WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[JackFavell]

Oh lookie at him! He's adorable! He seems like such a sweet guy.

[Fossy]

The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)

A story of three returned servicemen who returned to their home town and the difficulties they encountered.

Al Stephenson (Fredric March) a former marine sergeant, a banker who was welcomed back by his employer and made his vice president of his bank in charge of small loans. He was reprimanded for giving a loan to an ex serviceman who had no collateral.

Milly Stephenson (Myrna Loy) his devoted wife.

Peggy Stephenson (Teresa Wright), their daughter, who fell in love with former Air Force Captain Fred Derry.

Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) former Air Force Captain, married to Marie, but falls in love with Peggy.

Marie Derry (Virginia Mayo), Fred`s sluttish wife, who, after spending Fred`s money, and being caught with a lover, gave Fred the flick.

Homer Parrish (Harold Russell) as the sailor who had lost his hands when his ship was sunk.

Wilma Cameron (Cathy O`Donnell) as Homer`s sweetheart.

Eventually Al solved his problems at the bank, Homer married his sweetheart Wilma, and Fred and Peggy declared their love for one another.

The movie ran for almost three hours, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. What a great movie.
.

[RedRiver]

Outstanding!

[RedRiver]

You know what? There's a video at the library called THE PURPLE PLAIN. I haven't seen it, but it interests me. Gregory Peck. WW2. Anybody know this one?

[movieman1957]

I watched it a year or two ago and didn't much care for it. The story line sounds real interesting but I found parts of it to be dull. (Likely was an off night. I got it from Netflix.)

[movieman1957]

I watched "The Tall Target." I agree with most everything others said about it. It's enjoyable if not completely true. It's a smart undercover story going on that may be more imagination but I like the way it plays more like a murder mystery. Lots of suspects and intrigue.

Having learned of Powell as a song and dance man when I discovered him doing Phillip Marlowe and some other "hard" characters it was quite a surprise. He's not dark or anything like that but he is determined and has a toughness about him that makes his character a good role for him.

Not a lot of Mann-isms but an entertaining film. It's only about 80 minutes so it's a good short ride.

[MikeBSG]

I really liked "The Purple Plain," starring Gregory Peck and directed by Ronald Neame.

Peck is in Burma, trying to get over the death of his wife in the Blitz. Peck's plane crashes, and he has to get his fellow survivors back to British lines. It is a fascinating war movie in that the "enemy" as such is less the guys on the other side than the unforgiving terrain and the attitudes of the men themselves. The plane crash scene is extremely intense for the Fifties.

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched I Remember Mama I thought Irene Dunne was lovely as Mama, I simply couldn't imagine anyone else playing her, I initially thought her accent was a little off but I only had Garbo really to compare her to and she's Swedish, so maybe I was wrong, it quickly faded as I got into her character. Barbara Bel Geddes was lovely too, so girlish here and softly spoken. I thought it was a little overlong but I guess I can put up with that and just go along with the feeling of home and fireside.

[RedRiver]

THE TALL TARGET sounds like a light, entertaining film, not meant for greatness. I like that. I REMEMBER MAMA is, as was said, warm and sincere; about home and family. It plays well.

[Fossy]

I Remember Mama (1948)

Irene was nearing the end of her career when she made this movie. Her performance earned a best actress Oscar nomination ( her fifth ) . One wonders why she did not receive an honorary Oscar for her work in around 43 movies ( I have 33), perhaps she trod on a few toes behind the scenes.

[feaito]

I will have to write short posts, because I won't be able to use my left hand (today I used a sharp knife for opening some courier correspondence at work and I accidentally cut quite seriously my left thumb- result: left hand inmovilized, 4 days off work on medical leave and an antitetanic vaccine )...

Today I watched a TCM documentary titled "Irving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood" (2005) Just fine...Well, I've read at least three books on Thalberg, two Shearer Bios and two Mayer bios, so there wasn't much new for me; besides, too much footage and interviews were taken from the documentary MGM When The Lion Roars. Frankly, after having had the chance of watching Brownlow's masterpiece "Hollywood", there's hardly anything on that level...

On Sunday I saw a MAGNIFICENT film, which confirms the caliber of the talents and skills of Powell & Pressburger: "The 49th Parallel" (1941), a superbly absorbing War drama about the whereabouts of a group of Nazis travelling through Canada, who are stranded after their submarine is destroyed. Utterly realistic and well acted all around. One of the best films I've seen in my life. I wish I could elaborate more, but I'm already tired SUPERB!!!!

[JackFavell]

Fer, I'm glad you are alright! You take care - I hope you recuperate quickly and easily.

If you feel like it tomorrow, maybe you can write about which sections you liked best.... but not if it's too much trouble one-handed.

[charliechaplinfan]

Dear Fernando, it might be a blessing in disguise, giving your body more time to recover from your surgery, a pity you had to badly cut your hand to do it though.

I think Irene Dunne made it look too easy, like so many who never got honoured.

I watched Jigoku today a 1960 Japanese film about a student who has a malovolent friend who causes a car accident after which events take shape to make most people in the film die one after the other, the second part of the movie is spent in hell. The film is especially beautiful, even in it's depiction in hell, it's subject matter unusual.

[feaito]

Dear Fernando, it might be a blessing in disguise, giving your body more time to recover from your surgery, a pity you had to badly cut your hand to do it though.

I think you nailed it dear Ali...God works in mysterious ways...indeed...

If you feel like it tomorrow, maybe you can write about which sections you liked best.... but not if it's too much trouble one-handed.

Dear Wendy, it's quite difficult to write one-handed, but I can tell you that although I liked the whole film, the sequence in the Religious community lead by Anton Walbrook, struck a special chord in me; its ethereal, expressionistic quality reminded me of German Expressionism...the Nazi who re-discovered his love for his old job -baker- and who falls in love with naïve Glynis Johns (a role that in which Elisabeth Bergner was originally cast). The first sequence with French-Canadian Larry Olivier and the Eskimos is also notable; Leslie Howard as the idealistic writer is also superb! What a well rounded film!!

[JackFavell]

I love the Anton Walbrook part best. My second favorite is the Leslie Howard one... Please, dear Fernando, take care of that hand and rest up!