Movie review – “Suzy” (1936) **

Ridiculous Jean Harlow movie – a typical MGM mixture of melodrama and gags, with some war stuff thrown in. Our hero plays an American showgirl in London prior to World War One determined to marry a rich husband, as many Harlow heroines do; she falls in love with an Irish inventor (Franchot Tone in an unconvincing brogue), who gets shot by a spy on their wedding day. Then she falls for a French flyer (Cary Grant, with fortunately no accent), wins over his father (Lewis Stone) (Harlow films often had in-laws disapproving of her), is cuckolded by him, discovers Tone is still alive (and is best friends with Grant), busts a spy ring, helps win the war.

 It gets sillier and sillier and not even the considerable star power of the lead trio can save the day. Some of the Grant-Harlow scenes have charm; the Tone-Harlow stuff might have worked if not for his ridiculous accent. It's of historical interest; Harlow talks about the importance of the people of France not thinking Grant was a clown - shades of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Dark Knight. Dorothy Parker worked on the script and apparently some of the aerial footage was from Hell's Angels, which launched Harlow's career.

Radio review – BP#1 – “Winterset” (1952) **

A once-renowned play which isn’t well done these days but made an impression on debut in 1935 and was the first work for the Best Plays radio show. It’s from Maxwell Anderson, who drew attention by writing in verse (i.e. poetic, non realist style). Burgess Meredith plays a man determined to prove his father’s innocence – there are gangsters, corrupt judges, sisters of gangsters, stoolies. Maureen Stapleton plays the girl Meredith fell in love with. I found it a little hard to follow purely on ear. A play more interesting than enjoyable. Meredith and Stapleton both have excellent voices.

Movie review – “Daybreakers” (2009) **1/2

A disappointment at the local box office and after seeing it I’m not surprised. It’s not a bad movie, not by a long shot, but it doesn’t quite work. I was watching it trying to figure out why. It looks amazing, being beautifully shot with wonderful production design, the basic idea is clever, there’s some funny satire, an excellent cast – but it just doesn’t come alive (if one pardons the pun). Good vampire films have a tremendous emotional pull but it’s lacking here, even though it deals with the survival of the human race. This is a personal opinion of course, others might love it, but it’s how I felt.

Maybe the main problem was Ethan Hawke’s lead character – who really cares about an uncle Tom vampire scientist who is sympathetic to humans? I found Isobel Lucas’ character far more interesting – a human who refused to turn despite entreaties from her father (Sam Neill), even if it meant her death. But there’s too little of her. Claudia Karvan’s character might have been interesting too if she’d been given something to play but she isn’t – her relationship with Hawke is fatally under-developed. Come to think of it, the existence of Willem Defoe’s former vampire character negates a lot of the reason for Hawke’s character to exist. It’s as though the film should have been about Isabel Lucas, falling for Willem Defoe, with Ethan Hawke as a macguffin. Also, vampirism is cured awfully easily here. Wouldn’t someone have figured out this method by now?

Hawke's performance is dull, as his acting tends to be; the Aussies are better (especially Michael Dorman as a vampire soldier), and Defoe is good. It looks wonderful.

Movie review – “Bad Teacher” (2011) **

All the ingredients for a knock out film – terrific idea, wonderful cast – but they stuff the execution. The macguffin of having Cameron Diaz want to raise up enough for fake boobs sounds funny, but doesn’t really hold up – will they definitely work to get her a rich man? What if she doesn’t get them, what will happen? 

 

The action is dragged out too long, not enough time is given to her relationship with Jason Segel, or to show how she could be a good influence on students (this is no School of Rock), there seems to be a scene missing in her seduction with Justin Timberlake (one minute they are talking the next they are dry humping), the villain is actually just a good teacher, there’s this weird scene set in the men’s room (it’s a badly directed movie – the pacing is all off). 

 

Diaz is excellent, Segel very good, Lucy Punch (nemesis) impresses, but Justin Timberlake is allowed to go over the top and caricature himself. A real shame.

Movie review – “Reckless” (1935) **

MGM gave Jean Harlow her greatest vehicles but they could often be guilty of bad taste as well – years after Harlow’s husband killed herself causing a scandal she was cast in a film playing a star (of stage) whose husband kills himself causing a scandal. It’s actually more based on the Libby Holman saga – she married a tobacco heir who died via gunshot; it was thought to be murder then ruled a suicide. Here Franchot Tone plays the rich kid – charming but unhappy and a boozer – with William Powell as an old PR pal who loves Harlow. 

 

That’s a serious sounding story and it’s done dramatically – but spiced up with wisecracks and comic support characters, an odd mixture of screwball and drama, same as done for The Girl from Missouri. It's a shame thing it was treated seriously at all - satire would have been more enjoyable. But no, Tone blows his brains out, Harlow has his baby, the crowd boo her comeback but she talks them around (an utterly unconvincing sequence). Harlow mimes some songs and does a few dances - poorly. She and Powell work well together - but does Powell have to perform the majority of his scenes as if he's drunk? Tone offers excellent support.

