Art of Film on Sky Arts - Season 2 Episode 1 - How Britain made Alfred Great

 

A new second series on The Art of Film on Sky Arts starts with a portrait of Alfred Hitchcock. I thought what are Sky doing, a repeat of Episode 1 of Series 1 of "The Directors" as reviewed on this blog on 2nd January 2020. Also a Sky Documentary called "I am Alfred Hitchcock" reviewed here on the 15th May 2021. But this is the same gang that I follow no matter what. Led by Ian Nathan, it starts with a scene from The 39 Steps that is mostly in silhouette. Ian says Hitch is "always a British director", so the whole programme looks at films before he left for America. Now that is interesting. Neil Norman said he was "able to define himself as a British director" and Stephen Armstrong added he was already "one of the all time greats". 

We see a clip from 1938's The Lady Vanishes before tracking back to The Pleasure Garden 1925, The Lodger 1927 and Blackmail from 1929. All silent movies. These I did not know. Being born in London, the city defined these early black and white films. It was in Leytonstone that Alfred was born in 1899. (In those days it was more Essex than London.) His early career was in advertising from where he graduated to writing captions and doing illustrations for silent films at Paramount Studios. It was here he met Alma Reville, the woman who became the single most significant collaborator of his career.

We were told that Hitch was a "bit of a techie" and adapted quickly to new ways of doing things. This led him to making the first British sound movie. Working for Michael Balcombe and Victor Saville, he volunteered first as a screenwriter and then art director. He was learning all the facets of film production. It was Neil Norman who tells us how he was sent to Germany to work on those three early films that included The Pleasure Garden, his first directing role in silent movies. Back in the UK, his next film was The Lodger. We were told this was one of the key films of this period. It was so personal to the director's life, set in his home city of London with all the fog in those exterior scenes. Ian Nathan says that "he storyboarded every shot". Kim Newman is talking to Ian Nathan when he talks about the directors' "expressionist techniques". Stephen Armstrong adds "it is a serial killer film". (Well it is Hitchcock!) Neil Norman tells us that "it is the most mature British film of the decade". (The twenties). Of the clips we see the most amazing is the glass floor where some of the cast see those footsteps above. Typical Hitch. 

With the arrival of sound in 1929, Hitchcock made the first film with sound in the UK. Blackmail was a big hit both with the critics and the public. Then Ian goes on to say that in 1933 the director "signed a multi film deal with Gaumont Pictures run by his old friend Michael Balcombe. These all contained shots of the British landscape and British characters. Stephen says that he now understood suspense for the thrillers and action movies that came next. The Man Who Knew Too Much, Sabotage and The Secret Agent. But it is two other movies that we see. The 39 Steps with Robert Donat is described by Christina as "one of the greatest British films ever made". It was a "black comedy" that influenced crime films for decades to come. And it had the Hitchcock blonde, this time handcuffed to the hero. But I loved the clip where he has escaped but still has the handcuff on one wrist. His face when he decides to stick his hand in his pocket is absolutely classic.

In his last film for Michael Balcombe, The Lady Vanishes, Christina says he is poking fun at the British character. The two older men and the test match. Maybe that is because he is off to America . And another Hitchcock blonde. Stephen Armstrong tells us there is so much in these films that is seen in future movies. It's David O Selznick who  signed Hitchcock to a  four picture deal and took him off to Hollywood. Neil Norman summed up by saying that Hitch was the first director to create his own brand. And finally Kim notes that he did keep coming back to make the odd film here.

Suspects by David Thomson

 

I thought that this was the least successful of the five books about cinema by David Thomson that I have read. Probably because he mixed fiction with fact in his eighty five very short potted histories of some of the most iconic characters of the silver screen. It certainly helps if you are familiar with the old movies in which they appear. There were many I didn't know.

There are links between some of the characters, especially as they sometimes appear in the same movie. Jake Gittes (played by Jack Nicholson in Chinatown) is followed by Noah Cross (John Huston) where the author introduces William Mullholland who gave his name to that famous Drive. Most of the back stories are pretty boring except, for instance, that for Joe Gillis (William Holden in Sunset Boulevard) where he needed some history given his demise in the movie. His co star Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond gives the author the excuse to talk about old Hollywood stars who started in silent films and then struggled with the coming of the talkies. How Norma comes to meet Noah Cross who cast her in his movie and bought her the mansion on that iconic road, is pure fantasy and does the book no favours.

