THE PINK PANTHER (1964)

Film #2 for Claudia Cardinale week: The Pink Panther (Not on the 1001 movie list, but I needed something a little lighter after The Leopard.)

I grew up going to see all The Pink Panther movies during the 70’s. The Pink Panther Strikes Again, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Revenge of the Pink Panther. The success of all of theses movies all hinge on Peter Sellers comedic portrayal of the bumbling but dedicated French Police Inspector Jacques Clouseau.

So it was quite a surprised the first time I viewed the original Pink Panther on television and saw that the biggest role in the film was David Niven’s as the Phantom. I kept hoping for more of Clouseau. I eventually got some, but I was largely disappointed. The second film in the series, A Shot in the Dark, which starred Sellers front and center, I liked better.

Viewing the original The Pink Panther today, it’s actually a pretty fun, if lightweight heist film with the charming Niven supported by the comedy of Sellers and the beautiful supporting ladies Claudia Cardinale and Capucine. The titles with the cartoon pink panther are lively and of course the Pink Panther theme by Henry Mancini has been drilled into my head for all time.

But is it good enough for the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list?
I would include it in my book, but with an asterisk. Next to the asterisk should read: “Viewer has the option of seeing A Shot in the Dark ,The Pink Panther Strikes Again, The Return of the Pink Panther or The Revenge of the Pink Panther as substitutes. All feature Peter Sellers as Clouseau. The Trail of the Pink Panther or The Curse of the Pink Panther are not acceptable substitutes as these films were pieced together after Sellers’s death. Alan Arkin or Steve Martin portrayals as the character are also unacceptable substitutes for the purpose of inclusion on this film list.

The Pink Panther cartoon: Many of us have fond memories of The Pink Panther animated series that aired on Saturday morning, but how many of us remember the short lived cereal called Pink Panther Flakes? For the record, they tasted an awful lot like Frosted Flakes.

Claudia Cardinale in The Pink Panther

First of all don’t get Claudia Cardinale and Capucine confused: I do remember the first time I saw this, I couldn’t keep straight which was which, but for the record Claudia was the princess and Capucine was Mrs. Clouseau.

After all these years can’t you still keep it straight?: For the purpose of this week’s Claudia Cardinale blogs, I thought about watching another Peter Sellers/Cardinale film, What’s New Pussycat? The only problem is Peter’s co-star in this was Capucine.Oops.

Claudia Cardinale’s entrance: The first glimpse we have of Claudia has her smiling on the ski slopes where she has a 'cute meet' with David Niven. Most of her other entrances are in Yves St. Laurent gowns and are accompanied by romantic music, circa 1964.

Films acknowledgement of Claudia’s place in the universe: In the opening credits we see the animated Pink Panther wolf whistle when Claudia’s name enters the credits. If the mere sight of Claudia’s name can get an animated character hot and bothered, who am I to argue?

Claudia on a 1-10 scale for The Pink Panther: Despite the elegant gowns, my main quibble is that I kept wishing Claudia had let down her hair a little more. I’m speaking literally, of course. Then we have the scene where she gets intoxicated on top of a tiger skin rug. Grrrrr! Claudia ranking: a 10!

Next up: Once Upon a Time in the West

THE LEOPARD (1962, ITALY)

This week’s blogs are all about the Tunisian actress Claudia Cardinale. Ms. Cardinale is best know for her work in Italian films such as The Leopard and 8½ as well as American Films, such as The Pink Panther and Circus World.

Now why would I choose a week of films for Claudia, beautiful as she obviously is, over her more famous counterpart Sophia Loren? Well, when I looked over the 1001 Movie You Must See Before You Die Book, I found four films listed with Ms. Cardinale in prominent roles. Fellini’s 8 ½,Viscontti’s The Leopard, Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West and Herzog’s Fitzacarldo. A pretty impressive lot. When I tried to find any listing of Loren films, I came up empty (Though I’m a little surprised her Oscar winning role in Two Women isn’t included.) So Ms. Cardinale it is.

Film #1 The Leopard

The Leopard, made by filmmaker Lucino Visconti is based on the popular Italian novel by Giuseppe Lampedusa, and is set during the time of Risorgimento and the unification of Italy in 1860 to 1862. It is a time of turmoil, war and a changing of the guard. Much of the personal story of the film involves the aristocratic Prince Fabrizio played by Burt Lancaster, his beloved nephew Tancredi and his love interest Angelica.

