Wednesday, November 30, 2022
The Woman in the Window
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Edward G. Robinson Prof Richard Wanley Joan Bennett Alice Reed Raymond Massey DA Frank Lalor Edmund Breon Dr. Michael Barkstane Dan Duryea Doorman Heidt Thomas E. Jackson Inspector Jackson Dorothy Peterson Mrs. Wanley Arthur Loft Claude Mazard/Frank Howard/Charlie the Hat-Check Man
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1944
Directed by Fritz Lang.
Labels: film-noir1, goflexC, melodramaA
Monday, November 28, 2022
The Stranger
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Orson Welles Franz Kindler/Prof. Charles Rankin Edward G. Robinson Mr. Wilson Loretta Young Mary Longstreet Rankin Philip Merivale Judge Adam Longstreet Richard Long Noah Longstreet Konstantin Shayne Conrad Meinike Byron Keith Dr. Jeffrey Lawrence Billy House Mr. Potter Martha Wentworth Sara Isabel O'Madigan Mrs. Lawrence Pietro Sosso Mr. Peabody Erskine Sanford Party Guest
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1946
Directed by Orson Welles.
Labels: film-noir2, goflexB, melodramaA, thriller3
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Quicksand
- Commentary: Under construction.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Mickey Rooney Dan Jeanne Cagney Vera Barbara Bates Helen Peter Lorre Nick Taylor Holmes Harvey Art Smith Mackey Red Nichols Himself Wally Cassell Chuck Richard Lane Lt. Nelson Patsy O'Connor Millie John Gallaudet Moriarty Minerva Urecal Landlady Sidney Marion Shorty Lester Dorr Baldy Kitty O'Neil Madame Zaronga Jack Elam Man at Bar
Release Date: 1950
Directed by Irving Pichel.
Labels: film-noir2, goflexB, melodramaA
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Becky Sharp
- Commentary: Under construction.
I'm in the process of watching this movie today, 11/24/22. It may be a bit before I finish it and include a decent write-up. So far it is choked with characters and a little confusing. I find myself constantly rewinding this sentence or that exchange.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Miriam Hopkins Becky Sharp Frances Dee Amelia Sedley Cedric Hardwicke Marquis of Steyne Billie Burke Lady Bareacres Alison Skipworth Miss Crawley Nigel Bruce Joseph Sedley Alan Mowbray Rawdon Crawley G. P. Huntley Jr. George Osborne William Stack Pitt Crawley George Hassell Sir Pitt Crawley William Faversham Duke of Wellington Charles Richman General Tufto Doris Lloyd Duchess of Richmond Colin Tapley William Dobbin Leonard Mudie Tarquin May Beatty Briggs
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1935
Directed by Rouben Mamoulian.
Labels: goflexA, historical4, melodramaA, miriam-hopkins, period7
Monday, November 07, 2022
Rebecca
- Commentary: Under construction.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Joan Fontaine 2nd Mrs. de Winter Laurence Olivier George Fortescue Maximilian de Winter Judith Anderson Mrs. Danvers George Sanders Jack Favell Reginald Denny Frank Crawley Gladys Cooper Beatrice Lacy C. Aubrey Smith Colonel Julyan Nigel Bruce Mjr Giles Lacy
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1940
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Labels: §5, alfred-hitchcock, Criterion4, film-noir1, melodramaA, psychological2, thriller3
Thursday, October 13, 2022
The Maltese Falcon - WB 20 Film Collection Thrillers
- Commentary: It is probably sacrilegious of me to admit this, but I shrugged this one off. Maybe, for me, it's too dated. I didn't find it exciting, or funny, or, frankly, much of anything, but I watched it all the way through because I felt obligated to the worship of it.
