fbergeot-1 Reviews

Singing Guns (1950)

If guns could only sing!

[9/10 · 28 January 2021]

Two men, a sheriff and an outlaw, compete for a woman. A doctor heals the sheriff's body with the help of the outlaw and would like to heal the outlaw's soul. While the sheriff recovers the outlaw fills in for him. The woman is interested in the outlaw but also in the reward for the location of his hangout. Add as the real villain the owner of a gold mine. Of course all those threads will disentangle and everyone will get what they deserve. This is played in a not quite realistic western setting, with the outlaw a gifted singer and piano player. It makes for a surprising and pleasant viewing.

Slunce, seno a pár facek (1989)

After the revolution?

[15 December 2009]

Like Stephan-fish, I enjoyed the film very much, although I think there is a little too much slapping toward the end. But I am not sure it shows scenes of the poor Czech country after the revolution, unless the revolution meant is the one that took place in February 1948. The film was shot in the summer of 1988 (you can even see a calendar in the cooperative's office) and the velvet revolution took place in November 1989. The jokes about the communist regime are rather innocent, or very subtle. I would say the story takes place in a country which did not really exist. The important part taken by the village parson is surprising, although of course religion is shown, as befitted the regime, as a matter for old people.

Monika (1974)

About the early Gloria Guida flick

[3/10 · 2 August 2008]

It seems I saw the same film as Lazarillo, that's to say in German without subtitles, but contrary to him I would not have had a look at it had I not a sufficient knowledge of the language to have more than the pictures. The film is titled in modern German "Kesse Teens". Having put out a spoiler alert I feel entitled to add that the "slightly older Lothario" happens to be a professor of Monika's. I don't have the impression there is anything between the "frosty wife" and her, and Monika is the only one topless when they swim together, although we can see Sandra (the wife) swimming in the buff earlier in the film. Anyway Lazarillo may be right, it is not sure the film is better when you can follow the plot.

Cassandra's Dream (2007)

A weak plot

[4/10 · 18 November 2007]

I know fiction is fiction but I am afraid there are some weaknesses in the plot. First, how is it possible that someone like uncle Howard has to rely on his nephews to rescue himself, not knowing before his visit to England that they will ask him for help (maybe Woody Allen was aware of the nonsense, because their dialogue takes place under the shelter of a tree during a storm)? Second, the spectator understands at once that Terry (the Farell character) will get the pair of brothers into trouble and Ian (the McGregor character), which understands it too, should go it alone and leave Terry out of it. But of course without all that there would be no film. I don't share the reservations about the ending. From the film title it is quite obvious the ending will take place on the boat. I could rely on Allen to hide violence and I was not disappointed. But this ending is not at all moral: uncle Howard is the big winner (unless we imagine Terry's phone call to the police before his death could lead somewhere).