Melanie (1982)

Melanie (1982)

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“You are not fit to raise a son in this world.”

Synopsis:
When her husband (Don Johnson) takes off with their son (Jamie Dick), an illiterate southern woman (Glynnis O’Connor) follows them to California, where she befriends a troubled musician (Burton Cummings) and begins to build a new life for herself, while attempting to regain custody of her son.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Glynnis O’Connor Films
  • Musicians
  • Romance

Review:
Glynnis O’Connor’s fine lead performance is the primary reason to check out this well-meaning but ultimately disappointing character study about a young woman struggling to overcome the stigma of illiteracy. While there’s potential here for a fascinating glimpse into the world as experienced by someone denied the opportunity to read or write, the script places Melanie (O’Connor) time and again in situations designed for dramatic potential rather than realism. We learn far too little about Melanie’s background in rural Jasper, Arkansas before she’s off on a road trip to California, conveniently following up on an invitational postcard from a friend (Trudy Young) living in Hollywood with her drug-addled musician boyfriend (Burton Cummings). Before you can blink an eye, the sack-dress-clad Melanie has undergone a dramatic physical transformation, and manages to so thoroughly impress Cummings’ manager (Paul Sorvino) with her motherly instincts (by treating his son nicely for a few minutes) that he immediately offers to let her come and live with him (!).

Will romantic entanglements ensue? Absolutely — though again, the script is too undeveloped for the situation as played out to feel anything but contrived. With that said, the performances by O’Connor, Cummings, and Sorvino are all top notch. Cummings — an enormously popular Canadian rock star who I’ll admit I knew nothing about before watching this film — gives a refreshingly natural performance; while his character isn’t anyone we feel sympathy for, he’s at least highly believable. The scenes in which he struggles to compose new songs come across as particularly authentic — and it helps that the score is filled with his catchy ballads. Fans of his music will certainly want to locate a copy of this film, the only one he made — but it’s otherwise only must-see for O’Connor fans.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Glynnis O’Connor as Melanie
  • Burton Cummings as Rick
  • Paul Sorvino as Walter
  • A fine score (by Cummings)

Must See?
No. Listed as a Sleeper in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, The (1962)

Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, The (1962)

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“I heard this little story… And while it was fresh in my mind, I thought I’d borrow it, for just a few minutes.”

Synopsis:
Jacob Grimm (Karlheinz Bohm) ekes out a living as a writer-for-hire in 19th century Germany while his less practical brother Wilhelm (Laurence Harvey) prefers to find and record local folk tales — including three brought to life in this film: “The Dancing Princess”, in which a woodsman (Russ Tamblyn) utilizes an invisibility cloak to secretly pursue a princess (Yvette Mimieux) at night; “The Cobbler and the Elves”, about an overworked cobbler (Laurence Harvey) who receives help from animated elves in filling an important order; and “The Singing Bone”, in which an unscrupulous knight (Terry-Thomas) unwisely tries to hide the fact that his servant (Buddy Hackett) has slain a vicious dragon.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, and Mythology
  • George Pal Films
  • Laurence Harvey Films
  • Russ Tamblyn Films
  • Writers
  • Yvette Mimieux Films

Review:
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm — co-directed by George Pal and Henry Levin — was the first fiction film made in the short-lived Cinerama process, which utilized three lenses to create an arced image curving 146 degrees. Unfortunately, while Cinerama was a uniquely creative way to showcase around-the-world travelogues on a vast scale, it was a terribly conceived choice for this fanciful “biopic”, given that we lose all sense of intimacy with the lead characters, who are literally overwhelmed by the gigantic screen they’re portrayed on. It doesn’t help matters any that their personal dramas — Bohm shyly romances a beautiful girl (Barbara Eden) who’s inexplicably smitten with him; Harvey’s wife (Claire Bloom) is distressed time and again by her husband’s fiscal irresponsibility — are terribly dull, and take up far too much of the film’s overlong running time.

However, it’s Grimms’ fairy tales themselves that most viewers will be eager to see brought to life — though the stories selected to showcase here are lesser-known, and none are particularly compelling. The first tale (“The Dancing Princess”) primarily functions as a vehicle for Tamblyn’s dancing, as well as for the Cinerama process itself, with an extended carriage chase sequence far-too-obviously designed to show off what virtual reality tricks the camera could manage (i.e., Tamblyn dangles precariously down from a broken bridge hovering thousands of feet above a roiling river). The second tale (“The Cobbler and the Elves”) is primarily a vehicle for George Pal’s puppetoons, who come to vivid life during a modestly enjoyable musical sequence.

The final tale — “The Singing Bone” — possesses a strong narrative arc and a nicely handled twist ending, but relies far too heavily on cartoonish slapstick for laughs (i.e., when the animated dragon breathes fiery air onto Hackett’s metal suit of armor, and hot steam emerges from Hackett’s nostrils).

With all that said, TWWOTBG is the type of colorful, escapist fantasy fare that just might appeal to kids of a certain age — at least those not jaded by more sophisticated animation styles. Unfortunately, it’s not yet widely available on DVD, most likely because the only surviving print (which suffered from water damage during a studio fire) shows distractingly clear evidence of the dividing lines between the three filmed “panels”. Interestingly, this visual artifact is somewhat fascinating at first, given that it helps us more easily imagine seeing the movie projected onto a much larger, curved screen — but it’s ultimately too distracting, and definitely merits “cleaning up” by a restoration team.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Martita Hunt as the storytelling “witch” who Wilhelm pursues through the forest
  • Wilhelm meeting and naming his characters on his sick-bed

Must See?
No, though diehard film fanatics may be curious to check it out for its historical relevance as a rare Cinerama picture.

Links:

Old Enough (1984)

Old Enough (1984)

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“If God made me perfect, I might as well show it — you know what I mean?”

Synopsis:
A wealthy pre-teen (Sarah Boyd) and a sexy working class teen (Rainbow Harvest) form a tentative cross-class friendship in New York City.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Class Relations
  • Coming of Age
  • Friendship

Review:
Written and directed by Marisa Silver (daughter of writer/director Joan Micklin Silver), this modest coming-of-age tale reveals a keen sense of authenticity for the intensity of adolescent female friendships, and benefits from a refreshingly natural performance by Boyd, who never hits a false note in her portrayal of a sheltered pre-teen longing to learn more about life outside of her privileged social circle. Harvest — who looks distractingly like Winona Ryder:

— is nicely cast as the lower-class girl Boyd is smitten with, though her performance eventually becomes a tad too predictably sullen; much less successful is Neill Barry in a key supporting role as Harvest’s rugged older brother, whose actions and attitudes throughout feel scripted rather than authentic.

Meanwhile, Silver’s rambling script is better at establishing a mood than providing an interesting storyline for the characters. We’re eventually drawn into a subplot involving Harvest’s father (Danny Aiello) and the sexy new tenant (Roxanne Hart) he may or may not be having an affair with, but this simply feels like a distraction from the central tale of Boyd and Harvest’s evolving friendship, which never quite resolves in a satisfying fashion.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Natural performances by Boyd and Harvest

Must See?
No; you don’t need to bother seeking this one out — though it’s worth a look if you enjoy coming-of-age flicks and/or have nostalgic memories of the era it represents (the early ’80s).

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Wrong Box, The (1966)

Wrong Box, The (1966)

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“Thank you for pointing out to me how obscene eggs are.”

Synopsis:
As the members of a group investment scheme gradually die off, two elderly brothers — Masterman (John Mills) and Joseph (Ralph Richardson) Finsbury — find themselves last in line to inherit the money. Mills, concerned about the well-being of his soft-spoken nephew (Michael Caine), intends to kill off his brother so that the money will be Caine’s; meanwhile, enroute to visit their “dying” uncle (Mills), Richardson’s two scheming nephews (Peter Cook and Dudley Moore) mistakenly believe Richardson has died in a train wreck, and seek the help of an unscrupulous doctor (Peter Sellers) in falsifying the date on his death certificate.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Black Comedy
  • Bryan Forbes Films
  • Death and Dying
  • Dudley Moore Films
  • Inheritance
  • John Mills Films
  • Michael Caine Films
  • Mistaken Identities
  • Peter Sellers Films
  • Ralph Richardson Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary argues that while the “actors are funny [and] the lines are funny”, this “once-popular black comedy” — based on a novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osborne, about an outdated inheritance scheme known as a “tontine” — “isn’t funny”. He accurately points out that “director Bryan Forbes has no sense of comedy pacing”, and that the “picture has no snap”, instead going “on and on without hitting any comedy peaks”. Indeed, in comparison with a comedic gem like Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) — which the opening scenes here weakly attempt to emulate — The Wrong Box is positively a dud. I disagree with Peary that the “lines are funny”; indeed, I found myself disappointed again and again by the inanity of both the dialogue and the scenarios. For instance, in a scene involving a group of female Salvation Army soldiers, a character cries out “Mercy!”, at which point one of the soldiers steps forth as though called by name, saying, “Yes?” (Thud.) There’s simply no humor in an interaction like this.

Ultimately, Forbes tries too hard, pulling out every trick in the book — including weirdly unnecessary inter-titles, a bit of slow-motion, and tricky editing — in an attempt to bring the material to life. Meanwhile, the majority of the characters come across as either insipid (i.e., Michael Caine and his would-be lover, played by Nanette Newman, whose entire romance seems pointless to the plot) or evil, leaving precious few folks left to root for or enjoy. Exceptions include Richardson’s wickedly droll turn as a polymath professor who simply won’t shut up; Wilfrid Lawson as an inconceivably decrepit butler; and Peter Sellers in a scene-stealing performance as an outrageously corrupt doctor. While I agree with Peary that (many of) the actors do a fine job, their efforts are ultimately wasted in a vehicle that doesn’t do them or the premise justice.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Peter Sellers as Dr. Pratt
  • Ralph Richardson as Joseph Finsbury
  • Peter Cook as Morris Finsbury
  • Wilfrid Lawson as Peacock the butler
  • Fine period sets and costumes
  • John Barry’s score

Must See?
No; this one is a disappointment.

Links:

Where the Lilies Bloom (1974)

Where the Lilies Bloom (1974)

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“If anybody ever finds out he passed away, they’ll take us to the county home for sure.”

Synopsis:
When their widowed father (Rance Howard) passes away, a fourteen-year-old Appalachian girl (Julie Gholson) and her siblings — Devola (Jan Smithers), Romey (Matthew Burrill), and Ima Dean (Helen Harmon) — keep his death a secret in order to stay together as a family; meanwhile, Mary Call (Gholson) attempts to honor one of her father’s dying wishes by preventing an amorous suitor (Harry Dean Stanton) from marrying Devola.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Harry Dean Stanton Films
  • Orphans
  • Survival

Review:
Based on a Newbery Honor-winning children’s book by Vera and Bill Cleaver, Where the Lilies Bloom tells a powerfully authentic tale of orphaned siblings scratching out a living for themselves in Appalachia by wildcrafting (gleaning for medicinal herbs) while keeping nosy neighbors and other well-meaning adults at bay. Other than the presence of Stanton (in a wonderful supporting performance) and Sudie Bond (given just a few minutes of screentime as Gholson’s encouraging English teacher), performances are primarily by unknown actors, including three refreshingly natural youngsters — Gholson, Burrill and Harmon — who apparently never made any other films. (Smithers, 25 at the time she co-starred in this movie, became best known for her work on the T.V. series “WKRP in Cincinnati”.) Gholson in particular deserves mention for her fiery lead performance as Mary Call; we believe this spindly, savvy girl is someone who could support and motivate her entire family, at least for a few intensive months. The subplot involving her continuous attempts to keep lovestruck Kiser Pease (Stanton) away from her beautiful older sister adds both levity and gravitas to the screenplay, as we wonder what exactly will happen once their deeply held secret is inevitably found out.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Julie Gholson as Mary Call
  • Harry Dean Stanton as Kiser
  • Excellent use of real-life locales

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for one-time viewing. Listed as a Sleeper in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Beach Party (1963)

Beach Party (1963)

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“Bring me my pendulum, kiddies — I feel like swinging!”

Synopsis:
An anthropology professor (Robert Cummings) spying on a group of bikini-clad teenagers decides to “gain access” to their clique by befriending a young woman (Annette Funicello) whose commitment-phobic surfer-boyfriend (Frankie Avalon) has started flirting with a busty blonde (Eva Six).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Dorothy Malone Films
  • Generation Gap
  • Jealousy
  • Love Triangle
  • Musicals
  • Robert Cummings Films
  • Scientists
  • Teenagers

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary opens his review of this “first of AIP’s successful Frankie Avalon-Annette Funicello beach series” by noting that viewers of-a-certain-age watching the opening scene — with “the stars riding along, top down, singing the title song” — will “flash back to when [they] once had a crush on one of the two wholesome stars, or feel nostalgic because [they] used to watch these films at the drive-in and actually enjoy them”.

