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).
Set in the Stone Age, Fred Flintstone (John Goodman) mistakenly becomes an executive at Slate & Company after his buddy Barney (Rick Moranis) switches their test scores. What Fred doesn't know is that his boss (Kyle MacLachlan) is setting him up to take the fall for an embezzlement scheme. Based on the 1960s animated televison series and directed by Brian Levant (JINGLE ALL THE WAY). This is fun for maybe the first 20 minutes as we see how the film makers are translating the TV cartoon show to the live action format but the novelty wears off very quickly and what we get is a visually impressive movie in search of a decent script. Still, audiences seemed to like it enough to make it a box office hit and a sequel followed six years later with a different cast. With Elizabeth Taylor (in her last theatrical feature film), Halle Berry, Rosie O'Donnell, Elizabeth Perkins, Jonathan Winters, Jay Leno, Laraine Newman and the B-52s.
A traveling troupe of actors arrive in a provincial town where the leader of the group (Nakamura Ganjiro) has an ex-mistress (Haruko Sugimura) who has raised their son (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), now grown, without the son ever knowing who is father is. Matters become complicated when his current mistress (Machiko Kyo) finds out and in a fit of spite urges another actress (Ayako Wakao) from the troupe to seduce the son. Directed by Yasujiro Ozu (TOKYO STORY). This is a color (Ozu's third) remake of Ozu's silent film STORY OF FLOATING WEEDS (1934). The narrative follows the original film extremely close but many consider it superior to the 1934 movie. While I think it's a marvelous film, I found it veered toward excessive sentimentality toward the film's final moments. But it's a wonderful looking film thanks to Kazuo Miyagawa's lovely cinematography utilizing Eastman color and the performances are excellent. With Hitomi Nozoe and Chisu Ryu.
Set in 1928 Chicago, a big shot gangster (Paul Douglas) with a soft heart falls in love with a child care worker (Jean Peters), who doesn't realize he's a mobster. So he pretends to be a widower with two young children in an attempt to woo her. Directed by Alexander Hall (HERE COMES MR. JORDAN). This is a remake of TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME (1941). A lightweight but agreeable slice of entertainment that goes down easily even if its stale plot doesn't offer up anything fresh or original. There's a Runyonesque feel to the narrative especially in the supporting characters of cops, mobsters and molls. With Cesar Romero (who played the lead in the original 1941 movie), Keenan Wynn, Joan Davis, Jay C. Flippen, Arthur Treacher, Kenneth Tobey and Anthony George.
A group of subterranean reptile men (referred to as the slime people) rise from their depths and invade Los Angeles. They create a wall of solidified fog around the city to prevent its citizens from escaping. Directed by actor Robert Hutton (THE RACKET) in his only movie as a director. Jaw dropping bad! One can't even call it a B movie, it goes straight to Z movie. Stunt men in rubber reptile suits stumbling around excessive fog (the fog machine overdoing it). Are you scared yet? Add the bad acting and inept script and you get a stinker that only connoisseurs of bad movies could love. With Hutton doubling as leading man, Susan Hart, Les Tremayne, William Boyce and Judee Morton.
A former Army Ranger and struggling father (Channing Tatum) turns to robbing McDonald's restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname, Roofman. After being sentenced to prison, he escapes and lives undetected inside a Toys"R" Us. Directed by Derek Cianfrance (BLUE VALENTINE). The saying "truth is stranger than fiction" applies here. This is based on the life of Jeffrey Manchester, a criminal caught in 2005 and currently serving time in prison with a projected release date of 2036. If I didn't know it was a true story, I'd more than likely call the narrative preposterous! Clearly, the "Roofman" definitely has some psychological problems and as played by Tatum, he doesn't disguise them but Tatum's likability gives the Roofman some charm. A quirky, offbeat crime comedy with a poignant romance (Kirsten Dunst as a single mother raising two daughters) at its center. With LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Peter Dinklage, Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba.
