NEW TO ME:
Virginia City (1940) Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins, Randolph Scott, Humphrey Bogart, Alan Hale. This starts off with Flynn in a southern prisoner of war camp overseen by Scotts' character as the Commander. Hopkins is visiting in the area to get her orders. She is a southern spy working in Virginia City where huge gold and silver deposits are being worked, and southern sympathizers are conspiring to send five million dollars in boullion back to Jeff Davis. Flynn and his friends escape eventually and all end up in Virgingia City. Hopkins as the star at the saloon; Flynn and his side kicks scoping out who and where the when the gold will be taken; and Scott and his crew loading up and getting the heck out of Dodge - umm, V.C. In this stew we also have Bogart as an outlaw robbing stage coaches, etc. With a very fake accent, he and his banditos end up raiding the wagon train, and the Union soldiers led by Flynn have to join the southeners to save the day. Strange western that is all over the place. Bad acting, bad dancing by Hopkins, and corny comedy. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033226/combined
A Millionaire For Christy (1951) Eleanor Parker, Fred MacMurray, Richard Carlson, Una Merkel. A 1930's style screwball comedy that just doesn't get off the ground. Stars are attractive and try, but are defeated by lame script. Law secretary is sent to find heir to fortune to tell him the news. She is broke and decides to try to win him herself before she tells him the news. Complications that are supposed to be funny and charming are just lame for a 1950s film. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043807/combined
Finding Rin Tin Tin (2007) Tyler Jensen, Ben Cross, and 5 wonderful dogs. Supposed true story of WWI American pilot who finds a dog and her pups in a bombed out building and his raising and training one of the dogs through the rest of the war. Eventually the war is over and he gets to bring the dog to America, where he becomes the most famous dog in silent films. Film is okay for kids and dog lovers, but it is very slow paced and the acting is weak. Except for the 5 dogs who play Rinny. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493443/combined
Gone (2012) Amanda Seyfried, Daniel Sunjata, Jennifer Hood, Wes Bentley. Woman in peril story which also seems to, or might be, all in her head. Sister is missing. Girl goes to police, who won't do anything because it has only been a few hours. Pretty good suspense and the location shooting in and around Portland, Oregon is nice. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1838544/combined
Trouble With The Curve (2012) Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake. Baseball story about an aging scout for a major league team who sees his doctor about his failing sight, and his estranged lawyer daughter. His good friend in the front office calls daughter to see if she can get her pa through his last scouting trip before his contract comes up for renewal. Hot shot scout in front office does all his scouting on the computer "the way of the future." Adams is wonderful and Timberlake is charming. Eastwood is still watchable but his voice is going-gone. Very irritating. Goodman is always fun and watchable. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2083383/combined
ENCORES:
Saratoga Trunk (1945) Ingrid Bergman, Gary Cooper. For the bagillionth time! If I'm in the dumps I watch Ingrid being a coquette---10/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038053/combined
The Third Man (1949 Joseph Cotton, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, Trevor Howard. Ah, the zither and the dark shadows. "Holly Martins - what a silly name" Perfect. 10/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/combined
The Restless Moment (1949) Joan Bennett, James Mason, Geraldene Brooks. One of my favorite films of both leads. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041786/combined
Detective Story (1951) Eleanor Parker, Kirk Douglas, William Bendix. Based on a famous stage play. Part Of Parker month films on TCM. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043465/combined
Valentino (1951) Eleanor Parker, Anthony Dexter, Richard Carlson. Fictionalized story of the great lover of silent films. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044177/combined
June 23, 2013
All Encores this week---
ENCORES:
Scaramouche (1952) Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, Janet Leigh, Mel Farrer. Swords and derring do as a troupe of actors hide the rogue looking for his roots in the France of Marie Antoinette. Fun for a hot afternoon when your brain is fried. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045125/combined
Interrupted Melody (1955) Eleanor Parker, Glenn Ford, Roger Moore. Australian-born opera star Marjorie Lawrence's life from the time she won a competition and went to Europe to study, through her world wide success, marriage and horrible bout with polio. Parkers favorite film. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048210/combined
