Thursday, June 09, 2022
The Game
- Commentary: I have two copies of this movie: one is the normal presentation with no special features. The Criterion version is loaded with interesting, thoughtful goodies. I bought the stripped version without realizing Criterion was as fascinated with the movie as I am. Once I realized that a Criterion version exists, well, I needed those special Criterion features. It was worth it. I may pass the plain version onto someone in my family. We'll see. In the meantime, if one of them blows up, I always have the other! Which is good, because this movie always holds my interest, no matter how many times I see it. What a way to find out what people really think of you, and to figure out how to care about that!
Update 6/9/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Michael Douglas Nicholas van Orton Sean Penn Conrad van Orton Deborah Kara Unger Christine/Claire James Rebhorn Jim Feingold Peter Donat Samuel Sutherland Carroll Baker Ilsa Armin Mueller-Stahl Anson Baer Anna Katarina Elizabeth Charles Martinet Nicholas' Father Mark Boone Junior Private Investor Tommy Flanagan Solicitor/Taxi Driver Spike Jonze Airbag EMT Beltran
Here is the Wikipedia write-up on the film.
Release Date: 1997
Directed by David Fincher.
Labels: carroll-baker, Criterion1, michael-douglas, neo-noirB, suspense1, thriller1
The Big Country
- Commentary: To me, this is the frontier version of Giant. It's a bit more romancy, yes, but the central conflict is essentially the same: the challenges of capitalistic success in western America. And, anyway, it's a delight to see Jean Simmons and Charlton Heston in such off-track roles. This movie played with Giant back to back (doesn't matter which is played first) is a great way to spend a precipitous afternoon. In fact, there are some precipitous days coming up shortly. Guess what I'll be doing through at least one of them!
Finally, yes, I know, many critics considered it silly and cliché ridden. I know it's silly and cliché ridden. And, still, I consider it one of the ultimate pop-corn-and-soda movies of all time.
Update 6/9/2022: This post was originally published on 1/16/2021 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gregory Peck James McKay Jean Simmons Julie Maragon Carroll Baker Patricia Terrill Charlton Heston Steve Leech Burl Ives Rufus Hannassey Charles Bickford Mjr. Henry Terrill Alfonso Bedoya Ramón Gutierrez Chuck Connors Buck Hannassey Chuck Hayward Rafe Hannassey Buff Brady Dude Hannassey Jim Burk Cracker Hannassey Dorothy Adams Hannassey Woman
Here's the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
Release Date: 1958
Directed by William Wyler.
Labels: adventure2, carroll-baker, charlton-heston, drama2, gregory-peck, historical1, jean-simmons, period1, popcorn-and-soda7, romance1, western
Tuesday, March 06, 2018
Giant
- Commentary: It's not that I have a thing for James Dean. It's only been within the last year that I've owned any of his three movies, and then, not intentionally but as part of collections I've purchased. After watching East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause, (the former twice), I read a bit about James Dean, his truncated life and career, and decided to check this movie out of the library, having only a vague memory of having once watched it, likely when Mom was alive. Once I'd returned it, the three, together, began to haunt me and I decided to purchase this one. Do I think James Dean had the makings of a great actor? I'm not sure. His characterizations differed so little among the three roles that I think he was still in the stage of playing the same character over and over, which may have been a result of type-casting. After watching Giant it occurred to me that he might have evolved into the Julia Roberts of male actors; someone who was believable as himself and savvy at picking roles that required little in the way of character variance but were blockbusters (in part because of his name), nonetheless. Truthfully, his generation and the ones immediately previous and subsequent produced many of these actors, Rock Hudson (one of his costars in this movie) and John Wayne among them. It's probably unfair of me to peg these generations, in particular, for producing this type of actor because I think every generation has its Julia Roberts and James Dean actors. I have to add, Amazon Prime has some television episodes of performances by James Dean that I intend to check out, so, be forewarned, my opinion of his acting abilities and his prospects, had he lived, is likely evolving.
