Ivanhoe (1952).

Review #946: Ivanhoe.

Cast:
Robert Taylor (Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe), Elizabeth Taylor (Rebecca), Joan Fontaine (Rowena), George Sanders (Sir Brian De Bois-Guilbert), Emlyn Williams (Wamba), Robert Douglas (Sir Hugh De Bracy), Finlay Currie (Sir Cedric of Ivanhoe), Felix Aylmer (Isaac of York), Francis de Wolff (Front De Boeuf), Norman Wooland (King Richard), and Basil Sydney (Waldemar Fitzurse) Directed by Richard Thorpe (#327 - Jailhouse Rock)

Review:
Based off the historical novel of the same name by Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe manages to shine as a fine piece of entertainment, filled with Technicolor spectacle and costumes to go with it. I can't say it's as good as The Adventures of Robin Hood (#505), for example, but it is at least a pretty interesting piece of work. Robert Taylor is a capable lead, managing to give off a commanding presence pretty quickly. An interesting fact is that Taylor, along with Thorpe and producer Pandro S. Berman, would later make two more films together in the next few years (Knights of the Round Table and The Adventures of Quentin Durward), forming an unofficial trilogy. Elizabeth Taylor does a fine job in this sweet but also capable character. Fontaine doesn't have as much to do, but she gives off a competent feel. The three form an interesting love triangle that does prove somewhat compelling, alongside the main plot, anyway. Sanders is the main adversary, and he does an alright job in making him somewhat three dimensional, particularly around the end of the film. The Norman-Saxon plot is decent, though nothing too special. Miklós Rózsa does a fine job with the music score, being quite heroic and quite fitting for the movie. The jousting sequence is well executed, and the battles are also pretty well done in capturing excitement and pacing.  Within its 106 minute run-time is a movie that balances a fine line between action and structure that does not drag itself too often, and while it may succeed more in the former than the latter, it definitely is worth consideration, with its spirit of thrills outweighing the risks.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Jailhouse Rock.

Review #327: Jailhouse Rock.

Cast
Elvis Presley (Vince Everett), Judy Tyler (Peggy Van Alden), Mickey Shaughnessy (Hunk Houghton), Vaughn Taylor (Mr. Shores), Jennifer Holden (Sherry Wilson), and Dean Jones (Teddy Talbot) Directed by Richard Thorpe.

Review
Sometimes, it's just a weird choice for the end of the year, for December 31, 2011, I reviewed Duck Soup (#085), and a year later, I wonder if this would be as good a choice like last year. In a way, I was kinda right. And who else to end the year, but...Elvis. Yeah, I hadn't mentioned him or even watched a film with him until today (On the eve of some sort of new year), but I had heard about his film roles and...their varying success. Elvis Presley appeared in 31 films (and two concert documentaries) in his lifetime, this being released 55 years ago. Presley does a decent job, not exactly a great persona, but he does have a commanding presence, and his singing (Have I mentioned singing ever before here?) is excellent, including the Jailhouse Rock sequence which is one of the most memorable music sequences in film. The rest of the film isn't as commanding or great, but Tyler does a great job, it's a shame that this was sadly her last performance (she died after production). The film doesn't have much story per say, but it does have entertainment value.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.