Movies at Home: The Barefoot Contessa, Three Days of the Condor and Great Expectations

 

Another film about movies. Humphrey Bogart plays Harry Dawes, a film writer and director (of course) who has lost his way. So lucky for him he meets the glamorous dancer Maria Vargas, played by Ava Gardner. Her early reluctance to consider going into movies is changed with her friendship with Harry. Bogart has all the best lines, courtesy of a good screenplay from director Joseph Mankewitz. 

The film looks good and is well shot, and the locations are splendid. So far so good. However, it's after Maria's success in Hollywood and her eventual marriage to the rich count (who saves her from an ugly scene in a casino) that things go far too melodramatic. Such a shame.

Sky Arts usually follow an episode of Classic Movies with a showing of the film they discussed. So it was interesting to compare the team's thoughts with my views on 3 Days of the Condor. (See post of the 6th June). First of all, it rains a lot in New York, where the film is set, a change from Washington, where the book is located. The story is adapted from the 1974 novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady. 

It stars a blondish Robert Redford as Joe Turner, a CIA researcher on the run after all the people in his office are shot. He is obviously out of his depth and cannot work out who is after him. He's in contact with a senior CIA man played by Cliff Robertson, but who can he trust? Certainly not Kathy Hale, played by the super cool Faye Dunaway, whom he abducts. Their relationship is the best part of the film; she only partly believes his story and would give him up to the authorities given half a chance.

Add in a hitman played by Max von Sydow; this is definitely a stylish thriller, directed at a great pace by Sydney Pollack. Just one note of caution. New crime series on TV now do these kinds of thrillers better. 

Another film that was discussed on Sky's Classic Movies show: see my post of the 15th May. It was interesting to see on the opening credits, "Introducing Anthony Wager and Jean Simmons". We know the latter became a big star, but what about the former who plays the young Pip? There is a good article on anthonywager.blogspot.com. This film was his only success. 

The film starts with those big skies, remarkable in the great black-and-white photography. These early scenes were a surprise, all about Magwitch, the escaped convict. Only to make sense in the last part of the movie. The part that follows as Pip meets Miss Havisham is still incredible for the wedding banquet left to rot from that disaster years ago. She is also the guardian for bossy young Estella. Unfortunately we do not see enough of Biddy, with whom Pip grew up. The wonderful Eileen Erskine deserved a far bigger role.

 Years pass and Pip's secret benefactor gives him those "great expectations" and a career in the law. The older version is played by a young John Mills, demonstrating the promise of future greatness. And with whom does he share the same lodgings but a young Alec Guiness. I have to say the scenes of London are excellent. The newly confident Pip also meets the beautiful older Estella, now played by Jean Simmons. This is some cast. 

The final part of the film is that big surprise with the arrival back from Australia of a now wealthy Abel Magwitch. The plot turns into a thriller with Magwitch in danger from the authorities. Then we have that very last scene back at the old mansion, changed from the book to give audiences a happy ending. Director David Lean made a classic movie adapted from the Charles Dickens novel. 

Colours of Time, Finding Emily and Backrooms

Suzanne Lindon plays Adele, a young woman who was brought up by her grandmother in rural France. But when that grandmother dies in 1885, Adele is off to Paris to track down her mother. Who is not who she expects. This French drama, Colours of Time, has been called "Monet meets Mamma Mia". There is a dual timeline as four cousins in the present day explore an old dilapidated house that has been left to the wider family in the will of one of their ancestors. This dual timeline is sometimes confusing, as there seem to be too many cuts between the two time timezones. 

Developers want to buy the plot, but there are arguments within the family about its future. The four who are selected to investigate the property find clues to its history. However, by far the best part of the film is the story of Adele and her time in Paris. The city looks great; the costumes, the sets, and the people are wonderful. Especially the two young men she meets on the boat and with whom she ends up staying. So the contrast with modern-day Paris is startling. I know which period I would have liked to live in.  

Finding Emily is yet another Working Title production (see The Sheep Detectives). But this movie was awful. It's Spike Fearn, who plays Owen, who tries to find Emily, a girl he met in a club. But I found him so annoying and stupid. And yes, that is the whole plot. I never believed that someone would go to these lengths to find a casual acquaintance. It says something when the second most important character (a different Emily played well by Angourie Rice) takes top billing! I guess that Gen Z would appreciate the film far more, and it does have lots of positive reviews. It is certainly a product of its time. 

There are, however, moments that are true to the genre, and at times the story is original and clever. But the relationship between Spike and Emily did not ring true, as I could never ever see them as a couple. They were so different. The scenes of Manchester were fine, but again, if I had looked at the soundtrack of songs before I went, I would have known who this film was for. Not me. Tom Shone, in his long review in the Sunday Times, says, "It's a smart set-up," and Mark Kermode called it "kind of charming, kind of sweet and kind of funny," although this was a very mixed review.

