Five Star Final (1931)
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Mr. Arkadin
- Posts: 2645
- Joined: April 14th, 2007, 3:00 pm
Five Star Final (1931)
It's gonna be an early edition for tomorrow morning, but I hope everyone gets to see this classic. Great performances, camerawork, and story.
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Mr. Arkadin
- Posts: 2645
- Joined: April 14th, 2007, 3:00 pm
So exactly when did Edward G. Robinson make his terrible films?!!
Several years ago, the PD-versions of SCARLET STREET and RED HOUSE hit the dollar bins, and I thought those were fairly terrific pieces - worth ten times the price I paid for them!
This FIVE STAR is another one that I hope will see the light of DVD day soon. Someone's gotta give me a list of Edward G films that are horrible. He's got some, right?
Several years ago, the PD-versions of SCARLET STREET and RED HOUSE hit the dollar bins, and I thought those were fairly terrific pieces - worth ten times the price I paid for them!
This FIVE STAR is another one that I hope will see the light of DVD day soon. Someone's gotta give me a list of Edward G films that are horrible. He's got some, right?
Ollie, the thing about Eddie is that even if some of his films are not up to snuff (and it's surprising how few really are, given the length of his filmography), he always gives a standout performance. One of the most watchable actors in films, IMO. Some people knock his performance in "The Ten Commandments" (and he is miscast - to the point of my always expecting to see Dathan light up a cigar), but he is still very entertaining in the part -- and I think that's what counts most.
I'd second (third) that.
I'm up to 35 Eddie G films, from Little Caesar in 1931 to Soylent Green in 1973. Some of them aren't particularly good (A Hole in the Head and Two Weeks in Another Town spring to mind), but I haven't seen Eddie G give anything less than a superb performance yet.
It truly stuns me that he was never even nominated for an Academy Award. Marky Mark of the Funky Bunch has had more nominations.
I'm up to 35 Eddie G films, from Little Caesar in 1931 to Soylent Green in 1973. Some of them aren't particularly good (A Hole in the Head and Two Weeks in Another Town spring to mind), but I haven't seen Eddie G give anything less than a superb performance yet.
It truly stuns me that he was never even nominated for an Academy Award. Marky Mark of the Funky Bunch has had more nominations.
R and D, thanks for that. I have the same impressions of his work - he gets put into some pretty weak or lame films, but his performances are usually the highlight.
I didn't like his performance in MR WINKLE GOES TO WAR. He's too wishy-washy, too milquetoast for my tastes. Those are his mannerisms and I wish he'd have been given more Speak Plainly, Speak Directly lines of dialog.
But his role IS to play a mealy-mouthed milquetoast who can't speak a plain line directly, but has to stumble around and act almost inhumanly confused. He does it aggravatingly well!
That's a performance I don't like. But I appreciate it, and the film is one of those interesting "milestones" for me. I grant every performer a "Least Liked Film", and if that's HIS entry into my ratings, that ain't bad.
Other films like LARCENY INC are so full of great supporting characters AND top-notch change-of-pace moments for Edward G that I find I can watch it day after day, week after week.
It's a film of almost endless 'transformations of all characters' - except for Anthony Quinn. And he rather neatly dovetails the whole film, I thought. I mean - is there any character that stays 'the same' in that picture? As much as 'taking a dive' in a car-wreck may be their schtick, it's final use and fleeing from the cops is just the perfect end. Even that tried-and-true schtick is abandoned!
I didn't like his performance in MR WINKLE GOES TO WAR. He's too wishy-washy, too milquetoast for my tastes. Those are his mannerisms and I wish he'd have been given more Speak Plainly, Speak Directly lines of dialog.
But his role IS to play a mealy-mouthed milquetoast who can't speak a plain line directly, but has to stumble around and act almost inhumanly confused. He does it aggravatingly well!
That's a performance I don't like. But I appreciate it, and the film is one of those interesting "milestones" for me. I grant every performer a "Least Liked Film", and if that's HIS entry into my ratings, that ain't bad.
Other films like LARCENY INC are so full of great supporting characters AND top-notch change-of-pace moments for Edward G that I find I can watch it day after day, week after week.
It's a film of almost endless 'transformations of all characters' - except for Anthony Quinn. And he rather neatly dovetails the whole film, I thought. I mean - is there any character that stays 'the same' in that picture? As much as 'taking a dive' in a car-wreck may be their schtick, it's final use and fleeing from the cops is just the perfect end. Even that tried-and-true schtick is abandoned!
For a screen tough guy, Eddie did seem to play the milquetoast in a few films. As you state, Ollie, "Mr. Winkle Goes to War" is a good example. As, of course, is "Scarlet Street" (where at least the worm turned). Another good example is "The Whole Town's Talking". A great film where Eddie gets to show two distinct sides of his versatility, as timid clerk Athur Ferguson Jones and vicious gangster "Killer" Mears. Not quite a milquetoast, but an easily lured character was Professor Richard Wanley in "The Woman in the Window". Eddie's range continues to astound me. Compare his sympathetic Norwegian farmer in "Our Vines Have Tender Grapes" (beautiful film) to the rabid Johnny Rocco in "Key Largo".
I once heard it said that the reason Eddie was never even nominated for an Academy Award was because he was consistently good. As good an explanation as any, I suppose.
I once heard it said that the reason Eddie was never even nominated for an Academy Award was because he was consistently good. As good an explanation as any, I suppose.
I loved this movie especially the early part of it when the young guy was talking with the secretary. It seemed like fluff and padding but it was a really great conversation that added some backstory to the movie.
Oh and Boris Karloff was creepy as all hell. Actually he looked like a taller version of WWE wrestler/personality William Regal LOL!
The only thing that makes this only a 4 star final to me (yes bad punning) was the acting by the couple playing Nancy and er I forget the husband's name. It was really stagy and Nancy wailing "what are we going to doooo" after they unwittingly gave Isopod ammunition for his story was laughable.
Overall though, a fine film and I'd love to see the over arching message of this film adapted to the modern day and attacking Fox News.
Oh and Boris Karloff was creepy as all hell. Actually he looked like a taller version of WWE wrestler/personality William Regal LOL!
The only thing that makes this only a 4 star final to me (yes bad punning) was the acting by the couple playing Nancy and er I forget the husband's name. It was really stagy and Nancy wailing "what are we going to doooo" after they unwittingly gave Isopod ammunition for his story was laughable.
Overall though, a fine film and I'd love to see the over arching message of this film adapted to the modern day and attacking Fox News.