The libertine son (Rudolph Valentino) of a wealthy Frenchman (Josef Swickard) living in Argentina, follows his family when they return to Europe. He lives as an artist in Paris and falls in love with a married woman (Alice Terry). When WWI breaks out, he remains aloof from the conflict. Based on the novel by Vicente Blasco Ibanez (BLOOD AND SAND) and directed by Rex Ingram (1922's SCARAMOUCHE). A massive box office hit (the highest grossing movie of 1921) and it made Rudolph Valentino into a superstar in the silent era. Unusual since although there is a romance at the movie's core, it's remains a fiercely anti war movie. WWI had ended only three years prior so I suspect their bitterness and pain made the subject relatable to U.S. audiences. Curiously, Valentino's wastrel is hedonistic and narcissistic for the majority of the film and only redeems himself at the end. Neither his character or Alice Terry's adulterous wife are very appealing (as characters, not actors). While I enjoyed it, it felt overlong and didactic in execution. It's still a racy film what with female nudity, lesbians and German soldiers in drag! Remade in 1962. With Alan Hale, John St. Polis, Wallace Beery and Bridgetta Clark.
A boxer and amateur pilot (Anthony Franciosa) is killed in a plane crash. His "soul" is retrieved by an angel (Wally Cox), who assumes he would not have survived the crash. But the angel is wrong and the problem now becomes restoring the boxer to live out what would have been his natural life. Temporarily, he is put into the body of a millionaire whose wife (Diana Van Der Vlis) and her lover (Paul Stevens) are plotting to murder him. Based on the play by Harry Segall and directed by Alex Segal (RANSOM). Previously filmed under the title HERE COMES MR. JORDAN in 1941 and remade under its original title in 1978. This is a rather pedestrian version despite Franciosa's energetic performance. It goes through its paces but there's no charm or magic, qualities sorely need when dealing with fantasy films. With a 21 year old Elizabeth Ashley in her television debut, Robert Morley, Joey Bishop and Frank McHugh.
While his wife (Zoey Deutch) is at home with a high risk pregnancy, a recovering alcoholic (Nicholas Hoult) is serving on a murder jury. As the trial progresses, to his horror, he realizes that he may have been responsible for the victim's death, not the man (Gabriel Basso) on trial! Directed by Clint Eastwood (UNFORGIVEN). This is a terrific courtroom drama that got screwed over by its studio, Warner Brothers. You would think a film by a two time Oscar winning director (Eastwood) would get better treatment. This is a quality movie that should have been nurtured and prepared for the Oscar season (yes, it's that good) but inexplicably Warners give it a few half hearted dates briefly in some major cities then went directly to streaming! It received excellent reviews. Eastwood injects the necessary tension required in a good courtroom thriller but he clearly has other things on his mind than just thrills. The uncomfortable ambiguity of a justice where a good man (Hoult) can have his life ruined, a decent District Attorney (Toni Collette) confronting that justice isn't always fair and should a "bad" person be punished for something he did not do. Eastwood doesn't give us answers, he leaves it up to us. Worth seeking out. With Kiefer Sutherland, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina and Amy Aquino.
Set in a post Chernobyl world, William Shakespeare V (theatre director Peter Sellars) attempts to reconstruct his ancestor's play, KING LEAR. Loosely (very loosely) based on the play by William Shakespeare (perhaps inspired is a better word) and directed by Jean Luc Godard (LE MEPRIS). While I found much of the movie self indulgent, clearly we're in the hands of a major cinematic artist. This is no more filmed Shakespeare than the science fiction film FORBIDDEN PLANET (based on THE TEMPEST). Filmed in a fragmented off the cuff style, actors were often given the material just before the shoot with no time to prepare. Only Godard knew what he was doing and there's some speculation that even he was doing it all on the spur of the moment. Sound effects of squawking seagulls and snorting pigs seem arbitrary as they accompany some scenes. I have no idea what Godard was attempting to accomplish but if it's a mess, it's the kind of mess that could only have been made by a cinematic master. With Burgess Meredith as Lear, Molly Ringwald as Cordelia, Woody Allen, Julie Delpy, Norman Mailer, Leos Carax and Jean Luc Godard playing himself I assume.
Police detective Dick Tracy (Morgan Conway) must solve a series of vicious murders in which varied victims from different social and economic backgrounds are slashed to death. Based on the comic strip character created by Chester Gould and directed by William A. Berke (I SHOT BILLY THE KID). The first in a four series film franchise featuring the famed comic strip character Dick Tracy. These are low budget quickies (this one is barely over an hour long) that are moderate fun although done without any style or flair. Conway seems chosen to play Dick Tracy more because of his resemblance to the comic strip character than any acting ability. Not that he's bad, mind you but he just seems to be reciting lines. For a 1945 movie, I found it surprisingly violent. With Anne Jeffreys, Jane Greer, Mike Mazurki and Tommy Noonan.
A dean and professor of classics (Anthony Hopkins) at a New England college is forced to resign after being accused of making racist remarks during class. After his wife (Phyllis Newman) dies suddenly, he attempts to have a neighbor and writer (Gary Sinise) write a book about the incident. The writer refuses but the two men become friends. Based on the novel by Philip Roth (PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT) and directed by Robert Benton (PLACES IN THE HEART). Roth's novel was acclaimed and a best seller. The movie version was dismissed by critics and audiences upon its release. The film's examination of political correctness and racial identity has resonance but there's a big problem. While their performances are exemplary, Hopkins and Nicole Kidman (as his lover) cannot surmount their miscasting. Simply put, they're just so wrong for their parts that it's an impediment to the film's believability. A missed opportunity. With Wentworth Miller, Ed Harris, Kerry Washington, Margo Martindale, Anna Deavere Smith, Harry Lennix and Jacinda Barrett.
Set in 1718 Jamaica, the acting governor (Peter Boyle) of the island puts the island's primary judge (Bernard Behrens) into prison and confiscates his wealth. So his daughter (Genevieve Bujold) hires a pirate (Robert Shaw) to assassinate him. Based on the short story THE SCARLET BUCCANEER by Paul Wheeler and directed by James Goldstone (RED SKY AT MORNING). If you don't ask too much of it, this faux swashbuckler is modestly entertaining. But you know it's not the real thing. Robert Shaw's buccaneer doesn't have the panache of an Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power and while the movie is a parody/satire of the genre, it's a half hearted attempt and holds back. It needed to go full throttle like Richard Lester did with his THREE MUSKETEERS (1973) which was a satire yet a genuine swashbuckler. Even John Addison's score can't seem to make up its mind. Parts of it are thrilling and parts of it are Mickey "hey, this is a comedy" Mouse music. With James Earl Jones, Beau Bridges, Anjelica Huston, Geoffrey Holder, Dorothy Tristan and Avery Schreiber.
Set in a small cafe in the working class district of Paris called Au P'tit Zouave where the owner (Robert Dalban) is a fence for stolen goods. It has a small clientele of regulars as well as a couple of boarders. But when a handsome stranger (Francois Perier) moves in, it sets forth in motion a turn of events that will not end well. Directed by Gilles Grangier (SPEAKING OF MURDER). Although written directly for the screen, the movie has the feel of a filmed play as the entire action takes place in the cafe. For much of its running time, it seems almost plotless as the various characters live their lives with love and death occasionally rearing their heads. But it slowly moves toward a dire finale that will leave you with conflicted emotions. There's a lot of charm and humor in the film which makes its sad end unexpected (though I had an inkling near the end) but life goes on as usual. Highly recommended and worth seeking out. Among its talented cast: Dany Robin, Paul Frankeur, Jacques Morel, Marie Daems, Alice Field and Annette Poivre.
Set in post war San Francisco. After falling in love with the perfect woman (Marilyn Maxwell), a bookie (George Raft) decides to get out of business and none too soon as a syndicate is after him to pay up for "protection". But when the syndicate murders a childhood friend (Harry Morgan), he is determined to avenge his friend's killing. Loosely based on a magazine story by Maurice Davis and directed by Edwin L. Marin (TALL IN THE SADDLE). A nifty minor B noir that's worth watching. It's on the formulaic side and Raft gives his usual somnambulistic performance but William Bendix brings some cordiality to his police detective and Maxwell makes for a fine equivocal femme fatale. Dismissed upon its initial release, this is one film I'd love to see remade with a tighter script and a stronger leading man. With Gale Robbins and Frank Faylen.
Two incompetent detectives (Allen Jenkins, Hugh Herbert) pursue a master criminal known as The Octopus. During a dark and stormy night, they round up a group of suspects in a lighthouse which The Octopus apparently uses as a hideout. Based on two plays, SH! THE OCTOPUS and THE GORILLA both by Ralph Spence and directed by William McGann (GIRLS ON PROBATION). While I have a soft spot for horror comedies, this is one of the dumbest examples I've seen. The entire movie feels like an extended vaudeville sketch. The film makes no sense, doesn't even try to. I suppose if it were actually funny, it wouldn't matter much but it's pretty lame from start to finish. Hugh Herbert's "woo hoo" bit becomes annoying very fast. Fortunately the movie has a short running time of 55 minutes so it's over quickly. With John Eldredge, Marcia Ralston, Margaret Irving, Elspeth Dudgeon and George Rosener.
Set during WWI in a small village off the coast of Italy. During the war, a local girl (Mary Pickford) rescues a young man (Fred Thomson) washed up on shore. He claims he is an American deserter and they fall in love. But it's a romance wrapped up in deceit and betrayal and its effects will reach beyond the war's end. Directed by screenwriter Frances Marion (winner of 2 Academy Awards) in the first of only two directorial credits. At the age of 27, Mary Pickford was most famous for playing adolescent girls and she felt it was time to transition to more adult roles so with her friend Frances Marion, they concocted this dramatic romance set against the backdrop of WWI. She's very good as a naive young woman who finds her world tumbling around her and is pushed to the brink of insanity. Heavy stuff but she handles it nicely. The first half of the movie is stronger than its second half when it gets too melodramatic and tries to squeeze the tear ducts. The transfer I saw has been handsomely restored and had an excellent score by Maiah Manser in stereo. With Raymond Bloomer and Evelyn Dumo.
