I Just Watched...

[Dargo]

 

....Hunted by the Gestapo, the Werfels experienced anxiety for their hosts as well as themselves. A number of families took turns in giving them shelter. These people told the Werfels the story of Bernadette. Werfel vowed that, if he and his wife escaped, he would put off all tasks and write Bernadette's story into a novel.

 

(END)

 

THIS LAST PART ALONE WOULD MAKE A KICKASS MOVIE- LHF

 

 

Very true, Lorna. It WOULD make for great movie, wouldn't it.

 

(...but, and speakin' of "miracles" here...ya know what's kind of a MINOR one here?...it's that your above use of the word "kickass" wasn't automatically censored by this overly sensitive freakin' word filter around here, dude!)

[Hibi]

Interesting. I'll file that away for future reference........

[EricJ]

THE FLINTSTONES always tickles me( the cartoon, not the movie you mention) due to it's  intention  of being an animated  sitcom  and originally intended for a target  adult  audience.  And us kids quickly took it over.

 

It wasn't until adulthood that I could fully appreciate the sarcastically surrealistic golden-age-of-Hanna-Barbera satire that went into the original Flintstones cartoon gags (think Simpsons on a good day, only without the sophomorically mean-spirited snarkiness and Homer-idiot gags, and replacing it with the Honeymooners and post-Jack Benny silliness instead).  It, and the entire HB golden age, started to go downhill after Baby Pebbles was born, but the first three seasons are subversive genius.

In our family, we grew up driving our parents silly with some of the classic quoted episode lines:

 

(TV announcer:  "Tonight's story, of a husband who runs away after his twelfth child is born, is called 'Have Enough - Will Travel'.  But first, a message from our sponsor:"

Sponsor:  "Ladies and gentlemen....(sad traumerei music) This program is costing me a fortune, so please...(sob!)...buy my product!")

 

Problem with the movie was, Rosie O'Donnell as Betty Rubble was the only major cast or crew member who'd ever watched the show in their life, and tried to stick up for getting the core fan lore back into the movie.  At least she got the Betty-Giggle right.

[NickAndNora34]

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016) (no spoilers)

As a Star Wars fan, I was a tad bit skeptical when I heard this movie was going to be released this winter. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this film. The acting was good, the characters were interesting, and the cast was ethnically diverse. 

 

The special effects were obviously gorgeous. There were a few surprising cameos that were made possible by CGI/animation (but I won't go into detail to avoid spoiling things for those of you who may go see this movie in theaters). Unfortunately, there were moments when this particular animation looked amazingly realistic, and then there were moments when the animation looked eerily fake and borderline terrifying. (no offense, Disney animators) One reviewer online wrote about how the animation may not hold up with all the technological advancements that will come about in the very near future, which to me, is understandable. 

 

The story was rather simple, but it was interesting to me how this movie apparently takes place in between Episodes 3 and 4 (AKA, Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope). The wardrobe and props were fantastic. The casting was pretty good as well. It is in my humble opinion that JJ Abrams prefers British brunettes to be his galactic leads, considering he cast Daisy Ridley as Rey in The Force Awakens and Felicity Jones (of whom I am a fan) as Jyn Erso in Rogue One. Although, this point may not be entirely accurate considering the fact that Gareth Edwards was the director of this film (but possibly Abrams had a big role in this, who knows). 

 

*Side note: This movie was 1000 times better than the disappointing prequel/sequels (Episodes 1-3, Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith). 

[EugeniaH]

Tonight I watched "I've Got Your Number", an early 1930s Warner Brothers flick with Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brien, Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins and Eugene Pallette.

 

There were some highlights of the film, like Joan's dependable sassiness and some funny bits from Allen Jenkins, but this isn't a DVD I'd put under anyone's Christmas tree... The plot, very briefly, revolves around Joan as a switchboard operator who is used (more than once) to help someone else commit a crime, and Pat O'Brien is a phone line repairman who (separately) becomes involved with her.

