tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post1938744161203361372..comments2024-01-11T05:02:32.321-05:00Comments on Goodfella's Movie Blog: 1951: A Place in the Sun (George Stevens)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-46156712019343657162010-10-19T01:56:16.961-04:002010-10-19T01:56:16.961-04:00I think you are right MovieMan0283. I also don'...I think you are right MovieMan0283. I also don't think that Malden and Hunter overdid it though they were not quite as vivid as Brando.divx movieshttp://moviesplanet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-70998650138482848052009-10-15T07:00:48.334-04:002009-10-15T07:00:48.334-04:00I didn't think Malden and Hunter overdid it th...I didn't think Malden and Hunter overdid it though they were not quite as vivid as Brando. Leigh's style I think was perfect for the part - Blanche is essentially an overactress in her own life and it heightens the fantasy aspect which Stanley ultimately smashes.Joel Bockohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238338958380683893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-86630983331141343572009-10-13T09:08:13.072-04:002009-10-13T09:08:13.072-04:00My problem with Streetcar was actually the feeling...My problem with Streetcar was actually the feeling of everyone, with the exception of Brando's smooth performance, overacting too much. I was surprised to find that I didn't care for it.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-24686333659093332862009-10-12T17:43:06.529-04:002009-10-12T17:43:06.529-04:00Streetcar gets my vote - great performances, great...Streetcar gets my vote - great performances, great direction, great play (turned into a great movie, of course, but still it's the strength of the original play which is carried over here).MovieMan0283http://thedancingimage.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-7227582850304893412009-07-19T10:24:37.816-04:002009-07-19T10:24:37.816-04:00Sam - I have to agree with you on Robert Walker&#...Sam - I have to agree with you on Robert Walker's performance and Alistar Sims. Excellent work by both of these fine performers. Surprisingly, at least to myself I have not seen Death of a Salesman, one of my favorite plays. I've seen both the Dustin Hoffman version of a few years ago and a 1966 version with Lee J. Cobb, which I believe is now on DVD.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-89983297133620612642009-07-19T08:33:17.549-04:002009-07-19T08:33:17.549-04:00Shubhajit - I'm going by initial premiere date...Shubhajit - I'm going by initial premiere dates, so Rashomon is actually a 1950 film as its original release was on August 25, 1950 in Japan. It didn't premiere in the United States until 1951, but as I said I am going by the first release, regardless of country. And with 1950 being as strong as it is, I couldn't personally put Rashomon over a number of other films that I prefer.<br /><br />As far as my focus, it's not intentionally on Hollywood, but when the Countdown began I admitted that mostly Hollywood films would end up being selected. It's mainly personal preference, so I'm going just by what I like best for each year -- country doesn't really even factor in. There have been three non-English films chosen so far: Der blaue Engel (1930), M (1931), and Le Regle du jue (1939), and a lot in the "Other Contenders" section that just missed being chosen.<br /><br />As something of a preview... if you're looking for non-English films in the countdown, though, keep your eyes open over the next few years because they just might be on the way...Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-67393808158390636852009-07-19T05:26:28.676-04:002009-07-19T05:26:28.676-04:00Dave, I know you aren't a big fan of Kurosawa,...Dave, I know you aren't a big fan of Kurosawa, but this was the year when his groundbreaking Rashomon was released (I know you mentioned it in your previous post, but I believe '51 was the year of its release)! For me 1951 would be a toss-up between Rashomon & Ace in the Hole. But then again, as the saying goes, to each his own.<br /><br />I was just wondering, are you principally focusing on Hollywood in particular, and English language movies, in general? If I remember correctly, Renoir's La Regle Du Jeu was perhaps your only non-English selection.Shubhajithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040495040897333606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-17242082683288646402009-07-18T15:45:50.961-04:002009-07-18T15:45:50.961-04:00I accidentally left off STRANGERS ON A TRAIN on th...I accidentally left off STRANGERS ON A TRAIN on the runners-up.