Saturday, January 20, 2024
Olivia
- Commentary: Under construction.
I am really looking forward to this film! I discovered it this morning as I was looking through a list of films released in 1951 (my birth year) after having catalogued films already in my collection that were released in that year. There's quite a bit of information about this unusual sounding film (unusual for its time, anyway) and I became so intrigued that I decided, despite it being a bit pricey, I'd like to not only watch it but add it to my collection.
I'm a bit concerned, actually, because of a few buyer comments at a few sites that mention that the quality of the packaging, and the disc, itself, left something to be desired, but all those comments are some years old, so, you know, we'll see. If necessary, I can always contact the seller for a better copy. I really hope I don't need to do that, though.
While the descriptions I've read of the movie are provocative, I haven't gotten much of a sense of what it's "about", except that it takes place in a girls' school and involves intertwining relationships among teachers and students.
Anyway, I should be receiving it shortly and will watch it as soon as I receive it. And report back. Of course.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Edwige Feuillère Mlle. Julie Simone Simon Mlle. Cara Marie-Claire Olivia Olivia Dealey Yvonne de Bray Victoire Suzanne Dehelly Mlle. Dubois Marina de Berg Mimi Lesly Meynard Frau Riesener Danièle Delorme Une ancienne élève Rina Rhéty Signorina Tania Soucault Georgie Elly Norden Laura Nadine Olivier Cécile
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Jacqueline Audry.
Labels: birth-year
Thursday, November 23, 2023
The Browning Version
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Michael Redgrave Andrew Crocker-Harris Jean Kent Millie Crocker-Harris Nigel Patrick Frank Hunter Ronald Howard Gilbert Wilfrid Hyde-White Dr. Frobisher Brian Smith Taplow Bill Travers Fletcher Judith Furse Mrs. Williamson Peter Jones Carstairs Sarah Lawson Betty Carstairs Scott Harold Rev. Williamson Paul Medland Wilson
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Anthony Asquith.
Labels: birth-year, Criterion7, teaching
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Another Man's Poison
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Bette Davis Janet Frobisher Gary Merrill George Bates Emlyn Williams Dr. Henderson Anthony Steel Larry Stevens
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Irving Rapper.
Labels: bette-davis, birth-year, film-noir3, goflexA, melodramaB, thriller4
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Mr. Imperium
- Commentary: Under construction.
Another movie released the year I was born.
In order to access the full article on this movie linked in the title of this post, you'll need to click into the beginning of it on TCM. It's worth it.
Here is a shorter, kinder review.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Lana Turner Fredda Barlo Ezio Pinza Mr. Imperium Marjorie Main Mrs. Cabot Barry Sullivan Paul Hunter Cedric Hardwicke Bernand Debbie Reynolds Gwen Ann Codee Anna Pelan The Guadalajara Trio Themselves
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Don Hartman.
Labels: birth-year, debbie-reynolds, goflexA, marjorie-main, musical2, romance5
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Strangers on a Train - WB 20 Film Collection Thrillers
- Commentary: This is one I'd seen before and it didn't disappoint the second time around.
I'm glad I own it (not only because it's a good movie, but because it was released in the year I was born. In my post about Ace in the Hole I mention my interest in watching films from that year).
Psychologically dastardly.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Farley Granger Guy Haines Ruth Roman Anne Morton Robert Walker Bruno Antony Leo G. Carroll Senator Morton Patricia Hitchcock Barbara Morton Kasey Rogers Miriam Joyce Haines Marion Lorne Mrs. Antony Jonathan Hale Mr. Antony
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Originally published in this journal on 081416.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Labels: alfred-hitchcock, birth-year, film-noir3, melodramaB
Friday, July 16, 2021
Fröken Julie [Miss Julie] - 1951 Film
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Anita Björk Miss Julie Ulf Palme Jean Märta Dorff Kristin Lissi Alandh Countess Berta Anders Henrikson Count Carl Kurt-Olof Sundström Julie's fiancé Åke Fridell Robert Max von Sydow Hand
Here is the link to the Wikipedia article on this movie.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Alf Sjöberg.
