Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Thursday Movie Picks - Star-Crossed Lovers

Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Join our growing group by picking three films that fit the week's theme and writing a bit about them.

All February, Thursday Movie Picks is going Valentine's Edition! Who doesn't love a good romance? This week, we are focusing on that old chestnut, the Star-Crossed Lovers. Lovers who cannot be together, whether because of earthly circumstance or fate. Basically, Romeo and Juliet. You'll swoon for these couples together, and then cry your eyes out when you realize there isn't going to be a happy ending to their romance after all. These are some of my favorites.

Titanic (James Cameron, 1997) Say what you like about Cameron's historical epic romance, but this is one of the highest grossing films of all time for a reason: It is not only stunning filmmaking on all levels (okay fine, except for the screenplay), but it never once bores during its over three-hour runtime. The Oscar-winning Best Picture is on everyone's lips again this year as stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are finally nominated for His & Hers Oscars, nearly twenty years after Leo was, rather famously, "snubbed" (I hate that word) for his work in the film. Leo's "overdue" narrative basically begins right here, with his very good work as Jack Dawson, who wins steerage tickets aboard the world's largest ship for its maiden voyage from Great Britain to America. Fortunately/Unfortunately, he saves Winslet's Rose DeWitt Bukater from jumping off the boat, and they fall in love. Ah, but she is in first class and engaged to world-class asshole Billy Zane. And well, you all know history, right? You know the fate of the Titanic, right? Doomed. From the start. But oh what a magnificent movie their story makes. A pop culture event like this doesn't happen all that often, and it's a bit sad how Titanic's reputation has dimmed over the years because of its seismic impact. If you haven't seen it in years, I urge you to do so again. Time hasn't dulled the spectacle one bit.

Shakespeare in Love (John Madden, 1998) Absolutely 100% deserved Best Picture. COME AT ME. The pleasures of Shakespeare in Love may be pure, but they are anything but simple. Tom Stoppard's marvelous screenplay revels in the written word almost as much as Shakespeare's plays do, and the actors make the already beautiful words sound rapturous coming from their lips. The story of Shakespeare overcoming writer's block when he falls in love with Lady Viola de Lesseps, which inspires him to turn his comedy Romeo & Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter into the famous Romeo & Juliet, is thrilling to watch as the lovers write some lines from the play unwittingly, and use others as foreplay. The film is an utter delight from start to finish, and has the added bonus of (pieces of) one of the best stage productions of R&J that I've ever had the pleasure to see. I could watch just this movie on a loop for the rest of time and feel completely satisfied. Even after hundreds of views, I still thrill to every stolen kiss and my eyes still well with tears during the last ten minutes. One of my All-Time Favorites.

All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955) A little bit of a change of pace. Jane Wyman's Carrie is a widow living a lonely life in the suburbs, until she gets a new gardener, Rock Hudson's Ron. Ron lives off the land and worships Thoreau, Carrie lives off her dead husband's money and has friends who drag her out to parties and country clubs. Naturally (since they are both movie stars) they fall in love, against all the odds and societal pressures and THE WORST CHILDREN IN THE HISTORY OF MOVIES. Douglas Sirk is the King of subversive melodramas, and 50s "polite society" really gets it from him in this one. Oh. And there's also this exchange, which is the funniest line ever that was absolutely not meant to be when it was written:
Ron "...he discovered that he had to make his own decisions. That he had to be a man."
Carrie "And you want me to be a man?"
Oh, dear sweet Lord. If only you knew.

17 comments:

  1. I haven't seen the last pick, but I did enjoy the first two. Shakespeare in Love gets a lot of hate thrown at it for winning Best Picture, but I didn't think it was bad at all. Even if I can't stand Gwyneth Paltrow anymore.

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    1. Yeah, it's sad to see what Gwyneth's become, even if I still like her as an actress (she was GREAT on Glee), especially since she's so lovely in Shakespeare in Love. All That Heaven Allows is one of the best '50s melodramas, if you like that sort of thing.

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  2. I also picked Titanic, it's a classic and I love it. I haven't seen Shakespeare in Love because of Gwyneth Paltrow, I can't stand her, but I'll give it a try soon.

