MfUc'N'Da'Oscars Ed

Nil, by Mouthy

Anachronistic reviews, and fragments of such, by a sometimes outspoken blogger.

The word play in the title of these film reviews* speaks to a connection, I perceive, between the movie "Funny Cow", and the directorial debut of Gary Oldman.

 In 2018, the inestimably brilliant "Pin Cushion" beguiled and enchanted even as it horrifically dumped the viewer into a pit of desolation. It possessed a peculiarly feminine vision. "Funny Cow" does not. (It's written by Tony Pitts, who also plays a not incidental part, and directed by Adrian Sherwood.) Rather, it continues the darkly violent tradition of Brit cinema found in "Nil by Mouth", Oldman's film, or Mike Leigh's "Naked."(A film I personally like.)

"Funny Cow" is a series of face punches with little to laugh about in between. Watching this made me think of the time I raved to a close female relation about reading "The Girl with A Dragon Tattoo." When I commented that the author, Stieg Larrson, was a "feminist", she observed that, (considering the violence perpetrated on his heroine), he must have had a very masculine idea of what the word means.

There is much that is problematic in the puritanical, self righteous, howling of the internet, over any and every issue. (One Oscar worthy example of over reaction was to Kevin Hart's comments. He was a bit of a dick, but not the head of a death squad in Chechnya.) However, the male authored depiction of masculine on feminine violence is an age old problem. (Think back, if you can recall, to Murnau's despicable premise for "Sunrise," in that recent year, 1927.)

The movie "progresses", in flashbacks to the distant and recent past, through a series of batterings, verbal and physical.

Aside from a couple of script glitches, it's not a terrible film but, as the presence of Paddy Considine reliably signals, it is an unremittingly violent and deeply depressing one. Despite the tale being related from a stage by Maxine Peake, it's not a how to guide to for wannabe stand up comics, rather, repeating myself unnecessarily, it's an unnecessarily bludgeoned repetition of a standard formula. A violent trip with some salvation.

 (The music, though, is lovely; also watch for a blink or you'll miss it cameo from Dexy's Midnight Runners lead singer Kevin Rowland.)

A Belated but Strident Defence of "Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie"

Graded on a bell curve against similar, or copycat, genre films, (Holiday On The Buses typifying the former; Zoolander 2, the later), Ab Fab the movie is a pretty decent outing; far better than the reactions it received in the press and anti-social media may incline you to believe. Saunders, as prepared as James Baldwin was for the white man, subverts viewer expectations cleverly by making her first appearance in a dowdy, billowy frock. Then the fun is heightened by the fact that, (unintentionally?), Eddie and Pats seem less surreal and pretentious than nearly all of the hangers on who appear alongside them. I expect the film to have gained far more respect, in 50 years, when Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness, who plays Edina's grand-daughter, collects her life time achievement award.

 Terry-Thomas, John Le Mesurier, and Peter Sellers

Of late, and sometimes in the morning, I have been comedy binging on the 1950's and early 60's films of Terry-Thomas, (and a few other Ealing era greats.)

In his films you can observe T-T's role evolving, as, (particularly in films like "Private's Progress"), he defers to Denis Price or Richard Attenborough who vie to be chief cad.  T-T uses the phrase "an absolute shower", but he is much less a scoundrel than in later films. (A list of his archetypical bounder roles predictably, includes "School For Scoundrels," co-starring, a more convincing than usual, Ian Carmichael.)

John Le Mesurier, too, is a recurring player of the period. He mainly has bit parts, (a few moments as a snooty judge or a snooty waiter), or just a bit bigger bit in "I'm Alright Jack", where he plays a time and motion expert. Le Mesurier deservedly won a BAFTA for his magisterial performance in Dennis Potter's, now difficult to find, "Traitor." Always under utilised in these films, he was an actor of subtlety and skill whose own catalogue is worth looking into.

"I.A.J." is a film, like most Boulting Brothers productions, that now seems uneven and, (notably, for its casual racism), dated. The movie is, however, remarkable for a brilliant performance by Peter Seller where, in the part of Mr Kite, a shop steward, his self, the existence of which has long been queried, seems to all but disappear.

Le Mesurier is a passing presence in another film with Sellers: a drama/ kitchen sink/ heist film, "Never Let Go."  Peter Sellers, the bad guy, is most convincing as a misogynist garage owner, (Le Mesurier appears as a snooty Floor Manager.) This title is about, small scale, grand theft auto. It's an endearing film, with its plot centred on the importance of a car to the livelihood of a struggling salesman. While the film is understated, when compared to a complete genre of films I am unlikely to ever see, like... (place name of any Hollywood petrol head marathon here), Sellers performance in it is Oscar worthy. "Never Let Go" also features a very fine performance from a woman who joined a surprisingly long list of tragic, mid-century, British screen beauties, Carol White.

In a related aside, Sellers famously lost it at Hal Holbrook for including a blooper real at the end of "Being There." He felt strongly that it deprived him of an Academy Award for best actor. (While Seller's temper was infamous, his accusation is held by numerous critics to have great merit.)

 I must watch "Being There" again, to decide for myself.

 I like to watch; I'll bring my friend.

*(I have tried to avoid writing reviews, due to their plenitude in the 2010's, but I am making an exception as I need the writing practice.)