---recently watched:
Elizabeth, The Golden Age (2007) Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Samantha Morton, Clive Owen. The continuation of the reign of Elizabeth I, through the beheading of her sister, Mary, Queen Of Scots. The Armada of Philip Of Spain sent to invade England, and the battle that ends Spain's designs on England and slowed their conquests in the New World, makes a interesting film for those who enjoy costume dramas. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414055/
Sex & The City (2008) Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth. The girls are getting ready for Carries big wedding to Big. At the big dinner the night before the wedding, Miranda bitterly makes a comment that they should just stay single. She is so angry with her husband for having an affair she wants others to be miserable too. The next day, Mr Big can't get ahold of Carrie and is panic stricken and leaves the church without getting out of the car. Carrie in her gorgeous wedding dress is crushed. The girls decide she must take the lavish wedding trip she had planned for the honeymoon, and they will all go with her. Off to a gorgeous beach and hotel. For the scenery, the fashions, the girlies and their crazy antics, and a problem or two, I enjoyed this visit with the fab four. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/
Nothing Like The Holidays (2008) Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Pena, Debra Messing. A large Latino family get together to have Christmas. One son is a Marine just arriving home from Iraq. Each child has issues with either their Father or their Mother or both. So many characters and problems, none can be treated with depth so we just get a bit of information on each one. Film is not bad, but we don't get a sense of why we should care about these people. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1151915/
I Love You, Man (2009) Paul Rudd, and a bunch of actors I don't know. I disliked this so-called comedy intensely. But I usually like the amiable Rudd so stuck to the end. Bad idea. It got worse as it went on - and on. The idea of a man who is getting married, suddenly aware that he has never had a friend, and so trying to find one is so stupid, I am amazed to see intelligent people writing that this is a sweet quirky film. And the guy he hooks up with is such a smuck I don't see how he stood him for a minute. Give me a break. 4/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1155056/
Love Happens (2009) Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart. The stars are attractive but the story is just not that interesting. Guys wife dies and he becomes a best selling author and self-help guru, telling all about how to cope, appearing at seminars at swank hotels, where our Jen as Eloise, is the florist doing the huge arrangements in the lobby and halls, etc. They meet. They have a falling out. Will they get back together? Will our guru, Burke get a new pair? Will Eloise decide he is worth a second chance? Seriously? Jen and Aaron don't seem to click. Scenery of Seattle is nice. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0899106/
I'm caught up now and will do my comments on New Years Eve films in the new year. Everyone have a safe celebration and Happy New Year.
December 30, 2010
December 29, 2010
Helen Mirren, Jodie Foster, The Phantom-----
----great actresses, and an all-time favorite film;
The Madness Of King George (1994) Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm. The "colonies" have been lost, and England's King George is depressed and some say bonkers. Queen Charlotte tries to keep her son, the Prince Of Wales, from plotting with courtiers to usurp the throne. Prime Minister Pitt brings in a new doctor from the country, who demands absolute obedience from all. The treatments tried for the Kings ailment are the same as what is called torture today. Julian Wadham as Pitt is marvelous as are all the principal players. We now know that the king suffered from a real episode of dementia experienced by George III [now suspected a victim of porphyria, a blood disorder]. As he slowly regains his senses, the film ends with the Royal Family once again on display for their subjects. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110428/
Nell (1994) Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson. Filmed in the lush forests of North Carolina, this is a beautiful meditation on a person who is so isolated that she has never learned to speak any way but the language she and her twin devised before the twin dies. Their mother and Nell continue to live in the forest cabin and after the mother's death, Nell by herself. When Dr. Lovell stumbles across the cabin and then Nell herself, he is fascinated and tries to learn how to communicate with her. Paula, a student researcher at the nearest psychology center, wants her brought to the facility to observe her closer. They bring the case before a Judge, who gives the Doc 3 months to observe and work out what is best for Nell. The final courtroom scene with Foster as Nell telling all why she wants to stay in her forest home is very moving. And Jodie (Oscar, Best Actress) is a genius. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110638/
The Phantom Of The Opera (2004) Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossen, Patrick Wilson. Joel Schumacher directed this lush and beautiful version of Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical masterpiece. I always watch it again on the anniversary of the day I first walked into the theater, already knowing I loved the music, to sit and be mesmerized by the film from the opening - the match that lights the candle as the music begins. Only once before had I been brought into a film by the candle being lit - the great "The Red Shoes(1948)." Is it a homage to that great film? All the main players are so perfect, it is like a Divine hand was doing the casting. Gerard Butler, as The Phantom, just breaks your heart. Emmy, as the sweet innocent object of his desire and obsession, is wonderful and sings like an angel. Patrick is dashing and handsome and has a beautiful voice. In "Music Of The Night" when Gerard sings "let the dream begin" with his muscular voice, after the sex without sex scene just before, with his beautifully gloved hands roaming up and down her body, it raises temperatures around the world. The music, the actors, the visual beauty, make this film an all time favorite. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293508/
I have a few more films I need to comment on before the New Year. Later, peeps.....
The Madness Of King George (1994) Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm. The "colonies" have been lost, and England's King George is depressed and some say bonkers. Queen Charlotte tries to keep her son, the Prince Of Wales, from plotting with courtiers to usurp the throne. Prime Minister Pitt brings in a new doctor from the country, who demands absolute obedience from all. The treatments tried for the Kings ailment are the same as what is called torture today. Julian Wadham as Pitt is marvelous as are all the principal players. We now know that the king suffered from a real episode of dementia experienced by George III [now suspected a victim of porphyria, a blood disorder]. As he slowly regains his senses, the film ends with the Royal Family once again on display for their subjects. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110428/
Nell (1994) Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson. Filmed in the lush forests of North Carolina, this is a beautiful meditation on a person who is so isolated that she has never learned to speak any way but the language she and her twin devised before the twin dies. Their mother and Nell continue to live in the forest cabin and after the mother's death, Nell by herself. When Dr. Lovell stumbles across the cabin and then Nell herself, he is fascinated and tries to learn how to communicate with her. Paula, a student researcher at the nearest psychology center, wants her brought to the facility to observe her closer. They bring the case before a Judge, who gives the Doc 3 months to observe and work out what is best for Nell. The final courtroom scene with Foster as Nell telling all why she wants to stay in her forest home is very moving. And Jodie (Oscar, Best Actress) is a genius. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110638/
The Phantom Of The Opera (2004) Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossen, Patrick Wilson. Joel Schumacher directed this lush and beautiful version of Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical masterpiece. I always watch it again on the anniversary of the day I first walked into the theater, already knowing I loved the music, to sit and be mesmerized by the film from the opening - the match that lights the candle as the music begins. Only once before had I been brought into a film by the candle being lit - the great "The Red Shoes(1948)." Is it a homage to that great film? All the main players are so perfect, it is like a Divine hand was doing the casting. Gerard Butler, as The Phantom, just breaks your heart. Emmy, as the sweet innocent object of his desire and obsession, is wonderful and sings like an angel. Patrick is dashing and handsome and has a beautiful voice. In "Music Of The Night" when Gerard sings "let the dream begin" with his muscular voice, after the sex without sex scene just before, with his beautifully gloved hands roaming up and down her body, it raises temperatures around the world. The music, the actors, the visual beauty, make this film an all time favorite. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293508/
I have a few more films I need to comment on before the New Year. Later, peeps.....
December 24, 2010
Two more ---
---still catching up on films I watched this month:
On TCM
Andy Hardy Meets A Debutante (1940) Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Judy Garland. Andy is too big for his britches, as usual, and lies about knowing the number 1 deb in New York City. His school paper is going to feature him on the cover and he must find a way to meet her for real. At the same time his father, Judge Hardy, must go to NYC to appear in court to save the inheritance and fund that was set up to run the foundling home. He decides to take the whole family. Typical of Andy Hardy films, the Judge not only solves his court case, but also gets Andy out of his jam, along with Betsy Boops help. But Judy as Betsy Boop is just darling and sings two numbers. Her simple joy and great voice make this film a must for her fans. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032206/
Casablanca (1942) Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, & a bunch of great character actors! A favorite which I watch often. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/
to be con't....
On TCM
Andy Hardy Meets A Debutante (1940) Mickey Rooney, Lewis Stone, Judy Garland. Andy is too big for his britches, as usual, and lies about knowing the number 1 deb in New York City. His school paper is going to feature him on the cover and he must find a way to meet her for real. At the same time his father, Judge Hardy, must go to NYC to appear in court to save the inheritance and fund that was set up to run the foundling home. He decides to take the whole family. Typical of Andy Hardy films, the Judge not only solves his court case, but also gets Andy out of his jam, along with Betsy Boops help. But Judy as Betsy Boop is just darling and sings two numbers. Her simple joy and great voice make this film a must for her fans. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032206/
Casablanca (1942) Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, & a bunch of great character actors! A favorite which I watch often. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/
to be con't....
Mickey Rooney, Russell Crowe, Bradley Cooper---
--from charming, to intense, to intensely uncharming; the men in these films:
Ah! Wilderness! (1935) Mickey Rooney, Lionel Barrymore, Wallace Berry, Aline MacMahon, Spring Byington. Based on a famous Eugene O'Neil play this is a charming coming of age story of a graduation, mixups of young love, drinking and the wages of sin. All done by a great cast. The family interaction around the dining table is charming, in this day and age, when no one is expected to be at the table at 5 p.m. every evening. Although Mickey is billed seventh, he was soon to become Andy Hardy and be the highest paid actor in Hollywood. This was a good springboard of family values to begin with. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026046/
State Of Play (2009) Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren. Playing on HBO now and I have watched it a couple of times. Interesting story of a Congressman caught in a web by a powerful corporation that is like an octopus with tentacles in everything. Crowe is investigative reporter McCaffrey and McAdams is the cute rookie who writes for the papers web site. Mirren as the editor of the paper assigns them to work together on this story, which promises to be big, especially when there is a murder that involves the powerful in Washington D.C. My kind of story, full of intrigue, characters you like but are just a bit sleazy, and a tad of menace to keep all on their toes. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473705/
All About Steve (2009) Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, Thomas Haden Church. What was so bad? Sandra was cute/silly/hyper. Story of a smart, strange woman who creates cross-word puzzles for the paper she works for, but has no social skills. Her folks fix her up on a blind date with a cameraman for a TV station, Bradley Cooper, as the Steve of the title. He is a complete ass, but naturally he is so wonderful in his own eyes, he ditches Mary asap. After she writes her next puzzle "all about Steve' she is fired and decides to go on a road trip after Steve. Her adventures and the crazy situations the writers have her in, made me chuckle and smile. Bullock is just a person I want to spend time with. Even though Mary would drive me mad, Cooper is just awful, looks and personality. Thought so in The Hangover where he was mean and despicable to his so-called friends. For a leading man, he is just charmless. Church is always worth watching, but the writers failed him and Bullock in this script. But I still enjoyed it more than a lot of the stuff coming from lala land. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0881891/
to be con't----
Ah! Wilderness! (1935) Mickey Rooney, Lionel Barrymore, Wallace Berry, Aline MacMahon, Spring Byington. Based on a famous Eugene O'Neil play this is a charming coming of age story of a graduation, mixups of young love, drinking and the wages of sin. All done by a great cast. The family interaction around the dining table is charming, in this day and age, when no one is expected to be at the table at 5 p.m. every evening. Although Mickey is billed seventh, he was soon to become Andy Hardy and be the highest paid actor in Hollywood. This was a good springboard of family values to begin with. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026046/
State Of Play (2009) Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren. Playing on HBO now and I have watched it a couple of times. Interesting story of a Congressman caught in a web by a powerful corporation that is like an octopus with tentacles in everything. Crowe is investigative reporter McCaffrey and McAdams is the cute rookie who writes for the papers web site. Mirren as the editor of the paper assigns them to work together on this story, which promises to be big, especially when there is a murder that involves the powerful in Washington D.C. My kind of story, full of intrigue, characters you like but are just a bit sleazy, and a tad of menace to keep all on their toes. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473705/
All About Steve (2009) Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, Thomas Haden Church. What was so bad? Sandra was cute/silly/hyper. Story of a smart, strange woman who creates cross-word puzzles for the paper she works for, but has no social skills. Her folks fix her up on a blind date with a cameraman for a TV station, Bradley Cooper, as the Steve of the title. He is a complete ass, but naturally he is so wonderful in his own eyes, he ditches Mary asap. After she writes her next puzzle "all about Steve' she is fired and decides to go on a road trip after Steve. Her adventures and the crazy situations the writers have her in, made me chuckle and smile. Bullock is just a person I want to spend time with. Even though Mary would drive me mad, Cooper is just awful, looks and personality. Thought so in The Hangover where he was mean and despicable to his so-called friends. For a leading man, he is just charmless. Church is always worth watching, but the writers failed him and Bullock in this script. But I still enjoyed it more than a lot of the stuff coming from lala land. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0881891/
to be con't----
December 23, 2010
Powell, Loy, Gable. What a sandwich!!
Manhattan Melodrama (1934) Clark Gable, William Powell, Myrna Loy. One of the best crime dramas of the era. Two boys are brought up by a man who lost his son in the disaster of a river boat that caught fire and sank. One boy grows up a gangster; the other to be the D.A. who puts his friend away for execution. Along the way, both meet and fall in love with a woman of the demimonde. The gangster does a killing to help his friend and the friend ends up almost ruining himself to keep from lying. But D.A. Jim Wade convicts Blackie Gallagher of the murder, marries the woman; runs for, and wins the Governor's office, and then must decide whether to commute Blackies's sentence. The scene in which Gable tells Powell not to be silly, to let him make the final walk, is very effective. As Powell walks into the darkened corridor the overhead lights dim and his friend is gone. The final scenes between Loy and Powell reconciling seem tacked on. It would have been more powerful to end with both men taking their final walk, one to death; one to greatness. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025464/
to be con't....
December 11, 2010
Two classics; 2 other films.
I watched these films recently:
Mr. Skeffington (1944) Bette Davis, Claude Rains. Beauty marries for money and has to live with the consequences, including a daughter she never wanted. A meditation on beauty, wealth, selfishness and fantasy lives. Begins in horse and buggy days and ends during WWII. Rains as the title character, a Jewish banker, is great as always. The story is a good 'Matinee' Ladies' film. My only quibble is Bette's high pitched delivery of her lines. Fanny is fake, but the voice is like chalk on a blackboard. Thanks goodness the writers delivered the daughter to a husband who takes her far, far away. Still for a afternoon by the fire I give it - 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037094/
Nights of Cabiria (1957) Guilietta Masina. I tried to enjoy seeing this film because it is praised to the heavens. Another of the prostitute films where we are forced to watch her being mistreated, cheated, almost killed. All the while the actress is screeching half the time and crying and acting all coy the rest of the time. Geezus in a pancake! If this was an USA film with Julia Roberts screaming her lines, and acting this stupid - all Hell would be rained on her head. But the fanboys have anointed Fellini and his wife above reproach. Well, eeeexxxxcuse me! 3/10 Bad, bad, bad! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050783/
Taken (2008) Liam Neeson in a great action film about a former spy, retired and trying to reenter his estranged daughters life, who has to use his old skills to rescue her when she is kidnapped on a trip to Europe with a girlfriend. Action, start to finish. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/
Lovely Bones (2009) Lots of fine actors take part in a film about a serial killer. We are guided through the film by one of the victims as she watches and waits for her body to be found because then she......ah what? I was stupefied. And have forgotten it already! 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/
Con't another day....
Mr. Skeffington (1944) Bette Davis, Claude Rains. Beauty marries for money and has to live with the consequences, including a daughter she never wanted. A meditation on beauty, wealth, selfishness and fantasy lives. Begins in horse and buggy days and ends during WWII. Rains as the title character, a Jewish banker, is great as always. The story is a good 'Matinee' Ladies' film. My only quibble is Bette's high pitched delivery of her lines. Fanny is fake, but the voice is like chalk on a blackboard. Thanks goodness the writers delivered the daughter to a husband who takes her far, far away. Still for a afternoon by the fire I give it - 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037094/
Nights of Cabiria (1957) Guilietta Masina. I tried to enjoy seeing this film because it is praised to the heavens. Another of the prostitute films where we are forced to watch her being mistreated, cheated, almost killed. All the while the actress is screeching half the time and crying and acting all coy the rest of the time. Geezus in a pancake! If this was an USA film with Julia Roberts screaming her lines, and acting this stupid - all Hell would be rained on her head. But the fanboys have anointed Fellini and his wife above reproach. Well, eeeexxxxcuse me! 3/10 Bad, bad, bad! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050783/
Taken (2008) Liam Neeson in a great action film about a former spy, retired and trying to reenter his estranged daughters life, who has to use his old skills to rescue her when she is kidnapped on a trip to Europe with a girlfriend. Action, start to finish. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/
Lovely Bones (2009) Lots of fine actors take part in a film about a serial killer. We are guided through the film by one of the victims as she watches and waits for her body to be found because then she......ah what? I was stupefied. And have forgotten it already! 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/
Con't another day....
December 06, 2010
A classic and 2 newbys---
--I have recently watched:
Daisy Kenyon (1945) Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews, Henry Fonda. My collection, but watched on FMC. Wonderful Crawford "matinee' ladies" film. Dana Andrews does a wonderful cad role, and Fonda has some of his most romantic lines. Joan suffers beautifully. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039294/
New In Town (2009) Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr. Renee as Lucy Hill, rising star on the corporate ladder, is sent from the home office in sunny Miami, to a frigid Minnesota town to downsize and restructure the plant, the main source of income for the locals. A fish out of water film, with our gal arriving in snow and ice covered streets in 3 inch heels and no warm coat. Some of the locals are eccentric in the extreme and Connick as the local labor leader is gruff but cute. Not a great rom/com, but not too bad. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1095174/
Super Size Me (2004) Morgan Spurlock's saga of eating nothing but McDonalds food for a month. It ain't pretty! While I know he was making a point that too much is not good, and fast food should not be allowed into schools as a regular lunch choice, occasional indulgence cannot be a killer. The film itself becomes repetitious and is rather sickening after a while, but worth seeing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/
To be cont'.....
Daisy Kenyon (1945) Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews, Henry Fonda. My collection, but watched on FMC. Wonderful Crawford "matinee' ladies" film. Dana Andrews does a wonderful cad role, and Fonda has some of his most romantic lines. Joan suffers beautifully. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039294/
New In Town (2009) Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr. Renee as Lucy Hill, rising star on the corporate ladder, is sent from the home office in sunny Miami, to a frigid Minnesota town to downsize and restructure the plant, the main source of income for the locals. A fish out of water film, with our gal arriving in snow and ice covered streets in 3 inch heels and no warm coat. Some of the locals are eccentric in the extreme and Connick as the local labor leader is gruff but cute. Not a great rom/com, but not too bad. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1095174/
Super Size Me (2004) Morgan Spurlock's saga of eating nothing but McDonalds food for a month. It ain't pretty! While I know he was making a point that too much is not good, and fast food should not be allowed into schools as a regular lunch choice, occasional indulgence cannot be a killer. The film itself becomes repetitious and is rather sickening after a while, but worth seeing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390521/
To be cont'.....
November 30, 2010
Four that I have watched before----
---three I like a lot. The fourth is a mess:
Class Action (1991) Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Lawrence Fishburne. Rewatch often. Great courtroom battle. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101590/
Sleeping With The Enemy (1991) Julia Roberts. Favorite Roberts film. And that house by the sea! And the theme music! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102945/
Mr. Hollands Opus (1995) Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly. Nice film about a dedicated music teacher in a high school. Takes him through his career until he is downsized out with the whole arts department, in budget cuts made by the school board. Apropo of what is happening in schools today. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113862/
A Perfect Murder (1998) Gwyneth Paltrow, Michael Douglas, Viggo Mortensen. Saw it before but thought I'd give it another try. After seeing Dial M For Murder a few weeks ago, this remake just is bad and the stars look silly. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120787/
To be con't...
Class Action (1991) Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Lawrence Fishburne. Rewatch often. Great courtroom battle. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101590/
Sleeping With The Enemy (1991) Julia Roberts. Favorite Roberts film. And that house by the sea! And the theme music! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102945/
Mr. Hollands Opus (1995) Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly. Nice film about a dedicated music teacher in a high school. Takes him through his career until he is downsized out with the whole arts department, in budget cuts made by the school board. Apropo of what is happening in schools today. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113862/
A Perfect Murder (1998) Gwyneth Paltrow, Michael Douglas, Viggo Mortensen. Saw it before but thought I'd give it another try. After seeing Dial M For Murder a few weeks ago, this remake just is bad and the stars look silly. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120787/
To be con't...
November 29, 2010
A triumph & a dud-----
--the triumph----
The Mudlark (1950) Irene Dunne, Alec Guinness, Andrew Ray, Finlay Currie. Young Mr. Ray, as the Mudlark of the title, is wonderful. An orphan boy, he lives along the banks of the Thames scavenging to survive. He finds a cameo brooch with Queen Victoria's picture and one of the older boys tells him it is "the mother of us all." Wheeler takes that literally and decides to walk to Windsor Castle to see her. How he gets into the palace, not once, but twice, is so amusing we must let each person discover for themselves this delightful and heartwarming story. Dunne as the Queen and Guinness as Prime Minister Disraeli, acquit themselves with their usual outstanding performances. And Currie as John Brown, the Queens confidant, is amusing and superb. The social commentary on conditions of the youth of Britain in 1875 is there for all to see, but we are not bludgeoned over the head. Almost perfect in every way. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042757/
---and the dud----
Blonde Fever (1944) Mary Astor, Phillip Dorn, Gloria Graham, Marshall Thompson. Tedious until late in the film when Mary Astors character gets even and with her sparkle and verve, she takes over the film. Dorn was supposed to be the star, and his character of the husband who develops 'blond fever' for the young, pouty Gloria Graham, is written as a "Cary Grant" type of bumbling rake who takes himself too seriously. Which no one else does. Sadly, Dorn is just not up to it and is all wrong for the part. Which makes the film slog along, until we get to the wife who sees all, knows all and gets what she wants. Graham is a sex kitten and goes on to bigger and better films. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036651/
--to be con't...
The Mudlark (1950) Irene Dunne, Alec Guinness, Andrew Ray, Finlay Currie. Young Mr. Ray, as the Mudlark of the title, is wonderful. An orphan boy, he lives along the banks of the Thames scavenging to survive. He finds a cameo brooch with Queen Victoria's picture and one of the older boys tells him it is "the mother of us all." Wheeler takes that literally and decides to walk to Windsor Castle to see her. How he gets into the palace, not once, but twice, is so amusing we must let each person discover for themselves this delightful and heartwarming story. Dunne as the Queen and Guinness as Prime Minister Disraeli, acquit themselves with their usual outstanding performances. And Currie as John Brown, the Queens confidant, is amusing and superb. The social commentary on conditions of the youth of Britain in 1875 is there for all to see, but we are not bludgeoned over the head. Almost perfect in every way. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042757/
---and the dud----
Blonde Fever (1944) Mary Astor, Phillip Dorn, Gloria Graham, Marshall Thompson. Tedious until late in the film when Mary Astors character gets even and with her sparkle and verve, she takes over the film. Dorn was supposed to be the star, and his character of the husband who develops 'blond fever' for the young, pouty Gloria Graham, is written as a "Cary Grant" type of bumbling rake who takes himself too seriously. Which no one else does. Sadly, Dorn is just not up to it and is all wrong for the part. Which makes the film slog along, until we get to the wife who sees all, knows all and gets what she wants. Graham is a sex kitten and goes on to bigger and better films. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036651/
--to be con't...
November 26, 2010
Demi Moore, Grace Kelly in peril------
---I recently watched two good mysteries:
Half Light (2006) Demi Moore, Henry Ian Cusick, Hans Matheson, James Cosmo. The film was originally to be shot in Canada but due to the cold weather the film was moved to a location in northern Wales and England, although it is set in Scotland. Nice little mystery thriller about a mystery writer, whose son is killed in a drowning accident at the beginning of the film. Unable to get started back writing after eight months, she decides to rent a house, away from everything on the coast of a Scottish village. And trouble begins. The actors are all pros and we are in good hands. Demi looks great. But it is the cinematography that is the *star* with great shots of the rolling waves crashing along the shore, and a wonderful light house playing a prominent role, and island horses along the shore. Worth the time just to watch them and the sea. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412798/
Dial M For Murder (1954) Grace Kelly, Ray Milland, Robert Cummings, John Williams. Alfred Hitchcock film shot in 3D which adds very little to the enjoyment of the film. Even on it's first run, when I saw it in a movie palace, that was not what we talked about after the show. It was the fact that mild John Williams, pro that he is, stole the picture from the stars. He is that good as the inspector who makes it all come out right. Milland has the showey role as the diabolical husband; Grace is properly confused and bitter; and Cummings is just wrong for the hero role, IMHO. But the whole thing is just done so well, you can't help but keep watching. Not favorite Hich for me, but better than most who-done-its. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046912/
More to come----
Half Light (2006) Demi Moore, Henry Ian Cusick, Hans Matheson, James Cosmo. The film was originally to be shot in Canada but due to the cold weather the film was moved to a location in northern Wales and England, although it is set in Scotland. Nice little mystery thriller about a mystery writer, whose son is killed in a drowning accident at the beginning of the film. Unable to get started back writing after eight months, she decides to rent a house, away from everything on the coast of a Scottish village. And trouble begins. The actors are all pros and we are in good hands. Demi looks great. But it is the cinematography that is the *star* with great shots of the rolling waves crashing along the shore, and a wonderful light house playing a prominent role, and island horses along the shore. Worth the time just to watch them and the sea. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412798/
Dial M For Murder (1954) Grace Kelly, Ray Milland, Robert Cummings, John Williams. Alfred Hitchcock film shot in 3D which adds very little to the enjoyment of the film. Even on it's first run, when I saw it in a movie palace, that was not what we talked about after the show. It was the fact that mild John Williams, pro that he is, stole the picture from the stars. He is that good as the inspector who makes it all come out right. Milland has the showey role as the diabolical husband; Grace is properly confused and bitter; and Cummings is just wrong for the hero role, IMHO. But the whole thing is just done so well, you can't help but keep watching. Not favorite Hich for me, but better than most who-done-its. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046912/
More to come----
November 21, 2010
Halloween film; Crawford silents; the Rolls----
---these are a few if the films I have watched in November:
Dracula (2000) Gerard Butler, Christopher Plummer, Justine Waddell, & a whole lot of other actors. My last movie of Oct. And my annual Holloween film. The scenes in New Orleans French Quarter with the celebration is a highlight. Perfect to answer the door and pass out treats, and see the local goblins. You can miss whole parts and it won't make any difference. Haha 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219653/
Our Dancing Daughters (1928 silent) Joan Crawford, Anita Page, Johnny Mack Brown. Joans first big break. There are sound effects and music but no dialog. But she dances up a storm as a rich society girl in a cat fight over a man both want. Page is her adversary and Brown the guy. Fun. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019237/
Our Modern Maidens (1928 silent) Joan Crawford, Anita Page, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Rod La Rocque. More flapper fun, but a little more serious. Joan and Anita want the same guy again, and Page ends up pregnant. A quick marriage and Joan suffering, and eventually finds the right guy's arms. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020247/
The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sharif, Shirley MacLean, George C. Scott, Art Carney, Rex Harrison, Jeanne Moreau. Three stories involving people with a car. The first story is about the purchase of the brand new car, just arrived at the London dealership, by Lord Frinton for his wife. She is having an affair with a flunkey in her husbands office. Naughty things in the back seat of the Rolls make hubby very unhappy. He has the car returned to the dealer.
After a dozen years the car ends up in Italy during the 1930's where an American gangster and his 'fiance' rent it to sight see the Riviera. Scott, as Maltese, has to go back to the States and that leaves his doll and henchman to get into mischief, which they do. Scott returns and figures things out and gets rid of the car.
Which turns up in Yugoslavia just in time to help the resistance get organized at the start of WWII. With the help of Gerda Millet(Bergman) and her little dog, Sharif gets the men all ferried up to the mountain stonghold. Where love again happens in the back seat of our Rolls. But by now Gerda has to get back to the States to spread the word about the Nazis. Not bad for a film whose only connecting thread is where the Yellow Rolls will show up next. Stars are all fine. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059927/
More comments on more November films to come.
Dracula (2000) Gerard Butler, Christopher Plummer, Justine Waddell, & a whole lot of other actors. My last movie of Oct. And my annual Holloween film. The scenes in New Orleans French Quarter with the celebration is a highlight. Perfect to answer the door and pass out treats, and see the local goblins. You can miss whole parts and it won't make any difference. Haha 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219653/
Our Dancing Daughters (1928 silent) Joan Crawford, Anita Page, Johnny Mack Brown. Joans first big break. There are sound effects and music but no dialog. But she dances up a storm as a rich society girl in a cat fight over a man both want. Page is her adversary and Brown the guy. Fun. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019237/
Our Modern Maidens (1928 silent) Joan Crawford, Anita Page, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Rod La Rocque. More flapper fun, but a little more serious. Joan and Anita want the same guy again, and Page ends up pregnant. A quick marriage and Joan suffering, and eventually finds the right guy's arms. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020247/
The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) Ingrid Bergman, Omar Sharif, Shirley MacLean, George C. Scott, Art Carney, Rex Harrison, Jeanne Moreau. Three stories involving people with a car. The first story is about the purchase of the brand new car, just arrived at the London dealership, by Lord Frinton for his wife. She is having an affair with a flunkey in her husbands office. Naughty things in the back seat of the Rolls make hubby very unhappy. He has the car returned to the dealer.
After a dozen years the car ends up in Italy during the 1930's where an American gangster and his 'fiance' rent it to sight see the Riviera. Scott, as Maltese, has to go back to the States and that leaves his doll and henchman to get into mischief, which they do. Scott returns and figures things out and gets rid of the car.
Which turns up in Yugoslavia just in time to help the resistance get organized at the start of WWII. With the help of Gerda Millet(Bergman) and her little dog, Sharif gets the men all ferried up to the mountain stonghold. Where love again happens in the back seat of our Rolls. But by now Gerda has to get back to the States to spread the word about the Nazis. Not bad for a film whose only connecting thread is where the Yellow Rolls will show up next. Stars are all fine. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059927/
More comments on more November films to come.
October 28, 2010
a Bakers dozen----
---I have watched recently:
Across To Singapore (1928 silent) Joan Crawford, Ramon Navarro. Star crossed lovers. Two brothers love the same young woman. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018618/
Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, Jack Haley, Gloria Stuart. Shirley is spunky and sets all aright, as usual. Good cast. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028118/
What A Woman! (1943) Rosalind Russell, Brian Ahern, Willard Parker. Story of a book agent and her new find, author Parker. Ahern is a reporter who hangs around. Very disappointing with this cast. Should have been funnier, but it just isn't. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036526/
The Captains Paradise (1950) Alec Guinness, Yvonne deCarlo, Celia Johnson. Naughty man has a wife in two ports across the sea from each other. He thinks he has it made - but does he? Smug and self-satisfied, the Captain is admired by his second in command, who wants to follow his lead with women. But his prim and proper wife in Gibraltar really wants to kick up her heals; and his gorgeous showgirl wife in Morocco wants to cook! Good heavens! Droll and clever take on the battle of the sexes. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045607/
Last Holiday (1950) Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh. The original. More poignant than the later version. Man in for routine checkup, get the bad news that his x-rays show he has Lambkin's disease and has only a few months to live. Dr. advises him to use his time enjoying himself. He cashes out his retirement and his savings and goes to the posh resort by the seaside. There he is befriended by the no-nonsense housekeeper, who tells him the best way to treat these toffs is by telling them the truth instead of buttering them up. Which he does, with astonishing results. Everything he does offers him more and more opportunities for wealth and/or power. Finally the old Dr. who discovered his disease comes for his annual visit and when he hears of the man who has Lambkin's looks him over and tells him he definitely does not. The final scenes are very shocking and sad. When I saw it the first time back in 1950, it was a real shocker. Wonderful film. Guinness is superb, as always. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042665/
A Letter For Evie (1946) Marsha Hunt, John Carroll, Hume Cronyn, Pamela Britton. Jules Dassin directed this programmer for MGM, and the actors do their roles with sincerity. When I was in high school, I had a mad crush on John Carroll. I wrote him and he wrote back a sweet letter to a crazy teenager. In this film, he is a scoundrel and does it well. Are we pulling for Johnnie (the nerdy nice guy) or "Wolf" to win Evie? In a sort of Cyrano deBergerac plot, Johnnie has answered a letter Evie put in a shirt pocket at the factory where she works. Only he used Wolfs picture. When the men get a leave before being shipped out, trouble ensues. A light romantic comedy made a little more interesting by the actors and the director. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037870/
The Harvey Girls (1946) Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Ray Bolger. The rest of the cast seems like the honor role of greats at MGM at the time. Judy looks great and has one of the funniest scenes from any of her films, when she retrieves the meat from the saloon after it has been stolen. The guy clearing the way is perfect in his amusement at this nice girl with 2 six shooters. All the lead females are shown at their best. Makeup and costumes are perfect. To see how MGM did it, making a film with nothing but stars from their roster, this is one for the books. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038589/
The Best Years Of Our Lives (1947) Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Teresa Wright, Dana Andrews. Rewatch. Great film. Comments on blog. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/
A Foreign Affair (1948) Jean Arthur, Marlene Dietrich, John Lund. Rewatch. Comments on blog. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040367/
The Black Stallion (1979) Kelly Reno, Teri Garr, Mickey Rooney. Beautiful black stallion is the star of this show. For some reason I had never sat and watched the whole film, but this windy day I did. The boy and horse, up through the rescue, are great. Scenes of them bonding and racing with the wind on the beach are magical. The rest of the story is routine. We know the horse will be a winner. Cinematography is superb. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078872/
Eyewitness (1981) Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, James Woods, Christopher Plummer. Vietnam vet, Daryll, works as a janitor in a large building and in the evening watches the newscasts he has taped of his favorite commentator, Tony, (Weaver). When there is a murder in his building, Tony covers for her station. Daryll intimates he knows something, and she tries to get him to reveal what he knows. Meanwhile the real killer/s watch and wait. A cat and mouse game continues until it gets very dangerous. Keeps you guessing, but the real fun is Hurt and Weaver playing with each other. Woods does his usual crazed character. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082353/
Random Hearts (1999) Harrison Ford, Kristin Scott Thomas. Cop Dutch (Ford) and candidate Kay Chandler (Thomas) are just going through there daily routine, when they are both informed by an airline that their spouses are presumed dead in the crash that day of a Florida bound flight. Both are sure there is a mistake, because their spouses so convincingly led other lives together. After the two realize it is true and they are dead, they meet because Dutch can't or won't let go. Kay is pragmatic, numb and angry and wants to forget it all. Interesting take on what would happen if the moment you are living is suddenly your last. What would those closest to you find out? 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156934/
The Deep End (2001) Tilda Swinton. Beautiful cinematography around Lake Tahoe, CA. Story covers a murder most foul. A remake of Max Ophuls "The Reckless Moment" (1950), the story of a young girl pushing her older lover in a fight in a boathouse where he falls onto an anchor and is killed. The mother in the Ophuls is the marvelous Joan Bennett in her best role, and the blackmailer is James Mason, at his charming best being a bad man. In this version, the lovers are gay, one the son of Swinton. The body of the man the son is involved with is found by Swinton the morning after, and she takes it across the lake and ties it to the anchor and pushes it off. From there both versions get into blackmail and the one who contacts the mother. In both versions he is charming and falls in love with this woman who is protecting her child. Mason makes his villain achingly real, and Bennett is perfect holding onto herself as a faithful wife and mother. Swinton is good, but the script and director let her down. The original was one of my favorites of both leads for years. This version I rate: 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250323/
October almost over. We are having our Indian summer. Cool, frosty mornings, warm sunny afternoons. My last five days of the month I'll spend as much time as possible sitting on the patio or porch or walking on the new trail if they get it finished while it is still nice out. Progress is being made, but it is slow when we are waiting.
Across To Singapore (1928 silent) Joan Crawford, Ramon Navarro. Star crossed lovers. Two brothers love the same young woman. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0018618/
Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, Jack Haley, Gloria Stuart. Shirley is spunky and sets all aright, as usual. Good cast. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028118/
What A Woman! (1943) Rosalind Russell, Brian Ahern, Willard Parker. Story of a book agent and her new find, author Parker. Ahern is a reporter who hangs around. Very disappointing with this cast. Should have been funnier, but it just isn't. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036526/
The Captains Paradise (1950) Alec Guinness, Yvonne deCarlo, Celia Johnson. Naughty man has a wife in two ports across the sea from each other. He thinks he has it made - but does he? Smug and self-satisfied, the Captain is admired by his second in command, who wants to follow his lead with women. But his prim and proper wife in Gibraltar really wants to kick up her heals; and his gorgeous showgirl wife in Morocco wants to cook! Good heavens! Droll and clever take on the battle of the sexes. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045607/
Last Holiday (1950) Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh. The original. More poignant than the later version. Man in for routine checkup, get the bad news that his x-rays show he has Lambkin's disease and has only a few months to live. Dr. advises him to use his time enjoying himself. He cashes out his retirement and his savings and goes to the posh resort by the seaside. There he is befriended by the no-nonsense housekeeper, who tells him the best way to treat these toffs is by telling them the truth instead of buttering them up. Which he does, with astonishing results. Everything he does offers him more and more opportunities for wealth and/or power. Finally the old Dr. who discovered his disease comes for his annual visit and when he hears of the man who has Lambkin's looks him over and tells him he definitely does not. The final scenes are very shocking and sad. When I saw it the first time back in 1950, it was a real shocker. Wonderful film. Guinness is superb, as always. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042665/
A Letter For Evie (1946) Marsha Hunt, John Carroll, Hume Cronyn, Pamela Britton. Jules Dassin directed this programmer for MGM, and the actors do their roles with sincerity. When I was in high school, I had a mad crush on John Carroll. I wrote him and he wrote back a sweet letter to a crazy teenager. In this film, he is a scoundrel and does it well. Are we pulling for Johnnie (the nerdy nice guy) or "Wolf" to win Evie? In a sort of Cyrano deBergerac plot, Johnnie has answered a letter Evie put in a shirt pocket at the factory where she works. Only he used Wolfs picture. When the men get a leave before being shipped out, trouble ensues. A light romantic comedy made a little more interesting by the actors and the director. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037870/
The Harvey Girls (1946) Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Ray Bolger. The rest of the cast seems like the honor role of greats at MGM at the time. Judy looks great and has one of the funniest scenes from any of her films, when she retrieves the meat from the saloon after it has been stolen. The guy clearing the way is perfect in his amusement at this nice girl with 2 six shooters. All the lead females are shown at their best. Makeup and costumes are perfect. To see how MGM did it, making a film with nothing but stars from their roster, this is one for the books. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038589/
The Best Years Of Our Lives (1947) Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Teresa Wright, Dana Andrews. Rewatch. Great film. Comments on blog. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/
A Foreign Affair (1948) Jean Arthur, Marlene Dietrich, John Lund. Rewatch. Comments on blog. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040367/
The Black Stallion (1979) Kelly Reno, Teri Garr, Mickey Rooney. Beautiful black stallion is the star of this show. For some reason I had never sat and watched the whole film, but this windy day I did. The boy and horse, up through the rescue, are great. Scenes of them bonding and racing with the wind on the beach are magical. The rest of the story is routine. We know the horse will be a winner. Cinematography is superb. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078872/
Eyewitness (1981) Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, James Woods, Christopher Plummer. Vietnam vet, Daryll, works as a janitor in a large building and in the evening watches the newscasts he has taped of his favorite commentator, Tony, (Weaver). When there is a murder in his building, Tony covers for her station. Daryll intimates he knows something, and she tries to get him to reveal what he knows. Meanwhile the real killer/s watch and wait. A cat and mouse game continues until it gets very dangerous. Keeps you guessing, but the real fun is Hurt and Weaver playing with each other. Woods does his usual crazed character. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082353/
Random Hearts (1999) Harrison Ford, Kristin Scott Thomas. Cop Dutch (Ford) and candidate Kay Chandler (Thomas) are just going through there daily routine, when they are both informed by an airline that their spouses are presumed dead in the crash that day of a Florida bound flight. Both are sure there is a mistake, because their spouses so convincingly led other lives together. After the two realize it is true and they are dead, they meet because Dutch can't or won't let go. Kay is pragmatic, numb and angry and wants to forget it all. Interesting take on what would happen if the moment you are living is suddenly your last. What would those closest to you find out? 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156934/
The Deep End (2001) Tilda Swinton. Beautiful cinematography around Lake Tahoe, CA. Story covers a murder most foul. A remake of Max Ophuls "The Reckless Moment" (1950), the story of a young girl pushing her older lover in a fight in a boathouse where he falls onto an anchor and is killed. The mother in the Ophuls is the marvelous Joan Bennett in her best role, and the blackmailer is James Mason, at his charming best being a bad man. In this version, the lovers are gay, one the son of Swinton. The body of the man the son is involved with is found by Swinton the morning after, and she takes it across the lake and ties it to the anchor and pushes it off. From there both versions get into blackmail and the one who contacts the mother. In both versions he is charming and falls in love with this woman who is protecting her child. Mason makes his villain achingly real, and Bennett is perfect holding onto herself as a faithful wife and mother. Swinton is good, but the script and director let her down. The original was one of my favorites of both leads for years. This version I rate: 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250323/
October almost over. We are having our Indian summer. Cool, frosty mornings, warm sunny afternoons. My last five days of the month I'll spend as much time as possible sitting on the patio or porch or walking on the new trail if they get it finished while it is still nice out. Progress is being made, but it is slow when we are waiting.
October 22, 2010
A Star Is Born (1937) plus ---
---a classic comedy and two programmers:
It's Love I'm After (1937) Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Eric Blore. Screwball comedy about stage actors, fans, obsession, love and mix ups galore. Great cast 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029058/
My Dear Miss Aldrich (1937) Maureen O"Sullivan, Walter Pigeon, Edna May Oliver. Small town girl inherits big town newspaper. Editor thinks women in the newsroom are an abomination. Some fun but it probably was the lower half of a double bill. Oliver steals the show. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029283/
A Star Is Born (1937) Janet Gaynor, Fredric March. My favorite version of this story. The original. Great performances by all hands, with an especially nasty one by Lionel Stander as Matt Libby, the publicity man. Mean as a junk yard dog to Norman Maine, who has had to be extricated from one too many benders by Matt, and he resents it and gets even, at last. The final scenes never fail to bring me to tears, and Gaynor as Esther (Vicky Lester) superb; head high, catch in the voice, tears in the eyes, saying "This is Mrs. Norman Maine." What an end! Perfect for me - so...10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029606/
Ride Lonesome (1959) Randolph Scott, Karen Black, Parnell Roberts, James Coburn. Slow, boring Scott western, probably a programmer to be paired with another "b" or two on the bill. Bounty hunter Scott, takes his man in the first 10 minutes and from there it is a question of how many obstacles the story puts in the way of getting him to the hangman. Scenery is great - using the wide screen photography to emphasize the empty expanses of the locale and the huge rock formations in the foothills of mountains. That also shows the relation of man to the hugeness of the west - it is a wonder and scary. The director does a good job of bringing this fact out with his choice of scenes. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053220/
I'm behind on my comments. It's just too pretty outside to be watching films during the daytime. My Maple tree is glorious. The workmen are about through with the preliminaries and will start putting down the hard surface for the hike/bike trail tomorrow or next Monday, for sure. They have cut away some of the smaller trees and underbrush so the river can be seen from the trail in places. Great to watch it become reality, we've waited so long.
It's Love I'm After (1937) Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Eric Blore. Screwball comedy about stage actors, fans, obsession, love and mix ups galore. Great cast 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029058/
My Dear Miss Aldrich (1937) Maureen O"Sullivan, Walter Pigeon, Edna May Oliver. Small town girl inherits big town newspaper. Editor thinks women in the newsroom are an abomination. Some fun but it probably was the lower half of a double bill. Oliver steals the show. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029283/
A Star Is Born (1937) Janet Gaynor, Fredric March. My favorite version of this story. The original. Great performances by all hands, with an especially nasty one by Lionel Stander as Matt Libby, the publicity man. Mean as a junk yard dog to Norman Maine, who has had to be extricated from one too many benders by Matt, and he resents it and gets even, at last. The final scenes never fail to bring me to tears, and Gaynor as Esther (Vicky Lester) superb; head high, catch in the voice, tears in the eyes, saying "This is Mrs. Norman Maine." What an end! Perfect for me - so...10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029606/
Ride Lonesome (1959) Randolph Scott, Karen Black, Parnell Roberts, James Coburn. Slow, boring Scott western, probably a programmer to be paired with another "b" or two on the bill. Bounty hunter Scott, takes his man in the first 10 minutes and from there it is a question of how many obstacles the story puts in the way of getting him to the hangman. Scenery is great - using the wide screen photography to emphasize the empty expanses of the locale and the huge rock formations in the foothills of mountains. That also shows the relation of man to the hugeness of the west - it is a wonder and scary. The director does a good job of bringing this fact out with his choice of scenes. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053220/
I'm behind on my comments. It's just too pretty outside to be watching films during the daytime. My Maple tree is glorious. The workmen are about through with the preliminaries and will start putting down the hard surface for the hike/bike trail tomorrow or next Monday, for sure. They have cut away some of the smaller trees and underbrush so the river can be seen from the trail in places. Great to watch it become reality, we've waited so long.
October 20, 2010
Recent films---
I have watched these 2 films released the last 2 years:
The Merry Gentleman (2008) Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald. Michael stars and directs. He is a hit man in crisis. Kelly sees him almost jump off a roof. She screams and he jumps back out of sight. Very interesting, but very slow storytelling. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0967945/
The Public Enemies (2009) Johnnie Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotilliard. I don't know what they were going for, but for me, except for the women, there wasn't a sympathetic character in the whole film. Bale's Purvis was mean and corrupt, as was Hoover. They were supposed to be the good guys. (?) Depp's Dillenger was somewhat charming, but he killed so many and was so corrupt, I didn't like him either. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152836/
More films from the last 2 weeks later ---
The Merry Gentleman (2008) Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald. Michael stars and directs. He is a hit man in crisis. Kelly sees him almost jump off a roof. She screams and he jumps back out of sight. Very interesting, but very slow storytelling. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0967945/
The Public Enemies (2009) Johnnie Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotilliard. I don't know what they were going for, but for me, except for the women, there wasn't a sympathetic character in the whole film. Bale's Purvis was mean and corrupt, as was Hoover. They were supposed to be the good guys. (?) Depp's Dillenger was somewhat charming, but he killed so many and was so corrupt, I didn't like him either. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152836/
More films from the last 2 weeks later ---
October 04, 2010
Demi, Meg & Sarah----
--films with my girlie's.
Free Starz Weekend on Satellite:
2 I had never seen:
The Juror (1996) Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, James Gandolfini. Artist wants to, and is, picked for the trial of a mafia Don, Louie Boffano. She is selected by The Teacher, the Don's hit man, to bring in the jury with a not guilty verdict. Good premise goes off track along the way, and we end up in Columbia running around in the ruins. One long scene as Moore tries to convince the rest of the jury to see things her way and acquit. A lot of Baldwin being quietly menacing and nuts. And Gandolfini and Lo Bianco could have phoned in their parts, they are so generic. Big disappointment with this fine cast. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116731/
Kate & Leopold (2001) Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber. I'm sorry. What is Meg going for with that hairdo? Were we doing haircuts for dames that looked liike a mop back in 2001? Every scene she is in, I can't get past that hair! I think the two men fair a little better. Liev is distracted and crazed like a scientist in comedies is supposed to be. Jackman is properly vedy British and neat. So I guess if you like time travel movies, this is one for you. But it is not that well done and Meg is a mess. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035423/
And a rewatch:
Did You Hear About The Morgans? (2009) Sarah Jessica Parker, Hugh Grant, Sam Elliot, Mary Steenburgen. Reviewed before on my Blog. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1314228/
The selection of films this weekend was a bit lacking. But that's the way it goes.
Free Starz Weekend on Satellite:
2 I had never seen:
The Juror (1996) Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, James Gandolfini. Artist wants to, and is, picked for the trial of a mafia Don, Louie Boffano. She is selected by The Teacher, the Don's hit man, to bring in the jury with a not guilty verdict. Good premise goes off track along the way, and we end up in Columbia running around in the ruins. One long scene as Moore tries to convince the rest of the jury to see things her way and acquit. A lot of Baldwin being quietly menacing and nuts. And Gandolfini and Lo Bianco could have phoned in their parts, they are so generic. Big disappointment with this fine cast. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116731/
Kate & Leopold (2001) Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber. I'm sorry. What is Meg going for with that hairdo? Were we doing haircuts for dames that looked liike a mop back in 2001? Every scene she is in, I can't get past that hair! I think the two men fair a little better. Liev is distracted and crazed like a scientist in comedies is supposed to be. Jackman is properly vedy British and neat. So I guess if you like time travel movies, this is one for you. But it is not that well done and Meg is a mess. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035423/
And a rewatch:
Did You Hear About The Morgans? (2009) Sarah Jessica Parker, Hugh Grant, Sam Elliot, Mary Steenburgen. Reviewed before on my Blog. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1314228/
The selection of films this weekend was a bit lacking. But that's the way it goes.
October 03, 2010
One above average, then downhill------
On FMC:
Without A Trace (1983) Kate Nelligan, Judd Hirsh, Stockard Channing. A parents worse nightmare. Your 6 year old is off to walk down the block to his ride to school. He never gets back home. Film follows the mother, and the detective who investigates and becomes emotionally involved in finding the child. Nelligan is very good as the distraught but determined mother. Hirsh, never better as the cop. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086593/combined
All On Starz free weekend:
Frantic (1988) Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle Seigner, Betty Buckley. So an American doctor and his wife get in a cab, after an all nght flight to Paris for a medical conference. They check into their upscale hotel, get to their room to get cleaned up, have a meal and rest, before his evening speech at the conference. Except while he is in the shower, we see through the steamy glass, she gets a phone call and yells something at him, and goes out of sight of the shower door. When he is having coffee, he realizes she has been gone too long and starts phoning the desk and then dresses and looks all through the hotel with the staff. So far, so good. He tries to work with the Paris police and fills out reports. But they are not sufficiently concerned and he starts out on his own. As he follows small clues to find out what happened, it gets more and more into the realm of a nightmare. Last part of the film completely looses credibility. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095174/combined
Hollywood Homicide (2003) Harrison Ford, Josh Harnett, Lena Olin. Harrison, my friend, what have you done? This is a mess of a story. He plays a detective who is moonlighting as a real estate broker. His new partner has decided he really wants to be an actor. Oh, and he is also some kind of exercise guru. Their case is a multiple killing in a recording studio among hip-hop musicians. Got all that? That's the problem. Between quirky characters, car chases, foot chases over ta-llllll buildings in a single bound, and in jokes, nothing makes much sense. And we don't care by the end anyway! 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329717/combined
Easy Virtue 2008) Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Barnes. Noel Coward play about upper class Brits who have a new American bride of the heir to the estate, descend on them. Thomas, as the Grande Dame is icy and hateful. Beil, beautiful and high spirited. They are a battling duo, and Firth is magnificent as the burnt out WWI master of the estate, who doesn't give a sh--. My kind of film. Loved it! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808244/combined
Julie & Julia (2009) Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci. Previously watched and reviewed here. Love it. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/combined
The Ugly Truth (2009) Gerard Butler, Kathryn Heigl. Another rewatch. Beautiful people. Enjoy watching them. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142988/combined
Cool days and nights. Such a relief after the long scortching days of the last month. And Halloween just around the corner!
Without A Trace (1983) Kate Nelligan, Judd Hirsh, Stockard Channing. A parents worse nightmare. Your 6 year old is off to walk down the block to his ride to school. He never gets back home. Film follows the mother, and the detective who investigates and becomes emotionally involved in finding the child. Nelligan is very good as the distraught but determined mother. Hirsh, never better as the cop. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086593/combined
All On Starz free weekend:
Frantic (1988) Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle Seigner, Betty Buckley. So an American doctor and his wife get in a cab, after an all nght flight to Paris for a medical conference. They check into their upscale hotel, get to their room to get cleaned up, have a meal and rest, before his evening speech at the conference. Except while he is in the shower, we see through the steamy glass, she gets a phone call and yells something at him, and goes out of sight of the shower door. When he is having coffee, he realizes she has been gone too long and starts phoning the desk and then dresses and looks all through the hotel with the staff. So far, so good. He tries to work with the Paris police and fills out reports. But they are not sufficiently concerned and he starts out on his own. As he follows small clues to find out what happened, it gets more and more into the realm of a nightmare. Last part of the film completely looses credibility. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095174/combined
Hollywood Homicide (2003) Harrison Ford, Josh Harnett, Lena Olin. Harrison, my friend, what have you done? This is a mess of a story. He plays a detective who is moonlighting as a real estate broker. His new partner has decided he really wants to be an actor. Oh, and he is also some kind of exercise guru. Their case is a multiple killing in a recording studio among hip-hop musicians. Got all that? That's the problem. Between quirky characters, car chases, foot chases over ta-llllll buildings in a single bound, and in jokes, nothing makes much sense. And we don't care by the end anyway! 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329717/combined
Easy Virtue 2008) Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Barnes. Noel Coward play about upper class Brits who have a new American bride of the heir to the estate, descend on them. Thomas, as the Grande Dame is icy and hateful. Beil, beautiful and high spirited. They are a battling duo, and Firth is magnificent as the burnt out WWI master of the estate, who doesn't give a sh--. My kind of film. Loved it! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808244/combined
Julie & Julia (2009) Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci. Previously watched and reviewed here. Love it. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/combined
The Ugly Truth (2009) Gerard Butler, Kathryn Heigl. Another rewatch. Beautiful people. Enjoy watching them. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142988/combined
Cool days and nights. Such a relief after the long scortching days of the last month. And Halloween just around the corner!
September 30, 2010
More September films----
Dane Clark day on TCM:
That Way With Women (1947) Dane Clark, Martha Vickers, Sydney Greenstreet. A 'b' rom/com from the classic era. My gal pals and I were a-flutter over Dane, and today I wonder why? 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039893/combined
Embraceable You (1948) Dane Clark, Geraldine Brooks, S. Z. Sakall. A nice romance, with bad boy Dane, reforming to take care of the girl he hit with his car after a robbery, and left the scene. But he does the right thing. And I love the music theme that became a huge hit and was danced to cheek to cheek for many years. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040315/combined
My Collection:
Viva Zapata (1952) Marlon Brando, Jean Peters, Anthony Quinn, Joseph Wiseman. Brando never was better. Great cast. The story of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who led a rebellion against the corrupt, oppressive dictatorship of president Porfirio Diaz in the early 20th century. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045296/combined
I Love You To Death (1990) Tracey Ullman, Kevin Kline, Joan Plowright, River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, William Hurt. What a cast! I taped this off HBO back in 1991 and haven't watched it for a long time. Just as funny and special. Based on a true story of a wife who finally gets wise to her cheating husband and tries to have him killed. Outrageous, but funny. Whole cast is having a romp. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040315/combined
The end of the month. October used to mean smoke from leaf fires, and the neighborhood men and women raked up huge piles and burned them. No more. We know better now. That was polution. But it is a memory of childhood and neighbors.
That Way With Women (1947) Dane Clark, Martha Vickers, Sydney Greenstreet. A 'b' rom/com from the classic era. My gal pals and I were a-flutter over Dane, and today I wonder why? 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039893/combined
Embraceable You (1948) Dane Clark, Geraldine Brooks, S. Z. Sakall. A nice romance, with bad boy Dane, reforming to take care of the girl he hit with his car after a robbery, and left the scene. But he does the right thing. And I love the music theme that became a huge hit and was danced to cheek to cheek for many years. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040315/combined
My Collection:
Viva Zapata (1952) Marlon Brando, Jean Peters, Anthony Quinn, Joseph Wiseman. Brando never was better. Great cast. The story of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who led a rebellion against the corrupt, oppressive dictatorship of president Porfirio Diaz in the early 20th century. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045296/combined
I Love You To Death (1990) Tracey Ullman, Kevin Kline, Joan Plowright, River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, William Hurt. What a cast! I taped this off HBO back in 1991 and haven't watched it for a long time. Just as funny and special. Based on a true story of a wife who finally gets wise to her cheating husband and tries to have him killed. Outrageous, but funny. Whole cast is having a romp. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040315/combined
The end of the month. October used to mean smoke from leaf fires, and the neighborhood men and women raked up huge piles and burned them. No more. We know better now. That was polution. But it is a memory of childhood and neighbors.
September 26, 2010
More Vivien; Beckinsale & Farmiga---
This post catches me up for Sept. Finally!
TCM-Vivien Leigh Day:
Fire Over England (1937) Vivien Leigh, Lawrence Olivier, Flora Robson. Another story with Queen Elizabeth a central figure, this time played by Flora Robson. It is 1588 and Spain is threatening England. The Queen sends the son of a man killed by the Inquisition, to Spain, as an undercover spy to find out what they plan to do. Michael is in love with Cynthia, a lady-in-waiting at court, and both women fear for the young man and England, as there is a great Armada sailing for England. The title is the way the English save the day, by burning their own ships and sailing them into the Armada. It works. The young stars are beautiful. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028872/combined
That Hamilton Woman (1941) Vivien Leigh, Lawrence Olivier, Gladys Cooper. The story of Emma Hart who rises from dance hall girl, to cortesan, to ambassadors wife, to Lord Horatio Nelsons mistress. Beautifully filmed, and the two leads are gorgeous, even if Olivier has a patch over one eye. The battle scenes at sea are well done. The court of Naples, with the children of the King and Queen - a dozen or so - is chaotic and fun. Costumes and score, fine. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034272/combined
REELZ CH:
Force 10 From Navarone (1978) Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Edward Fox. Another story of a team being sent behind German lines to blow up a key bridge. The story is how they manage, with resistance fighters who betray them, being captured at least twice. So-so cinematography. Pacing is erratic. Ford, a year after his Star Wars super stardom. Here, he isn't even exciting. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077572/combined
Rental DVD:
Nothing But The Truth (2009) Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga, Matt Dillon, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett. Terrific film about a young reporter, Rachel, who discovers a plot and the CIA agent involved. Her story causes a quick indictment from a government prosecutor, Patton Dubois, who wants the name of the source. From the first it is a battle of wills between the reporter, the prosecutor, the judge and her lawyer, Alan Burnside (Alan Alda). Similar to the Valerie Plame incident, a real outing of a CIA agent. The story here follows Rachel to jail, where she stays for a year. After being released, after the death of the agent, Dubois re-arrests her and she is sentenced to federal prison for 2 years. At the very end, it is revealed why she will not give up her source. Very good film of its' type. Cast great. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1073241/combined
A full moon and the Jupiter/Uranus combined star power, made a beautiful night sky for the first week of autumn. The hummingbirds, killdeers and other migratory birds will be leaving the Heartland soon. Some have already gone. The hummers have been especially fun this year.
The female deer have been gathering in groups. We see them in the woods above the river some days. Since this is park and conservation land we abut, no hunting is allowed and there are too many deer for the forage available. Soon there will be bow hunters allowed to take a female to thin the herd. Sad, but starvation is a sure thing if the winter comes with this over-population.
Have picked out films to watch next. I'm going through my list and picking tapes and DVDs I have not watched for 4 or 5 years. Or longer.
TCM-Vivien Leigh Day:
Fire Over England (1937) Vivien Leigh, Lawrence Olivier, Flora Robson. Another story with Queen Elizabeth a central figure, this time played by Flora Robson. It is 1588 and Spain is threatening England. The Queen sends the son of a man killed by the Inquisition, to Spain, as an undercover spy to find out what they plan to do. Michael is in love with Cynthia, a lady-in-waiting at court, and both women fear for the young man and England, as there is a great Armada sailing for England. The title is the way the English save the day, by burning their own ships and sailing them into the Armada. It works. The young stars are beautiful. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028872/combined
That Hamilton Woman (1941) Vivien Leigh, Lawrence Olivier, Gladys Cooper. The story of Emma Hart who rises from dance hall girl, to cortesan, to ambassadors wife, to Lord Horatio Nelsons mistress. Beautifully filmed, and the two leads are gorgeous, even if Olivier has a patch over one eye. The battle scenes at sea are well done. The court of Naples, with the children of the King and Queen - a dozen or so - is chaotic and fun. Costumes and score, fine. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034272/combined
REELZ CH:
Force 10 From Navarone (1978) Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Edward Fox. Another story of a team being sent behind German lines to blow up a key bridge. The story is how they manage, with resistance fighters who betray them, being captured at least twice. So-so cinematography. Pacing is erratic. Ford, a year after his Star Wars super stardom. Here, he isn't even exciting. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077572/combined
Rental DVD:
Nothing But The Truth (2009) Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga, Matt Dillon, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett. Terrific film about a young reporter, Rachel, who discovers a plot and the CIA agent involved. Her story causes a quick indictment from a government prosecutor, Patton Dubois, who wants the name of the source. From the first it is a battle of wills between the reporter, the prosecutor, the judge and her lawyer, Alan Burnside (Alan Alda). Similar to the Valerie Plame incident, a real outing of a CIA agent. The story here follows Rachel to jail, where she stays for a year. After being released, after the death of the agent, Dubois re-arrests her and she is sentenced to federal prison for 2 years. At the very end, it is revealed why she will not give up her source. Very good film of its' type. Cast great. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1073241/combined
A full moon and the Jupiter/Uranus combined star power, made a beautiful night sky for the first week of autumn. The hummingbirds, killdeers and other migratory birds will be leaving the Heartland soon. Some have already gone. The hummers have been especially fun this year.
The female deer have been gathering in groups. We see them in the woods above the river some days. Since this is park and conservation land we abut, no hunting is allowed and there are too many deer for the forage available. Soon there will be bow hunters allowed to take a female to thin the herd. Sad, but starvation is a sure thing if the winter comes with this over-population.
Have picked out films to watch next. I'm going through my list and picking tapes and DVDs I have not watched for 4 or 5 years. Or longer.
September 24, 2010
Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren, Gerard Butler----
--in films I recently watched:
On OvationHDTV:
Sophie's Choice (1982) Meryl Streep (Oscar), Kevin Kline, Peter MacNichol. The cameraman was in love with Meryl - she is lovely. Sad and slow film, about a young writer Stingo, from the south, who takes rooms in a house that also has a beautiful Polish woman, Sophie and her lover Nathan, living there. Gradually Stingo learns the truth about Sophie and Nathan and their problems. She is a survivor of the holocaust and he is getting more and more erratic and violent. Good acting but, not a film I will ever watch again. Too depressing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084707/combined
ION TV:
Along Came Polly (2004) Jennifer Anniston, Ben Stiller, Debra Messing, Philip Seymore Hoffman. Guy marry's beautiful girl. Girl has affair with scuba instructor on the honeymoon. Guy goes back home and mopes until friend takes him out to a party one night and there he runs across Polly who is waitressing. She is a free spirit and also they went to junior high school together. So he is smitten and she is tolerant. Attractive cast go through their paces and we are happy enough to tag along. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343135/combined
My Collection:
Butterfly On A Wheel/Shattered/The Butterfly (2007) Gerard Butler, Maria Bello, Pierce Brosnan. Butler as Neil Randall and Bello, his wife Abby, have a lovely little girl and a beautiful home. Neil is a successful business man. One morning the couple leaves their daughter with a baby sitter and head off for the day. In the SUV, discussing the days affairs, suddenly a guy with a gun takes over and everything gets crazy. A suspenseful film of jeopardy, jealousy and deception, with a surprise or two and a twist ending. The title of the film keeps changing for some reason. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489664/combined
Rental DVDs:
Elizabeth I (2005-6) Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, Hugh Dancy. A marvelous mini-series about the great queen from her middle years to her death. Costumes and cinematography are tops for a HBO series. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465326/combined
Twilight: New Moon (2009) Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison, Billy Burke, Taylor Lautner. Not as good as the first, but still has gorgeous scenery. Bella and Edward and Jacob get lots of time to look good on camera, and the story doesn't get in the way too much. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/combined
The Men Who Stare At Goats (2010) George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey. I think this was supposed to be a black comedy, but it utterly fails at being funny. So what we are left with is - strange. I'm not sure what it was about, because I think my mind kept wandering. Total waste of a bunch of guys who CAN be totally funny with a good script. 5/10 for effort. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234548/combined
First day of autumn was cool and evening rain. Get the popcorn and a movie and settle in for the season, sez I.
On OvationHDTV:
Sophie's Choice (1982) Meryl Streep (Oscar), Kevin Kline, Peter MacNichol. The cameraman was in love with Meryl - she is lovely. Sad and slow film, about a young writer Stingo, from the south, who takes rooms in a house that also has a beautiful Polish woman, Sophie and her lover Nathan, living there. Gradually Stingo learns the truth about Sophie and Nathan and their problems. She is a survivor of the holocaust and he is getting more and more erratic and violent. Good acting but, not a film I will ever watch again. Too depressing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084707/combined
ION TV:
Along Came Polly (2004) Jennifer Anniston, Ben Stiller, Debra Messing, Philip Seymore Hoffman. Guy marry's beautiful girl. Girl has affair with scuba instructor on the honeymoon. Guy goes back home and mopes until friend takes him out to a party one night and there he runs across Polly who is waitressing. She is a free spirit and also they went to junior high school together. So he is smitten and she is tolerant. Attractive cast go through their paces and we are happy enough to tag along. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343135/combined
My Collection:
Butterfly On A Wheel/Shattered/The Butterfly (2007) Gerard Butler, Maria Bello, Pierce Brosnan. Butler as Neil Randall and Bello, his wife Abby, have a lovely little girl and a beautiful home. Neil is a successful business man. One morning the couple leaves their daughter with a baby sitter and head off for the day. In the SUV, discussing the days affairs, suddenly a guy with a gun takes over and everything gets crazy. A suspenseful film of jeopardy, jealousy and deception, with a surprise or two and a twist ending. The title of the film keeps changing for some reason. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489664/combined
Rental DVDs:
Elizabeth I (2005-6) Helen Mirren, Jeremy Irons, Hugh Dancy. A marvelous mini-series about the great queen from her middle years to her death. Costumes and cinematography are tops for a HBO series. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465326/combined
Twilight: New Moon (2009) Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattison, Billy Burke, Taylor Lautner. Not as good as the first, but still has gorgeous scenery. Bella and Edward and Jacob get lots of time to look good on camera, and the story doesn't get in the way too much. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/combined
The Men Who Stare At Goats (2010) George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey. I think this was supposed to be a black comedy, but it utterly fails at being funny. So what we are left with is - strange. I'm not sure what it was about, because I think my mind kept wandering. Total waste of a bunch of guys who CAN be totally funny with a good script. 5/10 for effort. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234548/combined
First day of autumn was cool and evening rain. Get the popcorn and a movie and settle in for the season, sez I.
September 22, 2010
A few more---
TCM: Film Preservation Presentations
The Red Shoes (1947) Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook. Absolutely gorgeous restoration of a favorite film. Color is clear and bright. A beloved film I watch often. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040725/combined
Secret Behind The Door (1948) Joan Bennett, Michael Redgrave, Anne Revere, Barbara O'Neil. Fritz Lang directs a slow plot about a woman visiting Mexico who meets a handsome stranger and marries him after just a few days. She was supposed to be deciding whether to marry heer long-time beau, but ends up going to her new husbands home. There she meets his sister, secretary and son. All strange characters. The set up is pretty good, but Redgrave is sleep-walking and the plot just never jells. Bennett is beautiful and this is her 3rd film with this director. Not their best, which I think was "Woman In The Window." 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040766/combined
The Prowler (1951) Evelyn Keyes, Van Heflin. Cop Webb Garwood (Heflin) and his partner answer a prowler call at an upscale house where they find scared Susan Gilvray. Her husband is a radio personality with an evening show so she is alone. Webb immediately starts making moves but the team leaves. Webb comes back later without his partner just to check up, he says. This time they discover the come from the same Indiana town and when she goes to get coffee, he looks through the desk papers. He discovers that the lady will be a wealthy woman if anything happens to her husband. From then on Heflin makes his character Webb, charming - but shifty. The events that follow keep you guessing whether he really has fallen for Susan or is 'playing' her to finally have his dream of a business of his own. And he ends up shooting her husband in a prowler mixup. Or is it? That the plot takes our couple a ghost town in the Mohave desert, a baby born, and a shootout, before the fade. Very good noir and keeps your interest throughout. The two lead actors as excellent and are aided by good character actors in support. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043938/combined
The Red Shoes (1947) Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook. Absolutely gorgeous restoration of a favorite film. Color is clear and bright. A beloved film I watch often. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040725/combined
Secret Behind The Door (1948) Joan Bennett, Michael Redgrave, Anne Revere, Barbara O'Neil. Fritz Lang directs a slow plot about a woman visiting Mexico who meets a handsome stranger and marries him after just a few days. She was supposed to be deciding whether to marry heer long-time beau, but ends up going to her new husbands home. There she meets his sister, secretary and son. All strange characters. The set up is pretty good, but Redgrave is sleep-walking and the plot just never jells. Bennett is beautiful and this is her 3rd film with this director. Not their best, which I think was "Woman In The Window." 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040766/combined
The Prowler (1951) Evelyn Keyes, Van Heflin. Cop Webb Garwood (Heflin) and his partner answer a prowler call at an upscale house where they find scared Susan Gilvray. Her husband is a radio personality with an evening show so she is alone. Webb immediately starts making moves but the team leaves. Webb comes back later without his partner just to check up, he says. This time they discover the come from the same Indiana town and when she goes to get coffee, he looks through the desk papers. He discovers that the lady will be a wealthy woman if anything happens to her husband. From then on Heflin makes his character Webb, charming - but shifty. The events that follow keep you guessing whether he really has fallen for Susan or is 'playing' her to finally have his dream of a business of his own. And he ends up shooting her husband in a prowler mixup. Or is it? That the plot takes our couple a ghost town in the Mohave desert, a baby born, and a shootout, before the fade. Very good noir and keeps your interest throughout. The two lead actors as excellent and are aided by good character actors in support. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043938/combined
September 19, 2010
Claudette Colbert day on TCM---
---I watched these films on her day:
Claudette Colbert Day on TCM
It's A Wonderful World (1939) Colbert, Jimmy Stewart. A great year for movies - but this isn't one of them. Part road film, part screwball, and all falls flat, IMHO. Too bad. MGM featured many of it's best character actors in the supporting roles. But it just didn't gel. A detective is hired to find out who is framing his client for murder. He ends up in prison and the client on the way to the death house. He escapes. While investigating, he happens on loopy poetess, Edwina, and it gets more complicated and is still not funny and barely interesting. At least to me. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031500/combined
Midnight (1939) Claudette, Don Ameche, Mary Astor, John Barrymore. Here is a screwball comedy that is just 'wonderful.' Broke Showgirl Eve meets Parisian cab driver Tibor Tzerny, and he is immediately smitten and she is too. But she wants more and says they are not right for each other so she runs away. She has to hide among the guests going into a wealthy woman's musical party. There she is noticed by Georges Flammarion who is trying to get gigolo Pico away from his wife, Helene. Introducing herself as Baroness Czerny, Georges realizes she is an impostor but enlists her to get Pico away from his wife. The weekend at the country house is where she is to work on him. Of course, Tibor shows up also and there are many funny scenes as the two 'Czerny's' one-up one another with lies and crazy antics. This is my favorites Barrymore performance, and the rest of the cast is terrific. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031647/combined
Boom Town (1940) Claudette, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr. Great MGM film about the early oil boom in this country with Gable and Tracy wildcatters who sometimes are partners and sometimes are rivals. Claudette is the girl Tracy loves from back home, and Gable wins the first night she sets foot off the train in the boom town. The boys had just had their first well come in and he was to file the papers for their company. Bitter Tracy heads to South America to the new oil country and soon enough, our couple lands at his company. They have lost their money and are living hand to mouth. Back and forth go the fortunes of the 3 until they all end up in New York and Tracy has to get the big guy out of the clutches of femme fatale' Hedy Lamarr. Which he does and they all go back to where it all began and start over. Frank Morgan as the guy who has the drilling equipment the guys are always swindling him out of, is fun. All in all, a rousing good time at the movies. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032273/combined
The Palm Beach Story (1942) Claudette, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallee. One of Preston Sturges best comedies. Broke couple (Gerry & Tom) split because wife wants more. 'Wienie' King looking at the apartment they are behind in the rent on, gives her money to pay off all their debts and when hubby objects, she runs away on a train to Palm Beach, FL. She has no money left, so hooks up with the Quail & Ale hunting club on the train, who have their own car. They all get drunk and start shooting off their guns, so she runs through the sleeper car and tries to jump up in an empty upper birth to hide. She steps on the face of rich John D. Hackensacker III (Vallee) and breaks his glasses. That's the beginning and funniest half hour to ever start a film. IMO. Astor as Princess Centimillia, Johns sister, is rollicking good fun as a man hunting gal who thinks she has found her next husband in Tom, who has been introduced as Gerry's brother. Don't add or subtract - or try to make sense - just enjoy! 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035169/combined
Secret Heart (1946) Colbert, June Allyson, Walter Pigeon. Pure soap, but very well done. Colbert is brave, Allyson nuts and bratty, Pigeon stalwart and steady. Usual story of first husband commits suicide and causes extreme problems, but in a nice rich family so no one suffers too much. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038916/combined
Secret Fury (1950) Colbert, Robert Ryan. At Ellen's wedding to David a man appears and claims she is already married. As they investigate, everyone says she was married to another man who she claims she has never heard of or ever seen. Neat little tale of a woman being driven mad for unknown reasons. Her fiance David is true and keeps digging, trying to find out what is going on. Ryan has the best scenes - or perhaps just makes them better by doing them well. Vivian Vance of Lucy fame, has a few choice scenes, one with Ryan and they are both fine. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042935/combined
Have newer films I have watched to do next. Hope to catch up this weekend.
Claudette Colbert Day on TCM
It's A Wonderful World (1939) Colbert, Jimmy Stewart. A great year for movies - but this isn't one of them. Part road film, part screwball, and all falls flat, IMHO. Too bad. MGM featured many of it's best character actors in the supporting roles. But it just didn't gel. A detective is hired to find out who is framing his client for murder. He ends up in prison and the client on the way to the death house. He escapes. While investigating, he happens on loopy poetess, Edwina, and it gets more complicated and is still not funny and barely interesting. At least to me. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031500/combined
Midnight (1939) Claudette, Don Ameche, Mary Astor, John Barrymore. Here is a screwball comedy that is just 'wonderful.' Broke Showgirl Eve meets Parisian cab driver Tibor Tzerny, and he is immediately smitten and she is too. But she wants more and says they are not right for each other so she runs away. She has to hide among the guests going into a wealthy woman's musical party. There she is noticed by Georges Flammarion who is trying to get gigolo Pico away from his wife, Helene. Introducing herself as Baroness Czerny, Georges realizes she is an impostor but enlists her to get Pico away from his wife. The weekend at the country house is where she is to work on him. Of course, Tibor shows up also and there are many funny scenes as the two 'Czerny's' one-up one another with lies and crazy antics. This is my favorites Barrymore performance, and the rest of the cast is terrific. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031647/combined
Boom Town (1940) Claudette, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr. Great MGM film about the early oil boom in this country with Gable and Tracy wildcatters who sometimes are partners and sometimes are rivals. Claudette is the girl Tracy loves from back home, and Gable wins the first night she sets foot off the train in the boom town. The boys had just had their first well come in and he was to file the papers for their company. Bitter Tracy heads to South America to the new oil country and soon enough, our couple lands at his company. They have lost their money and are living hand to mouth. Back and forth go the fortunes of the 3 until they all end up in New York and Tracy has to get the big guy out of the clutches of femme fatale' Hedy Lamarr. Which he does and they all go back to where it all began and start over. Frank Morgan as the guy who has the drilling equipment the guys are always swindling him out of, is fun. All in all, a rousing good time at the movies. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032273/combined
The Palm Beach Story (1942) Claudette, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallee. One of Preston Sturges best comedies. Broke couple (Gerry & Tom) split because wife wants more. 'Wienie' King looking at the apartment they are behind in the rent on, gives her money to pay off all their debts and when hubby objects, she runs away on a train to Palm Beach, FL. She has no money left, so hooks up with the Quail & Ale hunting club on the train, who have their own car. They all get drunk and start shooting off their guns, so she runs through the sleeper car and tries to jump up in an empty upper birth to hide. She steps on the face of rich John D. Hackensacker III (Vallee) and breaks his glasses. That's the beginning and funniest half hour to ever start a film. IMO. Astor as Princess Centimillia, Johns sister, is rollicking good fun as a man hunting gal who thinks she has found her next husband in Tom, who has been introduced as Gerry's brother. Don't add or subtract - or try to make sense - just enjoy! 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035169/combined
Secret Heart (1946) Colbert, June Allyson, Walter Pigeon. Pure soap, but very well done. Colbert is brave, Allyson nuts and bratty, Pigeon stalwart and steady. Usual story of first husband commits suicide and causes extreme problems, but in a nice rich family so no one suffers too much. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038916/combined
Secret Fury (1950) Colbert, Robert Ryan. At Ellen's wedding to David a man appears and claims she is already married. As they investigate, everyone says she was married to another man who she claims she has never heard of or ever seen. Neat little tale of a woman being driven mad for unknown reasons. Her fiance David is true and keeps digging, trying to find out what is going on. Ryan has the best scenes - or perhaps just makes them better by doing them well. Vivian Vance of Lucy fame, has a few choice scenes, one with Ryan and they are both fine. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042935/combined
Have newer films I have watched to do next. Hope to catch up this weekend.
September 18, 2010
The gals reign ---
---recently I have watched:
All on TCM:
Words & Music (1948) Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake, Janet Leigh. Highly fictionalized story of Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart's collaboration on musicals. Rooney is Hart, and Drake is Rogers. Leigh is the girl Rogers marries. The rest of the story is mainly about songs they wrote for shows, and are performed by various stars. Not well done and a bore, really, of the "and then they wrote" variety. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040976/
The Moon Is Blue (1953) Maggie McNamara, William Holden, David Niven. Controversial when it came out because of the word "virgin" being uttered. Condemned by the Legion Of Decency and other religious groups, it is just a cute romantic comedy about two men, who get involved with a kinda wacky girl. Sweet. actually. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046094/combined
Flamingo Road (1949) Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott, Sidney Greenstreet. Joan being tough and bad as a carnival dancer, Lane Bellamy, who is stranded in a small town when the show goes broke. She gets involved with the deputy sheriff, Fielding Carlisle, who is the protegee of the counties mover and shaker, Sheriff Titus Semple, who wants to back him for Governor. But he takes a fancy to Lane and Titus gets Lane fired for the waitress job Fielding has got her. Lane finds out there is one person who isn't afraid of Titus, Road House owner Lute Mae Sanders, and gets a job with her. There she meets state powerhouse Dan Reynolds, (David Brian in his first leading role) and eventually marries him. Now she has her house on Flamingo Road and thinks no one can harm her, but Titus isn't through yet. Greenstreet is superb as the mean corrupt sheriff. Rest of the cast are adequate to very good. Very enjoyable. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041373/combined
Caged (1950) Eleanor Parker, Hope Daniels. Agnes Moorhead. Parker is sweet innocent Marie Allen, who gets involved with a robbery her husband tries to pull off. Sentenced to prison, she goes through hell at the hand of sadistic matron Evelyn Harper (the 6'2" Hope Emerson); and by the time she is released, is as hardened and corrupted as the other prisoners. She has been recruited by vice queen Elvira Powell (Lee Patrick) and leaves in a car with men who will put her to work boosting, among other crimes. Warden Benton (Moorhead) tells her assistant to keep the file handy, because "she'll be back." In 1950 there were great female performances from Judy Holiday, Bette Davis, and Gloria Swanson, but Parker's performance here is right up there with them. And Emerson superb, as always. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042296/combined
Have more films I have watched to catch up on. Hopefully I'll get them all done this weekend.
All on TCM:
Words & Music (1948) Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake, Janet Leigh. Highly fictionalized story of Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart's collaboration on musicals. Rooney is Hart, and Drake is Rogers. Leigh is the girl Rogers marries. The rest of the story is mainly about songs they wrote for shows, and are performed by various stars. Not well done and a bore, really, of the "and then they wrote" variety. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040976/
The Moon Is Blue (1953) Maggie McNamara, William Holden, David Niven. Controversial when it came out because of the word "virgin" being uttered. Condemned by the Legion Of Decency and other religious groups, it is just a cute romantic comedy about two men, who get involved with a kinda wacky girl. Sweet. actually. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046094/combined
Flamingo Road (1949) Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott, Sidney Greenstreet. Joan being tough and bad as a carnival dancer, Lane Bellamy, who is stranded in a small town when the show goes broke. She gets involved with the deputy sheriff, Fielding Carlisle, who is the protegee of the counties mover and shaker, Sheriff Titus Semple, who wants to back him for Governor. But he takes a fancy to Lane and Titus gets Lane fired for the waitress job Fielding has got her. Lane finds out there is one person who isn't afraid of Titus, Road House owner Lute Mae Sanders, and gets a job with her. There she meets state powerhouse Dan Reynolds, (David Brian in his first leading role) and eventually marries him. Now she has her house on Flamingo Road and thinks no one can harm her, but Titus isn't through yet. Greenstreet is superb as the mean corrupt sheriff. Rest of the cast are adequate to very good. Very enjoyable. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041373/combined
Caged (1950) Eleanor Parker, Hope Daniels. Agnes Moorhead. Parker is sweet innocent Marie Allen, who gets involved with a robbery her husband tries to pull off. Sentenced to prison, she goes through hell at the hand of sadistic matron Evelyn Harper (the 6'2" Hope Emerson); and by the time she is released, is as hardened and corrupted as the other prisoners. She has been recruited by vice queen Elvira Powell (Lee Patrick) and leaves in a car with men who will put her to work boosting, among other crimes. Warden Benton (Moorhead) tells her assistant to keep the file handy, because "she'll be back." In 1950 there were great female performances from Judy Holiday, Bette Davis, and Gloria Swanson, but Parker's performance here is right up there with them. And Emerson superb, as always. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042296/combined
Have more films I have watched to catch up on. Hopefully I'll get them all done this weekend.
September 01, 2010
Spys, murderers, cowboys, rom/coms--
For the last week of August I watched these films on TCM:
Princess O'Rourke (1942) Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummins, Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Charles Coburn. A rom/com from the early war years. An air line pilot gets involved with a passenger who is scared of flying and keeps asking each crew member for another sleeping pill. She is so zonked out by the time they land, they can't get her awake. Our hero takes her home and she ends up in his P.J.'s. She, or course is the Princess and the road to getting our couple married in war-time Washington,D.C. is the story. Olivia is bored and it shows. She took a suspension but finally got meatier roles and two Oscars. Jack Carson is always good and steals scenes with regularity. Cummins, Coburn and Wyman are workmanlike. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036277/
Laura (1944) Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson. Great noir mystery. A murder in a wealthy womans apartment has police Lt. Mark McPherson investigating and becoming increasingly enamored of the ladies portrait. A body, with the face blown away, was found in the foyer of the apartment in Laura's dressing gown. Her great friend, Waldo Lydecker, has identified the remains. As McPherson gets into the life of the victim, he finds almost all her friends and her cousin have a motive. One of the all time great noirs, with the great theme adding to the romance. Half way through, we have the big surprise and it is one of the great twists in films. Almost every part is done by a great actor. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037008/
Hondo (1953) John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate. Indians and a widow on an isolated ranch with a little boy. Big John as Hondo comes along needing a horse to get back to the report on the Indian activity. I found this western, which I had never seen, to be rather boring. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045883/
Rio Bravo (1959) John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickenson, Walter Brennan, Ricky Nelson. One of the all time great westerns. Sheriff John T., arrests the drunk who killed a townsman. His brother, a rancher with a big gang of hired hands, vows to come get him before the Marshall gets to town to take the prisoner to the big town and courthouse, for trial. Sheriff has his few men who are helping; an old guy with a bum leg, Stumpy. He watches the prisoner with orders to kill him if the jail is breached. His friend, the town drunk, who sobers up and is put at town border to take all guns from anyone coming into town and alert the sheriff if the gang comes. A young drifter who doesn't want to get involved but does. And a woman who is a gambler and the sheriff has ordered to leave on the next stage. Great setup for the final gunfight. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053221/
Telefon (1977) Lee Remick, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, Tyne Daly. Major Grigori Borzov(Bronson), a KGB agent, is sent to the USA after a rogue secret agent, Dalchimsky(Pleasence). In an operation called Telefon, brainwashed and hypnotized agents were inserted into key industries and installations, to blow things up when they get a call and Robert Frosts poem with the lines "I have miles to go before I sleep" are said over the phone. It is detente and the KGB wants to stop him at all costs. Borzov has a photographic memory so knows all the names and info of the agents. He is helped by agent Barbara(Remick) who picks him up at the airport and off they go on a cat and mouse chase across the USA. Back at CIA headquarters is a computer nerd brainiac Daly, who seems to have a sixth sense about what is going on. This is a stylish spy story about a time in history when the threat of being incinerated had subsided enough to have some fun with spys. One of my guilty pleasures. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076804/
On FXHDtv:
Maid In Manhattan (2002) Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Stanley Tucci, Bob Hoskins. An enjoyable, for me, tale of a hotel maid who gets talked into trying on a wealthy womans clothes while cleaning the suite, and gets into a mixup with the guy running for senator(Fiennes). Ups and downs and a cute little boy who brings them together for the fade at the end. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/
Made Of Honor (2008) Michelle Monaghan, Patrick Dempsey. Best friends go everywhere together, can finish each others sentences, but don't date and are not romantically involved. Because he is a 'player' who beds all his dates or tries. When she goes to Scotland on holiday and meets the man of her dreams and gets engaged, surprise! he suddently decides she is his dream girl and HE wants to marry her. Give me a break. No woman would leave a tall blonde hunk, who also has 3 castles!, to go off with Mr. Can't Make Up His Mind! Absolutly lame! And Dempsey, with his squeaky voice, is an awful leading man. Monaghan is as tall as he is and their kissing scenes are a mess. No way, no how, Points for beautiful Scottish scenery. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0866439/
I have already picked out the TCM films I want to catch in Sept. And am picking some of my collection that I haven't seen in a long time to so I can decide to keep them or not. Onward to the 22nd and Autumn/Fall.
