High Noon

Title: High Noon
Year: 1952
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Writer: Carl Foreman, based on a story by John W. Cunningham
Starring: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado
Music: Dimitri Tiomkin
Distinctions: Oscars for Best Actor (Cooper), Best Score, Best Song (“Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin’”) and Best Editing; currently #121 on IMDb’s Top 250
Length: 85 minutes
Synopsis: a supposed-to-be-retired marshal gets no help defending a town
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), yesterday
Subjective Rating: 7/10
Objective Rating: 8/10 (points off for dialog and acting)

It gets melodramatic at times, but it’s always entertaining. The score is corny, but in a fun way. The photography is conspicuously artful.

The White Sheik

Title: Lo sceicco bianco
Year: 1952
Director: Federico Fellini
Writers: Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli & Ennio Flaiano; story by Michelangelo Antonioni, Fellini & Pinelli
Starring: Alberto Sordi, Brunella Bovo, Leopoldo Trieste, Giulietta Masina
Music: Nino Rota
Synopsis: an idiot fan girl ditches her husband on their honeymoon
Length: 86 minutes
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), yesterday
Subjective Rating: 6/10
Objective Rating: 9/10 (1 point off for concept)

A sit-com-type story.  Amusing, but nothing special.  Trieste’s clownish performance is delightful.

Umberto D.

Title: Umberto D.
Year: 1952
Director: Vittorio De Sica
Writer: Cesare Zavattini
Starring: Carlo Battisti, Maria-Pia Casilio, Lina Gennari
Music: Alessandro Cicognini
Distinctions: currently #182 on IMDb’s Top 250
Synopsis: an old guy with no money wants to kill himself, but can’t because he has a dog
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), July 2008
Subjective Rating: 7/10
Objective Rating: 8/10 (points off for cinematography and special effects/design)

It didn’t do much for me while watching it; I didn’t really get where they were going with it. But thinking about it since then, it’s grown on me a lot.

To Live

Title: Ikiru
Year: 1952
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Writers: Shinobu Hashimoto, Akira Kurosawa & Hideo Oguni
Starring: Takashi Shimura, Shinichi Himori
Music: Fumio Hayasaka
Distinctions: formerly on IMDb’s Top 250
Synopsis: a man learns to live when he finds out he’s dying
How I saw it: on video (rented from Netflix), April 2008
Subjective Rating: 6/10
Objective Rating: 7/10 (points off for dialog, pacing and cinematography)

I wouldn’t want to watch it again, but it was good. It’s very long and feels longer. Looks like it was shot in the 20’s. The dialog is okay, but nothing notable – possibly something lost in translation. The score’s not used much, but there’s a lot of great on-screen music.