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493,855 | 342,623 | 116,908 | 8 |
Geena is fantastic !
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Geena Davis , Samuel Jackson and Craig Bierko star in " The Long Kiss Goodnight , " a 1996 film that had a woman in the Arnold Schwarzenegger role for a change . Maybe that's why some people didn't like it , but I loved it . I thought it rocked , and I thought Davis did a terrific job as Samantha , an amnesia victim living with her husband and child and working as a school teacher . After a horrible accident , elements of her old self start to emerge - a facility with knives , strange behavior - and then people start trying to kill her after she appears on television in a holiday parade . A detective who's been trying to dig up info about her ( Jackson ) has found out some information - and Samantha has to leave her family and go on the road with Jackson in search of her true self . Gradually , all of the danger that she's in forces her old self to completely emerge - Charley Baltimore , government assassin . This film will keep you glued to the TV . It packs in a lot of action , a lot of excitement , and a lot of suspense . It also has some wonderful performances . Craig Bierko plays the most evil man who ever lived , I swear - and this guy was the Music Man on Broadway . Samuel L . Jackson is excellent as the detective who had no idea what he was getting into . And Davis is incredible - a sweet mom one day , with flowing locks and a radiant smile - to a cold-blooded , foul mouthed killer the next , with short blond hair and artillery . As someone mentioned here , the script treats this not as amnesia but as a real split personality . Davis and Jackson are dynamic together , playing off one another beautifully . I mustn't forget the great comedy embedded in this film and the witty dialogue . The sound track is great . The plot is also fascinating , given that this was made in 1996 . The premise is that a government agency , in order to get more funding , is going to launch a terrorist attack , killing 4 , 000 people and blame it on the Muslims . References are made to the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 . Doubt this film would be made today . Apparently this bombed at the box office . They say most films are made for 15-year-old boys in Thailand . Maybe they don't like seeing a woman in charge . For people who complain it's not a plausible script , right , and I suppose all of Arnold's were . Don't miss it . Geena makes The Terminator look like a wimp .
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494,916 | 342,623 | 48,401 | 8 |
Lovely underrated musical
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Betty Garrett and Janet Leigh star in " My Sister Eileen , " a 1955 musical also starring Jack Lemmon , Bob Fosse , Tommy Rall and Kurt Kasznar . This is not the musical " Wonderful Town " but it has delightful music by Jule Style . It's the story of the Sherwood Girls , Ruth and Eileen , who come to Greenwich Village from Ohio to " make it " - Eileen as a performer and Ruth as a writer . The two are conned by a landlord ( Kasznar ) into renting ( for a whopping $65 a month ) a basement apartment that shakes like crazy during subway construction . Not to mention , with their window placed the way it is , they may as well be living in the street . The Ruth character is based on the writer of the original story , Ruth McKenney . Eileen is the freshly beautiful blonde who always has men swarming around her ; in comparison , the pretty , funny and stylish Ruth feels like a plain Jane . She sublimates by being dedicated to her career until she meets a publisher ( Jack Lemmon ) and falls for him . He's interested in her story , " My Sister Eileen , " and she's so insecure , she tells him that she is the sought after Eileen - it's another aspect of her personality , she says . The Greenwich Village aspect makes the film as the movie captures its atmosphere perfectly and gives a real feel for the New York of the 1950s . Betty Garrett is great as Ruth . Her singing and acting are both wonderful . Surprisingly , though it's the title role , the part of Eileen really isn't much . ( Sadly , the real Eileen died very young . She married writer Nathanael West and died with him 8 months later in a 1940 car accident . ) Janet Leigh is pretty and sweet , putting over the necessary naiveté as Eileen , plus she gets to show off her singing and dancing . Fosse , who also choreographed , and Tommy Rall are suitors of Eileen and do some fabulous dancing . Dick York has a small but showy role as a young man in Ruth's and Eileen's building . Jack Lemmon , in an early role , is slightly miscast as the sophisticated publisher but is very likable . Well-directed by Richard Quine , it's a shame that " My Sister Eileen " hasn't gotten more attention . It's pretty to look at and to listen to with wonderful , vibrant performances . Check it out .
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494,308 | 342,623 | 343,675 | 8 |
Charming documentary , charming studio
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Forever Ealing is the story of a small studio in England that had people behind it with big dreams . In its heyday , Ealing Studios produced some of the truly great British films , including " Dead of Night , " " The Ladykillers , " " Lavender Hill Mob , " " The Man in the White Suit , " " Kind Hearts and Coronets , " and many others . This documentary gives us a history of Ealing . A lot of the studio's earlier work before Michael Balcon took over won't mean much to Americans because many of the important celebrities who worked there did not have big careers in American film : Gracie Fields , Googie Withers , John McCallum , George Formby . Other names are more familiar : Alec Guinness , Peter Sellars , Joan Greenwood , Sir John Mills . Particularly fascinating was Ealing's work during the war years , and also the work that went behind the group shot of all of the Alec Guinness roles in " Kind Hearts and Coronets . " Probably the most delightful was the accounting by Googie Withers of her co-star , John McCallum , proposing marriage while the wedding of Elizabeth and Phillip was broadcast on the radio , and the subsequent photo used by the newspapers . Narrated by Daniel Day-Lewis , the documentary features perspectives by John Landis , Martin Scorcese , and others . Very good .
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493,452 | 342,623 | 44,079 | 8 |
Strangers meet - one is very sorry
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What a wonderful , tense , exciting work Hitchcock's " Strangers on a Train " is ! It is also a great testament to the talent of Robert Walker , who came to a sad end the very year this film was released . His Bruno Anthony is brilliant - demented , angry , fussy , charming when necessary , and scary as hell . But there are other wonderful performances in this film - there isn't much point in me telling the story , as many reviewers on this board have done so already . Patricia Hitchcock gives a delightful performance as Anne's sister ( well portrayed by the lovely Ruth Roman ) and makes us wish she had made more films ; Farley Granger , in a role intended for William Holden , is boyishly handsome and likable as tennis player ( soon to be politician ) Guy Haines ; and there are two Hitch favorites , Leo G . Carroll and Una O'Connor , in supporting roles . The finale is one of the most thrilling Hitch ever did , and even after repeated viewings has one squirming in one's seat . I viewed both the British and American versions . The homoeroticism so slightly suggested in the British version was toned down in the American initial meeting of Guy and Bruno by playing the dialogue faster , and for the American version , Hitchcock tacked on an ending suggestive of the beginning of the film , bringing it full circle . I admit that I actually prefer that to the British ending ( which is the second-last scene in the American version ) . But I like the British scene where Guy and Bruno meet on the train better . Actually , it doesn't matter which one you see - it's a great movie .
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493,578 | 342,623 | 48,491 | 8 |
A drifter is the catalyst for a lot of small town shake-ups
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Hunky drifter Hal ( William Holden ) arrives in a small Kansas town , disturbing the status quo in " Picnic , " a 1955 film based on Wiliam Inge's play and directed by Josh Logan . It co-stars Kim Novak , Susan Strasberg , Rosalind Russell , Betty Field , Cliff Robertson , Arthur O'Connell , and Verna Felton . It's Labor Day and time for the big annual picnic . Beautiful , 19-year-old Madge Owens prepares to attend the picnic with Arthur ( Robertson ) , a young man from a wealthy family . She fights with her jealous , nerdy sister , Millie . And she's warned by her mother ( Field ) that with each passing year she will become less marketable as a wife . She's advised to solidify things with Arthur . Renting a room from them is Rosemary , a schoolteacher - what one called " an old maid " back then . A brittle loudmouth , she's doesn't have not much use for her boyfriend Howard , but he's taking her to the picnic . When Hal jumps off the train to look up his old college friend Arthur , he innocently becomes a catalyst for change . In one way or another , he manages to arouse emotions - mostly sexual - in nearly everyone he meets . A braggart who gives his loose-ends , wandering life a romantic spin , he's hoping Arthur's dad will give him a job . Then he sees Madge . " Picnic " is a beautiful story about loneliness , settling for what you can get , love , frustration , and dreams left behind . Madge is sick of being the pretty one , Millie is sick of being the smart one , Rosemary is sick of being an old maid , Arthur is sick of not being a winner in his father's eyes . " Picnic " contains some memorable scenes , the best remembered being the classic " Moonglow " sequence when Madge shuns tradition and gives into her womanly feelings in one of the most erotic scenes ever filmed . William Holden is too old for the role for Hal ( his classmate , played by Cliff Robertson , is 29 ) but his casting is excellent . Virile , oozing with sex appeal and good looks , Hal turns a lot of heads when he's shirtless and when he flashes his gorgeous smile . In Madge , he sees his last chance to make something of himself ; with her as his inspiration , he can do anything . Gorgeous in lavender , Kim Novak's Madge is every man's dream , and as she makes evident in her scenes with Robertson , she isn't sure this is all there is . When she meets Hal , he awakens feelings in her she's never had . Betty Field does a beautiful job as Flo Owens , a woman who's life has been one of disappointment but hopes for a good marriage for Madge . Susan Strasberg as the geeky Millie is superb - tomboyish , with feelings for things other than English literature held inside . The main characters all believe their lives are on a set path . No one believes this more than Millie . " I will be living in New York and writing books no one reads , " she announces to her sister . But it's she who convinces Madge that for the fearless , life doesn't have to be set in stone . Arthur O'Connell is effective as Rosemary's boyfriend - though he normally goes along with her , he can be tough when necessary . The scene where he's completely overcome by the town's women and can't get a word in is a classic . Arthur's afraid of change , but his life is going to change by unanimous female consent . One of the best performances comes from veteran Verna Felton as Mrs . Potts . Her final scene with Flo Owens is so poignant as she talks about what it's meant to her to watch Flo's daughters grow up while she cares for her invalid mother . When she meets Hal , it's as if her whole existence comes alive once again . " There was a man around , and it was good , " she says . Felton essays a wonderful , wise woman with an understanding of life and love and makes the role shine . The problematic role is that of Rosemary . When people say that Picnic is dated , they're perhaps speaking of Rosemary , an old maid whose sexual desires become unbearable once she sees Hal and witnesses Hal and Madge together . " Every year I keep telling myself something will happen , " she tearfully tells Howard . " But it doesn't . " What's dated is the implication that an unmarried woman must be unfulfilled - the concept is dated , but it fits into ' 50s middle America - and don't kid yourself , step out of a big city and there are plenty of people who still feel this way . Rosemary's big confrontation scene with Howard is magnificent acting , but I frankly found Russell over the top in parts of the movie . Some of it is the character , some is not enough attention to directing her . Rosemary might be annoying , but she is also an object of pity . When you wish she'd just stop talking and leave , there's a problem . " Picnic " doesn't tell us about the rest of these peoples ' lives . The final scenes are really just the beginning . Though both Hal and Madge want to build a real life together , one wonders if they can , and if love and passion are enough to carry them through hard times . One suspects that Madge will one day return to Kansas , sadder but wiser . Hal will always have wanderlust , always put the best spin on marginal situations , and never really hold down a good job . Rosemary will be able to put on an act that she has what she wants , but that's all it will be . Without the competition of Madge , Millie may just surprise herself by blossoming , allowing the womanly part of her in , and have some opportunities in the big city that are more than career-based . In fact , of all of the characters , she perhaps has the best future in front of her . A slice of ' 50s life , thought provoking , excellent characterizations - Picnic is one of the best films of the ' 50s with two of its brightest stars . Highly recommended .
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495,035 | 342,623 | 44,103 | 8 |
Imagine this being made today
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Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger filmed the opera " Tales of Hoffmann " in 1951 , to stunning effect . Offenbach's opera is the story of three loves of the poet Hoffmann ( Robert Rounsville ) and epitomizes the struggle between art and love , as he is transformed as a poet by each failed romance . The story begins in Nuremberg as Hoffmann watches the object of his affections , Stella ( Moira Shearer ) dance a ballet . During the intermission , he goes into a tavern and tells the customers about his three major affairs . Opera singers , with two exceptions , dub the stars , who are mostly from the ballet world , several will be familiar from The Red Shoes : Moira Shearer , Ludmilla Tcherina , Robert Helpmann , Léonide Massine , and Frederick Ashton . Only Hoffmann , Robert Rounsville , and Antonia , Anne Ayars , do their own singing . The rest of the vocals provided by Dorothy Bond , Margherita Grandi , Monica Sinclair , Joan Alexander , Grahame Clifford , Bruce Dargavel , Murray Dickie , Owen Brannigan , Fisher Morgan , and Rene Soames . Both the singing and dancing are absolutely magnificent , the beautiful Shearer dancing much better than she did in The Red Shoes several years earlier , and Powell and Pressburger fill the opera with fantastic effects and colors . My favorite is Shearer's doll ballet sequence , with the magnificent coloratura singing of the Doll Aria by Dorothy Bond , a discovery of Sir Thomas Beecham , who conducts the orchestra . Tragically she was killed in a car accident the next year ; she deserved to be one of the most famous sopranos who ever lived . There are a couple of problems with this incredible piece . It's done in English , which due to the tamber of the high soprano voice , can make it difficult to understand . So people who know the opera would probably enjoy it the most . Secondly , it's not paced very well - there are some very draggy sections ; some of the chorus work could have been cut . The overall effect for the eyes and ears is fabulous , but " The Tales of Hoffmann " leaves one depressed for how far we've fallen culturally in this world . Imagine mounting this film today . How many people would attend ? Five ?
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494,357 | 342,623 | 323,944 | 8 |
The discovery of one falsehood leads to lots more
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Hayden Christensen is the " Shattered Glass " in the title of this 2003 film , co-starring Peter Sarsgaard , Chloë Sevigny , and Rosario Dawson . Well-directed and co-written by Billy Ray , the film tells the story of Stephen Glass , a young reporter for The New Republic who was a rising , well-liked and vibrant journalist . Working under editor Michael Kelly , he wrote some excellent and off-beat stories for The New Republic . When Kelly is fired , Chuck Lane ( Peter Sarsgaard ) takes over as editor . He doesn't have the close relationship with the young journalists that Kelly did , and when an online magazine questions some of the facts in an article written by Glass , Sarsgaard is perhaps a little less protective than Kelly would have been and starts digging into it . Glass eventually states that he seems to have been duped by his sources , but Lane begins to think he fabricated the story . He then looks into some other stories written by Glass . A really excellent , low-key film that dramatizes the tangled web that emerges and only gets more tangled as time goes on . Christensen is excellent as a confident young man who keeps up his bravado but internally panics as his story is questioned and he feels the pressure intensify . The tight-lipped Sarsgaard underplays but as his outrage grows , you can literally see him start to seethe . Highly recommended , " Shattered Glass " is a very good film , with the ending chirons updating the story .
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494,743 | 342,623 | 526,120 | 8 |
Portrait of an icon
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For a man who exudes sex appeal , Paul Newman was remarkably appalled when his wife , Joanne Woodward says in an interview on Biography : " We weren't married when we made the Long , Hot Summer . That led to some interesting situations in hotel rooms , etc . " " There was no need to mention THAT , " Newman replies . That's just one aspect of this interesting profile of Paul Newman , a man of infinite contradictions : a somewhat remote person who brings tremendous emotion to his work , a family man who looks like a rogue , a great humanitarian who doesn't give autographs or lower his sunglasses to show off his blue eyes , and one who enjoys race car driving ; a huge movie star who takes his work very seriously and himself not seriously . Newman is often compared or put up against Brando . The two entered films around the same time , both were antiheroes , both were method actors and students of the great Stella Adler . But Brando had an easier road to stardom than Newman and given roles that Newman would have loved an opportunity to play ; instead , he was stuck with " The Silver Chalice . " His first real chance came with the role of Rocky Graziano in " Somebody Up There Likes Me , " a film intended for James Dean . In the long run , Newman was harder working and in this writer's opinion , more versatile , exhibiting an ability to do comedy as well as drama . There is also something much more Everyman about Newman - while I can't quite picture Brando as Hud , I can sure picture Newman as Terry in " On the Waterfront . " This is in no way to downplay Brando's greatness or his magnificent screen portrayals . Each man should be allowed his special place in film . This bio focuses on Newman's twisted road to stardom and his original intentions to teach at Kenyon University to support his family ; meeting Joanne Woodward while they were both in Picnic on Broadway ; their eventual marriage ; Newman's evolution as a star , actor , and humanitarian . Old friends and coworkers such as Tom Bosley , Eva Marie Saint , and Angela Lansbury speak of him in glowing terms . He is seen in early television roles and also a screen test for " East of Eden " with James Dean . " Kiss me ? " Dean asks , improvising . " Not here , " Newman says with a grin . His life has been made up of family , hard work and challenges - he seems to excel at everything he does . Though he can exude a certain coldness , when children from one of his charities walked on stage at the Kennedy Center Tribute to honor him and Joanne , he was wiping away tears . An actor of tremendous emotional power , any biography of Paul Newman will leave you appreciating him even more .
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494,098 | 342,623 | 56,308 | 8 |
early Sellars
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Only Two Can Play is a slice of life comedy made in 1962 . Based on a novel by Kingsley Amis , it concerns an assistant librarian , John Lewis ( Peter Sellars ) who has a chance at a better position and a raise , contingent upon him sleeping with the council chairman's wife ( Mai Zetterling ) . He has a beautiful if exhausted wife at home ( Virginia Maskell ) and children , and the confines of his home are a little tight and chaotic . Lewis attempts to make a go of the affair , with humor and poignancy as the result . This is a very well acted film , and a very satisfying one . Sellars wasn't a huge star yet , but all the elements are there . Mai Zetterling , primarily remembered today as a director , was a marvelous actress and very sexy . In her book , " All Those Tomorrows " she describes her experiences living with Tyrone Power and being madly in love with him for several years . That was some life she had . This was the last film Virginia Maskell would make for a time - she married after this movie and did very little until 1967 . Sellars tried to get her replaced in the film , but the director refused . It seems odd , because she was very good . After the birth of a child in 1967 , she became acutely depressed and ultimately overdosed on antidepressants . A sad end for a fine actress . The rest of the cast is excellent as well . A very good film , well worth seeing .
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495,091 | 342,623 | 36,367 | 8 |
Excellent film chronicling the nurses on Bataan
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Claudette Colbert heads up a team of army nurses caring for the wounded and dying in " So Proudly We Hail ! " It's a great ensemble of fine actresses , including Paulette Goddard , Veronica Lake , Barbara Britton and others . This is the women's story , not often told , but certainly harrowing and inspiring . These nurses are in the Phillipines when MacArthur pulls out and they become stranded on Corregidor . The film is told in flashbacks , when the women are actually on their way home by ship , and Colbert , who plays " Davy " ( Janet Davidson ) is catatonic . The ship's doctor is trying to figure out how to help her and asks the women to tell their story . It's a rough one , filled with bombings , filth , malaria , little food , exhaustion , and dying . When " So Proudly We Hail ! " was released , no one knew how the war would end as we do now , and the fall of the Philippines was seen as a major defeat for the U . S . I suspect that although the impact of seeing it today is very strong , it must have been a lot stronger for wartime audiences . As mentioned , it was wartime , so Hollywood didn't have a lot of men to choose from . George Reeves - today himself the subject of a film - plays Davy's love interest , John , and he's not only hunky but excellent . I couldn't figure out if he had a good speaking voice or I was just so used to hearing it after growing up with " Superman . " But he's very effective , and it's sad that after serving in the war , he couldn't get his career back on track . Unfortunately , that happened to many actors who were just getting a foothold when war broke out . The other actor is the often maligned Sonny Tufts , a big , good looking blond who wasn't much of an actor , but he doesn't detract from the film either . He was probably more suited to this role than he was to others later on . But this is a women's movie all the way . At 40 , Colbert was probably a little old for the role . However , she does a good job as a tough but motherly woman , protective of her nurses and quite the rule-breaker herself after she meets John . Veronica Lake gives what is perhaps her best performance as the angry Olivia . The supporting Oscar nomination should have gone to her - it's a showy role , and she does a fantastic job . Paulette Goddard did receive the nomination . She's a flirty , sexy man magnet and extremely likable . I've always thought in real life , with all that charm and charisma , she must have had to beat men off with a stick . " So Proudly We Hail ! " gives as realistic a depiction of the conditions of war and the tremendous work of the nurses who served . It covers the same material as the excellent " Cry Havoc ! " - also about nurses on Bataan . I highly recommend both films . As a bit of trivia , there were nurses who did not get out of Corregidor and were captured . They worked in the prison hospitals and had to endure terrible conditions , but surprisingly , they did survive - a tribute to their incredible inner strength and devotion to the wounded .
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493,762 | 342,623 | 32,520 | 8 |
I walked with a zombie
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Bob Hope made some wonderful , fun movies in the ' 40s , and " The Ghost Breakers " costarring Paulette Goddard , Paul Lukas , Willie Best , and Richard Carlson is a prime example . Anthony Quinn has two small double roles in an early appearance for him . Hope is a radio gossip who talks about the mob and sometimes upsets them ; Goddard is a woman who has just inherited a castle in Cuba . The two intersect at a hotel after a shooting which Hope thinks he committed . He ends up in her trunk and therefore , in Cuba with her , along with Lukas , Best , and Carlson , an old friend of Goddard's . The castle is supposedly haunted , and some mighty strange things occur while Hope and Best investigate . This is a great haunted house mystery with Hope letting the zingers fly at a rapid pace . There was something about the younger Hope that is terribly appealing . He brings a boyishness and an energy to these ' 40s roles that was lost later on . Goddard is beautiful and lively , Lukas excellent as the mysterious Parada . Though there is some political incorrectness , Willie Best and Hope spar as equals . The film keeps a strong atmosphere , with the scenes of thunder and lightning in the beginning especially effective . And that haunted castle - yikes . Call a ghost breaker !
