Desperate Hours, The (1955)

Desperate Hours, The (1955)

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“Yes, son — I’m afraid, and I’m not ashamed of it.”

Synopsis:
A trio of escaped convicts — ringleader Glenn Griffin (Humphrey Bogart), his conflicted younger brother (Dewey Martin), and a portly psychopath (Robert Middleton) — hole up in the home of Mr. Hilliard (Fredric March), his wife (Martha Scott), and their two children (Mary Murphy and Richard Eyer), threatening to kill them if they reveal their presence before the arrival of a package of money from Bogart’s girlfriend. While a local detective (Arthur Kennedy) works on the case of the escaped convicts’ location, Murphy’s boyfriend (Gig Young) grows increasingly suspicious that something isn’t right with his girlfriend.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Arthur Kennedy Films
  • Fredric March Films
  • Fugitives
  • Gig Young Films
  • Hostages
  • Humphrey Bogart Films
  • Play Adaptation
  • William Wyler Films

Review:
Adapted from the novel and Tony-winning play by Joseph Hayes (who based his story loosely on real-life events), this mostly-house-bound thriller remains a well-told cinematic outing, thanks to strong direction by Wyler, atmospheric b&w VistaVision cinematography by Lee Garmes, and a tension-filled script. A chilling interlude involving Middleton and a hapless garbage collector (Walter Baldwin) unlucky enough to stop by the Hilliards’ home on the wrong day shows us the stakes involved for the family: making a wrong move really could prove lethal. Watch for a randomly quirky moment, as a short-order cook laughs nervously at Young after Kennedy gives him his options: “You can hightail it out of here and maybe say a prayer, but nothing else – ya hear me? Nothing.”

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Strong direction by Wyler

  • Lee Garmes’ cinematography

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended as a taut, well-directed thriller.

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Amazing Colossal Man, The (1957)

Amazing Colossal Man, The (1957)

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“What sin could a man commit in a single lifetime to bring this about on himself?”

Synopsis:
A lieutenant (Glenn Langan) exposed to an atomic bomb test blast in Nevada begins growing enormous while acting increasingly mad, much to the distress of his concerned fiancee (Cathy Downs) and the doctor treating him (William Hudson).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Atomic Energy
  • Mutant Monsters
  • Science Fiction

Review:
Director Bert I. Gordon (“Mr. BIG”) is best known for his science fiction films about over-sized creatures: the same year he released Beginning of the End (1957) about giant atomic locusts on the prowl, he made this size-wise counterpart to The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), and later helmed the laughably silly Village of the Giants (1965). Certain elements of the script are either patronizingly pedantic (“Now, the reason for this is rather technical, Carol, but to give you a simplified layman’s explanation…”) and/or laughably nonsensical (“… since the heart is made up of a SINGLE cell for all practical purposes, instead of millions of cells like the rest of the organs of the body, it’s reacting in an entirely different manner.” — whaa??) The giant’s romp through Las Vegas is engaging — particularly the homage to King Kong as he looks inside a hotel room at a girl bathing and later picks up Carol (Downs); but the rest of the storyline is rather dull, with Langan simply lamenting his fate and mistreating everyone around him. With that said, those who enjoy mid-century flicks about atomic mutants will certainly want to check this one out.

P.S. What’s up with the TV newsman named “H. Wells”???

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Some effective lighting and special effects



Must See?
Nope; skip this one unless you’re curious.

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Big Street, The (1942)

Big Street, The (1942)

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“Love is something that gives you one room, two chins, and three kids.”

Synopsis:
With the help of his gambling friends, a hopelessly smitten busboy (Henry Fonda) cares for a narcissistic showgirl (Lucille Ball) after she’s paralyzed by her brutish boyfriend (Barton MacLane) in an accident. He arranges to push her in a wheelchair from New York to Florida to see her former suitor (William Orr) — but will Ball ever learn to appreciate the sacrifices Fonda is making?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Agnes Moorehead Films
  • Disabilities
  • Gangsters
  • Henry Fonda Films
  • Lucille Ball Films
  • Obsessive Love
  • Road Trip
  • Showgirls

