A Michael Winterbottom science fiction movie written by Frank Cottrell Boyce. We are in Shanghai where Samantha Morton is giving out fake documents called papelles. She is being investigated by Tim Robbins who gradually falls for her despite being married. But should he trust her? However, the fact that Code 46 concentrates on their affair relegates pictures of the future to a mere backdrop. Arty but interesting. Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian said "it was more difficult and elusive" than these sort of films. Sight and Sound magazine in September 2004 called it "another resounding success for this uniquely talented director". I think Peter was closer to the mark.
The Titfield Thunderbolt is a comedy from 1953, although more amusing than laugh out loud. Straight out of Ealing Studios with Charles Crichton as director. Amateurs take over the train to save a railway from closure. But it's the bus company who would profit from the closure who do everything to disrupt their plans. So every misfortune you could think of is here, including a battle with a steam roller. Mostly shot on location, and all the exteriors looked great. This print must have been a top restoration.
Many of the scenes are like a silent movie with musical accompaniment. I did laugh once when at last we hear they are running at a profit - "the next thing we know, we'll be nationalised". A typically good cast included leading man John Gregson (we saw him in Genevieve). Stanley Holloway and Sid James are in the supporting roles. Alison liked it.
Following the review in this month's Sight and Sound magazine, I found a cheap DVD of Far from Heaven. Released in 2002, it won four Oscars including best actress for Julianne Moore as Cathy. She looked so different in that stylish wig. The opening credits look wonderful, those beautiful exterior shots of Hartford, Connecticut, the location, the cars, the dresses and the colour. We are in the fall and everything looks great. Who wouldn't want to live there. At times it almost looks in 3D. Director Todd Haynes has captured some scenes straight out of Edward Hopper paintings, especially his famous Nighthawks.
We see early on that the husband Frank (played by Dennis Quaid) is more interested in men. His visit to a club for gays says it all. And when Cathy catches him with a young man, you wonder what will happen. Frank is in turmoil about it. But it's actually the entrance of the gardener played by Dennis Haysbert that is a distraction for Cathy. The fact that he is black takes the film into different territory. And although race now plays a significant part of the movie, it felt more like a soap opera to me. Especially when things go wrong with a sad ending. See my post of 26th November 2025.
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