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Synopsis:
The daughter (Audrey Hepburn) of an expert forger (Hugh Griffith) enlists the help of a man (Peter O’Toole) she believes is an art thief to steal back a forged statue loaned by her father to a local museum.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Artists
• Audrey Hepburn Films
• Eli Wallach Films
• Hugh Griffith Films
• Peter O’Toole Films
• Thieves and Criminals
• William Wyler Films

Review:
Thirteen years after directing Audrey Hepburn in her Oscar-winning debut performance (for Roman Holiday), William Wyler re-teamed with Hepburn to make this stylish but disappointing Hitchcockian caper flick. The film’s primary flaw is its pacing: at more than two hours long, it simply drags, and takes far too long to get to its most exciting sequences (taking place during the heist in the museum). Once we’re finally there — and our would-be lovers find themselves stuck in a crammed closet, needing to find a way to break free and carry out their plan — the story becomes temporarily captivating, as we watch O’Toole’s character demonstrating immense presence of mind as a thief (even if this isn’t really his “true” identity). Hepburn is as lovely as ever in her palette of Givenchy outfits, but doesn’t bring anything new or interesting to her role; and a sub-plot involving millionaire Eli Wallach’s pursuit of Hepburn simply takes up precious screentime. This one is worth a look by fans of this particular genre, but be forewarned that it doesn’t quite succeed on all counts.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Peter O’Toole as Simon Dermott
  
• The genuinely tense and fascinating extended “closet scene”
  
• Fine sets and outfits
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look if you’re a fan of Hepburn or O’Toole.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Talk Review
• Digitally Obsessed Review
• Combustible Celluloid Review

Synopsis:
A cattle baron (Duke R. Lee) hires a gunslinger (Harry Carey) to kill a farmer (George Berrell) whose land is encroaching on his territory — but when he learns that Berrell’s son (Ted Brooks) has already been killed, and sees the grief this has caused Berrell’s beautiful daughter (Molly Malone), he quickly shifts allegiances.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• John Ford Films
• Ranchers
• Rivalry
• Silent Films
• Westerns

Review:
Notable as “Jack” (John) Ford’s first surviving full-length film, this early western — featuring silent-era superstar Harry Carey — shows clear evidence of Ford’s directorial vision (at the tender age of 22!). He manages to turn an overly simplistic story about feuding between ranchers and farmers (along with a “bad-boy-turned-good” narrative twist, and a brief love triangle) into a reasonably entertaining outing — though in its hour-long running time, there’s not really much to sink one’s teeth into. Certainly worth a look, but not essential viewing for anyone other than diehard Ford fans and/or early-cinema buffs — though one could argue it’s “must-see” simply to see Carey in a flick.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Early evidence of Ford’s directorial vision
  
  
  
  

Must See?
No, though it will certainly be of interest to Ford fans and/or those interested in early cinematic history.

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
A highly rational professor (Peter Wyngarde) is disturbed to discover that his wife (Janet Blair) has been practicing black magic to help him achieve tenure, and forces her to stop — but soon a series of tragedies befall them, and Wyngarde must reconsider his lack of belief.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Horror
• Voodoo and Black Magic
• Witches and Wizards

Review:
Film fanatics who’ve not yet seen this low-budget British horror flick are in for a real treat. Based upon a simple yet inspired narrative premise — a young professor seeking tenure would surely be more in need of assistance from the Dark Side than anyone else! — it possesses clear echoes of Rosemary’s Baby (was Polanski inspired by it?) in its depiction of a loving couple whose lives are nearly destroyed by their divergent spiritual beliefs. Director Sidney Hayers and DP Reginald Wyer film the entire affair with extraordinary skill, evoking horror in seemingly mundane interactions and objects; we come to truly believe that dark forces are ruling this unfortunate household. The final half-hour brings an unexpected plot twist, one which suddenly sheds new light on the narrative — and the tension simply never lets up. This is a film which really must be seen to be appreciated, and merits multiple enjoyable viewings.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Peter Wyngarde as Norman Taylor
  
• Janet Blair as Tansy Taylor
  
• Margaret Johnston as Flora Carr
  
• Wonderfully atmospheric cinematography and direction
  
• Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, and George Baxt’s clever, spooky script

Must See?
Yes, most definitely. Listed as a Sleeper and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Genuine Classic

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• Moria Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) and Dr. Watson (Andre Morell) respond to a request by Dr. Mortimer (Francis De Wolff) to investigate the mysterious death of a nobleman, whose nephew (Christopher Lee) has recently arrived on the moors to take over his inheritance.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Christopher Lee Films
• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Peter Cushing Films
• Sherlock Holmes Films

Review:
Critical opinions are highly mixed on this Hammer Studios adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s oft-filmed novel, with some claiming it to be the best Holmes-ian adaptation ever, and others less enthusiastic. I happen to fall into the latter camp. Despite Peter Cushing’s respectful attempt to portray Holmes with as much authenticity as possible (including emulating his drug-addicted appearance), he ultimately fails to project the kind of magnetic brilliance fans expect from this most iconic of literary figures; his trusty sidekick Watson comes across as almost equally competent.

