Back once more with another wrap-up, this time with all the films I got to see during the month of March. This was a varied month with both hits and misses, I found myself in a bit of a slump when making choices for what to watch… But I attribute much of this due to my long-standing “blah” feeling towards March, a month I always find to be a bit of a drag. Regardless there are a few worthwhile gems to find here and a return to some old favorites that make the handful of weaker films less of a sore spot. So lets get right into it shall we…
Prudence and the Pill (1968)
We start off unfortunately with a bit of a clunker. David Niven and Deborah Kerr are two solid favorites of mine so when I happened across this title I was intrigued… A 60’s sex comedy pairing them together was surely to be a treat, right? Right?… I was sadly wrong and found this to be a misfire. Prudence and the Pill sets out to be a rumination on the onslaught of reproductive freedom that was freshly in the public zeitgeist in the mid-60s. It does this in a very un-humorous and redundant manner as the whole driving conflict is men secretly messing with the birth control of their respective partners for various different reasons. I kept watching hoping that it would turn itself around at some point, which it never does… Instead just plummeting lower and lower. Going into this expecting a lot of interactions between Niven and Kerr was also a disappointment as they are in conflict all throughout and their characterizations felt very odd and confusing. All in all this was a sour outing for sure.
Lost Horizon (1937)
Moving on we have a stronger installment into the films of March… This time with the complex Lost Horizon from 1937. This story thrusts you immediately into action as we are witness to a group of British and American citizens trying to flee a revolutionary uprising in China. One of the final evacuation planes takes off with the Robert Conway (Ronald Colman) serving as the defacto leader of this specific group. He is a diplomat with a varied background in writing and military efforts on his way back to the United Kingdom. All seems relatively normal on board the flight, the passengers are shaken up but all just want to make it to their final and safe destination… Unfortunately things take a turn when it is revealed that the plane has been hijacked and results in a disastrous crash in the Himalayas. From here on the true adventure starts as this varied group soon finds themselves guests in a very peculiar and highly secluded pocket of the world with more questions than answers. I found this to be a highly interesting outing and it reminded me quite a lot of the television show lost as they both share many plot points, such as a plane crash, isolation from rescue and themes on science and religion. Leaves you pondering on a lot of the questions long after you finish watching.
The Man from Planet X (1951)
The Man from Planet X is cut from the same cloth as many sci-fi B-movies of the 50s, sharing many of the hallmarks albeit it in its own low budget and crude fashion. Despite a few weaknesses the film still has a lot of charm to it. The discovery of an alien spacecraft and its mysterious occupant send the residents of a local home into disarray. A professor and his daughter (played by Sally Field’s mother Margaret Field) are aided by his opportunistic assistant and a curious American reporter in uncovering the mysteries of this creature and why it has come to Earth. This is a very compact film so a lot of action happens in a very small time-frame. This leaves it coming off a bit rushed in the final act, but if you look past the flaws it is a good way to spend a late-night in.
The Cassandra Cat (1963)
The Criterion Channel recently did a special themed collection of cats in film, it has been fun dabbling in some of the films given… One of those particular treats being the delightfully eclectic The Cassandra Cat. This was a Czechoslovakia film from their New Wave era and is endlessly whimsical. The story draws you in as if it were a dream and it is best to watch it with dream logic. In a small village a young teacher is under stress from administration and parents, forcing him to try a teach the children in a very un-creative manner. This doesn’t last long when an eccentric neighbor comes in to model for an art class and tells them a tale from his youth of falling for a circus girl and her cat who had magical abilities if it gazed upon you. From their a traveling circus act comes to town that strangely mirrors that of the man’s tale and the town is soon whipped up in a tizzy over the ensuing drama when the cat discloses all their messy secrets. I really enjoyed this a lot and loved how all in it goes on creativity and the focus given to imagination. Both beautiful and magical!
The Strange and Deadly Occurrence (1974)
We’re back again with another 70’s made for tv movie, this time with a mysterious and possibly haunted home that torments its new residents. Robert Stack and Vera Miles helm the family at the center of The Strange and Deadly Occurrence, seeking an escape from the stifling city they move to the hills for more secluded living… All is well at first, that is until one too many events occur that make them wonder if they may have been better off back in the city after all. This is not one of the stronger or more interesting films for television. The story runs flat for much of the time and the mystery comes off very weak. All this comes together in an extremely weak third act that makes very little sense and is arguably only saved by strong moments given by Vera Miles. Essentially this is not one to write home about.
Becket (1964)
Peter O’Toole makes his first on-screen appearance of King Henry II (a role he would reprise once more in 1968’s The Lion in Winter) in Becket, alongside Richard Burton who plays the title role. This film zeros in on a very particular and pivotal relationship from English history, that of the complicated friendship shared between King Henry II and Thomas Becket. The two men were once the closet of comrades, until political and religious obligations got in the way and crumbled the relationship. Henry was a selfish man and chafed against his former friends new found allegiance to the Church. The story unravels from there and succeeds in showing the disintegration of these two men.
The Taste of Things (2023)
The Taste of Things was a new release that my husband and I got the chance to go see one weekend afternoon. I found myself leaving with many conflicting feelings, I didn’t love it but did not necessarily hate it all-together either. I found my feelings to be so complicated because I could see the strong points of the film and how easily it gets muddled under its weaker points. Possibly my expectations were to blame as I was expecting a film focused on the craft, here being the culinary arts of turn of the century France. You get elements of this, which are some of the most beautiful in the film, but the low points can easily distract from that. What I find to be the source of the weakness is its swift turn into melodrama between the main characters which I found distracting and un-needed. All in all this is a beautiful film, but one that may get differing opinions depending on what you seek going in.
The Fugitive (1993)
I have only seen The Fugitive once before, but always remembered it being a highly entertaining crime thriller. So when St. Patrick’s Day rolled around what better film to choose than one with a brief, yet memorable, scene taking place on the holiday in question. I must say that it was even better upon second viewing, not letting up on the excitement or thrills for one moment. Tommy Lee Jones memorably one the academy award for his turn as the U.S. Marshall on the hunt, but the show is easily stolen by the very nuanced turn from Harrison Ford as the fugitive in question – Richard Kimble. This is an elite riff on cat and mouse as we nervously watch Kimble narrowly continue to elude the investigators on his tail as he seeks to clear his name and find his wife’s true killer. This is a timeless action thriller and perfect to pop on whenever you need a guaranteed good time.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a Disney classic I had not seen in quite some time, possibly not since I was a very young kid. I wish not so much time had went by as coming back to this was a very sweet treat. This is the film that firmly set Disney on the track to become one of the most dependable sources for timeless animated tales in the years to come following its 1937 debut. Nearly 90 years after it first hit the silver screen the film loses not one ounce of its magic or charm. It is visually stunning with animated techniques that remain mesmerizing and a color palette that is rich and gorgeous. The story of Snow White may be a simple tale, but presented here it is easily memorable not only to children but adults as well as I think I loved it more now than I did when I was very little.
Panic in Year Zero! (1962)
Subjects such as nuclear fallout and crime aren’t the most chipper to ponder on, but if you must then the best place to go is for 50s and 60s films that at least presented it in a pulpy B-movie way. That is exactly what you get when watching Panic in Year Zero, a film starring and also directed by Ray Milland. Here we are introduced to a typical suburban family setting off for an ordinary trip into the country. All is well, at least until they find out on their drive out of the city that a bomb has been dropped and their home is now gone. From here on in this becomes a story of survival as the family contends with how to survive in this new world they have quickly found themselves in. This movie does not shy away from some grittier topics concerning such an event, but manages to balance it with edge of your seat tension and a possible glimmer of hope by the end.
The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
Time and time again Hollywood loves to stroke its own ego, with films that convey the glittering yet complicated world of entertainment. Barefoot Contessa is one of those exact films, capturing the rise and fall of a young starlet and all the people in her life that worked to craft a certain “image” for her. Unfortunately this film does not succeed in what it is trying to capture, instead presenting a film that is beautifully packaged but containing rotten fruit. Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz spends much of the runtime navel gazing and giving the control to the men of the picture instead of where it should be… With the leading lady herself, the titular “Barefoot Contessa”. We open on the funeral of Maria Vargas (Ava Gardner) and the story that looks back on what brought us to this point is slowly gleaned from a handful of male figures in her life… This most certainly comes across as a very strong “male gaze” story, which is much to its detriment. There are good things to peel away from this picture, but they mostly boil down to Ava Gardner, Humphrey Bogart and some beautiful cinematography… But alas this is simply not enough to save a film and I found this to be a sad disappointment.
65 (2023)
A movie like 65 has a lot on its plate – it has space elements, dinosaur elements, survival elements and also tries to spend a lot of time grappling with found family and parental roles… Now does it successfully tackle all of this in a worthwhile way… Well yes, and no. 65 is a relatively entertaining time, but makes a lot of odd choices in how it structures it story; spending too much time on inconsequential plot points, and not enough with it’s more intriguing aspects. Plus I must add that it baffles me why they didn’t take the opportunity to tidy up the story and restructure it in a way that would’ve built up to a really great third act reveal, instead too many details are given throughout that the tension at the end feels a bit uneventful. Thankfully the film is benefitted by solid performances – Adam Driver is always dependable in this way and young Ariana Greenblatt plays solidly as well. Both adding substance to the core relationship of the movie. All in all this is good for an entertaining evening in, but don’t go in expecting too much.
