tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post3401486080701289050..comments2023-12-26T05:26:08.512-05:00Comments on The Cinematic Spectacle: 1947 CinSpec AwardsJoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-89387163615683768252014-08-14T23:32:17.195-04:002014-08-14T23:32:17.195-04:00Nice lineups. I just need to see Redgrave's an...Nice lineups. I just need to see Redgrave's and Walker's films. Byron is terrific, and she really should've been nominated. Gwenn just missed my top 5, but he is delightful in that role.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-57132959345145325382014-08-14T23:25:46.625-04:002014-08-14T23:25:46.625-04:00Out of the Past is a great winner, and I'm thr...Out of the Past is a great winner, and I'm thrilled to see another Odd Man Out fan. That film is so underrated.<br /><br />I'm really behind on Lupino's work. I'll have to check out The Man I Love, Nightmare Alley, They Won't Believe Me, The Macomber Affair, and Born to Kill.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-33354889045712204472014-08-13T23:41:33.039-04:002014-08-13T23:41:33.039-04:00I realized as I hit the tab I didn't include t...I realized as I hit the tab I didn't include the supporting categories.<br /><br />Supporting Actor:<br />Kirk Douglas-Out of the Past<br />Edmund Gwenn-Miracle on 34th Street-Winner<br />Michael Redgrave-Mourning Becomes Electra<br />Robert Ryan-Crossfire<br />Richard Widmark-Kiss of Death<br />Ryan, Widmark, Redgrave and Douglas all offer up more complex characterizations than Edmund Gwenn, although there are a great many deceptively shaded aspects to his work, but he is so endearing and owns the role so totally I couldn't think of anyone else getting the award.<br /><br />Supporting Actress:<br />Kathleen Bryon-Black Narcissus-Winner<br />Jane Greer-Out of the Past<br />Agnes Moorehead-Dark Passage<br />Helen Walker-Nightmare Alley<br />Shelley Winters-A Double Life<br />After Ambersons I think Madge Rapf in Dark Passage is my favorite Agnes Moorehead performance because she so totally embraces the absolute absence of worth in the character. Likewise Greer's Kathie is a priceless portrait of a silky but complete fiend. Winters adds a lot to her small but key role in A Double Life and Helen Walker is fantastic as the manipulative psychiatrist in Nightmare Alley which also contains award worthy work from Joan Blondell but there were only five slots. As distinctive and in some cases celebrated as these performances are Kathleen Bryon's spectacularly complicated work in Black Narcissus trumps them all, unbelievable she didn't even receive a nomination.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-77512582673584692642014-08-13T23:37:18.732-04:002014-08-13T23:37:18.732-04:00What a change from '46. While there were fine ...What a change from '46. While there were fine films made in '47 the abundance of quality was nowhere near as plentiful, although I have yet to see Monsieur Verdoux or Brighton Rock.<br /><br />Picture:<br />Black Narcissus<br />Crossfire<br />Miracle on 34th Street<br />Odd Man Out<br />Out of the Past-Winner<br />I see we differ on Black Narcissus. I like it and consider it a top film of the year but have never been that swept away by it. Out of the Past however caught me in its spell from my first viewing. I think I'm even more partial to it because like Casablanca before it it was never meant to be anything more than another product in the studio's assembly line. But through the luck of the right director, and in this case cinematographer, and performers being assigned to the script it turned out to be not only a classic of noir but of film in general.<br /><br />Director:<br />Edward Dmytryk-Crossfire<br />Michael Powell-Black Narcissus<br />Carol Reed-Odd Man Out<br />George Seaton-Miracle on 34th Street<br />Jacques Tourneur-Out of Past-Winner<br />As I said Tourneur took a script that in lesser hands would have been just another studio film and crafted something unique. The other films are all good but Out of the Past in enduring.<br /><br />Actor:<br />Ronald Colman-A Double Life<br />John Garfield-Body and Soul<br />Robert Mitchum-Out of the Past<br />Tyrone Power-Nightmare Alley-Winner<br />Robert Young-They Won't Believe Me<br />I loved all these performances so much but it came down to a decision between Power and Young, both playing against type. Young twists his established persona, not yet calcified by Father Knows Best, just enough that it's still understandable why he would be attractive to so many women yet he conveys the character's underlying contemptibility expertly. Power embraces the mercenary soulless bastard he plays with total conviction and commitment, incredible he was ignored but then the picture tanked at the box office so perhaps it's not so surprising. A shame he was slighted but he's my winner.<br /><br />Actress:<br />Joan Bennett-The Macomber Affair<br />Susan Hayward-Smash-Up-The Story of a Woman<br />Ida Lupino-The Man I Love-Winner<br />Gene Tierney-The Ghost and Mrs. Muir<br />Claire Trevor-Born to Kill<br />You can see the postwar malaise settling in through these performances I think. Whereas in previous years most of the nominated or notable work by actresses was saintly or at least resolute women with an occasional bad girl thrown in by this point most of the significant leading women's roles were tough customers and only Tierney on my list is playing a gentle thoroughly good woman, it's telling that she's in a period piece. Gene is compassionate and touching in an almost dreamy performance but manages to ground the fantastical Mrs. Muir enough so you don't scoff at the somewhat absurd premise. While Susie's dipso Angelica Evans is a tragic figure I felt she only got stronger as the years progressed and is at her best in I'll Cry Tomorrow. Both Bennett and Trevor make sure you see at least a shred of humanity in their malicious, avaricious characters making them relatable but no less unsavory. It's Ida Lupino however who takes the prize in my favorite of her performances. Petey Brown lets her explore all the parts of her talents, she's tough but capable of being hurt, willing to do almost anything to protect her family but with a wry detachment and quick wit that makes her irresistible. Another great facet of her work is that when she sings, even though she's dubbed, she really SINGS the songs obviously thinking about what she's saying and interpreting it with her body language.<br />joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-6344249828303475312013-08-04T22:58:03.942-04:002013-08-04T22:58:03.942-04:00It's a great film. The Red Shoes is my favorit...It's a great film. The Red Shoes is my favorite Powell/Pressburger film, but Black Narcissus is amazing.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-13697145565887682492013-08-02T00:36:05.471-04:002013-08-02T00:36:05.471-04:00I absolutely love Black Narcissus. Definitely one...I absolutely love <i>Black Narcissus</i>. Definitely one of my big discoveries of the past few years.thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.com