312. Bigger Than Life (1956)
Directed By Nicholas Ray
Synopsis
A mild mannered teacher gets a disease that can only be cured by the then new "wonder-drug" cortisone. He slowly gets addicted and starts to experience psychotic behaviour which almost destroys his life and that of those around him.
Review
James Mason plays what is probably one of the best parts of his life here, his shift in personality under the influence of cortisone is very believable and perfectly nuanced, and that is what really makes the whole film in terms of acting.
Interestingly for a film from the mid 50s, Bigger Than Life takes relish in destroying the image of perfect suburban post-war life. It all starts as it should, gardens, dresses, a child, playing American football in the lawn, couples in love... but the husband has to work nights to put food on the table. He is so ashamed of it that he refuses to tell his wife that he has taken a second job in a taxi company. And then he becomes psychotic.
The film's nightmarish qualities build up in a constant crescendo to Mason getting biblically inspired to do an Abraham on his only son. Unfortunately it all ends well, which kind of robs the audience of a properly gut-wrenching finale. Still, the film is gorgeous, its colours are warm and intense, the acting is superb and the whole thing is a joy to watch.
Final Grade
8/10 (the ending is a bit of a cop-out)
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
Though it was a box-office flop upon its initial release, many modern critics hail it as a masterpiece and a brilliant indictment of the conformist 1950s suburbia.
Psycho Mason:
Synopsis
A mild mannered teacher gets a disease that can only be cured by the then new "wonder-drug" cortisone. He slowly gets addicted and starts to experience psychotic behaviour which almost destroys his life and that of those around him.
Review
James Mason plays what is probably one of the best parts of his life here, his shift in personality under the influence of cortisone is very believable and perfectly nuanced, and that is what really makes the whole film in terms of acting.
Interestingly for a film from the mid 50s, Bigger Than Life takes relish in destroying the image of perfect suburban post-war life. It all starts as it should, gardens, dresses, a child, playing American football in the lawn, couples in love... but the husband has to work nights to put food on the table. He is so ashamed of it that he refuses to tell his wife that he has taken a second job in a taxi company. And then he becomes psychotic.
The film's nightmarish qualities build up in a constant crescendo to Mason getting biblically inspired to do an Abraham on his only son. Unfortunately it all ends well, which kind of robs the audience of a properly gut-wrenching finale. Still, the film is gorgeous, its colours are warm and intense, the acting is superb and the whole thing is a joy to watch.
Final Grade
8/10 (the ending is a bit of a cop-out)
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
Though it was a box-office flop upon its initial release, many modern critics hail it as a masterpiece and a brilliant indictment of the conformist 1950s suburbia.
Psycho Mason:
posted by Francisco Silva @ 5:42 PM
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