Reviews

Lawrence Harvey's Joe Lampton a working class exPow whose war service gained him nothing seeks to better his life by any means possible, beginning by taking a lowly but promising civil service job in a town where dreams are possible as compared to his depression and war devasted home town, a miserable place at the best of times, bombed to ruins in the war. He sees immediate opportunity in Susan Brown, the young daughter of the richest man in town, and makes a steady and calculated play for her that seems blocked at every point while falling for a lonely isolated older woman, Alice, brilliantly played by Simone Signoret, in an affair that starts as a friendship to gain advice on winning Susan and becomes a true love story, changing Joe in the process. Ironically, just as he realizes his love for Alice and plans to give up his "Don Draperish" dreams for her, he learns Susan is pregnant, forcing her family to reluctantly but firmly welcome him into the family circle. There are strong links to various other tales like "A Place in the Sun" and "Mad Men" but not only does Joe not murder a troublesome mistress nor serially betray his wife, he is fundamentally not a monster, he sincerely believes he loves Susan until he finds the shallowness of the girl of his dreams and his mistress Alice is quite right to believe he is better than his dreams and could achieve much if he could believe in himself.

"Room at the Top", the story of a desperate to succeed working class Brit who's hoping his new civil service job in a town far superior to his depressed, bombed out home town was a brilliant mediation on what one may lose on the way to achieving what one may think one wants, with Lawrence Harvey terrific as Joe Lampton and Simone Signoret heartbreaking as his mistress Alice whom he realizes too late is the true love of his life. This one "Life at the Top" showing Joe in his new "Don Draper" life married to boss' daughter is entertaining and has some life in Jean Simmons' portrayal of an older, wiser, but still loving Susan, far less innocent and far more interesting than Heather Sears' version of the character in the first film. And Honor Blackman as the ambitious but loving journalist with whom Joe seeks to change a life that's become a trap and constant humiliation for him. However the movie lacks some of the spark of the first and while Joe remains an engaging character who is not simply a worthless cad trying to climb up...He did love Susan in film 1 till he realized he'd created an illusion about her and his grief for Alice is real; and he does care for and comes to respect and admire the stronger Susan in this one, one can't help feeling he should either admit his deficiencies to himself (He does lack training, experience, etc) or break out and prove himself, gaining his wife's respect in the process. His tame acceptance of Alice's widower's gross insults to her memory do lessen one's respect for him. But all-in-all not a bad sequel to the first.

This film about the travails of a very poor Sicilian family attempting to enter the "Golden Door" of the New World is mystical and moving, brilliantly directed and acted. Anyone with near-generation immigrant relatives will recognize the horrors and joys the family and their mysterious companion, an Englishwoman they encounter while preparing to board their ship, suitably named the Dante, experience enroute. The family has been pulled along by its young widowed father, Salvatore, a man of remarkable imagination who dreams of the better life awaiting him in America, based both on bizarre tales of the New World and his thoughts of his twin brother who'd emigrated years before. Despite the family's misgivings, particularly his mother, a folk healer who fears she will be lost in Salvatore's imagined paradise, after Salvatore is convinced a pilgrimage has provided a sign, they sell all they own and embark, entrusted by the local don with two child brides each with her own fate awaiting. The Englishwoman they meet, Lucy Reed, needs their help to get to America, as she cannot travel without escort. Salvatore is taken with her but his mother sees through her poise and charm to realize she is something of a high-class prostitute or at least uses her charms with men to survive. We learn to enroute that Lucy is attracted to earthy men and her feeling for Salvatore may be more than simple need. After a horrendous journey they dock off New York and Lucy, who has dodged the attentions of the first-class passengers seeking to take advantage of her plight and buy her in marriage, asks Salvatore to marry her, explaining that love is not involved. Salvatore, in his remarkable genius both understands sympathetically and refuses to accept her position, gently insisting that love will come later...We are led to believe he is being naive...He is in fact wiser than she. Meanwhile the mother increasingly realizes the New World has no place for her, something she suspected from the start, believing it her duty to bring Salvatore to America to somehow reunite him to his twin. Salvatore's youngest son is also in trouble as an apparent deaf mute, a condition unacceptable to the eugenical thinking of the Ellis Island officials. Finally as it becomes clear the family must either separate or return home, the mother in desperation in a beautiful scene mystically passes the family's care to Lucy who, whatever her previous plans for her life in America, is now clearly the new matriarch. Her growing love for Salvatore is then demonstrated in a final beautiful trial at the immigration office while the youngest son demonstrates that his true condition. We don't know how the family will fare...The mother is to be sent home, the fate of the youngest son is uncertain after his amazing relevation...The two young child brides, one tough, the other delicate, seemed likely doomed to unhappy marriages with old men...But we can't help feeling Lucy will take her new calling seriously and she is portrayed as becoming the guide and support of the rest as they swim in a fantastical sea of milk in Salvatore's imaginings to their destiny at the end. (I see her making an attempt to take up the life she planned and immediately giving it up to return to her true destiny as matriarch...And she and Salvatore in their seventies, running a successful bakery or such, arguing in Italian with only Salvatore aware of her English background.) Anyway...If you love a touch of the mystical as well as hard historical experiences well done, you will love this film.

