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“We Have Ways Of Making Men Talk”

By Raymond Benson

Despite its grammatically incorrect title, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer is considered one of the great old-school Hollywood epic adventure movies, and it remains so to this day. It was released very early in 1935 after a long gestation period and became one of the most popular pictures of the decade. It was nominated for the Oscar Best Picture, Best Director (Henry Hathaway), Best Adapted Screenplay, and four other awards, but it won only one—Best Assistant Director? (Obviously a now defunct category.)

What are Bengal Lancers, you ask? They were British soldiers serving in India in those days of the British Raj between the two world wars. Apparently, one didn’t have to be British to serve. The protagonist, Lieutenant Alan McGregor (Gary Cooper), is Scottish-Canadian. Lieutenant John Forsythe (Franchot Tone) seems to be American, but maybe the actor...

The most notorious pre-Code shocker comes to Criterion — and proves to be a superior drama with an entirely mature, sound outlook on the political issues around women’s sexuality and personal freedom. Taken from a raw novel by William Faulkner, this tale of rape and terror stars Miriam Hopkins in one of the bravest, best performances of its era. Truth-telling like this always comes at a price — Temple Drake was a prime target for the oppressive Production Code, with the result that Hopkins’ achievement was banned and unseen for over thirty-five years.

The Story of Temple Drake

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 1006

1933 / B&w / 1:33 Academy / 71 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date December 3, 2019 / 39.95

Starring: Miriam Hopkins, William Gargan, Jack La Rue, Florence Eldridge, Guy Standing, Irving Pichel, Jobyna Howland, William Collier Jr., Elizabeth Patterson, James Eagles, Harlan Knight, Jim Mason, Louise Beavers, Grady Sutton, Kent Taylor, John Carradine.

Cinematography:...

People cool enough to get in to "Captain America: The First Avenger" on its premiere night sounded off on Twitter Tuesday. Kevin Smith and Edgar Wright spoke highly of the film, and Smith also had some praise for the "Avengers" trailer.

Mark Millar, meanwhile, had to turn down a visit to the "Avengers" set, and shared his sorrow with his followers. His reasons, an evaluation of Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man and pre-Comic-Con travel tweets await after the jump.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is the Twitter Report for July 20, 2011.

"Captain America" pt. 1: @ThatKevinSmith As expected, Johnston crushed Captain America. It's elegant & fun like his Rocketeer. Evans was an ace Rogers/Cap. Avengers trailer killed.

-Kevin Smith, Writer ("Batman: The Widening Gyre," "Green Arrow")

"Captain America" pt. 2: @edgarwright 'Captain America' is so much fun. A proper ripping yarn. Go Evans.

-Edgar Wright, Director ("Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,...

On Friday night, the eyes of the world were on Vancouver's BC Place, as the games of the Xxi Winter Olympics got underway with a lavish, joyous opening ceremony that had soul, showmanship and plenty of Wayne Gretzky.

Some 60,000 people packed inside the arena (this was, after all, the first indoor opening ceremony), and, unfortunately, I was not one of them. But I was next door, at the Molson Canadian Hockey House, a raucous viewing party/concert/celebration of all things Canuck that featured plenty of beer, ladies clad in skin-tight hockey dresses, and a piano painted with the maple leaf. It was a pretty excellent time, so I started to write an impromptu LiveTweet of the entire event -- and, by proxy, the opening ceremonies -- over on the @MTVNews Twitter account.

And since you probably weren't glued to your computer during the ceremony, I figured I'd recap some...

Like most of you I was seriously anticipating this finale, and Dexter didn't let me down. It kept me on my toes for forty-six minutes, trying to guess which of the season's threads would come back to bite Dexter in the ass. It's not typical of the series to do a shocker or cliffhanger ending; in fact the past three season finales have always wrapped things up in a way that works for Dexter, allowing his double life to move forward. The finales have always resolved the chaotic events of the season, making everyone better, stronger, safer -- well, except all the dead people. But I sensed catastrophe, and I was right: this one was different. Not to spoil it for you. But then again, you are reading a recap.

We pick up exactly where we left off last time, with Dexter and Arthur face-to-face in the middle of Homicide.

Set in the working-class, non-trendy area of Chicago's near north side, "Pink Nights, '' despite its focus on high school romance angst, is in essence a look at Four Teens (one guy, three girls) from dysfunctional families who bond together through the weird rituals of "dating.''

In this perceptive production, screenwriter-director Phillip Koch's narrative focuses on the romantic woes of one shy guy named Danny (Kevin Anderson) who, despite not too shabby looks and a docile charm, can't buy a date. In short, girls don't notice him because he thinks they don't notice him.

Sex appeal is all in the head, his brassy sidekick-adviser Jeff (Larry King) harps. Jeff's from the school of dating that theorizes if you ask 100 girls out, one will, invariably, say yes.

In Danny's sad-sack case, this comes true: initially, through no efforts of his own. A clubbed-out punker (Shaun Allen) bets her girlfriends she can get a date with anybody, and Danny happens to be the Guy Standing in her sites. As those in the entertainment business so keenly appreciate, appearance transcends reality, and Danny's reputation is quickly made by merely being in the presence of club hound Terry.

Unfortunately, in Koch's often droll story, the narrative itself is as lackadaisical as Jeff's dating initiatives. Suddenly, two more girls enter his life: an exotic-looking new girl at school (Peri Kaczmarek) and a rich North Shore beauty (Jessica Vitkus). He starts hanging out with all three, bumbling his way through a series of non-dates, much to the surprise and chagrin of his baffled best buddy.

While the story line is itself often bland and meandering, "Pink Nights, '' in its own soft, stumbling way, shows the naturalness of this nondescript guy's easy attraction to three widely different girls: All three of the girls are, essentially, alone -- their families are either traveling, bar-hopping, or motoring off to Detroit, and the time they spend in Danny's abode (mom's out of town on a weeklong date) becomes a family-like experience.

The performances in "Pink Nights'' are gold and silver, particularly Anderson as the soft-spoken, sincere teen and Kaczmarek as the estranged new girl in school.

Technical contributions in this decidedly low-budget production are highlighted by the sharp and scruffy soundtrack, featuring songs by Bohemia and several full-sounding Chicago-area bands.

PINK NIGHTS

A Koch-Marschall Production

Producers Phillip Koch, Sally Marschall

Screenwriter-director Phillip Koch

Director of photography Charlie Leiberman

Original music score Jim Tullio, Jeffrey Vanston

Editors Phillip Koch, Sally Marschall

Color/Stereo

Cast:

Danny Kevin Anderson

Jeff Larry King

Esme Peri Kaczmarek

Terry Shaun Allen

Marcy Jessica Vitkus

Zero Jonathan Michaels

Running time -- 87 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...