Rear Window

It's easy to see why "Rear Window" is considered one of Hitchcock's timeless masterpieces. I enjoyed seeing this movie for the first time.

First, "Rear Window" is an interesting study in voyeurism.  Jeffries is watching his neighbors through his window during his recovery from an injury. He gets involved in their lives, and interested in their stories and interactions. As he watches them, he starts to develop feelings for and about them. This is illustrated well when we watch Miss Lonelyhearts greet an imaginary suitor. As she raises her glass, Jeff raises his in return. He speaks of the neighbors to his girlfriend Lisa as if they are old friends, when the truth is he doesn't know their names and has never been in the same room with them. In this way, Jeff is the ultimate voyeur. 

There's another more subtle reference to the theme of voyeurism in Jeff's profession. Jeffries is a photographer, and at least a part of what photographers do is to offer a glimpse into the lives of others. It's interesting that for at least part of the time he's watching the neighbors, he's doing it through his camera lens. In this way he's making a judgment about our protagonist, but also about all viewers of art -- and movie watchers.

The suspense in the film was built and sustained through camera angles and point of view. As the viewer starts to realize there are interesting things going on around the courtyard, we are drawn to the windows of the other apartments. As Jeff turns his head to the things in his own apartment or switches views, we are struck with wanting to manipulate the point of view. The audience wants him to "look up" and see what's going on. The fact that nearly the entire movie was filmed from Jeff's apartment greatly adds to the suspense and the feeling that you are there with him. That manipulation intensifies the fear at the end when Mr. Thorwald comes to the apartment.

The relationship between Jeff and Lisa is an interesting and complicated one. Their interactions were fun to watch, and their affection for each other was evident. The nurse, Stella, was a great character, with some of the best one-liners of the movie. It was interesting to me how much I came to like the characters of Miss Lonelyhearts, the married couple with the dog, and Miss Torso, without ever hearing them speak or seeing them up close. 

An interesting way that Hitchcock gave the movie verisimilitude was through sound. The sounds of cars honking, yelling, screaming, and all the background noise you would expect in a city scene were the main soundtrack of the film. The music that was played was only the music of the songwriter neighbor. That gave the film another dimension of "reality" that made you feel you were there with Jeff.

I love how not all the ends are tied up at the end. There's still an element of mystery about Jeff and Lisa's relationship, and the details of the murder aren't laid out. I personally enjoy when there are a few things from the story where I can still use my sense of imagination and decide what I think may have happened.

Singin' in the Rain

Just try to say that title without singing it for days! I'm not a big fan of old musicals, but I was genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. There are many reasons it's a Hollywood classic.

The basic plot is about the end of silent films, and the ways in which actors had to adapt to the new medium of sound. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is learning to make those changes to move into the next realm of his career, and the audience is engaged and rooting for him. The real history of this transition is hinted at with the diction coaches, the scramble to update equipment, and the stars that got lost in the scuffle.

The song and dance helps drive the plot and is at the same time a fun break. The singing is great, but the dancing is the best part -- it is Gene Kelly after all. The dance numbers are athletic wonders and aesthetically appealing. When they break into song, you're ready and waiting for what will come next.

I liked the way the movie treated the subjects of movie making, and Hollywood's many ways of manipulating an audience. During "Make 'em Laugh", Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) dances his way through sets, and when Don tells Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds) about his feelings for her, he manipulates the set around her to create the mood. The fake romance between Don and Lina is part of the Hollywood manipulation, and adds an interesting dimension to the plot. 

In a narrative at the beginning of the movie, Don tells his adoring fans about his rise to stardom. The movie audience is given the real story with scenes from his life. The contrast between the story Don is telling and what happens on screen has a way of both endearing Don to us and setting him up as insecure and caught up in the Hollywood scene. It establishes his clear and enduring friendship with Cosmo, which we enjoy for the rest of the movie.

Quite possibly the best part of the movie is the title song and dance routine. I was amazed to learn that it was done in one take and mostly ad-libbed. It's easy to see why Gene Kelly has the reputation he has as a talented all-round performer.

As Lina Lamont moves from a silly, brainless sideline to an evil plotter, we are happy to see her expose herself as a fake in the final scenes. It's also rewarding to hear Don finally stand up for Kathy in view of the fans. In this way he's bringing his relationship with her forward, and at the same time acknowledging that his image is less important than reality.

This movie hasn't lost much in the years since it was filmed, and is definitely worth seeing for the first time.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is an interesting study in genre. In many ways, it has all the basic elements of a typical western. But despite the sweeping western vistas, the horses and gunfights, the poker and brothel scenes, there are some interesting departures from the formula.

The most obvious difference is the humor that is brought out in high stakes moments. One of these times was during their first robbery in Bolivia. Butch is trying to remember his spanish.

Butch Cassidy: Manos arriba!

Sundance Kid: They got 'em up! Skip on down.

Butch Cassidy: Arriba!

Sundance Kid: Skip on down!

Butch Cassidy: Todos ustedes "arrismense" a la pared.

Sundance Kid: They're against the wall already!

Butch Cassidy: Donde... Ah, you're so damn smart, You read it

Another example is the knife fight with Harvey, when Butch tells Sundance to kill Harvey if he dies, to which Sundance replies, "love to" with a nod and wave to Harvey. The gravity of the situation is lightened. Unlike most westerns where the outcome of each situation is part of the tension, in this movie we are just along for the ride without worry. 

The relationship between Etta and both leading men is a complicated one, where in the typical western the love story (if there is one) would be much more straightforward. There is obvious chemistry between Butch and Etta that is an interesting surprise, yet once again causes very little tension as it is dealt with in humor. After a memorable bicycle ride, Butch tells Sundance that he's stealing his girl, to which Sundance simply replies, "Take her."

The photo montage that shows the trio's journey to Bolivia was an interesting departure from the norm as well. The passage of time is shown in an interesting way, and the relationships between the trio are highlighted. 

When Butch and Sundance decide to go straight in Bolivia, they are met with an interesting twist where they are defending against a gang of robbers. The irony of the situation is part of its charm and interest, and we are left with an appreciation for their choice to stick with the bank robbery business. After all, Butch had never in his life of crime been forced to kill a man, but when trying the honest route was compelled to violence.

One of the highlights of the film for me is the rapport between Butch and Sundance. They are an interesting pair, with obvious deep affection for one another and a balance of strengths and weaknesses. Sundance seems to be the brawn of the relationship, and defers to Butch as the brains. Much of their relationship is brought out in shared humor that diffuses tense situations. In the end as they face their impending deaths, they face it with optimism and humor, and as a team.

The end of the movie was foretold from the beginning, and although it wasn't a surprise was still interesting. The final shot was well done, and skipped the gratuitous violence of some westerns.

Altogether I enjoyed "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and would highly recommend it.

The African Queen

It’s easy to see why The African Queen is highly rated. A good story, good acting, and characters that you care about combine to make it worth watching.

The movie has the slower pace of an older movie, so be prepared to take a slow ride down a calm river. Still, there is enough to keep you interested and engaged. Bogart and Hepburn do a great job with their characters. Rose was believable as a strait-laced Christian missionary. Her high bred English manners are an engaging part of her role as she sips tea, reads the Bible, and concerns herself with modesty and propriety during the first half of the movie. You’re tempted to think she doesn’t have much depth to her, and are surprised as the movie goes on with her determination and strength. She has decided that they will do their part in the war and take down a German warship, the Luisa. When they hit severe rapids and damage the boat, Charlie checks on the damage.

Rose asks, Could you see anything, dear?

Charlie: Yeah. The shaft's twisted like a corkscrew and there's a blade gone off the prop.

Rose:  We'll have to mend it, then.

Nothing seems to discourage her from her goals, and her personal determination is displayed when she gets shot at by German forces, bitten by flies, and pulls the boat through the swamp, never wavering from her plan to sink the Luisa.

This movie was made in the early 50s, as women’s roles were expanding and their strength was really being noticed and appreciated. Rosie the Riveter had just encouraged women in the US to contribute to the war effort at home, and the similarities (even the name) are easy to see.

Having seen many old movies, I was actually very impressed with the effects and filming. It wasn’t easy with the equipment of the 1950s to shoot in Africa, and especially the river shots. As I read up more on the making of the film, I was amazed to learn how many of the cast and crew were sick, and how difficult the set conditions were.

For me the most distracting part of the movie was the music. It seemed to me to be used not to enhance a feeling that was being portrayed by the picture, but to force the audience to feel something that wasn’t in the visual or dialogue. The editing was sometimes a distraction as well, with some of the fade outs feeling extreme and distracting.

One interesting thing I noticed was when Rose dumped the gin and threw the bottles in the river. There was a shot of floating empty bottles, and I have to admit the environmental implications disturbed me. I’m not sure a shot like that would have made it into one of today’s movies. I'm quite certain that the portrayal of native Africans wouldn't be the same in today's world, as they were made to look like big children. They were seen fighting over a cigar, taking glee in shooting (and missing) the African Queen, and singing horribly. 

Despite the minor rough parts, The African Queen is worth watching for the first time, or seeing again. 

Batman Begins

 I recently watched Batman Begins and rediscovered a great movie. Much of this installment in the series is exactly what you would expect. The back story is still there, with a young and privileged Bruce Wayne watching his parents murdered in front of him. His quest for justice begins here, and his training continues in the mountains of Asia.

I am intrigued with the ideas brought forward in this movie about fear. Starting with his fall in the abandoned well, Bruce was terrified of bats. The last words of his father to Bruce were, "don't be afraid". As he evolved, he learned to take his fears and use them to his advantage, very literally. When asked why become batman, his answer was telling, "Bats frighten me. It's time my enemies shared my dread." Bruce was driven very much by his fear that his parent's death was his fault. Fear is something we all relate to, and the idea that we can take something that is a weakness and learn to use it as a strength is an idea I am personally drawn to.

My favorite line from the movie was delivered by Rachel Dawes.  She says to Bruce:  "Deep down you may still be that same great kid you use to be. But it's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you." I think this was another prominent message of the movie. We were given glimpses into the good things Bruce's father had done that defined his character. Bruce learned to put his desires for justice into actions that made a difference.

As Bruce struggled with his feelings about the death of his parents, his desire for revenge became powerful. This lead him to attempt to murder their murderer, Chill. This was a tense part of the movie for me. As we come to understand him and his dark and tortured soul, we are rooting for him to rise above -- to take the negative forces and bring something good, become something better. Bruce doesn't choose this, but instead Chill is murdered in the courthouse in front of him. This was an interesting twist, as the expected would be for Bruce to overcome his desire for revenge and put down the gun. Instead, we are left with an understanding that there is still a very deep and dark place inside of him that is unresolved. That is an important part of the character of Batman, and something that is elemental to all well-done Batman movies. Batman is always a tortured soul seeking to be something better.

Bruce Wayne (to the League of Shadows): You're vigilantes.
Henri Ducard: No, no, no. A vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed, or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, and if they can't stop you, then you become something else entirely.
Bruce:  Which is?
Henri: Legend, Mr. Wayne ...

Batman will, of course, become legend and rise above the role of vigilante.