Westward The Women (1951)

Set in 1851, a California rancher (John McIntire) who has built a large spread in a valley hires a wagon master (Robert Taylor) to bring a hundred respectable women from the East out West to marry the lonely men and keep them from leaving. Directed by William A. Wellman (THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY), this is a very good western. Based on an idea by Frank Capra (LOST HORIZON) who had hoped to direct the movie himself but his studio (Paramount) had no interest in the project so Wellman took Capra's story and set it up at MGM. The film was a box office success so Paramount lost out. Though Taylor is definitely the lead, this is a female centric western. Of course, there's romance but the bulk of the film is focused on the hardship the women face traveling through hostile Indian country, the desert and the physical tasks that would normally be done by men. Not all of the women survive the trek nor do some of the men. Tough and unsentimental, the doesn't always go where you think it's going to go. For example, there's an adorable dog and I thought, "He'll be toast before the movie's over" but the little bugger makes it. With Denise Darcel, Hope Emerson, Marilyn Erskine, Julie Bishop, Renata Vanni and Henry Nakamura.

Nattlek (aka Night Games) (1966)

A young man (Keve Hjelm) returns to his childhood home with his bride (Lena Brundin). But the house is haunted by the memory of his childhood and his sexual obsession with his decadent and self centered mother (Ingrid Thulin). Based on the novel by Mai Zetterling and directed by Zetterling. A controversial film when released, it was shown at the Venice film festival only to the jury and press and not the public. At the San Francisco film festival, Shirley Temple was so revolted that she resigned from the festival's board referring to the movie as pornography. Almost 60 years later, it's still a shocker and honestly, I don't think it would ever get released in the U.S. without a certain scene involving a child being cut. It's a surreal film going from the present to the past as we see why the film's protagonist is so f*cked up and who wouldn't be with a childhood like that but I found the film's catharsis unrealistic when a good psychiatrist could have done the job without the destruction. Unsettling to say the least! As the child version of the protagonist, 14 year old Jorgen Lindstrom quit acting (after having worked with Ingmar Bergman twice) a year after the movie's release and I wonder if this film didn't do a number on his psyche? With Naima Wifstrand and Laurtiz Falk.

Waitress (2023)

A pregnant waitress (Sara Bareilles, who also wrote the music and lyrics) is stuck in an abusive marriage. So what does she do? Begin an affair with her married gynecologist (Drew Gehling)! Based on the 2016 Broadway musical (which was based on the 2007 film) and directed by Brett Sullivan (KINKY BOOTS). An astonishingly mediocre (and I'm being generous here) musical. The musical opened on Broadway in 2016 and ran for almost four years! Am I missing something? Well, I suppose one could call it a musical for people who don't like musicals but I just found the entire thing uninspired. Generic songs that one forgets as soon as they're finished being performed. The book panders to an unsophisticated audience (this isn't Sondheim or Cole Porter or even Kander and Ebb here) that laps up the amateurish pablum as if it were champagne. I love musicals but I haven't seen a musical this lousy since the ghastly 2018 MOULING ROUGE! (an inferior adaptation of the 2001 movie) which was also a hit (and a Tony award winner). What has Broadway come to when mediocrities like WAITRESS and MOULIN ROUGE! represent the "best"? With Charity Angel Dawson, Caitlin Houlahan and Christopher Fitzgerald (who's appalling!).

Faithless (1932)

A wealthy and spoiled Manhattan socialite (Tallulah Bankhead) breaks her engagement to a young advertising executive (Robert Montgomery) because he insists on living on his salary rather than her lavish lifestyle. But fate displays a cruel hand when she loses all her wealth in the Great Depression and is eventually reduced to working the streets as a prostitute. Based on the novel TINFOIL by Mildred Cram and directed by Harry Beaumont (MAISIE GOES TO RENO). This startling pre-code romantic drama doesn't shy away from its heroine's downfall but its kinder to her than the heroine in WATERLOO BRIDGE who's punished for her fall. A popular theatrical actress, Bankhead was never able to transition her stage stardom to the screen in the 1930s. I don't why as she has a strong screen presence and clearly has talent. I'll chalk it up to the vehicles she was given not being appetizing to audiences of the time. I would imagine this downbeat story of a glamorous beauty suffering and suffering and hitting rock bottom was depressing to depression era audiences who were seeking entertainment and relief from their own their own poverty. With Hugh Herbert in a rare dramatic role as Bankhead's sugar daddy and Louise Closser Hale. 

