Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin (1967)

After losing the family fortune, a young Boston lad (Bryan Russell) and the family butler (Roddy McDowall) stowaway on a ship bound for the California Gold Rush. Based on the novel THE GREAT HORN SPOON by Sid Fleischman and directed by James Neilson (THE MOON SPINNERS). It's an energetic live action cartoon with all the performances played very broadly. In style, it reminds me of Blake Edwards' THE GREAT RACE but without all the extreme excess. That in itself is a compliment but I wouldn't take that as a recommendation. It's never boring, I'll give it that but it's not very fresh either. It's nice to see Roddy McDowall in a leading man role for a change and Suzanne Pleshette gets to sing (she's not bad) and dance as a saloon entertainer. With Karl Malden, Harry Guardino, Mike Mazurki, Hermione Baddeley, Richard Haydn and Joby Baker.

My Love Came Back (1940)

The doting CEO (Charles Winninger) of a major music company is smitten by a young music student (Olivia De Havilland). Although married, he secretly arranges for a scholarship out of his company's funds to help pay for her education. Misunderstandings and complications follow which causes problems for all concerned. Directed by Curtis Bernhardt (A STOLEN LIFE), this is an American remake of a 1935 Austrian film called EPISODE. It's a silly but not unpleasant piece of screwball comedy. One of the problems of the studio system was that it often cast its contract players in films they aren't suited for. Here, Olivia De Havilland and Jeffrey Lynn are cast as the romantic leads but De Havilland (a skilled dramatic actress) and Lynn (never the most imposing of leading men) don't seem to have a funny bone in their acting bodies. Fortunately, the supporting players make up for their lack of farcicality. With Jane Wyman, Eddie Albert, Spring Byington, S.Z. Sakall and as Winninger's son, William T. Orr, who would become a prolific TV producer at Warners in the 50s and 60s. 

Sky Full Of Moon (1952)

Just turned 21 years of age, a naive Nevada ranch hand (Carleton Carpenter) goes to Las Vegas intending to take part in the annual rodeo. But when he meets up with a blonde (Jan Sterling) who's been around, he grows up real fast. Written and directed by Norman Foster (RACHEL AND THE STRANGER), this amiable piece of western fluff may be a piffle of a movie but there's a likable charm to it. I liked that the movie gives us a bittersweet ending rather than a traditional happy ending. Carpenter plays the bumpkin with just the right amount of naivete and doesn't go overboard with the yokel and as the brassy "bad" girl with a heart of gold, Jan Sterling is perfectly cast. It's not a film to seek out but if it comes across your way and you've nothing better to watch (or do), it's a pleasant time waster. With Keenan Wynn, Elaine Stewart, Douglass Dumbrille and Chubby Johnson.

Because Of Winn Dixie (2005)

Set in a small Florida town, a preacher (Jeff Daniels) and his young daughter (AnnaSophia Robb) are having a difficult time fitting in. When the girl finds a homeless dog and brings it home with her, their lives begin to change. Based on the novel by Kate DiCamillo and directed by Wayne Wang (THE JOY LUCK CLUB). Nothing special but it's a wholesome family movie with a bit of sweetness. The Picardy Shepherd (actually four of them) who plays the Winn Dixie of the title had to be imported from France since the breed is rare in the U.S. The film is predictable but at least it's not icky in the kind of usual sentiment found in these family dog movies and I suspect we have director Wang to thank for that. Adults watching won't feel bored and younger kids should be entertained. There's a batch of supporting characters with backgrounds that fill out the tale. With Eva Marie Saint, Cicely Tyson, Dave Matthews and Elle Fanning.

Frieda (1947)

Toward the end of WWII, a British airman (David Farrar) brings his German bride (Mai Zetterling) to the small English village where he lives. Both he and his new wife must deal with the anti-German sentiment that pervades the town. Based on the play by Ronald Millar and directed by Basil Dearden (VICTIM). An engrossing film that reflects the attitude of many people post WWII. Is there something innate about the German race that perpetuates war? Zetterling's Frieda is not looked at as an individual but reviled because she is German, the attitude being that all Germans are bad. The film asks if the "good" Germans were as responsible for the rise of the Third Reich by not speaking out and allowing it to happen instead of resisting. This interesting topic is sometimes harmed by the heavy handedness of its screenplay. Only Glynis Johns as Farrar's sister in law seems to have a rational outlook on the situation. With Flora Robson, Barbara Everest, Albert Lieven and Barry Jones.

The Good House (2022)

Set in an idyllic New England coastal town, a successful realtor (Sigourney Weaver) has a problem she's unwilling to face. She's an alcoholic. She's good at keeping it together but a sudden series of events forces a decades in the making confrontation with her buried past. Based on the best selling novel by Ann Leary and directed by Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky. Movies about alcoholics have been a film staple for decades. THE LOST WEEKEND (1945), DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES (1962), I'LL CRY TOMORROW (1955) to name just three. This is a tad different in that its protagonist is a functioning alcoholic who is able to move effortlessly in work and social situations rather than a raging falling down drunk. As a woman in denial over her drinking, Sigourney Weaver gives her best performance in years and it's a pity the film didn't get much attention when it was released in September of 2022. I think her performance is every bit as good as some of the actresses who are getting award season buzz this year. The film belongs to Weaver but there's a nice supporting performance by Kevin Kline as her romantic interest. If the film is available to you, it's worth checking out for Weaver's performance if nothing else. With Beverly D'Angelo, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Kathryn Erbe and David Rasche. 