A young woman (Sally Ann Howes) raised in an orphanage has been engaged by the imposing owner (Zachary Scott) of Thornton Hall as a governess to his ward (Leslye Hunter). Slowly, she finds herself falling in love with him but tragedy is just around the corner. Based on the novel by Charlotte Bronte and directed by Marc Daniels (THE POWER AND THE GLORY). There have been countless versions of Bronte's classic Gothic romance. At least thirty stage, TV, radio and film adaptations. This "live" version made for TV is a sort of Readers Digest version of Bronte's book. While it has the essence of the book, it lacks the complexities and depth of the novel. Sally Ann Howes makes for a decent Jane Eyre but as the enigmatic Rochester, Zachary Scott is deficient in the charismatic qualities that compensate for his brusque broodiness. With Fritz Weaver, Laurie Main and Angela Thornton.
A depressed and fearful housewife (Marianne Jean Baptiste) is full of rage that threatens to destroy her and her family. Her henpecked husband (David Webber) and withdrawn son (Tuwaine Barrett) are only two of the victims of her anger and bitterness toward the world. Written and directed by Mike Leigh (SECRETS AND LIES). A powerful look at a dysfunctional family, in this case black although the film has nothing to do with race. As the matriarch on the edge of a nervous breakdown, Baptiste gives a brave and fierce performance, never once backing down and going for the "please pity me" sentiment. Her performance won her the best actress honors from the New York film critics, Los Angeles film critics and the National Society of film critics. It's an often difficult movie to sit through and there are moments where you just want to throttle her but if there's a flaw in the movie, it's this. The woman is clearly crying out for help but none of her immediate family sees that this is a woman in pain and clearly emotionally and mentally ill but no one even suggests that she get professional help. They just either ignore it or enable it. With Michele Austin, Ani Nelson and Sophia Brown.
Set in the 1960s, a Jewish physics professor (Michael Stuhlbarg) finds his life crumbling around him. He is stunned when his wife (Sari Lennick) announces she's leaving him for a family friend (Fred Melamed), his unemployed brother (Richard Kind) won't move off the couch, mysterious letters accusing him of "moral turpitude" threaten his position at the university and health issues that might prove life threatening. Written and directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (RAISING ARIZONA). One of the Coen Brothers most critically acclaimed films on its release, it doesn't seem to receive the retrospective love that other Coen films like BLOOD SIMPLE, FARGO, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, O BROTHER WHERE ARE THOU? or NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN have. Maybe its narrative is too "Jewish" for mainstream audiences but I found this dark (very dark) comedy with biblical undertones mesmerizing. The movie's bleak outlook (and there are unfair accusations of misanthropy as well) perhaps reflects my own pessimistic nature so I'm on the same wavelength. With Adam Arkin and Amy Landecker.
A young ambitious stockbroker (Charlie Sheen) is taken under the wing of a wealthy and unscrupulous corporate raider (Michael Douglas in an Oscar winning performance). The young man quickly rises to the top, perhaps too fast. Co-written and directed by Oliver Stone (PLATOON). The world of Wall Street, stockbrokers and trading is alien to me. While much of the film's insider stuff may have been lost on me, I still found it a fascinating movie except for the film's last 20 minutes or so when it falls apart and gets a little predictable and even mushy. But up until then, it moves along at a breakneck speed and you can see why someone would be attracted to such a world. Michael Douglas has enough star appeal to make his robber baron of Wall Street attractive but I found young Sheen a little on the drab side. The excellent percussion score is by Stewart Copeland of The Police. With Daryl Hannah, Terence Stamp, Martin Sheen, Hal Holbrook, Sean Young, Millie Perkins, Sylvia Miles, James Spader, James Karen and Monique Van Vooren.
Set during the second Punic War (218-202 B.C.), a young child named Cabiria (Carolina Catena) is separated from her parents after the eruption of Mt. Etna. They assume she is dead but she has been kidnapped by pirates who sell her to a high priest (Dante Testa) in Carthage. Loosely based on two novels SALAMMBO by Gustav Flaubert and CARTHAGE IN FLAMES by Emilio Salgari and directed by Giovanni Pastrone. Visually, it's a spectacular epic. The sets alone are jaw dropping. The film was highly influential to film makers like D.W. Griffith (his INTOLERANCE) and Fritz Lang (his METROPOLIS). Pastrone's camera movements are highly fluid and lack the stagnation that sometimes plagued silent cinema. On the downside, the acting is crude with lots of indicating (heads tossed back, arms raised and pointed). Worst of all, the transfer I saw had a hideous tinkling solo piano as its score. An epic like this needs a full orchestral score and the jangling ivories were a sad representation of what is on the screen. Worth seeing for its historical importance in cinema. With Umberto Mozzato, Bartolomeo Pagano, Italia Almirante Manzini and Lidia Quaranta as the adult Cabiria.
