Arsene Lupin Versus Arsene Lupin (1962)

Set in the 1920s. When the renowned gentleman thief Arsene Lupin dies, it's discovered that he had sired two sons from different mothers. In his will, he leaves a message to one son (Jean Claude Brialy) to find his brother (Jean Pierre Cassel). Not surprisingly, both sons have taken on their fathers profession. Based on the character created by Maurice Leblanc and directed by Edouard Molinaro (LA CAGE AUX FOLLES). The emphasis here is on the comedic aspects of the story. It's well acted and looks great thanks to Pierre Petit's meticulous B&W wide screen lensing. But the whole thing never jelled for me. It sporadically worked in bits and pieces but not enough to make a coherent movie. Maybe if it had taken itself a tad more seriously. Not amusing enough to be a successful comedic farce but not exciting enough to hold together as a thriller. With Francoise Dorleac, Genevieve Grad and Anne Vernon.

The Limey (1999)

A British ex-convict (Terence Stamp) arrives in Los Angeles to investigate the mystery behind his daughter's (Melissa George) "accidental" death. His prime suspect, a wealthy music promoter (Peter Fonda) is no easy target. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (ERIN BROCKOVICH). A solid revenge thriller all dolled up with unnecessary "artsy" editing that gives the movie an unfair pretentious aura. The film presents Terence Stamp with one of his best late career roles. The flashback sequences utilize scenes from POOR COW (1967) which starred the young Stamp. A solid example of neo noir, the film makes excellent use of its Los Angeles locations from the chic Hollywood Hills residences to the sleazy environs of downtown L.A. to the gorgeous coastline of Big Sur. With Lesley Ann Warren, Barry Newman, Luis Guzman, Amelia Heinle and Joe Dallesandro.

The Affairs Of Anatol (1921)

A newlywed (Wallace Reid) is a sucker for troubled women. On his quest to save every woman down on her luck, he overlooks the one woman who loves him the most, his wife (Gloria Swanson). Based on the play ANATOL by Arthur Schnitzler and directed by Cecil B. DeMille (SAMSON AND DELILAH). A moralistic cinematic lecture courtesy of Cecil B. DeMille, who always loved to put decadence on display before chastising the audience who enjoyed the decadence to take the virtuous path. Reid's protagonist is a self righteous control freak and hypocrite who goes through several negative experiences before he learns his lesson. The film seems somewhat misogynistic in its portrayal of its female characters as tramps and thieves as well as shallow and vain. With Bebe Daniels, Agnes Ayres, Monte Blue, Theodore Roberts and Wanda Hawley.

A Man Could Get Killed (1966)

An American businessman (James Garner) arrives in Lisbon but is mistaken for a British spy on the trail of diamond smugglers. Despite his protests that he's just there on business for an American bank, it isn't long before he finds himself up to his neck in intrigue and murder. Based on the novel DIAMONDS FOR DANGER by David E. Walker and directed by Ronald Neame (PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE) and Cliff Owen (THE VENGEANCE OF SHE). A comedy/adventure that should be more fun than it is. Cliff Owen was the original director but when he proved unsatisfactory, he was replaced by Ronald Neame though both directors get on screen credit. The screenplay had possibilities but it's a curiously flat movie that I'll just chalk up to its different directors, neither of whom seems to have a flair for the genre. As a seductive widow, Melina Mercouri (looking ultra glam) manages to look like she gets it and is having fun but James Garner and especially Anthony Franciosa flounder and poor Sandra Dee is wasted. By this point in her career, she'd outgrown these kind of parts that she played in her teens. The movie has two assets however. The striking wide screen cinematography of Gabor Pogany (De Sica's TWO WOMEN) shows off the Portugal locales handsomely and there's a nice score by Bert Kaempfert whose love theme became a big hit for Frank Sinatra, STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT. With Robert Coote, Roland Culver, Cecil Parker and Dulcie Gray.

