1973 - American Graffiti

This week, I saw a preview screening of Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal. I enjoyed it - I love all movies, remember - but I feel compelled to comment on one aspect of the film that left me wanting. First, let me say that I'm all for suspension of disbelief. Part of what makes the movie-going experience so wondrous is the fantastical element. It's an escape. I get that. Not every movie needs to be a thinker. And Source Code certainly centres itself around a highly implausible concept. Which is perfectly fine. It is what it is and I accept that.

But here's a tip, Hollywood. The attempts to justify implausible concepts with nonsensical science talk is probably unnecessary. You're really just adding to the implausibility. As a self-confessed science nerd, I find it less convincing when you try to cement the crazy idea in reality. The whole point is that it's not reality, so there's really no need for a scientific explanation. Charlie Kaufman didn't bother inventing some complicated theory of alternative physics to explain why a door behind a filing cabinet leads to John Malkovich's consciousness. He knew that it was a wacky notion and no amount of scientific analysis would make it any less insane, so he cleverly let the idea stand for itself.

And here's another tip. If you do decide to set up some scientific rules for the world of this narrative, it's probably a good idea not to ignore them during your resolution. Verisimilitude. Look it up.

Yesterday, I watched the first in our look at the Best Picture nominees from 1973...

American Graffiti
Director:
George Lucas
Screenplay:
George Lucas, Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck
Starring:
Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Wolfman Jack, Bo Hopkins, Harrison Ford
Academy Awards:
5 nominations
0 wins

One night in 1962, four recent high school graduates cruise the streets. Steve (Howard) is heading off to college the next day and attempts to break the news to his girlfriend Laurie (Williams) that he wants to see other girls while he's away. Curt (Dreyfuss) has all but decided to forgo the college experience much to his friends' disgust. He spends the night chasing down a mysteriously gorgeous blonde woman he spies in a passing car. Terry the Toad (Smith) takes Steve's car cruising and manages to pick up a beautiful woman named Debbie (Clark). And Milner (Le Mat), the James Dean of the bunch, goes cruising for women but ends up stuck with a 12-year-old girl instead.

The similarities between American Graffiti and iconic television sitcom Happy Days are almost too uncanny to ignore. Apart from the obvious similarity in the time periods of both productions, they also feature the same star. Ronny Howard (as he was known then) found himself starring on the small screen show within a year of his leading performance in American Graffiti. George Lucas selected Bill Haley and the Comets' popular Rock Around the Clock to play over the opening credits to his film. And before the famous Happy Days theme song was written, the producers used the very same Rock Around the Clock to open each episode of the first season. Then there's Cindy Williams. In American Graffiti, she plays Howard's girlfriend, though she is probably better known for her co-starring role in the Happy Days spin-off Laverne and Shirley. In another coincidence, Richie Cunningham and Shirley Feeney go on a date in an episode of Happy Days.

These similarities are augmented by the episodic nature of the film's narrative to lend a distinct television show feel to American Graffiti. Many scenes play out like a comedy sketch, complete with a punchy conclusion, and the whole story takes place in just one night. Additionally, the four main characters, for the most part, lead separate subplots, only coming together at the beginning and the end. Consequently, we jump back and forth between each of these distinct storylines, in much the same way as an ensemble sitcom.

Irrespective of this small screen feel, American Graffiti is just plain fun. The lifestyle of this subsection of society is portrayed with much fondness by Lucas, who lends his own nostalgia of the time to his audience. The riding around all night in cars - or cruising, as it was known - looks incredibly entertaining, particularly the oddly dangerous activity of carrying on conversations with drivers of adjacent cars. Not to mention the prevalence of young girls gladly hopping into cars driven by complete strangers. (Did that really happen?) Adding to the nostalgia is the toe-tapping music. I didn't even grow up in the 1960s, but hearing all those rock and roll hits somehow made me long for days gone by.

Richard Dreyfuss in his breakout role is superb, even though he looks a bit too old to have just left high school. (He was 24 during shooting.) Another star in the making, Harrison Ford delivers a fine performance  as a cocky drag racer. Keen viewers will recognise Kathleen Quinlan (credited here as Kathy) in a small role as a friend of Laurie's. And that's Suzanne Somers as the girl of Curt's dreams. Also note the license plate of Milner's car, a reference to Lucas' earlier movie, THX 1138.

Best Picture of 2005

There is a contingent of Oscar pundits who consider the result of the 2005 Best Picture race as the Academy's worst decision in its storied history. Indeed, there are plenty who rank Crash as the worst film to have claimed the prestigious title. Of course, there will always be contrarians, for the Academy will never please all of the people all of the time. Besides, there is no real evidence to suggest that their 2005 decision was any more unpopular with the general public than any other year. Yet that myth persists. Comparing the public opinion of Crash with its main competitor, Brokeback Mountain, yields fairly even results. Brokeback Mountain clearly won the battle for the box office, yet Crash boasts a slightly higher score on IMDb's user ratings. (In fact, it just squeezes into IMDb's Top 250.) Over at Rotten Tomatoes, Brokeback Mountain scores higher with the critics, but Crash remains the victor with the audience. So, perhaps this particular contest garnered more attention because of the controversial accusations of the Academy's homophobia. Why else would they have snubbed Brokeback Mountain after it had won the Best Picture award at almost every other ceremony that season? But if that were really the case, it would never have received so many nominations in the first place, let alone won three awards, including a Best Director gong for Ang Lee. In any case, it is certainly not rare for an awards season darling to surrender the Oscar to another film. I say all this not only in defense of the Academy, but also to concede that I am respectfully content with their decision ... Whether it matches my own, however, I am yet to decide...

The nominees for Best Picture of 2005 are:

• Brokeback Mountain
• Capote
• Crash
• Good Night, and Good Luck.
• Munich

Interestingly, the list of 2005 contenders is not as diverse as in so many other years. The five films are all intense dramas that deal with some rather serious issues - murder, racism, terrorism, political scare-mongering. I suppose only Brokeback Mountain bucks the trend with its complex love story, but even so, it still spends plenty of time exploring the homophobic atmosphere of its setting, which puts it back in line with the other serious-issue nominees.

Both Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck feature superb performances, not only by their lead actors, but also by their talented ensembles. However, a verdict must be made, so rather unfairly, I will remove these two from the running first for the unjustifiably petty reason that their issues are "smaller" than those of the other pictures. The often gripping Munich will also exit the competition, mostly due to the gear shift it experiences in its final act.

