Vanity Fair (2004)

The orphaned daughter (Reese Witherspoon) of a poor painter (Roger Lloyd Pack) takes on the job of a governess when she leaves the orphanage. That it just her first step in her attempt to break into society and secure a place among the nobility. Based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackery and directed by Mira Nair (MONSOON WEDDING). I found this a solid adaptation of the much filmed (both in movies and television) 1848 Thackery novel. Purists may be displeased with the screenplay's changes to the character of Becky Sharp (Witherspoon) from the original source material. The calculating social climber and gold digger is gone and replaced by a much more sympathetic and likable Becky than in the book and the film is given a happy ending. Not surprisingly, Nair emphasizes India more than the book and even tosses in a Bollywood dance number. The gorgeous costumes were designed by Beatrix Aruna Pasztor. With Bob Hoskins, Gabriel Byrne, Jim Broadbent, Eileen Atkins, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Romola Garai, Geraldine McEwan, Barbara Leigh Hunt and James Purefoy.

Variety Girl (1947)

An ambitious starlet wannabe (Olga San Juan) is mistaken for another girl (Mary Hatcher) who is scheduled for a screen test at Paramount. The mix up causes all sorts of problems. Directed by George Marshall (HOW THE WEST WAS WON). What would ordinarily have been a B programmer is elevated into an A picture with the presence of a couple of dozen major stars, most of them Paramount contract players. Most of these appearances are cameos but some of the stars, notably Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, are featured more than the others. It's a predictable piece of fluff which is (very) modestly entertaining and the majority of the fun is star spotting. Some like Veronica Lake whisk by so quickly that you'll miss them if you blink while others like Alan Ladd get nice featured bits. Among the star laden cast: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, William Holden, Paulette Goddard, Ray Milland, Dorothy Lamour, Sterling Hayden, Gail Russell, Robert Preston, Diana Lynn, Barry Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Lizabeth Scott, Joan Caulfield, William Bendix, Mona Freeman, Patric Knowles, John Lund, Sonny Tufts, Virginia Field, Richard Denning, Cass Daley, Spike Jones, DeForest Kelley and Paula Raymond.

Toi, Le Venin (aka Nude In A White Car) (1959)

On an evening walk, a drifter (Robert Hossein) is lured into a car by a mysterious blonde whose face is hidden by the dark. After (presumably) having had sex, she pulls a gun on him, kicks him out of the car and tries to run him over. Determined to uncover her identity, he traces the car to a home with two attractive blonde sisters. One (Marina Vlady) is in a wheelchair, the other (Odile Versois) is her caretaker. But which is the nude in the white car? Based on the novel by Frederic Dard and directed by Robert Hossein (WICKED GO TO HELL). A family affair: director and star Hossein was married to Marina Vlady at the time and Odile Versois is Vlady's real sister. It's an intriguing mystery with noir-ish trimmings. Hossein keeps us off kilter through out the movie as he shifts suspicion from sister to sister so we're never quite sure who is the psychotic. Is Vlady faking her not being able to walk? Is Versois gaslighting the sister and the drifter into thinking Vlady is faking it? Are the sisters in it together? Why? What's the motivation. Worth checking out for mystery and noir fans. With Helena Manson and Lucien Callmand.

Vanity Fair (1932)

A social climber and gold digger (Myrna Loy) is determined to cement her reputation as a member of the upper crust. In her quest to live the opulent life, she betrays those closest to her. Based on the classic novel by William Makepeace Thackery (previously filmed in 1915 and 1923) and directed by Chester M. Franklin (THE THIRTEENTH HOUR). This is a "modern" adaptation of the Thackery novel and takes place in the 1920s and early 1930s as opposed to the mid 19th century setting of the Thackery novel. Although a pre code film, it takes a very moralistic attitude toward its heroine and her fate is more severe than the one Thackery gave her in his book. Loy (on loan from MGM) is very good but the rest of the acting is only adequate. Remade three years later as the first three strip Technicolor film. With Conway Tearle, Barbara Kent, Walter Byron and Anthony Bushell.

