Based on the novel McTeague by Frank Norris, Greed is the story of a dentist who marries a woman that wins a lottery ticket that would eventually cause trouble in their lives as they become consumed with greed. Written for the screen, co-edited, designed, and directed by Erich von Stroheim, the film is an epic silent drama that explores the idea of greed in how a man’s fortunes would rise and fall only to lead to terror and death. Starring Gibson Gowland, ZaSu Pitts, and Jean Hersholt. Greed is an astonishingly gripping and evocative film from Erich von Stroheim.
Set in the early 20th Century, the film revolves around a man who comes from a mining town and later become respected as he meets and falls for his best friend’s cousin as he would marry her as she would later win a lottery ticket for $5000 as it would tear them apart. It is a film that is really a study of greed and how it consumes people as it is told in a grand style by Erich von Stroheim who also uses text from its original source by novelist Frank Norris in the intertitles. It is a script that also has subplots that includes a story of a junkman and his Mexican girlfriend as the latter was the woman who sold her lottery ticket to one of the protagonists while another revolves around elderly boarders who share the same apartment but have never met as they both would have their encounters with money. Yet, von Stroheim does put a main focus on its narrative as it relates to the character of Dr. John McTeague (Gibson Gowland), his friend Marcus Schouler (Jean Hersholt), and Marcus’ cousin/McTeague’s eventual wife Trina Sieppe (ZaSu Pitts).
Dr. McTeague started off as a young miner who leaves the mine to become an apprentice for a dentist and later starting his own practice at Polk Street in San Francisco where he meets Marcus as they become friends. Marcus would introduce Dr. McTeague to his cousin Trina whom Marcus hopes to marry as Dr. McTeague falls for her but doesn’t want to jeopardize his friendship with Marcus except that Trina would fall for him despite the fact that neither of them come from money like Marcus. When Maria Miranda Macapa (Dale Fuller) sells Trina her lottery ticket that would prove to be worth $5000. The friendship between Marcus and Dr. McTeague falls apart as the former had given the latter his blessing to marry Trina but didn’t realize that some serious money would come in. The tension between the two would come to ahead for years until Marcus leaves San Francisco to become a rancher as he would find ways to ruin Dr. McTeague with Trina becoming stingy as she refuses to spend the money they won leading to chaos and tragedy.
The direction of von Stroheim is truly vast in terms of the vision he had intended to create as the original cut of the film was somewhere between eight to nine hours long when von Stroheim first showed the film in early 1924. Yet, due to a merger between two studios that would become MGM with producer Irving Thalberg being in charge of post-production. The film would then be recut with a 140-minute running time against von Stroheim’s wishes as it would be poorly received upon its initial release. Yet, the film would find a new life in the years to come as attempted reconstructions of the film closer to von Stroheim’s vision had been in the works since the late 1950s as the version that is the closest to what von Stroheim wanted made its premiere at the 1999 Telluride Film Festival with a near four-hour running time featuring still images of the film from books by Jacques-G Perret in 1968 and two versions by Joel Finler and Herman G. Weinberg as the latter also had 400 still images from the film that was never shown as it would be the source for the 1999 reconstructed version.
The 1999 reconstructed version would showcase the usage of actual locations in California including San Francisco, Placer County as the film’s opening scenes in the mine where McTeague came from, and the film’s climax in Death Valley. While there aren’t any movements in the camera, von Stroheim does manage to create some unique compositions in the wide and medium shots where he does a lot to frame a certain shot as well as doing what he can for close-ups. Even as it plays into the drama as the film progresses where Trina would unravel physically where von Stroheim would also create these surreal elements of imagery as it play into the idea of greed. Notably in the subplot involving Maria and her lover in the junkman Zerkow (Cesare Gravina) with the latter claiming there’s plates of gold as there’s recurring images of bone-thin arms holding on to these gold coins with gold being shown in color.
There are also some usage of colors to help maintain a mood whether it is purple for a few scenes at night or multiple colors for a key still shot as it relates to the old couple in their subplot. Even as von Stroheim would create some unique camera angles with these still shots as it play into a much bigger story in what von Stroheim wanted to tell. The film’s climax is shot on location in Death Valley as it plays into McTeague’s fall as he is desperate to become rich yet he has also disgraced himself as von Stroheim’s direction becomes much more vast in its compositions. The final images are among some of the most striking ever captured on film as it doesn’t just play into the fallacies of greed but also how it affects human nature. Overall, von Stroheim crafts a rapturous yet unsettling film about the lives of three people and being consumed with greed.
Cinematographers Ben F. Reynolds and William H. Daniels do amazing work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its approach to low-key lighting for some of the interiors as well as the usage of filters for some key scenes including the usage of yellow in the Death Valley scenes. Editors Erich von Stroheim, Frank Hull, Rex Ingram, and Grant Whytock, with additional edits by June Mathis and Joseph W. Farnham plus Glenn Morgan and consultation by Carol Littleton for the 1999 restoration, do excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward as it helps plays into the drama, suspense, and some of the lighter moments in the film along with some stylish montages that play into the journey of the characters. Art directors Richard Day and Cedric Gibbons do fantastic work with the look of some of the props such as the giant gold tooth for McTeague’s business as well as the interiors of the apartment he stays in as well as the home where Zerkow lives in.
The visual effects work of Sasha Leuterer and Chad Mielke, for the 1999 restoration version, is terrific for enhancing some of the colors including some of the candle lights and sparks from the mine scenes. The film’s music by William Axt, with additional music by Robert Israel in its 1999 restoration, is incredible for its orchestral score with its soaring string arrangements, heavy woodwinds, and rumbling percussions as it plays into the drama and suspense as it is a major highlight of the film.
The film’s marvelous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Erich von Stroheim as a balloon maker, Jack McDonald as a sheriff in pursuit of McTeague in its third act, James F. Fulton as a prospector named Cribbens that McTeague meets in the desert, William Barlow as the minister who marries McTeague and Trina, Chester Conklin and Silvia Ashton as Trina’s parents, Jack Curtis and Tempe Pigott as McTeague’s parents, Joan Standing as Trina’s cousin Selina, Max Tyron as Trina’s uncle Oelbermann who helps her with her finances, Erich von Ritzau as the dentist Dr. “Painless” Potter who takes McTeague as his apprentice, Frank Hayes as the veterinarian Charles W. Grannis as an elderly man who lives in the same apartment with McTeague and many others, and Fanny Midgely as Grannis’ neighbor Miss Anastasia Baker who had never noticed Grannis as they would later have their own encounter with a large sum of money but show a direct contrast to the way Trina and McTeague deal with it.
