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What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

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17,213
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New York City
KLUTE-(2)2050.jpg '
Klute from 1971 with Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland and Roy Scheider

From a 2020 perspective, we've seen the story in 1971's Klute done many times since (and film versions of it go back to, at least, the 1930s), but the humanizing of a prostitute living a gritty life in a gritty city had to jar 1971 audiences used to a cleaner New York City and a cleaner Jane Fonda.

The value here is not the plot (a small town detective [Sutherland] comes to New York City to investigate the disappearance of a local businessman whose only clue is a link to a New York City prostitute [Fonda as Bree]), the value is the cultural moment of a film, sans any code restrictions, revealing both the raw life of a prostitute and the casual drug use, crime and general licentiousness of an emerging-from-the-'60s New York City.

According to the TCM host, the predominantly dark, close shots of Fonda were an intentional decision of director Alan Pakula to emphasize her dark, emotionally claustrophobic world. Fine - got it - but it was taken too far as you want to adjust the settings on the TV as you feel like you are only seeing half the movie.

When the light was allowed to shine - mainly in outdoor day shots - it exposed a grimy New York. This NYC is no longer the shining Apple of Fonda's 1967's Barefoot in the Park, but more the desperate and breaking city of another of 1971's offerings, Panic in Needle Park.

This had to lead many in America to ask - what happened? What happened to New York? What happened to create a world of Brees (Fonda) / of sexual deviants in socially prominent positions / of seemingly middle-class young people strung out on drugs / of shag hairstyles / of braless women having casual sex / of violent pimps / of everything in the '70s that was not the image of pre-'60s America?

Of course, it was all there before (well, maybe not the shag hairstyle), but the volume and exposure of it increased when the '60s said we should let it all hang out. Well, by '71, out it is and - at least in Klute (oddly, not Fonda's character's name, but Sutherland's; having never seen the movie before, I had that wrong in my head for the past thirty or so years) - the cultural revolution's freedom created (or revealed) a dark, ugly world of broken, mean, sad, angry, violent, distraught people.

And the lack of sunshine in the movie is mirrored by the lack of sunshine anywhere in anyone's life. Even when Fonda and Sutherland connect (minor spoiler alert), their love (in a very '60s zeitgeist way) won't work as free-spirt Fonda knows she would suffocate settling down with "square" Sutherland. I guess that its back to the "nightshift" for her.

While there's a lot of detective work, sexual deviancy and me-generaton stuff (prostitute Fonda has a psychiatrist, of course) going on in Klute, the story is perfectly framed and summarized (spoiler alert) by the denouement shot of a man hit by a bullet, falling backwards, shattering a large window and plunging to his death. Klute might not be a rebuke to the '60s' cultural revolution or to the Summer of Love or to Flower Power, but it is, at least, a long, despairing hangover from those once optimistic-in-spirit movements.
 

Nobert

Practically Family
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832
Location
In the Maine Woods
This is interesting, maybe I'll have to see this one. I've sometimes wondered about when N.Y.C. went from the cosmopolitan Oz of urbane sophistication to the gasping symbol of urban decay and squalor that it was by the late 70s. Media representations aren't always helpful.
 
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12,734
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Northern California
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). I can't say it's a "favorite" movie, but it's one I've seen so many times that I lost count long ago. It's endlessly goofy, and at almost three-and-a-half hours I seem to see something new every time I watch it. *shrug*
I used to watch it as a kid with my Dad whenever it was on. I still watch it whenever I see it on. Nostalgia, entertaining, and pretty darn funny.make it a favorite of mine.
:D
 
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12,734
Location
Northern California
Kind of watching the tail end of Lone Wolf McQuade. I remembered it as being pretty bad, but I was way off as it is incredibly bad. The story, the acting, the explosions, the music, the stunts, the cliches, the fight scenes are top notch crap. How he had a career, I don’t know or understand. All of it is bad and not the cheesy kind of good bad.
:D
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,752
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Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Saw the tail end of "LIttle Caesar" the other night, and marveled once again at Edward G. Robinson, bursting thru the stiltedness of the early talkie era to seize command of every frame of film in which he appears. Everyone who has ever done an "Edward G. Robinson" imitation -- nyahh, nyahhhh -- is doing this specific movie. Ninety years old and still a brilliant piece of work.
 
