Apr 22nd   
Nights of Cabiria**    
(Ita/Fra 1957)   
Les Films Marceau/Dino De Laurentiis. 118m. bw

A feisty prostitute is nearly drowned by her lover, find other acquaintances in her travels around Rome, then finds true love only for the first occurrence to repeat itself.  
Quintessential comedy melodrama by Fellini with lots of Italians shouting at each other and falling in and out of love, and some occasional moments of profound reflection. Later remade as the musical Sweet Charity.

Written by:Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullia Pinelli, Paolo Pasolini. 
Producer: Dino De Laurentiis.
Director: Federico Fellini.
Starring: Giuletta Masina, Franca Marzi, Amedeo Nazzari (as "Alberto Lazzari"), Francois Perier, Dorian Gray, Aldo Silvani, Franco Fabrizi,
Photography: Aldo Tonti, Otello Martelli.
Music: Nino Rota.

Preceded by:
How to Sleep**
(US 1935. MGM. 11m. bw; w, s: Robert Benchley; d: Nick Grinde.)

Apr 9th   
Mr. Burton** (12A)   
(Curzon Colchester)     

(GB 2024)
BBC/Severn Screen/Brookstreet/Promise. 124m. ws

Welsh schoolteacher and playwright Philip Burton takes a promising miner's son Richard Jenkins under his wing, who adopts his mentor's surname.
Often moving extrapolation of the emergence of Richard Burton with authentic performances, encompassing some of the later aspects of his notorious life (ie. the hard drinking), filmed in the centenary year of his birth.

Written by: Tom Bullough, Josh Hyams.
Producers: Ed Talfan, Hannah Thomas, Josh Hyams, Trevor Matthews.
Director: Marc Evans.
Starring: Harry Lawtey, Toby Jones, Lesley Manville, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Aneurin Barnard, Steffan Rhodri (as Jenkins Snr).
Photography: Stuart Biddlecombe.
Music: John Hardy.
Editing: Tim Hodges.

Mar 29th   
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner**      
(GB 1962)     
British Lion/Bryanston/Woodfall. 104m. bw

A rebellious new inmate at a borstal reflects on his life when the establishment discovers that he can run well.
Compelling working class drama, one of the few British films to really tackle head-on the clash with the system, although it leaves some of its supporting characters and sub-plots behind (told from its protagonist's sole perspective) come the gripping conclusion. 

Written by: Alan Sillitoe, from his short story.
Producer/Director: Tony Richardson.
Starring: Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Bolam, Avis Bunnage, Alec McCowen, Topsy Jane, Julia Foster, Joe Robinson, Dervis Ward, Arthur Mullard, John Thaw, James Fox, Peter Madden.
Photography: Walter Lassally.
Music: John Addison.
Editing: Anthony Gibbs.

THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER.  Tom Courtenay flanked by some future TV stars. From left, James Bolam, John Thaw, Derek Fowlds.

Mar 25th
Tartuffe**   
aka: Herr Tartuff

(Ger 1925)
UFA. 66m. bw. silent

A grandson being cheated out of an inheritance gets his own back by projecting the parallel story of the hypocritically religious Tartuffe who is worming his way into a glamorous household.
Ingeniously filmed with modern bookends, and lavishly made in its 17th century comedy aspect, although pared down heavily from Moliere's original, but still enjoyable.

Written by: Carl Meyer. 
Producer: Erich Pommer.
Director: F.W. Murnau.
Starring: Emil Jannings, Lil Dagover, Werner Krauss, Lucie Hoflich, Andre Mattoni, Rosa Valetti, Herman Picha.
Potography: Karl Freund.

Preceded by:
British Movietone News  (1948)
(Cup 4th Round: The Giantkillers Win Again [Colchester United v. Bradford Park Avenue])

Mar 15th
Jeanne Dielman* (15)
Sub-Title: 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

(King Street Cinema, Ipswich)

(Bel/Fra 1975)
Paradise Films/Unite Trois. 201m.

Domestic routine for a widowed mother and part-time prostitute, who reflects on her humdrum life and ultimately turns murderous.
Honouring the Ipswich film theatre's 50th anniversary with the quintessential type of film for this arthouse venue; not so much a fly-on-the-wall drama as a constant static camera surveillance on its main figure (in some ways, in the manner of Tokyo Story), defying Hitchcock's maxim that drama is life "with the dull bits cut out." Here, all the dull bits are included to emphasize the character's emotional imprisonment, for over 3 hours to boot! Feminist critics took it to heart, so that seemingly out of nowhere it was recently voted No. 1 in the Top Ten Films Ever Made.

Written and Directed by: Chantal Akerman.
Producers: Corinne Jenart, Evelyne Paul.
Starring: Delphine Seyrig, Jan Decorte.
Photography: Babette Mangolte.
Music: Various (from radio).
Editing: Patricia Canio.

JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES. Three hours (representing 3 days) sitting in the company of Delphine Seyrig, recently polled as the Greatest Film Ever Made - for reasons best known to those critics that voted for it.

Mar 11th   
Marriage Story**   
(US 2019)   
Netflix/Heyday Films. 138m.

A New York couple's marriage on the rocks is hurled into the divorce courts when against their better natures they decide to hire Los Angeles lawyers.
Long and talky but compellingly so, a Kramer Versus Kramer for the modern age with added influences of Woody Allen (and in turn from him, Ingmar Bergman) and excellent general performances, excruciatingly pointed in its drama as soon as the devious lawyers enter into the fray.

Written and Directed by: Noah Baumbach.
Producers: David Heyman, Noah Baumbach.
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotts, Azhy Robinson, Julie Hagerty, Merritt Weaver, Martha Kelly, Wallace Shawn.
Photography: Robbie Ryan.
Music: Randy Newman.
Editing: Jennifer Lame.

Preceded by:
Peculiar Patients' Pranks* 
(US 1915. 12m(excerpts). bw. silent; One of the first of Roach's Lonesome Luke series recently found retrieved the archives, using actors in the developing stages of their careers.; w: Dollt Twist; p, d: Hal Roach; s: Harold Lloyd, Snub Pollard, Bebe Daniels.)

PECULIAR PATIENTS' PRANKS. Harold Lloyd back in the days before he found the rounded glasses that made his name.

Feb 27th    
The Long Day Closes** 

(GB 1992)   
BFI/Film Four. 95m.

Terence Davies's visual reminiscences of  his later childhood in rainswept Liverpool in the 1950s, more a series of tableaux than a narrative film, with some variable period continuity for some of the film clips that are overheard on the soundtrack, and some beautifully visual moments.

Written and Directed by: Terence Davies.
Producer: Olivia Stewart.
Starring: Leigh McCormack, Marjorie Yates, Anthony Watson, Nicholas Lamont, Ayse Owens, Tina Malone, Johnny Wilde.
Photography: Michael Coulter.
Music: Bob Last, Robert Lockhart, and others.
Production Design: Christopher Hobbs.