As well, this edition is the remake of the story. The first was released in 1931. So, you know, it isn't like the story, and the filming of it, wasn't popular. Roger Ebert christened it one of his Great Movies (see the link in the title, above). It just isn't my cup of tea, I guess.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Humphrey Bogart Sam Spade Mary Astor Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O'Shaughnessy Gladys George Iva Archer Peter Lorre Joel Cairo Barton MacLane Lt. Dundy Lee Patrick Effie Perine Sydney Greenstreet Kasper Gutman Ward Bond Det. Tom Polhaus Jerome Cowan Miles Archer Elisha Cook Jr. Wilmer Cook James Burke Luke John Hamilton D. A. Bryan
Originally published in this journal on 081416.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1941
Directed by John Huston.
Labels: film-noir1, melodramaA
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul
- Commentary: This film is a German remake of All That Heaven Allows. I just received it, so haven't yet watched it, but I'm really looking forward to it. I can't quite get a fix on this one and refuse to read the Wikipedia write-up, below, before I watch it, so stay tuned for more commentary.
I'll tell you one thing I'm going to do, though. I'm going to figure out how many Sirk movies I have in my collection. It's entirely possible I have some of which I'm unaware. If so, I might need to make a new label. I know. This movie isn't a Sirk movie, but it can be argued that without Sirk's movies, this movie might not exist.
Well, it turns out I have three Sirk movies. So far. His oeuvre is influential, though, so I have a feeling I'll be acquiring more of his work. A label, his name becomes.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Brigitte Mira Emmi Kurowski El Hedi ben Salem Ali Barbara Valentin Barbara Irm Hermann Krista Rainer Werner Fassbinder Eugen Karl Scheydt Albert Kurowski Marquard Bohm Gruber Walter Sedlmayr Angermayer Doris Mattes Mrs. Angermeyer Lilo Pempeit Mrs. Münchmeyer Gusti Kreissl Paula Margit Symo Hedwig
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1974
Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Labels: §1, Criterion3, melodramaA, romance5
All That Heaven Allows
- Commentary: Once again, Rock Hudson rises to the challenge of helping Douglas Sirk subtly undermine late 1950's American lives and values. [Are they only American, and only mid-20th century, values? See the the following movie write-up, Ali: Fear East the Soul for an interesting perspective on this question.]
Once again, I haven't yet seen this movie, so I don't have a lot to write about. For an interesting perspective, though, check out the Wikipedia article linked above to Sirk's name. Further, take note that Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, a German remake of this film, was released almost exactly 20 years later.
In addition, it's interesting to note that according to the Wikipedia article linked above about Sirk, movie critics have changed their reactions to his work over time, and, apparently, continue to do so. Regarding Far From Heaven, a 2002 period film written and directed by Todd Haynes, Haynes is unabashed in his recognition of the influence of Sirk's work on him and this particular movie of his.
Update Sometime in early 2022: I have not only seen this movie, I've seen it more than once and will probably watch it again and again. For all its melodrama, it is a film to get lost in for me because it echoes an era I just missed but that, nonetheless, had a huge impact on how my generation made its way in life. This is not a movie I would have enjoyed as a young woman, but, now, I not only appreciate what it was saying and the era in which it was made, I love the lushness of the production and its subtle undermining of all it appears to promote.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Jane Wyman Cary Scott Rock Hudson Ron Kirby Agnes Moorehead Sara Warren Conrad Nagel Harvey Virginia Grey Alida Anderson Gloria Talbot Kay Scott David Janssen Freddie Norton William Reynolds Ned Scott Charles Drake Mick Anderson Jacqueline deWit Mona Plash Hayden Rorke Dr. Dan Hennessy Leigh Snowden Jo-Ann Grisby
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1955
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: 20th-century-chick-flicks1, Criterion3, douglas-sirk, dramaE, melodramaA, rock-hudson, romance5
Written on the Wind
- Commentary: I haven't yet watched this movie, although the write-up on the back almost makes me feel as though I have. Pretty much, it sounds like a follow-up to Giant, or, perhaps, vice versa. Both movies were released in 1956 (I don't know which one was released first), which means they were being produced at the same time. Both star Rock Hudson (my goodness he was a busy actor), although in completely different roles. Both take place on oil "plantations" (so to speak). Both involve the reprobate behavior of a key male character and some twitchy moves by children.
