It's raining in Seattle (shocker) and I'm at home with a friend on Saturday night. I sense a few movies in my future! Let's start with a recent TCM offering.....
Date watched: 4/21/2007
Title: Affair In Trinidad Made: 1952
Genre: Drama/Thriller Studio: Columbia
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Rita Hayworth--Chris Emery
Glenn Ford--Steve Emery
Alexander Scourby--Max Fabien
Valerie Betts--Veronica Huebling
Torin Thatcher--Inspector Smythe
Howard Wendell--Anderson
Karel Stepanek--Walters
George Voskovec--Dr. Franz Huebling
Plot: Chris Emery (Hayworth) ia absolutely irresistible to men. She is a steamy-hot cabaret singer. Her signature act, the song Trinidad Lady, includes the tease to the audience, "You want what you can't have!"
As Mrs. Emery is performing in the club the police arrive to inform her that her husband Neal has committed suiced and could she please join them at the station to answer a few questions. Once at the police station, Inspector Smythe (Thatcher) seems less than sympathetic with the woman who has just lost her husband. He implies that Mrs. Emery was having an affair with Max Fabien (Scourby). Mrs. Emery outraged, storms out. Embassy employee Anderson (Wendell) tries to sooth her.
"Mrs. Emery, I'm sure the Inspector didn't mean to imply..."
Chris, "Those were bricks falling, Mr. Anderson, not inuendoes!"
Simultaneously, Neal's brother Steve (Ford) is flying down to meet Neal. Neal had just sent him a letter inviting him down to Trinidad with the promise of a job.
The results from the medical examiner show that Neal's death could have been murder, not suicide. There will have to be an inquest.The Inspector suggests that Max Fabien was involved with Neal's death. It seems that Max is a bad man...but not a stupid one. Whatever foul deeds he is responsible for, he has left no proof in his wake. The Inspector wants to use Mrs. Emery as bait to get the proof against Max. This plan would work because it's obvious that Max is very attracted to Mrs. Emery. Will she help the police who have already insulted her and confiscated her passport?
The inquest arrives and Mrs. Emery testifies that her husband had often spoken of suicide. With this testimony the judge rules the death as a suicide. The Inspector doesn't seem happy with Mrs. Emery. What's worse she gets a ride home with Max. When they arrive at Mrs. Emery's house she invites Max in. He politely declines, "Everything thrives in the tropics, including gossip. Perhaps it would look better if I didn't"
Then Steve Emery arrives at the house. He had seen Chris' testimony and felt that she didn't care that Neal was dead at all. Steve thinks she is heartless and wants to know how Neal could have been contemplating suicide when only 5 days ago he invited Steve to visit. The two don't get off to a friendly start and Chris leaves.
The two settle their differences but Steve knows that she's hiding something from him. Still, he begins to fall for her. Steve becomes metal putty to the man-magnet that is Chris Emery.
Steve is searching for answers. The Inspector is searching for answers. And which side is Mrs. Emery playing for? Or is she playing a different game altogether? In Steve's search for the truth, when trying to discover whether Chris was faithful to Neal, the club owner tells him, "When a man is married to a goddess, he must expect other men to worship her!"
Ford is the focus of every scene he's in. He is obviously ready for bigger and better parts (MGM, here he comes!). Hayworth feels a bit awkward. She is delightfully alluring in her Trinidad Lady song and dance number, but doesn't seem brimming with confidence in the rest of the movie. Her breathy-whispering dialogue is supposed to be sexy, it's just annoying. She's good, but not Rita Hayworth good.
7* (out of 10) It's worth a watch, but it's no Gilda.
I'm curious to know if anyone else was disappointed with Hayworth in this picture. It was supposed to be her come back after a brief retirement due to a marriage (that failed). She just seems flat, and if it was a conscious choice to portray the character that way then I think it was a bad choice.
cinemalover: Confessions of a Video Junkie
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cinemalover
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Review #95
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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moira finnie
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Affair in Trinidad
Chris,
There's a pretty lively ongoing discussion about the quality of this picture and Rita Hayworth's performance over here. My own take is that this film's a pretty pallid photocopy of Gilda.
Rita looks like she was hurting during the movie--except during the peppy musical numbers. Don't know if it was the limp script, the psychological blows of her most recent divorce, her attempts at self-medicating, returning to her hated home studio of Columbia, possible early Alzheimer's, or just exhaustion. Sadly, the lady didn't seem to have her usual zest in this film.
