52. Der Amerikanische Freund/The American Friend (1977)

Director Wim Wenders adapts one of a famed series of novels from Patricia Highsmith featuring the character of Tom Ripley. I knew nothing of the character or the books, so I am just treating this as a stand alone film, as all adaptations should really be.

The eponymous American friend, Tom Ripley, is played by Dennis Hopper. He is a 'connected' go-between dealing art for a painter who has faked his own death. During an auction of a painting in Hamburg, he learns of a framer who has a serious terminal blood disease. This information is passed on to a gangster who requires something of an amateur hitman with nothing to lose. He approaches Jonathon Zimmerman, the framer, to do a one off hit for a considerable amount of money. Through some fake examination results he persuades him to take the job and he reluctantly does. It's never that simple though is it? Jonathon and Ripley's lives become intertwined and somewhat switched. Ripley craves for the quiet life and Jonathon's imminent mortality, plus the bait of money to leave his wife and child, make him accept another hit.

This is a mixed paced film noir. A slow start leads to an on your edge drawn out scene for the first hit. It then goes a bit all over the place as the two leads story lines veer off, then they come crashing together for the next deal. The second hit falls fowl slightly. Surely the pace and threat should graduate through the film, but after the first hit's knife edge, it's all a bit lacklustre.

Bruno Ganz is excellent as the amateur hit man. His character has a great arc and you see Ripley's reaction to Zimmerman's journey.

This is a great watch. Hopper may be the name on the film, but it's Ganz who owns it. Lisa Kreuzer supports as Jonathon's suspicious wife who just wants to know what is going on.

The typical downbeat film noir ending doesn't disappoint, unless you are into happy ones!

51. An American in Paris (1951)

Gene Kelly plays Jerry Mulligan, an ex GI and, now, struggling painter living in Paris. A wealthy heiress takes interest in his paintings and offers to sponsor him and make him a success. It's not just his paintings she fancies though. His eyes are only for Leslie Caron's pretty shop girl, Lise. Lise however is engaged to Jerry's neighbour, Henri who is a successful singer. Still she is swayed by his charm attack and she begins a romance with Jerry, neither of her suitors knowing abut the other.
It's all going smoothly til Henri gets an offer of a tour of America and decides that he and Lise will marry and go together.
Will she stay with Jerry, her true love or marry Henri, to whom she owes so much after he hid her during the war? Ah who cares?! Though the farce is amusing, this is all about the song and dance numbers that punctuate the film. From the brilliant dittys in the cafes and streets of Montmartre accompanying a wealth of Gershwin tunes, to the epic 17 minute finale, "An American in Paris Ballet". Each dance number is outstanding and it is all choeographed by Kelly.

What an epic piece the ballet is. A heady mix of ballet, jazz, modern and tap that is seamlessly edited and all set in a living painting. A sumptuous set design inspired by Parisian artists in particular Toulouse-Lautrec.

Vincente Minnelli directs this classic Hollywood musical with flair and style. The outstanding art direction, set and costume design perfectly accent the great music and even greater dancing. The cast is great. Leslie Caron in her first film role was discovered by Kelly and they make a great dance partnership here. Th supporting cast is superb too and everyone looks like they are having a bag of fun.

It is Gene Kelly who shines the brightest here. His dancing and showmanship is unrivalled to this day. The ballet scene is amazing (he choreographed the whole thing!), but it's his tap routines on the Paris street outside his apartment that I love the most here. Entertaining the cafe patrons and the neighbourhood kids with tapped out Gershwin numbers. I Got Rhythm as he teaches the kids English is a particular favourite.

S'wonderful!

50. Amarcord (1973)

In his last successful film, Fellini delves into his past again and reminisces about his youth in a small coastal town in Italy. It comes across as an old man recanting tales. Amarcord meaning "I remember..."

The events take place over a year and are basically a series of memories played out on screen. There is no plot or storyline. Though a lot of the stories centre around a teenage boy, Titta, he is not a main character. It's very much an ensemble piece and a bit of a messy free for all as a result.

As per usual, Fellini's memories are mostly that of women. He is a big old perv, but as he is the horny teenager Titta, he clearly always was. Buxom beyond belief women are the stars of the show. The tobacconist who nearly suffocates him with her ample (such an understatement!) bosom; Gradisca the town beauty who allows him to place his hand on her thigh in a darkened cinema til she asks "have you lost something?"; Volpina, the town's crazy whore who kisses him when he fixes her bicycle. No-one gets away from his hormones aside from his ailing mother. He isn't alone as his friends are bags of hormones too, quite oddly displayed in a circle jerk as they all cry out their fantasy partners to each other. This shortly after going to confessional and denying the priest's accusations that each of them touches themselves.

There are a few grand set pieces in his memories. The film opens with a festival of spring as the town celebrate around a bonfire and burn a winter witch effigy. There are also complete tangent threads which get more bizarre as the film goes on. A town outing on a flotilla to watch the passing of a huge ocean liner, a mad uncle refusing to come down from a tree until he gets a woman. He is eventually talked down by a midget nun from the sanitarium he stays in. There is an odd scene as the town tramp boasts of his sexual exploits with a visiting sultan's harem. Bonkers!

You can't fault him for wanting to cram as many memories in the film as he can and it is certainly shot beautifully with great use of colour and fabulous costumes. I would just have liked a bit more of a cohesive story to it all. Great fun though.

The tobacconist and her AMPLE norks!