[LastFilmIWatched]HansChristianAndersen(1952)6.8/10

ThereisasimplisticnaivetéinthisfictivefamilyfaretellingthestoryofDanishfairytalefabricatorH.C.Andersen(Kaye)thatlendsthemovieatendresseevenforthemosthard-boiledsouls.CharlesVidor’spicturegallantlybeefsuphookysingingsnippets(composedandlyricizedbyBroadwaysongwriterFrankLoesser)spawnedoutofAndersen’sworld-famousstories(TheUglyDuckling,ThumbelinaandTheEmperor’sNewClothes)withamainthrough-lineofAndersen’sinfatuationofaprimaballerinaDoro(Jeanmaire),whichbegetsthegenesisofTheLittleMermaidandthenistransmutedintoaspectacularballetchoreographedbyParisiandanseurRolandPetit,graftedontotheclimax.Initsnot-so-complicatedstory-line,Andersenisdumbeddownasahappy-go-luckycobbler,andsaddledwithasidekick,theorphanboyPeter(Walsh)whobecomesincreasinglyprotectivetowardshimashefearsthatAndersenisoverthemoonwithanungroundedideathatheistheknight-in-shining-armorforDoro,whoismarriedtoNiels(Granger,evensobrattyanduppity),thetroupe’sstroppychoreographer.Theirmarriagecomesoffashabituallyvacillatingbetweenlovey-doveyshow-offandfierysquabbles,butisfarfromontherocksasAndersenpostulates,PeterwitnessesandunderstandsDoroandNiels’folie-à-deux,butfailstodisabuseahot-to-trotAndersenofhiswishfulthinking,soaslipshodbreak-upensues,theonlytimeAndersenappearsasaheartlessbastard,althoughintheendthehatchetwillbeburiedinanequallyrashfashionbecausenooneshouldsetfeetinbetweenPeterandAndersen,hooray!DannyKayehasasoothinglymellowvoicelikeabalmtoajadedear,althoughhisearnestperformanceisnotashowstopperbuthiscongenialamenityisaboontoitsfamilyaudience,butindeedthemoneyshotherearetheballetsequences,meldedwithcinematicbravura(itsravishingsettingandmontagedexterity)withoutanoverarchingpomposityandindulgenceàlaPowellPressburger’sTHETALESOFHOFFMANNandinterlacedwithabasicnarrativestructure,theyarecondensedtolightupthescreenwithinanone-too-wearingallottedscreen-timewhichcanatonceimpressrubberneckersandintrigueballetomanes,forthisreasonalone,ithasadecisiveedgeoverotherscreencommoditiestoutingthehigh-browsuperiority.referentialpoints:MervynLeRoy’sGYPSY(1962,7.5/10);PowellPressburger’sTHETALESOFHOFFMANN(1951,5.1/10);JacquesDemy’sTHEYOUNGGIRLSOFRICHEFORT(1967,6.9/10)本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。