And so the contest is boiled down yet again to Brokeback Mountain and Crash. As I write this, I still can't separate them. Crash's flaws are almost entirely forgotten by its barrage of scenes depicting devastatingly life-changing events for its characters. And those scenes are so powerful that I'm still considering ignoring the film's lack of realism and awarding it my top prize anyway. Brokeback's flaws - namely, the fact that the four leads are simply unbelievable as forty year olds - are minor in comparison to Crash's unrealistic contrivances, yet Brokeback's emotional impact, while potent, is outweighed by the other film's.

For the first time, I'm seriously considering announcing a tie. But that would be weak. Therefore, I will bite the bullet and recognise that my head is in a losing battle to my heart. No matter how hard my head fights against it, my heart clearly wants to award my meaningless Best Picture prize to Crash, and so it is done. Another match with the Academy.

Best Picture of 2005
Academy's choice: Crash	Matt's choice: Crash

Your choice:

You may voice your opinion in the poll above (or in the comments below) and I am especially interested in these results, so make sure to vote. Time now to venture back to the 1970s where we will look at a shortlist that includes several films that have cemented a place in popular culture.

And the nominees for Best Picture of 1973 are:

• American Graffiti
• Cries and Whispers
• The Exorcist
• The Sting
• A Touch of Class

Stay tuned...

2005 - Crash

This week, I managed to squeeze in a couple of preview film screenings. First, The Adjustment Bureau is right up my alley - a mind-bending thriller with dollops of humour. Matt Damon is plenty charming and Emily Blunt is simply captivating. Second, Win Win is an example of another of my favourite genres, the quirky independent feature. The dry script is occasionally simple, but the situational comedy scores. Plus, the cast, led by Paul Giamatti, is spot on. Two worthy pictures on which to spend your money.

Earlier today, I rounded out the 2005 Best Picture nominees with a viewing of...

Crash
Director:
Paul Haggis
Screenplay:
Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco
Starring:
Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Thandie Newton, Michael Peña, Ryan Phillippe, Larenz Tate, Shaun Toub
Academy Awards:
6 nominations
3 wins, including Best Picture

Things can get rough in Los Angeles over a 24-hour period - violence, crime, racism. The D.A. (Fraser) and his racist wife (Bullock) are carjacked by two black youths (Bridges & Tate). A young LAPD cop (Phillippe) watches on as his racist partner (Dillon) unnecessarily humiliates a film director (Howard) and his wife (Newton). A Hispanic locksmith (Peña) has trouble communicating with a distrusting Persian shop owner (Toub). Two detectives (Cheadle & Esposito), who are involved in a sexual relationship when off-duty, investigate the seemingly racially motivated killings of an undercover cop. Over the course of the next day, all these characters lives intertwine as they find themselves forced to deal with their own prejudices.

Crash's victory at the 2005 Academy Awards became the subject of some hyped controversy, but I'll save that discussion for the verdict post. For now, I'll try to communicate my odd experience in watching this film. It's true that Crash is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of flick, but my assessment seems to fall into a third category - love it and hate it.

Right off the bat, Crash attempts to be provocative. We witness several incidents charged with flippant racism, mostly involving the most clichéd of racist stereotypes. The characters at first seem one-dimensional, lacking subtlety or shades of grey. In fact, the abundance of totally irrational behaviour left me feeling tense and angry - which may be less indicative of the script's foibles than of my instinctive reaction to unreasonable bigots. In any case, a somewhat indistinct lack of realism permeates the first half of the picture.

But slowly, as the interwoven stories progress, the shades of grey begin to reveal themselves. Suddenly, we see a different side to each of the characters. The more conspicuously racist folks discover their compassionate side. Those who appeared righteous allow their prejudicial fears to surface. Each behaves in a way that is at odds with our initial assessment of them. For some, it takes longer than others, but in the end, almost every character is affected ... The whole thing is still contrived and unrealistic, but, hey, it's very effective.

Many intensely emotional scenes follow. (If you hate spoilers, skip this paragraph.) An unashamedly racist cop heroically pulls a black woman out of a car wreck - the same woman he had earlier molested during a pat-down. An angry shop-owner waves a vengeful gun in the face of a locksmith, pulling the trigger just as the locksmith's young daughter runs into his arms. Miraculously, she is unscathed. This latter scene in particular is incredibly powerful, despite its contrivances - I mean, the girl jumps at the exact second that the gun is fired? Even my vivid memory of this scene from my first viewing of Crash five years ago - and therefore knowing exactly what was about to happen - didn't prevent my eyes from welling up. However, while the emotional part of my brain gazed in awe, the logical part began to question the scene's conclusion. A man just fired a gun at your family and you just take your daughter inside and leave the crazy moron on the street?

This lack of realism is not aided by occasional bouts of melodramatic film-making. The close-up of Sandra Bullock's foot as she slips down the stairs may have been acceptable, but to follow it with a close-up of the phone hitting the floor - in slow motion, no less - is perhaps pushing it. Plus, there are simply too many coincidences. It's understandable considering the Altman-esque interweaving of several characters' stories, but without Altman's light-hearted touch, most of the links between characters seem contrived.

Being an ensemble movie, a great cast is imperative, and in that regard, the film succeeds. In fact, the subtlety of the performances lessens some of the film's superficiality. Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard and Michael Peña are particularly engaging stand-outs. Fans of Star Trek will be pleased to see Marina Sirtis in a small role. Likewise, fans of Lost should keep their eyes peeled for Daniel Dae Kim, who appears very briefly. And if there are still any fans of Who's The Boss?, they will appreciate the cameo by Tony Danza.

When all is said and done, I remain conflicted. Despite the layer of artifice that sits atop Crash, its emotionally manipulative impact is undeniable. Perhaps it is an example of the immense power that high stakes can give a story. With such serious life-and-death situations, a poor script can still be utterly compelling. Craving subtle and clever writing, the scribe in me wants to dismiss this movie ... but I simply can't.

2005 - Munich

Another awards season over. No major upsets at the Oscars this year and a relatively uneventful ceremony, save for Melissa Leo's expletive. I was glad to see The King's Speech as successful as it was, plus I managed to correctly predict 16 of the 24 categories, a fairly average result for me. If you would like a chuckle, here is the menu for the Oscars party I held this year.

I am back in New York City now after my month-long stint in Las Vegas, where I had an absolute blast performing with the Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion.

