GEMS

Here in no particular order are some favourite films not considered to be classics

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5 Fingers (1952). Excellent script, very tight. Fast moving story, doubly interesting for its WW2 historical context. Best thing I've seen James Mason do. He would have been a good choice to play a cool and calculating James Bond.

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The Moon is Blue (1953) Maggie McNamara could have been another Audrey Hepburn but finished in a New York office typing pool. She is great in the role of this initially unpresuming frail looking yet ultimately in-your-face young girl who is more than a match for her suitors. Unexpectedly sexually frank for the times (my year of birth) and funny.

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Cup of coffee anyone?

Withnail and I (1987) Could this be your kitchen? In the opening scenes Marwood (I) tries madly to stop Withnail from venturing in to wash the dishes because 'there are things moving there'! What a fine relationship between these two out-of-work actors.

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I'M Alright Jack (1959) Here is a totally well rounded entertainment package in a film. It apparently suffered from a perceived anti-union bias. What is not mentioned so much was it's anti big business bias with all the corruption therein and the idleness of the British upper classes. These things today are a given so there should be no barrier to enjoying this romp with the very best of English actors of the day. To this day no other actor comes near emulating Sellers and here he delivers a perfect portrayal of the Union boss, sincere in his dedication for the working classes and readings of the dictum of Marx. He plays it straight down and achieves quietly both a humorous and sad pathos at the same time. Then there is Carmichael, playing the son in an upper class family who decides that he needs to do something with his life and will take up, dare I say it a job! (Heaven forbid!). But Aunty Dolly (M.Rutherford) never fear is here to ensure that English class propriety is being maintained. And...but no, it's time to press play and enjoy.

Ian Carmichael, Dennis Price ,          Terri-Thomas, Peter Sellers,            M.Maitland,               Margaret Rutherford

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A Woman's Tale (1991)  Certainly no blockbuster this Australian film is largely unknown but for no good reason. Directed by Australian icon Paul Cox and made on a relative shoe-string budget it shows what can be achieved with little money. All the actors do a great job but Sheila Florance is stunning in what turned out her swan act, as she plays the elderly woman dying with cancer. The human touch is all over this film, as it is in all Cox's works. When you watch this film you know the creator cared much for all his characters and also for the story that is being told. Paul Cox is an artist who is able to create a rapport with his audience very quickly. He shows you where they live and their daily interactions, and their personal attachments, their dreams and nightmares. When you start watching you can't stop because you want to know more. He makes it look so easy but not many film makers do it like that. 

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 Page 8 (TV2011) Ok, this is a spy, MI5, thriller type movie. Never mind all that, you can read all about that at IMDB. If you watch this at home, turn out the light, put the sound system on and get ready to trip on the cool quiet music. Envelop yourself in the mystery (not too much), the world weary hero who smokes too much ala Humphrey Bogart, lives alone and is not on the lookout for company (but he really is), has an important government job and deals with high end politicians, spies and nosy neighbours...and compromises his future when he has to deal the PM on a sordid matter. Never mind that. Does he get the girl? Well you'll have to watch to find out. Bill Nigh is the new Bogart, though he's getting on. He should have started doing this sort of stuff years ago instead of all those silly roles in Pirates and whatever else. Deliciously gloomy when you're in the mood.

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The Incredible Shrinking Man(1957). Now here is a film that turns up occasionally but doesn't get much of a mention. I was about seven years old and it was probably my first film experience. It certainly left a mark on me. I saw it in Chile so it was either dubbed or subtitled in Spanish but I do not recall nor did it matter much as it was really a visual experience and most of the scenes spoke for themselves.
The fight with the spider was graphically terrifying and with an immensely satisfying end. I remember being disappointed that after such a happy and carefree opening scenes, lovely wife and happy home setting everything turned so sour. I wondered when would things get back to normal again. They never did and there didn't seem to be any conclusion at the end. Of course seeing it again recently I understood the fitting philosophical ending which makes this a very treasured gem.