The Gay Falcon (1941)

An amateur detective (George Sanders) has given up crime at the behest of his fiancee (Wendy Barrie). But when his associate (Allen Jenkins) is arrested by the police on suspicion of murder and robbery, he's on the case again. Based on the short story by Michael Arlen and directed b Irving Reis (BACHELOR AND THE BOBBYSOXER). The first entry in a sixteen movie franchise with George Sanders playing The Falcon in the first four films. While not as entertaining as the Charlie Chan or Mr. Moto movie mysteries, this one goes down nicely. As the Falcon, the suave Sanders has a strong presence and he's surrounded by a bevy of solid supporting players. This is the first Falcon movie I've seen and I look forward to the other films. With Gladys Cooper, Turhan Bey, Nina Vale and Lucille Gleason. 

White Nights (1985)

A Russian ballet dancer (Mikhail Baryshnikov) who has defected from the Soviet Union is traveling by plane from Europe to Japan for a performance. But when the plane has electrical problems, it is forced to crash land in Siberia where the defector is held by the KGB as a criminal. Directed by Taylor Hackford (AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN), the film has an interesting premise that is sabotaged by a highly contrived and uninspired screenplay. The film seems designed to sell the soundtrack album. Baryshnikov has a cassette player that is used to play shitty pop songs and the film's end title song, the hideous SAY YOU SAY ME sung by Lionel Ritchie actually won an Oscar for best song. The mind reels! Both Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines (as an American defector to the Soviet Union) give solid performances though Hines' character is ill conceived. The dance sequences (choreographed by Twyla Tharp) aren't especially notable but Hackford is smart enough to know that when you have dancers the caliber of Baryshnikov and Hines, you just put the camera on them and don't mess it up. A Baz Luhrmann or Rob Marshall would have let the editing and cutting do the dancing for them. Worth a look for the dancing and not much else. With Helen Mirren (who would end up marrying the director), Isabella Rossellini, Geraldine Page, Jerzy Skolimowski, John Glover, Shane Rimmer and Maryam D'abo.

Conflict (1945)

Stuck in an unhappy marriage, a man (Humphrey Bogart) is in love with his sister in law (Alexis Smith). So he decides the solution to his problem is to murder his wife (Rose Hobart). Directed by Curtis Bernhardt (A STOLEN LIFE). During the 1930s, Bogart played bad guys all the time but when he achieved mega stardom after HIGH SIERRA (1941) and THE MALTESE FALCON (1941), he was always the hero. CONFLICT afforded him an opportunity to return to play the bad guy again. It's very well done if a bit far fetched and it's pretty easy to figure out the solution to the mystery that haunts Bogart. Surprisingly, Bogart didn't want to do the movie and only did it under duress. It may not be prime Bogie but if you're a fan of his, you should be pleased and it was good to see Sydney Greenstreet (as a psychiatrist) play the good guy for a change. Far superior to Bogart's similarly themed THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS which arrived two years later. With Charles Drake and Ann Shoemaker, whose part seems to have been severely cut.

And So They Were Married (1936)

When a divorcee (Mary Astor) and a widower (Melvyn Douglas) find themselves snowed in at a ski lodge, their initial antagonism toward each other quickly turns to romance. But her daughter (Edith Fellows) and his son (Jackie Moran) are having none of it and plot to break up the romance. Directed by Elliott Nugent (UP IN ARMS), I enjoyed this romantic comedy as long as it was situated at the ski lodge (about 2/3 of the movie) but once they left it, it starts to fizzle fast. Douglas and Astor are appealing and some of their best work has been in comedy (Douglas in NINOTCHKA, Astor in PALM BEACH STORY) so they bring some sparkle to the proceedings. It's not a screwball comedy, more of a 1930s version of a Disney family movie especially with the two kids at the center. I can't really recommend it but if you come across it, it's pleasing and amusing enough. With Dorothy Stickney, Donald Meek and Romaine Callender.

Impossible Object (1973)

A married writer (Alan Bates) is having an affair with a married woman (Dominique Sanda). Unable to leave their spouses, their relationship struggles as he is satisfied with the status quo but she wants a more permanent arrangement. Based on the novel by Nicholas Mosley (who adapted his novel for the screen) and directed by John Frankenheimer (MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE). Shot in French and English, Frankenheimer's "art" film was released in Europe only and it wasn't until 1982 when a cut version retitled STORY OF A LOVE STORY was released on cable in 1982 in the U.S. While the film isn't entirely successful, it's ambitious in its attempt to portray the creative process while also exploring the intricacy of love and infidelity. Bates's writer is overly inventive and what we are seeing is often in his head rather than actually happening and as the film ends there's a suggestion that perhaps the film we just saw might have been his invention. There's a fatalism that hovers over the narrative and sure enough, there's a horrifying ending. It's very European in its approach and if you like European films of the 1960s, there's a good chance you might enjoy this one. The excellent score is by Michel Legrand. With Lea Massari, Michel Auclair, Vernon Dobtcheff and Evans Evans. 