There's a pretty lively ongoing discussion about the quality of this picture and Rita Hayworth's performance over here. My own take is that this film's a pretty pallid photocopy of Gilda.
Rita looks like she was hurting during the movie--except during the peppy musical numbers. Don't know if it was the limp script, the psychological blows of her most recent divorce, her attempts at self-medicating, returning to her hated home studio of Columbia, possible early Alzheimer's, or just exhaustion. Sadly, the lady didn't seem to have her usual zest in this film.
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cinemalover
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
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Review #96
And to close out Saturday night let's try a thriller on for size. I have not seen this since it came out in 1988. Can it be 19 years already? Time flies all too quickly.
Date watched: 4/21/2007
Title: Frantic Made: 1988
Genre:Thriller Studio: WB
Format: DVD Extras:Standard Frame only
# of times viewed:2
Tagline: They've taken his life. Now he's taking action.
Director: Roman Polanski
Stars:
Harrison Ford--Dr. Richard walker
Betty Seigner--Sondra Walker
Emmanuelle Seigner--Michelle
Plot: Dr. Richard Walker (Ford) is visiting Paris with his wife Sondra (Buckley) for a medical conference. The trip gets off to an immediate bad start when Sondra discovers she picked up the wrong suitcase at the airport because it looked identical to her own. What a bother. They call the airline to repost the mix-up. While Richard is showering his wife disappears without a trace or explanation.
Richard searches the lobby and asks anyone that he can speak with, though since he doesn't speak French his options are limited. He does learn that Sondra left the hotel with a man, but who or why are a mystery. After exhausting all his legal options by notifying the police and the American embassy he decides to go it alone. Clues in the suitcase lead him to a young woman named Michelle (Seigner). She is involved with a smuggling ring and knows something about the disappearance of doctor's wife. They want "it" back in exchange for his wife.
Will the doctor be able to negotiate the safe return of his wife when he's not even sure what the kidnapper's want? Is Michelle helping the doctor or only herself?
Ford is pretty much the whole show in this film. Everything revolves around his growing intensity and evolution into a man willing to do anything to get his wife back. His anger level builds with the suspense of the film. It starts slowly and gradually ratchets up the tension until you can't look away. Ford is very believable in his part and makes this well worth watching.
7* (out of 10) An enjoyable ride built around a strong performance.
That was my Saturday night. Now if you'll excuse me, the sun is threatening to pop through those clouds so I'll go get my run in while I can.
Date watched: 4/21/2007
Title: Frantic Made: 1988
Genre:Thriller Studio: WB
Format: DVD Extras:Standard Frame only
# of times viewed:2
Tagline: They've taken his life. Now he's taking action.
Director: Roman Polanski
Stars:
Harrison Ford--Dr. Richard walker
Betty Seigner--Sondra Walker
Emmanuelle Seigner--Michelle
Plot: Dr. Richard Walker (Ford) is visiting Paris with his wife Sondra (Buckley) for a medical conference. The trip gets off to an immediate bad start when Sondra discovers she picked up the wrong suitcase at the airport because it looked identical to her own. What a bother. They call the airline to repost the mix-up. While Richard is showering his wife disappears without a trace or explanation.
Richard searches the lobby and asks anyone that he can speak with, though since he doesn't speak French his options are limited. He does learn that Sondra left the hotel with a man, but who or why are a mystery. After exhausting all his legal options by notifying the police and the American embassy he decides to go it alone. Clues in the suitcase lead him to a young woman named Michelle (Seigner). She is involved with a smuggling ring and knows something about the disappearance of doctor's wife. They want "it" back in exchange for his wife.
Will the doctor be able to negotiate the safe return of his wife when he's not even sure what the kidnapper's want? Is Michelle helping the doctor or only herself?
Ford is pretty much the whole show in this film. Everything revolves around his growing intensity and evolution into a man willing to do anything to get his wife back. His anger level builds with the suspense of the film. It starts slowly and gradually ratchets up the tension until you can't look away. Ford is very believable in his part and makes this well worth watching.
7* (out of 10) An enjoyable ride built around a strong performance.
That was my Saturday night. Now if you'll excuse me, the sun is threatening to pop through those clouds so I'll go get my run in while I can.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
Chris (cinemalover)
Except for Air Force One, this is one of my favorite Harrison Ford movies. I like Hans Solo and Indiana Jones, but when Harrison grew up is when I really started to like him. It's unfortunate that he's fallen back into a second childhood lately. But when he started doing the Tom Clancey type movies, is when he really got to me. It's a shame he didn't play Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October (one of my favorite action movies), although Alec Baldwin did well, but I think Harrison would have been better. Frantic reminds me of both Clear and Present Danger, and Patriot Games, where he did play Jack Ryan and they are all equally exciting and interesting to me.
