Landru (aka Bluebeard) (1963)

Set during WWI, a bourgeois working man (Charles Denner) is married with children. He supports his family by luring susceptible widows and spinsters to his rented country estate where he murders them and then helps himself to their bank accounts. Based on the life of the notorious serial killer Henri Desire Landru from a screenplay by Francoise Sagan (BONJOUR TRISTESSE) and directed by Claude Chabrol (LE BOUCHER). Chabrol's macabre black comedy is amusing up to a point but after he is caught by the police and put on trial, the film becomes tedious. One of the movie's stumbling blocks is Charles Denner as Landru. He is so genuinely creepy that any normal woman would run in the opposite direction yet you have dozens of women throwing themselves at him! Surely he had more charisma and charm than the chilly arrogance that Denner delivers. One can be both villainous and charming as Vincent Price and George Sanders have proven but Denner may as well have I'm going to kill you! tattooed on his forehead! Still, there's lots of talent in the cast including Danielle Darrieux, Michele Morgan, Stephane Audran, Hildegard Knef, Juliette Mayniel, Francoise Lugagne and Jean Pierre Melville.

Tortilla Flat (1942)

Set among the paisano community on the Monterey coast of California, a shiftless young man (John Garfield) inherits two houses when his grandfather dies. His indolent friends led by the sneaky but crafty Pilon (Spencer Tracy) take over his property and try to take over his life too after he falls for a local Portuguese beauty (Hedy Lamarr). Based on the novel by John Steinbeck and directed by Victor Fleming (GONE WITH THE WIND). I think we're supposed to be amused by these lazy but colorful bunch of leeches who refuse to work and con their way into getting money and wine to live on. I found them irritating. The characters are all supposed to be of Spanish, Mexican or Portuguese descent which means everybody is miscast and their accents dicey and in Spencer Tracy's case, egregiously so. Tracy lacks any semblance of the charm needed to make his character tolerable. Two actors stand out in spite of the miscasting: Frank Morgan (in an Oscar nominated performance) as the dog loving wood seller and Hedy Lamarr as the feisty lovely who captures Garfield's heart. The film was a big hit. With Akim Tamiroff, John Qualen, Connie Gilchrist, Allen Jenkins and Sheldon Leonard.

Zu Neuen Ufern (aka To New Shores) (1937)

Set in 1846 London, a music hall performer (Zarah Leander) is in love with a self centered and destitute aristocrat (Willy Birgel). When he leaves for Australia after forging a large check, she takes the blame and is sent to prison in the colonies ... in this case, Australia. Based on the novel by Lovis Hans Lorenz and directed by Douglas Sirk (WRITTEN ON THE WIND). This creaky melodrama was a big hit in Germany and pushed Leander into the top tier of the country's film stars. As much as I love Sirk, this movie didn't work for me. It's the kind of movie where the heroine is too good for the weak willed and selfish "hero" yet she pines away for him after taking the hit for a crime he committed. I find such romantic masochism a turn off. Maybe it might have worked better 20 years later when Sirk was at Universal and used his lush Technicolor palette to give it some visual flair, perhaps with Lana Turner or Susan Hayward in the lead. With Viktor Staal and Carola Hohn. 

My Pal Gus (1952)

A single father (Richard Widmark) is a wealthy and powerful business tycoon who doesn't devote much time to his young son (George Winslow). When the teacher (Joanne Dru) at his son's school calls him on it, he strives to improve his relationship with his son and finds himself falling in love with the teacher. Enter the money grubbing ex-wife (Audrey Totter) and there's trouble ahead. Directed by Robert Parrish (CRY DANGER), there's not much you can say about this family friendly comedy which could have come straight out of Disney. The movie stresses family over money and Widmark's absent father is redeemed only when he realizes this while Totter's gold digging ex-wife is on a par with the wicked queen in SNOW WHITE. It's harmless and Widmark is immensely likable when he's not playing psychos or sleazebags (KISS OF DEATH, NIGHT AND THE CITY) and he and young Winslow (the froggy voiced youngster from GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES) have a nice chemistry.  With Regis Toomey, Carl Betz, Sandy Descher and Joan Banks. 

Abbott & Costello Meet The Keystone Kops (1955)

Set during the era of silent movies, two friends (Bud Abbott, Lou Costello) invest $5,000 in a movie studio in New Jersey only to find out they've been swindled by a con man (Fred Clark) and his mistress (Lynn Bari). They travel West to California by train and foot determined to find the swindler and get their money back. Directed by Charles Lamont (MA AND PA KETTLE). I've seen all of the Abbott and Costello comedies and this one is pretty much the bottom of the barrel. There are a couple of amusing moments but they're really rehashes of bits that we've seen in previous A&C comedies and done better. The duo just seems tired and the lame script does them no favors. After 15 years as a top comedy team and 34 films together, Abbott & Costello would do one more film, ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET THE MUMMY (1955) before ending their professional relationship. Fortunately, it's much better than this effort and they went out on a relatively high note. With Maxie Rosenbloom, Frank Wilcox and a cameo by Mack Sennett.

