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Watched out of necessity rather than choice (due to limitations inherent in my DVD recorder's system), I really did not expect to be bowled over by this one – not least because I had been underwhelmed by the subsequent collaboration between director Mulligan and leading man Steve McQueen, BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL (1965), earlier this year – but I was. That said, I knew of its reputation as one of the best showcases for both McQueen and co-star Natalie Wood (she even received an Oscar nod for her work here) – and I certainly agree, going so far as to say that they were probably never better. In essence, this is MARTY (1955) for a younger and more reckless generation (though the protagonists, in this case, are anything but "dogs") – demonstrating the same feeling for the place (New York) and a particular section of its people (Italian immigrants). The narrative (accompanied by a lovely, yet sturdy, Elmer Bernstein score) basically resolves itself in a series of extended scenes set in domestic, working or urban environments – with the most unusual being the opening sequence at a ballroom-cum-employment agency where musician McQueen hustles his way to the odd engagement and, later, when he and Wood hide from her overprotective brothers inside his family's dilapidated dwelling (where Jack Jones is even briefly heard crooning the film's title tune). In this respect, plaudits must go to Arnold Schulman's exceptional Oscar-nominated script: it is no coincidence that his name atypically precedes even that of the supporting cast! Incidentally, while I included the film among my "Drama" viewing (involving, after all, the attempt to abort an unwanted pregnancy borne of a one-night stand), it features almost as much comedy – that, being just as well-observed, adds another layer to the intended realism. Wood's relationship with her possessive family is especially entertaining but also her efforts to dodge, and later withstand, gawky admirer Tom Bosley (in an impressive debut) – whose equivalent in McQueen's life is played by Edie Adams: the former, in fact, has no qualms about taking 'new' girlfriend Wood to her flat while she is away at work! Also, though the latter stages descend into repetitive confrontations between the stars, this does eventually pay off in a hilarious finale – with McQueen deciding to conform to Wood's idealized view of love (even if it means embarrassing himself in public) rather than lose her. In conclusion, I had tried to get hold of this one back in January to be included in my planned retrospective to commemorate the recently deceased Mulligan: while that attempt did not pan out at the time, I happened again upon it just this week, obviously managing now to acquire a copy of the film; for the record, I still have a couple more of the director's efforts to check out (both also delayed for some reason from that initial tribute) i.e. THE GREAT IMPOSTOR (1961) and BLOODBROTHERS (1978).
score 8/10
Bunuel1976 1 April 2009
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2046167/ |
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12-3-2021 00:06:15