To Dirk, With Love

bogardeyum!
Originally uploaded by livingfilm.

Today would have been the 84th birthday of legendary British actor and Knight Sir Dirk Bogarde!

About a year ago, I lent my dear friend Lauren Hunter my DVD of John Schlesinger's Darling, starring Julie Christie, Laurence Harvey and you guessed it Dirk Bogarde!
Now, I had been a fan of Dirk's oeuvre, and even owned a few of his movies, but let me tell you after watching Darling Lauren was never going to be the same.

The Eyebrow. The Pinkie Ring. The Seven Volume Autobiography. These were the ingredients to send dear Lauren into a cosmic fit of joy.
First she studied his filmography, then watched every one of his films that she could find. I was excited to delve with her, into the career of one of Great Britain's most charming actors. Then things began to get scary.

Lauren and I planned a day to stay at home and watch a bunch of his films, it was actually our friend Sweet's birthday, and while we watched the films Lauren made him a God's Eye to bring to his party later that evening.

The first film was directed by Anthony Asquith called The Woman in Question. It was very charming and witty, but had very little Dirk, unconvincingly playing an American murder suspect. Next was a film directed by Joseph Losey credited as Victor Hanbury (it was right after he fled America during the blacklists) the film was called The Sleeping Tiger, it might have been called The Sleeping Derek because I thought it was pretty boring, though Lauren was pleased because there was more Dirk and even a scene where he charmingly seduces the wife of his psychoanalyst. Lastly we watched another film directed by Joseph Losey -this time under his own name- The Servant. Now, The Servant is one of those movies that is so great that people can forget and forgive Joseph Losey for the many awful sins that he has brought to the screen, and uphold his position as a great director. I won't go into the details of the film, partly because I haven't watched it in a year, and I really doubt I could do the film justice right now.

Lauren would continue to watch his films from the Doctor in the House series, to the films that Dirk himself would described as " A Paralyzing Non-Event". I would escape a few of these films, but there are others that may Haunt me forever.

While reminiscing recently about the many tortuous films we endured during this stretch Lauren was right to point out that even the worst of those films contained scenes that made them worth while, such as what is possibly the greatest slap ever seen in a movie -Timothy Dalton slapping Ava Gardner in Permission to Kill. Ultimately, this is the legacy of one of the biggest wastes of talent I can think of.

Happy Birthday dear Knight, you will be missed.


P.S. The title is a link to the Dirk Bogarde Homepage

A few words about Samuel Fuller

Samuel Fuller with gun
Originally uploaded by livingfilm.

My love and admiration for Samuel Fuller is no secret to almost anybody who knows me. The walls of my apartment are covered with posters and lobby cards from his films. I'm sure he is the director whom I reference more than anybody else, but I wouldn't know because I don't keep track of these things.

Samuel Fuller is kind of odd in the fact that he has been widely influential to directors such as Jean Luc Godard, Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, and even Steven Speilberg yet, he is very often treated with a smug contempt from critics who act as though the admirable qualities of his films were merely accidental occurrences.

Samuel Fuller's cinema is not one of understatement. His films are sensational, pulpy, and often brutal. These are a product of his growing up working for the New York tabloids, and his Front Line experience during WWII. His films would always reflect his tabloidal roots, newspapers, and headlines are all over his films. Fuller's films also contain an element of the immediate, as if everything happening was breaking news. The Newspaper would be the focus of films such as Park Row and Shock Corridor. Samuel Fuller would also make a string of War films that were praised for their authentic feel, and would bring him the recocnition to make him one of 20th Century Fox's biggest directors during the 1950's.

Samuel Fuller's films also have a strong conviction and sincerity, that I feel gives the sensational elements depth. Not that I feel there is need to excuse the sensational elements of his films, I think they are brilliant!

To quote Martin Scorsese:
" If you don't like Samuel Fuller's films, you don't like cinema. At least you don't understand it."

Pretty tough words, but I can understand how he feels.

There are so many things that I could talk about, and should. But, I am really not prepared to try to write more than my personal feelings for his films in the form of this blog right now, other than to say that his films absolutely amaze me, and inspire me endlessly.

For anyone in the Portland area reading this today, the NW Film Center will be screening two of his films at the Guild, Easter night. The Crimson Kimono & Underworld U.S.A., followed next Thursday with a screening on one of his most popular films The Naked Kiss. If you can make it I highly recommend coming.
I also can't recommend enough Samuel Fuller's entertaining, award winning autobiography A Third Face: My Tale of Writing, Fighting, and Filmmaking, it's incredible! If you have any interest in film, or even 20th century history, you will enjoy it.

