Sunday, August 2, 2009
Gym clothes and today's movie
posted at 12:28 PM |
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In case one's children and grandchildren don't believe one (me), The Seventh Veil shows girls romping around in their gym uniforms that are the same ridiculous pleated almost-dresses we wore in the late sixties at the Catholic academy I attended in New York City. I don't think anyone would believe it unless there were actual evidence. Thank goodness for movies.
The Seventh Veil is one of those noir-ish films that requires a total suspension of modern (dis)belief but is, after that, irresistible and engrossing . It has Ann Todd and James Mason with a lovely turn by the always wonderful (if occasionally absurd) Herbert Lom as a psychiatrist. She plays a world-class pianist who has attempted suicide when the film opens. Unfortunately the script's solution for her troubles is the love of a man - although it's not as if that wasn't and isn't the solution offered in many movies and novels. When the seventh veil covering her awareness is lifted - to employ the linguistic metaphor of the script - she is free to choose her partner - will it be her domineering guardian uncle (Mason) or her musician beau (Hugh McDermott) or the understanding doctor (Lom)?
I like a lot of the music in this movie - although I agree with the uncle that sometimes she plays slightly overblown and romantic pieces that are too pop and unctious for my taste. I especially like the first piano scene between Mason and Todd when he's playing the Mozart 3rd piano sonata - the one all students, me included, play until the cows come home - and she cannot stop herself from joining the fun. It's a nice scene and a nice rendition of the piece.
The Seventh Veil is one of those noir-ish films that requires a total suspension of modern (dis)belief but is, after that, irresistible and engrossing . It has Ann Todd and James Mason with a lovely turn by the always wonderful (if occasionally absurd) Herbert Lom as a psychiatrist. She plays a world-class pianist who has attempted suicide when the film opens. Unfortunately the script's solution for her troubles is the love of a man - although it's not as if that wasn't and isn't the solution offered in many movies and novels. When the seventh veil covering her awareness is lifted - to employ the linguistic metaphor of the script - she is free to choose her partner - will it be her domineering guardian uncle (Mason) or her musician beau (Hugh McDermott) or the understanding doctor (Lom)?
I like a lot of the music in this movie - although I agree with the uncle that sometimes she plays slightly overblown and romantic pieces that are too pop and unctious for my taste. I especially like the first piano scene between Mason and Todd when he's playing the Mozart 3rd piano sonata - the one all students, me included, play until the cows come home - and she cannot stop herself from joining the fun. It's a nice scene and a nice rendition of the piece.
Labels: movies, music, today's movie
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