WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[Jezebel38]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Teddington pictures anywhere in the Oasis (or did I miss the posting?). TCM featured three last Monday, and will show another trio this coming Monday. Am I the only one who's excited about seeing this British rarities? I watched last Monday, but only "connected" with one of them.

I watched all three of these, and felt pretty much the same as you, however I wasn't expecting much as these basically are "B" movies. I was greatly impressed by the print quality though, which made the viewing more palatable. I am happy to see these though, as I am a bit of an Anglophile and am becoming more and more familiar with the stock players in the Brit films of the 30's to 50's.

Anone know who played the villainess' glamorous, gold digging friend?

The gold digging friend was played by Googie Withers, one of the British actresses of this time whom I am more familiar with.

TCM also showed a few more Brit flicks latter that night that I also watched - Church Mouse, Father Takes a Walk, and Sons of the Sea. The print quality was not so good on these, but I enjoyed the first two quite a bit. I'm holding out more hope for the Teddington's scheduled for next Monday, as there are more well known names in the next batch; Esmond Knight, Lili Palmer, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Margaret Lockwood, Ben Lyon, David Farrar, Herbert Lom.

[Bogie]

I just watched THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK. What a neat and tight noir. Evelyn Keyes was fantastic as Sheila Bennet, the woman who was unkowningly spreading smallpox throughout New York. The whole subplot of her being part of diamond smuggling made the film even more intriguing as you had health officials and the government after her. The supporting players were also pretty good but I especially liked the acting of Art Smith as the shady jeweler Arnold Moss. The scene where he talks to Sheila about where her husband ran off to was probably my favourite scene in the whole movie.

Earlier in the day I watched the 1990 Dabney Coleman film SHORT TIME where he plays a cop who is mistakenly informed that he's dying and so he tries to get himself killed in the line of duty so that his ex wife and kid can collect on the insurance. It was more of an actioneer then a comedy but the best scene was the one in the fancy restaurant where he tells his partner (Matt Frewer) that he loves him. LOL! It was a pretty good time waster and the car chase scenes were done quite well. It's amazing how those old steel enforced cars held up to all that damage.

[feaito]

Today I watched a disarmingly charming little gem of a film: "The Gay Deception", directed by my favorite director William Wyler. Frances Dee plays a poor stenographer who enters a sweepstakes, wins US$ 5.000 (the first prize), after which she's determined to live in a big way as long as her money lasts. She arrives at a fancy NY Hotel and meets a devil-may-care prince maskerading as a bellboy, charmingly played by Francis Lederer. The chemistry between the two leads is excellent and although the plot is a mild frou-frou, Cinderella-type of story, it's played with uttermost sincerity and naturalness by the two leads, thanks to a deft direction by master Wyler. Excellent supporting players: Ferdinand Gottschalk, Benita Hume, Alan Mowbray, Lennox Pawle, Lionel Stander, Robert Greig, Paul Hurst and Akim Tamiroff, make a perfect, round movie. Loved it.

It's the second time I've seen mister Lederer on screen -the first time was in that masterpiece titled "Midnight", in which he played a very different role, an annoying gigolo-type- and I'd like to see more of him, especially his earlier films like "One Rainy Afternoon". Frances Dee's talent and charm deserves to be widely re-discovered and properly recognized.

[feaito]

Quite by chance I watched a 1962 film titled "Jessica", with Angie Dickinson playing a (widow?) beautiful midwife who goes to live to a Sicilian village, becoming the target of the anger and jealousy of all the women who live there because the local men are just cuckoo about her. Very interesting for its varied cast: Maurice Chevalier plays the local priest; Agnes Moorehead an old matriarch; Italian actor Gabriele Ferzetti (who resembles Rossano Brazzi) plays an embittered widowed nobleman, the landowner of the Village; Noël-Noël an endearing old gardener; Marina Berti (who played the ravishing slave in love with Leo Genn in "Quo Vadis?" and Tyrone Power's official bride-to-be in "Prince of Foxes") impersonates one of the local women and alluring Sylva Koscina too!

Quite amusing. Beautiful photography. I don't know for sure, but it looks as if was filmed on location somewhere in Italy.

[mrsl]

This is so weird. I hear a name, I know I've heard it before, but don't have a reference to connect it to, then the name comes up so I look it up and realize the man wrote all the movies I loved as a teenager - Spencers Mountain, Rome Adventure, Summer Place, Last Wagon, Parrish, Susan Slade, and on and on. They were all movies I saw first run at the theater, watched when they came to TV, and still watch whenever they're on. They're all simple little love stories, but I love them, add the great clothing designers, and toss in all my teenage heart throbs and I'm happy as a pig in sunshine.

But before he got lazy in his later life, he wrote some doozey's for grown ups, so apparently he please all kinds of people, in all phases of his life.

Anne

[Moraldo Rubini]

Anne, did you mean for that last post to be here:

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis/view ... ight=daves

[feaito]

I watched two more films today:

The rather offbeat Robert Siodmak film "The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry" (1945) with George Sanders impersonating a bland, sensitive, dominated middle-aged man who lives with his two sisters, magnificently portrayed by Gerladine Fitzgerald and Moyna Macgill (Angela Lansbury's mother).

Harry Quincey is not the typical character you would expect from Sanders, but he succeeds at it. Geraldine Fitzgerald, a very talented actress, underplays her role as the selfish, self-centered, domineering, manipulative, quite "sinister" I'd say, younger sister and looks physically very angelic & beautiful which adds for more constrast with her nasty role. Ms. Macgill is superb as the older Quincey sister. Sara Allgood plays the family's faithful maid, as skilfully as usual.

But the real surprise for me was Ella Raines (who plays Harry's love interest). I had never seen her in any film before, and boy! What a presence. She sure had star-quality; I wonder why she did not became a bigger household name. She had the allure of a Lauren Bacall. She had a sexy voice and a flawless face. And much poise and magnetism. A real joy to behold. And the ending of the film came as a real surprise to me. Well not so much, the Production Code would not have accepted it otherwise. You'll undertsand after you watch it. A must-see.

"Moolaadé" (2004). A gripping, tough film that tells the story of a brave woman who protects four small girls from the atrocious tradition of female circumcision in a small African village. It was filmed on location in Senegal, in Equatorial Africa. Powerful drama devoid of any artificiality. Totally true-to-life.

[mrsl]

Moraldo:

Yes, I meant for that post to be on the one about Delmer Daves. What happened?

Anne

[Moraldo Rubini]

Yes, I meant for that post to be on the one about Delmer Daves. What happened?

You discovered the elusive time warp that scientists have theorized about for centuries! You came in one thread and exited the other. You're a marvel!

[mrsl]

I could have shown Houdini a thing or two believe me!

Seriously, as I was typing, I scrolled down to check the lists that had been previously printed, because I didn't want to repeat, so I know I was in the correct thread, unless I really am going daft!!!

Anne

[Bogie]

Been a while since i've relayed my movie watching with you guys

Well Saturday I tried watching a Philip Marlowe movie Lady in the Lake unfortunately I got distracted about 3/4ths of the way through. I didn't mind TOO much tho as the movie was interesting but the gimmick used throughout made it a little tedious. The film was done from the first person perspective of Marlowe and I think that's a great hook but to have it employed more or less 100% of the way through the film made it a bit maddening to watch. I will note however that Audrey Totter really impressed me as the bitchy (I hope that word's ok) Adrienne Fromsett. It was a million miles removed from the last film I saw her in (The Set-Up)

Sunday I did watch a full movie and it was one I was looking forward to for a long time. Young Tom Edison was worth waiting for. I saw the 2nd part with Spencer Tracey as the grown up Edison so I was looking forward to seeing Mickey Rooney as the younger version. It was a very entertaining and fun family type of film. Although I came away with the impression that 99% of what was presented was purely made up for the most part.

The movie was done in the adventure movie format with Edison getting involved in various little schemes and inventive ideas. The main bit had to do with saving his mother and sister near the end of the film. I thought Mickey Rooney was fairly convincing as a young Edison even if he was probably a few years too old for the part. He had a good chemistry with his sister in the film played by child star Virginia Wiedler. Fay Bainter and George Bancroft were excellent as Edison's parents. The movie is quite enjoyable for the whole family IMO.

So today I'm hoping to watch a few movies in this order

Absolute Quiet (1936)
The Keyhole (1933)
Any Number can Play (1949)

and at midnight

I, The Jury (1982) with Armand Assante playing Mike Hammer. This movie will be on FMC.

[feaito]

Thanks to a friend who lives in Paris I had the opportunity of watching a film I had longed to see: the 1937 Leo Mc Carey Classic "Make Way For Tomorrow". Frankly, there were parts of this film that touched me as no film had for quite some time. I could not believe that Beulah Bondi was only 49 when she played "Ma". She's simply divine. And Victor Moore is her match as "Pa", superb.

