"The Sea of Grass" Review

 

by Daniel White

In 1999 the American Film institute compiled a list of the 25 greatest actresses, whom they declared were "American screen legends." What does one have to do to be a "screen legend?" According to the AFI, you must have made your film debut prior to 1950, and have a "significant screen presence."

The one caveat? You can appear in your first flick AFTER 1950, but only if your "death has marked a completed body of work." The list is flawed and there are glaring omissions. No Clara Bow, Betty Grable or Susan Hayward. While I respect Sophia Loren, I don't believe she belongs on it (the arbitrary rules cancel her out, she SHOULDN'T be on it). Grace Kelly over Doris Day? Ava Gardner over Irene Dunne? Lauren Bacall over Lassie? Don't get me started on Shirley Temple, who failed miserably in her bid to transition to adult stardom. As Auntie Em might say, "Pshaw!" Katharine Hepburn nabbed the number one position and I suppose she deserves it as much as anyone. You may not like the "Great Kate," but you gotta hand it to her. A star after her first film, 1932's A Bill of Divorcement, she remained at the top of her profession until her death over 70 years later.

1947's The Sea of Grass was her fourth pairing with pal Spencer Tracy. And until she went riding the rapids with John Wayne in Rooster Cogburn almost 30 years later, her only Western. It was director Elia Kazan's sophomore outing as a filmmaker after the successful, well-regarded, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Kazan would speak disparagingly of the film, bemoaning the fact that he was denied on-location shooting. Yes, filming on the prairies of New Mexico would have enhanced the quality of this high end soap opera, but it's a better movie than he lets on.

Kate plays Lutie Cameron (Lucretia?), who, when the film opens, is in her hometown of St. Louis. Preparing for her imminent wedding, she receives a telegram from her betrothed, Colonel Jim Brewton (Tracy). Informing her he will marry her in New Mexico instead, she willingly acquiesces and heads out west. Lutie soon surmises she will be playing second fiddle to cattle baron Brewton's acres and acres of cow-grazing country. Determined to keep his spread from being taken over by homesteaders, Brewton proves to be a bully, if not an outright tyrant. Worn out by the constant struggle over the land and feeling neglected, Lutie escapes to Denver, where she has a one-night stand with her husband's nemesis (Melvyn Douglas), a lawyer who fights for the rights of the farmer.

The film is frank in portraying Lutie's adulterous fling and explicit when she gives birth to a son, that he's been fathered by Brice Chamberlain (Douglas). Tracy would have remained oblivious of the affair, but while he's hanging around the delivery room, a delirious Lutie spills the beans! It's all rather melodramatic (Kate is punished accordingly for her indiscretion), but Hepburn is compelling. Even though Tracy appears subdued, almost distracted (you get the feeling he'd rather be anywhere other than where he is), their on-screen chemistry is palpable and goes a long way in keeping things interesting.

Hepburn looks amazing in creations by designer Walter Plunkett (Kazan was unhappy with her wardrobe) and the cinematography by Harry Straddling is impressive. The screenplay is solid, the supporting players pithy and the musical score pleasing, if familiar (Herbert Stothart, who composed the music for The Wizard of Oz handles it here). While no masterpiece, The Sea of Grass is a testament to MGM's proficiency at providing watchable entertainment. Based on the novel by Conrad Richter, The Sea of Grass is currently available on YouTube.

"Our Hospitality" Review

 

by Daniel White

When first encountered in Our Hospitality (1923), Buster Keaton is leaving the post office. Wearing a too-tall top hat, he mounts a wooden bicycle without pedals and blithely rides away. Paradoxically, he cuts an absurd figure of extreme dignity. Co-directed with Jack Blystone, it's Keaton's third feature-length film but the first to contain many of the ingredients found in subsequent Keaton productions. A wayward locomotive, set-ups that are equal parts funny AND treacherous, and of course, Keaton's cinematic alter ego. Stoic, determined, seemingly oblivious to life's challenges, he calmly trudges forward.

Three Ages (1923), his previous movie, introduced us to the Keaton character, but primarily a satire, concerned with parody, it's not quite a total Keatonesque affair. Our Hospitality is his official launch in full length flickers.

A send-up of the Hatfield-McCoy, two families-a-feudin' saga, Keaton plays Willie McKay. Sent east by his mother after the murder of his father by sworn enemies, the Canfields, Willie decides to return as an adult to reclaim his pappy's property. Traveling by rail, he meets a young lady (Keaton's wife, Natalie Talmadge), whom he quickly starts a courtin'. Of course, unknown to either, she's a Canfield, bound for her homestead.

The film is fairly simple, with several extended comic outings. The first is the train ride west, with Keaton's own father, Joe, playing the conductor. Next, you have Keaton dining with his intended's hostile father and brothers. Overhearing them say they won't kill him as long as he's their guest, Buster humorously contrives to remain under their roof. Finally, he finds himself adrift on a river, helplessly floating along. Over rapids, unwittingly approaching dangerous falls, he soon must save himself and his newfound lady friend.

Never sacrificing story for sight gags, the movie is a self-contained tale that hums along sweetly to its foregone but satisfying conclusion. Distributed by Metro Pictures Corporation, with Buster Keaton Jr. appearing briefly in the prologue, Our Hospitality is currently available on YouTube.

"Scream VI" Mini-Review

 

by John Zenoni

I'm sure many will think, "Why even give a review, not having seen films III, IV or V?" But I did watch ‘Scream VI’, and honestly, don’t feel a bit guilty about it as I feel like I have not missed a thing. I didn't expect anything going in to it - knowing I had missed the others - as I anticipated just seeing a slasher film and that's all it was. That's not to say it was actually a bad film, as it had some pretty good scare moments in it. But as far a film, it was ok, and the acting was nothing to write home about. And unless I've missed something, I believe they've left it open for even yet another film in the series. So if you're a hardcore fan of this series, I think you'll like it and I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.

"No More Orchids" is a Tired Snoozefest

 

by Daniel White

Even the considerable luminosity of Carole Lombard can't save this turkey. No More Orchids (1932) is a turgid comedy-drama that starts off with some spark and quickly turns listless. Carefree rich girl, Anne Holt (Lombard), is one of those madcap heiresses Depression-era movies manufactured in abundance. On a luxury liner crossing the Atlantic, she meets and falls in love with nice guy Anthony Gage (Lyle Talbot). Unimpressed with her wealth and hedonistic lifestyle, Tony resists Anne's amorous overtures. Of course, the obvious ensues - they fall in love. To make this tired story work, you need a witty, crackling screenplay, which No More Orchids lacks. Going from uninspired comedy to unbelievable soap opera, the film is consistently hitting all the wrong notes on an out-of-tune piano.

Even with powerhouse supporting players like Walter Connolly, Louise Closser Hale and C. Aubrey Smith, it's nothing more than a gussied-up trifle. Pretty to behold, but devoid of any substance. Speaking of pretty, Lombard's leading man, Talbot even resembles Gable a bit. He's also mighty ponderous, mighty uncharismatic and might he please take a powder? No wonder he never graduated to the Hollywood big leagues. Handsome as a statue of Adonis - and just as animated. Where is Joel McCrea when you need him?

Lombard looks fantastic. Carrying a few extra pounds, she's sexier than ever. Cinematographer Joseph H. August has lit our parfait princess to perfection. And whoever is the uncredited person who dressed her, he's clothed the movie star in such a way that she's as glam and enticing as always.

Alas, to no avail. I love Carole Lombard but to make this snoozefest sing, she'd need to be a miracle-worker. Annie Sullivan, she ain't. Distributed by Columbia Pictures and directed by Walter Lang, No More Orchids is currently available on YouTube.

"Compulsion" Review

 

by Daniel White

Orson Welles gives a gripping performance in Compulsion (1959). It almost justifies his receiving top-billing over the film's true stars, Dean Stockwell and Bradford Dillman. The real lunacy is why Diane Varsi's name is listed second after Welles. As Ruth Evans, a sympathetic classmate to our two homicidal, nutty Nietzcheans, she barely registers. Directed by Richard Fleischer, Compulsion is an extremely well-made flick. A thinly-veiled account of the infamous Leopold and Loeb thrill kill in 1924 Chicago, it adheres closely to the facts.

Stockwell and Dillman expertly play Judd Steiner and Artie Strauss, two wealthy lads who, when the film begins, have already committed the "perfect crime." Murdering a younger neighbor, their plans to make it look like a kidnapping go awry when the boy's body is discovered. As in the actual case, these two "geniuses" quickly get caught when a pair of easily identifiable glasses belonging to Steiner are discovered where the victim's body has been dumped. Their guilt established, it's up to masterful trial lawyer Jonathan Wilk (Welles) to save the two deluded, arrogant, bumbling brats from the hangman.

Welles is wonderful as Wilk (despite being saddled with an atrocious make-up job), who, in reality, was the famed Clarence Darrow. He holds our attention, and in his rousing summation, delivers a compelling and convincing rebuttal to capital punishment. What makes this movie worthwhile is its willingness to tell the near-truth, despite a fabricated, ludicrous subplot between Varsi and Stockwell.

Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox, with an excellent E. G. Marshall as the state's attorney, Compulsion is currently available on YouTube.

"The Saphead" Review

 

by Daniel White

Unable to endure the painfully unfunny The Passionate Plumber, I turned it off and went in search of the comic genius of Buster Keaton elsewhere. It certainly wasn't on display in that dreadful 1931 talkie.

The Saphead (1920) was Keaton's first full-length film, handed to him by Douglas Fairbanks. The athletic, jaunty Fairbanks had already played the male lead, once on the stage and in a 1915 flick. Unable (unwilling?) to reprise it a third time, he recommended his pal, Keaton. Though he wouldn't make another feature-length film for three years, its success established him as Hollywood's newest leading man and laugh getter. Buster is Bertie Van Alstyne, scion to a wealthy Wall Street financier. Convinced that the modern woman is only interested in players and ne'er do wells, he attempts to earn himself the reputation of a "sport." Unsuccessful, the hopelessly decent Bertie only manages to arouse his father's fury, who mistakes his son's bad boy behavior for the real thing.

I suppose if one wanted to witness Keaton in peak form, they would opt to view one of his later self-directed masterpieces like The General. However, I was eager to take a look at his early work and I wasn't disappointed. Unlike in The Passionate Plumber, where he appears uncomfortable and unsure of himself, here Keaton is on point. He may not be executing jaw-dropping pratfalls of eye popping proportions but his stoic, determined everyman is clearly evident. Initially, Bertie seems listless and free of gumption, but as the movie progresses, he develops a head of steam.

Accused by his nefarious brother-in-law of fathering a child out of wedlock, Bertie achieves the street cred he craved but loses his father's respect. In fact, although there is a love interest (Beula Booker), in the end, the story chooses to focus on Bertie and his pop (William H. Crane). By rescuing the elder Van Alstyne from financial ruin and proven to be a young man of virtue, Bertie is reunited with his dad.

Did any of this mirror Keaton's relationship with his own father? (Though he didn't direct, Keaton did have a hand in the screenplay). Helmed by Herbert Blache and released through Metro Pictures, The Saphead is a minor gem, valuable for showing the emerging greatness of Buster Keaton. The Saphead is currently available on YouTube.

"Inside" Mini-Review

 

by John Zenoni

Willem Dafoe is one of those actors whose career has him all over the place in terms of film roles. From the excellent ‘Platoon’, which is the film that introduced me to him, to ‘Spider-Man’, to the crazy, although much discussed, ‘The Lighthouse’, he has definitely played a wide variety of characters. And I can honestly say that I don’t think I have ever seen him give a bad performance.

Well, his latest independent film, ‘Inside’, is another project in which Dafoe gets to showcase his brilliant side. It's definitely strange and unique from a storyline perspective, although, ironically, it's very simple. Dafoe plays Nemo, an art thief who's on a job inside a luxury apartment with a lot of expensive art pieces, when the alarm goes off and he becomes trapped inside. That's the entire basis of the film. I didn't know that this would work but Dafoe is so captivating he makes it work and keeps your attention. Great performance!

"Framed" is Absurd Claptrap

 

by Daniel White

Framed (1947) opens with Glenn Ford barreling into town, driving a truck with no brakes. Little does he know that a local blonde black widow (Janis Carter) is about to take him on the ride of his life.

Smartly directed by Richard Wallace and adroitly performed by all involved (especially our two leads), Framed has one major failing: the screenplay is bonkers!

First of all, the title: it makes no sense whatsoever. Nobody is framed in Framed! Hash-slinger Paula and her sleazy, vice president of a bank lover (Barry Sullivan) want to kill Ford in a fiery car crash. Then, in a case of mistaken identify, pass him off as Barry and run away with the loot he's embezzled from the bank. That's not a frame-up, that's a homicide! Even crusty old miner, Jeff (Edgar Buchanan), is not framed. Wrongly accused of the murder of Sullivan (Carter has a change of heart as to which love-struck sap she wants to smack with a sap!), his predicament is not an intentional set up, just a stroke of good luck for the duplicitous Carter.

The film continues to defy logic as it unspools, but to the actors' credit, it almost doesn't matter. Janis Carter is a fierce femme fatale, completely devoid of any feeling for the two man-puppets she has on a string. Not exactly sultry, but very chic-looking in her Jean Louis-designed outfits, Carter is a deadly ice maiden. Props and praise to Mr. Glenn Ford, one of Hollywood's most underappreciated actors. Fully committed and always believable, Ford makes even absurd claptrap like Framed a pleasure to take in.

Two-time Oscar winner Burnett Guffey works his film noir magic as cinematographer. And the musical score (Martin Skiles) and the too-numerous-to-mention art directors and set decorators accomplish their tasks capably as well.

So what if scenarists Ben Maddow and Jack Patrick drop the ball and deliver a bug-eyed, improbable yarn? Framed is still a whole lot of fun. Distributed by Columbia Pictures and featuring Karen Morley as Sullivan's fed-up-with-his-philandering wife, Framed is currently available on YouTube.

"MH370: The Plane That Disappeared" Review

 

by John Zenoni

What an absolute mystery is the case of a missing Malaysian flight, showcased in the current Netflix documentary ‘MH370: The Plane That Disappeared.’

In 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 just disappeared with no trace, leaving families of all 239 passengers and crew members on board wondering what could have happened to them. Nine years later, investigators, journalists, scientists, aviation experts and theorists are all still wondering and researching the greatest aviation mystery to date.

What I like most about the documentary is the number of theories it covers as to what could have happened. Are any of them correct? That's just it, no one knows, as so many people interviewed make good cases for different scenarios and yet still no one has confirmed without a doubt what happened to the flight. It's very sad indeed to see how many family members and loved ones are left with no answers, thus no closure. Hopefully, this latest documentary into the mystery will help expose or reveal what happened so this case can be considered closed.

