Los tallos amargos

THE BITTER STEMS is a 1956 Argentine Film Noir and is one of two new releases from Flicker Alley and the Film Noir Foundation that showcase two "lost" movies from 1950s Argentina. It was based on a best selling Argentine novel and is on AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER's list of the 100 Best Photographed Films of all time. The cinematographer, Ricardo Younis, was a pupil of the legendary Gregg Toland (CITIZEN KANE) while Fernando Ayala was emerging as one of Argentina's top directors. After being acclaimed on its initial release, it disappeared for many years before being discovered at a private collector's home. Restoration was done at the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

The story concerns a disillusioned journalist (Carlos Cores) who joins forces with a Hungarian immigrant (Vassili Lambrinos) to create a fake journalism correspondence school so the Hungarian can bring his family to Argentina. It all starts well with the money rolling in and 2/3 going to bring the family over but soon the journalist thinks he is being cheated after the appearance of a woman who is not a family member. It is then that he takes matters into his own hands with tragic results. In addition to solid performances and moody photography, BITTER STEMS features an early score from celebrated composer Astor Piazzola.

Thanks once again to Flicker Alley for continuing their ongoing Film Noir Series in partnership with "Noircheologist" Eddie Muller and to his Film Nor Foundation for rescuing THE BITTER STEMS from oblivion. The DVD/Blu Ray combo comes with a 23 page booklet that is loaded with photos and information. Other extras include a filmed introduction on the movie with Muller, a conversation with Argentine archivist Fernando Martin Pena, and a profile of composer Astor Piazzola. Finally there is an optional commentary from film historian Imogen Sara Smith. An absolute must have for fans of Film Noir...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

There are several twists and turns in this film, so you'll definitely cheat yourself if you read any reviews warning of spoilers.

Thanks to the Film Noir Foundation and UCLA, the restored version aired on TCM's Noir Alley hosted by Eddie Mueller. If you can catch his intro and outro, you'll learn some interesting things, such as the original novel was awarded a very prestigious Argentinian award as was the film itself, the score is by one of Argentina's most celebrated composers, and one of South America's most popular, if not most popular, female actors of the time has a small but important role.

There's all kinds of noir style going on, but there's also echoes of Edgar Allan Poe's use of concise storytelling, paranoia, and the concept of justice as an archetype. The acting is wonderful, and the cinematography is stunning. The musical score is all over the place, but it honestly works.

A must for noir junkies.

I've always searched great but unknown films noirs from outside USA, in England of course, but also France, Italy, Scandinavia, Egypt, South America and especially Argentina.

I just discovered this Argentinian noir movie, and it's a must. A real tough brainstorming in music, cinematography, script, acting. A constant crescendo creepy atmosphere about a man possessed by nasty war II nightmares. Very intelligent use of music by Astor Piazolla , wonderful cinematography by Ricardo Younis (Gregg Tolland's student). And what an ending, never seen such a cynical one. Bravo.

Very dated movie done --part of it-- as expressionistic 1930s German cinema, part as realistic 1950s European neo realism, all mixed up with a very Argentinian way of interpreting the brief and blunt dialogs throughout the whole movie.

The story is quite interesting. It could have been superbly interesting if the script could have been fully developed going deeply into the main character psychology and motives for his behavior instead of the bumpy way shown here so abruptly from one scene to the next (unless I saw a faulty copy with missing scenes).

Our tortured main character motivations for what he does, as seen in this version, is totally incomprehensible, since he has no real proof to take such a drastic measure to solve the dilemma that tortures his feverish mind.

The photography may be the best asset in this film, done in black and white with a very impressive atmosphere, dark and oppressive almost all the time.

The soundtrack is also very good, following the black mood of the story very precisely and to the point.

But the whole feeling disclosed here, either about the city, its people or our protagonists is nowadays as removed from us as a Christopher Columbus ship could be as incongruous standing next to an atomic submarine.

Based on this 1956 offering I'd say the Argentines have a thorough grasp of noir, no? This dark, curdled tale of not good vs evil but rather amiable crookedness vs evil is utterly fascinating. It's not a case of whom to root for but rather which of the two antagionists do we pity less? Tough call. On the one hand you have the loud, unctuous con artist and on the other there's the tortured, psychotic worm. My sympathies ultimately came down on the side of the later, but it was a close call and was made all the closer by the skilled performances of the two lead actors, Carlos Cores and Vassili Lambrinos, who perfectly embody these twin poles of ethical and moral corruption in mid 50s Argentina, as the tyrannical Peronist era was yielding to a slightly less tyrannical succession of military strongmen, an uneasy time in a country haunted by a repressive and fascistic past and facing an uncertain future. This state of mind is subtly brought out by director Fernando Ayala and his scenarist Sergio Leonardo in such scenes as the nightmares of Gaspar as he confronts his father's Nazi past and the wonderfully ironic ending where a hopeful new generation is planting flowers from bitter stems, unknowingly atop a corpse's grave. Throw in bleak, shadowy cinematography from one of Greg Toland's more apt pupils, Ricardo Younis, and a seductive jazz/tango score by Astor Piazzola and one can see why this film is a near masterpiece. Why near? Didn't like the character of Jarvis who is, in my opinion, unbelievably credulous around an obviously nutso Gaspar. Give it an A minus.