The final films I watched in October:
Encores:
The Big Lift (1950) Montgomery Clift, Paul Douglas. A story about the Berlin blockade the Russians threw up around the whole city in 1948 or so. Had to fly in everything from coal to food. The film has two airmen who are sent with their crews to be part of the around the clock deliveries. Turns into a bit of a soap with the young women they meet. It was very interesting back then, but a bit slow now. Still "the ruins of Berlin" is a character in the film and the crews, except for the two main characters and the women, are all real servicemen. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042249/
This Is Cinerama (1952) Documentary. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045231/
Cinerama Adventure (2002) Documentary 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279734/
The film that made me remember the 1950's and traveling to see the special event it was: This Is Cinerama. And the film that told all about the guys who invented the process and made the film and the theater screens to show it on: Cinerama Adventure.
This is how things were different: Before this I had never been on a plane in my life. Train or car travel was how we got around. Summer of '52 went by car to Chicago to see Cinerama. The shots of flying in the film were thrilling and made me sort of dizzy. The opening ride on the roller coaster made me queasy. You felt the way it leaned into some of the curves and that first plummet made you feel the weightlessness.
Later that year, in November, I went on my first plane trip - TWA to NYC and on Times Square I got to see the blazing lights for the Cinerama Theater; and for The King & I.
Lots of memories of a different world. Wonderful time. And these two films I DVR'd so I could take my time reliving those days.
Cash McCall (1960) James Garner, Natalie Wood, Dean Jagger, Nina Foch, Henry Jones. Big bidness and it's men. They goes after what they wants and get's it! The two stars are pretty, so it is not difficult to watch. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052680/
First Viewings:
The Lady In Question (1940) Brian Aherne, Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, Evelyn Keyes. A French farce remade for the American audience. A bicycle shop owner (Aherne) becomes a juror on a case of a young woman (Hayworth) accused of killing her boyfriend. He is the key to her acquittal and takes an interest in helping her after she is released. He brings her back home and gives her a room and a job. His son(Ford), home from school, falls for her and they decide to run away. Before long his whole family is in chaos because of his good deed. Hayworth and Fords first screen pairing, which was six years before Gilda. They made five films together and their chemistry is apparent here. Keyes is cute as the daughter of the house, in love with love. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032686/
The Nurses Secret (1941) Lee Patrick, Regis Toomey, Julie Bishop. Very dated and dull. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033966/
The Girl (2012-TV) Toby Jones, Sienna Milller, Imelda Staunton. The Hitchcock buffs are infuriated that this film casts Hitch as a villain, harassing and in effect, stalking his star, Hedron, while making two of his best films. Since it is from the woman's viewpoint, it naturally shows her perception of what is going on. It is plausible, given that both "The Birds" and "Marney" are about women who won't stay in their natural place for the 1950s - their home. In one she is aggressive and almost stalks the man she wants. In the other, she is hunted down, captured and examined, like a specimen. Both fantasies of the great director? From Hedrons' P-O-V it could be. She says"it is almost like he wants to be me - to get inside me." This is Hadron's story, so if that was the way she felt, then it is portrayed by Miller accurately. All in all, being a young woman in the 1950s, I loved both films but now see the issues differently. A great director, maybe obsessed. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2132485/
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