Only two in the 'never seen before' category. Almost all have been commented on by the Ancient Pelican before. With 125 channels, HBOHD and pay per view, nothing to watch for days in May.
The Reckless Moment (1949) Joan Bennett, James Mason. Mason is young and menacingly handsome and I became a real fan with this film and Odd Man Out. Joan has one of her best roles as Lucia Harper also, IMHO. She is the suburban housewife of a successful business man who is in Berlin working. Her 17 year old daughter Bea has become infatuated with an older man, Ted Darby. During a tryst in their boathouse, Darby and Bea fight and she pushes him and he falls on an anchor. The next hour of the film is how blackmail is tried, with Mason's Martin acting as the spokesman for the partners in crime. Lucia is on her own and must find a way to handle the situation. The scenes between Lucia and Martin are tense, quiet and menacing. Slowly, he is drawn to this woman, who can think of nothing but the welfare of her home and family. No fistfights or lots of guns shooting, but still a tension filled film as you want to see both sides be okay. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041786/
Mr. Mom (1983) Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Martin Mull. Cute role reversal film. He gets fired and stays home with the kids; she goes to work for horrible boss Martin Mull. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085970/
Sweet Dreams (1985) wonderful biography of velvet voiced, Patsy Cline, with Jessica Lange in a knock-out performance. With Ed Harris as husband Charlie. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090110/
Moonstruck (1987) Cher, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis. This is wonderful acting - you believe they care about each other. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093565/
Thelma & Louise (1991) Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt. I hope they're still sailing through the air in that big ole convertible. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103074/
The Fugitive (1993) Harrison Ford. A favorite and I loved the TV series too. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106977/
[NEW) Try To Remember (2004) Gabrielle Anwar, Max Martini, Diedo Wallraff. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393902/
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458352/
Unstoppable (2010) Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477080/
(NEW) One Day (2011) Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturges. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1563738/
Unknown (2011) Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401152/
Hopefully June will bring some new films I want to see.
May 31, 2012
May 28, 2012
One more---
---from this month:
Cedar Rapids (2011) Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche. He's from Brown Valley, Wisconsin. It's a big deal to go to a company convention in "big" city, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His roommates are veteran convention goers and he is swept up it their hi-jinks. This film is funny and while others of the genre are raunchy and crass, this one has the right touch. Many laughs from my living room. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1477837/
Cedar Rapids (2011) Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche. He's from Brown Valley, Wisconsin. It's a big deal to go to a company convention in "big" city, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His roommates are veteran convention goers and he is swept up it their hi-jinks. This film is funny and while others of the genre are raunchy and crass, this one has the right touch. Many laughs from my living room. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1477837/
May 27, 2012
Highlights - Preston Sturges comedy films: Romances---
---and murder most foul. So far this month I have watched:
Million Dollar Baby (1940) Priscilla Lane, May Robson, Jeffrey Lynn, Ronald Reagan. Cinderella story with May playing the godmother and Reagan/Lynn playing the princes. Rich old lady from America, living abroad, decides to find the heir who should have benefited from the riches made from business interests of her father, long dead. He was swindled by Robson's father. Lynn is American lawyer from firm handling the search and the million dollars involved.. Reagan is piano playing guy the girl, who is the heiress, is goofy about. (?) I don't get it either. LOL 90 minutes of silliness, but Priscilla is a doll, and May - cranky and tolerable. Men are ciphers. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033910/
Sullivan's Travels (1941) Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake. A favorite, watched on a yearly basis. The first of writer/director Preston Sturges 8 nearly perfect comedies. He gathered a group of character actors for his troupe and they appeared in almost all of the films. Political satire that is still relevant today. In this one, a famous director starts out on the road to find what it's like to be homeless and poor in the Depression America. Makes it's points with quiet humor. Perfect, IMHO. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034240/
The Palm Beach Story (1942) Joel McCrea, Claudette Colbert, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallee. Great cast about a woman with strange ideas of how leaving her husband to find a rich man will help him out. Off she goes on a train with the "Ale & Quail Club" on the way to Florida. Some of the funniest scenes in a screwball comedy, and they are just getting started. Mary Astor almost steals the film as the rich man's crazy sister on her 3rd or 4th husband, who hones in on hubby who flew down to intercept wifey with her new rich man. The puzzled looks in the end scene is priceless. Another of Sturges films I watch yearly. Great song, Goodnight Sweetheart, still popular during WWII. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035169/
Nobody Lives Forever (1946) John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Walter Brennan, Faye Emerson. A returning GI from WWII, who left his 50 thousand with his blond babe, finds she has 'invested' his money with her new lover at their nightclub. He gets tough and gets in back and he and sidekick, George Tobias, head to California. He connects with some of his old team of swindlers who have a rich widow (Fitzgerald) lined up. They need a smooth front man and John (Nick) is up for doing it, on his terms. Things go slightly off when he starts to fall for her. A nourish romance. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038780/
The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1947) Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison George Sanders, Edna Best. So romantic and a wonderful music score by Bernard Herrman. When I am near the ocean where it is crashing on rocks, I hear this music in my mind. Lucy and Capt. Gregg are great lovers, to never touch each other. It can be done, and this film proves it. There is an explanation for why he haunts, and then decides to help this young widow and her little daughter (early Natalie Wood). Uncle Neddy (Sanders) hits on the lovely widow and breaks her heart, but all ends well. His lovely wife, played by Anna Lee, tells Mrs. Muir "you see, it has happened before." And she takes their children and leaves him alone and blubbering at a dinner Mrs. Muir sees him at years later. Lee, in her one scene, is quiet dignity and understanding. Beautiful black and white cinematography. Another I watch yearly. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039420/
One More Tomorrow (1946) Ann Sheridan, Dennis Morgan. Alexis Smith, Jack Carson. Based on a Philip Barry play. Free lance photographer(Ann), turns down rich playboy(Dennis) and goes off to Mexico to work. On the rebound, he marries scheming haughty beauty(Alexis) and goes to live in the country, taking big-city pal man-Friday (Carson), with him. Friction with the Mrs. so Carson is shipped back to big town. Wife and his Dad make him miserable so when former love returns, he wants to get back together, but she says not so fast. Enjoyable ensemble acting from Warner's. Lovely title song played throughout and at the fade. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038802/
D.O.A. (1950) Edmund O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler. Exciting film about a normal guy who goes off on vacation, checks in to his hotel, has a drink with at party across the hall - and ends up murdered. Now his task is to find out who did this to him. As he races around San Francisco looking up clues and people, it is fun to see the location shots of the city the was it was in 1949 when the film was shot. I was a kid just out of high school when this came out and it was just a small filler movie, but boy it took off and was a big hit. Wonderful tension and O'Brien, in the role of a lifetime, makes us want so bad for him to live. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042369/
Cast A Dark Shadow (1955) Dirk Bogard, Margaret Lockwood, Kay Walsh, Kathleen Harrison. Dirk is the charmer who has married an older woman but seems genuinely fond of her as the story begins. She has called the estate attorney to the home to have her will revised to leave everything to her young husband. But things go bad and from from her death for the rest of the story, we are never quite sure what this scoundrel will do. Or whether he is a bit nuts or just diabolical. Dirk is always fun to watch, but this is not one of his best. The three women are very good. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050233/
Ransom! (1956) Glenn Ford, Donna Reed, Juano Hernandez, Leslie Nielsen. Another favorite I watch yearly. Loosely based on the early '50s Greenlease kidnapping In Kansas City, of the young son of the rich car dealership family, who was killed before the ransom was even requested. I live in the area and heard and read about the case daily for months. Ford has never been better and he and Hernandez in the breakdown scene is so good, I cry to this day. I still cannot believe Hollywood did not recognize Glenn before he died. A great star. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/
Dear Heart (1964) Glenn Ford, Geraldine Page. Angel Lansbury. Lovely little romance between mature people. She is attending the annual convention of the Postmasters, and he is coming to a job in NYC after living on the road for years. She is like a big puppy, friendly and getting into everything and everyones way. He is brimming with good feelings. They meet and they meet and they meet. And eventually he realizes what she has known for a while - it's love. They are both just marvelous with this little sweet story. And Lansbury steals her scenes and has one of my favorite lines "I just want to pick up the phone because Phillis is done with doing!" 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057999/
Breakout (1975) Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid. Based on a true story of a rescue from a Mexican prison out in the countryside. A copter is set down in the exercise yard. Truth is stranger than fiction. How true the actors are to the real people is questionable but who cares? There are chases, explosions, and so forth. Bronson plays it light with good humor. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072737/
My viewing of films later than 1975 will be posted soon.
Million Dollar Baby (1940) Priscilla Lane, May Robson, Jeffrey Lynn, Ronald Reagan. Cinderella story with May playing the godmother and Reagan/Lynn playing the princes. Rich old lady from America, living abroad, decides to find the heir who should have benefited from the riches made from business interests of her father, long dead. He was swindled by Robson's father. Lynn is American lawyer from firm handling the search and the million dollars involved.. Reagan is piano playing guy the girl, who is the heiress, is goofy about. (?) I don't get it either. LOL 90 minutes of silliness, but Priscilla is a doll, and May - cranky and tolerable. Men are ciphers. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033910/
Sullivan's Travels (1941) Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake. A favorite, watched on a yearly basis. The first of writer/director Preston Sturges 8 nearly perfect comedies. He gathered a group of character actors for his troupe and they appeared in almost all of the films. Political satire that is still relevant today. In this one, a famous director starts out on the road to find what it's like to be homeless and poor in the Depression America. Makes it's points with quiet humor. Perfect, IMHO. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034240/
The Palm Beach Story (1942) Joel McCrea, Claudette Colbert, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallee. Great cast about a woman with strange ideas of how leaving her husband to find a rich man will help him out. Off she goes on a train with the "Ale & Quail Club" on the way to Florida. Some of the funniest scenes in a screwball comedy, and they are just getting started. Mary Astor almost steals the film as the rich man's crazy sister on her 3rd or 4th husband, who hones in on hubby who flew down to intercept wifey with her new rich man. The puzzled looks in the end scene is priceless. Another of Sturges films I watch yearly. Great song, Goodnight Sweetheart, still popular during WWII. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035169/
Nobody Lives Forever (1946) John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Walter Brennan, Faye Emerson. A returning GI from WWII, who left his 50 thousand with his blond babe, finds she has 'invested' his money with her new lover at their nightclub. He gets tough and gets in back and he and sidekick, George Tobias, head to California. He connects with some of his old team of swindlers who have a rich widow (Fitzgerald) lined up. They need a smooth front man and John (Nick) is up for doing it, on his terms. Things go slightly off when he starts to fall for her. A nourish romance. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038780/
The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1947) Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison George Sanders, Edna Best. So romantic and a wonderful music score by Bernard Herrman. When I am near the ocean where it is crashing on rocks, I hear this music in my mind. Lucy and Capt. Gregg are great lovers, to never touch each other. It can be done, and this film proves it. There is an explanation for why he haunts, and then decides to help this young widow and her little daughter (early Natalie Wood). Uncle Neddy (Sanders) hits on the lovely widow and breaks her heart, but all ends well. His lovely wife, played by Anna Lee, tells Mrs. Muir "you see, it has happened before." And she takes their children and leaves him alone and blubbering at a dinner Mrs. Muir sees him at years later. Lee, in her one scene, is quiet dignity and understanding. Beautiful black and white cinematography. Another I watch yearly. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039420/
One More Tomorrow (1946) Ann Sheridan, Dennis Morgan. Alexis Smith, Jack Carson. Based on a Philip Barry play. Free lance photographer(Ann), turns down rich playboy(Dennis) and goes off to Mexico to work. On the rebound, he marries scheming haughty beauty(Alexis) and goes to live in the country, taking big-city pal man-Friday (Carson), with him. Friction with the Mrs. so Carson is shipped back to big town. Wife and his Dad make him miserable so when former love returns, he wants to get back together, but she says not so fast. Enjoyable ensemble acting from Warner's. Lovely title song played throughout and at the fade. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038802/
D.O.A. (1950) Edmund O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler. Exciting film about a normal guy who goes off on vacation, checks in to his hotel, has a drink with at party across the hall - and ends up murdered. Now his task is to find out who did this to him. As he races around San Francisco looking up clues and people, it is fun to see the location shots of the city the was it was in 1949 when the film was shot. I was a kid just out of high school when this came out and it was just a small filler movie, but boy it took off and was a big hit. Wonderful tension and O'Brien, in the role of a lifetime, makes us want so bad for him to live. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042369/
Cast A Dark Shadow (1955) Dirk Bogard, Margaret Lockwood, Kay Walsh, Kathleen Harrison. Dirk is the charmer who has married an older woman but seems genuinely fond of her as the story begins. She has called the estate attorney to the home to have her will revised to leave everything to her young husband. But things go bad and from from her death for the rest of the story, we are never quite sure what this scoundrel will do. Or whether he is a bit nuts or just diabolical. Dirk is always fun to watch, but this is not one of his best. The three women are very good. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050233/
Ransom! (1956) Glenn Ford, Donna Reed, Juano Hernandez, Leslie Nielsen. Another favorite I watch yearly. Loosely based on the early '50s Greenlease kidnapping In Kansas City, of the young son of the rich car dealership family, who was killed before the ransom was even requested. I live in the area and heard and read about the case daily for months. Ford has never been better and he and Hernandez in the breakdown scene is so good, I cry to this day. I still cannot believe Hollywood did not recognize Glenn before he died. A great star. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/
Dear Heart (1964) Glenn Ford, Geraldine Page. Angel Lansbury. Lovely little romance between mature people. She is attending the annual convention of the Postmasters, and he is coming to a job in NYC after living on the road for years. She is like a big puppy, friendly and getting into everything and everyones way. He is brimming with good feelings. They meet and they meet and they meet. And eventually he realizes what she has known for a while - it's love. They are both just marvelous with this little sweet story. And Lansbury steals her scenes and has one of my favorite lines "I just want to pick up the phone because Phillis is done with doing!" 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057999/
Breakout (1975) Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid. Based on a true story of a rescue from a Mexican prison out in the countryside. A copter is set down in the exercise yard. Truth is stranger than fiction. How true the actors are to the real people is questionable but who cares? There are chases, explosions, and so forth. Bronson plays it light with good humor. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072737/
My viewing of films later than 1975 will be posted soon.
May 13, 2012
Van Heflin---Gene Kelly, Brynner and Bronson
Three men I like to watch even if the film isn't much----Van had the most wonderful voice. I used to listen to the dramatic shows he was on, on old time radio, just for his volce whether as a detective, a lover, a murderer - it didn't matter. His use of his voice made it all real, listening as a young girl.
The Three Musketeers(1945) Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, Van Heflin, June Allyson. Gorgeous technicolor and Kelly doing sword fights like dances, Lana never more beautiful and Van's sexy voice saying wonderful lines. Dumas tale has been filmed many times, but with MGM at the height of it's ability to fill each role with a suitable and if some cases, inspired, actor, this is my favorite. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040876/
Green Dolphin Street (1947) Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna Reed, Richard Hart. Episodic film based on a popular novel by Elizabeth Goudge. Clipper ships, settling new far off places - this time New Zealand, earth quakes, uprisings by the natives; we get some of it all. Everyone suffers beautifully. Gorgeous sets and costumes. And love lorn Van, with his wonderful voice, always there when she needs him. Wonderful picture for women - and men. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039437/
Triple Cross (1966) Christopher Plummer, Romy Schneider, Trevor Howard, and Yul Brynner. A TCM Yul Brynner day film. A confused spy/triple spy story with Plummer as a bank robber in prison who agrees to work for one side, and then the other side, throughout the war. I could not get interested in him or the story. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061647/
Breakout (1975) Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Robert Duvall. Bronson rescues Duvall from a Mexican prison by flying a helicopter in to the small exercise yard. Based on a true story. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072737/
Have watched a few more but will catch up later.
