I Just Watched...

[Fedya]

"The House on 92nd Street" (1945)

I love those Fox docudramas. Gotta love the stentorian voice of Reed Hadley.

 

Did you figure out who or what Christopher was?

[GregoryPeckfan]

I`m a Lloyd Nolan fan, so I enjoyed The House on 92nd Street.

[Fedya]

Yes; Lloyd Nolan is usually interesting to watch whatever he's in.

[film lover 293]

Fedya--About ten minutes before the film ended, LOL;

 

 SPOILER, SPOILER, SPOILER.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hair was always too perfect and unchanging.

[Swithin]

I`m a Lloyd Nolan fan, so I enjoyed The House on 92nd Street.

 

I like Lloyd Nolan too -- so many great roles. One of my favorites is in Every Day's a Holiday.  He plays "Honest" John Quade -- a corrupt police chief in turn of the century New York -- "He's so crooked he uses a corkscrew for a ruler!" He has some great scenes with Mae West. Quite a different sort of cop from the decent cop he plays in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

[LawrenceA]

Nightmares (1983) - (6/10) - Corny, dated but still fun cult horror anthology from Universal. It's split into 4 unconnected stories: 1) "Terror in Topanga" offers up that old chestnut about a dark night and an escaped killer on the prowl. Featuring Christina Raines and William Sanderson. 2) "The Bishop of Battle" stars Emilio Estevez as a videogame expert determined to get to the final level on a new arcade game. Careful what you wish for! Also with Moon Unit Zappa. 3) "The Benediction" is a Duel take-off with Lance Henriksen as a priest who has lost his faith and may have run into the devil in the form of a menacing black truck on the highway. 4) "Night of the Rat" features a suburban family terrorized by, you guessed it, rats. With Richard Masur and Veronica Cartwright. 

 

The effects are chintzy (including some very early computer effects), and a lot of it is one-note. But there's a camp charm to it, and it makes good viewing for those in the mood for some cheesy but not ghastly frights. Featuring some early 80's punk music by the likes of X, Black Flag, and Fear. Directed by Joseph Sargent.

 

 

Rewatch.  Source: Blu Ray.

[Bogie56]

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) with Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey, Jr. was just wrong, wrong, wrong.  Why use Diane Arbus' name and allude to her career if you are not going to tell her tale and just make up some beauty and the beast hogwash?  Why do you need Diane Arbus for that?  I kept waiting for the film to get to the part where she becomes a great photographer but I guess I had long forgotten that this was an 'imaginary portrait.'   And at the end I was left thinking what must her kids think of all this?

[LawrenceA]

Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006) 

 

That was awful.

[speedracer5]

These Three.  I watched this movie with Miriam Hopkins, Merle Oberon and Joel McCrea last night.  I actually recorded this film back in December but hadn't seen it yet.  I am familiar with the storyline as I have seen the remake The Children's Hour and have listened to the Lux Radio Theater version.  I'm actually most familiar with the radio version as I've listened to it multiple times while driving.  It features Barbara Stanwyck in the Miriam Hopkins role, Mary Astor in the Merle Oberon part and my love, Errol Flynn in Joel McCrea's part.  The radio version followed the movie version closely, with only a few of the extraneous scenes from the film removed from the radio version.  

 

I will say that while I like the cast of The Children's Hour better than the cast of the movie version of These Three, I preferred the original film.  I would have loved to have seen the radio cast in the original version, except sub in Bonita Granville.  Granville is not in the radio version.  Granville is probably the main reason I preferred the original film--she's mean, conniving, melodramatic... all the traits you'd want in a nasty child role.  She so delightfully terrorized everyone in the film, especially poor Rosalie.  I loved Granville in this role and think her Supporting Actress Oscar nomination was well deserved.  

 

While the original storyline of the play was definitely sanitized for the movie version, it didn't bother me.  Without the lesbian angle, there is still a love triangle, which (usually) always makes for a good entertainment. 