Meanwhile, Lee is miscast in the central role as an heir whose life is in perpetual danger; we’re so used to reading sinister overtones into Lee’s every move that it feels awfully strange to realize he’s simply a neutral foil here.

Jack Asher’s color cinematography is lush and beautiful to look at but doesn’t evoke the same level of menace as the black-and-white hues of this film’s celebrated 1939 predecessor. The narrative itself remains relatively faithful to the original story, while incorporating some additional horror elements (i.e., a lethal tarantula) to satisfy those who associate “Hammer Studios” with overt chills and thrills; unfortunately, however, the dramatic finale with the “hound” is far from menacing — again, it was better handled in the 1939 version, which is ultimately the one I recommend film fanatics check out instead.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Jack Asher’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No, though it’s certainly worth a look, especially for fans of Hammer Studios films.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Moria Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
After botching a job on a society woman (Colette Wilde), a plastic surgeon (Anton Diffring) goes on the lam, taking over a circus owned by a Frenchman (Donald Pleasence) with a scarred daughter (Carla Challoner), and populating it with facially disfigured, troubled women whose beauty he restores. When his protegees choose to leave, however, he jealously kills them one by one, and soon a detective (Conrad Phillips) is on his trail.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Carnivals and Circuses
• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Disfigured Faces
• Donald Pleasence Films
• Fugitives
• Horror
• Mad Doctors and Scientists

Review:
According to TCM’s article, “During a twelve month period between April 1959 and April 1960 British filmmakers tested the boundaries of the horror film with a much stronger emphasis on sex and violence in three features often referred to as the ‘Sadian Trilogy’ — Horrors of the Black Museum, Circus of Horrors and Peeping Tom.” Of these, Peeping Tom (1960) is the most highly regarded, but Circus of Horrors — while not “must-see” for anyone other than fans of the genre — remains a well-mounted, effectively lurid tale in its own right. Despite possessing a host of egregious flaws in narrative logic, it’s guaranteed to hold your interest, thanks in part to colorful cinematography (by DP Douglas Slocombe), solid direction (by Sidney Hayers, best known for 1962’s Burn, Witch, Burn!), and several fine performances (including a small, early one by Donald Pleasence, who — like all others killed or maimed in this film — meets a most unpleasant death).

German-born Diffring is nicely cast as the troubled lead of the film, who is clearly a “baddie” but not entirely evil; from the film’s opening sequence — in which a woman (Wilde) shrieks with horror at the botched job that’s been done on her face — it’s made clear that Diffring never intended for things to work out this way, and that he actually takes great pride in the stellar work he’s able to carry out, under the right circumstances. With that said, we soon learn that Diffring’s Dr. Rossiter/Schuler is an egomaniacal control freak who desires not only to make disfigured women beautiful again, but to hold them forever accountable to his will (and sexual desires). His choice (as a fugitive) to run a very-public circus, as well as his uncanny ability to turn all the women he takes under his wing into stellar acrobats, are evidence of the flawed logic listed previously; but they help to propel the undeniably sensationalist story towards its inevitable conclusion, with several gruesomely circus-themed deaths thrown in along the way. Meanwhile, fine use is made of Billy Smart’s actual circus performers; fans of this type of entertainment will surely enjoy seeing its historical capturing on film.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Anton Diffring as Dr. Schuler
  
• Donald Pleasence as Vanet
  
• Erika Remberg as Elissa
  
• Fine use of Billy Smart’s Circus as a setting
  

Must See?
No, but it’s certainly recommended.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Moria Review
• Q Network Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
During World War I, a fatigued captain (Colin Clive) on the verge of a breakdown is distressed to learn that a former classmate (David Manners) who once idolized him has been sent to his company; meanwhile, an older lieutenant (Ian Maclaren) tries to help Clive stay balanced and sane until his replacement arrives.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Colin Clive Films
• James Whale Films
• Play Adaptation
• Soldiers
• World War One

Review:
Based on an enormously popular British play by R.C. Sherriff, Journey’s End is notable as the film which brought director James Whale to Hollywood, and provided Colin Clive with his screen debut. Whale had directed Clive in the original play as well, and much of the material remains overly stagebound (perhaps due to its status as a very early talkie); while a few outdoor battle scenes are included (with fine cinematography by Benjamin Kline), the bulk of the film’s action takes place within the officers’ dugouts, and consists simply of dialogue. Speaking of dialogue, the screenplay includes an extraordinary amount of stereotypically polite British banter about the war, which one can only assume is characteristic of how officers at the time might have spoken with each other; sample exchanges include the following:

“It all seems rather silly, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does — rather.”

