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Synopsis:
In the 1930s, aspiring teenage singer Daisy Clover (Natalie Wood) — living with her kooky mom (Ruth Gordon) on the beach — is brought by a movie mogul (Christopher Plummer) to Hollywood, where she becomes a star and falls for a handsome but sexually elusive actor (Robert Redford).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aspiring Stars
• Christopher Plummer Films
• Hollywood
• Natalie Wood Films
• Robert Redford Films
• Roddy McDowall Films
• Ruth Gordon Films

Review:
In his review of this adaptation of Gavin Lambert’s 1963 novel, New York Times critic Howard Thomspon states immediately, “There have been better pictures about Hollywood, but few as triumphantly, all-round bad as Inside Daisy Clover.” Ouch! However, the missed potential in this flick — especially given how much talent was involved — does sting a bit. Other than one powerful scene near the end (taking place in a sound booth), Wood’s performance is inconsistent at best, and somewhat cringeworthy at worst — though one gets the sense she simply wasn’t given good direction on who her character is (and the godawful wig she’s made to wear doesn’t help at all).

The opening sequences showing Daisy’s existence on “Angel Beach” with her delusional mother — Gordon’s career was jump-started from this film — make good use of this authentic setting (actually Santa Monica), but are over-the-top in their portrayal of QUIRKINESS.

Once Daisy arrives in Hollywood, the contrast between her ramshackle beach upbringing and the austerity of the studios couldn’t be more stark. Indeed, her time with Swan Studios eventually takes on the air of a horror show, with Plummer’s wife (Katharine Bard) hovering protectively nearby (secrets and a breakdown await):

… Daisy’s musical numbers surreally garish:

… and Plummer (fresh from his career-altering role in The Sound of Music) becoming increasingly menacing as the storyline progresses.

It’s not clear what part Daisy’s (much) older sister Gloria (Betty Harford) really plays in the proceedings; all we know is that she’s “taken a powder” from their family but somehow has significant clout in Hollywood.

Also popping up on the periphery is Roddy McDowall’s Walter Baines, a quiet assistant to Plummer who we learn pretty much nothing about (but his real-life status as a former child actor says a lot).

It’s too bad Redford wasn’t comfortable openly playing his character as gay or bisexual; this would likely have added much more interest and sincerity to their complex relationship.

While it has some diehard fans who stick up for it ferociously, Inside Daisy Clover really is an odd duck and a missed opportunity.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Christopher Plummer as Ray Swan
  
• Good use of location shooting
  
  
• Charles Lang’s cinematography
  
  

Must See?
Nope; you can skip this one. Listed as a Cult Movie and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Trailers From Hell Review
• TV Guide Review
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
After a pilot (James Stewart) and his alcoholic navigator (Richard Attenborough) conduct an emergency landing in the Sahara Desert, they and the surviving men on board — including a German engineer (Hardy Kruger), a British captain (Peter Finch) and his sergeant (Ronald Fraser), a French doctor (Christian Marquand), a mentally deteriorating foreman (Ernest Borgnine), an oil company accountant (Dan Duryea), and three oil drillers (Ian Bannen, George Kennedy, and Alex Montoya) — work to craft a flyable plane out of their wreck.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Airplanes and Pilots
• Dan Duryea Films
• Ernest Borgnine Films
• George Kennedy Films
• James Stewart Films
• Peter Finch Films
• Richard Attenborough Films
• Robert Aldrich Films
• Survival

Review:
Robert Aldrich directed this gritty survival flick — based on a novel of the same name — about a group of diverse men attempting to make their way through a seemingly hopeless situation. From the beginning scene of instability in the air:

… to their crash landing in a dusty desert (resulting in two fatalities and one serious injury), we see a wide variety of emotional responses to the catastrophe, including humor, pragmatism, resignation, delusion, defiance, and despair. After setting up a relatively stable base:

… and determining how long they have until their highly rationed water runs out, the group comes up with a variety of contested ways to attempt rescue. Should they flag down a passing plane? (Yes, of course, but it doesn’t work.)

Should they walk across the desert and attempt to find others? (Finch is determined to try this.)

And how should they manage a group of nomads that suddenly appear over the horizon?

The craziest yet most deliberated idea comes from Hardy, a serious German who seems to approach every moment of his existence with rationality; throughout the film, we see him continuously calculating and making plans for building a new plane.

Eventually the rest of the men realize they might as well give this a try; even if it doesn’t work, at least they will keep up their morale doing something. Many scenes show the men working through the dark coolness of the night, following Hardy’s orders no matter how far-fetched — and lo and behold, a plane does emerge; but will it fly?

Ian Bannen was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his small role here as a cocky Cockney, and he’s good but not necessarily more memorable than other members of the ensemble cast.

To say too much more would give away spoilers; this is an adventure flick that should be seen and enjoyed as the numerous tensions unfold.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Fine performances by the ensemble cast
  
  
• Joseph Biroc’s cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes, as a good show by a master director. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Good Show
• Important Director

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Trailers From Hell Review

Synopsis:
In Depression-era Mississippi, a gangly teen (Mary Badham) relates the story of her older sister (Natalie Wood), who fell tragically in love with a new lodger (Robert Redford) in the boarding house owned by their self-serving mother (Kate Reid).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Charles Bronson Films
• Deep South
• Depression Era
• Flashback Films
• Natalie Wood Films
• Robert Blake Films
• Robert Redford Films
• Sydney Pollack Films
• Tennessee Williams Films

Review:
Inspired by a one-act play by Tennessee Williams, this Technicolor soaper — directed by Sydney Pollack, with screenplay input from Francis Ford Coppola — is referred to by several reviewers as a distillation of Williams’ classic themes all rolled into one less-than-satisfying tale. While Wood gives a heartfelt performance:

… and Reid is effectively witchy as her brutally mercenary mother:

… bland Redford and awkward Badham (clearly recreating some version of her most famous role as Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird) fare less well, and both Charles Bronson and Robert Blake get short shrift as would-be lovers of Wood.

In its favor, the film is beautifully photographed by James Wong Howe.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Natalie Wood as Alva
  
• Kate Reid as Hazel
  
• James Wong Howe’s cinematography
  
  

Must See?
No, unless you’re a Wood fan.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Time Out Capsule Review (spoiler alert!)
• TCM Article
• DVD Savant Review

Synopsis:
A deranged butterfly collector (Terence Stamp) kidnaps an art student (Samantha Eggar) he’s had a crush on for years, and keeps her locked up in his basement; will Miranda (Eggar) find a way to escape?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cat and Mouse
• Kidnapping
• Obsessive Love
• Samantha Eggar Films
• Sociopaths
• Terence Stamp Films
• William Wyler Films

Review:
William Wyler’s fourth-to-last film — made before How to Steal a Million (1966), Funny Girl (1968), and The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970) — was this adaptation of John Fowles’ 1963 novel of the same name. It’s essentially a two-character thriller — a tense tale of cat-and-mouse between an insane misfit and the savvy young woman he mistakenly believes will fall in love with him if given enough time.

What’s fascinating about the storyline is how many different tactics spunky Eggar tries; in the earliest scenes we see her searching deeply into Stamp’s face as she attempts to find the one thing that will allow her to either escape or shift his mind.

Stamp is seriously menacing as a sociopath who views “collecting” Miranda the same way he does his beloved butterflies, never understanding that humans simply can’t be “caught” in the same way.

While it’s a tad overlong and becomes increasingly bleak by the end, this film is well-acted by the two leads and keeps tensions high; it’s worth a one-time look.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Samantha Eggar as Miranda
  
• Terence Stamp as Freddie
  
• Fine cinematography
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look. Listed as a Cult Movie and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
A working class British soldier (Tom Courtenay) during World War I is defended by a compassionate lawyer (Dirk Bogarde) when he’s accused of desertion.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Courtroom Drama
• Dirk Bogarde Films
• Joseph Losey Films
• Play Adaptation
• Soldiers
• Tom Courtenay Films
• World War I

Review:
In between helming The Servant (1963) and Modesty Blaise (1966), Joseph Losey directed this adaptation of a 1955 novel by John Lansdale Hodson, which was turned into a play called Hamp. It’s a decidedly bleak tale all-around, with Courtenay posited as a sympathetic if slightly simple-minded young man who volunteered to serve in the Great War, then suffered from PTSD after losing all of his original company members and started wandering back home (i.e., deserting).

As Courtenay expains to Bogarde (assigned to defend him), “Well, I wasn’t really thinking about it, sir, one way or the other. I just couldn’t stand it anymore.” When asked to share more about the recurrent idea of deserting, he states:

“Well, the time this really started going in my head, I got blown into a shell hole. Two of the lads pulled me out with their rifles… I’d seen it happen to a bloke a couple of days before; he slipped off the duck boards into the hole [and drowned in the mud]… I thought it was my lot, see. I was going to drown in it, like he did, sucked into it, fighting it, drowning in it. Oh, after that I couldn’t stand it anymore.”

A central facet of the storyline is that Courtenay’s Private Hamp can’t “say it any different” to Bogarde or others; all he knows is that he needed to get away from “any place [he] could hear guns” though he “didn’t have a plan”, and he admits that his actual walk towards home was “like a dream” and he “didn’t know what was really happening.” Narrative tension is built from wondering how or if Bogarde will be able to help him — and if not, how his company mates will support him. Losey, cinematographer Denys N. Coop, production designer Richard Macdonald, and art director Peter Mullins do an admirable job helping audiences sense the muddy, bleak claustrophobia of the trenches, all through sets:

… and both Bogarde and Courtenay are excellent in their respective leading roles. This isn’t an easy film to watch by any means, but it’s worth a one-time look.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Dirk Bogarde as Captain Hargreaves
  
• Tom Courtenay as Private Hamp
  
• Atmospheric cinematography
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look if you can stomach it.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
The leader (John Wayne) of a big game capture company in Tanganyika is oblivious to advances made by the beautiful photographer (Elsa Martinelli) visiting their crew; meanwhile, his employee “Pockets” (Red Buttons) is in love with the young woman (Michèle Girardon) who owns the company, but worries that a new French hire (Gérard Blain) will woo her away from him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Africa
• Howard Hawks Films
• Hunting
• John Wayne Films
• Red Buttons Films

Review:
In between Rio Bravo (1959) and Man’s Favorite Sport? (1964), Howard Hawks directed this romantic action comedy flick set in Africa and featuring baby elephants (alongside plenty of other wild animals). Indeed, the film is essentially an excuse to show numerous safaris to capture animals for zoos — including antelopes, zebras, ostriches, giraffes:

… rhinos (the most elusive and dangerous prize):

… and elephants. A significant sub-plot revolves around Martinelli’s insistence on saving the life of a young elephant whose mother has died, which leads to her caring for several calves:

… and eventually being honored in a terribly awkward ceremony by a local tribe. Which man will win the hand of each of the (conveniently) beautiful young women on hand otherwise takes up the bulk of the would-be storyline, alongside occasional “comedic” interactions between Wayne and Buttons.

POTENTIAL SPOILER

(With Hawks himself age 66 at the time this film was released, is it any wonder the middle-aged men in the cast would somehow have a leg up on the younger, much more handsome candidates?) You truly can skip this one unless you happen to be a Wayne or Hawks completist.

Note: The real-life story of Girardon (best known for her appearance here) is quite tragic.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Russell Harlan’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No; skip this one.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
Following instructions from an RAF squadron leader (Richard Attenborough), a group of international prisoners of war collaborate in their attempts to escape from a high-security Nazi prison by digging several lengthy tunnels.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Charles Bronson Films
• Donald Pleasence Films
• Escape
• James Coburn Films
• James Garner Films
• John Sturges Films
• Prisoners of War
• Richard Attenborough Films
• Steve McQueen Films
• World War II

Review:
John Sturges directed this epic (nearly 3-hour) historical adventure film based on the exploits of a team of Commonwealth POWs who attempted a mass escape from Germany’s Stalag Luft III in 1944. The storyline — co-constructed by six writers — is almost unbearably tense at times, with no illusions that these men will escape unharmed; in fact, we know from history that 50 escapees were murdered after being caught. Thankfully, some did survive — and this is fiction, after all — so we are able to watch events unfolding with curiosity, admiration, and trepidation all at once.

We get to know each of the main characters in part through their given nicknames (which are based on their skill set or proclivities). Attenborough is known as the “Big X” and is the clear leader of all operations; he’s deadly serious at all times, and rightfully so.

Steve McQueen is referred to as “the Cooler King” because he — along with his companion, Angus Lennie’s neurotic “The Mole” — is prone to escaping as often as possible, and being put into the “cooler”.

James Garner is “The Scrounger” given his ability to scrounge up whatever’s needed — including papers from an unsuspecting guard (Robert Graf’s “The Ferret”) who is drawn to his offer of Red Cross-supplied chocolate).

James Coburn is “The Manufacturer” (shown here holding an air pump he designed):

… while Gordon Jackson is “Intelligence” (here he’s mulling over what to do with all the dirt being tunnelled out):

… and David McCallum becomes known as “The Disperser” when he comes up with an ingenious way to disperse of the dirt.

Donald Pleasence is touching as “The Forger”, who eventually deals with additional hardships on top of imprisonment:

… while Charles Bronson has a significant role as the ironically claustrophobic “Tunnel King”:

… whose loyal companion (John Leyton) is also given this appelation. Other highlights of the film include Elmer Bernstein’s instantly recognizable score, good use of location shooting in Germany, and fine attention paid to historical details (including, for instance, how the men repurposed their uniforms to make civilian clothing and other disguises).

This action-packed adventure remains well worth a look, though be prepared for a big time investment. (DVD Savant points out that there probably should have been an intermission at some point, but there isn’t.)

Note: In real life, American POWs only helped with construction of the tunnel rather than escaping, but several big-name actors were included as key characters in order to appeal to American audiences.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Fine performances by the ensemble cast
  
• Good use of location shooting
  
• Daniel Fapp’s cinematography
  
• Authentic sets and costumes
  
• Elmer Bernstein’s score

Must See?
Yes, as a still-enjoyable classic. Listed as a film with Historical Importance and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Genuine Classic
• Good Show

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

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Articles

Synopsis:
When a man (Maximillian Schell) shows up ready to work as a land surveyor for a local castle, he is met with obstacles and hedging by local villagers.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• German Films
• Living Nightmare
• Maximillian Schell Films

Review:
Maximillian Schell produced and starred in this West German adaptation of Franz Kafka’s unfinished final novel. It’s a decidedly non-linear, nightmarish depiction of a man (“K.”) attempting to simply make his way into a job he’s been called for, but being foiled at every turn by bureaucracy, denial, and idiocy.

To K.’s credit (?), he never blows up at anybody despite his understandable frustration; instead, he simply moves from one spot in the village to another, continuously hoping that the next person he interacts with will provide him access. The snowy landscapes are beautifully desolate, and the interior sets appropriately surreal — however, your tolerance for this one will depend entirely on your interest in entering into Kafka’s bleak worldview.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Hertha Hareiter’s sets
  
• Wolfgang Treu’s atmospheric cinematography
  
  

Must See?
No; only check this one out if you’re curious. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TV Guide Review

Synopsis:
When a playboy (George Peppard) inherits his father’s fortune, he turns his young widowed stepmother (Carroll Baker) into a movie star; marries and mistreats his business rival’s daughter (Elizabeth Ashley); begins an aviation company; gives a company stockholder (Alan Ladd) work as an actor; tries to buy a movie studio from a producer (Martin Balsam); enlists help from a slimy agent (Robert Cummings); and eventually turns a prostitute (Martha Hyer) into a star — all while ruthlessly accumulating millions and alienating everyone around him.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Alan Ladd Films
• Audrey Totter Films
• Carroll Baker Films
• Edward Dmytryk Films
• George Peppard Films
• Hollywood
• Inheritance
• Martin Balsam Films
• Millionaires
• Robert Cummings Films
• Ruthless Leaders

Review:
Edward Dmytryk directed this big-budget Technicolor adaptation of Harold Robbins’ 1961 novel, loosely inspired by real life celebrities Howard Hawks and Jean Harlow, and well-described by DVD Savant in his capsule overview as a “very entertaining soap ‘n success saga of the kind still celebrated in endless television miniseries about sin and glamour” — a film which “slips in an amusing undercurrent of double entendres and almost-sensational scenes” and “walks a risky tightrope over the pit of censorship.”

Indeed, the material is just salacious and outrageous enough to be mildly amusing — starting with Peppard’s “let’s get busy making money” response to the unexpected death of his father (Leif Erickson):

… and moving quickly to his first sultry encounter with Baker’s beautiful young widow (once Peppard’s girlfriend), then his courtship with Ashley — who is somewhat inexplicably loyal to him (though in the film’s final twisty-turvey ten minutes, we — sort of — learn why).

Alan Ladd was given his last film role as an alcoholic western star and former family business partner, who perhaps serves as Peppard’s voice of conscience:

… though trying to get anything through to Peppard’s seriously hard-headed Jonas Cord is a feat; he ranks among cinema’s ultimate ruthless bastards.

Other than Baker, the most notable performance is given by Cummings, who seems to be having a field day playing a self-serving studio employee who flits throughout the entire screenplay.

Watch for Audrey Totter in a tiny role as the prostitute Peppard turns to after a tragedy.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Joseph MacDonald’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth the ride if you’re up for it.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Article
• NY Times Original Review