L.A. CONFIDENTIAL Books USA,1997 Ellroy, James, LA. Confidential, New York, 1997. Director: Curtis Hanson Articles: Production: Monarchy Enterprises B V. and Regency Lane, Anthony, ""L.A. Confidential, in The New Yorker, 22 Septem distributed by Warner Brothers; 35mm, Technicolor, DTS/Dolby ber 1997 Digital; running time: 136 minutes; length: 3915 meters(approx. Denby, David,""L.A. Confidential, in New York, 29 Septem 12836 feet). Released May 14, 1997, france( Cannes Film Festival), ber1997. eptember 5, 1997, Canada(Toronto Film Festival), September 19, Ansen, David, The Neo-Noir 90s, in Newsweek(New York ), 27 1997, U.S.A. Filmed in Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Los October 1997 Angeles, California; cost: $35, 000.000 Taubin, Amy, L A Lurid, in Sight and Sound (London), Novem- ber1997. Producers:Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland, Dan Kolsrud, Arnon Wrathall, John, "L.A. Confidential, " in Sight and Sound(London), Milchan, Michael G. Nathanson, and David L Wolper; screenplay November 1997 Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson, from the novel by James Ellroy: Lyons, Donald, ""L.A. Confidential, in Film Comment(New York), photography: Dante Spinotti: assistant directors: Jim Goldthwait, November-December 1997 Heather Kritzer, Linda Montanti, and Drew Ann Rosenberg; editor Arthur PauL. "L.A. Con Cineaste(New York), Sum- Peter Honess: sound: SoundStorm: art director: William Arnold 1998 production designer: Jeannine Oppewall; costume designer: Ruth Myers; music: Jerry Goldsmith Cast: Kevin Spacey (Jack Vincennes): Russell Crowe(Bud White); Prior to the release of L.A. Confidential, director Curtis Hanson Guy Pearce (Ed Exley); James Cromwell (Dudley Smith): Kim spent nearly 30 years learning the movie business, working as an Basinger(Lynn Bracken); Danny DeVito(Sid Hudgeons); David actor, writer, producer, and director. He eventually earned a reputa- Strathairn(Pierce Patchett); Ron Rifkin(DA. Ellis Loew); Matt tion as a skilled craftsman, as evidenced by lightly regarded but well McCoy(Brett Chase); Graham Beckel(Dick Stensland): Amber made genre films such as Bad Influence(1990), The Hand that Rocks the Cradle(1992), and The River Wild(1994). Just as the old studio system provided filmmakers with the opportunity to hone their craft, Awards: Oscars for Best Supporting Actress(Kim Basinger)and so too did Hanson 's time as a director for hire heighten his filmmaking Best Adapted Screenplay, 1998: Australian Film Institute Best For abilities. By the time Hanson took on L.A. Confidential, he was poised eign Film Award, 1998: Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress to make the leap from workmanlike director to filmmaker par Kim Basinger), 1998: London Critics Circle Awards for Director of xcellence; the result was a film that is widely considered the best e Year, Film of the Year, Screenwriter of the Year, and Supporting neo-no Chinatown(1974) Actor of the Year(Kevin Spacey ), 1998: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Masterfully adapted from James Ellroy's novel of the same L.A. Confidential is set in Los Angeles in 1953. As the opening voice- Picture, and Best Screenplay, 1998: National Board of Review er narration kicks in we see a montage of gorgeous Southern Awards(U.S.A. )for Best Director and Best Picture, 1998: National California shots. The stage for what follows is set by Sid Hudgeons Society of Film Critics Awards (U.S.A. ) for Best Director, Best Film Danny De vito), a sleazy tabloid reporter for Hush-Hush magazine Best Director, Best Film, and Best Screenplay, 199 cle Awards for and Best Screenplay, 1998: New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Life is good in Los Angeles It's paradise on earth. Thats what they tell you anyway. Because they re selling an image. Theyre selling it through movies, radio and television,.. You'd think this place wa the garden of Eden, but there's trouble in paradise. And indeed there Publications is. The film follows the lives of three Los Angles police officers, Bud White(Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes(Kevin Spacey), and Ed Exley( Guy Pearce), as they try to unravel the mystery of the night Owl Cafe massacre, in which several people, including White's Helgeland, Brian, and Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential: The Screen- former partner Dick Stensland( Graham Beckel), were shot dead play. New York, 1997 during what was ostensibly a robbery gone bad