Script review – “Deconstructing Harry” by Woody Allen

A real curio from Allen: at times it feels like he cobbled it together from left over bits out of other scripts, or sketches he never used – it’s mostly a collection of a lot of incidents (I recognised one gag, getting an elevator down to Hell, from an original Annie Hall script). It’s also more bawdy and vulgar than his usual work: harsh swear words, sex scenes. The lead character is darker than Woody’s normal type – while he has the usual concerns about work, sex, aging, and health, doesn’t like marijuana, and sleeps with hookers, he’s also a pill popping alcoholic (something Woody didn’t normally play). It’s totally a role that Woody didn’t have to do himself (indeed I remember it being a little odd seeing him talk about what a boozer he was on screen because he normally played characters who weren’t) and a shame that Elliot Gould never got a go to play it.

Some of it feels like left over Hannah and Her Sisters (man cheats on his wife with his wife’s sister, man has affair with adoring student who leaves him for another old man because he’s too cold, person writes material based on family which causes stress). But it's often hilarious (eg actor who is out of focus), the pieces are thematically unified, the central characterisation is strong... it formed the basis of what would be Allen's last decent film in a long time.

It's also fascinating to imagine how autobiographical this is at this particular point in his life: the self-loathing, a pushy wife who he cheated on and sent crazy, obsession with sex, falling for a much younger woman, an out of control life.

Movie review – “Just Go With It” (2011) ****

A real charmer – sweet, well made, and full of heart – as good Adam Sandler films can be, come to think of it. Like the best of them, there are some attractive locations and women, a real sense of family with a strong ensemble cast, excessive comedy turns which jar but nonetheless are funny. 

 

It helps the basic story is strong, coming from Cactus Flower. This was a hit on Broadway because the predominantly middle aged audience liked to see a story where a middle aged man realised he was happier with someone his own age than some young piece of tail. It’s a great commercial idea, and just as the play cast glamorous Lauren Bacall as the elder girl, here it’s Jennifer Aniston.

 

Aniston and Sandler have wonderful chemistry, and his new love interest is played by the stunning Brooklyn Decker – who comes across as a lovely person. Dan Patrick plays the Rob Schneider role of a broad best friend, there are some young kids who are funny, lots of good jokes and appeal. Maybe four stars is too high but it's been a long time since I enjoyed a romantic comedy this much.

Movie review – “The Big Mouth” (1967) **

This has a decent central idea – mild mannered accountant Jerry Lewis is a dead ringer for a gangster – but they make some errors i.e. having the gangster dead at the beginning, thereby robbing the plot of possible complications, and denying Jerry the chance to do some comedy. As if to compensate they get him to go into hiding by donning disguises, one as a nutty professor type scientist (good to see again but no real point in the story) and a Japanese kabuki. The macguffin is some diamonds.

There’s one or two laughs, such as gangsters having a break down when they see their former dead boss. But on the whole this is poor – it’s an ugly looking film, not very well thought out, the female lead is dull. Not appalling, just very mediocre - a waste of a strong concept.

Movie review – “Dark Journey” (1937) **

Vivien Leigh would have made a terrific wartime spy – so gorgeous, captivating and a good actor – so she’s well cast as a double agent during World War One. This was her first lead role (she’d recently impressed in Fire Over England) and the charisma is already there, although she is a bit awkward and inexperienced, and I never quite bought it that she and Conrad Veit were into each other. He’s a spy for the Germans and they duel in Stockholm and Switzerland. It’s a complicated plot when it might have been better going for the emotion of the central conception – spies in love is a great idea but underdeveloped. There’s also a lack of thrills and suspense. I did enjoy the unshowy finale on a ship with the wind blowing and guns going off – very British action movie, if that makes sense.

Movie review – “Way… Way Out” (1967) **1/2

Jerry Lewis once played a Visitor from a Small Planet – here he’s an astronaut from Earth headed to the moon thirty years in the future. For most of this running time it’s a sort of sex comedy – he is sent up there as an experiment to have a married couple live up there in order to replace two male astronauts who’ve gone crazy. Only problem is, he doesn’t have a girlfriend – he eventually hooks up with Connie Stevens, who agrees to go along to with it so she can go on a mission but won’t sleep with him. While they are up on the moon they encounter some sex mad Russians (including Anita Ekberg) who sleep together even though they’re not married; Stevens gets jealous over Ekberg, etc, etc.

Stevens and Ekberg had been in Jerry Lewis films before to great effect so it’s good to see them again; Ekberg is sexy as ever and Stevens quite funny – even if she doesn’t have as distinct a character to play as in Rock a Bye Baby, she’s got a batty quality which works well with Lewis.

I enjoyed this movie more than I thought. It’s a bit of a mess and the humour tends to smut more than sexiness but always throws up something different: Jerry’s son sings the title song, Robert Morley is head of the space program, Brian Keith making a cameo as a general, the fact half of it is set on a space station on the moon gives it a different sort of atmosphere (more isolated). Some very funny bits like the two astronauts going mad, all the astronauts getting drunk on vodka, the pot shots at the military (who are sent up mercilessly), the race for the “moon baby”.

Radio review –BBC – “She” (2006) ***

Solid two-part production of the famous H Rider Haggard story with some decent acting, including Tim McInnerny as Holly. Job comes across a lot more reasonable here than he does on the page (pointing out being civilised doesn't mean you're not cruel and mean). I was struck what a whimp Leo was - he doesn't realise his attractiveness, never takes advantage of it, can't intervene to save Ustane. It doesn't quite get the atmosphere of the country where they live, but at least gives attention to the Holly-She relationship (his ugliness, attraction to She and rivalry with Leo) which always seems to be discounted in film adaptations.

Radio review – BBC – “Oleanna” (2001) ***

Strong version of David Mamet’s famously controversial play. As a drama, it works – three acts (initial meeting, the complaint has been launched, the guy has been fired and the woman works for "her Group"), two opposing characters, forceful argument, different and vivid dialogue. In terms of political correctness, for lack of a better word, it’s a failure – although the guy is smug and a bit creepy, there’s no doubt the girl has over-reacted and in some cases lied (eg about the rape). Worth listening to/watching/reading, just keep in mind Mamet doesn't do women very well. The bitches are after you, Dave!

Movie review – “Three on a Couch” (1966) **

Jerry Lewis’ first ever movie outside Paramount – he signed a deal with Columbia – and his first one in a while where he’s not credited on the screenplay, although he is the director. This has one of the most idiotic set ups Jerry ever had: he’s engaged to a shrink (Janet Leigh) and wants to move to Paris for a a (he’s an artist who won a competition) but she can’t because she’s afraid of leaving her patients – especially three women who all have trouble relating to men. So Jerry pretends to be each woman’s ideal man, have them fall in love with him, “cure them”… so Janet can go.

The amount of ways this is a dud plot is amazing – Janet Leigh breaches confidentiality, it has low stakes (he’s only going to France temporarily), it involves him cheating on Janet Leigh (basically), it’s not vaguely believable the problems of her patients are the same. There’s nothing wrong with the idea of Jerry playing multiple roles and trying to get women to fall in love with him – that’s funny. It’s got good complication and logically builds up to a finale with Jerry running around trying not to get busted. It worked in Boeing Boeing. But the set up to get there is lousy.

They don’t help by giving this big role to James Best as a friend of Leigh and Lewis’ who tells Leigh she’s not a whole woman if she’s obsessed with work, and who suggests the plan to Jerry. It’s a real shame because there’s some hilarious stuff here - Jerry in drag being a southern lady is brilliant. And Gila Golan, Leslie Parish and Mary Ann Mobley are pretty as the girls. But script does matter, even for Jerry Lewis.

Movie review - “Hold Your Man” (1933) **1/2

The Production Code was beginning to have it’s influence felt by this stage, but not immediately – for instance when he first see Jean Harlow she’s naked in a bathtub and we see her bare back and a glimpse of boob; her first scene with Clark Gable is done with her in a flimsy nighty; they clearly have pre-martial sex. She’s a con artist and so is he (the opening scene features the gambit used in the first scene of The Sting), and they're both clearly into each other, so they strike up a rapport.

 

This starts off bright and cheery - Anita Loos worked on the script - but as the film goes on it gets more serious and less fun - Gable accidentally kills a guy he punches out, Harlow winds up in girl gaol, they get married. Some interesting sociological aspects: the lead duo are married by a black minister, one of Harlow's fellow inmates is an outspoken communist.

Movie review – “Taxi Driver” (1976) ***1/2

I felt this isn’t as good as it’s reputation today – but then that’s been influenced by many factors: the iconic image of Robert de Niro walking down the streets, the “you talking to me” bit, de Niro in a Mohawk, the fact it inspired a real life presidential assassination, the dynamic violence at the end. Watching it all the way through I got a bit bored and sleepy in places – this may have been intentional since Martin Scorsese has said he wanted to recreate a dream-like state with the film.

This had its origin with Paul Schrader, who came up with a terrific character, moments and finale, but it’s an odd sort of script. It goes in one direction – de Niro pursuing Cybill Shepherd, being rejected by her, and wanting to kill the Senator… then half way through changes gears and he meets Jodie Foster and wants to save her. The male characters are vivid, the female characters less so, although Foster's performance is superb and I just bought Shepherd agreeing to go to a porn movie with de Niro.

I was struck how little violence is in it - a brief shooting (of the mugger) and the shoot out at the end. But throughout is an atmosphere of seediness, filth and dirt: dingy apartments, unclean cabs, porn theatres, broken streets. Not exactly a fun night out.

Radio review – TG – “You Can’t Take It With You” (1946) ***

The Kaufman Hart play hit a major chord with theatre goers in the 30s (and with filmgoers the same decade), with audiences attracted to its combination of family warmth, anti-materialism and isolationism. I’ve never been as great an admirer – it’s got some funny, “zany” stuff, but I guess my practicality gene kicked in. It’s alright for Grandpa to bludge, he’s got a rental income coming in. And why shouldn’t he pay tax? Where does he get water from? And roads, police.. not to mention protection from the Nazis (who are mentioned here so it’s clearly been updated to the present day). It’s a good adaptation of the play, with some of the original stage cast such as Josephine Hull reprising their roles but no big film names.

Movie review – “The Ghost Writer” (2009) *** (warning: spoilers)

Decent conspiracy thriller with Pierce Brosnan perfect as a Tony Blair style PM, ditto Olivia Stewart as his wife. Ewan McGregor is pretty good too as the hack hired to ghost write his autobiography, and I’m glad to see Kim Cattrall got a strong part in a decent film. It’s not hard to see this as Roman Polanski’s dig at the Yanks. I totally bought that the British PM was CIA agent – I wouldn’t be shocked if they recruit in Australia, too. (It’s a clever use of resources.) The thing is, they often don’t have to bother. Beautifully creepy wind-swept locations. It does go on a bit long.

Movie review – “Dinner at Eight” (1933) ****1/2 (warning: spoilers)

MGM at its pinnacle – an all-star adaptation of a Broadway hit, produced by the boss’ son in law (David O Selznick), directed by George Cukor, a Kaufman-Ferber play adapted by Frances Marion and Herman Mankiewicz. 

 

This is really wonderful, a lot better than I remembered. It’s slightly happier than the original play – for instance tycoon Wallace Beery decides not to take over Barrymore’s shipping line – but is still quite dark: John Barrymore still kills himself; Lionel Barrymore is still going to die in a few years because of his heart; his daughter (Madge Evans, who I’d never heard of, is quite good) has to marry a man she doesn’t really love; it’s clear that married Jean Harlow and engaged Madge Evans are sleeping with men they’re not supposed to (doctor Edmund Lowe and John Barrymore).

 

Some feel that Marie Dressler gives the best performance, but I found she mugged a little. The Barrymore brothers are touching in their different roles, Billie Burke is funny (especially when she moans as if she has all the problems in the world, unaware what is going on around her), and Beery and Harlow are brilliantly hilarious together as a married couple – Beery the uncouth tycoon, smart about business but clueless about his wife; Harlow his trashy wife, who bullies the maid, puts on a cutesy voices, and is banging her doctor. May Robson, as a maid enlisted to being a dinner guest, feels tacked on, and I don’t think we needed to actually see any scenes at the dinner itself – it would have been just as effective being all lead up. Wonderful final line (not in the play incidentally).

Radio review – Lux – “Disputed Passage” (1945) **

Undistinguished medical drama full of the usual characters – idealistic medical student; gruff but brilliant teacher only gruff because his fiancée died; love interest for medical student who is worried about affecting his career. It does have an interesting cast: Alan Ladd as a doctor, a rare tough guy role (he also played a doctor in And Now Tomorrow), Akim Tamaroff as his teacher, and Australia’s own Ann Richards (formerly Shirley Ann Richards) as the love interest, an American girl raised by the Chinese. The intro describes her as Australia’s most popular radio actor which wasn’t exactly true but she was probably our most popular screen star so that’s not too much of a lie. At the end they talk about her emerging stardom thanks to Love Letters. Didn’t quite pan out that way.

Radio review – TGA – “They Knew What They Wanted” (1946) ***

John Garfield lends some Hollywood glamour to his adaptation of Sidney Howard’s play, which was recorded in San Francisco, not far from where it was set. The story of an elderly vineyard owner who attracts a mail order bride using a photo of his more handsome, younger worker has been much copied over the years (eg Love’s Brother) – but then I guess Howard was copying Cyrano de Bergerac. The deception is soon unravelled, at the end of Act One. Act Two has the old guy have a convenient accident, meaning the young guy and girl fall in love - well, lead up to them having sex. Act Three is a pregnancy and fall out. I wasn't sure exactly how it ended, who she went off as. For all that, a decent melodrama.

Movie review – “Horror Express” (1972) ***

A marvellous setting for a horror movie – the trans-Siberian express in 1906. Christopher Lee has just led an expedition to China and obtained a mysterious frozen creature. While on board he runs into some dubbed actors, a Rasputin like figure and Peter Cushing. The creature turns into The Thing, taking over various humans. There are zombies, countesses and Americans. 

 

This is a little gem – perhaps not as good as its reputation in some quarters, but I think that came about because of fans who caught it late at night on TV, where overall standards tend to be low. Cushing and Lee are always fun together - I love the bit where they get indignant to suggestions they're the monster because "We're British". An equally big part goes to some actor who plays a local police inspector - but the best performance goes to Telly Savalas, who is terrific as a nasty Cossack who comes on board the train during the last twenty minutes. 

 

The film's Spanish origins are betrayed in the spaghetti western-like theme music and dubbed voices.

Movie review – “The Goddess” (1958) ***

Paddy Chayefsky was one of the hottest writers in the biz in the late 50s so his original screenplay for Columbia was eagerly anticipated, especially as it rumoured the lead character was based on Marilyn Monroe. 

The result is a flawed film. 

Part of the reason is Kim Stanley’s casting – she has excellent moments but is far too old, especially when playing a high school student. Also – and I know this is a purely personal opinion – but she doesn’t have the charisma or sex appeal of Monroe. Stanley has a great reputation as a Broadway star and as an actor during the Golden Years of Television, and she’s clearly a brilliant talent. But sometimes that’s not enough – I didn’t buy her as a sex bomb. It’s just not the looks, it’s the aura (however many lovers Stanley had in real life). Also her Southern accent got grating after a while. (Apparently they offered the part to Monroe herself and she was keen to do it but Arthur Miller nixed it.)

