One, Two, Three

One, Two, Threeⁱ e un film din a doua parte a carierei lui Cagney (care s-a cam razboit cu studiourile la viata lui, Bette Davis style). Nu putem spune "finalul" carierei zisului dat fiind ca inca facea filme-n 1981, douazeci de ani mai tirziu.

Merita si numai pentru naratiunea introductiva, care ilustreaza cvasi perfect modul condescendent-ironic in care erau priviti ciudateii din est acum cincizeci de ani (nu ca s-ar fi schimbat mare lucru pina astazi) :

On Sunday, August 13 1961 the eyes of America were on the nation's Capitol, where Roger Marisⁱⁱ was hitting home runs #44 and 45 against the Senatorsⁱⁱⁱ. On that same day, without any warning, the East German Communists sealed off the border between East and West Berlin. I only mention this to show the kind of people we're dealing with : real shifty. Having been stationed in Berlin and having dealt with them, I know what I'm talking about.

Let's go back to last June. Considering the abnormal situation of a divided city, life in Berlin was more or less normal. Traffic flowed free through the Brandenburg Gate, and it wasn't really too much trouble to pass from one side of the Iron Curtain to the other. Some of the East German police were rude and suspicious, others were suspicious and rude. The Eastern sector, under communist domination was still in rubble, but the people went about their daily business : parading.

(Niste timpiti trec cu pancarte cintind, Nikita [Hrusciov] uber alles, poze, Was ist loss in Little Rock, Yankee Go Home etc)

These constant provocations failed to provoke the West Berliners. They were too busy rebuilding. The Western Sector, under Allied protection, was peaceful, prosperous, and enjoyed all the blessings of democracy.

Filmul e o comedie destul de reusita. Pe alocuri cam groscioara, da' dac-o luati in sens de autoparodie in locurile respective merge. Eu pot zice c-am ris. Sigur, necesita o anumita cultura, altfel s-ar putea sa ratati de ce-i amuzant ca-si face rusnacu' loc sa bata cu pantofu-n masa, de exemplu, sau alte vre-o suta de referinte culte.

Da' pina la urma si cultura asta... e doar o forma a exploatarii proletariatului.

1. 1961, de Billy Wilder (regizor, scenarist si producator), cu James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin. [↩]
2. Jucator de baseball legendar, el si cu Mickey Mantle si-au disputat ca cine va bate recordul lui Babe Ruth. Pina in final Mantle a devenit cumva "cel bun" si Maris n-a avut incotro decit sa fie "cel rau" ca atita puteau reprezenta mintile stupizele formatate de filme proaste in continuarea maniheismului idiot promovat de-o anumita religii la fel de idioate. [↩]
3. Echipa nascuta-n sezonul ala. Astazi Texas Rangers. [↩]