Victim (1961)

After a young homosexual (Peter McEnery) commits suicide because he's being blackmailed, a repressed homosexual (Dirk Bogarde) takes it upon himself to expose the blackmailing ring, even at the cost of his rising legal career. Directed by Basil Dearden (KHARTOUM), the film is notable for being the first English language film to explicitly deal with homosexuality openly and sympathetically although looking at it through contemporary eyes, it does seem somewhat condescending. Still, it's a landmark film on the subject matter and is credited with helping abolish British laws that criminalized homosexuality. I found Bogarde's performance problematic. He looks unhappy throughout the movie. Is it because he's repressing his true nature or is he unhappy being homosexual? As a movie, it's more successful as a social protest against an injustice as opposed to an artistic piece of cinema. With Sylvia Syms (excellent as Bogarde's wife), Dennis Price, Peter Copley, Anthony Nichols and Mavis Villiers.

Alaska Seas (1954)

Just released from jail, a fisherman (Robert Ryan) is hired by his old pal (Brian Keith), the head of the local salmon fishermen who have formed their own canning cooperative. The fishermen fight to keep a ruthless gang of fishing trap thieves at bay. But the ex-convict is short on cash and ethics. Directed by Jerry Hopper (SECRET OF THE INCAS), this is a remake of the 1938 film SPAWN OF THE NORTH. A second tier programmer that's a perfectly serviceable movie for undiscerning audiences. It's efficient if uninspired movie making that accomplishes what it sets out to do. Ryan is suitably black hearted, Keith is adequately heroic and Jan Sterling as their love interest doesn't have much to do except be lovely which she does without effort. With Gene Barry, Timothy Carey and Ross Bagdasarian, who would create Alvin and The Chipmunks four years later. 

Confirm Or Deny (1941)

Set in London 1940, an American war correspondent (Don Ameche) with newspaper ink in his veins anxiously awaits information from a Berlin correspondent regarding the invasion of England by the Germans. He is determined to scoop the competition at all costs, even if it means releasing classified information. Directed by Archie Mayo (THE PETRIFIED FOREST) with an uncredited contribution from Fritz Lang. A routine wartime propaganda war film (though the U.S. was not in the war yet) that uses HIS GIRL FRIDAY as its template. Ameche's manipulative newspaperman talks a mile a minute but the lackluster Ameche lacks Cary Grant's comedic chops and screen presence. As the romantic interest, Joan Bennett is lovely but she doesn't have much to do except react to Ameche. Even at a brief running time of one hour and fourteen minutes, the movie drags. With Roddy McDowall, Eric Blore and John Loder.

Jewel Robbery (1932)

Set in Vienna, a Baroness (Kay Francis) relieves the boredom of her marriage to an older man (Henry Kolker) with love affairs but even the adultery is beginning to bore her. However, when she is in a jewelry store and a gentleman thief (William Powell) and his gang break in and rob the place, he takes the time to flirt with her and she finds herself attracted to him. Based on the Hungarian play EKSZERRABIAS A VACI-UTCABAN by Ladislas Fodor (and its English adaptation by Bertram Bloch) and directed by William Dieterle (HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME). A thin pre code romantic comedy and heist movie hybrid that does little to hide its theatrical origins. Still, there's the star power of William Powell showing off the charm that would make his Nick Charles in THE THIN MAN a hit two years later and Kay Francis modeling her Orry Kelly frocks. This was Powell's and Francis's fifth movie together and they play off each other nicely which compensates for the stilted screenplay. This being a pre code movie, adultery is treated quite casually (somehow in these movies, it seemed acceptable among the rich) and marijuana cigarettes passed around like candy! With Helen Vinson and Alan Mowbray.

The Boob (1926)

A meek young country boy (George K. Arthur) is in love with his childhood sweetheart (Gertrude Olmstead) but she's in love with a city slicker (Tony D'Algy). In order to impress her and win her back, he sets out to catch some bootleggers! Directed by William A. Wellman (THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY), this minor silent comedy is watchable but lacks the originality and wit that make the Keaton and Chaplin silent comedies such classics. In fact, George K. Arthur comes across as a poor imitation of Buster Keaton. The movie is stolen by two supporting players, a black child actor who shockingly is not credited even though he has an important role and a mutt by the name of Benzine! The film is also notable for an early appearance by a young Joan Crawford in a minor role as a government revenue agent. Wellman's career would make a major leap the following year when he directed the Oscar winning WINGS. With Charles Murray and Edythe Chapman.

Thelma And Louise (1991)

Two best friends, Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) set out for a weekend getaway in the mountains. But a stop at a country and western bar turns ugly when a man (Timothy Carhart) attempts to rape Thelma and is shot and killed by Louise. Directed by Ridley Scott (ALIEN). There had been a smattering of mainstream feminist movies in the 1970s (ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN etc.) but nothing like the controversy and attention that made THELMA AND LOUISE one of the most talked about movies of the year. It wasn't a small intellectual film but a female road film that had as much action as a Charles Bronson movie and encompassed the anger, rage and frustration toward a male driven society that still treated women as second class citizens. While many feminists decried the violence in the film, audiences cheered the two women as they blew up a sexist trucker's vehicle. I think it's Sarandon's best performance and Geena Davis gives a trajectory to her ditzy housewife's journey of discovery till she realizes she can never go back to the way it was. In many ways, a landmark film. With Brad Pitt (in his breakthrough role), Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald and Lucinda Jenney. 

怪物 (aka Monster) (2023)

A single mother (Sakura Ando) raising a son (Soya Kurokawa) is alarmed by her son's disturbing behavior and suspects he is being abused by a teacher (Eita Nagayama) and she goes to the school to confront him but is unsatisfied with the school's response. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (SHOPLIFTERS), the film won the best screenplay at the Cannes film festival. The film is a complex puzzle told from three different views and it takes awhile to get used to the fragmented narrative but slowly it emerges into a shattering but empathetic rumination on understanding and accepting who you are. Other themes show themselves: homophobia, bullying, parental abuse, guilt but they are secondary to the film's emotional core. The two central child performers (Hinata Hiiragi is the other boy) are amazing. Not an easy viewing but be patient, the reward is great. With Yuko Tanaka and Mitsuki Takahata.

