Invasion U.S.A. (1952)

While a diverse group of people in a Manhattan bar discuss communism with a mysterious psychic (Dan O'Herlihy), suddenly the television announces that America has been invaded by the Soviets and atom bombs start dropping. Produced by Albert Zugsmith (TOUCH OF EVIL) and directed by Alfred E. Green (THE JOLSON STORY). A perfect example of those awful "Red Scare" propaganda movies that proliferated in the 1950s. The film is so inept that one can't take it seriously on any level. It's not even camp! The majority of the movie consists of stock footage from WWII masquerading as the commie invasion of the U.S.A. The special effects aren't even on the level of those "Japanese rubber monster attacks Tokyo" flicks of that era. The film's budget was $127,000 so it easily turned a profit. With Peggie Castle, Gerald Mohr, William Schallert, Noel Neill and Phyllis Coates.

It All Came True (1940)

After killing a man, a gangster (Humphrey Bogart) hides out at a boarding house run by two old ladies (Una O'Connor, Jessie Busley) who cluck over him like devoted mother hens. When he finds out that they owe past taxes, he hits on a scheme to help them out. Turn the boarding house into a nightclub! Based on the novel BETTER THAN LIFE by Louis Bromfield (THE RAINS CAME) and directed by Lewis Seiler (WOMEN'S PRISON). A gangster musical comedy? Ann Sheridan and Jeffrey Lynn as the movie's two lovebirds are top billed but it's the third billed Bogart (mega stardom would hit the following year) who dominates the film and gives it whatever spark it has. It takes a big leap of faith to accept the movie's preposterous plot but even then, it can never overcome its sentimental contrivances. The songs are a feeble lot and forgettable unless you like barbershop quartets. With Zasu Pitts (the film's one bright spot), Felix Bressart and John Litel.

The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean (1972)

After being hanged and left for dead, an outlaw (Paul Newman) takes his revenge by slaughtering the entire town (which consists of a handful of bandits, killers and prostitutes) but spares the miniscule Mexican population. He then declares himself the town's judge. Directed by John Huston (THE AFRICAN QUEEN) from an "original" screenplay by John Milius (THE WIND AND THE LION). This whopper of a tall tale has a sense of deja vu about it. There's a familiarity to it and that's probably because the movie seems cobbled together from bits and pieces of other movies. It's also schizophrenic in its execution. It seems to be winking its eye at us that it's good natured in its exaggerations and we're not take it seriously but it's also seems to take relish in the brutality of its violence. John Huston has proven in the past that he's capable of doing an amusing movie satire (his BEAT THE DEVIL) but here, he's on shaky ground though I'll confess the movie is moderately entertaining for the most part. Still, the sentimental montage accompanied by the movie's theme song (sung by Andy Williams) is tacky. With Ava Gardner, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Perkins, Tab Hunter, Stacy Keach, Roddy McDowall, Ned Beatty, Victoria Principal and Anthony Zerbe.

Eden (2025)

In 1929, a doctor (Jude Law) and his lover (Vanessa Kirby) leave Germany to settle on an unpopulated island in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador while repudiating society's bourgeois values. Their solitude is soon interrupted by a couple (Daniel Bruhl, Sydney Sweeney) who want to settle on the island. When a self proclaimed Baroness (Ana De Armas) arrives with her two lovers (Toby Wallace, Felix Kammerer) on the island with the intention of building a hotel, tensions escalate and it won't end well. Based on a true story and mystery resulting in four deaths (which still hasn't been solved to this day) and directed by Ron Howard (SPLASH). A fascinating true story that Noah Pink's screenplay feasibly theorizes what might have/did happen. It's Howard's best picture in years and impossible to turn your eyes away. While Law and Bruhl are very good, it's the three actresses who hold the movie together: Sweeney's timid wife who rises to unexpected strengths, De Armas' decadent and imperious "Baroness" and Kirby's fiercely dedicated Nietzschean. With Richard Roxburgh and Jonathan Tittel.

L'Événement Le Plus Important Depuis Que L'homme A Marché Sur La Lune (aka A Slightly Pregnant Man) (1973)

After feeling a bit run down, a driving instructor (Marcello Mastroianni) visits a doctor (Micheline Presle) who makes the absurd discovery that he is not ill but actually four months pregnant! He sparks an international media frenzy which is embraced by his girlfriend (Catherine Deneuve) as he has become an instant if notorious celebrity that pays off financially for them. Written and directed by Jacques Demy (YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT). A major misfire by cinema's master of visual style. This is one ugly looking movie. Its look wouldn't have been so problematic if the film were any good but its one joke premise expires very quickly. And it wastes two of cinema's most charismatic stars, Mastroianni and Deneuve. It's almost as if Demy deliberately attempted to sabotage their appeal. An all around low point in the careers of those involved. In 1994, Ivan Reitman would take the same premise, this time with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the pregnant man in JUNIOR. While more entertaining than this vehicle, it pretty much put the nail in the coffin of pregnant man movies. With Marisa Pavan, Mireille Mathieu and Claude Melki.

Sweet And Low Down (1944)

When a young trombonist (James Cardwell) is given the opportunity to play with the Benny Goodman orchestra, it isn't long before his growing ego threatens to sabotage his career. Directed by Archie Mayo (THE PETRIFIED FOREST). In the 1930s and 40s, band leaders were the rock stars of their day. To cash in on their popularity, it was inevitable that Hollywood would put them into the movies so names like Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Harry James and Paul Whiteman to name a few were put in movies even though they weren't actors. The movies were either built around them or they had featured cameos. This was Benny Goodman's (he gets top billing) turn. The plot here is hackneyed and a 10 year old could have put the script together. It's the musical sequences that stand out and on those terms, the film could be called successful. The trite narrative is just filler until the next musical number. Still, it was sad to see the lovely Linda Darnell totally wasted as the "girl". Did she piss off someone at Fox and this was her punishment? The song I'm Making Believe was nominated for the best song Oscar. With Lynn Bari, Jack Oakie and Allyn Joslyn.

