Daily Archives: May 30, 2018

World Without Sun

Posted on May 30, 2018 | 79 comments

World Without Sun (Le monde sans soleil)
Directed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau
1964/France/Italy
C.E.I.A.P./Filmad/etc.
First viewing/YouTube

 

[box] Jacques-Yves Cousteau: Starfish, despite their peaceful appearance, are carnivores specially adapted to eat shellfish. Scallops have many eyes to look out for their dreaded enemy.[/box]

The undersea documentary started with Cousteau.

Legendary oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau  created Continental Shelf Station Two, an early-1960s attempt at underwater living located 10 meters below the surface of the Red Sea. The “aquanauts” had air, food, water, electricity and other life essentials supplied to allow week-long stays at depth.  The documentary also includes many sequences starring deep sea life.

When this was made, Cousteau was exploring a totally unknown frontier.  It is amazing that life can exist under such extreme pressure without sunlight.

World Without Sun won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, Features.

79 Comments

Posted in 1964

Hold Your Man (1933)

Posted on May 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

Hold Your Man
Directed by Sam Wood
Written by Anita Loos and Howard Emmett Rogers from a story by Loos
1933/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/FilmStruck

[box] Ruby: Wait a minute. I got two rules I always stick to when I’m out visitin’: keep away from couches – and – stay on your feet.[/box]

When Sassy Jean Harlow meets con artist Clark Gable the sparks fly.

Con artist Eddie Hall (Gable) flees into the unlocked apartment of Ruby Adams (Harlow) to avoid being nabbed by police.  This being 1933, she is taking a bubble bath at the time.  Ruby covers for Eddie when the police come knocking on her door.  The attraction between the two is unmistakable but Ruby is no pushover.

Eventually the two get together.  Ruby is uncomfortable with Eddie’s life style the whole time.  He spends time in jail and when he gets out she agrees to participate in a plan to blackmail a married admirer.  Things go terribly wrong, he takes off, and she ends up in a women’s reformatory.  Can love survive her incarceration?

This has premarital sex and illigetimacy to give it pre-Code credentials but the main draw is the exceptional chemistry of the stars and the non-stop wise cracks and double entendres.  Recommendecd.

 

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Posted in 1933, Pre-Code Reviews

Fashions of 1934 (1934)

Posted on May 30, 2018 | Leave a comment

Fashions of 1934
Directed by William Dieterle
Written by F. Hugh Herbert and Carl Erickson; story by Harry Collins and Warren Duff
1934/USA
First National Pictures (Warner Bros.)
First viewing/Amazon Instant

 

[box] “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” ― Coco Chanel[/box]

Pre-Code heaven.

William Powell plays Sherwood Nash, a con artist.  His latest con involved bootlegging Paris designs and selling them for a song in New York.  He is assisted in this by photographer Snap (Frank McHugh) and dress designer Lynn Mason (Bette Davis).  Lynn has a yen for Sherwood but he is easily distracted.

Eventually, the three move on to Paris to continue their con.  Then they meet up with Joe Ward (Hugh Herbert) an ostrich feather importer.  Sherwood stages a show starring a fake Russian Countess in hopes of starting a fashion trend.  A couple of lavish Busby Berkeley production numbers ensue.

With Powell, Davis, snappy dialogue and gorgeous girls and clothes, what’s not to like?

Oh those ostrich plumes!  And very little else …  Busby Berkeley number

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Posted in 1934, Pre-Code Reviews