tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74004177243738372732024-03-28T01:07:37.521-07:00The CinemaScope CatThe CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.comBlogger7694125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-28819145139361981332024-03-28T01:03:00.000-07:002024-03-28T01:07:06.621-07:00La Casa Della Paura (aka The Girl In Room 2A) (1974)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxMiXG81mw4g1xrXg0JIXkUUTiNlPESDr6Nrjs__U5RjQhSVU6IArKaHgsE2uUJrByIpz67-EUoYNP-IUDKWCwe5VQcMnQfx2pG0KWv1LHiQwQ8xRQmUcD-TUcyETPMoMrcu5YyOT8777Aao_xR75smKDK-tsnoTIhhHyPARGaJQILn4nIhPtlSidIlU/s1992/IMG_E0731.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1992" data-original-width="1520" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxMiXG81mw4g1xrXg0JIXkUUTiNlPESDr6Nrjs__U5RjQhSVU6IArKaHgsE2uUJrByIpz67-EUoYNP-IUDKWCwe5VQcMnQfx2pG0KWv1LHiQwQ8xRQmUcD-TUcyETPMoMrcu5YyOT8777Aao_xR75smKDK-tsnoTIhhHyPARGaJQILn4nIhPtlSidIlU/w305-h400/IMG_E0731.JPG" width="305" /></a></b></div><b>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 <i>giallo </i>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 (<i>de rigueur </i>for a decent <i>giallo</i>), 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 <i>he </i>doing in something like this?), Karin Schubert, Rosalba Neri, Brad Harris, Frank Latimore and Angelo Infanti.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-25021829987690752392024-03-27T03:25:00.000-07:002024-03-27T03:25:01.263-07:00Vie Privée (aka A Very Private Affair) (1962)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fpgO0qWeJ5THMOvWtNsZvYHWyihvM8whhyBVCFLKsDCXxHaIyPHuHU_CRcoJwERFOULnU5YfoalZxLNeuPe_M56olLOdPAVVngM715iPUols18XhYyed9jb8akhZWEGeI6h6vxv96v23bhSw2vn05VAG-KM7h0QA7Eck9AJdcPLVtmzD1J4HDcvNq6A/s3035/IMG_E0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3035" data-original-width="2037" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fpgO0qWeJ5THMOvWtNsZvYHWyihvM8whhyBVCFLKsDCXxHaIyPHuHU_CRcoJwERFOULnU5YfoalZxLNeuPe_M56olLOdPAVVngM715iPUols18XhYyed9jb8akhZWEGeI6h6vxv96v23bhSw2vn05VAG-KM7h0QA7Eck9AJdcPLVtmzD1J4HDcvNq6A/w269-h400/IMG_E0725.JPG" width="269" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-41464163008691022232024-03-26T17:24:00.000-07:002024-03-26T17:24:08.872-07:00Spy Hunt (1950)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrESTEtt_9zjKHXLfoeQiSeqzov_VHiy_cqXBdh7Exb3Q_OULlh8K_2GBH0kQbu9BfMuxiu1JQqOvwrZb8ZHvtthDIu0FV-sNSNHHddVOOtrqriscj2n4Ls-shlOmyt-XXjdvSpwYyvgoHPAOTJs0aACaPZJY_xmojPWcXcft8ZroWiZ5AhIxCkrhrhM/s2962/IMG_0712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="2508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJrESTEtt_9zjKHXLfoeQiSeqzov_VHiy_cqXBdh7Exb3Q_OULlh8K_2GBH0kQbu9BfMuxiu1JQqOvwrZb8ZHvtthDIu0FV-sNSNHHddVOOtrqriscj2n4Ls-shlOmyt-XXjdvSpwYyvgoHPAOTJs0aACaPZJY_xmojPWcXcft8ZroWiZ5AhIxCkrhrhM/w339-h400/IMG_0712.JPG" width="339" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-42383968607219983592024-03-26T14:01:00.000-07:002024-03-26T14:06:38.488-07:00The Time, The Place And The Girl (1946)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbtV9PSlrVZxfbJ6Pvr5o6fOkmh0NfcipKShgAvQCboK8AIUZdVBYbEtUcHGmz6epDRLCkBFC-6QRlLrkQ4Z2BXw1xF6r-LJ1QUcsA-TYknMfk1KzaS_S2IXHThjwhoJHX-KVrgINwlDC7NwKaSN_sJ9MXmcquQ1LQy85gUOsKvPNXRKJ3uTA5QaSge4/s846/IMG_E9593.