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    <title>Pennies from Heaven's Recent Activity - Spout</title>
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      <title>Pennies from Heaven's Recent Activity - Spout</title>
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      <title>Film:Pennies from Heaven</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/films/Pennies_from_Heaven/26372/default.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<table width='100%' style='font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><tr><td><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t42988vv0e7.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' /></td>
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<strong>Title:</strong> Pennies from Heaven<br/>
<strong>Year:</strong> 1981<br/>
<strong>Director:</strong> Herbert Ross<br/>
<strong>Plot:</strong> Adapted from <a href="/players/P___106930/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Dennis Potter</a>'s landmark British TV miniseries and relocated to the United States during the Depression, Pennies from Heaven dramatizes how popular songs both shaped and reflected the thoughts of people living through economic (and emotional) hardship. Arthur Parker (<a href="/players/P___101485/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Steve Martin</a>) is a sheet music salesman who believes that he can spot a hit a mile away and wants to open his own store. But he can't get a bank loan and his wife Joan (<a href="/players/P____30518/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jessica Harper</a>), who has savings left to her by her father, refuses to give him the money. Also, while Arthur has a fierce sexual appetite, Joan generally refuses his advances. While on the road, Arthur meets Eileen (<a href="/players/P____56259/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bernadette Peters</a>), a shy schoolteacher as desperate for affection as Arthur is hungry for sex. They begin an affair, which leads to tragedy for both. Punctuating the drama of Pennies from Heaven are elaborate musical numbers in which the characters lip-synch to popular songs of the day, which at once lift their hopes and reflect their fears. Arthur's buoyant tap number to "My Baby Said Yes" and Eileen's saucy rendition of "Love is Good for Anything That Ails You" are reflections of their needs for money and love, and their pas de deux on "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is at once an escape and an acknowledgement of their hopelessness. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide<br/>
<strong>Number of Lists:</strong> 6<br/>
<strong>Number of blog posts:</strong> 2<br/>
<strong>Number of discussion threads:</strong> 1<br/>
<strong>SpoutRating:</strong> 2<br/>
</td></tr></table>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:54:41 GMT</pubDate><spout:Title>Pennies from Heaven</spout:Title><spout:Year>1981</spout:Year><spout:Director>Herbert Ross</spout:Director><spout:Plot>Adapted from &lt;a href="/players/P___106930/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Dennis Potter&lt;/a&gt;'s landmark British TV miniseries and relocated to the United States during the Depression, Pennies from Heaven dramatizes how popular songs both shaped and reflected the thoughts of people living through economic (and emotional) hardship. Arthur Parker (&lt;a href="/players/P___101485/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Steve Martin&lt;/a&gt;) is a sheet music salesman who believes that he can spot a hit a mile away and wants to open his own store. But he can't get a bank loan and his wife Joan (&lt;a href="/players/P____30518/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Jessica Harper&lt;/a&gt;), who has savings left to her by her father, refuses to give him the money. Also, while Arthur has a fierce sexual appetite, Joan generally refuses his advances. While on the road, Arthur meets Eileen (&lt;a href="/players/P____56259/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'&gt;Bernadette Peters&lt;/a&gt;), a shy schoolteacher as desperate for affection as Arthur is hungry for sex. They begin an affair, which leads to tragedy for both. Punctuating the drama of Pennies from Heaven are elaborate musical numbers in which the characters lip-synch to popular songs of the day, which at once lift their hopes and reflect their fears. Arthur's buoyant tap number to "My Baby Said Yes" and Eileen's saucy rendition of "Love is Good for Anything That Ails You" are reflections of their needs for money and love, and their pas de deux on "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is at once an escape and an acknowledgement of their hopelessness. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide</spout:Plot><spout:Numberoflists>6</spout:Numberoflists><spout:NumberOfBlogPosts>2</spout:NumberOfBlogPosts><spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads>1</spout:NumberOfDiscussionThreads><spout:SpoutRating>2</spout:SpoutRating><spout:FilmCoverURL>http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t42988vv0e7.jpg</spout:FilmCoverURL><spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL>http://www.spout.com/films/Pennies_from_Heaven/26372/default.aspx</spout:SpoutFilmDetailURL><spout:type>Film</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: The face of the remake</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/groups/Re_Make/The_face_of_the_remake/674/40040/1/ShowPost.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t42988vv0e7.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/5353/default.aspx'>Risselada</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/groups/Re_Make/674/discussions.aspx'>Re-Make</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 1/28/2009 4:54:41 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> I would like to nominate Steve Martin as the official face of the remake.  And as a bonus honor, I would also like to nominate him as the representative of sequels to remakes as well.  Here are his credentials: 1.  Pennies from Heaven - a remake of the original British mini-series Pennies from Heaven 2.  Little Shop of Horrors - a musical remake of the original Little Shop of Horrors 3.  Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - a remake of Bedtime Story 4.  Father of the Bride - a remake of the original Father of the Bride 5.  Mixed Nuts - a remake of Le P&egrave;re No&euml;l est une ordure 6.  Father of the Bride Part II - a sequel to the remake of the original Father of the Bride 7.  Sgt. Bilko - a remake of the original TV series The Phil Silvers Show 8.  The Out-of-Towners - a remake of the original The Out of Towners 9.  Cheaper by the Dozen - technically not a remake, but there already was another Cheaper by the Dozen movie based off of the same novel 10.  Cheaper by the Dozen 2 - sequel to what I'm guessing is basically a remake 11.  The Pink Panther - loose remake of the original The Pink Panther 12.  The Pink Panther 2 - sequel to the remake of The Pink Panther 13.  Martin is also currently slated to appear in a remake of Topper Those are his biggest credentials He was also in Roxanne which is based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac which has been done in movies many times. Also A Simple Twist of Fate was based on the book Silas Marner which had been made into a TV movie a decade earlier. I know I'm reaching with this last one.  But still, can anyone think of a a person out there that could rival Steve Martin as the king of the remake?  With so many remakes being done these days I'm sure there are many others up to the challenge.<br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:54:41 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>Risselada</spout:postby><spout:postto>Re-Make</spout:postto><spout:postdate>1/28/2009 4:54:41 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>I would like to nominate Steve Martin as the official face of the remake.  And as a bonus honor, I would also like to nominate him as the representative of sequels to remakes as well.  Here are his credentials: 1.  Pennies from Heaven - a remake of the original British mini-series Pennies from Heaven 2.  Little Shop of Horrors - a musical remake of the original Little Shop of Horrors 3.  Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - a remake of Bedtime Story 4.  Father of the Bride - a remake of the original Father of the Bride 5.  Mixed Nuts - a remake of Le P&amp;egrave;re No&amp;euml;l est une ordure 6.  Father of the Bride Part II - a sequel to the remake of the original Father of the Bride 7.  Sgt. Bilko - a remake of the original TV series The Phil Silvers Show 8.  The Out-of-Towners - a remake of the original The Out of Towners 9.  Cheaper by the Dozen - technically not a remake, but there already was another Cheaper by the Dozen movie based off of the same novel 10.  Cheaper by the Dozen 2 - sequel to what I'm guessing is basically a remake 11.  The Pink Panther - loose remake of the original The Pink Panther 12.  The Pink Panther 2 - sequel to the remake of The Pink Panther 13.  Martin is also currently slated to appear in a remake of Topper Those are his biggest credentials He was also in Roxanne which is based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac which has been done in movies many times. Also A Simple Twist of Fate was based on the book Silas Marner which had been made into a TV movie a decade earlier. I know I'm reaching with this last one.  But still, can anyone think of a a person out there that could rival Steve Martin as the king of the remake?  With so many remakes being done these days I'm sure there are many others up to the challenge.</spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Dream of LIfe:  Yossi &amp;amp; Jagger</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/jlgdrd/archive/2007/8/14/18017.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t42988vv0e7.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/15456/default.aspx'>jlgdrd</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/jlgdrd/default.aspx'>Wicked Fun</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 8/14/2007 12:22:00 AM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong>  Roughly three quarters into Eytan Fox&rsquo;s Yossi &amp; Jagger, Jagger finally puts his foot down. When the impending ambush is over, he tells him, they will travel East, they will rent a hotel room, they will ask for a single bed. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m tired of pretending,&rdquo; he tells Yossi, and from that moment on you don&rsquo;t have to be a psychic (or an avid movie queen) to know Jagger won&rsquo;t be returning from the ambush. Yossi responds with the traditional &ldquo;You knew what you were getting into...