He Ran All the Way.

Review #2253: He Ran All the Way.

Cast: 

John Garfield (Nick Robey), Shelley Winters (Peg Dobbs), Wallace Ford (Mr. Dobbs), Selena Royle (Mrs. Dobbs), Gladys George (Mrs. Robey), Norman Lloyd (Al Molin), Bobby Hyatt (Tommy Dobbs), and Clancy Cooper (Stan) Directed by John Berry.

Review: 

Remember John Garfield? Tough guy actor, Method acting pioneer, martyr for the cause of not naming names, one probably should remember this actor. He had made his debut on Broadway at the age of nineteen in 1932 after rising from a tough upbringing to honing his craft in New York theatre (such as the Group Theatre). Six years later, he appeared in his first film with Four Daughters (1938) and garnered an Academy Award nomination to start his first couple of years in the Warner Bros. studio system before he decided to venture out with his own production company in the mid-1940s; Body and Soul (1947) was the highlight of the three-year run. Garfield died at the age of 39 from long-term heart problems (he had scarlet fever as a child while missing service in World War II because of his heart) in 1952. One year earlier, he appeared in his last feature film with He Ran All the Way, which was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by Sam Ross. Hugo Butler and Dalton Trumbo wrote the screenplay adaptation. Two months before this film was released, Garfield was asked to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities. He was a member of the Committee for the First Amendment, which was in support of ten individuals that were cited for contempt of Congress and blacklisted when they didn't answer questions of alleged involvement with the Communist Party, which included Trumbo; being a part of that committee, combined with a wife who actually was a member of the Communist Party in America and testimony that did not "name names", led to Garfield being ignored by studios. Incidentally, John Berry was also wrapped up in the HUAC witch-hunt, because Edward Dmytryk (a member of the aforementioned "Hollywood Ten") decided to testify and named Berry as a communist (Berry had indeed been in the party for a time). Berry would have to move away from America to find work to direct for a time; Berry returned and eventually got to direct features again, most notably with Claudine (1974). Butler himself was chased out of working in Hollywood for a number of years because of the HUAC. The film, distributed by United Artists, made $1 million on original release.

Seemingly, you can find a noir classic if you know where to go. There is a great sense of claustrophobia present for a movie with such a delicate sense of self for 78 minutes. Garfield as a whole deserved better, but he really pulled it all in with this performance of a scared creature that is exposed to the elements when you see him opposite other people. Sure, you might wonder what he is doing interacting with a mother in the intro where he looks a bit old to still be around living with her, but then I think that even there it seems clear that we are dealing with someone who lives only to use people and things as much as he tries to do because of how alone he really is. Imagine the depths one has to go to make people be around you and all one can come up with is aggression. Garfield just sells that desperation in such a quick amount of time that makes one realize that some Method guys really could just lock in when they needed to. Incidentally, this is the same year that Winters was nominated for her first Academy Award for her performance in A Place in the Sun. Interestingly, she was so into the idea of being into this film with Garfield and Berry that when faced with the idea of having to turn down the film for some contract costume drama (Little Egypt), she intentionally went on an eating habit (apparently over a week and a weekend) to gain weight to get out of that film, which worked. It is easy to see her talent, because she plays opposite Garfield with such worthwhile timing that makes the drama of collaboration with a kidnapper-turned-accomplice so fascinating. Ford provides the usual character actor stuff that is reliable in terms of apprehension, as one would expect from someone in the middle of a growing shaky bond between man and woman. As a whole, this is a damn good movie, with Berry and Garfield leading the way in worthwhile tension in the portrait of a scared creature and the personality that comes out in such a rapid-fire and terse way for such a grim and devastating film, particularly in its climax in those last few minutes.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

The Steel Helmet.

Review #2234: The Steel Helmet.

Cast: 

Gene Evans (Sergeant Zack), Robert Hutton (Private Bronte), Steve Brodie (Lieutenant Driscoll), James Edwards (Corporal Thompson), Richard Loo (Sergeant Tanaka), Sid Melton (Joe), Richard Monahan (Private Baldy), William Chun ("Short Round"), Harold Fong (The Red), Neyle Morrow (First GI), and Lynn Stalmaster (Second Lieutenant) Written, Produced, and Directed by Samuel Fuller (#1790 - Park Row)

Review: 

"I hate violence. That has never prevented me from using it in my films. It's part of human nature." - Samuel Fuller

It isn't too surprising that there were a few films made about the war effort in Korea while the war there was occurring, particularly one made by a veteran of the last World War. Samuel Fuller had served in the United States Army within the infantry. He went from working on screenplays to offering his services to direct with I Shot Jesse James (1949), which worked well enough to get him to continue as a director, which led to The Baron of Arizona (1950). With this film, he added producer to his line of credits (each of these first films were produced in some way by Robert L. Lippert). In his autobiography, he stated that he wanted to make a movie different from the usual stuff seen involving war, such as seeing the "genuine hardship of soldiers" to go with the fact that war in its confusion and brutality needed to be shown more so than straight heroism. Fuller cast Evans (an actor who had done only bit parts after returning from U.S. Army after having served as an engineer) on the strength of his actions when he approached for the role: when Fuller tossed an M1 rifle at him, he grabbed it, complete with racking it back when asked to by Fuller. He was kept even when suggestions were made to cast Larry Parks (of course, bigger studios earlier had thought of making it with John Wayne as the lead). Fuller shot exteriors for the film at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. His attempts to show the "organized insanity" that comes in war managed to ruffle feathers on each side (lefty or not), particularly with a visit with Army officials because of certain actions depicted in the film that, well, matched with actual events seen by Fuller, such as the shooting of a prisoner of war. The resulting film was a general hit (incidentally, the war would enter a period of stalemates that lasted until the 1953 ceasefire) that saw Fuller get a contract with 20th Century Fox for a time, for which his next film in Fixed Bayonets! (1951) also was a war film.