 

O'Brien's character is a sleaze, to say the least. We see early on that he treats women like samples in a meat market, but once he sets his sights on Joan, he goes all out, first insulting and bullying her into giving him a tumble, then eventually overturning her dining table so her dinner will be ruined and she'll then let him take her to a restaurant! (I kid not...) Joan gives as good as she gets, of course, but inexplicably, his boorish behavior wears her down and she falls in love with him. Okay, I realize this was made in the 1930s, but really! Sheesh.

 

As mentioned, I liked Allen Jenkins and his comic moments, one with a bogus palm reader (the great Louise Beavers), another when he's needed to listen in on dirty dealings by phone, and while there is mayhem going on he is there, fast asleep! His frequent delivery of the line, "Let's get outta here!!" in an exasperated voice is funny and doesn't get old.

 

Thumbs up to Eugene Pallette's performance, too. He sees O'Brien for the worm that he is and isn't shy about expressing it, lol.

[LornaHansonForbes]

Tonight I watched "I've Got Your Number", an early 1930s Warner Brothers flick with Joan Blondell, Pat O'Brien

 Pat O'Brien is a phone line repairman who (separately) becomes involved with her.

 

O'Brien's character is a sleaze, to say the least. We see early on that he treats women like samples in a meat market, but once he sets his sights on Joan, he goes all out, first insulting and bullying her into giving him a tumble, then eventually overturning her dining table so her dinner will be ruined and she'll then let him take her to a restaurant! (I kid not...) Joan gives as good as she gets, of course, but inexplicably, his boorish behavior wears her down and she falls in love with him. Okay, I realize this was made in the 1930s, but really! Sheesh.

 

 

I used to be all "eh" about Pat O'Brien until I went to youtube and watched the whole BREAKDOWNS OF series, which are surviving copies of Warner Bros. end of the year Christmas party blooper and gag reels from each year of production going from the mid thirties to late forties. It is replete with expletives and everything. you see all your favorite stars goof and swear like sailors.

 

and Pat O'Brien blew his lines and had issues with props and lost his toupee a lot, but honestly, everytime he does it- he's pretty funny and good natured about it. (as i recall at least.)

 

it made me like him more.

[EugeniaH]

I used to be all "eh" about Pat O'Brien until I went to youtube and watched the whole BREAKDOWNS OF series, which are surviving copies of Warner Bros. end of the year Christmas party blooper and gag reels from each year of production going from the mid thirties to late forties. It is replete with expletives and everything. you see all your favorite stars goof and swear like sailors.

 

and Pat O'Brien blew his lines and had issues with props and lost his toupee a lot, but honestly, everytime he does it- he's pretty funny and good natured about it. (as i recall at least.)

 

it made me like him more.

 

The only thing that I had known about O'Brien was that unfortunately he had a drinking problem, but now I'm seeing him here in there in films.  I thought he did okay in "Virtue" with Carole Lombard.

 

I love that "Breakdowns" series.  I watched clips of it on YouTube.  It's especially interesting that you can see, behind the hype of "The Magic of Hollywood", all of the hard work and not-so-magical doings that go on behind the scenes.  (Lol.)  Well, glad that O'Brien was good-natured about all his flubs - I wonder what his co-stars thought!

 

One side note about "I've Got Your Number" - on the DVD I watched, there was another Blondell movie right after this called "Havana Widows".  This also had Glenda Farrell and Allen Jenkins in it.  But the plot was so thin that I stopped paying attention pretty early into it.  I focused on putting away clean laundry instead.   

[TomJH]

Pat O'Brien and James Cagney were great friends for many years, long after their Warners days were over.

 

Unlike his early screen image Cagney was a glass half empty person in real life, while pal O'Brien's glass was always half full. Cagney was a bit amazed by Pat O'Brien's eternal optimism.

[EugeniaH]

Pat O'Brien and James Cagney were great friends for many years, long after their Warners days were over.

 

Unlike his early screen image Cagney was a glass half empty person in real life, while pal O'Brien's glass was always half full. Cagney was a bit amazed by Pat O'Brien's eternal optimism.

 

Yes, they were part of the so-called "Irish Mafia", which also included Spencer Tracy and Frank McHugh.