655 L.A. CONFIDENTIAL L USA, 1997 Director: Curtis Hanson Production: Monarchy Enterprises B.V. and Regency Enterprises; distributed by Warner Brothers; 35mm, Technicolor; DTS/Dolby Digital; running time: 136 minutes; length: 3915 meters (approx. 12836 feet). Released May 14, 1997, France (Cannes Film Festival), September 5, 1997, Canada (Toronto Film Festival), September 19, 1997, U.S.A. Filmed in Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Los Angeles, California; cost: $35,000,000. Producers: Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland, Dan Kolsrud, Arnon Milchan, Michael G. Nathanson, and David L. Wolper; screenplay: Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson, from the novel by James Ellroy; photography: Dante Spinotti; assistant directors: Jim Goldthwait, Heather Kritzer, Linda Montanti, and Drew Ann Rosenberg; editor: Peter Honess; sound: SoundStorm; art director: William Arnold; production designer: Jeannine Oppewall; costume designer: Ruth Myers; music: Jerry Goldsmith. Cast: Kevin Spacey (Jack Vincennes); Russell Crowe (Bud White); Guy Pearce (Ed Exley); James Cromwell (Dudley Smith); Kim Basinger (Lynn Bracken); Danny DeVito (Sid Hudgeons); David Strathairn (Pierce Patchett); Ron Rifkin (D.A. Ellis Loew); Matt McCoy (Brett Chase); Graham Beckel (Dick Stensland); Amber Smith (Susan Lefferts). Awards: Oscars for Best Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger) and Best Adapted Screenplay, 1998; Australian Film Institute Best Foreign Film Award, 1998; Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress (Kim Basinger), 1998; London Critics Circle Awards for Director of the Year, Film of the Year, Screenwriter of the Year, and Supporting Actor of the Year (Kevin Spacey), 1998; Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Screenplay, 1998; National Board of Review Awards (U.S.A.) for Best Director and Best Picture, 1998; National Society of Film Critics Awards (U.S.A.) for Best Director, Best Film, and Best Screenplay, 1998; New York Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Director, Best Film, and Best Screenplay, 1998. Publications Script: Helgeland, Brian, and Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential: The Screenplay, New York, 1997. Books: Ellroy, James, L.A. Confidential, New York, 1997. Articles: Lane, Anthony, ‘‘L.A. Confidential,’’ in The New Yorker, 22 September 1997. Denby, David, ‘‘L.A. Confidential,’’ in New York, 29 September 1997. Ansen, David, ‘‘The Neo-Noir ‘90s,’’ in Newsweek (New York), 27 October 1997. Taubin, Amy, ‘‘L.A. Lurid,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), November 1997. Wrathall, John, ‘‘L.A. Confidential,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), November 1997. Lyons, Donald, ‘‘L.A. Confidential,’’ in Film Comment (New York), November-December 1997. Arthur, Paul, ‘‘L.A. Confidential,’’ in Cineaste (New York), Summer 1998. *** Prior to the release of L.A. Confidential, director Curtis Hanson spent nearly 30 years learning the movie business, working as an actor, writer, producer, and director. He eventually earned a reputation as a skilled craftsman, as evidenced by lightly regarded but well made genre films such as Bad Influence (1990), The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (1992), and The River Wild (1994). Just as the old studio system provided filmmakers with the opportunity to hone their craft, so too did Hanson’s time as a director for hire heighten his filmmaking abilities. By the time Hanson took on L.A. Confidential, he was poised to make the leap from workmanlike director to filmmaker par excellence; the result was a film that is widely considered the best neo-noir since Chinatown (1974). Masterfully adapted from James Ellroy’s novel of the same name, L.A. Confidential is set in Los Angeles in 1953. As the opening voiceover narration kicks in we see a montage of gorgeous Southern California shots. The stage for what follows is set by Sid Hudgeons (Danny DeVito), a sleazy tabloid reporter for Hush-Hush magazine: ‘‘Life is good in Los Angeles. It’s paradise on earth. That’s what they tell you anyway. Because they’re selling an image. They’re selling it through movies, radio and television,. . . You’d think this place was the garden of Eden, but there’s trouble in paradise.’’ And indeed there is. The film follows the lives of three Los Angles police officers, Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), and Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), as they try to unravel the mystery of the Night Owl Cafe massacre, in which several people, including White’s former partner Dick Stensland (Graham Beckel), were shot dead during what was ostensibly a robbery gone bad
LADRI DI BICICLETTE FILMS. 4 EDITIoN The story is a complicated, densely layered mystery that deepens though it was Titanic that walked the major awards at the at every turn. The three protagonists are all different personalities 1998 Oscars, Titanic will be remer with unique motivations, but as they chase down their leads their special effects film, while L.A. Co ial will be remembered as investigations begin to cross until it becomes clear that each is after a masterpiece of its kind and the film that marked Curtis Hanson as the same thing: the search for a truth'that, when discovered, will a major Hollywood director. also serve as a means for personal redemption. Along the way the story seamlessly blends fiction with historical fact, involving crooked -Robert c. sickels cops, Los Angeles mobster Mickey Cohen, his bodyguard Johnny Stompanato (Lana Turners real life lover, who her daughter shot and killed), hookers surgically altered to resemble movie stars(Kim asinger turn as Lynn Bracken, a luminous Veronica Lake look THE LACEMAKER alike, won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), and See LA DENTELLIERE Pierce Patchett(David Strathairn), a shadowy businessman loosely based on Walt Disney. But the backdrop for it all, and in many ways he star of the picture, is Hansons vision of Los Angeles in the 1950s This isn't the L.A. of our dreams, but Raymond Chandlers L.A. the LADIES OF THE BOIS DE yeary town behind the facade. Beautifully shot by Dante Spinotti, the BOULOGNE promise of Los Angeles as a land of milk and honey is exposed as See LES DAMES DU BOIS DE BOULOGNE false, just another in a long line of sun drenched Hollywood fabrica tions. Beginning with the ning montage and including lously detailed period recreations such as the Night Owl Cafe, neighborhood liquor store, and the Frolic Room bar, Hansons Los LADRI DI BICICLETTE Angeles perfectly embodies an American Eden gone awry The various individual investigations eventually lead to Captain (The Bicycle Thief) Dudley Smith(James Cromwell), a L.A. P D institution who has all long been orchestrating a behind-the-scenes takeover of the jailed Italy, 1948 Mickey Cohens rackets. Vincennes' discovery costs him his life, while White and Exley, who for most of the film are arch-enemies Director: Vittorio De sica finally join forces to face down Smith and his men in an apocalyptic gunfight at the hellish Victory Motel. Neo-noirs often try to capture Production: Produzioni De Sica; black and white, 35mm; running the feel of Classical Hollywood Noirs, which were shot in black and time: 90 minutes. Released 1948. Filmed in Rome white. but most fall short for either one or both of two reasons: first the play between shadow and light normally just isnt as effective in Producer: Umberto Scarpelli; screenplay: Cesare Zavattini with color, and, second, most are set in the recent present, while Classical Oreste Biancoli, Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Vittorio De Sica, Adolfo Noir narratives are inextricably rooted in the nuclear paranoia and Franci, Gherado Gherardi, and Gerardo Guerrier, from a novel by McCarthyism of America in the late 1940s and early 1950s. L.A. Luigi Bartolini; photography: Carlo Montuori; editor: Eraldo da Confidential ingeniously gets around both common shortcomings. Its Roma; production designer: Antonino Traverso; music: Alessandro taking place in 1953 neatly connects it to the Noirs of yesteryear, as Cicognini. does its cinematography; while the daylight scenes are awash in light giving them a saturated look that contributes to the overall sense of Cast: Lamberto Maggiorani(Antonio Ricci); Enzo Staiola (brune decay, the nighttime scenes are shot in such a way as to highlight the Ricci); Lianella Carell (Maria Ricci); Elena Altieri; Gino Saltamerenda contrast between light and dark. The best example of this technique is Vittorio Antonucci; Guilio Chiari; Michele Sakara; Carlo Jachino; the shoot-out at the Victory Motel, during which White and Exley Nando Bruno; Fausto Guerzoni; Umberto Spadaro, Massimo Randisi hole up in a dark hotel room in an attempt to fend off Smiths men. As the barrage of gunfire from the outside hits the walls of the room, each Awards: New York Film Critics Award, Best Foreign Film, 1949: succeeding bullethole provides an opening for another shaft of Belgium World Festival of Film and Arts. Grand Prix. 1949: Festival ethereal blue light to pierce the darkness. Although not a movie that of Film at Locarno, Social Prize, 1949: Special Oscar as Most influenced an onslaught of neo-noirs in its wake, L.A. Confidential is Outstanding Foreign Film, 1949 among the best of its kind In addition to being an exemplary genre film, L.A. Confidential is one of the best critically received films ever. In fact, as of 2000, it is Publications the only film in history to have won the best picture and the best director awards from the four major American film critics associa- Script ions the national board of review the new york film critics Circle, the Los Angeles Association of Film Critics, and the National Zavattini, Cesare, and others, The Bicycle Thief, New York, 1968 Society of Film Critics. It was also extremely well received interna tionally, both in theatrical release and on the film festival circuit. Books. Unfortunately, although nominated for nine Academy Awards, L.A. Confidential had the misfortune of being released in the same yea Castello. G. C. nI cinema neorealistico italiano. Turin. 1956 Titanic, the most financially successful film ever. However, Rondi, Brunello, Il neorealismo italiano, Parma, 1956
LADRI DI BICICLETTE FILMS, 4th EDITION 656 The story is a complicated, densely layered mystery that deepens at every turn. The three protagonists are all different personalities with unique motivations, but as they chase down their leads their investigations begin to cross until it becomes clear that each is after the same thing: the search for a ‘‘truth’’ that, when discovered, will also serve as a means for personal redemption. Along the way the story seamlessly blends fiction with historical fact, involving crooked cops, Los Angeles mobster Mickey Cohen, his bodyguard Johnny Stompanato (Lana Turner’s real life lover, who her daughter shot and killed), hookers surgically altered to resemble movie stars (Kim Basinger’s turn as Lynn Bracken, a luminous Veronica Lake lookalike, won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), and Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn), a shadowy businessman loosely based on Walt Disney. But the backdrop for it