If you read the Wikipedia articles about both movies, though, it's clear they had nothing to do with one another. Each has different source material. Character arcs are, well, similar, but not the same, and not attributed to the same types of characters, nor are those characters played by the same types of actors. I think the character of the times produced both of these movies at the same time ... but with clearly individual and peculiar emphases that do not cross-over with the other film. I'm guessing on this next musing, but it also sounds like this movie is going to be much more tragic than Giant, which I anticipate with relish.
At any rate, I'm exceedingly excited to watch this one. Seeing it may trigger yet another watching of Giant, just for the fun of comparison.
Wow! Look at how much I've written and I haven't even yet watched this movie! Stay tuned.
By the way, I'm guessing at all the stuff I've written above, having not seen the movie yet, so there's a good possibility that my label assignments will change after I watch the movie.
Update 5/17/2022: Okay, I've seen this movie, now. At least twice. Possibly a third time. Primarily to watch, yet again, Dorothy Malone's riot of a performance as MaryLee Hadley! The character, herself, packs a harloty punch and Dorothy Malone knows just how to twist it up and let it loose. One of the aspects of her part that I admire is that it includes more than a few scenes where she is simply thinking, remembering, and Malone is spectacular at this.
Although, of course, the movie focuses on the men, one dubious, another stalwart, and I think the message has something to do with the virtues of growing up poor versus growing up rich, this story clearly belongs to the women. Lauren Bacall, herself, is no slouch in the "I'm thinking" department. Between the two women and their internal assessments of the situations that arise due to the career machinations of the men, really, this is a women's picture par excellence. The men just sort of go about their somewhat dull, sometimes nasty, business, and nurture these lusts for the women from the side. The women play the judge and the jury and their verdict is what decides the trajectory of this picture. Fun, fun, fun! I cannot recommend this movie enough!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Rock Hudson Mitch Wayne Lauren Bacall Lucy Moore Hadley Robert Stack Kyle Hadley Dorothy Malone Marylee Hadley Robert Keith Jasper Hadley Grant Williams Biff Miley Robert J. Wilke Dan Willis Edward Platt Dr. Paul Cochrane Harry Shannon Hoak Wayne John Larch Roy Carter Roy Glenn Sam Maidie Norman Bertha
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1956
Directed by Douglas Sirk.
Labels: Criterion3, douglas-sirk, melodramaA, popcorn-and-soda7, rock-hudson, romance5, southern-gothic, tragedy2
Monday, August 02, 2021
Stella Dallas
- Commentary: I just watched this movie this evening (8/20/21). I'd forgotten how absurd it is and, yet, despite it's absurdity, how compelling it is emotionally. Its ability to compel rests solely on the shoulders of two of the actors: Barbara Stanwyck as Stella Dallas and Barabara O'Neil as Helen Morrison Dallas. Yes, I know, there are actors in this movie who have more screen time than Barbara O'Neil, particularly the actors who play Laurel Dallas, Steven Dallas and Ed Munn. But none holds a candle to the ardent performances of these two actors.
I'd love to be able to give you a good reason for my love of this film, for the fact that I can't seem to get enough of it. I'll tell you, though, each time I watch this film it's personally embarrassing for me to be overcome, yet again, by the gush of pure feeling I experience when watching it. Even as I'm sitting right in front of the screen absorbing it, I'm embarrassed by how I'm reacting. I'm not sure whether this means its good or bad, I just know that, every once in a while, when I feel the need to take a bath in sentiment, crazy and disjointed as Stella Dallas is, this movie does the trick.
I did, some years ago, watch the Bette Midler remake, called simply, Stella. Even though I was looking forward to seeing it when I heard about it, I remember nothing about the story, the film or my reaction to it, which was probably insignificant. I haven't had the urge to re-view it since, even though, in the meantime, I've watched this Stella Dallas multiple times. I don't know why Bette's wasn't effective for me. And, "frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
Glenn Erickson of DVD Savant, whose reviews I often use, he's especially good with old and obscure movies, has written about the film twice. His earlier review is linked to the title of this post, above, and is dated 3/26/2005. Here is his later review, dated 1/1/2014. He has slightly different things to say about the movie in each review, although much of both reviews are the same.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Barbara Stanwyck Stella Martin Dallas John Boles Stephen Dallas Ann Shirley Laurel Dallas Barbara O'Neil Helen Morrison Dallas Alan Hale Ed Munn Marjorie Main Mrs. Martin Tim Holt Richard Grosvenor III George Walcott Charlie Martin
Here is the Wikipedia write-up for the film.
Release Date: 1937
Directed by King Vidor.
Labels: barbara-stanwyck, marjorie-main, melodramaA, mother-daughter-dynamics1, popcorn-and-soda7, women's-movie2
Friday, July 16, 2021
Leave Her to Heaven
- Commentary: I watched this movie last night (7/23/21). I knew nothing about it, which, I think, intensified my reaction (for the better). What an extraordinary movie! Look at all the labels I (legitimately) attached to it! It's got something for everyone, and the entire story [which is, really, a series of stories with one bright red thread (think Ellen's lipstick) running through them] attaches everything that happens to everything else! Yikes!
First of all, Gene Tierney is amazing as the antagonist. The other actors' performances are well turned out, but they are all supportive. The movie belongs to Tierney's character, and, holy jesus, what a character she plays and how well she plays her!
Secondly, when the movie starts, you'll notice it has an odd format: It's full-screen color. Once the movie starts, though, it takes no time to get used to this.
Thirdly, this is not a popcorn-and-soda movie. Go ahead and put out snacks if you want, but, I can guarantee, you will be so riveted from the very beginning to the very end that you'll forget everything except the story, including any food you've supplied.
Finally, the Criterion "special feature" material, both the film essay and the written essay, don't do justice to this movie's singularity. I've seen a lot of movies, in my time, and I am a fan of horror. The only movie I can think of that even approaches the horrific enjoyment I experienced from watching this movie is Midsommar, and, frankly, at this time, fresh from this movie, I can't tell you which I will favor. Perhaps they'll sit atop my horror genre choices in a category of their own.
This is just a gem of a horror movie, in part because it isn't marketed as a horror movie, which was a wise choice by somebody, not sure who. I didn't even realize it was headed in that direction until a little less than half the way through. The story is masterfully manipulated. The settings give absolutely no clue as to what is going to happen. The relationships between the characters start out, and continue for quite awhile, so innocently that you cannot help but be astonished at what is happening, from scene to scene, right before your eyes, and then, when you think you've reached peak astonishment, well, hang onto your hat! No wonder Criterion has this movie in their catalog. It deserves the high honor that a Criterion production confers!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gene Tierney Ellen Berent Harland Cornel Wilde Richard Harland Jeanne Crain Ruth Berent Vincent Price Russell Quinton Mary Philips Mrs. Berent Ray Collins Glen Robie Gene Lockhart Dr. Saunders Reed Hadley Dr. Mason Darryl Hickman Danny Harland Chill Wills Leick Thome Olive Blakeney Mrs. Louise Robie Jim Farley Train Conductor
Here's the link to the Wikipedia write-up of this movie.
Release Date: 1945
Directed by John M. Stahl.
