Celebrating Stories in Every Medium
Most Watched Actor: Errol Flynn – 8 films, Howard Keel -3 films Biggest Disappointment: I Loved a Woman 
Favorite Discovery: Judgment at Nuremburg, Kim Continue reading “April 2022 Quickie Reviews”
Well, October was another good month for watching the classics with twenty one new to me movies. Since Rita Hayworth was TCM’s featured star, I was able to see several of her films, some of which were better than others. Although Rita always shines.
I also managed to watch four silents which I rather enjoyed. I was mesmerized by Alain Delon in the French film Purple Noon. But I think my favorite discovery was Nurse on Wheels which utterly charmed me. Too bad I can’t find it on DVD! Continue reading “October 2018 Classic Film Quickie Reviews”
This month I managed to watch twenty-four films I had never seen before. Of those, four were foreign classics. Sadly I didn’t love any of this month’s foreign film choices.
Several of these films surprised me in a good way including She’s Working Her Way Through College and Without Reservations. Others surprised me in a negative way. I also watched two film adaptations of Tennessee Williams plays. All in all, September was a productive month for me in terms of classic film. Continue reading “September 2018 Classic Film Quickie Reviews”
Cary Grant is the quintessential leading man in both dramas and comedies. But I prefer his comedic films. He had a skill for appearing silly while also still being suave and sophisticated. One of my favorite among his comedy films is Topper. Made just as his star was hitting it’s peak, it is the last film in which he ever played a supporting role.
TOPPER SYNOPSIS
George and Marion Kerby are a socialite couple with few responsibilities. They live a fast, lively and glamorous life. One of the few drags on their carefree life is the annual board of directors meeting at a bank George owns. Once a year, he is forced to attend by the bank manager Cosmo Topper.
After a night of partying followed by the board meeting the next morning, George and Marion are killed in a car wreck. They are perplexed as to why they remain on earth instead of immediately going to the afterlife. Marion believes it is because they haven’t done anything that would earn them a spot in heaven. So they decide that they must accomplish one good deed. They settle on liberating their bank manager, Mr. Topper from the rigid and regimented life enforced by his wife.
Topper finds his life unwillingly and completely turned upside down by his ghostly friends. But before long, he begins to see the benefit of allowing a little joy and fun into his mundane existence.
For the full review please follow me over to The Silver Petticoat Review.
I watch many more films than I have time or interest to review. So, I am trying something a little different this month. I thought I would share the list of (new to me) classic films I watched during the month and my brief impressions of each. Let me know what you think.
Without Honor (1949) -An unexpectedly intriguing drama about an adulterous wife who accidentally stabs her lover. Meanwhile, her vindictive brother-in-law tries to ruin her marriage. Laraine Day is an underrated actress in my opinion. Here she stars and gives an excellent performance.
Tip on a Dead Jockey (1957) -I’m working my way through Robert Taylor’s films. He is a former combat pilot who has lost his nerve and is hiding out from his life and wife in Spain. Dorothy Malone is gorgeous as his wife, but otherwise the movie is rather forgettable. Continue reading “August 2018 Classic Film Quickie Reviews”
The gentleman thief is a much beloved character in both literature and film. Arsène Lupin is one such character, first birthed by the pen of French writer Maurice Leblanc in the early 1900’s. Over the course of the next two decades Leblanc published many novellas, novels and even plays featuring his popular creation. These stories were contemporary with another, perhaps more famous, thief and master of disguise, that of the English gentleman Raffles. Without the underrated gift of classic film, I might never have heard of or been introduced to either.
The Arsène Lupin character also made appearances in television, stage and over twenty films. It is the pre-code 1932 version starring the Barrymore brothers, Lionel and John that I fell in love with. According to an introduction given by Dave Karger for this film on TCM, the Barrymore brothers were highly regarded by the two most important men at MGM during the early Thirties. Louis B Mayer believed Lionel to be one of the best actors of his time, while Irving Thalberg felt the same about John. When John’s contract with Warner Bros. expired, MGM snapped him up. He was cast with Lionel in Arsène Lupin, the first of five films in which the brothers would appear together in the years 1932-1933. Of those five only one would also star their equally famous sister Ethel. Sadly, after 1933 there would be no more films co-starring Lionel and John. Continue reading “Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon -Arsène Lupin (1932)”
Since the majority of my readers may not be overly familiar with classic films, I would like to recommend some of my favorites along with a few of the more famous titles playing on TCM this month, in the hopes that you will find one that interests you. So get ready to set your DVR’s friends, you won’t want to miss these. (All film times listed are Central Standard Time).
Many, many years ago I saw Love with the Proper Stranger on television. I’ve been wanting to see it again ever since. Sadly, it is rarely aired.
I remember loving Love with the Proper Stranger although I couldn’t tell you much about it. I recalled the basic story line and of course am slightly in love with both Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen who play the main characters. Who wouldn’t like a movie with Natalie and Steve in it? They are both beautiful and talented and even if movie was sub-par, I could stare at them all day. Continue reading “Classic Film Review -Love with the Proper Stranger (1963)”
Being the only classic film lover in my household, I am on a quest to prove that the classics are equal to and even better than our modern movie offerings. So I am always delighted when I introduce one that the whole family ends up enjoying (thereby proving me right!)
Never Say Goodbye is just such a film. This romantic comedy reminded me a bit of The Parent Trap. It tells the story of exes Phil and Ellen Gayley and their young daughter Flip’s (short for Phillipa, named after her father of course) efforts to see them reunited. Phil is a famous artist constantly in the company of beautiful women, but still in love with his wife. Ellen is still in love with him too, but understandably has some trust issues. Encouraged by her wealthy uptight mother, she keeps Phil at arms length.
Flip is not happy with the arrangement in which she spends half the year with one parent and half with the other. She and her father collude to bring Ellen around to their way of thinking. Continue reading “Classic Film Review -Never Say Goodbye (1946)”