OT: Joan Bennett Movie This Wednesday

[Luciaphile]

And it's a beauty (in a strictly Luciaphil-esque sense of the word).

http://www.tv-now.com/stars/joanben.html

The Woman on the Beach airs this Wednesday (4/16) on TCM at 1PM EST.

Stars Joan Bennett, Robert Ryan, Charles Bickford, and Nan Leslie. It's directed by Jean Renoir (his last American film and you'll see why). Basically Robert Ryan plays an emotionally traumatized Coast Guard 's officer ('cause they saw so much action, right?) who meets Joan Bennett (on the beach). They hook up despite the fact that Ryan's been involved with Nan Leslie and that Bennett is married to famous, but now blind artist Charles Bickford. Ryan becomes obsessed with trying to prove that Bickford is not blind. He also discovers some unpleasant truths about Bennett.

Plot has holes you could drive a truck through. The musical score is possibly the worst I've ever heard in a Hollywood production. Some unfortunate performances (not bad, just sooo out of place) particularly from Irene Ryan (now famous for her role as Granny Clampett).

However, it's worth watching. Firmly in the noir tradition--always Bennett's best milieu. Bickford and Bennett have some absolutely great scenes together. And she looks sensational.

Worth catching.

[Philippe Cordier]

I'm never sure if I've seen a Renoir-directed film or if I'm thinking of Cocteau (a dreamlike take on the myth of Orpheus); also Beauty and the Beast (both French, B&W).  Will be sure to tape this ... and hopefully won't become as obsessed with analyzing this one as with some others ...   

[Luciaphile]

I'm never sure if I've seen a Renoir-directed film or if I'm thinking of Cocteau (a dreamlike take on the myth of Orpheus); also Beauty and the Beast (both French, B&W).  Will be sure to tape this ... and hopefully won't become as obsessed with analyzing this one as with some others ...   

I doubt you will. This is not one of Renoir's better efforts. I think he was attempting to capture American culture, but combining noir sensibilities with those of an Andy Hardy movie was probably not the way to go.

Oh, and for those of you in the NYC area, I just heard on a listserv that The Reckless Moment (James Mason, Joan Bennett and directed by Max Ophuls) is playing at The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York this Sunday.

The Reckless Moment  is possibly of Bennett's best performances, and it's sadly little screened. Never been released on video (although a bootleg floats around eBay now and then). Also a noir, but Bennett doesn't play a tramp in this one. Kind of an interesting look at noir via the American family. They remade this as The Deep End, but I think the original version has more resonance.

[Philippe Cordier]

Oh, and for those of you in the NYC area, I just heard on a listserv that The Reckless Moment (James Mason, Joan Bennett and directed by Max Ophuls) is playing at The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York this Sunday.

The Reckless Moment  is possibly of Bennett's best performances, and it's sadly little screened. Never been released on video (although a bootleg floats around eBay now and then). Also a noir, but Bennett doesn't play a tramp in this one. Kind of an interesting look at noir via the American family. They remade this as The Deep End, but I think the original version has more resonance.

I had that taped and didn't know the value of it -- didn't know it was directed by Ophuls.  I started watching it and it didn't seem of much interest so handed it over to my parents.  I think they felt the same and didn't get around to finishing it.  I don't know what happened to the tape.

Maybe the movie got better?  I've just seen a couple of older movies where that was the case -- slow beginning, not much interest, but building to a tense climax.  (One was the Barretts of Wimpole Street, and I'm forgetting what the other one was at the moment.)

It's so quiet on the board -- maybe everyone is doing their taxes.  Speaking of which, I better sign off and do mine!  (Actually, all I really have to do is recopy the forms, thank God -- I was up till 3 a.m. last night going through all the instructions and forms and am having a hard time concentrating today due to lack of sleep -- if my posts seem rather wiggy, that's why ...)

[Philippe Cordier]

I didn't get this one taped after all, but it sounds like there are better movies with Joan Bennett.  Luciaphil, since you seem to be up on when these air, would you please post if "Woman in the Window" or "Scarlet Street" airs on cable?  Thank you.  Oh, and also "The Reckless Moment."

 

[Luciaphile]

I didn't get this one taped after all, but it sounds like there are better movies with Joan Bennett.  Luciaphil, since you seem to be up on when these air, would you please post if "Woman in the Window" or "Scarlet Street" airs on cable?  Thank you.  Oh, and also "The Reckless Moment."

But of course!

You don't even need to ask

[onyx_treasure]

Luciaphil,
     I kinda enjoyed the movie.  It was a cold, gloomy day.  I fixed a cup o' tea and relaxed.  I thought the scene where Ryan tried to prove Bennet 's husband was not blind very creepy.  I thought Ryan had killed him.  Perfect movie for a dreary day.
     Thanks for mentioning Irene Ryan.  I would have recognized her but not realized who she was.

[Philippe Cordier]

Thanks for mentioning Irene Ryan.  I would have recognized her but not realized who she was.

I think I would have been at least as interested in seeing Irene Ryan as Joan Bennett -- I've never seen her in any role other than "Granny" (and that show was one of my very favorites when I was growing up!)