[JamesJazGuitar]

The only thing that I had known about O'Brien was that unfortunately he had a drinking problem, but now I'm seeing him here in there in films.  I thought he did okay in "Virtue" with Carole Lombard.

 

I love that "Breakdowns" series.  I watched clips of it on YouTube.  It's especially interesting that you can see, behind the hype of "The Magic of Hollywood", all of the hard work and not-so-magical doings that go on behind the scenes.  (Lol.)  Well, glad that O'Brien was good-natured about all his flubs - I wonder what his co-stars thought!

 

One side note about "I've Got Your Number" - on the DVD I watched, there was another Blondell movie right after this called "Havana Widows".  This also had Glenda Farrell and Allen Jenkins in it.  But the plot was so thin that I stopped paying attention pretty early into it.  I focused on putting away clean laundry instead.  

 

O'Brien is great in the Cagney \ Sheridan film Torrid Zone released in 1940.    The two friends were a fine comic team utilizing their different screen personas well.

[Sepiatone]

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016) 

 

The special effects were obviously gorgeous.

 

That might not last.  I remember when the first "Star Wars" movie came out we were all DAZZLED by the special effects.  But younger people seeing it today( and like my daughter said 20 years ago) think the effects are kind of cheezy and crude.  Like when I was in my late teens and ever since always thought of the effects used in those '50's sci-fi flicks .were.

 

 

Sepiatone

[TomJH]

O'Brien is great in the Cagney \ Sheridan film Torrid Zone released in 1940.    The two friends were a fine comic team utilizing their difference screen personas well.

 

That was the last of their screen collaborations (not counting Ragtime 40 years later when the two pals didn't share a scene).

 

As fast as Cagney was with the patter I always thought that Pat O'Brien was even faster. Torrid Zone is great fun to watch. Good as these two guys are in the film, Ann Sheridan steals it from both of them.

 

Not long before her death, Sheridan had an interview in which she spoke of how great it was to work with Cagney and O'Brien.

 

[scsu1975]

Tropic Zone (1953) youtube

 

How can you make a film about a banana plantation exciting? You can’t.

 

Rhonda Fleming (who looks spectacular, as always) plays the owner of a banana plantation in the Caribbean which is on the verge of going belly up. Enter Ronald Reagan, who saves the day.

 

Seems Reagan is a political escapee from somewhere (probably  where the Democrats are still in control), so he is in this country illegally. Nasty John Wengraf, who wants to buy out Fleming, blackmails Reagan into helping him wreck the plantation. Reagan pretends to go along, but you know at some point he is going to kick somebody’s a**.

 

The highlight of the film occurs about halfway through, with a pretty good six minute brawl. Reagan cleans house, and Fleming gets the top of her dress torn off.  The rest of the film is slow going. Estelita Rodriguez sings a few songs, and Noah Beery Jr. takes a nice part as Reagan’s buddy. Grant Withers plays Fleming’s drunken and former foreman.

 

The climax features Reagan, Fleming, et al trying to transport 8000 banana stems to a dock so that the Tropic Fruit Company will give Fleming a contract. This ten minute march is clearly an homage to the exodus scene in The Ten Commandments, if you can imagine Reagan as Moses, Fleming as Mrs. Moses, and the bananas as the Hebrews leaving Egypt.

 

 

 

 

This is the exact moment when Reagan conceived his “trickle down” theory.

[JamesJazGuitar]

Tropic Zone (1953) youtube

 

How can you make a film about a banana plantation exciting? You can’t.

 

Rhonda Fleming (who looks spectacular, as always) plays the owner of a banana plantation in the Caribbean which is on the verge of going belly up. Enter Ronald Reagan, who saves the day.

 

Seems Reagan is a political escapee from somewhere (probably  where the Democrats are still in control), so he is in this country illegally. Nasty John Wengraf, who wants to buy out Fleming, blackmails Reagan into helping him wreck the plantation. Reagan pretends to go along, but you know at some point he is going to kick somebody’s a**.

 

The highlight of the film occurs about halfway through, with a pretty good six minute brawl. Reagan cleans house, and Fleming gets the top of her dress torn off.  The rest of the film is slow going. Estelita Rodriguez sings a few songs, and Noah Beery Jr. takes a nice part as Reagan’s buddy. Grant Withers plays Fleming’s drunken and former foreman.

