Hedda Gabler (1962)

 

A scheming woman marries a nice but dimwitted intellectual out of convenience. She hears that her old lover is back in town. She decides to destroy his life, jealous of his love affair with another.

A TV production with a stellar cast, in which Ingrid Bergman shines the best, is unfortunately a brutally condensed, stubbed up adaptation of the classic play.  

 

Ingrid Bergman

 

Casablanca (1942)

 

 

 

A cynical American expatriate struggles to decide whether or not he should help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape French Morocco.

A true masterpiece of Hollywood cinema has perfection in all departments putting together a heartfelt and moving melodrama of its time and yet has become timeless work of cinematic art.

Halliwell****: "Cinema par excellence: a studio-bound Hollywood melodrama which after various chances just fell together impeccably into one of the outstanding entertainment experiences of cinema history, with romance, intrigue, excitement, suspense and humour cunningly deployed by master technicians and a perfect cast."

Maltin****: "Everything is right in this WW2 classic of war-torn Morocco...Rains is marvelous...and nobody sings "As Time Goes By" like Dooley Wilson...Our candidate for the best Hollywood movie of all time."  

 

The Movies I Watched in October

American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)  7

 

 

Babylon Berlin 3 (2020)  6 

Beyond Skyline (2017)  5

Casablanca (1942)  10

 

 

The Chase (1946)  6 

Chloe (2009)  6

The Conspirator (2010)  6 

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020)  8

 

 

Emily in Paris (2020)  6

End of Summer (2014)  8

 

 

Everything and Nothing (2011)  7

 

 

Une femme coquette (1955)  6 

Good Time (2017)  6  

Home to Danger (1951)  6

House of 1,000 Corpses (2003)  6

I See You (2019)  6 

Idiocracy (2006)  6

Johnny Come Lately (1943)  6 

The Key to Reserva (2007)  6

The Meg (2018)  6

The Mist (2007)  7

 

Mortal Engines (2018)  6

The Naked Street (1955)  6

Oculus (2013)  5

Of Mice and Men (1939)  7

 

 Patterns (1956)  7

 

  

Pontypool (2008)  6

Une rencontre (2014)  6 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)  7

 

 

Street Scene (1931)  7

 

 

Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933)  8

 

  The White Diamond (2004)  7

 

You're Next (2011)  6

Anastasia (1956)

An opportunistic Russian businessman tries to pass a mysterious impostor as the Grand Duchess Anastasia. But she is so convincing in her performance that even the biggest skeptics believe her.

Well-produced Hollywood entertainment, typically without any sense for historical accuracy, works due to its excellent cast, but does have some over-the-top melodramatic moments.

Halliwell**: "Slick, highly theatrical entertainment for the upper classes; it dazzles and satisfies without drawing any light on history."

Maltin****: "Inspired casting makes this film exceptional...High point: confrontation scene in which Hayes as grand duchess must determine if girl is her relative." 

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman

The Movies I Watched in November

Absolute Power 1997  6
Angel Heart 1987  6
Avalon: Beyond the Abyss 1999  3
Casino 1995  8

City by the Sea 2002  6
Full Metal Jacket 1987  7

Gaslight 1944  7

Hanna 2011  6
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 2011  6
Jew Suss: Rise and Fall 2010  5
Madigan 1968  6
Midnight Run 1988  5
Parkland 2013  6
The Affairs of Julie 1957  7

The Breed 2006  4
The Family Stone 2005  5
The Hunger Games 2012  5
The Next Three Days 2010  6

Gaslight (1944)

Years after her aunt was murdered in her home, a young woman moves back into the house with her new husband who has a secret which he will do anything to protect, even if that means driving his wife insane.

Classic  psycho-drama with a genuine paranoid atmosphere, great performances and excellent Noir photography.

Halliwell**: "Grossly overblown and less effective version of the story, but with moments of power, effective performances and superior production."

Maltin***: "The bloom has worn off this classic chiller..., but lush production, Victorian flavor, and fine performances remain intact."

 

Spellbound (1945)

A female psychiatrist protects the identity of an amnesia patient accused of murder while attempting to recover his memory.

Classic Hitchcock thriller with a famous dream sequence, the plot is quite construed, though.

From my vaults: Ingrid Bergman

 

 Bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingrid_Bergman