This is the kind of film that some love for its lushness, grandeur and epic storytelling. Others might just be bored with the whole thing and find it moves too slow and is just too long.

The film was made in three languages and dubbed where appropriate. The Italian version, which is over three hours in length, is generally acknowledged as the definitive version. Of course, it’s a little disconcerting at first to see an Italian voice coming out of Burt Lancaster that sounds nothing like Burt Lancaster. The American version is English dubbed, with Lancaster providing his own voice. There is also a French version, perhaps to accommodate French co-star Alain Delon. The Criterion DVD set I watched included the American and Italian version. I watched a bit of both. The only problem I had with the Italian version was getting used to the bombastic Italian voice coming out of Burt, but once I got used to it, I began to like the Italian version.

Claudia Cardinale in The Leopard

Claudia’s entrance in The Leopard: One of the best of Claudia’s entrances, which doesn’t even occur until about an hour into the film. She plays Angelica, the daughter of the rather buffoonish, upwardly mobile Don Calogero who has just entered the Prince’s palace for the first time. There is much clamoring going on as this scene unfolds. Nephew Tancredi is talking to Concetta, his potential future wife. Don Calogero introduces his daughter Angelica, who enters the room. Everyone’s jaw drops. Everyone stares. Concetta looks horrified. Angelica tucks in her lower lip and Tancredi looks into her brown eyes and it’s all over for him. Concetta knows in an instant she’s lost Tancredi forever. Prince Fabrizio’s wife then tells Angelica that “You’ve changed a lot and not for the worse,” which seems to be a bit of an understatement if you asked me.

Just saying: Unlike the Italian voice dubbed for Lancaster, I couldn’t get used to the English voice actress who dubbed Claudia.

One Kiss: There is a scene in The Leopard where Claudia gives a gentle kiss to Burt Lancaster that is sweet and respectful. It was a definite contrast to the kiss between the two in The Professionals where Claudia is just trying to seduce him to aide her in escaping.

Films acknowledgement of Claudia’s place in the universe: “How fortunate we are, Miss Angelica, to gather so lovely a flower into our home.”-Burt Lancaster as Prince Fabrizio.

DVD extra’s acknowledgement of Claudia’s place in the universe: Even the usually straight-laced film commentator Peter Cowie can’t help but gush a little recalling his meeting Claudia at a 2003 Berlin film festival-“I think she looked just as sensual, just as naughty, just as she did in the far off 60’s.”

Claudia on a 1-10 scale for The Leopard-If you take a look a Claudia in the ballroom finale, she is donning a most flattering hair bob with ringlets in the back accentuated nicely by an elegant white dress, pearls, and is even wearing a tiara. I want to use a word other than elegant to describe her, but nothing else seems to fit. Her touching dance with Burt Lancaster adds even more to her allure.
Claudia rating for The Leopard: She’s a 10!

Next up: The Pink Panther

ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1955), ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL (1974, WEST GERMANY), FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002)

The Blogger’s Wife

The 1001 blogger has a pencil dangling from his mouth as he thumbs through two movie books. He starts to edit some notes on the computer in front of him as the frozen image of Julianne Moore stares at him from his Magnavox to his right. He is so focused on what he is doing that he doesn’t hear his wife approach him.

Blogger’s Wife: So, what is it you’re doing now?

1001 Blogger: Oh, I didn’t see you there. I was working on this comparison for my blog. Do you want me to tell you about it?

The Blogger’s wife is unresponsive as he continues.

1001 Blogger: You see the Douglas Sirk films from the 50’s like All That Heaven Allows have apparently been very influential. I always thought that they were just fluff pieces. Guess I'm learning a few things. Continuing education is the key. We can learn through our movies.

Blogger’s Wife: Yes, dear. That’s all well and good, but you’ve been watching these movies for a long time now. Don’t you think you need to take a break from your 101 movies and go cut the grass?

1001 Blogger: (Laughing) First of all, it’s 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. Oh, you knew the title, didn't you? You were just having sport with me. Anyway, the grass can wait another day because I’ve discovered a link between these films. (Raising his voice and pointing skyward) Triangulation! Triangulation, I say! You see, All That Heaven Allows, the Sirk film influenced both Far From Heaven, the Todd Hanes film and Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, the Fassbinder film. I would have never guessed that Sirk would have influenced Fassbinder!

Bloggers’ Wife: Fats Bender, sounds like a jazz musician. Anyway, as I said that’s all well and good, but I think you need to take a break and decide what kind of new televison we want. Not that I get a chance to look at it much these days, cause there’s usually a sixty-year old French movie playing on it. But I need some help with picking out some of these things. You know for our house!