Queen Bee (1955) Joan Crawford, Barry Sullivan, Betsy Palmer, John Ireland, Lucy Marlow. Joan at her nasty best, being mean and cunning. She hooks a rich southern gent and stings her way into the lives of the family members. Nice cousin arrives and things start to go wrong. Top cast in a gothic tale. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048527/combined
The Killer (Dip huet seung hung 1989) Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh. John Woo wrote and directed the great Chow in this classic Hong Kong action film. A symphony of violence. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097202/combined
Primal Fear (1996) Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, Alfre Woodard. Courtroom drame at its best. Norton's star making performance is still riveting. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117381/combined
Law Abiding Citizen (2009) Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Colm Meany, Leslie Bibb, Viola Davis. A brilliant engineer witnesses his wife and daughter brutally murdered by two burglars. The assistant district attorney in charge of the case makes a deal with one murderer for a few years in prison, to get a death sentence for the other. That makes the victim spend ten years of plotting and planning to get his family justice. He makes both criminals have violent and bloody deaths, one on death row and the other out now, by capturing and torturing and killing him in a horrible way. Then he goes to work on the justice system and takes out each person that did not get his family justice. By the time he has murdered the judge, the target of his revenge finally underestands when Clyde tells him "if you had tried and failed to bring both murderers to justice, I would have understood, but you didn't try. You did what was best for you and your career." The last scene of Nick with his wife at their daughters recital you see a man who has finally understood what he has done. Fine cast in a good revenge film. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1197624/combined
The Bounty Hunter (2010) Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston, Christine Baransky. Divorced couple are on opposite sides - he as the bounty hunter, she as the arrested skipped on-her-bond reporter - and their road trip with him trying to get her back to jail so he can collect his $5000.00 fee. Perfect mindless summertime fun for a hot evening with something cool to drink with the popcorn. Attractive stars and a wonderful light blue convertible. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038919/combined
The Help (2011) Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer. Wonderful cast brings to life story of a novice author who wants to write about the stories of the maids in a southern town. Pitch perfect in all cases, and funny too. Just a delighful film about a serious subject - the lives of the African-American maids in the 1960's south. Great roles for most of the leads in the cast. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/combined
Scaramouche (1952) Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, Janet Leigh, Mel Farrer. Swords and derring do as a troupe of actors hide the rogue looking for his roots in the France of Marie Antoinette. Fun for a hot afternoon when your brain is fried. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045125/combined
Interrupted Melody (1955) Eleanor Parker, Glenn Ford, Roger Moore. Australian-born opera star Marjorie Lawrence's life from the time she won a competition and went to Europe to study, through her world wide success, marriage and horrible bout with polio. Parkers favorite film. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048210/combined
Queen Bee (1955) Joan Crawford, Barry Sullivan, Betsy Palmer, John Ireland, Lucy Marlow. Joan at her nasty best, being mean and cunning. She hooks a rich southern gent and stings her way into the lives of the family members. Nice cousin arrives and things start to go wrong. Top cast in a gothic tale. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048527/combined
The Killer (Dip huet seung hung 1989) Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh. John Woo wrote and directed the great Chow in this classic Hong Kong action film. A symphony of violence. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097202/combined
Primal Fear (1996) Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, Alfre Woodard. Courtroom drame at its best. Norton's star making performance is still riveting. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117381/combined