Cruella (2021)

After watching her mother (Emily Beecham) savagely killed by a pack of Dalmatians, her daughter (Tipper Seifert Cleveland) runs off to London where she (now Emma Stone) grows up as a grifter and thief. But her true passion is fashion design. Inspired by the novel by Dodie Smith by way of the 1961 animated ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS and directed by Craig Gillespie (I TONYA). The film attempts to humanize Cruella De Vil by giving her a backstory explaining why she is what she is but this Cruella could never be the Cruella of the original 1961 movie. Still, the film is quite entertaining though overlong but the absence of a truly evil Cruella allows Emma Thompson to steal the movie. Thompson's haute couture priestess could sing you a lullaby while cutting your throat! Jenny Beavan's stunning costumes should be in the running at the next Oscar ceremony. After the Bond like end credits, there's an insert that sets it up for a sequel more closely aligned with the 1961 film. With Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Mark Strong, Kayvan Novak and Kirby Howell Baptiste.

Sissi: Schicksalsjahre Einer Kaiserin (1957)

The young Austrian empress Elizabeth (Romy Schneider) returns from a good will tour of Hungary exhausted and is diagnosed with a lung disease that may be fatal. She is sent to Madeira to recover and when she doesn't, depression sets in. Directed by Ernst Marischka, this was the third and final installment of the SISSI trilogy that made Schneider a popular star in German films. It's also the weakest of the three entries. There was a great deal of innocence and charm in the first two movies and one could see why German audiences fell in love with Schneider. This one is more serious as it deals with political intrigue and a possible terminal illness. Alas, that seriousness eliminates the appeal that was present in the previous two movies. On the plus side, it's visually gorgeous and we get side trips to Madeira (that's Portuguese territory), Greece and Italy to feast our eyes. With Karlheinz Bohm, Magda Schneider and Vilma Degischer.

One Hundred And One Dalmatians (1961)

When a young married couple's (Ben Wright, Lisa Davis) two Dalmatians have a litter of fifteen puppies, her old school friend (Betty Lou Gerson) attempts to buy them all. Rightly suspicious of her, the couple refuses the offer so she plots to have the puppies kidnapped so she can add them to her collection of Dalmatians with the intention of using their fur to make a luxurious coat for herself. Based on the novel by Dodie Smith and directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wolfgang Reitherman. One of the most delightful animated feature films in the Disney canon, the movie received excellent reviews from the critics while it became one of Disney's biggest box office hits here and abroad (it was the top grossing film in France). It also features one of the all time great Disney villains in the fur obsessed Cruella De Vil superbly voiced by Gerson. Perhaps low-keyed in comparison to some of the other Disney animated classics, its simplicity and lack of affectation is refreshing. Among the other voice talents in the film: Rod Taylor, Tom Conway, Cate Bauer, Martha Wentworth, J. Pat O'Malley and Frederick Warlock.  

Today We Live (1933)

Set during WWI, a British aristocrat (Joan Crawford) falls in love with an American (Gary Cooper) although she's promised to her childhood sweetheart (Robert Young). Based on the short story TURNABOUT by William Faulkner and directed by Howard Hawks (HIS GIRL FRIDAY). A stinker! Faulkner himself is credited as providing the "dialogue" for the film though the screenplay is credited to Edith Fitzgerald and Dwight Taylor. There are two action sequences which are okay and where Hawks seems to have made an effort whereas the romantic slush is cringe inducing. Crawford was fine playing stenographers and shopgirls but whoever thought of casting her as an English aristocrat had a perverse sense of humor. She and Cooper don't ignite any sparks and their on screen romance lacks credibility (they've barely exchanged a few words before they declare their love for each other). Robert Young isn't bad at all except when he has to play drunk scenes where he's just awful. I don't think even the Hawks auteurists can make a case for this one! With Franchot Tone as Crawford's brother (they would marry a few years later) and Roscoe Karns.   

A Cry In The Dark (1988)

Set in 1980 Australia, a nine week baby girl is killed by a dingo during a family camping trip but her body is never found. After initial sympathy from the public, suspicion falls on the mother (Meryl Streep) and she is tried both in court and the court of public opinion for the murder of her child. Based on the non fiction book EVIL ANGELS by John Bryson and directed by Fred Schepisi (ROXANNE). Schepisi's film is a workmanlike example of the docudrama although he overdoes the public hysteria over the case. He's constantly cutting to the cynicism of the press or the tension among the citizens where feelings were very strong both pro and con regarding the case. Its effectiveness wears down after awhile because he's repeating himself. We got it the first few times. The movie contains one of Streep's very best performances (it won the best actress award at the Cannes film festival and she received an Oscar nomination). The actress-y mannerisms that often undermine her work are gone here. This is a woman who keeps her emotions in check and refuses to play to the sympathy of the press and public and this works against her. While Streep's performance was justifiably lauded, I wish Sam Neill's performance as the unraveling husband had gotten more attention. He's excellent in a performance that in some ways was more difficult than Streep's. With Bruce Myles and Charles Tingwell.

Le Silence Est D'or (1947)

Set in the Paris of the early 1900s, a film director (Maurice Chevalier) is an aging ladies man. When an old chum (Roland Armontel) goes on tour, the director takes his friend's daughter (Marcelle Derrien) under his wing and gives her a job as an actress in his movie. But it isn't long before the older man falls in love with the young girl even though she has fallen in love with a man (Francois Perier) her own age. Written and directed by Rene Clair (I MARRIED A WITCH), this was his first French film in over 12 years after working in Hollywood and England. Clair's romantic farce shows an affection for the early days of making movies (referred to as cinematographs here) but the emphasis is on the romantic triangle. I've never been an admirer of Chevalier's work in his English language movies, he always seemed to overdo the French bit as if playing to an American audiences concept of what a Frenchman is really like. He doesn't have to do that here and he brings a sense of pathos to his aging lothario coming to terms with the loneliness that his "man about town" facade is covering up. With Dany Robin and Robert Pizani. 

The Fugitive Kind (1959)

A drifter (Marlon Brando) finds himself in a small Southern town when his car breaks down. He takes a job as a clerk in a mercantile store run by the wife (Anna Magnani) of a dying sadist (Victor Jory) but it's only a matter of time before the drifter and the wife acknowledge their attraction to each other. Based on the play ORPHEUS DESCENDING by Tennessee Williams (who co-adapted his play for the screen) and directed by Sidney Lumet (NETWORK). Reputedly, after seeing the movie Tallulah Bankhead told Williams, "Darling, they've absolutely ruined your perfectly dreadful play!". She's not far wrong. The merits (or lack of them) of Williams' play aside, the movie is a mess. Nobody comes out unscathed. Brando seems to be doing a Brando parody, Magnani grapples with the English dialogue and the usually reliable Joanne Woodward as the town tramp overacts. At his best, Williams' dialogue is pure poetry but here, the poetry is missing. If Williams name wasn't on the film, I'd have called it a faux Tennessee Williams wannabe. What went wrong? I'm not sure the play is good enough to salvage. However, Lumet would go on to make an even worse film adaptation of a Williams play LAST OF THE MOBILE HOT SHOTS (1970) based on THE SEVEN DESCENTS OF MYRTLE. With Maureen Stapleton (who manages not to embarrass herself) and R.G. Armstrong.

Carola (1973)

Set during WWII in Nazi occupied France, a famous stage actress (Leslie Caron) helps hide a member (Michael Sacks) of the resistance while contending with a former lover, now a German General (Mel Ferrer) as the theatre is locked down while the Gestapo searches for the resistance fighter. Based on the 1960 play by Jean Renoir (RULES OF THE GAME) as adapted by James Bridges (CHINA SYNDROME) and directed by actor Norman Lloyd. Renoir had intended to direct this adaptation (done for public television) himself but fell ill which is when Lloyd took over. It's a filmed play and as such the emphasis is on the narrative and the acting. I couldn't find much information on the play but considering its content, I can't help but wonder if Renoir wrote it out of some sort of guilt over fleeing France (he wasn't Jewish) after the Germans invaded while other Frenchmen stayed behind. The play is a romance that also reflects on one's commitment to the theatre. Caron is very good here as is Carmen Zapata who plays her maid while the rest of the cast is adequate. With Anthony Zerbe and Albert Paulsen.

Front Page Woman (1935)

Two rival reporters (Bette Davis, George Brent) are in love but he feels a woman's place is in the home and she's determined to prove that a woman reporter is every bit as good as a man. When a sensational murder case breaks, they each throw caution to the wind as they plot to outdo each other in their reporting of the case. Directed by Michael Curtiz (WHITE CHRISTMAS), this typical girl reporter on the case is routine (I kept waiting for Davis to walk in yelling, "Stop the presses!"). The dialogue is rapid firing but alas, the script lacks the wit of a HIS GIRL FRIDAY. Davis and Brent have an easy going chemistry (they made a total of 11 movies together) and it's a pleasant enough diversion but in the end, it's forgettable. The movie makes light of executions and jury tampering which leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. With J. Carrol Naish, Wini Shaw and Roscoe Karns.

Honeymoon (1959)

A ballerina (Ludmilla Tcherina) gives up her career to marry an Australian rancher (Anthony Steel). Their honeymoon is spent traveling through Spain where she encounters a dancer/choreographer (Antonio) that has her questioning her decision to quit dancing. Directed by Michael Powell (PEEPING TOM), this is an odd genre of a movie, a dance travelogue! Powell, of course, had done dance films before, notably THE RED SHOES and TALES OF HOFFMAN but this one lacks those movies' consistency. It has the thinnest of plots and I use the term plot loosely as Powell takes us on a handsome journey through Spain shot in Technirama by Georges Perinal and Claude Renoir. People just break out and dance frequently but there are two major musical ballets performed, Manuel De Falla's EL AMOR BRUJO and Mikis Theodorakis' LOVERS OF TERUEL. Since the focus is on dance and the cinematography, the acting doesn't matter much but although Antonio is a good dancer, as an actor he's irritating (though it may be his character). For the Powell completist and lovers of dance. With Leonide Massine and Rosita Segovia.

Terror By Night (1946)

Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) is hired to protect a priceless diamond owned by Lady Margaret (Mary Forbes) from being stolen as she travels by train from London to Scotland. As the train makes its journey, the diamond is stolen and several murders occur. Based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Roy William Neill (FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN). Like the later Holmes films, this is set in a contemporary (the 1940s) setting rather than the late 19th century of the Doyle books. Though not based on any specific Holmes novel or short story, it steals bits and pieces from several of the Doyle franchise. This one is a lot of fun with doses of humor (usually at Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson's expense) and a carriage full of suspicious travelers. I chose the least likely suspect and sure enough, I got it right. Rathbone's Holmes is a bit more physical than usual as he gets into fist fights and hangs on for dear life after being pushed out of the train. With Alan Mowbray, Renee Godfrey, Dennis Hoey, Frederick Warlock and Geoffrey Steele.

The Miracle Woman (1931)

Outraged by her late father's treatment by his congregation, a minister's daughter (Barbara Stanwyck) accuses them of hypocrisy and ingratitude. A grifter (Sam Hardy) is impressed with her fervor and takes her under his wing and soon turns her into a famous evangelist. Based on the play BLESS YOU SISTER by John Meehan and Robert Riskin and directed by Frank Capra (LOST HORIZON). This is one of the best of Barbara Stanwyck's early performances but it's a pity the film doesn't measure up to her work here. The story itself (based on Aimee Semple McPherson) is bogged down by a mawkish romance between Stanwyck's evangelist and a blind aviator (David Manners). One can't help but notice the similarities to ELMER GANTRY (1960), a superior film on the same subject. Stanwyck and Capra would do better the next year with BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN.  With Beryl Mercer and Russell Hopton. 

In The Heights (2021)

Set in the Washington Heights district of New York, a young Latino (Anthony Ramos) has dreams of returning to his place of birth, the Dominican Republic where he hopes to revive his late father's business. Meanwhile, a young Latina (Leslie Grace) returns to the community after leaving Stanford University where she felt ostracized because of her ethnicity. Based on the hit Broadway musical by Quiara Alegria Hudes with music and lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda and directed by John M. Chu (CRAZY RICH ASIANS). While the film received favorable reviews, it was a box office flop and deservedly so in my opinion. I found the film an amateurish mess! There's not a memorable song in the bunch (and the songs are non-stop, it's practically an opera) and the calisthenics (called choreography in the credits) by Christopher Scott is gauche. While I respect the good intentions behind the project, that of showing the struggles of a Hispanic community often feeling invisible to a larger society and of struggling to attain their own dreams when everything seems to work against them, the cinematic road of bad movies are littered with good intentions. The only number that worked for me is Paciencia Y Fe but that wasn't so much the song or the staging of it but rather Olga Merediz' potent delivery of it. With Jimmy Smits, Corey Hawkins, Melissa Barrera, Marc Anthony, Gregory Diaz IV and Daphne Rubin Vega. 

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)

In a small Illinois town, two young boys (Vidal Peterson, Shawn Carson) are intrigued when a mysterious carnival comes to town. It isn't long before the boys discover the carnival's deadly intent. Based on the novel by Ray Bradbury (who adapted his novel for the screen) and directed by Jack Clayton (THE INNOCENTS). The film has a problem history. This is a Disney film and they wanted a family friendly film while director Clayton wanted to stick closer to the darkness of the novel. Add some unfriendly test screenings and against Clayton's will, Disney fired the editor (Argyle Nelson), deleted scenes, dumped George Delerue's score and did some re-shooting and re-editing. The results are decidedly mixed. It's not a bad film by any means but it never achieves a level of true dread and terror. I'm not quite convinced by the casting of Jason Robards as the small town librarian father (I think he was a janitor in the novel) of Peterson. There's nothing small town or particularly paternal about Robards as an actor. A missed opportunity though the 10 to 12 year olds might like it. The replacement score by James Horner isn't bad at all! With Jonathan Pryce, Pam Grier, Diane Ladd, Royal Dano, Richard Davalos, Mary Jane Canfield, James Stacy, Ellen Geer and Arthur Hill does the narration. 

Thunderbolt (1929)

A gangster (George Bancroft in an Oscar nominated performance) is furious when his moll (Fay Wray) announces she's leaving him. Hiding from the cops, he attempts to get revenge on the bank clerk (Richard Arlen) his girl is in love with but he is caught by the police. Sentenced to death row for his crimes, he plots to get his revenge on the man who stole his girl. Directed by Josef von Sternberg, this inert piece of early sound cinema was a disappointment. Two tears earlier, von Sternberg had made one of the best gangster movies of the silent era, UNDERWORLD also with George Bancroft. So I was surprised to see how terribly sentimental this one was. The film has no underscore but there are a lot of sappy songs on the soundtrack and the acting is very primitive. The only character in the movie I had any feeling for was the stray dog adopted by Bancroft. He adores his master unconditionally even if he is a murderous thug and when the film was over, all I could think of was that I hoped the dog was placed in a good home. With Tully Marshall and Eugenie Besserer.

A Date With Judy (1948)

A young 16 year old girl (Jane Powell) becomes infatuated with an "older" young man (Robert Stack) recently out of the service and working as a soda jerk to pay his way through college. Problems arise when her snooty best friend (Elizabeth Taylor) also finds the young man to her liking. Based on a popular radio show and directed by Richard Thorpe (IVANHOE). This frothy musical fluff doesn't take itself too seriously and neither should you. Just enjoy the vivid Technicolor and melodic songs (including It's A Most Unusual Day and Love Is Where You Find It) and the appealing performers. There's the gruff Wallace Beery in a rare paternal role taking rhumba lessons from Carmen Miranda fracturing the English language ("His bite is worse than his bark") as usual, Xavier Cugat shows up with his Chihuahua but most of all, the film is a showcase for its two young stars, Powell and Taylor. The 18 year old Powell is all bubbly and girlish while the 16 year old Taylor is elegant and vampish (the next year, she'd be playing wife roles). 1948 audiences lapped this stuff up and the film was a hit and solidified Powell and Taylor's positions at MGM. With Selena Royle, Scotty Beckett, Leon Ames, Clinton Sundberg and Lillian Yarbo.

What's So Bad About Feeling Good? (1968)

A former advertising executive (George Peppard) is living life as a Bohemian in Greenwich Village along with his live in girlfriend (Mary Tyler Moore). They are part of a cynical group of artists who feel life is essentially meaningless. But when a Toucan carrying a unique virus arrives in New York City, their lives abruptly change as the virus causes people to be happy and caring. The government, of course, sees this as some kind of communist plot to undermine the U.S. Based on the novel I AM THINKING OF MY DARLING by Vincent McHugh and directed by George Seaton (AIRPORT). This attempt at a whimsical satirical comedy might have worked better in the 1930s with Rene Clair in the director's seat. As it is, despite some charm, it plays out like a one joke premise that exhausts itself way before the end credits show up. Mary Tyler Moore is delightful but Peppard's forte has never been comedy. The movie's eerie prescience regarding the current Covid -19 pandemic gives the film a layer it didn't have in 1968. With Thelma Ritter, Susan Saint James, Dom DeLuise, Don Stroud, John McMartin, Nathaniel Frey and Charles Lane.

Peter Pan (1956)

When a young boy (Mary Martin) returns to the London home to find his shadow that was lost there, the young girl (Kathleen Nolan) who lives there is enchanted with him and agrees to go to Neverneverland, the boy's home, along with her two younger brothers (Tom Halloran, Robert Harrington). Based on the classic play by James M. Barrie by way of the 1954 Broadway musical production and directed for TV by Clark Jones under the supervision of the Broadway show's original director/choreographer Jerome Robbins. I've never warmed to the tale of Peter Pan. There's something icky about a boy who doesn't want to grow up but remain a child forever. And when the role is played by a 42 year old actress, it only adds to the surrealism. But this production and Mary Martin as Peter Pan is much beloved by a certain generation who viewed the production multiple times in their adolescence. The songs (by Moose Charlap, Jule Styne, Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green) are a mixed bag but Robbins' choreography is lively. Its portrayal of Native Americans is dated (Tiger Lily is played by a blonde, Sondra Lee) but hey, it's 1956. With Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook (he seems to be having a great time) and Margalo Gillmore.