Cesare Gravina and Dale Fuller are excellent in their respective roles as the junkman Zerkow and his wife Maria Miranda Macapa as two people who live in a shanty house with the former claiming there’s gold plates somewhere that would make them rich with the latter being someone who is fooled by her husband’s claims while also dealing with the fact that she sold Trina the lottery ticket that could’ve given them $5000. Jean Hersholt is brilliant as Marcus Schouler as an upper-middle class cousin of Trina whom he hopes to marry as he starts off as a friend of McTeague until money and McTeague’s love for Trina would destroy their friendship as he would later start a life of his own but also still holds a grudge towards McTeague. ZaSu Pitts is amazing as Trina Sieppe as a woman who is from a lower-middle class family as she buys a lottery ticket from Maria that would win her $5000 but becomes obsessed with not spending it as it would lead to ruin as well as deteriorate mentally and emotionally. Finally, there’s Gibson Gowland in an incredible performance as Dr. John McTeague as a miner who leaves his small town to become a dentist’s apprentice and later a dentist as someone who never came from money as he deals with having money but is unsure what to do as he starts to unravel over Trina’s stinginess as well as dealing with failure and loss as it is this chilling and haunting performance.
Greed is a magnificent film from Erich von Stroheim. Although it is very unlikely that audiences will ever see the intended version of what von Stroheim wanted for this film. The 1999 restored version is at least the closest version that audiences will ever get as it is filled with gorgeous imagery, immersive sequences, an exhilarating music score, and captivating themes of what greed can do to a few people. It is a film that 100 years since its original premiere only to endure a troubled history of re-cuts and almost be ignored as it still has the power to shock and provoke. In the end, Greed is an outstanding film from Erich von Stroheim.
Erich von Stroheim Films: (Blind Husbands) – (The Devil’s Pass Key) – (Foolish Wives) – (Merry-Go-Round (1923 film)) – (The Merry Widow) – (The Wedding March) – (Queen Kelly) – (Hello, Sister!)
Based on the book Men of Tohuku by Shichiro Fukazawa, The Ballad of Narayama is the story about a practice in which young people carry the elderly towards a mountain upon they reach the age of 70 so they can die as an old woman tries to find her son a wife to be with. Written and directed for the screen by Shohei Imamura, the film is the study of a traditional practice in Japan as a man copes with saying goodbye to his mother but also dealing with a new life he must take part in. Starring Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto, Takejo Aki, Tonpei Hidari, Seiji Kurasaki, Kaoru Shimamori, Ryutaro Tatsumi, Junko Takada, Shoichi Ozawa, Nijiko Kiyokawa, and Mitsuko Baisho. The Ballad of Narayama is a ravishing and haunting film from Shohei Imamura.
Set in 19th Century Japan in a small rural village, the film revolves around an old woman who has just turned 69 as she spends the last year of her life to arrange her affairs for her son and others in her family before she is to be carried towards a mountain where she is to die. It is a film that revolves around an old woman who realizes that she is about to reach an age where she can’t be useful despite the fact that she’s still in good health. Shohei Imamura’s screenplay is largely straightforward in its narrative as it plays more into a family of farmers trying to maintain their livelihood in the course of a year as their matriarch Orin (Sumiko Sakamoto) realizes she’s set to turn 70 in a year as her eldest son Tatsuhei (Ken Ogata) is a widower with three kids including a baby that needs a mother. Her eldest grandson Kesakichi (Seiji Kurasaki) is already having an affair with a young woman in Matsuyan (Junko Takada) who is from a family of suspected thieves while her youngest son Risuke (Tonpei Hidari) is an oddball known for smelling bad and is still a virgin who is desperate to get laid.
The script also plays into the family coping with poverty and bad luck despite the fact that Tatsuhei would get a wife in a woman named Tamayan (Takejo Aki) from another village as they also deal with politics within the village as well as gossip about the woman’s husband who had disappeared and was ignorant towards the tradition at the village about carrying those who turn 70 to be sent to the mountain top where it would be their final resting place. The script also plays into this village with odd traditions in the way they deal with thieves but also what they do to children when they die because they couldn’t feed it as it has some odd traditions with no sense of logic other than being traditional. Yet, there are also odd things such as a recent widow in Oei (Mitsuko Baisho) who would sleep with other men as a prostitute yet refuses to sleep with Risuke. It would all add to this sense of chaos that forces Orin to settle everything with Tatsuhei having to carry her to the mountain.
Imamura’s direction is definitely entrancing for the way he presents the film in this natural setting as the locations are key to the film as they’re shot on the Niigata and Nagano Prefecture regions in Japan with its vast mountains and fields being its centerpiece. Imamura uses a lot of wide and medium shots to play into the locations but also maintain an intimacy as it relates to the characters at their home no matter how small it is as well as close-ups of the characters but also animals. Imamura would often shoot animals to play up this sense of naturalism as well as an environment that is also unforgiving similar to the way villagers are towards those who threaten their livelihood. Shots featuring snakes eating rats or owls eating a mouse are often shown while Imamura also uses some unique tracking shots to play into how vast the landscape is as much of the film’s first two acts take place in the village and areas around it.
The film also plays into some intense sexuality in the way men crave for it as Risuke is someone that is in need of it despite the fact that he never bathes. Some of it goes into near explicit territory as it plays into the sexual politics of the villagers although the women do have some sense of control when it comes to running the household as it would be something Orin would pass upon towards Tamayan before she goes to the mountains. The film’s third act is about the journey Orin and Tatsuhei as well as revelations about Tatsuhei’s father that the latter reveals as he had been the source of all of the bad luck Orin and her family endured. The journey towards the mountain is a treacherous one as Tatsuhei has to carry Orin on his back as there are elements of surrealism, spiritual imagery, and realism that play into this journey with revelations into what Tatsuhei would have to endure when his time is coming. Overall, Imamura crafts an intoxicating yet wondrous film about a woman settling matters before her son takes her to a mountain where she would die.
Cinematographers Hiroshi Kanazawa, Shigeru Komatsubara, and Masao Tochizawa do incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its emphasis on natural lighting for many of its exterior settings including the usage of low-key artificial lighting for a few of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Toshihiko Kojima, Fusako Matsumoto, Hajime Okayasu, Yoshiko Onodera, and Matsahito Watanabe do excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward in its rhythmic cuts while using some stylized slow-motion and odd frame-speeds for some of the surreal and haunting moments. Production designer Goro Kusakabe, along with art directors Hisao Inagaki and Tadataka Yoshino plus set decorators Senki Nakamura and Mitsuto Washizawa, does amazing work with the design of the home that Orin and her family live in as well as the village and the look of the mountaintop for the film’s climax in its eerie detail. Costume designer Kyoto Isho does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with the robes and such that the men and women wear with some of it being ragged as it plays into the struggle the villagers in their environment.
