Rififi (1955)

Tony, recently released from prison, is talked into pulling one more heist. A team is assembled to break into the safe of a nearby jewelry store. Just like in all heist films, everyone lives happily ever after.

The actor hired to play the safecracker Caesar became unavailable, so director Jules Dassin stepped into his ballet shoes. Dassin was an American and directed The Naked City among others. Brief membership in the Communist Party got him blacklisted in Hollywood, so he moved to France and became more successful. By the mid 60s he was back working in the US.

There is a 32 minute heist sequence that is absolutely riveting. No dialog, no score, just the execution of the plan. So much is communicated by careful staging and meaningful glances. It’s brilliant.

Rififi is considered one of the great heist films. TCM’s Eddie Muller proclaimed it the best. The word rififi is loosely defined as trouble or violence. A stylish musical number titled Le Rafifi ties the title to the story. The number is quite good, actually. So is the film. AMRU 4.

Without Pity (1948)

A young woman traveling to visit her brother In postwar Italy, befriends a black American serviceman who was wounded trying to stop a thief. After being questioned by the military, she is arrested for prostitution, being a woman on her own. Gangsters and other complications interfere with their budding relationship.

Film-noir has a complicated definition. My copy was recorded from TCM’s Noir Alley, so it’s noir, if an unconventional one. While our male lead is black (American John Kitzmiller), that doesn’t directly play into the story. This is about a US serviceman and an Italian civilian, not black and white.

Kitzmiller, for his part, was a trained Engineer and Army Captain during WWII, where he was awarded the Victory Medal. He fell in love with Italy, which he helped liberate, and stayed on after the war. He didn’t have much family back in the states and didn’t relish returning to American racism. He appeared in a fair number of Italian films but also appeared in a couple English language films, most notably Dr. No (1962). Depression and its faithful companion alcohol led to an early death.

Pretty Carla Del Poggio was wonderful as the angelic Angela. She was married to director Alberto Lattuada. Cute as a button Giulietta Masina has a secondary role. Husband Federico Fellini was a principal screenwriter. Pierre Claude who plays head gangster Pier Luigi has no other screen credits and no biographical information is known about him. He may have just been a walk-on.

Without Pity resembles Italian neorealism perhaps a bit more than American film-noir. The scratchy filmstock and naturalistic acting strongly gives that vibe. Banned in British and American occupied Germany because of the sometimes harsh depiction of the Allied occupation, it’s another grim and pessimistic tale for Noirvember. AMRU 4.

“Always together”

Black Gravel (1961)

Truck driver Robert steals road gravel from a US Air Force base in Germany and sells it on the black market. He has a chance run-in with an old flame, but unfortunately she is now married to an Air Force Major. Their lives become intertwined.

I found the story a little hard to follow at first. It was recently restored and the subtitles were sharp, but I felt I was missing a lot of nuance. Soon enough, though, I was fully immersed in the drama. The story winds in a somewhat nonlinear fashion, involving a few other characters, but eventually everything comes together, and not in a Hollywood ending sort of way.

Black Gravel was the first German noir to appear on TCM’s Noir Alley and I was fortunate enough to have recorded its first airing last January. The German title is Schwarzer Kies and I was a little iffy on it before watching. But Eddie Muller called it a masterpiece. Now that I’ve seen it, I tend to agree. AMRU 4.

The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959)

A ronin Samurai uses ruthless tactics to marry for money. When this doesn’t work out, he plots to kill his wife and upgrade to a richer bride. His dead first wife, however, has other plans.

The original title is “Tôkaidô Yotsuya kaidan” which I confused for Kwaidan (1964). Kaidan translates roughly to Ghost Story. Based on a kabuki play, the production retains a very stage-like feel. Some scenes were clearly filmed on location, while others did little to hide their stage origin.

There is no hint that our main character isn’t a terrible person. He hardly ever utters a line of dialog that doesn’t reveal his nature. His name is Iemon Tamiya, and because an uppercase I looks like a lowercase L, it seemed like people were calling him Lemon. He was kinda sour.

