Band Of Angels (1957)

After her father (William Forrest) dies, the privileged daughter (Yvonne De Carlo) of a Kentucky plantation owner discovers the secret her father had been keeping from her. Her mother had been a slave! When the plantation is sold to pay her father's debts, she is sold as a slave despite her Caucasian looks and is bought by an adventurer (Clark Gable). Based on the best selling novel by Robert Penn Warren (ALL THE KING'S MEN) and directed by Raoul Walsh (WHITE HEAT). It's a mishmash of a movie. With Gable in the lead and its Civil War setting, comparisons to GONE WITH THE WIND were inevitable. But in spite of its ambitions, it lacks the romance and scope of that 1939 epic, not to mention its sassy and ambitious heroine which propelled that movie forward. The most interesting characters are not the two leads but two supporting characters: Sidney Poitier as Gable's adopted "son" who is educated and treated well but who realizes that he is still a slave owned by a white master and that instills a deep resentment and hate toward him. Then there's Gable's black former mistress (Carolle Drake) also a slave, who still loves him despite being tossed aside for De Carlo. Not having read the source novel, I can only assume the movie simplified the more complex issues of the book. With Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Rex Reason, Torin Thatcher, Andrea King, Juanita Moore, Ray Teal and Patric Knowles.

Men Don't Leave (1990)

After the death of her husband, a young widow (Jessica Lange) relocates to Baltimore to look for work and raise her two sons (Chris O'Donnell, Charlie Korsmo). A loose remake of the 1981 French film LA VIE CONTINUE and directed by Paul Brickman (RISKY BUSINESS). It's an uneven film that should have been so much better than it is. The film can't seem to avoid the cliches which mars the good things about it. The film's message seems to be that boys need a masculine influence in their lives and one can't help but feel sorry for poor Jessica Lange as she struggles to keep her family together only to be blocked at every turn. Lange is the reason to see the movie. She's wonderful here, it's the material that lets her down. The film doesn't seem to want to acknowledge the elephant in the room, namely Joan Cusack's creepy nurse who seduces Lange's underage teenage son (O'Donnell), who's still in high school. The movie just portrays her as kooky but good hearted! With Kathy Bates (looking glam), Arliss Howard and Belita Moreno.

Six By Sondheim (2013)

Directed by James Lapine, this is a documentary on one of the greatest composer and lyricists of 20th century musical theatre, Stephen Sondheim. Through a series of interviews throughout Sondheim's career in which he talks not only about his personal life but the process of writing for the theatre with an emphasis on six songs: Something's Coming from WEST SIDE STORY, Opening Doors from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, Send In The Clows from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, I'm Still Here from FOLLIES, Being Alive from COMPANY and Sunday from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. It's a fascinating look at a musical genius and the complexity of his art. Some of the musical sequences contain previous footage (WEST SIDE STORY, COMPANY, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE) while others were made specifically for the documentary (MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, FOLLIES). The MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG segment performed by America Ferrera, Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes is excellent as is the LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC segment featuring Audra McDonald singing Send In The Clowns but the Todd Haynes directed short film featuring I'm Still Here from FOLLIES sung by Jarvis Cocker is a ghastly misfire. If you're a Sondheim buff, you've most likely already seen this. If you're not, this should serve as an introduction. 

The Great Gabbo (1929)

An egotistical ventriloquist (Erich von Stroheim) is abusive to his girlfriend and stage assistant (Betty Compson) and uses his dummy named Otto as his only means of self expression. Tired of his constant abuse, his girlfriend leaves him. Several years later, they meet again when the ventriloquist is a big headliner on Broadway and he attempts to woo her back. Based on the short story THE RIVAL DUMMY by Ben Hecht and directed by James Cruze (I COVER THE WATERFRONT). The earliest of the dummy becoming the dominant personality movies (the best known are probably the Michael Redgrave sequence in DEAD OF NIGHT and Anthony Hopkins in MAGIC), this is an oddity in that it's actually a musical. However, the musical numbers seem like padding as they don't actually contribute anything to the movie. Several sequences in the film were shot in two strip Technicolor but apparently those sequences are lost and the surviving movie is all B&W. Erich von Stroheim gives a good performance but like many early sound movies,  the film is visually stagnant. A curiosity that should be of interest to film buffs but not many others. With Donald Douglas and Marjorie Kane.    

Fabiola (1949)

Set in early 4th century Rome, the daughter (Michele Morgan) of a senator (Michel Simon) falls in love with a gladiator (Henri Vidal). When her father is murdered, the Romans place the blame on the Christians for political reasons and thus the persecution begins. Based on the novel by Nicholas Patrick Wiseman and directed by Alessandro Blasetti. Two years before the Hollywood epic QUO VADIS became a major blockbuster, this ambitious epic from Italy is quite impressive in its scope. The film eschews the DeMille pomposity and piousness that infected his biblical films and the stark B&W cinematography of Mario Craveri adds a touch of severity to the narrative. The movie's graphic finale includes brutality and violence that the Hollywood of that era wouldn't dare attempt, much less the nudity. I assume the finale was severely cut for its American release. If you're a fan of biblical epics or sword and sandal peplum, definitely check this one out. Michele Morgan would marry Henri Vidal shortly after the film's release. Loosely remade in 1960 as REVOLT OF THE SLAVES. With Massimo Girotti, Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Interlenghi, Paolo Stoppa and Elsa Cegani.

