The Bride Comes Home (1935)

When her father (William Collier Sr.) goes bankrupt, an heiress (Claudette Colbert) is forced to seek work to support them. To this end, she asks a rich playboy (Robert Young) who's in love with her for a job at the new magazine he's started. She immediately clashes with the magazine's editor (Fred MacMurray) but their mutual antagonism results in a romance. Directed by Wesley Ruggles (I'M NO ANGEL), this is a limp example of a screwball comedy. Colbert and MacMurray go into overtime trying to buoy things up but to no avail. It's not their chemistry which is solid (they made seven movies together) and except for his drunk scenes which are embarrassing, Young is an asset to the film. But I'll be damned if I know what's wrong except that nothing jells. The script is okay and Ruggles pushes his actors as far as he can but no dice. Chalk it up to a misfire. With Donald Meek and Richard Carle.

Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

Set in 1872, a British gentleman (David Niven) makes a 20,000 pounds wager with members of his club that he can travel around the world in exactly eighty days. They take his bet and the race is on. Based on the novel by Jules Verne and directed by Michael Anderson (LOGAN'S RUN). In 1956, this was an event film. The second movie to be shot in the 70 millimeter Todd AO large format process, this was a prestigious roadshow production (with an intermission and entr'acte). Seats were reserved in advance as if you were going to see a Broadway play. In New York, it played for 2 years in one theatre. The film also invented the "cameo", brief appearances by name actors who usually starred. The film was a huge hit winning the Oscar and New York Film Critics award for best picture. Alas, the film doesn't quite stand up today. What should have been a delightful and colorful diversion is hampered by the film's "everything but the kitchen sink" attitude which bloats the movie to an elephantine presentation. Just one example, the film stops cold with a lengthy bullfighting sequence in Spain that has nothing to do with the movie's plot but serves as a showcase for the Mexican comic actor Cantinflas (in his first English speaking film) doing his stuff and that's one of many examples. Lionel Lindon's Oscar winning cinematography still dazzles and the memorable score is by Victor Young. With Shirley MacLaine as a Hindu princess(!) and Robert Newton. Among the many stars making guest appearances: Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer, Red Skelton, Trevor Howard, John Gielgud, John Mills, Buster Keaton, Ronald Colman, Glynis Johns, Noel Coward, Peter Lorre, George Raft, Gilbert Roland, Hermione Gingold, Cesar Romero, Evelyn Keyes, Charles Coburn, Robert Morley, Martine Carol, Beatrice Lillie and Fernandel.

Minato No Nihon Musume (aka Japanese Girls At The Harbor) (1933)

Set in the harbor town of Yokohama, two teenage girls (Michiko Oikawa, Yukiko Inoue) find their friendship strained by the appearance of a fast living boy (Ureo Egawa) whom both find attractive. Tragedy occurs when one of the girls (Oikawa) shoots another girl (Ranko Sawa) over the boy. Jump several years later and Inoue and Egawa are married and Oikawa is working as prostitute but fate isn't through with them yet. Based on the novel by Toma Kitabayashi and directed by Hiroshi Shimizu. Although by 1933, sound films were the norm in the U.S., silent movies still had a hold in Japanese cinema. Shimizu's silent drama is a lovely and impassioned melodrama dealing with four individuals who are victims of circumstance whose lives don't work out the way they foresaw it. Do they accept their fate or fight it? A highlight of Japanese silent film. With Tatsuo Saito as the failed painter in love with Oikawa. 

Ringside Maisie (1941)

A dancer (Ann Sothern) is kicked off a train and finds herself stranded. A chance meeting with a reluctant boxer (Robert Sterling) and his manager (George Murphy) changes the trajectory she was taking. Directed by Edwin L. Marin (NOCTURNE), this was the fifth of the ten movie Maisie franchise, all starring Sothern as Maisie. This may be the best of the lot, principally because of the dramatic arc the film takes in its last third. The script is solid and the characters are all given room to expand which gives the actors an opportunity to do good work. One scene toward the end where a horrified boxer (Eddie Simms) offers his sorrow to his opponent for blinding him is quite powerful. A couple of years later, Sothern and Sterling would marry and their union would produce the actress Tisha Sterling (COOGAN'S BLUFF). With Virginia O'Brien, Natalie Thompson, Maxie Rosenbloom, Jack La Rue, Rags Ragland and Margaret Moffatt.

My Salinger Year (2021)

Set in 1995, an aspiring writer and poet (Margaret Qualley) leaves Berkeley in California to move to New York City to become a writer. She obtains a job at a literary agency whose head (Sigourney Weaver) has very strict rules. Their no. 1 client is the reclusive author of CATCHER IN THE RYE,  J.D. Salinger (Tim Post). Based on the memoir by Joanna Rakoff (played by Qualley) and directed by Philippe Falardeau, a French Canadian. I liked it quite a bit even it it's not perfect. The script is intelligent although it threatens to cross over to pretentiousness at any moment. Its sincerity prevents sequences that don't work (like a fantasy sequence with people dancing in the lobby of a luxury hotel) from derailing the movie. As the would-be writer, the appealing Qualley gives of an aura of intellect that makes her believable which makes her choice of a boyfriend (Douglas Booth) perplexing. It takes her way too long to realize he's a total loser! Weaver exudes Manhattan literary aristocrat where lunch at the Algonquin or Waldorf is a regular thing. I wouldn't say seek it out but if it comes your way, by all means, check it out. With Colm Feore and Brian F. O'Byrne. 

Immensee (1943)

A widow (Kristina Soderbaum) and a famous composer (Carl Raddatz) reunite after many years and over lunch, they reflect back on their youth when they were very much in love. Based on the novel by Theodor Storm and directed by Veit Harlan (the notorious Jud Süß ). This rather sappy romantic melodrama was made during the Third Reich but it's not a propaganda film. The war is not addressed at all. Not all that dissimilar to the kind of soap that Hollywood was turning out during that era, one could easily see an American version with Jennifer Jones and Tyrone Power with minimal changes. It's a handsome looking film, shot in Agfacolor by Bruno Mondi with some location work in Italy. The film was a huge hit in Germany (Soderbaum was a big star during the Nazi era but her career took a dive when the war ended) as the German public found its romance and color a relief from the war. An interesting artifact of non propaganda German film making during WWII. With Paul Klinger and Carola Toelle.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (1982)

Set in 1846, a former barber (George Hearn) with a troubled past returns to London after many years away. He connects with a dotty baker (Angela Lansbury) who runs a failing pie shop and she lets him use the room above her shop to ply his trade. There will be blood .....! Adapted from the play by Christopher Bond with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and directed by Hal Prince (the original stage production)) and Terry Hughes (the filmed production). A monumental contemporary American opera by the greatest theatre composer of the 20th century. This tale of revenge features one of Sondheim's most sophisticated and intricate scores. I was fortunate enough to see this cast perform the show when it opened in Los Angeles and theatrically, it was an overwhelming experience. This archival recording of that production captures some of the show's majesty. The cast is excellent. Lansbury's outlandish "go for broke" wacky Cockney provides the antidote to the darkness of the rest of the musical. A towering achievement in the American theatre and that's no hyperbole. With Cris Groenendaal, Betsy Joslyn, Edmund Lyndeck, Calvin Remsberg, Ken Jennings and Sara Woods.

Among The Living (1941)

After his father's death, a wealthy scion (Albert Dekker) discovers that the twin brother (Albert Dekker) he thought dead is still alive. Hopelessly insane, he had been locked away in secrecy to protect the family's reputation. After he escapes, the sane brother and the doctor (Harry Carey) who had cared for him attempt to hunt him down before he kills ..... again. Directed by Stuart Heisler (THE GLASS KEY), this slice of Southern Gothic with noir-ish trimmings is effective if simplistic. The film has developed a cult following since its release and certain quarters are highly disposed toward it. Personally, while I found it entertaining enough I wasn't impressed. It never extends beyond its B movie roots and parts of it are quite silly. Dekker's "good" brother and Carey's dubious doctor are morally responsible for the mayhem that follows because of their own selfish interests. The film's "hurry up and wrap it up" finale is almost laughable. As the wife, Frances Farmer is wasted but her Hollywood career was pretty much over at this point. The movie is taken over by Susan Hayward's vixen, not yet a major star but on her way. The one first rate thing about the film is Theodor Sparkuhl's (Renoir's LA CHIENNE) B&W cinematography which gives the movie a shadowy and menacing sheen. With Gordon Jones and Jean Phillips.

Across The Universe (2007)

Set in the turbulent 1960s, a shipyard worker (Jim Sturgess) in Liverpool  travels to the U.S. in the hopes of finding his G.I. father (Robert Clohessy). He becomes involved with an American girl (Evan Rachel Wood) and her brother (Joe Anderson). Directed by Julie Taymor, I'm tempted to call the film a piece of shit and leave it at that. But that would leave a lot of space. This is a series of mediocre music videos in search of a plot. The movie musical uses some 34 songs by The Beatles and incorporates some cliched narrative that has been done better by dozens of other movies set in the 1960s. With the exception of the Come Together number featuring Joe Cocker, the musical sequences are dire. One cringes for the poor actors. If I hadn't seen Evan Rachel Wood in other films, I'd never have guessed she's a talented actress. A pointless mess of a movie that deserved flopping at the box office although the film received several positive reviews including Roger Ebert and The New York Times. I suppose if you're nostalgic about the 1960s, this might appeal to you but you're better off with HAIR. With Eddie Izzard, Bono, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy, Dylan Baker and Bill Irwin. 

Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)

A woman doctor (Kay Francis) must contend with prejudice toward female doctors as she struggles to make a success of her practice. Complications ensue when she finds herself pregnant by her married lover (Lyle Talbot). Based on the short story by Virginia Kellogg and directed by Lloyd Bacon (MARKED WOMAN). I was taken aback by the frankness of this pre-code drama. Francis's doctor feels no shame about having a baby out of wedlock. In fact, she's quite happy about it. But this is 1933 Hollywood however so she's punished horribly for her transgression and boy does Francis suffer. The big mystery here is why she doesn't kick her lover to the curb! He's no good and when he gets in trouble with the law for unethical practices and goes on the lam, instead of being shocked at his criminal activities, she worries about him being caught! The movie lets Francis off the hook with the suffering and gives her a happy ending with the lousy lover, the one who caused all the suffering in the first place. With Glenda Farrell, Thelma Todd, Una O'Connor and Sidney Miller, who looks and acts like a young Woody Allen.   

Lone Star (1952)

Former President Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore) recruits a cattleman (Clark Gable) to aid him in his plans for the annexation of Texas to the United States. Standing in his way is an ardent supporter (Broderick Crawford) of an independent Texas republic who will stop at nothing to prevent the annexation of Texas. Directed by veteran Vincent Sherman (MR. SKEFFINGTON)), this is a mediocre western with only some star power to (barely) hold your attention. It's a testament to Gable and Ava Gardner (as a newspaperwoman) that they're able to keep us from falling asleep. Other than that, there's not much of interest here unless you're passionate about Texas getting statehood. There is one sequence that does stand out, however. When a mob of anti-statehood rebels storm the Texas congress to prevent an annexation vote from taking place. It can't help but stir up images of the January 6th 2021 insurrection. With Beulah Bondi, Ed Begley, William Conrad and Moroni Olsen.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Set in a 22nd century post apocalyptic world, a child android (Haley Joel Osment) with the ability to feel love is given to a couple (Frances O'Connor, Sam Robards)  whose real child (Jake Thomas) is in a state of suspended animation until a cure is found for his rare disease. Wary at first, eventually his "mommy" accepts him. But when the real child returns home, things change. Based on the short story SUPERTOYS LAST ALL SUMMER by Brian Aldiss and directed by Steven Spielberg, who took the project over after Stanley Kubrick's (who had been trying to make a movie of it since the 1970s) death. A reimagining of the PINOCCHIO fairy tale, one can only wonder how it would have emerged under Kubrick's direction. Somewhat less sentimental no doubt and darker but what Spielberg has achieved still has a complex duality. What portions of the film were Kubrick's and what are Spielberg's have been subject to debate since the movie's release. All that aside, I found the film (mostly) an absorbing sci-fi touching on the irony of mankind's loss of humanity in the future while its robots are made gifts of it. Not Spielberg's best but a deserving entry in his filmography. The underscore is another excellent contribution by John Williams. With Jude Law (very good as an android male prostitute), William Hurt, Brendan Gleeson, April Grace and the voice talents of Meryl Streep, Robin Williams, Chris Rock and Ben Kingsley.  

A Romance Of Seville (1929)

Set in rural Spain, a young man (Alexander D'Arcy) meets the girl (Eugenie Amami) he has been betrothed to by his parents since birth for the first time. But she is in love with a dashing soldier (Hugh Eden) and he is in love with a pretty senorita (Marguerite Allan). Co-written by Alma Reville (Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock) and directed by Norman Walker. This tale of romance among the Spanish gentry with a robbery subplot is a pleasant enough diversion. It's a silent film with a synchronized musical score that was the first British film filmed in color (a process called Pathechrome). Alas, the color prints no longer exist so the transfer I watched was in black and white. It's a pity because the Spanish locations are beautifully filmed by Claude Friese Greene and even in B&W, it's imposing. Alexander D'Arcy (perhaps best remembered as Marilyn Monroe's one eyed date in HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE) makes for a dashing leading man though he seems rather inadequate in the action sequences. With Cecil Barry and Randle Ayrton. 

Sister Act (1992)

After witnessing a murder in Reno, the mistress (Whoopi Goldberg) of a gangster (Harvey Keitel) is placed in a witness protection program. The program places her in a San Francisco convent until a trial date for her gangster boyfriend is set. In the meanwhile her boyfriend has placed a bounty on her. Directed by Emile Ardolino (DIRTY DANCING), this was a surprise hit and one of the highest grossing comedies of the 1990s. If there's a reason for its success, it's Whoopi Goldberg (who inherited the part when Bette Midler turned it down). Her comedic timing is flawless here and she and the expert cast are good enough to make us forget how far fetched the plot is, at least while we're watching. Afterwards, you're on your own. While music is plentiful in the film proper, it's not really a musical although it was turned into a stage musical in 2006. In addition to Goldberg, three other performers stand out. As the Mother Superior, Maggie Smith makes for a droll foil contrast to Goldberg. Then there's Mary Wickes and Kathy Najimy as her fellow nuns, both providing comedic assistance. It's a hard movie to resist so why try? Go with the flow and have some fun. A sequel emerged in 1993 but it didn't have the same spark. With Bill Nunn, Jenifer Lewis, Susan Browning, Ruth Kobart and Wendy Makkena.

The Sheik (1921)

Set in North Africa, a headstrong English girl (Agnes Ayres) heads out to the desert escorted only by Arab natives. She is captured by a sheik (Rudolph Valentino) who intends to keep her as his mistress. Based on the novel by Edith Maude Hull and directed by George Melford. The film's sexual politics are quite dated. Being kidnapped by a hunky desert sheik and held his prisoner may have seemed romantic in 1921 but today, it goes against the grain of everything we believe in. The novel's rape would have rendered Valentino's sheik unsympathetic so that was cut. Now, it's just the threat of rape that we have to deal with. This is the movie that solidified Valentino's stardom which had started earlier in the year with FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE but at this stage in his career, he's very charismatic and little else. The film was a massive success and spawned a sequel SON OF THE SHEIK in 1926. An important film for historical purposes but other than that, it's a curio. With Adolphe Menjou, Ruth Miller and future director George Waggner.   

Wandafuru Raifu (aka After Life) (1998)

A group of disparate recently deceased people find themselves at a way station. They are given three days to identify their happiest memory to take to the "after life". Written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (STILL WALKING), the film is unique in its combination of documentary (many of those interviewed are not actors) and the fictional narrative written by Kore-eda. It's a lovely reflective examination of memory. What we choose to remember, what we can't remember and what we conveniently forget. Kore-eda leaves religious faith out of the after life. There is no Heaven or Hell and God is never mentioned. It's just a place where one transitions and moves on to the after life (whatever that may be). The movie isn't heavy on plot. It consists of moments that add up to a moving cinematic experience. With Arata, Erika Oda, Susumu Terajima, Taketoshi Naito and Hisako Hara.

A Millionaire For Christy (1951)

A legal secretary (Eleanor Parker) is the sole support of her family. When she meets a radio personality (Fred MacMurray) who's just inherited two million dollars, she plots to snare him even though he's engaged to another woman (Kay Buckley). Directed by George Marshall (THE BLUE DAHLIA), this screwball comedy falls flat in spite of its hard working cast. So hard, in fact, that you're rooting for them but the spark needed to ignite the laughs never happens. Perhaps it might have worked better in the 1930s with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in the leads and Howard Hawks at the helm. It's not awful, far from it but there's an aura of distress hovering over the movie as if the actors sense it's not going right. With Richard Carlson, Una Merkel and Douglass Dumbrille.  

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Set in 1916, a British botanist (Emily Blunt) and her brother (Jack Whitehall) go to Brazil where they hope to find a legendary tree which bears flowers that have the ability to heal illness. To this end, they hire a rundown boat whose skipper (Dwayne Johnson) is fond of bad puns. Directed by Jaume Collet Serra (THE SHALLOWS), this expensive movie (200 million budget) is yet another Disney movie based on their theme park rides. It's a mindless (not necessarily a putdown) fusion of THE AFRICAN QUEEN and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK that has a lazy screenplay and more CGI than I've seen in years. Nothing looks real from the lush Amazon to the CGI jaguars, snakes and bees! In addition, we're saddled with an inane bad guy (Jesse Plemons) and an annoying gay brother (Whitehall). The three screenwriters didn't even bother to fact check. The film is set in 1916 and Johnson makes a joke about orange juice concentrate which wasn't invented until 1942! On the upside, they may not be Bogart and Hepburn but Johnson and Blunt are so damn likable that their presence covers up a multitude of sins. Complaints aside, it's highly watchable but forgettable. Apparently it was enough of a success that a sequel is in the works. With Paul Giamatti and Edgar Ramirez.

Tabu (1931)

Set on the island of Bora Bora, a young girl (Anne Chevalier) is chosen as a maiden sacred to the gods and from thenceforth is "tabu" meaning she must not be touched by man and any man who does is under penalty of death. So she and her lover (Matahi) flee the island to a French colony where they hope to be free and safe. Written by Robert J. Flaherty (NANOOK OF THE NORTH), who co-directed some of the film and directed by F.W. Murnau whose final film this was (he died before the film's release). Although made during the sound era, this is a silent film with some sound effects. Originally developed by Flaherty and Murnau, they didn't get along. Flaherty wanted a more documentary approach like his NANOOK while Murnau was more traditional in his plotting. The film does have a vague documentary feel to it although its narrative feels like typical Hollywood but at least it has real Polynesians (amateurs all) rather than Dorothy Lamour in a sarong which gives it some authenticity. As cinema, its neither fish nor fowl. One can see the movie pulling in opposite directions. Floyd Crosby (HIGH NOON) won an Oscar for his cinematography and his work is excellent. With Bill Brambridge and Hitu.

Carrie (1952)

Set at the turn of the 19th century, a young naive girl (Jennifer Jones) moves from a provincial small town to Chicago to live with her married sister (Jacqueline DeWit). She is seduced by a traveling salesman (Eddie Albert) and they live as a married couple. But when a married man (Laurence Olivier) falls in love with her, it will prove his downfall. Based on the novel SISTER CARRIE by Theodore Dreiser and directed by William Wyler (ROMAN HOLIDAY). Paramount had a critical success with a film version of Dreiser's AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY the year before (A PLACE IN THE SUN) so I suppose they thought to try it again. The movie is a sanitized version of the Dreiser novel. The Carrie of the novel is more ambitious and calculating than the sweet young thing we see here and while the novel's ending is darker, I found the film's ending devastating. Initial reviews were dismissive of Jones's performance but I thought her quite touching. But the film's piece de resistance is Olivier's performance, easily his best non-Shakespearean performance on film. To watch this dignified and educated man descend into his own private hell is shattering and if his last scene with Jones doesn't wreck you, you have no heart! With Miriam Hopkins, Ray Teal, William Reynolds, Mary Murphy and Barry Kelley.

My Wild Irish Rose (1947)

The rise of 19th century Irish tenor Chauncey Olcott (Dennis Morgan) from a tugboat skipper to performing in blackface in minstrel shows to co-starring on Broadway with Lillian Russell (Andrea King). Directed by David Butler (CALAMITY JANE), this is the kind of musical biopic that gives musical biopics a bad name (as if they needed help). The Irish blarney is laid on thick as a brick and it feels like you've been hit with one. If Irish schmaltz and songs like When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Mother Machree and Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie warm the cockles of your heart, this may appeal to you. The minstrel sequences with white actors in blackface may be historically accurate but that doesn't make it any the less uncomfortable. With Arlene Dahl (looking luscious in Technicolor in her film debut), George O'Brien, Alan Hale, Sara Allgood, George Tobias, Ben Blue and Peggy Knudsen.

Le Route De Salina (aka The Road To Salina) (1970)

A young drifter (Robert Walker Jr.) is mistaken as her son by a lonely woman (Rita Hayworth) who runs a diner and gas station in a small seaside town. He plays along but things turn mysterious when his "sister" (Mimsy Farmer, looking like a young Bibi Andersson but without the talent) accepts him as her brother. Based on the novel SUR LA ROUTE DE SALINA by Maurice Cury and directed by George Lautner (LE PROFESSIONEL). Although shot in English with American actors in the leading roles, this is a French/Italian production filmed in Spain and France. This is a strange psychological drama with an air of mystery about it. Everything and everyone seems off kilter and we're all as in the dark as the young drifter who eventually sets about finding the truth behind the delusional life he finds himself caught in. Naturally, it all ends badly. Beautifully shot in wide screen Panavision by Maurice Fellous, who makes extensive use of the Canary Islands landscape. The incest angle is creepy but the movie does cast a spell of its own. Frankly, I'm not sure if it's a good movie but it's highly watchable. With Ed Begley in his final film role (he died before the film's release), Bruce Pecheur, Sophie Hardy and Marc Porel. 

