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494,310 | 342,623 | 43,643 | 6 |
Disappointing
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Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell teamed up for producer Howard Hughes for the first time in " His Kind of Woman , " which also stars Raymond Burr , Vincent Price , and Marjorie Reynolds . In order to get back into the country , deported mobster Nick Ferraro ( Burr ) hires gambler Dan Milner ( Mitchum ) to come to Mexico . Ferraro intends to have a plastic surgeon make his face close to Dan's , get rid of Dan , and then come back to the U . S . as Dan . Milner , of course , doesn't know who's hired him and what for . When he reaches the resort where he is to wait for his transportation , he starts getting suspicious that this is not the type of job he wants . Lenore ( Russell ) is on hand as the girlfriend of actor Mark Cardigan ( Vincent Price ) whose wife unexpectedly arrives . Thinking Cardigan was divorced , Lenore is none too happy - plus , no surprise , she's falling for Dan . Mitchum and Russell are a wonderful team . He smolders and she sizzles . They both look fantastic , with Russell wearing a fabulous wardrobe that shows off her assets . She also sings a couple of unmemorable songs , but she sings them well . Raymond Burr was appropriately sinister in the days before he was good guy Perry Mason . His elegant clothing belie his mean expression and sinister , callous actions . The problem for me was that the plot just did not hold my interest . The film seemed overly long and somewhat plodding . That being said , the highlight of the movie is Vincent Price , a swashbuckling actor on the way down who decides to turn reel life into real life . He is truly fabulous , and his role gives the movie a specialness it would not otherwise have . Mitchum and Russell made better films , together and separately . Worth seeing for the actors , especially Price . " His Kind of Woman " has a good plot that is not particularly well executed .
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495,041 | 342,623 | 34,846 | 6 |
She'll do anything to ward off the object of her affections
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Norma Shearer , in her last film , is a wealthy woman desperate to stay away from her on-again / off-again boyfriend ( George Sanders ) in " Her Cardboard Lover . " To do this , she has Robert Taylor , a songwriter who's crazy about her , work off his gambling debt by pretending to be her boyfriend . A nice dramatic role would have been better for Shearer's final performance . But like Garbo , she went out with a comedy , and one that bombed at that , also like Garbo . One wonders what MGM was thinking . The dilemma seems to have been finding vehicles for these older stars as the world - and they - were changing . The film was made in 1942 , and though it is a delightful comedy , it really has the look and feel of the ' 30s to it . There are some wonderful scenes - one where Taylor threatens to jump over a balcony and a dandy fight scene at the end . But in spots , it seems a little tired . Norma Shearer wears gorgeous clothes and is over-dramatic , which is what the part called for . Robert Taylor does a fine job , and George Sanders was wasted . One of the comments said that Shearer was too old for the role - yet the actors seem properly matched and this writer , anyway , had no idea of Shearer's age . In the end , though , it wasn't a fitting way for her to go out . The role hearkens back to a much earlier time . Perhaps , in the end , that's what she wanted .
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494,430 | 342,623 | 43,615 | 6 |
Light ' 50s comedy
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Loretta Young is a " Half Angel " in this 1951 comedy starring Joseph Cotten , Cecil Kellaway , Jim Backus and Irene Ryan . The beautiful Miss Young plays Nora , who by day is a very professional-looking nurse and by night a glamorous seductress . Apparently she has a split personality , and when her conscious mind goes to sleep , Nora's other personality wakes up and drops in on an old school chum who is now an important attorney ( Cotten ) . Her mystique , her allure , her seductiveness make him crazy . Every time he spots the daytime starched nurse Nora , he happily approaches her and throws his arms around her - only to get slapped in the face . Nora is engaged to be married to someone else and besides , she has no memory of these nighttime escapades . One of the reviewers on this site complained about the holes in the plot . This is the kind of film that doesn't hold up well under much - or any - scrutiny . It's a fantasy and has to be enjoyed as such . Nitpicking about how fast a trial is docketed and why someone receives a subpoena is like saying that tapping red rhinestone shoes together will never take you back home . At 38 , Loretta Young is absolutely gorgeous , as she always was and remained for the rest of her life . Huge eyes , a face the shape of a cameo , beautiful hair , slim figure - as if any of it is really hidden by a nurse's cap and uniform . For Nora the wild one , she wears her hair down and a flashy seafoam-colored dress . Which brings me to the film's color . It's very reminiscent of a Better Homes and Garden book from the ' 50s that I used to look at as a child - very bright colors and lots of them . I found the use of color in the film quite unusual . A light comedy is strange casting for Joseph Cotten , but for my money , he pulls it off . This isn't a wildly funny movie , but it is an amusing one , and the psychiatric plot is in line with the post-war interest in the subconscious so prevalent in films of that era . This film takes the fluff approach , which movies like " The Snake Pit , " " The Dark Past " and " Spellbound " did not . Loretta fans will love it .
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493,787 | 342,623 | 39,279 | 6 |
pleasant programmer
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When a movie star accepts delivery of gown materials , she finds out that " The Corpse Came C . O . D . , " a B film with an above average cast : George Brent , Joan Blondell , and Adele Jergens . Brent plays Joe Medford , a newspaper reporter in hot competition with Rosemary Durant ( Blondell ) to get the best stories . When star Mona Harrison ( Jergens ) discovers the body of a studio costume designer in a box of material , she calls Medford instead of the cops and begs for help . She and the designer didn't get along , and it looks as if she's being set up to take the fall . This is fairly routine stuff brightened by the always delightful and energetic Blondell , whose character follows Medford everywhere , often getting caught . Brent conveys a light comic touch rarely seen in his leading man days of the ' 30s . By 1947 , at the age of 48 , Brent was moving into character parts and television . Ditto 41-year-old Blondell . I suppose B movies were a good way to have them use up their contractual obligations . Jergens is appropriately glamorous . We actually learn more of the background story toward the end of the film rather than at the beginning , so the plot has a little twist that otherwise might not have been there . Otherwise , it's a lot of running , chasing , and hiding , but Blondell's many fans will enjoy it .
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494,312 | 342,623 | 348,150 | 6 |
youth , thou glittering bauble
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The Man of Steel is back , this time in the body and face of Brandon Routh , with Lois played by Kate Boswell . The rest of the cast includes Frank Langella , Kevin Spacey , and Parker Posey . In this version , the Man of Steel has been away from earth and returns after five years to find Lois with a boyfriend and a child and Lex Luthor still making trouble . Lex has been hanging out at the Fortress of Solitude and fooling around with those knowledge crystals . His master plan now , using one of the crystals , is to make his own private planet , sending a lot of other land under water and killing about a billion people . Since he's planning to wrap the crystal in kryptonite , and kryptonite will be absorbed by the new continent , Superman doesn't have a chance . Watching Brandon Routh and Kate Boswell , I realized that the Superman torch had passed to yet another generation . Yes , folks , I've been around for three of them - that bartender was a kid when I first saw him . I realize some people have commented that they're too young . If you're my age , it's natural to feel that way since it can be hard to relate to something obviously targeted to another audience . My problem isn't so much that they're too young . My problem is that they're not very good . Both actors are too bland for their roles , Boswell not nearly tough enough and Routh is unexciting . Neither one of them are playing these parts ; instead , they give us generics . Clark Kent isn't just a guy with hair in his face and glasses . He's an enthusiastic , ambitious straight arrow with a certain amount of naivete . Lois isn't just an intelligent , pretty newswoman . She's a very tough woman who has an adversarial relationship with Clark , as well as being a cutthroat reporter . The effects in this film are mesmerizing with a real wow factor and that alone makes it worth seeing on a big screen . Langella makes a great Perry White , no surprise there . Parker Posey is a standout as Kitty . As Lex Luthor , Kevin Spacey is interesting but his Lex is more cerebral and less vicious . A great touch is the addition of two Superman oldies but goodies from the TV series - Noel Neill as a dying widow who is one of Lex's cons , and Jack Larson as the aforementioned bartender . Part of the problem with the lead performances is in the script and the direction . The people involved with the film had no understanding of this franchise , thinking that if they found someone who sort of resembles Chris Reeve and slapped an S on his chest that they had it made . They didn't .
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493,995 | 342,623 | 34,886 | 6 |
Sonja skates
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1942's Iceland is a wartime film about a playboy marine , James Murfin ( John Payne ) stationed in Iceland . There he meets Katina ( Henie ) , a lovely young woman in a hurry to get married so that her sister can marry a man who will bring some much-needed cash into the family . As in many cultures , the older girl must marry first . Katina , however , isn't crazy about the man who has proposed something like 36 times ( Sterling Holloway ) , so when she meets Murfin , she says they met a few years earlier and are in love . Before Murfin knows it , he's engaged , the marriage license has been registered , and at one point , the family believes that he's Katina's husband . There's not much of a story here , but some of the music is pleasant enough and well sung by Joan Merrill . Sonja has some great skating sequences . Figure skating was different in those days - much more dance oriented with no big jumps - barrel rolls and singles were about it . Sonja was a dazzling performer who had great speed and a thrilling signature spin that started slowly and went faster and faster , until she resembled a whirling dervish . Her contribution to the world of figure skating is invaluable : She popularized figure skating , invented the skating show , and made white skating boots the thing to wear ! John Payne is handsome and does a good job as Murfin , but he doesn't get to really sing . He had such a nice voice , it's a shame . Felix Bressart plays Katina's father and is a joy as always . Jack Oakie is Murfin's comic buddy , and he's good as well . However , when you're watching a Sonja Henie movie , it's Sonja's skating that's the true star . This isn't her best film , but it's still entertaining .
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493,865 | 342,623 | 30,293 | 6 |
Light entertainment starring Dunne and Fairbanks Jr .
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Irene Dunne is glamorous Maggie Garret , famous Broadway star , who is supporting her family in " Joy of Living , " a 1938 comedy also starring Douglas Fairbanks , Jr . , Alice Brady , Jean Dixon , Guy Kibbee , Lucille Ball , and Eric Blore . When Dunne meets the wealthy , carefree Dan Webster , he tries to show her what it's like to have fun and also to convince her that her family is freeloading off of her . This film is so lightweight it practically drifts upward . Dunne sings the same song at least 40 times ( or it felt like it ) , " Just Let Me Look at You . " It was okay the first time ; after that , you longed for another number . Dunne was adept at both comedy and drama , and she sang well . In comedy , she had the knack of appearing to have a good time and of improvising ( which in " The Awful Truth , " she was ) . I loved her scene in the courtroom when the judge says a respected person can be the parole officer / civilian guardian for Dan Webster , whom she has accused of stalking her . " You must know lots of important people , " she says . Webster shakes his head . " The only one I know is you . " Dunne purses her lips and , frustrated , says under her breath , " What a pity , " while it never occurs to her that she's being set up . The roller skating sequence is very funny ; the scene in the bar goes on a little too long . Fairbanks , a very versatile and charming actor , is lively and attractive as Dan . Lucille Ball has a small role as Maggie's whiny sister / understudy . As Maggie's mother , Alice Brady is quite dramatic and overblown , as she tended to be , having come from the stage . However , Brady was an excellent actress , and her acting was appropriate for the role . Nothing special , and I would submit that in order to enjoy it , you have to be a fan of Irene Dunne's .
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494,383 | 342,623 | 34,941 | 6 |
B movie from an A director
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Van Heflin is a forensics man trying to solve a couple of murders in " Kid Glove Killer , " a 1942 MGM film also starring Marsha Hunt and Lee Bowman . As in " The Grand Central Murder , " it's Heflin's performance that puts this film across , though this time he is aided by the lovely Marsha Hunt as his assistant , whom he calls " Mitchell . " Lee Bowman plays a crooked politician pretending to be a good guy , and as a result , he's eager to see an innocent man put away for murder . He also is after the aforementioned Mitchell , who is waiting around for Heflin to make a move . Hunt's role is somewhat dated ( or maybe not ) - she's on her way to becoming a good forensics person , but says that the job is not for a woman and she wants to get married . Evidently that will put an end to her career . Heflin was an interesting actor who could do character roles and leads . This film was made around the time of his breakthrough role in " Johnny Eager , " after which he hung up his B movie mantle and moved on to bigger things . He always brought wry humor and subtle characterizations to his roles as well as excellent timing . Lee Bowman was a mustached actor who looked like he came from the Warren William era . He's solid but not terribly exciting . Hunt brings warmth and sparkle to her role . There was , in my opinion , a major problem with the plot having to do with Heflin testing to find particles in the hair of various suspects some time after the crime - wouldn't the particles have come out when they washed their hair ? You really end up thinking no one ever took a shower . Nice beginning for Zinnemann , who would go on to direct some big features such as " High Noon . "
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495,203 | 342,623 | 39,244 | 6 |
One big long concert
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Carnegie Hall was made in 1947 and actually filmed in the newly refurbished Carnegie Hall . It's the story of a cleaner at the Hall named Nora ( Marsha Hunt ) who marries a pianist . He dies some time after they're married , and she's left to raise their son . She exposes him , by taking him to Carnegie Hall , to all of the great music and musicians , and he studies piano . The plan is for him to grow up to be a concert pianist . But he has other plans , and some of them include the pretty Ruth ( Martha O'Driscoll ) , who sings with Vaughn Monroe . William Prince plays the adult son , and Frank McHugh plays an employee of the Hall who is a friend of Nora's . This is one long movie with tons of beautiful music done by some of the great artists of the time : Leopold Stokowski conducting Tchaikovsky's " Symphony in E Minor , " Artur Rubenstein ( whom I saw play in concert while I was in high school ) doing Chopin's " Polonaise " and " The Ritual Fire Dance " at the piano keyboard , Jascha Heifetz and his nimble fingers on the violin for Tchaikovsky's " Concerto for Violin " - to name only a few . Singers include Ezio Pinza singing parts of Don Giovanni , Rise Stevens singing " Pres des Ramparts de Sevilla " from Carmen , and Lily Pons , in an exquisite gown , doing the Bell Song from Lakme , her signature piece . Jan Peerce sings " O Solo Mio . " It's all wonderful , and a real feast for classic music lovers , but it isn't very cinematic , and the script is non-existent . It is great to have the musical performances preserved , however . Marsha Hunt is still with us as of this writing , and she was a lovely actress , physically a cross between Jennifer Jones and Barbara Rush . She gets the usual Hollywood aging of gray hair , white powder and half a line on her face . I suggest putting this on your DVR and fast-forwarding to the performances .
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494,832 | 342,623 | 34,922 | 6 |
The Emperor's wearing no clothes in this one
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Joseph Cotten plays an American armaments engineer on the run from the Nazis in " Journey into Fear , " a 1943 film with a script by Cotten ( from a story by Eric Ambler ) and costarring Orson Welles and Delores del Rio . Cotten is working on a deal to supply Turkey with weapons to fight the Axis . The Nazis don't want the deal made and are trying to stop Cotten from getting back to the U . S . There are some very exciting scenes in this extremely atmospheric film , in particular on the ledge of a building between Cotten and the terrifying assassin . Most of the film takes place on board a dingy ship where Cotten is taken , thus beginning his Kafka-esquire nightmare . This is an entertaining film for sure , but I've always been troubled by it . First of all , it seems like there are scenes missing . Second , it's on the confusing side since there are irrelevant characters thrown in . Third , you can drive a truck through some of the plot holes . Fourth , the ending to me has always felt abrupt . Suspenseful ? Yes . Intriguing ? Yes . Ultimately disappointing ? Yes . Cotten is good as a man blundering through something he can't quite figure out - the problem is , the audience can't quite figure it out either . Welles has a small but effective role as Dr . Haki . Strong on style , weak on substance .
