Movie #21: Released in 1950, directed by Billy Wilder, 110 minutes. New to me!

LetterBoxd Score: 4.5 stars

Good to see that by 1950 we have entered Hollywood’s old age, when it begins to reflect upon its youth.

I kid; this is a good movie. I felt kind of queasy through the whole thing, which is probably right what they were looking for. Kind of like The Third Man, there’s a bit of a disconnect between the subject matter’s darkness and the brave face it puts on to treat this all kind of lightly, and have the lead male actor be just very droll about his situation.

It’s pretty obvious that Gloria Swanson got her start in silent movies; she has that command of eyes and hands that was very distinctive to that era.

Why would someone think it’s one of the ten greatest films ever made?

I don’t think this one would make my personal list. For me it’s a good story, but my tastes run towards either the more fantastic or the more univeral. A story about the costs of fame, and how Hollywood treats its aging stars, just doesn’t say enough to me. But I guess there is something universal in its depiction of the power dynamics in relationships; but that story line isn’t super provocative to me. The most memorable bit is surely Swanson’s performance.

Next: Rashomon