anticritic at the movies

"The balcony is closed."

2014-02-01T09:13:00.001-08:00

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Feeling a little spacey?

2014-01-01T00:49:00.000-08:00

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell them what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

Hollywood loves space movies. Movie goers do too. There are almost no boundaries. Anything can happen in the wild, blue yonder. There is a slight shift in films made after we actually put a man on the moon. The fantasy films still employ tons of special effects and strange-looking aliens, but the more realistic ones are, well, more realistic. I’ve included both.

Apollo 13 (1995): Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon find themselves in serious trouble as they head for the moon. This film is based on fact. It is so well done that even though I knew how it ended I was on the edge of my seat. Ed Harris and Gary Sinise co-star.

Silent Running (1972): Bruce Dern plays a botanist entrusted to keeping trees alive on a space vehicle. When ordered to destroy his forest, he refuses. This action places him alone with his fellow crew members against him. This is a quiet movie with a strong message.

The Right Stuff (1983): This film, based on a Thomas Wolfe novel, is great stuff. It is interesting and sometimes funny. The guys with the right stuff are Mercury astronauts in the 1960s. The cast is very strong and includes Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Jeff Goldblum and Barbara Hershey.

Space Balls (1982): This film is a spoof of the Star War series and features “the power of the Schwartz.” Funny man Mel Brooks joins with Bill Pullman, John Candy and Rick Moranis for a little comic relief.

Gravity (2013): I haven’t seen this film yet, but it is certainly on my list. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney find themselves in a sticky situation.

Destination Moon (1950): John Archer, Warner Anderson and Tom Powers are successful in reaching the moon, but once there they realize they won’t have enough fuel to get home. Oh, what is an astronaut to do?

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): In this Stanley Kubrick classic, astronauts Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood are sent into space to check out monoliths that have been appearing throughout the universe. Little did they know that HAL, the ship’s computer, would try to take over. Stunning cinematography.

Countdown (1968): This is a Robert Altman film based on the novel, The Pilgrim Project, by Hank Searls. In a race to beat the Russians to the moon, James Caan finds himself on the moon with dead Russians. Caan thinks he will be dead soon unless he can find the shelter that was sent. At the last moment, he sees the beacon on the shelter and heads for it.

From the Earth to the Moon (1958): Based on a Jules Verne novel, this film tells the story of the invention of a super material that is used to build a spaceship during the Civil War. Joseph Cotton, George Sanders and Debra Paget co-star.

Marooned (1969): Astronauts are stranded on the moon when their space vehicle develops problems. On the ground, Gregory Peck is charged with finding a way to bring them home. A stellar cast includes Richard Crenna, David Janssen, Gene Hackman and Lee Grant. Entertaining little movie.

Solaris (2002): This is a strange film directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars George Clooney and Natascha McElhone. The plot is so convoluted and bizarre that I won’t even attempt to try to relate it. All you need to know is that Clooney is on a spaceship.

Space Cowboys (2000): A Russian satellite is about to fall to Earth. Only one man can stop it. He agrees to take on the task if his buddies can join him. Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland, James Garner and Marcia Gay Harden make this a fun film to watch.

Abbott and Costello go to Mars (1953): These two screw-ups accidentally launch a rocket destined for Mars, but it ends up in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. There, they are forced by bank robbers to fly to Venus, which is inhabited solely by women. Oh, if it were only that easy.

Capricorn One (1978): NASA astronauts are asked to fake a Mars landing. They do and become heroes with the public until nosy reporters discover the truth. Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Sam Waterston and Hal Holbrook star. Interesting concept. Could our government really pull this off?

Moon (2009): An astronaut sends to Earth parcels of Helium-3 that should help with power problems. The plot sounds simple but it’s not. What’s going on here? Sam Rockwell stars and Kevin Spacey is the voice of the robot.

Project Moonbase (1953): This movie is from a story by Robert Heinlein that is set in the future (1970). The US wants to build bases on the moon. Three astronauts are sent to look for sites. One of them is an imposter sent to sabotage the project. He dies. The US decides to use the spaceship as base. One astronaut is male, one female. Because this is 1953, they must marry to avoid scandal.

Happy Endings

2013-12-01T10:23:00.002-08:00

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call and tell them what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

We all delight in happy endings. Maybe it was those fairy tales our mothers and fathers read to us as small children. Maybe it is our hope it will happen to us. What we do know is that in the movies happy endings are possible. We don’t dwell on what happens after the movie declares “The End.” Here are but a few of the many, many movies with happy endings.

Pride and Prejudice (2005): This is not the best adaption of Jane Austen’s book. There is a dark, smarmy feel to it. Keira Knightley’s eye makeup made her look as though she was dying of a horrible disease. She did have a great supporting cast to shore her up: Matthew Macfadyen, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn and Judi Dench.

Jane Eyre (1944): Orson Welles is properly haunted by his dark secret and Joan Fontaine is properly wide-eyed in this adaption of Bronté’s novel. Margaret O’Brien and Agnes Moorhead fill out the cast. It does have a happy ending, of sorts.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993): Cute Meg Ryan and likeable Tom Hanks star in this sweet tale. You know from the first that they will find each other and live happily ever after. Rob Reiner and Bill Pullman costar.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961): This film is less sweet but more enchanting. Audrey Hepburn is at her waif-like best and blond George Peppard is hunky. Patricia Neal, Mickey Rooney and Buddy Ebsen

costar. Clever veiling of Hepburn’s real profession.

About a Boy (2002): Looking for new angles for meeting women, Hugh Grant signs up for single-parent meetings. When he meets a needy 12-year-old boy and his despondent mother, the film becomes charming and heartwarming.

Meet Me in Saint Louis (1944): Harken back to the good old days when girls sang about the boy next door. The 1904 world’s fair is the backdrop for this musical with Judy Garland, Mary Astor, Leon Ames, Tom Drake and Margaret O’Brien. In those days, happy endings were expected.

His Girl Friday (1940): Newspaperman Cary Grant is trying to keep wife Rosalind Russell from divorcing him to marry dull Ralph Bellamy. The dialogue is fast and witty. Great writing and a delightful film to watch.

An Affair to Remember (1957): Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr meet on the high seas and fall in love. They promise to meet in 6 months on the top floor of the Empire State Building. He shows up. She doesn’t. This is a tear-jerker with a happy ending.

Sabrina (1954): Billy Wilder’s wonderful film stars Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden. Hepburn plays the daughter of the chauffeur for brothers Bogart and Holden. She has been away at school and when she returns, she has become a beauty. Which brother will she choose?

The Goodbye Girl (1977): Ex-dancer Marsha Mason has been dumped by her boyfriend. She and her daughter are living in his apartment, which has been sublet to Richard Dreyfuss. Although he is brash, he allows them to stay. Thus begins this nice tale.

Bringing up Baby (1938): Scientist Cary Grant is the object of heiress Katherine Hepburn’s eye. She lures him to her home and the madcap adventure begins, which includes a dog with dinosaur bones and a pet leopard.

The Graduate (1961): Ann Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Katherine Ross, and Murray Hamilton star in this great film with a great score (Simon and Garfunkle). Hoffman is seduced by Bancroft in some hilarious scenes. His heart lies with Bancroft’s daughter, Ross. As she is marrying her parents’ choice for a husband, Hoffman shows up and steals her away. How’s that for an ending?

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011): A sheik (Amr Waked) wants to introduce fly fishing in the Yemen. He enlists a hesitant fish snob (Ewan McGregor). The task is made more pleasant by the sheik’s assistant (Emily Blunt). Something a little different and very entertaining.

The Quiet Man (1952): Ex-boxer John Wayne returns to native Ireland with thoughts of living a quiet, settled life. He gets anything but. He courts fiery Maureen O’Hara without her brother’s (Victor McLaglan) consent. Wayne and McLaglan fight a long, long fight. Wayne and O’Hara marry.

Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001): Much too cute for my taste, but a film with Colin Firth and Hugh Grant can’t be all bad. Reneé Zellweger continues to unimpress.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002): Reese Witherspoon leaves home for the Big Apple. Then she returns. Then she thinks maybe she should stay. What’s a girl to do? Josh Lucas, Candice Bergen and Mary Kay Place costar.

The Tender Trap (1955): This musical comedy stars Frank Sinatra as a womanizing theater agent who falls for Debbie Reynolds. Can he give up chasing women to win his true love?

The Searchers (1956): Although this is not a silly romantic comedy, there is a happy ending. John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Natalie Wood, Vera Miles, and Ken Curtis costar.

2013-11-01T16:35:00.002-07:00

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

Cover your eyes. Grab a loved one’s hand. Clutch your teddy bear. We’re tiptoeing through some of the great, all-time chilling movies. What scares us? A very good book by Stephen King called Danse Macabre provides some answers. Do you make sure your closet door is shut before you go to sleep? Do you not allow your leg to drift off the edge of your bed? Do you not venture into an old, dark house alone—without a flashlight? If this describes you, you are aware of the dangers that lurk in our lives. There are those who love to be scared. These movies are for you.

The Shining (1980): Writer Jack Nicholson drags wife Shelley Duvall and son to a remote lodge for the winter so he can write undisturbed. Unbeknownst to him, this is a Stephen King novel and all sorts of mayhem ensue. Pretty scary stuff. Nicholson is delightful.

Jaws (1975): The ocean as a place to swim lost its appeal this year. I suspect most of you know why. Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss head the cast as intrepid fishermen. I can hear that unforgettable theme.

The Changeling (1980): This movie was about as scary as I want to see. I can still remember scenes more than 30 years later. George C. Scott, Trish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas and Jean Marsh star. Scott tries to discover truth about a boy who haunts a secluded house.

The Exorcist (1973): This is a famous film about possession, priests and pea soup. I found it more amusing than scary, but I think I was in the minority. Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair and Max Von Sydow star.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968): I loved this movie. Based on an Ira Levin book, the story revolves around Rosemary, who is pregnant. Boy, is she in for a surprise. What the devil? Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon and Ralph Bellamy costar.

The Thing from Another World (1952): James Arness as the Thing is truly scary to a 12-year-old girl. Arctic scientists Margaret Sheridan and Kenneth Tobey find a spaceship and man buried in ice. Oh, oh, he’s thawing out.

Carrie (1976, 2002, 2013): I liked the ’76 version with Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, and John Travolta. An unpopular girl with special talents gets revenge when a cruel joke is played on her. Way to go, girl.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991): Cannibal Sir Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter is truly scary in this adaption of a Thomas Harris novel. Jodie Foster, a young FBI agent, is chosen to try to pick his brain, so to speak.

Halloween (1978): Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasance star in this granddaddy of slasher films. Curtis must have taken screaming lessons from her mom.

Psycho (1960): This movie scared me so much that I have resisted seeing it again. I remember being scared every time I took a shower for months after I saw it. Anthony Perkins is perfect as the dutiful son. I don’t know who played his mother. Janet Leigh could scream with the best of them. John Gavin, Vera Miles and Martin Balsam costar.

Alien (1979): This is a sci-fi flick that really is chilling. There were parts of it I watched through fingers. The monster was disgusting but Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skeritt, John Hurt and Ian Holm were not.

Night of the Living Dead (1968): George A. Romero’s iconic zombie film is scary and gross.

Cape Fear (1962): The original film stars Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen and Martin Balsam. Mitchum plays the crazed ex-con looking for revenge. Peck plays the prosecutor who put him in jail. Obviously, the sentence should have been longer.

Night of the Hunter (1955): Mitchum again plays the crazed ex-con. This time he’s looking for money. I found this movie to be really scary. The image of Shelley Winters underwater with her hair floating with the current has haunted me. Lillian Gish plays the voice of reason.

Cujo (1983): Who will ever look at a Saint Bernard in same old way? Dee Wallace plays a mother who is caught in a car with her son while her normally friendly family pet, ravaged by rabies, keeps them hostage.

Deliverance (1972): Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds and Ned Beatty play city boys on a canoe trip from hell. All the while, banjoes duel in the background. If you’re a guy, this could be really scary.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): The original film stars Kevin McCarthy as a doctor who sounds the alarm against aliens who replicate people in a small town in California. This film is downright creepy.

The Birds (1963): Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller is about birds (of the title) organizing and attacking humans. Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, Rod Taylor and Jessica Tandy star in this scary film. The music is particularly good.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962): Bette Davis and Joan Crawford play actress sisters stuck in a crumbling old Hollywood mansion. Baby Jane (Davis) is accused of being responsible for putting her sister in a wheelchair. This is a creepy, scary revenge movie.

Seconds (1966): This is a John Frankenheimer film that explores the bad choices made during a mid-life crisis. John Randolph, Rock Hudson, Will Geer and Salome Jens co-star.

Justice for all

2013-10-01T07:57:00.001-07:00

Movies have traditionally been used to expose social ills. By seeing on the big screen the injustices we may never witness in real life, we become more aware and ready to protest. I remember when I first saw Gentleman’s Agreement I was shocked and angered. Social justice films are an important genre—they entertain as well as send a message.

Iron-jawed Angels (2004): Hilary Swank, Frances O’Connor, Bob Gunton (as Woodrow Wilson), Anjelica Huston, and Julia Ormond star in this film about the struggle for women to obtain the vote. The outright cruelty is shocking. It seems men will do just about anything to keep their power. This is a must-see film for those who take your right to vote lightly.

Malcolm X (1992): Denzel Washington takes up the black cause with tragic results. Angela Bassett and Spike Lee costar.

Norma Rae (1979): Sally Field won an Oscar for her portrayal of a union organizer. This based-on-a-true story film demonstrates what one person can do to change circumstances—truly uplifting and inspiring. Ron Leibman and Beau Bridges are the men in her life.

Gran Torino (2008): Curmudgeonly Korean war veteran is less than pleased when Koreans move in next to him. Clint Eastwood knows how to play this role convincingly. He huffs and puffs and spits and scowls. Aha! He’s prejudiced. When Korean family’s young son tries to steal Eastwood’s prize car, the Gran Torino of the title, somehow our hero does an about face and becomes the boy’s protector. Go figure.

Cheyenne Autumn (1964): Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, Karl Malden, James Stewart and more a-listers pursue a band of Cheyenne as they try to return home to Wyoming from a bleak Oklahoma reservation. There are several good Hollywood films that track the plight of Native Americans. Early films did not try to be fair, but as opinions changed, Hollywood did too.

Citizen Ruth (1996): This satire explores the abortion issue. Laura Dern is in prison. She has four children and discovers she is pregnant again. A judge offers her a deal if she will agree to an abortion. The lines are drawn and the fight begins. Burt Reynolds costars.

A Civil Action (1998): Kathleen Quinlan stars in this based-on-a-true story about the dangers of polluted water. Her child dies of leukemia, along with several other children. She hires John Travolta to sue a major corporation that allows industrial solvents to be released into a river in Woburn MA. Robert Duvall and James Gandolfini costar.

Mississippi Burning (1988): When civil rights workers go missing in 1964, FBI agents Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe are sent to investigate. What do you suppose they find?

Erin Brockovich (2000): Another case of a single woman fighting against overwhelming odds to achieve justice. Although I think Julia Roberts is a lightweight, she did an okay job as the legal clerk fighting a power company. Albert Finney and Peter Coyote also star.

Grapes of Wrath (1940): The classic story by John Steinbeck is brought to the screen. Young Henry Fonda is Tom Joad who leads his family from the dust bowl of Oklahoma to the orange groves of California. Journey’s end is disappointing. Instead of good paying jobs, they are exploited and resented. The term “Okie” is still a pejorative.

The Insider (1999): Hollywood takes on tobacco in this intense film starring Al Pacino as a television producer who urges researcher Russell Crowe to tell about the real dangers of smoking. The tobacco company Crowe works for tries to silence him.

Lone Star (1996): Kris Kristofferson, Matthew McConaughey and Chris Cooper star in this modern Western in which prejudice against Mexicans is a major theme.

Matewan (1987): Efforts to organize Virginia coal miners turns violent in this film about the 1920-21 Coal Wars. Racial hostility adds to the mix. Chris Cooper and James Earl Jones star.

Milagro Beanfield War (1988): Robert Redford directs this lovely film pitting Mexican farmers against big development. Throw in a little magic and voilá, you have a very interesting little movie.

Silkwood (1983): Meryl Streep knows that something bad is going on at the nuclear plant where she works. Unfortunately, her attempts to improve working conditions fail. Cher and Kurt Russell costar.

The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal (1979): Although this is a made-for-television movie, it is worth its place on this list. The 1911 New York fire at a shirtwaist factory killed 146 garment workers. This tragedy led to a growth of the garment workers union and new worker-safety laws.

American History X (1998): Edward Norton, Edward Furlong and Stacy Keach star in this film about the neo-Nazi movement in the U.S. Norton is sent to prison where he changes his mind about the goal of the neo-Nazis. When he is released, he must try to save his younger brother.

Judgment at Nuremburg (1961): A cast of stars directed by Stanley Kramer bring to life the trial of Nazi war criminals. This is a tough movie to watch, but worth it. Spencer Tracy plays the judge in the 1948 trial. He is supported by Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland.

Jasper, Texas (2003): This based-on-a-true story film traces the 1998 murder of an African-American man dragged to death in the title city. The white sheriff and black mayor try to keep the town from exploding.

Gentleman’s Agreement (1947): Gregory Peck plays a reporter assigned to explore anti-Semitism for a progressive magazine. He decides to pose as a Jew. He soon finds himself subjected to all manner of prejudice, some of it directed at his young son. Elia Kazan directs. Costars include Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield and Celeste Holm.

What's on the Menu?

2013-09-01T10:33:00.002-07:00

I’m hungry. Let’s go to the movies. Filmdom has a long history of featuring food—from Charlie Chaplin trying to eat a boot in The Gold Rush to the unspeakable bill of fare in Sweeney Todd. Let’s see what’s on the menu.

Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (1994): Three sisters living the modern life humor their father by fixing and eating a traditional Taiwanese meal every Sunday. Ang Lee directs this wonderful, must-see film.

Big Night (1996): Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, Ian Holm, and Isabella Rossellini star in this fast-paced, feel-good movie. Struggling restaurant owners get their big chance when they are chosen to prepare a feast for Louis Prima.

Babette’s Feast (1987): Two sisters choose to remain with their ailing father rather than pursue their interests elsewhere. After several years they take in a French woman, Babette, who cooks them a sumptuous meal in gratitude. But is there more to Babette than being a great cook? The food scenes will make your mouth water.

Mid-August Lunch (2008): Our Italian hero is short of cash. His landlord, doctor, and a friend offer to help him in exchange for him caring for their elderly relatives over a holiday. He outdoes himself making simply delicious meals. This film is charming and delightful.

Tea With Mussolini (1999): The food is mostly in the title, but this movie is well worth seeing. The cast includes Cher, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith. Englishwomen in Italy during the 1930s take in an orphan, Cher. They’re counting on Mussolini to protect them. There is no tea with Il Duce; however there are a few scenes in which food is visible.

Julie and Julia (2009): Amy Adams and Meryl Streep play the title characters. A young woman is inspired to prepare all 524 recipes in Julia Childs’s cookbook. Streep is a real kick as Child. Thin story, but watchable if you are in need of a distraction.

Mostly Martha (2002): A very tense chef takes in her orphaned niece. But the real story takes place in the kitchen. There is lots of food to be seen.

Vatel (2000): Gérard Depardieu, Uma Thurman and Tim Roth star in this period piece. A visit from Louis XIV could make or break a poor prince. It is up to his steward, Vatel, to plan three days of fabulous food and festivities for the king. This isn’t a great film, but if you like costume dramas have fun.

Tom Jones (1963): This romp earned four Oscars. Albert Finney, Susannah York and Hugh Griffin take on Henry Fielding’s classic book. The food scene is perhaps the one most people will remember.

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991): The cast includes Jessica Tandy, Kathy Bates, Mary Louise Parker, and Mary Stuart Masterson. Taken from a Fanny Flagg novel, the story is told in flashbacks to the 1920s. And yes, there really are fried green tomatoes. This is the first time I ever heard of such a delicacy. I tried to replicate the recipe, with little success.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971): Now this is what I call food. Gene Wilder is the candy man. He hides five golden tickets in candy bars. The finders will get a rare treat—a visit to the secret factory.

Chocolat (2000): Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp, and Judi Dench try, but even these fine actors can’t rescue this poor script. However, there is plenty of chocolate to drool over.

Delicatessen (1991: This French film centers around a butcher shop. It seems that a young man who lives above the shop has fallen in love with the butcher’s daughter. When he discovers their secret, he becomes alarmed. Will his love be able to save him?

Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe (1978): George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Morley, and Philippe Noiret star in this dark comedy. A rich gourmand is suspected of murdering those great chefs of Europe.

When Harry Met Sally (1989): Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan and Carl Reiner’s wife are involved in an unforgetable scene sort of involving food.

Dinner Rush (2000): Danny Aiello plays a bookie/restaurateur. His son has made the place a trendy go-to restaurant, much to his father’s chagrin. The food and some thugs play against each other in this very watchable movie.

Kitchen Stories (2004): This hilarious Scandavian film is about a research project that assigns an observer to be in the kitchen of a bachelor farmer (a la Prairie Home Companion). Although there is not supposed to be any interaction between the two, the inevitable happens. I give this film a high rating for humor and charm.

Sweeney Todd (2007): The movie is an adaption of a Broadway play. Mr. Todd was falsely imprisoned and is now wreaking vengeance. He is a baker who becomes famous for his funny-tasting pies. Despite the popularity of this play and film, I found it rather boring.

The Wedding Banquet (1993): Another charming Ang Lee-directed film about family dynamics. A gay son feels he has to hide the fact of his live-in lover from his parents. A tenant agrees to act as his fiancé. From this premise a delightful story unfolds.

My Dinner with André (1981): Wallace Shawn and André Gregory think their dinner conversation is interesting. It is not.

Choo, choo baby

2013-08-01T03:16:00.001-07:00

“I hear the train a comin’,” is a refrain from a Johnny Cash song that takes me back to my childhood. My father worked on trains, and I could hear them pulling into my hometown station. I remember riding in the caboose of a freight train and in the club car of the California Zephyr.

There is something magical about trains. In our mobile society the train has played a major role. So this month I pay homage to the very American train.

Brief Encounter (1945): Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson, both married to other persons, meet on a train platform. A passionate affair begins, but they know it will go nowhere. The trains coming and going, hissing steam, display the transient nature of their love.

Strangers on a Train (1951): Oh ho. This is a deliciously wicked little film. Farley Granger and Robert Walker meet on a train. As they begin talking, they both realize there is someone in each of their lives they would like to be gone. Thus begins the plot.

Von Ryan’s Express (1965): A non-singing Frank Sinatra leads a group of escaped World War II prisoners as they take over a German train. Great scenery as the train travels through the Alps. Trevor Howard as the English officer is a good counterpart to Sinatra.

Silver Streak (1976): In this tale, Gene Wilder sees a murder aboard the title train. His problem is that no one believes him. Richard Pryor, as a small-time criminal, agrees to help. With Wilder and Pryor you do expect some humor. Don’t look for a lot.

Avalanche Express (1979): Lee Marvin, Robert Shaw and Linda Evans star is this fast-paced thriller. Shaw is a Russian who wants to defect. Marvin is the CIA agent sent to get him out. As they hurtle along, they survive a terrorist attack and an avalanche. This film is not very believable, but watchable.

Breakheart Pass (1975): Charles Bronson is an undercover agent posted on a train carrying medical supplies. As passengers start turning up dead or missing, Bronson has his hands full. Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna, and Jill Ireland costar.

Before Sunrise (1995): Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy meet on a train traveling to Vienna. They, you guessed it, fall in love. And they talk about shipboard romances.

Bullet Train (1975): This Japanese film is the precursor of the film Speed. A man, actor Ken Takakura, places a bomb aboard a train and threatens to set it off. He does have demands. The train conductor tries to calm passengers. The dubbing is not good quality, but the film is still worth seeing. (Keanu Reeves isn’t in it.)

Darjeeling Limited (2007): Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman play three brothers trying to reacquaint with each other during a train trek across India. This film has moments that are funny, sweet and sentimental—and annoying.

Murder on the Orient Express (1985): That Poirot, he gets around. Now he’s on that famous train with an all-star cast. You know someone is going to get murdered. Is the killer Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman or one of the other stars who hated Richard Widmark?

Albert Finney will find out.

The Flying Scotsman (1929): The title train runs between London and Edinburgh. I’ve ridden it, but nothing exciting happened. In this trip, an outraged foreman wants revenge and tries to cause an accident. Ray Milland (in his first role) tries to stop him. There are some great stunts.

The General (1927): This is my favorite train movie. Buster Keaton is wonderful as a man who tries to enlist in the Confederate army. When he is rejected, he seeks to win the war using his train engine, “The General.” This is truly a very funny film.

Harvey Girls (1946): I remember my dad talking about the Harvey girls, so I had to see this film. On her way west to be married as a mail-order bride, Judy Garland meets a group of lively young women on their way to become Harvey girls at a Harvey House. These were restaurant stopovers for trains. In this film, Garland sings the Oscar-winning song, “On the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe.” Good cast includes Angela Lansbury, Cyd Charisse, John Hodiak, and Ray Bolger.

The Lady Vanishes (1938, 1979): In the 1938 version, Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, and Paul Lukas star in Hitchcock film. While traveling cross-country by train, Lockwood notices that an acquaintance is missing. No one admits even seeing the woman. Enter big, strong Redgrave to help the maiden in distress. But, will he be able to unravel this sinister plot.

Narrow Margin (1952): Tough cop Charles McGraw is picked to accompany a mobster’s moll, Marie Windsor, to Los Angeles from Chicago. She’s agreed to testify, but there are goons on the train who want to stop her. Their problem: They don’t know what she looks like. Can McGraw save the day?

Night Train to Paris (1964): Don’t bother to see this unless you want to see Leslie Nielsen in a straight role (but one that portends his later comic genius). It’s all about secret agents and stolen tapes. But it is aboard a train.

Runaway Train (1985): The engineer has had a heart attack and the train is running unmanned. What to do? We are in Alaska and in the presence of prison escapees. Could it get any worse? The fugitives try to stop the train but stay ahead of the law. Jon Voight, Eric Roberts and Rebecca De Mornay star.

Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974, 2009): In the 1974 version, Walter Matthau tries to stop arch criminal Robert Shaw from shooting passengers on a city train. This is a tense, well-acted film.

The Train (1964): Burt Lancaster is a French (I don’t believe this) train engineer during WWII. His train is carrying Nazi plunder and hunky Burt can’t stand that the Nazi’s are taking away French art masterpieces. So he does everything he can to sabotage the train. It’s a good movie. Just forget that Burt is supposed to be French.

There are many, many more great train films. Check out: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, North by Northwest, Unstoppable, The Great Train Robbery, The Train Robbers, Man on the Train, Shanghai Express, and Lady on a Train.

Yankee Doodle Dandy

2013-07-01T01:07:00.002-07:00

As the Fourth of July approaches, I am reminded of Sir Walter Scott’s lines: “Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, who never to himself hath said ‘This is my own, my native land!’”

This should be the holiday that stirs our hearts and make us thankful we live in a free society. A lot of wars have been fought to preserve our way of life, and, for all its faults, our country is better than most. So, take a moment and reflect on your patriotic feelings. Here are some films that should make you proud to be an American.

Yankee Doodle Dandy: This is a 1942 movie about the great George M. Cohan as portrayed by the great James Cagney. With such songs as “Over There,” “It’s a Grand Old Flag,” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” you might want to sing along. This is definitely a feel-good film.

Born on the 4^th of July: (1989). Tom Cruise plays a Marine during the Viet Nam war who becomes paralyzed from the chest down. He becomes a protester against the war in which he once felt proud to have served.

The Patriot: (2000). Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Chris Cooper, and Joely Richardson costar in this story about the Revolutionary War. Gibson plays a farmer who just wants to be left alone, but when the war comes to him, he fights.

Sergeant York: (1941). Gary Cooper plays true-life hero Sgt. York. York was drafted into WWI. He captures an entire platoon. This was probably a propaganda film. WWII was getting close.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: (1939). The all-star cast includes James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Claude Rains. A naïve innocent (Stewart) goes to the Capitol as a junior senator. He meets corruption. He will not be stopped fighting it and engages in a marathon filibuster. This is a fine film that portrays democracy in action.

The Best Years of our Lives: (1946). This film won seven Oscars as it portrays three soldiers who try to take up their lives after WWII. Fine acting and a poignant story lift this film above its genre.

Stars and Stripes Forever: (1952). Clifton Webb plays John Philip Sousa, the march king. Robert Wagner plays the Sousaphone. Stirring music and a playful attitude make this an entertaining movie.

Abe Lincoln in Illinois: (1940). Raymond Massey plays a young Abe Lincoln honing his skills and developing the character that makes him a strong president. Gene Lockheart and Ruth Gordon costar.

1776: (1972). This is a musical about the birth of our country. It is a funny and quirky film. The cast includes Ken Howard, William Daniels and Howard de Silva.

Glory: (1989). Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman star in this very good movie about the first group of African Americans to serve as soldiers during the Civil War.

Casablanca: (1942). This classic film explores patriotism on many levels. Who can forget the singing of La Marseillaise? Who can forget Bogart and his “hill of beans” speech?

Apollo 13: (1995). America’s 1971 attempt to get to the moon misfires, but the astronauts become heroes for their bravery. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon star.

From Here to Eternity: (1953). Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine, Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed confront Pearl Harbor. The destruction and loss of life provide a rallying cry.

United 93: (2006). Events of 9/11 provide the backdrop for heroism and sacrifice. Airline passengers stop a hijacked plane from causing additional damage by bringing it down. All died. This is a very good film that is under-rated.

Gettysburg: (1993). Martin Sheen, Tom Berenger and Jeff Daniels fight the fierce three-day battle during the Civil War.

Miracle: (2004). Patriotism in sports. USA’s Olympic hockey team beats the USSR in a real miracle.

All the President’s Men: (1976). This film explores the freedom and the power of the press. I’m sure you know the rest.

The Fighting Sullivans: (1944). This is a sad story about five brothers who lost their lives when their ship, the USS Juneau, went down during a battle at Guadalcanal in 1943. This true story may be the basis for Saving Private Ryan.

To Hell and Back: (1955). This film is the true story about Audie Murphy who is the most decorated soldier in American history. He earned every medal the country could award him.

Robert Redford

2013-06-01T10:11:00.002-07:00

By a very special request, I am focusing on the films of Robert Redford this month. As I was reviewing these films, I discovered a few things I had never noticed before: The best Redford films are those in which his looks are incidental; he had a narrow range; his movies got worse as his looks faded; he never played a villain. But he was in some really excellent films, and he was an adequate actor.

I believe his body of work, his creation of the Sundance Film Festival, the films he directed, his work for the environment, and his image as an all ‘round good guy will provide a lasting legacy.

1962: War Hunt. Redford is an idealistic soldier (why am I not surprised?) during the Korean War.

1965: Inside Daisy Clover. Redford is the closeted-gay husband of Natalie Wood.

1965: Situation Hopeless – but not Serious. Redford is a captured WWII soldier. Wacky Alec Guiness is his captor.

1967: Barefoot in the Park. Redford is the uptight husband of free spirited Jane Fonda.

1969: Downhill Racer. Redford is a rookie skier on the US Olympic team. One win and he thinks he’s god. The most negative role he portrayed. He won the BAFTA (English Oscar).

1969: Tell Them Willie Boy is Here. Redford is a sheriff leading a hostile posse after an Indian. He won another BAFTA.

1969: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Redford is the Sundance Kid and Paul Newman is Butch Cassidy. We all loved these charming scoundrels.

1970: Little Fauss and Big Halsy. Redford is a motorcycle racer. (Didn’t see this one.)

1972: Hot Rock. Redford is a jewel thief. The film was nominated for an Oscar.

1972: The Candidate. Redford is a candidate who is unwilling to run at first, compromises his ideals as he decides he wants to win, and then when he has won not sure what to do next.

1972: Jeremiah Johnson. Redford is a mountain man who just wants to be alone.

1973: The Sting. Redford is a grifter who, with Newman, runs a perfect scam against Robert Shaw. The film won seven Oscars.

1973: The Way We Were. Redford is a pretty boy who hooks up with the annoying Barbra Striesand. What was the point of this?

1974: The Great Gatsby. Redford is a wannabe sophisticate who ends up in the pool.

1975: The Great Waldo Pepper. Redford is a stunt pilot who, after his barnstorming days are through, heads to Hollywood.

1975: Three Days of the Condor. Redford is a CIA researcher on the run. He takes Faye Dunaway hostage, but he’s not a bad guy, really.

1976: All the President’s Men. Redford is a reporter in a perfect film.

1977: A Bridge Too Far. Redford is a soldier in an operation that fails to end WWII.

1979: Electric Horseman. Redford is a rodeo champ and a drunk who steals a prize horse and wins the affections of Jane Fonda.

1980: Brubaker. Redford is a prison warden who goes undercover at the state pen. He tries to make things better, but ends up antagonizing everyone.

1984: The Natural. Redford is an overage rookie in a very silly film. But he looked good.

1985: Out of Africa. Redford is a bush pilot who washes Meryl Streep’s hair.

1986: Legal Eagles. Redford is a lawyer in a film that doesn’t get off the ground.

1990: Havana. Redford is a poker player. His looks are fading fast.

1992: Sneakers. Redford is a spy. This film is pretty good.

1993: Indecent Proposal. Redford is a billionaire who must now pay for favors.

1996: Up Close and Personal. Redford is a newsman who gives Michelle Pfeiffer a break.

1998: The Horse Whisperer. Redford is, well, a horse whisperer, who cures a girl’s frightened horse. Ahhhh.

2001: Spy Game. Redford is a spy again in a pretty good little film (even with Brad Pitt in it).

2001: The Last Castle. Redford is a general court martialed for disobeying orders. While in prison he locks horns with James Gandolfini.

2004: The Clearing. Redford is a hostage. Don’t worry, it ends well.

2005: An Unfinished Life. Redford is a crusty rancher who must come to terms with his son’s death and his daughter-in-law. Formula.

2007: Lions for Lambs. Redford is — I don’t know cuz I didn’t see it. Critics were cool.

2013: The Company You Keep. Redford is a lawyer, but much, much more.

2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This film is not out yet, but I doubt Redford is Captain America.

Gold and Lead

2013-05-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

I finish with the Oscars this month. There are still some good films, but I think the quality is starting to decline, as you will see. Silliness and boring are taking over.

1988: Rain Man. A slick Tom Cruise and autistic Dustin Hoffman play brothers on a cross-country trip. Ray Liotta and Tom Hulce as Dominic and Eugene do it much better.

1989: Driving Miss Daisy. This is a feel-good movie starring Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy and Dan Aykroyd. Thin story, but watchable.

1990: Dances With Wolves. Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene and a cast of hundreds star in a good movie. I hated it when animals were killed. There are epic proportions here.

1991: Silence of the Lambs. FBI trainee Jodie Foster interviews cannibal Anthony Hopkins to find insights into another serial killer. She bites off more than even he could chew. Creepy and unsettling as this film is, it is mesmerizing.

1992: Unforgiven. This film is one of the few Westerns to get an Oscar. It is deserved. Clint Eastwood is a retired gunslinger who agrees to do one last job. The excellent cast includes Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris and Jaimz Woolvett.

1993: Schindler’s List. This film as directed by Steven Spielberg is a little sappy, but the story is so powerful that it is worth watching. Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes star.

1994: Forrest Gump. I can find nothing positive to say about this movie. It is just one of the most stupid movies I’ve seen. No way does it deserve an Oscar. Tom Hanks and Sally Field should be embarrassed.

1995: Braveheart. A blue-faced Mel Gibson slices and dices his way through this bloody but boring film. It garnered five Oscars. I can’t imagine for what.

1996: The English Patient. Talk about boring. This movie is the most boring of this group of films. I think I actually fell asleep for a few minutes. Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, and Kristen Scott Thomas star, but who cares.

1997: Titanic. I did not see this film, but the trailer wasn’t compelling. I know a lot of you loved it.

1998: Shakespeare in Love. Why was this flimsy film even nominated? Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush and (two minutes of) Judi Dench star.

1999: American Beauty. Finally we have a film with drama, humor, anguish, forbidden love and tragedy. It won five deserved Oscars. Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Chris Cooper and Thora Birch star. Talk about having a mid-life crisis.

2000: Gladiator. Superhero Russell Crowe suffers through many trials to finally succeed. I know it wasn’t a great film, but I loved it. Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris and Connie Nielsen costar.

2001: A Beautiful Mind. Now here is a movie worth Oscar consideration. Russell Crowe is brilliant as a gifted economist who happens to suffer from schizophrenia. You agonize along with his wife, Jennifer Connelly, and friend, Paul Bettany.

2002: Chicago. Wow, and all that jazz. This is a delightful film. Loved it. Stars include Catherine Zeta Jones, Richard Gere, John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah, and Renée Zellweger.

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. This is too silly a movie on which to comment.

2004: Million Dollar Baby. Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank star in a film about risk-taking and tragedy. Not great, but okay.

2005: Crash. If I didn’t know that Paul Haggis directed, I would have thought this was a Robert Altman film. Lots of people crash into each other in this film with racial overtones.

2006: The Departed. Oh dear, what a mess this film is. Let’s see, it’s trite, been done, silly, overdone. However, Jack Nicholson is hilarious in a death scene.

2007: No Country for Old Men. Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Kelly MacDonald and Javier Bardem star in a thin, bleak story. Bardem is great as the villain.

2008: Slumdog Millionaire. I tried watching this but only made it through 20 minutes. No further comment.

2009: The Hurt Locker. This film is tense, well-written, and well-acted, but an Oscar? Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse star.

2010: The King’s Speech. The Brits really know how to do it right. This is a wonderful film. Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush and Michael Gambon shine.

2011: The Artist. Who knew that to get an Oscar all you had to do was go back to silent films? This was a creative film with much going for it. Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bego dance beautifully. Uggie is a loveable star. James Cromwell and John Goodman costar.

2012: Argo. I like Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin and John Goodman, and there is much to like about this film. It does, however, miss the mark. It was not as tense as it should have been and there was too much “Hollywoodizing” --changing the facts, etc. I liked it as I was watching but reflecting on it later, I found it wanting.

Still some gold dust

2013-04-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

The golden age continues with some classics most of you will have seen or, at least, heard about. I enjoy revisiting these winners, and seeing the one or two I missed—usually with good reason.

1968: Oliver – I’m not sure how Dickens would feel about a musical version of his sad tale. But Oscar loved it by handing out six awards. Oliver Reed makes a good villain as does Ron Moody as Fagin. Some catchy tunes make this bleak story palatable.

1969: Midnight Cowboy – I haven’t seen the entire film, just bits and pieces. It doesn’t look like a film I would enjoy, so I have resisted it. Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight star.

1970: Patton – Loved this film. Great character study of a man obsessed with war. We were fortunate to have him available for WWII. George C. Scott refused the Oscar for Best Actor.

1971: The French Connection – Gene Hackman is a delight as “Popeye” Doyle. Good chase scenes. Lots of action. Roy Scheider and Tony Lo Bianco costar.

1972: The Godfather – What can I say? I doubt if any of you have not seen or heard about this film. Lots of blood and betrayal. Good acting and lovely music. Only negative I can find is that it glorifies a way of life that shouldn’t be glorified.

1973: The Sting – Any movie with Paul Newman and Robert Redford is a movie I will see. This one is just about perfect from beginning to end. Robert Shaw stars as the “mark.” The music is great. This film won seven Oscars, deservedly so.

1975: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – This film won the top five Oscars: picture, director (Milos Forman), screenplay, actor and actress. It is a powerful film that played on all my emotions.

1976: Rocky – This is a film I did not like. The story is trite, it is full of cheap sentimentality, and it is boring. I find it hard to believe that so many more films with the same characters were made.

1977: Annie Hall – Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in a romantic comedy. He’s--surprise--a neurotic writer; she’s an aspiring singer. But it all works to produce an entertaining romp. Tony Roberts and Paul Simon costar. The film won four Oscars.

1978: The Deer Hunter – Here’s another film I didn’t like. I know I’m supposed to, but alas it wasn’t to be. It was properly dark considering that it was about the Viet Nam war, but it failed to engage me. Ho Hum. Robert De Niro, John Cazale and Meryl Streep costar.

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer – This was an era of women trying to find themselves. The film is timely in that regard. I thought Dustin Hoffman should have won the lawsuit, but Meryl Streep prevailed.

1980: Ordinary People – Robert Redford’s first attempt at directing won him an Oscar for this intense film. Mary Tyler Moore’s favorite son has died. She is left with a son, Timothy Hutton, she doesn’t like. Donald Sutherland as the father is caught in the middle. I found myself hardly breathing during most of this film.

1981: Chariots of Fire – This is a really good feel-good film. Ben Cross and Ian Charleson portray runners competing for the British team for the 1924 Olympics. Who can forget the haunting music?

1982: Gandhi – Here’s another blockbuster with a terrific cast: Ben Kingsley in the title role, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard and John Mills. The only problem with this version of Gandhi is that other versions portray him as not quite so heroic. Who to believe?

1983: Terms of Endearment – From blockbuster to tearjerker. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger star as mother and daughter who through their years together experience many emotions, but none as heartbreaking as the final one. Not a dry eye in the theater or in front of the television. Jack Nicholson stars as Shirley MacLaine’s love interest.

1984: Amadeus – Dry your eyes and get ready to smile. Who knew that Mozart, the megastar of music, was so appealing? Tom Hulce is adorable as the great composer. F. Murray Abraham plays a sort of villain.

1985: Out of Africa – Robert Redford and Meryl Streep shine in this golden film. Streep, as the author Karen Blixen, marries Klaus Maria Brandauer to get out of town. He moves them to Kenya. Having no love for her husband, she falls in love with big game hunter, Redford. Then the unthinkable happens. The film won seven Oscars.

1986: Platoon – Oliver Stone’s autobiographical film about Viet Nam. An idealistic soldier loses his stomach for war when he witnesses his comrades commit rape and murder. Tom Berenger, Willam Defoe and Charlie Sheen star.

1987: The Last Emperor – This is a magnificent film with scope and good acting. John Lone is the emperor in the last years of the Ching Dynasty. Peter O’Toole plays his tutor. Joan Chen costars.

Golden Age

2013-03-01T09:03:00.001-08:00

The Next 20 Years of Oscar

These 20 years I consider the golden age of film. This list contains some of the greatest films ever made—all classics. If you want to fill in the gaps of your movie-going experience, I suggest you see these.

1948: Hamlet: A classic film from a classic play with a classic cast took the honors this year. Laurence Olivier as Hamlet and Jean Simmons as Ophelia make this film come alive.

1949: All the Kings Men: This movie, loosely based on the life of Louisiana Governor Huey Long, stars Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland and Joanne Dru. Politics, power, corruption and betrayal make a fascinating character study.

1950: All About Eve: Fading actress (Bette Davis) hires aspiring actress (Anne Baxter) as her assistant, and a very bumpy ride ensues. Gary Merrill, George Sanders, Marilyn Monroe and Celeste Holm costar. This film won four Oscars.

1951: An American in Paris: We have great singing and dancing in this film that stars Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Nina Foch and Oscar Levant. Kelly is a promising painter supported by gallery owner Foch. Along comes Caron as a lovely waif. Seven Oscars went to this film.

1952: The Greatest Show on Earth: Would you believe James Stewart as a clown? Anything can happen in this film based on the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. Charlton Heston is the manager who holds things together for Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde and Dorothy Lamour.

1953: From Here to Eternity: This film earned eight Oscars and contains one of the all-time great love scenes—Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling in the surf. We’re in Hawaii just before and during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Montgomery Clift, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra (won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role) and Ernest Borgnine also star.

1954: On the Waterfront: This may be Marlon Brando’s best film. He stars as Terry Malloy, a has-been fighter, who witnesses a killing. Powerful forces tell him not to testify, but the sister of the victim urges him to do the right thing. Starring are Rod Steiger, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb and Eva Marie Saint. The film won eight Oscars.

1955: Marty: This poignant film swept the Oscars. Butcher Ernest Borgnine plays a mama’s boy who is shy and lonely. Will he ever find love? Betsy Blair co-stars.

1956: Around the World in 80 Days: David Niven, Cantinflas and half of Hollywood star in this delightful tale. Niven accepts a bet that he cannot go around the world in 80 days. Thus begins an adventure.

1957: Bridge on the River Kwai: Set in a Japanese prison camp in Burma during WWII, prisoners are ordered to build a railway bridge. They set to work to the tune of Colonel Bogey’s March. David Lean’s epic film stars Alec Guiness, William Holden and Jack Hawkins. The film won seven Oscars.

1958: Gigi: Leslie Caron is being raised by her courtesan grandmother to be the mistress of Louie Jordan. When she turns out to be a beautiful woman, Jordan wants to marry her. The grandmother is appalled. Maurice Chevalier sings: “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.”

1959: Ben Hur: The winner of 11 Oscars, this film stars a chariot race between Charlton Heston and Steven Boyd. Somewhere along the line, Jesus shows up for a cameo.

1960: The Apartment: Poor Jack Lemmon is forced by his boss, Fred MacMurray, to make his apartment available for trysts. Shirley MacLaine is the love interest.

1961: West Side Story: I just saw this for the first time and, frankly, I was disappointed. The music was boring and the story trite. The dancing was very entertaining. Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer and Rita Moreno star. I don’t understand why it garnered so many Oscars.

1962: Lawrence of Arabia: This is one of my all-time favorite movies. Peter O’Toole as T.E. Lawrence, an English spy, who unites Arab tribes to fight against the Turks in WWI. Omar Sharif and Alec Guiness costar.

1963: Tom Jones: Albert Finney stars in a romp of a film. From orphan boy to thanking his secret birth for saving his life, he gallops through life bedding as many wenches as possible, including one he really shouldn’t have.

1964: My Fair Lady: Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn star in this familiar story. The film won eight Oscars.

1965: Sound of Music: Julie Andrews makes the hills come alive. A nice film, but not, I think, a great one. Christopher Plummer costars as the scion of the Van Trapp family.

1966: A Man for All Seasons: Henry VIII is looking for support to divorce his first wife. Paul Scofield, as Sir Thomas More, finds himself caught between his king and his church. Wendy Hiller and Orson Wells costar.

1967: In the Heat of the Night: Sidney Poitier is a northern detective stuck in the deep south when a murder occurs. He finds himself helping a racist sheriff, Rod Steiger.

The First 20 Years of Oscar

2013-02-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

It’s Oscar time. I’m sure all of you know who he is. He is a 13.5-inch, 8.5 pound statue of gold-plated beauty. Oscar’s design is of a knight in the art deco style; he is holding a crusader’s sword and is standing on a reel of film with five spokes. He is awarded to those who excel in all aspects of movie making. There are several theories of how he came by his name. Unfortunately, none can be proved. He is what he is.

The best movies of the first 20 years:

5/16/29: Wings: Clara Bow, Richard Arlen and Gary Cooper star in this story of World War I fighter pilots. Given the technology of the times, it is very well done. It holds up nicely to today’s films.

4/3/30: The Broadway Melody of 1929: Two sisters, Anita Page and Bessie Love, head to New York to make it on Broadway. Charles King plays the hero, but the story doesn’t end well.

11/5/30: All Quiet on the Western Front: Lew Ayres is a young German soldier on the front line. This is a powerful anti-war film based on novel by Erich Maria Remarque. There have been remakes, but I much prefer this version.

11/10/31: Cimarron: Yee haw. The great Oklahoma land rush of 1889 provides the backdrop for this film starring Robert Dix and Irene Dunne. The Edna Ferber novel provides the engrossing story.

11/18/32: Grand Hotel: If Greta Garbo really wanted to be alone she should have stayed away from this hotel. John Barrymore, Joan Crawford and many other stars shine in a collection of stories that take place in a Berlin hotel.

3/16/34: Cavalcade: I wasn’t able to find a copy of this film to watch. Clive Brook and Diana Wynard star in an adaption of a Noel Coward play about two English families in the years 1899-1933.

2/27/35: It Happened One Night: This is truly a classic film to be enjoyed by most everyone. Clark Gable, newspaper man, and Claudette Colbert, socialite on her way to elope with gold-digger boyfriend, meet and sparks fly.

3/5/36: Mutiny on the Bounty: Charles Laughton, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone star in this classic true story of mutiny at sea. Many remakes, but this version did, after all, win an Oscar.

3/4/37: The Great Ziegfeld: Based on the true story of the great impresario Flo Ziegfeld, this film is a joy to watch. Playing the title character is William Powell and our favorite costar Myrna Loy. Fanny Brice and Louis Rainer round out the cast. Rising from carnie to Broadway darling, Ziegfeld lived the American Dream.

3/10/38: The Life of Emile Zola: Paul Muni plays the French writer who exposed the social ills of his day, including the Dreyfuss case.

2/23/39: You Can’t Take it With You: The legendary Frank Capra directs this adaption of the George S. Kauffman/Moss Hart play about the course of true love. Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, and James Stewart star.

2/29/40: Gone With the Wind: What could I possibly say that hasn’t been said before?

2/27/41: Rebecca: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine and George Sanders star in Hitchcock’s only film to win an Oscar. It is a haunting tale.

2/26/42: How Green was My Valley: This is a lovely movie about Welsh coal miners. Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, and Roddy McDowell star in John Ford’s film.

3/4/43: Mrs. Miniver: Greer Garson plays the strong wife of Walter Pidgeon during WWII. She manages with cool aplomb through tragedy.

3/2/44: Casablanca: This is another film that needs no explanation. How many times have you seen it?

3/15/45: Going My Way: The great crooner Bing Crosby plays a priest who is sent to a parish to care for Barry Fitzgerald, an aging, curmudgeon of a priest. A charming little movie.

3/7/46: The Lost Weekend: Billy Wilder directs Ray Milland and Jane Wyman in this film about a man left alone for a weekend who goes on a granddaddy of a binge.

3/13/47: Best Years of our Lives: Three WWII veterans return home to pick up the pieces of their lives, with varying results. Dana Andrews, Frederic March, Harold Russell, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright and Hoagy Carmichael star in a film that tries to show what is was like.

3/20/48: Gentleman’s Agreement: A reporter, Gregory Peck, starts a series on anti-Semitism by posing as a Jew. The results are dramatic and dangerous. Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield and Celeste Holm costar. This film haunted me for years. When I saw it as a young girl, I had not heard of anti-Semitism.

The Big House

2013-01-01T01:39:00.001-08:00

Since the early 30s, the prison genre has been with us. There are serious dramas, musicals and zany films involving the “big house.” I suppose the attraction is a world most of us won’t ever experience. The closed situation makes for intense drama, and the group dynamics provides us with a chance to study human behavior.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, James Whitmore and Bob Gunton (as the despicable warden) star in this film version of a Stephen King short story. Robbins, as good a man as one could find, is framed for murder and gradually earns the respect of fellow prisoners. His redemption is a wonderful thing. Great movie.

Cool Hand Luke (1967): I revisited this film recently and saw more than the first time (probably kept my eye on Newman too much). The correlation to the Christ story is unmistakable and very telling. The large cast includes Paul Newman (who should have won an Oscar), George Kennedy (who won an Oscar), Strother Martin, Harry Dean Stanton, J.D. Cannon, Dennis Hopper, and Wayne Rogers. Well worth seeing again.

Escape From Alcatraz (1979): Macho man Clint Eastwood is a lifer on the “rock.” Not liking his accommodations, he plans a detailed plan to escape with the help of two brothers. Does it work? You’ll have to see it.

Midnight Express (1978): Based on a true story of a young man, played by Brad Davis, incarcerated in a Turkish prison for smuggling drugs, this film is horrifying. Although you don’t approve of the drugs’ charge, you don’t want him to stay in prison. Other cast members include John Hurt, Randy Quaid and Bo Hopkins.

Chicago (2002): Although this is a musical, much of the action takes place in a women’s jail.

Murder is the way for young starlets to get publicity. If you put away your moral distaste, this is a delightful movie with great music and dancing. Reneé Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah, and Richard Gere star. This film won beaucoup Oscars.

Papillon (1973): Famous for its bug-eating scenes, this based-on-real-life film demonstrates the resourcefulness of men placed in a terrible position. Steve McQueen is imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. He will not stay. Dustin Hoffman and Anthony Zerbe co-star.

Birdman of Alcatraz (1962): This time the prison hosts Burt Lancaster. He is condemned to solitary confinement for murder. This is a true story of a man with time on his hands who puts it to good use by becoming an expert on birds and their diseases. Karl Malden, as the warden, has such harsh ideas of what a warden should be that he loses our sympathy.

Cell 2355, Death Row (1955): This true story was taken from the book by San Quentin inmate Caryl Chessman, known as the “red-light bandit.” This case became an international cause celebre against the death penalty. Because Chessman did not kill anyone, many thought he should not be executed—but he was. Such notables as Aldous Huxley, Norman Mailer, Robert Frost and Eleanor Roosevelt pleaded his case. William Campbell plays Chessman.

Brubaker (1980): Robert Redford, in the title role, goes into a state prison undercover to see for himself what goes on there. What he sees horrifies him. He tries to improve conditions but finds resistance from the townspeople who benefit from corruption. The cast includes Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander, and Morgan Freeman.

Dead Man Walking (1995): I admit that I haven’t seen this film—Sean Penn is in it. However some of my close friends tell me it was wonderful, so I’ve listed it. Susan Sarandon plays a nun who becomes an advocate for Penn who is on death row. Is she able to halt the execution?

Big House (1930): This classic film set the standard for the prison genre. Wallace Beery (he won the Oscar for Best Actor) stars as a playboy who kills two people while drunk. Does he have the skills to survive?

Each Dawn I Die (1939): James Cagney stars as a journalist who is framed and sent to prison because of his investigation into political corruption. Although he becomes discouraged, a fellow inmate helps him prove his innocence. George Raft and Maxie Rosenbloom costar.

Naked Gun 33 1/3—The Final Insult (1994): And now for something completely different. Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin is sent undercover into a prison to learn about the plot to bomb the Academy Awards. Horrors. This very funny film stars George Kennedy, O.J. Simpson, Fred Ward, and Priscilla Presley.

Le Trou (1960): Oh those French! This film has a good plot, good acting, tense situations but the ending is the French curse. Watch it at your peril.

Stir Crazy (1980): Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are sent to Arizona State Prison (some of the footage was actually shot there). What happens there is anyone’s guess. But you have a good chance to laugh your head off.

Honorable Mentions: Murder in the First, The Prophet, Riot in Cellblock 11, Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962):

That's Politics

2012-11-30T08:31:00.002-08:00

Now that the elections are over it’s time to decide which movie reflects the election process the best. Hollywood loves politics. It especially loves scandal, corruption and skullduggery. Who wouldn’t? It also loves heroism, pluck and straight shooting.

Having worked for a campaign consultant and run some small campaigns myself, I watch these movies with particular interest.

The following films range from being inspiring to being cynical. But, that’s politics.

The Candidate (1972): Politically naïve Robert Redford is picked as a candidate for U.S. Senate. Could it possibly be because his father (Melvyn Douglas) was governor of California? The opponent seems a shoo-in. With nothing to lose, Redford pursues his own agenda. Then slowly, as Redford gains in the polls, he sells out and becomes a puppet for the campaign consultants. The best line in the movie comes after he wins: “What’ll we do now?”

Bullworth (1998): Warren Beatty is a U.S. Senator who, after years of chicanery, decides to end it all. Implausibly, he hires a hit man to do the job for him. Now that the end is near, he suddenly becomes honest and gains respect. What? Of course he now wants to call off the hit. But can he do so? This is a silly movie.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939): Starry-eyed James Stewart arrives in Washington as a junior senator. Jean Arthur is his savvy secretary. When presented with an issue he cares about, he engages in a filibuster to end all filibusters. Will he be successful? Is this a Hollywood movie? Frank Capra won an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

Last Hurrah (1958): An aging mayor, Spencer Tracy, wants one more term. The city council is opposed to his strong-arm tactics and use of racial hatred. He loses the election and then something even worse. Supposedly based on James Michael Conley of Boston. John Ford directed.

Advise and Consent (1962): A cast of all stars headed by Henry Fonda work to appoint a Secretary of State—or fight against him. This is a big, sprawling, soap opera of a film. Delicious.

All the King’s Men (1949): Based on the life of Huey Long, this film stars Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, and John Ireland. The well-meaning Crawford has risen from country boy to lawyer to governor by championing the under-represented. He enters politics and succumbs to the corruption so rampant in his state. So what’s new? However, the film garnered three Oscars: Best Film, Best supporting Actress, Best Actor.

Primary Colors (1998): John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Kathy Bates in a romp based on Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign to be nominated for the presidency. Travolta is great.

Bob Roberts (1992): Written, directed and in the title role, Tim Robbins is brilliant as a folk-singing, right-winging wannabe U.S. Senator. This mocumentary also stars Alan Rickman, Gore Vidal, Jack Black, Helen Hunt, and Susan Sarandon.

All the President’s Men (1976): Humpty-Dumpty Nixon’s downfall was the Watergate Scandal. Two reporters and a deep-throated informer bring this about. This is a great movie beautifully acted by Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards, and Jane Alexander.

Parallax View (1974): Conspiracy theories are often used in political movies. This is one of them. A U.S. Senator is killed, and then the reporters who witnessed the killing are being killed. Enter Warren Beatty who investigates.

Best Man (1964): This is a political satire about campaign tactics that could have been filmed this year. Henry Fonda is pitted against Cliff Robertson. May the best man win.

Charlie Wilson’s War (2007): This film is based on a true story using real names. Tom Hanks plays Charlie Wilson, a womanizing, lightweight congressman from East Texas. That is until he learns of the plight of the people of Soviet-occupied Afghanistan. Using his power and help from a renegade CIA agent (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), he supplies weapons and support.

Born Yesterday (1950): There’s this corrupt tycoon (Broderick Crawford) who has a “dumb” blonde for a girlfriend (Judy Holliday). He’s worried that she will embarrass him while he’s trying to buy a Congressman in Washington. So, he hires a cultured gentleman (hunk William Holden) to teach her to be proper. As you might guess, Crawford gets more than he bargained for when Miss Dumb Blonde turns out to be a lot smarter than he thought. Holliday won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Nixon (1995): Sir Anthony Hopkins (Why do the Brits make the best presidents?), Joan Allen, Ed Harris. Bob Hoskins and Oliver Stone star in this film about the days after Watergate.

Great McGinty (1940): Brian Donlevy makes his living casting votes under fake names. He becomes a puppet mayor, but then his new wife makes him see the error of his ways. He grows a conscience. Could this happen today?

Power (1986): This is a story about a jaded, amoral media consultant played by Richard Gere. His job is to package politicians to make them palatable to the public. Then J.T. Walsh hires him. Julie Christie, Gene Hackman, and Denzel Washington co-star. Not a great movie, but watchable.

Fail-Safe (1964): A computer glitch sends a bomber crew on a suicide mission to Moscow. U.S. President Henry Fonda must stop it. But how? Shades of Dr. Strangelove.

Honorable Mention: Dave, Wag the Dog, The Manchurian Candidate, Dr. Strangelove, Frost/Nixon, Seven Days in May, The Contender

Revenge

2012-11-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

It’s back to real movies. This month I turn to the revenge movie. You know the quotes, cold dishes, etc. Some are right on; some are just trite. But, revenge as the theme can produce great drama. I don’t think any one of us condones injustice, so while we watch a strong, or a suddenly strong, character wreak revenge, we tend to allow some latitude. What do you think? Do these films satisfy your vicarious need for justice, or do they go so far over the top that they disgust you?

The Count of Monte Cristo (2002): This classic story by Alexandre Dumas is beautifully told in this television movie. The cast is strong: Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, and Dagmara Diminczyk (ever hear of her?). This is definitely the “long con.” Pearce is the proper villain, in spades. Caviezel is the long-suffering hero who carries out his revenge inch by agonizing inch. Yum.

Gladiator (2000): Hunk Russell Crowe is deprived not only of his promised throne, but of his liberty. Forced to become a gladiator, he kills his way to fame and eventually fortune. Joaquin Phoenix plays his nemesis. This film won the Oscar for best picture.

Memento (2000): Guy Pearce again, this time playing a man with short-term memory loss. He knows his wife was murdered and wants to find her killer, but he can’t remember and must resort to notes written all over his body. Very clever.

The Limey (1999): Great cast includes Terence Stamp, Lesley Ann Warren, Luis Guzmán, Barry Newman (enjoyed sitting at same table with him for dinner), and Peter Fonda. Professional thief Stamp gets out of prison, discovers his daughter has been murdered, flies to Los Angeles, meets ex-con Luis Guzmán, and eventually Fonda who was having an affair with daughter. Busy man. But who will receive revenge?

Death Wish (1974, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1994): You’d think that if Charles Bronson really had a death wish, it wouldn’t take five movies to do accomplish. But then he had the formula going and there are so many bad guys in need of being stopped.

Taken (2008, 2012): Ex-spy Liam Neeson must find his daughter who has been kidnapped in Paris by human traffickers. Obviously, they didn’t reckon with the rage of a father who knows tradecraft.

Rob Roy (1995): Neeson again, this time in another century, plays a put-upon hero in a classic story. (The hero came before the drink, ya know.) Villain Tim Roth betrays Rob Roy, who must then flee for his life. Stoic Jessica Lange stands by her man.

Leon: The Professional (1994): Hitman Jean Reno, witnesses a DEA team wipe out an entire family, except for a 12-year-old girl played by Natalie Portman. Reno ends up caring for her and she decides to follow him in his career to avenge her family. Watch for Gary Oldman as the dastardly villain.

Get Carter (1971): Michael Caine stars as Carter, whose brother has died in mysterious circumstances. He leaves London to go home to Newcastle to find out what happened. There he tangles with the local talent in his desire for vengeance. Caine is at his snarling best. Forget the newer version.

Carrie (1976): Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, John Travolta, and Amy Irving star in this adaption of a Stephen King novel. With King you know that revenge will take a different turn. Spacek is a mousy, unpopular high school student who uses her “special” gift to wreak havoc on her classmates after they play a particularly cruel joke on her. Everyone say, Yeah!

Cape Fear (1991, 1962): I like the version with Robert Mitchum; he can be very scary. Gregory Peck is the prosecutor who has dared to put Mitchum in jail for rape and assault. Mitchum starts a reign of terror against Peck and his family. Revenge and terror.

The Page Turner (2007): In this perfect little French film, revenge takes a while but is so very sweet. A young piano player who dreams of being admitted to a prestigious music school is distracted by the chairwoman of the admitting committee and fails her audition. Years later, she finds herself in the employ of that very same woman. Revenge plays itself out with quiet beauty.

Munich (2005): This should have been a great movie. This true story has all the elements needed for justifiable revenge. However, Spielberg messes it up. For one thing, it is mostly shot in the dark, so I had a hard time figuring out what was going on. Skip this one.

Honorable Mention: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series (Swedish versions)

I would guess that nearly 90% of westerns are revenge themed. The old west where killings seldom get punished is awash in revenge. Here are just a few of those I consider the best:

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968): Cold-eyed killer Henry Fonda is hired by the railroad to kill anyone who tries to stop its progress. He kills the wrong man. The widow, Claudia Cardinale, hires Charles Bronson and Jason Robards to hunt down Fonda and kill him. This Sergio Leone classic has all the elements of a great film. It could have been shot anywhere, but the bleak landscape is perfect.

True Grit (1969, 2010): I think both these versions are good in their own way. As for casting, John Wayne was the better. Jeff Bridges was just an imitation. As for Kim Darby, Hailee Steinfeld was much the better. Darby was so irritating I would not have been sorry to have her stay in the snake pit. Matt Damon and Glen Campbell were about even, although I much prefer Damon as an actor. All the bad guys were good.

Unforgiven (1992): This Oscar-winning movie starred Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and Richard Harris. Eastwood is hired by a group of whores to get rid of Sheriff Hackman, who has been brutalizing them.

Outlaw Josey Wales (1976): Eastwood again, this time with Sondra Locke and Chief Dan George and others, takes on the Jayhawkers who killed his wife and son. Who can stand a chance with Eastwood on the rampage.

Honorable mentions: Magnificent Seven, Nevada Smith, Man From Laramie, and Rio Lobo

Harry Martin Luther's Mineshaft Whiskey

2012-10-01T08:15:00.001-07:00

This month, I’m writing a totally different blog. It will be a family story that I’ve often thought would make a nice, little movie. The story begins during Prohibition. In 1919, Harry Martin Luther and his family arrived by train in Jerome, Arizona.

Today, Jerome is a tourist ghost town protected by the state. But, in 1919, Jerome was a wide-open boom town of about 10,000 people. The major business was the United Verde Copper Company. The open-pit mines were flourishing. The largest steam shovel in the world was in operation. The mine owners provided a dining room for employees, and the mine supervisor, E.E.Vanderhoff, made sure the food was good and plentiful. Lunch fixings were also available. A family could get better food here than at most of the local restaurants. There was a baseball park and ballplayers were given token jobs at the mine. They spent most of their time practicing for games with the neighboring towns of Clarkdale, Prescott and Miami.

Harry got a job as a steam shovel foreman. His son Chet, my father, was working on the Verde Tunnel and Smelter Railroad. The family, consisting of Harry, his wife Arathusa, daughters Laura, Doris and Nellie, and Chet, found a small frame house about two miles out of town near the old A& A Mine.

All was going well for the Luther family until the mine owners decided to shut down for equipment repair. Many workers were laid off, including Harry. Fortunately, he was not without resources.

Harry convinced the boilermaker at the roundhouse (a railroad building for train engines) to build him a copper still. He found some 50-gallon brandy barrels and old, used whiskey bottles. At the general store, he bought corn meal, potatoes, and brown sugar. He also bought a chemical testing kit.

Behind his house was a brush-covered hill. After scouting around the abandoned A & A mine, Harry found a mine shaft behind a conveniently placed bush. The hole went back about 100 yards and opened into a small room.

Harry and Chet set up the still and started the “mash” working. When it was through working, they ran it through the copper coils and through buckets of charcoal and sand and then into the whiskey bottles. A little brown sugar was added for color. Harry used the testing kit to ensure quality. The bottles were sealed and the product was ready to market.

Chet remembered staggering out into the fresh air after smelling the fumes. He also recalled feeding the mash to the family pig, Mike. Mike tried it once and swore off the stuff forever.

After dark, Chet would saddle his favorite horse, Whitey, stuff the pockets of a greatcoat and his saddlebags, and set off for town. He would ride by way of a canyon until just outside of town and then make his way to the back of the Chinese restaurant where he had permission to store the bottles in the refrigerator. He would then make the rounds—pool rooms, dance halls, and the basement of the Post Office Cigar Store where there was always a crap game going on.

One block of Main Street had been paved and the town held Saturday night dances. Corn meal was scattered on the street, a piano was put on a platform at the T.F. Miller Mercantile and the dancing would begin.

While the dance was going on, Chet sold Harry’s Mineshaft Whiskey. He employed some of his friends to help sell the stuff. They in turn passed it on. A young fellow tried to sell Chet his own whiskey—told him it was good stuff. The prices for this “good stuff” were $4 a pint, $7 a quart and $25 a gallon. A gallon?

A good customer of Harry’s was Doc Carlson, the mayor of Jerome. Doc liked to have a “little social party” from time to time. He always bought from Harry.

The only competition Harry had was liquor made in 5-gallon tin cans. The police in Jerome stopped that enterprise, but left Harry alone.

It wasn’t long before the” prohighs” (called revenuers in other parts of thirsty America) figured out who the big bootlegger in Jerome was and decided they better shut him down. They would come to Prescott from Phoenix and check in with Sheriff George Ruffner. George would call the police chief in Jerome, who would send someone riding fast to warn Harry.

The prohighs would ride out to the Luther home, but they never found anything. Harry was lying low. Chet used to smile when he told about hiding in the mineshaft behind the conveniently placed bush. He could see the prohighs riding within 10 feet of him. He could hear them talking. They never saw him. After a few unproductive days, they would return to Phoenix.

This went on until finally the prohighs, frustrated in their attempts to arrest Harry, devised a plan. They waited until everyone in the household had gone to town, rode out to the house and planted a still under the house. Later, when Harry was home, they raided the place and arrested Harry.

The prohighs took Harry to Prescott and turned him over to Sheriff Ruffner. The prohighs, satisfied with a job well done, headed back to Phoenix.

Harry was given 30 days in jail. The sheriff, knowing a good thing when it came his way, put Harry’s talents to work for the good citizens of Prescott. He convinced Harry to run off some batches of his fine whiskey using a confiscated still in the basement of the jail.

After Harry ran off a batch, he was allowed to go into town. There he enjoyed eating in restaurants and playing cards. When it was dark, Harry returned to jail to spend the night.

When the 30 days were up, Harry went back to Jerome and got his old job back. Arathusa, who had not been pleased with her husband’s private enterprise, put a halt to any further ideas of the production of Harry Luther’s Mineshaft Whiskey.

The Western world lost Harry Luther’s Mineshaft Whiskey, but the still was never found. It may be there in the mine shaft behind the conveniently placed bush waiting for some enterprising person to come along.

Villains and Villainesses

2012-09-01T08:54:00.002-07:00

It’s time for those hisses and boos. This month I present you with some of the great villains and villainesses (I know it’s not a word but I like the sound of it) in movies. The role of a good villain can make an ordinary film memorable. It can make or break a promising career for an actor. After Cuckoo’s Nest, did Louise Fletcher ever do anything important? Did Bruce Dern ever lack for work? Then there are stars that could play heroes or villains and still be loved. Angela Lansbury was the super villain in the Manchurian Candidate and the loveable Jessica Fletcher in television’s Murder, She Wrote.

Villainesses

Kathy Bates: A New York stage actress before coming to Hollywood, Bates hit it big as Annie Wilkes in Misery. She won an Oscar for Best Actress. As bad as it was for James Caan, it was really painful to watch this performance. My legs kept twingeing. What a truly terrifying film. In Delores Claiborne, Bates plays a suspected murderer. Mild stuff.

Angela Lansbury: At age 18, Lansbury played the maid in Gaslight. Her attitude toward Ingrid Bergman helped establish her as a villain. Her portrayal as Laurence Harvey’s mother in The Manchurian Candidate makes her one of the most despicable of movie villains.

Louise Fletcher: Who can ever forget Big Nurse in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? Here was a woman who really loved her job and the power it brought. Fletcher’s career went nowhere after this film.

Margaret Hamilton: As the wicked witch of the west, Hamilton cackled her way to stardom. Although a good villain in an enchanting film, her powers just evaporated.

Barbara Stanwyck: In Double Indemnity, she runs circles around Fred MacMurry and leaves him holding the bag. I rather liked this villain.

Glenn Close: She has two memorable villain roles: Fatal Attraction, in which she earned my dislike not by her treatment of Michael Douglas but her boiling of the family pet; 101 Dalmatians, in which she again has dastardly plans for small animals.

Bette Davis: In the horror film, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, Davis looks the part. She is very, very, wicked.

Villains

Sir Lawrence Olivier: As the angel of death in The Marathon Man, he confirms my belief in the evil of dentists.

Gary Oldman: In The Professional, he plays a crazy villain. The combination is terrifying.

Orson Wells: In The Third Man, Wells gives new meaning to the black market. His stealing of needed penicillin is so wicked I couldn’t appreciate his acting. In Touch of Evil, his portrayal of a slimy sheriff was delicious. Unfortunately, hero Charlton Heston was cast as a Mexican.

Javier Bardem: His role in No Country for Old Men may have been the consummate villain’s role. Bardem’s dead-eyed, unemotional villainy was second to none.

Robert Mitchum: Sleepy-eyed Mitchum causes real terror in Cape Fear and Night of the Hunter. Both films still haunt me.

Bob Gunton: Didn’t you keep wishing for come-uppance for Gunton as the prison warden in The Shawshank Redemption? And didn’t it feel great when it happened?

Sir Anthony Hopkins: Talk about delicious, Hannibal Lecter was too convincing in The Silence of the Lambs.

Charles Coburn: It’s getting more difficult to determine the worst villain. Coburn certainly gets a vote for the “kindly” doctor in Kings Row. Yes, he’s the one who amputated the legs of Ronald Reagan. He did this out of spite, not necessity. Ouch.

Bruce Dern: A villain in any number of westerns, his role in High Noon stands out. Also, he was responsible for the death of Robert Redford in The Great Gatsby. Boo, hiss.

Anthony Perkins: Here’s another crazy villain. In Psycho, Perkins created a truly memorable character. This film is so familiar that almost everyone knows about the Bates Motel and why they wouldn’t want to stay there. This is one of the scariest films ever.

Gene Hackman: In Unforgiven, it’s the sheriff who’s the villain, not the gunslinger.

Henry Fonda: Cold-eyed Fonda is chilling in the classic Sergio Leone western, Once Upon a Time in the West.

Honorable Mentions: Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, Burt Lancaster in Sweet Smell of Success, Paul Muni in Scarface, Raymond Burr in Rear Window, Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator, Rutger Hauer in Bladerunner, and Michael Madsen in Reservoir Dogs.

Pirates

2012-08-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

Aarrrggh! Avast, me maties. Shiver me timbers. Where do they get this gibberish? Did any real pirate really say things like that? Yes, it’s pirate movies this month. Swash your buckle or buckle your swash. Suspend your belief. Enjoy, for Hollywood never let the truth get in the way of a good pirate movie. And, for all the pirate movies made, very few are in the “A” category. In your heart you know that pirates were never so appealing, so clean cut, so polite or so fair in their dealings. You can like these pirates—not so their real-life counterparts. You know they were low-life, scurvy, double-dealing cut-throats. Notice how many pirates end up being governors of Jamaica.

Treasure Island (1934, 1950, 1972, 1990, 2012): Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale is the classic pirate film. My favorite is the 1950 version with Sir Robert Newton as Long John Silver. This was Disney’s first live-action movie. Bobby Driscoll played the boy.

Captain Blood (1935): Errol Flynn plays Dr. Blood who is enslaved by Basil Rathbone on his plantation. He escapes, joins a pirate gang, rescues the girl, Olivia de Havilland, and somehow becomes the governor of Jamaica.

The Buccaneer (1938, 1958): The 1938 version by Cecil B. De Mille stars Frederic March. The 1958 version stars Yul Brynner as Jean Lafitte, the pirate who helped General Andrew Jackson fight the British at New Orleans. As a result Lafitte earned a pardon for his piratical ways. Claire Bloom and the great Charles Boyer co-star.

Reap the Wild Wind (1942): You knew John Wayne would show up sometime. Here he is fighting pirates in Key West in the 1840s. Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland support the Duke. This film did earn an Oscar for Best Effects (Wayne fighting a giant squid before Kirk Douglas fought his in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; maybe it was the same one).

The Black Swan (1942): The best part of this film is watching Tyrone Power. Household name Laird Cregar plays pirate Henry Morgan. Power plays his lieutenant and Maureen O’Hara the girl. Morgan becomes the governor of Jamaica and vows to get rid of the pirates. This film is rather fun to watch.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952): And now for something completely different. Put Abbott and Costello in a movie, then add Capt. Kidd and you’re in for a really delightful ride. Through a switched letter, the duo gets a hold of a treasure map. Shiver me timbers, Capt. Kidd kidnaps them and insists they find the treasure.

Against All Flags (1952): Here’s Errol Flynn as a British officer who infiltrates a pirate gang in Madagascar. He becomes enamored of Maureen O’Hara who’s a pirate. What’s a bloke to do?

Crimson Pirate (1952): Here is a romp with Burt Lancaster as the pirate gang leader. He and his band of merry pirates pretend to have scurvy. Somehow this attracts royal ships to help, and bob’s-your-uncle, they get pillaged. Will they never learn?

Golden Hawk (1952): The great non-actor Stirling Hayden plays a French privateer. [A pirate works for himself; a privateer works for a country.] He takes Rhonda Fleming from a Spanish ship. She wants him dead, but, lo and behold, he turns out to be the governor’s son. Go figure.

High Wind in Jamaica (1965): Anthony Quinn and James Coburn star in this movie about pirates hijacking a ship full of children on their way to England to be brought up properly—full of swashbuckling fun.

Pirates of Penzance (1983): Based on Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta, this film is absolutely delightful. Kevin Kline as the pirate displays his physical sense of humor. Linda Ronstadt is the demure young maiden. Angela Lansbury is the mysterious lady with a secret. Rex Smith is the male ingénue. Great music and good fun.

Pirates of the Caribbean (2003, 2006, 20011): These films have very good music and little else. They are silly to the point of embarrassment. Errol Flynn would be appalled.

Cutthroat Island (1995): Statuesque Geena Davis takes over her father’s pirate ship in the 1600s. Matthew Modine co-stars. This movie misses the mark on several levels.

Hook (1991): Here’s another miss. Great cast includes Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Bob Hoskins and Maggie Smith. Another Spielberg disaster.

The Black Pirate (1926): Douglas Fairbanks, the king of the heroic pirates, stars in this silent film.

The Light at the Edge of the World (1971): Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner star as pirates who capture a lighthouse in Argentina. The plan, dastardly it is too, is to lure ships to ground and then pillage.

Master and Commander (2003): This is not your typical pirate movie. The hero, Russell Crowe, is the master and commander who must fight a renegade French frigate from Napoleon’s navy. This film is sweeping in scope, beautifully photographed, and well-acted. Above average.

Scalawag (1973): Kirk Douglas again in a Robert L. Stevenson tale of a peg-legged pirate and his pixilated parrot who knows where the treasure is, but isn’t telling.

The Sea Hawk (1940): To me, this is the classic pirate movie. Errol Flynn plays a British privateer hired by Queen Elizabeth I to harass the Spanish fleet and the New World colonies. Brenda Marshall plays a Spanish lady Flynn falls for. He is captured by the Spanish, but escapes to warn England before all is lost. Claude Rains and Gilbert Roland co-star. If you only see one pirate movie, this is the one to see.

Tearjerkers

2012-07-01T08:44:00.001-07:00

Get out your delicate hankies, manly handkerchiefs or just plain tissues. It’s time for tearjerkers. I have never been sure why we subject ourselves to the inexpressively sad movie. The fact that we do says something about our humanity.

What makes us cry? For me, loss and courage are the triggers. Sometimes cruelty will cause tears, but most often it causes anger. Almost all the holocaust films make me cry with anger. I’ve only included two here.

Sometimes a good cry cleanses our hearts. Sometimes we find ourselves watching a film that we didn’t suspect was sad. I hate it when that happens. Sometimes, in order to watch a superior film, we have to pay a small price.

The list is long and varied and in no particular order. Try to keep a dry eye as you read.

Elephant Man (1980): David Lynch directs this saddest of all sad movies. John Hurt plays the title role with Sir Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, and Dame Wendy Hiller filling out the cast. I’m sure there was a puddle full of tears under my seat. It is even worse knowing that it was based on a true story.

Brian’s Song (1971): James Caan stars as Brian Piccolo, a Chicago Bears football player with cancer. Billy Dee Williams is his friend, Gale Sayers. A true and sad story.

Sophie’s Choice (1982): Meryl Streep at her usual best plays Sophie—who was forced to make a terrible choice during the holocaust. Kevin Kline plays the love interest.

Imitation of Life (1959): The cast includes Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, and Mahalia Jackson. Two single mothers raise their daughters. Jackson’s daughter resents the fact that her mother is black, while she is much lighter. Sadder than it sounds.

The Champ (1979): Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway and Rickie Schroeder (Golden Globe winner) head up the cast for this weep fest. Voight, a retired boxer, must go back in the ring to earn money for a custody battle.

Terms of Endearment (1983): How can you lose with a cast that includes Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, and Jack Nicholson? This film cleaned up in the Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actress (MacLaine), Director (James L. Brooks), Best Actor (Nicholson). Two hankies at least.

Life is Beautiful (1997): The second holocaust film stars Roberto Benigni (Oscar winner), his real-life wife Nicoletta Braschi, and Giorgio Cantarini. Incarcerated in a concentration camp, Benigni pretends it’s all a game for his young son. With a tank as the grand prize, the boy is delighted to play along.

Brief Encounter (1945): This movie is about impossible love between Trevor Howard as a middle-aged doctor and Celia Johnson as a suburban housewife. The two meet on a train platform and start a love affair. Ending it is another matter.

Dead Poets Society (1989): Robin Williams (nominee for Best Actor) is an unconventional teacher who uses poetry to inspire his students. Sounds harmless, doesn’t it?

Gone with the Wind (1939): I know, I know, but I did cry.

A Star is Born (1954): This is the Judy Garland and James Mason version. There were also movies made in 1937 and 1976. As much as I like Kris Kristofferson, the 1976 version was not very good.

Ordinary People (1980): Robert Redford’s directorial debut earned him an Oscar for this film about a terribly dysfunctional family. Mary Tyler Moore plays a repressed wife who mourns the death of her favorite son while barely tolerating the existence of her living one. Timothy Hutton plays the living son and Donald Sutherland is the father. This film also won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Hutton) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Red Pony (1949): Based on a John Steinbeck story, this unbearably sad film still haunts me. Robert Mitchum, Myrna Loy and Peter Miles star. Not for children.

Phar Lap (1983): This film about an Australian race horse has but one decent human being in it. This horse gave everything and was probably murdered by gambling interests.

The Yearling (1946): Another teary story about a boy and his deer. This one takes place following the Civil War when times were tough and food hard to come by. Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman play the parents.

The Way We Were (1973): My daughter and I had to sit in the first row and literally had tears in our ears from having to tilt our heads upward. Even from that angle Redford was beautiful. The movie sort of lost its way, but everyone I knew cried. Imagine, putting a cause over Redford. Unthinkable!

Bambi (1942): Everyone cried during this cartoon, right? Don’t deny it.

Hugo the Hippo: Not many of you have seen this cartoon. I hate to admit that I cried. My young son was rather embarrassed. I don’t blame him, but…

Little Women (1933, 1949, 1994): I prefer the 1949 version with June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Margaret O’Brien, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Mary Astor. This is a great classic film based on a classic book.

Separate Tables (1958): The film centers on a group of lonely people at a remote English hotel trying to connect. With a cast including Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth, David Niven (Oscar winner), Dame Wendy Hiller and Rod Taylor, one wonders what the problem was.

The Old Man and the Sea (1958): Oscar nominee Spencer Tracy stars as the old man who fights the sea and a huge marlin to a Quixote finish.

Dances with Wolves (1990): Oscar winner as Best Director, Kevin Costner is a Civil War veteran with nothing to live for until he is sent to the frontier. He makes friends with wolves, Indians and a very special horse. Needless to say that most are taken from him by cruel acts of men.

2012-06-01T08:19:00.001-07:00

Throughout our lives, there have been movies that we had to see. Sometimes, we felt we needed to see them for their merit and sometimes so that we could say that we had seen them and our opinion is…

Some of these films are epics and some are little films. Whatever their scope, they are memorable. Some are very good and some are barely adequate. But, they have been talked about, certain lines have entered daily conversation, and they remain in our movie memory bank.

I’m sure the ones I pick will not be the ones you might pick. Generation, gender and inclination play their roles in selection. Let’s see how many we have in common.

Casablanca: How many famous lines can you remember from this classic? Every time I see this movie, and I have seen it many times, I cry when the Marseilles is sung. I am always shocked to find out gambling is allowed in Rick’s place.

Gone with the Wind: Not a great movie but still very watchable. Why couldn’t Scarlett have seen what millions of women have seen—Clark Gable is more desirable than Leslie Howard.

The Wizard of Oz: It’s not just for children. I watch it every few years and still enjoy it. I love the munchkins. There are several lines that remain a part of our everyday conversations, my pretty.

The Graduate: Ah, Mrs. Robinson. She knew what she wanted and went for it. But—Dustin Hoffman? Simon and Garfunkel provided the perfect music.

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark: Who can forget the snakes or smile at the gun/whip episode? I still see a few of Harrison Ford-type hats. I believe my husband has one.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: This film is brilliant and funny and impossibly cruel. I’ll never forget or forgive Big Nurse.

Easy Rider: This is a film that symbolized to me that I was past my youth—motorcycles, men without jobs, drugs, oh my, what were they doing? Even so, they sure didn’t deserve their demise.

Terms of Endearment: This is your basic tear jerker, plain and simple.

The Godfather: What did any of us know about the mafia? This movie paints a romantic but violent picture. Great acting, beautiful cinematography, flawless story lift this film to classic.

Psycho: Whoever saw this film will never forget the Bates Hotel. I think it is still the scariest film I ever saw and ever hope to see.

Lawrence of Arabia: My favorite movie (next to Paul Newman’s The Hustler) has so much scope it is past cinemascope. Each scene in the desert combined with the score make for an indelible memory. Not to mention Peter O’Toole’s blue eyes. Did you know he broke the bank at Monte Carlo?

On the Waterfront: All together now, “I coulda been a contender.” This is a gritty movie based on the Budd Schulberg book. Brando is at his mumbly best. Karl Malden sure can play the bad guy well.

Peyton Place: I lived in a small town, but I can’t remember it being anything like this. It’s steamy and wonderfully trashy. Everyone was talking about this movie.

The Usual Suspects: I hate to admit it, but I was completely taken in, as I suppose were most viewers. What a clever plot. This movie has to be seen twice to really appreciate it.

Grapes of Wrath: No one talks about this film much anymore, but when I was young, it was both admired and reviled for its depiction of the “Okies.”

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: This is an enjoyable film, both for the acting and the subject matter. It was nice that Tracy and Hepburn were sophisticated parents. Otherwise…

The Big Lebowski: The Coen brothers made a big, rollicking, whacky, lovable film. And I love them for so doing. My son and I refer to it often.

In the Heat of the Night: Winner of an Academy Award among four other strong contenders, this film was discussed frequently among my friends. I would never call Sidney Poitier anything but Mr. Poitier.

Fargo: The Coen brothers again with this quirky, to say the least, film about a pregnant sheriff on the trail of a killer. I could never think of a woodchipper in a benign way again. And, I can still say you betcha with the best of them.

2001: A Space Odyssey: And thus Spake Stanley Kubrick and Hal. I enjoyed this film. I don’t think I fully understood though. All my friends had a different interpretation. Maybe that’s what made it a must see.

Apocalypse Now: Everyone was talking about this movie years ago. I finally saw it. Do I detect something burning?

Judgment at Nuremberg: I think this was the best holocaust film. I remember being so depressed after I saw it that I spent three days in bed crying.

The Birds: Every time I see a crow I look around for more. I just hope no crows ever see the film. I’ve been in many discussions about this Hitchcock film.

And, at least one film in the following series:

Charlie Chan: Who can remember number one son?

The Three Stooges: Let’s all get goofy.

Sherlock Holmes: Elementary.

The Thin Man: Sophisticated humor, a tiny mystery, banter, and Asta.

The Marx Brothers: Just plain silliness. Good for the soul.

2012-05-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

I believe that more dramatic films were made on stories from World War II than any other event in history. Because it was a truly world war, we have films from the European theater, the Baltic, Africa, the British Isles, the United States, and the Pacific, just to name the most obvious.

Although some comedic films were made, the seriousness of the war lent itself to real drama. This month, I will share with you some of my favorites from the European Theater of Operations (interesting that it should be called a theater). And, did you ever notice what great casts these films have?

Best Days of Our Lives (1946): This film won seven Academy Awards. The storyline involves three returning GIs trying to adjust to everyday life. The most heart-wrenching tale is portrayed by Harold Russell who lost his hands in combat.

Twelve O’Clock High (1949): Gregory Peck plays a tough, heartless general who is charged with turning a discouraged group of pilots into an effective fighting unit. In doing so, he learns the true meaning of leadership. Dean Jagger, Hugh Marlowe, and Gary Merrill round out the cast.

The Longest Day (1962): This Academy Award winner is the definitive film about the D-Day invasion. It gives a perspective on what went into the planning and execution for both sides. Look at this cast: John Wayne, Sean Connery, Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, Rod Steiger, Peter Lawford, Mel Ferrer, Robert Wagner and a army of thousands.

Stalag 17 (1953): Oscar-winner William Holden heads cast of Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, and Peter Graves in this prisoner-of-war-camp film. The film works largely because of Holden. After a series of escapes fail, the prisoners start to suspect there’s a mole. Billy Wilder directed this movie which is a mixture of wit and pathos.

To Hell and Back (1955): Real life hero Audie Murphy stars as himself in this biopic. Murphy earned every medal that America gives, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. It’s not a great movie, but Murphy deserved this final honor before he started playing cowboys.

Dam Busters (1954): This is an interesting true story about the invention and use of the “bouncing bomb” that caused havoc for the Germans. The bomb was dropped into a river behind a dam and bounced to the dam and destroyed it. “Water, water everywhere.” Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd star.

Go For Broke (1951): This poignant film is about Japanese-American soldiers who must prove their worth and loyalty to their fellow fighters. Van Johnson is their officer who takes a lot of proving. They do prove themselves, but at a terrible cost.

Battleground (1949): Van Johnson, James Whitmore, James Arness and John Hodiak find themselves with many others in the early days of the “Battle of the Bulge.” Whitmore as a crusty sergeant shines in this tense drama. The film earned a Best Screenplay Oscar.

Dirty Dozen (1985): For a war movie, this was a lot of fun. The cast is terrific: Lee Marvin must control Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, Robert Ryan and seven other hardened convicts. Their task is to raid a Nazi villa and kill the occupants.

Great Escape (1963): This movie is on many lists of best films. I didn’t particularly like it. The cast was good: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson and Richard Attenborough. The story was boring.

Patton (1970): When a great story and a great actor and great everything else comes together, you get a great movie. Winner of 10 Academy Awards, including a Best Actor for George C. Scott (which he refused to accept), Patton is a film worth watching again and again and…

A Bridge Too Far (1977): This movie is full of historical inaccuracies but still enjoyable to watch. The story revolves around an Allied attempt to win the war by seizing key bridges in Holland. I don’t understand how they failed with the likes of Sir Michael Caine, Sir Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Robert Redford, and Sir Laurence Olivier leading the charge.

The Young Lions (1958): Marlon Brando as a Nazi officer (can you believe it?) must deal with anti-Semitism. Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin, Hope Lange, and Lee Van Cleef co-star in this glossy but not true-to-the-book film.

Saving Private Ryan (1998): Even the acting skills of Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Ted Danson and Paul Giamatti can’t save this mess of a movie. See The Longest Day instead.

Inglourious Basterds (2009): With this film, we go from just bad to horrendous. This is a slimy, creepy film that I didn’t want to watch. I don’t care for Tarantino films to begin with, but this is too bad even for him.

Guns of Navarone (1961): British soldiers are under attack in Greece and face total destruction unless help arrives. The problem is that the dreaded guns of Navarone can stop any ship within range. The solution is to send in the commandos. Are Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven up to the task?

2012-04-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

“Take me out to the ballgame…”

It’s that time of year again. To me, spring means baseball, and that brings to mind baseball movies. Other sports might be more popular, but baseball has been so enduring in America’s history that the two are inseparable. George Carlin’s wonderful bit about the difference between baseball and football is the best I’ve ever heard, especially the line: “Football is played on a gridiron and baseball is played on a field.” Let’s play ball.

Pride of the Yankees (1942): Nicknamed the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig played in 2,100 consecutive games until he was struck down by the disease that bears his name. Gary Cooper quietly displays all the qualities that made Gehrig a great player and man. Each time I see this film I marvel at his character and cry for his loss.

The Jackie Robinson Story (1950): Jackie Robinson plays himself in this film about the first black player in major league baseball. The film is adequate but not inspired in depicting this Hall of Famer and Branch Rickey’s Brooklyn Dodger organization which hired him. One major criticism of the movie was that it glossed over how much abuse Robinson took.

Bang the Drum Slowly (1973): This movie is a real tearjerker about baseball player Bruce Pearson, played by Robert De Niro, who has Hodgkin’s disease. The only team player who knows this is the star pitcher, Henry Wiggen, played by Michael Moriarty. As the disease progresses and the pitcher’s playing gets worse, his friend cannot cover for him. Vincent Gardenia, as the coach, received an Academy Award nomination. Not a dry eye in the house.

Bull Durham (1988): A truly delightful film stars Kevin Costner as the seasoned veteran, Tim Robbins as the unpredictable pitcher and Susan Sarandon as the groupie. Robbins is the hope of the pitiful Durham Bulls, but he is undisciplined. Kostner is called in to steady him. Sarandon can’t decide which one she wants.

Bad News Bears (2005): Walter Matthau is a former minor league pitcher roped into coaching a group of low-talent kids. Matthau’s bear-like personality and the cuteness and despair of the kids makes this a charming film. Too bad Hollywood couldn’t stop at one.

The Rookie (2002): Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid) makes a deal with the high school team he coaches. If the team makes the playoffs he will try out for the majors. He is a talented pitcher and does get a spot on a minor-league team. This is a true and inspiring story.

The Natural (1984): Roy Hobbs aka Robert Redford is a 35-year old rookie who helps his last place team get back in the game. This is just a silly movie. It seems to be a vehicle for Redford to be backlit and looking golden. Watch the real rookie instead.

Field of Dreams (1989): Kevin Costner plays an Iowa farmer who hears voices. The voices tell him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. He does and a bunch of dead players show up. Puleeeze.

Cobb (1994): A sports writer is assigned to do a biography of Detroit Tiger legend Ty Cobb. While researching, he discovers that Cobb was as rough as his name implies. Traits, such as being a racist, bully, cheat, womanizer, surface. Today, these traits are not so shocking. He was not Lou Gehrig, but he was a truly great ballplayer.

The Babe Ruth Story (1948); The Babe (1992): This film was rushed into production and released three months before the Babe died. His widow hated it and the critics were none too pleased. William Bendix was miscast. John Goodman in the Babe, played him like a goofy, overgrown kid. This was not a serious biopic. Ruth, arguably the best player ever, deserves better.

Damn Yankees (1958): An ordinary guy, Tab Hunter, makes a deal with the devil, Ray Walston. Hunter gets to become a homerun hitter for the Washington Senators, but he must make sure his team loses to the Yankees in the World Series. When Hunter wants to back out of the deal, the devil send Gwen Verdon (Lola, who gets what she wants), to convince him to uphold his part of the bargain. Great music and dancing (choreography by Bob Fosse).

Fear Strikes Out (1957): Poor Jimmy Piersall, the troubled Boston Red Sox outfielder who suffered a nervous breakdown in 1952. Most of the problem seems to be his over-bearing and demanding father, played by Karl Malden. A true story of what can happen when a parent drives a child and adult too far.

Eight Men Out (1988): Ah, the “Black Sox” scandal of 1919. Underpaid and disgruntled, Chicago White Sox players allow themselves to be bought by gambler Arnold Rothstein and friends. Heavily favored, they throw the 1919 World Series and allow the Cincinnati Reds to win. John Cusack, Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney star.

The Stratton Story (1949): This is true story about Monty Stratton (Jimmy Stewart), a Chicago White Sox pitcher who lost his leg in a hunting accident. Fitted with a peg-leg, he made a comeback in 1946 pitching in minor leagues. The film won an Oscar for Best Screenplay. This film is genuinely inspiring.

Moneyball (2011): The story is important as it tells of a turning point in how teams pick players. Hollywood wants us to believe it is epic. Why else take 133 minutes to tell a 90-minute story? The acting is adequate. Fortunately, Brad Pitt is not called on to do much more than look pensive and throw things around. The bits with his daughter were out of place and distracting. But I did watch the whole thing without too much pain.

2012-02-29T09:29:00.000-08:00

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

It’s time to get Sirius. A big applause for the dog stars.

I’ve loved dogs my entire life, so I think it is time I honor them with a blog. My first memories of a movie dog were of Rin Tin Tin. His was a heroic story. Rescued in France at the end of World War I, he was brought to live in Los Angeles by Lee Duncan. He went on to star in 23 adventure films, and after he died a series of German Shepherd Dogs continued his legacy. He may not have been the first dog to be in movies, but he is remembered as the first “great” dog actor. There was a film, Finding Rin Tin Tin, made about him in 2007.

I think Hollywood should create a new rating called ET for extremely traumatical (sic). Some movies are just too sad for tender, young souls.

There is a list of movies about dogs that is so long I could never include them all. But let’s see what we can do.

Lassie: Here was a beautiful, well-trained, heroic star. Although a number of Collies were used in the films, they all looked and acted the same. I remember Lassie Come Home (1943) with humans Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor. I still recollect crying and crying.

Asta: My all-time favorite movie dog was Asta from the Thin Man series in the 30s. He was a true Terrier, full of fun and mischief. He fit in perfectly with co-stars William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Old Yeller (1957): Many critics write that this is a film that demonstrates real life to a young boy. I think it should have an ET rating. This story about the tragic life of a yellow Lab is too harsh for young children and too sad for adults. I hated this film and wish I could erase it from my memory.

Greyfriars Bobby (1961): Another sad film, but in a bittersweet way. It is based on a true story, although there is speculation that it was just a publicity stunt. I prefer it to be true. I have seen the statue of this Skye Terrier in Edinburgh. This is the story of a dog who refused to leave his owner’s side, even after death. Bobby guarded his owner’s grave in Greyfriar’s church cemetery for 14 years until his own death in 1872. He has become a symbol of loyalty.

My Dog Skip (2000): Here’s another film based on a true story. The boy is shy and awkward, has no friends and does not do well in sports. He desperately wants a dog. His mother gets him one on his 9th birthday, although his father has repeatedly said no. The smart little Jack Russell Terrier (is there any other kind?) helps transform the boy’s life and teaches him the meaning of loyalty. This is a lovely film co-starring Kevin Bacon, Diana Lane and Frankie Muniz (as the boy).

Call of the Wild (1935): Based on a novella by Jack London written in 1903, this film is a testament to the cruelty of human beings. Buck, a St. Bernard/sheepdog mix, is taken from his pleasant home in Santa Rosa and sold as a sled dog in the Yukon. The Klondike gold rush is going on and sled dogs are in great demand. Buck is treated horribly until his rescue by Thornton, an outdoorsman. Buck does amazing things for Thornton, even saving his life. After Thornton dies, Buck hears the call of the wild and joins a wolf pack. Whew. This movie is a workout. It has been made into several versions, but the one I like is the original made with Clark Gable and Loretta Young.

Cujo (1983): This film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name is truly scary. A St. Bernard gets the call of the wild and sticks his nose in a bat cave. Rabies is the result. He traps his loving family, Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro, in a car. Will they ever get out?

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993): Here is a fairly safe and sweet road trip by a Golden Retriever, an American Bulldog and a Himalayan cat. Thinking they have been abandoned when their families leave them at a ranch to go on vacation, they decide to make the trip home. Thus begins the incredible journey.

It seems to me that many movies that featured dogs made in the last several years focused on misbehaving, obnoxious, unpleasant dogs. Gone are the dignified and heroic animals of early filmdom. Think of the Beethoven series, Turner and Hooch, Marley and Me.

Cartoon dogs can be just as loveable as real ones: 101 Dalmations, Scooby-Doo, Bolt, Doogal and Lady and Tramp.

This year’s Oscar winner for best film, The Artist, was a black-and-white silent that featured Uggie, a Jack Russell Terrier. He was onstage for the acceptance speech, I believe he barked his delight.

A terrific film about dog shows is Best in Show. It is funny and irrevent and the dogs come off looking better than their owners.

2012-02-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

“Twinkle, twinkle little star…”

For several years, my husband and I have had a running conversation about a phenomenon we call “The Twinkle.” This is one of those concepts that is utterly subjective. It requires a smart-ass attitude, a bit of the con, and loads of charm. Questions: Who has it; who doesn’t; who can turn it off; who can’t; who has it more often, actors or actresses?

For some reason, actors seem to have the twinkle far more often than actresses. The only actress that had it without question was Mae West. An argument can be made that Goldie Hawn has it.

More actors with blue eyes seem to have it than those with brown eyes. But there are plenty of actors with brown eyes that twinkle.

The actor who displayed the twinkle most obviously was Paul Newman. Think of him in such movies as Rally ‘Round the Flag, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Redford does not have the twinkle), and The Sting. Newman could also turn it off. Remember him in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Joanne Woodward, The Verdict, From the Terrace, and The Hustler? He’s the twinkle champion.

Then there is Robert Wagner. His twinkle was permanent and very engaging. Unfortunately, this limited his acting roles. His performances in war movies, such as What Price Glory, The War Lovers,and The Frogmen, were particularly good. His work with Paul Newman in Winning and Harper was fine. Now, he is selling mattresses on television and that sparkling twinkle is diminished.

Jack Nicholson is another actor who can turn it on and off. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment, he displays this ability. The twinkle was quite evident in Five Easy Pieces and Chinatown. He toned it down in About Schmidt and Ironweed, and the dreadful The Departed.

Kevin Kline is a great actor who can twinkle on cue. In A Fish Called Wanda (for which he earned an Oscar), Soapdish, and Dave you could see the twinkle. In Emperor’s Club, Ice Storm and Cry Freedom, you could not.

With his great charm, one would think that Cary Grant had it, but he didn’t. Beneath that slick exterior, I believe there was darkness. He could have played a great villain, given the chance. Watch his eyes closely in such films as Charade, North by Northwest and Destination Tokyo and you will see a noticeable lack of twinkle. Even in his madcap comedies those dark eyes stayed dark.

Among the current crop of actors, I think George Clooney comes the closest to having a twinkle. His performances in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Ocean’s Twelve, and Batman and Robin demonstrate a glimmer of a twinkle. It’s gone in Up in the Air, Michael Clayton and The Good German. He has enormous charm but little smart ass and no con.

British actors who spring to mind are Hugh Grant, Ian McShane, Ian Richardson and Sir Alec Guiness.

Hugh Grant, that bumbling, blue-eyed, charming actor from such films as Four Weddings and a Funeral, About a Boy, and Mickey Blue Eyes is the Brit who defines the twinkle.

Although Ian McShane made several movies, his twinkle was most evident in his long-running television series Lovejoy. However, in another television series, Deadwood, there is little evidence of a twinkle. He was in the campy Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides which required a twinkle.

Ian Richardson’s most blatant display of the twinkle was in television’s House Cards, one of the most deliciously wicked series ever. Hints of the twinkle can be found in the movie Canterville Ghost.

Sir Alec Guiness, known for his serious roles, could produce a twinkle if the role called for it. Remember him in Murder by Death, The Horse’s Mouth, and The Lavender Hill Mob?

I see hints in James Garner, Denzel Washington and Christopher Walken. Who else do you think has the twinkle? Please post your comments and I will discuss them in a future blog.