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Reviews
American Sniper (2014)
Kudos to Eastwood and Cooper
For some who will take umbrage at this review I say flatly I am a combat Veteran.
Clint Eastwood demonstrates once again why he is one of the top 10 Directors of all time joining the company of Billy Wilder, George Stevens, William Wyler, Frank Capra, George Cukor, John Huston, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean as a consummate story teller. Eastwood is brilliant in bringing to life the story of Chris Kyle.
Bradley Cooper becomes Chris Kyle, and if not for Hollywood's leftist dismissal of war films that show American soldiers in positive light, Cooper would be a cinch to win Best Actor!
Eastwood's being denied a Best Director nomination is more a reflection of bias; the audience has voted making this the biggest grossing war film of all time
The entire cast beginning with Sienna Miller gives Cooper great support.
The movies wrenching ending engendered from the audience I saw it respectful and strong applause.
Bravo Eastwood and Cooper
The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1965)
Ms. O Hara's Comment
Delmer Daves created some of the great lush romantic dramas of my youth such as A Summer Place, Parrish and Rome Adventure all starring Troy Donahue, and then also at WB directed Spencer's Mountain starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O Hara. Daves then cast the beautiful Maureen in this film shot in Italy. In her book 'Tis Herself Ms. O Hara said she was simply aghast when seeing the rushes she noted that her face was shot with shadows. At first I did not believe a major star would be photographed against her wishes and that the veteran renowned cinematographer Oswald Morris held a grudge against the lovely star because of a football bet! Whether this is true or not, the fact is that La O Hara one of the cinema's great beauties has some scenes that back up her complaint.
I thought the film was fine and the casting of Ms. O Hara with Rosonna Brazzi who was in Daves' Rome Adventure as well- also very fine. The location shot were gorgeous.
Les Misérables (2012)
Moral Masterpiece
Universal's Les Miserables is a moral masterpiece.
Hugh Jackman deserved and got top billing in this film version of the legendary Broadway success. Jackman becomes Valjean. Oscar Winner Russell Crowe and Oscar nominee Helena Bonham Carter are brilliant, and indeed the entire ensemble cast.
One should note that Valjean is turned into a moral human being by the actions of a Catholic priest who notes "our guest of honor" and when Valjean steals the Silver and is returned to the monastery, the Priest refuses to press charges but says it was a gift and indeed includes two candelabra that feature in the film at the end. Thus Valjean becomes the moral force of the movie during the Revolution.
Splendid songs and Anne Hathaway deserved her Oscar for her memorable I Had A Dream, and the ending of the film when Valjean is about to Die and has his daughter and son in law with him Hathaway re appears to guide him to Heaven, and one sees a startling scene of Valjean's body in a chair but his spirit walking towards Heaven.
Great movies have great endings and the soaring end of this fine film is one of the best I have seen in the many films I have seen in my life.
Les Miz should have won the Oscar.
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
Great Stars: Jennifer Jones and Gregory Peck
Suggest reading Rudy Behmer's great book Memo from Darryl Zanuck to reflect the dedication and preparation Jennifer Jones gave for her role in this film. Ms. Jones a fine film actress first starred with Gregory Peck in the blazing Duel In The Sun, in this film Jones takes second billing to Peck and plays a different role that of a suburban matron and must deal with a secret of Peck's from his wartime past.
In this film is a 3rd pro, Frederic March who never gave a poor performance. This films has 3 Oscar winners: Jennifer Jones, Frederic March and Gregory Peck. Ann Harding, Arthur O Connell, Lee J Cobb are among the stellar supporting cast.
Too bad Jennifer Jones and Gregory Peck life long friends never found a 3rd film in their mature years to star in. Both are well remembered stars of the Golden Era of films.