Set in 1878, a young explorer (Marshall Thompson) sets off to Africa in a hot air balloon in search of a missing explorer (Douglas Kennedy). He is accompanied by the missing explorer's fiancee (Mala Powers) and a Hindu guide (James Lanphier). "Inspired" by FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON by Jules Verne (although the film doesn't credit Verne) and directed by Nathan Juran (THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD). Shot in 10 days in Puerto Rico, the location is the only attractive thing about the movie. The special effects are shoddy, the African natives are portrayed as superstitious "ooga booga" savages, we have men in obvious gorilla suits, etc. The characters are supposed to be British but are played by American actors who don't even bother with an English accent. With Robert W. Gillette and Felipe Birrie.
Post Civil War, a group of ex-Confederate soldiers enter a town where one of them (John Smith) accidentally kills a child (Bobby Clark). The soldiers flee the town but the boy's father (John Payne) is bent on revenge. Directed by Alfred L. Werker (ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES). Westerns were prolific in the 1950s, both in cinemas and on television. So popular that there were a lot of B westerns. Every once in awhile, you'll come across a western that transcends its B roots, this is one of them. It's not a great western but a solid and efficient one with a strong narrative and complex characters. The only negative (and it's a minor one) is a dreadful title song played over the credits. With Ruth Roman, J. Carrol Naish, Ben Cooper, Ben Johnson and James Griffith.
In a tough penitentiary, two inmates (Henri Vidal, Serge Reggiani) fend off rumors that one of them betrayed a recently executed prisoner. They join forces and escape, hiding out in a beach cabin where they take the young occupant (Marina Vlady) hostage after killing her lover (Guy Kerner). Based on the novel by Frederic Dard and directed by actor Robert Hossein (NUDE IN A WHITE CAR), who also has a small role in the movie. A strange little movie that I found rather pointless although I was caught up in its story. The two main protagonists are vicious criminals without any redeeming value so why should we care about them at all? Marina Vlady's ambiguous beauty brings some needed conflict to the story. It's clear she plans to avenge her murdered lover but we're never sure if she's stringing the escaped convicts along or if she's sexually attracted to them. It all comes down to when is she going play her winning hand. With Jacques Duby and Marthe Mercadier.
After her father (Lewis Stone) leaves her mother (Belle Bennett) for another woman (Helene Millard), a young woman (Norma Shearer) becomes bitter toward men and vows never to get married. That is, until she falls in love with a polished charmer (Robert Montgomery) ..... who just happens to be the son of the woman her father left her mother for! Based on the novel by Sarita Fuller and directed by E. Mason Hopper (PARIS AT MIDNIGHT). An interesting narrative full of potential complications are fleetingly examined until we reach a hokey ending that will please no one and leaves several questions unanswered and one character nowhere to be found. Norma Shearer gives one of those actress-y performances full of indicating but little resemblance to actual human emotion. With Cecil Cunningham and Henry Hebert.
An attorney (Walter Pidgeon) takes on a case defending the boyfriend (Lee Bowman) of his ex-girlfriend (Frances Mercer), who is accused of murdering a showgirl (Ann Morriss) on the terrace of an exclusive high rise apartment. Based on the novel PENTHOUSE by Arthur Somers Roche and directed by Edwin L. Marin (TALL IN THE SADDLE). Roche's novel had previously been filmed by MGM in 1933 and only six years later, they dusted it off as a B vehicle for Walter Pidgeon. It remains an absorbing murder mystery and at a tight running time of one hour and 17 minutes, director Marin zips through at a galloping pace. A fine example of how well crafted a B movie can be. Audiences liked it enough to that it turned a modest profit. With Virginia Bruce, Leo Carrillo (murdering the English language), Eduardo Ciannelli and Herbert Mundin.
Spanning the years from WWI to WWII and told in flashback, a dedicated newspaper editor (John Mills) falls in love and marries the headstrong daughter (Martha Scott) of a corrupt mill owner (Frederick Leister). But love has blinded the newspaper man to her true nature. Based on the novel by James Hilton (GOODBYE MR. CHIPS) and directed by Edward Dmytryk (CROSSFIRE). The tale of a good man in love with a manipulative and ambitious Lady MacBeth like wife, it's an old fashioned (in the good sense) literate/literary movie that has a solid story that holds you in its grip to the very end. In her best performance, Martha Scott carries the ball and runs with it, not afraid to show us what a monster her calculating wife and mother is. The kind of well crafted studio (in this case, RKO) film making that no longer exists today. The cinematic equivalent of a good page turner. With Trevor Howard (excellent as an alcoholic doctor), Richard Carlson, Patricia Roc, Reginald Tate and Juliet Mills.
To prove he's worthy of his editor's (Howard St. John) daughter (Yvonne Craig), a milquetoast journalist (Robert Morse) agrees to head to the Antarctic and report from an underground naval base. Realizing a scoop will cut short his stay, he decides to create his own news with the aid of his photographer friend (George Maharis). Based on the novel by Philip Benjamin and directed by Delbert Mann (MARTY). A flat, inane comedy with just a hint of a plot and no laughs. The movie doesn't seem to know what it is. A romantic comedy? A military comedy? A sex farce? Although there is some second unit shots in Alaska (subbing for the Antarctic), most of it is a studio bound icescape. With Anjanette Comer, James Gregory, Norman Fell, Michael Constantine, Janine Gray and a scene stealing penguin named Milton Fox.
An ex-convict (Burt Reynolds) goes home to claim an inheritance left by his deceased mother only to find that his estranged stepfather (Melvyn Douglas) holds him responsible for his own son's death. He will stop at nothing to fight the ex-con drifter from claiming his inheritance. Directed by Bernard Girard (DEAD HEAT ON A MERRY GO ROUND). A potentially interesting narrative about an estranged father and son attempting to overcome their past is sabotaged by a mediocre script and a pedestrian last act which turns into a routine "hysterical vigilantes hunt down an innocent man" scenario. A pity because there are a lot of good actors involved in this telefilm but their talents are wasted here. With Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Balsam, Peter Brown, Larry Storch, Jill Banner, A. Martinez and Donald Barry.
After spending the night with his girlfriend (Jeanne Moreau), a trucker (Jean Gabin) encounters a dead body on the road home. He reports the incident to the police but they suspect that he is responsible for the death And then there's that nasty gang of crooks who are harassing him. Based on the novel DU RAISIN DANS LE GAZ-OIL by Georges Bayle and directed by Gilles Grangier (TROIS JOURS A VIVRE). A routine crime drama elevated by the presence of Jean Gabin and Jeanne Moreau, who bring some star quality to the proceedings. It's quite entertaining but there's nothing out of the ordinary about it. The striking B&W cinematography is by Pierre Montazel (TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI). With Marcel Bozzuffi, Ginette Leclerc and Jacques Marin.
When a fan sends the drummer (Ringo Starr) of The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison) an ancient sacrificial ring that becomes stuck on his finger, he becomes targeted by a group of obsessed Eastern mystics as well as an ambitious scientist (Victor Spinetti) who has his own plans for the ring. Directed by Richard Lester (PETULIA). Essentially a live action cartoon with The Beatles as the road runner and the villains as the coyote. The best part of the movie, of course, are the songs. The nonsensical plot is fun for awhile but it gets old pretty fast. The songs aren't integral to the narrative, they're inserted into the action and became a big influence on the music videos that emerged on MTV. The characterization of the Eastern cult is uncomfortable at times, bordering on racism. It goes without saying that Beatles fans will enjoy this. As for everybody else, I'm not so sure. With Eleanor Bron, Leo McKern, Patrick Cargill and Roy Kinnear.
An attorney (Jean Simmons) is selected to fill a vacated government position. Her husband (Gene Barry) is approached by a man (Jonathan Banks) who has stolen medical records about his wife's nervous breakdown seven years earlier. Succumbing to blackmail, the husband agrees to pay $50,000 but when he goes to hand over the money, he finds the blackmailer dead and is arrested for murder. Enter Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to defend him. Directed by Ron Satlof (THE CASE OF THE NOTORIOUS NUN). The fourth entry in the thirty Perry Mason telefilms is one of the very best. It gives Jean Simmons, a fine actress whose film career after 1970 was weak, a late career role that allows her to remind us what a good actress she is. Burr's health was declining and he had mobility issues. He uses a cane throughout the film and is usually photographed sitting or standing. With Barbara Hale, William Katt, Robert Mandan, David Ogden Stiers, Robert F. Lyons and Robert Walden.