&rdquo; speech that he will undoubtedly recant as Jagger is brought to the brink of death. This is not to say Avner Bernheimer&rsquo;s script is weak, in a sense he turns conventional melodrama on its head. And considering he telegraphs the climax it is surprisingly effective and yes, wrenching. Based on a true story, Yossi and Jagger is a cinematic coupe de grace achieved by tactical strategy. Using documentary film technique (hand-held cameras, natural lighting, flat colors) Eytan Fox gives his narrative a much needed jolt. I was struck by the difference between Yehuda Levi&rsquo;s publicity stills and his appearance in the film as Jagger. Though he is handsome by any standards, the efforts to de-glamorize him were almost startling. It is just one of numerous instances in which Fox begs comparison between the best of all worlds and the world as it is. He creates tension between characters who are cynical and idealistic. When Jagger makes his plea for openness, Yossi (Ohad Knoller) dismisses him, &ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t a fucking American movie.&rdquo; Ironies and nudges abound in Yossi &amp; Jagger. Fox gives us a dry, low-key depiction of life on a remote army base on the Israeli-Lebanese border. And yet the tension, the humanity, the texture comes through. Particular credit must be given to the cast for their extremely subtle yet faithful work in this film. The energy level is controlled, subdued, but the chemistry, the sparks, are there.Yossi &amp; Jagger asks us to reconsider the nature of romance, the dichotomy we often presume between a dream of utopian life and the sum and substance of our behavior. The need for romance, or disappointment in it shapes each character&rsquo;s point of view. They seem disaffected but in the end we see romance is not so much luxury or wish as a grace that makes the world bearable. Yaeli (Aya Koren) is in love with Jagger, wants him so badly she has trouble distinguishing between her heart&rsquo;s desire and all evidence to the contrary. One of the great sadnesses of the film is that with Jagger, Yossi has stumbled upon the dream all others yearn for, and yet he takes it for granted. Keeps it hidden. The heterosexual ideal of romantic love prevails over the reality, even though it has failed him. Ultimately Yossi is the one who clings to fantasy and both of them suffer for it.Yossi and Jagger is in some ways a dialectic on the need for romance despite the demands of daily life. The obsession with maintaining appearance as opposed to personal integrity. The two commanders sneak away on a false pretext and drive off a rabbit because of Yossi&rsquo;s paranoia. He can&rsquo;t even make love if a rabbit is &ldquo;watching.&ldquo; Jagger does a goofy riff on the bunny&rsquo;s facial expression and henceforth the rabbit becomes his totem. Jagger is gentle and sweet natured, spontaneous, happy to be silly and make others laugh. For all his insouciance he is wiser than Yossi, who lives in constant fear of persecution. Yossi is comfortable in the closet because it has yet to cost him anything. He plays it so close to the vest, that in the 11th hour, he cannot bring himself to hold Jagger, or kiss him, until it&rsquo;s too late. In the classic fashion of fairy tales and fables, he doesn&rsquo;t realize how precious his comrade and lover is until he&rsquo;s gone. If they&rsquo;d been &ldquo;only&rdquo; buddies, Yossi would have probably expressed his feelings willingly and extravagantly. Yossi &amp; Jagger is cinema verite&rsquo;, in this case, melodrama masquerading as documentary. The commonplace style heightens the value of romance, just as we understand why characters broke into song during Pennies from Heaven. The corny music, the quirky script, the queer ingenue frolicking in the snow and waggling his butt. Taken as a whole, it suggests queer love is not restricted to the fanciful or forbidden or ideal world, sometimes it&rsquo;s how the world is. In Yossi and Jagger Eytan Fox explores how the two can overlap. And how real love can trump the heterosexual paradigm, despite the religious right&rsquo;s empty promises. <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:22:00 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>jlgdrd</spout:postby><spout:postto>Wicked Fun</spout:postto><spout:postdate>8/14/2007 12:22:00 AM</spout:postdate><spout:body> Roughly three quarters into Eytan Fox&amp;rsquo;s Yossi &amp;amp; Jagger, Jagger finally puts his foot down. When the impending ambush is over, he tells him, they will travel East, they will rent a hotel room, they will ask for a single bed. &amp;ldquo;I&amp;rsquo;m tired of pretending,&amp;rdquo; he tells Yossi, and from that moment on you don&amp;rsquo;t have to be a psychic (or an avid movie queen) to know Jagger won&amp;rsquo;t be returning from the ambush. Yossi responds with the traditional &amp;ldquo;You knew what you were getting into...