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klickkat
Reviews
Crossing Delancey (1988)
Good movie
And we expected this movie to tank? If anything its become even more popular as years go by. I do have to disagree with some, I think Reigert is attractive in an unconventional way and his clothes exactly fit the mid eighties. Amy Irving's clothes are to die for, if she helped with that input, she has great taste in clothing. I love Amy's (as Isabelle) performance, she is subtle, believable. I also enjoyed her friend at the restaurant where Amy's character is trying to pawn her girlfriend off on Sam. Bubbe, the grandmother was cute but a bit annoying with her interference. Sylvia Miles, I could have done without seeing her eat. Amy's other friend (wearing a lawyer outfit and sneakers) was a bit of a disappointment. I like Jerome Krabbe but he was fairly one dimensional here. This movie has become a favorite of mine.
Penny Serenade (1941)
Not a constant tearjerker but close
I've seen Penny Serenade many many times and over the years some feelings about it change but some not at all. I still believe Grant's courtroom scene is the best acting he'd done till then and since. The judge also impressed me and the baby, especially in that scene. I don't know who won the AA that year but Geant was nominated and rightly so...too bad he lost because his comments later about Oscar's in general sounded bitter and unkind and actually made me see him in a different light.
Edgar Buchanan as Apple Jack was a marvel. He is so good that I can only hope his fine natural performance was at least nominated. Beulah Bondi was also fantastic as the social worker who goes above and beyond to help the couple in their quest for a child.
This brings me to where I thought the performances were lacking...the girl who played older Tina was striking a false note at the dinner table, a little too exuberant but I will say for the most part she was fine, and touching.
Irene Dunne, she was so good in a movie where she played mother to a bunch of children and William Powell was her husband that I can't believe it's the same woman. Here she is just so so and even distracted acting in her acting. A couple of times, I wanted to yell get your supposed to be reactions in line with ths script! She does have good scenes here and there but her performance is uneven. Also, why was she picked to play Julie in the first place? She's a good 8 years older than Grant and at times looked it. I wouldn't have cared if the script alluded to it, it did not...I felt I was supposed to believe she's in her early to mid thirties instead of forties.
All in all I give the movie a 5 on the merit of Grant's big scene in the court and the terrific performances by the supporting actors.
October Kiss (2015)
Good Hallmark movie for fall
First off, the two leads, are very likeable and have good chemistry. The children are a bit mean to the new nanny at first, but they do grow on you.
Being over 50 and single I found it nice that Hallmark chose actors both over 35, makes them more relatable.
If I have any negs. It would have to be the stereotyped sister who is trying to marry off her sister because what else is there. That is terrible, dumb sis acts more like a marriage broker than a sister.
Can I just add that everything is a bit cookie cutter perfect but the emotions and certain situations are raw and that's what makes this!
Bedtime Story (1941)
Match and Young are great
March is manchild and a bit of a male chauvinist as playwright Luke Drake.
Young as Jane his actress/wife is glamorous and upright, that the play off their characters contrasting personalities is great.
Add to the story a new beau for Jane played by the funny and cute Allyn Joselyn.
Best friend/assistant for Luke, Robert Benchley,
Eve Arden, Helen Westley and Joyce Compton as actresses in Luke's play, and what a romp it becomes. March in some reviews on here didn't get his due...he is so entertaining, in fact he can do comedy just as easily as drama. The chemistry between March and Young is certainly there, adds to the dramatic scenes beautifully. This is a sometimes sad, mostly funny beautifully acted and produced film. Don't miss it!
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Very violent
I loved Jerry Fielding's score...stunning. At first when I saw William Holden and Ben Johnson I thought they were too good looking for their roles but they were so believable as were every single cast member. This movie is not for the faint of heart, it is violent but so well made that I get why it's so well regarded.