GordonCole

Yes, I remember that also. I don't think he revised his opinion of that one but I think he did on Kubrick's film. As I recall there was a tendency to deride the two main actors in Kubrick's epic for being, shall we say, a bit boring but later revisionism decided that there may have been method in this madness.

Hey, Sgt. those books weren't bad either. Now if you go to the library they will have shelved all those classics in the basement archives and put crapola ones in the classic section.

Another good source of Helen Keller information came from horrid jokes perpetrated by children on playgrounds that involved scenarios like Helen in a ditch and Helen playing baseball. The punch lines are just in too much bad taste for me to divulge here. Send me an SASE though with a buck and I will reveal the denouement punch lines.

Yes, it is wonderful. A truly breathtaking view of a family's holiday and the interrelationships between its members.

Agreed. I like all three. I may be hallucinating but wasn't it Crowther who panned the film 2001: A Space Odyssey but then after reflection wrote another review saying he had not grasped Kubrick's concept originally and later realized what a fine film it was that had cross purposes in casting than what was usually done in an A-List fiilm? I remember reading the original review when it was in theatres and the aftermath.

My grandfather would have called Agnes also a very handsome woman. I doubt many young folk today would understand that usage of the word "handsome" and would think it can only refer to the male of the species.

Maltin is to film criticism what Mother Teresa is to sex appeal. I would probably only use Maltin as a source for going to see the movies he pans. I was introduced to film criticism early with the works of James Agee. Maltin is no Agee hence I ignore him and his off the top of his head thoughts.

What I liked best about Christmas Holiday was seeing Kelly as a heel. That Pal Joey type persona fit him well for obvious reasons but just like Fred MacMurray not wanting to be villainous on film, Kelly didn't play parts like that again much since he had a more likable persona he wanted to portray ostensibly.

He shoulda gone with a Liberace piece which was always entertaining as long as there was a candelabra in the scene.

I wish. I'd never seen this name before here since they seem to have left TCM before I joined up in 2015. I noticed that this OP hasn't been here since around 2005. Anyone know what happened to them? Maybe they are Hal Croves lol?

Reading Conrad is always fascinating, since one can actually feel the determination of the author in utilizing his mastery of a few languages in getting his point across. His own life, prowling around ports and living an adventure daily aided so much to his depth of knowledge of the human psyche in conflict with nature and other beings. What happened to the OP called There Al Fuster?

The Traven story would make a good movie in itself.

Good to know, since when Dick Van Dyke did his supposed tribute special to the talents of Stan Laurel, Stan basically abhorred it, rolling over in his grave and was slightly sarcastic about Dick's quasi-honoring of Laurel. Most critics also saw it as more of a tribute to Dick.

Read that book by Maugham years ago and would swear I saw it play once on TCM in years past which is the only time I've ever seen it, from being on tv. Is it not supposed to have ever played there?

Trying to push this film into a noir mold, is just a waste of time. But as a showcase of a very talented little actor, like Billy Gray it was marvelous. That kid had real talent and brought the story home. You nailed it with your remarks about its mish-mash of genres.

I've seen it quite a few times and would have sworn it has played on TCM, but may be wrong. I only think that because I know when I've seen it it was on my tv, and who else but TCM would be showing it. Okay, maybe AMC I guess. Really great movie and Robinson is marvelous as usual with a great concept in the plot also.

Someone here once said the movie Brother Sun Sister Moon was in the Top Ten of movies one really needs to remove one's carcass from the seat for as it is abysmal viewing. Personally I enjoyed all DW's efforts unless it is being touted by Lillian whose ardor does rub me a bit the wrong way.

Fred Allen was a wit whose quips were apt and sometimes prescient, like the following. All the sincerity in Hollywood you could stuff in a flea's navel and still have room left to conceal eight caraway seeds and an agent's heart. Everything is for the eyes these days-TV, Life, Look, the movies. Nothing is just for the mind. The next generation will have eyeballs as big as cantaloupes with no brain at all. Any others by others you like will be appreciated.

Good to see Pontecorvo's Battle of Algiers is playing in February. That is the last movie on my friend's film want list to see before he leaves this world with his raft on the Styx.

Yeah, Sabu could satisfy if his cologne didn't knock you out.

Apparently you don't know that Clare Booth Luce frequently posts here.

If I'm going to be at a party I want it to be one filmed by Fellini like from something like La Dolce Vita.

The people who talk only about the technical sides of movies or the box office returns, probably would miss that humanistically poetic vision of the film or any film of its calibre. They probably also don't get Lubitsch films or the humor but that's another story. Thanks for such a well articulated post.

Speaking of actors I get confused, your avatar, Brian Donlevy used to be confused by me with Neil Hamilton but that might be because they both were Arrow Collar male models as someone here once wrote. They both had rather attractively structured male facial physiognomies though Donlevy was more masculine overall. I also get Alan Curtis and Robert Sterling confused sometimes.

Only a real movie fan would even know who Kay Lenz and Lee Purcell are, Sgt. Markoff. I bow to your movie knowlege but visual disfunction.