 

The climax features Reagan, Fleming, et al trying to transport 8000 banana stems to a dock so that the Tropic Fruit Company will give Fleming a contract. This ten minute march is clearly an homage to the exodus scene in The Ten Commandments, if you can imagine Reagan as Moses, Fleming as Mrs. Moses, and the bananas as the Hebrews leaving Egypt.

 

 

 

 

This is the exact moment when Reagan conceived his “trickle down” theory.

 

 

The Cagney \ Sheridan \ O'Brien film Torrid Zone (1940) is all about a banana plantation and it is a very exciting,  as well as funny, film.

 

But yea, Reagan was no Cagney!

[Swithin]

I just saw La La Land. Sweet film, I really liked it. I think most of us on this board will like it.

 

[TomJH]

Tropic Zone (1953) youtube

 

 

Rhonda Fleming (who looks spectacular, as always) . . .

 

 

 

Rhonda Fleming has sold her soul to Lucifer!

 

I mean, she must have made a pact of some kind to look the way she did at age 88, three years ago:

 

[film lover 293]

"The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" (1958)--Directed by Karel Zeman.

 

Throw out Maltin's rating.  This Czech film (print I saw had English subtitles) is a mindblowing, almost seamless mixture of live action and incredibly detailed animation that looks like 19th century lithographs.  The film is based on Verne's short story "The Deadly Invention".  It's also reminiscent of "Mysterious Island" .  The acting is ok.  The Victorian Era style animation, with hints of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" (1927), and the fine musical score are what make this film work.

 

The music is by Sydney Fox and Frank Belfin.  The cinematography is by George Taran; special effects are by George Taran, B. Piccard, and Antony Hora.  Animation is by director Karel Zeman, Joseph Zeman, Syd Ostrov, Ernest Marchand, Henry Liss, and Francis Kramm.

 

The animation is magical, especially the undersea scenes, and the take on 1890's movies.  Watch for the roller skating camels.

 

Film won numerous awards, The Grand Prix at Brussels International Film Festival, and a Crystal Star from The French Academy of Film, among others.

 

Film is a wonderful, sci-fi romp through the works of Jules Verne.  One of the best jobs of animation I've seen.  Warner Bros. distributed this when it was released in the U.S. in 1961.  This would be a treat for TCM to show, if it's available.  3.9/4.

 

Source--archive.org.  Search "THEFABULOUSWORLDOFJULESVERNE1958".

[cigarjoe]

Road Movie (1974) Road Noir

 

 

Via, The Road, La Strada, the ancient conduit of Civilization. Updated to circa 1974. The place, Arena Diner Truck Stop, meadowlands ****, halfway between Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

Road Movie, a Neo Noir no one has heard of, was directed by Joseph Strick (one of the directors of The Savage Eye (1959), and director of The Big Break (1953), Tropic of Cancer (1970)). Strick was a Braddock Pennsylvania native, who has had a successful career primarily as a documentary filmmaker. The Savage Eye which won 1960 BAFTA Flaherty Documentary Award is often considered to be part of the cinema vérité movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

 

The film was credited as being written by Judith Rascoe (Who'll Stop the Rain (1978)), and by Joseph Strick (story). Cinematography by was by Don Lenzer (Woodstock (1970), Street Scenes (1970)). The excellent melange of blues and country music was by Stanley Myers (The Deer Hunter (1978).

 

The film stars Regina Baff (Escape from Alcatraz (1979)), Robert Drivas (Cool Hand Luke (1967), Route 66 (TV Series)), Barry Bostwick (The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)), David Bauer (Dark of the Sun (1968), Diamonds Are Forever (1971)), David Challis, Rodney Cleghorn, Beatrice Colen, Rik Colitti, Eileen Dietz, Laura Esterman and the great American road.

 

Road Movie has an opening credit sequence that beautifully captures vignettes along the transient mileposts in the lives of modern teamsters. The film begins with a tearied eye Janice. She's arguing in a car with a john or her pimp. He kicks her out at the Arena Diner Truckstop. He tells her she'll have to work trucks. A highway hooker.

 

Road Movie is a nice Noir slice of the 70's, the cinematography, music, the sound design, even the diegetic sound of holy roller radio preachers shucking bleeding heart of Jesus statues that actually squirt blood, while the ephemera of cast off americana kitsch constantly rolls past our view is both depressingly bleak and amusingly entertaining. 

 

Fuller review here in Film Noir/Gangster board, and with screencaps here: http://noirsville.blogspot.com/2016/12/road-movie-1974-road-noir.html

[wouldbestar]

I enjoyed I'd Climb the Highest Mountain, in which Susan Hayward marries a circuit riding preacher (William Lundigan) and encounters life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. Location photography is a plus. People who like, say, Stars in My Crown would probably like this one, too. It's an episodic film with a little laughter, more than a few tears, and a good picture of the community. You can add this one to the short list of Hollywood films with realistic depictions of the South.

 

A strong supporting cast helps, including Rory Calhoun as a handsome ne'er-do-well who wants to marry nice girl Barbara Bates. Her father (Gene Lockhart) naturally objects. Alexander Knox has a great supporting role as an atheist who doesn't want his children to attend Sunday school. I could wish that Ruth Donnelly got to show more of her comic skill as one of the woman in the congregation. Lynn Bari has the enjoyable role of a rich woman with designs on the pastor.

 

Henry King was a good match for this material. There are some particularly nice moments, including the two girls tunelessly singing a hymn at the welcoming party for the preacher's wife.

I first saw this in the early 60's on Saturday Night at the Movies and never forgot it.  The girl's father was a pompous jerk but the rest of the folks were the kind you'd want to know for real.  The minister was portrayed not as some impossibly pious paragon but a real human being of faith who wanted to care for his congregation body and spirit.  I've known a lot more like him than charlatans or prigs.  Susan Hayward's morphing from spoiled city girl to strong supportive country wife was funny, touching and enjoyable to watch.  This is a religious film that's never phony and can be enjoyed by anyone believers or not.  Glad I'm not the only one who likes it. 

[hamradio]

"Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children" (2016)

 

I wondered what the twins special traits were...lizard kids with Medusa powers.

 

If I took my eye off the screen for 5 seconds, would never guessed.  Could had been worst, turning people into Creepy Clowns instead.

 

 

 

 

Took this snapshot from the VLC player.  

 

[Fedya]

Adam Had Four Sons (1941)

 

Adam (Warner Baxter) is a stockbroker in 1907 with a wife (Fay Wray) and four sons. They hire a governess (Ingrid Bergman) who immediately becomes another member of the family, like Katherine Freeman in the short Annie Was a Wonder. But Mom dies, there's an economic downturn, and the governess has to be let go.

 

Fast forward several years. Dad's rich again, and brings the governess back, despite the fact the kids are all grown up and World War I is on. Obviously Dad is in love with her (and she in love with him) but neither wants to admit it.

 

One of the sons brings a wife (Susan Hayward) home, not realizing she's perfectly comfortable sleeping her way through all the brothers. Bergman is nuts enough to take the fall for one of the affairs.

 

The acting is OK, but the script is nuts and pretty much brings down the movie. Helen Westley gets another chance to shine, and Fay Wray dies before the script goes to pot.

 

6/10.

[film lover 293]

"The Royal Family of Broadway" (1930)--Starring Ina Claire, Fredric March, and Henrietta Crosman.  Directed by Cyril Gardner and George Cukor.

 

Funny burlesque about the theatrical life versus "normal" life.  Based on the Barrymore family.  Ina Claire is Gwen Cavendish, who loves and hates being a famous actress; she is the nominally sane person in the family.  Fredric March is Tony, the most outrageous member of the family, who has fled to Hollywood and is wanted for attempted murder of a director and a breach of promise suit.  March admitted he based his portrayal on John Barrymore.  March is very funny, whether expressing his opinion of directors, or sucking in his stomach because his tights are too tight.

 

Film is like a stage play--the humor is all verbal, and the camera never moves.