Snowed Under (1936)

Struggling to finish the third act of his play, a playwright (George Brent) hightails it for the peace and quiet of his farmhouse in wintery Connecticut. Alas, his solitude is soon invaded by his first wife (Genevieve Tobin), his second wife (Glenda Farrell), his current girlfriend (Patricia Ellis) and the sheriff (Frank McHugh) who wants to arrest him. Directed by Ray Enright (THE SPOILERS). A screwball comedy with a promising premise that soon loses its way. The set up is great but the screenplay isn't witty enough to sustain the recycled shenanigans which is a pity because the cast is game and up for it. Although its an original screenplay, it has the feeling of a stage play since 90% of the action takes place at the womanizing writer's farmhouse. Amiable enough to enjoy but not good enough to be memorable. With John Eldredge, Porter Hall and Mary Treen.

Where The Sidewalk Ends (1950)

A cop (Dana Andrews) loathes hoodlums so much that he's demoted for beating up suspects. When he accidentally kills a murder suspect (Craig Stevens), he panics and covers up the crime. But when he becomes involved with the daughter (Gene Tierney) of an innocent man (Tom Tully) arrested for his crime, he must find a way of clearing the man without implicating himself in the killing. Based on the novel NIGHT CRY by William L. Stuart and directed by Otto Preminger (LAURA). Here, director Preminger reunites with his LAURA stars (Andrews, Tierney) and cinematographer (Joseph LaShelle) using a nice screenplay by Ben Hecht (NOTORIOUS). It's the flip side of the elegant LAURA, eschewing the penthouse crowd for a grittier street fare slice of film noir. With Gary Merrill, Karl Malden, Bert Freed, Neville Brand, Robert F. Simon and stealing the movie in her limited screen time, Ruth Donnelly.

Girl From The North Country (2024)

Set in 1934 Minnesota during the Great Depression. An innkeeper (Jay O. Sanders) tries to keep his guesthouse afloat amidst financial ruin while dealing with his wife's (Mare Winningham in the show's best performance) ongoing dementia. A filmed production of the Tony nominated (7 nominations, 1 win) "jukebox" Broadway musical featuring the songs of Bob Dylan and directed by Conor McPherson. The use of Bob Dylan's songs are the highlight of this critically acclaimed musical although their connection to the slight narrative is often tenuous at best. The songs are beautifully orchestrated by Simon Hale (who won a Tony for his efforts) and sung by a talented cast but its multi character plotline seems there merely as something to hang the Dylan songs on. Dylan himself was pleased with the production. Worth checking out. With Robert Joy, Craig Bierko, Kimber Sprawl (the girl of the title), Austin Scott, Colton Ryan and Jeanette Bayardelle.

Fame Is The Name Of The Game (1966)

A top feature writer and political analyst (Anthony Franciosa) for a top magazine discovers the corpse of a young woman with an address book in her hand and decides to investigate her murder. But he must dodge both the police and the her killer in order to unravel her murder. Loosely based on the novel ONE WOMAN by Tiffany Thayer and directed by Stuart Rosenberg (COOL HAND LUKE). Thayer's novel was previously filmed in 1949 under the title CHICAGO DEADLINE with Alan Ladd. This telefilm was popular enough that NBC made it into a TV series two years later that had a three year run, again with Franciosa starring. It's an efficient effort with that usual Universal made for TV look. A pleasant enough watch but unmemorable. With Robert Duvall, Jill St. John, Jack Klugman, Susan Saint James, Jack Weston, Nanette Fabray, George Macready, Melodie Johnson, Lee Bowman and Jay C. Flippen.

The Rule Of Jenny Pen (2025)

Set in New Zealand. After he suffers a stroke in his courtroom, a judge (Geoffrey Rush) is put in a nursing facility to recuperate. However, the facility's residents are being terrorized by a psychotic bully (John Lithgow) with a plastic doll called Jenny Pen. Based on a short story by Owen Marshall and directed by James Ashcroft (COMING HOME IN THE DARK). Ugh! I'd heard some really positive things about this horror flick so I was hugely disappointed at how stupid it was! Lithgow's psycho ex-janitor isn't frightening at all, just tiresome and annoying. What kind of nursing home has no night staff and allows its residents to walk around freely all hours of the night and enter other patients' rooms? The film's poorly conceived screenplay allows Lithgow free reign at the nursing home and its staff only appear when the script needs them. For example, Lithgow terrorizes everyone in their TV room but only when Rush bops him with his cane then suddenly the staff come out of the woodwork. Lithgow is too over the top and campy to be taken seriously but not over the top or campy enough to be fun! With George Henare and Ian Mune.

The Damned (1969)

Set in 1930s Germany at the onset of the Third Reich, a wealthy industrialist family (loosely based on Krupp family) doing business with the Nazis has an unstable and amoral heir (Helmut Berger) at its core. Directed by Luchino Visconti (THE LEOPARD). Visconti's portrait of a morally corrupt dynasty obsessed with power and their downfall is powerful stuff but it is far from perfect and its flaws are glaring. At over 2 1/2 hours, Visconti doesn't believe that less is more and some scenes are dragged out to the point of monotony. For example, there's a sequence based on the "night of long knives" that's interminable and could have been cut in half. The Nazi boys in drag and various stages of undress and having sex with each other might have been shocking in 1969 but today just looks tedious. Still, there's enough incest, pedophilia, rape and killing (the film received an X rating) to shock the still shockable. With Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Charlotte Rampling, Florinda Bolkan, Helmut Griem, Reinhard Kolldehoff and Umberto Orsini.

The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain (2021)

Moving from the 1881 through to 1939, the true story of the eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch) who helped transform the public's perception of cats forever by the anthropomorphism of felines in his paintings and drawings. Directed by actor (THE WHITE LOTUS) turned director Will Sharpe. An uneven film that treads on all too familiar territory regarding emotionally and mentally unstable artists. The film is fortunate to have Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role as he brings some much needed empathy that stabilizes the movie's rocky voyage. Of course, as a cat lover I loved the cat sequences and the film's end titles using Wain's actual feline portraiture are pure bliss. While I enjoyed it well enough, I wish it were a better movie. With Claire Foy, Andrea Riseborough, Toby Jones, Taika Waititi, Adeel Akhtar and as the film's narrator, Olivia Colman.

Portnoy's Complaint (1972)

A young Jewish bachelor (Richard Benjamin) is obsessed with sex. During his sessions with his psychiatrist (D.P. Barnes), he relates his sexual issues as well as his relationship with his mother (Lee Grant) and his mistress (Karen Black). Based on the best selling novel by Philip Roth and directed by screenwriter Ernest Lehman (NORTH BY NORTHWEST) in his only directorial effort. When published in 1969, Roth's novel was a literary sensation with its graphic passages on masturbation. I never understood its acclaim (yes, I've read it) and this film version is an out and out disaster. I don't know if I'd call the book unfilmable but Lehman doesn't translate the book's satirical frame of mind into a coherent structure. There's also the miscasting. Both Lee Grant as the mother and Karen Black as the mistress are so wrong for their parts. Black is unpleasantly shrewish while Grant botches the Jewish mother stereotype (Shelley Winters could have aced it effortlessly). With Jill Clayburgh, Jeannie Berlin, Kevin Conway and Lewis J. Stadlen.

This Happy Breed (1944)

The film opens in an empty house in 1919 just as a family is set to move in and it ends with the same empty house in 1939 after the remaining family members leave. In between, an ordinary British family lives out their lives with equal measures of happiness and tragedy. Based on the play by Noel Coward and directed by David Lean (GREAT EXPECTATIONS) in his solo directorial debut. Sandwiched in between WWI and WWII, it's amazing that a story so simple with unexceptional people can have so much power. Perhaps it is manufactured and Coward's attitude toward his protagonists is slightly patronizing but overall, I found it quite touching. Curiously, the film didn't reach U.S. shores until three years later. With Robert Newton, Celia Johnson, John Mills, Kay Walsh, Alison Leggatt and John Blythe.

Borderline (1930)

Set in a small village (most likely in Switzerland), the town is scandalized by the affair of a white man (Gavin Arthur) and a black woman (Eslanda Robeson). While the woman's husband (Paul Robeson) forgives her and attempts a reconciliation, the man's wife (Helga Doom) becomes hysterical and sets up a confrontation that will prove tragic. Shot and directed by Kenneth MacPherson. Wow! A most unusual piece of avant garde cinema! Not only because of the interracial affair (this film could never have been made in 1930 Hollywood) but its openly lesbian characters. I'm not familiar with director MacPherson, who was instrumental in the avant garde scene during the 1920s and 1930s. Outside of the legendary Paul Robeson, the actors consist of non professionals like Gavin Arthur (who was a bisexual sexologist), Helga Doom (who was a poetess) and Robeson's wife Eslanda, who was an anthropologist and his business manager. The film's rapid editing technique (influenced by Eisenstein) was ahead of its time. It's a silent film that uses close ups and imagery to tell its story rather than intertitles. The negativity from critics caused MacPherson to stop directing. It's the kind of film that's fascinating to watch for its technical achievement more than its narrative.

The Swinger (1966)

A writer (Ann-Margret) is determined to have her short stories published in a racy men's journal (not unlike Playboy magazine). But the publisher (Anthony Franciosa) rejects her stories as too wholesome. So she writes a racy story that she claims is based on her life and must pretend to be a promiscuous swinger in order to prove the fiction is real. Directed by George Sidney (BYE BYE BIRDIE). A real turkey! An artifact of the "swinging 60s" that hasn't aged well though I suspect it looked pretty silly even in 1966. The "degenerate" wild life of Ann-Margret's character wouldn't shock anyone except maybe Walt Disney! Ann-Margret shot to stardom with BYE BYE BIRDIE and then VIVA LAS VEGAS but those films sealed her fate as a sex kitten, an American version of Brigitte Bardot. Even when she was in a good movie giving a good performance (like THE CINCINNATI KID), she was playing the sex kitten. Movies like this did her no favors and her career hit a wall until she was rescued by CARNAL KNOWLEDGE (1971) where she proved herself as an actress. With Robert Coote, Barbara Nichols, Yvonne Romain, Horace McMahon, Nydia Westman, Corinne Cole and Mary LaRoche.

The Rat Race (1960)

A naive, young jazz musician (Tony Curtis) leaves Wisconsin and heads to New York City to find work. He meets a struggling model (Debbie Reynolds) who is streetwise who attempts to mentor him in the ways of the big city so he won't be taken advantage of. But she's not doing too well herself. Based on the play by Garson Kanin (ADAM'S RIB) and directed by Robert Mulligan (TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD). One can see its theatrical origins as most of the film takes place in a one room apartment but director Mulligan has opened it up just enough to make it feel like a real movie. Kanin's play flopped, closing in less than three months. But the film version is a watchable romance about two people struggling to make it in the Big Apple while all the odds are against them. The movie offers Debbie Reynolds her first "adult" role after playing ingenues for ten years and she's the best thing about the film. It's a solid performance. There's a strong underscore by Elmer Bernstein that drives the movie. With Kay Medford, Jack Oakie, Don Rickles and Norman Fell.