On Saturday, my darling wife Kat celebrated her 30th birthday. Her parents surprised her by flying in from Australia unannounced ... well, unannounced to her. After a delicious brunch, the four of us then trotted off to Broadway to judge just how well young Harry Potter can sing and dance. Daniel Radcliffe stars in the revival of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and, I'm pleased to say, he is a very impressive presence. His dancing is particularly extraordinary - he's right there with the ensemble as they perform their fancy Broadway choreography. The crowd's screams of delight were certainly warranted.

Recovering from a cold, I spent yesterday indoors watching movies, including another Best Picture contender from 2005...

Munich
Director:
Steven Spielberg
Screenplay:
Tony Kushner and Eric Roth
(based on the book Vengeance by George Jonas)
Starring:
Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, Ayelet Zurer, Geoffrey Rush, Gila Almagor, Michael Lonsdale, Mathieu Amalric
Academy Awards:
5 nominations
0 wins

After the horrific events at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich when Palestinian terrorists kidnapped eleven Israeli athletes, later killing them, the Israeli government secretly organises an operation ostensibly to murder those responsible. In order to avoid having the assassinations traced back to them, they ask Mossad agent Avner Kaufman (Bana) to resign from the agency, allowing him to work independently of the government. Avner is given clandestine instruction by Israeli official Ephraim (Rush), who assigns him a team of half-trained covert officers - bomb expert Robert (Kassovitz), forger Hans (Zischler), driver Steve (Craig) and "cleaner" Carl (Hinds). With only scarce communication from Ephraim and aided by French source Louis (Amalric), the inexperienced assassins bumble their way through their assassination list, contemplating the ethical consequences of their actions along the way.

Munich is not your run-of-the-mill spy thriller. With such politically-charged themes, the picture also leans heavily towards psychological drama. In this way, director Steven Spielberg is able to do what he does best - focus on personal conflicts amidst a backdrop of international proportions. There is no denying the brilliance of Spielberg's film-making prowess, but, in this instance, he is almost too perfect. Some scenes feel over-rehearsed, especially an early scene in which Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir earnestly addresses her cabinet.

Where Spielberg's mastery works best, however, is during the suspenseful assassination scenes. Of particular note is the sequence in which the group aborts the detonation of a phone bomb when the target's young daughter unexpectedly answers the phone instead. Hitchcock would be proud.

The film's pace slows down considerably in the final act. The spy thriller elements that were so engaging throughout the earlier parts of the film give way to Spielberg's penchant for family themes. He focuses on Avner's paranoid internal struggle as he faces the fact that his actions may have grave consequences for his wife and newborn child. Clearly, this is the part of the movie to make you think. Although, having said that, there is plenty of political discourse throughout the spy portions of the film that will get the post-screening discussion moving, as well.

There are a variety of half-baked accents on display that are a little hard to take sometimes. Mind you, there's quite a diverse mix of nationalities amongst the actors, so it's difficult to tell whose accent is real and whose is not. I hate to pick on the Australians, but Eric Bana and Geoffrey Rush (both pictured) lead the assault on the Israeli dialect. Still, I suppose the blame would be more accurately placed on the contrivance that these characters would be speaking English to each other. Fortunately, these minor issues don't get in the way of the fine performances. The entire cast deliver superbly subtle and poignant portrayals. The standout is a pre-Bond Daniel Craig, who is strong and natural, and a little more successful in his attempt at the South African accent.

2005 - Brokeback Mountain

Another Oscar day has arrived. Since I'm writing this late Saturday night, most of you will be reading this on (or after) Oscar day. Here in Las Vegas, I will be hosting a small party for the cast and crew of Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion. I may not have had time recently to discuss this year's awards race as I had hoped, but for those interested, here are my 2010 Oscar predictions.

As we wait to hear the announcement for the latest Best Picture winner, we look at another nominee from 2005...

Brokeback Mountain
Director:
Ang Lee
Screenplay:
Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana
(based on the short story by Annie Proulx)
Starring:
Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, Randy Quaid, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris
Academy Awards:
8 nominations
3 wins, including Best Director

Ennis Del Mar (Ledger) and Jack Twist (Gyllenhaal) get hired to tend some sheep in the Wyoming mountains over the summer of 1963. Through the lonely months, the two men develop a friendship that slowly blossoms into passionate intimacy. Knowing that their bond will likely be frowned upon back home, they part ways at the end of the summer. In Wyoming, Ennis marries Alma (Williams) and they raise two daughters. Meanwhile, in Texas, Jack meets and marries Lureen (Hathaway) and they raise one son. After four years, Jack visits Ennis and, under the guise of a fishing trip, they rekindle their romance. Unable to go public, the two men must make do with periodic "fishing trips" while attending their families.

The opening act of Brokeback Mountain exudes a very comfortable mood. Life in the mountains seems quiet and easy, the perfect complement to a budding romance. The Oscar-nominated cinematography not only includes stunningly beautiful landscapes but also a stunningly beautiful (if a little misplaced) shot of Heath Ledger brooding in front of a colourful fireworks display. Adding to the feeling of comfort is the affectingly simple score, touching and romantic.

The Oscar-winning script also takes advantage of simplicity, maintaining an efficiency of dialogue. The pleasant pace of the opening scenes as Ennis and Jack's relationship develops is counteracted by a certain swiftness when it comes to other major life events. Before we know it, the two men have found wives and are already starting families.

Much has been said by reviewers far more competent than I in regards to which label should be given to the leading men's sexuality. Clearly, popular culture refers to the film as the gay cowboy movie, but both men freely engage in sexual encounters with women and appear to be just as affectionate, so it would seem not too inappropriate to identify them as bisexual. Having said that, the story paints a picture of two men who are trying to discover exactly what it is they feel, so perhaps labels of any kind are useless.

Director Ang Lee won an Oscar for his delicate touch guiding a fine young cast, three of whom received Oscar nominations - Heath Ledger as the emotionally stunted Ennis, Jake Gyllenhaal as the frustrated Jack, and Michelle Williams as the humiliated Alma. Although without a nomination, Anne Hathaway is delightful and fun as the playful Lureen. All four of these actors play their characters as they age some twenty years. Despite such stirring portrayals, it becomes somewhat tough to accept these 20-something performers in their roles once their characters are in their mid-forties.

2005 - Capote

Quite a jam-packed week it's been here in Las Vegas. With Valentine's Day, my birthday and a weekend visit from my darling wife, I've been just a little busy. I also managed to squeeze in two more shows - front row seats to probably my favourite magic act, Penn & Teller, who did not disappoint, and then a fun and raucous night at the medieval jousting show Tournament of Kings. And there's still a gazillion other shows on my wish list...