Chayefsky may have written this for the screen but it comes across as a filmed play – specifically one by Eugene O’Neill. (There are even headings for each act.) He ducks against his previous naturalism – there are long monologues by actors. Indeed each scene basically centers around a monologue: mum complains about having a kid; Stanley talks in a car while on a date about her family and hopes and dreams; Stanley falls for the drunken son of a silent film actor (Law and Order DA Steven Hill); Hill talks about his past; Stanley talks about her boyfriend ball player (Lloyd Bridges); Bridges talks about his family; Stanley has a breakdown. Occasionally Chayefsky spices things up with a dialogue eg Stanley and Hill – it’s a shame there wasn’t more.

There’s some wonderful writing and remarkable sequences especially Stanley yelling she wants to die at her mother’s funeral. Not a lot of laughs, though – even when Stanley become the biggest star in Hollywood she doesn’t have any fun, or even nice clothes. A lot of key incidents happen off screen eg Stanley becoming famous, attempting suicide, breakdown of her marriage with Hill – that’s not necessarily a criticism, more an observation. 

It's annoying how Steven Hill's character - established as a morose, suicidal drunk - comes back all reformed because of having a child; I didn't buy that, or his air of superiority. The film doesn't quite work, and should have been done as a play - or with a different lead - but it's worth watching; essential if you're a fan of Chayefsky.

Movie review – “Baby Face” (1933) ***1/2

“You must use men not let them use you… be strong… exploit yourself…. Use men to get the things you want”. These words are said by an old man (quoting Nietzsche) to inspire Barbra Stanwyck, young and beautiful but old beyond her years already, to go make money.

It’s a remarkable scene in an amazing film – amazing mostly because it’s 1933 and Stanwyck sleeps with four guys within the first twenty five minutes: a guy she wants to persuade not report her for riding a train; an old guy at work; her boss; the father of her boss’ fiancé. Later on she finds true love courtesy of George Brent, but she originally only marries him for his money.

 

She drives him to suicide (she drivers another lover to suicide and murder) when she won’t lend him money that she’s gathered over the years – fair enough says I – he’s not a good shot though so there’s a chance he’ll live on, with Barbra having realised that money isn’t anything. That’s not really punishment for her sins – a year or two later and she’d have to be killed or wind up in prison; here she winds up rich, albeit with possibly dead husband.

There are other good things about this film apart from it’s pre Code attitudes to sex – Stanwyck gives a strong performance, John Wayne makes an early appearance (as a co-worker of Stanwyck’s – one of the few guys she knocks back), Stanwyck has a relationship with a black friend which has an easier camaraderie than we normally saw (although said friend still only becomes a maid when Stanwyck makes it), the acting is solid and the handling brisk, it doesn’t go for much longer than 70 minutes. It is a bit repetitive (another guy, another suicide).

Movie review – “Blackbeard the Pirate” (1952) **

Edward Teach was one of the most colourful pirates of them all – even after present day history revisionism (“he wasn’t that bad”) he still stands out. It’s not surprising RKO plumped for Robert Newton to play the legendary buccaneer after his success as Long John Silver in Treasure Island. He doesn’t bother to vary his performance, throwing in plenty of eye rolling, “aye”s and “arrrr”s as he wrecks havoc.

The hero is some bland Ken Doll called Ken Andes, playing Maynard – the name of the guy who in real life actually did kill Blackbeard in a duel. The film deals with a rivalry between Blackbeard and Henry Morgan (Torin Thatcher), with Andes going undercover with Blackbeard to bust Morgan. There’s a lot of running around looking for treasure and people being suspicious of each other.

Raoul Walsh directed but he seems to be having an off day because it’s very slack and dull. Other people who are normally good too like Linda Darnell (feisty woman who escapes on Blackbeard’s boat) and William Bendix (dopey first mate) come across as flat. Andes is dull, easily outshone by Richard Egan, then at the beginning of his career, playing a fellow agent – and Egan isn't that great. Best performance is from the old female pirate.

There’s the odd good moment – Andes operating on Newton’s throat and getting a note “kill him”, the finale with Blackbeard buried up to his neck in the sand as the tide came in (the real Blackbeard has a genuinely spectacular demise. But not enough.

Movie review – “Boeing Boeing” (1965) ***1/2

An attempt to vary the Jerry Lewis formula, by teaming him with another big star for the first time since Hollywood or Bust (Tony Curtis), and basing it on a hit source material (a play) for the first time since Visit to a Small Planet. Producer Hal Wallis also threw in a top writer (Edward Anhalt) and support cast (Thelma Ritter) although the director (Jack Rich) was a newby, mostly with TV credits.

It wasn’t a hit, for two reasons, I think: firstly Americans have never been as partial to farces as the British or French (Boeing Boeing has been a hit on stage pretty much everywhere but flopped on Broadway in the 60s). Secondly Lewis was probably playing too different a role from his persona. His character is a confident, womanising newspaper reporter, who double crosses Curtis in an attempt to take over his lifestyle. This is probably close to real life Lewis, a notorious womaniser and very smart, but miles from the bumbling idiots he usually played. It’s a Dean Martin part – or, failing him, Jack Lemmon or someone like that. Having said that, Lewis’ performance is spot on – totally appropriate, full of energy and confidence. He’s only miscast in star terms.