Liza With A Z (1972)

Reputedly the first filmed concert for television, this was shot on 16 millimeter film (8 cameras) by Owen Roizman (THE FRENCH CONNECTION) rather than the traditional videotape. 1972 was a banner year for director/choreographer Bob Fosse who won the Oscar for CABARET, the Tony for PIPPIN and the Emmy for this. It also serves as a reminder of what a dynamite triple threat entertainer Liza Minnelli was in the 1970s. Minnelli was still in fine voice and Fosse's sharp direction along with the material (lots of John Kander and Fred Ebb) and inimitable choreography make this special. Highlights are the Fosse choreographed numbers: I Gotcha, Bye Bye Blackbird and Son Of A Preacher Man which spotlight Minnelli's underrated dancing (Fosse said after Gwen Verdon, Minnelli was the one who understood his choreography the best). If you're a Minnelli or Fosse fan, you've probably already seen this but if you haven't, it's worth seeking out.

Defending Your Life (1991)

An L.A. advertising executive (Albert Brooks) is killed when his newly purchased car crashes into a bus. In the after life, he finds himself put on trial to justify his moving on to the next level or being sent back to Earth and reincarnated. In the meanwhile, he falls in love with a recently deceased woman (Meryl Streep) also awaiting a decision deciding her fate. Written and directed by Brooks, this inspired combination of romantic comedy and fantasy is a pure delight! Brooks' screenplay is clever and witty yet it's the romance between Brooks and Streep which gives the movie its heart. The movie is more introspective than some similarly themed films like HEAVEN CAN WAIT and GHOST and has one of the great romantic finales of all romcoms. I know Brooks has many admirers but other than this and MOTHER, his movies usually leaves me cold. With Rip Torn, Lee Grant, Buck Henry, Leonard O. Turner and in one of the film's funniest gags, Shirley MacLaine playing herself.     

Kid Nightingale (1939)

An aspiring opera singer (John Payne) is talked into becoming a heavyweight boxer by a boxing scout (Walter Catlett). He agrees on the condition that he can also train for the opera. With his good looks and singing voice, he becomes known as Kid Nightingale and lures a legion of swooning female fans to the ring. Directed by the Oscar nominated film editor George Amy (THE SEA HAWK) who directed a few films but had more success as a film editor. This mildly amusing B programmer is bolstered by an eager cast and its brief running time (it's barely an hour long). Its two attractive leads, Payne and Jane Wyman as his girl, are early in their careers and stardom for both would be a few years away. I've always liked Payne who had a nice screen presence and movie star looks but who never quite made the upper tier of stardom while lesser actors did. Who said life was fair? It's silly and predictable but one would have to work awfully hard to dislike it. With Edward Brophy, Charles D. Brown and Harry Burns.

On The Rocks (2020)

When a writer (Rashida Jones) suspects her husband (Marlon Wayans) of being unfaithful, she turns to her egocentric philanderer father (Bill Murray) for advice. Probably not the best person to discuss infidelity with. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola (LOST IN TRANSLATION). The reuniting of Coppola and her LOST IN TRANSLATION leading man pays dividends here. It's a supporting role as the movie belongs to the appealing Jones but it's Murray who steals the movie. His character should be repellant but the aging Murray's impudent narcissistic charm is impossible to resist and one can see why women fall under his spell, even as he hurts those around him. It takes awhile to get to the movie's payoff and for a long time, you wonder where the movie is going but it eventually gets there. It's a lightweight confection of a movie and if you don't expect too much, it's a pleasant journey. With Barbara Bain (as Murray's mother!) and Jessica Henwick. 

Confidential Agent (1945)

Set in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, a Spanish agent (Charles Boyer) travels to England with a mission to purchase much needed coal for the Republican government or at the very least, dissuade the sale of coal to the Fascists. Based on the novel by Graham Greene (THE THIRD MAN) and directed by Herman Shumlin, a theatre director who only directed two movies (the other was WATCH ON THE RHINE). I've not read Greene's novel but I understand the film is fairly faithful to the book but I found the movie overly complicated and too long (it's two minutes shy of the two hour mark). Boyer's agent comes across as too naive. Yes, I understand he's not a professional but when everybody is after you and you can't trust anybody, who goes into a dark alley with a total stranger? That being said, Boyer is excellent here. I think it's one of his very best performances. Alas, his leading lady Lauren Bacall in only her second movie already shows the limitations of her acting. But the movie remains a solid entry in the spy genre. The outstanding supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Katina Paxinou, Victor Francen, George Coulouris, George Zucco and Wanda Hendrix giving a lovely performance as an abused servant girl.

King Of Texas (2002)

Set in 19th century Texas, a wealthy cattle baron (Patrick Stewart) divides his sprawling property among his three daughters. But first he demands proof of their love and while the two oldest daughters (Marcia Gay Harden, Lauren Holly) espouse their love, his youngest daughter (Julie Cox) refuses to play his game and is banished from his life. Based on KING LEAR by William Shakespeare and directed by Uli Edel (LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN). Adapting Shakespeare's plays into a different genre or setting is nothing new in film or stage. Such adaptations include the sci-fi FORBIDDEN PLANET (THE TEMPEST), the western JUBAL (OTHELLO) and the musical WEST SIDE STORY (ROMEO AND JULIET) and this version of KING LEAR on the range works surprisingly well. Of course, without the poetry of Shakespeare's language much is lost in the transition but the power of the narrative is still there. However, the monstrous adult children who seem perfectly at home in the Shakespearean tragedy seem excessive in a more contemporary format. Stewart is very good here as Lear, receiving our empathy even though he's responsible for the harridans he raised. He bred them and raised them and he's not altogether undeserving of their contempt. The underscore by John Altman is quite effective. With Roy Scheider, David Alan Grier, Patrick Bergin, Steven Bauer, Colm Meaney and Matt Letscher.