Anne
Except for Air Force One, this is one of my favorite Harrison Ford movies. I like Hans Solo and Indiana Jones, but when Harrison grew up is when I really started to like him. It's unfortunate that he's fallen back into a second childhood lately. But when he started doing the Tom Clancey type movies, is when he really got to me. It's a shame he didn't play Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October (one of my favorite action movies), although Alec Baldwin did well, but I think Harrison would have been better. Frantic reminds me of both Clear and Present Danger, and Patriot Games, where he did play Jack Ryan and they are all equally exciting and interesting to me.
Anne
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cinemalover
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mrsl,
I LOVE Air Force One. It is great fun with a wonderful cast of characters surrounding Ford. Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games are excellent too, but a notch below Air Force One, at least for me.
The most interesting thing for me about Frantic is how much of the film Ford has to carry by himself. The role of his wife is relatively minor, and the only other one to get major screen time is the character of Michelle. I enjoyed Ford's ability to breathe life into what could have been a very cliched part. I don't know how much of the credit should go to the director, Polanski.
I LOVE Air Force One. It is great fun with a wonderful cast of characters surrounding Ford. Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games are excellent too, but a notch below Air Force One, at least for me.
The most interesting thing for me about Frantic is how much of the film Ford has to carry by himself. The role of his wife is relatively minor, and the only other one to get major screen time is the character of Michelle. I enjoyed Ford's ability to breathe life into what could have been a very cliched part. I don't know how much of the credit should go to the director, Polanski.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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Review #97
It was about one o:clock in the am Saturday night/Sunday morning and I couldn't quite go to sleep so I popped this little gem in the machine. You all can save yourselves the trouble in the future. This one needs to crawl under a rock and hide in shame.
Date watched: 4/21/2007
Title: The Great Profile Made: 1940
Genre: Comedy? Studio: 20th Century Fox
Format: DVD-R Source: Fox Movie Channel
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
John Barrymore--Evans "The Great" Garrick
Mary Beth Hughes--Sylvia
Gregory Ratoff--Boris Mefoofsky
John Payne--Richard lansing
Anne Baxter--Mary Maxwell
Lionel Atwill--Dr. Bruch
Willie Fung--Confucius
At first I thought I was watching an A&E Biography segment on John Barrymore. Then I realized that Barrymore was merely spoofing his own image. Barrymore plays Evans "The Great" Garrick, apparently once a very fine Shakespearean-caliber stage actor, now reduced to a alcoholic shadow of his former self. That must have been a stretch for Barrymore to play!
His wife Sylvia (Hughes) wants to star in plays with him, but the parts always seem to be previously cast, despite Garrick's repeated promises. She's pretty catty herself, and is tired of his drunken shenanigans and is ready to walk out on him. Garrick is slipping fast and isn't currently in a play because no one will back him in his current state. Lo and behold, out of the blue, young Mary (Baxter) approaches him with a play that she wrote for him to star in. She even has financial backing to get up and running.
Garrick feels renewed. He calls the press to announce that he will be starring in a new play called The Beloved Transgressor. "And here's the biggest news of all, are you ready!? I will star in it with my wife, Sylvia Manors. Yes....and be sure to put her name in LARGE letters, thank you."
Then, to himself, "The things I do to keep that woman with me!"
The play proceeds and on opening night a packed house is less than satisfied.
Boris (Ratoff), Garrick's agent, "In all my experience I've never seen an audience go to sleep so fast!"
Stage manager, "I'll be satisfied if they even come back to sleep for the second act!"
The play picks up in the second act because Garrick resorts to the bottle and his drunken behavior is hilarious to the audience. They have an unintentional hit on their hands.
Both Ratoff as Boris and Barrymore as Garrick use very trick up their acting sleeves to steal every scene they're in. There's obviously no "I" in team, and "I" just wanted it to get over. These two were so far over the top that they'd need binoculars to see the stage. Interesting in a train wreck sort of way.
3* (out of 10) Other than as a historical note on Barrymore's downward spiral, it's not worth the effort!