My main issue with The Ghost of Yotsuya is that the basic premise of the film is treated as a third act reveal. The story is well known in Japan, so there was no way to hide this spoiler, but for me it was a bit of a slog to watch to get to the predetermined conclusion. Visually interesting but otherwise unremarkable. AMRU 3.

Kuroneko (1968)

A group of Samurai happen upon two women in a small house, steal their food, rape, and murder them. The women soon return as vengeful ghosts, luring passing Samurai to their death.

The Japanese title is “Yabu no naka no kuroneko” which translates to “In the Grove of the Black Cat”. It taps into a Ryûnosuke Akutagawa story as well as the folklore of cats taking human form to avenge the wronged.

This film could have been just a series of revenge killings of the institutionally corrupt Samurai, but it’s more complicated than that. I won’t go into detail, but things become complicated.

There's not much else I can say lest I spoil. Kuroneko is a very satisfying watch. It’s beautifully photographed and the ethereal story draws the viewer in. It’s been on my radar for quite some time but schedules or circumstances always seem to conspire. I’m very glad to have finally seen it. AMRU 4.

…And God Created Woman (1954)

Orphan Juliete (Brigitte Bardot) is a wild child, both shamed and coveted equally in her village. One admirer is an old rich guy who wants to buy a shipyard so he can build a casino. Also in the mix is handsome Antoine, who is returning to St. Tropez to run his family shipyard.

Cowritten and directed by Bardot’s then husband, Roger Vadim, the film made her an international sex symbol. It was a mixed victory for Vadim as she had an affair with her costar. Their marriage would shortly come to an end. He would direct a remake in 1988 with Rebecca De Morney, to lesser success.

Isabelle Corey, hot off her introduction in Bob le Flambeur, has a small role as Juliete’s friend. Old rich guy was played by Gurd Jurgens who at the time of filming was … forty one? Jesus!

And thus France's answer to Marilyn Monroe was unleashed on the world. Typical of non-Hollywood films, the elements mentioned above don’t play out as expected. And there are elements that will be problematic for those who forget this is 1950’s France. Take it for what it is. Brigitte Bardot is absolutely unforgettable, but unfortunately the story is. AMRU 3.

Umberto D. (1952)

An old man and his dog struggle in post-war Rome.

Typical of Italian neorealism, many of the actors were complete amateurs. Young Maria (young Maria) went on to appear in a fair number of Italian films, but Carlo Battisti’s only other credit is directing a documentary three years later. Also typical, there isn’t much of a story arc, more of a ‘month in the life of’. There are moments, some of which are amusing and others pretty moving. Umberto’s ultimate fate is left to the viewer to decide.

Young Maria (whose fate is also undetermined) rids ants from the kitchen wall by waiving a burning newspaper at them. It’s a simple but particular moment. In a Hollywood film this would precipitate future events, but here it’s just a moment.

I do enjoy Italian neorealism, but they sometimes don’t connect emotionally with me. Umberto D is an excellent movie and moments certainly resonated with me, but it falls short of great. AMRU 3.5.

Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)

Cleo (Corinne Marchand) is a beautiful woman, a talented singer, and possibly has cancer. She goes about her day while waiting for test results. Her fortune teller is already convinced.

The theme is beauty vs. death, image vs. reality, agency vs. dependency. There are mirrors everywhere and she deludes herself that as long as she has beauty, she will be fine. The story plays out in real time and the viewer is frequently reminded of the time. The strangers, friends, and acquaintances she interacts with cause her to reevaluate her life.

Cleo from 5 to 7 is ranked second on the BBC Culture’s 100 greatest films directed by women. I have seen only nine of them, The House is Black (1963) the lone film covered here. I hope to pick a few more off the list, definitely more Agnes Varda, who appears six times. The Piano (1993) was number one if you were curious.

There is a lot going on with this seemingly simple film, more than I feel qualified to cover. Subtitles have the unfortunate effect of distracting the viewer away from the cinematography, much of the story is there. But, again, more. Cleo deserves a second viewing. AMRU 4.