I saw."The Master of the World" first as a kid and later read the two less well known Jules Verne novels it was adapted from and have long been a fan of the magnificent ship featured in the film, "The Albatross". The story involves a brilliant inventor and fanatical pacifist, known only as "Robur" who has gathered a more or less international and multi-ethnic crew of similarly minded folks to achieve world peace through the superior air-borne firepower of their beautiful vessel, the world's first heavier than air flying machine. Robur's plan is to use the ship to destroy the principal armies and navies of the world and force disarmament through ruthless use of invincible power, a theme rather relevant at the time the film was made, 1964. He is of course an airborne version of Verne's Indian prince genius Captain Nemo, though we are allowed to assume Robur is American as seem most of his crew, perhaps motivated by the horrors of the recent Civil War in the US.

Robur's plans are threatened when he rescues four survivors of a balloon crash in the extinct volcano in which he'd set the Albatross down for maintenance while preparing his assault on the world's military. The four are two members of a local Pennsylvania balloon society, Mr. Evans and Mr. Prudent, the elder Prudent's daughter, Evans' fiancee, and John Strock, a federal agent sent to investigate mysterious goings-on at the volcano which has terrified by the local populace with rumblings, accompanied by a Godlike voice reading biblical passages. This was of course Robur, accidentally using his voice amplifier during services and the sounds of the repair work on the Albatross. Strock has requested the use of the new balloon the society has been constructing to perform his investigation of the volcano's crater. Fearing detection Robur and his men have shot the balloon down but Robur, a decent man at heart, cannot allow himself to abandon the survivors and takes them as prisoners.

On gradually learning of Robur's plans after witnessing the marvels of his vessel, followed by a demonstration of his ruthlessness when he destroys an American warship at sea, the four prisoners realize he has no intention of letting them go. However, the prisoners divide as it becomes clear that Agent Strock, demonstrating an appreciation and sympathy for Robur's desire for world peace, has no intention of seeking escape. Evans, jealous of his fiancee's evident and growing fondness for Strock, insists that Strock is a coward who would help Robur and persuades the others to attempt a desperate escape likely to end in their deaths. Strock objects, given the danger, and explains to Miss Prudent that he must stay on board as an agent to destroy the Albatross despite his sympathy for Robur's ambition. When Evans insists on carrying out the dangerous escape they are stopped by the Albatross crew and find that Strock has exposed the plan to Robur. All three initially turn against Strock but when Robur demands a brutal reprisal by hanging Evans and the elderly Prudent from ropes from the ship's bomb-bay, Strock insists on taking Prudent's place and is thrown overboard to hang with Evans.

Robur's intent is a short if severe punishment but a threat to the ship calls him away, and Evans and Strock are nearly killed hanging for a considerable time in midair as the ship passes through a heavy storm. Robur, having saved the Albatross is shocked to remember that he has forgotten the two prisoners, a clear sign of his fundamental humanity, and rushes to have them saved in the nick of time, Evans having fallen unconscious. His rope breaking in the storm and Strock carrying him on his own.