"Ladies In Retirement" Review

 

by Daniel White

A miscast Ida Lupino manages to turn in a commendable performance in Ladies In Retirement (1941). This, despite being about forty years too young for the character she's playing. Lupino is Ellen Creed, paid companion to a former chorine (Isobel Elsom) and primary caregiver to her two batty sisters (Elsa Lanchester, Edith Barrett). Forced to house them under her employer's roof, things take a turn for the sinister when they wear out their welcome.

Based on the successful stage play, director Charles Vidor and writers have made a near-fatal mistake: failing to "cinematize" the project. Stage-bound and creaky, the film reeks of "the boards."

However, several key elements help save the movie.

One is the excellent performances. Except for Edith Barrett, whose theatricality falls flat, the players ably energize the flick and keep it watchable. A special shout-out to Miss Isobel Elsom, who was in the Broadway production. She remains fresh in her role of murder victim, Leonora Fiske, wisely modulating her acting for the screen (pay attention, Miss Barrett).

Other winning components are the set designs and cinematography. David Hall has created a moody, fog-drenched setting and George Barnes has filmed it accordingly, lending a gloomy air to the proceedings (the opening credits are especially clever). Though technically not a film noir, Ladies In Retirement benefits from its atmospheric look.

Finally, the story itself holds up. When ne'er-do-well distant relation, cousin Albert (Louis Hayward), shows up, snooping about, Ellen begins to crack. Will our devoted, determined, devious protector of her demented, deranged, dotty sisters get away with murder? Produced by Columbia Pictures, with Evelyn Keyes as an easily-manipulated maid and Emma Dunn as a neighborly nun, Ladies In Retirement is currently available on YouTube.

"Boston Strangler" Mini-Review

 

by John Zenoni

For you true crime lovers out there, I hope you get a chance to watch ‘Boston Strangler’, currently streaming on Hulu. It's an excellent movie about the real-life murder spree that took place in the Boston area. All the actors in the film are great but Keira Knightley definitely steals the show in her performance as Loretta, a reporter who gets involved in the case looking to do harder news. She teams up with co-journalist, Jean, played by Carrie Coon, to investigate and report on the story, with the hope of getting the Boston police department to get more involved in solving the murders. Loretta, especially, is frustrated as she does not believe enough is being done and there is more truth than what is being told. It's a film that grabs you and you cannot wait to see how it turns out.

"Creed III" is So Good That it Made Me Laugh AND Cringe in My Seat

 

by John Zenoni

I absolutely love the new entry in the Adonis Creed boxing saga, ‘Creed III.’ Michael B. Jordan, in his directorial debut, does a great job as director as well as returning in the starring role. Adonis Creed has taken a step back from boxing in order to focus on spending time with his family, including tending to his mother, played wonderfully by Phylicia Rashad. We learn that, as a youth, Creed had a good friend he loved like a brother, but both made a bad decision one evening, that saw Creed elude the police and jail, while his friend, Damian (played by Jonathan Majors, who gives an excellent performance), was captured and ended up serving 18 years in prison. It just so happens that Damian was a boxing prodigy who was on his way to a great career as a boxer. Upon release from prison, Damian finds Creed and they reconnect, with Damian hoping Creed will help him get a shot at a title fight. The friendship seems to be a good, genuine thing but the film takes a twist that sees the two eventually facing each other in the ring.

This is a movie that made me laugh, get emotional and cringe in my seat during the boxing sequences, as they were so good. I definitely would enjoy seeing more of Creed in future films.

Ellie's Life of Violence in "The Last of Us"

 

by Megan Goodrich

SPOILERS ahead for episode 9 of The Last of Us:

So, everyone is mentioning/complaining about the guy failing to cover an infant Ellie's ears prior to a gun being fired, myself included. Obviously, you should cover a newborn's ears and it's not that hard to do, but the showrunners distinctively filmed her ears not being covered. I think this was intentional.

My theory is that this was done in order to show that Ellie's life has always been rooted in violence. Her mother had a violent birth, involving killing an infected and then held a switchblade to her neck, ready to kill herself if/when she began to change too much before someone arrived at the house in which she'd sought refuge. This is followed by Marlene having to execute Anna before she fully turns. In her first few hours of life, Ellie has experienced unthinkable violence, even though she may not be able to process or fully remember it.

Cut to her being raised by FEDRA, a military school (even if Marlene had kept Ellie, she still would have been brought up in a consistently violent/militaristic environment). She is then rescued by Marlene after the events at the mall with Riley, as Marlene explains, "I am the one who told them not to shoot you."

Cut to Ellie traveling the country with Joel (and briefly Tess), where she encounters numerous acts of violence. From the FEDRA guard, to Kathleen and her crew, to Sam and Henry -- their story ends with self-inflicted violence to a degree but violence, nonetheless. To being threatened by the Jackson residents, raiders at the hospital, David and his sheep, the fireflies and then back to Joel committing a literal massacre in order to save Ellie.

