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Reviews
Captain Blood (1935)
A CLASSIC SWASHBUCKLER
Captain Blood is one of the most entertaining swashbucklers ever made. Flynn and DeHaviland are one of the most handsome couples ever to grace the screen, and the film is an action-packed yarn that will please any fan of adventure pictures. The picture boosted both principals to stardom, and it is easy to see why! The only flaw in the picture is that it was filmed in black and white. How I would love to see it in Technicolor, as in The Adventures of Robin Hood, made a few years later, also featuring Errol and Olivia.
Show Boat (1951)
A CLASSIC MGM MUSICAL
This 1951 adaptation of Edna Ferber's novel is by far the best. Although glamorized by MGM, the film has a strong story line and hold's the viewer's interest throughout, due to skillful editing and pacing. Alas, in the 1950s audiences were still segregated in the US South, which was a large market for films. Lena Horne was under contract to MGM and, with her beautiful face and lovely voice, would have been perfect as Julie, but the studio was afraid her numbers would be cut or censored when the film was shown in the South, so Ava Gardner replaced her. How I would have loved to see Lena as Julie!
Gigi (1958)
ONE OF THE GREAT MUSICALS
GIGI is the last great musical made by the famous Freed Unit at MGM, which produced most of that studios musicals.
Superbly designed, beautifully photographed, well-acted and directed, this is the ultimate entertaining musical. All the players are perfectly cast, and the film flows at a good pace, with not a dull scene in the entire picture.
There is an excellent book published entitled MGM'S GREATEST MUSICALS - THE ARTHUR FREED UNIT, by Hugh Fordin, which contains many fascinating details about the Freed Unit, and how it created these delightful pictures.
This picture is a must for movie fans and students of film, as well as an example of the flowering of the American motion picture industry during the fabulous studio system.
Alas, we won't see its like again. View and enjoy!
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
A FASCINATING CHARACTER STUDY
This film is a fascinating character study, a classic example of what happens when a delusional actress comes to believe her own publicity. The picture is well-written, superbly cast and acted, and moves at an excellent pace, with no unnecessary scenes.
The backstory of this film is almost as fascinating as the picture itself, and is the subject of a book, available from amazon. The male lead was originally offered to Montgomery Clift, who turned it down - some say because of his involvement with middle-aged torch singer Libby Holman, who told him to reject the script. Perhaps it was just too close to home. (The life of Libby Holman would itself make a fascinating film)
According to rumor the picture was actually based on the life of Corinne Griffith, one of the most beautiful women in silent pictures, who was also a real estate expert. When Norma Desmond states "I own three blocks downtown," that was Corinne speaking - she did own three blocks in Beverly Hills.
Wilder and Brackett had been working on the script for some years when it finally jelled. The picture contains some famous lines that have become part of our folklore, such as "I'm ready for my closeup." I would recommend it to any student of the cinema, or anyone who is just a movie fan.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
MERYL PLAYS A WICKED WOMAN
This film provided an interesting change of pace for Meryl Streep, who usually portrayed sympathetic characters. I suspect she jumped at the chance to do something different.
She plays the classic Boss, who makes her underlings miserable, and appears to delight in doing so. It is a tribute to Meryl's talent that she can make such a character wholly believable, in contrast to most of her past portrayals.
Anne Hathaway plays the fresh-faced grad who is eager to please, and does it convincingly. The way she develops the character is interesting and absorbing to watch.
Overall, this picture is highly entertaining, well-paced, written, and well-acted by a talented star and equally talented supporting players.
Duel in the Sun (1946)
SELZNICK'S BIG MISTAKE
It has been said that when a person of genuine talent makes a mistake, the result is a true disaster. The certainly holds true for DUEL IN THE SUN, David O. Selznick's dreadful attempt to equal GONE WITH THE WIND.
Selznick starred his then-wife, Jennifer Jones, as a half-breed, and the role was simply over her head, despite her dusky makeup. (He made the same mistake when starring her in A FAREWELL TO ARMS some years later, when at age 44 she was supposed to be 25).
During production Selznick is said to have exposed more than 1,400,000 feet of film - enough for 100 average-length motion pictures. The result is an overlong, slow-paced picture that takes far to long to reach its climactic scene.