The Screaming Woman (1972)

A wealthy woman (Olivia De Havilland) has just returned home after suffering a mental breakdown. When walking on her property one day, she hears a woman crying for help buried under the earth. But when she attempts to get help, no one believes her! Based on the short story by Ray Bradbury (FAHRENHEIT 451) and directed by Jack Smight (HARPER). Very effective thriller that keeps the suspense elevated throughout. We've all seen these "no one believes me" damsels in distress thrillers before but the script keeps the cliches to a minimum and a solid performance by Olivia De Havilland makes this easy to swallow. One can't help but admire De Havilland's physical resiliency. 56 years old at the time and rapidly running around and climbing hills in high heels yet! With Joseph Cotten, Walter Pidgeon, Ed Nelson, Laraine Stephens, Charles Robinson, Charles Drake, Lonny Chapman and Alexandra Hay. 

Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)

Set in 1903 St. Louis, the story of the upper middle class Smith family. The movie is told in four chapters divided by the seasons: Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. The family's major crisis comes when the father (Leon Ames) is promoted to a job in New York City and the family finds itself in turmoil over the move. Based on the book by Sally Benson and directed by Vincente Minnelli (GIGI). One of the most beloved movie musicals of all time, the film perfectly captures the nostalgia of American family life in a simpler time or at least what we perceive to be a typical American family. I imagine life wasn't so wonderful for the lower working class. Beautifully shot in three strip Technicolor by George J. Folsey (FORBIDDEN PLANET), the movie looks like an old fashioned candy box. The songs are all winners with classics like Have Yourself A Merry Christmas, The Trolley Song and The Boy Next Door. In one of her most iconic roles, Judy Garland has never looked lovelier and she's in fine form both as a singer and actress. With six year old Margaret O'Brien stealing scenes, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Marjorie Main, Harry Davenport, Hugh Marlowe and June Lockhart.

The Outriders (1950)

During the last year of the Civil War, three Confederate prisoners (Joel McCrea, Barry Sullivan, James Whitmore) escape from a Union prison camp. They talk their way into escorting a wagon train heading from Santa Fe to St. Louis but they have an ulterior motive: the gold the wagon train is secretly carrying. Directed by Roy Rowland (HIT THE DECK), this is a pretty decent Technicolor western. Shot in Utah, the movie features both the usual western action and interesting characters that must make decisions that test their moral mettle. The film's highlight is a dangerous crossing through a rapid river that is intense. There's a fine underscore by Andre Previn that propels the movie along. Even non western fans should find something to like here. With Arlene Dahl as the only woman on the wagon train, Ramon Novarro, Ted De Corsia, Jeff Corey and Claude Jarman Jr.

Bedtime Story (1964)

A cultured con artist (David Niven) resides on the French Riviera where he poses as a deposed Prince. He seduces wealthy women into donating money and jewelry to finance a revolution in his poor country. He meets his match with an Army Corporal (Marlon Brando) who feigns an ill grandmother as a way of getting into the beds and wallets of young women. They decide to team up but when they meet a naive American girl (Shirley Jones) they wager against each other as to who will bed her first. Directed by Ralph Levy (DO NOT DISTURB), the film has been remade twice under different titles. In 1988 as DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS and 2019 as THE HUSTLE (which switched the gender of the two con artists). The 1988 film was that rarity, a remake superior to the original. It's funnier, wittier and with a wonderful twist that's not in the 1964 film. That being said, this version is entertaining enough. It's fun to see Brando exercise his comedic chops while Niven is at home with material like this. Unfortunately, while there are exterior shots filmed in Cannes, most of the exterior shots with the actors are against a rear projection screen which mars the movie visually. Pleasant but the 1988 version is the one to go with (forget the 2019 film). With Marie Windsor, Dody Goodman and Francine York.   

The Possessed (1977)

At a school for girls in Oregon, spontaneous fires begin out of nowhere. A teacher (Ann Dusenberry) sees a page in her typewriter suddenly burst into flame, a student (Claudette Nevins) witnesses the curtains in her room catch fire for no reason and a student (Diana Scarwid) has her graduation gown go up in flames while she's in it. Enter an ex-priest, now an exorcist (James Farentino). Directed by Jerry Thorpe (THE VENETIAN AFFAIR), this is a silly (almost laughable) horror movie with very little actual horror. Its plot makes no sense and while I understand that asking for logic in most horror movies is pretty useless, this film doesn't even attempt to provide it, however ludicrous. I felt embarrassed for poor Joan Hackett, an excellent actress but this is a career low point, as the school's headmistress being reduced to this drivel when she deserved great roles. I suppose some will consider it one of those "so bad it's good" flicks but I just think it's bad. With Harrison Ford as the school's biology teacher (who a few weeks later would become a star with the release of STAR WARS), P.J. Soles, Eugene Roche and Dinah Manoff.  

