ENCORES:
The Story Of Seabiscuit (1949) Shirley Temple, Lon McCallister, Barry Fitzgerald, Rosemary DeCamp. Some black and white scenes of the real Seabiscuit winning his races. It fancies up the true story of the trainer and the jockey but still enjoyable. 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041923/combined
King Solomons Mines (1950) Stuart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Richard Carlson. Won Oscars for Cinematography and Editing. It is gorgeous and Granger is grand. Deborah is okay. The natives are wonderful. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042646/combined
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Jack Hawkins, Claude Rains. I finally watched the whole miserable thing. Guinness is fine and Sharif is gorgeous. O"Toole is a bore and so is the film. There are some gorgeous scenes of the cliffs and magnificent huge rocky areas rising out of the desert. The desert itself looks unpleasant at best and horrible at worst. AND no women except the o-la-la-ing as they leave the village at one point. From a distance. In all the years Lawrence was doing his thing, did he never interact with one woman? Nor any other guy speak to a woman? Awful to see and a bore! 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056172/combined
A Few Good Men (1992) Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland. Love it and watch often. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/combined
Mona Lisa Smile (2003) Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal. New art teacher at Wellesley in the 1950's uptight world tries to open her students to new ways of thinking. I was part of that world although farther down the social scale, but very much brainwashed into thinking marriage and children and home was all there was for a woman. Love this story and the prof. All the actresses are fine. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0304415/combined
The Good Shephard (2006) Matt Damon, Anjelina Jolie, Alex Baldwin, Robert DeNiro, William Hurt. The recruiting of a young college man to the OSS during WWII which becomes the CIA after, and his very uptight life of idealism turning to paranoia. Interesting history as seen by one guy from before the war up to his involvement in the Bay Of Pigs and beyond. Damon is completely different from his Bourne character. Stiff and uncompromising and wonderful in the role. Jolie is wasted as the wife. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343737/combined
Life As We Know It (2010) Katherine Heigl, Josh Duhamel. Two opposites are named in the will of their mutual friends as the guardians of their baby girl if anything should happen to them. Which it does as they are killed in an accident. How these two manage to come to an understanding and eventually love, is the story. Nice. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055292/combined
FIRST VIEWING:
Paparazzi (2004) Cole Hauser, Robin Tunney, Denis Farina. An interesting story of a guy whose film hit it big and he becomes an overnight star. And his life is turned upside down by sleazy thugs who have cameras and chase him down and cause a horrible accident. His wife and son are both injured and taken to the hospital. He sets out to find his revenge. A good take on the suffering sometimes caused by the pictures we see in the tabloids 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338325/combined
April 29, 2013
April 26, 2013
Favorites I watch often; and some I tolerate----
ENCORES:
Two Faced Woman (1941) Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Constance Bennett, Roland Young, Ruth Gordon. My second viewing after many years did not make me love it more. Not surprising that Garbo retired after this mess of a film. Maybe it was a different film that was released from what was filmed. Actors never know for sure how the thing will be cut before it is released to theaters. I was disappointed in the silly script and what the stars had to do and say. For instance the idea that a husband would not realise that a woman who shows up in new clothes and hair styled and designer hats, is his wife is crazy. She looked exactly the same and sounded the same. Just lame. The supporting cast was amusing but could not save the film for me. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034328/combined
Cover Girl (1944) Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Phil Silvers, Lee Bowman, Eve Arden, Otto Kruger. A favorite musical and Rita is simply gorgeous. Song "Long Ago And Far Away" a big hit during the WWII final years. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036723/combined
Henry V (1945) Laurence Olivier, Renee Asherson. Made during WWII with limited funds and using painted backdrops, this was a must see for most highschool students back in the day. Our teachers recommended we see it and some even assigned essay homework. My remembrances of it are from that time and how I loved Princess Katherine's English lesson; the "bilbow" for elbow, etc. Seen recently again on TCM's Olivier day, I found I was just as interested in the film and to have Robert Butlers' comments about the struggle Olivier had with finances and finding suitable locations to film the battles. The opening and closing scenes in the Globe theater were just perfect. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036910/combined
Adventure (1945) Greer Garson, Clark Gable, Joan Blondell, Thomas Mitchell. Gable's back! and Garson's got him! It was on every billboard advertising this movie back then. So we all had to go see it. And it was a real let down. Gable eventually plays the same character he did back in 1932's "It Happened One Night" but without the charm. The story of a rough sailor, and his shipmate who has "lost his soul", and goes to a library to see if they can find some help and ends up romancing a librarian and her best friend, is so far fetched as to be ridiculous. Garson seems lost most of the time, and the only ones who come out okay are Blondell's as the best friend and Mitchell as the lost soul. I remember as a teen ager hating it and recently seeing it again barely made it through it again. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037494/combined
The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers (1946) Barbara Stanwyke, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lisabeth Scott, Judith Anderson. Great cast in noir of note. We loved it in 1946 and I still do. Watch it often. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038988/combined
The Best Years Of Their Lives (1948) Fredrick March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo. Almost perfect in every way. The returning men of WWII and picking up lives as different as years make in everyones lives. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/combined
Hamlet (1948) Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons. Shakespeare's drama won Olivier his acting Oscar and his film Best Picture. Simmons was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and it had 7 nominations and won 3. I don't love it but it was interesting to see it again after 65 years. As a teenager I was very impressed. Not so much now. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040416/combined
It Happens Every Spring (1949) Ray Milland, Jean Peters, Paul Douglas. Trifle about a professor discovering a formula that makes a baseball which is repelled by wood. So he leaves the academic life for the baseball team of manager Douglas. Silly, but the story was nominated for an Oscar. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041514/combined
Angels In The Outfield (1951) Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh, Keenan Wynn, Donna Corcoran. Another baseball film for TCM's salute to the sports' opening days around the USA. In this one manager Douglas has a losing team. But an orphan brought to a game sees 'angels' behind every one on the field and things begin to change. Has a bit of charm with the blarney. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043286/combined
The Toast Of New Orleans (1950) Mario Lanza, Kathryn Grayson, David Niven, J. Carroll Naish, Rita Moreno. Another hit musical with the leads wonderful as opposites attracts. The finale 15 minutes of scenes from Madame Butterfly is marvelous. The song Be My Love was a huge hit for Lanza and won an Oscar for Best Song. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043053/combined
The Bodyguard (1992) Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston. A favorite. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103855/combined
Pride & Prejudice (1996 TV series) Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle. Firth is the perfect Mr. Darcy and Ehle a charming Elizabeth Bennett. Seems accurate to the period of Jane Austin's novel. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112130/combined
Jane Eyre (2011) Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench. Not my favorite version of Charlotte Bronte's story, but good. Nominated for Best Costume Design Oscar. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229822/combined
April 15, 2013
Great Stars
NEW TO ME:
Remember? (1939) Greer Garson, Robert Taylor, Lew Ayers, Billie Burke. She meets one guy on vacation and becomes engaged. Then she meets his best friend and marries him. Then he works too much and they decide they are not meant for each other. Then best friend gives them a potion that makes them lose their memories and they start all over again! Once was m0re than enough and the whole thing is silly and not worthy of the stars. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019702/combined
You Can't Escape Forever (1942) Brenda Marshall, George Brent, Roscoe Karns. Reporters, editors, gangsters, death row, a dark and stormy night and the Bewildered Heart Column figure in this B-Movie trifle. I really don't remember much about it so won't spend time writing more. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035582/combined
The Italian Job (1969) Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone , Rossano Brazzi. Caper film with a great car chase with the Mini-Coopers, through the streets of Turin, Italy. Group of thieves steal gold bouillon from delivery to bank and have a great plan to create a huge traffic jam and get the Coopers away and up a ramp into a big bus/van, where they offload the gold bars. The driver navigates the windy road up a mountain too fast and the last scene is the vehicle hanging out over a steep drop off with the boss (Caine) saying "I have an idea---". Some fun and lots of gorgeous scenery. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064505/combined
Phil Spector (2013 HBO) Helen Mirren, Al Pacino, Jeffrey Tambor. The story, by David Mamet who also directed, of the lawyers defending Spector in his trial for the murder of girlfriend, Lana Clarkson. Both Mirren as lawyer, Linda Kenney Baden, and Pacino as Spector, the music business legend, are marvelous. She manages to place enough doubt of his guilt with the jury to get a hung jury. And the script and acting by Pacino makes you question it too. At the end of the film we have a woman who is fighting pneumonia and is unable to continue as his lawyer. We learn in an after note that he is convicted in the second trial and is in prison. What a crazy guy. Still don't know if he did it, but 12 jurors said yes. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745862/combined
ENCORES:
The 39 Steps (1935) Madelaine Carroll, Robert Donat. Hitchcock and a spy story. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026029/combined
Love Affair (1939) Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer. My favorite version of the story and love Boyer as Michel, and the two songs, one by Dunne and the other by 3 little girls and reprised with a children's chorus. Watch it often. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031593/combined
The Mark Of Zorro (1940) Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell. Beautiful leads and fun story of derring do in old California. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032762/combined
Rebecca (1940) Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, Judith Anderson. Hitchcock & Selznick make a perfect film. IMHO. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032976/combined
Remember? (1939) Greer Garson, Robert Taylor, Lew Ayers, Billie Burke. She meets one guy on vacation and becomes engaged. Then she meets his best friend and marries him. Then he works too much and they decide they are not meant for each other. Then best friend gives them a potion that makes them lose their memories and they start all over again! Once was m0re than enough and the whole thing is silly and not worthy of the stars. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019702/combined
You Can't Escape Forever (1942) Brenda Marshall, George Brent, Roscoe Karns. Reporters, editors, gangsters, death row, a dark and stormy night and the Bewildered Heart Column figure in this B-Movie trifle. I really don't remember much about it so won't spend time writing more. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035582/combined
The Italian Job (1969) Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone , Rossano Brazzi. Caper film with a great car chase with the Mini-Coopers, through the streets of Turin, Italy. Group of thieves steal gold bouillon from delivery to bank and have a great plan to create a huge traffic jam and get the Coopers away and up a ramp into a big bus/van, where they offload the gold bars. The driver navigates the windy road up a mountain too fast and the last scene is the vehicle hanging out over a steep drop off with the boss (Caine) saying "I have an idea---". Some fun and lots of gorgeous scenery. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064505/combined
Phil Spector (2013 HBO) Helen Mirren, Al Pacino, Jeffrey Tambor. The story, by David Mamet who also directed, of the lawyers defending Spector in his trial for the murder of girlfriend, Lana Clarkson. Both Mirren as lawyer, Linda Kenney Baden, and Pacino as Spector, the music business legend, are marvelous. She manages to place enough doubt of his guilt with the jury to get a hung jury. And the script and acting by Pacino makes you question it too. At the end of the film we have a woman who is fighting pneumonia and is unable to continue as his lawyer. We learn in an after note that he is convicted in the second trial and is in prison. What a crazy guy. Still don't know if he did it, but 12 jurors said yes. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745862/combined
ENCORES:
The 39 Steps (1935) Madelaine Carroll, Robert Donat. Hitchcock and a spy story. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026029/combined
Love Affair (1939) Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer. My favorite version of the story and love Boyer as Michel, and the two songs, one by Dunne and the other by 3 little girls and reprised with a children's chorus. Watch it often. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031593/combined
The Mark Of Zorro (1940) Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell. Beautiful leads and fun story of derring do in old California. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032762/combined
Rebecca (1940) Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, Judith Anderson. Hitchcock & Selznick make a perfect film. IMHO. 10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032976/combined
April 04, 2013
Lanza! One I Missed---
So glad I finally got to see it---
Seranade (1956) Mario Lanza, Joan Fontaine, Vincent Price, Sarita Montiel.
Thank you Turner Classic Movies! Made three years before his death of a heart attack, this film has much to recommend it, mainly his singing. The two songs written for the film are not top notch, but his rendition of "Nessum Dorma" and "Ave Marie" are show stoppers. Joan Fontaine(Kendall), as the cold hearted rich women, who discovers him(Damon) singing in a San Francisco café and finds him a vocal teacher and eventually a debut in opera, is beautiful and has gorgeous clothes to wear. When she is through with him, she abruptly leaves and goes off with a painter, which makes him completely break down and flee the stage. He goes to Mexico and is brought back to living by a beautiful girl who he eventually falls for and marries. The comeback and what happens when Kendall comes back into his life is pure melodrama. This was a film I missed when it came out although I was a huge fan in the years of his Hollywood career. I still tear up at some of his singing, it is so beautiful. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049737/combined
Seranade (1956) Mario Lanza, Joan Fontaine, Vincent Price, Sarita Montiel.
Thank you Turner Classic Movies! Made three years before his death of a heart attack, this film has much to recommend it, mainly his singing. The two songs written for the film are not top notch, but his rendition of "Nessum Dorma" and "Ave Marie" are show stoppers. Joan Fontaine(Kendall), as the cold hearted rich women, who discovers him(Damon) singing in a San Francisco café and finds him a vocal teacher and eventually a debut in opera, is beautiful and has gorgeous clothes to wear. When she is through with him, she abruptly leaves and goes off with a painter, which makes him completely break down and flee the stage. He goes to Mexico and is brought back to living by a beautiful girl who he eventually falls for and marries. The comeback and what happens when Kendall comes back into his life is pure melodrama. This was a film I missed when it came out although I was a huge fan in the years of his Hollywood career. I still tear up at some of his singing, it is so beautiful. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049737/combined
April 01, 2013
All Encores this week---
ENCORES: I saw most of these at the Sat. Matinee in the same year they were released. Ten years old. The Road picture was our favorite back then.
Mrs. Miniver (1942) Greer Garson, Walter Pigeon, Teresa Wright, John Dall. Gulped and cried for Teresa. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035093/combined
Random Harvest (1942) Greer Garson, Ronald Colman. Susan Peters. Lovely love story. My sisters and I sobbed out way through it. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035238/combined
In This Our Life (1942) Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn. Bette was a spoiled bit--! Fun to watch. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034890/combined
Road To Morroco (1942) Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour. Silliness in the desert. Lovely song, Moonlight Becomes You. Dorothy was lovely. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035262/combined
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944) Mickey Rooney, Bonita Granville, Lewis Stone, Lee & Lynn Wilde, Herbert Marshall. He goes to college. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036602/combined
Easter Parade (1948) Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, Ann Miller. Such a happy film. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040308/combined
The Descendants (2011) George Clooney Love the music score. And scenery! 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/combined
The Big Year (2011) Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Rosamund Pike. Favorite I watch often. Bird watching nuts are fun! 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/combined
Mrs. Miniver (1942) Greer Garson, Walter Pigeon, Teresa Wright, John Dall. Gulped and cried for Teresa. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035093/combined
Random Harvest (1942) Greer Garson, Ronald Colman. Susan Peters. Lovely love story. My sisters and I sobbed out way through it. 9/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035238/combined
In This Our Life (1942) Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn. Bette was a spoiled bit--! Fun to watch. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034890/combined
Road To Morroco (1942) Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour. Silliness in the desert. Lovely song, Moonlight Becomes You. Dorothy was lovely. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035262/combined
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944) Mickey Rooney, Bonita Granville, Lewis Stone, Lee & Lynn Wilde, Herbert Marshall. He goes to college. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036602/combined
Easter Parade (1948) Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, Ann Miller. Such a happy film. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040308/combined
The Descendants (2011) George Clooney Love the music score. And scenery! 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/combined
The Big Year (2011) Jack Black, Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, Rosamund Pike. Favorite I watch often. Bird watching nuts are fun! 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/combined
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)