I Just Watched...

[LornaHansonForbes]

SO WE WERE talking about SUSAN GEORGE in the MANDINGO thread and it occurred to me that my quest to see as many sick 70's movies as possible this summer was missing a major entry in that I had not seen STRAW DOGS (1971) as yet, and i went and found it (uncut and raw) online.

heretofore, the only SAM PECKINPAH films I had seen were RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY (which I saw and liked, but remember next to nothing about other than the fact that I saw it and liked it) and THE GETAWAY, which is fine in spite of the fact that ALI MCGRAW was the worst actress ever in the history of the medium of film.

i admit that i watched the film in a manner that would offend some of you (understandably)- I watched it largely in 20 minute intervals throughout the day as I worked and did other stuff. honestly, if i had had to watch it in one full serving i might well have not liked it....or maybe i still would've...i dunno. i was ready to quit when i sat down and and watched the last hour of it in bed last night.

this is a clumsy analogy, but it's the best way I know to describe how I felt about STRAW DOGS- watching it is like being deadstill on the runway for about an hour and twenty minutes; and then an OUT OF NOWHERE taxiing lurches outright into full takeoff and the flight proceeds (WITH THE PLANE FLYING UPSIDE DOWN) from NY to LA in about forty minutes.

I was really not liking it at all until that third act, and then- wow.

i still think it could've been better in many ways, but it was a unique viewing experience for sure...I'm glad they set the film in England and not The American South (it's based on a British novel, but the transition had to've been tempting for the makers.)

many people think the English countryside is all elevensies with the Vicar and blooming wisteria....uh uh. there are some BLEAK landscapes and some BLEAK towns and some mean people living in said circumstances. I dare to say that, had he lived to see it, THOMAS HARDY would've liked this movie.

certain characters in this movie made the villagers in THE WICKER MAN look like the villagers in BRIGADOON.

this was  a BLEAK film- not an attractive landscape in the whole thing, and shot with a sickly hue that i found off putting (I do think the cinematography could have been better)...but the editing, especially in the scene at a church social where various stories begin and unfold enthrallingly before the viewer's eyes is exceptional- and continues to be for the rest of the movie. the score got an Oscar nod, I wasn't nuts about it. they want to nominate anything from this movie and it should have been the editing.

SUSAN GEORGE was actually pretty good in, MY GOD, a DEMANDING role- much better than she is in MANDINGO...I still have some issues with how the women were portrayed in this film, but this review has already gone on long enough.

i recently read some things about DUSTIN HOFFMAN that were unpleasant, and this was the first film of his I have watched since then. he may be a rotten person IRL, but he was excellent in this- just really superb in the final third where honestly- the film walks a fine line between gripping thriller AND pitch black comedy (and I DO NOT mean that as an insult.)

ANYHOO, it's online, and really, I would recommend it- although: again- just know that the first 2/3 are a challenge to watch, but the last act is IMPOSSIBLE to look away from.

 

[rosebette]

2 hours ago, Sepiatone said:

Olivia may have been the better actress, but Brenda might have been better on the "casting couch".  I wasn't there, so I'm guessing.... 

Sepiatone

I wouldn't malign Brenda Marshall in that way.  It seems as if Warners' was grooming her to be a star, as she appeared with Flynn in another film, Footsteps in the Fog, and with Cagney in Captains in the Clouds.  She also had a good part in The Constant Nymph.  However, from her bio, it seems as if she seemed uncomfortable with the Hollywood star system (she preferred to be called by her given name, Ardis).  She was also married to William Holden for 30 years, although the union was not a happy one, probably given to Holden's predilection to alcohol and extramarital affairs.

 

[TomJH]

8 minutes ago, rosebette said:

If Essex looked like Errol Flynn, maybe she wouldn't have been the Virgin Queen!

\

Real Earl of Essex

Reel Earl Of Essex

 

You may have a point, rosebette.

[TomJH]

3 minutes ago, rosebette said:

I wouldn't malign Brenda Marshall in that way.  It seems as if Warners' was grooming her to be a star, as she appeared with Flynn in another film, Footsteps in the Fog, and with Cagney in Captains in the Clouds.  She also had a good part in The Constant Nymph.  However, from her bio, it seems as if she seemed uncomfortable with the Hollywood star system (she preferred to be called by her given name, Ardis).  She was also married to William Holden for 30 years, although the union was not a happy one, probably given to Holden's predilection to alcohol and extramarital affairs.

 

Brenda Marshall's cold performance, and her lack of chemistry with Flynn, is a key weakness in the otherwise fine Sea Hawk, one of the classic swashbucklers. It's too bad Olivia apparently objected to appearing in this film, especially since she would then co-star with Errol in Santa Fe Trail immediately afterward.

[rosebette]

4 minutes ago, TomJH said:

Brenda Marshall's cold performance, and her lack of chemistry with Flynn, is a key weakness in the otherwise fine Sea Hawk, one of the classic swashbucklers. It's too bad Olivia apparently objected to appearing in this film, especially since she would then co-star with Errol in Santa Fe Trail immediately afterward.

I believe that Brenda Marshall may have been a model before her film career, which might explain her limited acting range in her first attempts.

According to Robert Matzen, Olivia hated making Santa Fe Trail, and she and Errol argued throughout the making of it.  Somehow, they made their peace in They Died with Their Boots On, for which viewers can be very grateful!   

[TomJH]

14 minutes ago, rosebette said:

I believe that Brenda Marshall may have been a model before her film career, which might explain her limited acting range in her first attempts.

According to Robert Matzen, Olivia hated making Santa Fe Trail, and she and Errol argued throughout the making of it.  Somehow, they made their peace in They Died with Their Boots On, for which viewers can be very grateful!   

I believe the two started to patch things up between them on a train promotion for the premiere of Santa Fe Trail. Photos can be seen of the two laughing together on that train. This lead to Flynn being pleasantly surprised when Olivia agreed to be his leading lady (for a final time) in Boots.

[LornaHansonForbes]

ps- i won't post it here, because it's pretty graphic, but i also recommend MONTY PYTHON'S SAM PECKINPAH'S 'SALAD DAYS' which can be seen on youtube...

[LawrenceA]

A Bullet for Joey (1955) - Uninspired mash-up of crime/noir and spy thriller, from United Artists and director Lewis Allen. Communist agents in Montreal, led by Eric Hartman (Peter van Eyck), want to kidnap atomic scientist Dr. Macklin (George Dolenz) and send him behind the Iron Curtain to help their nuclear program. When his own agents fail, Hartman enlists deported American gangster Joe Victor (George Raft) to handle the operation. Meanwhile, Montreal police Inspector Raoul Leduc (Edward G. Robinson) is hot on their trail. Also featuring Audrey Totter, Peter Hansen, Toni Gerry, Steven Geray, William Bryant, John Cliff, Joseph Vitale, Sally Blane, Bill Hickman, and Kaaren Verne.

The movie lacks any style, and the script is muddled. I was never quite sure why the Communists enlisted the American mobsters, and their plan seemed overly complicated and silly. Things pick up in the finale, although one character switch was unbelievable. The Canadian setting makes this a bit unusual, though.   (6/10)

Source: MGM HD.

[misswonderly3]

3 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

SO WE WERE talking about SUSAN GEORGE in the MANDINGO thread and it occurred to me that my quest to see as many sick 70's movies as possible this summer was missing a major entry in that I had not seen STRAW DOGS (1971) as yet, and i went and found it (uncut and raw) online.

heretofore, the only SAM PECKINPAH films I had seen were RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY (which I saw and liked, but remember next to nothing about other than the fact that I saw it and liked it) and THE GETAWAY, which is fine in spite of the fact that ALI MCGRAW was the worst actress ever in the history of the medium of film....

 

Thanks for the detailed and interesting write -up on Straw Dogs, Lorna.