The plot of this film is timeless: an elderly married couple become a burden to their five grown-up children. There are so many poignant moments in this wonderful film and the sons and daughters of Ma & Pa are played most sincerely by the accomplished actors. Special mention deserve Thomas Mitchell (as the eldest son of the couple) and Fay Bainter (as his wife), who give perfomances worthy of Academy Awards. The domestic situations are subtly and delicately handled by Mc Carey and if you're not sobbing towards the end of the film, you're not human. Vintage Classic.

I believe that this film was the object of a Japanese remake during the 1950s by Yasujiro Ozu. I remember that Mr. Arkadin praised this film very much on these Boards. I'd like to watch it too. Sadly TCM Latin probably won't air it at all.

[Bogie]

Good morning all! Well I watched 3 of the 4 movies I mentioned yesterday. I've taken to falling asleep early these days and missed I, The Jury. Luckily it's showing again next month.


Absolute Quiet: What a strange, yet VERY interesting film. It's obviously a B picture as most of the names in the cast are forgotten today except for Lionel Atwill and Stuart Erwin. That being said it's still a helluva film. The plot is a little complicated to put out in a short space but needless to say it has to do with conflicting egos, hate, jealousies and a hold up. Lionel Atwill is G.A. Axton, a powerful businessman who's told to go to his ranch to relax. He takes his lovely secretary with him and tries to woo her to no avail. Meanwhile, there's a raging storm outside and a plane with the Governor, his advisor, a newspaper reporter and a former flame of Axton's and her new man fading Hollywood star Gregory Bengard needs to make an emergency landing at Axton's place.

To make matters worse there's a crime couple out on the lam who barge into Axton's place. They're on the lam because they have a sentence of death hanging over them. Needless to say they find out about the plane and don't allow Axton to turn on his floodlights. The plane crashes and everyone survives except the pilots. Bengard is now scarred for life on his face. Well with all these people shacked up at Axton's place it leads to high drama!

Whew, Even tho the movie has its dramatic moments there are still some comedic aspects to it such as Jack (one of the criminals, his gal is called Judy) always answering the phone and his interactions with newspaper man Rudd. (Erwin) I especially liked the performances of Erwin as Rudd as he was sarcastic and had a nose for a story which is how I think of newspaper folks back in the day. The real star of the film tho is Bernadene Hayes as tough cookie Judy. She had a lot of energy to her and infused every scene with a brightness that was missing whenever she was offscreen. Overall, the story didn't matter TOO much. It was the performances of the actors and the way they interacted that made this movie fun to watch

3 1/2 out of 5


The Keyhole: Thank goodness the plot is easier to talk about here! A wealthy woman is being blackmailed by her former lover meanwhile her husband is suspicious of everything she does. The wife has had enough of the blackmailing and goes to her husband's elderly sister for some advice. The sister tells her to take a trip out of the US and have the blackmailer follow her and then she will place a well connected call to make sure said blackmailer never gets to enter the US again.

Well she asks her husband if she can go on a trip by herself and he consents but his jealousness and possesiveness gets the better of him and hires a detective to shadow his wife with the detective thinking this is merely a case of a cheating wife.

That's the basic plot of the movie right there and it's an enjoyable little film. Kay Francis played the wife (Ann Brooks) and the detective was played to perfection by George Brent. (Neil Davis) Brent brings along his none to smart partner Hank (Allen Jenkins) who falls for Glenda Farrell who plays a gold digging con artist named Dot.

My only problem with this movie was that I got very disgusted with the Davis character. He was a sleazeball who would do anything to get Ann in a compromising position even if the circumstances behind it wasn't true! Eventually he falls for Ann but the bad taste that was left in my mouth by his earlier antics almost ruined the movie for me. The saving grace for this film was Allen Jenkins and Glenda Farrell whose plotline was in some ways much more entertaining then the main story. They had a great interaction with each other and their scenes were pretty funny as well.

So I give this movie a tepid 2 1/2 stars. It didn't help that the ending was way too out of left field and made very little sense.

Last but not least we go to the big A picture of the day in Any Number Can Play. Boy oh Boy did this movie have a great cast and crew! You had Clark Gable in the starring role with Alexis Smith as his wife. Wendell Corey played Gable's ne'er do well brother in law who's indebted due to a racketeering scheme and is forced to rig the craps tables. He works for Gable who is the owner of a gambling parlor that's frequented by everyone in town.

Then you have some of the influential towns people in Frank Morgan, a rich man who craves to win it all and put Gable into the poorhouse. Mary Astor (who unfortunately doesn't get much screen time but when she did OH was it good) as a woman who Gable had a lost love with many years ago and Lewis Stone as the once rich and influential Ben Sneller who's now down and out but still gambles in the hopes that he can reclaim past glories. That's just the actors! The movie was written by Richard Brooks and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. So the movie has tremendous pedigree behind it.

There's also the plot involving Gable and his estranged teenaged son and herein lies the only criticism I have for the movie. It stuffs WAY too many different story elements into it. That's not to say it wasn't all tied up well it's just that there was a lot going on for a 2 hour movie. The movie was tremendously acted and is one that any Gable fan or even people who've never seen a Gable movie should see. The one interesting and scary part tho was the angina attacks that Gable's character had throughout the movie considering it would be a stress related incident that led to his very own heart attack that took away the King far too soon.


Sorry for the length of the post guys! Next time i'll cut it up in seperate posts. Today I plan to watch:

The Prime Minister (1941)
Fireman, Save My Child (1932)
Elmer The Great (1933)
Little Caesar (1930) Yeah this movie is in the middle of the night but i'm gonna do everything I can just to watch it. It's been on my "to see" list for YEARS.

[Bogie]

Good (later) morning my fellow movie fans.

Well I got to watch all four movies but with a hitch. (there's always a hitch)

The Prime Minister: This movie covers the career and marriage to his devoted wife Mary-Anne. It was a British production which I wasn't too keen on. I, for some reason just can't get into English movies from the golden age. Nonetheless this film caught my attention. The only drawback and I understand why it wasn't touched is that the film totally ignores the fact that a lot of Benjamin Disraeli's problems socially and politically stemmed from the fact that he was Jewish. That being said the film beautifully ties events in Disraeli's life and makes a clear parallel to Churchill. I have a feeling that this movie warmed the hearts and inspired those who saw it in England during those heady days of 1941.

John Gielgud is the only actor in the movie that I know of and he played Disraeli with the dignity and grace that comes with playing a historical figure who was so beloved in England for all that he did. The scenes near the end of the movie where he's clearly dying and in Berlin at the peace conference being wooed by Bismarck is the best scene in the film IMO.

4 out of 5 stars. This is a propaganda/moral boosting film that gets it point across without totally slamming you over the head with its purpose.


Fireman, Save My Child and Elmer The Great: I'm tackling these two movies together because the plots are fairly similar and they're parts of Joe E. Brown's "baseball trilogy" I've seen the other one in Alibi Ike so it was interesting to see how this one works out. The first movie sees Brown as a country bumpkin who is obsessed with putting out fires. (he's in the voluntary fire dept.) who ends up getting signed to the St. Louis Cardinals. Hi Jinxs ensue when a couple of his teamates throw a gold digger onto him who promises that she'll get him the patent for his fire extinguishing bomb.

The second film is basically an inferior copy of Alibi Ike.

Well, Joe E. Brown is pretty charismatic in a country bumpkin sort of way and he can be very funny but boy did I not connect with these two movies. BTW Brown sure looks like a younger George W. Bush eh? Anyways the movies had their funny moments but overall they fell flat to me. At least the ending sequence to Elmer the Great was better then Alibi Ike as Brown was a position player in that movie and there's a torrential rainstorm near the end. That's all i'll say for that in case you haven't seen the film.

Both movies get a 2 out of 5


Little Caesar: Here's where the hitch comes in. I stayed up and watched it but I uh, blacked out during the last 20 minutes but did catch the very end of the movie so my thoughts may be a little incomplete. I've now seen the three movies that are the lynch pin to the gangster movie phenomenon of the '30s which in turn would influence some of the mob/gangster films of the '70s and '80s. Little Caesar is probably a step or two below the other two films but it's highly entertaining. Edward G. Robinson really shined in this star making performance. There are some scenes that remind me very much of The Godfather. One such scene is the banquet scene after the funeral of one of Robinson's men.

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was pretty good in his role but he didn't really seem to do TOO much in the film to my liking. This movie was all Eddie G.I especially liked his interaction with his assistant in the movie and the Crime smashing sgt. Flaherty played by Thomas E. Jackson reminded me a bit of Elliot Ness except just a tad on the sarcastic side.

The movie gets a 3 1/2 out of 5 from me. After seeing the 3 big gangster movies I'd rate em like this:


Scarface
The Public Enemy
Little Caesar


No movies today but looks like a whole slew of em tomorrow if I wake up early enough.

[SSO Admins]

The movie gets a 3 1/2 out of 5 from me. After seeing the 3 big gangster movies I'd rate em like this:


Scarface
The Public Enemy
Little Caesar

I think I'd have to give The Public Enemy top honors becasue of Cagney's brilliant performance and that absolutely chilling ending.

Those are the big three however.