This is one of those movies that has made its mark on modern culture while few people of recent generations have seen it. “Gaslighting” has become a verb, used normally in a political context and often dealing with feminism. Of course the terms current usage defines something quite mild compared to what happens in the
It’s back in the good old days when we still had slaves, because that was great. Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) is an obnoxious, mentally-deficient, self-absorbed tourette-sufferer who we should love because she has a hot bod and is a bitch, which equals sexy. In their slave paradise, she’s surrounded by people like Melanie—who’s a Madonna,
Rich and imposing widower, Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) quickly marries a lower class introvert (Joan Fontaine). The Second Mrs. de Winter—that’s the only name she’s given—has problems fitting in at Manderley, his ancient estate, and is constantly doubting herself, afraid that her husband can only love his dead first wife, Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers (Judith
American expatriate painter Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is picked up by a wealthy divorcĂ©e (Nina Foch). She becomes his patron, with an eye to becoming his lover, but he falls for Lise (Leslie Caron), an anonymous young shop girl. However, she has a secret: She’s engaged to a successful singer (Georges GuĂ©tary) who also happens to
Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a Serbian immigrant, falls in love with Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), and they quickly marry. Irena refuses to consummate the relationship, believing that arousal would turn her into a panther. Eventually, Oliver persuades her to see psychologist Louis Judd (Tom Conway), but he is more interested in getting his hands on
Faithless, and therefore unhappy, astronomer, Dr. Eleanor Arroway (Jodie Foster), searches for years for signs of extraterrestrial life. Along the way, she is thwarted by shortsighted scientist Dr. David Drumlin (Tom Skerritt), and she meets man-of-faith, Palmer Joss (Matthew McConaughey), who will later become an advisor to Bill Clinton. Finally, she discovers a broadcast from space
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Laurence Olivier), upset that his mother, Queen Gertrude (Eileen Herlie) has married his uncle Claudius (Basil Sydney) just two months after the death of the old king, is informed by his father’s ghost that Claudius murdered him. Hamlet vows revenge, but moves slowly, feigning madness, rejecting and abusing the young Ophelia (Jean
It’s not the mystery, or the emotional impact, or the philosophical theme that make this film a pleasure, as it has none of those. It’s the humor. This is a movie to laugh at (not with), and occasionally just to stare at in disbelief.
Housewife Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her self-absorbed husband Guy (John Cassavetes) move to an apartment next to a strange old couple (Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer). Rosemary becomes pregnant, but this happy event is also the beginning of her paranoia and fear that witches want her baby. Along with The Omen and The Exorcist, Rosemary’s
In 1958, Film Noir was no longer original. Either by design (like Sunset Blvd.) or by mistake (like Touch of Evil) Noirs had been reduced to parodies. And this parody documents the fall of Orson Welles. Few have fallen farther.