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elizabethfinklerhanasaki
Reviews
Action in Arabia (1944)
Not a bad little movie!
Loads of fun to watch, with an opening and at least one actor (Marcel Dalio) cribbed from"Casablanca", plenty of familiar sets and locations, and lots of familiar actors in UNfamiliar situations. See the 1960s Batman's faithful Alfred, Alan Napier, playing a shady figure. See Robert Armstrong with no jungle or giant gorilla in sight. And best of all, see George Sanders playing a hero! Golly. The script is a routine wartime tale of spies and intrigue in an exotic location with a few intelligent touches. Believe it or not, it even reflects a tiny bit of understanding of Arabic customs and practices.
Show Boat (1936)
It may be in black-and-, but it is VIVID.
Whether it's Hattie McDaniel putter ng a bigot in his place or Helen Morgan singing "Bill", this second filming of "Show Boat" holds the attention from one end to the other. Several members of the original cast are on hand, including Morgan and Charles Winniger. Irene Dunne is a perfectly charming Magnolia, if a bit past it for playing a young girl (understudied Magnolia on Broadway and starred in the National tour). And of course it's worth seeing for Paul Robeson singing "Old Man River." And it's helmed by James Whale, the man behind "Frankenstein." Warning: it does contain a blackface number... which is not nearly as obnoxious as another number full of happy slaves and beautiful masters. See it anyway. It's marvelous.