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Month: January 2022

To Hell and Back (1955)

To Hell and Back (1955)

“Feisty pup, isn’t he?”

Synopsis:
Poor young Texan Audie Murphy (playing himself) initially struggles to get accepted into the armed forces, but soon becomes a decorated war hero.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Audie Murphy Films
  • Biopics
  • Soldiers
  • World War II

Review:
This Technicolor adaptation of Audie Murphy’s 1949 autobiography is an earnest if by-the-books depiction of how Murphy came to receive “every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism” — all by the age of 19 (!).

As the film opens, we see young Audie (Gordon Gebert) offering to quit school and work to help support his single mother (Mary Field) and large share-cropping family in Texas:

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Murphy tries without luck to enter into the Navy and Marine Corps before finally being accepted into the Army.

Once he’s out on the battlefields of North Africa, Italy, and France, Murphy (who, for the record, was loathe to portray himself on film) quickly shows himself to be humble, beloved, and exceedingly brave:

As noted in the New York Times’ original review of this film, it “has the twin virtues of truth and Audie Murphy to support it” — and audiences at the time apparently agreed, making it Universal Studios’ top-grossing movie until Jaws (1975). Be sure to read TCM’s article for additional insights into the making of this film, as well as Murphy’s response.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • A fine tribute to Murphy’s modest heroism

Must See?
No; while it’s worth a look for its historical relevance, this one is only must-see for Murphy fans.

Links:

Moulin Rouge (1952)

Moulin Rouge (1952)

“I am a painter of the streets — and of the gutter.”

Synopsis:
Disabled French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Jose Ferrer) paints and documents the entertainment world of late-19th century Paris while drinking heavily and falling in love with a prostitute (Colette Marchand) who breaks his heart. Will Toulouse-Lautrec allow himself to fall for a genteel art-lover (Suzanne Flon) patiently waiting in the wings?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Artists
  • Biopics
  • Christopher Lee Films
  • Disabilities
  • Historical Drama
  • John Huston Films
  • Jose Ferrer Films
  • Peter Cushing Films
  • Prostitutes and Gigolos

Review:
John Huston directed this visually stunning fictional biopic of famed French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose leg growth was stunted at an early age:

… and who developed a lifelong drinking habit while honing his artistic talents in the nightclubs and brothels of Paris:

Huston and his artistic team — including cinematographer Oswald Morris, color specialist Eliot Elisofon, costume and set designer Marcel Vertes, and art director Paul Sheriff — present a vividly magical recreation of Toulouse-Lautrec’s world, with scenes from his prolific paintings, posters, and drawings seemingly coming to life in front of our eyes:

The first half of the storyline centers primarily on Toulouse-Lautrec’s love affair with a feisty, insecure prostitute (Colette Marchand) whose poverty-ridden past has left her desperately cynical: “I’m scum. Real scum. That’s why you hang on to me.”

As Toulouse-Lautrec describes her later:

“Her past was too strong for her. The world she lives in is a jungle, where people prowl like wild animals. They go without eating when the game is scarce. And when there is a kill, they claw and bite each other over it. It is a world of cruelty and cunning. But it is free. I put chains on her; they only made her vicious… In the jungle they feel neither pity nor revulsion. The sight of me did not offend her as a woman… Her eyes were wide open. She loved me for what I am.”

While Marchand’s character appears to be fictional, it’s clear that she represents the “type” of woman Toulouse-Lautrec felt himself resigned to and worthy of. As a “mutant” creature rejected in some fashion by both his aristocratic parents (though his caring mother tries to reach out), he lived his brief life (dying from alcoholism and syphilis at the age of 36) among those who — like him — understood hardship, constant pain, and the need for escape. To that end, the best scenes, woven throughout, show Toulouse-Lautrec gaining inspiration from the world around him and turning this into his incomparable artwork.

Watch for Zsa Zsa Gabor as Can Can dancer and singer Jane Avril:

… Christopher Lee in an unbilled cameo as Georges Seurat:

… and Peter Cushing as a competing love interest for a woman (Flor) hoping Toulouse-Lautrec will open his heart to her:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Jose Ferrer as Henri Toulouse-Lautrec
  • Colette Marchand as Marie
  • Oswald Morris’s cinematography (with Eliot Elisofon’s color consultancy)
  • Fine sets and costumes

Must See?
No, but it’s well worth a one-time look for the visuals.

Links:

Ulysses (1954)

Ulysses (1954)

“There’s part of me that’s always homesick for the unknown.”