With A Song In My Heart (1952)

Beginning as a staff singer at a Cincinnati radio station, Jane Froman (Susan Hayward in an Oscar nominated performance) quickly rises to prominence in radio. Unhappily married to her agent (David Wayne), she volunteers for a USO tour during WWII. But tragedy strikes when the plane she's on crashes in a river near Lisbon, Portugal where her left leg is nearly severed. Based on the life of singer Jane Froman and directed by Walter Lang (THE KING AND I). Yet another glossy Hollywood movie biography milking all the sentiment it can out of a tragic situation. Hayward's singing voice is dubbed by the real Jane Froman but her voice sounds so unnatural coming out of Hayward's throat. It's a connect the dots movie biography without a moment of spontaneity in the whole movie. Audiences lapped it up making it a big hit and the soundtrack album a huge best seller. With "here comes another wisecrack" Thelma Ritter, Rory Calhoun, Una Merkel, Leif Erickson, Helen Westcott and Robert Wagner in his breakthrough role as a shell shocked G.I. After Wagner received thousands of fan letters a week, Fox started giving him leading roles.

The Loves Of Edgar Allan Poe (1942)

After seemingly being rejected by his childhood sweetheart (Virginia Gilmore), Edgar Allan Poe (Shepperd Strudwick) falls in love with his cousin (Linda Darnell). But as a poet, he still has to struggle to make a living and his frequent alcoholic bouts only make matters worse. Directed by Harry Lachman (DR. RENAULT'S SECRET), this one is total stinker! Poe's life would probably make for an engrossing film if done right but this one is not only simplistic, it bears very little resemblance to the real Edgar Allan Poe and his life. As Poe, Strudwick can't enact the complexities of a genius like Poe, he comes off more as a brat who never grew up. I felt sorry for Linda Darnell who's wasted here. Coming off THE MARK OF ZORRO and BLOOD AND SAND which displayed her beauty and star power, this is all 20th Century Fox could give her? With Jane Darwell, Mary Howard and Harry Morgan.

Golda (2023)

Already dying of the cancer that would eventually kill her, the Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir (Helen Mirren) must deal with the attack on Israel by Egypt and Syria in what is known as the Yom Kippur war. Directed by the Oscar winning Israeli Guy Nattiv (SKIN). Despite its title, this is not a movie biography on Golda Meir. There's the 1982 A WOMAN CALLED GOLDA with Ingrid Bergman for that. The entire film takes place in the 21 days of 1973 during the Yom Kippur war. If the title THE IRON LADY (Meryl Streep's Oscar winning performance as Margaret Thatcher) wasn't already taken, it would be a perfect title for this film though Meir is much more likeable than Thatcher. Not a movie bio, I would call it a war movie. The minutiae of strategy and battle in great detail had my head spinning. The film incorporates actual footage of the war and Golda Meir throughout the movie. While the film itself is not without interest, the main reason for seeing the film is Mirren's performance. Mirren buries herself in Golda Meir and gives her a layered complexity of a woman determined to save her country at a cost that will haunt her the rest of her life. The film's excellent make up for Meir earned the movie its only Oscar nomination. With Liev Schreiber as Henry Kissinger, Camille Cottin, Rami Heuberger and Ohad Knoller.

Le Samourai (1967)

A professional assassin (Alain Delon) carries out a hit but he has an iron tight alibi so the police can't touch him. However, the police inspector (Francois Perier) is convinced he is guilty and has him constantly followed. Things get complicated when the people who hired him want him killed and out of the way. Directed by Jean Pierre Melville (LE CERCLE ROUGE). The French adored the American gangster movies of the 1930s and the film noirs of the 1940s and appropriated them in the mid 1950s. But they weren't carbon copies or simple homages. The French (directors like Melville, Godard and Verneuil to name just three) extended the fatalism that were often suggested in American crime movies and some like Melville added an almost glamorous sheen to the films. Visually, LE SAMOURAI may be the most elegant of the French crime movies. It's a spellbinding piece of cinema. Incredibly, the 1967 film was never officially released in the U.S. until 1972 and then only to cash in on the success of THE GODFATHER. A highly influential film on film makers like Walter Hill and Nicolas Winding Refn. With Nathalie Delon and Cathy Rosier.