Review:
Damon Runyon produced this dark fairy tale (based on his own short story “Little Pinks”) taking place in a unique milieu of kindly gamblers and gangsters with oddly articulate speech (as noted by the New York Times, “the weirdly named touts, gamblers, racketeers and hoodlums continue to distill an inordinate amount of homely humor from a too meticulous use of the English language”). There are plenty of Runyon-esque quirks to be had — including the presence of Agnes Moorehead as a competitive eater who meets her portly soulmate (Eugene Pallette) during the film’s opening sequences:

— but it’s challenging to feel much enthusiasm for hapless Fonda, whose blind adoration simply comes across as tragically misplaced gallantry. Ball’s character is intentionally bitchy, and despite her brutal accident, we don’t feel much sympathy for her until the very end:

In fact, as written, she’s a downright unpleasant character to spend time with. According to TCM’s article, Andy Warhol apparently referred to this as “the sickest film ever made”, and I suppose that case could be made — it’s easy to imagine John Waters turning this into an even darker and blacker “comedy”, starring Divine in the leading role.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Russell Metty’s cinematography

Must See?
No; I’d say this one is only must-see for Lucille Ball or Damon Runyon fans.

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Brain From Planet Arous, The (1957)

Brain From Planet Arous, The (1957)

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“You acted funny — and that way you kissed me…”

Synopsis:
When a nuclear physicist (John Agar) and his colleague (Robert Fuller) explore a sudden source of intense radiation at a cave near Mystery Mountain, Fuller is killed while Agar’s body is taken over by a nefarious disembodied alien brain named Gor. Concerned about Agar’s sudden aggressive change of character, Agar’s fiancee (Joyce Meadows) and her father (Thomas B. Henry) go to the cave to investigate, and meet a well-meaning brain named Vol who decides to inhabit their dog. Can Vol-as-dog prevent Gor-as-Agar from destroying Earth for the sake of his own ambitions?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aliens
  • Disembodied Parts
  • John Agar Films
  • Mad Doctors and Scientists
  • Mind Control and Hypnosis
  • Nuclear Threat
  • Science Fiction
  • World Domination

Review:
Nathan Juran — a.k.a. Nathan Hertz — directed a number of Peary-listed sci-fi and fantasy films throughout the 1950s and ’60s, including Hellcats of the Navy (1957), The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958), Jack the Giant Killer (1962), and First Men in the Moon (1964). This irresistably titled flick is sure to appeal to fans of its unique sub-genre — talking disembodied parts — and/or those interested in viewing all manifestations of The Red Scare through cinematic depictions of alien mind control and possession, such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and I Married a Monster From Outer Space (1958). On its own merits, TBFPA is ridiculous (of course) but competently enough made that it’s easy to sit through. As Agar is violently possessed by Gor, he suddenly experiences wild passion for his plucky fiancee, demented joy at his ability to take down planes through the power of his glowing eyes, and gleeful anticipation at the thought of world domination: there’s no mistaking the metaphor here of the danger humans face of being not-so-secretly taken over by nefarious forces eager to exploit our weaknesses.

Note: Juran’s work in Hollywood was multi-faceted: he won an award for Best Art Direction for How Green Was My Valley (1942) and was nominated for his work on The Razor’s Edge (1946).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • John Agar’s amusingly campy performance
  • Some clever directorial moves

Must See?
No, though it’s a hoot in its own way. Listed as a Camp Classic in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Dark Passage (1947)

Dark Passage (1947)

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“Was I insane to pick you up on the road? Was I insane to let you stay here?”

Synopsis:
A man (Humphrey Bogart) wrongly accused of murdering his wife escapes from prison and stays with a friend (Rory Mallinson) who is soon murdered, then seeks refuge with a wealthy young woman (Lauren Bacall) whose acquaintance (Agnes Moorehead) had testified against Bogart at his trial. After undergoing appearance-altering facial surgery, Bogart — in love with Bacall yet not wanting to place her in harm’s way — goes in search of his wife’s killer, but soon finds himself blackmailed by a scheming cabbie (Tom D’Andrea).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Agnes Moorehead Films
  • Delmer Daves Films
  • Falsely Accused
  • Fugitives
  • Humphrey Bogart Films
  • Lauren Bacall Films
  • Mistaken or Hidden Identities
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Romance

