The Whale (2022)

A morbidly obese teacher (Brendan Fraser in his Oscar winning performance) teaches online courses where his students are not able to see him. He is in poor health but refuses to go to a hospital and his eating habits only contribute to his deteriorating condition. Based on the play by Samuel D. Hunter (who adapted his play for the screen) and directed by Darren Aronofsky (BLACK SWAN). Although the film received mixed reviews, I found it very moving and ultimately heartbreaking. I didn't find it "fatphobic" at all. Fraser gives a beautifully modulated performance and all the more impressive considering the heavy layers of prosthetics he had to act under. Fraser's character is empathetic but not without his human flaws and it's those flaws that make him real rather than a symbol. The acting is excellent all the way down the line and I found the underscore by Rob Simonsen quite effective. It's a difficult movie sit through but the emotional journey is well worth the effort. With Hong Chau (also Oscar nominated), Samantha Morton, Sadie Sink and Ty Simpkins.

A Lawless Street (1955)

The Marshal (Randolph Scott) of a small town is a target for gunslingers who want to prove they're faster than he is. The owner (Warner Anderson) of the town music hall hires a gunslinger (Michael Pate) to kill the Marshal so that he can take over the town. The arrival of the Marshal's estranged wife (Angela Lansbury) has him rethinking his place in the town. Directed by Joseph H. Lewis (THE BIG COMBO), this is yet another western where one man attempts to enforce the law all by himself while the rest of the town cowardly look the other way (think HIGH NOON). It's not a bad western, just routine. It dutifully goes through its paces without any surprises or originality. Western fans will probably be more tolerant of it than others.  The following year Scott would hook up with director Budd Boetticher and together make a series of superb westerns between 1956 and 1960. With Jean Parker, John Emery, Ruth Donnelly and Wallace Ford.

Ma Cousine De Varsovie (aka My Cousin From Warsaw) (1931)

A married woman (Madeleine Lambert) is having an affair with an artist (Andre Roanne) at her country estate while her husband (Gustave Gallet) works in Paris. When her husband's doctor suggests he needs a long rest, he returns to the country home much to the displeasure of his wife and her lover, who is also the husband's best friend. Enter the beautiful cousin (Elvire Popesco) from Warsaw and a series of romantic roundelays follows. Based on the play by Louis Verneuil (adapted for the screen by Henri Georges Clouzot) and directed by Carmine Gallone. This racy sex comedy has a Lubitsch quality to it although he would have been much subtler in its execution. The movie's laissez faire attitude toward adultery would seem too daring even in pre code Hollywood. I found it fitfully amusing although its slightly cynical, bittersweet ending is a bit of a downer. The performers are skillful farceurs with Popesco a particular standout. A scene with her breaking out in spontaneous laughter had me convinced that it was real and not in the script. With Saturnin Fabre and Pierre Noyelle. 

Anything Goes (2021)

On an ocean liner sailing from New York to London, a young stockbroker (Samuel Edwards) stowaways so that he can pursue his romance with a young heiress (Nicole Lily Baisden) even though she's engaged to another man (Haydn Oakley). Also on board are a nightclub evangelist (Sutton Foster) and a wanted gangster (Robert Lindsay). Based on the Tony award winning  2011 revival of the Cole Porter musical and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. This is a filmed production of a live performance of the London 2021 revival. I've never been fond of the book of the Cole Porter musical, neither the original 1934 production or the 1987 rewritten book which is the one performed here. It's all rather silly and its "charms" escape me but I suppose the nostalgists get a kick out of it. But really, the book is just filler for those marvelous Cole Porter ditties including I Get A Kick Out Of You, You're The Top, Blow Gabriel Blow, Friendship, Easy To Love, It's De-Lovely and, of course, the title song. Kathleen Marshall's lively choreography is another plus. Since it's literally a filmed play, the acting is broad and it takes awhile to get used to. With Felicity Kendal, Gary Wilmot and Carly Mercedes Dyer.