The special effects work of Yoshio Kojima is terrific for some of the film’s minimal effects work for a few scenes in the mountain as it plays into its mystique and ghost-like atmosphere. The sound work of Kenichi Benitani is brilliant for its sound design in the way nature sounds from their locations as well as the usage of natural sounds on location including some eerie moments that play into the suspense and drama. The film’s music by Shin’ichiro Ikebe is phenomenal for its immense music score filled with low-key string and percussive arrangements along with elements of synthesizers and electric bass to create a mood that adds to the sense of the unknown as it relates to spirits along with natural elements that occur throughout the film as it is a major highlight of the film.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Norihei Miki as an elderly salt dealer that Orin knows who tells him about Tamayan, Akio Yokoyama as a neighbor who is suspected of theft, Sachie Shimura as the neighbor’s wife also suspected of theft, Ryutaro Tatsumi as an old neighbor, Kaoru Shimamori as Tatsuhei’s young son Tomekichi, Shoichi Ozawa as a village elder who is the head of the village, Niijiko Kiyokawa as female villager whom Orin bargains with as it relates to Risuke, and Mitsuko Baisho as a recent widow in Oei who had been frustrated with her husband as she chooses to become a prostitute. Junko Takada is superb as Matsuyan who is in a relationship with Kesakichi as she would become part of his family though Orin feels she is crowding things as she is associated with a family accused of theft. Seiji Kurasaki is fantastic as Tatsuhei’s eldest son Kesakichi as a young man who is in love although he is pondering her role for the family.
Tonpei Hidari is excellent as Tatsuhei’s younger brother Risuke as a virginal villager who smells terribly as he is also desperate to lose his virginity while being this oddball in the community. Takejo Aki is brilliant as Tamayan as a widow that Tatsuhei would marry as she helps the family out while also learning a secret from Orin that would help the family. Sumiko Sakamoto is amazing as Orin as the family matriarch who is about to turn 70 as she decides to settle all of her business before she goes to the mountain as well as deal with gossip and stories about her as there’s a gracefulness to her performance. Finally, there’s Ken Ogata in an incredible performance as Tatsuhei as Orin’s eldest son who is trying to run the family household while also aware of the role he has to play for his mother while also dealing with issues relating to his late father whom he wasn’t fond of as well as the terror of his journey at the mountains.
The Ballad of Narayama is a tremendous film from Shohei Imamura. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, a grounded setting, a study of loss and facing death, evocative sound work, and a rich music score by Shin’ichiro Ikebe. It is a film that explores a family having to let their matriarch go with her eldest son doing a task that is deemed traditional as he is forced to face his own journey. In the end, The Ballad of Narayama is a spectacular film from Shohei Imamura.
Shohei Imamura Films: (Stolen Desire) – (Nishi Ginza Station) – (Endless Desire) – (My Second Brother) – (Pigs and Battleship) – (The Insect Woman) – (Unholy Desire) – (The Pornographers) – (A Man Vanishes) – (The Profound Desire of the Gods) – (History of Postwar Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess) – (Karayuki-san, the Making of a Prostitute) – (Vengeance is Mine (1979 film)) – (Eijanaika) – (Zegen) – (Black Rain (1989 film)) – (The Eel) – (Dr. Akagi) – (Warm Water Under a Red Bridge) – 11’09”01-September 11-Japan
Directed by Bela Tarr and Agnes Hranitzky and written by Tarr and Laszlo Krasznahorski, A torinoi lo (The Turin Horse) is the story of the aftermath of an event in which a horse being whipped in Turin as it is rumored to be the cause of Friedrich Nietzsche’s mental breakdown. The film is an unconventional drama that plays into the effects of a horse being abused as a farmer and his daughter deal with its consequences as well as being possibly involved in Nietzsche’s mental breakdown. Starring Janos Derzsi, Erika Bok, Mihaly Kormos, and narration by Mihaly Raday. A torinoi lo is a rapturous and haunting film from Bela Tarr and Agnes Hranitzky.
On January 3, 1889 in Turin, Italy, Friedrich Nietzsche would have a mental breakdown as he tried to calm down a horse being whipped by the carriage driver leading to a period of health issues that would plague for the next eleven years until his death. The film is about the carriage driver who whipped the horse following this incident as it is told in the span of six days in which he and his daughter endure a period of isolation in their desolate home as they cope with heavy winds, a horse that refuses to eat, and events that play into their state of despair. The film’s screenplay by Bela Tarr and Laszlo Krasznahorski is largely straightforward though it opens with narration in black about what happened to Nietzsche as it would then cut to the man who was meant to be Nietzsche’s carriage driver in Ohlsdorger (Janos Derzsi) who is taking his horse home through the Great Hungarian Plain as he deals with heavy winds and dust wind upon arriving home.
For the six next days, Ohlsdorger and his daughter (Erika Bok) live in a stone hut doing the same daily routines while checking on a horse that refuses to eat as they also eat the same meals and look out the window. On the first day, the daughter wakes up to get water from a well to boil the potatoes as well as tend to the fire and help her father get dressed as it is part of a daily routine where they also check on the horse. The second day would be much of the same except they get a visitor in Bernhard (Mihaly Kormos) who makes claims about the nearby town being destroyed as it would play into this sense of dread where Ohlsdorger and his daughter get a visit from gypsies the next day as it would lead to all sorts of trouble.
Tarr’s direction is definitely stylish in its own way as it consists of 30 shots for a film with a 156-minute running time with shots averaging up to 5 minutes as it is shot on a valley in Hungary. The film wouldn’t have any dialogue for the first 22 minutes other than Mihaly Raday’s narration as it plays into the events leading up to the film as well as commentary on the events around the protagonists including a book that the daughter reads upon her encounter with the gypsies. There are some close-ups and medium shots that occur throughout the film but Tarr and co-director/editor Agnes Hranitzky would often utilize wide shots as well as these gazing images that would linger onto something for more than a few minutes. There would also be these intricate tracking shots including some Steadicam shots such as the daughter opening the front door with a couple of pails to get water from the well as the camera would follow them. There is also this sense of repetition in how a daily routine would begin as Tarr and Hranitzky would shoot the same routines but would then place the cameras in a different position to get a different perspective as it adds a unique feel to the way a day is portrayed.
With Hranitzky providing some straightforward cutting as well as some unique fade-to-black transitions for a few moments, Tarr would also play into this idea that a world is ending as he would include text written by Krasznahorski as it plays into the philosophies of Nietzsche. It adds to the bleak tone of the film as the fifth day would be this key moment late in the film as it plays into the sense of despair but also uncertainty into a world that these two people don’t know at all. Especially as the aftermath of all of that showcases this sense of accepting whatever fate they have to endure as well as the fate of the horse that was affected by this incident involving Nietzsche. Overall, Tarr and Hranitzky craft a somber yet harrowing film about a horse carriage driver and their daughter dealing with their surroundings following an incident that played into Friedrich Nietzsche’s mental breakdown.
Cinematographer Fred Keleman does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its stark imagery in many of its daytime exteriors to the usage of natural lighting and lanterns for many of the interior scenes in the day and night as it is a highlight of the film. Production designer Laszlo Rajk does excellent work with the look of the home that Ohlsdorger and his daughter live in as well as the small house for their horse to live in. Sound editor/mixer Gabor Erdelyi does incredible work with the films’ sound in the way the wind sounds in all of its intensity in the exterior scenes as well as some sparse sounds from the inside as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Mihaly Vig is amazing for its somber string-based score that only appears in certain parts of the film as it plays into the sense of dread and despair.
The film’s ensemble cast is largely small other than a group of uncredited extras as Romani gypsies that stop at Ohlsdorger’s water well as well as Mihaly Kormos as their neighbor Bernhard who asks for brandy as well as what is happening nearby and the horse Ricsi as the horse who refuses to eat while pondering its own existence. Erika Bok is fantastic as the daughter who would cook and grab water while also pondering her own existence as she is quiet yet riveting in the way she sees things as well as the sense of despair around her. Finally, there’s Janos Derzsi as Ohlsdorger as the horse carriage driver who copes with what happened as well as the world around him as he is unsure of what to do while also realizing that his place in the world might come to an end.
A torinoi lo is a tremendous film from Bela Tarr and Agnes Hranitzky. While it is not an easy film to watch due to its lack of a strong plot, slow pacing with not much dialogue occurring throughout the film, and its bleak tone. It is still an entrancing watch in how it explores two people dealing with their place in a world that is changing and with them not being part of it as well as coping with an incident that played into Friedrich Nietzsche’s mental breakdown. If this is truly the final film from Bela Tarr, then he goes out with an outstanding statement. In the end, A torinoi lo is a magnificent film from Bela Tarr and Agnes Hranitzky.
Bela Tarr Films: (Family Nest) – (The Outsider (1981 film)) – (The Prefab People) – (Macbeth (1982 TV film)) – (Almanac of Fall) – (Damnation) – Satantango - Werckmeister Harmonies - (The Man from London)
Written and directed by Justine Triet, La Bataille de Solferino (Age of Panic) is the story of a cable news reporter who is covering the French presidential elections as she deals with the chaos in her life. The film is an exploration of a day in a woman’s life in one of the most tumultuous days of France’s history in a contentious election as she also deals with her ex-husband, two young kids, a lawyer, and all sorts of shit. Starring Laetitia Dosch, Vincent Macaigne, and Arthur Harari. La Bataille de Solferino is a riveting and exhilarating film from Justine Triet.
It’s May 6, 2012 as the second round of the French presidential elections, the film revolves around a news reporter who is late for work as she is dealing with a lot in her life including her ex-husband who has arrived a day late for visitations, a novice babysitter watching their two young kids, a needy boyfriend, and all sorts of shit during a tumultuous and historical day for France. It is a film that plays into a day in the life of a woman yet the day itself is one of historical significance as she has to cover the events that is happening as it couldn’t come at a worst time as she hires a novice babysitter to watch her two young daughters while her ex-husband is trying to see them because of court order. Justine Triet’s script is largely straightforward yet its narrative moves back and forth into the actions of the news reporter Laetitia (Laetitia Dosch) and her ex-husband Vincent (Vincent Macaigne) as the former is reporting at the Rue de Solferino in Paris where the socialist candidate Francoise Hollande has his home base. Yet, Vincent’s attempts to see his children is thwarted as he turns to a neighbor in Arthur (Arthur Harari) to settle the matter leading a full-on tumultuous day for all involved.
Triet’s direction definitely has a sense of realism where Triet shot everything on that day as the element of cinema verite definitely comes into play due to Triet’s own background in documentary filmmaking. While the scenes outside of these events are largely straightforward in its compositions although there aren’t a lot of close-ups with the exception of shots when Laetitia is on a motorcycle going from one street to another. Much of Triet’s direction emphasizes on medium shots in some of the film’s intimate moments or something as chaotic whenever there’s a big crowd scene at a campaign rally. There are also some wide shots of these events as it plays into the frenzy that is happening where Laetitia talks to Hollande’s supporters but also supporters of the opposing candidate in Nicolas Sarkozy as it does play into something that feels real.
Triet’s approach to everything involving Laetitia’s personal life is straightforward as there are moments that play into the chaos including Vincent trying to meet Laetitia who is on assignment after noticing the babysitter and a friend of Laetitia with their kids as it leads into trouble for Vincent. Yet, Triet would also maintain a sense of looseness in the scenes at Laetitia’s apartment where the babysitter is with the kids as he also has to endure Vincent’s phone calls. Triet also maintains a sense of dramatic tension as it relates to Laetitia and Vincent with Arthur being in the middle during the film’s third act as he is trying to be the mediator. While Vincent does have a valid case due to a court order, he is unfortunately a day late while Arthur also reveals some things that could go against him but is also trying to help him knowing how complicated the law is. It all plays into this sense of a woman just dealing a hell of a day filled with so much as that is going on a historical day for France in the 21st Century. Overall, Triet crafts an exhilarating film about a day in the life of a news reporter who tries to juggle her responsibilities during a historical day in France.
Cinematographer Tom Harari does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward for much of the film’s daytime/nighttime exteriors along with a few stylish lights for some of the interior scenes at night. Editor Damien Maestraggi does brilliant work with the editing as it has elements of jump-cuts as well as a few other stylish cuts to play into the film’s energetic presentation. Production designer Regis Blasy does nice work with the look of Laetitia’s apartment in its interior setting as it plays into the chaos in her life. Costume designer Mariette Niquet does fantastic work with the costumes in the clothes that Laetitia wears as well as the ragged clothes that Vincent wears.
Sound editor Olivier Touche does superb work in capturing the sound as it is largely straightforward in the way crowds sound as well as some quiet moment in the more intimate scenes. Music supervisor Thibault Deboaisne does terrific work with the film’s soundtrack as a lot of it is diegetic in the usage of classical music played in rooms with a piece by Dead Man’s Bones played during the motorcycle scenes.
The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Zine-Zine Sidi Omar as a police investigator, Colin Ledoux and Chloe Lagrenade as a couple on a bridge that Laetitia meets, Jeane Ara-Bellanger and Liv Harari in their respective roles as Laetitia and Vincent’s young daughters in Jeane and Liv, Maxime Schneider as Laetitia’s motorcycle driver who takes her to different locations to Paris for an assignment, Emile Brisavoine as a friend of Laetitia who helps the babysitter watch the kids as they’re in the crowded streets, Vatsana Sedone as a neighbor of Laetitia who is asked to watch out for Vincent in case he tries to get into the apartment building, Virgil Vernier as Laetitia’s boyfriend who is fond of the kids but is often needy to be around her, and Marc-Antoine Vaugeois as the babysitter hired to watch over Laetitia’s kids as he is new to the job as he becomes overwhelmed with Vincent trying to see him and the chaos that is happening in the day.
Arthur Harari is excellent as Vincent’s friend Arthur who is a law student who is trying to help Vincent with his case but also try to mediate things between Vincent and Laetitia in the film’s third act. Vincent Macaigne is brilliant as Vincent as Laetitia’s ex-husband who shows up a day late to his court-supervised visit as he is eager to see his daughters while it is clear he is mentally-troubled but also an asshole despite his love for his daughters. Finally, there’s Laetitia Dosch in an incredible performance as Laetitia as a news reporter who endures one hell of a day as she brings in this complex performance of a woman that is dealing with so much in an entire day as well as having to cover something historical as it is gripping performance that captures a woman in one insane day.
La Bataille de Solferino is a phenomenal film from Justine Triet. Featuring a great cast, a simple yet effective premise, setting it at a real-life event, and it simple yet engaging visuals. The film is definitely an unconventional yet exhilarating film that plays into a woman dealing with so much as she has to cover a historical event in France as it becomes this hell of a day for this woman. In the end, La Bataille de Solferino is a sensational film from Justine Triet.
Justine Triet Films: (In Bed with Victoria) – (Sybil (2019 film)) – (Anatomy of a Fall)
Spring has arrived yet it still feels like winter in some respects as it’s cold here in Georgia while my dreaded enemy in pollen has also arrived but thank goodness for rain. Yet, the world remains fucked up as Haiti is a state of civil unrest due to gang warfare while the continuous conflict between Israel and Gaza has definitely gotten more chaotic as I’m now getting the idea that history will not look very fondly on the former. Say what you want about the actions of Hamas in Gaza but Israel’s actions under Benjamin Netanyahu however has not given them a lot of supporters. Once again, there’s no winners in this conflict as I think the best solution for the U.S. is to just stay away and don’t get involved.
I do believe that reading the news is the best way to keep in touch with what is happening with the world though I don’t like to read too much of it as not having CNN or any news network is one of the great things into why I’m glad to be rid of cable. I just read what I can get and hopefully get some facts as I’m reading about what happened in Baltimore as the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed due to a collision as it got hit by a container ship. Why was there a ship on that river and how did it lose control? I hate reading shit like this as I know people probably have died and such as that is sad but it makes me wonder why these things happen.
Getting in touch with what is happening does keep me grounded but it also frustrates me which is why I choose to watch other things as I’m grateful for YouTube channels such as Kim Justice’s Wrestling Road as it’s a channel I’ve been obsessed with. It teaches me about the history of Japanese pro wrestling as well as a look into All Japan Pro Wrestling’s glory years in the 1980s and 1990s with the latter decade having four of its best wrestlers known as the Four Pillars of Heaven in Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue, and the late, great Mitsuharu Misawa. I also learn a lot about that period as well as why the company fell apart following the death of their founder in Giant Baba that led to a company exodus in 2000 led by Misawa and many others as they would form Pro Wrestling Noah which would help pro wrestling in Japan during the 2000s as it was a dark time with AJPW losing their TV deal and a lot of interest while New Japan Pro Wrestling was in a decline due to founder Antonio Inoki’s interest in MMA and trying to fuse with pro wrestling with disastrous results in a period known as Inokism.
I like watching stuff like that as I also discovered a video about the controversial casting of Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Part III and it was shocking as I was fucking pissed over one critic who called her “homely” as I wanted access to the nuclear codes and nuke that motherfucker. It was a very compelling video into what Francis Ford Coppola was thinking but also a look into Sofia’s time as an actress but only in very small parts in films for her dad. She was casted into that film without warning and preparation as it was last minute as she was absolutely out of her element to the point that her aunt Talia Shire begged Francis to pull out of the film knowing she wasn’t right for the part and trying to protect her niece. It also showed into Francis Ford Coppola’s mental and emotional state at the time he was making the film as he was still reeling from the loss of his son Gian-Carlo a few years ago as the video also made insight into why he collaborated with Sofia in writing Life Without Zoe for the 1989 anthology film New York Stories as it’s a segment that really serves more as a preview of the kind of films Sofia would make.
In the month of March 2024, I saw a total of 33 films 23 first-timers and 10 re-watches with 9 of those first-timers being films directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. A solid month as there was a lot of good things to see with one of the highlights of the month has been my Blind Spot choice in Mikey and Nicky. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for March 2024:
Sydney Sweeney is white-hot right now due to the success of Anyone But You, getting good reviews for her most recent film Immaculate, surviving the shit-storm that was Madame Web, and being a funny host on Saturday Night Live recently. In her first collaboration with Immaculate director Michael Mohan comes this film that she did a few years ago as it’s not a great film but it does have some nice moments. Even as it doesn’t require a lot of expectations for anyone wanting a nice erotic drama despite some of the flimsy elements in the plot and its twist in its third act. Of the four main actors, Ben Hardy is definitely the weakest link in the film as he’s just bland while Justice Smith as Sweeney’s husband and Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Hardy’s wife definitely pull in some strong performances. Yet, it is Sweeney that is the star of the film as she does provide a lot of wit and depth into her character while also has a funny moment as it relates to the fact that she does go nude in the film as she says, “yeah, those are my tits” in a deadpan reaction.
Au Revoir Chris Hemsworth
From Simon Pegg and Pom Klementieff is a music video of sorts directed by the former yet is sung by the latter as a challenge towards Chris Hemsworth as part of a fantasy league competition. Singing a song by Serge Gainsbourg, Klementieff brings in a lot of personality and charm while also revealing the people in her fantasy league team in Pegg as well as a couple of co-stars from the most recent Mission: Impossible film.
I Am the Beauty of Your Beauty, I Am the Fear of Your Fear
The 27th entry in Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales anthology short film series is from Tan Chui Mui as it explores a group of women including a Chinese woman who are in Malaysia as they deal with their issues as they get ready to take part in an underground fight. Many of the women in the short would wear these Miu Miu track suits as they all look good in them while also proving to be fucking badasses as it is definitely another winner in the film series.
Lost Girls & Lost Hotels
If I do have a bucket list, going to Tokyo would be one of them as it is hard to make that place look bad. Sadly, the only thing film has going for it is its cinematography and that is it as it’s just a fucking dull erotic drama that doesn’t really have a lot of sexiness. It had a decent premise on paper in this story of an American woman trying to teach budding Japanese stewardesses in how to speak English as well as take part in having sex with men in these love hotels. Yet, it never really does anything as Alexandra Daddario suffers from many of the script’s shortcomings as does her co-star in Takehiro Hira who plays a Yakuza member as he is given little to do. The film also wastes Carice Van Houten as a European visitor who does nothing but get drunk and parties as the film also suffers from its soundtrack as it’s barely audible at times.
27
One of several shorts that I saw on MUBI is an animated short by Flora Anna Buda as it plays into the anxieties of adulthood as it plays into a woman who has just turned 27. It is a film that really plays into this woman trying to find some connection whether it is emotional or sexual. It is a film filled with wondrous animation as it showcases the many difficulties in becoming an adult as it is a short that people need to see.
Jefferson Circus Songs
One of the seven short films that is part of a retrospective for animator Suzan Pitt from MUBI is this strange mixture of animation and live stop-motion animation. Notably as it plays into a woman riding on a train as she watches kids perform in a circus as it is this weird collage of sorts where children are in loop in this live action presentation while it is the animation that is watching the live action. It is truly a marvel to watch.
Crocus
The 2nd of four shorts that I saw from Suzan Pitt on MUBI revolves around a couple ready to have sex while there are all of these things happening. Even as their child would interrupt them wanting some water as there are things floating around this couple while they’re fucking. It’s not a short for children to watch but the animation is so full of imagination.
The Spider Within
From Sony Animation and Jarelle Dampier is this seven-minute short made last year as it was meant to be a prequel short to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as it plays into Miles Morales’ growing anxieties in not just being Spider-Man but also as himself. It plays into this kid just dealing with so much and having a hard time talking about this even though his dad is at the apartment who is concerned and is offering to help. It’s an excellent short film that fans of the animated film series should see.
Two Ships
Having just won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay with her husband/co-writer Arthur Harari, Justine Triet is definitely hot right now as three of feature films are currently streaming on MUBI with Anatomy of a Fall now available on Hulu as I’m planning to do a mini-marathon of her films. This 31-minute short film from 2012 that she made is proof that she is for real as it something anyone interested in her work should see. It revolves around an artist who is broke who goes to a party where he meets a struggling actress who is also going through personal issues as they connect through their mutual personal issues with their families. The performances of Laetitia Dosch and Thomas Levy-Lasne are phenomenal as well as music soundtrack that sounds similar to Kraftwerk as it’s a must-see.
Asparagus
The third of the four shorts on MUBI that I saw from Suzan Pitt is among one of her best in this 17-minute opus as it plays into a woman’s world as it is abstract in its imagery while also showing a sense of identity that is quite liberating. Even as the images of asparagus add to this visual tone as there are moments that is definitely not for kids. From some of the opening minutes to the film to some of its final moments. Still, this is truly a short that many need to see.
Whitney Commercial
Another piece from Suzan Pitt though it’s not on MUBI is a surreal animated commercial that revolves around a machine asking for donation to the Whitney Museum. This 3-minute short is filled with wondrous editing in the way it plays into the demand for donations as it’s another winner from Pitt.
Joy Street
The fourth and final short of Pitt that I saw on MUBI is probably her best one that I’ve seen so far as there’s only 3 more to watch I will see next month. This 24-minute piece revolves around a woman’s despair as she does a suicide attempt while a mouse from her ashtray comes to life and bring her back to life. It is filled with all of these dazzling images and a fun jazz-like soundtrack by Roy Nathanson that features a closing song sung by Debbie Harry. It is definitely a great short to watch as it Suzan Pitt is truly a filmmaker worth seeking out.
Dark Side of the Ring (season 5 episodes 1-4)
The fifth season of Vice’s documentary series on pro wrestling returns with more new subjects with five more coming in April and one more in May on the infamous incident known as Black Saturday. The two episodes on John “Earthquake” Tenta and Terry “Bam-Bam” Gordy are definitely among the saddest as these are two men who have both died through tragic circumstances. Tenta was famous for his work in the early 1990s in WWE while also gained the respect of many in the industry during a wrestling match in Japan in 1991 when Koji Kitao tried to shoot on Tenta who wouldn’t take any of Kitao’s bullshit as the event would prove to be disgraceful on Kitao. Tenta was known as a good man who would tragically die of cancer while Gordy’s story was equally as sad as someone who was a devoted family man but also loved to party as he was part of the Fabulous Freebirds with Michael “P.S.” Hayes and Buddy Roberts in the 1980s while going to All Japan Pro Wrestling in the early 1990s with a lot of success both as a singles wrestler and as a tag wrestler with his partnership with “Dr. Death” Steve Williams being the best as they were dominant. Then in 1993, Gordy’s life changed when he nearly died of an overdose on a flight to Japan as he was never the same wrestler as he would later die in 2001.
The other two episodes are less tragic though the most recent one on Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake did have its share of tragedy as it relates to the moment in 1990 when his face was smashed into pieces because of a parasailing accident. His face would be repaired yet his career struggled through the 1990s despite his close friendship with Hulk Hogan but Beefcake revealed that he and Hogan lost money in the early 2000s which affected Beefcake while the two later had a falling out in the late 2000s/early 2010s as Hogan didn’t like Beefcake’s wife. Then there’s the episode on Marcus Alexander Bagwell aka Buff Bagwell as it is the most entertaining with a lot of what the fuck moments.
Bagwell isn’t a bad person but he’s also full of shit as he was a star in WCW in the 1990s due to the people he was associated with as he was also part of the now faction in the late 1990s. Yet, his wrestling career wasn’t the same in 1998 after a tag match in which his neck broke during a botched move from Rick Steiner as he could’ve become a sympathetic babyface only to remain a heel. It is entertaining although there were things I wish I didn’t need to hear including a story about what former WCW referee saw involving Bagwell’s mother Judy in what she was doing for her son.
Well, that is all for March. Next month, there will be a focus on films by Justine Triet and Mia Hansen-Love as well as whatever stuff I have pre-written for review. My Blind Spot film choice for next month will be Greed as it is available on YouTube for free as it now on public domain. As for theatrical releases, I’m not sure what I’ll watch though Civil War might be the most likely film I’ll see as there hasn’t been a lot of films I’m eager to see other than films by noted auteurs as I kind of prefer to stay home.
Before I bid adieu, I want to express my condolences on those who passed this month in such noted individuals such as Eric Carmen, Louis Gossett Jr., M. Emmet Walsh, songwriter Mark Spiro, casting director Dianne Crittenden, Fairport Convention/Jethro Tull/Cat Stevens percussionist Gerry Conway, sculptor Katsura Funakoshi, film producer Paula Weinstein, Ron Harper, Steve Harley, screenwriter David Seidler, Emmet Bergin, John Blunt of the Searchers, Robyn Bernard, Karl Wallinger of World Party & the Waterboys, Steve Lawrence, Chance Perdomo and Akira Toriyama. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…
Based on the novel La nuit americaine (Day for Night) by Christopher Frank, L’important c’est d’aimer (That Most Important Thing: Love) is the story of a B-movie actress who falls in love with a photographer despite the fact that she’s married as they keep their feelings for one another amidst the chaotic scene that is show business in France. Directed by Andrzej Zulawski and screenplay by Zulawski and Frank, the film is an exploration of a love affair as they try to do something together amidst many obstacles including her husband. Starring Romy Schneider, Fabio Testi, Jacques Dutronc, Claude Dauphin, Roger Blin, Michel Robin, and Klaus Kinski. L’important c’est d’aimer is a gripping and evocative film from Andrezj Zulawski.
