University of Virginia Library

1969 Films

Once You Kiss A Stranger', Ten Best

By Carl Erikson
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The idea of choosing the best
films of a particular year has always
interested me. For the reader, such
lists are satisfying ego-boosts (when
your favorites coincide with the
critic's) and at the same time
enraging ("How could he leave
out. . ?") The foolishness of the
critic is appropriately outlined as
personal quirks commit him to
often horrendous choices.

For a college critic to compose
such a list is slightly preposterous
and necessarily misleading. Nowhere
is it more evident that a
university film reviewer's opinion is
more often based on taste and
philosophical viewpoints rather
than on cinematic awareness than
in a "top ten" list. His choices must
be misleading simply because he has
not had the time nor money to see
every movie.

Lynley Babbles

I have decided to make public
my choices of the ten best films of
1969 mainly because I do not want
to write a lengthy review of "Once
You Kiss a Stranger" and also
because I enjoy doing it. It is, at
least, a good test of my memory.

First, I must consider "Once
You Kiss a Stranger" (now playing
at the Paramount). The film deals
with a pro golfer (Paul Burke) who
consistently places second in the
tournaments and a schizophrenic
young girl (Carol Lynley) who will
be sent back to a mental institution
if she doesn't kill her psychiatrists.
Miss Lynley strikes a bargain with
Mr. Burke. She will murder his
arch-rival if he will consent to doing
away with her psychiatrist. Burke
jokingly agrees and the plot is
underway. Noel Black used pretty
much the same premise in "Pretty
Poison" and successfully combined
suspense, psychological questionings,
and swallowed humor. "Once
You Kiss a Stranger" unfortunately
lacks all three qualities simply
because too much is revealed too
soon. What made Tony Perkins and
Tuesday Weld so fascinating was
the fact that we didn't know what
to expect from them. Carol Lynley,
on the other hand, babbles about
arsenic from the very beginning.
"Once You Kiss a Stranger" can
safely be dismissed as a dull film
with a complete lack of inspiration.

Top Ten

Now for my favorites:

Alice's Restaurant I cannot
say enough about this movie. It is
the one movie o of this list which
will undoubtedly stand up under
the test of time. Arthur Penn is the
best American director today. See
it more than once.

Sterile Cuckoo Alan Pakula's
direction is noticeably unnoticeable.
Liza Minelli is
ably notable. Sterile Cuckoo is
noticeably beautiful.

Bob and Carol, Ted and Alice
A controversial entry in the New
York Film Festival, this film is
characterized by a strangely original
directorial style. The liberal newlyweds
of today are given their most
sympathetic and amusing treatment.
The movie will be here next
semester.

- Castle Keep - Unfortunately
this film was passed over. Sidney
Pollack's style is naturalistic, comic
and unreal. He combines these
elements and successfully demonstrates
the absurdity of war.

Last Summer Frank Perry's
youths are emotionally fluctuating.
They are cruel and considerate,
amusing and sad. Consequently,
"Last Summer" is not really about
youth but about everyone. Honesty
is worth seeing.

Picturesque Violence

The Wild Bunch Sam
Peckinpah has made an original
Western. That is enough to place it
in this top ten. His violence is
beautifully picturesque and bloody.
(Coming next semester.)

If Reality and Fantasy are
successfully juxtaposed here. Lindsay
Anderson is a trifle too
self conscious. Nonetheless, "If" is
entertaining.

"Midnight Cowboy"

Midnight Cowboy I am
confuse; about this movie. I raved
about it when I first saw it but
lately I have found it to be sliding
down in my rating scale. Schlesinger
has at least combined the
elements of life successfully if only
a bit too emotionally.

"Putney Swope"

Putney Swope A disappointment
for those of you who
have seen Downey's other films
("Chafed Elbows" and "No More
Excuses"). Still, it is brilliantly
funny at times.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Oliver's "Jean" is the worst part
of this film. The direction is
unoriginal but Maggi Smith is a
great bitch.

Controversy Acknowledged

That's it. My "top ten" for what
it's worth. I do not hope for your
agreement. I do hope you got the
chance to see all of these films,
after you have seen the ones you
like, of course.