A story of growth and restoration, of the wiles of Paris against the seriousness of life and the tragedy of letting life’s lasting joys slip away in the effervescent windfalls of temporal pleasure. Great dramatic performances by Taylor and Van Johnson, quite moving in the end – a little too slow at the beginning. From a story by F. Scott. Fitzgerald.
Still reeling from the excitement of Sinatra and Kelly – singing, dancing, and romancing, as the caption says. I loved the quiet, shy Frank Sinatra. The poor fellow, getting tutored in love from the scheming, sneaky Gene Kelly. But – what dancing! What excitement! The stretches of musical routine fit perfectly into the story – the classical music from Jose Iturubi (thrilling!), the cartoon sequence (a little stretched-out, but crazy unique and effective), Kelly’s dance to Kathryn Grayson (wonderfully blended into the real-life tale). Love the Navy, love the little boy who adored Kelly, love the happy, happy feeling I get watching it.
Classic and charming in its own old Southern way. Will Rogers does a fabulous job as the captain of an old Mississippi steamboat, out to save his nephew from the hangman with the help of his nephew’s wife, an outcast from the “swamp people.” Along the way, he changes up an old wax museum to appeal more to his Southern audience – I loved the Civil War allusions. The steamboat race at the end is not to be missed! Love the combustion solution. The love story was sweet and selfless.
Errol Flynn – you just can’t beat it. This one is more serious than his later pictures, coming just after his early shows. The uniforms are striking and dashing, the military bearing, always attractive. The story follows English soldiers in India before the famed and failed Charge of the Light Brigade. History is sweeping at the start; midway, the story buckles down and gets moving at a great pace, riding towards the end and the culmination of conflicts. A love triangle (with Olivia de Havilland) was incorporated into the tale to give unity to the sprawling years, and the scar between brothers (Flynn and Patric Knowles) was touching. The history is skewed incredibly, offering hope of purpose to the fated Charge and giving noble motive of retribution to their decision. But, still, the story was moving all the same, and Flynn, as charming as ever.
So I found I've come to love period pieces, and this one is no exception. There is such a sense of class and propriety -- and dialogue! Don't I just love that exalted, witty English. So, this 1949 drama by Alfred Hitchcock ... To tell you the truth, I was surprised it was a Hitchcock. It evoked something so much deeper, it seemed. There was such intense, dramatic love and tenderness. It was not the murder! murder! intrigue! so typical of Hitchcock (especially after seeing one too many Alfred Hitchcock Presents). It is the story of an Irish "rogue gentleman" Sir Charles (Michael Wilding) getting inadvertently involved in the lives of an Australian couple (Joseph Cotten and Ingrid Bergman), to whom he offers his service of help to ease the wife from her state of imbalanced depression. Sir Charles is so witty and dashing, Sam (Joseph Cotten) the mysterious husband and ex-con, and Lady Henrietta (Ingrid Bergman) so beautiful and believable (translate: great acting). A character-driven story filled with the depth that emerges from its novel origins, it ends with a finale well-worth the journey. The lighting and scenery was beautiful throughout, the plot quite engaging, the characters enchanting. Quality, wittiness, depth, and a theme of selflessness will always get me, and for this, Under Capricorn gets high stars in my book.
A classic British comedy, this charming film follows a newlywed couple (Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna) as they encounter an unexpected inheritance to a run-down cinema. Its aged, devoted occupants -- a dotty old lady, a drunk projectionist, and a simple, ancient usher -- help bring the cinema to some small profit, despite continued malfunction. The characters make the picture; their charm shines. Watch for the scene the three older folks give themselves a silent picture treat. Such tenderness.
