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The Happy Years (1950)
A tedious, humorless, and dull film that bombed in its day
"The Happy Years" is a coming of age film - at the earliest stages, of a young boy from a very wealthy family in the northeastern USA of 1896. It is billed as a comedy, romance and family film. But this is an utterly humorless film There are no funny or clever lines of dialog, there are no humorous antics, and there's not a single comical situation. Perhaps the movie moguls at MGM in 1950 saw a smart-alecky, disrespectful kid and his mean-spirited prank of scaring and humiliating one girl after another as comedy. Well, audiences of 1950 didn't see it that way, and neither do I these many years later.
Before just watching this film on DVD, I wondered why I hadn't seen it before. In my growing up years of the mid-20th century, and young to middle-aged adult years, we watched many a nighttime movie and late night films on TV. But I hadn't even heard of this film before. And, having seen some good to very good films of growing up and coming of age during the late 19th and earth 20th centuries, I thought I might enjoy this one. But after watching it, I can understand why it probably never made the late night movie schedules anywhere.
This move is dull. There is no comedy. And I can't imagine what the studio saw as romance in it. The family aspect was mostly of a super wealthy couple with three kids, one of whom was a renegade and apparently not at all or ever disciplined by his parents. The plot has the family sending the rebel son, John Humperdink Stover, off to another private school after he was dismissed from the last one he attended. The film is very slow and mostly tedious. There are just a couple of breaks with any kind of life - one is on a gridiron when the Kennedy house team plays against another house team in an intramural rivalry. This did provide a little interest in showing a football game being played that ended in a 4-4 tie. It didn't show any scoring, but evidently each team scored one, two or four touchdowns, which each counted for 1, 2 or 4 points. But, that aside, there is hardly anything else of interest in this film. Even the transformation of Stover toward the end isn't satisfactory. It happens rather fast and unconvincingly.
This film did have some actors of note. Dean Stockwell was 14 years old when he played Dink Stover in this film. He was at the height of his popularity as a child star then, and he would go on to have a long career, mostly in TV and in supporting roles. Another up-and-coming young actor in the film is Darryl Hickman who would have a long career, again in supporting roles and much on TV. And one of Dink's schoolmates in the film, Tennessee Shad, was played by Scotty Beckett. He was one of the biggest child stars of Hollywood's Golden Era, who also had promise going into adulthood. But Becket's life would turn sour with alcohol, drugs, and crime, and he died of an overdose of barbiturates in a third suicide attempt in 1968, at age 38.
In the better known category of adult actors are Leon Ames as the senior Stover and father, Samuel. And, Leo G. Carroll has the meatiest role as The Old Roman, a teacher, house master and coach at Lawrenceville School. His is the only role of substance that is performed very well. It is for Carroll's role mostly, that I give this film even four stars.
I am surprised to see revews by so many who this this is a very good film -- even with just 760 ratings as of the time of my writing here. It's overall rating of 6.8 in April 2024 is much higher than audiences of the day would have given it. The film bombed at the box office and lost MGM over half a million dollars. It finished the year 147th in ticket sales at the box office. I doubt that many movie buffs would find this film entertaining or enjoyable.
Carmen Jones (1954)
A modern U.S. opera with an excellent African-American cast
"Carmen Jones" is opera. It's very good, modern opera in the vernacular. Most operas are tragedies. The plot of this film is tragedy. The story and setting are in the South of the Atlantic Coast, with an all African-American cast. Opera tells stories - mostly dramas, with much of the script in songs, interspersed with dialog. Italian is the language of origin of opera, but it has been increasingly translated into the languages of countries where it is performed. Thus it is with "Carmen Jones." It's pedigree includes a 1943 stage musical of the same title, music from an 1875 opera, "Carmen," and an 1845 book of that title by two French stage writers.
The story is a conflicted one, varying around a morality tale with seduction, a fallen hero, obsession, money, power and greed, and revenge. The cast all are very good. Harry Belafonte is Joe, Dorothy Dandridge is Carmen Jones, Pearl Bailey is Frankie, and Brock Peters plays Sergeant Brown. Dandridge's singing was dubbed by Marilyn Horne. Horne said she studied Dandridge's voice meticulously so that her singing voice would sound like Carmen's in the film. The film got good reviews and was a box office success. Otto Preminger produced and directed this film, and also made the successful "Porgy and Bess" of 1959 that had a mostly African-American cast.
I agree with one reviewer who noted that the boxing match should have had a mixed audience. In reality, many boxing fans are white attend pro boxing matches everywhere. Many root for and have favorite African-American boxers and others just as people of all colors and nationalities do. I grew up watching fights on TV with my dad and others. We were fans of Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Muhamad Ali - as well as other favorites like Rocky Marciano, Salvador Sanchez and Manny Ortiz.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
A wonderful musical hit that fooled the studio moguls
What a delightful and entertaining film this is. It's no secret that "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" was not given much thought or expectation by MGM's front office at the time. The studio moguls had relegated it to second tier status. But the producer, director, writers and composer thought otherwise. And, by the time the leads and cast were all selected and onboard, a strong bond and feeling of camaraderie enveloped everyone who had anything to do with the picture. Several of the cast and crew interviewed four decades after the film was made talked about the warmth, humor, and genuine closeness of the cast in the making of this film.
And, it was a good thing for MGM that "Seven Brides" was a smash hit and finished sixth in box office sales for the year. The profit helped cover losses the studio had from a couple of musicals that were duds. This film even far outpaced the studio's favorite with high hopes, "Brigadoon." It's budget was three times larger, and although it was a box office success, it was far below this film. "Seven Brides" also won an Oscar for the best musical score and received four more nominations.
Besides the winning cast of Jane Powell and Howard Keel in the lead roles, Director Stanley Donen and Producer Jack Cummings got Adolph Deutsch for the musical score. And, according to Michael Kidd, Donen double-crossed him after enticing him just to do dance numbers for the music. Instead, he wound up choreographing the whole film. And that involved some of the best dancers from Broadway, as well as a couple of exceptional acrobats. One would think they had met their challenge with a screenplay calling for 14 people up front - the seven brides and brothers. But, because the major choreographed dance scene also had seven townsmen competing for the girls, the number grew to 21. And was that ever a spectacular performance! One of the great ones of all time of choreographed scenes in movies.
The plot has a very interesting background source. It's based on an ancient Roman legend known as the Rape of the Sabine Women. That in turn had been the source of a short story by French author Stephen Benet, entitled "The Sobbin' Women." Anyway, however much of the original legend and story were kept, and how much was changed and new, the story was updated to the 1850s and set in the wilds of Oregon. That was just 50 years after the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the Pacific Ocean on the Oregon coast in 1805. It was at the height of wagon trains and travel over the Oregon Trail.