Three characters from Double Indemnity include a back story for Harry Lime. But a lot better was that for Kay Corleone played by Diane Keaton in The Godfather, except where there is the most stupid and diabolical conceit. Then a nice imagining of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson in The Shining) and that for LB Jeffries (James Stewart in Rear Window). Similarly Walker in Point Blank (Lee Marvin) and, of course, a longer piece for Richard (Rick) Blaine played by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins in Psycho) gets a long back story and later there are four characters from Citizen Kane. But by then I was a bit fed up with it all.

Redlands at the Chichester Festival Theatre

 

I was looking at what was on at the Chichester Festival Theatre when we were there on holiday. The theatre has a "world class profile". Even better it was only a short walk from our accommodation, although Alison did drop me off and pick me up due to the weather. It was at this theatre that the first National Theatre was formed in 1962 under artistic Director Sir Lawrence Olivier.

I could not believe it, we were in Chichester for the first week of Redlands, a brand new play about the arrest on the 12th February 1967 at this house and the subsequent trial of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. It's Keef who owns the property (and still does) on the Sussex coast at far away West Wittering. We visited the beach on our first day, not knowing any of that. So, before we left for our holiday I was very lucky to find a single seat in the fourth row for the Monday evening performance, the venue being very nearly sold out for all it's four week run. The theatre itself is a huge open bowl.

The stage is highly adaptable so that for this show it makes use of it's full width. Note the R and the S in the picture below for the band's name. Apart from the musical numbers, the rear of the stage is shut off.

Now I have to say that my seat in the fourth row, just raised enough to give a perfect view (I never noticed anyone in front) was one of the best. If I had a choice of seats, this might have been it. As for the audience, as you might expect for a play (with songs!) set in 1967 (I was twenty two) very nearly all were over sixty!

But enough of that, lets talk about the show. How to start with something that is definitely one of my best experiences in the theatre ever. Maybe it was always going to be? It is introduced by an actor playing the young Nigel Havers. Louis Landau is in his very first professional role, "you go on first and tell the audience who you are and where we are".  At the time he is a teenager, his father is Sir Michael Havers QC (later Lord Havers) and his grandfather is Sir Cecil Havers QC. Even his brother is studying law and is to become Philip Havers KC. So what about young Nigel? But that is all to come.

So only a short introduction and we are off to Redlands where we find Keith and Mick with Marianne Faithfull and also George Harrison and Patti Boyd. Their quiet time is interrupted unexpectedly by Sniderman, a drug dealer. The boys wonder how he knew they were there. (As far as the plot is concerned, it is all on the very public record).  However, they are then the subject of a police raid and carted off to face prosecution for possession of drugs. So, how did the police know they were in residence and were in possession of drugs in what is an isolated house miles from anywhere?

What we do know is that Sniderman slipped the net with the rest of the drugs and George and Patti had already left. That leaves Marianne who wanted to get arrested and have her moment in court, but to no avail. This is all the stuff of legend and here it is for the first time on stage? It is only then we meet their eventual defence lawyer Michael Havers. He and his family are almost the major thread of all the subplots in the play. His difficult relationship with Nigel is a major theme, (is Nigel the first in the family to avoid the legal profession and (horror of horrors) take up acting? We meet Michael's wife and other son. Of course pompous Michael Havers is horrified at the prospect of defending these boys but does so in the end. Somehow Nigel meets Marianne and their flourishing friendship is a beautiful counterpoint to the lead up to the trial that actually took place in ..... Chichester! Eventually the truth of what happened is revealed. The News of the World were upset when Mick sued them for libel and took their revenge by setting them up for a drug bust. Courtesy of Sniderman and some friendly police.

But so far, I have said nothing about the cast. It is headed by Anthony Calf as Michael Havers, known mainly in our house for his role as Detective Assistant Chief Commissioner Strickland in sixty four episodes of New Tricks over ten years. (We have seen them all.) Mick and Keith are played by Jasper Talbot (another first timer) and Brenock O'Connor. They inhabit the stars to perfection without trying to impersonate. Except their gyrations are spot on. They are something else when the band bursts into life, the curtain opens and the boys leap back onto the rear stage for the first of a number of Jagger and Richard compositions. I was just overwhelmed by the clarity of the sound and singing. 