The Case Of The Lucky Legs (1935)

A young lady (Patricia Ellis) wins a "lucky legs" beauty contest that features a $1,000 prize. However, the promoter Craig Reynolds) skips town taking the prize money with him. When he turns up stabbed to death, she becomes the prime suspect. Based on the novel by Erle Stanley Gardner and directed by Archie Mayo (THE PETRIFIED FOREST). A fast moving screwball comedy hiding under the guise of a murder mystery. This movie zips by so fast that you don't have time to think about the whodunit aspects which is just as well since by process of elimination, it's pretty obvious. Each of the six Perry Mason movies that Warners did in the 1930s featured a different Della Street and here, Genevieve Tobin as a sassy wise cracking Della is the best of the lot. Good fun! With Allen Jenkins, Lyle Talbot, Peggy Shannon, Barton MacLaine, Porter Hall and Mary Treen.

The Mystery Of Edwin Drood (1935)

A choirmaster and opium addict (Claude Rains) is in love with his young pupil (Heather Angel) who does not share his feelings. Although engaged to Edwin Drood (David Manners), she finds herself attracted to another man (Douglass Montgomery) who reciprocates her feelings. Based on the unfinished 1870 novel by Charles Dickens who died before he could complete it and directed by Stuart Walker (WEREWOLF OF LONDON). The film is quite faithful to the Dickens book though obviously the screenwriter had to create an ending for the movie. The film is rich in atmosphere and features an imposing performance by Rains as the choirmaster consumed with a passion that drives him to murder. Yet the film itself isn't entirely satisfactory. Walker's direction lacks drive which is exactly what the film's often slack narrative needs. With Valerie Hobson, Francis L. Sullivan and Zeffie Tilbury who comes pretty close to stealing the movie as a greedy opium den proprietor. 

Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

A high school student by the name of Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) suffers from social anxiety and is seeing a therapist and taking medication. But when a classmate (Colton Ryan) steals a letter Evan wrote to himself and later commits suicide, it is assumed the letter was written by the suicide victim to Evan. The dead boy's parents (Amy Adams, Danny Pino) contact Evan to find out more about their "friendship" and Evan's fabrications spiral into a morass of deceit and lies. Based on the Tony award winning musical and directed by Stephen Chbosky (WONDER). The stage musical was critically acclaimed and won six Tony awards but I've never seen it so I don't know how faithful the movie is to the stage musical. As to the film itself, it's a well intentioned misfire. A story about mental illness and youth suicide seems dubious material for a musical but nothing seems to go right. The monotonous songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the lovely songs for LA LA LAND, all sound alike so that you can't tell one from the other and their lyrics pound you over the head with their "message". It doesn't help that the film glosses over just how horrible Hansen's actions are and the movie's attempt to redeem him doesn't cut it. Ben Platt's Evan is an unappealing human being and rather than evoking empathy, his actions only serve to display how sick he really is. With Julianne Moore (in the film's best performance) as Evan's mother, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg and Nik Dodani.

Canyon Passage (1946)

Set in 1856 Oregon, a store and freight company owner (Dana Andrews) is best friends with a banker (Brian Donlevy) with a compulsion for gambling. This addiction to gambling, among other things, will test their friendship. Based on the novel by Ernest Haycox and directed by Jacques Tourneur (I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE). This is an above average western shot in beautiful three strip Technicolor by Edward Cronjager (BENEATH THE 12 MILE REEF) but that's just icing on the cake. There are brawls, Indian attacks, lynch mobs, murders and lots of romantic switches. Just about everything a westerns fan could ask for. The slender Andrews is fine except for the big fight scene with the burly Ward Bond where its clearly his stunt double doing the fighting. This was the Hollywood film debut of the British actress Patricia Roc (THE WICKED LADY) but she seems pallid next to the fiery Susan Hayward as Donlevy's fiancee. The song Ole Buttermilk Sky received a best song Oscar nomination. With Lloyd Bridges, Hoagy Carmichael, Rose Hobart and Andy Devine.

Le Jour Et L'heure (aka The Day And The Hour) (1963)

Set in occupied France in 1944, a woman (Simone Signoret) inadvertently finds herself involved with the resistance movement and aiding a downed American pilot (Stuart Whitman) in his attempt to escape to Spain. Directed by Rene Clement (FORBIDDEN GAMES), this is an uneven film with the first half inferior to the second half. The first half with Signoret hiding Whitman in her apartment suffers from the stupidity that the screenplay (Clement was one of three writers)  attributes to the American characters (Billy Kearns plays the other American) who behave recklessly even though the Gestapo is after them. If the Gestapo is nipping at your heels, would you sneak out of your hiding place and get drunk? The second half improves considerably as Signoret and Whitman attempt to escape from Paris and the tension quotient increases dramatically. The wide screen B&W cinematography by Henri Decae (THE 400 BLOWS) is striking and a solid score is provided by Claude Bolling. With Genevieve Page, Michel Piccoli, Marcel Bozzuffi and Reggie Nalder. 

Green Light (1937)

When an esteemed but aging surgeon (Henry O'Neill) makes a fatal mistake in the operating room, an idealistic young surgeon (Errol Flynn) takes the blame. It is a decision that will change his life forever. Based on the novel by Lloyd C. Douglas (THE ROBE) and directed by Frank Borzage (HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT). After establishing himself as a dashing action hero in such movies as CAPTAIN BLOOD and CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, someone at Warners thought it was a good idea to cast Errol Flynn as a doctor struggling with faith in this sanctimonious potboiler. Wrong! Lloyd C. Douglas was a minister turned best selling author but his books today with their heavy spiritual bent are leaden in their self satisfied smugness. This effort is quite similar thematically to Douglas's MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION but the 1954 film version of that one had direction by Douglas Sirk whose lush style and sense of irony compensated for Douglas's pious pontificating. With Anita Louise, Margaret Lindsay, Spring Byington and Walter Abel.    

Clash By Night (1952)

Broken and bruised by the way life has treated her, a woman (Barbara Stanwyck) returns to her childhood home in Monterey, California. When a simple fisherman (Paul Douglas) proposes marriage to her, she accepts although she doesn't love him but the promise of security and peace appeals to her. Based on the play by Clifford Odets (GOLDEN BOY) and directed by Fritz Lang (SCARLET STREET). This feverish melodrama with noir-ish trimmings is better than it has a right to be. The material is a bit obvious and its characters crudely written but between Lang's concise direction and excellent performances all the way down the line, it emerges as a solid piece of movie histrionics. Although written several years prior to A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, the similarities between the two stories are too evident to ignore. Stanwyck brings a weary pathos to her prodigal daughter, Douglas has a sweetness that makes his uncomplicated hulk of a fisherman appealing while Robert Ryan as Douglas's crude and bitter pal brings a sexual charge that ignites the betrayal of a wife and friend. With Marilyn Monroe (very good), Keith Andes and J. Carrol Naish.

Timepiece (1996)

Set in the 1940s, an Irish immigrant (Naomi Watts) takes a job as the secretary of a young and wealthy businessman (Kevin Kilner) and they fall in love and marry. But tragedy invades their lives and threatens to destroy their marriage. Based on the novel by Richard Paul Evans and directed by Marcus Cole. This is a prequel to THE CHRISTMAS BOX which was also written by Evans and directed by Cole with Naomi Watts playing a younger version of Maureen O'Hara's character from that movie. The term "Hallmark movie" is often spoken derisively and its movies like TIMEPIECE that provide ample ammunition for that contempt. This is a shamefully manipulative chunk of saccharine. Its theme is forgiveness (which I find an overrated virtue) and the movie's finale goes all Oprah on us as the family priest insists they must forgive their daughter's murderer in order to move on. I suppose it was too much to expect revenge in a Hallmark movie. Pure twaddle! With Ellen Burstyn, James Earl Jones and Richard Thomas.

Arise My Love (1940)

During the latter days of the Spanish Civil War, a reporter (Claudette Colbert) poses as the wife of an imprisoned American pilot (Ray Milland) to save him from execution from Spanish fascists. She did it because she wants an exclusive story for her newspaper. The pilot, however, finds her very attractive and actively pursues a romantic relationship even though she is more interested in her career than romance. Directed by Mitchell Leisen (EASY LIVING), the movie takes an unusual path for a romantic comedy mixed with propaganda. America had not yet entered WWII and there was still some apathy in the U.S. about supporting the "European" war. The film aims to entertain while encouraging active resistance to the Nazi takeover of Europe. The mix of the romcom and propaganda elements don't always go smoothly. As long as Colbert and Milland focus on the romantic and comedic aspects, all is well. The rest borders on preachy. The screenplay by Billy Wilder (not yet a director) and Charles Brackett won an Oscar for its story. With Dennis O'Keefe, George Zucco, Dick Purcell and Ann Codee. 

Rosmunda E Alboino (aka Sword Of The Conqueror) (1962)

The barbarian leader (Jack Palance) of the warring Lombard tribe (a Germanic tribe that migrated to what is now present day Hungary) attempts to make peace with the King (Andrea Bosic) of a neighboring kingdom and a condition of that peace is the hand of the King's daughter (Eleonora Rossi Drago) in marriage. But she loves another (Guy Madison) and a betrayal will set in motion a series of bloody events. Directed by Carlo Campogalliani, this sword and sandal affair is a rather dull example of the genre. It's not good enough to be taken seriously but there's none of the kitschy enjoyment of the more flamboyant peplum either! The battle sequences are among the most colorless I've seen but Angelo Baistrocchi's CinemaScope lensing is quite handsome. Palance chews the scenery (appropriately this time), Madison looks bored and Eleonora Rossi Drago is lovely. With Edy Vessel and Carlo D'Angelo.

A Wedding (1978)

The son (Desi Arnaz Jr.) of a prestigious and wealthy "old school" Chicago family marries the daughter (Amy Stryker) of a Kentucky nouveau riche family who made their money in trucking. At the wedding reception, trysts, secrets, romance, misunderstandings and death merge and clash. Directed by Robert Altman, this ensemble comedic satire is all over the place and the lack of cohesion prevents it from achieving any sort of flow. It just sputters and jerks all the way through to the end. Plus, despite the occasional spotty pieces of wit, it's just not funny. It comes across as a test run from one of his later, more successful ensemble movies like GOSFORD PARK. The characters aren't particularly interesting much less likable and there's so many of them that no one gets the opportunity to craft a detailed character. Lillian Gish as the matriarch of the family comes off best but that's probably because she's killed off at the beginning of the movie. A misfire but still, Altman has done far worse. The massive cast includes Carol Burnett, Mia Farrow, Vittorio Gassman, Howard Duff, Geraldine Chaplin, Dina Merrill, Peggy Ann Garner, Viveca Lindfors, Lauren Hutton, Paul Dooley, Nina Van Pallandt, Margaret Ladd, Marta Heflin, John Cromwell, Ruth Nelson, Pam Dawber, Pat McCormick and Dennis Christopher.

Being The Ricardos (2021)

Set during the second season of the hit sitcom I LOVE LUCY in 1952. Its star Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) is accused of being a communist by columnist Walter Winchell which could possibly derail her and her husband Desi Arnaz's (Javier Bardem) careers. Ball must also contend with her husband's infidelity as well as the network's refusal to incorporate her real life pregnancy into the show. Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7), I found this a never less than engrossing backstage tale with a knockout performance by Nicole Kidman. Kidman wisely doesn't even attempt to emulate Ball but instead chooses to concentrate on character over imitation. Despite having Ball's children (Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr.) has executive producers, the movie doesn't attempt to gloss over their parents' flaws. Ball is portrayed as a fierce iron lady and one can see why Arnaz would be intimidated and look elsewhere for feminine companionship. As one expects from an Aaron Sorkin film, the dialogue is pungent and incisive and Kidman spits it out with razor like precision. But it's not all Lucy and Desi. The characters of William Frawley (J.K. Simmons) and especially Vivian Vance (Nina Arianda) are given ample room to develop their characters. Sorkin takes dramatic license though I wish he had researched the period more. For example, in a flashback to 1942, Ball wishes she were getting the roles Rita Hayworth and Judy Holliday were getting. Except that Judy Holliday was NOT a big star in 1942! She had some bit parts in 1944 and didn't return to Hollywood until 1949! With Ronny Cox, Linda Lavin and Clark Gregg.

Flight Angels (1940)

A hot shot and reckless commercial pilot (Dennis Morgan) is grounded when his vision is impaired. This couldn't come at a worse time as he and his engineer pal (Wayne Morris) are preparing to test a newly designed aircraft that will go faster and higher than any known airplane. Directed by Lewis Seiler (GUADALCANAL DIARY), this look at aviators and flight attendants (or stewardesses at they are called here) is very much of its time. Its portrayal of the female flight attendants is very demeaning. They're portrayed as man hungry stewardesses (dimwitted or bitchy) who are after pilots and passengers looking for a husband. Morgan's character is thoughtless and self pitying and when he steals a plane whose flight could cost lives, we're supposed to admire his bravado rather than be justifiably repelled. A "B" programmer that remains solidly in its intended category. With Jane Wyman and Virginia Bruce as the more prominent of the flight attendants. Also in the cast: Ralph Bellamy, Jan Clayton, Mary Anderson, Margot Stevenson and John Litel. 

The Daydreamer (1966)

Set in Denmark, a young boy (Paul O'Keefe) who is the son of a poor shoemaker (Jack Gilford) dreams of a better life. In his dreams, he has many adventures which he will later put down on paper as the writer Hans Christian Anderson. Directed by Jules Bass (WACKY WORLD OF MOTHER GOOSE), this family movie uses stop motion animation for the fairy tale dream sequences and live action for the rest. The stop motion animation looks rather crude next to today's computer generated animation but it exhibits a certain "antique" charm. However, it's a rather drab movie with unmemorable songs except for Isn't It Cozy sung by three bats which I kind of liked. I would imagine most contemporary children would be bored by it. With Ray Bolger, Margaret Hamilton in the live action portion and doing voice work in the animated sequences: Hayley Mills, Tallulah Bankhead, Burl Ives in THE LITTLE MERMAID, Ed Wynn, Terry Thomas, Victor Borge in THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES, Patty Duke, Boris Karloff and Sessue Hayakawa in THUMBELINA and Cyril Ritchard as The Sandman.

West Side Story (2021)

Set in 1957 New York, two street gangs (one Caucasian, one Puerto Rican) fight for territorial rights over their turf. Tension builds when an ex-gang member (Ansel Elgort) who is Polish and the sister (Rachel Zegler) of a Puetro Rican (David Alvarez) fall in love. Based on the Broadway musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (previously filmed in 1961) and directed by Steven Spielberg (JAWS). While there are many things to like about Spielberg's movie and I quite enjoyed it, bottom line: it's a pale imitation of the original. On the plus side, Bernstein's music is as gorgeous as ever and David Newman's orchestrations and Gustavo Dudamel's conducting do themselves proud. Rachel Zegler makes for an enchanting Maria (though she lacks Natalie Wood's innocence in the 1961 film) and Ariana DeBose whose fiery Anita equals Rita Moreno. Spielberg respects the original source material although some of his decisions are questionable like the Cool number which is drastically changed and the dancing minimalized. On the downside, the film is PC laundered and while I appreciate the attempt at inclusivity, it's all too obvious and sometime anachronistic. For example, the tomboy Anybodys (Iris Menas) of the original is now a proud and open transgender ..... in 1957??? Those gangs would have beat the crap out of him. Elgort is a wan Tony but so was Richard Beymer in 1961 so perhaps it's just the role. But Elgort is a weak singer and his rendition of the lovely Maria is flat while Jimmy Bryant (who dubbed Beymer) makes the song soar. Justin Peck's choreography pays homage to the great Jerome Robbins but again, his choreography can't touch Robbins'. The Dance At The Gym which was so thrilling in 1961 is bungled here. The character of Doc is replaced by Rita Moreno (who played Anita in the original) as Doc's widow and the part built up to a major supporting role and Spielberg gives her Somewhere to sing instead of Tony and Maria. Definitely worth seeing but it's just not the real thing. With Mike Faist, Jose Andres Rivera and Paloma Garcia Lee.

The Phantom Of The Opera (2004)

Set in 1870, a Paris opera house is haunted by an opera "ghost" who is said to live in the bowels of the theatre. A young soprano (Emmy Rossum) has been taken under the wing of the opera's mysterious phantom (Gerard Butler) who mentors her. But he soon has a rival when a man (Patrick Wilson) from the singer's childhood returns. Based on the smash Broadway musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber by way of the 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux and directed by Joel Schumacher (THE LOST BOYS). This is one heavy handed musical and if I'm to be honest, Webber's musical spectacle should have stayed in the theatre where it belonged. It's just not very good and the film can't improve the material. Has a good movie ever been made from a bad stage musical? It has two good songs and Schumacher's staging of Masquerade is impeccable but it's overwhelmed by spectacle which in retrospect is a good thing because without it, this would be a thumping bore. The film makers have denuded the horror of Leroux's tale. When the phantom is unmasked, it's just some scarring and nothing to scream about. Butler (who's not a singer) is woefully inadequate as the phantom, Rossum gets by and Wilson, who I normally find appealing, is a cipher. With Miranda Richardson, Simon Callow, Minnie Driver and Murray Melvin. 

Bulldog Drummond At Bay (1937)

A pacifist organization are actually agents of a foreign power. Their latest aim is to possess the plans of a remote control aircraft. Inadvertently, the adventurer Bulldog Drummond (John Lodge) is pulled into their plot and before he knows it, it's up to him to stop the bad guys! Based on the novel by Herman C. McNeile and directed by Norman Lee. There were 19 Bulldog Drummond books and countless film, TV and radio adaptations. The Bulldog Drummond series of movies were inconsistent, unlike the James Bond movies which had a specific style and quality. Probably because no one film company controlled the Drummond films. But this one is fairly entertaining though I could have done without the "comic" relief of Claud Allister as Drummond's best pal. Lodge makes for a virile hero and Dorothy Mackaill makes for an attractive femme fatale. Victor Jory was imported from Hollywood for the movie's villain. With Richard Bird, Hugh Miller and Wilfrid Hyde White. 

La Femme Et La Pantin (1958)

Set in Spain, a wealthy businessman (Antonio Vilar) becomes obsessed with a haughty beauty (Brigitte Bardot). Despite his money and his pursuit of her, she continues to withhold her favors and taunt him to the point that he begins to degrade himself. Based on the novel by Pierre Louys and directed by Julien Duvivier (PEPE LE MOKO). This is the third film adaptation of the Louys novel following the 1929 silent version, 1935 version (von Sternberg's THE DEVIL IS A WOMAN) and a fourth adaptation would follow in 1977 (Bunuel's THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE). While Bardot was the international sex symbol of the late 50s and 1960s, she also worked with some great directors like Jean Luc Godard, Louis Malle, Rene Clair, Henri Georges Clouzot and here with Julien Duvivier. Alas, it's not one of Duvivier's better films or Bardot's for that matter. There's something queasy about the way some people humiliate themselves in the name of love and Vilar's character is so off putting that I got a perverse pleasure in seeing Bardot drag him through the gutter. The film ends with Vilar beating Bardot to a pulp and, of course, she finally submits to him like a meek dog and they live (un)happily ever after. Sheesh! Still, you can't take your eyes off Bardot in the full flush of her sexuality. With Lila Kedrova, Espanita Cortez and Michel Roux.

The Christmas Box (1995)

A budding entrepreneur (Richard Thomas) is focused on his business, leaving little time for his wife (Annette O'Toole) and daughter (Kelsey Mulrooney). To appease his wife who wants a larger home for their daughter, he agrees to move into an mansion where he and his wife will work as live in help to a lonely widow (Maureen O'Hara). Based on the novel by Richard Paul Evans and directed by Marcus Cole. Typical family oriented Hallmark Christmas movie that manages to tone down the treacly sentiment that usually infests these TV movies. Still, it is what it is so don't expect anything great. O'Hara brings a strong dignity to her matron and Thomas isn't afraid to show what a jerk his character is and his "redemption" is believable. As Christmas movies go, it's not an embarrassment but it's no CHRISTMAS CAROL either. With Robert Curtis Brown and Michael Ensign.

Joan Of Paris (1942)

Set during WWII, five British airmen are stranded in Nazi occupied France. The leader (Paul Henreid) of the squadron makes contact with a priest (Thomas Mitchell) who helps them hide. The squadron leader falls in love with a barmaid (Michele Morgan) who will play an integral part of their escape. Directed by Robert Stevenson (THE LOVE BUG), this was the Hollywood debut of both the French actress Michele Morgan (who would eventually return to France) and the Austrian actor Paul Henreid (who remained a Hollywood staple). It's yet another WWII propaganda film, this time with a heroine who has more in common with Joan Of Arc than just their names. It's a decent enough film that pretty much connects all the dots on the way to its foregone conclusion. Being French, Morgan lends some authenticity to the film while the rest of the American cast like Thomas Mitchell and May Robson playing French stick out like a sore thumb, neither bothering with French accents. Alan Ladd plays one of the British airmen and he's quite bland (his death scene is emotionless) and you'd never guess that his star making role was right around the corner (THIS GUN FOR HIRE) where his aloofness was a perfect match for his character. With Laird Cregar in the film's best performance as the urbane Gestapo head, Alexander Granach and Hans Conreid. 

八佰 (aka The Eight Hundred) (2020)

Set in 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army invades Shanghai. It's left to 452 Chinese soldiers to fight the 20,000 Japanese troops and defend Shanghai against the Japanese takeover. They are cornered in an old warehouse while across the river the International Settlement remains untouched. Directed by Guan Hu, the film wisely states that it is based on actual events rather than based on a true story. The dramatic license it takes aside, this is a genuine epic. Unlike so many long films that are often self indulgent, the running time here is justified. There's not a minute of unnecessary plotting. While the movie may come across at times like a Chinese Alamo, Hu doesn't glamorize war. He pushes the ugliness and blood right in our face yet you can't help but get tears in your eyes at the bravery of its soldiers. There are moments of horror as when the people in the international section watch the slaughter across the river as if they were watching a play but moments of beauty too like the white stallion running through the streets of Shanghai or the contrast between the dingy warehouse and the neon beauty (like Disneyland at night) of the international settlement across the river. Filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, the cinematography of Cao Yu is awesome. The film's one drawback is that it doesn't expend the time to flesh out its many characters so what we're left with are unfinished sketches that tend to go toward cliche. That aside, I highly recommend it. With Huang Zhizhong, Zhang Junyi, Du Chun, Tang Yixin and Liu Xiaoqing.

The Portrait (1993)

A struggling artist (Cecilia Peck, Gregory's daughter) is about to open a one woman show in a Manhattan art gallery. But first, she returns to her childhood home only to find that her parents (Gregory Peck, Lauren Bacall) have sold the house without telling her. Based on the play PAINTING CHURCHES by Tina Howe and directed by Arthur Penn (BONNIE AND CLYDE). Some 35 years after DESIGNING WOMAN (1957), Peck and Bacall reunite. Too bad the film never rises above middling. Still, one has to admire how Gregory Peck gives the movie over to Bacall and daughter Cecilia. He's just fine but he realizes that the women's roles are stronger. It's the usual broken child returns home to confront her aging parents (think ON GOLDEN POND) scenario. It's not bad, just routine and Peck and Bacall are eminently watchable, they weren't stars for nothing and the young Ms. Peck is adequate. With William Prince, Paul McCrane and Augusta Dabney.

