The 49th Parallel- A 1941 Movie from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger -starring Leslie Howard and Lawrence Olivier - 122 minutes

The film is set in the early days of World War II, and tells the story of a small band of German soldiers who are stranded in Canada after their U-boat is sunk. The soldiers are led by Lieutenant Hirth (Eric Portman), a ruthless Nazi officer. The soldiers attempt to cross the border into the United States, which has not yet entered the war and is officially neutral.

Along the way, the German soldiers encounter a variety of Canadians, including a French-Canadian fur trapper (Laurence Olivier in a contrary to type role), a young woman (Glynis Johns), and a group of Hutterites. The Canadians are initially sympathetic to the German soldiers, but they eventually come to see them as a threat.

Here are some of the notable aspects of the film:

The film was made on a relatively low budget, but it still looks impressive. The cinematography is beautiful, and the film captures the vastness and beauty of the Canadian landscape.

The cast is excellent, with Eric Portman giving a chilling performance as Lieutenant Hirth. Laurence Olivier is also memorable as the French-Canadian fur trapper.

The film is a powerful anti-war statement. It shows the horrors of war, and it reminds us that the Nazis are a threat to all freedom-loving people

I especially enjoyed the scene where Leslie Howard Reads from The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann. The opening is also very stirring.

Mel Ulm

 

Metropolis- A 1927 Silent Movie- Directed by Fritz Lang - Run Time Two Hours and 26 minutes

 

The link above goes to a restored version with English Captions and a contemporary sound track.

I highly recommend Roger Ebert's brilliant thoughts on Metropolis 

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-metropolis-1927

Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist science fiction silent film directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou in collaboration with Lang from von Harbou's 1925 novel of the same name (which was intentionally written as a treatment). It stars Gustav Fröhlich, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, and Brigitte Helm. Erich Pommer produced it in the Babelsberg Studios for Universum Film A.G. (UFA). The silent film is regarded as a pioneering science-fiction movie, being among the first feature-length movies of that genre.

The film is set in a futuristic city of Metropolis, where the working class toils underground to power the city's wealthy elite, who live above in luxury. The story follows Freder, the son of the city's Master, who falls in love with Maria, a worker who leads a rebellion against the machines. The film's themes explore the conflict between labor and capital, the potential dangers of technology, and the possibility of a better future.

Metropolis was a critical and commercial success upon its release, but it was also controversial. Some critics accused the film of being too pessimistic, while others praised its groundbreaking visuals and innovative storytelling. The film was also banned in some countries, including the United States, for its depiction of class conflict.

Despite its initial controversy, Metropolis has since been recognized as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. It has been praised for its groundbreaking special effects, its expressionist visuals, and its prescient depiction of a future divided between the rich and the poor. The film has been cited as an influence by many other science fiction films, including Blade Runner (1982) and Brazil (1985).

In 2001, Metropolis was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, the first film thus distinguished.

The film's special effects were groundbreaking for their time, and they still hold up today. The film's use of miniatures, matte paintings, and stop-motion animation helped to create a visually stunning and believable world.

The film's expressionist visuals are iconic. The film's use of shadows, distorted angles, and exaggerated sets create a dark and foreboding atmosphere.

The film's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of technology and the importance of social justice. The film's themes are still relevant today, and they have been explored in many other science fiction films.

Just last week I watched a Startrek Episode taken directly from the plot of Metropolis.

Mel Ulm

Christmas in July - A 1940 Film Directed and Written by Preston Sturges - Starring Dick Powell and Ellen Drew - A Post in observation of his 124 Birthday

 

Preston Sturges 

August 29, 1898 Chicago

 August 6, 1959 New York City

The Documentary Below details the amazing life and career of Preston Sturges 

This is the third film directed and written by Preston Sturges I have posted upon.  My prior posts were on Sullivan's Travels and The French They Are a Funny Race.

 The plot follows an ambitious clerk who is tricked into thinking he has won $25,000 in a slogan contest for a coffee company, and begins using his believed winnings to fulfill his dreams. It was Sturges' second film as writer-director, after The Great McGinty (also 1940).

The film's title refers to the protagonist's belief that he has won a Christmas-themed contest in the middle of July. This sets the stage for a series of comedic misadventures as he tries to spend his newfound wealth in a way that is both festive and practical. (His weekly wage was $22.00 from which he also supported his elderly mother. His girl friend played by Ellen Drew made $18.00 a week.)

The film explores themes of class and social mobility. The protagonist, Jimmy MacDonald (Powell), is a low-paid clerk who dreams of one day becoming wealthy and successful. When he believes he has won the contest, he is able to experience a taste of the high life, but he quickly realizes that money cannot buy happiness.

Christmas in July is a classic example of Preston Sturges' unique brand of screwball comedy. The film is full of witty dialogue, sight gags, and absurd situations. It is also a surprisingly thoughtful film that explores the human condition in a humorous way.

Here are some of the things that make Christmas in July a great film:

The witty dialogue: Sturges was a master of dialogue, and Christmas in July is full of quotable lines.

The sight gags: The film is full of physical comedy and sight gags that will make you laugh out loud.

The absurd situations: The film's plot is full of absurd situations that are both funny and thought-provoking.

The performances: The cast is excellent, and they all give memorable performances.

The social commentary: The film also has a layer of social commentary that is still relevant today.

Mel Ulm

"A VERY FULL DAY" a Short Story by Shubha Sunder - 2021 - in The Common Issue 22 -PORTFOLIO OF Writing from the Arabian Gulf

 Today's Story by Shubha Sunder, available to read in the Kindle Unlimited Edition of The Common # 22, "A Very Full Day" gives a marvelous account of a day in the life of a retired Air India Pilot.

"He was, locals agreed, the quintessential Kaverinagar retiree. In his wool-silk trousers, navy-blue sweater, and plaid scarf wrapped tight about the ears, C. K. Rajgopal, former Air India pilot, cut a lithe figure as he strode down Eighth Main. On his feet he wore the ergonomic shoes his son had brought him from America."  (Kaverinagar is a city in Bangalore)

He is a widower, as am I, we tag along as he walks through the city on his daily stroll.  He thinks back on his years as an Air India Pilot, on his marriage. Walking with his friend from the senior center 

"They set off on their daily loop, Murthy laughing at his own joke while Mr. Rajgopal rotated his arms to exercise his shoulder joints, warm in a long-sleeved woolen sweater knitted for him by his late wife. Earlier that morning she’d appeared in a vision, crouched on the floor with her back to him, shelling peas." I often have visions of my wife.

The two men discuss politics and remark on things they see.

The story is very well written and the characters well developed.

The Common Issue 22, 320 pages, contains essays, poems and several short stories by new to me writers.

SHUBHA SUNDER’s prose has appeared or is forthcoming in New Letters, Catapult, SLICE, Crazyhorse, Narrative Magazine, and elsewhere. Two of her stories were named as notable in The Best American Short Stories 2016. She was a City of Boston Artist Fellow for the year 2020. Other distinctions include a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellowship, the Crazyhorse Prize in Fiction, a Narrative “30 Below” prize, and awards from the Bread Loaf and Sewanee Writers’ Conferences and from The Corporation of Yaddo.

Mel Ulm

In Observation of the Birthday of Yujelyn Norte Ulm

 In loving observation of the Birthday of Yujelyn (Lyn) Norte Ulm- Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend to All- the finest person I have ever known

"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne - 1611

As virtuous men pass mildly away,

   And whisper to their souls to go,

Whilst some of their sad friends do say

   The breath goes now, and some say, No:

So let us melt, and make no noise,

   No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;

'Twere profanation of our joys

   To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears,

   Men reckon what it did, and meant;

But trepidation of the spheres,

   Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love

   (Whose soul is sense) cannot admit

Absence, because it doth remove

   Those things which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,

   That our selves know not what it 

Is Inter-assured of the mind,

  Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,

   Though I must go, endure not yet

A breach, but an expansion,

   Like gold to airy thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so

   As stiff twin compasses are two;

Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no 

 show   To move, but doth, if the other do.