But what can I sat about Emer McDaid as Marianne. She brings that almost upper class strength yet at the same time a heart tugging vulnerability. And she can sing. Her three songs include the wonderful  "As Tears Go By" and finally leaves Nigel and the stage with the hugely emotional "This Little Bird". I thought her friendship with Nigel was all made up, but apparently not. The rest of the large cast (fifteen in all playing thirty eight characters) are equally good. Clive Francis, (now seventy eight)  as the older Cecil Havers is a hoot. He revels in this role. 

Justin Audibert is the Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre (his is an amazing CV) and has worked magic in how the cast move around the stage. There are two very small podiums that rise above the front row. One was in touching distance where various actors would sing and dance. Maybe I should go to more musicals. But for me, the way Charlotte Jones has turned this story into a coherent and, at times, funny drama has to be applauded. 

And the last song? It had to be Jumpin' Jack Flash. It's a Gas, Gas, Gas. It certainly was.

The only disappointment? It sounds like they maybe making it into a feature film and so it may not be going into London or on tour. Because I would see it again (and again?). I never buy a programme these days as everything is online. But this time I made an exception and I'm glad I did. One last note. When the first (self titled) Rolling Stones album was released in April 1964, it was played on repeat in my digs in Hove when at was at college in Brighton. See post of 20th February 2010.

One other thing: towards the end when Michael Havers is reconciled with his son Nigel, he presents him with the tie of the MCC to show he is now a member. The waiting list for membership is notoriously long, years and years. The writer wanted to show this awful business of who you know. Well done Charlotte.

PS 8th October 2024

Most of the reviews I read online were not particularly positive. That was until I opened this week's Sunday Times. Here was a terrific review by their top theatre critic Dominic Maxwell in a large feature. "The excellent Anthony Calf ..... Clive Francis is a joy ...... Marianne (Emer McDaid, excellent) .... the cast is excellent and it all goes up a gear in the second half ..... the closing rendition of Jumpin' Jack Flash is thrilling". I thought so too.

Movies at Home: Designing Woman, Decision to Leave and Spellbound

 

From 1953 comes Designing Woman, in what is basically an unlikely romantic comedy as a vehicle for the two stars, Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall. The former a sports reporter and the other a fashion mogul. So yes,  a highly unlikely pair. But it makes for some innocent fun, some nice sets, good clothes and a witty if predictable screenplay. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, it hasn't really stood the test of time, the relationship has moments that would leave present day audiences with an audible groan. But still a fun movie.

When I first reviewed the superb Decision to Leave I said I would have to see it again as something did not quite make sense. Nearly all the way through it was all so straightforward, a death that could be an accident but might not, and the following investigation. The detective falls in love with the widow who maybe prime suspect. But how could she be?

When they meet again, years later, she is remarried. There are flashbacks to their past, but the later parts of the film seem quite hallucinatory. I'm still not sure what is happening. Until, that is the ending which is actually very sad.

Spellbound is a  Hitchcock psychological mystery from 1945. Gregory Peck is not quite all he seems when he sweeps Ingrid Bergman off her feet. Here, she is in her most sympathetic role, wondering what her new husband is up to. As we do. A supporting role for the British actor Leo Carroll as a doctor and who played in 105 episodes of The Man from Uncle and six Hitchcock movies.

Sight and Sound Magazine - October 2024

 

EDITORIAL

Mike Williams talks about Moviedrome, a series of late night cult films shown on BBC2. (These days you have to explore channels such as Talking Pictures or TPTV - today showing Genevieve, one of my earliest films from 1953). He also looks other old TV series such as "Scene By Scene" 1997-2003 where Mark Cousins talks to actors and directors - see IMDB. These kinds of programmes are now mainly on Sky Arts.

OPENING SCENES

A preview of the London Film Festival 9-20 October. Amongst the many new films are Steve McQueen's Blitz showing London being bombed in WW2, the winner of the Palme D'Or Amora and Pedro Almodóvar's first English language film The Room Next Door. Sound great. Also short reviews for eight mainly foreign films that may not even get a national release.

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Of the six books and features described, I was only interested in a new book about Mary C McCall Jr, a screenwriter from the 1940's and early 50's. Subtitled The Rise and Fall of Hollywood's Most Powerful Screenwriter. But then a mention for a YouTube video about a cult video game and how it was filmed being created over a number of years. See Double Fine PsychOdyssey. 

Skipping past a few articles, I arrived at a very long

OBITUARY

Gena Rowlands 1930-2024 worked as an actress in the golden age of Hollywood. She won a Golden Globe twice and her films include 1977's Opening Night (looks interesting), A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria. 

