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494,928 | 342,623 | 25,272 | 7 |
fascinating film about the international banking family
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Darryl F . Zanuck covered Napoleon's sweep across Europe in two early films : " Lloyds of London , " in which Tyrone Power plays a fictional character who continues insuring the British fleet so that his childhood friend , Horatio Nelson , can win the war ; and " The House of Rothschild " in which Nathan Rothschild and his banker brothers provide the financing to beat Napoleon . Both are excellent films . There are a few historical liberties in " The House of Rothschild , " but the film is based on fact . George Arliss has a dual role as Mayer Rothschild and his son , Nathan . When the film begins , the family is living in a Prussian Jewish ghetto where Mayer is doing well but doesn't want the tax collectors to know . On his deathbed , he instructs his sons to establish banking houses throughout Europe as so much money is stolen when it is being carried by messengers . The plot then focuses on Nathan and goes into the rampant anti-Semitism which forces Nathan out of an important loan . It also shows his brilliance for business as he fights Count Ledrantz ( Boris Karloff ) who spreads propaganda and incites pogroms . The climax of the film takes place when it appears Napoleon is winning and Nathan starts buying up everything on the stock market , which is bottoming out , in order to keep the deal he made for the war effort . Though not much is made of it , the Rothschilds had informants everywhere , which enabled them to get information before anyone else . He is able to announce before it is made public that Napoleon has been defeated at Waterloo . " House of Rothschild " stars one of the great actors , George Arliss . Other actors from the stage entering films often used tremulous voices and melodramatic gestures but Arliss had a tremendous speaking voice and a grand acting style that made a powerful impression on the screen and infused the characters he played with a believability as well . A blond , beautiful Loretta Young is on hand as his daughter , who is in love with a Gentile named Fitzroy ( Robert Young ) - and though one would expect the love story to be fiction , it isn't . This film has an interesting history of its own : Excerpts from it , taken out of context , were used in the anti-semitic Nazi films Der ewige Jude and Die Rothschilds . Despite persecution , the Rothschilds remain an extremely powerful family in the present - the original name of the family was Bauer ; Rothschild is actually German for " red shield , " which is in the center of the family coat of arms . Today , they're in a variety of occupations besides banking - actress Helena Bonham Carter is a Rothschild due to a marriage on her mother's side .
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494,933 | 342,623 | 36,260 | 7 |
ooh baby , that's some noir you've got there
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Robert Siodmak does a fabulous job with this B noir starring Ella Raines , Franchot Tone , and Alan Curtis . And he does it , I might add , without a lot of help from his male actors , i . e . , Curtis and Tone . It's Raines all the way , a pretty , leggy actress who for one reason or another never reached the status of some of her " noir " counterparts . Siodmak's use of sex , light , shadows , and music is truly remarkable as he tackles this genre . The shadows , lighting effects , and camera angles are all effective . But the highlight of the film takes place in a nightclub with a very sexual drum riff by Elisha Cook , egged on by an excited Raines . It's this scene that brings " Phantom Lady " into new territory . Siodmak's commitment to the material is matched only by Raines , who gives a sincere performance as a woman in love trying to save her man . Franchot Tone phoned this one in . Alan Curtis didn't seem upset that he might die and didn't seem happy that he lived . And he never , except for a brief moment in prison , seemed to be in love with Raines . The amusing thing about many of these films is that , as World War II progressed , interest in psychiatry deepened . But often the terms were used incorrectly in films such as " Possessed , " " Spellbound , " and " The Greatest Show on Earth . " Tone is called paranoid by Thomas Gomez - Tone probably has some paranoia attached to his disorder , but he appears to be closer to a psychopath . In actuality , as evidenced by his headaches , he may have had a brain tumor pushing against his brain . Phantom Lady doesn't have the greatest plot , but it's well worth watching .
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495,104 | 342,623 | 40,087 | 7 |
Drama based on Arthur Miller's play
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All My Sons was on Broadway in 1947 and starred Ed Begley Sr . and Arthur Kennedy . It was a timely play , as stories of wartime corruption had started to surface . Considered anticapitalist , it was suspected of being pro-Communist , so the film version is somewhat modified from the play . It stars Edward G . Robinson , Burt Lancaster , Mady Christians , Howard Duff , Louisa Horton , and Arlene Francis . Edward G . Robinson plays Joe , a man who worked hard to build his factory along with his partner , Herbert Deever . During the war , Deever was put on trial and found guilty of shipping cylinders from the factory that he knew were defective , which , when put into planes , caused the deaths of many war pilots . Though Deever claimed that Joe knew about the shipment , he wasn't believed - Joe was home sick at the time the cylinders were sent . Though the cloud remained over Joe , his business stayed highly successful , and he enjoyed a good place in the community . His son , Chris , however , comes home and announces that he wants to marry Deever's daughter Ann - who had been engaged to Chris ' brother Larry , lost during the war and presumed dead . This fact has never been accepted by Chris and Larry's mother ( Christians ) , and Joe is anxious that Chris put aside his idea of marrying Ann . Then Ann's attorney brother calls her from the prison where their father is incarcerated . He believes Joe is guilty and wants to reopen the case . This is a very well acted film that suffers from the miscasting of Edward G . Robinson . Robinson was a magnificent actor but is so obviously guilty , one wonders how he escaped prosecution , especially when one sees the sincerity of Herbert Deever when Chris visits him in prison . The Broadway star , Ed Begley Sr . , had a friendly face and a good deal of warmth ; Robinson is scrappy , defensive , plus he looks like a thug . It was more of a Spencer Tracy role - it called for a more lovable man that you want to believe , doubts to the contrary . Mady Christians , who was blacklisted , is very sympathetic as Joe's wife . Burt Lancaster insisted on this role ; early on , he saw a career as a hunk beginning to take form and fought it . This led to interesting parts for him later on , and he made a great transition to character actor later in life . One can certainly understand the temptation to cast him as a hunk , with his broad shoulders and great build . Lancaster was the whole matinée idol package , right down to his full lips . Apparently the actor knew how handsome he was and was very competitive with other stars of that era , such as Tony Curtis , and like Curtis , he wanted more than romantic leads . Despite its flaws , All My Sons is a strong drama about a son breaking away from his father , the strength of denial , the importance of penance for one's acts and of moving on . A Chinese woman who saw " The Crucible " was certain that Arthur Miller had been in prison in China , so universal was the language of that play . That was Miller's gift , the ability to tell a deeply human story that , politics and social change aside , can still resonate today .
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495,007 | 342,623 | 36,277 | 7 |
Another Princess and a commoner , with some propaganda thrown in
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It is , after all , 1943 , so you've got to expect a little propaganda from a film , even if it is a comedy called " Princess O'Rourke , " starring Olivia de Havilland , Robert Cummings , Jack Carson , and Jane Wyman . DeHavilland is a princess visiting in New York , en route by plane to San Francisco to escape from boredom . Before she leaves , she gets a sleeping pill from her uncle's secretary ( Gladys Cooper ) but when it doesn't work immediately , she gets another one from the flight attendant , one from the copilot ( Jack Carson ) , and finally , two from the pilot , Eddie ( Robert Cummings ) . Then she can sleep . Unfortunately , the plane has to turn around and return to New York and the princess can't be awakened . Eddie takes her to his place to sleep it off - all very chaste , of course - and the two fall in love . Olivia de Havilland is very beautiful and was one of the best actresses in Hollywood . Alas , she didn't always get a chance to show it . But she is certainly lovely as a young woman torn between loyalty and love . Her sleeping pill scene and the scene where her uncle discusses a possible American suitor with her are wonderful and demonstrate her impeccable timing . Jack Carson and Jane Wyman are delightful as Eddie's friends , and Cummings gives an energetic performance as Eddie . In the film Eddie's birth date is given as 1914 ; Cummings was actually born in 1908 and was around 33 when the movie was made ( though released in 1943 , the film was made over a year earlier ) . He retained his youthful appearance well past the 1950s , during which time he played a swinging bachelor in his television series . Charles Coburn provides excellent support , and Gladys Cooper is totally wasted in a role that she must have been assigned for some contractual reason . " Princess O'Rourke " enters the realm of whimsy when the President and his " little dog Fala , " as Roosevelt referred to his buddy , take a hand in the romance . The dog playing Fala is excellent ! One interesting bit of trivia : It's rare to see a film released 63 years ago in which two of the stars are still alive ( in fact , it's rare to see a film released 63 years ago in which even one star is alive ) , but at this writing , both de Havilland and Wyman are still with us . So is " Princess O'Rourke . " It's light and enjoyable .
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493,966 | 342,623 | 64,211 | 7 |
Drama of the supernatural
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Scientist Ray Milland believes he's seeing and speaking to his late young daughter in " Daughter of the Mind , " also starring Gene Tierney and Don Murray . I suspect this was a pilot for a series on psychic phenomenon that was to star Murray ; hence the " guest starring " credits for Tierney and Milland . This is an intriguing drama . Milland is a scientist involved in sensitive government work , and our side is convinced that the messages he's getting from his daughter to quit what he's doing - bringing into play the possibility of defection - are a conjurer's trick by the other side . George MacCready , who plays Murray's boss , asks him to investigate . There are some sticking points for Murray . He sees the girl's image , he hears her voice - and then , during a séance , a wax replica of her hand appears in water , with verifiable fingerprints yet ! If these things aren't true , how are they being accomplished ? John Carradine , who plays an expert in the field of séances and mediums , advises him , " You're going about it the wrong way . Don't ask if it was a trick . Ask yourself , if you were going to do it , how would you ? " Gene Tierney plays Milland's wife . 1969 was the last year she worked with the exception of one appearance in 1980 . Though not Laura any longer , the blue eyes are still beautiful and vibrant , her smile is still lovely , and though illness has taken its toll , she is still beautiful . Ray Milland is fine as the devastated father though his bad hairpiece is distracting . He lost his hair after a permanent he received for " Reap the Wild Wind , " and eventually embraced baldness . Pamelyn Ferdin , a popular child actress of the day , plays the daughter . All in all , a very interesting story .
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494,129 | 342,623 | 74,884 | 7 |
A ' 70s Mother Theresa is accused of murder
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This was , I guess , a pilot for a series called " McNaughton's Daughter " that didn't make it . Susan Clark plays an assistant district attorney who is , as the title suggests , the daughter of a prominent ( defense ) lawyer . She is assigned the case of a Mother Theresa type who raises money for the poor in Africa , and in fact , has adopted a child from there , Aprile . However , this sainted woman is now accused of murdering someone in her organization . Clark does not believe a jury will convict . The plot centers around two strong women , Clark and the icon , well played by Vera Miles . Clark is attempting to live her own life , which draws some disapproval : she has a live-in boyfriend , Bohemian friends , and she's on the side of the prosecution . Miles may be a saint , or she may be a fraud and a murderer . It's an interesting story , with nice appearances by Ralph Bellamy , Ricardo Montalban , and Louise Latham . There were many such shows bouncing around in the ' 70s ; I suppose that's why this one didn't take off . But Clark is an excellent actress and this pilot certainly had the benefit of a good script and a strong cast .
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494,607 | 342,623 | 48,640 | 7 |
Rhett in China
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Even toward the end of his marvelous career , Clark Gable's screen persona of the charming , irresistible bounder was untarnished . Unhappy with the roles MGM was giving him , he did not renew his contract . " Soldier of Fortune , " which Gable subsequently did for 20th Century Fox , is a big budget , good-looking movie with big stars , none of which can hide the fact that it's a routine story that John Hodiak could have done in black and white in 1950 and probably did . Susan Hayward plays a woman who arrives in Hong Kong to look for her photographer husband ( Gene Barry ) who has slipped into China illegally . She runs into of a bunch of sleazy characters and finally meets Henry Lee ( Gable ) , a soldier of fortune with money and contacts . He's an older version of Rhett Butler - out for himself but capable of goodness as well . He falls hard for Hayward and becomes more determined than ever to find her husband so he doesn't have to compete with a ghost . With two such attractive stars , it's obvious what's going to happen . The stars and the supporting cast - Michael Rennie , Tom Tully , Anna Sten et al - are all very good . It's a beautifully photographed film that undoubtedly looked great on the big screen with its Technicolor panoramas of Hong Kong , but alas , it's not very exciting . Gable looks fantastic and immaculate in his white suit , his smile as dimpled and his voice as gruff as ever , and Hayward , not the warmest actress who ever lived , is excellent as a concerned and confused woman . They work very well together . It's hard to say the movie is not worth seeing because as excellent as some of our actors are today , there are no Gables . There was only one - and checking him out is always worthwhile .
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493,648 | 342,623 | 36,187 | 7 |
neat little programmer
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The Mysterious Doctor is an enjoyable , atmospheric B movie about a unmine-able tin mine in Morgan's Head , England , due to the presence of a headless ghost . It's wartime and the country needs the tin , but no amount of persuading can get the workers back after so many people have been killed by the spirit , which goes back to a local legend in the town . It sure feels and looks British , and the cast includes a young , vibrant Eleanor Parker who fits right in with actors John Loder and others . This is an excellent little wartime gem . Don't miss it when it's on TCM .
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493,912 | 342,623 | 25,164 | 7 |
Fred & Ginger's first starring role as a team
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After their hit dancing of the " Carioca " in " Flying Down the Rio , " RKO gave the teaming of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers a star role in " The Gay Divorcée " in 1934 . With few exceptions , the plots of the Fred-Ginger films were excuses to get to the important part - the dancing - but the story lines were always pleasant and the casting good . " The Gay Divorcée " was based on a Broadway musical ( of which the only number retained is " Night and Day " ) and it appears that a few of its plot devices were adopted in later Astaire-Rogers films as well . One such plot device is that of mistaken identity . In this movie , Astaire ( reprising his Broadway role ) is mistaken for a professional correspondent hired to help Rogers get her divorce . Another device is that at first , Ginger is never interested in Fred - that goes here , too . And there's a stock cast in these films , namely , Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore ( and of course , he's always the butler and always very funny ) . Horton plays Rogers ' attorney whose major problem is Rogers ' aunt ( Alice Brady ) . What can be said about the dancing except that it's glorious ? Fred and Ginger dance to " Night and Day " after Astaire sings it to her . For a supposed non-singer , Astaire could really put over a song - his voice is pleasant and he's so musical - no wonder composers wrote songs for him . Ginger is beautiful and spunky as Mimi , a young woman ducking Fred while she's trying to get a divorce . Betty Grable has a bit that showcases her in the number " Let's K-knock Kneez . " There's also " I'm Looking for a Needle in a Haystack " delightfully sung and danced by Fred . Astaire's dancing is fantastic throughout . It feels as if about half the picture is taken up with the elaborately staged production number , " The Continental . " In later films , of course , the dancing would center more around Fred and Ginger , but it's a great part of the movie and certainly solidified these two as a top box office pairing . For pure enjoyment , there's nothing like watching Astaire & Rogers in these movies .
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494,085 | 342,623 | 40,000 | 7 |
uneven Renoir noir
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Joan Bennett is " The Woman on the Beach " in this off-center 1947 film also starring Robert Ryan and Charles Bickford . Directed by Jean Renoir , it apparently was badly edited by RKO ; thus , it sometimes felt to this viewer as if large sections were omitted . Robert Ryan plays Scott , a Coast Guard officer with post-traumatic stress from the war . Psychologically , he's a little off balance . I suppose saying " Robert Ryan " and " a little off balance " is saying the same thing , given the roles he played , but there we are . He's set to be married to a lovely woman , Eve , ( Nan Leslie ) , and in fact , urges her to marry him even sooner than planned in an early scene . A few minutes later , he's madly in love with Peggy ( Bennett ) , whom he sees collecting driftwood on the beach near an old wreck . Her husband Tod , it turns out , is a great artist , now blind from a fight with his wife . The two of them have a fairly sick relationship , with Tod apparently tempting Peggy with good-looking young guys to see if she'll cheat on him . At one point during dinner with the couple , Scott passes a lighter across to Peggy and Tod head turns as the flame passes him . When Peggy walks Scott out of the house she says , " No , Scott , you're wrong . " So Scott , somewhere in a cut out section , became convinced that Tod can see , tells Peggy , and feels that Tod failed the test . But you have to fill that in because it's not in the movie . It doesn't occur to him , I suppose , that Tod felt the heat of the light . Finally , Scott takes Tod for a walk along the cliffs , determined to find out for once and for all if he can see or not . The film holds one's interest because of the direction , atmosphere , and performances , but things seem to happen very quickly . Eve complains to Scott that he didn't stop by the night before - which she considers a sign that they are drifting apart - and he tells her that he shouldn't be married . In the film it seems like that happens within 24 hours from the time he wants to get married immediately . Fickle . One suspects another cut . This is a film about becoming free of obsession , and though some found the end ambiguous , it did seem clear to me that there was some resolution . The three leads are excellent - Bennett and Bickford play a couple with a strong history that has led to a love / hate " Virginia Woolf " type of relationship along with infidelity on her part ; Ryan , looking quite young here , is handsome , sincere and gullible as a man who , while trying to break free of his demons , walks into a situation that feeds on them rather than resolves them . With a more judicious cutting , " The Woman on the Beach " could have been a really fantastic film , with its psychological underpinnings being far ahead of their time . As it is , it's still worth watching , though if I'd been Renoir , I would have been plenty angry at RKO for what was done to this movie .
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493,637 | 342,623 | 44,829 | 7 |
small comedy remembered for early Audrey Hepburn
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This is a small but enjoyable comedy mostly remembered today for an early Audrey Hepburn appearance at the beginning of the film . Blink and you miss her , but she is beautifully chic . The story concerns the reminisences of a criminal , marvelously played by Alec Guinness , who , after 20 long years escorting gold bullion shipments , finally figures out how to disguise the gold and move it out of England . The man who supplies the means is Stanley Holloway . This is a fun film where the main theme is that the joy is in the ascent and not necessarily making it to the top of the ladder . The word ascent brings the word descent to mind , and there is a dizzying one from the top to the bottom of the Eiffel Tower , as the two chase some schoolgirls who inadvertently got their hands on gold souvenirs . There is also an excellent car chase . You're really pulling for the " bad guys " - although you can't call them that - all the way . It's a charming comedy , not up there with " The Ladykillers " or " Kind Hearts and Coronets , " but still wonderful .
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493,501 | 342,623 | 408,345 | 7 |
Entertaining , derivative , but they're trying
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I give " Firewall " a lot of credit for attempting to make an exciting film about computer fraud . It can't be easy to do something concerning the digital age and computers , with its sedentary activity and focus on monitors , and yet given our lifestyles and the technology age , it has to be addressed in films set in the present . " Firewall " tries and , though the story is old , it partially succeeds . It's the story of a family held hostage - nothing new there - because the crooks need something from dad . Nothing new there either . The family as usual is fairly idyllic - a pretty wife , successful dad , a sweet boy , a teenaged brat daughter going on 40 . The crooks are typical too - there's the ruthless , evil one , the one who's more sympathetic , and the idiot . However , there are some tense moments to be had in " Firewall " and it is in its way good old-fashioned entertainment as security specialist Harrison Ford attempts to outsmart the villains who want him to transfer huge amounts of a bank's money into a special account . The good cast helps : 24's perfect everywoman , Mary Lynn Rajskub , is on hand as Ford's assistant , the excellent Paul Bettany is the nasty kidnapper , and the cast is rounded out by Robert Patrick and Alan Arkin . Two comeback kids are in the cast as well : Robert Forster as Harry and Virginia Madsen as Ford's wife . Imagine - she's 45 , so for a change , the wife was not 20-something or 30-something . Although Forster is completely wasted in his role ( as is Arkin ) , it's great to see him in A pictures again . Thanks , Quentin Tarantino , for rediscovering this fine actor . I'm a huge fan of Harrison Ford's . To me , he's a adventure hero right out of the ' 40s and a classic movie star . But at 63 ( at the time of filming ) he's too old for this kind of thing and looks it . It's time he stepped into roles such as Robert Redford's in " The Clearing . " We get rid of the female stars as romantic leads a lot sooner . Somehow , Hollywood lets actors like Ford , Connery , Eastwood , etc . do these action films until they're ready to drop . Ford has a screen presence that is good in a variety of roles . No reason he can't retire this particular genre . All in all , this is a very good rental .