So yeah... Troy Baker (the voice of the videogame version of Joel) hosts a podcast with Craig Mason and Neil Druckmann (the game/show creators) and while they didn't mention this, I totally think showcasing Ellie's life in violence -- especially considering her fascination with guns -- was an intentional choice. Plus, just from being a lover of entertainment, I've noticed that anytime something is phenomenally successful, it's because both small and large details were intentional. Anywho, that's all I've got. Thoughts?

"Rabid" Review

 

by Daniel White

Any horror film where one of the leading characters is a plastic surgeon named Dr. Keloid is signaling to us straight away that along with the macabre, there will be a healthy dose of humor. David Cronenberg's Rabid (1977) may have the look and feel of a fright flick (indeed, some parts of it are quite gruesome) but in the end, it's a satire. A satire of female sexuality as well as the often vapid misuse of cosmetic surgery. Cronenberg takes potshots at the medical profession in general, and how foolish men -- and women -- can be in their pursuit of p*ssy.

Adult film star Marilyn Chambers competently plays Rose, Rabid's primary source of, well, rabidity. After being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, Typhoid Marilyn is carted off to the nearest medical facility - a hospital that specializes in plastic surgery. In desperate need of a skin graft, the aforementioned Dr. Keloid experiments on our hapless heroine, performing an untested, questionable procedure, which unfortunately, proves disastrous for Rose, as well as all those unlucky Canucks who cross her path.

Cronenberg wanted Sissy Spacek for the role of Rose but the money men put the kibosh on that interesting choice. Seems the idea of the twangy, freckle-faced Texan playing a gal from the north country had them nervous. They feared she wouldn't be believable. Perhaps they were right, but I also think Cronenberg got off on the idea of pornographic princess Chambers playing a lady who uses her sexuality to spread disease.

The movie is shockingly prescient with its theme of sex being a potential spreader of sickness, coming close to five years before the world had encountered AIDS. Is there a degree of exploitation behind the casting of Chambers in the role? I suspect so. Scenes of a forced lesbian rape, hinted-at bestiality and public sex in an adult movie theater are just three of the indignities Chambers is subjected to.

She is also the only cast member who is required to take off her clothes. I wonder if this kind of behavior would have been expected of Miss Spacek. Our Sissy cozying up to a cow? I highly doubt it.

Cronenberg must have had a mad crush on Spacek - she turns up in movie poster form outside a theater showing her breakout performance in Carrie. Maybe that explains his attitude towards Marilyn Chambers - she was a constant reminder that he failed in his bid to land a truly talented actress, ending up instead with a woman who made a name for herself as the Ivory Soap girl gone bad. Rabid is currently streaming on Tubi.

"65" isn't the Worst Dinosaur Movie But it Leaves a Lot to Be Desired

 

by John Zenoni

If you're looking for another dinosaur film that will wow you with a great story, action and special effects, unfortunately, ‘65’, is not it. While not the worst sci-fi/dinosaur-themed movie, it definitely isn't the best.

In this boring, mess of a film, Adam Driver plays pilot Mills, who crash lands on what he will find out is Earth - 65 million years ago. He learns there is one other passenger on the ship he was flying, a young girl, Koa, who reminds him of his own daughter. Unfortunately, she speaks a different language and his translator was destroyed in the crash but somehow they are able to communicate anyway. I have never seen someone pick up being able to repeat foreign words and understand someone so quickly. As they begin the trek to get to the rescue ship that also crash landed, they encounter numerous dangerous creatures along the way and have to fight to survive.

The emotions, actions and acting on display leave a lot to be desired. Driver has definitely done much better and is out of his element in this movie. Definitely one you should wait and stream if you're bored one evening and want to watch something to pass the time.

"Kiss of Death" Review

 

by Daniel White

Yes, Richard Widmark pushes poor Mildred Dunnock down a flight of steps in one of the most notorious scenes ever filmed. But Henry Hathaway's Kiss of Death (1947) has much more to recommend it than just that unsettling scene. Hathaway himself should be reason enough to watch this above-average film noir. A prolific director who helmed everything from a Shirley Temple vehicle to John Wayne Westerns, Hathaway is responsible for his share of flicks. Another reason is the on location filming. Shot almost entirely in New York City, the movie benefits immensely from the built-in credibility that comes from moving out of a sound stage and onto a city street.

The overripe Victor Mature stars as Nick Bianco, a two-bit hoodlum who gets busted for a jewel caper gone bad. Initially resistant to turning stool pigeon, Nick changes his mind after the sudden suicide of his wife. With a solid screenplay co-authored by the man who invented the gangster film, Ben Hecht, Kiss of Death is well-paced with moments of great suspense. Unfortunately, the censors got their grubby little hands on it and the scenes with Patricia Morison as Nick's first wife were deleted. With her rape and subsequent suicide removed, the flick loses some of its punch.

Hallelujah and hoooray, they left Richard Widmark's sadistic turn as Tommy Udo largely untouched. In his film debut, Widmark is magnetic. Though his Udoesque mannerisms would get annoying in the future, here he is startling and shocks accordingly. I have never been a big fan of Victor Mature, but his presence is not as noxious as usual, probably from being in such close proximity to the fevered intensity of Richard Widmark. If Mature is a hot house orchid, Widmark is a voracious urban weed strangling everything in sight.

