Movies
My first Douglas Sirk. I'm actually a bit surprised, I could've sworn I've watched some of his films before, but I've clearly mistaken him for someone else. Not that I've missed out on much, it seems Sirk's work is very much in line with other bombastic Hollywood melodrama of that era. Two friends fall in love with the same woman (Lucy). Kyle has a bad reputation and uses his money to impress women, Mitch is a hard-working fella who is a bit shy around the ladies. Even before Mitch is able to profess his love, Kyle convinces Lucy to marry him. Meanwhile, Kyle's sister takes an interest in Mitch. Big drama and emotions from start to finish. I will say that Sirk handles it pretty well under the circumstances, but it's not the kind of cinema I care for. The cinematography is bland, the performances are not too subtle and the pacing a bit sluggish. Just one of the many American classics that failed to leave an impression, but it's not the worst of the bunch.Read all
Heavy, thick, classic American melodrama. This is only my second Sirk, but it seems to be a pretty good summary of his more famous work. I'm not sure how it has survived the times, these films definitely feel like something out of a distant past that should've been buried a long time ago, but here we are. Cary is a rich, older widow who falls for the charms of Ron, a younger man who doesn't belong to the same class she does. Her children aren't happy when they get engaged and her social circle doesn't really approve either. They split up, but their love runs deep and when they aren't together, they feel pretty unhappy. The performances and the direction are both very heavy-handed. The plot isn't that interesting, the overpowering music and tortured expressions of the characters don't do it much justice either. At least the film is quite short and properly paced, but other than that, the film has few redeeming qualities.Read all