WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[MikeBSG]

I watched "The Wicked Lady" (1945) a couple of days ago.

I really enjoyed it. Yes, some of the action scenes were rather inept, BUT from the moment Margaret Lockwood walked onto the screen this film had an atmosphere of danger and wickedness to it. She was wonderful, and when James Mason showed up as the highwayman, the movie got even better.

I've never seen anyone compare these two movies, but "Wicked Lady" made me think of "Kind Hearts and Coronets." In both, we have an attractive main character who behaves abominably but keeps the audience with them.

I was rather surprised at how risque the film was. It seemed like nearly every one of Mason's lines was a double entendre of some kind. (Maybe it was just his delivery, but still...) I'm guessing this is why "Wicked Lady" was a film I had only heard about for years but never had a chance to see. Perhaps it was too "wicked" for American TV to show until recently, and then it was too "old." (Wickedness in black-and-white is clearly less interesting than wickedness in color after all.)

[MikeBSG]

I also watched "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" (1955) directed by Otto Preminger.

Have to hand it to Preminger. He took a film about guys standing around and arguing about defense spending and made it compelling.

The cast was terrific. Here we have Gary Cooper as a Mr. Deeds who falls apart in the big moment. Rod Steiger is only around for the last 15 minutes of the film but makes a huge impact. Ralph Bellamy has never been one of my favorite actors, but I can't remember him ever giving a bad performance. And then the minor players seemed like the line up for classic TV yet to come: Jack Lord, Elizabeth Montgomery, Peter Arness and Darren McGavin.

The movie achieved a curious feat. Watching what is on screen, we can see why Mitchell lost. But knowing what we know about WWII and the era 1945-55, we know that Mitchell was ultimately vindicated. I was impressed that Preminger avoided title cards at the end saying "Hap Arnold (a pro-Mitchell witness) became commander of the USAAF in World War II" etc. Still, I wonder how college students today (let alone high school students) would respond to the movie. Would they "get" it?

[RedRiver]

I gather Woody is an admirer of the Tennessee Williams play. He's referenced it before. (Diane Keaton does the best Brando I've ever seen!) New York Woody shooting in other cities. Not to mention Europe. Everything changes.

Have to hand it to Preminger. He took a film about guys standing around and arguing about defense spending and made it compelling

Yes he did. Preminger made thoughtful movies. He challenged us to work a little; not just lean back for the ride. "Billy Mitchell" is not a great film. Not the director's best. But it's thorough and insightful. I like it.

[Rita Hayworth]

Mike, I'd been curious about The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell and now I want to see it. It occurs to me that I've seen more than a dozen of Preminger's films between Laura (1945) and Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and, in varying degrees, liked all of them.

The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell - Starring Gary Cooper is an excellent film and I strongly recommend this movie to anyone who is a war/history buff and all the actors/actresses did outstanding job in this film. Kingrat - you won't be disappointed.

[CineMaven]

Last night I saw most of Vertigo yet again. The restoration looked great, with vivid colors and careful attention to the colors of the costumes in various shots. Whereas some film scores overpower the scenes, Bernard Herrmann is careful to suggest rather than to state in Vertigo. A very satisfying use of music. Incidentally, I think the script's telling us that Judy is from Salina, Kansas probably came from the time when Vera Miles was going to play the part. She had been Miss Kansas in the Miss America pageant.

[MikeBSG]

I just watched "Hombre" (1967) directed by Martin Ritt.

It actually annoyed me a bit. I'm not sure why. Maybe I found the pace rather pokey. Maybe the basic situation was a bit too much like "Stagecoach" and "The Tall T," two Westerns I like a lot better. But I found Newman's character infuriating. Richard Boone (usually one of my favorite Western bad guys in Tall T, Big Jake and The Shootist) seemed unimpressive here.

I guess it bugged me how Newman's character was right about everything all the time. Yes, he died, but he died because the kid screwed up (basically it wasn't Newman's fault.)

[RedRiver]

Maybe I found the pace rather pokey

Yes. I can't argue with that. I like the film. Like it BECAUSE of, rather than in spite of the characters. But it's not exactly a study in pacing!

[MikeBSG]

Today I watched "Daisy Kenyon" (1947) directed by Otto Preminger.

This was a very surprising film. I found it hard to believe it was a Hollywood movie from the height of the Code era. Our heroine was having an affair with a married man, the "good" wife slapped her little girl around, and the movie was all about divorce, with our sympathy directed toward the straying husband. Also there was a war veteran who was clearly (well, sort of clearly) having to deal with PTSD.

Yet I'd have to say that I found "Daisy Kenyon" more interesting than enjoyable. Dana Andrews was great. Maybe this was his best performance ever as the pushy lawyer. Basically, I felt bad that he lost out to Henry Fonda, even though I knew that nobody was going to take a woman away from Henry Fonda.

I guess my problem was with Crawford. When the movie was over, I thought that if it had been Barbara Stanwyck caught between Andrews and Fonda, this would have been one of my favorite films. While I like Crawford in "Possessed" and "Humoresque," she didn't really ignite for me here.

[MikeBSG]

Have to agree that Diane Cilento was the best part of "Hombre."

And the partial title at the multiplex is very funny.

[RedRiver]

I'm OK with DAISY KENYON too. It's interesting that Preminger is not one of my favorite filmmakers. Yet I keep defending him! Again, he invites us to think. As long as we're on the subject, I may as well mention (for the 107th time) ADVISE AND CONSENT is spellbinding. One of the best pot-boilers I've seen!

[RedRiver]

I forgot to mention I watched a little of LOVE, ACTUALLY this weekend. I had seen it before, but I'm again reminded how pure and rich this multi-leveled story is. It concerns about half a dozen relationships, mostly the romantic kind, but not exclusively. There's a pair of siblings. A couple of old friends. A widower and his step-son. Not his own kid, the son of his late wife. This movie is about love. All kinds of love.

Yes, it's romantic. So shoot me! If someone is so dark and cynical he's forgotten how to smile, let him watch something by Scorcese! The story is complex, heartfelt, funny and appealing. The cast is phenomenal. I've forgotten the name of the director. He's done some good work, some not so good. This one goes in the "Win Column"! It may not be the blockbuster of the decade. But I think it will enjoy a loyal following for a long time.

[ChiO]

I've forgotten the name of the director. He's done some good work, some not so good.

LOVE, ACTUALLY was the first of the three movies Richard Curtis has directed. He wrote the screenplays for all three. He has also written the screenplays for several popular movies and TV episodes directed by others, including FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, NOTTING HILL, BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY and WAR HORSE.

[knitwit45]

LOVE, ACTUALLY is one of the few movies I have seen that I loved so much, I bought the DVD the day it came out, at the highest price it would have.
Another one is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and also Notting Hill. Love all 3 of them!