Out of the three girls, Christiane Schmidtmer comes across best as Gretchen – she’s the sexiest and funniest. Suzanna Leigh (Briton) is pretty but dim; Dany Saval (Air France) isn’t that pretty and is a real bitch. Actually all three girls treat the housekeeper, Thelma Ritter, really badly, always demanding she get them milk and stuff like that.

But the piece is done with a lot of energy. Curtis and Lewis really throw themselves into it, and it builds like all good farces do. I’m surprised Rich didn’t have more of a feature career, I felt he did a good job. Colourful sets and costumes, too.

Movie review – “Bombshell” (1933) ****1/2

Stunningly good screwball comedy about Hollywood which has hardly aged at all. There were only two drawbacks – all the screaming and shouting did grate on my ears after a while (you can hear to much Jean Harlow yelling) and I didn’t buy Lee Tracey hooking up with Harlow at the end; Tracy is great with the patter and being ruthlessness but doesn’t convey longing for her and isn’t as attractive as say someone like Clark Gable would be.

 

 It’s a genuine farce, based on an unproduced play, apparently – I’m surprised no one has since adapted it for a musical or another play, since it mostly takes place in the one location (Harlow’s house – apart from a scene at a health retreat). Great array of characters, raided mostly from the life of Clara Bow, but also from Harlow herself, as well as all starlets: dad is a drunk who rips her off (Bow), she falls for a dodgy French aristocrat (Gloria Swanson), her secretary is ripping her off (Bow), she’s making a film with Clarke Gable where she has a swim in a barrel (Harlow), she had a fling with a divorced director (Bow – the director was Victor Fleming who helmed this), she falls in love with people at the drop of her hat (all of them), she decides to adopt (Joan Crawford), her brother’s dumb, she keeps talking about wanting to run away from it all, she has a stalker.

 

Brilliant dialogue from some of the cream writers of the era: Jules Furthman, John Lee Mahin, Norman Krasna (uncredited). I love the faux love stuff between Harlow and Franchot Tone- “your hair… I’d love to run through your hair”. But it’s all good. Stunning support cast, including Frank Morgan, Louise Beavers and C Aubrey Smith. A masterpiece in it's way. I can't believe it's never been re-made.

Radio review – BBC – “The Illiad” (2002) **

Wasn’t wild about this two part adaptation of the famous story – I got the impression it was too faithful in style to Homer’s original (which I haven’t read for ages) and as a result was confusing, and missed the emotion. Achilles is an idiot – going into an almighty sulk. They’re all idiots actually. I liked how Hector’s wife drew him a bath in anticipation of his return from a day’s fighting – it’s an interesting way to wage war. Christopher Eccleston plays Achilles, Iain Glen Hector and Derek Nimmo narrates. It only goes up to the death of Hector – no Trojan horse.

Movie review – “The Wicker Man” (1973) ***

So many bad British horror films were made in the late 60s and early 70s it’s a shame this one didn’t get more attention… although of course the fact it was cut about by Michael Deeley and “thrown away” by British Lion has added immeasurably to it’s cult appeal. Die hard fans must love to create fan fiction about this because Anthony Schaeffer has created an entire world with the pagan island. To be honest, I didn’t 100% buy it – not the fact they were pagan, I totally got that, but the locals all seem to be cut from the same smiling, believing cloth. Even in the most religious communities you could have some variation in opinion amongst people – or at least difference in characterization. (We do get a flash with the vicious burly guy who takes Woodward to his fate at the end.)

It doesn’t have the strongest story, either. It’s got a fantastic step up and brilliant finale, but in between it’s mostly just Edward Woodward asking questions, which could have been cut up in any old order (and was, apparently), or turned into a 60 minute anthology.

There are injections of energy – Britt Ekland’s nude dance and song (with a body double doing the hip swivelling part), Ingrid Pitt’s random nude bath (why not give her more of a character?), and most of all Christopher Lee’s talk. He’s a great character – I love how he doesn’t believe in the religion he supports. Memorable music and visuals – maypoles etc – and that ending is socko, as Variety puts it.

Movie review – “The Spanish Apartment” (2002) ***

Euro-pudding version of Friends or This Life – some Gen X’s ers sharing an apartment in Barcelona. I admit I have an instinctive prejudice against these films – expats are annoying creatures, their problems so low. But I guess that’s jealousy. This takes too long for the hero to get to the apartment – indeed, half an hour could have been cut out – and I wasn’t wild about some of the casting (eg the lead looked funny in some shots) but it’s got plenty of high spirits and life. 

 

The subplots all feel real: an affair with a neglected wife, the visit of a boorish brother, much bed hopping, the reveal of adultery, struggling to adapt to a new city. It’s a spinout to watch a film about the French in Spain.

 

It’s a shame some of the other flatmates weren’t fleshed out more – they could have taken up some of the two hour running time devoted to the lead. And did he have to decide to become a writer at the end? Can’t writers come up with anything else non-conformist for their liberated characters to do?

