Memory," "Missouri Waltz," "Poor Butterfly," "Blue Heaven," etc., right out of a book, you follow the couple as they marry, suffer countless little woes, buy a country newspaper, adopt a baby and finally lose the child they love so much. And slowly, without being aware of it, you drift with them and the movie from brittle, sophisticated comedy to out-and-out softy stuff, from the quixotic plighting of their troth at a New Year's Eve party to the first fearful bathing of baby in the familiar new-parents comedy vein. And then you are sniffling and gulping as little daughter takes part in her first school play and you know that the teacher's promise that she can be "an angel next year" is irony. Somehow, it all goes down, despite a woefully overlong script - all but Mr. Grant's recalcitrance after the little one is gone. It's hard to believe that a man could treat his ever-loving wife so wretchedly, at a time when both would be drawn even closer together by grief. And their sudden joyful willingness to adopt another child is open to doubt. But some very credible acting on the part of Miss Dunne and Mr. Grant is responsible in the main for the infectious quality of the movie. Edgar Buchanan, too, gives an excellent performance as a good-old-Charlie friend, and Beulah Bondi is sensible as an orphanage matron. Heart-warming is the word for both of them. As a matter of fact, the whole picture deliberately cozies up to the heart. (NYT)
My judgement: **1/2 out of 4 stars
Movie Review: The Phantom of the Opera (silent)
Year of Release: 1925
Country of Origin: USA
Director: Rupert Julian
Cast: Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry
Plot outline: A mad, disfigured composer seeks love with a lovely young opera singer (IMDb).
This well known silent classic is certain to be of interest to silent movie students who haven't yet gotten around to seeing it. It provides the most famous role for one of the silent era's biggest stars, Lon Chaney. Movie buffs will also be fascinated by its color sequence. Color cameras and film, and their prodigious lighting requirements, were prohibitively expensive, yet this marquis production used a color scene to generate buzz, and show off its colossal opera house sound stage. Besides the sets, the pastel color scene, and the fame of its production and star, The Phantom of the Opera has yet more going for it: suspense! True, it is predicated upon a stock theme, the pure blond beauty in peril from villain, a cliche that preceded cinema. But the theme is overused precisely because it is effective, especially since some of us take the perverse attitude of cheering for the villain. If anyone is offended, it might be those mindful of the woman's role in society. An early scene features dozens of childlike ballerinas fascinated by and fearful of the Phantom. Worse, our heroine, Christine leaves much to be desired in terms of character. While the unseen Phantom is advancing her career, she cheerfully follows his instruction, even spurning her lover, the heroic and humorless Raoul. If her rival Carlotta is killed, so much the better, for the sake of her own career. But once Christine learns how ugly her new boyfriend actually is, all she can do is cower in fear. Only late in the movie, when she pleads to the Phantom to spare Raoul, does she show concern for someone other than her fair-skinned self. (BK)
My judgement: *** out of 4 stars
Year of Release: 1928
