Mitchell.

Review #2383: Mitchell.

Cast: 

Joe Don Baker (Mitchell), Martin Balsam (James Arthur Cummings), John Saxon (Walter Deaney), Linda Evans (Greta), Merlin Olsen (Benton), Morgan Paull (Salvatore Mistretta), Harold J. Stone (Tony Gallano), Robert Phillips (Chief Albert Pallin), Buck Young (Det. Aldridge), Rayford Barnes (Det. Tyzack), and Jerry Hardin (Desk Sergeant) Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen (#1414 - McLintock!)

Review: 

Sure. You may notice a bit of familiarity with knowing the film was written by Ian Kennedy Martin. Well, okay, he created exactly one other notable thing with the TV series The Sweeney, but Martin actually is the brother of Troy Kennedy Martin, and it was Ian who came up with the original idea of a robbery film set near traffic that Troy liked enough to buy the rights to then make the screenplay that became The Italian Job (1969)*. The director was Andrew V. McLaglen, who you might remember as the director behind McLintock! (1963), but he made a wide variety of movies for hire, which mostly involved Westerns as is the case with Shenandoah (1965) and The Way West (1967) but also stuff like Fools' Parade (1971). McLagen actually directed into his seventies, closing with Eye of the Widow (1991) Apparently, the best version of the film came out on DVD (i.e. one that isn't just pan and scan) came out as late as 2013.

Honestly, the movie is funny to experience late at night. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a good movie, but if you watch the full version (so no, not the MST3K version that doesn't even bother to show the whole thing), you get a sense of a really, really, weird movie. Sure, on the level, it basically is a film that sounds destined for television on the level of say, Rockford Files Jr., but there is something really funny about the way the lead character is so abrasive to everything around him that you'll laugh at the idea the movie has a title sequence (where you get to see Baker with bulging eyes carrying an object that you will find out is a rock) and a song. One minute you see a hooker try to hook-up with our hero and later on he'll decide, no, the temptation is over and proceeds to bust her for weed. I especially like how the revenge the hooker gets is to simply write "BASTARD" on the windshield of his car (in the edit, it's just "JERK") - ooh, that'll show him. You could call him the Diet Dirty Harry, but really he might as well be the proto-Homer Simpson in folks who underestimate exactly what he is willing to do as a cop, but popping in and out of cars takes up a good chunk of the runtime before it eventually comes down to him being around in leading to the death of, say, seven bad guys. Mr. "Brute Force With a Badge" does shoot folks, don't get that twisted, he also gets chased around in a dune buggy sequence where the best way to get someone trapped in the buggy when they can't go up and just bash 'em with a rock a few times. He's also good enough with a dune buggy where the other guy can't even drive it right before it rolls over and just explodes. The acting, in comparison to the mayhem, is not exactly as exciting, but for a B-movie, it just, well, "is what it is". Baker is best remembered for Walking Tall (1973) and Charley Varrick (1973) more so than this movie and that is probably for the best, because this is a movie that does not suit him (the plaid suit in particular doesn't help). It almost sounds like the character is supposed to be a parody of the tough cop, at one point Baker tells a kid to go to hell after bickering with him. But alas, he just seems adrift when trying to be anything other than the formidable authority, because you can't help but chuckle. Sure, I like Saxon, and I suppose there is something to Balsam (yes, an Academy Award winner), but they are mostly going through the motions because you know it's only a matter of time (97 minutes) before the inevitable happens. This actually was the last film appearance by Olsen, the football player-turned-actor-turned-broadcaster/businessman, and it probably says something that he does more in the whole climax than Balsam does for probably the whole movie (seriously, the latter just stands there when the last fight happens, as if he was doing meditation). It's the kind of B-movie that you might find something to spot out there and chuckle at a movie at the strange qualities that come with cliches and old habits**. It isn't a big winner or big loser, but a palate cleanser with familiar names can't all be that bad.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

*Fun coincidence: Troy wrote for a variety of television programs, ranging from Ian's The Sweeney to the BBC serial Edge of Darkness...which featured Baker as an authority figure. I should mention that Baker (who passed away just a few days ago) actually appeared on television as a cop with Eischied in 1979-80.

**Hey hey, a small role for Jerry Hardin, who I enjoyed seeing as Deep Throat in The X-Files

Cape Fear (1962).

Review #2336: Cape Fear.

Cast: 

Gregory Peck (Sam Bowden), Robert Mitchum (Max Cady), Polly Bergen (Peggy Bowden), Lori Martin (Nancy Bowden), Martin Balsam (Mark Dutton), Jack Kruschen (Dave Grafton), Telly Savalas (Charlie Sievers), and Barrie Chase (Diane Taylor) Directed by J. Lee Thompson.

Review: 

Yes, even British directors can fall in and out of "social realism" films to do some adventures. Actually, I had assumed I had covered a film by J. Lee Thompson before, but as it turns out, Thompson's wide variety of films had slipped thought the cracks. He actually had an interest in plays before becoming a screenwriter with at British International Pictures (after spending time in the Royal Air Force in World War II). He had worked as a dialogue director on a handful of films (one included Jamaica Inn [1939]) before finally becoming a feature director with Murder Without Crime (1950). Thompson's most noted effort of the first few years probably was Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957), which dealt with a failing marriage. However, he became an action guy with Ice Cold in Alex (1958) that saw him reach a peak with The Guns of Navarone (1961), which came about because Alexander Mackendrick got replaced late. Described as a director who "sort of sold out", Thompson would work in a variety of film and TV that ranged from directing the fourth and fifth film of the Planet of the Apes series to other fare like Happy Birthday to Me (1981) and nine Charles Bronson vehicles that closed his career with Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects (1989). Thompson died in 2002 at the age of 88. At any rate, Cape Fear is adapted from the 1957 novel The Executioners, as written by John D. MacDonald in 1957. Peck and his production company had purchased the rights to the book not long after it came out, and the experience he had with Thompson on Navarone got him to hire him to direct the ensuing film (it was Peck that suggested the film title, apparently believing the book title was a "turn-off", where upon he looked up places on the Atlantic coast and found the Cape Fear region in North Carolina). The movie was written by James R. Webb, the writer for various screenplays such as Vera Cruz (1953) and The Big Country (1958). Naturally, a remake was done in 1991 (by Martin Scorsese, no less). Interestingly, both film adaptations are distinct in their freewheeling from the book that ranged from the time spent in jail (13 in the book, 8 in this film, and 14 in the 1991 movie), the nature of Bowden's relation to Cady (one as a witness to Cady's crime during wartime, a witness as a prosecutor, or as a defense attorney to Cady). Peck, Mitchum, and Balsam also made small appearances in the remake.

For whatever reason, audiences of the time seemed to be a bit weirded out at the rough-and-tumble elements of a thriller movie because, uh, even a movie that doesn't say the word "rape" could be thought of as a tough sit. Nowadays, one just sees a movie filled with impending terror that makes the best of its Hitchcock ambitions (why else would one have Bernard Herrmann for the music) for a pretty neat thriller. Peck may be a bit overshadowed here, but he maintains the general dignity that comes with trying to maintain a grip on one's principles (so not a saint but clear in his motivations). His onscreen family with Bergen and Martin sell that shaky dynamic that arise in growing ugliness that one is exposed to that is sold well. Balsam and the others are relatively on point in filling the edges in the growing claustrophobia (incidentally, this was released the same year that a relatively young Savalas was nominated for an Oscar for Birdman of Alcatraz [1962]). Undeniably, Mitchum is the star here, and it was said that he took the role only when he was gifted a bottle of bourbon (his other best-known role in malice is probably The Night of the Hunter [1955], incidentally). You can just feel the malice ooze from him in each scene he appears in, mostly because his contempt for Peck shines ever so brightly in general menace. He maneuvers around like a snake awaiting a target to strike with its fangs that perhaps is just as unnerving in his maneuvering that dominates the first half of the film, whether it involves the legal system or, well, people. You just have to experience the slime for yourself, particularly the sequence with the eggs. The sequence he shares with Peck prior to the climax involving the extent of where one would go in single-minded pursuit is especially a standout. The climax is relatively fine when it comes to setting up the entrapment for a queasy mood, albeit within the confines of what you might expect from its era. As a whole, it is a fairly tight thriller that hits most of the beats required in rough enjoyment with star value and a worthy look to accompany it in thrilling execution. 

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Murder on the Orient Express (1974).

Review #1446: Murder on the Orient Express.

Cast: 
Albert Finney (Hercule Poirot), Lauren Bacall (Mrs. Hubbard), Martin Balsam (Bianchi), Ingrid Bergman (Greta Ohlsson), Jacqueline Bisset (Countess Helena Andrenyi), Jean-Pierre Cassel (Pierre Paul Michel), Sean Connery (Colonel Arbuthnot), John Gielgud (Edward Beddoes), Wendy Hiller (Princess Natalia Dragomiroff), Anthony Perkins (Hector McQueen), Vanessa Redgrave (Mary Debenham), Rachel Roberts (Hildegarde Schmidt), Richard Widmark (Ratchett), Michael York (Count Rudolf Andrenyi), Colin Blakely (Cyrus B. Hardman), George Coulouris (Dr. Constantine), and Denis Quilley (Antonio Foscarelli) Directed by Sidney Lumet (#035 - 12 Angry Men, #036 - Network, #404 - The Anderson Tapes, and #1065 - Deathtrap)

Review: 
"My job is acting, and that is why I hate interviews or lectures, explaining myself to an audience."

Sometimes the devil is in the details when it comes to making a film, and this can be two-fold for a movie like this, an all-star mystery film based on the book of the same name by one of the most famous authors of all time, Agatha Christie. Her novel featured the famed character Hercule Poirot, who was featured in over forty novels and short stories since the very first in The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920). Murder on the Orient Express (1934) had been inspired by numerous events, such as a stuck Orient Express train that was there for five days in snow along with the infamous kidnapping of Charles and Anne Lindbergh's baby. Christie had her works first adapted into film with The Passing of Mr. Quin (1928), while the first Poirot adaptation followed with Alibi (1931, starring Austin Trevor). Four actors have played the character of Poirot in film: Trevor, Tony Randall, Finney, Peter Ustinov, and Kenneth Branagh, although the most famous portrayal of the character is likely David Suchet's portrayal (1989-2013) that adapted the entire catalogue of mysteries by Christie as 70 episodes for British television. Despite reservations about a film adaptation, this proved to be one of the very few that she liked (the other was Witness for the Prosecution) prior to her death in 1976.

To put in perspective how careful one had to handle such a diverse international cast, five actors (Gielgud, Quilley, Redgrave, Bergman, and Finney) were participating in the production in the day while doing West End performances in London in the night time. Finney (third choice after Alec Guinness and Paul Scofield, both unavailable) must have had it worst of all, since he needed tremendous makeup done to emulate his character but also need sleep, which reportedly led to a routine where he would be taken out on a stretcher while asleep and the crew would do makeup on him as he was being traveled to the set. Finney, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, had started his career with the theatre in 1956 (starring as the title role in Henry V), before taking on television and film with The Entertainer (1960), and he would come into prominence with his lead roles in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (same year) and Tom Jones (1963) in a varied career that had a good deal of success for over five decades before his death in 2019 at the age of 82. As a who's who for a whodunit meant to evoke the elegance of a different time (such as Richard Rodney Bennett's striking musical composition), this proves quite satisfactory for all parties involved. Whether one is familiar with the famed novel or not isn't too important - the mystery is carefully crafted with these distinct faces that are each given a few moments to shine while set primarily on a railway car that makes for a quality 128 minutes. Finney is quite excellent with a role basked in makeup and a careful disposition that makes him the ideal man to match up with a mystery like this, particularly when it comes to seeing his initial interactions with others before the train leaves compared to when he lays out the climax of the whodunit (a scene shot numerous times to capture all the adequate angles) - he leads the film on with well-crafted care. Balsam and Coulouris accompany him for the hunt with care, while Widmark makes for a fine conniving presence to set up his murder. Of the stars that appear, the ones who seem to stand out are Bacall, Bergman (who rejected playing a bigger part while having one stand out five-minute interrogation scene, which resulted in a Best Supporting Actress win at the Academy Awards - her third overall), Gielgud, and Perkins. Each stand their ground when it comes to making their moments count in laying out their side of a story, although no one really lends a bad performance anywhere, since having a bit of scenery-chewing now and then comes with the territory without derailing the suspension of disbelief. By the time one gets to its conclusion, one finds them satisfied with how things raveled and unraveled without fail or stumble. Films can serve as escapism for its audience, and a murder mystery with plenty of agreeable faces and voices complete with a game Finney at the head and a craftsman in Lumet make for a good time worth a curiosity in its era.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Psycho (1960).

