Sergeant York

This Sunday, let me add to Friday's remembrance with another WWI film. This one is the rarest of breeds - a film about WWI that is not anti-war. Though it is a strange kind of not-anti-war film: a film about a pacifist who comes to fight - though the film is as much about a violent man who becomes non-violent as about a non-violent man who takes up arms. Which gives it some kick - in a way, then, it becomes really about the limits of absolutes in morality - there is always a case where your values are less useful than some others... Whatever you might say about WWI, in WWII the values are different. There is that. Of course, being a Howard Hawks film, it is largely about the mastery of someone who is very very good at what he does.

Competence:






God:




War:





Home:

Rio Lobo

Another lazy Sunday - and since I was watching this one... if I were called on to make some simple remarks, I might say how much it feels like a silent movie, with some interpolated sound scenes. The dialogue is very on the nose - all exposition and attempts at banter (whether the banter is lacking or the actors bantering aren't up to it, I'm not sure - some of both I guess) - but the imagery remains - delightful. Slyly delightful, I guess - efficient, effective action scenes - lots of nicely framed shots of people hanging around... a pleasure all around.

Loading the MacGuffin:



I will seldom miss the chance to post a picture of a train:



Here comes trouble, in the form of a woman:



Though it being Hawks, she will be soon be one of the boys:



Hanging around:



There is a plot, though, advancing in casually - but look how carefully! - composed and staged shots like this....



Amen.

Sunday With the Duke and Friends

Just keeping it simple this time around, Howard Hawks and the Duke on a Fourth of July Weekend...

Early Hawks Blogathon

Can't miss this: Ed Howard is hosting a blogathon on Early (pre-Bringing Up Baby) Howard Hawks films. From today through the 23rd, he will be working through the films he can find, and linking to any other posts on the subject. Things have gotten underway with A Girl in Every Port. More to come, much more to come!