Set in post war Japan, a rookie detective (Toshiro Mifune) has his gun stolen from his pocket. His frantic attempts to track down the thief lead him to an illegal weapons market in the Tokyo underworld. When the gun is identified as the firearm used in a shooting, he is overwhelmed with guilt and remorse and more determined than ever to find the killer. Directed by Akira Kurosawa (SEVEN SAMURAI). A crime thriller that would more aptly be described as a police procedural today. Kurosawa isn't known for "thrillers" but he brings an intensity and a modicum of excitement in this cinematic pursuit that explores the frame of mind of post WWII Japan. The performances by Toshiro Mifune (looking impossibly handsome) and Takashi Shimura as his mentor are excellent and their relationship is as important to the film's success as its thriller aspects. With Keiko Awaji, Isao Kimura and Eiko Miyoshi.
Set in a small rural mountain town in Tennessee, a fortyish married sheriff (Gregory Peck) falls in love with the young daughter (Tuesday Weld) of a moonshiner (Ralph Meeker). It's a relationship that will lead to betrayal, violence and death. Based on the novel AN EXILE by Madison Jones and directed by John Frankenheimer (GRAND PRIX). It's an awkward film, something is askew but what? Tuesday Weld is fine but as much as I love Gregory Peck, passion was never his forte. His character is obsessed with this Lolita like country hillbilly but we never really sense it. Only once have I seen Peck show genuine passion onscreen and that was in DUEL IN THE SUN (he was actually sexy!) some 24 years earlier. As if sensing this, Frankenheimer keeps the love scenes down to a minimum. I felt a bit sorry for Estelle Parsons playing Peck's wife. She's obviously trying hard but her character is underwritten leaving her with not much to play with. The score consists of songs by Johnny Cash and that's what they sound like. They add nothing to the texture or emotion of the film. With Charles Durning (just awful) overdoing the red neck bit and Lonny Chapman.
Set in mid 19th century France, a diplomat (Tyrone Power) and a beautiful countess (Loretta Young) are in love. But when he is assigned to a diplomatic post in Egypt, she refuses his marriage proposal when he asks her to accompany him. Heartbroken, he goes to Egypt where he dreams of building a canal that would connect the Mediterranean and Red seas. Directed by Allan Dwan (SLIGHTLY SCARLET). This is a highly fictionalized version of the French diplomat Ferdinand De Lesseps' supervision of building the Suez canal during a 10 year period. The building of a canal isn't a particular interesting subject for an epic film so the film makers invented a romance with royalty and added a spectacular tornado sequence to hold audiences' interest. It's fairly preposterous but if you can get past the historical inaccuracies, it's a modest if generic entertainment. Loretta Young was a major star at this time but it's essentially a supporting role with Annabella (later to become Mrs. Tyrone Power) sharing romantic duties. With Joseph Schildkraut, Sidney Blackmer, Sig Rumann, Nigel Bruce, Leon Ames and George Zucco.
Set in colonial South Africa, a safari guide (Cornel Wilde) leads an arrogant client (Gert Van Den Bergh) and his troop into the African veldt to hunt elephants for their ivory. However, when the client insults a group of natives, they are taken prisoner and while the client is killed, the guide escapes with a small contingent of natives in pursuit. Directed by actor turned director Cornel Wilde (BEACH RED). Made for very little money and filmed in South Africa, the movie's screenplay received an Oscar nomination although dialogue is minimal and much of the natives' dialogue not in English (the film doesn't provide subtitles). Loosely based on the American explorer John Colter, who was stripped and chased by the Blackfeet tribe in Montana. The movie is much admired for its stripped down minimalist (reputedly the script was under ten pages) approach to its "man against nature" adventure film. There's much killing in the movie which is a turn off: man killing man, man killing animals, animals killing animals and the graphic images almost seem exploitative after awhile. The film's wide screen cinematography (Panavision) by H.A.R. Thomson (NO BLADE OF GRASS) is impressive. With Ken Gampu and Bella Randels.
A star struck yokel (Red Skelton) arrives in Hollywood with the ambition of being a movie actor. He's naive so a struggling actress (Virginia O'Brien) takes him under her wing to show him the ropes. Based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly (which was based on the book by Harry Leon Wilson) and directed by choreographer turned director Robert Alton (PAGAN LOVE SONG). This is the second film version of the book and play, it was filmed in 1932 under the title MAKE ME A STAR. I found this one more affable than the 1932 movie because Skelton, like him or not, has more presence than the bland Stuart Erwin in the first version. Skelton can be irritating but he's rather subdued (for him) here since he's not supposed to know he's funny and I enjoyed the serious scenes much more than the comedic ones. Virginia O'Brien's down to earth warmth was most welcome. Audiences didn't find it funny either and the movie tanked. With Gloria Grahame, Leon Ames, Alan Mowbray, Hugo Haas and Jim Davis.
Set in 18th century Peru, five people crossing an old rope bridge over a mountain gorge plunge to their death when the bridge collapses. A sea captain (Theodore Bikel) who knew the five people reflects on the lives of these five victims and wonders if there is a reason why these particular people died. Fate? Accident? Or God's plan. Based on the novel by Thornton Wilder (OUR TOWN) and directed by Robert Mulligan (SUMMER OF 42). At approximately a 90 minute running time, this is a condensed version of Wilder's novel and is missing much of the book's nuance. It's well done but perhaps most importantly, it's got some terrific performances. Notably, Judith Anderson as the lonely Marquesa who pines for the daughter (Rita Gam) in Spain and a rare filmed performance by the legendary stage actress Eva Le Gallienne as the Abbess of a convent. Previously filmed in 1944 and again in 2004. With Viveca Lindfors, Steven Hill, Hume Cronyn, Kurt Kasznar, Peter Cookson, William Marshall and Sandra Whiteside.
Set in Mumbai, two Malayali nurses room together. The older one (Kani Kusruti) has been abandoned by her husband when he went to Germany to work. The younger one (Divya Prabha) is a free spirit not bound by the restricted traditions of her culture. Written and directed by Payal Kapadia (A NIGHT OF KNOWING). Winner of the Grand Prix at last year's Cannes film festival. This is the kind of movie that sneaks up on you. It's disorienting at first, especially if you're not familiar with the Malayali people but it doesn't take long for it to cast its spell on you and you're hooked. One can't help but empathize with its three protagonists (Chhaya Kadam as a hospital cook is the third character). These women from small villages who leave for Mumbai (India's most populous city) for a "better" life but find themselves struggling anonymities in a large metropolis. It's both a wistful film and a determined one as film maker Kapadia fights for these women's significance. With Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad.
Set in pre Civil War Louisiana, a capricious coquette (Luise Rainer) marries a respected lawyer (Melvyn Douglas) at the urging of her sister (Barbara O'Neil), even though the sister is in love with him herself. Based on the play FROUFROU by Ludovic Halevy and Henri Meihac and directed by Richard Thorpe (IVANHOE). The first actor to win two Oscars (and back to back too), Rainer would seem to have a major film career ahead of her. But her star light quickly dimmed and her film career was pretty much over by 1940. I'm not all that familiar with her post Oscar career but if this tearjerker is any indication then I can see why her career stumbled. It's CAMILLE (as soon as Rainer coughs, you know she's done for) set in the deep South. The kind of fake Hollywood south where all the slaves are happy even though their owners threaten to sell them if they misbehave. Rainer is miscast as a Southern belle (they explain her accent by having her educated in France) but Bette Davis couldn't save this dud though she might have made it more fun. To the film's credit, it makes a point about men marrying women for their flighty charms but blame them when they don't mature into proper wives and mothers. With Robert Young, H.B. Warner, Alma Kruger and Theresa Harris.
Set in 1864, a renegade adventurer (William Holden) finds himself caught in the middle of the Civil War. With no loyalties to either side, he is on his way to deliver cattle to the Union army but is captured by a Confederate Colonel (Richard Widmark) who forcibly persuades him to deliver the cattle to the Confederate army. Directed by Edward Dmytryk (CROSSFIRE). Based on an actual incident referred to as the Beefsteak Raid of 1864. The film attempts to be even to both sides, the Union and the Confederacy but I detected a slight tip of the hat to the Confederacy. The movie's message that war is Hell and there are no winners is lost somewhere amid its inability to focus and the movie ends up as a slightly above average western that could have been stronger. With Janice Rule, Patrick O'Neal, Victoria Shaw, Arthur Franz and Richard Rust.
A middle aged American (recent) widower (Marlon Brando) owns a small hotel in Paris. At an apartment he's considering renting, he meets a young girl (Maria Schneider) and they begin an anonymous sexual relationship as he insists they don't reveal anything personal about themselves. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci (THE CONFORMIST). When it opened in both Europe and the U.S., the film caused a major controversy. In Italy, director Bertolucci was put on trial for obscenity and received a four month suspended sentence while the Italian supreme court ordered all copies of the film destroyed. In both the U.S. and Europe, the film was attacked as pornography masquerading as art. Much later, Schneider claimed she was psychologically abused by having to perform an anal rape scene. All that aside, the film is an undisputed masterpiece. It was Brando's last genuinely great performance. He seemed to lose all interest in acting after that. As for Maria Schneider, I have mixed emotions. I found her performance quite amateurish but in certain scenes, that amateurishness is very effective. The score by Gato Barbieri is spectacular. A raw powerhouse punch of a film! With Jean Pierre Leaud, Massimo Girotti, Catherine Allegret and Maria Michi.
Set in 1882 San Francisco, the Dirtwater Fox (George Segal) is a slick gambler who wants to hold on to the $40,000 he's stolen from a gang of outlaws. The Duchess (Goldie Hawn) is a scheming hooker who wants to become a "real lady". But once they team up, they begin to realize what they really want is each other. Directed by Melvin Frank (A TOUCH OF CLASS). Perhaps it looked good on paper but the resultant movie is a misfire. Star power can go only so far in a mediocre movie and the film defeats both Segal and Hawn, normally excellent comedy actors. In fact, I've never seen George Segal so unappealing. Hawn works overtime trying but she really has only one good scene where she teaches a group of Mormon children a rather risque song. It's only fitfully amusing and I suspect the screenwriters were hoping to make a comedy western along the lines of BLAZING SADDLES but it's no where near as audacious. The film stops cold a couple of times: a Jewish wedding sequence that goes nowhere and a ride along the river accompanied by a Bobby Vinton song called Lemon Drops, Lollipops And Sunbeams that seems influenced by the Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head sequence in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. With Richard Farnsworth, Conrad Janis, Pat Ast and Thayer David.