Tarzan The Ape Man (1932)

Two hunters (C. Aubrey Smith, Neil Hamilton) travel in Africa searching for a sacred elephant burial ground where they expect to find a wealth of ivory. They take along the older hunter's daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) in their quest. But they come across a primitive white man (Johnny Weissmuller), almost ape like in his demeanor. Based on the 1912 novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs and directed by W.S. Van Dyke (SAN FRANCISCO). Not the first Tarzan feature film made but the most successful. It spawned 12 more movies with Weissmuller as Tarzan and the character would continue with Lex Barker and Gordon Scott playing the jungle hero among many others. It's a primitive film in more ways than one. I found much of it difficult to watch what with its indigenous people being whipped because they didn't move fast enough for their white bwanas and the random slaughter of animals in their native habitat because they were in the way. Weissmuller doesn't have to act, just look good in a loin cloth (which he does) and he doesn't come in until a half hour into the movie. The movie really belongs to O'Sullivan as Jane who carries most of the movie. For me, it was of interest for its historical aspect but not much else. I much preferred the Lex Barker Tarzan movies.

The Looters (1955)

When a plane crashes in the snow capped Rocky Mountains of Colorado, a mountain climber (Rory Calhoun) and his old Army buddy (Ray Danton) set out on their trail with the intention of rescuing any survivors. But the Army buddy is lured  by the $250,000 in cash they find among the plane's debris. Directed by Abner Biberman (THE NIGHT RUNNER). After a slow expository beginning, the film grows in intensity as the two mountain climbers and the survivors make the perilous trek down the mountain. The movie may be a minor Universal programmer but it does its job well and the acting is more than decent. The film benefits from its mountain locations though I have no idea where the film's exteriors were filmed (interiors shot at Universal) and handsomely shot by Lloyd Ahern (MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET) in B&W. A nifty adventure movie. With Julie Adams, Thomas Gomez, Frank Faylen and Russ Conway.

The Questor Tapes (1974)

An android (Robert Foxworth) created with cutting edge technology sets out on a quest to find his missing creator (Lew Ayres) in an attempt to find out his purpose. To this end, he is helped in his search by a young scientist (Mike Farrell). Directed by Richard Colla (THE UFO INCIDENT) and based on a concept by Gene Roddenberry, the man behind the original STAR TREK series. A fascinating premise poorly executed. The movie plays around with the idea of creation in terms of our own creation and our relation to our "creator" and the android's relation to his own creator but it doesn't explore it in any depth. It plays out like a TV movie of the week (which it was) and this is only amplified by the cipher that is Mike Farrell. The film has a large cult following but I, for one, would love to see it remade by more creative and daring minds. With Dana Wynter, John Vernon, Majel Barrett and James Shigeta whose part seems to have been severely cut.

Speriamo Che Sia Femmina (aka Let's Hope It's A Girl) (1986)

Although married, a woman (Liv Ullmann) lives apart from her husband (Philippe Noiret). She lives in the Tuscan countryside while her husband resides in Rome. She lives with an extended female centric family including her actress sister's (Catherine Deneuve) daughter (Francesca Calo). Directed by Mario Monicelli (BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET) who won the David di Donatello award (the Italian Oscar) for best director for his work here. The film is near plotless. Instead, we get a series of incidents that eventually build up to a tale of female bonding and empowerment. However, despite its feminist narrative, it isn't heavy handed. Monicelli slowly lets it grow without us even being aware of it until the very end. The only problem I had with it was the usual Italian dubbing. The Nordic Liv Ullmann and the French Deneuve and Noiret are dubbed into Italian and it took me awhile to get used to the dubbed voices. A simple story that moves amiably along until its strong climax. With Stefania Sandrelli, Bernard Blier (also French), Giuliano Gemma, Giuliana De Sio and Athina Cenci.

Sette Note In Nero (aka The Psychic) (1977)

A recently married woman (Jennifer O'Neill) has visions of an older woman murdered by a limping man and her body buried behind a wall. While her husband (Gianni Garko) is away on a business trip, she decides to renovate an abandoned mansion owned by her husband. It is there she discovers a crack in the wall and eventually a skeleton of a dead woman who had been buried behind the wall. But that's only the beginning as she perseveres in locating the killer. Directed by Lucio Fulci (LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN), this is a gripping giallo that grows in intensity and even when you realize who the murderer is, you're still riveted. The film's only flaw (and it's a minor one) in my eyes is why the killer would bury a second body behind a wall several years later. Surely, there's an easier way to get rid of a body. Although considered a giallo, I was more taken by the murder mystery "whodunit" aspect of it. Stylish and effective, it's a favorite of Quentin Tarantino who wanted to remake it in the late 1990s. The film wasn't released in the U.S. until 1979. With Gabriele Ferzetti, Ida Galli, Marc Porela and Jenny Tamburi.

Three Strangers (1946)

On the eve of the Chinese New Year, three strangers make a wish to a Chinese goddess for money: a solicitor (Sydney Greenstreet), an alcoholic (Peter Lorre) and a manipulative and obsessive woman (Geraldine Fitzgerald). But what good will the money do them if fate already has their destinies plotted out? Directed by Jean Negulesco (THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN) from an original screenplay co-written by John Huston. It's a nifty film noir with curves and irony. The three leads are very good with Peter Lorre in one of his best roles and the usually docile Fitzgerald getting a chance to play a wicked woman. The film was originally planned with bigger stars in the leads but I'm glad that the trio that normally played supporting roles were put into the starring roles. It gives the movie an intrepid texture. The atmospheric score is by Adolph Deutsch (THE MALTESE FALCON) and the suitably ambient cinematography is by Arthur Edeson (CASABLANCA). A real treat for noir fans. With Joan Lorring, Peter Whitney, Marjorie Riordan and Alan Napier.