&amp;rdquo; speech that he will undoubtedly recant as Jagger is brought to the brink of death. This is not to say Avner Bernheimer&amp;rsquo;s script is weak, in a sense he turns conventional melodrama on its head. And considering he telegraphs the climax it is surprisingly effective and yes, wrenching. Based on a true story, Yossi and Jagger is a cinematic coupe de grace achieved by tactical strategy. Using documentary film technique (hand-held cameras, natural lighting, flat colors) Eytan Fox gives his narrative a much needed jolt. I was struck by the difference between Yehuda Levi&amp;rsquo;s publicity stills and his appearance in the film as Jagger. Though he is handsome by any standards, the efforts to de-glamorize him were almost startling. It is just one of numerous instances in which Fox begs comparison between the best of all worlds and the world as it is. He creates tension between characters who are cynical and idealistic. When Jagger makes his plea for openness, Yossi (Ohad Knoller) dismisses him, &amp;ldquo;This isn&amp;rsquo;t a fucking American movie.&amp;rdquo; Ironies and nudges abound in Yossi &amp;amp; Jagger. Fox gives us a dry, low-key depiction of life on a remote army base on the Israeli-Lebanese border. And yet the tension, the humanity, the texture comes through. Particular credit must be given to the cast for their extremely subtle yet faithful work in this film. The energy level is controlled, subdued, but the chemistry, the sparks, are there.Yossi &amp;amp; Jagger asks us to reconsider the nature of romance, the dichotomy we often presume between a dream of utopian life and the sum and substance of our behavior. The need for romance, or disappointment in it shapes each character&amp;rsquo;s point of view. They seem disaffected but in the end we see romance is not so much luxury or wish as a grace that makes the world bearable. Yaeli (Aya Koren) is in love with Jagger, wants him so badly she has trouble distinguishing between her heart&amp;rsquo;s desire and all evidence to the contrary. One of the great sadnesses of the film is that with Jagger, Yossi has stumbled upon the dream all others yearn for, and yet he takes it for granted. Keeps it hidden. The heterosexual ideal of romantic love prevails over the reality, even though it has failed him. Ultimately Yossi is the one who clings to fantasy and both of them suffer for it.Yossi and Jagger is in some ways a dialectic on the need for romance despite the demands of daily life. The obsession with maintaining appearance as opposed to personal integrity. The two commanders sneak away on a false pretext and drive off a rabbit because of Yossi&amp;rsquo;s paranoia. He can&amp;rsquo;t even make love if a rabbit is &amp;ldquo;watching.&amp;ldquo; Jagger does a goofy riff on the bunny&amp;rsquo;s facial expression and henceforth the rabbit becomes his totem. Jagger is gentle and sweet natured, spontaneous, happy to be silly and make others laugh. For all his insouciance he is wiser than Yossi, who lives in constant fear of persecution. Yossi is comfortable in the closet because it has yet to cost him anything. He plays it so close to the vest, that in the 11th hour, he cannot bring himself to hold Jagger, or kiss him, until it&amp;rsquo;s too late. In the classic fashion of fairy tales and fables, he doesn&amp;rsquo;t realize how precious his comrade and lover is until he&amp;rsquo;s gone. If they&amp;rsquo;d been &amp;ldquo;only&amp;rdquo; buddies, Yossi would have probably expressed his feelings willingly and extravagantly. Yossi &amp;amp; Jagger is cinema verite&amp;rsquo;, in this case, melodrama masquerading as documentary. The commonplace style heightens the value of romance, just as we understand why characters broke into song during Pennies from Heaven. The corny music, the quirky script, the queer ingenue frolicking in the snow and waggling his butt. Taken as a whole, it suggests queer love is not restricted to the fanciful or forbidden or ideal world, sometimes it&amp;rsquo;s how the world is. In Yossi and Jagger Eytan Fox explores how the two can overlap. And how real love can trump the heterosexual paradigm, despite the religious right&amp;rsquo;s empty promises. </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Post: Irwin's Wee Winkler: De-Lovely</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/blogs/jlgdrd/archive/2007/7/2/12854.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div><img align='left' src='http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t42988vv0e7.jpg' hspace='10' style='height:80px;' />
<strong>Post By:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/members/15456/default.aspx'>jlgdrd</a><br/>
<strong>Post To:</strong> <a href='http://www.spout.com/blogs/jlgdrd/default.aspx'>Wicked Fun</a><br/>
<strong>Post Date:</strong> 7/2/2007 3:04:00 PM<br/>
<strong>Body:</strong> What can I tell you about De-Lovely, Irwin Winkler's musical biopic on the life of Cole Porter? It's disappointing, but not overwhelmingly so. It's engaging and more than pleasurable enough to warrant your time and the cost of a ticket. When it clicks, it's amazing. When it falters, the result isn't fatal. It takes a lot of risks, which more often than not succeed to great effect. There are times when the set pieces, acting, dialogue, lighting almost melt as the film combines it with Porter's wistful, ruminating music and you can feel the flood of emotion surpassing contextual detail. Borrowing from other films, such as Pennies from Heaven, A Chorus Line, and especially All That Jazz, De-Lovely's music spills over into reality. Performance as artifice is deconstructed. Kevin Kline (as Porter) and Ashley Judd (Porter's wife Linda) are inspired casting choices. Kline can seem self-absorbed without being dull. His desire to be liked makes us forget his compulsive need for attention. His performance, which feels restrained (for him) has