PANICS AND PANDEMICS — SOME FAVORITES FROM RICK’S FLICKS

Contagion
Steven Soderbergh
2011

 

Involving many characters, Contagion is a gripping tale of the CDC and WHO struggling to control the spread of a disease.  It is a must-see for Jude Law’s creation of another sleazy ne’er-do-well.  It is also a must for Matt Damon’s superb work  —  especially (SPOILER ALERT) the scene in which he is informed that his wife has died from the disease.  (The excellence of the writing and playing of this scene was originally pointed out to me by reader/follower BEC).

This is an underestimated film.  Apparently  —  according to more than one User Review on imdb  —  it was misunderstood as to its form and unjustly evaluated by critics at the time of its release.  It is a thoughtful, intelligent and suspenseful medical thriller.

 

Panic in the Streets
Elia Kazan
1950

Somewhat dated in its romantic notions and emotions, this film  —  reputedly Kazan’s favorite of his own works  —  is still suspenseful as a doctor works to prevent the spread of bubonic plague in modern-day New Orleans and struggles to energize the bureaucrats apathetic about the danger.

With Richard Widmark, Jack Palace, Paul Douglas and the glorious Barbara Bel Geddes in a small, thankless role.  It was an Academy Award winner as best original story.  Photography by the great Joe MacDonald.

Forever Amber
Otto Preminger
1947

Cornel Wilde and Linda Darnell in FOREVER AMBER (Pinterest)

BRING OUT YOUR DEAD!  The most riveting pages of Kathleen Winsor’s 1944 novel  —  those devoted to the plague in 1665 London  —  become the most memorable scenes of Preminger’s version of the book in which (SPOILER ALERT!) the heroine, for lack of a more suitable word, and her lover come down with the disease.  The film is damaged by the fatal miscasting of the two leads but is helped by an outstanding supporting cast, especially George Sanders as King Charles.

PANICS AND PANDEMICS to be continued on Rick’s Flicks.  (ACKNOWLEDGMENT:  Rick’s Flicks is indebted to reader/follower DMG for the idea behind this blog.)

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MOVIES ARE EVERYWHERE

Especially in good novels:

Larry is carrying his small daughter Charlotte on his shoulders.

“I like Harpo best,” Charlotte said.  Larry was indoctrinating her (his very small daughter) with Marx Brothers movies, as well as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

“I wonder if there is anyone in the universe who likes Chico or Zeppo best,” Larry said.

Charlotte stopped kicking.  “That’s sad.”

Cathleen Schine, The Grammarians.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019.

NEXT FRIDAY POST April 3

Until then,
See you at the DVD player or the VCR or your computer or phone screen,
Rick

PLEASURES IN THE PLEASURE DOME

RECOMMENDED READING

Recently Rick’s Flicks recommended The Pleasure Dome by Graham Greene with only one reservation (Rick’s Flicks 1/18/20).  Having now finished a second reading that collection of early film criticism by the great novelist, I have a couple of other caveats.

one reservation

Greene can’t abide Hitchcock, apparently because his creations are not realistic nor believable.  So?

Alfred Hitchcock

He does make one interesting observation about the master in a passage about British films rarely exploring what the British then would call “the lower classes” :  “Mr. Hitchcock sometimes indulges in crime or ‘low life’. but it is with the amused collector’s air of a specialist in sensation.”

Greene also does not admire Greta Garbo.  Like many today, he lets the poor general quality of her material obscure the wonder of her work.  As would Bette Davis later, Garbo triumphs over and/or elevates the screenplays given her.

Greene and Rick’s Flicks have much in common.  He respects Frank Capra, and not every critic has the perspicacity to appreciate Billy Halop.

Billy Halop in Wyler’s DEAD END

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graham Greene admired good comedy and describes the best of the genre as that “in which the smallest parts are perfectly cast and played.”

Ah!  Casting!  –  In response to Rick’s Flicks January 31 blog, reader/follower BEC brought up the question of casting and Rick’s Flicks responds with a capital-letter YES.  There should be awards for casting.  The work of the unsung casting director is responsible at the least for enrichment, at the most for the real success of many films.  From an earlier era four Hollywood “classics” come to mind, THE WIZARD OF OZ, GONE WITH THE WIND, HIGH NOON and REBECCA.  Some would add CASABLANCA.  I think of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, down to Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway and Graham Beckel as Hathaways’s father, Randy Quaid as the herd boss, Peter McRobbie and Roberta Maxwell as Ennis’ parents.  Another example of the perfect ensemble is sex, lies and videotape.

Remember Graham Green’s comment about successful comedies?  Look at Hollywood comedies from the 30a and 40s.  Every character is funny.  If the hero goes into a store, the salesperson is hilarious.  If the heroine gets involved with a bus driver, he’s funny, too.  And they are cast well.  But they were often typecast.  Present day casting and that of the recent past has definitely moved moved beyond these types.

RECOMMENDED READING

The Pleasure Dome by Graham Greene, edited by John Russell Taylor.  Oxford University Press, c1972.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

Casting By, directed by Tom Donahue.  This documentary, originally aired on HBO in 1912 and later theatrically released in 2018, celebrates  Marion Dougherty and other casting directors and takes a general look, through countless celebrity interviews, at the casting phenomenon.

Casting By
Tom Donohue
2012

Rick’s Flicks would like to hear from readers at as to your favorite examples of good casting.

NEXT FRIDAY POST March 27

Until then,
Enjoy a movie,
Rick