Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (4 Viewers)

[Robert Harris]

I watched it today, too. As it first revved up, I thought, "This isn't at all like The Letter," but the parallels to The Letter built and built as the film ran. Knowing how cynical so many post-World War II films were, I was expecting something of a downer ending (especially remembering how The Letter ends), but it was surprisingly optimistic.

Goodis’ screenplay of The Unfaithful is a re-make based upon Maugham’s The Letter. WB owned the underlying lit.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Goodis’ screenplay of The Unfaithful is a re-make based upon Maugham’s The Letter. WB owned the underlying lit.

Yeah, I think many of us knew it as Eddie Muller talked about the source material.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This past week was another busy week of watching noirs. Here are my brief thoughts on each movie:

The Diamond Wizard (1954)

Escape in the Fog (1945), The Undercover Man (1949), Pickup Alley (1957), The Last Crooked Mile (1946)

Chicago Syndicate (1955), Mystery in Mexico (1948), The Clay Pigeon (1949), Flesh and Fury (1952)

The Brasher Doubloon (1947), Chicago Calling (1951), The Garment Jungle (1957), Hoodlum Empire (1952)

Southside 1-1000 (1950), The Criminal (1960), The Tijuana Story (1957), The Shadow on the Window (1957)

No Man of Her Own (1950) and Scandal Sheet (1952)

Reservoir Dogs (1992), The Limey (1999), Lady on a Train (1945), He Walked by Night (1948)

Death of a Cyclist (1955) and The Spiral Staircase (1946)

 

[Robert Crawford]

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This weekend's "Noir Alley" movie is "Death of a Cyclist" (1955). This will be my first viewing of this film noir from Spain so I'm looking forward to watching it and listening to Eddie's comments because he's talked about this movie in some of his "Ask Eddie" episodes.


Updated TCM's Noir Alley 2022/2023 Schedule:

04-02-22: Pitfall
04-09-22: Bob le flambeur
04-16-22: Night and the City
04-23-22: The Window
04-30-22: Johnny Angel
05-07-22: No Man of Her Own
05-14-22: The Killer is Loose
05-21-22: My Name is Julia Ross
05-28-22: Bad Day at Black Rock
06-04-22: Out of the Past
06-11-22: The Guilty
06-18-22: House of Strangers Thieves' Highway
06-25-22: Down Three Dark Streets
07-02-22: The Strange One
07-09-22: Hide Tide
07-16-22: Scarlet Street
07-23-22: 5 Against the House
07-30-22: Raw Deal
09-03-22: Hit and Run
09-10-22: Obsession
09-17-22: The Naked Street
09-24-22: I Love Trouble
10-01-22: The Red House
10-08-22: The Phenix City Story
10-15-22: The Argyle Secrets
10-22-22: Cage of Evil
10-29-22: El Vampiro Negro
11-05-22: City of Fear
11-12-22: Tension
11-19-22: The Unfaithful
11-26-22: Death of a Cyclist
12-03-22: Decoy
12-10-22: Walk Softly, Stranger
12-17-22: Mr. Soft Touch
01-07-23: Don't Bother to Knock
01-14-23: Thunder Road
01-21-23: The Two Mrs. Carrolls
01-28-23: Highway 301
02-04-23: Hangover Square
02-11-23: Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
02-18-23: Lightning Strikes Twice
02-25-23: Hunt the Man Down

Did anybody else watch this movie?

 

[Matt Hough]

I was reviewing yesterday and forgot to set the DVR, and since it didn't show up on the TCM app, I'll refrain from commenting about it since I didn't get to hear Eddie's comments. Of course, I have reviewed the film itself, but I really wanted to hear what Eddie had to say about it.

 

[lark144]

I was reviewing yesterday and forgot to set the DVR, and since it didn't show up on the TCM app, I'll refrain from commenting about it since I didn't get to hear Eddie's comments. Of course, I have reviewed the film itself, but I really wanted to hear what Eddie had to say about it.

His comments are on youtube--not officially sanctioned by him, but there nonetheless.

 

[bujaki]

I did, after a 50+ year hiatus. I found it fascinating, and very well directed. The editing was sometimes breathtaking, and the framing of the characters was truly exceptional. Truffaut was so wrong in his summation. And Bose was stunningly beautiful. I kept asking myself (even though I knew the story): What would Missy do in Maria Jose's situation?

 

[Matt Hough]

His comments are on youtube--not officially sanctioned by him, but there nonetheless.

I really appreciate the suggestion, Mark. I just finished watching the intro and outro from YouTube, and I feel great now knowing I didn't miss what he had to say. As usual, Eddie manages to really extend appreciation for the film and its major participants in a limited amount of time. Invaluable!

 

[lark144]

I really appreciate the suggestion, Mark. I just finished watching the intro and outro from YouTube, and I feel great now knowing I didn't miss what he had to say. As usual, Eddie manages to really extend appreciation for the film and its major participants in a limited amount of time. Invaluable!

I don't have access to TCM, but I often watch his comments on youtube, which usually appear Monday afternoon. I also marvel at how he manages, with such sang-froid and good humor, to pack so much information, film and cultural history, appreciation, and yes, entertainment, into such a minute time frame.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I agree with Eddie about "The Wrong Man" being noir.

 

[Matt Hough]

I agree with Eddie about "The Wrong Man" being noir.

Yep, me, too.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Did anybody else watch this movie?