In the midst of all that activity, I took a look at the next nominee from the Best Picture race of 2005...

Capote
Director:
Bennett Miller
Screenplay:
Dan Futterman
(based on the book by Gerald Clarke)
Starring:
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins, Jr., Bruce Greenwood, Bob Balaban, Mark Pellegrino, Chris Cooper, Amy Ryan
Academy Awards:
5 nominations
1 win, for Best Actor (Hoffman)

Fresh off the success of his novel Breakfast at Tiffany's, author Truman Capote (Hoffman) comes across a newspaper article about the brutal murder of a family in Kansas. Deciding this will be the subject of his next book, he travels to the area with close friend Harper Lee (Keener), herself an author, waiting for her first novel To Kill a Mockingbird to be published. Capote acquaints himself with the lead detective on the case, Alvin Dewey (Cooper), who is initially reluctant to disclose any information despite Capote's inquiries. However, Dewey allows Capote to visit the two main suspects, Perry Smith (Collins) and Richard Hickock (Pellegrino), in their holding cell, and Capote begins to develop an unlikely bond with Perry, which goes so far as helping them find a lawyer for their upcoming trial, much to Dewey's disdain. Over the next few years, sometimes at the expense of his relationship with Jack Dunphy (Greenwood), Capote continues to help the murderous pair in the hopes that Perry will give details about that fateful day that he can use in his book.

Despite its leisurely pace, Capote is intensely engrossing. Fascinating characters with fascinating motivations - the necessary ingredients for a fascinating story. With such personal subject matter, the film easily hangs on to its audience's attention. Mychael Danna's haunting score deserves a big part of the credit for that, as does Bennett Miller's sensitive direction. He lets the film breathe. The aforementioned leisurely pace is certainly no accident.

Like Good Night, and Good Luck, Capote is an actor's piece. Both scripts boast strong lead characters surrounded by plenty of engaging minor roles, a recipe for many a juicy scene. Not coincidentally, both were written by actors. You may remember Capote screenwriter Dan Futterman as the son of gay lovers played by Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in The Birdcage. Futterman's script is subtle and concise, yet another element of the film that enhances the pensive mood.

Notwithstanding the brilliance of all those other collaborators, Philip Seymour Hoffman (pictured) is arguably the film's greatest success. His innately watchable demeanour, complete with Truman Capote affectations, is both infectious and captivating, particularly in his character's attention-seeking party scenes. A plethora of impassioned supporting performances, including Catherine Keener's sensible Harper Lee, Chris Cooper's reticent Dewey and a breakout performance by Clifton Collins, Jr. as the conflicted Perry Smith, contribute to an already absorbing picture.

2005 - Good Night, and Good Luck.

Another week of shows has passed here in Las Vegas - both as performed and as seen. While I've been treading the boards of the V Theater at Planet Hollywood in Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion, I've also managed to see some other shows on the Strip. Fellow Aussies Human Nature have an incredibly slick and entertaining Motown show at the Imperial Palace. And I also was blown away by two Cirque du Soleil shows - the creative and moving Love at the Mirage, which features the music of the Beatles, and the spectacular and awe-inspiring Ka at the MGM Grand, which features theatrical stunts that boggle the mind, including indoor fireworks ... Indoor fireworks, I tell you!

As we launch into another year of nominees, the poll for the next year of review has now been posted. Let me know which 1970s shortlist you would like to see next by voting in the poll on the right.

Last night, I began my review of 2005's Best Picture contenders by having a look at...

Good Night, and Good Luck.
Director:
George Clooney
Screenplay:
George Clooney & Grant Heslov
Starring:
David Strathairn, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Langella, Ray Wise
Academy Awards:
6 nominations
0 wins

Using real footage of Senator Joseph McCarthy and his Communist-hunting Senate investigations, Good Night, and Good Luck centres on the newsmen who publicly criticised his questionable tactics. As the host of the news magazine series See It Now, Edward R. Murrow (Strathairn) is stoically honest. He and producer Fred Friendly (Clooney) decide to tackle McCarthyism by first airing a show about Milo Radulovich, an Air Force lieutenant kicked out of the military because of his family's political leanings.

Although Murrow and his colleagues were careful to avoid a direct attack on the Senator, the controversial episode catches the attention of network executive Bill Paley (Langella), who warns the journalistic team that they are in dangerous waters. He explains that, since the viewing public mostly wants entertainment, news programs like See It Now are teetering on the edge. When Radulovich is reinstated, Murrow and Friendly take the plunge and begin putting together an episode that will expose the Senator himself, knowing the backlash may jeopardise the show and their careers.

In a way, Good Night, and Good Luck is a very simple film. At only 93 minutes, the narrative is concise, echoing Murrow's own straightforwardness. There is little in the way of physical action, and the entire film takes place indoors, often in small television studios and claustrophobic offices. The black and white cinematography, rife with close-ups and a steady flow of cigarette smoke, accentuates the simplicity, creating a constant feeling that our characters are in the middle of something big.

Despite this narrative economy, the picture somehow manages to squeeze in a couple of equally intriguing subplots. News anchor Don Hollenbeck's (Wise) story of demise is agonisingly poignant. And there is some light tension in watching Joe and Shirley Wershba (Downey and Clarkson) vainly attempt to conceal knowledge of their marriage, which is against company policy. The script by movie star George Clooney and his business partner Grant Heslov is frank and sincere, with more than the occasional witty quip. When Murrow offers to pay for his show's advertising himself with Friendly's help, he laments that Friendly may not be able to afford to buy Christmas presents for his children. The news director points out that Friendly is Jewish, to which Murrow replies, "Well, don't tell him that. He loves Christmas."

In the lead role, the underrated David Strathairn (pictured) as the audacious reporter is expertly subtle, almost stolid, earning his only Oscar nomination to date. Frank Langella delivers another strong performance as the network head forced to administer some tough love. The rest of the accomplished cast - Robert Downey, Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Jeff Daniels, George Clooney - all excel, but Ray Wise is simply heartbreaking as a man expending all his energy pretending not to be sad. And for the trivia buffs, Edward R. Murrow himself has already appeared in Matt vs. the Academy, delivering the introduction to 1956 Best Picture nominee Around the World in 80 Days.

Best Picture of 1930/31

There have been numerous verdicts during the course of Matt vs. the Academy that have been maddeningly difficult due to an abundance of quality cinema. Choosing my favourite nominee from 1930/31 is likewise difficult, but for the opposite reason. The shortlist is perhaps the weakest that I have covered to date, with no film jumping out as a clear winner.

