Captain Nemo And The Underwater City (1969)

In the 1860s, a ship sinks in a storm but five passengers are rescued and brought to a magnificent city at the bottom of the sea which is governed by Captain Nemo (Robert Ryan). The survivors are told they must live out the rest of their lives in the undersea kingdom and cannot return to the surface. Directed by James Hill (BORN FREE), the film is  "inspired" by Jules Verne and utilizing his Captain Nemo from 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. This undersea adventure should play well to youngsters but adults might have a harder time as the film never quite captures the imagination the way Verne and some of the films based on his novels did. The real star of the film is the art director William C. Andrews (Kubrick's LOLITA) whose futuristic underwater city is a stunning creation. There is a lot of underwater footage which allows composer Angela Morley (writing here as Walter Stott) an opportunity to compose what almost amounts to an underwater ballet. With Chuck Connors, Luciana Paluzzi, Nanette Newman, Allan Cuthbertson and providing what I imagine is supposed to be comedy relief, Bill Fraser and Kenneth Connor as a pair of gold hungry brothers.

The Group (1966)

Based on the Mary McCarthy 1963 best selling novel, the film follows eight young female graduates of an East Coast exclusive women's college in 1933 through 1940 and the outbreak of war in Europe. Solidly directed by Sidney Lumet, the film is bolstered by the fine work by the eight actresses whose characters cover a broad spectrum across the political, cultural and social scale. Some like Joanna Pettet as the neurotic doomed Kay, Shirley Knight as the fragile Polly and Jessica Walter as the frigid, unfeeling bitch of the group are prominent through out the story while others like Candice Bergen (in her film debut) as the group's lesbian and Mary Robin Redd as the chubby rich girl have limited screen time. The other girls are played by Joan Hackett, Elizabeth Hartman and Kathleen Widdoes. The men, with one exception (James Broderick as a caring doctor), represent the worst case scenarios of the male species from wife beaters (Larry Hagman) to wimpy, indecisive weaklings (Hal Holbrook). Gene Callahan's production design and Anna Hill Johnstone's costumes do an excellent job of conveying the 1930s. The cinematography is by Boris Kaufman (ON THE WATERFRONT). With Robert Emhardt, Richard Mulligan, Leora Dana, Carrie Nye and James Congdon.

Libeled Lady (1936)

When an heiress (Myrna Loy) sues a newspaper for libel, the paper's editor (Spencer Tracy) hires an ex-reporter (William Powell) to romance the heiress and compromise her position so she will be forced to drop the lawsuit. To this end, Tracy cons his fiancee (Jean Harlow) to marry Powell and act as the wronged wife. Directed by the veteran Jack Conway (A TALE OF TWO CITIES), the screenplay is a flimsy concoction on which to hang a cornucopia of one liners and zingers. Fortunately, they come regularly and fast and more to the point, hit their target. Powell even takes some time off from the wisecracks to do a nice bit of physical comedy while attempting to fish for trout. It is, in fact, the expert quartet of farceurs that (with Conway's help) that keep this screwball comedy afloat. The film has that glossy B&W look that defined MGM's style in the 30s and 40s reinforced here by Cedric Gibbons art direction the cinematography of Norbert Brodine (KISS OF DEATH). With Walter Connolly as Loy's father, Cora Witherspoon and Charley Grapewin. Only ten years later, MGM would remake the film under the title EASY TO WED.

Rock A Bye Baby (1958)

After a quickie secret marriage to a bullfighter in Mexico which finds her a widow within 24 hours, a movie actress (Marilyn Maxwell) finds herself pregnant. With the biggest movie role of her career before her, she drops out and secretly has the babies and asks an old boyfriend (Jerry Lewis) to take care of the babies while she goes off to Egypt to make her movie. Very loosely based on Preston Sturges' screenplay to MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, director Frank Tashlin does what he can with the erratic material. The laughs are sporadic and all in all this is one of Lewis's weakest efforts. Still, as always, there are laughs to be had like when Lewis plays multiple characters as he pretends he's on television or Ida Moore as an old lady obsessed with TV commercials (probably the most Tashlinian moment in the film). Unfortunately, though not a musical as such, the film is saddled with several truly awful songs by Sammy Cahn and Harry Warren though the White Virgin Of The Nile production number with Maxwell is intentionally cheesy and amusing. The cast includes Connie Stevens who gets "and introducing" billing, Hope Emerson, Reginald Gardiner, Isobel Elsom, James Gleason, Hans Conreid and the Italian opera star, Salvatore Baccaloni.

Klute (1971)

When a businessman turns up missing, a private detective (Donald Sutherland), who was also a good friend of the missing man, goes to New York to see a call girl (Jane Fonda) who may be able to provide some clues to the man's disappearance. As a thriller, this Alan Pakula film is a wash out. It's sloppily made with zero thrills and more than enough loopholes to be disconcerting. To call the film Hitchcockian is an insult to Hitchcock! However, as a character piece examining the anima of a call girl, it's superb! Fonda's performance is brilliant, a performance that ranks with Leigh in STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and Falconetti in PASSION DE JEANNE D'ARC. From her physicality to her body language right down to the range of emotions displayed, Fonda sinks so far down into her character that you can't see anybody but Bree Daniels (Fonda). Who cares if it's a flop as a thriller when what you get is so much more than a proper thriller could ever give you. Gordon Willis provides the striking Panavision cinematography and Michael Small gives support with an effective score (even though it owes much to Ennio Morricone). The large and talented cast includes Roy Scheider, Rita Gam, Jean Stapleton, Charles Cioffi, Shirley Stoler, Jane White, Vivian Nathan and in a scene stealing turn as a junkie, Dorothy Tristan.

Tarawa Beachhead (1958)

At Guadalcanal, a marine (Kerwin Mathews) sees his superior (Ray Danton) deliberately shoot and kill another soldier (John Baer). But feeling that no one will believe a Sergeant's word over a Lieutenant's, he keeps silent but vows to bring justice. Complications ensue when Mathews falls in love with the murdered soldier's widow (Julie Adams) while Danton romances her sister (Karen Sharpe, HIGH AND THE MIGHTY). A tight, economical WWII drama that focuses on human relations rather than the battles. The film doesn't glamorize war but rather takes a look, albeit somewhat superficial, on the psyche of an ambitious (and possibly psychopathic) soldier who'll sacrifice lives so he can be a hero. It's a minor footnote in pantheon of WWII movies but it's very adult and doesn't bother to disguise that the two couples are freely engaging in sex without benefit of marriage. Mathews (7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD), usually very stiff, is surprisingly good here as is Sharpe who brings a knowingness to the happy go lucky sister. Directed by Paul Wendkos and with Peggy Maley and Morris Ankrum.

The Last Days Of Pompeii (1959)

A Roman legionnaire (Steve Reeves) returns from the Holy Lands to Pompeii and finds his father murdered, supposedly by renegade Christians but in actuality by a group of soldiers following orders from someone high up in the ruling government. Though the film is credited to Mario Bonnard, the bulk of the film is actually directed by Sergio Leone who took over the directorial reins from Bonnard. This may explain why the film looks so sumptuous and elegant rather than cheesy feel of most of the sword and sandal movies churned out by Italy during the late 50s and early 60s. Only (very) loosely based on the Edward George Bulwer-Lytton novel, the Vesuvius volcano eruption seems like a deus ex machina seemingly coming out of nowhere with no foreshadowing and a convenient way of wrapping up the story which seems to have painted itself into a corner. Shot in the Super TotalScope wide screen format by Antonio Ballesteros, Leone shows his talent for wide screen compositions that would bloom his the 60s "spaghetti" westerns. The music is by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino. With Christine Kaufmann, Fernando Rey, Anne Marie Baumann and Angel Aranda.

4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days (aka 4 Luni, 3 Saptamani Si 2 Zile)

Set in 1987 Romania when abortion was still illegal, a student (Anamaria Marinca) assists her college room mate (Laura Vasiliu) in securing an abortion. That simple sentence doesn't begin to describe the deep impact this film has, which won the Golden Palm at the 2007 Cannes film festival. The director Cristian Mungiu strips away almost everything that would be considered cinematic so as to not distract from the powerful simplicity of the story which is played out in a 24 hour time period. Mungiu lets his camera sit while it records extremely long takes with no cutting away and there's no film score. The performances are natural and low key, never calling attention to themselves. It's only after the film is over that you appreciate the subtlety of their work especially Marinca who gives a finely detailed performance. The film makes no overtly political statement on the subject of abortion either pro or con but simply lays out the events (which are pretty dire) which enables us to focus on the situation and ramifications thereof rather than the morality or politics of it. A terrific piece of film making.