The Face of Another (1966)

A man loses his face in an industrial accident, and his outlook and relationships are profoundly affected. His psychologist offers to create a lifelike mask, in effect a new identity.

The Face of Another is a horror film with an art house heart. It is an exploration of the self, who you are, how you are perceived, and how you believe you are. The sets of the Doctor’s laboratory are abstract, stripped down to the basic elements, and the dialog is laden with symbolism. The open question is will the mask allow Mr. Okuyama to become himself again and re-enter society or will he become what the mask wants him to be. Trippy stuff.

Emboldened by the mask, he tells his wife he is going on a business trip, and rents an apartment as his new identity. His behavior becomes more troubling.

The story essentially revolves around three characters: Mr. Okuyama, his estranged wife, and his doctor. There are, however, curious characters in the periphery. The Doctor’s nurse, a girl known only as “Yo-Yo Girl”, and the enigmatic “Girl with Scar”. They add texture to the narrative without distracting from it, and their purpose in the story is open for debate.

The Face of Another leaves me with questions. Questions I won’t explore here lest I spoil or influence interpretation. I doubt I will watch it again, but I think it will stick with me for a while. AMRU 3.5.

Blood and Black Lace (1964)

A model at a haute couture fashion house is murdered by a man with a creepily hidden face. When her diary is discovered, the models who take it become the next target of the hidden killer.

Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace is an early example of the Italian Giallo genre of slasher thrillers, perhaps the first. They tend to focus more on atmosphere and imagery rather than story or character. And they seldom delve into the supernatural and thus fall partially outside of my definition of Horror.

There are plenty of suspects and a bit of a reveal at the end, but this isn’t a who-done-it. It’s a film for people who likes to see great cinematography, excellent sets, and pretty women brutally murdered. And it’s the sexualization of murder I cannot get on board with. Just not my thing. We don’t get to like the victims, don’t get to hate them. We just see them die. It's purely visual.

My problem with Blood and Black Lace, and Giallo in general, is that I feel like I am trying to watch a different film than the one on screen. I want there to be more story, better developed characters, smarter in general, and therefore disappointed. This is entirely a Me problem. With all that said, it wasn’t a hard film to watch. Enough action and detail to keep you interested, and it does look stunning. AMRU 3.

Alphaville (1965)

A reporter arrives in Alphaville from the “Outer Countries”, looking for Professor Von Braun and asking a lot of questions. Slowly he learns the true nature of Alphaville and Alpha 60, even if little of it makes much sense to the viewer.

Ostensibly this is Film-Noir, but it reads like a parody of the genre. Our protagonist behaves like a jerk, slapping people, acting misogynistic, and getting into random violence and gun play. I know, but I mean inappropriately so. I sense the director (Jean-Luc Godard) is making a statement about the hard-boiled detective trope and American cinema in general, and it is not a favorable one. Every adherence to the genre felt like an exaggeration to point out its absurdity.

But calling it science fiction is a taller order. It is said to be set in a dystopian future where computers control everyone’s thoughts, but there was no attempt to camouflage present era Paris. 1960’s locations, cars, and other technology are plainly used. Again, I feel the intent of the director. While real sci-fi explores modern society using a fanciful story and out-of-this-world setting, here the director presents his story with nothing more than sci-fi lip service. It’s a dystopian future, and it is today. The Alpha 60 computer is the only technology presented, and it seemed out of place in the world presented.

The unpleasant voice of Alpha 60 was recorded by a man with his voice box removed due to cancer. But this is not by far the most unpleasant aspect. The nonsensical dialog gave it a pretentious air and the herky-jerky editing made it hard to follow the action, principally the fight scenes. And occasionally scenes go reverse negative, because that’s artsy.

I understand that seamful editing was a French New Wave thing, to call attention to the existence of the film. An Intention of Disbelief, if you will. And perhaps the noir genre was more than a little dated by 1965, and deserved criticism. But Alphaville is confoundingly respected in both genres, and I don’t believe it respects them.

