Indiscreet (1958)

Oldie rom-coms are the best. No, I don't mean watching Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin getting it on. I mean, old fashioned. My goodness me, they play fast and loose with pace, feature outrageously aspirational wardrobes and simply smoulder and ooze charisma from every movie minute. What's not to like: Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. I mean. 

With a reputation for making easy breezy films, director Stanley Donen, has proven that 60 years on Indiscreet still appeals to an adult audience with a half a brain. Actually, you really do need a brain, as unlike modern rom-coms where Katherine Heigl sums up what's happening every five minutes, this movie allows you to piece together the plot holes like a puzzle. 

Talking of that plot, there's something Shakespearian about it. Really. It's just missing a twin to add to the screw ball comedy of it. So what gives? Famous theatre actress Anna Kalman (Ingrid Bergman) has resigned herself to her single life, believing that she has missed her chance at meeting a husband. Weary of socializing in Europe, she returns to her London flat, where her sister Margaret (Phyllis Calvert) and diplomat brother-in-law Alfred (Cecil Parker) invite her to a banquet. She declines until Alfred's banker friend, Philip Adams (Cary Grant), arrives and... surprise, surprise their romance begins, but, (here comes the jeopardy), he's already married! 

We learn quite quickly that the absurdly dashing, playboy politician, Phillip is a bit of a bastard. A bounder. A cad. A stereotype missing from modern cinema. He pretends he's bound in a loveless marriage of convenience, so to avoid women seeking a long term commitment from him. He's unapologetic. Normally, you'd dislike such a character, but his caprice is matched by Anna, a pampered, indulged starlet who takes what she wants. The in joke here is the institution of marriage, not either being duped by the other. 

There's lots of tounge in cheek comments lurking in this film, and Anna's brother in law, Alfred delivers the lions share. Blink and you'll miss it, for his performance is fabulously understated - "There is no sincerity like a woman telling a lie."

Anna is a character who cares not for convention and it's best summed up when she discovers the truth of Philips marital status "how dare he make love to me and not be a married man." She's a woman who enjoys her 'sparkle' of fame, money and men with no apology. A refreshingly liberal and un-achored woman for a 1950s audience. The irony here, is that Ingrid Bergman is kind of playing herself, having ostracised herself from Hollywood by having an affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini. Sweet revenge to bite your thumb at the conservative values of the day by making them laugh at the idea of monogamy.


Of course, this subversive subtext is covered up slightly by the usual melodrama we'd expect. Anna, kneeling before Philip begging forgiveness at her suggestion they get married. Her mooching about the house, waiting for his call. She can't eat. She can't sleep. She can only swoon and mope... around her gorgeous penthouse apartment, drinking champagne as she pleases, socialising with who she wants to, dressing herself head to toe in designer garments. I rather feel, Ingrid with a nod and wink, was listening to Destiny's Child 'Independent Women' as she hams up the portrait of pining, love struck lady.

Equally mocking in tone is Phillip who bemoans Anna's indifference to his sappiness; "Oh, I tell you. Women are not the sensitive sex. That's one of the grand delusions of literature. Men are the true romanticists." This made me laugh as he's right, the great 'canon' of English Literature includes scant little from female poets and novelists. A fact that came out recently on Poetry Day on Radio 4. Featured on Woman's Hour was an audio treat delivered by Andrew Marr written by Shakespeare's contemporary Aemilia Lanyer. Never heard of her? Nope. Hardly anyone has. But check out these lines for some meter bashing, poetic awesomeness. 

Then let us have our liberty again
And challenge to yourselves no sovereignty
You came not into the world without our pain
Make that a bar against your cruelty
Your fault being great, why should you disdain?
Our being your equals, free from tyranny
If one weak woman, simply did offend
The sin of yours hath no excuse, nor no end.

I digress. Stick with me, it links back to the film. Lanyer in the 16th Century was ostensibly saying women are just as bad as men, and this is the joke in Indiscreet too. This is a wonderful, intelligent film, full of subtly brilliant one-liners. Bergman and Grant prove they can do drama (Notorious) as well as they can do comedy. Balancing a sharp and satirical script are moments of hilarious slapstick like Cary Grant dancing. Oh my. Wipe the tears. Just look at his face! Even he can't believe he's doing this.

Although this film wasn't as popular as his other successes, (Singin in the Rain, to name but one), it is still well crafted. Also, a film where the wardrobe department raided vintage Dior is a delight to watch!

Away We Go

Juno for 30 somethings: great script, funny, lots of heart.

Discovering the in-laws are leaving town the month before their baby is due, Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) and Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph) travel the States in search of the perfect place to call home. On route, they reconnect with old friends and family as they test out different states. Through these encounters they wittle (or "cobble") down their choices and work out what 'home' really means for them. 

Director Sam Mendes (sooooo many good films) has taken a chance to show us cinema-going-ninny-muggins a sophisticated example of a Bildungsroman genre film. Now usually, these tales are about teenagers and taken on a past-tense vibe to show how they've moved on from angst to adulthood. Essentially though, these stories focus on the psychological and moral development of the protagonist. Here, even though the protagonists lament they might be 'fuck ups' at 33, they are essentially still teenagers, and it's their development which drives the film forward.

Mamas and Papas.

Maybe it's because I've popped an offspring in the last 12 months but I seem to be drawn to films recently about parenting. Part of Burt and Verona's journey is to take a State-wide parenting class and meet every stereotype of motherhood out there. Like a comet hurtling towards parenthood, these Mums (or should that be Moms) and Dads act as mini meteors pinging Burt and Verona off course with each encounter.

Who do they meet? An equally funny and repulsive Lily (Allson Janney) in Pheonix. A ridiculous hippie LN (Maggie Gyllenhall) with a unnatural love of seahorses in Madison. Burt's brother (Paul Schneider) abandoned by his wife in Miami, and the ultimate loving Dad (Chris Messina) and his caring wife (Melanie Lynskey) cheated of her natural right, in Montreal.

Philip Larkin wrote a poem about her...


Warts and all, she loves her kids, but my special mention goes to Alison Janney who plays Verona's louder than life ex-collegaue 'Lily'. Janey seems to have carved out a little niche for herself playing hilarious, over bearing and crass mother characters. 'Lily' could be the sister of 'Betty' who she plays in an equally delightful film 'The Way, Way Back'. There are so many brilliant one-liners. Watch this for an idea...


The NCT Mothergasm

LN Fisher-Herrin (Maggie Gyllenhaal) embraces everything I personally can't stand about motherhood and frankly, people in general. I'm very much in the camp of 'whatever works for you' and anyone with a strong opinion who believes they've got it 'right' can... well, I better not print that. My views on the NHS 'Tit Police' have been well documented.

Needless to say LN is the ultimate preachy, earth-mother. Everything about her entitled-trust-funded-double-barrel-surname-buggy-shaming-group-bed-vegan-smugness made my toes curl...around the edge of my forward facing, dummy filled, formula fuelled stroller. Ack. Betty Draper did it right - head full of drugs and Don waiting outside with the whiskey.

Of course, she's an exaggeration and I can feel confident I won't meet someone like her at my baby groups - for one, there's not enough quinoa and too many raisins - but as part of the Bildungsroman she certainly helps Verona and Burt understand what they don't want out of life with a sprog. We all secretly love meeting these types of people as they help us forge our identities as parents. In my case, by providing a ying to my yang and hours of 'can you believe' type of conversations with the hubby. 

The UN of families

A world away from the light and breezy Lily, the movie takes a distinct mood turn when we meet Tom (Chris Messina) and Munch (Melanie Lynskey). Our introduction is by way of an aptly metaphoric rendition of 'So Long, Farewell' from The Sound of Music by their mixed nationality adopted kids. This does set the scene. Here is a couple whose love of children is so strong it makes Julie Andrews appear like the child-catcher. Cheated by nature (to quote the bard) Tom and Munch quietly bare the burden of numerous miscarriages, accepting each death with grace. With each tragedy their relationship grows stronger as they push their love onwards to their adopted children and march to the future in hope of finally having one of their own.

This couple, who on the surface seem so breezy and full of life are living under a melancholy cloud of repeated miscarriages and it made me wonder who, of my friends, has also suffered this experience? This film suggests I'd never know, as it's so hushed up and this is a great sadness as statistically, it's common. Even writing this, I struggle to find the language to talk about the death of a baby, we don't have the words as we avoid the topic. I think Mendes was brave to include Tom and Munch

'Dead' mother

My friend Helen is a film lecturer, and she has a theory about the 'Dead Mother' syndrome. Once you know it, you'll spot it everywhere from Finding Nemo to The Departed. You can't have a good adventure with a mother. Get rid of the 'mother' character and the fun really begins. 

Or not if your Courtney Farlander (Paul Schneider) and you arrive home one day to learn your wife has left never to return. It's a strange irony that society (in terms of pop culture films) seems to accept easily the idea of a dad leaving his child, but the other way round is uncomfortable, unsettling, shocking even. But it happens. Not all women are cut out for motherhood. It's a brutal truth that Mendes doesn't dress up or drag out. It's simply a statement. 

Motifs

The overarching theme is the breakdown of family values (she refuses to marry him) and people rebelling against the communities in which they've been reared. A nice twist is Burt's parents, played brilliantly by Jeff Bridges and Catherine O'Hara are the teenagers. Recklessly moving to Antwerp and casually spending $12K on a statue of an Indian Princess. It's a brilliant moment. The incredulous look on Burt's face when he realises he's the grown up now. No more a fuck up, it's time to find stability and future for himself.

This is a film with real heart in it among many layers of light and dark comedy. The psychological and moral development of Burt and Verona is evident by the end of the film as they are reborn as parents in a new home, perfect for their future and one connected to their past. I love this movie and it wasn't what I was expecting as an Office and SNL fan. Unusually Maya Rudoplh is understated, quiet and stoic the 'straight' one to John Krasinski's quirky, vibrant and occasionally slapstick performance. A very perfect blend. Recommend. 

Trainwreck

Not quite a Hatfield disaster, more like a 'leaves on the line' kind of Trainwreck for director Judd Apatow.

Since childhood, magazine writer Amy (Amy Schumer) has been schooled by her wayward father that monogamy doesn't work. Taking that learning, she has applied it to living a life of inhibited freedom, avoiding commitment of all kinds and generally doing what she pleases, when she pleases, with whom she pleases. Taking an assignment to write a bio on successful sports doctor, Aaron Connors (Bill Hader), she falls for his humble and honest ways. Feeling true love for the first time, she begins to question her life and debates whether now it the time to clean up her act.

First up, full disclosure: this did pass the Mark Kermode laughter test. I did laugh out loud at least five times, with many chuckles and smirks thrown in every couple of minutes. But, in the words of the previously mentioned doctor, 'here's the thing' - this film doesn't know if it's a crass ladette comedy or fairly traditional rom-com. There's too much drama for it to be the first and too many surreal moments for it to be the latter.

I saw Amy Schumer on Graham Norton a few months ago and had never seen or heard of her before but immediately liked her self-deprecating, sassy, quick fire response to his questions. They didn't feel rehearsed, she seemed to be one of the those genuinely quick and hilarious women we'd all like to have as a best mate. And the same can be said for the dialogue in Trainwreck as clearly the improvised lines drew the biggest laughs for me. 'No, he's not hot, he's like a Puerto Rican Gollum'.

However, Bill Hader is a bit of a odd casting choice for the romantic lead, as he's so well known for being the weird-out odd ball from SNL and I couldn't get beyond that. He's definitely charming, just not sure I want to see him smooching Amy (tongues and all) at the end of the film.

Taking up the 'odd ball' mantel instead if LeBron James. His fame was a bit lost on me, not being a basketball, (or for that matter sports), fan of any sort. Luckily, nether is Amy, so there is a bit of in-joke for some of the audience as she acknowledges she has no clue who he is. Nice to see a sports star without such a serious ego. His best lines are when he's acting like a teenage girl, interrogating her or Aaron about their blossoming relationship - 'when you feel the wind, do you hear his name? Well, do you?' 

Kathy Beale

But stealing the limelight is Amy's cold, cruel, callous boss played by... Tilda Swinton. Yup. The girl can do comedy. My goodness me, she's got brutally good timing for her lines. For about ten minutes I didn't recognise her, and convinced myself it was Kathy Beale. 'Fair play' I thought, 'she's broken into Hollywood' so unrecognisable is she.

Overall, this was ideal Friday night, irreverent entertainment, BUT, for the babysitters it was a bit long. I didn't really expect a rom-com to bounce the two hour mark, and frankly it didn't need to. Unlike Amy, who's 'real girl' figure is actually very trim and enviable, this film could have lost a few inches around it's baggy middle.