Short Review: Bunny Lake is Missing (1965)

Feb. 10, 2011

35. Bunny Lake is Missing (1965)

Starring Laurence Olivier, Carol Lynley, Keir Dullea

Produced & Directed by Otto Preminger

Plot: “A woman reports that her young daughter is missing, but there seems to be no evidence that she ever existed.”

I didn’t really care for this one. Besides the multitude of plot holes, it seemed very drawn-out, and I never really got into the story. I understand that the tedious pacing could’ve been done in an effort to build the suspense, but to me it just came off as unskillful editing/writing. ***SPOILERS*** I never once doubted that Bunny Lake was real, so that may have been why I found myself a little bored. There are also some just plain weird sequences—like Noel Coward’s performance—that seem to be put in solely as red herrings. As for acting, Olivier seems rather wasted in a dry part; I think they could’ve done more with his talent—especially in the awkward conclusion. Dullea was adequate, at best, but Lynley seemed a little wooden in her line delivery. Over all, this isn’t a movie that I liked (in case you can’t tell. Lol)

P.S. Funny story: I really hate horror movies, so I made sure beforehand that this wasn’t one. It’s not (in case you’re interested, I would classify it as more of a mystery/suspense with an eerie atmosphere) however when I saw “Zombies” in the opening credits it caught me off guard. I quickly Googled it and found out that the Zombies were just a band featured in the film. Doh!

P.P.S. Keep in mind that I really don’t even know what I’m talking about when I critique ‘editing’ and ‘line delivery’. :P

Short Review: Mildred Pierce (1945)

Feb. 1, 2011

27. Mildred Pierce (1945)

Starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Lee Patrick

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Plot: “After her cheating husband leaves her, Mildred Pierce proves she can become independent and successful, but can’t win the approval of her spoiled daughter.”

This was an interesting movie. The blending of noir and melodrama was nicely done, and I was surprised at some of the twists in the plot—especially near the end. The use of flash-backs was compelling and the lighting and shadows accentuated the different moods of the story. I also thought the acting was top-notch and contained some very memorable characters. This was a very entertaining and well-done movie. If you haven’t seen it already, I recommend checking it out.

Short Review: To Catch a Thief (1955)

Jan. 30, 2011

26. To Catch a Thief (1955)

Starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Plot: “When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence. ” (from IMDb)

Some view this film as more of a Hitchcock “lite”, but I really enjoyed it. The plot was fun, the on-location shooting on the French Riviera was breathtaking, costumes by Edith Head were stunning, the dialogue was witty, Jessie Royce Landis was delightful as the mother, and the two leads played nicely off each other. Surprisingly, I did not really like Grant much in this role (though I know I will probably get lambasted for saying that). He just seemed a little…I don’t know…dull and bland. Maybe his performance will grow on me, though. But the picture as a whole is lot of fun and a wonderful escape into the glamorous Technicolor world of Europe, intrigue, mystery, and romance. What more could I ask for?

Short Review: Stage Fright (1950)

Jan. 22, 2011

19. Stage Fright (1950)

Starring Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, Alastair Sim

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Plot: “A struggling actress tries to help a friend prove his innocence when he’s accused of murdering the husband of a high society entertainer.” (from IMDb)

I rather liked this one. For some reason though, it seems to be one of the Hitchcock films that doesn’t get discussed much. I thought it was very entertaining and the surprise twist was very clever. The British setting, lovely recurring piano theme, beautiful lighting, and array of British actors—such as the amusing Alastair Sim (who nearly stole the film)—were added bonuses. Marlene Dietrich has an interesting role here, playing almost a parody of herself. As for Jane Wyman, I’ve read some opinions that see her as miscast, but I thought that she did a good job. The romance between her and Wilding (he had really odd hair, though) was especially sweet, and I felt like she played the part just right. Although this is a suspense/mystery film, there are a lot of charming and humorous moments. Some feel a bit out of place but most hit the mark in contributing to a satisfying film. The ending does feel a little abrupt. (I can’t think of an alternative, though!) In my opinion, this is one that is worth watching.

Short Review: Spellbound (1945)

Jan. 14, 2011

14. Spellbound (1945)

Starring Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll, Rhonda Fleming, John Emery

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Produced by David O. Selznick
Screenplay by Ben Hecht
Suggested by Francis Beeding’s novel “The House of Dr. Edwardes”

Plot: “A female psychiatrist protects the identity of an amnesia patient accused of murder while attempting to recover his memory.” (from IMDb. I’m going to use the plot summaries from there from now on because I’m not very good at writing them!)

This movie was okay. Not my favorite Hitchcock. I am interested in psychology, but the simplification of the psychiatric angle of the plot makes this a little dated. I also thought that Peck was thoroughly unlikeable in this role. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t understand what Ingrid Bergman’s intelligent doctor character saw in him. I know many people will disagree with me on this, though! I did like him better in Designing Woman. I was impressed with how Hitchcock manipulated some of the visual elements in this film (I can’t really say what they were without giving the plot away). But I guess that’s one of the reasons that he’s regarded as a great director! Despite these techniques, I thought the film dragged and the ending seemed a little sloppy. Over all, this movie just did not work for me. The extras on the DVD I watched were very good, however, and it got me interested in PTSD.