Law Abiding Citizen (2009) Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Colm Meany, Leslie Bibb, Viola Davis. A brilliant engineer witnesses his wife and daughter brutally murdered by two burglars. The assistant district attorney in charge of the case makes a deal with one murderer for a few years in prison, to get a death sentence for the other. That makes the victim spend ten years of plotting and planning to get his family justice. He makes both criminals have violent and bloody deaths, one on death row and the other out now, by capturing and torturing and killing him in a horrible way. Then he goes to work on the justice system and takes out each person that did not get his family justice. By the time he has murdered the judge, the target of his revenge finally underestands when Clyde tells him "if you had tried and failed to bring both murderers to justice, I would have understood, but you didn't try. You did what was best for you and your career." The last scene of Nick with his wife at their daughters recital you see a man who has finally understood what he has done. Fine cast in a good revenge film. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1197624/combined
The Bounty Hunter (2010) Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston, Christine Baransky. Divorced couple are on opposite sides - he as the bounty hunter, she as the arrested skipped on-her-bond reporter - and their road trip with him trying to get her back to jail so he can collect his $5000.00 fee. Perfect mindless summertime fun for a hot evening with something cool to drink with the popcorn. Attractive stars and a wonderful light blue convertible. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038919/combined
The Help (2011) Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer. Wonderful cast brings to life story of a novice author who wants to write about the stories of the maids in a southern town. Pitch perfect in all cases, and funny too. Just a delighful film about a serious subject - the lives of the African-American maids in the 1960's south. Great roles for most of the leads in the cast. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/combined
June 19, 2013
Lots of pre-code films---
FIRST VIEWINGS:
City Streets (1931) Sylvia Sydney, Gary Cooper, Paul Lukas, William Boyd, Guy Kibbee. All about bootlegging gansters, hit men, daughters who end up in prison because of the old man, and young guys on the make. Good early gangster film but not as memorable as some of the others. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021750/combined
Lady By Choice (1934) Carole Lombard, May Robson, Roger Pryor, Walter Connelly. Robson is a gin guzzling old lady arrested and brought before he same judge for the seventh time in a year. Off to the old ladies home she goes. Fan dancer Lee has a press agent who thinks it's a swell idea to adopt a 'mother' from said home for publicity. The gals hit it off and Lee falls for a lawyer after originally going after him for his money, which causes a falling out with 'Mom'. Carole and May are great together and make this a fun film to see. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025366/combined
The Old Man AndThe Sea (1958) Spencer Tracy. Finally decided to force myself to sit and watch the whole thing, because so many think it is so good. And the awards for film and ole Spence. I was bored out of my mind and still don't get it. That fish was great though. The definition of "padded" screenplay. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052027/combined
Homicide (1949) Robert Douglas, Helen Westcott, Robert Alda. Indifferent crime drama with a 'b' cast. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041482/combined
Montana (1950) Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S. Z. Sakall. Sheep herder whose father came from Australia and was run out of the area in a former sheep-cattle war, brings his hugh herd of sheep to the government owned open range cattle country, and 'invades' local land barons territory, one of which is a very rich lady ranch owner. Strife and romance develope; Gorgeous scenery and fairly good plot. Two stars had better films together. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042744/combined
The Man With The Cloak (1951) Joseph Cotton, Barbara Stanwyke, Leslie Caron, Louis Calhern. A strange house with mean people. A young French girl arrives with a letter from the grandson of the owner of the house. She is at first denied entrance or a meeting with the old man, but finally, with the help of a hard drinking man she meets at a local bar she goes to for help, she gets to see and talk to the old man. Lawyers and much double dealing and murder make an interesting and unusual film noirish 1850's plot. A surprise at the end makes it all worth while viewing. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043782/combined
ENCORES:
The Maltese Falcon (1931) Ricard Cortez, Bebe Daniels, Una Merkel, Dudley Digges. Original film version of Dashiell Hammett's book. Sam Spade is quite the womanizer and this one leads off with him getting rid of one woman doing up her stockings as his secretary announces a 'real looker' for the next client and he is all smiles and winks. Very different from the famous '41 film and a far more daring one with the sexual content spelled out. I liked it a lot and can see why Cortez was the heart throb of my Mom's generation. Like Valentino, a Latin Lover type. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022111/combined