 

Crosman is funny as the overemotional matriarch of the family.  Mary Brian is ok as the ingenue.

 

March was nominated for Best Actor for his performance.

 

Film is most enjoyable.  3.3/4.

 

Source--YouTube.

[Swithin]

"The Royal Family of Broadway" (1930)--Starring Ina Claire, Fredric March, and Henrietta Crosman.  Directed by Cyril Gardner and George Cukor.

 

Funny burlesque about the theatrical life versus "normal" life.  Based on the Barrymore family.  Ina Claire is Gwen Cavendish, who loves and hates being a famous actress; she is the nominally sane person in the family.  Fredric March is Tony, the most outrageous member of the family, who has fled to Hollywood and is wanted for attempted murder of a director and a breach of promise suit.  March admitted he based his portrayal on John Barrymore.  March is very funny, whether expressing his opinion of directors, or sucking in his stomach because his tights are too tight.

 

Film is like a stage play--the humor is all verbal, and the camera never moves.

 

Crosman is funny as the overemotional matriarch of the family.  Mary Brian is ok as the ingenue.

 

March was nominated for Best Actor for his performance.

 

Film is most enjoyable.  3.3/4.

 

Source--YouTube.

 

It's a pretty well known stage play. I saw the 1975 revival.

 

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-royal-family-3782

[film lover 293]

"Daisy Kenyon" (1947)--Starring Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews, and Henry Fonda.

 

Otto Preminger directed this noir version of a "womans picture".  Crawford is a successful magazine illustrator who's old enough to know what she wants in life, but hasn't figured things out.  She is seeing married lawyer Dana Andrews; film implies their relationship is a long standing one.  Henry Fonda plays a WW II veteran who is haunted by the War and earlier events.  Fonda and Crawford marry.  Major complications ensue.

 

Crawford does a fine job of underacting, just using her eyes and voice to convey emotion.  Fonda is excellent as the veteran.  Andrews is likewise excellent as an indecisive, then obsessed man.  Ruth Warrick is very good as Andrews' suspicious, angry wife.

 

Leon Shamroy did the shadowy, stark photography.  Alfred Newman and David Raksin did the moody score. Fred Sersen did the Special Photography Effects, including the credits, which warn the viewer that they are only seeing a facade.

 

Dark film has plot strands that address prejudice, stalking, and child abuse.  Film suggests much more than it shows.  Excellent noirish melodrama.  3.2/4

 

Source--archive.org.  Search "Daisyken".

[TomJH]

The Changeling (1980).

 

A man, recovering from the recent deaths of his wife and child in an automobile accident in New York state, moves across the country to Washington. There he tries to move on with his life as a musical composer by moving into a large Victorian style house in the country. Strange things begin to happen, however, water taps turned on, a window smashing on its own, his daughter's rubber ball inexplicably bouncing down a towering staircase and, above all, thunderous bangs periodically echoing throughout the house for no apparent reason.

 

The man realizes that something is trying to communicate with him in this house, and he begins an investigation of the building's history. And there's something, something going on in that tiny dusty cob web strewn room at the very top of the house, the one with a music box and a small wheelchair.

 

George C. Scott is a solid presence in this film as the man bewildered by this huge old home, with Scott's wife, the elegant Trish Van Devere, cast as a member of the local historical society instrumental in having secured him this house. Melvyn Douglas appears as a U.S. senator who is somehow related to the house.

 

Director Peter Medak lets the suspense build slowly in this intelligent Canadian made ghost story. Rather than going for terror, this film goes for subtle chills. There's a seance scene that is genuinely eerie, as Medak's camera returns to that small room and then starts to glide down the stairs towards the seance participants trying to communicate with the spirit.

 

Some ghost films are all special effects and over-the-top performances of terror. Like the best of the classy, more mature films that explore the supernatural, The Changeling never goes for cheap thrills. This thriller's eeriness is analogous to a tap on the shoulder by a cold finger, only to turn around and find there is nobody there.

 

It may be a cliche to say it, but, in this case, it's true: if you watch this film, be sure to do so with the lights turned low.

 

 

3 out of 4.