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494,348 | 342,623 | 28,216 | 8 |
Gable , MacDonald , and Tracy as San Francisco topples around them
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As in the ' 70s , disaster films were all the rage in the ' 30s , with " Hurricane , " " The Rains Came , " " In Old Chicago , " and , of course , 1936's " San Francisco " which certainly sent the other studios running to destroy anything they could . The film stars Clark Gable , Jeannette MacDonald , and Spencer Tracy as three citizens of that beautiful city on April 18 , 1906 , when the big earthquake struck . Gable plays Blackie Norton , a quintessential role for him - a tough , charming rogue who runs The Paradise Club . MacDonald is the lovely and talented Mary Black who arrives there looking for work , and Spencer Tracy is Father Tim , who is Blackie's conscience ( so he ignores him ) and Mary's moral compass . Mary is torn between two loves - her love for Blackie and her love for opera . Burley ( Jack Holt ) wants her contract from Blackie so he can star her at the Tivoli Opera , but in all things , she suppresses her own desires so that she can stay with Blackie . She finally does leave but returns . . . only to leave again after an ugly confrontation between Blackie and Father Tim . Things get a lot uglier at an annual contest - and that's when the chandelier starts moving back and forth . It's amazing what the films in the pre-computer age were able to do with special effects because the earthquake in " San Francisco " is dazzling , spectacular , and downright scary . Given the horrors of and Katrina , one is drawn into the devastation and suffering as people search for loved ones , watch their houses fall , go crazy , and see their beloved city dynamited because there's no water to stop the raging fires . 70 years later , it's all way too close to home . As good as he always was with Gable , Spencer Tracy did not have much of a role as the good father , but he's excellent . MacDonald poses a problem . Normally , she plays a diva or spitfire , and she did those roles beautifully . But Mary Blake is a modest and religious woman who speaks softly and sublimates her own desires for the man she loves . It doesn't ring true , and it doesn't work opposite the volatile Blackie of Gable's . If Mary had been more like other roles she played , MacDonald probably would have had good chemistry with him . As it is , they don't make much of a couple . Her singing is pretty until she hits the opera stage - with the combination of the tinny sound system in those days and the way women were trained on high notes then , the end result isn't good . She sings " The Jewel Song , " which she often did in concert , the finale of " Faust , " and " Sempre Libera . " MacDonald was a lyric coloratura and suited to the demands of the opera stage in the ' 30s , but today she sounds dated as standards have changed . This is a great film to see to appreciate the artistry of the early technicians . The effects in " San Francisco " hold up against anything that came 40 years later . The ending is pure Hollywood hokum , but very stirring . It gave this viewer goosebumps . Don't miss Hollywood at its very best .
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494,222 | 342,623 | 59,319 | 8 |
Wonderful spy film
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Michael Caine is Harry Palmer , the spy who came in to get out of the cold , in " The Ipcress File , " a non-Bond type spy film set in London . Filmed on location , it really captures the London of the ' 60s and the back office drudgery of the intelligence game . Caine is not your average spy , in fact , he's doing the job to keep from going to prison . But he's very well suited to it . In the first scenes , we see a guard put a scientist on a train , but he's forgotten his camera . When the guard returns to the train to give it to him , the scientist is gone and someone else is in his place . Thus begins the work of getting him back and ferreting out a double agent . The film , based on the Deighton novel , probably reflects the Profumo scandal that rocked Britain , and shows the smart , patriotic boys to be the Caines of the world and not the traitorous upper crust . Caine is excellent as Palmer - dry , funny , and clever , all the while cooking gourmet food , shopping for only the best , and listening to Mozart . He's a class act - the wrong class in a class-conscious society , but the best class to do the job that needs to be done .
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493,863 | 342,623 | 33,045 | 8 |
The original " You've Got Mail "
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James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan bicker at work and unbeknownst to one another are falling in love via mail in " The Shop Around the Corner , " a 1940 comedy directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch . There was no one quite like him ; Billy Wilder once complained that something was " like Lubitsch but it isn't Lubitsch . " Well , this is , and it's delicious . Set in Budapest , the story concerns two people , Alfred Kralik and Klara Novak , who work at Matuschek's gift shop . They don't get along . Meanwhile , they've both answered a personal ad and are writing to each other . They work with the trouble-making slimeball , Vadas ( who else but Joseph Schildkraut ) , the pleasant and helpful Pirovitch ( Felix Bressart ) and Pepi ( William Tracy ) . There is a subplot , which is the saga of Matuschek himself ( Frank Morgan ) who has suddenly becomes cold toward Alfred . James Stewart could be pretty sexy in these romantic roles . Maybe it's just me , but he softens his voice and looks right into the woman's eyes - quite disarming . Tall and boyish , he's adorable playing against Margaret Sullavan , with whom he worked 5 times . She's very funny , always sounding polite , upbeat and lofty even when she's insulting Alfred . She's especially funny when making unfavorable comparisons between Alfred and her pen-pal . " Oh , but you don't understand , Mr . Kralik . A man like you wouldn't . . . " Both were capable of such heavy dramatic roles and yet could turn around and do a light comedy with no problem . Frank Morgan gives a very touching performance and Felix Bressart is sweet and likable as Pirovitch . Schildkraut is hilarious - one isn't sure if it's his lines , his delivery , or the direction - it was probably all three . My favorite is when he says to Matuschek , " I saw your new dining room table . It's lovely . It must be especially beautiful in the evenings at dinner parties with the candles lit . . . Stunning . " Sounds like nothing yet he's great . This can't possibly be compared to the remake , " You've Got Mail . " After all , it isn't Lubitsch .
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493,807 | 342,623 | 1,323,535 | 8 |
Nice look at the evolution of the gangster film
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Public Enemies : The Golden Age of the Gangster Film is an extensive look at the gangster film from the very early days of the silents and follows its evolution through the Depression , World War II and beyond . And of course , no gangster film documentary would be complete without the genre's great stars , shown in various scenes and in one amusing outtake : Edward G . Robinson , James Cagney , Humphrey Bogart , George Raft , and Paul Muni . " Public Enemies " demonstrates what a great match Warner Brothers was for this particular type of film and talks about some of the producers and directors influential in getting these movies onto the screen : Darryl F . Zanuck , Jack Warner , William Wellman , Raoul Walsh , Michael Curtiz . It's a fascinating look at the effect that various happenings had on the gangster movie : the advent of sound , Prohibition , the Hayes Code , the Depression , WW II , interest in psychiatry , and talks about the melding of the crime film with the film noir . There are interviews with authors and film critics like Leonard Maltin and Molly Haskell , but also old interviews with Edward G . Robinson , Virginia Mayo , Joan Leslie , Raoul Walsh , William Wellman , and Joan Blondell that are great to see . Highly recommended .
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493,887 | 342,623 | 32,553 | 8 |
Amazing film , amazing Chaplin
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Charlie Chaplin is " The Great Dictator " in this 1940 comedy-drama also starring Paulette Goddard , Reginald Gardner , Henry Daniell and Billy Gilbert . Chaplin has the dual role of a Hitler-like dictator , Adenoid Hynkel ( " Hail , Hynkel " ) ( all the countries are fictional , and the party logo is one X on top of another ) and also a war veteran , a sweet barber who looks like Hynkel . There are some truly hilarious parts of this film as well as some truly dramatic ones . The barber trying to keep from falling out of a plane is just one ; the nonsense German Hynkel speaks ; the barber shaving one customer in time with the music , playing to Chaplin's silent film strengths ; Hynkel's dancing with his world globe , which is really a huge balloon . The serious parts take place in the Jewish ghetto where the Jews are persecuted by Hynkel's men - Jew is written on the store fronts , and the soldiers are violent . In such stark contrast to the comedy , these scenes make a strong impression . The ghetto never knows what to expect - when Hynkel is trying to get a loan from a man named Epstein to attack and take over Osterlich , he has his soldiers lay off the Jews so as not to upset Epstein . Eventually the barber winds up in a concentration camp but escapes and is mistaken for Hynkel . Under Chaplin's direction , none of the film seems to be played for comedy . Hynkel himself is a buffoon , but he means it . The most amazing part of the film for me was the very end , when the Barber gives a speech as Hynkel . It's absolutely brilliant and very timely . The beautiful , radiant Goddard , looking at the sky , hope in her eyes , is not something I'll ever forget . Highly recommended . Made in 1940 , the U . S . had not entered the war and Europe's problems were just beginning . Alas , the barber's speech wasn't reality .
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493,811 | 342,623 | 110,684 | 8 |
And yet ANOTHER great performance by Paul Newman
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Paul Newman is " Nobody's Fool " in this 1994 film also starring Jessica Tandy , Bruce Willis , Melanie Griffith , Dylan Walsh and Philip Seymour Hoffman . Newman magnificently portrays Sully , a 60-year-old man living in a small town in upstate New York . He has a bad knee ; he's suing his boss , the hard living Carl Roebuck ( Bruce Willis ) for back wages ; he flirts with the boss ' wife Toby ( Melanie Griffith ) ; he rents from his old school teacher Beryl Peoples ( Jessica Tandy ) who depends on him ; he plays poker and drinks at the local bar ; and he plays the Trifecta every day . When his son Peter ( Dylan Walsh ) comes to town , Sully has to come face to face with the man he abandoned as a child , as well as his ex-wife . ( The scene where he sneaks out of her house as everyone screams at each other is a riot . ) He gets to know his little grandson , bonding with him as he never did the boy's father . Sully , who in his own way has been taking care of a lot of people in town - and driving some other ones crazy - learns the importance of a family connection and what it entails . A marvelous script , a marvelous cast , great direction by Robert Benton - " Nobody's Fool " is a small movie with a big message about life . Newman portrays Sully with all of his complexities . He's more a son to Beryl than her own son . He takes care of his workmate Grub ( Pruitt Taylor Vance ) as he never did his own son . He is there for Toby as she talks about Carl's infidelities , but he was never there for his own wife . What's most wonderful about the script is how character-driven it is and how all its messages come out of the characters . The audience is not beaten over the head with them . When Sully speaks bitterly about his late father , he turns to Peter and says , " That's what you'll say about me when I'm gone . " " You were gone , dad , " Peter says . " I've already said it . " Yet the two men try , without ever verbalizing that they are trying . He's there for Tandy , without a sentimental scene . Tandy is excellent as a woman who fears the loss of her independence , and fans of Nip / Tuck will get a kick out of seeing Dylan Walsh as he was 14 years ago with his mop of hair . He does very well in his role . Bruce Willis is amazing - relaxed , funny , cheating with a smile . Philip Seymour Hoffman , before stardom hit , has a hilarious role as a policeman trying to nail Sully and not having much luck . You can't really call what Newman does acting because you won't catch him doing it - he just IS Sully . He creates an unforgettable character in this must-see film .
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495,131 | 342,623 | 68,229 | 8 |
another wonderful Monte Markham performance
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Either Monte Markham has good taste , or he was lucky in the TV movies in which he was cast . He's certainly made some gems : Visions of Death , Death Takes a Holiday , and The Astronaut . The Astronaut pairs him with Susan Clark , a major actress of the ' 70s . This film is based on the same idea as Capricorn One . In Capricorn One , the astronauts have to fake a space landing for the government . In The Astronaut , the astronaut doesn't make it back , so the government plants a look-alike and returns him to the man's wife ( Clark ) . Because of the story and strong acting , this is another film that sticks in the minds of people who saw it , and another one I wouldn't mind seeing again .
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494,326 | 342,623 | 85,568 | 8 |
stunning film about Clara Wieck
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And who , might you ask , is Clara Wieck ? Well , if she hadn't married Schumann , she might have been much more famous than he . Her pianist abilities were thought to be equal to or greater than those of Franz Liszt . I had the privilege of seeing this film in New York City in a small theater , subtitled . A friend of mine rented it and , unlike one of the posters , his film was dubbed in English . I am glad I got to see the German version . This is a beautiful film with a feminist bend to it , being the story of a brilliantly talented young woman exploited by her father and Schumann , who becomes her husband . Kinski is absolutely wonderful and beautiful . Also , her piano fingerings are great . There is an interesting line at the end , where Wieck says , talking about her home with Schumann , " I hope there will be room for two pianos . " Of course there weren't , and she was forever known as Clara Schumann . The film doesn't go into the fact that Clara Schumann did have a career after marriage , however , and a good part of her relationship with her husband revolved around their mutual passion for music . She had 8 children but managed to compose and do concert tours , often with her husband , until he was institutionalized . After Schumann's death , with the help of Brahms , she continued to do concerts though plagued by various ailments . Try to see this film in German with subtitles if at all possible .
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495,191 | 342,623 | 36,891 | 8 |
a 4F returns home a war hero
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Preston Sturges wrote and directed the 1944 film " Hail the Conquering Hero , " which stars Eddie Bracken , William Demarest , Ella Raines and Franklin Pangborn . Bracken is Woodrow Truesmith , whose father was a famous war hero . Woodrow , however , is 4F because of hay fever . Discharged and depressed , he sits in a bar delaying going home . He confesses the truth to some marines he meets in a bar , and they decide to accompany him home to back up the story he told his mother - that he's in a hospital overseas due to war injuries . When he arrives home , he has a hero's welcome . Later there's a statue and a song . Then the town wants him to be mayor . Sturges ' gift was coming up with wacky plots , while others of the era could create wacky situations within a plot . This one is pretty outrageous . As Woodrow feels more and more guilty , the public adulation becomes bigger and bigger . It's a strong message about people believing what they want to believe and their need for a hero . Bracken plays his role very seriously and lets the situation and the lines get the laughs . His character looks and feels trapped . Ella Raines plays his ex-fiancée , and she's very beautiful - a cross between Jeanne Crain and Gene Tierney , she gives a very sweet and sincere performance . She was a very underrated actress and beauty who for some reason never reached the top tier of stardom ; today she is remembered for some wonderful film noirs in which she appeared . William Demarest is very funny as the marine helping to keep the story alive - at any cost . I enjoyed " The Lady Eve , " " The Palm Beach Story , " and " Sullivan's Travels " better , mainly because of their casts , but for Sturges fans , this is a must see .
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494,831 | 342,623 | 68,248 | 8 |
psychic phenomenon , satanic worship and more
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Leonard Nimoy stars as a race car driver with psychic visions in " Baffled ! " also starring Susan Hampshire , Vera Miles , Rachel Roberts , and Jewel Blanch . After the Nimoy character reports on television that he had a vision that caused him to lose control of his race car during a competition , he is visited by Susan Hampshire . She is a student of psychic phenomenon and believes he should follow up on what he saw - a manor house in England , the phrase " It's Wyndham in Devon , dear , " and a familiar-looking woman who is need of help . He agrees to join her after he has another vision which is much stronger - - and scarier - than the previous one . The two of them end up at a manor house which has been turned into a sort of resort hotel . There , they meet the woman of the vision - an American film star who is waiting for her ex-husband , her young daughter , and some rather strange characters . Judging by what happens at the end of this entertaining movie , " Baffled " seems to have been a pilot for a TV series . The stars - Hampshire and Nimoy - are delightful , and the story is an interesting one that manages to tie in not only psychic phenomenon but a satanic element as well . Vera Miles does an effective job as a woman anticipating a reunion with her ex , Rachel Roberts is terrific as the owner of Wyndham , and Jewel Blanch is very good as Miles ' daughter . This intriguing story will hold the viewer's interest , and it is immensely helped by the likability of the main characters .
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493,736 | 342,623 | 116,695 | 8 |
A sports agent finds the high road steep
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Tom Cruise , before his chin implant , is " Jerry Maguire " in this 1996 film also starring Renee Zellweger , Cuba Gooding Jr . , Jay Mohr and Bonnie Hunt . Beautifully directed by Cameron Crowe , the film tells the story of a hotshot sports agent who writes a piece about the ethics of being a sports agent , encouraging a smaller client list and more personal service . He then passes it out to the rest of the agents in the firm , SMI . It goes without saying that he's fired , but before he goes , he asks if there is anyone who wants to go with him as he sets out on his own . A single mother , Dorothy ( Zellweger ) , inspired by his missive though partially blinded by the stars in her eyes , says yes . Jerry ends up minus his fiancée ( Kelly Preston ) and stuck with one client ( Gooding ) that no one is particularly interested in , a football player whose mantra is " Show me the money ! " But no one is . As he struggles to make a lucrative deal for his client , Jerry has to also deal with his personal life - Dorothy and her love for him , which he can't really return , her mistrusting sister ( Hunt ) and Dorothy's son ( Jonathan Lipnicki ) whom he adores . This is a fast-moving film with wonderful performances and lots of warmth , humor and honesty . Jerry learns quickly that when it comes to money , he's friendless , that there's very little loyalty and lots of liars . Tom Cruise is excellent as a young man trying to find his way through a labyrinth of a client with a bad attitude , no money , a hasty marriage and staying with the principles in his manifesto . Zellweger , in her career-making performance , is sweet and touching as Dorothy . Gooding has the most flamboyant part and makes the most of it as an athlete who has to learn that in order to have someone show him the money , he has to show a little heart first . A great movie , highly regarded for a reason , with a soundtrack to match . Highly recommended .
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493,972 | 342,623 | 1,151,833 | 8 |
Interesting documentary
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Martin Scorcese waxes poetic over one of his favorite talents , Val Lewton , the producer of cult classics such as The Cat People , The Seventh Victim , I Walked with a Zombie , etc . Lewton's unique outlook on life was present in all of his dark films , which were actually B horror movies with some heavy messages . The most interesting of these for me was The Cat People , which I first saw as a child , and Curse of the Cat People , which I saw recently , and these were my main reasons for watching this documentary , that and the fact that Nazimova was his aunt . I confess that I saw The Seventh Victim and either I wasn't paying attention or I'm thick or both , but I didn't get it . I'm not a horror person so I definitely wouldn't be able to get through anything else of his . Of interest was the fact that he started off in movies working for David O . Selznick , so he learned from a master . The other interesting thing is that not much is really known about Lewton himself , evidently a very private person . Like many artists , he wasn't fully appreciated while he was alive - which wasn't long . He died when he was 46 . The Cat People remains one of the most fascinating movies ever made , and it was good to hear one person comment that the Kent Smith character seems like a really nice guy but actually isn't - - my feelings exactly ; and what a treat to see the child Veronica Lake lookalike , Ann Carter Newton , all grown up , and hear what she had to say about making The Curse of the Cat People . Viewers should find this interesting , and if you like the genre and aren't familiar with Lewton's work , you will be inspired to see it .
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494,674 | 342,623 | 246,748 | 8 |
lovely Hallmark type of film
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I caught this movie on Lifetime , but it had the Hallmark network feel to it . Sometimes this type of film can be overly sentimental , but I found this one to be wonderful as it emphasized the importance of taking time to love one another . Maureen O'Hara , at 80-something and looking great , plays a schoolteacher who becomes involved in the life of a former student and his wife . As a woman whose great love ended before the relationship could fully develop , she imparts what she has learned to them about what's really important in this world , and what really stays with those we leave behind when we go into the next one . O'Hara is really inspirational . Her voice and acting are strong and her no-nonsense portrayal keeps " The Last Dance " from being cloying in any way . You really grow to love this woman and all she stands for . The flashback scenes are well cast . A nice movie to catch , especially around the holidays .
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494,091 | 342,623 | 32,620 | 8 |
Charming film
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Actor / director / writer Gregory Ratoff often did Lubitsch-like films - " Cafe Metropole " is one and this one , 1940's " I Was an Adventuress " is another . Light and delightful , the film stars Vera Zorina , Eric von Stroheim , Richard Greene and Peter Lorre . Zorina , Stroheim and Lorre are partners in crime - practicing the old bait and switch of the fake necklace that someone says is not fake after all but worth a fortune . The targeted sucker overhears the conversation and buys what he thinks is a real necklace from the unsuspecting woman . He pays way too much for a fake but not as much as the sale price of the real thing . Of course , when he tries to sell it , he's told it's a fake , but the thieves have left town . All goes well until Tanya ( Zorina ) , posing as Countess Vronsky , meets handsome , charming Paul Vernay , whom she attempts to set up for a con but ends up falling in love with him . She breaks with Polo ( Lorre ) and Andre ( von Stroheim ) , marries Vernay and takes up her ballet career again . After several months , Polo and Andre need her to return , but they can't find her . When they do , Andre moves in for a shakedown . This film is lots of fun all the way with some marvelous performances . Von Stroheim and Lorre make a great team - one , Teutonic and committed , the other , an apologetic kleptomaniac with a heart . Zorina certainly had one of the most interesting faces in film , beautiful yet strong , and she's wonderful as Tanya . Her dancing was lovely , with the exception of her very distracting arms . Richard Greene was getting the big star buildup at 20th Century Fox when war was declared in Europe , and he returned to England to serve his country . Handsome with a to-die for accent , he just might have given Tyrone Power a run for his money , at least in some of the lighter roles , as I suspect he didn't have a large range . As it was , Greene became best known in this country for his TV series " Robin Hood . " Here he exhibits warmth and sophistication as Paul Vernay . Look for this film on Fox Movie Channel - you won't be sorry .