The Quiet Gun (1957)

Prodded by a saloon owner (Tom Brown) who has ulterior motives, a small town votes to arrest a rancher (Jim Davis) on immorality charges. His crime? Living openly with an Indian girl (Mara Corday) he's not married to. However, when confronted by the city attorney (Lewis Martin), the rancher shoots him when the attorney attempts to pull a gun on him. Based on the novel LAWMAN by Lauran Paine and directed by William F. Claxton (NIGHT OF THE LEPUS). For most of its brief running time (one hour, 17 minutes) I found this B western absorbing. But it declines severely in the film's last half hour when it sinks into routine and the events seem contrived and not organic. A pity because for awhile I thought I might be watching a sleeper. Nicely shot in crisp B&W CinemaScope by John J. Mescal (BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN). With Forrest Tucker, Kathleen Crowley, Lee Van Cleef, Hank Worden and Edith Evanson.

They Call It Sin (1932)

Although he's engaged to be married, a traveling salesman (David Manners) romances a small town girl (Loretta Young). She leaves the small town to go to New York and look him up only to find out that he has a fiancee (Helen Vinson). Based on the novel by Alberta Stedman Eagan and directed by Thornton Freeland (FLYING DOWN TO RIO). I found most of this pre code melodrama infuriating. Manner's character is despicable, hurting two different women by romancing them at the same time and continuing after he's married yet they both love him unconditionally. The predatory lech (Louis Calhern) trying to get Young into his bed is a creep too but at least he's honest about his intentions. Still, even as a pre code it's a bit of a cheat. It teases us without delivering the goods. With George Brent, Una Merkel (who provides some much needed comic relief), Elizabeth Patterson and Roscoe Karns.

Drango (1957)

Set in a small town in Georgia immediately following the Civil War. A Union Army officer (Jeff Chandler) is the new military governor with orders to help rehabilitate the town and get it back on its feet. But the townspeople are bitter and resentful toward the Yankee officer and refuse to cooperate. When a Union sympathizer (Morris Ankrum) is lynched by some of the townsmen, the town refuses to help identify the men responsible . Directed by Hall Bartlett (THE CARETAKERS) and Jules Bricken. A compelling western for the most part, it can't sustain itself and settles for a pat ending that that rings false. But its premise of a Union officer attempting to redeem himself after participating in war atrocities versus a hate filled town that participates in a conspiracy of silence and hate rather than moving on after the war is engrossing enough to hold the movie together. Chandler brings sincerity to his role although he can't display the conflict and guilt within his character particularly well. As the embittered daughter of the lynched man, Joanne Dru is very good. With Julie London, Donald Crisp, Ronald Howard, John Lupton and Milburn Stone. 

Jules (2023)

A 79 year old widower (Ben Kingsley) living on his own has a spaceship crash in his backyard and he discovers an unconscious alien (Jade Quon) next to it. When he attempts to tell anybody about the alien and spaceship, they just think he's getting senile. Directed by producer (THE FAREWELL) turned director Marc Turtletaub. This heartwarming (in the best sense of the word) science fiction dramedy apparently went unnoticed when released last year. It's sort of like E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL with a touch of COCOON. It's special effects are minimal and the film is less concerned with science fiction fireworks than with its characters. In addition to Kingsley, there's Harriet Sansom Harris as a widow and the always welcome Jane Curtin as a cat lady. The film plays on science fiction cliches to both mock and reinforce societal attitudes toward senior citizens and fear of the unknown. I could have done without the seven dead cats though. Nowhere near the great sci-fi classics but a sweet little film that deserved a better fate. With Zoe Winters and Andy Daly.

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

Set in 1943, a British Special Operations Executive team headed by a Major (Richard Burton) in the Royal Engineers leads a group of seven soldiers including one American (Clint Eastwood) into the German Alps. Their mission is to rescue an American Brigadier General who is has been captured by the Nazis and held in an impregnable fortress accessible only by cable car. Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean (THE GUNS OF NAVARONE) and directed by Brian G. Hutton (KELLY'S HEROES). A first rate WWII action adventure filled with enough activity and surprises that its lengthy running time (2 hours, 35 minutes) whizzes by. The plot may be far fetched but it's so entertaining that you don't pay much attention to the unlikelihood of the narrative. Burton brings an assured command to his performance and Eastwood brings his usual persona which works just as well in a war film as in a spaghetti western. The movie was a huge success and is still popular with war movie buffs to this day. With Mary Ure, Ingrid Pitt, Patrick Wymark, Michael Hordern, Anton Diffring and Robert Beatty.

Fanfare D'Amour (1935)

Two unemployed musicians, a pianist (Fernand Gravey) and a double bass player (Julien Carette) have difficulty finding work as themselves. So they disguise themselves as women and join an all girl band where both are attracted to the same girl (Betty Stockfeld). Directed by Richard Pottier (DAVID AND GOLIATH). If the plot sounds familiar, it should. The film was remade by Billy Wilder in 1959 as SOME LIKE IT HOT. If the Wilder film didn't exist, I probably would be charmed by it but SOME LIKE IT HOT does exist and this movie can't help but suffer in comparison. It doesn't have the wit and delight of the 1959 film and lacks the ample triple star power of Monroe, Curtis and Lemmon. This is not to say that FANFARE D'AMOUR is a weak film, on the contrary. It's often inventive and there are modest laughs to be had. It's just not as good. With Madeleine Guitty who steals the movie as the head of the all girl band, Gaby Basset and Jacques Louvigny.

