The Opposite Sex (1956)

Set in the theatrical world of 1950s Manhattan, an ex-band singer (June Allyson, never more glamorous) discovers that her husband (Leslie Nielsen) has been having an affair with a devious showgirl (Joan Collins). Her female friends all have different opinions on what course of action she should take. This glossy CinemaScope remake of the 1939 THE WOMEN (based on the play by Clare Boothe Luce) is often maligned as inferior to its overrated predecessor but I find it much more fun. The original eschewed any male cast members but the David Miller (LONELY ARE THE BRAVE) film not only adds men to the cast but musical numbers. Allyson has the best of the lot and the others are pretty awful especially the splashy production number with Dick Shawn singing the title tune. Helen Rose did the eye popping costumes. The large cast includes Dolores Gray as the catty Sylvia, Ann Sheridan, Ann Miller, Joan Blondell, Agnes Moorehead, Carolyn Jones, Sam Levene, Jeff Richards, Dean Jones, Barrie Chase, Charlotte Greenwood, Alice Pearce, Alan Marshal, Jim Backus, Harry James (who does Young Man With A Horn with Allyson), Barbara Jo Allen, Juanita Moore and that marvelous child actress Sandy Descher.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Determined to get the head of SPECTRE, Ernst Blofeld (Telly Savalas), James Bond (George Lazenby) enlists the aid of a mafioso head (Gabriele Ferzetti, L'AVVENTURA) while also romancing his daughter (Diana Rigg). He goes undercover as a genealogist to Blofeld's hideaway in the Swiss alps. This most elegant of all the Bond films is a benchmark in the series as far as quality goes, not surprisingly it is also the most faithful adaptation of the Ian Fleming novels. If Sean Connery had played Bond instead of Lazenby, it would have the greatest of the Bond films. The much maligned Lazenby is adequate but he lacks the screen presence, not to mention the acting chops, of Connery. Directed by Peter Hunt, who was the editor on the previous Bond films, he keeps a firm rein on the storyline despite the two hour plus running time. The ski and bobsled chases are spectacular, among the best of their kind and Rigg brings a strength, intelligence and a strong actress's skills that elevates her above the typical "Bond girl". John Barry's score is simply stunning. The large cast includes Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, George Baker, Angela Scoular, Joanna Lumley, Catherine Schell, Desmond Llewelyn and Ilse Steppat who almost steals the film as Blofeld's butch henchwoman.

Quicksand (1950)

An auto mechanic (Mickey Rooney) falls for a gold digging, hard as nails blonde (Jeanne Cagney, James's sister). In order to get the money to keep her, he begins descending into a life of petty crime at first then theft and murder. Directed by Irving Pichel (DESTINATION MOON). It's interesting to see Rooney play against his Andy Hardy image but his character is unlikable. He's cocky and treats the decent girl (Barbara Bates) who loves him like dirt (though her acceptance of his walking all over her as she keeps coming back more eventually becomes a turn off) and it's obvious the blonde is taking him for a ride. In fact, the gold digger is smarter than anyone else in the movie and without anyone else to latch on to, I actually began rooting for her. The deus ex machina finale is practically insulting to the audience what with the friendly lawyer who, despite being kidnapped at gunpoint, is more than willing to help them out. Pichel's direction is efficient but there's not much he can do with the lame script. With Peter Lorre and Minerva Urecal.

Tough Guys (1986)

After 30 years in prison for robbing a train in the 1950s, two gangsters (Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas) now find themselves elderly men in the new world of the 1980s where they don't fit in. Lancaster feels confined by the rules and over regulation of the retirement home he's been sent to and Douglas tries to recapture his youth by going out with a hot, young gym instructor (Darlanne Fluegel) to discos and rock clubs but her sexual energy drains him. Directed by Jeff Kanew (REVENGE OF THE NERDS), the film attempts to find humor in the cliched and stereotypical treatment of senior citizens, almost to the point of offensiveness. Still, it's wonderful to see Lancaster and Douglas in their last spurt of bravura, playing off their old screen personas, as both would shortly be severely affected by strokes in the following years. These guys weren't Stars for nothing. The highlight of the film is a hilarious Eli Wallach as an incompetent near sighted hit man. The movie has one of those tiresome and annoying 80s synthesizer/drum machine score scores but there is a lovely ballad over the main credits by Burt Bacharach and sung by Kenny Rogers. With Alexis Smith, Charles Durning, Dana Carvey, Billy Barty and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Tempest (2010)

After her husband's death, the Duchess of Milan (Helen Mirren) is set adrift on the open sea by her treacherous brother (Chris Cooper) along with her daughter so that he can usurp her title. Cast ashore on an island off the coast of Africa, she raises her daughter (Felicity Jones) and perfects her powers of black magic and sorcery which enables her to get her revenge when a ship harboring her enemies passes by the island. William Shakespeare's play (whose plot was the basis for the 1950s sci-fi classic FORBIDDEN PLANET) receives a visually dazzling re-imagining by director Julie Taymor who did similar duties on his TITUS ANDRONICUS in 1999. Not only in the gender reversal (in Shakespeare, Mirren's Prospera is Prospero, a male sorcerer) but in the somewhat daring casting of the black actor Djimon Hounsou (in the film's best performance) as Caliban. The first rate cast includes David Strathairn, Alfred Molina, Russell Brand, Tom Conti, Reeve Carney and Ben Whishaw as Ariel, the sprite. The one sour note is Elliot Goldenthal's busy score.

The Blue Dahlia (1946)

When a navy officer (Alan Ladd) returns home after the war with his two buddies (William Bendix, Hugh Beaumont), he finds his wife (Doris Dowling, LOST WEEKEND) has turned into an unfaithful, high living party girl during his absence. When she is found murdered, he becomes the key suspect. Directed by George Marshall and with an original Oscar nominated screenplay by the great Raymond Chandler, one wishes BLUE DAHLIA could have been stronger than it is. As it stands, it's an enjoyable mystery but there's nothing remotely special about it. The most interesting aspect of the film are the portrayal of the shell shocked war veteran played by Bendix who has an hysterical aversion to jazz music (he calls it "monkey music", perhaps it's best not to think about that too hard) and the disdainful adulterous wife played by Dowling. Ladd has a nice chemistry with his frequent leading lady Veronica Lake (lovely but low-keyed to the point of ennui) and I suppose I should be grateful for what we get but the pedigree suggests there should be so much more. With Howard Da Silva, Frank Faylen and Will Wright in a nice turn as a slimy house detective.

Peking Blonde (aka La Blonde De Pekin) (1967)

After a beautiful blonde (Mireille Darc, Godard's WEEK END) with connections to a Red Chinese political figure is found with amnesia, the CIA, in the form of Edward G. Robinson, hires an actor (Claudio Brook, Bunuel's EXTERMINATING ANGEL) to impersonate her husband in the hopes he can obtain information that would prove useful to the West. This cheesy, lazy cold war thriller lacks any credibility even if taken as a spoof. It attempts to be breezy when it's actually sloppy to the point of amateurism. The CIA are hideously incompetent resulting in the deaths of several innocent people including the lovely Giorgia Moll (Godard's CONTEMPT) who is killed off far too early. Directed by Nicolas Gessner, probably best known for LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE and based on a novel by James Hadley Chase (NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH).

Tight Spot (1955)

After their key witness against a racketeer is murdered, the U.S. Attorney (Edward G. Robinson, on the side of the law this time) springs an ex-model (Ginger Rogers), who is his last chance to get the mobster (Lorne Greene), from prison but will she testify knowing her life is at risk? This nifty little thriller, directed by Phil Karlson (KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL), is based on a play and, indeed, most of the film takes place in a hotel room where the Feds are hiding Rogers from Greene and for a thriller, it's pretty heavy on dialogue. Rogers is miscast. She's a bit long in the tooth for the part but worse, her tough little cookie, street waif act is so calculated that you're always conscious of her acting. The part screams for a Shirley MacLaine or Joanne Woodward. The film's neat little twist towards the end isn't much of a surprise but rather predictable. Still, for all its obviousness, it's fairly well done pulp. With Brian Keith as the cop assigned to protect Rogers, Katherine Anderson, Lucy Marlow and Kathryn Grant.

Black Swan (2010)

A reserved, inhibited ballerina (Natalie Portman), still living at home and treated as a little girl by her ex-ballerina mother (Barbara Hershey), finds herself thrust into the spotlight when cast as The Swan Queen in Tchaikovsky's SWAN LAKE. But she finds herself not only pushed beyond endurance by the choreographer (Vincent Cassel) but under the watchful eyes of a ballerina (Winona Ryder) on her way down and a ballerina (Mila Kunis) on her way up. This is one freaky movie and I loved every minute of it. It's as if THE RED SHOES had a one night stand with Polanski's REPULSION and this was the bastard child they produced with David Lynch acting as midwife! This is the career defining role that Portman has been waiting for and she attacks the part like a carnivore after a vegetarian diet. Darren Aronofsky, who showed us the grueling and cruel world of wrestling in THE WRESTLER, now shows us the graphic intensity of the ballet artist. There are several moments not for the squeamish, THE TURNING POINT it ain't. I had to look at my lap during all the moments of cutting, open sores, stabbing and self mutilation! I'm not sure mainstream audiences will accept what Aronofsky has given us but it's a hell of a ride as well as a portrait of an artist's descent into perfection to the point of insanity.

No Regrets For Our Youth (aka Waga Seishun Ni Kuinashi) (1946)

Covering the years 1933 when radical student activists protest Japan's invasion of Manchuria though the end of WWII in 1945, the film follows the lives of three protagonists. A rather immature self centered girl (Setsuko Hara) and her two leftist student suitors (Susumu Fujita, Akitake Kono) whose three lives will change dramatically in the course of the story. This was the first film by Akira Kurosawa after the end of the war. Viewing the film, I couldn't help but see the parallels of America during the 1960s and student protest against the Vietnamese war. Kurosawa succeeds admirably during the first two thirds of the film presenting the complexities of changing allegiances (for better or worse) either by necessity or choice as these three mature. It's unfortunate that the last third, when Hara comes to live with Fujita's family, that the film becomes not only utterly conventional but proselytizes too. Still, there are some marvelous visual flourishes that indicate how Kurosawa would bloom in the 1950s. With the wonderful Haruko Sugimura, almost unrecognizable, playing the Fujita's elderly mother at the age of 37.

Ordeal By Innocence (1985)

When a paleontologist (Donald Sutherland) returns to England after a two year expedition, he attempts to return an address book to a hitchhiker (Billy McColl) that was left in his car after giving the boy a lift. What he finds, however, is that the boy has been executed for the murder of his mother (Faye Dunaway) after his alibi (that he was with Sutherland at the time of the killing) could not be proved. Sutherland's guilt causes him to try and expose the real killer but the surviving family doesn't seem much interested in whether McColl was innocent or not. Based on an Agatha Christie novel, director Desmond Davis (CLASH OF THE TITANS) doesn't seem to have a knack for suspense or atmosphere (despite the picturesque Dartmouth coast location) and the film meanders to its pallid conclusion. It doesn't help that the film has one of the most inappropriate film scores ever. An improvised "cool" jazz score by Dave Brubeck that has no tension or mystery whatsoever. It might sound okay in a jazz club but it severely hampers the film. The gratuitous nudity also seems at odds with the Christie universe. With Christopher Plummer, Sarah Miles, Ian McShane, Diana Quick, Annette Crosbie and Michael Elphick.

Caesar And Claretta (1975)

Fleeing toward the Swiss border as the Allies make their way to Rome, the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini (Robert Hardy) and his mistress (Helen Mirren) are captured and spend their last night together in a small peasant cottage where they ruminate on their lives and their fate as well as their place in history. Based on a short play by Jack Russell (whose title is an amusing play on Shaw's CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA), it's an ambiguous piece as we're never quite sure what Russell's take on Mussolini is. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to conjure up much sympathy for Il Duce as he prattles on about what a visionary he is and how he's misunderstood. Is Russell showing us the delusions of a notorious despot or is he actually trying to show what a poor tortured soul he was? It doesn't help that Hardy as Mussolini overacts pitifully though, to be fair, the script encourages such ham. The young Mirren looks quite striking as a brunette and the most honest moment in the film amongst Russell's blathering is when Hardy asks Mirren to see her breasts.