The Three Musketeers(1945) Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, Van Heflin, June Allyson. Gorgeous technicolor and Kelly doing sword fights like dances, Lana never more beautiful and Van's sexy voice saying wonderful lines. Dumas tale has been filmed many times, but with MGM at the height of it's ability to fill each role with a suitable and if some cases, inspired, actor, this is my favorite. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040876/
Green Dolphin Street (1947) Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna Reed, Richard Hart. Episodic film based on a popular novel by Elizabeth Goudge. Clipper ships, settling new far off places - this time New Zealand, earth quakes, uprisings by the natives; we get some of it all. Everyone suffers beautifully. Gorgeous sets and costumes. And love lorn Van, with his wonderful voice, always there when she needs him. Wonderful picture for women - and men. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039437/
Triple Cross (1966) Christopher Plummer, Romy Schneider, Trevor Howard, and Yul Brynner. A TCM Yul Brynner day film. A confused spy/triple spy story with Plummer as a bank robber in prison who agrees to work for one side, and then the other side, throughout the war. I could not get interested in him or the story. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061647/
Breakout (1975) Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Robert Duvall. Bronson rescues Duvall from a Mexican prison by flying a helicopter in to the small exercise yard. Based on a true story. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072737/
Have watched a few more but will catch up later.
May 06, 2012
May films
All Repeat Viewings:
Summertime (1955) Kathryn Hepburn, Rosano Brazzi. Annual visit to beautiful Venice and the beautiful theme music set the tone of romance and longing. Perfect film for me. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048673/
A Stolen Life (1946) Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Dane Clark, Charles Ruggles, Walter Brennan, Bruce Bennett. A womans film written by women. Bette's most successful film up to that date. She plays twins, Kate and Patricia, both fall for Bill, and the one he chooses makes a drama. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038984/
In The Heat Of The Night (1967) Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant. Good performances by all. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061811/
Foul Play (1978) Goldy Hawn, Chevy Chase, Burgess Meredith, Dudley Moore. Dudley and Goldy are still screamingly funny to me, in their scenes together. Even Chevy is kinda romantic and sweet. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077578/
Weekiend At Bernies (1989) Andrew McCarthy, Joel Silverman, Catherine Parks, Terry Kiser. Still laugh at Terry as Bernie. Can't help it. One of the all time best corpses. And Catherine as 'the girlfriend' being satisfied by Bernie is amazing. She plays it perfectly! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098627/
Monte Carlo (2011) Background noise and the beautiful scenery. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067774/
Summertime (1955) Kathryn Hepburn, Rosano Brazzi. Annual visit to beautiful Venice and the beautiful theme music set the tone of romance and longing. Perfect film for me. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048673/
A Stolen Life (1946) Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Dane Clark, Charles Ruggles, Walter Brennan, Bruce Bennett. A womans film written by women. Bette's most successful film up to that date. She plays twins, Kate and Patricia, both fall for Bill, and the one he chooses makes a drama. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038984/
In The Heat Of The Night (1967) Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant. Good performances by all. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061811/
Foul Play (1978) Goldy Hawn, Chevy Chase, Burgess Meredith, Dudley Moore. Dudley and Goldy are still screamingly funny to me, in their scenes together. Even Chevy is kinda romantic and sweet. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077578/
Weekiend At Bernies (1989) Andrew McCarthy, Joel Silverman, Catherine Parks, Terry Kiser. Still laugh at Terry as Bernie. Can't help it. One of the all time best corpses. And Catherine as 'the girlfriend' being satisfied by Bernie is amazing. She plays it perfectly! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098627/
Monte Carlo (2011) Background noise and the beautiful scenery. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067774/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)