Labels: Criterion2, film-noir3, horror1, legal, melodramaA, popcorn-and-soda6, psychological1, romance4, suspense3, thriller2, tragedy2, violence4
Friday, July 09, 2021
The Bad Seed
- Commentary: Yes, yes, yes. Patty MacCormack and Nancy Kelly's acting was waaay overdone. I think this might have been because both forgot to wash the stage off before they stepped in front of a camera. It also may have happened because the stage play received so much attention that the film director thought keeping stage performance acting would increase interest in the film. And, yes, in places, the story seems so preposterous that even I, alone, at home, watching the movie last night (not my first watching by any means) grinned a lot, and sometimes chuckled aloud. Still and all, this is one movie I love to watch! There is something about watching the story of a perfectly devlish child, regardless of how the story ends. My preference, by the way, is that the child survives, so that I, as a member of the audience, am allowed to speculate on further horrors that child may perpetuate. I am always aware, when I watch the film, that the stage play, in fact, doesn't end with "sweet" Rhoda's death, but, rather, her mother's death, and the assumption that Rhoda continues her murderous life. Considering that it has survived as a novel, a stage play and a couple of movies, including one that is said to have been inspired by it, The Good Son, I suspect I am not the only person with this preference, since the change of ending for the film was not dictated by a clear thinking director but by the Production Code Administration.
I'm not sure I understand what the appeal of devlish children is. Perhaps it has something to do with all the anger toward life one acquires in childhood that is never resolved and, after childhood, never really thought about, again, and, yet, does not simply disappear. Which is, I think, precisely why there is so much psycho-babble in the script, often through the character of "Aunt Monica" (excellently played by the way, in the movie).
I was surprised that the edition I purchased was widescreen. I have memories of watching this on TV in full screen rather than widescreen. Those memories, though, may be erroneous.
You might also find TCM's notes on the film interesting, rather than my usual Wikipedia article, although, if you're curious, you can find Wikipedia's write-up here.
Quick Administrative Note: This movie is the first in my collection to which I've applied the label "melodrama". I was surprised to discover that I've never used that label and had to add it to my label list. I guess that means I don't have, nor am I attracted to, melodramatic movies. Except this one. The fact that it's a melodrama is what makes it so much fun!
There is something alluring about this film. It's one I've checked out of our public library occasionally in the past several years. It's one I watched on TV with my mom when she was alive, who, by the way, enjoyed it, too, despite her pure soul, love of children and having been an enthusiastic, top-flight teacher of older elementary school children. In the Wikipedia article about this film there is an "Analysis" comparing the this movie with The Good Son. It's short, but interesting, and may, in part, explain the durability of this film and the idea behind it. And, yes. I found a free copy of the novel, downloaded it, and intend to read it one of these sooner days, just because, well, I want to know if the novel speaks about childhood wickedness in the same way the play and the movie do.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Patty McCormack Rhoda Penmark Nancy Kelly Christine Penmark William Hopper Col. Kenneth Penmark Henry Jones Leroy Eileen Heckart Mrs. Hortense Daigle Frank Cady Henry Daigle Jesse White Emory Shelley Fabares Margie
Release Date: 1956
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.
Labels: film-noir3, henry-jones, horror1, melodramaA, psychological1
Sunday, June 06, 2021
Keeper of the Flame
- Commentary: This is a curious Tracey/Hepburn production, initially badly reviewed but its reputation improved greatly over time; just check out the Reception section of the Wikipedia write-up for it. That section is detailed in its explanation of the film being revived in the view of critics. I think its reassessment has a lot to do with the times we live in right now and the furor over anti-fascism that the recent Trump Presidency brought us.
When I initially acquired it, I wasn't thinking specifically of its anti-fascist slant. For some months I had been vividly remembering scenes from it without bothering to consider why those scenes continued to reappear in my memory. I'm quite sure, even without a specific memory of my first viewing, that I initially saw the movie before 2008 when my mother was alive and we had a streaming service that featured TCM, and haven't watched it since. I think, this time, my interest was revived by a wayward waltz, over the last few weeks, through all my Tracey/Hepburn and Hepburn movies, which ignited interest in those I either hadn't seen or didn't own. At any rate, a few weeks ago my interest in this movie became so great, and I found a price so low, that I decided to acquire it.