Wendy And Lucy (2008)

A young woman (Michelle Williams) is traveling with her dog from Indiana to Alaska when her car breaks down in Oregon. Lacking funds, she is arrested for shoplifting and when she returns to the store, her dog is missing and she begins the process of trying to find her. Based on the short story TRAIN CHOIR by Jon Raymond and directed by Kelly Reichardt (CERTAIN WOMEN). I'd avoided watching this movie for years fearing it would be ultra depressing and I was right. Like her other films, this is a minimalist movie that takes its time in telling its story. Reichardt puts her poverty stricken heroine through the wringer, no heroine has suffered more this side of Lars von Trier! Williams gives a moving performance as the film's put upon heroine enduring isolation and hardship. The bittersweet ending is rightfully played but it's a grim film nonetheless. With Walter Dalton (very touching as an elderly security guard), Will Patton and Larry Fessenden.

The Terminal Man (1974)

A computer scientist (George Segal) suffers from seizures and blackouts as well as paranoia. During these blackouts, there are indications of violent behavior. He becomes the first human to undergo a new form of surgery where electrodes will be implanted in his brains that will detect the onset of these seizures and prevent them. But, of course, something goes horribly wrong. Based on the novel by Michael Crichton (JURASSIC PARK) and directed by Mike Hodges (GET CARTER). It's curious how some films actually "improve" with age. When I first saw TERMINAL MAN in 1974, I wasn't impressed but 50 years later it's become more relevant than it was back then. With AI now becoming predominant in today's society, TERMINAL MAN's narrative is scarily prescient. It begins as a slow moving science fiction tale then slowly evolves into a full horror movie. The medical profession doesn't come off very well at all as their hubris is at the root of it. The film received poor reviews when it opened but it was championed by Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malik. The film's premise may not work for everyone but it's worth giving a look. With Joan Hackett, Jill Clayburgh, Richard A. Dysart, Donald Moffat, James Sikking and Ian Wolfe.

To Catch A King (1984)

Set in 1940 in Germany and Portugal. Before he is fatally shot by the gestapo, a nightclub owner (Barry Foster) induces his niece (Teri Garr) to carry an important document that might change the outcome of the war to the Duke of Windsor (John Standing) residing in Portugal. But the Nazis are also after that document. Based on the novel by Jack Higgins (THE EAGLE HAS LANDED) and directed by Clive Donner (WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?). This neat little thriller is a fictionalized account of "Operation Willi", the code name of an unsuccessful attempt by the SS to kidnap the Duke of Windsor and coerce him into working with Hitler. The movie is engrossing enough to overcome its obvious and misguided attempt to recreate a CASABLANCA like atmosphere. Robert Wagner as a nightclub owner and Teri Garr are immensely likable actors but they're no substitute for Humphrey Bogart or Carole Lombard (who Garr seems to be channeling). That aside, it's not bad at all. Cinematographer Dennis Lewiston does well by the Portugal and France locations. With Barbara Parkins, Marcel Bozzuffi, Horst Janson and Jane Lapotaire. 

Break Of Hearts (1935)

An internationally famous orchestra conductor and womanizer (Charles Boyer) romances an aspiring composer (Katharine Hepburn). But his infidelities soon become an obstacle in their marriage. Directed by Philip Moeller (THE AGE OF INNOCENCE), who was a stage director and this was his second and last film. Boy, does this one creak! No fault of its stars. Hepburn is at her most charmingly girlish and Boyer exudes Continental charm but neither can overcome the movie's contrived screenplay or Moeller's lackluster direction. Anyway, movies about women who sacrifice themselves to men who don't deserve them aren't attractive to me and here, Hepburn rejects the boyish John Beal who treats her like royalty in favor of the unstable and arrogant Boyer. Similarly themed films about naive young girls falling in love with worldly classical music conductors (like INTEMEZZO and Sirk's INTERLUDE) handled the subject better. The film was a (very) modest hit. For Hepburn completists only. With Jean Hersholt and Inez Courtney.

John Loves Mary (1949)

A returning G.I. (Ronald Reagan) is coming home after four years to the girl (Patricia Neal) he loves. There are so many things he wants to tell her but that he's married isn't one of them. Based on the Broadway play by Norman Krasna and directed by David Butler (CALAMITY JANE). This romantic farce was a hit on Broadway running for a year. What theatregoers saw in it, I'll never know. I found it inane and unfunny but to be fair, the movie version is severely miscast so perhaps that might explain it but somehow I doubt it. It's the kind of fluff that needs actors adept at this sort of lightweight comedy. It might have worked with, say Van Johnson and June Allyson (unfortunately they were at MGM and this is a Warners film). So who do we get? Ronald Reagan who has no comedic chops at all and in her film debut, Patricia Neal. Neal had just won a Tony for playing the young Regina Giddens in Lillian Hellman's LITTLE FOXES prequel, ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST and someone at Warners thought it was a good idea to put her in a romcom? Comedy wasn't Neal's forte and fortunately saner head prevailed and Neal's follow up films, THE HASTY HEART and THE FOUNTAINHEAD showcased her impressive dramatic skills. Let's just say the film is "of its time" and leave it at that. With Jack Carson, Edward Arnold, Wayne Morris, Virginia Field and Katharine Alexander.

Three Guys Named Mike (1951)

A new flight attendant (Jane Wyman) for American Airlines finds herself pursued by three men all named Mike: a research scientist (Van Johnson), a pilot (Howard Keel) and an advertising executive (Barry Sullivan). Directed by Charles Walters (THE TENDER TRAP), this is an amiable lighthearted romantic comedy that while not essential viewing, passes the time agreeably. It's not hard to guess who Wyman will end up with. Which of her three leading men was the biggest star at Metro? Wyman's passion and commitment to her profession is admirable but this being the 1950s, love and marriage are her destiny. The film's technical advisor was the stewardess whose adventures were the basis of the screenplay. The movie pleased audiences enough to turn a profit for MGM. With Phyllis Kirk, Jeff Donnell, Barbara Billingsley and Anne Sargent.

Taras Bulba (1962)

Set in the 16th century, the Cossacks are lured by Poland to conquer a common enemy, the Ottoman Empire. But they are betrayed when the Poles attack the Cossacks after they win the battle for them. One of the Cossack leaders (Yul Brynner) vows to take back their country. Loosely based on the novel by Nikolai Gogol and directed by J. Lee Thompson (GUNS OF NAVARONE). An absorbing spectacle that doesn't overwhelm the personal story, that of a father (Brynner) and son (Tony Curtis) bond that eventually breaks. Brynner is perfectly cast as the larger than life Cossack but Curtis, once again, shows how out of place he is in pre 20th century historical films. The film profits from Joseph MacDonald's attractive wide screen cinematography (Argentina substituting for the Ukraine) and Franz Waxman's Oscar nominated score (his scoring of the ride to Dubno is a highlight). An intelligent epic! With Christine Kaufmann (who Tony Curtis would marry), Perry Lopez, Sam Wanamaker, Bad Dexter and Guy Rolfe.

Moss Rose (1947)

Set in Victorian England, a chorus girl (Peggy Cummins) witnesses a man (Victor Mature) coming out of her girlfriend's (Margo Woode) apartment. When she discovers her girlfriend dead, she sees a way to fulfill a fantasy by blackmailing the man. Based on the novel by Joseph Shearing (a pseudonym for Margaret Gabrielle Vere Long) and directed by Gregory Ratoff (INTERMEZZO). I love murder mysteries and this Victorian mystery has all the elements in place but its screenplay is absurd and unbelievable (I've not read the original novel so I don't know if it's to blame). Victor Mature seems out of place in the Victorian setting and Cummings seems miscast. The one bright spot is Ethel Barrymore as Mature's mother who brings an engaging ambiguity to her performance. The film was well received critically but did a nose dive at the box office. It pretty much killed any chance of a Hollywood career for English actress Peggy Cummins (she'd already been fired from FOREVER AMBER). With Vincent Price, Patricia Medina and Rhys Williams.

Tootsie (1982)

A struggling New York actor (Dustin Hoffman) can't get a break because of his bad reputation, he's just too difficult to work with. He disguises himself as a woman and auditions for a daytime soap opera. He gets the part and becomes the show's most popular star. Directed by Sydney Pollack (OUT OF AFRICA). One of the great comedies of the 1980s and one of Hoffman's two or three best performances. It's a satirical comedy that pokes fun at soap operas, at the acting profession and takes on sexism but doesn't hammer us with its social commentary. It remains first and foremost, a first class farce that's hard to resist, so why try? 42 years after its release, it holds up perfectly! With Jessica Lange (in an Oscar winning performance), Bill Murray, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Geena Davis and director Pollack doing double duty as Hoffman's agent.

I.S.S. (2024)

Two American scientists (Ariana Debose, John Gallagher Jr.) are sent to an International Space Station to join a fellow American (Chris Messina) and their Russian counterparts (Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin, Pilou Asbaek). Friendship and cooperation are in abundance. But when a state of war is declared between the U.S. and Russia, each faction is ordered to take command of the I.S.S. at any cost. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (BLACKFISH). The first 15 minutes had me expecting the worst. The characters acted like college kids at a frat party rather than scientists. Fortunately, after war is declared, the film acquires an intensity and it's more serious. But it's often incoherent and motives not always clearly established. Its claustrophobic setting adds to the tension but ultimately, it offers nothing we haven't seen before in better science fiction movies. It often telegraphs what's to come as with Gallagher's paranoia and Ronin's shifty eyes. We know they're not to be trusted. 

A Date With The Falcon (1942)

A scientist (Alec Craig) has discovered how to make inexpensive synthetic diamonds that are difficult to tell from the real thing. While he intends to provide them for the American defense effort, a group of criminals kidnap him in order to get the formula for their own financial benefit. Enter The Falcon (George Sanders) to solve the crime. Directed by Irving Reis (BACHELOR AND THE BOBBYSOXER), this is the second entry in the 16 movie FALCON franchise. While I enjoyed the first one (THE GAY FALCON), I found this one on the weak side. The mystery isn't very interesting and the emphasis is heavily on humor. Several cast members from the first flick return for this go round including Wendy Barrie as Sanders' frustrated fiancee, Allen Jenkins as his sidekick and James Gleason as a police detective. At a running time of one hour and three minutes, it gets the job done without any unnecessary distractions. With Edward Gargan, Mona Maris, Elizabeth Russell and Hans Conreid. 

True Lies (1994)

A computer software salesman (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is happily married to his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) of 15 years. What she doesn't know is that her husband is not a computer software salesman. That's just a cover for his real job ..... a spy for the U.S. government! Based on the 1991 French film LA TOTALE and directed by James Cameron (TITANIC). This action comedy is great fun. What if James Bond had a wife who didn't know he was a spy? That premise is is expanded into a massive parody of the Bond movies. Its humor balanced with the action and thrills and one of the greatest stunts in movie history make it a terrific popcorn movie. Perhaps there is some unintended misogyny and Arabophobia but it remains a highpoint in Cameron's career. The lifting of Jamie Lee Curtis by helicopter from a speeding automobile just before it crashes off a bridge is a jaw dropping stunt. Today, it would have been done digitally but here it's the real deal. With Charlton Heston, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Art Malik, Tia Carrere and Eliza Dushku, who the movie could have done without.

La Casa Della Paura (aka The Girl In Room 2A) (1974)

A young woman (Daniela Giordano) recently released from prison is sent to a boarding house where mysterious things are going on. The house is a front for a sadistic cult intent on "purifying" wayward girls. Directed by William Rose (THE SMUT PEDDLER). A rather ludicrous giallo with unpleasant torture scenes and gratuitous nudity. But it's so ineptly made that one can't be offended by it. There's no style or atmosphere (de rigueur for a decent giallo), no sense of dread or impending doom. The two leads (Giordano and John Scanlon) are attractive enough but don't have enough presence to hold our attention. With Raf Vallone (and what is he doing in something like this?), Karin Schubert, Rosalba Neri, Brad Harris, Frank Latimore and Angelo Infanti.