Set in The Bronx in 1964. A psychotic rapist (John Turturro) has just been released from prison and returns to the borough where he lived. The girl (Jodie Foster) he attempted to rape is terrified and asks the man (Tim Robbins) who saved her to intervene but he is non violent now. Written by John Patrick Shanley (MOONSTRUCK) and directed by actor turned director Tony Bill (SHAMPOO). Although the movie received positive reviews when it opened, I found it to be a frustrating film. Almost all its characters range from not too bright to downright stupid. Just one example: when her would be rapist calls her on the phone and asks her to meet him at midnight in a park, does she hang up or call the police? No, she goes to meet him! It just seems like an aimless, contrived screenplay and why should we care for any of its characters. Shanley even tries to drum up some sympathy for the rapist by blaming his mentally ill mother (Rose Gregorio). There's also a useless subplot about two teenage girls (Elizabeth Berridge, Cathryn De Prume) who hook up with two boys (Rodney Harvey, Daniel Jenkins) that has no bearing on the central story that just takes up space. With Todd Graff, Kathleen Chalfant and Carl Capotorto.
After his triumphs in the Civil War, General George Armstrong Custer (Robert Shaw) becomes one of the most renowned military figures of his time. But he infuriates as many people as he impresses, never more so than in the days leading up to the battle of Little Bighorn where his sense of pride overshadows his dedication to duty. Directed by Robert Siodmak (THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE). An ambitious film epic that ended up being a routine western. Filmed in 70 millimeter, it was originally intended to be a prestigious Cinerama roadshow production but was released as a roadshow only a handful of major cities. Most of its U.S. release had 20 minutes removed and eliminated the overture and intermissions. Typical of American films of its era, its riddled with historical inaccuracies so don't expect this to be a history lesson. The film's script seems confused on how to portray Custer. An egotistical sadist or a misunderstood hero and the movie flirts with both thus giving the film no focus. The most impressive things about the movie are the handsome cinematography of Cecilio Paniagua (LISA AND THE DEVIL) with Spain standing in for the American West and the solid score by Bernardo Segall. With Robert Ryan, Mary Ure, Jeffrey Hunter, Lawrence Tierney, Kieron Moore and Ty Hardin.
Set in Memphis, the owner of a riverboat casino (Joan Blondell) aspires to a life in high society. She decides to leave the gambling business and marry a socialite (Ray Middleton). The deal is for her to pay off his gambling debts and the back taxes of his family's once grand plantation. But she finds being accepted by society easier said than done. Directed by Leigh Jason (THE MAD MISS MANTON). A modest but congenial drama with bits of comedy occasionally tossed in. Joan Blondell had been a workhorse at Warner Brothers (she made 17 movies between 1932 and 1933) but this was her last film as the leading lady and she began segueing into character actress parts after this. She's wonderful in this, feisty and sassy and taking no crap from anyone, man or woman and she looks great as lovingly shot by cinematographer Norbert Brodine (KISS OF DEATH) and gowned by Walter Plunkett (GONE WITH THE WIND). With John Wayne, Blanche Yurka, Edith Barrett, Hattie Noel and Leonid Kinskey.
Tired of living and working on a Kansas chicken farm, a young woman (Loretta Young) pushes her her two sisters (Marjorie Weaver, Pauline Moore) to come with her to California to find some rich husbands. Based on a play by Stephen Powys and directed by William A. Seiter (ROOM SERVICE). Three girls looking for rich husbands is/was a popular formula in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. This film was remade by Fox in 1941 as MOON OVER MIAMI and later in an unofficial remake, HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE (1953). This version of the tale is rather affable. The film concentrates on the Loretta Young sister and the two eligible bachelors (Joel McCrea, David Niven) that are pursuing her while the other sisters hover in the background. Yes, it's predictable but the three leads are engaging and adept at sophisticated comedy. The storyline is near irresistible so one can see why its plot was constantly being recycled. We're not as enamored of millionaires (and justifiably so) these days so the plot has fallen out of favor. With Binnie Barnes, Stuart Erwin and Jane Darwell.
A London stockbroker (Laurence Olivier) abandons his wife (Geraldine Fitzgerald) and children for a life in Paris as a starving painter. He has no compunctions, no regrets about his action, not even hurting the one friend (Hume Cronyn) he has in Paris when he seduces his wife (Jessica Tandy). Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham (previously filmed in 1942) and directed by Robert Mulligan (TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD). This film was Laurence Olivier's American television debut (it won him a best actor Emmy) and contains one of his very best performances. Charles Strickland (Olivier's character) is a totally unlikable heel. He's selfish, rude, has no consideration of others and uses the people around him without regard to their feelings. Still, as much as one can despise such a man, one also has to grudgingly admire him for his brutal honesty and living his life as he wants, not as society says he should. With Judith Anderson, Denholm Elliott, Jean Marsh, Murray Matheson and Cyril Cusack.
The true story of Lee Miller (Kate Winslet), an ex-model turned photographer and her experiences during WWII. Based on the biography THE LIVES OF LEE MILLER by Anthony Penrose (Miller's son) and directed by cinematographer Ellen Kuras (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND) in her feature film directorial debut. Another biographical movie that would be quite ordinary without a powerful performance (in this case, Winslet) to anchor and elevate it. This was a labor of love for Winslet (8 years in the making), who was also the film's producer. The screenplay is decent and benefits by concentrating during the WWII years rather than a lifelong biographical narrative. Its most powerful moments come during the immediate aftermath of WWII and her discovery of the true Nazi horrors that were hidden from us. That Lee Miller isn't as well known as, say Bob Dylan or Maria Callas, benefits the film since we don't have any preconceived notions of her. With Marion Cotillard, Alexander Skarsgard, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg and Josh O'Connor.
A psychotic serial killer (Isabelle Adjani) lures wealthy men to their deaths. A solitary detective (Michel Serrault) is on her trail. But the detective is unbalanced and becomes obsessed with her to the point of not only covering up her crimes, he kills any man she shows a genuine attraction to. Based on the novel EYE OF THE BEHOLDER by Marc Behm and directed by Claude Miller (LA CLASSE DE NEIGE). Remade in 1999 in English under the book's title EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. This version is infinitely superior, done with flair and style and better written. Still, its loopy narrative is still hard to digest but it has a cast that helps overcome that. In the American version, the detective was miscast by using a younger actor (Ewan McGregor) which eliminates the dynamics of the patriarchal feelings the detective has for his prey. Though it wasn't a commercial hit in France, it received six Cesar (the French Oscar) nominations including a best actor nomination for Michel Serrault and a supporting actress nomination for Stephane Audran as a blackmailer's companion. With Genevieve Page, Sami Frey, Jean Claude Brialy, Macha Meril and Guy Marchand.
A homicidal escapee (Milton Parsons) from an insane asylum goes to his wealthy sister (Cecil Cunningham) to hide. To protect him, she passes him off as her butler. In the meantime, she must deal with a gaggle of money hungry relatives and friends who hope to inherit her money. But she has a plan and then the bodies start to pile up. Based on the play INVITATION TO A MURDER by Rufus King and directed by Benjamin Stoloff (AFFAIRS OF ANNABEL). If you can stomach such sensitive subjects as murder and insanity treated as a zany comedy then this movie is quite fun. While I enjoyed it, I would rather have seen the farfetched plot treated much more seriously. The film moves along rapidly so you never have time to analyze the dubious plot but then again, one shouldn't dwell on a piece of entertaining piffle like this much. Just enjoy the nonsense! With Craig Stevens, Elisabeth Fraser, Julie Bishop, Frank Wilcox, Ruth Ford and Willie Best doing his patented "scared of ghosts" servant.
The owner (Sidney Blackmer) of Fielding Motors is against building sports cars and prefers building family friendly automobiles. However, an ambitious employee (Tony Curtis) has come up with a design for a new sportscar and working in secret with the assistance of the company's chief engineer (Paul Kelly), they implement the creation of a new sportscar. Directed by George Sherman (AGAINST ALL FLAGS). A routine but pleasant programmer. As a racing movie, it's more akin to VIVA LAS VEGAS rather than GRAND PRIX. But it's typical of the lightweight fodder that contract player Tony Curtis was making at Universal at the time. Curtis and frequent leading lady Piper Laurie (another Universal contract player) reteam for the fourth and last time here. Both much more talented than Universal gave them credit for judging from the scripts they were given and both would make more of an impression away from Universal: Curtis with TRAPEZE and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS with United Artists and Laurie with UNTIL THEY SAIL at MGM and DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES on television. With Don Taylor, Ilka Chase, Russell Johnson and Scatman Crothers.
Set in the late 1960s, a rock star (Bette Midler in an Oscar nominated performance) known as The Rose spirals out of control as career pressures and the demands of her manager (Alan Bates) cause her to self destruct. Directed by Mark Rydell (ON GOLDEN POND). Once again, a movie biography about an entertainer that is stuck with the cliches of the genre. Except in this case, the rock star is a fictional character rather than a real person (albeit loosely based on Janis Joplin). After the film's first hour, you realize that the movie has given all it's going to give and that the second half is going to be more of the same. Is there a reason to watch this movie? You bet! A sensational performance by Bette Midler that elevates the film and pushes past the cliches to give a raw wound of a performance. Alas, she never again reached the heights of her work here. The film has an authenticity to it, Midler's musical act is a good facsimile of real rock (unlike Streisand in A STAR IS BORN) and she gives the musical numbers as much potency as she does her acting. With Frederic Forrest, Harry Dean Stanton, Barry Primus, David Keith, Doris Roberts (whose role seems to have been severely cut) and Sylvester.
A British aristocrat (Gilbert Emery) is frustrated by his playboy son (John Darrow) who is a promising architect but he's in the clutches of a gold digger (Margaret Livingston). A chance encounter with a streetwalker (Betty Compson) gives him the impetus to hire her to steal his son away from the gold digger. But when both men fall in love with her, complications ensue including murder. Directed by George Archainbaud (THIRTEEN WOMEN). This pre code melodrama is quite agreeable. You can see where it's going but it's enjoyable enough that you don't mind. Betty Compson is appealing and her character has a backbone and it's not long before you realize she's too good for either the father or the son! The film's ambiguous ending suggests a happy ending but it ends before we know for sure. With Ivan Lebedeff and Edgar Norton.