The nominees for Best Picture of 1930/31 are:

• Cimarron
• East Lynne
• The Front Page
• Skippy
• Trader Horn

Clearly, with the advent of sound, motion picture production took some time to adjust and the kinks were still being ironed out a few years later. Without dialogue, silent films essentially relied on melodrama to communicate their stories. Once sound arrived, melodrama was no longer required but it stuck around anyway. The five films above are not entirely without merit, however. While each picture fails to size up to later classics, they each excel in at least one aspect.

Adventure story Trader Horn is perhaps the most melodramatic, its performances especially. The footage of African wildlife shot on location is utterly gratuitous, yet still fascinating. As a drama, East Lynne's schmaltz is perhaps a little more fitting, but it still comes across as a soap opera. Nonetheless, Ann Harding in the lead role delivers an engaging performance well worth a look. Cimarron is one of those epic yet personal tales that has so often gained favour with the Academy. No great surprise, then, that it went on to win the Best Picture trophy. Its action scenes are particularly spectacular, but again, melodrama gets in the way.

Thus, we are left with two comedies. Whereas in later years, comedic films struggle to be noticed amongst powerful dramatic content, here the three dramas suffer from too much sentimentality, leaving The Front Page and Skippy to be remembered. The snappy dialogue in The Front Page is amusing and energetic, but Skippy's charm, both in its witty script and its child performances, makes it a slightly more fun experience making it my official pick of the 1930/31 Best Picture nominees.

Best Picture of 1930/31
Academy's choice: Cimarron	Matt's choice: Skippy

Your choice:

Have your say by voting for your favourite of the nominees using the poll above. Next, we move back to a more recent Best Picture race by taking a look at the contenders from just a few years ago.

And the nominees for Best Picture of 2005 are:

• Brokeback Mountain
• Capote
• Crash
• Good Night and Good Luck
• Munich

Stay tuned...

1930/31 - Trader Horn

The first few shows of Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion are under our collective belt and word is spreading of our improvised insanity. On stage this week, I have drowned on a water-slide, sung about gum-scrapers and confessed to stealing a cat with Lindsay Lohan. What happens in Vegas...

We've reached the end of the current crop of nominees so make sure to get your vote in for the next year of review. The poll is over there on the right hand side of the screen.

Last night, I caught the final nominee from the 1930/31 Best Picture race...

Trader Horn
Director:
W.S. Van Dyke
Screenplay:
Dale Van Every, John Thomas Neville, Richard Schayer, Cyril Hume
(based on the book by Ethelreda Lewis and Alfred Aloysius Horn)
Starring:
Harry Carey, Edwina Booth, Duncan Renaldo, Mutia Omoolu, Olive Golden
Academy Awards:
1 nomination
0 wins

In Africa, we meet a man who calls himself Trader Horn (Carey), presumably because he is in the business of trading elephant ivory. He and his companion Peru (Renaldo) along with a native guide they call Ranchero (Omoolu) run into missionary Edith Trent (Golden) who is searching for her long-lost daughter Nina (Booth), captured by a local tribe years ago. When Mrs. Trent is killed, Horn and company continue the search encountering perilous wildlife and unfriendly natives.

Classifying Trader Horn as an adventure film seems the most appropriate, yet perhaps one could argue another way. Despite its renown for being the first fictional film to be shot on location in Africa, at times it plays out like a nature documentary. Several sections of the narrative see Horn pointing out various species of African wildlife and offering his travelling partner a brief description of the animals' behaviour. We also witness Horn interact with the local tribesmen, all played by actual African natives.

Since many of these scenes are gratuitous, offering little in the way of moving the plot forward, one wonders why they didn't just make a documentary. However, the images captured are indeed fascinating. Seeing all these animals in their natural habitat is often spectacular, especially when we witness displays of aggression. Had the American Humane Association had their Film & TV Unit in operation at the time, no doubt they would have had a field day with the scenes in which hunters shoot rhinos or throw spears at lions.

The picture occasionally expounds some racist ideas, which is unfortunate. I suppose that's what you get when you base your story on the life of a 19th century white ivory trader. Nonetheless, there are a few tense moments within the drama, specifically when our heroes are suddenly tied upside-down by the natives. Although, they are released almost immediately so the tension passes quickly.

Like East Lynne from the same year, Trader Horn managed to secure a Best Picture nomination without receiving a single other nod. Clearly, the safari spectacle was enough for voters to push it over the line. The cast, led by Harry Carey as the intrepid adventurer, are mostly melodramatic, not an uncommon occurrence for pictures of this era.

1930/31 - The Front Page

I am writing this post from Las Vegas, the third city I have visited in as many posts. The last few days have been spent preparing for the opening of Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion, the comedy show in which I'll be performing for the next month. You may not think there would be any need for rehearsals for an improvised show, but believe it or not, we have found plenty of things to work on, not the least of which is promoting the show to our potential audiences. While the show opened earlier tonight, we have a small rotating cast, so I participated only as an audience member this evening. My first performance on stage will be tomorrow night.

Last night, I made the most of some down time by watching another in the Academy's race for Best Picture of 1930/31...

The Front Page
Director:
Lewis Milestone
Screenplay:
Bartlett Cormack and Charles Lederer
(based on the play by Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur)
Starring:
Adolphe Menjou, Pat O'Brien, Mary Brian, Edward Everett Horton, Walter Catlett, George E. Stone, Mae Clarke, Slim Summerville
Academy Awards:
3 nominations
0 wins

Top reporter Hildy Johnson (O'Brien) is packing in the Chicago news scene to run off to New York with his fiancée Peggy (Brian), much to the annoyance of Hildy's editor, Walter Burns (Menjou). As Hildy says his goodbyes to his colleagues in the court press room, a big story begins to unravel that he simply can't resist. Convicted murderer Earl Williams (Stone) escapes and, while all the other reporters are out looking for him, he stumbles right into Hildy's lap. With a scoop like that, how can he possibly leave town? Walter is happy, but Peggy is not, and Hildy can't string them both along forever.

There is an immensely fun and vibrant quality about The Front Page, which is almost entirely on account of the snappy dialogue. The fast-paced conversations, clearly the product of a stage adaptation, are delightfully droll and occasionally risqué (the restrictive Production Code was not quite in force just yet). A lively ensemble of sarcastic characters keep the story moving at an exciting pace.