Review:
Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart’s third of four films together — after To Have and Have Not (1944) and The Big Sleep (1946) and before Key Largo (1948) — was this creatively filmed (the first third is shown from Bogart’s perspective, never revealing his face) but narratively disappointing thriller about a falsely accused fugitive whose luck fails him on every account except one: second-chance romance. Indeed, Bogie and Bacall’s onscreen chemistry is potent (Bacall literally has a glimmer in her eye when tearing up over him), but her character is underdeveloped and it’s challenging to believe in her enduring love for him both before and after his surgery. The obvious femme fatale in this noir is Moorehead, who refreshingly plays somewhat against type but meets a most ignoble fate during a silly and implausible plot twist. Other supporting performances are quirkily memorable as well, but most notable are the on-location settings in San Francisco, used to excellent effect — including during one harrowing scene as Bogart is presumedly leading his captor back to his hotel, but actually navigating the streets of Cisco like a pro.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Atmospheric cinematography

  • Effective use of San Francisco locales

  • Memorable supporting players

Must See?
No, though of course Bogie and Bacall fans will want to check it out.

Links:

Razor’s Edge, The (1946)

Razor’s Edge, The (1946)

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“I don’t think I’ll ever find peace until I make up my mind about things.”

Synopsis:
A writer (Herbert Marshall) recounts his experiences meeting a traumatized WWI pilot (Tyrone Power) returning home unready to settle down and marry his social-climbing girlfriend (Gene Tierney), who is patient for a while but eventually marries a wealthy man (John Payne) and has children. Years later, Power — now experiencing inner peace and a devotion to making the world better — takes pity on a family friend (Anne Baxter) who has become an alcoholic after the tragic loss of her husband and baby, and agrees to marry her — but Tierney, assisted by her wily uncle (Clifton Webb), won’t allow anyone else to have the man she still loves.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Anne Baxter Films
  • Character Studies
  • Clifton Webb Films
  • Edmund Goulding Films
  • Elsa Lanchester Films
  • Gene Tierney Films
  • Herbert Marshall Films
  • John Payne Films
  • Tyrone Power Films
  • Veterans

Review:
Released just two years after the publication of W. Somerset Maugham’s novel of the same name, this cinematic adaptation was likely of greater interest to current audiences than it will be to modern film fanatics. While Power’s quest for deeper meaning in a world seemingly obsessed with class and materialism continues to resonate:

… the package it’s presented in doesn’t satisfy. Tierney’s character is particularly poorly written: she comes across as slightly shallow but relatively sympathetic during the opening scenes:

… then suddenly becomes an obsessively jealous psychopath after choosing to marry Payne (a nice guy).

Perhaps there’s more insight about her in the novel, but this extreme shift doesn’t play well, and her treatment of Baxter is simply egregious (one is instantly reminded of her role the year before in Leave Her to Heaven, which apparently she was channeling here).

Also less-than-convincing is the obvious use of studio sets when Power visits India. This film remains mildly noteworthy for presaging the influence eastern spirituality would have on American youth in the 1950s and ’60s, but otherwise hasn’t held up particularly well.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • An at-times intriguing look at man’s spiritual search for meaning

Must See?
No; feel free to skip this one. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Fugitive Kind, The (1960)

Fugitive Kind, The (1960)

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“I’m not tired — I’m just fed up.”

Synopsis:
A drifter-guitarist (Marlon Brando) hoping to leave his wild life behind settles for a job as a clerk at a store owned by an ailing bigot (Victor Jory) and his long-suffering wife (Anna Magnani). Meanwhile, a troubled girl (Joanne Woodward) who’s unwelcome in the small town tries to seduce Brando, but he won’t be lured by any woman — at least not at first.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Anna Magnani Films
  • Deep South
  • Joanne Woodward Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Marlon Brando Films
  • Sidney Lumet Films
  • Tennessee Williams Films

Review:
Sidney Lumet’s adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play Orpheus Descending — itself a remake of Williams’ unproduced Battle of Angels (1940) — is an intriguing entry in Marlon Brando’s screen career, marking what many consider to be the start of his decline, but still showing ample evidence of his charisma. It’s easy to see why the symbol-laden storyline (drenched in both Greek mythology and Christianity) was a challenging one for Williams to “get right” (and get made) — but it more or less works, given the ample star power on display, atmospheric sets and cinematography, and Williams’ unique feeling for outsiders. This one will primarily be of interest to fans of any of the three leads — and/or Lumet or Williams — and is certainly worth a look; but other film fanatics needn’t consider it must-see.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Marlon Brando as ‘Snakeskin’
  • Anna Magnani as Lady
  • Joanne Woodward as Carol
  • Notable supporting performances

  • Boris Kaufman’s cinematography

Must See?
No, but it’s certainly worth a one-time look.

Links:

Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946)

Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946)

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“Last year it was ‘Kill Japs’ and this year it’s ‘Make money’.”

Synopsis:
Three veterans (Fredric March, Dana Andrews, and Harold Russell) find their return home from World War II more challenging than expected. While March’s wife (Myrna Loy) is patient and loyal, his two children (Teresa Wright and Michael Hall) are now grown, and he is frustrated by his work for a bank that doesn’t sufficiently honor servicemen. Andrews — who struggles to find meaningful employment — learns that his war-time bride (Virginia Mayo) is more concerned about partying than settling down, and develops a growing crush on Wright. Meanwhile, Russell — who lost both hands during the war — suffers deep insecurity about the love and acceptance of his kind girlfriend (Cathy O’Donnell).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Dana Andrews Films
  • Disabilities
  • Fredric March Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Myrna Loy Films
  • Small Town America
  • Teresa Wright Films
  • Veterans
  • Virginia Mayo Films
  • William Wyler Films
  • World War Two

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that the subject matter of this “superlative Americana” — about “three returning war veterans… who have troubles readjusting to home lives, love lives, and work situations” — is “still extremely relevant”. (Indeed, writing this response review 32 years after the publication of GFTFF, it remains more so than ever.) He notes that “Robert Sherwood’s excellent, Oscar-winning script (adapted from [war correspondent] MacKinlay Kantor’s Glory for Me) was brutally frank for its time, perceptive and extremely poignant”: while “it is sympathetic towards its characters rather than being overly sentimental”, Peary advises viewers to “keep a supply of tissues on hand”. He points out that the film “is honest enough to show that even war heroes who are welcomed home with open arms will have to make an effort to achieve any degree of happiness in postwar America”, and concludes his review by stating that this Best Picture Oscar winner — which Peary nonetheless boots to the curb in his Alternate Oscars, giving the award to It’s a Wonderful Life instead — was “probably the best film of [Wyler’s] distinguished career”.

As Peary notes, the “entire cast is splendid”: “non-actor Russell was voted Best Supporting Actor”, while “March won Best Actor Oscar” for his performance — and while Peary opts for Jimmy Stewart’s leading role in It’s a Wonderful Life instead, he does note in Alternate Oscars that March was, “as usual”, a “strong, commanding presence” while also displaying tenderness and revealing “insecurities rarely evident in his earlier films”. Peary points out that “Loy, further establishing her ‘perfect wife’ image, deserved an Oscar as well, but didn’t even get a nomination”. Finally, in GFTFF, Peary details several memorable scenes among many from the movie — including the tear-jerking “reunion scene” between Loy and March; Andrews “walking through an airplane graveyard”; “handicapped Russell allowing his sweet, loyal girlfriend… to take off his metal arm attachment and put him to bed”; and “March and Loy telling their grown daughter, Teresa Wright, that their relationship hasn’t been as easy as she assumed”. I’m also especially fond of the wonderfully prolonged homecoming scene opening the film, which effectively highlights both the reticence and hope felt by these men as they returned to the land and people they risked their lives to defend.

Note: Be sure to check out the short documentary film — “Diary of a Sergeant” — that inspired Wyler to cast Russell.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fine performances across the board

  • Wyler’s strong direction

  • Gregg Toland’s cinematography

  • Many powerfully affecting scenes

Must See?
Yes, as an enduring and deserved classic.