“It’s all a damn nuisance, but I suppose it’s necessary.”
“I suppose it is.”

That damned, silly, necessary nuisance of a war, indeed! Meanwhile, in the midst of such civilized discussion, we witness a quietly powerful character study of a man (Clive is simply brilliant) struggling to reconcile the reality of his daily lived experiences with the stalwart persona he must maintain, for the sake of all his men. He lives in terror of the rumors he’s sure must be circulating about him (notably, that he’s taken to drinking at all hours of the day), but the storyline surprises us in its ultimate revelations about Clive’s reputation.

Viewers willing to sit patiently through what may be the most “talky”, least-action-filled war film ever made will be rewarded by numerous instances of quiet authenticity. My favorite scene is one in which the seasoned Maclaren (affectionately known as “Uncle”) and the green, gung-ho Manners are about to go up into battle; Maclaren reads from Alice in Wonderland while enjoining Manners to use these precious final moments to think about anything at all other than their imminent task. Less successful are periodic snippets of “comedic relief” provided by the company’s clueless cook (Charles K. Gerrard) and a rotund lieutenant (Billy Bevan) who seems resolutely determined to care more about his next meal than the chaos surrounding him. However, it’s moments like all of these, taken together, which ultimately help viewers to understand the complex psychology behind warfare, as these men prepare themselves in a variety of ways to face truly unspeakable horrors.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Colin Clive as Captain Stanhope
  
• Ian Maclaren as Lieutenant Osborne
  
• An incisive, literate screenplay
  
• Benjamin Kline’s cinematography
  

Must See?
No, though it’s certainly worth a look. Listed as a Sleeper in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review (spoiler alerts)
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A comedian (Peter Bonerz) struggles to find both romantic and creative meaning in his life.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Character Studies
• Comedians
• John Korty Films
• Mid-Life Crisis

Review:
John Korty’s second feature-length outing — after his uniquely satisfying debut film The Crazy-Quilt (1966) — was this highly experimental character study starring Peter Bonerz (then active in the Bay Area improv troupe known as The Committee). Unfortunately, the non-linear, improvisational storyline (co-written by Bonerz and Korty) fails to engage us on anything other than a superficial level; the central protagonist’s quest for satisfaction in both his career and his love life never really sustains our interest, largely because we’re not emotionally invested in this likable but self-absorbed character. As the film opens, we see that Bonerz’ “Perry” has recently broken up with a long-time girlfriend (though we don’t learn why); throughout the course of the movie, he sleeps with various women who present themselves to him, but learn next to nothing about any of them. Meanwhile, we see Perry’s resentment at having to bastardize his creative talents by contributing ideas to a marketing firm — which ironically leads to one of the film’s most engaging and inventive sequences, as we see stop-motion advertisements Bonerz has dreamed up for bug spray; one can’t help thinking of Korty’s later work on the enormously inventive Twice Upon a Time (1983).

When Perry throws a tantrum and demands to be given a chance to put on a solo show, we’re curious to see what he’ll come up with — but the result is imminently forgettable. Meanwhile, the rest of the film turns into essentially a meandering road trip, as Bonerz leaves the city (to where, we’ve never sure) and encounters a variety of diverse individuals. I won’t say more, at risk of giving away too much of the plot, but suffice it to say that the final half-hour or so consists of a series of intriguingly cinéma vérité encounters without nearly enough narrative context to sustain them. Ultimately, the entire affair comes across as simply self-indulgent — which is not to say it doesn’t hold interest on some level. Korty is a strong enough director that even his overly experimental, New Wave-inspired cinematic palette — including frequent shifts from b&w cinematography to various tinted hues — can be forgiven as simply an attempt to bring a fresh perspective to the proceedings. However, while The Crazy-Quilt is a hidden must-see gem (buy a copy from Korty himself!), Funnyman is only worth seeking out if you have a strong interest in the early development of Korty’s unusual oeuvre.

Note: Bonerz had supporting roles in a few big-name films after this — including What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969) (not listed in Peary’s book), Medium Cool (1969), and Catch-22 (1970) — and was the coke-sniffing psychiatrist in Serial (1980); his best-known role was probably as Dr. Jerry Robinson on “The Bob Newhart Show”. However, the bulk of his career has been spent as a director; see his listing at IMDb for more details.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Creative incorporation of animation
  
• Peter Bonerz as Perry
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look. Listed as a Sleeper in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review