Wednesday Notes

Hurrah - October has arrived, the start of my three favorite months of the year - October, November, December. Of course, with the 100 degree heat of today and yesterday it still seems like the middle of summer - ugh, I can't wait for it to cool off. Anyway, since it was so hot yesterday it was a nice afternoon to sit in the cool downstairs TV room (upstairs where my computer is, blazing, even with the air conditioner blasting all afternoon) and watch "French Cancan". And after watching French Cancan, where the lead actress wears oh so many pretty pink dresses, it reminded me of that other pretty-in-pink red-haired gal - one from the 80s, so last night I watched my DVD of "Pretty in Pink". Reviews below.

Pretty in Pink (1986) Film Review

Plot Summary - John Hughes high school brat pack movie. Andrew McCarthy plays rich, preppy guy Blane who loves a girl from the "wrong side of the tracks", Andie (Molly Ringwald). Andie wears cool, pink, retro-look outfits she puts together herself from home-sewn clothes and thrift store finds, she works in a record store, and has a best guy pal named Duckie (Jon Cryer), a quirky school outsider who is madly in love with her. Blane hangs out with the rich jerks of the school including a real piece-of-work named Steff (James Spader) who wears a white linen suit to high school (he's meant to look rich and cool, I suppose) and this Steff apparently spends a whole lot of time with his blow dryer making his blond feathered hair look oh so perfect - he's also hot for Andie himself (but has been turned down by her for the whole four years of high school). So when Blane asks Andie out, his jerk pal tries to keep them apart by telling Blane she's a loser. Now - why in movies do people always seem to listen to their creep friends when deciding on who to date? Anyway, Blane and Andie must now work through all the problems presented by their "chums" and try to make this work (will he take her to the prom or won't he?).

Review - Well, this is another one of those high school John Hughes movies from the 80s that I love - it's one of those guilty pleasure films that I just keep watching again and again. Eighties nostalgia, the clothes, the music, the brat pack, gorgeous Andrew McCarthy - that's what it's all about. Okay, a few things I wonder about: first, when Blane and Andie have their first date - why do they only seem able to find something to do together that involves being with one or the other's group of friends resulting in one or the other getting snubbed. Blane's in the money - couldn't he take her out to dinner just the two of them, maybe a movie, or how about bowling? Now, here's another thing - Andie is made fun of at school by the "richies" for her unusual clothing style, but when I saw this film when it was brand new (and me at 25 years old at the height of my "always had to have the newest, trendiest clothes" days) I didn't think that made much sense because it is Andie's outfits in this that are very hip and trend-setting for the time, she has a real sense of style (except for the rather unattractive prom dress she puts together). Must mention, there are a number of females in this that sport that hideous permed hairdo that so many women were wearing when this was filmed - ugh, never did that to my hair. And by the way, I must also mention, did anyone ever *actually* wear the sort of "Miami Vice" style suit that James Spader wears in this to high school?! Anyway, this is a very fun film, very well acted by all - James Spader is particularly good and suitably smarmy in his part, Annie Potts is great as Andie's co-worker/gal pal from the record store, an eccentric thirty-something who's normally sporting a punk look. There's plenty of chemistry between the two leads, the romance featured in this is definitely swoon-worthy. There's also a really good soundtrack of New Wave songs throughout the film - I bought the record album at the time, which I still have. The title tune "Pretty in Pink" was and still is one of my fave New Wave songs from the 80s. Rating - 9/10 stars

French Cancan (1954) Film Review

Plot Summary - French language backstage musical, directed by Jean Renoir. In 19th century Paris at a nightclub in Montmartre we meet Nini - pretty-in-pink laundress who loves to dance the Cancan. A group of the well-heeled set have arrived going "slumming for thrills", so-to-speak, and along with them is Danglard (Jean Gabin), owner of the Paris nightclub "The Chinese Screen", who spots lovely little red-headed Nini as a potential prospect to dance in one of his shows. Next day he heads into Montmartre where he sees Nini and asks her to become a dancer - and soon he's sold his first club for a down-payment on the Montmartre club, where he plans to put on a new version of the French Cancan at his newly renovated establishment, renamed the "Moulin Rouge". Jealousy, money troubles, and the like slows down the progress in opening the new club, and meanwhile Nini romances and juggles three men - 1. her neighborhood boyfriend Paolo - a brooding, jealous youth who works in a bakery, 2. Alexandre, a rich, handsome prince who is madly in love with her, and 3. Danglard himself, her older man - and somewhat of a Svengali to her as he tries to mold her into a star.

Review - This film, shot in Technicolor, is a lavish and lush production - a vividly colorful and wonderfully atmospheric portrayal of the opening of the famous Moulin Rouge in Paris, literally every scene looking like a Toulouse-Lautrec or other Impressionist painting. The scenes with the woman drinking Absinthe at a small cafe table especially reminded me of one particular painting, "L'Absinthe (In a Cafe)" by Degas. The art direction for this film is expertly done, the costumes and gowns are really gorgeous. Scenes where the group of girls are being selected and then learning and practicing their Cancan dances while dressed in pantaloons and black tights are fun to watch and the big Cancan finale is absolutely wonderful - wild, brightly colored, terrific fun. An excellent, pretty-to-look-at film, and just a touch bawdy. The DVD I saw of this was from the Criterion Collection and the print looked really nice. Rating - 9/10 stars

The Italian (1915) Film Review

Plot Summary - Silent film about an Italian immigrant couple and their struggle in America. The film begins in Old Italy, where singing gondolier Beppo romances his pretty sweetheart Annette in a rather idyllic, happy peasant village. Annette's father gives Beppo one year to have the funds to make a home for his daughter or she will have to marry an aged and rich local merchant who has asked the dad for her hand in marriage. So - Beppo sails for America, and Annette waits for the day he can send for her, which hopefully will be before she's forced to marry the rich old man she doesn't love, he's a ringer for an Italian "Colonel Sanders". In the slums of New York's Lower East Side, Beppo sets up a bootblack stand and has a bit of luck when a man gives him some cash hoping Beppo will coax his Italian friends to vote for his "candidate". Annette is sent the money and sails to America to join him. From marriage to the birth of a son to a terrible heat wave which threatens their baby's life to bad men who beat and rob Beppo and other hardships - life just keeps getting tougher and tougher for these two!

Review - Melodramatic and tragic, this film is an interesting watch that really benefits from all the well done outdoor photography done in this. Lovely scenes of sunny Italy and the village where they live, full of vineyards and a pretty old monastery and our couple, silhouetted against the sky at sunset - and scenes done in the New York City slums with streets full of immigrants, laundry lines, and a horse-drawn ice wagon. The camerawork is quite advanced for it's time, the cinematography really well done with close-ups, zooms, and wonderful lighting. The DVD of this is from Flicker Alley and features a really terrific looking print with mainly a light sepia tinting, the images in a few of the scenes looked so good it looked like the film could have been shot yesterday - only a few short segments seemed to be taken from a 16mm print. The orchestral score that accompanies the film, done by the Mont Alto Orchestra, is excellent and a good match for the film's story. The DVD included two Edison shorts that both featured some interesting on-location scenes - "Police Force, New York City (1910)" and "McQuade of the Traffic Squad (1915)" (this short looked liked it was photographed yesterday too, the print was so clear). Rating - 9/10 stars

Gun Crazy (1950) Film Review - aka Deadly is the Female

Plot Summary - Stylish film noir starring John Dall and Peggy Cummins as Bart and Annie Laurie, a couple who bond via their love of guns as they travel about pulling a bunch of stick-up jobs. Bart has always had a gun obsession - his childhood spent moving from slingshot to BB gun to a real gun that he brings to school to stealing a gun from a shop window and getting sent to reform school. Bart grows up and still likes to shoot (it makes him feel like he's "somebody") - but he's basically a good guy until that fateful day when he goes to a local travelling carnival and sees the performance of Annie Laurie Starr, a seductive sharpshooter who appears on stage in tight black slacks, gun holster, and two pistols blazing. He goes up against her in a shooting match for cash, then gets offered a job with the show. The sparks are soon flying between the two of them, but the jealous boss (who says he "has a claim" on the girl) fires them both. They head off in their car, get married at the Justice of the Peace, and soon find themselves broke. Okay - seems this is one dangerous blonde bad girl he's got on his hands - she admits she's "no good", she wants action and "big money" to buy lots of things and she's gonna get it. She pushes him into going on a crime spree: stealing cars, wearing disguises, pulling robberies, and stealing cash at gunpoint. He's no killer and is afraid someone will get hurt - she's not afraid to kill. He wants out - but agrees to one last big job that will make them rich, and they come up with an elaborate scheme to steal the payroll from a big meat plant.

Review - This is one really excellent crime drama, tense and exciting, I was pretty much on the edge of my seat for the entire second half. The film is very atmospheric, full of classic film noir elements like neon signs and rain-soaked streets - there's an interesting scene of snow flakes drifting down as the girl looks out the window in close-up. The art direction, lighting, and cinematography as a whole is stylishly done and features many tracking shots, extreme close-ups and sweat glistening faces which adds to the tension. I love all the shots done with the camera set behind the front seat and looking out through the car window as the two of them drive about committing crimes. Actress Peggy Cummins gives one of the best performances playing a femme fatale I've seen - riveting and memorable. The Warner Bros. DVD of this features an exceptional looking black and white print, very sharp. As good as it gets. Rating - 10/10 stars

One Way Passage (1932) Film Review

Plot Summary - Terrific precode romantic melodrama which mainly takes place aboard an ocean liner. Kay Francis and William Powell play Joan and Dan, a sophisticated couple who first meet in a Hong Kong bar over Paradise Cocktails where they start themselves a tradition of finishing the drink and then breaking the glasses, leaving the broken stems crossed on top of the bar. They meet again on the ship sailing from Hong Kong to San Francisco, but there's a big problem - see, unknown to Joan, Dan is travelling with a cop who is "escorting" him back to San Francisco and straight to San Quentin where he is to be executed for murder. Unknown to Dan - Joan, though still gorgeous and glamorous, is doomed as she suffers from some sort of fatal illness. They romance each other on the trip back (their background theme song playing each time they're on-screen together) - while two pals try to keep the truth (and the cop) away from Joan.

