We normally watch about 4 movies a week here at the Homestead of late, not counting the end of the month festivals. My choices for last week were Fassbinder's Chinese Roulette from 1976, and followed up by Fellini's first solo feature, The White Sheik from 1952, which is leaving Criterion on August 31st. We are nearing the end of the Fassbinder films, with seven or eight remaining. We have been watching one per month for quite a while now, in addition to his three TV series. Roulette is another oddball film, more theatrical than cinema. There are eight characters, including the handicapped young daughter of the married couple. Her parents are both having affairs, and through deception and a mix-up the four lovers end up at the same mansion for the weekend. The young daughter, who is around 12, knows this and heads out there also, with her governess, a woman who doesn't speak. At the mansion itself are an older woman who cooks and cleans, and her son who manages the grounds. All 8 characters have lead roles, which is amazing in itself, but the focus is mostly on the hateful relationship between the young daughter and her mother. There are never too many laughs in a Fassbinder production, and this one is no exception.
On the other hand, The White Sheik is quite funny, though touching at the same time. A newlywed couple are in Rome for their honeymoon. She is 20 and he is much older. He has every minute of their visit planned, including a meeting with the pope, along with his extended family. She has other ideas, however, and slips out of the hotel room while her husband naps. Expecting to be gone only about half an hour, she gets caught up in circumstances that keep her away all day and all that night. The frantic husband must not only search for her, but must keep his family deceived as to her whereabouts. The young wife is a super fan of current photo novels, the ones starring the exploits of the White Sheik. She wants to meet him, and to give him a drawing of himself that she has done. The music is by Nino Rota, and Giulietta Masina has a small role as Cabiria, a woman of the night who tries to give some comfort to the distraught husband. A great little film, with the wide-eyed Brunello Bovo, and the even wider-eyed Leopoldo Trieste being fun to watch. The Sheik is played by Alberto Sordi, in a very funny role.
Deb's first weekend choice was Macao, directed by Joseph von Sternberg, starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. This is a low budget crime story from 1952, and doesn't really have a lot going for it. The characters go through the motions, but it seems somewhat tired and formulaic. Jane sings two numbers in a dingy casino bar, supposedly the best place in Macao. She has a great little backup band, though. We both had higher hopes for this one.
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