Queen Elizabeth I in 2 films---

---both from 1998.

Elizabeth (1998) Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, Emily Mortimer. I love the story of the young Elizabeth and how she becomes the Icon of the last scenes. Horrible lessons in how to survive, having to be suspicious of everyone around you. Cate and Geoffrey are mesmerizing. Fiennes is good as the one who finally breaks her heart and teaches her that she will never be safe until she rules absolutely. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0127536/

Shakespeare In Love (1998) Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Imelda Staunton, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench, Colin Firth. The young Shakespeare falls madly in love with a young woman he sees pretending to be a boy at the theater. The film is wonderful at showing how everyday life for the players and all responsible for making theater in Elizabethan times are intertwined in his plays. I quote:
"Anyone who has done a play knows first hand the pure truth of the lines:
"It will all turn out."
"How will it?"
"I don't know, it's a mystery."
But "turn out" it does and this film is great fun and marvelously acted. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138097/

It Happened In Brooklyn (1947) Kathryn Grayson, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante. These old MGM black and white musicals are so silly . A few lines from a main character - then a song. A few more lines or routines - then a song or two. And so it goes to the end. Love Jimmy; and Kathryn trilling the Bell Song from Lakme is great. Frank being Frank the teen-agers idol, and pretending to be backward with girls - is sooo fake. He can hardly keep the smirk off his face. Lawford is bland and doesn't interfere with anything. As a teen in '47, I liked this more than now. Durante is the pro that keeps ya watchin! "What a revoltin' development!" 6/10   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039501/

The Gift Of Love (1958) Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, Evelyn Rudie. Gooey, awful mess. Just kept watching wondering what Lauren saw in this mess. See, she's dying and wants her absentminded husband to have someone to care for him when she dies of a heart attack. Scream now! Rudie is no Shirley, Margaret, or Peggy Ann, just annoying. Story is so dated and silly, it is not relevant to today and hardly was in 1958. I was a new wife having a baby and KNOW I was smarter that this woman. As for the husband, deliiiivvvvvvver me! 5/10 Scenery pretty. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051657/

2 ENCORES; 1 NEW to me---

ENCORES:

The French Lieutenants Woman (1981) Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons. Meryl is drop-dead gorgeous in the costumes for the French Lt's. section of the story. Flaming hair and peaches and cream complexion. The story of a play that the cast is doing, and the characters in the 1800s is interesting, but confusing. I give it high marks for the beauty of the cinematography and the mystery, and the two leads, who are beautiful, too. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082416/


In And Out (1997) Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck, Matt Dillon, Debbie Reynolds.   A high school english prof is suddenly outed by a former student who won an academy award and told the whole world.  Not as funny as I remembered.  6/10   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119360/

NEW to me:
The Sinking Of The Laconia (2010-TVseries) Andrew Buchen, Franka Potente, Ken Duken, Brian Cox. A German U-Boat torpedo's and sinks a large passenger vessel that has been turned into a troop and prisoner ship. The story then is of the struggle of the German Captain on whether to save as many people as he can. Which is what he tries to do. There are many dilemmas and problems and the biggest is the US air force with orders to bomb the U-boat even with a large red cross visible across the bow. After being suckered many times in both theaters of war, the Allies shot first and ask questions later. That's war in all its' horror. Good film based on a true event. 7/10             http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1504261/

Mary Astor, Connie Bennett, Ginger & Priscilla -----

---ahhh the ladies -----


Smart Woman (1931) Mary Astor, John Halliday, Robert Ames, Edward Everett Horton. Mary Astor as Mrs. Nancy Gibson, is returning to the USA by ocean liner with the attentive Sir Guy her constant companion. She tells him she is very much in love with her husband, and that he will meet the boat so she has no time for flirting. But hubby doesn't meet the boat and she discovers that he has not even opened her last three letters. He has a new young thing eager to marry him, because she thinks he is very wealthy. Big mistake. It's the wife who has the fortune. Rather than retire to Reno for a divorce, Nancy decides to get hubby back. Halliday is better in this than I have ever seen him and Mary Astor is gorgeous. Robert Ames as the husband is the weak link. No charm at all. You wonder why she hangs on to the doofus. I wanted her to take Sir Guy and never look back. LOL. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022404/