Movie review – “Unstoppable” (2010) **1/2

They used to make train movies all the time in the old days, even for B pictures, because audiences were most accepting of back projection. They don’t so much now – too expensive - so it’s a pleasure to see the genre back in action. This is based on a true story – the rather convoluted set up about how the train became runaway all actually happened.

 

It might have been a better movie if Tony Scott’s handling had lent towards the accuracy angle i.e. this actually happened, ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary situation. But instead of allowing suspense to build and characters to breathe it’s been given the Michael Bay treatment – hyperactive editing, swooping camera work, frenetic commentating (on Fox news, who seem very efficient here). 

 

There’s lousy character work: dud back story, Denzel Washington’s daughters who work at Hooters, Chris Pine’s wife has taken out a restraining order but she’s going to learn the error of her ways. 

 

Look, it still works – the action pumps along, it looks gorgeous, there are some great stunts and Tony Scott’s films generally have good casts – I just think it could have been better had they taken an approach more in line with the realism of the material.

Movie review – “Julius Caesar” (1953) ****

Dore Schary’s regime at MGM has received mixed reviews from historians, but you’ve got to give him credit for greenlighting this. It was a ballsy move to film Shakespeare, despite the incredible talent on display: Joe Mankiewicz, John Houseman (producer), Marlon Brando, James Mason, Louis Calhern, John Gielgud, Edmond O’Brien, Greer Garson, Deborah Kerr. Even our own Michael Pate pops up as Flavius. There’s also Michael Ansara (very good) and Edmond Purdom, as the Roman who Brutus asks to kill him (it’s a small but flash role and presumably led to his casting in The Student Prince.)

 

We meet pretty much all of these at the beginning (let the people know there’s lots of movie stars). Gielgud’s casting as Cassius means that the first big scene (Cassius trying to persuade Brutus to call to arms) starts off with the most experienced Shakespearean actor doing his stuff. He’s the best in the film, for my money – everyone else is good, though.

 

It’s fascinating to see how they approach it. This piece always suited American actors more than other Shakespeare, and they handle the verse well (except the little kids – Anthony’s messenger and the kid who sings to Brutus). Mason is angsty, brooding liberal torment, Brando is electrically charismatic, Calhern like a vicious businessman. I wish they’d cut the lyre singing scene – it makes Brutus look like a pedophile.

 

It’s shot in a matter of fact, non flashy style – it’s fascinating to imagine how Orson Welles would have done this. Still, definitely worth seeing.

Movie review – “The Girl from Missouri” (1934) **1/2

The star (Jean Harlow), writer (Anita Loos) and director (Jack Conaway) of Red Headed Woman re-team for another MGM comedy about a trashy lower class girl with a wisecracking best friend determined to nab a rich husband. But the Production Code was in place by now so the action has been cleaned up: Jean Harlow has a mother she’s fond of (albeit with a dodgy step dad, something perhaps inspired by Harlow's real life), she won’t put out without a ring (the finale involves a man racing to defend his virtue), she is more sinned against than sinning.

 

 It’s still sexy and lively, with chorus girls getting changed, horny old men chasing after young women, Lewis Stone shooting himself, Harlow in a swim suit and lingerie. She tries to bag rich Lionel Barrymore but son Franchot Tone sets his cap at her - only to face hostility from Barrymore.

 

Tone was best known for being a second male lead but he’s really impressive in this – deep speaking voice, cocky manner, confidence. It’s a shame his character is a bit of a lech – he manhandles Harlow a lot of times in a way that’s not really charming. 

 

Harlow is in great sprightly form and there's a terrific support cast of players including Patsy Kelly (friend), Barrymore, Stone, etc. The plot goes a little haywire in the second half - Harlow becomes too passive, Barrymore treats her really meanly. Still it's got guts that wouldn't be seen from Metro in a few years time.

Radio review – BP – “Ethan Frome” (1952) **1/2

Ari Gold in Entourage once dismissed Edith Wharton’s books as always being about the same thing – a guy wants to f*ck a girl but he can’t because those were the times. It’s a little simplistic but not without merit. Ethan is the guy here (Carl Webber), the girl is Mattie, an assistant at his farm (Geraldine Page), the reason why they can’t is he has a horrible oppressive wife who sounds old enough to be his mother. Ethan and Mattie decide to kill themselves but stuff it up and both wind up alive and crippled. The ending is the best bit about an otherwise very slow paced story, with lots of regional accent acting.

Movie review – “Conquest of the Air” (1940) **

Dramatised documentary about the history of air travel, which lots of (very short) recreations of events in the past – a man jumping off a roof during the time of Nero, French hot air balloonists (including one played by Laurence Olivier). These trail away during the second half, which is mostly newsreel footage. Interesting, if dated. Korda worked on this for years - I think it started filming in 1936. It was part of his relationship with the Conservative Party, which led to him being knighted. Winston Churchill pops up at the end.

