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Month: April 2013

Bedazzled (1967)

Bedazzled (1967)

“You see, a soul’s rather like your appendix — totally expendable.”

Synopsis:
A nebbishy short-order cook (Dudley Moore) enlists the help of the Devil (Peter Cook) in attracting the attention of a pretty waitress (Eleanor Bron) he has a crush on.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Comedy
  • Dudley Moore Films
  • Pact With the Devil
  • Raquel Welch Films
  • Stanley Donen Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “although [it’s] dated, Dudley Moore and Peter Cook’s irreverent Faust tale in mod clothing was much funnier than other British imports of its day”. He notes that it “combined the absurdity and breezy style of Richard Lester; the mixture of ridiculousness and sophistication of early Peter Sellers/Alec Guinness/Ian Carmichael/Alistair Sim films; the verbal outrageousness and slapstick of the later Peter Sellers; [and] the lowbrow comedy of the Carry On Series,” while also drawing upon Moore and Cook’s Beyond the Fringe revue act. He points out that while “Cook and Moore don’t do much visual comedy… much of the verbal repartee is brilliant”, and he praises “how adeptly their voices and mannerisms change as they change characters and move from class to class, in the various segments that comprise the film”. He argues that while the “vignettes aren’t particularly clever, [they] all have funny moments”, and points out that the “film dares make God, who no longer pays attention to human prayers and whose petty feud with Satan causes misery among mortals, into the villain of the piece”.

I’m essentially in agreement with Peary’s review — though I disagree with his assertion that its “delight today is to catch a nostalgic glimpse of [the] once-wonderful comedy team”. Indeed, most modern viewers will never have heard of Cook-and-Moore (unless they’ve seen the duo in The Wrong Box), and will primarily be familiar with Moore from his later (solo) work, in 10 (1979) and the Arthur films. Therefore, the film must stand on its own as a comedy — and to that end, I believe it still “works”. While it may not be uproariously funny, the very premise itself — that “Cook’s Satan is more of a prankster than Evil personified” — is clever enough to keep one consistently engaged; I found myself especially eager for the “inter-vignette” moments, to see where and how Cook would next be wreaking gentle havoc on the Earth (by, for instance, “ripping out the last page of Agatha Christie mysteries, scratching record albums, making grocery bags tear open, setting wasps loose on picnickers”:

… or “calling up women and revealing to them their husbands’ infidelities”:

… as Peary writes in his Cult Movies 2 review). It’s all good fun, and certainly worth a one-time look by film fanatics, especially given its (onetime?) cult status.

Note: Raquel Welch’s appearance here — as Lust personified — is brief but memorable.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Peter Cook as George Spiggott/the Devil
  • Eleanor Bron as Margaret


  • A clever, fast-paced screenplay

Must See?
Yes, as a cult favorite.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

Raven, The (1963)

Raven, The (1963)

“Men like Scarabus thrive on the apathy of others.”

Synopsis:
After helping a magician-turned-raven (Peter Lorre) return to his human form, the son (Vincent Price) of a deceased grand sorceror — accompanied by his daughter (Olive Sturgess), Lorre, and Lorre’s son (Jack Nicholson) — heads to the castle of his father’s rival, Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff), who may be living with Price’s long-lost wife Lenore (Hazel Court).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Boris Karloff Films
  • Edgar Allan Poe Films
  • Fantasy
  • Jack Nicholson Films
  • Peter Lorre Films
  • Rivalry
  • Roger Corman Films
  • Vincent Price Films
  • Witches and Wizards

Review:
After successfully injecting dark humor into the second vignette of their Poe-inspired anthology film Tales of Terror (1962), Roger Corman and screenwriter Richard Matheson decided to craft this overtly comedic parody, which only very loosely adheres to elements of its supposed source material (Poe’s poem “The Raven”). While the premise is clever, the film gets off to a decidedly creaky start, as the humor remains dull at best, and we keep hoping for more biting wit to emerge; it’s not until Karloff arrives on the scene that things finally begin to perk up — indeed, he’s such an engaging presence that whenever his character is part of the storyline, one can’t help suddenly feeling more involved.

Karloff’s culminating duel with Price — while marred somewhat by corny low-budget special effects — remains the film’s undisputed comedic highlight. Watch for a young, handsome Jack Nicholson, who gives a decent (if not particularly inspired) performance as Lorre’s son.

Note: Karloff co-starred in another Poe-related film entitled The Raven (1935) nearly 30 years earlier; the two would make an interesting double-bill.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Boris Karloff as Dr. Scarabus
  • Game performances by the ensemble cast
  • The fun duel finale

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a one-time look, simply for its fun moments — and as a cult favorite.

