Miss Garson might be paying a call to the Mens Room in the not-too-distant future. . . .
WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
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Professional Tourist
- Posts: 1671
- Joined: March 1st, 2009, 7:12 pm
- Location: NYC
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
This weekend I've watched Madame Curie on YouTube; it had been decades since I last/first saw this picture (on television). Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon sure are a great combination, good on-screen chemistry and I've read they were friends in real life too. I was surprised how accurate the movie was, comparing to what I've read online about Marie Curie's life and work. And after this and Mrs. Parkington I may be getting a bit of a crush on Greer Garson (shhh, don't tell Aggie, even though they were good friends). Garson's really got it all going on -- beauty, intelligence, talent, grace, poise. . .sigh.
Miss Garson might be paying a call to the Mens Room in the not-too-distant future. . . .
Miss Garson might be paying a call to the Mens Room in the not-too-distant future. . . .
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feaito
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Yesterday I watched 3 films:
The excellent French film "Un Secret" (2007) starring Cécile de France, Patrick Bruel, Julie Depardieu, Ludivine Sagnier, about a boy who has a difficult relationship with his father and who finally discovers a terrible secret: he wasn't his father's first son. The film is set in different eras: the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1985. The scenes from 1985 were shot in B&W and the scenes from the 30s through the 50s, in Color. Engrossing, highly dramatic, intense, entertaining, well scripted and acted all around. Cécile de France looks loke a blond Penélope Cruz. It's really one of the best contemporary movies I have seen lately.
"The Last Gentleman" (1934), a delightful comedy starring George Arliss as the title character. This one was such a discovery! I found it very funny, well paced and skillfully performed by a cast of veterans: Donald Meek, Rafaella Ottiano, priceless Edna May Oliver, Ralph Morgan (Frank's brother), Janet Beecher and youngsters Charlotte Henry and Frank Albertson. Arliss is a millionaire who gathers his long estranged relatives for a funeral service. A hoot!
"Captain Pirate" (1952), a colorful pirate film based on the adventures of Sabatini's character, Captian Blood, with reliable Louis Hayward in the title role and lovely Patricia Medina as his fiancée. John Sutton plays aptly the villain and the most interesting fact about the film for me, is that fellow Chilean Malú Gatica, the only 100% Chilean woman to have appeared in a Hollywood film during the Golden Years, has a small featured part in the picture as a mysterious Spanish singer. She was quite famous in my country.
The excellent French film "Un Secret" (2007) starring Cécile de France, Patrick Bruel, Julie Depardieu, Ludivine Sagnier, about a boy who has a difficult relationship with his father and who finally discovers a terrible secret: he wasn't his father's first son. The film is set in different eras: the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1985. The scenes from 1985 were shot in B&W and the scenes from the 30s through the 50s, in Color. Engrossing, highly dramatic, intense, entertaining, well scripted and acted all around. Cécile de France looks loke a blond Penélope Cruz. It's really one of the best contemporary movies I have seen lately.
"The Last Gentleman" (1934), a delightful comedy starring George Arliss as the title character. This one was such a discovery! I found it very funny, well paced and skillfully performed by a cast of veterans: Donald Meek, Rafaella Ottiano, priceless Edna May Oliver, Ralph Morgan (Frank's brother), Janet Beecher and youngsters Charlotte Henry and Frank Albertson. Arliss is a millionaire who gathers his long estranged relatives for a funeral service. A hoot!
"Captain Pirate" (1952), a colorful pirate film based on the adventures of Sabatini's character, Captian Blood, with reliable Louis Hayward in the title role and lovely Patricia Medina as his fiancée. John Sutton plays aptly the villain and the most interesting fact about the film for me, is that fellow Chilean Malú Gatica, the only 100% Chilean woman to have appeared in a Hollywood film during the Golden Years, has a small featured part in the picture as a mysterious Spanish singer. She was quite famous in my country.
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I recently watched two French films from the early 90s based on the memoirs of Marcel Pagnol, a French filmmaker of the thirties and forties. The two are called "My Father's Glory" and "My Mother's Castle." They are both very well done, exceedingly charming, and I strongly recommend them to anyone with an interest in French films. (Of course, people with an interest in French film would probably have seen them back in the 90s.)