Review - This is a really good film, a real little pre-code gem - I love it. There's a whole lot of chemistry between the two leads, the film is quite romantic - I even like Frank McHugh, who plays Powell's sidekick, and his goofy laugh all through the film. Interestingly, just this last week I was trying to remember the name of the film that I've seen in which Kay Francis and William Powell drink the cocktail and then smash the glasses - and I couldn't think of it. Last night I just happened upon this on TCM just as it was starting - though sleepy, I watched the whole film. For those who want to try the famous "Paradise Cocktail", here's the recipe from the "Mr. Boston Official Bartender's Guide" - 1 ounce Apricot Flavored Brandy - 3/4 ounce Gin - Juice of 1/4 Orange - shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Enjoy! Rating - 10/10 stars

The Soul of the Beast (1923) Film Review

Plot Summary - Oddball silent film about a girl and her elephant. At the Hamm's Mammoth Circus, orphaned beauty Ruth (Madge Bellamy) performs riding atop her best pal's head, Oscar the Elephant. She flirts with him (yeah, you heard right) - he's stuck on her. One day the circus owner, "mean and stingy" Hamm (who happens to be Ruth's step-father and only married her mom to get ahold of the circus), forces Ruth to perform inside a cage as the "Wild Girl" after the original performer quits. A huge storm starts to bring down the tents and Oscar must come to her rescue as she's left trapped inside the cage. Ruth and Oscar run away together to live in the nearby Canadian woods, but she gets separated from her elephant ending up at this village tavern full of lumberjacks where she ends up working. She doesn't seem too worried about where her lost elephant is (luckily bright Oscar, left tramping about the woods, is in search for her) as she flirts with lovestruck, ga-ga new boyfriend Paul (Cullen Landis) - he's supposed to be lame, but I didn't really see that. Paul has a creepy cretin (Noah Beery) after him for some money he feels Paul owes him - that guy gets up to some really awful stuff to get at poor Paul. Meanwhile, the circus owner wants his runaway "meal ticket" back as he's on the chase to locate Ruth.

Review - This is an unusual, somewhat weird, and melodramatic adventure story, with a small touch of comedy and not one, but two different evil villains. There are some behind-the-scenes glimpses of the circus near the beginning of the film which seem to feature every cliche in the book as far as the performers are concerned - we see the fat lady, bearded lady, thin man, a man fighting a bear, and the three ring "Big Top" where the main show performs. A little annoying is the French-Canadian characters who are made to speak in rather silly broken-English via the title cards. The elephant is quite the actor and steals more than a few scenes in this - particularly amusing is a scene where he steals (and drinks) this man's beers through the tavern window. The DVD of this I watched is from Grapevine Video and features an okay print - it's a bit fuzzy and the faces are somewhat washed out is the main problem with the image, but I've seen far worse. The DVD includes an orchestral score that is not the perfect match for this story and kind of annoying, though was okay through a couple of the scenes. Rating - 7 to 8/10 stars

Then She Found Me (2007) Film Review

Plot Summary - Melodramatic romantic comedy directed by and starring Helen Hunt as April, a very recently dumped schoolteacher who, at 39-years old, is very fragile and absolutely desperate to have a baby. She feels that adoption is out of the question as she was adopted herself and feels that she would never be as close to the adopted baby as her own. She meets the handsome father (Colin Firth) of one of her young students, a recently dumped single father of two and they have sort of a fling as they start to fall for each other. Meanwhile, April has been contacted by her birth mother (Bette Midler), a quirky New York morning talk show host who likes to twist the truth a lot. April spends her time juggling her relationships with her birth mother, new boyfriend, and her ex-husband (Matthew Broderick) who steps back onto the scene and "wants her back" (ugh).