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494,362 | 342,623 | 35,763 | 6 |
Propaganda movie with a love triangle thrown in
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Fantastic special effects highlight this World War II submarine drama starring Tyrone Power , Dana Andrews , and Anne Baxter - Power's last before going into the Marines . Power is charming as a man who captures the heart of Anne Baxter , who though he doesn't know it , just happens to be the girl of Dana Andrews , Power's new commanding officer . Out on the submarine , there's some exciting action as the sub searches for a secret base set up by the Nazis . One interesting subplot is the friendship of Oliver , a black soldier , with Mac , portrayed by James Gleason . Ben Carter , who played Oliver , does a great job , and his role as a concerned friend and brave soldier is not the usual stereotypical one blacks were often forced to play . The ending , of course , is pure propaganda as Power , supposedly talking to his uncle , talks about the fighting men , subs , PT boats , and the like all doing their job . I'm in no way trying to denigrate it - propaganda is a fascinating part of film history and at that time was deemed important to the war movement . It's all very interesting to view today . And Power is gorgeous .
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495,051 | 342,623 | 264,935 | 6 |
movie by the numbers
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Despite my summary comment , I did enjoy this film , most especially the performances of the young men , Gosling and Pitt . I also was not familiar with the work of Ben Chaplin . He was very good and reminiscent facially of Montgomery Clift with his somewhat haunted look . This is a Leopold Loeb / Rope type murder which Sandra Bullock sets out to solve . I'm read some negative comments about Bullock in this movie . She plays a woman not as strong as she pretends , a woman haunted by a disturbing past and , because of that , has a strong identification with her victims . If some of this sounds familiar , it's not Bullock's fault ; she does a very good job of portraying this detective . I've seen better ; I've seen worse . It's a derivative story . I did think the scene between Bullock and Gosling was unrealistic bordering on ridiculous . She was , after all , a police detective , and while Gosling may have been arrogant , how stupid can one person be ? And he's supposed to be smart ! Also , for such a narcissistic jerk , how is it that he pegged her emotional problems so easily ? Not a necessary scene .
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494,787 | 342,623 | 56,957 | 6 |
Not a very good vehicle for anyone
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Certainly Anatole Litvak was no slouch as a director , but he missed the mark here in " Five Miles to Midnight , " a 1962 film starring Sophia Loren , Tony Perkins and Gig Young . Lisa Macklin ( Sophia Loren ) married to an American , believes that her husband ( Tony Perkins ) has been killed in an airplane crash . Actually , he was a survivor and wants to collect $120 , 000 in insurance he took out before the flight by pretending to be dead . Of course , his wife has to collect it . The two don't exactly get along , and the only way to be rid of him is for Lisa to collect the money for him . She is falling for a newspaperman ( Young ) , who is suspicious as to what is going on . Her husband promises he will let her go once he has the money . This is a very unsatisfactory film , in part because of the miscasting of Tony Perkins as Loren's husband . Not only that , but the acting just isn't very good even from pros like Loren , Perkins and Young . Litvak only made two more films after this - it appears he lost his touch after making some marvelous films : This Above All , All This and Heaven Too , Tovarich , City for Conquest . Either that or he had to make too many concessions . At any rate , he didn't pay too much attention to what the actors were doing . The story just meanders along . Not very good .
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494,514 | 342,623 | 64,526 | 6 |
Based on Durrell collection
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In 1938 Alexandria , a British schoolmaster ( Michael York ) befriends the wife of a banker named Justine ( Anouk Aimee ) , a mysterious woman whom he meets through a British officer ( Dirk Bogarde ) . She's actually a prostitute and political activist . Darley , the York character , finds out that Justine is heavily involved with an anti-British plot to give arms to the Jewish underground in Palestine . This uneven film is based on Lawrence Durrell's collection , " The Alexandria Quartet . " The film is pretty unsuccessful , though there are still signs of director Cukor's hands - he took over from the original director . The film seems like it starts in the middle . Nice photography , good music , but it doesn't hang together . Michael York , Dirk Bogarde , and John Vernon are all good ; Aimee does okay . Apparently she and Cukor didn't get along . She gives a somewhat confusing performance . Can't really recommend it .
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494,363 | 342,623 | 47,279 | 6 |
good cast in cold war drama
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Gregory Peck plays a U . S . Army Provost caught up in exchanging a married couple wanted by Russians for a captured American soldier in " Night People , " set in post-war Berlin . By today's standards , this film is on the talky side , with not much action . Although the script was nominated for an Oscar , it's problematic - the denouement was much too simple , for one thing . Broderick Crawford is the father of the captured soldier , and he does an excellent job . Rita Gam is Ricky , Peck's beautiful and feisty secretary . There are several TV faces as well : Buddy Ebsen , Walter Abel , and Max Showalter . Anita Bjork is " Hoffy , " a woman who works for Peck yet may be playing both ends . But the film is really Peck's , who does a fantastic job creating an interesting , tough , passionate , decisive , and funny character . He's instantly both likable and admirable .
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494,460 | 342,623 | 22,435 | 6 |
' 30s melodrama
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This is a precode movie starring Norma Shearer , who looks gorgeous in all the gowns ( and is that the way people dressed for a football game in the ' 30s ? ) . Shearer plays a free spirit who doesn't believe in marriage and instead cavorts and travels with a reporter . Of course , she's kidding herself , and she wanted the wedding ring all along - when he announces he's been married the whole time and then breaks up with her , she takes up with every man she meets . This is never actually stated , which makes it kind of fun . Robert Montgomery says , " Boy , what I heard about you in Paris . " Shearer : " You didn't believe it , did you ? " Montgomery : " Not the first 6 or 700 times . " Montgomery easily steals the movie as her funny , charming , ever-drunk good friend . It's the best role and holds up today . The other roles don't - the story is too melodramatic , acted in an old-fashioned , hand on the forehead style that dates it . Added to that , the reporter character of Alan , played by Neil Hamilton , is despicable , making the film a frustrating experience for the viewer . As an artifact and for the clothes and sets , you can't beat it , though .
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494,805 | 342,623 | 30,150 | 6 |
Four brothers and one woman on an international search
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Richard Greene , David Niven , George Sanders and William Henry are the four men part of " Four Men and a Prayer , " a 1938 John Ford film also starring Loretta Young . Frankly I felt as if I came in at the middle of this film , though I saw the whole thing - but I never actually did figure out the plot . The boys ' father ( C . Aubrey Smith ) has been dishonorably discharged from the army and telegraphs each son that he wants to meet them at the family manse . The discharge was unfair - he was set up - now , I'm guessing here but it had something to do with illegal arms . His sons want to help him , but moments later , he is murdered in his study and his papers stolen . Taking what info they have , they split up and travel to India , South America and Egypt to find the people their father mentioned who can help clear his name . Loretta Young , who plays Greene's madcap girlfriend , chases him shamelessly in a variety of outfits . I still can't decide if there was too little or too much fooling around by the brothers . For me the comic stuff never does come off , Niven being the exception . The acting , however , is good . Richard Greene might have been Tyrone Power's only rival at 20th Century Fox , except that he returned to England in 1940 to enter the service . This was his first film under contract to Fox . He was very handsome with a nice screen persona ; baby boomers may remember him as television's " Robin Hood . " Loretta Young is dazzlingly beautiful - I actually didn't find her annoying as she seemed to fit right into the frenetic energy of the film . Sanders and Niven turned in their usual fine performances . There's a nice turn by Lina Basquette , too , as a foreign woman with information . For those who don't know Lina , well , she was a silent screen star and half-sister of dancer Marge Champion . She was married to Sam Warner ; after his death , the Warners took her child from her and made sure she never worked again . She eventually went to the dogs - literally - by becoming a breeder and judge at the Westminster Dog Show . In a New Yorker Profile done in the 1990s , she claimed to have been propositioned by Hitler and said she had done work as a spy during World War II . She also declared Eric Braeden of " The Young and the Restless " her favorite actor and ended up meeting him . She appeared at Cinecom when she was in her late 80s , and the audience , used to seeing elderly actresses in wheelchairs , was shocked at the end of " The Younger Generation , " one of her early films , when she didn't walk - but ran onto the stage , looking incredible , to answer questions . For me , Lina's appearance as Ahnee is actually the high point of " Four Men and a Prayer , " featuring some very attractive people in a half-comedy / half-drama and a confusing plot . Thankfully , Ford didn't stick with this genre .
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494,587 | 342,623 | 30,151 | 6 |
Silly screwball
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Errol Flynn , Rosalind Russell , Olivia de Havilland and Patric Knowles prove that " Four's a Crowd " in this 1938 comedy directed by Michael Curtiz . With such a great cast , one would think this is a classic gem . Alas , no . In fact , due to a confusing script , it's in shambles . Fun shambles , but shambles . Walter Connolly plays millionaire John Dillingwell , Olivia de Havilland is his beautiful albeit dizzy daughter , Rosalind Russell is a reporter , and Patric Knowles , who is dating de Havilland , is Russell's boss . Dillingwell is a private person with no interest in public relations . Russell's boyfriend ( Flynn ) runs a PR firm and wants to land the Dillingwell account . With some help from the paper , Flynn manages to make Dillingwell the most hated man in America - a man desperately in need of having his image cleaned up . Not that he agrees to it right away . The inspiration for this story is John D . Rockefeller , the most hated man in America at one time , known for his ruthless business tactics . He hired a publicist and , with the publicist's urging , began to give away his vast fortune consisting of property and money to various charities . For screwball comedy , " Four's a Crowd " had a lot of competition , which is probably why the powers that be threw everything at it but the kitchen sink . Heiresses - " It Happened One Night , " " Love is News , " " Libeled Lady , " etc . abounded . So did the movies - and they were all better than this one . There certainly are some fun scenes and some good performances . Flynn had a good flair for comedy , as did de Havilland , though they weren't often cast that way . de Havilland's early career was in fact doing airhead ingénues , such as in " It's Love I'm After " and this one . Russell is terrific as usual , and Knowles acquits himself well . If only the script had been stronger . . . it's still fun , though .
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494,028 | 342,623 | 53,017 | 6 |
Loneliness and the power of forgiveness
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Montgomery Clift is a writer hired to be " Miss Lonelyhearts " for a newspaper in " Lonelyhearts , " a 1958 film also starring Robert Ryan , Myrna Loy , Delores Hart , and Maureen Stapleton in her film debut . About 30 years ago - yes , 30 - I saw the play " Miss Lonelyhearts " with none other than Kelsey Grammar , who had not yet gone to Hollywood . The play , as well as the book , are quite different from what ended up on the screen . In the film , the ending was changed to a more upbeat one . This is a great film if you're contemplating suicide because this will take you right over the edge . It is relentlessly depressing with some pathetic characters and some unlikeable ones . Adam ( Clift ) is a man with a hidden past that he keeps even from his girlfriend ( Delores Hart ) . All the viewer really knows at first is that he was raised in an orphanage and has a father in prison . The paper on which Adam works is owned by William Shrike , an abusive , cynical man ( Ryan ) who is horrible not only to his employees but to his wife ( Myrna Loy ) because of her infidelity 10 years before . This is a man who carries a grudge . When he meets Adam , he thinks his sincerity is fake and becomes determined to wear him down . His first step is to hire him as Miss Lonelyhearts . Adam becomes very bothered by the problems his readers send to him , especially because he can't help anyone . When Shrike dares him to meet one of the letter-writers , he does so . It's Maureen Stapleton , a needy woman with a crippled husband who can't make love to her . The performances in this film are very good , but the film isn't . Clift apparently was very disappointed in it because it lacked none of the bite of the novel and none of the symbolism of Adam as a Christlike figure bearing the sins of others . Robert Ryan is very convincing as the hateful Shrike , and Myrna Loy is beautiful and sad as his wife . Stapleton received an Oscar nomination for her effective performance . An accomplished stage actress , Stapleton evokes the desperation of this lonely woman . Montgomery Clift by this time was almost at a point where he was dependent upon the kindness of strangers . He was too much of a risk for Hollywood to be interested . Like so many people who are victims of horrible accidents , he had become addicted to painkillers and alcohol . If not for Elizabeth Taylor making a case for him , he would not have been cast in " Suddenly , Last Summer . " As it was , Mankiewicz almost stopped shooting on the film . He is fragile and glassy-eyed here , in obvious pain , and his voice slurs . The fragility works well in this role as does the sensitivity he brings to the part . He still had a beautiful smile , which unfortunately he doesn't get to use much here . It's always wonderful to see Montgomery Clift perform , even toward the end of his career . That interesting voice of his , the intelligence and sensitivity of his work , and the tenderness with which he approached a love scene were unmatched . His film career was relatively short , but he left a powerful legacy . " Lonelyhearts " is not a great film , but it stars Montgomery Clift , so it's worth seeing .
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495,111 | 342,623 | 435,708 | 6 |
Lea's energy and charm drives this one .
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I enjoy the Hallmark Mystery Movie series , and " Jane Doe " is my favorite , due to the vivacious Lea Thompson , who brings a bright spirit to this " Scarecrow and Mrs . King " type formula of " mom is a government agent . " Thompson has quit the CSA but , like Al Pacino in " The Godfather II , " just when she thought she was out , they dragged her back in . This time , by some high quality technical techniques , the Declaration of Independence , is stolen while on display at a bank . Lea's old partner , played by Joe Penny , needs her help . She is thwarted by his current partner , a nervous woman who feels that her territory is being threatened . Let's face it - the Thompson character doesn't want the job - a false note in this for me was the fact that she continued on the case with such a difficult woman . Thompson wears three hats , that of a loving mother , an employee for a game company , and the occasional agent work . Her husband , Billy Moses , is in the dark about her return to the agency . So there are a few more layers in this series than in the other two . This particular series has more spark than the other two but probably less substance . The villain here was obvious in the first few minutes , and the way the crime was carried out had a very " Mission : Impossible " - - emphasis on the impossible , feel to it . Nevertheless , Thompson is darling and , with a strong leading man in Penny , " Jane Doe " offers a nice break from reality shows .
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493,760 | 342,623 | 167,752 | 6 |
Odd . I find it odd .
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I was confused from the beginning of " The 4th Floor " because , fool that I am , it never once occurred to me that this young woman talking with William Hurt ( who is my age ) was actually his girlfriend . She looked like his daughter and in fact , with the 23 year difference in their ages , could have been . Once that was out of the way , I started to concentrate . This is a pretty scary movie if you like the genre , but it doesn't make any sense . I can understand Jane moving into her late aunt's apartment - it's New York City , after all , reasonably priced apartments are hard to come by , and she doesn't want to move in with her boyfriend . But no matter how reasonable the rent , no one would have stayed in that building . The neighbors are all totally bizarre and someone - she thinks it's her neighbor on the 4th floor - - is tormenting her . Aggressively . There are sometimes one can put these problems in a film aside and sometimes that one can't . This would be one of the times that one can't . It really stretched all reason . If it was the type of film where one just had to suspend belief , that would have been another story , but it wasn't . I figured the plot out long before the denouement , although the ending is ambiguous in a way . The acting was mixed . Lewis sounded like she was imitating Jennifer Elise Cox's character on Lovespring , and Hurt's role was beneath him . The supporting players were the marvelous Austin Pendleton and Shelley Duvall who gave wonderful and interesting performances . All in all , scary stuff , good atmosphere , an okay rental .
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495,197 | 342,623 | 113,243 | 6 |
not of my generation but okay
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I had some trouble getting into the teens in " Hackers " because for me , even the 1995 types seem like they're from another planet . A cast of now familiar faces ( Fisher Stevens , Angelina Jolie , Lorraine Bracco , Jonny Lee Miller , Jesse Bradford , Laurence Mason ) tell the story of a bunch of hackers who are about to be framed for a fraud put together by the computer security person in a corporation ( Stevens ) and his girlfriend , also inside the corporation ( Bracco ) . The beginning is especially good - an district attorney ( Felicity Huffman ) speaks of the dastardly deeds of the defendant , a destructive criminal - and the camera pans to an 11-year-old boy , Dade Murphy , who is Johnny Lee Miller's character as a child . The boy is forbidden by the court to have a touch tone phone or a computer until he turns 18 . The story continues 7 years later when Dade is up to his old tricks and joins a group of hackers with handles like Acid Burn and Cereal Killer . As mentioned in several comments , a lot of " Hackers " is dated now - like the 28 . 8 modem - but it's still fun , with very colorful computer screens , many of which will take old-timers back to the psychedelic days . Though I enjoyed the movie , I don't think I was the target demographic .
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493,716 | 342,623 | 47,209 | 6 |
Jackie's back and Aunt Bea's got him
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Good , atmospheric story of Jack the Ripper , in the person of a Mr . Slade , renting a sitting room and an attic room in a London home . Jack Palance , with his unusual looks and soft voice , is perfectly cast as the man who falls under suspicion of being the Ripper . He finds himself to attracted to the flirtatious , beautiful , and kind-hearted niece of the owner of the home , Lily , played by Constance Smith . Smith was an Irish actress who was under contract to Fox for a time , after which she made films in Italy , retiring apparently in 1959 . As a risqué entertainer and beauty , Lily has also attracted the attentions of a Scotland Yard inspector . It proves an odd triangle . Frances Bavier of Andy Griffith Show fame plays Lily's aunt . Very interesting , small film that manages to have a British feel despite the variety of accents and non-accents of the major actors .
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494,165 | 342,623 | 104,498 | 6 |
why so hard on this movie ?
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I was surprised at the strong negative comments toward this film in the " comments " section . It certainly doesn't deserve the skewering . When I first saw this movie , I thought it should have been a feature film . I was interested to read in one of the comments that that's exactly what it was , in a much darker version . " In the Eyes of a Stranger " has some excellent elements , including the plot . The problem , of course , is just as one of the posters wrote , it was watered down for television and cast as such . The main character should be compelling , complicated and seductive . Justine Bateman has none of these adjectives in her repertoire . But remembering that despite its potential , it is a TV movie after all , it comes off very well . I don't agree that the Bateman character would have been less calm in the first hour after the subway incident - look at her history , also look at what information she received . I think one of the problems with the previous posts is that people got this film at their local video store instead of seeing it on Lifetime . As a video rental I don't think I'd have been too thrilled either . But why did you rent a movie starring Justine Bateman ?
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493,779 | 342,623 | 940,916 | 6 |
okay look at some sad Hollywood deaths
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Hollywood Heaven purports to be a documentary about the untimely and tragic deaths of Hollywood stars - but doesn't really give the topic a documentary treatment . It depends on clips and photos of a variety of stars - James Dean , George Reeves , Rock Hudson , W . C . Fields , Marilyn Monroe , Tyrone Power , Alan Ladd and Rudolph Valentino , and is done on the cheap . Much of the footage is familiar - Monroe singing " Happy Birthday " to the President , for instance , and it also contains a few mistakes . Despite what has been said , George Reeves ' footage in " From Here to Eternity " was not cut because someone in the audience said , " Look , there's Superman . " It's an urban legend ; it simply isn't true . If you're not familiar with this material , you'll find this documentary , which I believe went straight to video , of some interest .
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493,957 | 342,623 | 104,450 | 6 |
possession obsession , CODA style
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As TV movies go , this is a pretty good one , dealing with codependency . Connie Selleca , who co-wrote the scrpit , is very good as a newswoman who suspects her husband of infidelity , despite his protests ( and some evidence to the contrary ) . Kevin Dobson plays the husband . This is a good study of an adult child of an alcoholic , with the attendant denial , the people pleasing , and the compulsivity . The Selleca character , as she puts it herself , grew up being told that her feelings were wrong , that black was white and white was black . As a result , she can't trust her instincts . It's an emotional and painful journey for this character and portrayed somewhat realistically . I don't really agree with one of the posters , who claims that the woman would have left her husband right away . It doesn't happen that way when you're dealing with such damaged feelings and the fear of abandonment . A strong supporting cast includes Grace Zabriskie and Georgeann Johnson .
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494,846 | 342,623 | 43,390 | 6 |
Loretta goes postal
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Loretta Young was 38 when she made " Cause for Alarm " and the actress , who started in silent films , was a couple of years away from beginning her highly successful television series . Because Hollywood back in the golden era didn't have much use for actresses over 30 , and no use for actresses over 35 , Young , like many of her counterparts , had descended into B films by the time the ' 50s hit . This is one . Her costar is Barry Sullivan , who plays her bedridden husband . Ill with a heart condition , the troubled man has given into his paranoid instincts and become convinced that his best friend , a doctor , and Young , who was once his nurse , are trying to kill him . He writes a letter to the district attorney and gives it to his wife to mail . When he later tells her what's in the letter , she spends the rest of the film trying to get it back . Irving Bacon is quite funny and irritating as the talkative , whiny postman . The beautiful Young is over her head in this drama - she's totally hysterical and the character as essayed by her can't keep control over her panic for two seconds . It's an annoying performance rather than being a sympathetic one . You just want her to calm down . Loretta Young's greatest asset during her career was her great beauty , fashion sense , and the gentle , lovely quality she brought to many roles , such as in " The Bishop's Wife . " Playing a frantic , middle class housewife just wasn't her thing . Sullivan's role is not well drawn ; the story had more potential than was able to be explored even in the hands of a fine director like Tay Garnett . All in all , pretty routine .
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493,626 | 342,623 | 171,580 | 6 |
a strange mixture
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This film , with the usual excellent Renee Zwelleger performance , is a strange mixture of comedy and drama . It succeeds quite well at walking that line , too . The underlying plot - a woman driven to living out her dream in order to avoid a harsh reality - is played pretty much straight through as comedy , but with Zwelleger's help , we see it isn't funny at all . I really liked its quirkiness .
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494,131 | 342,623 | 43,292 | 6 |
disappointing
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Alan Ladd has an " Appointment with Danger " in this 1951 film also starring Phyllis Calvert , Jack Webb , Jan Sterling and Paul Stewart . Ladd is a postal inspector who goes undercover to stop a robbery after his partner is murdered and a nun ( Calvert ) can identify the man leaving the murder scene . It's up to Ladd and the police to see that she's protected while catching the robbers in the act . This is a routine drama , with the handsome Ladd playing a cynical inspector with his usual straightforward delivery . But he seems to walk through this role laconically . The minute I saw Jack Webb and his " Dragnet " partner Henry Morgan together in their pre-TV series days , I wasn't looking for a scintillating script , figuring that one of Webb's cronies had something to do with it . He did . Webb played the criminal in this the way he played Joe Friday , showing us that in Webb's hands anyway , there's no difference what side of the law you're on . Henry Morgan , however , made a sleazy criminal . The best performance comes from Phyllis Calvert , who is just right as the nun and contributes some spark to this film . Jan Sterling contributes some more spark , but her role is a throwaway . " Dragnet " never did a thing for me , and once I see Webb ( the exception being " Sunset Boulevard " ) I can't summon up much enthusiasm . If you're a " Dragnet " and / or Webb fan , you'll enjoy this a bit more than I did .
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495,123 | 342,623 | 39,545 | 6 |
A new view of Marlowe
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Philip Marlowe is on the case , and we see everything from his point of view as he is the camera . The only time we see Marlowe is when he looks in a mirror or fills us in on aspects of the story , which he does at the beginning , middle , and end . The plot actually has a neat twist to it , though I found the camera thing to be somewhat distracting . As far as characterizations , I also found them strange . Marlowe is a hardboiled detective . Apparently that's all he is , as Montgomery's voice is hardboiled for 99 % of the movie . His love interest is Audrey Totter , playing Adrienne Fromsett , a career woman . This of course means she's uptight , wears her hair up , and is in love with the big cheese of the firm - well , this was the ' 40s . Montgomery is nasty as all get-out to her , so it must be love , and sure enough , it is . Guess those insults were supposed to be flirtation . Jayne Meadows and Lloyd Nolan are both very good in supporting roles .
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494,722 | 342,623 | 338,526 | 6 |
you can't kill it , it's already dead
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I'm an enormous fan of Hugh Jackman's so I watched this movie . I'm a bit distressed that , besides X-Men , Hugh can't get a blockbuster film deserving of his talent and charisma - which I witnessed first-hand watching him on stage in " Boy From Oz . " I have to say up front I'm not a particular fan of the horror film genre and Hugh was my only reason to watch this . Having said that , I think this movie didn't know whether to be funny or serious so it didn't make it as either . It probably would have worked better had it been camped up a lot more . The movie looks gorgeous and it certainly had some interesting things in it , but I was bored by it . Hugh kissed the leading lady once . Should have been a lot more of that - maybe I would have been more interested .
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493,944 | 342,623 | 25,718 | 6 |
early Hopkins and McCrea
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Miriam Hopkins was an excellent Broadway actress who found a wonderful career in films , even if she never achieved legendary status . In this 1934 movie , she plays the richest woman in the world , undoubtedly a take-off on Barbara Hutton . Desiring to find a man who can love her for herself and not her money , she and her secretary switch identities when there's a potential suitor around . The game gets dicey when Hopkins meets the man of her dreams , Joel McCrea , and let's face it , he was the man of many women's dreams - tall , handsome , boyish , and athletic . The story continues from there with the usual mix-ups . As one of the posters pointed out , the secretary , played by the beautiful Fay Wray , is a married woman , which means that Hopkins is actually posing as a married woman and Wray as a single one - this is a long way of saying the film was probably released before the code hit . Hopkins and McCrea made a good duo , and good thing , because they appeared together several times . This is a pleasant and short comedy , worth seeing for its stars and ' 30s ambiance .
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494,807 | 342,623 | 22,208 | 6 |
young stars cut their teeth on this early drama
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Barbara Stanwyck is a " Night Nurse " in this 1931 film also starring Joan Blondell , Ben Lyon and Clark Gable . Stanwyck and Blondell stumble on a murder for trust fund plot , and Stanwyck gets help from a bootlegger she helped when he was shot . I like what one of the IMDb reviewers said , that this was an " evil of the big city " film for those audiences who didn't live in one . Stanwyck faces down a crooked doctor and an evil chauffeur ( Gable ) to thwart this plot , though she's warned it's best not to make waves . Stanwyck is very good , showing her tough side with the criminals and her sweet side with the children . Gable , with no mustache , looks very handsome in his chauffeur outfit and acts menacing . He definitely always had a strong presence . Blondell is the wisecracking , streetwise nurse - her part is smaller than Stanwyck's . The young women do a lot of parading around in their underwear and there's lots of sexual talk between the lines - this is pre-Code . Worth seeing for work of these early stars , and pre-code films are usually interesting .
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493,974 | 342,623 | 57,191 | 6 |
Okay Elvis fare
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As someone else mentioned , 1963 is still early enough that Elvis Presley looks like he's enjoying himself in " It Happened at the World's Fair , " which also stars Gary Lockwood , Joan O'Brien and Vicky Tiu . Pilots Mike ( Elvis ) and Danny ( Lockwood ) find themselves without a plane after it's confiscated for debts due to Lockwood's addiction to gambling . They hitch a ride to Seattle with a man and his 7-year-old niece Sue-Lin ( Tiu ) , and Mike ends up taking the little girl to the 1962 World's Fair . When she eats too much junk , he takes her to the clinic , where he meets Diane Warren ( Joan O'Brien ) , a nurse . He comes on a little strong - so strong , I'm surprised she didn't call security . In order to see her again , he gives a little boy ( Kurt Russell ) a quarter to kick him in the shins . After he return Sue-Lin to her uncle , she finds Mike again when her uncle doesn't come home from making a delivery . Mike now has to cope with a not very helpful partner , trying to think of a way to get his plane back , romancing Diane and taking care of a 7-year-old girl . This is the usual Elvis travelogue , but more interesting than others because it's shot on the grounds of the Seattle World's Fair and has that iconic moment when future brilliant Elvis impersonator Russell lets him have it in the shins . Elvis looks great and as usual sings beautifully . The music is pretty good . This wasn't the film career Elvis wanted but unfortunately for his ambitions , these films made money . Enjoyable .
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494,842 | 342,623 | 39,840 | 6 |
The background story is more interesting
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Allegedly , Susan Hayward got this breakthrough role because every other Hollywood actress turned it down , due to the fact that it is the story of Bing Crosby's wife , Dixie Lee . Whatever , it got Susan an Oscar nomination and put her on the road to meatier parts . As other comments have pointed out , this was probably considered very hard-hitting back in the day . But while it's true that " The Lost Weekend " tackled alcoholism , this is the story of a woman alcoholic , and that carries a lot of baggage with it - baggage Hollywood probably wasn't ready to face in 1947 . One of the stereotypes of female alcoholism is promiscuity , a subject not broached here . Also , rather than a slovenly , bedraggled appearance , Hayward looks gorgeous throughout . Had this subject been handled more brutally , it would have been groundbreaking . In 1947 , alcoholics like Gail Russell hid out at home , leading miserable , lonely lives . Here , Hayward gives up her own successful singing career to be the stay at home wife of Lee Bowman , whose career takes off . ( In Bowman's dubbing , they even give him those mellow , rounded Crosby-like tones . ) Boredom , feeling left out , and jealousy lead her to consume more and more alcohol , although it's clear from the beginning of the film that she drinks for courage before performing . Her downward cycle and the ending of the movie are all a little too pat , but Hayward does a good job with the material she's given . Lee Bowman is miscast as her successful husband - he lacks the charisma , breezy manner , and flirtatiousness one would associate with a successful pop singer of the era and displays none of the ambition one would suspect Crosby and Sinatra , for instance , possessed . He also lacks the self-involvement one would associate with a star of that magnitude , which would in turn drive his wife out of his life . This is more the fault of the script and the direction , however . Eddie Albert is charming and gives an honest performance as partner and concerned friend . Recommended if you want to see a young Susan Hayward in a meaty role .
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494,716 | 342,623 | 427,576 | 6 |
Fun and a good mystery
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I am really enjoying the Hallmark Mystery Series . This entry , Murder Weekend , I felt was superior to the first " Mystery Woman " entry I saw . First of all , it had the stunningly beautiful , creamy-voiced Beth Broderick as a diva mystery writer . The rest of the cast was perfect for this series , plus the actual mystery was intriguing . It makes me feel like I need a rocking chair when I see Kellie Martin very grown up now and Clarence Williams III so old ! He was an angry young man in my day , and Kellie has been a kid forever . No more . I am delighted to see her in this series and I hope the shows keep coming . I have one gripe - I think that store needs some more customers !
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493,635 | 342,623 | 60,463 | 6 |
frothy ' 60s comedy
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What a warm , wonderful actress Doris Day is , what a knockout , what a screen presence . And just think , at the age of 42 ( ancient by Hollywood standards in 1966 ) she was playing a desirable woman lusted after by several men . Glass Bottom Boat is a very ' 60s comedy in look and subject matter - the space age and spies . Taylor has invented a gizmo and when there's a leak from his project team , suspicion falls on Day , who works for the company and calls someone named Vladimir several times a day . Vladimir , however , is her dog , and she's calling him so he'll run around while the phone is ringing and get some exercise . The film is loaded with space-age gadgets . Taylor's computerized , motorized kitchen is great , complete with a floor-cleaning robot - wonder if the inventors of today's robot vacuum saw this movie . He also pilots his boat via a remote - but as he points out during a scene where the boat runs amok with Day inside , that needs further work . There's lots of slapstick and comedy support from Dom Deluise , Dick Martin , and Paul Lynde . Lynde , by the way , looked great in drag , and has some great delivery in his scenes . Some of the scenes , especially those of Deluise , had an improv feel . The late Eric Fleming , Clint Eastwood's boss on " Rawhide , " plays a CIA man . This was his last film ; he drowned shortly afterwards . Rod Taylor , who , by the way , is younger than Doris Day , is effective as Day's romantic interest . Of note , radio personality Arthur Godfrey plays Day's father . There's also an appearance by Robert Vaughan as an homage to his " Man from UNCLE " character . Frothy fun , and Doris Day is always a delight .
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494,507 | 342,623 | 22,268 | 6 |
Star-making film despite miscasting
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Jean Harlow is the " Platinum Blonde " a reporter falls for in this 1931 film , directed by Frank Capra and also starring Loretta Young and Robert Williams . The gorgeous 18-year-old Young plays a reporter who hangs with the guys - I think NOT , though she acquits herself well . The story concerns a reporter , Stew Smith ( Williams ) who goes out to the mansion of the prominent Schuyler family to get a story - the son in the family wrote letters to a chorus girl , and she wants $10 , 000 for them . Smith falls for the society daughter and they wind up eloping . I naturally thought Jean Harlow would be the chorus girl . Instead , she's the rich woman Stew Smith falls for , Anne Schuyler ! Harlow makes a couple of attempts at sounding sophisticated , something she did in her later films when she was making fun of someone . Doing it here , she can't keep it up . Nevertheless , she's good in this serious role and has wonderful chemistry with Williams . This film really launched both her and Capra . The supporting cast is wonderful . It's pre-code , and there's a very sexy scene between Williams and Harlow as they stand kissing behind glass as a water fountain flows over the glass . A beautiful shot . Like everyone else , I was impressed with Williams ' performance and wondered what happened to him . He died of appendicitis complications right after the film's release . He was tremendously talented and just wonderful as Stew . This is the typical class distinction story so common in theater and films back then . Except for the casting , there aren't really any surprises . If you have a chance to see it , do , for the stars and especially for Robert Williams .
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494,192 | 342,623 | 35,552 | 6 |
The Fox in Georgia
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Red Skelton and Ann Rutherford are " Whistling in Dixie " in this 1942 programmer also starring Guy Kibbee and Rags Ragland ( in a dual role ) . Skelton played the role of Wally Benton a couple of times . On radio , Benton is " The Fox , " a detective , but in his private life he gets dragged into real mysteries as well . This one is at the behest of a friend of his fiancé's ( Rutherford ) who asks them to come to Georgia to investigate a murder . There are some funny moments in this film , but it's rather silly , with a lot of corny jokes , funny faces from Skelton and slapstick . Actually Skelton is much better when he's straightforward - he comes off as sweet , sincere and natural . Some of the supporting cast has the worst southern accents I've ever heard . It's hard to blame them , though , because these types of films were made very quickly . I'm sure they had no dialect coach . However , the horrible accents were very distracting . Okay , but " The Fox " isn't one of my favorite detectives .
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493,515 | 342,623 | 43,141 | 6 |
Typical ' 40s unmarried woman with no room for romance
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Major slapstick is the highlight of " A Woman of Distinction , " a 1950 film starring Rosalind Russell , Ray Milland , Edmund Gwenn and Janis Carter . Russell has one of her uptight , cold women roles so often depicted in the ' 40s . You know the one , no room or time for romance until a man melts her down . The melter here is Ray Milland . Russell is the dean of a girls ' school in New England ; Milland plays a visiting British astronomer . Will she succumb to his charms ? Sure , after she beats him with her handbag , and she's sprayed with water , smeared with mud , and falls out of chairs . Wouldn't you ? The laughs are all supposed to come from the slapstick ; in truth , there's not too much of a script , and what's there is predictable and derivative . The cast is likable , and Russell proves she can do just about anything . In the end , it's not much of a movie .
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493,576 | 342,623 | 104,943 | 6 |
A little better than the other version
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There are two versions of Carolyn Warmus ' story - this one and another 1992 version starring Jenny Robertson and Joe Penny . So Carolyn doesn't beat out Amy Fisher , of whom it was said , " Jesus Christ didn't have that many movies made of his life . " This TV movie , starring Virginia Madsen and Chris Sarandon , is superior to the other , which isn't saying too awfully much . The cast is definitely better . Though I am a fan of Joe Penny's , I never considered Robertson much of an actress ; however , in recent years , now that she is more in the leading lady stage of her career , she is much better . Both films portray Carolyn as a man magnet with a great body and loads of sex appeal . In both versions , much is made of her grand , electric entrance into the courtroom on the first day of her trial . This film has one thing the other lacked - the real-life character of Vincent Parco , the detective who sold Carolyn the murder weapon ( with a silencer ) . For an important figure in the case , it's strange that he isn't a character in the Robertson-Penny movie . I actually have spoken with Vincent Parco , so I admit to finding this version more interesting . Without going into enormous detail , Warmus is the woman suspected of killing her boyfriend's wife , Betty Jean Solomon . At first , her boyfriend is the chief suspect . Eventually the focus falls on Carolyn . I thought Madsen was great showing how unstable and obsessive Carolyn was , trashing a room and stalking Carlin and his wife in Puerto Rico ( in flashback ) . Chris Sarandon , as Michael Carlin , the guilt-ridden , overwrought , cheating husband , is very good . Peter Haskell , another favorite of mine , plays Carolyn's father in flashback . He's uncredited . Ned Eisenberg , another favorite and a good actor is the detective assigned to the case . So for me , the dice are loaded in favor of this version . Both are routine , and as we know , the beautiful and talented Madsen has gone on to much better .
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493,927 | 342,623 | 52,990 | 6 |
A producer tries to get a doctor on television
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Paul Muni is " The Last Angry Man " in this 1959 film directed by Daniel Mann and also starring Luther Adler , David Wayne , Betsy Palmer and Billy Dee Williams . This has the look and feel of a TV show , and evidently it may have been on Playhouse 90 before being done as a feature film . The movie is interesting for a few reasons . First of all , it concerns reality television , which is very timely . A producer ( David Wayne ) takes an interest in an old doctor ( Muni ) working in a depressed neighborhood and wants to feature him on television . He's a little hard to pin down because he's always running off to take care of one of his patients . Of special concern is a black man ( Williams ) who has a brain tumor . The other reason it was interesting to me is that the producer says that 30 million people would see the TV show . He's right - back then , 30 million people could tune in to a television show . A top TV show today can garner 8-10 million viewers . Paul Muni was an interesting actor - in the 1930s , he basically hid himself in disguises , heavy makeup and costumes in order to create a role ; as he proved in films like Scarface and I Was a Fugitive from a Chain Gang , he didn't need to resort to all of that . He was , however , like Luther Adler , a stage actor from another time , and also like Adler , a graduate of the Yiddish theatre , and some of the acting here by the two of them is bigger than what we're used to seeing today , so it comes off as hammy . In one of her classes , Stella Adler said , " You don't know any great actors . " That was probably a quote from the 1970s . If we didn't know any great actors in the 1970s , we sure wouldn't know any today if they whacked us over the head . What is great changes ; television was one of the big reasons that acting styles changed . Also , many of the characters are overtly Jewish in a way that today may seem stereotypical . It's also fascinating to see a very young Billy Dee Williams in an early role , along with Godfrey Cambridge and Cecily Tyson in smaller parts . Again , some of the depictions here of urban problems come off as overwrought . This is the kind of movie one needs to see in light of the time it was made and not by today's standards to be better appreciated .
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494,198 | 342,623 | 109,156 | 6 |
pretty good
|
Crystal Bernard is " As Good as Dead " in this 1995 film written and directed by Larry Cohen . Before the day of home computers , Larry Cohen's grammar school-aged daughter had to write a short report . Mr . Cohen used the typing agency where I worked to type his scripts . So on a Sunday , I took a cab to his beautiful home in New York City , got the hand-printed paper , went home , typed it , got in a cab and brought the typed paper back . We also typed a couple of scripts for him in the office . He would dictate them and take on the accent or emotion of the characters . I've followed his prolific career with great interest . In " As Good as Dead , " Bernard plays Susan Warfield , who works in an office . She takes a hep , sick young woman , Nicole ( Traci Lords ) to the hospital and gives the desk her own insurance card so that Nicole can be treated . Otherwise , they would have to go to the county hospital . Susan tells her office she has to have surgery ( as Nicole does ) and then takes off on vacation so as not to run into anyone she knows . When she returns , Nicole , assumed to be Susan , is unexpectedly dead ; Susan's apartment has been cleared out , and her job is gone . The strangest part of it is that a half-brother that Susan isn't aware she has made all the arrangements . Susan has no choice but to move into Nicole's apartment and wear Nicole's trendy , too short clothes until she can find out why Nicole died and who this mysterious half-brother is . This is actually quite an interesting film , very Lifetime , very TV movie , but entertaining with good performances . Bernard is likable , Lords is Lords , and Judge Reinhold does very well as an attractive man who becomes part of Nicole's ( Susan's ) life . Mr . Cohen's daughter is undoubtedly married now with children of her own . Though this film was made in 1995 , he is still very active as a writer . Thanks to the computer , I'm still typing .
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494,686 | 342,623 | 439,698 | 6 |
Dated but entertaining TV show from the ' 50s
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Promenade seems to be a special produced by Max Liebman for TV in 1955 . It does not appear to have been a series . In the ' 50s and the ' 60s especially , variety shows were all the rage , led by that Sunday night staple , Ed Sullivan , as well as Perry Como and many others . It seems like every singer and comedian had a variety show back then . They were like the reality shows are today - everywhere . " Promenade " is mostly made up of music , but there were also skits , one of which was especially funny , featuring the incomparable Judy Holliday . It concerns a couple who is being held by an escaped convict while he hides in their house , and a clueless neighbor ( Holliday ) who blunders in and still doesn't comprehend the situation . " It's just me , the neighbors , and that escaped dentist , " she tells her husband on the phone . There are also big musical numbers featuring Kay Starr , Holliday , and Janet Blair . Barbara Baxley was present for the acting skits . Other guests were Herb Shriner and George S . Irving . " Promenade " was hosted by Tyrone Power , who looked very handsome . At the end of the show , he joined Holliday , Starr , Blair , and the backup singers and dancers for " Chattanooga Choo-Choo . " It was fun to see him , and sad to realize that both he and Judy Holliday died at the age of 44 , Power only three years later . A nice example of a ' 50s TV variety show .
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494,793 | 342,623 | 100,450 | 6 |
enjoyable , light film for Teri Garr fans
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There are very few TV movies that are comedies . This is one , and , while trite , it was enjoyable and good , distracting entertainment . Teri Garr fans will especially like it , as she is at the top of her form here as a young mom who overhears some strange doings on the baby monitor and sets out to investigate . The late Robert Urich is her husband and Alex Rocco is the hapless police detective . Garr gets good support from Susan Ruttan and Jeffrey Tambor as well . For some reason , networks are loathe to produce comedies as TV movies . Once in a while , it's nice to see something that isn't a true life crime story or a gory murder . Although this TV movie is rather silly , it was still fun .
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494,239 | 342,623 | 29,662 | 6 |
disappointing
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1937's " This is My Affair " could have been better but as it is , barely gets by . Robert Taylor stars as a Navy lieutenant who is asked by President McKinley to get the name of the men robbing banks all over the country , and his mission is to be kept secret between the two of them . Taylor infiltrates the gang by becoming a criminal himself . He meets the dumb , big practical joker ( Victor McLaglen ) and the brains ( Brian Donlevy ) - but there's a head name , whose name he can't get . McLaglen has it bad for Donlevy's half-sister , a saloon singer ( Stanwyck ) with whom Taylor falls in love . By the way , this film was made before Taylor and Stanwyck were married . Of course , who cares , now they've been outed as gay along with the rest of Hollywood . The premise isn't bad if you can suspend your imagination , and the end is fairly tense , but " This is My Affair " just isn't a well-made or well-thought out film . First of all , Stanwyck was one of the most versatile and multi-talented actresses in Hollywood , but singing wasn't her greatest talent . In fact , she couldn't sing , with the exception of " Take it Off the E String ( Play it on the G String ) in " Lady of Burlesque " and a little number in " Banjo on my Knee " that can't count as singing . Her outfits were from the Mae West School of Design and overpowered her tiny frame . Then there is the awful scene with Theodore Roosevelt where he invents the phrase , " Speak softly but carry a big stick " - embarrassing . Taylor slugs through it professionally , but why did makeup people always slather so much pancake and eye shadow on him ? This is a 20th Century Fox film , by the way , not MGM , Taylor's usual studio , but MGM did it too . Fox never made Tyrone Power up like that with the exception of " Lloyds of London . " Taylor was a handsome , rugged man . I guess they couldn't leave his face alone . Victor McLaglen isn't very good , but Donlevy , in a usual-type role for him , does a good job . As far as Stanwyck and Taylor being married in real life , let me just state a few things : Stanwyck was totally devastated when Taylor left her for Ursula Theiss . When he tried to divorce her for Lana Turner , Stanwyck never spoke to Turner again . In fact , they were once in the same hotel , and Lana called her , only to get the sound of a receiver crashing down in her ear . In 1950 , during the filming of Quo Vadis , she arrived in Italy to find Taylor cheating on her with one of the females involved in the film . She called a producer sobbing , " My marriage is over . " Now we find out they were both gay - not bisexual , mind you , but gay , their marriage nothing but an arrangement . My advice : Take that info from whence it comes and remember this - once you're dead , anybody can write anything they want about you without fear of a lawsuit .
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493,946 | 342,623 | 29,659 | 6 |
The Prince and the Showgirl
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Certainly the giggly prepubescent females who flocked to the movies in the 1930s just loved this silly comedy starring the Queen of the Ice , Sonja Henie and up and coming matinée idol Tyrone Power . " Thin Ice " skates on a pretty thin script but has some standout ice numbers by Henie . While some of her skating positions and landings look awkward compared to today's skaters , she was a consummate performer and a dazzling skater - fast , with amazing spins and great dance moves . She is responsible for the ice show in this country , the creation of skating costumes rather than dresses , for combining ice skating and dance , for making skating popular , and for of all things - white skates , which flew off the shelves when audiences first saw her skate in them ! The threadbare plot consists of a pact between countries , a prince disguised as a vacationer at a European ski resort , and lots of misunderstandings . Power sports two Groucho Marx-type disguises in the course of the film . Though Zanuck did not want to waste his new leading man in such a weak comedy concocted for Sonja's skating , Henie , who was having an affair with Power , insisted on him as her costar . When Zanuck said no , she told him , not too politely , to teach Shirley Temple her skating routines and left the studio . She got her way finally , as she would throughout her entire life . Probably 22 when " Thin Ice " was filmed , Tyrone Power was flawlessly pretty . It would be a couple of years before his looks matured to the point where he would be so spectacularly handsome that this viewer's jaw would drop at the mere sight of him . But I can imagine his effect in 1936-1937 on teens . I saw a photo on ebay recently of Power and Henie , sitting side by side , holding hands and talking to the director between takes of this movie . ( According to screenwriter Milton Sperling , they couldn't get the two of them onto the set from Henie's dressing room , and when they finally did , " Power looked like he was going to collapse . " ) If I'd been Sonja , I'd have had my clutches in him as well . She was as smart as she was talented . As an added plus , there are two ridiculous numbers by Joan Davis , who was always worth watching . For those who remember " I Married Joan , " it's a delight to see her as the leader of a female orchestra in this . Take " Thin Ice " for the entertainment value that it has and enjoy it .
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494,186 | 342,623 | 36,324 | 6 |
Another British episode of " The Saint "
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When a man is killed on his doorstep , Simon Templar ( Hugh Sinclair ) tries to find out the reason in " The Saint Meets the Tiger , " a 1943 film also starring Gordon McLeod , Jean Gillie and Wylie Watson . In this episode , The Saint has a butler ( Wylie Watson ) who regrets not taking a job in Chicago so he could work with mobsters ; a death on the doorstep is what he's been waiting for . The man utters a few words before he dies , which lead Simon and his butler to a small town . There they meet a young woman , Pat ( Gille ) , who becomes part of the " team " trying to uncover the identity of " The Tiger " and reveal a scam involving gold and an old mine . The scenes on board ship were good , with the butler and Pat working together knocking people out and not realizing Simon was on board , too , and Simon not knowing they were on board . The two would run across a body and accuse the other of knocking him out . Inspector Teal shows up posing as a professor . This is pleasant enough , though Sanders brought a certain panache to the role of The Saint that is missed here . And why , when the series was imported to Britain , wasn't the Saint's whistle brought along with him ?
