Austrian born filmmaker with his gleaming bald skull and abrasive manner was often cast by other filmmakers as a sadistic Nazi commandant commander who mercilessly tortured his captives. It turns this was a generous portrayal of a man infamous for on set displays of anger and aggression. In the 1991 doco Anatomy of a Filmmaker hosted by Burgess Meredith we repeatedly hear actors such as Michael Caine discussing the trauma of working with the man. The balance was that he made interesting films both within and outside of the Hollywood system. Caine states that he was advised early on that Preminger would always chose a whipping boy, on his film it was a young Faye Dunaway, after Preminger informed a relieved Caine he could never get angry at “Alfie.’ This 4 disc collection also includes his 1953 Saint Joan, a powerful representation of the Joan of Arc legend with bizarre casting such as Richard Windmark (Pickup on South Street) as the King of France and the stunning Jean Seberg is her first role (winning a worldwide competition for non actors). For a change of pace in the same year Preminger also made a risque romantic comedy that effectively broke the Hayes code by refusing to replace words like virgin in the dialogue, yet is still quite peculiar and charming thanks to the naive performance of Maggie McNamara alongside William Holden and a lecherous David Niven. Perhaps the most impressive film in this collection is Advise and Consent, a 1962 tour de force uncovering the corruption and bartering at play in the American political system. 45 years on this film is still a gripping account of the power plays and double crossing inherent in the political system. It stars Charles Laughton, Henry Fonda, Peter Lawford and Gene Tierney as the senators do battle against each other and the American dream.
EXTRA FEATURES:
Nothing.
Bob Baker Fish
