Category: 1949

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) Film Review

He chopped down the family tree…

Rating PG
Length 1h46
Release 05.06.1998
Director Robert Hammer
About When Louis D’Ascoyne Mazzini, who hails from a royal family, is denied dukedom, he plans to kill all the potential threats in his way.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Channel 4
Trailer:

The Good

The story is brilliant in a deliciously dark and comedic way. Yes, it uses the typical bookend narration to frame the story but in this case it works quite well first seeing the protagonist imprisoned, to then see the story of how he found himself there unfold. It also provides a wonderful sting to the end of the film.

The technical skill of having all of the D’Ascoyne family played by Alec Guinness. Today audiences are familiar with the table scene within the Nutty Professor in which Eddie Murphy does fat suits and plays most of the Klump family through use of CGI. However, in Kind Hearts, this will have been completed through camera trickery and it really works.

This film truly gives an idea of the acting range Alec Guinness has. Each character of the D’Ascoyne family is distinctly crafted and performed. My favourite has to be the priest.

The Bad

It’s rather slow to get going, given that it goes right back to the start of Louis’ life. I wonder if there was a quicker way to cover this. Not that it wasn’t interesting, but more because I really would have loved to have spent more time with the individual D’Ascoynes.

The Ugly

The women in this film are not very nice. Edith is rather brash and overbearing, while Sibella truly should have been one of Louis’ targets. Yes, it makes for a compelling story, but by god I disliked her.

Final Thoughts

A film I will most definitely put into rotation.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad (1949)

Rating: U/A
Length: 1h 8
Release: 15.12.1949
Dir:  Clyde Geronimi, Jack Kinney, James Algar
About: Two animated adaptations of classic literature make up this Disney film. In “The Wind in the Willows,” wealthy Mr. Toad (Eric Blore) yearns for all the newest fads. When he wants an automobile, Mr. Toad sets out to get one any way he can. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” gangly schoolmaster Ichabod Crane falls for the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel. Caught in a love triangle with Katrina and Brom Bones, Ichabod fears a local legend called the Headless Horseman.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=w0320rCzp8s

The Good

  • The first story, looking at the characters from Wind in the Willows, is adorable. Mole is so so cute, both as a character and as an animation.
  • The music elements of ‘Mr Toad’ is brilliant, especially the horse. In typical fashion, the horse is very Disney. I love how he sings, I love how he talks.
  • The weasels look and act exactly like the ones we’ll see in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
  • The animation of both is very similar to Alice in Wonderland and I really enjoyed that.
  • The pumpkin going through the tunnel during the tale of Ichabod was amazing, especially considering the time in which it was made.

The Bad

  • Toad reminds me too much of the Crazy Frog and once I saw it, I couldn’t enjoy it.
  • Ichabod: “Gets around like no one else can.” The next scene then basically shows us that Ichabod is banging all his student’s mums in order to be fed. Okay, so it’s only implied, but it is HEAVILY implied.

The Ugly

  • I went into this unaware that it was two separate tales and it really threw me, once I discovered this, that the tale of Mr Toad came before that of Ichabod.
  • Ichabod is basically portrayed as a Snape character, yet all the women of the town going nuts. There are women who are having a lesson with him, that literally have their eyes rolling to the back of their heads. WHAT. THE. FUCK?
  • There’s not enough Headless Horseman in this tale. It’s more about Ichabod having a hard on for Katrina and fighting Braum for her.

Final Thoughts

I wrote ‘what the fuck?’ way too many times in my notes. Give me Sleepy Hollow (1999) any day.

Christmas Film Advent- Holiday Affair (1949)

“Quit hanging onto something you’ve lost.”
Watching from DVD Length: 1Hr 27 About: Charming seasonal clerk Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum) catches beautiful Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) in a fraudulent shopping scheme during the busy Christmas rush. But when he discovers that Ennis is a war widow and single mother, Mason takes pity on her and can’t bring himself to turn her in. His supervisor takes notice and fires him on the spot. Mason befriends Connie and her young son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert), and may complicate her plans to marry boring nice guy Carl Davis (Wendell Corey).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpqXwUFoR5k

The Bad & the Ugly

Can’t seem to get away from scenes that make me feel uncomfortable, and Holiday Affair is no exception. Within five minutes of meeting Connie’s son, Steve asks to have a word with him, alone, in his bedroom. Once again, it’s done with a timely innocence and what would be deemed socially acceptable; Steve was understanding the catalyst of Timmy’s anger. However, a grown man spending time alone with a young boy, to buy him a rather expensive toy mere days later screams all kinds of shady. While the biggest concern circa 1949 is making little Timmy understand that you don’t always get what you want in life, Hannah in 2018 is very worried that this casual grooming and the mother’s lack of concern is rather scary.

The Good

This is such an antidote to today’s fast paced movies. The plot is simple enough which allows the actors chance to develop and charm. They don’t make actors like they used to; I couldn’t think of anyone better than Robert Mitchum or Janet Leigh for the role of  Steve Mason and Connie Ellis. Their chemistry is not only better than those in any tween flick of recent years (Yes, you Twilight with your couple on, and off, screen lacking all of the chemistry), it will warm your heart. It makes boring Carl and delightful Connie’s two year relationship born of her fear of being alone all the more relatable. There’s no added layer of jokes at the beau’s expense that is felt necessary in rom-coms today. With Connie, comes Timmy and he is just adorable. From his hostility towards Carl to his mature and selfless decision to speak to the manager of a store, Gordon Gebert will melt even the coldest of hearts. It’s the tone that’s set throughout the whole movie that truly makes it a brilliant watch. It’s not a sickly sweet story, but instead one that looks at the aftermath of war. It doesn’t focus upon the loss, but doesn’t shy away from it either. It makes for an honest and refreshing viewing with enough twee to make it feel like festive escapism. 

Final Thoughts

While there’s this one scene that seems off tone , it’s definitely a film that brings joy and is exactly the sort of film you’d want to be watching on a chilly December evening.