Set in Manhattan during the height of the AIDS epidemic, a disenchanted struggling gay actor named Jeffrey (Steven Weber) vows to be completely celibate. No sooner has he sworn off sex when he meets a hunky but sensitive guy (Michael T. Weiss) at the gym. But when the sensitive guy reveals his HIV status, Jeffrey is torn. Based on the play by Paul Rudnick (SISTER ACT) and directed by Christopher Ashley, a theatre director whose only feature film credit this is. This didn't work for me at all! In fact, I found most of it ghastly. The gay men in it are all stereotypes and to add insult to injury, the film ridicules gay men who don't fit into the stereotype! But to be fair, everyone in the movie is a stereotype. There's not a recognizably human being in the bunch! A romantic comedy about two gay men during the AIDS crisis is intriguing but I'm not sure this exaggerated over the top mess was the way to go. The movie comes alive only once during a segment with a motivational guru (Sigourney Weaver) that's genuine amusing. There are much better films addressing the AIDS crisis (LONGTIME COMPANION, THE NORMAL HEART, ANGELS IN AMERICA). With Patrick Stewart, Nathan Lane, Olympia Dukakis, Christine Baranski, Robert Klein, Victor Garber, Kathy Najimy, Debra Monk and Bryan Batt.
Set in the Philippines in 1942, an American naval officer (Tyrone Power) finds himself stranded after his ship is sunk by the Japanese. He and another survivor (Tom Ewell) lead a band of natives in fighting the Japanese until General MacArthur's promised return. Based on the novel by Ira Wolfert and directed by Fritz Lang (THE BIG HEAT). Inspired by the life of Iliff Richardson, a survivor of the sinking of PT-34 in WWII, who joined the Philippine guerrilla forces. It's well done but it's clearly a paycheck movie for Fritz Lang. It's a straightforward movie with little of the psychological exploration usually examined by Lang in his darker movies. Harry Jackson's (MOTHER WORE TIGHTS) handsome Technicolor cinematography benefits from being shot entirely on location in the Philippines. I'm not much of a fan of war movies but I liked this one. With Micheline Presle, Tommy Cook, Juan Torena and Jack Elam.
Set in a small mining village in Wales in 1895, a school teacher (Bette Davis) is determined to bring education to the village despite the initial resentment of the locals. When she discovers a young miner (John Dall) in his teens has a superior mind, she takes it upon herself to educate him to reach his full potential. Based on the play by Emlyn Williams and directed by Irving Rapper (NOW VOYAGER). One of my least favorite film genres is "the teacher who inspired me" movie. I'm Bette Davis's number one fan and a Davis completist but I've been avoiding this movie for decades. So I figured it's about time and bit the bullet. My fears were confirmed although it's not as bad as it could have been. Thank heavens for Davis (playing older than she is), who brings a tough unsentimental strength to her school mistress. Even when the movie threatens to sink into a maudlin morass, she holds back the mush. A good performance but not among her best. The supporting cast is good and they include John Dall, Mildred Dunnock, Nigel Bruce, Rhys Williams and in Oscar nominated performance, Joan Lorring as the devious minx who almost ruins everything.
A secret agent (William Powell) in the employ of Polish insurgents is carrying a secret letter addressed to the Czar of Russia. At the same time, a Russian secret agent (Luise Rainer) is secretly carrying a letter with orders to arrest the Polish agent on sight. By a mishap, each agent hides their letter in the secret compartment of a candlestick but the candlesticks are stolen and it's a race against time to retrieve them. Based on the novel by Baroness Orczy (THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL) and directed by George Fitzmaurice (RAFFLES). This was Rainer's follow up film to her Oscar winning turn in THE GOOD EARTH and she's perfectly cast. It's a nice combination of spy movie and romantic comedy and reunited with her GREAT ZIEGFELD co-star Powell, it's a an above average entertainment. So enjoyable in fact that one can forgive the movie's dubious deus ex machina conclusion. Apparently, the public also enjoyed it enough to place it in MGM's profit column. With Robert Young, Maureen O'Sullivan, Frank Morgan, Henry Stephenson and Douglass Dumbrille.