The Pearl Of Death (1944)

A master criminal (Miles Mander) steals the notorious Borgia pearl from a museum under the very nose of the famed detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone). But a series of connected murders suggest to Holmes that the thief doesn't have the pearl in his possession. Based on THE ADVENTURE OF THE SIX NAPOLEONS by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Roy William Neill (BLACK ANGEL). This was the ninth film in the 14 Sherlock Holmes movie franchise, all starring Rathbone as Holmes with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson and it is one of the very best in the series probably because it used the Doyle source material, however loosely. The mystery is intriguing and holds your interest. The film features Rondo Hatton as "The Creeper", a mindless giant of a man who kills people by breaking their backs. Universal used Hatton as the creeper in two more films. With Evelyn Ankers, Dennis Hoey, Mary Gordon and Ian Wolfe.

Miracle On 34th Street (1955)

A bitter divorcee (Teresa Wright), who works at Macy's department store, dissuades her daughter (Sandy Descher) from believing in fairy tales and myths like Santa Claus. But when she hires an elderly gentleman (Thomas Mitchell) to play Santa Claus during the Christmas shopping season, he insists that he is the real Santa Claus and he attempts to turn the daughter into a believer. Directed by Robert Stevenson (MARY POPPINS), this television adaptation of the popular 1947 movie is a serviceable substitute, at least for me. I'm not the greatest fan of the 1947 film. With a shorter running time, it gets the job done by cutting down on the heavy doses of sentimentality. If you have a great affection for the 1947 movie, you'll most likely find this remake unnecessary. It was remade again in 1959 with Ed Wynn, 1973 with Sebastian Cabot and 1994 with Richard Attenborough and in 1963 as a Broadway musical called HERE'S LOVE. With Macdonald Carey, Dick Foran, Hans Conreid and Whit Bissell.

La Nuit Americaine (aka Day For Night) (1973)

While filming a movie in Nice, a movie director (Francois Truffaut) must contend with an immature actor (Jean Pierre Leaud), an actress (Jacqueline Bisset) recovering from a nervous breakdown, a boozing actress (Valentina Cortese in an Oscar nominated performance) having trouble remembering her lines and an actress (Alexandra Stewart) hiding her pregnancy among many other things. Only the film's leading man (Jean Pierre Aumont) seems to have his act together. Directed by Francois Truffaut, this is his valentine to film making. To anyone who's worked on a movie set, the trials and tribulations are all too familiar. The film doesn't really amount to much and it's certainly not representative of Truffaut at his best (JULES AND JIM, SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER). But it's highly likable and if you love the movies, it's hard to resist (though reputedly Jean Luc Godard hated it). The reviews were glowing when it opened and as much as I treasure this movie, I think they went a tad overboard. I wouldn't even call it the best movie about making movies. I prefer SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL but there's no denying Truffaut's valentine is an entertaining confection. With Nathalie Baye, Dani, Jean Champion, David Markham and Nike Arrighi. 

The Seventh Cross (1944)

Set in 1936 Germany. After escaping from a concentration camp, a man (Spencer Tracy) makes his way through a hostile environment, not knowing who to trust. His goal is to contact the German underground who will facilitate his exit from the country. Based on the novel by Anna Seghers and directed by Fred Zinnemann (FROM HERE TO ETERNITY). This is an unusual film with a nicely subdued performance by Tracy whose dialogue is at a minimum. It's one of the very few Hollywood films of the era that dealt with the existence of concentration camps in Germany. The movie pushes the idea that not all the German people were bad and that there were good people who helped fight the Nazis in their own way. We're never told what Tracy's crime was that put him in a concentration camp but the book makes it clear that it was his Communist affiliation. The excellent supporting cast includes Hume Cronyn (in an Oscar nominated performance), Jessica Tandy, Agnes Moorehead, Signe Hasso, Ray Collins, George Macready, Kaaren Verne, Herbert Rudley, George Zucco, Eily Malyon and Katherine Locke.  

The Right Stuff (1983)

Covering the years from 1947 to 1963, a look at the United States space program from Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard) breaking the sound barrier to Gordon Cooper (Dennis Quaid) who was the last man to fly into space alone. Based on the non fiction book by Tom Wolfe and adapted for the screen and directed by Philip Kaufman (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS). Rather than giving us a "rah-rah" jingoistic movie, Kaufman looks at the space program with a cynical and humorous eye. The astronauts are treated like men, flaws and all, not like heroes. Yet Kaufman shows his admiration for their spirit and daring in pushing the envelope and going where few dared to go. The film was a box office flop but it was critically well received (8 Oscar nominations, winning 4) and posterity has given it the respect it deserves. There are some great moments of beauty such as John Glen's (Ed Harris) orbit around the earth. As with most fact based films, artistic license is taken and there are many moments in the film that never happened or are inaccurately portrayed. Unusual for a testosterone driven film, the wives of the astronauts are given some attention allowing for some fine performances, particularly Veronica Cartwright as Betty Grissom. Inexplicably, Bill Conti's generic score won an Oscar. The excellent ensemble cast include Barbara Hershey, Scott Glenn, Fred Ward, Kim Stanley, Scott Wilson, Pamela Reed, Jeff Goldblum, Donald Moffat, John Dehner and Kathy Baker.