A gem, a dud

Laura (1944) is a timeless gem. Gene Tierney is the title character, who is presumed to have been murdered – until she shows up. Detective Lt. Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) falls for her, her image in the painting in her apartment, and then falls hard for her when she appears. But, who is dead? The zinger is that the body is never seen. Vincent Price is Laura's coy


Critics in Rotten Tomatoes give it 100%, the audience 90%, a rather rare combination of taste. But not everyone likes it. The Village Voice critic: Elevated by studio boss Darryl Zanuck from "B" picture status, Laura opened at the Roxy, became a critical and popular hit, was nominated for five Oscars (winning for cinematography), and launched Preminger's directorial career. Still, alternately sprightly and turgid, if abetted by its haunting, ubiquitous score, it's far from a great movie—most beloved by second-generation surrealists who appreciate it for its time-liquidating dream narrative of l'amour fou. See that movie if you can; for me, Laura is a flavorsome but flawed anticipation of two far more delirious psychosexual cine-obsessions: Vertigo and Blue Velvet.

In contrast stands We own the Night (2007). I didn't like it, or finish it.

Sleuth

Usually I do not like to compare films, but let each stand on its own merits, but, I do feel compelled to say, this original version is superior to the 2007 version.

I liked the 2007 film, with Michale Kane playing Andrew Wyke, the role Laurence Olivier played in the 1972 film; Caine played Milo Tindle in 1972. Jude Law played Mile Tindle in the 2007 version. All the acting is quite good; Olivier was superb, Caine better in 1972 than in 2007, and Law was excellent.

Sleuth redux

Excellent. In this 2007 remake of the 1972 film version of the Anthony Shaffer play, Michael Caine plays the older gent whilst Jude Law plays Milo. As I recall, Caine played Milo to Laurence Olivier's Andrew Wyke.

Law was magnificent. Enjoyed film thoroughly. Ordered 1972 film, have play in hand.

A feel-good film, and a not so good one

Watched a couple of films this past weekend. The feel-good one was "The Republic of Love," directed by Deepa Mehta (who directed a film I watched last weekend and adored, Water). It was a simply cute and fun movie, decidedly a different turn than Water (which she actually made before this one). The not-so-good one was Michael Clayton, with George Clooney: had Clooney not been in it, it wouldn't have worked as well as he mad eit work, and I might've turned it off.

Republic was a story of two people unlucky in love: Tom Avery is a late-night disc jockey who has been previously married (tow, maybe three times), who goes to a support group, and who, when he does have sex, never quites enjoys it. Fay is (supposedly) trapped into impossibly-high expectations by the (supposedly) perfect marriage of her parents. Eventually they meet, and fall in love, Tom much more heavily then Fay. The twists, turns and permutations are funny; I adored the film. Well, adored it too strong, for I adored Water; I really liked Republic. I enjoyed watching it, I was touched by the romance, and I wished the movie was longer.

Clayton, on the other hand, was difficult to like. There were too many subtles twists, too-low voices, and it only worked because George Clooney is such a good actor.