Napoleon And Josephine: A Love Story (1987)

The brilliant general (Armand Assante) who leads France from chaos to become the most powerful nation in Europe falls in love with an older woman (Jacqueline Bisset) with two children. Their passionate but volatile relationship is hindered by her inability to bear him a son and heir. Directed by Richard T. Heffron (FUTUREWORLD). A highly fictionalized rendering of the romance of Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine De Beauharnais. Napoleon's battles and victories are not the focus point of this four and a half hour telefilm. They are merely a backdrop to the love story and indeed, almost feel like padding. It's a lush looking epic but its narrative is as creaky as an 1930s MGM historical movie (think MARIE ANTOINETTE or CONQUEST with Charles Boyer as Napoleon). As Napoleon, Assante tries too hard ("Hey, watch me act!") and Bisset is too contemporary although she looks smashing in Michel Fresnay's Empire silhouette high waisted gowns. With Anthony Perkins, Stephanie Beacham, Leigh Taylor Young, Jane Lapotaire, Patrick Cassidy, Jean Pierre Stewart and Ione Skye.

Half A Sixpence (1967)

Set in Victorian England, an orphan (Geoffrey Chandler) is apprenticed to work in a drapery store. When he (Tommy Steele) grows up he discovers he's the heir to a fortune left to him by his grandfather. Alas, the money will prove a detriment to his happiness. Based on the 1963 British musical (which had a successful Broadway run in 1965) by way of the novel KIPPS: THE STORY OF A SIMPLE SOUL by H.G. Wells and directed by George Sidney (BYE BYE BIRDIE) in his final film. As movie musicals go, this one is very near the bottom of the barrel. A simple story is overblown into a big "roadshow" musical and (save one number: Flash Bang Wallop) promptly falls flat on its face. The show was a big hit in London and did well enough on Broadway and its star, the toothy Tommy Steele, was a big star in Great Britain. An attempt was made by Hollywood to make him a star (this film, THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE, FINIAN'S RAINBOW) but he confused acting with mugging and like certain stars who are great on stage (Carol Channing comes to mind), he was just "too big" for films. The film was a hit in England but flopped in the U.S. With Julia Foster, Cyril Ritchard, Grover Dale, Penelope Horner, Pamela Brown and James Villiers.

Rock Pretty Baby (1956)

A high school senior (John Saxon) yearns to be a professional musician, much to the disappointment of his father (Edward Platt). He sets out to prove he can make it in the rock 'n roll scene in Los Angeles. Directed by Richard Bartlett (JOE DAKOTA). Never one to pass up making a quick buck, Hollywood jumped on the rock 'n roll band wagon in the 1950s with movies like ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK, ROCK ROCK ROCK (with Tuesday Weld), JAMBOREE, SHAKE RATTLE AND ROCK among them. This movie is the rock 'n roll equivalent of those adolescent Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals from the 1930s and 40s. Alas, the songs are lackluster and the performances insignificant. A surly John Saxon scowls like a teenage Brando while Sal Mineo tries too hard to get us to believe he's a hep cat (he was much more convincing in THE GENE KRUPA STORY). With Luana Patten, Fay Wray, Shelley Fabares, George Winslow and popular 60s poet, Rod McKuen.

Star Dust (1940)

A young teenage girl (Linda Darnell) from Arkansas has stars in her eyes and an ambition to go to Hollywood and be a movie actress. When she gets there, she finds her dream isn't going to be easy to achieve. Directed by Walter Lang (CALL ME MADAM). Typical Hollywood fantasy about the "dream factory" and the movie hopefuls who were drawn to it. That being said, it's more entertaining than it has a right to be. I don't know if the parallels to Linda Darnell's rise in Hollywood were intentional (except for the pushy stage mother who's jettisoned) but they're there. She was signed by 20th Century Fox when she was 15 years old and by age 16, she was playing Tyrone Power's wife in DAYTIME WIFE! It's hokey but you can see why Darnell became one of Fox's most popular stars in the 1940s. With John Payne, Roland Young, Charlotte Greenwood, George Montgomery, Mary Beth Hughes, Donald Meek, Mary Healy and William Gargan.

