We watched two Paul Newman films this weekend in our regular 'educate my son' campaign: The Hustler, and The Verdict. Both good of their time, and Newman is a fantastic actor. But both were spoiled for us by a completely unnecessary and out of character moment of violence, when Newman punched his female lead hard in the face, respectively Piper Laurie and Charlotte Rampling, knocking them down. Extraordinary how our attitudes have changed. Really shocking to see.
Newman’s character slaps Rampling’s in the face because she was working for the other side as an informer, and had even slept with Newman. The fact she had fallen in love with him along the way was completely negated by his utter dismay once he realised she was not the redemptive angel he’d come to believe she was.
I believe this type of consequential violence for these kinds of actions is still pretty prevalent today. I’m neither condoning nor condemning such behaviour; merely observing.
Love the immersive description of their world, which I now want to step into (*buys filing cabinet to add whisky*). I haven’t seen Hustle and probably wouldn’t have jumped in from the poster or synopsis, but interested now
Amazing film, absolutely delighted you covered it as it’s so little-known nowadays. It paved the way (in my view) for another of my favourite films, To Live and Die in L.A.
On a pedantic note, it’s not Bourbon in the desk drawer, it’s a bottle of Bushmills - yet another exemplar of Gaines’ exquisite taste 🥃
Steve Shagan is credited for script. Do you have at your fingertips any underlying source. Elmore Leonard was "Stick"; I wondered if his spirit hovered near this one. Great call on this one. An entire lost highway to follow, Hooper, Longest Yard...
Added to my growing list. Having lived in the nonstop sun and optimism of Los Angeles for a few years, I will appreciate a gritty, seedy view of the city. Granted it’s changed in the, oh, twenty or so years since I lived there. Bit more criminal and violent these days.
Terrific film- a personal favourite. It's dystopian. And it's contrasted beautifully with the characters' View-Master take on Rome and Paris. Remember View-Master? Those plastic viewfinders with slides in stereo 3D? The other side of the grass is greener. But LA's pretty grim in this. Does it rain as much?
It rarely rained in LA when I was there. You got June gloom which was just the clouds moving in from the ocean and staying trapped by the hills, but very little rain. The temperatures rarely budged beyond a few degrees. When I moved away I had forgotten how to check the weather before stepping outside.
I can’t say some of us have lost that romanticized view of far away places!
We watched two Paul Newman films this weekend in our regular 'educate my son' campaign: The Hustler, and The Verdict. Both good of their time, and Newman is a fantastic actor. But both were spoiled for us by a completely unnecessary and out of character moment of violence, when Newman punched his female lead hard in the face, respectively Piper Laurie and Charlotte Rampling, knocking them down. Extraordinary how our attitudes have changed. Really shocking to see.
Exactly the same thing in the early Bonds…
Newman’s character slaps Rampling’s in the face because she was working for the other side as an informer, and had even slept with Newman. The fact she had fallen in love with him along the way was completely negated by his utter dismay once he realised she was not the redemptive angel he’d come to believe she was.
I believe this type of consequential violence for these kinds of actions is still pretty prevalent today. I’m neither condoning nor condemning such behaviour; merely observing.
I’m going to watch it this week. Thanks.
From a weather perspective, it’s a prescient Blade Runner.
And with a TV in every room, it mirrors Save the Tiger, from just two years later. Steve Shagan wrote both, so maybe he just loves telly?
Agree, ‘tis a fantastic film. Burt Reynolds’ best, perhaps? And as for Catherine Deneuve? No more needs to be said…
Love the immersive description of their world, which I now want to step into (*buys filing cabinet to add whisky*). I haven’t seen Hustle and probably wouldn’t have jumped in from the poster or synopsis, but interested now
Excellent. That’s what WEEKEND FLICKS. is all about. Thank you.
"Cluedobeathan" is a spot on description that I shall absolutely be stealing.
.... thinking about it, it should more probably be 'Cluedobethan'.
Please do!
Amazing film, absolutely delighted you covered it as it’s so little-known nowadays. It paved the way (in my view) for another of my favourite films, To Live and Die in L.A.
On a pedantic note, it’s not Bourbon in the desk drawer, it’s a bottle of Bushmills - yet another exemplar of Gaines’ exquisite taste 🥃
Thanks for the correction! Kicking myself for not spotting that one. Important to get these things right...
Steve Shagan is credited for script. Do you have at your fingertips any underlying source. Elmore Leonard was "Stick"; I wondered if his spirit hovered near this one. Great call on this one. An entire lost highway to follow, Hooper, Longest Yard...
It always amazes me that Hollywood didn't call on Catherine more... I guess they didn't know what to do with her.
Or she was pretty choosy…
Considering who she worked with, that is certainly true.
"Guatemala with color TV". Love that!
So glad we lived in LA this century!
Yes. It’s a direct quote from the film.
A rare bit of truth from Hollywood!
Got to check this out if only to see how close Reynolds/Deneuve get to Trintignant/Aimee's impossibly cool couple.
It's worth 'checking out', though, for numerous other reasons...
Added to my growing list. Having lived in the nonstop sun and optimism of Los Angeles for a few years, I will appreciate a gritty, seedy view of the city. Granted it’s changed in the, oh, twenty or so years since I lived there. Bit more criminal and violent these days.
Terrific film- a personal favourite. It's dystopian. And it's contrasted beautifully with the characters' View-Master take on Rome and Paris. Remember View-Master? Those plastic viewfinders with slides in stereo 3D? The other side of the grass is greener. But LA's pretty grim in this. Does it rain as much?
View-Master, yes! Can we bring those back?
It rarely rained in LA when I was there. You got June gloom which was just the clouds moving in from the ocean and staying trapped by the hills, but very little rain. The temperatures rarely budged beyond a few degrees. When I moved away I had forgotten how to check the weather before stepping outside.
I can’t say some of us have lost that romanticized view of far away places!
There’s one scene with Burt in his film-noirish office and it’s raining like an Indian monsoon.
I’m on the verge of becoming a full-paid View-Master nerd. There are collectors.