I Just Watched...

[EricJ]

12 hours ago, hamradio said:

"The Last Pope" (2018) a documentary that focuses on Malachy’s “Prophecy of the Popes,” which emerged in the late 1500s and made predictions about future popes, predicting the last one would be the 112th.

Is Francis the last, time will tell. 

Y'know, it WOULD be just like Pope Francis the Hippie to decide he's going to finally dissolve the Vatican and make it a democratic collective...

(And I'm a Protestant who means that as a compliment.   )

[Tikisoo]

Lawrence said: Patterns - Corporate America is dramatized in all of its ugly glory by writer Rod Serling. (snipped) This may be a little dated, but it's still hard-hitting

Like movies that take place in a newsroom setting? I've wondered if any movie revolving around newspapers and other trades of the past will just not be understood by future generations. Westerns were definitely a nostalgic genre for most even though highly elaborated, most viewers were more likely to meet an Indian than cowboy.

I still have a big old metal dial phone and a couple of visiting 5-7 y/o did not believe me when I told them it was a phone!

[Hibi]

On 8/11/2018 at 7:43 PM, Fedya said:

I've long thought an appropriate ending for Murder, She Wrote would be to reveal Jessica Fletcher as a serial killer who used her mystery-writer powers to get other people to confess to the murders she actually committed.

LOL! I doubt Angela would go for that.........

[Hibi]

On 8/11/2018 at 9:53 PM, NickAndNora34 said:

I didn't make this, I posted it on my blog, but it's nice to know other people share the same sentiments haha. 

LOL!

[Hibi]

On 8/11/2018 at 5:45 PM, kingrat said:

I agree, Lorna. I saw the last half hour of The Tarnished Angels last night, including the scene in the newsroom you mentioned, and Rock Hudson delivers an outstanding performance. The scene is very well-written, which helps, but Hudson makes this extended monologue seem real and personal.

I believe that Rodgers and Hammerstein thought Carousel had their best score, but the public (including me) has always preferred Oklahoma! and South Pacific. I'd even trade "If I Loved You" for "Love, Look Away" from Flower Drum Song.

Ah, Barry Fitzgerald! Just cast him as a sniveling, treacherous villain, as in The Sea Wolf, and I won't complain at all.

Last night I saw Too Much, Too Soon, which didn't quite work either as serious drama or as campy melodrama, though it has its moments. What seemed true of the film also seemed true of Dorothy Malone's performance. I wished that two characters had been developed further: Diana's mother, the novelist Michael Strange (Neva Patterson) and Diana's third husband (Edward Kemmer), the recovering alcoholic who can't stay sober with an alcoholic spouse (a similar scenario happened to a good friend of mine). Neva Patterson made a career of playing horrible dragon-type mothers (David and Lisa, the mini-series V), but she has a few moments of humanity here. Edward Kemmer was on several soaps, best remembered as the ideal father and husband Ben Grant on Somerset. What a surprise it was to see him doing a drunk-in-his-underwear scene with Dorothy Malone.

I'll bet a number of posters here noticed the noir stylings of Too Much, Too Soon, with Nicholas Musuraca listed as one of the cinematographers. 

 

 

The film was more about Diana's father than Diana herself. I'd read her book and they took a LOT of liberties. Malone tries, but she's defeated by a soap opera script.........

[Bethluvsfilms]

Finished watching KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE, with James Cagney.

Some might dismiss it as a second-rate WHITE HEAT, and while I agree it doesn't quite live up to the latter film, I still think it's quite watchable.

Ralph Cotter quite easily could be Cody Jarrett's twin, without the domineering Ma or back stabbing crew members (such as Big Ed). They are both rotten to the core. While Cody had Verna to push around, Cotter has his own blonde (Barbara Payton) to manipulate into go along with his doings.

Perhaps the only difference between the two men is (SPOILER ALERT) Cody Jarrett went out on his own terms. Cotter certainly didn't count on being taken out by Payton by the end of the movie. You could say that he got the comeuppance that Cody might have eventually gotten had the robbery at the chemical plant hadn't gone awry. After all Verna had no problem at all disposing of his beloved Ma....

KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE also has some great support too from Ward Bond and Barton MacLane as two corrupt detectives and Luther Adler as an equally unscrupulous lawyer who gets mixed up in Cotter's schemes. 

While it's hasn't achieved the classic status that WHITE HEAT has, KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE is a fairly good film.

Only thing is I wonder why Cagney would go back to the gangster genre he was tired of by this point, especially since he wasn't all that crazy about doing WHITE HEAT the year before. 

 

[LawrenceA]

I watched four more from 1956:

Satellite in the Sky - Deadly dull British science fiction about man's first spaceflight attempts, featuring Kieron Moore, Lois Maxwell, Bryan Forbes and Donald Wolfit. This has nice production values, but it lacks any sort of compelling drama or characterizations.   (5/10)

The Swan - Fitfully amusing romance about princess Grace Kelly being pushed by her mother (Jesse Royce Landis) into marrying prince Alec Guinness. He doesn't seem that interested, and she seems to like her brothers' tutor Louis Jourdan more. Also featuring Brian Aherne, Agnes Moorehead, and Estelle Winwood. The settings are nice (it was filmed in North Carolina's Biltmore Estate), but the film failed to engage me much.   (6/10)

Three Violent People - Routine, and occasionally silly, Western featuring Charlton Heston as a Confederate hero returning to his ranch in the southwest. He brings along his new bride Anne Baxter, who is secretly a former prostitute. They both have to deal with Heston's resentful younger brother with one arm, Tom Tryon. Also featuring Gilbert Roland, Forrest Tucker, Bruce Bennett, Robert Blake, Barton MacLane, and Elaine Stritch. Again, this is periodically engaging, but it tries to juggle more story than the screenwriters could handle.   (6/10)

Toward the Unknown - William Holden is an Air Force test pilot with a checkered past. He's given another chance by General Lloyd Nolan. Lots of nice aviation footage featuring actual test flights and aerial stunts from the famous Thunderbirds air team help elevate things above the overwrought melodramatics. Also featuring Virginia Leith, Murray Hamilton, L.Q. Jones, Paul Fix, Charles McGraw, and the film debut of James Garner.    (7/10)

[Tikisoo]

Lawrence watched: Toward the Unknown

Hey Lawrence-this title has been on my brother's wish list for years- he's a pilot & Holden fan, so now it makes sense! (haha from the title I thought it was one of those "people on a plane who don't know their dead" fantasy movies)
Where did you ever find a copy of this?

[LornaHansonForbes]

7 hours ago, LawrenceA said:

I watched four more from 1956:

 

The Swan - Fitfully amusing romance about princess Grace Kelly being pushed by her mother (Jesse Royce Landis) into marrying prince Alec Guinness. He doesn't seem that interested, and she seems to like her brothers' tutor Louis Jourdan more. Also featuring Brian Aherne, Agnes Moorehead, and Estelle Winwood. The settings are nice (it was filmed in North Carolina's Biltmore Estate), but the film failed to engage me much.   (6/10)

Three Violent People - Routine, and occasionally silly, Western featuring Charlton Heston as a Confederate hero returning to his ranch in the southwest. He brings along his new bride Anne Baxter, who is secretly a former prostitute. They both have to deal with Heston's resentful younger brother with one arm, Tom Tryon. Also featuring Gilbert Roland, Forrest Tucker, Bruce Bennett, Robert Blake, Barton MacLane, and ******Elaine Stritch.****** Again, this is periodically engaging, but it tries to juggle more story than the screenwriters could handle.   (6/10)

 

1. Love the Biltmore. My favorite film ever filmed there is 1981's THE PRIVATE EYES...a Tim Conway/Don Knotts murder mystery comedy that, Honest to God, works on every front. I adore this movie.

2. ******SERIOUSLY????????*******

[LornaHansonForbes]

i'll make this short, but i'm posting another I JUST READ review because it links to classic film...

I just read RED HARVEST by DASHIELL HAMMETT actually, I reread it, but I didn't remember a damn thing about it other than the bare premise and the fact that I liked it as much as, if not more than, THE MALTESE FALCON when i read it 14 yearsish ago.

It's kinda like if DICKENS had decided to give HARD TIMES a body count somewhere up in the twenty-somethings...You can't put this book down, and I say that because if you do: YOU WILL HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN IT WHEN YOU PICK IT UP AGAIN. There is seemingly a cast of hundreds introduced in its two hundred sixteen pages (Jane Austen would be  so proud...sort of) and it's easy as hell to forget who is who, BUT SINCE ALMOST EVERYONE DIES IT KINDA WORKS OUT OKAY.

James Ellroy would need a flowchart to really, really follow this puppy- IT'S THAT COMPLICATED.

One of those AGATHA CHRISTIE CHARACTER GLOSSARIES in the front would SO have HELPED. 

that said, I'd give it three and a half stars out of four and recommend it. i can see why it wasn't adapted during the PRODUCTION CODE ERA, but a shame it wasn't(?) adapted by an American Studio some time in the 70's...I know MILLER'S CROSSING is an unofficial remake of sorts...

 

[Tikisoo]

2 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

1. Love the Biltmore. My favorite film ever filmed there is 1981's THE PRIVATE EYES...a Tim Conway/Don Knotts murder mystery comedy that, Honest to God, works on every front. I adore this movie.

OK, we get your point, please stop yelling....

I appreciate that you appreciate the Biltmore. Grand Resort Hotels are one of my favorite subjects and (like my tapophelia) most people don't "get" it.

The title was found in my library & is ordered. I'm also a Don Knotts fan and never seen this. Thank you for the recommendation!

[LawrenceA]

6 hours ago, TikiSoo said:

Lawrence watched: Toward the Unknown

Hey Lawrence-this title has been on my brother's wish list for years- he's a pilot & Holden fan, so now it makes sense! (haha from the title I thought it was one of those "people on a plane who don't know their dead" fantasy movies)
Where did you ever find a copy of this?

The copy I watched was recorded from TCM during William Holden's Star of the Month spotlight back in April.

[LawrenceA]

3 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

2. ******SERIOUSLY????????*******

Yes, it was really Elaine Stritch, playing a saloon madam and former co-worker pal of Anne Baxter. Stritch isn't in it much, only the first 15 minutes or so, but she plays her role well.

[Hibi]

Elaine turns up from time to time in supporting roles in 50s films. Always nice to see her!

[LornaHansonForbes]

35 minutes ago, LawrenceA said:

 

ZIGGY STARDUST was born the moment a young, enigmatic DAVID BOWIE sat through this in a Brixton second-run house one bleak November afternoon...

[LornaHansonForbes]

MEXICAN SPITFIRE AT SEA is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. 

[Hibi]

Glad I went home for lunch today. DVR  started recording it and told me there wasn't enough room! I had to think fast and deleted a few things to make room for it. I need to be brutal and delete more tonight to make room for tomw. 5.5 hrs worth!

 

One thing I dont like about SUTS. Too much to choose from!

[EricJ]

7 hours ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

1. Love the Biltmore. My favorite film ever filmed there is 1981's THE PRIVATE EYES...a Tim Conway/Don Knotts murder mystery comedy that, Honest to God, works on every front. I adore this movie.

I'm going to have to agree with Tiki on this one:  Anyone who abuses the Text Color and Capitals feature usually ends up attacked by a Wookelar.

[speedracer5]

I've caught up on a few of the Audrey Totter noir that aired last week.  I recorded all the noir films that aired: Man in the Dark, The Sellout, The Set-Up, Tension, High Wall, Lady in the Lake and I already had The Unsuspected recorded previously. 

