Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Feb 26th  
A Royal Affair**        

(Den/Swe/Czech 2012)                  

In the 18th century during the Age of the Enlightenment, the English Princess Caroline Matilda is betrothed to the (probably) mentally ill King Christian of Denmark, but the unhappy marriage is boosted in unexpected ways by the King's trusted physician.
Detailed and uncompromising Scandinavian Royal soap opera, carefully based on the true history, and feeling very melodramatic for the latter half of its two hours plus, but always absorbing to look at.

Written by: Nikolas Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg, from the book by Bodil Steensen-Leth.
Producers: Meta Louise Foldager, Sisse Graum Jorgensen, Louise Vesth.
Director: Nikolas Arcel.
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Folsgaard, Trine Dyrholm, David Dencik, Harriet Walter.
Photography: Rasmus Videbaek.
Music: Cyrille Aufort, Gabriel Yared.



Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Feb 20th  
Way Down East**    

(US 1920)                            

A poor country girl is tricked into a fake marriage and loses her baby but finds refuge at a farm with a boy that she was destined to love.
"A story of simple folk" dubs this typical Griffith melodrama, although with very simplistic Griffith stereotypes and slight irrelevancies, but with his continuing skill and craftsmanship, and a tense finale on an ice flow.

Written by: Anthony Paul Kelly, Joseph R. Grismer, D.W. Griffith, from the play by Lottie Blair Parker.
Producer/Director: D.W. Griffith.
Starring: Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess, Lowell Sherman, Burr McIntosh, Emily Fitzroy, Mary Hay, Creighton Hale.
Photography:Billy Bitzer, Hendrik Sartov.

Music: Rodney Sauer.





Monday, February 13, 2017

Feb 12th   
The Poor Little Rich Girl**        

(US 1917)  

Bankruptcy comes to a wealthy businessman, but he rejects all that to look after his neglected daughter after she nearly dies at the hands of the long-suffering servants.
One of many endearing "little girl" roles that this adult star was able to essay with her petite frame quite successfully, a fairly obvious family melodrama for its time, but winning itself over mainly through Miss Pickford's charm, with some unusual hallucinogenic dream sequences towards the end.

Written by: Frances Marion, from the play by Eleanor Gates.
Producer: Adolph Zukor.
Director: Maurice Tourneur.
Starring: Mary Pickford, Charles Wellesley, Madlaine Traverse, Gladys Faribanks, Frank McGlynn, Herbert Prior.
Photography: Lucien Andriot, John van den Broek.

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Feb 8th  
Jackie* (15)
(Odeon Leicester Square Studio)                            

(US/Fra/Chile 2016)

Widowed Jacqueline Kennedy invites a journalist to tell the true story as she wants her husband to be remembered.
Suffocating biopic of American's most glamorous First Lady (with only occasional recourse to President Kennedy himself), generally more Hello magazine than the incisive drama it cries out to be, although it has its moments. In spite of the star's usual poise and hard work, she is a little short for an authentic Jackie Kennedy.

Written by: Noah Oppenheimer.
Producers: Juan d Dios Larrain, Darren Aronofsky, Mickey Liddell, Scott Franklin, Ari Hindel.
Director: Pablo Larrain.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt, Richard E. Grant, Caspar Phillipson (as Kennedy).
Photography: Stephane Fontaine.
Music: Mica Levi.