Then we come to Backrooms. This was the strangest film I have seen since Under the Skin (2013) that starred Scarlett Johansson. So definitely not a mainstream film; there was only one other person in the cinema when I went. It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark and Renate Reinsve as his therapist Mary. He does need help. He is so angry, even with Mary. So two of the very best actors working today. It's Clark, who failed as an architect, whose job at a sort of department store leads him through a wall into another dimension. A seemingly never-ending maze of rooms. I will not try to describe the plot such as it is. 

Suffice to say that director Kane Parsons and writer Will Sodic have conjured up a highly original feature. It's not really a horror film, although it is highly weird and unsettling. But it does have a kind of mystic quality. However, unlike the positive reviews from Peter Bradshaw and Mark Kermode, I cannot recommend it for most audiences. But I'm glad I watched it, as it is certainly, like Under the Skin, completely unforgettable. 

Roses in June

 

This is the best time of year for roses, and those in our garden are no exception. The one above is my favourite, an Eden Rose. as it has such a tightly packed flower. , with pink on the inside of the white petals. Here are some of the others.

Competing for my favourite rose is the "Blue for You", sheltered under the living room window.

Then those that flowered in a mass. 

Classic Movies on Sky Arts - Series 5 Episode 3 - The Story of Three Days of the Condor

 

For a change it was Steven Armstrong who opened this episode about Three Days of the Condor, discussing the background with Ian Nathan. In fact the first glimpse of this movie has the star, Robert Redford, finding a dead body. The American Literary Historical Society is a cover for the CIA. Then here is Bonnie Greer (a previous contributor to earlier series) telling us about what was happening in America at the time, especially Watergate. So was director Sidney Pollack "going a little too far out on a limb"?

Steven reminds us that Watergate was still fresh in people's minds when the film was released in 1975. Christina Newland and Neil Norman both talk about America and the new breed of directors. Ian Nathan goes back to that "brilliant opening", and Bonnie Greer talks about Sidney Pollack. Steven tells us about the book Six Days of the Condor by James Grady, on which the film is based. The book had been optioned by producer Dino De Laurentiis, and he brought in screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr who had written The Parallax View. He "both streamlined and complicated" the story. 

It was actually Robert Redford who insisted that his good friend Sidney Pollack would direct if they wanted him to appear. This was just one of the films that they made together. It was Ian Nathan who talked about the director, while Christina tells us about Robert Redford and how this part was quite a departure. Steven then compares this film with a Hitchcock thriller. Bonnie Greer describes how important co-star Faye Dunaway is, how she is central to the film and her relationship with Redford. A very different role for her. The villain is played by Max Von Sydow, and Neil Norman says this casting is "a stroke of genius". Steven describes the supporting cast as "top class".

The location of the book was changed to cold New York in the lead-up to Christmas. Neil Norman describes how the film was all "about technology" that was moving so fast at this time. Bonnie Greer thought "the machine aspect takes over this movie". Ian Nathan thinks this was a new kind of thriller – "a techno thriller". Steven concludes the film had a great box office appeal and that it "grows more relevant by the year". 

Holiday in Ely

 

We had booked a short break in Ely, mainly because this was a good way to include Cambridge on our itinerary. On Monday, 1st June, we set out just before 10am and arrived early at the National Trust's Wimpole Estate near Royston in Cambridgeshire. It's quite a long walk from the car park to the centre, and we went straight to the cafe for tea and cake. Refreshed, we wet out to explore the parkland.

We first toured the gardens of Wimpole Hall; see the top photo. The parterre was bare and very disappointing. See 6 and 7 on the map. We then headed out into the deserted parkland to reach the Chinese Bridge and the Serpentine Lakes (8 and 9). Still not a soul around, that is, except for this herd of cows who seemed to follow us to the water.

We crossed the bridge and headed for The Folly (10) at the top of a hill. The map above shows the way back as that circular route in blue. Arriving back at the centre, we found the area where everybody else was there. We found the walled garden (absolutely superb) where I stayed while Alison went off for the 2.30pm feeding of the pigs at Home Farm.

After we met up, it was off to the other cafe for tea and cake. It was then 4.30pm and time for the drive to Ely and our little terraced house on the main road. The owner was there to show us round. He had made it as perfect as it was possible, even though the triple glazing could not block out all the road noise.

After we unpacked, we walked down to the centre of town and found a brand new restaurant called Limora Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar. Very smart, top class, great service and a good menu (Greek moussaka and lamb casserole). Hope it does well.

Tuesday was forecast to be rainy, so we stayed in Wells. A walk around the cathedral, then a nice circular walk down the hill to the river (the Great Ouse) in the countryside. Then off to Oliver Cromwell's House, a much better tour than I imagined with a digital handset and headphones. See their website, olivercromwellshouse.co.uk, with a taster tour.

A great lunch at Gail's Bakery; see gails.com. Then to Ely Cathedral for our 2pm tour, only four of us and our guide. Photos were taken care of by Alison's phone, as my ancient camera was faulty.

Our guide was excellent, very informative. I especially liked the Octagon Tower that is surmounted by a lantern. It was rebuilt in wood and covered in lead after the collapse of the old roof. It took around fourteen years to rebuild from 1322 to 1340 – see klmagazine.co.uk – Wonder of the Mediaeval World. After the tour I just sat to take it all in.

Dinner was at Wildwood in town. It was a much brighter day than forecast; I think the rain came while we were in the museum.

So Wednesday was the day for Cambridge despite a more mixed weather forecast. A drive to Milton Park and Ride and the bus into the city. We started with a cuppa and a bun at Cafe Nero before finding our way to Kings College Chapel. (The colleges were closed due to exams). But the chapel, whilst not as impressive as Ely Cathedral, had some even better features. The free brochure told us enough about its history and how it was started by the then nineteen-year-old Henry II in 1441. 

It's the roof that is most impressive with that wooden fan-vaulted ceiling. It was completed in three years between 1512 and 1515. The world's largest fan vault.

However, even more impressive for me were the heraldic stone carvings, five on either side of the ante-chapel. All the same, except the doors were on opposite sides to match positions. The brochure explains all the emblems, and I spent some time identifying each one. Absolutely outstanding. 

Next stop was the Round Church, founded between 1114 and 1131, so pretty old. We found out all about its history. There is a video with headphones.

It was late afternoon when we left and decided to have a very late lunch or early tea at Bills. This time we had a selection of nibbles which went down well. We had missed some heavy rain while we were there, only to get soaked on our way to the bus stop. We had a quiet evening in and watched some cricket.

We left Ely on Thursday morning and headed for the National Trust's oldest nature reserve at Wicken Fen.

We took one of the trails to see reed beds, open water and wet grassland. It was very quiet. We saw some school parties in the distance and ignored the boat trip. Which was fortunate, as when we arrived back at the cafe, it poured with rain. It was time to head for home, a quite tiring, for me, four days.

Classic Movies on Sky Arts - Series 5 Episode 2 - The Story of Chaplin

 

I thought this might be a strange choice, a film about Charlie Chaplin. In the end, Chaplin seems to be a marvellous film. This episode starts with a lot about the back story of this famous comedian. From his roots in England (there are extracts from a newsreel where the actor is unrecognisable as the clown, with his classy British accent) and extreme poverty to the riches of Hollywood. Ian Nathan tells us about the "sensational central performance by Robert Downey Jr", who portrays the man on and off screen, from teenager to octogenarian. 

Christina Newland talked about his genius and the "lush period detail" of the movie. Neil Norman added it's a "rags to riches" story. But Steven Armstrong mentions that the film is "laced with tragedy" and about the costs of fame. Ian Nathan thought the film was a "fabulous portrait" of early Hollywood. 

We then hear about the director, Richard Attenborough, who had actually specialised in biopics, and how he made the transition from acting to directing. Christina explains how he became a national treasure. It was then Neil Norman who tells us how Attenborough had to get the Chaplin family on board. Christina adds that he had already bought the rights to two books about Chaplin, but that the studio, Universal Pictures, was not impressed by the subject. The fact that Attenborough also wanted a budget of 30 million dollars put a stop to their interest. 

The film was saved by Corolco (I had never heard of this production company). They had made a fortune from the Rambo movies, and so maybe wanting something of a higher class, they decided to finance the entire film. Next we hear about the cast. Robert Downey Jr worked so hard on his preparation over nearly a year. Steven Armstrong tells us about his screen test and that certain physical resemblance. Neil Norman says he was "absolutely perfect in the role". Ian Nathan takes us through the supporting cast with a special mention for Dan Akroyd. The script was by Bryan Forbes, William Boyd (one of my favourite authors) and Willaim Goldman.

The main thread of the movie involves a book editor, played by Anthony Hopkins, talking to Chaplin about his life. We hear about the theme composed by John Barry. Neil Norman ends by saying how Downey Jr was perfect in the role and how it is "one of the few really good biopics". Ian Nathan explains how the film didn't do well when it was released but has stood the test of time, with Downey Jr nominated for a best actor Oscar.

The Wildflower Border

The wildflower border has been mainly disappointing over the years. But not so this May. Everything has grown up together, so mostly all are self-supporting. They include the wildflowers that I planted years ago and love the warm weather. These include the ox-eye daisy and greater napweed.

This improvement might be partly down to the fact that the viburnum I was growing as a small tree was removed two years ago and all the asters have gone. Whatever has happened has worked. Some ofthe flowers have yet to bloom, so watch this space.