After his best friend (Donald Woods) dies in a tragic accident, a construction worker (Bing Crosby) takes his friend's daughter (Gloria Jean) to New York City to live with relatives. However, the snobbish brother (Allyn Joslyn) and his wife (Claire Dodd) want nothing to do with the orphaned niece. Directed by David Butler (PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE). Ugh! Sappy musical has a storyline that seems retreaded from countless other sentimental movies about orphaned kids taken under the wing of a friendly adult when nobody else wants them. Gloria Jean was Universal's other juvenile soprano after (way after) Deanna Durbin. She's innocuous enough but I found her singing voice unpleasant. The movie is crammed with old vaudeville stars doing their thing (including a blackface minstrel number). Since there's no leading lady other than Gloria Jean, we're spared a romantic subplot. With Charles Winninger, Moroni Olsen, Verna Felton, Blanche Ring and the insufferable comic El Brendel doing his trademark Swedish dialect.
A documentary on singer and activist Joan Baez consisting of interviews, home movies, audio and visual tapes and art work. Directed by Miri Navasky, Maeve O'Boyle and Karen O'Connor. With the Bob Dylan bio film A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2024) getting attention, I thought I'd check out this recent bio documentary on Baez, an important "character" in the Dylan movie. I found it disappointing. Baez is very open as she discusses her music, activism, bisexuality, relationship with Dylan but if you're a fan of Baez (as I am), there's nothing really new here. What is new is her fighting depression throughout most of her life, her inability to keep a romantic relationship and allegations of sexual abuse as a child by her father that may or may not be true (she discovers this through hypnosis and the father denies it). One has to admire her honesty and ability to move forward rather than dwelling in self pity. Worth checking out if you're a Baez fan. If you're not, there's probably not much for you here.
An ambitious actor (Frankie Vaughan) comes to Los Angeles to break into the movies. He shares a house in the hills with his brother (Steve Harris) and four other bachelors (Gary Crosby, David McLean, Robert Casper, Paul Von Schreiber) and uses each of them in his rise to fame. Based on the play THE WAY WE LIVE by Garson Kanin and directed by David Butler (WHERE'S CHARLEY?). Frankie Vaughan was a big pop star in England and 20th Century Fox imported him for the Marilyn Monroe film LET'S MAKE LOVE (1960) and tried to make him a star in the U.S. The Monroe movie did nothing for him and neither did this film, so Fox sent him packing back to the U.K. I don't know why Fox thought this film in which Vaughan plays an unpleasant phony who uses men and women to climb to the top would make him a star. He exudes nothing that would suggest he could be a movie star and despite his hit records in the U.K., none of his records charted here in the States. In fact, none of the males in the film show much personality. Fortunately, Juliet Prowse as a gold digging waitress and Martha Hyer as a magazine editor do have a screen presence that partially compensates for the male ciphers. With Jane Withers and Jesse White.
Told in flashback, a landowner (Barry Jones) returns to his Yorkshire home with an orphan (Michel Ray) in tow that he raises as his own which causes resentment in his son (Mark Hykin). But his young daughter (Patty Duke) adores him. Years later, the orphan (now Richard Burton) and the daughter (now Rosemary Harris) are still bound together but their romance is troubled by her attachment to a wealthy neighbor (Denholm Elliott). Based on the classic novel by Emily Bronte and directed by Daniel Petrie (A RAISIN IN THE SUN). There have been many adaptations of Bronte's novel, the most famous being William Wyler's 1939 film version. Like the 1939 film, this television adaptation ends with Cathy's death and the second half of the novel is eliminated. Richard Burton makes for an intense and virile Heathcliff but it's all surface passion and his bellowing lacks romanticism. As Cathy, Rosemary Harris is more successful, suggesting the internal conflict between her love for Heathcliff and her desire for a more privileged life. With John Colicos, Cathleen Nesbitt, Bernard Miles, Angela Thornton and Robert Flemyng.
A sixteen year old girl (Ekaterina Buscemi) goes missing in an isolated mountain village in Italy. The police inspector (Toni Servillo) who is assigned to the case is notorious for arresting an innocent man who spent four years in jail before being found innocent. This time he's focused on a school teacher (Alessio Boni) who he is convinced kidnapped and murdered the girl. Is his instinct right or will history repeat itself. Based on the novel by Donato Carrisi, who not only adapted his novel for the screen but directed it in his film directorial debut. Expertly made with all the requisite suspense a psychological thriller like this needs to make it work. Toni Servillo's (best remembered for THE GREAT BEAUTY) character is an odd choice for the main protagonist. He's unethical (he plants evidence) and vain and unapologetic with no guilt about sending an innocent man to prison. By the time the movie is over, you feel unclean. Unsavory but riveting. There's a nice underscore by Vito Lo Re. With Jean Reno, Greta Scacchi, Lorenzo Richelmy and Galatea Ranzi.