Daylight (1996)

An explosion in a tunnel under the Hudson River in New York causes a sweeping fireball to incinerate the majority of motorists. An ex paramedic (Sylvester Stallone), now driving a taxi, takes it upon himself to gather up the survivors and try to find a way out. Directed by Rob Cohen (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS), the production values and special effects of this disaster film are first rate. However, the movie is sunk by its dreadful dialogue and cardboard characters. Say what you will about the disaster movies of the 1970s but movies like THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and TOWERING INFERNO may have had cardboard characters too but they were smart enough to give the films time enough to develop those characters so we got to know them and could invest in their fate. Not here! Those films also had strong actors who could flesh out some of that cardboard but with the exception of a wasted Claire Bloom (I hope she was paid well) and Viggo Mortensen (defeated by his inane character), the movie doesn't have actors of that quality. A disaster movie where you don't give a rat's ass if anybody survives has nowhere to go but down. With Amy Brenneman, Dan Hedaya, Jay O. Sanders, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Rosemary Forsyth, Stan Shaw and Barry Newman.

The Naked Spur (1953)

An embittered rancher turned bounty hunter (James Stewart) is tracking down a killer (Robert Ryan) but circumstances force him to take a rapist (Ralph Meeker) and a gold hungry misogynist (Millard Mitchell) as partners in the reward money. Directed by Anthony Mann (FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE), this tough and gritty western is a typical collaboration between Mann and star Stewart (they did eight films together, five of them westerns). It's a tight western with only five speaking roles (Janet Leigh as Ryan's girlfriend is the fifth character). Stewart, who I almost always prefer in dramatic parts as opposed to his comedies, is in fine form here. The often irritating mannerisms in his comedy work are gone and he fiercely embodies this angry victim of betrayal who's lost much of his humanity. William C. Mellor (A PLACE IN THE SUN) is responsible for the handsome Technicolor cinematography filmed in the Colorado mountains and the screenplay by Sam Rolfe and Harold Jack Bloom received a best screenplay Oscar nomination. The score by Bronislau Kaper unfortunately incorporates the song Beautiful Dreamer into the score proper and the strains are annoying and work against what's on the screen.

Big Blonde (1980)

Set in the prohibition era of the 1920s, a showroom model and goodtime girl (Sally Kellerman) marries a traveling salesman (John Lithgow). But while the former party girl delights in her new found domesticity, her husband hates it and still craves the party life. As the marriage deteriorates, so does the wife. Based on the prize winning short story by Dorothy Parker and directed by Kirk Browning. There's an underlying sadness to Parker's tale of a vivacious blonde putting on a cheerful front because it's expected of her as she sinks into a depression. This adaptation (done for public television) doesn't quite capture the heroine's duality but Kellerman is really wonderful here, engendering empathy when she could have just as easily engendered annoyance. Sadly, Lithgow seems miscast. We're only too aware of his "acting" the part rather than inhabiting it. With George Coe, Anita Morris and Peg Murray.

F.P.1 Antwortet Nicht (aka F.P.1 Doesn't Answer) (1932)

A dashing pilot (Hans Albers) wants to help his friend (Paul Hartmann) whose designs for an air station in the middle of the ocean languish away at a major factory. While bringing attention to his friend's design, he falls in love with the sister (Sybille Schmitz) of the brothers who run the company. But his ambition gets in the way of the romance and fate deals the three of them a major blow. Based on the novel by Kurt Siodmak (DONOVAN'S BRAIN) and directed by Karl Hartl. Simultaneously filmed in French (with Charles Boyer in the Albers role) and English (with Conrad Veidt in the Albers role) as well as German. It's an enterprising mixture of romance, science fiction and disaster movie. I liked how the movie didn't go the obvious route with its romantic triangle and Albers is an early example of the antihero, something Humphrey Bogart would perfect in the 1940s. Creative and visually imaginative, it provides enough entertainment value to keep you invested. With Peter Lorre and Hermann Speelmans.

Sea Wife (1957)

After WWII, a man (Richard Burton) returns to England and places an ad in a newspaper trying to contact a young girl (Joan Collins) he was shipwrecked on a desert island with along with a racist Brit (Basil Sydney) and a black purser (Cy Grant). They were all on a ship that was torpedoed by the Japanese near Singapore. Based on the novel SEA WYF AND BISCUIT by James Maurice Scott and directed by Bob McNaught. Originally, the film was going to be directed by the Italian neorealist Roberto Rossellini (ROME OPEN CITY) but 20th Century Fox was horrified by the frank depiction of a sexual relationship between Joan Collins' nun and Richard Burton and Rossellini was replaced by the nondescript McNaught. We'll never know if Rossellini's version would have been a superior film but it certainly would have been more provocative than what we get, which is a typical "beautiful girl stranded on a desert island with three men" adventure. To the film's credit, it retains the racial tension between Sydney's racist and the black purser. Handsomely shot in CinemaScope on the island of Jamaica by Edward Scaife (THE DIRTY DOZEN). With Ronald Squire and Beatrice Varley. 

The Case Of The Curious Bride (1935)

When a woman (Margaret Lindsay) married to a wealthy man (Donald Woods) discovers that her first husband (Errol Flynn in his American film debut) is still alive, she turns to famous attorney Perry Mason (Warren William) for help. And none too soon for when the first husband turns up dead, she's arrested for his murder. Based on the novel by Erle Stanley Gardner and directed by Michael Curtiz (CASABLANCA). Warners had turned the famous attorney/detective from the Gardner books from a serious and dedicated lawyer into a fast talking, wisecracking screwball comedian. I'm not complaining, it works wonderfully for the series and this second entry of the four Warren William as Perry Mason movies is clever and fast fun. There's not much else I can say about it except if you're into murder mysteries with a comedic touch, this should be right up your alley. With Claire Dodd as Della Street, Allen Jenkins, Wini Shaw, Barton MacLane and Mayo Methot.

