I wanted to highlight films which portray great American ensemble film making at its best.
On The Waterfront(1954)
I saw this film blind. I.E. not knowing anything regarding the plot, story, characters, all I knew was that it had Marlon Brando in it. Thus I was fortunate to watch the film without the cloud of judgement and controversy its director was associated with at the time and to this day.
Without giving away the story, the film is a tale about conscious, redemption, regret, pent up anger, guilt, dignity and defiance. All the characters could have a mini film made about each character. All the characters have motivations and these motivations oppose or cross lines with other characters. The script has in my opinion the best speeches in cinema about social cowardice, defiance and release of pent up regret, anger and disappointment brought on by years of subjugation. Additionally the restriction of the setting to the waterfront and its residents, gives a tension and sensation of things coming to a boiling point or breaking point which must be released, as they do by the end of the film.
Originally written as “The Hook” by Arthur Miller, Elia Kazan’s answer to the questions of his day reveals something deep within him. This is what drives the film and makes the viewing all the more compelling. The director can see himself through the actors.
If you’re looking for gripping drama, which celebrates acting craft, has something to say even if you disagree with its conclusions and are looking for a story which grips you from the word go and ups the stakes with every twist and turn, then you could look no better than On the Waterfront.
High Noon (1952)
High Noon takes place in a sleepy town with a small community of residents. The Marshall Will Kane (played by Gary Cooper) goes on a mini odyssey around the town villages searching for support against a gang which is coming to kill him and rain tyranny on the residents.
One of the reasons I love this film is that the supporting characters (some on screen for only a few moments) make an impression which reveals their characters and their motives.
For example there is a scene in a church where the sheriff is trying to encourage residents to become deputies to help him fight the gang.
One by one the congregation stands up to have their say. One in fear, one indifferent, one shirking their responsibilities & one in favour of fighting back but won’t do it themselves.
The director uses profile shots for each actor which gives the actors a moment in the limelight revealing a motive, character & adds to the depth of the films themes.
12 Angry Men (1957)
Aristotle noted three elements for great drama. One, we must live the story in real time. Two the drama must take place in one location and three the drama must have a character arch.
12 Angry Men conforms to these principles. A film which could easily be achieved on stage ironically is highly cinematic probably due to the usage of great close-up shots.
All the characters are unique and personify the everyday working man, the thinking man, the carefree man, the salesman, the disadvantaged, the bigot, the coach, the retired excreta.
The story’s theme revolves around prejudice, discrimination, ignorance, bigotry and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
12 Angry Men’s themes are universal and timeless. The themes and plot lines could be applied to stories in Roman Antiquity, the Renaissance and a thousand years ahead of today. To me this is the mark of a timeless story because it touches upon what it is to be human.
Cop land (1997)
James Mangold’s Cop land is one of America’s great recent ensemble films & one of the best films of the nighties. The stakes are high for all the characters. To me it’s a modern day version of On The Waterfront. One man standing up for what he believes to be right against an enemy that used to be his friends. As with On The Waterfront, it addresses issues of pent up frustration, an unfulfilled life & the abandonment of friends in a time of need.
Cop Land has a wonderful score by Howard Shore the same composer of Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2000-2002) . The music gives the film a real grandeur and sense that the characters are larger than life.
Mystic River (2003)
A plot and story-line such as Mystic River relies upon great acting. I like the way the characters motivations and motives cris-cross one another. This adds depth and richness to the overall story.
The themes of the story are sorrow and tragedy. The story can be summed up as a who done it, however the story is far more about a community with a spell of darkness hanging over all the town & by the end none of the characters (bar Kevin Bacon’s character) come out with finality which adds to the sense tragedy in the story.
The climatic ending employing triangulation between a number of characters end with a real bang, what Alexander Mackendrick called the Promised Scene, the confrontation that we have wanted all along, but didn’t know it until we saw it.
The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)
I watched The Place Beyond The Pines not knowing anything about it, I must have been on the moon during the marketing campaign. And thank god I did, because it gave me the chance to see it without prejudice or my experience being ruined by reviews.
I love how the film is split into two part Ryan Goslings 1st half of the film and Bradley Cooper taking over the lead for the 2nd half. It’s almost as if the film has been handed over from one actor to the other.
In my opinion Bradley Coopers performance is one of the best performance of the last 10 years along with in Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011). In particular, I would point you to a conversation between him and Bruce Greenwood’s character. The movement of their eyes, long pauses, volume & tone of both actors’ voices are fantastic.
The film weaves this way and that and by the end you have no idea of telling how the film will end. But in my opinion it ends the way the film should have ended. However it takes time to get this ending, which makes sense for a family inter-generational saga.
There is so much more to be said as the film has so many themes sins of father, the past haunting a person, loyalty to friends challenged, man to man chats, escapist youth and much more besides.
Casablanca (1942)
I would vouch that the supporting cast of Casablanca is what makes the film so good.
If it was only the Bogart, Bergmann and Henreid love triangle then the film would be good, but not one of the great films of the 20th century. The supporting cast is what make it so captivating.
I would point you to Sydney Greenstreet playing Ferrari who has some great facial expressions and gestures during the film. Peter Lorre as Ugarte, who has one of the most distinctive faces and voices in film history. Conrad Veidt, as Major Heinrich Strasser who personifies the killjoy Nazi. S.Z. Sakall who plays the head waiter has a great expression when Bogart’s character takes pity on a couple at the gambling tables, making the audience feel empathy for Bogart’s indifference and cynicism.
Dooley Wilson as Sam the piano player without his singing and playing the film would not have the atmosphere or joy of Rick’s bar. One of my favourite songs in cinema is “knock on wood.” Claude Rains at his best with some of the best lines in film history “the waters what waters we’re in the desert” HB “I was misinformed”. Madeleine LeBeau, singing along with the close up of Ingrid Bergmann during the French national anthem is one of the many reasons Casablanca stirs the spirit.
Writing this short piece on Casablanca, has reminded me how important these characters are to the overall film and without them how poorer we all would be without them.
I hope the blog inspires you to see these films.
Thanks.
Eric Garson's Film blog 