Superman III (1983)
The Christopher Reeves’ series of Superman films was both memorable and crippled by off-screen drama… Therefore giving us a pretty flawless first movie, an enjoyable yet varied second film (due to coming in the peak of the behind the scenes tensions) and of course the messy third entry which we will briefly discuss here. This third entry into the series feels very much like a misfire. It is barely held together by the solid central performance of Christopher Reeves who manages to rise above the muck around him. Beyond that there is not much to really applaud here. Much of the characters we have grown to be invested in are largely absent here, instead replaced by stand-ins who feel hollow and grating.
Ryan’s Daughter (1970)
After St. Patrick’s Day I had a desire to watch some Irish-centric films, settling on David Lean’s epic Ryan’s Daughter. I went in knowing the general consensus of how poorly it is… I was hoping it would have some glimmers of potential, it does but they come very few and far between. The story is not too complex and concerns the maturing of Rose, a young woman who holds many naive and shallow views on life and romance. Her endless pursuit of the village teacher Charles Shaughnessy finally results in her dreamed for marriage but she is left disappointed by a lack of sweeping passion. This leaves her antsy and she soon seeks what she desires in a British officer who is part of the occupation of Ireland in 1917. This naturally results in a plethora of complications and inventible tragedy. Many find Mitchum to be miscast, but I find the change of pace delivered well by him resulting in my favorite performance of the film. I find this may work against Lean’s intent as you sympathize much more with the “boring” husband than the tempestuous young lovers. If I could forget what I must mention next I would but it would be dishonest, despite the many flaws in this film the most egregious is that of John Mills’ performance. The fact he won an Oscar is mind-numbing as it is a truly atrocious and embarrassing portrayal of a mentally handicapped village idiot.
High Noon (1952)
High Noon is one of those essential classics of the western genre that had alluded me for awhile. My husband recently picked it for one of our movie nights and I was more than taken by it, I enjoyed it wholeheartedly. This is a western that trims all the fat from the story and keeps things boiled down in a streamlined way, keeping you hooked from the start right till the very end. This is largely due to the brilliant way the drama is all contained within a little over an hour, making it feel like real-time as you watch along. We start off mildly enough as the town’s sheriff is freshly married to his new quaker bride and just about to set off for a new life somewhere else and removed from law enforcement. It is a happy occasion, until the news soon brings word of an outlaw who is on his way back and arriving on the noon train. Not wanting to leave the town helpless before his replacement arrives the sheriff plans to stay, but the town he wants to protect does not want to assist him in hardly any way. This is a an interesting meditation on duty, courage and cowardice as we scan through the townsfolk and their feelings on what their duties really should be during a time of crisis. It doesn’t take the easy way of having everyone willingly be a hero, and feels just as real in today’s world where the conflict of duty and self-interest are still a prickly topic.
Vertigo (1958)
Hitchcock is one of those classic directors who have a nearly flawless filmography, in our present world Vertigo is one in particular that seems to get the lion’s share of praise. Though I may have more personal Hitchcock favorites that rise above it on my own ranking I still admire its gorgeousness and hypnotic charms. Vertigo is a twisty ride that gradually builds, it does so subtly at first till you are so wrapped in that you become mesmerized with all that is unfolding before you. We are introduced to a retired detective by the name of Scottie (Jimmy Stewart), who is still grabbling with the ramifications following an unfortunate final mission that killed one of his co-workers and left him with severe acrophobia. His life at present is a bit quiet and he spends much of his time with his friend and former girlfriend Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes), an artist who seems to desire more from their current relationship. Things pick up a bit when a former friend seeks Scottie out, hoping that he could use his skills from his detective background to follow and gain intel on his wife (Kim Novak) who he is concerned about. This all sounds simple enough but from this point in we are pushed into a labyrinth as more and more questions arrive not only for the viewer but for Scottie as well.
Harvey (1950)
March got closed out on not one but two brilliant Jimmy Stewart outings – Vertigo, which I just spoke on and Harvey, which I’ll touch on here. Harvey is a good note to leave the month of March on and also appropriate for Easter which we watched it on. This is an immensely charming and touching film. It never comes across as saccharine though as it brilliantly balances its sweet aspects with very sharp whit and humor. All the actors here are in top form with Jimmy Stewart and Josephine Hull who steal the show as brother and sister… He happens to have a devoted yet invisible friend in the form of an over 6 ft tall rabbit, and she is desperately trying to get him the medical care she thinks he needs while failing all the way. You’ll be kept in stitches throughout as more and more characters become intwined in the mysterious identity of the elusive Harvey. Just as charming, if not more-so, as the first time I saw it a few years ago.
March 2024 Final Tally
Without further ado, here are my top 4 favorite new to me films that I had the pleasure of getting to watch during the month of March.
High Noon (1952)
The Cassandra Cat (1963)
Lost Horizon (1937)
Panic in Year Zero (1962)
See you next time for a run-down of everything I’ll see during April!
Toujours Katie 