Film Review 3

The producer of Sunset Boulevard was Charles Brackett. 

Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a classic black comedy, drama, and perhaps the most acclaimed, but darkest film-noir story about "behind the scenes" Hollywood, self-deceit, spiritual and spatial emptiness, and the price of fame, greed, and ambition. 

The mood of the film is immediately established as decadent and decaying by the posthumous narrator - a dead man floating face-down in a swimming pool in Beverly Hills.

This classic, tragic film was highly-regarded at its time, honored with eleven Academy Award nominations and the recipient of three Oscars: Best Story and Screenplay, Best Black and White Art Direction, and Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The eight unsuccessful nominations were for Best Picture, Best Actor (William Holden), Best Actress (Gloria Swanson), Best Supporting Actor (Erich von Stroheim), Best Supporting Actress (Nancy Olson), Best Director, Best B/W Cinematography (John Seitz), and Best Film Editing.

The major starring role in the film, an inspired casting choice, was held by legendary silent film diva Gloria Swanson (Mae West was also a possible choice for the role), who "autobiographically" portrayed Norma Desmond - a deluded, tragic, ambitious actress whose career declined with the coming of the talkies. [Her name was a combination of the names of two early Hollywood figures: comedy star Mabel Normand, and silent-film director William Desmond Taylor (Normand's lover), who was murdered in 1922. There was an intensive investigation but his murder case went unsolved.

Film Review 2

Shakespeare in Love is a 1998 British romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Madden, written by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard. 

The film depicts a love affair involving playwrightWilliam Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) while he was writing the play Romeo and Juliet.

The story is fiction, though several of the characters are based on real people. In addition, many of the characters, lines, and plot devices are references to Shakespeare's plays.

Shakespeare in Love won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench).

The movie Shakespeare in Love is set in a very particular time setting. During the film, the great playwright Christopher Marlowe is killed in a bar brawl and Shakespeare is depressed, believing that he was responsible for inducing a man to kill Marlowe.

A young  William Shakespeare is finding it difficult to write a new play. William then meets the lovely and royal Viola, who is going to be an actress. She becomes his muse, as well as the lead `actor' in his new play Romeo and Juliet, as they weave a tangled love affair. This burning passion they feel can only end with separation when Viola is forced to marry Lord Wessex and move to America.

 This film is a wonderful combination of romance, comedy, and drama that attempts a new perspective of the classic Romeo and Juliet story. It employs clever dialogue, beautiful scenes, and wonderful characterization to entertain the viewer.

 With such an excellent script, William comes across as the master of speech that he really is. Some parts of the movie are purely funny as almost to parody the seriousness of Romeo and Juliet.

This film has an interesting twist on the tragic tale because Will becomes not just a writer pouring out the lines for pay, but a man pouring out his heart in true love. At the end of the movie, Romeo and Juliet is presented as though you were actually sitting on the dirt floor of the playhouse.

The setting of this film is very well done, and the playhouses, taverns, and elegant houses convey the feeling of Renaissance England. The costumes, including Queen Elizabeth's glamorous dresses and Viola's body-shaping corset, are seemingly accurate.

 The scenes between Will and Viola are rarely anything but love scenes.The characterization of this film was splendidly carried out.The character of Queen Elizabeth, with her snine comments and all-knowing attitude, was a comical representation of a serious position that kept me completely entertained. 

Christopher Marlowe also provides a wonderful character that conveys `real person' qualities of competition between two famous playwrights. 

It's very funny, hugely entertaining film. The story makes both historical and dramatic sense: before Romeo & Juliet (for that is what Romeo & Ethel, The Pirate's Daughter becomes during the story), Shakespeare was an average writer borrowing heavily from Marlowe. The idea of a doomed romance inspiring him doesn't seem far fetched, especially when it's as well executed as it is here.

Pleasure Reading Chapters 51-61

ERnestina begs Charles to remain. She tells him that she realizes he thinks that she is immature, but she knows that she will change. She says that he feels he is unworthy because he lacks confidence in himself and she wants to devote herself to helping him. Charles is deeply touched by what she has said, but as a result he finds himself forced to admit the real cause of the broken engagement. He finally admits that he is in love with another, though he does not reveal her name. Aunt Tranter has been told by Grogan that Charles has broken off his engagement to Ernestina and he forbids her from visiting him. He says he will go instead. Charles goes to the hotel to say Sarah about his love to her and he experienced such feeling which gave his life a purpose. On the way, to Exeter he makes plans for his life with Sarah, however, when he arrives at her hotel he is told she has left for London that morning. He vows to find Sarah and boards a train, intending to go to London and locate her. Charles has been looking for Sarah for three weeks and has hired detectives for assistance but they fail. Charles continues to search for Sarah, but stops by June. Montague advises him to go abroad and also advises he checks the Record of Deaths to see if Sarah is named there. Sarah is not recorded and the next week Charles abruptly decides to go abroad.Charles travels to Boston and finds it welcoming. He takes pleasure in the newness and finds the forwardness of the women attractive. In these faces, he finds a shadow of Sarah. He begins to advertise for information about her again having stopped for a while.Two days later, Charles receives a telegram from Montague saying ‘she is found’. Charles visits the house and is taken up to see Sarah. As he walks up the stairs he passes paintings by a notorious artist and discovers Sarah does not work as a governess as he presumed.

 Sarah comes over to him and is dressed as a New Woman. They talk and she is surprised when he tells her he has broken off his engagement. Charles is stunned when she admits that she saw his advertisements inquiring about her and that she moved and changed her name because of them. Then she says the host ot the studio wants to acquaitance with him. Charles waits alone in the studio and the maid brings a child in, and she is the lady who has come to see him. 

Pleasure Reading 40-50

Sam tells Charles that he wants to marry Mary, but if so he would have to live out. He then explains that he would like to go into business and run a little shop. Charles asks how much the outlay would be and Sam tells him he needs £280 altogether at first. Charles then tells Sam he has not much money to give as his uncle is to marry and wants Sam not to tell people about this. Sam replies that he knows how to keep a secret and Charles looks round sharply at this. Sarah has left a note at Charles' hotel, containing only the address of her hotel in Exeter. He resolves to ignore the implied invitation and prepares to return to Lyme. He has decided to go ahead with his plans to marry Ernestina. He and Sam take a carriage back the way they came. They stop in Exeter, where Charles knows that Sarah Woodruff is staying, but Charles says that they will continue their journey rather than stop for the night. And then he gets married Ernestina but he imanages this situation. When Sam asks if they stay in Exeter or not Charles agrees.Charles goes for a walk whilst Sam unpacks their belongings and finds Sarah’s hotel. Then, Charles finds Sarah's hotel and goes to her room, where she is resting an injured foot. They speak of minor things and Charles is overcome by the realization that he came, not to say goodbye, but simply because he felt compelled to see her again. The embrace and, finally acknowledging their passion, he carries her to bed.She says she knows he cannot marry her, but he says he must. Sarah says she is not worthy and he begins to take her at her word and that she could be his last fling.Upon returning to Lyme, Charles goes to Ernestina and tries to tell her that he is unworthy of her. He tells her that he proposed to her with something less than honorable intentions and that her position as  the only child of a wealthy merchant influenced him. She is shocked, but instinctively refuses to accept this statement. 

Pleasure Reading Chapters 30 -40

Sarah is hiding in the barn, where she says she cannot and then falls to her knees saying she has lied to him.   He then takes her in his arms and kisses her. He then pushes her violently away and turns and rushes through the door. Unfortunately, Mary and Sam (servants) saw them. Smithson takes with them the promise of silence, and in no case not to tell to Ernestine, going to London. Sarah hides in Exeter. She has ten sovereigns,  left by Charles for a farewell and it gives her a bit of freedom.Charles and Ernestina are talking and she is  annoyed that when he arrives he talks to Aunt Tranter at length in the hall and their conversation is inaudible. He insists he has to go to London to sign papers and to let her father know that his prospects have changed. He says this is his duty, and so has to do it. Some time later, Charles meets with Ernestina’s father, Mr Friman. Mr. Freeman tells as he does not have a male heir  commerce is abhorrent to Charles. Charles looks shocked at the idea of working in commerce and feels himself as a bought husband.

