symmachos

I just watched this movie for the second time. I liked it much better than the first time, mostly because I didn't appreciate Irene Dunne enough on first viewing. Now I can confidently say she's beautiful, with a terrific voice. Her character is a winning combination of sass and vulnerability.

Overall this film deserves to be called "sparkling," not just for its witty dialogue (much of it improvised!) but also for the sequined gowns worn by Dunne and the other high-society ladies.

Cary Grant gets first prize for fast-talking comedy. He's at the top of his debonair charm, handsome & effortlessly classy, but where he really shines is the slapstick. Some of his best scenes involve "Mr. Smith," portrayed by Skippy, a wire-haired terrier who was then the foremost canine star in Hollywood. Skippy also appeared in the first four Thin Man movies, and he rejoined Grant in "Bringing Up Baby" just a year later.

As far as I know, the famous photo of Marilyn Monroe with her skirting blowing up was inspired by the night club scene in which Dixie Belle Lee sings "My Dreams Are Gone with the Wind." That scene alone would have made the movie worthwhile, but luckily there's so much more to love!

Amsterdam is a thoroughly eccentric film that centers on an equally eccentric character portrayed by Christian Bale. True to form, Bale undergoes an extreme physical transformation to bring his character to life.

The movie unfolds as a murder mystery with strong political overtones. As stated at the beginning, the story is based on an actual historical incident -- the so-called Business Plot of 1933 (Google it). However, all the characters and events in Amsterdam are completely fictitious, with the exception of MacGuire, who really did exist and really did die under peculiar circumstances in 1935. (The character played by Robert DeNiro is based on General Smedley Butler, whereas DeNiro's character is called General Dillenbeck.)

I found the movie entertaining from start to finish. I was never bored or confused by the narrative, and I was suitably impressed by the all-star cast. One detail was especially amusing -- the nonsense songs that the three main characters sing.

I didn't like the photography, though. There were lots of very low camera angles, many shots were intentionally overexposed, and the color palette was dominated by shades of red, orange, and brown. If the intention was to be grotesque and unsettling, it worked.

I'm fascinated by the sharp divide in these user reviews. Many IMDb commenters say Amsterdam was a masterpiece, while just as many say it was total garbage. I disagree with both extremes. I liked the movie well enough, but I can't say I loved anything about it. Watch it if you like zany excursions into the early 20th century.

I liked three things about this movie: the food; the gorgeous landscapes of Toscana; and Cristiana dell'Anna, who was so memorable in Gomorra, and who still managed to tug at my heart in this venture. Unfortunately the script fell far short of the photography and the cast, and that ruined things for me.

There are no surprises after the first 15 minutes. If you've ever seen a movie about a chef, or any rom-com whatsoever, you know what's coming next.

A better story and more plausible characters would have helped a lot, but as written, neither Theo nor Sophia made any sense to me. I hope Cristiana dell'Anna gets better parts in better movies very soon!