Tag: Movies

Movie reviews

“The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946) starring Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Frederic March, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O’Donnell & Harold Russell

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Filled with all the love and warmth and joy. . .the human heart can hold! -A tagline for the film

This iconic movie (helmed by one of Hollywood’s famed/respected directors- William Wyler) centers on the re-adjustment of 3 Americans to everyday life after serving nearly 3 yrs. in WWII. Each man is from a separate age group, rank, and class, BUT quickly become close friends. Each faces a crisis which is a microcosm of the experiences of many IRL American veterans. Al Stephenson (Frederic March: 46 y.o.) returns to his wife Milly (Myrna Loy) and 2 kids: Peggy (Teresa Wright)- a nurse- and Rob- a HS student. Wyler modeled the reunion scene on his own homecoming to his wife. As a banker, Al finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen w/ doing “business as usual.” Fred Derry (Dana Andrews: 36 y.o.)- from the working class- finds it difficult to find a job, though he was decorated for heroism as a pilot. Fred can’t relate to the woman he hastily married, Marie (Virginia Mayo), before shipping out. Having lost both hands in a training accident, Homer Parrish (Harold Russell: a non-professional actor/amputee) is unsure IF his fiancee, Wilma (Cathy O’Donnell) will still love (or pity) him. This couple grew up next door to each other, yet find it hard to communicate now.

Rob: We’ve been having lectures in atomic energy at school, and Mr. McLaughlin, he’s our physics teacher, he says that we’ve reached a point where the whole human race has either got to find a way to live together, or else uhm…
Al: [with grim finality] Or else.

Wyler (a major in the Army Air Force), incorporated his own experiences into the film. He flew in B-17s in combat over Germany; later, he shot footage for documentary films. His hearing was permanently damaged when an anti-aircraft shell exploded near his plane while on a bombing raid. Wyler (often noted as “an actor’s director”) sat beneath the camera w/ a large set of headphones connected to an amplifier. The story grew out of a Time (July 1944) story re: Marines taking a train back home to New York from San Diego, and growing more quiet/nervous the closer they got. The screenplay was written by Stewart E. Sherwood (Rebecca; The Bishop’s Wife) and MacKinlay Kantor (Gun Crazy). Wyler wanted an unglamorous look; costumes came off the rack and were worn by the cast before filming and sets were built smaller than life-size. Wyler modeled (fictional) Boone City after Cincinnati; as seen by such things as the taco stand, filming was obviously in SoCal. The add further to the authenticity, the crew (props, grips, mixers, etc.) were recruited from WWII veterans.

The Best Years of Our Lives? More like the best movie of our lives! -Comment by podcaster/movie critic

Loy has top billing here, b/c she was the most famous among the cast at that time. This was a breakout role for Andrews; he gets to show his range (esp. in the last act). In one argument, Mayo (who lobbied hard for her role) bitterly comments: “I gave up the best years of my life, and what have you done?” Each actor does well, whether their role is big or just in one scene. This is one of the Oscar winners which is truly a classic you can’t miss! It’s a slice of life from the ’40s that is still relatable; you can see it w/ all ages. I was emotional watching this film, esp. in the scene btwn Homer and Wilma while he’s getting ready for bed (revealing his vulnerability). This is streaming for free, so check it out for yourself.

[1] The film epitomized both the dream and the reality of the post-war world. This intimate engagement with the psychological facts of American life gave it an almost universal audience. But, unlike contemporary and preceding “message” pictures, it was not a preachment. It showed Americans as they are, presented their problems as they themselves see them, and provided only such solutions, partial, temporary, personal, as they themselves would accept. The picture’s values are the values of the people in it.

[2] To me, watching this movie is like opening up a time capsule. I think in many ways “The Best Years of Our Lives” is probably one of the more fascinating character studies and it holds up extremely well as a look at life in the US in the mid-1940s after WWII. […]

This movie still packs a wallop and I’m very happy to read in other posts other users feeling of a movie that will definitely stand the test of time.