Categories

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

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Go Tell the Spartans (1978)

Go Tell the Spartans (1978)

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“He was a dink! I’m sick and tired of the goddamned, fish-stinkin’ dinks!”

Synopsis:
During the early years of the Vietnam War, a battle-weary major (Burt Lancaster) and his officer (Marc Singer) at a poorly manned outpost send a group of men — including promotion-hungry Lieutenant Hamilton (Joe Unger), burnt-out Sergeant Oleonowski (Jonathan Goldsmith), drug-addicted medic Corporal Abraham Lincoln (Dennis Howard), demolitions expert Corporal Courcey (Craig Wasson), communications expert Corporal Ackley (John Megna), and a half-Vietnamese translator named Cowboy (Evan Kim), in addition to mercernaries and South Vietnamese troops — to garrison the deserted hamlet of Muc Wa; but their journey is haunted by the ghosts of massacred French soldiers from an earlier conflict.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Burt Lancester Films
  • Soldiers
  • Vietnam War

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that “the best Vietnam War film” in 1978 — directed in a “surprisingly assured” manner by Ted Post, best known for his work on Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) and the wacky cult-camp classic The Baby (1973) — “was overlooked because of the highly publicized The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, and Coming Home.” He notes that this “convincing look at the war in 1964, before it escalated to mammoth proportions”, effectively shows the “sadistic, racist attitude” of some soldiers, as well as “the suicidal bent of some of the vets”. Based on a 1967 novel by correspondent Daniel Ford called Incident at Muc Wa — and made ten years after John Wayne’s now laughably-dated The Green Berets (1968) — Go Tell the Spartans nonetheless feels like it’s from an earlier cinematic era, likely due to its low budget (the U.S. Army refused to provide monetary assistance unless significant changes were made to the script; thankfully, Burt Lancaster found it brilliant and fronted his own money). Unlike The Green Berets, … Spartans — which Peary refers to as “brutal and uncompromising” — has held up quite well; I’m not surprised by its minor cult status. Special kudos go to Dick Halligan for his memorably haunting score (which will linger in your head weeks later), and to Wendell Mayes’ sharp screenplay, which, despite taking “seven years to sell”, features “strong and realistic” dialogue as well as believable characters.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A well-acted, no-holds-barred look at the insanity of war


Must See?
Yes, as a fine early depiction of the Vietnam War. Nominated by Peary as one of the Best Pictures of the Year in his Alternate Oscars.

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Green Berets, The (1968)

Green Berets, The (1968)

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“Out here, due process is a bullet!”

Synopsis:
A cynical reporter (David Janssen) follows Colonel Kirby (John Wayne) to a post in Vietnam, where Kirby’s special forces troop — including a captain (Edward Faulkner), a supplies specialist (Jim Hutton) who has befriended a young war orphan (Craig Jue), a master sergeant (Aldo Ray), and a medical sergeant (Raymond St. Jacques) — join forces with an ARVN captain (George Takei) to capture a high-level Viet Cong officer.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aldo Ray Films
  • Jim Hutton Films
  • John Wayne Films
  • Soldiers
  • Vietnam War

Review:
After a trip to South Vietnam in 1966, John Wayne — who was a staunch supporter of America’s involvement in the war — decided to produce a film about our special forces’ efforts there, and ended up co-directing and starring in this earnest yet dated and politically lopsided flick, based on the best-selling novel by Robin Moore. In a post-Vietnam era, the platitudinous dialogue is simply ripe for satirizing, as evidenced by this exchange:

Colonel Morgan (Bruce Cabot) [referring to Irene Tsu]: Her name is Lin. Her father was chief of the Han Phou provence.
Colonel Cai (Jack Soo): Until he refused to cooperate with the Viet Cong.
Colonel Kirby: So, they killed him.
Colonel Cai: They murdered him and her little brother in the most hideous way.
Colonel Kirby: That’s their style.

As seen in this overview of films made about the Vietnam War, The Green Berets was one of the earliest, and (perhaps appropriately) reflects the naivete and ignorance of Americans at the time. It wasn’t until ten years later, after the conflict had officially ended, that movies were finally released which showed a more nuanced perspective.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Fine cinematography

Must See?
No. Listed as a Camp Classic in the back of Peary’s book.

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