all, and in many ways the star of the picture, is Hanson’s vision of Los Angeles in the 1950s. This isn’t the L.A. of our dreams, but Raymond Chandler’s L.A., the weary town behind the facade. Beautifully shot by Dante Spinotti, the promise of Los Angeles as a land of milk and honey is exposed as false, just another in a long line of sun drenched Hollywood fabrications. Beginning with the opening montage and including meticulously detailed period recreations such as the Night Owl Cafe, a neighborhood liquor store, and the Frolic Room bar, Hanson’s Los Angeles perfectly embodies an American Eden gone awry. The various individual investigations eventually lead to Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell), a L.A.P.D. institution who has all along been orchestrating a behind-the-scenes takeover of the jailed Mickey Cohen’s rackets. Vincennes’ discovery costs him his life, while White and Exley, who for most of the film are arch-enemies, finally join forces to face down Smith and his men in an apocalyptic gunfight at the hellish Victory Motel. Neo-noirs often try to capture the feel of Classical Hollywood Noirs, which were shot in black and white, but most fall short for either one or both of two reasons: first, the play between shadow and light normally just isn’t as effective in color, and, second, most are set in the recent present, while Classical Noir narratives are inextricably rooted in the nuclear paranoia and McCarthyism of America in the late 1940s and early 1950s. L.A. Confidential ingeniously gets around both common shortcomings. Its taking place in 1953 neatly connects it to the Noirs of yesteryear, as does its cinematography; while the daylight scenes are awash in light, giving them a saturated look that contributes to the overall sense of decay, the nighttime scenes are shot in such a way as to highlight the contrast between light and dark. The best example of this technique is the shoot-out at the Victory Motel, during which White and Exley hole up in a dark hotel room in an attempt to fend off Smith’s men. As the barrage of gunfire from the outside hits the walls of the room, each succeeding bullethole provides an opening for another shaft of ethereal blue light to pierce the darkness. Although not a movie that influenced an onslaught of neo-noirs in its wake, L.A. Confidential is among the best of its kind. In addition to being an exemplary genre film, L.A. Confidential is one of the best critically received films ever. In fact, as of 2000, it is the only film in history to have won the best picture and the best director awards from the four major American film critics associations, the National Board of Review, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Association of Film Critics, and the National Society of Film Critics. It was also extremely well received internationally, both in theatrical release and on the film festival circuit. Unfortunately, although nominated for nine Academy Awards, L.A. Confidential had the misfortune of being released in the same year as Titanic, the most financially successful film ever. However, even though it was Titanic that walked away with the major awards at the 1998 Oscars, Titanic will be remembered as a well made but maudlin special effects film, while L.A. Confidential will be remembered as a masterpiece of its kind and the film that marked Curtis Hanson as a major Hollywood director. —Robert C. Sickels THE LACEMAKER See LA DENTELLIERE LADIES OF THE BOIS DE BOULOGNE See LES DAMES DU BOIS DE BOULOGNE LADRI DI BICICLETTE (The Bicycle Thief) Italy, 1948 Director: Vittorio De Sica Production: Produzioni De Sica; black and white, 35mm; running time: 90 minutes. Released 1948. Filmed in Rome. Producer: Umberto Scarpelli; screenplay: Cesare Zavattini with Oreste Biancoli, Suso Cecchi d’Amico, Vittorio De Sica, Adolfo Franci, Gherado Gherardi, and Gerardo Guerrier, from a novel by Luigi Bartolini; photography: Carlo Montuori; editor: Eraldo da Roma; production designer: Antonino Traverso; music: Alessandro Cicognini. Cast: Lamberto Maggiorani (Antonio Ricci); Enzo Staiola (Bruno Ricci); Lianella Carell (Maria Ricci); Elena Altieri; Gino Saltamerenda; Vittorio Antonucci; Guilio Chiari; Michele Sakara; Carlo Jachino; Nando Bruno; Fausto Guerzoni; Umberto Spadaro; Massimo Randisi. Awards: New York Film Critics Award, Best Foreign Film, 1949; Belgium World Festival of Film and Arts, Grand Prix, 1949; Festival of Film at Locarno, Social Prize, 1949; Special Oscar as Most Outstanding Foreign Film, 1949. Publications Script: Zavattini, Cesare, and others, The Bicycle Thief, New York, 1968. Books: Castello, G.C., Il cinema neorealistico italiano, Turin, 1956. Rondi, Brunello, Il neorealismo italiano, Parma, 1956
