Fritz Lang’s ‘Human Desire’
Another Fritz Lang classic, “Human Desire,” made in the United States in 1954, will be screened by the Canterbury Film Society next week.
Lang again uses Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame, who were featured in “The Big Heat,” which was screened by the society a couple of weeks ago. “Human Desire” is based on Renoir’s “La Bete Humaine” but has been adapted to American sensibilities.
With the railroad as its background, Ford plays an engine driver who is attracted to a healthy allAmerican teenager, but is more deeply, carnally fascinated by the sluttish young wife of a fellow railwayman.
This is Graham performing with the same virtuosity she displayed in “The Big Heat”jyith a frank, animal
sexuality, and a pervasive suggestion of viciousness.
Andrew Sarris’s comment in “The American Cinema” was: “What we remember in Renoir are the faces of Gabin, Simon and Ledoux. What we remember in Lang are the geometrical patterns of trains, tracks and fateful camera angles. If Renoir is humanism, Lang is determinism. If Renoir is concerned with the plight of his characters, Lang is obsessed with .the structure of the trap.” Society subscriptions for the> last half of the year are amazingly good value at $l5, and $l2 for students and beneficiaries. The screening is also open to the public at an admission-donation charge. The screenings will be held at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday at Room Al, University, Ham, and on Wednesday at the Museum Theatrette, Rolleston Avenue. ™..
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19850718.2.82.7
Bibliographic details
Press, 18 July 1985, Page 14
Word Count
247Fritz Lang’s ‘Human Desire’ Press, 18 July 1985, Page 14
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.