Connecting Rooms (1970)

Set in London, an old maid (Bette Davis) who plays the cello and a schoolmaster (Michael Redgrave) forced to leave his job because of a sex scandal live in adjoining rooms in a shabby boarding house. Based on the play THE CELLIST by Marion Hart and directed by Franklin Gollings. The excitement of seeing two great actors play opposite each other is undermined by the flaccid direction and erratic screenplay by Gollings whose only feature film this is. I'm not familiar with the source material (so I stand to be corrected) but I suspect a subplot has been added which destroys the intimacy of the narrative. The subplot involves an untalented songwriter (Alexis Kanner) and a French pop singer (Olga Georges Picot). When the movie focuses on the two lonely protagonists, the film is at its strongest. Redgrave does some beautiful work here and while Davis seems miscast (the garish bright lipstick she wears is often distracting), she has a couple of moments where her talent is in full force. The inferior underscore by John Shakespeare is distracting. With Leo Genn and Kay Walsh. 

The Living Idol (1957)

Set in Mexico, after a young girl (Liliane Montevecchi) enters an ancient Mayan tomb along with an archaeologist (James Robertson Justice) and a reporter (Steve Forrest), she becomes unhinged when she sees a stone statue of a Jaguar "god". The archaeologist suspects she may have roots to the ancient Mayans, perhaps even reincarnated. Written and directed by Albert Lewin, this is one cockamamie movie and not in a good way. In his best known films like THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY or PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, there's a distinct layer of mysticism and the supernatural. It's here too but it's poorly constructed and comes across as a poor imitation of THE CAT PEOPLE. The film stops cold when Justice gives a classroom lecture on the history of human sacrifice that seems endless. Montevecchi, a French dancer, didn't have much luck during her brief Hollywood career (did Hollywood need another French ballerina when Leslie Caron was still working?). After working with Marlon Brando (THE YOUNG LIONS) and Elvis Presley (KING CREOLE), Montevecchi went to Broadway where she had better luck, winning a Tony for NINE. The film is fortunate in having Jack Hildyard (BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI) as its cinematographer and he takes full advantage of the Mexican locations which look quite handsome in CinemaScope. With Sara Garcia and Eduardo Noriega. 

The Burning Hills (1956)

When a group of gunmen kill his brother under orders of a land baron (Ray Teal), a young man (Tab Hunter) vows to bring justice to his brother's murderers. But first, he will have to survive the posse of the rancher's henchman out to kill him. Based on a novel by the western author Louis L'Amour (HONDO) and directed by Stuart Heisler (STORM WARNING). This is an average revenge western and occasionally more than that. The movie holds one's interest because there's enough of a "what's going to happen next?" factor until the film's last 15 minutes when it turns into just another western. Although she has an awful Mexican accent (she improved by the time of WEST SIDE STORY), I liked Natalie Wood's feisty heroine with more guts than most of the men around her. Shot in CinemaScope, Ted McCord (THE SOUND OF MUSIC) does a decent job of making the Warners ranch look like it was shot on location. With Earl Holliman, Skip Homeier, Eduard Franz and Claude Akins.

Mermaids (1990)

Set in 1963, a young teenager (Winona Ryder) and her kid sister (Christina Ricci) have an unconventional  and restless mother (Cher) who insists on moving frequently which means their childhood is anything but "normal". When they move to Massachusetts, the girl finds love with for the first time and a sense of normalcy. But how long before mama packs their bags and moves on? Based on the novel by Patty Dann and directed by Richard Benjamin (MY FAVORITE YEAR). In spite of being overly long, this is a charming and heartfelt coming of age story. The story itself isn't especially complicated and Benjamin's direction isn't particularly notable but the what the actors bring to the movie is pure gold! Cher is fine doing what Cher does best but Ryder brings a real sense of teen angst to her role, Bob Hoskins as Cher's "boyfriend" is irresistible and Ricci (in her film debut) is adorable. I liked it a lot. With Michael Schoeffling and Jan Miner. 

Hell's Highway (1932)

A career criminal (Richard Dix) is working on a chain gang work crew building a road. He's surprised when his kid brother (Tom Brown) shows up following in his footsteps. The older brother is determined that the young boy won't follow his same fate. Directed by Rowland Brown, this is a tough and gritty social message movie for the most part that is hampered by some excessive sentimentality. Did the film makers think we wouldn't be sympathetic to the inhumane and brutal treatment of the convicts unless they were made sympathetic? So we get the gray haired mother (Louise Carter) tearfully visiting her boys in the work camp, the deaf mute crying for his mother as he dies, etc. Scenes like that soften the film's harshness which doesn't work in its favor. That aside, the film is sort of the COOL HAND LUKE of its day in its graphic portrayal of prison camp brutality and corruption. With Rochelle Hudson, Louise Beavers, Fuzzy Knight, Clarence Muse and Stanley Fields.

Quai Des Orfevres (1947)

Set during the Christmas season, an ambitious singer (Suzy Delair) married to a jealous husband (Bernard Blier) has an assignation with a lecherous businessman (Charles Dullin) who can help her career. The husband goes to the businessman's home with a gun and the intention to kill him but he finds the man already dead. He attempts to cover up his tracks but that only makes him suspicious to the police detective (Louis Jouvet) assigned to the case. Based on the novel LEGITIME DEFENSE by Stanislas Andre Steeman and directed by Henri Georges Clouzot (LE CORBEAU). Clouzot combines an intriguing police procedural murder mystery with an observant eye on the messiness of love as the odd pairing of the lovesick husband and the flirtatious wife takes center stage. Delair's Jenny Lamour may act like a tart but she truly loves her husband which is her saving grace. The police don't come off very well. Jouvet is excellent as the police detective but his character is thuggish even though the film tries to redeem him. With Simone Renant, who appears to be in love with both Blier and Delair but the film doesn't explore that possibility. 

Mister 880 (1950)

An elderly gentleman (Edmund Gwenn in an Oscar nominated performance) lives in near poverty. So he counterfeits dollar bills as he needs them to survive while eluding the authorities for ten years. A secret service man (Burt Lancaster) assigned to the case becomes romantically involved with a young woman (Dorothy McGuire), who is a friend of the counterfeiter. Inspired by a true story (which was published in the New Yorker magazine) and directed by Edmund Goulding (NIGHTMARE ALLEY). This is a charming human interest story, the kind of movie that makes you feel good when it's over even if you know it's fluff. Lancaster is somewhat overqualified for something like this and the intensity he usually brings to his roles is missing. It's a conventional leading man role that someone like Dana Andrews could have easily handled. McGuire is likable and Gwenn is wonderful. It's a sweet little movie which sounds like faint praise but it's an achievement of sorts nevertheless. With Millard Mitchell and Larry Keating.

More Dead Than Alive (1969)

A notorious gunfighter (Clint Walker) is released from prison after 18 years. He tries to make a new life for himself but he is stymied by his reputation which prevents him getting honest work. So he joins a traveling shooting show run by a showman (Vincent Price). Directed by Robert Sparr (ONCE YOU KISS A STRANGER), this has a good script that would have been better served by a stronger director. It's not only the direction that prevents the movie from fulfilling its potential. Two other things prevent the movie from being anything other than an interesting failure. The film has an awful underscore and worst of all, a hideous uncontrolled performance by Paul Hampton as a punk gunslinger that is downright laughable (and I did laugh at his death scene). It's a pity because Walker gives a nice low key performance and Price brings some panache to his hustling showman. I'll admit the film's ending was a shocker! With Anne Francis and Mike Henry.

Billion Dollar Brain (1967)

An ex-secret agent (Michael Caine) is blackmailed into working for MI5 again. His mission: go to Poland to retrieve some stolen eggs which contain a virus that can potentially destroy millions of people. Based on the novel by Len Deighton and directed by Ken Russell (WOMEN IN LOVE). This was Caine's third film playing secret agent Harry Palmer (the antithesis of James Bond) following the success of THE IPCRESS FILE and FUNERAL IN BERLIN. I found the film rather confusing in the beginning and for a moment, I thought possibly the reels got mixed up but it finally starts to make sense. This was strictly a paycheck job for Ken Russell and there's none of the loopy craziness that would show up in some of his later films where he had more control. Visually, it's a great looking film thanks to Billy Williams' (GANDHI) cinematography but as a spy thriller, it's flat. There's a marvelous score by Richard Rodney Bennett that helps the film considerably. With Karl Malden, Oscar Homolka, Ed Begley (ludicrously overacting), Donald Sutherland, Susan George, Guy Doleman and in her final film role, Francoise Dorleac.

Too Young To Kiss (1951)

When a 20-ish year old pianist (June Allyson) can't get an audition with a concert promoter (Van Johnson), she disguises herself as a 14 year old child prodigy which is exactly what the promoter has been looking for. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard (THE BRIBE), this romantic comedy is another one of those movies where adults either masquerade as a child (THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR) or magically inhabit a child's body (BIG). I've never been fond of the genre which is plentiful and this one is no exception. Fortunately, Allyson (who won a Golden Globe for her work here) isn't as annoying as Ginger Rogers is when doing this shtick (MAJOR AND THE MINOR, MONKEY BUSINESS) but it's still a one joke movie which rapidly runs out of steam. Allyson and Johnson were a popular team (they made a total of five movies together) but chemistry can only take you so far. With Gig Young, Rita Corday, Kathryn Givney, Larry Keating and Esther Dale.

Crash (1996)

After being involved in a fatal car crash, a film director (James Spader) becomes obsessed with auto accidents to the point of getting sexually excited. He finds a group of people who share his fetish and he explores this alternative lifestyle. Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard (EMPIRE OF THE SUN) and directed by David Cronenberg (DEAD RINGERS). I'll give Cronenberg a thumbs up for audacity and originality but damn, this is one sick movie! Is there an audience for a movie filled with close ups of scars, wounds and sores and where a bloody auto accident gets everyone sexually aroused? I watched the NC-17 version which is 8 minutes longer than the R rated version. There's nothing erotic about the film, it's mechanical in its sexual exploration and a suspension of disbelief is necessary in much of the movie. For example, after they're involved in a horrible car crash on a major freeway, the couple is so turned on they have sex immediately outside the overturned car yet no other cars stop to see if everyone is okay or what's going on. Performances are okay and I give the actors props for going through what only could be described as bizarre situations. The movie seems pointless yet like a real car crash, you can't take your eyes off it. With Holly Hunter, Elia Koteas, Rosanna Arquette and Deborah Kara Unger.

The Letter (1940)

Set in Malaya when it was still a British colony, a plantation owner's wife (Bette Davis) shoots a man after he tries to force himself on her when her husband (Herbert Marshall) is away. But what at first seems like a simple case of self defense begins to unravel. Based on the play by W. Somerset Maugham (previously filmed in 1929) and directed by William Wyler. One of Wyler's best films and arguably, Davis's greatest performance. While you can greatly appreciate Davis's performance the first time you see it, it's only in subsequent viewings after you know the entire plot that you can grasp the nuances and layers (which are slowly peeled away) of her magnificent performance. Make no mistake about it, this is Davis's film all the way but she is assisted by some marvelous performances that stand on their own like James Stephenson's low key performance as her defense attorney or Gale Sondergaard's economical performance as the murdered man's widow. She has very few lines (and none of them in English) yet she makes her presence strongly felt. Even Max Steiner rises to the occasion and provides one of his best underscores. With Frieda Inescort, Victor Sen Yung, Doris Lloyd, Willie Fung and Elizabeth Earl (Sigourney Weaver's mother).