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494,067 | 342,623 | 279,778 | 8 |
A great cast enlivens the southern tale of four friends and a secret
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Ellyn Burstyn , Finnoula Flanagan , Shirley Knight and Maggie Smith hold " The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood , " a girlhood pact made in childhood , in this 2002 film also starring Sandra Bullock , Ashley Judd and James Garner . Bullock plays Sidda , a successful writer and the daughter of the outrageous Vivi . Both mother and daughter are in crisis after Sidda's profile appears in Time Magazine , and the profile's author has emphasized Sidda's problems with her mother . Mother and daughter start sending hate notes , photos with their faces cut out , invitations with no address or date , etc . to one another as well as hanging up the phone upon hearing the other's voice . The other three ya-yas visit Sidda , slip her a date-rape drug and bring her to Louisiana , where they all live , so they can show her their Ya-ya secrets book and she can learn some things about her mother that she never knew . The somewhat contrived plot is saved by the wonderful acting of the entire cast . Burstyn has long been one of my favorite actresses , and she creates a powerful portrait of the alcoholic temperamental diva Vivi . She's backed up beautifully by another of my favorite actresses , Maggie Smith as well as Flanagan and Knight . Ashley Judd plays the young Vivi . She does an excellent job showing Vivi's progression from a fun-loving young woman rejected by her mother ( Cherry Jones ) but adored by her father to an unhappy , drunken and overwhelmed one with a husband she doesn't love and too many children . Bullock's angry Sidda is effective , and her scenes with Burstyn are very poignant . James Garner as Bullock's long - suffering but loving father gives a wonderful performance , showing a caring but resigned man who has somehow managed to live with this woman for years . This isn't Fried Green Tomatoes . It's a portrait of an abusive childhood , mental illness , misinformation about medications - and survival . Unfortunately some of the people reviewing this film don't have a clear understanding of mental illness and what the wrong medication can do to someone . The story is tempered with humor and vibrant characterizations and the old adage , we don't pick our parents ; if we can make our peace with their lives and with them , it makes life a little easier .
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494,271 | 342,623 | 32,617 | 8 |
Delightful William Powell and Myrna Loy vehicle
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After saving a life , William Powell becomes the victim of amnesia in " I Love You Again , " a 1940 film also starring Frank McHugh and Edmund Lowe - this having the distinction of two Philo Vances , Lowe and Powell , in the cast . Powell plays a cheapskate named Larry Wilson . While on a cruise ship , he jumps into the ocean to save " Doc " Ryan ( McHugh ) and suffers a head injury . When he wakes up , he has become his former self , a con artist named George and has no memory of the respectable , conservative , stingy life he has been living for some years . Off the ship , he discovers that his lovely wife ( Loy ) can't wait to get rid of him - or so she thinks , until she realizes that " Larry " is a changed man - for the better . Powell is out and out hilarious in this film . For such a distinguished looking man , he has provided this writer with almost as many laugh out loud moments as the Marx Brothers . One of his best scenes is when his wife refuses to dance with him , so he dances by himself . Another occurs when , as a boy scout troop leader , he is asked to continue with the deer-tracking techniques he was teaching before leaving town . Of course , he has no memory of any such thing and , as a reporter follows him , he falls into holes , crawls around the brush , and gets stuck in a couple of traps . The pairing of Powell and Loy is magical . She looks particularly beautiful in this film and her confusion regarding her changed husband and sadness over her marriage is quite touching . Highly recommended .
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493,983 | 342,623 | 23,825 | 8 |
Your mouth is like a gardenia , open to the sun .
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Jean Harlow is the " Bombshell " of the 1933 film also starring Franchot Tone , Frank Morgan , Lee Tracy , Pat O'Brien , Una Merkel , Isabel Jewell , Louise Beavers , Ted Healy , and C . Aubrey Smith . Harlow plays a star , Lola Burns , who has a career very similar to Jean Harlow's - in fact , she starred in " Red Dust " with Clark Gable ! She's the " It " girl where Harlow was the " If " girl . From the first time we meet Lola , it's obvious that she is overwhelmed by the pressures of her home life , which in turn puts pressure on her career duties . Her drunken father ( Morgan ) acts as her business manager but her bills aren't paid and she doesn't have any money ; she constantly has to bail her brother out of trouble ; there's a newspaper man who prints one lie after another about her ; one of the people in her household wears her clothes and steals from her ; she has three huge dogs ; her brother shows up with a tramp ; the assistant director on " Red Dust , " Jim Brogan ( Pat O'Brien ) is in love with her and goes crazy when he sees Hugo , the Marqis de Pisa de Pisa on the set ( and it's in his storyline that strong prejudice against immigrants is shown ) ; and her agent ( Lee Tracy ) is a puppeteer in a sick puppet show - Lola's life . Lola wants out . She decides that she wants to adopt a child and falls in love with a baby at an orphanage but the home visit is a total disaster . Disgusted with her life and all the leaches around her , she takes off , seeking peace and quiet . It's in peaceful surroundings that she meets the wealthy Gifford Middleton . It's love at first sight . Just when she's meeting Gifford's parents , her father and brother appear . This is a very funny comedy and also very touching , as Lola's sweet personality and desire for a stable family is evident . She swears to Gifford that she's through with show business but becomes concerned when told there hasn't been anything about her in the papers lately . She's young and has no idea what she really wants . Her agent plays off of this and uses it to his own advantage . To most people , she's a blond gravy train . All of the actors are terrific . Franchot Tone is hilarious , totally and deliberately WAY over the top saying lines such as the one in the summary box . Harlow is surrounded with the best character actors - Lee Tracy , who despite a scandal in 1934 managed to enjoy a nearly 40-year career is great as Lola's fast-talking scam artist agent ; Frank Morgan plays his usual role of a weak man , but not a bad one ; Louise Beavers brings spark to the role of a maid ; Pat O'Brien is in top form as the volatile Brogan . But it's Harlow's film , and she keeps up with the frantic pace of the film beautifully . Funny and vulnerable , she's hilarious when she pretends she's upper class , as she's often done in her films - no one has ever pulled that off quite like she has . Certainly one of the most lovable and charismatic actresses ever on screen . It's unbelievable that she didn't have a chance to live a full life . " Bombshell " is one of her best films among a lot of wonderful ones .
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493,570 | 342,623 | 433,383 | 8 |
Clash of the Titans
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Edward R . Murrow goes up against Senator Joseph McCarthy in " Good Night , and Good Luck , " a 2005 using Murrow's famous sign-off on the news program " See It Now " as its title . The stars are David Strathairn , George Clooney , Jeff Daniels , Patricia Clarkson , Ray Wise , Frank Langella , and Robert Downey , Jr . The story is set during the time of the HUAC investigations , when Murrow was one of the few newsmen willing to go up against the powerful senator who saw a Communist under every bed , Joseph McCarthy . It's an especially timely story post - as it concerns the violation of civil rights and use of fear tactics in order to exploit the insecurity rampant in the country at that time . Director / writer George Clooney couldn't have chosen a better subject . Like the film " Thirteen Days " about the Cuban missile crisis , the brilliance of the film is in its use of actual transcripts , here from " See it Now . " In the case of " Good Night , and Good Luck , " we also see real footage from the investigations and hear Joseph McCarthy himself as he goes after witnesses and Murrow . It makes for fascinating viewing . Though there were some minor errors , the attention to detail to evoke the ' 50s atmosphere is fantastic , the black and white only adding to it . The acting is superb , if you can call what David Strahairn did acting . I felt throughout the entire film that I was watching Edward R . Murrow , not someone portraying him . Strathairn is a flawless actor who becomes the character he's playing and makes every mannerism , vocal rhythm , and cigarette puff totally organic . His Murrow is tough , with internalized anger and a dry sense of humor . " I'm busy bringing down your network tonight , " he tells Paley as he refuses an invitation . Frank Langella's William Paley is marvelous , a man who tries to walk the fence but ends up falling over to one side . I probably already knew somewhere in the recesses of my mind about Don Hollenbeck , the character well portrayed by Ray Wise ; that story arc was telegraphed from the beginning . It might have been criticized for being a cliché , except of course it really happened . Hollenbeck's story was perhaps not fleshed out enough . All in all , a brilliant achievement and a sad one . Without people like Murrow , journalism has changed , and not for the better ? And the world ? Though the names of the threats and their exploiters have changed , the fault , dear Brutus , still doesn't lie within our stars , but in ourselves .
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494,021 | 342,623 | 37,024 | 8 |
You can destroy the things you love . . . and love what you destroy
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Laird Cregar , who died shortly after this film's release , is Mr . Slade aka Jack the Ripper , in 1944's " The Lodger " also starring Merle Oberon , George Sanders , Sara Allgood , and Cedric Hardwicke . As 20th Century Fox often did , they remade this A film as a B film in the ' 50s as " Man in the Attic " starring Jack Palance . My recollection is that the film followed " The Lodger " frame for frame and word for word . " Man in the Attic " is very good ; however , " The Lodger " is superior . This is the oft-told story of a strange man who claims to be a pathologist taking rooms in a private home in Victorian England . The lady of the house begins to suspect he's Jack the Ripper . Her husband , although fascinated by the case , thinks she's mistaken . Also staying in the house with them is the wife's niece , Lily , a performer who has brought her dance troupe to work in London . When Scotland Yard comes a-calling to question her about a murdered woman who visited her at the theater , there is an instant attraction between her and the inspector in charge of the case . Although a tall and large-framed man , Cregar came off initially as less frightening than the austere-looking Palance , although both used very gentle voices in the role . He's fantastic as Slade , his violence hidden in a lumbering frame and a soft , slow demeanor . One wonders what would have happened to his career had he lived - it probably would have been tremendous . Unfortunately , he died at the age of 30 as a result of crash dieting . Merle Oberon is radiantly beautiful , lively , and flirtatious as Lily , and Sanders is handsome and effective in the role of the inspector , though he doesn't have much to do . Sara Allgood is excellent as the suspicious Helen , and Cedric Hardwicke appropriately gruff as her husband . The atmosphere is as thick as the fog in " The Lodger , " and the ending is remarkable with its use of unusual lighting and camera angles . This is a marvelous film , all the better for the performance of Laird Cregar , whose career and life ended much too soon .
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495,004 | 342,623 | 24,034 | 8 |
The granddaddy of them all
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The only other time I saw " 42nd Street " besides on TCM recently was at a revival cinema many years ago . The audience spent most of its time in hysterics during the most serious parts . The reason is obvious . Thanks to " Dames at Sea " and the million " chorus girl becomes a star " stories that followed this 1933 film , 42nd Street almost seems like an excellent parody of itself - deadly serious while the ripoffs were camping it up . But that's exactly why I love " 42nd Street " and why it's a great film - beneath the miles of chorus girl legs and breezy tunes , it's a Depression-era story about a director's last gasp . Warner Baxter is Julian Marsh , the browbeating director who indicates to one of his assistants that he's " ill , " the implication being he hasn't got much time left . Not hard to believe as he smokes one cigarette after another and yells so much that his blood pressure must be off the charts . Ruby Keeler is Peggy Sawyer , one of the chorus girls , and like the rest of them , she needs the job . Dick Powell is the juvenile lead , and Bebe Daniels is the star of the show , Dorothy Brock . Ginger Rogers has a nifty role as the chorus girl known as " Anytime Annie " - " the only time she said no , she didn't hear the question . " In those days , latching onto a Sugar Daddy was the big thing , and Ginger has no problem in that department . George Brent , sans mustache , is Brock's ex-partner who takes a shine to Keeler . The dandy supporting cast includes Una Merkel , Ned Sparks , and Allen Jenkins . When you watch " 42nd Street " you understand where the term " hoofing " comes from in relationship to tap dancing . Seeing ( and hearing ) the chorus rehearse , one wonders why Marsh didn't just pack it in . But of course , the opening night show is a wow , with Busby Berkeley's choreography coming to the fore in " Shuffle Off to Buffalo " and the brilliant production number " 42nd Street " - which shows the savory and unsavory sides of Times Square before Disney took it over . Berkeley's work in this film made him a superstar film choreographer , though he'd been toiling in Hollywood for a few years by then . Ruby Keeler is cute but lousy , and the idea of her saving a musical is ludicrous . Dick Powell plays the juvenile well , but of course , he went on to not only become a wonderful serious actor but a terrific producer , so this was just the tip of the iceberg for him . Daniels is great , if melodramatic by today's standards - as she limps around on her crutches , one gets a sudden vision of Carol Burnett doing that in a skit . Baxter is appropriately tough and says the most famous line , " You're going out a chorus girl , but you must come back a star . " He also gives us the downbeat scene at the end of the film that makes " 42nd Street " different from all the rest , when he sits on the fire escape in the theater alley listening to the audience as they leave the show . " 42nd Street " spawned dozens of movie musicals in the ' 30s , actually reviving the genre . None of them compare - and that includes the Broadway musical derived from the film - because none of them have the darker , grittier , Depression subtext that makes " 42nd Street " true to its name .
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494,851 | 342,623 | 24,044 | 8 |
remarkable , strange film
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I basically checked out " Gabriel Over the White House " because of Walter Huston , an actor I have always considered one of the greats . He doesn't disappoint as the President of the United States in this bizarre fantasy , produced by William Randolph Hearst and promoting his ideas of fascism . I gave this film a high mark ( 8 ) not because I loved it but because it is a fascinating film from a historical point of view . Newly-elected President Hammond ( Huston ) pays lip service to the needs of the depression-ridden people by uttering platitudes , and meanwhile , is content to do what the party tells him . Meanwhile , he brings his girlfriend on as his personal assistant . He pays no attention to the head of a group of unemployed men who plan to march on Washington , though it isn't made clear why his party isn't interested in doing anything to stop the depression . One day , while driving his car at breakneck speed ( as if all Presidents are encouraged to do this ) , he crashes and slips into a coma . When he comes to , he hears a horn playing a passage from Brahms Symphony 1 in C Minor , Opus 68 and has a change of heart . This supposedly is the angel Gabriel checking in . After that , he becomes a dictator of sorts , usurping the system of checks and balances . He forms a WPA of sorts for the unemployed , has executions of gangsters , and forms the Washington covenant to reduce arms buildup from countries around the world . Supposedly there was an assassination attempt that takes place in the film that was cut after an attempt was made on Roosevelt's life . Supposedly this film was shelved by a nervous Louis B . Mayer until after FDR was elected . It's surprising he released it at all . There is supposedly an alternate version that acknowledges the dangers of fascism . Whatever version you see , this is a film very much of its time as far as the political climate and the thinking of a powerful man like Hearst , and as such makes for remarkable viewing .
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494,275 | 342,623 | 50,526 | 8 |
Exciting drama starring Jack Palance - and Jack Palance
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Jack Palance plays look-alike brothers in " House of Numbers , " a 1957 film also starring Barbara Lang and Harold Stone . A " B " movie didn't mean a film wasn't good , and " House of Numbers " is proof of that . Palance plays a man who is desperate to get his brother out of San Quentin . He enlists the help of his sister-in-law , played by Barbara Lang . Harold Stone is on hand as a nosy prison guard . Palance is fantastic in the two roles . They're not twins , so there's a makeup change , and Palance creates two different characters . One is gentle and shy ; the other is older-looking , tough , and speaks in a somewhat hoarse voice . One is shorter than the other , too . Barbara Lang was one of the many Marilyn Monroe types who was around in the 1950s . Young , quite slender with overly blond hair that's too big for her , her speech is reminiscent of Monroe's , and facially , she looks like Natalie Wood . She went on to have an enormous career on Broadway in many musicals and did other theater as well . She doesn't have much to do in this film except heat up the male characters , which she accomplishes with little effort . " House of Numbers " will have you on the edge of your seat . Highly recommended .
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494,285 | 342,623 | 54,387 | 8 |
H . G . Wells ' fantasy of time travel
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Rod Taylor boards a contraption he built and goes forward in history in " The Time Machine , " a 1960 film also starring Alan Young as Filby , Yvette Mimieux , Sebastian Cabot , and Whit Bissell . Taylor plays George , who is in actuality H . G . Wells , who wrote the book on which the film is based . He's built a strange-looking thing that propels him through space into the future , and on New Year's Eve of 1899 , that's just what he does . He watches the store mannequin across the street change styles until suddenly , in 1917 , his house is bathed in darkness from being boarded up . Going outside , he meets Filby's son , whom he also meets as an old man in 1966 during an atomic war . Finally he lands way , way into the future and finds a land filled with blond youths who seem to have no feelings . He falls for one of them , Weena , who says she is an Eloi , and he eventually learns about the Morlocks , who live below and control the Eloi . Shot in color and directed by George Pal , " The Time Machine " has some fantastic effects and a good story . Whether it's the story Wells wrote , I can't say . According to one comment , Wells ' point was entirely missed . So the film has to be judged on its own merits . All the doom and gloom seen in the future is apparently not new - that's a comfort since we're all still here . The story manages to have the trappings of sci fi as well as being moving in sections , particularly in the friendship of Filby and George . The best part and the best performance belong to Young , and I believe this is his favorite film . He plays Filby , his son , and his young son as an old man very well , the old man having the showiest material . Taylor makes a good leading man . Mimieux doesn't have much to do except look pretty and be passive . Again , going back to one of the comments , the ending is pure Hollywood . " The Time Machine " film , however , is very entertaining . Best not to compare it to the book , I guess .
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494,250 | 342,623 | 28,333 | 8 |
heavenly dancing , heavenly music , heavenly partnership
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There's something special about all of the Astaire-Rogers movies , and " Swing Time " is no exception . Directed by George Stevens , it tells the story of a dancer and a gambler - not seen as much of a catch by his future father-in-law - who , after he misses his wedding , goes to New York . He promises his fiancée's father that he will return , solvent , and ask again for his daughter's hand in marriage . Once in New York , he falls for Ginger Rogers , who was never prettier than in this film . One thing leads to another , and the wind up as dance partners . Eric Blore , Helen Broderick , and Victor Moore supply able support , and the film has a beautiful Jerome Kern score : " Pick Yourself Up , " " The Way You Look Tonight , " and " A Fine Romance " being a few of the numbers . There are two knockout pieces in this film - Astaire's tribute to Bill " Bojangles " Robinson is one of the most stunning numbers Astaire ever did . He manages to wear blackface and not have it be offensive , as it's very light makeup to suggest his portrayal of Robinson . The number , with its accompanying huge dancing shadows , is magnificent . And the final number - " Never Gonna Dance " surely is one of their top dances ever , with that incredible deco set , the double curving stairways , and Ginger in that glorious dress . It's hard to sum up how their dancing lifts you up and out of whatever ails you . Definitely their smoothness , footwork , chemistry , and glamor reach out to my soul every time I see them .
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494,349 | 342,623 | 37,055 | 8 |
Thrilling suspenser from Warner Brothers
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It's wartime and Warners is short of those hot , young leading men , so they bring on one of the all-time great screen odd couples - Sydney and Peter - to work their magic . And as always , they deliver , in " The Mask of Dimitrios " starring Zachary Scott , Sydney Greenstreet , Peter Lorre , and Faye Emerson . Though never leaving the back lot of Warners , the film takes writer Cornelius Leyden ( Lorre ) through Istanbul , Athens , Sofia , Geneva , Belgrade and Paris , following the life and career of an intriguing figure - Dimitrios - whose dead body Leyden has just seen in the morgue . The more he learns about this man , the more fascinated he becomes , and he smells a great story . Dimitrios is a con man , a thief , a blackmailer , and a spy for hire , and his victims tell their stories in a series of flashbacks . One of these is a nightclub owner ( Emerson ) , who owns a nightclub in Sofia ; another is a police detective ; another a spy . Finally , Cornelius meets Mr . Peters ( Greenstreet ) who has some startling information . . . and a plan . " The Mask of Dimitrios " captures a European flavor with its international cast and creative sets , and director Jean Negulesco keeps the action moving . In the title role , Zachary Scott is appropriately both attractive and slithery as a man constantly eluding those out to get him . Lorre is just great , becoming more and more worried and confused as he is drawn deeper into Dimitrios ' adventures . Sydney Greenstreet gives a performance as big as he is as Mr . Peters - the scene where he passionately embraces French francs is one of his best ever ! The last half hour or so belong to these two screen gems , Lorre and Greenstreet , and it's very exciting . Two odd-sized , talented character men who helped keep Warner Brothers grinding out films during the war , Lorre and Greenstreet made ten films together . Unfortunately , we don't have anything like these two making movies today . Don't miss them in " The Mask of Dimitrios . "
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494,596 | 342,623 | 106,977 | 8 |
Great thriller
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Harrison Ford is " The Fugitive " in this 1993 version of the popular television series . The film also stars Tommy Lee Jones as Gerard , Sela Ward , Julianne Moore and Joe Pantoliano . For you young ' uns out there , " The Fugitive " TV show starring David Janssen was based on the 1954 Sam Sheppard case , the subject itself of 10 books and two movies . Dr . Sheppard . accused of murdering his wife , claimed to have seen a " bushy-haired man " at the scene . It was a landmark case , resulting in the creation of the " change of venue " motion . The film " The Fugitive " keeps the basics : Dr . Richard Kimble , en route to prison to await execution for the murder of his wife ( Ward ) , escapes after a terrible accident . On his trail from the beginning is a U . S . Marshall , Sam Gerard . Both men have way above average intelligence , so while Gerard is able to get close , Kimble always eludes him . After stealing clothes , shaving his beard and dying his hair , Kimble goes to the hospital where he worked and gets into the computer database to find the one-armed man . He knows he injured the man's arm in a fight , and repair of the arm would have necessitated a visit . This is a real on the edge of your seat thriller , with an absolutely spectacular beginning sequence that grabs the audience and doesn't let go . In the TV series , the one-armed man is an intruder ; here , a different storyline has been added , and it's quite good . One of my favorite parts occurs when Kimble , disguised as a janitor at the hospital , overhears an incorrect diagnosis for a young boy . Because the ER is so busy and there is no one available , he's asked to take the child to another floor . While doing so , he conducts his own quick examination and writes a change of orders ; the boy ends up in surgery . The OR doc ( Moore ) catches Kimble looking at the child's x-ray , and when she learns the boy never arrived at his destination , alerts security . Gerard asks her later , " What happened to the boy ? " " He saved his life , " Moore says . Both Ford and Jones are at the top of their games and very well matched , Jones bringing a lot of humor to his role as the determined Gerard . Ford looks a little like the Ape Man in the beginning with all the facial hair ; as Kimble , he's sympathetic and his desperation and determination are more internalized than Gerard's . It wasn't until 1998 that DNA evidence finally exonerated Sheppard , who was released in 1966 after a retrial ( in the original trial , the judge told reporter Dorothy Kilgallen that Sheppard was guilty ) . Sheppard died in 1970 , his life ruined . Fifty years after the case , it continues to influence courtroom proceedings and inspire books and films . This " Fugitive " is particularly excellent .