Review #447: Psycho.

Cast
Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates), Janet Leigh (Marion Crane), Vera Miles (Lila Crane), John Gavin (Sam Loomis), Martin Balsam (Milton Arbogast), John McIntire (Al Chambers), Virginia Gregg (Norma Bates), and Simon Oakland (Fred Richmond) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock (#219 - Rope, #223 - North by Northwest, and #446 - Spellbound)

Review
First off, I'd like to say happy Labor Day to all who I'm sure are enjoying this day off. 

The film doesn't take too long to be impressive, as its titles by Saul Bass certainly do leave an impression, and in a way foretells the rest of the film. Janet Leigh does a fine job and all, but Perkins certainly steals the show, maybe it's the demeanor, or that creepy smile, but he leaves you wanting more, and makes for an interesting character, which drives the film. The film has its moments of suspense, especially at the end. And then there's the shower scene (Which if I didn't mention, I'd regret later), which is certainly the most effective scene of the film. You could say the scene might be spoiled already, but when you watch the film, it's given a proper context, and that certainly helps. I won't spoil it, you'll probably (if not definitely) find it on YouTube, or when you watch the film, whichever comes first. Hitchcock does a fine job directing, and this for a film produced by him and made on a tight budget, very quickly and very successful, spawning three sequels and a TV series. There was a "remake", but...there's a reason I put that it quotations. Nevertheless, this is an impressive, chilling, and interesting film. 

Countdown to 450 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Anderson Tapes.

Review #404: The Anderson Tapes.

Cast
Sean Connery (Duke Anderson), Dyan Cannon (Ingrid Everleigh), Martin Balsam (Tommy Haskins), Ralph Meeker (Captain Delaney), Alan King (Pat Angelo), Christopher Walken (The Kid), Val Avery (Socks Parelli), Stan Gottlieb (Pop Myer), Garrett Morris (Police Sergeant), Paul Benjamin (Jimmy), Anthony Holland (Psychologist), Richard B. Shull (Werner), Conrad Bain (Dr. Rubicoff), and Margaret Hamilton (Miss Kaler) Directed by Sidney Lumet (#035 - 12 Angry Men and #036 - Network)

Review
There have been seven reviews on Movie Night in which Sean Connery starred in the film, consisting of the six James Bond films he did from 1962-1971 (#150, #278, #298, #335, #354, #279) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (#170), so reviewing a film different from those is a welcome addition, especially when directed by Sidney Lumet, who hasn't gotten too much attention from me, though I loved 12 Angry Men. The Anderson Tapes manages to a decent thriller, and it does have its level of suspense, along with music by Quincy Jones, which is allright. Connery himself does a good job, as he manages to break out of the James Bond typecasting, doing something new, and it works. A fun fact in this film is that Christopher Walken makes his acting debut in this film and Margaret Hamilton makes her last acting appearance. The wire tapping and camera thing may seem a bit dated, but this film still works even in this day and age, and the thrill aspect of the film is toned enough to have an effect today. A fairly decent thriller with some more than decent actors and fine directing.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 12 Angry Men.

Review #035: 12 Angry Men.

Cast
1. Martin Balsam
2. John Fielder
3. Lee J. Cobb
4. E. G. Marshall
5. Jack Klugman
6. Edward Binns
7. Jack Warden
8. Henry Fonda
9. Joseph Sweeny
10. Ed Begley
11. George Voskovec
12. Robert Webber
Directed by Sidney Lumet.

Review
Review to be updated at a later point in time - hopefully by the end of 2018 or 2019. 

This movie is the first covered of the 1950s on this show, and it is just pure greatness. It shows a lot of talent all in one set (And for a movie that took less then three weeks and $325,000 to make). Henry Fonda is the big star, and he is the best person in this movie. I like how it seems you are the Juror, you are feeling like you are one of them. The theories are deconstructed over time as the tension builds until the conclusion. It shows a lot of heart, and it can and will, make your heart beat.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.