Links:

Tales of Terror (1962)

Tales of Terror (1962)

“Pardon me, ladies, but could you spare a coin for a moral cripple?”

Synopsis:
A trio of vignettes tell Poe-inspired tales: in “Morella”, a grieving widower (Vincent Price) blames his grown daughter (Leona Gage) for the death of his long-dead wife (Maggie Pierce); in “The Black Cat”, an abusive drunkard (Peter Lorre) seeks bitter revenge on his wife (Joyce Jameson) and her lover (Vincent Price); and in “The Case of M. Valdemar”, a sickly man (Vincent Price) allows a shady hypnotist (Basil Rathbone) to keep him hypnotized as he’s dying, much to the distress of his wife (Debra Paget) and doctor (David Frankham).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Basil Rathbone Films
  • Debra Paget Films
  • Episodic Films
  • Horror Films
  • Mind Control and Hypnosis
  • Peter Lorre Films
  • Revenge
  • Roger Corman Films
  • Vincent Price Films

Review:
Between 1959 and 1964, low-budget producer Roger Corman released what is perhaps his most famous “cycle” of films — eight movies inspired by the literature of Edgar Allen Poe (all but one of which are listed in Peary’s GFTFF). According to TCM’s article on this fourth entry in the series, Corman admitted he “was getting a bit tired of the Poe films by this time” — and his fatigue is somewhat in evidence, given that none of the segments (all scripted by Richard Matheson) are particularly noteworthy, and taken together, they leave one feeling decidedly unsatisfied. The most interesting segment — though only marginally so — is the middle one, inspired in part by Poe’s classic tale “The Cask of Amontillado”; Lorre does an eerily fine job playing a perennially drunk, mean-spirited bastard who fully deserves his comeuppance, and there’s some clever dialogue sprinkled throughout. Meanwhile, it’s nice to see Price — who plays a critical role in each of the three stories — showing some range in his diverse characterizations. However, this one is primarily recommended for diehard followers of Corman’s AIP/Poe flicks, who may be itching for a dose of their signature style (which is here in spades); other film fanatics can feel free to skip it.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fun performances by Price and Lorre
  • Richard Matheson’s clever, Poe-inspired dialogue:

    Montresor (Lorre): “Haven’t I convinced you of my sincerity yet? I’m genuinely dedicated to your destruction.”

Must See?
No; this one is strictly for fans of the franchise.

Links:

Comedy of Terrors, The (1963)

Comedy of Terrors, The (1963)

“I don’t think he’s quite dead enough yet to bury.”

Synopsis:
A drunken undertaker (Vincent Price) in need of clients bullies his assistant (Peter Lorre) into helping him kill innocent people — but their attempt to murder their strangely resilient landlord (Basil Rathbone) results in unexpectedly challenging consequences. Meanwhile, Lorre harbors a crush on Price’s mistreated wife (Joyce Jameson), whose aged father (Boris Karloff) has no idea Price is trying to slowly poison him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Basil Rathbone Films
  • Black Comedy
  • Boris Karloff Films
  • Historical Drama
  • Jacques Tourneur Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Peter Lorre Films
  • Vincent Price Films

Review:
This belabored black “comedy” by director Jacques Tourneur — with a screenplay by Richard Matheson — possesses many loyal fans (see IMDb), but I’m not one of them. There’s simply no fun to be had in watching Price — playing one of his most irredeemably loathsome protagonists — abusing Lorre, Jameson, and Karloff while keeping himself in a perennial state of drunkenness; meanwhile, the screenplay is riddled with clunkers — such as the following exchange (not funny the first time), which is for some reason repeated ad nauseum:

Gillie: Mr. Tremble…
Trumbull (correcting him): Trumbull.
Gillie: I SAID “Tremble”!

A similarly painful gag involving Jameson’s terrible singing voice is milked dry as well. The allure of getting to see so many prime horror icons together onscreen, and/or a respect for Tourneur’s prior classics — such as Cat People (1942) or Night of the Demon (1957) — is clearly what will tempt most film fanatics to check this one out; however, as noted in Time Out’s review, “With credentials of this calibre, the movie could hardly fail, but it comes perilously close”. Be forewarned.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fine production values

Must See?
No; definitely feel free to skip this one, unless your curiosity gets the better of you.

Links:

Before I Hang (1940)

Before I Hang (1940)

“With one small inoculation, I can add years to your life – now, at once! How can you even hesitate?”

Synopsis:
An elderly doctor (Boris Karloff) about to be hung for committing a mercy killing conducts one final experiment by injecting himself with an anti-aging serum derived from the blood of a murderer — but when he’s given a last-minute pardon and allowed to live, he finds himself plagued by uncontrollable homicidal urges.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Boris Karloff Films
  • Evelyn Keyes Films
  • Horror Films
  • Mad Doctors and Mad Scientists

Review:
A year after starring as The Man They Could Not Hang (1939), Boris Karloff was once again cast by Columbia Pictures as a misunderstood doctor whose attempts to transcend the limitations of the human body wreak disastrous results. This time, however, rather than seeking revenge on those who have wronged him, Karloff’s protagonist remains sympathetic throughout, given that his murderous shift in character is accidental, and he’s genuinely unable to control his homicidal urges. With that said, there’s really nothing new here for any film fanatic who’s already seen the handful of other same-era Karloff “mad doctor” flicks listed in Peary’s GFTFF; while the cinematography is atmospheric, and Karloff is as invested as always in his performance, the overly straightforward storyline simply doesn’t have enough going for it to elevate it above a middling B-level quickie. Feel free to skip this one unless you’re a diehard Karloff fan.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Boris Karloff as Dr. Garth
  • Benjamin Kline’s cinematography

Must See?
No; this one is only must-see for Karloff completists.

Links:

Grass is Greener, The (1960)

Grass is Greener, The (1960)

“It’s like a top secret that everyone knows — like the day before D-Day.”

Synopsis:
The wife (Deborah Kerr) of a penniless lord (Cary Grant) becomes romantically involved with a wealthy American (Robert Mitchum) who arrives as a tourist at their estate; but despite attempts by Kerr’s friend (Jean Simmons) to fill Grant in on details of the affair, he remains strangely calm.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Cary Grant Films
  • Deborah Kerr Films
  • Infidelity
  • Jean Simmons Films
  • Love Triangle
  • Noel Coward Films
  • Robert Mitchum Films
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Royalty and Nobility
  • Stanley Donen Films

Review:
The enticing cast of this would-be romantic comedy — directed by Stanley Donen, and based on a 1956 play by Hugh and Margaret Williams — is the best thing going for it by far. Its insipid storyline is based on a paper-thin premise which never feels believable: Kerr is apparently reasonably happily married to Grant, yet falls into a passionate embrace within 20 minutes of encountering a stranger who’s barged into a private room of her estate. (If her husband were played by someone less attractive than Grant, this scenario MIGHT be a tad more plausible — but as presented here, it’s simply ludicrous.) Meanwhile, the annoying character played by Simmons is completely gratuitous, and seems to be added into the mix simply to round things out and provide one more pretty face to look at. Feel free to skip this clunker unless you’re a diehard fan of one of the actors, and feel compelled to see them in everything they completed.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Decent performances by all four leads
  • Noel Coward’s fun opening-and-closing ditty about English manors

Must See?
No; definitely feel free to skip this one.

Links:

Affair to Remember, An (1957)

Affair to Remember, An (1957)

“Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories.”

Synopsis:
When a playboy (Cary Grant) engaged to an heiress (Neva Patterson) falls in love with a beautiful singer (Deborah Kerr), they decide to test their romance by meeting in six months at the top of the Empire State Building — but a tragic accident puts a kink in their plans.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Blindness
  • Cary Grant Films
  • Deborah Kerr Films
  • Disabilities
  • Leo McCarey Films
  • Romance
  • Star-Crossed Lovers

Review:
This cult romance — which received renewed interest when it was referenced in Nora Ephron’s 1993 romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle — was actually the second iteration of a story written and directed by Leo McCarey 18 years earlier, starring Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne. This later version — in many instances a word-for-word recreation of the original, down to McCarey’s choice of camera placements — is primarily notable for taking advantage of Cinemascope and Technicolor cinematography to expand the visual palette of the story, and to that end, it succeeds quite well (see stills below). However, in every other regard it pales in comparison with its predecessor: it’s poorly paced (scenes are needlessly drawn out), about half an hour too long, and chock-full of hopelessly contrived dialogue (like the following), played with completely straight faces:

Kerr: “We’re headed into a rough sea, Nickie.”
Grant: “I know. We changed our course today.”

The first line actually exists in the original film as well, but as spoken by Dunne (without the pun-worthy retort by her lover), it works — unlike here, where (despite valiant attempts by Kerr and Grant to “keep it real”) it’s simply groan-worthy. Indeed, much about An Affair to Remember reminds one of Douglas Sirk’s similarly overblown ’50s melodramas, but without the sassy heat; McCarey’s sentimental tendencies completely overwhelm this “affair”, as epitomized by the inclusion of two utterly gratuitous musical numbers involving a diverse group of moppets (er, children), both of which feel like they were taken straight out of McCarey’s Going My Way (1944) or The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945).