Sans Mobile Apparent (aka Without Apparent Motive) (1971)

A police detective (Jean Louis Trintignant) is faced with a series of random killings of seemingly unconnected strangers by a sniper. Slowly, he discovers quite the opposite. There is a link between these victims and it's connected to their past and not only that but it hits close to home. Based on the novel TEN PLUS ONE by Ed McBain and directed by Philippe Labro (L'HERITIER). A nimble thriller in a glamorous setting (sun washed Nice in France). Labro succinctly lets the mystery unfold giving us just enough clues to piece the murder solution together. Full of atmosphere and a sense of looming fate. A must for murder mystery fans! The excellent underscore is by Ennio Morricone. With Dominique Sanda, Stephane Audran, Carla Gravina, Laura Antonelli, Jean Pierre Marielle, Paul Crauchet, Sacha Distel and Erich Segal (the author of LOVE STORY).

Rhapsody In Blue (1945)

The story of composer George Gershwin (Robert Alda) and his rise from song plugger to one of America's most popular composers, both on the stage and films and the concert hall. Directed by Irving Rapper (NOW VOYAGER). Yet another composer movie biography of the "And then I wrote" variety. MGM did this kind of stuff with the likes of Rodgers and Hart, Jerome Kern, Kalmar and Ruby and Sigmund Romberg. But MGM had performers like Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Lena Horne, Mickey Rooney and June Allyson to do the musical bits to alleviate the tedium. This is a Warner Brothers picture and musically, they lacked the musical talents of MGM. Here the musical numbers consist of poor Joan Leslie (only an adequate singer and dancer), Oscar Levant pounding on the piano and Robert Alda miming the piano playing. The hokey story is pure fabrication including two love interests (Joan Leslie and Alexis Smith) who never existed. The whole thing feels phony. The movie runs almost three hours (no intermission but there's a 10 minute overture) and it's a slog. The only two highlights are the great Hazel Scott performing two Gershwin numbers and Anne Brown (the star of the original production of PORGY AND BESS) singing Summertime. With Charles Coburn, Al Jolson (in blackface, of course), Morris Carnovsky, Albert Bassermann, Rosemary DeCamp, Herbert Rudley, Julie Bishop and Darryl Hickman.

Sing You Sinners (1938)

Three brothers disagree about everything and could not be more different from each other. The eldest son (Bing Crosby) is a shiftless gambler looking for easy money rather than working for it. The middle son (Fred MacMurray) is the responsible son, who is supporting the family and the youngest son (Donald O'Connor) idolizes his gambling brother and wants to be just like him. When the eldest brother (Crosby) moves to California, the family follows suit. Directed by Wesley Ruggles (CIMARRON). This is a movie about family and how the family bond is so strong that they stick together through everything. But the entire family is so flawed that the sticking together angle looks more foolish than practical and the phony happy ending seems contrived. It's a musical and on that level, it's not very good. I'm not Crosby's biggest fan but the film gives him an opportunity to show his acting chops early in his career. He got a hit song out of the movie, his rendition of Small Fry stayed at the top of the charts for 13 weeks. With Ellen Drew, Elizabeth Patterson and John Gallaudet.

Devil Doll (1964)

A magician (Bryant Haliday) dazzles audiences with his mastery of hypnosis and his strange ventriloquist dummy called Hugo. Determined to find out his method of controlling the dummy, a journalist (William Sylvester) begins a covert investigation. Directed by Lindsay Shonteff (THE MILLION EYES OF SUMURU). The theme of a ventriloquist being controlled by his dummy creation has resulted in some fine to decent creations, the most notable being the Michael Redgrave sequence in DEAD OF NIGHT (1946). But there's also MAGIC (1978) with Anthony Hopkins and a TWILIGHT ZONE episode called THE DUMMY (1962) with Cliff Robertson. This one is rather unusual in that the hapless ventriloquist is not controlled by his evil dummy but rather the "dummy" is the victim while the ventriloquist is the evil one. Although often needlessly slow in its narrative (and Sylvester's dull reporter doesn't help), it holds your attention long enough to get you through the "twist" finale. Horror fans should check it out. With Yvonne Romain and Sandra Dorne.

