SOME LIKE IT HOT

I love Marilyn.Honestly, I do.
Like any teenage girl, I had quite the film star crush on her. Posters on my wall, best-of collections, imitated pouts and purrs with my friends to get a giggle. But as a young gal there are elements of an actors performance and energy you will neglect to pick up on. Whilst watching Some Like it Hot tonight, in my darkened living room in east London, with a world of creative happenings behind me, I discovered a side of Marilyn I never had.
More so than anything, just how incredibly vulnerable she is, sad, brooding, lost puppy that she was. Of course knowing how her tragic fate unfolds, doesn't help. But whatever it was going on under those half open eyes of hers only helps Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, her slow, sultry character in what was to be one of the more charming and funny films of the decade.

Some Like it Hot is about 2 shmucky guys, Joe and Jerry, the struggling saxophonist and violinist who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They witness a murder in Chicago and need to take shelter quick smart. The first escape route presented to them is a train headed to Miami with a big band, only problem is, they need to be women to play in the band, so naturally they find some wigs, jewels, frumpy outfits and jump aboard.



Fooling everyone, especially Sugar Cane, who instantly becomes the subject of 'Josephine's' utter infatuation. Meanwhile upon arriving in Miami, Jerry himself becomes the subject of a certain millionaire's infatuation, Osgood Fielding II.
They flirt, flutter and fight throughout.
Will Sugar cane figure out Joe's true identity? How long can Jerry fool the millionaire? Will the mobs find them? How many more times in this scene can Marilyn close her eyelids and then open them again ever so slowly?

It's a silly film really. Ridiculous, light hearted fun.

It's all capped off with the legendary scene where all four characters are en route to escaping the mobsters in a speed boat and in a desperate effort to deter his admirer, Jerry starts to list a hundred reasons as to why he, himself, is a less than perfect character.
Finally pulling his wig of to reveal his true identity as a man, to which Osgood plainly replies, "well, nobody's perfect".

ALL ABOUT EVE

I absolutely loved this film.

Within the first 15 mins, one of my favourite film quotes to date had been coined, when they are describing the intoxicating spirit of its lead starlet, Eve Harrington: "the times moves with her".
And then there's: "I'm Addison DeWitt. I'm nobody's fool, least of all yours. "


Eve Harrington, (Anne Baxter) plays a crafty, young thing who weaves and manoeuvres herself into a very impressive circle of Broadway actors and directors. Including her mentor, stage star Margo Channing, played by the brilliant Bette Davis.

Yes, yes, we've all heard of Bette Davis, a divine film inspiration, marvelled universally for her acting prowess, revered by actors world-wide for her unparalleled performance. But have you ever really watched her in an entire film? Admired for her reserve of complex facial expressions and emotions. Well, I hadn't, until All About Eve.

She's dead funny, cool, high strung and manic.
Oddly attractive which just makes her more interesting really.
But i guess that's besides the point.

From a modern day perspective, All About Eve, not dissimilar to Sunset Boulevard, deals directly with the consequences of fame and fortune. The starvation for success, the inexplicable obsession and willingness we have to say anything, be anything, do just about anything and in some cases, everything, to acquire some level of universal recognition.
Keep in mind, in 1950, you were expected to be somewhat capable in some field of entertainment to access that recognition, as opposed to now, where you merely have to lift a manicured finger....well....in some cases, that's all you really have to do to manage a crowd.

So, here we have a very familiar circumstance, a cute blonde playing her cards perfectly, moving into Margo Channing's well oiled world, maids, midday martinis and friends on call 24/7 to remind her of how successful she is. Increasingly, Ms. Harrington becomes a big threat to Margo, questioning her own self belief. She deals with some very contemporary issues, our obsession with youth, fame, worth, success. Margo drowns her concerns to the tune of a sorrowful melody, dragging her very loyal, adoring partner and friends down with her.

They try to their best ability to pick her up, drawing her attention instead to the achievements she's acquired thus far.
It's not an abstract sentiment really, Margo once was and desperately still wants to be. Although how can she when the star-lit arrival of her younger protege, Eve, plays as a perpetual reminder of this. She is surrounded by starlets, all of which are younger and more beautiful. Of course it doesn't help that Marilyn Monroe makes a cameo as a ditzy, young wannabe, she is gorgeous and desperate, it is insinuated not very talented either. But none of that matters in Margo's increasingly hazy universe, all she recognises is what she does not have control over anymore, her youth, aesthetic and demeanour.


Fast forward to the end scene, we have the original fated star, Eve Harrington , tired, seemingly regretful and alone in her hotel room, or so she thinks, until she discovers, Phoebe, a complete stranger poking around uninvited. Phoebe, another young starlet, fresh of the conveyor belt, wide eyed and hopeful. Another broad with the same air of desperation and eagerness Eve herself had not so long ago.

And so it begins all over again.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

My second in the 100 film challenge is Alfred Hitchcock's, North by Northwest.

This film sets the standard for the smart, sassy, spy thriller.
Set in a highly stylised era of crisp suits, classy bars, breathtaking fashion, the martini crowd, whistling and wooing their way through a fast talking new age.

He, devastatingly handsome, she, hopelessly attractive, they meet on a 20th Century Limited train headed who knows where, who knows when.
All we do know thus far is that Cary Grant must escape a couple henchmen who mistake him for a Government agent by the name of Kaplan.
It feels about as cliche an introduction as any thriller you're likely to have seen, however, I have to keep reminding myself that this is an experimental format for the time. This is 1959, Hitchcock is inventing a genre, the very cool, spy escapade. We're talking years before the greatest Bond Films, decades before cop shows, award winning spy novels and so on.

