Displaying items by tag: Gregoire Aslan

THE REBEL

UK, 1961, 105 minutes, Colour.

Tony Hancock, George Sanders, Paul Massie, Margit Saad, Gregoire Aslan, Dennis Price, Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier, Liz Fraser, Mervyn Johns, Peter Bull, Nanette Newman, Oliver Reed.

Directed by Robert Day.

British comedian Tony Hancock was extremely popular on radio and television, especially during the 1950s. This was his main feature film – appearing in small roles in a few films during the 1960s. Certainly, alcohol and drug problems, depression, he committed suicide in Sydney in 1968 at the age of 44. However, he is still considered highly in the history of British comedy.

The screenplay was written by the team of Ray Eagleton and Simpson, writers for his radio programs as well as television. And he keeps his own name as his character, I don’t identify with the ups and downs of his experience, the target of satire while creating satiric comment 1960s society – and especially art pretensions (many French existentialist style).

The film begins amusingly with Hancock on a railway station, she did to get a seat on the crowded train with all the men in balls and suits, and newspapers, uniformly going to work and routines office. Comedy with the boss, John the measure. At home, Hancock has a huge sculptor, complains his landlady, I really handle, then his decision to free and go to Paris as an artist.

He listens into a group of artists, especially Paul Massie (and a glimpse of Oliver Reed) in a cafe, is invited to share an apartment, and begins his art. In the meantime, Paul Massie, not confidence in himself, has produced quite a number of paintings. There are a whole lot of Sion meetings, pretentious looking artists (especially a cameo by Dennis Price) and women, looking the same, black hair, white asked. And, they listen to Hancock who has the gift of the gap and who is feted, especially taken up by an aristocratic agent, a typical George Sanders role, who mistakes Paul Massie’s paintings for those of Hancock who does try to intervene but then goes and lives the celebrated life.

So, a lot of situation comedy, especially on the yacht millionaire and his glamorous wife who pursues Hancock.

Ultimately, Hancock sets at the moment of truth, and admitting that the poor work was his own but the good work was that of the artist. Goes back to the landlady and resumes his sculpture.

An example of British comedy in the 1960s, the work of Tony Hancock, still amusing in its satire and his impersonations and gift of the gap, but still rather dated.

CAIRO ROAD

UK, 1950, 95 minutes, Black and white.

Eric Portman, Laurence Harvey Harold Lang, Gregoire Aslan, Karl Stepanek, John Gregson, Marne Maitland, Abraham Sofaer.

Directed by David McDonald.

With the British film industry building itself after World War II, a number of action features were filmed on location. They drew on the talented cast of British supporting players, veterans like Eric Portman and emerging stars, as here, Laurence Harvey and John Gregson.

Filming was done in Egypt. However, the very British leads were meant to be Egyptian police authorities (with British accents). Eric Portman could always show that he was in command of the situation, serious-minded, clear diction, often relentless. Laurence Harvey, in an early film, played the earnest subordinate, eager to please, continually making mistakes.

The central theme is drug running, interesting from a later point of view to see drugs and dealers in the earlier part of the 20^th century.

There is a murder of businessman, police investigations, the raid on a ship, various chases, two guilty brothers, turning on each other, more murders and then the solution.

1. Title and the focus of Egypt’s, Egypt 1950, location photography and atmosphere, black-and-white photography? The musical score?
2. The drug situation, the role of the police, personalities, methods, local, international connections? The range of drug dealers, their backgrounds, local, international?
3. Eric Portman as the commander, age, experience, manner, his attitude towards his assistant, the other members of staff, expectations? In action, shrewd, follow through, investigations?
4. Laurence Harvey as the newcomer, married, from Paris, eager to please, his theories, putting them into action, his mistakes, the stealing of the vehicle, often with success?
5. The range of local characters, businessmen, the murders, the brothers, one in prison, the ship, the captain of the ship, the surveillance by the Coast Guard and personnel?
6. The details of the transport of the drugs, by ship, by road, camels…?
7. Struggles within the group, controls, betrayals, murders, mistakes? And the final solution?