ALL THE FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS (1960) "LOS JOVENES CANIBALES"

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Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, George Hamilton, Susan Kolhner, Pearl Bailey, Anne Seymour, Onslow Stevens, Mabel Alberson, Louise Beavers, Virginia Gregg. Director: Michael Anderson

 

 

 

 

 

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CRITICA EN EL PERIDICO "LA VANGUARDIA" (8-11-1963)

Esta producción norteamericana, contiene positivos factores para que obtenga un buen éxito comercial. Su realización técnica es estimable, la interpretación ha sido encomendada a un elenco artístico de reconocida valía y su presentación en pantalla grande y con un color de sugestivas tonalidades, redondea sus alicientes de cara al gran publico. Pero el guión constituye un factor adverso en la estimación del film: Refiere a una historia que es un puro melodrama. Los personajes y sus reacciones quedan harto imprecisos para que sus problemas logren impresionar. A este respecto cabe mencionar también que el titulo dado a la cinta, no refleja la realidad de lo que sucede en la misma, a no ser que busquemos su origen en las egoístas y desmesuradas reacciones de unos personajes de psicología excepcionalmente complicada. Michael Anderson ha aportado al film su maestría y su fino sentido estético. La planificación es ágil y el ritmo narrativo es siempre conducido con la justa fluidez. La parte musical de la cinta añade a este un nuevo atractivo. La cantante de color Pearl Bailey interpreta con sensibilidad varias canciones de positivo encanto. Natalie Wood, bella y sugestiva, interpreta el papel principal luchando casi siempre afortunadamente, con las contradicciones que encierra el personaje. La secundan correctamente Robert Wagner, George Hamilton, Susan Kohner y Pearl Bailey. J.P.M.

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I happened to see this film years ago in a sleepless night, zapping through some of the less commercial public canals we still had at the time in Europe. It really opened my soul because of the music included. I will not comment on the quality of the script or the acting of the young couple Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner; others can do better than I. But I like the slow pace, the melodramatic story, the dialogue lines that stay in your head, and - above all - I was thrilled by the singing and acting of Pearl Bailey as Ruby Jones. If ever you have to explain the feelings that gave rise to the blues, ahead of the ubiquitous slavery hardships and working in the cotton fields, then this movie is a 'must-see'. When Chad is in the lowest of spirits and ends up in a morning-after hang-out, he runs into this Ruby Jones, an alcoholic, but warm-hearted black singer. And she treats him with a song, unaccompanied, raw voice, that expresses his feelings so well, and gives him the idea he is not the only unhappy, lost man on this globe. I don't know if Mrs Bailey sung the track herself or was dubbed, but she succeeds in getting the blues feeling across as I've never heard thereafter. Same when later on in the movie she sings to Chad, playing the trumpet: "What am I heading for? Blues is knocking at my door". Alas! this song is spoiled by a dubbed in band and even background vocals if I remember well - anyhow, it takes away from the simplicity of just a singer and a "horn player" (as she puts it throughout the picture). The sad story of the twists and impossibilities of human relationships is to me more real-life than most of the soapy Hollywood plots that come to us by shiploads these days. Endearing, that's probably the word that says it all.