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493,622 | 342,623 | 196,229 | 7 |
rolling in the aisles
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This is one of those movies you either get the sensibility of or you just don't . I was laughing out loud so that will tell you where I am . Zoolander is an elaborate skit peppered with music videos and it's hysterical . I love the against type casting of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson as supermodels and all the cameos are fun . The premise is very funny , as is the total send-up of the modeling business . This is the kind of frothy , mind candy entertainment that we all need once in a while . Take it on that level and you won't be disappointed . The first part of the movie is the funniest ; it falls apart later on and then just becomes stupid . Recommended if you're feeling silly and the thought of Ben Stiller as a model makes you laugh .
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493,791 | 342,623 | 48,724 | 7 |
Ginger sprung from prison to testify against a mobster
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Ginger Rogers is in a " Tight Spot " in this 1955 film directed by Phil Karlsen and also starring Edward G . Robinson , Brian Keith and Lorne Greene . Rogers plays Sherry Conley , in prison for harboring a fugitive . When the big witness against a mobster ( Greene ) is killed , she's asked to be a witness against him so that he can be deported . She realizes the danger , but stalls in making her decision because she's in a hotel and can order room service and take private showers . Also , one of her guards , Vince ( Keith ) is attractive and there appears to be a chemistry there . After a couple of murder attempts , she wants to go back to prison . " Tight Spot " isn't exactly an " A " movie ; it's more like a - it's filmed in black and white and fits into the noir genre . However , it's based on a play , and it's obvious - the scenes aren't opened up at all , and there's a ton of dialogue . It doesn't appear that Karlsen directed either Rogers or Eve McVeagh very well . Both actresses approach their roles as if they're doing them for stage ; the effect is over the top . Ginger Rogers was a wonderful actress and a very versatile one . Like all female film stars , the roles became a little less interesting after she turned 30 and all but disappeared when she turned 40 . She's 44 here , playing someone younger , and she is very effective if a little overdone in parts . Robinson is great as usual , and a young Keith gives a relaxed performance . Greene was cast as a villain often until he played Pa Cartwright . At the age of 45 when the show started , he was 13 years older than Adam Cartwright ( Pernell Roberts ) . After that , he played fathers , and producers didn't care whose father - Ava Gardner's , for instance , in Earthquake . He was seven years older than Ava . He does a good job here in a fairly one-dimensional role . All in all , okay .
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494,431 | 342,623 | 44,900 | 7 |
Operetta gets the MGM treatment
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This 1952 version of " The Merry Widow " couldn't possibly compare to the 1934 Lubitsch production , but MGM went all out to make a lavish , colorful film starring Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas . To do so , all of the singing , except for one short section , was taken away from Turner . I guess someone thought a soprano voice coming out of her mouth would seem funny to 1952 audiences , which seems a strange decision . Some stars , like Ava Gardner , were dubbed constantly . Lamas did his own singing in a tremulous tenor . Considering the fact that " The Merry Widow " has been a staple of opera companies for years , it really needs some bigger guns . MGM had them but didn't use them . " The Merry Widow " is about Crystal Radek ( Turner ) , a wealthy widow living , in this version , in New York , whose husband was from a small country , Marshkovia . She is lured to Marshovia under false pretenses . The country is broke and Count Danilo ( Lamas ) has been asked to court and marry her so the debts can be paid . Danilo mistakes Crystal's attractive but older friend ( Una Merkel ) for Crystal and is reluctant to pursue her . Crystal finds out why she has been brought to Marshovia and takes off for Paris . Danilo follows her - still not knowing what she looks like - and she follows him to Maxim's and introduces herself as Fifi , a chorus girl . Danilo falls in love with Fifi , but his country has ordered him to marry Crystal . This film was nominated for best art direction and best costumes , and no wonder . " The Merry Widow " is absolutely gorgeous , with the most heavenly costumes and sets . Turner looks fabulous and despite the long gowns , gets to show off her legs . Lamas makes a handsome and charming Danilo . As Billy Crystal would say , he looks mahvelous . The supporting players - Thomas Gomez , Richard Haydn , Maurice Danilo , King Donovan , are all excellent , and if you think you recognize Gwen Verdon among the dancers at Maxim's , you do . The best part of the film is the waltz toward the end of the film , which is stunning . Hitchcock aficionados will recognize " The Merry Widow Waltz " from " Shadow of a Doubt " and get an eerie feeling every time they hear it - which in " The Merry Widow " is more than once . When Dore Schary took over MGM in 1951 , he considered Lana Turner , at the age of 30 , nothing more than an over-the-hill actress . She proved him wrong . Seeing her in " The Merry Widow " is a good indication that Dore Schary needed stronger glasses .
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493,789 | 342,623 | 131,325 | 7 |
A desperate producer makes a film , but the star doesn't know he's the star
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Steve Martin is a producer with what he considers a great script - - " Chubby Rain " - in " Bowfinger , " a 1999 film also starring Eddie Murphy , Heather Graham , Terrence Stamp and Christine Baranski . Martin , who wrote the screenplay , is Bobby Bowfinger , a producer who is convinced that he has a hot sci fi property and wants Kit Ramsey ( Murphy ) , a huge action star , to be his lead . ( The script , by the way , sounds awful . ) He has no way of getting to Kit , but he tries - and fails . Then he decides to make the film starring Kit anyway , except that Kit won't know it . He has a cast that has been on hold for months , and he rounds it out by holding auditions for $25 each ( no checks ) . Here he finds his leading lady ( Graham ) and his - and everybody else in the cast and on the crew's - future girlfriend . His parking attendant friend can steal fancy cars for him , and he has another friend who can steal cameras and sound equipment . And he can get a top crew by going out in a van and picking up illegals trying to cross the border . He's set . Bobby tells his cast that Kit won't meet anyone and doesn't want to see the camera , and then stakes out Kit's house , finds out where he's having lunch , etc . , and has his actors walking up to Kit and saying lines about aliens , screaming at him or chasing his car . Little do they know , Kit is a little paranoid when it comes to extraterrestrials . He's a member of a mind cult , run by Terrence Stamp , who keeps having him repeat that there are no aliens . As the filming continues and Kit is continually approached by aliens , Stamp sends him on an enforced vacation . That's when Bobby hires a Kit lookalike named Jiff ( also Eddie Murphy ) . This is a preposterous story that's done well enough so that you can believe it could work , and it's a great premise . I may be a sap , but I found the end when everyone is watching the final film very touching . There are some hilarious moments and lots of satire from a very funny cast . Very enjoyable .
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494,566 | 342,623 | 44,916 | 7 |
Grant at his screwball best
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Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers go back to their childhoods in " Monkey Business , " about a youth formula mixed up by a monkey . It's a real ' 30s screwball comedy in the hands of three masters - Howard Hawks , Grant , and Rogers , and the concept is a funny one , even if it does get a bit tedious . Marilyn Monroe is delicious in a supporting role as a secretary who can't type . Hugh Marlowe and Charles Coburn are the straight men - Coburn is the head of the company that wants Grant's formula , except that Grant's formula is worthless . When his back was turned , one of his experimental monkeys mixed up the magic concoction and dropped it in the water cooler . After a glass , Grant becomes a college kid again and takes Monroe on a whirl . Then Rogers uses the water to make coffee . . . It's amazing that Grant was still making these movies twenty years after he started , but he's as agile as ever . This is a fun watch and of great interest because of Monroe .
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494,374 | 342,623 | 426,390 | 7 |
The more personal side of a great mogul
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Ironically , " Biography : Darryl F . Zanuck : 20th Century Filmmaker " tells us more about the man than the mogul . Many details of his unusual career are left out due to time constraints , and more emphasis is put on his role as a husband , father , his work during World War II , and his love affairs . Most notable of the affairs was his liaison with Bella Darvi , a discovery of not only Zanuck's , but Mrs . Zanuck's . The couple took the young woman ( who bears a strong resemblance to Tyrone Power's second wife , Linda Christian ) under their wing , put her up in their home , and encouraged her to become an actress . She was like a sister to Mrs . Zanuck but to Mr . Zanuck , she was no daughter . When Virginia found out , she kicked both of them out of the house . Nineteen years later , when an old and sick Zanuck wanted to return home , Virginia was there waiting . The documentary spends time on Zanuck's chaotic childhood and early escapades and his ending up in Hollywood writing for Rin Tin-Tin . While he was still in his twenties , he became a Hollywood mogul and went on to produce films such as " The Grapes of Wrath , " " Gentlemens Agreement , " " Pinky , " and " The Robe " before resigning and going to Europe . He returned to take over the company again during the " Cleopatra " debacle to keep the studio from closing its doors . I could have used a little more of his work at 20th Century Fox - but you can only do so much in 40-odd minutes . Certainly this episode of " Biography " tells us more than we ever knew about Zanuck , the man .
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494,940 | 342,623 | 25,101 | 7 |
fluffy fun
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Fashions of 1934 is an amusing light comedy starring William Powell and Bette Davis . Davis looks much more sophisticated than she did in " The Man Who Played God . " She's very glamorous and also very good in a film that's mainly fueled by Powell's performance as a con man . The Powell character goes from con to con , sometimes a con within a con - he can't resist . One of his schemes is to copy fashion sketches from Paris and pass them off as originals . Another is to sell a surplus of ostrich plumes by featuring them in a musical revue . This gives rise to a great musical number , " Spin a Little Web of Dreams . " It's a Busby Berkeley kaleidoscope production . The audience at the musical revue , however , didn't see it as moviegoers did - from above . This is a fun movie and notable for the actual fashions shown , a good performance by Powell , a spectacular number and early Davis before she established her screen persona .
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493,794 | 342,623 | 39,938 | 7 |
Good film if you like ballet and Margaret O'Brien
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The Unfinished Dance is a color MGM film made in 1947 that depends on the star power and dancing ability of little Margaret O'Brien . Here she plays Meg , a nine-year-old ballet student enamored of the gorgeous prima ballerina , played by Cyd Charisse in a very early role . When the company brings in " La Darina " ( Karin Booth ) to do some performances , O'Brien is determined that she not succeed . In order for the dancer to be humiliated , she plans , with the help of a friend ( Elinor Donahue ) , to douse the lights during her ballet . It all plays out , except that a trap door opens by mistake , and La Darina's career is over . When La Darina turns to teaching and takes a big interest in Meg's dancing , Meg's guilt becomes unbearable . The ballet segments are beautiful , and while the intensity of O'Brien's performance may not be for everyone , she is excellent . I confess that she's always been a favorite of mine . Danny Thomas , in a role written for Danny Kaye , makes his debut in this film . It's a somewhat saccharine role , but he appoints himself well . Charisse is good as a shallow , ambitious dancer who really isn't worthy of Meg's adoration , and Karin Booth is lovely as La Darina , and she's absolutely stunning to boot . Not to everyone's taste , but a nice niche film from MGM .
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495,116 | 342,623 | 90,156 | 7 |
I have to say I didn't mind it .
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I'll take my Ustinov as Poirot however I can get him . I happen to like Thirteen at Dinner . It's one of the smaller films as it was made for TV . You certainly can't compare it to the lavish " Murder on the Orient Express . " And I frankly like it better than " Murder in Three Acts . " I always love Ustinov as Poirot . One of the other comments said these characters are never how you picture them after reading the books . Interesting and true . The very popular Miss Marple of Margaret Rutherford had nothing to do with Miss Marple as she was written , and Ustinov has nothing to do with Poirot as written . I think David Suchet was perfect as Poirot as Christie wrote him , and I loved seeing him as Inspector Japp in this , but for a fun time , call 1-800-Ustinov ! Because this is based on a Christie mystery , however poor the production values or the cast , the basic story is always interesting , as this was . Faye Dunaway is absolutely gorgeous in this movie in both her roles . And it did have a British flavor ( which " Murder in Three Acts " absolutely did not . ) I really don't understand giving this 1 star . Surely we've all seen worse .
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495,135 | 342,623 | 71,610 | 7 |
Lovely and MAJOR lethal
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Very entertaining film from the ' 70s , produced by Aaron Spelling and written by Yvette Mimieux , who stars in it , looks gorgeous ( it is , after all , Aaron Spelling ) , and surrounds herself with men , particularly Dack Rambo . Mimieux plays a woman in a man's job - she's a hit woman . Though very successful knocking people off , she gets tired of it and , in love with Rambo , wants to retire from the business and live with him in Mexico . Her costars , besides Rambo , are Clu Gulager , Joseph Campanella , Keenan Wynn - basically all men . There's one very fun scene at the airport when Mimieux , attempting to disguise herself , offers a woman ( Mitzi Hoag ) outrageous money for her coat . I'd have handed it over too . Obviously a very brainy woman in real life , Mimieux does this cold , impersonal kind of role very well , and she's a real knockout in this ( as usual ) . The film contains a very neat twist as well . Highly recommended .
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494,550 | 342,623 | 49,038 | 7 |
Wonderful role for Monroe
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Marilyn Monroe , Don Murray , Arthur O'Connell and Betty Field are all at the " Bus Stop , " a 1956 film based on the play by William Inge and directed by Josh Logan . Murray plays a young , ill-mannered , uninhibited cowboy who's never been off the ranch , who comes to town to appear in a rodeo . When he sees Cherie ( Monroe ) performing at a club , he decides then and there to marry her - and he's so determined , he kidnaps her to get her to return to Montana with him . They're snowed in , however , and have to stop for the night at a restaurant on the route , run by Betty Field . Logan seems to have directed this like a play , and Murray's performance through most of the film is very stagy - big and loud . Bo's character was written for the stage ; I'm not certain in any hands it would have translated with ease to film . Today it seems overdone . Marilyn Monroe is fantastic as Cherie , a role done on Broadway by Kim Stanley . She uses a very broad accent - but what she lacks in technique she makes up in charm , beauty and warmth . She creates a wonderful , vulnerable character here that the audience cares about . The other standout is Betty Field , who does an excellent job as the owner of the restaurant who has a little flirtation going with the bus driver . Hope Lange has a small part as a waitress ; I assume this is where she met her husband , Don Murray . Arthur O'Connell is terrific as Bo's friend who tries to keep him in line . A really good film with a strong cast and a very iconic role for Monroe .
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493,743 | 342,623 | 44,725 | 7 |
Peter Lawford as a jewel thief in Victorian England
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The theft of an emerald coincides with a policeman's murder by a serial killer in " The Hour of 13 , " starring Peter Lawford , Dawn Addams , Roland Culver , and Derek Bond . Lawford stars as Nicholas Revel , an attractive young man in league with a ring of thieves that steals jewels and then gives them back to the insurance company and collects the reward . Unfortunately , " The Terror , " a murderer who targets the bobbies of London , has just struck his latest victim on the property Revel is inside robbing . The police assume the murderer also stole the emerald . Revel needs to solve the case , or help the police solve it , so that the stone can be delivered without anyone being arrested . Scotland Yard becomes suspicious . Peter Lawford is plenty dreamy-looking in this film and his speaking voice is devastating . What a shame he was content to drink , hang with Frank , and play " Password . " He was really something . " The Hour of 13 " is entertaining , though no great shakes . Its atmosphere is studio-manufactured and loaded with dry ice for fog effects . If you like the urbane , Raffles type of thief , you'll enjoy this .
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493,742 | 342,623 | 25,586 | 7 |
Davis ' breakout role
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Today actresses happily gain weight , dye their hair , dress like slobs , and lose their glamor for a role , and Bette Davis was probably the actress who started the trend . Even as a pretty young woman who occasionally wore designer clothes and Constance Bennett-type makeup in films , Davis was willing to ravage herself in order to create a character on the outside as well as the inside . Her determination is amply demonstrated here in her breakout film , " Of Human Bondage , " in which she stars with Leslie Howard as Philip Carey . Davis plays Mildred , a slutty , manipulative , greedy low-life to Howard's masochistic , club-footed Philip . He first meets her when she's a waitress , and she allows him to take her out to dinner and theater while she frolics with a wealthy older man ( Alan Hale Sr . ) . In truth , Mildred is repulsed by Philip's club foot . On his part , Philip seems to enjoy the abuse of her open flirtation and her coolness toward him . He allows Mildred to bleed him dry financially in between boyfriends who drop her when they tire of her , while he blows off a couple of truly lovely women ( Kay Johnson and Frances Dee ) . When he gets the gumption to throw her out , Mildred trashes his apartment and robs him , forcing him to withdraw from medical school and lose his lodgings . " Of Human Bondage " looks rather stilted today in parts . Though Leslie Howard was a wonderful actor and attractive , his acting style is of a more formal old school , and as a result , he tends to date whatever he's in . He shines in material like his role opposite Davis in " It's Love I'm After " or " The Petrified Forest " which call for his kind of technique . His dated acting is even more obvious here because Davis was forging new ground with a gritty , edgy performance that would really make her name . If she seems at times over the top , she came from the stage , and the subtleties of film acting would emerge later for her . Contrast this performance with the restraint , warmth and gentleness of her Henriette in " All This , and Heaven Too " or the pathos she brought to " Dark Victory . " She was a true actress and a true artist . Davis really allows herself to look like holy hell ; Mildred's deterioration is absolutely pathetic as Philip seems to gain strength as her spirit fades . An excellent film in which to see the burgeoning of one of film's greatest stars .
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494,148 | 342,623 | 40,446 | 7 |
Good cast elevates story
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Clark Gable , Lana Turner , Anne Baxter , John Hodiak , and Gladys Cooper star in " Homecoming , " a 1948 film about wartime and its aftermath . Gable plays a surgeon , Lee , who falls for a nurse ( Turner ) with whom he puts together the wounded , endures a life with only the barest of necessities , sits in shelters , and dodges . Back home , his devoted wife ( Baxter ) realizes by reading his letters that she's losing him . World War II has been romanticized often in films and in music - somehow , it is perceived by people who lived through Vietnam , Desert Storm , and our current conflicts as being somehow a cleaner war . But no war is clean , and there were some homecomings that were difficult as well . This was touched upon in " The Best Years of Our Lives , " and very well here . The story is brought to life by its players . The role of Snapshot the nurse is a different one for the glamorous and beautiful Turner than what she was normally handed - the curse of the beautiful in Hollywood . She was capable of much more , and she gives a strong performance as an outspoken soldier who finally lets her vulnerability show . The stalwart Gable gives us a man who realizes the detached attitude he had toward his patients at home will no longer work , and he has to rethink himself and his life . Baxter is the " one left out , " who can't experience the war , and she gives an excellent portrayal of a woman who loves her husband but doesn't know what to expect from him when he comes home . " I know he's changed , " she laments , " but why couldn't we have changed together ? " Her real-life husband , John Hodiak , looks quite handsome but doesn't have much to do as a family friend - his brief brush with stardom was a few years away . A very nice movie that shows that homecoming can be uncomfortable and bittersweet .
