Family Movie Night

Last Saturday we watched Shutter Island (2010) and I was impressed again, this time by how different it all seems the second time. As sometimes happens with "Ken movies," Donna didn't seem to be enjoying it at all for the first half, but it finally got to her by the end. Last night it was time to watch Becky Sharp (1935), based on a play which edits Vanity Fair down to about a dozen of its best scenes. When I read the book I found that all the sections dealing with the ostensible protagonist were a sort of payment for getting to read the parts about the fascinating monster of avarice and self-interest Becky Sharp, and this just deletes all the payment and gives nothing but the reward. This was the first full-length Technicolor film and it is sometimes used to striking effect. Much as I like Miriam Hopkins, I felt she overacted horrifically throughout the film, flinging herself around dramatically in a continuous state of ecstasy or despair, sincere or feigned. I prefer her under more restraint, and somewhat older. Nigel Bruce was ridiculously Nigel-Bruceian and the best part of the experience for me. It's not entirely a good movie, but I consider it an important one and worth seeing once or twice - this was twice for me. I rate it 7/10