Flawless Some Like it Hot (1959) is widely considered to be the greatest screen comedy of all time. Yet before its release that would have been hard to imagine. The film was swarmed by controversy including worries about homosexuality, cross dressing, and sexuality. America has grown up quite a lot since then, and today it’s… Continue reading Some Like it Hot
Month: February 2021
Love is a Many Splendored Thing
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) is another example of how films were watered down in the 1950’s to smooth over or disguise controversial themes in films. Based on a book from a real life story, the Production Board repeatedly refused to sanction the filming because of the themes of adultery and miscegenation– mostly only the… Continue reading Love is a Many Splendored Thing
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon (1941) was the nothing short of astonishing directorial debut of John Huston. He meticulously planned it shot for shot while writing the screenplay, incorporating the notes directly onto the page along with sketches of each shot. By doing the work first, Huston was able to fine tune and improve on much of… Continue reading The Maltese Falcon