Who’ll Stop the Rain? (1978)

Who’ll Stop the Rain? (1978)

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“I’ve been waiting all my life to fuck up like this.”

Synopsis:
A cynical Vietnam vet (Michael Moriarty) convinces his buddy (Nick Nolte) to smuggle heroin back to his wife (Tuesday Weld) in the United States — but two hitmen (Ray Sharkey and Richard Masur) working for a crooked cop (Anthony Zerbe) are soon on their tail, forcing Nolte and Weld to flee.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Drug Dealers
  • Fugitives
  • Karel Reisz Films
  • Michael Moriarty Films
  • Nick Nolte Films
  • Tuesday Weld Films
  • Veterans
  • Vietnam War

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary notes that while Karel Reisz’s adaptation of Robert Stone’s 1974 novel Dog Soldiers may “not [be] as sordid in its depiction of Vietnam-U.S. drug trafficking”, it “still packs a wallop” in its portrayal of a “fascinating true-to-life storyline that other directors wouldn’t touch because there is no ‘hero’ fighting for what we’d think is a worthy cause.” He notes that while it’s “not for the squeamish”, given that the “characters are extremely brutal” and the “action scenes are frightening”, it nonetheless possesses many strengths, given that the “characters are memorable, casting is perfect, dialogue is sharp, and direction of actors strong”. The final shoot-out in the hills of New Mexico (reminiscent of a western) is particularly exciting, and makes creative use of sound and music. (As Peary notes, the “picture has an excellent, eclectic score”.)

While it’s essentially a crime thriller, Who’ll Stop the Rain? is heavily driven by a core set of noteworthy performances. Nolte, “looking fit, is an action hero to rival Rambo”, and is eminently believable in his role — though one can’t help wishing a bit more of his personality was revealed or explained; at one point he’s referred to as a psychopath, but, despite his propensity towards violence, this clearly isn’t an accurate assessment. Meanwhile, Moriarty (who Peary notes it’s nice to see “in a non-neurotic role”) perfectly captures the quiet, jaded cynicism of a man who has seen far too much violence and “lunacy” during the war to remain idealistic; and Weld’s portrayal as his wife — a seemingly milquetoast bookstore employee and mother who becomes addicted to heroin during her nightmarish ordeal — is both brave and memorable (though again, one wishes the screenplay provided a bit more insight into who she is and what makes her tick). Another minor quibble: while Masur and Sharkey are appropriately menacing as the two thugs chasing after Nolte and Weld, they somehow come across a bit cartoonish at times; however, this is easy enough to overlook, as the story continues to propel us towards its bleak, violence-ridden finale.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Nick Nolte as Ray
  • Tuesday Weld as Marge
  • Michael Moriarty as John
  • The exciting final shoot-out

Must See?
Yes, for the fine performances throughout.

Categories

  • Noteworthy Performance(s)

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Cafe Express (1980)

Cafe Express (1980)

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“Coffee is the best friend a man ever had.”

Synopsis:
A one-armed coffee vendor (Nino Manfredi) with a sick teenage son (Giovanni Piscopo) attempts to elude a trio of policemen while illicitly selling coffee on a train.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Cat-and-Mouse
  • Comedy
  • Italian Films
  • Trains and Subways

Review:
Essentially an extended cat-and-mouse tale, Nanni Loy’s surprisingly touching and entertaining comedy takes place primarily within the confines of a moving train. The storyline is simple — and pretty much covered in the brief synopsis provided above — but remains compelling viewing throughout given our growing investment in the lead protagonist’s fate. Indeed, Nino Manfredi anchors the film, and provides it with its essential heart: he’s wily yet sympathetic, never afraid to call things as they are, and ultimately emerges as an unexpected folk hero of sorts. A minor quibble: one can’t help wondering why the railroad company isn’t allowing Manfredi to sell his coffee legitimately, given that it’s clearly desired by the passengers — but one must simply chalk this up to cultural idiosyncrasies. Not required viewing, but definitely worth seeking out.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Nino Manfredi as Michele Abbagnano
  • A clever, surprisingly hard-hitting comedic screenplay

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

Links:

Popeye (1980)

Popeye (1980)

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“I yam what I yam and I yam what I yam that I yam.”

Synopsis:
A squinty sailor (Robin Williams) searching for his long-lost father (Ray Walston) arrives in a seaside town called Sweet Haven, where he falls in love with quirky Olive Oyl (Shelly Duvall) and, with Olive, becomes the father of a foundling named Swee’ Pea (Wesley Ivan Hurt).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Comedy
  • Comics and Comic Strips
  • Kidnapping
  • Love Triangle
  • Musicals
  • Robert Altman Films
  • Robin Williams Films
  • Sailors
  • Shelley Duvall Films
  • Small Town America

Review:
Robert Altman’s Popeye continues to be viewed by many as merely another ill-conceived failure in the infamously checkered yet estimable career of this iconoclastic director. Altman’s attempt to bring E.C. Segar’s beloved comic strip (or, more accurately, Fleischer Studios’ animated shorts from the 1930s-50s) to the big screen as a musical-comedy — complete with his characteristic ensemble cast and overlapping dialogue — seems like an odd venture to be sure, and isn’t entirely successful. But it’s redeemed at least in part by a casting choice made in heaven: Shelley Duvall as spindly-legged Olive Oyl. Duvall brings Olive’s comic presence to full-blooded life, craning her neck and stumbling across the sets with a physical dexterity and verisimilitude one can only marvel at; she emerges as the most fully realized character in the film.

Meanwhile, Williams himself is fine and believable (if oddly restrained) in the title role:

and other supporting actors — including Altman’s own grandson as Swee’ Pea, and Paul Dooley as Wimpy — are nicely cast as well.

Wolf Krueger’s production design is the second primary reason to check this film out. Built on the island of Malta (and apparently still in existence as a significant tourist attraction), the set is a sight to behold, effectively portraying Sweet Haven as a quirky, ramshackle alter-universe.

Where the film stumbles, ironically, is in its faithfulness to its comic origins. While there’s something undeniably tickling about seeing these 2-D characters made manifest (at least for fans of the original Fleischer shorts, like myself), the storyline — including a kidnapping of Swee’ Pea by Bluto (Paul L. Smith), and Popeye’s weird reconciliation with his absentee father:

— eventually devolves into too much slapstick for its own good. Meanwhile, the songs (all written by Harry Nilsson) are decidedly hit-or-miss, with a number of them instantly forgettable. However, when Olive sings one of the more memorable tunes — “He’s Large” — in defense of her choice in beaus, and repeatedly states, “He may not be the best/But he’s large/And he’s mine”, one simply can’t help giggling.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl
  • Wolf Kroeger’s production design

Must See?
No, but I think most Altman fans will be curious to check it out. Listed as a Sleeper in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Incredible Shrinking Man, The (1957)

Incredible Shrinking Man, The (1957)

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“I felt puny and absurd, a ludicrous midget.”

Synopsis:
While on a boating excursion with his wife (Randy Stuart), a man (Grant Williams) exposed to atomic radiation soon finds himself shrinking to a smaller and smaller size.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Atomic Energy
  • Jack Arnold Films
  • Living Nightmare
  • Science Fiction
  • Survival

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary accurately notes that while this “excellent science-fiction film” may, “like most fifties SF films, [be] scientifically preposterous”, it is still “somehow believable,” and will “strike a responsive chord” in viewers given “its human concerns”. He points out that Richard Matheson’s script (based on his novel The Shrinking Man) deals with “two themes… central to the other SF films of director Jack Arnold: scientific advances in dangerous areas eventually will be destructive to the individual; [and] there is nothing more horrifying than losing one’s identity.” Given its rather simplistic narrative trajectory — Williams shrinks smaller and smaller, with no permanent cure in sight — the film maintains a remarkable amount of tension, thanks to both the savvy, literate script (which possesses plenty of thought-provoking dialogue) and truly outstanding special effects (see stills below for a representative sampling).

As we watch Williams — a “sympathetic hero” — spiraling closer and closer to death, with “his home no longer a sanctuary but a booby-trapped battlefield where every household item is potentially a weapon that could destroy him”, we hold our breath in both anticipation and terror. Williams’ valiant struggle to avoid drowning in droplets of water, getting sucked into the vortex of a floor drain, being stepped on by his own brother’s shoe, or being eaten by a spider, are all terrifying in the distorted universe they present: Williams is truly caught in a living nightmare, with no way out. Meanwhile, we can’t help feeling enormous empathy for his growing “sense of inferiority” in the face of his loyal but “normal size” wife (Stuart), who eventually must simply assume that her pin-sized husband has died — though in reality, he’s escaped down into the basement, where the final third of the film takes place, nearly dialogue free yet relentlessly exciting.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Clifford Stone’s remarkable special effects




  • A strong, provocative script:

    “The cellar stretched before me like some vast primeval plain, empty of life, littered with the relics of a vanished race. No desert island castaway ever faced so bleak a prospect.”

Must See?
Yes, as a definitive 1950s sci-fi classic.

Categories

  • Genuine Classic

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

Links:

Them! (1954)

Them! (1954)

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“Here’s one for Sherlock Holmes: there was enough formic acid in him to kill twenty men.”

Synopsis:
A policeman (James Whitmore), an FBI agent (James Arness), and a father-daughter scientist team (Edmund Gwenn and Joan Weldon) investigate the sudden appearance of atomically super-sized ants in the New Mexico desert.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Atomic Energy
  • Deserts
  • Edmund Gwenn Films
  • Fess Parker Films
  • Insects
  • James Whitmore Films
  • Mutant Monsters
  • Science Fiction

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this classic mutant monster B-flick “ranks with The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers as the best of the countless fifties science fiction films”. Tautly directed by Gordon Douglas (Peary calls it the “best” of his “many films”), the “intelligent, entertaining script” by Ted Sherdeman never drags. The narrative neatly shifts from mystery mode in its truly eerie opening sequence (of “a little girl in shock, wandering through the New Mexico desert”), to tense police procedural a la “the classic fifties TV” show “Dragnet” (as a series of “oddball witnesses” are questioned), to full-on war against the ants and then a “thrilling finale” in which “Whitmore and Arness search the sewer system for the ants and attempt to rescue two boys who are trapped inside”.

While fans of ’50s “creature feature” films are a ready-made audience for movies like this, all-purpose film fanatics will likely find much here to enjoy as well. As Peary notes, Them! (great title) possesses “believable characters and a particularly fine performance by Whitmore”:

… who struggles throughout the film with guilt from “allowing” his partner to be killed in one of the opening sequences. The special effects are noticeably impressive, with the mutant ants — “products of nuclear bomb-testing” who “are ravaging the area” and may bring about the end of mankind on Earth if they’re not stopped in time — coming across as menacing rather than corny.

However, if you’re in the mood for laughs, there’s plenty of campy and/or corny dialogue to enjoy — though it’s just as easy to watch and listen with a straight face.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • The incredibly disturbing opening sequence
  • Creepy special effects
  • Fine performances throughout

Must See?
Yes, as a classic sci-fi thriller.

Categories

  • Genuine Classic

Links:

Road to Hong Kong (1962)

Road to Hong Kong (1962)

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“I bet you never thought you’d have a fortune riding in the old melon.”

Synopsis:
When a con-man (Bob Hope) accidentally memorizes a secret formula coveted by an underground terrorist organization (led by Robert Morley), one of its members (Joan Collins) does everything she can to wrest it from him; meanwhile, she finds herself falling in love with his partner (Bing Crosby).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Bing Crosby Films
  • Bob Hope Films
  • Comedy
  • Joan Collins Films
  • Mistaken Identities
  • Musicals
  • Peter Sellers Films
  • Robert Morley Films
  • Science Fiction
  • Space Exploration
  • Spies

Review:
This final entry in the long-running, enormously popular Road to… franchise is often dismissed as its worst, and cited as evidence that the series had finally run its course; therefore, I was surprised to find myself enjoying its silly sci-fi premise (a spoof of Dr. No, released the same year) as much as I did. Hope and Crosby, despite their advancing ages, still manage to generate plenty of amusing comedic synergy:

… and gamely allow themselves to get into all sorts of foolish situations; meanwhile, the space travel plot is so ridiculous — in true Road to… fashion — that you can’t help watching in anticipation of what bizarre twist will come next (just wait for the banana-feeding machine).

Meanwhile, Collins is actually a fine replacement for Lamour, exhibiting natural chemistry with both aging leads, and taking the silly plot just seriously enough.

Speaking of Lamour, however, her brief cameo appearance late in the film is unfortunately a bit pathetic. While she had every right — as an essential member of the earlier Road to… trio — to insist on appearing in this film, her over-the-top nightclub performance here (playing herself) simply doesn’t provide her with a dignified exit from the series.

Note: Watch for Peter Sellers in an early, uncredited scene as an Indian neurologist attempting to diagnose Hope’s memory loss — he (temporarily) steals the film.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Peter Sellers’ brief but indelible early scene as an Indian neurologist
  • A number of incredibly silly jokes, sequences, and gags

Must See?
No, but it’s actually recommended for good, clean Hope & Crosby fun.

Links:

Road to Rio (1947)

Road to Rio (1947)

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“I can’t figure that Lucy out: one minute she’s sweet as pie, and the next, a heel!”

Synopsis:
A pair of out-of-work musicians (Bob Hope and Bing Crosby) stow away on a cruise ship to Rio, where they meet a wealthy young woman (Dorothy Lamour) who’s being hypnotized by her evil caretaker (Gale Sondergard).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Bing Crosby Films
  • Bob Hope Films
  • Comedy
  • Dorothy Lamour Films
  • Love Triangle
  • Mind Control and Hypnosis
  • Musicians
  • Musicals
  • Rivalry
  • South America

Review:
This fifth entry in the enduringly popular Road to… film series is also its longest, and shows signs of the comedic formula beginning to wear thin. While Hope and Crosby are still in fine form together, and Lamour is as lovely as ever, a number of the running gags — including an extended sequence involving Hope, Crosby, and Lamour teaming up with a trio of non-English-speaking singers, played by the Wiere brothers — fall somewhat flat. Despite its status as one of the “least” of the series, however, there’s still plenty of enjoyable shtick here for fans to appreciate. Followed in 1952 by Road to Bali — the only “Road” film (inexplicably) not listed in Peary’s book — and then in 1962 by the series’ humorously off-beat final entry, The Road to Hong Kong.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Hope and Crosby, still going strong in their humorous rivalry
  • Creative opening credits
  • Memorable one-liners: Hope [greeting Sondergard under his breath]:

    “It’s tall, dark and cyanide!”

Must See?
No, though it’s an enjoyable enough entry in the series, and certainly must-see for diehard Road to… fans. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Road to Utopia (1946)

Road to Utopia (1946)

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“Are you sure they’re the right men? They don’t look like killers to me.”

Synopsis:
A pair of vaudeville performers (Bob Hope and Bing Crosby) traveling to Alaska impersonate a pair of fugitive killers named Sperry (Robert Barrat) and McGurk (Jack LaRue), and fall in love with a singer (Dorothy Lamour) determined to secure a coveted map stolen from her father.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Alaska
  • Bing Crosby Films
  • Bob Hope Films
  • Comedy
  • Dorothy Lamour Films
  • Flashback Films
  • Fugitives
  • Gold Seekers
  • Love Triangle
  • Mistaken Identities
  • Musicals
  • Rivalry

Review:
Although its predecessor (Road to Morocco) tends to get the bulk of the fame and glory of the Road to… series, I’ll admit to enjoying this next entry even a bit more. As noted by Mike Bracken in his Epinions review, at this point in the series’ history, the films’ essential plot elements — “Hope and Crosby wind up in a mess, meet Dorothy, compete for her, and sing a few songs along the way” — were already securely in place, thus allowing the comedic duo plenty of creative room to simply do what they did so well together (all while slyly breaking the fourth wall of cinema by commenting on the making of the film itself). Possessing a storyline just as silly as all the others in the series — with perhaps just a tad more narrative cohesion and logic — the primary enjoyment here lies in the series of running gags, most of which are quite amusing.

In an interesting twist, the film (structured as an extended flashback sequence) opens up by showing Lamour and Hope as an aging married couple, thus piquing audience interest immediately, given that Crosby was notoriously the “winner” time and again in their never-ending rivalry for Lamour’s affections. The suspense of how this unexpected pairing came about pays off in a remarkably risque denouement, which must be seen to be believed (seriously). I’m not voting this film “must see”, because I’ve already applied that designation to two other entries in the series, and film fanatics shouldn’t have to sit through more than that unless they choose to — but this one is certainly recommended if you’re at all a fan of Hope-and-Crosby’s silly, self-referential humor.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Hope and Crosby’s characteristically enjoyable rivalry and rapport
  • Fun meta-cinematic commentary
  • The astonishingly risque final shot

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended as one of the better films in the series — and should definitely be checked out simply for that last scene! Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Road to Morocco (1942)

Road to Morocco (1942)

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“This is the screwiest picture I was ever in.”

Synopsis:
A pair of castaways (Bob Hope and Bing Crosby) fall in love with an Arabian princess (Dorothy Lamour), whose jealous fiance (Anthony Quinn) is determined to keep her for himself.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Anthony Quinn Films
  • Bing Crosby Films
  • Bob Hope Films
  • Comedy
  • Dorothy Lamour Films
  • Love Triangle
  • Musicals
  • Rivalry
  • Royalty and Nobility

Review:
This third entry in the enormously popular Hope/Crosby Road to… series is acknowledged by many as one of the best of the bunch. As in Road to Zanzibar (1941), the storyline in …Morocco is ridiculous beyond belief, and not meant to evoke anything close to reality; instead, viewers should simply relax and enjoy the zany rapport between Hope and Crosby, whose complicated rivalry for beautiful Lamour reaches new heights here, and even includes an additional love interest for Hope (earnest Dona Drake). Interestingly, …Morocco has risen to the top of the series’ rankings over the years, earning a coveted invitation to the National Film Registry in 1996, and appearing on Premiere Magazine’s “50 Greatest Comedies of All Time”. To be honest, however, having recently rewatched the entire series, I find it simply on a par with several of the other Road to… titles, and am not sure it deserves to be particularly called out in this fashion. Nonetheless, it’s certainly a worthy and representative entry, and should probably be seen by all film fanatics simply for its historical notoriety.

Note: Road to Morocco is notable as the first film in the series with an entirely “original” screenplay, not based on another story.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Hope and Crosby’s effectively droll rapport together
  • Plenty of fun “meta-cinematic” humor and slyly self-referential jokes

Must See?
Yes, simply as another representative Road to… flick, acknowledged by many as one of the best. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Historically Relevant
  • Representative Film

Links:

Road to Zanzibar (1941)

Road to Zanzibar (1941)

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“If he’s a god, I’M Mickey Mouse!”

Synopsis:
A pair of con-artists (Bob Hope and Bing Crosby) flee to Zanzibar, where they are duped into buying a worthless deed for a diamond mine, romance an American con-girl (Dorothy Lamour), and are held captive by a tribe of natives.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Africa
  • Bing Crosby Films
  • Bob Hope Films
  • Comedy
  • Con-Artists
  • Dorothy Lamour Films
  • Fugitives
  • Love Triangle
  • Musicals
  • Rivalry

Review:
This second entry in the wildly successful Road To… Hope/Crosby adventure comedy series bumped the films up into the realm of pure silliness, and introduced their trademark self-referential humor. Much like the same year’s Hellzapoppin’ (1941), the actors in … Zanzibar brazenly break the “fourth wall” of cinema by commenting on the conventions of filmmaking itself — most memorably in the boat ride scene between Lamour and Crosby. Hope and Crosby continue to develop their snappy comedic rapport together, and are surrounded by a fine supporting cast. Eric Blore has a fun supporting role early on as the giddily unreliable seller of the bum deed, while Lamour is provided with a juicier, less submissive role this time around, and is ably supported by comedic sidekick Una Merkel. The storyline itself — essentially a satire of jungle flicks — is far too ridiculous to spend time analyzing; either you’ll give in and enjoy the silliness or you won’t. I’m recommending it as must-see for all film fanatics given that it’s a representative early example of this infamously zany series.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fun rapport between Crosby and Hope
  • Amusing “meta-cinematic” references
  • Fine supporting performances by Dorothy Lamour and Una Merkel

Must See?
Yes, as one of the best films in the Road To… series — and the first to really reveal the series’ comedic potential. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Representative Film

Links: