Set in Switzerland, a sexually repressed school teacher (Jean Desailly) lives quietly with his wife (Monique Melinand). They take in a visiting American girl (Alexandra Stewart) for two weeks, the daughter of the wife's American friend (Louisa Colpeyn). When the girl is found murdered, their lives are turned upside down. Based on the novel by Georges Simenon with a screenplay by Jean Anouilh (THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT) and directed by Edouard Molinaro (LA CAGE AUX FOLLES). I love coming across a terrific film that I had very little knowledge of and this dark crime drama is a real jewel. A succinct, self examining narrative that keeps us on the edge before it suddenly spirals down the rabbit hole and our worst suspicions are confirmed. Desailly's ambiguous performance is superb and he's supported by a perfect supporting cast. The score is by George Delerue (JULES AND JIM). Worth seeking out! With Jacques Monod, Marc Cassot, Yvette Etievant and Yves Robert.
A prim and proper dean (Maureen O'Hara) of a music academy travels by train to New York where a fellow passenger (Harry James) refers to her as an ice queen that is unattractive to men. She gets her revenge when she transforms herself into a glamour girl and he pursues her but she prefers the popular band singer (Dick Haymes) also pursuing her. Directed by Gregory Ratoff (INTERMEZZO). A contrived Technicolor musical where the "musical" portions consist of Dick Haymes crooning and Harry James playing his trumpet although there is one lively dance number, Moonlight Propaganda when you suddenly feel you're in a real musical. Surprisingly, Maureen O'Hara who can sing isn't given any songs. Frankly, I thought none of the three men (the third is Richard Gaines as her fiance) were good enough for her. With Betty Grable, Reginald Gardiner, Stanley Prager, Alma Kruger and Lex Barker.
A society girl (Olivia De Havilland) roars off in the family valet's (Melville Cooper) car without a cent in her pocket. When she fills up the car with gas but can't afford to pay, the gas station attendant (Dick Powell) insists she pay by cleaning rooms in the station's adjoining motel. She concedes against her will, then plots her revenge. Based on the short story STUFFED SHIRT by Stephen Morehouse Avery and directed by Ray Enright (HAVANA WIDOWS). A minor romantic comedy that's a pleasant enough watch. As the mismatched pair, Dick Powell and Olivia De Havilland are up for the antics. Still in the crooner phase of his career, Powell sings four songs including You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby which debuts here and went on to become a standard in the American songbook. Fans of 1930s comedies should have some fun with this one. With Bonita Granville, Penny Singleton, Allen Jenkins, Charles Winninger Isabel Jeans and Thurston Hall.
A handsome aristocrat (Shane Briant) has his portrait painted by a friend (Charles Aidman). He is pushed into a decadent lifestyle by a hedonistic nobleman (Nigel Davenport). Curiously, his depravity has no effect on him through out the years but his portrait shifts and displays his every sin on his face. Based on the classic novel by Oscar Wilde and directed by Glenn Jordan (ONLY WHEN I LAUGH). A dull adaptation of the Wilde novel. Granted, it would be hard to best the 1945 film version but this made for television version is listless. As Dorian Gray, the expressionless Shane Briant seems bored and that ennui is passed on to the audience. No genuine sense of a degenerate or corrupt atmosphere is provided, we're just told about it through Briant's narration. With Vanessa Howard, Linda Kelsey, Fionnula Flanagan and John Karlen.
A washed up alcoholic bouncer (John Payne) working in a Las Vegas casino is offered a job to retrieve a rare ruby which may be in the hands of the woman (Mary Murphy) who jilted him. Directed by Phil Karlson (5 AGAINST THE HOUSE). Although shot in Technicolor and VistaVision, this is a nifty, gritty film noir. It has all the elements: a down on his luck hero (Payne) over his head, a duplicitous femme fatale (Murphy channeling Mary Astor's Brigid O'Shaughnessy), vicious thugs who like to beat up people and Francis L. Sullivan as a wheelchair bound baddie channeling Sydney Greenstreet. Director Karlson gives the movie an exacting veneer that insures a tale full of color and brittle. An unappreciated noir that should be better known. Curiously, the movie uses stock music rather than an original score but I recognized Miklos Rozsa's music. Worth seeking out for noir fans. With Arnold Moss, Paul Picerni and Eduardo Noriega.
Set in a small town in New Mexico in 2020 at the height of the Covid lockdown. There is friction between the town's mayor (Pedro Pascal) and the town's sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) over the mask mandates as well as the mayor's past relationship with the sheriff's unstable wife (Emma Stone). Written and directed by by Ari Aster (HEREDITARY). An ambitious modern "western" often described as a satire as it pokes at conspiracy theories, MAGA, white privilege and radical leftists. It's the kind of movie that overreaches but so zealous in its drive that one can't help but admire it in spite of its flaws. Honestly, I have no idea what Aster's intentions were but it's done so skillfully that I just sat back and watched and enjoyed. Phoenix is excellent here but the supporting ensemble cast measures up admirably. With Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Michael Ward and Diedre O'Connell.
Set in England and Ireland during WWII, a member (John Mills) of the Irish Republican Army questions the ruthless methods employed by the IRA like bombing crowded London underground stations. His brother (Dirk Bogarde), also an IRA member, considers him a traitor. Based on the play by Roger MacDougall (who adapted his play for the screen) and directed by Basil Dearden (KHARTOUM). An agreeable drama with thriller trimmings that can't quite sustain itself to its end but the journey there is very solid. The movie bounces back and forth between the British and Irish viewpoints of the conflict in an effort to be fair but only superficially. Basil Dearden directs with confidence and the acting is quite good. Thumbs up to Gordon Dines' (SECRET PEOPLE) conspicuous (in a good sense) cinematography. With Elizabeth Sellars, Robert Beatty, Barbara Mullen, Eddie Byrne and Jack MacGowran.
On a cross country trip from Pennsylvania to California, a mother superior (Rosalind Russell) must not only once again deal with high spirited schoolgirls but with a young and non conventional progressive nun (Stella Stevens). Directed by James Neilson (THE MOON SPINNERS). A sequel to the 1966 movie, THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS. More enjoyable than it has a right to be. The movie was on the borderline between traditional mainstream "wholesome" family comedies and the "new" Hollywood films that pushed the envelope (EASY RIDER, MIDNIGHT COWBOY, BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE) that would come the next year. In that regard, it's a bit of a relic. Still, it has it charms, however conventional. If you enjoyed TROUBLE WITH ANGELS, you should enjoy this. If you didn't, obviously you wouldn't bother. With Robert Taylor, Van Johnson, Susan Saint James, Milton Berle, Binnie Barnes, Mary Wickes, William Lundigan and Arthur Godfrey.
Set in 10th century Spain, the film follows the saga of Fernan Gonzalez (Espartaco Santoni) of Castile, a nobleman whose guerrilla warfare attempts to drive the Moors out of Spain. Inspired by the epic poem POEMA DE FERNAN GONZALEZ (author unknown) and directed by Javier Seto (BREAD, LOVE AND ANDALUSIA). A wannabe epic that attempts to recreate the success of EL CID (1961) without any success. It's a Spanish movie with some international names cast in supporting roles to help insure marketability outside Spain. The leads are Espartaco Santoni and Tere Velazquez and their conflicted romance is an imitation of the conflicted romance at the heart of EL CID but alas, they are no Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren as either actors or stars. The jumbled battle sequences are a mess. The U.S. version is about ten minutes shorter than the international cut. With Broderick Crawford, Cesar Romero, Alida Valli and Frankie Avalon as a balladeer who sings the narration for the film.
A young woman (Dorothy McGuire) sets her sight on a doctor to marry. But when she marries the doctor (William Lundigan) of choice, she finds her romanticized view of being a doctor's wife unrealistic and marital problems surface. Based on the novel THE DOCTOR WEARS THREE FACES by Mary Bard and directed by Claude Binyon (HERE COME THE GIRLS). This comedy backfires because it miscalculates the appeal of its heroine. Dorothy McGuire is a lovely actress with dignity and charm but here she plays an immature wife whose fantasies about being a doctor's wife clashes with the reality of the situation and her resentment about his duties that occupy so much of his time which she feels should be devoted to her. All the sympathy goes to her doctor husband for putting up with such a selfish brat. With Gary Merrill, June Havoc, Jessie Royce Landis, Leif Erickson and Joyce MacKenzie.
The notorious lover Don Juan (John Barrymore) pursues his conquests with a rakish abandon. But when he glimpses the virginal Adriana (Mary Astor), he finds true love. But there's a problem. A confidant (Montagu Love) of the Borgia family also has eyes for her. Inspired by the 1821 epic poem by Lord Byron and directed by Alan Crosland (THE JAZZ SINGER). A romantic swashbuckler that I found heavy handed and overlong. As Don Juan, Barrymore shows why he was a silent movie idol with a strong screen presence and some panache in his performance. But combining the Don Juan legend with the machinations of the Borgia family makes for a bloated movie. The film was a huge hit though. The film is notable for being the first silent film with a synchronized musical score and sound effects. With Warner Oland, Estelle Taylor, Myrna Loy, Hedda Hopper and Josef Swickard.
A university professor (Glenn Ford) learns that an elite society he joined as an undergraduate is really a sinister organization that seizes wealth and power for its members through nefarious practices. After refusing an order from the Brotherhood, he finds himself increasingly isolated as he tries to expose the organization. Based on the novel by David Karp and directed by Paul Wendkos (THE MEPHISTO WALTZ). For the first hour, this is a very good conspiracy thriller. It creates an atmosphere of paranoia that grows in intensity until you become unsure if Ford's protagonist is a victim of a conspiracy or if he's mentally unhinged. Alas, it unravels in the movie's last 20 minutes or so. It doesn't entirely fall apart but it goes enough off the rails to make it do some damage. Previously filmed for television in 1958. With Rosemary Forsyth, Maurice Evans, Dean Jagger, Dabney Coleman, William Conrad, Eduard Franz and Robert Pine.
A man (Sam Rockwell) claiming to be from the future recruits an unlikely group of diner patrons to join him in a daring attempt to save mankind from the perils of social media brain rot and the impending AI apocalypse. Directed by Gore Verbinski (THE MEXICAN). If THE TERMINATOR and EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE had a baby, it might look like this! Gore Verbinski's first film in ten years is a humdinger of an inventive science fiction action comedy. Its high concept takes awhile to get off the ground (its first 20 minutes or so are shaky) but when it does, it soars. A cinematic rollercoaster ride that you would be foolish to pass up. With Juno Temple, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Pena, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry and Tom Taylor.
Set in 19th century Russia, a 16 year old boy (John Moulder Brown) falls in love with the enigmatic beauty (Dominique Sanda) who lives next door. He isn't the only one however as she has many suitors. Based on the novella by Ivan Turgenev and directed by actor Maximilian Schell (who plays the father in the film), who also wrote the screenplay. It's an attractive looking film thanks to the great Sven Nykvist (CRIES AND WHISPERS) but Schell's adaptation of Turgenev is turgid. Its sluggish pacing aside, director Schell doesn't provide us with any sense of youthful passion or the genuine ache of loving someone you can never have. As the boy, John Moulder Brown broods nicely but the ardor isn't there, it's barely puppy love. The film has one of the worst scores (attributed to Mark London) that I've ever heard! With Valentina Cortese, Marius Goring, Dandy Nichols and John Osborne (yes, the playwright).