Speaking of that director, have you seen The Wild Bunch ? This was the first Sam Peckinpah film I ever saw; it was featured in a film class I was taking. I remember at the time I really disliked it, but it's funny how we can change over the years. I've seen The Wild Bunch two or three times since then, and now think it's an exceptionally good movie. Now, in true Sam Peckinpah fashion, it's not a pleasant movie, it's not fun to watch. Not something you'd want to watch with your mother, maybe. But it's  got some great scenes, and it's rewarding to see those icons of classic Hollywood cinema, Robert Ryan and William Holden, in their sunset years.

 

[LawrenceA]

Cast a Dark Shadow (1955) - British thriller from Eros Films and director Lewis Gilbert. Dirk Bogarde stars as Edward Bare, a charming young man who marries wealthy widows and then kills them for their fortunes. After his latest scheme goes a bit awry, he quickly begins wooing Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood), only to find that she's a much more unpredictable prey. Also featuring Kay Walsh, Kathleen Harrison, Mona Washbourne, Robert Flemyng, Philip Stainton, Walter Hudd, and Lita Roza.

Bogarde is terrific as the amoral Bare, and he's ably matched by a brassy Margaret Lockwood, a long way from her earlier Gainsborough costume triumphs. Director Gilbert manages to sustain enough suspense despite the relative lack of action on screen.    (7/10)

Source: TCM.

[LornaHansonForbes]

31 minutes ago, misswonderly3 said:

Thanks for the detailed and interesting write -up on Straw Dogs, Lorna.

Speaking of that director, have you seen The Wild Bunch ? This was the first Sam Peckinpah film I ever saw; it was featured in a film class I was taking. I remember at the time I really disliked it, but it's funny how we can change over the years. I've seen The Wild Bunch two or three times since then, and now think it's an exceptionally good movie. Now, in true Sam Peckinpah fashion, it's not a pleasant movie, it's not fun to watch. Not something you'd want to watch with your mother, maybe. But it's  got some great scenes, and it's rewarding to see those icons of classic Hollywood cinema, Robert Ryan and William Holden, in their sunset years.

 

NO! I have NEVER (!) seen THE WILD BUNCH!

(I still like to leave a few highly-recommended "greats" out there as "yet to be seen" just soes I don't become a [moreso] jaded cineaste [than I already am].)

To be fair, I have seen the first 5-10 minutes of THE WILD BUNCH, and they were great, but something important "came up" (don't recall what) and I had to run.

But I will most likely check it out at some point, although the Peckinpah movie that i really want to see is THE BATTLE OF CABLE HOGUE.

[LornaHansonForbes]

31 minutes ago, misswonderly3 said:

Thanks for the detailed and interesting write -up on Straw Dogs, Lorna.

Speaking of that director, have you seen The Wild Bunch ? This was the first Sam Peckinpah film I ever saw; it was featured in a film class I was taking. I remember at the time I really disliked it, but it's funny how we can change over the years. I've seen The Wild Bunch two or three times since then, and now think it's an exceptionally good movie. Now, in true Sam Peckinpah fashion, it's not a pleasant movie, it's not fun to watch. Not something you'd want to watch with your mother, maybe. But it's  got some great scenes, and it's rewarding to see those icons of classic Hollywood cinema, Robert Ryan and William Holden, in their sunset years.

 

ACTUALLY, MY MOM IS (AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN) PRETTY HIP. I BET SHE'D LIKE IT.

True story: when she was in her late sixties and babysitting my oldest niece (who was an infant at the time), I came home and found her watching SCARFACE with the baby right in her lap.

And I don't mean the 1932 one. I mean the DePalma/Pacino. SAY HELLO TO...etc etc one.

My mom is down.

[Hibi]

4 hours ago, TomJH said:

\

Real Earl of Essex

Reel Earl Of Essex

 

You may have a point, rosebette.

I dont know, I find him attractive by 1500 standards...........

[rosebette]

4 hours ago, TomJH said:

I believe the two started to patch things up between them on a train promotion for the premiere of Santa Fe Trail. Photos can be seen of the two laughing together on that train. This lead to Flynn being pleasantly surprised when Olivia agreed to be his leading lady (for a final time) in Boots.

