Dogs Bark

Simple Song of Freedom - - Miss Americana (2020, USA, Color, 85 min - - 24 December 2020

Recommended. In 1969, Bobby Darin (Captain Newman, M.D.) wrote a song protesting the Vietnam War. The assassination of Robert Kennedy precipitated, partly, a political maturation for the former teen heartthrob. Darin’s story ended with his premature death; it's unknown what that controversial song cost his popularity. Taylor Swift’s (Cats) activism, as told by Lana Wilson’s (The Departure) excellent documentary, may have just began. As such, Miss Americana isn’t a star doc . . . although it touches on Swift’s unsurprising burden of deranged fans, relationship woes, and eating disorders. Regardless, Wilson sticks to her purpose and produces a focused study of - - one hopes - - the flexing of Taylor's activist muscles. There is nothing within Ms. Swift’s agenda that’s screwball. No chem trails. No vaccination shade. The heart of the movie is the 2018 campaign to unseat Trump-supporter Marsha Blackburn as Swift’s Senator. This didn’t happen, but it will be interesting to watch the sequel.

Yet Another Bad Day - - Fury (1936, USA, B/W, 92 min) - - 23 December 2020

Recommended. If for any reason, Fury should be seen as the initiation of Fritz Lang’s (Metropolis) American career and the toolbox of German expressionism he effectively used in the picture. Angled (Dutch) camera shots, slanting shadows, and extreme close-ups support the unhinged mood of Fury. Lang’s explicit theme was the insanity of the mob violence . . . something he experienced as he fled Germany that year. But Lang was equally dismissive of vengeance. Spencer Tracy (Captains Courageous), playing the presumed victim, was still on his way up. Fury is also one of the handful of pictures made by Walter Brennan (Red River) before Howard Hawks (Come And Get It). The next year, both would be nominated for Oscars . . . with Brennan winning. Sylvia Sidney (Merrily We Go To Hell), playing Tracy’s fiancé, was more experienced. Lang would use her expressive face in two more movies.Terry (The Wizard of Oz) plays Tracy’s Cairn terrier.

A Wit’s - - Mank (2020, USA, B/W, 131 min)

Recommended. So where are we? Cut to the latest Hollywood necrologue, we have a tribute to 'The Writer,' notwithstanding obits released by a Los Gatos hit squad. But Herman Mankiewicz (The Pride of the Yankees) sitting desolate in a seared Victorville flophouse is a Rudy Giuliani (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) press conference not the stuff of which dreams are made. In any case, director David Fincher (Se7en) again shows his excellent production values - - credit to MTV - - but it’s Gary Oldman’s (Darkest Hour) lively performance that animates the corpse. The question of authorship for the first draft of Citizen Kane isn't really an issue; it was a little bit of both.  But did Orson Welles (Touch Of Evil) deserve half the Oscar and did that silly injustice ruin Mankiewicz? It’s also asked if Citizen Kane mocks Hearst doxy Marion Davies or pities her. Amanda Seyfried (Les Misérables), as Davies, never resolves this.