The story is tedious and absurd, the edits abrupt and disjointed, the dialog utterly nonsensical, and the character behavior is ridiculous. This was all a conscious decision by the director, but that doesn’t make it an easier watch. If you think French cinema is pompous and pretentious, I present to you exhibit Alpha. AMRU 2.

“Yes, I am afraid of death. But for a humble secret agent, it's an everyday thing, like whiskey. And I've been drinking all my life.”

Belle de Jour (1967)

A beautiful young wife (Catherine Deneuve) with a fear of intimacy has bizarre sexual fantasies. She can’t be intimate with her husband but decides to become a prostitute in the afternoons. Worlds eventually collide.

Not sure what I expected. Certainly not this. I mean, what a premise. The film is rife with fantasy sequences (perhaps a trademark of director Luis Buñuel, I don’t know), which adds layers of ambiguity.

So, what does it mean. Because of the fantasy sequences one could argue that some, most, or possibly all of the film is simply Séverine’s fevered dream. The ending in particular is debated, of which Buñuel himself said he didn’t know what it meant. I believe he was being a little disingenuous. He had been making films for almost forty years. He didn’t include a closing scene like that without a reason. And I have my opinions on this point.

But ignoring all that, this is a story of a very desirable woman, married to a good, handsome man who loves her. She can’t be the wife he deserves, the one she wants to be, and he is endlessly patient with her. But when she balks at her first prostitution job, the madam sees that she needs “a firm hand”. The frigid woman needs not patience and understanding, but “the rough stuff”.

Talk me down from this interpretation. Seriously. Because otherwise, Belle de Jour is a fairly charming and well made story. It is lauded for it’s Yves Saint-Laurent high fashion but for plebeians like me where fashion is meaningless, it just looks very 60’s. It’s an engaging film, but if I am right about the message, It is very problematic for me. AMRU 3.

Bob le flambeur (1956)

Bob is a gambler with a checkered past and a heart of gold. After a run of bad luck, an opportunity too good to pass up convinces him to try one last caper. Things don’t go as planned.

Influenced by John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle, it bears structural similarity to Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing as well. In fact, Kubrick stopped making crime films because, he thought, the best one had now been made.

Young model Isabelle Corey was cast in her first role. While quite beautiful, at sixteen she wasn’t much of an actress. And she would never become one as her career ended after five years. This was a pretty provocative role for a middle teen, but this is France we are talking about. Roger Duchesne had a more interesting story. After a fair number of forgettable films, his career was cut short when he was jailed for collaborating with the Nazis. This was a return after thirteen years, but would do only one more film. He was pitch perfect as the older, somewhat wiser gambler.

Bob le flanbeur is on the short list of a large number of famous filmmakers and critics favorite films. While enjoyable, I found it short of the two caper films mentioned above. But subtitled films with complex stories can be hard to fully take in. The text draws your attention away from the cinematography and performances, and the nuances that go along. I give it a 3.5 but I will rewatch it. There are things I missed.

Through a Glass Darkly (1961)

Karin is released from a mental hospital and meets with her brother, father, and husband (Max von Sydow) vacationing on an island. She still has mental issues and everyone has family issues. Roll credits.

A lot more is going on than what my synopsis implies, but this is a film that's very hard to, you know, synopsize. Through a Glass Darkly was shot on Faro island, later nicknamed Bergmen Island, where the director would later take up residence. Interestingly, only four actors ever appear on screen. Even when another character is implied, they are not even glimpsed. This is a four person film.

So, once again Ingmar Bergman tries to come to terms with faith and death, and again falls short of a conclusion. But that, I believe, was the intent. We deal with life’s unknowable mysteries, and life goes on, until it doesn't.

Writer Josh Olson recently mentioned on his podcast that, essentially, all of Bergman’s films are horror, and he has a point. Add a few traditional horror elements and tone down the subtly, and you are definitely in the ballpark. I can see how some people, in the right environment, could find parts quite creepy.

Through a Glass Darkly is a slow think piece that will leave many people wondering what, if anything, even happened. Bergman is not for everyone. One measure I've come to use to rate films is to consider how long it will stay with me. This film will stay with me a while. AMRU 4.

The 400 Blows (1959)

A French schoolboy with a less than ideal home life keeps getting into trouble.

The title refers not to physical blows, but mischievous tricks or pranks that a boy might play. And get into trouble for. This radically changes our expectation of the film. This semi-autobiographical film is the first and arguably most famous film directed by François Truffaut, and is a landmark of the French new wave.

To some degree The 400 Blows relies on the viewer sympathizing with the child, but he just makes one dumb decision after another. As details of his imperfect family are revealed, we find out just how imperfect it is, especially by 1950’s standards. While I found the story compelling, I am at a loss to understand what all the hype is about. It’s an interesting, well made film about a boy who gets into trouble. Freeze frame and roll credits. AMRU 3.5.

Two Women (1960)

 A strong willed woman (Sophia Loren) and her delicate daughter flee Rome during World War II to escape the constant bombing. They face difficulties.

There is a much talked about incident, leading many to believe it’s the inciting incident around which the story revolves. In reality, it occurs in the third act and is just one of many trials the two women endure. Many readers know what I am referring to but for spoiler reasons I will comment no more about it.

Twenty-five year old Sophia was deemed too young to play Cesira, feisty mother of a twelve year old, but she pulled it off, earning her a well-deserved Best Actress Oscar. Eleonora Brown played young Rosetta. It’s easy to assume she was much older than her character, but she was twelve during filming. Jean-Paul Belmondo looked familiar and I was surprised to learn that he was the lead in Breathless, released earlier that year. Very different roles.

The story is really about the Italian people and what they faced during the war, caught between a cruel fascist government and allied bombs. Life is chaotic, desperate, and bleak. Not an aspect of the war we are used to seeing here. But an important story. Somewhat hard to watch in parts, but an excellent piece of storytelling. AMRU 4.

Playtime (1967)

Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati) visits Paris and goes to a trade show, visits an old army buddy, and attends the grand opening of a fancy restaurant. There’s a tour bus from America there as well. Visual comedy ensues.

Playtime is commentary on modern life. According to director Tati, the star of the movie is the decor. Hugely elaborate set pieces were constructed for the film in an absurdist modern style. They will feel familiar to today’s office dweller. Lots of plate glass, door handles you are unsure if you should pull or push, poorly sized and uncomfortable chairs. A scene at a travel agency has posters of various destinations showing iconic images with the stupid modern office building blocking the view.

Except for the small amount of English dialog, the film is subtitled. Not that it needed to be. It is visual comedy in the style of silent films. It is the third of four Monsieur Hulot movies made by Tati and by far the most ambitious. And it was a commercial flop. The reasons vary. It wasn’t the Hulot-focused story audiences wanted, the anti-modernist theme was more prescient years earlier when the film was developed, it was only shown in theaters equipped with 70 mm projectors. The end result is Tati was in debt for many years and audiences slowly recognized it as a masterpiece.

Filmed entirely in long shots, one sometimes is not sure where to focus their eyes. Second and third viewings will likely reveal details missed the first time. But there is essentially no narrative story. Just a series of visual gags that happen over the course of the day. I do not know how it differs from the other Hulot films and I am curious to find out. But truth be told I did not love Playtime as much as I had hoped. It's reputation preceded I sought it out specifically. It was amusing and visually interesting, but I didn't LOVE-love it. AMRU 3.5.

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

In post-war Rome, Antonio gets a job posting bills. He needs transportation so he hocks his bed sheets so he can unhock his bicycle. On his first day, his bicycle is stolen. The police can’t help, so he and his son go looking for it. Roll credits.

A Hollywood producer would insist there be more story, ridiculously high stakes, some kind of love angle, an unambiguously happy ending. More stuff. Here, the story, that is the story of the bicycle search, is allowed to breathe. The increasing desperation of our protagonist and his relationship with his son, the actual story, is allowed to develop and have real meaning.

The principal actors were complete amateurs. The boy playing Antonio’s son was hired because he was hanging around the set and looked the part. His mom was a reporter sent to interview the director. It was shot almost gorilla style. A scene where young Bruno crosses the street following his father, he is almost hit by a car twice. This was not scripted. It is what happened and the camera caught it.

Earlier in the year I discovered I was becoming tired of generic Hollywood films. I’ve since thrown a few foreign films into the mix. This is the second that falls into the category of Italian neorealism. Post-war Italy was a bleak place and now without the censorship of a fascist government, filmmakers were allowed to tell the stories they wanted to tell.

Compare this to the Hollywood vision. Just five years later they produced Roman Holiday. An excellent film, but with glamour, romance, and a charming and immaculate Rome for the backdrop. Both have their place, but this is the kind of film I've been neglecting.

Although it doesn't seem like it, Bicycle Thieves has a lot going on. People try to help as much as they can, and behave realistically, avoiding the man against the world cliche of American movies. The stakes are high despite not saying it outright. It is an excellent, simple but detailed story. AMRU 4.

La Strada (1954)

A travelling strong man (Anthony Quinn) pays a woman to take her simpleton daughter as his assistant. He isn’t nice.

I’m amazed how hard it is to sum up this film. A lot goes on in the story but it is all about how the relationship of the two characters (and a third) develops because of the events in their lives. I seldom have this problem with Hollywood movies. Ostensibly, he needs her for the act, but he is very mean and criticizes everything she does. Does he really need her? Does he even like her? Their relationship and expectations change over time. This is a refreshingly non-Hollywood movie.

Director Federico Fellini began shooting before securing financing. He got his wife to play the ‘waif’ and hired two distinctly non-Italians to play the other leads, then dubbed their voices. The film that nobody wanted ended up being a huge hit, winning the affection of the Motion Picture Academy and the Pope.

There seems to be a theme. Gelsomina's dead sister (and Zampano's previous assistant) was named Rosa, Zampano calls a prostitute 'red' (rosso), and a bride is said to be fresh as a rose. Interesting symbology for such a drab and unattractive film. I feel it must mean something, but I don't know what.

Drab and ugly, but captivating still. The players exist in a seedy, desperate world. It felt authentic and lived in. Maybe much like post-war Italy. La Strada is a sad, touching film, and I will see it again. AMRU 4.5.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

Genevieve and Guy (Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo) are young lovers wanting to be married. Unfortunately, life gets in the way. The TCM description included a second act spoiler, but I won’t go any further. Other films deserve to be spoiled, but not this one.

Umbrellas of Cherbourg is referred to as a “sung-through” musical, meaning 100% of the dialog is sung. Not like a song, just sung. Quite frankly this irritated me a bit early on. It’s not an efficient way to tell a story. Plus reading subtitles draws your eye from the visual side of the story, which is a shame. Cherbourg looks terrific.

I needed to watch something different. Too many generic old-Hollywood comedies and lower-tier genre pictures, I was in a rut. I think I’ve been too focused on checking boxes rather than watching films I would actually enjoy. I immediately turned to foreign film, of which I have a few at my disposal. To this day I haven’t seen a Sophia Loren film (for the blog, that is), something I must rectify. TCM doesn’t run her films very often, but that’s no excuse. Catherine Deneuve is also underrepresented and I heard good things about Umbrellas, so there it is.

And the nineteen year old Deneuve was fantastic. A very mature and convincing performance. Those expecting to be overwhelmed by her charm and beauty may be disappointed. Be prepared for serious acting. As serious as it gets in a musical, that is. If only TCM would play Belle de Jour.

Umbrellas is a film about young lovers being separated, growing up, making choices, and what comes of it all. It’s a rather touching film. If you are turned off by all of the dialog being sung, well, get over it. The movie deserves a little effort. The story isn’t complicated but it bears rewatching. Once familiar with the story, and a few French phrases, the watcher can concentrate on the cinematography and mise-en-scene, which are spectacular. I will rewatch it, if I can find someone to watch it with me. AMRU 4.