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494,016 | 342,623 | 45,810 | 8 |
Square cut or pear shaped , this is a diamond
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Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell team up for " Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , " also starring Charles Coburn , Elliot Reid , Tommy Noonan , and George Winslow . Marilyn and Jane are Lorelei Lee and Dorothy , two showgirls and best friends en route to Paris . The gold-digging Lorelei intends to marry her rich , nerdy , beloved beau , Gus , but his father has a detective on board hoping to get something on her . Meanwhile , an older , wealthy man ( Coburn ) takes an interest in her while she takes an interest in his wife's tiara , and Dorothy starts to fall for the detective . The result is a delightful musical comedy . Jane and Marilyn are in top form , both traffic-stopping , sexy , stunning women and wonderful performers . Russell is leggy and earthy , with a good singing voice and nice line delivery as the more grounded Dorothy . Monroe is exquisite , really shining in the number later copied by Madonna for " Material Girl , " " Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend . " All the numbers are energetic and great . This film really solidified Monroe's position at Twentieth Century Fox , and it's easy to see why . Though she wanted to do drama , for this viewer , her very careful enunciation limited her somewhat , though she is excellent in " Don't Bother to Knock " and " Niagara . " Her characterization of Lorelei is marvelous - the dumb blonde who's not so dumb . " I can be smart when it's important , " she says with a sly smile . No matter what the role , Monroe always had a sweetness about her - you could hear it in her voice and see it in her smile . It's a shame she was so insecure . During " Some Like it Hot , " Billy Wilder noticed that she kept looking at Paula Strasberg for approval after every scene , and Strasberg would give her some sort of a sign . Wilder pretended not to notice until after one take , when he turned to Strasberg and yelled , " HOW ABOUT YOU , PAULA ? WAS IT OKAY ? " Poor Marilyn . She had it all . She just didn't know it .
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493,965 | 342,623 | 33,238 | 8 |
A much loved film
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At the beginning of Britain's entry into World War II , an officer walks across Waterloo Bridge and remembers the love of his life from World War I in " Waterloo Bridge , " starring Vivien Leigh as Myra and Robert Taylor as Roy . Leigh is a beautiful ballerina who meets the dashing , handsome Taylor in an air raid shelter ; love and tragedy follow . Believing her fiancée dead , fired from the ballet company , and her roommate turning tricks , Leigh , unable to find any other job , turns to the same life . Heavily made up and cheaply dressed , she's in Waterloo Station doing the " hello , soldier " thing when who should appear but Roy . He wants to take up where they left off and continue down the aisle . This is the type of movie one both loves and hates . Two of Hollywood's most dazzling stars , dancing to candlelight , involved in a beautiful romance - but she falls from grace and has to pay . It's unfair . Ditto Myrna Loy in " The Rains Came " and a million other movies . Leigh was such a wonderful actress . Fresh and vibrant in the beginning of the movie , she manages with a cold , hard facial expression to show that she's changed . Her guilt , her sorrow , her self-loathing are all deeply felt , yet she wants to believe she has a chance at happiness , and you can actually see the moments where she tries to talk herself into it . Robert Taylor is very good , though one can really see Olivier in this role . The part isn't as well structured as Leigh's and Olivier may have been able to mine it more . The camera loves Taylor , and his scene at the end of the film is extremely touching . Virginia Field is marvelous as Kitty , Leigh's true friend . This is a film that stays with you long after it's over . And the next time you hear the word " Waterloo , " trust me , you won't think of Napoleon . You'll think of " Waterloo Bridge . "
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494,096 | 342,623 | 250,494 | 8 |
Fun comedy
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Reese Witherspoon is " Legally Blonde " in this 2001 comedy that's a switch on the old nerd who wants to be one of the beautiful people and gets a makeover . This time , the beautiful person wants to be one of the nerds . After her boyfriend Warner ( Matthew Davis ) , who's from old money , breaks up with her and goes to Harvard , Elle decides to get into Harvard too and prove she has what it takes to be Mrs . Warner Huntington III . Along the way , she learns that the only thing that's " blonde " about her is her hair . This is a very light , fun comedy buoyed by Witherspoon's charming performance , which hits just the right note . She gives us a complete character , a person into exteriors who also has brains . She's a complete bubblebrain , all about superficiality , who finds out there are other things in the world , such as brains , integrity and depth . One of my favorite scenes is her coaching of the beauty salon employee on attracting the UPS guy - priceless . My other favorite scene is when Elle's fashion sense prevails in the courtroom - hilarious . I love the film's complete lack of vulgarity and sense of fun , as well as its excellent cast which includes Victor Garber , Holland Taylor , Selma Blair , Luke Wilson and Jennifer Coolidge . It makes its point without taking itself too seriously . Highly recommended .
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493,627 | 342,623 | 215,750 | 8 |
Unrelenting
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Well , if there was ever a movie to make you sink to your knees and thank the good Lord that you weren't in Russia during WW II , this is it . An absolutely brilliant film , unrelenting in its graphic depiction of the horrors and filth of war . Uniformly excellent acting from all of the principals and supporting cast adds to our identification with some characters and revulsion for others . This isn't my kind of movie , nor is it for the squeamish , but it's a fantastic film .
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493,793 | 342,623 | 120,382 | 8 |
Deceptive
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Truman Burbank ( Jim Carrey ) is the star of " The Truman Show " in this 1998 film directed by Peter Weir . Truman's life is a fake reality show , watched by millions of viewers , though he doesn't know that . He lives in the small seaside town of Seahaven , a peaceful place . Truman is married , has a best friend and works as an insurance agent . He has an unnatural fear of water after being in a boating accident in which his father died . One day he boards an elevator and it isn't an elevator ; he sees his dead father in town ; and a woman has a strange message for him that he doesn't understand . He tries to leave town with his wife , and it simply doesn't happen . The " reality , " if there is one , is that Truman doesn't really exist ; the town is fake , filled with actors ( one of whom , the man who played his father , comes back to make trouble ) . That person on the bicycle , the passing car , etc . , that's on a repeating loop . He has a public he has never met who follow each phase of life with interest . His producer , the man who created Truman , is a man named Christof , who took an illegitimate child and turned him into a media star . When Truman tries to get out , he realizes just how trapped he is . With today's reality shows abounding , " The Truman Show " today is even more fascinating than it was in 1998 . Here's a reality show that's not a reality - and it makes you wonder about what we're watching on reality shows today . It brings up all the metaphysical questions of who am I and who made me . The film also asks us to take a look at our attraction to the lives of celebrities , where people are merely an image , and where we separate the events of their lives from the actual human being for some good gossip ; after all , we only know the persona , not the real person , and we only know what the media reports , not the whole story . In the end we have no idea of what Britney Spears or Madonna or Brangelina are like as people , what they think , what their day to day life is like . In the movie , we know Truman's - and his whole story is false . It's said that a great comedian can do drama , and Jim Carrey is proof of this , giving a brilliant , heartfelt performance as Truman . Ed Harris is fabulous as Christoff , the puppeteer who created Truman and needs him . Such a wonderful film , it demands a second viewing .
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493,672 | 342,623 | 63,094 | 8 |
Ustinov and Smith - like I suppose it could get any better than this !
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Talk about a dream cast - just two of the most wonderful actors who ever appeared anywhere - Peter Ustinov and Maggie Smith - together - in " Hot Millions , " a funny , quirky comedy also starring Karl Malden , Robert Morley , and Bob Newhart . Ustinov is an ex-con embezzler who gets the resume of a talented computer programmer ( Morley ) and takes a position in a firm run by Malden - with the goal of embezzlement in mind . It's not smooth sailing ; he has attracted the attention of his competitor at the company , played by Newhart , and his neighbor , Maggie Smith ( who knows him at their place of residence under another name ) , becomes his secretary for a brief period . She can't keep a job and she is seen throughout the film in a variety of employment - all ending with her being fired . When Newhart makes advances to her , she invites Ustinov over to her flat for curry as a cover-up , but the two soon decide they're made for each other . Of course , she doesn't know Ustinov is a crook . This is such a good movie - you can't help but love Ustinov and Smith and be fascinated by Ustinov's machinations , his genius , and the ways he slithers out of trouble . But there's a twist ending that will show you who really has the brains . Don't miss this movie , set in ' 60s London . It's worth if it only to hear Maggie Smith whine , " I've been sacked . "
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495,046 | 342,623 | 28,356 | 8 |
Powerful , beautifully acted film
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These Three is an absorbing film that somehow manages to retain its integrity despite being different from the play , " The Children's Hour , " on which it is based . Having seen the later film , " The Children's Hour , " about two teachers accused of lesbianism , I wondered how the 1936 film would measure up . The answer : Brilliantly . Part of the reason for this is , as Lilliam Hellman , the playwright herself stated - the play isn't really about lesbianism , it's about a children's lie . And the vicious , destructive lie of a child is still central here , though now it concerns the supposed affair of Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea , who is engaged to marry Merle Oberon , Hopkins ' partner in a girls school . Another reason for the film's success is the flawless direction by William Wyler , and last but not least , a sympathetic trio . Hopkins is a standout with her strong , passionate performance . Bonita Granville , the bad seed , is such an evil , blackmailing brat , that I'm sure when 1936 audiences saw Margaret Hamilton slap her , they broke into applause . I nearly did , and I was watching it alone ! It's an unrelenting performance , though she's such a walking horror show , it's remarkable anyone believed her in her " earnest " moments , which were calculated , as only a monster's can be ! Highly recommended .
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495,079 | 342,623 | 41,859 | 8 |
Hard to take
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Robert Ryan is a victim of " The Set-Up " in this 1949 film also starring Audrey Totter , George Tobias and Percy Helton . Ryan plays Stoker Thompson , a 35-year-old prize fighter who is still trying to make it . Totter is his wife , who wants him to quit before he's crippled and / or brain-damaged . In fact , she's not even sure she can watch him fight anymore , though he begs her to come to the arena . What he doesn't know is that his handlers have accepted money for him to take a fall . They don't bother telling him because they believe he's going to lose anyway . Hollywood has long had a love affair with the fight business . It's easy to see why - it's a visual sport and one-on-one , and there's always a story to tell , either about a loser or an egomaniacal winner . " The Set-Up " is a fascinating film brilliantly directed by Robert Wise , with the boxing match done in real time . The action switches back and forth from the arena to Stoker's wife walking through the dark city trying to sort out her feelings and ultimately ripping up her ticket to the match . Meanwhile , Stoker keeps looking out the window at his apartment window - when he sees that the lights are off , he believes she's coming to the fight . The fight itself is incredibly realistic and brutal , and the focus is on what can only be described as sadists sitting around the ring yelling , truly man at his most barbaric in Wise's approach . The entire experience - the fight and the audience reactions - is very uncomfortable . The match is difficult enough to watch , but the aftermath is worse for the tension factor alone . Interestingly , Wise lets us see the violence in the ring and let's us imagine some of the violence outside of it later . For a time in his career , Robert Ryan had kind of a gentle giant thing going occasionally . A very prolific actor , he could be pathetic , as he is here , or take on a character with mental or emotional problems with ease . As his career continued , he played increasingly more angry and violent men . Toward the end of his career , however , he portrayed John the Baptist and Nolan in " The Man Without a Country . " He's terrific here as a sad , desperate man going for the glory when he's just about washed up ; he is in a business with no humanity , yet he sticks out because he is kind and reeks of goodness . Audrey Totter is very good as his wife , who loves him and wants more for him than being beaten up . Tobias and Helton give great performances as men whose souls left them a long time ago . The rest of the cast is equally good . This film makes a profound impression on the viewer , and if you're not interested in fighting , you definitely won't be after this film . If you're a fan of the sport , you'll perhaps ask yourself why . No matter what , you won't be unaffected .
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495,211 | 342,623 | 72,559 | 8 |
Good soap , filled with now-familiar faces
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Ryan's Hope , the story of the Ryan family , was a wonderful show filmed in New York City , thereby giving it the advantage of some veteran stage actors as well as newcomers . The cast was led by the amazing Helen Gallagher , a great musical theater star , as the matriarch of the Ryan family , Maeve . Maeve and her husband Johnny ( the late Bernard Barrow ) ran a bar / restaurant and were the linchpins of the soap . Their children were Frank , Mary , Siobhan , Patrick , and the seldom seen Kathleen . The Coleridges - attorney Jillian and two doctors , Faith and Roger - were the other family , a bit higher in class but nevertheless closely tied to the Ryans . Along the way , many young actors cut their teeth on " Ryan's Hope " - Kate Mulgrew , Daniel Hugh Kelly , Corbin Bernsen , Marg Helgenberger , Ilene Kirstin , Gordon Thomson , Roscoe Born , Earl Hindman and Ron Hale , to name just a few . Today Hale and Kirstin are still soap actors , as was Roscoe Born until recently , while Hindman , Mulgrew , Bersen , Daniel Hugh Kelly and Helgenberger went on to TV series fame ( Hindman was the neighbor in " Home Improvement " ) . In the beginning , the great interest ( for me anyway ) was the love story between sexy reporter Jack Fenelli ( Michael Levin ) and Mary Ryan ( Kate Mulgrew ) . The character of Frank started out with an older actor - Christian Slater's father , if memory serves - and there were several Franks , the best remembered probably being Daniel Hugh Kelly . The beautiful , classy Nancy Addison , unfortunately now deceased , was Jill Coleridge throughout the series , and Hale was her brother Roger . Their sister , Faith , was played by more the one actress , the most memorable being Karen Morris Gowdy ( now a Connecticut socialite ) . Delia , Frank's wife and ultimately ex-wife , and Roger's wife and ultimately ex-wife , and a royal pain , was played by both Randall Edwards and Ilene Kirstin , more successfully by Kirstin , in my opinion . The series had some interesting plots . Two I especially liked were the Gordon Thomson story arc where he played Alexander Benedict White , an Egyptologist who becomes involved with Faith in an intriguing story ; and the other involved a relative of the Ryan's , E . J . , an ambitious reporter trying to find out if a soap actress , Barbara Wilding , is faking leg paralysis . Unfortunately for me , Soapnet stopped the series in 1981 - in the middle of both of these plots . The word is that they are going to continue the series this time around . Let's hope . " Ryan's Hope " started to lose steam around 1983 and limped to cancellation in 1989 . But seeing it on Soapnet , one is reminded of how good it was at least from 1975-1983 , before it became influenced by the breakout success of " General Hospital " and veered from its original structure . At its best , " Ryan's Hope " was more like the English soaps such as Crossroads - about the middle class in a big city , their lives and loves .
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494,126 | 342,623 | 106,589 | 8 |
excellent later period Columbo
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Faye Dunaway is the guest star of this marvelous Columbo , who seems to be entering into a flirtation with a beautiful socialite . This is a little off the beaten track for our sloppy detective friend as the lady even attempts to spiff him up with a new tie . The socialite has , with a partner , murdered her gigolo lover and attempted to cover up the true time of the killing , thereby providing an alibi for herself . She's very clever . So , of course , is Columbo . The Dunaway character is depending on Columbo's attraction to her to get away scott-free . This is a clever script with a marvelous performance by Dunaway , Claudia Christian , and the man himself , Peter Falk .
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494,939 | 342,623 | 32,281 | 8 |
Powerful film , but Ty is just in it for box office
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This is a wonderful movie about the struggle of the Mormons and their final settlement in Salt Lake , Utah . The beginning and the ending are especially powerful , and the message is one we all have to be reminded of - God doesn't talk , but he communicates , if we would only listen . As I am writing this in the midst of the horrors going on in New Orleans and the surrounding area due to Katrina , I was especially moved by the Mormons having to leave everything behind and move on after Joseph Smith was assassinated . People came to this country to escape religious persecution , and yet they could not . The struggle of the Mormons to cross the country , the cost in lives , the hardship they suffered was truly awe-inspiring , demonstrating their tremendous strength . As far as the actual beliefs of Mormons , this is not heavily gone into , and polygamy is mentioned but is not a centerpiece of the film at all . The cast is top-notch , though others who have commented know more about the actual characters and can talk about how true the portrayals were . But as actors , Dean Jagger , Mary Astor , Brian Donlevy , John Carradine , Jane Darwell all do excellently with the script they were given . Though the film could have easily stood on its own ( and certainly does today ) Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell were added to the cast to get the crowds into the movie theaters to see a film about the Mormons . Power is magnificently handsome as a young Mormon , and Darnell , as Zina , is not a Mormon but stays on with the family after her father is killed . Power does not have much to do until the end of the film , when he has a big scene , and Darnell ( still a teenager at the time of the filming ) has even less , though they make a lovely couple . Their fate is left unclear regarding her conversion , and one does wonder about the polygamy in their case . You can't beat either one for eye candy , however .
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493,837 | 342,623 | 457,513 | 8 |
Splendini , and I mean that with all due respect
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Scarlett Johansson is an aspiring journalism student who steps into a magician's dematerializer and is visited by a dead reporter in " Scoop , " also starring Woody Allen , Hugh Jackman , and Ian McShane . We first meet the reporter , Joe Strombel ( McShane ) , on a boat with other dead people headed for who knows where . He is told by a dead woman that her boss poisoned her when she realized he was the infamous Tarot Card Killer now terrorizing London . Strombel gets the message to Sondra Pransky when he sends out vibes and winds up with her in the closed dematerializer box on stage before a live audience during Splendini's act . Sondra , with the help of the magician , Splendini ( Allen ) sets out to investigate the alleged killer , the handsome and charming Peter Lyman ( Jackman ) . This is whimsical Woody a la " Manhattan Murder Mystery , " and it's a highly entertaining , funny film . Considering that Allen doesn't believe in life after death , it's interesting that he has both Splendini and Sondra visited by the dead Strombel . The concept of the dead on a boat perhaps came from " Between Two Worlds " starring John Garfield - as a kid , Woody loved the old films . There is certainly an homage to " Notorious " when Splendini ( aka Sid ) and " Jade " ( Sondra's alias ) sneak into Lyman's music room at Strombel's behest to investigate . The room is right next to the wine holders . Most of the funny lines belong to Sid / Splendini , and Johansson's humor comes out of her amusing characterization , a departure from her normal sexy roles . Here she dresses simply , wears glasses ( " I don't like to touch my eyeballs " ) and yells at Sid for being uncouth in the presence of class . They make a odd pairing , but a delightful one . Allen continues to churn them out , and for those who thought he was through , it's doubtful that he will be - until he himself boards a boat heading who knows where .
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495,161 | 342,623 | 110,955 | 8 |
Priceless
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Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis are a miserable married couple in " The Ref , " also starring Denis Leary , Glynis Johns , and Christine Baranski . One could not ask for a better cast , and after seeing this , I think a stage production of " Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff " starring Spacey and Davis would be inspired . They are biting , funny , and poignant - the scene in the marriage counselor's office is hilarious . This is not your usual Christmas movie for sure . Spacey and Davis play Lloyd and Caroline , a couple basically held hostage by a thief on the lam ( Leary ) . He becomes totally sick of them but can't leave until he hears from his partner . The couple is nervous about their son , Jesse , coming home , but Jesse can take care of himself - - he was probably named for a famous outlaw . He has $11 , 000 that he earned as a blackmailer up in his room plus the missing , large community baby Jesus hidden in a drawer . Adding tension to the hostage situation is the arrival of the family for Christmas dinner , so Leary dresses up and pretends to be their marriage counselor . Glynis Johns is Lloyd's wealthy mother , who gives her daughter-in-law ( Baranski ) slipper socks for Christmas and charges Lloyd and Caroline 18 % interest on a loan . A doll . The dinner is a traditional Scandinavian holiday dinner , and everyone wears wreaths on their heads that have lit candles sticking out of them while Caroline tells the gross story of Saint Lucia , who wouldn't burn at the stake . Don't look for this one on Lifetime during the holiday season . The entire cast is fantastic , but Spacey , Davis , and Leary earn special kudos for great performances in this offbeat film , beautifully directed by Ted Demme .
