---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 !
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