I just watched a Soviet comedy, "Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath." Made in the mid-Seventies, it reminded me of Billy Wilder's work. It is about a guy whose friends get him drunk at his engagement party and then accidentally put him on a plane from Moscow to Leningrad. When he wakes up, he thinks he is still in Moscow and gives his utterly bland address (25 Builder's Street) to a taxi driver who delivers him to an apartment complex that looks just like his. He finds his key opens apartment 12 on the fourth floor, and complications result.
Slower-paced than the usual Hollywood comedy, and with songs that further pad the running time, but I kept seeing Jack Lemmon as the star of this.
I just watched a Soviet comedy, "Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath." Made in the mid-Seventies, it reminded me of Billy Wilder's work. It is about a guy whose friends get him drunk at his engagement party and then accidentally put him on a plane from Moscow to Leningrad. When he wakes up, he thinks he is still in Moscow and gives his utterly bland address (25 Builder's Street) to a taxi driver who delivers him to an apartment complex that looks just like his. He finds his key opens apartment 12 on the fourth floor, and complications result.
Slower-paced than the usual Hollywood comedy, and with songs that further pad the running time, but I kept seeing Jack Lemmon as the star of this.
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jdb1
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Did anyone see Seven Days to Noon on TCM last weekend? This 1950 film was made by the British Boulting Brothers, and has a story line about a threatened nuclear detonation which certainly resonates today.
Although I found the film rather staid and understated in execution, the story was interesting, and the pace and tension did increase, slowly, as the plot unwound.
A British physicist, appalled by what his work has come to in the days of the post-WWII Cold War, decides to force the government to abandon its nuclear program by threatening to detonate a nuclear bomb in the center of London. It appears that he simply put the bomb into his briefcase and walked out of the research facility. He writes a letter to the Prime Minister telling him that he has seven days to announce that Britain is Banning the Bomb. The Prime Minister orders London evacuated and, as the physicist skulks about London with his bomb, efforts are made to find him, first by Scotland Yard, and then through a city-wide search by the military.
Barry Jones was very good as the physicist, although he had a rather odd, cartoon-like voice. Perhaps that was to underline his mad scientist status, although his character was completely sympathetic and actually quite nice, in spite of his murderous intentions. Certainly his conflict was sincere and eloquently expressed. An actress named Shelia Monahan played the scientist's daughter, who is enlisted by the Yard to help find him. She was actually rather plump and dowdy for an ingenue part. And, not meaning any disrespect, I suspect her resemblance to the young Princess Elizabeth was intended. She wore the clothing and hats that I've seen in on the Princess in photographs.
The scientist is befriended by a middle-aged floozie with a heart of gold, who takes him home, not being aware of the situation. Previously, the scientist had rented a room from a frowsy landlady who was never without a burning cigarette between her lips, and who, it turned out much to my surprise, was Joan Hickson. I never would have recognized the dear old Miss Marple.
Ben M. pointed out in his introduction to this movie that it was cast with no big names, and there were not even any actor credits until the end. However, according to IMDb, there were a few known quantities in bit parts, such as Victor Maddern (he's the only one I recognized), Joss Ackland, Patrick Macnee and Henry McGee.
There was a lot of philosophizing about responsibility, destruction, religion and such, but it was all to the point and quite interesting. Apparently, this screenplay won an Oscar the year it was released in the US, 1952. The evacuation of London scenes were well done (where did they take all those extras?), and the scenes of the soldiers sytematically searching the center of London in ever tightening circles, were good, if a bit too drawn out. I'm glad I stuck with this movie; I liked it more than I thought I would
Although I found the film rather staid and understated in execution, the story was interesting, and the pace and tension did increase, slowly, as the plot unwound.
A British physicist, appalled by what his work has come to in the days of the post-WWII Cold War, decides to force the government to abandon its nuclear program by threatening to detonate a nuclear bomb in the center of London. It appears that he simply put the bomb into his briefcase and walked out of the research facility. He writes a letter to the Prime Minister telling him that he has seven days to announce that Britain is Banning the Bomb. The Prime Minister orders London evacuated and, as the physicist skulks about London with his bomb, efforts are made to find him, first by Scotland Yard, and then through a city-wide search by the military.
Barry Jones was very good as the physicist, although he had a rather odd, cartoon-like voice. Perhaps that was to underline his mad scientist status, although his character was completely sympathetic and actually quite nice, in spite of his murderous intentions. Certainly his conflict was sincere and eloquently expressed. An actress named Shelia Monahan played the scientist's daughter, who is enlisted by the Yard to help find him. She was actually rather plump and dowdy for an ingenue part. And, not meaning any disrespect, I suspect her resemblance to the young Princess Elizabeth was intended. She wore the clothing and hats that I've seen in on the Princess in photographs.