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493,858 | 342,623 | 45,911 | 8 |
why would anyone mess with Robert Ryan ?
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Inferno is a small but excellent 1953 film about a beautiful woman ( Rhonda Fleming ) and her lover ( William Lundigan ) who leave the woman's husband ( Robert Ryan ) alone in the desert with a broken leg , assuming he'll croak . The story focuses on Ryan's character trying to survive in the desert and what he learns about himself . With gorgeous Rhonda Fleming in the movie , it's done in color . A chimpanzee could have played her part - there's precious little acting involved - but she certainly adds tremendous beauty to the production . She and another spectacular redhead , Arlene Dahl , both were getting larger roles in films at the time the studio system was winding down . Ten years earlier , they might have ruled the world . William Lundigan is appropriately cold-blooded as her horny lover , and Larry Keating is an appropriately concerned business associate . But this is Ryan's film , and he's top-notch . His thoughts come over as voice-over , and you're pulling for him every step of the way , despite everyone describing him as unpleasant . Excellent film , quite a surprise .
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493,613 | 342,623 | 479,977 | 8 |
Poirot in top form
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David Suchet is Agatha Christie's mustached detective Hercule Poirot in " After the Funeral , " produced in 2005 . Anyone who has heard David Suchet speak with his own British accent knows what a shock it is , because his accent as Poirot is so perfect and organic to the character . Suchet is the Poirot of Agatha Christie's books , and although I confess a love for Peter Ustinov in the role , his portrayal doesn't have that much to do with what Christie wrote . In this episode , Poirot is asked by a solicitor friend to investigate the possible murder of one of his clients . Enroute on the train , the solicitor recounts the events after the death - a strange will disinheriting the expected heir and the pronouncement of the man's sister that he was murdered . When Poirot meets the family , he discovers adultery , lots of secrets , another will and murder . The story is excellent with rich production values and a wonderful , detailed depiction of the time period . All of the acting is superb , particularly from Monica Dolan , who plays Miss Gilchrist . Poirot here is without Hastings , his beautiful office , or Miss Lemon but he's effective nonetheless . I had the privilege of seeing David Suchet on Broadway in " Amadeus . " Breathtaking . What an actor - when he's playing Poirot , all I see IS Poirot .
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494,770 | 342,623 | 219,699 | 8 |
a gem
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It's always great to find a " little " film on video that you never heard of and have it turn out to be worth your while . The Gift , with its rockin'-sock ' em cast and neat story is one of these . The question I have is , with all the junk the studios publicize and the garbage that sits in our theaters , why don't these films get any attention ? Pearl Harbor should boast a cast like this : Cate Blanchett , Billy Bob Thornton , Hillary Swank , Greg Kinnear , Rosemary Harris , Michael Jeter , Gary Cole and Sam Raimi directing . Give me a break . This movie is entertaining , suspenseful , warm , uplifting - and guess what , I didn't miss the special effects , bad acting or over-hype .
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494,605 | 342,623 | 41,587 | 8 |
another winner from Joseph Mankiewicz
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One of Hollywood's best directors , Joseph Mankiewicz , who gave us " All About Eve , " had a previous winner with " A Letter to Three Wives , " starring Linda Darnell , Jeanne Crain , Ann Sothern , Kirk Douglas , Paul Douglas , Jeffrey Lynn , Thelma Ritter , and Connie Gilchrist . The never-seen Addie Ross ( voice of Celeste Holm ) has run off with the husband of one of her friends - whose ? Three women look back over their marriages , each realizing she could be the one who will not come home to anyone that evening . Linda Darnell was involved with Mankiewicz during the filming of " A Letter to Three Wives " in what would be a devastating relationship for her . Her story is the most fun and interesting of the film . Lolamae works in one of Porter Hollingsway's department stores , and she manages to nab the boss by playing her cards just right . He assumes throughout their marriage that she's with him because of his money . The funniest parts of the film take place in the home Lolamae shares with her mother ( Connie Gilchrist ) and sister . They live next to the train tracks and when a train goes by , the house rattles and shakes . Each time this happens , everyone just waits patiently for the train to go by as they rattle right along with it and then takes up where they left off as if nothing happened . When Lolamae and Hollingsway announce their engagement , Gilchrist cries out , " Bingo ! " and faints ! Thelma Ritter plays Gilchrist's best friend . The two provide some of the best moments in the film - Ritter is also the maid in the home of Ann Sothern and Kirk Douglas . Lolamae and Paul are the most fully drawn couple , and the one the audience is most invested in . As with " All About Eve , " the female characters are the focal point . Sothern is married to Kirk Douglas - he's a schoolteacher and she writes for radio , so it's intellect vs . the dumbing down of America fight ; Jeanne Crain plays a woman who married upper class Jeffrey Lynn after leaving the service , and she originally feels out of her element among his tight-knit group of country club members . All of these women have to contend with the much admired ( by males ) Addie Ross , who remembers their men's birthdays , dresses beautifully , sends wonderful gifts , and has loads of class . When it was pointed out to Mankiewicz that Jeanne Crain had played a character named Deborah in two films for him , he replied , " I don't like the name Deborah , and I don't like Jeanne Crain . " Hers is the weakest storyline , but she is beautiful and gives a good performance . Lynn as her husband has very little to do . Sothern and Douglas make a spirited couple - he's at the height of his good looks , and Sothern makes the most of her witty dialogue . But in the end , the focus is on Darnell and Paul Douglas . Darnell is stunningly beautiful and , because of this , isn't often thought of as a great actress . She brings a dry humor , sexiness , and vulnerability to the role of a woman who on the surface appears clever and a little too street smart for her own good . Douglas is a wonder , a complete natural - he plays his role as if Porter could just as easily be a hardware salesman as a filthy rich department store owner . He's both endearing and sympathetic , with his dumb , lovable face and his immaculately tailored suits . While they don't look like a perfect couple , their chemistry and what's underneath their bantering dialogue makes them one . Now , which husband ran off with Addie ? See if you can figure it out during this highly entertaining and well-acted film .
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494,035 | 342,623 | 32,811 | 8 |
excellent MGM look at Nazis in 1933 Germany
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A family is divided by two sons ' belief in " the new Germany " in " The Mortal Storm , " a 1940 film set at the time that Hitler became Chancellor of Germany . Frank Morgan plays the Jewish ( though he is only referred to as non-Aryan ) Professor Roth who has a son and a daughter Freya ( Margaret Sullavan ) with his current wife , and two stepsons ( one of whom is the most baby-faced Robert Stack you could ever imagine ) . The two boys , along with Frey's boyfriend Fritz ( Robert Young ) , have embraced the " New Germany " and follow its dictates . This causes Freya to reject Fritz and turn to friend Martin Breitner ( James Stewart ) who rejects the party and has always been secretly in love with Freya . When Martin helps a teacher being pursued by the Nazis get to Austria , Martin himself becomes a man pursued . This is an excellent film , but first , a word about accents . Here we go . I have read several comments that no one attempted an accent except of course those who already had one , like Maria Ouspenskaya , and this always makes it confusing for the viewer . HOWEVER , the acting rule is this : When a play or movie is set in a country where English is not the first language , obviously , the people in that country ARE NOT SPEAKING English . In this case , they are speaking German , not English with a German ACCENT . Therefore , one does NOT use an accent . This is true for Chekhov , Ibsen , whomever . So the fact that James Stewart " didn't even attempt an accent " is because he shouldn't have had one , nor should Margaret Sullivan , Robert Young , Frank Morgan . The movie is poignant and suspenseful , with marvelous performances by this top cast , particularly from Stewart , Morgan , and Sullavan . Sullavan , a consummate stage performer until her suicide , is underrated as a film actress but always gave excellent performances . In fact , her screen test for " Rebecca " is one of the finest seen on the documentary about the search for a Mrs . DeWinter . Some interesting features - first of all , I didn't actually recognize Robert Stack ; secondly , a very young Dan Dailey has a rare dramatic turn as a Hitler youth ; thirdly , one questions escape to Austria , except that in 1933 , Austria was still available to flee to . At this time in Germany , artists like Billy Wilder were escaping to Berlin as well , and many left the country from there . The movie talks around the subject of Jews , never referring to anyone as Jewish , and it does not actually refer to the Nazi party though swastikas abound . This makes " The Mortal Storm " all the more fascinating . The best feature of the movie is that it's about a simple , happy family who live among friends in a university town in Southern Germany , and how the rise of Hitler broke that family apart and changed and ruined the lives of ordinary people . One thinks of the Franks and the families like the one characterized in " The Mortal Storm , " with hopes and dreams and ambitions . If they were among the very fortunate , those hopes , dreams and ambitions were put on hold for over a decade ; if not , they were wiped out by complete evil . Hitler hated this film . Gee , I wonder why .
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495,134 | 342,623 | 103,205 | 8 |
hot stuff TV style , before Brosnan became a movie star
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A few years after his success as Remington Steele , Pierce Brosnan made this film with Jobeth Williams and Virginia Madsen . Though highly derivative , it makes for very intriguing viewing . Williams is a psychiatrist with a few personal problems of her own . She meets Brosnan and , like any red-blooded , healthy woman , falls for him . He's a professor and author , and how every female student he has isn't running after him is unclear . Madsen plays a patient of Williams ' , and she has even more issues than Williams has . One of them concerns this man she's involved with . . . whom Williams finally realizes is Brosnan . The question is , is this young woman delusional ? Is she fabricating a relationship as Brosnan claims , or is Brosnan the liar ? Williams approaches the dilemma as a woman in love and not a psychiatrist , making her your pretty typical desperate female . One would hope a professional person would behave a bit differently , but life experience shows us this isn't necessarily the case . I found this film very entertaining with some hot , sexy love scenes , and it keeps you guessing . After you think you've figured it out , it'll have a surprise for you .
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494,330 | 342,623 | 110,932 | 8 |
Excellent ' 50s tale of reality TV that wasn't
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I was growing up during the Charles Van Doren scandal , and I remember his face on the front page of the paper and my mother crying . When I asked her what happened , she said , " He told a lie . " He told a whole bunch of them , in fact , and was part of the quiz show scandal of the ' 50s , which Quiz Show so beautifully dramatizes . Robert Redford does a fantastic job of recreating the atmosphere in perfect detail , as well as the fascinating story of the ' 50s version of reality TV , the quiz shows , going awry . Paul Scofield is absolutely mind-boggling as Van Doren Sr . , and Ralph Fiennes is wonderful , handsome , and charismatic as Charles Van Doren . The rest of the cast is marvelous - John Turturro , David Paymer , Hank Azaria , and Rob Morrow . Van Doren was a dream contestant - good-looking , educated , with a beautiful speaking voice - and captivated the country with his intelligence . Unfortunately , it wasn't reality at all , just fantasy . But , as Van Doren says while verbally sparring with his dad , " It was mine own . " It sure was , and he went into oblivion because of it .
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493,591 | 342,623 | 23,622 | 8 |
Fabulous , sophisticated Lubitsch comedy
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Trouble in Paradise is a wonderful , masterful comedy directed by the master , Ernst Lubitsch . It has a delightful cast , consisting of Kay Francis as her most glamorous , Herbert Marshall in a role that will seem like an aberration for him if you only know him from the 1940s , and the always excellent Miriam Hopkins . Marshall and Hopkins are Gaston and Lily , thieves , who go after a wealthy perfumer , Madame Colet ( Francis ) by working for her as secretary and maid , respectively . Lily , however , starts to believe that Gaston is falling for the mark . This pre-code comedy can only be described as delicious . The European atmosphere is marvelous , and the script is filled with sexual innuendo and wit . It's a gem of a comedy and certainly demonstrates what " the Lubitsch touch " is all about . Who knew Herbert Marshall could do comedy ? He's marvelous . Francis is the absolute height of continental sophistication . Hopkins , another one not known for comedy , is great as the jealous woman . A film that can be enjoyed again and again and , in these hard times , is the perfect escapist fare .
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493,497 | 342,623 | 32,342 | 8 |
The power and the curse of dreams
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James Cagney , Arthur Kennedy and Ann Sheridan all live in the " City for Conquest " - New York , that is - in this 1940 film directed by Anatole Litvak and also starring Frank McHugh , Donald Crisp , Anthony Quinn and - yes , Elia Kazan . Cagney and Kennedy are the Kenny Brothers , Danny and Eddie . Danny is a truck driver in love with Peg , his childhood sweetheart . He has two dreams - Peg and his brother's composing career . When he's discovered by a fight manager ( Crisp ) , Danny becomes a fighter for the money . The ambitious Peg has her eyes on fame and fortune and pairs up with a brutish but equally ambitious dancer , played with force by Anthony Quinn . Eddie , meanwhile , is discovered not for his magnificent composition " City for Conquest " but for his Broadway musical capabilities . When he realizes he's losing Peg , Danny , who is being brought up gradually into the bigger fights , demands to go for a big purse that will give him the championship - and , he thinks , Peg . Thanks to a crooked mobster , the fight nearly destroys Danny and he has to give up fighting . Down but not out , he insists that Eddie still pursue his dream of a classical career . This is a good movie that tugs at the heartstrings , very melodramatic , with excellent acting all around . Cagney is wonderful and sympathetic as a simple , loving man who takes what life gives him ; Crisp gives a fine performance as his caring fight manager . Ann Sheridan , always an earthier , tougher version of Rita Hayworth , is marvelous as a young woman who , though she loves Danny , can't fight the lure of the glamor and fame offered by her dance partnership . Kazan , in a small role as a gangster , is great , though his contributions as a director are far more valuable than what he might have given film history as an actor . The standout for me was one of the most brilliant and underrated actors of our time , Arthur Kennedy . Kennedy enjoyed a wonderful career in film and on stage in a variety of roles , but because he wasn't a true leading man and not a Warners " tough guy " like Cagney , Robinson , or Bogart who could graduate into lead roles , he toiled as a supporting actor , earning no less than 5 Oscar nominations . Here he is young and good-looking , and his performance is passionate without being maudlin . Surely there wasn't a dry eye in any movie house after the speech he gives about his brother the night his symphony ( very much modeled on " Rhapsody in Blue " ) debuts . Truly a great treasure , and he was discovered by James Cagney , who knew talent when he saw it . A heartfelt movie , and you'll need that box of tissues nearby . See it and celebrate the good old days of the rough streets of New York and movies about the common man and dreams coming true .
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494,981 | 342,623 | 50,307 | 8 |
delightful Tracy and Hepburn vehicle
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Based on the play of the same name , Desk Set , viewed today , is somewhat dated based on its use of an enormous computer that spits out data . But it's a fun dated - very ' 50s , with a great cast and wonderful performances . Katharine Hepburn plays the head librarian in the research department of a broadcasting company , and Spencer Tracy is an absent-minded professor type who brings this huge computer into the company . Hepburn , who has just seem a demonstration of what the future will hold at IBM , wonders if human beings won't become obsolete . But in a particularly wonderful scene , the two eat lunch on the roof of the building and Tracy gives her a test , which she passes with flying colors . This human being has a very unique mind . Tracy's competition is Gig Young , who is Hepburn's noncommittal , sometime beau , and the library's competition is the giant computer . Little did anyone know that because computers can do so much , the demand for information has only grown , and people haven't ( yet ) become obsolete , just busier . Technology-wise , this is a fascinating movie , entertainment wise , it's a marvelous one .
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494,049 | 342,623 | 50,306 | 8 |
Laughter and charm galore
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Lauren Bacall is a " Designing Woman " in this vibrant , sophisticated 1957 comedy directed by Vincent Minnelli and starring Gregory Peck , Delores Gray , Sam Levene , Tom Helmore , Mickey Shaughnessy , Jesse White and Chuck Connors . Suggested by costume designer Helen Rose , this story of a designer marrying a sportswriter is a loose remake of " Woman of the Year " - two people meet , fall in love , marry hastily , and then discover that they're from different worlds . And Mike Hagen ( Peck ) comes with baggage - an ex-girlfriend ( Delores Gray ) who is starring in the show Mirella ( Bacall ) is doing the costumes for , plus he has mobsters after him because of a series of stories he's writing . It's a recipe for good fun , some beautiful ' 50s fashions and most of all , excellent acting by the entire cast . Bacall and Peck work beautifully together , both displaying wonderful comic timing , the highlight being the ravioli scene . Mickey Shaughnessy is hilarious as Max , the punch-drunk fighter , and Delores Gray is sexy and sings up a storm as performer Laurie Shannon . Minnelli keeps the pace moving and gives us a good taste of putting on a Broadway show and some of the personalities involved . Someone on the board mentioned that the Peck and Bacall looked as though they were having fun . Hopefully , that's true . This was made shortly before Humphrey Bogart's death - the film was actually released about 5 months after he died - and it's a tribute to Bacall's professionalism that she was able to pull off a comedy under such circumstances . I don't think her personal life could have been much fun at all .
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494,144 | 342,623 | 41,487 | 8 |
Superb
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An Italian-American family is the subject of " House of Strangers , " a 1949 film starring Edward G . Robinson , Richard Conte , Susan Hayward , Luther Adler , Debra Paget , Hope Emerson , and Efrem Zimbalist , Jr . Being of Italian extraction myself , I actually thought this film was written by an Italian and was surprised to see it wasn't . It was dead on . Edward G . Robinson is Gino Monetti , who owns a bank in the ' 30s . He runs it like he's selling items out of his garage , with lousy bookkeeping , some people being charged interest up front on loans and some getting more money than they asked for . He has four sons , three of whom he treats like second-class citizens : Pietro is a guard at the bank by day and an amateur boxer by night , Joe is a teller , and Tony is a clerk . When Joe , who married a woman from a good Philadelphia family , asks for a raise he was promised , he gets a lecture from Gino about how the family lived in the back of a barber shop when Gino made $15 a week . When Pietro loses a boxing match , Gino takes the jacket off of his shoulders that says " Monetti Bank . " Gino runs his home with more rigidity than he does his bank : His wife doesn't say much , and he has mandatory Wednesday night spaghetti dinners during which he plays opera recordings such as " Il Barbiere di Siviglia " starring Lawrence Tibbett . Gino has a favored child , and that's Max , his lawyer son . When the Feds start investigating Gino , Max comes up with a solution . If all the brothers will take responsibility for the sloppiness at the bank , the Feds won't be able to pin anything on anybody . But the sons refuse to lift a finger to help their father , ultimately forcing him out and starting their own bank . Max goes to prison for attempting to bribe a juror , and when he gets out , he's bent on revenge against his brothers . The acting is this film is nothing short of fantastic . Robinson is perfect as the dictatorial , ruthless Gino . Conte is totally believable as the favorite son - efficient and slightly to the right of slimy . Luther Adler gives a brilliant performance as the henpecked Tony . The rest of the cast is uniformly excellent . Susan Hayward plays Max's love interest , a woman who gives as good as she gets . She looks sensational and does a terrific job in her role . Stardom is right around the corner for her , and it's no surprise . With a great pace kept by Joseph Mankiewicz , this is a film that I'm surprised we don't hear more about . It just goes to show that there were so many great films made in Hollywood in the past that even some marvelous ones are overlooked . " House of Strangers " is definitely one to see and remember .
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494,380 | 342,623 | 72,431 | 8 |
Hilarious send-up of the Frankenstein story
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Gene Wilder is the scientist Dr . Frederick Frankenstein ( pronounced Fronkenshteen ) who returns to the family castle in " Young Frankenstein , " a classic , 1974 Mel Brooks comedy that is now enjoying a reincarnation as a Broadway musical . Besides Wilder , it stars Marty Feldman , Madeline Kahn , Teri Garr , Peter Boyle and Cloris Leachman , all of whom are hilarious . Kahn is the wealthy fiancée of Dr . F , who sees him off at the train station as he leaves to collect his inheritance of the Frankenstein castle and his grandfather's papers . There he meets Igor ( pronounced EYE-gor ) ( Feldman ) , who has a hump that moves from side to side - not that he admits to having one ( " what hump ? " ) , the housekeeper Frau Blucher - every time her name is mentioned , horses can be heard neighing in the distance , and a busty lab assistant named Inga ( Garr ) . As if genetically encrypted , he repeats grandpa's experiments and creates a monster ( Peter Boyle ) . What follows is a take-off on the " Frankenstein " films as the monster escapes and meets a little girl and a blind man ( the uncredited Gene Hackman in a " Bride of Frankenstein " moment ) , the scenes all the funnier if you've seen the originals . Frankenstein is recaptured , and in order to prove his genius , Dr . F introduces him to a crowd of scientists , and man and his creation perform " Puttin ' on the Ritz , " the highlight of the film . The movie is complete insanity , which is its intent , with great characterizations , funny bits and humor ranging from side-splitting to silly to sexual . The performances are fantastic : Wilder plays it straight and dramatic , making his Dr . F even funnier than if he'd camped it up ; Feldman also takes his part seriously and gives some deadpan line deliveries ; Garr sports a German accent and is very funny as Inga ; Leachman's Frau Blucher , who breaks down and admits the earlier Dr . F " vas my BOYFWEND " gives a truly classic performance in one of the best roles in the film . Peter Boyle's Frankenstein , when he finally speaks , has shades of Marlon Brando - Boyle is positively brilliant , first as a horny giant , then as a singer / dancer , and finally as a misunderstood misfit . The best performance , in my opinion , comes from Madeline Kahn as Elizabeth . It's a bravura performance with her every moment a comic gem , giving the role the magic touch that only she could . Feldman , Boyle , and Kahn are gone now , far too soon , but they all left wonderful comic legacies . Elizabeth is probably Kahn's best film performance . Who can ever hear " Ah , Sweet Mystery of Life ! " in the same way again .