A quality picture, full of meaning, history, and famous faces. It details the fall of the old ways of politics -- like the good old-fashioned street-corner speech -- to the advances of television and the scripted plug. It follows the last campaign of Frank Skeffington (Spencer Tracy) in a well-suited role as an aging mayor. His nephew (Jeffrey Hunter), who cares for Skeffington more than the mayor's own son, follows the campaign, shenanigans, and magnanimity of Skeffington. The film was created from a successful novel, and the quality shows. We can see that there is backstory to the characters, a life beyond the plot. The honest emotions in the closing scenes are not to be missed. They touched me keenly.
A tender, touching film indeed -- recounting the love story between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and Mr. John Brown (Billy Connolly), a servant. The beginning of the show portrays the immense aristocracy of Queenhood, and how all her court are bound by the grief for her late husband she has maintained for three years. But Mr. Brown will have none of this mourning; he knows she needs to get out, ride, commune with nature, and laugh again. He manages to accomplish this with a spunk and rebelliousness that will attract any modern audience.
The film does a marvelous job of placing the viewer in the time period. Scenery is breathtaking; setting is perfect. Watch for the scene where the Queen sets the table. Who doesn't love the tale of a monarch falling for a commoner?
What a beautiful, truly beautiful picture -- one that breaks your heart, inspires, and moves. A loving wife (Greer Garson) finds an amnesiac WWI veteran (Ronald Colman) and falls in love with him. But when amnesia strikes a second time, their perfect lives fall into misery and incredible displays of self-sacrifice and loneliness.
Greer Garson is beautiful and perfect in her role as the selfless soul who adores her true love. The story is sprawling, unique, and deftly traced. It is a long picture, coming from a novel, and the time enables us to grow to love the characters and feel their injustice all the more. But what makes this film work for me is the incredible selflessness everywhere expressed -- from the wife, the lover, the doctor. A show to make your heart soar with inspiration and love.
A criminal businessman (Broderick Crawford) tries to get his "dumb blonde" fiance (Judy Holliday) to wise up via the tutelage of a newspaperman (William Holden), but doesn't bargain for the results. Now this, my friends, is a great movie -- a stunningly unique protagonist in a stunningly unique plot made possible by a wonderfully thoughtful theme. It's comedy with depth, humor that doesn't force itself, but grows naturally out of who these characters are. Judy Holliday's role as the fiance is spot-on perfection -- the voice, the mannerism, the look. The conflict is one-of-a-kind, and the symbolism and allusions send this production soaring over the themeless mill of other romantic comedies. In it, we find the triumph of wisdom and values over tyranny. It's, as Holden's character says, "a revolution"!
Quite the unique show -- all about Mr. Day (William Powell) and his demanding, irreverent way of running his life and family. Mrs. Day (Irene Dunne) tries to get him into heaven, and his son discovers to his great scare that he's becoming like his dad when he wears his father's old suit. Elizabeth Taylor is the girl who fascinates Day's eldest, prompting Mr. Day to go on a monologue on the way to deal with women -- which we realize even he has not got figured out when Mrs. Day comes on. A resolution that wasn't overly sentimental or too much -- but just right for the characters involved. A unique comedy -- my dad was cracking up!!
This held my attention -- a distinct story about a dying girl who's not really dying, given the royal treatment by a New York paper. The newspaperman loves her, she gets guilty about being lavishly treated. A good comedy with a different and worthwhile theme: be warned of the plasticity of the city lights; there is "nothing sacred" in New York.
What craziness!! I saw this years ago, when I was a kid. I enjoyed it then, as a comedy murder mystery. Now I see it more full of holes than Swiss cheese. Yeah, it's a slapstick comedy not existing for plot sense. So...
The plot didn't move much, although the Civil War beginning got my attention. An interesting theme worth gaining in the end, but just a little slow for me.
Cute old shows, always so pleasant. Elizabeth Taylor paired with Spencer Tracy always work out to funny and matter-of-factly humor. Tracy makes the film.
My sister and I read Mary Shelley's novel before watching this, and I must say, I'm impressed that it followed the text as much as it did. It banged through the book like a breathless madman, but at least it got the main points across: the 1700s atmosphere, the love story, the intelligent monster, the family in the woods, the ice and polar settings. Characterization changed up a little. The main difference in the film from the book is the new motivation added for Dr Frankenstein's creation: to bring back loved ones. Not in the book.
