Classics

  • René Clair – Le fantôme du Moulin-Rouge AKA The Phantom of the Moulin-Rouge (1925)

    1911-1920ClassicsFranceRené ClairSilent

    Quote:
    René Clair’s ghost comedy begins melodramatically, with the story of a young man who seeks the hand of a politician’s daughter in vain. But when a mysterious doctor frees the spirit of the despairing young man from his body, the film takes a fantastic turn. From then on, the lover wreaks havoc on Paris in the form of an invisible phantom. With double exposures and imaginative tricks, Clair successfully capitalizes on the surreal, Dadaistic undertones of the story. Everything culminates in a breakneck chase through the streets of Paris.Read More »

  • Jean Benoît-Lévy & Marie Epstein – La Maternelle AKA Children of Montmartre (1933)

    1931-1940ClassicsDramaFranceJean Benoît-LévyMarie Epstein

    When her father files bankruptcy and then dies, Rose’s fiancé jilts her; she takes a job as a maid in a Montmartre kindergarten with 150 poor children. Rose gives each child loving attention, and soon she’s their favorite. An especially needy child is Marie, a prostitute’s daughter. Rose and she bond, and Marie is jealous of all attentions paid Rose, especially those of Dr. Libois, the school’s physician. When Rose inadvertently guides the children through the educational experiment of a visiting scholar, and then discloses she has a college degree and is working beneath her station, the principal wants to fire her. Is there any way she can stay? And what will happen to Marie?Read More »

  • Martin Fric – Hotel Modrá hvezda AKA The Blue Star Hotel (1941)

    1941-1950ClassicsComedyCzech RepublicMartin Fric

    Miss Susan inherits the hotel from her auntie Barbara. At fist she thinks it’s the well known modern hotel Blue Star. Early on she finds out it’s another one with the same name, but much smaller and besides it’s forlorn. Instead of guests and personnel the hotel is freely occupied by three young men. Susan let them stay if they work for her, because she is determined to reopen the hotel. Soon first guest, Vladimir Rychta, arrives to the hotel and wants to arrange wedding feast there. Nevertheless his obstinate fiancée refuses to come to the old hotel and stay in the modern one. As the feast is canceled Mr. Rychta invites Susan to dine together. He becomes so enchanted by her, that he asks her to marry him. In the morning Mr. Rychta sends a telegram to his relatives that the wedding is off. Susan reads the telegram on its way and gets very unhappy. As she isn’t aware of the former fiancée, she understand it that Mr. Rychta has decided to not to marry her.Read More »

  • Kenji Mizoguchi – Yuki fujin ezu AKA Portrait of Madame Yuki (1950)

    1941-1950ClassicsDramaJapanKenji Mizoguchi

    Synopsis:
    Yuki is mistreated by her husband after they lose everything in the war. She tries to find comfort in another man’s arms, but the inhibitions of her class conditioning leave her with no way out.Read More »

  • Shirô Toyoda – Sweet Sweat AKA Amai ase (1964)

    1961-1970ClassicsDramaJapanShirô Toyoda

    Quote:
    This film by Toyoda depicts the hard life of an unmarried mother in Tokyo. Umeko (Machiko Kyo), at 36, is working in a bar, struggling valiantly to keep her family together. Her 17-year-old daughter Takeko becomes increasingly upset by her mother’s constant drinking and yakuza boyfriend, and runs away from ho…Read More »

  • Delmer Daves & Karl Malden & Vincent Sherman – The Hanging Tree (1959)

    1951-1960ClassicsDelmer DavesKarl MaldenUSAVincent ShermanWestern

    In 1873, on the Gold Trail, Montana, the mysterious and controlling Dr. Joseph Frail arrives in the small town of Skull Creek with miners in a gold rush. Dr. Frail buys a cabin on the top of a hill and he sees the smalltime thief Rune wounded and chased by a mob that wants to hang him. Dr. Frail helps and heals Rune; but in return, he demands that the young man becomes his bond servant. The alcoholic healer and preacher George Grubb tells to the locals that Dr. Frail, who is an excellent gambler and gunfighter, is a devil and has a mysterious past but nobody gives attention to his words. Soon the stagecoach is robbed by thieves that kill the passengers but the coachman survives and three days later he reaches Skull Creek. He tells that the horses had speed down the hill with a young woman inside the stagecoach. The men organize a pursuit and the rude Frenchy Plante finds the Swedish Elizabeth Mahler burnt and blind. Dr. Frail and Rune take care of her and they learn that Elizabeth and… Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilRead More »

  • Howard Hawks – Twentieth Century (1934)

    1931-1940ClassicsComedyHoward HawksScrewball ComedyUSA

    Synopsis:
    Broadway director Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore) is a bigger ham than most actors, but through sheer drive and talent he is able to build a successful career. When one of his discoveries, Lily Garland (Carole Lombard), rises to stardom and heeds the call of Hollywood, Oscar begins a career slide. He hits the skids and seems on his way out, until he chances to meet Lily again, on a train ride aboard the Twentieth Century Limited. Oscar pulls out all the stops to re-sign his former star, but it’s a battle – because Lily, who is as temperamental as Oscar is, wants nothing to do with her former mentor.Read More »

  • Jean Negulesco – Humoresque (1946)

    1941-1950ClassicsDramaJean NegulescoUSA

    A classical musician from the slums is sidetracked by his love for a wealthy, neurotic socialite.Read More »

  • Riccardo Freda – Caccia all’uomo AKA Les Misérables (1948)

    1941-1950ClassicsDramaItalyRiccardo Freda

    Jean Valjean, pursued through the years for a minor infraction by the implacable policeman Javert, attempts to create a life for himself and for his adopted daughter Cosette amid the revolutionary struggles of France.

    The film, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, was released divided into two episodes: the first was titled Caccia all’uomo, the second, Tempesta su Parigi.Read More »

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