I'll write more about my reactions to this movie, later. Right now, I'm going to create a post (which will appear immediately above this one) about how it also triggered my interest in anti-fascist movies, of the early 20th century through now, and explore that, a bit.
More on this specific movie later, I'm sure, including my offense at the ending, where I attempt a stab at why it ended as it did and whether the ending was stupid, or merely inevitable because of the time in which it was made.
P.S. This movie is mentioned in the review I wrote for Undercurrent.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Spencer Tracy Steven O'Malley Katharine Hepburn Christine Forrest Richard Whorf Clive Kerndon Margaret Wycherly Mrs. Forrest Forrest Tucker Geoffrey Midford Frank Craven Doctor Fielding Stephen McNally Freddie Ridges Percy Kilbride Orion Peabody Audrey Christie Jane Harding Darryl Hickman Jeb Rickards Donald Meek Mr. Arbuthnot Howard Da Silva Jason Rickards
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1942
Directed by George Cukor.
Labels: anti-fascist, dramaD, katharine-hepburn, melodramaA, spencer-tracy, tracy-hepburn
Thursday, August 08, 2019
Laura
- Commentary: This is the movie for which I bought the four-pack mentioned in the immediately previous post. I love this movie. I love the ambience and the mystery. I love that Laura isn't seen until the end of the movie. I love that the mystery woman doesn't know she's a mystery woman. I love the lanky, devil-may-care attitude of the man for whom Laura has become a mystery. Of course, they do make them "like this, anymore", but, whenever I watch and fall in love with an "old" move like this, I am ever grateful for DVD (et al) technology.
P. S.: With this movie, I am initiating the category "detective". Not sure why I never thought of categorizing by that, before. I'm sure I must have movies that would fit nicely into that category. I only thought of it because this movie, however mysterious it may be, has a somewhat gentler presentation than a standard "thriller" or "suspense", but is something more than a "mystery". The story of the effort to "detect" Laura is the whole story.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Gene Tierney Laura Hunt Dana Andrews Mark McPherson Clifton Webb Waldo Lydecker Vincent Price Shelby Carpenter Judith Anderson Ann Treadwell Dorothy Adams Bessie Clary Ralph Dunn Fred Callahan Clyde Fillmore Ad Agency Owner
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
In case you're curious, here's a link to the Wikipedia article about this movie.
Release Date: 1944
Directed by Otto Preminger.
Labels: detective1, drama3, film-noir1, melodramaA, mystery1, romance1
Gaslight
- Commentary: Of course I was bound to own this movie! I am, after all a self-respecting movie maven-of-sorts. And, of course, it is this version I chose to own. Ingrid Bergman; Angela Lansbury; Charles Boyer; Joseph Cotten. Are you kidding? Is there any other version?!?
This movie is not only a pure delight of a thriller, for me, I love the way it's done. The planning of the contrasts between outside and inside, light and dark, expansive and claustrophobic, are, yes, thrilling for me to watch. Angela Lansbury is a delicious tart. Ingrid Bergman is a surprisingly unshrinking violet. Charles Boyer plays against type so well, it's hard to remember his performances as a romantic male lead.
The main reason I thought to buy it recently is because of the current craze for using the word "gaslight" and its derivatives, especially in news and commentary. When I hear these young ones using it, I chuckle internally. I'm sure a majority of these earnest politicos have no idea of the term's derivation. In fact, when I watch this movie, I often think of my niece, who shares my love of movies (and is an actor) and I partly bought the movie so I would have it the next time she visits because, you know, she's of the generation of people who is tossing this term around and I have a sneaking suspicion she doesn't know where it comes from.
To this day, an utter gem of a movie. And, yes, the site to which I linked the title of this post gives a review of both the 1940 and 1944 movies. Mine is the 1944 version with Ingrid Bergman, although I've wished to see the 1940 one, just out of curiosity.
By the way, I've linked Bergman's name to an article featuring interviews of three people done for Roger Ebert's site in 2015.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Charles Boyer Gregory Anton/Sergis Bauer Ingrid Bergman Paula Alquist Anton Joseph Cotton Brian Cameron Dame May Whitty Bessie Thwaites Angela Lansbury Nancy Oliver Barbara Everest Elizabeth Tompkins Emil Rameau Maestro Guardi Edmund Breon General Huddleston Halliwell Hobbes Mr. Mufflin Heather Thatcher Lady Mildred Dalroy Lawrence Grossmith Lord Freddy Dalroy Jakob Gimpel Pianist
As well, just in case, here's the Wikipedia write up to this particular film.
Release Date: 1944
Directed by George Cukor.
Labels: angela-lansbury, drama3, film-noir1, ingrid-bergman, melodramaA, mystery1, period1, suspense1, thriller1
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Mr. Skeffington - The Bette Davis Collection
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: Although I'm nowhere near a Bette Davis expert, this movie seemed to me like a Bette Davis miscast, at first, although my inordinate love of Claude Rains took my mind off this for quite awhile. Despite this, it didn't take long for me to believe her portrayal; a credit to Davis, not the casting, I think. Mom loved the intense, obvious melodrama. She also got lost in the lush period flavor and imagined, afterward, that the movie had been in color; which I understand is a typical reaction to both this movie and Jezebel. I'd watch this movie again, just for the pleasure of watching Claude Rains again.
Once again, as with the Joan Crawford Collection, I've linked the second part of the title to a site that gets it done when it comes to collections (and other reviews, as well). The review for this movie is the second review on the page. Thank you, DVD Savant, now CineSavant!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Bette Davis 'Fanny' Trellis Skeffington Claude Rains Job Skeffington Walter Abel George Trellis Richard Waring Trippy Trellis Jerome Cowan Suitor Edward Morrison Dorothy Peterson Manby Marjorie Riordan Fanny Rachel Trellis Johnny Mitchell Johnny Mitchell, Fanny's daughter's husband
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1944
Directed by Vincent Sherman.
Labels: 20th-century-chick-flicks1, bette-davis, claude-rains, drama9, melodramaA, period4, romance2, shared-favorite
The Letter - The Bette Davis Collection
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: It took us two tries to get through this one, even though it was the shortest of the Bette Davis movies we bought in the collection with which this one came. Neither of us found it disturbing, but we just couldn't get into the story. When we finally watched it, at the end Mom and I looked at one another.
"Well," she said, "we don't have to do that again."
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
I'm not sure what our problem with it was. It could simply be that we're both hard sells for this type of movie. I have to say, though, since watching it, I've found that several of the scenes have continued to haunt me, probably because of both the staging and framing. As well, I have to admit, Bette Davis was, as usual, a dazzling intepreter of this character. I may, indeed, watch it again. Not soon, though.
I've linked the title of this post to a site that gets it done when it comes to collections (and other reviews, as well). Thank you, DVD Savant, now CineSavant! His review of this movie is the fifth review on the page.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Bette Davis Leslie Crosbie Herbert Marshall Robert Crosbie James Stephenson Howard Joyce Frieda Inescort Dorothy Joyce Gale Sondergaard Mrs. Hammond Bruce Lester John Withers Elizabeth Earl Adele Ainsworth Cecil Kellaway Prescott Sen Yung Ong Chi Seng Doris Lloyd Mrs. Cooper Willie Fung Chung Hi Tetsu Komai Head Boy
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1940
Directed by William Wyler.
Labels: bette-davis, drama9, film-noir2, melodramaA, suspense2
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Possessed - The Joan Crawford Collection
- Who's watched: Neither
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This came as one of five in a Joan Crawford Collection (Click the part of the title that says "The Joan Crawford Collection" for a different summary and review). Yet another in the we haven't watched, although it sounds as tantalizing as the rest.
