Reviews

I got to review the movie on a reworked german edition lately, and it still holds on to it's own greatness and the test of time even against a "Private Ryan" or other movies of the same kind. The gripping dense atmosphere in the trenches, in the back of the fighting and at the german home site, the powerful performances of all actors (where nobody came to real fame except "Dr Kildare" say Lew Ayres) make up an intensity and a powerful statement on the devastation of war exercised even on those who physically survive it. 10 out of 10.

I was very sceptical regarding the movie, as i was a buff for the old TV serial, especially the b\w issues providing with good entertainment and grasping suspense. But the movie holds up to it, added with contemporary special effects, action and fine acting from both Harrison and T.L. Jones. However, it is all too obvious, that a good guy like Harrison could have never killed his wife. So maybe they should have swapped the roles of the two, as the Jones type might leave some doubt in terms of killing ability for crooks and wives. And who says they could have turned the end upside down from the original ?

Coen at it's best in a well staged gangster saga of friendship, betrayal, well designed intrigues in a perfect plot, playing out perfectly by a cat lead by Albert Finney, Gabriel Byrne, John Turturro and Marcia Gay Hayden, however cast over by certain blasts of brutality. Not suitable for younger people in any case, as it also requires a lot of focus to follow all the well designed threads of the master plot. In my view, much better as "Once Upon a Time", so never so high rated. Watch it, if you like this type of movie, you won't regret it.

Certainly not the best of Submarine Movies (definitely THE BOAT U-96), but a grim and intensive movie of a captain chasing a certain Destroyer, that sank his previous sub. His chase leads him to disobey (or extended interpretation) of his orders for his personal mission. Clark Gable as Captain Ahab and Burt Lancaster as his initially hesitant, but later fanatic Starbuck (not the coffee shop, you ignorants)1st officer assuming command after Gable is seriously injured. The resolution for the losses and the revenge exacted is gripping and has a certain twist, but not to be told here. Enjoy it if you can get it on TV or VIDEO.

Humphrey Bogart sometimes must have been desperate for proper roles and earning his meal ticket, how could we otherwise explain he fills roles like this one ? Decidedly overaged for the physical stress he is exposed to in his bomber- and test pilot roles as well as for the chase for the much to young Red Cross Nurse he is wooing, he moves in really thin air literally in this role. We know he can make it, but it is a real thin layer of substance over this heroic vs. business conflict designing new jet planes. Only for the died-in-the-wool Bogey Fans.

From the credits, this movie strongly reminds us to Casablanca, however from it's quality, it is very remotely only. I felt like the stars from Casablanca including the director had some days left on their payroll and did this patriotic flick in order to kill some time. And what we saw nicely used in C, the flashbacks to Paris, is now used to fatigue as nested flashbacks, stretching the viewers focus to the max. A must-be only for Die-Hard Bogey fans, who don't care about a patriotic journalist turned bombardier, who can be a relentless killer in cold blood also, if his escape is at risk or crashlanded german flying Crews have to be dealt with. Michele Morgan also is no match for Ingrid Bergmann and Claude Rains is wasted as Liaison Officer. Only S. Grennstreet can offer some mean moments, as he is very collaborative with the 3rd Reich.

I first watched the movie at a Howard Hawks retrospective and clearly found some of his typical ingredients, like the group in distress, the outsider relieving himself thru successful action, only really missing is any female support, so greatly provided e.g.by Joanne Dru in Red River. It's (except one crewmen's mother) a all male cast isolated after their B-17 takes off from SF to Hawaii and further across the Pacific via Wake to the Philippines. Discount the contemporary (1943) "Bug-Eyed Monkey Bashing" against the Japanese and enjoy it as a good time document with great acting from guys like Harry Carey Jr. and James Garfield. Action is also galore. Take it for what it is from a 60 years distance and you will like it.

Errol Flynn at his best as Robin Hood of the West, fighting military red tape, confederates , indians and carpetbagger business crooks singlehanded to his great and final heroic end. Not to forget the ever reliable O. de Havilland as Lady Mary of the west. Never try to link this story to the facts and the real persons, it doesn't work out. Just enjoy it, because nobody ever claimed to make documentaries when Raoul Walsh and Errol Flynn co-worked.

This must be the mother of all weepies since the movies started talking. All actors are serious and deeply involved their roles (so Bogey is partly ridiculous as irish horse trainer), so they play it out to the tearjerking end with not even a little smile or ironic. If you take for this, it is o.k, but don't fall into the "This is serious" trap. Remade several times, because weeping is part of what a good movie can do.

Well, if you want to learn about crimean war or the famous attack, put into immortal words by Tennyson's poem, this one is definitely not for you. Turn to the 1968 GB movie of the same title for this. If you want thrilling entertainment and great battle scenes, this one is right for you. Errol Flynn at his usual best except loosing his usual love interest (O.d. Havilland) to his younger brother and his life to his revenge. The war scenes are staged perfectly alike Custer's fight in They died with their boots ... and the acting is good, also for younger side kicks like David Niven. Taking for the entertainment it is, not for anything serious and you will love it.

As a German, i didn't know much about the Civil War except what you learn in GWTW, so i wasn't sure what to expect when Gettysburg was offered in 2 parts on TNT Europe. I was quite impressed with the overwhelming battle action and the great number of extras and members of historical units, but i wasn't sure on the acting. Best performance is definitively by Jeff Daniels as the unwilling teacher-converted-to-leader hero. I only knew him as a soft failure e.g. in Terms of Endearment or even worse in Dumb and Dumber, but he really gives live to a historical figure. Closest to him is Tom Berenger terribly disguised with a 3 year beard, but showing the desperation of somebody knowing the disaster to come, but unable to stop it. Many other "historical" roles suffer from their history, they hardly dare to live as humans, as if their heroic picture in the history books might suffer from it. First to name Martin Sheen, literally suppressed by being the failing hero, also Sam Elliott and Richard Jordan. Anyway, it gives some idea about the heroic foolishness of the Civil War, especially from the southern side and provides great entertainment and suspension. What more can you ask, if you know the results for more than 135 years ?

Watching Rio Lobo by itself shows an slightly below average western with John Wayne carrying it through with his sheer presence. Seeing it as the 2nd sequel to Rio Bravo, it's like comparing Rambo IV to Rambo I : The ingredients are still there, but the freshness and the punch of the original is simply gone. If you look for the real quality, choose Rambo I and Rio Bravo every day and twice on Sunday.

True Grit is now famous as the movie that finally got John Wayne the Academy Award, but i could surely name 10 movies, where the Duke would have deserved it more, from the Searchers , She wore a yellow Ribbon, Sands of Iwo Jima, The Quiet Man, ..well you name it. Anyway it's great to watch him taking on his own image as the rough, tough one-eyed Jack with a drinking problem and a belly. Enjoy it in its own right, don't expect the classic sometimes made of it.

The film could as well have been called "The longest Cast" in terms of all the big names showing up now and then, one by one starting with the Duke and not ending with Paul Anka or the german comedian / humorist Loriot in minor roles. Historically accurate up to the point where Private Ryan came along and showed the almost real horror of War. Still watchable as an outstanding war movie, 7 from 10 in my view.

This movie got a sad fame, when it was rumored both the two main actors (Wayne and Hayward) and the director initiated their cancers from the work in the New Mexico Desert Fall Out area. If it's true or not, it would seem to be a way too hard punishment for making this movie, however only by a small margin. The story of Gengiz Khan given by Wayne is terrible, almost like him watching Jesus being crucified in the "Greatest Story every told". His only costumes fully fitting him was the Cowboy dress of any kind and the Uniforms of any kind, land, sea or air. It's only digestible if you take it as the Kitsch it is.

After John Wayne was killed storming Mount Surabachi on Iwo Jima, it seems logical he had to take on the "bug-eyed monkey" Japs in the skies over Guadalcanal. Good war footage of sky dog fights and a so-and-so education under fire story loaned from the clash with John Agar in Iwo Jima make for a well interesting picture without asking too much for realism. The only question left for me is why the Jap pilots always have to grin so sardonically in the moment of being killed ?

I didn't expect too much from this movie when i first watched it, something in the line of "Flying Leathernecks" or "Iwo Jima" at sea with the cast and esp. John Waynes political approach. But i was totally surprised after i saw it. The events of the Pacific War theatre following Pearl Harbour are just the foil for eventfully showing the persons behind the history. Great performances by Patricia Neal and John Wayne as mid aged lovers in war with too few time, Kirk Douglas as the emotionally destroyed side-kick finally raping a nurse and killing himself in a suicidal scouting mission. Losses are the predominant topic of the movie, as most of the main persons are killed in the sequence of events, esp. in the final naval battle. Good performances provided also from Tom Tryon, Burgess Meredith and Dana Andrews as hesitating commander, not to forget Brandon De Wilde, the boy from Shane turned from a careless young ensign searching safety in 2nd line duties to a dying hero in a PT boat.

War brings losses and pain in greater quantity as heroism and bravery. Don't miss it !

I saw this film on TV only, didn't expect much, but was totally surprised. Perfectly timed (in double sense) crime thriller with surprising turns and changes and a perfect crime-doesn't -pay end. Great cast with outstanding Marie Windsor and Sterling Hayden with solid performances from Jay C. Flippen and Elisha Cook alike. Made on 300.000 US$, even adjusted for inflation a true value for money product. And it only takes less then 75 minutes of your time. Don't miss it !!!

I got the video in its original version after i saw it on german tv in a cut version. General approach : following the history book quite closely, which promises enough excitement by itself. Hampered by an american-japanese love story not leading anywhere really (except that people can be lovers despite their nations being at war, can you believe it ?), using many footage from other movies (30 sec over Tokyo, Tora, Tora, Tora,) and real material from 2nd World War, it gives a reasonable tale of the history spanning from Doolittle's raid to Midway decision battle turning the tide in the pacific. Good battle scenes, good action, rather stereotype acting esp. Charlton Heston and James Coburn, good enough to light up a boring saturday night.

Just 70 minutes, almost no action, no stunts, "cheap" back projection display, but just as gripping and nail-biting as any Jurassic Park. Great actors (brothers Lothar and Neutze on top), credibility and packing act. Great parody of it in the Airplane Spoof with Robert Stack wonderfully playing out the Neutze Role. Sometimes replayed in german TV, watch it when available !

This should be the mandatory reunion movie for all Germany on October 3rd, Reunion Day. How to convert a commie into a capitalist literally on the fly driven a coca cola imperator and supported by living-is-serving germans , see it here. Great fun, great entertainment, more political "message" conveyed as in any parliament speech. Enjoy it !