3 Ring Circus (1954)

Two army buddies (Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis) join a circus after they've been discharged from the service. One (Lewis) has ambitions to be a clown so he accepts an offer to assist the lion tamer and the other (Martin) is broke so he becomes a handyman to the circus. Directed by Joseph Pevney (TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR). While I'm a huge Jerry Lewis fanboy, I dislike the circus and especially clowns. Lewis is cinema's great clown and he does wonders with a bland screenplay but still not enough to make it one of the better Martin & Lewis vehicles. It's all very attractive in wide screen VistaVision and while never boring, it just comes across as stale. Fans of the circus and circus clowns may feel differently. With Joanne Dru, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Elsa Lanchester (wasted) and Wallace Ford.

Menu For Murder (1990)

The president (Robin Mattson) of an upscale school Parent Teacher's Association is a manipulative, driven woman. The other seven women on the board can't stand her. At a fund raising luncheon in order to raise funds, she drops dead from eating a poisoned sandwich. The remaining seven become prime suspects in her murder. Based on the novel by Valerie Wolzien and directed by Larry Peerce (GOODBYE COLUMBUS). I love a good whodunit so I'm more tolerant of this mystery comedy than most would be I suspect. The attempts at bitchy humor among the women is inane and sexist. That aside, the mystery aspects are good although the script is hampered by the domestic squabbles of one of the suspects (Julia Duffy) and her husband (Douglas Barr) which drag the movie down. The movie ends with a silly car chase that the film could have easily done without. For murder mystery addicts only. With Morgan Fairchild, Cindy Williams, Marla Gibbs, Ed Marinaro, Joan Van Ark, Jane Carr and Edie McClurg.

Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down The White House (2017)

After the death of J. Edgar Hoover, FBI agent Mark Felt (Liam Neeson) becomes the bureau's Associate Director from May 1972 through June 1973. It is during this interim that the Watergate break in occurs and the White House suppresses the FBI's investigation. Furious, Felt releases information to both Time and the Washington Post in secret and becomes known as "D**p Throat" for over 30 years until admitting his identity in 2005. Based on his autobiographies A G-MAN'S LIFE and THE FBI PYRAMID by Felt and directed by Peter Landesman. The 1976 film ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN pretty much covered this territory brilliantly (although D**p Throat's identity wasn't known at the time) so the movie has some big shoes to fill and it doesn't. Which isn't to say it's not worth watching because it is. It gives us a peek from the other side and an inside look at the complicated man who risked his position to whistleblow the attempted cover up. The film also focuses on his domestic life and usually these sequences drag a film down but in this case, thanks to an excellent complex performance by Diane Lane as Felt's wife, it only adds to the film's interest. Sadly, Lane's performance was severely cut from the release print and judging from what's left in the film, it's a real tragedy. The large supporting cast includes Tony Goldwyn, Tom Sizemore, Marton Csokas, Wendi McLendon Covey and Bruce Greenwood.

Hell's Five Hours (1958)

When a bitter ex-employee (Vic Morrow) takes action against a rocket fuel manufacturing plant by threatening to blow up the plant, his former supervisor (Stephen McNally) races against time emptying the company's fuel tanks to prevent a catastrophic inferno. But when the unhinged man kidnaps the supervisor's wife (Coleen Gray) as a hostage, things get complicated. Written, produced and directed by Jack L. Copeland, his only feature film credit. What could have been an intense B movie thriller doesn't even get past the starting gate. I don't think I've ever seen a movie with so much stock footage. Vic Morrow as the psycho gives a terrible over the top "method acting" performance that borders on camp. It's a thriller without any tension or suspense, it just lies there. i won't even begin to list the numerous flaws in the script. With Maurice Manson and Robert Foulk.

Melodie En Sous-Sol (aka Any Number Can Win) (1962)

Just released from serving a five year prison sentence for robbery, an ex-con (Jean Gabin) makes big plans for robbing a casino at Cannes. To this end, he teams up with his hotheaded former cellmate (Alain Delon) and the cellmate's brother in law (Maurice Biraud). Based on the novel THE BIG GRAB by John Trinian (a pseudonym for Zekial Marko) and directed by Henri Verneuil (THE SICILIAN CLAN). Who doesn't love a good heist movie? Shot in handsome B&W wide screen by Louis Page (MAIGRET SETS A TRAP), this one is a winner! It's very clever with enough suspense to keep us glued to the screen and, of course, what can go wrong will go wrong. Gabin and Delon are genuine movie stars so their potent presence do a lot to keep keep us interested. It's stylish and glamorous, not unlike THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, and if you like a good crime thriller, it's definitely worth checking out. With Viviane Romance, Carla Marlier, Dora Doll and Jose Luis Vilallonga.

A Notorious Affair (1930)

A British socialite (Billie Dove) marries a penniless musician (Basil Rathbone) which angers her father (Montagu Love) so he disinherits her. When the musician becomes an internationally famous violinist, fame gets under his skin and he becomes difficult to live with. Based on the play FAME by Audrey and Waverly Carter and directed by Lloyd Bacon (MARKED WOMAN). Oy! Does this soap opera creak! It's stage bound and the acting with one exception is weak. Even the normally reliable Basil Rathbone seems adrift. The top billed Billie Dove was a very popular actress in silent films but she didn't transition to the sound era well and would retire two years after this film. The film is stolen by the below the title third billed Kay Francis as a scheming Baroness, who collects and discards lovers like Kleenex. Francis would soon become one of the biggest stars of the 1930s. The film's ending is an unbelievable whopper suitable for masochists only. With Kenneth Thomson and Malcolm Waite.

蛍の墓 (aka Grave Of The Fireflies) (1988)

Set in Japan during the final days of WWII, a young boy (Tsutomu Tatsumi) and his younger sister (Ayano Shiraishi) desperately struggle to survive after their mother dies in a bombing. Based on the semi autobiographical short story by Akiyuki Nosaka and directed by Isao Takahata (TALE OF THE PRINCES KAGUYA). Children struggling to survive the horrors of war is not a new subject. It's been done before, most notably Rene Clement's classic FORBIDDEN GAMES (1952). But to my knowledge the subject has never been done before in an animated film and this offering from Studio Ghibli is a real heartbreaking story. It's a painful watch and to Takahata's credit, never once does he push for tears. A powerful anti war film though the director insists it is no such thing but it's a film that can be looked at from many angles.

