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Reviews
Small Time Crooks (2000)
Typical Allen movie, but very worthwhile seeing
Quite low key, but very amusing and intelligent. Allen paraphrasing George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion amongst many other sources. The rise and fall of a small time failure of a crock, played by Allen, is quite moving in fact. Interesting to note the use of Hugh Grant as a character playing with the typical "Hugh Grant-role". He actually does a wonderful job playing his usual character.
The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
Excellent Wilde-adaptation, despite the theatrical composition
Brilliant fun, quite close to the written original. This is Wilde at his best and Anthony Asquith only ads a beautiful mice-en-scene. Nothing is to be said about the acting, everybody does more than is expected of them, contributing to this tight-knit comedy-drama.
Six et demi onze (1927)
Wonderful and beautiful, a silent masterpiece.
Female infidelity leads a man, Jean, to commit suicide. When he is dead his brother, Jerôme, starts having an affair with the same woman, Mary. But... there is a photography left of her first brother, who the second is getting closer to finding - hence the title (6,5 X 11 - an film negative format). Wonderfully photographed with moving camera, superimposed pictures and a contrast that leaves nothing to be desired. Interesting use of the close-up to emphasize the story as well. And notice the use of the mirror to show how the story is about to repeat itself. The mice-en-scene could, throughout the film, be though to have come directly from a display of state-of-the-art modernist interior design architecture - stunningly beautiful. The men in this film all wear lipstick, silk garments and nail-polish in their very chic upper-class fashion. Oscar Wilde would not be let down. Do not miss this film, should you ever get the chance to see it.
Salesman (1969)
"Death of a salesman" without death but with real life.
A tragic summary of a job that demands a very cynic and indoctrinated person. Brilliant fun at times, but what you, as a viewer, are laughing at, are indeed real people, with real emotions.
The "direct cinema" style of the film is very convincing, though not without leaving doubts about real truth in documentaries. The problem with the "missing body" is not there, but problems about representing people and reality still creeps up on you during the film. However, there is little evidence in the film that the filmmakers are interrupting anything, none of the people in the film ever react to the camera.
Certainly a worthwhile documentary film for those interested in the subject per se. Interesting also to notice that all the classic sales-tricks are in place as early as 1969.