Secret Movie Club: Movie #1

I have been really excited to see which movies would be included in TIFF's Secret Movie Club and it has finally arrived!

This event is typically held in person in Toronto so I have never had a chance to participate until it went virtual this year. It seems to be a seamless transition because they already had a digital component to their offerings that expanded with their festival this year due to the pandemic.  

The first selection is I'm Your Woman. A movie about a woman named Jean who has to go on the run when her husband shows up, hands her a random baby, and promptly disappears. It turns out he has betrayed his crime partners and they are not pleased that they can't find him.

Rachel Brosnahan gives a solid performance as a woman who kind of knows about the shady business her husband gets up to without really knowing the full extent of it. As the story progresses she realizes how much she doesn't know and how unprepared for any of this she was. Her role could have easily been overacted but she manages to keep it reigned in and believable.

She is surrounded by equally solid actors for the supporting cast. Of special note are both Marsha Stephanie Blake as Teri and Arinze Kene as Cal. The relationship dynamics between Jean and both of these characters stood out to me. Cal plays the man who shows up to usher Jean out of her house and into this whirlwind she finds herself in. They have an ease and a chemistry that while not romantic is still palpable. Teri and Jean also have an interesting bond as two women who find themselves with quite a few things in common. They are never pitted against each other even though that is typically what would happen in a movie like this which I found refreshing.

If you are someone who needs every loose end tied up and every question answered this movie may not be the one for you. Many plot elements, especially when it comes to the actions of Jean's husband, are left unresolved and unknown. It feels more realistic that way to me. Of course she doesn't find out certain things because she logically couldn't based on the plot of the story. You may want to know where that random baby came from but you won't necessarily get to.

It is a familiar but engaging crime drama that introduced me to Rachel Brosnahan as an actress worthy of keeping an eye on. I had not seen her in anything before this and was pleasantly surprised by her.

You can check out I'm Your Woman for yourself on Amazon Prime Video on December 11th. 

My next secret movie releases on the December 18th weekend. I am hoping it is Promising Young Woman. 

#2020PopCultureResolution - Gaslight

Gaslight

Director: George Cukor

Length:  114 minutes

Cast: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Angela Lansbury

Release Date:  May 11, 1944

Synopsis: After the death of her famous opera-singing aunt, Paula (Ingrid Bergman) is sent to study in Italy to become a great opera singer as well. While there, she falls in love with the charming Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). The two return to London, and Paula begins to notice strange goings-on: missing pictures, strange footsteps in the night and gaslights that dim without being touched. As she fights to retain her sanity, her new husband's intentions come into question.

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Gaslight: to manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.

While many of us are familiar with the term gaslighting we may not be as familiar with its origins. The phrase originated thanks to the 1938 play Gas Light, of which Gaslight is an adaptation of, and its use of gas lights in tormenting its lead character. 

I picked Gaslight for October's movie because I figured it would fit the spooky season. It does in a way but is much more of a psychological thriller.

I could easily see this being a Hitchcock film. It has many of the same markers of a Hitchcock film along with a similar tone to some of his movies. It certainly has the suspense one associates with his movies.

The tone and atmosphere is owed to its pacing. Paula's confusion and doubt is gradual. It makes the situation a little more believable as a result. Her certainty in herself is chipped away a little at a time making her descent all the more heartbreaking.

Ingrid Bergman is captivating as Paula. She never overdoes her acting which would be easy to do with a role like this. She keeps it restrained but still manages to seem like someone coming unhinged. It is the perfect balance needed for this character.

Charles Boyer is chilling as Gregory. He plays it perfectly and while the plot is predictable it is made by these performances. Angela Lansbury was a welcome surprise and a delight in her role as Nancy.

The movie was infuriating at times because we are familiar with gaslighting and how it works. I wanted to scream at my television so many times while watching. I concede however that this probably would have been more revolutionary at the time the play was released. It is a mirror for those who cannot see they are being gaslit when it is happening. 

Overall a strong psychological thriller that I would recommend to any lovers of classic film that may not have seen it.  It is certainly essential viewing for those who enjoy Ingrid Bergman performances. 