You Can't Take It With You (1979)

A young lady (Blythe Danner) is reluctant to introduce the man (Barry Bostwick) she is in love with to her working class eccentric family. Their unconventional and nonconformist ways clash with his staid upbringing and his upper class parents (Robert Mandan, Polly Holliday). Based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart (which was adapted into a 1938 Oscar winning film) and directed by Paul Bogart (THE SKIN GAME). A very popular play among the high school and community theatre groups where it's performed frequently. I don't care much for it and I'm not a fan of Frank Capra's beloved film version. While I appreciate the enthusiasm of this version's cast, director Bogart's pacing kills it. Farce should be rapid but here, everything seems just a beat behind where it should be. I found the family of nuts off putting rather than an amusing bunch of lunatics. A few actors manage to stand out: Polly Holliday's matron has some nice subtle double takes and Mildred Natwick as a Russian Grand Duchess now working as a waitress brings some welcome dignity to the proceedings. With Art Carney, Jean Stapleton, Paul Sand, Joyce Van Patten, Beth Howland, Eugene Roche, Marla Gibbs, Harry Morgan and Tim Reid.

La Terra Trema (1948)

Set in a small fishing village on the east coast of Sicily, the film follows the fortunes of the Valastro family. They are a family of poor fishermen, who attempt to break away from the yoke of the wholesalers who exploit them and don't pay them what their catch is worth. They mortgage their house and buy their own boat with plans to sell their own catch and bypass the wholesalers. Based on the novel I MALAVOGLIA by Giovanni Verga and directed by Luchino Visconti (THE LEOPARD). A crucial entry in the cinema of neorealism, the Communist party commissioned Visconti to make a documentary about fishermen but instead, Visconti made a narrative film using non professional actors to add to the realism of the movie. Their acting may be crude but they look like real working class people and not actors. It's a bleak film without much hope for its protagonists. Struggle as they might, fate seems to have a desolate future in store for them. The only beauty in the film is the stunning B&W imagery of Aldo Rossano Graziati. I found it overly long (2 hours, 40 minutes) but well worthwhile. With Antonio Arcidiacono, Giuseppe Arcidiacono, Nelluccia Giammona and Rosario Galvagno.

Smile (1975)

Set in a small Northern California town where the Young American Miss Pageant is held. While a group of young and eager teenage girls compete, the adults have their own set of problems. Among them a car salesman (Bruce Dern) who is a judge at the pageant, the pageant's executive director (Barbara Feldon), her alcoholic husband (Nicholas Pryor) and the pageant's choreographer (Michael Kidd). Directed by Michael Ritchie (DOWNHILL RACER). A box office flop when first released, it has since developed into a cult movie. While it is entertaining, beauty contests are such an easy mark. Is there anything more kitsch than a beauty contest? How does one satirize something that is almost a satire in spite of itself. There's a slightly condescending attitude in the movie as well as an (unintended) exploitation factor that's icky. Are horny pubescent boys funny? The film seems to think so. The camera lingering over the butt cracks of adolescent girls seems exploitative in 2025 in a way it didn't in 1975 and in an era of Me Too, lecherous older men licking their chops over underage girls just isn't amusing. There are a few bright spots, like Michael Kidd's choreographer who seems to have a genuine concern for the girls and Feldon's "metal pole up her ass" uptight matron. With Melanie Griffith, Annette O'Toole, Geoffrey Lewis, Maria O'Brien, Colleen Camp and Eric Shea.

War Of The Trojans (aka The Avenger) (1962)

After escaping the fall of Troy, Aneas (Steve Reeves) leads his people to the banks of the Tiber River to found a settlement which will eventually become Rome. But first, he must defeat the leader (Gianni Gurko) of a hostile tribe which already occupies the land. Very loosely based on THE AENEID by Virgil and directed by Giorgio Venturini (billed as Albert Band on the U.S. prints). I've had a soft spot for Italian sword and sandal (aka peplum) flicks since childhood even though most of them aren't very good. This one isn't very good either but it's serviceable. It checks all the right boxes even if those boxes are cliches. Steve Reeves is used strictly as an actor here. He's not Hercules, Goliath or Samson so he doesn't tear things down with his ultra muscles. If you're not a fan of the genre, there's nothing for you here. If you are, you know what to expect. The score is by Giovanni Fusco (L'AVVENTURA). With Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Carla Marlier, Mario Ferrari and Liana Orfei, who the movie could have used more of.

In Person (1935)

After being mobbed by fans, a film actress (Ginger Rogers) has a nervous breakdown and becomes agoraphobic. Disguising her identity, she coaxes an outdoorsman (George Brent) to take her to his mountain retreat where she can recover. Based on the novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams and directed by William A. Seiter (THE LITTLE PRINCESS). I rather enjoyed the film's first forty minutes which promised a decent screwball comedy but then it jumps the rails after her disguise is exposed and it just becomes tedious nonsense. This was Rogers' first major role away from her Astaire partnership and an attempt to prove that she could handle a movie on her own. In that respect, I suppose the movie is a success but it's a pity the second half of the film falls flat except for Rogers' tap dance number at the very end of the movie. For Rogers fans only. With Alan Mowbray, who steals the film as Rogers' conceited leading man. Also with Grant Mitchell and Samuel S. Hinds.

Flow (2024)

In what appears to be a post apocalyptic world where the water level increases to dangerous proportions, a cat struggles to survive along several other animals (a dog, a capybara, a secretary bird, a ring tailed lemur). Co-written and directed by Gints Zilbalodis. This Oscar winning film (best animated feature) from Latvia is a lovely and poignant movie. This isn't your Disney or Pixar cute animated talking animal movie. There's no dialogue whatsoever, the film's themes are dark as we travel through a surrealistic journey of what appears to be a global disaster. There are no humans in the movie and the only indication that humans live (or once lived) on the planet are the architecture still standing and there's a brief view of a sculpted human hand. If the movie has a message, it seems to be that different species can get along with the implication of then why can't humans. Emotionally tangible without being mawkish. It's a journey well worth taking.