Date watched: 4/21/2007
Title: The Great Profile Made: 1940
Genre: Comedy? Studio: 20th Century Fox
Format: DVD-R Source: Fox Movie Channel
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
John Barrymore--Evans "The Great" Garrick
Mary Beth Hughes--Sylvia
Gregory Ratoff--Boris Mefoofsky
John Payne--Richard lansing
Anne Baxter--Mary Maxwell
Lionel Atwill--Dr. Bruch
Willie Fung--Confucius
At first I thought I was watching an A&E Biography segment on John Barrymore. Then I realized that Barrymore was merely spoofing his own image. Barrymore plays Evans "The Great" Garrick, apparently once a very fine Shakespearean-caliber stage actor, now reduced to a alcoholic shadow of his former self. That must have been a stretch for Barrymore to play!
His wife Sylvia (Hughes) wants to star in plays with him, but the parts always seem to be previously cast, despite Garrick's repeated promises. She's pretty catty herself, and is tired of his drunken shenanigans and is ready to walk out on him. Garrick is slipping fast and isn't currently in a play because no one will back him in his current state. Lo and behold, out of the blue, young Mary (Baxter) approaches him with a play that she wrote for him to star in. She even has financial backing to get up and running.
Garrick feels renewed. He calls the press to announce that he will be starring in a new play called The Beloved Transgressor. "And here's the biggest news of all, are you ready!? I will star in it with my wife, Sylvia Manors. Yes....and be sure to put her name in LARGE letters, thank you."
Then, to himself, "The things I do to keep that woman with me!"
The play proceeds and on opening night a packed house is less than satisfied.
Boris (Ratoff), Garrick's agent, "In all my experience I've never seen an audience go to sleep so fast!"
Stage manager, "I'll be satisfied if they even come back to sleep for the second act!"
The play picks up in the second act because Garrick resorts to the bottle and his drunken behavior is hilarious to the audience. They have an unintentional hit on their hands.
Both Ratoff as Boris and Barrymore as Garrick use very trick up their acting sleeves to steal every scene they're in. There's obviously no "I" in team, and "I" just wanted it to get over. These two were so far over the top that they'd need binoculars to see the stage. Interesting in a train wreck sort of way.
3* (out of 10) Other than as a historical note on Barrymore's downward spiral, it's not worth the effort!
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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Review #98
I've wanted to see this film since it came out. Obviously, not a film that I want the kids to be around when I'm watching it. Also, not a good film to watch if you're already feeling down or depressed.
Date watched: 4/22/2007
Title: Lord of War Made: 2005
Genre:Thriller Studio: Lion's Gate
Format: DVD Extras:Documentaries, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, LB Enhanced
# of times viewed:First
Tagline: The first and most important rule of gun running is: never get shot with your own merchandise.
Stars:
Nicolas Cgae--Yuri Orlov
Bridget Moynahan--Ava Fontaine (Orlov)
Jared Leto--Vitaly Orlov
Shake Tukhmanyan--Irina Orlov
Ian Holm--Simeon Weisz
Ethan Hawke--Jack Valentine
The movie opens with Yuri Orlov (Cage) talking directly to the audience, "There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every 12 people on the planet. The only question is...how do we arm the other 11?"
Plot: We follow the making of a career in arms dealing. Yuri begins as a small-time punk in Little Odessa selling nickel and dime guns to local mobsters. He quickly moves up the food chain as he discovers that the real money comes from supplying third world countries in their perpetual wars.
As Yuri becomes more successful and gains wealth he uses his money to romance and marry his trophy wife. He had been attracted to gorgeous model Ava Fontaine (Moynahan) since they grew up in the same neighborhood. She falls in love and marries Yuri, though she knows he is not entirely honest about his occupation.
Throughout the movie Yuri is tracked and hunted by Interpol Agent Jack Valentine (Hawke). It seems that Jack's mission in life is to put Yuri out of business.
The movie is well-crafted and acted. The nature of the subject matter makes this a VERY violent film. The idea of making the "hero" of the movie someone involved in such a reprehensible business is an interesting choice. The character is very charismatic, but seeing the results of what his business does and his calculated external indifference can be unsettling. The film is both thought-provoking and disturbing.
5* (out of 10) I'm glad I saw it, but I can't highly recommend it. Nor would I want to watch it a second time. It just leaves me feeling a little ambivalent.
I felt the immediate need to watch something "fun" at the conclusion of this movie.
Date watched: 4/22/2007
Title: Lord of War Made: 2005
Genre:Thriller Studio: Lion's Gate
Format: DVD Extras:Documentaries, Commentary, Deleted Scenes, LB Enhanced
# of times viewed:First
Tagline: The first and most important rule of gun running is: never get shot with your own merchandise.
Stars:
Nicolas Cgae--Yuri Orlov
Bridget Moynahan--Ava Fontaine (Orlov)
Jared Leto--Vitaly Orlov
Shake Tukhmanyan--Irina Orlov
Ian Holm--Simeon Weisz
Ethan Hawke--Jack Valentine
The movie opens with Yuri Orlov (Cage) talking directly to the audience, "There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every 12 people on the planet. The only question is...how do we arm the other 11?"
Plot: We follow the making of a career in arms dealing. Yuri begins as a small-time punk in Little Odessa selling nickel and dime guns to local mobsters. He quickly moves up the food chain as he discovers that the real money comes from supplying third world countries in their perpetual wars.
As Yuri becomes more successful and gains wealth he uses his money to romance and marry his trophy wife. He had been attracted to gorgeous model Ava Fontaine (Moynahan) since they grew up in the same neighborhood. She falls in love and marries Yuri, though she knows he is not entirely honest about his occupation.
Throughout the movie Yuri is tracked and hunted by Interpol Agent Jack Valentine (Hawke). It seems that Jack's mission in life is to put Yuri out of business.
The movie is well-crafted and acted. The nature of the subject matter makes this a VERY violent film. The idea of making the "hero" of the movie someone involved in such a reprehensible business is an interesting choice. The character is very charismatic, but seeing the results of what his business does and his calculated external indifference can be unsettling. The film is both thought-provoking and disturbing.
5* (out of 10) I'm glad I saw it, but I can't highly recommend it. Nor would I want to watch it a second time. It just leaves me feeling a little ambivalent.
I felt the immediate need to watch something "fun" at the conclusion of this movie.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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I'm here sitting in my office, staring out the window at the beautiful sun and a stunning day. Unfortunately, I'm stuck here, my car's in the local Les Schwab's getting a couple of new tires so I can't even make an excuse to get out in the field today. Curses...foiled again. I hope all of you are having wonderful days and thinking happy film-related thoughts!
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
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WW West Review #99
Here is yet another episode of one of my all-time favorite shows. Jim and Arte find themselves outnumbered and in big trouble as usual...
Date watched: 4/22/2007
Title: The Wild Wild West TV Show Made: 1966-67
Genre: Western/Spy Studio: CBS-Paramount
Format: DVD Extras-This is the complete Series 2--28 episodes
# of times viewed: 5
Season 2 Episode 7 Original Air Date: 10/28/66
The Night of the Poisonous Posey
Stars:
Robert Conrad--James "Jim" West
Ross Martin--Artemus "Arte" Gordon
Guest stars:
Delphi Lawrence--Lucrece Posey
Percy Rodriguez--Brutus
H.M. Wynant--Pinto
Christopher Gary--Snakes Tolliver
George Keymas--Sergei
Eugene Iglesias--Gallito
Mike Masters--Cyril
Hal Lynch--Sam Colburn
Plot: Justice, Nevada has seen a significant unexplained drop in population, going from 1510 residents to 123. Jim and Arte are dispatched to see what's afoot. As soon as they ride into town the sheriff and his men grab them and take them to the gallows to hang. What the heck is going on? It seems that Justice is celebrating "Law and Order" week and they are merely re-enacting famous crimes, it's just a joke son, dontcha' get it?
As part of the celebration Jim and Arte's guns are impounded as are their horses. All part of the celebration. And, by the way, the telegraph office is off limits during "Law and Order" week.
Behind the scenes Justice is being used as a meeting place for a league of International criminals coming together to implement a massive scheme. The group is lead by the attractive but deadly Lucrece Posey (Lawrence).
We get a wonderful deathtrap set for Jim in an ice-house and we see Arte disguise himself as one of the criminals who hadn't arrived yet. This works real well until the real guy shows up.
While our boys are trying to fight the baddies without weapons, Arte observes,"I kinda wish I had my gun with me. It makes a nice security symbol"
Jim, "The trouble with you is you're spoiled. Get going."
The chemistry between the two stars is always a highlight of the show. This one is another fun adventure with an oddball collection of crooks with varying accents and talents.
9* (out of 10) For the series.
9* (out of 10) For this episode. Fast and filled with danger and wise-cracks.
