Reviews

I didn't know what to expect when I chose this film, but figured how could I go wrong with TWO screen legends in the twilight of their careers.

I wasn't disappointed. As always, Gregory Peck plays the perfect picture of a true gentleman, and Lauren Bacall a true lady. Together, they are a great couple.

The film begins with him alone on the lake and her calling out to him, keeping an eye on his every step. We wonder why she is so on top of him, but as the picture progresses we see why she is so concerned.

Their daughter, played by his real daughter, is an artist who's career is hedging on her finishing "the portrait" of her parents who can't sit still for more than 10 minutes. She comes home to find that they sold the house to move to their smaller summer home and the movie centers around the changes that have and will take place.

There are some sad moments, Gregory Peck in the hospital, but these moments are not all dark. Humor is dispersed throughout and Lauren Bacall is great as a bossy, take charge woman. Watch her telling the moving men what to do and haggling with the thrift store owner.

While, I don't think the film received a lot of recognition, it is worth watching. You have humor, sadness and truth all rolled into one. Everyone can relate to their parents getting older.

Like many of the other commenters, I finally got a copy of this VHS after my original went bad. I too, never forgot this movie and how strong the story line was and the emotion it made you feel.

It starts out with the Jackson family having a picnic and the mother looking like she's in pretty bad health. Soon after she is rushed to the hospital, but it is too late - she is too far gone. Due to her religious beliefs, she refused prior medical help.

Her husband, being left with 4 young boys, tries to procure some type of financial aid or a temporary babysitter. He goes to the local government office, where after being repeatedly told the children would be better off in foster care - they agree to give him a babysitter on a temporary basis. Coming home from work, he finds his boys outside, locked out because they are not allowed in when a man is inside.

That issue is immediately resolved but Elmer Jackson has a quick temper and is very free with his hands. After physically throwing the man and woman out, we are taken to the Welfare office where charges are made against Mr. Jackson for physical abuse against the babysitter in addition, she rants that he is crazy and his kids are out of control. The children are immediately taken away. They are placed in the hospital's isolation unit where Mr. Jackson creates a huge ruckus, coming in knocking things over and yelling. He is physically removed and barred from the hospital, appearing in court thereafter. The boys are placed in what looks like a nice foster home for 9 months and are allowed a visit after the 9 month period passes. Mr. Jackson, armed with gifts shows up and the boys are overjoyed. However the youngest, automatically walks to the car to go home whereby all the boys state the same desire. So off they go and the foster mother notifies the Police. They are stopped and Mr. Jackson again displays his temper and is beaten by the cop once again going to court.

Three of boys are put in a place where the administrator says they "should have been from the beginning, where boys like them belong". It is a home for the mentally retarded. Which based on the time this took place, you can imagine the prison like conditions.

They plan an escape but are picked up by the Police and brought back. The goon in charge makes sure that they will not run away again. The youngest boy is not put in there due to his age. After suffering years of mental and physical abuse, the boys are notably severely scarred.

Elmer Jackson by this time met a good woman, has a child with her, has his own business and builds his own house and is now able to work on getting the boys back.

The youngest is first - he is distrusting and scornful. The middle two are next and both look like they are mentally damaged after leaving the home for the Retarded. The last one is trickier due to the fact that he is in a State Run facility and needs special papers to release him.

The day Elmer Jackson is told this, his son is to undergo sterilization and not allowed visitors. Elmer leaves without his son even knowing he was there. A doctor noted earlier that he did not think the boy in their care was retarded and keeps an eye on his file. He pursues the case, befriends him and is able to find Elmer. That being said, he takes the boy home to his family and everyone surrounds him - hugging - kissing and not letting go. Given the difficulties the boys had to endure, it is amazing that in the end, they turned out to be normal again.

I was left to wonder that if each time Elmer lost his temper, maybe if he kept a cooler head maybe things would have gone a little different. But then we wouldn't have a movie.

One of the best CBS Saturday morning movies along with "Hand in Hand".

A simple film about two boys. One chubby and one thin. The chubby boy is ridiculed by his classmates - when he is introduced and goes to share a desk, he almost bumps "Skinny" right out of his seat. That's the first heartwarming/wrenching part and the beginning of their friendship.

Because Komatsu is big, he has trouble with the gymnastics but Skinny helps him out, encouraging him. One day they are approached by a group of boys on the way home from school and beaten up - another time they have to run from a dog on the way home from school. All things we can relate to.

Komatsu's family is well off, living in a nice home with plenty to eat. Skinny lives with his mom and younger sibling in a poor section of town - the dad is off working in another part of the country.

When Skinny's mom tells him they are moving away to be closer to their father, he has to tell Komatsu. I can't remember if he told him or gave the message to his family. But I remember Skinny calling "Komatsu" over and over again towards the end. I don't know why but I think it had something to do with him being able to do something that he couldn't do before.

This is such a beautiful film - I think adults born in the late 50's early 60's would appreciate it more than children today. Especially since it is in Black and White with such a primitive film feel to it. These were bare bones, on location movies with nothing added. The countrysides and everything is real.

Made in 1940 before we entered World War II, it is always interesting to see how Hollywood tried to warn the U.S. about the dangers Europe was facing and the horrors yet to come. The beginning starts with a love twist. Anna is dating Chris, doesn't love him, realizes she loves brother Karl, a fight between brothers takes place with Karl and Anna marrying and the story begins. The night of their wedding, Karl is summoned to attend to a matter of political urgency. He leaves but Chris overhears what was said and takes off to warn the targets of the upcoming Nazi reprisals. He gets to town too late and finds the damage already done . The Burgermeister is dead and other enemies of the state have been taken away or have met similar fates. Chris is spotted and tries to run for cover. He is shot and fires back. Unbeknowst to him, he shoots his brother. Stumbling back to the house, mama and youngest brother Fritz hide him in the barn. Karl is brought home alive on a stretcher to await the doctor. In the meantime, Anna, the devout wife threatens to turn Chris in to the Nazi's. On the same night, The Fuhrer is to pass through their town bestowing them with the highest honor. Karl's men search every room in the house for a sniper and are told by Mama that Carl has died. Mama begs Anna not to give Chris up, but her anger overtakes her and at the last minute she does. Chris is shot and killed just as Hitler's entourage is coming through. Son Joseph was sent off to America early on and has been trying to bring Mama and youngest son Fritz to join him. Just as the papers come through, the Nazi's are already preparing all the young boys to prepare to fight. We see 10 year ODs with mock rifles and gas masks goose stepping outside her house. She is given another Iron Cross, (the first was her husband's) as Fritz died bravely in the line of duty earlier. This prompts her to go to Anna and beg her to put their differences aside and join her in the U.S. for the sake of her toddler grandchild. Anna agrees and they board the train to take them to the ship overseas. A most touching scene is when Mama is in the house alone and is about to eat, says a prayer over the food and is visited by the spirits of all four sons sitting with her at the table. She begs them not to go as they start to fade out. The pastor knocks on the door to tell her that her authorization papers have come through. At that point, she thinks Fritz (an adorable son - so sweet and loving) is still alive having just left to fight. She says that she cannot go because what will Fritz do when he comes home. The pastor tells her that Chris will not come home as he is already dead. The night that Fritz left on the train, she went out in the pouring to give him a basket of food to take with him holding his hand while the train is pulling out.

A really good movie with John Barrymore playing a successful Manhattan attorney who rose up from humble roots. His loving Yiddishe Mama comes by his Empire State Building office to visit (because she has all the time in the world), his switchboard operator is a blond Lily Tomlin (one ringy dingy) who when she is not sending out for chocolate shakes and tuna sandwiches (because she's got a bad stomach), is a fun addition to the cast and one of his henchmen is a reformed con who is now his gopher/tail. Barrymore's secretary is secretly in love with him but he only has eyes for his WASP of a wife with 2 children from a previous marriage. She cares only about herself and her reputation as one of New York's elite 400. She addresses his mother as Mrs. Simon and they go no further than shaking hands. His career is jeopardized when an old mistake surfaces to threaten him but luckily it is put to rest when he finds a solution. However his elation is short lived as he wishes to share it with his wife who has gone off on a cruise to escape a possible scandal and he finds that she is with another man. Distraught he attempts suicide but luckily his secretary finds him in time and the last phone call of the night puts his life in perspective as he goes off with her to solve yet another problem. The Art Deco scenes of the interior of the Empire State Building are nothing short of magnificent. Absolute beauty at its finest.

Here is another movie I taped years ago on AMC that is not available on VHS or DVD. Filmed on location in the Alfred Smith housing projects near the South Street Seaport, it is great to see what the area looked like in the 50's.

Check out young William Hickey (have another cookie my dear?) in the jazz club as a "hep cat" snapping his fingers. Lloyd Nolan is great as Johnny's dad coming for a visit to see his "favorite son" and daughter-in-law. Johnny can do no wrong, but Polo who takes the blame for everything can do no right. We wait for Johnny or Polo to tell Dad the truth throughout the whole movie.

The other great character is "Mother" the drug pusher who has William Hickey as his sidekick. Mother is a ruthless businessman who preys on the weakness of his junkie clients and has no problem when it comes to collecting the money that he knows they don't have.

Lloyd Nolan, reminiscing about Johnny as a boy, tells a story about him doing something giving us the best line "All he ever got was A Hatful of Rain".

Very daring for its time, the last line is my favorite when Eva Marie Saint says "Hello Police, I want to report a drug addict, it's my husband".

I saw this movie as a teen (they used to show it on T.V.) a lot and always loved it. Conrad Veidt plays twins - good versus evil. I taped it last year (2002)from Turner Classic Movies (after calling them and asking them to play it). It's still a wonderful movie.

Conrad Veidt is a Nazi you love to hate. (Casablanca, Escape, A Woman's Face, All Through the Night) Playing twins, you see the angst in the good brother (Otto Becker) knowing his twin (Herr Baron) is a Nazi trying to destroy the U.S. - precisely why Otto left Germany.

Herr Baron seeks out his brother in N.Y. to use his bookstore as part of his Nazi operation. Of course, Otto refuses to no avail and winds up a powerless pawn. He lives above the store under constant surveillance.

One night, Herr Baron gets lonely and pays Otto a visit alone. An argument/struggle ensues, and Otto kills the Baron. Thinking fast, he decides the only way out is to impersonate his brother to save our country.

He manages to fool everyone, except for the Baron's man-servant Fritz who came over with him. Otto's cover is blown when he emerges from the shower and Fritz spots a tell tale scar on his back. When Otto emerges in a bathrobe, Fritz has a glass of warm milk waiting for him, as in the old days. Otto's fears are unnecessary as Fritz' loyalty to him is undying.

Otto succeeds in foiling all Herr Baron's plans but subsequently pays the price when he has to give himself up in order to save someone's life. Watch his face when he is being deported back to Germany and he passes the Statue of Liberty. The pain and tears he fights back are real.

Just watched it after not seeing it for 30 years. It took me years of looking to find this film (and the name) and it is still as great as it was. While I remembered the basic story line, I couldn't remember the whole theme.

The story is about Rachel (Jewish) and Michael (Catholic) and how they relate to each other as a boy/girl relationship of different religions. The religious scenes are indicative of the time and what people thought. (Michael's mom makes a comment something like "you'd never know she was Jewish" about Rachel.

When Michael tells Rachel that she killed Christ she says "I don't even know who he is". Such innocence - at the beginning Rachel gets picked on in the schoolyard, Michael saves her and they become friends. This is after she trips on the stairs during the school play and Michael gets in trouble for laughing. When they embark on their journey to Africa (even going so far as buying a safari hat from Mean Old Mr. Pritch who's not so mean after all), they don't see the danger sign indicating a drop in the river, Rachel falls in and Michael drags her to the side of the bank. He runs to the priest for help thinking he killed her. He believes it is his fault because he went into a synagogue with her and she entered Church with him. This gave them the "power" to be not afraid of anything especially when one of the saint statues "smiled" at Rachel.

This is one of the truly great films of our time and no matter how old you are, you will love it. Just take a look at some of the message boards on various sites to see the number of people born in the early sixties who have remembered and obsessed about this film all their lives (me included).