Finally got around to viewing the recording from Saturday earlier today. This was my first time viewing of Death of a Cyclist. I was aware of the film from its reputation, but had no experience before the viewing. I thought Eddie's intro did a good job of setting the stage for the film and identifying the cultural issues being addressed in the work.

I enjoyed the film quite a bit. I particularly enjoyed the glimpse into the cultural norms of the time and really enjoyed the work by the principal actors. I could see why Alberto Closas enjoyed a long career. For me, he had a really strong screen presence. Bose, of course, was beautiful, and had a nice presence in the feature. ( I have always had a thing for the raven haired ladies, and she doesn't disappoint. )

The cinematography was really excellent, employing some of the standard tropes associated with noir films including bars of light to symbolize confinement and the use of the fence at the college track near the conclusion of the film - communicating entrapment and isolation. The film relies a lot upon a technique that I tend to associate with The Manchurian Candidate; shots in which the primary character is the primary element in the scene with secondary personages being prominently smaller in the background of the shot. A technique that I tend to associate with loneliness and isolation.

I was intrigued by Eddie's comments in the outro regarding the changes to the film's conclusion in terms of the screenplay vs. what audiences experienced. Very enjoyable experience viewing this fine film.

- Walter.

 

[bujaki]

Finally got around to viewing the recording from Saturday earlier today. This was my first time viewing of Death of a Cyclist. I was aware of the film from its reputation, but had no experience before the viewing. I thought Eddie's intro did a good job of setting the stage for the film and identifying the cultural issues being addressed in the work.

I enjoyed the film quite a bit. I particularly enjoyed the glimpse into the cultural norms of the time and really enjoyed the work by the principal actors. I could see why Alberto Closas enjoyed a long career. For me, he had a really strong screen presence. Bose, of course, was beautiful, and had a nice presence in the feature. ( I have always had a thing for the raven haired ladies, and she doesn't disappoint. )

The cinematography was really excellent, employing some of the standard tropes associated with noir films including bars of light to symbolize confinement and the use of the fence at the college track near the conclusion of the film - communicating entrapment and isolation. The film relies a lot upon a technique that I tend to associate with The Manchurian Candidate; shots in which the primary character is the primary element in the scene with secondary personages being prominently smaller in the background of the shot. A technique that I tend to associate with loneliness and isolation.

I was intrigued by Eddie's comments in the outro regarding the changes to the film's conclusion in terms of the screenplay vs. what audiences experienced. Very enjoyable experience viewing this fine film.

- Walter.

Although the ending envisioned by Bardem would have been the logical one, the one imposed by the Spanish censors (which would have reflected our own Production Code) lends the film a cyclical and ironical conclusion. A humble cyclist precipitates the demise of the rich culprit, and goes to a nearby farmhouse to report the accident. As we know, the original criminals were of the hit-and-run variety. There is so much hypocrisy in this film, and the one character who learns anything from the unfortunate experience is, alas, expendable.
And, ah, Lucia!

 

[lark144]

And, ah, Lucia!

I looked at a list of her early films on IMDB and I've seen most of them--my favorite being "La signora senza camelie"--but I don't think I've ever seen the Bunuel, "Cela s'appelle l'aurore". Is it available on DVD anywhere?

 

[bujaki]

I looked at a list of her early films on IMDB and I've seen most of them--my favorite being "La signora senza camelie"--but I don't think I've ever seen the Bunuel, "Cela s'appelle l'aurore". Is it available on DVD anywhere?

My missing (literally) Bunuel for years until I found a legit PAL DVD from Spain in French and Spanish with Spanish subs. I also have it on a hard drive in a much better encoding (not PAL) but only in French w/o subs. It's a very interesting film. Someone should finally release it here.

 

[Robert Crawford]

TCM's December Schedule:

TCM Monthly Schedule - View the Full TCM TV Schedule

Find TCM's full month schedule and learn what classic movies will be airing on Turner Classic Movies. A printable schedule organized for the current month's programming is also available here.

www.tcm.com

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Happy TCM is showing The Man Who Came to Dinner and the recently released documentary Max Steiner: Maestro of Music.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The Criterion Channel's December Schedule:

The Criterion Channel’s December 2022 Lineup

We’re closing out the year with a gift bag full of screwball comedy favorites, a wagon train of wintry westerns, and a World Cup–ready team of eclectic football movies.

www.criterion.com

 

[Robert Crawford]

 

[Bert Greene]

I've always liked Ida Lupino. Was glad in recent years to finally catch up with some of her first American films, some modest little items she made at Paramount, "Ready for Love" (1934), "Come On, Marines" (1934), and "Smart Girl" (1935). She was delightful from the start. Although, I think she hated that early period at Paramount, making those films.

I was under the impression that her tv-series with husband Howard Duff, "Mr. Adams and Eve," was pretty much lost. At least that was the common refrain one heard years ago. I recall a single episode popping up on youtube, and watching it. The milieu of middle-aged marrieds in showbiz sounded to have potential, but there was a crabby element to everything that ultimately dissipated my interest in the series. I'd probably react better to the other 'married' duo of Anne Jeffreys and Robert Sterling, in their shorter-lived "Love That Jill" series, from the same time.

In her twilight years, Lupino was briefly a resident at the Motion Picture Country Home. But she was such a pill that they kicked her out. I was asked back at the time to keep that bit of info under my hat, but it's been over thirty years now, so I guess it doesn't matter anymore!