Footlight Parade (1933) James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell. Personally, I like this film more than 42nd Street. Great numbers. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024028/combined
42ndStreet (1933) Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Warner Baxter. Love the musical numbers, but can barely watch Baxter's over the top ranting. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024034/combined
Boom Town, (1940) Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr, Frank Morgan. Oil men and the gal both love. The 'other woman' gets in the way for a while but has to 'butt out' by the happy ending. Stars are all in top form and this film could have been made by the oil industrie's publicity company it is so all out complimentary to the 'wildcatters' and oil barons. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032273/combined
Strange Cargo (1940) Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Ian Hunter, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas. Convicts escape from Devils Island in a boat and Gable brings along a dame from the dregs. Wordy but interesting melodrama. with 'God' like man in Hunter. Gable is the same character in almost all his films - hard drinking, fighting, womanizing, bastard. Crawford can play the female counterpart to a tee. Great together. Hunter is very good here. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033105/combined
Gentleman Jim (1942) Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, Jack Carson, Alan Hale. Good role for Flynn about the boxer Jim Corbett who eventually beats John L. Sullivan and becomes the first heavyweight champion of the world under the new Marquis of Queensberry rules. Before their fight it had been an illegal sport and only brawlers participated. But the society men of the day wanted to make it legitimate and sponsored a young banker who grew up in a fighting Irish family of brothers. Entertaining film and Flynn and Smith have chemistry to spare. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034778/combined
Life With Father (1947) William Powell, Irene Dunne, Elizabeth Taylor, Zazu Pitts. Great romp for Fathers Day.with the 1880's family with four boys and their banker father who likes to think he is in charge. But Mother is his downfall as she usually gets her way. Especilly when she discovers her husband was never baptised. She is shocked and makes it her goal to get him 'sprinkled' so he can get in heaven with her and the boys. Taylor and Pitts are mothers relatives who come to visit regularly to the frustration of father. Delightful nonsense. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039566/combined
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) Esther Williams, Victor Mature, David Brian, Walter Pigeon. Possibly Williams best film, based on the life of Australian swimming champ and entertainer Annette Kellerman. She was the first woman to swim the English Channel and the first to wear form fitting tights and a swim suit without a skirt and her arms uncovered. Scandalous, at the time. Production numbers are spectacular. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044903/combined
The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) Judy Holliday, Paul Douglas, Fred Clark, John Williams. Delightful comedy about the small stockholder who causes gigantic headaches for the crooked board members of a large film. Cast is wonderful. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049777/combined
City Streets (1931) Sylvia Sydney, Gary Cooper, Paul Lukas, William Boyd, Guy Kibbee. All about bootlegging gansters, hit men, daughters who end up in prison because of the old man, and young guys on the make. Good early gangster film but not as memorable as some of the others. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021750/combined
Lady By Choice (1934) Carole Lombard, May Robson, Roger Pryor, Walter Connelly. Robson is a gin guzzling old lady arrested and brought before he same judge for the seventh time in a year. Off to the old ladies home she goes. Fan dancer Lee has a press agent who thinks it's a swell idea to adopt a 'mother' from said home for publicity. The gals hit it off and Lee falls for a lawyer after originally going after him for his money, which causes a falling out with 'Mom'. Carole and May are great together and make this a fun film to see. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025366/combined
The Old Man AndThe Sea (1958) Spencer Tracy. Finally decided to force myself to sit and watch the whole thing, because so many think it is so good. And the awards for film and ole Spence. I was bored out of my mind and still don't get it. That fish was great though. The definition of "padded" screenplay. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052027/combined
Homicide (1949) Robert Douglas, Helen Westcott, Robert Alda. Indifferent crime drama with a 'b' cast. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041482/combined
