Walking On Air (1936) Ann Sothern, Gene Raymond. Slight comedy about a guy who is trying to get an audition to sing on the radio, getting mixed up with a rich deb who is trying to run away with a male gold digger. Papa doesn't approve. Hires our guy to impersonate a rich count - you get the picture. Lots of mix-ups. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028479/
Maisie Was A Lady (1941) Ann Sothern, Lew Ayers, Margaret O'Sullivan. One of the best of the Maisie series. Ann Sothern her usual spunky, brassy, no-nonsense dame. I remember seeing this one as a kid and loving her to death. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033867/
The Unfaithful (1947) Ann Sheridan, Zachary Scott, Lew Ayers. A sort of remake of "The Letter(1940)" reworked to make it up to date after the war. Instead of 1920s Indonesia, we have Los Angeles. The woman stabs a man who attacks her as she arrives home late at night. Her husband is a returned WWII serviceman, now a builder of housing additions. Her attorney friend takes over her defense when she is arrested for murdering the man and eventually finds out the truth about his client. Not nearly as good nor fraught with mystery as the Bette Davis version. I think the script and direction let the cast down. They are all good and interesting actors most of the time. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039937/
An Ideal Husband (1947) Paulette Goddard, Michael Wilding, Glynis Johns, Diana Wynyard, Hugh Williams, C, Aubrey Smith. Great cast does justice to Oscar Wilde's story of mores and manners of Victorian England. Filmed in color, with the composition of some shots like paintings, It is a treat to the eyes. The Wilde bon mots are delivered by a stellar cast and the story of the virtuous being infected by the demi monde, is entertaining. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039485/
The Music Man (1962) Robert Preston, Shirley Jones. "76 trombones led the big parade....."
"Oh, We got trouble - right here in River City"...
Iowa was lots of fun back then. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056262/
Hotel (1967) Rod Taylor, Merle Oberon, Michael Rennie, Catherine Spaake, Melvyn Douglas. I still don't get the appeal of Taylor, so that takes away some of the appeal of the film as a whole. Oberon and Rennie's story in interesting and she can still hold the screen in her scenes. Spaake is bland. Douglas has his craggy old guy down pat. Old buildings can be rehabbed, but only by gutting the whole insides and saving what woodwork can be reused, because with asbestos everywhere, it is dangerous otherwise. I kept thinking - tear it out and do it over. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061786/
Patriot Games (1992) Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Sean Bean. Ford is Jack Ryan, former C.I.A. operative/analyst. When his daughter and wife as targeted by IRA extremists, and seriously hurt, Jack goes into action, finding where they are and striking back. But the main one gets away and comes after he and his family at their coastal home. Exciting finale on two power boats. 20 years and still a nail biting finish. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105112/
The Net (1995) Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northern, Dennis Miller, Diane Baker. Computer nerd, Bullock, fixes flawed programs for games. She works from home, rarely goes outside - her neighbor lady has only seen her a couple of times in several years. When she accidentally records a code on one of the game program Cd's, she suddenly discovers she has become a non-person. All records of her name with her picture have been erased from computers everywhere. More apropos now than when it first came out. Computers have only gotten more powerful and more of our lives are exposed to hacking attacks. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113957/
Taken (2008) Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen. Favorite action film along with the Bourne trilogy. Have to watch every so often. Neeson is so good as the father who will find his daughter - in 96 hours. Wow! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/
Tenderness (2009) Russell Crowe, Jon Foster, Sophie Traub. Story of a teen-age killer of his family who is finally let out of detention, when he reaches 18. Detective who was assigned the case follows up and keeps tabs on him as he comes into society. Very disjointed. Foster has no personality. Traub is overpowering. Crowe just too muted. Story has no 'there' there. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0494864/
The Town (2010) Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall. Preface to film says the neighborhood in film has had more bank robbers put in prison than all the rest of Boston. This story is about one gang and the jobs they do for a powerful fence. Interesting story about the leader of the unit and his gradual romance with one of the bank employees from their last job. Very good and pacing fine up until the last gun fight and chase. Ran on too long. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0840361/
On to the the Dog Days of August. Long hot summer. Hmmmm----may have to drag out my copy and watch Paul and Joan sizzle. Haha....
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