Change Your Image
George041
Reviews
Random Harvest (1942)
Love Sometimes Requires Patience in Order to Bloom
Ronald Coleman and Greer Garson in a real love story. No, there are no panting love scenes for the audience, but one can assume that too was part of their love. All too often we talk of love and say we're in love, but we sometimes forget that patience, kindness, and loyalty are all part of love. Here, in this motion picture, one person waits patiently for love to rekindle in another person who has literally forgotten he was in love. Will the miracle happen or will love go unanswered? Ronald Coleman, that wonderful actor, and Greer Garson, that wonderful actress, in a heartwarming drama about a man who is lost and a woman who stays to guide him back.
Fighting Caravans (1931)
Probably the audience was awed in 1931 because talkies were still new, but for 2004, the movie is a dud.
The motion picture was, in all likelihood, made in the year 1930 and released in 1931. I would surmise that talking motion pictures had great difficulty in making the transition from the silent era. Nevertheless, this particular Zane Grey plot appears to be very weak. Also, Gary Cooper was probably just learning to act. The result is something that would not be acceptable by today's standards. For 1931, maybe. For 2004, not acceptable. Some of the actors performed well. Sadly, the Indians always get the short end in these early westerns. They were living on the land long before the white man came, but according to twisted history, they had no right to defend themselves.
Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony (1999)
An Outstanding Presentation of the Lives of Two Magnificent Women
This presentation of two, extraordinary women was captivating, informative, and wonderful. Every citizen should watch this biography of two women.
How many of us would be able to stay with a cause for 50 years? It took a special kind of courage to persevere in the face of ridicule, rejection, and broken promises. To remain friends for 50 years in spite of differences is something few people in this world can accomplish.
How sad both women, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, did not live to see their dream achieved. The women of this nation owe so much to these two women and the women who supported them.
A heart-rending end for two women who gave so much to the women of this country. This biography should be shown in all the schools of this land. They, Anthony and Stanton, should never be forgotten for their sacrifices made in the quest for equal rights for women. Again, an A-1 production.
Short Cuts (1993)
Illogical, disjointed, and incoherent trash.
Dr. T and the women was awful. Robert Altman was responsible for this and is now responsible for Short Cuts. The method of jumping back and forth from one scene to another in a very short time would be excusable in a madhouse since madness is king. But to say this insane drivel is art is like saying the rantings of a madman are quite logical. Buffaloes were animals that stampeded as a group. They were powerful animals with little intellect. Only a herd with little intellect can approve of such tripe.
Churchill and the Generals (1979)
A well-crafted presentation of Winston Churchill and the time of World War II
A Well-crafted presentation of Winston Churchill and the interrelationships between the generals and the Prime Minister. The acting is superb, the dialogue captivating, and the war film footage brings back memories of the horrors and deaths of so many fine men and women. If only the memories could stop the future carnage of people.
Brother John (1971)
Sidney Poitier as a being of mystery
Sidney Poitier gives an exemplary performance in a film in which the viewer is kept in suspense as to why and who. Right to the very end, the viewer never knows for sure what the visitor to a small town really is. The supporting cast is excellent and Will Geer and Sidney Poitier are outstanding.
Secrets & Lies (1996)
A wonderful motion picture.
Very well done and a motion picture worth seeing. Perhaps the plot takes a little time to develop, but the end is full of surprises. There is humor, pathos, and the usual jump to conclusions on the part of the characters depicted. Nevertheless, it is a great motion picture.
Fugitive Lovers (1934)
Maybe not a great picture, but highly interesting.
Robert Montgomery, Nat Pendleton, and Madge Evans turn in remarkable performances. Please note the talents of Mr. Pendleton. He could do comedy and serious roles. Also, his background is very interesting (Olympic athelte). The trip through New Jersey and Pennsylvania at the time (1934) shows a sparsely populated countryside. At that time, the George Washington Bridge had only one level and the highways were mostly two lanes. Also, if you're familiar with the George Washington Bridge, the entrance on the New York side was vastly different from what it is today. It's almost like taking a trip aboard a time machine.
Three on a Match (1932)
Sometimes life allows us to choose our fate, but fate usually chooses for us.
A wonderful performance by the actresses and actors. Ann Dvorak is the star in this movie. Though she had great talent, somehow she never made it to the top of Hollywood stardom. The film, though dated, shows the hardships of the great depression for most people. It's wonderful to see the buildings, the people, their clothes, their language (slang, et cetera), and the automobiles, the streets, and all the things that make up a historical period of a bad economic time. In the film, Ann Dvorak depicts a woman who is financially secure, but throws it all away for the sake of thrills.
The Dark Horse (1932)
The political arena is the same from decade to decade with different names but the same baloney.
Guy Kibbee gives the viewer a lot of laughs. Like most candidates, he knows almost nothing. Warren William, a very, under rated actor, is superb in giving instructions to Kibbee; that is, he teaches him to say something which means nothing to the voting public. A campaign based on no comment, "I'll take it under advisement," and "Maybe yes, but then again, maybe no," is the nearly perfect way to win an election. Succinctly, the dumber the candidate, the greater the chance he or she will win. After all, the public can identify with such a person. With respect to the movie, it makes for a lot of comedy.
La lengua de las mariposas (1999)
An outstanding movie
The relationship between Fernan Gomez and his student is exemplary. The desire to learn and the desire to teach comes across with all the warmth of a loving father and loving son. There is respect, patience, and kindness shown to the little, asthmatic pupil by the understanding teacher and wonderful, human being. The very fact that the teacher, Fernan Gomez, apologizes to his little pupil shows empathy for his small, frightened pupil.
By the Sword (1991)
A very entertaining motion picture
F. Murray Abraham and Eric Roberts gave outstanding performances. The supporting cast did very well. This film is not just about fencing. It is about people who interact with other people in different ways; that is, some people treat other people in compassionate ways while others do not. And in the final act, kindness and respect becomes paramount instead of selfishness, arrogance and the desire to win at all costs.
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001)
Story by Dickens is well done
The cast was excellent. Every actor and actress performed in a very believable manner. James Darcy and Charles Dance were outstanding and convincing. Wackford's daughter was a pleasant surprise in the way she portrayed a young woman on the prowl for Nicholas Nickelby. The photography of the countryside and horses drawing a carriage was spectacular. All in all, the picture was worth watching.
The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)
An Excellent, Wonderful Motion Picture
A motion picture that has a great deal of humor, pathos, and love. Jeff Bridges, Barbra Streisand, George Segal, and Lauren Bacall give outstanding performances. The rest of the cast was exemplary. I was captivated from start to finish.
The Unknown Soldier (1998)
Well done and suspenseful.
The subject of shell-shock is rarely touched upon in so realistic a fashion. Also, the class distinctions in England are made quite plain in this presentation. If you were an enlisted man during this period of time, 1914-1918, you did not receive the same consideration in a court of justice as an officer in the same army. This policy, I believe continued even up to World War II (1939-1945).
As for medicine, little was known on how to treat shell-shocked men. The administering of electric shock was graphically portrayed. It was not a gentle therapy and many people suffered during this treatment.
All the actors and actresses performed wonderfully. And as someone mentioned, the costumes and scenery appeared very authentic for that time. Oh, in spite of their dedication and intelligence, women were still second class citizens.
All in all, I consider the film a very, very, good one.
Frankie Starlight (1995)
As someone said, "Be kind, for everyone has a tough road to travel."
Elmer Bernstein's music for this outstanding motion picture is superb. The main character displays courage in the face of what life has given him (dwarfism and family despair). As for the girl he loves and adores in his early life, she too overcomes the horrors of a traumatic experience (seeing her father with another woman) during her early childhood. The supporting cast did just that (magnificent support to make the main characters believable). And for a change, even though there are so many sad moments in the life of Frankie, the conclusion is a happy one for those who persevere. Love doesn't conquer all, but it makes life beautiful.