Review - I found this film - what some might call a "chick flick" - an interesting watch, filmed on-location in NYC, and helped along by the fact that I really like all the actors that are in this (um, and Colin Firth will always be my favorite filmland Mr. Darcy). The story is quite a soap opera that really pulled me in, the characters and their complex relationships came across as realistic - the meat of the story seems to revolve around adoption. Helen Hunt is very good in this as the woman who really finds herself in the end (she does look really thin and so, so tired in this, but it fits with the character). Rating - 8/10 stars

What Happens in Vegas (2008) Film Review

Plot Summary - Romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher as Joy and Jack - - Joy, just dumped by her fiance, and Jack, just fired from his job by his boss/dad, meet each other on a trip to Vegas and after an evening of heavy drinking and partying, end up married. At breakfast they are already fighting and talking about an annulment, but Jack suddenly wins a slot machine jackpot of 3 million bucks. At divorce court the judge orders the two of them to "6 months hard marriage" and marriage counseling before they can divide up the dough. So - they have to move in together, pretend they're trying to make the marriage work - but she's a neat freak and he's, well - to put it bluntly, a pig - not to mention a sort of overgrown junior high kid in his maturity level. The two of them try to trick each other into failing at the marriage, and thus get the money for themselves.

Review - Well, this film didn't turn out to be as dumb as I was expecting - it's nothing great but it's pretty fast-paced and actually has a few laughs here and there. The plot is predictable - the old story of a couple who meet and hate each other, only to end up - well, you can probably make a guess what happens in the end. Forgettable - but okay while I was watching it. Rating - 6 to 7/10 stars

Smart People (2008) Film Review

Plot Summary - Indie film about a widowed university professor of literature (Dennis Quaid) with a smarter-than-thou attitude who gets a concussion and seizure ending up in the hospital under the care of a former student, now a doctor (Sarah Jessica Parker). This female doctor once had a crush on him - he doesn't even remember her, or any of his former students for that matter. The Prof. is still carrying the torch for his deceased wife while caring for - or being cared by, rather - his quirky, sarcastic daughter (Ellen Page) a "Young Republican" and high school senior studying for her SATs, and his son, a college student and poet. The Prof. can't drive for six months because of the concussion, so his pot-smoking "adopted brother" moves in to chauffeur him around - the daughter ends up coming on to her "uncle" who rejects her. And meanwhile, the Prof. begins to date the doctor, with mixed results.

Review - This film was okay, but it was pretty boring - and I don't get bored that easily when watching a film. I didn't really care that much about the characters, the son is really not even necessary to the story - I do like Ellen Page in this film, however, she's real good - the scenes with her character in them were the most interesting in the film, I thought. Little chemistry between Dennis Quaid and Sarah Jessica Parker doesn't help. I hoped this would be a little better than it is - disappointing. Rating - 6 to 7/10 stars

The Goose and the Gander (1935) Film Review

Plot Summary - Romantic farce in which the rich set get involved in a love quadrangle, all taking place at the "Beach Casino" hotel and later up in the mountains at the "Twin Pines" lodge. It's all about Bob and Betty and Ralph and Georgiana - Georgiana (Kay Francis) "admires" Bob (George Brent), Bob is having a secret rendezvous with Betty, Betty is married to Ralph - Ralph happens to be Georgiana's ex-husband. Okey dokey. Well, Georgiana first sees Bob on a hotel raft with Betty, Georgiana then does what it takes to meet him - and at the same time seek revenge against Betty, who stole her ex Ralph two years before. Meanwhile fickle Ralph meets up with Georgiana at the hotel and wants her back again, arranging to meet at her home that evening. Okay - this all sounds like a daytime soap opera, doesn't it?! When Bob and Betty head into the mountains for their secret affair, Georgiana has bribed a local gas station to tell them there's a smallpox epidemic and no gas, and steer them to the nearby lodge where lives Georgiana and her aunt (who knits while spouting one-liners). And soon the arrival of an upscale couple who happen to be two crooks who have stolen jewelry from rooms at the hotel and then took off in Betty's car to make their escape. The gal tells them all she's Betty - and they all know she's not, but don't let on! Ralph arrives, and all sorts of impersonations and tricks to come with Georgiana and Bob in the center of it all, flirting together big time - sparks are really flying.

Review - This film is a fast-paced and fun frolic, a real stylish thirties soap opera with cocktails, jewel thieves, some dopey detectives, and Kay Francis in a shiny black, skin-tight evening gown. The two gals - Kay Francis and actress Genevieve Tobin, who plays Betty - steal the picture. The plot of this film can, at times, be a touch confusing but the romantic part of the film works well based on a good deal of chemistry between Kay Francis and George Brent. Rating - 7 to 8/10 stars

Felon (2008) Film Review

Watched this one last week, before my main TV set went bust.

Plot Summary - When a robber invades the home of good guy Wade Porter (Stephen Dorff), Wade chases him outside, hits him with a baseball bat when it looks like the guy is reaching in his pocket for a gun, and ends up killing him. Unfortunately for Wade, it ends up the dead thief had no weapon and since he killed him outside, Wade is arrested for murder. He agrees to a plea bargain, pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and is sentenced to three years in the penitentiary - off to a maximum security prison he goes. But on the bus there, he immediately gets mixed up with a guy who stabs another man, then forcing Wade to take the knife and claim he found it under his seat. Our man must cooperate or face getting "whacked" in prison - yeah, it's a rough crowd he's soon to find out. Because of the knife incident he's placed into a high-security cell and is soon given a cellmate, a mass murderer named John Smith (Val Kilmer). Okay - this prison is a real animal house, full of "monsters" - divided into gangs by race, Wade must join up with the Aryan gang for protection. One hour a day in the yard, where all these men do is get into fights while the guards (headed by one particularly bad one) stand above watching and placing bets, then finally start shooting the prisoners who are in the fight with pellets. This goes on through the whole movie. While in his cell, Wade becomes friends with his killer cellmate - but back home, Wade's fiancee and little son are struggling to make ends meet and live life without him. And living in this violent environment causes Wade to start to turn from new fish to tough, as he starts to brutalize men just like the others.

Review - Okay - any man thinking about committing a big crime will probably rethink that idea when they see what it's like in this terrible prison! Violent and brutal, not a nice place. This film makes for quite an interesting watch - with somewhat unusual photography, it looked like maybe it was shot with video tape instead of film which gave the film a very realistic feel, felt sort of like a documentary sometimes. Yeah, I like a good prison movie - I like that peek into another world, so-to-speak. Rating - 8/10 stars

Cinecon 44 Film Festival Summary - The Rest of the Films, Shorts, and Cartoons I Saw

For full reviews and plot summaries of some of the films I saw screened at this year's Cinecon, go to label - Cinecon 44

Here's some comments on the rest of the films I saw this year -

Murder in Trinidad (1934) - Nigel Bruce as a detective who goes about with a monkey on his shoulder. While in the Tropics trying to solve a case involving a diamond smuggling ring, he and his young male assistant end up lurking about in a swamp full of creatures, not limited to a snake and a crocodile (both of which are shot to death by the men). So so film - I was actually quite drowsy during this one, so perhaps would like it better after a good night's sleep. Rating - 6/10 stars

The Case Against Brooklyn (1958) - TV police drama in style, this was screened with a very, very sharp, perfect print. With a fact-based story, told via voice-over narration - the film tells the tale of a team of undercover cops put on the case to get the dope on a horse-racing bookie ring being protected by cops. This film was pretty good. Rating - 7/10 stars

I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby (1940) - B-musical/comedy that happens to include two silent era Our Gang members - Johnny Downs and Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison. About a gangster (Broderick Crawford) who has written lyrics to a love song he hopes to put music to - all in devotion to his playground sweetie from childhood, "Sadie from PS 59". He partners up with a young composer (Johnny Downs) and the mob's involvement in this pretty much guarantees this song to be a big hit! This film was fun, light fare - boosted up by the performance of Jessie Ralph who appears as Brod Crawford's mother, one real tough mob Mama who doesn't let her son get away with anything (slapping him around as she says stuff like "didn't I tell you to always take your hat off when talking to a lady!"). Crawford is a hoot, as usual - but Jessie Ralph completely and totally steals this film! Rating - 6 to 7/10 stars

Sky High (1922) - Tom Mix western in 16mm and, unfortunately, run at the wrong speed because of a mechanical glitch with the projector. Set in the Grand Canyon, he's some sort of immigration Marshall who chases after smugglers and takes care of a young woman who gets stuck on the trail down to the bottom of the Canyon. Because of the really fast speed this ran, it was hard to read the title cards completely - so pretty hard to follow the story. I can't give this a rating.

House of Frankenstein (1944) - Forties monster movie - Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, and a Hunchback - all there. I just can't get into these sort of horror movies anymore - but I must say, though it's been a lot of years, this film must have been one I watched quite a bit as a kid/tween (I used to really like horror films then) - many scenes seemed familiar. Rating - 6/10 stars

Crazy House (1943) - Well, I guess the dud of Cinecon 44 for me (though not a super dud as it has moments). Olsen and Johnson are making a movie. Dumb. Perhaps this one could be better taken when accompanied by a couple of shots of whiskey or a nice stiff martini? Rating - 5/10 stars

Sing, Baby, Sing (1936) - Well, I hoped this thirties musical would be good - the audience seemed to love it, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. As a fan of Alice Faye, I would like to have seen way more of her in this (and how about more of a romantic interest for her, instead of a man sort of tacked on at the end) - and far, far less of the Ritz Brothers. The audience was going nuts with applause for these guys when this was screened at Cinecon, but - though I thought their dancing was good - I just find their weird humor grates on my nerves. About a pretty nightclub singer (Faye) who gets canned from her job in favor of the new rage, a society deb. Then, with the help of her agent, gets some well-needed newspaper publicity when a seriously drunken, famous ham actor (Adolph Menjou) decides she is "Juliet" to his "Romeo". Disappointing. Rating - 5 to 6/10 stars

The Sign of the Cucumber (1917) - Silent comedy short set in a Western town and telling the tale of Sheriff Bob who sports an odd birthmark that looks just like a cucumber on his left arm. Outlaw Red Nose Pete has a pal who is the sheriff's exact double - except no cucumber! The two bad men arrive in town with ideas of robbing the safe - a flop when it's said and done, only $4. Then with the sheriff tied to a tree, his double poses as the sheriff by sticking a real cucumber on his arm - he even goes so far as to try and marry the sheriff's girl, "Lovely Eva" (Eva Novak), at their wedding. An odd, silly short, full of slapstick - the end part with the guy riding to the rescue on an airborne mule was interesting. Fun.

Cartoon Centennials - Five vintage cartoons: (I sure hope the name of the first cartoon here doesn't put this site into the Google "safesearch" bad bin, I kid you not - the wrong combination of words bans a site when someone does a search with the SafeSearch setting on "strict filtering". My page on Carlyle Blackwell is in such a fix - I have no idea what words on the page has made this happen.) - - Puss n' Booty (1943) - Black and white cartoon about a cat addicted to eating the household canary when the rather dimwitted lady of the house is not looking. Five canaries gone - a new one is bought, but this canary is quite a bit smarter than the others as he gives that cat the ultimate comeuppance. - - Never Kick a Woman (1936) - Popeye cartoon in black and white. In which Popeye and Olive Oyl go into a weight-training place for women, run by a female Mae West impersonator wearing an early 70s looking outfit of short skirt and knee-high lace-up granny boots. She wiggles her hips and flirts with Popeye sparking Olive Oyl's jealousy. Olive Oyl proceeds to eat some of Popeye's spinach and beat up her rival - literally. Cute cartoon. - - Three Little Pups (1953) - Take-off on the Three Little Pigs in which three little pups are being pursued by a dog catcher. - - Billion Dollar Limited (1942) - Forties Superman cartoon. Superman saves a train carrying Lois Lane from the attack of masked bad men. - - Duck! Rabbit! Duck! (1953) - Bugs Bunny cartoon in very bright Technicolor. Bugs uses tricks to get Elmer Fudd the hunter to continually shoot at Daffy Duck. - - - Summary - I am not a super big fan of cartoons, but these did look nice on the big screen - I enjoyed the Popeye cartoon the most (probably because it was the most vintage). My least favorite was "Duck Rabbit Duck" - I used to really like Bugs Bunny when I was about six years old, I just can't get into it now, this cartoon was particularly violent. I do remember this particular cartoon from when I was a kid - I used to watch Bugs Bunny a whole lot then, though my childhood favorites were Casper the Ghost and Underdog.

Saw more films, didn't get them written up yet.

Monday Morning Notes

1. My main TV set has blown a tube or something - it won't turn on. I'm looking into buying a new one - HDTV - but can't really watch any movies until I get it, as all I have is a very small TV set up there right now - I just don't know how much I could enjoy a film on such a small screen. Speaking of blowing a tube - that makes me think of when I was a kid and our TV set would break, my mom would bring the busted tube to a store where she would place it on a testing machine to find the correct replacement for it.

2. Big Brother started very late last night - supposed to start at eight - it was almost ten when it started (they were showing U.S. Open Tennis). While waiting I watched the end part of old favorite "Gidget" on TCM, then - though the picture looked so small on that littler TV - part of "Cleopatra" (1912) which was ruined by having a hideous music score attached to it - horrific!

3. Watching "Big Brother" it was getting on close to 11 pm near the end part - which I missed as I fell asleep in my chair sitting up! I remember being a teen and poking fun at my dad when he used to fall asleep sitting up in front of the TV - look at me now!

Speedy (1928) Film Review - Cinecon 44 Screening

Plot Summary - Silent comedy filmed in New York City and starring Harold Lloyd as Speedy, he has a girlfriend named Jane (Ann Cristy) and he loves the Yankees more than any job he ever has (which is plenty). Jane's grand-daddy, Pop Dillon, owns the last horse-drawn street trolley in NYC, and some bad men are trying to push the old guy into selling his business - but he won't budge. Meanwhile Speedy loses his job as a soda jerk, but doesn't care - 'cause after all, why worry about losing a job on Saturday when you can take your girl to Coney Island on Sunday?! A fun time is had at Coney Island including lots of food, games, and fun house attractions - they even meet up with a stray dog who ends up coming home with them (in the back of a moving truck as they have run out of funds by the end of the day). Next day Speedy gets a job driving a taxicab and following troubles and lots of comedic gags, he ends up taking Babe Ruth, in person, to Yankee stadium. Grand-daddy Pop must drive his trolley route once every twenty-four hours or risk losing the line - the bad guys find this out and steal the trolley car, but in the big finale Speedy gets it and races it through the city streets to save the day, with the help of some old-timers/Civil War veterans.

Review - This is a terrific and highly amusing silent comedy - Harold Lloyd is my favorite silent comedian and I have seen this particular film probably close to fifteen times before, but the Cinecon screening featured a restored print that looked really great on the big screen. The orchestral score which accompanies the film was done by favorite Carl Davis, it's fantastic and suits the film to a tea. Luckily I already own the DVD of this version - hurrah! My most favorite part of the film is when they go to Coney Island, the whole segment features one funny gag after another - and I love seeing those early days of amusement parks and the neat rides and attractions they had then. Okay, I'm always intrigued when I see that spinning wood wheel (a wee bit of internet research by me has come up with "The Human Roulette Wheel" as the name of this - cool) that funhouse-goers used to sit on and get spun off of - I have always wondered if people broke an arm or leg sometimes riding that thing; looks fun anyway. Love the tons of on-location street scenes of NYC in this film - not to mention seeing Babe Ruth in this, who appears as himself. Rating - 10/10 stars

The Eagle and the Hawk (1933) Film Review - Cinecon 44 Screening

Plot Summary - Precode aviator drama following the adventures of two flyboys during WWI - brazen and tough Cary Grant and more sensitive ace pilot Fredric March who is becoming seriously disenchanted with the brutalities of war. In France on his very first day on the job as pilot, the observer flying with March is killed - two months go by, five observers flying with him have died and March is devastated by this loss of so many young men. His latest observer is skilled gunner Grant who seems to get a real kick out of killing and shoots down an enemy who is parachuting out of an observation balloon, making him extremely disliked by the other men in his unit who consider that like "shooting a man in the back". As more and more men are killed, anguished March slowly begins to crack - especially after he shoots down a famous German ace who ends up being a twenty-year old kid. At one point he's given ten-days leave, where he goes back to London and has a very brief encounter (a horse-drawn carriage ride followed by champagne in the park) with Carole Lombard, who is lavishly decked out in satin, her face and neck fully draped in a large amount of white fur.

Review - This film was really, really good - and it didn't hurt that it was screened at Cinecon 44 with a gorgeous, sharp and clear restored print. A gripping tale with a strong anti-war message, the film is well acted and photographed and features lots of well done, exciting flying scenes. Fredric March gives a stellar performance here - quite memorable. A superb film, I loved this one. Rating - 10/10 stars

Champagne for Caesar (1950) Film Review - Cinecon 44 Screening

Plot Summary - Screwball comedy starring Ronald Colman as eccentric genius/intellectual snob Beauregard Bottomley, a man who knows everything. When the "Milady Soap" company wants to hire him, during his interview he's a bit too sarcastic about their new product (an all-purpose soap you can wash with, but also clean your teeth with) so the head of the company, Burnbridge Waters (Vincent Price) - once known as "Dirty Waters" - refuses to give him the job. Bottomley decides to ruin the company, by appearing on the cheesy radio/TV quiz show they sponsor, "Masquerade for Money" (you double your money for each trivia question you answer correctly - but get it wrong and you lose it all) - where he hopes to win enough cash to break them, 40,000,000 bucks. Wildly successful (he really does know everything!) he goes on week after week, becoming a hit with audiences around the country - what can the soap company do to stop this guy before he actually does win all their money?! "Dirty" Waters recruits attractive Flame O'Neill (Celeste Holm) to pose as Bottomley's nurse (I forget why he's sick) and seduce him with her charms to try and discover his secret weakness so they can get him to miss a question on the show. Meanwhile, Bottomley's sister gets a crush on the obnoxious host of the show, Happy Hogan (a young Art Linkletter), and starts to date him - - and Bottomley can barely think anymore after a kiss from Flame.

Review - This film is very entertaining and lots of fun to watch. Charming Ronald Colman pretty much steals the film, he's perfection in this part - I love him, I love his speaking voice! Celeste Holm appeared in person at this screening for Q&A after the film was shown - her memory had to be jogged a number of times by her much younger husband, but I found her to be a very interesting guest. The print shown at Cinecon was a very clear, sharp print. By the way, the "Caesar" in this film is Beauregard Bottomley's pet talking parrot (who asks for champagne and says stuff like "let's get loaded") - the guy has a perch for this bird in every room in his house! Rating - 8 to 9/10 stars

The Menace (1932) Film Review - Cinecon 44 Screening

Plot Summary - In which a man named Ronald Quayle (Walter Byron) gets plastic surgery on his face after being in an oil fire, his looks now completely altered - he's unrecognizable. Previously in prison in England for the murder of his own father, he escaped and made his way to America - so it doesn't hurt now that they've also grafted skin over his fingertips leaving him with no fingerprints. He proclaims himself innocent of the crime, and returns to England to attempt to find the real killer and clear his bad name, posing as a rich American named Robert Crockett who wants to buy the estate now owned by dad's youthful and greedy widow. Suspecting her (or one of her two male hanger-on cronies) of having something to do with the murder, he pretends to romance her in order to try and get the truth about his dad's death. He gives her a gem-studded necklace, then at a masked Halloween party one evening - he steals it while wearing a Satan mask, then plants it in one of her partner-in-crime's pockets and waits for the fireworks. And meanwhile - his former fiancee (Bette Davis) thinks her man Ronald died during his escape, and fails to recognize him now for who is really is - still, there is that unmistakable "something" about this guy that does spark her interest.

