Midnight Oil:Movies and More

In “The Deadly Affair” (1966) IMDb, John le Carré’s spy novel turns into a cinematic adventure for everyday secret service man, Charles Dobbs (played by James Mason). Even though he has a nymphomaniac wife at home, Charles Dobbs’ career as a British intelligence officer is nothing like that of James Bond. A suspicious looking suicide after an apparently unfounded accusation of communist sympathies leads down a trail of cold war intrigue. As the plot thickens, Dobb’s finds the answers in places that strike close uncomfortably close to home.

See a very interesting SNAM “Interview” that includes material on John le Carré’s more famous spy novel, “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold”, a film starring Richard Burton, also screened on the same evening on Saturday Night at the Movies.

<<Back to Midnight Oil main journal

>>On to "Who's Directing Your Life?"

Catch the opening credits and opening scene for “The Deadly Affair” (1966) here.

“ Sweet Smell of Success” (1957) IMDb starring Tony Curtis and Burt Lancaster reveals a side of life in the big city that is anything but sweet and sunshiney. Lancaster’s unsavory character, J.J. Hunsecker, is said to be based on real life New York columnist, Walter Winchell. Throughout the film, Lancaster and Curtis as the sycophantic Sydney Falco perform a dangerous dance reminiscent of the mating ritual of the black widow spider. The machinations of the corrupt columnist and equally despicable publicist are accompanied by the cool jazz numbers of the Chico Hamilton Quintet and the rapid-fire dialogue of screenplay writers Lehman and Odets. This kind of film-noir might not be everyone’s cup of tea making it worth staying up for the late show, but I sure thought it was a film worth seeing again. It was just as smooth and searing hot on the way down this time around.

View the SNAM preview of “ Sweet Smell of Success”(1957)

<<Back to Midnight Oil main journal

>>On to "Who's Directing Your Life?"

Catch the video trailer of "the cat in the bag scene" for “Sweet Smell of Success”

“Shine”(1996) IMDb tells the story of Australian pianist, David Helfgott, a man whose artistic talents and fragile mental state are negatively impacted by the post-war trauma of his troubled father. Helfgott makes an unlikely comeback after a dramatic mental breakdown and institutionalization. Geoffrey Rush (adult) and Noah Taylor (adolescent) both won critical acclaim for their portrayal of Helfgott’s character. While the issue of whether “Shine” tells the “entirely true” story of the child prodigy gone wrong may be debatable, what is clear is that this film certainly is a good story worth listening to in its empathetic treatment of the individual and the artist.

The film “Shine”(1996) was presented in the context of TVOntario’s “Brain Week – From Brilliant to Broken” . Be sure to catch the SNAM Interviews for “Shine” called “Art and Madness”, a most interesting examination of the relationship of mental illness and artistic genius as depicted in film.

<<Back to Midnight Oil main journal

>>On to "Who's Directing Your Life?"

See the video trailer for “Shine”(1996)

“The More the Merrier”(1943) IMDb starring Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn is indeed a merry little tale set in war-time Washington. A severe housing shortage in the city serves as the pretext for throwing together the unlikely trio. The well put together Miss Constance Milligan finds herself discombobulated by her two new housemates in more ways than one. Chaos ensues that ends with a complete reconfiguration of living arrangements and relationship status. As they say, “All’s well that ends well.” The mores of the times on display in this romantic comedy might be considered quaint these days. However, once you are ready to entertain the pretense of the whole scenario, there really are some funny bits to be enjoyed.

<<Back to Midnight Oil main journal

>>On to "Who's Directing Your Life?"

Catch a video excerpt of the "front steps" scene from "The More the Merrier" (1943)  

This Christmas on TVO's SNAM, Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan whip up some silly and frothy holiday fare that's just right for those of us who are in the mood for some seasonal schmaltz.

It’s really easy at Christmas time to enter into some kind of a weird headspace that’s chock-full of ooey gooey sentimentality and high calorie nostalgia. We should all know better by now than to indulge, but for some reason, because it’s the holiday season, we just let ourselves go and run hog wild with the schmaltz and the schlock.

For me, a movie like "Christmas in Connecticut" fits in there somewhere in that weird headspace.

Read the rest of the Hunky Dunky Holiday archived entry for the review of "Christmas in Connecticut" on the Midnight Oil journal.

See also the Barbara Stanwyck classic "The Lady Eve" on the Midnight Oil Video Journal.

<<Back to Midnight Oil main journal

>>On to "Who's Directing Your Life?"

Catch the TVO video preview for "Christmas in Connecticut".