Of course, as is the case with such wordy pieces, the static staging can seem a bit tiresome at times. Fortunately, the witty barbs come with such frequency that the lack of movement goes largely unnoticed. Besides, the latter half of the picture features more action which alleviates any monotony. In fact, the film's second half is more engaging for other reasons, too. Whereas the opening scenes feature a whole bunch of subplots, albeit related, the second half is satisfyingly cohesive, concentrating on the main narrative.

As mentioned, the ensemble cast ensure the sarcasm is delivered with appropriate speed, led by Pat O'Brien and Adolphe Menjou, a Matt vs. the Academy regular. Also of note are Frank McHugh, whose infectious laugh I noted while reviewing Going My Way, Edward Everett Horton, a prolific character actor of early Hollywood, and George E. Stone, fresh from another 1930/31 contender, Cimarron.

Unsurprisingly for a film that is 80 years old, The Front Page suffers a little from a lack of video and audio quality. For example, the rapid-fire dialogue is often difficult to comprehend. However, only a month ago, the National Film Preservation Board added the film to its National Film Registry, so hopefully, it will undergo a much-needed restoration soon.

1930/31 - Cimarron

After almost a month away, I am finally back in New York City... but not for long. This week, I head back to the other side of the country to perform in an improv show in Las Vegas! Yep, I'll be a bona fide Vegas performer, right there on the Strip. A rotating cast of Australian improvisers will perform in Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion at the V Theater in the Planet Hollywood Resort beginning on January 31. So, if you're planning on being near Sin City during February, come check it out.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, the Oscar nominations will be announced. As always, I have made my predictions as to which films will be recognised - and just in time, too. For anyone out there who might be interested in this sort of thing, here are my guesses.

While we wait for the Academy's picks for 2010, here's a look at their Best Picture winner of 1930/31...

Cimarron
Director:
Wesley Ruggles
Screenplay:
Howard Estabrook
Starring:
Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, Estelle Taylor, Nance O'Neil, William Collier, Jr., Roscoe Ates, George E. Stone, Edna May Oliver
Academy Awards:
7 nominations
3 wins, including Best Picture

It seems that, even way back then, the Academy's penchant for epics was strong. Cimarron is a big-budget extravaganza spanning over four decades in the lives of Yancey Cravat (Dix) and his wife Sabra (Dunne). Yancey's aversion to staying in one place for too long leads him to forsake Wichita, Kansas and stake his claim in the newly opened land in Oklahoma. The couple and their two young children settle in the town of Osage, where Yancey begins a newspaper called the Oklahoma Wigwam. But his nomadic and restless nature soon sees him gallivanting off someplace else every few years, leaving Sabra to take care of the business and the family.

As is the case with many films of this early sound era, Cimarron often feels melodramatic, a drawback that is probably only augmented by its epic quality. While the Oklahoma land rush scene is indeed spectacularly staged, it finds itself a little light on substance. (Gratuitous action scenes are not unique to modern blockbusters.) The overly theatrical deaths don't help the film's cause either. And perhaps its just a case of Hollywood still learning the ropes of how to make pictures with sound, but there are more than a few awkward silences in between lines that could have been avoided had the editor cut to the next shot a little sooner.

The narrative is solid, though, covering the Cravats' tale at various intervals in their lives. However, as we near the end of the picture, the length of time that has passed between sequences gets longer and longer and begins to feel a bit rushed. Whereas the first few jumps are only a few years, the final act takes place over two decades after the previous one. And since the characters age so much from start to finish, there is a great deal of make-up required to make the actors look forty years older. Fortunately, it is very convincing work, impressive for the time period.

Oscar-nominated Richard Dix does an admirable job playing one of the most heroic characters ever written. Lawyer, pastor, pioneer and newspaper editor, Yancey inspires the masses, stands up to bullies and saves lives, all the while maintaining his impossibly great hair. He is well-liked and morally upstanding ... despite a slight case of 19th century misogyny and his habit of abandoning his family for years on end. The usually subtle and intelligent Irene Dunne (pictured), also Oscar-nominated, is a little over-the-top in this early role, but then again, so is most of the cast.

1930/31 - East Lynne

The last few days in Los Angeles have been both relaxing and energetic. While I've managed to get in a fair amount of lounging around, I've also taken in a couple of racquetball games as well as a hike in Temescal Canyon. Add a poker night and a games night to the mix and you've got yourself quite an eventful vacation. To cap it all off before I head back to New York and the cold weather, the Golden Globe Awards, which are occurring just a few miles away in Beverly Hills, are just about to begin as I write this.

Earlier this week, while at the UCLA Film & TV Archive, I got the chance to watch a hard-to-find nominee from the 1930/31 Best Picture race...

East Lynne
Director:
Frank Lloyd
Screenplay:
Tom Barry and Bradley King
(based on the novel by Mrs. Henry Wood)
Starring:
Ann Harding, Clive Brook, Conrad Nagel, Cecilia Loftus, Beryl Mercer
Academy Awards:
1 nomination
0 wins

Pretty young social butterfly Isabella (Harding) is initially excited to marry wealthy politician Robert Carlyle (Nagel), no relation to the well-known Scottish actor. He brings his new bride to live with him at his estate, East Lynne, where his sister Cornelia (Loftus) takes an immediate disliking to her. After a few years, Isabella feels bored in the stifling house, her only stimulation derived from playing with her new son.

Yearning for some fun and excitement while Robert is away, Isabella sneaks off to a fancy ball with an old suitor Captain Levison (Brook). The two share an illicit kiss before Isabella rejects his further advances. But the damage is already done. Cornelia witnessed the indiscretion and blabs to Robert, who, believing Isabella has been unfaithful, throws her out of the house, vowing never to allow her to see their son again.

East Lynne begins as an occasionally bland melodrama, but manages to avoid being completely boring. Its characters are relatively clichéd - the fun-loving wife, the conservative husband, the protective older sister who passive-aggressively makes life miserable for the newcomer. The story, too, is a tad tired - new girl, not accepted by husband's family, tries to deal with stuffy upper class rules and etiquette. It's definitely soap opera material.

However, it does become engrossing towards the climax of the film. Once the stakes are raised, things start to get tense, and the picture is much more watchable. Unfortunately, though, the climax itself is a bit laughable. Isabella goes suddenly blind, but rather than stay put and wait for help, she inexplicably attempts to find her way home on her own and walks straight off a cliff.