Vie Privée (aka A Very Private Affair) (1962)

An unfocused young dancer (Brigitte Bardot) has no aim in her life. She drifts through life until a screen test pushes her into a career she has no real interest in but she becomes an internationally famous sex symbol. She goes from man to man until she meets the ex-husband (Marcello Mastroianni) of a friend (Ursula Kubler) and falls in love. Directed by Louis Malle (MURMUR OF THE HEART). Not without interest, after all it's Louis Malle but nevertheless a disappointment. The prospect of two cinematic icons (Bardot, Mastroianni) directed by a great director had me excited but the film is disjointed and its two stars have no chemistry. One can't help but see the similarities between Bardot and the put upon movie star she portrays. It's difficult to sympathize with someone who has no passion in life except to be in love but it's the kind of unreasonable love that sucks up the air around them and leaves no room for anything else. Its downbeat ending is telegraphed and inevitable. With Gregor Von Rezzori, Dirk Sanders and Antoine Roblot.

Spy Hunt (1950)

When two black panthers escape in the Swiss alps after their train car is derailed, a disparate group of guests congregate at a local inn. But are any of them who they say they are? Could it be the secret microfilm that has international implications hidden in one of the panther's collars that brings them there? Based on the novel PANTHER'S MOON by Victor Canning (Hitchcock's FAMILY PLOT) and directed by Vincent Sherman (AGAINST ALL FLAGS). This is a nifty little thriller that delivers the goods. With a gaggle of suspects lurking along the edges as the hunt for the panthers proceeds, director Sherman doesn't leave time for any distraction (even the romance is kept tight) as the tension mounts. A minor entry to be sure but strong enough to hold our attention to the very end. With Howard Duff, Marta Toren, Walter Slezak, Philip Friend, Robert Dougla, Philip Dorn and Kurt Kreuger.

The Time, The Place And The Girl (1946)

Two friends (Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson) are opening a nightclub in Manhattan only to have it shut down by the manager (Donald Woods) of a famous classical conductor (S.Z. Sakall), who objects to the "noise". But things take a turn for the better when the conductor's daughter (Martha Vickers) falls for one of the owners (Morgan). Directed by David Butler (KING RICHARD AND THE CRUSADERS). The early B&W Busby Berkeley musicals aside, Warners didn't have much luck in the musicals department. MGM had Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, Paramount had Bing Crosby and Betty Hutton, Columbia had Rita Hayworth but until Doris Day arrived in 1948, Warners had to make do with Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson. They're agreeable enough but not top tier in the musicals department. The cliched "will the show go on?" plot is reasonably entertaining but with one exception,  the songs and dances are truly unmemorable. The "memorable" number is memorable for all the wrong reasons. A ghastly number with Carson and Janis Paige in blackface! Fortunately Sakall and Florence Bates as his wife provide some comedic relief from the stock narrative. With Alan Hale and Angela Greene.

We Live Again (1934)

Set in 1875 Russia, a nobleman (Fredric March) seduces a naive young servant (Anna Sten) in his Aunt's household. He later abandons her not knowing she is pregnant with his child. Based on the novel RESURRECTION by Leo Tolstoy and directed by Rouben Mamoulian (GOLDEN BOY). Hollywood was in the habit of importing foreign actresses in the 1920s and 1930s. Only two, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, became major Hollywood stars but that didn't stop Hollywood from trying. In this case, Samuel Goldwyn imported Anna Sten from Russia but after her three films flopped, he gave up but Sten remained in America and continued to act in movies until 1962. As to the film itself, its socialist stance is so in your face that I'm surprised that the film makers weren't hauled before HUAC during the witch hunt years! The movie's look at the injustices of the class system in Russia which eventually led to the 1917 revolution is sympathetic to the peasants and revolutionaries. Worth watching at least once. With Sam Jaffe, C. Aubrey Smith, Jane Baxter and Ethel Griffies.

Torrent (1926)

Set in Spain, the aristocratic mother (Matha Mattox) of a young man (Ricardo Cortez) is against his marrying a peasant girl (Greta Garbo). Heartbroken, the girl leaves for Paris. The years pass and she has become an internationally famous opera diva and he has become a local politician. When she returns home, the passion between them is still there although he is committed to another woman (Gertrude Olmstead). Based on the novel ENTRE NARANJOS  by Vicente Blasco Ibanez (BLOOD AND SAND) and directed by Monta Bell (LIGHTS OF OLD BROADWAY). Although Cortez gets top billing, this is Garbo's picture all the way. It's very well done and I enjoyed it immensely. Still, I didn't have much empathy for Cortez's mama's boy. You meet the love of your life but because mommy objects, you let her go? I don't get it. By the film's end, everyone accepts the hand that fate has dealt them even if it's bitter. This was Garbo's first Hollywood film after being imported from Sweden by MGM. It was a roaring success and Garbo became one of MGM's top stars until her retirement in 1941. The transfer I saw had an excellent score by Arthur Barrow. With Edward Connelly and Lucy Beaumont. 

The Color Purple (2023)

In 1908 Georgia, a young girl (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi who morphs into Fantasia Barrino) leaves the home of a sexually abusive father to be married to a farmer (Colman Domingo) who is physically abusive to her. Based on the novel by Alice Walker (previously filmed in 1985) by way of the 2005 Broadway musical version and directed by Blitz Bazawule (THE BURIAL OF KOJO). Steven Spielberg did an excellent adaptation of the Alice Walker novel which received 11 Oscar nominations (winning none) so one questions whether this musical remake was necessary. What's the sense of doing a musical of a previously filmed story unless the songs add or bring something to the narrative? The mediocre songs here only interrupt the narrative and don't enhance or bring something fresh or different to the proceedings. Musically, the movie only soars once during the Fantasia Barrino and Taraji P. Henson duet, What About Love? and although Barrino gives a strong rendition of I'm Here she can't redeem a song as mediocre as that one. Fatima Robinson did the unimpressive choreography. The acting is excellent though, particularly Henson and Danielle Brooks. With Corey Hawkins, Jon Batiste, Aunjanue Ellis Taylor, Gabriella Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg and Louis Gossett Jr.

