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ORIGINAL: Harry Lime

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ORIGINAL: Piles

#105. The Crimson Kimono (1959, Samuel Fuller, USA)

Samuel Fuller really had quite a wonderful 1959, writing and directing two actually very good films which are as different in genre as they are similar in quality. This film, the awesomely named "The Crimson Kimono”, stars Glenn Corbett as Detective Sergeant Charlie Bancroft and James Shigeta as Detective Joe Kojaku, two detectives who seek a stripper's murderer in Los Angeles, or more specifically the Japanese quarter of the city. However, a love triangle also involving Christine Downs (Victoria Shaw) not only threatens to jeopardize the case, but also their friendship. I think I'll get the main negative out of the way first, because I think Fuller's films (or at least the ones that I have, so far, managed to see) are more enjoyable than critical appraisal would suggest. In both "Shock Corridor” and "Verboten!” I had problems with the story or the way it was told, and here I think the murder aspect of the film, again, struggles, and probably brings the film down. I loved the melodramatic love story and the slow breaking of a friendship in this film, but I think the murder mystery itself lacks a lot in both competence and (at times at least) coherency. However, as this is only one aspect of a film that is primarily about the central love triangle, I can let that slide quite easily. This melodramatic tale of relationships is expertly told, dwelling on both male rivalry and race relations to create a difficult, multi-textured love story that keeps you guessing from beginning to end. And what an end, culminating in a bitter sweet, convention-shunning stand-off between two men who were – at the film's outset – seemingly great friends. A film about racism in all of its forms (the prejudices in this film can be obvious or they can be subtle and underlying), "The Crimson Kimono” is an excellent film, featuring a trio of superb performances and a whole host of emotional moments about the people that inhabit its grimy, noir-ish world. 4/5.

Adore The Crimson Kimono. Adore Samuel Fuller. I take your point about the negative, but it really doesn't matter to me. It's not quite in the same league as Pickup on South Street (few films are) but it's probably my second favourite Fuller film. Although House of Bamboo, The Naked Kiss and The Big Red One would be challenging for that position too.

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jamesbondguy:
Miles is clearly the finest film theorist of his generation

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Deviation:
if it isn't ham, I'll eat a living pig.

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jamesbondguy:
Miles is clearly the finest film theorist of his generation

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Deviation:
if it isn't ham, I'll eat a living pig.

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ORIGINAL: rawlinson
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, that's a great film. The Matthau, obviously.

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ORIGINAL: FritzlFan

You organisational skills sicken me, Rhubarb.

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ORIGINAL: FritzlFan

You organisational skills sicken me, Rhubarb.

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ORIGINAL: FritzlFan

You organisational skills sicken me, Rhubarb.

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ORIGINAL: Dpp1978
There are certainly times where calling a person a cunt is not only reasonable, it is a gross understatement.

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ORIGINAL: elab49
I really wish I could go down to see Privates

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ORIGINAL: Piles

Or the five films I just reviewed (rather amazingly if I say so myself). We could talk about one of those?

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ORIGINAL: matty_b

I would plough my way through MonsterCat

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ORIGINAL: matty_b

I desire MonsterCat to go down on me.

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ORIGINAL: elab49

Only decent football film (I've no idea about this but it's all I can remember at the moment) is Shaolin Soccer.

Unless you count a goodly part of Porridge the Movie.

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ORIGINAL: elab49

Is it wrong that the thing that annoyed me most about this film was the title card saying 1600 immediately followed by an anachronistic shot of a Union Jack that didn't exist till 6 years later?

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ORIGINAL: Rhubarb

Trying to explain my love for Breathless would be like trying to explain my love for Ben and Jerry's, Ice Blasts, Gammon Hawaii, or to a lesser extent, my girlfriend.

That deep-browed Homer ruled as his demesne.


TREK WARS

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ORIGINAL: rawlinson

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ORIGINAL: Piles

Or the five films I just reviewed (rather amazingly if I say so myself). We could talk about one of those?

I'm still blind with fury over your low score for Faces.

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jamesbondguy:
Miles is clearly the finest film theorist of his generation

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Deviation:
if it isn't ham, I'll eat a living pig.

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ORIGINAL: Miles Messervy 007

I don't think I can take people being assholes without reason for 2 and a half hours.

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ORIGINAL: matty_b

I would plough my way through MonsterCat

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ORIGINAL: matty_b

I desire MonsterCat to go down on me.

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jamesbondguy:
Miles is clearly the finest film theorist of his generation

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Deviation:
if it isn't ham, I'll eat a living pig.

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ORIGINAL: Miles Messervy 007

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ORIGINAL: rawlinson

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ORIGINAL: Piles

Or the five films I just reviewed (rather amazingly if I say so myself). We could talk about one of those?

I'm still blind with fury over your low score for Faces.

Speaking of Cassavetes,
126. Shadows (1959, Cassavetes)
High expectations, not fulfilled, unfortunately. It may be the birth of American independent cinema, but it feels amateurish. The acting may be improvised, but it felt like the actors were acting at the audience instead of actually acting (this probably only makes sense in my mind, but whatever). The score is cool, but the film itself mostly feels jarring and disjointed, despite a couple of good moments. And I'm not sure how I feel about watching more Cassavetes, because on one hand his later films should be more professional but they're also much longer and I don't think I can take people being assholes without reason for 2 and a half hours. Still, I own the boxset so I guess I will. 7

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jamesbondguy:
Miles is clearly the finest film theorist of his generation

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Deviation:
if it isn't ham, I'll eat a living pig.

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ORIGINAL: homersimpson_esq

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ORIGINAL: Rhubarb

Trying to explain my love for Breathless would be like trying to explain my love for Ben and Jerry's, Ice Blasts, Gammon Hawaii, or to a lesser extent, my girlfriend.

Someone asks why you love your favourite film, and this is your answer? Some may say this is a 'cop out' answer.

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ORIGINAL: FritzlFan

You organisational skills sicken me, Rhubarb.

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ORIGINAL: FritzlFan

You organisational skills sicken me, Rhubarb.

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ORIGINAL: Miles Messervy 007
Speaking of Cassavetes,
126. Shadows (1959, Cassavetes)
High expectations, not fulfilled, unfortunately. It may be the birth of American independent cinema, but it feels amateurish.

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ORIGINAL: jamesbondguy

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ORIGINAL: Miles Messervy 007
Speaking of Cassavetes,
126. Shadows (1959, Cassavetes)
High expectations, not fulfilled, unfortunately. It may be the birth of American independent cinema, but it feels amateurish.

Aren't most independent movements based on a rejection of glossy professionalism, and an adoption of something approaching amateurism (even it's not amateur)?

Lulz, intellectual.

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jamesbondguy:
Miles is clearly the finest film theorist of his generation

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Deviation:
if it isn't ham, I'll eat a living pig.

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ORIGINAL: Miles Messervy 007

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ORIGINAL: jamesbondguy

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ORIGINAL: Miles Messervy 007
Speaking of Cassavetes,
126. Shadows (1959, Cassavetes)
High expectations, not fulfilled, unfortunately. It may be the birth of American independent cinema, but it feels amateurish.

Aren't most independent movements based on a rejection of glossy professionalism, and an adoption of something approaching amateurism (even it's not amateur)?

Lulz, intellectual.

I think we're talking about two different definitions of amateur here. There's amateur as in amateur porn, which means it's stripped of glossy professionalism and often more worthwhile (not my sentiment, BTW, I read it in a Soderbergh interview with Esquire), and there's an amateur car mechanic, who definitely won't do the job as well as a professional even though it will cost less.