1001 blogger: (Not seeming to notice her) What? Oh, my theory. Don’t you get it? Three films. Triangulation! Fassbinder took Sirk’s rather mundane dilemma of a woman who was a few years older than her lover and made a woman a lot older than her lover. He also threw in the outsider and racial component. She was German and he was a Moroccon emigrant…or was he a Malinese? I can’t remember, but it’s the same effect. It doesn’t effect the triangulation concept. And then we have the Haynes film, which has the racial relationship component and throws in the homosexual element! Don’t you see? Triangulation! In the original Sirk film, Rock Hudson certainly couldn’t have been gay.

Blogger’s Wife: But Rock Hudson was gay!

1001 Blogger: No. Rock Hudson, the screen component was not at all gay. What he did in his private lie is outside the realm of this evaluation.

Blogger’s Wife: You’re spending to much time on this! We have lives to lead, you know!

1001 Blogger: (Ignoring her comment) Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the triangulatory link between the three films and televison. Jane Wyman’s jerkwad children give her a television to compensate for the loss of her boyfriend in All That Heaven Allows. In Far From Heaven, Dennis Quaid is a bigshot in a company that manufactures televisions. In Fassbinder’s film, one of the sons of the lady dating the younger man kicks in her television screen when he first hears about the relationship. I’m trying to interpret this link now. Or if there even is a link or if it’s just a coincidental motif…What was I saying?

Blogger’s Wife: Would you listen to yourself! I’m sick of all this! You care more about what you put on that damn TV than you do about me!

The 1001 blogger leans back in his chair and begins to stroke the top of the television as if it were the family pet.

1001 blogger: Well, I didn’t know you felt so strongly about this. Let me ask you this. Have you ever considered seeking psychiatric help? You seem really irrational.

The blogger’s wife turns beet red and goes over to the blogger’s television and kicks in the screen. She pulls her leg out of the shards of glass and straightens herself up before silently leaving the room.

1001 blogger: (staring blankly at the guts of his television) Triangulation!

THE BIG RED ONE (1980)

Lee Marvin Week Day 9!

(The Big Red One, 1980 A 1001 film entry)

The Big Red One is the final film by eclectic director Samuel Fuller. This film is the autobiographical story of Fuller’s infantry regiment during World War II, where a fictional version of Fuller (played by future nerd vigilante Robert Carradine) and three other soldiers, including Corvette Summer star Mark Hamill, an Italian guy and the guy that looks a lot like Gary Busey, who all seem to fight everywhere during the years of World War II. Let’s see: France, Belgium, the beaches of Normandy during D-Day and Italy. I don’t think they made it to Japan, but I think I’m willing to cut them some slack. It’s not as mercilessly violent as something like Platoon or Saving Private Ryan, but it is pretty powerful at times.

But this blog isn’t supposed to be about Samuel Fuller, it’s all about Lee Marvin.

Like in The Dirty Dozen, Marvin is the leader of men going into battle. Except this time he is a sergeant, not a colonel. And instead of leading twelve criminals with no training, he’s leading four baby face soldiers (as well as their unlucky fill-ins). There’s even a Dirty Dozen reference when a soldier tells him where he is from and Lee responds with “Never heard of it,” a reprise of Donald Sutherland’s memorable line from The Dirty Dozen.

One of the film’s highlights is Lee delivering a baby in a tank He also has to be a psychologist at times, such as Mark Hamill about to go over the edge and Lee gently telling him “I think you got him,” after Mark keeps shooting an enemy after he’s already killed him.

Lee’s also got to be a gambler and an actor. The Germans have lulled his men into a trap and he has to artfully make the Krauts think he is going for reinforcements so they won’t all be slaughtered. But the scene I will remember from this film is his carrying a dying child on his shoulders. The child dies (according to the narration) and he, the sergeant feels such grief that he is unable to put the child down for half and hour.

Quotable Lee

“You don’t murder animals. You kill them!”

“It’s just one of your balls, Smitty. You can live without it. That’s why they gave you two.”

“You’re going to live you son of a bitch. You’re going to live if I have to blow your brains out!”

This is the final film entry with Lee Marvin in the 1001 movie book.

Sorry I didn’t have the time for Cat Ballou, Donavan’s Reef, Emperor of the North Pole, Ship of Fools and that one he made with Chuck Norris, whatever that was called. Maybe next time.