Vertigo (1958)
Masterpiece
Kim Novak then the #1 Female Star in the World was loaned by her studio Columbia Pictures to next door neighbor Paramount Pictures and Alfred Hitchcock for this brilliant film. At the time it was thought to be a fine opportunity for Ms. Novak to co star with legendary actor James Stewart and to be Directed by the great Hitchcock. I have always felt that Hitchcock new what he was doing by spooking Kim Novak by telling her that Vera Miles was his real choice for the film. Kim Novak was insecure all during the filming and its shows! Vera Miles a lovely leading lady never was in the league of the box office clout of Novak nor the outstanding beauty of Kim Novak in her high starring days of fame. I cannot think of any other actress who could have done this role as well as Novak possibly only Garbo.
Vertigo was not well reviewed in 1958. In the rear view mirror of film history this masterful film was never nominated for Best Picture nor was James Stewart nor Kim Novak nor Alfred Hitchcock. All of them should have been nominated. Bernard Herrman created a brilliant score.
Whenver I see Vertigo I see new things, amazing, the film is hypnotic and beautiful to watch
I view this as Alfred Hitchcock's film masterpiece.
Bravo to Hitchcock, Stewart, Novak and Herrman.
I Thank a Fool (1962)
Susan Hayward and Peter Finch in MGM's I Thank A Fool
Two of the more competent actors of their era were Peter Finch and Susan Hayward who star in this film shot in the British Isles at MGM's British Studio with some stunning location photography.
Academy Award Winner Susan Hayward looking as beautiful as ever inherited this movie after Academy Award Winner Ingrid Bergrman left the project, and Hayward who considered Bergman her favorite actress said"If It's Good Enough For Bergman It is Good Enough For Me". Always professional in her work Susan Hayward was a commanding actress one who dominated every scene Hayward was in. I am not sure I followed the story line of 'I Thank A Fool' and that maybe that Susan Hayward half way during the shoot objected to the Euthanasia theme and the story was a changed, so all of this seems a bit muddled.
This movie is strictly for Susan Hayward fans.
The Big Valley (1965)
Stanwyck's Great TV series
Barbara Stanwyck, a great actress and a true Star, was the matriarch of the Barkeley family in this series. While Ms. Stanwyck's peers Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Ann Sothern, Olivia De Havilland, etc kept busy in movie horror films to stay in the public eye,Barbara Stanwyck wisely went the route of hit TV show.
The Big Valley was produced at Four Star which was an independent firm that produced among other shows The Rogues, Wanted Dead or Alive, The Rifleman, Burke's Law, etc was was co- owned by David Niven, Charles Boyer and Dick Powell who ran the studio and brought it to great success. During Powell's tenure stars such as Steve McQueen, Irene Dunne, Paul Muni, etc either top lined or guest star in Four Star TV series. Four Star and its competitor across town Desilu were independent studios creating some of the more iconic TV shows of the era.
This is a great TV show shot at Repbublic Studios now known as CBS Studios with its great western Street a favorite location for Ms. Stanwyck.
Richard Long, Peter Breck, Lee Majors and lovely Linda Evans free lancing after leaving MGM played Stanwyck's children, all Stars Four. Guest stars were Van Williams, and other stars comfortable as cowboys such as Brad Dillman, Bruce Dern, etc.
The Big Valley with its great music score is a classic TV show from a classic studio, Four Star
I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955)
Susan Hayward's Superb
This film was the 4th nominated performance for Susan Hayward portraying the true life story of Lillian Ross. Ms. Hayward a 20th star was on loan out to MGM to play this role a role coveted by many including Jane Wyman. This is the first of 3 films Susan Hayward starred in directed by Daniel Mann whom Susan Hayward proclaimed her favorite director.
Jo Van Fleet, Ray Danton, Richard Conte et al fill out a superb cast but it is Ms. Hayward's commanding performance that grabs the viewer and doesn't let go. Hayward was a favorite to win the Oscar but lost to another Daniel Mann directed star Anna Magnani in Paramount's The Rose Tattoo.(Mann had quite a record directing strong actresses Shirley Booth in Paramount's Come Back Little Sheba and Elizabeth Taylor in MGM's Butterfield 8 won Oscars directed by Daniel Mann.Mann directed Paul Muni in the superb Columbia film The Last Angry Man, and of course directed Hayward in I'll Cry Tomorrow. 5 Nominated Performances 3 of which won Oscars! Quite a track record
Ms. Hayward deemed this film her favorite of the many fine films she starred in, and Mr. Mann her favorite Director.
Parrish (1961)
Claudette Colbert Returns in a lush Troy Donahue Film
Parrish reflects a beautiful time in American history. The USA was not at war and the world was more civil, more decent and simpler in tastes. This beautifully filmed movie reflects that era beautifully.
Troy Donahue made a hit in Lana Turner's smash comeback Imitation of Life and then went on to nearby Warners. WB starred Donahue in A Summer Place with Sandra Dee which was a big big hit and then followed this film co starring a bevy of WB beauties Diane McBain, Connie Stevens and Sharon Hugueny. While the part of Donahue's mother would seem to have been tailor made for the great Bette Davis who New England to her core, Warners signed Claudette Colbert a wonderful actress, and a major star. (Bette lost her Oscar for Of Human Bondage to Colbert's It Happened One Night, years later Colbert fell ill and left All About Eve and Bette Davis scored one of her greatest triumphs). Also starring is Karl Malden and if you look closely you find other WB contract stars in small roles.
This movie is a romantic and wonderful film set in the Tobacco Fields of Connecticut, and has stunning photography and a lush romantic score. "Paige's Theme" is wonderful music.
Some may scoff at a Troy Donahue movie, but not me. I liked Troy Donahue's movies. Great watching for a rainy Saturday afternoon.
AHW
Eye of the Devil (1966)
Kim Novak
A reviewer noted that Kim Novak the star of this film was replaced because Kim Novak was considered "inadequate". This is false. Kim Novak, a fine actress, was first billed in the film over David Niven and the rest of the cast. Kim Novak was injured during filming in a fall from a horse and had to leave this MGM Film. Deborah Kerr was the star brought in to replace Kim Novak. Kerr and David Niven were friends. The Eye of The Devil is a weak film. Ms. Kerr a classic star at the time of her replacing Kim Novak was no way near the box office star Kim Novak was at the time in the mid 60's
Kim Novak and the director of this film J Lee Thompson would re united years later in a UA western, The White Buffalo co starring Charles Bronson. Kim Novak would return to MGM in Robert Aldrich's "Legend Of Lylah Clare" where again Kim Novak was top billed in a large cast including Peter Finch.
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman (1947)
Susan Hayward Is Superb
Susan Hayward free of her Paramount contract where she saw Claudette Colbert, Veronica Lake and Paulette Goddard get most of the great roles at Paramount while she was under contract found a true mentor in Walter Wanger who produced this fine film.
At the time of this film, Susan Hayward was just cracking the superstar position she would hold for the next 20 years. "Smash Up" is as fine a piece of acting Ms Hayward ever gave, and richly deserved her Oscar nomination. Loretta Young, that years surprise winner for "The Farmers Daughter" said years later that she had herself voted for Susan Hayward and not Her own performance or that of the favorite and Loretta's best friend Roz Russell. Susan Hayward justly could have won Three Oscars: "Smash Up", "I'll Cry Tomorrow" and of course "I Want To Live" when she finally did win her Oscar to thunderous applause and a curtain call she thanked "Walter Wanger without whom none of this ( her career) would have been possible" Great Hayward won the Oscar at least once. Wanger's famous reply was "Thank Goodness We Can All Relax...Susie's won the Oscar she has been chasing for 20 years"
Susan Hayward --had a standard bag of acting tricks Hayward used..but in this film Susan Hayward eschews most of them. A fine piece of acting by a great Actress and fondly remembered true and great Movie Star.
Since You Went Away (1944)
The Great Colbert!
David Selznick was a movie genius we all attest to that. And this film has all the hallmarks of the great Selznick films in particular superior detail to sets and art direction.
For the role of Anne, David Selznick initially asked Katharine Cornell to star in this movie and while it might have been great to see Cornell to star lucky for us the great Cornell did not leave the stage but instead one of the movies greatest actresses Claudette Colbert played the role of the Mother who keeps her family together during World War II. Colbert conveys strength, feminine beauty, and ladylike manner all the while being stalwart. Class act.
We also know that David Selznick was obsessed with Jennifer Jones. In fact the lovely edgy beauty from Oklahoma by the name of Phylis Isley was renamed Jennifer Jones..a name he felt was both democratic and sophisticated. Jennifer Jones plays the older daughter and no surprise was awarded second billing to Colbert in this film. What is surprising that David Selznick had Jones' estranged husband Robert Walker plays Jones' boyfriend in the movie who goes off to war. The send off scene at the Railway station is powerful and moving and was artfully photographed by the great Stanley Cortez-- who was a favorite of both Orson Welles and Susan Hayward. The psychology of the train sequence has always troubled me...was Selznick a sadist who wanted Jones and Walker to play out their travails on camera? Or was Selznick hoping for a reconciliation and getting Jones out of his life? Since David Selznick was obsessed with Jennifer Jones until his death one wonders. I liked in particular the huge dance scene that took up a full sound stage at Selzinck International and the photography in that sequence memorable. Agnes Moorehead, Shirley Temple, Guy Madison, et al fill ably out a great cast.
This was a Selznick International production, a big hit and Jennifer Jones was nominated for Best Supporting Actress having won the previous year as Best Actress playing Saint Berndatte. David Selznick badgered his then Brother in Law William Goetz at 20th ---whose wife was Edith Mayer Goetz and Edie's sister was Irene Mayer Selznick, David's then wife-- to give his Mistress Jennifer Jones the role of her lifetime playing Bernadette, a Saint!
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Perfect: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell and John Ford
20th Century Fox and John Ford brought John Steinbeck's classic novel to the screen and created a perfect movie.
Henry Fonda gives one of the truly great performances of any actor in the history of the movies and becomes Tom Joad. Fonda's performances conveyed Integrity and never more appropriate than in this film. I must also praise to high heaven the work of one of Hollywood's fabled character actresses Jane Darwell. Ms. Darwell conveys more emotion in some scenes than some actresses in a lifetime. Desperation, Loneliness, Futility, Darwell encompasses all the great values that make a Mother. Jane Darwell is Mother Courageous. Fonda and Darwell's parting scene is one of the most achingly memorable scenes in film History, if one cannot share their feelings one has to be made of stone. My only critique of the film is its ending.I would have preferred one more to the book than one that the great legendary John Ford delivered.
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Marilyn Monroe Should Have Won The Oscar!
Billy Wilder created one of the greatest comedies of all time in "Some Like It Hot" with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon and in a peerless performance, the one the only the fabulous Marilyn Monroe.
Marilyn Monroe had been off the screen for 2 years and while MM had a contract with 20th Century Fox MM's contract also allowed her to do outside pictures. Lucky for us Billy Wilder offered the role of Sugar Kane to MM in this UA film. Marilyn Monroe never looked better, Marilyn Monroe's performance was rich and textured and while Wilder, Lemmon and Curtis deserve high praise it is hard to imagine this film being as truly great as it is without Marilyn Mornoe. Billy Wilder once remarked when Marilyn Monroe was on the screen MM dominated the scene. Truly.
Great sets, and atmosphere and great songs by Marilyn Monroe add to the merriment and of course Joe E Brown's immortal performance make this a great film. Joe E Brown and Jack Lemmon share one of movies great fade outs, it is difficult to imagine why the Academy did not nominate Joe E Brown for Best Supporting Actor and Marilyn Monroe for Best Actress. In fact I feel MM should have won. (Simone Signore won for Room At The Top). Jack Lemmon should have won Best Actor, Billy Wilder Best Director and the zany comedy Best Picture.
My favorite Comedy.
55 Days at Peking (1963)
Glorious Ava
Allied Artists Pictures was a small boutique movie studio. Willima Wyler's splendid "Friendly Persuasion" with Gary Cooper movie was among the fine films distributed by AA other Allied Artits films were "Love In The Afternoon" with Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn, "El Cid" with Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren, "Soldier In the Rain" with Steve McQueen and future hits would be "Cabaret" with Oscar Winner Liza Minneli, and "Papillion again with Steve McQueen, and a great John Huston film "The Man Who Would Be King" with Sean Connery. AA had no big studio lot to offer other companies to rent and hence had little or no rental Income, and had no TV division as did Warners, 20th and MGM.
Allied Artists did manage to bankroll this fine film set in China but filmed in Spain. Starring Charlton Heston, David Niven and the too beautiful Ava Gardner it is a stirring film set in the Boxer Rebellion. I remembered this fine film when it premiered, and it was a hit. Produced by super producer Samuel Bronston in the league of Sam Spiegel and David Selznick as maestro producers.
Sadly even though AA did manage to lure the only sure fire box office at the time Elvis Presley to film "Tickle Me" and the other films mentioned above it could not compete with the major film companies and went out of business. Its last film of note was Billy Wilder's brilliant "Fedora" with William Holden, Henry Fonda and a cast of great character actors however AA could not give that film its proper distribution and that film failed too.
Someday someone will do a book on Allied Artits.
[email protected]
I Want to Live! (1958)
....and the winner is Susan Hayward for " I Want To Live"
I surely hope someone somewhere can retrieve the great night Susan Hayward won her Oscar...I recall Kim Novak and James Cagney presenting the Oscar with Kim Novak in her fabulous voice asking Mr. Cagney to "hurry up" when he sliced open the envelope, as Cagney saying "And the Winner is Susan Hayward for "I Want To Live". Thunderous applause and Susan Hayward was in fact called back for a curtain call. Has that ever happened before or since? ( It was no easy win for Susan Hayward was competing with Four fine actresses Liz Taylor, Roz Russell, Deborah Kerr and Shirley MacLaine all in well regarded performances)
I cannot imagine any actress other than Susan Hayward in this part. Robert Wise expert direction creates enormous tension as we know that Susan's character is going to die in the gas chamber.
Susan Hayward, Robert Wise, Producer Walter Wanger, and cinematographer Lionel Linden deserve great applause for their fine work. Filmed at Goldwyn Studio not Susan Hayward's home studio 20th, I always felt this gave her both more freedom to lose some of her famous 'on camera tricks' and experiment more, and also sans Hayward's usual crew she may have felt more vulnerable..whatever Hayward's performance is a wonder and all actors and actresses should study Susan Hayward's fine work in this film.
Robert Osborne on TCM praises this performance as one especially noteworthy in the history of female film acting. Ms. Hayward won the New York Film Critics and Golden Globe Awards prior to her great Oscar win.
Ms. Hayward died nearly 40 years ago yet Ms. Hayward's work remains topical and powerfully moving. Few could show the agony of a woman the way Ms. Hayward could. Her death at a relatively early age deprived us of many more performances from an Artist noted for brilliant work.
Mame (1974)
Lucille Ball is grand as Mame
I think Lucille Ball got a very bad rap when "Mame" debuted. Lucy was carved up by the Press as saying she was too old, a lame dancer, and had a gravely voice, etc.
I think the real problem with the movie is the direction of Gene Saks who quite clearly could not control or contain the great Lucille Ball. Another director such as Billy Wilder would have made Mame hipper and sharper or Lucy's first choice George Cukor might have taken some real chances with Mame. For example I think Robert Preston, once and always "The Music Man" on paper was a great choice but Cukor might have tried a young, studlier dude like Ty Hardin whom Cukor was infatuated with on "The Chapman Report" and while the affection was not reciprocated by Hardin,George Cukor did throw that film to Hardin anyway. "Mame" would have had a sharp, very sexy, much young boyfriend. Cukor's sets may have been more imaginative too. Or Bob Fosse who would have knocked the ball out of the park with his Dancing and Direction. Gene Saks let Ms. Ball control the show and Ball needed direction, or Lucy fell back on her old and famous tricks ( as do all great stars)
Lucille Ball's Mame still holds the record for the biggest weekly gross in a movie theater in the United States. Warners went with Lucille Ball because it was felt Lucy along had the box office clout to open the picture not only in the USA but also worldwide. There was also the report Lucille Ball, wealthy woman, invested $5 Million in this film. Neither Ms. Ball nor WB ever stated this. It was as Walter Winchell used to say an "untrumor"
Ms. Ball started off as a chorus girl and was a fashion model in New York also before she conquered Hollywood, and Ball looks fine. I especially liked the sequence Loving You with Preston and Ball dancing. Elegant!I am glad Theodora Van Runkle got the job of designing clothes rather than Ms. Ball's first pick Edith Head, and as she once remarked Mame would not have sounded like Julie Andrews, Mame was a hard drinking party gal. I always wondered why Ms. Ball never convinced her best friend Carol Burnett to be Gooch.
I liked the Movie and Ms. Ball.
A Farewell to Arms (1957)
David Selznick Loved Jennifer Jones
Jennifer Jones is splendid in this David Selznick production. When Jennifer Jones was in a picture with out without the Selznick Studio involved David Selznick did all he could to make sure his great love Jennifer Jones was shown to every good advantage and also that the picture had the finest in production values.
The Camera work here in particular the scenes in the Alps is superb My quibble with the film is that Rock Hudson is too distant as Jennifer's lover. Perhaps another actor such Burt Lancaster as Paul Newman would have been much better. (Years later when Paul Newman was a superstar Jennifer had a cameo in his "Towering Inferno"). David Selznick chose John Huston to direct as Huston had worked with Jennifer Jones twice before but David Selznick seeing that Huston was following the war theme too closely and not his adored Jennifer fired Huston. Charles Vidor replaced Huston but also had his quarrels with David Selznick.
David Selznick cast Rock Hudson and gave Hudson top billing over Jennifer Jones due to Rock Hudson's great success in George Stevens great "Giant" with Elizabeth Taylor and the fact Rock Hudson at the time was the number one male box office star in the World due to his series of hits with Jane Wyman at Universal in Ross Hunter's great films Magnificent Obsession and All That Heaven Allows.
I recommend this film for the fine work of Jennifer Jones and also to see a maestro Producer at work in Mr. David O Selznick
Palm Springs Weekend (1963)
Warner Bros. Stars
Warner Bros. had several fine players under exclusive contract and cast Troy Donahue, Connie Stevens, Ty Hardin and Bob Conrad in this film along with another WB contractees Andrew Duggan and Greg Benedict
Troy Donahue had come off a series of Delmer Daves soap operas at WB that were smash hits -A Summer Place, Parrish- Susan Slade and Rome Adventure- and Troy was a very big box office star. Connie Stevens co starred with Donahue in Parrish and Susan Slade and was WB's answer to Sandra Dee. Ty Hardin was cast in several WB films such as George Cukor's Chapman Report, Merrills Maurauders, PT 109 and Wall of Noise. All three were great looking Stars and this film captures Troy, Connie and Ty,at the height of their WB fame and glory. Stefanie Powers on loan out from her home studio Columbia plays Troy Donahue's love interest in this film.Another WB star Bob Conrad is also featured.
Filmed at Warner Bros. in Burbank and on location in Palm Springs it is a delightful escapist entertainment nicely moved along by veteran director Norman Taurog.
The Mirror Crack'd (1980)
Kim Novak,Elizabeth Taylor : Super Stars in a Fun Film Mystery
Before the terms were invented, Kim Novak, Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and Tony Curtis were movie superstars. In the late 1950's and 1960's few could rival these stars in box office pull. Guy Hamilton assembled this group of once great stars in a great film "The Mirror Crack's" based on the Agatha Christie novel. Starring as detective Miss Marple is a fine actress Angela Lansbury. Lansbury is supported by a cast of wonderful British actors such as Geraldine Chaplin and Pierce Brosnan in a cameo, and other well known character actors, this film is fun to watch especially seeing Kim Novak and Elizabeth Taylor in a funny cat-fight with inside Hollywood humor.
Beautifully photographed in the English Countryside by Chris Challis follows the assembling of a movie company of high strung Hollywood stars making a movie, thus a movie within a movie. There is a twinge of sadness that a real life tragedy affecting the late and much admired film star Gene Tierney is the basis of this mystery. Not going to tell much more of the plot here it is well worth seeing to discover for oneself.
Elizabeth Taylor much the Queen of Hollywood is very fine here and indeed very Queenly, the surprise is a very animated and fun Kim Novak holding her own and much more in her spirited scenes with Elizabeth Taylor and their closeups prove that both Kim Novak and Elizabeth Taylor great cinema beauties and true Movie Queens.
Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)
Great Lucy!
Lucille Ball reined above Hollywood as Queen of Comedy and also the CEO of Desilu with not one but three studio lots in Hollywood,Desilu Gower, Desilu Cahuenga and DesiluCulver ( The old Selznick Studio where Gone With The Wind was filmed). Taking chances was Lucy's forte: starring in a TV show "I Love Lucy" and insisting on the casting of her husband Desi Arnaz and her also equally famous decisions authorize the productions of "Star Trek" and "Mission Impossible" against the recommendations of the Desilu Board of Directors. Ball's last great accomplishment as a CEO was the insistence of filming "Yours Mine and Ours" as a theatrical movie hoping to make Desilu a force in film production as well. Make no doubt about it if one re reads the story that Rex Reed wrote in the New York Times on Lucy while she was filming this movie, Ms. Ball ran the show and event titled his great article on Lucy " I Run My Studio Like I Run My Home".
Lucille Ball-looking youthful and beautiful- is superb in the title role of Helen Beardsley and her nuanced performance should have garnered Lucille Ball a long sought after Oscar nomination. Ms. Ball is at times both funny and in a departure from her TV "Lucy" quite soft and underplays many scenes. Henry Fonda is a perfect "Mr. Beardsley". Van Johnson a pal from Lucy's old MGM days is cast and gets a nice role supporting both Stars.
Many were surprised by the success of this film. I have no idea why. It is a fine and lasting comedy classic directed by the sure hand of the fine Melville Shavelson.
Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)
Jeff Bridges in A Great Movie
The little seen "Tucker" is a great movie. Jeff Bridges is one of those fine actors who is always professional and always innovative, and his performances are so reliably great one sometimes takes him for granted. I put him in the league of true movie pros such as Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Paul Newman and Kirk Douglas.
Movie buffs will find the film splendidly acted and directed and car buffs will find this film intriguing for the Innovations that the Tucker Automobile had right after World War II that caused the Big Car companies to do all they could to shut down this Innovative Car Company. The Tucker in late 1940's had power steering, anti lock brakes, et al. Sadly the major Auto Manufacturers in Detroit would not be in the sorry state they are in at present had they been more creative and tried to do things better.Instead they felt that they had a lock on the American buying public and that no matter how good ( or weak) they produced a Car, the US Car buying public would purchase their products.
This movie is not only about the Car Business it is about American Entrepreneurship and the spirit of competition and imagination that makes the US the wonder of the Business World.
A Distant Trumpet (1964)
Rousing Raoul Walsh Western Starring Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue and Warner Bros had a great collaboration starting with "A Summer Place" and following with "Parrish" "Susan Slade" "Rome Adventure" and "Palm Springs Weekend" where Troy was always first billed over stars such as Claudette Colbert, Karl Marlden and Angie Dickinson, etc. Jack Warner obviously decided it was time to ramp up the Troy Donahue films and assigned veteran and legendary director Raoul Walsh who directed many of Warner Bros. greatest stars such as Errol Flynn in this rousing action drama. In addition William Clothier another stalwart professional of great films was the Cinematographer. First rate Warner Bros. production values and great action scenes crafted by Raoul Walsh, and some fine acting by a cast of supporting players makes this a fine film to watch anytime. Thumping Max Steiner score is tops.
