Over the past three days, I’ve watched movies for 16 hours. A really strange array of flicks actually, but some of them had definite connections to The Glass Key and Yojimbo. Some I had seen several times, others were very new to me.
Out of the Past: I watched this after Dr. Campbell’s recommendation during the Noir discussion. Robert Mitchum is one of those great actors that never had the adoration that Gregory Peck or Jimmy Stewart (In fact, Mitchum’s death on July 1, 1997 was greatly overshadowed by Stewart’s passing the following day). His role as an ex-private eye who became tangled up with a mobster might not reach the bravado of Night of the Hunter (my personal favorite), but his acting was certainly competent in a film that employs all Noir calling cards. Dark shadows, double crossings, and one deadly dame. Interesting that the quintessential Noir flick starts and ends in a small backwater town. It certainly doesn’t stay there though. The scenes in Mexico reminded me greatly of something out of Casablanca and San Francisco supplied the big city badness. Since it was my first viewing I surely missed a lot, but I hope to watch it a few more times, especially with the commentary by Noir expert James Ursini.
Star Wars: A New Hope: The second I turned on the TV this morning, those rolling credits started and I was hooked. I haven’t watched the A New Hope sine Episode III came out when I had to remind myself again why I had been so crazy about this trilogy for a decade of my life. Of course it holds up, taking heavily from genre films like Westerns, Flash Gordon Serials and WW II Fighter Plane movies….not to mention the obvious influence of Kurosawa’s films. The Jedi simply couldn’t exist without the the cinematic portrayal of Samauri.
Shane: The first time I saw this was for Dr. Kemp’s 245 class, and to be honest, I didn’t make the connection that Alan Ladd played the title role in what is probably the most important pre-1960’s Western (High Noon might be a nose ahead). This role really captures a broader acting ability much more than Ed Beaumont. Sure he gets roughed up, but we finally get to witness him throwing a few punches of his own. Ladd has this beautiful ability to peer out of the corner of his eyes in both films, he rarely turns his head when he sees something of interest. It was certainly more subtle in Shane than The Glass Key. Likewise Shane has connections to Yojimbo. I took special note at how feminine Jack Palance appeared (much like Unosuke). But while Unosuke’s gun weilding threatens Sanjuro’s feudal role and must be stopped to preserve his purpose, Shane actually is bringing about his own end by letting the homesteaders keep their land. This allows the West to become a tamed sanctuary for settlers, which neither Shane nor Palance’s Wilson can really exist in.
It’s late now, and I probably sound nuts. I hope Dr. Campbell got to read some of Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. Everyone should have a copy of that book.