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="604" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbtV9PSlrVZxfbJ6Pvr5o6fOkmh0NfcipKShgAvQCboK8AIUZdVBYbEtUcHGmz6epDRLCkBFC-6QRlLrkQ4Z2BXw1xF6r-LJ1QUcsA-TYknMfk1KzaS_S2IXHThjwhoJHX-KVrgINwlDC7NwKaSN_sJ9MXmcquQ1LQy85gUOsKvPNXRKJ3uTA5QaSge4/w285-h400/IMG_E9593.JPG" width="285" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-74937298074359283522024-03-26T01:01:00.000-07:002024-03-26T01:01:17.608-07:00We Live Again (1934)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6gkSwVHEiqxWNUjf_ItvZqG_WRisu9beN1m2b7GNiQw2dBu0OB5TfvlGjKv50GuBgWOzP0GHC_glQr3NsNPjMJl2W9h1qRg8tg06M2azrhH8XvZZwLqqnnrqpLLzl9itYhyPeUmBYCqVyl6aBJK5viCgiCHKx2dogsmllTEYS7nKYKOwTpmBtlNGhPA/s806/IMG_E8479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6gkSwVHEiqxWNUjf_ItvZqG_WRisu9beN1m2b7GNiQw2dBu0OB5TfvlGjKv50GuBgWOzP0GHC_glQr3NsNPjMJl2W9h1qRg8tg06M2azrhH8XvZZwLqqnnrqpLLzl9itYhyPeUmBYCqVyl6aBJK5viCgiCHKx2dogsmllTEYS7nKYKOwTpmBtlNGhPA/w268-h400/IMG_E8479.JPG" width="268" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-75825131842416783752024-03-25T13:20:00.000-07:002024-03-25T16:47:11.007-07:00Torrent (1926)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Poster_-_Torrent%2C_The_(1926)_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="800" height="322" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Poster_-_Torrent%2C_The_(1926)_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b>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. </b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-54661554914674510442024-03-22T01:03:00.000-07:002024-03-22T01:09:16.311-07:00The Color Purple (2023)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3jbj8RHjrJnpm8KelcsZywVvoGRkM2ldOOnSfrF2pn7CwRaFJQKsUhQuNCsOKsJhhJBKF-LgGM9ZfKakAJC5G0EFmdx_x9RDBj8sfLPK9TkZGV0C4M0wwB5b2rHeN0lVjIG1sVOGkGHy2HD9nFJ8qDmEmAFKZBNSGTLcvrcb75-dySx641PbfSyOuek/s2855/IMG_E0662.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2855" data-original-width="2286" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3jbj8RHjrJnpm8KelcsZywVvoGRkM2ldOOnSfrF2pn7CwRaFJQKsUhQuNCsOKsJhhJBKF-LgGM9ZfKakAJC5G0EFmdx_x9RDBj8sfLPK9TkZGV0C4M0wwB5b2rHeN0lVjIG1sVOGkGHy2HD9nFJ8qDmEmAFKZBNSGTLcvrcb75-dySx641PbfSyOuek/w320-h400/IMG_E0662.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div><b>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 <i>something </i>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, <i>What About Love? </i>and although Barrino gives a strong rendition of <i>I'm Here </i>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-67798633355245047052024-03-21T15:21:00.000-07:002024-03-25T13:06:16.168-07:00Ladies Of Leisure (1930)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/LadiesOfLeisurePoster.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="268" height="400" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/LadiesOfLeisurePoster.JPG" width="289" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-23786677635341578332024-03-20T23:12:00.000-07:002024-03-20T23:17:26.299-07:00Cry Havoc (1943)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEfdyL3Xilqd7zOKLwtqFj2SS3KsZ1W85acDTwAdiBPxaR02I5aQYF3m02gb2LYQeQ_mT9pttk1k2PGnRZXBOaQtV98k-La6ZeifK-tsi5V_9CsvpqbnOfoMd14fPwwm_3l5GuA0mBo83daG-s77wDcN0us5LY0DSae7Tne65IwzXWzq8MhD0wdffF7Y/s1040/IMG_E0297%20-%20Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="673" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEfdyL3Xilqd7zOKLwtqFj2SS3KsZ1W85acDTwAdiBPxaR02I5aQYF3m02gb2LYQeQ_mT9pttk1k2PGnRZXBOaQtV98k-La6ZeifK-tsi5V_9CsvpqbnOfoMd14fPwwm_3l5GuA0mBo83daG-s77wDcN0us5LY0DSae7Tne65IwzXWzq8MhD0wdffF7Y/w259-h400/IMG_E0297%20-%20Copy.JPG" width="259" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-8616598512313657962024-03-19T22:17:00.000-07:002024-03-20T21:19:41.638-07:00My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpK2RFDkVa7mIAqoz0vbYR5fnAm7Sif6hV97ATF5VENR6C7YeA-d9IK7VGw0ZY2tq9pmhyphenhyphenIY1ynF6bf24O0N0YZz4WIIkgkfErRPI3Adzc-mK6K6AS6B0NTjobje89UnYkRYxGgKOkTDokj-CTCPMmtsVhU6eFB1YYCXHIKisn6fgYruBni0bu2cMwwk/s2454/IMG_E0623.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2454" data-original-width="2100" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpK2RFDkVa7mIAqoz0vbYR5fnAm7Sif6hV97ATF5VENR6C7YeA-d9IK7VGw0ZY2tq9pmhyphenhyphenIY1ynF6bf24O0N0YZz4WIIkgkfErRPI3Adzc-mK6K6AS6B0NTjobje89UnYkRYxGgKOkTDokj-CTCPMmtsVhU6eFB1YYCXHIKisn6fgYruBni0bu2cMwwk/w343-h400/IMG_E0623.JPG" width="343" /></a></div>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.</b>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-60430008834687120032024-03-18T00:30:00.000-07:002024-03-18T00:30:47.962-07:00Casino De Paris (1957)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZiUTZO_oq2yzhXqghvkrMSzBo2xRqTJ9Jy6gCNnmkur8FBN7ylWD3emj8pt_yZYoE08FRgvGWoNsEE7gakstHpZvZ7B-1MavdtLtG5dbeuGL7bfOIVSxK9YJm1zGYX48nIJlqE9KDltI2Bjjh1uUb8bGz3Bp8DN9Sj5WOE60GIEokLG4TsOb95xH6FY/s3233/IMG_E0593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3233" data-original-width="2555" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZiUTZO_oq2yzhXqghvkrMSzBo2xRqTJ9Jy6gCNnmkur8FBN7ylWD3emj8pt_yZYoE08FRgvGWoNsEE7gakstHpZvZ7B-1MavdtLtG5dbeuGL7bfOIVSxK9YJm1zGYX48nIJlqE9KDltI2Bjjh1uUb8bGz3Bp8DN9Sj5WOE60GIEokLG4TsOb95xH6FY/w316-h400/IMG_E0593.JPG" width="316" /></a></b></div><b>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. </b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-85358174116992647312024-03-18T00:03:00.000-07:002024-03-18T00:03:38.616-07:00The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (1968)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGyksW3X2LwXC0wtSDHNe3k-QZ7IyX24gBH4y-lO3Tt42GeStb2OMErRd6e6xn_4jmxiPu57tvOGitv2A7e86JDYP3nYFJ8WtFmgKPGthFju-mDE8ASAwca8PWW0DmseKGHeJxuUemGBsEyah-giQg9mpEU8Pa_0tVJMFRWAV7IibyhHnvHuZu6ToJOY/s3432/IMG_E0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3432" data-original-width="2437" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGyksW3X2LwXC0wtSDHNe3k-QZ7IyX24gBH4y-lO3Tt42GeStb2OMErRd6e6xn_4jmxiPu57tvOGitv2A7e86JDYP3nYFJ8WtFmgKPGthFju-mDE8ASAwca8PWW0DmseKGHeJxuUemGBsEyah-giQg9mpEU8Pa_0tVJMFRWAV7IibyhHnvHuZu6ToJOY/w284-h400/IMG_E0594.JPG" width="284" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-35249931914722659902024-03-16T14:57:00.000-07:002024-03-16T15:01:55.672-07:00Arthur 2: On The Rocks (1988)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q8yVHKTKKx7DImh_Sygjhu1a_usXu9IMlK5vAUu-eNh1sf2IESfax24XouH9azWDZ39yiziF4XF4sYO4h4L8iE4JqsU801m3QfMcstyax9mp-eFTqRBkE75xRDTpv_fV5oYNIn9GEPcztUFFgfWbXTU3_hQN3tG5yBOdGrJoPVZWVo-Rv2_qX-yhyphenhyphengA/s2500/IMG_E0584.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="2270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q8yVHKTKKx7DImh_Sygjhu1a_usXu9IMlK5vAUu-eNh1sf2IESfax24XouH9azWDZ39yiziF4XF4sYO4h4L8iE4JqsU801m3QfMcstyax9mp-eFTqRBkE75xRDTpv_fV5oYNIn9GEPcztUFFgfWbXTU3_hQN3tG5yBOdGrJoPVZWVo-Rv2_qX-yhyphenhyphengA/w364-h400/IMG_E0584.JPG" width="364" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-27069105932394691642024-03-15T01:12:00.000-07:002024-03-15T01:12:02.137-07:00Charlie Chan In Shanghai (1935)<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3S0cMg24J5JGGUnDODc5ezxtBwzZLkQ2LI7yDGGF1Rl_tcrRn-S3KRtnhBRalq0DUsiL-EbP_K5Vn1wEx_7U45FpPZa1KIJIpTHPcv1VUZTIZSwkl2VxjYk47m4Zo7oA5hyphenhyphenIUZz1rig2LUn8kSTp2FRoHWUnEQKGth894vPZegn1_V4HPdPCcDzhslc/s3131/IMG_E0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3131" data-original-width="2186" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3S0cMg24J5JGGUnDODc5ezxtBwzZLkQ2LI7yDGGF1Rl_tcrRn-S3KRtnhBRalq0DUsiL-EbP_K5Vn1wEx_7U45FpPZa1KIJIpTHPcv1VUZTIZSwkl2VxjYk47m4Zo7oA5hyphenhyphenIUZz1rig2LUn8kSTp2FRoHWUnEQKGth894vPZegn1_V4HPdPCcDzhslc/w279-h400/IMG_E0558.JPG" width="279" /></a></div>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.</b>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-59307256809973731692024-03-14T21:22:00.000-07:002024-03-14T21:33:41.974-07:00Il Giorno Della Civetta (aka The Day Of The Owl) (1968)<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-rPU2i41x_EW7q73CZwP6zvNi5UJ0thqDyCm5zz-HqcrrCFSX5b_KocIHs7rZqYYqZ6Ha5JmFU0BzrChdOPxXRb1EFgMYNtRFyLH3Um7w7kNjE_0lDAM1e_6sPmG5GdQNgSfJIT_QTHFy-tperozP3atexxTBngSYx-ps5Mx6ihL8572d3A8s1FY7io/s2967/IMG_E0532.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2967" data-original-width="1996" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-rPU2i41x_EW7q73CZwP6zvNi5UJ0thqDyCm5zz-HqcrrCFSX5b_KocIHs7rZqYYqZ6Ha5JmFU0BzrChdOPxXRb1EFgMYNtRFyLH3Um7w7kNjE_0lDAM1e_6sPmG5GdQNgSfJIT_QTHFy-tperozP3atexxTBngSYx-ps5Mx6ihL8572d3A8s1FY7io/w269-h400/IMG_E0532.JPG" width="269" /></a></div>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.</b>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-59223989937548258272024-03-12T19:31:00.000-07:002024-03-12T19:31:35.809-07:00Nightmare In Badham County (1976)<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3G6MTcIzyovLtardU1dE41n43nr6K2zLrKI6TyDSv-KV5jpuh7EeWWIFz3Re1NGhqpvouyTWH-pd7CRCLJYZXmYIow3W_zWtlVPk5GUpa2Wc4c2E6v87Y4j6LkM6hq_zN3tLbwb_m4TV7vA4R0ZXPf9rOl1ONIE3Lxr7u1X1ZLY4laQWth8vyf7qtL6I/s2953/IMG_E0487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2953" data-original-width="2226" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3G6MTcIzyovLtardU1dE41n43nr6K2zLrKI6TyDSv-KV5jpuh7EeWWIFz3Re1NGhqpvouyTWH-pd7CRCLJYZXmYIow3W_zWtlVPk5GUpa2Wc4c2E6v87Y4j6LkM6hq_zN3tLbwb_m4TV7vA4R0ZXPf9rOl1ONIE3Lxr7u1X1ZLY4laQWth8vyf7qtL6I/w301-h400/IMG_E0487.JPG" width="301" /></a></div>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.</b>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-12037325212765322932024-03-12T02:48:00.000-07:002024-03-12T02:53:03.445-07:00The Dark Past (1948)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rsDaaHDLyUPsEfkMJN3JPGxY3nrrvaecR6BVxN37ZphHEQl0k9LlyCTXq4aQ9II38hiWPK0WyYzb2S1eBZnyeDB8yhO03Pz-3uFI8R6sKFOYG-OzSuOQBuEBlF9RPLJ0vZfKdjsiWiU_4pCJfaaAFJqBTSUUtTgWgjlnFAh_iPBhDCXpL7y1lDBYaio/s2934/IMG_E0472.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="2500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rsDaaHDLyUPsEfkMJN3JPGxY3nrrvaecR6BVxN37ZphHEQl0k9LlyCTXq4aQ9II38hiWPK0WyYzb2S1eBZnyeDB8yhO03Pz-3uFI8R6sKFOYG-OzSuOQBuEBlF9RPLJ0vZfKdjsiWiU_4pCJfaaAFJqBTSUUtTgWgjlnFAh_iPBhDCXpL7y1lDBYaio/w341-h400/IMG_E0472.JPG" width="341" /></a></b></div><b>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 <i>noir </i>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-80892390762888608032024-03-11T23:30:00.000-07:002024-03-11T23:30:09.500-07:00Rio Grande (1950)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuVUE6pJhG07Hq4JWFfsnbYx4udv-a1oCZxmKhJ6b8vn8vUpLXLJLKxhIMkOcXFKS5P9j-LC4Ehw00YiWyKZosJP0Ku0NoA4uQgMcPD-14SYtGA8d3x3d7Az0lZGG083MgpqTiLMMgQ2cjK17LrzkunmVQZ5zaDtv5_9hhhbzHwYscc8F6W3dZSBxac8/s1053/IMG_E8156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="702" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuVUE6pJhG07Hq4JWFfsnbYx4udv-a1oCZxmKhJ6b8vn8vUpLXLJLKxhIMkOcXFKS5P9j-LC4Ehw00YiWyKZosJP0Ku0NoA4uQgMcPD-14SYtGA8d3x3d7Az0lZGG083MgpqTiLMMgQ2cjK17LrzkunmVQZ5zaDtv5_9hhhbzHwYscc8F6W3dZSBxac8/w266-h400/IMG_E8156.JPG" width="266" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-68831166168409346882024-03-09T23:20:00.000-08:002024-03-09T23:20:08.456-08:00Tokyo Pop (1988)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlvXeIIoSeK0IX8Yk_Wcq8_aBxWDt1LHTRY2hrO2f_zLvM-FJ3v4RSb0fkj2Kc6fdlZdPEoaDlfg6VhORzayilNtO-dSgWK3T9ISLhJWCbWVgUeCr7N2-N63bou5nxnpYiQTxlQc88QaoRWOASNIzPhU8kFFGZ_hvY_PCQIU5Ntx851ld-Wsk0CAn1JY/s2545/IMG_E0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="2189" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlvXeIIoSeK0IX8Yk_Wcq8_aBxWDt1LHTRY2hrO2f_zLvM-FJ3v4RSb0fkj2Kc6fdlZdPEoaDlfg6VhORzayilNtO-dSgWK3T9ISLhJWCbWVgUeCr7N2-N63bou5nxnpYiQTxlQc88QaoRWOASNIzPhU8kFFGZ_hvY_PCQIU5Ntx851ld-Wsk0CAn1JY/w344-h400/IMG_E0430.JPG" width="344" /></a></b></div><b>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.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-49378998204366381502024-03-09T02:17:00.000-08:002024-03-09T02:17:01.217-08:00Love Happy (1949)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD559eFvfqCsWF2Yb_hggQm1yaPVtfBG0IjOv4AI2jNhrHyPtJvi1wVUGdPCp_jvJrM72PULUunUfx8zRu_dGPvEU3VwLUFlyKrvf-Itw888BuKv-cgXcDct0fQxsOgFLGuXHClLMqQzK7RSUEJoowbf8ZOzS4zHvUj3FOfkdg7nRqOXpQnHYByJ2gOU/s954/IMG_0405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="954" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyD559eFvfqCsWF2Yb_hggQm1yaPVtfBG0IjOv4AI2jNhrHyPtJvi1wVUGdPCp_jvJrM72PULUunUfx8zRu_dGPvEU3VwLUFlyKrvf-Itw888BuKv-cgXcDct0fQxsOgFLGuXHClLMqQzK7RSUEJoowbf8ZOzS4zHvUj3FOfkdg7nRqOXpQnHYByJ2gOU/w400-h395/IMG_0405.JPG" width="400" /></a></b></div><b>A mute man (Harpo Marx) steals some food for an impoverished theatrical company. Among the food items stolen is a can of sardines which contains a diamond necklace worth a million dollars! An elegant international beauty (Ilona Massey) and her henchmen (Raymond Burr, Bruce Gordon) are also after the diamonds and kidnap the mute who doesn't know what the sardine tin contains. Directed by David Miller (LONELY ARE THE BRAVE), this was the 13th and final film starring the Marx Brothers. Alas, it's a weak vehicle. Frank Tashlin (THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT) may have co-written the screenplay but there's none of the animated madness that infuses his best films. The movie really belongs to Harpo and to a lesser degree, Chico. Groucho Marx is barely in the film. For me, a little Harpo goes a long way and as the movie neared its end, he had definitely worn out his welcome. Musically, the highlight isn't Harpo on the harp or Chico on the piano but a Sadie Thompson dance number featuring Vera Ellen. With a pre-stardom Marilyn Monroe (who gets introducing billing), Marion Hutton (Betty's sister), Melville Cooper, Eric Blore and Paul Valentine.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-36400310481243505932024-03-08T20:47:00.000-08:002024-03-08T20:51:58.802-08:00Sisu (2023)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEJexI5YnBWrbONC1FJrOl-VVljMQhxPQuTNgqTr6S9OD_RfkjfCsBK-wg20tIX0hWjMhjcA8k52ZgJsQPlmeJi6YmCMr0I4OR3VcLnNyyyh18gHnNSH6FKFo3z-990LmtL5WthL1OPA2N6cS6LgsqOVA5BjCIEsEQfRk6ScB-wEbAuiM5EI6LHGj5mo/s2531/IMG_E0415.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2531" data-original-width="2138" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEJexI5YnBWrbONC1FJrOl-VVljMQhxPQuTNgqTr6S9OD_RfkjfCsBK-wg20tIX0hWjMhjcA8k52ZgJsQPlmeJi6YmCMr0I4OR3VcLnNyyyh18gHnNSH6FKFo3z-990LmtL5WthL1OPA2N6cS6LgsqOVA5BjCIEsEQfRk6ScB-wEbAuiM5EI6LHGj5mo/w338-h400/IMG_E0415.JPG" width="338" /></a></b></div><b>Set in 1944 Finland as WWII is in its final stages in Europe. A man (Jorma Tommila) lives in seclusion in the hills of Lapland with his dog while ignoring the war. But eventually, the war thrusts itself into his world. Directed by Jalmari Helander (BIG GAME), this Finnish-American co-production's positive reviews intrigued me but I expected something more than a bloody revenge action movie, however well done it is. For what it is, it's very good but would the movie have received such good reviews if it were an American movie starring Dwayne Johnson or Vin Diesel instead of a Finnish film with a Finnish actor in the lead? The film is overly gory. When a horse is blown up, we're treated to a decapitated horse head and entrails spread all over. Our protagonist is shot, blown up, drowned, hung and beaten to a pulp yet he survives to get his revenge. So much for realism. It eventually becomes almost laughably absurd but if you enjoy seeing Nazis brutally killed off in various ways (and who doesn't?), this might be for you. With Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan and Mimosa Willamo.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-64388394204254612012024-03-08T11:48:00.000-08:002024-03-08T11:48:20.234-08:00Tunes Of Glory (1960)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0puFdznxoTWrHOSM8YZEtDtnaAW26_WfYZeSIVp60LDxgz0ZMYItlcGia7ioWOzJmpmCpQ3T3JlVhSIod1rKXPjHWV0ELgUlD-2SpC0e7sMKYedk5ytJRHvTVdqsuduE0TEMeFkBJHHY4VfqekusMUnr4eI8xvU8McfJCd1YqpHz3-L7GuMM7wxRZ0gs/s1720/IMG_9575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1720" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0puFdznxoTWrHOSM8YZEtDtnaAW26_WfYZeSIVp60LDxgz0ZMYItlcGia7ioWOzJmpmCpQ3T3JlVhSIod1rKXPjHWV0ELgUlD-2SpC0e7sMKYedk5ytJRHvTVdqsuduE0TEMeFkBJHHY4VfqekusMUnr4eI8xvU8McfJCd1YqpHz3-L7GuMM7wxRZ0gs/w273-h400/IMG_9575.JPG" width="273" /></a></b></div><b>Set in 1948, a Major (Alec Guinness) has been in command of a Scottish battalion until a new Colonel is chosen. He is popular with his men so when he is passed over for the command, there is resentment toward the new Colonel (John Mills) and no one is more contemptuous of the new Colonel than the Major himself. Based on the novel by James Kennaway (who adapted his novel for the screen) and directed by Ronald Neame (PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE). This is a marvelous psychological drama anchored by two superb performances from two of Britain's greatest actors. The role of the hard drinking, arrogant sneering Major is a departure from the usual parts Guinness had played and he immerses himself in the role while Mills brings a poignant anxiety as a man on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Their clash is heartbreaking and ends tragically for both men. With Susannah York, Dennis Price, Kay Walsh, Gordon Jackson, Peter McEnery and Allan Cuthbertson. </b> <p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-48437437006152928442024-03-07T23:35:00.000-08:002024-03-07T23:38:34.796-08:00Georgia (1995)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVi9-B-ES1Z-z7sxUyzQeFBV-bNwJ_NfylIfd7ek0WXur6QpvHEZIhgZbdWXd9dQFRuPbI_uqbub9lOQQjmFxD0adpue-o4rrBX1NLuhCM8M0DO3ne1dF_8zg_snj62uKTjFJBjpfuLUGApwO1JsDRGkpsy6TxqkkD3xYKd126RvRm-w_HaT-5tPcGqQ/s2377/IMG_E0398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2377" data-original-width="2066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVi9-B-ES1Z-z7sxUyzQeFBV-bNwJ_NfylIfd7ek0WXur6QpvHEZIhgZbdWXd9dQFRuPbI_uqbub9lOQQjmFxD0adpue-o4rrBX1NLuhCM8M0DO3ne1dF_8zg_snj62uKTjFJBjpfuLUGApwO1JsDRGkpsy6TxqkkD3xYKd126RvRm-w_HaT-5tPcGqQ/w348-h400/IMG_E0398.JPG" width="348" /></a></b></div><b>An untalented wannabe rock singer (Jennifer Jason Leigh) lives in the shadow of her famous folk singer sister (Mare Winningham in an Oscar nominated performance). Her drinking and drug taking lifestyle contrasts with her sister's more traditional lifestyle of living with her husband and children on a Seattle farm. Written by Barbara Turner (Jennifer Jason Leigh's mother) and directed by Ulu Grosbard (THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES). A gut wrenching and troubling look at sisterhood with superb performances by Leigh and Winningham. Neither sister is what she seems on the surface. Leigh's Sadie may be a loser but her pain and desolation are real while Winningham's Georgia's seemingly perfect composure is being chipped away by her frustration and anger at her sister's inability to hold it together. While Jennifer Jason Leigh dominates the film, it's telling that the movie is named GEORGIA and not SADIE. Not an easy film to sit through but stick with it and the reward is ample. With John C. Reilly, Ted Levine, Max Perlich and John Doe.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-26522809010591677452024-03-07T14:14:00.000-08:002024-03-07T14:14:03.398-08:00Francis (1950)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5P4Up8BIf3c86G9YxShveeKlLKzig46J8mwTcAt0pq7xNTlcoNpbg4C1UtVMKvNSTDq6iZmb-_xRqyfzuZPJMjtdAlI4yIUTESLTjCirUO6ULLbzHbLHV9aKClck6BQXPk2yKqe8tyO3V1N8V5ik8Ws_VG9rXHbG-meZc4Cbt6HMc4-39FyAn_N5n9fU/s854/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5P4Up8BIf3c86G9YxShveeKlLKzig46J8mwTcAt0pq7xNTlcoNpbg4C1UtVMKvNSTDq6iZmb-_xRqyfzuZPJMjtdAlI4yIUTESLTjCirUO6ULLbzHbLHV9aKClck6BQXPk2yKqe8tyO3V1N8V5ik8Ws_VG9rXHbG-meZc4Cbt6HMc4-39FyAn_N5n9fU/w269-h400/IMG_0134.JPG" width="269" /></a></b></div><b>Set during WWII, a young American officer (Donald O'Connor) serving in Burma encounters a mule called Francis (Chill Wills) who can talk. But whenever he attempts to convince his superiors that the mule can talk, he's sent to the psychiatric unit. Based on the novel by David Stern (who adapted his novel for the screen) and directed by Arthur Lubin (FOOTSTEPS IN THE FOG). The first of the Francis the talking mule movies which grew into a seven movie franchise, all starring Donald O'Connor except the final entry (FRANCIS IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE) where he was replaced by Mickey Rooney. This first entry is mildly amusing and to its credit, its one joke premise doesn't get tiring though it did with each following movie. The public made it a huge hit (it had a modest budget) hence the sequels. An inspiration for the MISTER ED talking horse TV series. Wit Patricia Medina, Tony Curtis, John McIntire, Ray Collins, Eduard Franz and Frank Faylen.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7400417724373837273.post-24817022662433034262024-03-06T14:47:00.000-08:002024-03-06T14:47:09.024-08:00The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek (1944)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqnTyva0M7sof8rZUkCZKcFRkFZf269oOHoapjoDoqkWmXLVbYRf5P846jHi64FkwUGZoeCoCOu0SC3TZQ6GI08kowXgxxYB3akP8j9jN7qNE9tX6e-FylCr8DouxMn-vA6KQolE9jMvXT5SbfQMezEgGoBdybbWME8dNByGTKPPrRAVFABbqoWwplEk/s626/IMG_E9109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="435" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqnTyva0M7sof8rZUkCZKcFRkFZf269oOHoapjoDoqkWmXLVbYRf5P846jHi64FkwUGZoeCoCOu0SC3TZQ6GI08kowXgxxYB3akP8j9jN7qNE9tX6e-FylCr8DouxMn-vA6KQolE9jMvXT5SbfQMezEgGoBdybbWME8dNByGTKPPrRAVFABbqoWwplEk/w278-h400/IMG_E9109.JPG" width="278" /></a></b></div><b>A small town girl (Betty Hutton) feels it's her patriotic duty to dance the night away with soldiers who are headed overseas. But when she wakes up the morning after with a wedding ring on her finger, she can't remember what happened and who it happened with. When she finds out a baby is on the way, she needs all the help she can get. Written and directed by Preston Sturges (THE PALM BEACH STORY), MORGAN'S CREEK is one of the most acclaimed screwball comedies of the 1940s. But honestly, the film just exhausted me and not in a good way. A lot of people have problems with Betty Hutton but I'm not one of them. Still, both she and Eddie Bracken (as a nerd in love with her) wore me out and I found them more annoying than amusing. Fortunately, the film has two aces: Diana Lynn as Hutton's smart ass kid sister and William Demarest as her father (who does a great pratfall), who can keep pace with Hutton and Bracken without wearing us out. The film's provocative subject (unwed motherhood) must have had the Hays office censors pulling out their hair by the roots! Contemporary reviews raved about the movie and it's still considered a classic comedy to this day so clearly I'm in the minority. With Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff and Porter Hall.</b><p></p>The CinemaScope Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14775849918814897714noreply@blogger.com0