Montana (1950) Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S. Z. Sakall. Sheep herder whose father came from Australia and was run out of the area in a former sheep-cattle war, brings his hugh herd of sheep to the government owned open range cattle country, and 'invades' local land barons territory, one of which is a very rich lady ranch owner. Strife and romance develope; Gorgeous scenery and fairly good plot. Two stars had better films together. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042744/combined
The Man With The Cloak (1951) Joseph Cotton, Barbara Stanwyke, Leslie Caron, Louis Calhern. A strange house with mean people. A young French girl arrives with a letter from the grandson of the owner of the house. She is at first denied entrance or a meeting with the old man, but finally, with the help of a hard drinking man she meets at a local bar she goes to for help, she gets to see and talk to the old man. Lawyers and much double dealing and murder make an interesting and unusual film noirish 1850's plot. A surprise at the end makes it all worth while viewing. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043782/combined
ENCORES:
The Maltese Falcon (1931) Ricard Cortez, Bebe Daniels, Una Merkel, Dudley Digges. Original film version of Dashiell Hammett's book. Sam Spade is quite the womanizer and this one leads off with him getting rid of one woman doing up her stockings as his secretary announces a 'real looker' for the next client and he is all smiles and winks. Very different from the famous '41 film and a far more daring one with the sexual content spelled out. I liked it a lot and can see why Cortez was the heart throb of my Mom's generation. Like Valentino, a Latin Lover type. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022111/combined
Footlight Parade (1933) James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell. Personally, I like this film more than 42nd Street. Great numbers. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024028/combined
42ndStreet (1933) Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Warner Baxter. Love the musical numbers, but can barely watch Baxter's over the top ranting. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024034/combined
Boom Town, (1940) Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr, Frank Morgan. Oil men and the gal both love. The 'other woman' gets in the way for a while but has to 'butt out' by the happy ending. Stars are all in top form and this film could have been made by the oil industrie's publicity company it is so all out complimentary to the 'wildcatters' and oil barons. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032273/combined
Strange Cargo (1940) Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Ian Hunter, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas. Convicts escape from Devils Island in a boat and Gable brings along a dame from the dregs. Wordy but interesting melodrama. with 'God' like man in Hunter. Gable is the same character in almost all his films - hard drinking, fighting, womanizing, bastard. Crawford can play the female counterpart to a tee. Great together. Hunter is very good here. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033105/combined
Gentleman Jim (1942) Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, Jack Carson, Alan Hale. Good role for Flynn about the boxer Jim Corbett who eventually beats John L. Sullivan and becomes the first heavyweight champion of the world under the new Marquis of Queensberry rules. Before their fight it had been an illegal sport and only brawlers participated. But the society men of the day wanted to make it legitimate and sponsored a young banker who grew up in a fighting Irish family of brothers. Entertaining film and Flynn and Smith have chemistry to spare. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034778/combined
Life With Father (1947) William Powell, Irene Dunne, Elizabeth Taylor, Zazu Pitts. Great romp for Fathers Day.with the 1880's family with four boys and their banker father who likes to think he is in charge. But Mother is his downfall as she usually gets her way. Especilly when she discovers her husband was never baptised. She is shocked and makes it her goal to get him 'sprinkled' so he can get in heaven with her and the boys. Taylor and Pitts are mothers relatives who come to visit regularly to the frustration of father. Delightful nonsense. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039566/combined
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) Esther Williams, Victor Mature, David Brian, Walter Pigeon. Possibly Williams best film, based on the life of Australian swimming champ and entertainer Annette Kellerman. She was the first woman to swim the English Channel and the first to wear form fitting tights and a swim suit without a skirt and her arms uncovered. Scandalous, at the time. Production numbers are spectacular. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044903/combined
The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) Judy Holliday, Paul Douglas, Fred Clark, John Williams. Delightful comedy about the small stockholder who causes gigantic headaches for the crooked board members of a large film. Cast is wonderful. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049777/combined
