Reviews

Predictable and drab - except for the young actress

this is a horror-less horror story based on the real life horror of a wwii japanese medical lab that used foreign subjects for cruel experiments - a la nazi medical experimentation - you've seen the plot before - so the resolution will come as no surprise

what makes this special and worth watching is the lead actress playing a chinese woman - she's korean actress Kim Yoo Jeong - Yoo Jeong started out as a child actress and has grown into a beauty - she has a genuine talent for acting - and a strong screen presence - plus here she is given a chance to demonstrate her english speaking skills.

A dreary plot made worse by the acting of George Raft - he not only gives a one note performance - he speaks entirely on one pitch - but even worse that that - are his boxing skills

it's difficult to believe that he was a prize fighter when he was young - it is easy to believe he was bad at it - and quit after a short career - his record hasn't been published anywhere - probably out of shame

while this movie was filmed in england - there are almost no familiar names and faces among the british cast - which is worrisome - next time - don't let the talented ones read the script first

i'm unfamiliar with Sally Gray - she was quite beautiful - she was in her late 30s in this film but looked younger - which made the 14 year age gap between her and Raft seem wider

i can't think of a single compelling reason to watch this - i wish someone had warned me like this.

For those who like cleverness in their plots & dialog - and like characterizations in their - ah - characters - and know that witticisms in Peck's dialog can liven up the proceedings

there's a bit of moralizing - with a spoonful of anti-business sentiment in the form of Broderick Crawford's blustery tycoon who gets wised up - and turns magnanimous - in the most unconvincing moment of the movie - otherwise his role is nicely written and acted more subtlety than Crawford is known for

swedish actress Anita Björk was given a chance at global stardom - but the movie failed - and she focused the rest of her career in sweden - Buddy Ebsen has the role as Peck's junior & buddy - and seems out of place - it looks like he was intended as comic relief - but Peck got all the good lines

the wide cinemascope was generously used by director Nunnally Johnson - and the crisp visuals of Berlin greatly contribute to the movie's experience.

Altho i watched many PERRY MASON episodes when i was younger - i don't recall seeing this one - so when i saw it available on my Freevee app - and that it was the debut episode of the entire series - i decided i needed to see it - and i'm glad i did

i recall being surprised during my viewings of the series - to see how Perry Mason would be so actively involved behind the scenes - visiting the scene of the crime - manipulating the people involved - to me - it seemed unrealistic - like the more recent tv series of forensics technicians or medical examiners in later tv series - where they would interact with the people involved in ways that i thought only a police investigator should

but this episode was based on a novel written by a lawyer - Earle Stanley Garner himself - if i assume it is faithful to the novel - i'll just have to accept the appropriateness of that behavior in Perry

this plot pivots on a clever trick he pulls - involving the 2 revolvers - i won't give it away - but i had difficulty anticipating the final result of that trick - and was immensely impressed

like most of the PERRY MASON episodes i've seen - this script has a simplicity and clarity - to match the visual clarity of its direction and cinematography - in the same way that the black & white photography suits the theme and style of the show.

"Sweet & Sour" is a movie with 3 segments - first comes the budding romance of the first part between a nurse and a fat guy - second comes analmost ho-hum romantic triangle - and finally - in the last several minutes - comes the turn-about resolution - it's a bit of a cheat but i didn't find it annoying - tho others might

the best part of the movie are the bright & striking visuals - by director Lee Kae-Byeok - aided by a cinematographer whose name wasn't translated in the credits

big contributions are also made by the actors - with San Francisco-born Krystal Jung (aka Jung Soo Jung) at her prettiest - and she needs every ounce of that to compete with the adorable Chae Soo Bin as the nurse - the other vertex is played by Jang Ki Yong with the intense eyes - and let me add Lee Woo Je as the fat jaundice patient who is often overlooked in reviews of the movie

there is a little spoken english - just words or phrases - but it's nice to hear Krystal's pure american pronunciation - which is pretty rare in korean movies and tv - despite the pool of anglophone actors available in korea

the screenplay is based on a story by japanese writer Inui Kurumi - since i haven't read the source story - i don't know if the charm that can be found in this film is due to him - or to someone in the korean production.

Good acting and nice twists to a conventional war story - plus the incredible scenery and bright sunlight of Hawaii substituting for distant Pacific islands - nicely packaged by journeyman director Stuart Heisler - altho the special effects towards the movie's end are pretty horrible - - overall - a better than average film

too bad they didn't cast french actors for the father & daughter roles - altho Franz and Murphy do well enuf - without trying to tack on a french accent - there's a moment that i thought weird tho - when the Sgt tells the girl the time of the rendezvous - he first says "oh six hundred" - than adds "six a-m" supposedly to clarify it to the french girl - in fact France had been using the 24 hour clock for about 3 decades by then

there's usually some romance in war films - perhaps to bring in the female audience - altho i would think seeing their favorite hunk would satisfy hormonal young women - but this romance was integrated in a slightly unusual fashion - and well played by a young always-well-coiffed Tony Curtis - before his acting talent was acknowledged

towards the end - you might question the logic of the mission like i did - i think the plot should have been tweaked a bit - but it isn't that important - most of you will probably not know what i'm talking about.

Dan Duryea proves once again that he was Audie's best co-star - even tho this one has striking Susan Cabot - B-movie queen with a tragic ending to her own life's story - as the love interest - - fiery Abbe Lane shows herself to good advantage in a small supporting role - and here's is a good chance to see the future Professor on Gilliigan's Island Russell Johnson before he turned smart - as well as western veterans Jack Elam and Paul Birch as their familiar selves - - in the end - it's all as familiar and predictable as the sun-drenched landscape - with nice visuals - and plenty of action - - just worth the price of admission.

(this review is based on the Kino Video dvd of the 1929 silent film - not the reissued version with a narration by Jr)

this is an typically exuberant Douglas Fairbanks silent - silent except for a couple oratory excerpts by him - the first at the beginning - the second at the transition to part 2 of the story - this movie marks Fairbanks own transition to sound - but he would make only a handful before retiring - shortly before succumbing to a heart attack

this movie is visually lavish - and masterfully directed by the now undeservedly little-known Allan Dwan - who flits effortlessly between the court scheming - the massive sword fighting - and the bit of romance - and comedy

10 years later - the 1939 "The Man in the Iron Mask" used at least one scene from this 1929 film - the crowd scene at the beginning where the King shows his son to the crowd - and used the same actor Nigel De Brulier to play Cardinal Richelieu - this time with his voice

little needs to be said of the storyline - liberties were taken - but the spirit of the story remains - Fairbanks' stunts were swift and graceful - despite being in his mid-40s - that physical vigor and the makeup and lighting made the 20 year age difference between him and his Constance - played by Marguerite De La Motte - seem less

like many of Fairbanks Sr silent films - they can make a good introduction to silent films for those who are uncertain about the experience.

Highly conventional storytelling - with nice visuals - and capable acting - - strangely enuf - the story of the real man who didn't cross Travis's line to stay to fight - Moses Rose - isn't touched upon - this bears no resemblance to his story.

Like many korean movies - this is flush with good actors and great visuals - but the story is twisted - at least there is a certain amount of sanity from the wealthy family - strangely enuf - while the desperately poor family at the heart of the film - are so depraved that i thought they deserved their station in life

the first half of the film showed this miserable family displaying such skill and intelligence and adaptability - that it didn't seem possible they were the same people seen at the start of the film

i quickly got bored waiting for the axe to fall - and their plans to go awry - but it took many dreary minutes for it to happen

the second half was action filled - and tense - and chalk full of unexpected moments - if the story had moved more quickly to this part - i wouldn't be so down on the film

but it didn't - it's 2 hrs 12 minutes - much of it in the accompaniment of unpleasant people - who don't all get what they deserved.

Flaccid waste of Anges Moorhead's talent - and make no mistake - she was the star of the show in terms of screen time - and as the dramatic center of the script - Vincent Price provided the name in the marquee - and his strong presence in a smaller role

Agnes carried a gun in the beginning and bragged of her competence with it - however - it disappeared as the movie went on - and masculine prowess dominated - at least there were moments of mental acuity by the lady - like a incipient Jessica Fletcher (of Murder, She Wrote) - but - alas - not at the finale

she might be excused for that lapse - the plot doesn't hold together very well if you analyze it backwards from the ending - no one with a logical mind would have solved it

nice production values for a B film - nice looking B&W images - competent direction - - like the acting - the visuals were better than the script.

More compelling than expected of a movie about tailors to be - this is largely due to the fast paced script - and the acting contributes too - as well as the striking visuals as expected from a Korean movie

the sole demerit is the perhaps unintended and laughable takeaway of this story - clothes make the difference.

A commendable translation to the small screen of the novel - i am assured that it is a more faithful adaption than other tv series or movies - and i believe it - while i never read the novel - i had it at hand to check that the scenes were in order - they were - and much of the novel's dialog was inserted into the script

as an american indian - i was not bothered by the use of white actors in the indian roles - it was common in american tv shows too at the time - i doubt many american indians were strolling around Britain available for casting - and the pitiful budget for this production couldn't afford to import and provide for the real thing

originally the BBC series extended over 6 hours - in 8 episodes - which is more time than movies can afford - which allowed it to contain more of the novel - tho even then - it was condensed - but that's to the audience's advantage - only the really pertinent scenes remain

while much of the series is shot on small sets - and they were forced to use 10s of extras - they had one nice advantage - they were able to utilize the wild landscapes of Scotland - which stand in pretty well for the forests of the american east coast - and the dutiful costuming and makeup comes across even better than many american productions - which had a stereotypical look for indians

as could/should be expected from the BBC tv shows - they cast some lesser known yet highly skilled actors - for me - Kenneth Ives as the rangy & confident Hawkeye - and Philip Madoc as the dark & sinister Magua - were the most charismatic - but all performed at a high level

if only they had the budget to match the positive facets of this production

Funny that many reviewers say they don't get the "meaning" of the film - it's meaning or purpose is obvious - it was meant to titillate with the idea that 3 women are added to a spaceship with 4 men just as the world is about to be destroyed - the obliteration of the world is noise in the background

this film is more interesting for its cast of familiar tv actors from the 60s - who struggled against a script with almost no character development - altho the hot scenes with the saucy girl do qualify as such - she's Lori Scott and i'm not familiar with her - her scenes are played with Grant Williams who is most famous for the scifi classic "The Incredible Shrinking Man" - here he plays an unpleasant man very unpleasantly

also included are - musical star Bobby Van who brings a little of his sprightliness with him - and two very reliable actresses of the time - Ruta Lee and Mala Powers who are nearly sunk with the script - plus Mala has trouble with a russian accent - then there's old hollywood star Henry WIlcoxon who comes across more strongly in his few scenes - and towering Denny Miller with his usual "Denny Miller school of acting" performance

the budget was so tight that they used footage and music from others films - include japanese scifi - in fact they ran out of money and couldn't complete the film - altho i'm sure it wasn't due to the cost of the sets - a few years later - some money was obtained and additional scenes were shot with a new actor and actress hidden in darkened spacesuits - and with totally different voices

the script is clunky - if you make it to the ending - there are no prizes - but the ending is a bit of a sur-prize - i doubt it was the original ending - i read when they ran out of money - they couldn't shoot the final planet surface scenes - so i think they "went in another direction" - what's left is not as confusing as some people have claimed - it probably owes it's mystical quality to "2001" - but the movie as a whole sure doesn't owe its low quality to it

This certainly is as remote from Jack London's 1909 novel "Martin Eden" as the title - the novel's title doesn't promise an adventure - the movie's plot bears no resemblance to the novel - with the framing story of a brutal ship's captain seemingly borrowed from London's 1904 novel "The Sea-Wolf" - within that frame - the movie dwells on Eden's efforts to succeed at writing - but in the movie's case - it's a barely forgivable distraction from his real duty - to get his friend out of jail

the novel's fascinating recounting of Martin Eden's struggles to succeed at writing (based on Jack London's own journey) - lacks the high drama the movie has - which explains why the movie probably strayed so far from the novel - a faithful rendering of it would have been more quiet and intellectual - and probably would have drawn fewer paying customers

yet i fidgeted thru out the movie - it was too alien to my memories of the novel - i missed the early 1900s setting of the novel with its slower paced life - contrasting with the frenetic 1940's film noir milieu of the movie - and i missed the widening intellectual perspectives that Eden's' self-education brought about

in and of itself - the movie's okay - with a simple plot that's predictable all the way to the end - with an occasional fresh twist - and the actors are up to the script - but there's almost nothing reminiscent of Jack London or Martin Eden

Another Hitchcock derivative by screenwriter Peter Stone - even re-engaging Gregory Peck in a psychiatric quandary - except the film would have been better served by Cary Grant for the first half with its witty banter - too bad the second half resolved the mystery in strictly formulaic way - with a frenetic rather than with Hitch's suspense filled climax

director Edward Dmytryk and cinematographer Joseph MacDonald lack Hitchock's cinematic touch - filmed on location in NYC - there were a few authentic touches that felt like inserts from another more verite movie - but mostly - the look was just bland

the screenplay was written by Peter Stone from a novel by Howard Fast called "Fallen Angel" - - a couple years earlier - Stone had written the book & script of CHARADE - a more successful Hitchcockian film - in fact Geo Kennedy and Walter Matthau were in both films

other supporting actors in this film were engaging - even Diane Baker rendered a tad bit more dimension than her usual as a Hitchcock-blonde with black hair

the intriguing first half is worth a watch - the second half too if you're curious as to how it's gonna end

A gloomy episode - like a bout of existential depression - where the church & medical researchers & the govt - all - couldn't be trusted

philadelphia's real life "boy in the box" case of 1957 provided the premise - but so little is known of the actual case that the writers had exceptional latitude - and came up with a corker of a plot - where all the threads pull together - inexorably - towards its conclusion

while the Cold Case stories have necessarily been set in the past - this may have been the only one to extensively use black and white photography - evoking the noir movies and television of the 50s - along with the usual use of contemporary music - somehow this episode ends with a romantic ballad by Ricky Nelson turned into something haunting

this series was known for giving some very good character actors some choice scenes - this is no exception - one of the bigger guest roles was given to english actress Samanatha Eggar (a favorite of mine) playing an irish nun with something to hide

i don't know if the production aimed for the soulless eerie tone - but that's what they achieved - it's a powerful & utterly memorable episode - my favorite in the entire series - - luckily i recorded it and i watch it occasionally - and i did again a few nites ago - i intended to watch only a bit of it - but i got caught up and watched it in its entirety - it was as potent as the first time i saw it

Dec 2022 -- the boy has long last been identified via DNA - the police say there are plausible suspects - but aren't willing to commit to any one - the one story that strikes me is told by a woman who was the daughter of an abusive woman who "acquired" the boy & who she killed in a rage - the daughter accompanied her mother when she hid the body in the woods.

An angst-driven horde of characters blended into a thin batter of a plot - resulting in a confusing mix of flashbacks and contemporary - there's an embedded challenge - just try and keep the timeline straight - if that's your type of story - then you need help

the actors are the best reason for watching this film - with middle-aged Han Suk Kyu providing his usual potency - lovely Son Ye Jin providing loveliness - and Lee Min Jung making a strong presence as the rich man's female assistant - Go Soo as the tortured young man - and a hodge-podge of very capable supporting actors

A languidly paced journey thru a relationship - accompanying a callow young man who meets a young woman curled up in a baby carriage

intrigued - he worms in his way into the home of her eccentric grandmother where the young woman lives - and is offered a meal cooked by the young woman who - when finished cooking - drops from a stool onto the floor with a thud - and then drags herself and her useless legs to another area of the small home - instead of joining him at the table

tho sullen and curt with him - she possesses an offbeat appeal - the young man finds her so fascinating that she soon steals him away from his pretty girlfriend - the two women's confrontation in the middle of a street is one of my favorite scenes of all times

the strange evolving relationship goes where it wants to go - not where you want or expect it to go - don't expect longing gazes or romantic declarations - these two have edgy get-togethers - offbeat yet convincingly realistic

i loved it - i fell for the odd girl even more than the young man did - the actress who portrayed her - Chizuru Ikewaki - instantly took her place among my favorite actresses of all time - she's an immensely potent presence - and that first impression has stood up after seeing her in mostly smaller roles in lesser films - i've even heard speak decent english in one of them ("The Oishii Man") - i can heartily recommend her film "Across a Gold Prairie"

the leading actor had more scenes and was able to hold up the film in Ikewaki's absence - with pretty and talented Ueno Juri as the prior girlfriend giving him a boost at times - but this film is a showcase for Chizaru Ikewaki - and her character - the bewitching Jozee.

It's amazing that this made-for-TV movie was so good - there's very little that was suspenseful - and the money laundering scenes were presented as suit-n-tie business dealings - altho the man was disguised - it just didn't seem that sinister - there are very few degenerates or gunplay - it's very suburban middle-class in tone and feel

however - it proved memorable for me - i saw it when it was first broadcast in 1967 and it's haunted my memories since - i think i saw a rebroadcast some years later - but otherwise - it has only been rebroadcast in my mind

frankly - it was the thought of being in an arranged marriage to Inger Stevens that burned itself into my memory - while i've never been a huge fan of hers - she was so appealing in this film that the sensuous thought of it pulled me into the plot

unlike much of today's TV fare - it's in bright color (color TV was just becoming wide spread in 1967) - and in the early 4:3 television aspect ratio - which probably accounts for the TV "look" that differs from big-screen movies and much of today's TV - and at this early stage of made-for-TV movies - they hadn't gotten into the habit of announcing every commercial break with rising music cues at a cliff-hanger moment

this film is about characters and relationships - it follows the life of a young childless middle-class couple who live in a suburb of NYC - who are cozy with their next door neighbors who are child-filled - the husbands commute together to NYC together - but while the neighbor heads off to his office - the younger man dons a disguise and visits banks with a briefcase full of cash - obviously for money laundering - though before the end of day - he does wind up at a small office in the city filled with toys and a solitary employee

then 23 minutes into the film - things change - between the couple - and to the couple - that change brings them into collision with their crime syndicate bosses ("the company") - but things are handled by the company bosses with subtlety and finesse (a wonderful departure from convention) - with almost nothing of menacing thugs or dark dirty alleys

the good actors deserve their share of credit - Don Murray and Inger Stevens as the couple have great chemistry together - Barry Nelson as the neighbor has chemistry with them too - Fritz Weaver is at his best as a suave syndicate boss - but even the others with less screen time add wonderful color and texture to the weave

the single flaw is the hazy incoherent monologue explaining the formation of "the company" in a vague conspiracy theory indictment of businessmen and politicians - but overall this story is laid out in such a way as to make the mundane engrossing - ie they don't overdo the action for actions sake - in other words this is an intelligent script probably best appreciated by similar minded people

a pitifully budgeted - b&w - British film - all the scenes seem shot in as small a set as possible - the few outdoor shots are a relief

altho based on a true story of a joint British and OSS effort to mislead the Germans regarding the invasion of europe by the allies - the plan was clever - but the movie's plot feels contrived and unconvincing

the actors are better than the script - Jeff Hunter acquits himself well - altho this confirms he was never a potent screen presence - but neither were co-stars Nigel Patrick or swiss actress Annemarie Düringer or anyone else

you've no doubt seen other documentaries of the Taj Mahl - and you've probably seen them with traditional Indian instruments playing in the background - what's new and special about this documentary is the voice - the rich and melodious voice of Indian actor Saeed Jaffrey

his narration vividly brings to life the intensely romantic story of the Mughal emperor and the woman who inspired the Taj Mahal - it's hard to find a more compelling history - additionally - Jaffrey can do something many other Taj Mahal documentary narrators can't - make the names sound authentic

short yet packed with information that is effortlessly absorbed due to the skillful writing - the narrator - and the visuals

one of my favorite documentaries - ever

if you're in the mood for a romantic comedy - without anything thought provoking - this might do

the fun comes watching the two potential lovers trying to outwit each other - there were a couple obvious steps that might have been taken - but using them right away would have cut the plot short - so try to resist belaboring them

Gene Tierney & Tyrone Power were the eye candy of the time - they weren't top actors - but by this time - they had developed an easy charm in place of the finesse of the better actors - such as Carol Lombard - Claudette Colbert - William Powell - Cary Grant

the scheming and the repartee were pretty good - but not the best - and the falling in love wasn't so obvious - still the expectation was there to help the audience over the threshold

competent in all departments - which may explain why it isn't cited as one of the great romantic comedy - still - it's a good choice for a bit of light entertainment

a gentler movie than most of Audie Murphy's westerns - he's a gosh-darn hillbilly man - who meets a plum dirty hillbilly girl - and cain't see thru the messy hair & filthy clothes to her Sandra Dee appeal - but at the town where they come to trade their furs - the sheriff there does see it - while the hillbilly boy is a smitten by the lady dressed in scarlet

this was never gonna be a great movie - but it weren't even average - the story didn't generate any tension cuz of the long dry scenes - and cuz everything was so predictable

the chemistry between Audie and Sandra Dee showed considerable promise - while Gilbert Roland almost steals the movie as the suave latino sheriff