just the right mix of charm and bravado to buffer Porter's egotism. Judd has a quiet, luminous air of sophistication that never comes off as cold or detached. The costumes (by Clare Spragge and Giorgio Armani) have an understated glamour that is dazzling without being ostentatious. It does go on a bit long, and there's an annoying ambivalence (if that's what it is) towards the material that diminishes the film.At the onset of De-Lovely, the aged Porter is visited by a man named Gabe, who orchestrates a musical of Porter's life, just for him. Porter reacts and reminisces throughout, but the players (including himself in the past) cannot hear him. The focal point of the film is Porter's marriage to Linda. He explains very early in their relationship his sexual predilection for men; he never hides it from her. When they marry, she does not function as a beard. (She says, "I think you like men more than I do," one of the best and most telling lines). They have an understanding, rather than an arrangement, which eventually causes them both intense anguish and remorse. Presumably, if queer sex weren't stigmatized, Porter could have acted on his same-gender romantic impulses without being such an opportunist. By all accounts, he was forthright about his tastes, but had to pay extortionists to keep this information from the public at large. Winkler uses the marriage to beg the question of Porter's bi-sexuality. But he never makes it clear whether he blames Porter or the times in which he lived. This, I think, is one of the serious problems with De-Lovely. It either makes a point repeatedly or leaves out vital information. There are astonishing scenes like the one where Porter guides a man identified only as "Jack" (John Barrowman) through "Night and Day." We can see desire gleaming in their eyes, we can see them connecting, but we never see them in bed. A scene in a gay bar (again, masterful, daring in its way) suggests a kind of depravity, as if Porter's sexuality, rather than, say, selfishness or naivet&eacute; were the culprit. As Cole's marriage to Linda starts to sour, we see her martyrdom, the despair she can't bring herself to disclose, but can't tell if he's ignoring her or clueless. I think De-Lovely could have made its point without quite as many harrowing scenes of grief and torment. They are important, but after awhile redundancy starts to get the better of us. And if indeed, the Porters were a casualty of unenlightened times, Winkler doesn't seem to get that the same motives (commercial or professional) that hindered Porter have also tainted his film. Still, De-Lovely compensates for its failure of nerve (or muted homophobia) with style and velocity. There are numerous cameos by contemporary musical artists (Alanis Morrisette, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello, Robbie Williams) that in another film might have seemed gimmicky, but here, seems to bring just the right touch. There's an ease and authority about most of the musical numbers that feels spontaneous and smooth, that gives you the upshot and elation without looking stagy or self-conscious. A wonderful, dark, evocative moodiness permeates the film. The songs emerge plausibly from the plot (and for the most part) without beating us over the head. When a film reaches a certain level of expertise, it can, to a certain extent, make its own rules. De-Lovely succeeds, often, by sheer force of competence and confidence. It stumbles when Winkler goes for intellect over intuition. There's a certain amount of justice, I suppose, in the fact that the musical productions are often smarter than the dialogue. When De-Lovely is smart, it's very, very smart. When it gets didactic, it drops like a cannonball. <br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:04:00 GMT</pubDate><spout:postby>jlgdrd</spout:postby><spout:postto>Wicked Fun</spout:postto><spout:postdate>7/2/2007 3:04:00 PM</spout:postdate><spout:body>What can I tell you about De-Lovely, Irwin Winkler's musical biopic on the life of Cole Porter? It's disappointing, but not overwhelmingly so. It's engaging and more than pleasurable enough to warrant your time and the cost of a ticket. When it clicks, it's amazing. When it falters, the result isn't fatal. It takes a lot of risks, which more often than not succeed to great effect. There are times when the set pieces, acting, dialogue, lighting almost melt as the film combines it with Porter's wistful, ruminating music and you can feel the flood of emotion surpassing contextual detail. Borrowing from other films, such as Pennies from Heaven, A Chorus Line, and especially All That Jazz, De-Lovely's music spills over into reality. Performance as artifice is deconstructed. Kevin Kline (as Porter) and Ashley Judd (Porter's wife Linda) are inspired casting choices. Kline can seem self-absorbed without being dull. His desire to be liked makes us forget his compulsive need for attention. His performance, which feels restrained (for him) has just the right mix of charm and bravado to buffer Porter's egotism. Judd has a quiet, luminous air of sophistication that never comes off as cold or detached. The costumes (by Clare Spragge and Giorgio Armani) have an understated glamour that is dazzling without being ostentatious. It does go on a bit long, and there's an annoying ambivalence (if that's what it is) towards the material that diminishes the film.At the onset of