#oscars 38

[theoscarsproject]

A Thousand Clowns (1965). A middle-aged iconoclast, doggedly avoiding the tedium of employment and conventional life, faces the prospect of losing custody of his young ward.

There really is something charming about this film. The story of a man trying to work out how to keep his nephew in his life when social workers realise he’s less than a stable home is a lot funnier, a lot lighter, a lot richer than the premise suggests. It helps that it has such great performances from the cast, and even when it gets a little too on-the-nose, those performances are enough to make it work. 7.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). After a plane crash in the Sahara, one of the survivors says he's an airplane designer and they can make a flyable plane from the wreckage.

This is a pretty fun little survival film. It’s the sort you take with a grain of salt and, truthfully, probably shouldn’t have been nominated for academy awards. All the same though, it’s not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. 7/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Von Ryan’s Express (1965). An American POW leads a group of mainly British prisoners to escape from the Germans in WWII.

Ah, dear. This isn’t a bad movie. Really! It’s totally fine! There are just so many World War II movies, and this one really does not stand out in any way shape or form. Frank Sinatra’s pretty charming, I guess? And the cinematography is solid? It’s worth the watch if you’re super into World War II films, but otherwise you can probably give this one a miss. 6/10.

[theoscarsproject]

The Great Race (1964). A grand adventurous race takes place between the heroic Leslie and the despicable Professor Fate across three continents.

This is....really not my thing, which is a shame, because between Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood and Jack Lemmon, the cast really is. It’s just a little too silly, a little too slapstick, and a little too much. Still, you’ve got to give it to the awesome costumes, fun set pieces and great art department. Plus, at least, it seems like the actors are having fun? 6/10.

[theoscarsproject]

King Rat (1965). A fast-taking wheeler-dealer corporal in a Malaysian POW camp during WWII uses bribery and larceny to take de facto control of the camp from his senior officers.

This is a really compelling war film, and one that invests in the stranger societies that emerge among people forced together in desperate situations. It helps that the acting is great, and the script does a terrific job of twisting up character motivations and obliqueness. It’s a shade too long though, and a couple of the scenes are murkier than is necessary. 7.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). An all-star, large scale epic film that chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

There are some pretty terrific visuals in this otherwise incredibly subpar bio pic of Jesus Christ. It almost feels like it should be something straight to DVD, or on a religious network, not nominated for an Oscar. The story drags, the performances are mediocre (to be kind), and the pacing leaves a lot to be desired. It’s a paint-by-numbers interpretation, and it’s only saving grace is the wonderful cinematography. 4/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Shenandoah (1965). During the Civil War, a Virginia farmer and his family vow to remain neutral, but one of the sons is captured by Union soldiers, sending the farmer to his rescue.

This isn’t typically my sort of film, but I actually quite enjoyed it. James Stewart is always magnetic, but it helps to see him supported by a solid script and a good supporting cast. The story of a man trying to find his son during war time is always a little emotionally manipulative, but a good one, like this, can let dramatic beats hit you unexpectedly too, and this does a good job of that. 7.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

The Pawnbroker (1964). A Jewish pawnbroker, victim of Nazi persecution, loses all faith in his fellow man until he realizes too late the tragedy of his actions.

It is mind boggling to me that Rod Steigler lost the Best Actor bid in 1965 to Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou of all things. Hell, it’s mind boggling to me that this film wasn’t nominated for more. Sensitively crafted, compelling, and empathetic, this is a film of deep compassion, complexity and a sort of vivid trauma brilliantly explored through clever writing, editing and cinematography. It’s definitely one of the better films to come out exploring the lives of survivors, and overall a good movie. 8.5/10.