DIShGo
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***SPOILERS FOLLOW*** Exactly, the father is a very good man from start to finish, and that is why he so desperately wants to find the bicycle so he can take care of his family. There comes a time when every child realizes that his or her parents aren't infallible. Bruno is young for this to be happening, but it is happening. Life's cruel twists have made his father so distraught that he slaps the boy, and doesn't even notice when Bruno is almost hit by a car. These events occur because the father is all consumed with finding the bicycle. That is what he has to do to save his family. You are right, there is a coming-of-age happening with the boy. At the restaurant, for example, the stress of the day is momentarily relieved. He and his father laugh and eat and enjoy each other's company. But the subject of money comes up, and shots of their meal are juxtaposed with the bowls of pasta being eaten by the wealthier family in the corner. Bruno's boyish expression of delight gives way to one of concern for his father. The father sees this, and tries to lighten the mood again. He wants to let Bruno be a little boy a while longer, but Bruno's perception of the world has changed that day. The injustices the father faces are felt more strongly by the viewer because Bruno is watching, too. Would the final scene have been nearly as powerful if Bruno had gotten onto the trolley, as his father instructed? -
I really thought I would like "Breathless" more than I did. Articles I read about this film stressed how important it is, calling it one of the most influential films of the French New Wave movement that changed the way modern movies are made. Having watched this film, I can appreciate these sentiments. I can see how this style of filmmaking would have been groundbreaking in 1960, and I understand how a film like this could influence future film directors for years to come. Having said that, I found the movie tedious to watch. I would never be interested in seeing it again. From a film appreciation stand-point, I am glad I saw it. The film has a quirky 1960s feel to it, and there are moments I enjoyed. Years from now, if I look back on this film, the thing I will remember best is beautiful Jean Seberg and her charming gamine style. I would love to find a copy of the striped dress she wears at the end of the film in a second-hand store somewhere (along with a pair of wrist-length white gloves).
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It is Bruno's reaction to his father that tells the story of how desperation is changing the man, more so than any action taken or word spoken by the father in the film. At first, Bruno looks at him adoringly, wanting to be just like him. As the film progresses, his look changes to hurt and confusion. He is seeing the chinks in his father's armor for the first time. The way he looks at his father in the pivotal scene near the end of the film is profound. So much is said about the father and his life's challenges, through Bruno's eyes, without a word of dialogue needed. I saw an interview with Enzo Staiola as an old man, saying that the director spotted him on the street and wanted him to play the part of Bruno. Thousands of boys auditioned, but the director was set on him. He said he thought it was something about a look in his eyes. I can see that.
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Hmmm. I am sure being a mother concerned about my son colors how I view both films. Still, I see similarities that go beyond that. This article explores how the Italian neorealism movement influenced the new wave film movement in France. Both "Bicycle Thieves" and "The 400 Blows" are about the everyday lives of ordinary people facing terribly difficult, but not at all extraordinary, challenges. Both films have charming child actors who tug at your heartstrings without being sentimental. Both films are beautifully shot in black-and-white, turning everyday scenes of city life into works of art. Neither film has a "happy" ending, yet both films left me with a sense of hope. Both films also show a strong, and sometimes difficult bond, between father and son. Between the two, I think "The 400 Blows" is the better film. There is certainly more to the story. But for a simple, beautiful tale about the human condition, "Bicycle Thieves" is near the top of my list.
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Agreed. That scene was incredible for a number of reasons.
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Where on earth did you find this? Is this a feature length film? I think Paula Abdul is generally thought of as a better dancer than singer, but in a cheerleader, backup dancer sort of way (she was a Laker Girl while in college). I think she hit the jackpot when she made a music video, heavily played on MTV, dancing and singing with a cartoon cat. In general, she comes across as a nice person. I don't wish her any ill will for allowing her handlers to make the most of what she has, but the singing in this clip is cringeworthy.
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"Bicycle Thieves" is the simple story of a poor Italian man, his son and a stolen bicycle. It is one of the finest films I have ever seen. Considered by many to be a masterpiece of Italian neorealism, the movie is bleak, beautiful, sad, joyous, hopeful, moving and sublime. I was confused when I started searching for this film online, because it is also called "The Bicycle Thief." Both titles refer to the same film. They are merely different translations of the Italian title. "Bicycle Thieves" was adapted for the screen by Cesare Zavattini from a novel by Luigi Bartolini. At 69 years old, the film does not seem dated. It is a timeless tale that still feels fresh and relevant today. One of the earmarks of neorealism is the use of non-actors. Neither Lamberto Maggiorani , who plays the father, nor eight-year-old Enzo Staiola, who portrays his son, were trained actors. Both give magnificent, moving performances. Staiola is irresistible as the little man, trying as hard as he can to keep up with his father as they search the streets of Rome for the bicycle. He has the most expressive eyes, and is able to communicate a full range of emotions with a simple glance up at his father. I felt the deep bond between these two, and the scene where they share a well-earned meal of mozzarella sandwiches is one of the best moments I have seen captured on film. Shot in black-and-white, the film is lovely looking, with artistic images of the grittier side of Rome. The story is simple, yet compelling. I was completely caught up in the tale, and felt as if I was running alongside the pair, racing against time, trying to help them find the bicycle and a way out of their life of poverty. "Bicycle Thieves" reminded me a lot of the French film "The 400 Blows," a movie that I adore. I highly recommend these two films. Watch them both. You won't regret it.
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Chicken-fried steak, along with fried chicken livers and a tall glass of buttermilk with crumbled saltine crackers on top, will always remind me of my mother!
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I saw this when it came out in the theater with my daughter. We both loved it. Matthew McConaughey's performance was amazing, but it was Jared Leto who blew me away. I can still see his character in my mind as if I had watched this film yesterday.
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I have read that a lot of the events in this film have been dramatized to make the story more exciting to watch. I was a sophomore in high school during the hostage crisis. I was taking a creative writing class at the time, and we were required to keep a journal and write something in it every night. I still have that journal, and a good number of my entries are about the hostage crisis. I watched reports about it on the news every night, and it clearly was upsetting to me. Years later, I took my teenage daughter to the theater to see this film, and she found the story fascinating. She knew nothing about this part of American history.
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When my children were very small, we went to Hawaii every winter and ate a lot of poke. Ahi was the most popular, but we also consumed a lot of tako. Both of my kids preferred tako. I was always the one who wanted to buy some tuna.
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I agree with your conclusion that Norah oversimplifies the concept of love and is, in fact, describing infatuation. As I have thought more about this film, and my assessment of it, I believe I was too dismissive. If Mildred was a little less awful and if Philip displayed a little more backbone, I might have been more emotionally invested in the outcome of their romance. But she was horrid and he was such a doormat. That was the hurdle I had trouble getting over. This is a fascinating way to look at this. The film really doesn't feel that dated when you think about it this way. ***SPOILERS FOLLOW*** By the way, no one ever wed Mildred Rogers. She told Philip she was marrying Emil when in fact, she was merely sleeping with him. The wedding of Emil and Mildred depicted on film took place only in Philip's imagination. Emil was married to someone else and tossed the pregnant Mildred back out onto the streets when he was finished with her.
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I originally included pre-code in my title for this post because "Of Human Bondage" is frequently referred to as that. The film seems to fall into a gray area. According to an article I read, the film was released on June 28, 1934, and the Hays code became strictly enforced on July 1, 1934. However, the movie didn't go into wide release until July 20th, so it was subject to the newly enforced code after all. The print held by the Library of Congress (used for the Blu-Ray release) shows the Code certificate at the start, which you posted above. I don't want to give too much of the film away for those who haven't seen it yet, but I can see elements of pre-code and post-code in this movie. ***SPOILERS FOLLOW*** For example, paintings of nude French models are shown and discussed, and premarital sex and an out-of-wedlock birth occur, which implies pre-code. References to prostitution, however, stated outright in the book, are vaguely hinted at in the film, and a case of syphilis is changed to tuberculosis, which is more in line with post-code standards.
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Yes, I have heard that one, too. Check out number three on this list.
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My friend, who was born, raised and now lives on the island of Hawaii pronounces it po-kay. So that's what I have always called it. There is a fresh fish shop in the Ferry Building in San Francisco that carries "poke mix" from Hawaii with recipes printed on the back. There is no accent over the "e" on their packaging. It includes Hawaiian salt, ogo (seaweed) and chili pepper. They recommend adding sliced green onion as well. I usually buy a few of these packets and keep them on hand, and when I get the chance to buy some nice, fresh fish, I am poke ready.
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"Of Human Bondage" is widely regarded as the film that made Bette Davis a star. Because I have been watching the FX series "Feud: Bette and Joan," and the finale of that miniseries is tonight, I wanted to see a young Ms. Davis portray the crass Mildred Rogers. I cannot say that I liked this film very much, but I am glad I saw it. If you have Amazon Prime, you can stream it online without any additional charges. To borrow one of Davis' lines from the movie, "I don't mind" it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it, either. However, if you are at all interested in film history or Bette Davis, you should watch this movie. "Of Human Bondage," is W. Somerset Maugham's story of the club-footed Philip Carey, a would-be artist and a wanna-be doctor who falls in love with the vulgar little waitress, Mildred Rogers, played by Davis. The film is based on the 1915 novel of same name, which the Modern Library ranked No. 66 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Mildred is one of the most unlikable characters I have seen on film. Carey is played by Leslie Howard, a popular actor in the 1930s, best known for his role as Ashley Wilkes in "Gone with the Wind." Carey is an uncharismatic and weak-willed leading man, who time and time again comes back for more abuse from the psychopathic Mildred. The bondage of which the film speaks is the way humans become attached to one another, even when that love is unrequited. A central theme is that in a romantic relationship, one person is doing most of the loving the while the other is simply reaping the benefits of being beloved. This is a topic that could have made for an interesting psychological drama, but the film falls short. The movie is slow paced and dated. Davis' acting makes the film, and often feels ahead of its time, but her performance is marred by her uneven cockney accent. I don't mind slow moving, melodramatic films. One review I read said the film is dull and slow because it was made in the early stages of "talkies," and the pacing is more like a silent movie. I am not sure I buy into this. Some of the best films I have seen were slow-paced, romantic and silent, including 1919's "Broken Blossoms," and "The Lodger," from 1927. What elevates these films above "Of Human Bondage" is the chemistry between the actors and the likability of the characters they portray. Still, I am happy I saw "Of Human Bondage" and witnessed Davis' bold, brash performance as cruel and manipulative Mildred. She did not receive an Academy Award nomination for her performance. So many people thought she deserved not only to be nominated but to win, they wrote in her name for Best Actress. As a result, despite not officially being on the ballot, Davis came in third.
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I won't say anything to spoil this film for anyone, either. Just watch it! I do have to add, however, that I am NOT a science fiction fan, and I loved this film.
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So bad, it's good. And it is quite the earworm.
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Ha! Yes, I can see that. Speaking of Season 1, Episode 4, have you seen this?
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I don't remember exactly what happened in that restaurant scene, but I have now watched all of the episodes that have aired, and there are a handful of moments when the pair seem more like allies than enemies. Is that the scene where they talk about their fathers? The series depicts them as two aging actresses facing nearly identical challenges, but the baggage from their pasts won't allow them to mend their fences. I find myself rooting for them to get along. What a powerful force they can be when they join together instead of tearing each other down. As for Sarandon, yes, she grew on me right away. I think she is perfectly cast as Davis. I saw her on a talk show where she discussed the role. She said the male-run studios of that era pitted women against one another, and they had to fight each other to advance their careers and succeed. Once women began participating in writing, directing and producing, that changed, she said, allowing women to join together instead of ripping each other apart. Sarandon also said Davis approached her when she was a young actress, just starting her career, and asked if she would play her in a project. Sarandon said her agent declined, thinking the part wasn't suitable for her at that time.
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A point they frequently bring up in the FX Series "Feud: Bette and Joan," is that Bette was "robbed" of Best Actress honors that year because Anne Baxter pushed to be nominated in the Best Actress category rather than Supporting Actress." That feels like life imitating art, because that would be something Eve would do! I also find it interesting that Anne Baxter was chosen for the role, in part, because she resembled Claudette Colbert, who was being seriously considered for the role of Margo. The idea was that Eve would gradually look more and more like her idol as the film progressed. I think that would have been a nice touch. But then we wouldn't have had Bette Davis uttering that unforgettable line, "Fasten your seatbelts: It's going to be a bumpy night." I find it fascinating that you included that screen shot of the three actresses with Addison DeWitt. I actually paused on that scene as well while watching the film because I thought it perfectly captured the personalities of the three women, as well as their "agendas" for Addison DeWitt. I am so glad I saw this film.
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I was mistaken. The "Kiss Me Deadly" reference was in the fourth episode, not the pilot. Having recently enjoyed so many films from this era, I am finding this series fun to watch. It is kind of like reading the X-Ray tidbits that appear alongside an old film you stream on Amazon. There have been several references to "All About Eve," for example, a film I just watched last night and thoroughly enjoyed. The wrangling that goes on between the directors, the producers, the studios and their stars in fascinating. I find that aspect more interesting than the catfight storyline. Really, the premise is more about the challenges aging actresses faced in that era than anything else. I also like that the Bette and Joan story is just one season. It feels like less of a time commitment, and the writers aren't tempted to drag out the storyline. As for how factual it is, there are several "Feud" fact checking pieces being written that address what is real and what has been enhanced for dramatic effect.
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Many a Saturday night J. Geil's "Freeze Frame" was lodged in my car's cassette player as my high school friends and I drove around town.
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This could be my favorite film. It is certainly in my top three. I love everything about it.
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I asked my son, who is fascinated with the topic, for a link to an article explaining time crystals, and he sent me this: "Scientists Have Confirmed a Brand New Phase of Matter: Time Crystals" by Fiona MacDonald on sciencealert.com