The Last Man To Hang (1956)

A married music critic (Tom Conway) is having an affair with an attractive singer (Eunice Gayson). He is about to leave England with her when news arrives of his wife's (Elizabeth Sellars) death. He's even more stunned when the police arrest him for her murder. Based on the novel THE JURY by Gerald Bullett and directed by Terence Fisher (THE BRIDES OF DRACULA). A rather drab courtroom murder mystery, a mash up of 12 ANGRY MEN and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. Not as dull as 12 ANGRY MEN (what could be?) but so stale that even its absurd "surprise" ending doesn't lift it out of the doldrums. As the husband on trial, Tom Conway gives a performance so soporific that you don't care if he's innocent or guilty. With Freda Jackson, Anthony Newley, Joan Hickson, Victor Maddern and Gillian Lynne.

The Case Of The Murdered Madam (1987)

A public relations woman (Ann Jillian) invites four clients to a luncheon at her country house where the men will discuss a plan that will make all of them rich. What they don't know is that she's secretly taping the conversation for her own scheme. When she is later found murdered and the tapes missing, her husband (Vincent Baggetta) becomes the prime suspect. Enter Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) to defend him. Based on the character created by Erle Stanley Garner and directed by Ron Satlof (PERRY MASON RETURNS). The sixth Perry Mason movie (there were a total of 30) based on the Perry Mason series with Raymond Burr which ran from 1957 to 1966. This entry is middling and the mystery isn't particularly compelling. The most interesting character is the ex-brothel keeper now turned respectable public relations woman played by Ann Jillian but she's bumped off early in the film and is sorely missed. With Barbara Hale, William Katt, Bill Macy, John Rhys Davies, David Ogden Stiers, Daphne Ashbrook and James Noble.

Affeksjonsverdi (aka Sentimental Value) (2025)

After the death of their mother, two sisters (Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) must contend with the return home to Norway of their estranged father (Stellan Skarsgard). With his oldest daughter (Reinsve) who is an actress, he hopes to reconnect with her by casting her in his new film. Directed by Joachim Trier (THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD). Winner of the Grand Prix at last year's Cannes film festival and the Best International Feature at this year's Oscars. It's a stunning film that deals with the open wounds that a fractured family dynamic leave behind in their wake. It also addresses the connection between Art and what personal baggage (a crude way of putting it) artists bring to their art to humanize it. The four central performances (the fourth character is Elle Fanning as an American actress the father casts in his movie) are flawless, not a false note among them. They all received Oscar nominations. The film's emotional charge slowly and subtly creeps up on you, finally grabbing you in its hold by the film's end. With Anders Danielson Lie and Oyvind Hesjedal Loven.

The Egg And I (1947)

A newlywed wife (Claudette Colbert) follows her husband (Fred MacMurray) to the countryside where his dream is to become a chicken farmer. A city girl, she finds it difficult to adjust to the rural farm life. Based on the memoir by Betty MacDonald and directed by Chester Erskine (ANDROCLES AND THE LION). A charming if typical "fish out of water" tale that coasts along nicely until its last 15 minutes when it slogs to its sluggish end. Colbert and MacMurray had a nice chemistry through the seven movies (this one was the sixth) they made together. The film was a huge success at the box office and was an inspiration for the TV series, GREEN ACRES. The movie is stolen by Marjorie Main (in an Oscar nominated performance) as the slovenly neighbor with a shiftless husband (Percy Kilbride). Their teaming was so successful that they went on to make nine more movies playing their characters of Ma and Pa Kettle. With Richard Long, Louise Allbritton and Elisabeth Risdon.