Have you ever embarked on an ill-advised movie watching adventure? The kind wherein the movie you desire to watch has received horrible reviews (on Netflix, mind you…) and yet you really want to watch it regardless? I had been putting off watching The Go Between, lest it turn into a wasted two hours of my life… but in search of a visually inspiring movie, I settled on this Julie Christie movie last week.

I didn’t expect to enjoy the plot or find the movie highly entertaining. I did except to fall in absolute love with the scenery, however. And I most certainly was not disappointed. If you are a romantic and enjoy the early 20th Century aesthetic, you will love the scenes in The Go Between. Each shot is so wonderfully framed. You will easily be swept away.

And though the plot follows the summer of a 13 year old boy, I was surprised that the content was as highly romantic as the scenery. Ah, the unrequited love of adolescence. The story is a bit vague, which in my opinion, adds much to the dreamy feeling of the entire film. But in summary, it is about love. Becoming totally immersed in it, and just as quickly being cut off from it.

I won’t give any more of a plot summary, because watching a slow moving story unfold beautifully into something that unexpectedly commands your attention is part of the joy in watching The Go Between. In my opinion. :)

And so, I leave you with the beautiful images from the film, and hopefully at least a small desire to spend some time wandering about in the beautiful early 20th Century world so wonderfully recreated in this movie from 1970.

Plot ingredients: One sleazy gossip magazine writer, played by Tony Curtis, plans a great cover-worthy story exposing the young and exceedingly pretty psychologist, Natalie Wood, for having no sexual experience, despite the fact that she just published a best selling book called “Sex and the Single Girl.”

Natalie Wood, the pretty and inexperienced psychologist, has got it all together. Although judging by how often she lights up her cigarettes, you realize that she really doesn’t. Especially when Tony Curtis comes strolling into her office, of course.

Tony Curtis, when not spending time with his come-hither girlfriend, will pretend to be a psychologically distressed husband and, of course, seeks out help from Natalie Wood, in an effort to learn more about her for his magazine article.

As supply for the sessions with his Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis borrow’s his neighbor’s marital issues. His neighbors just happen to be Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall, whose issues stem from the fact that Hank works for a women’s nylon manufacturer, and spends his days examining women’s legs.

I must say, the plot wasn’t as perfectly cliche as I expected it to be, and provided quite a few chuckles and giggles along the way. Of course, the plot is still totally ridiculous. But I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be that way. It took be about halfway through the movie to realize that the humor was meant to be more of a dramatic slapstick style that I had expected, which explained (I hope) Natalie Wood’s overacting and the ridiculous plot elements, such as the high speed car chase at the end.

Oh, and did I mention the obligatory Some Like it Hot reference made by Tony Curtis while wearing a woman’s robe? Oh yes. It happened.

And so, in conclusion, I suppose I recommend this movie if you are a fan of Jerry Lewis type films, and are just in a mood for a chuckle inducing 120 minutes. If you are trying to instill a sense of morals in a person, I wouldn’t recommend watching it with them, though. Yes, even a film from the 1960s. ;)

Hey, hey! New blog feature! Movie Mondays. What can I say, I love cliche blog post titles. I watch at least a movie a week, and since we’ve decided to forego cable and stick with the interwebs (hello, Netflix!), it’ll be a fun experience capturing screen shots and sharing my impressions of the films I watch each week.

If any of you have not seen The Seven Year Itch, I’ll give you a brief run down on the plot framework. Manhattan men send their wives away to spare them from the heat of summer. Before their wives & children’s trains even leave the station, they are already in bachelor mode. The movie follows the imagination and silliness of a publishing executive. Whose wife of seven years (and son) has just left to spend the summer in the country. Oh, and whose neighbor happens to be Marilyn Monroe. Of course.

One of the reasons I so much enjoy watching old movies is being able to step back in time and soak in the interior design and day-to-day fashion that, so normal in their day, is so fascinating to me.

For instance, how many offices do you see these days with aqua/grey painted brick walls and rad posters hanging on the wall? Amazing.

Now, I think we all know that Marilyn Monroe wasn’t known for her awesome sense of fashion. But every movie she graces is just such fun. This one might be the most well known movie in which the blonde bombshell ever appeared.

I adore the red lipstick which always painted her lips. No wonder the poor “summer bachelor” had such a difficult time of it with her as his neighbor! Oh, and that tall glass in her hands? That’s a martini. Oh yes. Silly girl.

I don’t think I will be offering many serious movie reviews on Movie Mondays, but I can at least give my recommendation that if you’re in the mood for a light hearted comedy with a nostalgic feel and some innocently naughty humor (I actually quite believe there is such a thing… ha), you will definitely enjoy the classic Billy Wilder film, The Seven Year Itch.