A Good Man In Africa (1994)

A British diplomat (Colin Friels) in a West African country recently made independent from British rule is pressured by his superior (John Lithgow) to influence the newly elected president (Lou Gossett Jr.) to give access to oil rights to Great Britain. Based on the novel by William Boyd (who adapted his book for the screen) and directed by Bruce Beresford (DRIVING MISS DAISY). I've not read Boyd's book which was highly acclaimed but the film version is seriously lacking. The book was a series of amusing incidents without a solid narrative. In his attempt to piece together a movie, director Beresford fumbles. We can start with Friels in the lead. His character is (until the very end) a real self involved jerk. You really need a charismatic actor in a role like that if you want the audience to stick with the movie and Friels just isn't interesting enough. Even though it's a supporting role, Sean Connery as the "good man" of the title obliterates Friels in their scenes together. A comedy that didn't translate well from page to screen. With Diana Rigg, Joanne Whalley, Sarah Jane Fenton and Maynard Eziashi.

The Karate Killers (aka The Five Daughters Affair) (1967)

A scientist (Jim Bowles) has discovered a process to extract gold from sea water but he is murdered by an operative (Herbert Lom) of a secret organization, who has been having an affair with the scientist's wife (Joan Crawford) in the hopes she will have access to the formula. When she doesn't provide the necessary information, she is killed and the search goes on to the man's five daughters who together may have the key to the formula. Directed by Barry Shear (WILD IN THE STREETS), this was originally a two part episode of the TV series THE MAN FROM UNCLE under the title THE FIVE DAUGHTER'S AFFAIR. The two episodes were cobbled together and released as THE KARATE KILLERS theatrically with just a tad more violence and nudity than the TV cut. It remains a tongue in cheek pastiche, not unlike the Matt Helm or Flint spy spoofs of the 1960s. It's a passable if silly entertainment but what works on the small screen doesn't necessarily transfer to the big screen. Crawford, quite briefly, brings a movie star presence to the proceedings before she's bumped off. With Robert Vaughn, Kim Darby, David McCallum, Telly Savalas, Curt Jurgens, Terry Thomas, Diane McBain, Jill Ireland, Leo G. Carroll, Danielle De Metz, Philip Ahn and Irene Tsu.

At The Circus (1939)

The struggling owner (Kenny Baker) of a small circus owes $10,000 to a shady crook (James Burke) who wants to take over the circus. When the owner comes up with the $10,000, the crook has the money stolen so the circus can fall into his hands. Directed by Edward Buzzell (NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER), this is one of the better Marx Brothers vehicles made at MGM. Not as good as A NIGHT AT THE OPERA but there are enough laughs to keep a grin on your face. Alas, MGM didn't seem to trust that the Marx Brothers could hold a movie by themselves so (as with OPERA), they've included a pair of dreary singing young lovers (Baker and Florence Rice) to do whatever they're supposed to do! The best moments include Groucho's rendition of the witty Lydia The Tattooed Lady, his encounter with a circus performer (Eve Arden) and, of course, his interactions with Margaret Dumont are priceless. As expected, Chico Marx plays the piano and Harpo Marx plays the harp and there's always the fast forward button for those segments unless you're watching it in a theatre. With Nat Pendleton and Fritz Feld.

Breakheart Pass (1975)

Set in the 1870s, a locomotive races through the Rocky Mountains on a classified mission to a remote Army post. But one by one, the passengers are being murdered! Based on the best selling novel by Alistair MacLean (GUNS OF NAVARONE), who adapted his book for the screen and directed by Tom Gries (WILL PENNY). A murder mystery western set on a train. I love westerns, murder mysteries and movies set on trains so this action movie is right up my alley! It's not great but it's fast moving with a few twists and turns aided by Lucien Ballard's (RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY) expert exterior imagery (filmed in Idaho) and Jerry Goldsmith's rousing score. Charles Bronson makes for an appealing hero though his identity is revealed much earlier in the the film whereas the book kept his identity closeted until the near the end. Not a challenging film but that works in the movie's favor. With Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland, Ben Johnson, Ed Lauter, Sally Kirkland and Archie Moore.

All This And Heaven Too (1940)

A young governess (Bette Davis) finds a position in the home of an aristocratic family. When she and the nobleman (Charles Boyer) are drawn to each other, his neurotic wife (Barbara O'Neil in an Oscar nominated performance) erupts in fury ..... and meets a bloody fate. Based on the best selling fact based novel by Rachel Field and directed by Anatole Litvak (THE SNAKE PIT). The film was well received by both critics and audiences but I don't think it holds up well today. Two and a half hours are too long (though apparently the film leaves a lot of the book out) for a stuffy melodrama of unrequited love. I disliked the maudlin framing of the story (told in flashback) and there's a decided lack of chemistry between Davis and Boyer. The movie looks authentic with its 1846 Paris setting with art direction by Carl Jules Weyl and costumes by Orry Kelly and it's a Davis performance worth watching. The forgettable underscore is by Max Steiner. With June Lockhart, Jeffrey Lynn, Virginia Weidler, Henry Daniell, George Coulouris and Harry Davenport.   

The Divided Heart (1954)

A German couple (Cornell Borchers, Armin Dahlen) have brought up their adopted son (Michel Ray) who they believed was a war orphan. But a visit from the International Refugee Organization informs them that the boy's birth mother (Yvonne Mitchell) is alive and wants her son back. Inspired by an actual incident and directed by Charles Crichton (A FISH CALLED WANDA). This is a story where no one wins, it's impossible to come up with an ending that would please everybody and the film's bittersweet ending leaves one dissatisfied. That being said, it's a potent look at parental love and the question of who is the "mother", the one who gave birth to the child or the one that raised him. The film is extremely even handed, both mothers are good and loving women. The movie gives us a sense of the turmoil in these women's lives as each struggles to hold onto their child with the decision out of their hands and into the courts. With Alexander Knox, Geoffrey Keen, Theodore Bikel, Alec McCowen and John Schlesinger, who would give up acting to become a director (SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY). 

The Ladies Man (1961)

After being jilted by his fiancee, a recent college graduate (Jerry Lewis) swears off women forever. However, when he accepts a job as a houseboy, little does he know it's for a boarding house for aspiring actresses! Co-written (an uncredited Mel Brooks had a hand in the screenplay but walked off the movie after a disagreement with Lewis) and directed by Jerry Lewis (THE NUTTY PROFESSOR). One of Lewis's very best films and more appreciated now than when released. Once again, Lewis shows what a wonderful physical comedian he was (one sight gag had me giggling like a hyena). Make no mistake about it, this is Lewis's show all the way with the supporting players in his service. But the movie is almost stolen by the amazing standing set which needs to be seen to be believed. An impressive four story mansion (several rooms deep) that takes up an entire soundstage with a central lobby that allows for crane shots of the entire set. Among the massive cast: George Raft, Helen Traubel, Harry James, Madlyn Rhue, Kathleen Freeman, Hope Holiday, Jack Kruschen, Mary LaRoche, Joan Staley and Sylvia Lewis. 

헤어질 결심 (aka Decision To Leave) (2022)

A married police detective (Park Hae-il) works on a case where a retired immigration officer (Yoo Seung Mok) has fallen off the cliff of a mountain he frequently climbed. He suspects that it was not an accident but murder and the main suspect is the dead man's much younger wife (Tang Wei). But when he falls in love with her, it will lead to a dark end. Co-written and directed by Park Chan Wook (SNOWPIERCER), who won the best director award at the Cannes film festival for his work here. We've all seen movies about obsessive love but I don't think I've seen a more disturbing vision than this one. It's a complicated journey but its characters seem determined to follow it through all the way to its nihilistic conclusion. I've seen the movie referred to as a romantic thriller but I didn't find anything "romantic" about it. The twists and turns are exhausting but I mean that in a good way. An intense thriller. With Lee Jung Hyun and Go Kyung Pyo.

Behind Locked Doors (1948)

Going undercover, a private detective (Richard Carlson) and a journalist (Lucille Bremer) pose as husband and wife when he checks into a private mental hospital to locate a corrupt judge (Herbert Heyes) hiding from the law. Directed by Budd Boetticher (THE TALL T). Some 15 years before Sam Fuller's SHOCK CORRIDOR, this B film noir set up the plot that Fuller would expand on luridly in 1963. Frankly, although I'm a great admirer of Sam Fuller, I enjoyed this one more. It's lean and tight and moves quickly and is quite enjoyable. The premise is far fetched but then again, so was SHOCK CORRIDOR. The acting is solid and Lucille Bremer is good enough to suggest that she was ill used at MGM, where they tried to make her into a musical star. With Douglas Fowley, Tor Johnson, Thomas Browne Henry and Kathleen Freeman.

