FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
When Cole Hardin (Gary Cooper) is falsely accused of stealing a horse, he stands before the bench of the infamous Judge Roy Bean (Walter Brennan). By convincing Bean that he knows Lily Langtry (Lillian Bond), a singer who Bean has an obsessive crush on, Cole manages to save his life, only to get embroiled in the middle of a nasty feud between the local cattlemen and a group of homesteaders.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Dana Andrews Films
• Falsely Accused
• Gary Cooper Films
• Historical Drama
• Settlers
• Walter Brennan Films
• Westerns
• William Wyler Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
William Wyler’s historically inaccurate yet “agreeable ‘A’-budget western” successfully joins “standard western themes and confrontations with light comedy.” Gary Cooper — who, as Peary notes, has “remarkable presence as a slow-talking, quick-thinking cowpoke” — is at his laconic best, portraying a man whose very life hinges on speaking just the right combination of words, yet who never loses his cool. Brennan (brilliant and scene-stealing as always) plays the infamous Bean “as someone who is part dictator and part spoiled child– [and] who doesn’t see anything wrong with his murderous forays”. It’s disturbingly easy to laugh at Judge Bean, a real-life sociopath whose kangaroo courts caused the deaths of so many innocent men and women.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Walter Brennan, who definitely “steals the show” as Judge Bean (and deserved his Oscar)
  
• Gary Cooper as Cole Hardin
  
• Hilarious rapport between Brennan and Cooper
  

Must See?
Yes. All film fanatics should see this humorous, well-written western.

Categories

• Genuine Classic
• Noteworthy Performance(s)
• Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TV Guide Review
• Films Graded Review

Synopsis:
Diamond Lil (Mae West) works in the saloon of her benefactor Gus (Noah Beery, Sr.), who secretly traffics in white slavery and counterfeiting. Meanwhile, an undercover cop posing as a Salvation Army captain (Cary Grant) tries to arrest Gus and his cronies.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Cary Grant Films
• Mae West Films
• Musicals
• Play Adaptations
• Strong Females
• Undercover Cops and Agents

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this classic Mae West vehicle — in which “West struts her way through Gay Nineties New York, encountering all sorts of unsavory characters” who “either die or go to jail” — “is not the comedy masterpiece that many critics contend it to be.” Nonetheless, West “got to showcase her self-assured and uninhibited pre-Legion of Decency brand of sexuality, in which she lets fly with double entendres, which usually relate to her own sexual prowess, and displays a brazen sex-is-fun attitude that only Jean Harlow shared with her.” He adds that it’s “amazing that one moment she can look so overweight and ridiculous strapped into her tight garments”, and “a second later” be “mysteriously seductive as she bats her lashes and raises her eyebrows, grins knowingly, swings out a hip, and says something women are supposedly too shy to say.” West is a pleasure to watch — but be forewarned that while you’ll enjoy the quips, you’ll forget the plot immediately.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Cary Grant in his first major role
  
• Mae drawling one of the most (mis)quoted lines in movie history:
  

  “Why don’t you come up sometime and see me?”

• Plenty of memorable quips:
  

  “I wasn’t always rich. No, there was a time I didn’t know where my next husband was coming from.”

Must See?
Yes. As one of the key movies which prompted the formation of the Hays Production Code, it’s a part of cinematic history film fanatics shouldn’t miss.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

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

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Greatest Films Review
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
Radio deejay Alan “Dickey” Bird (Bill Patterson) is dumped by his girlfriend Maddy (Eleanor David) on Christmas. While wandering around Glasgow, he witnesses an ice cream truck being vandalized, and soon becomes the middleman in a feud between two rival ice cream companies.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Comedy
• Feuds
• Radio
• Scottish Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Although Peary refers to this film by famed Scottish director Bill Forsyth as a “charming, relaxing, offbeat comedy”, I wasn’t nearly so taken with it. It’s clever and quirky, but loses steam about halfway through; indeed, the subplots (concerning Alan’s radio job and his ex-girlfriend) are much more interesting than the ice cream imbroglio itself. Forsyth made other, superior films — including Local Hero (1983), Gregory’s Girl (1980), and That Sinking Feeling (1979) — which are better candidates for must-see viewing.

Redeeming Qualities:

• The opening scene, where Alan follows his girlfriend Maddy as she shoplifts in a department store
  
• Maddy casually taking her belongings off the shelves of their apartment as she discusses why she’s moving out
  

Must See?
No. It’s one of Forsyth’s lesser films, and not required viewing unless you’re a fan of his work.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges) learns how to ride fast and hard while delivering moonshine on southern backroads. Soon he’s winning NASCAR races and rising to the top of his field.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Biopics
• Car Racing
• Gary Busey Films
• Jeff Bridges Films
• Ned Beatty Films
• Sports
• Underdogs

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this enjoyable little sleeper — based on a series of articles by Tom Wolfe — is a fairly standard (albeit factually inaccurate) biopic with an admirably “strong, natural performance” by Jeff Bridges. Director Lamont Johnson “has a feel for [the] racing milieu,” and there’s some genuinely exciting footage from actual NASCAR races which adds to the overall realism of the film. Unfortunately, however, “the material isn’t unusual enough to be really interesting.”

Redeeming Qualities:

• Jeff Bridges as Junior Jackson
  
• Gary Busey as Jackson’s brother
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth watching just to see Bridges’ performance.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review

Synopsis:
Unmarried schoolteacher Rachel (Joanne Woodward) lives alone with her sickly mother (Kate Harrington). When she finally gets a chance at love with a visiting classmate (James Olson), she tries to break free from her confining existence.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Character Arc
• First Love
• Geraldine Fitzgerald Films
• Joanne Woodward Films
• Paul Newman Films
• Spinsters
• Teachers

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, Joanne Woodward — “one of our finest actresses” and “perhaps our most likeable star” — is “brilliant” in her husband Paul Newman’s directorial debut as a spinster schoolteacher who’s “tired of her boring smalltown existence” and longs “to say something I’ve never said before — I’m happy!”

While it’s tragic watching Rachel invest so much in her first affair given her inevitable disappointment, Woodward manages to convince us that Rachel will rally through and make the best of her experiences. This is a woman who is finally finding her personal strength, and a better life is surely ahead for her.

Redeeming Qualities:<

• Yet another excellent, unsung performance by Joanne Woodward
  
• Estelle Parsons as Rachel’s joyful friend Calla
  
• Fine cinematography
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended, especially for fans of Woodward.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Gerald Peary’s Film Review

Synopsis:
15-year-olds Angel (Kristy McNichol) and Ferris (Tatum O’Neal) compete to see who can lose their virginity first at summer camp.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Coming-of-Age
• Rivalry
• Summer Camp
• Teenagers
• Virginity

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary stipulates that adults will “appreciate the funny, sensitive performance by the versatile McNichol, but not much else” about this infamous coming-of-age film. More than 25 years after its release, however, the “adults” watching this film on video are likely the very same underaged girls who, as Peary notes, “repeatedly sneaked by near-sighted ticket takers and made this R-rated comedy a big commercial success.” Whether or not you have memories of it from years ago, this little-seen film remains an undeniably powerful portrait of teenage rivalry and bonding; it’s refreshing to see a rare female perspective on the age-old trope of teens desperately seeking to gain sexual experience. While Tatum O’Neal inexplicably seems like she’s sleep-walking through her role, McNichol’s soul-searching insecurity over losing her virginity is honest and sensitive, and buoys the entire film.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Kristy McNichol’s Oscar-worthy performance
  
• Cynthia Nixon in a bit role as a flower-child camper
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for McNichol’s fine performance.

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
A woman (Gladys Knight) whose husband (Barry Hankerson) has run out on her goes to Alaska to try to win him back.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• African-Americans
• Alaska
• Feminism and Women’s Issues
• Marital Problems
• Strong Women

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “acceptable low-budget film” — a rare, non-exploitative 1970s movie about a black couple’s relationship — is more a curio for Gladys Knight fans than anything else. Other than the “rousing” soundtrack, the film’s primary strength lies in the way it shows Knight trying to help out her needy female friends in the “male-dominated” territory of Alaska.