The Legion of Decency condemned the pic, which greatly increased the box office gross. Like most of Selznick's films, the picture contains many unnecessary scenes utilizing hundreds of extras, which merely serve to slow the story down and drag out the running time.
This picture is interesting as part of the life of Selznick, but it fails as Grade-A entertainment.
Ryan's Daughter (1970)
AN OVERLONG ROMANCE
RYAN'S DAUGHTER is a beautifully photographed story set in Ireland during the English occupation, when the Irish were fighting for independence and home rule.
The story is the Romeo/Juliet theme updated to the time period, when an Irish married woman becomes involved with a shell-shocked British officer.
The female lead was originally offered to Julie Christie, who turned it down because of her involvement with Warren Beatty - a classic example of a woman allowing her heart to overrule her head. (Beatty later dumped her, so her devotion was in vain.)
Like most of David Lean's films, the picture is much too long, and filled with many unnecessary scenes. The running time is over 3 hours and should not be more than two. There is also a great deal of unnecessary dialogue, which is characteristic of British films.
The photography, especially that of the storm scenes, is superb and saves the picture from being a talky soap opera.
Raintree County (1957)
MGM'S ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE GONE WITH THE WIND
Ever since the release and tremendous boxoffice returns of GWTW, MGM had been seeking to duplicate that film's success.
They thought they had found the solution when RAINTREE COUNTY was published, also set against the Civil War, with a beautiful woman as the lead character.
Alas, the picture that resulted was an overlong, tedious bore that barely earned back its huge production cost.
Elizabeth Taylor did not like the script, but she was under contract to MGM and had to accept the assignment. As it turned out, Taylor was right and the film was a critical and financial flop.
Taylor was at the height of her youth and beauty, and the picture was superbly photographed, which probably saved it from total failure.
If you are a fan of Elizabeth, you will probably enjoy watching her in this picture, but don't expect much else.
The Ten Commandments (1956)
DEMILLE'S FINAL EPIC
When this picture was first released, FILMS IN REVIEW magazine described it as "wretched script, poor cast, only fair DeMille."
True, some of the players are totally miscast, such as Sir Cedric Hardwicke (a British accent in ancient Egypt?). None of the players resembles an actual Egyptian, and the dialogue borders on the ludicrous at times.
Nonetheless, the picture, filmed in the old tri-strip Technicolor, is beautifully photographed and provides a feast for the eyes. Alas, there is no bathtub scene.
Male lead Charlton looks, and acts, like the Midwestern man that he is, but still brings a strong masculine image to the film.
Yul Brynner merely replays his King of Siam character.
The picture is the ultimate example of DeMille hokum, but is still highly entertaining despite its numerous flaws.
Samson and Delilah (1949)
ONE OF DEMILLE'S BEST
Samson and Delilah is one of DeMille's best spectacles, beautifully photographed in the old tri-strip Technicolor. The project was started in 1935 but then put on the back burner and not finished until 1949.
In the notations on the DVD for Sunset Boulevard, Nancy Olson states that DeMille considered her for the role of Delilah, to which she replied "Are you joking?" DeMille finally came to his senses and cast the lovely Hedy Lamarr.
According to hearsay, Lamarr did not Victor Mature, but did her job and played the love scenes. Even so, Mature is a handsome Samson, and Lamarr is a lovely Delilah.
The only flaw in this picture is the lack of a lavish bathtub scene. What? A DeMille epic with no bathtub? Wouldn't you love to see Hedy in a gilded bath? The screenwriters used considerable dramatic license when crafting the screenplay - in the Bible, Delilah had no sister. Oh well...
Delightful DeMille hokum. Enjoy!
A Streetcar Named Desire (1984)
REMAKE OF A CLASSIC FALLS SHORT
The TV remake of A Streetcar Named Desire does not measure up to the classic film starring Vivien Leigh, one of the finest actresses who has ever lived.
Ann- Margret gets and A for Effort in this remake, but her essential personality is simply too robust to portray the fragile Blanche. The essence of Blanche Dubois is great delicacy and vulnerability. Ann Margret is about as delicate and vulnerable as an atomic bomb.
The rape scene is not convincing, since anyone who tried to rape Ann-Margret would probably end up in the hospital.
Treat Williams is by no means as primal as the crude Brando; he almost seems a gentleman in comparison, which lowers the dramatic tension.
This film is well-acted and well-directed, but does not compare with the Brando/Leigh original.