We finally watched this film and it had the same effect on us as The Damned Don't Cry. It's not only fascinating to watch Joan Crawford emote her way through this movie, the breadth of this movie is huge, which makes it treacherously engaging. I mean, if you think you can watch bits of it here and there, forget it. Once you start this picture, you will be cancelling whatever activities you had planned to interrupt the film into sections.
Update: 9/23/21: I've watched this film many times since Mom's death. For some reason I find the old style psychiatric babble spewed as Louise is being diagnosed fascinating. It's pretty much old school, now, but it's, hmmm, educational, I guess, to listen to. In addition, Louise's murderous rage seems likely to this day, and, yes, Louise, David is surely a cad, you should have given him up, but it's hard, isn't it, when you love someone and even you can't explain why, because he's a cad. Plus, there's all the drama going on with the man she marries, Dean Graham, and his daughter, who is maturing before her eyes and becomes an imaginary threat to Louise. Such a delectable movie! So full of Louise's internal histrionics! This one's a keeper!
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Joan Crawford Louise Howell Van Heflin David Sutton Raymond Massey Dean Graham Geraldine Brooks Carol Graham Stanley Ridges Dr. Willard Nana Bryant Pauline Graham Peter Miles Wynn Graham Griff Barnett Coroner
Here you can find a link to the Wikipedia write-up on this film. The first link attached to the title of this post will take you to TCM's article on this film. In addition, if you move your cursor through to the second link in the title above, you will find DVD Savant's review of this movie in second place on the page.
Release Date: 1947
Directed by Curtis Bernhardt.
Labels: dramaA, film-noir2, joan-crawford, melodramaA, van-heflin
Mildred Pierce 1945 film - The Joan Crawford Collection
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: *1*
- Commentary: This came as one of five in a Joan Crawford Collection (Click the part of the title that says "The Joan Crawford Collection" for a different summary and review). Each of us had seen this at least once before we acquired it. Both of us are fascinated by the emotional violence in the film.
Update 9/23/21: I often watch this version and Kate Winslet's Mildred Pierce mini-series back-to-back. They both feature terrific actors in all parts. The actors who play Veda are both equally electrifying. Despite the fact that Joan Crawford has a penchant for playing "bad women", she was equally effective in this movie as a good woman, a woman who values her cohorts, a woman who expects nothing but the same from her husband but is not devastated when he fails, and a woman who over-values a talented but uncompassionate daughter. Granted, the daughter in this version isn't really much to hang one's hopes on, while Kate Winslet's daughter Veda is promising. And, in the mini-series, no one gets killed. But, the overall effect is the same, and quite delicious to watch!
An added delight with this version is Eve Arden as Ida Corwin, the role Mare Winningham plays in the miniseries. Eve Arden is sassy and smart as Ida Corwin, but we don't get a lot of her character development in the movie. In the mini-series, Ida's trajectory expands and becomes a mini-story in its own right.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Joan Crawford Mildred Pierce Jack Carson Wally Fay Zachary Scott Monty Beragon Eve Arden Ida Corwin Ann Blyth Veda Pierce Bruce Bennett Bert Pierce Lee Patrick Maggie Biederhof Moroni Olsen Inspector Peterson
The link to the Wikipedia write-up of this film can be found here.
Release Date: 1945
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Labels: dramaA, film-noir2, joan-crawford, me-favorite3, melodramaA, mystery2
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Citizen Kane
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I am surprised there are no mentions of this movie in either journal. Although I think I like it a bit better than Mom (I love the film perspective, I don't think she's crazy about it, but she likes the way the story is told), we watch this movie as a rental or on TCM a couple of times a year. Time to own it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Orson Welles Charles Foster Kane Joseph Cotten Jedediah Leland Agnes Moorehead Mary Kane Dorothy Comingore Susan Alexander Kane
One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1941
Directed by Orson Welles.
Labels: anti-fascist, dramaB, journalism, melodramaA