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17,213
Location
New York City
Saw the tail end of "LIttle Caesar" the other night, and marveled once again at Edward G. Robinson, bursting thru the stiltedness of the early talkie era to seize command of every frame of film in which he appears. Everyone who has ever done an "Edward G. Robinson" imitation -- nyahh, nyahhhh -- is doing this specific movie. Ninety years old and still a brilliant piece of work.

He is incredible in that and almost every role he plays. He steals scene after scene by dint of talent not ego. For my money, he's the reason "Double Indemnity" is considered, by some, the best noir ever.

Have you ever seen "Tales of Manhattan" an okay "vignette" movie that's jogtrotting along until Robinson gets up at some dinner and give a long speech about his character's life? It's just him talking and it's captivating. There are no special effect, nothing - just an actor completely holding your attention.

Sure we could list all his great movie - and there are many - but it's impressive how he can save a mediocre movie like '42's "Larceny, Inc." just by being so believable and engaging.

Has to be in the top five (three?) of all time actors.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
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33,752
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Yep. "Manhattan" is exactly the kind of picture that calls for somebody like Robinson to come along and give it punch.

I've mentioned before how Robinson was an extraordinary radio actor on top of his skill on screen and stage. One of the most extraordinary things he ever did was a guest shot with "Amos 'n' Andy" in 1943, where in a dream sequence he played the outgoing "Old Year," Mr. 1943 -- "a bad year, one of the worst." He rattles off a litany of all the evil things he's done and all the terrible things that happened under his watch, and as he goes on he gets more and more intense until "Mr. 1943" caps his reign of terror by committing suicide. He blows his head off, live on the air, and you realize you bought every single bit of it. An incredible performance. If he had never done anything in his career but radio work, he'd have been considered one of the greatest actors ever to work in the medium.
 
Messages
17,213
Location
New York City
Yep. "Manhattan" is exactly the kind of picture that calls for somebody like Robinson to come along and give it punch.

I've mentioned before how Robinson was an extraordinary radio actor on top of his skill on screen and stage. One of the most extraordinary things he ever did was a guest shot with "Amos 'n' Andy" in 1943, where in a dream sequence he played the outgoing "Old Year," Mr. 1943 -- "a bad year, one of the worst." He rattles off a litany of all the evil things he's done and all the terrible things that happened under his watch, and as he goes on he gets more and more intense until "Mr. 1943" caps his reign of terror by committing suicide. He blows his head off, live on the air, and you realize you bought every single bit of it. An incredible performance. If he had never done anything in his career but radio work, he'd have been considered one of the greatest actors ever to work in the medium.

Sounds up there with Cagney's radio performance in "Jonny Got His Gun."
 

Worf

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,207
Location
Troy, New York, USA
Kind of watching the tail end of Lone Wolf McQuade. I remembered it as being pretty bad, but I was way off as it is incredibly bad. The story, the acting, the explosions, the music, the stunts, the cliches, the fight scenes are top notch crap. How he had a career, I don’t know or understand. All of it is bad and not the cheesy kind of good bad.
:D
Don't say no one warned ya. Old wood face should never, EVER be considered an "actor". He's just all minor muscle and posture. How many brain cells did you lose watchin' that drivel?

Worf
 
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12,734
Location
Northern California
Don't say no one warned ya. Old wood face should never, EVER be considered an "actor". He's just all minor muscle and posture. How many brain cells did you lose watchin' that drivel?

Worf
It was more the seconds of life I wasted sorta watching it that bothers me than the loss of brain cells. I think that I sometimes watch bits and pieces of his movies just so I can rail against them.
:D
 

Worf

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,207
Location
Troy, New York, USA
It was more the seconds of life I wasted sorta watching it that bothers me than the loss of brain cells. I think that I sometimes watch bits and pieces of his movies just so I can rail against them.
:D
Errrr... I think there's a mental health term for that kinda behavior.... It's a longish word that starts with an "M"? Hmmm wat was it?

Worf
 

steve u

A-List Customer
Messages
408
Location
iowa
The Human Condition (1961), Criterion Collection
A sobering portrait of war (WWII)..almost 10 hours long.
In the spirit of Japanese film ( at that time), no happy endings.
A must watch, but not the type I can watch very often.
 

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