Bernard Cribbins did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a BAFTA, for portraying Albert Perks in The Railway Children.
Bernard Cribbins plays the friendly railroad station master that the now relatively poor children spend time around during the day. Cribbins in his opening scene just bring an endearing energy to make a stamp with the character. This with his enthusiasm, though tempered believably by Cribbins, in describing various parts of the station to the children. Cribbins brings a natural sort of friendliness by not going overboard in the moments, but just bringing the right degree of agreeableness. This is neither wholly showing the man focused upon the children's questions, though definitely taking time for each of them. The children's interest eventually brings the man to call on their home to offer his expertise on an engine they have and in general to grow his friendship with them. Cribbins brings the right comic awkwardness to these moments early on. This is nicely done as it kind of avoid making his scenes overly sweet, while also bringing just a wry kind of energy to them as well. It is a wonderful combination he brings that balances the interaction well. This showing that it is indeed atypical, but still finding just a natural warmth in it. Cribbins's moments throughout the film are much appreciated. This as each make just the right impression, whether this be chatting engines, or a moment of his slight, if still wholly endearing, annoyance when the kids overestimate his age. Cribbins is terrific in that he manages to make the relationship atypical still, but also wholly believable and sweet all the same. This really being tested however when the kids decide to surprise him with gifts on his birthday. As much as Cribbins's brief scenes are little gems, this scene is the best of the film, and the highlight of Cribbins's performance. This as he does so much within it. This in his quick reactions towards his wife and kids where he portrays such a combination of a consternation but also almost fatherly proper-ness, in the moment of dealing with the surprise while also trying to deal with his family. Cribbins instantly granting a sense of who Perks is as a father and husband, while also showing his vulnerabilities as he becomes somewhat perturbed by the children's surprise. This as Perks thinks it will be seen as a handout. Cribbins is delightful in the frustrations that he hits within a comic sense in showing the pride of the man in such a way. This as he balances his work again as he is moving in the sense of real vulnerability in his eyes that shows the pride of the man but also the sense of being moved by the action within it. This still though also still being calmly amusing in showing the man's manner of getting caught up on circumstance rather than just enjoying the gift. Cribbins finding such a sense of life in the moment and wholly making the scene both affecting and funny. This is just a delightful performance that brings such a life to his film and character. Every moment of his being charming in such a low key but undeniable way. Cribbins finding the right sense of heart to it all, and bringing to life the film's merits most admirably.
28 comments:
Just finished watching Never Rarely Sometimes Always. One of the best films of 2020 in my opinion. Here is my Letterboxd review for my full thoughts:
https://letterboxd.com/matt_0515/film/never-rarely-sometimes-always/
Here are my cast ratings:
Sidney Flanigan - 5
Talia Ryder - 3.5
Read the book as a child and really loved it, should check this out.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast.
What did you think of Burstyn and Kirby?
Hey, has anyone checked out Death to 2020? It’s not very good but I liked the actors in it, especially Hugh Grant.
Anonymous: I’ve seen it. I laughed a couple of times, but as a whole, it’s eh. Also liked the actors in it.
I asked this on the last post, but has anyone here watched "Fist of the North Star"? I'm actually rather curious about the series, and given its apparent similarities to "Jojo", I could certainly find myself liking it.
Also, what would be everyone's thoughts on this animation?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pkwAMRHc_4
Not my favourite thing these guys have done, I'll admit, but they got both characters down pretty well.
Louis: Your respective cast & decades of release for Ingmar Bergman & John Cassavetes versions of Pieces of a Woman?
Mitchell: My exposure to that anime is just that ONE MEME everyone knows, but outside of that, it did some to inspire most modern Shonen anime, a la DBZ, so it should be entertaining for an action anime fan at the very least. I have heard that it gets a tad repetitive with the villains later on, which is why I put off from starting it.
By the way, if you're looking for another 12 episode anime on Netflix, I can't recommend "Kaguya-sama" enough. Simply one of the funniest and best anime out there right now.
*seem to inspire
Tahmeed: Duly noted. I should mention, however, that I've already set my mind on watching "Full Metal Alchemist" next, which I know Robert would approve of...
Honestly, though, I've put off watching that series for long enough. And after completing it, I'll officially have my own top 10 list of the Anime I've seen at least one season of.
Both FMA 2003 and Brotherhood are absolutely astonishing. The way to have the best "Fullmetal" experience in my opinion, is to watch the original, and then start from episode 14 of FMA: Brotherhood (the first 13 episodes are covered in the 2003 show, and they diverge after that).
Don’t listen to Tahmeed. Ignore Brotherhood entirely until you’re done with 2003, and even then I’d argue to skip it.
Robert: I'll be sure to watch the original before Brotherhood regardless.
RIP Michael Apted
RIP Michael Apted
Rip Michael apted
Louis, have you seen Wanda? I’ve heard really interesting things about the film and Barbara Loden’s performance, I’m wondering if it could shake up the lead actress ranking before we’re done with 1970.
I hate to break it to you Michael but it's first theatrical release came in January 1971.
Luke:
Agutter/Warren - 3/2.5(They are fine almost to a fault. This is as their performances serve their purpose more than enough, but I wouldn't say there is more there than that. They are just at least charming enough, though certainly not overtly charming.)
Thomsett - 3.5(Though aided by height and dresses, I have to say her performance deserves a great deal of credit in that I honestly thought she was a pre-teen myself, and in a way one of those most impressive technical depictions of a juvenile by a non-juvenile. This as she just so naturally brings that sort of youthful energy and charm to her performance. This to the point that I kind of wish she was the lead child as she is rather winning in the role. Wonderful work to be sure.)
Sheridan - 3(A fine supportive mother turn if not overly notable in that regard.)
Mervyn - 3(A fine bit of a type of eccentricity of the patrician sort. Brings a nice kind of endearing quality within it effectively to be sure.)
Cuthbertson - 3(Though I wouldn't say makes a major impact, still makes enough of an impact in his scenes to leave the sort of "back the mind" impression.)
Anonymous:
Burstyn - (Very much the role you'd expect it to be, and good for her in being able to get this part at her age. Burstyn though delivers on what that is well. This as she wholly brings the sort of quiet yet striking snide intensity of the overbearing mother. She hits it without overdoing and is naturally incisive with it. She certainly delivers on her major emotional scene, I personally wasn't deeply affected by that or her later reactions, because of the writing and direction. Burstyn, to me, unquestionably delivers on her end in creating the sense of emotional despondency that basically corrals itself into an attack and revenge rather than sadness. She pulls of the concept better than the screenplay does.)
Kirby - (She delivers, no pun intended, on the delivery in terms of creating the visceral and emotional quality throughout the sequence, a sequence I should remember for LaBeouf's performance as he is quite good there as well. This in that the scene, the only scene in the film, that really feels like the fly on the wall of a moment that the rest of the film aspires and fails to be. This though in that Kirby excels in creating the sense of the physical exasperation but also the shift of joy to horror in dealing with the emotional sling shot of the situation. Afterwards the film keeps her at a distance, I think purposefully to try to grant perspective of her, however this is weakly realized again in the execution of the filmmakers. Kirby though is very good in finding this state of a closed off grief, and perhaps where some of the "Manchester" comparisons come from. This as Kirby finds that sort of burden of intensity, an intensity defined by an emotional break to avoid heartbreak rather than an overt sadness or anger even. When pressed basically to react, she's terrific in portraying the snap well not towards what happened, but rather those around her's expectations of what she should do. She's good in often the silence given to her in at least showing some semblance of coming back to any happiness or natural interaction. The courtroom scenes, both that feel contrived, however are extremely well performed by Kirby, and I don't feel she milks them, rather hits the raw emotional chord of the woman first avoiding the issue than finally releasing not with hate but love. I was rather impressed overall by her work, even if I wish the film had been better.)
Bryan:
Bergman early 60's:
Wife: Liv Ullmann
Husband: Max von Sydow
Mother: Eva Dahlbeck
Midwife: Bibi Andersson
Cassavetes late 60's:
Wife: Gena Rowlands
Husband: Seymour Cassel
Mother: Jessica Tandy
Midwife: Lynn Carlin
R.I.P. Michael Apted
Pieces of a Woman was considerably worse than Manchester by the Sea I'd say. The latter is far from perfect and has a lot of issues I've noted over time, but att that very least I definitely think it carries a bit more of a honest emotional punch.
RIP Michael Apted
I will admit that the moment of her looking at the photograph is brilliantly performed even though the mechanics of that scene I'd argue are even more annoying than the already irritating courtroom scenes.
Calvin: Affleck's kinda the only thing I like in Manchester at all.
Calvin:
They certainly make an apt comparison objectively though, given they do take on very similar, if not the same, thematic material, in a similar way, with an often overbearing score(okay that one's just my opinion), a literally chilly atmosphere and even a main star with some baggage (how successful the two are in comparison is subjective of course).
Matt and Louis: can definitely agree with those points.
Yeah, I'm staying away from Pieces of a Woman, just because I don't want to support LaBeouf's career anymore.
R.I.P Michael Apted
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