FILMS. 4th EDItION LADRI DI BICICLETTE Ladri di biciclette Ferrara, Giuseppe, I nuovo cinema italiano, Florence, 1957 ariety(New York), 15 December 1949. Hovald, Patrice G, Le Neo-Realisme italien et ses createurs, Paris, 1959. Zavattini, Cesare, and others, in Cine-Club(Paris), January 1950. Bazin, Andre, Ou'est-ce que le cinema, Paris, 1962. Winnington, Richard, in Sight and Sound (London), March 1950 Agel. Henri. Vittorio De Sica. Paris. 1964 Koval, Francis, ""Interview with De Sica, in Sight and Sound Leprohon, Pierre, Vittorio De Sica, Paris, 1966 (London), April 1950 Armes, Roy, Patterns of Realism: A Study of Italian Neo-Realist Bazin, Andre, in Cahiers du Cinema(Paris), March 1954 Cinema. New York. 1971 De Sica, Vittorio, in Films and Filming(London), January 1956 Samuels, Charles Thomas, Encountering Directors, New York, 1972 hevalier, J, in Image ef Son(Paris), December 1956 Guaraldi-Rimini. Mario. editor. Neorealismo e vita na Rhode, Eric, Why Neo-Realism Failed, in Sight and Sound Antologia di cinema nuovo, Florence, 1975 London), winter 1960-61 Mercader, Maria, La mia vita con Vittorio De Sica, Milan, 1978 McVay, Douglas, ""Poet of poverty, in Films and Filming(Lon- nthologie du cinema 10, Paris, 1979 don), October and November 1964 Bolzoni, Francesco, Quando De Sica era Mister Brown, Turin, 1984. Harcourt, Peter, in Screen Education (London), July-August 1965 Darreta, John, Vittorio De Sica: A Guide to References and Resources, Leprohon, Pierre, "La Perennite du voleur de bicyclette, "in Avant Boston. 1988 Scene du Cinema(Paris), December 1967 Passek, J.-L,"Le Cinema du neo-realisme italien est en berne Articles De Sica Issueof Bianco e Nero (Rome), September-Decem- Jacobson, Herbert L, " De Sicas Bicycle Thief and Italian Human- ber 1975 ism,'" in Hollywood Quarterly, Fall 19 De Sica Issue of Avant-Scene du Cinema (Paris), 15 October 1978 New York Times. 13 December 1949 La Fuente, L, in Cinema(Paris ). November 1978
FILMS, 4 LADRI DI BICICLETTE th EDITION 657 Ladri di biciclette Ferrara, Giuseppe, Il nuovo cinema italiano, Florence, 1957. Hovald, Patrice G., Le Néo-Realisme italien et ses créateurs, Paris, 1959. Bazin, André, Qu’est-ce que le cinéma, Paris, 1962. Agel, Henri, Vittorio De Sica, Paris, 1964. Leprohon, Pierre, Vittorio De Sica, Paris, 1966. Armes, Roy, Patterns of Realism: A Study of Italian Neo-Realist Cinema, New York, 1971. Samuels, Charles Thomas, Encountering Directors, New York, 1972. Guaraldi-Rimini, Mario, editor, Neorealismo e vita nazionale: Antologia di cinema nuovo, Florence, 1975. Mercader, Maria, La mia vita con Vittorio De Sica, Milan, 1978. Anthologie du cinéma 10, Paris, 1979. Bolzoni, Francesco, Quando De Sica era Mister Brown, Turin, 1984. Darreta, John, Vittorio De Sica: A Guide to References and Resources, Boston, 1988. Articles: Jacobson, Herbert L., ‘‘De Sica’s Bicycle Thief and Italian Humanism,’’ in Hollywood Quarterly, Fall 1949. New York Times, 13 December 1949. Variety (New York), 15 December 1949. Zavattini, Cesare, and others, in Ciné-Club (Paris), January 1950. Winnington, Richard, in Sight and Sound (London), March 1950. Koval, Francis, ‘‘Interview with De Sica,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), April 1950. Bazin, André, in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), March 1954. De Sica, Vittorio, in Films and Filming (London), January 1956. Chevalier, J., in Image et Son (Paris), December 1956. Rhode, Eric, ‘‘Why Neo-Realism Failed,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), Winter 1960–61. McVay, Douglas, ‘‘Poet of Poverty,’’ in Films and Filming (London), October and November 1964. Harcourt, Peter, in Screen Education (London), July-August 1965. Leprohon, Pierre, ‘‘La Perennité du Voleur de bicyclette,’’ in AvantScène du Cinéma (Paris), December 1967. Passek, J.-L., ‘‘Le Cinéma du néo-réalisme italien est en berne: Vittorio De Sica,’’ in Cinéma (Paris), January 1975. ‘‘De Sica Issue’’ of Bianco e Nero (Rome), September-December 1975. ‘‘De Sica Issue’’ of Avant-Scène du Cinéma (Paris), 15 October 1978. La Fuente, L., in Cinéma (Paris), November 1978
LADRI DI BICICLETTE FILMS, 4EDITION ity," in Film Criticism (Edinboro, Pennsylvania), no. 2, 1979. membership is cyclically articulated at the beginning and end of the in Cinematographe (Paris), January 1979. film. In Crowds a such (Paris), November 1980. ost impo historically e198 of neo-rea y existence, ciclette does Toles, George, "This May Hurt a Littl Ser Before e d up for having vable Ricci is returned Ricci's economic situation of postwar Italian society -Joel E. Kanoff 658
LADRI DI BICICLETTE FILMS, 4th EDITION 658 Lawton, B., ‘‘Italian Neo-Realism: A Mirror Construction of Reality,’’ in Film Criticism (Edinboro, Pennsylvania), no. 2, 1979. Carcassonne, P., in Cinématographe (Paris), January 1979. ‘‘De Sica Issue’’ of Cahiers Lumière (Paris), November 1980. Tomasulo, F. P., ‘‘Bicycle Thieves: A Rereading,’’ in Cinema Journal (Chicago), Spring 1982. Magny, Joel, in Cinéma (Paris), November 1983. Ardanaz, S., ‘‘Sin mi Vittorio De Sica no habría pasado a la historia del cine,’’ in Cine Cubano (Havana), 1984. Weemaes, G., in Film en Televisie (Brussels), May-June 1984. Alix, Y., in Positif (Paris), February 1985. ‘‘Le voleur de bicyclette de Vittorio De Sica: Decoupage plan a plan et dialogues bilingues,’’ and C. Vasse, ‘‘Qui vole une bicyclette. . . ,’’ in Avant-Scène du Cinéma (Paris), no. 430, March 1994. Cartier, C. Zavattini, ‘‘Le voleur de bicyclette et les problemes d’ecriture: Entretien aved Suso Cecchi d’Amico,’’ in CinémAction (Conde-sur-Noireau, France), no. 70, 1994. Toles, George, ‘‘This May Hurt a Little: The Art of Humiliation in Film,’’ in Film Quarterly (Berkeley), Summer 1995. Serceau, M., ‘‘La ville dans le neorealisme,’’ in CinémAction (Condesur-Noireau, France), no. 75, 1995 *** Before examining the film, it is important to point out that the oftused English language title ‘‘The Bicycle Thief’’ is misleading and injurious to the meaning of the film. Ladri di biciclette translates as ‘‘Bicycle Thieves,’’ the plural marking an allegorical intention. Vittorio De Sica’s film suggests a universe inextricably interrelated through perverse economic ties—the bicycle one man needs to work and support his family, another man steals to support his, and still another sells. Singulars will not do in this film. De Sica presents the story in terms of a man’s relation to a crowd, but this crowd is more than just a picturesque background. It is the modern equivalent of a Greek chorus and represents both the higher and lower aspects of human character. It is an extension of the protagonist. Ricci, the victimized worker, emerges from this crowd at the beginning of the film, called to work after months of unemployment, but his accession to the status of modern tragic hero is a matter of random choice and necessity, not of birth, self-determination, or desire. For a while, endowed with the promise of a steady salary and the ability to once again be the breadwinner in his family, Ricci is permitted to dream of material success. When he retrieves his bicycle from the municipal pawnshop, exchanging for it the family linen, the camera pans up, following the clerk as he climbs to deposit the sheets on what seems a pile of thousands of similar bundles. Ricci is not the exception—like the traditional tragic hero—he is the rule, one of thousands or more. Searching desperately all over the city, he will again encounter this societal chorus; as workers readying a strike; as the denizens of a black market; as a mass of poor people praying in a church; as a crowd lamenting a drowned child; as a gang of toughs in a crowded street protecting a local boy from Ricci’s accusations; as a pack of football fans who thwart Ricci’s feeble attempt to steal a bicycle himself in a rash, despairing decision to reject moral restraint; and finally, as an anonymous, everyday crowd, walking, going about their business peacefully, hopefully—the crowd to which Ricci is returned. Ricci’s relation to society, in general, and the political and economic situation of postwar Italian society in particular, is reflected by a series of encounters with crowds to which the protagonist’s membership is cyclically articulated at the beginning and end of the film. In Crowds and Power, Elias Canetti offers a taxonomy of such groups: ‘‘baiting crowds’’ intent on blood; ‘‘prohibition crowds’’; ‘‘feast crowds’’; the ‘‘lamenting pack’’; and the ‘‘hunting pack.’’ Most importantly, the activities of these crowds are to be historically construed. One significance of Ladri di biciclette, and to a larger extent that of neo-realism, then, lies in the predominance of the role of representation, not only of those inexhaustible details of everyday existence, but also of popular life in all its diversity. Still, Ladri di biciclette does not explore the area of popular, political action. Any solidarity among people in the film is a matter of personal friendship (between Ricci and the sanitation workers who help him search Rome in their truck) or that between father and son. The effectiveness of political struggle to improve the inequitable economic conditions at fault here is not considered beyond the brief glimpse of the strike preparations. The story was brought to De Sica’s attention by Cesare Zavattini, screenwriter for the film and one of the seven who adapted the novel by Luigi Bartolini; yet, no film adaptation was ever so disrespectful of its original as this one. Bartolini’s protagonist is not a man brought forward from the crowd, a man like any other, he is a disgruntled and supercilious artist who opines the most reactionary prejudices about the poor. Moreover, in order to find his stolen bicycle, the protagonist gets about on a second one which apparently he kept around for just such emergencies. De Sica and Zavattini use the bicycle as a ‘‘vehicle’’ to organize the narrative. The theft of a bicycle authorizes a wide search through Rome; hence, the narrative discloses itself as an odyssey structure (there are interesting parallels between Ricci and Ulysses, too). The filmmakers’ immense capacity to introduce metaphor into the most everyday context and the puissance of that metaphor (we recall the white stallion in Sciusciá) becomes clear when we attempt to bracket the idea of the bicycle. For example, if we substitute a worker’s tool box for the bicycle, the narrative loses much of its momentum, its mythical implications, and even part of its effectiveness as a tragedy. Veteran actor De Sica’s talent for molding the raw material of the non-professional actor is prominently displayed. He knew it would be difficult for the trained actor to forget his/her highly coded technique to become the man in the street. He felt that better results were to be obtained by teaching the non-actor just enough to serve the purposes of the scene being shot. Compare, for example, the lattitude of his actors with those of Visconti’s in La terra trema. In that film, the nonprofessionals are stiff and gesturally inarticulate; their