Wanted For Murder (1946)

The grandson (Eric Portman) of a notorious hangman follows in the footsteps of his grandfather. He's a serial killer who's strangled some six women and he's not done yet! Meanwhile, a Scotland Yard inspector (Roland Culver)  desperately tries to solve the case before the strangler strikes again! Based on the play by Terence De Marney and Percy Robinson (the screenplay was co-written by Emeric Pressburger) and directed by Lawrence Huntington (CONTRABAND SPAIN). A neat little thriller that deserves to be called Hitchcockian. Portman's serial strangler is a cousin to Robert Walker's Bruno of STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. They even have doting mothers who may or may not have contributed to their sons' psychosis. It's not a whodunit since we know from the beginning who the murderer is so the movie's plot is just a matter of how and when he'll be caught. I did have a problem with the film's suggestion that it's "bad blood" inherited from his grandfather that is at the root of his killing spree, a theory since disproven. Other than that, it's a first rate thriller. With Dulcie Gray, Derek Farr, Barbara Everest, Stanley Holloway, Kathleen Harrison and Wilfrid Hyde White. 

Total Recall (1990)

Set in the year 2084, a construction worker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has troubling dreams about living on Mars. After visiting a company that implants false memories to simulate dream vacations, he has a psychotic episode that indicates that the life he's living now is a false implant. Shortly after an attempt is made on his life. Loosely based on the short story WE CAN REMEMBER IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE by Philip K. Dick and directed by Paul Verhoeven (BASIC INSTINCT). This is probably Schwarzenegger's best film (sorry TERMINATOR), a crackerjack non stop piece of action thrills with an intelligent screenplay. Considered too violent upon its initial release (it received an X rating until Verhoeven trimmed the violence), its violent scenes still pack a punch but to Verhoeven's credit, I didn't find them gratuitous. Within the limitations of his acting ability, Schwarzenegger is very good but it's not a movie where the acting matters much. Jerry Goldsmith delivers a knockout score. An imaginative cinematic rollercoaster ride that doesn't insult your intelligence. With Sharon Stone, Rachel Ticotin, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside, Marshall Bell and Mel Johnson Jr.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)

Two centuries old vampires are married but she (Tilda Swinton) lives in North Africa and he (Tom Hiddleston) lives in Detroit, Michigan. They no longer feed off humans (who they call zombies) directly but depend on blood suppliers. The husband has become withdrawn and suicidal and his wife rushes to his side but the appearance of her reckless kid sister (Mia Wasikowska) threatens to expose them. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, the film is unique in that while it is a film about vampires, it's not a horror film but a romance. It's stylish and captivating and full of cultural reference that probably go over the head of most filmgoers. For example, when traveling from the U.S. to Spain, Swinton and Hiddleston's passports use the names of Daisy Buchanan (the heroine of THE GREAT GATSBY) and Stephen Dedalus (Joyce's PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN). The film received excellent reviews and while I liked it quite a bit, too much of it seemed a bit precious though I appreciated the slices of humor which offset the darker aspects of the film. There's no doubt that the film is unique in its telling, there's never been another "vampire" movie like it. The performances are first rate across the board. With John Hurt, Jeffrey Wright and Anton Yelchin.

Weekend (1967)

A bourgeois couple (Mireille Darc, Jean Yanne) take a weekend drive to the country where they hope to secure her inheritance from her dying father. The journey will be memorable. Written and directed by Jean Luc Godard (BREATHLESS), the first hour is an outrageous and audacious surreal trek as the couple sees civilization imploding around them. They are not victims however but contributors to this breakdown. Godard's justifiably famous panning shot of a deadly traffic jam (it may have been an unconscious influence on the opening scene of LA LA LAND) is spectacular and Darc has a memorable monologue about a sexual experience that rivals Bibi Andersson's sexual memory in PERSONA. Alas, the film's second hour contains Godard in a didactic mode as characters and voiceovers lecture us. It isn't art when Stanley Kramer did it and it's not art when Godard does it though of course, Godard is an artist where Kramer was not. I could have done without Godard rubbing the animal slaughter in our faces too. The film is eerily prescient. Watching the erosion of civilization which seemed exaggerated in 1967 seems all too real in 2021. With Jean Pierre Leaud and Paul Gegauff. 

B.F.'s Daughter (1948)

The spoiled daughter (Barbara Stanwyck) of a conservative right wing self made millionaire (Charles Coburn) falls in love with a penniless left wing educator and writer (Van Heflin) and they marry in haste. Can their marriage survive their different financial stations and political views? Based on the novel by John P. Marquand (THE LATE GEORGE APLEY) and directed by Robert Z. Leonard (THE GREAT ZIEGFELD). The book was controversial in its day but the film version eliminates the more contentious aspects of the novel for an antiseptic and conventional movie melodrama. It's a pity because it dances around some serious issues without taking any stand and what we get is an ending neatly tied up in a ribbon so the audience can go home happy. The acting is good, however and Stanwyck fans should be pleased. The movie's title was changed in Great Britain because B.F. has a vulgar connotation there. With Keenan Wynn, Margaret Lindsay, Marshall Thompson, Richard Hart, Spring Byington and Barbara Laage.

Marie Chantal Contre Le Docteur Kha (aka Blue Panther) (1965)

On a train bound for Switzerland, a secret agent (Roger Hanin) entrusts a young woman (Marie Laforet) with a jewel of a blue panther with ruby eyes. Unbeknownst to her, the jewel contains a deadly virus powerful enough to destroy all mankind. Based on a character created by Jacques Chazot in a series of novels and written and directed by Claude Chabrol (LES BICHES). Chabrol is in a playful mood here in this spy satire which has more than a touch of Fritz Lang's DR. MABUSE films. The plot is overly complicated but in this case, I suspect part of Chabrol's intent. It's not to be taken seriously, just relax and enjoy the silliness. Full of vivid characters and colorful locations (Switzerland, Morocco), the movie's ambiguous ending screams "Sequel!" but it never happened. Charles Denner plays an American but I can't decide if his American accent is terrible or he's doing an American with a terrible French accent (in which case, it's excellent). With Akim Tamiroff as the movie's master villain, Stephane Audran, Francisco Rabal, Serge Reggiani, Pierre Francois Moro and Gilles Chusseau, who comes as close to stealing the movie as anyone.