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494,915 | 342,623 | 50,347 | 8 |
Excellent film , shades of On the Waterfront
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1957's Edge of the City , directed by Martin Ritt , stars John Cassavetes , Sidney Poitier , Jack Warden and Ruby Dee . It's the story of a troubled man , Axel , who has a mysterious past that gradually comes out during the film . He has a connection that gets him a job on a loading dock working for Charlie ( Jack Warden ) , a real meanie who takes kickbacks from his workers and rides them hard . Charlie has an intense dislike for a black man , T . T . ( Poitier ) who holds the same position . T . T . invites Axel to work on his team ; Axel defies Charlie and does so . Axel finds a place to live and socializes with T . T . , his his wife ( Dee ) and their son's white schoolteacher ( Kathleen McGuire ) . When tragedy strikes , none of the men on the loading dock will talk to the police , and Axel has to come to grips with his values , what he stands for , and the meaning of friendship . This is a really excellent black and white film that curiously isn't really about being black or white ! It's really about the limits one puts on oneself and knowing who you are . Charlie is a bigot and hates that a black man has a good position on the dock . T . T . teases Charlie and gives as good as he gets . There's no discussion of T . T . and Axel spending time together or of T . T . ' s son having a white teacher with whom the family also socializes . What Axel , a loner , finds difficult is accepting any friendship or confiding in anyone - these things he learns through T . T . Poitier absolutely shines in " Edge of the City " - he's warm , energetic , loving and smart , a man with a real enthusiasm for life , afraid of nothing . Cassavetes is excellent and plays a character totally opposite - hiding in the shadows , chronically depressed and always nervous . The film leaves open what happens to Axel . Whatever does , he's a different man now . Strangely underrated and unknown film , possibly in the shadow of a lot of the angry young men films that came out in that era .
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494,061 | 342,623 | 271,184 | 8 |
home movies - a truly lovely documentary
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I never knew that John Mills began his career as a song and dance man until I saw his documentary , " Sir John Mills ' Moving Memories " done in 2000 . Part biography , part filmography , part home movies , this is a delightful look at the actor , his family and his friends over the years . His children , Juliet , Hayley and Jonathan talk about growing up in different houses and being on various film sets and on vacation ; Mills talks about his career , his life and his marriage , with much film taken behind the scenes of various films and of stars visiting his home - Stewart Granger , Jean Simmons , Tyrone Power , David Niven , Dirk Bogarde , Sir Laurence Olivier , Vivien Leigh , Joan Plowright , Ian McShane and many others . Most poignant is Mills singing a love song to his wife ; at the time , unlike shots of her as a vibrant , happy redhead in many of his movies , she seems somewhat out of it but attentive - a sad and beautiful moment . For those of us who are baby boomers and for whom John Mills was merely Hayley's father while we were growing up , this is a wonderful look at a distinguished family of actors and one of the finest British actors , John Mills , from the time he was a young man . It's always bittersweet to see the story of someone's life from youth to old age but in this case , it was a triumphant life and well worth experiencing .
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494,406 | 342,623 | 76,202 | 8 |
early wife abuse drama
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Before we heard a lot about wife beating , this excellent film depicted it from both sides and explored the issue . Sally Struthers is the abused wife , and Dennis Weaver is the confused and sometimes out of control husband . Tyne Daly is great in a supporting role as a friend of the wife . Weaver does a wonderful job in depicting the husband and making him sympathetic . It is almost painful to watch his torment . He is a man deeply troubled by what it means to be a man , having picked up some bizarre signals in his childhood . As his life's frustrations come to a boil , he takes it out on Struthers , sometimes in front of their children . As his wife eventually struggles for independence , she engenders his jealousy as well as his anger . This is an very moving and well done film for television . Highly recommended .
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493,655 | 342,623 | 28,505 | 8 |
suspicious minds
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Jean Harlow is the secretary no wife wants her husband to have in " Wife vs . Secretary " starring Clark Gable , Myrna Loy , and Harlow , with an early appearance by James Stewart . It's hard to believe , looking at this film , that Jean Harlow would be dead a year later . Less blonde than in some earlier films , and far more subdued , she plays the indispensable , smart , and efficient secretary of Clark Gable . Gable is a high-pressured businessman happily married to Myrna Loy . All is well until her mother-in-law advises her to make Gable get rid of that good-looking assistant . Slowly , Loy begins to realize that everyone in their circle is assuming an affair , which up to that point hadn't crossed her mind . It does now . Harlow is involved with James Stewart , and he doesn't want her to work after they get married . Her job , he feels , is too exciting and important and will threaten their marriage . Harlow is half in love with Gable and refuses to quit . Stewart is adorable and gives a hint of what will be truly be one of the great screen personas . The cast is splendid . Gable is his usual charming self ; Loy and Harlow are perfect casting as unique women who are complete opposites . Their final scene together consists of only a long look . It's very effective , as is the acting of both women throughout . Loy's scene with her mother-in-law is heartbreaking . This is a dated film but very satisfying . Although it's wonderful to see these stars together , it's sad to realize they're all gone now , and that young Harlow has been gone for 68 years . Quite a loss .
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493,650 | 342,623 | 50,356 | 8 |
excellent World War II chess game on the high seas
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Curt Jurgens and Robert Mitchum play commanders on opposite sides of the war in " The Enemy Below , " tautly directed by Dick Powell . Powell was multitalented - he started out as a light leading man / crooner in ' 30s musicals , turned into a hard-boiled detective type in the ' 40s , a director in the ' 50s , and the star of a hit television show in the ' 60s . On top of which , he was an excellent businessman . You don't hear much about him anymore , and it's too bad . He is responsible for one of my favorite quotes - when offered the role of Richard Diamond on TV , he said , " No . I can't hold in my stomach for 28 weeks . " Jurgens gives a remarkable performance as a German submarine commander who's sick of the war and disillusioned by it . " If we die , we die without God , " he observes . Towards the beginning of the film , he delivers a remarkable monologue . On the American side , Mitchum is the new commander of a destroyer who quickly gains the respect and confidence of his crew as he attempts to outmanuever Jurgens in a cat and mouse game . Both men quickly realize that they have a lot in common with the enemy and develop a begrudging respect for one another , even as they try to guess the next move . The action is exciting , and the film keeps up its tense atmosphere . I thought the end was very touching and a good reminder that , as Mitchum states earlier , " We're all human . "
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494,678 | 342,623 | 460,698 | 8 |
Nice documentary on a top leading lady of the ' 30s and early ' 40s
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Though Alice Faye was alive at the time this biography was produced , she did not appear on camera . Instead , she let her friends , family , and most of all , her work do the talking . The result is a pleasant and interesting story of a wonderful 20th Century Fox star . The narration tells of Faye's poor New York City background and her early success as a performer starting at the age of 14 , as she lied about her age . After spending time as a dancer , she wound up on the radio with Rudy Vallee and eventually got her chance in Hollywood . When she got to Fox Studios , the idea was to turn her into their version of Harlow , but when Zanuck came in and the studio became 20th Century Fox , her image was changed to a more natural one . She went on to become a very big star in a series of musicals , notably " In Old Chicago , " " Alexander's Ragtime Band , " " Rose of Washington Square , " " Lillian Russell , " and others between the period of 1936-1945 . Faye walked out of 20th Century Fox in 1945 , after seeing a rough cut of the Otto Preminger film " Dark Angel , " in which she costarred with Dana Andrews . After fighting for a different kind of role , i . e . , not a musical , Faye was hurt and distressed that the film had been cut to favor Linda Darnell . She left the studio forever , became a very big star on radio with her husband , Phil Harris , and didn't return to movies until 1962's State Fair . Not liking the changes in the film industry , she retired from movies for good . She had a big hit in " Good News " on the road and on Broadway , and later became a spokeswoman for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals promoting wellness for the elderly . Faye , of course , wouldn't be the last star to make a fortune for Darryl F . Zanuck and then get short shrift . Two years later , he did the same thing to Tyrone Power , allowing him to make " Nightmare Alley " and then not promoting it and yanking it from release early . It's sad that these stars kept the studio going during hard times , only to be rewarded with bad treatment later on . Faye enjoyed a wonderful career , however , and a wonderful home life , and we still have her movies to enjoy . Pretty , tough , smart , talented , generous , hard-working , and inspirational - you really can't ask for more than that .
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494,861 | 342,623 | 32,432 | 8 |
Marvelous
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Spencer Tracy is " Edison , the Man " in this 1940 film also starring Gene Lockhart , Felix Bressart , Gene Reynolds and Charles Coburn . The Clarence Brown-directed film begins with Edison as an old man looking back on his life as he's talking to kids from a school newspaper . Edison had a brilliant mind and invented many things , including conducting something like 2 , 000 experiments before he found a way to get a light bulb to work . One of his inventions was the " talking machine , " and if you go on wikipedia . com , you can actually hear Edison speaking into it . This is my favorite part of the film - I worked on a dictaphone machine back in the ' 70s that looked like a smaller version of what Edison invents in the movie . The transcriber placed a blue belt with grids in it on a roller , and , as the belt moved , you transcribed . It seems so archaic 30 years later . The film is fairly inaccurate concerning Edison's private life and other details , but hopefully , it's interesting enough that it will inspire the viewer to read all about this remarkable man , well played by Spencer Tracy . The supporting cast is also excellent . Highly entertaining and well worth seeing .
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494,659 | 342,623 | 58,886 | 8 |
The two parts of love
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The Agony and the Ecstasy is the story of Michaelangelo and his painting of the Sistine Chapel at the behest of Pope Julius II , a warrior and Patron of the Arts . But it's really about so much more - the connection between art and the artist , faith , will , and the quest for perfection . Most of all , it's about the complicated relationship of two determined men , Michaelangelo and Pope Julius , which is adversarial and even violent . The color and scenery in this film are truly beautiful , but I'd love to see a restored print , as I imagine the colors would even be richer . Charlton Heston is a convincing and strong Michelangelo in what may be his best performance . It's buoyed by the magnificent work of Rex Harrison as Julius II . The two spark one another , and the result is an exciting screen teaming . There is hatred , resentment , a battle of wills , love and admiration between them , the agony and ecstasy of connecting with another , as Diane Cilento says in the film . She plays a woman in love with Michaelangelo . He explains that he cannot love her because of the commitment he has made to his true love , his art . The book hints at Michaelangelo's homosexuality , and it's covered with one line . After Michaelangelo says that he cannot match her feelings , he looks at a sketch of a nude man . " And it's not that either , " he says . Many scenes stick out . The somewhat hokey one in the mountains , when Michaelangelo looks at the heavens and receives his inspiration is nevertheless a gorgeous scene ; the incredible scene when Michaelangelo discovers the Pope alone at night with a candle studying the ceiling is perhaps the best , as Michaelangelo explains his concept of God and faith . And the last scene between the two men is unforgettable . There is a documentary about Michaelangelo and his work before the movie begins . A magnificent film . Don't miss it .
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494,343 | 342,623 | 23,775 | 8 |
Pre-code Stanwyck ROCKS
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Baby Face is a precode melodrama starring a very young Barbara Stanwyck , an almost unrecognizable George Brent , and Theresa Harris . It's about a girl who goes to the city to make good . . . or should I say make time . Stanwyck's father has been pimping her for one reason or another her whole life in dingy , depressed , filthy Erie , Pennsylvania . After her father dies , one older father type who knows what she's been through and truly cares about her future advises her to go to the big city and take advantage of opportunities there - and not the easy ones - and to take the high road in life . ( Note that I saw the censored version and not the uncut - this part of the film was redone for the censors . ) She and Chico ( Harris ) go to New York where Lily ( nickname : Baby Face ) decides the low road's a lot smoother and will get her where she wants to go a lot faster . In the movie's most famous scene , the camera moves us up the corporate ladder by taking us from floor to floor as Lily sleeps her way to the top . She finally corrals the big man himself and is able to quit her day job . Trouble follows , and she's soon involved in a huge scandal . Stanwyck wears lots of makeup and for most of the film is cool as a cucumber as she seduces one man after another with no regrets , and she's great at playing the innocent victim . In one scene , she sits staring at a king's ransom in jewels while wearing a black dress that looks like it's decorated with diamonds at the top . Then she asks Chico for another case , and that's filled with more jewelry , plus securities . All in a day's work . Theresa Harris was an interesting talent - she could be played down or glamorous , and was a talented singer and dancer as well . Here , she sings or hums the movie's theme , " St . Louis Woman " throughout . She worked in literally dozens of movies and is very good here as a friend of Stanwyck's , her best work being in the precode era . As a bizarre byproduct of the code , blacks were often given less to do in films after it was put in place . Precode films could be more sexually blatant and therefore , though they're 70 + years old , seem more modern . Even though these films didn't have to have moral endings , Baby Face learns her lessons - how like life it is after all . There were several endings of this film , all with the same message . The one I saw had an added scene , but apparently , there were two other endings that didn't pass the censors . ( There wasn't a code but there were always censors . ) At any rate , it's a neat surprise . " Baby Face " is an important film in movie history - a must see .
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493,512 | 342,623 | 37,248 | 8 |
Really good Holmes entry
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The Scarlet Claw is an unusual Sherlock Holmes mystery in that it takes place in Canada . Holmes and Watson are in Quebec at an occult society meeting when they hear about a village legend involving a phantom that killed three villagers . There are fears that the phantom has returned - some sheep killed , some strange sitings , and then a woman , Lady Penrose , is found murdered . Lord Penrose ( Paul Cavanagh ) is at the same meeting as Holmes and Watson . Holmes in fact later receives a letter from the woman asking for his help . The detective and his doctor friend then go to investigate , and find a lot more than anyone bargained for - no phantom , but a flesh and blood killer . Good ensemble work , rich atmosphere , and a supernatural story will remind one of Hound of the Baskervilles . While Holmes and Watson have a great adventure in " La Morte Rouge , " the name of the town , it's not quite The Hound of the Baskervilles . It is , however , an excellent - maybe the best - entry into the Universal series , and audiences won't be disappointed .
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494,736 | 342,623 | 37,367 | 8 |
Twenty years between wars in the history of a British family
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The Gibbons family is " This Happy Breed , " a 1944 film starring Robert Newton , Celia Johnson , Sterling Holloway , John Mills and Kay Walsh . The story begins with the end of World War I in 1919 with the return of Frank Gibbons ( Newton ) to his family - wife Ethel ( Johnson ) , son Reg ( John Blythe ) and daughters Queenie ( Kay Walsh ) and Vi ( Eileen Erskine ) as they begin their life in a new home . The next 20 years bring weddings , births , tragedy , and death , as it does to all of us . Queenie is being courted by a sailor , Bill ( Mills ) who wants to marry her , but she wants to better her class and says she can't be happy with him ; Vi falls in love and marries , as does Reg . Frank becomes a travel agent after the war and finds that one of his service friends ( Holloway ) lives next door . They become best buddies and provide the film's humor as they attempt to drink in secret . Ethel meanwhile has to cope with two somewhat difficult characters : the hypochondriacal Aunt Sylvia ( Alison Leggatt ) and Ethel's mother ( Amy Veness ) who live with them . One thing interesting about British films that deal with the war - " In Which We Serve , " " The 49th Parallel , " and this one , for instance - one is made aware of the hardships , loss , sacrifice and sadness , while American films have a much more romantic quality to them . Though " This Happy Breed " ends just at the dawn of World War II , there is discussion of the European situation , fascism , and a general fear of another war in light of what they all went through in the last one . " This Happy Breed " is another triumph , though an unsung one , for two wonderful artists - David Lean and Noel Coward , who worked together in this film , " Blithe Spirit " and " In Which We Serve " and had so many brilliant accomplishments on their own . The Gibbons feel like a real family , with a no-nonsense , hard-working matriarch , her more relaxed , emotional husband , and three children who go their separate ways in life and meet turmoil , normalcy , or tragedy . The most touching scene in the movie for me was the talk that Frank has with Reg before his wedding . " Always put your wife first , " Frank says after he finally gets Reg to stop kidding around and listen to him . I wasn't expecting this slice of life to be a tear-jerker , but it was , due to the beautiful acting of Celia Johnson and Robert Newton especially . They are the rocks of the film , providing its center . When Queenie runs off with a married man , she is shunned and disowned by Ethel , yet one can tell just by her movements that she is as heartbroken and worried as she is angry . Frank seems to accept what she says , yet once he's alone , he breaks down and sobs . " This Happy Breed " sneaks up on you ; before you know it , you're involved with the Gibbons . They're the stuff Britain is made of , the stuff that gets the country through its darkest times . A little gem ; don't miss it . Oh , and I knew that was Laurence Olivier's voice in the beginning .
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494,952 | 342,623 | 103,366 | 8 |
A little lost in the translation
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This was recently broadcast on Turner Classic Movies under the title " Billy Wilder Speaks . " The German title actually translates into " Billy Wilder , What Have You Done ( or Made ) ? " I'm assuming 98 % of this documentary is originally in German - 98 % because Wilder sometimes mixes German and English . However , now the beginning narration is in English and there are subtitles . I don't believe it's possible to do a bad retrospective on Wilder , and certainly it's impossible to have a bad documentary when this witty , intelligent director is doing the talking . The problem with this film is that something got lost in the translation . The subtitles are slapped on and a little hard to read , and the documentary itself is hard to follow at times . For example , a film clip is shown and when the camera comes back to Wilder , he tells a story , and we're not sure who he's talking about . This happens several times throughout . Though Wilder says " he , " the subtitle should actually have the name . The director gives impressions and anecdotes about some of the actors with whom he worked : Shirley MacLaine , Gary Cooper , Jack Lemmon , Tony Curtis , Marlene Dietrich , Audrey Hepburn , William Holden , Humphrey Bogart , Gloria Swanson and Marilyn Monroe . He also talks in some depth about a few of his films , most notably " Some Like It Hot , " " Stalag 17 , " and " Double Indemnity . " Quite fascinating is the story of showing his documentary about concentration camps , " Death Mills " to Germans . Billy Wilder , 83 at the time of this documentary , was a brilliant director with a unique point of view who left us a legacy of some of the best films of all time . " Billy Wilder Speaks " makes you want more .
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493,733 | 342,623 | 58,997 | 8 |
The imaginary world of children
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Sir Laurence Olivier , Carol Lynley , Keir Dullea and Noel Coward star in " Bunny Lake is Missing , " a 1965 black and white British film directed by Otto Preminger . A young woman , Ann Lake ( Lynley ) and her brother Steven ( Dullea ) report the woman's little girl , nicknamed Bunny , missing when she can't be found at her school on her first day of class . The detective in charge , Supt . Newhouse ( Olivier ) soon finds out that Bunny's things are disappearing from the new apartment where she , her mother and uncle live , and Newhouse begins to wonder if Bunny ever existed at all . This is a dark , atmospheric film that takes the viewer into an adult world where a child's fantasy life is explored and often accepted - the cofounder of the school on its top floor listening to children's dreams on tape as she writes a book about children's fantasies ; the man who runs the doll hospital ; and Ann herself , who had an imaginary friend as a child called Bunny , named after a character in a book . Is Bunny Lake missing ? Was there ever a Bunny Lake ? Is Steven trying to cover for his sister ? " Bunny Lake is Missing " is very offbeat and will make you uneasy as you , along with Newhouse , try to figure out what's going on . The acting is very good - Olivier obviously did this role for money - there is nothing particularly interesting about it , though he does a good job . The pretty Lynley gives an ambiguous performance - she's either a grieving mother , a nut , or both , and Dullea is equally ambiguous - does he know more than he says he does ? Is he placating his sister ? Noel Coward has a showy if small role as the Lake's landlord , a rather strange bird into S & M who proudly shows one of the detectives the skull of the Marquis de Sade . Though not entirely satisfying , this is a great movie to see on a Sunday afternoon . It takes you right into the darkness of London and leaves you there as it travels through a child's strange world and comes out in illusion ? Reality ? Or madness ?
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494,975 | 342,623 | 32,981 | 8 |
Lovely Christmas film
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Though I don't like " Remember the Night " as much as " Christmas in Connecticut , " but it is a wonderfully warm Christmas film , notable for its Preston Sturgess script and the performances of the two leads , Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray . MacMurray plays a prosecutor , John Sargent , who is stuck with a shoplifting case right before Christmas . He manages to get the case delayed until the New Year , but Lee Leander ( Stanwyck ) , the shoplifter , complains that now she won't have a warm jail to spend Christmas in . He learns she's from a town that's on his way home , so he offers to drop her . That doesn't quite work out - her mother doesn't want her - so she winds up coming home to his family - his mom ( Beulah Bondi ) , his aunt ( Elizabeth Patterson ) and their handyman ( Sterling Holloway ) . It's there that she experiences a true family and real love . Before the week is over , Lee and John have fallen for one another . I always assumed , from " My Three Sons , " that Fred MacMurray was a capable actor , and kind of ordinary . Watching his various performances on TCM has changed that impression . Here he's relaxed , natural and very likable , and has his usual good chemistry with Stanwyck . She's wonderful - tough yet vulnerable . I have a feeling the ending was dictated by the Hayes Code , but this is still a good movie . Preston Sturgess didn't think so - he didn't like the cuts , so this was the last film he wrote and didn't direct .