Bed Of Roses (1933) Constance Bennett, Joel McCrae, John Halliday, Pert Kelton. No doubt about it. The two gals getting out of the jail at the beginning are prostitutes.
   Stealing a wallet, they manage to get on a slow boat down the river to New Orleans. On the way one gets thrown overboard and is fished out of the river by a barge captain, who doesn't trust her a minute. Here again she hooks up with rich Halliday who sets her up in a fine apartment with lots of clothes. Our Lorry and Dan have a rough time getting together. Pert Kelton as the other gal on the primrose path is amusing and ends up with one heck of a bracelet! 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023786/

Having A Wonderful Time (1938) Ginger Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Lucille Ball, Peggy Conklin. Just barely watchable. An office worker has two weeks she has saved up for to take a vacation away from the crowded city. Off she goes after a tedious packing scene at her home with the 'family' all helping. Arriving for the peace and quiet, she is confronted by huge crowds of vacationers, loud and unpleasant. Her semi-private room is a dormitory with 5 others. And her first encounter is with an employee who is hateful. So what is it that suddenly makes these two fall in love or our girl finally warm up to these unlikeable people. It is a mystery. Ginger seems lost and Doug just going through the paces. 5/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030216/

Million Dollar Baby (1941) Priscilla Lane, Ronald Reagan, Jeffrey Lynn, May Robson. A wealthy old woman living in Europe discovers that her father swindled his partner out of his share of their business. As a result the man committed suicide and his heirs know nothing about the fortune they should have inherited. So off to NYC goes our old lady to right the wrong done, by giving the granddaughter a million dollars. Which turns out to be more difficult than it should be. She gets her NYC lawyer Lynn on the job but he botches early contact by coming off as a flirt and masher to our girl. When she finally gets the money she goes a little haywire and buys everyone presents galore. Struggling musician boyfriend is suspicious and refuses to have anything to do with it - and eventually - her. Problems of having money!??? Hahaha. We should all be so lucky. Cast is fine with Robson and Lane terrific. 7/10             http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033910/

Warren William as Perry Mason----

---and Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I in two films, plus Nick and Nora Charles - were a weeks winners.

The Case Of The Lucky Legs (1935) Warren William, Genevieve Tobin, Lyle Talbot, Patricia Ellis, Allen Jenkins, Barton MacLane. Warren William as the first Perry Mason in films.  This was the second in the series with William as Perry. Very entertaining with naughty repartee' between Perry and secretary Della Street. This was not your TV uptight Perry a la Raymond Burr. The case involves a competition to find the nicest legs for $1000 dollars. Of course, it is a scam and the promoter ends up very dead. Perry is enlisted to find the one responsible. He is slightly drunk and breezy and seems unserious, but manages to solve the crime, with Della wisecracking all the way. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026185/

Private Lives Of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) Bette Davis, Errol Flynn. Olivia de Havilland, Donald Crisp. A marvelous film with Bette in her element and Errol holding his own and as charming as ever. The war in Ireland about does in Essex and makes the lovers enemies but it is ambition that ruins his chances with his queen. With all the plotting going on it is no wonder she was so suspicious. Wonderful film from Hollywood's magical year - 1939.   9/10     http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031826/

Maisie (1939) Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Ian Hunter, Ruth Hussey. For some reason, I had never before seen the film that launched the series. While I can see that this is why Ann Sothern was rushed into 2 or three a year for 4 or 5 years, she is ill-served by Robert Young as a gangley wooden ranch hand. Ian Hunter brings some class and humor in his scenes with Maisie, and Hussey is suitable despicable as the cheating wife. The tag line for the advertising was "Maisie..a grand gal every body's crazy about---" Me too. Bought the whole set. 7/10    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031608/

Song Of The Thin Man (1947) Myrna Loy, William Powell, Keenan Wynn, Dean Stockwell, Gloria Graham. Final film in the series and it is still a pleasure to be in Nick and Nora Charles's company. They are attending a charity gambling boat off NYC and listening to a song written by the clarinet star in the band. Soon there is a murder for Nick to get involved in and solve. They get into the jazz and bebop world of musicians and Wynn has some crazy/funny scenes doing the dialog. Stockwell and Asta are along for the scenes at home and are cute. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039853/