With that said, there’s a reason why this film remains such an enduring favorite: Kerr (always a consummate actress) and Grant have decent chemistry together, and one can’t help getting caught up in their romance simply given how neatly it represents one of our most entrenched fantasy scenarios — giving up “everything” (in this case, a current “good enough” lover, as well as easy wealth) for the sake of true love. I’m recommending AATR as must-see one-time viewing simply given its cult status, but it will only be of enduring interest to those who don’t mind their romances served with a heavy dose of manipulation.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Deborah Kerr as Terry
  • Fine use of Cinemascope and Technicolor cinematography



Must See?
Yes, once, simply for its cult status. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

Love Affair (1939)

Love Affair (1939)

“My father used to say that wishes are dreams we dream when we’re awake.”

Synopsis:
A French playboy (Charles Boyer) meets an American singer (Irene Dunne) on board a ship and the two fall in love, despite being engaged to others. They agree to meet in six months at the top of the Empire State Building, but when tragedy befalls one of them, their plans are changed forever.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Charles Boyer Films
  • Disabilities
  • Irene Dunne Films
  • Leo McCarey Films
  • Romance
  • Star-Crossed Lovers

Review:
Leo McCarey’s classic tearjerker is perhaps best known as the original version of his later cult classic, An Affair to Remember (1957) — but it’s actually the better of the two films. While the storyline is undeniably hokey and contrived, Dunne and Boyer have enough star-power and genuine chemistry to make us believe in their shipboard romance, as well as their desire to reunite once/if the stars are aligned. Given that it’s almost impossible to discuss Love Affair without explicit comparisons to its remake, I’ll proceed by reiterating that this version is superior on nearly every account — except production design and cinematography. At just 87 minutes long, the storyline zips by at an appropriate pace, leaving us with blessedly little time to ponder the logistics of what’s happening, and instead simply enjoy the fine performances by Dunne (lovely and charming), Boyer (convincing as a smitten playboy), and Maria Ouspenskaya (as Boyer’s sentimental grandmother). While we can’t help groaning at some of McCarey’s narrative choices — would Dunne and Boyer’s previous lovers really take the betrayal so easily? would “the tragedy” really result in such a facile separation? — we’re rooting for Dunne and Boyer all the way, which is exactly the point in an escapist romance like this.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Irene Dunne as Terry McKay
  • Charles Boyer as Michel
  • Maria Ouspenskaya as Boyer’s grandmother

Must See?
Yes, as a tearjerker classic.

Categories

  • Genuine Classic

Links:

Show People (1928)

Show People (1928)

[Note: The following review is of a non-Peary title; click here to read more.]

“I didn’t know that they made them that green.”

Synopsis:
Accompanied by her father (Dell Henderson), a naive aspiring actress (Marion Davies) arrives in Hollywood and befriends a kind actor (William Haines) who helps her break into slapstick comedies. Soon, however, she’s lured into making “highbrow” pictures, and rejects Haines in favor of her new leading man (Paul Ralli).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aspiring Stars
  • Comedy
  • Hollywood
  • King Vidor Films
  • Marion Davies Films
  • Silent Films

Review:
Although Peary doesn’t list this King Vidor-directed silent comedy in his GFTFF, he nominates Marion Davies as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in his Alternate Oscars, so I’m reviewing it briefly here. Fortunately, while Davies’ performance is indeed a lot of fun — what a gifted, no-holds-barred comedienne she was! — the film itself is also worth a look by all film fanatics, given its insightful skewering of silent-era Hollywood (it would make a great double-bill with Singin’ in the Rain). An especially delightful scene shows us Davies attempting to cry on cue, with “Hearts and Flowers” (so that infamously sentimental ditty has a name!) playing in the background, and a helpful assistant peeling onions nearby. Watch for a host of cameos by famous stars of the day — including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and Vidor himself.

Note: Show People is also of interest given the presence of William Haines, an openly gay man in early Hollywood who gave up his career when he refused L.B. Mayer’s request to engage in a “lavender” (sham) marriage to camouflage his homosexuality.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Marion Davies as Peggy
  • William Haines as Billy Boone
  • Peggy’s strained attempt to produce tears

  • A fun skewering of silent-era Hollywood

Must See?
Yes, for Davies’ performance, and as a fun Hollywood satire.

Categories

  • Good Show
  • Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

“Well of course we talk. Don’t everybody?”

Synopsis:
During the advent of talkies in Hollywood, a conceited movie star (Jean Hagen) with a terrible voice struggles to make the transition; meanwhile, her costar (Gene Kelly) falls in love with a young ingenue (Debbie Reynolds) who begins dubbing Hagen’s voice, invoking Hagen’s wrath and jealousy.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Actors and Actresses
  • Cyd Charisse Films
  • Debbie Reynolds Films
  • Gene Kelly Films
  • Hollywood
  • Jean Hagen Films
  • Musicals
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Stanley Donen Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary argues that this “most uplifting of films” remains “one of the great joys of the cinema”, and is the “ultimate musical for lovers of the film medium”. He notes that “not only do innovative directors Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen use ‘film’ (color, lighting, editing, special effects, camera placement and movement, and sound) to enhance the fabulous songs and dances, but, as scripted by Adolph Green and Betty Comden, [it’s] also one of the best, funniest, most perceptive and informative pictures ever made about the movie industry”. He notes that “Green and Comden beautifully spoof numerous Hollywood types: suicidal stuntmen who’ll do anything to be in pictures; starlets with pretensions of being serious thespians who will jump out of cakes to be part of show biz; brainless gossip columnists; tough directors who think the set is a battlefield; smug diction coaches; confused producers; flaky music coordinators; cocky actors who know the importance of ‘image’ to stardom…; and stupid, conceited actresses who believe their own press”. The gamut is covered!

Peary accurately argues that the “musical numbers are all outstanding, with Kelly, [Donald] O’Connor [as Kelly’s friend], and Reynolds displaying amazing athletic dancing skills”. He points out that some “unforgettable highlights include the three dancing on furniture and singing ‘Good Morning’; O’Connor running up walls and flipping during ‘Make ‘Em Laugh'” (an astonishing number no matter how many times you’ve seen it!); “the ‘Broadway Rhythm’ number, especially when Kelly and Cyd Charisse perform a dreamlike ballet; and the [incomparable] title number, which has Kelly happily dancing through puddles”. Peary notes that “in the film’s great[est] moment, the camera moves directly over Kelly’s beaming face for a close-up just as he sings ‘There’s a smile on my face’.” In his Cult Movies book, he lists several other musical highlights; a personal favorite is “Don and Cosmo [O’Connor] bewildering their diction teacher with some tongue twisters and flying feet in the ‘Moses’ number” (I’d forgotten how fun that one is!).

Meanwhile, Peary writes that “the scenes without music are [also] delightful”, and in Cult Movies he points out some specific ones: “Don’s [Kelly’s] hilarious movie stunts which somehow he survives; the knife-in-the-back squabbling between Don and Lina [Hagen]; Lina’s unsuccessful diction lessons, where she can’t learn to properly pronounce the letter a in the phrase ‘I can’t stand it’; the fascinating film at [a producer’s] party in which a weird man explains the ‘sound film’; the many humorous incidents with microphones; [and] the finale…”. I agree that each of these scenes or sequences are gems — masterfully written, directed, and acted; indeed, the entire fast-paced screenplay is “delightful movie fare”, as Peary writes.

In his Alternate Oscars (where he votes the film Best Picture of the Year), Peary nominates Kelly as one of the Best Actors of the Year, and Reynolds as one of the Best Actresses (in Cult Movies he writes “how absolutely great, how bubbly, how vivacious she is!”). However, he rightfully acknowledges that Kelly “allows Jean Hagen ample opportunity to walk away with acting honors” — indeed, while her role is perhaps not quite large enough to be considered in the “Best Actress” category, you could argue that her consistently hilarious, memorable performance plays an enormous part in the film’s overall success. Peary writes that “from this picture, we see that Hagen was never allowed the chance to be the fine comedienne… she was obviously capable of being”, and credits “Kelly, the star, the codirector, [for] willingly shar[ing] his picture with his costars.” He argues that “it is not by mere chance that Reynolds, O’Connor, and Hagen have never been better” — and one can’t help agreeing.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont
  • Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood
  • Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden
  • Donald O’Connor’s phenomenal “Make ‘Em Laugh” number
  • Kelly’s iconic “Singin’ in the Rain” number
  • Kelly, O’Connor, and Reynolds performing “Good Morning”
  • Kelly and O’Connor performing “Moses”
  • A hilarious, incisive satire of early Hollywood’s transition to talkies
  • Vibrant Technicolor cinematography (by Harold Rosson)

Must See?
Yes, of course!

Categories

  • Genuine Classic

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links: