This movie, which I may or may not hate, became a Christmas classic, shown every year. Jimmy Stewart is George Bailey. Donna Reed is his wife. The idea is that George wants to travel the world and do great things but can never escape the small town he grew up in. It takes an angel named Clarence to make him appreciate what he has, which is an army of friends because of all the people he helped. "Auld Lang Syne" is sung at the end, a poem written by Robert Burns. This is classic America! The story is sappy and overly sentimental at time. I avoided it as long as I could, but finally gave in to it. My Guardian Angel called Agnetha saved me from drowning in the Baltic Sea.
Reviews
216 Reviews
Cleopatra
(1963)
Cleopatra 1963
26 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Rex Harrison is Julius Caesar with a British accent. Elizabeth Taylor is Cleopatra, and Richard Burton is Marc Antony. Cleopatra gives the first half of this long movie to Caesar and the second half to Antony. It makes use of my 3 years of Latin. I saw it that summer with my first girl friend. Egypt meets Rome! I admit the history was over my head at age 17, but I have since grown into it. Caesar was murdered by his friends, while Cleopatra and Antony committed suicide. We only catch a glimpse of the cobra as it slithers away. In 1963, Hollywood was not yet willing to shock audiences. Wimpy Roddy McDowell plays wimpy Octavian, who went on to inherit the Roman Empire. The summer of 1963 was a season of overblown productions, another of which was How the West Was Won.
Nukes in Space
(1999 Video)
Nukes In Space
11 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
William Shatner again! Hitler bombing Londoners with V-2 missiles! The war ends, and German scientists are brought to the United States. But the Russians are moving and put the Sputnik satellite in space in October, 1957, which I remember. ICBMs are the thing! H-Bombs! Eisenhower turns to Wernher von Braun, and the U.S. launches Explorer I. The power grid is of concern. We are in a nuclear weapons race. Kennedy and Khrushchev face off, and testing continues. I was 16 and naive when the Cuban missile crisis occurred. Production of nuclear-tipped missiles on both sides was out of control. Reagan and his SDI initiative is covered. Since then, North Korea has become a nuclear threat, and Kim Jong-Un has voiced his intention of attacking the the U.S. President Trump is adamant about updating our nuclear arsenal.
Epitaph for a Gambler
15 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
When Bart wins at roulette in Sunrise, Nevada, the casino cannot pay and he accepts an IOU. No comedy here! Gun play! Sexy Marie Windsor spins the wheel and pays losing numbers because her boss Diamond Dan is being blackmailed by Elkins. Marie ultimately kills Elkins, and Dan dies in his son's arms when lured into a trap. Bart claims he does not normally stick his neck out but show up to join the fight. In a story of complicated relationships, Bart romances a lawyer's daughter only to realize she is better off with Dan's son. Bart tears up the IOU when Marie offers him ownership of the casino. Marie played sexy Cora in The Quick And The Dead. Warner Brothers had actors under contract and used them in various roles. An epitaph is a phrase on a tombstone.
Substitute Gun
15 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Things get complicated when Bart runs into Smiley Drake, a gunman he met in St. Louis. Sisters compete for men, and gambling houses compete for business. As Smiley dies, he utters the word, "Get Blauvelt. Connie sings "Who's Gonna Walk Me Home," and a fight breaks out. Bart shows disgust when the poke game ends. I could not help thinking that actors in the old days were real men, unlike the Hollywood liberals of today. The sheriff insists that Bart becomes the "substitute gun" and work for Blauvelt. Lots of drama between the couples! It was Blauvelt's wife who sent for the gunman, and she mistakes Bart for him. She wants her husband dead. Romero as Clete Spain was the bandit Padilla in Dutchman's Gold. Pappyism: "Never make friends with a man who has no enemies."
A Technical Error
13 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Bart wins a bank, then finds out $20,000 are missing. The old lady has been juggling the books to prevent foreclosures. There is nearly a run on the bank. Doc Holliday temporarily saves the day by borrowing money from a crook named Blackjack Carney at an exorbitant interest rate. Doc means to marry pretty Jolene Brand, a bank employee, and a regular on the Ernie Kovacs show. The Gold Brick Stamps recall S&H Green Stamps. Things work out when Bart sells the bank back to the man he won it from. Pappyism: "Money's always the same. It's the pockets that change."
The Troubled Heir
13 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Bart is looking for a poker game when he stumbles onto Marla. She tells Bart that Pearly Gates has changed and has invested in a mine. Pearly is using an alias and is up to his old tricks. He absconds with the money when the card game breaks up. Bart and outlaw Big Jim Watson track Pearly and Marla down, but the money is gone. Big Jim devises a confusing scheme and means to kill Pearly. Pearly becomes "the troubled heir" when Bart engineers a scheme to save Pearly's life. Pearly got his nickname from the phony tie pin he wears. The later episodes were trying too hard to be funny.
The Maverick Report
13 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Doc Holliday shows up at a dental convention. He likes to keep track of his former classmates. This is the cigar-smokingest bunch I ever saw. Always a bad girl involved, and this time it is the Senator's daughter. Bart wins a newspaper and is sued for libel, after which he lets Doc become his partner. When Doc engages in a rowing contest, Bart sabotages his competition's boat so Doc can win. Bart and Doc clash when Bart publishes a story calling Doc a killer. The Senator supplies Doc with a dental office, telling him he wants a professional man in the family. Doc pulls the Senator's tooth in a scene uncharacteristic of the early episodes. By the spring of 1962, Maverick's creators had run out of ideas. Jack Kelly actually owned a newspaper: The Huntington Beach News.
Family Pride
12 September 2017
It starts with Beau riding a stagecoach through New Mexico. Always moving! A fellow passenger tricks him regarding time zones. It is amazing how all these shows center around money. Beau is taken by con artists a second time, one of whom is sexy Anita Sands, the witch of Hound Dog. She and Beau make eyes, and she drinks water from his hands. It turns out that her grandmother was a Maverick, and she and Beau are kissing cousins! All the Mavericks had a way with the ladies. Beau whistles the Maverick theme while straightening his tie. Pappyism: "A Maverick outwitted is still worth two ordinary men."
The Cactus Switch
12 September 2017
Beau is taking a lady to New Orleans and drops by to collect $1000 from Bart. Fay Spain is contemplating suicide, and the ever-present Edgar Buchanan threatens Bart. This has one of those inscrutable plots. I could not figure out how the episode got its name. The Mavericks were gregarious to a fault, living out of hotels and spending their time in casinos, saloons, banks and jails. White guys dress up as Indians, something that would be called "racist" today. The final two seasons foreshadow the silly comedies of the 1960s. Even when Maverick was in decline, it was still the best show on TV.
Mono Nera
11 September 2017
In one of the darker episodes, Italians are being murdered in New Orleans. Bart is there for the Mardi Gras, and stock footage from The Judas Mask is used. Gerald Mohr is Giacomo, a Bogart-type who appeared in seven episodes. There is a noticeable lack of humor. Jack Kelly continued with Maverick after James Garner left and got stuck with a few clunkers. At his best, however, Kelly was just as good as Garner. Leo Gordon, who played Big Mike McComb, wrote this script and ended up writing four altogether. Mano Nera means "black hand," and that hand print on the wall is creepy.
A Cure for Johnny Rain
11 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The plot here is far-fetched. A young guy has a drinking problem and robs stagecoaches when he blacks out. Jekyll and Hyde! He leads Bret to the money after Bret gives him a cure-all tonic. Johnny's girl friend encourages him to drink. Millie is married to a card cheat but uses Johnny to steal gold so she and her husband can flee to Mexico. The plot flip-flops, so we need to pay attention to keep up with what is happening. Maverick turned into a comedy in its third season much to the chagrin of purists who loved the series when Roy Huggins was the producer. The creators of Maverick had issues with women.
Ulysses
(1954)
Ulysses 1954
7 September 2017
It took 10 years for the Greek hero Ulysses to make his way back to Ithica after the Trojan War. Kirk Douglas is Ulysses. He overcomes the Cyclops, the Sirens, and Circe. His final challenge is the suitors who want his wife and throne. Chief among them is Antinoos (Anthony Quinn). With help from Athena, Ulysseus regains his kingdom and Penelope. Gorgeous Silvano Mangano plays both Penelope and the enchantress Circe. Scenes focus on Silvano's hypnotic eyes and sensuous lips. In fact, the film has a way of getting right up in the faces of its characters. The film seems old by modern standards, but the strength and acting prowess of Kirk Douglas makes it relevant and worthwhile. Douglas recently turned 100 years old.
Wonder Woman
(2017)
Wonder Woman - great movie!
9 June 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Wonder Woman opens with Diana Prince in Paris, probably in 1980. We see the Eiffel Tower, the Seine and the Pyramid in front of the Louvre. A vehicle from (Bruce) Wayne Enterprises delivers a picture taken during World War I. Then, we flash back to Diana's childhood on the island of Themyscira. Diana is an Amazon, intrigued by combat and training. Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielson) is protective of her daughter and hopes she never has to fight. Hippolyta sculpted Diana from clay, and Zeus brought her to life. Hippolyta recounts how Ares, the god of war, rebelled and killed all the gods except Zeus. Hippolyta takes young Diana to a tower and shows her the sword known as the God Killer. Time passes, and Antiope (Robin Wright) begins to train Diana. Antiope knows Ares is alive and will return. Grown-up Diana (Gal Gadot) stands on a cliff looking into the Aegean Sea. Steve Trevor's (Chris Pine) plane crashes into the water, and Diana dives in to save him. She drags him to the beach. She has never seen a man! The German's are pursuing Trevor because he is a spy and has stolen Dr. Isabel Maru's (Dr. Poison) book of formulas. There is a battle on the beach, and the Germans are no match for the Amazons. But Antiope is killed with her final word being "God Killer!" Hippolyta thinks Trevor is a German and wants to kill him. Diana assures her mother that he fought on her side. The Lasso of Truth compels Trevor to tell his story. He infiltrated the Germans, grabbed Dr. Poison's book and ran. Trevor tells the women about the war to end all wars, and Diana is certain that Ares is behind the conflict. Trevor bathes in healing water. Diana climbs the tower to get the God Killer. No easy task even for her! Gal Gadot looks like Wonder Woman! She and Steve leave the island by boat after a touching goodbye scene with her mother. Hippolyta gives her Antiope's tiera, and it is off to the war! Diana and Steve have some sex talk on the boat while sailing to London. They pass under the Tower Bridge, which I crossed on foot in 1994. Enter Erich Ludendorff (a real general in World War I) and his deadly chemist. Dr. Poison creates the mustard gas for which the war is famous. We meet Etta Candy, Steve's secretary and a comic character, who helps Diana choose appropriate clothes. Gal Gadot is charming as she tries on various outfits. She is stunning in her hat and glasses. Steve and Diana are followed and have to fight off assailants. Thank goodness for "bullets and bracelets!" The couple deliver the stolen notebook to Steve's superiors, and we encounter Sir Patrick Morgan (who is actually Ares). Diana translates the formulas written in Sumerian. Amazons know hundreds of languages! Diana is still convinced Ares is behind the war. She and Steve head for the front after Steve enlists the help of 3 oddballs. These are Sammy (a womanizer), Charlie (a marksman) and the Chief (a smuggler). Sammy likes women and when Wonder Woman does her thing, he is "both frightened and aroused." Steve wants to destroy a second weapons facility. At the front, Diana confronts the horrors of war! It is trench warfare. Frustrated by the lack of progress, she transforms herself into Wonder Woman and leads the charge across "no man's land." It is an inspiring scene with Wonder Woman taking all the fire, deflecting it with her shield. Goddess Gadot! She has that look! We stare into Gal's eyes! Or does she stare into ours? She uses her lasso, tossing Germans left and right. That eerie music from the soundtrack starts, and Wonder Woman demonstrates her strength. The Belgium town of Veld is liberated, and a period of calm follows. A picture is taken, the same one we saw at the beginning of the movie. Sammy says he wanted to be an actor but is the wrong color. Charlie sings and plays the piano. It starts snowing as Steve and Diana get romantic. They dance, then retire to an upstairs room where they make love. Diana now believes Ludendorff is Ares and sets out to kill him. She thinks it will stop the war. They crash the German high command's party. Gal is gorgeous in the blue dress! Diana and Ludendorff dance. Steve and Dr. Poison talk. Steve wants to find and destroy the gas. Diana realizes that all men are to blame for war, not just the Germans and not just Ares. As Wonder Woman, she follows Ludendorff and kills him. But the war continues! Great quote: "It's not about what you deserve. It's about what you believe." Suddenly, Sir Patrick shows! He is Ares! An epic fight ensues: Wonder Woman versus Sir Patrick! The God Killer proves useless, and Ares says only a god can kill another god. Steve hijacks the plane carrying mustard gas to London. He blows it up while sacrificing his own life. Ares is a formidable foe, even for Wonder Woman, providing the comic book violence so prevalent in modern movies. Steve gives Diana his watch to remember him by before running down the plane. She watches the plane explode and Steve die, and this gives her the adrenaline to defeat Ares. Gadot expresses emotions well. She was born to play Wonder Woman! She conveys her passion! Steve tells Diana he can save the day, but she can save the world. "I love you!" are his last words. With Ares' demise, the war ends. Should our history books give Wonder Woman credit for stopping World War I? We cut to celebrations and flag-waving in London. Diana touches a picture of Steve next to his plane. It is 1980 again, and she confides that only love can save the world. She has found her mission! Forever!
Cash McCall
(1960)
Cash McCall
16 May 2017
Dean Jagger was Elvis' father in King Creole, and he is Natalie Wood's father in Cash McCall. This movie is from 1960, right about the time James Garner left the Maverick TV series due to his contract dispute with Warner Brothers. The movie is very businessy and very New Yorkish, white men in suits and ties. Garner is a young wheeler dealer who buys Jagger's plastic company, then sets his sights on Natalie. Garner says he thoroughly enjoys making money, so his character has something in common with Bret Maverick, although Bret made his playing poker. Bret was not the marrying kind, while Cash McCall is. I was 14 when this movie was in theaters and remember it being advertised in the local paper. I finally watched it online.
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
16 September 2016
I saw it. The show was sold out as was A Hard Day's Night in 1964. This time, all age groups were represented and there was no screaming. I had thoughts. I always regarded John as The Beatles' leader, but it was Paul who did most of the talking on stage, probably because his British accent was less thick. Beatlemania peaked with Shea Stadium in August, 1965. Primarily, teenage girls were the fans during the mania stretch. They yielded to young males after The Beatles' music changed and drugs became a factor. Beatle concerts were short and ended altogether after the summer of 1966. There was too much chaos! The Beatles grew from the American rock n' roll of the late 1950's: Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Larry Williams. I had records by those guys and bought Beatle records as well. To me, Swedish ABBA in the 1970's was the next step.
Donald Trump: Master of the Deal
5 June 2016
This Trump bio is about his financial comeback after the recession of the early 1990s. It also makes us realize how long The Donald has been in the public eye. He is Mr. New York. His sister talks about her brother, saying that he is more than just a builder, that he has a "vision." Donald himself says he knows what people want and has the ability to get things done. He supported Bush at the 1988 Republican convention even while some were curious as to whether he might be interested in running for president. Trump played down the idea. Even so, it was clear that he had a strong interest in politics. Trump's divorce from Ivana and his eventual marriage to Marla Maples were big news. He talks about his first marriage, saying it became more of a business relationship. Trump is open and honest. He says what is on his mind. It is easy to like him. Of course, this bio was done before Melania came into his life.
The Making of Trump
(2015 TV Movie)
The Making Of Trump
22 April 2016
Donald John Trump was born in Queens, New York City, June 14, 1946. He is a real estate developer. His father loaned him a million dollars, which he turned into a ten billion dollar empire. He heads the Trump Organization, which has erected buildings like Trump Tower in Manhattan. Trump owns golf courses and has authored best-selling books like "The Art Of The Deal." He is media-savy and had a hit TV show called "The Apprentice." Trump has 5 kids, 3 sons and 2 daughters, by 3 wives. His wives are Ivana, Marla and Melania. Melania was born in Yugoslavia in 1970. Donald Trump announced he was running for president of the United States on June 16, 2015.
Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice
26 March 2016
It was a novel idea pitting Batman against Superman in a test to determine humanity's real superhero and champion. Both have a downside. Henry Cavill became this generation's Superman, while 43-year-old Ben Affleck assumed the role of an aging Batman. Batman is human, and it is his movie. Superman, although not a god, has godlike powers because he is from the the planet Krypton, where the chemistry and gravity differ greatly from those on Earth. It would seem that Batman would be no match for Superman. Lex Luthor, who is more Joker-like than previous Lexes, adds to the chaos. My real interest in this movie is Wonder Woman. Gal Gadot is skinny as a rail, although she does have a look. Lynda Carter is impossible to top, and I suppose Warner Brothers decided to take a different approach. The Amazon teams up with Batman and Superman to battle Doomsday and form the Justice League. Batman (Bruce Wayne) lives in Gotham. Superman (Clark Kent) lives in Metropolis. Both cities are really New York. Wonder Woman (Diana Prince) is from the island of Themyscira. Some say Paradise Island.
Holiday At Hollow Rock
18 February 2016
There is a quarter horse race in Hollow Rock, and Bret is there to bet on a horse called Silver King. Maverick has its share of crooked sheriffs. Sandra Edwards is the story here. She was part Cherokee and a looker! She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for March, 1957. She married actor Tom Gilson and had a son by him. She left him after he became abusive. Edwards killed Gilson with a shotgun when he broke into her house. The shooting was ruled justifiable homicide, but it ended her career. Edwards plays the Colonel's daughter in this episode. She is 77 as I type and would have been only 20 when this episode aired in 1958.
The Sheriff Of Duck 'N' Shoot
14 February 2016
An odd coincidence leads to Bret becoming sheriff in the town with a strange name. When a trouble maker is knocked unconscious by a horse, the mayor thinks Bret did it. The Mavericks are forever being coerced into situations they do not like, and Bret has a problem with authority. As sheriff, he resorts to cheating at cards (something he never does) to keep Bimbo from destroying the town. Both Mavericks would rather use their brains than their guns. Pappyism: "The worst crime a man can commit is to interrupt a poker game." The best episodes are the ones in which both James Garner and Jack Kelly appeared. They worked well together.
Bundle From Britain
14 February 2016
Bart gets off the stage in St. Louis looking for cousin Beau. He does not even remember what Beau looks like. There is a long barroom brawl, a sign that the writing was going downhill by season 4. Beau was dubbed "the white sheep of the family" after he got his medal in the Civil War. Being from Texas, the Mavericks fought on the side of the south. Beau gets kidnapped in this confusing episode. As hard as they try, none of the Mavericks can stay out of trouble. It may have something to do with being gamblers. My grandmother always said a gambler never has anything. After a shaky start, season 4 got better, and some of Roger Moore's shows were quite good.
Red Dog
14 February 2016
At a cave site, Beau is suddenly surrounded by shady characters. The cast is the thing. Mike Road is Buckskin. Lee Van Cleef rides in as Wolf. Van Cleef shot to fame in the spaghetti westerns of the late '60s. He had a naturally mean look. John Carradine is the judge. Ed Robertson, in his book "Maverick: Legend of the West," called Carradine one of the greatest actors ever known in the film industry. Sexy Sherry Jackson, who starred as Danny Thomas' daughter, is "The Kid's" woman. The Kid gets jealous of Beau and slaps her around. Beau lets them think he is the outlaw known as Red Dog. The judge has a bank robbery planned for the group. Pappyism: Some men are afraid of the dark, and some are afraid to leave it.
Passage To Fort Doom
13 February 2016
Bart joins a wagon train headed for the Black Hills. Arlene Howell is Cindy Lou Brown, and she is running from an outlaw who put money inside a doll. The wagon train reaches Fort Doom only to find that most of the troops have died from a cholera epidemic. I googled cholera and found it to be a bacterial infection of the small intestine. When Indians attack the fort, Bart and his group fight them. Things are tough all over! Cindy Lou was not the force Samantha Crawford was, but she was pretty and likable. Arlene Howell was Miss USA of 1958, and third runner-up in the Miss Universe Pageant. Pappyism: "Love is the only thing in life you've got to earn. Everything else you can steal."
A Fellow's Brother
12 February 2016
"When a fellow's brother's killed, it's up to the fellow's brother to get the fellow who killed the fellow's brother." "I've heard that!" replies Bret. The plot is familiar. Bret needs a stake to get into a poker game and sets out to collect gambling debts. There is a bank robbery and a murder, and he is accused of both. Diane McBain is Polly. She achieved fame as the sexpot in 1961's Claudelle Inglish. It is significant that a western about two poker playing drifters could run for 5 years and win an Emmy in an era of law and order westerns. But Maverick did it because of the charm and personalities of James Garner and Jack Kelly.
Tell Your Friends