The film revolves around a photographer who crashes into a softcore porn film set where he catches the eye of its star as they would long for each other even though she is married to a photo collector whom she’s morally obligated to as she is given a chance to be in a play. It is a film that doesn’t have much of a plot as it’s more about two people in the entertainment industry who are both at a point where they’re unsatisfied and want to do something great. The film’s screenplay by Andrezj Zulawski and its original author Christopher Frank is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it is more about this idea of love as it relates to these two people who are in love with each other but can’t really express it as they have obligations to other things and other people. The photographer Servais Mont (Fabio Testi) would crash a film set to get some photos while he makes money shooting pornography for his benefactor Mazelli (Claude Dauphin) while tending to his father (Roger Blin) who doesn’t have a home as well as visit his mentor Raymond Lapade (Michel Robin) who is dealing with his ailing health.
Upon meeting the B-movie actress Nadine Chevalier (Romy Schneider) whose career has waned to the point that she’s doing softcore porn films is fascinated by Mont and his photography as she is eager to do something other than the movies she’s making for money as well as to fund the photography collection of her husband Jacques (Jacques Dutronc). Mont meets up with the German actor Karl-Heinz Zimmer (Klaus Kinski) and a play director in Laurent Messala (Guy Mairesse) in creating an adaptation of Richard III from a script by Lapade as Mont would give them the money he borrowed from Mazelli in the hopes it would revive Nadine’s career as long as no one knows where the money came from. Yet Jacques would notice something as well as it would play into some troubling events as well as revelations towards his wife and her feelings for Mont.
Zulawski’s direction is stylish in the way he captures the sense of melodrama between two people as it is shot on location in Paris though Zulawski chooses to avoid many of the city’s landmarks. While there are some wide shots in the film, much of Zulawski’s direction involve some unique tracking and hand-held camera shots with a lot of emphasis on intimacy through the close-ups and medium shots. Notably in scenes in hallways as well as restaurants, cafes, and other places where there is this sense of energy that is happening but also a lot of chaos. It also plays into this world of art as Nadine and Jacques’ bedroom is filled with film posters and film memorabilia though there’s no bed except for a mattress on the floor. Zulawski also plays into this world that is also full of debauchery as the pornography that Mont shoots isn’t just filled with a lot of homosexuality but also things that push him to the edge as he ponders if there’s any kind of infatuation or emotion involved in these sexual exploits he’s watching. In Nadine, Mont sees someone who isn’t that kind of extreme but a woman that is desperately need to be loved although Jacques does treat her well.
Zulawski would also play into this unconventional presentation of Richard III that features samurai costumes with Zimmer being this charismatic and intense figure who would help Nadine. Yet, the response to this play isn’t what anyone expects as it leads to this third act where a lot of emotions come into play. Notably as Zulawski’s compositions become more and more invasive to see Mont, Nadine, and Jacques unravel in some way with those associated also realizing their own sense of futility. Even as Mont becomes distant following some personal losses as well as realizing Jacques’ own intentions in relation to Nadine as she becomes this prize for these two men yet neither are interested as she has become troubled over what has happened while also believing that love doesn’t exist. Still, Zulawski would play into this sense of melodrama that looms throughout as it plays into these people who are entangled into a world of desire in both the personal and emotional. Overall, Zulawski crafts a rapturous and exhilarating film about a photographer’s infatuation with a fading B-movie actress.
Cinematographer Ricardo Aronovich does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on heightened lighting in some scenes to play into the look of a photo shoot or a film set as well as some colorful yet natural lighting for many of the film’s interior settings. Editor Christiane Lack does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a rhythmic cuts while along shots to linger and only cut for dramatic effect. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does brilliant work with the look of the homes of Mont and the Chevaliers as well as the look of some of the photo sets as well as the theater presentation. Costume designer Catherine Leterrier does fantastic work with the costumes as a lot of it is casual with the exception of the flamboyant clothes that Zimmer wears as well as the stylish dresses that Nadine wears.
Makeup artists Didier Lavergne and Massimo De Rossi, along with hairstylist Jean-Max Guerin, do nice work with some of the makeup that the characters wear whether it was for the play or to play into their flamboyance personalities. The sound work of Jean Neny, Maurice Laumain, and Jacques Gerardot is terrific as it is largely straightforward as it plays into the natural atmosphere of the locations as well as how cafes sound when it is busy. The film’s music by Georges Delerue is phenomenal for its soaring orchestral score filled with themes that play into the drama with its usage of string arrangements that also add to the sense of longing and melodrama as it is an absolute highlight of the film.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Nicoletta Machiavelli as Lapade’s wife Luce, Katia Tchenko as a whore that is part of Mazelli’s pornographic presentations, Jacques Boudet as a friend of Jacques in Robert Beninge, Gabrielle Doulcet as Mazelli’s wife who is fond of Mont, Guy Mairesse as the play director Laurent Messala who is a flamboyant individual that had unconventional ideas for the play, Roger Blin as Mont’s father who crashes at his son’s home as he laments over his own failures in life, and Michel Robin in a superb performance as Mont’s mentor in writer Raymond Lapade who wrote an adaptation for Richard III while dealing with his ailing health. Claude Dauphin is excellent as Mazelli as Mont’s benefactor who also makes Mont shoot pornographic photos for his own joy as well as be this slimy figure that likes to run things as if it’s a criminal organization with some awful people.
Klaus Kinski is incredible as Karl-Heinz Zimmer as this once revered actor desperate to have a comeback as he also helps out Nadine as Kinski is this intense figure who is openly bisexual as well as be someone who refuses to take criticism as it is one of his finest performances. Jacques Dutronc is brilliant as Jacques Chevalier as a photo collector that is hoping to get some financial opportunities in his wife’s attempted comeback as he is this eccentric individual who is quite funny at times but is also ruthless whenever things don’t go his way as it is this offbeat yet engaging performance. Fabio Testi is amazing as Servais Mont as this photographer who is tired of shooting pornography as he falls for Nadine while funding a play in the hope he can revive her career from afar while still be infatuated with her. Finally, there’s Romy Schneider in a sensational performance as Nadine Chevalier as this once-revered actress now doing B-movies and softcore porn films as she deals with a fading career but also her feelings for Mont but also loyalty towards Jacques as there is this sense of anguish and angst as it is truly one of her most defining performances in her illustrious career.
