tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post4248392207806583531..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: Lust in the DustSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-24917466615168696542016-02-29T21:18:42.967-06:002016-02-29T21:18:42.967-06:00At an hour shorter, at least it wouldn't be a ...At an hour shorter, at least it wouldn't be a chore. By the time I got to 90 minutes, I really wanted it to be done.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-58215670768702833532016-02-29T20:34:36.554-06:002016-02-29T20:34:36.554-06:00Ava couldn't do limitless things but like Peck...Ava couldn't do limitless things but like Peck when she was properly cast, Julie in Show Boat, Maxine in Night of the Iguana, she could be sensational and compelling. Where Jones projects her "idea" of the wildness of Pearl Gardner exuded that requisite wildness naturally. <br /><br />I don't know if anything could save the film with this cast in place but hacking an hour out of this sucker could only help.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-59472879759839626652016-02-29T20:13:53.057-06:002016-02-29T20:13:53.057-06:00Jones rarely works for me. I can't call myself...Jones rarely works for me. I can't call myself a huge Ava Gardner fan, either, but I could see her working this role.<br /><br />Regardless of who is cast in it, thougn, I agree that there's not nearly enough of it here to make something this long. Cut this down to the 90 minutes it could actually support, and we might have something.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-46748599904473255432016-02-29T17:12:34.787-06:002016-02-29T17:12:34.787-06:00Man alive this is a stinker!
It has a few, very ...Man alive this is a stinker! <br /><br />It has a few, very few good things, the cinematography is gorgeous and a few of the supporting performances are good, Lillian Gish and Charles Bickford come off best. <br /><br />But....it's a meager story to pin two and a half hours of film on and the overly earnest tone is a drag but the complete miscasting of the two leads really torpedoes it. Gregory Peck could be a fine actor in the right part but an air of resolute decency clung to him always and he never was able to play a villain convincingly. If it was just him it wouldn't be so bad but Jennifer Jones is absurd as Pearl. <br /><br />The role, which isn't very good to begin with, is just far beyond the scope of her meager talent. The part cries out for Ava Gardner's raw sensuality and dynamic screen presence although even she probably couldn't have made her real but certainly more convincing than what we're given. Jones mistakes over emphasis with depth and Vidor's (and the uncredited others) florid style of direction doesn't help her. <br /><br />The fault ultimately falls to Selznick though, he was determined to make Jones the greatest of all stars resulting in putting her in material for which she was not suited and away from whatever her strengths as a performer were. joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-52695159436028440912014-12-23T12:58:09.336-06:002014-12-23T12:58:09.336-06:00I can see being besotted with her; she was absolut...I can see being besotted with her; she was absolutely gorgeous. I just think she couldn't act.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-77437850075763281472014-12-23T10:26:55.750-06:002014-12-23T10:26:55.750-06:00From what I have read, when David O. Selznick beca...From what I have read, when David O. Selznick became totally besotted with Jennifer Jones his mission in life became to earn her another Oscar. Bloated movies such as this and Since You Went Away were the result. He couldn't stand it that Zanuck was the one that gave the Oscar to her.marie_dresslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06334550550983418668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-62107122863930340232014-12-22T23:12:28.218-06:002014-12-22T23:12:28.218-06:00Yeah, this isn't one I'm going to remember...Yeah, this isn't one I'm going to remember fondly in the future. There's just something about Jennifer Jones that puts me off the movie every time.<br /><br />I do love Walter Huston on general principles, though.SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-68558930656534999522014-12-22T23:04:25.175-06:002014-12-22T23:04:25.175-06:00It's been a while since I saw this, and I only...It's been a while since I saw this, and I only saw it once. But I have never forgotten it. <br /><br />Lionel Barrymore little speech about her name: I don't know why they call her PEARL! They oughta call her POCAHANTAS! Or Mine-HA-HA!<br /><br />Or Butterfly McQueen (as Vashti) rambling on and on about how the lady of the house calls her "empty-headed."<br /><br />Or Walter Huston.<br /><br />And that ending! Oh boy, that ending!<br /><br />I love the memories of this movie. But there's a probably a good reason why I only saw it once. Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921029597363212734noreply@blogger.com