The ending is weak, I'm sure the persistent, persnickety censors tampered with that as well. But all in all, Kiss of Death is a decent thriller that delivers a solid bang for your buck. Produced by Twentieth Century Fox with the wispy Coleen Gray playing Nettie, Mature's love interest-turned-wife, and the dogged Brian Donlevy as the Assistant DA, Kiss of Death is currently available on YouTube.

"2001: A Space Odyssey" Review

 

by Daniel White

Supreme court justice Potter Stewart famously declared that he couldn't identify pornography, but as he so succinctly stated, "I know it when I see it." I apply that same philosophy to a cinematic masterpiece. I can't always explain why I feel a flick is a near-perfect example of great filmmaking, but by golly, when I encounter it, I know what it is. Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey is a masterpiece, an eerie, cryptic, at times terrifying film that took the famed producer/director over two years to complete. Almost 55 years after its initial release, it still remains breathtaking. A visually-stunning artwork, it shames any computer-crafted hack job of recent vintage.

Anything I say about this epic will sound dime store in comparison to the movie itself. I urge anyone interested in film to view it. And if you've already done so, treat yourself to a revisit. An incredible adventure for the avid movie goer, it is sure to reinvigorate even the weariest of motion picture enthusiasts. Who knows why I have avoided seeing it all these years? Probably because science-fiction is my least-favorite genre in the cinema world. The often sterile surroundings that accompany such flicks turn me off. Along with the Western (but for different reasons), my interest in movies that fall into the sci fi/fantasy/otherworld category generally leave me cold. I like my drama earthbound and ET free.

Kubrick made a science-fiction film, but its artistry transcends the genre. Like Ford, he is a visionary, exercising as much control as possible in a medium that demands collaboration.

Yesterday I lambasted Lost Horizon, the 1973 musical remake based on the James Hilton novel. The movie is a travesty, a lame- brained exercise in subpar movie-making. A FB film fan called my critique "hateful." I don't believe it was. Just my appraisal of a lousy, embarrassing film that was botched by all involved. Contrarily, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a triumph, a home run with bases loaded that Kubrick and company knock out of the ball park. I love film too much to give a pass to a schlock piece of crap like Lost Horizon. Conversely, when all those involved get it right, I crow like a rooster. Lost Horizon laid an egg, while 2001: A Space Odyssey took flight. And yes, I understand this is about personal opinion and sentiment. But I am too passionate about cinema and can't stay quiet. I have no choice but to share my convictions. I urge you to do the same.

Distributed by MGM, with a screenplay co-authored by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke and a stirring soundtrack composed mainly of classical music, 2001: A Space Odyssey is currently streaming on Tubi.

"A Letter to Three Wives" is a Calcified Piece of Dross

 

by Daniel White

Recently, after unfavorably comparing A Letter to Three Wives with another movie, I was urged by a fellow social media film aficionado to revisit the flick. His hope was that my stance might soften with a second viewing. Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, the 1949 comedy-drama is a smart, stylish telling about three suburban housewives, one of whose husbands has run off with a fourth gal pal. It's a witty, at times thoughtfully-crafted piece of work, but also calculating, contained and airless. Nary a false step but rarely any moments of brilliance. I admire A Letter to Three Wives but I don't harbor any great affection for it.

I do harbor enormous affection for the great Ann Sothern. Of the six main players, only she breathes some much-needed life into this stagey, nothing-left-to-chance soap opera mixed with satire. As Rita Phipps, an accomplished writer for radio, married to an easygoing high school teacher (Kirk Douglas), Sothern sparkles and actually feels genuine. That is a feat of near miraculous proportions in a movie where the illusion of spontaneity has been abandoned in favor of canned cleverness.

The beautiful Linda Darnell holds her own against more experienced farceurs as the ambitious Lora Mae. She may not have Sothern's zest for comedy but she's satisfying nonetheless. Of the three female stars, only Jeanne Crain disappoints. Crain possesses a pretty face and competently performs the tasks assigned to her. But if there is a less inspiring leading lady from the Golden Age of Hollywood, I'd love to have someone point her out to me. Mankiewicz is lucky to have three of the best character actresses around in support roles. Connie Gilchrist and Thelma Ritter shine as a couple of wisecrackin', tell-it-like-it-is broads who are only too happy to stick the pin of reality into the balloon of pretense. Likewise, Florence Bates is wonderful as Sothern's smarmy, self-important boss.

With everything so near-perfectly right about this movie, why does it strike me as a calcified piece of entertaining dross? Very watchable most of the time, but in the end still dross. Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox, with Paul Douglas, the forgettable Jeffrey Lynn, and an unseen Celeste Holm, A Letter to Three Wives is currently available on YouTube.

"Marlowe" Doesn't Get it Done

 

by John Zenoni

Well if you are looking for an old fashioned, film noir-style movie, unfortunately ‘Marlowe’ is not it. I will say that this movie does make a decent attempt at it but I think my main issue is the film is too slow-paced as far as development and action. It started off very promising but as it goes on it just loses its steam. Liam Neeson, in his portrayal of Marlowe, does a fine (but not great) job and Jessica Lange, as Hollywood film star Dorothy Quincannon, is always a great presence on the screen. But even she can't save this one. It's disappointing, as I was really hoping to see a good, old-fashioned thriller. But this one just didn't do it for me.

"Caught" Review

 

by Daniel White

Director Max Opuls (and it is Opuls. That's how he's credited in his four Hollywood films. Not a mistake or a misspelling, but a deliberate alteration) has helmed a melodramatic masterpiece. Caught (1949) is sublime, intelligent and complex. Derided upon its initial release as a "low grade dime-store romance" and "unpleasant," the film is magnificent, authentic in its over-the-top theatricality, if you will. Based on a novel by Libbie Block, with a perceptive screenplay by writer Arthur Laurents, the movie is stellar. Certainly better than that other exercise in sudsy soap opera pyrotechnics that swept the Oscars the same year, A Letter to Three Wives.

The film benefits immensely from the three leads who make up the messy romantic triangle that is at the core of this picture. Hats off to Barbara Bel Geddes for her adult, nuanced performance as Leonora. Not a great beauty, but a great actor, Bel Geddes never had the cinematic career she deserved. Here she plays a young woman, eager to advance herself but struggling with a conflicted moral code. She marries the wealthy Smith Ohlrig (Robert Ryan), feebly convincing herself it was for love and not his pile of loot. Unlike most flicks, where the heroine is pure of heart, our leading lady is not so simple. Kudos to Laurents for giving us a woman with mixed motives.

Robert Ryan is a testament to twisted, obsessive pathos as the cruel, demanding Ohlrig. A man incapable of love but able to inflict extreme torture, the black Irish Ryan has never been better. In real life a left-wing softy, no actor in Hollywood from its Golden Age could play an unstable sociopath better than he. Add a sympathetic James Mason as a brusque inner-city doctor, desperate to save his beloved from her mink-lined, pearl-studded cage and you have the brilliant Caught.

The film was produced by The Enterprise Studios, a company founded by John Garfield. Unfortunately, Caught would be its last endeavor, Garfield's Hollywood career soon to be derailed by the nefarious HUAC. With an ending in which a miscarriage saves the day (I kid you not!), outfits by the Orry Kelly, a campy turn by Curt Bois as Ryan's parasitical yes-man "poodle" ("I call everyone darling, darling" ), and distributed by MGM, Caught is currently available on YouTube.

"Hereditary" Review

 

by John Zenoni

‘Hereditary’ is a film I have avoided watching on purpose for the longest time, due to my fear and what I had heard and read about it. Needless to say, I'm so glad I watched it during the daytime, as I know I would have been up all night if I had watched it after dark.

This film is, in my humble opinion, one that ranks right up there with the best horror/scary movies, including the classics: ‘The Exorcist’; ‘Rosemary’s Baby’; and the more recent modern day classic, ‘The Witch.’ This thing is just creepy on so many levels and does not give up, even at the end. Very few films have haunted me afterwards like this one.

For those not familiar with the story, the Graham family (consisting of wife Annie, superbly played by Toni Collette, dad Steve, played by Gabriel Byrne, daughter Charlie, in a riveting performance by Milly Shapiro, and son Peter, played by Alex Wolff) have just lost the family matriarch, Annie’s mom, Ellen. Neither Annie nor her brother, who is referenced but never seen as he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed suicide, have ever had the best relationship with their mother. In fact, at one point it's mentioned that Steve had put in a no-contact policy for the family until it got to the point that Ellen needed care and moved in with them.

Without giving too much away, a horrible tragedy befalls the Graham family (one I did NOT see coming) and needless to say, the horror begins from there. It really is hard to review this film without divulging too much, but let’s just say that grandma Ellen was definitely not (to be ironic) a saint! What that woman was involved in and how it impacted her children and grandchildren is beyond terrifying.

I have since read other reviews, in which clues and signs are given about grandma and her ‘club’, and I missed them completely. But needless to say, I cannot go back and watch this one again, as once was definitely enough. All I can say is, watch at your own risk!

"The Group" Review

 

by Daniel White

How can you take a movie seriously when one of its leading characters falls out of a Manhattan hotel window (binoculars in hand) looking for German warplanes? An uncertain mixture of satire and melodrama, Sidney Lumet's The Group (1966) is nevertheless quite entertaining. Based on Mary McCarthy's wildly successful novel, the story of eight Vassar girls, class of '33, manages to keep one's interest despite its over two-hour running time. A big round of applause for screenwriter Sidney Buchman for condensing, configuring and delivering a fairly cohesive script.

Unfortunately, one of the more interesting storylines gets short shrift. Candice Bergen plays Elinor "Lakey" Lakeland, the resident lesbian. Shuffled off to Europe at the flick's onset, she returns late in the saga with her butch baroness lover in tow. However, Bergen is afforded one of the film's most gratifying scenes when she refuses to be shamed by the husband (an excellent Larry Hagman) of the girl in the sisterhood she harbored a not-so-secret crush on. Nice to see the Sapphic Lakey treated with dignity and respect. An uncommon occurrence in films dealing with lesbian characters produced in that era.

All of the ladies do a superb job in the acting department. Especially Jessica Walter as the cunty gossip Libby and Joanna Pettet, married to an alcoholic, unsuccessful playwright. Shirley Knight demonstrates all that is effective (and annoying) with her Method influenced turn as the practical Polly. But it's Elizabeth Hartman who breaks your heart. Playing the put-upon Priss, struggling with marriage and motherhood, she is a vulnerable, aching wound. Much like her offscreen self, it's sad knowing what life had in store for the mentally ill actor (suicide at 43 in 1987).

Hal Holbrook is highly amusing as a book publisher slavishly devoted to Freudian analysis. Poor guy, he can't take a shit without getting his shrink's approval! The film looks fabulous and evokes Depression-era New York lovingly. With Joan Hackett, Mary-Robin Redd and Kathleen Widdoes rounding out the rest of our leading ladies, a catty Carrie Nye, and a miscast Richard Mulligan as a heartless cad, The Group is currently streaming on Tubi.

"Viking Wolf" Review

 

by John Zenoni

For a unique spin on the werewolf genre, check out the Norwegian film ‘Viking Wolf’, currently streaming on Netflix. Is it a great movie? No, but it has some pretty good special effects and the acting and storyline are pretty decent.

A police officer and her family have moved to a new town and not long after getting there, the daughter meets up with some other kids at a party one evening out near some woods. Needless to say, it doesn't take long for a horrific attack to place on her and a couple of others, no one knowing what it was. Unfortunately, one young woman doesn't make it while the main character, Thale, does, as well as the boy she has her eye on. Later on, it 's revealed that Thale was bitten or scratched, which will cause her problems later on.

The spin is what happens next and takes place toward the ending of the film. I won't say you won’t guess what's going to happen but I liked the director’s approach and way of handling it. It does appear to leave the door open for a sequel, although I'm not sure it's necessary, as the film wasn't that good. However, it is a pretty good popcorn flick.

"The General Died at Dawn" Review

 

by Daniel White

An unusual star vehicle for Gary Cooper, Paramount's The General Died at Dawn's (1936) atmospheric look is one of its strongest selling points. Cinematographer Victor Milner has cloaked the flick in layers of shadow and fog, bestowing upon this adventure tale a noirish feel. Directed by Lewis Milestone, Coop plays American idealist O'Hara, who's determined to help a group of struggling Chinese, being terrorized by vicious warlord General Yang (Akim Tamiroff).

On board a train bound for Shanghai, O'Hara is set up by the beautiful but untrustworthy Judy (Madeline Carroll) and finds himself at the mercy of Yang and his nasty cohorts. Clifford Odets penned the screenplay and his wordy, pro-democracy pontificating slows things down a bit. Especially all that heady grandiosity spewing forth from Gary Cooper's mouth. Cooper is best when silent and in action. His credibility as an actor falters when he's forced to stop doling out haymakers and start delivering fancy speeches. However, the film is a response to the growing threat of fascism that was engulfing the world. Odets, Milestone and those involved can be forgiven for their earnestness.

The use of yellowface should not be forgiven. It was the custom in Hollywood at the time for Caucasian actors to play Asian roles. Besides being offensive, it's annoying. The Armenian born Akim Tamiroff is the primary culprit here. With his chop-chop English, he easily grates. Most of the other Asian roles are actually played by Asians, which is a huge plus in the film's favor. That many are enacted with dignity and restraint is an added benefit.

Miss Carroll looks lovely as the conflicted Judy. Traipsing about in her Travis Banton designed outfits, she is a dead ringer for Marlene Dietrich. With William Frawley as a truly ugly American (when he shouts racist vitriol at the Chinese, it's unsettling. I always thought Fred Mertz was such a lovable old codger!), Porter Hall, Dudley Digges and Philip Ahn, The General Died at Dawn is currently available on YouTube.

"The Watcher" Review

 

by John Zenoni

‘The Watcher’ is a well done, creepy Netflix series that deserves the attention it received when first released. I'm late to the party, I know, but I was finally able to check this one out and I'm glad I did. What caught me even more off guard is the fact that it's based on not one, but two true stories. But I'll get to that in a bit.

In the story, a young couple with two kids are looking for a fresh start and fall in love with a beautiful house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, NJ. Naomi Watts and Bobby Canavale portray Nora and Dean Brannick in the series and both do a great job. Also in a creepy role is Mia Farrow, who plays a next door neighbor who definitely has some issues of her own. Jennifer Coolidge stars as a friend of Naomi Watts, who just happens to be a real estate agent with a desire to get into the house, which you'll see played out in the series. But, actually, my favorite character of the series is the investigator, Theodora, played by the amazing Noma Dumezweni. I love her, as she's excellent in everything she's in. It's through her work to try and catch ‘The Watcher’ that she tells a story of a former owner that's actually based on a real story and is very disturbing. Not to mention that the case of ‘The Watcher’ is based on a true story and has never been resolved.