Monday, November 28, 2011

101. Dodsworth

Dodsworth
1936

I am behind on this blog and I have to write like five reviews after this.  It is also 9:41 so I excuse the subtle crankiness that is probably going to radiate from these posts.


This is a great film that feels like a Hemingway novel.  A couple goes off to Europe.  The husband stays strictly American while the wife gets swept up in the world of glitz and playboys.  This is one of those movies that stays pretty neutral (even though the wife makes the most mistakes) which reminded me of Kramer vs. Kramer.


The Book describes this film as a movie for adults.  I agree; this film felt very mature and everything wasn't black and white.  An interesting and obscure movie, but one that should be watched.


RATING: ****-


Interesting Facts:

I love the thirties!!!

Mary Astor was going through a very public divorce during the filming of this movie.  She said that she kept her head held high by embodying Edith.


Available on YouTube, though it looks quite shady.

7 comments:

  1. I loved this movie too. It is a very intelligent movie. The ending was a departure from the cliche and I loved it.

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  2. Yes, with you both on this one ...

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  3. Excellent film. Lots of depth, some cracking slices of dialogue. And here I was thinking that I wasn't enjoying these thirties entries as much as I should be.

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  4. I really liked it too...really good story and well acted. I was very invested in the characters...I was willing him to get off the bloody boat at the end!

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  5. It's a tricky balance which was handled very well. The film's strength lies in the ambiguity of the situation how we can apportion blame and sympathy to both characters. But, to create a satisfactory ending and tie the bow on top of the parcel properly, we have to root for him to go back to Naples.

    One of those rare films where I can imagine the couple getting on well after the final credits. Not so sure about his masterplan to open a flight route from Moscow to Seattle though.

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  6. I feel like I had a blast with the 30s, but I might be blocking some things out.

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