With that caveat out of the way, he quickly concedes that “the picture goes downhill when nostalgia gives way to annoyance at the stupidity of the characters Avalon and Funicello play”, not to mention the fact that “all the teens in the film have IQs lower than their ages”. He argues that at least the “campy film… pokes fun at itself” — though this is small solace for the drivel one has to sit through in the meantime. Having now viewed all three of the “Beach Party” flicks recommended in Peary’s book — this one, Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) — I can safely say that seeing one will suffice to give film fanatics a sense of the genre; it might as well be this inaugural entry, and then ffs can consider themselves done unless otherwise compelled.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Dick Dale and the Del Tones’ performance

Must See?
Yes, but ONLY to have seen one entry in the infamously popular “Beach Party” franchise.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

Just Tell Me What You Want (1980)

Just Tell Me What You Want (1980)

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“Belonging to Max Herschel had a lot of advantages: it was fun and first class all the way.”

Synopsis:
When an autocratic tycoon (Alan King) — married in-name-only to an alcoholic wife (Dina Merrill) — discovers that his long-time mistress (Ali MacGraw) has fallen in love with a penniless playwright (Peter Weller), he immediately sets out to ruin both her career and her finances.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Ali MacGraw Films
  • Keenan Wynn Films
  • Love Triangle
  • Myrna Loy Films
  • Revenge
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Sidney Lumet Films

Review:
Female screenwriter Jay Presson Allen isn’t necessarily a household name for film fanatics, though she had a long and noteworthy career in Hollywood, beginning with her work on Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie (1964), and continuing through a multi-film collaboration with director Sidney Lumet. Just Tell Me What You Want is based on her own novel, and showcases an insider’s cynical view on the vagaries of wealth and power in the entertainment business, with the “insider” epitomized in the film by King’s long-suffering secretary-cum-mother-figure (Myrna Loy, giving a classy, consistently nuanced supporting performance).

To that end, Allen seems to get many of the details of this particular universe “right” — most notably in the way everything happens at a faster-than-expected pace, with King autocratically dictating orders left and right, pausing only to break down in temporary tantrums over minor details he can’t control. Indeed, King’s performance is spot-on throughout, indicating unexpected star power.

Much more problematic is the key casting of Ali MacGraw as his lover, “Bones” Burton; though she tries hard, MacGraw simply isn’t up to the task of inhabiting this undeniably complex character — a powerful female television executive who is nonetheless content to live as King’s mistress for years on end.

As events get more and more complicated and treacherous in their relationship, she begins to exhibit the same forlorn expression far too often (and is shown digging for solace in a pan of homemade fudge at least one too many times). Where’s her bite? It comes in fits and starts (most notably during the infamous Bergdorff-Goodman’s brawl), but is never fully present or believable. Meanwhile, though the poster’s tagline proclaims, “They’re rich. They’re in love. They’re negotiating”, this isn’t quite accurate, given that it’s clearly King who holds the purse strings in the relationship, from beginning to end. In sum, we just don’t learn enough about “Bones” to really “get” her, other than on the most surface level — which makes it twice the shame that her character’s voiceover was chosen to bookend the film, rather than Loy’s (who would have been a MUCH more logical option).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Myrna Loy as King’s long-suffering secretary
  • Alan King as Max Herschel
  • Dina Merrill in a bit role as King’s deeply troubled wife

Must See?
No, though fans of Lumet’s and/or Allen’s work might be curious to check it out.

Links:

Room for One More (1952)

Room for One More (1952)

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“There’s nothing wrong with him that being three days old wouldn’t fix.”

Synopsis:
When the parents (Cary Grant and Betsy Drake) of three children (George Winslow, Gay Gordon, and Malcolm Cassell) decide to bring two additional foster children (Iris Mann and Clifford Tatum, Jr.) into their household, both challenges and triumphs abound.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Adoption
  • Cary Grant Films
  • Orphans
  • Raising Kids

Review:
This Norman Taurog-directed adaptation of Anna Perrin Rose’s memoir about her experiences integrating several troubled foster kids into her home remains a minor cult favorite of those who recall seeing it on television years ago. While a bit didactic at times, the storyline nonetheless nicely portrays the chaos of family life in a semi-realistic fashion, showcasing how exhausting yet rewarding parenting can be. Real-life married couple Cary Grant and Betsy Drake are aptly cast, with Grant exhibiting his characteristically droll sense of humor (listen for a throwaway line early on about their cat’s new litter of kittens — something about a bicycle…), and Drake admirably demonstrating effective parenting techniques when dealing with seemingly “unhelpable” children. Unfortunately, the film drags on a bit too long towards the end, as both foster kids are given an opportunity to fulfill their personal dreams, and we’re asked to watch nearly every second of it unfolding in real-time; otherwise, film fanatics will likely be pleasantly surprised by Taurog’s sensitive handling of the emotionally-laden storyline.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A refreshingly honest depiction of how hectic, challenging, yet loving a large household can be

Must See?
No, though it’s recommended as a minor cult favorite.

Links:

Little Colonel, The (1935)

Little Colonel, The (1935)

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“Papa Jack is sick — and those two men might hurt him!”

Synopsis:
A crusty former Confederate colonel (Lionel Barrymore) disowns his daughter (Evelyn Venable) when she marries a Yankee (John Lodge) — but his heart is slowly melted when he meets his six-year-old granddaughter (Shirley Temple), whose quick temper bears an uncanny resemblance to his own.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Historical Drama
  • Lionel Barrymore Films
  • Peacemakers
  • Shirley Temple Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary argues that this postbellum tale of a “stubborn and quick-tempered” young girl who “pleads with [her grandfather] to save her parents from thieves who are trying to steal a valuable land deed” remains an “enjoyable Temple vehicle, with some nice interplay between her and Barrymore… and some nifty dancing by Temple and Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson”. Indeed, Temple’s staircase dance with Robinson (preceded by Robinson’s solo, one he had perfected for years) remains a true highlight — not just of this film but of cinematic dance performances in general — and shouldn’t be missed. However, given the current possibility to watch isolated musical numbers through venues such as YouTube, film fanatics shouldn’t feel compelled to watch the entire movie, given that I just voted The Littlest Rebel (1935) as film fanatics’ “go to” Temple vehicle, and The Little Colonel essentially offers more of the same — with the critical difference that Temple’s character here isn’t all sugar-and-spice. To that end, Temple does hold her own admirably against Barrymore (perfectly cast), and Peary’s right to note that their “war game with toy soldiers is a highlight” of the screenplay. The rest of the storyline, however, is pure melodrama, and not really noteworthy in any way.

Note: Listen for a sly exchange between Temple and Hattie McDaniel (as “Mom Beck”), when McDaniel comments on Temple’s penchant for wanting “blue stories”.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Stellar dancing by Temple and Robinson

Must See?
No, though all film fanatics should immediately check out the staircase dancing sequence on YouTube, if they haven’t already seen it.

Links:

Littlest Rebel, The (1935)

Littlest Rebel, The (1935)

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“Uncle Billy can do anything! He can sing and dance and climb trees, and do everything in the world — I know he can bring Daddy back!”

Synopsis:
When a Confederate officer (John Boles) sneaks back to his plantation to visit his daughter (Shirley Temple) and dying wife (Karen Morley), he’s arrested by a Yankee colonel (John Holt), who — thanks to Temple’s charm — takes pity on him and helps him try to escape.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Civil War
  • Fugitives
  • Historical Drama
  • Karen Morley Films
  • Plantations
  • Shirley Temple Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary accurately notes that Depression-era child star Shirley Temple is “in peak form as a charming little Southern girl” in this “enjoyable film” (directed by David Butler), “with the very self-assured, likable Temple displaying amazing acting and dancing talents”. He points out that “her cheerful tap routines with [Bill ‘Bojangles’] Robinson” — a.k.a. “Uncle Billy” — are “classics”, and that Temple’s “love and respect for her black ‘uncle’ are touching”. He acknowledges, however, that it would be “hard to accept” that the slaves on Temple’s plantation “seem so happy” if “Boles and Morley weren’t so nice”; indeed, modern viewers will likely be greatly disturbed by the film’s decidedly patronizing attitude towards slavery, one which portrays loyal Robinson as an endless source of avuncular kindness rather than someone who might be interested in escaping to his freedom. Regardless, The Littlest Rebel remains a classic Temple vehicle, not least because of the undeniable chemistry she and Robinson possess together; it thus earns my vote as the movie film fanatics should consider watching if they want to get a taste of what Temple’s phenomenal fame was all about. Watch for the “delightful” (if utterly unrealistic) “scene in which Temple asks President Lincoln (Frank McGlynn, Sr., in a fine bit)” for a special favor.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Shirley Temple as Virgie
  • Temple and Robinson’s magnificent dancing sequences

Must See?
Yes, as a representative Temple flick, and to see Robinson at his dancing finest.

Categories

  • Representative Film

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