Movie Night: Random Harvest.

Review #596: Random Harvest.

Cast
Ronald Colman (Charles Rainier), Greer Garson (Paula Ridgeway/Margaret Hanson), Philip Dorn (Dr. Jonathan Benet), Susan Peters (Kitty Chilcet), Henry Travers (Dr. Sims), Reginald Owen (Biffer), Bramwell Fletcher (Harrison), Rhys Williams (Sam), Una O'Connor (Shopkeeper), Aubrey Mather (Sheldon), and Margaret Wycherly (Mrs. Deventer) Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

Review
Romantic films can be many things, they can be pleasant to watch and joyful, or they can be unbearable to watch. This film falls into the first category. Colman and Garson are an excellent duo, and they pair off well each other, they are just perfectly cast, and Colman does a great subdued performance. The supporting cast is fun to watch, even Una O'Connor (evidently she hams it up only in horror films), Reginald Owen is a charm to watch, it's just fun to watch the interactions between everyone. The plot is well crafted, a treat to appreciate. This is a neat little movie practically wrapped in gold paper. This movie is good enough to even be shown on TCM on Tuesday night, picked by none other than guest programmer Gene Wilder (squee!), and I can see why he picked it. It's a good flick to watch, even in summer, I suppose.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Our Man Flint.

Review #514: Our Man Flint.

Cast
James Coburn (Derek Flint), Gila Golan (Gila), Lee J. Cobb (Lloyd Cramden), Edward Mulhare (Malcolm Rodney), Rhys Williams (Doctor Krupov), Peter Brocco (Doctor Wu), Benson Fong (Doctor Schneider), and Michael St. Clair (Hans Gruber) Directed by Daniel Mann.

Review
James Coburn certainly looks the part, he's tall, suave, and cool, and he seems to mesh well with everyone. The film attempts to parody James Bond (There were a few parodies like Get Smart and films released to get in on the spy craze, such as The Silencers, with Dean Martin), and it does so rather successfully, and this was years before Austin Powers tried to do this (That film series would later use the telephone ring tone from this film), and Coburn is interesting to watch, and Lee J. Cobb also has his moments, especially when trying to comprehend all of this madness. The story isn't bad and the comedy has its moments (I like that the acronym for the organization Flint works for is ZOWIE), it's a film that also seems to showcase its locations, rather quite well. It may be debatable on if this is any better then Austin Powers, nut what's not debatable is that this is a fun film that is certainly the best way to end the year. Happy New Years to all, and I will see you in 2014.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.