Singin' in the Rain
Stanley Donan
This 1952 classic is a tongue-in-cheek musical comedy depicting the transition from ‘silent films' to ‘talkies'. A feast of music and dance starring the legendary Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, the story is based on the behind-the-scenes goings-on in the industry, the resistance and problems that pop up when sound and voice dubbing is first introduced. When actors are shown a demonstration of a talking movie no one wants to be part of it, but when a rival studio enjoys tremendous success with its first talkie, Don Lockwood (Kelly), a star, decides to convert his silent film into a talkie. What follows is a hilarious attempt to solve a series of problems based on actual situations that studios faced at that time. The delightful dance choreography is by Kelly.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Milos Forman
This Milos Forman-directed film (1975) won five major Academy Awards. It is the unusual story of an energetic, confident convict MacMurphy who chooses to spend time in an asylum instead of prison. He takes on the iron lady Nurse Ratchel (Louise Fletcher) who has clamped harsh rules to control the motley group of mentally unstable men in her ward. Jack Nicholson as the irrepressible newcomer who stirs up a mutiny against the Establishment won his first Oscar for this role. His rebellion leads to a tragic end but inspires other patients to freedom.
La Strada (The Road)
Federico Fellini
This 1954 film leaves a deep impression with its story and magnificent characters played by Anthony Quinn and Giuletta Masina (Fellini's wife). The wave of Neo-realism that washed over Europe during this time is reflected in the film but Fellini goes further and creates a lyrical love story hardened by the hardships of ordinary folk in post-war Italy. A young woman named Gelsomina is sold to Zampano, a travelling vaudeville actor as payment for her dead sister's debts. She learns the tricks of his trade the hard way. She passively endures the pain until she meets another actor. She almost elopes with him but returns when Zampano's actions make her suspect that he loves her. A must-see for all film buffs.
The Story of Adele H
François Truffaut
A French film based on the diary of Adele, the beautiful daughter of writer Victor Hugo, it was directed by François Truffaut in 1975. Adele meets a British officer and falls in love with him. She runs away and takes a new name, Miss Lewly, so as to not embarrass her famous father. The officer rejects her but hoping to convince him in time, she writes to her father that she has married him. She obstinately follows Pinson's unit to Barbados calling herself Mrs. Pinson. By now her clothes are in tatters and her neurotic mental condition is advanced. Hungry and penniless, she faints and is returned to her father who admits her in an asylum. It took Truffaut six years to make this sensitive film.
Rashomon
Akira Kurosawa
Rashomon is a skilfully-crafted Japanese film (1950) which astounded the world with its complexity and brilliant performances by Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo and Takashi Shimura. Rashomon begins with men discussing the rape of a woman and her husband's murder. Each of the four purported witnesses reports their version. Although the scenes are repeated in flashback, subtle differences are reflected in the actors' amazing display of shades of emotion. The film is replete with symbolism, a trademark of Akira Kurosawa, the director. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film category.
Those that almost made it
Ben-Hur: William Wyler
Godfather I: Francis Ford Coppola
The Seven Samurai: Akira Kurosawa
Gone With The Wind: Victor Fleming
Giants: George Stevens
(Indu Raman is a Mumbai based dancer-writer currently studying cinema.)