Labels: §, birth-year, Criterion3, max-von-sydow, romance4
Tuesday, November 05, 2019
Ace in the Hole
- Commentary: I didn't know anything about this film when I first checked it out for viewing. I was on a binge, at the time, of watching movies that were made the year I was born and this was one of them. I barely remember any of the other movies I found (not a lot; our county library system is a bit short of 1951 films, even though there were plenty made, according to this list, 1,744, to be exact). This was not the only 1951 movie Kirk Douglas made, and it's not the only 1951 movie I own, but it's a doozy.
If you think the late 1960's through the early-to-mid 1970's had the bead on socially relevant movies, watch this one. The behavior depicted (brilliantly, in my estimation) in this film is so ubiquitous, now-a-days, not only by individual journalists (of which there are many Chuck Tatums) but by entire media corporations, that many don't even realize there is a problem ... until, that is, they watch this 68 year old movie. If you entertain, even a little bit, a healthy skepticism of today's media, you should treat yourself to this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Kirk Douglas Chuck Tatum Jan Sterling Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas Herbie Cook Porter Hall Jacob Q. Boot Frank Cady Mr. Federber Richard Benedict Leo Minosa Ray Teal Sheriff Kretzer Lewis Martin McCardle John Berkes Papa Minosa Frances Dominguez Mama Minosa Gene Evans Deputy Sheriff Frank Jaquet Sam Smollett Harry Harvey Sr. Dr. Hilton Bob Bumpas Radio Announcer Richard Gaines Nagel Bert Moorhouse Josh Morgan
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up for this film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Billy Wilder.
Labels: birth-year, Criterion1, drama2, film-noir1, journalism, kirk-douglas, melodramaB, political1, psychological1, suspense1
Monday, March 26, 2018
An American in Paris
- Commentary: Why did I come by this one? Hmmm ... one day about a month ago I decided to check out La La Land from the library. Mind you, other than it being a musical that was heralded and had won lots of awards, and who starred in it, I knew nothing about it. Hadn't read anything on it, laudatory, critical or otherwise. I happened to mention to my niece, the actor with whom I share a love of films, that I'd borrowed it for a line-up of movie watching. She confessed to me that it was her favorite film and asked to know my reactions once I'd watched it. I trust her tastes and instincts so I was ready to love the film. As well, I knew it was written and directed by the same guy who is responsible for Whiplash, a movie I loved, so I was excited to see it. Still and all, it took me a couple more weeks to get around to watching it. By that time, my anticipation level was through the roof. I should have remembered my experience with Mary Poppins decades ago. Oh well.
Certainly, I enjoyed watching La La Land, but my anticipation was not satisfied. I did, however, notice significant correlations with Singin' in the Rain, which I own, and An American in Paris, which, at the time, I didn't own. I decided I wanted to do a comparison of La La Land with both. I borrowed An American in Paris from the library, watched it and was reminded of how intriguing and masterful that film is. That's when I looked it up, found a reasonably priced copy and decided to buy it. Although I've noticed, since buying and watching it (twice, and once for all the special features, which are very interesting), that Singin' in the Rain is celebrated more than An American in Paris, well, let's just say, An American in Paris is such a treat I'm surprised we never bought it when Mom was alive.
Since watching it, I've become curious about musicals as a form in themselves, and have been working my way back through my own meager collection and checking even more out of the library. Considering what I own, this is a worthy addition.
In case you're curious, here's what my initial verdict on La La Land was to my niece:I just finished my first viewing of "La La Land". I say that because I'm convinced I'll have to watch it again, probably tomorrow, while it's fresh in my mind. That's because I'm, well, ambivalent.
Frankly, I prefer An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain and, dare I say it, all the other musicals I own, over La La Land. But, it was the watching of La La Land that has launched me on a serious consideration of musicals (I've made a list of several I'm planning on borrowing within the next months) and the ownership of yet another, this one. For that, I'm grateful.
I was prepared to love it because it was written and directed by the same guy who wrote and directed "Whiplash", which I absolutely loved. When I learned that he is responsible for "La La Land", without knowing anything about the movie (including before I watched it this evening) [I know, hard to believe but I didn't look it up anywhere before I watched it and didn't run across any material about it prior, even though it was such a smash], except that it is a musical, I figured the movie must have a really interesting take on Hollywood musicals because, well, holy shit, this guy did "Whiplash"! So, I was shocked to discover how wrong I was. That realization is taking some getting used to. It is obvious, though, that the writer/director has serious chops, being able to do "Whiplash", then turn around and do "La La Land".
Right off the bat, here are some things I loved about the movie. Ryan Gosling, for one, but, I love him in anything. He could play a mushroom and I'd love him. "The Fools Who Dream" song, for another; that whole sequence, in fact. Sounds like my theme song! Sounds like I'm Mia's aunt, except for the whole Paris thing. Even better, though, I'm your aunt, and Emma Stone is merely a stand-in for you in that movie! I'll just go to Paris, and invite you!
The movie is clearly a revival of the old-time Hollywood musical. I easily recognized many parts of "An American in Paris" (which I saw with Mom too many times to recall, on TCM; it was a regular, so we never needed to own it) and just about every Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire movie in existence (all of which I saw more than once with Mom on TCM). The brilliant color is taken right out of just about every musical Gene Kelly ever made. Sadly, neither Emma Stone nor Ryan Gosling are very good singers or dancers. [Frankly, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire were only passable actors, but Ginger Rogers was good; even more so, Leslie Caron.] That was mildly disturbing. But, I think I can forgive them that, since both are, clearly, well developed and flexible actors. It would have been nice, though, if great actors who were also stellar singers and dancers had been given the parts. Hollywood should spend more time checking out stage musical actors. I'm not sure why such people weren't sought out for roles like this. I really like those old musicals, too, so I was ready to be wowed by this reinterpretation ... but I wasn't. I loved how Chazelle worked in the day-dream sequences, how he introduced them, what he did with them. The final one when Mia and her husband were watching Sebastian in his club was lovely. That's right out of "An American in Paris", including the use of the road. He must have a thing for that movie. In fact, I'm surprised he didn't attempt to resurrect Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. To be fair, there was stuff from "Singin' in the Rain", too, specifically Gene Kelly's work. And, the dancing on stars and clouds? Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire.
Initial impressions of the story: Sad, sometimes sober, sometimes delightfully silly, sweet, sweet, sweet. The music? Aside from the "The Fools Who Dream", which I loved, okay. Definitely enjoyable. The production was made for the big screen, rather than the home screen, I think. My TV screen sometimes had trouble with the spotlighting techniques used. It seemed to me that there were places where the movie story went flat, but it never stayed that way and I'm willing to concede, upon a second viewing, that it may have just been me.
One more tiny, tiny thing about the movie: The end disappointed me. I don't usually have problems with movies in which initial relationships wither and evolve into others, like the branches of a tree. For some reason, though, and I'll have to reconfirm this with a second watching, Chazelle did not prep his audience well for it in this movie. It was, frankly, an unpleasant denouement to see Mia with a throw-away husband and kid, even as she was a famous actor. And the suggestion that Sebastian was alone in his personal life. Yes, I know, I saw the two something-or-others he was frying up in the pan before going to his nightclub, but, where was his throw-away wife and kid? Better yet, there never was a really good explanation for why Mia and Sebastian weren't married to each other with a kidlet, and an international acting career, and a successful night club. Not good story construction. Chazelle needs to work on crafting realistic, believable and successful love relationships.
Update 11/18/21: By the way, each mention of the name of this movie in this write-up is linked to a different review (including the last link, which is the Wikipedia write-up). This is such a famous movie and so many people are familiar with it, I thought it would be fun to scatter the availability of internet reviews throughout this write-up. I know, my sense of fun doesn't have much to recommend it, but it's mine and I enjoy it.
Update 6/4/22: Yet another movie made during the year I was born!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gene Kelly Jerry Mulligan Leslie Caron Lise Bouvier Oscar Levant Adam Cook Georges Guétary Henri Baurel Nina Foch Milo Roberts Eugene Borden Georges Mattieu John Eldredge Jack Jansen Anna Q. Nilsson Kay Jansen
An American in Paris [Wikipedia write-up attached] is breathtaking. I'm glad I own it.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.
Labels: birth-year, dance, dream1, fantasy1, film-art1, mom-favorite1, musical1, popcorn-and-soda2, romance1, spectacle1
Monday, February 05, 2018
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Dramas
- Commentary: I'm putting no labels on this collection other than the "collection" label, since this write-up includes four very different movies. It is interesting to note that the collection is named "Romantic Dramas" by TCM, who put it together, which I like because, having watched all of these movies at least once, they are romantic in the old tradition. Yes, they include relationship material, but in a much more complicated way than we tend to think of "romance" today. In addition, each of these films, in one way or another, follows the old, nuanced definition of "romantic": "marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized". This is not a collection of Pretty Woman fantasy type romantic dramas. This is a collection of "real life" romantic drama.