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494,902 | 342,623 | 67,451 | 7 |
Rosalind Russell takes on Emily Pollifax
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In her final theatrical film ( there would be a TV movie in 1972 ) , Rosalind Russell plays novelist Dorothy Gilman's Mrs . Pollifax in " Mrs . Pollifax , Spy . " This 1971 film also stars Darren McGavin , Nehemiah Piersoff , Albert Paulson , Harold Gould , John Beck and Dana Elcar . The script is written by Russell under a pseudonym . Mrs . Pollifax is an elderly woman who after being widowed volunteers to be a spy for the CIA . Since she looks so un-spylike , one of the people at the CIA ( Elcar ) decides to try her out on a mission . She is to go to Mexico , head for a bookstore , watch for The Tale of Two Cities in the window , enter the bookstore when she sees the book has been placed in the window , exchange some code sentences with the owner , get the book and leave . Except it doesn't go that way . Before Mrs . Pollifax knows what hit her , she's en route to an Albanian fortress with a man , John Sebastian Farrell ( McGavin ) . They share a cell . Mrs . Pollifax goes to work plotting their escape as Farrell recovers from a bullet wound . The Mrs . Pollifax books make for light , fun reading , and this pleasant story is along the same benign lines . Some of the elements of the books are disregarded - for instance , Mrs . Pollifax's children never were told she was a spy as they are here . Rosalind Russell does an excellent job , and she looks wonderful , particularly when one remembers how blown up the poor woman was from steroids due to her rheumatoid arthritis later on . She was such a striking woman with a strong presence in the films she made over her career . Darren McGavin isn't Gilman's Farrell , but his dry humor is effective just the same - another actor who , like Russell , is sorely missed . This movie doesn't move very quickly ; in fact , it's slow in parts , but there are some good scenes , particularly the Christmas party that Mrs . Pollifax talks her jailers into throwing . You can really admire her charm and cleverness . " Mrs . Pollifax , Spy " is one of those comfortable movies where one sees a lot of familiar faces and an okay story . You'll see worse , you'll see better - but seeing Russell and McGavin more than makes up for the script's shortcomings .
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493,857 | 342,623 | 125,022 | 7 |
Mother and daughter swindlers
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Signorney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt , that fat girl in a bikini , are " Heartbreakers " in this 2001 film also starring Ray Liotta , Gene Hackman , Jason Lee , Anne Bancroft and Nora Dunn . Of course I've seen Jennifer Love Hewitt many times since 2001 , and every time I've seen her , she's been a stick , so I still don't get all the hoopla about how she looks in a swimsuit . She has always been a spectacular looking young woman . That's not really beside the point - this is a film about mother and daughter con artists who make their money in a variety of ways , all illegal . Mom Max ( Weaver ) marries ' em , daughter Page ( Hewitt ) seduces ' em , mom catches ' em and gets a huge divorce settlement without ever having sex with a husband - she claims her religion dictates she wait until the wedding night , and then on the wedding night , she unceremoniously falls asleep after getting the guy raring to go . So raring that when he sees the daughter's boobs and legs that go up to her neck , he's ready to pounce . But there are other cons . There's the fall on the wet hotel floor which gets them a free suite ; the glass in the salad that gets them a free meal , and out and out stealing . In one scene , while a man is filling the gas tank , Page ( Hewitt ) takes his credit card , inserts it at her tank on the other side , and replaces it on his side , filling her tank on his money . These women are pros . After the two con mobster Liotta , Page announces she wants to go out on her own . Then , believing that the IRS has wiped them out and wants more money , she agrees to stay with her mother for one last con - and it has to be a huge one . Heading for Palm Beach , they have to decide on two men - one decrepit billionaire ( Gene Hackman ) and a young bachelor Jack Winthrowe ( Lee ) . After Max wins a bet , the target becomes chain-smoking , constantly coughing Tensy ( Hackman ) . Unbeknownst to mom at first , Page goes after Jack . Then the unexpected happens . This is a very funny movie with some great scenes , one of the best being when Max , posing as a Russian , is forced to get up on stage and sing in Russian . Weaver is simply great in this role , not to mention outrageously beautiful and sexy . I asked my mother how old she thought Weaver was , and she answered " Thirty . " I said , " Mom , she's exactly my age . She used to have the voice lesson after mine in New York . " She was tall and beautiful then ; she was tall and beautiful in 2001 , and she's tall and beautiful now . Hewitt is both sexy and trashy , playing the role of a young woman tough on the outside and a marshmallow on the inside very well . Very enjoyable and entertaining , with some excellent performances .
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493,802 | 342,623 | 408,236 | 7 |
Attend the tale
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Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street , directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter , is based on the Stephen Sondheim musical from the 1970s . I remember sitting stage right , down front , in the theater when I saw this musical with Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou and being completely , utterly blown away . As a stage show , it was jaw-dropping , with some of Sondheim's most beautiful music : " Johanna " is perhaps my favorite of all Sondheim's songs , but the score also includes the beautiful " Not While I'm Around " and " Pretty Women . " Seeing the film is a different experience from seeing the musical . Burton does a marvelous job here , blending the macabre grand guignol with the cartoonish and also with reality , overall giving the movie a really murky atmosphere . " By the Sea " was , for me , pure Burton . Depp , Carter , Rickman , Ed Sanders , Jamie Bower , etc . , are all excellent , Sacha Baron Cohen does a great turn as Pirelli . Sweeney can be a great singer , as he usually is on stage , but he really doesn't have to be , and Depp and Carter match well . The singers need to be Joanna , Anthony , the judge , and Toby if at all possible . They all sing very well in the film , and the orchestrations are fantastic , " Johanna " and " Pretty Women " being the highlights . The " gore " looked fake so it wouldn't be too off-putting ; it off-put me anyway . More than that , the entire story is sickening - somehow the distance between the audience and the stage makes it more palatable . I literally gagged a few times . I would have been better off just listening to the soundtrack . In the end - not my thing , but this extravagant musical may surely be yours .
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493,861 | 342,623 | 192,013 | 7 |
nice holiday movie
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A Fare to Remember is a totally derivative , almost ridiculous movie , but has a warmth about it that makes it a very effective and upbeat holiday movie . It stars a pretty newcomer , Challen Kates , as a high-powered ad executive who , right before her wedding , has to rush from L . A . to Seattle to keep a client who has rejected every other presentation . She has transportation difficulties from the beginning and seemingly no money . This is the first dumb thing - were there no ATMs anywhere ? She must make a fortune . At any rate , she meets a cab driver ( Warner ) who looks like a homeless man , and he drives her to her presentation and when she emerges with a huge box of beef jerky ( the client's product ) , he's there to take her to the airport . All flights are canceled , so in order to get to L . A . for her wedding , she hires him to take her there . Along the way , they bond and learn from each other . It's a very sweet movie though there is absolutely nothing new in it - it combines " Six Days and Seven Nights " and a few other films . But the chemistry between the stars is good , they're likable , and the acting is good . Look for Jerry Springer as the head of the beef jerky company and a cameo by Karl Malden . This is a nice film to take in over the holiday season . It's on Lifetime .
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494,411 | 342,623 | 36,094 | 7 |
Take It Off the E-String
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That body - those legs - yes , it's Barbara Stanwyck , who is sensational in " Lady of Burlesque , " a 1943 film based on Gypsy Rose Lee's novel " The G String Murders . " The murder mystery aspect of this film ( which is pretty lame ) is just an excuse to give the audience a taste of life in a burlesque house - the crummy dressing rooms , the fights , the raids , the dumb on-stage humor , and underneath it all , a camaraderie and a closeness . The performances are all very chaste thanks to the censors . Stanwyck performs " Take It Off the E-String ( Play It On the G-String ) " and she's fantastic . It sounded like she was dubbed in the big parts of the song , but the lower register sounds a lot like her . Stanwyck is Dixie Daisy , a newcomer to this burlesque house who's making a big splash with the customers and with one of the comics ( Michael O'Shea ) . When one of the girls is murdered , and then another ( strangled with a G string ) , it begins to look as if someone is trying to close the old opera house where the show plays . Stanwyck is backed up by a lot of pros , including Iris Adrian , O'Shea , J . Edward Bromberg , and Pinky Lee . They're pros but she's a star - and it's her film from beginning to end . Somehow Stanwyck made it all look easy , slipping as easily into this role as she did into all the parts she played throughout her career . And it looks like she did her own dancing too . " Lady of Burlesque " is a lot of fun , and Stanwyck - sexy , tough , and warm - is spectacular .
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493,920 | 342,623 | 1,245,733 | 7 |
The Ted Binion Case
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Mena Suvari plays Sandy Murphy , a former stripper mixed up in " Sex and Lies in Sin City , " a 2008 TV movie also starring Matthew Modine as Ted Binion and Johnathon Schaech as Rick Tabish , Marcia Gay Harden as Binion's sister Becky and Peter Haskell as Ian Miller . The film is based on the true story of the death of Vegas casino owner Ted Binion and the subsequent arrest of his girlfriend Sandy and her boyfriend , Rick Tabish . The producers wanted to stick closely to the facts of the case , and they probably did . However , they left out one of the most interesting parts of the case . When Sandy was brought in for trial , she was sitting across , not next to , Rick Tabish , and she gave him a devastating smile that left no doubt as to their relationship . It was picked up by the cameras in the courtroom - it's a shame that moment was left out of this movie . Ted Binion was a drug addict who smoked heroin and took Xanax , among other things , but he was filthy rich . He meets Murphy in a strip club , and the two become involved . At one point , he has Tabish , a contractor , dig a concrete vault in the desert , where he hid silver bullion amounting to something like $7 million . Eventually Sandy and Tabish become lovers . Tabish was caught taking it out of the vault after Binion died , and his rare silver coins disappeared from his safe . The question is , did Binion die of an overdose or was he helped along by Sandy and Tabish ? If you're not familiar with the case , I won't give it away . From the beginning of the film , it's played somewhat ambiguously so that the viewer isn't sure . The acting is strong , particularly from Modine and Hardin . Hardin is very Mercedes McCambridge in this playing a tough-talking , strong woman who is sure Murphy is guilty . Modine as the drug-addicted , paranoid and sometimes violent Binion does an excellent job . Suvari bears a resemblance to the real-life Murphy , though she's younger and fresher . She's good , but not great . The handsome Johnathon Schaech gives her steady support . In real life , with the exception of Murphy , none of the characters were as good-looking as the people who portrayed them . Ian Miller , an wealthy old man who takes an interest in helping Sandy , is played by Peter Haskell . He has always been a favorite actor of mine . He looked very old in this movie , but it's always great to see him .
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494,090 | 342,623 | 44,789 | 7 |
A neat B noir
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John Payne stars in " Kansas City Confidential , " a 1952 noir also starring Preston Foster , Colleen Gray , Jack Elam , Neville Brand and Lee Van Cleef . Payne is Joe Rolfe , a WW II vet who delivers flowers for a living . He finds himself accused of a spectacular robbery of $1 . 2 million because the thieves used a truck like his as their escape vehicle . With the help of a buddy , he finds out that a criminal has split town suddenly for Mexico , and he goes there to locate the man and hopefully clear his own name . What he doesn't realize is that there were four thieves , and all of them wore masks to shield their identities from one another . When the man he's tracking is killed , Joe assumes his identity and goes to the place where the other thieves are supposed to await further instructions from their boss . Phil Karlson directed this good noir , which has an excellent cast that includes a favorite actress of mine , the lovely Coleen Gray as an ex-cop's daughter . She shows up at the locale to surprise her dad ( Preston Foster ) , who is actually the mastermind of the heist . Like any actor who worked for 20th Century Fox , John Payne had to be versatile , and he was . Here he plays a rough-around-the-edges war hero who has to survive among thieves by being tougher than they are . The the man known as " The Singing Tyrone Power " at Fox pulls it off . A handsome leading man , here Payne steps into John Garfield territory with ease . Elam , van Cleef and Brand are as mean and low-down as you can get , and the film gets quite violent at times . The print I saw was very grainy ; this wasn't a studio B movie but one made on the cheap , though the film was distributed by UA . However , it stands up very well next to other noirs of that era .
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494,888 | 342,623 | 35,982 | 7 |
Entertaining film with Faye and Payne
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Alice Faye's reign at 20th Century Fox , which overlapped with Betty Grable's , started earlier than Grable's and ended sooner - and on a sour note . Faye actually came with the old Fox Film Corp . when Zanuck founded 20th Century Fox and was at first a Harlow type , eventually developing into the Alice Faye moviegoers came to love . When she was given a dramatic role , in the 1945 " Dark Angel , " the film was re-edited to favor Linda Darnell , and a disgusted Faye left Fox and never returned . Here she's on top in " Hello Frisco , Hello " also starring John Payne , Lynn Bari , Jack Oakie , June Havoc and Laird Cregar , a big , colorful turn of the century musical in the Fox tradition . Alice plays Trudy Evans , the linchpin in a group formed by the ambitious Johnny Cornell . Johnny isn't content with the Barbary Coast - he wants Nob Hill . After opening a series of clubs , he becomes interested in a beautiful widow ( Bari ) who can give him the respectability he wants . When she goes broke , he tries to buy her house . To the heartbreak of Trudy , who's been in love with him all along , the two eventually marry . There's one song after another in this musical , including Faye's beautiful rendition of " You'll Never Know , " which became a smash hit . Faye's voice was so unusual - low , sultry and smooth , and it fits the music here perfectly . She is beautifully photographed and costumed as well . Oakie and Havoc provide comic support , and Bari is excellent as the woman who wins Johnny away from Trudy . The big problem with the film is the character of Johnny ( Payne ) , who is a real louse and a user to boot as he strings Trudy along . Personally , I would have let him stew in his own juice but this is Hollywood after all . And the plot is so secondary to the wonderful music and stars . Highly entertaining .
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495,002 | 342,623 | 49,130 | 7 |
I can't believe it - I told a lie and it turned out to be the truth !
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George Sanders is the scoundrel in " Death of a Scoundrel , " a 1956 film that , though it appears to be a low-budget , boasts a fine cast : Yvonne DeCarlo , Colleen Gray , Nancy Gates , Victor Jory , and Zsa Zsa Gabor . Supposedly the story is based on the antics and ultimate murder of Serge Rubinstein that hit the news around the time the film was made . The lead role was originally given to George Brent , but the actor became ill and couldn't do the role . Because the party scene had already been filmed , he can be spotted there . In the beginning of the movie , Sanders , who plays Clementi Sabourni , is lying dead . One of his business associates tells his story to the police . It begins in Czechoslovakia when Sabourni , believed to have died in a concentration camp , appears at the shop of his brother ( played by Sanders ' real-life brother , Tom Conway ) . He wants money and his girl - except there's no money and his brother has married his girl . Furious , Sabourni turns his brother over to the Communist police for being involved in black marketeering and selling stolen goods . In return , he gains his passage to America . His brother is killed resisting arrest . When Sabourni arrives in New York , he spots a woman ( DeCarlo ) stealing a wallet . Clementi picks her up and steals the wallet from her . But her husband chases him in an effort to retrieve it , and Clementi is shot . The husband is hit by a truck when Clementi pushes him into the street . While Clementi is being treated for his bullet wound , he learns of the marvels of a new drug , penicillin . Using a check that was in the wallet , he buys stock in the company . Thus his career begins . The film is fascinating , in part because of the deals in which Clementi masterminds , and all of the women he juggles as a result . He becomes involved with a wealthy widow ( Gabor ) while flirting with her aspiring actress secretary ( Gates ) , and trying to convince the wife ( Gray ) of a successful businessman to divorce her husband so that he can get her stock and take over her husband's company . His schemes grow more outrageous until his brother's widow - who is also his ex-girlfriend - appears . Zsa Zsa Gabor ( a recent ex-Mrs . Sanders at the time of filming ) is stunningly beautiful and delightful in her role . Lovely Colleen Gray doesn't have a large part , but she shines when on screen . The exotic DeCarlo brings an earthiness and sarcasm as Bridget Kelly , who , though rough around the edges , is in love with Clementi and loyal to him . Sanders is a marvel - always likable no matter how heinous his character , always smooth , and always watchable . If he's a little too old for Clementi , it doesn't matter . He still makes it work . I don't think this would have been as good a movie with Brent in the lead . A year before his suicide , Sanders appeared in an episode of " Mission : Impossible " and played an elderly con man - magnificently dressed , proud , and elegant . When he is defeated , the character turns into a tired old man in a matter of seconds . That is true acting , and there aren't many that can do it . Sanders could . Don't let the black and white and the low budget fool you . " Death of a Scoundrel " is well worth viewing .
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494,653 | 342,623 | 131,423 | 7 |
What wound up on the cutting room floor
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Joan Collins hosts this entertaining look at cut scenes from 20th Century Fox films , explaining that many of them were cut because of a film running too long . Most of the scenes were musical numbers , which are , of course , the easiest to cut . There was a long acting scene with Walter Brennan from " We're Not Married " which was cut that was quite funny , and a scene in a music store with Betty Grable in " I Wake Up Screaming " that was cut when her profession was changed from music saleswoman to stenographer . People were confused by the original title of the film , " Hot Spot , " and thought they were seeing a musical with Grable . Her singing to sell a song didn't help . The most interesting cut scenes were those of Bill Bojangles Robinson in " Cafe Metropole . " He plays an entertainer at the café . He has two wonderful dance numbers that were probably cut because some audiences weren't ready to accept a black person as anything but a servant . There's also a test from a film that was never made with Joan Collins and Robert Wagner . It looks like it would have been a true horror . Other cut scenes included songs in " Alexander's Ragtime Band , " " Springtime in the Rockies , " and " Rose of Washington Square . " I personally would have preferred more outtakes where you could get a glimpse of the star's personality . A Betty Grable dance number , where she kept having to stop , did give us some idea of her and the work process , but more of that would have been great . Also I would have liked more acting scenes . However , if you're a fan of musicals , you can't beat this .
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495,082 | 342,623 | 29,347 | 7 |
A young girl and an orchestra
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A young girl forms an orchestra to help her out-of-work father in " 100 Men and a Girl , " a 1937 film starring Deanna Durbin , Adolphe Menjou , Leopold Stokowski , Alice Brady , and Mischa Auer . When Patsy Cardwell returns an evening bag her father found , she winds up at a huge society party where she entrances everyone with her singing . Explaining that her father is an unemployed musician , she gets the idea to form her own orchestra and believes the society matron ( Alice Brady ) when she carelessly agrees to sponsor the orchestra . Many complications ensue , especially when the eminent conductor Leopold Stokowski is sought to lead the new orchestra in concert . It was interesting to read the " Wizard of Oz " comparisons on this page , because Deanna Durbin reminds me of Judy Garland in a way - in this era , they both wore their hair the same way , were both teenagers , and both had mature voices , Durbin of course leaning more toward the classical . To say that Durbin is an energetic actress is an understatement . She's completely hyper , and that high speaking voice only adds to the anxiety level . As Patsy , she is very pretty and sings well . Like all sopranos of that era , she backs off of her high notes , but the middle voice is quite beautiful and as she grows into a young woman , it will become even more so . She does a credible job on Mozart's " Alleluia " and " Libiamo " from " La Traviata " despite some pitch problems . Given her age , these are minor criticisms . She has a great deal of poise , too , for someone so young . The rest of the cast is very good , and Stokowski makes a nice contrast against Durbin as his calm , deliberate and very professional self . " 100 Men and a Girl " is about a determined young woman with an outlandish dream who makes it come true . This isn't a fantasy like " Wizard of Oz , " nor is it very realistic , I suppose , but the way it's presented - well , you just believe it could happen .
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493,636 | 342,623 | 86,762 | 7 |
big , lush miniseries
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This is another of those big , lush ' 80s miniseries , better known as trash wallows . What fun they were - expensive , scenic , opulent . Mistral's Daughter is based on a novel by Judith Kranz , concerning three generations of women in the same family involved with a great artist , portrayed by Stacy Keach . Stefanie Powers plays Maggy , the matriarch of the family , who , as a young woman , meets Mistral and becomes involved with him . Later on , her daughter meets him , falls in love with him and bears him a child . Mistral is a real jerk , a Nazi collaborator who turns escaping Jews away at his gates and even turns in a few to get paint supplies . The kind of total narcissist codependents fall in love with . When his illegitimate daughter finds out about this years later , Mistral has to come to grips with his own selfish , self-absorbed life . For a good actor , Stacy Keach isn't very good in this - everyone suffers from rotten accents . Stefanie Powers is always good but playing a 17-year-old when she was over 40 may not have been the best move , although she certainly is very beautiful . All in all , this is a very entertaining miniseries . Just don't take it too seriously and enjoy it for what it is - an ' 80s artifact .
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493,509 | 342,623 | 75,140 | 7 |
Very good European whodunit
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End of the Game , a 1975 film directed by Maximilian Schell , isn't a standard murder mystery . Set in Europe , Martin Ritt is a Swiss police detective trying to capture Robert Shaw . Thirty years earlier , Shaw killed a woman in front of Ritt and was never prosecuted . When Ritt's partner is killed , he gets a new one ( Jon Voight ) . Ritt is excellent as a man determined to carry out this assignment despite facing death himself . Donald Sutherland , in an early role , plays the murdered detective in photos and as a corpse . The beautiful Jacqueline Bisset is the late detective's girlfriend . Robert Shaw is his usual hateful and smooth self . Voight does a good job , playing his role in a somewhat frenzied manner . He's also has a big nude scene . " End of the Game " has a very European feel to it , and a host of accents from all over the place . It's unclear if they were all supposed to be speaking the same language or not . Accents aren't necessary , for instance , if you're a German living in Germany because you're not speaking English with an accent , you're speaking German . I suppose one can assume whatever language the characters were speaking , they had regional accents . Fascinating film , the type of which one saw made more in the ' 70s than today - uneven , remote , but interesting .
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494,574 | 342,623 | 25,464 | 7 |
Two men , one woman : A ' 30s melodrama with a great cast
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Clark Gable and William Powell are boyhood friends who end up on opposite sides of the law in " Manhattan Melodrama , " also starring Myrna Loy . Loy is lovely here , as usual , but she doesn't really have much of a role . The film focuses on Gable and Powell . In the first scenes of the film , we see that they are orphaned and taken in by a man who has lost his son in the same fire that killed the boys ' friends and family . When we see them in present day , Gable is running an illegal gambling joint , leaning on people for money they owe , and dating the Loy character . Powell is in politics . After Loy spends some time with Powell , she decides she'd rather be with him , and eventually they marry , and Powell moves from DA to governor . Gable becomes increasingly ruthless , though the two remain devoted friends . There are some melodramatic sections in the film , particularly the beginning and the courtroom scene which contains a very dramatic speech delivered by Powell . The acting is marvelous . Gable is likable as a slick gangster who takes things in stride . His smile lights up the screen . He really had one of the great screen presences - looks , a great voice , and dripping with charm . But the really interesting performance is given by Powell . He's not the witty , energetic Thin Man in this , but a very committed and serious , dignified person with a lot on his shoulders . He's totally believable , and he and Gable provide great contrast . Powell's scene at the end of the film is very touching . Enjoy the great stars and the story , but don't look for laughs .
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494,416 | 342,623 | 293,508 | 7 |
A sexier " Phantom " that isn't without its problems
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Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-running Broadway show , " The Phantom of the Opera " has been brought to the screen in a sumptuous , lush production . There have been many versions of this tale , dating back to Lon Chaney's scary performance in silent film . In the Claude Rains version , the Phantom seems to have been Christine's father and the victim of a terrible misunderstanding . The reasons for the Phantom's problems always vary , but the bottom line is - this guy is one sandwich short of a picnic due to his face being deformed . He hides away in the sewers of the Paris Opera . In this version , as the " Angel of Music " he has been coaching the beautiful dancer / singer Christine for the day when she will make her opera debut - probably by the Phantom clunking a diva over the head , which is the way it's been done in past films . Minnie Driver is the unfortunate Carlotta , but her life is spared in Webber's Phantom . Driver is hilarious as the temperamental , Italian opera star , and she's perhaps the best thing in the film . You know there's a problem when the Phantom is better looking than Christine's boyfriend , Raoul , which is the case here . Gerard Butler is plenty handsome for a deformed man - he sings in an appropriately rough , desperate manner , and his scenes with Christine are hot . Broadway star Patrick Wilson is a very good Raoul , tender and loving . Emily Rossum is beautiful as Christine . She has a sweet voice , but Webber insists upon these very light , small voices singing Christine ; thus , we lose some of the glorious music - not to mention the words - in the lower registers . Also , it was interesting how her gowns went from demure to Victoria's Secret slutty whenever she wound up with the Phantom . She looked great in everything . The music in Phantom is its best feature , and it's not compromised in this production . For the most part , the score is well sung . The usual problem is that someone with Christine's voice is not an appropriate replacement for a diva with Carlotta's voice - in fact , she's not really appropriate for much opera . It wasn't an issue in this version , as Christine replaces Carlotta singing a simple song , but it usually is . People had a lot of problems with this film , but I didn't see " Phantom " in the theater ; perhaps it played better on television . What I liked the best was the clarification at the end of something that happens in the beginning of the show , which I had always wondered about . This is a popular " Beauty and the Beast " type story which holds a lot of classic appeal . Added to Webber's best score , you really can't beat it . It's about the timelessness and power of love , and there's no argument with a message like that .
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494,577 | 342,623 | 29,284 | 7 |
Funny if flawed comedy starring one of Hollywood's best screen teams
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Cary Grant and Irene Dunne were great together , and though " My Favorite Wife " is not as funny as " The Awful Truth , " it's still pretty good . Ellen , lost at sea and presumed dead , returns after 7 years to find her husband Nick has remarried . She goes to his honeymoon hotel , which is a setup for one of Grant's best bits - he sees her as the elevator is closing and his head follows the door until it closes . However , he can't seem to tell his bride Bianca ( Gail Patrick ) . Then he finds out that Ellen wasn't alone on the island but spent the 7 years with one Stephen Burkett . In another funny scene , Ellen gets a sheepish , short , bald shoe salesman to pose as Burkett . Nick has tracked the real Burkett down , and Stephen looks a lot more like Randolph Scott than the shoe salesman . In fact , he's played by Randolph Scott . Grant is his usual riot and extremely handsome . He spends a lot of time talking to himself as he acts out what he's going to say to Bianca . Also , as in " Bringing Up Baby " and " I Was a Male War Bride , " he gets to do something with women's clothing - this time standing in front a mirror and trying to figure out what to bring Ellen to wear . Dunne is very funny , posing as a southern friend when she meets Bianca , and also is quite touching when she first sees her children . The only problem is that it all gets a little tired , particularly at the end with a prolonged scene having to do with Grant in the attic . As others have pointed out , the script has some holes , particularly the fact that a woman returning after 7 years gets no publicity . And poor Bianca comes off like a villain when she's a victim . Go figure . As amusing as " My Favorite Wife " is , it could have been better . Nevertheless , with these stars , it's a delightful film , and some of the funniest scenes take place in the courtroom . The Judge , played by Granville Bates , is hilarious and a good example of " no small parts . " He sure makes the most of his role .
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493,490 | 342,623 | 40,257 | 7 |
Well done noir
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Richard Conte and Victor Mature play tough adversaries in " Cry of the City , " a 1948 film noir from 20th Century Fox , directed by Robert Siodmak . It also stars Shelley Winters , Debra Paget , Tommy Cook , Hope Emerson , Roland Winters and Barry Kroeger . Set on the streets of New York , the subways , the lower class neighborhoods , the film's atmosphere is perfect , although the story of gangster versus cop is derivative . Conte plays Martin Rome , a completely amoral thug who escapes from the prison hospital where he's recovering from bullet wounds . He manipulates and / or uses everyone he runs into in his quest to get some relief from his injuries , get money to leave town and find his girlfriend . His victims include an equally crooked attorney ( Kroeger ) , a she-man masseuse ( Emerson ) , an old girlfriend ( Winters ) , his mother and his brother . Meanwhile , another kid from the neighborhood , Lt . Candella ( Mature ) tries to find him and at the same time convince Martin's little brother that Martin's choices should not be his . The film is a little slow-moving at times , but Conte and Mature have never been better . There was always something a little dumb about Mature's performances - probably because he didn't take himself too seriously . Just as filming had started on a scene of 1984's " Samson & Delilah , " he announced to the entire cast and crew , " I knew he was gay , " when one of the actors sat next to a known gay actor . The scene had to be started over . Despite Mature's less than committed attitude , Robert Siodmak drew an excellent performance from him , possibly his best . The underrated Conte was always a force to be reckoned with , and this is one of his best roles . There are some stunning shots to be appreciated in " Cry of the City " - my favorite is as Rose Given takes a walk down her long hallway , the shadows that look like prison bars giving way to curtains and Rose's face and body walking into focus . Much to like here , but in the end , it's quite predictable , right down to the ending . But the acting , atmosphere and characters created are a real treat .
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494,065 | 342,623 | 35,966 | 7 |
Engrossing WWII film
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Having been to the beautiful country of Czechoslovakia and met its wonderful people , it's hard not to have an even stronger feeling for the way this country has suffered at the hands of oppressors . In " Hangmen Also Die , " director Fritz Lang captures the indomitable spirit of the Czechs using a true story , the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich , one of Hitler's enforcers in Czechoslovakia . In this story , a young woman , Nasha Novotny ( Anna Lee ) misdirects the police as they search for a man she saw running away , in fact , the freedom fighter , Dr . Svoboda ( Brian Donlevy ) who shot Heydrich . Eventually her entire family is under suspicion because , without knowing it , they actually house the man who showed up on their doorstep later . Until someone in the country gives up the assassin , Hitler has ordered stiff reprisals and many hostages are taken and executions carried out . The head of the Novotny household ( Walter Brennan ) is ultimately taken hostage . In order to save him , Nasha wants to turn Svoboda over to the Gestapo . This is an exciting and nerve-wracking film , if overly long . Anna Lee , who played the matriarch Lila Quartermaine on General Hospital for many years here is a young woman , and she does a wonderful job . Donlevy is perhaps slightly miscast . Dennis O'Keefe as Nasha's fiancée is even more miscast than Donlevy - both those male characters could have used more color and depth . Walter Brennan is marvelous as Nasha's father . The rest of the cast is excellent . Marcia Davenport dealt with the Czech freedom fighters in her book " The Valley of Decision " - alas , that section was not included in the film version of the book . Davenport in real life was in love with Jan Mazurek , who was defenestrated . " Hangmen Also Die " is another example of bravery and heroism from the common man during an evil war .
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493,719 | 342,623 | 40,270 | 7 |
More post-war psychology . . . and an odd resemblance
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Lee J . Cobb is a psychiatrist who works to discover " The Dark Past " of convict William Holden in this 1948 drama that also stars Nina Foch and Adele Jurgens . Two of Hollywood's favorite subject matters are part of the film plot : The post-war obsession with psychiatry and a hostage situation , of which there have been many in films over the years . Like Bogart in " The Desperate Hours , " Holden's an escaped convict with a gang that holes up in someone's home while waiting for a ride that doesn't arrive when it's supposed to . And , like the later " Desperate Hours , " the couple has a child that tries to escape . In " The Desperate Hours , " you wanted to kill the kid ; at least here , he doesn't cause as much trouble . Psychiatry in America was really just being explored in film , and it was as a result of the trauma soldiers suffered in World War II and the problems they had when they came home . The script is simplistic and dated , but the performances are good . Holden is terrific as the on-the-edge convict tortured by partial hand paralysis and a recurring nightmare from an incident in his childhood ; young , pretty Nina Foch is his girlfriend who loves him but is terribly hurt by his actions . When I was growing up , the striking Foch was in her forties and a constant presence in television , usually playing a neurotic mess . She still acts and is a very prominent drama teacher in Los Angeles . It was wonderful to see her in these early days - she made a fine ingénue . Cobb is convincing as a psychiatrist who keeps his cool as he tries to help the young man . After William Holden's big splash at the age of 21 in " Golden Boy " in 1939 , his career settled into a series of light leading man roles that took him nowhere . Superstardom didn't hit until 1950's Sunset Boulevard . One of the comments on IMDb remarked that in " Golden Boy , " he looked like Tom Hanks , which stuck in my mind as I was watching " The Dark Past . " Well , it's the strangest version of separated at birth that I've ever seen , but there is the oddest resemblance between these two stars . Here , with his hairline exposed , you can really see the similarity in the shape of Holden's face to Hanks ' , and there's even a similarity in profile and around the eyes . You'd never catch it unless someone mentioned it to you or you've seen " Golden Boy " where Holden is nearly unrecognizable - and then once you pick it up , it's totally distracting . The other odd thing about this film which says something about our society today is that these people were getting together for a casual evening in a country home and they were all dressed to the nines - even the criminals were wearing suits and ties ! Times sure have changed . Despite this and other dated elements of " The Dark Past , " William Holden , a tremendous star , is always worth a look .
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493,504 | 342,623 | 461,688 | 7 |
True story becomes a TV movie
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I read the magazine story on which " Murder in the Hamptons " is based , but alas , when I sat down to watch this movie , I didn't recall much of it . Starring Poppy Montgomery as Generosa Rand Ammon , the movie tells the story of the Ammon family - Ted , Generosa , and their adopted twins - and the horrific murder of Ted in their palatial Hamptons home - a case that stayed open for a long time before an arrest was made . Generosa is an attractive artist when she meets Ted Ammon and marries him . After a while , it becomes evident that she's wound a little too tightly on one hand and one sandwich short of a picnic on the other . Her paranoia becomes worse and worse as time goes on , and she and Ammon eventually separate as she becomes convinced that he's cheating on her and has an illegitimate child . Neither of which was apparently true . She soon takes up with an electrician , Daniel Pelosi , who is renovating her house . Generosa is presented as an extremely disturbed woman . She emotionally abuses her children , she brainwashes them against their father , and she keeps Ted's sister from seeing the kids . She has surveillance bugs planted in the Hampton house so she can watch all of Ted's activities on a laptop - which after the murder was never found . Though it's a fascinating case , " Murder in the Hamptons " is the stuff of routine TV movies as it meanders through the story . Montgomery is very good , acting completely normal in her scenes - as a result of her demeanor , one then never knows when Generosa is going to totally lose it , so you're waiting for the next blow-up . The rest of the performances are okay , with the nanny giving an especially chilling performance . Naturally there are things that were omitted , and for some reason , Pelosi is presented in a decent light . In fact he's a total waste . Also , assuming the will referenced near the end of the movie was filed in New York State - which it was - it's not possible to eliminate one's husband from a will . You can disinherit a child in your will as long as you specifically mention them by name . But no matter what your will directs , your husband is entitled to a third of the estate . So that business was a foolish plot device . Stick to the facts - they're usually more interesting .
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495,169 | 342,623 | 60,121 | 7 |
Two great stars race all over London
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Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren star in " Arabesque , " directed by Stanley Donen , who gave us " Charade . " This isn't " Charade " - nothing could be - but this derivative film has its roots in Hitchcock and " Charade . " Gregory Peck is the common man - in this case , a professor - who is more or less kidnapped to translate a cipher . While he's doing so at the home of his slimy host , he meets Sophia Loren , who tips him off that once he's deciphered this piece of paper , he's going to be eliminated . With her cooperation , he takes her as a hostage and the two start running throughout London . Along the way , the cipher is hidden , goes missing , someone picks it up - etc . The big question , what side is Loren on , and how much of whatever story she's currently telling is true ? The main interest in this film is Loren , whose beauty is staggering , as is her amazing wardrobe . She's the absolute height of chic . All eyes are on her whenever she appears in a scene - she's probably at her height as a goddess in this , no question . Peck does his usual great job as a likable , confused man . There are some fantastic scenes , including one at a construction site , and a neat twist the audience won't see coming . Peck was 50 when he made this film . It's fascinating to see these classic middle aged-plus male stars with today's eyes . I say males because women past 40 , with a few exceptions , are by that age no longer stars of yesterday's movies . We're so used to seeing eye lifts , brow lifts , and chemical peels on our male stars that men like Peck , Taylor , Holden , Power , Cooper etc . , look tired and past it to us when in fact , they were often still young . Somehow , though there have now been great advances in plastic surgery , I'll take Peck , his generation , and the one before him , any time .
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493,717 | 342,623 | 44,557 | 7 |
Don't tell mom the babysitter is NUTS
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Marilyn Monroe and Richard Widmark star in this early Monroe star vehicle . This is one film you'd never see being made today , due to the new child-care sensibilities . Jim Backus and Lorene Tuttle leave their child with a complete stranger while they go out for an evening . The stranger is Monroe , complete with wrist scars , who is the niece of the elevator man in the hotel where the couple is staying . Mid-evening , she picks up with Widmark , who is more upset about his lounge singer girlfriend ( Anne Bancroft ) breaking up with him than he thought he would be - he and Monroe flirt from their respective rooms . Widmark goes to the room , expecting a night of fun . Instead he and the hapless child get a night of terror , with Monroe believing Widmark is her dead pilot boyfriend and nearly killing not only the little girl but her uncle as well . Turns out , Marilyn's been institutionalized and her uncle ( Elisha Cooke , Jr . ) thought she was " nearly well . " Monroe is very good in this - very beautiful , of course , as well as vulnerable and believable . The wild look in her eyes when she scolds the little girl is downright scary . One thing that has always bothered me about Monroe doing drama is her very excellent diction which always sounds studied and unnatural . It's a distraction in this film as well . However , she's so watchable in everything - the camera just adored her - I have to believe that as she lived and aged , she would have had more chances at drama . Widmark is excellent as the apparent cynic who proves to have more to him than his girlfriend thought - in fact , his character was much better with the child than Monroe's ; Bancroft's role is small and belies her future dramatic appearances ; and there is a cameo by " Honeybee Gillis , " Joan Blondell's sister Gloria , as a photographer .
