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Reviews
Le roi de coeur (1966)
Exquisite and Magical
In 1967, my young husband and I blundered on this movie as part of a double feature. We were waiting to see the beginning of another movie that we had watched from the middle, having arrived late, as was customary at that time. As this masterpiece, unheralded to us, unfolded, we turned to each other in wonder. Later, we learned of its highly deserved cult status.
I was unaware that the 60's were to be a golden age of cinema; one needs distance to appreciate this. Le Roi de Coeur is elegant, beautiful, visually charming, humorous, and finely acted. And in the service of a serious theme, as well. Most highly recommended, and far above current movie productions of any type.
House of Sand and Fog (2003)
A real tragedy, for the wrong reason.
The greatest tragedy of this film (assuming the events are fictional, of course) is the abysmal lack of editing. The story is compelling, as a sympathetically portrayed, destructive young woman attracts help from a disintegrating police officer. She's opposed by a man, with a formal mindset, who is desperate to recreate his lost status. Both of the main characters interact with their families and cultural supports the entire time. There's a good lesson, too, about how the indigenous style of casual error (a legal blunder) and easy living (the desertion of children) can undermine the formal necessities (the wealthy masquerade) of a different culture. Unfortunately, in a failure of film-making so common that it must be willful, the characters are shown driving from one place to the other. Even after the tragic climax, at the emotional peak of the film, the main character is shown driving. If extraneous and vehicular footage had been edited properly, this film would have rated a 10.
Um Filme Falado (2003)
A charming film about the fragility of human civilization.
Um Filme Falado, devoid of any real action, is presented entirely through a series of conversations, mostly between a history teacher and her young daughter, who are on a cruise through the Mediterranean. Besides the teacher, we are instructed about life, ancient and modern, by three intelligent and beautiful women, each speaking in her native European language. Although the teacher, and others, are unfailingly polite and charming, reality prevails. Some editing of the view of the ship's hull would have been advisable, but it's a quibble. For a limited audience of educated, polyglot, and thoughtful viewers who are able to appreciate irony, and to correct some historical fallacies, this film features, among other gentle performances, the incomparable Catherine Deneuve; and has structure resembling a Greek tragedy, with a journey, guides, a chorus, and an act of violence kept entirely offstage.