Update 5/26/21: Well, I put another label on this collection, popcorn-and-soda2, which is appropriate to all four movies, especially if watched on a binge-worthy afternoon.
Update 8/3/21: And, another label, I finally relented and placed these in the romance4 category.
This Collection Includes:
East of Eden: To my mind, this is a good adaptation of the second half of the novel. My preference is for the novel, but the film is excellent, as well, and handy to keep in mind as you read the novel.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Julie Harris Abra Bacon James Dean Caleb Trask Raymond Massey Adam Trask Richard Davalos Aaron Trask Burl Ives Sheriff Sam Jo Van Fleet Kate Ames/Cathy Trask Albert Dekker Will Hamilton Harold Gordon Gustav Albrecht Nick Dennis Rantani Lois Smith Servant Anne Timothy Carey Henchman Joe Barbara Baxley Nurse
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1955
Directed by Elia Kazan.
→ lois-smith, elia-kazan
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: This is my favorite film adaptation of this play. Sometimes film adaptations of Tennessee Williams' plays don't hold my interest, but this one does. Paul Newman adds a vulnerability to Brick that is hard to beat and Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie is perfect. The convolutions revealed, as lies unravel, is compelling. This is a true troubled family drama. The only characters outside of family who appear in this are the clean-up crew, so to speak.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Elizabeth Taylor Margaret Pollitt Paul Newman Brick Pollitt Burl Ives Harvey Pollitt Judith Anderson Ida Pollitt Jack Carson Cooper Pollitt Madeleine Sherwood Mae Flynn Pollitt Larry Gates Dr. Baugh Vaughn Taylor Deacon Davis
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1958
Directed by Richard Brooks.
→ southern-gothic, paul-newman
A Streetcar Named Desire: Although I enjoyed the acting, it's certainly stellar, I studied this play in college and found the film adaptation confusing and lacking. Read the play, or see it in the theater, before watching the movie.
Here's what Three Movie Buffs have to say about this film. Interesting, informative reviews from all three.
In addition, look! Another 1951 film I didn't even realize I had!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Vivien Leigh Blanche Marlon Brando Stanley Kim Hunter Stella Karl Malden Mitch Rudy Bond Steve Nick Dennis Pablo Peg Hillias Eunice Wright King Collector Ann Dere Matron Edna Thomas Mexican Woman Richard Garrick Doctor Lyle Latell Policeman
A miscellaneous note ripped from the Wikipedia page, linked below: As of May 2022, Mickey Kuhn, who played The Sailor and is not listed in the Actor/Role table, above, is the last surviving cast member of this movie.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1951
Directed by Elia Kazan
→ marlon-brando, southern-gothic, birth-year, elia-kazan
Rebel Without a Cause: Perhaps I wasn't the right age when I first saw this movie, well into my 50's, but it just doesn't attract me. As far as James Dean's acting is concerned, my favorite movie is Giant. That one makes me wish his life had been longer so he could develop as an actor. This movie, well, I'm sure it was a money maker, and I guess he acted well, but I found the story tedious and his character nothing to write home about. I know. It's sacrilegious to say that, but, well, I'm glad he got two other really involving films under his belt before he died.
Roger Ebert christened this movie as one of his Great Movies. I've linked his review to the of this movie.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role James Dean Jim Stark Natalie Wood Judy Sal Mineo John Crawford Jim Backus Frank Stark Ann Doran Carol Stark Corey Allen Buzz Gunderson William Hopper Judy's Father Rochelle Hudson Judy's Mother Edward Platt Ins. Ray Fremick Marietta Canty Crawford Family Maid Virginia Brissac Grandma Stark Dennis Hopper Goon Jack Grinnage Moose Frank Mazzola Crunch Ian Wolfe Dr. Minton Beverly Long Helen Robert Foulk Gene Jack Simmons Cookie Tom Bernard Harry Nick Adams Chick
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1955
Directed by Nicholas Ray.
Labels: birth-year, elia-kazan, karl-malden, lois-smith, marlon-brando, natalie-wood, paul-newman, popcorn-and-soda2, romance4, southern-gothic