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    1. Shakespeare in Love is easily the best Paltrow has been on screen - her light touch is perfect for the material and she's just luminous. It's an incredibly endearing performance.

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  3. Great picks for the theme and I love all in qualified ways. The spectacle of Cameron's Titanic is what always worked best for me. Leo and Kate make a great pair of doomed lovers but the historical inaccuracy of their actually even MEETING on that ship at that point in time has always driven me crazy. I realize that it's just my thing and obviously didn't bother anyone else but because of it I've never bought into that aspect of the film.

    I can't agree about Shakespeare winning the Oscar but there have been far worse winners and it is a lovely film. I've never been much of a Paltrow fan but I find her less wan and irksome here than usual and I love Joseph Fiennes in the picture.

    Love All That Heaven Allows and you pointed out some of the reasons. Jane and Rock do great work and Sirk is completely on his A game. And yes those kids of hers are loathsome creatures!

    I really wanted to make this an all Barbra Streisand theme within theme since star crossed lovers seems to be part of her stock in trade but her version of A Star is Born is such a stinking pile of wasted celluloid I just couldn’t bring myself to list it and turned to a MUCH better version of the same tale. I threw in a little snippet for each to highlight the theme.

    The Way We Were (1973)-Memories will light the corners of your mind after viewing this high quality drama of Jewish radical Katie Morosky (Babs) and "gorgeous goyish guy" Hubbell Gardner (Robert Redford) who attend college together in the 30’s then meet again during WWII and despite immense differences fall in love. The film follows their problem plagued relationship through dating, marriage and the Hollywood blacklist. Tale of doomed love is ultra-romantic with political overtones has nice period detail and perhaps Streisand’s career best performance.

    **Star-crossed quote- "I want us to love each other. The trouble is we do."

    Funny Girl (1968)-Gawky, burning with ambition and massively talented Fanny Brice is trying to make her way in show biz, by chance she meets suave professional gambler Nicky Arnstein who helps give her a step up. Sensing a spark but pulled apart by circumstances Fanny continues her ascent occasionally running into Nick until a fateful encounter leads to a great love. Problem is Fanny’s compiling one triumph on top of another while Nick feeling the pressure of being “Mr. Brice” suffers a series of bad luck deals leading to a disastrous decision (and an emotion packed finale). Oscar winning showcase for Streisand, how much is true is questionable though the real life Brice and Arnstein did have a troubled marriage.

    **Star-crossed quote-Nick: “I thought maybe, finally, at last my luck had changed…but it hadn’t. “Fanny-“So it will change tomorrow, the way it has a hundred other time. Everybody has a run of bad luck now and then it doesn’t mean anything.” Nick-“How would you know darling? You never lose.”

    A Star is Born (1954)-Band singer Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland) saves movie star Norman Maine (James Mason) from making a drunken fool of himself at a Hollywood benefit when he stumbles into her act. Intrigued he tracks her down to a late night club and discovers that she possesses “that little something extra” that makes a great star and convinces her to leave the band. After some complications a friendship develops leading to a romance and marriage but as Esther, now rechristened Vicki Lester, rises ever higher Norman, trapped by demons in a downward spiral, falls leading to tragedy for all. Judy’s pinnacle both vocally and dramatically. She’s almost matched by Mason and they are supported by strong work from Charles Bickford, Tommy Noonan and especially Jack Carson.

    **Star-crossed quote:
    “Love isn't enough, I thought it was. I thought I was the answer for Norman. But love isn't enough for him. No matter how much you love someone — how do you live out the days? How?”

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    1. I get the annoyance of the historical inaccuracy of Titanic, but it never bothered me. It bothers me even less in Shakespeare in Love (and it really should, because I'm a huge Bard Buff) because the rest of the movie works so well. I should also say that Shakespeare is NOT my personal Best Picture of 1998 (that would be The Truman Show), but my choice from the nominees.