The scientist is befriended by a middle-aged floozie with a heart of gold, who takes him home, not being aware of the situation. Previously, the scientist had rented a room from a frowsy landlady who was never without a burning cigarette between her lips, and who, it turned out much to my surprise, was Joan Hickson. I never would have recognized the dear old Miss Marple.
Ben M. pointed out in his introduction to this movie that it was cast with no big names, and there were not even any actor credits until the end. However, according to IMDb, there were a few known quantities in bit parts, such as Victor Maddern (he's the only one I recognized), Joss Ackland, Patrick Macnee and Henry McGee.
There was a lot of philosophizing about responsibility, destruction, religion and such, but it was all to the point and quite interesting. Apparently, this screenplay won an Oscar the year it was released in the US, 1952. The evacuation of London scenes were well done (where did they take all those extras?), and the scenes of the soldiers sytematically searching the center of London in ever tightening circles, were good, if a bit too drawn out. I'm glad I stuck with this movie; I liked it more than I thought I would
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movieman1957
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I saw it from a recording i had from a few months ago. I feel much the same as you. I saw it first back in the 70s and thought it really good. I thought the evacuation scenes were impressive but the English sure would have know how to stage those. I rememeber thinking when they were doing the search as to how big a job it must be even over a seemingly small area. So many small places to hide the stuff.
THe one thing they only addressed slightly as I recall was the whole argument about why he would do the very deed he is trying to stop. The thought being better to "sacrifice" a few so the whole world might survive. It was good casting that they picked some ordinary man rather then some big handsome leading man.
Good flick.
THe one thing they only addressed slightly as I recall was the whole argument about why he would do the very deed he is trying to stop. The thought being better to "sacrifice" a few so the whole world might survive. It was good casting that they picked some ordinary man rather then some big handsome leading man.
Good flick.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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jdb1
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Yes, that is the one thing that did not ring true, in terms of how the character was presented. I would have thought that someone who was willing to kill everyone to make the point that you shouldn't kill people would have been depicted as a tad more neurotic, or at least a lot colder. This scientist was very, very nice, and even when he began to unravel toward the end, it wasn't very far. I was surprised that at the end of the story his daughter didn't rush to his side to talk some sense into him, and that he didn't at any time relent. That would have been the typical ending to such a film, and it's one of the things that makes this one a cut above.movieman1957 wrote:I saw it from a recording i had from a few months ago. I feel much the same as you. I saw it first back in the 70s and thought it really good. I thought the evacuation scenes were impressive but the English sure would have know how to stage those. I rememeber thinking when they were doing the search as to how big a job it must be even over a seemingly small area. So many small places to hide the stuff.
THe one thing they only addressed slightly as I recall was the whole argument about why he would do the very deed he is trying to stop. The thought being better to "sacrifice" a few so the whole world might survive. It was good casting that they picked some ordinary man rather then some big handsome leading man.
Good flick.
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klondike
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Aye, and it was dear ol' Joanie who saved this film for me, adding as she did just about the only scenes of warmth & character & humor, and often, common humanity.jdb1 wrote:
The scientist is befriended by a middle-aged floozie with a heart of gold, who takes him home, not being aware of the situation. Previously, the scientist had rented a room from a frowsy landlady who was never without a burning cigarette between her lips, and who, it turned out much to my surprise, was Joan Hickson.
I found it particularly amusing that she was eternally willing to drop all plans, in any situation, to pursue the potential of "companionship" from a passing uniform.
Ah, the good old days of the Blackouts!!
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feaito
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I watched Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (2008) with two friends and my wife and we all enjoyed it very much. It's an amusing film, with clever and witty dialogue and some unexpected situations. The actress who plays Vicky is very talented and attractive. Scarlett Johansson is good, but IMO she's quite overrated. Penélope Cruz is excellent as María Elena and ditto Javier Bardem as Juan Antonio Gonzalo. Patricia Clarkson, as usual, is a plus to any film! Beautiful locations in Barcelona, Oviedo et al. The plot is involving, but the ending is a little bit abrupt for my taste. Anyway I love Woody Allen.
I also saw David Niven in one of his first starring films "Thank You Jeeves" (1936) in which he aptly portrays P.G. Wodehouse's character Bertie Wooster. He's quite amusing and lovable as the rather stupid Wooster and Arthur Treacher was born to play Jeeves! The movie's plot is very lightweight, but at 57 minutes length it is amusing enough. Not remotely comparable though, to the British series starring Hugh Laurie & Stephen Fry, which are perfect.