What we have is a straight-to-the-point story that manages to achieve the brilliance of looking like a thoughtful movie about the madness that arises in war that struck differently from the angle of the time within budgetary limitations that do more than if it had been a multimillion-dollar film. One gets an honest movie for 85 minutes with a worthwhile ensemble that shows the worry that arises from being packed in such a rough situation without turning it into a mark for eventual ra-ra heroism. In fact, the end of the film merely has a card saying, "There is no end to this story", which one doesn't usually get from their war films. It stokes curiosity for seeing strangers in a strange land rather than just being a mark for patriotism. Of course, they also don't usually see people asked about why they maintained their service even in the face of racism back home (such as the prior internment of Japanese Americans less than ten years prior). Fuller acts on his instincts to make a pulpy war film (dedicated to the U.S. infantry, as seen in the intro) that likely will leave a cutting impression on its viewer after it is finished. It doesn't take long to see the wisdom of having casted Evans (who would feature in a few more Fuller films) when it comes to his naturalistic performance that we follow along with in great interest in its gruff glory from the word go. The melting pot within the people around Evans is a curious one (one even is a conscientious objector) that consisted of actors who either didn't get many chances to get their due that do pretty well, such as the weariness played by Loo (a Hawaiian-born actor with Chinese ancestry that did plenty of stock roles) and Edwards. The bond of Evans and Chun is a curious one because of how each fit in the loosest of senses with the others, particularly since most of it is spent in a Buddhist temple with tension bubbling among these strangers that probably match the quote stated best in the film involving two kinds of soldiers, "those who are dead and those who are going to die." Aside from its partial time with Fong, one is mostly here with these shaky band of brothers before that fateful climax (as skillfully done with a handful of extras in a park) that drifts to a sobering conclusion for those who survive as opposed to the ones that did not get killed that day. As such, this is a worthwhile hard-nosed war film that rises above expectations with a useful cast and director all working in stride that results in an honest winner.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Father's Little Dividend.

Review #2225: Father's Little Dividend.

Cast: 

Spencer Tracy (Stanley T. Banks), Joan Bennett (Ellie Banks), Elizabeth Taylor (Kay Dunstan), Don Taylor (Buckley Dunstan), Billie Burke (Doris Dunstan), Moroni Olsen (Herbert Dunstan), Richard Rober (Police Sergeant), Marietta Canty (Delilah), and Russ Tamblyn (Tommy Banks) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante, #510 - Father of the Bride, #620 - Lust for Life, #878 - The Long, Long Trailer, #986 - An American in Paris, #1031 - Meet Me in St. Louis, and #1397 - Gigi)

Review: 

Admittedly, covering sequels don't always fall by the wayside so hard like this. I was surprised to realize that I had watched the original Father of the Bride (1950)...nearly eleven years ago. Having to look back at a review made before I could even vote honestly makes me cringe, but I can reasonably defend my assessment of the film now and then as one that, well, has an "always fun to watch" Spencer Tracy. He was a versatile actor that really could run the gamut from drama to comedy, and it showed pretty well in that aforementioned Bride (as adapted from the 1949 novel of the same name that had been written by Edward Streeter) film in showing the road of a man that has seen his one daughter become a married woman (the result was an Academy Award nomination, go figure). Both that film and this one were written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett (a regular couple that did stuff such as The Thin Man and later the play/screenplay of The Diary of Anne Frank) to go with the return of cast and crew for one of those early examples of a studio sequel. Apparently, the movie was shot in just a bit over three weeks as the film made by Vincente Minnelli when he was taking a break from An American in Paris (also released in 1951). The movie was a fair hit with audiences and also one you probably encountered on public domain because due to a failed copyright renewal, one can easily see the 82 minute on the Internet or, well, on a cheap DVD.

Well, it may be a rushed product of a sequel, but it is a lightly entertaining film. It is a family film of the 1950s through and through, in terms of the positive realization that comes in learning to say the words "I am a grandfather". Tracy does narration at times just like the previous film, which here is about the same level of effective on a slightly smaller scale. He apparently had a bit of reluctance to do the film, but it doesn't show here as he remains fairly committed to playing the lead in wry commitment, you'd expect in a patriarch like him. Bennett did not get to do as many films as one would expect after this one, probably because of a scandal where her husband (Walter Wanger) shot her agent in the groin because he thought they were having an affair that occurred the same year that this film was released. She does about as well as she did in the previous film in warm support. The Taylors still make a neat pairing together as pieces that maneuver (and are maneuvered) just as much as one sees with Tracy's character when it comes to routine married life. The film doesn't go too ga-ga on baby jokes and eventually finds some footing for its climax (what else but a christening) because it is hard to really grind cynicism over useful routine like this about maintaining sense in a sometimes sense-less place, family or not. In conclusion, it certainly shows a few seams of strain when it comes to being anything more than what you might find in a sitcom of its ilk, but there is a general warmth that comes through in terms of the commitment of its cast and an overall hopeful message of maintaining oneself even with the inevitable passage of time and family. 

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Hard, Fast and Beautiful.

Review #2189: Hard, Fast and Beautiful.

Cast: 

Claire Trevor (Millie Farley), Sally Forrest (Florence Farley), Carleton G. Young (Fletcher Locke), Robert Clarke (Gordon McKay), Kenneth Patterson (Will Farley), Marcella Cisney (Miss Martin), and Joseph Kearns (J.R. Carpenter) Directed by Ida Lupino (#799 - The Hitch-Hiker, #1651 - Never Fear, #1811 - Not Wanted, #1991 - Outrage)

Review: 

"“I’m mad, they say. I am temperamental and dizzy and disagreeable. Well, let them talk. Only one person can hurt me. Her name is Ida Lupino."

You have to understand that Ida Lupino had to work hard to get her films made with as little as trouble as possible as one could do when doing films that were done in production with Collier Young and the distribution that came with this film in RKO. The movie was based on a novel by John R. Tunis (often considered a pioneer in the modern version of the sports story). Some sources have said the source material was his novel American Girl, a 1930 novel. Tunis apparently cited Helen Wills when it came to his fictionalization for a story considering unflattering in what happened to be the only novel that he wrote to be published for adults, as most of his works were quite popular in the kid's market (this idea of it being based on Wills seems curious, as she was described as quite focused on the court at large, which resulted in eight wins at Wimbledon, among other things). However, other sources contend that the story "Mother of a Champion" was an inspiration for the film. The screenplay was written by Martha Wilkerson, who actually was better known as a disc jockey (named "GI Jill") on GI Jive, a radio program that was aired during World War II. This was her only film screenplay, although she did write for a handful of television programs. Eleanor Tennant, cited often as the first female player to turn professional (until 1968, it was more of a thing for people to stay as amateurs because that is where the titles such as Wimbledon were played with), was cited as a technical advisor for the film.

As her fourth film as a director, it certainly has its own edge in looking upon the clash of sincerity and ambition that strikes a bit different from her previous movies about an unwed mother, polio, and rape victim. There are elements here that make one think they are watching a noir that her previous films have done in their own interesting ways when it comes to talking about her intent to do movies with "poor bewildered people" because of what we people are. In this case, we have a bewildered mother that tries to live vicariously through their daughter to get a life better than the one she felt was denied to her. It's the general story one can see in other people's lives when it comes to domineering parents among impressionable youths. Trevor (an Academy Award winning actress for Key Largo [1948], remember) is the ideal presence in domineering obsession that we can wince at with such truthful edge. Her craven pursuits are a human one that isn't just a goofy villain, particularly when sharing scenes with Patterson and his calm patience for such brazen ambition. Forrest appeared in a Lupino film for the third and final time (having appeared in Not Wanted and Never Fear), which also happened to be just before she transitioned to also doing TV roles. She does pretty well here in needing to find one's path beyond obedience to their elders and finding someone (or something) to spend time for themselves. It goes okay in that pairing of Forrest and Clarke is the kind of stuff that is vanilla but totally ideal in being a threat to someone like Trevor when it comes to being the key sphere in one's life. The tennis action is cut pretty well to what one would think would need to be present that is a pretty neat capsule for how it looked in some way for the time made. The ending is, well, take one guess in what happens with a dilemma involving a growing woman having to make her own decision. I do like the closing sequence where a woman sits alone in a vacant stadium, left to ponder the hollowness of the choices made to get to where they are sitting now. As a whole, it is a decent film that belongs squarely with the kind of human interest that Lupino liked to do in her films that will work for its 78 minutes for those who know what they are getting into with her as a filmmaker and as a curiosity as a tennis film.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Olivia (1951).

Review #1990: Olivia (1951).

Cast: 

Edwige Feuillère (Mlle. Julie), Simone Simon (Mlle. Cara), Marie-Claire Olivia (Olivia Dealey), Yvonne de Bray (Victoire), Suzanne Dehelly (Mlle. Dubois), Marina de Berg (Mimi), Lesly Meynard (Frau Riesener), and Danièle Delorme (Une ancienne élève) Directed by Jacqueline Audry (#1650 - Gigi (1949))

Review: 

Once again with Audry, we have the telling of a passionate yearning of a young girl, this time wrapped in tragedy. Admittedly, this is the kind of material I should have seen coming from her, because she liked to specialize in trying to make her mark in the confines of sophisticated melodramas that liked to see literary adaptations. But Olivia is an interesting work to find. The movie is adapted from the novel of the same name that had been written by Dorothy Bussy. Bussy wrote the short novel based on her experiences as a student at Les Ruches, a girls boarding school in Fontainebleau, France that was founded by Marie Souvestre (her most famous student was Eleanor Roosevelt), although the manuscript was kept from publication for many years due to a discouraging response she got from a close friend. At any rate, it was published in 1949 (originally written in French but later translated to English). The screenplay was done by Pierre Laroche, who wrote for a number of his wife's films, while Colette Audry was credited with an adaptation credit. It was not the first publication that dealt with teenage interest with teachers, far from it: Claudine at School was written with debatably autobiographical elements by Colette in 1900, and I'm sure one doesn't need too many reminders of Mädchen in Uniform (1931). The film was known in America as "The Pit of Loneliness"; a re-mastering of the film was done in 2019, complete with a re-release that thankfully can be seen in the way intended (certain trimming was done in censorship back then).

As you might expect, the film grips at one's attention at what is implied rather than actual events, one with a watchful eye in its camera angles more than anything. In a place filled with only women and girls, factions rise up among the devoted. Most of all, it is the story of someone trying to figure out exactly what one's love is when it relates to another woman. At 95 minutes, a movie with plenty of subtext to go around will work for those who accept what the film wants to show in its ambiguities (as opposed to simply calling a more subdued Madchen in Uniform). The film even opens with a quote from "Olivia" that says love has been the key matter of her life forever along with a wish for the Gods to have not let her profane such a memory. This self-realization is one we can all share because we all have had that moment of having a great memory in love that we wish to have never turn into nothingness in affections. Feuillère and Simon are the two distinct forces that hold a certain kind of spell over these people, and one of them spends most of their time writhing in bed. Feuillere essentially dominates the landscape when it comes to definable qualities of the film, one who towers in charisma that you can easily spot as important when trying to decipher the film in the things that are left unsaid. Marie-Claire Olivia is best known for this film because of how she only made a handful of appearances to go with her changing her name before release to have a last name of "Olivia". Her whirlwind of impulses and foibles work more or less to where you anticipate, which means a decent performance in enthusiasm and tension. The camera sweeps over the proceedings with worthy curiosity, one that suits the staging drama set out by Audry without becoming a maudlin mess. As a 19th century tale of awakenings and frustrations, it makes for a decent idea to spend one's time in the pit of yearning.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Next Time: Outrage. Also...

The African Queen.

Review #1379: The African Queen.

