[psycho d]

The Wrong Man (1956). Based on a true story, this might best be construed as a procedural nightmare. Our protagonist, about a good a man as possible, is to put through the " " of a bureaucratic beast, resulting in the carnage of a pleasant if not prosaic family. The story was slowly paced, but this almost added to antagonizing torture of the justice system. The acting was incredible, with Henry Fonda's wonderful performance almost eclipsed by Vera Mile's astounding role. Hitchcock's style took perfectly different path in the telling of this story. The black and white photography was used to spectacular effect, a pictorial catalog of a horrible mistake and its aftermath. And that ending...

Touchez pas au grisbi (1954). This masterpiece of French noir exemplifies the depth of friendship and honor between thieves in this classic. The protagonist and his partner could not be more different, but through the years they have developed a friendship beyond mere love, a friendship cemented in the trenches of criminal warfare and not to be trifled with. The plot's treachery is utilized to effect as the polar opposite of this eternal bond, a bond which is best elucidated with some of the more mundane aspects of life. This bond is also compared with the superficial love between the sexes, where men love their woman only during the act of love. The acting was sublime, with heavies Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura, as well as some mightily proportioned women to grace the eyes. The direction and camera work were wonderful, and the score was the perfect compliment to the darker side of life.

Cross of Iron (1977). This is undoubtedly one of the best war, and anti-war, flicks ever made. The German soldiers are made out to be real people, fighting for their brothers and not for their leader's ideologies. James Coburn is the hero of the flick, but like everyone else his faults are all too real. Luckily for his comrades these faults typically show up off of the battlefield. The antagonist is wonderfully portrayed by Maximilian Schell, a complex and manipulative creature that knows what he wants from the war. The rest of the cast are exceptionally well cast and make for a rich and wonderfully varied battalion of front-line soldiers and behind the scenes (just barely) war leaders that are far from unrealistic about their chances at winning or even survival the war. The battle scenes are brutal and explosive, where explosions are not mere flashes but full-blown dirt movers. Peckinpah's direction was perfect. The camera work and editing were incredible. And the ending, while threatening predictability, was anything but. Ashe.
Genruk'