[LawrenceA]

Reuben, Reuben (1983) - (7/10) - Low-key character study moves from comedy to romance to drama with the staggered gait of a longtime drunk. Alcoholic Scottish poet Gowan McGland has been living off past glories for some time. He takes any offer to give readings in small town country clubs and women's groups, charming and sleeping his way through the ranks of bored housewives he comes into contact with. Things change, though, when he meets a girl half his age, and that lights a fire within him, rousing him to consider that better days may be ahead. 

 

Tom Conti stars as the inebriated poet, and he is wonderful. He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for this, and in a lesser year, he would have won. Why he didn't have a stronger career after this, I don't know. Also featuring Roberts Blossom, Lois Smith, and the film debut of Kelly McGillis as his younger love interest. There's not much story, and what there is isn't exactly new, but Conti's performance makes this a film worth seeing at least once.

 

 

First time watched.   Source: DVD.

[GregoryPeckfan]

20, 000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA followed by the documentary about the making of the movie.

 

I had never seen the documentary before.  Most of the footage of the shark was unexpected.

 

It has been several years since I have seen this movie.  I can't remember when I last saw the film.   I'm a fan of Mason, Douglas and Lorre.  And I adore the seal.

 

In regards to TCM listing it as horror:

 

It was listed as fantasy according to optic TV.

 

It *may* be listed as "horror" to warn child viewers that there will be scary scenes.

 

If I remember correctly, Back From Eternity/Five Came Back are listed as Action And Adventure even though they too deal with cannibals in their main storyline and only about ten minutes of *this* film did.

[cigarjoe]

I broke out my I, Claudius (1976) DVD set the other night and watched the first three episodes, what a great miniseries. It stars Derek Jacobi, George Baker, Siiân Phillips, Brian Blessed, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart and many others.

 

Based on Robert Graves two novels I, Claudius, and Claudius The God. The books follow closely Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus known as Suetonius' set of biographies of twelve successive Roman rulers, from Julius Caesar to Domitian, covering the end of Augustus to the ascension of Nero. A BBC production 10/10

 

 

[AndreaDoria]

I, Claudius is the gold standard for Masterpiece Theatre offerings.  I've been a slave to PBS every Sunday night since. I had to work Sunday nights during the Upstairs/Downstairs years, so my son bought me the 67 episode DVD set for Christmas.  I watched the whole thing, started it over and watched it again.

 

Derek Jacobi is such a compelling actor, most recently I loved him in the "Last Tango in Halifax," series.  Light weight but fun. 

 

Before TCM, PBS was all I had.

[tallhair]

20, 000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA followed by the documentary about the making of the movie.

 

I had never seen the documentary before.  Most of the footage of the shark was unexpected.

 

It has been several years since I have seen this movie.  I can't remember when I last saw the film.   I'm a fan of Mason, Douglas and Lorre.  And I adore the seal.

 

In regards to TCM listing it as horror:

 

It was listed as fantasy according to optic TV.

 

It *may* be listed as "horror" to warn child viewers that there will be scary scenes.

 

If I remember correctly, Back From Eternity/Five Came Back are listed as Action And Adventure even though they too deal with cannibals in their main storyline and only about ten minutes of *this* film did.

 

I watched it and the documentary too but fell asleep before the shark unfortunately.

 

re: the actors I really enjoyed the unlikely but enjoyable performance by Kirk Douglas and for that matter Peter Lorre

[LornaHansonForbes]

I, Claudius is the gold standard for Masterpiece Theatre offerings.  I've been a slave to PBS every Sunday night since. I had to work Sunday nights during the Upstairs/Downstairs years, so my son bought me the 67 episode DVD set for Christmas.  I watched the whole thing, started it over and watched it again.

 

i was just mentioning a week or two ago, the aborted 1937 KORDA version of I, CLAUDIUS starring Laughton and (SOTM) Merle Oberon. filming was stopped** halfway(ish) and the insurance company paid the damages.

 

it's a BIG DEAL when something like that happens especially when BIG STARS are involved. (still is, and it happens VERY RARELY)

 

here is footage of it, in a documentary made sometime ca. 1960, a dreamy Dirk Bogarde hosts. I have not watched this yet, but will later.

 

the story of the "making of" sounds juicy a.f.

 

 

 

 

**ostensibly because Oberon was scarred and nearly killed in a car smash-up,

but i think there were lots of other difficulties as well.

[film lover 293]

"Humoresque" (1946)--Joan Crawford at or near her Warner Bros. era peak in this soapy tale of an alcoholic woman who subsidizes the career of the love of her life (John Garfield)--a brilliant classical violinist.  He loves his violin and his talent more than he loves her and her booze.  It's all "classy" soap opera and melodrama, but is redeemed by Crawfords' restrained performance, and a Fantastic soundtrack.  Garfield was dubbed by Isaac Stern, and Oscar Levant is on the piano for several numbers; his music and ad-libbed (?) smart remarks make this worth seeing at least once.  I generally dislike "weepies", but music and performances make this an 8 stars out of 10 watch.

 

"Torch Song" (1953)--Crawford turned down "From Here to Eternity" (1953) for this;  Baaad move.  Worse script.  This film is a huge disappointment for anyone expecting a "good" musical.  Director Charles Walters is assured in the direction of song-and-dance numbers, even in the notorious(?) "Two-Faced Woman" number; his ease disappears when confronted with dramatic scenes.  the scene immediately after TFW may be how audiences reacted to the film.  TS is catnip to Camp lovers.  4/10 stars if taken seriously; 9/10 stars for lovers of the silly side of film.

 

 

[Mr. Gorman]

I caught TORCH SONG yesterday and it occurred to me it would make a peachy Double-Feature with the 1955 absurdity "SINCERELY YOURS" with Liberace. 

 

     Would that not be just dandy? 

[film lover 293]

"The Oblong Box" (1969)--Based on the Edgar Allan Poe story, film has good performances by Christopher Lee, Vincent Price and Alastair Williamson, acceptable ones from from the rest of the cast; but this was maybe one time too many mining stories from E.A. Poe.  Film has a "been here, done that, seen that" atmosphere that isn't gotten rid of until the final twenty minutes.  Nice twist ending.  Strong source story and good performances keep film an enjoyable horror film.  Copy I saw on YT had numerous commercial pop-up ads.  6.3 out of 10 stars.

[GregoryPeckfan]

"Humoresque" (1946)--Joan Crawford at or near her Warner Bros. era peak in this soapy tale of an alcoholic woman who subsidizes the career of the love of her life (John Garfield)--a brilliant classical violinist.  He loves his violin and his talent more than he loves her and her booze.  It's all "classy" soap opera and melodrama, but is redeemed by Crawfords' restrained performance, and a Fantastic soundtrack.  Garfield was dubbed by Isaac Stern, and Oscar Levant is on the piano for several numbers; his music and ad-libbed (?) smart remarks make this worth seeing at least once.  I generally dislike "weepies", but music and performances make this an 8 stars out of 10 watch.

 

"Torch Song" (1953)--Crawford turned down "From Here to Eternity" (1953) for this;  Baaad move.  Worse script.  This film is a huge disappointment for anyone expecting a "good" musical.  Director Charles Walters is assured in the direction of song-and-dance numbers, even in the notorious(?) "Two-Faced Woman" number; his ease disappears when confronted with dramatic scenes.  the scene immediately after TFW may be how audiences reacted to the film.  TS is catnip to Camp lovers.  4/10 stars if taken seriously; 9/10 stars for lovers of the silly side of film.

I am thrilled that Crawford turned down From Here to Eternity.  Thrilled.  I cannot imagine anyone else in the cast being in the cast and it turning out just as brilliant.

 

I love Humeresque.

[LawrenceA]

Richard Pryor...Here & Now (1983) - (8/10) - Final stand-up concert film of one of the greatest comedians of all time. Filmed before a raucous audience in New Orleans, Pryor talks about Africa, fame, drug & alcohol abuse, and a lot more, including a bit as his classic character "Mudbone". While not quite as electric as his earlier films, it's still a stand out, and recommended for fans of stand-up comedy. From Columbia Pictures.

 

Rewatch.   Source: DVD.

[LawrenceA]

The Scarlet and the Black (1983) - (7/10) - Lengthy TV movie based on a true story that tells of the efforts of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty (Gregory Peck), an Irishman in the Vatican during the Nazi occupation of Rome circa 1943. He helps build an underground network to smuggle people out of the reach of the Nazis and Fascist Italian government, including American and British servicemen, as well as other refugees. His work brings him to the attention of the newly arrived head of the SS in Rome, Colonel Kappler (Christopher Plummer), who is determined to stop the Monsignor and his cohorts.

 

The fine cast also includes John Gielgud as Pope Pius XII, Raf Vallone, Barbara Bouchet, Kenneth Colley, John Terry, Walter Gotell, Michael Byrne, Fabiana Udenio, T.P. McKenna, and Gabriele Ferzetti. This was an Italian co-production, filmed on location in Rome, so there's a lot of magnificent scenery and architecture. The score is from Ennio Morricone, and the cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno. This is a worthwhile story to tell, and the leads are both good, with Peck particularly seeming to have a good time running around, climbing walls, dressing up in various disguises, and even boxing with Swiss Guards a third his age. 

 

 

First time watched.  Source: DVD.

[GregoryPeckfan]

It`s been a few years since I saw The Scarlett and the Black.

 

I remember enjoying it.  You do have to set aside a lot of time.

[speedracer5]

A Foreign Affair.  This is the second time I watched this film.  I watched it earlier this summer during Marlene Dietrich's SUTS day when it was recommended to me by many on this board.  When I saw it the first time, I remember not thinking much about it, despite my being a fan of Billy Wilder and Jean Arthur.  Last night, I watched this film a second time and I found myself enjoying it a lot more the second time around.  I can see now why members on this board enjoyed the film and recommended it to me.  Despite it being marketed a comedy, it is definitely not a comedy in the same way that Some Like it Hot is a comedy.  There were some comical parts, but to me, it was almost a black comedy.  It was an interesting juxtaposition having a comedy take place with war torn Berlin as the setting.  Arthur is less zany in this film than in previous efforts (like Talk of the Town and The More the Merrier) but she still has her moments.  I especially like her drunk scene in the Lorelai club right before it is raided.  The real star of the film, in my opinion, is Dietrich.  I especially loved her singing scenes.  She has a very unique singing style that adds to her allure and makes her a very interesting figure in this film.  She also wears gorgeous dresses.  An especially touching scene is near the end after the raid where she speaks in her Native German to an officer to help out Arthur--despite Arthur being her competition for the affections of an American officer. 

 

This is a very underrated Wilder film and I look forward to seeing it again.  I finally "get it" and would recommend this film to others. I look forward to seeing Five Graves to Cairo another of his lesser known films.  Perhaps I'll watch it tonight.

[LawrenceA]

Screwballs (1983) - (3/10) - Another moronic teen sex comedy. This one is set sometime in the late 50's/early 60's, but there are tons of anachronisms. The story begins at T & A High (that's Taft & Adams, gutter brain!), where a few guys get detention and decide to see who can bed Purity Busch, the pretty, snooty rich girl who got them all into trouble. Really dumb mayhem ensues. The cover declares that "Screwballs makes Porky's seem like Proust!" That says it all. From Canada. Thanks.

 

 

First time watched.  Source: DVD.

[limey]

The French Line (1954)

 

Well, Maltin's review on this one isn't far off the mark. Russell's much vaunted 3 dimensional assets fail to save this from being decidedly dull. I'd mentally checked out & found myself checking my email & the listings guide before the 30 minute mark. Even the bathroom scene failed to re-catch my attention. Things did perk up with the final song'n'dance number towards the end & with Roland (who for some reason, kept reminding me a frazzled looking James Garner) doing a repeated carry-on style invasion of the ladies dressing room, followed by an over-the-shoulder caveman carry of Russell.

 

It didn't help that the print image was somewhat indistinct in sharpness/detail, presumably a result of conversion back from 3D?