Radio review – TGA – “The Third Man” (1951) ****

Joseph Cotten is the only star from the film to repeat his screen role (unless you count the zither theme song, which is here too) but the substitutes do well enough – even the Harry Lime stand in, which is a bloody hard role to do well. It remains a terrific thriller, with Cotten poking about post-war Vienna to try and find out what happened to his dead friend Harry Lime. Graham Greene’s story is well condensed by Halstead Welles.

Radio review – BP – “Rope” (1952) ****1/2

If you thought James Stewart was miscast in the film, wait til you hear Victory Jory here. Jory has a wonderfully deep radio voice, and he tries – and isn’t terrible it should be said – he’s simply not believable as the one legged, tormented Rupert. Hurt Hatfield and Lloyd Bochner however are excellent as the killers and the piece is full of menace and dread. The stuff in the play with the girl going “I bet the dead body is in that chest” is less OTT on radio because you can’t see the chest.

Movie review – “Red Headed Woman” (1932) ***

Extremely racy, even for a pre-Code film. Jean Harlow throws herself at a bunch of men – first married, rich Chester Morris, then after she’s broken up his marriage, the even richer Henry Stephenson, then at the end some French dude. She also takes a pot shot at Morris and his wife - as in she tries to shoot them dead, but doesn't kill them - and has an affair with a chauffeur (the young Charles Boyer)... and isn't punished for it!

It actually isn’t much of a story – as the above indicates it’s repetitive. It is fun though, with Anita Loos providing some bright lines and Harlow has never been better. She's funny, sexy, full of spunk and vinegar. This was made by MGM who shoot her beautifully (she's a red head here) and put her in some revealing outfits - her boobs practically burst side one out of one dress, and there's a scene only in there to have her get changed into a nightgown.

Tonally also this film is fascinating. Harlow is our hero – she’s lovely, funny and clever; we have scenes where she’s disappointed in achieving her goals. But the marriage she breaks up is sympathetically portrayed – the wife is really nice and lovely, and they don’t shy away from the pain she feels. Yet Harlow is allowed to go off at the end with a new rich (very old) husband, a cup from winning a horse race, and her chauffeur lover. So while they pitched this as a comedy it's not really - Harlow has hurt too many people to make it funny. But it's not a melodrama either. It's a weird, very interesting film. Morris' father, who tries to buy Harlow off, is played by Lewis Stone.

Script review – “Hardcore” by Paul Schrader

No doubt Schrader really loved researching this movie – all the effort seems to have gone into describing different porno films and theatres, sex shops, kinky motels rather than the story, which takes forever to get going. We never find out how the girl went from being a seemingly innocent teenager, maybe a bit naughty, at bible camp of wherever it was to winding up in a porn film in a couple of months. Instead there’s lots of investigation scenes, which Jack Van Dorn going about things the long way.

It really picks up once Van Dorn hooks up with the young hooker (Nicki) and they help each other - there are some good scenes. The ending does rip off Taxi Driver and Rolling Thunder (Van Dorn enterting the baddies’ den to save the day) but at least it’s a powerful finale. In this script Van Dorn says “turn it off” several times but doesn’t say “that’s my daughter up there”. Also he specifically kills the baddy – shoving him through a window, turning him over and pushing his throat on to the glass. (No ramifications from the cops).

There are several nods to The Searchers – the private eye keeps calling Van Dorn “pilgrim”, Van Dorn’s brother in law worries that Van Dorn wants to kill his daughter, Van Dorn goes to his daughter at the end “let’s go home”. And like that film it deals with a great primal fear - to wit, your teenage daughter might run away and wind up in a porno.

Script review – “American Gigolo” by Paul Schrader

I think I’m getting to understand the Schrader template – take an old hokey Hollywood formula and apply it to a new, sordid, grimy world. So you’ve got an avenging gunslinger hero driving a taxi cab and wanting to assassinate people (Taxi Driver), a heist movie set in Detroit auto factory (Blue Collar), a variation of The Searchers set in the world of pornos (Hardcore). Here we have that old standby, a hooker with a heart of gold, who finds true love – only here the hooker is a guy who sleeps with women (no men or couples he says – which I didn’t buy and felt hurt the realism of it but maybe that was a compromise Schrader needed to cast it and get it made. Although to be fair it is established that he used to be a street prostitute). They have a murder plot – one of our hero’s clients is murdered and he’s framed for it 0 to give extra conflict and tension.

This is one of Schrader’s most entertaining scripts. It’s very Hollywood – it's easy to follow, there's a lot of sex and nice clothes as well as a murder mystery. Most of all the role of Julian is a great one for a star: he’s in most of the scenes; there are plenty of comments on how attractive and well dressed he is; he has lots of monologues and scenes with him seducing women; all he needs is the love of a good woman; he’s tough enough to knock out a pimp. Basically he’s a gigolo super hero (speaks several languages, knows art and music, is a fantastic lover, etc). There are several juicy support roles, too: Michelle, the girl who loves him (despite paying for him to sleep with her the first few times); his different pimps, Annie and Leon; a smart detective.

The big print is occasionally florid and the love story between Julian and Michelle is occasionally melodramatic (eg “I can’t help loving you”) – but it’s structurally sound. It’s a 1980 version of an old Joan Crawford movie, with similar attention played to things like costumes, music, décor and drinks.