proud_luddite

In rural New England, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie (Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine) own and run a boarding school for girls from well-off families. When a spoiled bully pupil (Mary Tilford played by Karen Balkin) is punished for a misdeed, she takes revenge by spreading a lie that the relationship between the two headmistresses is "unnatural". The film is based on the play by Lillian Hellman who co-wrote the screenplay with John Michael Hayes.

There were moments when the film felt "stagey" as so often happens in films based on plays. Thankfully, such moments were rare in this film. The best scene takes place in the house of Mary's grandmother, Amelia Tilford (Fay Bainter) when Karen and Martha confront the lie that has been spread. Adding more tension to this scene is the presence of Joseph Cardin (James Garner) who is Karen's fiancé as well as Amelia's nephew. This scene stands out for its acting and writing. As vile as Amelia can be, she also shows a side where she demands righteousness even if this includes the possible correction of the original accusation. And the character of Mary is similar to that of another despicable young schoolgirl around the same age in "The Bad Seed" released just five years earlier. Was there possibly a theme during that time period of "sugar and spice and everything ice"?

There is an interesting inclusion of another character: Martha's aunt Lily (Miriam Hopkins) who works at the school though not the best of employees and not the best of 'family' either. She and Martha have a fascinating conversation that reflected some of the repression at the time against unmarried people who are 'past a certain age'. This is one of many scenes that aptly displays the narrow-minded attitudes of the time.

It seems the accusation (against the headmistresses) is so shocking that it is whispered rather than spoken in two different scenes. This might also reflect similar repression in the film industry of the time where references to homosexuality were rare as they were so discouraged and often forbidden. For this reason, it was brave to make such a film at the time. In later time periods, "The Children's Hour" was criticized for being outdated in its attitudes but this does not consider the paradigms of the time. Overall, it was better to use limited means to expose a forbidden subject than to stuff and stifle it into a closet and express nothing at all.

Director William Wyler succeeds in keeping the tension alive throughout. And he is at his best in the later scenes where he lets the camera linger on the faces of the main characters. His framing of the climactic scene with the use of shadows and lighting is perfect. One has to look carefully within the frame to understand the major event that has happened.

MacLaine, Hepburn, and Bainter stand out in a superb cast especially MacLaine during a pivotal scene near the film's end. Veronica Cartrwright also has an important supporting role as another bad pupil.

In the end, "The Children's Hour" is another superb story on how vengeful rumours can spread like wildfire in small communities. And when the subject of a rumour is something so despised and feared that its name cannot even be spoken at normal volume, the tension is pitch perfect.

RATING: 9 out of 10

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS:

* Directing by William Wyler * Acting Ensemble

• dbamateurcritic.

The O'Hara and Wilkes families respectively own Tara and Twelve Oaks, neighbouring plantations in Georgia. The lives of some of their family members are highlighted before, during and after the U. S. Civil War. The main characters include Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) who is in love with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) who is engaged to marry his cousin Melanie Hamilton (Olivia De Havilland). One of the many suitors interested in Scarlett include Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), a man of questionable reputation who is a friend of the Wilkes family and lives in Charleston, South Carolina. "Gone with the Wind" is based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell.

While there is much to praise in this film, it is incomplete due to its exclusion of the perspectives of the black slave characters whose experiences during this history would have been the most profound. Some of the opening text also shows a very outdated nostalgic yearning for the "gallantry" of the pre-Civil War Confederacy. History has later shown that some people were definitely not treated with "gallantry" during this time period. Nevertheless, the narrow viewpoint of the story is expressed with exceptional film-making that is mostly touching, often inspiring, and always spectacular.

The film's first half is better than its second as it contrasts the grandeur of the prosperous plantations at the very beginning (including a large party) with the post-war desolation and poverty that follow. And the war scenes are brilliant and rightly praised among the best in movies.

The second half is also good but there are some moments that seem inconsistent and confusing. Still, the many emotional moments in the last half hour were genuine and lead to a grand finale.

The acting is great but occasionally some lines are said so quickly, it's difficult to understand what is said. Despite this, praise is still due.

Leigh impresses greatly as as someone who is very unlikeable but is also alluring and intriguing. Hattie McDaniel also stands out as Mammy, a character who is strong-minded and good-hearted. And after this viewing (my ninth), I had more appreciation for the performances of Gable and De Havilland.

Gable does very well in delivering the film's best lines especially in his ability to see through Scarlett's scheming character. He also shows versatility as Rhett is strong and smart in some scenes while being very vulnerable in others.

And in previous viewings, it seemed the character of Melanie was a weak spot as she seemed "too good" but in this viewing, it seemed slightly more possible that maybe such goodness is believable. There's also a great scene where Melanie steps out of character and takes full authority when waiting with other women for the men in their inner circle to return from a "political meeting".

The film's production values are magnificent especially in scenes that show Scarlett's silhouette against a sunset when the iconic theme song is playing - one of those times standing with her father. These are truly "goosebumps" moments.

This grand movie is well-deserving of its high status.

RATING: 9 out of 10

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS:

* Directing by Victor Fleming (credited); and also George Cukor, Sam Wood, and Cameron Menzies (uncredited)

* Production Values: Cinematography, Set Design, Costumes, Musical Score, and Film Editing

• dbamateurcritic.

Hortense Cumberbatch (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a young optometrist living in London who was adopted in the family that raised her. Seeking her birth mother, she finds Cynthia Purley (Brenda Blethyn), an emotionally unstable woman who works in a factory. A complication to their connection is that Hortense is black while Cynthia is white.

The cast is exceptional individually and especially in tandem particularly Blethyn whose runaway emotions are a force on their own. Among the exceptional scenes:

• the reunion scene between Hortense and Cynthia; Hortense is relatively (no pun intended) the rock of stability in this scene despite having her own emotional problems;

• later bonding scenes between the two where it becomes apparent that each needed the other to fill gaps unfulfilled by any of their other family members;

• earlier phone call scenes between the two women before they meet in person;

• an awkward scene between Cynthia and her estranged brother Maurice (Timothy Spall), a successful photographer whose wife Monica (Phyllis Logan) dislikes Cynthia and vice versa;

• Hortense trying to hide emotions while at the adoption agency;

• an extended scene in the backyard of the home of Maurice and Monica for a 21st birthday gathering of Cynthia's other daughter Roxanne (Claire Rushbrook); here the spontaneity of everyone involved is splendid;

• Cynthia's reaction when Roxanne opens a birthday gift from someone else;

• the climactic scene later at the same party which is powerful and highlights the gifts of the actors involved.

Director/writer Mike Leigh also provides a lot of fun in a few montage scenes of Maurice at work taking photographs of a great variety of people. These scenes are the film's most comical moments especially one involving a dour medical student.

While much is known about Cynthia's family, there's very little information about Hortense's. And while the climactic scene is amazing, it concludes in a way that is not fully believable considering past animosities. But these are small complaints for a film that is overall an outstanding family drama.

RATING: 9 out of 10

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Acting Ensemble - especially the performance of Brenda Blethyn

* dbamateurcritic.