Cast: 
Humphrey Bogart (Charlie Allnut), Katharine Hepburn (Rose Sayer), Robert Morley (Rev. Samuel Sayer), Peter Bull (Captain of the Königin Luise), Theodore Bikel (First Officer of the Königin Luise), Walter Gotell (Second Officer of the Königin Luise), Peter Swanwick (First Officer of Fort Shona), and Richard Marner (Second Officer of Fort Shona) Directed by John Huston (#081 - The Maltese Falcon (1941), #094 - The Misfits, #224 - Casino Royale (1967), and #419 - Key Largo)

Review: 
"The directing of a picture involves coming out of your individual loneliness and taking a controlling part in putting together a small world. A picture is made. You put a frame around it and move on. And one day you die. That is all there is to it."
"The only thing you owe the public is a good performance."

Everyone needs a good adventure now and then. Who better to make an adventure than John Huston? He had grown from a bedridden childhood to a resilient early adulthood spent doing various things such as amateur boxing, acting, honorary membership of the Mexican cavalry, and eventually writing, first through magazines before finding his way to contract writing in Hollywood. However, it wasn't until 1938 that he found his way to substantial success as a serious writer, most notably with Jezebel for Warner Brothers. In 1941, he was granted a chance to direct his first film with The Maltese Falcon (1941), an influential noir classic. He directed two further films before serving in the US Army for World War II, where he made a few short films for the Signal Corps before returning to Hollywood for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), where he won Academy Awards for directing and screenplay. In a career that lasted until his death in 1987, he directed and wrote over thirty films, notably directing his father Walter and his daughter Anjelica each to Academy Award wins for their acting in one of Huston's films. One particular actor who benefited from Huston was Humphrey Bogart. He had started his acting career in the theatre, which resulted in a few notices before trying his hand with film parts (with his debut being a short in 1928). Bogart's role in play The Petrified Forest (1935) helped in getting his foot firmly in the door for film roles when it came time for the film adaptation the following year. High Sierra (1941) was the first collaboration between Bogart and Huston (who wrote the film), and the two would collaborate in six films together as star and director.

The film was adapted from the 1935 novel of the same name by C. S. Forester, which originally had the character of Allnut as an English Cockney (which was changed to him being a Canadian) along with an ambiguous ending for its main characters with its final line. The film had a mixed production between scenes shot in Britian and the Belgian Congo, with a good deal of the cast getting sick (except for Bogart and Huston, who apparently thrived on canned food and whiskey). In any case, one can see the tremendous craftsmanship on display in terms of directing and writing (Huston, James Agee, with un-credited work by John Collier and Peter Viertel) that go along with an incredible pairing with Bogart and Hepburn that make 105 minutes seem to go by quickly. Each play off each other with tense passion that can go for humor alongside drama without becoming a parody of itself. Bogart grabs your attention as he always does with his weary charm and plenty of concentration that is to be expected from him. As such, Hepburn matches up to him just as much in terms of great free-spirited presence that equates to an interesting match that charms the audience once it gets started. There are other members of the cast (such as Morley, who is in the first few minutes), but one spends a primary amount of time with Bogart & Hepburn and finds themselves lost as if they were actually on the boat besides them, complete with Technicolor photography from Jack Cardiff. One should not be surprised to know that this was a hit with the public, with Bogart even winning an Academy Award for his work in the film (while Hepburn and Huston received nominations for acting and directing/writing, respectively), and it is not hard to see why. It is a prime adventure story to serve as the template for plenty of other romantic adventure films, one with a dynamic duo game enough to interact with each other in amusing or touching ways that gives the audience enough curiosity for more in a decade that had plenty of crowd-pleasers to sift through.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

People Will Talk.

Review #1378: People Will Talk.

Cast: 
Cary Grant (Dr. Noah Praetorius), Jeanne Crain (Deborah Higgins), Finlay Currie (Shunderson), Hume Cronyn (Prof. Rodney Elwell), Walter Slezak (Prof. Lyonel Barker), Sidney Blackmer (Arthur Higgins), Basil Ruysdael (Dean Lyman Brockwell), and Katherine Locke (Miss James) Written and Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (#750 - All About Eve)

Review: 
A good movie comes from a variety of aspects, whether through its actors or through its director in telling a story worth experiencing on screen. Joseph L. Mankiewicz. He had started in Hollywood as a titles writer because of his brother Herman (an accomplished writer in his own right, notably co-writing Citizen Kane), eventually moving on to writing scripts such as Skippy (1931, where he earned his first Academy Award nomination). He worked for Paramount for a few years before moving to MGM to write and eventually produce films as a well (although he did un-credited work on numerous productions of his). He shifted to 20th Century Fox and found his chance to direct, which he did with Dragonwyck (1946). He soon reached prime success with A Letter to Three Wives (1949) and All About Eve (1950). Both films won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Adapted Screenplay. In total, Mankiewicz made twenty films (with one documentary and one TV film) from 1946 to 1972 before his death at the age of 83 in 1993, with other notable films of his being Julius Caesar (1953), Cleopatra (1963), and Sleuth (1972).

The film was adapted from the German play Dr. med. Hiob Prätorius by Curt Goetz, which had been adapted into a film one year prior in West Germany (which Goetz co-directed along with playing the title role) and would be done again in 1965. The 1950s were still a time for a Production Code (with power that withered considerably) that tended to butt itself in to films touching certain aspects of life , such as wedlock pregnancies or taking one's life, but that didn't mean films couldn't find ways around it with cleverness or some amiable star power, which works itself out with folks like Mankiewicz and Grant at the helm. This is an interesting comedy-drama, one wrapped in casual composed charm from Grant (as one could expect) and a measured presence from Crain that makes for a sly and clever time that aims for sophistication over convention in terms of life with medicine. It has a foundation that can still be applied today, where a good film is like medicine in being more than a bunch of parts to jam together but one that needs good care and belief in one's director, which works adequately enough for 110 minutes. Currie carries through with support as a careful presence that isn't forgotten from the screen for too long, while Cronyn contributes an adversarial role with the right sense of condensation and envy and Slezak delivers some light charm. There are quite a few interesting moments to highlight, such as Grant dealing with composing music with a student/faculty orchestra, or the misconduct hearing with composed sly tone and humor. It might not be the best film in the Mankiewicz portfolio, but it is still a worthy one worth checking out for its charm and reach for drama alongside comedy that stands for itself as a fair gem for the 1950s.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The River (1951).

Review #1234: The River (1951).

Cast: 
Nora Swinburne (The Mother), Esmond Knight (The Father), Arthur Shields (Mr. John), Suprova Mukerjee (Nan), Thomas E. Breen (Capt. John), Patricia Walters (Harriet), Radha Burnier (Melanie), Adrienne Corri (Valerie), and June Hillman (Narrator) Directed by Jean Renoir.

Review: 
Admittedly, some films can stick out for their cast and crew, while others can stand out for their style and tone. This one does both in spades, the first color film shot in India along with the first color feature of its director. Jean Renoir (son of painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir) had been a director for decades prior to this film, directing films such as La Grande Illusion (1937) and The Rules of the Game (1939). By this point his career, he had spent a decade in Hollywood after fleeing invaded France in 1940. His last film had been The Woman on the Beach (1947), which had been re-edited prior to release. Renoir spent two years in India to shoot this film, for which he collaborated with Rumer Godden on converting her semi-autobiographical novel of the same name to film. Godden grew up in colonial India with three sisters for a time in her childhood; she wrote numerous fiction and nonfiction books, such as Black Narcissus and The Diddakoi, with numerous works being adapted into media (such as the 1947 film of the former). He directed the film along with serving as writer and co-producer. At hand as co-producer was a man named Kenneth McEldowney, a florist and real estate agent. He had complained about the quality an MGM film to his studio publicist wife, and she had dared him to make a better one. From 1947 to 1951, he spent his time trying to bring this film to fruition, having sold off their home and his floral shops. The resulting film opened in New York with a 34-week run at reserved-seat prices, a record for the time. McEldowney's first and only produced film proved to be a hit, and it is easy to see why that proved the case then as is now over six decades later.

It is a clear slowburn of a film, wrapped in a sense of spirituality and focus on telling a coming-of-age tale with sincerity and lack of Hollywood pretense. It flows like a river from one end to the other with a tone that spins like a globe, where life and death interweave with each other and so on. It has a mix of professional and amateur actors, such as Walters, a girl that Renoir described in his memoir as a "daughter of a man on the staff of one of the local industrial concerns" - this was her only film appearance. Hillman hadn't had a credited role on film in over a decade prior to serving as narrator for this feature. Breen was the son of film censor Joseph Breen (head of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America) and he had lost his right leg due to a combat injury in World War II, and this was his last movie appearance. Knight (who was half blind after a war injury) and Swinburne had been married for several years before this feature. In any case, it certainly makes for an interesting experience to see a variety of acting take place, which goes without much of a hitch. Seeing each of the perspectives of the three growing young ladies in Walters, Burnier, and Corri in their moments with the arrival of Breen makes for some interesting moments, and Burnier comes off best in that regard, where moments don't need to spelled out in detail for a viewer to absorb it fruitfully. Through its 99 minute run-time is something that has some nice photography (with cinematography done by Claude Renoir, Jean's nephew) and diverting lighting choices with color. The others do fine with their moments on screen, with Breen's vulnerability shining through well; it isn't the kind of film that would win many acting accolades, but it is certainly one that merits a look for its vision about growth through a prism of passion and tragedy that doesn't have an easy finish for anyone. It strives for something special with a natural concept idea and lands in the middle with a fairly compelling entertaining piece that shines for the curious viewer interested enough to seek it out.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

The Racket (1951).

Review #1008: The Racket.

Cast: 
Robert Mitchum (Captain Thomas McQuigg), Lizabeth Scott (Irene Hayes), Robert Ryan (Nick Scanlon), William Talman (Officer Bob Johnson), Ray Collins (District Attorney Mortimer X. Welch), Joyce MacKenzie (Mary McQuigg), Robert Hutton (Dave Ames), Virginia Huston (Lucy Johnson), and William Conrad (Detective Sergeant Turk) Directed by John Cromwell.

Review: 
When I reviewed the original 1928 version of The Racket (#901), I described it as an efficient film that ran at a fine pace that pushed the right buttons and served its purpose as a crime drama that had originally served as a stage play the previous year. In any case, it is interesting reviewing the remake that was made just two decades later, with the man who had starred as McQuigg in the original Broadway production serving as director. In any case, this is a movie that isn't much of an improvement on the original, though it is also a movie that is at best moderately satisfying to the standard of film noir crime drama that you might expect. The best thing about the movie is the scenes involving Mitchum and Ryan, such as their first scene together, when the latter ends up having to deal with his brother's involvement with a singer and an ensuing conversation about his care for him - along with dialogue about how the other will try to pull one over the other. There isn't much going for the film that you could already see in other gangster films (or even the original version), and the characters themselves aren't really all too interesting. Sure, Mitchum and Ryan pull off fine performances, and the rest of the cast are fairly decent, but they can't really elevate these characters to anything too special or compelling, although Conrad is certainly interesting to watch even when in the background. It seems to hint at something more with the corruption element, but it never really comes off as anything too revealing nor does it seem like it wants to say something more relevant than what you might expect. Oddly, though Cromwell is the only credited director, four other directors directed supplemental scenes in the film due to re-shoots ordered by Howard Hughes (owner of the studio that released the film, RKO Radio Pictures): Nicholas Ray (director of Rebel Without a Cause (#181) and Bigger Than Life (#928), Tay Garnett (director of films such as the 1946 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice), Sherman Todd (who also served as editor of the film) and Mel Ferrer (actor/director). Notable scenes that Ray directed include the beginning scene with the the Crime Commission, a police locker sequence, and other bits and pieces.

At 88 minutes, it's not exactly a slog of a film to go through, and it is a movie that is on a basic level entertaining, but it's really hard to recommend this film over other films (The Big Combo (#934), He Walked by Night (#947), or the 1928 original). On a grading scale, this would fall along a C level, but I can't blame someone for finding it useful to watch at least once. It's a mess, but it is a fine mess that shines in all sorts of directions for everyone, for better or for worse, being a pretty good example of a toss-up.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

An American in Paris.

Review #986: An American in Paris.

Cast: 
Gene Kelly (Jerry Mulligan), Leslie Caron (Lise Bouvier), Oscar Levant (Adam Cook), Georges Guétary (Henri "Hank" Baurel), Nina Foch (Milo Roberts), and Eugene Borden (Georges Mattieu) Directed by Vincente Minnelli (#405 - The Reluctant Debutante, #510 - Father of the Bride, #620 - Lust for Life, and #878 - The Long, Long Trailer)

Review: 
This was inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition of the same name by George Gershwin; I can't say I've done many movies based off a orchestral piece before, and I also can't say that they also have a 17-minute dance included as the climax either. In any case, this is a fine film, with a good amount of execution with its music and how it is shot. The music by Saul Chaplin and Johnny Green is fairly entertaining, but the biggest help to making all of the connections click is the things around it; the cinematography by John Alton and Alfred Gilks is top-notch, having a look that just syncs up with the mood; the costumes by Orry-Kelly, Walter Plunkett, and Irene Sharaff are also fine in giving the movie some fine flair. Admittedly, the plot is a bit thin in construction (with the kind of turns that you'd expect from a romance standpoint), but it manages to be enough of a showcase that it doesn't really drag the film too much. It isn't as great as something like Singin' in the Rain (released the following year), but both movie are good in their own right. Kelly is charismatic as ever, having the kind of charm and usefulness that one would expect from him, graceful in movement and stature. Caron, a dancer in her film debut, does alright, although she shines more in the dancing scenes than when sharing time onscreen with the plot, mainly because she doesn't really have chemistry with either Kelly or Guétary, although she at least has some screen presence. Guétary has some mild charm in the scenes that he is in. Levant is fine to watch, with his piano sequences being pretty entertaining. Foch is okay, although her scenes with Kelly don't really go anywhere too special in terms of appeal. The biggest highlight is probably the sequence at the end (lasting 17 minutes), being the ultimate showstopper spectacle for a film musical like this.

This movie won six Academy Awards, with wins for Best Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Best Music Scoring of a Musical Picture, Original Screenplay, and Best Picture. In addition, Kelly received an Academy Honorary Award for "his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film", and it certainly seems fitting. He pulls in a tremendous performance that (along with all of the other things that shine in the movie) make for a great piece of entertainment that works in most of the right places, charm and all.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

The Lavender Hill Mob.

Review #953: The Lavender Hill Mob.

Cast:
Alec Guinness (Henry "Dutch" Holland), Stanley Holloway (Alfred "Al" Pendlebury), Sid James (Lackery Wood), Alfie Bass (Shorty Fisher), Marjorie Fielding (Mrs. Chalk), Edie Martin (Miss Evesham), John Salew (Parkin), Ronald Adam (Turner), and Arthur Hambling (Wallis) Directed by Charles Crichton (#428 - A Fish Called Wanda)

Review:
At 81 minutes, this is a capable heist comedy that manages to be clever along with amusing. This movie (made in the United Kingdom) won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay (now known as Best Original Screenplay), and it's not hard to see why; the heist elements are crafted at a good pace, with the scheme to do the heist (converting the bullion into paperweights) is handy, with the idea having been thought up by the filmmakers when conversing with the Bank of London. Guinness and Holloway make for a good capable duo, particularly when they are just forming their plan, with credit to their expressions and the way they handle their lines. James and Bass and fairly capable contributors, being pretty crafty and amusing as well. The rest of the cast is pretty decent, but the real fun is seeing the movie execute itself with its situations. This is a light fun film that moves at a ready pace and works magic out of being engaging and not having a dull moment at any time. The film uses its locations well, with the Eiffel Tower sequence being pretty clever and entertaining, especially with Guinness and Holloway laughing down the tower steps. The climax is handled quite well, having its share of thrills but also moments of hilarious moments; the framing device the film uses in the beginning to tell the story does not hinder the suspense too much of wondering if Guinness will get away with the loot because of how engaging the movie is. This is a film that is easy to recommend watching due to its cleverness and charm.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

The Man from Planet X.

Review #943: The Man from Planet X.

Cast:
Robert Clarke (John Lawrence), Margaret Field (Enid Elliot), Raymond Bond (Professor Elliot), William Schallert (Dr. Mears), Roy Engel (Tommy the Constable), Charles Davis (Georgie, man at dock), Gilbert Fallman (Dr. Robert Blane), and David Ormont (Inspector Porter) Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer (#797 - People on Sunday and #803 - Detour)

Review:
This film was made in just six days, while being shot on sets that had previously been used for the 1948 film version of Joan of Arc; fog machines were used not only for mood but also used in order to cover up parts of the set that weren't exactly there. This is the kind of movie where atmosphere and charm outweigh its cheaply thin nature to make a fairly decent movie. Clarke is a capable lead, carrying the movie with a good ounce of sincerity. Field and Bond are also pretty decent; Schallert is fine in an adversarial role; the film doesn't tell us what he did that apparently should've got him "twenty years", but he captures the ambitious but flawed type pretty well - even if he is also used in order to explain the plot later on. The movie runs pretty decently, lasting just 70 minutes and not seeming to waste any of its time either.

The alien is somewhat unique in that he communicates by modulated musical sounds; you never see his whole body throughout the film (due to the lighting), but his facial effects are pretty decent. One strange thing to note is the fact that there is no credit given to the actor who plays the titular character; it has been rumored to either have been Pat Goldin or dwarf actor Billy Curtis, though nothing can be confirmed (if one wants to go by Wikipedia, anyway). As stated before, the atmosphere of the film is quite nice, with nothing looks ridiculously out of place. The plot is a bit strange, with the main motivation not revealed until the last 10 minutes and the ending lines not exactly making sense. Field's character states that the creature was friendly and wondering what would have happened had Schaller's character had not "frightened him"...except that the creature was trying to get his people to invade the planet in order to survive, while they turned others in the island into zombies. No matter how the alien seemed, the fact remains that him and the planet mutually wanted to survive by invasion. In any case, this isn't a great flick, but it is at the very least a quick little film that manages to be fairly entertaining and overriding its limitations, with a good part of the credit going to the cast but also to Ulmer and his direction.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Review #725: The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Cast
Michael Rennie (Klaatu), Patricia Neal (Helen Benson), Billy Gray (Bobby Benson), Hugh Marlowe (Tom Stephens), Sam Jaffe (Professor Jacob Barnhardt), Frances Bavier (Mrs. Barley), Lock Martin (Gort), and Frank Conroy (Mr. Harley) Directed by Robert Wise (#515 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Review
If you haven't watched the movie but you are reading this review, there might be spoilers, so tread carefully and...watch the movie! Now then...

Simply put, this is a truthful movie. Even after 64 years, this movie manages to have a message that still resonates today. Especially with the way technology has progressed in the time since. Many people have talked about this movie in length already, but this review is meant to just be about how the movie is. And it is great. The buildup to the movie's message at the end, the performance of Rennie as Klaatu, Gort's presence, Bernard Herrmann's music, and the way that it is shot make for one of the more memorable 1950's alien visitor stories, but more importantly one of the best movies about humanity's reach and how even technology could be our own downfall, no matter what intent it may have, along with paranoia.

It shows the degrees of how humans interact to Klaatu's presence: From the hundreds of observers who flock to see him and his saucer's arrival, to the ones who are scared of him and Gort, to the ones who want to see him destroyed, to the curious scientific minds, to the one little boy who enjoys his presence, and so on. It's not a "people vs the alien" type of a movie, it plays on the paranoia of the people to Klaatu and the era in general this was made, being released just a few years after World War II ended, which is reflected a few times during the film.

Rennie is interesting as Klaatu, making him so interesting to watch because of how he interacts with the humans around him, especially regarding his quest regarding his message. The rest of the cast does a fine job, enabling the degrees of humans and their interactions with him. Let's not forget about Gort, played by Martin (reportedly to be at least 7 feet tall, though some report at least 7'7), who had to film in short intervals due to his troubles with the heavy suit. But even with that fact, his silent movements (along with how the suit was made) help keep the movie from falling off the rails by simply being effective in keeping the tense atmosphere. If the effect had been less well crafted, I wonder if the movie would've had the same effect.

The movie also benefits from the ethereal nature of Herrmann's score, which right from the very beginning sets the tone of the movie and makes the atmosphere of the movie seem to come alive. It's a great movie to watch and look at too, especially the shots of the saucer coming down to Washington, or seeing the military vehicles driving to pursue Klaatu. Klaatu's message at the end of the movie is neither heavy-handed nor dated, it's a message that still rings true today about how we have a choice about our fate, and we'll either join them or be destroyed. I can't imagine the remake being any better than this. Ultimately, would I recommend this movie (instead of the remake)? You bet.

Lastly...Klaatu barada nikto. It's a unique phrase that has become referenced in multiple movies, TV shows, and other various forms of media, along with being a really cool thing to say.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Alice in Wonderland (1951).

Review #683: Alice in Wonderland.

Cast
Kathryn Beaumont (Alice), Ed Wynn (Mad Hatter), Jerry Colonna (March Hare), Richard Haydn (Caterpillar), Sterling Holloway (Cheshire Cat), Verna Felton (Queen of Hearts), Pat O'Malley (Tweedledum and Tweedledee/The Walrus and the Carpenter/Mother Oyster), Bill Thompson (White Rabbit/The Dodo), and Heather Angel (Dinah, Alice's sister) Directed by Clyde Geronimi (#178 - Peter Pan, #373 - Cinderella, #511 - The Three Caballeros, and #660 - Sleeping Beauty), Wilfred Jackson (#178 and #373) and Hamilton Luske (#178 and #373)

Review
It's hard to make much judgement on a movie like this. On the one hand, it's an imaginative movie that also creates a world that makes no sense. The characters are drawn really well but are also insane. The movie is short but it also could've not have its ending be so abrupt. But on the whole, the movie is entertaining. Beaumont does a really good job as Alice due to watching how she responds to the inane world around her, which contrasts well, and she is a likable character. The other characters can be annoying and fun to watch, though remembering that the world they live in is figuratively nonsensical makes the movie more enjoyable. The Walrus and the Carpenter story is pretty funny, and I'm impressed it was one actor who did all the voice work for that short bit, Pat O'Malley, which is well done. If the movie had been a little longer it might've made for a little more story element (and perhaps an ending that isn't just "let's have some tea".), but the movie is fine nonetheless, and it is quickly enjoyable, and I'd recommend it. But of course I'd recommend the original novel by Lewis Carroll as well, either before or after watching this, so there you go.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Strangers on a Train.

Review #553: Strangers on a Train.