      I am ashamed to say I have not seen The Way We Were, but of course I know the song and the key lines due to pop culture osmosis. I like but don't love Funny Girl, which really mostly works only because of Babs (even though she didn't actually EARN the Oscar, I'm still so glad for that tie). And of course A Star is Born is an absolute classic and the Streisand version is for SHIT.

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    2. I love Funny Girl but readily admit that its almost sole purpose for being is as a vehicle to spotlight the many talents of Barbra Streisand, and do it much better than any of the vehicles that she built around herself.

      As biography of Fanny Brice it's more or less worthless but I saw it in a theatre when it was remastered and it was visually amazing on top of her contribution. Seeing it that way, especially her big finale, it was easy to understand how people walked out of the theatre in '68 and knew they had seen the birth of a movie star. As great as she is and worthy of her nomination I agree that Kate Hepburn in Lion in Winter was the best of the year. But since Babs didn't win for her best performance in The Way We Were, which by the way is on TCM on the 17th (so worth seeing!), when she should have I'm glad she was awarded along with Hepburn, plus she gave a great acceptance speech with that classic opener.

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    3. Funny Girl is definitely a magnificent film to look at. I just don't think even the show is all that great. There are pacing issues and some of the book scenes are just.... NOT good. I also think it MAY be too long.

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  4. I've only seen Titanic. The spectacle of it is great. The lovers part of it, not so much. To make matters worse, I fully blame James Cameron and this film for the crappy Pearl Harbor where Michael Bay tried to do the same romantic bullshit in telling the story of that historic event. Still need to see Shakespeare in Love.

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    1. The love story works for me only because Kate and Leo sell it. The script mostly fails them. I totally get blaming Cameron and the film for Pearl Harbor, though.

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  5. YASSSSS!!!

    All That Heaven Allows...UGH!!! Perfect choice.

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    1. WOOT!

      I almost didn't go with All That Heaven Allows because (SPOILER) it doesn't end tragically, but then I decided I didn't care.

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  6. First, Titanic.... I get it. It's a huge spectacle and features a charismatic duo of actors. The hype just drained me way back when, and I just can't go back and do it again.

    And, yes, I will come at you. Saving Private Ryan was the Best Picture that year. Though, I do really enjoy Shakespeare in Love, especially on re-watches. The writing is just so spot-on. Not Best Picture though.

    All That Heaven Allows is coming in the mail from Netflix very soon. I'm doing a lot of Sirk for the first time this year. Can't wait. Great picks!

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    1. COME AT ME, BRO! I probably owe Saving Private Ryan a re-watch, but outside of that first battle scene it's just not memorable. Shakespeare in Love may have more modest ambitions (which I think is REALLY why people hate on it for winning), but that doesn't mean it's any less well-made. There may not be any part of it as amazing as that one scene, but it's remarkably consistent, impeccably crafted, and hugely memorable.

      For reals, though, my Best Picture of that year was and always will be The Truman Show, which wasn't even nominated because AMPAS sucks ass and cannot be trusted with nice things.

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  7. Titanic is the Love Boat sinking. I have read quite a bit about Titanic and the people on board and it angers me that the Idiot of the World, James Cameron, did a hoaky romance that would never ever work and not even include things that would make their romance even more heart-breaking (Isador & Ida Strauss and the Carpathian being so near but not helping). The effects are excellent and shows the ships glamour and it is well-acted but ughhhh-Give me A Night To Remember. I really enjoy Shakespeare in Love and find that a good film although Cate Blanchett should have won. Love that you put All that Heaven Allows here. I was hoping to see a Douglas Sirk film. I bet Rock would have rather been kissing John Wyman than Jane:)

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    1. I do wish we had gotten more of the Strausses in Titanic, but I have no problem with the film as is. I get where the romance would have been pretty much impossible, but this way there's a central story that allows us access to all the areas of the ship. It's called "dramatic license" for a reason.

      I do not understand the love for Blanchett's Elizabeth performance. It's good, but not without its missteps, and while she's charismatic, it's nowhere near as well-modulated and full of a performance as Paltrow's.

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  8. I love Titanic. It actually doesn't feel dated at all, even if you see it nowadays because the story is so good and we actually care about the characters. Winslet is luminous in this one.

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