Bad and Boring
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Tchoutoye — 13 years ago(March 05, 2013 10:38 AM)
This mundane, romantic drivel, depicting nothing more than schoolgirl escapism, has to be one of the most overrated films of all time. It has no redeeming elements whatsoever, not even Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto which was used more effectively in The Seven Year Itch. The redundant voice over narration merely tells what we already see; if it serves any purpose, it's to annoy audiences with the character's suburban shallowness.
And lest anyone recommend me Michael Bay, I'm writing this as a huge fan of 1940s films, films by Val Lewton, Orson Welles, Carol Reed, etc. -
michael_wallace_ellwood — 12 years ago(August 24, 2013 04:07 PM)
If it is not to people's taste, then fair enough. We all have our own particular taste in films.
But to say it is actually bad means that you haven't watched it enough times.
To appreciate all the good points about it requires several viewings, with an open mind, and probably a gap in between.
There is a lot of symbolism, hidden or suggested meanings, and some quite clever film technique (especially for its time, and made under wartime conditions).
On the DVD version I have, there is a very interesting documentary about the film, including some of the people who helped to make it. Worth seeing.
The BFI Classic Films book by Richard Dyer is also worth reading, although I don't go along with all his comments.
Far from being a bad film, it is an almost perfect film.
Definitely in the same class as, say, The Third Man (1949) (also with Trevor Howard), but technically perhaps, slightly better. -
DaVooz — 12 years ago(November 04, 2013 07:37 AM)
Well, some of the acting was bad - why do actors in that time particulary and still insist on playing a simple minded character with a crazy and annoying voicevoice
But imo it's a good theme and a good story - in fact I think the characters behaved pretty decent. A David Lean picture is always worth watching.
BTW: where did all the smart people go on IMDb?? I mean smart and interesting, not 13-year old smart. I hardly read any interesting remarks anymore, just the basic stupid impulsive YouTube short remarks and "shocking" replies.
with [cheese]