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-17547163712702931772009-07-18T14:28:25.550-04:002009-07-18T14:28:25.550-04:00Dave: REPAST is a shattering masterpiece, which I...Dave: REPAST is a shattering masterpiece, which I was fortunate to see for the first time at the Film Forum's Naruse festival four years ago. It is out on the BFI Region 2 DVD set.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-88444659026145727232009-07-18T13:37:47.799-04:002009-07-18T13:37:47.799-04:00Sam - I have to admit that I'm completely unfa...Sam - I have to admit that I'm completely unfamiliar with your #1... I'll have to do a little investigation now!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-4414965887495898702009-07-18T12:11:08.450-04:002009-07-18T12:11:08.450-04:00Incidentally, my choice for the greatest performan...Incidentally, my choice for the greatest performance of the year by an actor is Alistair Sim's role as Scrooge in A CHRISTMAS CAROL.<br /><br />Robert Walker's sociopath in Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN would rank second, methinks.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-15295811141017763462009-07-18T12:05:58.120-04:002009-07-18T12:05:58.120-04:00My #1 Film of 1951:
Repast (Naruse; Japan)
Runn...My #1 Film of 1951:<br /><br />Repast (Naruse; Japan)<br /><br /><br />Runners-Up:<br /><br />Ace in the Hole (Wilder)<br />L'Auberge Rouge (Lara; French)<br />A Streetcar Named Desire (Kazan)<br />On Dangerous Ground (Ray)<br />Early Summer (Ozu; Japan)<br />An American in Paris (Minnelli)<br />Death of a Salesman (Benedek)<br />The Tales of Hoffmann (Powell/Pressberger; UK)<br />A Christmas Carol (Desmond-Hurst; UK)<br />Bellissima (Visconti; Italy)<br />The Day the Earth Stood Still (Wise)<br />The Lavender Hill Mob (Crichton; UK)<br />The Thing From Another World (Nyby)<br />The Red Badge of Courage (Huston)<br />The Steel Helmut (Fuller)<br /><br />Dave, I'm sorry to say I always had some serious issues with A PLACE IN THE SUN, but I greatly repect both your and John's view here. I am close to Samuel Wilson, as ACE IN THE HOLE came very close to nabbing my #1 position, within a hair in fact. But there were a number of other great films this year, which made my runner-up list. I am no fan of THE AFRICAN QUEEN, though I appreciated Kate of course. But I have almost been assaulted for that position. Nick Ray's ON DANGEROUS GROUND incidentally yielded my favorite film score of all-time by Bernard Herrmann. But it's a great film in other ways too.<br /><br />What a beautiful thematic essay here on A PLACE IN THE SUN. I did like Clift a lot though.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-1314882514368984882009-07-18T08:00:34.328-04:002009-07-18T08:00:34.328-04:00"S. Winters is so effective I wanted to drown..."S. Winters is so effective I wanted to drown her myself (LOL)."<br /><br />John, I agree entirely with this sentiment!<br /><br />I can't argue much with the choice of "Ace in the Hole." The best performance from Kirk Douglas that I've seen.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-12671915817838328782009-07-18T06:36:19.407-04:002009-07-18T06:36:19.407-04:00Being a huge Billy Wilder fan I have to agree with...Being a huge Billy Wilder fan I have to agree with Samuel "Ace in the Hole" is one of the most acidic works ever. Kirk Doulgas is never better than when he plays an SOB. <br /><br />A Place in the Sun is a magnificent film and M Clift i one of my very favorite actors but for me it has to take a back seat to Wilder's classic.<br /><br /># Ace in the Hole<br /><br />Runner Ups<br />A Place in the Sun<br />The Steel Helmet<br />A Streetcar Named Desire<br />Strangers on a Train<br />The Day the Earth Stood Still<br />The African Queen<br /><br />Interesting analogy to Jeff Bailey in Out of the Past. Never made the connection. S. Winters is so effective I wanted to drown her myself (LOL).<br /><br />1951 was actually a tough choice with great Hithcock, great Kazan and Stevens. Another fine review.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-578997264816756307.post-22027500367934643922009-07-17T23:33:06.977-04:002009-07-17T23:33:06.977-04:00No hesitation this time: Ace in the Hole, Wilder&#...No hesitation this time: Ace in the Hole, Wilder's noir epic with one of Douglas's classic early self-immolating performances, with honorable mentions to Streetcar, Ophuls's Le Plaisir, Renoir's The River, Huston's Red Badge of Courage and John Farrow's His Kind of Woman.Samuel Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934870299522899944noreply@blogger.com