Films That Matter
By the Skin of Your Teeth
Originally meant to be a satire... though of a film very few have ever seen nowadays, the Norman Z. McLeod western comedy The Paleface (1948), written by Frank Tashlin about 1929's Virginian, infuriated the man in how it was directed (as a more generic spoof of the western)... but funnily enough, despite the screenwriter’s opinion, until Blazing Saddles (1974) came out, it was the highest grossing western parody of all-time and spawned a sequel in Son of Paleface (1952), while it was also remade as the Don Knotts vehicle The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968). After government agents tasked with tracking down an illegal gun smuggling ring turn up dead, the infamous Calamity Jane (Jane Russell) is secretly broken out of jail by Gov. Johnson (Charles Trowbridge) with the hope that she will take a pardon for going undercover to get to the bottom of this rebel-rousing (similar to rabble-rousing) gang in the frontier land.
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Star Pick with Kim Campbell
Here’s to Christmas SpiritsA Christmas CarolDecember 13, 2016A little while ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to interview The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, the 19th Prime Minister of Canada (and to date, the only female to land the top job), about her favourite film. Transporting me to ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, she illuminated me as to her Christmas program watching traditions. She explained that, each time December comes around, she makes time to gather round the television with her entire family and watch, back to back, The Muppet Christmas Carol starring Michael Caine, followed by the classic 1951 version of A Christmas Carol, with Alastair Sim taking on the legendary role of Ebenezer Scrooge. She lit up talking about her family custom, clearly cherishing the memories made by gathering the family to watch these two festive films. As I am only able to review one film as part of the Star Picks section, I will be looking at the 1951 incarnation of the Charles Dickens’ tale. Make sure to track down the Muppet version as well to get the full Prime Ministerial experience. Arguably the most iconic version of the miser, Alastair Sim has been etched in the collective psyche as the perfect Scrooge. With his receding hairline, bulbous eyes and curmudgeonly attitude, it is easy to buy him as a true hater of all things Christmas.
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Star Pick with Christian de la Cortina
Show Me the WayCarlito's WayDecember 6, 2016Following the special screening of the Canadian independent film Generation Wolf at the historic Port Theatre in Cornwall, Ontario, I sat down with filmmaker Christian de la Cortina – who co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in the entertaining crime flick. Cortina, who works out of Quebec, has had a fruitful start to his career, dabbling in many French language television series and miniseries, including La Marraine, 19-2, Mon Ex à Moi and O’, as well as procuring roles in American productions being filmed in La Belle Province, including last year’s highly touted Academy Award nominee Brooklyn. 2008 was a watershed year for the man, as he released his first feature film – Transit, which he also produced, directed, wrote and starred in. Seeing it as an opportunity to concoct intriguing roles for himself and others (as he did not want to be placed in a position where he may only receive similar roles throughout his career – in other words, typecast), Generation Wolf can be seen as a successful extension of that plan – as it depicts an engaging story that is chock full of richly drawn characters.
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Welcome to the Jungle
The Asphalt JungleNovember 28, 2016Perhaps one of the best descriptive titles to ever come out of Hollywood is The Asphalt Jungle (even though it is the title of the book the film is based on). Directed by John Huston, the 1950 title vividly exemplifies film noir: a dark, gritty, dog-eat-dog world – its only difference from the animalistic wilderness is the stark stone and cement infrastructure that frames the vice-filled world. Oh, and are there vices! Each character has his or her own cross to bear – dragging them down into a world of sin and sorrow. As Doctor Erwin Riedenschneider (Sam Jaffe), the mastermind of the heist, puts it: "One way or another, we all work for our vice". Youthful gals, wealth and extravagance, liquor, gambling on the horses, and an infatuation for a specific man are just some of the misdeeds you’ll find in this movie. The above mentioned Doctor, recently released from prison, has devised an intricate heist – the take, at least one million dollars. Reaching out to a name he heard bandied about on the inside, he visits a bookie by the name of Cobby (Marc Lawrence). Needing the proper backing, a meeting is set between the man with the plan and a prominent, albeit shady lawyer, Alonzo Emmerich (Louis Calhern).
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Star Pick with Tyler Murree
Catch a Rising StarThe Shawshank RedemptionNovember 25, 2016Cornwall’s second most famous actor, Tyler Murree, is proud to hold that title, following behind some guy by the name of Ryan Gosling. Recently, he spoke of his childhood dream that one day he would be able to watch one of his films on the big screen at the historic Port Theatre in his hometown of Cornwall, Ontario. An actor of the stage and small screen, Murree has had a solid career in the two realms. The man has graced the stage as part of both large Toronto productions and glorious Broadway ensembles. He took on roles in Les Misérables; The Lord of the Rings: The Musical; Dirty Dancing; The Lion King, and other such productions. Placing him in front of hundreds of thousands of people across North America, the performer has created unique characters in the truest form of acting. Similarly, Murree has dabbled in the world of television. He has had parts on quality BBC productions in Orphan Black and Copper, while also popping in on Canadian productions such as Murdoch Mysteries and Kim’s Convenience, as well as taking on roles in several Nickelodeon series, including Make It Pop and The Other Kingdom, to name but two.
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What a Great Kid!
The KidNovember 20, 2016There is perhaps no better synopsis of Charlie Chaplin’s first full length feature film, 1921's The Kid, than that provided by the filmmaker himself. As the motion picture begins, we read the Title Card: "A picture with a smile - and perhaps, a tear". Already an international superstar at the time, Chaplin decided to give his iconic character of The Tramp a full length feature. Taking five and a half months to shoot the film, it once again reiterates just how much of a perfectionist the man was (as movies during this time were nearly never granted this sort of shooting schedule). Similarly, like the rest of his projects, Chaplin writes, directs, produces, acts in and composes the music for this one. The loveable vagabond that is The Tramp (Chaplin) this time finds himself with a baby in hand. A Woman (Edna Purviance), having had a child out of wedlock and with nowhere to turn, leaves her newborn in a wealthy family’s car – hoping that they will adopt it. In a piece of unfortunate happenstance, the car is stolen by a pair of criminals. Dumping the baby at the first possible chance, The Tramp then stumbles upon it in a filthy alleyway.
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Wave this Noir Flick onto your List
Crime WaveNovember 18, 2016Placing us in the back seat with three escaped convicts, director André De Toth makes us culpable from the very beginning in his 1953 film noir Crime Wave. We know that there is an inevitability to the scene, though at first, we do not know exactly what that is. The three unscrupulous amigos are on a crime wave (who would have thunk it?). Pulling up to a gas station late one night, the attendant finds himself knocked out by the group – they then take their sweet time filling their tank and robbing the store. Soon, a cop drives by, circling around when he does not see his friend at the pump. Things turn ugly, leaving one of the criminals shot and the officer dead with two slugs in his chest. Splitting up, gang leader ‘Doc’ Penny (Ted de Corsia) and his thuggish accomplice Ben Hastings (an early role for Charles Bronson – you can tell this as he is credited as Charles Buchinsky) take off, leaving their wounded compatriot to fend for himself.
