Tag: Timothy carey

The World’s Greatest Sinner

The World’s Greatest Sinner is a 1962 movie directed by Timothy Carey.

WHAT HAPPENS?

An insurance salesman quits his job to preach about the power of man. He forms the “The Eternal Man” party and then enters politics. As his popularity soars, he begins to question his own beliefs.

ONE LINE REVIEW

The World’s Greatest Sinner is a quirky, clunky experiment helmed by one of cinema’s most unique talents.

THE ACTORS

It’s difficult to describe the wonderfully bizarre allure of Timothy Carey. He is an oddity – his lurching frame suggests a body that is at war with itself. His towering voice has no modulation and little cadence. He maintains little distance from other actors but feels incapable of intimacy. Yet, these awkward touches are the impeccable traits of raw originality.

There is no one quite like Timothy Carey.

The World’s Greatest Sinner sees Carey transform from Clarence Hilliard, the bored salesman and family man into God Hilliard, the spiritual zealot fulfilling his craven desires. In doing so, Carey gets to play a rock star consumed with carnal affairs and self-idealization. His performance can be balky and overly scripted – yet his presence commands constant attention. Carey is at his best both basking in the idolatry he’s created and reckoning with its truths.

Continue reading “The World’s Greatest Sinner”

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a 1976 movie directed by John Cassavetes.

Ben Gazzara plays Cosmo Vitelli, a strip club owner whose gambling addiction runs him afoul of the mob. He’s forced to murder a Chinese bookie to repay his debts. Gazzara’s Vitelli is unflappable throughout the movie, yet the scene stealer is the unpredictable, lurching Timothy Carey, who portrays mob enforcer Flo. The movie’s tone is quintessential 70’s – it’s dark and gritty, yet themes of family and honor emerge.

THE BEST – Timothy Carey

Carey may be one of the most uniquely strange actors of the last 50 years. He constantly appears to be crawling out of his own skin.

THE WORST – Timothy Carey Eating

It’s hard to describe. Just watch it.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4/5

If you love 70’s movie grime, this is for you. It’s desperately grim but Gazzara gives a tremendous performance. It’s worth a watch.

The Wild One

The Wild One is a 1953 movie directed by Laslo Benedek.

The Wild One tells the story of Johnny, the leader of a rebel motorcycle gang. The bikers invade a small town and cause havoc, before the locals fight back – leading to an unfortunate end.

It’s hard to separate this movie from both its lead actor and the cultural impression forged by its release. While nostalgia may color this view, The Wild One is emblematic of 1950’s cinema and more specifically, classic teenage angst.

Marlon Brando became a pop culture icon and a symbol of rebellion, which unfortunately overshadows what is a terrific, nuanced acting performance.

In this sense, the movie’s most memorable line can be easily disposable: “What are you rebelling against? What do you got?” Underneath this dialogue is a storm of emotions, confusion and violence that Brando delicately represses.

Brando’s intensity is unrivaled but what’s also impressive is how he locks onto his character’s insecurity and mistrust of the world. When he fails to lessen any emotional attachments to Mary Murphy’s Kathie, he immediately acts to remove himself from the situation.

Continue reading “The Wild One”

Paths of Glory

Paths of Glory is a 1957 movie directed by Stanley Kubrick.

Paths of Glory tells the story of Colonel Dax, a unit commander in World War I, who leads his men on a dangerous mission. After an unsuccessful outcome, he is then forced to defend three of his soldiers from a vindictive court martial.

Like a lot of movie fans, I hesitate to watch anything predating 1960. There is a rhythm and tone to classic movies that always feels unnatural – or at least aged. From a purely aesthetic view, dreamy, soft focus black and white removes the kind of Neo-reality I seek in movies.

Paths of Glory is an exception to my overly rigid qualifications. Stanley Kubrick delivers a simply outstanding movie that doesn’t feel dramatically dated.

Similar to The Killing, Paths of Glory boasts a sharp, clean black and white environment. This look accentuates the brutality and systematic destruction of trench warfare. Kubrick’s closeup shots of battered and traumatized soldiers further this theme. They appear dazed and almost corpse-like as death swirls around them.

The movie’s sounds contribute to this mayhem. Continuous bomb blasts create a jarring effect – jolting soldiers and rattling debris from the trench walls. Boldly advancing through this chaos is Kirk Douglass’ Colonel Dax, whose natural poise and calm establish him as a genuine leader – rather than a stock figure of empty heroism.

Douglass’ walk through the trenches is the stuff of movie legends. Kubrick employs a single, winding tracking shot – before Douglass disappears into a cloud of smoke. There is no compromise in Dax’s character – only the resolve of a man trying to accomplish an impossible mission that will likely kill the men he’s responsible for leading.

Continue reading “Paths of Glory”