De-Lovely, the aged Porter is visited by a man named Gabe, who orchestrates a musical of Porter's life, just for him. Porter reacts and reminisces throughout, but the players (including himself in the past) cannot hear him. The focal point of the film is Porter's marriage to Linda. He explains very early in their relationship his sexual predilection for men; he never hides it from her. When they marry, she does not function as a beard. (She says, "I think you like men more than I do," one of the best and most telling lines). They have an understanding, rather than an arrangement, which eventually causes them both intense anguish and remorse. Presumably, if queer sex weren't stigmatized, Porter could have acted on his same-gender romantic impulses without being such an opportunist. By all accounts, he was forthright about his tastes, but had to pay extortionists to keep this information from the public at large. Winkler uses the marriage to beg the question of Porter's bi-sexuality. But he never makes it clear whether he blames Porter or the times in which he lived. This, I think, is one of the serious problems with De-Lovely. It either makes a point repeatedly or leaves out vital information. There are astonishing scenes like the one where Porter guides a man identified only as "Jack" (John Barrowman) through "Night and Day." We can see desire gleaming in their eyes, we can see them connecting, but we never see them in bed. A scene in a gay bar (again, masterful, daring in its way) suggests a kind of depravity, as if Porter's sexuality, rather than, say, selfishness or naivet&amp;eacute; were the culprit. As Cole's marriage to Linda starts to sour, we see her martyrdom, the despair she can't bring herself to disclose, but can't tell if he's ignoring her or clueless. I think De-Lovely could have made its point without quite as many harrowing scenes of grief and torment. They are important, but after awhile redundancy starts to get the better of us. And if indeed, the Porters were a casualty of unenlightened times, Winkler doesn't seem to get that the same motives (commercial or professional) that hindered Porter have also tainted his film. Still, De-Lovely compensates for its failure of nerve (or muted homophobia) with style and velocity. There are numerous cameos by contemporary musical artists (Alanis Morrisette, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello, Robbie Williams) that in another film might have seemed gimmicky, but here, seems to bring just the right touch. There's an ease and authority about most of the musical numbers that feels spontaneous and smooth, that gives you the upshot and elation without looking stagy or self-conscious. A wonderful, dark, evocative moodiness permeates the film. The songs emerge plausibly from the plot (and for the most part) without beating us over the head. When a film reaches a certain level of expertise, it can, to a certain extent, make its own rules. De-Lovely succeeds, often, by sheer force of competence and confidence. It stumbles when Winkler goes for intellect over intuition. There's a certain amount of justice, I suppose, in the fact that the musical productions are often smarter than the dialogue. When De-Lovely is smart, it's very, very smart. When it gets didactic, it drops like a cannonball. </spout:body></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:friendship</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/friendship/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>friendship</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 6791</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 154</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 980</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:42:20 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>6791</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>154</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>980</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:fantasy</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/fantasy/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/fantasy/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>fantasy</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 1044</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 128</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 480</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:54:25 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>1044</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>128</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>480</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:teacher</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/teacher/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/teacher/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>teacher</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 1225</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 40</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 84</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:24:37 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>1225</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>40</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>84</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:wealth</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/wealth/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/wealth/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>wealth</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 