1945, Otto Preminger
really, shockingly good, completely out of knowhere
use of lovely deep compostions, go to higher contrast when need be
allows for economical framings, most importantly for reaction shots in frames
all the better for the subversion of formalities with the awkward 'third wheel' standing by
generally people talking in rooms (except for one scene), and playing pin-pong
demystifying, after initially witholding, the object of power
coarsening, bringing down to level of grubbiness
cynicism here, as well as certainly subversion of relation to superiors
as in 'Margin For Error' characters circle around to non-exact timeframe where the situation (note: not individual psychologies) changes, space changes
this generally happens with the removal of some kind of symbolic power; picking up pieces
the scenes of Catherine running around the halls are marvellous; real end-of-times feel
the ending is brave enough to show us, again, random caprices; a grubby human after all, even if sympathy is shown (as most of Preminger's characters are given)
a great tone, not hillarious (only a few laughs), but very watchable
really, surprisingly, excellent
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