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493,533 | 342,623 | 243,155 | 8 |
a pure delight
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Wonderful film with a fantastic performance by the super-talented Renee Zwelleger , ably supported by Colin Firth and Hugh Grant , both marvelous , as was the entire cast . Strangely , I saw this film and " Someone Like You " around the same time - the basic plots are the same , though the subplots are quite different . And , of course , both use the song " Someone Like You " at the end ! But Bridget Jones is a real film and Someone Like You a TV movie reject someone got Ashley Judd to star in . Amazing how the same basic plot can be so differently handled . There were many laugh out loud moments , to the extent that a man behind me said , " I'd like to hear the movie , " after Hugh Grant gave a line reading that rocked the audience . I had one criticism and that was that the film could have been a little shorter . Bravo , Renee and the entire cast on a great time at the movies .
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493,763 | 342,623 | 41,600 | 8 |
Interesting film about prejudice in the north
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Lost Boundaries is a 1949 film , based on the true story of a black family that passed for white in New Hampshire . The stars are Mel Ferrer , Beatrice Pearson , Richard Hylton , and Carleton Carpenter . Ferrer plays a black doctor , Scott Carter , who looks white . He wants to live as a black man , and his future wife ( Pearson ) who comes from a family that has always " passed " has agreed to live as a black as well . But after they marry and there's a baby on the way , and still no job , Scott decides to take a position in a white hospital . Eventually he becomes the town doctor . Before you know it , 20 years have passed , and he and his wife have never even told their children that they have black blood . This leads to complications . Released the same year as " Pinky , " " Lost Boundaries " is a very good movie about deep-seated prejudice that occurred in the north and not in its usual place , the south . Its essential problem is that it doesn't employ any black actors to play the Carters . " Pinky , " a superior film , was criticized for the same reason , except that without Jeanne Crain , " Pinky " would not have been made . " Lost Boundaries " has no stars . It is curious that the issue of " passing " seems to have piqued Hollywood's interest in the late ' 40s , and one wonders if World War II had something to do with it , with people venturing out of their neighborhoods and meeting others from different social positions and walks of life , all with the same goal of fighting the Axis . However , when Lena Horne went to entertain the troops in World War II , the black soldiers were behind the prisoners of war in the audience . You really wonder what was going through anyone's minds . Certainly not liberty and justice for all .
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494,210 | 342,623 | 427,327 | 9 |
Fantastic adaptation of Broadway hit
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John Travolta , Michelle Pfeiffer , Christopher Walken , Queen Latifah , Nikki Blonsky , Zac Efron , Brittany Snow and Amanda Bynes star in " Hairspray , " a 2007 movie musical directed by Adam Shankman . Shankman has a great understanding of what made this musical and the John Waters film great , and he brings it to the screen with a stellar cast singing and dancing their way through wonderful songs by Marc Shaiman . Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is the plus-sized , big-haired Tracy Turnblad , and she holds her own well up against her more experienced colleagues , giving a lively , full-voiced performance . John Travolta plays Tracy's mother Edna and Christopher Walken her father - now there's a power couple if there ever was one . Despite criticisms basically based on just not liking John Travolta , he really does a fantastic job . When you're watching a big male star and actually start believing you're watching a female character , that's good acting . Travolta brings a sweetness to the role and manages to dance wearing all that padding . As Tracy's dad , Christopher Walken may seem like odd casting , but he's wonderful . " Timeless to Me " is an absolute gem . The cast is uniformly excellent , with a small , funny role essayed by Allison Janney that again proves what a great character actress she is , and some high-energy vocals and dance by the multitalented Elijah Kelley . James Marsden , as Corny Collins , is very slick . Zac Efron is perfect as the adorable super-hunk Linc . As Miss Baltimore Crabs , what can be said about gorgeous Michelle Pfeiffer except that she's terrific as the mean-spirited bigot Velma von Tussle . Now that she's past 40 , roles aren't as easy to find for Pfeiffer as they once were , but with Velma , she starts a second career . Queen Latifah sings like a dream . My only problem is that I would have loved more of the songs from the show included - " Mama , I'm a Big Girl Now " being one , and the song that Linc and Tracy sing at the jail . But the spirit of the show remains - upbeat , with a driving , pulsating energy and enthusiasm . It's a film with a serious undertone of racial integration , of being different and being accepted in society , and it makes its point with warm characters , a well-paced story , and toe-tapping music . Watch " Hairspray " when you're feeling low , and you'll dance off of the couch .
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495,076 | 342,623 | 35,211 | 9 |
Beautiful film that shows the essence of a true hero
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Gary Cooper is Lou Gehrig in " The Pride of the Yankees , " a 1942 film also starring Teresa Wright , Babe Ruth , Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea . The film chronicles Gehrig's life growing up as a German-American . As a young boy , his mother wanted him to become an engineer . Instead , he becomes a world-famous ballplayer , marries , and lives a charmed life until he is struck down by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , ALS , which today is still called " Lou Gehrig's disease . " ALS leads to a progressive atrophy of the voluntary muscles until sufferers can no longer walk , speak , eat or even breathe . Its cause is as unknown today as it was in Gehrig's time . Yet in his farewell speech at Yankee Stadium , Lou Gehrig said he considered himself the luckiest man on earth . By all accounts , Lou Gehrig was a prince of a man , an honest , caring gentleman , and Gary Cooper portrays him that way . Cooper , who had a smile that could light up the world , is boyish , quiet , and shy as Gehrig , which makes what happened to him particularly devastating . That's the way it was in real life , too . Teresa Wright as Eleanor is excellent , as is Walter Brennan , Elsa Janssen and Ludwig Stossel . Janssen portrays Gehrig's mother , a tough woman who tries to steamroller over Eleanor - in real life , the two women never got along , though the film shows some sort of reconciliation . Babe Ruth as Babe Ruth is a standout , giving a very relaxed and energetic performance in his colleague's story . The film is criticized by Gehrig aficionados for taking dramatic license with the facts of Gehrig's life . Though this is hard to take if you know a subject well , it's always done in films . The main controversy is over Gehrig's famous speech , which was shortened and changed . The " luckiest " part was moved to the end of the speech , for one thing , probably to make a strong end to the film . One nice , accurate touch - the bracelet Lou gives to Eleanor is the actual bracelet that Mrs . Gehrig received from her husband , and she lent it to the film . Despite criticisms , the film gives us the essence of Lou Gehrig , in large part thanks to the script by Paul Gallico ( the Brennan character ) , the direction by Sam Wood , and the performance of Gary Cooper . Cooper was too old to play a college kid - but the essence is there . And what an incredible-looking man - I don't care what age he's playing . He was no good at playing baseball and had to be coached to get even the basics , but probably only an expert could tell that . You'll be good and choked up by the end . ALS continues to kill today and took the lives of such people as David Niven , Dennis Day , Mao Tse-Tung and others . The depiction of the onset of symptoms in " Pride of the Yankees " is accurate . For it to strike such a fine man and great athlete is heartbreaking .
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494,635 | 342,623 | 405,159 | 9 |
a knockout punch
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I grew up watching Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates on " Rawhide . " Who could have imagined , looking at his unlined face and watching his easygoing manner , that he would ever have developed into the filmmaker that he has ? Though we should have known Clint was something special - in those days , it was nearly impossible to move from a hit TV show into films , as the typecasting was even worse than it is today . But Clint did it . Unfortunately for me , I knew the plot and ending of this film before walking into the theater . Because of the staggered release of MDB , it was almost impossible not to . I would have liked to assess the impact not knowing the twists and turns of the plot . That being said , I found this a beautifully-realized story about dreams , courage , and the true meaning of family . The three principals did a tremendous job . Hillary Swank is so much more than an actress . She is able to break a role down down to its simplest elements and becomes the character . There is never anything overdone in her work . She is one of the finest actresses we have . Morgan Freeman is one of the finest actors we have . And Clint Eastwood ? Well , he's just one of the finest directors we have . Congratulations , Rowdy .
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493,675 | 342,623 | 91,167 | 9 |
Three sisters and their intertwining lives
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In " Hannah and her Sisters , " Woody Allen has created a funny , poignant , and sweet film about three very different sisters . The focus is Hannah ( Mia Farrow ) , a successful actress currently married to Elliot ( Michael Caine ) and divorced from Mickey ( Woody Allen ) . She's more of a mother figure to her sisters , Holly and Lee ( Dianne Wiest and Barbara Hershey ) than their own mother ( Farrow's real-life mother , Maureen O'Sullivan ) an alcoholic performer who likes to flirt with younger men , to the fury of her husband . Hannah handles her mother , puts up with Holly constantly borrowing money and then picking fights with her in that mother / daughter fashion , but she doesn't know that her sister Lee is having an affair with Elliot . And so it goes , as Thanksgivings pass and the women attempt to straighten out their lives . This is one of Woody Allen's best films - I won't say best , because I love Match Point and Crimes and Misdemeanors more . The humorous parts of the films are provided by Wiest and Allen , and some of the lines and situations are hilarious : Holly and Mickey's disastrous date ( " I had a great time . It was just like the Nurenberg trials " ) , Mickey's contemplation of suicide , and Mickey's fear of a brain tumor . Allen is brilliant as a man who believes he's living in a godless world but wants to believe . Though Jewish , he decides to become Catholic , bringing home religious info with his mayonnaise and Wonder Bread ; when that doesn't work out , he talks to the Hari Krishna in the park . Wiest is as adorable as she is fantastic as a manic-depressive who goes from acting ( including auditioning for a musical when she can't sing ) , catering ( until her partner , played by Carrie Fisher , steals the man she thinks is her boyfriend ) , and finally writing . The rest of the cast is magnificent and tackle some of the more serious moments of the movie : Michael Caine as Hannah's husband , looking for love in all the wrong places ; Max von Sydow , Lee's tortured artist boyfriend ; and Lloyd Nolan and Maureen O'Sullivan as the sisters ' parents , in an imperfect marriage filled with love , booze , and jealousy . Hershey is lovely as a confused woman who adores her sister but looks to Caine for a way out of her relationship with a controlling boyfriend . The film , of course , is filled with New York sights and sounds , including Bobby Short ( " You don't deserve Cole Porter , " Mickey screams at Holly . " You should stick with those rock musicians who look like they murdered their parents " ) , the opera , Central Park , etc . , that give Allen's films their special atmosphere ( until " Match Point , " that is , which has a special atmosphere all its own ) . A great film with Allen asking again about the meaning of life and , again , coming up with some good answers .
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493,933 | 342,623 | 39,029 | 9 |
engrossing fare
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Three Strangers has long been a favorite film of mine , with its fascinating reference to the statue of the goddess Kwan Yin , who , in Chinese legend , opens her eyes and grants a wish to three strangers on the Chinese New Year . Geraldine Fitzgerald , Sydney Greenstreet , and Peter Lorre are the above-mentioned strangers , each with an agenda that can be easily pursued by money . So the wish is that their sweepstakes ticket win , and the agreement is that it then be entered into the horse race that follows . Geraldine Fitzgerald's character seems sympathetic , but she reveals herself as quite obsessive and delusional as the film progresses . Greenstreet plays a crooked solicitor , and Lorre portrays a small time criminal - he's the most sympathetic character and , to my mind , gives the most memorable performance . The film asks the question - did the meeting of the three strangers change their lives , or did events proceed as they would have ? This is an unusual , absorbing , and entertaining film . I highly recommend it .
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494,317 | 342,623 | 369,117 | 9 |
Fun show
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House Hunters is a great show on HGTV with a simple concept - house hunters look at three homes and choose one , discussing the pros and cons in between . Hosted by the lovely Suzanne Wong , there is something very involving about this show and some other HGTV offerings , such as Designed to Sell , Buy Me , and How Much is My House Worth . I think it's the couch potato aspect combined with fantasy that works well for this show and others on the network . We can pick our own favorite house and then say things like , " I knew they'd pick that one , " or " They're idiots " when they choose , and we can also discuss how much money we think they have while asking the age-old question , " What is the big deal with hardwood floors and granite countertops ? " ( Without them , your house may as well go into foreclosure . ) And we can listen to them carp about the color of the rooms - as if they aren't willing to paint . When the home owners are revisited in the new place later , we are able to analyze their taste . This all easily replaces looking out the window while the new neighbors are moving in . The house hunters themselves are usually delightful people with whom the audience identifies , though not only . Many of them have pets , and if they don't , they usually acquire them once they move . So one can ooh and ah over babies and puppies . HGTV is onto a good thing .
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493,575 | 342,623 | 368,658 | 9 |
The ultimate in " Who am I ? "
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Billy Crudup is a " Stage Beauty " in the 2004 film costarring Claire Danes , Rupert Everett , Tom Wilkinson , Ben Chaplin , Zoe Tapper and Richard Griffiths . Based on the writings of Samuel Pepys about a stage actor named Ned Kynaston ( Crudup ) , the plot centers around the repeal of an English law forbidding women on the stage during the time of King Charles II , 1660 . The shining star in the female roles is Ned Kynaston who essays Ophelia , Desdemona , Juliet et al . to the enthusiastic approval of audiences and in particular , an audience of one , his lover , The Duke of Buckingham ( Chaplin ) . Because he is in such great demand , Kynaston's boss Betterton ( Wilkinson ) has given him cast approval . With Kynaston's head getting too big for his wigs , he insults Sir Charles Sedley , who tries to pick him up thinking he's a woman ( but not at all put off when he learns he's a man ) , and Sedley conspires to get revenge . Then Kynaston insults Nell Gwynn ( Tapper ) , the King's mistress , by not approving of women performing on stage . Before you can say " Desdemona , " the law has been repealed . His dresser Maria ( Claire Danes ) adores and admires Ned , aspires to be an actress , and has performed Desdemona in an illegal Othello done in a tavern . Sir Charles manages to bring her to the attention of the theater while taking Kynaston out of commission by beating the pulp out of him ( with the help of two fans whom Kynaston also insulted ) . When Ned recovers enough to attempt to get his job back , he finds he's no longer in demand , his dresser is a star , his lover is getting married and , having fantasized that Ned was a woman while they made love , no longer wants him . But he has one friend left - a most unlikely supporter . This is a wonderful , richly produced film marvelously written by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Richard Eyre that tells of the journey each of us has to our true identity - not just who we are as people but our gender identity as well . Without female costumes , wigs , and mannerisms , Ned doesn't know who or what he is . In love with Ned and hating him at the same time , Maria doesn't know if she's a good actress or not ( she isn't ) . When she asks Mr . Pepys if she was good on opening night , he tells her the truth , " There was no comparison , " as she's the first woman to act on stage . " She did what she did first ; you did what you did last , " Betterton tells Kynaston . Working together , they find their true souls - not just in each other , but in themselves . The Bible says " male and female He created them . " Thinking about this line in the context of " Stage Beauty , " I like to think that we each possess male and female qualities . Ned searches not only for his maleness but just as importantly , how to express himself artistically as a male . Impersonating a female was to him a very high art - he feels there is no way to be creative now . He also has to learn about his sexuality - I suppose some people will feel that Ned has been " made straight . " Not at all . He has instead become a whole person , and that whole person is better able to encompass his entire sexuality . The brilliant , exciting end of the film is much like the creative process but instead of flowering as it is nurtured , it explodes in a thrilling collaboration . The performances right down the line are fantastic . Billy Crudup is not only a total Adonis but an amazing actor with a perfect British accent and handle on the dialogue to match his perfect face - he is equally convincing as the confused Ned , the mannered Desdemona and the brutal Othello . As Maria , Claire Danes is a match for him - subservient dresser , serious actress , star , friend and lover , and with a British accent that , like Crudup's , is so totally organic , one could easily believe she is British . The rest of the cast is breathtaking , making each role a gem . I can't even single any one actor out ; each not only created a wonderful character , but were not in any way slighted by the writer . Some of the dialogue in this film is as hilarious as other dialogue in it is poignant . I'd love to know where this film was during Oscar time . Apparently it did not have the huge studio behind it that " Shakespeare in Love " enjoyed , which is a pity , because it deserved to be singled out for many of the top awards - acting in every category , directing , writing , and costumes . I see it won " Overlooked Film of the Year " somewhere . This is a jewel that definitely fell out of the Oscar crown .
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494,911 | 342,623 | 160,459 | 9 |
Four friends gather to discuss an old crime
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Lesser Evil is a 1998 film starring Colm Feore , David Paymer , Tony Goldwyn and Arliss Howard . It's very well directed by David Mackay , and the script by Jeremy Levine and Steven Schultze is excellent . The film starts at a funeral presided over by a priest ( Howard ) who then tells the story in flashback . As teenagers , four buddies - Ivan ( the priest , played as a young man by Marc Worden ) , George ( Alan Scott / Paymer ) , Derek ( Jonathan Scarfe / Feore ) and Frank ( Steven Petrarca / Goldwyn ) are being crazed , drunken , out of control lunatics in the woods when George ( Adam Scott / Paymer grown up ) shoots into a car , gravely injuring the driver . The driver has a shotgun on his lap . He also has something else , which is revealed later in the film . The kids become completely hysterical and , as the man isn't dead but seems close to it , they attempt to rush him to a hospital . Then they change their minds and take him back to the woods , where he dies hours later , helped along by one of them when they see police lights . Twenty years later , the gun that killed the man has surfaced , and the police question its owner , Derek ( Feore ) , who has called them all together . George has become an attorney , Frank a police officer , Ivan a priest , and Derek's business is failing . He has made a mess of talking to the police and is a wreck . Ivan thinks they should go to the police and tell them what happened all those years ago , though they had all made a pact to protect George and keep quiet . Then they realize that George has been getting everything on tape and that Frank has been keeping a big secret from them all these years . Fascinating story of the ramifications of guilt even after " getting away " with something and how guilt molded the lives and personalities of each man and changed their relationships with one another . In that way , it's a tiny bit like " Mystic River . " With Colm Feore in it , the acting can be nothing less than spectacular . He is one of my favorite actors , having seen in perform at Stratford in Canada several times . The leads are all excellent , and the young men who play them as teens are superb . There's a twist at the end . You won't want to miss this superlative drama that could only come from an independent filmmaker , as Hollywood is too busy with cartoon characters and blowing up things .
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494,403 | 342,623 | 30,418 | 9 |
absolutely adored it - and Adrian worked overtime
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Adrian went all out for this lavish , gorgeous production of " Marie Antoinette " starring Norma Shearer , who is never more beautiful or glamorous than in this epic biography . This Marie is quite the heroine , a woman of the people , generous to a fault , and never says , " Let them eat cake , " and would only have said it in reference to her children . History tells us that Marie's downfall was really the " Affair of the Necklace , " and she was no different from other aristocrats in being totally out of touch with what was going on with the French people . This film is jaw dropping in its splendor . Adrian's costumes are totally magnificent , as are the palace settings . Tyrone Power is drop-dead gorgeous as Marie's Swedish lover , who comes to her aid in her time of need . Power was the inspiration for Barbara Cartland to say , when asked how she could write so convincingly about sex while she was a still a virgin , " We didn't need sex . We had Tyrone Power . " The rest of the cast is fantastic , including Robert Morley , John Barrymore , Joseph Schildkraut , and Gladys George . As for Norma , she does a great job , giving a vivid , if movie star , performance in one of her last films . The last scenes are very touching and beautifully done . I had no expectations for this film and as a rule am not crazy about period pieces , but this one swept me away . It does follow history quite closely - for those who commented that the Tyrone Power character was fictional , he was not , and he did try to help her . Don't miss this one . A funny Marie Antionette anecdote : The studio wanted Shearer to use their contract star , Robert Taylor , but Shearer got a look at Power at a dinner , invited him to be part of the film , and got her way . During their first kiss , she held on so long the kiss had to be edited down . Power apparently did not return her affections . She became angry . At a photo shoot , she appeared with gigantic plumes that hid him as he posed behind her and the plumes shot up . The photographer gave Power a box to stand on . As the photographer activated the flash , Power crashed through the box and hit the floor . Though he escorted Shearer to the premier , he snuck out to see his soon to be wife , Annabella .
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494,070 | 342,623 | 39,204 | 9 |
Great ' 40s film starring John Garfield
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John Garfield is a fighter taken over " Body and Soul " in this 1947 Faustian drama about a man who becomes too heady with success and too greedy , eventually signing on with a crooked fight promoter . Garfield is supported here by Lilli Palmer , Anne Revere , Hazel Brooks , William Conrad , Canada Lee and Lloyd Gough . American filmmakers love boxing movies , and why not ? It's a one on one brutal action sport that has inherent in it good drama because of what is at stake for people who most likely came from nothing and used their fists on the street . " Body and Soul " is no different in this regard , but it's one of the best of its kind . It also boasts an unusual and exceptionally talented cast . The film is loaded with conflict for Charlie Davis ( Garfield ) - his mother ( Revere ) doesn't want him to fight ; he's in love with Peg ( Palmer ) and wants to marry her but is talked into delaying it when he signs on with a new and corrupt promoter , Roberts ( Gough ) . This will be the first of Charlie's concessions and unfortunately not the last . He fights Ben ( Lee ) , but isn't told that the man has a blood clot and he needs to coast through only a few rounds . Instead , he pulverizes Ben , causing further brain damage , and takes him on as a trainer out of guilt . Then he's seduced by a money-hungry babe named Alice ( Brooks ) . And on and on , until Roberts bets against him and orders him to take a dive in the championship fight he's been waiting for . ( With all the films done about taking dives , anyone who bets on a fight is nuts . ) Something about this movie - maybe it's the theme song , which is one of my favorites - swept me away . It's one of Garfield ' most colorful performances , and the beautiful , classy Palmer is a perfect juxtaposition not only to the streetwise Charlie but the trashy Alice . The truly transcendent role and performance is essayed by Canada Lee , a wonderful actor who died too young and had too few opportunities in film . His performance as the volatile , ill Ben was Oscar-worthy . Like Ben Carter in " Crash Dive , " the fact that Lee is black does not enter into the script at all , and he is treated as an equal . For all the rotten stereotyping done in films at that time , there were a few scripts that defied it . Lee was blackballed and died , almost literally , of a broken heart in 1952 ( the same year that John Garfield died ) , leaving a legacy of five films and some wonderful stage work , including Orson Welles ' all-black Macbeth . He was 45 . Cast members Garfield , Lee , Anne Revere , Lloyd Gough , Art Smith , Shimen Ruskin , scriptwriter Abraham Polonsky and producer Bob Roberts would all find themselves blacklisted , and director Rossen would be threatened but admit to being a Communist and name names . Magnificently photographed in black and white by James Wong Howe and with top direction by Robert Rossen , " Body and Soul " is an example of how wonderful film can be .
