Biggles Wrote:Suspect Zero
Rented it on DVD and watched it last night. My wife and I both enjoyed. Suspense, serial killers, distant viewing, violations of suspects' civil rights, illegal searches, Ben Kingsley, Carrie-Ann Moss for eye candy. What's not to like? Sort of reminded me of a cross between X-Files and Millennium, two TV shows I miss. I give it three thumbs up.
With Carrie-Ann Moss, I'm suspecting that the third one is not a thumb.
Ken V.
Ken Valentine Wrote:With Carrie-Ann Moss, I'm suspecting that the third one is not a thumb.
Ken V.
You have a dirty mind, Ken!
http://www.northernindianacriminaldefense.com
"I don't always carry a pistol, but when I do, I prefer an East German Makarov"
Maria Ouspenskaya was mentioned somewhere on this thread or another. In checking her films, I happened on "The Shangai Gesture," which I rented from Netflix.
I'm still not sure what the Shanghai gesture actually refers to, if anything, but I enjoyed the film. The lovely, slightly bucked-tooth Gene Tierney stars along with Victor Mature and Walter Houston. Ona Munson plays the lead as Mother Gin Sling, owner of a gambling casino, which probably was also an opium den and brothel, but back in 1941 those vices were too sinful to be seen on film. Gambling and alcoholism, though, were just dandy.
Ona Munson, oddly enough, was Belle Watling, the infamous red-headed, big-hearted whore in "Gone With the Wind." In GWTW she could have been Maureen O'Hara's cousin. In "Shanghai Gesture" she's a Chinese madam. Victor Mature plays an Arab and Maria Ouspenskaya, who utters nary a word, is Mother Gin Sling's amah, also supposed to be Chinese, maybe.
It's the only movie I've seen where the extras are given mention in the titles. And what a great bunch of extras they were! It was so nice to see a film from 1941 with multicultural extras. They gave the film the necessary background color, so to speak, which was sorely missing in the leads, all of whom were whites in heavy makeup. Even whiter-than-snow Gene Tierney's skin seemed to darken throughout the movie. There is a reason for that, but it was odd, nevertheless.
Josef von Sternberg directed, and the movie has a great look. If you like campy, atmospheric '40's movies, slightly noirish with wonderful character actors, you'll enjoy this one.
I'm still not sure what the Shanghai gesture actually refers to, if anything, but I enjoyed the film. The lovely, slightly bucked-tooth Gene Tierney stars along with Victor Mature and Walter Houston. Ona Munson plays the lead as Mother Gin Sling, owner of a gambling casino, which probably was also an opium den and brothel, but back in 1941 those vices were too sinful to be seen on film. Gambling and alcoholism, though, were just dandy.
Ona Munson, oddly enough, was Belle Watling, the infamous red-headed, big-hearted whore in "Gone With the Wind." In GWTW she could have been Maureen O'Hara's cousin. In "Shanghai Gesture" she's a Chinese madam. Victor Mature plays an Arab and Maria Ouspenskaya, who utters nary a word, is Mother Gin Sling's amah, also supposed to be Chinese, maybe.
It's the only movie I've seen where the extras are given mention in the titles. And what a great bunch of extras they were! It was so nice to see a film from 1941 with multicultural extras. They gave the film the necessary background color, so to speak, which was sorely missing in the leads, all of whom were whites in heavy makeup. Even whiter-than-snow Gene Tierney's skin seemed to darken throughout the movie. There is a reason for that, but it was odd, nevertheless.
Josef von Sternberg directed, and the movie has a great look. If you like campy, atmospheric '40's movies, slightly noirish with wonderful character actors, you'll enjoy this one.
This post was last modified: 07-18-2005, 09:12 PM by Maggers.
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd