This Property Is Condemned

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: D     Film: B-

 

 

Sydney Pollack directed his second-ever feature film under the auspices of the late, great John Houseman.  Tennessee Williams work has had an odd history of film adaptations made, especially during the unraveling of older Hollywood standards and censorship, and This Property Is Condemned (1966) is one of those films.  Suggestions of sexuality, self-awareness, and ugly realities often too taboo to speak of seemed right at home in his works, and a perfect gateway to a freer, smarter filmmaking in general.

 

At a time when the classical Hollywood system was in its final days before Easy Rider (1968) changed everything, we have a star vehicle here with a difference.  It is the depression and a couple of kids start talking soon after they meet.  The young girl eventually proceeds to tell her new male “friend” all about the big house across from them that was once so active.  She still lives there, despite its imminent demolition.

 

The flashback tells us of the two businesses that thrived before the great crash of 1929:  rail yards and prostitution.  The people get by in Dodson, Mississippi, but some occasionally have higher hopes.  One such person is Alva Starr (Natalie Wood,) who gets plenty of attention for her beauty and “upbeat” behavior.  Her mother (Kate Reid) is on the dysfunctional side and is not helping her one bit, always “planning” (read controlling) her life for her and “for the best” so she’ll be fine.

 

This becomes disrupted when Owen Ligate (Robert Redford) arrives in town.  He is good looking and more well-rounded than the kind of men Alva is used to meeting, but he is also there to fire all the railworkers.  It is a thankless job, but Owen becomes distracted by several surprises and becomes interested in Alva.  The feeling is mutual, though she is somewhat resistant, not used to the kind of guy who has it together.

 

Despite having a screenplay co-written by Francis Coppola, Fred Coe and Edith Sommer, the work never wildly deviates from Williams’ authorship, which works both for and against the film.  As we watch, we ask if these characters are almost too dumb at times, while the film still tries to make a distinction between those who live in reality and those who do not.

 

Alva is supposedly one who does not, and though this has a degree of validity, Owen’s observation of this is shared with her has too many limits to be enough of a counterpoint.  He is only right to a limited degree, then there is the issue of the stereotype of the man who is right and woman who is stupid and histrionic.  That is a major bone of contention in this film, with Feminist critics having plenty of valid grounds to argue on in this case.  The combination of the two hurt this film to begin with, then it degenerates too often into Melodrama, making it seem older still.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is not bad, but looks like a late analog transfer.  Color is not bad, but softness is an issue throughout.  You do get some depth too, which is another plus.  The film was shot by legendary cinematographer James Wong Howe, A.S.C., who is so known for his legendary black and white work.  It turns out he was also a master of color, as this film aptly demonstrates.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is an adequate representation of the old optical theatrical monophonic sound, but the DVD has no extras.  There is not even a trailer.

 

If it was not for the professional level at which the film was made, this would have been a disaster.  The stars make it a curiosity for those not familiar with the film or Williams work in which it is based.  It also shows Pollock’s early knack for filmmaking, which never reached an auteur level, but is competent.  Of course, this is also haunted by Wood, who died too soon in what still feels like strange circumstances.  For a film and story both haunted by possibilities, This Property Is Condemned carries more than enough luggage to be its own journey.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo