COOPER, BRANDO, AND NEWMAN BOXSETS IN NOVEMBER (1 Viewer)

[Simon Howson]

Excellent point. Surely if "classic film" is to mean anything then longevity should be important. I just hope we never reach the day that people are biased against films because they are silent, or black and white.

 

[Robert Crawford]

That's not what I'm saying! I know when a classic film is good or bad by the input I receive in talking to people about various films. You don't consider Sergeant York a good film while I disagree due to the last ten years of discussing films on this forum as well as other forums. Furthermore, my conclusion is also based on my film discussions I had for decades talking with various people about film while living in every area of this country except the west coast. Whether the people were men or woman didn't matter nor did it matter what age bracket they were in or what economic group. Whether you accept my conclusions is of no concern to me because I'm comfortable that my conclusion is based on information I received over a long period of time and from a cross section of Americans. There are other resources on the internet to support my conclusion, but you already know of them.

As far as that group of people you have noted, they do serve a role in recording film history which I never suggested otherwise, but again, films were made to entertain the above group of people I've talked to over the last 40-50 years and not just for a select group of film intellects.




Crawdaddy

 

[Simon Howson]

Where did I suggest films are only made for critics, historians and academics!?

I just suggested that, to some degree, those people shape what the general public consider 'classic films' by championing some films and filmmakers at the expense of others. Often they get it right and champion great filmmakers and films. But sometimes they completely ignore some films that should be open to appreciation. That desire for connoisseurship, and broader appreciation was the entire purpose of Andrew Sarris' book on American Cinema, which is an example of American film criticism at its best.

 

[Robert Crawford]

To be perfectly honest, I can careless what you think of "Sergeant York" and have no intention of trying to change your opinion about it. It's your opinion, I respect that, but I have no inclination to debate the good or the bad of this film with you at this time. By the way, it's people like those of us that post on this board that place the real value whether a film is great or not. Most of these same people that I know from my personal perspective don't even read Sarris or any of his collegues writings so they have no idea as to how they (film critics or historians) value one film over another. Though, I read such writings, I am a film nerd that is used by people I know as a film resource because I'm totally into films while people I know fall way short of having such interest in film. In short, film intellects have little value to the average film viewer as it pertains to which films the average Joe or Jane likes or dislikes.

Also, it is rather funny that you don't think "Sergeant York" isn't a classic when in America it's considered exactly that and furthermore, one of Hawks and Cooper's best especially considering the latter won his first AA for his performance in the film. You can dismiss that award if you want to, but that doesn't mean the general public has done the same.

 

[Pete York]

Well, as a relation to Alvin York I find this whole thing deeply upsetting! No, actually it's quite interesting.

For the record, Hawks, in Who the Devil Made It?, said Warners offered him the film or else they were going to do it as a 'B'. Jesse Lasky told him the story and Hawks called it "great" and knew he could get Cooper. He also brought in Huston to change whatever they had at that point. Hawks credited Huston with writing the whole finished screenplay. Further, Hawks called the picture "a pleasure to make". There is no indication in the interview whatsoever that he thought anything but highly of the film, and is certainly not "extremely dismissive" of it. This was the only time Hawks was nominated for an Oscar. When asked what he thought of the Academy Awards, Hawks said he "didn't think much of some of the pictures that have won so I don't think it would mean much to me", which maybe what you remember, Simon.

 

[BethHarrison]

This thread should go straight to the poolroom!!!

(no offence intended, I just felt like lightening the mood)