inexperience tends to stand in the way of a heightened dramatic communication. In the other hand, De Sica’s actors signal physically a greater alertness and sensitivity to their immediate problems and awareness of the social and psychological conformations of their characters. Ricci was played by Lamberto Maggiorani, a factory worker who had brought his small son to audition for the role of Bruno; his wife Maria (Lianella Carell) was a journalist who had approached the director for an interview. Bruno (Enzo Staiola), the last cast member to be found, was watching the shooting when De Sica noticed him. The scene in which Ricci takes his son to a trattoria in order to make up for having scolded him involves some of the most subtly nuanced and believable expression of a father-son relationship in the history of cinema. —Joel E. Kanoff
FILMS. 4th EDItION THE LADY EVE THE LADY EVE Dickos, Andrew, Intrepid Laughter: Preston Sturges and the Movies, Metuchen, New Jersey, 1985. Wayne, Jane Ellen, Stanwyck, New York, 1985 USA,1941 Spoto, Donald, Madcap: The Life of Preston Sturges. New York, 1990 Director: Preston Sturges Jacobs, Diane, Christmas in July: The Life Art of Preston Sturges, Rozgonyi, Jay, Preston Sturges's Vision of America: Critical Analyses Production: Paramount: black and white: running time: 94 minutes of Fourteen Films, Jefferson, 1995 length: 8.421 feet. Released March 1941 Harvey, James, Romantic Comedy in Hollywood From Lubitsch to Sturges, New York, 1998 Articles Cast: Barbara Stanwyck (ean); Henry Fonda( Charles ); Charles New York Times, 26 February 1941 Variety(New York), 26 February 1941 liam Demarest(Muggsy); Eric Blore(Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith); Motion Picture Herald(New York), 1 March 1941 Melville Cooper( Gerald): Martha O Driscoll(Martha): Janet Beecher Monthly Film Bulletin(London), May 1941 (Mrs Pike); Robert Greig(Barrows); Dora Clement( Gertrude): Luis Times(London ), 19 May 1941 Alberni(Pike's Chef) Todays Cinema(London), 21 May 1941 Kracauer, Seigfried,""Preston Sturges; or, Laughter Betrayed, in Films in Review(New York ), Februar Publications Farber, Manny, and w.S. Poster, ""Preston Sturges: Success Movies, in Film Culture(New York), no 26. 1962. Houston, Penelope, Preston Sturges, in Sight and Sound (London), Immer 1965 Sturges, Preston, The Lady Eve, in Five Screenplays, edited by Bri Corliss, Richard, in Cinema(Beverly Hills), Spring 1972. Henderson, Berkeley, 1986 Rubinstein, Eliot, The End of Screwball Comedy Po Script Jacksonville, Florida), Spring-Summer 1982 Books Interview with William Demarest, in Classic Images(Indiana, Penn- sylvania), February 1984. Springer, John, The Fondas: The Films and Careers of Henry, Jane Cavell, Stanley, in Journal of Popular FiIm and Television(Washing and Peter Fonda. New York. 1970 ton, D. C), Autumn 1985 Ursini,James, The Fabulous Life and Times of Preston Sturges, An Comuzio, Ermanno, L'uso della retorica in Lady Eva di Pi American Dreamer. New York. 1973 Sturges, in Cineforum(Bergamo), vol. 26, no. 259, Novem- Miss Barbara Stanwyck, New York, 197 revised edition. 1985 Tobin, Yann, in Positif (Paris), December 1986 Vermilye, Jerry, Barbara Stanwyck, New York, 1975 Di Battista, M, The Lady Eve and the Comedy of Innocence, in Kerbel, Michael, Henry Fonda, New York, 1975 Motion. no. 1. 1986 Cavell, Stanley, Pursuits of Happiness: The Hollywood Comedy of Denby, D,"Adam and Eve on a Luxury Liner, in Premiere Remarriage, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1981 Boulder), vol 5, October 1991 Cywinski, Ray, Satires and Sideshows: The Films and Career of Lippe,R, ""Cukor and Garbo, in CineAction (Toronto), no 35, 1994 Preston Sturges, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981 Hietala, V,Lady Eve/Nainen Eeva. in Filmihtllu(Helsinki). Gordon, James R, Comic Structure in the Films of Preston Sturges no.6,1995 Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981 Fonda, Henry, and Howard Teichman, Fonda: My Life, New York, 198 Godl Goldstein, Norm, Henry Fonda: His Life and Work,Lon- The Lady Eve--arguably the most completely satisfying of the don,1982 brilliant but uneven series of comedies Sturges made for Paramount in Curtis, James, Between Flops: A Biography of Preston Sturges, New the 1940s-is structured thematic complex that transcend York, 1982 authorial and generic boundaries and is deeply rooted in the sexual Thomas, Tony, The Films of Henry Fonda, Secaucus, New Je politics of our culture. The most obvious parallels are with Cukor's sey,1983 Two-Faced Woman(made the same year), Hitchock's Vertigo, and Di Orio. Al. Barbara Stanwyck. New York and London. 1983 Minnelli's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. but a serious critical Cywinski, Ray, Preston Sturges: A Guide to References and Resource inquiry into the ways in which the thematic has been treated intelli- Boston. 1984 gently and progressively would inevitably lead one also to the films Dickens, Homer, The Films of Barbara Stanwyck, Secaucus, New Sternberg made with Dietrich ersey, 1984 The theme is that of the problem of female identity within Cole. gerald and Wes Farrell. The fondas. London 198 a patriarchal culture, wherein men have the power of definition; or, Roberts, Allen, and Max Goldstein, Henry Fonda: A Biography, more precisely, the male's attempts to construct a female identity that Jefferson. North Carolina. 1984 will flatter his ego, the womans resistance to that construction and