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493,654 | 342,623 | 34,862 | 9 |
A wonderful holiday treat despite some political incorrectness
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I have always loved " Holiday Inn , " and will say up front that my favorite dance is the one Fred Astaire does with the firecrackers ! This film will always put you in the holiday spirit with its great cast , music , and dancing . Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby make a fantastic team , with Fred playing a bit of a cad . Walter Abel is right on as the agent , Danny Reed , and blond Marjorie Reynolds ( that's Peg in " Life of Riley " for us baby boomers ) is lovely as the second woman Astaire attempts to get away from Crosby , the first being Astaire's partner , played by Virginia Dale . The sticking point in this marvelous film is " Abraham , " which bothers a lot of people , but when it's cut on AMC , nobody likes that either . It's on my video of the film , and when I mentioned it to my sister , she told me that while in England in 1978 , there was a minstrel show on television . She couldn't believe what she was looking at and stopped dead in her tracks , jaw dropped . The blackface is one thing ; the look sported by Ms . Reynolds and the verse done by Louise Beavers are quite another . I admit that I find the number offensive , but I also think it serves as a reminder of what was ( unfortunately ) acceptable back then . I love " Holiday Inn , " I love Bing's singing and Fred's dancing . This is an energetic film , very much of its time with the propagandist " Song of Freedom " and its attendant movie clips thrown in . Enjoy it for what it is , and don't ask for a modern sensibility in 1942 .
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495,217 | 342,623 | 264,464 | 9 |
Great story + two marvelous actors + a brilliant director - = recipe for entertainment
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Leonardo DiCaprio is the nemesis of an FBI agent , and vice versa , in " Catch Me If You Can , " a 2002 film starring Tom Hanks and directed by Steven Spielberg . Based on a true story , DiCaprio is the young Frank Abagnale , a great impostor who teaches school , becomes a pilot , a doctor , and a lawyer as he floats bad checks all over the country and seems to be impossible to capture . The film is beautifully paced by Spielberg and absolutely fascinating as you wait and see what Abagnale is going to do next . When his father gets in trouble with the IRS , the family lifestyle changes , and Frank has to go to a public high school . He insists on wearing his private school jacket on his first day . He promptly takes over a French class as the substitute teacher and dismisses the real one , saying there must be a mistake . When he's discovered , his parents are called in . " Frank has been teaching French for the past week , " the principal tells them . " Today he scheduled a field trip to a French bread-making factory . You see my problem . " His father ( Christopher Walken ) admires his son's chicanery but refuses to take advantage of it , even as his financial state worsens . Tom Hanks is Hanratty , the FBI agent who chases Abagnale all over the world . He is fabulous as a lonely , hard-working , insightful man who gets a call in his office from Frank every Christmas . " I know why you called me , " he says to Frank . " You don't have anyone else to call . " The two develop a strange bond . The baby-faced DiCaprio does a magnificent job as Frank . He's totally magnetic , charming , and also sad , exhibiting Frank's pain over his parents ' divorce and his father's downfall . His goal is to get " everything back again " but then it becomes a game he can't quit . As his father , Walken is excellent as a proud man faced with the loss of his property , income , and family . A well-cast , expertly directed film all the more intriguing since it's based on a true story . The opening scene is Frank Abagnale's appearance on " To Tell the Truth . " We don't get to see if he fooled the audience , but he probably did - telling the truth is something Frank , while on the run , never did particularly well .
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493,611 | 342,623 | 43,465 | 9 |
The story of a tightly wired detective and his view of the world
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Kirk Douglas is the man referred to in the title " Detective Story , " a 1951 film based on Sidney Kingsley's play . Directed by William Wyler , the movie features several actors from the Broadway production : Horace Mcmahon , Joseph Wiseman and Lee Grant , who appear with Eleanor Parker , William Bendix , Frank Faylen , George Macready , Gerald Mohr and Cathy O'Donnell . " Detective Story " covers a busy day in a New York City precinct with its traffic of shoplifters , small-time hoods , a first time embezzler , and work on old cases . Douglas plays Det . James McLeod , who is a complete hard-nose as a detective and always one punch short of a police brutality charge . He sees the world as black and white due to being raised by a crooked father and a frail , mentally disturbed mother who eventually went into a institution . When a young man , a war hero , is brought in for stealing from his boss in a desperate moment , McLeod insists on throwing the book at him , even though the boss was convinced by another detective ( William Bendix ) to drop the charges . " You can't be soft , " McLeod says . " My mother was soft , and it killed her . " He's determined , and has worked for a year , to try to put away a backstreet doctor named Schneider ( George Macready ) . Schneider's lawyer has his client photographed in the nude to show as evidence in case he's roughed up , which he knows McLeod is capable of doing . When the attorney starts dropping hints to Lt . Monaghan that McLeod may have a personal vendetta against the doctor , Monaghan starts to worry . Perhaps I'm dense but I was not clear on exactly what kind of doctor Schneider was . Whether he was performing late-term abortions ( which of course the script can't say ) or an illegal adoption ring was hard to figure out . It appears that in the play , Schneider was an abortionist but because of the code , he's running some sort of adoption ring here . What was confusing in the film was that there were references to women whose babies had died . Obviously he was pathetic at his job . The only " soft " part of McLeod's life is his happy marriage and the love that he and his wife ( Eleanor Parker ) feel for one another . But his inner rage , his rigidness , and unreasonable expectations begin to threaten that too . One of the great things about this film is that it does not seem like a filmed play - you could easily believe it was written for the screen . The performances , for the most part , are marvelous , from the fair but tough Monaghan , the light-hearted cop ( Faylen ) , the warm cop ( Bendix ) and the assorted punks and first-time offenders . Lee Remick , in her film debut , plays a shoplifter who has to wait for night court ; consequently , she's in the precinct office at all times . She's very good but like many before her and after her , the New York accent sounds phony . It's a tough one to make organic - several times she nearly succeeds but other times it's obviously put on . Eleanor Parker , as McLeod's sweet , beautiful and loving wife is excellent . She and Douglas have a powerful scene where her devotion turns to shock , then sorrow , then the realization that she doesn't know this man at all . Douglas is superb as McLeod . His character carries an underbelly of anger and viciousness which is always there , even when he is pretending to have a nice conversation with a criminal . You just wait for him to blow . His clenched jaw and tight way of speaking fit this role perfectly . When he's initially with his wife , he's loving and tender . Their love is his only solace , but he's too poisoned to see a shade of gray just once . Somehow , as mean and unbending as he is , you can't help but feel sorry for him because you can see that it's ruining him . The end of the film is very powerful . It's funny - Douglas ' own son says his father isn't considered a great actor now because of a somewhat dated approach to these strong roles that today seems too intense and done with a voice that has been imitated once too often - yet I can't remember seeing him in a film where I didn't think he was excellent . Smoothly directed by William Wyler , who keeps the action and subplots going and gets some wonderful performances and New York atmosphere , " Detective Story " is one not to miss .
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494,965 | 342,623 | 69,901 | 9 |
vintage Columbo
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When a frightened young woman comes into the police station to report a missing fiancée , she runs into Columbo and he has pity on her . Thus begins " Any Old Port in a Storm , " a fantastic " Columbo " episode about a vineyard owner , his half brother , his secretary , and a big secret . Donald Pleasance is exceedingly unlikable as Adrian , who runs Carsini Wines - at a loss - and collects wine as well . Gary Conway is his playboy half-brother who's sick of seeing the family fortune dwindling away . Fearful that his wine business will be turned into a Gallo-type operation , Adrian kills his brother and leaves the body in the wine cellar before he and his secretary , beautifully portrayed by Julie Harris , attend a wine auction in New York . It's not long before Columbo becomes involved and learns his wines so that he can go toe to toe with a murderer , who is now having the screws put to him by Harris , an old maid who knows what he did and wants marriage for her silence . The whole thing culminates in an exquisite dinner for which Columbo has chosen all the wine . The masterful Larry Cohen wrote this script , and you'll find this episode and its subtleties right up there with the best of the " Columbo " series .
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495,011 | 342,623 | 39,631 | 9 |
Brilliant black comedy with a very serious message
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Charlie Chaplin is " Monsieur Verdoux " in this 1947 film based on the real-life serial killer Henri Landru . Verdoux is a bank clerk who is laid off late in life and turns to marrying and killing women for their money in order to support his invalid wife and child . Sounds brutal , and when you think about it , it really is , but Chaplin as usual manages to couch his message in comedy . While we see that he is successful in knocking off a couple of women and getting their money ( though we never actually see a murder ) , Verdoux has a couple of failures as well , and there the fun begins . One of his women , Annabella Bonheur , is played hysterically by Martha Raye as a vulgar loudmouth eternally suspicious of Verdoux , who is posing as a boat captain . He tries some different ways of killing her , but no matter what he does , nothing works . He then turns his attention to another woman he's been chasing for some time , Marie Grosnay ( Isobel Elsom ) . He's about to walk down the aisle when who does he see as a guest at the wedding - Annabelle . His attempts to get out of the house are priceless . Despite some genuinely comical scenes , the speech that Verdoux makes gives its deeper message - Verdoux was in it for the money . To him , the women were business propositions to be exploited . His point is that what he has done on a smaller scale is being done by dictators worldwide ; people are not treated as human beings but merely for economic gain , for power and for exploitation . Though Verdoux's argument doesn't absolve him of responsibility or justify his actions , the warning is a good one - people need to care more about each other and about what's going on in their world , and put their attention on really important matters like suppression of the masses . Why , he asks , are the headlines full of Verdoux and not of what is going on around the world ? ( The film's ending takes place in 1937 . ) It's interesting to consider what would have happened to this story in the hands of Orson Welles , whose idea it was originally . He wouldn't have made it a comedy . It would have been a drama or a detective story . Only Chaplin would think of making the story of a serial killer into a comedy of sorts . Certainly 1967's " No Way to Treat a Lady " takes a page or so from this script . " Monsieur Verdoux " wasn't well received by the public - at all - and by 1947 , people were questioning Chaplin's politics instead of reveling in his genius . It possibly was ahead of its time ; it certainly wasn't appreciated as it is today . The movie is not without some problems , the biggest one being , what the heck happened to Verdoux's wife and child ? It is never explained . " Wars , conflicts - it's all business . One murder makes a villain ; millions a hero . Numbers sanctify . " Charlie Chaplin as Verdoux said that 61 years ago .
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494,661 | 342,623 | 91,867 | 9 |
Ah for the days of Merchant-Ivory
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A Room with a View is perhaps the jewel in the Merchant-Ivory crown , done in 1985 , during their marvelous heyday . It was an era in film of lushly photographed dramas of another time and place , popular perhaps because many of us yearned for a simpler life and a return to some basic manners and standards . But these films also pointed up how much better women have it now , given the repressive ways women in earlier times were forced to live , and how often true love had to give way to convention . Beautifully orchestrated with Puccini operatic music from " Gianni Schicchi " and " La Rondine , " " A Room with a View " is a story set in Victorian times and concerns a young woman named Lucy , the petite Helena Bonham-Carter , who , while in Italy with her chaperone ( Maggie Smith ) , meets George Emerson ( Julian Sands ) . He falls madly in love with her , but unaccustomed to such boldness , she snubs him . Back home in England , she becomes betrothed to the tiresome , proper and erudite Cecil ( Daniel Day-Lewis ) . Then George appears on the scene again . The passion only evidenced in Lucy's piano playing begins to surface , and it frightens her . The story is told with both lightness and humor , and this intimate film is buoyed by wonderful acting . With her petite figure , magnificent head of hair , and a face full of expression , Bonham Carter is perfect as a confused and resentful young woman who doesn't know what's happening to her emotionally . Maggie Smith is brilliant as a troublesome chaperone who lives life by strict rules ; Judi Dench is equally good as a novelist who lives in the exact opposite way . As George , Sands is a subtle yet ardent swain , and both Denholm Elliott as George's caring father and Simon Callow as the good reverend create marvelous , full characters . The chameleon , though , is Daniel Day-Lewis as Cecil , Lucy's skinny , snobbish fiancé . Each performance he gives is so drastically different from the one before - he is truly an amazing actor . The film is an allegory in its way for the passage from Victorian England to the Edwardian period , and it's clear that E . M . Forester had no use for the repressions of the day and celebrated a boldness of spirit . Both the repressed and the rebellious are perfectly represented in " A Room with a View , " a true Valentine to love .
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494,047 | 342,623 | 39,677 | 9 |
. . . and not have charity . . .
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James Mason is the " Odd Man Out " in this 1947 film directed by Carol Reed , also starring Cyril Cusack , Robert Newton , Wilford Brambell and Kathleen Ryan . Mason plays Johnny McQueen , the well-known head of the Irish Republican Army in Belfast . Though he has just escaped from prison , he plans a mill robbery to get funds for his organization and insists on going along with his colleagues . He ends up killing a man and becomes badly wounded himself . Fleeing the scene , his colleagues are unable to get him completely into the car and he falls out . What follows is a fascinating and gut-wrenching journey as Johnny , half-dead , wanders the rainy and snowy streets trying to get back to his girlfriend's ( Ryan ) place . People want McQueen for a variety of reasons - the police's are obvious ; his clergyman wants to provide comfort and help him make his peace with God ; an artist ( Robert Newton ) wants to paint him ( shades of " Road to Perdition " ) , his girlfriend wants to get him aboard a ship to escape , an old man wants the reward . . . and some people don't want any part of him and would rather he just died in the street , well away from them . As he becomes weaker , he is treated like a sack of flour . Carol Reed , as with " The Third Man " uses the filming locations to great advantage to create a gloomy atmosphere full of shadows and dark streets . One almost feels the cold and wet . This is one of James Mason's best performances - his Irish brogue is flawless and his suffering magnificent . As opposed to many in the cast , he underplays , making everyone around him seem hyper - as indeed , at the sight of him , many of the characters are . A very powerful and thought-provoking film that won't leave you with very good thoughts about humanity , if you had any .
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493,500 | 342,623 | 320,769 | 9 |
Fascinating , surprising , insightful look at a great artist and his movies
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My affection for Woody Allen has grown over the years . With " Crimes and Misdemeanors , " I thought it had peaked , and then I saw " Match Point " and became convinced that he is not only brilliant but still has plenty to say . In this interview , Woody Allen had some interesting things to relate about his films and his own ideas : He believes in luck , as the character in " Match Point " does ; he believes , as he shows in " Bullets Over Broadway , " that great artists are born and not made ; we're all out here on our own and our morality , as in " Crimes and Misdemeanors , " is dependent on what we can live with ; and he's been doing Bob Hope all these years , though by his own admission , not as well . None of this is very shocking ( except maybe the Bob Hope part , until he demonstrates it in a film clip ) , given the messages in many of his movies . The surprising thing in " Woody Allen : A Life in Film " is his very normal , non-neurotic demeanor , his view of his own films as to what is successful and what isn't , and what moved him to tell the stories he has . If you're a fan of Allen's , you won't want to miss this . No matter how he may shrug his narrow shoulders , his evolution as a filmmaker has been something to behold .
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493,773 | 342,623 | 155,711 | 9 |
fun , poignant , with great performances
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I saw this film on a plane and thoroughly enjoyed it , particularly the performance of Philip Seymour Hoffmann whom I found spectacular as a lonely , vulnerable , witty drag queen reaching out to recent stroke victim , homophobic DeNiro . The two of them were marvelous - and the end of the film had an outtake of Hoffmann and DeNiro practicing " The Name Game " that alone was worth the entire movie . There were certainly stereotypes among the minor characters but the plot was good and so was the acting . My acting teacher used to describe plays / films like " Virginia Wolff " as love stories . Using his criteria of two people coming together , sharing experiences and touching each other's hearts - Flawless certainly qualifies as an atypical love story .
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494,280 | 342,623 | 39,811 | 9 |
Whither America
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I've been waiting to see the 1947 film " The Senator Was Indiscreet " for years - ever since walking by a TV and hearing Ray Collins utter the line : " Don't you think it's time you cut out the part where you laugh at the idea of the U . S . going to war against Japan ? " I finally got a copy of the film , and I wasn't disappointed . " The Senator Was Indiscreet " concerns a senator , Melvin Ashton ( William Powell ) , who announces that he is not , not , not a candidate for President - meaning , of course , that he is . He has several speeches that he recycles , " Whither America " being one . At one point , a neon sign announces : " Tonight : Senator Melvin Ashton : Whither America . Tomorrow : Dog Show . " The film is filled with hundreds of little touches like that . Old , blustery , and a buffoon who gives four-hour speeches and proposes bills like having people write on tissue paper to lessen the weight of mailbags , the party doesn't want him . However , they can't get rid of him - he has a diary that he's kept for years . When it goes missing , all hell breaks loose . One man sits on a phone helping party members plan their escape , saying : " There is no extradition between those two countries . . . We have four people traveling to Siberia . . . " William Powell , normally elegant and smiling despite the chaos around him , gets right into it here . He is a RIOT . He looks like Colonel Sanders in his white wig and mustache . His funniest scene ( to me anyway ) is when he is locked out of his hotel and winds up in the subway while wearing his pajamas and bathrobe . He grabs a broom and quickly sweeps while walking up the stairs , then drops the broom and starts running . Peter Lind Hayes plays the publicist who got him into this high-profile mess . A very versatile and good-looking man , Hayes not only acted but worked as a composer , later pairing in performance with his wife , Mary Healy . His girlfriend is played by Ella Raines . Raines never made it to superstar status despite her striking prettiness and good performances . However , she was in some marvelous films , and this is one of them . She is terrific as an ambitious reporter who refers to Ashton as Ashcan in her writings . One of her headlines reads : " Ashton Declares Opposed to Assassination . " Hans Conreid is funny as a bitter Yugoslavian hotel worker , and Ray Collins is great as the frantic head of the party . The denouement is hilarious , with a very special cameo at the end you won't want to miss . Highly recommended for its comedy and statements about politics and politicians - most of which still apply .
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493,866 | 342,623 | 57,163 | 9 |
Hard to take but worth it
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It's difficult to grasp that Melvyn Douglas spent most of his career sailing through light , romantic roles and emerged in old age as one of the greatest actors in cinema history . Knowing the talent he possessed , how did he keep from killing the heads of the studios ? Paul Newman , Melvyn Douglas , Patricia Neal , and Brandon de Wilde star in " Hud , " an unsparing 1963 morality story about a Texas rancher , Homer Bannon , his bastard son , Hud , his housekeeper , and his grandson . The bastard , of course , is Paul Newman , who doesn't have a decent bone in his body . People on this board have said it's his greatest performance . He's given so many great ones , it's hard to say for me . An astounding actor , and he gets a run for his money from Douglas , who plays the moral center of the story . The two characters couldn't be more opposite , as one sees in their treatment of a potential run of hoof and mouth disease that could wipe out Homer's entire herd . Hud wants to ship the whole herd out and possibly infect other people's cattle - he couldn't care less . Homer won't hear of it . If you love animals , this is a difficult film to watch , but it's worth it . Melvyn Douglas is absolutely gut-wrenching as Homer , a proud man who loves the land and his cattle and who has no use for his son , who smashed his car and killed Homer's other son . de Wilde is Hud's nephew who admires him and wants to emulate him but as time goes by , realizes that Hud is made of ice . de Wilde doesn't give an emotional performance - he's almost more of an observer . It works well here amidst the very contained Douglas and the free and easy Newman . You can see he's a good kid trying to grow up and decide what kind of man to be . Patricia Neal is the housekeeper ; she and Douglas both deservingly won Oscars . Her delivery is wry and knowing ; she can't help being attracted to the virile Hud but she knows he's trouble and never gives in to her desires willingly . As much as I love Newman and think he's one of the greatest actors ever to hit the movies , for me , Douglas ' searing performance is the one that will stay with me . It's easy to see why in 1963 this was such a dramatic breakthrough for Newman , but 43 years and many roles later , we're more familiar with what he can do . We know he can play a cold bastard now . His greatest performances for me will always be those in the " The Verdict " and " The Hustler , " both of which called for many more nuances of character . Hud represents ' 60s disillusionment - which as the decade went on was only going to get worse ; this is one of the reasons it is an iconic role . For me , Newman had more surprises in store . Brilliant performances , excellent direction , stark photography , Hud is a great American film , not easily forgotten once seen .
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