The Virgin Queen (1955) Bette Davis, Richard Todd, Joan Collins, Herbert Marshall. Bette is still the Queen and this time her favorite is Sir Walter Raleigh but he is also ambitious and wants ships to sail to the New World. He also has the eye of a young lady-in-waiting to the queen. Against the Queens wishes, he marries the girl and there is hell to pay. Always fun to see Bette The Queen. She is a powerhouse. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048791/

Flight From Ashiya (1964) Yul Brynner, Richard Widmark, George Chakiris, Shirley Knight, Suzy Parker. Story about three men who did air-sea rescue flights after WWII. Confused plotting and jamming 3 stories into one with long action scenes in between the drama, makes a muddled film. Some of the sea rescue work didn't look real. To be a completest of Brynner's films, I had to watch, but only once. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058104/

The Double Man (1967) Yul Brynner, Britt Eckland, Lloyd Nolan. During the cold war, Russia tries to put an exact double for Dan Slater into the C.I.A. Dan's 16 year old son has been killed on a mountain in the Alps where he had been skiing. So cold methodical Dan goes to find out what exactly happened. He enlists the help of retired operative Frank Wheatley who was supposed to be watching out for the boy. He also connects with Gina who rode the ski lift to the top with the son and two other men. Slowly, Dan unravels the sinister plot. Great shots of the mountain ski runs and chalets tucked into the rocks. Story is a bit far fetched but Brynner is fun to watch. 6/10                              http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061594/


Days shorter and cooler now.  So glad the drought has been broken and the dangerous heat is past.

The Western is the ticket this week---

---all the rest are to fill the bill:

Upperworld (1934) Warren William, Ginger Rogers, Mary Astor, Andy Devine, Sidney Toler. Pre-code with good stars. Warren William is railroad tycoon Alex who is tired and bored with his wife Hettie's constant social climbing parties. On their anniversary he had a dinner for two all planned but she was too 'busy' so he and the chauffeur end up at a burlesque show, and meet featured dancer, Lily Linda (Rogers). One thing leads to another and we have blackmail, a killing, headlines, and ruin. Since it is just at the beginning of the crackdown, we have a somewhat questionable ending. The stars are good, especially Toler. 7/10             http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025935/

Too Hot To Handle (1938) Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Walter Pigeon, Walter Connolly. Two rival newsreel reporters and a woman flier in a film that so bogged down with unlikable people I was ready to get outta Dodge way before it ended. The tricks they play on each other for a story and good pictures, which must have amused people in 1938 made me cringe for them all. Myrna is always fun to watch, but Clark falls flat for this viewer this time. 6/10    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030879/

Confidential Agent (1945) Charles Boyer, Lauren Bacall. I was so bored, I went to sleep. Watched it again later. It was still boring. 5/10              http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037610/

Jalna (1935) Kay Johnson, Ian Hunter, C. Aubrey Smith, Nigel Bruce, Jessie Ralph. I usually enjoy Ian Hunter but he is so conflicted, as is much of the cast, I lost interest. Episodic story of a large family living on an estate, and their many intrigues and problems. Frankly, I was bored. 5/10   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026542/

Magnificent Seven (1960) Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Eli Wallach, Horst Buchholz. Great western. Peasants come to border town to hire men with guns to help them get rid of Calvera and the bandits that are raiding their town regularly. They first talk to Chris who agrees to help them pick out men and guns. He recruits Vin, Britt, Bernardo, and eventually decides he must go too. When they head back to the village, there are six, but the hot-headed native lad who was rejected finally gets to be part of the group. The training of the villagers, and setting some traps occupy the 7 and then Calvera rides in and before long we have a gun battle. The interaction between the gunmen and the peasants and the Seven and the village, are handled well. At the end 'the old man' says to Chris and Vin "only the farmers have won. They always win." Sometimes you wish you could ride off with Chris and Vin. LOL. 9/10                            http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054047/

The Family Stone (2005) Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Diane Keaton, Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams. Yeah it's holiday time again! Joy to the world, all the boys and girls. What unlikable people, who think nothing of greeting the new fiancee' of one son as a pariah; humiliating her and making her feel in-the-way and unliked. It is too much. Maybe she is uptight and not on the same page as the rest, but I'd rather spend an evening with her than all the crazies they have lined up for us to 'get' and 'relate' to. Please. No way. Take my place off the table, pleeeez! I'm outta here, 5/10  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356680/

Water For Elephants (2011) Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattison, Christoph Waltz, Hal Holbrook. A slice of 1930's life at the circus. Pattison is Jacob who is about to have finals for his degree and become a Veterinarian. But his parents are killed in an auto accident which leaves him penniless, homeless and out on his own. Stumbling along a railroad track he comes upon a mob of men ready to jump on any train to anywhere. The one he manages to board is a circus train. It is a fly-by-night deal; meaning the train arrives in a little town, sets up the tent, bleachers and midway, out by the railroad tracks; ready to do a show by sunset and break down and load up by midnight. Day after day the same. Jacob takes care of the animals. Owner, August, is a mean s-o-b and decides to acquire an elephant to bring in crowds. The one he shows up with won't do anything until Jacob discovers she was trained by Polish people. When she is commanded in that language, she is perfect. Jacob and August differ over how to treat the animal but most of all about Marlena, August's wife. I was surprised by Pattison. He is charming and good as a bewildered young man. I don't think the script served Witherspoon well. She did not seem like a battered wife. And she keeps playing Jacob, with all the dancing and rubbing his neck. I wasn't sure what she was up to, no good probably. Great sets and atmosphere. Just as tawdry and dusty and exciting as I remembered at my grandma's little Missouri farm town. 500 souls, 4th of July weekend, 1942 and a circus came to town.    7/10             http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/

Still trying to learn all about my new TV with the internet connection, etc.  It may be smarter than I am ! 

Catching up on films watched----

---14 I have watched but not commented on:

Employees Entrance (1933) Warren William, Loretta Young, Wallace Ford, Alice White. Warren is Mr. Anderson, the manager of a large department store and hires and fires people at random, according to his rules. He has an eye for the young things that are desperate for work in the hard times of the 1930's. One young beauty is Madeleine, who he beds, then hires as a salesgirl. Martin West (Ford) is a go-getter that Anderson sees is much like he himself so he starts advancing him up the ladder. But Martin has met and fallen in love with Madeleine; they marry but must keep it a secret, and she tries to keep both of them afloat in this sea of misanthropy. William is his usual best at being bad and a cad. Ford is very good as the conflicted 2nd lead. Loretta is pretty. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023986/

Cleopatra (1934) Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Henry Wilcoxin, Ian Keith. If for no other reason, see this for the scene of the Queen Of Egypt give the slight nod of her head to her Major domo, to start the giant oars of the barge, to the beat of the drum - and that gorgeous Kopp score. Gad! DeMille knew how to put on a show. Magnificent. Claudette Colbert is terrific as the Queen - who must be obeyed. The men are all adequate but it is DeMille, the showman, who is the star. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024991/

Times Square Playboy (1936) Warren William, Gene & Katherine Lockhart, June Travis, Barton MacLane. "Pighead" Ben Bancroft comes to the big city to be best man at his old school chum Vic's wedding. Pighead gets it into his head that the fiancee' and her family are taking advantage of his friends good nature. Much bluster and telling off people goes on and soon Ben has everyone mad at everyone. Nice little Cohan story and good performances, make this worth seeing. Gene Lockhart and MacLane, pros that they are, steal scenes right and left. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028383/

Women Are Like That (1938) Kay Francis, Pat O'Brien, Thurston Hall. Dueling advertising execs is routine plot for lots of comedies. But this has Bill/O'Brien more obnoxious and unlikable than I have ever seen him. He has a temper tantrum and behaves like a spoiled child. Kay/Claire is his wife and partner at the firm, which her father/Claudius owned. Pop decides to retire but really is absconding with company funds, leaving son-in-law to clean up the mess. Bill uses his stock money to pay off debts and so he doesn't have to fire anyone. He ends up leaving the firm and Claire gets to work and makes a success. Kay is fine as the put-upon wife and successful business woman. Hall as the father steals every scene he is in and looks to be having a ball. No to Pat - what a boor. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030985/