For The Defense (1930)

A slick criminal defense attorney (William Powell) refuses to marry his girlfriend (Kay Francis) declaring he's not the marrying kind. When she steps out with another man (Scott Kolk), their late night date ends in a manslaughter charge after his car strikes and kills a pedestrian ..... but it was she that was driving. Directed by John Cromwell (OF HUMAN BONDAGE). A combination of courtroom drama and soap opera, the movie benefits from the star power of Powell and Francis, not quite the major stars they would soon be. Otherwise, it's a routine programmer without any particular attributes that would make it stand out. This was a Paramount film but Powell and Francis would find mega stardom at other studios (Powell at MGM, Francis at Warners). If you're a fan of either actor or the courtroom drama genre, there's every reason to enjoy the film for what it is. With William B. Davidson and John Elliott.

Frankenstein (2025)

Hardened by his father's (Charles Dance) abuse, his son (Oscar Isaac) grows up to be an arrogant if brilliant surgeon. His ambition seems impossible, however. To "cure" death through science. Based on the novel by Mary Shelley and directed by Guillermo Del Toro (NIGHTMARE ALLEY). A stunning and sumptuous recreation of Shelley's classic novel as filtered through Del Toro's personal journey. In previous versions, we've often had to be reminded that Frankenstein was the creator, not the Monster. In this movie, Frankenstein IS the monster. Jacob Elordi as the Creature is truly amazing here. I never thought anyone could move out of Boris Karloff's shadow but Elordi not moves out of it but moves past it. As the "mad" scientist, Oscar Isaac avoids the cliches that often taint the part and in the role of Elizabeth, usually the dullest role in the tale, Mia Goth invests her character with layers of empathy and intelligence. The knockout score is by Alexandre Desplat. An instant classic. With Christoph Waltz, Felix Kammerer and Lars Mikkelsen.

Let's Scare Jessica To Death (1971)

Released from an institution following a nervous breakdown, a young woman (Zohra Lampert) seeks the tranquility of a secluded home in the Connecticut countryside. But instead of a restful recuperation, she soon finds herself falling into a whirlpool of madness and the supernatural. Directed by John Hancock (BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY). At first, this seems yet another movie about an unstable woman being driven insane by those around her but it isn't. The heroine IS unstable but she isn't being driven batty by those around her. While the film (for what it is) is well done, I don't understand the love for it that has made it a cult movie. Hancock's direction is good so I suspect the movie's problems lie with its screenplay although I appreciated the deviation from the normal "gaslight" motif. Fortunately for the film, the female lead is played by the wonderful Zohra Lampert who creates a believable fragile character that makes us root for her as we slowly realize the genuine evil that surrounds her. With Kevin O'Connor, Gretchen Corbett, Mariclare Costello and Barton Heyman.

The Working Man (1933)

Many years ago, a wealthy shoe manufacturer (George Arliss) lost the girl he loved to a business rival, both now deceased. When he runs into their daughter (Bette Davis) and son (Theodore Newton) he realizes the wild living youngsters are headed for trouble. So, he decides to help them whether they want him to or not! Based on the short story THE ADOPTED FATHER by Charles Kenyon and Maude T. Howell and directed by John C. Adolfi (THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD). I found this pre-code comedy delightful. Not great by any means but a pleasant romp. One doesn't normally think of George Arliss and comedy in the same sentence but he's very amusing here and young Bette Davis still in her ingenue phase makes for a lovely hedonist. Good fun! With Hardie Albright, Gordon Westcott and Douglass Dumbrille.