Man In The Moon (1960)

A young man (Kenneth More) appears to have an innate immunity to illness and an inability to worry. This makes him a perfect candidate for a group of scientists who are looking for someone to send to the moon! Directed by Basil Dearden (VICTIM). A rather silly and preposterous farce gets a pass mainly because of Kenneth More's likability, at least from me. It's a science fiction satire that time has not been kind to. If 1960 audiences found its premise hard to swallow, contemporary audiences would most likely find it doubly so. Still, if you're in an amiable mood and not critical, it's a pleasant time waster. Kenneth More was a huge box office star in England but audiences stayed away, making it his first major flop. With Shirley Anne Field, Michael Hordern, Charles Gray and Richard Pearson.

Oh, Canada (2024)

As he lies dying of cancer, a celebrated documentary film maker (Jacob Elordi who morphs into Richard Gere) agrees to one last filmed interview to tell his uncensored life's story as it's never been told before. Based on the novel FOREGONE by Russell Banks and adapted for the screen and directed by Paul Schrader (AMERICAN GIGOLO). Incoherent, pointless and pretentious about sums it up. Does anything more need to be said? A film about a self centered filmmaker who discards those who love him (including his wife and infant son) and left the U.S. for Canada in order to avoid the draft during the Vietnam war. The documentary film maker (Michael Imperioli) who is shooting the documentary on the dying director's final days is also an ass wipe. Yes, we often overvalue our icons and attribute qualities that just aren't there (and sometimes encouraged by the icons themselves) and I understand that Schrader wanted to demythologize that but he's given us nothing in return. With Uma Thurman and Victoria Hill.

Il Vedovo (1959)

An Italian businessman (Alberto Sordi) is dependent on his wealthy wife (Franca Valeri) who holds the purse strings. His lack of business expertise has him on the verge of bankruptcy but she won't help him. The fact that when she dies, he will become a very rich man does not escape him. Directed by Dino Risi (IL SORPASSO). An often witty and wicked black comedy with Alberto Sordi giving a marvelous performance as the larcenous husband whose greed exceeds his intelligence. One of the prime masters of commedia all'italiana, Dino Risi keeps us fascinated with this moronic imbecile if only to see how he's going to botch his carefully delineated murder plans. As the wife, Franca Valeri gives a delicious deadpan performance. Most enjoyable! With Livio Lorenzon, Leonora Ruffo, Nando Bruno and Enzo Petito.

Up Goes Maisie (1946)

After graduating from a business school, Maisie (Ann Sothern) acquires a job as a secretary to a helicopter operator and inventor (George Murphy). Romance and intrigue soon follow. Directed by Harry Beaumont (WHEN LADIES MEET). The ninth entry in MGM's ten film Maisie franchise is one of the very best in the series. As the sassy dame with a heart of gold, Ann Sothern is in top form. The plot may not be fresh but the enthusiastic cast take their characters seriously and director Beaumont keeps things rushing along to its rather silly conclusion (an inexperienced Maisie flying a test helicopter over L.A. and landing at the Rose Bowl). It's not very subtle as I was able to spot the film's "surprise" traitor as soon as he appeared on the screen. With Hillary Brooke (perhaps a bit too obvious as the film's villainess), Stephen McNally, Ray Collins, Jeff York, Connie Gilchrist and Barbara Billingsley.

Looking For Richard (1996)

In this semi documentary film, actor Al Pacino takes on the role of Shakespeare's RICHARD III and we see the work in progress as well as Pacino interviewing famous Shakespearean actors as well as the man on the street. Directed by Al Pacino. If you love Shakespeare (as I do) and in particular RICHARD III (as I do), this film is a real treat. While the film is a serious attempt at unlocking the play's "secrets", it's also joyous fun. We see the filming of the play as well as the actors breaking down the play. In addition to Pacino as Richard, we have Kevin Spacey as Buckingham, Winona Ryder as Lady Anne, Alec Baldwin as Clarence, Estelle Parsons as Queen Margaret and Aidan Quinn as Richmond among others. Meanwhile, we have actors like Vanessa Redgrave, Kenneth Branagh, John Gielgud, Derek Jacobi, Rosemary Harris, James Earl Jones and Viveca Lindfors commenting on the play and Shakespeare in general. There's a marvelous underscore by Howard Shore to accompany it. With Harris Yulin and Penelope Allen.

Sweet November (1968)

A tightly wound up businessman (Anthony Newley) meets a kooky free spirit (Sandy Dennis) and she proposes he live with her for the month of November whereupon she will attempt to change him into less of a conformist. Directed by Robert Ellis Miller (THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER). A positively absurd plot, Dennis takes a different man a month at a time to "fix" him, that can't hold up under the strain of a silly sentimental script. I love a good tearjerker as much as the next person but but it needs to have at least one foot partially standing in reality. Considering the material, Sandy Dennis is amazingly good but Anthony Newley isn't so lucky and there's not much chemistry between the two. It's hard to care much about what happens to them and the film's finale tries too hard to pull the tears out. Strangely, someone thought it was a good idea to remake the film in 2001 with Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves in the Dennis and Newley roles. With Theodore Bikel, Sandy Baron, Martin West, Burr DeBenning, Marj Dusay and Virginia Vincent.