Ladies Of Leisure (1930)

The wealthy son (Ralph Graves) of a railroad baron wants to be an artist rather than follow in his father's footsteps. When a party girl (Barbara Stanwyck) agrees to pose for him, an attraction develops but his father will have none of it. Based on the play LADIES OF THE EVENING by Milton Herbert Gropper and directed by Frank Capra (BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN). While I'm not a fan of Capra's work from 1935 on, I like his movies from the early 1930s before he got all corny and sentimental. While this film gets a bit sentimental toward the end (but not too much), it's an entertaining pre-code romantic drama. At an hour and 40 minutes, it's a bit too long for its slight premise and drags at times. But it's Barbara Stanwyck that keeps the movie on track and holds our attention. Although she had done three movies previously it's this film that is generally considered Stanwyck's breakthrough. It made her a star and she remained one the rest of her career. With Lowell Sherman and Marie Prevost, who comes close to stealing the movie.

Cry Havoc (1943)

Set in a field hospital in the Philippines during the 1942 battle of Bataan. Thirteen women (two army nurses and 11 civilians) tend to the wounded and dying as the Japanese forces move inexorably down the peninsula. Based on the play by Allan R. Kenward and directed by Richard Thorpe (KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE). Two WWII films that were female centric came out in 1943. This one from MGM and SO PROUDLY WE HAIL from Paramount. SO PROUDLY WE HAIL received four Oscar nominations while CRY HAVOC received none but I think it's the better movie. It's darker and grittier and unlike SO PROUDLY WE HAIL which has prominent male characters, CRY HAVOC's males are either unseen or reduced to a few lines. I also like the actresses better. Margaret Sullavan brings a quiet authority to her army Lieutenant while Ann Sothern and Joan Blondell have tailor made roles as brassy blondes who find their toughness scraped away and their empathy strengthened. It may have a tinge of the MGM gloss but it comes across as a sincere view of women in war. With Fay Bainter, Marsha Hunt Ella Raines, Heather Angel, Diana Lewis (who would retire from acting and marry William Powell), Frances Gifford, Connie Gilchrist and a young Robert Mitchum, who has one line.

My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)

When a food critic (Julia Roberts) hears from her best friend (Dermot Mulroney), with whom she had a romantic fling years ago, is going to get married, she plots to break up the wedding. Directed by P.J. Hogan (MURIEL'S WEDDING), this is one of the better romantic comedies of the 1990s. Ronald Bass's screenplay subverts the genre by making Roberts' heroine a terrible person. She's deceitful, manipulative, selfish and suitably chastised by the finale while her rival (Cameron Diaz) is sweet and forgiving. Fortunately, romcom queen Roberts is eminently likable so while you're appalled by her actions, you can't really hate her. This aspect makes the film refreshing next to its romcom counterparts who usually go down the predictable path. Director Hogan's previous film MURIEL'S WEDDING used ABBA on the soundtrack to propel the movie along, here he uses the music of Burt Bacharach to similar effect. With Rupert Everett stuck in the cliched role of the heroine's gay best friend, Paul Giamatti, Susan Sullivan, Philip Bosco and Rachel Griffiths.

Casino De Paris (1957)

A well known playwright (Vittorio De Sica) spots a musical comedy performer (Caterina Valente) and becomes enchanted with her. He becomes determined she give up musicals and make her dramatic debut as an actress in his play. Directed by Andre Hunebelle (OSS 117: MISSION FOR A KILLER), this lightweight piece of French fluff is the kind of minor musical MGM would have tossed off in the early 1950s with Stanley Donen directing Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor but probably better. Shot in vivid color (Eastman) and wide screen (Franscope), it looks great but its screenplay is hackneyed, its songs are ordinary and its choreography generic. Caterina Valente and Gilbert Because (as De Sica's secretary) are good singers and decent dancers but they can't overcome the mediocrity of the material. It's a weak imitation of the American musical which Jacques Demy would transcend in the mid 1960s. I must confess that I'm crazy about musicals so in spite of its flaws, I was more tolerant toward it than the average moviegoer would be. With Gregoire Aslan, Grethe Weiser, Rudolf Vogel and Vera Valmont. 

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (1968)

A deaf mute (Alan Arkin in an Oscar nominated performance) works as a silver engraver in a small Southern town. When his only friend, a mentally challenged and physically large mute (Chuck McCann) is sent to a mental institution, the engraver moves to be closer to his friend. Based on the novel by Carson McCullers (MEMBER OF THE WEDDING) and directed by Robert Ellis Miller (ANY WEDNESDAY). Much has been left out of McCuller's 1940 novel in order to fit the narrative into the two hour time slot. But the film captures the spirit of McCullers' book, especially the aching loneliness of Arkin's deaf mute, a linchpin to the other characters in the movie but with no one there for him. Arkin's performance is simply superb and Sondra Locke (in her film debut) as the gawky teenager is wonderful but never again got a role which utilized her as well. The lovely underscore is by David Grusin. If you've read the novel, you might be unhappy with the changes but if you haven't, this should prove a moving experience. With Cicely Tyson, Stacy Keach, Percy Rodriguez, Biff McGuire and Laurinda Barrett.

Arthur 2: On The Rocks (1988)

An alcoholic millionaire (Dudley Moore) is happily married to his wife (Liza Minnelli). But the vengeful father (Stephen Elliott) of the girl (Cynthia Sikes) he jilted takes over the millionaire's family company and allows the family to keep their millions but only if the alcoholic is disinherited. A sequel to the 1981 hit comedy ARTHUR and directed by Bud Yorkin (DIVORCE AMERICAN STYLE). The original ARTHUR was a modestly amusing comedy bolstered by the performances of John Gielgud (who won an Oscar for his performance) and Liza Minnelli. Its one joke premise of a wealthy but amusing drunk who needs to grow up charmed audiences. But once is enough and the sequel tanked. The premise of ARTHUR 2 may be darker but somehow Dudley Moore's alcoholic playboy just isn't amusing the second time around. In fact, he's irritating. The film resurrects John Gielgud (who died in the 1981 movie) as a ghost but that doesn't help. A case of leaving well enough alone. Perhaps if the sequel had come out a year or two later but seven years later, its audience had moved on. With Kathy Bates, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jack Gilford, Ted Ross and Paul Benedict.

