Old Damage, New Challenges

Jesse Walker is now up (or down) to 1953 in his film lists.  It was a tricky time for Hollywood, where they were trying to maintain the old ways, but the studios were splitting up and television was a huge threat.  Meanwhile, countries like Italy, France and Japan, still rebuilding from WWII, were creating (or re-creating) interesting national cinema.

Here's Jesse's top ten list:

1. Glen or Glenda
2. Duck Amuck
3. The Naked Spur
4. Tokyo Story
5. Eaux d'Artifice
6. Ugetsu Monogatari
7. El
8. Niagara
9. Stalag 17
10. Summer with Monika

Interesting mix here.  Glen Or Glenda is Ed Wood's masterpiece, for what it's worth, but I'm not sure if it belongs on any list of this sort. But who knows?  Duck Amuck is also a masterpiece, but, as Jesse knows, I don't think shorts should be included.

I've differed before with Jesse over Anthony Mann westerns.  They're not bad--The Naked Spur, in fact, is pretty good--just not top ten good.  Tokyo Story is top ten (even if, like 8 1/2, it keeps making top ten of all time lists).  Eaux d'Artifice is a short.

Ugetsu Monogatari is also great.  I go back and forth over who my favorite Japanese director is, but right now I'm leaning toward Mizoguchi.  Unlike Jesse, I don't believe Bunuel did anything approaching his best work in Mexico, but he makes a lot out of a little with El.

Niagara is a potboiler, and fun in its way, but I wouldn't put it in the top ten or even twenty. Sorry, Charles Brackett, but old partner Billy Wilder has you beat with Stalag 17, one of his best. It's not generally considered one of his greatest, but once I start watching I keep going to the finish--I'd rank it over Sunset Boulevard and The Apartment.  It's gripping, and has comic relief that's actually funny.

Summer With Monika is a fascinating case of a film that was sold as hot stuff (and it is--when From Here To Eternity (which Jesse likes but is not on his list--I probably like it less) was considered as far as Hollywood could go, this features actual nudity), but is actually a pretty serious and even depressing--it is Bergman, after all--look at a relationship.

Here are the honorable mentions:

11. The Wages Of Fear
12. The Big Heat
13. Pickup on South Street
14. The Band Wagon
15. Little Fugitive
16. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
17. Mr. Hulot's Holiday
18. Daybreak Express
19. The Tell-Tale Heart
20. I Vitelloni

This list is as good as his top ten.  11 I like but don't love.  15 and 18 I haven't seen.  19 is fine but a short.  12, 13 and 14 should definitely be top ten and 16, 17 and 20 should probably be top ten as well.

Other films that might make my top ten:

The 5000 Fingers Of Dr. T

Roman Holiday


Other films of 1953 I like:

Beat The Devil, The Caddy, Calamity Jane, Call Me Madam, The Earrings Of Madame De...,  Kiss Me Kate, Lili, The Wild One

Other films of note:

99 River Street, Abbott And Costello Go To Mars, Abbott And Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, The Affairs Of Dobie Gillis, Appointment In London, Barabbas, The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, The Beggar’s Opera, By The Light Of The Silvery Moon, The Captain’s Paradise, City That Never Sleeps, Dream Wife, Easy To Love, The Eddie Cantor Story, Escape By Night, The Farmer Takes A Wife, Fear And Desire, Here Come The Girls, Houdini, House Of Wax, How To Marry A Millionaire, I Confess, I Love Melvin, I The Jury, Invaders From Mars, Island In The Sky, It Came From Outer Space, It’s Never Too Late, The Joe Louis Story, Julius Caesar, Knights Of The Round Table, The Living Desert, Mogambo, The Moon Is Blue, No Escape, Peter Pan, Pony Express, The Robe, Robot Monster, Sawdust And Tinsel, Scared Stiff, Shane, The Story Of Gilbert And Sullivan, The Three Musketeers, Thunder Bay, Titanic, Tonight We Sing, The War Of The Worlds