Giant, however, has other delectables. It is a "sprawling family saga" of the type my mother would have loved and probably did, as I can't imagine that she and I didn't watch this movie at some time on TCM. I just have no memory of it. It also has many of those classic character actor performances that often outshine the performances of the leads. Three that come to mind are Carroll Baker's Luz Benedict, Mercedes McCambridge's Luz Benedict, Sr. (so to speak) and Jane Wither's Vashti Hake Snythe (what a name!). As well, Dennis Hopper as Jordan Benedict III contributes one of the more promising performances of his decidedly spotty career. Watching him in this movie reminded me of noticing Jack Nicholson in On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, kind of an anti-climactic shock, reminding one that, yes, these actors had to earn their chops just like everyone else. The landscaping, as well, is fabulous and the story is certainly engaging.
So, now, I own the James Dean movie trilogy. I feel as though that's an accomplishment. And, yes, I'll watch all three again. And again.
Update 3/10/18: Okay, I watched the two television plays Amazon features in which James Dean appears: Harvest and A Long Time Before Dawn. The first piece offers Dean a role requiring fairly subdued acting and he performs admirably. The second casts Dean as a "hoodlum" who has just finished a stint in prison, killed a beloved shop owner while attempting to return to his wife and, once he returns home to his father, who is harboring his wife, dreams, allows his volatility to get the best of him in the wake of his murder of the shop owner, and is killed. As I watched it I wondered if this role was one that typecast him for the three feature length films he was in. I could see the buds of all three of those roles in his portrayal of the ex-convict in A Long Time Before Dawn. I noticed that between 1951 and his death, Dean played loads of television, not an insignificant number of small roles in other feature films, all uncredited, and was busy on stage, as well, both on and off Broadway. He was definitely career minded and was very busily paying his dues. I am satisfied with the three films and two television plays I've seen. I don't think I'll be seeking out any more of his work, though. I'm not really a fan, own two out of the three features films I have of his by accident and, well, although it might be interesting to see how much of a range he displayed before dying, to be blunt, I'm not interested. I should note, though, as I watched the two television plays, I was reminded of the curious career of the character Smith Jerrod in Sex and the City and wondered if James Dean stumbled upon a Samantha Jones who helped boost and burnish his career.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Elizabeth Taylor Leslie Lynnton Benedict Rock Hudson Jordan Benedict Jr. James Dean Jett Rink Jane Withers Vashti Hake Snythe Robert Nichols Mort Snythe Chill Wills Jordan's Uncle Mercedes McCambridge Luz Benedict Carroll Baker Luz Benedict II Dennis Hopper Jordan Benedict III Fran Bennett Judy Benedict Dace Earl Holliman Bob Dace Elsa Cárdenas Juana Villalobos Benedict Paul Fix Dr. Horace Lynnton Judith Evelyn Mrs. Nancy Lynnton Rod Taylor Sir David Karfrey Sal Mineo Ángel Obregón II
Release Date: 1956
Directed by George Stevens.
Labels: adventure1, carroll-baker, drama4, historical2, rock-hudson
Monday, February 05, 2018
The Elia Kazan Collection
- Commentary: This collection, dear Reader, is my prize. I stumbled across it while looking for a copy of one of my all time favorite movies, A Face in the Crowd. After Donald Trump was elected U.S. President, I couldn't get this movie out of my head. I was not alone in this. Four Films That Explain the Rise of Donald Trump, a thoughtful article written by Sean Mulvihill on the Roger Ebert website, meditates on this, as well. Interestingly, long before Donald Trump was elected U. S. President, I owned all of the four films Sean Mulvihill talks about. Our library, at the time I was ravenous to watch A Face in the Crowd, didn't have a copy (it does, now; I suspect there were several people requesting it after Trump's election). Every copy I found for sale was horribly expensive. Then, I noticed this collection that included this movie. It was priced out of my range but I kept my eye on it, day after day, month after month. Finally, it dropped by half, which brought the price down to just under $2.00 a movie. That I could afford. I scanned the collection of the other 14 movies. Some I'd seen, some I hadn't, two I already owned (which meant I could give copies of those movies to my actor niece, both of which are classics). I knew of all of them and was excited about seeing all of them. The list below is what was contained in the collection. There are still four (or, maybe five, I can't remember) that I haven't seen. Owning this collection is a delight. I'd never paid much attention to Elia Kazan as a director. Now, I'm much better educated!