The Criminal Code (1931)

A young man (Phillips Holmes) is convicted of manslaughter after killing a man by hitting him over the head with a bottle during a fight. When the attorney (Walter Huston) who prosecuted him becomes the new warden, he takes the convict under his wing and mentors him. Based on the play by Martin Flavin and directed by Howard Hawks (SCARFACE). This prison melodrama is somewhat on the preachy side as it urges its audience to question the often dubious methods of a penal system that too often solidifies the tendencies of criminal behavior rather than rehabilitating them. In a rare poor performance, Huston loudly barks his lines as he punches out the dialogue. Holmes is decent but it's Boris Karloff as a vengeance seeking inmate who steals the movie. I don't think it's one of Hawks' better films. I found the film making rather crude but then I'm not partial to prison movies in general so I might be biased. Remade in 1938 and 1950. With Constance Cummings as Huston's daughter and Holmes' romantic interest, DeWitt Jennings, Andy Devine and Mary Doran.

Edward, My Son (1949)

An amoral Canadian (Spencer Tracy) living in England has ambitious plans to embark on a career in finance. His sole reason for his ambition seems to be to provide his son Edward (who is never seen in the film, only talked about) with the social status that money can buy. But his ruthlessness in using people or buying them off, criminal activities (he sets fire to his business for the insurance money) and even blackmail only spawns a spoiled and privileged brat. Even his wife (Deborah Kerr in an Oscar nominated performance) falls victim to his merciless ways when she attempts to stand up to him. Based on the play by Robert Morley and Noel Langley and directed by George Cukor. Tracy rarely played unsympathetic characters but his father here is just as much a monster as his Mr. Hyde in 1941. I'm sure we've all seen this type in real life. Parents who continually make excuses for their children, enabling their bad behavior and not providing a moral structure in their growing up. Kerr is particularly impressive here. Only 28, she has to age some 30 years from a young loving mother and wife to a broken down alcoholic crushed by a cruel husband. With Ian Hunter, James Donald, Felix Aylmer and two performers that stand out: Mervyn Johns as the business partner Tracy uses as a fall guy thus destroying his life and Leueen McGrath as the mistress Tracy tosses away when she becomes an impediment to his plans.

Our Kind Of Traitor (2016)

While on vacation with his wife (Naomie Harris) in Morocco, a professor of poetry (Ewan McGregor) at a London University meets a Russian (Stellan Skarsgard) who asks him for his help. But what seems like an act of kindness soon turns into a political firecracker that has the potential to bring down some high ranking members of the British government. Based on the novel by John Le Carre (THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD) and directed by Susanna White (NANNY MCPHEE AND THE BIG BANG). This is the kind of spy thriller where people do stupid things because ..... well, if they didn't, there would be no movie. If you can deal with that, then you should find a thriller that slowly builds to a strong climax with a satisfying coda. This is John Le Carre territory so there's not much action but lots of quiet intensity. The acting is first rate particularly Skarsgard's accountant for the Russian mafia. I quite liked it. There's a strong score by Marcelo Zarves that propels the movie along. With Damian Lewis, Jeremy Northam and Khalid Abdalla. 

Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)

Set in August of 1912 in Connecticut at the seaside summer home of the Tyrone family. The film's title is literal (the film is three hours long) as the long day and night exposes the fractured family unit: the penny pinching actor father (Ralph Richardson), the morphine addicted mother (Katharine Hepburn), the boozing eldest son (Jason Robards) and the fragile son (Dean Stockwell) ill with consumption. Based on the play by Eugene O'Neill and directed by Sidney Lumet (THE GROUP). I'm not a fan of Lumet's work but here he is working with one of the great American plays and an ensemble of actors at their peak. Unlike so many movies based on plays, this is not an adaptation of O'Neill's play, it IS O'Neill's play as written. It's a potent powerhouse of a play and Lumet and his actors do it proud. A dysfunctional family to be sure but there are layers upon layers for the actors to peel away to reveal the complicated family history that has brought them to this devastating point in their lives. While all four of the principal actors are excellent (they collectively won the best actor(s) and actress awards at the Cannes film festival), Katharine Hepburn's performance is a career best, she is simply shattering. The outstanding B&W cinematography is by Boris Kaufman (ON THE WATERFRONT). With Jeanne Barr as the family maid, the only other character in the piece.

Breakaway (1956)

A private detective (Tom Conway) inadvertently gets involved with the kidnapping of a young secretary (Paddy Webster) and a stolen secret formula smuggled out of East Germany. Directed by Henry Cass (YOUNG WIVES TALE), this minor British programmer is an inoffensive if rather farfetched thriller but it's over so quickly (it has a running time of one hour and nine minutes) that it doesn't wear out its welcome. An aging Conway (he was 51) is still elegant but a bit mature for this sort of "secret formula for sale to highest bidder" nonsense. There's not much one can say about a B picture like this other than it passes the time nicely. With Honor Blackman, John Colicos, Michael Balfour (who provides the requisite comedy relief), Brian Worth and Arthur Lowe.

The Valdez Horses (aka Chino) (1973)

An isolated horse breeder (Charles Bronson) finds his life turned upside down when he mentors a young runaway (Vincent Van Patten) and falls in love with a young Englishwoman (Jill Ireland). Based on the novel by Lee Hoffman and directed by John Sturges (BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK) with additional direction by Duilio Coletti after the producer Dino De Laurentis insisted on reshoots. It's a decent enough albeit uneven western with Bronson less heroic than usual which leads to a bittersweet ending, he's defeated but he goes out on his own terms. As the callow youth, Van Patten doesn't bring much to his part and the immaturity seems more the actor than the naive boy he's playing. It's a compromised movie, it's not Sturges' vision so who knows what might have been but what's left shows the seeds of what might have been a superior western. With Marcel Bozzuffi and Ettore Manni.  

The Thanksgiving Promise (1986)

A young boy (Jordan Bridges) agrees to raise a gosling for a neighbor (Lloyd Bridges) that will eventually end up as Thanksgiving dinner at the neighbor's table. But as the gosling grows into a goose, the boy becomes attached to the bird and the idea that his "pet" will be killed for a Thanksgiving supper becomes difficult to accept. Based on the novel CHESTER I LOVE YOU by Brenton Yorgason and directed by Beau Bridges (who plays the boy's father). This is the kind of "family" movie that gives Disney a bad reputation. Films about children and their attachment to their animals have provided movie fodder for decades but sentimental twaddle like this is far from the artistry of a THE BLACK STALLION or THE YEARLING. As long as the movie focuses on the boy and the goose, it's tolerable but too much time is spent on extraneous subplots. Still, one would have to be very cold hearted not to get a lump in your throat at the very end. Three generations of Bridges are in the movie (Jeff Bridges is in it too) but it doesn't appear that young Jordan inherited any of the family talent. With Millie Perkins, Jason Bateman, Ed Lauter, Anne Haney and Courtney Thorne Smith. 

The Remains Of The Day (1992)

As he drives to the West Country in England to visit a former colleague, a butler (Anthony Hopkins) reflects back to the pre WWII years when he was in service to a Nazi sympathizer (James Fox) and his relationship with the estate's housekeeper (Emma Thompson). Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and directed by James Ivory (HOWARDS END). Perhaps the jewel in the crown of the Merchant/Ivory filmography, this impeccably rendered portrait of a man whose entire life is unquestionably devoted to loyal service yet limiting his emotional response to human contact is a moving and tender film. In one of his greatest performances, Anthony Hopkins bring a quiet dignity to his proud surface yet we're still able to see the subtle nuances of a conflict buried below the exterior. He's matched by the superior work of Thompson and Fox. It's a literate film yet despite the period setting, it's not D.O.A. like so many of those stuffy Masterpiece Theatre type literary adaptations. Hats off to Tony Pierce Roberts' (A ROOM WITH A VIEW) exemplary wide screen lensing and Richard Robbins' rich underscore. With Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant, Michael Lonsdale, Ben Chaplin, Tim Pigott Smith and Lena Headey.

Rome Express (1932)

A disparate group of people are traveling from Paris to Rome. Among them: a movie actress (Esther Ralston), a penny pinching millionaire (Cedric Hardwicke) and his browbeaten secretary (Eliot Makeham), an adulterous couple (Harold Huth, Joan Barry) running away from their spouses, a thief (Donald Calthrop), a French police inspector (Frank Vosper), a spinster (Muriel Aked) and two shady characters (Conrad Veidt, Hugh Williams) searching for someone on board. Directed by Walter Forde, except for the very beginning and the very end, the film takes place entirely on the train as it speeds from Paris to Rome with its ensemble cast. I'm a huge fan of movies that take place on trains and I can't help but wonder if Alfred Hitchcock or Sidney Lumet had seen ROME EXPRESS before they made their train movies, THE LADY VANISHES and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS respectively. Forde's camera (Gunther Krampf was the cameraman) is surprisingly fluid for an early pre-code sound film and his camera prowls and wanders through the train corridors as easily as a snake. This is not a stagnant movie. Quite enjoyable and if you like train movies as much as I do, you'll be in movie heaven. Remade in 1948 as SLEEPING CAR TO TRIESTE.

