What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?

Scorsese, you're a funny guy...

He got funnier later in his career, that's for sure, but for an early short film made when the legend was only 20, it's not bad. It follows a neurotic guy as he narrates his life that's uneventful, but he perceives it to be chaotic. It feels sort of like a prototype for the kind of thing that Woody Allen would essentially make a career out of (did Scorsese beat him to the punch? I don't know of many Woody Allen films that were written or directed before the late 1960s).

It's got some neat editing, and a certain amount of style that makes it better than the average short film made this long ago. There's nothing amazing to be found here, but it's decent enough and made me chuckle a couple of times, so that's something.

This early effort by Scorsese demonstrates a real flair with cinematic technique, as well as a cheerfully dry sense of humour.

It seems to be about writer's block, quite possibly a mini-homage to Fellini's 8&1/2, but what I found most striking was its warped sense of humour, more British than American.

Shot in black & white, the short is about a would-be writer called Algernon (aka Harry), who becomes obsessed with a picture on his wall. He can't eat, sleep, or write, then throws a party, where he finds the cure for his troubles.

That doesn't really sum it up, as I think this film was more about Scorsese having some fun putting a film together, although there's no doubt a fair bit of personal reflection in there.

For some reason, short films aren't as enjoyable & well-made as this anymore, now that everyone does it.

Well worth a look.

I found this first short of the brilliant Martin Scorcese very odd, very odd indeed. Although it is a student film, I loved this cartoonish, "woody allenish" (or Jewish comedy) side of Scorcese, and I would really like to see more.

Unfortunately, we still haven't (I'm not complaining though), and that leads us to the question: "what if Scorcese had stayed on the comedy path?", great things i'm sure.

Didn't like the ending though, but enjoyed very much the repetitive actions of the friend and the bizarre montage of the boat.

As I said, this is a very enjoyable short, I recommend it (if anyone cares).

PS: This is my first review, that's why it stinks.

PS2: I would re read this review listing to "Wouldn't it be nice" by the Beach Boys.

"What's A Nice Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This?" is Martin Scorsese's first film, a non-sequitur short in which he flexes his visual and narrative muscles and announces his dynamic presence in the world of cinema.

The plot is insignificant... the cuts are fast and aggressive, the visuals big and bold. What amazes me is how comfortable Scorsese seems with the camera, the frame, and the rhythm so early in his career... the movie is alive with his genius; it's still striking today.

• The shots of Harry setting up his apartment are reminiscent of Edward Norton's catalog decorating in "Fight Club." Did director David Fincher get his idea from this movie? Probably not, but great minds think alike... and incidentally Scorsese achieved his effect without any computers.

• The interplay between the voice-over narration and the dialogue reminded me of Scorsese's "Goodfellas," especially the friend who simply repeats Harry's lines.

HENRY (VO): What could I do? If she wanted me to I had to go back for her hat!

KAREN: A hat?

• If you are a New Yorker you may notice a brief but interesting shot of the 1964 World's Fair grounds under construction in Queens. The Unisphere is of course still up and not far from Shea Stadium which was also being built at the time.

Can I rate this as a movie? Of course not... a student film like this is not intended to be a profound statement; it's an appetizer, a hint of what's to come, and Scorsese has delivered on his promise to say the least. The only people who will see this are Scorsese fans and film students, but it provides an education for anyone who considers themselves a film fan. Worth checking out.

The title of this short doesn't really tell what it's about. This is the earliest of the legendary Martin Scorsese's films that's available for viewing and it's quite a fascinating find as with this one, he experiments with various jump cuts, still images, and extreme close-ups with a (possibly) stock piano score playing throughout. The ending is especially interesting. Worth checking out.