Rear Window (1954)

I liked it, although I thought it was a bit long. Also, it's one of those movies that even though I had never actually sat down to watch it, I still felt like I had seen it. If you've never seen "Roadgames," which is essentially an Australian remake of this, you should check it out.

"A Face in the Crowd" - (1957)

I liked it, but I wasn't completely enthralled. Andy Griffith is really good. I haven't seen him play this big of an asshole since his entertaining turn in "Pray for the Wildcats." It was a really good one-time viewing, but I doubt I'll be revisiting it anytime soon.

--Popkoff

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

What a wonderful treat this picture was. I simply can't remember the last time I watched a film that was nearly 3 hours long that was so brisk and so entertaining. After 2 hours and 45 minutes, I actually wanted it to go on a little longer because it felt like the ending was little rushed.

James Stewart plays Paul Biegler, a small-town lawyer down on his luck, who takes on a high-profile murder case involving the alleged rape of a war hero's wife. The accused, Lt. Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara), undoubtedly murdered Barney Quill, the man accused of raping Manion's wife, Laura (Lee Remick), but did the rape really happen? And furthermore, can Biegler convince the jury that the murder was allowable?

With the aide of his underpaid secretary, Maida, and his longtime associate (and town drunk), Parnell, Biegler plots a temporary-insanity defense for Manion. Unfortunately, he's not just battling against an inexcusable crime, but also the big-city/high-priced prosecuting team, spearheaded by Asst. State Atty. Gen. Claude Dancer (played exceptionally well by George C. Scott). The good news for Manion is that Biegler is craftier than he lets on, pulling out diversion tactic after diversion tactic, in an attempt to cast doubt on everything and confuse the hell out of the prosecution, all the while playing up his small-town disadvantages. By the end of the film, he's so far off the deep end in his battle against everyone and everything, that he recalls Phil Hartman's “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” with his “your Honor, I'm just a simple small-town lawyer.”


The case gets complicated by the reputation of Manion's wife, Laura. She's a party gal who likes to go out to the local lodge and dance with random men and play pinball through the night, all the while wearing suggestively cut clothing. It doesn't help her case, at least from a modern audience's perspective, that Laura is by far the most chipper rape-victim I've ever seen in a movie.

The film has plenty of drama, but also unloads a healthy dose of humor here and there. My favorite bit being a whispered discussion between the Judge and the lawyers concerning what word would be best to use when speaking of Laura's torn "panties" in the court room. George C. Scott's Claude Dancer stares off into the distance pondering the question as he remarks "When I was overseas during the war, Your Honor, I learned a French word. I'm afraid that might be slightly suggestive." "Most French word are," the Judge replys.

The movie is particular interesting in the way that it's moral compass works, Gazzara's murderer-on-trail is not only undoubtedly guilty, but has also obviously concocted a flimsy defense, yet as an audience member, you root for Jimmy Stewart's Biegler. In spite of Gazzara's temper and ambiguous relationship with Laura, you still want him to get away with it because you want what's best for Biegler.

This is the second film by Otto Preminger I've watched this summer at the Paramount, the other being "Laura." Both films were quite good, and Preminger definitely has a knack for pacing.

Okay, that's all got for this one.

"Anatomy of a Murder" screened at the Paramount at 7:00 on 9/10/08

Paths of Glory (1957)

“The paths of glory lead but to the grave”

The Alamo Lakecreek is doing a Stanley Kubrick retrospective this month, showing “The Killing” and “Paths of Glory,” neither of which I have ever seen. This screening marked the 9^th Stanley Kubrick film I've seen in theaters. The others being “The Shining,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Full Metal Jacket,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” “Lolita,” and the rarely screened “Fear and Desire.”

Kirk Douglas stars as Col. Dax, the leader of a 1916 French army that is asked to complete an impossible task, attack and take control of a German stronghold known as “the Ant Hill.” When the inevitable happens and the army succumbs to stronger forces, the powers that be decide to make an example of them. After some deliberation, three men are selected as scapegoats to be unfairly executed for cowardliness. The unfortunate three are played by the amazing Tim Carey, Joseph Turkel, & Ralph Meeker. Douglas' character then defends his men in court marshal case that is heavily biased to see the least and with the deck stacked against them, all four of the men must learn to accept their fate.

Without a happy ending in sight, “Paths of Glory” manages to be a strangely moving and accurate war film. The trench-fighting scenes are great and still hold up quite well, and Douglas is very strong as a man whose convictions must constantly toe the line between patriotism and decent. There are a lot of subtle touches in both the dialog and the performances that I imagine only increase your enjoyment upon further viewings. I can't stress how much I liked Tim Carey in this movie, as my girlfriend remarked, “he's like a one-man-Coen-Brother-film.”

My only real beef with the movie is that the climatic final sequence in which Col. Dax finally unloads his frustration to his superior felt a little underwhelming to me, considering the build up. Still, a really good Stanley Kubrick film, who would of thought?

“Paths of Glory” screened on 8/6/08 at 7:30 at the Alamo Lakecreek.