Darling

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source: Darling

What's all the fuss about this 1965 film that brought Julie Christie a totally undeserved Oscar? She beat out Julie Andrews for "The Sound of Music" and only divine intervention knows why. Ironically, both ladies married widowers in both films. How charming. Otherwise, "Darling" is the story of a tramp, pure and simple by the name of Diana. No, she is not Princess Diana;although, she tries to act like one in this film trying to depict a decadent London life of the 1960s. Christie, as Diana, is a selfish, neurotic broad incapable of any meaningful relationship. All is she is good for is posing as a model and doing bed hopping continuously. Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Harvey play the 2 major men in her disgusting life. Harvey did not look well in this film and would die 8 years later.

I had not seen this film since 1965 when I was a college student but remember how electrifying it was to see a young, charismatic Julie Christie at the beginning of her peak years. She's given some great scenes to show off her multi-faceted personality and she throws herself into the amoral model, Diana, who sleeps her way to the top. I can't imagine any other actress who could have done this without being repulsed by her naked greed and amorality. Christie had an inner radiance that makes her likable throughout this ground-setting import from London. England had become a hot movie center during this era, giving us such phenomenal movies like "Georgy Girl," "women in love," "Isadora," and many more. We can see this movie as a time machine which captures the raw energy of that era as our sexuality began to expand into new realms from the staid values of the past. This is a terrific movie to watch from time to time and watch an early phenomenon begin her golden career.