Warners in the 1960's had a large group of fine contract players and Jack Warner slotted them in major Warner Bros films when he could so look here for Diane McBain and William Reynolds -both WB contract players- in this film. For Diane McBain this was her second film with Troy Donahue after "Parrish" and Suzanne Pleshette who married Troy Donahue after "Rome Adventure" is also cast.Very effective western with a splendid rousing memorable Max Steiner score.
The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968)
Kim Novak's Star Turn
Kim Novak was a real Movie Star with hits such as "Picnic" "Pal Joey" "Bell Book and Candle" "Man With The Golden Arm" " Middle Of The Night", "Strangers When We Meet" and Alfred Hitchcok's masterpiece "Vertigo". After leaving Columbia Kim was offered and passed on "Breakfast At Tiffany's", "Days Of Wine and Roses", "The Hustler" and one that was created especially for her "The Sandpiper" Kim Novak made a few films in a row: "Boys Night Out" at MGM with James Garner, Billy Wilder's "Kiss Me Stupid" with Dean Martin at UA, the very fine remake of "Of Human Bondage" at MGM and Terence Young's frisky "Moll Flanders" at Paramount and was filming "Day of the Arrow" with David Niven for MGM and Filmways and fell of a horse, was injured, and had to leave that picture. Kim Novak then off the screen for 3 years in the mid-60'searching for a great return project thought she found one in a major MGM production as star and title character in "The Legend of Lylah Clare" directed by Robert Aldrich who had just had a sensational hit in MGM's "The Dirty Dozen". The combination of Robert Adrich, the gloss of an MGM super production, and the box office bonanza known as Kim Novak and a superb cast should have produced a major hit movie which sadly was a major failure.
Kim Novak headlines a great cast of two Oscar winners Peter Finch and Ernest Borgnine and they are given great support by Coral Browne, George Kennedy, Valentina Cortese, etc. The first part of the movie is fine, very fine. "The Legend of Lylah Clare" falls apart at the end and believe Robert Aldrich dubbed Kim Novak in some of the latter scenes-against her knowledge- (how could this happen to a major star?) and the film ends weirdly with a dog commercial to this day mystifies me.
Kim Novak astoundingly beautiful and as one reviewer noted 'was as close to perfection in the looks department' and gowned by a great costumer Renie Conley gave it her all and is very fine in this film. Robert Aldrich who knew the Hollywood scene and had a great hit at WB in"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" fails here. (Aldrich would go on to make a worse movie than this if possible in "The Choirboys" which one sees wide eyed in astonishment on what Aldrich puts on the screen!)
"Legend of Lylah Clare" was supposed to be a great return project for Kim Novak and ended up being Kim Novak's finale as a superstar of the first rank.
Operation Crossbow (1965)
George Peppard's Star Turn
George Peppard had been under exclusive contract to MGM and after making "Subterreans", and "Home From The Hill" Peppard made other than his great hit in "How The West Was Won" movies on loan out to other studios " The Victors" at Columbia and two movies that made him a worldwide superstar "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "The Carpetbaggers" at Paramount. MGM wanted to cash in on the worldwide Peppard super stardom for a movie at his home studio and before his contract elapsed MGM and Peppard agreed to "Operation Crossbow" produced by Carlo Ponti and filmed at MGM's London Studio. MGM gave this film the highest of production values and the presence of Mrs. Ponti aka Sophia Loren first billed as box office insurance as Mr Peppard's co star in a small cameo. Operation Crossbow is a rousing story of the allied commandos set out to destroy the Nazi rockets and the Action is non stop at a high pulse. Director Michael Anderson provides first rate Direction. Lilli Palmer, Richard Johnson, are fine actors and do well here.George Peppard was always professional in his acting and one wonders why he was not ever nominated for his work in any of his Movies.
I recommend this movie