As I've said on all my Ealing movie reviews, I watched these cause the plots looked interesting but I'm still unsure on how to judge the movies. I'm not one to dismiss them as 'old' and therefore 'boring'; at the same time I don't just jump on the bandwagon saying they're classics just because they've got that reputation and a lot of people without even judging for themselves assume they're great.
To quote to further my point - "A Classic is something that everybody wants to have read but nobody wants to read. A classic is also something that everyone praises but no one has read." -Mark Twain So, watching this with an open mind, I really enjoyed it. Yes you have to realise it's not a modern movie so the kind of themes and scenes presented are different from the packaged elements of modern Hollywood, but that makes postwar British cinema very refreshing viewing. I think the use of the term 'comedy' is misleading because it most likely refers to it in the classic literary sense from Shakespeare and Greek theatre (probably in the early 20th century people were a bit better read than today so these terms would still have meaning to them) which refers to a story with happy ending and farcial plot and wit rather than obvious jokes like in the modern sense but even these movies have some funny scenes. Also the humour and premise is black comedy and subtle so look for something modern if you need laugh-out-loud movies.
'Kind Hearts and Coronets' When I first came across this the plot looked so unique I knew I just had to see it at least once, although I've rewatched it many times since. I do find Guinness's 8 roles are over-hyped because most of them have few lines and the distinctions between a few of them are non-existent though it's still a novelty and a brave act to pull off in a movie. For me, Mazzini's 'bad guy' characterisation is the most appealing element of the movie, with a characterisation that makes even a criminal charming and someone to empathise with a little (and for me some visual appeal). The unique premises of who we see him murder next and the wit and black humour makes it a treasure of a film that I'm glad was made and is still available and enjoyed.
One of my most beloved films for definite. Definitely worth one watch just to see something different.
To quote to further my point - "A Classic is something that everybody wants to have read but nobody wants to read. A classic is also something that everyone praises but no one has read." -Mark Twain So, watching this with an open mind, I really enjoyed it. Yes you have to realise it's not a modern movie so the kind of themes and scenes presented are different from the packaged elements of modern Hollywood, but that makes postwar British cinema very refreshing viewing. I think the use of the term 'comedy' is misleading because it most likely refers to it in the classic literary sense from Shakespeare and Greek theatre (probably in the early 20th century people were a bit better read than today so these terms would still have meaning to them) which refers to a story with happy ending and farcial plot and wit rather than obvious jokes like in the modern sense but even these movies have some funny scenes. Also the humour and premise is black comedy and subtle so look for something modern if you need laugh-out-loud movies.
'Kind Hearts and Coronets' When I first came across this the plot looked so unique I knew I just had to see it at least once, although I've rewatched it many times since. I do find Guinness's 8 roles are over-hyped because most of them have few lines and the distinctions between a few of them are non-existent though it's still a novelty and a brave act to pull off in a movie. For me, Mazzini's 'bad guy' characterisation is the most appealing element of the movie, with a characterisation that makes even a criminal charming and someone to empathise with a little (and for me some visual appeal). The unique premises of who we see him murder next and the wit and black humour makes it a treasure of a film that I'm glad was made and is still available and enjoyed.
One of my most beloved films for definite. Definitely worth one watch just to see something different.