March 14, 2012

79 years between films---

1933 to 2012, and both are fine:

20,000 Years In Sing-sing (1933) Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis. Almost 80 years old, but as topical as ever. About who goes to prison and who gets the death penalty. A tidbit from the host of TCM: Warner's wanted James Cagney, but he was shooting another film, so they gave Tracy one of his first starring roles. And he is fascinating. Bette, in an early role, is very good also. Fun finding a film I've never heard of that is this good. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023731/

Assassination (1987) Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Michael Ansara. Bronson is Jay Killion on the Presidents Secret Service squad, who has been reassigned to the new First Ladies team. The Lady is not amused, or anything else, but mad. Jay has to be constantly getting her back, or out of trouble. But after a few things blow up and people are killed, she finally believes Jay when he tells her she is in danger. However, she still continues to use the phone to call her father and is traced that way. The usual action scenes and shoot outs. Okay to liven up a quiet afternoon. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092585/

We'll Take Manhattan (2012 TV) Aneurin Barnard, Karen Gillan, Helen McCrory. Story about the meeting and pairing of photographer David Bailey and teenager Jean Shrimpton. He immediately sees she is a perfect camera face. They are hired to go to New York and do a fashion spread for Vogue. His photos do not please the magazine's fashion editor Lady Clare Rendlesham. She veto's all his work and has him start over doing it her way. But the photos had already been sent by wire to the home office and she is overruled. Thus, the sixties fashion darlings Shrimpton and Baily became the toast of the world and started a new 'look' for magazines. Film is interesting, but some of the acting is dreadful. McCrory is snotty and mean, and good at it. Barnard is charming and a bad boy. Gillan is just barely able to stay in the picture, she is so bland. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1885440/

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