Ann Harding (pictured) is possibly the finest part of East Lynne. Her natural performance as the party girl without a party is truly engaging and helps to alleviate the film's flaws. Conrad Nagel as the staid husband also offers an accomplished portrayal if you can get past the heavy lipstick and eyeliner. And Clive Brook as the other man is compelling if only for his unusual cadence. None of the performances received Oscar nominations. Nor did any of the technical or creative elements. In fact, East Lynne's sole nomination was for Best Picture.

1930/31 - Skippy

Yesterday morning, I diligently researched how to get to UCLA before embarking on my journey. The bus schedule informed me that the No. 2 bus leaving at noon would take me from Sunset & Gower (which is near the Hollywood apartment in which I am staying thanks to Aussie friends Steve & Josh) all the way to the UCLA campus in Westwood. Like clockwork, the No. 2 bus arrived precisely on time and I happily hopped on board. About fifteen minutes later, with UCLA still about five miles away, the bus driver notified the remaining passengers that the current stop was the last that this bus would make. Apparently, I had hopped on the wrong No. 2 bus. This No. 2 bus, the driver explained, only went as far as West Hollywood. To get to UCLA, I needed to catch the No. 2 bus that terminates at Pacific Palisades ... Wait. So, there are two different bus routes that call themselves the No. 2? ... Well, that's perfectly reasonable. Nobody will ever be confused by that...

I did eventually make it to the stunningly beautiful UCLA campus where I visited the equally stunning Powell Library. Inside, I found the Film and Television Archive and viewed East Lynne and Skippy, both nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 1930/31. Later that afternoon, I stopped by the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre and found the hand and foot prints of Jackie Cooper, the young star of Skippy. Mysteriously, though, there appears to be an error in his age or the date of the signing. Cooper was nine years old on December 12, 1931. (I also realise now that I should have asked someone else to take the photo so that I could appear in it as proof of my presence. Oh, well. You'll just have to believe me.)

Even though I actually watched East Lynne first, I will save that for the next post, which means our first Best Picture nominee from 1930/31 is...

Skippy
Director:
Norman Taurog
Screenplay:
Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Don Marquis, Norman Z. McLeod, Sam Mintz
(based on the comic strip by Percy Crosby)
Starring:
Jackie Cooper, Robert Coogan, Mitzi Green, Jackie Searl, Willard Robertson, Enid Bennett, Donald Haines, Helen Jerome Eddy
Academy Awards:
4 nominations
1 win, for Best Director

Skippy (Cooper) is a precocious little rascal, constantly disobeying his parents (Robertson & Bennett). Despite being told that he must never venture to the other side of the tracks, Skippy spends most of his time there, befriending a poor boy named Sooky (Coogan). When Sooky's dog is taken away by the local government (of which Skippy's father is the health supervisor), the two boys attempt all sorts of crazy schemes to make enough money to buy the required dog license. Skippy is also dismayed to hear that his father plans to tear down the shanty town where Sooky and his family live.

Today, most comic book adaptations are of the large-scale superhero blockbuster kind. Not so in 1931. Skippy is light entertainment that could easily be written off as a piece of fluff. Most of the characters are one-dimensional caricatures. And the simple plot hides the fact that the story is merely a whole bunch of comic strips strung together.

However, with four-time Oscar-winner Joseph L. Mankiewicz as a co-writer, the script remains clever and witty. For example, in response to Skippy asking him what his father does, Sooky states, "He just stays where he is. He's dead." As an Australian, I was also enamoured with the conversation about kangaroos, but slightly mystified by Sooky's mother feeding the children bread and brown sugar.

Norman Taurog garnered the Best Director Oscar, probably due to his fine work in guiding the young stars to such impressive performances. With the comic timing of a seasoned comedy performer, Jackie Cooper (pictured) is particularly compelling. Not only does he still hold the record for the youngest Best Actor nominee (he was nine years old!), but his nomination is the earliest of any living Oscar nominee in any category.

Best Picture of 1951

For the first time since this project began, I am writing from Los Angeles, California, home to the Academy of this blog's title. This morning, I giggled like a schoolgirl as I drove past their idyllic-looking Fairbanks Center, a building that houses the Margaret Herrick Library. As the awards season heats up, my presence in this town for the next few days will hopefully bring more fodder for the upcoming blog posts. In the meantime, it is verdict time again.

The nominees for Best Picture of 1951 are:

• An American in Paris
• Decision Before Dawn
• A Place in the Sun
• Quo Vadis
• A Streetcar Named Desire

Similar to most Best Picture races, these films are all highly engaging, if for different reasons. The eventual winner, An American in Paris, perhaps stands apart since it is the only one to engage its audience with the use of singing and dancing. But, as always, my predilection for drama leads me to the contenders with more personal stories.

Both Quo Vadis and Decision Before Dawn use epic backdrops for their personal tales. Though still an absorbing film, the Roman epic does not shy away from extravagance and its religious themes can potentially turn some audiences off. The World War II drama is perhaps slightly more successful at keeping the focus on its characters' emotions, but it also has its flaws.

Far more personal still are A Streetcar Named Desire and A Place in the Sun, both filled with emotional tension and enhanced with superb performances that are right up my alley. The former is clearly the more traditionally renowned of the two - which does make me doubt my decision somewhat - but its unfortunate censorship lessens its impact a little. Perhaps I'll change my mind in the future, but for now, I will officially name my favourite nominee from 1951 to be A Place in the Sun.

Best Picture of 1951
Academy's choice: An American in Paris	Matt's choice: A Place in the Sun

Your choice:

As always, your vote is important, too, so let me know which of the nominees is your favourite in the poll above. Now that I'm in L.A. and have access to the UCLA Film Archive, we begin our look at films from the 4th Annual Academy Awards.

And the nominees for Best Picture of 1930/31 are:

• Cimarron
• East Lynne
• The Front Page
• Skippy
• Trader Horn

Stay tuned...

1951 - Quo Vadis

It's almost hard to believe that my visit to Australia is very nearly over. Tomorrow, Kat and I fly back to the United States after a whirlwind tour of Sydney. The last couple of weeks have been all hustle and bustle as we caught up with friends and family, every meeting seeming to involve food. And for some reason, we met an inordinate number of babies for the first time, many around the eight to ten month age range. If my calculations are correct, it appears that these couples may have specifically waited for us to leave the country to conceive their children. Hmmm...

So busy was I during this trip that I am only now posting this review despite having watched this film almost a week ago. My first film of 2011 was the final nominee from 1951's Best Picture contenders...

Quo Vadis
Director:
Mervyn LeRoy
Screenplay:
John Lee Mahin, S.N. Berhman, Sonya Levien
(based on the novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz)
Starring:
Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn, Peter Ustinov, Patricia Laffan, Finlay Currie, Abraham Sofaer, Marina Berti
Academy Awards:
8 nominations
0 wins

Ancient Rome in the first century is governed by Nero (Ustinov), who acts more like a tantrum-throwing child than an emperor. After years as Nero's advisor, the far more intelligent Petronius (Genn) placates and coddles his emperor to the point of manipulation, biding his time. Marcus Vinicius (Taylor), a commander in Nero's army, returns from battle and chauvinistically pursues Lygia (Kerr), a hostage of Rome and a member of a newly-formed religious group known as the Christians. Vinicius asks his emperor if he can have Lygia as compensation for his successful military duties. What girl could resist such a romantic gesture? Lygia falls in love with Vinicius anyway, but their newfound happiness is short-lived as Nero begins to cruelly persecute the Christians and those who associate with them.

As a historical drama, Quo Vadis hits all the right notes. However, Quo Vadis is not entirely a historical drama. It is mostly a Christian allegory and, as such, can appear a tad preachy. Although, its perceived preachiness is probably dependent on the viewer's religious convictions, I suppose. Nevertheless, the allegorical content is itself engaging and, therefore, not too detrimental to the enjoyment of the film for those of a non-Christian persuasion.

It is difficult not to at least compare this picture to that other Roman epic of the 1950s, Ben-Hur. Indeed, there is a brief chariot scene in Quo Vadis, complete with drivers whipping each other and spiky wooden wheels tearing other wheels to shreds. The whole thing may well have been considered reminiscent of the Charlton Heston classic if it weren't for the fact that Quo Vadis was released about eight years prior to Ben-Hur.

In any case, the exciting action sequences are fitting for any film hoping to label itself an epic, and they are complemented by lavish sets and costumes creating a theatrically extravagant atmosphere. Only the special effects leave a bit to be desired. Due to the limited technology of the time, the blue-screen effect often leaves a blue glow around the actors, making them seem like 70s TV weathermen. Despite this unavoidable flaw, the chaos surrounding the burning of Rome is still immensely powerful.

Most importantly, the film has a very engaging story, approaching the material in a personal and emotional way despite the epic backdrop. The characters are interesting, both as written and as performed. Peter Ustinov is the standout with his hilarious yet poignant portrayal of the narcissistic emperor Nero. His right-hand man, Petronius, is played with delicious restraint by Leo Genn. Both men received Supporting Actor nominations from the Academy, boosting the film's total nods to eight, only three less than Ben-Hur's in 1959. The two films' conversion rates are a little less similar. While Ben-Hur took all but one of its nominations, Quo Vadis failed to take home any awards at all...

1951 - A Streetcar Named Desire

Happy New Year! I write this from sunny and warm Sydney, Australia. Despite the sweat glistening on my forehead, I am more than pleased to experience these hot climes because it means I have avoided the recent blizzardy conditions of New York. To ring in the new year, last night Kat and I first caught up with some friends to enjoy the early evening fireworks over beautiful Sydney Harbour with our view from a park in Lavender Bay (pictured - just imagine fireworks). We then made our way back to my parents' place to watch the midnight fireworks from an equally stunning viewpoint on their balcony.

Earlier in the week, I watched my last film of 2010, another film classic from 1951's list of Best Picture nominees...

A Streetcar Named Desire
Director:
Elia Kazan
Screenplay:
Tennesse Williams and Oscar Saul
(based on Williams' play)
Starring:
Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Academy Awards:
12 nominations
4 wins, including Best Actress (Leigh)

Blanche DuBois (Leigh) arrives in New Orleans and hops aboard a streetcar named Desire, making her way to the French Quarter to visit her sister Stella (Hunter). Stella's macho husband, Stanley Kowalski (Brando), immediately takes a disliking to Blanche's snobbishness and accuses her of secretly selling the family home and keeping the money for herself. When Stanley's poker buddy Mitch (Malden) shows interest in Blanche, Stanley digs around in her past to uncover all sorts of nasty secrets, creating tension between ... well, everybody.

I have a confession to make. Despite being an actor and a film buff, I had never seen this (or any other) adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. Even more embarrassingly, I have not seen or read the play on which it is based. I was aware, of course, of Blanche's famous last words, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers," and of the iconic image of Stanley outside screaming, "Stella!" but somehow, I was almost completely oblivious to the plot ... which turns out to have been a bit of a hindrance.

As I've discovered over the course of this project, many films of this era find creative solutions to the restrictive censorship rules to which they were forced to adhere. However, in this instance, it seems some of the censoring occurred after the film was shot and without director Elia Kazan's approval. Consequently, there are a few relatively crucial plot points that remain slightly elusive. After I viewed the film, I read a synopsis online and was somewhat astonished to discover that Blanche had previously engaged in prostitution and that her suicidal husband was gay. To top it all off, the climactic fight scene between Stanley and Blanche turns out to have been a precursor to a rape. Mind you, everything made a lot more sense with that knowledge. I only wish that I had discerned that information while I was watching. (I suppose I should acknowledge, though, that my failure to correctly comprehend these events may also be due to the lack of focus brought on by my jet-lag.)

Unfortunate censorship notwithstanding, the picture boasts a captivating atmosphere. The story takes place during a hot Southern summer and the heat permeates the screen, both literal heat and metaphorical heat. The characters sweat from the high temperatures and also from their sexual desires, simultaneously represented by many a torn undershirt (pictured). Amplifying the heat is the sultry and steamy score. If it is at all possible for music to feel hot, composer Alex North succeeds admirably.

The first film to win three acting Oscars, A Streetcar Named Desire's performances are arguably its most striking feature. Vivien Leigh's portrayal of the pretentious Blanche DuBois at first seems merely to be a reprisal of her other Oscar-winning prissy Southern belle role, but develops into several truly touching moments. Kim Hunter and Karl Malden both won supporting role Oscars for their superbly compelling characterisations. In my humble opinion, however, it is the only non-winner in the cast who gave the standout performance. Marlon Brando's naturalistic approach to his portrayal of the intensely passionate Stanley Kowalski is a seminal example of method acting, a technique that was probably not well understood or accepted yet by the old guard of the Academy. Instead, they gave the Best Actor award to an overdue Humphrey Bogart. Nonetheless, Brando (along with fellow nominee Montgomery Clift of A Place in the Sun) delivered a performance that was influential in shaping the future of screen acting.