I caught up with this a couple years back when I paired it with Éric Rohmer’s The Marquise of O, which seemed appropriate since its French title is La Marquise d’O...
would it be possible for you guys to mention how you viewed these at the top or bottom of the discussion? I'm sure you've already done the searching and know how they are (or aren't) available and would save me the time
Wonderful commentary. I think in the strictly ordered haute-bourgeois world that Ophuls shows us, with its "rules of the game," a grand passion is catastrophic -- for all. We almost see the characters, especially Louise, shrink into shadows of themselves before dying.
Wow, a true "I have Marshall McLuhan right here" moment for you to appear in the comments section, Molly. Thank you for the kinds words.
I really have a special affinity for love stories where the relationships are heavily influenced-- and most often destroyed-- by social more that are quietly, relentlessly imposing. (See also: In the Mood for Love, The Age of Innocence, The Heiress, Ophüls' Letter From an Unknown Woman, etc.)
Agreed! I couldn't get over Darrieux when I watched it again recently -- how physically shrunken she is by the end. I responded with email but that didn't go through. I guess this is the only way. Anyway I just reiterated how much I love what you're doing. The Mizoguchi. Assessments of the Sight & Sound poll. Films from different eras.
So, wrt the slippage, it dropped from 2002 to 2012, but it didn't really move from 2012 to 2022 (technically, it even moved up a smidge). So... I'm not sure how I feel about its slippage other than, I'm glad it managed to hold steady from the last poll. Like, it's the, "I wouldn't think of it for my top personal top 10, but I do adore this film and have the criterion blu-ray, so I'm glad to see it hanging in the top 100."
Since Ophuls is a known early influence on Kubrick (I believe La Plaisir is the one that I once found him quoted as raving about), anyone else think the Hungarian in Eyes Wide Shut resembles de Sica in this movie? Coincidence? My imagination?
And for Louise's need to wear the earrings in public now, I would say, as unnecessary as the lie of finding them seems to be, if you go from her belief that her husband wasn't any wiser to her ruse, or his own key part in their transport out of the country, it would have been odd to have them, and basically hide them without mentioning she had found them. If he ever came across them (basically requiring she'd have to consciously be hiding them at all times), that'd itself turn into trap waiting to go off.
I love the line while dancing, "Coincidence is only extraordinary because it is so natural."
Kind of, except Alice plays the role and doesn't let it go too far. The dancing of the situation doesn't help dispel the notion of similarity between them either.
Granted, maybe it's just a type/common motif, and "the most extraordinary thing about coincidence"... (see Funeral Parade of Roses influenced A Clockwork Orange?), but it's not one I'm not aware of someone shooting down yet.
Is everyone still catching up with this? There's a lot to talk about with this one!
I caught up with this a couple years back when I paired it with Éric Rohmer’s The Marquise of O, which seemed appropriate since its French title is La Marquise d’O...
would it be possible for you guys to mention how you viewed these at the top or bottom of the discussion? I'm sure you've already done the searching and know how they are (or aren't) available and would save me the time
Good suggestion. FWIW, I watched the film via Criterion Channel. Seem likely that Keith as the disc, but he'd be the one to tell you.
it's on Criterion? bingo. added to my list
Thanks!
Wonderful commentary. I think in the strictly ordered haute-bourgeois world that Ophuls shows us, with its "rules of the game," a grand passion is catastrophic -- for all. We almost see the characters, especially Louise, shrink into shadows of themselves before dying.
Wow, a true "I have Marshall McLuhan right here" moment for you to appear in the comments section, Molly. Thank you for the kinds words.
I really have a special affinity for love stories where the relationships are heavily influenced-- and most often destroyed-- by social more that are quietly, relentlessly imposing. (See also: In the Mood for Love, The Age of Innocence, The Heiress, Ophüls' Letter From an Unknown Woman, etc.)
Agreed! I couldn't get over Darrieux when I watched it again recently -- how physically shrunken she is by the end. I responded with email but that didn't go through. I guess this is the only way. Anyway I just reiterated how much I love what you're doing. The Mizoguchi. Assessments of the Sight & Sound poll. Films from different eras.
One of my absolute favorites, but it's perhaps too old fashioned to avoid slippage in the poll.
So, wrt the slippage, it dropped from 2002 to 2012, but it didn't really move from 2012 to 2022 (technically, it even moved up a smidge). So... I'm not sure how I feel about its slippage other than, I'm glad it managed to hold steady from the last poll. Like, it's the, "I wouldn't think of it for my top personal top 10, but I do adore this film and have the criterion blu-ray, so I'm glad to see it hanging in the top 100."
Since Ophuls is a known early influence on Kubrick (I believe La Plaisir is the one that I once found him quoted as raving about), anyone else think the Hungarian in Eyes Wide Shut resembles de Sica in this movie? Coincidence? My imagination?
And for Louise's need to wear the earrings in public now, I would say, as unnecessary as the lie of finding them seems to be, if you go from her belief that her husband wasn't any wiser to her ruse, or his own key part in their transport out of the country, it would have been odd to have them, and basically hide them without mentioning she had found them. If he ever came across them (basically requiring she'd have to consciously be hiding them at all times), that'd itself turn into trap waiting to go off.
I love the line while dancing, "Coincidence is only extraordinary because it is so natural."
Oh wow, now that you mention it, the Hungarian does play that sort of role doesn't he?
Kind of, except Alice plays the role and doesn't let it go too far. The dancing of the situation doesn't help dispel the notion of similarity between them either.
Granted, maybe it's just a type/common motif, and "the most extraordinary thing about coincidence"... (see Funeral Parade of Roses influenced A Clockwork Orange?), but it's not one I'm not aware of someone shooting down yet.
It's been too long since I've seen EWS, but I seem to recall there being a certain unsavory edge to the Hungarian that's not present with De Sica.
I can confirm that is a difference between the two. The Hungarian is definitely the mysterious, dangerous, seducing sort.