749</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 26</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 70</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:18:07 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>749</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>26</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>70</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:extramaritalaffair</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/extramaritalaffair/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/extramaritalaffair/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>extramaritalaffair</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 3121</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 18</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 31</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:13:22 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>3121</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>18</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>31</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:prostituteprostitution</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/prostituteprostitution/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/prostituteprostitution/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>prostituteprostitution</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 1655</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 7</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 8</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:02:52 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>1655</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>7</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>8</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:musical-play</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/musical-play/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/musical-play/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>musical-play</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 454</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 6</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 7</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:13:22 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>454</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>6</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>7</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:generationgap</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/generationgap/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/generationgap/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>generationgap</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 574</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 4</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 4</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:02:19 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>574</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>4</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>4</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:selfishness</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/selfishness/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/selfishness/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>selfishness</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 59</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 4</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 6</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:10:53 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>59</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>4</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>6</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:salesperson</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/salesperson/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/salesperson/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>salesperson</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 280</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 3</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 4</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2009 13:02:12 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>280</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>3</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>4</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
    <item>
      <title>Spout Tag:badluck</title>
      <link>http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/badluck/MemberTagFilms.aspx</link><description><![CDATA[<div style='display:block;height:120px;width:400px;font:10px/10px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;'><a href='/members/0/tags/badluck/MemberTagFilms.aspx'>badluck</a>
<strong><br/> Number of films tagged:</strong> 168</br><br/>
<strong>Number of people who tagged:</strong> 1</br><br/>
<strong>Number of times used:</strong> 1</br><br/>
</div>]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:02:26 GMT</pubDate><spout:numFilms>168</spout:numFilms><spout:numPeople>1</spout:numPeople><spout:timesUsed>1</spout:timesUsed><spout:type>Tag</spout:type></item>
  </channel>
</rss>