Monday, January 16, 2006
SMART ALEC
Today's Best 1176 NYTimes Film was Alec Guinness'
It is a sort of cracked artist comedy with Guinness turning in another singular performance. There he is in the picture to the last upper right.
This is nearly the end of the Guinness comedies and it is a nice finale as he phased into the serious dramatic actor who got the recognition and respect.
In college, we used to line up for the next Guinness comedy, usually known as the Ealing comedies after the studio. So this was nice to see again and not to have to line up. It is in color which was a new thing then; all black and white up to this one.
The plot is sort of nonexistent; a series of sketches really. But the ruminations on art are interesting and the people who accompany Sir Alec from beginning to end are of the high Brit eccentric variety. It was all enjoyable if a bit strange and, at times, strained.
I will give it a Netflix3 out of 5.
The really surprising gem on this Criterion restoration disc is the appearance of D.A. Pennebaker's short Daybreak Express; a wild whacky ride through NYC to the sounds of Duke Ellington's tune of the same name. It was Pennebaker's first commercial film. The rest are historic.
Daybreak was originally coupled with the Guinness film and, now, they are reunited on this disc.
It is a very short short and well worth the ride. It was a great bonus and gets a 5 out of 5 if they were to ask me.