Having saved the two, a guilty Robur meets with Strock and begs him to join his cause, explaining that he realizes Strock is his kind of hard realist and a potential threat to his plans. Strock refuses but agrees to swear not to act against him when Robur offers him the choice of such an oath or death. It is of course a deception but the recovering Evans, hearing, accuses him of surrendering his honor, a charge Strock scorns, noting that they are dealing with a brilliant and ruthless madman who would destroy the world in order to save it and it is no time for such nonsense. Miss Prudent then settles their argument by noting to Evans that Strock saved his life and to Strock that his ruthless devotion to his cause was little better than Robur's. However, all the prisoners now agree that the Albatross must be destroyed, even at the cost of their lives.

Robur, having done great damage to England's fleet and other military and aroused great panic among the world's powers, now seeks to actually stop a war in Egypt by attacking the warring parties. His attempt proves the flaw in his plans as even the Albatross proves less than invulnerable, to its own weapons and to his fanaticism which leads to the ship suffering serious damage and to his injury.

The prisoners seize upon this moment as their chance, the crew being occupied in securing the vessel at an isolated island and in making the repairs, and set off a bomb in the ship's armory, fatally crippling it. While Prudent and his daughter escape down one of the anchor ropes to the island, however, Evans' jealousy leads him to attack Strock and leave him behind, unconscious. Strock barely makes his escape and the two men find themselves forced to work together on the island to cut the anchor rope before the Albatross can be set down to allow their recapture, Evans being shot by the crewmen as they cut.

Unable to land, crippled by the explosion, the Albatross moves to its final descent as Robur, his dream shattered, orders the crew to abandon ship. The crew refuse and join him in the main cabin. As the ship plunges down to its destruction, Robur gently reads a biblical passage, reminding the crew of their dream and hope of peace.

The acting is generally good to first-rate, Bronson an especially surprisingly good intelligent hero and Price a thoughtfully portrayed antihero, with a valid point of view and a laudable cause, if questionable means. The Evans character is a bit overblown but given the need to convey his unrealistic view of the world, I don't fault the actor too much. The Miss Prudent character is an intelligent and charming heroine. Henry Hull is very good as the irascible but not unintelligent Prudent. The film seems very true to Verne's concepts and despite a low budget does a fine job of visualizing the story.

I love Blackish but. I think they let a lot side on Dre's side on this one. Despite his constant bullying of Junior...And yes, I believe Dre loves Junior... to "make a man of him". And his oft sited boasts about his courage in standing up and against, Dre in this one- I think honestly out of character-abandons Junior and Olivia in the midst of a protest he felt was turning too violent. Bow is angry but nowheres near angry enough...This is divorce causing and far worse than anything Dre did to earn a near divorce in S4's arc. Junior returns happy and jubilant, showing that the protest was largely peaceful if rocky but that hardy spares Dre. Even Pops at least is disgusted enough to call Dre a coward. I don't understand how the characters could let this one slide even if they papered over the situation with a feel-good ending. This was a good chance for a less-cowardly Dre to admit he's been too hard on his son but it comes off feeling like that awful episode of the sitcom "The Single Guy" when a cowardly best friend and husband abandons friends and wife...Wife...during a mugging and it's laughed off. Disappointing for such a fine show and excellent characters.

I haven't much to add to the general reviews that this was a light very funny whodunnit comedy taking a lot from the Thin Man with first the note that it's fun to see Joan Blondell's breezy Sally take charge as a detective in her own right...The police storm scene where she dominates the cops is hilarious...And second that it's fun for "Maltese Falcon" fans to note that Mary Astor and Jerome Cowan are together and even premovie supposed to be a couple, she again a rather shady lady in her past. Finally, although the writers do go a little far in letting Douglas' exasperation border on spousal abuse there is a real chemistry between the two as a couple and they even have fun with the Code in a bedroom scene where they manage to end up in bed together...Shocking for 1938...

Though the short time leaves the story a bit thin, this is a charming episode about a likeable guy whose warm nature makes the world a bit brighter. Mr. Bevis is an eccentric with for 1960 eccentric tastes...Zither music, old cars, stuffed animals...And a very warm heart that touches folks. When his world is shaken by the loss of job, beloved old car, and apartment in one day, he finds himself offered an escape from his failures by a guardian angel assigned to protect his family after one ancestor had performed a remarkable act of heroism and earned the favor of Heaven for his descendants. However all of the angel's efforts...New car, restored job with small raise, new suit, restored apartment with rent paid fail to make Mr. Bevis a contented man as he realizes they come at the cost of the loss of his old personality. He now is unloved by most...Apparently too focused on his job to take his old interest in coworkers' lives or in the neighborhood kids or his boarding house neighbors. His hobbies must go, his beloved old car must go, even his eccentric bow tie and odd suit must go. In the end he explains to the angel that he needs his old life back and that he'll manage despite the problems he faced. The angel agrees, reluctantly...And perhaps that was the point, to show Mr. Bevis how good his life was...but continues to watch over him, restoring his beloved car to him and getting him out of a traffic ticket. It's a thin but sweet episode that craves a bit of expansion. I'm actually writing a little version for fan-fiction, this was that charming at least...And one should note that many of Bevis' hobbies and enthusiasms have become important to others over the years...Perhaps on some limited levels we're a bit more tolerant of eccentrics these days now that we can encounter them and be them via social media, etc. I like to think Bevis would adore Comic.con, binge TV, meetups.

Spoilers ahoy...

This last major Sharpe episode in the original block of series ties things up nicely and given the limited TV budget does a neat job of portraying Waterloo. Best of all, for those of us who've grown to hate Jane Sharpe, it provides a satisfying end with Sharpe not responsible for her downfall but she having a disaster none the less. However...

The book tries not to fall into the trap of having Sharpe basically win the battle but as usual the TV series has him practically doing so despite the fact, plain and simple, that in a fit of anger at the incompetent command of the Dutch prince William, he leaves the field and abandons his men at a crucial stronghold and a crucial point. I can't imagine Sharpe going so far nor Wellington sparing him after the battle.

The French for once are allowed to fight fairly well not being gunned down by the dozen by Sharpe's chosen but would it have been so hard to admit that the battle was nearly lost at the farmhouse Sharpe and his men had been holding? Perhaps this relates to Sharpe's abandoning the place...It would look bad if the hero were shown to have nearly caused the loss of Waterloo in a hissy fit. While kudos to the series producers and director for being willing to show Sharpe shooting a superior officer he believes is killing his men, it would have been equally courageous for Sharpe to realize his lack of restraint nearly cost the battle. Sad to see two of Sharpe's last faithful chosen men killed after surviving so much. Nice to finally in this episode see Harper remembering that he has a wife after he'd seemed to have forgotten her in the last two and although he joins in the battle he pulls out soon as he's convinced the victory is won and he's had his peek at Boney.

The "complete" Metropolis now out with the original film score is a revelation...Don't miss it.

(Possible spoilers) The Thin Man in all his villainous glory and with his great moment of nobility restored, too often dropped from versions. Yoshiwara finally revealed to us in Georgi's wild night of frenzied partying. Josaphat given new life as scrappy fighter and courageous friend. Freder getting to really show his hero chops in the Workers' City flood. Rotwang's real plan and motivation revealed properly and fully. And Maria/roboHel, resplendent and indescribable. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Argentine film distributor who loved this film enough to buy the uncut copy just after premiere and keep it (more or less) safe and to the dedicated film preservers there who found and saved it for us.

If you haven't seen the 2010 restoration, you must.

Just a few points. 1)Caesar damaged the Library but it was obviously functioning well until Hypatia's death in 415. Scientists like Hero continued to do research, correspondence confirms it was in use throughout the Imperial period. After her death, we hear little of it, though to their credit several Christians tried to save the precious knowledge there. 2)Hypatia's friend the Bishop of Cyrene did not betray her as the movie suggests. It was due to his praise of her brilliance in his letters to others that we have documentation that she was a great scientist. 3) Cyril did use the mob in his struggles with the Roman governor and his own Christian opponents. It's not anti-Christian to be honest about that. The brutal, often murderous in-fighting between Christian sects, often centered around a single figure such as Cyril or Arios was an important crippling factor in the defense of the Empire during the calamities of the fifth century and later in the seventh helped to weaken the surviving Eastern Empire against attack by the new Islamic power. Gibbon's claim that Christianity "softened" the Empire is belied by the violence but there's no doubt Christianity did not provide the fully unifying force Constantine had hoped for.

A very fine, well acted movie. At points it does become a bit unfocused and I agree a tighter script would have helped.

An old movie theme, soul transfer, gets new life in this film by Vincent Perez. Though some have called it a "thriller" even a "horror thriller", it's anything but. Just to add to the previous comments, I was very intrigued by the idea of taking what's usually played for laughs-a mother's soul trapped in her daughter's body and looking at the potential consequences in a dramatic situation. Thoughtfully and well done, with the parents torn between their desire to be and stay together and their love for their lost daughter. Ms. Thirlby is terrific in switching between the various characters of mother/daughter/joint personality. She makes the transitions quite believable, even disturbing. And while the movie does avoid crossing a certain sexual line, the tension in the temptation for the mother to resume her life at her daughter's expense is made clear. David Duchovny does a fine job as the father, a decent man trying to do the right thing in a bewildering and impossible situation. His own shifts from caring dad/loving husband to overprotective parent/bitterly jealous husband and back are well done and understatedly believable. The wonderful Lili Taylor gets less screen time but her Hannah character is a dominant presence throughout the film. A moving love story on two levels-a couple for each other; a father and mother for their daughter.

Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" is an interesting, entertaining film that comes close to greatness, particularly in its creation of the bubble-like world of privilege and infighting, tempered by the earthiness of Louis XV, the kindness of Louis XVI, and the kindness and vivacity of Marie herself. It's very much on key there and I don't mind that Ms. Coppola backed away from trying to give us historical vignettes on the collapse outside the little world of Versailles. However for the film to really work, it needed either some grounding in the outer world of suffering France or at least a proper, utterly shocking blowout scene when reality comes crashing in. Instead we get a rather mild and tepid deflation. Just the historic, tragic scene of the royals trapped in their crashing little fairyland, their loyal handful of Swiss guards butchered, and Louis bravely facing the mob, Marie with him, earning the respect of a young Napoleon in attendance should have provided the material necessary. Louis and Marie certainly don't deserve more compassion and sympathy than their abused, starving subjects but setting them solely in the Versailles fairyland gives them the impression of having no role or responsibility...They're like pretty dressed dolls on display, with nothing to do, waiting to be broken, till the world suddenly makes them human again. And maybe to some limited extent that was part of the truth...But if so, then we need to see the explosion that made them come to life...And death.

This is a marvelous film and Gary Oldman's is the outstanding Dracula performance, though he is ably abetted by tremendous special effects. The rest of the cast is likewise first-rate, and I would include Keenu Reeves' Harker, despite some problems, which some are too quick I feel to put on Mr. Reeves' acting abilities. In fact, he's handicapped by the script which creates a rather strange situation in which his wife, Mina, the reincarnation of the noble Princess of the Dracule, Elisabeta, is willing to betray the memory of her murdered friend Lucy, the valiant men trying to save her, and her own long-suffering husband in order to embrace eternal death with the fiend Dracula. Who, we are given to understand is not as hampered in his tormented existence as in the Stoker novel. He has retained the ability to understand right and wrong and made his choice after his wife's untimely suicide.

In a final confrontation after Dracula receives his death wound, having pulled a gun on poor Harker, she, having chosen Dracula and an Unlife of murder and blood lust, demands he tell her if he will kill her as he has Dracula and Lucy's vampire. Harker is forced by the script to say that he would not...Though of course it would be an act of love to save her soul, one her so-called 'loving' Dracula is apparently not capable of. Had Reeves been allowed to give Harker some bite, call Mina on her actions, and set his love for her soul against Dracula's lust to make her his undead consort, I think the role would have been far more impressive.