[3]“Best Years” has an unbelievable number of scenes that bring a tear to the eye or a lump to the throat, with only a couple of those being the result of sadness, and with most being caused by beautiful depictions of love, loyalty, pride, patriotism, or the overcoming of personal adversity.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Frantic” (1988) starring Harrison Ford, Betty Buckley, & Emmanuelle Seignier

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In a hotel room in Paris, a doctor comes out of the shower and finds that his wife has disappeared. He soon finds himself caught up in a world of intrigue, espionage, gangsters, drugs and murder. -Synopsis

Are y’all fans of (iconic/American) actor Harrison Ford? I’m sure a LOT of you are, esp. IF growing up in the late ’70s to early ’90s. I learned re: this (lesser-known) film of Ford’s from a past ep of the Screen Drafts podcast. An American/middle-aged surgeon, Dr. Richard Walker (Ford) goes to Paris for a medical conference w/ his wife of many yrs, Sondra (Betty Buckley). They can’t open one of their bags, as Sondra picked up the wrong suitcase at the airport. While her husband is in the shower, Sondra gets a call; then (when he gets out) she has disappeared! Richard begins a search for his wife, though he speaks no French, and has V little to go on for clues. Along the way, Richard has to deal w/ the local police, the U.S. Embassy, and a beautiful/exciting young woman hustling to make money, Michelle (Emmanuelle Seignier- just 21 y.o. at the time of filming). This was Seignier’s 1st movie; she has been married to the director (Roman Polanski) since 1989.

Hotel Detective Le Grand Hotel: Have you and your wife been to Paris before?

Richard Walker: Yes, on our honeymoon.

Hotel Detective Le Grand Hotel: Is it possible she met someone here? Someone she has been thinking about?

Richard Walker: Since June 15th, 1968?

The original ending was shown to a small test audience and subsequently changed to the (happy) one in the final cut. Some audience members reported that Sondra was a spy in the original ending! The studio made Polanski cut the run time, too. Now, this is NOT a great movie (crime drama/mystery/thriller), yet it’s tense and will keep the audience entertained. Aside from a few scenes, I thought the film was well-paced. Some viewers compared it to Hitchcock, BUT transported to Paris in the ’80s. Ford carries the movie V well; this is a role that calls for a protagonist who is relatable, trustworthy, and capable. As an added bonus, Ford is looking esp. fit (and the French don’t shy away from showing that)!

[1] Polanski tells us the story with great suspense involving the city of Paris like a character of the film. All movie spends time on the Parisian places and rooftops. The music of Ennio Morricone also is a great element of the film success that gives us a great mood. The characters as Harrison Ford and Emmanuel Seignier are superb in their roles too. I think a must see movie if you love great oeuvres of Hitchcock and you love Paris.

[2] The cast are good but it is Ford’s film and he leads it really well. He convinces as the man becoming increasingly “frantic” and he manages to involve humour as his character becomes savvier about what is happening and also appears to be seedier and less professional as a result!

[3] The film would truly live up to a degree of tension if his interactions with Parisians were realistic. They all seem willing to help, none of them annoyed by an American archetype anxiously babbling English at them in their native country. I’ve heard many stories from friends and writers who’ve been to Paris. They do not bless Paris with a reputation for being nice and accommodating to English-speaking Americans. One friend told me that he was not allowed to have his passport back unless he asked for it in French. Another told me that when he tried to order a meal at a restaurant in English, the clerk slammed her hand on the table and ordered that he speak French. My own experience in Paris might be vastly different, and it is no doubt a beautiful and culturally rich city, but there would inevitably be at least a blemish of resistance against Ford’s conventionally American character.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Westward the Women” (1951) starring Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel, Hope Emerson, & John McIntire

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In early 1850s California, there is a severe lack of women among the workers on Roy Whitman’s (John McIntire) large/thriving farm in the Valley. He travels back East to Chicago to recruit 150 women willing to become wives for his employees. Buck Wyatt (Robert Taylor) is hired to be the trail boss on this wagon train; he brings along 15 men to assist. One of the (enthusiastic) men is V short, young, and Japanese- Ito Kentaro (Henry Nakamura). Whitman tells the women during registration that wagons are waiting for them in Independence, MO; this city- w/ nearby St. Joseph- was the last eastern settlement before heading into “The Wild West.”

Buck: There’s two things in this world that scare me, and a good woman is both.

