Notorious
A hidden gem in Hitchcock’s oevre? It’s never mentioned as one of his greatest, but it’s a great early film from the master.
Adventures From My Netflix Queue: Millennium Actress
It took me three sitting, but I finally finished Millenium Actress. The first time it put me to sleep in twenty minutes. The second time just under ten. This last time was the pure sitting and then I found out how good of a love story it was.
Millennium Actress is an animated film by Satoshi Kon. He’s another celebrated Japanese animation director famous for Paprika and Three Godfathers. I’ve seen Paprika but didn’t think anything of it. I’ve partially seen Three Godfathers but didn’t think anything of it. I almost didn’t finish this film, but glad I did. Satoshi Kon while not as great as Miyazawa is a cut above Makoto Shinkai.
In Millennium Actress, a documentary crew goes to interview the reclusive titular actress, Chiyoko Fukiwara. Her story is told in flashbacks that are filmed like the movies she starred in. It plays around with the settings. What era are we in? Is this one of her movies? Are they saying the script or what she said in real life? And her story is one of finding the love of her life. She helps an left-leaning artist escape for a time from the police and falls in love with him. She doesn’t seem him again until she follows him to Manchuria under the guise of being an actress. But the times are tough for them to meet as war follows and he is imprisoned because of his politics.
The movie plays out in how she yearns to reunite with him. She lives her life always looking for him and a chance to find him once again.
There is a prop that reminds me of Notorious. It is a key that Chiyoko longs to return to her love. And just like the key to the wine cellar in Notorious that was given back to Hitchcock from Ingrid Bergman at a celebration before he died. I liked how Millenium Actress reminded me of that.
One thing I love about animation is that it can tell many stories well. It is a stylistic choice that a strong creative person can use to great effect. I wish it would expand from the children story ghetto we’ve currently got it slotted into in the US.
4 of 5 stars.
Quote of the Day [2.27.09]
“This is a very strange love affair.”
“Why?”
“Maybe the fact that you don’t love me.”
Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) speaking to Agent Devlin (Cary Grant), Notorious
Notorious is on!
I got to get to work, but Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant are doing their pas de deux on TCM right this moment. *sigh*Sent from my iPhone
** UPDATE **
It seems I already did this post a few years ago. I really dig Ingrid Bergman and this movie.
Quote of the Day [12.06.08]
“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.”
Ingrid Bergman
Revival Theatre
The Charles Theatre offers you a chance to catch some really good films. They’re doing a revival on Hitchcock. Twenty-five films from here to June.
The question becomes should I watch the ones I haven’t seen or watch the ones I have on the big screen?
I know for a fact that I want to catch Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman on 35mm so I don’t want to miss Notorious or Rear Window. The rest? We’ll see.
Alfred Scorsese
While clever, it ultimately is a McGuffin.http://www.scorsesefilmfreixenet.com/video_eng.htmI see they couldn't choose a blonde who looks like Ingrid but Eva Marie
Saint.How many Hitchcock references can you spot? From which film?
Adventures From My Netflix Queue: Intermezzo
In 1939, the producer, David O. Selznick released a quaint little melodrama,Intermezzo. It’s not a well known movie, but only has a small value as being the film to introduce Ingrid Bergman to Hollywood.
Intermezzo was at first a film from Sweden. David O. Selznick saw it, bought the rights to have it remade in America, and signed its star, Ingrid Bergman, to a contract. She would play the young ingenue pianist who captures the heart of the violin virtuoso, Hulger Brandt, and breaks up his marriage. They gallivant around Europe as a duo both on the stage and in the hearts. Yet, she has regrets. Regrets about how she is the other woman. Regrets about separating Hulger from his family especially his young daughter. Regrets about putting on hold her piano studies.
She leaves him and he returns to his family. Complications ensue as he does eventually reconcile with his estranged son, wife and daughter. It’s a happy ending or at least less bitter than he deserves.
As I said, it was a swedish film at first. Watching it you can’t but help feeling the foreignness of the film. It’s pacing seemed all wrong for Hollywood. And even more un-Hollywood is its plot. “Man leaves wife and kids for a young hottie” just doesn’t seem to have been a regular plot of a 1939 film. Especially, that it is played as drama. I can imagine this being a film noir, but not in the bright days of 1939 Hollywood.
But Ingrid Bergman is so radiant in it. Very young looking. Only 23 at the time. She was still a little unsure of her English accent, but she manages to make her english charming. Oh, how beautiful she is in this film. Here’s a screen capture from her entrance. This is what early stardom looked like.
3 of 5 stars.
Alicia Huberman
If you’re near a tv, turn to TMC. Hitchcock’s Notorious is on. This is his early classic starring Cary grant and Ingrid Bergman. It’s a favorite.
Another Old Timey Movie Star Birthday
Ingrid Bergman would've been 92 today.
Although Barbara Stanwyck is now my all time favorite, Bergman is one of the greats. What can one say of the gal in Casablanca? What more needsto be said? Catch her in Notorious and Gaslight which are some of her early Hollywood work. Then check out Autumn Sonata is the twilight of her career working with another Swede, Ingmar Bergman. She's still beautiful in it.