Redeeming Qualities:

• A refreshing focus on a black couple in a mostly-white state
  
• Beautiful cinematography of Alaskan wilderness
  
• The haunting theme song (“So Sad the Song”), which will stay in your mind for quite a while.

Must See?
No, unless you’re a hardcore Gladys Knight fan; I recommend buying the soundtrack instead.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
A gay graduate student (Richard Ryder) making a documentary film about child abuse befriends an abused teenager (Raphael Sbarge), and the two become lovers.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Child Abuse
• Homosexuality
• May-December Romance
• Movie Directors

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “extremely controversial” independent film — definitely not for all tastes — is both “thought-provoking and important”. There are many unsettling moments, including the “almost too realistic scenes in which the boy’s father and mother switch in an instant from being loving parents to monsters”. It’s clear that director Arthur Bressan, Jr. believes “a young adult becoming lover/protector of a teenager is a welcome alternative to his parents battering him”, but this view is contestable. See Gregg Araki’s Mysterious Skin (2005) for another interesting look at the not-so-clear-cut line between abuse and a consensual May-December affair.

Redeeming Qualities:

• A provocative storyline without a clear sense of right-and-wrong
  
• Powerful abuse imagery, which allows viewers to truly empathize with Sbarge’s terror
  

Must See?
No, though it’s definitely worth checking out.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TV Guide Review
• Not on Netflix Review

Synopsis:
An idealistic young man (Paul Le Mat) running a voluntary station to help truckers in distress gets so fed up with frivolous use of the emergency frequency by amateur CB-ers that he tries to hunt down and stop the perpetrators. Meanwhile, his neglected girlfriend (Candy Clark) starts fooling around with his more attentive brother (Bruce McGill).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Candy Clark Films
• Character Studies
• Ed Begley Jr. Films
• Jonathan Demme Films
• Paul Le Mat Films
• Revenge
• Truckers

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “amiable comedy-character study” features “smart dialogue, quirky but believable, engaging characters, and a nice mix of humor and occasional drama.” Unfortunately, while the quirky characters and their situations are amusing at first, director Jonathan Demme inexplicably shifts into slapstick mode by the end, with contrived coincidences complicating the film’s overall laid-back approach. Nonetheless, as Peary notes, this film is notable for moving Demme “into [the] Hollywood mainstream” when it “got excellent reviews”.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Paul Le Mat as Spider
  
• Charles Napier as a bigamist whose two wives accidentally meet one day
  
  
• A horrifying early scene in the rain, when Napier is nearly killed by his semi until Spider comes to his rescue
  

Must See?
No. While this is an interesting look at a subculture, it’s not must-see viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
When Edna Mae (Ellen Burstyn) dies in a car crash, she returns to life with amazing healing powers. While she has the best of intentions, she must deal with those who doubt the veracity and the source of her power, including her abusive new lover, Cal (Sam Shepard).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Do-Gooders
• Ellen Burstyn Films
• Lois Smith Films
• Supernatural Powers
• Untimely Death

Response to Peary’s Review:
Although Peary is an enormous fan of this “special film” which “slipped by moviegoers in 1980”, I find it ultimately unsatisfying. Burstyn’s wonderful performance — which Peary names as Best of the Year in his Alternate Oscars — can’t erase the fact that the script never reaches its full potential; most egregious is the focus on Edna Mae’s romance with the wildly inconsistent Cal, a “spousal-abuse” subplot which ultimately just distracts us from the real drama of Edna Mae’s miraculous story.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Burstyn’s quietly powerful performance as a woman who simply wants to do good in the world
  
• Edna Mae healing her own legs and learning to walk again
  

Must See?
No. While based on an intriguing premise, this movie ultimately doesn’t quite deliver.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review