Enter The Dragon (1973)

A martial arts instructor (Bruce Lee) is approached by a British intelligence agent (Geoffrey Weeks) to enter a high profile martial arts tournament on a private island. His mission is to gather evidence against the crime lord (Shih Kien) who owns the island and is sponsoring the tournament. The crime lord is involved with drug trafficking and prostitution. Directed by Robert Clouse (GOLDEN NEEDLES), this low budget martial arts movie was a massive international hit (on a $900,000 budget) and would have made Bruce Lee a huge international star if he hadn't died at age 32 before the film was released. I'll be upfront, I'm not a fan of martial arts films in general and I've seen better Asian films involving martial arts than this. But some bad acting aside (but who watches a movie like this for good acting?), it's an enjoyable example of exploitation pulp. I couldn't help but find some of the martial arts scenes unintentionally amusing as Lee squawks like a chicken when he fights. Still, the film is one of the most influential genre films of all time. With John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri and Bob Wall.

Ann Vickers (1933)

A social worker (Irene Dunne) falls in love with a soldier (Bruce Cabot) and becomes pregnant but it soon becomes clear, he doesn't want to get married. The child "dies" and she becomes a leader in prison reform before engaging in an affair with a bribe taking married judge (Walter Huston) and has a child by him. Based on the novel by Sinclair Lewis and directed by John Cromwell (OF HUMAN BONDAGE). This pre-code film is pretty daring for its time. Dunne's unapologetic relationship with a married man and having his child would have been condemned once the Hays code came into existence. Still, the movie is evasive on how she "lost" her first baby. It can be read as either an abortion (as it was in the book) or a miscarriage. Normally, I can't abide Dunne's weepies (I much prefer her comedies) but her Ann Vickers is a strong quasi feminist that takes the punches life gives her and makes her even stronger. She feels no shame at the unconventionality of her romantic life in a judgmental society. Not a great movie by any means but certainly one of great interest. With Edna May Oliver, Conrad Nagel, Jane Darwell, J. Carrol Naish, Gertrude Michael and Rafaella Ottiano.

Valerie (1957)

Set shortly after the Civil War, a rancher (Sterling Hayden) calmly enters the home of his wife's parents (John Wengraf, Iphigenie Castiglioni) and shoots them as well as his wife (Anita Ekberg). At the trial, we hear testimony from three people: the husband, the wife (who survived the attack, her parents didn't) and the town's preacher (Anthony Steel) and through flashbacks, we see the story from three different perspectives. Directed by Gerd Oswald (A KISS BEFORE DYING), the movie seems inspired by Kurosawa's RASHOMON but unlike RASHOMON, we discover which story is the truth. It's a B programmer and crudely executed but compelling in its own way nevertheless. In a change from her usual sexpot roles, Ekberg's immigrant wife is demure with blouses buttoned up to the neck. I can't honestly recommend it but if it comes your way, you might want to give it a look. With Peter Walker and Jerry Barclay. 

Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984)

Set in 1935, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is forced to flee Shanghai after a murder attempt on his life. Accompanying him are a nightclub singer (Kate Capshaw) and an orphan (future Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan). When the trio arrives in India at a small village, the villagers plead for Indiana's help in retrieving their kidnapped children and the village's sacred stone. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this was a sequel to the 1981 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. The original reviews (and some of the public reaction) was rather hostile because of the violence and gore in a PG rated movie and this film was responsible for the creation of the PG 13 rating. It's over the top and outlandish but I've always liked it unlike the two horrid sequels THE LAST CRUSADE and THE CRYSTAL SKULL that came after. True, Spielberg overemphasizes the ick factor what with monkey brains for dessert, hearts ripped out of living people, cockroaches in the hair etc. but it remains an exciting and fast moving action adventure. The film's biggest flaw is the annoying female lead played by the uncharismatic Capshaw (I kept thinking how wonderful Bernadette Peters would have been in the role) who is shrill and brings no appeal to the part. The thrilling score is by John Williams and the handsome images by Douglas Slocombe (THE LION IN WINTER). With Dan Aykroyd, Roshan Seth and Amrish Puri.

Crazy In Love (1992)

A documentary film maker (Holly Hunter) loves her husband (Bill Pullman) so much that her constant demands and suspicions are pushing their relationship to the edge. When a photographer (Julian Sands) enters her life, her attraction to him confuses her. Based on the novel by Luanne Rice and directed by Martha Coolidge (RAMBLING ROSE). The film may be easy to relate to (who hasn't had an obsessive streak when it comes to love sometime in their life?) but Hunter's character carries it to such an extreme that it renders her, well ..... crazy! It becomes more than a romantic quirk, it's downright unhealthy. It's a film about three generations of women: Gena Rowlands as her mother, Frances McDormand as her sister, Herta Ware as her grandmother, who live on a private island and whose dominance have had an ill effect on the men in their lives. It's well acted but I'm not sure that its premise worked for me. Still, with a cast like this, it makes for an absorbing watch. With Peter Lohnes and Marjorie Nelson.

So This Is Love (1953)

A young singer (Kathryn Grayson) struggles to forge a career for herself. After several years, she achieves success as a Broadway star but she has one ambition left ..... to star at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Based on the autobiography YOU'RE ONLY HUMAN ONCE by Grace Moore and directed by Gordon Douglas (TONY ROME). Grace Moore isn't much remembered today but in addition to starring on Broadway and opera, she had a successful career in Hollywood too and received a best actress Oscar nomination for ONE NIGHT OF LOVE (1934) and was only 48 when she died in a plane crash in Denmark. This movie biography is typical bio fodder and its by the numbers script is stale. Curiously even though Grayson's not much of an actress, I don't mind her acting and I find her an attractive screen presence but her "singing" is like fingernails scraping a chalkboard to me! We're forced to listen to her operatic vocals but she gets a chance to relax and bump and grind to I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate which is fun. It doesn't help that Grayson is saddled with bland actors like Merv Griffin and Douglas Dick as her romantic leading men. With Joan Weldon, Marie Windsor, Jeff Donnell, Walter Abel, Rosemary DeCamp, Mabel Albertson and Fortunio Bonanova.

Marco Polo (1962)

A 13th century explorer (Rory Calhoun) journeys to China with the aim of expanding world trade. There, he meets a Princess (Yoko Tani) and becomes romantically involved and participates in a rebellion against a treacherous war lord (Robert Hundar). Directed by Hugo Fregonese (MAN IN THE ATTIC) and Piero Pierotti (the Italian version). Despite the title, this Italian/French nonsense has absolutely nothing to do with the real Marco Polo. Obviously the film makers have confused Marco Polo with Casanova as Polo is portrayed here as a love 'em and leave 'em lothario. Furthermore, Calhoun's portrayal of him is flippant. Realism is thrown out the window. Example: when the Chinese first serve Polo a dish of long thin noodles that is new to him, he is told that it is spaghetti! Spaghetti is a Chinese word? Of course, Polo takes a sample back to Italy with him. Yes, it's that kind of movie. The film's ace is the gorgeous wide screen cinematography courtesy of Ricardo Pallottini (SON OF SAMSON) masking Italy as China. Also notable are Mario Giorsi's costume design and the art direction (credited to four people). With Camillo Pilotto and Michael Chow.

Women Talking (2022)

In an isolated Mennonite community, the women have been tranquilized and raped systematically by the males of the colony. When the rapists are arrested and imprisoned in a nearby city, the men leave to bail the attackers. While the men are away, the women must decide to either forgive the men, stay and do nothing, stay and fight or leave the colony. Based on the novel by Miriam Toews and adapted for the screen and directed by Sarah Polley. Has there ever been a movie more properly titled? Polley's movie is just that ..... women talking. Toews' novel is based on an actual incident that occurred in a Mennonite colony in Bolivia in the years between 2005 and 2009. Frankly, this is a film that I admire more than I embrace it. There's no denying its potent message and Polley doesn't hammer us with it. Instead, she slowly peels away the layers as the women reveal their dreams, fears and there is no stone unturned as they examine and question the pros and cons of their options. Intellectually, I admire what the movie is attempting but as a moviegoer, it often seems contrived. For example, the token male character, a schoolteacher (Ben Whishaw) is so good and clean that he doesn't resemble an actual human being. He's just there to show that not all men are bad. When the women are debating, more than once I thought, "Stop the talking and get your asses outta there before the men come back!". I wish I liked it more, I really do but talking heads can hold my interest for only so long. With Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy and Frances McDormand.

B'Twixt Now And Sunrise (aka Twixt) (2011)

A struggling supernatural fiction writer (Val Kilmer) arrives in an isolated small town as part of a book tour. It is there that he hears the local folklore of vampires and an infamous mass murder that occurred many years ago which he intends to use as inspiration for his next book. Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (THE GODFATHER). This slipped under the radar film may be the least seen of Coppola's output. Outside of film festivals, Coppola's film was never theatrically released in the U.S. and its reviews were negative but it did play in Europe where it received favorable reviews especially in France. Cahiers Du Cinema named it the third best film of 2012. Coppola recut the film sometime later and his "director's cut" (he cut 8 minutes out of it and gave it a different ending) is the version I saw. I give it an A for style but a C (and I'm being generous here) for the botched narrative. The plot seemed to have so much potential but Coppola couldn't find a satisfying conclusion and it's ending is a real groaner (the original ending sounded much more interesting). Also, Bruce Dern as a wacky small town sheriff who writes thrillers seems out of place in this version. I did like Mihal Malaimare's (THE MASTER) evocative cinematography during the dream sequences which are shot in a silvery blue hue with only red standing out. I'll call it an interesting failure and leave it at that. With Elle Fanning, Ben Chaplin (as Edgar Allan Poe), Alden Ehrenreich, David Paymer and Joanne Whalley (Kilmer's ex-wife) as his money grubbing wife.

A Kiss For Corliss (aka Almost A Bride) (1949)

In order to make her boyfriend (Darryl Hickman) jealous, a 17 year old teenager (Shirley Temple) fabricates a romance with a much older three time married playboy (David Niven). She writes the made up romance in her diary intending that only her boyfriend see it. However, when the diary falls into other hands, all hell breaks loose! A sequel to the 1945 film KISS AND TELL and directed by Richard Wallace (THE LITTLE MINISTER). Sitcom material blown up to feature film proportions. The most popular child star in the history of film, Temple had a difficult time transitioning to an adult actress and this was her final movie although she did continue to act on television before eventually give acting up. Societal attitudes have changed since 1949 and the idea of a romance between an underage teen girl and a 37 year old playboy is more icky than amusing. Temple may have been an adorable child but as a young woman, her "adorability" is worn out. It's a thin comedy whose only point of interest is as the last movie Temple made. With Tom Tully, Gloria Holden, Roy Roberts and Barbara Billingsley.

All That Jazz (1979)

A theatre director and choreographer (Roy Scheider) is working overtime editing his new film and staging his new Broadway musical. His excesses which include non stop smoking and sleeping around even though he has a girlfriend (Ann Reinking) is beginning to take its toll. Directed by Bob Fosse (CABARET), this surreal drama/musical fantasy loosely based on Fosse's own life won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival. Specfically, the movie focuses on the period when he was editing LENNY (1974) while staging the original production of CHICAGO which opened in 1975. Fosse uses the old razzle dazzle to lift the film out of the ordinary. It's all style and when the style is this good, it covers up a multitude of sins. The movie Scheider is editing looks godawful and an inferior carbon of LENNY. The handful of musical numbers are terrific and so much better than the prosaic narrative. Two standouts are the Take Off With Us and Everything Old Is New Again numbers. The acting is good considering the thin material the actors are working with. As Death, Jessica Lange is lovely but her "character" is too wispy for her to make any impression. With John Lithgow, Ben Vereen, Leland Palmer, Cliff Gorman, Deborah Geffner, Wallace Shawn, CCH Pounder, Vicki Frederick and the magnificent Sandahl Bergman.

Anna Karenina (1935)

The wife (Greta Garbo) of a Czarist official (Basil Rathbone) falls in love with a military officer (Fredric March). This liaison ruins her marriage and her position in 19th century Russian society. Based on the classic novel by Leo Tolstoy and directed by Clarence Brown (NATIONAL VELVET). One of MGM's prestigious films (it was produced by David O. Selznick) so it's given the opulent treatment, its art direction and costume design are majestic. Garbo, who had previously played Anna in a silent film version called LOVE (1927), won the New York Film Critics best actress award for her work here gives a moving and complex performance. Of course, it isn't Tolstoy's ANNA KARENINA, how could it be? His 800 page plus novel is reduced to a 95 minute telling with several major characters and incidents eliminated. The problem with most film and TV versions (and there are over 20 at least) is an acceptable Count Vronsky. You have to believe that a woman would abandon her husband and child, her position in society out of passion for this man and it isn't March's stolid Count. For what it is, it's very well done. With Maureen O'Sullivan, May Robson, Constance Collier, Reginald Owen and Phoebe Foster.

The Gypsy Moths (1969)

During the 4th of July weekend, a sky diving team known as The Gypsy Moths arrive in a small Kansas town to put on a show. It's the hometown of one (Scott Wilson) of the skydivers and they stay with his Aunt (Deborah Kerr) and Uncle (William Windom). Sexual tension is apparent between the Aunt and another of the skydivers (Burt Lancaster). Based on the novel by James Drought and directed by John Frankenheimer (MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE). Frankenheimer complained that MGM didn't give his movie much of a chance and cut three minutes out of the movie (including Kerr's topless scene) so that it was more family friendly and could play Radio City Music Hall. It bombed and MGM restored the three minutes and Kerr's nude scene but the damage was done and the movie didn't do well. Actually, Kerr is miscast as a smalltown Kansas housewife and sticks out like a fish out of water. The rest of the cast fare better but its spectacular aerial stunts aside, it's a dreary movie. If you want to see a better movie about barnstorming skydivers, stick with Sirk's TARNISHED ANGELS. With Gene Hackman, Bonnie Bedelia, William Windom and Sheree North.

Uranium Boom (1956)

Deep in the badlands of Colorado, two prospectors stumble across a large deposit of uranium. When one (Dennis Morgan) of them goes into town to file their claim, the other (William Talman) remains at the mine to guard it. While in town, he falls in love with a woman (Patricia Medina) not realizing his partner is also in love with her. Directed by William Castle (STRAIT JACKET), this familiar retread was already tired by the time it was made . If it had been done at MGM in the 1930s, it would have starred Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy (BOOM TOWN comes to mind) or at Warners, with James Cagney and Pat O'Brien, maybe with Ann Sheridan as the girl. By 1956, it wasn't even worthy for a bigger budget with an A list cast. It's a quickie programmer, the kind that would play the bottom half of a double feature. Still, I have to admit I was entertained by it even as it tread familiar territory. With Philip Van Zandt providing comic relief as an Indian, Tina Carver and Henry Rowland.

I Take This Woman (1940)

A doctor (Spencer Tracy) who works in a small East Side clinic devoted to helping neighborhood patients with limited income falls in love with a well bred fashion model (Hedy Lamarr). In order to keep her in the style she's accustomed to, he takes an unfulfilling position in a high end clinic devoted to servicing Manhattan's elite. Based on the short story A NEW YORK CINDERELLA by Charles MacArthur and directed by W.S. Van Dyke. This movie had a troubled history. It was begun by Josef von Sternberg who was replaced by Frank Borzage and then the film was shelved until W.S. Van Dyke was brought in to complete it. The film is riddled with problems. One minute Tracy is working in a clinic in a poor neighborhood then all of a sudden, he's working in a posh high society private hosptial. What happened in between? Spencer Tracy is a good actor, one of the best but his pairing with Katharine Hepburn aside, he's not a romantic leading man and he has no chemistry with Hedy Lamarr. They made three films together but this was their only romantic pairing. A misguided effort which does the talent involved a disservice. With Laraine Day, Louis Calhern, Verree Teasdale, Kent Taylor, Marjorie Main, Frances Drake, Willie Best, Reed Hadley and Jack Carson, who despite major billing is in the movie for less than a minute. 

Arch Of Triumph (1984)

Set in 1939 Paris as war clouds hover over Europe. A brilliant German surgeon (Anthony Hopkins) has fled to Paris to escape the ever growing power of the Nazis. He meets a down on her luck cabaret singer (Lesley Anne Down) and embarks on a passionate love affair but an act of vengeance will sabotage their romance. Based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque (ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT) and directed by Waris Hussein (POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY). Remarque's novel had previously been filmed in 1948 with Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman. The 1948 film seemed excessively long at two hours plus. This version at 93 minutes has the benefit of a streamlined narrative and a solid performance by Hopkins. Still, I haven't found the material particularly appealing in either version, there's something lacking in the lead character. It was lacking with Boyer too so I assume it's a result of the source material which I've not read. I'm partial to doomed romances but while I appeciate the effort, I was underwhelmed. The score is by Georges Delerue. With Donald Pleasence, Frank Finlay, Alexander Davion and Joyce Blair.

La Fleur Du Mal (aka The Flower Of Evil) (2003)

The matriarch (Nathalie Baye) of an outwardly perfect family upper class family decides to run for mayor. But in the midst of her campaign, a leaflet is distributed accusing her family of collaboration with the Nazis, adultery, profiteering and more. Skeletons begin to emerge sowing discord and distrust as the family begins to unravel. Directed by Claude Chabrol (LES BICHES), this minor entry in Chabrol's filmography takes awhile to get its rhythm going. The movie starts with a camera pan that eventually ends on a dead body before we go into flashback mode. Chabrol's fascination with the moral rot of the upper class bourgeoisie continues but by the time he gets to the core, our interest has begun to wane. With the exception of the old Aunt (Suzanne Flon giving a lovely performance), I found the characters too shallow to invest much interest in. I don't mean to sound too harsh because I liked it well enough. It's just disappointing. With Benoit Magimel, Bernard Le Coq, Melanie Doutey, Henri Attal and Thomas Chabrol (the director's son).

The Male Animal (1942)

An English professor (Henry Fonda) at a football crazy midwestern college finds himself pushed at both his personal and professional life. When his wife's (Olivia De Havilland) ex-boyfriend (Jack Carson) returns to town, he senses she's still in in love with him. Meanwhile, the college trustees' "red" paranoia threaten to fire him if he reads a letter from anarchist Bartolomeo Vanzetti during a class lecture. Based on the hit Broadway play by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent and directed by Elliott Nugent. I've not read or seen the play (it's rarely if ever revived) of THE MALE ANIMAL but I assume since it's directed by one of the co-authors that it sticks close to the play. Nugent doesn't bother to hide the play's theatrical origins despite some wan attempts at opening up the play for the screen. The most interesting aspect of the film is the political attempt to squash the professor's speech which resonates today since in certain parts of the country, there is an attempt to interfere with ideas and thoughts expressed in schools that don't adhere to the beliefs of those in political power. Unfortunately, the domestic affairs in the professsor's household are given more attention than they deserve and are the weakest segments of the movie. There's a boring drunk scene between Fonda and Herbert Anderson as a student that goes on way too long. With Joan Leslie, Don DeFore, Eugene Pallette and Hattie McDaniel.

Deported (1950)

After serving five years in prison for a $100,000 theft, an Italian born immigrant (Jeff Chandler) is deported back to his native country. He has a plan to "import" the $100,000 he stole into Italy but when he meets a beautiful young Contessa (Marta Toren), he waivers. Directed by Robert Siodmak (THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE), this crime thriller is probably the least seen of Siodmak's noir output. Universal decided to film this on location in Italy rather than their backlot and the Naples, Tuscany and Siena locations lend an authenticity to the proceedings. Other than Chandler (whose character is loosely based on Lucky Luciano) and Toren (an appealing Swedish import under contract to Universal at the time) who were brought in from Hollywood, the rest of the cast are Italian and French actors. As to the movie itself, it falls apart in the film's last 15 minutes but what precedes it is pretty good. Noir fans might feel there's not enough noir to suit them but Siodmak fans should definitely check this one out. With Claude Dauphin, Marina Berti and Silvio Mindotti. 

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

The swashbuckling ginger cat Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) has burned through eight of his nine lives. To get those lives back, he along with his former girlfriend Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and an orphan dog (Harvey Guillen) enter the dangerous Black Forest  to find the mythical Wishing Star to grant his wish. But he's not the only one seeking the Wishing Star. Directed by Joel Crawford (THE CROODS: A NEW AGE), this sequel to PUSS IN BOOTS (2011) hasn't lost any of its charm and holds its own with the original and may be slightly better. Banderas and Hayek return but some new fairy tale characters are added like Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and Jack Horner (John Mulaney). The animation is marvelous, vivid and bright and the journey Puss goes on is interested in more than laughs (though they are plenty) with a serious "message" at the end of the trek without being saccharine. If you liked the first one, you'll definitely enjoy this one. Good fun although parts of the movie may be too intense for some youngsters. With Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, Wagner Moura and Da'Vine Joy Randolph.