Matzen has some great candids from this trip.  Even if the two never had a serious romantic relationship, it's clear they enjoyed each other's presence.

[Hibi]

1 hour ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

ACTUALLY, MY MOM IS (AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN) PRETTY HIP. I BET SHE'D LIKE IT.

True story: when she was in her late sixties and babysitting my oldest niece (who was an infant at the time), I came home and found her watching SCARFACE with the baby right in her lap.

And I don't mean the 1932 one. I mean the DePalma/Pacino. SAY HELLO TO...etc etc one.

My mom is down.

LMREO!!!!

[LawrenceA]

The Court Jester (1955) - Technicolor VistaVision swashbuckling musical comedy from Paramount Pictures and writers-producers-directors Norman Panama & Melvin Frank. In medieval England, an evil usurper, King Roderick (Cecil Parker) sits on throne, aided by the nefarious Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone). They find resistance in the secret army led by the mysterious outlaw known as the Black Fox, who has the infant true heir to the throne safely hidden away. Goofball former circus performer Hubert Hawkins (Danny Kaye), an agent of the Black Fox, impersonates Giacomo, the new court jester, so as to help thwart King Roderick. However, Giacomo was secretly a master assassin hired by Ravenhurst, so a complex web of mistaken identities commences. Hawkins is aided by the lovely maiden Jean (Glynis Johns), while Roderick's daughter, Princess Gwendolyn (Angela Lansbury), plots to marry "Giacomo" with the help of witch Griselda (Mildred Natwick). Also featuring Michael Pate, Alan Napier, Herbert Rudley, Noel Drayton, John Carradine, Edward Ashley, Lewis Martin, Patrick Aherne, Harry Guardino, and Hermine's Midgets.

I really enjoyed this fun romp, with Kaye in top form, Johns and Lansbury both fetching and lively, a witty script, and amusing songs. An aging Rathbone gets one last major sword duel, and he's a terrific straight man amidst the silliness. This was reportedly the most expensive comedy ever filmed at the time, and turned out to be a major flop, although it has developed a following in the decades since then. Recommended.    (8/10)

Source: Amazon video.

[EricJ]

11 hours ago, LawrenceA said:

The Court Jester (1955) - This was reportedly the most expensive comedy ever filmed at the time, and turned out to be a major flop, although it has developed a following in the decades since then. Recommended.    (8/10)

On the last Filmstruck Pick4, this was my personal pick for Funniest (or at least Favorite) Classic Movie Comedy ever made.    You sit there thinking, how LONG can they keep the "Pellet with the Poison" gag going, and they keep raising the comic stakes for five unbroken minutes.  And that would be if the movie didn't already have the "Knight ceremony" or the hypnotic-suggestion sword duel.

It spoils you for watching other Danny Kaye movies, since his Samuel Goldwyn musicals were a bit over or underdone, and Sylvia Fine was the only one who really understood his act when they started producing projects together.  As a result, I can't think of a second movie where we get as much pure, uncut Danny, without a lot of corny studio frills put in to surround him.  (Which is why I put "The Inspector General" a very, very, very distant second on Kaye's list, and "Hans Christian Andersen" doesn't even crack the top five.)

[rosebette]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

On the last Filmstruck Pick4, this was my personal pick for Funniest (or at least Favorite) Classic Movie Comedy ever made.    You sit there thinking, how LONG can they keep the "Pellet with the Poison" gag going, and they keep raising the comic stakes for almost ten unbroken minutes.  And that would be if the movie didn't already have the "Knight ceremony" or the hypnotic-suggestion sword duel.

It spoils you for watching other Danny Kaye movies, since his Samuel Goldwyn musicals were a bit over or underdone, and Sylvia Fine was the only one who really understood his act when they started producing projects together.  As a result, I can't think of a second movie where we get as much pure, uncut Danny, without a lot of corny studio frills put in to surround him.  (Which is why I put "The Inspector General" a very, very, very distant second on Kaye's list, and "Hans Christian Andersen" doesn't even crack to the top five.)

