Jastrzebiec Reviews

Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)

Brilliant Tour de Farce

[9/10 · 3 October 2010]

This is a superlative film. Though based on the Joan Littlewood stage play (itself derived from a Charles Chilton radio piece), the film has the creativity, visual sense and sardonic wit of Len Deighton throughout. Apparently, it also was Len who had the brainstorm to set the fantasy sections at Brighton, which worked brilliantly! Inexplicably, he asked for his name to be removed from the writing and producing credits. (Later, after swearing off the film industry, he got his revenge with his novel "Close-up.") Whatever "corporate changes" (in the sense of group-think) were made to his script, it still works. And it works extremely well. Not only as an anti-World War I piece, but as a powerful critique of the British class structure and the amoral diplomats and generals who sent millions, nearly a generation, to early graves. I can't think of another film that has so artfully blended satire, farce, tragedy and history. This film is "Dr. Strangelove" caliber, but it's a musical, using the patriotic tunes of the day with the sarcastic alternate lyrics that the troops themselves created.

Kudos go to first-time director (now Lord) Richard Attenborough, and a stellar cast that was essentially the British Pantheon, circa 1969.

I have never seen anything remotely like this, and I doubt if I ever will again. Emotional? If you don't have a few tears by the time they're playing "No, We'll Never Tell Them,"...better check for a pulse.

Harry O (1973–1976)

Harry O ou la magie invisible

[6 August 2010]

Vaguely remembered "Harry O" from "back in the day" yet there was something that stuck--why is that? Zerbe's grudging friendship as Lt. Trench was superb of course, he deserved the Emmy (as did Henry Darrow, portraying Lt. Manny Quinlan, who never got it.) Janssen deserved an Emmy more, as leading actor. Harry's character provides the solitary clue to great screen writing: we CARED about the character. Why? So simple, yet so difficult to achieve. The fact he had a bullet near his spine was part of the appeal, but also the fact that he was always hopping on a bus (unheard of in LA/San Diego), he lived on the beach, etc. These details implied a hidden depth and tragic sense to Harry that was very appealing. The voiceovers (narration a la Raymond Chandler) added to the effect and to the appeal. WB can MAKE MONEY doing DVDs of this short-lived series. They will make more than the issue of the series costs them. THAT BEING THE (OBVIOUS) CASE, WHAT IS THE HOLD-UP? (if you'll pardon the expression)

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

Monsieur Dubourg's singing voice

[10/10 · 7 September 2006]

I was wondering if anyone knows who sang the short part of Monsieur Dubourg (the jeweller in the scene where Cassard first sees Genevieve, who has come into the shop with her mother to sell her pearls). The part played by Harald Wolff, who was also in "State of Siege." The scene I'm talking about is set to the same melody as "Recit de Cassard" and is the first instance of that melody in the film. Unlike the other characters, the singing voice for Dubourg is not listed , either in the IMDb cast/credit list or on the CD of the soundtrack. Whoever sang for Harald Wolff was one of the better male singers in the film, a great baritone in my opinion.