Date watched: 4/22/2007
Title: The Wild Wild West TV Show Made: 1966-67
Genre: Western/Spy Studio: CBS-Paramount
Format: DVD Extras-This is the complete Series 2--28 episodes
# of times viewed: 5
Season 2 Episode 7 Original Air Date: 10/28/66
The Night of the Poisonous Posey
Stars:
Robert Conrad--James "Jim" West
Ross Martin--Artemus "Arte" Gordon
Guest stars:
Delphi Lawrence--Lucrece Posey
Percy Rodriguez--Brutus
H.M. Wynant--Pinto
Christopher Gary--Snakes Tolliver
George Keymas--Sergei
Eugene Iglesias--Gallito
Mike Masters--Cyril
Hal Lynch--Sam Colburn
Plot: Justice, Nevada has seen a significant unexplained drop in population, going from 1510 residents to 123. Jim and Arte are dispatched to see what's afoot. As soon as they ride into town the sheriff and his men grab them and take them to the gallows to hang. What the heck is going on? It seems that Justice is celebrating "Law and Order" week and they are merely re-enacting famous crimes, it's just a joke son, dontcha' get it?
As part of the celebration Jim and Arte's guns are impounded as are their horses. All part of the celebration. And, by the way, the telegraph office is off limits during "Law and Order" week.
Behind the scenes Justice is being used as a meeting place for a league of International criminals coming together to implement a massive scheme. The group is lead by the attractive but deadly Lucrece Posey (Lawrence).
We get a wonderful deathtrap set for Jim in an ice-house and we see Arte disguise himself as one of the criminals who hadn't arrived yet. This works real well until the real guy shows up.
While our boys are trying to fight the baddies without weapons, Arte observes,"I kinda wish I had my gun with me. It makes a nice security symbol"
Jim, "The trouble with you is you're spoiled. Get going."
The chemistry between the two stars is always a highlight of the show. This one is another fun adventure with an oddball collection of crooks with varying accents and talents.
9* (out of 10) For the series.
9* (out of 10) For this episode. Fast and filled with danger and wise-cracks.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
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- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Is it just me, or does the TCM site just feel....sterile? It has become a pleasant place to visit, but no need to stick around long. It's like my Aunt Gladys, love her to death, but after about 15 minutes I'm struggling to find things to talk about. Maybe that's just because so many of you are spending more time here and less over there. Regardless of the cause, this site has quickly developed a much warmer feeling about it. Thanks again to all those involved in the hard work of getting it up and running, as well as maintaining it on a daily basis.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
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Boston Blackie's Rendezvous Review #100
Oh boy. Even though I had been warned about the racial stereotypes in this movie I was still shocked at the extreme poor taste of it all....
Date watched:4/22/2007
Title: Boston Blackie's Rendezvous Made: 1945
Genre: Detective Studio: Columbia
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Chester Morris--Boston Blackie
George E. Stone--The Runt
Richard Lane--Inspector Farraday
Steve Cochran--Jimmy Cook
Frank Sully--Det. Sergeant Matthews
Nina Foch--Sally Brown
Let's start this by saying that up to this point I have really enjoyed the Boston Blackie series, seeing these for the first time. This entry has some issues for me that I can't really overlook. When I watched and reviewed After Midnight With Boston Blackie, I said that there was a scene where Blackie dons black-face as a disguise that was a bit disturbing. I was warned by other site members that there was a much more offensive scene in BB's Rendezvous. Well, here it is and they were right.
The basic plot involves an escaped killer from the mental ward that has a fixation with a dance hall girl, Sally Brown (Foch) The killer, Jimmy Cook (Cochran) is a real smooth character most of the time, until he gets a headache and then you don't want to be around. We know that any crime that occurs in a Boston Blackie flick will be blamed on Blackie (Morris) by Inspector Farraday (Lane) and his flunky, Det. Sergeant Matthews (Sully).
The Inspector takes Blackie to the station and has him examined by a psychiatrist, Mr. Volkman.
Volkman to Blackie, "Now, young man, do you ever have dreams? Unusual dreams of people trying to kill you?"
Blackie, "Now that you mention it, Mr. Volkman, I do have a dream that keeps haunting me."
Vilkman, "Ah, now we are getting places. What do you see in this dream?"
Blackie, "A squirrel. Everywhere I go, the squirrel pops up before me. He keeps asking me questions. Sometimes I think I'll go mad, MAD, MAD!"
"Why"
"Because all he talks about is nuts!"
So we get to see Blackie's flippant attitude in all its glory. Normally, his sarcasm comes off as humorous, it this particular entry where he is contrasted with a psychotic killer, the humor falls flat.
And then we have the black-faced scene. In every entry Blackie and the Runt find a reason to hide behind a disguise. In this one they dress up as maids in black-face and the way they talk, and their body movements are pretty degrading. It bothered me watching it, and I don't bother easy. This was 1945 and doing such flamboyant black-face was well passed its prime. This left a really bad taste in my mouth for what had been developing into a series that I have truly enjoyed.
4* (out of 10) Even if you can disregard the black-face routine this is a below average entry. Blackie spends too much time clowning while dealing with a deadly killer. Unfortunately their little disguise routine also puts a whole new negative spin on the name, Boston Blackie.
Date watched:4/22/2007
Title: Boston Blackie's Rendezvous Made: 1945
Genre: Detective Studio: Columbia
Format: DVD-R Source: TCM
# of times viewed: First
Stars:
Chester Morris--Boston Blackie
George E. Stone--The Runt
Richard Lane--Inspector Farraday
Steve Cochran--Jimmy Cook
Frank Sully--Det. Sergeant Matthews
Nina Foch--Sally Brown
Let's start this by saying that up to this point I have really enjoyed the Boston Blackie series, seeing these for the first time. This entry has some issues for me that I can't really overlook. When I watched and reviewed After Midnight With Boston Blackie, I said that there was a scene where Blackie dons black-face as a disguise that was a bit disturbing. I was warned by other site members that there was a much more offensive scene in BB's Rendezvous. Well, here it is and they were right.
The basic plot involves an escaped killer from the mental ward that has a fixation with a dance hall girl, Sally Brown (Foch) The killer, Jimmy Cook (Cochran) is a real smooth character most of the time, until he gets a headache and then you don't want to be around. We know that any crime that occurs in a Boston Blackie flick will be blamed on Blackie (Morris) by Inspector Farraday (Lane) and his flunky, Det. Sergeant Matthews (Sully).
The Inspector takes Blackie to the station and has him examined by a psychiatrist, Mr. Volkman.
Volkman to Blackie, "Now, young man, do you ever have dreams? Unusual dreams of people trying to kill you?"
Blackie, "Now that you mention it, Mr. Volkman, I do have a dream that keeps haunting me."
Vilkman, "Ah, now we are getting places. What do you see in this dream?"
Blackie, "A squirrel. Everywhere I go, the squirrel pops up before me. He keeps asking me questions. Sometimes I think I'll go mad, MAD, MAD!"
"Why"
"Because all he talks about is nuts!"
So we get to see Blackie's flippant attitude in all its glory. Normally, his sarcasm comes off as humorous, it this particular entry where he is contrasted with a psychotic killer, the humor falls flat.
And then we have the black-faced scene. In every entry Blackie and the Runt find a reason to hide behind a disguise. In this one they dress up as maids in black-face and the way they talk, and their body movements are pretty degrading. It bothered me watching it, and I don't bother easy. This was 1945 and doing such flamboyant black-face was well passed its prime. This left a really bad taste in my mouth for what had been developing into a series that I have truly enjoyed.
4* (out of 10) Even if you can disregard the black-face routine this is a below average entry. Blackie spends too much time clowning while dealing with a deadly killer. Unfortunately their little disguise routine also puts a whole new negative spin on the name, Boston Blackie.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
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jdb1
I went on today for the first time in a while to see what's new in Trivia, and I agree. There's a kind of holding back - understandable, I suppose, under the circumstances. It's as though everyone is waiting for someone else to take the lead, and maybe we shouldn't voice any strong opinions until someone else does, etc. However, given the intent of the TCM board and the strong likes and dislikes of its members, it's likely that things will liven up after a time of retreat and regroup.cinemalover wrote:Is it just me, or does the TCM site just feel....sterile? It has become a pleasant place to visit, but no need to stick around long. It's like my Aunt Gladys, love her to death, but after about 15 minutes I'm struggling to find things to talk about. Maybe that's just because so many of you are spending more time here and less over there. Regardless of the cause, this site has quickly developed a much warmer feeling about it. Thanks again to all those involved in the hard work of getting it up and running, as well as maintaining it on a daily basis.
Last edited by jdb1 on April 25th, 2007, 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
Men at Work Review #101
Here's an interesting little film that was written and directed by Emilio Estevez for he and his brother Charlie Sheen. It's probably 15 years since I originally saw this film and it was a mildly entertaining little diversion.
Date watched: 4/23/2007
Title: Men at Work Made: 1990
Genre:Comedy/Thriller Studio: MGM
Format: DVD Extras:Trailer, Standard and LB (enhanced)
# of times viewed:2
Tagline: Two garbagemen who know when something smells funny.
Stars:
Emilio Estevez (also writer and direstor)--James St. James
Charlie Sheen--Carl Taylor
Keith David--Louis Fedder
Dean Cameron--Pizza Man
John Getz--Maxwell Potterdam III
Plot: Carl and James (real-life brothers Sheen and Estevez) are garbagemen with a lot of attitude and very little ambition. The one dream they do have is to open "Carl and James Surf Shop". That's right, this is definitely the last year they'll be picking up trash. No doubt about it! Of course, they said the same thing last year, and the year before, and the year before... One other hobby that Carl has is spying on his neighbors with a telescope, one attractive young woman in the apartments across from his, in particular. This little hobby will end up getting them into a big mess of trouble.
As garbagemen these guys do a better job playing garbage can-lid frisbee than picking up trash. A couple of local cops enjoy hassling them and referring to them as,"Part of the don't-let-this-happen-to-you crowd." Their boss finally tires of dealing with the complaints so he assigns an "observer" to work their route with them. This is the bosses’ brother-in-law Louis Fedder (David). He's a wild vet that suffers from paranoia and bad attitude. This is a great role for Keith David who really gets to cut loose. The scenes with him and the boys are the film's highlights, especially his speech on touching another man's fries.
The movie is rolling along at a fairly humorous clip and then takes a severe left turn without the warning of a turn signal. This cute little comedy veers into action/thriller territory as the trio gets involved with a plot to illegally dump toxic waste and the efforts that go into covering up the scheme.
Men at Work works well as a buddy comedy with a frat-boy mentality. It is a stretch to appreciate the "action" angle of the story, especially when it crosses over into slapstick for the finale.
How much you enjoy this film will depend on how much you like Sheen and/or Estevez. A lot of their personalities in these parts just seem to be their own, but the chemistry is quite amusing. If you liked Repo Man you'll probably get a kick out of this.
6* (out of 10) Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.
Date watched: 4/23/2007
Title: Men at Work Made: 1990
Genre:Comedy/Thriller Studio: MGM
Format: DVD Extras:Trailer, Standard and LB (enhanced)
# of times viewed:2
Tagline: Two garbagemen who know when something smells funny.
Stars:
Emilio Estevez (also writer and direstor)--James St. James
Charlie Sheen--Carl Taylor
Keith David--Louis Fedder
Dean Cameron--Pizza Man
John Getz--Maxwell Potterdam III
Plot: Carl and James (real-life brothers Sheen and Estevez) are garbagemen with a lot of attitude and very little ambition. The one dream they do have is to open "Carl and James Surf Shop". That's right, this is definitely the last year they'll be picking up trash. No doubt about it! Of course, they said the same thing last year, and the year before, and the year before... One other hobby that Carl has is spying on his neighbors with a telescope, one attractive young woman in the apartments across from his, in particular. This little hobby will end up getting them into a big mess of trouble.
As garbagemen these guys do a better job playing garbage can-lid frisbee than picking up trash. A couple of local cops enjoy hassling them and referring to them as,"Part of the don't-let-this-happen-to-you crowd." Their boss finally tires of dealing with the complaints so he assigns an "observer" to work their route with them. This is the bosses’ brother-in-law Louis Fedder (David). He's a wild vet that suffers from paranoia and bad attitude. This is a great role for Keith David who really gets to cut loose. The scenes with him and the boys are the film's highlights, especially his speech on touching another man's fries.
The movie is rolling along at a fairly humorous clip and then takes a severe left turn without the warning of a turn signal. This cute little comedy veers into action/thriller territory as the trio gets involved with a plot to illegally dump toxic waste and the efforts that go into covering up the scheme.
Men at Work works well as a buddy comedy with a frat-boy mentality. It is a stretch to appreciate the "action" angle of the story, especially when it crosses over into slapstick for the finale.
How much you enjoy this film will depend on how much you like Sheen and/or Estevez. A lot of their personalities in these parts just seem to be their own, but the chemistry is quite amusing. If you liked Repo Man you'll probably get a kick out of this.
6* (out of 10) Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.
Last edited by cinemalover on April 23rd, 2008, 1:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chris
The only bad movie is no movie at all.
The only bad movie is no movie at all.