Book review - "We did okay, kid" by Anthony Hopkins

 Is Hopkins a great actor? He's been great - Silence of the Lambs, Howard's End - but  a lot of dreck. Hollywood thinks he's great - Hollywood is like that. It was Hollywood who kept his career going when he walked out of the National in the 1970s.

Hopkins always seemed like he had his head in the clouds. This confirms it. Internal. Quiet. A loud alcoholic.

The book livens up in some spots - being sledged by Paul Sorvino making Nixon, discussing his process in Silence of the Lambs. I wish there had been more of that. But I think he lives in Hopkins land. This is low on anecdotes and actors insights. 

Movie review - "Mister Scoutmaster" (1953) **

 Clifton Webb starts the movie giving money to scouts and married and his wife wants to adopt a kid, so already this film is less fun. They should have made this film about Belvedere hating kids and being forced to run the scouts, but instead he volunteers and the kids are a little energetic that's it.

There's a decent subplot about a lonely kid from a crap family - played by that kid who was in Gentemen Prefer Blondes. That works.

But they don't lean into the fun of Clifton Webb doing it. Anyone a little gruff could've played the role. 

Movie review - "Pink Flamingos" (1972) **

 Technically rough. Not much of a story. It dragged. Water got better at filmmaking later.Retains power to shock and offend - Divine gives her son oral sex (a scene cut when I first saw it), there is rape with chickens. 

It drags in places. Great showmanship. Remarkable collection of grotesques. Plenty of influences. Divine is a genuine star. Edith Massey has magic as does Mink Stole.

Movie review - "The Gambler from Natchez" (1954) ***

 Entertaining Southern about soldier-gambler Dale Robertson avenging the death of his dad. Good solid melodrama - his father was a gambler, he's helped by low class spit gire Debra Paget (similar to Cigarette from Under Two Flags ) and her dad Thomas Gomez (very fun) romances high class gal whose brother (Kevin McCarthy) is a cad. Slavery is almost entirely ignored though there are a few black characters. There's a duel at the end with swords and an earlier one with pistols.

Decent production values and novel setting - it does lack a really strong star. Dale Robertson isn't a Tyrone Power or Tony Curtis and the film needs it. 

Movie review - "The Jolson Story" (1946) ***1/2

 The film is hokey but it works. The colour, the enthusiasm, Larry Parks' energy - he's unremarkable in so many films but playing Jolson forces him to be more active. The movie completely works on its own terms.

Evelyn Keyes is alright - anyone could have played that role. William Demarest plays William Demarest. It hops along. There's a lot of blackface. A lot.

Movie review - "Let's Be Happy" (1957) **

 Random British musical which is very American in feel including director, Henry Levin and two stars, Vera Ellen and Tony Martin. They are talented but very much B list.

The story is weak. It's Cinderella only Vera Ellen isn't that poor or suffering and has no wicked step mothers or step sisters. She has no character. Neither does tony Martin - he sells washing machines and sings and is meant to be a play boy but that's it.

They should have kept Martin singing constantly and Vera Ellen dancing constantly.  

Book review - "Joan Crawford" by Scott Eyman (2025)

 Very good book. Eyman loves to step up when redeeming maligned figures. He's sympathetic to Joan but doesn't gloss over her negative qualities. Solid research. A few too many smart ass asides.