One of the women is French/a former dancer, Fifi Danon (Denise Darcel) traveling w/ her friend, Laurie Smith (Julie Bishop). They’re both looking for a change after life in New Orleans. Darcel’s (French language) dialogue includes a few words which reveals that no one in the Hays Office understood French. Some terms would’ve never gotten past the censors IF in English- LOL! There is a tall/big-boned Boston widow, Patience Brawley (Hope Emerson). Another widow is from Italy, Mrs. Vanni (Renata Vanni); she has a 10 y.o. son. Maggie O’Malley (Lenore Lonergan) and Jean Johnson (Marilyn Erskine) are V good w/ guns and handling horses.

Frank Capra (who created the original story) had planned to direct the film himself w/ Gary Cooper in the lead. Later, he sold his story to his neighbor- director William Wellman; the screenplay is by Charles Schnee. The film was shot almost entirely outdoors (Kanab, Utah; the Mojave Desert; Death Valley). The rainstorm was shot on a sound stage, to have complete control over the lighting, waterworks, flooding, etc. Among the diverse travelers, they speak English, French, Italian, and Japanese; they briefly encounter Native Americans speaking their own language. There is no musical score (for themes, background, or segues); we only hear a choral piece for opening and closing credits, and a small wedding band.

Now, as many of my readers know, the Western genre is NOT known for its originality. However, this movie is an exception; some critics have even called it “proto-feminist.” It recently became available to rent (Amazon Prime video). This is an (emotional) journey; you’ll laugh, be shocked, and (maybe) cry after seeing ALL the trials faced by these characters. There are (several) dark scenes, revealing that the filmmakers weren’t afraid to “go there” when it came to realism. I felt that it could’ve been a BIT shorter when it came to run time.

[1] As far as I know, this movie has no rival in its subject matter, and the stars are magnificent. You will laugh and you will cry, but most of all, you will come away with a deep admiration of those hearty pioneers and especially those wonderful women.

[2] This film has a lot of aspects that are quite refreshing and remarkable considering when it was made. The main supporting role is a Japanese cowboy! His character is not a typical stereotype either. Though he is comic relief, he is also given a role as a wise friend to Taylor’s character.

[3] What also makes this a very good film are the nice little characters within the film. So it’s NOT just a Robert Taylor film, but excels because of the fine ensemble cast. One of the standouts is Hope Emerson–a brawny actress who made a name for herself playing gangsters and other scary characters.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Verdict” (1982) starring Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, & James Mason

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Frank Galvin Has One Last Chance At A Big Case. -Tagline

An outcast, alcoholic Boston lawyer sees the chance to salvage his career and self-respect by taking a medical malpractice case to trial rather than settling. -Synopsis

The Verdict was ranked #4 on the AFI’s list of the 10 greatest films in the genre of “Courtroom Drama.” The movie was nominated for 5 Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay); it didn’t win any Oscars. One of Paul Newman’s closest friends, Robert Redford, was originally involved w/ this film. David Mamet delivered his draft of the screenplay; Redford felt uncomfortable w/ how Frank Galvin was characterized (alcoholic, opportunistic, and mostly unlikeable). He hired another writer to work on a draft, and so on and on, until Redford decided NOT to tackle the role. Sidney Lumet was offered the project; he read all the drafts and identified the original Mamet version as the one he wanted to make. Newman agreed to star and received a Best Actor Oscar nom!

James Mason was eager to work w/ Lumet again; he was 1st offered the part of Mickey Morrissey (eventually played by Jack Warden). The director didn’t think that Mason wanted the role; at the advice of his wife, Mason called Lumet. Burt Lancaster (originally set to play Ed Concannon) dropped out, so the role was available. Edward Binns (who plays Bishop Brophy) and Warden played jurors in 12 Angry Men (1957), the 1st feature film directed by Lumet. Although the film was set in Boston (and looks like it), most of it was shot on sound stages in NYC. The actors rehearsed for 3 wks prior to filming (as was part of Lumet’s process); the studio also allowed the director to have final cut (which is rare).

I recall a LOT of ppl commenting that they 1st watched this movie in their HS (Social Studies/History) class. I suggest taking a 2nd look, esp. if you’re a fan of courtroom dramas and/or Newman. Wow, even at age 57, the iconic actor (purposefully de-glamorized) shows that he can still stretch himself! In one interview, Lumet comments that Newman “put a lot of himself into that role.” I think it’s his most impressive role, aside from Hud.

[1] Newman is a wonder with his loser posture and hyperventilation and his desperateness. It’s in his voice, it’s on his face, it’s in his smile, it’s in his shaking hands.

[2] And I found the direction by Sidney Lumet to be, once again, outstanding. Lumet has such a long list of great movies that you wonder why he has never won an Oscar or been given an AFI Lifetime Achievement award.

This is a riveting movie — about the law, but mainly about the flawed nature of the human beings who are entrusted with it.

[3] Production design: as good as it gets. Everything looks old, as if it has been used and lived in for years, not shabby but burnished with age, all mahogany wood and scarlet carpets. Lighting and photography: up there with the best. Most scenes are dark — it’s midwinter in Boston — but not too dark, cleverly lighted. The snow in the streets is literally blue, as if it had just leaped out of an impressionist landscape. Tree branches glisten with moisture on slick night-time streets. Tinsel draped along a bar ceiling twinkles with fraudulent joy.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” (2024) starring Kevin Costner, Sienna Miller, & Sam Worthington

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The story of a nation unsettled. -Tagline

Hey y’all, can you believe it’s already SEPT (Fall)? Also, can y’all believe I wasted 3+ hrs. watching this Western (streaming on Max)!? It took me 2 nights to get through it last wk; I think this could be a cure for insomnia. As on viewer put it so clearly: “It felt like it belonged on TV as a miniseries in the late ’90s.” Actor/director/co-writer Kevin Costner reportedly spent a LOT of his own money to make this $100M movie. There are 2 more chapters being made; it’s NOT certain that those will get theatrical releases. I have to admit that I find Costner to be a limited actor (though I liked No Way Out and Bull Durham); I’ve also never seen his recent Paramount+ series- Yellowstone.

There a 3 or 4 separate groups (so far) that we meet in this sprawling/epic mess. The settings are several Western states in the time period of 1861-1865. The opening act is quite tense/exciting (I have to admit); Costner’s teen son (Hayes) plays a role. The 1st set of characters we meet incl. a mother, Frances Kittridge (Sienna Miller), her teen daughter Elizabeth (Georgia MacPhail), and a regiment of Union Army officers lead by Lt. Trent Gephart (Sam Worthington). I know what y’all are thinking: whoa, Worthington works outside of the Avatar franchise! The 2nd group are an Apache tribe going through division/conflict; 2 sons of a chief have differing views on how to deal w/ the White settlers (who are growing w/ each day). The 3rd grp incl. a horse trader, Hayes Ellison (Costner); he doesn’t ride into the story until 1 hr. goes by. He comes to a small mining town and meets a prostitute, Marigold (Abbey Lee), who is taking care of the baby of Ellen Harvey (Jenna Malone), while she goes on some business w/ her hubby (Michael Angarano). The 4th grp. is a wagon train heading to the (fictional) town of Horizon; these settlers are lead by Matthew Van Weyden (Luke Wilson). No, that is NOT a joke- they expect us to believe that Wilson belongs in a historical piece! There are 2 British/snobby/clueless marrieds who are objects of humor.

There are maybe 3 scenes which carry some interest, thanks to Danny Huston (a Union general), Michael Rooker (a Union officer), and Jamie Campbell Bower (a gunslinger/son of a crime family). Bower also the only actor who looks like he’s having fun w/ his baddie role. Huston seems to be a fan of Westerns; he recently played the mayor in The Dead Don’t Hurt (2023). Most of the dialogue here is SO cliched that it’d make a HS English teacher cringe. There is little to no character development, so we end up caring nothing re: the plight of these folks. Worst of all is the the editing; it is disjointed, so creates confusion in the audience! The music is TOO grand in scale for such a lame movie.

[1] Sorry, Mr. Costner, I cannot recall seeing a more disjointed 3-hr saga in my life. There’s no opportunity for character development or story continuity, and to be able to keep track of where all the characters are (some go missing without explanation) nope… You might need a spreadsheet to keep track.

[2] The US Army parts felt a little too modern. The use of the word “indigenous” just did not sound right for that time. Also we have never been shown US Army compassion from that time period before.

The playful addition of African Americans seems very modern as well. No doubt they were there, but living harmoniously with whites is hard to believe.

[3] I was particularly irritated by the inappropriate loud glorious/triumphant music played during the Indian village massacre and several more minute at the end. It really upset me they would play such music over the top of the horrific depictions of violence against innocent women and children. It was like they were celebrating it.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews