|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
76.1.163.157
A down-and-almost-out middle-aged Hollywood writer (William Holden), in panicked flight from his creditors, escapes by turning into the driveway of an apparently deserted mansion.
Spied as he is surreptitiously attempting to leave by the resident and former silent film queen (Gloria Swanson), who lives in Grand Guignol majesty, he cagily agrees to assist her resurrect her film career which collapsed some twenty years earlier when "talkies" arrived.
The narrator is the writer and so cleverly is the dialogue that we hardly can fault him for so easily becoming a gigolo: the gold cigarette case, the splendid vicuna coat (it's almost a character in itself), the seventy bespoke shirts, etc.--- I mean, who could resist!
Of course, into this uneasy but fairly stable (it is mutually accepted that the rewriting of the script which was the pretext for the arrangement would be of indefinite length) comes a wrench in the form of a pert 22-yr. old who is familiar with the writer's earlier work and cajoles him into a partnership to resurrect an old story of his.
Many of today's "auteurs" would do well to study this film: the style is "noir" but not so pitch as to render images nonsensically opaque.
The actors? William Holden, Clark Gable without the ham, excels as the world-weary scribe.
Gloria Swanson, a true film giant in "her day" (which was long gone at this time) gives as great a performance as Vivian Leigh in "A Streetcar Named Desire," which I mean as the highest praise.
Erich von Stroheim, as the butler, is perfection, as well.
The only minor quibble I have is with the oft-lauded performance of the young love interest, played by Nancy Olson.
The two blondes at the raucous party, I thought, seemed far more interesting.
Follow Ups:
.
the guy had an incredible career if you look at the classics that he was a part of.....his real genius was playing to his leads in a way that made them shine.....it was not coincidence that so many of his costars were nominated for countless acting awards...notably Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Judy Holliday...he always credited Barbara Stanwyck for saving his career when the studio wanted him replaced on "Golden Boy" and sent her roses every year till he died in memory of their working together...If pressed for a favorite Holden pic....I guess I'd have to say Bridge On The River Kwai....but I have a real weakness for Picnic as well...but that is probably more due to my love of Kim Novak....
The film originally had a different beginning, one in which the Holden character's dead body was in a morgue talking with other dead bodies. When Wilder took it to three test screenings, the audiences laughed so he withdrew it and reshot the beginning to start the action in the swimming pool.
The silent footage is from the aborted "Queen Kelly", a failed joint venture between Swanson and Joe Kennedy (they were an item).
Stroheim didn't drive so they had to tow the big car and make it look as if he were doing the driving.
I have always felt that this film, and not "All About Eve", should have won the Oscar for Best Picture" that year.
s
.
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: