Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
David, a writer/less-than-stellar father, returns home from a book tour to spend time with his schizophrenic, recently-released-from-the-mental institution daughter, Karin; Martin, Karin's husband and a giant; and Minus, his unfortunately named son. The characters go for a swim, enjoy a meal together, perform an original stage play, brood, talk about God, talk about love, talk about love and how it relates to God, brood some more, etc. The whole thing is gorgeous, stark, and fascinating. A young man never forgets his first Bergman!
My grade: A
What's with the title?: What, don't you read your Bible regularly? It comes from 1 Corinthians 13:1: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
Yes, but how does that relate to the film?: What am I, a Biblical scholar?
Lingering question: Seriously, is Max Von Sydow a giant or were those doorways just really small?
Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
Once a highly successful concert pianist, Eduard Saroyan (aka, Charlie Koller), finds himself banging out up-tempo dance numbers in a scummy Parisian honky tonk. The work isn't as glamorous as he's used to, but "Charlie" pulls in enough dough to take care of his younger brother, Fido, and occasionally sleep with the attractive hooker next door. It appears as if "Charlie" has successfully left his terrible past behind, until another brother, Chico, shows up at his place of employment one evening with a black eye and two pipe-smoking thugs on his tail. From there, "Charlie" falls in love with Lena, a pretty barmaid with a secret crush; reminisces on his days as a world-renowned asshole; murders his boss in self defense; has Fido stolen away by the aforementioned pipe-smoking thugs; and comes to terms with his social anxiety disorder, as well as, his family's less-than-perfect local reputation.
My grade: B
Random observation: No one actually ever fires a gun at "Charlie." He has a gun shoved in his face and another gun thrown in his general direction, but no one ever takes a shot. False advertising as far as I'm concerned.
Sweet and tender hooligans: Shoot the Piano Player sports the most polite bad guys ever committed to film. That is, until they shoot "Charlie's" girlfriend for no reason. That was pretty damned impolite actually.