My favorite Danny Kaye movie, with so many quotable lines, a great duel scene, who can ask for anything more?  I'd say this is my favorite parody of swashbuckling movies, kind of a precursor of "Men in Tights," but with class.

[TomJH]

Included with this from The Court Jester is a tongue twisting clip from the Bob Hope comedy that originally inspired this brilliant scene.

[LawrenceA]

The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955) - CinemaScope military drama from Warner Brothers and director Otto Preminger. Gary Cooper stars as US Army Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer in the air service during WW1. After the end of that war he set out to establish a permanent military aviation division, what would eventually become the US Air Force, despite the dismissals and protestations of older military brass. These disagreements lead to first Mitchell's demotion, and eventually to official charges and a much-publicized court-martial after Mitchell made disparaging comments in the press about the military's lack of aviation management. Also featuring Ralph Bellamy, Charles Bickford, Rod Steiger, Darren McGavin, Peter Graves, Jack Lord, James Daly, Fred Clark, Will Wright, Ian Wolfe, Robert F. Simon, Charles Dingle, Phil Arnold, and Elizabeth Montgomery in her debut.

I was looking forward to this one and was very disappointed in it. I'm a fan of Cooper's, and have defended him and his oft-disparaged acting abilities on this message board more than once. But in this film he is just plain awful, frequently unconvincing in his line deliveries, and failing to illuminate the man he's playing in the least. I've read that even Mitchell's family were disappointed in Cooper's casting, and said that 1955-era James Cagney was much closer to the real man. Cooper's lackluster performance could have been alleviated a bit by a sharper script or tighter direction, neither of which is present here. The first half of the film kind of lumbers along from anecdote to anecdote before finally settling in during the second half as an uninspired courtroom drama. Prominently billed Rod Steiger, soon after his On the Waterfront Oscar nomination, doesn't show up until late in the proceedings as an assistant prosecutor, and it's interesting to see how both he and Cooper give bad performances but of completely different sorts, and I say this as a fan of both men. The movie nabbed an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Story & Screenplay (Milton Sperling & Emmet Lavery).    (6/10)

Source: Olive/Paramount DVD.

 

[scsu1975]

Genius At Work (1947) Watch TCM

Where?

Deadly dull and unfunny comedy starring the deadly dull and unfunny comedy team of Alan Carney and Wally Brown. The two play a couple of radio “detectives” trying to discover the identity of an extortionist/killer nicknamed “The Cobra.” We find out in the first few minutes that “The Cobra” is Lionel Atwill, so any suspense is quickly shot to hell and the film goes into the crapper in record time.

Anne Jeffreys looks terrific, Atwill makes a great villain as always, Bela Lugosi as his servant isn’t bad, but Carney and Brown are lousy. Besides not being funny, they act like morons, so the audience can’t even root for them.

Atwill disguises himself as an old woman in the climax. On the other hand, Carney looks like Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a business suit.

[LawrenceA]

Daddy Long Legs (1955)- CinemaScope musical romance from 20th Century Fox and director Jean Negulesco. Fred Astaire stars as millionaire Jervis Pendleton III. On a business trip to France, he happens upon an orphanage where he hears 18-year-old Julie Andre (Leslie Caron) singing to the other kids. Impressed by her talent, he arranges to anonymously adopt her and have her sent to America to an exclusive girls' boarding school. Julie has never met Jervis, and she imagines all sorts of romantic notions about his appearance and demeanor. When Jervis later meets Julie, he falls in love with her, but doesn't reveal that he's her adoptive father, which can only spell trouble down the line. Also featuring Fred Clark, Thelma Ritter, Terry Moore, Charlotte Austin, Larry Keating, Kathryn Givney, Kelly Brown, Ann Codee, Steven Geray, Leslie Parrish, and Ray Anthony & His Orchestra.

