Dish of the Day
Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Sunday, July 2, 2023
Today on TCM:
Many readers have taken me to task for my inclusion of Casablanca (1942) on a list of “All that Glitters”: The Overrated. I would simply ask that they read what I wrote about this revered classic before judging me too harshly. There is much to praise about the film contained in my review and the weaknesses I've observed are, I feel, worthy of consideration. In any event, please indulge in this motion picture's magic and let me know if my criticisms have merit. The journey begins Sunday, July 2 at 1 pm PDT.
After World War II, many returning servicemen were disillusioned to find jobs were scarce and their wives’ (or girlfriends’) faithfulness even scarcer. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) addresses this reality head on when the Dana Andrews character finds it impossible to please either his previous employer or trophy wife upon his return to civilian life. Perhaps for this narrative distinction, authors Borde and Chaumeton referred to The Best Years of Our Lives in their highly respected book “Panorama of American Film Noir 1941 - 1953”, the first to be published on the subject.
Dana Andrews holding the Mayo… Virginia Mayo that is
The film portrays no crime, the focus is not on Andrews’ experiences alone, and he comes out better off at the end without his superficial but admittedly gorgeous wife, which for myself, collectively place this film well outside of noir’s dark and gloomy world of illegal activity. Previously, I highly praised The Best Years of Our Lives for its exceptional musical score composed by Hugo Friedhofer in the first part of a series entitled Top Ten: Motion Picture Music Treasures. This emotionally powerful tour de force will commence Sunday, July 2 at 5 pm PDT.
TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above images. For those who live in parts of the U.S. other than the western region, the time zone can be adjusted in the upper right-hand corner of TCM's programme.
All responses are not only welcomed but encouraged in the comments section below.
Hope to see you tomorrow..
A.G.