And though it in the center sit,

   Yet when the other far doth roam,

It leans and hearkens after it,

   And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,

   Like th' other foot, obliquely run;

Thy firmness makes my circle just,

   And makes me end where I begin."

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp- A 1943 Film Directed ahd and Written by Michael Powell and Emeric - run time 169 Minutes

Of the sixty or so movies I have featured on The Reading Life, this and another film from William Powell and Emeric Pressburger, The Red Shoes, jointly are in first place on my in the works list of favourite films, Mel's Marvelous Movies.

The film stars Roger Livesey as Clive Candy, a British officer who serves in the British Army from the late 19th century to the Second World War. The film follows Candy's life and career, and explores themes of patriotism, nationalism, and the futility of war.

The film was a critical and commercial success, and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It won the award for Best Original Screenplay. The film is considered to be one of the greatest British films ever made.

The film is divided into three parts:

The first part, set in the late 19th century, tells the story of Candy's early career in the British Army. He is a young and idealistic officer who is eager to fight for his country.

The second part, set in the First World War, tells the story of Candy's experiences in the trenches. He is a more cynical and disillusioned officer, but he still believes in the importance of fighting for his country.

The third part, set in the Second World War, tells the story of Candy's final years in the British Army. He is a retired officer who is watching the war from the sidelines. He is no longer sure what he believes in, but he still believes in the importance of fighting for what is right

Here are some of the things that make The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp a great film:

The performances: Roger Livesey gives a tour-de-force performance as Clive Candy. He captures the character's evolution from a young and idealistic officer to a cynical and disillusioned one. The supporting cast is also excellent, with Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook, and Stanley Holloway all giving memorable performances.

The direction: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger are masters of filmmaking. They use a variety of techniques to tell the story, including flashbacks, dream sequences, and symbolism. The film is visually stunning, and it is full of memorable images

I felt a strong personal identity with both of the lead male characters living now as widowers as do I.

Below is one of the very powerful scenes 

The Archers made 20 films together, it is my hope to post on them all.

Mel Ulm 

 

Rebecca- A 1940 Movie Directed by Alfred Hitchcock - Sfarring Lawrence Olivier and Joan Fontaine - run time 125 minutes

 

Alfred Hitchcock had a very long career in movies.

(Born: August 13, 1899, Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom

Died: April 29, 1980, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, United States)

In his six decades in the movie business he made over fifty films. 

Rebecca was the first film he directed after moving to the United States. 

The screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison, and adaptation by Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan, were based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier.

The film stars Laurence Olivier as the brooding, aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter and Joan Fontaine as the young woman who becomes his second wife, with Judith Anderson, George Sanders and Gladys Cooper in supporting roles.

The film is a gothic tale shot in black-and-white. Maxim de Winter's first wife, Rebecca, who died before the events of the film, is never seen. Her reputation and recollections of her, however, are a constant presence in the lives of Maxim, his new wife and the creepy housekeeper Mrs. Danvers. 

Rebecca was a critical and commercial success, and it won two Academy Awards: Best Picture and Best Cinematography. The film is considered a classic of the psychological thriller genre, and it has been praised for its suspenseful story, its atmospheric cinematography, and its iconic performances.

Here are some of the things that make Rebecca a great film:

The story is suspenseful and intriguing, with a twist ending that will surprise you.

The characters are complex and well-developed, and they are brought to life by the excellent performances of the cast.

The performances: Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine are both excellent, and Judith Anderson is particularly memorable as the sinister Mrs. Danvers.

The direction: Hitchcock is a master of suspense, and he uses his skills to great effect in Rebecca. The film is full of memorable scenes, such as the one where the young woman sees Rebecca's ghost.

The story: The story is well-paced and suspenseful, and it keeps the viewer guessing until the very end.

Rebecca is a classic film that is still enjoyed by audiences today. It is a must-see for fans of Hitchcock, psychological thrillers, and gothic tales

It may not sound like it but there are some very funny scenes in Rebecca 

there is an important change from the novel but it has no impact on the movie 

I greatly enjoyed this  movie