June 10, 2013
Bennett 1932 to Brando 1966---
FIRST VIEWINGS:
Two Against The World (1932) Constance Bennett, Neil Hamilton, Helen Vinson. Connie is a playgirl, Dell. Neil is a do-gooder attorney, David Norton. It's pre-code and a compact on a bed is naughty. Bennett's brother shoots a guy who he thinks has betrayed his sister, but it is the other sister who is involved with the man he shoots. The attorney has to prosecute and grill his secret love, and she is just protecting her family. Their scenes with them having a meal of beans to bring her down a peg, are fun. Of course, Connie wears Hattie Carnegie hats and Orre-Kelly gowns and looks smashing. Just what the shopgirls of the time wanted. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023625/combined
ENCORES:
Gold Diggers Of 1933 (1933) Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Aline MacMahon, Warren William, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Ned Sparks. Jewel of a film about 3 showgirls and how they wind 3 guys around their little fingers. Great musical numbers created by Busby Berkeley and gowns by Orry-Kelly. The last number "My Forgotten Man" once seen is unforgettable and could be about the returning veterans of today, with no jobs to be had. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024069/combined
Alice In Wonderland (1933) Charlotte Henry, Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields, Edna May Oliver, May Robson, Cary Grant. Curiouser and curiouser why they put all the stars in such heavy makeup that you only recognise them by their voices. Somewhat interesting version of the Alice books, but I was not as enthralled this time as when I first saw it as a youngster in the 1940's when it was rereleased. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023753/combined
The Very Thought Of You (1944) Eleanor Powell, Dennis Morgan, Dane Clark, Faye Emerson. The title song became a danced to classic of the WWII years and later. Story of war time romance of women parachute factory workers and soldiers on leave is nice and during the dark days of 1944 was much loved. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037428/combined
The Jolson Story (1946) Larry Parks, Evelyn Keyes, William Demarest. In 1946 my high school friends and I had never heard of Jolson except once in a while on radio or parents talking about him. Then this film came out and we went mad for his songs and Larry Parks. Story is not really about his life but a way to get as many of his famous numbers into a film as they could. Enjoyed it very much on CineMoi this week. The production is still as gorgeous to look at as it was in 1946. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038661/combined
The High Wall (1947) Robert Taylor, Audrey Totter, Herbert Marshall, Dorothy Patrick. A man with a sever head injury that makes him black out at times, is accused and confesses to murdering his wife. He is committed to a mental hospital and assigned to Dr. Ann Lorrison who eventually comes to believe he is innocent. Moody drama, with dark rain soaked streets, shadows and dream sequences make a highly watchable film noir. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039464/combined
The Chase (1966) Marlon Brando, Angie Dickenson, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford. A small Texas town and its' sheriff discover that bad boy Bubber has excaped with another convict and have murdered a man in the process. The sheriff thinks Bubber will come home to see his wife and get help, so he has her come into the office and tells her he wants to get the boy to give himself up so he won't be hurt. All the characters of a small town and the prejudices and social strata are shown and exagerated for dramatic effect. Brando is fine. Redford and Fonda are great to look at, and the rest of the cast vary from good to bad. But it goes way over the top by the end. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060232/combined
June 03, 2013
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly---
FIRST TIME:
Air Force (1943) John Garfield, Gig Young, Harey Carey, Arthur Kennedy, Charles Drake. Story of the the "Flying Fortresses of WWII, and a particular B-17 bomber, the "Mary Ann" which takes off on a routine training flight from San Francisco to Hawaii and arrives just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They are ordered to fly on to Wake Island, the Phillipines and finally are in the Battle Of The Coral Sea. The crew have to grow up and become hardened very fast. This was part of TCM's Memorial Day salute to veterans of foreign wars. Made during the darkest days of WWII, it is patiotic and shows us winning battles. For morale at home and abroad, it was a winner. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035616/combined
Pickup Alley (1957) Victor Mature, Anita Ekberg, Trevor Howard. Boring film about a U.S. narcotics agent following a drug dealers woman accomplice all over Europe. I could hardly stay awake. Some nice scenery. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050841/combined
Magic Mike (2012) Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Olivia Munn. Ugh! Had to try twice to get through the whole thing. I like great looking guys even if I am an ancient pelican, but this was too much. The story was so focused on the nightclub and silly girl/women who screamed a lot and threw money or stuffed it in the dancers G-strings, that for the first 15 minutes it was completely loud and boring. When we finally got passed that, the part with the two guys, Mike the experienced dancer and the young one he meets at his day job in construction, and what they did getting ready to dance, with just snippets of their home lives, that I really had to force myself to sit for more. Part of the time I think I zoned out. McConaughey was not worthy of a nomination for anything as far as I'm concerned. Munn was glum and glummer. Tatum sounded like he was ad-libbing most of the time and didn't do it well. But for younger women in the club scene, I'm sure it is a fun movie for girls night out. For me, not so much. 4/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1915581/combined
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton. Stylised film about the 1960's world of a scout like organization at a summer camp on an island. The two young main characters are a girl who runs away from home and joins the boy who is running away from the camp and the counselors. He is an orphan and rebel ourcast. The two pitch their tent and spend time reading aloud (her) and drawing (him). When the local police Captain and scout master are told by social services to find the runaways, they enlist all the other campers to help. The leads are terrific, deadpan and serious. Willis is great as the captain. The whole cast do a great job showing the so-called uptight world the film is about. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/combined
ENCORES:
Libeled Lady (1936) Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, Walter Connelly. Heiress and her father sue newspaper for 5 million for slander. Editor and womanizing reporter scheme to bring a scandal to her life to get her to call off, using editors gal as the 'other woman.' Hilarious scene of Powell learning to fly fish from a book. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027884/combined
Come Live With Me (1941) Hedy Lamarr, James Stewart, Ian Hunter, Verree Teasdale, Adeline De Walt Reynolds. This 'comedy' wants you to believe that a sophistocated beauty would give up a rich powerful man for a penniless doufuss because he take her home to grandma. No way, no how. And Stewart is at his most annoying. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033477/combined
Command Decision (1948) Clark Gable, Walter Pigeon, Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy. Very dry, talkey drama about the first long range bombing raids far into Germany. High command wants to slow things down, but on the ground commander sees it as a necessity and keeps sending more raids and loses many planes and men. Good cast keeps it from being a complete bore. A film in TCM's salute to armed forces on Memorial Day. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040242/combined
Lightning Strikes Twice (1951) Ruth Roman, Richard Todd, Mercedes McCambridge. Neat thriller about a man accused and tried for the murder of his wife, convicted, on death row, when a reprieve comes through at the last minute. A retrial sets him free on acquittal. Then on a dark and stormy night a ;pst yopung woman sent to the desert for her health, happens upon a dwelling and meets the man. Instant lust. But she falls asleep and the man is gone in the morning. From there we get to the dude ranch run by a woman and her brother, the rich rancher and his wife, all friends of our hero, and a playboy visitor. A real mess of a screenplay with plot holes every 5 minutes. Still, it's watchable. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043744/combined
Libel (1959) Olivia deHavilland, Dirk Bogard, Paul Massie, Robert Morley, Wilfred Hyde-White. A libel suit against a pilot who gave an interview to a paper acusing Sir Mark Lodden as an imposter. Twists and turns as we learn of the uncanny resemblance of Sir Mark and Frank Welney, both prisoners of war in the same camp, along with the pilot Jeffrey Buckingham. Lady Lodden becomes increasingly conflicted and unsure of her husbands identity. Good courtroom drama with the competely lawyers, Morley and Hyde-White, stealing the film from the stars. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053003/combined
Air Force (1943) John Garfield, Gig Young, Harey Carey, Arthur Kennedy, Charles Drake. Story of the the "Flying Fortresses of WWII, and a particular B-17 bomber, the "Mary Ann" which takes off on a routine training flight from San Francisco to Hawaii and arrives just after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They are ordered to fly on to Wake Island, the Phillipines and finally are in the Battle Of The Coral Sea. The crew have to grow up and become hardened very fast. This was part of TCM's Memorial Day salute to veterans of foreign wars. Made during the darkest days of WWII, it is patiotic and shows us winning battles. For morale at home and abroad, it was a winner. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035616/combined
Pickup Alley (1957) Victor Mature, Anita Ekberg, Trevor Howard. Boring film about a U.S. narcotics agent following a drug dealers woman accomplice all over Europe. I could hardly stay awake. Some nice scenery. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050841/combined
Magic Mike (2012) Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Olivia Munn. Ugh! Had to try twice to get through the whole thing. I like great looking guys even if I am an ancient pelican, but this was too much. The story was so focused on the nightclub and silly girl/women who screamed a lot and threw money or stuffed it in the dancers G-strings, that for the first 15 minutes it was completely loud and boring. When we finally got passed that, the part with the two guys, Mike the experienced dancer and the young one he meets at his day job in construction, and what they did getting ready to dance, with just snippets of their home lives, that I really had to force myself to sit for more. Part of the time I think I zoned out. McConaughey was not worthy of a nomination for anything as far as I'm concerned. Munn was glum and glummer. Tatum sounded like he was ad-libbing most of the time and didn't do it well. But for younger women in the club scene, I'm sure it is a fun movie for girls night out. For me, not so much. 4/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1915581/combined
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton. Stylised film about the 1960's world of a scout like organization at a summer camp on an island. The two young main characters are a girl who runs away from home and joins the boy who is running away from the camp and the counselors. He is an orphan and rebel ourcast. The two pitch their tent and spend time reading aloud (her) and drawing (him). When the local police Captain and scout master are told by social services to find the runaways, they enlist all the other campers to help. The leads are terrific, deadpan and serious. Willis is great as the captain. The whole cast do a great job showing the so-called uptight world the film is about. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/combined
ENCORES:
Libeled Lady (1936) Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, Walter Connelly. Heiress and her father sue newspaper for 5 million for slander. Editor and womanizing reporter scheme to bring a scandal to her life to get her to call off, using editors gal as the 'other woman.' Hilarious scene of Powell learning to fly fish from a book. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027884/combined
Come Live With Me (1941) Hedy Lamarr, James Stewart, Ian Hunter, Verree Teasdale, Adeline De Walt Reynolds. This 'comedy' wants you to believe that a sophistocated beauty would give up a rich powerful man for a penniless doufuss because he take her home to grandma. No way, no how. And Stewart is at his most annoying. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033477/combined
Command Decision (1948) Clark Gable, Walter Pigeon, Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy. Very dry, talkey drama about the first long range bombing raids far into Germany. High command wants to slow things down, but on the ground commander sees it as a necessity and keeps sending more raids and loses many planes and men. Good cast keeps it from being a complete bore. A film in TCM's salute to armed forces on Memorial Day. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040242/combined
Lightning Strikes Twice (1951) Ruth Roman, Richard Todd, Mercedes McCambridge. Neat thriller about a man accused and tried for the murder of his wife, convicted, on death row, when a reprieve comes through at the last minute. A retrial sets him free on acquittal. Then on a dark and stormy night a ;pst yopung woman sent to the desert for her health, happens upon a dwelling and meets the man. Instant lust. But she falls asleep and the man is gone in the morning. From there we get to the dude ranch run by a woman and her brother, the rich rancher and his wife, all friends of our hero, and a playboy visitor. A real mess of a screenplay with plot holes every 5 minutes. Still, it's watchable. 7/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043744/combined
Libel (1959) Olivia deHavilland, Dirk Bogard, Paul Massie, Robert Morley, Wilfred Hyde-White. A libel suit against a pilot who gave an interview to a paper acusing Sir Mark Lodden as an imposter. Twists and turns as we learn of the uncanny resemblance of Sir Mark and Frank Welney, both prisoners of war in the same camp, along with the pilot Jeffrey Buckingham. Lady Lodden becomes increasingly conflicted and unsure of her husbands identity. Good courtroom drama with the competely lawyers, Morley and Hyde-White, stealing the film from the stars. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053003/combined
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