Sun 17 Jan 2016
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: BOXCAR BERTHA (1972).
Posted by Steve under Crime Films , Reviews[5] Comments
BOXCAR BERTHA. American International Pictures, 1972. Barbara Hershey, David Carradine, Barry Primus, Bernie Casey, John Carradine. Director: Martin Scorsese.
Produced by Roger Corman, the Depression-era crime film Boxcar Bertha has its share of sex, violence, and leftist social commentary. With director Martin Scorsese at the helm, however, this would-be exploitation film ends up being as much an art house film as it is a grindhouse movie.
That perhaps, along with a stellar cast including Barbara Hershey as the title character and John Carradine as her partner in crime in taking on the greedy and mendacious railroad elites, is what makes this low budget, but high quality production, a memorable visual depiction of the shadowy borderlines between crime and political protest.
At once a depiction of the tensions between haves and “have-nots†in Depression-era Arkansas and a character-based film about a young woman trying to navigate a life in that milieu, Boxcar Bertha isn’t the easiest movie to categorize. It’s a crime film about outlaws on the run as well as a romantic drama; a hang out movie as well as a buddy film.
It’s a very personal film and a vehicle for a stridently pro-labor, pro-feminist, and anti-racist political message. There’s even quite a bit of religious, particularly Catholic overtones throughout, themes that would be explored time and again in Scorsese’s films. However one categorizes this movie, it’s definitely the case that Corman and Scorsese successfully captured lightning in a bottle with this unflinching portrait the dark side of the American Dream.
January 18th, 2016 at 8:41 am
This review makes me want to see the movie.
My favorite Scorsese film so far is KUNDUN. It’s a film that often seems to have ties to experimental films and techniques.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:35 pm
It’s a much better movie than it has any right to be thanks to Scorsese who gets the most out of cast and script and adds the elements that lifts this well above the usual Corman film.
January 18th, 2016 at 10:04 pm
A movie I’ve always been on the verge of watching, whenever I had the chance, but I never have. Maybe now’s the time.
January 19th, 2016 at 9:03 am
And also, Barbara Hershey was hot!
(Someone had to say it.)
January 19th, 2016 at 1:24 pm
That’s what I’ve heard, Jeff.