The film makers had wanted to shoot the film on location in Oregon, but MGM sliced it budget, so the whole thing was filmed on sound stages and the backlots at MGM. One scene with a mountain background is clearly a painted backdrop. The only stickler I have about this film won't be noticed by most, but some Oregonians will surely notice it. The writers put the Brothers' cabin less than 15 miles from the town, which itself was of some size. Powell's Milly asks Keel's Adam how far it is to their place when they have started their wagon trip from the town He answers about 12 miles. They have a pass to go through that gets closed by snow in the winter. And Adam said he farms 50 acres of wheat. So, their cabin would be on the high plateau on the east side of the mountain crest. Well in the 1850s there wasn't a town of any size anywhere near there. Mt. Hood is 54 miles straight east of Portland - about 70 miles by road travel. And even today there are no towns of any size within 40 miles of the crest of the Cascades along the whole western side of the mountains, from California to the Columbia River border with Washington.
Well, that slight stickler in the script aside, this is a rollickingly good musical comedy-romance and drama. The songs by Johnny Mercer and dance numbers are wonderful. One can look far and wide to find another film with the great dancing and acrobatics in this superbly choreographed film. This film and MGM's whole musicals output for 1954 show that the studio moguls didn't always know what the audiences would really go far, and what they might not like so much.
Athena (1954)
The cast couldn't save this turkey
"Athena" was and is billed as a comedy musical and drama. It was touted as an original story, with all original music (but for one revised song). The cast of Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds and singer Vic Damone should be a great draw and portend of top musical entertainment. And the popular supporting actors like Louis Calhern and Ray Collins should further signal fine comedy. Why then is this film such a dud? Why then did it flop at the box office?
The answer is because it failed on three of the four aspects of comedy musicals. Instead of attributes, these turned out to be drawbacks. It takes all four aspects in top form to make great musicals, and three of four for very good musicals. Even two of the four can make a good film if they are strong and good enough to overcome the liabilities of the other two. Well, "Athena" has the cast, but nothing else. Where is the comedy? The script is completely devoid of any clever, witty or funny dialog. There are no antics with any humor to suggest comedy. Where is the very good and memorable music? It's a concoction of forgettable tunes and incoherent theme music. Vic Damone gives one weak variation of a revised tune of the day, as "The Girl Next Door." And Jane Powell has one good operatic song. But those can't save this humdrum musical score with nary a catchy or memorable tune. There isn't even another solo or lead number by Powell or Reynolds. A couple of fair dance scenes, Powell's operatic solo, and the cast showing up are the only things that keep this film from being a complete zero.
But, what about a plot - to go with the cast? Indeed, that's the clincher that drives a stake through the heart of this film. The three writers listed for "Athena" all had careers with some fine credits for writing and working on very good comedies and musicals, as well as a range of other films. It's not clear whose "original idea" it was for this film, but the plot has one of the weirdest screenplays I can recall from decades of theater-going and watching movies. The setting in and around the Mulvain family - which is most of the cast, is a concoction of mixed mythologies, astrology, numerology, and vegetarian eating and living.
Look at the names of the characters. The sisters have names from Greek and Roman mythology. Three are goddesses, one is a muse and another is a daughter of a god and wife who kills Jason's children. Grandma Salome's name comes out of the Bible - a granddaughter of Herod the Great. Grandpa Ulysses is named after the king of Greek mythology in Homer's Odyssey. Grandma's numerology and astrology dictate the future of all of the mystical namesakes. And, then these people live in some isolated hilltop close to the city, and thrive on nothing but vegetables -- including some exotic plants. And they run an esoteric fitness hostel of some sort. It could only have been more wierd if this had all been under water.
Well, the first audiences of the film in 1954 struggled through it ut afyrt that even fans who liked musicals "stayed away in droves." MGM lost over half a million dollars on the film. It finished 96th in box office for the year And that was a year that saw several great musicals. Paramount's "White Christmas" topped the box office sales for the year. It had a great musical cast, a great plot, great songs with several memorable tunes, and wonderful comedy. Universal's ":Glenn Miller Story" finished third for the year at the box office. It also had a great cast, the music of Glenn Miller, and a wonderful fictionalized biopic plot. Another big Paramount success was Danny Kaye's "Knock on Wood" that finished 24th for the year. It's zany plot had great comedy and wonderful music.
And, MGM had two successful musicals for the year that helped cover its losses from "Athena" and other weak films. Before Athena's release in November, MGM's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" drew crowds to theaters across the country. That Jane Powell and Howard Keel musical comedy had tremendous talents, wonderful songs with superb dance scenes, a very good plot and setting, and wonderful humor. It finished the year in sixth place at the box office. The other MGM musical success for the year was "Brigadoon," with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson and Cyd Charisse. It finished 54th at the box office.
The 1930s through 1950s were the golden era of the Hollywood musicals. That they began to lose popularity may be partly attributable to poorer and weaker films being made - such as this. And, with the demise of the studios went the assembled pools of exceptional talents for dancing, choreography, singing, and musicians that are needed for great musicals.
Many people still enjoy good musicals, and there have been many superb box office hits since the golden era. I wonder what the next great musical will be about. And who will be the performer? And how long before it comes out?
The Battle of Gettysburg (1955)
A bare-bones view of Gettysburg
This is a no-frills, no-thrills and no-action short documentary about The Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. The July 1-3, 1863 battle was considered a key battle in the war. It was the largest and bloodiest by far. More than 165,000 Union and Confederate troops were engaged. And it had more than 50,000 casualties.
MGM sent a crew to, Pennsylvania, to film the Gettysburg National Military Park. Dore Schary wrote the script for this dry documentary. It uses voice over and background war sounds. Leslie Nielsen tells the story of the battle as the camera moves from one place to another.
This is a bare-bones documentary that won't appeal to many people. But what I especially like and credit the film industry for, is its shooting of real places of history for posterity. This 30-minute short picture did get two Oscar nominations.
Those who like history, scenic places and travel should enjoy this brief glimpse of Gettysburg. Of course nothing beats going there when one can.
Crashing the Movies (1950)
Pete Smith narrates comical and daredevil stunts
This MGM short ran in theaters with a feature film in 1950. I saw it last on a DVD with the comedy musical, "Two Weeks with Love."
The film is eight minutes and runs like a newsreel, from which several video clips are shown. Pete Smith narrates as it shows various unusual, risky, comical or daredevil feats that different people had done or were trying. Some might leave many people wondering if the performer wasn't off his rocker - or had all his marbles, so to speak.
These weren't all crashes, so I think the title referred to unusual and odd things some people might do to try to crash into moving pictures. These folks made newsreels, evidently. The most interesting clips to me were the human projectile - a guy being shot out of a cannon; and a water skier holding a glider and trying to go aloft while being pulled by a boat.
The craziest one has to be a guy wearing some sort of special pants, riding and holding onto the back of a speeding car, and then lowering himself and letting go so that he slides on his bottom until coming to a stop. The car had to be going at least 30 and maybe 40 miles per hour. He survived it and apparently wasn't hurt, but I wonder if he hadn't lost some of his marbles.
The Greeks Had a Word for Them (1932)
The best plot and acting of any film of this type
The 1930s had a plethora of three types of films that were seldom made after that. They were: (1) the shooting gangster flicks; (2) the high night life of the idle rich; and (3) the young girls who left small towns for a chance at fame or wealth. In some ways, these were a product of the times. Prohibition had just come to an end, but the organized crime that it spawned was well entrenched, and many movies were made from that. Then, the Great Depression was felt everywhere - well, just about everywhere. There still were the wealthy who were above all this - those who hadn't lost everything in the stock market crash. And movies about people who were enjoying the high life were escapist fodder for many audiences.
In that last group, the girls who left home to score in the big city, there were three or four sub groups. Some girls wanted to find good jobs, try to get ahead, and meet Mister Right with whom to marry and settle down. Some had stars in their eyes and hoped to make it big on Broadway or as entertainers. And one group was women who just wanted to find rich men to live off of, and even marry. "The Greeks Had a Word for Them," is about the latter. And the Greek word probably translates to two words in English - gold diggers.
Well, this movie that also went by the title, "Three Broadway Girls," may be the best portrayal of the lot. The plot centers around three single girls who had met in New York, became friends and roomed together. They present a mix of the young ladies who venture to the city for their futures. Polaire Quinn and Schatzi Sutro have an an unseen elderly patron, "Pops," who helps them out in a pinch, between the roles they could get in shows. Polaire has a steady guy, the son of a wealthy man, but she isn't after his money. Schatzi doesn't have anyone in tow, but has a working stiff who would like to be her guy.
These two have been rooming for some time while a third girlfriend, Jean Lawrence, has been in Paris, living it up and pursing a wealthy title or two. But Jean is coming home and Polaire and Schatzi are going to meet her at the docks. Before this film is through, Jean will display her masterful talents of gold digging that will put all others to shame. And, in the process stomp on her friends and break up their chances for love and romance, at least once.
This film is loaded with comedy, but a warning is in order. It takes the right frame of mind to see and enjoy the humor. Jean's portrayal and behavior with her two friends is anything but good and proper for bosom buddies. Seeing this as a serious film, one might want to yell at Polaire and Schatzi to get rid of Jean, or imagine their doing her in. But that would miss the very good, subtle and dog-eat-dog humor that Samuel Goldwyn and his writers came up with.
There's no doubt that this is a masterful plot. Zoe Akins and Sidney Howard were very adept screenwriters. Each wrote many good films in various genres. They each had several smash comedies. Akins wrote for many years and was a poet and journalist besides. Her comedy scripts included "My Man Godfrey" in 1936, and two more films about women gold diggers - "Girls About Town" of 1931, and "How to Marry a Millionaire" of 1953.
Howard died early from a farm accident at age 46. But not before he had won an Academy Award for "Gone with the Wind" in 1940, and two more Oscar nominations for "Arrowsmith" in 1932 and "Dodsworth" in 1937. Among his great comedy scripts were "Nothing Sacred" of 1937 and "He Stayed for Breakfast" of 1940. He also wrote the screenplays for two of the British caper comedies of "Raffles" in 1930 and 1939.
The three women who play the leads in this film were perfect in their parts. Joan Blondell had top billing as Schatzi and was the best known, as she probably is yet today. Madge Evans played Polaire. She made more movies than the others - 100 credits in all, but Evans wasn't especially adept at comedy. She made many serious and dramatic films But the one roll that really puts this film over is that of Jean played so superbly by Ina Claire. She would be the least known among movie goers, but certainly not among the theater crowds.
Ina Claire was a well-known stage actress for the first half of the 20th century. She became best known for her sophisticated comedy. She made only 12 films in her career, four of them were silent films. Her most memorable and familiar film to movie buffs will be "Ninotchka" of 1939. Her second female lead as Swana, behind Greta Garbo, shows her edge in biting humor. But in this earlier comedy Claire's comedy is subtle and wily, both in verse and looks.
Another little plus in this film is in the director, Lowell Sherman, also playing the second male lead as Boris Feldman. Sherman had a fine double career in films but died young from pneumonia - at age 46.
Here are some favorite lines from this film.
Jean Lawrence, "You gonna make me believe that I've bought $43 worth of liquor since I've been on this boat?" Waiter, "Oh, no, madame. These are only the drinks you haven't paid for yet."
Jean, "Say, whatta you do?" Boris Feldman, "I play the piano." Jean, "Is that all?" Boris, "Well, I took tambourine lessons, but I gave them up when I was very young." Jean, "Oh, dear - a comic as well." Polaire Quinn, "He happens to play a little better than anyone else in the world."
Calamity Jane (1953)
A rip-shortn' comedy Western musical
Two legendary characters of the Old West are the stars of this 1953 musical by Warner Brothers. "Calamity Jane" is a rip-snortin', shoot-'em up musical and comedy Western that's set in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok are undoubtedly the most famous of the former residents of Deadwood. They weren't sweethearts in real life (Hickok evidently disliked Jane), but their presence in the 1870s Dakota Territory is the basis for a wonderful film. These decades after my first viewing, "Calamity Jane" still is superb entertainment. This10-song musical is lots of fun with comedy galore and a little romance to boot.
And who was there to play the legendary frontier woman and sharpshooter, but Doris Day? While Calamity may not have been quite as robust in real life, Doris Day's athletic and acrobatic portrayal is a real hoot. Calamity also had a rep for spinning some fine yarns. So, Doris meets that fete very well, in between the songs with her great voice. And she has the perfect match with Howard Keel, who lends his voice to a tune or two. Together, and with a fine supporting cast, and a very good plot and script, Day and Keel deliver a great Wild West musical and comedy.
The film was a big hit in its day and finished 30th in box office sales for the year, when Hollywood made a few hundred movies. It earned three Academy Award nominations, and won the Oscar for best original song. "Secret Love" by Sammy Fainn and Pual Webster became a smash hit tune that reached number one on the charts. Several artists since have recorded it, but none have topped the original recording by Doris Day. Two more of the 10 songs in the film became popular tunes of the day - "Windy City" and "The Deadwood Stage."
The real stories of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok were as big as their legends. Wild Bill (James Butler Hickok) was killed while playing poker in a Deadwood saloon in 1876. Jack McCall shot Hickok in the back of the head and was later hanged for the murder. Hickok was just 39 years old, but had led quite a life by then, He served various times as a marshal or deputy sheriff in Missouri and Kansas. And he and Buffalo Bill Cody served as scouts for Col. George Custer's Calvary regiment. Wild Bill was quick on the draw and had killed several men, most, bot not all, as a lawman.
Calamity Jane was born Martha Jane Canary in Princeton, Missouri, on May 1, 1852. Both of her parents died early, and she raised five younger siblings in the Wyoming Territory. Calamity took various jobs. Little is known about those years except for her own stories, until she wound up on her own in the Dakota Territory. She was a definite sharpshooter, and was involved in the area campaigns and conflicts with Native Americans. Her reputation grew as quite a story teller during that time. While she apparently had a yen for Hickock, he had been married and didn't have much to do with her. Later, Calamity joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show as a storyteller. She moved around quite a bit and was a heavy drinker, which led to her death near Deadwood at age 51 in 1903.
There are many places of interest to visit in the Black Hills of South Dakota. A visit to Deadwood is like a look into the Old West. One can gamble yet today in one of the saloons. During the tourist season, the reenactment of the shooting of Wild Bill Hickok takes place. And a must stop while there is the Mount Moriah Cemetery atop the hill above the town. That's where a few legends of the Old West are buried. The most famous, of course, are Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Their graves are right next to each other.
Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018)
Paul's last year and the persecution of Christians in Rome
"Paul, Apostle of Christ" begins where the book of "Acts" in the Bible leaves off. The evangelist Luke wrote the fourth Gospel in the Bible that bears his name, and also wrote the book, "Acts of the Apostles." A scene toward the film's end shows Luke talking with Paul and coming up with the concluding words for his story about Paul's life. "And he lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered." (Acts 28:30-31)
It's from that point that this story and film begin. The prologue on the screen sets the stage. It's Rome in AD 67. "A devastating fire has swept over the city. Emperor Nero pins the blame on those that follow Jesus Christ and one of their leaders, Saul of Tarsus - known as Paul to the Roman world. Christians are thrown into Nero's bloody Circus or set on fire as Roman candles to light the streets. Learning of Paul's arrest, Luke enters Rome in secret to capture the last of Paul's wisdom." So, this setting is well after the execution of the Apostle Peter in Rome, and the burning of Rome in 64 AD.
With the title given this film, one might expect a considerable portrait of the Apostle Paul's life as a Christian. It would include his dramatic conversion near Damascus on the road from Jerusalem. And his preaching, teaching, and travails in at least some of the cities and places where he journeyed and established churches. But, that's not what this film is about. Instead it provides a deep look into the person and faith that fills Paul and guides his very being and all that he does. And, it's a look at the evangelist, Luke -the Syrian-born Greek physician and early gentile Christian.
Luke met Paul in Antioch, some time after Paul's conversion. And he become one of several frequent travelers with Paul. Indeed, Luke and some others had traveled with Paul to Rome on his last journey. The others included Aquila and Priscilla, who joined Paul in Corinth. They had lived in Rome but left when Claudius Caesar deported the Jews several years earlier.
The main plot of this film involves Paul, Luke, Paul's fictional second jailer, Mauritius Galias, and the latter's wife and seriously ill daughter. A couple of major subplots fill out this story and film. One is a hidden enclave that Aquila and Priscilla run that harbors persecuted Christians in the city. Another is the persecution of the Christians, and Luke's encouragement of them to hold fast to their faith in the Circus games. Another is Luke's medical treatment and healing of the centurion's daughter. And lastly, Luke's writing letters that Paul dictates in prison, and Luke's writing the Acts to be carried out of Rome by Aquila and Priscilla and their group who are secretly led out of the city at the end.
This film has some grim scenes about the persecution of early Christians. While the story itself is fictional, the principal Christian characters were real, as were the events. The portrayals by Jim Caviezel and James Faulkner of Luke and Paul, respectively, are superb. And all others of the cast are excellent in their roles.
The film has a nice epilogue on the screen. It is "dedicated to all who have been persecuted for their faith." Perhaps it should be updated to include "those who are being and will be" persecuted for their faith. The destruction of churches, violence against Christians, anti-Semitism, and oppression of religious freedom are as prevalent in the 21st century "civilized" world as at any time in the past.
Sparkling Cyanide (2003)
Ultra modern, much revised Agatha Christie story
"Sparkling Cyanide" is a modern updated setting and considerably revised story based on a couple of Agatha Christie original works. Those being a short story, "Yellow Iris," and a later expanded novel from that story, first printed in the U. S. in 1945 as "Sparkling Cyanide." The British publication later that same year was titled "Remembered Death."
"Yellow Iris" was made into a TV movie for the Hercule Poirot series that starred David Suchet; and this film follows the later book plot that involves Colonel Race as the main sleuth and star. Two earlier films were made for TV, in 1983 and 1993. But this version underwent substantial revisions. It's in a 21st century setting, the master sleuth's name is changed to Col. Geoffrey Reece, and he has a wife and partner, Dr. Catherine Kendall.
Perhaps the idea behind such extensive revision of Christie stories, such as this, is to make them appeal more to a modern audience. I don't know, but I prefer works based on novels and stories to be in their original times. Still the ingenuity of Agatha Christie comes through in this plot, so I like it. Not as much as any of the original or earlier versions of the story.
Here's a favorite exchange of lines between Col. Reece and his spouse-partner. Col. Geoffrey Reece, "Oh, Kate, do you remember the old days? Berlin Wall?" Dr. Catherine Kendall, "Russian spies? Cambridge defectors?" Col. Reece, "Political assassinations? Libya? At least there was some dignity in that."
His and Hers (1961)
Terry-Thomas goes Bedouin, and Hyde-White wonders
"His and Hers" isn't anywhere near the top comedy that Terry-Thomas made, but it is good and most fans should enjoy it. The plot is somewhat odd, as a world adventurer and author returns home to England after having been lost in the sands of the Sahara Desert in Africa. Yes, Thomas has that role as Reggie Blake. He and his publisher, Wilfrid Hyde-White's Charles Lunton, created the character and role as a means of steady income. Reggie sets off on an adventure to conquer some unusual feat that no one has yet done, and then to write about it. The two make lots of money on the sales of his books. Of course, there are shenanigans in those very adventures, and those come out around the middle of the film.
Well, after his return from his latest adventure, Reggie brings back with him some strange, unusual and - to say the least, unorthodox to English life and behavior, practices and habits. His adopted Bedouin side carries with it a touch of misogynism. It all leads to some humor with wife Fran, played by Janette Scott. And this is one of the funnier and different films that I have seen Wilfrid Hyde-White in.
This is a light but good comedy that most should enjoy - especially fans of British humor. Here are some sample lines from this film.
Feix McGregor, "Babies taste delicious, no?" Reggie Blake, "I don't know. I've never eaten one."
Reggie. "Who's Brishin?" McGregor, "One of my closest friends. I hate him."
Reggie, "What do you want?" McGregor, "Why should I beat around the bush? It's all over town."
Reggie, "It's funny that every time you stab me in the back, you quote Shelley."
Simone Rolfe, "Remember the night the sheik invited me to join his harem?" Reggie, 'Yes I remember you said you couldn't because you weren't a member of the union."
Reggie, handing Simone a drink he had just made, "Desert Fires, remember?" Simone, "Ah, how could I forget. Wow!" Reggie, "Don't spill any - you'll burn the rug.... Do you remember when we used to sit down on the ground to drink 'em?" Simone, "Oh, yes, of course - to keep from falling."
Crack in the World (1965)
Plenty of interesting scenes with special effects and disasters
Sci-fi films are of all types, from horror and monster films, to deep space and life in other galaxies. "King Kong" thrilled and frightened audiences when it came out in 1933. And it remained a major sci-fi scary movie for many of us in the mid-20th century who first saw it on the late night movies. Then came "Godzilla" of 1954, with a touch or Asian or Oriental humor mixed in with the scary monster and toy sets that looked real as the ancient monster long buried was brought to life by a nuclear detonation. The early Cold War years spawned quite a few sci-fi films with plots surrounding nuclear explosions.
While I have enjoyed the variety of sci-fi films over the years, I especially like those that deal with outer space or that deal with the fate of the world - the earth as we know it. Most of these films have been quite entertaining, and all usually have a good selection of scenes with tremendouos special effects. And, while the drama and acting of "Crack in the World" is somewhat lacking, it has plenty of the special effects. Those alone make this a very good, interesting and entertaining film - in the sense of keeping one on the edge of her or his seat.
And, this is one sci-fi that has a cast of some prominent actors of the past and its day. Dana Andrews is Dr. Stephen Sorenson, Kiron Moore is Dr. Ted Rampion, Alexander Knox is Sir Charles Eggerston and Peter Damon is John Masefield. Filling the obligatory female role for such films is a lesser known but very good actress of the period, Janette Scott, as Dr. Maggie Sorenson.
Anyone who enjoys sci-fi, especially with the emphasis on science and its exploration, should enjoy this film. Even these decades into the 21st century and well beyond the outer space blockbusters of the Star Wars and Star Trek films. Jules Verne first made sci-fi very popular with his 19th century novels. And, even with all kinds of space searching, research and discoveries, it seems mankind is always drawn to cataclysmic events or possibilities with our own planet. It shall probably always be that way because, after all, she is our mother earth. And our earth truly is a garden of Eden compared to anything we have discovered or learned about distant space and the universe.
Kansas Pacific (1953)
Just a fair Western, railroad and Civil War film
This Western film is set in the time just before the start of the Civil War in the U. S. It's a fictional account of the Southern sympathizers working to sabotage the work to build the Kansas Pacific Railway. Sterling Hayden plays an undercover Union engineer, Capt. John Nelson, who is sent to Kansas to see the railroad completed before the start of the Civil War.
Reed Hadley plays the real renegade Confederate raider, William Quantrill, whose aim is to disrupt the project. Some of the rest of the cast will be recognized by movie buffs of the mid-20th century. Barton MacLane, Clayton Moore, Irving Bacon, James Griffith and Jonathan Hale were stalwart supporting actors of the day.
Those who enjoy history, especially of the pioneer, Western and Civil War period, may enjoy this film. Of course, with a grain of salt as to the accuracy of the plot and the fictional characters.
Doctor in the House (1954)
All-star cast in this very good British comedy
"Doctor in the House" is the film credited with raising Dirk Bogarde to star status in cinema. Although he had been around and in films for several years, this film clearly catapulted his career. Bogarde is very good as Simon Sparrow. But with a supporting cast that includes several more prominent actors of the day, and a plot befitting their talents, how could this film go wrong.
It's a very good comedy, but not up there with the great ones. But anyone who enjoys British humor and comedies, will surely enjoy the many roles played here, in addition to Bogarde. Kenneth More Kay Kendall and James Robertson Justice lead a large cast of UK actors of the time.
Adam (2009)
A nice, quite different comedy-romance and good plot
Two up and coming stars at the time, Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne, star in this delightful comedy-romance and drama. They give top performances in their roles as Adam Raki and Beth Buchwald. I first say this film in the theater when it came out, and it still has nice appeal years later.
This is a warm story of friendships built around Adams character as an autistic young man. After the death of his father, his dad's Army buddy, Harlan, is the only person Adam can get close to. But, then, Beth moves into an apartment upstairs. The give and take, funny situations, friendship, even romance, help Adam out of his shell. The ending may not be what one might expect from Hollywood, but it's quite pleasant and refreshingly more real.
Ira Finkelstein's Christmas (2012)
A fair Christmas film
"Switchmas" is the title of this film that I bought on DVD to watch this past Christmas season. "All I Want Is Christmas" also works as a title that describes the plot. Two boys from two different families - one Christian and one Jewish, are sent off by their families for the holidays (Christmas and Hanukkah) to visit and be with relatives. The relatives haven't seen them since they were toddlers and they resemble each other in appearance. Neither one is looking forward to his trip.
Ira Finkelstein lives in Los Angeles where his father is a B-movie director. Ira has never seen snow, and has never celebrated Christmas like other kids. But he wants both. Mikey Amato lives in Chicago with his mother, and he has seen plenty of snow. He would rather they spend Christmas in a beachfront somewhere. Any place would be better than a snowy Christmas in Washington state with relatives he doesn't even know. Well, the boys meet in Chicago's O'Hare Airport where Ira had to change planes for Florida and Mikey had been dropped off by his mom who had to hurry to work. And they decide to switch places and identities. So, it's off to sunny Florida for Mikey, and to Seattle and Christmastown, Washington for Ira.
The plot has some nice twists as each boy is welcomed by the unsuspecting relatives. While it's a different Christmas season film, the idea of two people switching places has been done and used a number of times - first in novels and then in films. Still, these two boys pull it off for quite awhile until near the end. Both of these young actors, Elijah Nelson and Justin Howell, give very good performances. They are the heart of the film and story.
Elliott Gould and David DeLuise are fairly good, but also goofy much of the time. They provide much of the comedy as the Jewish grandfather and father. While there is some good humor in places. I can see where this film might seem offensive to some. The portrayal of the Jewish grandparents and friends in Florida may seem far too exaggerated to some members of that faith.
The name "Christmastown" was invented for this movie. But there's no mistaking that Leavenworth Washington is a Christmas town each December. It's decorated and all lit up for Christmas. In the evenings, a quartet of carolers walk the streets, singing familiar yuletide tunes. They're dressed in Victorian costume so it looks like something right out of Charles Dickens.
I quickly pegged Leavenworth as the main filming location for this movie. I've been to Germany and Switzerland, having seen much of Europe when stationed there in the U. S. Army. I've also traveled in all 50 states and I don't think there's another place in the U. S. that looks so Bavarian as Leavenworth. It's not only in the town's architecture - which is a very interesting story all its own. But its setting on the East side of the Cascade Mountains so closely resembles Bavaria with its mountainous backdrop. The Christmas parade down Front Street with Icicle Ridge looming in the distance could be a duplicate scene in any number of Bavarian and Swiss towns, including some that I have seen. I visited Leavenworth several times when I lived in the Pacific Northwest from 1987 to 2007. That included one Christmas holiday season which begins the weekend after Thanksgiving.
A Christmas Hero (2020)
A weak film about war-time PTSD set around Christmas
This film is about a veteran struggling with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and trying to get back to normal life after serving two years in the war in Afghanistan. He and his wife are breaking up, as he has skipped out on appointments for help from the Veterans department and groups. Now he shows up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for a new job as a tour guide in its aviation museum, called the Air Zoo.
On the first tour he leads, he notices a young observant woman, whom he also sees later around the museum. She doesn't tell him her name, and when he suggests "Michelle," she says that's a good name. As they talk, she seems to know a lot about him, and he wonders how that can be. Eventually, she tells him that she's his guardian angel.
Well, since this occurs in early December, and Nick is invited the home of the museum manager for Christmas, it becomes a Christmas movie. This isn't a star-studded cast of great actors, nor are the writers, the director and others well known or anywhere near the top of their fields. So, as one might expect, the screenplay is somewhat slow and uncertain, the acting is fairly amateurish, and it's a minor film all around. It's quite typical for these video films made just for sale or that are put out on the Internet.
In a way that's unfortunate, because the public could use at a very good film about veterans from modern warfare struggling with and recovering from PTSD. My five stars are partly for the effort to tackle this subject in a film, but more so for the very good presentation and scenes of the Air Zoo museum. It truly is a world-class aviation museum, on the order of other air and space museums I have visited - the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D. C.; the Blue Angels museum in Pensacola, Florida; the SAC Museum near Ashland, Nebraska; and the Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum at Wapakoneta, Ohio.
The Christmas Project 2 (2020)
Too many things make this another forgettable sequel
"Christmas Project Reunion" was made four years after the first film, and most of the main characters are back. In the case of the kids, who are the main focus of the plot, they are now teenagers in high school. Unfortunately, this film joins the ranks of the majority of sequels that are not nearly as good as their original stories and films. And, in this case, it's a considerable decline. Where the first film, with an original story and plot is good enough to be an annual holiday rerun, "Reunion" is forgettable.
The problems with this film are many. Overall, it seems to drag on, with far too much screen time of Matthew Buckley's sulking character. And, the return of the Hagbarts, while okay for a plot idea, seems way off because Finn Hagbart no longer is the bullying nemesis of Matthew. He comes across as a nice guy. There are some other odd twists in the attraction of the Hagbart girls to the Buckleys (Feeb Hagbart and Simon Buckley) and Mathew's geek friend, Allen Goodman.
The introduction of two new characters adds a little to this plot. Uncle Steve is the younger brother of Matthew's mother. But Coach Hagbart comes out of nowhere. Brian Bosworth plays the role well, and his character is okay. If someone hadn't seen the original film, his presence wouldn't seem so odd. That's because in the original film, the Hagbart's father never appeared even once. So, now, all of a sudden, here he is and a pretty good, solid person. The fact that the Hagbart's had been poor and their dad was gone to work two jobs all the time to support them was understandable. But now they are rich because he invented some sort of shopping guide attraction that retail stores went for in a big way.
Well, the plot for this sequel struggles along with Matthew carrying a grudge against Finn, and then finally awakening to a change of heart that's just not believable. The film seemed to force that conclusion on the audience. This is just one sequel that flops.
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)
Morley's Max makes a unique hit list
George Segal and Jacqueline Bisset are top-billed in this comedy crime film, but Robert Morley really steals the show. Along with half a dozen prominent European actors of the day who play various famous chefs, Morley provides most of the humor. Segal's role as Robby Ross, an American "entrepreneur" of fast food chains to make big money, barely fits into the plot. It could be that the writers thought that would be a basis for much comedy - to contrast with the high-brow epicurean "meat" of the plot. Well, he needed some sort of connection to his divorced wife, Bisset's Natasha O'Brien, who is a top dessert chef in the world. She is invited to London to make the desert for a state function of her majesty, the queen.
The story revolves around Morley's Maximillian Vandeveer. He is THE expert food critic and head of a cuisine magazine in Europe. Max knows all of the great chefs, and indeed, it's his word in reviews that has determined who the great ones are - in their various fields. So, after Max publishes an article naming the greatest pigeon chef, lobster chef, dessert chef, etc., they begin dropping off like flies. Each is found done in by some method associated with his specialty. It's sort of literally having one's goose cooked. For instance, the greatest chef of canard a la presse (pressed duck) has his head crushed in a duck press. Of course, the film doesn't show all of that.
The film is based on a 1976 novel by Nan and Ivan Lyons, "Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe." The screenplay seems not to hide the culprit, because it becomes quite evident who it might be very early into the film. But then, there's a surprise in store after all. Morley plays the over-indulging lust for great food to the hilt. Segal and Bisset get in some frolicking that rekindles their past love, and Ross ultimately saves Natasha from being the last victim of the chef-slayer - who is then unveiled.
The plot had great potential for a smash comedy. The book was probably much better, but the screenplay needed a good once over to put some spice into the dialogue. It seems choppy with Segal's Ross popping in frequently, and then just as quickly popping out. The film title in its U. K. release was changed to "Too Many Chefs." It was liked by the critics and did fairly well at the box office - but nowhere near the fop 50 films of the year.
The World of Henry Orient (1964)
Two young teens coming of age in New York, with a mostly wasted Sellers and big-name cast
Nineteen sixty-four was the year that Peter Sellers starred in a triple role in one of the greatest comedy satire films of all time - Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove." Sellers was at the top of his career, having a decade behind him with many hit comedy films. It was a year that included three big films that dominated the box office and Oscars - "Mary Poppins," "Goldfinger," and "My Fair Lady." Then, after "Strangelove," in January (11th for the year at the box office), Sellers had another hit and bigger box office score in the sequel to the "Pink Panther" of 1963. His "Shot in the Dark," in June came in 5th at the box office for the year.
But, sandwiched between those two top films was this March comedy drama. While it didn't flop at the box office, it came cose, and was far off the list of memorable Sellers films. This is one that clearly aimed to capitalize on Seller's stardom, with his top billing, along with three other prominent names of the time. But only Sellers of the bunch had a substantial part, and the two real leads of the film by far were the two young actresses who played the young New York teenagers coming of age.
Tippy Walker as Val Boyd and Merrie Spaeth as Marian Gilbert were the best part of this film by far. They were from well-to-do families and attended an exclusive girls school in Manhattan. Their family backgrounds differed, but after meeting, these two girls clicked for their similar interests, especially their imaginations and penchants for overboard hijinks. Interestingly, neither of these two obviously talented performers chose acting for their careers. Spaeth had only four credits and Boyd had just eight credits.
But two of the supporting cast went on to considerable stardom, mostly through TV series. Angela Lansbury is a young 38 here. She already has a considerable portfolio of films and TV series behind her. She has had mostly supporting roles, with just a few that were highly regarded. But, with the 1960s that would change, especially after her appearance in "The Manchurian Candidate" of 1962. After that she had a number of roles of the rough, tough and hard woman, interspersed with occasional softer roles. She eventually found her road to stardom in the highly regarded and popular TV mystery series, "Murder She Wrote," from 1984-1996. She had many nominations in her career, including three for Oscars. But, she never even won one Emmy for "Murder She Wrote," of a dozen nominations. She did, however, win four Golden Globes of 10 nominations for the series.
And, Tom Bosley is also a young actor (39) here He later became popular in the original TV series of "Charlie's Angels," from 1976-1984. He had 158 total credits in a career that spanned five decades. While a popular, mostly supporting actor, Bosley had very few meaty roles in drama, comedy or any type of films, and he received just one major nomination in his career.
There are two separate stories in "Henry Orient." They are meshed together to allow for the big name actors. The comedy with the girls touches on risky stuff at times. It was funny in the 1960s but wouldn't be so in the 21st century. The comedy with the adults is mostly around Sellers, and that's quite sparse at that. Mostly it's his Henry Orient worried and scurryhing about to avoid being caught by a distraught husband or parent. Just one scene with the willey Orient bamboozling Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Boyd, has any real humor.
But the intermingling of the two stories, with a great deal of the chatter and plotting and friendship of Val and Marian, make the film overall seem disoriented and poorly put together. And, as some others have noted, the girls' similar routines and scenes soon become tiring. The film has an interesting twist at the end, and a somewhat positive note for 14-year-old Val who had been mostly ignored by her parents up to that time. But, the small amount of humor and weak screenplay with the loose plot doesn't quite raise this film to even average.
The Mistletoe Promise (2016)
Very little Christmas here, but a good, very different comedy
The season blues forms the basis for two people meeting and forming a pact to help one another make it through the holidays. Each one has bad experiences and hurts from past Christmases, and each one has a particular problem that needs some help. "The Mistletoe Promise" is a very different story for a Christmas film. The plot would provide for a good comedy otherwise. While it doesn't have much of an air or feel of Christmas about it - even with the more than usual trappings, decorations etc. Of the usual holiday films, it's still a nice, enjoyable film.
Most people who enjoy holiday films, including comedy romances, that are closely tied to Christmas, may not care much for this movie, But, if one can suspend the thought of that connection - since it's so little obvious other than for the overdone decorations, this film can be quite satisfying as a good comedy, and one with a nice moral to it.
The cast all are quite good in their respective roles. Jaime King as Elise and Luke Macfarlane as Nick do very well and pair well. The fact that their relationship keeps at arm's length as the "promise" unfolds, also keeps the film above being a formulaic Christmas romance film.
The Cowboy and the Lady (1938)
Rodeos, ranch life and politics don't mix
Merle Oberon hardly seemed the type of actress to play in a comedy and Western. It shows a little bit in "The Cowboy and the Lady," but that may be as much due to a screenplay that's not very tight. For instance, her rapid come-on with the handsome cowboy she just meets seems way overboard for a person who has led such a sheltered, structured social life. Again, I think that may be due to the script.
Okay, so that aside, and the notion of a far-fetched meeting and romance, the characters are all quite good and the acting is good all around. No stranger to Westerns, Gary Cooper does very well as a rodeo cowboy and ranch hand, Stretch Willoughby. Oberon IS a lady, as in the title, Mary Smith. But much of my enjoyment in this film comes from a bevy of supporting actors who were stapples of good films during Hollywood's heyday.
Three-time Oscar-winner Walter Brennan is a young-looking 43 years old, playing Sugar, another cowhand friend of Stretch. Patsy Kelly plays Mary's maid and friend in Mary's deception, Katie Callahan. And, Harry Davenport, as Uncle Hannibal Smith, has a familiar role to cinephiles of a likeable, understanding, good-natured, and terrific supporting role one never tires of. Some other Hollywood fillers of the period who always added something to films are Irving Bacon, Berton Churchill, and Emma Dunn.
There's one terrific scene in this film that's hilarious. Stretch is having a house built for him and his bride on the Hawkins ranch. The carpenters are at work and the house is all framed. Stretch has drawn furniture on the floor of the living room. He goes to look it over another time and begins to imagine what it will be like for Mary and him. So, he moves around the table marked on the floor, does motions with his arms of holding a chair for Mary to sit down, then goes to his side and half squats as though he's sitting at table. Later he stands by the fireplace and is talking out loud to his wife. Well, as this is going on, his fellow cowhands and the carpenters gather around and watch him. After he notices them, he invites them in, and they go through some of the same funniness. This scene comes to a very funny finish with Ma Hawkins.
Here's a favorite line from the film. Mary Smith, "Uncle Hannibal, what do I tell him?" Uncle Hannibal Smith, "Nothing! Your poor father's accustomed to being in the dark.
Quo Vadis (1951)
An epic film from the glory days of Hollywood
Watching this film again these several decades later, it struck me how audiences in the early to mid-20th century were awed by the sheer scope and magnificence of the occasional epic film being made back then. "Quo Vadis" and other grand epics were made when Hollywood was at its best. The sheer number of extras - up to 30,000 people used in some scenes dazzled young and old alike. The costumes, equipment, sets and settings were all spectacular in this film, as in most about historical events of the past. And the fictional stories, most often based on novels, were so well scripted and acted, that one so easily became emersed in the film.
"Quo Vadis" is based on the 1896 novel of the same title by Polish author and Nobel laureate, Henryk Sienkiewicz. Although this isn't the first movie made from the book, it's the grandest by far. This is the story of early Christianity in Rome under the reign of Nero, and the burning of Rome and start of persecutions of the Christians. Many of the characters in "Quo Vadis" are real historical figures - Nero, Petronius, Poppaea, Tigellinus, and Seneca of Rome, and Peter and Paul of the Bible and early Christian Church. The story revolves around a fictitious couple who find love amidst the hedonism and growing madness of Nero.
Robert Taylor is a Roman legion commander, Marcus Vinicius, who returns to Rome after successful battles in Europe. He is ready to enjoy the revelry and pursuits of pleasure when he meets an adopted daughter of a former great Roman general. Deborah Kerre plays Lygia, and is Christian along with her parents. They and several other actors give superb performances. Peter Ustinov as Nero and Leo Genn as Petronius are exceptional The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards. Although it didn't win an Oscar, Ustinov won a Golden Globe as best supporting actor.
Some modern historians question the blame of Nero for the great fire of Rome. But most accept the early Roman historical accounts. Some point to Nero's incompetence as leading to the fire outbreak. Still, others say that it was inevitable because of the crowded city. And some say flatly that Nero couldn't have started the fire because he wasn't in Rome at the time, but was 35 miles away at his summer palace. Well, the surviving tradition sides with the early lore that Nero fiddled while Rome burned. He didn't play a violin but did play a lyre which was a stringed instrument like a small harp that is played by plucking or stroking the strings. The film shows that and Nero's imagined talent as a poet with some lyrics he recites to some plucking on the strings.
While there are varying theories as to whether or not Nero burned Rome, the one that seems so naïve is that he couldn't have done it because he wasn't in Rome at the time. Isn't that like saying that Hitler didn't kill the Jews because he was never within a hundred miles of an extermination camp? Nero was lauded for the speed of rebuilding the city after 70% of it was destroyed in the July 64 AD fire. It was done in Greek style architecture. And, Nero already had the plans and a model of his new palace already made before the fire.
Nero blamed the Christians for the fire and used it as an excuse to outlaw the faith and start the bloody public killings in the theater.
The early Christian martyrs were burned at the stake, and mauled and killed by lions - all for the enjoyment of the emperor and spectators. Yet, numerous stories circulated among the Romans at the time that tied the fire to Nero. The earliest written Roman historical sources that reported this are no longer extant. But later historians reported on the earlier writings, and Nero's blame for the burning of Rome, one way or another, has lived throughout history. Nero was most known for his indulgences with theater, music and poetry, considering himself a great talent. He was just 17 when he became emperor on the death of his adoptive father. After a few years of struggling with his mother over rule of the empire, he murdered her, and later had his wife and a brother-in-law killed. He soon became a tyrant, and after a rebellion unseated him and led him to flee, he committed suicide at age 31.
The film doesn't show all of this, but it gives a good picture of the reign of Nero, the persecution of Christians, and decadence amidst the culture of the Roman Empire in the first century AD.
Whisky Galore! (1949)
When the ration ran out, a ship ran aground, and the spirits were raised
During WW II, everything was rationed in Great Britain and the U. S. Most people could get by with substitutes if eggs ran out, or if something else ran in short supply. With the enemy bombing England and threatening just across the channel and the North Sea, the British Isles were on their toes constantly. One thing that helped keep the spirits of the home folk up was, well, spirits. Specifically, whisky. And nowhere was that more crucial than in Scotland.
So, this wonderful Ealing Studio comedy is just about that - a drought of whisky rationing, and answer to the local hopes (and no doubt some prayers) when a ship goes aground with a cargo of 50,000 cases of whisky. The story is based on 1947 novel, which was about a real shipwreck, But the setting here is a fictional island just off the main Scottish West coast, in the Hebrides. The cast are all superb. Basil Radford is the local home guard official, Captain Paul Waggett. He has zero empathy among the locals for preventing the looting of the grounded ship, and the local folks rally and unite for a great cause - the spirits to raise their spirits.
The film was a big hit in Engand, and in the U. S. where it was re-titled "Tight Little Island." The actors were all known to the British audience. The best known on the U. S. side of the pond besides Radford, were Gordon Jackson and James Robertson Justice.
The Cockeyed Miracle (1946)
A witty script and funny scenarios fill this priceless family comedy
"The Cockeyed Miracle" is a wonderful, humorous comedy about family, friendship, death, and temptation for greed. It's a simple plot, with fantasy built around two souls - a father and older son who meet after the latter's death. Sam doesn't want to go off into eternity just yet - until he sees his family are taken care of. The nest egg, from his investment with his best friend, Tom, is about to hatch, but Tom is tempted to keep it all for himself. Son Jimmy and daughter Jennifer each have a big event just around the corner. How can Sam go off to bliss and joy with his father, Ben, who came to escort him up - until this is all squared away?
The setting is a small New England fishing village. Except for the opening scene of the village docks and a later horse and buggy and barn scene in a rainstorm, most of the story takes place in the Griggs home. The plot is based on a play, and it's easy to see how it would have been staged, but the film doesn't have a stagy feel to it. This film has some superb technical work in the filming of Sam and Ben walking through walls and windows and ascending through a ceiling into an upper room.
The cast are all excellent, with some very prominent senior actors of the day and other well-known supporting players. Frank Morgan is Sam Griggs, Cecil Kellaway is Tom Carter, Gladys Cooper is Sam's wife, Amy; and Leon Ames is her brother Ralph Humphrey. Keenan Wynn plays Sam's father in the afterlife, Ben Griggs. Marshall Thompson plays Sam's son, Jimmy, and Audrey Totter plays the daughter, Jennifer.
What makes this a superb comedy is the screenplay and a script with witty exchanges and some very funny dialog. It's a feel-good film that people young and old should be able to enjoy well into the future.
Here are some favorite lines from this very good movie.
Amy Griggs, "Just the same, we've got to do what the doctor says." Sam Griggs, "The only time you do what he says is when I'm sick."
Sam Griggs, "Oh, I'm sorry, Amy. I know I'm not a good patient." Amy Griggs, "That's because it takes practice to be, and you've never been sick before." Sam, "You always find excuses for me." Amy, "Nonsense!"
Amy, "My, it adds up. Four thousand seems too much when you borrow it, and so little when you spend it."