#2020PopCultureResolution - It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night

Director: Frank Capra

Length:  105 minutes

Cast: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert

Release Date:  February 22, 1934

Synopsis: Ellie Andrews is a spoiled heiress who has, against her father's will, eloped with fortune-hunting aviator "King" Westley. Jumping ship in Florida to reunite with her new spouse, her impromptu exit leads her to a bus traveling to New York City where she meets cheeky, charismatic news reporter Pete Warne.

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It Happened One Night is one of the few movies that can boast to winning all five of the big awards at the Oscars. It's a prestigious honour that had my expectations really high before watching this one.

This movie is a charming romantic comedy that has elements of a screwball comedy mixed in. I can certainly see why it would have been beloved when it was released and why it might have won the accolades that it did.

Claudette Colbert is sweet in this. She reminds me a lot of Clara Bow in terms of her cherubic face and girl next door appeal. She's glamorous but in a very obtainable seeming way. She does a great job with this role (as evident from her Oscar win). 

Clark Gable's specific appeal has never been something that registered with me. There are plenty of other classic Hollywood actors that I would consider much more handsome. I can, however, appreciate his talent (specifically in this one). I enjoyed his take on this roguish, charismatic character and felt he suited the role perfectly.

The plot is pretty straightforward. A young heiress who recently married against her father's wishes has run off to be reunited with her husband. While making her way to him she meets a (very charming) reporter who agrees to help her in exchange for a story as her disappearance is big news. Anyone who has seen any amount of romantic comedies knows how this is going to end. It is not about the destination with this one, however, but rather the journey. 

The heart of this movie is the chemistry between Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert's characters. I am a sucker for some good banter between a couple and this movie definitely has that going for it. There are some genuinely funny scenes and some delightfully playful moments between the pair. Her exasperation combined with him knowing how to press her buttons worked for these characters. The scene in which he begins to strip in front of her is a perfect example of this. Everything Peter does is done with a wink and that played against Ellie's more sheltered personality is delightful. You know they are going to fall in love pretty much as soon as they meet, but more importantly you believe it.

A romantic comedy is not complete without a happy ending, and that is the case here. The tension within the last parts of this movie is just enough to make the ending all the more satisfying. If you like movies with witty banter, enough drama to make it compelling, and a touch of humour I would highly recommend this. You can't go wrong with this one as a pick me up on a rainy afternoon. 

#2020PopCultureResolution - Humoresque

Humoresque

Director: Jean Negulesco

Length:  123 minutes

Cast: Joan Crawford, John Garfield

Release Date:  December 25, 1953

Synopsis: A wealthy women falls for an ambitious violinist, but their love affair may be more than she can afford.

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Wikipedia describes humoresque as 'a genre of Romantic music characterized by pieces with fanciful humor in the sense of mood rather than wit.' which makes it a perfect title for a romantic melodrama revolving around the romance between a violinist and his wealthy patroness (even if there is not much humour in the movie itself).

Joan Crawford is known for movies like this. It is a decent fit for her acting skills and makes use of her glamour and star quality in a way that works for both the character and the movie.

John Garfield also gives a decent performance as a gifted violinist who falls for his married patroness. The entanglements that this causes are the crux of the story and his character. There is a bit of an age gape between the two (with Joan's character being older) and his casting also works in this regard.

The music is the centerpiece of the film. Beautiful and lush at times, it offers a perfect backdrop to the troubled romance. The music drives even the romance in a lot of ways. The scene in which Paul and Helen first meet is driven by music with her coolly watching him perform while smoking a cigarette. We can sense her interest and through her outward cool detachment. 

The movie ends up being fairly predictable but still rather enjoyable. It is the performances that managed to make this one for me in the end.

Much can be said about the ending and the viewers opinion on it. I have seen it touted as both the greatest ending in history and the worst. I think it is a ending that fits the story arc even if it perhaps not the ending you want. You understand why Joan Crawford's character might think she is (allegedly) holding John Garfield's Paul back even if you don't agree.

This ended up being a fairly straight forward melodrama. It is not one that will make my best of list but it is a solid watch and certainly a must see for those who are interested in Joan Crawford's work.