The League Of Gentlemen (1960)

Inspired by an American crime novel, an ex-Army officer (Jack Hawkins) plots to rob a bank. But first, he lures seven other men, who for various reasons are in need of financial help, to assist him in his plan with the money to be split eight ways. Based on the novel by John Boland and directed by Basil Dearden (VICTIM). Everyone loves a good heist movie, right? I certainly do but this B&W heist action movie with comedic touches is dead on arrival. They forgot to add the excitement to this larceny soup. It's very tasteful in its execution with its proper Brits lowering themselves to rob a bank but who wants a restrained armed robbery action movie? Anglophiles may find it right up their BBC alley but fans of heist films like THE KILLING, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, RESERVOIR DOGS or OCEAN'S ELEVEN (either version) to name a handful are bound to be disappointed. Dull and predictable. With Richard Attenborough, Roger Livesey, Nigel Patrick, Kieron Moore, Oliver Reed (as a gay chorus boy!), Nanette Newman, Nigel Green and Bryan Forbes, who also wrote the screenplay. 

Union Depot (1932)

Set in a railroad station in an unnamed major city where in addition to passengers catching trains, you'll find pickpockets, hookers, sailors and sexual perverts among a variety of denizens. A vagrant (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) just released from jail steals a man's jacket and discovers a wad of money in the pocket. After enjoying a big meal, he mistakes a chorus girl (Joan Blondell) down on her luck for a prostitute. Based on a 1929 play by Gene Fowler, Douglas Durkin and Joe Laurie Jr. and directed by Alfred E. Green (THE JOLSON STORY). Every once in awhile, you come across a little gem of a relatively unknown movie and this pre code drama is one of them. While the two major characters are our focus of interest, there are a couple of subplots that are important to the narrative. The relationship between Fairbanks Jr.'s vagrant masquerading as a big shot and Blondell's chorus girl is sweet and touching but the expected romance and happy ending never happens and when the film ends, we don't know if they'll ever see each other again. Worth seeking out. With Alan Hale, Guy Kibbee, Frank McHugh, Ethel Griffies and Lilian Bond.

Four Sons (1928)

Set in Bavaria as WWI looms in the distance, a widow (Margaret Mann) is proud of her four sons. As one son (James Hall) goes to America and becomes a citizen, the other three (Ralph Bushman, George Meeker, Charles Morton) are eventually conscripted into the German Army. Based on the short story GRANDMOTHER BERNLE LEARNS HER LETTERS and directed by John Ford (STAGECOACH). One of Ford's later silent films, this tale of mother love and war is (considering it's John Ford) surprisingly unsentimental. It manages to avoid the heavy handedness of the 1930 version of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT yet still get its anti-war message across. Unfortunately, the film's last 20 minutes or so with the mother literally lost in America seems out of sync with the rest of the movie. Remade in 1940 and updated to WWII. With June Collyer and Earle Foxe.

Blazing Magnum (aka Una Magnum Special Per Tony Saitta) (1976)

Set in Quebec, a ruthless cop (Stuart Whitman) who doesn't play by the rules goes after the murderer of his sister (Carole Laure). But as the case progresses, he soon learns that he didn't know his sister as well as he thought. Directed by Alberto De Martino (THE ANTICHRIST), this is a combination of two Italian subgenres, poliziotteschi and giallo. If DIRTY HARRY and PSYCHO had a baby, this movie would be it. Although it is an Italian film, it was filmed in Montreal and has American leads and Canadian supporting actors. Typical of the cop film, there's an abundance of chases, both in cars and on foot while giallo fans should be satisfied with the brutal killings. The movie's attitude toward homosexuals is so retro. A sequence with knife wielding karate kicking gay drag queens attacking Whitman would be hilarious if it weren't so offensive. In spite of the often chaotic messiness of the film, the murder mystery aspect of it is decent so I wasn't bored. With Martin Landau, John Saxon, Gayle Hunnicutt and Tisa Farrow.

お葬式 (aka The Funeral) (1984)

When her father (Hideji Otaki) dies suddenly of a heart attack, his daughter (Nobuko Miyamoto) and son in law (Tsutomu Yamazaki) attempt to organize the funeral which will occur in three days. Directed by Juzo Itami (A TAXING WOMAN) in his feature film directorial debut. Try as I might, this film just didn't work for me. It's a black comedy but I found nothing funny about it. Perhaps I just can't appreciate the Japanese humor because I saw what was supposed to be amusing but I didn't laugh. To be fair there are two things that handicapped the movie for me. One, I dislike funerals (I try to get out of them if I can and I've only attended four funerals in my life) and while funeral sequences in movies don't bother me, an entire film about a funeral is as pleasant as cutting yourself with a knife. Two, heaven forgive me but I found the film's male lead (Yamazaki who won the Japanese Oscar for his work here) so physically repulsive that it was difficult to watch the movie. The rest of the cast are good and in the case of Miyamoto's wife and daughter, more than good. With Kin Sugai and Asao Sano. 

Michael Shayne, Private Detective (1940)

A private detective (Lloyd Nolan) is hired by a rich friend (Clarence Kolb) to watch his high spirited daughter (Marjorie Weaver) and keep her out of trouble when he's out of town. Instead, the detective finds himself up to his ears in murder, blackmail and corruption. Based on the novel THE PRIVATE PRACTICE OF MICHAEL SHAYNE by Brett Halliday and directed by Eugene Forde (CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE). The first entry in a four movie franchise starring Lloyd Nolan as detective Michael Shayne. This B programmer moves fast which is both its saving grace and its biggest flaw. It moves so quickly that we don't have much time to put two and two together or grasp the characters connection to each other. It doesn't help that Nolan's irritating and smug smarty pants detective is unlikable. The movie's most likeable character is Elizabeth Patterson as Weaver's dotty Aunt who has a penchant for murder mysteries. With Walter Abel, Douglass Dumbrille, Joan Valerie and Donald MacBride.

The Late Edwina Black (aka Obsessed) (1951)

When his domineering wife dies suddenly, it proves a relief to her husband (David Farrar) and live in companion (Geraldine Fitzgerald) who are lovers. Now, they can live openly. But when it turns out the wife was poisoned, it casts suspicion on the couple. Not only that but it puts a wedge between them when each suspects the other of the wife's death. Based on the play by William Dinner and William Morum and directed by Maurice Elvey (A ROMANCE IN FLANDERS). The film doesn't bother to hide its theatrical origins. With only four main characters and the house the only set, it feels like a filmed play and the performances are very theatrical as if playing to the balcony. Geraldine Fitzgerald and David Farrar are normally very natural actors so I give the blame for their exaggerated performances to director Elvey. For a "whodunit", it's a lot of talk, talk, talk. While the solution to the crime is very well done, the journey there is quite tedious. With Roland Culver and Jean Cadell.

The Hell With Heroes (1968)

Set in North Africa in 1946, a former U.S. Air Force Pilot (Rod Taylor) and his co-pilot buddy (Peter Duel) are forced to work with a ruthless international smuggler (Harry Guardino) to get enough money to return to civilian life. Complications ensue when the pilot falls in love with the smuggler's mistress (Claudia Cardinale). Directed by Joseph Sargent (TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE), this romantic action movie harks back to the films of the 1940s and if this was filmed in 1946 at Warners, I could see Michael Curtiz directing Humphrey Bogart, Michele Morgan and Zachary Scott in the Taylor, Cardinale and Guardino roles. Perhaps the movie was too old fashioned (in spite of added sex and mild violence) for 1968 critics and audiences as the movie found no favor with either. I've always been a fan of Rod Taylor, who has a nice masculine presence but the lovely Claudia Cardinale is used for eye candy and little else. With the exception of THE PINK PANTHER and maybe THE PROFESSIONALS, Hollywood didn't do well by Miss Cardinale. I don't know as I could recommend it but I enjoyed well enough. Though the movie takes place in North Africa and France, it was filmed on the Universal backlot. With Kevin McCarthy, William Marshall and Mae Mercer.

Rustin (2023)

The true story of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), who organized the March On Washington in 1963. Directed by George C. Wolfe (MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM), this is a solid movie biography (though it has that Stanley Kramer heavy handed social issues hammer hovering over it) that does what it's supposed to do but there's no greatness about it. As Rustin, Colman Domingo is very good but the overpraise for his performance is perplexing. As movie bios go, this is no GANDHI, MALCOLM X or even a MILK. Rustin's story needed to be told so I'm glad the film exists even if it's less than stellar. Wolfe's direction is by the numbers, the screenplay dutifully hits every noble "pat on the back" cliche. It's the kind of movie Hollywood makes every few years or so to make them feel good about themselves ("see, we do have a social conscience"). With Jeffrey Wright, Audra McDonald, Chris Rock, CCH Pounder, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Aml Ameen.

Saratoga (1937)

A brash bookie (Clark Gable) is desperate to get back the money he lost when a Wall Street mogul (Walter Pidgeon) took him for $50,000. The opportunity arises when the daughter (Jean Harlow) of a late friend announces her engagement to the Wall Street millionaire. Directed by Jack Conway (TALE OF TWO CITIES), this was the last film of Jean Harlow who died before filming was completed. The last half hour of the movie has an obvious double playing Harlow's scenes with her back to the camera and an actress dubbing her voice. Eager to see Harlow's last film, the public made it a huge hit. As to the movie itself, sad to say, it's not very good and one could wish that Harlow had a better swan song. I'll be upfront and say I'm not big of racetrack movies so I found SARATOGA on the monotonous side but my bias aside, there's not much to recommend here other than the combined star power of Gable and Harlow (their sixth movie together). One can't help but wonder how Harlow's (just 26 when she died) career would have carried over to the 1940s. With Lionel Barrymore, Una Merkel, Frank Morgan, George Zucco, Dennis O'Keefe and Hattie McDaniel, who gets a chance to step out of her maid uniform and dress up for a change.

The Razor's Edge (1984)

Set in 1917 Illinois just before the U.S. joins WWI, a young man (Bill Murray) brought up in wealth and privilege has volunteered as an ambulance driver in the war in Europe. When the war ends, he finds himself a changed man who no longer desires the privileged life he led before. So he goes to Europe and eventually India trying to find some meaning to his life. Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham (previously filmed in 1946) and directed by John Byrum (INSERTS). The film received poor reviews and was a commercial failure. The movie's first 25 minutes are a mess but if you can survive them, there are good things to be found. This was a passion project for Bill Murray yet he doesn't fully invest himself in the part. There's still enough of his comedic SNL persona to keep us at bay. It's an earnest  and well intended movie but slightly grandiose which negates a film about a man trying to rid himself of excess and simplify his life. The best thing about the movie is Theresa Russell as the tragic Sophie whose performance cuts through the clutter. With Catherine Hicks, Denholm Elliott, James Keach, Faith Brook, Brian Doyle Murray and Helen Horton.

My Darling Clementine (1946)

Seeking to avenge his youngest brother's death, Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda) takes on the job of Marshal in Tombstone, Arizona. Based on the book WYATT EARP, FRONTIER MARSHAL by Stuart Lake and directed by John Ford (THE SEARCHERS). Regarded as one of the great westerns, I must confess I've never understood its appeal. I suspect if any other director's name had been attached (say Lloyd Bacon who directed some reshoots after Ford left the movie), its reputation wouldn't be so highly regarded. I watched the preview version which is about 7 minutes longer before Daryl F. Zanuck edited it and had some reshoots done. The film is notoriously historically inaccurate but that doesn't seem to bother the film's advocates. Examples: the movie begins after the actual gunfight at the O.K. Corral had occurred the year before but ends the film with the gunfight. The movie portrays Doc Holliday (Victor Mature) as a surgeon rather than the dentist he actually was and has him die at the O.K. Corral gunfight (he survived and died 5 years later). As Earp, Henry Fonda is his usual lethargic self which allows Victor Mature to give the movie's best performance (and a career best for him). With Linda Darnell, Walter Brennan (very good as the patriarch of the Clanton gang), Ward Bond, Jane Darwell, John Ireland, Tim Holt and in the title role, Cathy Downs. 

Mio Caro Assassino (aka My Dear Killer) (1972)

A police commissioner (George Hilton) is assigned the task of investigating the decapitation of an insurance investigator (Francesco Di Federico) at a rural swamp area. But his death is only the tip of the iceberg as his death is connected to the unsolved kidnapping and murder of a child (Lara Wendel) which happened over a year ago. Directed by Tonino Valeri (MY NAME IS NOBODY), this is a marvelous mystery giallo, one of the best I've seen. While I found some of the violence excessive (the murder of a school teacher is particularly egregious), the mystery itself is worthy of Agatha Christie! As with most gialli, victims often act foolishly thus almost inviting their own deaths. For example, if you're on a public street and feel you're being followed, why run down a dark alley? But this is a minor quibble, overall this is a first rate thriller. The score is typical Ennio Morricone. With Marilu Tolo, Salvo Randone, William Berger, Patty Shepard, Piero Lulli, Lola Gaos and Helga Line.

Alskande Par (aka Loving Couples) (1964)

Set in 1914 Sweden, three women from different classes are in a maternity ward: an orphaned aristocrat (Gio Petre), an estate tenant's wife (Gunnel Lindblom) and a maid (Harriet Andersson). The one thing they have in common is that they all live or work on an estate owned by a spinster (Anita Bjork). Based on the novels (sic) by Agnes Von Krusenstjerna and directed by Mai Zetterling (THE GIRLS). A complex look at marriage, children and freedom for women in the early 20th century that could only have been made by a woman (though to be fair Zetterling's then husband David Hughes co-wrote the screenplay). It was quite controversial when it debuted in 1964 and it's still a raw eye opener today. The males in the film don't come off very well (not surprising considering male attitudes circa 1914). Zetterling uses an intricate structure combining various flashbacks interwoven with the present which often makes things difficult to follow but stick with it and the reward is well worth it. The striking B&W cinematography is by the great Sven Nykvist (CRIES AND WHISPERS). With Gunnar Bjornstrand, Eva Dahlbeck and Jan Malmsjo.