Honor Among Lovers (1931)

A young secretary (Claudette Colbert) works for a wealthy Wall Street trader (Fredric March). He's interested in romancing her but not in marriage. When she gets married to a stockbroker (Monroe Owsley), he fires her. But their relationship doesn't end there. Directed by Dorothy Arzner (DANCE GIRL DANCE), this pre code drama is frank about pre marital relationships but it boils down to a rather sordid tale of a woman marrying the wrong man and standing by him even as he sinks into despicability. Its ending of Colbert going off with another man while still married must have raised some eyebrows in 1931. Although predictable, I liked it quite a bit. Colbert and March are agreeable and Owsley is suitably slimy. Arzner's direction is tight and its relatively brief running time (one hour, 15 minutes) assures that it won't wear out its welcome. If you're a fan of pre code movies, check it out. With a pre-stardom Ginger Rogers, Charles Ruggles and Ralph Morgan.

Lonely Are The Brave (1962)

After landing himself in jail trying to break out a friend (Michael Kane), a cowhand (Kirk Douglas) finds himself alone on the run from the law. Leading the manhunt is a sheriff (Walter Matthau) who must bring him to justice despite his sympathy for the fugitive. Based on the novel BRAVE COWBOY by Edward Abbey and directed by David Miller (MIDNIGHT LACE). Ignored by the movie going public when first released, the film's reputation has grown in the ensuing years and the film is very much admired by film cineastes. The driving force behind getting the movie made, Douglas wanted to call it THE LAST COWBOY which is an apt title. Douglas's cowboy is out of his time and the metaphor of Douglas and his horse (who just about steals the film) riding the wide spaces of desert country while jet planes fly overhead is fitting. He's an individual who needs to live on his own terms rather than conform to societal restrictions but the consequences are grim. The central story is intercut with a trucker (Carroll O'Connor) driving a shipment of toilets to New Mexico so you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how it's going to end and the irony is too obvious and hurts the film somewhat. Douglas is excellent in what may be his best performance. Also worth noting are Philip Lathrop's (SOLDIER IN THE RAIN) rich B&W lensing and an early score by Jerry Goldsmith. With Gena Rowlands, George Kennedy, Bill Bixby and William Schallert.

Dancing With Crime (1947)

When a good army buddy (Bill Rowbotham) is murdered, a taxi driver (Richard Attenborough) and his fiancee (Sheila Sim) investigate on their own. She goes undercover as a dancer in a nightclub where the dead man was last seen. Directed by John Paddy Carstairs (A WEEKEND WITH LULU), this minor British crime noir is on the simple side and is more entertaining than it has a right to be. Its lead character (Attenborough) carelessly puts his girlfriend in harms way and when a criminal mastermind (Barry Jones) poses as a policeman, he doesn't even bother to ask for identification and spouts off information that will aid the bad guys! And this is our hero! Still, it may be formulaic but it delivers the goods, however damaged. Married in real life, Attenborough and Sim make for an attractive pair. With Diana Dors (not yet a blonde), Barry K. Barnes, Judy Kelly and John Warwick.

Big Little Lies (2017)

A single mother (Shailene Woodley) and her son (Iain Armitage), whose birth was the result of a rape, move to Monterey, California to start a new life. She quickly becomes friends with two other mothers, who have their own problems: an abused wife (Nicole Kidman) and a wife (Reese Witherspoon) on a second marriage who has difficulty with her ex (James Tupper) and his new wife (Zoe Kravitz). Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty (the Australian setting has been moved to coastal California) and directed by Jean Marc Vallee (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB). This juicy heated seven hour mini series is both gripping and humorous and as irresistible as potato chips. We know a death (possibly a murder) has occurred from the very beginning and it's compulsive watching till all is revealed at the very end. Featuring terrific performances by its five lead actresses (Laura Dern as a charged up working mother is the fifth), the mini series boils over with tension (Monterey is a nasty place to live if this film is to be believed) as the community takes sides and goes to battle over such incidents as a controversial community theatre production and child bullying. Everyone seems two faced as they coo when they greet each other but gossip behind their backs. With Alexander Skarsgard, Adam Scott and Robin Weigert.

Le Corps De Mon Ennemi (aka The Body Of My Enemy) (1976)

Released from prison after seven years for a murder he did not commit, a man (Jean Paul Belmondo) returns to his hometown seeking vengeance on the people who framed him. Co-written and directed by Henri Verneuil (THE SICILIAN CLAN), this revenge crime film left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. Oh, it's very well done, stylish and well acted but I didn't get the satisfactory catharsis that most of these revenge movies are supposed to provide. Belmondo's wronged man has every right to exact "justice" from those responsible for his jail time but Belmondo, normally the most likable of actors, isn't very likable here. When you lie down with dogs, you can't complain when you get fleas and he went in with his eyes wide open. I can't believe he was that naive. He has a chip on his shoulder regarding the privileged elite class since childhood and that's what starts him on the journey to his downfall. There's a nice score by Francis Lai (A MAN AND A WOMAN). With Marie France Pisier, Bernard Blier, Francois Perrot, Daniel Ivernel, Nicole Garcia and Claude Brosset.

El Fantasma Del Convento (aka The Phantom Of The Monastery) (1934)

A man (Carlos Villatoro), his wife (Marta Roel) and their best friend (Enrique Del Campo) get lost while hiking through the hills. They are rescued by a mysterious monk who leads them to a secluded monastery to spend the night. But the strange occurrences during the night suggest to the visitors that something very sinister is going one. Co-written and directed by Fernando De Fuentes, this Mexican horror film is rich in atmosphere and mood but De Fuente's direction is far too leisurely for a horror movie. Perhaps a stronger underscore might have helped but the film's pacing isn't tight enough and does the movie's intriguing narrative no favors. The film has recently been restored in a fresh new transfer and contemporary reappraisals have been positive. Worth seeking out for horror film buffs. With Paco Martinez and Victorio Blanco.