Cast
Farley Granger (Guy Haines), Ruth Roman (Anne Morton), Robert Walker (Bruno Anthony), Leo G. Carroll (Senator Morton), Patricia Hitchcock (Barbara Morton), Laura Elliott (Miriam Joyce Haines), Marion Lorne (Mrs. Anthony), Jonathan Hale (Mr. Anthony), Norma Varden (Mrs. Cunningham), and John Brown (Professor Collins) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (#219 - Rope, #223 - North by Northwest, #446 - Spellbound, #447 - Psycho, #450 - Vertigo, and #455 - Rear Window)

Review
Once again I'm covering a Hitchcock film, which by this point in my show, has become a recurring theme. But Hitchcock once again entertains and shows his worth as a master of cinema. The movie has many tense moments, but the one moment many (including myself) remember is the scene where Walker's character strangles Elliot's, with the murder being seen through a reflection of Elliot's glasses, a unusual shot, but unique. The actors are excellent, Granger and Walker work well together, they play off well with each other and Roman, also Walker (who would sadly die two months after this film was released) is entertaining to watch interact with everyone. The fight scene at the end is excellent, it's fast paced (literally), it's mostly devoid of dialogue, and it manages to deliver suspense. This is a really excellent movie with many excellent scenes.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Thing from Another World.

Review #519: The Thing from Another World.

Cast
Margaret Sheridan (Nikki Nicholson), Kenneth Tobey (Captain Patrick Hendry), Robert Cornthwaite (Dr. Arthur Carrington), Douglas Spencer (Ned Scott), James Young (Lt. Eddie Dykes), Dewey Martin (Crew Chief Bob), Robert Nichols (Lt. Ken 'Mac' MacPherson), James Arness (The Thing), and William Self (Corporal Barnes) Directed by Christian Nyby.

Review
The movie (produced under Howard Hawks' Winchester Pictures Corporation) shows promise and it lives up to it. The title sequence is excellent, because it has a certain interest in mind and intrigues you in. The actors do fine, and James Arness does impressive as the Thing's body (I do wonder how scary the movie would be with Thing from The Addams Family), and the movie itself doesn't have too many hokey moments, it has its moments of tension and suspense, such as the end sequence, and the last line is slightly chilling. The movie (I guess it's a cliche to remake movies over 40 years old I suppose) has been remade, one by John Carpenter in 1982, and the other in 2011, but this on its own is a decent movie.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Angels in the Outfield (1951).

Review #433: Angels in the Outfield.

Cast

Paul Douglas (Guffy McGovern), Janet Leigh (Jennifer Paige), Keenan Wynn (Fred Bayles), Donna Corcoran (Bridget White), Lewis Stone (Arnold P. Hapgood), Bruce Bennett (Saul Hellman), and James Whitmore. Directed by Clarence Brown (#423 - A Woman of Affiars)

Review

Baseball films have been shown prominently (mostly), such as Cobb, The Jackie Robinson Story, 42, The Natural, The Babe, Major League, ...and The Babe Ruth Story. After I saw the heinously overly sweet "The Babe Ruth Story", I needed something, anything to watch to get it out of my head. And so I decided to watch Angels in the Outfield, and as the film kept going, I realized that while this film wasn't exactly jumping out of the cliche monsters that sometimes plague sports films, this has enjoyment written all over it. It's a kids film at heart yes, but the baseball action is fine, with the players not swinging awfully as Bendix, and this film does have its moments, such as when Douglas' character meets Leigh's, where Douglas gives a reply on a note card with "Boo!" after Leigh criticises his team. I don't know why, but that's what gets to me, and it's a unknown sort of spirit that makes this a passable film. 

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars. 

Movie Night: Ace in the Hole.

Review #194: Ace in the Hole.

Cast
Kirk Douglas (Chuck Tatum), Jan Sterling (Lorraine Minosa), Robert Arthur (Herbie Cook), Porter Hall (Jacob Q. Boot), Frank Cady (Mr. Federber), Richard Benedict (Leo Minosa), Ray Teal (Sheriff Kretzer), Lewis Martin (McCardle), John Berkes (Papa Minosa), Frances Dominguez (Mama Minosa), and Gene Evans (Deputy Sheriff) Directed by Billy Wilder (#106 - Some Like It Hot)

Review
Nearly sixty one years old, this film still has some bite. Originally called The Big Carnival, it was not a success initially, but today it is a classic. Cynical and nail biting to the point, it also has good acting from Kirk Douglas, who is the father of another great actor, Michael Douglas, who I mentioned already (#095 - Wall Street). Both can play alluring roles that charm you into watching the movie. Fun fact: Kirk's real name was Issur Danielovitch. Wilder directed, wrote, and produce, and yet this wasn't much of a success back then. But as time passes, so does opinions, and I feel that way as well. Unrelenting yet still realistic with good noir with a good ending shot to top it off. It might be a bit slow in the beginning, but it all tops out in the end. Countdown to 200: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: A Streetcar Named Desire.

Review #109: A Streetcar Named Desire.

Cast
Vivien Leigh (Blanche DuBois), Marlon Brando (Stanley Kowalski), Kim Hunter (Stella Kowalski), Karl Malden (Harold Mitchell), Rudy Bond (Steve Hubbel), Nick Dennis (Pablo Gonzales), and Peg Hillias (Eunice Hubbel) Directed by Elia Kazan (#104 - East of Eden)

Review
This film was adpated from the classic play by Tennessee Williams, with Brando, Hunter, and Malden as the roles, with Jessica Tandy as DuBois. In the film, he was replaced by another player of the play (in London). Anyway, the film has good acting, dramatic style, and just plain old fashion writing that you don't see a lot anymore. Leigh steals the show, as she should be, commanding this role easily (winning an Oscar for it along with Hunter and Malden, strangely Brando lost in his catagory). The film is not flawed, not too different from the play, given the circumstances and all. In short, a good film.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Scrooge (1951).

Review #076: Scrooge.

Cast
Alastair Sim (Ebenezer Scrooge), Kathleen Harrison (Mrs. Dilber), Mervyn Johns (Bob Cratchit), and Hermione Baddeley (Mrs. Cratchit). Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst.

Review
This may not be the first film based on A Christmas Carol, but it is the first one I've seen (There will be a review of another adaptation) This movie is a grim tale that tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his greed. It's a story that is entertaining and saddening too. This film has good acting, a story that entertains you and frightens you with brilliant pacing and a classic story that will make you cry with tears of joy at the end.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.