Love in the Afternoon, and Ninotchka
Matt had said he'd phone me for directions to my place before driving up (he's spent this week visiting a friend in LA). But I didn't hear from him on Thursday, and since I had plans to see movies tonight, I left messages for him during the day at his friend's place. I didn't hear back from him until I got home at night and he'd left me a message on my machine saying he'd try to reach me on the drive up the next day. So, okay.
The first film was Love in the Afternoon, a 1957 film with Audrey Hepburn and Gary Cooper. Hepburn plays Ariane Chavasse, the young daughter of a private detective in France who falls for Cooper's character, Frank Flanagan, a rich American womanizer (and source of much of the detective's business). Saving Flanagan from an attempt on his life, Ariane proceeds to romance him by puffing herself up with stories about being a sophisticated - and oft-engaged - lover herself, and drawing Flanagan into her net.
It's a pretty good film about a slightly ridiculous situation, and a rather obvious generation gap. There are some delightful and fall-down funny moments in the film. But it never entirely comes together, perhaps because it's a little too ridiculous at times. Maurice Chevalier as Ariane's father is quite good, though.
Hepburn's performance was as arresting as in last week's movies, and I thought Cooper did a fine job portraying a rich, rather stereotypical American (Subrata seemed to feel that he'd have enjoyed a more capable actor in the role). This one's worth a look, but it's not great.
Second was Ninotchka, a 1939 Greta Garbo film where she plays a Soviet official sent to deal with three bumbling Russians who are on the verge of virtually giving away some valuable diamonds in France. Garbo's title character arrives very stern and pro-Communist, but is eventually seduced by Leon, a Count (from where? It's unclear) who falls in love with her.
The first half of the movie works fairly well as comedy. Garbo's over-the-top performance as the stern Ninotchka includes some wonderful comic timing. The film is less successful once she loosens up and falls in love herself, as the plot runs into a couple of brick walls which require ridiculous developments to make everything work out. (Plus, I admit that I don't find Garbo to be either particularly attractive, or a particularly noteworthy actress. At least, not here. I've never seen her before.)
The most interesting thing about Ninotchka is that it's largely a piece of pre-World War II anti-Soviet propaganda, where the Russians are apparently perceived less as an actual threat and more of a symbolic one, and one to be largely pitied and ridiculed. There's not much venom here, and hardly any spy-related paranoia.
I also kept thinking that the three bumbling Russian officials should have been played by the Marx Brothers.
Overall, though, it's not a particular good film, and I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see it.
|
|
|
|