TALKIES

THE MAGNIFICENT '74

I just love these four full page articles in the Talkies section by the regular contributors. In this first one, Jessica Kiange is in thrall to director Roberts Altman's Thieves Like Us from that year, (1974). She particularly like Shelley Duval in this adaptation of Edward Anderson's novel set in 1937. The director had the previous year released The Long Goodbye. But this time he had "perhaps the softest boiled crime movie ever made". We'll see. 

FLICK LIT

Nicole Flattery starts by looking at the new film Blink Twice and then Saltburn just for the sets that say something about the rich. But I was not sure what this had to do with Alan Hollinghurst's book The Line of Beauty. I noted in my review of 17th March 2013 that it had so little plot. Maybe that is why it was only made into a TV series and never a feature film. I hope next time there is a comparison of like with like.

TV EYE

It's Emily Nussbaum's new book Cue The Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV that is the basis of Andrew Male's discussion about ...... reality TV programmes. From early series such as Candid Camera to modern day such as The Apprentice and lots in between. But I had not heard of Alone where contestants film themselves in solitude. More recent shows are maybe turning the tide from cruelty?

THE LONG TAKE

Pamela Hutchinson describes a scene from the Oscar winning film Picnic (Joshua Logan 1955) starring Kim Novak in her first role for Columbia Studios. For Pamelas' beautiful example of Hollywood film making, she nominates "four sublime minutes ..... in the "Moonglow" sequence where something special happens". It involves a dance sequence with Novak and William Holden. Pamela tells us about everything that went into making this brilliant. The film was nominated for six Oscars and won two. "It was bliss while it lasted". It make Kim a star. The music, costumes, cinematography and choreography were all first rate. Pamela's beautiful last paragraph says it all: "In this glorious union of music, and colour, movement and meaning, it takes two to tango, and a whole studio to trip the light fantastic". 

(I watched it on YouTube: "Morris Stoloff - Moonglow and the theme from Picnic". Novak's entrance is something to behold, her movement would make any man fall in love.)

CALIFORNIA DREAMER

A major article on Francis Ford Coppola (gracing the front cover) who, at 85 years old, has brought us his dream project Megalopolis. Looking at the trailer, it's the visuals that impress. But does it have a story? Tom Charity in his article refers to it being "jumbled, incoherent". But his article is mainly about the director's earlier works. His interview with Coppola is just that, together with his background. But best of all are some stills from this new movie and others. The best of all is that picture from The Conversation with Gene Hackman. There are mentions for other film makers including bits on Tangerine, One from the Heart (1981) and this year's Reprise. At the end of this section, there are two ages describing six of the director's movies, mostly familiar.  Maybe just The Outsiders looks interesting. 

SO RETRO: WHY MODERN HORROR IS IN THRALL TO THE PAST

It is Roger Luckhurst who is telling us about recent horror films: I Saw the TV Glow, Long Legs, Maxxxine, The Black Phone and Starve Acre. Most of these I could not watch these days, but Long Legs is not really a horror, more a clever serial killer movie. The writer compares these modern films with previous decades. He picks out our obsession with British folk horror from The Wicker Man and Blood on Satan's Claw to Midsomer and the latest Starve Acre. Looking at movies pre-digital and set in the 1970's. he mentions "Anna Biller's impressive act of devotion: The Love Witch". Looks fun. There are mentions for the usual suspects: 1968's Night of the Living Dead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974 and The Omen franchise.

"BEHIND THE PERFECT SMILE, THERE IS A WORLD INSIDE THAT IS VIOLENT"

Catherine Wheatley describes the "bonker's body horror" that is The Substance. This is the subject of French director Coralie Fargeat's brand new movie: " a masterclass in narrative exposition in it's first wordless five minutes". Elizabeth Sperkle (Demi Moore) has experimented with this drug that has unexpected consequences. So when Margaret Qualley's entrance is explained, OMG. The film has ageing as a theme so a surrealist horror. (Good long review in the Sunday Times today). 

A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP: MARTIN SCORSESE AND EDGAR WRIGHT ON BRITISH CINEMA

So with the long piece on Francis Ford Coppola and now MS, we get two for the price of one. Here we are in the Pandemic when Edgar Wright wrote to Martin about his views on lesser known British films. What follows is a mammoth article that is their correspondence at the time. From Powell and Pressburger, to Hitchcock, Carol Reed and all sorts of movies I had never heard of. For example, there is a full page still from 1945's film The Seventh Veil. The two leads are James Mason and ...... Ann Todd. Scorses says "she's so great in that, her face, her eyes. She's so beautiful. She's a wonderful character". (I met her once when I was maybe ten or eleven. She lived near Holland Park and frequented the grocers that my father managed at the time. So we were invited to meet her). There are so many other films they discussed, but two caught my eye. The Man in the Sky from 1957 is an Ealing Studios film  that stars Jack Hawkins where, we are told, the editing is something else. And Hue and Cry from 1947.

