WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

silentscreen · Post by **silentscreen** » April 21st, 2008, 12:32 pm

Thanks to a friend, I was able to see Under Two Flags, with an all star cast including Ronald Colman, Rosalind Russell,Claudette Colbert and Victor McLaglen. Although there are some action sequences, this is basically a junior Beau Geste self sacrificing love story. Colman's self deprecating, ironic humor works well for him here, as does his chemistry with his two leading ladies, especially Claudette Colbert, who plays the feisty lady of the camp, Cigarette. (Can't figure out why he didn't prefer her to Lady Venetia. She seems like more fun!) Frank Lloyd directs without much interest, and the first half of the movie is entirely about establishing the characters and their relation to each other and I think could have moved along more quickly. Good way to spend an hour and a half though.

From the novel by Ouida, which happens to be my Mother's name, and featuring Kung Fu's Dad, John Carradine in a minor role.

Ann Harding · Post by **Ann Harding** » April 21st, 2008, 12:41 pm

The version you saw of Under 2 Flags is lacking 14 minutes, alas... The newly restored version by the UCLA film & TV Archive has never been broadcast so far. This is not really an 'actioner', but a good part of the missing reel is action, plus John Carradine (he is nowhere to be seen in the remaining footage).

silentscreen · Post by **silentscreen** » April 21st, 2008, 12:53 pm

I thought I must have just missed John C. somehow, but his footage is missing in this one, Ah-ha! He's an interesting actor, has a unique face. My step father really enjoyed the movie as well and commented that it was a "good movie" when the end credits rolled.

charliechaplinfan · Post by **charliechaplinfan** » April 21st, 2008, 1:27 pm

It is very remiscient of Beau Geste isn't it

. I was surprised how much I liked it. Ronald Colman and Claudette Colbert gave great performances. Like you I couldn't understand his liking Lady Venetia more than Cigarette.

Ann Harding · Post by **Ann Harding** » April 22nd, 2008, 2:50 am

Yesterday, I watched also a picture with Claudette Colbert: The Gilded Lily (1935) where she co-stars Fred MacMurray and Ray Milland. This is romantic comedy, but not a screwball one. It moves along nicely and I really enjoyed MacMurray quick fire delivery and wry humor. He is very much underrated nowadays, I wonder why?....Colbert was just superb as usual, demonstrating her huge skills as a comedian.

The best scene in the film is when she performs a really bad act at dancing and singing to show her complete incompetence in both.

The film would have perhaps needed another screenwriter to give it some extra spark, but, overall, this is a very nice comedy.

feaito · Post by **feaito** » April 22nd, 2008, 6:18 am

Ann Harding wrote:Yesterday, I watched also a picture with Claudette Colbert: The Gilded Lily (1935) where she co-stars Fred MacMurray and Ray Milland. This is romantic comedy, but not a screwball one. It moves along nicely and I really enjoyed MacMurray quick fire delivery and wry humor. He is very much underrated nowadays, I wonder why?....Colbert was just superb as usual, demonstrating her huge skills as a comedian. The best scene in the film is when she performs a really bad act at dancing and singing to show her complete incompetence in both. The film would have perhaps needed another screenwriter to give it some extra spark, but, overall, this is a very nice comedy.

A very nice comedy indeed. I'm also a Colbert fan and I also agree with you concerning MacMurray. Each time I see him in a film I think he has been vastly and unfairly underrated.

Bogie · Post by **Bogie** » April 22nd, 2008, 1:04 pm

I saw a couple movies last night. The first was the Phil Harris B movie comedy I love a bandleader. I thought it was ok. The movie wasn't particularly funny and the songs were a bit grating to me. I did like the one song that the female group sang that goes something "woo eee!". Sorry that's the only part of the song I remember. There's even a section of the movie where Harris sings or more fittingly warbles through. Some song about playing cards by his rules or some crap. It sounded like an early variation on some country music that would come out a decade later.

The real bright light of the movie was Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. Every movie i've seen him in he's been entertaining in one fashion or another. It seemed to me that he was one of the very few (maybe Paul Robeson is the other) of his generation to actually get parts in movies that weren't totally demeaning. I guess Jack Benny had a lot of pull. Was he and Anderson close? You know, kinda like the Sinatra/Sammy Davis relationship?

The other movie I saw (finally) was Saps at Sea! I always like "discovering" Laurel and Hardy movies and this was no exception. While it wasn't the strongest material from "the boys" it was still charming. Three gags really stuck out to me.

1. The banana peel gag! Poor Stan couldn't even get to eat a banana. All he kept getting was banana peel.

2. The hornomania of Ollie. That was some funny stuff. I loved how he kept getting aggressive and violent as soon as horns of any kind were going off. I think they could've utilized that gag a little bit more then they did in the movie.

3. The food gag whereby the boys had to eat the fake food they made for the killer Nick. I just loved their reactions as they're chewing and swallowing the food. That's just classic stuff!

cinemalover · Post by **cinemalover** » April 22nd, 2008, 1:17 pm

Bogie,
I'm glad you were able to catch another Laurel and Hardy film. It may not be their very best, but it's pretty good. They just had a wonderful chemistry and the two characters that they created complimented each other so well.

Post by **movieman1957** » April 22nd, 2008, 2:12 pm

Bogie:

So glad you got to see "Saps At Sea." It's fun, not great, but fun. Often that is enough. Now, if they could just some more of their short films.

knitwit45 · Post by **knitwit45** » April 23rd, 2008, 8:58 am

Chris & Chris,
I tried to watch "Saps at Sea", but I couldn't get past the scenes in their apt. I finally thought, "why am I giving up my time to watch this? It's just silly. Not funny, Silly." I guess I just flat don't get it. Or them. The only one of their movies I have ever laughed at was the one where Stan's thumb acts like a lighter. And the rest of that movie was silly, too. Ok, you can get the rope out now, I've confessed and been found guilty...but I just don't get it or them....

The heretic
Nancy

Post by **movieman1957** » April 23rd, 2008, 10:12 am

No problem. L&H are not everybody's cup of tea. (W C Fields is not mine.) No harm done and we still love you.

If you have any desire to try another one you might try "Sons of The Desert" which was part of the Essentials this spring.

Remember, you're not a heretic you're a fine chocolate dessert.

knitwit45 · Post by **knitwit45** » April 23rd, 2008, 10:16 am

peacemaker for sure!!!!

The only problem with fine chocolate desserts, is that I'm sitting on quite a few!!!!

Post by **movieman1957** » April 23rd, 2008, 10:48 am

I hope you are comfortable.

knitwit45 · Post by **knitwit45** » April 23rd, 2008, 10:51 am

with all this padding? Are you kidding? That's the whole problem, I get toooo comfortable....sigh

charliechaplinfan · Post by **charliechaplinfan** » April 23rd, 2008, 2:01 pm

I think all us women are guilty of that, I couldn't stay out of that 24 hour restuarant last week, chocolate anything calls out to me at all times of day and night.

I just wanted to chip in to say that Sons Of The Desert is my favorite Laurel and Hardy feature. The Music Box is another I'm mighty keen on.

The Silver Screen Oasis

The Silver Screen Oasis

WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?