Blood Bath (1966)
“That’s the essence of what I’m after — bring death to the canvas.”
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Review: Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Bohemian Girl, The (1936)
“I can gyp that gypsy any time.”
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Review: Note: TBG is notorious as the final film of Thelma Todd, whose role was whittled away to hardly anything after her infamous “suicide” (considered by many to be murder). Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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I’m No Angel (1933)
“When I’m good, I’m very good. But when I’m bad… I’m better!”
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Unfortunately, as enjoyably giggle-worthy as these innuendos are, they aren’t enough to sustain the paper-thin plot, which is based on the wholly preposterous notion that West’s sexual allure is enough to turn nearly every able-bodied man she meets to mush (talk about giggle-worthy!). This one is purely a vehicle for West to demonstrate her exaggerated sense of narcissistic self-worth — but film fanatics curious to get a taste of West would be better off watching her in a more involving vehicle. Note: I’m No Angel is also notable as the film in which West quips the infamous line “Beulah, peel me a grape” to her maid (Gertrude Howard). Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Doctor in the House (1954)
“Don’t forget: to be a successful surgeon you need the eyes of a hawk, the heart of a lion, and the hands of a lady.”
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The humor is consistently lowbrow, and the episodic screenplay does little to hold our attention. The film’s only minor redeeming point is its willingness to show a diverse crowd of medical students on campus (including women and people of color):
Unfortunately, none of the latter are given substantial roles, and the former are reduced to either sex objects or shrews. Call me a grump, but this one’s simply icky; I couldn’t wait for it to be over. Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |
Changeling, The (1980)
“That house is not fit to live in. No one’s been able to live in it. It doesn’t want people.”
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Scott is typically fine (if perhaps a tad too stalwart) in the lead role:
and his real-life wife (Trish Van Devere) registers an appropriate level of mounting trepidation as Scott’s realtor and amateur-sleuthing-partner (though their relationship remains frustratingly opaque).
Ultimately, this one is really only must-see for fans of the genre, who will likely enjoy the intermittent chills and thrills it provides. Best scene: the genuinely freaky seance, which suddenly and effectively shifts the film into high gear. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)
“We’re doin’ it for your ma, kid!”
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Response to Peary’s Review: While I agree with the gist of Peary’s sentiments, I’m impressed enough by Sturges’ astonishing ability to get away with so many pointed satirical barbs that I ultimately disagree with Peary’s assertion about the script being “weak”. Though the film made me uncomfortable at times (it’s truly relentlessly paced), there were enough clever moments and humorous performances to keep me fully engaged throughout. Freddie Steele gives a particularly focused (and quietly hilarious) performance as a ferociously mother-loving Marine, and Franklin Pangborn (perfectly cast as the reception organizer) simply steals the scene whenever he’s on screen (which is refreshingly often). Meanwhile, Bracken is note-perfect in the lead role; one can’t help empathizing with his plight from the get-go. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Miserables, Les (1935)
“You can’t hear a baby cry for food and do nothing!”
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Review: Laughton’s Inspector Javert, meanwhile, stands for all that is most corrupt about a legal system which leaves no room for contextual consideration or humanity; in a powerfully filmed opening sequence — as Laughton is inducted into his chosen profession — we’re told exactly what makes this vilest of persecutors tick, and we gain an unexpected measure of compassion for his motivations. Indeed, Laughton’s typically nuanced, brave performance is almost enough to make this film must-see — but the narrative itself is ultimately too much of a standard literary-adaptation (in which a rich and layered novel is condensed into just under two hours) to be entirely successful; too many of the later supporting characters are given short shrift, and Hugo’s complex social commentary is over-simplified. However, this one remains worth a look at least once, both for the lead performances and for the impressive visuals. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Ninotchka (1939)
“Don’t make an issue of my womanhood.”
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Response to Peary’s Review: It’s true that the strongly anti-Communist bent of the screenplay feels a bit heavy-handed at times, but it’s difficult not to be impressed by the filmmakers’ ability to get away with such a bold political satire during a time of increasing turmoil on the global landscape. Meanwhile, what most people remember about the film — rather than its contextualizing narrative — is the central romance between Garbo and Douglas (who Peary argues “is an acquired taste”; I think he suits the role well). They have fine chemistry together, and while we don’t quite understand why Douglas falls so head-over-heels in love with icy-cold Garbo at first sight (she’s nearly robotic in her calculated responses to him), it’s undeniably charming to see her eventually “melting” in the heat of his charms. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Links: |
Cluny Brown (1946)
“Nobody can tell you where your place is… Wherever you’re happy, that’s your place.”
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Meanwhile, it beggars all belief that she would fall head-over-heels in love with an annoying prig like Haydn; what could she possibly be thinking? That she’s ultimately best suited for Boyer’s charismatic European refugee is made clear from the start; we thus spend the entire film waiting for them to finally realize this fact themselves. There’s subtle humor to be had, I suppose, in the running joke about Cluny’s obsession with plumbing —
— but this humor ultimately feels somewhat forced and juvenile. Boyer fares well, and I’m fond of Helen Walker’s unabashedly privileged performance as the much-lusted-after “Betty Cream”, but the rest of the film simply leaves me unmoved. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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Turning Point, The (1977)
“I don’t believe in being sorry; we are what we are.”
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Review: Indeed, it’s simply astonishing to note that the Academy gave a Best Supporting Actress nod to Browne, whose dancing is lovely but whose expressions are simply vacuous; Baryshnikov (whose caddish character is terribly underwritten) displays hints of acting chops, but one simply waits impatiently for his next stunning dance appearance on stage. With that said, the film is not without some solid merits — most notably the strong lead performances by Bancroft and MacLaine, playing lifelong friends and rivals whose complex relationship inevitably comes to a stormy head. Indeed, their nuanced portrayals as middle-aged women mourning the loss of their ballet-driven identities (MacLaine for what she never had, aging Bancroft for what she’s about to lose) almost make up for the film’s other faults — but not quite. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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