1947 Films, by alphabet

In the comments, Thom asks for my A-Z choices among my 1947 viewing. I'd originally discounted the utility of choosing the "best" from a small pool of films (I've seen about 90 features so far) and in particularly for a year as aesthetically undistinguished as 1947. Like I've said before there are very few canonical films from the year. But a quick list of some highlights might be the best introduction to the year, especially those who have not been reading my film-by-film review. It's even reminded me I need to write up the films I'd seen already before starting the project. So, by alphabetic conceit, here are a sample of what I think are among the more interesting of the year's offerings (* denotes official DVD availability):

The Arnelo Affair
Boomerang!
Carnegie Hall*
Daisy Kenyon*
The Egg and I*
The Farmer's Daughter
Good News*
The Hucksters
It Had to Be You
Johnny O'Clock
Kiss of Death*
The Late George Apley
Magic Town
Nightmare Alley*
Out of the Past*
The Paradine Case
Ride the Pink Horse
Smash-Up
The Two Mrs. Carrolls
The Unconquered*
Voice of the Turtle
Where There's Life*

Comments

Jeff Conway said…
Chris, so have you watched Smash-up yet? I am going to write about the "wig scene" in it for my current book on Valley of the Dolls. Susan H., as you may know, is the "victim" in the wig scene in VOD; in Smash-Up, she's the perp. I love it--she strikes that other woman so viciously in the powder room!
Chris Cagle said…
I have seen the film... I need to rewatch, though. Obviously, Smash-Up establishes the star image that she will riff on throughout the 50s and 60s.
Anonymous said…
Hi Chris,

I haven't been following your project closely, but at a glance at this list I am surprised not to see Body and Soul or Monsieur Verdoux...
Anonymous said…
Chris,

One other observation and question while I am here. It occurs to me that in 1947 you have (at least) two significant experiments with extensive use of optical point of view shots in Lady in the Lake and--less famously--the beginning of Dark Passage. I'm wondering if you have found anything about the production history of either of these films--especially as to when in the production process the decision to shoot the films this way was made and how. Were there other studios or films attempting to experiment with this technique around the same time?

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