myriamlenys Reviews

Mortal Thoughts (1991)

Ingenious thriller steeped in misdirection and sleight of hand

[7/10 · 29 April 2024]

A woman is being interviewed by the police, in a special interrogation room. As she recalls a number of recent events, a horrifying picture starts to emerge. The woman's testimony concerns her female friend and colleague, whose marriage to a local man was doomed from the start...

"Mortal thoughts" is a good thriller, notable mainly for its fine performances and for its clever, tightly-plotted intrigue. The lion's share of the story unfolds through flashbacks, what with a witness talking about blood-soaked events and two police detectives dissecting her testimony. Gradually the viewers are forced to make their way through a maze of theories, truths, half-truths and lies.

The movie includes a certain crime that, from a narrative point of view, gets treated pretty much like a footnote. Given that the crime consists of premeditated murder, it might have received a bit more attention.

As a thriller, "Mortal thoughts" is drenched in liberal amounts of misdirection and sleight of hand. Perhaps surprisingly, there's much about the emotional heart of the movie that rings true. For instance, the confused, panicked muddle following a lethal confrontation is quite credible. The depiction of the socio-cultural background feels accurate too.

Watching the movie it is hard not to ponder an enduring question : why do some reasonably intelligent women choose to marry dangerous jerks ? Are we dealing with people who find the excitingly brutal too, too brutally exciting ? Or are there other psychological mechanisms at work ?

La grande lessive (!) (1968)

A cautionary satire that has only grown in relevance

[8/10 · 27 April 2024]

Now that the fair nation of France is avidly watching television, millions of children stay up past their bedtime. In Paris a few devoted teachers have grown tired of the sight of sleeping pupils. Armed with canisters full of a special compound, they traipse over the rooftops à la Santa Claus in order to sabotage TV antennas. It's a perilous enterprise but then, what hero would shy away from a just fight ?

A highly topical comedy, "La grande lessive" denounced the way television stole both the heart and the energy of the young. The movie was made in 1968 and nowadays the problem has become even more toxic, due to the appearance of gadgets like laptops and smartphones. Indeed, many professional teachers will pine for the days when they just had to compete with television.

"La grande lessive" is quite amusing, with an engaging story, interesting characters and funny jokes. (Mind you, I'm not sure that the character of the sex-obsessed dentist has aged all that well.) The satire has a genuine bite, depicting a whole nation clinging to its television set like an addict to his fix. And just like addicts, the television viewers respond very badly to the prospect of going without. For instance, when the screens turn blank all over an apartment block, a panicked mob drags a repairman out of his shop, whether he wants the job or not.

Comedy highlight : the seasoned streetwalker moving on to a higher level.

The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1976)

good animation movie from Belgium

[8/10 · 24 April 2024]

By accident, a young knight and his mischievous friend discover a flute with magical properties. Simply by playing the flute the player can compel other people to dance. It sounds like fun, but then the instrument ends up in the hands of an ambitious thief...

"La flûte à six schtroumpfs" (AKA The Smurfs and the magic flute) introduced considerable swathes of Europe to the Smurfs, a kindly race of tiny blue-skinned men. Originally meant as supporting characters in the knight-and-friend series, the Smurfs caught the attention of the public and became more famous than the supposed protagonists. "La flûte à six schtroumpfs" is aimed at children, coming with a straightforward plot, easily understandable characters and catchy tunes. (The music, by the way, is quite good - note the name of the composer !) The tone is upbeat and good-natured. Even the villains aren't all that scary. Adults can stave off boredom by learning the songs and organizing family singalongs.

The movie has a cosy, handmade feel that testifies to a loving devotion to the craft.

As a proud Belgian I can only smurf : smurf that smurf and treat your offspring to some simple, happy, age-appropriate entertainment.

Der dritte Handschuh (1967– )

the one with the canary bird clue

[8/10 · 23 April 2024]

A middle-aged man disappears, while carrying a fortune belonging to his employers. The fugitive's daughter, a pretty twenty-something hairdresser, tells the police she's just as amazed as everybody else. The police commissioner investigating the case is convinced she's holding something back...

"Der dritte Handschuh" comes to us courtesy of West-Germany. It's a crime thriller / police procedural in two parts, filmed in black-and-white. The plot is quite clever, containing at least one piece of genius misdirection. While not the funniest work around, "Der dritte Handschuh" does offer some touches of humor, for instance with regard to the clues. (Here's one for the Zen Buddhists among us : what is the sound of a dead bird singing ?)

The chief villain is interesting : a seemingly unremarkable, colorless man who wants to grab a great deal of money in order to provide himself with luxury, independence and freedom.

Real-life policemen might want to watch "Der dritte Handschuh" carefully. Although this was not its intention, it does show the dangers involved in providing inadequate police protection for vulnerable key witnesses.

Backtrack (I) (2015)

Notable mainly for its beautiful performances

[6/10 · 22 April 2024]

Having lost his young daughter in an accident, a psychiatrist wanders around in a daze of confusion and guilt. Strange incidents involving his patients seem to indicate that he has strayed into a borderland where the living and the dead meet and mingle...

Perceptively, "Backtrack" points out that it is often the most decent and loving of parents who feel the greatest guilt over the loss of a child. (If only I had looked her way ! If only I had prepared breakfast ten minutes earlier ! If only I had made her wear a yellow jacket ! If only I hadn't moved to Boston !) Meanwhile parents who've really got cause to reproach themselves tend to walk around whistling.

Unfortunately "Backtrack" is not the most original horror or psychological thriller movie ever made. Comparisons with "The sixth sense" will be near-inevitable, given that both movies occupy a lot of the same territory. Still, "Backtrack" is worth a watch, especially where the second half is concerned. (The movie improves as it goes along.)

Me, I liked the movie mainly for its beautifully sensitive performances. Adrien Brody in particular impressed as a bereaved father crushed by grief.

How to Be Really Bad (2018)

Light-hearted entertainment meant for a teenage audience

[7/10 · 18 April 2024]

For a long time Lilith has been wanting to prove her mettle to her father, who is the Devil himself. As part of a deal she can visit the earth, where she is supposed to entice a soul into sin. Lilith soon discovers that the said soul belongs to a kind and well-meaning girl from a kind and well-meaning family. Indeed, the family is so wholesome that the pater familias (a farmer and greengrocer) sings happy little songs to his vegetables...

"Meine teuflisch gute Freundin" is a blend of comedy and fairytale. Although it is aimed at a teenage audience, treating problems such as obtaining a high school diploma, fitting in with the crowd and falling in love for the first time, it can be watched with pleasure by adults too. There are some good jokes to enjoy and the performances are charming, especially by the two young protagonists.

It's a bit of a pity that the resolution feels so bland, given that a more adventurous approach might have led up to a gloriously chaotic finale.

This is not the movie to watch for those interested in a complex examination of the warring impulses to be found in the human soul - but what the heck, light-hearted fun can be welcome too.

Artémis, le temple perdu (2023)

All about the Amarynthos dig

[9/10 · 18 April 2024]

This interesting documentary deals with a joint Swiss-Greek team of archaeologists digging up a major site, namely a vast sanctuary dedicated to Artemis. It had been known for centuries that there was an Artemis temple to be found somewhere in the neighborhood, but pinpointing the exact location was the devil's own work. After a long search the site was finally discovered, in one of the triumphant successes of modern archaeology. Still, it took additional decades in which to convince the scientific community, to obtain the necessary permits and to negotiate with the local landowners.

"Artémis, le temple perdu" follows the various archaeologists around while they discuss their project, their work methods and their finds. (Note the deeply-moved pleasure with which each new advance is greeted. We should all be as lucky in our jobs.) Animation segments depict the temple as it must have looked in its heyday, complete with processional roads and sacred festivals.

The story of the temple's eventual downfall is a useful reminder of the fleeting nature of religions. Once upon a time multitudes trembled before the might of their tutelary goddess, building a temple of finest marble. For a long time the area resounded with music, poetry, vows - and in a less romantic register, with the bellows of animals to be slaughtered. Later generations were to drag away the building material in order to erect walls, houses and Christian churches.

Much recommended to all those interested in the history of the Western world and in Classical Greek civilization.

What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969)

Beware of genteel ladies who garden

[8/10 · 15 April 2024]

A new widow is quite disappointed to learn that her husband left her only a few personal effects. Determined to keep up appearances she turns to killing for profit. The respective victims disappear into her garden. But after a while people begin to ask questions...

"What ever happened to aunt Alice ?" is an enjoyable thriller, notable mainly for the battle of wits between the anti-heroine protagonist and her female nemesis. The said battle of wits allows two fine actresses - Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon - to draw sparks off each other. (One gets the impression they had a lot of fun in the process.)

The movie's characterizations are not a model of subtle, understated nuance. Still, they deliver an impressively nasty villainess who's willing to walk over corpses in order to safeguard a well-off existence complete with servants and cocktail hours. When it comes to making a buck anything goes, from cadging free samples over stealing Bibles to committing premeditated murder. Eventually the character will discover, ironically enough, that she had been neglecting a major source of income right under her nose - but enough said, I won't spoil the final reveal for you.

There's an interesting motif about growing trees in the middle of a near-desert. It made me think of the famous line about April being the cruellest month.

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow (1975 TV Movie)

heart-wrenching drama about a World War II catastrophe

[9/10 · 13 April 2024]

"It's a lovely day tomorrow" is a dramatization of a real-life catastrophe, to wit the 1943 Bethnal Green tube disaster. It is a respectful dramatization, in the sense that it examines the disaster without exploiting it. There's no cheap sensationalism to be found here, only a careful, sensitive recreation of events. Made with great attention to details concerning clothing, music, social habits and the like, "It's a lovely day tomorrow" rings deeply, painfully true.

The movie begins with a London family losing its house due to German bombing. The family moves in with the old grandmother, who is kind though set in her ways. This new neighborhood too suffers badly, what with the poor inhabitants getting frightened out of their wits by frequent air raids and alarms. The opening up of the Bethnal Green tube facilities seems to answer the neighborhood's prayers for a large, deep and well-equipped shelter, but a terrible danger lies in wait. Eventually many members of this close-knit community will find not safety, but death.

In my humble opinion "It's a lovely day tomorrow" should be made into required viewing for all people tasked with designing, maintaining and managing access facilities to large-scale public structures. But most of all the movie should be made into required viewing for all pundits and politicians foolish enough to speak about war with jolly optimism. Here, one sees an example of the true price to be paid during wartime : scores and scores of civilians, many of them women and children, who die of suffocation amidst a gargantuan tangle of limbs.

For a long time the Bethnal Green tragedy did not get a lot of official recognition, probably as a result of wartime secrecy prolonging itself through the decades. Recently a simple but moving monument has been erected. Called "Stairway to heaven", it perpetuates the names of the deceased.

In the Palm of Your Hand (1951)

spellbinding

[9/10 · 10 April 2024]

A fraudulent clairvoyant called Professor Karin makes his living through various dishonest schemes. Much of his information comes to him courtesy of his female accomplice, who works in a beauty parlor humming with gossip. When Karin learns that a prodigiously rich man has died, he looks for a way to turn the situation to his advantage, for instance by putting the screws on the new widow...

"En la palma de tu mano" is an outstanding noir made in Mexico. The movie tells a tale about a scoundrel getting dragged ever deeper into a whirlpool of lust, deceit and greed. The various twists are cunning and the final one deserves cinematic immortality.

Our fake clairvoyant makes for an interesting protagonist. As a complex individual - some fine acting here, by the way - he is capable not only of blackmail, but also of generous kindness. It will make his eventual downfall amidst guilt and shame all the more terrible.

The Mexican origin of the movie delivers a nice change in terms of cultural background and aesthetic sensibilities. Still, it is remarkable how much the theatrical panoply of "soothsayers", "mediums" and "clairvoyants" looks alike, all over the world. It's also remarkable how little this panoply has changed over the decades.

Fun note : I hail from the northern half of Belgium and in this part of the world "Karin" is a girl's name, just like its equivalents "Karina" or "Carine".

Live Again, Die Again (1974 TV Movie)

You cannot step into the same family twice

[5/10 · 9 April 2024]

In "Live again, die again" a young woman gets resuscitated out of a long cryogenic sleep. The movie is a blend of mystery thriller and science fiction. Viewed as a mystery thriller, "Live again, die again" finds itself somewhere on the spectrum between hothouse Gothic and grand guignol. Near the end the grand guignol wins out. Most of the plot can be followed without trouble but the ending feels muddled, probably as a result of editing choices.

Some of the elements mentioned in the course of the movie, such as the secret garden designed by the loving husband, are never fully exploited. Another element that remains under-used is the difference between past and present with regard to fashion, culture, technology, environment... More inventive writing might have seen the heroine do battle with a new type of alarm system, a new type of toll booth or a new type of escalator.

The science fiction premise serves mainly as a starting point for a tale about twisted family dynamics growing even more dangerous. Here, the sudden reappearance of a wife and mother arouses strong emotions, not all of them happy.

The family context depicted in "Live again, die again" is far from typical but still, one wonders how one would react to the resurrection of a deceased relative. After the first open-mouthed shock had worn off, what would become the predominant emotion - joy, anger, envy, gratitude ? Or perhaps just a pervasive sense of wrongness and unnaturalness ?

People interested in another exploration of some of the same themes - this time from a comedy angle - can take a look at the French "Hibernatus" with Louis de Funès. In "Hibernatus" a deep-frozen ancestor returns from the dead, with far-reaching consequences for his descendants. (Wrote a small review there too.)

Death to Smoochy (2002)

Has its share of problems

[4/10 · 8 April 2024]

A savage satire on children's entertainment, "Death to Smoochy" could have told the tale with half the characters and half the storylines. It also could have told the tale in half the running time. It probably SHOULD have done so, since a more concise movie would have been stronger, clearer and wittier. On top of that, the plot takes a complete U-turn near the end. Consequently the movie, which was characterized by a rather mean-spirited misanthropy, ends on a pastel-colored finale so sweet that it endangers diabetics.

Of course the over-the-top soppiness of the finale could be signaling to us, the viewers, that we are not supposed to take it seriously. But in that case another question arises : if nothing shown on the screen matters, why watch ?

So "Smoochy" does have its problems, and then some. By way of mitigating circumstances it needs to be said that those parts of the movie that do work offer fierce, determined satire. With near-manic glee, "Smoochy" attacks that segment of the entertainment industry known as television programmes for children. Here, chaos ensues when a newly appointed entertainer tries to impose his vision on a popular show for kids. The bedlam ensues not because the man is bad, but because the man is good : he loves little tykes, he takes his job seriously and he promotes nourishing food, educational games and useful life lessons. None of which is music to the ears of the powers that be, who prefer to stuff the target audience with cheap crap, thus preparing it for a life of mindless consumerism.

Disquietingly, one gets the impression that the various makers of "Smoochy" were well acquainted with the environment in question...

Orions belte (1985)

Fine action/adventure movie on a Cold War theme

[8/10 · 7 April 2024]

"Orions belte" is a well-made action/adventure movie coming to us from Norway. The well-choreographed stunts and action scenes are beautifully integrated into the tale being told. The movie tells a suspenseful story about a handful of not entirely scrupulous sea dogs with an eye to the main chance. When their keen sense of enterprise causes them to stumble on a top secret Soviet listening post, all hell breaks loose.

"Orions belte" is quite a compelling movie that immerses the viewers in an environment of rare natural beauty, where regal wonders meet spine-crushing dangers. At the same time the movie (and then especially the second half) highlights the plight of those random civilians who discover great secrets. It turns out that, within the murky world of international Realpolitik, ideological opponents have found a common ground in a desire not to upset the applecart. And since the preservation of the applecart depends on the preservation of shared fictions and fabrications, accidental witnesses able to puncture the lies are seen as nuisances. Accidental witnesses liable to turn into whistleblowers are even less popular.

I hope to find the source novel to the movie, it should be quite interesting.

The Lady Craved Excitement (1950)

Feeble, unconvincing comedy

[3/10 · 5 April 2024]

"The lady craved excitement" is a weak comedy with a rambling screenplay and an equally rambling plot. The intrigue deals with a male-female duo of cabaret artists who stumble upon a genuine criminal conspiracy. (Don't expect too much from the cabaret acts.) The various actors, poor things, go around either hitting someone on the head or getting hit on the head in return. In real life several people would have ended up in hospital with concussion or worse, but the violence is of a strictly cartoonish nature, with the victims going down in an instant and waking up all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

There's much about "The lady" that speaks of sloppiness and laziness. For instance, one of the characters is a bearded eccentric who speaks of creating his magnum opus, a painting called "The execution of Anne Boleyn". He asks our heroine to model for him, playing the part of the ill-fated queen. (As the movie goes on, it becomes clear that the man wants to recreate the scene in a more unusual way.) Anyway, near the end the heroine does dress up as Anne Boleyn. Nothing about the costumes, the jewelry, the backdrop etcetera is right for the Tudor era. How difficult can it be, for twentieth-century Brits, to assemble a collection of objects that looks suitable for the historic period in question ?

So no, not recommended, there are far better movies out there.

Cash (2008)

crooks scamming other crooks

[7/10 · 4 April 2024]

"Cash" serves as a showcase for some of the most famous and popular contemporary actors in Europe. The movie is long on style, entertainment and polish. The movie is short on depth, edge and relevance. Probably it's best watched and appreciated as an expertly made "divertissement". The escapist nature of the whole is underlined by the sequences set in a jaw-dropping luxury hotel for the very rich. Most of us are never going to come near a place like this, unless we discover a Degas in our attic or become the sex kitten of a Russian oligarch.

"Cash" contains some good jokes, with the best of them related to a posh charity event where benefactors can become "godparent" to an exotic animal.

The plot deals with more than a simple police-versus-criminals conflict, given that both the criminals (many of whom are professional scammers) and the police have split up in various rival factions. There's a lot of plotting and counter-plotting. There's also a lot of secret agendas and shifting alliances. It's all pretty convoluted, meaning that even the more attentive viewers may reach a point where they can no longer see the forest for the trees.

The most intriguing character and the most intriguing performance coincide in Valeria Golino playing a specialized police investigator who may be perfectionist, ambitious, naive, reckless, unscrupulous or any combination of the above.

The Big Fix (1978)

Excellent private eye yarn

[9/10 · 3 April 2024]

In "The big fix", a private investigator meets with a former girlfriend who offers him a job. What looks like a middle-of-the-road investigation into political dirty tricks soon morphs into something far more dangerous. "The big fix" is a private eye detective tale mixed with a healthy dose of comedy and satire. The movie is notable mainly for the quality of its lead performance and for the portrayal of a particular social environment, to wit the environment inhabited by former members of the counter-cultural underground.

The movie describes the various ways in which ardent activists respond to the progress of time and to changes in the political and societal climate. Some of the activists react by embracing their ideology with greater determination than ever before, while others go for some kind of compromise or even for a full-throated adoption of a once-despised lifestyle. Yet others escape in superficiality, nostalgia or drug-induced oblivion.

In a way "The big fix" is also a movie about growing up. It's not difficult to be a revolutionary if one's eighteen or twenty years old ; but it takes some doing to hang on to the holy fire in the face of realities like nine-to-five jobs, mortgages, commutes and résumés. By the same token it is hard to concentrate on one's ideas and ideals if one spends a considerable part of one's day caring for a family. Somehow long discussions about the intellectual dynamic between Marx and Engels tend to combine badly with urgent requests to tell the bedtime story about Nibbles the Naughty Rabbit, AGAIN daddy, AGAIN AGAIN ! (Note the way in which our protagonist gets saddled, time after time, with the care for his young sons.)

Anyway, I recommend "The big fix". The version I watched was of an exceptional quality with regard to image sharpness.

Pursuit (1972 TV Movie)

San Diego threatened by domestic terrorism

[7/10 · 2 April 2024]

"Pursuit" tells of the battle of wits between a team of specialized investigators and a small but dangerous extremist movement led by a disquietingly intelligent man. The stakes are high, given that the extremist movement has accumulated all the material and know-how necessary for an attack with nerve gas.

"Pursuit" is a pleasantly watchable thriller that contains a number of clever twists and turns. One of these twists consists of an unexpected variation on the "ticking clock" motif. It says a lot about the state of our modern world that the threat of a terrorist attack with nerve gas has not diminished since the 1970's - on the contrary.

On the whole "Pursuit" is well-made. However, the movie suffers from the frequent inclusion of images showing a large-scale political convention. These images stand out because of their obvious visual difference to the rest of the material. As a result each successive appearance acts as a pin-prick in the viewer's suspension of disbelief.

Five Miles to Midnight (1962)

Compelling psychological thriller

[8/10 · 1 April 2024]

In "Le couteau dans la plaie" (AKA "Five miles to midnight") a man survives an air crash, thanks to random chance. Being a louche and manipulative person, he talks his wife into making a false insurance claim over his supposed death. Needless to say, this will lead to one complication after another.

A mix of thriller and drama, "Le couteau" is quite suspenseful. It can also be read as a darkly perceptive study of a marriage gone awry. Here, husband and wife are unable to live together, but they are also unable to part ways in an adult and responsible manner. When they find themselves cooped up together, the claustrophobia leads to a hellish situation, what with two wary people circling each other like spiders trapped in the same jar.

The cast is unusual but performances are good. Sophia Loren, in particular, impresses as the embattled female protagonist.

So there's a lot to enjoy in "Le couteau", especially for lovers of the psychological thriller genre. However, the movie does have its flaws. For instance, at one point the female protagonist crosses paths with a male character who is a stranger to her. The said male character then starts following her around, in a stalker-like way. As a viewer you think "Aha ! That is either a dangerous sex pest or a private investigator determined to latch onto the couple" but no, the ending seems to suggest that he was just a regular Joe who strayed into somebody else's tragedy. Whether caused by the writing, the acting or both, this dissonance does no favors to the plot.

Viewers who enjoyed the movie can take a look at "The running man" (1963) with Laurence Harvey. Both works are remarkably similar in theme.

Something for the Birds (1952)

Watch the birdie !

[7/10 · 30 March 2024]

Wanting to drill for gas into a valuable piece of nature, a firm has helped to introduce a bill to that effect. The representative of a NGO devoted to bird protection travels to Washington in hopes of defeating the proposal. Along the way she meets with two men : one of them a lobbyist (who is indeed a lobbyist) and the other one a retired admiral (who is not actually a retired admiral)...

A mix of political satire and rom-com, "Something for the birds" tells the tale of a well-meaning activist straying into the wild and not entirely wonderful world of Washington politics. The movie calls attention to the fact that the ebb and flow of legislation owes a great deal to lobbying, both overt and covert. What matters most is skillful influence brought to bear on certain key politicians - and since the amount of influence exerted is directly proportional to the amount of money spent, this means that the players with the biggest checkbooks have the greatest advantage. All of which translates as bad news for the protection of the environment, given that condors, sparrows and swans tend to be short on cash, just like the humans who defend them.

Sadly, things have only deteriorated since the 1950's. Viewers interested in topics like lobbying, corporate power, propaganda, astroturfing, greenwashing etcetera can do worse than read the books by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton, such as the memorably named "Toxic sludge is good for you".

If you listen to the movie closely, you'll hear a politician declare that he does not deem condors worthy of protection because he thinks they're gross, ugly and useless. It's surprising how often this inane argument crops up, even anno 2024. The world seems to overflow with people who classify animals as either "cute" or "non-cute", with the non-cute having to put up with everything from inconvenience to extinction. Of course all of the cute animals would disappear too once their sources of food, shelter, control or support were gone, but somehow this idea doesn't register. One struggles to picture the quality of the education provided in certain schools.

But back to "Something for the birds", which is a pleasantly watchable comedy with some clever finds. (How to gatecrash the finest parties held in Washington ? Watch the movie and find out !) Our professional lobbyist is too nice - I strongly suspect that the majority of them are amoral mercenaries - and the ending is too optimistic, but hey, that's what you get with comedies...

Suivez cet avion (1989)

One of the few movies featuring chocolate footwear

[7/10 · 26 March 2024]

Tired of the relentless control exerted by his mother, a thirty-something man goes looking for a place of his own. He succeeds in renting an affordable house. His aged landlady, however, differs considerably from her pious and austere image. She doesn't just rob banks, she also puts the blame on a succession of scapegoats, such as lodgers...

"Suivez cet avion" is rarely shown or reviewed, but this does not mean that it's a bad comedy. On the contrary, it deserves wider recognition. The genre is probably best described as semi-absurd screwball comedy, with a variety of eccentric characters all doing their thing. As befits the genre, our beleaguered protagonist ends up finding love after a highly chaotic courtship. (Lovers of female pulchritude can gaze dreamily upon Isabelle Gélinas, one of the prettiest actresses of her generation.)

After a somewhat slow beginning, "Suivez cet avion" picks up steam. Not all of the jokes, gags and one-liners work, but those that do work are memorable, such as the chocolate shoes find. Many comedies suffer from over-predictability, but this little thing is quite original. The plot moves in unexpected directions, like a frolicsome octopus tying and untying itself in knots all over an aquarium.

Comedy highlight : the interruption of an inoffensive "Hamlet" rehearsal.

Who Was That Lady? (1960)

amusing comedy/farce

[7/10 · 22 March 2024]

Having been caught kissing a female colleague, an assistant professor gets into hot water with his wife. In despair he asks his best friend for advice. The friend, who earns good money making up tales, persuades him to tell his wife he's an FBI agent. According to this version, the kissing incident was just part of the assistant professor's duties...

"Who was that lady ?" is an amusing comedy/farce about a single lie spinning out of control and creating ever larger ripples of confusion. The nexus of the movie consists of the successful comedic interplay between Tony Curtis and Dean Martin, both of whom are in fine fettle. Some of the scenes drag on longer than they should, such as the destruction of the "enemy submarine", but on the whole this is a pretty entertaining watch.

In real life, of course, things would not be as jolly as all that. It's bad enough, for a devoted wife, to have a husband who strays ; things become hellish when the husband falls under the influence of a libertine friend who preaches that every male is entitled both to marital love AND to bodacious amounts of extramarital nookie. (You know the type of argument - the man is just doing what Nature tells him to ! It's a biological objective installed by evolution itself !)

For those of you who are not afraid of watching a foreign comedy : "Who was that lady ?" shares some thematic territory with the French "Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire" (1972) and its follow-up "Le retour du grand blond" (1974). There's also a thematic overlap with the French "Le retour du héros" (2018).

Edge of Eternity (1959)

Well-made thriller/action movie

[8/10 · 20 March 2024]

After decades of busy activity, a gold mining operation has shut down. Once bustling and booming, the surrounding town has become a sleepy little place. Consequently the sheriff and his collaborators are not overburdened with work. The deputy sheriff, however, is about to discover that the town is not as peaceful as all that...

"Edge of eternity" is a well-made thriller/action movie about a sudden crime surge in a quiet town where pretty much everybody knows everybody else. (Or at least people THINK they know each other, given that appearances can be deceptive.) The movie is notable mainly for its stunning scenery. The Grand Canyon, filmed in all its regal glory, has rarely looked so astonishing. The movie also contains impressive stunt work, most of it related to the Grand Canyon background.

You'll note how the deputy sheriff, who seems reasonably sane, falls for a bored young woman who likes to exceed speed limits on dangerous roads, for funsies. That's right, he falls for a person willing to endanger innocent lives just for fun. Presumably he's the kind of man who would go around plucking toadstools, while wondering at their pretty colors.

Dans le secret des hiéroglyphes : Les frères Champollion (2022 TV Movie)

Meet the founding father of Egyptology - and his brother, too

[9/10 · 19 March 2024]

(Preliminary note : I watched this documentary in its French-language version.)

The documentary deals with the life and times of Jean-François Champollion, the French genius who succeeded in translating Egyptian hieroglyphs. His masterful discoveries have allowed us humans to peer back in time for thousands and thousands of years. The documentary points out that Jean-François had an older, much beloved brother who acted as his teacher, mentor and sparring partner. The two brothers maintained a busy correspondence, which was kept in the family's archives for generations. Nowadays, however, the correspondence has become the subject of scholarly analysis.

Travelling deep into Egypt, Jean-François Champollion had the singular pleasure of seeing all his linguistic hypotheses confirmed. Sadly, both the voyage down the Nile and the hard work involved undermined his health. Dying young - possibly as a result of picking up some exotic parasites - he left all of his scientific notes to his brother.

Before his death Jean-François Champollion convinced the Nation to buy important collections of ancient Egyptian art, becoming a highly influential curator in the process. Nowadays the Louvre museum, for instance, still organizes expositions honoring his work.

The documentary is a pleasant mix of learned comment, travelogue and animation. It was a good idea to use animation, given that many of the sights Champollion and his contemporaries witnessed (such as an Abou Simbel still partially submerged by sand) differ considerably from their modern-day version.

Note the appearance of the French description "un caractère bien trempé", which is often used as a euphemism for "a person so difficult that you would throw yourself in shark-infested waters in order to escape his presence". One wonders about the precise sense in which the expression was used...

Much recommended to all viewers interested in the study and rediscovery of ancient languages ; also much recommended to all viewers interested in French history, with an emphasis on the intellectual life during the Napoleonic period and its immediate aftermath.

Along Came a Spider (1970 TV Movie)

Agreeable mystery thriller

[7/10 · 18 March 2024]

HERE BE SPOILERS, SO READERS BEWARE...

"Along came a spider" is a pleasantly watchable mystery thriller with a lot of twists and turns. The movie seems to be based on a theatre play, but it doesn't cling closely to its theatrical origins : the action moves around freely, taking place in a variety of settings such as a research lab, a restaurant, an apartment, a courtroom,...

The plot deals with a grieving widow trying to exact revenge on the man she deems responsible for her husband's death. (Since the widow is quite a clever woman, she's cooked up quite a clever revenge scheme.) As the movie progresses, the viewer watches her plans unfold. At the same time the viewer is invited to ponder an additional question, to wit whether the widow's suspicions are correct. If she's right, then she's targeting a person who caused another person's death, either through deliberate malice or through negligence ; if she's wrong, then she's targeting an innocent.

On the whole "Along came a spider" is a well-made movie, although it lacks the spark of genius that could have lifted it up to another level. Near the end it begins to outstay its welcome. The finale, by the way, boasts a fine example of that old cliché where a killer explains his or her evil motives before attacking the intended victim. I strongly suspect that most real-life killers would shoot/strangle/push/bludgeon first and explain later, if at all.

Anyway, "Along came a spider" teaches a valuable life lesson : before embarking on a revenge mission, check and doublecheck your facts.

Il court, il court, le furet... (2003 TV Movie)

a couple driven apart by non-communication

[6/10 · 16 March 2024]

As part of their divorce proceedings, Pierre and Marion find themselves talking to a specialized judge. They both start to tell a tale about a once happy relationship crashing as a result of the unpleasant realities of life : domestic chores, professional stresses, housing problems and the like. However, their individual perspectives differ wildly...

"Il court, il court, le furet..." is probably best described as a mix of tragicomedy and drama. The subject matter gets darker and sadder as the movie goes along, meaning that this is a movie for adults, not for the whole family. The plot deals with a marriage crumbling under the weight of ever more serious mistakes and misunderstandings. One does not need to be a trained therapist in order to figure out that the root cause of the couple's unhappiness consists of a failure to communicate.

People less averse to talking and listening - which would mean about 99 percent of the human race - could have resolved many of the marital difficulties through discussion (and thence through compromise and negotiation). As a result there's a strong temptation, for the viewer, to shout "You nitwit, just say it !" or "You dolt, just ask about it !" at the screen. After a while this gets predictable. It also gets, well, tiresome.

"Il court" is very well acted, with fine actors giving fine performances. One cannot escape the impression, however, that the various actors and actresses are far more charming than the characters they embody.

In the movie, husband and wife keep a pet ferret. It's not immediately obvious what the little scamp's doing in the movie, apart from justifying the title.