Review - This film is atmospheric, well-paced, and entertaining fun; quite good. I enjoyed seeing one of my favorites, Bette Davis, in this early role (her fifth film) - she looks so young, and very pretty. Okay, one question: you know, you would think that - at least the fiancee - would recognize our main man's voice immediately and realize it's a changed Ronald. The butler is sharper than the rest of them - and someone at this house liked to collect old mummy cases. Rating - 8/10 stars

Rain or Shine (1930) Film Review - Cinecon 44 Screening

Plot Summary - A backstage glimpse at the workings of a debt-ridden travelling circus "The Greatest T. Rainey Shows", performances rain or shine. Owned by pretty Mary Rainey since the death of her dad who started this circus, she's helped by manager Smiley (Joe Cook), who also happens to be a fabulous acrobat. One of their circus family has a rich dad who they hope will invest in the circus - but when the performers are invited to a big society dinner party hosted by the dad, Smiley and pals decide (for some reason) to wreak havoc at the dinner table not limited to serving up this big plate of a pile of string that's posing as spaghetti and other shenanigans. Dad thinks they're all a bunch of "ruffians", and refuses to make an investment. Soon the performers, who haven't been paid in awhile, refuse to perform until they are paid the dough they're owed - but a bad man wants to get control of the circus himself, so gets a fake attachment put against the payroll, making Mary unable to pay her circus performers. And with an audience already waiting in the tent - the show must go on! Smiley, Mary, and a few others including a black man (Clarence Muse) who "sho' can play the calliope" put on a show that's a hit. But soon more trouble when the circus tent catches on fire.

Review - I enjoy a good old-fashioned circus film - this was pretty good. The film as screened at Cinecon 44 was an alternate silent version of the film, with a synchronized soundtrack. The comedic plot is quite loose - a lot of it is actually just a glimpse behind-the-scenes at the circus and circus acts - the fat lady, a pair of fake Siamese twins, and some poor lions, unfed and encaged in very small circus cages (very sad actually). The tent fire scene was very realistic and well done, by the way. The acrobatics done by talented Joe Cook in the show-stopping, almost one-man circus show they put on are amazing - he balances on a big ball while moving up a ramp, he juggles rings while walking on a short tightrope, he balances another man on his feet and flips him in circles - neat stuff. I enjoyed the music of the calliope as played on the soundtrack - this was one circus I would love to go to myself! (For the acrobatics, not the sad-to-see mistreated lions.) A fun to watch, entertaining film - it was directed by Frank Capra. Rating - 8/10 stars

The Texan (1930) Film Review - Cinecon 44 Screening

Plot Summary - Early talkie western starring Gary Cooper as the Llano Kid, wanted dead or alive. On a train headed for Texas, he steals a passenger's ticket, then pretends he is a Mexican who speaks no English when confronted by the passenger and train conductor. Well, that passenger decides our man is the perfect candidate to help him with an evil scheme he's been brewing up. He knows of a very wealthy lady in Mexico who is offering a $1,000 reward for the return of her beloved son who she hasn't seen since he ran away from home at the age of ten after getting a scold from mama over the new mermaid tattoo he got on his arm. The son would be twenty-five years old now - the same age as the Llano Kid! And it's not just the reward he's after - apparently the old lady has saved a stash of gold to give to her son on his return. So - the Llano Kid is brought to her home and pretends he's the long, lost son, and well - the old lady falls for the scam hook, line, and sinker (gosh, you would think she would recognize her own son, after all he was ten not an infant when he left home). She pampers him, cooks him what she hopes to be a meal of standard American dishes - apple pie, doughnuts, and pickles - and gives him constant love, hugs and kisses. The Llano Kid is a sort of quiet lone wolf and not used to all this bother - but yes, she does give him the key to her secret locked cabinet hidden behind a painting, where rests a chest filled to the brim with sacks of gold. After a few months our man begins to like his new life on her fancy ranch - and sparking with his pretty "cousin" Consuelo (Fay Wray) who also lives there doesn't hurt one bit. Soon he begins to change his mind about going through with the idea of running away with the loot, which he is meant to share with the man from the train - and won't he be mad if he doesn't get his gold!

Review - A pretty good film, this moved fast with interesting plotline and well done acting - the print looked nice. Gary Cooper looks oh so young and handsome in this, though he is seriously long-legged and thin. Rating - 7/10 stars