This was another early attempt to utilize the CinemaScope widescreen format in the musical genre, and it had mixed results. Some of the numbers are visually impressive, like Caron's ballet number later in the film, but others seem to keep the action to the center of the screen, wasting the wider imagery. The story isn't as creepy as it sounds, although there's no way this would get green-lit today. I've never been too fond of Caron, but I liked her here. Reportedly this movie was a favorite of director Akira Kurosawa. It earned Oscar nominations for Best Color Art Direction, Best Score (Alfred Newman), and Best Song ("Something's Gotta Give").    (7/10)

Source: TCM.

[shutoo]

Let's Kill Uncle (1966)--William Castle thriller, after he had forsaken the fun schlocky horror he was best known for...too bad.. The opening scene features a car crash, the bloody victim is...William Castle; the old Castle is gone, and the one that emerged wanted to focus on black humor, and a sort of family friendly suspense.  This considered, it's not so bad.  the star is young Pat Cardi, a rich orphan sent to live with his globe-trotting war hero uncle, Nigel Green.  Cardi befriends Mary Badham, who is being sent to live with her aunt Linda Lawson on the same island.  The two are warned not to go near the old deserted hotel, so of course, that's where they head first, only to encounter a shark in the murky swimming pool (the same shark stock footage is shown several times throughout the film..) and they sense danger all around, but the grownups..auntie Lawson and Robert Pickering (a detective hired to safely transport Cardi) don't believe them, and are busily involved with each other. Nigel Green is amusing, from his judo practice to his hammy meal presentation wearing a big chef's hat..but he's up-front with Cardi..he's out to kill the kid for his fortune, via hypnosis, poison mushrooms, the pool shark..whatever it takes.  It becomes 'who can outwit who'..the kids versus the uncle, to survive.  There's nothing really scary here, and the slight wackiness of Green keeps the viewer from  feeling any real suspense, but it is sort of a fun watch.  I prefer Castle's acid pit or blood-filled bathtub for memorable gimmicks..but I'd give this a solid 6+.  source: Morpheus app (similar to terrarium, some different sources)

[Tikisoo]

Lawrence said: Cooper's lackluster performance could have been alleviated a bit by a sharper script or tighter direction, neither of which is present here.

I completely agree with that statement, Lawrence.

I feel the same way about John Wayne. I like some movies they star in (Cooper in MEET JOHN DOE, Wayne in THE QUIET MAN) but the bulk of their filmography leaves me cold.

I think both actors benefit from having the right support of good writing and co stars. Possibly the director makes the difference, pulling out a better performance. Neither Cooper or Wayne seem strong enough actors to carry poor material, like Cagney can, for instance. But given lots of support, Cooper has done well in a handful of roles.

[TomJH]

Gary Cooper appeared in an uncommonly large number of good to outstanding films in his career.

Among them: Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Desire, Mr Deeds Goes to Town, General Died at Dawn, Beau Geste, The Westerner, Meet John Doe, Sergeant York, Ball of Fire, Pride of the Yankees, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Unconquered, High Noon, Friendly Persuasion and The Hanging Tree, all done with some of Hollywood's best directors.

He has played the hero. He has played the "common man" with integrity. He played high drama but he could also stretch his limited range by effectively playing comedy on screen, as well (his comedies vary in quality from good to forgettable).

Coop's minimalist acting style can be extraordinarily effective in some roles (the Capra films, Sergeant York, Pride of the Yankees). And sometimes he has floundered (I agree with the criticisms expressed by Lawrence and Tiki about his wooden portrayal in Billy Mitchell).

Towards the end of his career Cooper was trying to stretch by playing some darker characters on screen. The results were mixed, though it works well, I feel, in his last western, The Hanging Tree. But take a look, too, at the sensitivity of his performance as a middle aged man having an affair with a younger woman in Ten North Frederick, a 1958 soap opera.

One thing that can't be taken away, though, are the facts about this incredibly successful film actor. A 37 year film career, still the star of "A" productions at the end of his life, a five time Oscar nominee, winning twice, and ranked among the top ten box office stars 18 times in his career. Few other actors/actresses have a record that can match that.

Sergeant York, probably my favourite Cooper film and performance