Seven Keys To Baldpate (1947)

A mystery writer (Phillip Terry) makes a $5,000 bet that he can write a story in one night and to do so, he will spend the night at a summer hotel that is closed for the winter. But when he gets there, he finds a man (Eduardo Ciannelli) who claims to be the caretaker. It isn't long before a string of mysterious visitors show up at the hotel ..... and dead bodies begin piling up. Based on the novel by Earl Derr Biggers (creator of Charlie Chan) by way of the Broadway adaptation by George M. Cohan and directed by Lew Landers (RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE). The sixth film adaptation of the book and play and the third sound version. I've seen the first two sound versions (there's a fourth which I haven't seen yet) and of the three I've seen, this is the one I liked best but that's not saying much. It's still a weak contrived "old dark house" thriller and the film's leading man (Phillip Terrry) is inadequate (I'm being nice). But despite retaining the humor of its predecessors, this one is more intense in its execution. With Jacqueline White, Margaret Lindsay, Arthur Shields and Jimmy Conlin.

The Court Martial Of Billy Mitchell (1955)

Set in the mid 1920s, a Brigadier General (Gary Cooper) stresses the future of air power in the military against the indifference of Army and Navy leaders. When a close friend (Jack Lord) is killed in a dirigible crash which is followed by another air disaster, he denounces the incompetence and negligence of Army and Navy administrators. This leads to his court martial. Directed by Otto Preminger (LAURA), this is based on the infamous 1925 trial of General William Mitchell. While mostly accurate, it does tend to whitewash Mitchell a bit and make him more of a prophesier than he really was. As a courtroom drama, it's pretty decent and the cast is quite good although I found Cooper a bit stiff. It's not a visual film and mostly stationary so the decision to film in CinemaScope is questionable especially since cinematographer Sam Leavitt (ANATOMY OF A MURDER) doesn't take advantage of the format. The film's screenplay received an Oscar nomination. The large cast includes Rod Steiger, Ralph Bellamy, Charles Bickford, Darren McGavin, James Daly, Peter Graves and in her film debut, Elizabeth Montgomery.

Thank You Mr. Moto (1937)

In the Chinese Gobi desert, the Japanese detective Mr. Moto has discovered a scroll, one of seven, that is the missing link to a map to the treasure of Genghis Khan. But he isn't the only one after the missing scroll and the others have no compunctions on killing for it. Based on the novel by John P. Marquand and directed by Norman Foster (JOURNEY INTO FEAR). One of the better entries in the eight film Mr. Moto franchise. It may be a slight programmer but it moves quickly and the mystery is intriguing enough to hold one's attention. Peter Lorre's Moto is more intelligent than most of the other characters that surround him and he's played with dignity and avoids the usual Asian stereotypes of the period. The film also features the last film performance of the great silent actress Pauline Frederick (alas most of her silent films are considered lost which is why she isn't as well known as a Gish or Pickford). With Sidney Blackmer, Sig Rumann, John Carradine, Philip Ahn, Thomas Beck and Jayne Regan.

Double Dynamite (1951)

An underpaid bank clerk (Frank Sinatra) desperately wants to get married to his girlfriend (Jane Russell) but their combined finances won't allow it. Luckily he gets a financial windfall when he gets a tip from a bookie (Nestor Paiva) which enables them to get married. Unfortunately, his bank has been embezzled of a large sum of money so with his new found wealth, suspicion falls on him. Directed by Irving Cummings (DOWN ARGENTINE WAY), this misguided comedy is a low point in the careers of those involved. It's supremely unfunny! Sinatra's career was at a low point (FROM HERE TO ETERNITY would rescue him 2 years later), Groucho Marx (playing Sinatra's buddy) had split from the Marx Brothers and was on his own and Jane Russell would have to wait 2 years for her career highpoint with GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. Can you imagine Groucho Marx NOT being funny? This movie is it! RKO didn't have much faith in it either. It was filmed in 1948 but sat on the shelf for 2 years before being released. Critics disliked it (one critic called it a wet firecracker) and audiences stayed away and who could blame them? With Howard Freeman and Harry Hayden. 

Father Goose (1964)

Set during WWII, an American beachcomber (Cary Grant) is coerced by a Commander (Trevor Howard) in the Royal Australian Navy into becoming a coast watcher for enemy aircraft on a small island. Things get complicated when he rescues a Frenchwoman (Leslie Caron) and seven schoolgirls from a Japanese held island. Based on the short story A PLACE FOR DRAGONS by Sanford Barnett and directed by Ralph Nelson (LILIES OF THE FIELD). Who wants to see Cary Grant (the most elegant of screen actors) as an unshaven booze guzzling misanthrope? That's a rhetorical question! Obviously a lot of people because the movie was a big hit and won an Oscar for its screenplay. Which puts me in the minority. I found the movie too cute for words (that's not meant as compliment) and by the numbers and I didn't enjoy watching an unkempt Grant. Still, he is Cary Grant and Leslie Caron makes for a lovely foil for his antagonism so it's not difficult to sit through. If Fred MacMurray (more appropriately cast than Grant) and Vera Miles had played the leads, it would fit in perfectly with those live action Disney family comedies.

Three Little Girls In Blue (1946)

Set in 1902, three sisters are bored with living life on a chicken farm and decide to head out to Atlantic City and look for rich husbands. One will pose as a wealthy heiress (June Haver), one as her secretary (Vivian Blaine) and one as her maid (Vera Ellen). Based on the play THREE BLIND MICE by Stephen Powys and directed by H. Bruce Humberstone (I WAKE UP SCREAMING). If the plot sounds familiar, it was made as MOON OVER MIAMI in 1941 and a mere five years later, 20th Century Fox dusted it off and made it a period musical. It's a serviceable musical but with one exception, the songs aren't exceptionally notable. The exception is the excellent You Make Me Feel So Young which went on to become a popular standard recorded by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Helen Reddy among many others. With Celeste Holm in her film debut (doing a riff on her Ado Annie character from OKLAHOMA!), George Montgomery and Frank Latimore.

The Great Escaper (2023)

The true story of a WWII Royal Navy veteran (Michael Caine) who "breaks out" of his nursing home to attend the 70th anniversary D-Day commemorations in France in June 2014. Directed by Oliver Parker (THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST), this is a lovely film. It's the final film of Glenda Jackson (who passed away last year), who plays Caine's wife and Michael Caine, who has retired from acting. While it would have been nice to have a stronger swan song for two of Britain's greatest film actors, the film and their performances are nothing to be ashamed about. Watching the movie, it's sometimes difficult to separate the great actors from the roles they're playing. The film is about closure, how war affects those who serve, how the experience never leaves them. It's also one of the best geriatric love stories I've seen. Caine and Jackson are strong actors and they don't pander to their elderly characters, these aren't "cute" little old people, they're vital survivors. There's a moving scene where Caine and a German veteran meet 70 years after a battle where they fought against each other. There are some flashbacks that feel like padding at first but there's an eventual powerful payoff. With Will Fletcher and Laura Marcus, very good as the young Caine and Jackson. Also with John Standing and Danielle Vitalis.

Candleshoe (1977)

A tough little street urchin (Jodie Foster) joins forces with a con man (Leo McKern) to hustle an elderly aristocratic Englishwoman (Helen Hayes) into thinking the girl is the woman's long lost granddaughter. Once inside the mansion, the girl is supposed to find the hiding place of the woman's pirate ancestor's treasure. Based on the novel CHRISTMAS AT CANDLESHOE by Michael Innes and directed by Norman Tokar (THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE). One of Disney's live action family movies and actually not bad. The film avoids the usual treacly sentimentality of these family friendly wholesome Disney movies. With the the sassy tomboyish Foster at the center, how could it not? McKern's villain is a nasty bit of goods, a bit more dangerous than the usual comedic Disney villains. Unfortunately, the film descends into silliness during its last fifteen minutes but it's not offensive enough to ruin it. With David Niven doing nicely as the family butler, Vivian Pickles and Veronica Quilligan.

In & Out (1997)

A young actor (Matt Dillon) upon winning an Oscar thanks his high school teacher (Kevin Kline) and in doing so, outs him as gay. This is news to the teacher who's getting married to a fellow teacher (Joan Cusack) in just a few days. Directed by Frank Oz (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), this is another 90s comedy that hasn't aged all that well. It's a one joke premise dragged out to 90 minutes and though its heart is in the right place, it's phony! Dealing with serious subjects in a comedic way is a proven method of getting a point across in an entertaining way (9 TO 5 to name just one example) but its anything for a laugh screenplay only diminishes what it's trying to say. For example, the movie for which Dillon wins his best actor Oscar is not only terrible, but it's supposed to be a serious movie but the script plays it for laughs. It would never win an acting Oscar! It panders to its intended audience. To be fair, there are genuine laugh out loud moments of wit but the whole project seems calculated right down to its happy ending. The only performer that stands out is Joan Cusack (in an Oscar nominated performance), who's hilarious but she also authentic and sincere. We're laughing while seeing her very real sense of betrayal and heartbreak. With Tom Selleck, Glenn Close, Debbie Reynolds, Whoopi Goldberg, Wilford Brimley, Shawn Hatosy, Deborah Rush, Dan Hedaya, Debra Monk and Lauren Ambrose.