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film lover 293

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Posts posted by film lover 293

  1. "Tap Roots" (1948)--Starring Susan Hayward, Van Heflin, Boris Karloff, and Julie London.

     

    Film is based on the 1942 novel by James H. Street, which is very loosely based on a debated event in Mississippi's history (Wikipedia has a long article on it; search "Newton Knight").

     

    The convoluted plot begins in 1860 Mississippi.  Morna Dabney (Hayward) is trying to get her beau to marry her, as is Tishomingo (Karloff), a Choctaw Indian family friend.  Mornas' sister Aven (London) is also interested in her boyfriend.  Talk is of politics, and Mornas' father (Ward Bond),who owns the county, declares that if Mississippi secedes from the Union, his county will secede from the Confederacy.  Newspaper publisher Keith Alexander (Heflin) becomes involved.  The film proceeds from there.

     

    Hayward is effective as a Temperamental Southern belle; she has the red hair to signify a Temper.  Only thing wrong is her accent comes and goes.  Van Heflin is very good as a quietly sarcastic Southerner; he and Hayward are the best things in the film.  Karloff is good as the Indian--he doesn't have the pronounced British accent he did in "Unconquered" (1947), where he played a similar role.  London is good as Haywards' treacherous vixen of a sister.

     

    Universals' attempt at another "Gone With the Wind" came off pretty well.  Movie's weakness is there is too much resemblance to GWTW, down to the emphasis on landowning.  Still, it's an enjoyable watch. 3/4

     

    Saw on another website.

    • Like 3
  2. (1)--"London After Midnight" (1927)--With Lon Chaney Sr., directed by Tod Browning.  I've seen the version that is stills from the production; now if the film would be discovered and shown.

     

    (2)--"Yolanda" (1924)--Marion Davies film I've never heard whether it was available to view or not.  I certainly would like to see it.

    • Like 3
  3. This character actress was always a delight to watch.  One year she played a singer whose "talents" made the servants flee the room.  In another film released the same year she was a socialite on a mission to bring the natives birth control.  Please name the actress and the two films mentioned.

  4. "Experiment Perilous" (1944)--Starring Hedy Lamarr, George Brent, and Paul Lukas.

     

    Jacques Tourneur directed this RKO historical melodrama.  Film has a good cast, excellent director, atmospheric cinematography by Tony Gaudio, the money spent definitely shows on the screen.  What's wrong?  The wordy, SSSllloooowww script (blamed on Warren Duff) that is All talk and no action ( until the last twenty minutes), that echoes "Gaslight" (1944).  

     

    Film's characters talk...and talk....and Talk.  When there's finally a confrontation between good and bad guys, they Yap...and yap before there's any action.  Director Tourneur and his cast do their utmost, but they can't totally redeem the script.  They Do make the film watchable and intermittently fascinating.  Gaudio's photography and the performances are better than the script deserves.  2.5/4.

    • Like 2
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