Jamaica Inn (1939)

A young Irish lass (Maureen O'Hara) arrives at Jamaica Inn on the Cornish coast of England to stay with her aunt (Marie Ney) and her husband (Leslie Banks). But she soon finds out that the inn is a cover for smuggling and murder. Often considered one of Alfred Hitchcock's worst films, I wouldn't go that far but it is certainly one of his least interesting. It seems thrown together without much thought and Hitchcock's heart doesn't seem to be in it. Rumors are that Charles Laughton, who plays the duplicitous landowner and brain behind the smugglers, interfered with Hitchcock's direction which may account for it. It's a minor potboiler and mildly diverting but it doesn't stick with you. Laughton's wonderfully hammy performance may not have pleased Hitchcock but it's the most memorable thing about the film today. Ney's character is rather annoying as one of those wives loyal to their abusive husbands that irritate contemporary sensibilities. Based on the novel by Daphne Du Maurier (better served by Hitchcock the following year when he filmed her REBECCA). With Robert Newton, Emlyn Williams, Mervyn Johns and Basil Radford.

The Executioner (1970)

After a disastrous covert operation in Vienna, a British agent (George Peppard) suspects a security leak at the very top. To this end, he does his own investigation by using his girlfriend (Judy Geeson) to procure top secret documents. The evidence points to a colleague (Keith Michell), the husband of his ex lover (Joan Collins), as being a double agent and Peppard sets out to unmask him but things aren't always what they seem. Directed by actor turned director Sam Wanamaker, this is, for the most part, a fairly taut if overlong spy thriller that bounces from Vienna to Istanbul to Greece. There's even a nice twist toward the end which reveals cracks in our hero's flawed personality but, alas, the final scene in the film negates it as if the film makers feared we would withhold our sympathy. Peppard gives a rather chilly performance which appears to be the actor rather than the character but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. It's not particularly memorable but it's a pleasant time waster. The noisy, mediocre score is by Ron Goodwin and the wide screen Panavision cinematography by Denys Coop (BILLY LIAR). With Oscar Homolka, Charles Gray, Alexander Scourby and George Baker.

Into The Night (1985)

An ordinary guy (Jeff Goldblum) leading a quiet existence is burdened with chronic insomnia and an unfaithful wife. During one of his insomnia bouts, he drives to the airport to hang out where he encounters a pretty blonde (Michelle Pfeiffer) who is being chased by four Iranian thugs who have just killed her male companion. From that point on, Goldblum's quiet life is turned upside down as he takes a nightmarish journey with many twists and turns, killers and smugglers, until he reaches its violent destination. Directed by John Landis(TRADING PLACES). There's an almost surreal dreamlike quality to the film that I almost expected one of those "It was all a dream" endings. Landis races all over L.A. from the Marina to Hollywood to Malibu to Beverly Hills and Century City while maintaining a solid grip on his audience's rollercoaster ride. Goldblum (in one of his best performances) and Pfeiffer have a nice chemistry together. B.B. King performs the film's excellent title song. The massive cast includes Dan Aykroyd, Vera Miles, David Bowie, Irene Papas, Richard Farnsworth, Clu Gulager, Kathryn Harrold, Carl Perkins, Bruce McGill and many well known directors in small roles including Don Siegel, David Cronenberg, Jonathan Demme, Roger Vadim, Paul Mazursky, Jack Arnold, Colin Higgins, Lawrence Kasdan, Amy Heckerling, Daniel Petrie and Richard Franklin.

Sign Of The Pagan (1954)

A Roman centurion (Jeff Chandler) on his way to Constantinople with a message from Rome is taken prisoner by the notorious Atilla the Hun (Jack Palance), who is plotting with the Emperor of Constantinople (George Dolenz) to destroy Rome. This colorful sword and sandal epic was the first film director Douglas Sirk shot in the CinemaScope format (along with his frequent cinematographer Russell Metty) and he takes to the format like a duck to water. Sirk, best known for his lush melodramas, isn't the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of Atilla the Hun but he does a more than credible job in keeping things quickly moving on this enjoyable piece of hokum so we don't have time to dwell on the absurdness of turning a film about Atilla's attack on Rome into a "biblical" epic with frequent references to Christ watching over Rome. The film not only has the Pope coming to negotiate with Atilla but even has Atilla's daughter (Rita Gam) finding God and becoming Christian. Palance is quite good here, dirty and greasy among all the cleanliness. The Universal backlot masquerades as Rome and the rousing score is by Frank Skinner and Hans J. Salter. The large cast includes Ludmilla Tcherina (THE RED SHOES), Jeff Morrow, Allison Hayes, Alexander Scourby, Michael Ansara, Leo Gordon and Sara Shane.