Garp
Well-known member
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Week 10: 'Juno and the Paycock' [1929]
Source: DVD
Before I started this project, someone suggested that trying to watch a film a week might begin to feel like homework. I felt that yesterday as I sat through 'Juno and the Paycock'.
In fairness, even Hitchcock has gone on record stating that he had trouble figuring out how to make this dialogue-heavy stage play cinematic. There is no action to speak of and nothing that lends itself to clever camera trickery. Coupled with the fact that the early sound recording makes it difficult to hear anyway, the actors have such rich brogues that it's a strain to understand what is going on.
The story revolves around the rise and fall of an Irish family. There are some broad stereotypes here - the shiftless father and his scheming friend, the bold matriarch who holds the family together - as well as a rather offensively portrayed Jewish tailor. John Laurie, whom I remember from the UK sitcom 'Dad's Army', plays the brooding son. The acting is a little over-the-top, but at least Hitchcock has something to play with regarding him. The son holds a terrible secret, and Hitchcock hones in on him to register his reactions as the family talk about his friend's death.
The film spends around 80% of the time in the same room, which is I suppose necessary for a stage adaptation, but unfortunate as arguably the best scenes occur outside. The first scene of the rebel-rouser, with close-ups of his audience, could have come from a Soviet-era propaganda film - stirring and effective. Otherwise, this was a chore to watch.
Another from Mil Creek's 'Legacy' collection, this was difficult to watch and even more difficult to hear. Unless, like me, you are determined to see everything that Hitchcock directed, I would skip it.
Source: DVD
Before I started this project, someone suggested that trying to watch a film a week might begin to feel like homework. I felt that yesterday as I sat through 'Juno and the Paycock'.
In fairness, even Hitchcock has gone on record stating that he had trouble figuring out how to make this dialogue-heavy stage play cinematic. There is no action to speak of and nothing that lends itself to clever camera trickery. Coupled with the fact that the early sound recording makes it difficult to hear anyway, the actors have such rich brogues that it's a strain to understand what is going on.
The story revolves around the rise and fall of an Irish family. There are some broad stereotypes here - the shiftless father and his scheming friend, the bold matriarch who holds the family together - as well as a rather offensively portrayed Jewish tailor. John Laurie, whom I remember from the UK sitcom 'Dad's Army', plays the brooding son. The acting is a little over-the-top, but at least Hitchcock has something to play with regarding him. The son holds a terrible secret, and Hitchcock hones in on him to register his reactions as the family talk about his friend's death.
The film spends around 80% of the time in the same room, which is I suppose necessary for a stage adaptation, but unfortunate as arguably the best scenes occur outside. The first scene of the rebel-rouser, with close-ups of his audience, could have come from a Soviet-era propaganda film - stirring and effective. Otherwise, this was a chore to watch.
Another from Mil Creek's 'Legacy' collection, this was difficult to watch and even more difficult to hear. Unless, like me, you are determined to see everything that Hitchcock directed, I would skip it.