Synopsis:
In Ancient Greece, Queen Penelope of Ithaca (Silvana Mangano) is besieged by suitors — including persistent Antinoos (Anthony Quinn) — while awaiting the return home of her long-lost husband, Ulysses (Kirk Douglas). Meanwhile, amnesiac Ulysses prepares to marry a new wife (Rossana Podesta) while flashing back on memories of the Trojan War and being lured by the goddess Circe (also Mangano).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Amnesia
  • Ancient Greece and Rome
  • Anthony Quinn Films
  • Kirk Douglas Films
  • Royalty and Nobility

Review:
Perhaps best known for sparking the “swords and sandals” peplum subgenre of Italian-American movies — beginning with the enormously popular Hercules (1958) a few years later — this adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey will likely appeal to those who recall reading and studying this classic work in high school (my hand is raised). Douglas is well cast as adventurous Ulysses:

… and gorgeous Italian actress Mangano effectively toggles between two key roles (Penelope and Circe), easily convincing us she’s different women yet eerily similar in Ulysses’s mind.

Ulysses’s ongoing state of amnesiac confusion is nicely handled through the use of flashbacks; we understand that his entire journey back from the Trojan war has been somewhat of a blur, punctuated by moments of drama. (Those unfamiliar with the story may feel, appropriately so, like things are bouncing around a lot.) Scenes of note include Ulysses and his men outwitting the cyclops Polyphemus:

… Ulysses foolishly asking to be tied to the mast of his ship in order to hear the song of the sirens:

… Circe turning Ulysses’s men into swine:

… and Ulysses’s stealthy return home in the guise of a beggar:

The sets and cinematography (some by Mario Bava) are fine throughout. Fans of classic adaptations will likely want to check this one out.

Note: Quinn’s role as Antinoos is minor and doesn’t have much impact:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Kirk Douglas as Ulysses
  • Fine cinematography and sets

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended and well worth a look.

Links:

Battle Cry (1955)

Battle Cry (1955)

“What do we owe this lousy war? What do we owe the Marines?”

Synopsis:
During World War II, a Marine Sergeant (James Whitmore) reflects back on his experiences with other new recruits in radio school, including an all-American athlete (Tab Hunter) who has a girlfriend (Mona Freeman) back home but engages in an affair with a lonely wife (Dorothy Malone) on base; a womanizing lumberjack (Aldo Ray) who falls for a kind widow (Nancy Olson); and a bookish young man (John Lupton) who befriends a beautiful woman (Anne Francis) during his regular outings on the Coronado Ferry. Will the men be given a chance by their Major (Van Heflin) to experience combat duty?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aldo Ray Films
  • Anne Francis Films
  • Dorothy Malone Films
  • Fess Parker Films
  • James Whitmore Films
  • Nancy Olson Films
  • Raoul Walsh Films
  • Raymond Massey Films
  • Tab Hunter Films
  • Van Heflin Films
  • World War II

Review:
This hugely popular wartime melodrama — directed by Raoul Walsh — was based on a novel by Leon Uris, who also wrote the screenplay. While it’s easy to see the film’s appeal for audiences at the time (who were just ten years out from their experiences actually living through the war), the storyline is little more than a soaper featuring various romantic entanglements and character arcs:



We see some of Heflin’s leadership challenges:

… and evidence of how well the men perform in battle when given a chance, but none of this can compare in intensity or thematic scope to other, better films on the same topics. Watch for Raymond Massey as a higher-up:

… and too-brief glimpses of Navajo “code talkers” (Jonas Applegarth and Felix Noriego) in action:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • The intriguing snippets of Navajo “code talking” at work
  • Impressively filmed crowd scenes

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a one-time look for its all-star cast.

Links:

Lion Is in The Streets, A (1953)

Lion Is in The Streets, A (1953)

“Sometimes a man ain’t got time for common sense.”

Synopsis:
In the Deep South, a street peddler (Jimmy Cagney) marries a schoolteacher (Barbara Hale) and has an affair with an adoring teenager (Anne Francis) while pursuing a career in politics and growing increasingly compromised in his ideals.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Anne Francis Films
  • Barbara Hale Films
  • Deep South
  • Jimmy Cagney Films
  • John McIntire Films
  • Lon Chaney, Jr. Films
  • Political Corruption
  • Raoul Walsh Films

Review:
It’s easy to see why both Jimmy Cagney and Raoul Walsh later preferred not to discuss their involvement in this clunker of a political melodrama, loosely based on the life of Huey Long (though by the time it was released, Robert Rossen’s All the Kings’ Men had already covered the same territory to award-winning acclaim). It comes across as a weird sort of vanity project, showcasing Cagney as a charismatic but poor peddler who somehow manages to sweep naive Hale off her feet:

… while maintaining the undying love of Francis (playing a bayou girl named “Flamingo”), who is upset to learn he’s gotten married and doesn’t consider that any kind of barrier to them spending their life together.

The crux of the storyline focuses on Cagney’s attempt to expose a local cotton company owner (Larry Keating) of cheating, and the trouble his friend Jeb Brown (John McIntire) gets into when things unintentionally turn violent.

Unfortunately, Cagney doesn’t seem to realize how addicted he is to power and success, eventually viewing his own political ascension as worthy of cheating and lying. The film is filled with ripe dialogue (“I’ll always be there waiting — belonging to you like a mule in a barn!”) and ludicrous scenarios that defy belief (i.e., the entire crocodile scene):

… but it all becomes morbidly fascinating during the final ten minutes or so, when we suddenly see events playing out in a fashion eerily reminiscent of recent American history.

Watch for Lon Chaney, Jr. as Francis’s dad:

… and Jimmy’s sister Jeanne in a pivotal supporting role as McIntire’s wife:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Harry Stradling’s cinematography

Must See?
Nope; you can skip this one unless you’re curious.

Links:

Stranglers of Bombay, The (1959)

Stranglers of Bombay, The (1959)

“Look, sir, this is India: there are cults and religions that stretch back to the beginning of recorded time.”

Synopsis:
In 1830s India — as trade caravans mysteriously disappear and a high priest (George Pastell) leads his followers in deadly cultish rituals — a colonel (Guy Rolfe) for the British East India Company is disappointed to learn that his boss (Andrew Cruikshank) has appointed a family acquaintance (Allan Cuthbertson) rather than him to investigate the mystery. Will Captain Lewis (Rolfe) — with help from his supportive wife (Jan Holden) — be able to make any headway into solving the crimes?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Cults
  • Historical Drama
  • Thieves and Criminals

Review:
Terence Fisher directed this historical adventure-horror film for Hammer Studios about the quest to capture a cult of Indian bandits known as Thugees, who terrorized travellers in the name of the goddess Kali. Unfortunately, lead actor Rolfe — probably best known by film lovers for co-starring opposite Robert Taylor in Ivanhoe (1952), and for starring as the title character in the non-GFTFF-listed Mr. Sardonicus by William Castle — isn’t all that charismatic:

Meanwhile, we loathe his priggish nemesis (Cuthbertson):

… and have mixed feelings about hissing at the bad guys given that they’re living under colonial subjugation.

The entire affair is exotic and atmospherically filmed, with several notoriously gruesome moments:


… but it will probably only be of interest to fans of this genre (or, of course, those wanting to see buxomy Marie Devereux as a cult follower who gets a kick out of seeing people tortured).

Check out DVD Savant’s review for Trailers From Hell for a much more in-depth analysis of this title, which was previously hard-to-find but is now available on DVD.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Arthur Grant’s cinematography

Must See?
No, though Hammer fans will likely want to check it out.

Links:

Pork Chop Hill (1959)

Pork Chop Hill (1959)

“We’re getting no place; every one of these trenches is a separate dogfight.”

Synopsis:
During the Korean War, Lieutenant Joe Clemons (Gregory Peck) does everything he can to try to recapture Pork Chop Hill from the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, all while experiencing heavy losses, insufficient manpower, and ongoing cease-fire negotiations which may soon render any victory meaningless.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • George Peppard Films
  • Gregory Peck Films
  • Korean War
  • Lewis Milestone Films
  • Martin Landau Films
  • Rip Torn Films
  • Woody Strode Films

Review:
Director Lewis Milestone — best known for his Academy Award winning World War I film All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) — made two other films depicting life on-the-ground for soldiers during military conflict: A Walk in the Sun (1945), taking place during WWII, and this film about a notoriously high-casualty maneuver occurring near the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). Ten years after starring as a no-nonsense flight commander in Twelve O’Clock High (1949), Gregory Peck returns as another military leader facing a truly daunting task — but this time around, his personality is less dominant and we’re more caught up in the collective experiences of his men. The entire film takes place during just one protracted battle, and nearly all we see is trench warfare:

… with occasional cut-aways to diplomatic negotiations:

Of special interest are the roles played by James Edwards and Woody Strode as Black soldiers, given that the Korean War forced mandated integration of troops for the first time (for purely pragmatic reasons). Strode is deeply uninterested in sacrificing his life for no good reason, while Edwards strives to hold him accountable:

Pork Chop Hill makes for a brutal but valuable portrait of motivation and decision-making in the midst of unimaginable constraints; it’s not a film I plan to revisit, but I’m glad I sat through it once. Watch for a host of familiar young male actors in the cast, including an uncredited Harry Dean Stanton in a brief early scene:

… Rip Torn as Lt. Walter Russel:

… George Peppard (prior to Breakfast at Tiffany’s) as Cpl. Chuck Fedderson (shown here next to Harry Guardino, playing a private eager to head home):

… Norman Fell (of “Three is Company” TV fame) as Sgt. Coleman:

… and Martin Landau in his brief film debut:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Gregory Peck as Lt. Clemons
  • Sam Leavitt’s cinematography

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for one-time viewing.

Links:

Magnificent Matador, The (1955)

Magnificent Matador, The (1955)

“The trick is to be able to live with the fear, and still face the bulls with dignity.”

Synopsis:
A socialite (Maureen O’Hara) falls in love with an aging matador (Anthony Quinn) who has disappointed his public by refusing to appear in a fight. Can Quinn be motivated to return to the arena and face the bulls alongside his protege (Manuel Rojas)?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Anthony Quinn Films
  • Budd Boetticher Films
  • Bullfighting
  • Has-Beens
  • Maureen O’Hara Films

Review:
Director Budd Boetticher is best known for the set of westerns he made with Randolph Scott known as the “Ranown Cycle”: Seven Men From Now (1956), The Tall T (1957), Decision at Sundown (1957), Buchanan Rides Alone (1958), Ride Lonesome (1959), Westbound (1959), and Comanche Station (1960). However, he also made three films based on his first and most enduring love: bullfighting. His breakthrough movie was The Bullfighter and the Lady (1951), followed a few years later by this flick, which was apparently written simply to provide a substantial role for Anthony Quinn. Unfortunately, it’s much less compelling than his 1951 outing, and doesn’t have a whole lot going for it other than fine cinematography by Lucien Ballard and a couple of big names:

The screenplay and dialogue are incredibly hoary, with little to hold our interest or attention. Storywise, beautiful, wealthy O’Hara — used to getting whatever she wants — has a thing for bullfighters (Quinn in particular), causing her would-be lover (Richard Denning) to be both jealous and petty:

Quinn also has a jealous ex-lover (Lorraine Chanel) lurking in the periphery, without anything to do but sulk:

Meanwhile, a beloved friend (Thomas Gomez) who raises bulls affords Quinn a convenient opportunity to reconnect with his passion:

… and there’s also a minor storyline about a long-lost son — but none of this is particularly compelling. Film fanatics don’t need to bother checking this one out.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Lucian Ballard’s cinematography

Must See?
Nope; you can skip this one unless you’re a Boetticher completist or a diehard fan of one of the stars.

Links:

Quo Vadis (1951)

Quo Vadis (1951)

“People will believe any lie, if it is fantastic enough.”

Synopsis:
In Ancient Rome, a military commander (Robert Taylor) returns home to the court of Emperor Nero (Peter Ustinov) and Empress Poppaea (Patricia Laffan), who live a lavish, self-absorbed lifestyle as Nero’s advisor (Leo Genn) feeds him flattering lies. When Taylor falls for a beautiful Christian (Deborah Kerr) adopted by a retired general (Felix Aylmer), Taylor finds his own values in conflict with Kerr’s; meanwhile, Christians continue to meet and worship underground through guidance from the apostles Peter (Finlay Currie) and Paul (Abraham Sofaer) — but will Nero put up with this affront to his perceived divinity?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Biblical Stories
  • Christianity
  • Deborah Kerr Films
  • Historical Drama
  • Leo Genn Films
  • Mervyn LeRoy Films
  • Peter Ustinov Films
  • Robert Taylor Films
  • Ruthless Leaders

Review:
This top-grossing film of 1951 was produced by MGM Studios but filmed in Italy by director Mervyn LeRoy, with tens of thousands of extras overseen by a para-military style crew. The result is an historical epic truly impressive in its scope for the time:

… but bogged down by an unrealistic (would-be) romance between luminous Kerr and wooden Taylor, who made a career comeback with this film but isn’t particularly compelling:

Ustinov, on the other hand, holds nothing back in his performance as infantile Nero, who believes every word of flattery spoken to him by his advisor, Petronius, and is authentically convinced the world is lucky to be graced by his presence:

Oscar-nominated Genn is perfectly cast as Petronius, whose contempt for Nero is thinly yet effectively veiled. However, I’m not sure why a random subplot about a slave (Marina Berti) throwing herself at Genn is included in this overly lengthy (nearly three-hour) movie, other than to showcase yet another beautiful woman in the cast:

This is also likely the reason for one of Nero’s spurned lovers (Rosalie Crutchley) showing up every now and then:

… though at least her character (freedwoman Claudia Acte) was a real-life figure and a significant influence in Nero’s life. Meanwhile, Laffan has great fun playing Nero’s lascivious wife Poppaea, who lusts after Taylor and seeks vengeance when he rejects her:

Kerr is gorgeous, but not given much depth in a role that simply requires her to be a devoted Christian and (eventually) a willing partner to Taylor:

The most impressive sequence is the burning of Rome, which according to TCM required months of construction to build and 24 evenings to burn down.

The most controversial scenes, however — earning the film an X certificate in Britain — were those of lions tearing into Christians to provide a spectacle for Nero’s masses:

Speaking of Nero and his masses, Ustinov is given a number of chilling lines to recite. In addition to justifying the burning of Rome simply to foster his creative “genius”, he ignores Petronius’s warnings and decides to blame the Christians for his misdeeds:

Petronius: (to Nero) Condemn these Christians and you make martyrs of them, and insure their immortality. Condemn them, and in the eyes of history, you’ll condemn yourself.

Nero: When I have finished with these Christians, Petronius, history will not be sure that they ever existed.

Yikes.

While Quo Vadis isn’t must-see viewing for all film fanatics, it’s worth a look both for the impressive spectacle it puts forth, and for Ustinov’s portrayal as one of history’s most powerful sociopaths.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Peter Ustinov as Nero
  • Leo Genn as Petronius
  • Patricia Laffan as Poppaea
  • Gorgeous Technicolor cinematography

  • The remarkable burning-of-Rome sequence (purportedly filmed by the movie’s original director, Anthony Mann)

Must See?
No, though it’s certainly worth a look.

Links:

Viva Villa! (1934)

Viva Villa! (1934)

“I once thought Pancho Villa was a hero — a great man!”

Synopsis:
Seeking revenge for his murdered father, Pancho Villa (Wallace Beery) becomes a fierce bandit and then a general in the Mexican Revolution, supporting new President Francisco Madero (Henry B. Walthall) — but will his goal of returning land to the peasants ever become a reality?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Biopic
  • Fay Wray Films
  • Historical Drama
  • Journalists
  • Revolutionaries
  • Wallace Beery Films

Review:
This highly fanciful Pre-Code rendering of the legend of Pancho Villa (scripted by Ben Hecht) was nominated for an Academy Award as one of the Best Pictures of the Year, and was hugely popular at the box office. Unfortunately, it comes across today as a mostly offensive effort, primarily given the casting of buffoonish Beery in the lead role, not to mention no Latinos in the cast at all (a norm for the time, but still noticeable).

The film seems designed to portray Villa in a legendary if authentically problematic light, given the role played by Stuart Erwin as an American reporter eager for scoops:

… yet justice simply isn’t done to the complexity of this folk hero’s legacy. Ultimately, the movie’s extremely challenging production history — including Howard Hawks bowing out as its initial director — is more interesting than the finished product; according to TCM’s article:

During the location shoot [in Mexico], real soldiers and peasants were used as extras, and some of them were quite a bit wilder than MGM expected. … Shootings often took place near the set, and one man inexplicably turned a pistol on himself after speeding by and crashing his car through a fence. MGM’s crew was housed in old railroad cars, and they were regularly served nearly inedible food. … [The] film became the subject of angry debate among Mexican citizens and government leaders who were leery of romanticizing Villa.

Meanwhile, Lee Tracy — originally cast in the role played by Erwin — made an absolute mess of things, and was fired. As described in TCM’s article:

Lee Tracy was known as one of the more enthusiastic drinkers in the film industry; his name was often mentioned in the same breath as such famous imbibers as John Barrymore and W.C. Fields. Tracy’s fast-talking persona was perfect for the character Johnny Sykes, and he filmed several key scenes with Hawks behind the camera. One Sunday, during a national holiday, the cast and crew were celebrating in the streets with the locals…except for Tracy, who was standing buck-naked on a balcony, shouting obscenities at the crowd. Eventually, he urinated on a group of Mexican military cadets and had to be rushed out of the country lest he be strung up for his anti-social behavior.

Tracy’s firing from the film led to a spat and break up between Hawks and David O. Selznick, with the eventual cost of this movie ballooning to over a million dollars. Watch for Fay Wray as one of many women Zapata is interested in and “wants to marry” (i.e., have sex with), though she’s having none of that:

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Atmospheric cinematography

Must See?
No; you can skip this one unless you’re a Wallace Beery fan.

Links: