All these films are favorites I watch during the summer months. All are films I have watched many times over the years and have commented on before.
The Sisters (1938) Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Anita Louise. Jane Bryan, Henri Travers, Buelah Bondi. A wonderful "Matinee' Ladies" film. I was a young girl and would come home from school and there would be my Mom and a friend or two talking about the movie they had seen that afternoon at the downtown movie palace where a Bette or Loretta or any of the other "women-who-suffer" latest film was playing. This one has small town in Montana women, finding the men who will become their partners in life. Bette picks bounder Errol, who she sticks by through thick and thin, even the San Francisco earthquate. Bette suffers the most, but it is the sister who stays in Montana who finally brings them all back together, to help her solve a scandle involving a local femme fatale who is after the youngest sister's banker husband. The episodic film has major time shifts bookended by the Presidential elections and large celebration balls. The final one with Taft beating Teddy Roosevelt has a lovely shot of each of the women coming from different parts of the ballroom as the camera follows each to the center where they meet and as the celebration goes on, they stand with their arms arond each others waist, as the camera tracks back and up. They are highlighted in a glow, and it is just a very moving, lovely end to the film. All three actresses have never been filmed more beautifully. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030755/
The Great McGinty (1940) Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff, Muriel Angelus, William Demarest. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032554/
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) James Cagney Walter Houston, Joan Leslie. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035575/
The Gay Sisters (1942) Barbara Stanwyke, George Brent, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Gig Young, Nancy Coleman, Donald Crisp. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034770/
The Spanish Main (1945) Maureen O'Hara, Paul Henried, Walter Slezak, Binnie Barnes. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038108/
Flamingo Road (1949) Joan Crawford, Zachery Scott, David Brian, Sydney Greenstreet. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041373/
My Blue Heaven (1950) Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, David Wayne, Jane Wyatt, Mitzi Gaynor. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042767/
Some Like It Hot (1959) Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemon, Tony Curtis, Joe E. Brown. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053291/
My list of more recent films coming up. My last week has been spent replacing my big screen TV which suddenly went dark. Going back to my old 39 incher I keep in my office, was a downer. But now I have a new 55 inch Vizio with internet - and - 3D if I want it. I know it is smarter than I am. Hahahahaha!
July 30, 2012
July 17, 2012
Doris Day; Law & Birding----
Julie (1956) Doris Day, Louis Jourdan, Barry Sullivan, Frank Lovejoy. Doris is Julie, who suffers because new husband Jourdan (Lyle) is crazy jealous of her every move. First hubbys cousin (Cliff), Sullivan, tries to help As Lyle gets crazier and more dangerous, cop Det. Pringle tries to help out. Our Julie is a stewardess and goes off on an emergency trip for the airline, and lo, there is Lyle and he eliminates everyone on board who can fly and land this plane. Sooo, it is up to - yeah! Right! Doris is so watchaable and there are great location shots of 1957 San Francisco, so not a bad way to spend 2 hours. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049388/
Law Abiding Citizen (2009) Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Viola Davis. See Archived Original reviews 10/23 & 31/09. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1197624/
The Big Year (2011) Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson. Two birders team up to try to beat the champion bird spotter. They are all going for the 'big year' - having the most birds spotted in one year. Charming, offbeat film I thoroughly enjoyed. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/
Law Abiding Citizen (2009) Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Viola Davis. See Archived Original reviews 10/23 & 31/09. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1197624/
The Big Year (2011) Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson. Two birders team up to try to beat the champion bird spotter. They are all going for the 'big year' - having the most birds spotted in one year. Charming, offbeat film I thoroughly enjoyed. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/
July 10, 2012
Two rewatches; one new----
Encores:
Gone With The Wind (1939) on TCM. Annual showing, with the Entrance music, Intermission and After theme. Marvelous regardless of the politics and horrible facts of slavery. The south went through hell because they were so stubborn, so I can't feel much sympathy. But that doesn't mean I can't sympathize with the women of this story. The men want to fight and win glory, but the women have to struggle to live and pick up the pieces after it is all over. And the costumes, music and cast are wonderful. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031381/
Arsenic & Old Lace (1944) Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair. Great farce about an author, his new bride and his two sweet little ole aunts who have a very strange hobby. When Cary finds out he nearly has a fit, and from then on is a complete crazy person himself. Cast is great and I watch it almost every Halloween week. For me - a fun film to see anytime. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/
New:
Smart Woman (1948) Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne, Barry Sullivan, Michael O'Shea, James Gleason. Story about a lady lawyer who is being blackmailed into helping a shady character from her past. The new Prosecutor comes to town and falls for her and she gets information for the gangster about what evidence he has. Connie is lovely in all her designer outfits and gowns. O'Shea as a reporter always hanging around is amusing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040804/
Gone With The Wind (1939) on TCM. Annual showing, with the Entrance music, Intermission and After theme. Marvelous regardless of the politics and horrible facts of slavery. The south went through hell because they were so stubborn, so I can't feel much sympathy. But that doesn't mean I can't sympathize with the women of this story. The men want to fight and win glory, but the women have to struggle to live and pick up the pieces after it is all over. And the costumes, music and cast are wonderful. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031381/
Arsenic & Old Lace (1944) Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair. Great farce about an author, his new bride and his two sweet little ole aunts who have a very strange hobby. When Cary finds out he nearly has a fit, and from then on is a complete crazy person himself. Cast is great and I watch it almost every Halloween week. For me - a fun film to see anytime. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/
New:
Smart Woman (1948) Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne, Barry Sullivan, Michael O'Shea, James Gleason. Story about a lady lawyer who is being blackmailed into helping a shady character from her past. The new Prosecutor comes to town and falls for her and she gets information for the gangster about what evidence he has. Connie is lovely in all her designer outfits and gowns. O'Shea as a reporter always hanging around is amusing. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040804/
July 06, 2012
Right out of the headlines---
Coriolanus (2011) Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox. I downloaded this as soon as it came on Pay-Per-View and watched it last week two times. The second time I took some notes. Both times I used sub-titles so I would not miss any of the dialog - Shakespears words spoken by a wonderful cast.
This play is so topical it could be right out of today's headlines. The opening scenes are of the poor, hungry, citizens rioting against black-booted, helmeted government troops. The young woman yells "we are considered poor citizens; the patricians good. Our suffering is a game to them."
The OWS message - the 1% against the 99%, with the armies made to serve the 1%.
But our hero is having none of any of it - he hates the citizens and the patricians. What he loves is the war and valor. He goes to battle against his enemy, Volsce leader, Tullus Aufidius, and takes the city of Corioles and is given the honorific name Coriolanus. Fiennes is very good with the permanent sneer this Coriolanus feels for most mortals.
Redgrave as his warrior Mother is good, but the character is a hypocrite. She WANTS him to have large scars - to prove his valor. But also wants him to play the game with the senate - cowtow to win favor. He can't do it.
The 99% riot again and he wants full power and they won't give it to him. He says of the people, who are these "crows to peck the eagles".
Menenius says "You are ambitions!" So Coriolanus leaves the city and joins up with his enemy, Tullas Aufidius, to march on Rome.
Cox is my pick to get acting honors. Much more than Redgrave, he embodies the noble and the deviousness of the patricians. He squeezes every bit of tragedy out of the part.
Butler as the Volscian leader is quiet and strong. The battle with knives between he and Coriolanus is exciting. Butler has such presence, when he is on screen you watch him, even when he does nothing and is in the background. As with the great Steve McQueen, he just IS. He needs no dialog.
Entertaining and also quite good. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/
This play is so topical it could be right out of today's headlines. The opening scenes are of the poor, hungry, citizens rioting against black-booted, helmeted government troops. The young woman yells "we are considered poor citizens; the patricians good. Our suffering is a game to them."
The OWS message - the 1% against the 99%, with the armies made to serve the 1%.
But our hero is having none of any of it - he hates the citizens and the patricians. What he loves is the war and valor. He goes to battle against his enemy, Volsce leader, Tullus Aufidius, and takes the city of Corioles and is given the honorific name Coriolanus. Fiennes is very good with the permanent sneer this Coriolanus feels for most mortals.
Redgrave as his warrior Mother is good, but the character is a hypocrite. She WANTS him to have large scars - to prove his valor. But also wants him to play the game with the senate - cowtow to win favor. He can't do it.
The 99% riot again and he wants full power and they won't give it to him. He says of the people, who are these "crows to peck the eagles".
Menenius says "You are ambitions!" So Coriolanus leaves the city and joins up with his enemy, Tullas Aufidius, to march on Rome.
Cox is my pick to get acting honors. Much more than Redgrave, he embodies the noble and the deviousness of the patricians. He squeezes every bit of tragedy out of the part.
Butler as the Volscian leader is quiet and strong. The battle with knives between he and Coriolanus is exciting. Butler has such presence, when he is on screen you watch him, even when he does nothing and is in the background. As with the great Steve McQueen, he just IS. He needs no dialog.
Entertaining and also quite good. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1372686/
July 01, 2012
Lots of rewatches in June:
Mr, Deeds Goes To Town (1936) Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027996/
Breakfast For Two (1937) Barbara Stanwyke, Herbert Marshall. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028659/
Mad Miss Manton (1937) TCM Barbara Stanwyke, Henry Fonda. Screwball comedy. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030396/
Maytime (1937) Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, John Barrymore. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029222/
Since You Went Away (1944) Claudete Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, Robert Walker, Monty Wooley. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037280/
TCM's Judy Garland Day: Meet Me In St. Louis{1944) & Easter Parade(1948). Two favorite musicals.
Gilda(1946) Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford. Outstanding. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038559/
Nobody Lives Forever (1946) John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Walter Brennan, Faye Emerson, Geroge Coulouris. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038780/
12 Angry Men (1957) Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050083/
American Graffiti (1973) Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704/
Most of these have been commented on before on this Blog.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027996/
Breakfast For Two (1937) Barbara Stanwyke, Herbert Marshall. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028659/
Mad Miss Manton (1937) TCM Barbara Stanwyke, Henry Fonda. Screwball comedy. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030396/
Maytime (1937) Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, John Barrymore. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029222/
Since You Went Away (1944) Claudete Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, Robert Walker, Monty Wooley. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037280/
TCM's Judy Garland Day: Meet Me In St. Louis{1944) & Easter Parade(1948). Two favorite musicals.
Gilda(1946) Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford. Outstanding. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038559/
Nobody Lives Forever (1946) John Garfield, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Walter Brennan, Faye Emerson, Geroge Coulouris. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038780/
12 Angry Men (1957) Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050083/
American Graffiti (1973) Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704/
Most of these have been commented on before on this Blog.
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