Quelli Della Calibro 38 (aka Colt 38 Special Squad) (1976)

After his wife is murdered on orders from a ruthless crime lord (Ivan Rassimov), a police captain (Marcel Bozzuffi) forms a secret squad of rogue cops to stop the mobster's hold on the city. Not to be deterred, the crime lord fights back and the city of Turin turns into a war zone. Directed by Massimo Dallmano (WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE?), this was his final film as he died in an auto accident shortly after the movie's completion. I liked this police thriller. It's gritty and violent and full of action and some impressive car and motorcycle stunt work. The acting is decent too with Bozzuffi and Carol Andre as the girlfriend of one of the mobster's thugs (Antonio Marsina) standing out. There's an effective underscore by Stelvio Cipriani. One of the better poliziottesco films of the 70s. With Grace Jones, Riccardo Salvino, Giancarlo Bonuglia and Fabrizio Capucci. 

Wildcats (1986)

The daughter (Goldie Hawn) of a famous football coach is coaching girls' track but what she really wants to do is coach football. To this end, she accepts a job at an inner city high school as a football coach but the undisciplined players give her a hard time. Directed by Michael Ritchie (DOWNHILL RACER), one can see the film makers pitching the plot to studio heads, "Goldie Hawn coaches football in a ghetto high school. Think of the hilarious possibilities!". Unfortunately, that's all they did ..... think of the hilarious possibilities without actually coming up with anything concrete. So what we get is a by the numbers sports comedy. Goldie Hawn may have inherited Judy Holliday's mantle but she too often chose dubious material that not even her star power could save. For every winner like PRIVATE BENJAMIN or FOUL PLAY, we get a GIRL FROM PETROVKA, BEST FRIENDS or DUCHESS AND DIRTWATER FOX. Here, her charm works up to a point but by the end of the movie, she's used up the good will. With Swoosie Kurtz, James Keach, Nipsey Russell, Mykelti Williamson, Jan Hooks, Gloria Stuart, Ann Doran and in their film debuts, Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.

The Case Of The Frightened Lady (1940)

There is something strange going on at Mark's Priory, the estate of the aristocratic Lebanon family. People are locked in their rooms at night while violent sounds are heard but when the family's chauffeur (John Warwick) is found murdered one night, the investigation of a Scotland Yard detective (George Merritt) will finally expose the family's dark secret. Based on the 1931 play by Edgar Wallace and directed by George King. If you're into gothic thrillers in old stately mansions with secret passageways (as I am) then you should enjoy this uncomplicated but entertaining mystery. If you've read or seen JANE EYRE, the solution to the mystery is fairly easy to figure out but it doesn't lessen the entertainment value. It's a straightforward thriller with a bit of comic relief provided by Ronald Shiner as Merritt's Sergeant assistant. With Marius Goring, Helen Haye, Penelope Dudley Ward, Felix Aylmer and Patrick Barr.

Das Wachsfigurenkabinett (aka Waxworks) (1924)

A young writer (William Dieterle) applies for a job in a wax museum where he is immediately smitten with the daughter (Olga Belajef) of the proprietor (John Gottowt). He is hired to write backstories for three of the museum's notorious figures: a Muslim Caliph (Emil Jannings), Ivan The Terrible (Conrad Veidt) and Jack The Ripper. (Werner Krauss). Directed by Paul Leni (THE CAT AND THE CANARY), this was his last German film before coming to work in Hollywood. One of the earliest examples of the horror anthology film, the film is rich in expressionism in its visual style. The first tale Harun Al Rashid is more of a macabre comedy while the other two are more firmly embedded in traditional horror. Unfortunately, the complete German version is considered lost and the British version is cut by some 24 minutes and since the Jack The Ripper sequence is only six minutes long, I suspect the lost footage is contained therein. Dieterle who plays the young poet would leave Germany for Hollywood where he became a prolific director of such films as HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (1939), DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (1941) and PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948). An effective example of how a visual style can provide an unsettling atmosphere (the Harun Al Rashid sequence is very claustrophobic). 

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)

Set in San Francisco, a homicide detective (Lee J. Cobb) is smitten with an attractive socialite (Jane Wyatt). When her soon to be ex-husband (Harlan Wade) unexpectedly breaks into their home one night, she shoots him in front of her new lover. Instead of doing the right thing, the detective helps her by taking the dead body away and disguising the death as a botched robbery. Directed by Felix E. Feist (DONOVAN'S BRAIN), this is a strong minor film noir which conjures up James M. Cain. Cobb and Wyatt are cast in atypical roles. The character actor Cobb is here cast as a leading man being lead down the garden path by a  femme fatale (Jane Wyatt). Cobb underplays most of the part while Wyatt overdoes the fatale somewhat. Still, it's a beguiling crime noir allowing us to see two familiar faces stretching themselves. The final quiet exchange between Cobb and Wyatt at the end of the movie is priceless! With John Dall (always uninteresting when he plays "good" guys), Lisa Howard, Marjorie Bennett and Tito Vuolo.