I hated Darling. Not the movie, mind you, the character. Though since the entire movie is about nothing but her, I guess I'm splitting hairs.
I admired John Schlesinger's attempts at shaking mainstream film up a bit in 1965 with his distinct, druggy style, one that he would explore even more fully a few years later with "Midnight Cowboy." After all, this was the year that "The Sound of Music" won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. But unfortunately, he's got a dud of a script to work with. It's a one-note film through and through, one of those where its point is made in practically the first shot and the remainder of the movie has nowhere to go. I wasn't alive in 1965, so I have to take people's word for it that Julie Christie was electrifying and brought a jolt of modernity to otherwise stodgy cinema that year. And I can see that. But time has not been kind to this movie, and I absolutely hated spending time with her petulant, vapid, bored, and boring character. I don't have to like protagonists in order to enjoy their stories, but you have to give me a good reason for spending time with people I dislike as much as I disliked the main character in this film. Christie is an interesting actress, which maybe is what audiences responded to at the time, but she doesn't succeed in creating an interesting character.
However, I'm sure she will be able to get on with her life despite my negative critique. Let the Best Actress Oscar she won for this film be her consolation. Frederic Raphael won an Oscar for Best Original Story and Screenplay, surely one of the film's weakest links, and Julie Harris (not the actress) won for her black and white costume design, which brought miniskirts and go-go boots to the mainstream.
Grade: D
I admired John Schlesinger's attempts at shaking mainstream film up a bit in 1965 with his distinct, druggy style, one that he would explore even more fully a few years later with "Midnight Cowboy." After all, this was the year that "The Sound of Music" won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. But unfortunately, he's got a dud of a script to work with. It's a one-note film through and through, one of those where its point is made in practically the first shot and the remainder of the movie has nowhere to go. I wasn't alive in 1965, so I have to take people's word for it that Julie Christie was electrifying and brought a jolt of modernity to otherwise stodgy cinema that year. And I can see that. But time has not been kind to this movie, and I absolutely hated spending time with her petulant, vapid, bored, and boring character. I don't have to like protagonists in order to enjoy their stories, but you have to give me a good reason for spending time with people I dislike as much as I disliked the main character in this film. Christie is an interesting actress, which maybe is what audiences responded to at the time, but she doesn't succeed in creating an interesting character.
However, I'm sure she will be able to get on with her life despite my negative critique. Let the Best Actress Oscar she won for this film be her consolation. Frederic Raphael won an Oscar for Best Original Story and Screenplay, surely one of the film's weakest links, and Julie Harris (not the actress) won for her black and white costume design, which brought miniskirts and go-go boots to the mainstream.
Grade: D