Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Rita/Gilda + Stamp, York, new Pedro & Ozon ...

The BFI (British Film Institute) next turn their attention to '40s Love Goddess Rita Hayworth (1918-1887), with again, a paltry selection of her films, just 10 and the most obvious titles one could imagine ... I love Hawks' ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS, followed by ANGELS OVER BROADWAY, BLOOD AND SAND, YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH, YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER, COVER GIRL, GILDA, THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI and just 2 from the '50s: PAL JOEY and SEPARATE TABLES.

Perhaps her '50s output was variable (SALOME, MISS SADIE THOMPSON etc) - compared to her contemporary Lana Turner - and she certainly did nothing much of value during the '60s and later (I endured some of her later ones a while back: I BASTARDI, and THE ROVER and ROAD TO SALINA, where she was certainly diminished).  
Back in her heyday it was of course a different story. She is perfect with Astaire, being a great dancer herself. She is terrific too in PAL JOEY, with her younger rival Kim Novak and as Sinatra sings "The Lady Is  A Tramp" to her....
I particularly liked the older Rita and Gary Cooper, two once beautiful people, showing their frailties in Rossen's THEY CAME TO CORDURA in 1959 ....
We will always though have GILDA .... one to re-view soon. Film historian and archivist John Kobal caught her perfectly in his labour of love "The Time The Place And The Woman".
Those 2 '60s boys we liked: The BFI's Terence Stamp season is now underway, as per my post on that recently (Stamp label).

Michael York has been in the news too, having confirmed he is indeed suffering from a rare blood disease, hence his recent unwell appearances on that dvd interview, and the recent CABARET reunion - as per York label. But despite the illness, which has seen York undergo a stem-cell transplant, he remains positive about his future.“I know this can be deadly, but I never gave up. I am thrilled at this reprieve and want to do as much as I can to make it better.”  We wish him a speedy recovery.
Good news for European movie fans ... the new Almodovar I'M SO EXCITED opens here this week (and seems to be his first out-and-out comedy since 1988's WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN (another must re-see soon...), though it does poke fun at Spain's current economic problems, those dancing camp air stewards seem hilarious in the trailer, it is of course set on an airplane. Pedro was great value on the UK Graham Norton show last week .... early reviews though have been negative - seems the movie "is disappointing only in the way bad movies by great directors are"..and not as bitter as his previous SKIN I LIVE IN or BROKEN EMBRACES but for his 19th feature I think Pedro is entitled to have fun and let his hair down .... a good camp tonic is just what we need !
while Francois Ozon's (below) current IN THE HOUSE is currently still playing and doing good business.We are looking forward to these ...
Next up: back to those 60s dramas: 2 more Brando's: Chaplin's comedy A COUNTESS FROM HONG KONG with Loren, and Huston's REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE with Taylor and Harris; and 2 Simone Signorets: Kramer's SHIP OF FOOLS and Lumet's THE DEADLY AFFAIR. We also have Lumet's last film: BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD, which passed us by completely ...+ Almodovar's THE SKIN I LIVE IN.

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