Jean Harlow’s films re-viewed
A photograph is a human construct, not a reality. Nothing lies like a camera, and a Hollywood camera lies like nothing else. I have chosen from a range of photos … Continue reading
All the world a stage: six films of Preston Sturges
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts (Shakespeare, … Continue reading
To Be Or Not To Be: The Big Sleep
from To Have and Have Not Last night I viewed Howard Hawks’ version of The Big Sleep (1946). It was the fifth or sixth time I’d watched it, and the … Continue reading
Fred and Ginger: movie magic
In one of Groucho Marx’s books, Groucho and Me, he tells of meeting a couple, fans, in the street. The wife says: “You’re him, aren’t you. You’re Groucho!”. The husband … Continue reading
Stalker
Watching Tarkovsky’s Stalker was not an enjoyable experience for me, but it did make something about his achievement much clearer. In this film, and in most of his work that … Continue reading
Eric Rohmer’s Tales of the 4 Seasons
WHEN ERIC ROHMER died earlier this year there was a host of tributes, much talk of his “talky” films and remarks about watching paint dry. My tribute was to watch … Continue reading
Eric Rohmer’s 6 Moral Tales
ERIC ROHMER’S Six Moral Tales series of films is a fascinating way to watch a major talent develop seemingly from nothing. They are available from Criterion in the USA and … Continue reading