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493,945 | 342,623 | 44,552 | 7 |
brisk Cold War drama
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Tyrone Power stars as a courier put in an awkward situation by the U . S . government in " Diplomatic Courier , " which also stars Patricia Neal and Hildegarde Knef . Neal has a small but showy role as a society widow who chases Power around Europe . The film was shot on location in Europe , possibly using post-war blocked funds that caused so many films to be made there in the ' 50s and beyond . I first saw this film on TV as a kid , and like one of the other posters , it stuck in my mind , possibly because even back then , I was a Tyrone Power fan . The early ' 50s were a transition time for him . Unlike some actors - Bogart , Mitchum , Gable , to name a few - Power changed dramatically over the years . By the time this film was made , he had lost the last vestige of his boyishness and was thoroughly disillusioned with movies and undoubtedly the master he had served since 1936 , 20th Century Fox . In the few years he had left , he would turn more and more to theater and form his own movie production company . Some of his best work lay ahead of him . Power is supported in the film with a vigorous performance by Karl Malden and from newcomer Hildegarde Knef . Talented and beautiful , Knef , like many other European actresses who came to Hollywood after the war , never found a niche in Hollywood . She went on to great success on Broadway , however , with " Silk Stockings , " the musical version of " Ninotchka , " costarring Don Ameche , and remained friends with Power . Patricia Neal plays a widow that Power meets on an airplane . He keeps standing her up when they're supposed to get together but the story takes it a little further . Neal was an ardent fan of Power's and when they met , she asked him why it was that he hadn't answered her fan letter . Diplomatic Courier is a fast-moving , atmospheric film where you can't tell the good guys from the bad , and it holds interest . Watch for a Lee Marvin in a small role and an uncredited moment by Charles Bronson .
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494,078 | 342,623 | 75,223 | 7 |
Funny film with references to some classics
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Gene Wilder is the ordinary man caught up in murder on mayhem on the train " Silver Streak " in this 1976 comedy starring Richard Pryor , Jill Clayburgh , Ned Beatty , Ray Walston , and Patrick McGoohan . In a quasi-homage to Hitchcock , Wilder plays George Caldwell , who falls for the lovely Hilly ( Jill Clayburgh ) and finds himself mixed up in art fraud , missing letters of Rembrandt , and murder . Not only that , he keeps getting thrown out of the train . One of those times , he meets up with a criminal , Grover Muldoon ( Pryor ) who happens to be in the police car he steals . In the funniest scene in the film , Grover has George buy the cap , shoe polish , sunglasses and radio from a shoe polisher at the train station and makes George a black jiver so he can get by the feds . There are lots of funny scenes in this film , but the best part of it is the chemistry between Wilder and Pryor , who became a successful screen team . This , however , is their best teaming . The bad guys are great . McGoohan and Walston act as if they're in a heavy duty suspense film , which makes them real and threatening . It works perfectly against the comic aspects of the film . Hitchcock fans will see this as a mild takeoff on " North by Northwest . " It is , but it stands on its own as well .
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494,352 | 342,623 | 64,406 | 7 |
bizarre movie , beautiful Lee Remick
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I'm assuming the comments I read on this site were written by horny guys - the accolades to Lee Remick's beauty take up most of the comments . She is absolutely gorgeous and sexy in this movie , and I agree , she's the main reason to see this film . James Coburn has a " Hard Contract " in this 1969 film about a top hit man , John Cunningham , who's sent to Europe by his boss Ramsey ( Burgess Meredith ) to kill three people , one of whom , Michael Carlson ( Sterling Hayden ) was his predecessor in the job . Cummingham is a man completely detached from human emotion ; he only pays for sex , won't kiss , and won't let a woman spend the night . While in Europe , he meets a beautiful woman , Sheila Metcalfe ( the afore - and oft-mentioned - Remick ) and her group of friends , including Adrianne ( Lilli Palmer ) and an ex-Nazi . Sheila falls for Cummingham , the rest of the group adopts him , and before Cunningham knows it , he's become , for the first time , part of the human race . Carlson knows what he's there for immediately , and the two have a confrontation . Cunningham has started to realize there's something in the world besides killing . This movie makes a great effort to be deep . It doesn't really know what it is ; it lacks a point of view , but it does convey a message . Some of it is kind of cryptic . I actually thought there were lines of dialogue missing from the version I saw . Coburn is very good as a man who finally realizes he can't avoid living ; Remick as an outrageous , adventurous socialite gives a wonderful performance ; Palmer as her dizzy friend is delightful . Hayden , never a favorite of mine , was an unusual man in real life , and I think what made him special as a person comes through here . The retired hit man is one who thought a good deal about the meaning of life , as did Hayden , and found peace within himself . Hayden , after his forays into Communism , his guilt over cooperating with the committee , and his basically going out to sea and writing , did the same thing . Karen Black has a small role as a prostitute in the beginning of the film . A really wonderful cast , an uneven film , a kind of blah ending - still worth seeing for Remick and Coburn in their primes .
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495,071 | 342,623 | 35,855 | 7 |
Nice entry into the Falcon series
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Tom Conway is The Falcon in " The Falcon and the Co-eds , " a 1943 addition to the serial that also featured several recognizable actresses who appeared in B movies - Rita Corday , Isabel Jewell and Jean Brooks . Dorothy Malone is a co-ed and is uncredited . After a young woman appeals to Tom Lawrence ( The Falcon ) for help at her school , Bluecliff , where one suspicious death has taken place and a psychic student has predicted another one , she steals Tom's car to get him out to the school . Once there , he meets an interesting group of people , some of whom have secrets and others who act suspiciously . As foretold , another murder takes place , and it's up to The Falcon to sort things out . He usually does so before the police . This is a pretty good mystery with some obvious stealing from the film " Rebecca , " particularly the monologue about the sea that came right out of Danvers ' mouth - and for the same purpose as here . There is also an overabundance of establishing shots of the sea and its high waves . However , it's still an enjoyable film . Tom Lawrence is without an annoying fiancée , instead being followed around by three young women , the Ughs , who help him out as well as sing . Frankly , I prefer them . Conway isn't as smooth and debonair as his brother , George Sanders , but like his brother he has a beautiful speaking voice , is an attractive man , and flirts like crazy . His Falcon is more straightforward , and he's very likable . This is a very good series that always gives the viewer a relaxing hour-plus of watching .
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494,277 | 342,623 | 40,202 | 7 |
Wonderful movie about the power of one
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James Stewart is a reporter who becomes involved in an old murder case in " Call Northside 777 , " directed by Henry Hathaway and costarring Lee J . Cobb and Richard Conte . The film is done semidocumentary style , in black and white , and is based on a true story . Much of the movie is done in a low-key , realistic way , with most of the energy coming from Stewart . It takes us through , at some length , certain procedures , such as the administration of a lie detector test . But the movie isn't about that . It's about a reporter's passion for the unjust imprisonment of a young man , who at the time he takes up the cause , has been in prison for 11 years . His wife divorced him at his own request , and his mother has been scrubbing floors to make money to offer a reward . The viewer becomes very engrossed in the story along with Stewart . Stewart gives an excellent performance which hearkens back to " Mr . Smith Goes to Washington " in a sense - the second half of the film calls for Mr . Smith's commitment , passion , and anger , and Stewart delivers . In the beginning , he's a cynical reporter who doesn't even want to do the story , and then as the facts emerge , he realizes there has been a gross injustice . What an actor . He's surrounded by strong performances from Helen Garde , Kazia Orzazewski , Cobb and Conte , who is very convincing as an innocent man . The most exciting part of the film is at the end , and here's where the spoiler comes in . To prove Conte's innocence , a very early version of a fax machine is used in the form of the AP wire , and it is suspenseful and fascinating to watch the increasingly enlarged photos come off the roll . The final moment , of course , as the last picture is developed , is thrilling . I had just one problem with the scene . The Stewart character is determined to enlarge the photo enough to see the date on a newspaper - when in fact , the headline would have been enough , as one could have gotten the date by researching the headline . It's a minor point . It's a great story and a wonderfully atmospheric movie , taking us into the seedy side of Chicago . Unfortunately , not has much has changed today in the justice system . If you have no money and no advocates , all too often what happened to Frank Wiecek is repeated over and over . But as Stewart tells Conte - I'm paraphrasing - " A state has admitted it made a mistake . That's no small thing . And it wouldn't happen anywhere else in the world . " True enough .
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494,561 | 342,623 | 49,006 | 7 |
good drama wrapped in a B production
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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is a curious film - it has the look and feel of a B movie and two stars who had seen better days - Dana Andrews and Joan Fontaine - yet it's a good script directed by Fritz Lang . A novelist ( Andrews ) and his future father-in-law , a newspaper magnet ( Sidney Blackmer ) work together to prove that the death penalty isn't justified by framing Andrews for a recent murder . I thought the story excellent with some exciting twists , though the whole movie has an underplayed ( not to mention inexpensive ) feeling to it . Fontaine seemed a little old for her role . However , she does a good job as a sophisticate , and Andrews is good as well . Barbara Nichols does a fine job in a typical supporting role for her . Lang returned to Germany after this film , his last in America . It's an effective plot but one wishes the man who made Metropolis and so many other fine films was given more of a budget for his swansong .
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494,506 | 342,623 | 49,010 | 7 |
The effects of a miracle drug
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James Mason becomes " Bigger than Life " in this 1956 Nicholas Ray film that also stars Barbara Rush and Walter Matthau . Mason plays Ed Avery , a schoolteacher who also is a part-time cab dispatcher . He is suffering from severe spasms that are getting worse . He learns that he has a terminal illness that perhaps can be cured with a steroid , cortisone . He is helped , but he also begins to suffer from mood swings and depression and , as he takes more and more , veers completely out of control . Barbara Rush plays his suffering wife , and Walter Matthau is a family friend and coworker . I actually had a family member who went into profound depressions because of continuing to take black market cortisone , so this film resonated with me . Mason , who produced the film , is terrifying . Barbara Rush is very good , though her character puts up with an awful lot before she makes a move . Matthau is good in a supporting role , but roles showcasing his true strengths as an actor were a few years away . This is much more than a cautionary tale about steroids , which need to be taken and tapered off very carefully . In his cortisone-induced mindset , Ed Avery spouts off on the problems in society , very unusual in the repressed ' 50s . His ideas are a tad over the top , but there's a good kernel in them . Ray always did well with a rebellious mindset .
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494,914 | 342,623 | 51,429 | 7 |
Sagan soaper
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David Niven and Jean Seberg say " Bonjour Tristesse " in this 1958 film directed by Otto Preminger and also starring Deborah Kerr and Mylène Demongeot . Niven and Seberg are Raymond and Cecile , a father and daughter vacationing on the Riviera and having a superficial blast for themselves . Raymond has his current girlfriend Elsa ( Demongeot ) living with them as well . When a good friend of Raymond's late wife , Anne ( Kerr ) comes to visit , things change - at first for the better , as the four of them continue the party atmosphere . Later , when Anne becomes Raymond's fiancée and begins to discipline Cecile , the fun stops . Cecile decides that Anne will have to go . The film is told in flashback , black and white representing the present and glorious color used to tell the story , which is narrated by Seberg . There's lots about this movie that is fascinating , and some of it just sort of falls flat . The idea that a deep-thinking , responsible career woman comes into the lives of two bon vivants is an interesting one , and you couldn't ask for a better cast . The beginning of the film , and even Cecile's plan to get rid of Anne that she brings Elsa and her own boyfriend Phillipe in on has a lighthearted feel to it . What Raymond and Cecile never considered is that there are ramifications for actions , Cecile due to her immaturity and Raymond because he's Raymond . David Niven is terrific as the dashing Raymond , who loves a party , and Deborah Kerr gives a warm performance as Anne , who truly loves him and wants to ground both him and his daughter . The curiosity here is Seberg . She is as always the perfect gamine . Any time she's in a scene , you can't take your eyes off of her . She's so darn beautiful . Yet I don't think I've ever heard her say one line that I believed . And she's one actress where it just doesn't seem to matter . We hear a lot about " it " - well , she really had it . Gorgeous scenery - you want to leave for the Riviera immediately . And , truth to tell , spending some time with Raymond , Cecile and Elsa before the arrival of Anne wouldn't be bad either .
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494,366 | 342,623 | 82,780 | 7 |
real life murder mystery
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When " Murder in Texas " premiered on network television in two parts , it was a big deal . It's a very intriguing , true story of a Texan plastic surgeon ( Sam Eilliott ) suspected of causing the death of his very wealthy wife , portrayed by Farrah Fawcett . For years , Ash Robinson , the victim's father , was convinced of Dr . Hill's guilt . Andy Griffith is a great Ash . The story is based on Ann Kurth's book - Ann Kurth was Dr . Hill's second wife , who in the film is played by Katherine Ross . I could never find a copy of Kurth's book , so I read another book on the subject . The actual events are much , much more complicated than could ever have been shown on screen . In fact , the end of this movie is pure fiction , as are scenes that support the ending . The reason for this , I believe , was a legal one , as some participants were still living at the time of the filming . Today it is believed that Joan Robinson Hill died of toxic shock syndrome before it became a known entity . What her husband had to do with it - by direct act or simple neglect - I don't believe has ever been decided other than in the mind of Ash Robinson . While the movie made fascinating watching , particularly Part I , if this case interests you , I suggest you read a book on the subject for the true story . The acting is marvelous , particularly from Elliott , Fawcett , and Griffith , and the movie will hold your interest .
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495,005 | 342,623 | 40,669 | 7 |
Robert Walker meets a heavenly goddess
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During and after World War II , fantasy was big in Hollywood . It wasn't just escapism ; it was all the thinking about death as many loved ones were lost . It's no wonder we had so many people coming back ( " Here Comes Mr . Jordan " ) , facing the pearly gates or the hotter ones ( " Heaven Can Wait " ) , or meeting angels in human form ( " The Bishop's Wife " ) . We also had a visits from the big goddesses . How fitting that two women closest to being goddesses in human form actually played them - Rita Hayworth as Terpsichore in 1947's " Down to Earth , " and of course , Ava Gardner as Venus in " One Touch of Venus . " " One Touch of Venus " is based on the Broadway musical of the same name that was revived in London a few years ago with Melissa Errico , but never came to New York . Alas , there aren't many songs in this version but the most famous song , " Speak Low When You Speak Love " remains . The film stars Gardner , Robert Walker , Dick Haymes , Olga San Juan , Tom Conway , and Eve Arden . Walker works in a department store where a magnificent statue of Venus is about to be unveiled . On an impulse , he kisses it , and she comes to life . He falls madly in love with her , while his girlfriend ( San Juan ) flips out for his friend ( Haymes ) . When the statue is discovered missing , the police assume that Walker knows something about it , since he was fixing the presentation curtain and claims that she then came to life . Walker is an energetic delight as he chases Venus . After this film , he was institutionalized , and by 1951 , his boyishness was gone as he entered what should have been the greatest part of his career with a magnificent performance in " Strangers on a Train . " Instead , he only made one more film after that , dying in 1951 . Looking at him in " One Touch of Venus , " it's hard to imagine he had any demons . Eve Arden is hilarious as the secretary in unrequited love with her boss , Tom Conway . He's seen Venus sleeping in the home department and fallen for her as well . Haymes sings beautifully , and San Juan is pert and pretty as a young woman suddenly torn between two men . But all eyes are on Ava Gardner's dazzling beauty . She's a perfect embodiment of Venus with her flawless face , figure , and soft voice . Even though as a younger woman she had tried singing with a band , she wasn't a singer , so her voice is dubbed in this by Eileen Wilson . Like Hayworth , early in her career , she sometimes played roles that required vocals , and like Hayworth , she was always dubbed . The best scene in the film takes place in the park toward the end . It's exuberant and thrilling - you won't want it to end . That scene sums up this lovely fantasy with a divine Ava , and you can't get any better than that .
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493,761 | 342,623 | 44,417 | 7 |
Don't be alone with the handyman
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Ida Lupino is trapped in her own home by crazy Robert Ryan in " Beware , My Lovely , " a 1952 film from RKO . Lupino and Ryan did three films together and worked well as a team , both being consummate professionals and strong performers . In this film , based on a Broadway play called " The Man , " Lupino is a World War I widow who rents out a room in her home . She's very active and well-liked in her community and though her husband has been dead for two years , she's not ready to move on . The man who rents her room goes on vacation , and Lupino hires Robert Ryan to help her with some heavy-duty cleaning in the house . He's friendly enough to start , but later terrorizes her , locking her in the house , and not allowing her to answer the phone or the door , as he grows violent and more out of touch with reality . The character played by Ryan is shown in the beginning of the movie running away when he discovers a dead body in another house he's working in . It isn't clear whether or not he's the killer , since he seems surprised to see the body . He might be a split personality , as when his personality turns ugly toward Lupino , he seems to have no memory of his activities when he comes out of it . He doesn't know that he has the keys to Lupino's house in his pocket and doesn't know why he has tickets to a party that he bought from young children who came to the door . " Beware , My Lovely , " is a very suspenseful film , and the two leads give terrific performances . The tension builds to a very high level and ends in a way you're not expecting .
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494,529 | 342,623 | 101,846 | 7 |
Rollie's at it again
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Special effects genius Rollie Tyler ( Bryan Brown ) is lured back into the world of creating illusion in " F / X2 " also starring Brian Dennehy and Rachel Ticotin . It's five years since Rollie quit the film business ; now he's a toy-maker with a new girlfriend , Kim ( Ticotin ) . When Kim's ex-husband , Mike ( Tom Mason ) , a police officer , asks for Rollie's help in catching a killer , he reluctantly agrees . Through no fault of Rollie's , Mike ends up dead and Rollie has the proof that Mike was set up . This puts Rollie in danger - deja vu . He makes a desperate call to Leo , and the two team up again . This time around , the plot is a somewhat far-fetched , the emphasis being more on action . There are some very exciting scenes as well as some ingenious toys , including a toy clown that figures prominently in the plot . Brown and Dennehy have incredible chemistry . They're a joy to watch . My old classmate , Josie DeGuzman ( here spelled Josie ) is back as Leo's secret weapon in the department . Being predominantly a theater actress , her performance is somewhat stagy but she's no less likable . Joanna Gleason plays an assistant DA . Clever effects , the great re-teaming of Brown and Dennehy , and very entertaining .
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493,516 | 342,623 | 120,888 | 7 |
Cute , warm film
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Adam Sandler is one of those performers , like Jim Carrey , that one either likes or doesn't . However , over the years , he's taken on a variety of roles , and his comedy isn't always the same , either . " The Wedding Singer " is not a typical Adam Sandler film that found great popularity from a wide audience . I certainly didn't expect to like it , but I did . Set in the ' 80s , Sandler is Robbie Hart , once an aspiring singer / songwriter who sings at weddings and has an knack for livening up the festivities . Both Robbie and Julia are planning to get married to other people , but fate intervenes . For one thing , Robbie's intended Linda doesn't appear at their wedding ( she met him when he was the lead singer in a rock band and now that he's doing receptions , the bloom is off the rose ) and Julia's Wall Street broker boyfriend is a jerk . Robbie agrees to help Julia with her wedding , and then finds out that Julia's fiancée is marrying her out of duty because she dated him when he was poor . On top of which , he cheats . Both leads are wonderful , make a great couple , and the film is a lot of fun . The idea of ' 80s nostalgia in 1998 is funny as well . The film is bright and it's briskly directed by Frank Coraci . " The Wedding Singer " is highly entertaining and has a lot of warmth . See it . Great fun .
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494,273 | 342,623 | 29,165 | 7 |
Adorable light comedy , adorable stars
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Three of 20th Century Fox's stars of the late ' 30s team up for " Love is News " - Tyrone Power , Loretta Young , and Don Ameche . Power plays a clever reporter , Steve Layton , who is after a big story on a $100 million heiress , Toni Gateson ( Young ) . Sick of being hounded night and day by the press , Young turns the tables on him and announces to the world that she and Layton are engaged . It comes as a surprise to him , as it does to his editor , Ameche , and of course , they don't have the story and the rest of the papers do . Layton soon learns that being engaged to Gateson has some perks and also a few things that aren't so great , particularly when the two of them end up in adjacent jail cells . There is a very funny scene in the beginning where Power and Ameche become hysterical laughing as they reminisce about the horrible things they've done to one another . The actors worked together often and make a great team . Young is gorgeous as the heiress , and she and Power are a beautiful couple as usual . This is one of Power's very early films - he was about 23 at the time - and still in his pretty phase . You can't take your eyes off of him when he's on screen - he lights it up . This is a high-energy , pleasant comedy with a delightful cast , though there's nothing particularly unusual about the story . Madcap heiresses abounded in ' 30s films . Power actually remade this movie with Gene Tierney in 1948 as " That Wonderful Urge . " By then , it was tired stuff , and Power was tired of these roles . But here , it's three young stars on top of the world , and you can't beat the spirit with which they imbue " Love is News . "
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494,755 | 342,623 | 21,377 | 7 |
enjoyable and interesting early talkie
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Sin Takes a Holiday stars Constance Bennett as a secretary in love with her boss - how's that for a novel plot line ? Well , perhaps in 1930 , it was , and there is more to it than that . It's an early talkie , so the timing is a little off as the actors get used to the technique . It's also pre-Code , so anything goes . And does . In this film , everybody cheats on their spouses . The boss , however , is unmarried , but his girlfriend wants to get married to him right away . So he marries Bennett and sends her abroad so he can have his cake and eat it too . While there , Bennett is escorted about by Basil Rathbone , in a delightful performance . He falls in love with her , but Bennett needs to find out if she can have a real marriage with her husband . Having read some of the comments , I'm unsure if people think that Bennett was amoral . The marriage for opportunity plot was used over and over - " Mannequin " is just one example - and Bennett marries her boss to do him a favor , not so much for the money . Plus , the title is " Sin Takes a Holiday " and it does seem that she avoids a dalliance with Rathbone while abroad . So while I find the crowd her boss runs with fast and loose , I did feel Bennett was a very likable character . Not to mention , a great beauty .
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493,519 | 342,623 | 79,635 | 7 |
good , if uneven
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Very cleverly written disco vampire flick that could have been terrific were it not for the uneven direction and acting . Nai Bonet , who wrote the script , is extremely good to herself - she not only displays her body to full advantage but has the late Antony Hamilton , a contender for the role of James Bond and one of the handsomest men to hit Hollywood , as her love interest ! Some hilarious lines and the casting of Yvonne DeCarlo and John Carradine don't hurt either . The cartoon special effects only add to the overall campiness of the film . If it had just moved a little faster and been a tad slicker , this would be a real classic .
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494,540 | 342,623 | 59,753 | 7 |
history in the making
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Just think . . . if Jeffrey Hunter had wound up playing the Captain in Star Trek , he might be alive today . Hunter died in 1969 from a subarachnoid hemorrhage , probably caused by an explosion that imploded instead during a film he was working on in Europe . Interesting thought . The Cage was the most expensive pilot in NBC history to that point . Though the Star Trek idea had its supporters , the network couldn't see past its nose to pick up the series . They did , however , agree to a second pilot with some changed elements - like a woman who was second in command . The reasons why Hunter did not do the next pilot have been debated . A friend of Hunter's stated that Hunter's wife , Dusty , thought science fiction was low class and didn't want him involved in the show . And , according to Shatner's book , she also made unreasonable demands of the producers . It's worth remembering that back in the ' 60s , science fiction , space movies , etc . , did not have the " A " status that they do today . B movies only became A movies after Star Wars . The Cage is a not only very good but touching , and of course , it's fascinating to see " Star Trek " before it became a cult classic . The story concerns a planet that exists basically on Mind Control , and the inhabitants in charge capture Pike in the hope that he can help replenish their race with an earth woman who is there as a result of a ship crashing . Susan Oliver is the woman . During the run of the series , in order to recoup some of the costs of this fabulously expensive pilot , it was incorporated into a two-part episode , with another actor playing the now near-vegetative Captain Pike . I love seeing films such as this that were done before all the special effect technology became available , because they were done in such innovative and imaginative ways . The Cage is worth a look to see the genesis of a show that became part of our culture .
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494,108 | 342,623 | 36,807 | 7 |
Suspenseful Tourneur film
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Hedy Lamarr is a beautiful but troubled woman in " Experiment Perilous , " also starring George Brent and Paul Lukas . This film has been compared to " Gaslight " as well as other works by Tourneur , including " Cat People . " It certainly has elements of both . Brent is a doctor who meets a lovely woman on a train . She says some strange things to him about the home of her brother , where she is going to stay . Shortly afterward , she dies suddenly . When he later meets her brother and his wife , he falls for the wife at first sight . And what man wouldn't - she's Hedy Lamarr . The doctor is soon drawn into a confused and mysterious situation at the house as the husband , Paul Lukas , confesses concerns about his wife . This is a well done , compelling movie where nothing happens until the end , but there is plenty under the surface to keep the viewer interested and guessing . Underlying suspense and tension pervades throughout as Brent becomes more and more suspicious of activities going on at the house , especially when Lamarr asks for his help . The casting is a little bizarre . George Brent exhibits no emotion throughout and is quite wooden . Lamarr is supposed to be a former farm girl and evidently from the U . S . , so one questions the accent . She has no expression in her voice or face throughout , which may have been the decision of the director . Lukas is excellent , an affability and charm belying what's underneath . He is a member of a wealthy New York family , yet he has an accent and his sister didn't . So one wonders what dictated this strange casting and why at least the story wasn't changed to accommodate the actors chosen . There's been some discussion as to whether Lamarr could have done " Gaslight " rather than Bergman . Hedy Lamarr with good direction was a decent actress , but not in my opinion a strong enough one for the role in " Gaslight . " She was one of the most beautiful women in film and could be absolutely delightful in the right circumstances . Her contribution to film history is more than satisfactory .
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494,687 | 342,623 | 29,120 | 7 |
Joan with both Powell and Montgomery
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Joan Crawford is a jewel thief trying to break into society in " The Last of Mrs . Cheyney , " a 1937 film from MGM also starring William Powell , Robert Montgomery , Nigel Bruce , Frank Morgan , and Jessie Ralph . It's a remake of a 1929 film which starred Norma Shearer . Crawford is a sophisticated and glamorous woman we first meet on board ship as she's maneuvering and flirting her way into the company of a society crowd . While doing so , she meets Lord Arthur Dilling ( Robert Montgomery ) . He and Lord Kelton ( Morgan ) pursue her . Once in London , she wangles the one thing that she and her gang of thieves ( led by William Powell as her butler ) have been waiting for - an invitation to Lady Ebley's country home , and a crack at Lady Ebley's fabulous pearl necklace . All doesn't go as planned . Given the star power , the film has some interesting moments , but for the most part , it's played too straight . A lighter touch was needed . This is perhaps a directorial problem ( there were several ) or the fact that Joan Crawford was better at drama than at comedy , and William Powell better at comedy than at drama . Powell does a great job , but it isn't much of a role . Audiences probably left the theater disappointed - perhaps part of the reason the film flopped at the box office . He doesn't have a lot to play off of , and no chemistry with Crawford . Robert Montgomery is his usual self in one of those roles that fit him like a glove , but the star trio is too somber . Joan Crawford looks fabulous , and with a strong director who had a concept of the script , she would have been fine . She didn't have a grasp of playing comedy , but she was a hard worker who seemingly took direction well . It's a shame MGM spent all that money on what was a first-class production only to have it just lay an egg . Apparently some of the racier parts of the play version had to be left out due to the code . At times , the film drags . Several of the comments blamed Crawford , some the script , but I do believe with the right director , " The Last of Mrs . Cheney " could have been a lot better .
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494,303 | 342,623 | 44,502 | 7 |
A flop Clifford Odets play makes a strong film
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Barbara Stanwyck , Paul Douglas , Robert Ryan , Marilyn Monroe , and Keith Andes star in " Clash by Night , " based on the play by Clifford Odets that flopped on Broadway . It gets the full-blown treatment on the screen , with Fritz Lang directing and a strong group of actors . Stanwyck is a world-weary woman who comes back to her roots because " home is where you go when you run out of places , " and immediately attracts male attention from both Ryan and Paul Douglas . She's instantly attracted to Ryan , and each recognizes in the other an edginess and need for excitement . To fight these urges , which haven't brought her any joy in the past , she marries Douglas , a simple fisherman who is deeply in love with her . It's not long before she gets antsy . The acting is terrific , but the emotions are very big - possibly too big for the screen and more suited to the stage . Though everyone is excellent , Douglas has the sympathetic role and breaks your heart as the cuckolded husband . Ryan is great as a volcano waiting to erupt , and Stanwyck's portrayal is ferociously honest and layered . She was 45 at the time of thee filming and obviously playing someone a good 10 years younger , but it still works . Marilyn Monroe has a supporting role playing the girlfriend of handsome Keith Andes . He mainly shows off his physique , though he was actually a good actor who had success in TV and was also a powerful singer , playing opposite Lucille Ball on Broadway in " Wildcat . " Monroe , mostly in jeans and with a swimsuit scene , is beautiful and her acting is very natural . Later on in her career , she overpronounced her words , which worked well in comedy but less so in drama . This is a very good movie with vigorous direction by Lang . There's just not much about it that's subtle .
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495,032 | 342,623 | 29,087 | 7 |
Marlene looks great no matter what
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Robert Donat is a British spy who is a " Knight Without Armor " in this 1937 Alexander Korda film , also starring Marlene Dietrich as a widowed Countess . Donat is A . J . Fothergill , a Brit in Russia who is recruited to spy on the revolutionary movement in 1913 because of his knowledge of the language . After being imprisoned in Siberia , he's released due to the 1917 revolution . As an assistant to a commissar he met in Siberia , he is assigned to the takeover of the estate of Countess Alexandra ( Dietrich ) . He has to take her to Petrograd , and ultimately , they fall in love . He then attempts to get her out of the country . A very good and absorbing film with Donat and the beautiful Dietrich giving wonderful performances as they trudge through Mother Russia . Be she in peasant clothes , babushka , nightgown , wedding gown , or evening gown , Dietrich looks fabulous , makeup intact . The most stunning scene takes place in the beginning when she wakes up in her gorgeous bedroom and rings for her maid . No maid . She gets up and searches the house . Nobody . She goes outside in her long white flowing nightgown , hair loose . Nothing . She spots her maid and calls to her . The maid runs . Dietrich turns around to see the entire horizon covered with soldiers coming at her . Fabulous . There are many wonderful scenes , including a crowd stopping a train , that really capture the feeling of the chaos , panic , and dirt of war . Robert Donat is marvelous , elegant of voice , sometimes a character actor and sometimes , with a wavy lock of hair on his forehead and kissing Dietrich , a very effective romantic leading man . Very exciting film , and you really care about these characters . Highly recommended .
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494,368 | 342,623 | 44,533 | 7 |
surprisingly timely
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A very good movie about The Day , a newspaper publishing its last editions , and its aggressive attack on a known mobster . Humphrey Bogart does an excellent job as the editor , and Ethel Barrymore gives a wonderful , regal performance as the widow of the publisher , whose daughters are now demanding that the paper be sold to a competitor . The film brings up , a mere 53 years ago , issues that are relevant today - the tabloids versus real , factual news , and the meaning of a free press . These debates continue today , but unfortunately , it seems that the tabloid type of journalism is winning . As for a free press - our press might be freer than many , but it isn't entirely free . As anyone who lost money in the great savings and loan scandal can tell you , important stories disappear from the front pages all the time . Bogart's strong performance is the engine that keeps this film going , and there's a nice performance by Kim Hunter as his ex-wife . Deadline USA reminds us of the good old days , when you could believe what you read in the New York Times .
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493,838 | 342,623 | 52,050 | 7 |
odd film
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Party Girl is a B film in A wrapping paper - even the title suggests a tawdry B picture . But it's in color and stars Robert Taylor , Cyd Charisse , Lee J . Cobb , and John Ireland . Taylor plays an attorney whose hip was damaged in a boyhood accident . He's become a powerful mob mouthpiece when he falls in love with a showgirl ( Charisse ) . When he wants out of the mob life , he finds that the mobster ( Cobb ) is unwilling to let him go . Directed by Nicholas Ray , the film flirts more with film noir than B status and has some excellent performances , particularly by Taylor and Lee J . Cobb . Cobb is quite terrifying as a violent thug who doesn't telegraph his violence , making him all the more frightening - you just never know what he's going to do . And the violence doesn't leave much to the imagination . Taylor does a terrific job as an attorney who all his life has believed he's nothing but a cripple , an outsider , and has given up on having any kind of a personal life . He tells Charisse the story of how his hip came to be damaged in his youth and talks about it being a mark of bravery - until he was older and the other guys were getting the dates . I really can't see any woman looking at Robert Taylor being deterred by a limp - or anything else - but perhaps this is more a statement about the power of a negative self image and how it allowed him to be ridiculed by his wife . Charisse is very good and has two great dance numbers that show off her great talent , gorgeous figure , and those to-die-for legs . The script has some huge problems . The story is preposterous , the Swedish surgery being one aspect that defies reality . The other is the DA expecting a lawyer to breach attorney-client privilege . Also , the film is set in the ' 30s but some of it has a ' 50s aura to it - I blame the color more than anything else . " Party Girl " is still worth seeing . It's a Nicholas Ray film , it's Taylor's last MGM film as a contract player , and he turns in a wonderful performance .
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493,667 | 342,623 | 29,047 | 7 |
Tyrone , the cow , and going up in flames
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Immortalized by Martha at the beginning of " Who's afraid of Virginia Wolff , " " In Old Chicago " is a dramatization ( you know , 20th Century Fox style ) of the 1871 Chicago fire . As is fitting , it focuses on the owners of the cow that allegedly started it all , the O'Learys . Tyrone Power is the drop dead gorgeous , bad boy brother of good Don Ameche . " Little Miss Alice Faye , " ( as Martha says ) plays Power's love interest , a dance hall girl . All of the performances are good , the threesome of Power-Ameche-Faye being a great combination that works well here and in " Alexander's Ragtime Band . " Faye gets to show off her voice , and she looks very pretty , having graduated from the days when Zanuck tried to make her look like Jean Harlow . The role was actually intended for Harlow , who died before she could do it ; Gable was also supposed to be loaned out for the Power role . Power had only started with Fox a year earlier . Harlow's death killed the deal . Also in the film is Rondo Hatton , referred to by Power as " Rondo . " Hatton suffered from acromegaly after laughing gas exposure in World War I . Standing side by side were a man who , due to disease , was deformed and ugly , and Power , perhaps the handsomest man in the world . More ironic yet , Power had no appreciation of his looks , feeling they kept him from roles he wanted . The fire and devastation effects are fantastic , Fox no doubt feeling the " heat " from MGM's " San Francisco " earthquake scenes . Alice Brady gives a strong performance , with a somewhat melodramatic monologue at the end . She won an Oscar , which was stolen by the person she sent to accept it . A lovely actress , it's a shame she died at the age of 47 .
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494,907 | 342,623 | 40,536 | 7 |
Good film and story with a strange ending
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Louis Jourdan is a pianist who receives " A Letter from an Unknown Woman " in this 1948 film also starring Joan Fontaine . The film starts at the end , actually , as Stefan Brand ( Jourdan ) runs home to pack a bag , planning to flee a duel with a cuckolded husband . However , he receives a letter that changes everything . Set in Austria in the 19th Century , Fontaine is Lisa , who as a young girl falls madly in love with the brilliant pianist Stefan Brand - so much so , that although she doesn't really know him , when she receives a proposal a marriage , she claims to be spoken for . Eventually they do meet and become lovers ; Stefan goes away for two weeks to do a concert , and that is the end of their relationship for the time being . Lisa has Stefan's son and marries her old beau , Journet , for money and security . While married to Journet , she and Stefan meet again and become lovers a second time . But he's so narcissistic and has had so many women , he doesn't remember knowing her before , and does not even know her name . As tragedy strikes Lisa's life , she writes a letter to him , revealing everything . This is a beautiful story , well cast and directed by Max Ophuls , but the ending may leave one scratching his or her head . If you don't watch very carefully - and hello , even if you do - it can leave the viewer quite confused , as the IMDb message board for this film confirms . I'm not sure if it is deliberately obscure or if something was cut , but the ending may have you scurrying back to the aforementioned board for clarification . Nevertheless , an underrated film with fine performances by Jourdan and Fontaine , highly recommended for the romantic at heart .
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493,481 | 342,623 | 36,719 | 7 |
Another wartime film from Warner Brothers
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You know that Warner Brothers - once they have their hands on a hot property , they slice it , dice it , and put it in the Mixmaster . Just look at the three versions of " The Maltese Falcon . " Now it's wartime , and that hot property is , of course " Casablanca . " In " The Conspirators , " part of that magnificent cast is reunited - Paul Henried , Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre - in this story of a Dutch freedom fighter , Vincent Van der Lyn , in neutral Lisbon and having trouble figuring out who wants to help him and who wants to hurt him . The suspects are Greenstreet , the head of a resistance group , Lorre , one of its members , and the exquisite Hedy Lamarr , married to a Nazi official . The story is harder to follow and ultimately , the film is not as good as " Joan of Paris , " another World War II film starring Henried , but it still has great atmosphere and is fairly intriguing . There just isn't enough of Greenstreet or Lorre , one of the great screen teams . Paul Henried , a very useful actor during World War II while the stars were away , does a good job as Van der Lyn . Lamarr is positively outrageously beautiful - no , she's not much of an actress - it's a face made for the closeup , and one can just look at her forever . What she brings is a certain enigmatic quality , probably by default , but who cares . If this pops up on TCM , you won't be sorry you saw it , but you won't be swept away either .
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494,693 | 342,623 | 365,737 | 7 |
We only want to give the illusion of due diligence
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I gave " Syriana " a 7 only because I thought it could have been a little easier to follow . And I love complicated plots . Other than that , this is an excellent movie about how absolute power corrupts absolutely , and what people will do to control the oil situation and profit by it . In the film , which is based on a book by an ex-CIA agent ( the Clooney character ) , we are shown many different stories that eventually come together - a CIA agent who infiltrates the other side , an executive and his family , two brothers struggling for a country's power , a young man who is seduced into a fundamentalist cell , and fat cats who want two huge oil companies want to merger and will do just about anything to get the merger approved . Probably the most sobering thing in the film for me was the fact that the emir had two sons ready to take over the country , and the U . S . wanted to make sure that the son in power was the one more in tune with them than the other son , who wanted to do things for his country and his people . The point made by George Clooney on one of the DVD features is that there are no good guys and no bad guys - the oil people , despite despicable actions , feel completely justified doing what they do because we need oil . As a result , other countries hate us , we're at war now , and with so many Iraquis killed , terrorists have been able to raise money for their cause . I told you the most sobering part . The saddest was a young man , before a suicide mission , approaching his father and asking for money for the bus . The father is playing baseball and stops and gives him the money . The boy impulsively hugs him and holds him tight . It was heartbreaking and frustrating - they believe in their cause and are willing to die for it , and I can't understand how that can be . But it is . The performances are all excellent with many stars , such as William Hurt , in cameos . Chris Cooper , Christopher Plummer , Jeffrey Wright , Robert Foxworth , Matt Damon , and Amanda Peet are all wonderful as part of this intricate story . Clooney is great - his eyes are haunted , he's scruffy , flabby , and conveys terror and his sense of isolation beautifully . You see " Syriana , " and you think , wow , that was pretty complicated , I'm not even sure I knew half of what was going on - and then you can't forget about it . " Syriana " and its thought-provoking messages will haunt you and make you wonder what on earth is going to happen to all of us .
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493,485 | 342,623 | 36,730 | 7 |
Starring role for Jerome Cowan
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Crime by Night is a lively 1944 film starring Jerome Cowan , Jane Wyman and Faye Emerson . Cowan plays a private eye trying to help a man wrongly accused of murder . It ends up being a lot more complicated than originally thought . Jane Wyman is his attractive secretary , and Emerson plays a talent representative . Eleanor Parker has a small role as the daughter of the murder victim . This is an enjoyable B movie that moves fast ; Cowan is slick and Wyman looks great and gives a vivacious performance . Cowan was rarely given an opportunity at leads . He makes the most of this one . A good B movie made during World War II .
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494,527 | 342,623 | 40,525 | 7 |
some vintage Welles that ultimately disappoints
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It's very hard to say just what was going on with " The Lady from Shanghai " and what the film could have been without studio interference . Orson Welles ' prime interest in film at this point was to raise money for his theater ; indeed , funding his own projects is what drove him to seek out acting jobs . He made " Lady from Shanghai " for his soon to be ex-wife , Rita Hayworth . Harry Cohn was fearful for Rita's image and held back the release of this movie for one year . The plot concerns an Irish sailor , Michael O'Hara , who falls in love with Else ( Hayworth , stunning with short blond hair ) . Her husband is a well known criminal attorney Arthur Bannister ( Everett Sloane ) who is as crippled on the inside as he is out . He hires O'Hara to work on his yacht , and there O'Hara is drawn deeper and deeper into a web of murder and deceit . " The Lady from Shanghai " moves at a snail's pace , though I agree with one of the posters that films today are criticized for taking time to build a plot . Still , this movie drags . The scene in the fun house is fantastic - Welles wanted it without music , though , and I believe the studio cut it down . It's a shame . The photography throughout is stunning , atmospheric , bold , and very stylish . Welles was an excellent actor , handsome in his youth , charismatic and possessing a magnificent voice and technique , but in many films , it's almost as if he doesn't trust himself or doesn't take the time to develop a character . Instead he relies on externals such as accents and fake noses . One of the only times he didn't do this was " Tomorrow is Forever , " where the director gets an excellent , deeply felt performance out of him . Contrast that with " Compulsion " where he shows he is a master of pure technical acting as he phones in his performance . Here Welles is doing quadruple duty - as director , star , co-writer and narrator . Sporting a completely unnecessary accent and looking intense was a fast way to a characterization . Nevertheless , he is always compelling . The supporting players are excellent , including Sloan and Glenn Anders . Hayworth , gorgeous and soft-voiced ( her singing was again dubbed by Anita Ellis ) is as usual a complete goddess and one of the great screen presences . What a sad life for such a vibrant beauty . Any film that Orson Welles directed is worth seeing , and " The Lady from Shanghai " is no exception . But this one leaves the viewer frustrated , as does " The Magnificent Ambersons " - as does any work that Welles did within the studio system . He was a great artist who should have been given a freer reign ; he wasn't . He was a strange dichotomy - he needed more freedom , but as is evidenced by some of his later work , he needed the structure of the studio . Alas , he couldn't have both .
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494,802 | 342,623 | 59,868 | 7 |
An inside joke
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Charles Boyer asks Rock Hudson for " A Very Special Favor , " a 1965 film starring Leslie Caron , Walter Slezak , Dick Shawn , Nita Talbot and Larry Storch . Boyer is Michel Boullard , a man estranged from his cold , rigid daughter , a psychiatrist , Lauren Boullard ( Caron ) engaged to a wimp ( Shawn ) . Impressed by his colleague Paul Chadwick's ( Hudson ) success with women , he asks Paul to seduce his daughter . However , Michel then reconnects with his daughter and , becoming angry with Paul , turns against him and works with Lauren to extract revenge on his mistreatment of her . This involves inventing a lover for Lauren , a bullfighter named El Magnifico and convincing Paul he's lost it in the sack . Paul finally catches on and enlists a female friend who isn't getting any at the moment ( Nita Talbot ) and has her impersonate a man so that Lauren will think he's now gay . I notice people on the board have all kinds of theories why this film isn't on DVD except that now , of course , it is . It also isn't the only time this inside joke was used in a Rock Hudson film , if anyone recalls his description to Doris Day about her boyfriend in " Pillow Talk . " " Well , there are some men . . . who live with their mothers . . . " etc . I'm sure that in those days ( unlike today ) Hudson's private life was safe enough that no one thought twice about using something like this in a script . Everyone probably thought it was pretty funny . These sex comedies were all the rage in the ' 60s , and this one has its moments , with Hudson and Caron very good in their roles and surrounded by excellent people . In one of the first scenes , Boyer and Slezak , two suicides in real life , embrace - it really didn't get the comedy off to a good start for me . But they're both delightful , Boyer moving from romantic leads to the father roles still possessing that wonderful , easy charm he had . Slezak was a very versatile actor who could go from playing an invincible Nazi in " Lifeboat " to a role like this . Nita Talbot is one of my favorite actresses of all time - seeing her made me nostalgic for the old days . If you like this type of comedy , at which Hudson really excelled , you'll enjoy this one . This is on a DVD set of some of the more obscure Hudson films such as " Has Anybody Seen My Gal , " and the collection shows the trajectory of his career from young supporting player to lead . The fact that Hudson has since been " outed " shouldn't make his work any less enjoyable . He was , after all , doing what he was hired to do - act .
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495,003 | 342,623 | 44,324 | 7 |
The personal side of a controversial moment in history
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Above and Beyond stars Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker and chronicles the story of Paul Tibbets , the man who dropped the bomb on Hiroshima in 1945 . The event today , seen with modern eyes , is more unsavory than it was to people who lived in the midst of World War II . I watched the film with a skewed perspective unheard of in the ' 40s , as I interviewed Hiroshima survivors some years ago and discussed the event and their various health problems with them . Known as the " hibachi , " they are human beings like everybody else . But as we all know , in war , human life is cheap , especially as far as warring governments are concerned . The story as told in " Above and Beyond " is factually correct . The focus is not just on the technical details of outfitting the planes , the training , the secrecy , the testing , etc . , but also on Tibbets ' personal life . I read Tibbets married in 1953 or 1954 , but I did not learn if he had a wife at the time of Hiroshima . In this movie , he had a wife and two small children . The high security of the base , the constant pressure of Tibbets ' work , and the weight of the act he was to perform put a strain on his marriage and his relationships with friends . I suspect most of the personal life aspects of the film were heavily fictionalized . First of all , in the movie , the character of Tibbets is deeply conflicted about his assignment . In real life , Tibbets never had a moment of regret . Secondly , one would think a military wife would have understood that if security was so high and her husband was abrupt and tense - and there was a war on - there must be a reason other than " he's changed . " Instead , he is accused by her of " playing it too big . " She even takes her confusion to one of his bosses , who , instead of saying , " Your husband is working on something important and is under a lot of pressure , " gives her no help at all . But that was probably to get her off of the airbase . Robert Taylor was about 40 when this movie was made . It was a different world then - cigarettes and the lack of an eyelift robbed him of his boyish beauty , but he was still ruggedly handsome and does well in the role . Taylor wasn't a great actor , nor was he a bad one . Like his 20th Century Fox counterpart , Tyrone Power , he suffered at the hands of the critics because of his outrageous good looks , but he was always believable in the right role . Eleanor Parker is lovely and effective as his wife . The film was obviously meant to show the action of dropping the bomb and to put the character of Tibbets in a sympathetic light . The stars are likable , it's thought provoking , and of some interest . It has , of course , the Robert Alda as Gershwin moment - you know , " I'll write a rhapsody - a Rhapsody in Blue " when Tibbets is asked what he wants to name the plane , and he decides on " Enola Gay . " It's for historians to say if in actuality this horrendous event by the Enola Gay shortened the war and saved lives , and they've been arguing about it for years . I can't say . I didn't live through the war ; I just interviewed some of its victims .
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493,634 | 342,623 | 55,992 | 7 |
good for an Elvis movie
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This is actually a very good Elvis movie . The plot concerns a bunch of hillbillies , the Kwimpers - a dad , his son , and three orphans , who take over some beach property under the Homestead act after they run out of gas there . Elvis portrays a dummy of sorts - he plays it very naturally and he's quite funny ! It's not so much that he's dumb , but he's so guileless , literal , and helpful , he seems that way . With these attributes , he continually gets the best of the bad guys , including a mobster , Simon Oakland , Joanna Moore , from child welfare , and assorted others . The conceit makes for some hilarious scenes . In one , the mobster , after Elvis beats up his thugs , decides to blow up Elvis ' family home . They prepare a bomb and put it in a box . When Elvis sees it , he thinks the mobsters have forgotten their package and dutifully returns it . BAM . One poster mentioned that Elvis doesn't try to look as if he's singing . Apparently , he was notorious for not bothering much with lipsynching , though I'm not sure why . For my money , the only really good song in this film is the title one . And lipsynching or not , Presley looks great . I guess we can spend time lamenting the fact that Elvis didn't make better films or get the acting opportunities he deserved , or we can enjoy what we have . And Follow That Dream is better than most .
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493,843 | 342,623 | 66,808 | 7 |
The title says it all
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Bananas is just that on the surface - a crazy , off the wall movie written by , directed by , and starring a very young Woody Allen as a clumsy New Yorker who winds up as the leader of a small country . In the beginning , Allen plays a product tester whose parents are surgeons ( in fact , he walks in on them at one point while they're performing surgery , and they have him take over the reins ) . He basically just wants to get laid , and when a young activist ( Louise Lasser ) appears at his door with a petition , he sees an opportunity . The two eventually break up , and in despair , he quits his job and goes to San Marcos , one of her causes . There he becomes a pawn in the revolution , later becoming their leader dressed like Castro but with a red beard . Only Allen could have imagined this , and it's quite brilliant . Underneath the one-liners and crazy situations is a statement about the war in Vietnam and the way it was reduced to sports reporting on television . To make his point , Howard Cossell is on hand for a play by play of the character's wedding night before an audience . Total Woody , with some hilarious moments . Highly recommended .
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493,678 | 342,623 | 40,553 | 7 |
Lovely fantasy
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Tyrone Power is a man who encounters a leprechaun in " The Luck of the Irish , " also starring Anne Baxter , Jayne Meadows Cecil Kellaway , and Lee J . Cobb . Power plays Stephen Fitzgerald , a newspaperman who takes a job with an influential publisher turned politician , Augur ( Cobb ) - not because he believes in Augur , but because of the money and prestige . Egging him on is Augur's elegant , glamorous daughter ( Meadows ) who's in love with him . And who can blame her . It's outrageously handsome and charming Tyrone Power . While in Ireland , Fitz meets a young woman , Nora , to whom he's attracted , and a leprechaun with the proverbial pot o ' gold . Even though Fitz gets the gold , he returns it , and the leprechaun is in his debt . When Fitz returns to New York , the leprechaun appears as a servant , Horace , and strange things begin to happen . This is a charming film that effortlessly draws you into its whimsical story . Power did many comedies when he first signed with 20th Century Fox , and if you've seen them , you know he performed them beautifully . His reactions while a bartender is telling a leprechaun story are hilarious . It's a shame this versatile actor didn't put down his sword and do more comic roles . He'd pay homage once again to the land of his ancestors in " The Long Gray Line " for John Ford seven years later . How sad that when the really good parts were finally coming his way , he died . Anne Baxter is darling as Nora , and Meadows is appropriately brittle . The two are great opposites - Baxter natural and sweet , Meadows made up and bejeweled . Kellaway is excellent as Horace , the leprechaun turned houseman . " The Luck of the Irish " will leave you with a smile on your face . Uplifting stories are hard to find - see this one .
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493,942 | 342,623 | 407,874 | 7 |
Hollywood home movies
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These are fun Hollywood home movies assembled by Ken Murray . Some of them are fascinating , such as film of stars at the Hearst castle , some are fun , like Kirk Douglas ' appearance on television with Murray , and some for this viewer went on too long , such as the cowboy section . The clip of Murray introducing a young Marilyn Monroe is marvelous , however , and ends the film . Murray takes a drive down the old Hollywood Boulevard so we can see it as it was , and it sure has changed . There are clips of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford , Cary Grant swimming , Charlie Chaplin playing tennis , and an almost unrecognizable Norma Shearer at an outdoor gathering . And Walt Disney takes Murray's daughters on a tour of his magic kingdom . This is worth picking up if you see it on ebay .
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494,086 | 342,623 | 40,478 | 7 |
Communist spy film based on a true story
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Dana Andrews is Igor Gouzenko , a Russian spy in Canada in " The Iron Curtain , " a 1948 film based on a true story . Andrews plays a Russian during and after World War II who is sent to work as a code clerk for a ring in Canada ; once the bomb is dropped on Hiroshima , the Communists become particularly interested in documents pertaining to it . Eventually his wife ( Gene Tierney ) joins him and tells him that she is pregnant . With the birth of his son , and the disillusionment of one of the ring ( Eduard Franz ) , whose father was a great leader , Gouzenko slowly begins to realize that he's on the wrong side and decides that he and his family will not return to Russia . He steals important documents from his office with the idea of handing them over to the Department of Justice before his bosses realize what has happened , but fate plays against him . It becomes a race against time to get the documents into the right hands as well as save his family , even if he can't save himself . Done in semi-documentary style , this is a pretty good propaganda drama with fine performances from an always attractive couple , Andrews and Tierney , and a great performance by Eduard Franz in a showy role . Andrews is one of the few leading men under contract at 20th Century Fox who was served well , particularly once Fox's biggest star , Tyrone Power , went to war ; the hard-bitten roles Andrews played in many film noirs have given him a place in film history . Like both Power and John Payne , he was versatile , appearing in every type of film . Not realizing he was trained as an opera singer , the studio dubbed him in " State Fair " - they'd thrown so many non-singers into musicals , it never occurred to them he actually might be one . Alcoholism cut his star years short though he continued to work and speak on behalf of facing up to alcoholism . Tierney's career had its ups and downs due to her personal life as well , but in three films , they made a wonderful couple . Toward the end , " The Iron Curtain " becomes quite intense and exciting . Well directed by William Wellman , it's worth watching though some may not like its definite propaganda bent .
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495,102 | 342,623 | 258,000 | 7 |
A hard day's night that doesn't go as well as one originally hoped
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Jodie Foster and her diabetic daughter ( Kristen Stewart ) are stuck in a " Panic Room , " in this 2002 film also starring Forrest Whitaker , Dwight Yoakam , Jared Leto and Jonathan Pryce . The robbery of a safe in an empty house runs into a few problems when the thieves ( Whitaker , Yoakam , and Leto ) find the house occupied and the occupants in the very room that has the safe - the panic room . How to get into the room or force the people out is the question , when the woman and girl prove pretty smart . This derivative film , a sort of 2002 version of " Wait Until Dark , " seems to have been pretty much blasted from here to kingdom come here on IMDb . I didn't see it in the theater ; I rented it , and I think often that makes a difference in how disappointed or cheated one feels . I found it suspenseful and exciting with good acting . The story is full of plot holes that others have listed , so I won't bother . It's easier to accept plot holes in comedy or in a caper film . It's annoying in drama or suspense , admittedly . Foster gives a strong performance , full of girl power and intelligence . She hits all the right notes as a desperate mother . Whitaker is excellent as the weak link who works for the security company that has a contract for the house and doesn't want any violence . Kristen Stewart is perfect casting as Foster's daughter Sarah - she looks so much like Foster it's amazing , though I admit for the first few scenes I thought Sarah was a boy . Someone in a previous post asks if anyone sits down and looks at a script in Hollywood and works on the plot holes . Obviously the answer to that one is no , and here's why - films are greenlit on the basis of their business plan and who's attached . Hello , no one looks at the script or a treatment . And once the script is in production , 8 or 9 writers work on it . And you wonder why there are holes . The answer is , because there are holes in lots of heads .
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493,517 | 342,623 | 59,798 | 7 |
Growing up is hard to do , especially when you're already an adult
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A Thousand Clowns was a ' 60s Broadway hit that starred Jason Robards , who repeats his role for the film , as does William Daniels . It has been revived several times , the last time for , of all people , Tom Selleck . I suppose it was cast that way because the lead role , Murray , is an overgrown kid , kind of like Magnum . The casting people seemed to forget that Murray is a New Yorker and Jewish besides . Tom Selleck was skewered by critics , in part because he was miscast and in part because he's not a stage actor . The Herb Gardner play concerns a twelve-year-old boy , Nick , who lives with his eccentric Uncle Murray . A social worker ( Barbara Harris ) appears ; she and Murray fall for one another . Child welfare insists that Murray become a traditional working man if he wants to keep his nephew , who loves being with him . Young Nick is horrified when his uncle seems to accept their decision instead of fighting it . " A Thousand Clowns " is a thought-provoking film , done at a time when rebellion was something to be admired . Underneath it all , what it's really about is growing up ; in fact , Nick acts older than his uncle in many ways . Murray wants freedom , but he needs to change his definition of freedom if he wants his nephew . Jason Robards does a terrific job as Murray , an unemployed TV writer and fun guy for sure , more big brother than father material with his cluttered apartment , eternal joking , going to the movies instead of looking for a job , inability to commit to a relationship , and basic refusal to work . The marvelous Barbara Harris takes the role of the social worker , played on stage by Sandy Dennis . She's great as the dizzy woman who splits with her boring , by the book fiancé to be with Murray . Barry Gordon , who is still acting today , makes an excellent , forceful , and funny Nick , and manages to project a vulnerability underneath the New York kid . Martin Balsam plays Murray's straightlaced brother and rounds off a fine cast . Though dated , " A Thousand Clowns " is still a good watch , about love , responsibility , and rebellion .
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494,018 | 342,623 | 13,802 | 7 |
What's left of it is both interesting and frustrating
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I unfortunately missed the introduction ( if there was one ) to " The Young Rajah " on Turner Classic Movies , but the film was pieced together - the entire beginning is lost , told with dialogue cards , story cards , and stills . Eventually there is a clip of badly preserved film , more stills , and then finally " The Young Rajah " is completed using the actual film . The entire presentation only runs about an hour . The silent era was the great equalizer - only in silents could an Italian with a thick accent play an Indian living on an American farm under the name of Amos Judd . As a young boy , the heir to the throne of India is brought to the farm of his father's friend , where he grows up , goes to Harvard , and falls in love . He has the gift of foretelling the future - which is where the frustration comes in for this viewer - but I digress . As his wedding day draws near , he is asked to return to India , where a usurper has taken over the throne and chaos reigns . Valentino was very much of his time . He was an Italian working in silent films , and there's every chance he would not have survived sound or , as tastes changed , kept his leading man status . While Ramon Novarro enjoyed a career in talkies and television in character roles , we don't know if this would have happened to Valentino or would have been acceptable to him . Yet appearance-wise , he's ahead of his time , too . When one views him with today's eyes , he looks like one of the current Italian models with his slicked back hair , handsome face , and knack for looking elegant in suits . No man around him comes even close in appearance . People must have had better vision in the ' 20s - the film contains many notes various characters received , and despite them being clear , I couldn't read them from where I was sitting . At the end of the movie , the film is almost completely deteriorated during the young rajah's vision - so I can only guess at what happens . A real pity , but what a credit to the people who worked to preserve what was left . A movie of great interest for those fascinated by film history .
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494,806 | 342,623 | 101,646 | 7 |
Danish resistance helps Jews escape the Nazis
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Anything involving Jews and the Nazis is going to be a nail-biter , and " A Day in October " is no different . This 1992 film stars Daniel Benzali , Tovah Feldshuh , D . B . Sweeney and Kelly Wolf in this story of a wounded member of the Danish resistance , Niels ( Sweeney ) taken in by Sara ( Wolf ) , the daughter of Solomon and Emma Kublitz ( Benzali and Feldshuh ) . Niels and his cronies have just bombed the factory where Solomon works as an accountant , as it has been taken over by the Germans for their use . However , they hit the wrong building and the only one to escape is Niels . Niels pressures Solomon to help him bomb the right building ; Solomon and Sara have stayed passive during the war , believing nothing will happen in Denmark . Then Solomon sees the dead bodies of Niels ' friends and realizes their courage . He finally agrees to help , though the Nazi security guard ( Ole Lemmeke ) is suspicious of him . Then the family learns that Jews are to be rounded up and arrested . They must try to escape and warn as many of their friends as possible . This a very good film , both tense and atmospheric . The acting is excellent , with the standout performances belonging to Benzali and Feldshuh . Benzali , who played the successful , self-assured attorney in Murder One is here a nervous , quiet accountant ; the beautiful Feldshuh , who as a young actress was one of the stars of Holocaust , displays the emotion and fright that Emma has when she is faced with losing her home and family . She is especially touching in the scene when she tries to replace family items into the small suitcase she is allowed to bring to the boat that will take them to Sweden . The love story between Niels and Sara is slow to develop , but a true bond develops between them . Sweeney does not display enough intensity in his role , but Wolf is good as the daughter . Ole Lemmeke is appropriately menacing as the security guard at the factory . The Danish resistance helped 7500 Jews escape Denmark , and of the 450 or so Jews who were arrested and sent to concentration camps , nearly all survived . Like their fellow Scandinavian countries , the Danes helped the Jews greatly during World War II , demonstrating great humanity that other countries did not .
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493,507 | 342,623 | 28,953 | 7 |
delightful comedy
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Brian Aherne is the great actor David Garrick in " The Great Garrick , " directed by James Whale and costarring Olivia DeHavilland . The actress was 21 years old when this film was released . The Comedy Francaise , insulted by comments made by Garrick about working with them , decides to give him a night in a French inn he won't ever forget . Knowing he will stop there en route to Paris , the head of the company rents the place for the day , dismissing the staff . The company take roles as maids , waiters , servants , etc . in a play written for the occasion by Beaumarchis , full of love triangles , duels , a crazy man , and lots of noise . What they don't know is that the old prompter , who once worked with Garrick , has gone ahead and warned him of what is to happen . One other thing they're not counting on is the appearance of another guest ( DeHavilland ) besides Garrick . Garrick , however , thinks she's part of the troupe . This is a witty , well done comedy . Aherne , an accomplished Shakespearean actor , is great as the egomaniacal Garrick . He was equally good in " Merrily We Live , " but for some reason , stopped getting the showy roles , possibly because of Errol Flynn . Edward Everett Horton is excellent as his manservant . The supporting cast , including Lionel Atwill , Melville Cooper , Fritz Leiber , and Marie Wilson are all wonderful . Lana Turner has a tiny role as one of the maids . Olivia DeHavilland is luminously beautiful in a true ingénue role , done before Warners realized what a wonderful actress they had in her . Very entertaining , and a good chance to see a very young DeHavilland and Aherne shine .
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493,744 | 342,623 | 44,402 | 7 |
Mario's in the army now
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With Kathryn Grayson refusing to work with him again , Mario Lanza has a new leading lady in " Because You're Mine , " a 1952 film which also stars Doretta Morrow , James Whitmore , Paula Corday , Jeff Donnell , and Spring Byington . Lanza is a great opera star , Renaldo Rossano , who gets drafted into the army . Fortunately for him , his commanding officer , Sgt . Batterson ( Whitmore ) is a fan , so Rossano has it pretty easy . Batterson is also trying to promote his sister as a singer . Renaldo falls for her . His prima donna back at the opera house ( Paula Corday ) will have something to say about that . Broadway star Doretta Morrow is perky , and while not as pretty as Grayson , sings beautifully . Lanza was not very nice to her - that's putting it mildly - but apparently eventually apologized . Unhappy making this film after his triumphant " The Great Caruso , " Lanza gained weight throughout the film so he's trim in one scene and chunky the next . It's a shame he felt that way - the film is pleasant enough , and he sings like a dream , doing a segment from " Il Trovatore , " the " Addio " from " Rigoletto , " the end of " Cavalleria Rusticana , " the " Our Father , " the title song , " Because You're Mine , " and a very impressive " Granada . " Not only does he impress with his glorious high notes , he does some very lyrical and soft singing as well . James Whitmore moves into the comedy of his role easily , and Spring Byington is delightful as a general's wife who needs Renaldo to sing at a reception . Very pleasant and a must for opera and Lanza fans .
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494,007 | 342,623 | 86,200 | 7 |
A young man's life goes from bad to worse in ' 80s film .
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For a kid who has nightmares about making mistakes and not getting into college , Tom Cruise sure gets into a lot of trouble in " Risky Business , " one of his star-making films . Cruise , then just 21 , appears with a lot of other youngsters who went onto careers with varying degrees of success : Rebecca DeMornay , Curtis Armstrong , Bronson Pinchot , Shera Danese , Megan Mullaley and others . Cruise plays Joel Goodsen , who is basically just that until his parents take a trip . Joel's troubles begin when he calls a call girl and she becomes like the man who came to dinner . Before he knows it , he has an unhappy relationship with her pimp , rolled his father's $40 , 000 car into Lake Michigan ( in a hilarious scene ) and is flunking subjects . Desperate for money to get the car fixed , he starts suggesting to his friends that they could use some sex ed before college . In the midst of one of his hook-up parties , an ivy league college admissions officer shows up for an interview . This is a very funny film that includes the oft-imitated " Old Time Rock ' n ' Roll " sequence .
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493,606 | 342,623 | 101,590 | 7 |
father and daughter , both attorneys , duke it out
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Gene Hackman and Mary Elizabeth Mastroantonio are involved in a " Class Action " in this 1991 film that also stars Laurence Fishburne , Donald Moffatt , Joanna Merlin and Fred Thompson . Hackman and MEM , father and daughter , are both attorneys . " I raised you , " Jed ( Hackman ) yells at Maggie ( MEM ) during one scene . " Mom raised me , " she screams back . " You had a date . " Maggie's resentment over her father's infidelity erupts after the death of her mother ( Merlin ) in a powerful scene . Although Maggie has tried to reconcile with him , she finds there is too much in the way . Maggie is in an ethical quandary when the law firm she works for wants to suppress evidence about an automobile manufacturer's malfeasance ; complicating things is that her father heads the team the other side of the case . This is a very good movie that emotionally rings true , thanks to a good script and fine performances by Hackman and Mary Elizabeth . I had the pleasure of working with Mary Elizabeth when she was a Broadway actress - a lovely woman with a great talent , shown here to excellent advantage . Grieving for her mother and unable to accept her father's love , she is blindsided by her boyfriend / boss ' ethics violation and has nowhere to turn . The viewer can really feel her pain . Hackman is wonderful as a shark attorney who loved his wife deeply but made some unfortunate choices and alienated his only child . He finds himself now vulnerable and confused ; Hackman expresses these emotions beautifully . There is able support from the top-notch cast . Compelling and at times powerful .
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494,682 | 342,623 | 44,166 | 7 |
Courtroom drama with Walter Pidgeon at the helm
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Walter Pidgeon is Braley Mason , a civil attorney who takes on a criminal case in " The Unknown Man , " a 1951 film also starring Ann Harding , Barry Sullivan , Keefe Braselle , and Richard Anderson . A great believer in justice , Pidgeon accepts a pro bono case defending a young man , Rudi Walchek ( Braselle ) accused of murder and gets him acquitted . Shortly afterward , he realizes that the man is guilty and was extorting protection money from his victim as well as other shopkeepers in the neighborhood . He is advised by the DA ( Sullivan ) that Rudi is small change , that to wipe out the organized crime , one has to find the top man . Mason finds the top man , and is faced with a dilemma . " The Unknown Man " is a small , black and white film that manages to hold the viewer's interest with its various plot twists , though the plot is somewhat contrived . It's really the story of a good man seeking his god , justice , and what he is willing to do in order to attain it . And that's the most contrived part of all . I suppose there was a time before O . J . , the Menendez Brothers , etc . , etc . , when people believed in justice and the integrity of attorneys . For this viewer anyway , those days are long over . Walter Pidgeon does an excellent job - - his handsome , elegant demeanor and declamatory voice show us a successful , confident man but also a deeply caring one . Pidgeon had a magnificent career spanning 60 years but never really rose to superstardom . He was a solid actor who could play just about anything and did . It may be because by the time he was getting leads , he was well into his thirties and missed being a matinée idol ; or it could be he lacked that certain something ; or that he was typed early on as second lead to a big female star like Greer Garson . Hard to say . He gives an honest and touching performance here . Very good movie with good performances .
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493,825 | 342,623 | 101,606 | 7 |
Enjoyable spy film
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Gene Hackman is Sam Boyd , an old CIA agent who is dragged back into " Company Business " in this 1991 film also starring Mikhail Baryshnikov . Boyd has to funnel money to the Russians using a prisoner switch as an excuse , but it all goes awry when , during the exchange , he realizes the prisoner the Russians are sending over is someone he just saw at the airport . He aborts the switch immediately . He and his Russian ( Baryshnikov ) are directed to a safe house , but when it blows up , Hackman realizes the CIA wants both of them dead . So they go on the run with $2 million . This film had a light , breezy atmosphere to it , and the two stars play it sort of like an " I Spy " episode . It's not an out and out comedy but it's pleasant and implausible enough . Someone thought that the " big reveal " about the young the woman helping the two in France made the thing truly ridiculous - I don't know why . Baryshnikov at the time of the filming was 43 , and the young woman ( Geraldine Danon ) was 23 . What's the problem ? Great locations in Berlin and France , good acting , and some exciting scenes . Fun if you're not expecting " The Spy Who Came in from the Cold . "
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493,998 | 342,623 | 48,514 | 7 |
Widmark as Robin Hood
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Richard Widmark wants " A Prize of Gold " in this 1955 film that also stars Mai Zetterling and Nigel Patrick . Widmark plays American soldier Joe Lawrence , who is stationed in Berlin post-World War II . Joe is usually in some sort of trouble , but he has a marital indiscretion that he can hold over his commanding officer's head so that he looks the other way . Joe falls in love with Maria , a teacher in an orphanage ( Zetterling ) . In order to get money to move the orphanage to Brazil , Maria has been cozying up to a wealthy benefactor . Jealous , Joe interferes and fights with the man , blowing the opportunity for Maria and the orphans sky-high . He promises Maria he will make it all right and therefore agrees to take part in a robbery of gold bullion that is to be transported . Things don't go as planned . This is an okay movie , memorable because when Lucille Ball hid in Widmark's house during an " I Love Lucy " episode , this is the film he was promoting . It's not terribly impressive except for the Berlin locations . The film is shot in somewhat muted color . Mai Zetterling is very good ; she was an actress with a wide range . Widmark does well in this roguish part , and Nigel Patrick turns in a strong performance as a sneaky accomplice . Pretty run of the mill .
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495,119 | 342,623 | 101,602 | 7 |
disappointing Columbo
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I gave this a 7 because of the great cast and some wonderful scenes , but it's a problematic script . And let's face it , the alibi is absolutely no good . Dabney Coleman is an attorney with live-in girlfriend / rock star whom he kills . He then frames her boyfriend for the murder . One of the best things is that when Columbo hears her name , he knows what her hit song is ! There's another hilarious scene in a restaurant where Coleman asks Columbo if he wants something to eat . Well , he starts ordering and just keeps on going , seemingly every new item being an afterthought - it's priceless . Someone posted that Shera Danese ( Falk's wife ) who plays an associate in Coleman's law firm could not have provided the alibi , because she starts blackmailing him after the event . I believe she did what he asked her to do without realizing why - when she realizes why , she starts blackmailing him . I may be wrong - I don't have the episode in front of me . My REAL problem with this episode is the fact that I've never understood how anybody could drive with that mask on . It did not look opaque to me . It looked like a photograph . Some trivia : Falk's real-life wife , Shera Danese , wanted to play the girlfriend but was felt to be too old for the role . She MAY have sung the song , I can't remember now .
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493,595 | 342,623 | 94,963 | 7 |
Eastwood's last " Dirty Harry "
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In the final Dirty Harry movie , Inspector Callahan ( Clint Eastwood ) is annoyed by his new-found fame , caused by his court testimony against an important mob figure . His next case is a real winner : an obnoxious British director ( Liam Neeson ) has a " dead pool " on the set of his new horror flick . Each crew member picks ten celebrities they believe will die , and the one with the most dead celebs on their list at the end of the game is the big winner . Just one problem with this - the people on the director's list start dying at an alarming rate and mysteriously , including his leading man . And guess whose name is on the list as well - yeah , Harry's . If this isn't enough , a TV reporter ( Patricia Clarkson ) wants to do a big story on him . Directed by Buddy van Horn , " The Dead Pool " is a spoof of a sort , killing a movie critic as part of the story ( ouch ) , and the story actually concerns movie-making . It also has a car chase that's a take-off on " Bullitt . " The stereotypical characters found in this type of film are played by some excellent actors , and there's plenty of sexual innuendo to go around . Someone mentioned that Eastwood seems a little old here for Dirty Harry . He seems old for just about every role he plays , frankly , but he keeps playing them . It's always amazing how men are able to do this with no problem , but give the man his due . He's a great presence , and in 1988 , his best work as both a director and an actor was yet to come ! Very entertaining and well-acted . If you can get the joke , you'll enjoy it all the more .
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494,072 | 342,623 | 465,142 | 7 |
Funny post - black comedy
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Imagine a terrorist getting to the final round of an American Idol-type show so that he can bump off one of the judges - the President of the United States . Paul Weitz has a great and creative imagination to think up the plot of " American Dreamz , " a 2006 comedy that he wrote and directed . The premise is that the President of the U . S . ( Dennis Quaid ) is the puppet of his chief adviser ( Willem Dafoe ) and has to have an earpiece so he knows what to say . At the beginning of the film , he's reading newspapers and discovering that things in the world aren't quite as they've been described to him . So absorbed is he in this new knowledge , that he won't leave the residence , and rumors surface that he's had a nervous breakdown or is ill . So his Chief of Staff mounts a massive publicity campaign , and one of the things he's going to do is judge the " American Dreamz " contest . Hugh Grant is the Simon Cowell character who also hosts the show . He wants a Jew and an Arab to compete , plus someone really yummy ( Mandy Moore ) . An idiot terrorist ( Tony Yalda ) is sent to the U . S . to live with his cousins to get him out of the way , and his goal in life is to be on American Dreamz . However , the day the Dreamz committee arrives in response to his tape , his terrorist cousin Omer ( Sam Golzali ) is in his stage / basement setup doing a song for Guys and Dolls . He's scooped up for American Dreamz , which makes his cousin a ) furious and b ) his choreographer . The terrorist bosses devise a bomb that Omer will retrieve in the mens room to kill himself and the President - but he has to get to the final round . This comedy is truly outrageous . I just wish we could have seen a few more numbers from Omer and his cousin - for me , the competition just made the movie . In my opinion also , it would have been funnier if the Mandy Moore character of Sally Kendoo had been below par - she actually was pretty good . When Omer went into " The Impossible Dream " and one of the terrorists criticizes the choice of song to his fellow cell members , it was hilarious . It is incredibly nervy to show terrorists assembling pieces of a bomb for Omer to put together and juxtapose it with a mindless competition - nervy because it's the old Hitchcock terror in normal places idea that is scary indeed . After all Omer has been told about the evils in America , it must seem like a pretty silly place to him - but tempting - and he goes after the American Dream on American Dreamz . Sally Kendoo , looking for all the world like an innocent hometown girl , is anything but , as ruthless as they come , even taking advantage of an Iraqui vet she doesn't love to pull in audience votes . Grant is appropriately sleazy as Martin Tweed , Quaid good as an out of it President just finding his own voice , and Marcia Gay Harden has a small but colorful role as the First Lady . Most of the characters are sketchy and not likable - except for Omer and his cousin , who are a riot . If only real young terrorists were the way these two are depicted .
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493,847 | 342,623 | 24,989 | 7 |
music hall mind reader starts making real predictions
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Claude Rains stars as Maximus in " The Clairvoyant , " a British film from the Gainsborough studio which costars Fay Wray . Rains and Wray are a husband and wife team who have a mind-reading act that is dependent on a code ( as I just saw demonstrated in the film " Nightmare Alley " ) . During a moment of anxiety on stage when his wife loses her way backstage and gets locked out , Maximus makes a prediction to the audience that turns out to be true . His new gift seems dependent on the presence of a newspaper owner's daughter ( Jane Baxter ) and also , though not pointed out in the film , being under great stress . His foreseeing of the future , however , seems more like a curse than a gift as it threatens his marriage , and he is incapable of stopping the trouble he sees ahead . This is an old-fashioned , entertaining melodrama starring two people who had just become big stars , Rains ( Invisible Man ) and Wray ( King Kong ) . Both are excellent , with Wray looking especially stunning . The script was written by Charles Bennett , who wrote for Hitchcock . The curious thing about the movie was Robert Osborne's description of it on TCM , which didn't seem to jibe with the film itself . He states that the character of Maximus had predictions after terrible headaches , which I don't recall from the story , and that Maximus starts out as a con artist . A mind-reading act that describes an object being held as a fountain pen is not exactly a con , more like a parlor trick . It wasn't as if he had storefront where he took money for fortune telling . That aside , it's interesting to see Rains and Wray in this 72-year-old film .
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494,979 | 342,623 | 56,138 | 7 |
1937 film remade for The King of Rock ' n ' Roll
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Elvis Presley is a mechanic turned fighter in " Kid Galahad , " a 1962 film with Presley playing the role originally essayed by Wayne Morris in the ' 30s . He has strong support from Gig Young , Lola Albright , Joan Blackman and Charles Bronson . Elvis plays an ex-GI named Walter Grogan , who is taken on as a fighter by a man ( Gig Young ) who runs a resort but owes money to mobsters due to gambling debts . What he doesn't count on is the Kid falling for his sister ( Joan Blackman , Bette Davis in the original ) . This is early Elvis , when the production values were high and the songs fresh . Later on , Colonel Parker would tighten up on the budgets , since the cheaper he could get the films made , the more money he made for himself and Elvis . And Elvis ' parents had naively signed a contract giving Parker 50 % . I think Elvis would have been happier with better movies , such as " King Creole , " and less money . " Kid Galahad " is quite good , though , with fine music and a relaxed performance by Elvis , who looks great . He doesn't have the jet black hair and while he's not as thin as he would eventually get from using amphetamines , he's still in great shape . It became more and more difficult for Elvis to be Elvis , but here , he's a boyish , mellow guy who seemed to be enjoying what he was doing . Unfortunately , he didn't stay that way .
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