L’important c’est d’aimer is an outstanding film from Andrezj Zulawski that features a spectacular leading performance from Romy Schneider. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, its study of longing and passion, and Georges Delerue’s intoxicating music score. It is a film that explores two people at a point in their lives and career who want to move forward while also longing for one another despite the turmoil around them. In the end, L’important c’est d’aimer is a magnificent film from Andrezj Zulawski.
Andrzej Zulawski Films: (The Third Part of the Night) – (The Devil (1972 film)) – Possession (1981 film) - (The Public Woman) – (L’Amour braque) – (On the Silver Globe) – (My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days) – (Boris Godunov) – (The Blue Note (1991 film) - (Szamanka) – (Fidelity) – (Cosmos (2015 film))
Written and directed by Elaine May, Mikey and Nicky is the story of two small-time mobsters who have become estranged as one of them is hiding from a boss after stealing money as he seeks the help of his estranged friend. The film is a crime drama that explores two former friends who deal with their estrangement as well as the trouble they’re both in as it is told in the span of one entire night as the titular characters of Mikey and Nicky are played respectively by Peter Falk and John Cassavetes. Also starring Ned Beatty, Rose Arrick, Carol Grace, William Hickey, Sanford Meisner, M. Emmet Walsh, and Joyce Van Patten. Mikey and Nicky is a gripping and rapturous film from Elaine May.
Set in Philadelphia in the span of an entire night, the film follows a small-time mobster who calls his estranged best friend for help after being in hiding over a theft as he’s also pursued by a hitman. It is a film that is about male friendship between two lifelong friends as they spend an entire night on the run from a hitman while trying assess the situation created by one of them who has become paranoid and unruly. Elaine May’s screenplay is largely straightforward as it is told in the span of 12 hours where Nicky is hiding in a hotel as he knows there’s a contract for his head as he’s stolen money that left someone dead as the boss Dave Resnick (Sanford Meisner) wants Nicky dead with the hitman Kinney (Ned Beatty) in pursuit. Mikey gets the call from Nicky after years of not getting anything from him as he tries to help yet the two would go on the run throughout the city as they also cope with their estrangement as Nicky acts erratic as well as changing plans much to Mikey’s frustrations for much of the night.
May’s direction is quite unique for the fact that much of the film is shot at night and has a looseness in the way she approaches a crime film involving two men who are on the run. Shot on location in Philadelphia as well as Los Angeles, May creates a film that is filled with tension as it plays into these two estranged men who both have families yet Mikey is the one that is devoted as he would call his wife Annie (Rose Arrick) a few times telling her that he’ll be late as she knows something is up. There are some wide shots that May would create to play into the tension and looseness as much of the dialogue feels improvised. Yet, May chooses to be more intimate in the way the titular characters interact with one another through medium shots and some close-ups that includes scenes of Kinney waiting in a car to do his job.
May also plays into this sense of chaos that Nicky would put Mikey through such as a meeting with a hooker in Nellie (Carol Grace) whom Nicky treats terribly and convinces Mikey to try and have sex with her. It is among these dark moments in the film that would lead to its third act as it shows why these two men have been estranged with Nicky becoming more erratic and abusive despite the seriousness of his situation. May also infuse some humor as well as dark humor in how Nicky reacts to things as well as to liven things up as it would be this distraction of him avoiding the issues he is facing. The film’s third act is definitely filled with a lot of dramatic suspense with Mikey making a decision for himself as it also plays into this ending that not surprising but heartbreaking. Overall, May crafts a compelling and riveting film about two estranged friends who are on the run from a hitman as they deal with their estrangement and the severity of their actions.
Cinematographer Victor J. Kemper, with additional work from Lucien Ballard, Bernie Abramson, Jack Cooperman, and Jerry File, does excellent work with the film’s cinematography for using low-key lights for many of the exterior scenes at night as well as some stylish lighting with Ballard bringing a softer look for the film’s final sequence. Editor John Carter, with additional work by Sheldon Kahn, does nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward that does include some rhythmic cuts to play into the dark humor and suspense. Production designer Paul Sylbert and set decorator John P. Austin do brilliant work with the look of Nell’s home as well as the home where Mikey lives with his family and a few places they go to.
The sound work of Christopher Newman and Larry Jost is terrific for the sound as it is largely straightforward in the way music is played in a bar or the way things sound from afar or up-close outside in the streets. The film’s music by John Strauss is wonderful for its jazz-like score that plays into the drama and suspense while its soundtrack include music from the O-Jays, the Andrew Sisters, and standards performed by Strauss.
The film’s superb ensemble cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from M. Emmet Walsh as a bus driver who gets into a fight with Nicky, Sy Travers as a hotel clerk, Danny Klein as Mikey’s young son Harry, Virginia Smith as Nicky’s mother-in-law, William Hickey as a mob figure in Sid Fine, Sanford Meisner as the mob boss Dave Resnick whose money was stolen by Nicky, Rose Arrick as Mikey’s wife Annie who would learn more about Nicky and Mikey’s issues with him, and Joyce Van Patten in a fantastic one-scene performance as Nicky’s estranged wife Jan who reluctantly helps Nicky despite her disdain for him over his erratic behavior and lack of remorse for his own actions. Carol Grace is excellent as Nellie as a prostitute who is a lover of Nicky yet proves to be far more engaging in the view of Mikey as she is treated horribly by Nicky who only wants her for sex and to slap around.
Ned Beatty is amazing as the hitman Kinney as a man who goes on the pursuit of Nicky as he becomes frustrated in his search and having to wait around as he drives throughout the city as it is a bit of a comical performance but also dark in what he had to do. Finally, there’s the duo of Peter Falk and John Cassavetes in great performances in their respective roles as the titular characters. Falk as the more sensible Mikey is someone that is respectful as he tries to help Nicky yet is constantly frustrated while is put into situations that get him into trouble as he would be pushed to the edge. Cassavetes’ performance as Nicky is a lot more energetic to convey the paranoia and erratic behavior as a man that knows he’s going to be killed as he tries to kill time in order to avoid Kinney. Falk and Cassavetes together have a unique chemistry in the way they play off one another with Falk being the straight man and Cassavetes being the wilder of the two as they also have a looseness into their performances as they are a major highlight of the film.
Mikey and Nicky is a phenomenal film from Elaine May that features tremendous leading performances from Peter Falk and John Cassavetes. Along with its supporting cast, gritty visuals, its exploration of male friendship, and a fun music soundtrack. It is a crime drama that doesn’t play by the conventions while also exploring a man facing death and his friend to save him despite his many frustrations towards him. In the end, Mikey and Nicky is a sensational film from Elaine May.
Elaine May Films: (A New Leaf) – (The Heartbreak Kid) – (Ishtar) – (Mike Nichols: American Master)