Charlie Chan In Shanghai (1935)

At a banquet honoring the renowned detective Charlie Chan (Warner Oland), the host (David Torrence) is killed by a gunshot. Chan insists on investigating and find the murderer of his friend. Based on the Chan character created by Earl Derr Biggers and directed by James Tinling (UNDER THE PAMPAS MOON). The ninth film in the Charlie Chan franchise produced by Fox. It's a decent entry in the Chan universe although slow at times but it's well constructed and its one hour and 11 minutes running time is compact so there's no dead weight. Mystery fans should appreciate this solid effort. With Jon Hall, Irene Hervey, Keye Luke and Halliwell Hobbes.

Il Giorno Della Civetta (aka The Day Of The Owl) (1968)

Set in a small Sicilian village, a Carabinieri chief (Franco Nero) investigates the murder of a truck driver but the code of silence instigated by the Mafia has a hold on the town and no one is willing to talk. Based on the novel by Leonardo Sciascia and directed by Damiano Damiani (HOW TO KILL A JUDGE). This is an excellent crime drama (released in the U.S. under the title MAFIA). It's an intense movie that vividly portrays the iron clad hold the Mafia has on districts where their very presence intimidates the populace into a silent complicity. Franco Nero and Claudia Cardinale (as the wife of a murder victim) both won the David Di Donatello award (the Italian Oscar) for their work here and the film won best picture. The movie works as both a crime thriller and as a social statement on the grip of the Mafia and the implication of government collusion. The film opts for a realistic downbeat ending. With Lee J. Cobb, Nehemiah Persoff, Serge Reggiani and Tano Cimarosa.

Nightmare In Badham County (1976)

Two college girls (Deborah Raffin, Lynne Moody) from California are traveling through the deep South when they have car trouble. The town sheriff (Chuck Connors) doesn't like their attitude and arrests them for trespassing. After raping one of the girls, the sheriff with the assistance of the town's corrupt Judge (Ralph Bellamy) have the girls sent to a prison work farm. Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey (CITY OF THE DEAD). Originally made for television as an ABC movie of the week, the film was released theatrically overseas in Europe and Asia (it was a box office smash in China). I watched the theatrical version which includes nudity, foul language and lesbian sex not in the TV version and runs about 11 minutes longer. It's all under the pretense of showing the ghastly and corrupt conditions of prison farms but it's really an exploitation movie (think BLACK MAMA, WHITE MAMA from 1973) that wants to titillate us with sadism and girl on girl sex while deploring the cruelty and exploitation of female prison workers. I felt a bit sleazy watching it. With Tina Louise, Lana Wood, Robert Reed, Della Reese and Fionnula Flanagan.

The Dark Past (1948)

A convict (William Holden) breaks out of prison and while on the run from the police, he and his moll (Nina Foch) along with some confederates break into the home of a psychiatrist (Lee J. Cobb) and hold them hostage while waiting for a boat that will take them to safety. Based on the play BLIND ALLEY (previously filmed in 1939) by James Warwick and directed by Rudolph Mate (WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE). An interesting psychological film noir that is overly simplistic. People spend years in therapy being analyzed in order to get to the root of their psychological problems but Cobb's psychiatrist solves Holden's psychosis in less than 12 hours! In a rare unsympathetic role, Holden is quite good and Cobb keeps his scenery chewing in check and gives a restrained performance. It lacks the glamour of Hitchcock's SPELLBOUND but the end result is the same, dime store Freudian assessment. Still, as a home invasion film, it's not bad at all. With Adele Jergens, Lois Maxwell, Stephen Dunne and Steven Geray.

Rio Grande (1950)

Set in the 1879 Texas frontier, a Lieutenant Colonel (John Wayne) in the U.S. Cavalry is shocked to see his estranged son (Claude Jarman Jr.) among the new recruits. He is shortly followed by his mother (Maureen O'Hara), the estranged wife of the Lt. Colonel who wants her son out of the Cavalry. Based on a magazine story MISSION WITH NO RECORD by James Warner Bellah and directed by John Ford (THE INFORMER). The third entry of John Ford's beloved Cavalry trilogy following FORT APACHE (1948) and SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949) and the least interesting of the bunch. Though there's the usual Cavalry vs. the Indians narrative, the focus of the film is the relationship between Wayne and O'Hara and their contention over the future of their son. I'm not a big admirer of Ford's cavalry trilogy but this movie lacks the tension of Wayne's Captain and Henry Fonda's Lt. Colonel which was at the core of FORT APACHE and the stunning Technicolor visuals of SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON. Unfortunately, Ford retains the overdone Irish ham of Victor McLaglen whose mugging is every bit as shameful here as it was in the first two movies. With Ben Johnson, J. Carrol Naish, Chill Wills and Harry Carey Jr.

Tokyo Pop (1988)

A struggling rock singer (Carrie Hamilton) is getting nowhere career wise in New York City. So she decides to relocate to Japan where there is a demand for American girl singers. But her Japanese adventure isn't quite what she thought it would be. Co-written and directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, this is a delightful romantic musical. It's not the kind of musical where the characters break out into song. Instead, all the songs are performed as part of the Japanese rock scene. The experience of a fish out of water Caucasian girl trying to break into the Japanese music business and her romance with a Japanese rock singer (Yutaka Tadokoro) is sweet and the musical performances are fun. A real sleeper that's recently been restored and getting a second chance. With Tetsuro Tamba, Masumi Harukawa and Taiji Tonoyama.