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Portrait of Jenny (1948)

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David Daugherty

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Sep 18, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/18/99
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I like this film very much...a simple story that is sentimental and
mysterious...any other fans of this movie that stars a young Jennifer
Jones with Joseph Cotton?


mack

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Sep 18, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/18/99
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David Daugherty wrote in message
<29001-37E...@newsd-122.bryant.webtv.net>...

I like this film very much...a simple story that is sentimental and
mysterious...any other fans of this movie that stars a young Jennifer
Jones with Joseph Cotton?
#########################
It's just a shame you couldn't see it as I did when it was released. At the
Rivoli in NYC, when the climactic hurricane scene began, not only did it
change to Technicolor (or green tinted film, I can't really remember) but
the side curtains parted and another curtain on the proscenium raised, and
the screen became similar to IMAX - it was huge. Really a thrilling moment
that I recall 50 years later.
I'm sorry that the small tv screen can't do this one justice in any way.

Chris G

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Sep 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/19/99
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David Daugherty wrote:
>
> I like this film very much...a simple story that is sentimental and
> mysterious...any other fans of this movie that stars a young Jennifer
> Jones with Joseph Cotton?

Yes, I bought it recently at a video store clearance sale and enjoyed it
also. The problem with a mysterious story like this one is that it has
to end and so does the mystery. For that reason, I didn't care for the
big finale that much but am not sure what else they could have done.
Anyway, I thought it was a very good film and, as you mentioned, both
moving and mysterious.

Bill Warren

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Sep 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/19/99
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PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (that's how her name is spelled) is regarded as a major
classic by many people, mostly because of its very unusual, haunting mood.
It's one of the few films from the period that should have ended tragically; it
would have been more appropriate somehow.
But rest assured that you're not alone in loving this movie. I'm not that
crazy about it myself, but it is a >beloved< film by many.

chris littlefield

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Sep 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/19/99
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This is a marvelous film. The forties was the last decade to
unabashedly show love surviving through time and space. Shows
the "Selznick touch".
chris


Brian Kraft

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Sep 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/19/99
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Bill Warren wrote:

> But rest assured that you're not alone in loving this movie. I'm not that
>crazy about it myself, but it is a >beloved< film by many.

I remember that this particular movie was the last straw in a
co-worker's failed marriage. The guy (my co-worker) hated it, and his
wife loved it. They apparently had a huge argument about the movie,
unresolved, and were soon divorced.
--
b h k

David Daugherty

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Sep 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/19/99
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Thanks Bill

Bill Warren posted in part:

"...that's how her name is spelled..."


mack

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Sep 19, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/19/99
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Brian Kraft wrote in message <37e5...@news.gj.net>...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I guess marriages have been broken over even smaller things. But if a
couple is willing to split over a *movie*, well, they must not have had much
of a marriage to begin with.

sadman

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Sep 21, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/21/99
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I like the motion Portrait of Jenny and have seen it many times.
However, the motion picture should have been filmed in TECHNICOLOR!

sadman
--
Posted via Talkway - http://www.talkway.com
Exchange ideas on practically anything (tm).


Frank Adey

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Sep 21, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/21/99
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In the original print, the final scene, with the big wave, *was* in
Technicolor. the rest was in black & white, except for the scenes with the
young Jennie, which had a pale green tinge.

Frank Adey
----------
In article <yURF3.14904$LL2.1...@c01read02-admin.service.talkway.com>,

Bill Warren

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Sep 22, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/22/99
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>However, the motion picture should have been filmed in TECHNICOLOR!

I strongly disagree. I think the haunting, wistful mood of the movie -- until
the overblown last couple of reels -- would have been extremely difficult to
create and sustain if the film had been shot in the bright and vivid
Technicolor of the day.
However, in initial big-city showings, the storm sequence was shown on a
much larger screen than the rest of the movie.

Bill Warren

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Sep 22, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/22/99
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>From: N`` nim...@go-c.com

>Bill, in case you've forgotten him---sadman advocates that ALL black
>and white movies should have been shot in Technicolor. It's his
>mantra.

Never paid enough attention to that particular variety of foolish message to
notice who was posting them. Thanks -- another name for the killfile.

Jay Fenton

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Sep 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/23/99
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I think the haunting, wistful mood of the movie -- until
the overblown last couple of reels -- would have been extremely difficult to
create and sustain if the film had been shot in the bright and vivid
Technicolor of the day.
Portrait of Jennie is a indeed a hauntingly romantic film, but even those last few reels are magnificent in their beauty.  The idea that a film can't possibly be good unless it was made in color is foolish.  The composition and shading of Joseph August's cinematography is among the finest ever put on film. He was one of the dozen cinematographers working in Hollywood who deserved the name "genius."

 If you like cinematography, see anything done by John Alton, especially The Amazing Mr. X, The Black Book (A.K.A. Reign of Terror), The Big Combo, T-Men, Elmer Gantry, and An American in Paris.  He wrote a very famous book on cinematography titled Painting With Light.  You can still buy it for about $20.00 at your local Borders.

 
    However, in initial big-city showings, the storm sequence was shown on a
much larger screen than the rest of the movie.

And the storm sequence was tinted green.

Jay F.
 

Bill Warren

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Sep 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/23/99
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>From: Jay Fenton jjfe...@nb.net

>If you like cinematography, see anything done by John Alton, especiallyThe
>Amazing Mr. X, The Black Book (A.K.A. Reign of Terror), The Big Combo,T-Men,

>Elmer Gantry, and An American in Paris; He wrote a very famousbook on


>cinematography titled Painting With Light.

I'll look for that; I haven't seen THE AMAZING MR. X, but I have seen those
others. Just recently, I've been watching many of those films noir that TCM
ran last month -- and some of the best-looking were shot by Alton. I
especially liked his work in WITNESS TO MURDER, a so-so movie but one that
looks simply incredible.

David Daugherty

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Sep 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/23/99
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Elmer Gantry...who can forget Burt Lancaster in that role?

Teeth all sparkl'in , and such, set in a wide mischievous grin that was
all his own

"..ha ha...now brothers and sisters...."

Rest in Peace big guy


Jay Fenton

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Sep 23, 1999, 3:00:00 AM9/23/99
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>
>
> I haven't seen THE AMAZING MR. X

A scene very near the beginning in Christine's bedroom is the most
profound use
of lighting I've ever seen. I don't know why this film isn't venerated
as much
as GUN CRAZY. It has an excellent story, tremendous cinematography,
and should
work nicely with the film noir revival that has been going on for so
many years
now. But when you see it, try to see a good 16mm print; a tape will
lose a great
deal of the lighting effects, which seems as beautiful as a painting at
time-----alternately expressionist and then impressionist.

Jay F.


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