Little Men (1940) Kay Frances, George Bancroft, Jimmy Lydon, Jack Oakie, Carl Esmond. Christopher Columbus!! Poor Kay. This was so beneath her. Jimmy Lydon is annoying in the extreme, and Bancroft and Oakie only need mustache and beards to twiddle and twaddle and twirl to make it more juvenile. Making 3 or more films a year for 5 years, Kay gives one of her best ever performances as a sweet viper in 1939s "In Name Only" and wonderful comic timing in 1940s "Play Girl." So we can forgive this one; a formula story of the bad boy becoming the savior of the school and family and all's right with the world; it is fine for children of all ages. All others - beware. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032717/

Play Girl (1940) Kay Francis, James Ellison, Midred Coles, Margaret Hamilton. Born in 1905, Kay is now 35! Too old to catch the rich gents, according to this film.(?) So she has to recruit a sweet young thing of 19 to catch the rich playboys. Hard for us to realize that women had so few choices that they played these games. Kay is radiant and seems to relish some of the lines she is saying. Coles is rather stiff. Hamilton, as the maid, steals scenes routinely. Ellison is goodlooking and nice. But Nigel Bruce as a man in his 30s or 40s?? Fantasy for old men. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032916/

The Feminine Touch(1941) Kay Francis, Rosalind Russell, Don Ameche, Van Heflin. John Hathaway(Ameche) is a professor of psychology at Digby College and has had his first book, on jealousy, accepted by Elliott Morgan Publishing. He and wife Julie go to NYC to meet with publisher, Elliott Morgan and his secretary Nellie, and talk about how to bring out the book. But all Elliott seems to want is some time with Julie. And Nellie is only interested in one section of the book. And Elliott. So with him chasing Julie and John just interested in getting published, they all end up at the retreat Elliott has on an off shore island. Sparkling dialog and slapstick routines ensue and it is lots of fun. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033596/

Bittersweet (1940) Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, George Sanders, Ian Hunter. Their 2nd technicolor film and it is beautiful. But, sadly, they are too old for the young lovers story they are making. Nevertheless, the sets are lovely, the music wonderful and so it is a nice hour and a half. And the lyrics: "I'll see you again, whenever spring breaks though again" so lovely and sad... 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032256/

Dark Passage (1947) Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Agnes Moorehead Character actors: Cab Driver -Tom D'Andrea; Clifton Young - blackmailer; Rlry Mallison - friend; Houseley Stevenson - Doctor; Tom Fadden - diner counterman; Mary Field - mother in bus station; Douglas Kennedy - cop who causes trouble; and of course, Jo Stafford's voice singing "You're Just too Wonderful". Holy - moly, kemosabi! What a cast!                    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039302/

Cry Of The City (1948) Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Fred Clark, Shelley Winters. In 1934 William Powell and Clark Gable were the original orphans who grew up to be on opposite sides of the law. Gable was the gangster; Powell ends up as the Govenor. Many, many films later we have this one. Conte gives a gritty performance as a guy who thinks of No.1 - himself. Mature is from the neighborhood and used to eat at Mama's table. When it comes time to bring Rome in, Mature plays him as just a cop doing his job. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040257/

Arthur (1981) Dudley Moore, Liza Minelli, John Gielgud (Oscar), Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ted Ross. One of the funniest comedies of the last 30 years. Watched it the other night and laughed all the way through even though I know it by heart. When someone asks "where shall we go now?" I always say "Through the paaak - you know how I love the paaak!" So many funny lines and Moores fumbling through Liza's apartment is still great timing by all and very funny. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082031/

Midnight Run (1988) Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto. Okay. Grodins an accountant for the mob. He know where the money is and helps himself. De Niro is a Bounty hunter who needs the money he will get for bringing the guy in. So the fun is when these two misfits are trying to get cross country without getting killed. Still fun but not quite as funny this time. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095631/

The Big Year (2011) Becoming a all-time fave that I will always stop and watch. It's the birds, feathered; and the people who chase them - only for spotting. Love it! 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/

Bridesmaids (2011) Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Jill Clayburgh. Only names I recognized. I did not laugh even once. I am not the target audiance - too old? 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1478338/