- A Letter to Elia: The collection includes an "intensely personal and deeply moving tribute" to Elia Kazan by Martin Scorsese and a coffee table type book about the films and Kazan's development. The tribute is pretty much a vanity project, but the book is interesting and the tribute is not a complete waste of time.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2010 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Dorothy McGuire Katie Nolan Joan Blondell Aunt Sissy James Dunn Johnny Nolan Lloyd Nolan Officer McShane James Gleason McGarrity Ted Donaldson Neeley Nolan Peggy Ann Garner Francie Nolan Ruth Nelson Miss McDonough John Alexander Steve Edwards B.S. Pully Christmas Tree Vendor Ferike Boros Grandma Rommely Charles Halton Mr. Barker
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1945 - Boomerang: Pretty interesting legal drama. Made me wonder if this created a standard by which all legal dramas are now measured.
Arthur Miller appeared in this movie as a suspect in a police lineup.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Dana Andrews Henry L. Harvey Jane Wyatt Madge Harvey Lee J. Cobb Chief Harold F. Robinson Cara Williams Irene Nelson Arthur Kennedy John Waldron Sam Levene Dave Woods Taylor Holmes T. M. Wade Robert Keith Mac McCreery Ed Begley Paul Harris Karl Malden Det. Lt. White William Challee Stone Lewis Leverett Whitney
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1947
→ film-noir1; lee-j-cobb - Gentleman's Agreement: Dated but engaging film about anti-Semitism in the U.S. Disturbing despite its datedness.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gregory Peck Philip Schuyler Green Anne Revere Mrs. Green Dorothy McGuire Kathy Lacey June Havoc Elaine Wales John Garfield Dave Goldman Albert Dekker John Minify Celeste Holm Anne Dettrey Jane Wyatt Jane Dean Stockwell Tommy Green Nicholas Joy Dr. Craigie Sam Jaffe Prof. Fred Lieberman Harold Vermilyea Lou Jordan
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1947
→ gregory-peck - Pinky: An unusual take on discrimination in the U.S. South. Shows, obliquely, how idiotic, and yet how powerful, it is.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jeanne Crain Patricia "Pinky" Johnson Ethel Barrymore Miss Em Ethel Waters Dicey Johnson William Lundigan Dr. Thomas Adams Basil Ruysdael Judge Walker Kenny Washington Dr. Canady Nina Mae McKinney Rozelia Griff Barnett Dr. Joe McGill Frederick O'Neal Jake Waters Evelyn Varden Melba Wooley Raymond Greenleaf Judge Shoreman Juanita Moore Nurse
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1949 - Panic in the Streets: An early plague movie with a film-noir twist. Engaging.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Widmark Lt. Cmdr. Reed, M.D. Paul Douglas Cpt. Tom Warren Barbara Bel Geddes Nancy Reed Jack Palance Blackie Zero Mostel Raymond Fitch Alexis Minotis John Mefaris Dan Riss Nef Guy Thonajan Poldi
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1950
→ film-noir2; jack-palance - A Streetcar Named Desire: My write-up, including Actor/Role table, is linked to the title.
- Viva Zapata!: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Marlon Brando Emiliano Zapata Jean Peters Josefa Zapata Anthony Quinn Eufemio Zapata Joseph Wiseman Fernando Aguirre Arnold Moss Don Nacio Alan Reed Pancho Villa Margo Soldadera Harold Gordon Francisco Ignacio Madero Lou Gilbert Pablo Frank Silvera Victoriano Huerta Florenz Ames Señor Espejo Richard Garrick Old General Fay Roope Porfirio Díaz Mildred Dunnock Señora Espejo Henry Silva Hernández Ross Bagdasarian Officer
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1952 - Man on a Tightrope: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Fredric March Karel Černík Terry Moore Tereza Černík Gloria Grahame Zama Černík Cameron Mitchell Joe Vosdek Adolphe Menjou Fesker Robert Beatty Barović Alexander D'Arcy Rudolph Richard Boone Krofta
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1953
→ marlon-brando - On the Waterfront: I am ashamed to admit that I have not watched this yet. I keep avoiding it, despite my curiosity. I'm not sure why but will report back when I've watched it.
