WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 11th, 2009, 3:20 pm

charliechaplinfan wrote:I'm glad you're catching up on your films Fernando. I love Carmen Jones.

Thanks Alison... I'm glad too!

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 11th, 2009, 5:35 pm

I saw the very interesting Albert Lewin independently produced film "The Moon and Sixpence" (1942) which is based upon W. Somerset Maugham's novel, which at its turn is loosely based on Paul Gauguin's life. George Sanders is just perfect as the caddish and selfish painter Charles Strickland and seems to have been a favoriteof director Lewin since he was later featured in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1945) and "The Private Affairs of Bel Ami" (1947). Herbert Marshall plays the narrator of the story (Maugham's alter ego). Surprisingly adult movie and not a crowd-pleaser at all. I saw the film in the only version available on DVD, issued by VCI. It includes the original theatrical release with sections of the film tinted in red and one scene in color, but sadly it's quite a poor print, lacking contrast, faded, etc. Florence Bates plays such a different role -in Tahiti, wearing a kind of sarong, with long black hair and all- outside her métier, that I wouldn't have recognized her if I hadn't know it was her. She's wonderful by the way. Not the typical Hollywood film. Ridiculous post-script epilogue.

Very interesting.

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 13th, 2009, 10:53 am

Thanks to Christine I saw "Devil's Doorway" (1950), an excellent Western-Drama starring Robert Taylor in one his best roles ever, as a Native American who fought heroically for the North during the Civil War -he even was awarded with the Medal of Honor by the Congress- and returns back to his land in Wyoming, only to face hatred, contempt, disdain and unjust laws. This film is brilliant, very realistic and quite touching. Louis Calhern plays one of the most despicable characters ever portrayed on the screen, a disgusting, manipulative, selfish lawyer. I hated him intensely all through the film. Edgar Buchanan plays a man who's befriended Taylor since he was a boy, but who's helpless in front of the law and other men's ambitions. Paula Raymond plays Taylor's lawyer and she's very fine. Dear Spring Byington plays her mum. I loved this film.

A must-see.

MikeBSG · Post by **MikeBSG** » January 13th, 2009, 11:25 am

I saw two films yesterday. The first was William Wellman's "The Story of G. I. Joe." I had always heard that this was the greatest WWII movie of them all. I guess it was oversold to me.

It was interesting that the film focused on two of the darkest battles for the Army, Kasserine Pass and Cassino, but the film's episodic format drove me crazy. It seemed as if the film had no rhythm. I liked Mitchum as the officer, but I could not connect with Burgess Meredith as Ernie Pyle. To me, "Battleground" held together far better.

The other film that I saw was "Why Worry?" the Harold Lloyd comedy in which he survives a South American revolution with the help of a giant. This was very, very funny. I watched with my daughter (16) and son (13), and they laughed more than I did.

To me it seemed as if Lloyd let most of the humor in the film come from the giant's actions, which seemed a very generous thing to do. This isn't up there with "The Freshman" or "The Kid Brother," but it is extremely enjoyable.

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 13th, 2009, 3:56 pm

I saw "Portrait of Jennie" (1948) for the Nth time! I have to watch this masterpiece of surrealistic, no-holds barred love, at least once a year. My top one film.

MikeBSG · Post by **MikeBSG** » January 13th, 2009, 4:59 pm

This afternoon I watched Henry King's "Tol'able David." Wow, what a movie.

It started slow, and I was thinking that I liked Harold Lloyd's "The Kid Brother" better, but when the bad guys crippled David's brother, "Tol'able David" kicked into high gear. this is better than "Way down East" or practically every other D. W. Griffith film I've seen other than "Broken Blossoms." The fighting was really intense, and the cross cutting, between the fight, the girl running for help, and the people waiting in town for the mail was extremely sophisticated for 1921, I thought.

charliechaplinfan · January 14th, 2009, 2:17 pm

Tol'Able David is a very good film, I remember being on the edge of my seat all the way through.

MikeBSG · Post by **MikeBSG** » January 15th, 2009, 9:09 am

Last night, I watched "Alice Adams" with my daughter. (She had recently read the novel.)

It is a good movie. Katharine Hepburn is wonderful. I love how she, and the movie, show us that Alice has a good heart despite all the annoying things she does. What interests me is how humiliation and embarrassment are so central to the film. We don't especially like Alice most of the time, yet we feel her hurt at the dance and at the dinner.

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 15th, 2009, 12:21 pm

Alice Adams is such a wonderful film. It's one of my favorite Katharine Hepburn films. In my opinion a small masterpiece.

Yesterday I watched a totally disappointing MGM comedy: "The Feminine Touch" (1941), starring Rosalind Russell, Don Ameche, Kay Francis and Van Heflin. I found it totally flawed, terribly unfunny, badly scripted and directed. Such a waste of talent. I feel that specially Miss Russell was miscast. A pity because I had high expectations.

Post by **moira finnie** » January 15th, 2009, 1:18 pm

Yesterday I watched a totally disappointing MGM comedy: "The Feminine Touch" (1941), starring Rosalind Russell, Don Ameche, Kay Francis and Van Heflin. I found it totally flawed, terribly unfunny, badly scripted and directed. Such a waste of talent. I feel that specially Miss Russell was miscast. A pity because I had high expectations.

And that goatee that Van Heflin sported in this movie did nothing for him!

melwalton · Post by **melwalton** » January 15th, 2009, 7:33 pm

We watched CHARADE, (Hitchcock, I think ) Audrey Hepburn's character was confused throughout the film, and so was I. .... mel

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 15th, 2009, 8:46 pm

I watched the 1959 version of "Journey to the Center of the Earth", a highly entertaining film, which I doubt has been improved by the recent Hollywood version. The special effects and sets are quite good. I had lots of fun watching it! The restored print is beautiful and Ms. Dahl looks specially stunning in it.

charliechaplinfan · January 16th, 2009, 3:02 pm

Moira, I love your avatar

feaito · Post by **feaito** » January 16th, 2009, 6:12 pm

Thanks to my friend Christine I've yet seen another great film, the truly wonderful piece of Americana "Stars in my Crown" (1950). What a masterpiece! I thought I was going to watch a Western, but it trascends the genre. It's one of the most human, touching films I've seen lately, with Joel McCrea at his very best. Full of beautiful vignettes in the lives of the parson portrayed by McCrea, his adopted son, briliantly portrayed by Dean Stockwell and all the townspeople. I feel that it predates "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) in its own way. I must admit that twice while watching the film I was literally moved to tears.

A must-see.

mrsl · Post by **mrsl** » January 16th, 2009, 6:59 pm

I'm leary when a lot of people rave about a film because I've been fooled a couple of times. e.g. when I read all the raves about Citizen Kane, I expected to be carried away to some wonderful place my imagination would bring me. Well, suffice to say, I was wrong in my expectations. So when I saw everyone saying how great Stars in My Crown was, I hesitated. In this case though, everyone was so right. It was a Wonderful Movie. Can you possible imagine anybody not liking it? It just glows. I'm so glad you've gotten to see it. It would really make your day.

Anne

The Silver Screen Oasis

The Silver Screen Oasis

WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

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