REVIEWS

FILMS

Of the many new films reviewed here, I have just picked out a few. In Firebrand, Alicia Vicander's praised performance as Catherine Parr would be the only reason I would want to see another Henry V111 movie. The Outrun is about rehab in The Orkneys but it does have Saoirse Ronan in the lead role. The French production follow up to the two films of The Three Musketeers (see my reviews - the third in the trilogy seems to have been forgotten) is, predictably, The Count of Monte Cristo. But at very nearly three hours is too long for me. For Alien: Romulus see my review. For The Substance see above. Then Starve Acre sounds gruelling but might be interesting. Could be too much horror? but Tessa Ross is a producer. A Different Man sounds like a discomforting story, but a reasonable plot. Kate Winslet's Lee is a big production.

REVIEWS IN BRIEF

Only very brief reviews for It Ends With Us and Trap, both reviewed on this blog.

DVD & BLU-RAY

Laurel and Hardy: The Silent Years". Fifteen films in this collection. But not for me or the others reviewed.

WIDER SCREEN - BOOKS

MISS MAY DOES NOT EXIST: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood's Hidden Genius by Carrie Courogen.  Nothing like a hard sell. See post of 23rd April 2024.

ARMCHAIR CINEMA: A History of Feature Films on British Television 1929 - 1981 by Sheldon Hall. Look out for reviews.

FROM THE ARCHIVE

A five page article on Sergei Eisenstein. 

ENDINGS

An article about Asghar Farhadi's superb 2016 film The Salesman. It won the Oscar for best film in a foreign language. " A high end production of the play  "Death of a Salesman" where the leading actors are in big rouble". Make up for the actors plays a big part but it is mainly about their relationship during the run. I loved it. See post of 3rd August 2020.

Classic Movies on Sky Arts Series 2 Episode 2 - The Story of - Whisky Galore

 

From Ealing Studios comes another little classic from 1949, Whisky Galore. A film set in the second world war but miles away from it's impact. The island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides stands in for the fictional Todday and Ian Nathan is there to describe how it came into being. Based on the book of the same title and adapted by the author Comptom Mackenzie, it recalls something that actually happened. The little island has run out of whisky and this catastrophe effects the whole population. We are shown clips of the distraught population including one man who takes to his bed and stays there.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel when a ship runs aground off the coast and as luck would have it, there were 50,000 cases of whisky on board. The undercover salvage operation by the delighted islanders is filmed mainly at night. But one person is not impressed. Captain Waggot, the Englishman who is the commander of the local home guard. Played by Basil Radford, Ian Nathan tells us he is unique in Ealing films, being the villain in a far larger role that usual but at the same time a quite likeable character, almost the most charming of all the others. So somewhat contradictory in that he becomes a sympathetic role. Steven Armstrong tells us that it "gives him humanity". He goes on to say that the film is made in almost documentary style with it being nearly all shot on the island and that the cast are shown as "real islanders". So a very long way from the suburbs of London where nearly all other Ealing movies were made. 

We hear about director Alexander McKendrick, this is his debut feature film. His background was in propaganda films and it seemed that every other director was not available. He was the last choice. He  included some sub plots with two very different romances and one wedding. Obviously with bagpipes. His scene where the bottles are hidden was superb. Ian Nathan adds it is a "comedy of observational character". But it came as no surprise that filming was interrupted by lots of rainy days. Producer Charles Balcombe was apoplectic with shooting overrunning. a five week schedule to became ten.  So it ended up well over budget. Balcombe was very disappointed with the results. He thought it was very amateurish. Where are the jokes? He wanted it more like an Ealing comedy. He cut the running time down to an hour before it was restored by way of Charles Crighton who was parachuted in to make it better. He filmed some additional scenes in the studio which pacified the producers. 

