Robert Wise marathon

[sugarpuss]

Tomorrow TCM is honoring director Robert Wise's birthday by running a day long marathon his of movies. I'm looking forward to the majority of the movies that are being shown tomorrow, which I've never seen: Mademoiselle Fifi, Blood on the Moon (Robert Mitchum and Robert Preston!), Tribute to a Bad Man and especially, The Set-Up, a boxing movie which was one of Robert Ryan's favorite and best roles. I recently bought a book on him, and all the behind-the-scenes notes on this movie only makes me want to see it even more.

If you're in the mood for a "women's" movie, I'd also recommend Until They Sail, a WWII movie that takes place in New Zealand. Not only is the cast great (with Paul Newman, Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, Piper Laurie and Sandra Dee you really can't go wrong), but I thought it was a good drama/romance movie without being too sappy or melodramatic. There's a scene near the end where it's announced that the war is over and the first time I saw this, I actually had a chills run up and down my spine (if you pardon the overused phrase). It's a small, but powerful moment.

They're also showing The Curse of the Cat People, The Body Snatcher, The Haunting and Executive Suite. There's something for everyone.

[MikeBSG]

I caught a bit of "The Set-Up" this morning. What a great cast, especially among the boxers in the locker room. The actors to make such a movie today don't exist. (Imagine Tom Cruise in the Robert Ryan part.)

[Bogie]

Well i'm about to watch Tribute to a Bad Man and I recorded Blood on the Moon and The Set-Up which i'll watch overnight[/b]

[sugarpuss]

I just finished watching Blood on the Moon and The Set-Up this afternoon and while I liked the first one (it reminded me of a Mann western), I absolutely loved The Set-Up. For a 72 minute movie, it was incredibly exciting and tense. The boxing match and the ending kept me on the edge of my seat, but what I really loved was how everyone in the movie--from the other boxers to the ringside audience--had their own little stories. The older lady who claimed to hate boxing, but was even more vocal and enthusiastic than her husband was my favorite.

I've loved Robert Ryan in every movie I've seen him in, but he was just beyond fantastic in this. Mike, the idea of Tom Cruise in his role? OUCH. My heart hurts at the very thought. Robert Ryan had such a quiet intensity in all his parts and Cruise is the opposite of that (of course, my loathing of him and his crazy behavior doesn't help).

Audrey Totter was pretty great as well--the only other movie I've seen her in was Tension, and she does both noir vixen and downtrodden wife equally well. It's a shame she never became a bigger star.

For the first time yesterday, I also watched Executive Suite from beginning to end. I've always caught snippets of it or kept it on as background noise. Now I feel silly for never fully paying attention to it. What a great ensemble cast! You could never get a cast that talented together in this day and age.