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493,755 | 342,623 | 452,594 | 6 |
Bleh
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Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are going through " The Break-Up " in this 2006 comedy-drama that also stars Judy Davis , Ann-Margret , Jason Bateman and Vincent D'Onofrio . Vaughn plays a funny guy who is in the Chicago city tour business with his brothers . Aniston is his girlfriend , who works in an art gallery . The two live together in a beautiful condo . We see them when he meets her for the first time at a ballgame ; the next time we see them , she is throwing a dinner party , and he isn't helping out . They break up not long after . I'll just cut to the chase on this one . I wasn't disappointed that it was advertised as a comedy and had dramatic moments . I thought the acting was fine . Vaughn has good delivery , and Jennifer Aniston is a likable actress . There were great performances in good roles by Vincent D'Onofrio , Judy Davis , and Jason Bateman . And there were some very funny scenes . At 1 : 47 minutes , fifteen minutes could have been cut . The movie dragged . Now for my real problem . I read a few reviews on this board , and only one person mentioned this . Why the hell would a bright , well-read , good-looking woman with no end of intelligent , well-read , attractive men asking her out allow herself to be in a relationship with the selfish , irresponsible , nearly Neandrathal slob Vince Vaughn played ? I can see that he was a funny guy , and they had good times together - but that's it . And that's not enough . I never got from the Aniston character that she had no self-esteem , but to stay with this guy , and lay out his clothes , and cook , make plans for get-togethers , and do whatever he wanted - she must not have had any . The abrupt change in Vaughn's character was unbelievable as well . In short , I thought she was too good for him , and why she hadn't figured that out is beyond me . Just not a good script as far as characterizations and believability . The comedy sections were good , but the rest of the script just didn't hang together .
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494,746 | 342,623 | 29,675 | 6 |
Cary Grant was second-billed !
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It's rare to see the iconic Cary Grant get second billing , but in 1937 , he did , under Edward Arnold in " The Toast of New York . " This is the purported story of financial schemer Jim Fisk ( Arnold ) , who , in the 1800s , tried to corner the gold market , oversold stock to his railroad company , and fled to New Jersey , continuing to print convertible bonds where no one could get him . The film takes a lot of liberties with the truth but it leaves no doubt that Fisk was a real character , beautifully portrayed by the talented , energetic Arnold . Grant plays his co-conspirator who also loves Fisk's discovery , Josie Mansfield ( Frances Farmer ) . Fisk is madly in love with her and wants to make her a big star . I have to say the movie dragged for me , and I didn't find it particularly interesting . The point of interest in it today , I guess , would be the presence of Frances Farmer , whose fascinating story was made into " Frances " starring Jessica Lange ( and wow , the resemblance is incredible ) . Farmer was very beautiful with a deep voice that didn't really match her looks . The fact that her life story made her better known than her film career ever could have shouldn't be confused with acting ability , which wasn't that great on film . She was probably much more effective on stage . She doesn't register much here - in fact , the only ones who do are Arnold and Donald Meek . Handsome Grant doesn't have much to do - seen today , that's disconcerting . Viewers are used to him being the whole show . Overall , a disappointment , though Arnold was a strong actor who usually did supporting roles . This is a rare lead for him , and he's more than up to the task .
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494,478 | 342,623 | 818,120 | 6 |
Better than some
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Let's face it : " Mystery Woman " " McBride " and " Jane Doe " are about as bad as you can get . They have no pacing and most of the time suffer from poor direction and bad scripts . What these series have going for them are attractive leads , sometimes okay mysteries , and if you have an elderly relative at home who is affronted by just about everything else on television , the Hallmark Channel is perfect for them . " Mystery Woman " stars Kellie Martin as the owner of a mystery bookstore with no customers . We know it's a mystery store because there's an establishing shot of it every two minutes . Obviously , these shows run short - there are lots of scenes where we see a car from way off driving down the street , into a driveway . . . endless . In this episode , Sam winds up taking care of a fugitive's wife and baby though at first , she thinks the woman is just a family friend . The woman's husband is sought in a murder that took place on a golf course - he was seen bending over the body . There are people after him and they're not all police . At one point , he's shot and his wife leaves Sam with the baby and goes to his motel to take care of him . Sam's investigation uncovers an FBI case and blackmail . It's hard not to like Kellie Martin as both an actress and an individual . I love her , and she's good as Samantha . She doesn't have a lot to work with , yet she always manages to give a charming performance . As her best friend and the DA , Nina Siemaszko does well with an impossible role . Clarence Williams III , as the mysterious Philby , is certainly mysterious - it's a mystery how he was cast . Dead man barely talking . Okay if there's nothing else on television .
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494,824 | 342,623 | 25,250 | 6 |
' 30s newspaper story
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Paul Muni has to get used to hearing " Hi , Nellie ! " when he's demoted to the Heartthrobs column in this 1934 film also starring Glenda Farrell and Ned Sparks . When bank official Canfield disappears at the same time as $500 , 000 and the bank has to close , all the other papers print that Canfield took the money . Managing editor Brad Bradshaw refuses to tie the two incidences together without proof - thus , the demotion . The current Heartthrobs ( Farrell ) gets a news beat . This is one of those fast-talking ' 30s films , probably in response to the MacArthur-Hecht " The Front Page " from 1931 . It's all pretty routine except that it stars Paul Muni who , as Brad / Nellie , is a wisecracking , sarcastic editor now mercilessly teased by his cronies . Muni , well known for his dramatic work , shows his expertise at comedy here . Also it's a rare chance to see how handsome he was as he wore so much character makeup and so many costumes throughout his career . He is very good as the determined managing editor turned lonelyhearts columnist . Farrell is her usual sharp-mouthed self ; this isn't much of a departure from other roles for her . Recommended if you want to see Muni in something approaching a comedy .
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493,593 | 342,623 | 29,581 | 6 |
Torchy and Steve McBride go after a killer
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This 1937 " Torchy Blane " film , " Smart Blonde " has Torchy Blane ( Glenda Farrell ) trying to find out who killed an entrepreneur who just purchased a night club and some gambling establishments . Torchy is a witness to the murder . Later on , one of the suspects , the dead man's bodyguard , is also found dead . Torchy and her some time boyfriend , Lt . McBride ( Barton MacLane ) , as usual , are at odds as far as who the killer is . There were quite a few of these films , this being the first , starring character actress Farrell , with MacLane as McBride . The two have great chemistry . These films were always lively and the real story always seemed to be about Torchy and McBride's relationship rather than any actual mystery , though the mysteries certainly were present . Fast-talking , smart Torchy is an independent woman along the lines of Hildy in " His Girl Friday " and the Torchy Blane series was the first ( I think ) to star a woman ; the Maisie series began in 1939 . Always entertaining .
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493,582 | 342,623 | 44,997 | 6 |
In love and war
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If you like battle scenes , " One Minute to Zero " is for you . Produced by Howard Hughes , it stars Robert Mitchum , Ann Blyth , Richard Egan , Charles McGraw and William Talman . Mitchum and the other men are fighting the Korean War and Ann Blyth , a war widow , is working for the United Nations . They fall in love , but she turns against him when she sees him give the order to kill refugees who are , he believes , probably guerrillas smuggling in weapons . Someone mentioned the score . Frankly , I thought if I heard the strains of " When I Fall in Love " one more time , I was going to throw something at the television . Mitchum does a fine job ; Talman and McGraw are in unusual roles for them , and they handle them well . Talman would go on to be Hamilton Burger on " Perry Mason . " Blyth is good , very pretty , and a far cry from that bratty Veda in Mildred Pierce . All in all , a pretty detached experience . It's filled with testosterone - the guys will love it .
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493,651 | 342,623 | 79,268 | 6 |
disappointing attempt at an old-fashioned war film
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A soldier is put into the position of accompanying his lover's husband on a dangerous mission in " Hanover Street , " starting Harrison Ford and Lesley-Anne Down . This film was done at the beginning of Harrison Ford's career as a star , and the results are disappointing . It plays more as a made-for-TV movie , especially with the casting of some actors mainly known for television work , including Down and Richard Masur . The object , it seems , was to recreate the ' 40s World War II film , and in this , it is partially successful . There are some exciting scenes , particularly toward the end . However , the film takes about an hour to get going , and in the slow first hour , we don't get much back story . What , for instance , is the problem with Down's marriage to Christopher Plummer ? I know there's a war on , but Down and Ford seem to fall for one another immediately , and we really don't get to see the love story develop . Before we know it , there are lines like " I don't know where you leave off and I begin . " Lesley-Anne Down , in my opinion , is one of the most beautiful women ever on TV or film - those eyes , her coloring - she's gorgeous . She's not particularly made up or photographed to advantage in this , but she's still amazing . Her acting is very good , particularly in scenes with her daughter . Christopher Plummer , as a man who feels he's not exciting enough for his wife , is its usual excellent self in a part that isn't really fleshed out . He and Ford do an excellent job in their scenes together . Harrison Ford is Harrison Ford , his star persona established early on - he's very natural , jaunty , and macho . His casting is perfection - a true movie star in the fashion of Hollywood's golden era in an old-fashioned romance . I just wish the movie had been better . And by the way , the last action scene in the film is ridiculous .
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493,449 | 342,623 | 29,529 | 6 |
Depression escapism with beautiful people
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Second Honeymoon is a fluffy comedy which probably had its genesis in " Private Lives . " It concerns a beautiful divorcée ( Loretta Young ) who , upon marrying her second husband ( Lyle Talbot ) runs into her first ( Tyrone Power ) . Everyone is rich , magnificently dressed , and does a lot of traveling in the spirit of Hollywood escapism during the Depression . This movie is talky and doesn't have the energy or enough of the humor of " Cafe Metropole , " another early Power-Young film . Even with an 85 minute or thereabouts running time , it felt long . There are some very good performances . Stuart Erwin plays Power's valet , and he has an interesting characterization . Claire Trevor is delightful in a supporting role , and Marjorie Weaver brings liveliness to the part of Joy . Young is absolutely fabulous looking and is appropriately jealous and angry when the script calls for it . Power is absurdly handsome , just stunning , and alas , doesn't have too much to do . It's an extremely lightweight role . It's probably just as well . It was difficult to do anything but ogle when he was on screen in this one .
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493,799 | 342,623 | 29,517 | 6 |
Early Van Heflin
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Saturday's Heroes is a 1937 programmer starring a very young Van Heflin as a college football hero . And what better time for TCM to show this film than on Super Bowl weekend ? As others more knowledgeable than me have pointed out , the issues raised in the film exist today : college football is big business and filled with inequities for the players . In this film , Heflin and some other players scalp tickets so that they can make some money . They have scholarships , and the Heflin character complains that because of a heavy training schedule , they're not even getting the promised education . These programmers were used to groom future stars , and Heflin here is as excellent as he is in movies like " Johnny Eager . " He was not a standard hunky leading man , though he was attractive and could handle romantic leads such as in " Possessed " as well as character roles . We lost him too soon . Interesting for early Heflin and for the timeliness of the film .
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494,223 | 342,623 | 29,516 | 6 |
Pleasant film that becomes more of an curiosity toward the end
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Jean Harlow and Clark Gable teamed up for the last time in this light film , " Saratoga , " about a young woman , her wealthy fiancée ( Walter Pidgeon ) , and the horse breeding farm deeded to a bookie ( Gable ) to pay off a gambling debt . Harlow wants to handicap horses and lay bets to pay off the marker , and Gable wants to take her boyfriend on a long ride to poverty by taking his bets . I can't imagine how disheartening it was for the actors , director , and crew to have to finish the film after Jean Harlow's untimely death . Unfortunately , the film for viewers soon becomes how they camouflaged the fact that her stand-in and a vocal imitator completed the picture . Most disconcerting is a large party scene , where the internal sections feature the stand-in , and the external ones on the terrace are with Harlow . All of the race track scenes were obviously done last , with the stand-in hiding her face with binoculars . And there is one scene where she is completely covered with a picture hat . The character's only appearances at the end of the film are at the race track and , back turned , in the race track office . The ending shot is actually from an earlier scene , or it was done at the same time the earlier scene was filmed . Despite being ill during the production , Harlow is wonderful in her final role and she and Gable have excellent chemistry . She truly was one of the great screen presences , just delightful in every way . Walter Pidgeon is young and handsome , and despite having to say " I love ya " dozens of times , Gable is likable , relaxed , and handsome . It just all seems very disjointed . And very sad .
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493,477 | 342,623 | 102,220 | 6 |
I liked the original better
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With a few changes , and for reasons known only to themselves , the powers that be remade 1956's " A Kiss Before Dying " in 1991 . Now the sisters are twins , and the plot is taken out further - rather than just getting engaged , Ellen now marries the killer . That's not a spoiler - we see him murder her sister in the first reel . The original of this film , with Robert Wagner , Joanne Woodward , Jeffrey Hunter , Virginia Leith and Mary Astor was much more entertaining . This update is boring and acted in a lazy manner by its stars , Sean Young I , Sean Young II , and Matt Dillon . Isn't one Sean Young bad enough , we had to have two of them ? Supporting players Diane Ladd and Max von Sydow have precious little to do . The only part I liked was the scene from " Vertigo " on TV - but I do hope the director wasn't trying to compare himself to Hitchcock . I don't understand Hollywood's obsession with remakes , except that I suppose they're cheaper because the studio already owns the property . But a fresh story line here and there wouldn't hurt . On top of which , it is a rare occasion when the remake is actually better . This is not one of those cases .
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494,120 | 342,623 | 86,859 | 6 |
remake of " Out of the Past "
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Against all Odds is a 1974 moody remake of the noir classic " Out of the Past " and ultimately less successful . This time around , it's not Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer ( though Greer appears in this films as the owner of a football team ) but Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward . The film also stars James Woods , Alex Karras , Swoozie Kurtz and Richard Widmark . Ward plays Greer's daughter , who runs away from her boyfriend ( Woods ) . When Bridges is cut from the football team , bookie Wood hires him to find his girlfriend . Trouble follows . Somewhere post-Thornbirds , the beautiful Ward started playing bad girls . Here she's not so much bad , as Greer's character was in the original , but more of a brat and an ingrate . Totally unlikable . The cast is very good , but too much to type so that there were no surprises in the story . Ward usually plays a user , Woods someone snarky , Widmark bad guys , Greer cold as ice . So after meeting everyone , it wasn't hard to figure out that Bridges was asking for trouble . Oh , and did I mention that Saul Rubinek often plays slime and Pat Corley is usually a crooked politician ? It was almost paint by numbers . Despite some beautiful scenery , some good scenes and good acting , Against All Odds left me disappointed . The plot , as in Out of the Past , is a little convoluted , which would be okay if , at the end , you cared . I didn't .
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494,781 | 342,623 | 40,444 | 6 |
A crook replaces a lookalike doctor
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Paul Henried plays a double role in " Hollow Triumph , " a 1948 film also starring Joan Bennett . Henried is John Muller who , the minute he gets out of prison , hatches a robbery plot of a casino with his old gang . None of them want to go along with it , but Muller bullies them into it . It doesn't go as planned . The owner of the casino , Stansyck , is known for hunting people down who wrong him even if it takes years , so Muller is now a marked man . When he's stopped on the street by a dentist who believes him to be Dr . Victor Bartok , Muller begins to hatch an idea . They look exactly alike - except for a scar on Bartok's left cheek . " Hollow Triumph " or " The Scar " as it's also called is a very entertaining movie even with a preposterous plot . One small point is the casting of Eduard Franz as Muller's brother . Were they separated at birth , with Muller brought up in Germany and his brother raised in the U . S . ? Or did someone cast Eduard Franz thinking that because of his name , he had an accent ? Paul Henried does a good job in his dual role , though we really don't see a lot of Bartok's personality . Joan Bennett is good as an embittered woman who believes she's unlucky in love . Seeing " Hollow Triumph " in 2008 , one thing sticks out : a guy filled his gas tank for a dollar .
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493,677 | 342,623 | 36,092 | 6 |
On the other side of Brokeback Mountain
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Jean Arthur meets cowboy John Wayne in the 1943 comedy , " A Lady Takes a Chance . " Arthur is Molly , a woman with plenty of suitors , though none is a prize , who takes a cross-country bus tour - conducted by Phil Silvers . While watching a rodeo , one of the riders falls on top of her . Turns out it's a fella named Duke ( John Wayne ) . You can just see those pathetic guys at home flash before her eyes as she pulls Wayne toward her for a closer look . She misses her bus . Given the current talk and late-night comic jokes about " Brokeback Mountain , " this movie is extra fun . Wayne has no intention of marrying , though he loves to play the field , and accuses his rodeo partner Waco ( Charles Winninger ) of acting like " a wife . " When Waco advises Molly to go back where she came from and forget about Duke , he sounds like a wife trying to get rid of a mistress , though he really wants to keep her from being hurt . But though Duke does a lot of flirting , Molly learns during a night in the desert that her big competition is Sammy , Duke's horse . Jean Arthur is slightly miscast as Molly , though she was too wonderful an actress to ever come off as totally miscast . Someone like Betty Grable would have been more of a natural for the role than 40 + Arthur , but then , Arthur's talent helps her make the part her own and interesting besides . Her best scene is in the bar when she drinks cactus milk - hilarious . 27 years after his death , John Wayne is still considered one of the top 10 most popular stars , and with good reason . Tall , handsome , and rugged with a boyish smile , you can see why he'd make Arthur's heart go aflutter . He's usually not listed among favorite matinée idols because he made so many westerns , but make no mistake , Wayne was a hunk in his heyday . This isn't your 21st century cowboy movie , but it makes for entertaining viewing just the same .
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494,565 | 342,623 | 161,514 | 6 |
From a prolific novelist of teen books
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Even though this apparently is not a movie produced by Lifetime , it has Lifetime written all over it . It's based on a Lurlene McDaniel story of two teenagers in love , but the young man has cancer . McDaniel has written many novels for teens , often with a spiritual theme . I can really see this film appealing to a young crowd , as it was intended . It's very sports-oriented - the boy , Luke , is the star quarterback at the high school . Beth Broderick plays the girl's mom , and she's always good , conveying an attorney's sophistication and later , compassion and support . Adrienne Barbeau is Luke's mom . The story is poignant and also predictable . There really isn't anything exceptional about it , except Barbeau's problems with her employer . Given all that , I cried like a baby and hated myself .
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494,569 | 342,623 | 106,386 | 6 |
Another great Amy Irving performance
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How many times have I watched something for a period of time before realizing that I'm looking at Amy Irving ? This film was no exception . The woman is a chameleon , and though she certainly has been recognized for her work , I think she's underrated . The plot of this film is mildly interesting - a man convicted of murdering his wife makes parole and looks up his daughter , who helped put him away . His daughter begins to doubt her testimony . It would have been more intriguing to keep the plot on that level , to have the audience unsure throughout the film . Unfortunately , the plot disintegrates past a certain point and becomes a chase film , albeit through some magnificent scenery . Donald Sutherland is very good in what has become a familiar role for him . But Amy makes the movie .
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494,864 | 342,623 | 443,632 | 6 |
Not really up to par
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The 2006 film " The Sentinel , " which stars Michael Douglas , Kiefer Sutherland and Kim Basinger is a fair movie that makes a good rental . It's the story of a Secret Service man who is framed for an assassination attempt on the President ( David Rasche ) and sets out to find out who's framing him while Sutherland is after him . Unfortunately , the casting gave away one of the subplots , and as to the framer of Douglas , that was apparent as well . What could have been a really excellent thriller is spoiled by a clumsy script that lets the viewer down at the end of the film . Eva Longoria has a supporting role which was basically thrown in there for no apparent reason . Kim Basinger makes a lovely first lady and Rasche , who has little to do , is effective as the President . Douglas and Sutherland are in familiar roles . I saw this around the same time that I saw " Inside Man " and there's no comparison . " The Sentinel " seems thrown together . I would have been upset had I seen this in the theater and paid full price .
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493,978 | 342,623 | 29,345 | 6 |
Trite story and some good singing
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On the Avenue was made in 1937 and starred Madeline Carroll , Dick Powell , Alice Faye and the Ritz Brothers . A musical revue does a send-up of a wealthy family , which outrages them . The writer , Gary Blake , accuses the young woman of the family , Mimi Caraway ( Carroll ) of being a bad sport . She invites him to dinner , and they fall in love . He promises to rewrite the skit . However , Mona Merrick ( Faye ) , the leading lady who is in love with Gary , performs the skit so that the family comes off as even worse . Mimi retaliates by buying the production and planning some big revenge on Gary . There are some good numbers and wonderful singing by Faye and Powell ; alas , the appeal of the Ritz Brothers has always been lost on me . They always do these incredibly long routines in films , and to me , anyway , they're annoying rather than funny . Madeline Carroll is stunningly beautiful ; it's a shame she wasn't in Hollywood longer ( in 1938 , she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood ) . She returned to England to work for the war effort and stayed on after the war . Dick Powell , in the course of a 30-year career , reinvented himself several times . Here he is in his first incarnation , that of a juvenile tenor . He's very good and as he evolved into a serious actor and then a director and producer , he only got better . Alice Faye looks great and sings in her beautiful , smooth contralto ; her stardom was just about to hit its peak . All in all , very pleasant . If you're like me , record this and fast forward through the Ritz Brothers .
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493,462 | 342,623 | 20,695 | 6 |
early talkie shows its age
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Basil Rathbone is a dashing , intense-looking Philo Vance in " The Bishop Murder Case , " an early talkie that shows signs of the painful transition from silents . I actually had quite a bit of trouble with the sound . I saw it on television and had difficulty understanding what was being said at times . The film , nevertheless , is very interesting , if only to see Rathbone , with those amazing eyes of his , in his pre-Sherlock Holmes days . His acting is excellent . It was also delightful to see Roland Young . Leila Hyams plays the professor's niece , and she was quite beautiful and effective . It has a good plot as well . Parts of this film came off like a stage play , probably because some of the actors were still adjusting to film technique . And the sound was darned strange . In one of the outdoor scenes , the actors sounded as if they were speaking through megaphones . Nevertheless , Philo Vance fans should certainly enjoy it , as will others from a historical perspective .
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494,218 | 342,623 | 82,715 | 6 |
A TV movie based on " I , the Jury "
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Kevin Dobson is Mike Hammer in this version of " I , the Jury " by Mickey Spillane - this one called " Margin for Murder , " directed by Daniel Haller in 1981 . It also stars Cindy Pickett , Donna Dixon , Charles Hallahan , Asher Brauner and John Considine . When a friend of Mike's is murdered in what appears to be a car accident , Mike refuses to accept and sets out to prove a ) it was murder ; b ) whodunit , and c ) why . Nothing will keep him from the case , including the murders of two people who knew too much . Many actors have played Mike Hammer . I for one was not enthusiastic about Stacy Keach's Hammer , but I loved Ralph Meeker's . Mickey Spillane as an actor just didn't make it . Dobson has the New York sensibility and the toughness that it takes to make a good Mike , and while he's not as sexy as Meeker , his performance works just fine in this story . Velda is played by Cindy Pickett in a very straightforward , un-bimbo-like manner . There's a nice little subplot involving some puppies marked for the pound that Mike takes to Velda's so they can find homes for them . All in all , a pretty good TV movie . Unfortunately , the version I saw on Fox Movie Channel obviously had a scene missing . I have absolutely no understanding of this - I can understand a cut on a normal station where they have less time now for a movie than they had in 1981 because of commercials , but FMC has no commercials . Seems rather ridiculous .
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493,701 | 342,623 | 25,422 | 6 |
early Stanwyck
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Barbara Stanwyck is young and a lovely as a woman whose fiancée is killed by an angry husband just before their wedding . Embittered , she retreats to the mountains and finds healing in the affections of Frank Morgan , who plays a wealthy attorney who falls in love with her . Stanwyck marries him , though explains to poor Frank that she doesn't love him . Their bedrooms , therefore , are across the hall from one another . With money , social standing , beauty , and being married , which makes her unattainable , Stanwyck soon finds the men are crawling out of the woodwork , including a very young Lyle Talbot and Ricardo Cortz , who lands his plane on her lawn . Morgan and Stanwyck are excellent and give the story a very touching quality . One scene struck me as a little odd , censorship wise : At the beginning of the film , Morgan rescues Stanwyck from a fall . The next day , he walks by her house and pokes his head in her bedroom to see how she's doing . She's in bed , recovering . He's invited in . The maid leaves the bedroom and closes the door . Either I'm getting too old or my sensibility is too modern , but I found this scene peculiar for 1934 . I'd love to know how this got past the code since there was a big argument about " Frankly , my dear , I don't give a damn . " An unmarried woman , in her pajamas , entertaining a gentleman caller in her bedroom . Oh , well .
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493,628 | 342,623 | 249,478 | 6 |
derivative but still good
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A very good movie with fine performances by John Travolta , Vince Vaughn and the rest of the cast . Travolta's performing is the centerpiece and he brings warmth to the role of the father . The film offers us atmosphere and suspense aplenty . Not the most original plot in the world but very entertaining . There was one inevitable cop-out - you'll spot it immediately .
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495,028 | 342,623 | 117,007 | 6 |
Delta on a roll
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A revenge on all those who wronged me films , this one starring the wonderful Delta Burke . I doubt anyone involved took this movie very seriously . Delta is totally over the top , intentionally , I think , as a woman who goes nuts after a hysterectomy is performed to save her life . Her husband and best friend were part of the decision to do the surgery . Tracy , the main character , goes after everyone involved , her husband , the friend , the doctor , the doctor's husband , determined to destroy them . It's a long list . The phrase " I wouldn't want to run into her in a dark alley " does not apply here . You don't want to run into this woman while she's in a car , a field , a building , your office , her house , your house - no place . There is an especially funny scene where Tracy , eye makeup smeared , watches her doctor on television . You can just see the madness in her eyes . Delta Burke wears her own designs for plus-size women in the film , and she looks great . She has an Elizabeth Taylor face - to me , she always exudes beauty . She plays this role for all its worth . It's right on the edge of camp - actually , maybe it slid to the other side .
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494,783 | 342,623 | 1,249,299 | 6 |
Entertaining
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Hallmark Channel is big on recognizable stars and mediocre scripts that move like molasses . " Dear Prudence " had the stars and the mediocre script , but it actually moved a little faster than , say , " Mystery Woman . " Jane Seymour plays a household hints TV lady who goes on vacation at her boss ' mountain place in Montana . Once there , she becomes involved in a murder . Seymour is playing in essence a character role here , one you might see a younger version of Angela Lansbury doing . It's inspired against type casting - Seymour is beautiful and energetic , investing the role with a sense of enthusiasm that's refreshing on Hallmark . The downside is the plot ; the mystery was solved by this viewer in the first 10 minutes or so . However , the script had the household hints going for it , which are great , and the young man playing opposite Seymour was very good . Plus , Jamey Sheridan made a good romantic interest for Seymour . Hallmark is pushing the heck out of this ; Prudence has a special page on the Hallmark site , so I'm wondering if this is intended as a pilot . It would be a lovely series for the " Murder , She Wrote " crowd - I wasn't a member of that demographic when " Murder , She Wrote " started in 1984 ; I am now .
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494,993 | 342,623 | 48,291 | 6 |
Bogie as a missionary in China
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Humphrey Bogart experiences " The Left Hand of God " in this 1955 film also starring Gene Tierney , Lee J . Cobb , Agnes Moorhead and Lee J . Cobb . Bogart is Father O'Shea , who arrives at a mission in China to take over religious duties . The casting of Bogart should tell you something right away . While there , he wins the hearts of the people and that of a beautiful nurse ( Tierney ) who is a widow and , being a strong Catholic , finds her emotions unsettling . Father O has a relationship with a Chinese warlord , and now the village seems in danger . Can he save it ? There's not a tremendous amount of action in this film , but the wonderful cast keeps us interested . Always a surprising actor , Bogart has a way with touching moments , such as receiving a blessing from the oldest man in the village . In 1955 , Gene Tierney was still a young and beautiful woman , but for some reason , around 1950 , she adopted a short , matronly haircut that I for one never found flattering . She's lovely in this as a lonely widow . Moorhead and Marshall give strong performances as the doctor and his wife . Lee J . Cobb is good , but seen today , his Chinese makeup is distracting . Mildly interesting .
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494,293 | 342,623 | 29,157 | 6 |
Watch , Yawn and Sleep
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Live , Love and Learn is a 1937 MGM film starring Robert Montgomery , Rosalind Russell , Robert Benchley and Monte Wooley . Surprisingly , it's not very good . Russell is an heiress who marries poor artist Montgomery , only to see him become successful and interested in money - the very thing she was trying to escape . With better direction and a stronger script , this film might have had more of a " Holiday " feel to it , but it doesn't . It's part comedy , part drama , and because it doesn't know what it's supposed to be , neither does the audience . The two forms aren't integrated enough . One scene that shows the innocence of the times is one in which Montgomery hires a little boy to pose for him om a loincloth . A very discomfiting scene when watched today , yet then , it was supposed to be funny . However , this is toward the end of the movie , which had dragged on too long , so the scene wasn't terribly amusing . The acting was okay . Frankly , it's kind of a waste of time , despite the good cast .
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494,119 | 342,623 | 110,588 | 6 |
Uneven story of fascinating people in a fascinating time
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Jennifer Jason Leigh is Dorothy Parker in " Mrs . Parker and the Vicious Circle , " a 1994 film also starring Campbell Scott , Peter Gallagher , Stanley Tucci , Matthew Broderick , Gwenyth Paltrow , Jennifer Beals , Lili Taylor , Martha Plimpton , Wallace Shawn - a large , excellent cast which would be needed to tell the story of the glittering literary geniuses who were part of the Algonquin Roundtable . Oh , to have been an adult in those days ( ' 20s-'40s ) when wit and education and intelligence were so prized ! Parker , a unique talent who could write with pathos and humor , was surrounded by the likes of Robert Benchley , Edna Ferber , Charles Macarthur , Alexander Woolcott , Deems Taylor and Robert Sherwood . The sad thing is that if you're a young person and you happen to catch this film on the IFC channel , you won't have heard of any of these people . Nor will you be interested enough to look them up . People don't seem to have the intellectual curiosity they once did . I realize these are generalizations - just how general remains to be seen . The atmosphere is set wonderfully in this film , which tells something of Dorothy Parker's sad life as she finds and loses love . Unfortunately , with possibly the exception of Campbell Scott as Benchley and at times Ms . Leigh , everyone is PLAYING Woolcott , MacArthur , etc . It's all a kind of let's pretend instead us showing us real people - - as famous as they all were , they were human beings . The script is uneven ; the crazy , frenzied scenes at the Algonquin are the best ones , but we don't know these people well enough to be interested in smaller scenes . I had the great pleasure of seeing Jason Leigh on Broadway in " Proof " and she was excellent - she is a very fine actress with a broad range . But in her attempt to successfully have all of Dorothy Parker's externals , she's tripped herself up . I unfortunately only understood maybe 40 % of what she was saying . Not only do I doubt that was true of the real Dorothy , I also doubt going that far with the voice was necessary - very , very few people who would see this film ever heard Dorothy Parker speak . It's a little like doing Eliza Doolittle - if you actually spoke pure Cockney , the audience wouldn't understand a word . Parker's droll tones channeled through Leigh's mouth don't work . She does , however , create a very real and very sad person who lived in an interesting time , wrote about it and who loved and drank her way through it .
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494,664 | 342,623 | 270,288 | 6 |
Bizarre story based on the writings of Chuck Barris
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TV producer Chuck Barris has " Confessions of a Dangerous Mind " in this 2002 movie directed by George Clooney and starring Sam Rockwell , Drew Barrymore , Julia Roberts and George Clooney with appearances by Dick Clark , Jaye P . Morgan , Brad Pitt and others . In Barris ' writings , he claims that all the time he was developing and producing shows like " The Newlywed Game , " " The Dating Game , " and " The Gong Show , " he was moonlighting as a CIA hit man . He claims to have killed more than 100 people , though in the film he's credited with only 33 . Done partially as a documentary , Barris ' TV success is chronicled as is his love life with Penny ( Barrymore ) ; things get a little confusing when he gets drafted by the Clooney character and starts killing . Sometimes you're not sure if he's imagining an incident or if it really happened . Which is probably the point - no one knows whether or not these hit-man stories are really true . The film is rather coldly done and is about an unlikable character , and I have to admit I normally don't do well with this kind of film . Sam Rockwell is great as Barris , however , and Barrymore very effective and sweet as Penny . I haven't sufficiently researched this story , but there are some amusing things in it , and I would love to know whether or not they're true . One of the ways Barris claims to have been able to carry out these CIA hits is by sending the Dating Game and Newlywed Game winners to the location where the assassination is to take place - I mean , I would love to know if the show really sent people to West Berlin in winter ! Also , Penny appears to be a fictional character or his real first wife with a fictional name . I wondered about that . After you see " Confessions of a Dangerous Mind , " you'll be doing a lot of wondering .
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494,038 | 342,623 | 21,493 | 6 |
Early talkie
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The Truth About Youth is a 1930 film of special interest because of two of its young stars , Loretta Young and Myrna Loy . The story concerns a housekeeper's daughter Phyllis ( Young ) who is engaged to the young man of the house , " The Imp " ( David Manners ) . He has just turned 21 and has been raised by a triumvirate of guardians , chiefly Richard ( Conway Tearle ) . " The Imp " ( whose real name is Richard ) falls madly in lust with a man trap called Kara , who performs at a club and is known as " The Firefly . " He writes her a passionate letter and when Phyllis finds it , the elder Richard claims it's his . Because this is an early talkie , the film comes off as rather wooden . Both Loy and Young are gorgeous , Loy as a vamp and Young as a sweet young thing . Both had those short hairdos with the tight wave so popular back then . Loy has the better role as a money-grubber , and she's great . The gown she wears in performance is a knockout - an actress could wear it to the Oscars today . The men are just okay , with the exception of two of the guardians , J . Farrell McDonald and Harry Stubbs , who provide some humor . Before she became Nora Charles , Loy was cast as a vamp , usually an exotic one , until a producer who knew her personally decided to mine her humor . " The Truth About Youth " is an excellent chance to see her in an early role .
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493,778 | 342,623 | 161,081 | 6 |
doesn't pass the acid test
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The acid test is , if huge stars weren't in this film - could it have been a made for television movie ? Alas , the answer for this one is an unqualified yes . There is nothing original about this script and it is structurally poor . It could have been so much better with just a little attention paid to it , but as it is , it's fairly poor , full of red herrings and unnecessary characters and slower than molasses .
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493,826 | 342,623 | 44,331 | 6 |
Gilda meets Notorious
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Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford re-team for " Affair in Trinidad , " a 1952 film also starring Alexander Scourby , Juanita Moore and Valerie Bettis . Hayworth plays Chris Emery , a nightclub performer whose husband Neil dies by apparent suicide that turns out to be murder . His brother Steve ( Ford ) shows up on the day of the inquest , having received a letter from Neil on the day he died . He assumes the worst about his widowed sister-in-law and her relationship with a wealthy man , Max Fabian ( Scourby ) . Either I dosed off or the actual mystery was never fully explained . It was explained sort of , but I was never clear what Rita , her husband , or the people in Max's house had to do with it . The story , as the subject line indicates , is a gemisch of " Gilda " and " Notorious " and not as good as either one . Interestingly , the plot predates the Cuban missile crisis by 10 years . Totally amazing . For that alone , it's worth seeing . Except for Ava Gardner , probably no actress defined the word " hot " like Rita Hayworth . For a woman who was painfully shy and didn't even want to be in show business , she sure could turn it on . And turn it on she does in two musical numbers , " I've Been Kissed Before " and " Trinidad Lady . " She wears some gorgeous gowns , too . Glenn Ford and Rita make a wonderful team , certainly one of Hollywood's sexiest film love matches . Juanita Moore is excellent as the all-knowing maid , Dominique , and Alexander Scourby is an elegant villain . " Affair in Trinidad " is well directed by Vincent Sherman with a nice , dark atmosphere , and one really believes it's Trinidad . Watching Rita Hayworth is never a waste of time ; this isn't the greatest movie ever made , but Rita creates a few sparks .
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494,882 | 342,623 | 24,684 | 6 |
A mild-mannered professor comes up against the real world
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John Barrymore is " Topaze " in this 1933 film based on a French play . The film also stars a young and beautiful Myrna Loy . Professor Topaze is a very morally grounded teacher who is always honest , and when a student does bad work , he's marked down for it . Unfortunately for Professor Topaze , the mother of one of the students manages to have him fired . Bloody but unbowed , Topaze has been recommended for a tutoring job and goes to an apartment to see about it . Little does he know , the father of the boy , Baron Philippe de la Tour , is the one who had him recommended and now no longer wants him . de la Tour is at the home of Coco , his mistress ( Loy ) which Topaze doesn't pick up on until much later . de la Tour is selling bottled water - except it's from a tap - and his main endorser has just walked out . Who can he get to endorse his water ? In walks Professor Topaze , who has a background in science . Without realizing what's going on , Topaze throws himself into the work of developing a fabulous water . The only thing about this film that's of any interest , to me anyway , is the performance of John Barrymore as a bearded , badly put together , innocent professor who lives in another world . In one scene , he's given some liquor ; not being a drinker ( now that's real acting ) he downs it in one swallow . To watch the liquor take its effect is very funny , as Topaze makes a joke and then laughs , his voice cracking . He crosses his legs . He starts staring at Myrna Loy . Loy is lovely , but she has what is strictly an ingénue role and not much to do . Jobyna Howland is the Baronness de la Tour , and she's a scream . Definitely worth seeing for the performances .
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493,597 | 342,623 | 44,379 | 6 |
Thrown together Cold War drama
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Dana Andrews has " Assignment : Paris " in this 1952 Cold War drama that also stars George Sanders and Marta Toren . Andrews is Jimmy Race , an ambitious reporter in the Paris office of the New York Herald Tribune ; his boss is George Sanders . Race is assigned the espionage trial of a captured American by the Hungarians . In Budapest , Race is captured , and it's up to Sanders to try to free him . Sanders gets help from a woman , played by Marta Toren , whose background is not explained . Audrey Totter plays a fashion editor . All the performances are good , but the revelation is Toren , whom I'd never seen before . She was remarkably beautiful and a fine actress . Unfortunately she died very young , which is a terrible tragedy . She never makes the list of most beautiful , and she should . I suppose because not that many people are familiar with her . Sanders carries the film in the workhorse role , and an unusual one for him as he's a good guy . The film is done in more of a documentary style with a dynamic conclusion , though some plot points are up in the air . Definitely worth seeing for the stunning Toren .
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494,718 | 342,623 | 438,502 | 6 |
Fun watching
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Of all the shows in the Hallmark mystery series , I have to say I like the " Jane Doe " entries the best so far . One of the things that makes it the most interesting of the three - which includes Mystery Woman and McBride - is the dichotomy between the family life of the main character and her life as an agent for the government . I also think this show has the strongest cast - Lea Thompson , Joe Penny , and William R . Moses . Thompson is energetic , believable , and adorable ; Moses is solid and likable as her husband ; and Joe Penny is Joe Penny - tough and sexy . In this particular plot line , a mob boss dies and then his body disappears . I have one objection , which I have to almost every show on TV - when you have someone like Anne DiSalvo playing the nurse , people knowledgeable about actors know that she had something to do with it . Whenever I see a familiar actor in what appears to be a small or inconsequential role , I know the character is involved somehow . But just about every show does it - the great " Law and Order " being one of the biggest offenders . Anyway , these Hallmark shows are delightful .
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494,513 | 342,623 | 48,216 | 6 |
Flawed Previn-Comden-Green musical
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Gene Kelly , Dan Dailey , and Michael Kidd are army buddies in " It's Always Fair Weather , " a 1955 musical film directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly . The film also stars Cyd Charisse and Delores Gray . At the end of World War II , Ted Riley ( Kelly ) , Doug Hallerton ( Dailey ) , and Angie Valentine ( Kidd ) return to the states and make a bet with a bartender that they will be friends for life . They agree to meet on October 11 , 1955 , which is in ten years , at the same bar . When that day comes , they all show up , and have absolutely nothing to say to one another . Riley is a playboy and gambler who won a prize fighter in a game , Hallerton is an ulcer-ridden advertising man on the verge of divorce , and Angie is the happily married owner of a diner in upstate New York . Thanks to a talk show host ( Delores Gray ) who refuses to do her show as planned , and the show's beautiful consultant ( Charisse ) , the three are destined to be reunited again - on network television . This is a nice movie with some great dancing and singing , but given the cast , directors , writers and composer , one expects a little more than " nice " and " pleasant . " The music by Andre Previn is uninspired . The choreography fares better , with a delightful roller skating sequence by Gene Kelly , and a fun sequence in a boxing gym by Cyd Charisse . The glamorous Delores Gray sings the heck out of her numbers , but her acting , unlike in " Designing Woman , " is way over the top , more of a stage performance . Despite the spoofing of advertising and early television shows and the singing and dancing , the film has a strange edginess ; when it's dark , it's almost too dark , and the light moments aren't light enough . There's just something unhappy about it , which you don't find in the fabulous " Singin ' in the Rain . " But I suppose you can't ask lightning to strike twice . Dan Dailey has the strongest role and is more than up to it , giving the film's best performance . And of the three , he's the only one who bothered to age ten years . Disappointing , given the talent involved .
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494,092 | 342,623 | 52,168 | 6 |
Low-budget thriller
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1958's " Screaming Mimi " is based on a novel by Frederic Brown and stars Anita Ekberg , Philip Carey , Harry Townes and Gypsy Rose Lee . Ekberg is Virginia , aka Yolanda , a drop-dead gorgeous exotic dancer who is institutionalized after nearly being murdered at her stepbrother's house . The kindly psychiatrist ( Townes ) trying to help her takes the transference a bit too far - he fakes her death and takes off with her . Virginia changes her name to Yolanda and gets a job as an exotic dancer in a club run by Joann Masters ( Lee ) . A reporter named Sweeney ( Philip Carey ) gets onto a story about a slasher and crosses paths with Virginia / Yolanda and , like every other man , falls for her . In Yolanda's dressing room , Sweeney finds a statue - the same statue was found next to the last murder victim , also an exotic dancer . This is an interesting story for sure with sexual undertones ( or shall I say overtones ) galore - Ekberg's chained slave dance , the lesbian relationship Joann has with another dancer , the statue fetish , and Ekberg herself , sex on heels . Her first film was " Mississippi Gambler , " in which she was uncredited ; not surprisingly , she got the attention of the film's star , Tyrone Power , and had an affair with him that lasted into the mid-'50s . She even got to meet his relatives in Cincinnati - and he was still married at the time . Was she good in this ? I have no idea ; she's so stunning , it doesn't matter . Philip Carey , known today for his portrayal of Asa Buchanan in " One Life to Live " was a hunk in the ' 50s who was relegated to B films costarring many beautiful women - he's easy on the eyes too and does a decent job as Sweeney . Harry Townes had a huge career in television and underplays the role of Greene , the psychiatrist . He does a good job - if the character appeared sinister , it wouldn't have been believable . A story like this could easily have been given a big budget and big director and been much more effective . As it is , it keeps one's attention with its twists and turns and one of the great va-va-vooms , Ekberg .
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495,202 | 342,623 | 244,244 | 6 |
Disappointing
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I'm a fan of Hugh Jackman's , so I looked forward to seeing " Swordfish , " which also stars another actor I like , John Travolta . The film was not produced with an eye to my demographic , so I did not like it as much as some people may have . Travolta plays this incredibly ruthless man , someone committed to keeping the country safe from terrorists , who offers a hacker with child custody issues ( Jackman ) a chance to make a fortune , enabling him to hire a top attorney and get custody of his daughter . He needs the code cracked to a bank and account holding $9 billion in government money , and the money disseminated to various accounts . The beginning of the film is fascinating - it's Travolta discussing the film Dog Day Afternoon - but alas , it's downhill from there . I'm normally not the most technically observant person when I'm watching a movie , but even I could tell that computerized images and miniatures did a lot of the work . Hallie Berry gets to show off most of her beautiful body and there's plenty of action . Young men , I'm sure , love this film . Unfortunately I'm not a young man . And after seeing " Swordfish , " I was 1 hour and 39 minutes older .
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494,895 | 342,623 | 56,089 | 6 |
I feel like one
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Beautiful scenery is the highlight of " I Thank a Fool , " which stars Susan Hayward , Peter Finch and Diane Cilento . Finch plays a prosecutor who manages to get Hayward sentenced to prison for the mercy killing of her boyfriend . When she gets out , she has to change her name , but still , she can't get a job . Finch reappears and hires her to live in his home and take care of his unstable wife ( Cilento ) . When she winds up dead , suspicion falls on Hayward . This is a very uneven film that ends somewhat abruptly . It could have used a couple of scenes right before the last one . One of the posters here said the ending was no surprise . Well , it was to me . Maybe I just wasn't paying attention . The acting is good , with Hayward in a role that calls for her to be quite somber . Peter Finch is excellent . He's very compelling and deliberately keeps his character ambiguous . Diane Cilento has the role with all the histrionics . She's exquisitely beautiful and delicate , and one does feel great sympathy for the character . All in all , this was a rather blah experience .
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495,037 | 342,623 | 36,579 | 6 |
Nice thriller
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George Sanders experiences some " Action in Arabia " in this 1944 RKO film that also stars Virginia Bruce . Sanders is a reporter in Damascus who wants to find the killers of a fellow reporter . He uncovers a Nazi plot of the Germans attempting to turn the Arabs against the Allies . It's not much , but there's some great action , and if you're a fan of George Sanders , he's at his elegant best in this , beautifully dressed and very smooth . There are nice performances from an able supporting cast that includes Gene Lockhart , Alan Napier ( that's Alfred the Butler on Batman ) , and H . B . Warner . A small propaganda film , reminiscent in its way of Casablanca , but pleasant enough .