The only two actors I recognised were Gordon Jackson and James Robertson Justice. In the end, the film received excellent reviews on it's release. The critics found it's concentration on character over plot worked very well. At the BAFTA's it was up against Passport to Pimlico and Kind Hearts and Coronets from Ealing as well as The Third Man. Ian Nathan summed it up with the words that it was unique for a British film. In the aftermath of WW2, it had an echo of Britishness that brought audiences flocking to see it.

The Wren, The Wren, Suspects and The Lock-Up

 

As with all the previously novels by Anne Enright that I have read, it's the prose that really stands out. Sometimes her most recent books do drift away from the main theme with too much introspection, and I sometimes lost the thread as the story jumps around the main characters Carmel and daughter Nell. But the family here are always interesting. Nell has finished Uni and is back home with her mother Carmel. She needs to get away. But when she does, she meets Felim, the writer spends time telling us how she feels at the beginning of an affair. Now that was good.

A visit home for Nell and a superb conversation between the two, except, "I never tell me my mother anything, I'm not that stupid". But I'm not sure if she is the most reliable narrator. Not like her mother whose story revolves around her father, the famous poet. Not a nice man, although he could be. At his funeral Carmel's mother and her other daughter Imelda "were draped in matching black mantillas under which they plied little handkerchiefs with embroidered corners, while Carmel stuck to a packet of Kleenex and the truth. She was surrounded by hypocrites". Some of the chapters later on go off piste with Nell at nine years old, and a rogue chapter for Phil the poet. The book must be designed for you to read it again. And again.

I thought that this was the least successful of the five books about cinema by David Thomson that I have read. Probably because he mixed fiction with fact in his eighty five very short potted histories of some of the most iconic characters of the silver screen. It certainly helps if you are familiar with the old movies in which they appear. There were many I didn't know.

There are links between some of the characters, especially as they sometimes appear in the same movie. Jake Gittes (played by Jack Nicholson in Chinatown) is followed by Noah Cross (John Huston) where the author introduces William Mullholland who gave his name to that famous Drive. Most of the back stories are pretty boring except, for instance, that for Joe Gillis (William Holden in Sunset Boulevard) where he needed some history given his demise in the movie. His co star Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond gives the author the excuse to talk about old Hollywood stars who started in silent films and then struggled with the coming of the talkies. How Norma comes to meet Noah Cross who cast her in his movie and bought her the mansion on that iconic road, is pure fantasy and does the book no favours.

Three characters from Double Indemnity include a back story for Harry Lime. But a lot better was that for Kay Corleone played by Diane Keaton in The Godfather, except where there is the most stupid and diabolical conceit. Then a nice imagining of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson in The Shining) and that for LB Jeffries (James Stewart in Rear Window). Similarly Walker in Point Blank (Lee Marvin) and, of course, a longer piece for Richard (Rick) Blaine played by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins in Psycho) gets a long back story and later there are four characters from Citizen Kane. But by then I was a bit fed up with it all.

When I checked my reviews for the previous two books in the Strafford and Quirke crime series, it was only the second (April in Spain) that encouraged me to try this one. I was not impressed with Snow, the first of this trilogy. John Banville's prose was always his strength in his earlier novels, but in detective fiction it is all plot, so no literary acrobatics here. But the writing does flow off the page so I read it quite fast.

In Dublin in the 1950's, Detective Inspector Strafford and Doctor Quirke the pathologist, do not get on, but are forced together to investigate the death of Rosa Jacobs, a young Jewish woman in a catholic country. What follows is basically a series of interviews with people who might have a connection with Rosa. And of course the catholic church is involved. The background to the crime is resolved in the end. Almost.

Classic Movies on Sky Arts Series 2 Episode 1- The Story of - Brief Encounter

 

Hurrah, the gang's back together for a new series of Classic Movies starting with Brief Encounter. Ian Nathan, Christina Newland, Stephen Armstrong and Neil Norman give their views on this great film. Written in 1936 by Noel Coward but set in the late 30's, the writer formed a huge partnership with director David Lean to make a series of classic British movies. 

Ian Nathan takes us to Carnforth Station, now a heritage centre in Lancashire, that in the film stood in for a suburban London stop. Here he tells us of two ordinary people, but definitely middle class, who meet by chance in the station buffet. And only because Laura Jesson (Celia Johnson) gets smuts in her eye on the platform and Trevor Howard is the doctor (Alec Harvey who attends to her. We see this classic scene all the way through. These are not young people, they have children growing up, but strike up this friendship. Neil Norman says it's "the truth of these performances" that sets it apart. Especially that from Celia Johnson that is "unmatched in British cinema".

Stephen Armstrong describes the background of the film in World War 2. He also likes the fact that these are two ordinary people "being part of the movie". He goes on to tell us about the director David Lean (see my post 2nd April 2020) who started a an editor. When Coward pitched him the story, Lean was not impressed, but found it worked when he turned it around to put the ending first, and showing the story from Laura's perspective as she narrates from her memory.

Neil Norman takes over to talk about what was once a Noel Coward twenty minute play called Still Life , set in a station café and how most of the dialogue from that play finds it's way into the film. Ian Nathan shows us how they shared that first table and how a random encounter turns into deliberate meetings. Apparently Celia Johnson hated making films, but here her face shows all the emotion in close up. So much of the film studies her face and her eyes and we are shown the visible moment when, listening to him, she falls in love.  Christina thinks she "holds the film together". 

At the time, Trevor Howard was not that well known. He takes her to the cinema to see the film Flame of Passion. Ian Nathan adds it's about "the madness of falling in love" but more so because of their ages. There is also that clever comparison with the working class porter played by Stanley Holloway and the café  worker Myrtle Bagot.  Neil Norman like the cinematography by Robert Krasker with so much filmed at night. And the music by Rachmaninov's Concerto No 2. The film also connected with audiences in America and all over the world. It was nominated for a number of Oscars. Christina added something about it being "melancholy" while  Ian Nathan concluded  "it was years ahead of it's time", that it made David Lean famous and how it became an "epic of the human heart".

Wendover Woods Circular Walk

 

I had not been on Garmin Connect since January, but today I charged my Garmin Forerunner watch and set off for a circuit of Wendover Woods. This starts near where we used to live and a paved track takes you to a very short uphill path that now has a handrail. Hurrah! I can then turn right or left for a path that stays at fairly low level before it starts to head up this part of the Chiltern Ridge. Today I had turned right and the path up the hill reaches the Wendover Woods parkrun course. Turning left here would be a short cut, but instead today a right turn still makes it's way uphill. 

This route then follows the parkrun course (in it's opposite direction) for nearly three quarters of it's distance, eventually going past the café. Further on I leave the route to start a long haul back down to the low level near the RAF Halton barracks. A path under the trees takes me back to the start.

Garmin Connect tells me it was 4.70 miles in a time of 1 hour 41 minutes. An average of 21.22 minutes per mile with 647 feet of climbing. The weather was fine, chilly at the start but some sun later on. Not having been on Garmon Connect for a long time, it took a while for all the updates. But I could copy the route as the photo above. I will take my watch out again for my future walks.

Trap, Alien: Romulus and Touch

 

I very rarely miss a M Night Shyamalan movie. They are not always great, but most are. From The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, The Village to The Happening, The Village, Signs, Knock at the Cabin, Split, Glass and Old. He creates original screenplays (rare these days) and always directs with flair. Trap starts with a big set. A pop concert with apparently, a big star, perfect for Cooper (a hot wired Josh Hartnett) to take his his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) who is a big fan. But Cooper realises something is wrong., especially finding huge security back stage. Someone is trapped. The crowd scenes are impeccably staged and the atmosphere is tense from beginning to end. Hayley Mills pops up as a profiler, but really we follow Cooper nearly the whole time. Original and compelling as usual.

Alien: Romulus is a decent addition to the cannon. It is not that scary, thank goodness, as I avoid those sorts of films these days. Cailee Spaeny holds the movie together. I realised I had seen her in quite a few movies, from Bad Times at the El Royale, to On the Basis of Sex, Vice, Priscilla (where she was excellent) and Civil War. This film is quite claustrophobic as nearly all is in the spacecraft. Sometimes you wanted to go back to dry land. It certainly didn't last the two hours.  But towering above all the sub-plots is, typically, the character of the humanoid. Starting off as a quiet, hesitant and almost useless helper, to the opposite when his memory stick is swopped. He becomes a thrilling, positive, genius of a leader. It did make me smile.

From Iceland to London to Japan, Touch is obviously a quest for the elderly Kristopher s he  leaves his home country for the UK about to experience Covid lockdown. However most of the first part of the movie travels back in time to the sixties when, as a young man, he takes a job in a Japanese restaurant.  He becomes friends with the owner's daughter Miko. The link between the two stories is well constructed and the editing between the two works fine. In his home country we know he had a wife and children so we need to know what happened at the restaurant. The final part is quite sad but uplifting at the same time. I'm glad I found it. 

BFI National Archive - Heritage Open Day

 

The BFI National Archive in Berkhamsted have an open day once a year and you have to book early for tickets. On Sunday we made our way to The John Paul Getty Jr Conservation Centre on the outskirts of the  town. We were given this map to find our way around.

We were just in time for a tour of the Film Vault. We had not been able to reserve a place but were first in line for a standby and we were lucky to join the group. Our guide was very informative about the storage of films (180,000) and tv programmes. And how most are stored in optimum conditions at the Master Film Store in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

There were other displays on the ground floor including this old printer.

I found this plaque dedicated to the founder.

There is much more to see upstairs where we first found seats for a short talk and video about the centre. 

However, the highlight for me was the large room for Film Inspection and Conservation. 

We were able to have a long chat with one of the restorers who painstakingly inspects old footage  frame by frame and repairs any faults. 

It helped that we got onto talking about foreign films that we both see at The Rex cinema. There were others that gave us more information about their work there. Here is Angelo from parkrun who had previously told us about the BFI's  Sight and Sound magazine.

We were there for two hours and the time went so quickly. The archive also has a collection of filmmakers papers, stills, posters (many were beautifully framed on the walls, I looked at them all) designs, scripts, books and other material. At the end of the tour, a young lady told us about BFI Replay where all libraries in Buckinghamshire have access to to this free-to-access digital archive. Video, tv programmes and pictures are available to us all. I will have to study what is there before I go.

Outside there was tea and cake and we found a table that we shared and chatted with other visitors. A memorable day.

The Garden in September

 

I'm so glad I bought these bedding Dahlias to replace those that were eaten by the snails. They are probably at their best in August and September when, for instance, the Verbena bedding plants are on their way out. 

The main border below is just about OK, especially the new dark pink Echinacea. And the geraniums look as if they might flower again.

The Hydrangea below that was given to Alison is strangely in flower again. Apparently it is not in the right place, but it does not seem to care.

The only roses left flowering is this one in the rose border and those two further down the garden.

One of which is now inside as they cannot be seen from the house.

We are bringing in more flowers from the garden to go on the window cill.

The campanula is flowering again after being cut back in July.

The bushes under the trees have been pruned as they were growing over the lawn.

The far round border is in need of a major overhaul next year with some of the plants being removed completely. The remains of the one on the top left looks like an invasive species. But I will keep the yellow Rudbeckia that flowers late in the summer.

Some of the Astrantia are once again in flower. 

At the front, the shrubs in the joint border have all been pruned. The Geraniums in the front bed were pruned a couple of weeks ago and are now really healthy and starting to flower again. The white Impatiens in the pots and hanging baskets have been a reasonable success. Maybe a different colour next year.

And finally a view to the end of the garden. The lawn looks quire reasonable coming into autumn.

Movies at Home: Suspicion, Nowhere Boy and Carlito's Way

 

Suspicion is a Hitchcock movie from 1941 that is really showing it's age. An RKO Pictures production set in England. I was too distracted by the scenery, all exteriors shot in the studio with awful painted scenery. Here are young Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. Not sure how she came to win the best actress Oscar. It's all very hammy thanks to a pretty pathetic script. 

For some reason I always thought Nowhere Boy would such a boring movie. But I was wrong. There are some wonderful performances from Kristin Scott Thomas as John's mother Mimi (all pent up emotion), Anne Marie Duff as his mother and an incredibly subdued David Morrisey as his step-father. At the British Academy Film Awards, there were nominations for Thomas and Duff for best supporting actress (the former deserved to win) and for best director for Sam Taylor-Wood in her debut feature. 

John does not get his first guitar until well into the film, and only meets Paul halfway through. It seemed that Paul and George were far better musicians although less charismatic as John, a born leader. Good to see representations of those early gigs and that eventual recording session which includes Paul's first composition In Spite of all the Danger. The film leaves John saying goodbye to Mimi on his way to Hamburg. Exactly as it should. An interesting soundtrack of early sixties songs and some that were replicated by The Quarrymen. 

In between the first two in age comes Carlito's Way from 1993. Definitely of it's time. Al Pacino and Sean Penn on the wrong side of the law in Brian de Palma's crime drama. What was most interesting for me was the lead actress. I cannot remember Penelope Ann Miller in anything, but here she was nominated for a Golden Globe. Her early career was all on stage, winning a Tony nomination for 1988/89's Our Town which obviously brought her to the attention of the big studios.