Yes, Roger Ebert christened this movies as one of his Great Movies.
Yet another movie, by the way, that has actors who were later stars playing small, uncredited roles.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Marlon Brando Terry Malloy Karl Malden Father Pete Barry Lee J. Cobb Michael J. Skelly Rod Steiger Charlie Malloy Eva Marie Saint Edie Doyle Pat Henning Timothy J. Dugan John F. Hamilton Pop Doyle Ben Wagner Joey Doyle Fred Gwynne Mladen Sekulovich Martin Balsam Gillette Pat Hingle Jocko Nehemiah Persoff Cab Driver
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1954
→ pat-hingle; nehemiah-persoff; marlon-brando; lee-j-cobb - East of Eden: My write-up, including Actor/Role table, is linked to the title.
- Baby Doll: This is a dark, satirical romp that is multi-layered. I've watched it twice in astonishment. Each time I notice something else bizarre. Everyone performs exquisitely.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Karl Malden Archie Lee Meighan Carroll Baker Baby Doll Meighan Eli Wallach Silva Vacarro Mildred Dunnock Aunt Rose Comfort Lonny Chapman Rock Eades Hogue Town Marshal Madeleine Sherwood Nurse Rip Torn Dentist
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
Release Date: 1956
→ southern-gothic; eli-wallach - A Face in the Crowd: Watch this movie because Donald Trump is President of the U.S. Watch it because Andy Griffith's performance will blow you away. It will make you wonder how the hell he got stuck in Mayberry.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Andy Griffith Larry Rhodes Patricia Neal Marcia Jeffries Anthony Franciosa Joey DePalma Walter Matthau Mel Miller Lee Remick Betty Lou Fleckum Percy Waram Gen. Haynesworth Paul McGrath Macey Rod Brasfield Beanie Marshall Neilan Sen. Worthington Fuller Kay Medford 1st Mrs. Rhodes Lois Nettleton Nurse Rip Torn Barry Mills
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1957 - Wild River: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Montgomery Clift Chuck Glover Lee Remick Carol Garth Baldwin Jo Van Fleet Ella Garth Albert Salmi R.J. Bailey Jay C. Flippen Hamilton Garth James Westerfield Cal Garth Barbara Loden Betty Jackson Frank Overton Walter Clark Malcolm Atterbury Sy Moore Bruce Dern Jack Roper Robert Earl Jones Sam Johnson Ross Apperson Attorney Armstrong
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1960
→ southern-gothic; pat-hingle - Splendor in the Grass: The first time I saw this movie I was unmoved. After I received this collection I watched it again and became surprisingly caught up in it. The final scenes are perfect.
Both TCM and Emmanuel Levy have a flurry of pages about this movie. I've linked the title of the movie to the TCM posts. A list of Emmanuel Levy's posts about this movie is here. They all look interesting.
In addition, DVD Savant has a review well worth reading in this post about the Natalie Wood Signature Collection. The review for this movie can be found as the third movie reviewed down the page.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Natalie Wood Wilma Dean Loomis Pat Hingle Ace Stamper Audrey Christie Mrs. Loomis Barbara Loden Virginia Stamper Zohra Lampert Angelina Warren Beatty Bud Stamper Fred Stewart Del Loomis Joanna Roos Mrs. Stamper John McGovern Doc Smiley Jan Norris Juanita Howard Martine Bartlett Miss Metcalf Gary Lockwood Allen Tuttle Sandy Dennis Kay Crystal Field Hazel Marla Adams June Lynn Loring Carolyn Phyllis Diller Texas Guinan Sean Garrison Glen Mark Slade Rusty William Inge Reverend Whitman
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1961
→ pat-hingle - America America: Haven't watched this yet but I suspect I am going to fall in love with it. It's an old world/new world historical drama with an emphasis on character; right up my alley. I'll report back.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Stathis Giallelis Stavros Topouzoglou Frank Wolff Vartan Damadian Harry Davis Isaac Topouzoglou Elena Karam Vasso Topouzoglou Estelle Hemsley Grandmother Topouzoglou Gregory Rozakis Hohannes Gardashian Lou Antonio Abdul Salem Ludwig Odysseus Topouzoglou John Marley Garabet Joanna Frank Vartuhi Paul Mann Aleko Sinnikoglou Linda Marsh Thomna Sinnikoglou
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
Release Date: 1963
Labels: carroll-baker, eli-wallach, elia-kazan, film-noir1&2, gang-movie, gregory-peck, jack-palance, karl-malden, lee-j-cobb, marlon-brando, martin-scorsese, melodramaB, natalie-wood, nehemiah-persoff, pat-hingle
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
How the West Was Won
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This is one of my parents' historical favorites. I remember watching it in the theater but discovered, upon rewatching it (I got it for my mother's birthday this year) that I'd misremembered quite a bit of it and apparently mixed it up with another movie that featured the great prairie land grab, which isn't covered in this film. My mother, who has become much more sophisticated about the depictions of Native Americans in movies, although there is actually little in this film but N.A. hearsay, was unsettled enough by what it included to voice her objections. Otherwise, we both enjoyed the sprawl, became surprisingly involved in the stories, loved some of the individual performances (Will Geer's, in particular, as the patriach of a river pirate family and Carroll Baker's surprisingly subtle performance as a pioneer wife). I was intrigued by the Civil War sequence, as well. My mother devoured the entire movie and breathed a satisfied sigh through a satisfied smile when it was over. "Let's start that again," she said. Luckily, we had another movie which she was equally anticipating, Jeremiah Johnson. This movie will be one of those "snowy/rainy day when I'm baking" movies, I'm sure. I don't think I'll become as fascinated with it as I have The Ten Commandments, of which I often find myself needing a fix, but I don't think I'll ignore it when I'm playing it for Mom, as I do some movies.
P.S. There are so many stars in this movie that I almost considered only listing one per section. The point of these listings, though, is to highlight actors in whose work I might like to luxuriate on, say, a couple of back-to-back snow or monsoon days. Leaving this movie out would be a travesty to that desire.
Thus, in order to make the listings a bit less jumbled, I'm setting them up as did Wikipedia, by section in the multiple tables below.
The movie is narrated by Spencer Tracy.
The Rivers Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role James Stewart Linus Rawlings Carroll Baker Eve Prescott Rawlings Debbie Reynolds Lilith Prescott van Valen Karl Malden Zebulon Prescott Agnes Moorehead Rebecca Prescott Walter Brennan Col. Jeb Hawkins Brigid Bazlen Dora Hawkins Lee Van Cleef River Pirate
The Plains Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gregory Peck Cleve Van Valen Robert Preston Roger Morgan Thelma Ritter Agatha Clegg David Brian Lilith's attorney John Larch Gambler Grimes Clinton Sundberg Hylan Seabury
The Civil War Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role George Peppard Zeb Rawlings Andy Devine Cpl Peterson Harry Morgan Gen. Ulysses S. Grant John Wayne Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman Russ Tamblyn Confederate Deserter Raymond Massey President Abraham Lincoln Ken Curtis Cpl. Ben Jay C. Flippen Huggins
The Railroad Actor Role Actor Role Henry Fonda Jethro Stuart Richard Widmark Mike King
The Outlaws Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Lee J. Cobb Marshal Lou Ramsey Eli Wallach Charlie Gant Carolyn Jones Julie Rawlings Mickey Shaughnessy Deputy Stover Harry Dean Stanton Member of Gant's Gang Jack Lambert Member of Gant's Gang
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1962
Directed by Henry Hathaway, John Ford and George Marshall.
Labels: carroll-baker, dad-favorite, debbie-reynolds, eli-wallach, gregory-peck, harry-dean-stanton, henry-fonda, james-stewart, karl-malden, lee-j-cobb, mom-favorite1, spectacle2, spencer-tracy, thelma-ritter, western
