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The Holly and the Ivy (1952)
Interesting film.
This film felt like a stage play, and then I realised it was actually an adaptation of a stage play. The script is quite good and was easily drawn in, but I do have a couple of issues that bugged me a bit.
Firstly, Celia Johnson was well into her forties at this point, and she looks it, too. I laughed out loud at the scene where John Gregson (who's supposed to be older than her but is clearly younger) refers to her as being 31. 31 my backside. This film was made several years after 'This Happy Breed' and 'Brief Encounter' in which she played middle aged women, so it seems a strange choice of casting to then subsequently put her in a film requiring a young woman. Weird.
Secondly, it didn't feel right that the parson father was blamed for his inflexibility towards his family when there was nothing in his dialogue to suggest that he wouldn't have been sympathetic to his children's situations.
He moans throughout the film that he's no use and that his work is a failure as no-one really wants his services in the parish, and then to add to that lack of self worth, he's told by his son that he's responsible for his children's misery because they felt they couldn't confide in him because he's a parson.
(a) He seems quite personable and approachable, so it seems unlikely that his children would only view him as a religious stalwart, and (b) you'd think he'd end up nearly suicidal by the end of the film, believing that not only is he a failure as a parson, but he's also a failure as a father. The outlook for him personally is quite bleak in terms of his mental health.
Those two issues aside, I quite enjoyed the film and the acting performances are extremely good. It's worth a watch.
Berkeley Square (1998)
Ripe for a remake?
Having watched all episodes on Youtube and enjoyed the series, I reckon Julian Fellowes completely ripped this off for both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey. Not only the storylines, but the quick cross-cutting technique are both very similar to his work.
If this series were to be remade, I think it would be highly successful this time around with none of the scheduling problems of the original, and a second series and beyond would develop many of the ideas that this series left hanging. God forbid they give it to Julian Fellowes to write the scripts, though. His dialogue is absolutely atrocious!
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)
Wow! This stands the test of time
Just chanced on this film on television, and started watching out of idle interest, but from the opening credits it was clear that this is a classy, well-made film.
I was gripped from start to finish, and Burton's performance is extraordinary. He uses his eyes with such expression, and the long look he gives to Mundt in the courtroom scene as he realises what's going on, tells volumes.
It's a great plot, with great acting from host of others alongside Burton, and directed with assurance and imagination. Having not read the novel, I was transfixed to find out how it pans out. No spoilers here, but the ending truly fits the title character.
I can't get this film out of my head, having watched it. I might actually go out and buy the book!
Dalgliesh (2021)
Well acted and great period detail.
I've seen all six episodes, and have enjoyed the quality of the acting and the feel for the period. The only thing that gives me pause for thought is the degree of melancholia given off by Dalgliesh.
I know he's depressed, but I felt this really rubbed off on me and I ended up feeling in despair for him. There seems no way forward for him emotionally - he's stuck in his mindset, 'fond of grief'. I kind of wanted to find some hope for him, but none is ever supplied.
That aside, his humanity does shine through, aided by some well crafted closeups that capture his thoughtfulness and compassion.
I hope there's a third series, but considering where he is at the end of the series two, I can't see how that would work.
The Scapegoat (2012)
Matthew Rhys really makes this work
In lesser hands, this might have been a bit of a flop, but Rhys is such a skilled actor that he manages to turn an implausible plot into a compelling watch, and you're with him every step of the way. I really enjoyed this.
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (2022)
I love a good Agatha Christie...
... but unfortunately, this isn't a good Agatha Christie. I wish Hugh Laurie had chosen another story than this one for his foray into the murder mystery genre. It's just a weak plot - it was always a weak plot. So why choose this? I felt Laurie's hand in the witty dialogue, but I agree that Will Poulter was miscast and there's little chemistry between the two lead characters. What I did enjoy was the camera work and the period detail - it was certainly beautiful to look at. But for plotting and coherence... meh.
Falling for Figaro (2020)
OK for a wet Sunday afternoon
The premise that an untrained singer can attain such a high level within a year is laughable, and I wasn't at all convinced by 'Max', but if you like opera, then you'll enjoy hearing some of your favourite arias trotted out. But also, if you like opera, you'll also notice that the closing duet from Don Giovanni was misinterpreted for the purposes of the film. Here it looked like Zerlina was seducing Don Giovanni; not the other way around. But whatever. Roll on Monday.
Maid (2021)
OMG she was so ANNOYING!
I really struggled to watch this all the way through. I found the central character completely unsympathetic, and her choices just stupid.
Considering she's supposed to be an ace writer, you'd think she'd have a reasonable level of verbal articulation, but so often she wouldn't explain herself or accept help when it was offered. Yet she demanded help from the system, when, if she'd made different choices, she wouldn't have needed the system in the first place.
And she never thanked people properly, or seemed genuinely heartfelt when she dud offer thanks. The expressionless face really didn't help.
The one thing I did like in this drama was the little girl. She was such a cutie, wasn't she? As a mother, you'd do anything for her.
The Man in the High Castle (2015)
Enjoyed this from start to finish
I really enjoyed this series, despite its flaws. Unfortunately, the central character of Juliana Crane did not develop, and I lost interest in her as a person, but what compensated for that was the great development of Rufus Sewell's character, John Smith. He's a fantastic actor anyway, but it was his story that kept me watching the series. Other characters I felt invested in were the antique dealer, Robert, and Ed, who both injected the series with great humanity. In fact, the whole series was a great study of humanity, with all its flaws and all its courage.
Billions (2016)
Dislikeable characters and poor scriptwriting
I only really stuck with this through five seasons because of lockdown boredom. Its primary problem for me was that ALL the main characters were dislikeable. I started out rooting for Bubby (sic) Axelrod, but as time went on, it became increasingly difficult to stick with him, and yet equally difficult to be on Chuck Rhoades' or Bryan Connerty's side either. Wendy Rhoades with her droopy eye was also extremely annoying and vastly overrated by her employers. I did like the Taylor Mason character, though, as they were refreshingly new and interesting, and Spyros's office antics made me laugh out loud, which is unusual for me and unnerving for the cats, but apart from those two, meh.
The second major problem I had with the series was the scriptwriters, who often did a poor job at delivering the plot clearly, but seemed very impressed by themselves. Scene after scene would involve some tortuously convoluted conversations delivered at breakneck speed, with every character seeming to have a clever-clever film analogy at their fingertips, many of which went straight over my head, not being a film buff. And everybody spoke with the same voice. Rule one of scriptwriting: vary your lexicons.
When this series gets back underway, I won't bother to pick it up, much as I like Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti as actors. I'm just not that interested in any of what's going on.