thatdogoliver-1 Reviews

The Jean Arthur Show: Rich Man, Poor Man (1966) Season 1, Episode 5

Horrific.

[1/10 · 3 January 2024]

Well, after watching this profoundly terrible episode, I'm amazed the "The Jean Arthur Show" lasted for 12 entire shows. Even the legendary Jean Arthur could not save this turkey. The plot, which involves guest star Ray Bolger as the third richest man in the world, is inane to point of farce but, most importantly, it's not at all funny. Even the laugh track sounds unconvinced. The only possible ending this episode could have had to redeem itself was to find Jean Arthur had been dreaming -- that she had conjured up the entire silly fantasy. But that did not happen. So what's left is a sorry mess of a show that is an embarrassment to its stars and an insult to the audience.

Pat and Mike (1952)

Great Kate Mixed with Sports Tedium

[6/10 · 7 October 2023]

This film is worth watching for Katharine Hepburn (as all films including her are), but the plot is thin and the sports sections are surprisingly numerous and exceedingly loooooong. Far too numerous and far too loooooong (especially the golf segments, which seem to go on forever). And I simply don't buy Tracy's quasi-Brooklyn accent and gangster outfits. For me, the strongest part of the movie is its beginning -- right through to the scene with Hepburn and Jim Backus in the golf clubhouse. Still, watch the film for Hepburn. If you want a truly GREAT Tracy/Hepburn comedy, opt for "Adam's Rib," which was made just several years before this one.

A Day at the Races (1937)

Decent and Inoffensive

[5/10 · 24 August 2023]

A decent film which, on paper, does all the right things but does them a bit too smoothly and knowingly, resulting in an only sometimes funny movie. Marx Brothers films made after "Duck Soup" suffer from the comedy being watered down (Mae West suffered the same fate with her beautifully polished, funny-on-paper, but dead-on-arrival 1937 "Every Day's a Holiday"). The one truly inspired scene in "Races" is a musical one in which Harpo portrays a pseudo-Pied Piper. What a surprise and inspiration! A rare achievement! The film is well worth watching if only for that scene. But if you want true, undiluted Marx mayhem, stick with the four earliest Marx Brothers films, especially "Duck Soup."

The Old Fashioned Way (1934)

A Satisfyingly Jaunty Little Film

[9/10 · 9 January 2023]

W. C. Fields is more than wonderful when he has a good script and is well-directed (some of his later films meander). This is a wonderful little film with a top-notch supporting cast (Baby Leroy is priceless and Jan Duggan as Cleopatra Pepperday practically steals every scene she's in -- no mean feat when you're playing opposite the likes of a comic genius like Fields). The only thing that disappoints is the bland title. I suppose "The Old Fashioned Way" refers to the old fashioned way of how con men used to rob people blind (something the Great McGonigle is an expert at). But in my humble opinion this film should absolutely have been titled -- just BEGS to be titled -- "The Great McGonigle."

Bring on the Girls (1945)

Middling Plus

[5/10 · 10 November 2022]

This will never be considered the greatest of Hollywood entertainments, but if you can get through the first half, the second half is vastly better and worth the wait. It's during the second half that Eddie Bracken hatches his humorous trick and Sonny Tufts entertains at the piano. Even Veronica Lake perks up and shows some enthusiasm. Lake fans will want to see her regardless, as this is her only Hollywood movie in color. The very best thing in the movie appears toward its end with a rare musical performance by Spike Jones and his City Slickers. One might even say that Jones steals the picture.

Three Coins in the Fountain (1954)

Best to zero in on individual performances

[5/10 · 2 September 2022]

The movie star here is the city of Rome. Best to drink in the city and zero in on individual performances (and leave the film, as a whole, alone). It was a treat to see Jean Peters (whose second husband was Howard Hughes). I never saw her in a film until this one. She reminds me of Joan Bennett. I never heard of Maggie McNamara, who was quite good. Her Hollywood career was brief and her real-life death, tragic. Dorothy McGuire's cool, sleekness is always a plus for any film. The younger men are as good-looking as them come. Clifton Webb, as usual, is wonderful. And the French-born Louis Jordan and British-born Cathleen Nesbitt both play Italians! But the film as a whole? Four stars.

Easy to Wed (1946)

A Drag.

[4/10 · 25 August 2022]

This film drags and drags and drags along. It certainly doesn't have the feel of a musical and the only comedy worth mentioning is provided by Lucille Ball -- certainly Esther Williams ain't no comedian. Ball steals every scene she's in (thank goodness) and she's in plenty of them (thank goodness). She's the only reason to watch this film -- fast-forward the rest.

The Bride Goes Wild (1948)

Not Bad but Not Great

[4/10 · 20 August 2022]

Bumpy film with good stuff strewn about here and there, but it's far from a seamless ride. Doesn't often add up to more than it's various parts until the peculiarly funny ending. The leads are swell and Hume Cronyn, as an effete fussbudget, is a surprise. Richard Derr, a gorgeous hunk of man-meat if there every was one, plays a klutz.

The Opposite Sex (1956)

Watch the 1939 instead -- You'll be so glad you did.

[4/10 · 8 August 2022]

(1) The original 1939 version was much better (NO MEN in cast). (2) The 1939 version gave us time to get to know Norma Shearer, so when she receives her bad new we FEEL for something for her (in this film June Allyson gets her bad news too soon but we haven't invested ourselves emotionally in her). (3) In the 1939 version we don't get to see Crystal Allen right away -- it builds interest/suspense (in this film we see her rather early on). (4) I have trouble with Joan Collins' somewhat unconvincing brash, American accent. (5) I'm not convinced that June Allyson is some major entertainer who comes out of retirement. (6) Allyson's song "Now, Baby, Now," a slinky, sexy song, is TOTALLY ill-fitting to her personality in this film (and in real live) and it's quite awkward. (7) The last half-hour is, by far, the best part of the film. (8) There isn't one member of the 1939 cast that isn't better than her 1956 counterpart (and the definitely includes the little girl) . (9) Ann Miller is totally wasted in her role (and isn't there something better for Joan Blondell to do?? (10) "Buck" was so pretty he broke my TV screen (ditto the "Banana Boy"). (11) Favorites: June Allyson, Ann Sheridan, Agnes Moorhead, Charlotte Greenwood.

Good News (1947)

Watch this Mess for June Allyson

[3/10 · 6 August 2022]

"Good News" is much ado about far less than I can possibly imagine. It's based on the thinnest of thin non-plots with tepid music thrown in seemingly for the heck of it. There are too many unlikeable characters in this film (and others we're not given the opportunity to know well enough to give a hoot). Peter Lawford simply doesn't have the "oomph" needed to be a leading man in this film. He certainly can't sing, he certainly can't dance and he's certainly no comedian. He lacks presence.

He lacks that "watchability" factor. Wonderful June Allyson is the only reason to sit through this wreckage. Yes, Allyson, like everyone else in the film, is too old to play a college co-ed and the material she's given is rather lousy, but she's JUNE ALLYSON and she's reason enough to watch!

A Bigger Splash (1973)

A dreary cliché

[1/10 · 3 June 2022]

This review is written by someone with 40 years experience showing in the NYC art world and who was represented in the 1990s by the same NYC gallery as David Hockney.

The film is pretentious, self-indulgent drivel with David Hockney embarrassing himself by even appearing in the darned thing. This production is the kind of self-indulgent nonsense that gives art a bad name. A thoroughly reprehensible, slow-as-molasses bore.

PS FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO KNOW: you can easily find far better frontal nudity on the internet than what's in this film.

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show: A Hole in the Carpet (1957) Season 8, Episode 12

One of the funniest and most inventive B&A episodes!

[10/10 · 24 March 2022]

The plot of "Hole in the Carpet" first showed up in season three as "Gracie at Department Store." This reworking of the story appeared in the eighth (and final) season. It is a tour de force of George Burns' & his writers' ability to effortlessly weave fantasy in and out of what is an already very funny plot (and a very winning performance by Gracie Allen). This episode shows perhaps the zenith of George's use of his magic television, his magic telephone, and his confidential side comments to the TV audience, culminating in a brilliant little ending with George, yet again breaking TV norms, thanking a befuddled cast member -- who remains in character -- for a good show. Gracie's zany antics aside, by season eight George Burn had become the prime engineer and puppet master of the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Schartz-Metterklume Method (1960) Season 5, Episode 35

A Tour-de-Force by Hermione Gingold; and One Technical Goof

[10/10 · 7 April 2012]

This is a delightfully funny episode from a series known for its darkness and murder. The fascinating and fabulous Hermione Gingold gives a performance that is a subtle, yet madcap tour-de-force. The link that this episode has in common with all the others in the series is you never know where it's headed. The unexpected ending puts a strange slant on all that came before -- as surprising as any Hitchcock ending I can remember.

I caught one technical goof: Pat Hitchcock (Alfred's real-life daughter) plays the maid, Rose. For 20 seconds (from 17:20 until 17:40) you can see her standing off to the extreme left side of the screen, waiting for her cue to enter the scene and water the plants.