[CRITICAL] BOXCAR BERTHA (1972)

S thes econd feature film of Martin Scorsese, BOXCAR BERTHA I was much less fascinated than the previous film.

Appearing as a movie-of-order – I want to say that there is no reason Scorsesien is truly identifiable it appears, however, to break free of any censorship… But also from any direction.

BOXCAR BERTHA, it is a bit of a marriage of a strange pure entertainment (the gangster film) and a certain sub-text of the policy.

From this point of view, Scorsese evokes many themes do not develop or them complain really, but it is easy to imagine the resonance in the America of 1972 :

The economic crisis of the years 30 (a reflection of the “present”, and the prospect of a similar crisis that will also take place 1 year after the release of the film), the ravage caused by the progress (here, the railroad), the racism, the antediluvian conflict between north and south, fear of communism (reflection here, too, the present and the absurd cold war), the condition of the woman.

Also, speaking of women, BOXCAR BERTHA puts into perspective the theme presented from the first film, Who’s That Knocking at My Door. In the following, A relation between men and women was established unequivocally and without nuance, via a romance beautiful, but tragic, between Harvey Keitel and Zina Bethune.

Thus, the woman Scorsese-ienna is defined as: Mother, or Whore. However, the binarity of this assumption will not cease to be in doubt in the cinema of Scorsese, through beautiful portraits of women, representatives of one or the other category, and especially the variety of shades in the middle of which the latter must evolve – most often forced by the men.

It is under this angle that Boxcar Bertha takes a clear meaning; Bertha, his emancipation to his prostitution through its dépucelage, or his career as a gangster, acts only according to men. If this makes her a heroine well little charismatic, with no personality other than her body… This vision, which can seem pretty misogynistic, illustrates well the slope demeaning of the subtle portrait of male-female relations above-mentioned. That said, without having seen the first movie of Scorsese, this theory risk completely leave you cold.

BOXCAR BERTHA is a little bit like a movie without personality because of a certain lack of depth, despite of exciting topics, both personal to Scorsese than a more global view point.

One does not retain to the end that its cruel conclusion, the first-fruits of The Last temptation of Christ, and the strange beauty of Barbara Hershey.

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BOXCAR BERTHA has been reviewed in the context of a retrospective exhibition dedicated to Martin Scorsese for the Light Festival 2015, in Lyon. It will be screened on The Ant Tuesday, October 13, at 20h, at the Pathé Cordeliers Thursday, 15 October at 18: 15, Ecully, france Saturday, October 17th at 18h and at the Comœdia Sunday 18 October at 14.15.

The LIGHT FESTIVAL on the Blog of The Film

MARTIN SCORSESE: an Analysis of his films

MARTIN SCORSESE: a portrait of the author

His films presented at the festival of Light :

– Hugo Cabret (2011)

– The Departed (2006)

– Casino (1995)

– The age of innocence (1993)

– Nerves on edge (1991)

– Goodfellas (1990)

– The last temptation of Christ (1988)

– The waltz of the puppets (1982)

– Raging Bull (1980)

– New York, New York (1977)

– Taxi Driver (1975)

– Alice is not here anymore (1974)

– Mean Streets (1973)

– Boxcar Bertha (1972)

– Who’s that knoocking at my door (1968)

Chroniqués by Georgeslechameau

The 8 films of JULIEN DUVIVIER

JULIEN DUVIVIER: portrait of the author

– David Golder (1931)

– La Bandera (1935)

– The Beautiful Team (1936)

– Pépé le Moko (1937)

– A carnet de bal (1937)

– The end of the Day (1939)

– Panic (1946)

– The Time of the Assassins (1956)

Chroniqués by Louis

THE NIGHT OF FEAR

Night of fear : our view on the selection of films !

– The Thing (1982)

– Night of the Living Dead (1968)

– Insidious (2010)

– The Evil Dead (1981)

Chroniqués by Louis

AKIRA KUROSAWA : the years, Toho

– The More dignity (1944)

– Walking on the tail of the tiger… (1945$)

I have no regrets for my youth (1946)

– One wonderful Sunday (1947)

– Angel drunk (1948)

– Mad dog (1949)

– Live (1952)

– Live in fear (1955)

– The hidden Fortress (1958)

– The Bastards sleep in peace (1960)

– Yojimbo – The bodyguard (1961)

– Sanjuro (1962)

– Between heaven and hell (1963)

the Russian filmmaker LARISSA CHEPITKO

A portrait of Larissa Chepitko

– Scorching heat (1963)

– The Wings (1966)

– The Beginning of a century unknown – composed of The Angel of Andrei Smirnov and The Country of the power of Larissa Chepitko (1967)

– You and me (1971)

– The Ascent (1977)

THE PROGRAMMING 2015

On the Blog of The Film

https://www.leblogducinema.com/news/la-programmation-dantesque-du-festival-lumiere-2015-71672/

Or on the site of the Festival of Light

http://www.festival-lumiere.org/

LIGHT 2014 : Pedro Almodovar

– Programming of Light 2014

PEDRO ALMODOVAR :

– Pepi, Luci, Bom and other girls in the neighborhood of Pedro Almodóvar (Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón, 1980, 1h18)

– That is what I have done to deserve this ? Pedro Almodóvar (¿ Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto !!, 1984, 1h47)

– Matador by Pedro Almodóvar (1986, 1: 45)

– The Law of desire by Pedro Almodóvar (La ley del deseo, 1987, 1h44)

– Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown by Pedro Almodóvar (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios, 1988, 1: 35:)

– Home-me ! Pedro Almodóvar (Átame !, 1989, 1h41)

– High heels by Pedro Almodóvar (Tacones lejanos, 1991, 1h53)

– The Flower of my secret by Pedro Almodóvar (La flor de mi secreto, 1995, 1h42)

– In the flesh by Pedro Almodóvar (Carne trémula, 1997, 1h39)

– All about my mother by Pedro Almodóvar (Todo sobre mi madre, 1999, 1: 40)

– Talk to her by Pedro Almodóvar (Hable con ella, 2002, 1h52)

– Volver by Pedro Almodóvar (2006, 2h02)

– La piel habito that of Pedro Almodóvar (2011, 2h01)