March 12th 2014. Pick of the Day.
New York City's premiere resource for classic film screenings in the metropolitan area. Offering reviews, recommendations, venues and a host of links keeping classic film and the silver screens alive.
Today's continuing series include the midpoint of Film Forum's The Complete Hitchcock, MoMA's Vienna Unveiled and their ongoing Auteurist History of Film, and BAM's ace career comparison Under the Influence: Scorsese/Walsh. The celluloid skullduggery be as follows;
Film Society of Lincoln Center
LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD (1960) Dir; Alain Resnais
Film Forum
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1934) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock
JE T'AIME, JE T'AIME (1968) Dir; Alain Resnais
MoMA
NOTHING BUT A MAN (1964) Dir; Michael Roemer
MERRY-GO-ROUND (1923) Dir; Erich Von Stroheim
LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN (1948) Dir; Max Ophuls
BAM Cinematek
REGENERATION (1915) Dir; Raoul Walsh
Today's Pick? It's rare that Film Forum, that shrine to all things cinephiliac, offers up a natural double-bill like Hitchcock's twin versions of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH without making it an actual 2-fer at the ticket window, but that's only a minor factor in my decision today. I find myself trumpeting the virtues of Max Ophuls' masterpiece LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN whenever it's granted space on our repertory screens, and MoMA has seen fit to include it in their excellent Vienna Unveiled series this eve, which promises weather of the Viennese variety indeed (I know, I'm meteorologically obsessed, can ya blame me?!?). Ophuls' explored many a complex female character over the course of his CV, with some fans and critics split on whether he ultimately offered negative or positive portrayals of said protagonists. I've had many a discussion regarding Joan Fontaine's Lisa Berndle, debating her status with some who consider her a doormat, the stuff of 2-dimensional Kleenex fodder. Not only do I consider it Fontaine's finest two hours onscreen, but the nuance of her smart, resilient romantic lost on those naysayers. She rides the line, never quite sucker, never quite saint. An entirely, beautifully flawed human. Indeed, scoundrel Louis Jordan's final, fateful decision is undertaken not out of guilt, but at the sudden and crushing realization that the one fulfillment he truly sought over the course of his empty life, what once was his for the taking, is forever denied him. I'll stop now before I spoil further, but I'll forever defend Fontaine's brave heroine, one of my fave star perfs from the studio era, and one of the greatest examples of celluloid empathy the movies have ever offered us. Great, now I need a Kleenex.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in March '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. And be sure to follow me on both Facebook, where I provide further info and esoterica on the rep film circuit and star birthdays, and Twitter, where I provide a daily feed for the day's screenings and other blathery. Back tomorrow with a brand new Pick, til then how 'bout dem Yanks, heh? HEH?
-Joe Walsh
P. S. Should you be feeling charitable during this harsh weather period please remember to check in with the good folks over at Occupy Sandy. Some of our NY neighbors are still feeling the effects of last year's hurricane. Be a mensch.