None But The Lonely Heart (1944)

Set in pre-WWII London, a down and out drifter (Cary Grant) makes an attempt at stability when his mother (Ethel Barrymore in an Oscar winning performance) becomes seriously ill and he reluctantly falls in love with a neurotic single mother (June Duprez). Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn (HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY) and adapted for the screen and directed by playwright Clifford Odets (GOLDEN BOY). Another example of an actor trying to move past his screen persona and take on a challenging role. In this particular case, for the most part, Grant gives a fully realized and believable performance. But the film flopped and Grant never again took as big a risk as an actor. In her most memorable screen performance, Ethel Barrymore brings a sincere mix of strength and pathos. Although filmed on a Hollywood soundstage, Odets manages to create a palpable atmosphere of East End London. With Jane Wyatt, Barry Fitzgerald (subdued for a change), Dan Duryea, George Coulouris and Konstantin Shayne.

Paradise For Three (1938)

A wealthy Viennese industrialist (Frank Morgan) goes on a vacation to the Swiss Alps under an assumed name and posing as a poor man. Meanwhile, the hotel mistakenly assumes a penniless young man (Robert Young) is a rich man. Thus, the poor man is treated like a king while the rich man is treated poorly. Based on the novel THREE MEN IN THE SNOW by Erich Kastner (previously filmed in 1935 in Germany and again in 1955 and 1974) and directed by Edward Buzzell (BEST FOOT FORWARD). What a delightful romantic comedy! The game cast is up for it and the movie moves quickly along with some sparkling humor under the energetic direction of Buzzell. Comedies about mistaken identity are a dime a dozen especially during Hollywood's so called Golden Age but this well executed farce is a real charmer. Good fun! With Mary Astor as a gold digging divorcee, Edna May Oliver (who provides some of the film's biggest laughs), Florence Rice, Reginald Owen and Henry Hull.

Make Haste To Live (1954)

Almost 19 years after she fled from her mobster murderer husband (Stephen McNally), a woman (Dorothy McGuire) fears for her life when he is paroled. To make matters worse, her teenage daughter (Mary Murphy) knows nothing of her mother's past or that her father is still alive. Based on the novel by Gordon and Mildred Gordon (EXPERIMENT IN TERROR) and directed by William A. Seiter (ONE TOUCH OF VENUS). A solid if minor thriller that accomplishes what it set out to do. The film is fortunate to have Dorothy McGuire as its protagonist. She's very good and gives a performance better than the movie deserves. The movie is essentially a cat and mouse game between a woman whose past catches up with her and the husband who wants to take his revenge out on her. The shifting of control between the two of them keeps the tension quotient high. There's an effective score by a young Elmer Bernstein. With Carolyn Jones, Edgar Buchanan, John Howard and Ron Hagerthy.

The Haunting Of Rosalind (1973)

A young woman (Pamela Payton Wright) feels the presence of a ghost in the family residence. When the man (Frank Converse) she loves marries her younger sister (Susan Sarandon) instead of her, the presence of the ghost becomes more intense. Based on the short story THE ROMANCE OF CERTAIN OLD CLOTHES by Henry James and directed by Lela Swift (DARK SHADOWS). Originally done for television on a miniscule budget (it's shot on videotape rather than film), the film barely manages a Gothic atmosphere not unlike Henry James' most famous ghost story THE TURN OF THE SCREW and that's its strongest asset. The heroine isn't very likeable so were not much interested in her fate but the ending is quite satisfying. With Beatrice Straight and Dennis Jay Higgins.

Babygirl (2024)

The high powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) of a company puts everything on the line, her family and her career, when she enters into a kinky affair with an intern (Harris Dickinson) where he controls her and she can live out her sexual fantasies. Written and directed by Halina Reijn (INSTINCT). Every so often a mediocre movie comes along that is redeemed by a superb performance (Faye Dunaway in MOMMIE DEAREST for example) and that's the situation here. Nicole Kidman gives a sensational performance but the movie is junk. It's a LAST TANGO IN PARIS wannabe with a feminist twist. Who knew sex on film could be such a bore! Part of the problem is the casting of Dickinson. We need to see what attracts her to this boy, so much so that she puts everything on the line. Dickinson gives a decent enough performance but his charisma is zero and so Kidman's risking everything makes no sense. Critics who trashed FIFTY SHADES OF GREY wet their panties over this one. Go figure! With Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde (quite good).

The Marquise Of O (1976)

Set in 1799 during the Russian invasion of Italy. A young widow (Edith Clever) lives with her parents in a fort commanded by her father (Peter Luhr). When she finds herself pregnant, she swears she has no idea how it happened as she has had no sexual relations with a man since the death of her husband. Based on the novel by Heinrich von Kleist and directed by Eric Rohmer (MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S). I'm not a fan of Rohmer, I find most of his films tedious and exhausting. Winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes film festival, this film is perhaps the most accessible of his movies and in spite of its snail pacing, I quite enjoyed it. Not that I didn't have problems with it. After all, this is a film about rape and a woman who marries her rapist and a happy ending for all! That aside, it's a gorgeous looking film courtesy of Nestor Almendros (THE STORY OF ADELE H) with solid performances by Clever and Bruno Ganz as the Russian Count in love with her. With Edda Seippel and Otto Sander.

Big City (1948)

Set in New York City, an abandoned baby is found by a Protestant minister (Robert Preston), a Jewish cantor (Danny Thomas) and an Irish Catholic cop (George Murphy). The three men appeal to a judge (Edward Arnold) for joint legal custody which he agrees to with the provision that the first man to marry will become sole legal guardian. Directed by Norman Taurog (BROADWAY MELODY OF 1940). Oh, boy! Is the saccharine heavy on this one! While not really a musical, the drama is interspersed with songs whether its Danny Thomas singing zemirots, Betty Garrett as a saloon singer or Margaret O'Brien (as the grown up child) singing to her classmates. I found the minister and the cantor annoyingly sanctimonious so I was rooting for the Irish cop. The cloying film sets up a problematic situation when one of the men gets married and a court battle ensues for control of the child but it cops out (we never really find out what happens) and the movie ends with the whole cast singing God Bless America! Eh? No surprise, the movie flopped. With Karin Booth, Lotte Lehmann, Butch Jenkins and Connie Gilchrist.

