WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[JackFavell]

Alison, I think you have completely captured the movie in your write-up. It's one of my very favorite Hitchcock films - it does seem rather literary, doesn't it? I like how conventions, motivations and actions don't always match up to what you think an individual character, or even the group will do. It is a constantly surprising film. You make me want to watch it over again.

[MichiganJ]

I re-watched The Grifters, a great film I hadn't seen since the early 90s. John Cusack, Annette Bening and Angelica Huston star, all three playing con artists who may or may not be playing each other. No fair relaying the plot, but the usually affable Pat Hingle is one scary dude…

[MikeBSG]

I've always considered "Lifeboat" one of my favorite Hitchcock films. I always find it gripping and the cast is first-rate.

I just watched "Never let Go," a British thriller from 1960, directed by John Guillermin. It was good but not great. Richard Todd is a salesman whose car is stolen. The vicious head of the car theft operation is Peter Sellers. Sellers is a revelation here. He plays a real stinker, very vicious and violent. You'd never guess he was a comedian if this were his only film to survive.

The film starts strong, ends very strong, but sags a bit in the middle. The score is by John Barry and makes terrific use of jazz. (The theme song stinks, however.) Definitely worth a look if you're interested in Sellers.

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm obviously in very good company regarding Lifeboat it's one to watch again, the second time around there's bound to be more that meets the eye, I think on first viewing, especially at the beginning Talullah bowls one over, as she's meant to, as in any group there's the one's who want to lead and others happy to follow, it's the followers who hold the power between the big personalities, Bankhead, Hodiak and Hull.

Thanks for the compliments on the review, Wendy and Kingme, sometimes a film just hits that way and it's easy to write about.

[MikeBSG]

I watched "Pygmallion" yesterday. It was the first time I'd ever seen it, and I was delighted by it.

In a way, it reminded me of the screwball comedies of the era. The scene in which Henry Higgins takes Eliza to his mother's and she chatters away made me think of the "Awful Truth" particularly when Irene Dunne dressed up to try to embarrass Cary Grant. Also the role of Freddy in "Pygmallion" seemed to be a natural for Grady Sutton if this were an American film of the era.

I loved how "Pygmallion" moved like greased lightning compared to "My Fair Lady." I guess I don't like Rex Harrison. This was the first time I've really been charmed by Leslie Howard.

[Gary J.]

It seemed almost every film from the Thirties moved like greased lightning - Get in, get out, leave everyone satisfied (hopefully...).

Those big budget lumbering Broadway musical adaptions of the 1960's could of all used a good half hour lobbed off of their running time.
Instead they chased away their audience and helped kill a movie genre (Not that it wasn't going to happen anyway, what with the changing musical scene going on...).

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched Pygmalion a couple of months ago, I was charmed too and it was the first time Leslie Howard had charmed me too, I think it's his finest film. I do like My Fair Lady too, Rex Harrison's Higgin's is different to Leslie Howard's, I like both but agree with Gary that it's perhaps a little too long. Here's a thread where the two are compared

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... ion#p80647

Today I watched one of Anthony Mann's first films, Tall Target, I don't know why I expected a film noir but what I got was a historical crime drama with Dick Powell and Adolphe Menjou. Some of it was a little predictable but it was very enjoyable, I don't know whether it is based on a true story or not but it was believable. I've never been a fan of Dick Powell's charms but he's an example of someone who got better looking as they got older.

[ChiO]

Today I watched one of Anthony Mann's first films, Tall Target

You some film watching in front of you. If I counted correctly, Mann directed 39 movies, and THE TALL TARGET (1951) was the 21st, coming after his noir period and near the beginning of his Western period (though the latter period has some other stuff among the Westerns). THE TALL TARGET does have some noir elements, but I agree with you that it is a bit disappointing given the strength of his films noir and his Westerns. One wonders if part of the reason is that most viewers know that Lincoln wasn't going to be assassinated in this movie.

[Rita Hayworth]

Saw Four Films in Vancouver B.C.

On Wednesday Night - Went to see two James Stewart's movie at a local theater they are:
3) Winchester 73 - 1950
4) Bend of the River - 1952

They are both excellent James Stewart's Westerns ... I've seen Winchester 73 before and its been over 15-20 years of the last time that I seen it; and its still remains a classic Stewart's Western. Bend of the River was the first time that I seen it and its quite compelling and this movie has great music score, good photography, and the acting was well rounded. I enjoyed it immensely.

I seen these two movies last night and they had a film discussion afterwards and its was great hearing different views on these two movies. Many moviegoers there trashed - Bend of the River because they felt it was boring and too drag on. I was quite about that - because I love Bend of the River because it was one of James Stewart's better Westerns. The film discussion lasted about an hour and despite the trashing - everyone loved Winchester 73 better because its all about the prized rifle that rightfully owned by Stewart's character - Lin McAdam.

They had a drawing and I was told that I won something ... so my friend told them that he likes to collect photographs of celebrities in uniform. So I got this in the mail yesterday and I was speechless beyond belief! Great Photograph of a Legendary Actor and a Distinguished Veteran of World War II and beyond.

[charliechaplinfan]

Today I watched one of Anthony Mann's first films, Tall Target

You some film watching in front of you. If I counted correctly, Mann directed 39 movies, and THE TALL TARGET (1951) was the 21st, coming after his noir period and near the beginning of his Western period (though the latter period has some other stuff among the Westerns). THE TALL TARGET does have some noir elements, but I agree with you that it is a bit disappointing given the strength of his films noir and his Westerns. One wonders if part of the reason is that most viewers know that Lincoln wasn't going to be assassinated in this movie.

I am not very well acquainted with Anthony Mann's work, I thought this might be a good place to start. I'm a bit hesitant with his westerns because it is a genre I don't always enjoy. I've watched The Glenn Miller Story and God's Little Acre, I struggled to enjoy God's Little Acre. Youare right about the suspense in The Tall Target, even this Brit knew her dates in history well enough to know that the President was safe, for now

Last night I watched Targets, I'm not sure the best place to review it, it's the first movie directed by Peter Bogdanovich and I decided to watch it after reading Boris's biography, the synopsis of the plot sounded interesting. There is a juxtaposition of a segment about Byron Orloc, Boris Karloff an aging horror film actor, based very much on Karloff apart from Karloff wasn't going to retire and a man who goes crazy shooting his family and then becoming a sniper. In parts it has quite a strong impact, the shooter is a very ordinary man, no temper, no troubles that we can see, an ordinary person from an ordinary background, who very calmly starts shooting people. I think the story of how the film came about made it interesting to me, Karloff available for only two days, Bogdanovich had to create a film around it. Byron Orloc is trying to retire, his last engagement is at a personal appearance at a drive in where the sniper is shooting his targets, here the stories converge and Orloc disarms the shooter. It's possible to see how much in pain Karloff was and how his legs were bowed. An amusing scene has Karloff and Bogdanovich passed out after a drinking session. The DVD had a lovely segment with Bogdanovich talking about the movie and Karloff himself.

[Gary J.]

Today I watched one of Anthony Mann's first films, Tall Target, I don't know why I expected a film noir but what I got was a historical crime drama with Dick Powell and Adolphe Menjou. Some of it was a little predictable but it was very enjoyable, I don't know whether it is based on a true story or not but it was believable.

It was based on a true incident and then embellished for the film. Lincoln was constantly threatened during his run up to becoming President but the most serious threat was during his inauguration week. He wanted to travel from his home base in Illinois to D.C. greeting Americans along the way, but that meant going through Maryland - a hot bed of secessionist insurrection. Alan Pinkerton was brought aboard as Lincoln's personal body guard and he developed a series of ruses involving switching trains and registering the President's name at fake hotels. I believe he was finally brought into D.C. under the cover of darkness in a horse and buggy carriage. The next day the yellow press deemed him a coward for 'crawling into town.' (It sounds like the liberal media).

Now that scenario would not had worked at making Dick Powell into a sturdy action hero, but I have always enjoyed this movie for what it is. I've learned to know when to set aside historical accuracy for the sake of entertainment.

[MikeBSG]

"Targets" with Karloff is one of my favorites. A terrific movie, epecially when you realize how it was filmed and all the conditions behind its making. A splendid way for Karloff to end his career.

[MikeBSG]

Yesterday I watched "You're in the Navy Now" (1950) directed by Henry Hathaway. It is a rather unusual service comedy. Gary Cooper is an engineer who has joined the Navy and is given charge of an experimental ship, an attempt to make a superfast steam powered sub chaser.

What struck me was that all the characters seemed to sense that the project was a stupid one, yet they tried to make it work. The Navy brass seemed to be the "enemy" more than the enemy. In some ways this seemed more akin to something like "The Dirty Dozen" (in that the crew builds morale by fighting other sailors) or "MASH" than a film of the Forties or Fifties.

I think this film was the first for both Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson. Marvin basically had to stand there and speak into the radio. Bronson had the far bigger role, as the ship's boxing champ.

[charliechaplinfan]

Today I watched one of Anthony Mann's first films, Tall Target, I don't know why I expected a film noir but what I got was a historical crime drama with Dick Powell and Adolphe Menjou. Some of it was a little predictable but it was very enjoyable, I don't know whether it is based on a true story or not but it was believable.

It was based on a true incident and then embellished for the film. Lincoln was constantly threatened during his run up to becoming President but the most serious threat was during his inauguration week. He wanted to travel from his home base in Illinois to D.C. greeting Americans along the way, but that meant going through Maryland - a hot bed of secessionist insurrection. Alan Pinkerton was brought aboard as Lincoln's personal body guard and he developed a series of ruses involving switching trains and registering the President's name at fake hotels. I believe he was finally brought into D.C. under the cover of darkness in a horse and buggy carriage. The next day the yellow press deemed him a coward for 'crawling into town.' (It sounds like the liberal media).

Now that scenario would not had worked at making Dick Powell into a sturdy action hero, but I have always enjoyed this movie for what it is. I've learned to know when to set aside historical accuracy for the sake of entertainment.

Thanks for this extra information, I thought it was one of those losely based tales. I too have learned to set aside historical accuracy for the sake of entertainment.

"Targets" with Karloff is one of my favorites. A terrific movie, epecially when you realize how it was filmed and all the conditions behind its making. A splendid way for Karloff to end his career.

I think it makes it even more poignant, I liked too how Karloff's lisp was in evidence in this movie, it can be caught in some of Karloff's other movies but he was used to changing dialogue so it wasn't apparent, here it was allowed to come thruogh, it gave further resonance to the character of Orlof and Karloff himself. I think the back story is terrific, what an end to Karloff's career and a great start to Bogdanovich's directing career.

Now someone can help me with the movie I watched today. Salesman made in 1968 by the Maysles brothers, I rented it because it was a Eureka release (our equivalent to Kino) so I guessed it deserved a look. It certainly did, it's listed as a documentary although I think it is a documentary with actors in the leads, I might be wrong here. It's a story of some travelling bible salesmen, they get the names from the Catholic church then they go visiting making demonstrations to these, mainly lower paid people who are struggling with their bills. All want the bible at $50 in 1968, quite expensive, there are 3 lots of installment plans. It's got a sadness about it, they are trading on the faith of these people, the lonliness of the salesmen ,they live together in a travelodge receiving sales demonstrations off the manager. There seems to be no end to the humiliation of one of the team who can't get a sale, he can't find addresses, no one is in or they just can't plain afford it. It is desperate in the same way Glengarry Glen Ross is and for me who has had her fair share of sales training in her life, it's a depressing look at a capitalist society. It's a interesting movie though.