Blanche Comme Neige (aka White As Snow) (2019)

When a beautiful but introverted young girl (Lou De Laage) unintentionally provokes the furious jealousy of her neurotic stepmother (Isabelle Huppert), the stepmother hires an assassin to kill her. But the girl escapes through the woods and finds herself in a small French mountain town. It is there that she blooms when she becomes the center of attention to seven different men. Directed by Anne Fontaine (COCO AVANT CHANEL), this clever but dark take on the Snow White fairy tale is very well done. De Laage's "Snow White" is not an innocent princess but a young woman on the brink of discovering her sexuality and when she finds it, she can't stop. Huppert's wicked stepmother isn't one dimensional but an aging beauty who fears the loss of her attractiveness and her ability to hold on to men, specifically her lover (Benoit Poelvoorde). The seven "dwarfs" become an eclectic group of men, each one different from the other but all under the enchanting De Laage's spell. With Charles Berling, Damien Bonnard, Jonathan Cohen, Richard Frechette, Vincent Macaigne and Pablo Pauly.

The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm (1962)

The story of the Grimm Brothers, Wilhelm (Laurence Harvey) and Jacob (Karlheinz Bohm), and their struggle to survive writing books no one wants to read. Jacob is the practical one and Wilhelm is the dreamer who collects fairy tales which are his true passion. Produced by George Pal (THE TIME MACHINE) and directed by Henry Levin (JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH). Filmed in the Cinerama process, this was the first movie to be released in that format that had a storyline. A second one HOW THE WEST WAS WON would follow before Cinerama was abandoned. Some movies (like 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY) would use the Cinerama name but it wasn't actually filmed in the process. Previous Cinerama films were either travelogues or documentaries. Oscar nominated for its cinematography, the film is beautifully shot by Paul C. Vogel (HIGH SOCIETY) utilizing Bavarian locations and Mary Wills won the Oscar for her costumes. As to the movie itself, it's highly fictionalized and the tired screenplay gives us the usual struggling writer cliches rather than anything insightful. Where the films comes alive are in the three fairy tale sequences which are charming and fun: The Dancing Princess with Yvette Mimieux and Russ Tamblyn, The Cobbler And The Elves with Laurence Harvey and The Singing Bone with Buddy Hackett and Terry Thomas. With Claire Bloom (wasted), Barbara Eden, Walter Slezak, Oscar Homolka, Beulah Bondi, Jim Backus, Martita Hunt, Betty Garde and Walter Rilla. 

The Unguarded Hour (1936)

The young wife (Loretta Young) of a barrister (Franchot Tone) with a promising career is being blackmailed by a man (Henry Daniell) who has compromising letters her husband had written to another woman (Aileen Pringle) prior to their marriage. Paying the blackmailer off would seem to have ended the matter but instead it spirals into suspicions, deceit and murder and an innocent man (Dudley Digges) may hang for it. Based on the play by Ladislas Fodor and directed by Sam Wood (A NIGHT AT THE OPERA). An unexpected pleasure, this rather morally complex tale is surprisingly compelling and director Wood keeps the suspense in the forefront. Young is good as the wife caught in a quandary. If she tells what she knows, her husband's career will be ruined. If she doesn't, an innocent man will hang for a crime he didn't commit. I would have preferred a more ambiguous ending where Tone's fate is left up in the air but the movie gives us the expected happy ending. Not a great film by any means but good enough to recommend. With Roland Young, Lewis Stone, Jessie Ralph and E.E. Clive.

L’uomo Senza Memoria (aka Puzzle) (1974)

Stranded in London for eight months after an auto accident that left him with amnesia, a man (Luc Merenda) discovers he has a wife (Senta Berger) in Italy. He travels to Portofino where she lives in the hope she can help him piece together who he was before his accident. But he and his wife's lives are threatened unless they turn over something worth a million dollars. The only problem is ... he can't remember. Directed by Duccio Tessari (co-writer of A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS), the film is usually referred to as a giallo but I'd call it a mystery thriller with giallo elements. There is a graphic killing with a chainsaw and some knife slashings at the end but up until then, outside of a dog's murder there isn't much violence. I enjoyed it well enough because of the mystery aspect of the plot but it isn't memorable and it lacks the style and mood that an Argento or Bava would have brought. With Anita Strindberg, Umberto Orsini and Duilio Cruciani.

Hot Rod Girl (1956)

When his kid brother (Del Erickson) is killed in a street race, a champion dragster (John Smith) vows to quit racing forever. An arrogant newcomer (Mark Andrews) moves in to not only take over the dragster's champion title but take his girlfriend (Lori Nelson) too! Directed by Leslie H. Martinson (FATHOM). Long before the FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise (2001 to the present), hot cars and drag races were all the rage in the 1950s. Aimed at the teenage market, there were a plethora of quickly made low budget hot rod movies (DRAGSTRIP RIOT, HOT ROD RUMBLE, TEEN AGE THUNDER, etc.) usually released by American International. This one is rather tame. With one exception, the dragsters and hot rodders are good kids at heart and don't mean to hurt anyone, they just want to have fun. The movie poster shrieks, "Rock 'N Roll! Youth On The Loose!" but it has a moral lesson so this is an exploitation film that the whole family can enjoy. The jazz underscore by Alexander Courage is pretty decent. With Chuck Connors, Frank Gorshin, Roxanne Arlen and Carolyn Kearney.

Miss All American Beauty (1982)

An 18 year old girl (Diane Lane) enters a beauty contest to win a scholarship for college. However, an unexpected win sets in motion a chain of events and she is entered in the national pageant, far away from her home and family. The stress and tension of being a beauty contest winner begins to wear her down. Directed by Gus Trikonis, this trite and cliched look at a young girl and the beauty pageant system has been done better, notably the satires SMILE (1975) and DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (1999). However, this one takes itself seriously but it comes across as a dull version of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS but without the hysteria and kitsch. I felt sorry for Diane Lane, a very talented actress, who can't do a thing with the role except flounder. Her character is saddled with one of those cliched perfect all American families, complete with annoying siblings and understanding parents. As her chaperone, Cloris Leachman overacts alarmingly but Jayne Meadows as the ruthless pageant head brings some much needed flash to the project. The telefilm could have used more of her. With David Dukes and Brian Kerwin.

The Long Goodbye (1973)

Los Angeles private investigator Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) helps a friend (Jim Bouton) in trouble cross the border into Mexico. The police later inform him that his friend's wife was found beaten to death and the friend is suspected of her murder. When the friend later confesses to the murder before committing suicide, it would seem to be the end of the case. But it's not and as Marlowe investigates further, a terrible truth emerges. Based on the novel by Raymond Chandler and directed by Robert Altman (NASHVILLE). THE LONG GOODBYE is one of those films which received a hostile reception on its initial release by both critics (Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert were exceptions) and the public. Posterity has been kind and the film is now regarded as a genre classic of its kind, a revisionist look at the private eyes of 40s and 50s film noir. Leigh Brackett, who co-wrote the 1946 film of Chandler's THE BIG SLEEP, updates the novel to contemporary L.A. and converts Marlowe from a tough talking private eye to an idealistic mensch. Brackett simplifies and pares down Chandler's convoluted plot and comes up with a terrific ending not in the book. Chandler purists may grumble at what Altman has done to Marlowe but I found the movie distinctive and with a sly wit. The excellent cast includes Sterling Hayden, Nina Van Pallandt, Mark Rydell, Henry Gibson, Warren Berlinger, David Arkin and Arnold Schwarzenegger.  

Gold Rush Maisie (1940)

Finding herself stranded in a boom town settlement that rose because of a gold strike, a showgirl (Ann Sothern) befriends a displaced migrant family and joins forces with them to dig for gold. Directed by Edwin L. Marin (MISS ANNIE ROONEY), this was the third entry (there were a total of 10) in the Maisie franchise from MGM and all starring Ann Sothern. I've enjoyed all the Maisie movies I've seen so far but this is easily the weakest I've seen yet. No fault of Ms. Sothern who's wonderful but it's the screenplay that lets her down. It's formulaic and you can pretty much guess every turn the movie takes. To the film's credit, it portrays the migrants plight clearly and with empathy. There's one scene with Sothern's Maisie wordlessly observing a migrant family that sums the subject up in about two minutes as effectively as the entire overrated film version of THE GRAPES OF WRATH. With Lee Bowman, Virginia Weidler, Scotty Beckett, Mary Nash and Slim Summerville. 

Reds (1981)

The story of John Reed (Warren Beatty), an American communist, whose love affair with feminist writer Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) unfolds against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. Co-written, produced and directed by Warren Beatty. An unapologetic communist protagonist is a rather daring subject for a Hollywood financed movie epic. It's the film's politics which differentiate it from another epic set during the same time period, David Lean's DOCTOR ZHIVAGO. Lacking ZHIVAGO's romanticism and Freddie Young's stunning cinematography, REDS' sincerity takes center stage. While never boring, Beatty's film nevertheless suffers from a leisurely pacing that threatens to bury the film under its own sense of importance. The acting is fine all around with Maureen Stapleton (in an Oscar winning performance) as Emma Goldman most imposing. The movie's piece de resistance is a group of elderly people knows as The Witnesses, people who knew Reed and Bryant or lived during that period and wrote about it or were active in the labor and/or communist movements and comment frequently throughout the narrative. It brings an authenticity to the film. The minimalist score is by Stephen Sondheim. With Jack Nicholson, Gene Hackman, Edward Herrmann, Paul Sorvino, William Daniels, Bessie Love and Ian Wolfe.

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Set in 1973 in the San Fernando Valley, a 15 year old high school kid (Cooper Hoffman) is attracted to the 25 year old woman (Alana Haim), who's the assistant to the photographer taking class pictures. He pursues her and a most unusual romantic relationship ensues. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (MAGNOLIA), this quirky romantic comedy breathes new life into the "coming of age" genre though it is not without controversy. Anderson makes no comment on the romantic relationship between a 25 year old woman and a 15 year old boy. If the situation were reversed and it was a 25 year old man and a 15 year old girl, I doubt most of the reviewers fawning over the movie would have been so generous. I love Anderson's work but there's no denying there's an element of discomfort watching the scenario unfold. This is the film debut for both Haim and Hoffman and Anderson elicits completely natural performances from them. I live in the film's setting, the San Fernando Valley (also the setting of his BOOGIE NIGHTS and MAGNOLIA), so the movie holds an appeal for me that it might not have with others not familiar with the area. Anderson incorporates real people into the narrative like film producer Jon Peters (Bradley Cooper), gay politician Joel Wachs (Benny Safdie) as well as based on real people like William Holden (Sean Penn), Lucille Ball (Christine Ebersole) and director Mark Robson (Tom Waits). With Maya Rudolph and John Michael Higgins.

The End Of The Affair (1955)

Set at the end of WWII in London, an American writer (Van Johnson) enters an affair with the bored wife (Deborah Kerr) of a mild mannered civil servant (Peter Cushing). When she abruptly ends their affair with no explanation, he hires a private detective (John Mills) to investigate. Based on the celebrated novel by Graham Greene and directed by Edward Dmytryk (CROSSFIRE). One of the most Catholic (though perhaps unwillingly) of writers, Greene's novel could be called a BRIEF ENCOUNTER with a religious bent. That's too glib, of course but the element of a faith in God and its effect on an adulterous affair is at the heart of Greene's book. Unfortunately, this film version of the novel is too simplistic and the complexities and layers of the Greene novel are only (and barely) hinted at. Neil Jordan's 1999 film version is a much worthier adaptation and better cast. I've always liked Van Johnson but he's not able to convey the necessary intensity and passion the part requires and Kerr is ..... adequate (what a great part this would have been for Vivien Leigh). With Nora Swinburne, Charles Goldner and Joyce Carey.  

La Chanson D'une Nuit (aka Tell Me Tonight) (1933)

A famous opera singer (Jan Kiepura) saddled with an overbearing manager (Clara Tambour) ditches her and runs off on a holiday. When a case of mistaken identity with a fellow passenger (Pierre Brasseur) on a train causes the stranger to be identified as the singer, it gives him an opportunity to travel incognito. What he doesn't know is that the guy is wanted by the police. Directed by Anatole Litvak (THE SNAKE PIT), this film was made in German, English and French with Kiepura appearing in all three versions but cast switches for most of the other roles. This French version adapted by Henri Georges Clouzot (LE CORBEAU) is a charmer of a musical comedy, often echoing the early musicals work of Lubitsch and Rene Clair. Kiepura isn't a particularly charismatic performer (though he's in excellent voice) but the rest of the cast handle the farcical aspects perfectly. Notably Brasseur and Lucien Baroux and Charlotte Lyses as a small town mayor and his wife. With Magda Schneider and Charles Lamy.

Humoresque (1946)

A gifted violinist (John Garfield) is struggling to make his career happen. When he is invited to perform at a cocktail party, he catches the eye of his hostess (Joan Crawford). Stuck in a loveless marriage, she sets her sights on the young man, first as his patroness then as his lover. Based on the short story by Fannie Hurst (IMITATION OF LIFE) and directed by Jean Negulesco (THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN). This mawkish soap opera is better than it has any right to be. Clifford Odets who wrote GOLDEN BOY about a gifted violinist from the wrong part of town and his rise to fame which included a romance with an older woman does the screenplay honors here and uses the same template. As the jaded older woman, Crawford is surprisingly good for most of the film and it is one of her least affected performances, that is until the end when she goes all Crawford on us during her big speech on the telephone and her demise on the beach with Richard Wagner roaring on the soundtrack. Enjoyable kitsch that just missed being a seriously good movie. With Oscar Levant (who has the movie's best lines), J. Carrol Naish, Ruth Nelson, Paul Cavanagh, Peggy Knudsen, Craig Stevens and Joan Chandler.

Parenthood (1989)

A large St. Louis family struggles with marriage and parenting issues: a sales executive (Steve Martin) and his wife (Mary Steenburgen) with three small children, a single mother (Dianne Wiest in an Oscar nominated performance) raising a rebellious teenage daughter (Martha Plimpton) and a secretive son (Joaquin Phoenix), a father (Rick Moranis) obsessed with pushing his pre-school daughter to her intellectual limits and the cantankerous family patriarch (Jason Robards) who gets a rude awakening when his black sheep son (Tom Hulce) returns home. Directed by Ron Howard (APOLLO 13), this is one of his better films although not without some painfully hokey moments like Moranis serenading his schoolteacher wife (Harley Jane Kozak) with a Burt Bacharach song in front of her class. The best parts of the movie show the difficulty of trying to raise children under the pressure of contemporary society which isn't often conducive to a healthy environment. The worst parts are when Howard opts for sentimental hokum rather than the grimmer facts of life. The movie ends all warm and fuzzy with Randy Newman's woolly score cueing the audience to get misty eyed. On the plus side is the ensemble cast who work very hard to give weight to the often tenuous script. With Keanu Reeves, Dennis Dugan and Helen Shaw.

The Two Worlds Of Jennie Logan (1979)

After buying an old Victorian house in New England, an unhappily married wife (Lindsay Wagner) discovers an antique wedding dress in the attic. By wearing the gown, she finds she is able to transport herself back and forth to 1899 where she falls in love with an artist (Marc Singer). Her husband (Alan Feinstein) however thinks she's hallucinating. Eventually, she must make a choice whether to live in the present or the past. Based on the novel SECOND SIGHT by David L. Williams and directed by author turned director Frank De Felitta (AUDREY ROSE, THE ENTITY). One year before SOMEWHERE IN TIME was released, this routine travel back in time romance debuted on CBS. While not without some interest, it's vastly inferior to the 1980 movie. There's a twist near the end of the film that I guessed very early in the movie. There's also a bit of hypocrisy to Wagner's character. She's cold toward her husband because of a one night stand he had yet she has no problem climbing into bed with a man who's been dead  for over 75 years! Glenn Paxton's mediocre score only adds to the blandness of the whole thing. With Linda Gray, Henry Wilcoxon, Constance McCashin and Irene Tedrow.

Dillinger (1945)

Arrested for robbing a grocery store of $7, a shiftless young man (Lawrence Tierney) is sent to prison. It is there that he forms a gang and when he gets out, he breaks the gang out of prison and they begin a reign of terror by killing and robbing. It isn't long before the FBI declares him public enemy no. 1. Directed by Max Nosseck (THE RETURN OF RIN TIN TIN), this highly fictionalized gangster movie about the notorious John Dillinger received an Oscar nomination for Philip Yordan's screenplay. The product of poverty row studio Monogram Pictures, this crime film is tough, violent and fast moving. Director Nosseck pushes the movie forward with a tight and lean pace. The film makes no attempt to show Dillinger as a guy gone bad because of society or his background nor does it glamourize him. He's a selfish cold blooded killer and Tierney chillingly plays him to perfection. As his moll, Anne Jeffreys gives what is her best film performance. She never again got a movie part this good. The banal underscore is by Dimitri Tiomkin. With Edmund Lowe, Eduardo Ciannelli, Marc Lawrence and Elisha Cook Jr.

Cinderella (1965)

A young girl (Lesley Ann Warren) lives with an abusive stepmother (Jo Van Fleet) and spoiled and selfish stepsisters (Pat Carroll, Barbara Ruick). When the Prince (Stuart Damon) announces a ball will be held in order to find a wife, her fairy godmother (Celeste Holm) makes sure she will be able to attend. Directed by Charles S. Dubin, this was the second adaptation of the original 1957 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical (a third would follow in 1997). There were some minor changes from the original 1957 production but it's essentially the same piece, only in color and with a different cast. The script adheres closely to the Cinderella fairy tale, there's nothing revisionist or audacious about it. The Rodgers & Hammerstein songs are lovely but hardly their best work. Elaborate for its day, with its cardboard looking sets and its gaudy costumes, it looks rather low budget by today's production standards. The production's ace is a winsome Lesley Ann Warren in her breakthrough role. Sweet and charming, she embodies all the qualities one thinks of when one thinks of the Cinderella story. With Ginger Rogers, Walter Pidgeon and Trudi Ames.

Fury (1936)

An innocent man (Spencer Tracy) is arrested for the kidnapping of a little girl. A bloodthirsty small town lynch mob sets fire to the jail where he is being held. Though believed dead, he miraculously has escaped but he plots his revenge on those who "killed" him. Based on the short story MOB RULE by Norman Krasna and directed by Fritz Lang in his Hollywood film debut. It's an odd film to come out of the slick MGM factory, its subject matter would seem more suited to the grittier Warner Brothers style (I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG, PUBLIC ENEMY). FURY is a greatly admired movie which many consider his best American film. I wished I liked it better but the truth is, I found it contrived, too obvious and often hysterical in its execution. Tracy snarls his way through most of the film which leaves Sylvia Sidney as his traumatized fiancee to provide the human connection. Regardless, I must confess it's very effective. With Walter Brennan, Walter Abel, Frank Albertson and Bruce Cabot.

The Tender Bar (2021)

Set in Long Island in the 1970s, a divorcee (Lily Rabe) with a young son (Daniel Ranieri) returns to live at home with her parents (Christopher Lloyd, Sondra James) and brother (Ben Affleck). The boy (now played by Ron Livingston) grows up with ambitions to be a writer and goes to Yale. Based on the memoir by J.R. Moehringer and directed by George Clooney. Yet another "coming of age" story. Although based on a memoir, it still comes off as a cliched memory piece about growing up in a dysfunctional albeit quirky family. If it had been made in the 1960s, no doubt the main protagonist would have been played by Brandon De Wile, who specialized in parts like this in movies like HUD and ALL FALL DOWN. It's an uneven film with some fine acting but Livingston's character is a bit of clueless dick through out most of the movie. How many times does he have to be kicked in the teeth by his biological father (Tye Sheridan) or girl crush (Briana Middleton) before he gets it? I didn't hate it but I knew where it was going every step of the way and I was hoping for some surprises. With Max Casella and Michael Braun.

The Browning Version (1951)

A middle aged schoolmaster (Michael Redgrave) is leaving his position because of ill health. He is a humorless, dried up man with an adulterous wife (Jean Kent) and sees his life as a failure. Based on the play by Terence Rattigan (SEPARATE TABLES), who adapted his play for the screen and directed by Anthony Asquith (THE VIPS). Although much admired, Michael Redgrave never quite got the adulation of some of his contemporaries like Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud or even Ralph Richardson. His immaculate performance here shows a great actor at the top of his game. It's not a showy performance (Redgrave isn't that kind of actor) but within the limitations of his character's emotionally stymied psyche, he gives a beautifully modulated character study. His reveal of emotion at a student's gift and his farewell speech to the school are a master class in acting. Though Redgrave's performance dominates the film, it's not the only admirable performance. Jean Kent as his embittered and cruel wife doesn't give us an inch of compassion and Nigel Patrick as her lover brings a conscientious dignity to the part. Remade in 1994 by Mike Figgis. With Ronald Howard, Wilfrid Hyde White and Bill Travers.

Darby O'Gill And The Little People (1959)

A frisky storyteller (Albert Sharpe) is desperately seeking the proverbial pot of gold. In order to get his wish, he must match wits with a devious leprechaun (Jimmy O'Dea). Based on the stories by Herminie Templeton Kavanagh and directed by Robert Stevenson (MARY POPPINS). This whimsical Walt Disney live action feature is the thickest slice of Irish blarney this side of John Ford. It's laid on with a trowel and there's even a brawl in a pub toward the end of the movie. Yet the film is remembered with fondness by many who saw it in their childhood. Personally, when it comes to Irish whimsy, I'll take FINIAN'S RAINBOW. It's not horrid, just overbearing in its quaintness. The most notable aspect of the film is Sean Connery in his Hollywood (though set in Ireland, it was made at Disney studios) film debut. He's quite dashing and the seeds of his charismatic stardom which came into fruition in 1962 are already in evidence. With Janet Munro, Estelle Winwood, Kieron Moore, Jack MacGowran and Denis O'Dea.

阮玲玉 (aka Center Stage) (1991)

The true story of the tragic life of one of China's great movie stars, Ruan Lingyu (Maggie Cheung), known as the Chinese Greta Garbo. It chronicles her rise to fame in Shanghai in the 1930s to her early death at the age of 25. Directed by Stanley Kwan (RED ROSE WHITE ROSE), Western audiences are hampered by not knowing Ruan Lingyu, a popular Chinese movie star whose many films are considered lost. While this film attempts to remedy that, in the end Lingyu remains as enigmatic as ever as we never completely know her. Kwan's film intersperses the narrative with pieces of Lingyu's few surviving movies as well as interviews with those who knew Lingyu and the cast and director discussing Lingyu's tragic life. Considering the film's piecemeal conception, Cheung is still able to give an impeccable performance. The movie gives us an inside look at Chinese film making in the 1930s as well as the fallout of the tabloid press and malicious gossip upon artistic creativity and the private lives of public figures. With Tony Leung, Chin Han, Lawrence Ng and Carina Lau.

FBI Code 98 (1962)

Three men (Ray Danton, Andrew Duggan, Jack Kelly) vital to America's missile program are en route to Cape Canaveral by private jet when a homemade bomb is discovered in a suitcase. Defused by one (Danton) of them, the FBI takes charge of the investigation. Was it sabotage or murder? Based on the novel HEADQUARTERS F.B.I. by Stanley Niss (who also produced the film) and directed by Leslie H. Martinson (FATHOM). This was originally intended as a TV pilot but instead was released theatrically in the U.S. and Great Britain. With a little tinkering, this pilot eventually morphed into the long running TV series THE F.B.I. with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. which ran on ABC from 1965 to 1974. As to the film itself, it's a decent crime drama with a documentary feel to it as the movie splits into two parts: 1) the behind the scenes investigation of the F.B.I. into the attempted bombing and 2) the personal lives of the non FBI people (romance, revenge, adultery, overbearing mothers). In a cost saving move, Max Steiner rehashes his score to THE FBI STORY (1959). With Philip Carey, Kathleen Crowley, Merry Anders, Jack Cassidy, William Reynolds, Peggy McCay and Vaughn Taylor.

That Certain Woman (1937)

Attempting to live down her past as the teenage bride of a notorious gangster, a young woman (Bette Davis) falls in love with the weak willed son (Henry Fonda) of a millionaire (Donald Crisp) who refuses to accept the girl as his son's wife. Instead of standing up to his father, he caves in like a house of cards. Written and directed by Edmund Goulding (GRAND HOTEL), this is a remake of the 1929 film THE TRESPASSER which Goulding also directed and earned its leading lady Gloria Swanson an Oscar nomination. Not having seen THE TRESPASSER I can't comment on it but this version positively creaks! Its saving grace is Davis who gives a wonderful performance showing once again how a great actor can rise above inferior material. But boy does the movie make her suffer and suffer till it allows her a happy ending. I'm not partial to movies where women wait around and pine for men who don't deserve them so in that respect, this film irritated me to no end. Fonda is perfectly cast as the wimpy papa's boy and why Davis's character wants him in the first place is a mystery. Both Davis and Fonda would do much better the following year in the superior JEZEBEL. Davis and Goulding would go on to do three more films together. With Anita Louise, Ian Hunter, Sidney Toler and Mary Phillips.

Treasure Of Matecumbe (1976)

Set in post Civil War Kentucky, a former slave (Robert DoQui) reveals to the two maiden ladies (Jane Wyatt, Virginia Vincent) who own the decaying plantation that their deceased brother had hidden a treasure map in a book in their home. When a Northern carpetbagger (Vic Morrow) breaks into the house in order to steal the map, two young boys, one white (Johnny Doran) and one black (Billy Atmore), run off with the intention of finding the treasure themselves. Based on the novel A JOURNEY TO MATECUMBE by Robert Lewis Taylor and directed by Vincent McEveety (HERBIE GOES TO MONTE CARLO). I've not read Taylor's book but if the movie is any indication, it borrows heavily from Mark Twain, specifically Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Its familiarity aside, it's an enjoyable family film with enough action and humor that should appeal to adults too. There's an impressive hurricane sequence toward the end of the film and the engaging cast keeps our attention throughout. One of the better live action Disney films of the era. With Peter Ustinov, Joan Hackett, Robert Foxworth, Dick Van Patten and Brion James.

Third Time Lucky (1949)

A compulsive gambler (Dermot Walsh) falls in love with a woman (Glynis Johns) and believes she brings him luck. Unfortunately, she also catches the eye of one of his gambling rivals (Charles Goldner). Based on the novel THEY CRACKED HER GLASS SLIPPER by Gerald Butler (who adapted his book for the screen) and directed by Gordon Parry (TWILIGHT WOMEN). I usually find movies about compulsive gamblers (like THE CINCINNATI KID) engaging but this entry is rather tiresome. Glynis Johns is always a welcome presence and she serves as a linchpin here which is good because there's nothing else to grab on to. In movies like this, we need to have some sort of connection to the gambler protagonist and Walsh gives us zilch. The film could have used a little more of the unsavory mise en scene of the world of underground gambling. With Sebastian Cabot, Michael Hordern, Helen Haye and Yvonne Owen. 

Don't Look Up (2021)

A Ph.D student (Jennifer Lawrence) in astronomy discovers a new comet. When she brings this to the attention of her professor (Leonardo DiCaprio), they discover that the comet is on its way to a collision with Earth which will result in total devastation of the planet. Written and directed by Adam McKay (THE BIG SHORT), this all star apocalyptic black comedy isn't nearly as clever as it thinks it is. It's the spawn of such loud and hysterical satires as DR. STRANGELOVE and NETWORK (DiCaprio even has his "I'm mad as hell" moment) and if you think those films are good movies then there's every chance you'll embrace this one too. I'm not a fan of those movies and I found DON'T LOOK UP heavy handed. A one joke premise that exhausts itself by the midway point yet it goes on for over another hour. It's an unbearably self-congratulatory satire with unpleasantly cartoonish characters that might have made for an amusing 15 minute Saturday Night Live sketch but it's painful to watch good actors descend to caricatures. This may be Meryl Streep's worst performance since IRONWEED and it's a career low point for most of the other actors too. While I appreciate what the film is trying to say, one can just as easily turn on CNN or Fox News to see the real life absurdity of the world today, far more horrifying than what McKay offers us. The massive ensemble cast includes Cate Blanchett (the only performance I liked), Timothee Chalamet, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Chris Evans, Jonah Hill, Ariana Grande, Melanie Lynskey, Rob Morgan and Sarah Silverman.

Tiger Bay (1959)

Set in the port town of Cardiff in Wales, a gun obsessed tomboy (Hayley Mills) witnesses a Polish sailor (Horst Buchholz) murder his lover (Yvonne Mitchell). He ditches his gun but she steals it. When he confronts her, these two lonely people form a bond as a police manhunt combs the city looking for the both of them. Based on the short story RUDOLPH AND THE REVOLVER by Noel Calef and directed by J. Lee Thompson (GUNS OF NAVARONE). In the original short story, it's a boy rather than a girl that witnesses the killing but after John Mills was cast as the detective investigating the case, director Thompson met the young Hayley Mills and cast her without an audition. She was a natural and her excellent performance has none of the phony mannerisms of most child actors. So good in the role that Walt Disney snapped her up and imported her to America where she became one of the most popular child actresses of the early 1960s. The film is unusual in that Buchholz's murderer is sympathetic, a victim of circumstance killing in the heat of passion and Mills' tomboy instead of being an adorable moppet is a pathological liar and a bit of a brat. But by the film's end, we've been touched by them both. With Megs Jenkins, Anthony Dawson and Marianne Stone.

A Southern Yankee (1948)

Set during the Civil War, a feather brained and bumbling bellboy (Red Skelton) dreams of being a spy for the Union secret service. He gets his chance when he inadvertently captures a notorious Confederate spy (George Coulouris) and takes on the spy's identity to infiltrate the Confederate camp. Inspired by the Buster Keaton film THE GENERAL (Keaton was the film's technical advisor) and directed by Edward Sedgwick (EASY TO WED). As a comedian, Skelton falls into the love him or hate him category (usually the latter) but this is one of his best starring vehicles. Full of sight gags and physical comedy, one may not laugh out loud but it brought many a grin to my face (Jeff Corey asks Skelton his age to which he replies "26" and Corey responds, "That's not a bad age for a jackass"). There's also a very funny sequence with Skelton trying to escape an overeager dentist. 1948 audiences lapped this stuff up and the movie was a hit. With Arlene Dahl, Brian Donlevy, John Ireland, Charles Dingle and Joyce Compton.

Tagebuch Einer Verlorenen (aka Diary Of A Lost Girl) (1929)

After being raped by a pharmacist (Fritz Rasp) while she was unconscious, a young girl (Louise Brooks) becomes pregnant. Her indignant father (Josef Rovensky) casts her out and she is sent to a home for "wayward" girls and her life's path is set. Based on the novel by Margarete Bohme and directed by G.W. Pabst (THREEPENNY OPERA). Brooks and Pabst had previously collaborated on PANDORA'S BOX to great acclaim the same year (1929) and while I admired that movie, I find myself preferring this follow up film. Brooks wasn't a great actress (though to be fair, she was one of the most natural of actresses in silent cinema) but she had one of the great screen presences in silent film. When she's on screen, she's a magnet to the audience. Pabst's film looks at the sexual hypocrisy of a society where a man can seduce a girl then condemn her as a tramp while the male gets off scot-free. If you've never seen Louise Brooks, that should be remedied immediately! With Franziska Kinz, Andre Roanne and Edith Meinhard.  

Du Rififi A Paname (aka Rififi In Paris) (1966)

A gold smuggler (Jean Gabin) is at war with other local gangsters who want a piece of his small empire. Meanwhile, a U.S. Treasury agent (Claudio Brook) has infiltrated his organization. Based on the novel by Auguste Le Breton (BOB LE FLAMBEUR) and directed by Denys De La Patelliere (LES ARISTOCRATES). This stylish crime thriller is first rate! Anchored by an authoritative performance by the iconic Gabin, the film is rich in atmosphere and De La Patelliere seamlessly guides the action along while we're firmly engrossed in the narrative. Gabin's old gangster is so much more attractive than the "good" guys that we're rooting for him even though he's a criminal. Two other performances stand out: Gert Frobe as Gabin's partner in crime (his death scene is a beauty) and Nadja Tiller as his mistress. Not to be overlooked is Walter Wottitz's (ARMY OF SHADOWS) superb cinematography whether it's a snow laden country highway or a garish Paris nightclub, it enhances the film immeasurably. Surprisingly, the film's reception when it was originally released was mild. It also received some notoriety when it was the movie showing when a bomb exploded in a terrorist attack in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Despite receiving second billing, George Raft doesn't show up until the film's last half hour. With Mireille Darc, Claude Brasseur, Marcel Bozzuffi and Daniel Ceccaldi.

Outside The Law (1956)

An ex-con (Ray Danton) is given the chance to redeem himself by going undercover and helping the U.S. Secret Service break up a ring of international counterfeiters, who will stop at nothing including murder. Directed by Jack Arnold (THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN), this Universal programmer (probably made to play on the lower half of a double bill) is modestly enjoyable. It's a pulpy crime thriller nicely shot in B&W by Irving Glassberg (TARNISHED ANGELS) that has no pretensions other than being what it is ..... a fast moving B movie with a cast of lesser but ingratiating contract players that gives you your money's worth. It's not the kind of movie you seek out (unless you're a Jack Arnold completist) but if it comes your way, it makes for a more than passable time waster. With Leigh Snowden, Grant Williams, Ramond Bailey, Jack Kruschen, Kaaren Verne and Onslow Stevens.

Downhill Racer (1969)

A ruthless ambitious skier (Robert Redford) competing for Olympic gold with the struggling American team is arrogant and narcissistic and is obsessed with personal Olympic glory. This means he clashes with the team's coach (Gene Hackman) who is concerned with the team as a whole. Based on the novel by Oakley Hall and directed by Michael Ritchie (SMILE). An excellent film that's more a character study than a movie about skiing. This is one of Redford's 2 or 3 best performances, back when he could still play antiheroes, flaws and all, before he became Robert Redford Movie Star. Ritchie's tight direction and James Salter's economical screenplay packs a lot of information in concise scenes. For example, one small scene between Redford and his father (Walter Stroud) tells us everything we need to know about their strained relationship. Brian Probyn's thrilling documentary like cinematography throws the audience right into the skier's boots giving the viewer an inkling of the rush and speed of a competitive skier. Kenyon Hopkins' score gives the film some needed tension. With Camilla Sparv, Dabney Coleman, Kathleen Crowley, Karl Michael Vogler and Jim McMullan. 

The Case Of The Stuttering Bishop (1937)

An Bishop (Edward McWade) from Australia arrives in America and asks attorney Perry Mason (Donald Woods) to take the case of a woman (Mira McKinney) who was falsely accused of manslaughter many years ago. Based on the novel by Erle Stanley Gardner and directed by William Clemens (NANCY DREW AND THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE). The sixth and final entry in Warners Perry Mason movies is a solid entry. As Mason, Donald Woods is merely adequate but the mystery is often hard to follow, it's good and keeps you involved. As Mason's girl Friday Della Street, the appealing Ann Dvorak isn't given much to do which is a pity as she's probably the best of Dellas in the series. With Anne Nagel, Linda Perry, Craig Reynolds and Frank Faylen.

The Road To Hong Kong (1962)

When their careers hit the skids, two ex-vaudevillians (Bing Crosby, Bob Hope) turn confidence men. When one (Hope) of them has memory problems, his memory is restored with the aid of a miracle drug that allows him to memorize things completely. But when he accidentally memorizes a top secret secret formula, enemy agents are after him. Directed by Norman Panama (THE COURT JESTER), this was the seventh and the last of the ROAD movies which began in 1940, all starring Hope, Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. Alas, this is a feeble effort and a sad end to a most enjoyable series of comedies. Genuine laughs are very few and far between. The comedic highlight is when Hope and Crosby go visit an Indian doctor played by Peter Sellers and Sellers steals the scene from under their noses. There's also a funny sight gag with a fish nibbling on Hope's fake mustache but that's about it. Two scenes in a 90 minute movie doesn't cut it. Sexism and ageism rear their ugly head when Dorothy Lamour is replaced by the much younger Joan Collins (age 29) as the leading lady. Bing Crosby considered the 48 year old Lamour too "old" to play a romantic lead opposite the 59 year old Crosby and Hope. To his credit, Hope refused to do the movie unless Lamour was given a part. She was gracious enough to do an extended cameo toward the end of the film instead of telling the producers to take their cameo and shove it. The Asian cliches and stereotypes are a burden in an already weak movie. With Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, David Niven, Robert Morley and Jerry Colonna.

Alias Nick Beal (1949)

An honest but ambitious District Attorney (Thomas Mitchell) wants to run for Governor and clean up the criminal elements in his state. This makes him easy prey for a slick con man (Ray Milland) who magically has the ability to get things done. Directed by John Farrow (THE BIG CLOCK), this is an updating of the Faust legend with film noir trimmings. I think it might have worked better if Milland's evil con man was merely a devilish hustler instead literally being the devil. This lets Mitchell's "good" man off the hook too easily. He greedily gobbles up every slice of corruption offered up by the satanic Milland but his too quick change of heart at the end seems like a deus ex machina rather than coming organically. This being the post war 1940s, it would be too much to ask for the movie to descend into the darkness that seems inevitable rather than the pseudo religious ending. With Audrey Totter giving a nice performance as a prostitute serving Milland's devil, George Macready, Fred Clark, Geraldine Wall and Darryl Hickman.

The Lost Daughter (2021)

A middle aged college professor (Olivia Colman) is on holiday in Greece. She begins observing an unhappy young mother (Dakota Johnson) and begins reflecting on her own struggle with motherhood as a young mother (Jessie Buckley). Based on the novel by Elena Ferrante and adapted for the screen and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Well, I suppose one half of a good movie is better than none at all. As long as the film sticks to the present, it's a transfixing watch but damn, those flashbacks are a slog to sit through. Colman's character explains her backstory in two sentences and if the film left it at that, this would have been one of my favorite movies of the year. But it's not enough that Colman tells us, Gyllenhaal has to show us. What a drag! The acting is very good though I'm not as enamored of Buckley's performance as some critics and awards groups are. I found Dakota Johnson much more interesting. Hats off to Gyllenhaal in her directorial debut for placing an unlikable character with psychologically disturbing traits as the central protagonist and Colman gives the best performance I've seen from her yet. With Ed Harris, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Mescal and Dagmara Dominczyk.

晩春 (aka Late Spring) (1949)

The 27 year old daughter (Setsuko Hara) of a widowed father (Chishu Ryu) feels compelled to take care of him in his later years rather than secure a life of her own including marriage. The father, knowing this is wrong, decides to force the issue and urges his daughter to marry. Based on the novel FATHER AND DAUGHTER by Kazuo Hirotsu and directed by Yasujiro Ozu (TOKYO STORY). Another study of post war Japanese family life by the great Ozu, the cultural differences between the West and Japan is much in evidence here. The daughter's devotion to her father seems unnatural and possibly Oedipal to Western eyes but the family bond in Japan is pure. Ryu's father realizes that he's been lax and maybe even selfish in letting his daughter give up the "normal" life of a young girl in order to take care of him. He redeems himself by cutting her off with an untruth and his quiet final moment in the movie is utterly poignant. With the wonderful Haruko Sugimura, Yumeji Tsukioka and Jun Usami.

Les Vampires (1915)

A journalist (Edouard Mathe) and his friend (Marcel Levesque) become involved in uncovering a notorious underground gang called The Vampires who perform daring robberies but are not above murder if it fits into their plans. Written and directed by Louis Feuillade (JUDEX), this serial runs about seven hours. Apparently made very quickly and with little attention paid to the script, it's all over the place. Characters appear and are easily discarded or killed off with new characters quick to replace them. While I prefer Feuillade's FANTOMAS serial, this one is great fun even if or perhaps because of its often ludicrous plotting and dotty scenes (at a wedding, the bride and groom dance in black body stockings!). The movie is daring in its criminal violence, the body count in very high. The film made a big star out of Musidora who plays the infamous Irma Vep (the inspiration for Olivier Assayas' 1996 film). Feuillade's stylish direction and technique clearly made an impression on Hitchcock and Fritz Lang as their early thrillers seem influenced by LES VAMPIRES. Unless, you watch it in a continuous sitting, you may lose your concentration and recollection of the movie's past events. With Fernand Herrmann, Louise Lagrange, Germaine Rouer and Suzanne Delve.

Ginger In The Morning (1974)

Set in New Mexico, a lonely uptight businessman (Monte Markham) picks up a hitchhiker (Sissy Spacek) in the desert. Despite their differences, she's a non conformist "hippie", they find themselves attracted to each other. Directed by Gordon Wiles, this romantic comedy is an artifact of its era. Spacek's flower child comes across as a flake today rather than a free spirit. It's fortunate that Spacek is so likable so that we can look beyond the hippie dippy act. As Markham's best friend, Mark Miller (who also wrote the original screenplay) is an irritating, loudmouth hick and the section with Markham and Miller on an all night drunken binge is hideous to watch. The only person I could remotely relate to was Susan Oliver as Miller's ex-wife but the script demeans her when she begs her ape of an ex to take her back! Spacek wrote and sings a couple of songs on the film's soundtrack. Fortunately for her, CARRIE (1976) was right around the corner so she wouldn't have to do tripe such as this anymore. With Slim Pickens, David Doyle, Fred Ward and Beatrice Kay.

Corridor Of Mirrors (1948)

An artist (Eric Portman) is obsessed with the past, specifically the Renaissance period. When he spots a beautiful woman (Edana Romney, who also co-wrote the screenplay) in a nightclub, he is convinced that they were lovers in the past. Based on the novel by Chris Massie and directed by Terence Young (DR. NO) in his directorial film debut. Visually, this curiosity is influenced by Cocteau's LA BELLE ET LA BETE (it even has a score by Georges Auric) but its narrative is a concoction of fantasy, suspense, romance with a touch of horror that can't seem to meld those elements successfully. Portman is suitably obsessive but Romney (who never again played a leading role in films) is adequate at best. Still, under Young's confident direction, there's no denying that it's a compelling watch. With Barbara Mullen, Hugh Sinclair, Christopher Lee, Lois Maxwell and Thora Hird.

Charlie Chan In Paris (1935)

The renowned detective Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) goes to Paris on behalf of some London bankers to investigate some forged bonds. When his contact in Paris, a young dancer (Dorothy Appleby) is murdered before she can pass crucial information, Chan is determined to find her killer. Based on the character created by Earl Derr Biggers and directed by Lewis Seiler (GUADALCANAL DIARY). The seventh film in 20th Century Fox's Chan franchise is one of the better entries. Its multi layered mystery is clever and not easy to unravel. My only (minor) complaint is that I wish more interesting actors were cast as outside of Erik Rhodes as a sketch artist and Appleby (killed off too soon), no one leaves much of an impression. The movie features the first appearance of Keye Luke as Chan's "number one son", a role he would continue to play for several years. With Mary Brian, Thomas Beck, John Miljan and John Qualen. 

The Capture (1950)

Set in Mexico, hunted and on the run from the police, a man (Lew Ayres) confesses the sordid details of his life which includes marrying the widow (Teresa Wright) of a man (Edwin Rand) he killed. With a screenplay by Niven Busch (DUEL IN THE SUN) and directed by John Sturges (BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK). Often referred to as a film noir but that term is overused when describing any film with crime elements and a low key B&W visual style. Told in flashback, the film suggests a good mystery may be ahead but it soon bogs down into a commonplace love story with Ayres having to examine his conscience. The film's screenwriter and producer Niven Busch was married to the film's leading lady Wright but he does her no favors as her character is underwritten and her switch from hating Ayres to falling in love with him is too sudden to be believable. The score by Daniele Amfitheatrof helps the movie as much as it can. With Barry Kelley, Jimmy Hunt and Duncan Renaldo.

Dance With Me (1998)

After his mother dies, an emigrant (Chayanne, a popular Latin pop star) from Cuba arrives in Texas to work for a man (Kris Kristofferson) he suspects might be his biological father. The father owns a dance school and the boy finds himself attracted to one of the instructors (Vanessa Williams) but she has set her aim, not on romance but winning the World Open Dance Championships in Las Vegas. Directed by Randa Haines (CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD), this romantic dance drama has a thin storyline as old as the movies itself. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl, the end. But it's not the plot that holds the movie together, it's the dancing. DANCE WITH ME was made before the proliferation of dance competition shows on TV (think DANCING WITH THE STARS) so it suffers a bit because of the overfamiliarity. But the dance numbers are sensational and exciting, even Joan Plowright has a dance number! So if you're into dance and can suffer through the uninteresting narrative, you'll be rewarded by the dance numbers. With Jane Krakowski, Beth Grant and Harry Groener.

The Black Marble (1980)

A burnt out alcoholic cop (Robert Foxworth) in Hollywood's robbery division is paired with a new partner (Paula Prentiss), a hard nosed no nonsense divorcee. In the meantime, a loser (Harry Dean Stanton), who is a dog groomer, kidnaps a terrier for ransom. Based on the novel by Joseph Wambaugh (who adapted his book for the screen) and directed by Harold Becker (SEA OF LOVE). This uneasy combination of romantic comedy and crime is different than the usual Wambaugh material (he's an ex-cop) in that there's a vein of humor throughout and it has a major female protagonist. But the romance and humor contrasts with the distasteful animal cruelty (simulated but still) which runs throughout the movie. Becker's pacing is often static which handicaps the crime aspects of the narrative. The underrated Foxworth (who's very good here) is one of those good actors who should have had a bigger career but he never got that one part that put him over. The underscore by Maurice Jarre accents the romantic aspects of the film leaving some of the darker moments unscored. With James Woods, Barbara Babcock, Judy Landers, Robin Raymond and John Hancock.