JohnDoe
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BrentonDeborah Kerr Tribute – The Sydney Film Festival 2008
May 13th 2008 00:04
From Kerr to Eternity
Deborah Kerr blossoms
Each year as part of the Sydney Film Festival they show a selected filmography from a legend of cinema. In 2007 it was hard line Director John Huston, in 2008 the spotlight shines on the recently deceased Deborah Kerr.
Between shots on From Here to Eternity
The red headed Scottish born Kerr had vibrant presence and a versatile talent for giving controlled characters an emotional vulnerability. Wether standing toe to toe with Yul Bryner in The King and I or opposite Richard Burton for Tennessee Williams Night of the Iguana Deborah had a gift for drawing our eye and making us feel her pain, yearning and sexuality.
The Innocents
The highlight of “From Kerr to Eternity” for John Doe is the 1961 Gothic horror called The Innocents. Engulfed in atmosphere, this is a truly creepy slice of tightly wound terror Directed by Jack Clayton. (Something Wicked This Way Comes) In the film Deborah plays Victorian reserve that is painful to watch because we are helpless, cursed to voyeurs. She is a governess Miss Giddens, in charge of caring for two children when possibly supernatural forces come knocking. Based on the Turn of the Screw by Henry James and co scripted by Truman Capote this is a must for those in need of a spine tingle.
A clip to spark curiousity from The Innocents - Original Trailer
After The Innocents JD recommends
Black Narcissus
Black Narcissus (1947)
Black Narcissus is a melodrama Directed by the mistreated genius Michael Powell (The Red Shoes, Peeping Tom) who began a torrid affair with his leading lady off set. As a nun who is helping to care for a community in the Himalayas Deborah Kerr is pushed to emotional breaking point by the climate, locals, politics and members of the order.
The Sundowners (1960)
Several times over the course of this site John Doe has listed this film as a favourite. Personally he considers it one of the most enjoyable Australian films ever made by Americans, the quality Director is Fred Zinnemann (Day of the Jackal, High Noon, From Here to Eternity). Based on the book by Jon Cleary, leading man Robert Mitchum (Heaven Knows Mr Allison) nails the ocker accent and Deborah Kerr stands tall against the harsh Aussie outback. Refusing make up and delivering one of the most naturalistic performances of her career.
The dust and heat of The Sundowners for which Deborah Kerr was nominated for an Oscar
Tea and Sympathy (1956)
Directed by Vincente Minnelli (The Bad and the Beautiful, The Cobweb, Some Came Running), Tea and Sympathy is an interesting postcard to the repressed sexual mores of the 1950’s. It’s an interesting film for its themes and importantly for Kerr’s recreation of her own broadway success adapted to the big screen.
A scene from Tea and Sympathy
Johnny D can’t fault any of the Sydney Film festival’s Deborah Kerr shortlist, but if you can’t attend them all, these are the 4 Johnny D strongly recommends assuming you have seen From Here to Eternity!
Deborah holds all the cards
Here are the screening times for “From Kerr to Eternity”
Love on the Dole – 12pm June 8
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp – 12pm June 9
Black Narcissus – 2.10pm June 14
From Here To Eternity – 4pm June 15
Tea and Sympathy – 6.15pm June 16
An Affair to Remember – 6.15pm June 17
The Sundowners – 6.15pm June 18
The Innocents – 2.15pm June 21
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