On Saturday, I watched Tension. This was a great movie.  I enjoyed the storyline.  Totter's character was a real witch.  I was only vaguely familiar with Audrey Totter prior to her SUTS day.  She reminds me of a cross between Gloria Grahame and Ann Sothern.  I liked the storyline of the meek pharmacist, Richard Basehart, who only wants to buy a nice home in a good neighborhood for himself and wife Audrey Totter.  He works the night shift and does without any luxuries in order to save for the home.  Totter, on the other hand, is bored by Basehart and is unimpressed by the home that he finds in the suburbs for them to move into.  She won't even look inside.  Totter has also been cheating on Basehart with pretty much every guy who comes into the drugstore.  She ends up leaving Basehart for this hairy rich guy with a beach house.  Basehart goes down to the beach house to get his wife back and hairy rich guy beats him up.  Humiliated, Basehart comes up with a scheme to get revenge: he will create a new identity, Paul Sothern, and Sothern will kill hairy rich guy.  

Of course, complications arise when "Paul Sothern" meets his new neighbor, the beautiful Cyd Charisse, whom he genuinely gets along with and likes.  After the murder, the detectives get involved as well and beginning putting heat on everyone in the film. Barry Sullivan plays the main detective and I thought he was very good.  Apparently I've seen Sullivan in quite a few films and didn't remember his name.  Anyway, the whole motif of the film is that everyone has their breaking point, and sometimes people have to be pushed to the brink in order for them to break, and in the case of crime, break the case open.  Sullivan is seen fidgeting with a rubber band throughout the film.  I felt that that was symbolic of him putting the pressure on someone, hoping to get them to break and provide valuable information that will help solve the case.

This was a great film and I liked the turns the story took.  I also enjoyed the ending.

---

The Set-Up

This was a good, short noir.  I initially felt like it ended a bit abruptly, but as I think about it more, there wasn't really any more that was needed for the story.  The tension lied in anticipating Robert Ryan's fate at the conclusion of the film. 

In this film, Robert Ryan played an over-the-hill boxer (supposedly 35, but looking much older) who was just pummeled in his last fight.  He's not even the main event.  He's fighting after the main event.  His agent, Abner Kravitz, makes a deal with a gangster that he'll have his fighter throw the fight after the second round to the much younger fighter, who is allied with the gangster.  Abner Kravitz is so sure that his fighter will lose the fight, that he doesn't even tell Ryan about the deal!  In Ryan's world, his wife, Audrey Totter, is tired of seeing her husband get the crap beat out of him every fight and worries very much that he'll end up getting killed.  She begs him to quit.  She even refuses to see her husband's fight, even though up until then, she'd gone to all the ones prior.  Throughout the film, scenes alternate of Totter wandering around the streets trying to take her mind of her husband's fight and Ryan's 4-round fight.  

I liked the gritty aesthetic of this film and I love boxing movies.  Boxing is a sport that is perfect for the gritty world of noir. 

---

The Sellout

This was a pretty good movie, though a little confusing at times.  In this film, Walter Pidgeon plays a newspaper editor who goes on a vendetta to bring down the local corrupt sheriff's department.  Pidgeon and a colleague (Walt Bissell) were arrested and brought to the local county jail for bogus reasons.  Pidgeon ends up posting bond and leaves, but Bissell is beat up and then kept in jail until he can have a trial.  Much of the beginning of the film depicts Pidgeon gathering all his incriminating evidence... then he disappears.  

John Hodiak plays an assistant to the attorney general.  He is tasked with investigating the fracas in the county.  He does a great job.  This is maybe the third Hodiak film I've seen? Hodiak completes much of the investigation and works to put away the corrupt law department.  Karl Malden plays a police captain who teams up with Hodiak for the investigation.  Malden also wants to get rid of the corrupt law department.  Audrey Totter plays a woman who works at one of the clubs that the sheriff & Co. use as a front for their dirty business.  Totter, I don't believe, is privy to any of the shenanigans that go on in the back room.  Sam Drucker (Green Acres & Petticoat Junction) plays the owner of the club who also acts as a bit of a mole and updates Hodiak and Malden with the illicit business going on in the backroom.  Burt Mustin, aka "Gus the Fireman" from Leave it to Beaver, plays the judge of the "kangaroo court" at the jail.  He isn't entirely honest either.  

This was an interesting film, but I feel the weakest of the three I watched.  The ending was good, though it was a little confusing.  I liked the cast, especially Hodiak and Malden.  Totter has a very small role in this film and is really only in a handful of scenes.  

[LawrenceA]

I finished up with 1956 today:

The Wild Party - Air Force officer Arthur Franz and girlfriend Carol Ohmart are menaced by a drug-addled, jazz-loving gang led by Anthony Quinn. The oddball crooks include Nehemiah Persoff, Kathryn Grant, and Jay Robinson. This was pretty trashy and edgy for the time, with a lot of violence in the last act. It ain't high art but I liked it.  (7/10)

Yield to the Night aka Blonde Sinner - British drama starring Diana Dors as a deathrow inmate. The film alternates between showing her last days in prison and the relationship she forms with the prison staff, and flashbacks showing what led up to the crime that sentenced her to death. Dors is very good, and the film shows a lot of style, but it's very downbeat.   (7/10)

You Can't Run Away From It - Horrible pseudo-musical remake of It Happened One Night, with June Allyson and Jack Lemmon in the leads. There are only a few songs which makes me think more got left on the cutting room floor. Allyson is particularly annoying, and Lemmon, as much as I like him, is no Gable. Dick Powell directed.   (4/10)

[laffite]

17 minutes ago, LawrenceA said:

You Can't Run Away From It - Horrible pseudo-musical remake of It Happened One Night, with June Allyson and Jack Lemmon in the leads. There are only a few songs which makes me think more got left on the cutting room floor. Allyson is particularly annoying, and Lemmon, as much as I like him, is no Gable. Dick Powell directed.   (4/10

I haven't seen this since 1956 but I can still remember something in it I liked. I don't remember any music at all.

[LawrenceA]

6 minutes ago, laffite said:

I haven't seen this since 1956 but I can still remember something in it I liked. I don't remember any music at all.

Stubby Kaye leads everyone in a big singalong on the bus, and then later, when Allyson and Lemmon are outdoors at night, June sings a love song to a scarecrow.

[TomJH]

8 hours ago, LawrenceA said:

Stubby Kaye leads everyone in a big singalong on the bus, and then later, when Allyson and Lemmon are outdoors at night, June sings a love song to a scarecrow.

"I don't even need to have a brain to know that singing is BAAAAAADDD!!!"

[Hibi]

2 hours ago, TomJH said:

"I don't even need to have a brain to know that singing is BAAAAAADDD!!!"

LOL!!!!

[LornaHansonForbes]

14 hours ago, speedracer5 said:

---

The Set-Up

 

In this film, Robert Ryan played an over-the-hill boxer (supposedly 35, but looking much older) who was just pummeled in his last fight. 

---

The Sellout

This was a pretty good movie, though a little confusing at times.  In this film, Walter Pidgeon plays a newspaper editor who goes on a vendetta to bring down the local corrupt sheriff's department.  Pidgeon and a colleague (Walt Bissell) were arrested and brought to the local county jail for bogus reasons.  

This is maybe the third John Hodiak film I've seen? Hodiak completes much of the investigation and works to put away the corrupt law department  I liked the cast, especially Hodiak and Malden. 

1. Something tells me ROBERT RYAN looked 35 when he was about 12.

2. Actually, it's WHIT Bissell, but before you think I'm gettin' all high fallutin' on you, THE ONLY REASON I KNOW THAT is because he was in I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF

3. John Hodiak is hot. Like, even by modern standards. Have you wiki'd him? He's one of those whose personal life and death shapes how I feel about them when I see them onscreen in something. i BET HE AND ANN BAXTER WERE ONE HOT, VOLATILE PILE OF LAVA TOGETHER THO.

PS- that's a BEWITCHED reference in re: A. Krabbitz, yes?