Pleasure Reading 21-30

Sarah continues and tells how Varguennes left the next day saying he would return at once. She went back to Mrs. Talbot and said she had met him and that he would marry her one day. She did not tell Mrs. Talbot that it was partly her happiness that had driven her away.A month later, Sarah learned that Varguennes was married and she told him her affection for him had ceased.It is half past nine on the same day that Charles set out for Winsyatt. It turns out that his uncle has decided to marry a widow, Mrs. Bella Tomkins, and if she has a son and heir, Charles will be disinherited. When he first told Ernestina the news, she showed her anger.He then asks for news of Lyme and is told that Mrs. Poulteney has fired Miss Woodruff. There is now no trace of her and she did not get the coach she was expected to take.  Aunt Tranter informs him men have been sent to search for her, but she has not been found and she is not with the Talbots.Charles is worried that Sarah may have been seen with him, although he does not say this.In disarray, Charles tells the doctor Grogan about  secret meetings with the girl. Grogan tries to explain to him that Sarah lies and gives to read the report about the process that took place in 1835 on an officer.However, nothing could stop Charles, and with the first glimpse of dawn, he goes on a date .Sarah returned home to Mrs. Poulteney after she last saw Charles. Then, she is called to Mrs. Poulteney, is given a month’s wages and is asked to leave the house by the next morning. 

Pleasure Reading 11-20

Charles sees a sleeping Sarah on the stone who reminds him a girl he met in Paris.He recognizes her as the French Lieutenant’s Woman when he walks closer.She awakes whilst he stands over her and he apologizes and walks away.Charles is tempted to tell Ernestina about his meeting with Sarah, he senses that she would be disturbed, and thus carefully omits the tale of his spying on the sleeping woman. Ernestina has a fear of Charles’s background and is jealous that he may have loved somebody else before or at present. He is 11 years older, has travelled abroad and does not tell her about his past. Sarah is depressed after her encounter with Mrs. Poulteney, for Mrs. Poulteney has accused her behavior: she has been seen on Ware Commons, commonly believed to be a "lovers' lane." Sarah denies any such knowledge of the place and insists that she goes there simply to be alone, which is the truth.As for Charles, he continues walking through the woods of Ware Commons. He stops at the Dairy for a drink of milk and sees Sarah pass by. Charles walks on and catches up with Sarah. He asks if he may accompany her, but she says she would rather be alone. She then asks him to tell no one that he has seen her here. He then visits Ernestina and she wants to know everything he has done that day. He describes all but seeing the French Lieutenant’s Woman as Ernestina has twice made it clear that this woman is distasteful to her.Then Mrs. Fairley informs Mrs. Poulteney that Sarah has been seen in Ware Commons , Mrs. Poulteney accuses Sarah of committing a sin. Sarah makes it clear to her employer that she just wants solitude and did not know the place is associated with sin. Charles has had to go to Lyme Regis two or three times a week on his visits with Ernestina and her aunt. The morning after he went to Undercliff, he, Ernestina and Aunt Tranter go to Marlborough House to see Mrs. Poulteney. He could not avoid this fate. When they arrive, Mrs. Poulteney insists that Sarah stays. Mrs. Tranter demonstrates her kindness and asks Sarah to visit her when Ernestina has returned home. Charles notes that Sarah studiously avoids his eyes and does not betray the fact that they met the day before. He also notices that Mrs. Poulteney ignores her as does Ernestina, who annoys him.It is now two days later and Charles has returned to Ware Commons. He decides he will not enter into conversation with Miss Woodruff if he sees her, and then notices she is standing 40 yards away. She gives him two fossils and thanks him for his offer of assistance. She then walks away again and he cannot resist looking back at her. She is staring at him over her shoulder.She wants to tell him what happened to her 18 months ago, but  he is horrified when she sinks to her knees. He makes her stand and says he does not wish to appear indifferent but cannot get involved for the sake of propriety. She asks to meet him once more, to talk, and tells him she has felt almost overcome with madness to the point that she has thought of visiting him.