FILMS, 4 THE LADY EVE th EDITION 659 THE LADY EVE USA, 1941 Director: Preston Sturges Production: Paramount; black and white; running time: 94 minutes; length: 8,421 feet. Released March 1941. Producer: Paul Jones; screenplay: Preston Sturges, from a story by Monckton Hoffe; photography: Victor Milner; editor: Stuart Gilmore. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck (Jean); Henry Fonda (Charles); Charles Coburn (‘‘Colonel’’ Harrington); Eugene Pallette (Mr. Pike); William Demarest (Muggsy); Eric Blore (Sir Alfred McGlennan Keith); Melville Cooper (Gerald); Martha O’Driscoll (Martha); Janet Beecher (Mrs. Pike); Robert Greig (Barrows); Dora Clement (Gertrude); Luis Alberni (Pike’s Chef). Publications Script: Sturges, Preston, The Lady Eve, in Five Screenplays, edited by Brian Henderson, Berkeley, 1986. Books: Springer, John, The Fondas: The Films and Careers of Henry, Jane and Peter Fonda, New York, 1970. Ursini, James, The Fabulous Life and Times of Preston Sturges, An American Dreamer, New York, 1973. Smith, Ella, Starring Miss Barbara Stanwyck, New York, 1974; revised edition, 1985. Vermilye, Jerry, Barbara Stanwyck, New York, 1975. Kerbel, Michael, Henry Fonda, New York, 1975. Cavell, Stanley, Pursuits of Happiness: The Hollywood Comedy of Remarriage, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1981. Cywinski, Ray, Satires and Sideshows: The Films and Career of Preston Sturges, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981. Gordon, James R., Comic Structure in the Films of Preston Sturges, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1981. Fonda, Henry, and Howard Teichman, Fonda: My Life, New York, 1981. Godl Goldstein, Norm, Henry Fonda: His Life and Work, London, 1982. Curtis, James, Between Flops: A Biography of Preston Sturges, New York, 1982. Thomas, Tony, The Films of Henry Fonda, Secaucus, New Jersey, 1983. Di Orio, Al, Barbara Stanwyck, New York and London, 1983. Cywinski, Ray, Preston Sturges: A Guide to References and Resources, Boston, 1984. Dickens, Homer, The Films of Barbara Stanwyck, Secaucus, New Jersey, 1984. Cole, Gerald, and Wes Farrell, The Fondas, London, 1984. Roberts, Allen, and Max Goldstein, Henry Fonda: A Biography, Jefferson, North Carolina, 1984. Dickos, Andrew, Intrepid Laughter: Preston Sturges and the Movies, Metuchen, New Jersey, 1985. Wayne, Jane Ellen, Stanwyck, New York, 1985. Spoto, Donald, Madcap: The Life of Preston Sturges, New York, 1990. Jacobs, Diane, Christmas in July: The Life & Art of Preston Sturges, Berkeley, 1994. Rozgonyi, Jay, Preston Sturges’s Vision of America: Critical Analyses of Fourteen Films, Jefferson, 1995. Harvey, James, Romantic Comedy in Hollywood From Lubitsch to Sturges, New York, 1998. Articles: New York Times, 26 February 1941. Variety (New York), 26 February 1941. Motion Picture Herald (New York), 1 March 1941. Monthly Film Bulletin (London), May 1941. Times (London), 19 May 1941. Today’s Cinema (London), 21 May 1941. Kracauer, Seigfried, ‘‘Preston Sturges; or, Laughter Betrayed,’’ in Films in Review (New York), February 1950. Farber, Manny, and W. S. Poster, ‘‘Preston Sturges: Success in the Movies,’’ in Film Culture (New York), no. 26, 1962. Houston, Penelope, ‘‘Preston Sturges,’’ in Sight and Sound (London), Summer 1965. Corliss, Richard, in Cinema (Beverly Hills), Spring 1972. Rubinstein, Eliot, ‘‘The End of Screwball Comedy . . . ,’’ in Post Script (Jacksonville, Florida), Spring-Summer 1982. Interview with William Demarest, in Classic Images (Indiana, Pennsylvania), February 1984. Cavell, Stanley, in Journal of Popular Film and Television (Washington, D.C.), Autumn 1985. Comuzio, Ermanno, ‘‘L’uso della retorica in Lady Eva di Preston Sturges,’’ in Cineforum (Bergamo), vol. 26, no. 259, November 1986. Tobin, Yann, in Positif (Paris), December 1986. Di Battista, M., ‘‘The Lady Eve and the Comedy of Innocence,’’ in Motion, no. 1, 1986. Denby, D., ‘‘Adam and Eve on a Luxury Liner,’’ in Premiere (Boulder), vol. 5, October 1991. Lippe, R., ‘‘Cukor and Garbo,’’ in CineAction (Toronto), no. 35, 1994. Hietala, V., ‘‘Lady Eve/Nainen Eeva,’’ in Filmihullu (Helsinki), no. 6, 1995. *** The Lady Eve—arguably the most completely satisfying of the brilliant but uneven series of comedies Sturges made for Paramount in the 1940s—is structured upon a thematic complex that transcends authorial and generic boundaries and is deeply rooted in the sexual politics of our culture. The most obvious parallels are with Cukor’s Two-Faced Woman (made the same year), Hitchock’s Vertigo, and Minnelli’s On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, but a serious critical inquiry into the ways in which the thematic has been treated intelligently and progressively would inevitably lead one also to the films Sternberg made with Dietrich. The theme is that of the problem of female identity within a patriarchal culture, wherein men have the power of definition; or, more precisely, the male’s attempts to construct a female identity that will flatter his ego, the woman’s resistance to that construction, and