Movie Night: Gone with the Wind.

Review #569: Gone with the Wind.

Cast
Clark Gable (Rhett Butler), Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O'Hara), Leslie Howard (Ashley Wilkes), Olivia de Havilland (Melanie Hamilton), Hattie McDaniel (Mammy), Thomas Mitchell (Gerald O'Hara), Howard C. Hickman (John Wilkes), Alicia Rhett (India Wilkes), Barbara O'Neil (Ellen O'Hara), Rand Brooks (Charles Hamilton), and Cammie King Conlon (Bonnie Blue Butler) Directed by Victor Fleming (The Wizard of Oz)

Review
When asked what is the greatest movie of all time, some answer Citizen Kane, others answer Vertigo, some answer The Empire Strikes Back (Or A New Hope, take your pick), or Battleship Potemkin. But some answer the question with this movie in mind. How is the movie? The best word I can use to describe this movie is enduring. It's an endurance to sit through a movie that runs nearly 4 hours long, but if you make it through, you realize that this an epic that is stylish in design, and a movie with some resounding performances. But would I call it one of the greatest? That depends on what we're going on here, but I'll get to that later. Gone with the Wind is great to look at, the camera practically serves as a character around the movie. Gable (A charming performance all in all) and Leigh (who does exceptional at acting to this character perfectly unlikable) do extremely well together, the cast is all well and interesting to watch, though sometimes they seem like set pieces than actors.

There may be at least one person wondering what I think of the movie's portrayal of slavery. While McDaniel does a fine job (even winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress), it doesn't excuse the fact the movie mosly sweeps it under the rug, never really touching on the issue, which is a drawback for anybody wanting to look up on history. This is a movie of its time, and while we aren't as willing to cover the rug (If you want to watch a movie about slavery, go watch 12 Years A Slave), we should remember the movie, not just forget about it, the good and the bad.

The movie has some memorable moments such as the burning of Atlanta, which is a spectacle to watch, and the last scene is certainly poignant to end a movie on, with the most memorable line in a motion picture. It is an endurance to watch and takes time to gain steam, but it certainly pays off. Is it overrated? It could be argued that people hype this movie a bit too much, but I do understand the hype. Gone with the Wind may be regarded as either a classic, a slightly overrated but good movie, or both, but this movie certainly has a place in movie history.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: It Happened One Night.

Review #456: It Happened One Night.

Cast
Clark Gable (Peter Warne), Claudette Colbert (Ellie Andrews), Walter Connolly (Alexander Andrews), Roscoe Karns (Oscar Shapeley), Jameson Thomas (Westley), Alan Hale (Danker), and Arthur Hoyt (Zeke) Directed by Frank Capra (#102 - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and #319 - It's a Wonderful Life)

Review

It's been a while, but after a little (six day) break (also replace that word with: laziness), I got back on to watching a movie, and this was the film I landed on. Clark Gable does a fine job in this film, he doesn't overcrowd the film itself, Colbert also does a fine job, she manages to be engaging, and she also shines well in the hitchhiking scene, probably one of the more memorable scenes ever filmed. It's just so amusing to see her lift up her leg and immediately get a ride. Capra as usual does a fine job with his characters, and it has its moments of amusement. It's the basis for many, many, many romantic comedies, but this one is still the best. It's a fine film overall.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: San Francisco.

Review #231: San Francisco.

Cast
Clark Gable (Blackie Norton), Jeanette MacDonald (Mary Blake), Spencer Tracy (Father Tim Mullin), Jack Holt (Jack Burley), Jessie Ralph (Mrs. Burley), Ted Healy (Mat), Shirley Ross (Trixie), Margaret Irving (Della Bailey), Harold Huber (Babe), and Edgar Kennedy (Sheriff) Directed by W. S. Van Dyke.

Review
To begin with, the film is based on the 1906 earthquake of San Francisco. In the long run, the film is a grand spectacle. The cast does a great job, especially at the end, with the despair and misery captured well given the circumstances of the situation. Lastly, the film recreates the earthquake in the last few minutes, and it looks beautiful even to this day. All in all, this film still has entertainment value, that while being a bit dated and slow at times, still holds up after over 70 years.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Mutiny on the Bounty (1935).

Review #099: Mutiny on the Bounty.

Cast
Charles Laughton (Captain Bligh), Clark Gable (Fletcher Christian), Franchot Tone (Byam), Herbert Mundin (Smith), Eddie Quillan (Ellison), Dudley Digges (Bacchus), Donald Crisp (Burkitt), Henry Stephenson (Sir Joseph Banks), Francis Lister (Captain Nelson), and Spring Byington (Mrs. Byam) Directed by Frank Lloyd.

Review
Greetings fellow readers who clicked the link from the review of The Man Who Laughs, which referenced this review due to the (MS Paint) created square that displays this as the 99th review having a color scheme that was replicated for the aforementioned review in honor of it being the 999th. In any case, enjoy this review from 2012.

First off, let me say that this is a good film. It is lavish in the sense that there's many actors and such, with some being the focus, such as Gable and Laughton's characters. The acting is good, not too shabby. The historical accuracy may not be totally accurate, but then again it is based on a novel that already messed up the history of the real life events. Compare that to the 60s version of the same name with Marlon Brando, or the Mel Gibson's The Bounty, or even Errol Flynn's In Wake of the Bounty... The film is well-done, with Gable (reviewed previously by me in #094 - The Misfits) and Laughton being the main big winners here. It like I said is a good film, even with the remakes and the age of the film, being over 75 years old. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Misfits.

Review #094: The Misfits.

Cast
Clark Gable (Gay Langland), Marilyn Monroe (Roslyn Tabor), Montgomery Clift (Perce Howland), Thelma Ritter (Isabelle Steers), and Eli Wallach (Guido) Directed by John Huston.

Review
This is an eery film, when you think about it. This was Monroe and Gable's last roles, and Clift was getting to his last few as well. It's well acted with an allright script from Arthur Miller (The Crucible, Death of a Salesman) as it does its script justice. It's ending is a little sad considering this again was the two's last roles. The film is sad, dramatic, and all around an allright film for what it's worth. We are close to 100 Reviews. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.