Movie Review - The Great Gabbo

The Great Gabbo

1929

The Cast

This is a strange little number because it's a pretty dark subject matter, which at times is pretty chilling to watch, but then they throw in lots of songs.  I'm not too sure what the Directors were going for when they filmed this.  I say this because it's evident, at times, that quite a few scenes were added later... and I cannot figure out why.

I really like the idea of the mad ventriloquist.  In this stories concept, he is in love with his assistant, Mary (Compson), though finds it hard to fully converse with her.  As The Great Gabbo (Erich von Stroheim), as he sees himself, he's nasty, offensive,  and disagreeable.  However, when he speaks through the dummy he can be loving and charming.  It's this fissure that eventually leads to his mental breakdown.

I know that the musical moments are there because it's set in the vaudeville and theatre life, though for most of the time these feel more like padding - filling out time.  I think this could be remade and be an actually powerful movie.  Reduce the musical side and expand on the breakdown.  There are times in this movie where chills ran down my spine.  The part where Mary walks out on The Great Gabbo and the Dummy calls her softly back, only to be reprimanded by Gabbo is both heartbreaking and creepy as hell.

The film, in general, is entertaining, though I have to say I found the number of musical intermissions too much.  These are also 1920's musicals so are not so relevant today.  Also, the dancing isn't up to par with bigger productions.  Though I have to say the scene where Mary throws herself off a giant spiders web to be caught inches from the ground is breathtaking.  I would say, for all creepy doll fans and those who like a psychological edge to their dramas, it's worth a watch.

I give this a mouth-full-shut 5.25 out of 10. 

The Trailer (Fan Made)

Movie Review - Recipe For A Perfect Christmas

Recipe For A Perfect Christmas

AKA Smothered

2005

The Cast

  

Even though this is a story about a romance between a Food Critic and a Chef the alternate title for the movie is a better choice to describe the film (and then it's not the best) for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, though the romance is okay and it does add to the heartwarming atmosphere of the film it takes second place to the relationship between Mother (Baranski) and Food Critic daughter (Pope).  I really did enjoy the cracked and broken relationship they have formed after the death of the husband and father and neither one knew how to cope with his passing.  The only trouble being that it doesn't quite feel right and lacks in believability. Though each of the actresses is great in their portrayals of a happy fun loving Mom and a no-nonsense career-minded daughter; when the reason for their separation is revealed even their characterisations can't sustain the believability.

Secondly, the romance isn't really believable. When the chef asks for a review from the food critic she manipulates him into taking her mother out on dates, so as to keep her out of her hair so she can complete her column before the deadline.  He takes Mommy out on a few dates and he likes her.  Though the writer and director try to sideline the audience into thinking they could be a couple, they add a couple of scenes that show the Chef's slight (and it is only slight) interest in the daughter.  What the story needed were a few more similar scenes where their relationship blossoms and blooms.  Unfortunately, this doesn't happen and it makes the story and film feel awkward at times.  This could have been a better movie.

This is one to watch if there's nothing else on or your snowed in during a blizzard and have caught up on everything else.  Be aware that this is a Romance Movie set around Christmastime and not really a Christmas Movie.

I give this romance a not so soppy 5.75 out of 10.

The Film Clip