The title of this post is a link to an essay about Fuller, there are several online, and many each have their own opinions. Feel free to experience Samuel Fuller for yourself.

James Cagney and The Public Enemy

Cagney
Originally uploaded by livingfilm.

Okay. So, I have a rule to avoid making these sorts of statements because they are generally unfair, and tend to make the person saying it sound like an ass, but I don't care right now because I think it is worth it. I'll risk it.

If you don't think James Cagney is a phenomenal actor, you know nothing about acting. At least film acting.

I understand that his acting style is very stylized, and is against the accepted style of acting that is popular today. But, I am hard pressed to think of anybody who had a screen presence quite as strong as Cagney. Just take a look at The Public Enemy -1931, the film that made him a star. The story is legendary of how Cagney was originaly cast as a supporting character in the film, before Darryl F. Zanuck Production Chief of Warners -who in a couple of years would leave Warner Bros. to form 20th Century Pictures- decided that Cagney clearly had the screen dominance, and the actor's roles where switched. As Tom Powers Cagney would give one of the cinemas most unforgettable, and timeless performances, in part because he dynamically out-shines everyone else in the picture.

From his first appearance on the screen, it is nearly impossible to take your eyes off him. His performance is full of small touches and nuances that would give the impression of a screen hog were they used inappropriately, or intentionally to draw attention away from the other performers, but in his hands they are the tools that create a compelling character who is as charming and psychotic as the role demands, and few actors where as prepared to give that in 1931 Hollywood. I actually feel that at times his performance belongs more in one of Martin Scorsese's Gangster films than anything else I have seen in the '30s.

I should say now that The Public Enemy has been recently restored, and released on DVD, with deleted footage never before seen. I have seen this film a few times in recent years, and the new DVD is a revelation! On the disc, I have not found a reference to the scene that was included but I'm positive I know which one it is because I would have remembered it. There is a scene when Cagney is fitted for a suit by two gay tailors, and many eyebrows are raised while he is measured. The scene ends with Cagney saying "Why don'tch you two Moes get an adding machine?" not very P.C., but I thought it was an alarmingly daring scene even for Pre-Code Hollywood, and surely why it was cut. I could be wrong, but I'm sure I would have remembered the scene.

If you have never seen this film, the timing could not be more perfect. Highly recommended!

I also need give credit to the brilliant director William "Wild Bill" Wellman, who's tough direction is equally worthy of any credit this film has. He is also the director of LivingFilm favorite Wild Boys of the Road -see post in the January Archives-. Actually Frankie Darro star of Wild Boys of the Road actually has a small part in the beginning part of The Public Enemy. Enjoy!

Guitar Wolf and Wild Zero

Guitar Wolf
Originally uploaded by livingfilm.

I just got back from seeing the AMAZING Guitar Wolf at Dante's. And it was possibly the most incredible spectacle I will ever see on a stage. For those unfamiliar with the OUTSTANDING Guitar Wolf, I only need to direct you to the film Wild Zero, where Guitar Wolf, with the help of Bass Wolf and the dreamy Drum Wolf, save the world from an army of bloodthirsty Zombies, and help love bloom in unexpected ways, by using the Power of Rock n' Roll! I really can't go into the details for it would take forever. But let me just say that I was close enough to see him collapse every time he stepped behind the curtain, and when he could not crawl away from the stage he curled into a ball and cried. Because he Rocked that Hard! It was like seeing a real life Purple Rain. By the way, Bass Wolf shook my hand. See Wild Zero, and catch Guitar Wolf if he comes to your town, before he rocks himself to death! Highly Recommended!

Heaven Can Wait

Heaven can wait
Originally uploaded by livingfilm.

Sorry I have been quiet for the past week. I haven't found the time to talk about anything. I have been watching a lot of films, and I will briefly discuss a few of them. First off I would like to talk about Ernst Lubitsch's Heaven Can Wait -1943. This film reminded me a lot of Powell & Pressburger's The Life and Death of Col. Blimp -1942 ( one of my personal favorites), except instead of a career in the British Military, it is the life and loves of an American Playboy. After dying and arriving in Hell, Henry Van Cleve (Don Ameche) tells Satan the story of his wicked life, and his one love Martha Strable (Gene Tierney who like Debrorah Kerr in Blimp appears in two roles, though briefly the second time). As with most of Lubitsch's films the dialog was sparklingly sophisticated and witty, and the film was very charmingly effervescent! Highly Recommended!