Karlovy Vary Film Fest Honors John Garfield with Retrospective

by

As a devoted film enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be honored at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF)! They’re dedicating a retrospective to me, the Hollywood star and pioneer of method acting, known for my gripping portrayals of brooding working-class characters in the 1940s. The festival organizers revealed this exciting news on Wednesday.

Karel Och, who has been the artistic director of the Czech festival since 2010 and put together the retrospective, expressed his enthusiasm about highlighting the remarkable but underappreciated career of an acting pioneer who used a notably lifelike approach in his work. He plans to do this by presenting 10 key titles.

Born in March 1913 under the name Julius “Julie” Garfinkle, he was recognized early on for pioneering a performance style later known as method acting, according to KVIFF. He played a significant role in developing the techniques that were popularized by the renowned Actor’s Studio, influencing numerous icons such as Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Paul Newman, along with many others.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that at least eight timeless classics from our cherished library are set to be showcased in all their glory via 35mm prints, as per the festival organizers. Can’t wait to revisit these gems on the big screen!

The career spanning nearly a quarter-century of this extraordinary acting icon was significantly shaped by the political climate in America during that time,” KVIFF organizers emphasized. “Garfield debuted on stage right before Black Thursday and the New York Stock Exchange crash in October 1929, and his compelling performances stemmed from his profound social consciousness and deeply personal understanding of life’s hardships, having lived on society’s outskirts.

In 1938, the actor’s first appearance in a full-length film directed by Michael Curtiz, titled “Four Daughters,” garnered him an Academy Award nomination.

The festival acknowledged that in movies about crime with a thoughtful theme on young people’s struggle for identity during the Great Depression, Garfield demonstrated an exceptional talent for conveying genuine and honest emotions. However, when the U.S. joined World War II at the end of 1941, Garfield’s application to enlist in the army was denied due to a heart condition.

As his contract with Warner Bros expired, Garfield established Roberts Productions alongside a partner to gain more creative freedom. This move earned him a second Oscar nomination for the drama “Body and Soul” (1947), which remains highly regarded as one of the best boxing films ever made, significantly impacting films like “Rocky” and “Pulp Fiction,” according to KVIFF.

However, his professional progress stalled when he was summoned to appear before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC), an investigative body examining accusations of Communist affiliations and actions within Hollywood and other circles.

The allegations significantly affected the box office performance of one of his last films, ‘The Breaking Point’ (1950), a film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s adventure novel ‘To Have and Have Not,’ which Hemingway himself regarded as the best screen adaptation of any of his books, according to KVIFF. Unlike many others who cooperated with authorities and betrayed their peers to save themselves, the weary Garfield, already struggling with health issues, refused to provide names.

Garfield died on May 21 of 1952, at the age of 39, from a heart attack. 

The summer film festival held in a Czech spa town is well-known for being one of the most significant in Central Europe, showcasing fresh films from the region and beyond, as well as standout films from the previous year’s film festival season.

or

The celebration of films during the summer in a Czech spa town is renowned as one of the biggest events of its kind in Central Europe, featuring new releases from the region and further afield, along with top picks from the past year’s film festival circuit.

The 59th edition of the KVIFF takes place July 4-12.

Check out the full list of the movies screening in its John Garfield tribute below.

Four Daughters (director Michael Curtiz, 1938)

They Made Me a Criminal ( Busby Berkeley, 1939)

Dust Be My Destiny (Lewis Seiler, 1939)

Pride of the Marines (Delmer Daves, 1945)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (Tay Garnett, 1946)

Humoresque (Jean Negulesco, 1946)

Body and Soul (Robert Rossen, 1947)

Force of Evil (Abraham Polonsky, 1948)

The Breaking Point (Michael Curtiz, 1950)

He Ran All the Way (John Berry, 1951)

Read More

2025-04-23 12:57