But the movie by itself was quite breathless, nice quality, and great choice of actors. DeNiro as the monster was different, but it worked out nicely. Don't miss out the gradual change of the monster's face and speech. Also, nice music. Beautiful, just beautiful.
What a cast of characters -- and what meaning juxtaposed! This is not your typical Western. Even my mother, who doesn't watch the genre much at all, enjoyed this one entirely. Attorney-at-law Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) stumbles into a small town out West via the hand of villain Liberty Valance (Lee Martin) and ends up on one side of a thematic conflict between law and order and the wild west justice epitomized by Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Characterization is superb, the plot is compelling, and the subtle hints of meaning, perfect. A favorite!
A sprawling story of Renaissance politics, betrayal, and love, this epic tale is well-shot, well-acted, and beautifully cast. Tyrone Power plays the spy of the evil duke Orson Welles, sent into the castle of a small, peaceful village. Love mingles his quest for power, and true loyalty emerges. Tender scenes dot the already breathtaking landscape of on-location European architecture and hillsides. A moving story, and much fulfilling.
I only saw the first half, but it was quite engaging: A blind war hero with his girl try to bring justice to a POW who killed his fellow prisoners for his own gain. The chase is different and the love story subplot, quiet and sweet.
An interesting movie, though you sure get spoiled by modern war films. I didn't feel the severity of the mens' challenges, but then again this was 1943... I always find it interesting to see movies made in the war years, especially when the film addresses the war. The hopefulness was quite relevant.
Factual and almost documentary-like in the beginning, this is the CSI of the 1940s, featuring on-site filming of the FBI's actual crime-solving tools and laboratory. But soon we find a character with which to identify with -- an FBI agent (Mark Stevens) infiltrating a city gang which has already committed two murders in the town. But there is a mole in the local police department and the crime boss is getting hot on our man's trail. Will our FBI spy beat him to the punch? There's a symbolic twist in the end, and a good sense of increasing pace. I enjoyed this one a lot!
What a sweet musical -- Fred Astaire playing the shy dancer who's looking for work in South America, Rita Hayworth playing one of a family of sisters with a father who orchestrates everyone's lives. A more unique plot, I thought, paired with good humor and a lovely starring pair made this a joy to watch.
So the film redeems itself towards the end, this 1960s version of Ocean's Eleven. After a provocative start, it ends with a moral highlight that had been deftly alluded to from the beginning. It even gets deeper and almost tear-jerking. What a twist!
Orson Welles always directs somber, dark films with meaning and irony. It's interesting how he directs his own villainy in this one -- as an escaped Nazi hiding in an innocent Connecticut town and marrying an equally virtuous woman (Loretta Young) as a part of his cover. Edward G. Robinson plays the War Crimes investigator that finds him in the town. There is definite tension in this one, and Welles' role is chillingly cunning. Irony is sharp, especially in the concluding scenes and in Welles' speech on German reform. Biblical allusions strengthen the theme. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I hope to see more Orson Welles pictures.
Comments 1 - 25 of 60
Movie comment on The Last Time I Saw Paris
inhonoredglory
A story of growth and restoration, of the wiles of Paris against the seriousness of life and the tragedy of letting life’s lasting joys slip away in the effervescent windfalls of temporal pleasure. Great dramatic performances by Taylor and Van Johnson, quite moving in the end – a little too slow at the beginning. From a story by F. Scott. Fitzgerald.Movie comment on Anchors Aweigh
inhonoredglory
Still reeling from the excitement of Sinatra and Kelly – singing, dancing, and romancing, as the caption says. I loved the quiet, shy Frank Sinatra. The poor fellow, getting tutored in love from the scheming, sneaky Gene Kelly. But – what dancing! What excitement! The stretches of musical routine fit perfectly into the story – the classical music from Jose Iturubi (thrilling!), the cartoon sequence (a little stretched-out, but crazy unique and effective), Kelly’s dance to Kathryn Grayson (wonderfully blended into the real-life tale). Love the Navy, love the little boy who adored Kelly, love the happy, happy feeling I get watching it.Movie comment on Steamboat Round the Bend
inhonoredglory
Classic and charming in its own old Southern way. Will Rogers does a fabulous job as the captain of an old Mississippi steamboat, out to save his nephew from the hangman with the help of his nephew’s wife, an outcast from the “swamp people.” Along the way, he changes up an old wax museum to appeal more to his Southern audience – I loved the Civil War allusions. The steamboat race at the end is not to be missed! Love the combustion solution. The love story was sweet and selfless.Movie comment on The Charge of the Light Brigade
inhonoredglory
Errol Flynn – you just can’t beat it. This one is more serious than his later pictures, coming just after his early shows. The uniforms are striking and dashing, the military bearing, always attractive. The story follows English soldiers in India before the famed and failed Charge of the Light Brigade. History is sweeping at the start; midway, the story buckles down and gets moving at a great pace, riding towards the end and the culmination of conflicts. A love triangle (with Olivia de Havilland) was incorporated into the tale to give unity to the sprawling years, and the scar between brothers (Flynn and Patric Knowles) was touching. The history is skewed incredibly, offering hope of purpose to the fated Charge and giving noble motive of retribution to their decision. But, still, the story was moving all the same, and Flynn, as charming as ever.Movie comment on Ethan Frome
inhonoredglory
An interesting show, quite moving and original. A little sad in the end, but oh! the scenery. The symbolism is good, the irony, striking.Movie comment on Under Capricorn
inhonoredglory
So I found I've come to love period pieces, and this one is no exception. There is such a sense of class and propriety -- and dialogue! Don't I just love that exalted, witty English. So, this 1949 drama by Alfred Hitchcock ... To tell you the truth, I was surprised it was a Hitchcock. It evoked something so much deeper, it seemed. There was such intense, dramatic love and tenderness. It was not the murder! murder! intrigue! so typical of Hitchcock (especially after seeing one too many Alfred Hitchcock Presents). It is the story of an Irish "rogue gentleman" Sir Charles (Michael Wilding) getting inadvertently involved in the lives of an Australian couple (Joseph Cotten and Ingrid Bergman), to whom he offers his service of help to ease the wife from her state of imbalanced depression. Sir Charles is so witty and dashing, Sam (Joseph Cotten) the mysterious husband and ex-con, and Lady Henrietta (Ingrid Bergman) so beautiful and believable (translate: great acting). A character-driven story filled with the depth that emerges from its novel origins, it ends with a finale well-worth the journey. The lighting and scenery was beautiful throughout, the plot quite engaging, the characters enchanting. Quality, wittiness, depth, and a theme of selflessness will always get me, and for this, Under Capricorn gets high stars in my book.Movie comment on The Smallest Show on Earth
inhonoredglory
A classic British comedy, this charming film follows a newlywed couple (Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna) as they encounter an unexpected inheritance to a run-down cinema. Its aged, devoted occupants -- a dotty old lady, a drunk projectionist, and a simple, ancient usher -- help bring the cinema to some small profit, despite continued malfunction. The characters make the picture; their charm shines. Watch for the scene the three older folks give themselves a silent picture treat. Such tenderness.Movie comment on The Last Hurrah
inhonoredglory
A quality picture, full of meaning, history, and famous faces. It details the fall of the old ways of politics -- like the good old-fashioned street-corner speech -- to the advances of television and the scripted plug. It follows the last campaign of Frank Skeffington (Spencer Tracy) in a well-suited role as an aging mayor. His nephew (Jeffrey Hunter), who cares for Skeffington more than the mayor's own son, follows the campaign, shenanigans, and magnanimity of Skeffington. The film was created from a successful novel, and the quality shows. We can see that there is backstory to the characters, a life beyond the plot. The honest emotions in the closing scenes are not to be missed. They touched me keenly.Movie comment on Mrs Brown
inhonoredglory
A tender, touching film indeed -- recounting the love story between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and Mr. John Brown (Billy Connolly), a servant. The beginning of the show portrays the immense aristocracy of Queenhood, and how all her court are bound by the grief for her late husband she has maintained for three years. But Mr. Brown will have none of this mourning; he knows she needs to get out, ride, commune with nature, and laugh again. He manages to accomplish this with a spunk and rebelliousness that will attract any modern audience.The film does a marvelous job of placing the viewer in the time period. Scenery is breathtaking; setting is perfect. Watch for the scene where the Queen sets the table. Who doesn't love the tale of a monarch falling for a commoner?
Movie comment on Random Harvest
inhonoredglory
What a beautiful, truly beautiful picture -- one that breaks your heart, inspires, and moves. A loving wife (Greer Garson) finds an amnesiac WWI veteran (Ronald Colman) and falls in love with him. But when amnesia strikes a second time, their perfect lives fall into misery and incredible displays of self-sacrifice and loneliness.Greer Garson is beautiful and perfect in her role as the selfless soul who adores her true love. The story is sprawling, unique, and deftly traced. It is a long picture, coming from a novel, and the time enables us to grow to love the characters and feel their injustice all the more. But what makes this film work for me is the incredible selflessness everywhere expressed -- from the wife, the lover, the doctor. A show to make your heart soar with inspiration and love.
Movie comment on Born Yesterday
inhonoredglory
A criminal businessman (Broderick Crawford) tries to get his "dumb blonde" fiance (Judy Holliday) to wise up via the tutelage of a newspaperman (William Holden), but doesn't bargain for the results. Now this, my friends, is a great movie -- a stunningly unique protagonist in a stunningly unique plot made possible by a wonderfully thoughtful theme. It's comedy with depth, humor that doesn't force itself, but grows naturally out of who these characters are. Judy Holliday's role as the fiance is spot-on perfection -- the voice, the mannerism, the look. The conflict is one-of-a-kind, and the symbolism and allusions send this production soaring over the themeless mill of other romantic comedies. In it, we find the triumph of wisdom and values over tyranny. It's, as Holden's character says, "a revolution"!Movie comment on Life with Father
inhonoredglory
Quite the unique show -- all about Mr. Day (William Powell) and his demanding, irreverent way of running his life and family. Mrs. Day (Irene Dunne) tries to get him into heaven, and his son discovers to his great scare that he's becoming like his dad when he wears his father's old suit. Elizabeth Taylor is the girl who fascinates Day's eldest, prompting Mr. Day to go on a monologue on the way to deal with women -- which we realize even he has not got figured out when Mrs. Day comes on. A resolution that wasn't overly sentimental or too much -- but just right for the characters involved. A unique comedy -- my dad was cracking up!!Movie comment on Nothing Sacred
inhonoredglory
This held my attention -- a distinct story about a dying girl who's not really dying, given the royal treatment by a New York paper. The newspaperman loves her, she gets guilty about being lavishly treated. A good comedy with a different and worthwhile theme: be warned of the plasticity of the city lights; there is "nothing sacred" in New York.Movie comment on Topper Returns
inhonoredglory
What craziness!! I saw this years ago, when I was a kid. I enjoyed it then, as a comedy murder mystery. Now I see it more full of holes than Swiss cheese. Yeah, it's a slapstick comedy not existing for plot sense. So...Movie comment on The Old Maid
inhonoredglory
The plot didn't move much, although the Civil War beginning got my attention. An interesting theme worth gaining in the end, but just a little slow for me.Movie comment on Father's Little Dividend
inhonoredglory
Cute old shows, always so pleasant. Elizabeth Taylor paired with Spencer Tracy always work out to funny and matter-of-factly humor. Tracy makes the film.Movie comment on Frankenstein
inhonoredglory
My sister and I read Mary Shelley's novel before watching this, and I must say, I'm impressed that it followed the text as much as it did. It banged through the book like a breathless madman, but at least it got the main points across: the 1700s atmosphere, the love story, the intelligent monster, the family in the woods, the ice and polar settings. Characterization changed up a little. The main difference in the film from the book is the new motivation added for Dr Frankenstein's creation: to bring back loved ones. Not in the book.But the movie by itself was quite breathless, nice quality, and great choice of actors. DeNiro as the monster was different, but it worked out nicely. Don't miss out the gradual change of the monster's face and speech. Also, nice music. Beautiful, just beautiful.
Movie comment on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
inhonoredglory
What a cast of characters -- and what meaning juxtaposed! This is not your typical Western. Even my mother, who doesn't watch the genre much at all, enjoyed this one entirely. Attorney-at-law Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) stumbles into a small town out West via the hand of villain Liberty Valance (Lee Martin) and ends up on one side of a thematic conflict between law and order and the wild west justice epitomized by Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Characterization is superb, the plot is compelling, and the subtle hints of meaning, perfect. A favorite!Movie comment on Prince of Foxes
inhonoredglory
A sprawling story of Renaissance politics, betrayal, and love, this epic tale is well-shot, well-acted, and beautifully cast. Tyrone Power plays the spy of the evil duke Orson Welles, sent into the castle of a small, peaceful village. Love mingles his quest for power, and true loyalty emerges. Tender scenes dot the already breathtaking landscape of on-location European architecture and hillsides. A moving story, and much fulfilling.Movie comment on The Betrayal
inhonoredglory
I only saw the first half, but it was quite engaging: A blind war hero with his girl try to bring justice to a POW who killed his fellow prisoners for his own gain. The chase is different and the love story subplot, quiet and sweet.Movie comment on Guadalcanal Diary
inhonoredglory
An interesting movie, though you sure get spoiled by modern war films. I didn't feel the severity of the mens' challenges, but then again this was 1943... I always find it interesting to see movies made in the war years, especially when the film addresses the war. The hopefulness was quite relevant.Movie comment on The Street with No Name
inhonoredglory
Factual and almost documentary-like in the beginning, this is the CSI of the 1940s, featuring on-site filming of the FBI's actual crime-solving tools and laboratory. But soon we find a character with which to identify with -- an FBI agent (Mark Stevens) infiltrating a city gang which has already committed two murders in the town. But there is a mole in the local police department and the crime boss is getting hot on our man's trail. Will our FBI spy beat him to the punch? There's a symbolic twist in the end, and a good sense of increasing pace. I enjoyed this one a lot!Movie comment on You Were Never Lovelier
inhonoredglory
What a sweet musical -- Fred Astaire playing the shy dancer who's looking for work in South America, Rita Hayworth playing one of a family of sisters with a father who orchestrates everyone's lives. A more unique plot, I thought, paired with good humor and a lovely starring pair made this a joy to watch.Movie comment on Seven Thieves
inhonoredglory
So the film redeems itself towards the end, this 1960s version of Ocean's Eleven. After a provocative start, it ends with a moral highlight that had been deftly alluded to from the beginning. It even gets deeper and almost tear-jerking. What a twist!Movie comment on The Stranger
inhonoredglory
Orson Welles always directs somber, dark films with meaning and irony. It's interesting how he directs his own villainy in this one -- as an escaped Nazi hiding in an innocent Connecticut town and marrying an equally virtuous woman (Loretta Young) as a part of his cover. Edward G. Robinson plays the War Crimes investigator that finds him in the town. There is definite tension in this one, and Welles' role is chillingly cunning. Irony is sharp, especially in the concluding scenes and in Welles' speech on German reform. Biblical allusions strengthen the theme. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I hope to see more Orson Welles pictures.Showing items 1 – 25 of 60