I also saw David Niven in one of his first starring films "Thank You Jeeves" (1936) in which he aptly portrays P.G. Wodehouse's character Bertie Wooster. He's quite amusing and lovable as the rather stupid Wooster and Arthur Treacher was born to play Jeeves! The movie's plot is very lightweight, but at 57 minutes length it is amusing enough. Not remotely comparable though, to the British series starring Hugh Laurie & Stephen Fry, which are perfect.
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Professional Tourist
- Posts: 1671
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Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I saw Vicky Christina Barcelona in theaters when it first opened last year, and thought it was terrific! I'm not a big fan of Woody Allen but think he's made a few good pictures in recent years. In my opinion the story was very cleverly developed and all the roles well-cast. The ménage-a-trois worked surprisingly well, and I was disappointed when Christina decided to move on. 
Today I've watched Cradle Will Rock on DVD, a great picture from 1999 by Tim Robbins. It takes place in New York during the Depression and is based primarily on real people and events. It's hard to summarize in a sentence what this picture is about, because it's about different things and people that overlap. There's Nelson Rockefeller, building Rockefeller Center and trying to get a painter to create a mural for the lobby. His preferred painters turn down the commission, and he ends up with Diego Rivera, a communist who ends up painting a mural whose themes Rockefeller will find unacceptable. We see the W.P.A. and the Federal Theater Project, including Orson Welles and John Houseman toiling in the theater just before the advent of the Mercury Players; and the fear of communism within Congress that causes it to shut down the FTPs projects. We see Marc Blitzstein writing the first musical play about the plight of the worker during the Depression and the advent of unionism. Then there are capitalists like W.R. Hearst and the (fictional) steel mill owner Gray Mathers who are trying to make more money before the start of the next world war and to control not only the workers but art and culture itself. These and others are all spokes on one wheel, and I think it's interesting to see where it goes. A real masterpiece from Tim Robbins.
Today I've watched Cradle Will Rock on DVD, a great picture from 1999 by Tim Robbins. It takes place in New York during the Depression and is based primarily on real people and events. It's hard to summarize in a sentence what this picture is about, because it's about different things and people that overlap. There's Nelson Rockefeller, building Rockefeller Center and trying to get a painter to create a mural for the lobby. His preferred painters turn down the commission, and he ends up with Diego Rivera, a communist who ends up painting a mural whose themes Rockefeller will find unacceptable. We see the W.P.A. and the Federal Theater Project, including Orson Welles and John Houseman toiling in the theater just before the advent of the Mercury Players; and the fear of communism within Congress that causes it to shut down the FTPs projects. We see Marc Blitzstein writing the first musical play about the plight of the worker during the Depression and the advent of unionism. Then there are capitalists like W.R. Hearst and the (fictional) steel mill owner Gray Mathers who are trying to make more money before the start of the next world war and to control not only the workers but art and culture itself. These and others are all spokes on one wheel, and I think it's interesting to see where it goes. A real masterpiece from Tim Robbins.
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feaito
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I love Tim Robbins PT! His films are fantastic!Professional Tourist wrote:I saw Vicky Christina Barcelona in theaters when it first opened last year, and thought it was terrific! I'm not a big fan of Woody Allen but think he's made a few good pictures in recent years. In my opinion the story was very cleverly developed and all the roles well-cast. The ménage-a-trois worked surprisingly well, and I was disappointed when Christina decided to move on.
***SPOILERS****
I agree with your assessments re VCB... I also thought that Vicky finally was going to stay with Juan Antonio, so the ending let me down a bit!
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feaito
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I watched "Inkheart" (2008), which I found so-so, mildly amusing. A flawed film with a wide variety of special-effects, to fill-in for the lack of a good script, pacing, etc. In terms of acting the film wastes the talents of such pros as Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent. Only Sienna Guillory's and Paul Bettany's heartfelt performances actually moved me a bit.
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feaito
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Here we are, watching a B programmer and having a grand time, enjoying myself much more than with other "A" films I have seen!
The very unpretentious "Step Lively Jeeves" (1937) is quite a hoot! There's nothing of Wodehouse in it save for the name "Jeeves" . Arthur Treacher plays Jeeves with doses of Bertie Wooster in this film. He's fooled by a pair of swindlers delightfully impersonated by George Givot and Alan Dinehart. They make him believe that he's a direct descendant of Sir Francis Drake and they travel to NYC to raise funds for Jeeves', now THE Earl of Braddock, adventure! Enter smart Patricia Ellis as a reporter, Robert Kent as a millionaire in love with Ellis, John Harrington as a retired very low class Gangster who lives in Long Island and Helen Flint as his priceless wife (ex-gangster moll!) who wants to be accepted by the Park Avenue crowd. Funny, funny, funny....much better than "Thank You Jeeves" (1936) as a comedy. To enjoy it Wodehouse fans have to forget about anything remotely related to Bertie Wooster's and Jeeves' World. Givot's enjoyable Russian accent and his mispronunciation of English words such as "Socialist Secretary" for "Social Secretary" or "crab" instead of "cab" is quite hilarious. A small film with an anjoyable plot, very funny moments and a fine cast.
I also watched the absolutely enlightening documentaries on Wodehouse included in the DVDs.
The very unpretentious "Step Lively Jeeves" (1937) is quite a hoot! There's nothing of Wodehouse in it save for the name "Jeeves"
. Arthur Treacher plays Jeeves with doses of Bertie Wooster in this film. He's fooled by a pair of swindlers delightfully impersonated by George Givot and Alan Dinehart. They make him believe that he's a direct descendant of Sir Francis Drake and they travel to NYC to raise funds for Jeeves', now THE Earl of Braddock, adventure! Enter smart Patricia Ellis as a reporter, Robert Kent as a millionaire in love with Ellis, John Harrington as a retired very low class Gangster who lives in Long Island and Helen Flint as his priceless wife (ex-gangster moll!) who wants to be accepted by the Park Avenue crowd. Funny, funny, funny....much better than "Thank You Jeeves" (1936) as a comedy. To enjoy it Wodehouse fans have to forget about anything remotely related to Bertie Wooster's and Jeeves' World. Givot's enjoyable Russian accent and his mispronunciation of English words such as "Socialist Secretary" for "Social Secretary" or "crab" instead of "cab" is quite hilarious. A small film with an anjoyable plot, very funny moments and a fine cast.I also watched the absolutely enlightening documentaries on Wodehouse included in the DVDs.
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feaito
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Last night in the projection room it was a double-bill... after "Island of Lost Souls" (1933) we saw Julien Duvivier's "Lydia" (1941) with my wife. A near-masterpiece! What a great film. Lee Garmes' cinematography, Miklós Rósza awesome musical score and Merle Oberon's first rate, spirited performance. I have read that Duvivier's Un Carnet de Bal, the French (and first) version of the story is an absolute masterpiece, but this film is truly magnificent. It has a breathless pacing, a vibrant performance by Ms. Oberon, Romance with capital "R", incredible camera angles and close-ups of Ms. Oberon, especially in her scenes in her grandparents' cottage near the sea with Alan Marshal; plus the lovable Edna May Oliver as Oberon's grandmother, who's not ashamed of her humble origins and John Halliday as her ever-faithful servant. A magnificent discovery which I shall revisit many times in the future.
I hope I'll be able to see Un Carnet de Bal sometime.
I hope I'll be able to see Un Carnet de Bal sometime.
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
Last night, my whole family watched "Twins," the Arnold Schwarzenegger-Danny DeVito film from 1988.
It was fun, easily Schwarzenegger's best comedy. The one surprise was that the larcenous parking lot attendant was played by David Caruso, a few years before his "NYPD Blue" breakthrough.
It was fun, easily Schwarzenegger's best comedy. The one surprise was that the larcenous parking lot attendant was played by David Caruso, a few years before his "NYPD Blue" breakthrough.
Re: WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?
I just watched "Vicky Cristina Barcellona," and I liked it. Not top-flight Woody, but very enjoyable. I really liked the actress who played Vicky. Has she done anything else?
I suppose what I liked about the movie was that it reminded me of the two months I spent in Moscow. I had a great time, and then I left and life went on like it always did, as if I had never been there. I liked how "Vicky Cristina Barcellona" had that kind of trajectory. In any other movie, the time in Barcellona would have been a life-changing experience.
I suppose what I liked about the movie was that it reminded me of the two months I spent in Moscow. I had a great time, and then I left and life went on like it always did, as if I had never been there. I liked how "Vicky Cristina Barcellona" had that kind of trajectory. In any other movie, the time in Barcellona would have been a life-changing experience.