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colingbradley
Reviews
Du rififi chez les hommes (1955)
Distinctive opening
One of the most enduring images for me is the breaking through the ceiling. All done in complete silence. I saw this movie when it came out and that part was just superb and very daring for the time. It is still difficult for directors to have silence building up the tension.
The movie is very 'French' and an influential work that will have given future directors some useful ideas. Of it's time, the violence and sex is not in-your-face, (blood being difficult to see in a B&W movie),and did not lessen the impact and viewer understanding of events.
After 49 years, I still put this movie near the top of my own 'Top 10'.
I would hope that it will be shown some time soon and I get the chance to see if I remember it.
If possible, this should be in your DVD library, I have just ordered my copy from Amazon at a very low cost.
Battle of the V-1 (1958)
Great for the period
Of course this is a low budget effort, of course the acting is stiff and very odd to our modern eyes.
It is of the time and included the rather funny way that actors and directors of the old English school did things. Note the early scene with Rennie's farewell, she studies the ground and then looks away from him, these sorts of dramatic methods of "showing deep sorrow or concern" are never used today and really do look quite funny.
In addition to the clean suits and perfect hair, check out when the 2 German soldiers get their uniforms taken by the leading men but even though the Germans are from the same unit, the uniforms are quite different a while later. There was simply not enough money to do it right.
Better to fast fwd some of the more obvious bits and just enjoy this period film of a long gone time.