Film: The Big Heat

Today only, the Cinema Museum was showing The Big Heat, a film noir with Glenn Ford. Jocelyn Brando - Marlon's big sister - plays his wife, and Lee Marvin is the thug in the upper echelons of the crime syndicate he's investigating. Booked to eat beforehand in the Toulouse Lautrec.

I was glad to see the bus stuck in traffic again - I'd have missed it otherwise. Its destination sign said Waterloo - that was fine, I was to get off well before that. However, this traffic didn't let up all the way there - the journey took over three times as long as it should have, and me with a 15-minute walk or so to the cafe. I disembarked with two minutes to go till my booking.. and legged it down the road, nearly halving Google Maps' estimate of how long the walk would take me! In the end, I got there just over five minutes late.

The nice man said that was no problem - well, the place was practically empty! I chose the cosy corner table - had a large Sauvignon Blanc (although they only advertise medium glasses, they can do large). Decided on the beouf bourgignon, which comes with mash - and from the "light bites" section, I noticed ham croquettes, which I love! So had those.

I was a but flummoxed when he provided me with a spoon - turned out to be for the croquettes, which rather than the firm ones we're more used to, in this case were all runny, with a breadcrumb topping but no attempt made to contain the filling. They were delicious though. The Bourgignon was also interestingly served, as a stew, in a bowl, with another spoon, on a plate that also had mash. Given that there was a napkin on the plate too, under the bowl, I thought it'd be too messy just to tip it all out onto the plate - so spooned it out as I went, also spooning some sauce onto the mash, which was tasteless. The sauce, though, was really rich.. and the pieces of beef were substantial enough to need to be cut, which explained the steak knife he gave me. So yes, quite the meal! I finished just in nice time to make it to the cinema museum.

Google Maps had another of its conniptions, telling me to walk all the way around, when I could clearly see my normal way was faster. I got there my way, in plenty of time, got a drink, took a seat. When the guy came to give the little speech before the film, he apologised in advance - this was the original print, as he said, over 70 years old, and in slightly shabby condition. He was right - apart from a slight jumpiness, which we didn't mind, the film actually cut out completely three times! But we did get to the end eventually.

Beforehand, we got a Porky Pig cartoon.. in which he's looking for the last do-do bird. Highly surreal! (Split into three parts on YouTube - highly worth a look.)

This film centres on a crime syndicate that goes all the way to the top of the police force. Glenn Ford is a detective, just doing his job, very happily married, with a little girl. But when a policeman's suicide doesn't ring true, he starts asking uncomfortable questions - and, as shown in the trailer, is finally pushed far enough to resign. Doesn't mean he stops investigating, though..

Lee Marvin is the youngest I've seen him, and I didn't recognise him - my, he's a sinister character though. And what I found most compelling about the film wasn't the typically square-jawed hero - no, what I found surprising was the unrestrained violence against women in the film! Even the square-jawed hero, faced with a femme fatale who's in it to her neck, tries to strangle her, but is interrupted. But there are plenty beside her - deaths, physical harm, sometimes severe.. apparently, it was considered shocking at the time of its release, and set a new standard for violence against women on screen. Mind you, it also has a female character, extremely disfigured by an attack, start to fight back, and reclaim her personal power - so it's not valid to call it anti-women. The women in this film are, in fact, by and large some of the strongest I've seen in films from this era, and are significant drivers of the plot. A very interesting film, then!

And tomorrow, back with Movie Roadhouse London at The Garden Cinema (complete with member's discount) for a murder mystery called Islands, set in the Canaries. We're eating in Caravan beforehand - never heard of it, but as the organiser is how I found out about the Toulouse Lautrec, I'm happy to give it a shot!