Princess O'Rourke (1942) Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummins, Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Charles Coburn. A rom/com from the early war years. An air line pilot gets involved with a passenger who is scared of flying and keeps asking each crew member for another sleeping pill. She is so zonked out by the time they land, they can't get her awake. Our hero takes her home and she ends up in his P.J.'s. She, or course is the Princess and the road to getting our couple married in war-time Washington,D.C. is the story. Olivia is bored and it shows. She took a suspension but finally got meatier roles and two Oscars. Jack Carson is always good and steals scenes with regularity. Cummins, Coburn and Wyman are workmanlike. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036277/
Laura (1944) Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson. Great noir mystery. A murder in a wealthy womans apartment has police Lt. Mark McPherson investigating and becoming increasingly enamored of the ladies portrait. A body, with the face blown away, was found in the foyer of the apartment in Laura's dressing gown. Her great friend, Waldo Lydecker, has identified the remains. As McPherson gets into the life of the victim, he finds almost all her friends and her cousin have a motive. One of the all time great noirs, with the great theme adding to the romance. Half way through, we have the big surprise and it is one of the great twists in films. Almost every part is done by a great actor. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037008/
Hondo (1953) John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate. Indians and a widow on an isolated ranch with a little boy. Big John as Hondo comes along needing a horse to get back to the report on the Indian activity. I found this western, which I had never seen, to be rather boring. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045883/
Rio Bravo (1959) John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickenson, Walter Brennan, Ricky Nelson. One of the all time great westerns. Sheriff John T., arrests the drunk who killed a townsman. His brother, a rancher with a big gang of hired hands, vows to come get him before the Marshall gets to town to take the prisoner to the big town and courthouse, for trial. Sheriff has his few men who are helping; an old guy with a bum leg, Stumpy. He watches the prisoner with orders to kill him if the jail is breached. His friend, the town drunk, who sobers up and is put at town border to take all guns from anyone coming into town and alert the sheriff if the gang comes. A young drifter who doesn't want to get involved but does. And a woman who is a gambler and the sheriff has ordered to leave on the next stage. Great setup for the final gunfight. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053221/
Telefon (1977) Lee Remick, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, Tyne Daly. Major Grigori Borzov(Bronson), a KGB agent, is sent to the USA after a rogue secret agent, Dalchimsky(Pleasence). In an operation called Telefon, brainwashed and hypnotized agents were inserted into key industries and installations, to blow things up when they get a call and Robert Frosts poem with the lines "I have miles to go before I sleep" are said over the phone. It is detente and the KGB wants to stop him at all costs. Borzov has a photographic memory so knows all the names and info of the agents. He is helped by agent Barbara(Remick) who picks him up at the airport and off they go on a cat and mouse chase across the USA. Back at CIA headquarters is a computer nerd brainiac Daly, who seems to have a sixth sense about what is going on. This is a stylish spy story about a time in history when the threat of being incinerated had subsided enough to have some fun with spys. One of my guilty pleasures. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076804/
On FXHDtv:
Maid In Manhattan (2002) Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Stanley Tucci, Bob Hoskins. An enjoyable, for me, tale of a hotel maid who gets talked into trying on a wealthy womans clothes while cleaning the suite, and gets into a mixup with the guy running for senator(Fiennes). Ups and downs and a cute little boy who brings them together for the fade at the end. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/
Made Of Honor (2008) Michelle Monaghan, Patrick Dempsey. Best friends go everywhere together, can finish each others sentences, but don't date and are not romantically involved. Because he is a 'player' who beds all his dates or tries. When she goes to Scotland on holiday and meets the man of her dreams and gets engaged, surprise! he suddently decides she is his dream girl and HE wants to marry her. Give me a break. No woman would leave a tall blonde hunk, who also has 3 castles!, to go off with Mr. Can't Make Up His Mind! Absolutly lame! And Dempsey, with his squeaky voice, is an awful leading man. Monaghan is as tall as he is and their kissing scenes are a mess. No way, no how, Points for beautiful Scottish scenery. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0866439/
I have already picked out the TCM films I want to catch in Sept. And am picking some of my collection that I haven't seen in a long time to so I can decide to keep them or not. Onward to the 22nd and Autumn/Fall.
August 31, 2010
Jean Arthur, Greer Garson & Debbie---
Last week I watched the following:
DVD Rental:
Easy Living (1937) Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, Ray Milland, Mary Nash. The great Preston Sturges wrote the screenplay from a story by Vera Caspary. A Wall Street mogal, J.C. Ball(Arnold) gets angry at his extravagant wife, Jenny(Nash) for buying yet another fur coat - a sable for 20 thousand dollars. He tells her to take it back and she refuses. He grabs it and throws it out the window. It falls down to the double-decker bus onto the head of Mary Smith(Arthur) and breaks the feathers on her hat. She's mad and gets off the bus to find who is responsible, and thus starts one of the cleverest screwball comedies of the era. The very rich and those who feed off them, selling them things they don't need, are skewered. Milland is Ball, Jr. and falls for our gal, naturally. The scene in the elaborate bathtub when they are trying to figure out how it works is very funny. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028816/
2 from TCM:
Mrs. Parkington (1944) Greer Garson, Walter Pigeon, Agnes Moorhead, Edward Arnold. Greer as an old lady tells the story of her life starting out as a maid in a mining community, where she meets the owner of a mine. He falls for her and marries her and takes her to a storybook life of riches. This film is told in flashbacks and is episodic and I wasn't very interested. The two leads have been better in their other vehicles. IMO. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037096/
2 From My Video Collection:
Mother (1996) Debbie Reynolds, Albert Brooks, John C. McGinley. John and Carl are brothers who compete for the attention of their Mother. John is a writer in the midst of his second divorce and has just settled, losing all his furniture but one chair in the living room and the house. He has writers block and decides he needs to go back to his home and live with his Mother to try to discover why his relationships never work. A very droll and funny film, with many chuckles. Brooks and Reynolds are very good together. McGinley as the righteous brother who does everything right, is very good. I liked spending a couple of hours with these people. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117091/
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Haley Joel Osment, Frances O'Conner, Jude Law. Taped this off HBO way back when it was first playing after the theater release. Never watched it after the day I taped it and I really did not like it this time either. But back then it was considered an important film so ..? The whole story is just creepy and I can't stand the idea of throw away anything that have been programed to have human reactions. I think this is a video I can never watch again. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212720/
This takes me to the weekend when I watched lots more and will catch up soon.
DVD Rental:
Easy Living (1937) Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, Ray Milland, Mary Nash. The great Preston Sturges wrote the screenplay from a story by Vera Caspary. A Wall Street mogal, J.C. Ball(Arnold) gets angry at his extravagant wife, Jenny(Nash) for buying yet another fur coat - a sable for 20 thousand dollars. He tells her to take it back and she refuses. He grabs it and throws it out the window. It falls down to the double-decker bus onto the head of Mary Smith(Arthur) and breaks the feathers on her hat. She's mad and gets off the bus to find who is responsible, and thus starts one of the cleverest screwball comedies of the era. The very rich and those who feed off them, selling them things they don't need, are skewered. Milland is Ball, Jr. and falls for our gal, naturally. The scene in the elaborate bathtub when they are trying to figure out how it works is very funny. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028816/
2 from TCM:
Mrs. Parkington (1944) Greer Garson, Walter Pigeon, Agnes Moorhead, Edward Arnold. Greer as an old lady tells the story of her life starting out as a maid in a mining community, where she meets the owner of a mine. He falls for her and marries her and takes her to a storybook life of riches. This film is told in flashbacks and is episodic and I wasn't very interested. The two leads have been better in their other vehicles. IMO. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037096/
2 From My Video Collection:
Mother (1996) Debbie Reynolds, Albert Brooks, John C. McGinley. John and Carl are brothers who compete for the attention of their Mother. John is a writer in the midst of his second divorce and has just settled, losing all his furniture but one chair in the living room and the house. He has writers block and decides he needs to go back to his home and live with his Mother to try to discover why his relationships never work. A very droll and funny film, with many chuckles. Brooks and Reynolds are very good together. McGinley as the righteous brother who does everything right, is very good. I liked spending a couple of hours with these people. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117091/
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Haley Joel Osment, Frances O'Conner, Jude Law. Taped this off HBO way back when it was first playing after the theater release. Never watched it after the day I taped it and I really did not like it this time either. But back then it was considered an important film so ..? The whole story is just creepy and I can't stand the idea of throw away anything that have been programed to have human reactions. I think this is a video I can never watch again. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212720/
This takes me to the weekend when I watched lots more and will catch up soon.
August 21, 2010
Deanna Durbin, Ann Sheridan,
This week I watched:
My Collection:
First Love (1939) Deanna Durban, Robert Stack, Helen Parrish, Eugene Paulette. Retelling of the Cinderella story. The wicked step sister played with relish by Parrish makes our heroine miserable, but Deanna(Connie) is so good-hearted and chipper, we just know, with the mice's (butler, maids, cook and cop boyfriend) help, she will go to the ball and win the Prince/Ted's hand. Paulette as Dad, is wonderful. His final explosion and takedown of the lazy doofus of his son, played with bored stupidity by Lewis Howard, is a joy to watch. And Deanna singing Amapola (my pretty little poppy), an aria or two, Home, Sweet Home, and a lovely Strauss Waltz, makes this a must have for her fans and lovers of great singing. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031311/
TCM's Ann Sheridan Day:
City For Conquest (1940) Ann Sheridan, James Cagney, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp, George Tobias, Frank McHugh, Elia Kazan. Kids grow up among tenements and the mean streets and promise they will always be there for each other. Older brother Danny boxes to keep his brother Eddie having music lessons and off the streets. Girlfriend Peggy has dreams of having a career dancing. One night the couple are out and there is a contest. Murray Burns (Anthony Quinn) is the local star, and asks Peggy to partner with him. They win, and are offered a contract for a tour. Peggy see the bright lights and can't say no. She leaves without telling Danny. He decides to go for the big time and tells manager(Crisp) that he wants to get a title fight ASAP. Which results in Danny losing his sight. From there on the melodrama of how Peggy and Danny get back together, and Eddie having a successful concert, is gripping, even if it is pure corn. Annie, baby, sure can dance. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032342/
George Washington Slept Here (1942) Ann Sheridan, Jack Benny, Charles Coburn, Percy Kilbride. I was struck by how much I liked this film. I remember seeing it when I was just a kid and thinking it was stupid. Actually, it reminds me somewhat of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, and since it was quite a few years before that one, I wonder if they 'borrowed?' Anyway, New Yorkers are continually asked to move from apartments because of their dog. Finally, Connie Fuller gets hubby Bill, to agree to move to the country. To a ramshackled house - with no water. Scenes of big machinery digging a well. Neighbor informs them they have no access to the road because he owns the land. So they have to jounce over hill and dale through the woods. Finally move in and have scene where he finds out the commuter train leaves at 5:30 am instead of 7:30. So it goes. Amusing and loved Ann trying to work things out. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032342/
The Set Up (1949) Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias, Wallace Ford. I saw this on its' first run and left the theater knowing I had seen a great little film. Ryan was always on my radar ever after. Boxing films are not my favorites, and usually I have to squint to watch the more brutal parts. However, somehow they managed to make the most intense fighting not too unsettling. Perhaps because the director used the whole ring and long shots more that closeups? Don't know, but it was more palatable. The story of the wife and her angst waiting for the fight to be over, and her walk around the seedy arena area, intensified our anxiety. Great character actors in all the secondary roles. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041859/
Inglorious Basterds (2009) Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz (Oscar), Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger. O.M.G. is it wrong to be BORED by this film? What has happened to my cute Brad baby? Can ya tell? I hated this movie. The two women were the only redeeming factors for me. Tarantino is a juvenile fan-boy of violence and shows it lovingly on the screen, in close up and long takes. But his fan base loves it all too, so he will keep getting funds to make these piles of dung. The opening sequence at the farm house is suspenseful and starts things off well. We dread what we know will happen to the Jews hiding under the floor boards. But by the time the young woman is running across the field, and it just ends with the officer yelling at her, things have already started to go wrong. At least to me. So much of the rest is just disjointed and makes you want to scream - get on with it! - too many long meaningful looks, too many in jokes that I for one didn't get. 4/10 only for his good actors doing their best. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/
A couple of cooler days and last night a lot of rain. Days are getting shorter too. Lots of light hearted films to watch.
My Collection:
First Love (1939) Deanna Durban, Robert Stack, Helen Parrish, Eugene Paulette. Retelling of the Cinderella story. The wicked step sister played with relish by Parrish makes our heroine miserable, but Deanna(Connie) is so good-hearted and chipper, we just know, with the mice's (butler, maids, cook and cop boyfriend) help, she will go to the ball and win the Prince/Ted's hand. Paulette as Dad, is wonderful. His final explosion and takedown of the lazy doofus of his son, played with bored stupidity by Lewis Howard, is a joy to watch. And Deanna singing Amapola (my pretty little poppy), an aria or two, Home, Sweet Home, and a lovely Strauss Waltz, makes this a must have for her fans and lovers of great singing. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031311/
TCM's Ann Sheridan Day:
City For Conquest (1940) Ann Sheridan, James Cagney, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp, George Tobias, Frank McHugh, Elia Kazan. Kids grow up among tenements and the mean streets and promise they will always be there for each other. Older brother Danny boxes to keep his brother Eddie having music lessons and off the streets. Girlfriend Peggy has dreams of having a career dancing. One night the couple are out and there is a contest. Murray Burns (Anthony Quinn) is the local star, and asks Peggy to partner with him. They win, and are offered a contract for a tour. Peggy see the bright lights and can't say no. She leaves without telling Danny. He decides to go for the big time and tells manager(Crisp) that he wants to get a title fight ASAP. Which results in Danny losing his sight. From there on the melodrama of how Peggy and Danny get back together, and Eddie having a successful concert, is gripping, even if it is pure corn. Annie, baby, sure can dance. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032342/
George Washington Slept Here (1942) Ann Sheridan, Jack Benny, Charles Coburn, Percy Kilbride. I was struck by how much I liked this film. I remember seeing it when I was just a kid and thinking it was stupid. Actually, it reminds me somewhat of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, and since it was quite a few years before that one, I wonder if they 'borrowed?' Anyway, New Yorkers are continually asked to move from apartments because of their dog. Finally, Connie Fuller gets hubby Bill, to agree to move to the country. To a ramshackled house - with no water. Scenes of big machinery digging a well. Neighbor informs them they have no access to the road because he owns the land. So they have to jounce over hill and dale through the woods. Finally move in and have scene where he finds out the commuter train leaves at 5:30 am instead of 7:30. So it goes. Amusing and loved Ann trying to work things out. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032342/
The Set Up (1949) Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias, Wallace Ford. I saw this on its' first run and left the theater knowing I had seen a great little film. Ryan was always on my radar ever after. Boxing films are not my favorites, and usually I have to squint to watch the more brutal parts. However, somehow they managed to make the most intense fighting not too unsettling. Perhaps because the director used the whole ring and long shots more that closeups? Don't know, but it was more palatable. The story of the wife and her angst waiting for the fight to be over, and her walk around the seedy arena area, intensified our anxiety. Great character actors in all the secondary roles. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041859/
Inglorious Basterds (2009) Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz (Oscar), Melanie Laurent, Diane Kruger. O.M.G. is it wrong to be BORED by this film? What has happened to my cute Brad baby? Can ya tell? I hated this movie. The two women were the only redeeming factors for me. Tarantino is a juvenile fan-boy of violence and shows it lovingly on the screen, in close up and long takes. But his fan base loves it all too, so he will keep getting funds to make these piles of dung. The opening sequence at the farm house is suspenseful and starts things off well. We dread what we know will happen to the Jews hiding under the floor boards. But by the time the young woman is running across the field, and it just ends with the officer yelling at her, things have already started to go wrong. At least to me. So much of the rest is just disjointed and makes you want to scream - get on with it! - too many long meaningful looks, too many in jokes that I for one didn't get. 4/10 only for his good actors doing their best. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/
A couple of cooler days and last night a lot of rain. Days are getting shorter too. Lots of light hearted films to watch.
August 12, 2010
Errol Flynn, Pirates and the Merry Men----
---recently I have watched:
Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) Errol & Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains. Robin and the Merry Men of Sherwood Forrest fight evil King John. Rousing action, gorgeous Technicolor in the restored print. Never a dull moment and sheer fun. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029843/
Sea Hawk (1940) Errol & Basil Rathbone, Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains, Flora Robson. Pirates for England and the Queen, against the Spanish. Robson is a great Queen Elizabeth and Marshall a beautiful Dona Maria who hates/loves our pirate. Great fun, but the sword fights get just a tad tiresome. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033028/
Frenchmans Creek (1944) Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova, Basil Rathbone. Daphne du Maurier's romance novel gets a loving film, again made in gorgeous Technicolor. Pirates, the landed gentry in 18th century England with mansions, sailing ships and a romantic music score. A favorite for years and years. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036840/
Against All Odds (1984) Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Jane Greer, Richard Widmark. Remake of the great "Out of The Past (1947)" with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas. Jane Greer played the Rachel Ward part in the original. She was deadly. Original 10/10. Remake - 6/10 It had great scenery. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086859/
Blood Work (2002) Clint Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, Anjelica Houston. FBI profiler has a heart transplant and while recovering runs across clues to a serial killer. Sounds like a better story than it is. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309377/
Elegy (2008) Ben Kingsley, Penelope Cruz, Dennis Hopper, Patricia Clarkson. A college prof falls for and beds a beautiful student. He becomes more and more possessive and she leaves him. But the films goes on and on. His son hates him until he too becomes embroiled in affairs. Then they connect. LOL. After two years, his girl comes back and tells him she has breast cancer. Which gives them an excuse to have Cruz and her breasts on screen for about 10 minutes. Our prof manages to stick by her at the fade out after her surgery. Knowing his history of banal self indulgence, will he stick?/ Doubtful. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0974554/
Looking forward to TCM's Gene Tierney day later this coming week. Still trying to stay cool and collected.....LOL
Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) Errol & Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains. Robin and the Merry Men of Sherwood Forrest fight evil King John. Rousing action, gorgeous Technicolor in the restored print. Never a dull moment and sheer fun. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029843/
Sea Hawk (1940) Errol & Basil Rathbone, Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains, Flora Robson. Pirates for England and the Queen, against the Spanish. Robson is a great Queen Elizabeth and Marshall a beautiful Dona Maria who hates/loves our pirate. Great fun, but the sword fights get just a tad tiresome. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033028/
Frenchmans Creek (1944) Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova, Basil Rathbone. Daphne du Maurier's romance novel gets a loving film, again made in gorgeous Technicolor. Pirates, the landed gentry in 18th century England with mansions, sailing ships and a romantic music score. A favorite for years and years. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036840/
Against All Odds (1984) Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Jane Greer, Richard Widmark. Remake of the great "Out of The Past (1947)" with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas. Jane Greer played the Rachel Ward part in the original. She was deadly. Original 10/10. Remake - 6/10 It had great scenery. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086859/
Blood Work (2002) Clint Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, Anjelica Houston. FBI profiler has a heart transplant and while recovering runs across clues to a serial killer. Sounds like a better story than it is. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309377/
Elegy (2008) Ben Kingsley, Penelope Cruz, Dennis Hopper, Patricia Clarkson. A college prof falls for and beds a beautiful student. He becomes more and more possessive and she leaves him. But the films goes on and on. His son hates him until he too becomes embroiled in affairs. Then they connect. LOL. After two years, his girl comes back and tells him she has breast cancer. Which gives them an excuse to have Cruz and her breasts on screen for about 10 minutes. Our prof manages to stick by her at the fade out after her surgery. Knowing his history of banal self indulgence, will he stick?/ Doubtful. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0974554/
Looking forward to TCM's Gene Tierney day later this coming week. Still trying to stay cool and collected.....LOL
August 06, 2010
The wonderful Kay Francis in-----
Confession (1937) Kay Francis, Basil Rathbone, Ian Hunter. Kay as a fallen woman, being tried for the murder of the man (Rathbone) who caused her to lose her husband and baby daughter. One of Kays best performances in a remake of a German film. The trial and Kay telling her story about losing her daughter and killing the man who caused her downfall when she sees him with the girl, sways the Judge and jury and at the end she is sentenced to time served plus two years. Rathbone is suitably charming and despicable at once. Ian Hunter is fine in a small role as the warrior who comes home without an arm and discovers his wife has been unfairthful. One of Kays best roles. She wears her usual great wardrobe and her walk down the long prison hall, all shadows and dust in the air, is one of the great endings for a womans film. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028737/
July 31, 2010
Lost In Translation; a Hitchcock, etc---
---this week I watched:
Above Suspicion (1943) Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray. Spy story is okay, but I never feared that our young newlyweds wouldn't come out okay. Not as suspenseful as some spy stories during WWII. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035605/
Dangerous Beauty (1998) Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, Oliver Platt. Story of the cortesans of Venice in the 1500s. Sewell is too small for the lead. McCormack too much a modern looking woman and overwhelms Sewell. Naomi Watts in a small part looks like a woman of the time. Lots of beautiful sets and costumes - and nudity. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118892/
The Pledge (2001) Jack Nicholson, Patricia Clarkson, Aaron Eckhart, Robin Wright. Retiring Police Chief Jerry Black (Nicholson) pledges to a mother to find the killer of her young child. But although he is obsessed with the case, years pass and he has no leads. He buys a roadside service station and convenience store, and becomes the protecter of a woman, and her little girl, who is victimized by her violent husband. A case study in the losing of a mind and reality, through drink, age and fixation on impossible goals. Cast is first rate. The end wraps up the case, but in such an off-hand way, I had to replay it to get what was happening. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237572/
Lost In Translation (2003) Scarlet Johansson, Bill Murray, Giovanni Ribisi. A meandering and quiet film, focusing on two out-of-place lonely people who connect in a warm friendship. This is one of those films that you either love and understand immediately, or hate and disparage and some can't even get through one viewing. That is the way with films sometimes. For me, it was a a joy to watch and savor. As Bob (Murray) leaves in the car, we see Charlotte (Johansson) walking away. He has the driver stop and hurries back and catches her and whispers in her ear. Fans have gone to great lengths to find out what it is he says:
Whispered words> "Promise me, no matter how hopeless things get, keep on trying, okay? Keep coming chin-up, okay? "
Perfect. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets (2007) Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Ed Harris, Harvey Keitel. Second film in the adventures of Ben Gates and his father, Patrick. This time with Mom, Emily helping them along the way. Watched with half a brain on a hot, humid July day in the Heartland USA. Just the ticket - especially with all the water scenes. I wished I was there too. Splash ME! LOL. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465234/
Storms, heat and other sounds of summer....
Above Suspicion (1943) Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray. Spy story is okay, but I never feared that our young newlyweds wouldn't come out okay. Not as suspenseful as some spy stories during WWII. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035605/
Dangerous Beauty (1998) Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, Oliver Platt. Story of the cortesans of Venice in the 1500s. Sewell is too small for the lead. McCormack too much a modern looking woman and overwhelms Sewell. Naomi Watts in a small part looks like a woman of the time. Lots of beautiful sets and costumes - and nudity. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118892/
The Pledge (2001) Jack Nicholson, Patricia Clarkson, Aaron Eckhart, Robin Wright. Retiring Police Chief Jerry Black (Nicholson) pledges to a mother to find the killer of her young child. But although he is obsessed with the case, years pass and he has no leads. He buys a roadside service station and convenience store, and becomes the protecter of a woman, and her little girl, who is victimized by her violent husband. A case study in the losing of a mind and reality, through drink, age and fixation on impossible goals. Cast is first rate. The end wraps up the case, but in such an off-hand way, I had to replay it to get what was happening. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237572/
Lost In Translation (2003) Scarlet Johansson, Bill Murray, Giovanni Ribisi. A meandering and quiet film, focusing on two out-of-place lonely people who connect in a warm friendship. This is one of those films that you either love and understand immediately, or hate and disparage and some can't even get through one viewing. That is the way with films sometimes. For me, it was a a joy to watch and savor. As Bob (Murray) leaves in the car, we see Charlotte (Johansson) walking away. He has the driver stop and hurries back and catches her and whispers in her ear. Fans have gone to great lengths to find out what it is he says:
Whispered words> "Promise me, no matter how hopeless things get, keep on trying, okay? Keep coming chin-up, okay? "
Perfect. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets (2007) Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Ed Harris, Harvey Keitel. Second film in the adventures of Ben Gates and his father, Patrick. This time with Mom, Emily helping them along the way. Watched with half a brain on a hot, humid July day in the Heartland USA. Just the ticket - especially with all the water scenes. I wished I was there too. Splash ME! LOL. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465234/
Storms, heat and other sounds of summer....
July 20, 2010
Greer Garson, Natalie Wood, Dorothy Maguire---
---in films I watched recently:
All seen on TCM:
The Valley Of Decision (1945) Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Donald Crisp, Marsha Hunt, Dan Duryea, Preston Foster, Jessica Tandy. Great cast in a story about Pittsburg in late 1800s and two families caught up in the labor strife at the steel mills. One family owns a mill; the others men all work in the factory. The daughter of the Rafferty family(Mary) goes to the big house as a maid. The son Paul (Peck) of the Scott family also goes to work in the steel mills and the two gradually fall in love. Because old Mr Rafferty(Barrymore) hates the Scotts and blames them for his being crippled in a plant accident, there seems no way to bridge the hatred, so Mary goes off to England with the daughter of the house when she marries an English Lord when he visits the Scotts to see their mills. Mary is gone for two years, but old Mr. Scott sends for Mary and she comes home and plans are made for a wedding. Then the workers are having a face to face with management and strike breakers appear and start breaking heads. Old Mr. Rafferty is killed. Mr. Scott is badly hurt and also dies.. Mary says it is because of the curse her father put on her and Paul. She won't see him or marry him. Paul marries childhood friend, Louise Kane(Tandy) from across the road and they have a son. Another 5 or so years pass, and old Mrs. Scott calls on Mary in her dress shop and tells her she is leaving Mary her share of the steel mills because she knows Mary will hold out against the 3 who want to sell and give Paul a chance to hold the mill together. It is a great American story, about immigrants who came to America and made lives and history. Great cast. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038213/
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, George Macready. A "B" picture with good performances and the usual creepy old cliff side mansion, locked doors, and people who keep telling you you are married to someone you don't remember or know. Keeps your interest. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037932/
Gun Crazy (1950/ Original title "Deadly Is The Female") Peggy Cummins, John Dall. Two gun nuts find each other and start robbing, stores, banks, payrolls. Not a pretty story. But as a tale of youth, lust and violence it is pretty good. Cummins was darling even if she was a killer. Dall was as good as I've ever seen him. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042530/
Invitation (1952) Dorothy Maguire, Van Johnson, Louis Calhoun. This was a Matinee' Ladies film. Story of a woman who has had rheumatic fever as a child which left her heart damaged. Doctors give her a year to live. Her wealthy father wants it to be a happy year, and knows she wants a husband and her own home, so he propositions one of her friends, offering a job and lots of money if he marries her and she never knows. Of course, things don't go as planned. Good cast does its' best, which is very good. Ruth Roman as the bad gal almost steals the show. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044751/
Trapeze (1956) Burt Lancaster, Gina Lollobridgida, Tony Curtis. Great story of a trapeze artist(Curtis) who want to learn the triple somersault and comes to Paris to the only man(Lancaster) who ever did one, to learn how it is done. He has to talk Mike into being his catcher, but once he does they work day and night. Just about the time they are ready to show their act, Gina(Lola) starts worming her way into the act and getting the two men fighting. Great shots of trapeze work, Gina is worth the price of admission, and the guys are not bad either. I love it. And the circus music! 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049875/
The Journey (1959) Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Jason Robards Jr., Robert Morley, Anne Jackson, E.G. Marshall. One of my favorite Brynner films. He is Russian Major Surov and when a busload of people who had been at the airport in Budapest trying to leave the country during the uprising, are rerouted to Vienna and have to pass through the border town where he is stationed, he is in charge of seeing that there are no Hungarians in the group trying to get over the border. In checking all of the passports, he takes special interest Lady Diana Ashmore, who speaks for the ill passenger, Paul Kedes, who she has been helping. Over several days, the cat and mouse game continues, until it becomes dangerous and decisions have to be made. The two stars are very good and the sexual tension between them is extreme. A fast paced and interesting story and right out of the headlines at the time it was made and released to theaters. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052950/
Inside Daisy Clover (1965) Natalie Wood, Christopher Plummer, Robert Redford, Ruth Gordon, Roddy McDowell. Story of teen-ager in the 1930's who lives on a California boardwalk in Santa Monica, with her bipolar mother, and makes a record and sends it in to a studio contest. Soon a car and Raymond Swan, head of his Hollywood studio is there taking Daisy away to make her his new little star - America's Valentine. A cynical and devastating look at the studio system when you signed up you more or less belonged to them. I have watched this film a number of times and is it wrong to turn the sound off on those two musical numbers they have our Daisy do? I just can't take it anymore. But I do enjoy the look of old Hollywood and the star system. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059314/
Finally caught up with my viewing of the last two weeks. Onward.....
All seen on TCM:
The Valley Of Decision (1945) Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Donald Crisp, Marsha Hunt, Dan Duryea, Preston Foster, Jessica Tandy. Great cast in a story about Pittsburg in late 1800s and two families caught up in the labor strife at the steel mills. One family owns a mill; the others men all work in the factory. The daughter of the Rafferty family(Mary) goes to the big house as a maid. The son Paul (Peck) of the Scott family also goes to work in the steel mills and the two gradually fall in love. Because old Mr Rafferty(Barrymore) hates the Scotts and blames them for his being crippled in a plant accident, there seems no way to bridge the hatred, so Mary goes off to England with the daughter of the house when she marries an English Lord when he visits the Scotts to see their mills. Mary is gone for two years, but old Mr. Scott sends for Mary and she comes home and plans are made for a wedding. Then the workers are having a face to face with management and strike breakers appear and start breaking heads. Old Mr. Rafferty is killed. Mr. Scott is badly hurt and also dies.. Mary says it is because of the curse her father put on her and Paul. She won't see him or marry him. Paul marries childhood friend, Louise Kane(Tandy) from across the road and they have a son. Another 5 or so years pass, and old Mrs. Scott calls on Mary in her dress shop and tells her she is leaving Mary her share of the steel mills because she knows Mary will hold out against the 3 who want to sell and give Paul a chance to hold the mill together. It is a great American story, about immigrants who came to America and made lives and history. Great cast. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038213/
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, George Macready. A "B" picture with good performances and the usual creepy old cliff side mansion, locked doors, and people who keep telling you you are married to someone you don't remember or know. Keeps your interest. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037932/
Gun Crazy (1950/ Original title "Deadly Is The Female") Peggy Cummins, John Dall. Two gun nuts find each other and start robbing, stores, banks, payrolls. Not a pretty story. But as a tale of youth, lust and violence it is pretty good. Cummins was darling even if she was a killer. Dall was as good as I've ever seen him. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042530/
Invitation (1952) Dorothy Maguire, Van Johnson, Louis Calhoun. This was a Matinee' Ladies film. Story of a woman who has had rheumatic fever as a child which left her heart damaged. Doctors give her a year to live. Her wealthy father wants it to be a happy year, and knows she wants a husband and her own home, so he propositions one of her friends, offering a job and lots of money if he marries her and she never knows. Of course, things don't go as planned. Good cast does its' best, which is very good. Ruth Roman as the bad gal almost steals the show. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044751/
Trapeze (1956) Burt Lancaster, Gina Lollobridgida, Tony Curtis. Great story of a trapeze artist(Curtis) who want to learn the triple somersault and comes to Paris to the only man(Lancaster) who ever did one, to learn how it is done. He has to talk Mike into being his catcher, but once he does they work day and night. Just about the time they are ready to show their act, Gina(Lola) starts worming her way into the act and getting the two men fighting. Great shots of trapeze work, Gina is worth the price of admission, and the guys are not bad either. I love it. And the circus music! 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049875/
The Journey (1959) Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Jason Robards Jr., Robert Morley, Anne Jackson, E.G. Marshall. One of my favorite Brynner films. He is Russian Major Surov and when a busload of people who had been at the airport in Budapest trying to leave the country during the uprising, are rerouted to Vienna and have to pass through the border town where he is stationed, he is in charge of seeing that there are no Hungarians in the group trying to get over the border. In checking all of the passports, he takes special interest Lady Diana Ashmore, who speaks for the ill passenger, Paul Kedes, who she has been helping. Over several days, the cat and mouse game continues, until it becomes dangerous and decisions have to be made. The two stars are very good and the sexual tension between them is extreme. A fast paced and interesting story and right out of the headlines at the time it was made and released to theaters. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052950/
Inside Daisy Clover (1965) Natalie Wood, Christopher Plummer, Robert Redford, Ruth Gordon, Roddy McDowell. Story of teen-ager in the 1930's who lives on a California boardwalk in Santa Monica, with her bipolar mother, and makes a record and sends it in to a studio contest. Soon a car and Raymond Swan, head of his Hollywood studio is there taking Daisy away to make her his new little star - America's Valentine. A cynical and devastating look at the studio system when you signed up you more or less belonged to them. I have watched this film a number of times and is it wrong to turn the sound off on those two musical numbers they have our Daisy do? I just can't take it anymore. But I do enjoy the look of old Hollywood and the star system. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059314/
Finally caught up with my viewing of the last two weeks. Onward.....
Dunne, Grant, Scott and Lorraine Day-----
---in films from my high school days:
My Favorite Wife (1940) Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Randolph Scott. Wife(Dunne), missing 7 years, shipwrecked with a handsome scientist(Scott) who was collecting specimens with, returns to hubby(Grant) and her 2 children, who were babes when she left, only to find he has that very day married another woman{Gail Patrick}. The mix ups and befuddlement of Grant as the hubby, is half the fun. Funniest scenes are in the courtroom of Judge Bryson (Granville Bates), who is the crotchety and funny man who has to declare one wife alive, and the other annulled, all the while sneering at "the Harvard man; I'm a Yale man myself." My only quibble is the last 5 minutes when it gets all cutesy with the Santa outfit, the squeaking bed, and Grant trying to get Dunne to let him get in her bed. I have to quit watching after suffering through it many times. That's what that darn code did to lots of films - made the last 5 minutes unwatchable. Dang. Otherwise, 8/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029284/
The Locket (1946) Loraine Day, Brian Ahearn, Robert Mitchum, Gene Raymond. At a wedding a man shows up and tells the groom he is marrying a sociopathic liar. Of course, he is not believed, especially when the bride confronts him and says she never did what he is accusing her of. And so begins a very intricate tale of deception and death. Day, with her innocent air, and lovely speaking voice, carries off the role to perfection. Naturally, in this type of 40s film, it is all about what happened when she was a child. One by one, her reinventing herself and each time, a new man wants to rescue her. The cast is very good and this was a favorite of my high school days. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038700/
My Favorite Wife (1940) Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Randolph Scott. Wife(Dunne), missing 7 years, shipwrecked with a handsome scientist(Scott) who was collecting specimens with, returns to hubby(Grant) and her 2 children, who were babes when she left, only to find he has that very day married another woman{Gail Patrick}. The mix ups and befuddlement of Grant as the hubby, is half the fun. Funniest scenes are in the courtroom of Judge Bryson (Granville Bates), who is the crotchety and funny man who has to declare one wife alive, and the other annulled, all the while sneering at "the Harvard man; I'm a Yale man myself." My only quibble is the last 5 minutes when it gets all cutesy with the Santa outfit, the squeaking bed, and Grant trying to get Dunne to let him get in her bed. I have to quit watching after suffering through it many times. That's what that darn code did to lots of films - made the last 5 minutes unwatchable. Dang. Otherwise, 8/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029284/
The Locket (1946) Loraine Day, Brian Ahearn, Robert Mitchum, Gene Raymond. At a wedding a man shows up and tells the groom he is marrying a sociopathic liar. Of course, he is not believed, especially when the bride confronts him and says she never did what he is accusing her of. And so begins a very intricate tale of deception and death. Day, with her innocent air, and lovely speaking voice, carries off the role to perfection. Naturally, in this type of 40s film, it is all about what happened when she was a child. One by one, her reinventing herself and each time, a new man wants to rescue her. The cast is very good and this was a favorite of my high school days. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038700/
July 19, 2010
War, corporate espionage & Sherlock----
The Informant (2009) Matt Damon, Melanie Lynskey, Scott Bakula. Corporate corruption. Based on a real case and the FBI getting fooled as badly as other victims of this charlatan. The lies and manipulation becomes so involved no one can keep track of who is doing what. Damon is very good. The issue of ADD and or bi-polar disorder is very well portrayed by Damon, and the frustration of his wife and all the other people he has contact with at AMD is amusing and sad. He was a maddening character to all. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1130080/
Sherlock Holmes (2009) Rental DVD. Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong. Robert Downey Jr. is always Robert Downey, Jr. with a bit of a smirk and wink but I always find him worth watching. Jude Law was good too.
Watched the whole thing on my 2nd attempt. It put me to sleep after 30 minutes the first time. Maybe because I had just had dinner.? What can I say --- I'm old!
My complaint is the way film makers make Edwardian and/or Victorian England seem sooooo dirty and disgusting. Every scene in this version there is Sherlock in disarray and dirt. I haven't picked up a Sherlock book since school days, but I don't remember anything about how dirty and unkempt everyone and thing was. I may be wrong but that is my complaint. Strongs villain is interesting.
As an action film it is passably enjoyable. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988045/
Green Zone (2010) Matt Damon. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the desperate search by squads for the WMDs that were the reason for our going to war. Damons(Millers) squad is seen in the first 10 minutes frantically and dangerously looking in alleys, buildings, warehouses and discovering no WMD's. Men are killed and wounded and Miller is more and more frustrated. He hooks up with a CIA operative looking for the truth and finds corruption in both governments. The early scenes are chaotic, just like I would imagine real combat is, and the whole film is fast paced. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947810/
Have more films to go-----
Sherlock Holmes (2009) Rental DVD. Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong. Robert Downey Jr. is always Robert Downey, Jr. with a bit of a smirk and wink but I always find him worth watching. Jude Law was good too.
Watched the whole thing on my 2nd attempt. It put me to sleep after 30 minutes the first time. Maybe because I had just had dinner.? What can I say --- I'm old!
My complaint is the way film makers make Edwardian and/or Victorian England seem sooooo dirty and disgusting. Every scene in this version there is Sherlock in disarray and dirt. I haven't picked up a Sherlock book since school days, but I don't remember anything about how dirty and unkempt everyone and thing was. I may be wrong but that is my complaint. Strongs villain is interesting.
As an action film it is passably enjoyable. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988045/
Green Zone (2010) Matt Damon. The invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the desperate search by squads for the WMDs that were the reason for our going to war. Damons(Millers) squad is seen in the first 10 minutes frantically and dangerously looking in alleys, buildings, warehouses and discovering no WMD's. Men are killed and wounded and Miller is more and more frustrated. He hooks up with a CIA operative looking for the truth and finds corruption in both governments. The early scenes are chaotic, just like I would imagine real combat is, and the whole film is fast paced. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947810/
Have more films to go-----
Two to start----
---catching up with posting the films I have seen that last 2 weeks:
Love Affair (1939) Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer. Director McCareys first version of this story. The charm of Boyer and the wonderful playful manner of Dunne are perfect for these two sophisticated souls who meet on shipboard and fall in love. The light touch is needed and both stars are just perfect. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. technicolor, and that dang song, make An Affair To Remember the Christmas staple, but this is the one I always pull out and watch. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031593/
The Turning Point (1977) Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Leslie Browne, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tom Skerritt. Ballet story told from the viewpoint of two aging ballerinas, one who married and one who had the great career. Now 20 years later they somewhat envy each other and harbor some resentment. Which leads to a knockdown drag out of a fight between Dede(MacLaine) and Emma(Bancroft). But it is the music and dance that star here. Great excerpts of ballets throughout. The final segment of the finale of Don Quixote is just wonderful - perfect. And Browne dancing over the credits at the end brings tears it it so beautiful. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076843/
To be con't.....
Love Affair (1939) Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer. Director McCareys first version of this story. The charm of Boyer and the wonderful playful manner of Dunne are perfect for these two sophisticated souls who meet on shipboard and fall in love. The light touch is needed and both stars are just perfect. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. technicolor, and that dang song, make An Affair To Remember the Christmas staple, but this is the one I always pull out and watch. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031593/
The Turning Point (1977) Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft, Leslie Browne, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tom Skerritt. Ballet story told from the viewpoint of two aging ballerinas, one who married and one who had the great career. Now 20 years later they somewhat envy each other and harbor some resentment. Which leads to a knockdown drag out of a fight between Dede(MacLaine) and Emma(Bancroft). But it is the music and dance that star here. Great excerpts of ballets throughout. The final segment of the finale of Don Quixote is just wonderful - perfect. And Browne dancing over the credits at the end brings tears it it so beautiful. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076843/
To be con't.....
July 07, 2010
Gone With The Wind & other classsics, plus---
---a few from the last few years:
Maytime (1937) Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald. Beautiful, lavish film with the sensations of Hollywood at the time. MGM pulled out all the stops, except for color, and the costumes and sets are spectacular. The duo's greatest scene from opera, and they nail the passion both characters feel by the time of the final reel. For TCM's tribute to both stars' birthday month, this is always a treat. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029222/
Sweethearts (1938) Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald, Frank Morgan. Finally MGM filmed our stars in technicolor and it is glorious. Story is contemporary to the time it was filmed so the sets and clothes are modern. And what clothes Jeanette gets to wear! In the middle of the film we have a fashion show, with her trying on clothes for a trip. Just gorgeous. They are going to Hollywood, leaving their successful stage play after a 6 year run. Mix-ups and split ups and reuniting ensue. A joy to watch which I do for the holidays, and didn't mind at all watching again for the birthday celebration. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030817/
Gone With The Wind (1939) Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel. My 1989 50th Year Anniversary video copy, beautifully boxed, with certificate, booklet, etc. May someday replace with a Hi-def version, but this is great to get off the shelf and relive the joy I felt when it came in the mail back in 1989.
I have little-girl memories of seeing this with my little sisters and Mom and Dad back when it was first at our downtown Heartland city's Loew's Midland theater, a palace with red velvet everywhere, red plush seats, gold angels, tall mirrors and 16th century furniture in the mezzanine ladies lounge - which was huge. The experience of all that splendor plus the music as you entered (with an usher), still colors my mind and I just go back in time as I watch. The first re-release was when I was in high school and my galpals and I went often. It was a rite-of-passage to see Rhett carry Scarlett up those stairs and imagine what was happening. We all had raging hormones ( although we did not know what to call it back then - LOL) and it was delicious thinking about what Scarlett was simpering and singing about the next morning.
Still love Scarlett, the costumes, the music...the whole cast. My little girl self loved Bonnie Blue and cried buckets when she was killed. For my money, Scarlett was a forerunner of the strong business women of today. She was as ruthless as any man and not only got herself, but her father, sisters, in-laws and various others through the war and Reconstruction, she made everyone come out on top. They may have hated her, and Rhett may have left, but Scarlett has her sails full and will sail on. Amen, brother! 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031381/
The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) Judi Holiday, Paul Douglas. Cute story of a small stock holder who drives the board nuts at a stock-holder meeting to elect the new board, which is supposed to be cut-and-dried. The heroine, Laura Partridge, is such a pest, with all her questions about executive compensation, that she is finally given a make work job (Director Of Shareholder Relations), doing nothing, to keep her happy and out of the way. Our former CEO and owner has become a dollar a year man in Washington, and thought he had left his company in good hands. But he eventually has to come back and save the day for Laura and the rest of the good guys. As an early film on corporate corruption it only does a few pokes, but has quite a lot to say for the time it was made. Good cast. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049777/
Time Limit (1957) Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart, Delores Michaels, Martin Balsam, June Lockhart, Rip Torn, Carl Benton Reid. Superb performances by the whole cast in a tightly woven story of the Korean War era, and an ex-prisoner of war. He has been court-marshaled for collaborating with the enemy. The investigator from the JAG office, begins to think there is more to the case than the facts as presented in the documents he has been given. On top of that, the Commanding Officer of the unit was the father of one of the fellow soldiers of the accused, and was killed in the camp. Naturally, he is bitter and wants this man convicted ASAP. Fine actor Karl Malden directed this film and gets the best from his cast. Basehart never was better. Lockhart is perfect as the heart broken wife. Widmark and Michaels also. And the speech Reid makes about "that is why we have the code" is a true statement of the way military men are taught. But the final questions by Basehart to Widmark; "a man is brave a thousand days and then on that one he finally breaks. Shouldn't there be a time limit?" - are heart breaking and are still being ask today. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051083/
Nine (2009) Danial Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz. Awful film, awful music, just a bore. Turned it off after the first hour - which seemed like 3. 2/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0875034/
Valentine's Day (2010) Stars listed by alphabet in a story about what happens to various characters on - yep - Valentines Day. Not funny, not awful, not great, not memorable. But I didn't hate it - as I did with Nine. So 7/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0817230/
Summertime and the humid days and nights. We are having some rain this week, which is good. More light films for the season.
Maytime (1937) Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald. Beautiful, lavish film with the sensations of Hollywood at the time. MGM pulled out all the stops, except for color, and the costumes and sets are spectacular. The duo's greatest scene from opera, and they nail the passion both characters feel by the time of the final reel. For TCM's tribute to both stars' birthday month, this is always a treat. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029222/
Sweethearts (1938) Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald, Frank Morgan. Finally MGM filmed our stars in technicolor and it is glorious. Story is contemporary to the time it was filmed so the sets and clothes are modern. And what clothes Jeanette gets to wear! In the middle of the film we have a fashion show, with her trying on clothes for a trip. Just gorgeous. They are going to Hollywood, leaving their successful stage play after a 6 year run. Mix-ups and split ups and reuniting ensue. A joy to watch which I do for the holidays, and didn't mind at all watching again for the birthday celebration. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030817/
Gone With The Wind (1939) Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel. My 1989 50th Year Anniversary video copy, beautifully boxed, with certificate, booklet, etc. May someday replace with a Hi-def version, but this is great to get off the shelf and relive the joy I felt when it came in the mail back in 1989.
I have little-girl memories of seeing this with my little sisters and Mom and Dad back when it was first at our downtown Heartland city's Loew's Midland theater, a palace with red velvet everywhere, red plush seats, gold angels, tall mirrors and 16th century furniture in the mezzanine ladies lounge - which was huge. The experience of all that splendor plus the music as you entered (with an usher), still colors my mind and I just go back in time as I watch. The first re-release was when I was in high school and my galpals and I went often. It was a rite-of-passage to see Rhett carry Scarlett up those stairs and imagine what was happening. We all had raging hormones ( although we did not know what to call it back then - LOL) and it was delicious thinking about what Scarlett was simpering and singing about the next morning.
Still love Scarlett, the costumes, the music...the whole cast. My little girl self loved Bonnie Blue and cried buckets when she was killed. For my money, Scarlett was a forerunner of the strong business women of today. She was as ruthless as any man and not only got herself, but her father, sisters, in-laws and various others through the war and Reconstruction, she made everyone come out on top. They may have hated her, and Rhett may have left, but Scarlett has her sails full and will sail on. Amen, brother! 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031381/
The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) Judi Holiday, Paul Douglas. Cute story of a small stock holder who drives the board nuts at a stock-holder meeting to elect the new board, which is supposed to be cut-and-dried. The heroine, Laura Partridge, is such a pest, with all her questions about executive compensation, that she is finally given a make work job (Director Of Shareholder Relations), doing nothing, to keep her happy and out of the way. Our former CEO and owner has become a dollar a year man in Washington, and thought he had left his company in good hands. But he eventually has to come back and save the day for Laura and the rest of the good guys. As an early film on corporate corruption it only does a few pokes, but has quite a lot to say for the time it was made. Good cast. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049777/
Time Limit (1957) Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart, Delores Michaels, Martin Balsam, June Lockhart, Rip Torn, Carl Benton Reid. Superb performances by the whole cast in a tightly woven story of the Korean War era, and an ex-prisoner of war. He has been court-marshaled for collaborating with the enemy. The investigator from the JAG office, begins to think there is more to the case than the facts as presented in the documents he has been given. On top of that, the Commanding Officer of the unit was the father of one of the fellow soldiers of the accused, and was killed in the camp. Naturally, he is bitter and wants this man convicted ASAP. Fine actor Karl Malden directed this film and gets the best from his cast. Basehart never was better. Lockhart is perfect as the heart broken wife. Widmark and Michaels also. And the speech Reid makes about "that is why we have the code" is a true statement of the way military men are taught. But the final questions by Basehart to Widmark; "a man is brave a thousand days and then on that one he finally breaks. Shouldn't there be a time limit?" - are heart breaking and are still being ask today. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051083/
Nine (2009) Danial Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Penelope Cruz. Awful film, awful music, just a bore. Turned it off after the first hour - which seemed like 3. 2/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0875034/
Valentine's Day (2010) Stars listed by alphabet in a story about what happens to various characters on - yep - Valentines Day. Not funny, not awful, not great, not memorable. But I didn't hate it - as I did with Nine. So 7/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0817230/
Summertime and the humid days and nights. We are having some rain this week, which is good. More light films for the season.
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