Story Of A Woman (1970)

A young girl (Bibi Andersson) is studying music in Rome when she falls in love with an Italian medical student (James Farentino). After finding out he's married to an older woman (Annie Girardot), she flees to Sweden where she meets and marries an American diplomat (Robert Stack). She thinks she's over the affair but when the Italian re-enters her life, she's not so sure. Written and directed by Leonardo Bercovici. Bercovici was an American screenwriter (PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, THE BISHOP'S WIFE, KISS THE BLOOD OFF MY HANDS) who was blacklisted in the 1950s and went to Europe to work. Although filmed in Italy and Sweden and with European actresses (Andersson, Girardot) in leading roles, the film is pure Hollywood soap opera, not much different than the stuff Joan Crawford and Lana Turner were cranking out in the 1950s. Alas, not even Douglas Sirk could save this hill of cliches. Andersson and Girardot are always a welcome presence on the screen and Stack is very good but who can buy Andersson pining away for James Farentino (who doesn't even attempt an Italian accent)? James Farentino?!?! Edith Head did the costumes and John Williams provided the score. With Didi Perego and Mario Nascimbene (yes, the composer).

13 Washington Square (1928)

When a prominent but snobbish Manhattan society doyenne (Alice Joyce) finds out her son (George J. Lewis) is about to elope with a grocer's daughter (Helen Foster), she cancels her trip to Europe to stop the marriage. To avoid reporters on her doorstep, she sneaks into the mansion with her maid (Zasu Pitts). Her son and his fiancee also sneak into the house as does a thief (Jean Hersholt) intent on stealing the priceless paintings in the mansion. Hilarity ensues! Based on the play by Leroy Scott and directed by Melville W. Brown (BEHIND OFFICE DOORS). This amusing silent farce involving mistaken identities and running around in confusion may not be Feydeau but but it's still good fun. Its running time is brief (one hour and six minutes) so it doesn't allow for any digression and director Brown keeps up the brisk pace and wraps it up quickly and neatly. I'm not familiar with the work of actress Alice Joyce (who retired at age 40), who was quite prolific in the silent era but I found her quite appealing and hope to see more of her work. With Helen Jerome Eddy and Jack McDonald.

Into The Woods (1990)

The story of five fairy tale characters that go beyond the happy ending we've been told about: Cinderella (Kim Crosby), Little Red Riding Hood (Danielle Ferland), Jack (Ben Wright) who climbed the beanstalk and a baker (Chip Zien) and his wife (Joanna Gleason). A televised adaptation of the original Broadway show (which was made into a film in 2014) with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and directed by James Lapine. The film version directed by Rob Marshall is excellent but it's great to have this archival production of the original Broadway production. The play contains characters (like the narrator and Cinderella's father) that were eliminated from the film version as well as some songs (like No More and Ever After) that were cut. The musical explores the complicated relationship (or the absence of it) between parents and children. Despite her actions, the play's witch (Bernadette Peters) isn't evil but a pragmatic who sees life realistically. Sondheim's songs are sublime! With Robert Westenberg, Tom Aldredge, Barbara Bryne and Chuck Wagner.

The People Against O'Hara (1951)

A recovering alcoholic (Spencer Tracy) has abandoned his career in criminal defense to concentrate on civil cases. But when a poor young Irishman (James Arness) is arrested for murder, he decides to take the case. Based on the novel by Eleazar Lipsky and directed by John Sturges (THE GREAT ESCAPE). This is a good little programmer that should have been so much more than it is. The film's attempt to balance the story of a brilliant attorney so exhausted from his concern for his clients that he turns to alcohol with the whodunit aspects of a murder trial is uneven. Perhaps it would have been better to concentrate on just one aspect of the story. One can appreciate the ambition but the execution is awkward. Four years later, Tracy and Sturges would hit it out of the ballpark with BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK. Still, for what it is, the film makers have nothing to be ashamed of. Tracy is very good returning to drama after three comedies in a row (ADAM'S RIB, FATHER OF THE BRIDE, FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND) and receives solid support from Diana Lynn as his caring daughter. With John Hodiak, Pat O'Brien, Eduardo Ciannelli, Richard Anderson, Jay C. Flippen, William Campbell (wonderfully oily) and Yvette Duguay.  

The Sisters (1938)

Bookended by the 1904 and 1908 presidential elections, the story of three sisters: Louise (Bette Davis) marries a ne'er do well (Errol Flynn) who eventually deserts her, Helen (Anita Louise) who marries a rich man (Alan Hale) she doesn't love for the security it will give her and Grace (Jane Bryan) who must deal with her husband's (Dick Foran) infidelity. Based on the best selling novel by Myron Brinig and directed by Anatole Litvak (ANASTASIA). I've not read the source novel but I suspect the script was altered to favor the Davis and Flynn storyline (after all, they were the biggest stars in the cast) while the two other sisters are relegated to secondary status. It's a rather creaky soap opera with a tearjerker ending which was reshot after an unsatisfactory preview. The highlight of the film is a recreation of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake which while not as spectacular as SAN FRANCISCO (1936) is still imposing. As a Bette Davis fan, I enjoyed it but it's not really one of her better movies. The supporting cast is crammed with familiar character actors including Beulah Bondi, Donald Crisp, Patric Knowles, Lee Patrick, Henry Travers, Harry Davenport, Laura Hope Crews and Ian Hunter.