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495,001 | 342,623 | 25,028 | 6 |
When one Ruby Keeler isn't enough . . . try Dr . Silver's Golden Elixir
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Dames is a mindless Depression musical starring Dick Powell , Ruby Keeler , Joan Blondell , Zasu Pitts , Hugh Herbert and Guy Kibbee . Herbert plays Ezra Ounce , part of the moral right and president of the Ezra Ounce Foundation of American Morals who wants to stop filth , and one way to do this is to close those decadent Broadway shows . Guy Kibbee and Zasu Pitts are the Hemingways , his relatives , who are to be the recipients of $10 million of Ezra's money if they are deemed worthy . Unfortunately , their daughter Barbara ( Ruby Keeler ) is a dancer in love with a 13th cousin , Jimmy Higgens ( Dick Powell ) , the rotter of the family , who wants to put on a Broadway show and feature Barbara . Papa Hemingway is blackmailed into backing said show by Mabel ( Joan Blondell ) , who took over his train compartment en route to New York and threatens to tell the world something went on between them if he doesn't back the production . The film features Powell singing " I Only Have Eyes For You " in his pretty tenor and some amazing choreography by Busby Berkeley . Thanks to the triple strong version of his 79 % proof hiccup remedy , Dr . Silver's Golden Elixir , Uncle Ezra and the Hemingways watch the show thoroughly bombed . And that's really the only way to see " Dames . " Berkeley's choreography is like an acid trip , with those wild kaleidoscope patterns he does . For " I Only Have Eyes For You , " Powell sings it to Keeler , and then the entire female chorus hold photos of Ruby in front of them , later appearing as brunettes with her hairstyle and in the same white dress she wears . Keeler becomes the iris of an eye , and at the end of the number , a huge puzzle formation of her face appears . Why one Keeler isn't enough is anybody guess because one is nearly too many . A team of galloping horses doesn't make as much noise as she does when dancing . Not for nothing do they call it hoofing . She's pretty as a picture but her acting is strictly from a drama school found inside of a matchbook . I suspected in " 42nd Street " that her numbers were edited to hide the fact that she was behind the beat ( as she was every time a song began ) - in " Dames , " she is unable to even talk in a correct song rhythm , so that answers that . Dick Powell , who as a producer would help Sam Peckinpah and Aaron Spelling get their starts , was a perfect musical comedy juvenile . It wasn't until the 1940s when he escaped and completely turned his career around by becoming a film tough guy . Later , he went into directing and finally launched a highly profitable producing career as one of the founders of Four Star Productions . Joan Blondell brings great energy to her role , and she's adorable with her blond hair , blue eyes , and round face . She couldn't sing worth a darn but unfortunately is called upon to do so in " Dames . " At the time of the filming , she was supposedly 7 months pregnant with her son Norman ( by husband George Barnes ) , but it's not noticeable . Two years after the release of " Dames , " she married her costar Powell ; he adopted Norman in 1938 . One thing troubles me about " Dames " - Keeler is late to opening night , and Blondell has to do her first number . It's assumed she's not even coming . What would they have done with " I Only Have Eyes For You " and all those Rubys without the original ? I don't know . It's an interesting question to ponder , if you do any thinking at all while watching " Dames . "
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494,159 | 342,623 | 28,872 | 6 |
Nice to think about young love
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I admit not knowing much about the part of British history conveyed in " Fire over England . " The main interest for me was seeing the two young lovers , Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier , who began their affair during this film . What a beautiful couple , what a great love , and what a sad end to it . You'd never dream looking at these two what life had in store for them on the personal front . " Fire over England " is a 1937 Alexander Korda film that takes place in 1558 . Relations between Spain and England are terrible , with the British capturing Spanish gold from the New World . When a scheme to get her off the throne is uncovered , the Queen ( Flora Robson ) sends a young man , Michael Ingolby ( Olivier ) undercover to the court of Philip of Spain . Pretending to be a traitor , he is able to get the names of the actual Brits in the pay of the Spanish and learns they want to send the Armada against England . He goes to battle , leading an attack by night on the Armada ships . Meanwhile , he is in love with one of the Queen's ladies in waiting , Cynthia ( Leigh ) and has the affection of the Queen herself . " Fire over England " is an early acting film acting assignment from Laurence Olivier . He is super-handsome and an exuberant , energetic Michael Ingolby , perhaps a bit overdone in spots . This , however , can be forgiven because of the nature of the role . Leigh really doesn't have much to do . Though Selznick allegedly was introduced Vivien Leigh by his brother Myron when Atlanta was burning , a historian made something of the fact that he evidently saw this film beforehand . If he did , there's no way he would have a ) remembered Leigh and b ) thought of her for Scarlett . All in all , a very interesting film .
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493,665 | 342,623 | 434,185 | 6 |
McBride will grow on you
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I've seen several episodes of " McBride " and I like it a little better each time I see it . John LaRoquette is very good in everything . As McBride , I love how much he can communicate with just a wry glance . In this particular episode , McBride's client is double-crossed during a custody case by his psychiatrist . The client later confesses to McBride that he believes he accidentally shot the doctor when he confronted him in his home . When McBride goes to the murder scene , the doctor is , as the title says , out - as in gone ! A search for the body begins , with time of the essence . David Bowe has a nice comic turn as the panicked client . Former child star Sydney Penny plays one of the suspects , and she has grown up to be a very beautiful young woman . Soap star John Ingle is the confused head of the hospital . These Hallmark mystery movies are nice shows - decent mysteries , good acting , some familiar faces . As far as LaRoquette , I quote Blanche Dubois : " That one seems superior to the others . "
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493,985 | 342,623 | 48,527 | 6 |
The sun is shinin ' , I didn't expect the sun to be shinin '
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So sayeth Barry Sullivan in " Queen Bee " referring to Joan Crawford , the ruler of a southern household in this 1955 drama , which also stars John Ireland , Barry Sullivan , Betsy Palmer and Fay Wray . Cousin Jennifer Stewart ( Lucy Marlow ) arrives for a visit and immediately senses there are a few problems in the home - at first , she feels these problems are unfairly blamed on Eva ( Crawford ) . She soon learns what the audience has known from Eva's first appearance . The lovely and somewhat shy Carol Lee Phillips ( Palmer ) , sister of Eva's husband ( Sullivan ) , is about to marry one of Eva's hand-me-downs , Judson Prentiss ( Ireland ) but doesn't realize that Eva hasn't quite decided to let him go . Complicating things , cousin Jennifer finds herself attracted to Eva's husband . In real life , Ireland and Crawford were having an affair , and Palmer screamed " WHAT ? ? " into the telephone when she was invited to Crawford's wedding to Alfred Steele . At the reception , she took Crawford aside and asked what was going on . " Oh , well , " Crawford said , " We were in our cups and Alfred asked me to marry him , and I said yes . " This is one of those southern dramas we saw a lot of in the ' 50s and early ' 60s - " The Long Hot Summer , " " Cat on a Hot Tin Roof , " and " Desire in the Dust , " to name a few . " Queen Bee " is a little over the top . It's a tour de force for Crawford , who has some very biting lines which she delivers in her inimitable style , and her wardrobe is sensational , especially the last gown . She plays the kind of bitch we always imagine she was in real life , the woman depicted in " Mommie Dearest . " She couldn't have been - too many people , from Ann Blyth to Betsy Palmer , truly liked her . A little too much of a disciplinarian at home and with a voracious sexual appetite , she certainly brought those edges to many performances . Crawford also was one of the great screen presences with a face made for film . Highly enjoyable film particularly for Crawford fans , though everyone in it is very good .
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494,095 | 342,623 | 56,101 | 6 |
Soapy hospital drama starring a lot of young Turks
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1962's " The Interns " is sort of the " Valley of the Dolls " of the hospital set , with a lot of young actors starting their careers in movies : Michael Callan , Nick Adams , James MacArthur , Anne Helm , Stefanie Powers , and some veterans - Telly Savalas , Buddy Ebsen and Cliff Robertson . The gorgeous model Suzy Parker , who had been getting film roles since the ' 50s but wasn't much of an actress , plays Robertson's love interest . Since by 1962 there was no studio system to bring these actors along , most of them wound up having careers in television and were a big part of my growing up years . Very much a soap opera , " The Interns " today seems overdone and not particularly well acted . The plot deals with mercy killing , abortion , sexism and Dexedrine ; it focuses on three doctors : Michael Callan , a user who is romancing two women , one with money ( Anne Helm ) and one so he can get a residency with her old boss ; James MacArthur , a straight arrow who falls in love with a nurse with a yen for travel ( Stefanie Powers ) ; and Cliff Robertson , an older intern who tries to help his model girlfriend ( Parker ) terminate a pregnancy . Nick Adams plays a buffoon who falls in love with a terminally ill patient ( Ellen Davalos ) . It's hard to give an opinion on this film in 2008 , after such excellent TV shows as " Saint Elsewhere " and " ER " - in the beginning of the movie , a woman dies , and James MacArthur has to pry her hand from his arm . Anyone who's ever read or seen a mystery or watched a medical show knows rigor doesn't set in that fast . This makes me wonder if any of the blood pressure readings made sense , though the description and treatment for thalassemia seemed correct , since bone marrow transplantation was still in the experimental stages . All in all , pretty dated and routine when seen today .
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493,922 | 342,623 | 487,264 | 6 |
Typical
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Mystery Woman : At First Sight is another entry into the Hallmark series . Kudos to director Kellie Martin on this one - there wasn't an establishing shot of the bookstore every 30 seconds . In this episode , Samantha Kinsey finds her birth mother Hannah ( Kathryn Harrold ) - just as the woman is about to be arrested for murder . A man is dead in her living room . Without revealing to her half-sister ( Christine Lakin ) or Hannah's husband ( John Aprea ) who she is , Sam sets out to help clear Hannah of the murder charges . Meanwhile , back home , Philby ( Clarence Williams III ) is having his own problems . The comments on this site were interesting in that some people expressed disappointment in this episode . I'm not sure why - it was just as slow-moving and pedestrian as the rest of them . It was a kick to see Michael Cole and Clarence Williams III , two of the " Mod Squad " members reunited , but despite Philby telling Cole he looked good , he didn't . And that's the reason I watch " Mystery Woman " when I see it's on - sometimes it features some baby boomer stars , and I also like Kellie Martin . This series , like Jane Doe and McMartin , is okay , but that's about it .
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495,146 | 342,623 | 82,353 | 6 |
slow but effective
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This movie is great fun to see William Hurt , James Woods and Sigourney Weaver at the beginnings of their careers and when they were experiencing a good deal of success . The rest of the cast is top-notch . The story is very interesting and effective , though I found the film a bit uneven and slow .
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494,818 | 342,623 | 285,293 | 6 |
truly frightening
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This is the true story of Sante Kimes and her son , Kenny Kimes , focusing specifically on their murder of wealthy New Yorker Irene Silverman , whose body has never been found . I have seen other material done on this nut job team , and it is a fascinating study of complete psychopaths . Mary Tyler Moore is a wonderful actress , and she portrays Sante in a very over the top manner - much the way the real Sante probably is , I would imagine , to have charmed people ( men especially ) and pulled off the scams she did . She is , however , way too old for the part , only because she has to portray Sante as a younger woman . Sante at the time of the Silverman murder was 64 ; Mary Tyler Moore in this film was 67 , so big deal . The problem comes in with the earlier years . Other than that , I thought the performances were excellent from the three stars . Though Kimes & son were eventually captured for Silverman's murder , their saga did not end there . Once in prison , Kenny held a Court TV reporter hostage for several hours by holding a ballpoint pen to her throat . He wound up in permanent solitary confinement . Mother and son were extradited to Los Angeles for trial on another , older murder , and both were ultimately convicted .
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494,516 | 342,623 | 36,533 | 6 |
Funny entry into the Skelton series
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Released in 1943 , " Whistling in Brooklyn " is the last of the films which starred Red Skelton as radio detective Wally " The Fox " Benton who gets involved in real-life murders . All he wants to do is marry his girlfriend ( Ann Rutherford ) , but something always delays the wedding . Jean Rogers as a reporter and Rags Ragland appear in this " Whistling . " This film concerns a serial killer named ' Constant Reader ' who is killing people in Brooklyn . Wally falls under suspicion and tries to solve the crime and escape the police at the same time . In one sequence , Wally disguises himself as a ball player on a bearded team playing an exhibition with the Brooklyn Dodgers ; he has to go out and play a game , while trying to get a message to the police . Some of the Dodgers appeared - Leo Durocher , Arky Vaughn , Joe Medwick , etc . Fun for old-time baseball fans who remember these players . Skelton can be corny , and some of his humor in this is groan-worthy . But the pace is fast , there are some funny bits , and when Skelton is being serious , he's actually quite sweet and natural . Ann Rutherford is adorable as his girlfriend . Good fun .
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495,147 | 342,623 | 116,845 | 6 |
intriguing and seductive
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The center of this film is the interesting performance of Jon Bon Jovi as a somewhat mysterious actor who is portraying a hit man in a play written by Lambert Wilson . Bon Jovi is very effective and keeps you guessing throughout . Wilson is excellent as a confused playwright half in love with an ingenue but who finds , when the chips are down , that he's not quite ready to give up his wife . With such an attractive cast and wondering about the motives of Jon Bon Jovi , the movie is quite intriguing , though draggy in parts .
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493,732 | 342,623 | 21,225 | 6 |
Dated early talkie
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The chirons at the beginning of 1930's " Outward Bound " tell us in aching detail how Sutton Vane's play took the London stage by storm . It subsequently was done on Broadway not once but twice ( the second time was some years after this film ) , and the film uses three of the play's original cast : Leslie Howard , Beryl Mercer and Dudley Digges . The film was remade in 1944 as " Between Two Worlds " and the plot was changed slightly to reflect World War II . " Outward Bound " is the story of several people on board ship , but none of them knows the reason for being there or where they're going . Finally they figure out that they are all dead and face the judgment of The Examiner ( Digges ) who arrives to tell them their fate . Heaven and hell are really the same place , it turns out , and those going to the less desirable place merely have some things to work on before heading upward . Two people , however , will not be leaving the ship - that's the suicide couple ( Douglas Fairbanks Jr . and Helen Chandler ) who , like the purser , are " halfways " and must stay on the ship for eternity . The film is very bizarre looking , in a good way , very foggy , with an amorphous skyline when the outside of the ship ( a toy boat ) is shown . The atmosphere is appropriately dark and eerie . The problem with " Outward Bound " is two-fold . The acting is melodramatic and very stagy ; also , the actors don't have the talkie " rhythm " down yet , so they sound very stilted . Leslie Howard , who in the film takes the part played on stage by Alfred Lunt , gives no indication that he will become a great film star - his performance is for the stage and terribly hammy . Interestingly , both he and Fairbanks Jr . not long after this movie would give wonderful performances , Howard in " The Petrified Forest " and Fairbanks in " Love is a Racket . " Fairbanks in particular had a remarkably modern acting technique , but not in " Outward Bound . " Strangely enough , as with " Between Two Worlds , " there is something compelling and sympathetic about most of these characters . Perhaps it's a fascination we have with the afterlife , but the story does hold together , and we do care what happens to the " good guys " on the ship . I admit to liking " Between Two Worlds " better , especially the suicide couple plot , which is better handled in the latter film . " Outward Bound " today is an interesting artifact but worth seeing , especially if you can follow it up with " Between Two Worlds . "
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493,645 | 342,623 | 101,536 | 6 |
Cute movie , but I was looking at the nerd
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Obviously this film was intended for a young audience , which is why none of the posted comments mention the presence of Tyrone Power Jr . , who is the only reason I watched this movie . " California Casanova " doesn't pretend to be anything but what it is - light entertainment featuring attractive people with lots of hair , makeup , and great bodies . Ruth Landers produced this film for her daughter Audrey , who gives a sweet performance as a young woman being pressured by her thug boyfriend to stay with him . The plots are a little bit disjointed . There's the Landers plot , which ties in with the Jerry Orbach plot . Orbach brings his usual wonderful professionalism to an offbeat role for him , that of a fake count trying to give some class to a nerd - Tyrone Power Jr . Tyrone Power Jr . resembles his late father so much , particularly in the first shots of him , that I got goosebumps . Were he a stronger actor , his career might have at least approached that of his father's , but he's never really been able to rise above decent parts in independent films and bit roles in larger ones . He does a lot of indicating , i . e . , shaking his head , grimacing , etc . , as he did in " Cocoon . " However , circa 1991 , he was gorgeous , and his love scene with Landers was sheer perfection . His entrance as a polished , classy gentleman was very similar to his father's entrance in " The Razor's Edge , " though I suspect that was more of a coincidence than an actual choice on the part of the director . He also , at least when the film was made , did not have a good agent - his role in this film was as much of a lead as Landers ' , yet he is billed below the title . Landers gets to show off her singing voice in the film , and she's quite good . All in all , " California Casanova " is mindlessly diversionary and of definite interest for old film buffs who will be glad to see that the son also rises .
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493,854 | 342,623 | 56,209 | 6 |
ruthless business types hit the screen again
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Dana Andrews is an ambitious public relations man in " Madison Avenue , " a 1962 film that also stars Eleanor Parker , Jeanne Crain , Eddie Albert , Kathleen Freeman , Howard St . John and Henry Daniell . By 1962 , this was no longer an A cast , and this is a second tier film at best . Andrews romances reporter Peggy Shannon ( Crain ) and public relations firm owner Anne Tremaine ( Parker ) as he makes his way up the corporate ladder with the goal of landing a huge milk account away from his old boss . He becomes the puppet holding the strings of the head of the company ( Albert ) and , in a desperate attempt to keep the account , pimps out Anne to him in a not too subtle scene . Though a ' 62 film , it's made in black and white and feels like a ' 50s movie - possibly because corporate ambition was a ' 50s topic with films like " Executive Suite " and " Woman's World . " The acting is good but the story is slow in spots , and I felt at the end like the writer just decided to stop writing . The whole thing was kind of a shrug without enough bite or top level stars to make it really powerful . Is it worth seeing ? Yes , Andrews is solid , it's always worth it to see Parker and the always beautiful Crain , and a delight to see character actor Henry Daniell so late in his career . It's mildly entertaining , which is more than I can say about a lot of films made today .
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