More Kay Francis from pre-code---

Guilty Hands (1931) Kay Frances, Lionel Barrymore, Madge Evans, Alan Mowbray. Babs(Evans) is wooed and won away from her young sweetheart by older cad, Gordan Rich(Mowbray). Her father, Barrymore(Richard Grant) vows to kill him and get away with it if he won't stop seeing Babs. Marjorie(Kay Francis) loves Gordan and sees what happens. . She threatens to unmask the real killer. It would take a few more years to have films made from the camera point-of-view This is melodrama 1931 style. Most actors came from the stage; lots of scripts were reworking Plays; directors also had mainly stage training. So, if we today criticize, using today's standards, it is very unfair. This is an interesting plot, with mostly pros in the title roles. The star in Barrymore and he is good. Kay Francis has lovely fashions to wear, and holds her own. And because it is pre-code, a surprising ending. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021933/

House On 56th Street (1933) Kay Francis, Ricardo Cortez, Gene Raymond, Margaret Lindsey. Kay is a 1905 showgirl (Peggy) on Broadway and lover to Lyndon Fiske. She also has young Monte Van Tyle(Raymond) wanting to marry her. So she does. He builds her a mansion - the title address. Hubby is drafted to war and Peggy has a baby girl.  And then Monte is killed, so Fiske pounces and says he needs her back, he is ill, etc. She says no. He takes out a gun. Ba-da-bing. In a struggle, he is shot and killed. Peggy is arrested, tried and given 20 years. House goes, baby goes to mother-in-law, and 20 years pass. We see Kay released and given a new start by an inheritance from her mother-in-law. From dowdy, grey haired convict, to glamorous widow sailing on a luxury ship and meeting up with crooked gambling man, Cortez. Eventually teaming up, they make lots of money and end up at the 56th St address, now the biggest gambling house/speakeasy in NYC. Well, now we have the set up for daughter and her beau, threatened by gambling problems. Suffice to say, Kay suffers but her daughter cries a lot as she sails off into the sunset with her young man, thanks to Ma and pre-code sensibilities. Kay wears a different gown in almost every scene in the speakeasy. Gorgeous. 8/10    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024144/

Just one or two more of the great Kay's films from her birthday on TCM.  May have to have cake again. Hahahaha

A favorite western

Cowboy (1958) Glenn Ford, Jack Lemon, Brian Donlevy, King Donovan, Richard Jaeckel, Dick York, Victor Mendoza.  A young starry eyed bell boy Harris/Lemon in a fancy Chicago hotel idolizes the violent and hard living trail hands who storm into the hotel where he works. The "boss" gets to drinking and gambling and ends up borrowing money from the young man, who gets a sworn promise that he now owns half of the assets of Ford/Reese. When Harris shows up at the rail yard ready to go with them back to Texas, Reese gets nasty and tells him to get lost. But Harris is stubborn and Reese relents. His Ramrod, Mendoza says "he must be telling the truth or you woud have killed him by now." A favorite western. Parts are cliche, but so many details of life on the trail are shown as hard and unsentimental of humans or animals, that it is difficult to watch at times. Ford at his hard-as-rock best, and Lemon as his befuddled but good guy best too; some great scenes together. The cattle drive is a classic theme and this one is on a par with Red River and the Wayne/Clift pairing. Always a pleasure when the pros are in charge. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051496/

A noir; and a western---

The Bribe (1949) Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price, John Hodiak. On an island somewhere in the tropics, we have a USA Federal Agent looking for stolen airplane engines. His chief suspect has a gorgeous wife who sings in a nightclub. There are various and assorted sleazy men interested in getting in on the hustle. And it is steamy hot. Everyone mops their brow. Ava is beautiful and vamps a bit. Bob is serious and gets the hots for Ava. Laughten is just creepy and makes you want to shower. Have never been fond of this noir. Cinematography is shadowy and dark. But it is still dull. 6/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041207/

Man Of The West (1958) Gary Cooper, Julie London, Lee J. Cobb, Arthur O'Conner. Gary is a reformed outlaw who is taking a newfangled train to a big city to hire a school teacher.  It is interesting to see how nervous he is with each new burb or hiss of the big train engine.  The train is robbed and he and fellow travelers, the dancehall girl and a gambler, are able to survive and get away. He takes them to a relatives homestead not too far from the train tracks. A mean onery bunch. But now they all have to work together to survive. An unpleasant story about awful people. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051899/