The Lady (2011)

The true story of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi (Michelle Yeoh), the woman at the core of Burma's democracy movement, and her British husband (David Thewlis). Despite long distance, long separations and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. Directed by Luc Besson (THE FITH ELEMENT). A powerful story anchored by an excellent performance by Michelle Yeoh. Curiously, the film received mostly negative review by western critics (Asian reviews were more favorable). While praising Yeoh's and Thewlis' performances, accusations of sentimentality and inauthenticity were targeted against the film which I found ridiculous. I admired it precisely because it didn't indulge in sentimentality and the inauthenticity claims were absurd with one critic decrying that a character was sitting when killed while he was standing up in the movie. Really? I'm not Besson's biggest fan but the film makers took great pains for authenticity by doing everything to recreate her surroundings to interviewing her family and compatriots. With Jonathan Woodhouse, Htun Lin, Benedict Wong and Jonathan Raggett.

Promise Her Anything (1966)

A single mother (Leslie Caron) moves into a Greenwich Village apartment with her infant son (Michael Bradley). In spite of the handsome but struggling film maker (Warren Beatty) living next door coming on to her, she sets her sights on her employer (Robert Cummings) but there's a problem. He hates kids! Directed by Arthur Hiller (LOVE STORY). A sad little affair. Beatty tries awfully hard (he even does pratfalls) but the laughs just aren't there. The film just assumes that putting a cute little baby at the center of things would have us cooing how cute the little bugger is but they should have used a puppy instead. The screenplay by William Peter Blatty (THE EXORCIST) is painfully unfunny which leaves the actors drowning and desperately looking for a life raft. The stagnant direction of Arthur Hiller doesn't help matters any. The best thing about the movie is the terrific title song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David sung by Tom Jones. With Keenan Wynn, Hermione Gingold, Lionel Stander, Cathleen Nesbitt, Asa Maynor and a young Donald Sutherland.

An Enemy Of The People (1978)

Set in a small town in 1880s Norway, a doctor (Steve McQueen) knows that the therapeutic springs that brought fame and commerce to his town are polluted. He is determined to publish the truth, even though his brother the mayor (Charles Durning) and others are equally determined to stop him. Based on the play by Henrik Ibsen (by way of the 1950 adaptation by Arthur Miller) and directed by George Schaefer (DOCTORS' WIVES). Miller's play removed some ideas (like eugenics and racial theories) from the Ibsen play that don't work in contemporary society. Successful movie stars (Burt Lancaster is a good example) often want to stretch beyond their screen personas and take on more challenging roles. Here, Steve McQueen, the king of "cool", known for action pieces like BULLITT and THE GREAT ESCAPE takes on Henrik Ibsen. He's ..... adequate but nothing more but one can still admire his attempt. Ibsen's exploration of a righteous moral stance that may prove  fatal to one's position in society is as relevant and powerful today as it was in 1882. With Bibi Andersson, Richard Dysart, Richard Bradford and Eric Christmas, who gives the movie's worst performance.

The Gamma People (1956)

An American journalist (Paul Douglas) and his British photographer companion (Leslie Phillips) smell the story of a lifetime when they are stranded in an iron curtain country where the local dictator (Walter Rilla) is using gamma rays to transform children into mutated henchmen. Directed by John Gilling (PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES). A mediocre science fiction film based on an idea by Robert Aldrich (THE BIG KNIFE) of all people. Thematically, the idea of a movie about mutant children would be done better four years later with VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960). The film attempts to defuse its far fetched plot with occasional doses of humor, notably in Phillips' photographer but he's more annoying than amusing. No surprises here! With Eva Bartok, Jocelyn Lane, Rosalie Crutchley and Michael Caridia.

Parnell (1937)

Set in the Ireland of the 1880s, a popular Irish nationalist (Clark Gable) has his political career endangered by his relationship with the wife (Myrna Loy) of a political rival (Alan Marshal). Based on the play by Elsie T. Schauffler and directed by John M. Stahl (LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN). With the exception of one brief sequence (a trial dealing with forgery), this is one turgid movie! Often considered one (if not the) of the worst performances given by Gable, the film soured him on doing period costume dramas which is one of the reasons he was reluctant to do GONE WITH THE WIND. It's a heavy handed fictionalized and sanitized movie biography of a real person and everything about the movie cries out phony! Even the normally reliable Myrna Loy falters here. If you're a fan of both leads as I am, it's an all around sad affair. With Edna May Oliver (the film's one bright spot), Donald Crisp, Billie Burke and Montagu Love.

The Amorous Adventures Of Moll Flanders (1965)

Set in 18th century London, an ambitious young woman (Kim Novak) schemes to make her fortune. She masquerades as a rich widow to land a wealthy nobleman. She sets her eyes on a sea captain (Richard Johnson) of property. In actuality, he's a penniless thief looking for a rich wife! Based on the novel by Daniel Defoe (ROBINSON CRUSOE) and directed by Terence Young (WAIT UNTIL DARK). The Oscar winning TOM JONES (1963) was a huge hit in the U.S. and this bawdy comedy hoped to replicate its success. It doesn't. Not that it's bad, I actually enjoyed it but it's just comes across as an imitation of the 1963 film with a female "Tom Jones". It's a handsome looking film thanks to the wide screen Panavision lensing of Ted Moore (A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS) and the gorgeous costumes of Joan Bridge and Elizabeth Haffenden and Kim Novak looks sensational. Alas, though she tries hard, she's not up to part. She's not particularly comfortable with comedy. Someone like Shirley MacLaine or Sophia Loren (who had been mentioned for the part several years earlier) with genuine comedic ability could have done the part effortlessly. The supporting cast is good though. With Angela Lansbury, Vittorio De Sica,, George Sanders, Lilli Palmer, Hugh Griffith, Leo McKern, Daniel Massey and Cecil Parker.