It only helps that Cary Grant is painfully charming, it's hard to believe no one has sued George Clooney for performance plagiarism, were there such a thing. It was like hearing the original version of your favourite song, the one you never knew existed, you know that feeling, simultaneously disappointing as is intriguing. Clooney has borrowed every twitch, twinkle and mannerism he could hope to replicate from Grant.
Eva Marie Saint sets the standard for cool, icy blondes to date.
They sure don't make em like they used to.

When Grant recognises what danger he's gotten himself into, he sets out on a grand adventure of sorts. Racing automobiles, skipping trains, dodging planes, tracing footsteps, picking hotel locks, you get the drift. It's a magnificent journey to be on, the performances are entertaining and the story is seamless.
I keep thinking of Madmen the entire film, (and please tell me whoever you are, that you've at least seen the complete first series!?) you have the slick advertising exec and the perfect blonde, I'm certain the honcho's at Madmen turned to North by Northwest for some very specific inspiration. Look no further than Donald and Betty Draper........

Again, I don't wish to give away too much, but there is the inevitable climax, gun shots, cliffs hanging, a heroine in danger of her life and a small plane which may or may not take off into the night sky.
Nominated for 3 oscars at the time and countless other film awards, there is a perfectly good reason why North by Northwest stands the test of time. It's crafty, humorous, brilliant and all the while hopelessly good entertainment!

SUNSET BOULEVARD

My first of the '100 films' challenge is Sunset Boulevard. A noir-ish thriller, staring the mesmerising Gloria Swanson

In short, a fabulously creepy, over sexed, frightening old woman who lives in what appears an old haunted mansion, finds her long awaited solace in Joe Gillis, a grumpy and trouble ridden film writer, who out of desperation (running from debt collectors) drives in to her garage one night and ends up living there in what becomes a deranged and ultimately fatal relationship.

Mind you, if he had any sense about him in the first place, he would have considered the fact that he was initially invited into the mansion having been mistaken for an undertaker who was expected to bury Norma's monkey........o.k.......he might have left about that point, he didn't, instead sticking around for a stiff drink, in which case, i say he deserved a similar fate to that of the monkeys.

Gloria Swanson gives about as magnificent a performance as your ever likely to see in a film. She is whole heartedly pathetic and completely delusional as an ageing silent film star, who over the years has created a kind of permanent film set of her own within the very secure walls of her Hollywood fortress. Max, her ex husband, who is now her butler and confidant of sorts, plays a huge part in reinforcing this secret world of hers where she is still a major star, a coming attraction, the worlds greatest actress!

Gradually we figure out, as does Joe, that she is not and has not been for a very very long time now. At this point, he very quickly starts to 'put the car in reverse'. One night he successfully manages to escape Norma's claw and attends a friends party in town, it's there that he bumps into Betty Schaefer, the cutesy, all American blonde studio writer, who is clearly taken with Joe and subtly pursues him until they start collaborating on a script together. This, inevitably leads to a love affair and the gradual discovery of this affair by the mad old bitch back at the mansion.

To be fair, I wont unravel every detail just incase you end up seeing the film.
And in the very humble opinion of this amateurish film critic, I strongly recommend you do!

The final scene in Sunset Boulevard is spectacular, riveting, mesmerising, mad and brilliant.
Possibly the earliest and greatest film account of the stark raving lunacy in which intense stardom and success is capable of manifesting.

Just as relevant today, as was yesterday.

THE LIST........

I adore films.

They have informed so much of how I exist in the world.

The way I think, the words I choose, the clothes I wear, the way I wear them, the dreams i have, the people I meet.

From the earliest age, I remember holding on to those hazy visuals as some kind of refuge.

The first films I fell in love with were The Labyrinth, Back to the Future, Heathers,The Breakfast Club and so on. A few years on I met a girl in high school who had the biggest crush on old glamour, ol' fashioned films, ol' fashioned stars, the ol' fashioned way.

She introduced me to the lot of them, Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Cable, Lana Turner. Mind you, I never saw all the films, it was more of an ideal we were attracted to. Posters on the wall, scarlet lipstick, dashing men. You get the drift.

Then there was my River Phoenix obsession, Film Noir, Elvis films, French New Wave, everything Luc Beeson, Woody Allen, Cheesy 80's la la la.....

Over the years I've been able to cull my list down to atleast 5 all time favourites, movies that make me feel that something, move me, inspire me, shake me. They are The Professional, Chinatown, Vivra Sa Vie, Pleasantville, Almost Famous, more recently, Let the Right Ones In, Anchorman, Donnie Darko, When You're Strange and La Vie En Rose.

It was an accidental stumbling upon the AFI's official list of what they consider to be the 100 greatest films of all time that has led me to this moment in time. The films, judged on a criteria considering "popularity over time", "critical acclaim", "cultural impact" and so on, helped to shape a fairly intimidating list of movies, most, of which, to my absolute horror, I have never actually seen. 23, is the exact number in fact, of the films I had seen on that list

Upon this humiliating realisation, I had decided to embark upon my own personal quest. Hence, 100 films in 100 days.

I do not promise to see a film a day, it may be 3 in one week, 3 in one day, nothing for a month, I'm a busy gal as I'm sure you are, its a dynamic time we live in and with all the distractions a town like London has to offer, this will in fact be a challenge.

Be it in between drinks, after hours or pre dawn, I will see each and every film on that list if it's the last thing i do!