The first episode of the legendary Playhouse 90 has some heavyweight talent - adapted by Rod Serling (pre Twilight Zone but still famous for Patterns), directed by John Frankenheimer, starring Charlton Heston, Diana Lynn, Vincent Price, Charles Bickford, Victor Jory, and Tab Hunter.
Hunter was known as a pretty boy star at the time but is very effective as a Russian sleeper agent. It's about a Russian invasion of the US.
There's probably a bit too much going on here... it's a whole invasion of the US, with Hunter just a part of it. It would've been better off just focusing on Hunter trying to fit in. He provides the best moments, killing a fellow soldier, and also the final confrontation with Heston.
The romance between Heston and Lynn isn't very good - he molests her, she falls in love. He looks impressively bad ass though with that eye patch (it's tied in with the story - means he can't fly). Vincent Price is a little oddly cast as a Pentagon boffin but Charles Bickford perfect as a tough type.
It's overly ambitious - and not quite believable this is how Russia would attack the US. Smaller and more focused on Hunter and Heston would've worked better. John Frankenheimer directed.
Monday, May 28, 2018
Script review - "Instinct - pilot"
Very well done. Clean, clear, full of twists. The basic idea isn't that original - sensible female detective with troublesome private life, eccentric professor man, investigating crimes - but it's done very professionally. There's a bunch of suspects - a good deflect in having two clerks and a secretary, and some novelty with the main guy being gay.
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
Book review - "Star of India: The Life and Films of Sabu" by Philip Leibfried
Disappointing look at the career of an actor who deserved better. Sabu was one of those fairytale film stories - a young man from Myesore whose father and mother had died, was a ward of the Maharaja who worked with the elephants, and was discovered by the makers of Elephant Boy. Sabu became a sensation - it's a great performance - and he was lucky in a sense to be under contract to Alex Korda, who then went and fashioned a series of vehicles for him: The Drum, Thief of Bagdad and Jungle Book.
The last two were made in the US, where Sabu stayed in the war. He signed with Universal and enjoyed continuing popularity with three films starring Jon Hall and Maria Montez; there would have been more (Hall and Montez made three more films, each featuring roles clearly ear marked for Sabu), but Sabu wanted to fight - he enlisted in the services and saw action in the Pacific as a gunner. He spent time in Australia and befriended Bob Dyer.
His post war career started wobbily with Montez in Tangier then he was in a classic, The Black Narcissus. However it was hard going after that - a bunch of minor adventure films.
It must've been depressing for Sabu but he worked hard, did well in real estate and also made extra money performing in circuses. He married and had two kids then died of a heart attack at 39.
This last fact is one of many described in a matter of fact way by the author without going into detail - I mean, surely that's worth some discussion, a person dying so young without notable cause? (Surely his impoverished upbringing?) Other things are mentioned and skipped over - a lawsuit against Sabu, a paternity suit, the murder of his brother. Instead there's a lot of listing of co stars and directors and some stories of the making of the films, which feel cobbled from various books.
The author has done some interviews and clearly has admiration for Sabu. It's not a terrible book you just wish it was more thorough in certain areas.
The last two were made in the US, where Sabu stayed in the war. He signed with Universal and enjoyed continuing popularity with three films starring Jon Hall and Maria Montez; there would have been more (Hall and Montez made three more films, each featuring roles clearly ear marked for Sabu), but Sabu wanted to fight - he enlisted in the services and saw action in the Pacific as a gunner. He spent time in Australia and befriended Bob Dyer.
His post war career started wobbily with Montez in Tangier then he was in a classic, The Black Narcissus. However it was hard going after that - a bunch of minor adventure films.
It must've been depressing for Sabu but he worked hard, did well in real estate and also made extra money performing in circuses. He married and had two kids then died of a heart attack at 39.
This last fact is one of many described in a matter of fact way by the author without going into detail - I mean, surely that's worth some discussion, a person dying so young without notable cause? (Surely his impoverished upbringing?) Other things are mentioned and skipped over - a lawsuit against Sabu, a paternity suit, the murder of his brother. Instead there's a lot of listing of co stars and directors and some stories of the making of the films, which feel cobbled from various books.
The author has done some interviews and clearly has admiration for Sabu. It's not a terrible book you just wish it was more thorough in certain areas.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Script review - "Ghost" by Bruce Joel Rubin
The sensation of 1990 with the pottery, Demi Moore, Demi Moore's haircut, Whoopi Goldberg, "Unchained Melody"... Rubin's script is excellent, beautifully simply and primeval. It's very moving how Sam and Molly are a nice couple, and his death is very sad... and the plot has two engines, with Carl being his friend who killed him for money and also wants money. Oda Mae livens things up greatly as the psychic.
Inevitably there are questions and logic issues - Sam's ability to move things seems to come and go - and the last act felt plotty, though there was some fun with Oda Mae getting the money and good moments with the baddies going to hell. It's very satisfying and doesn't sell out by having Sam come back to life.
I never loved this film to be honest - it felt over praised - but I have a lot of respect for it.
Inevitably there are questions and logic issues - Sam's ability to move things seems to come and go - and the last act felt plotty, though there was some fun with Oda Mae getting the money and good moments with the baddies going to hell. It's very satisfying and doesn't sell out by having Sam come back to life.
I never loved this film to be honest - it felt over praised - but I have a lot of respect for it.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Movie review - "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2" (2017) **
The production values are as impressive as ever - the tremendous design and effects - and the cast are absolutely fine. It's fun to have Kurt Russell as Chris Pratt's dad. I love the colour.
But the film never manages to find an equivalent to the narrative/emotional drive of the first one - which was about the formation of a family of misfits. There's some squabbling and Pratt betrayed by his dad and a lot of explosions and not a lot of excitement.
No one has much to do except Pratt. I guess Zoe Saladana has a plot with her sister but it feels overshadowed. I found it hard going and not that interesting.
But the film never manages to find an equivalent to the narrative/emotional drive of the first one - which was about the formation of a family of misfits. There's some squabbling and Pratt betrayed by his dad and a lot of explosions and not a lot of excitement.
No one has much to do except Pratt. I guess Zoe Saladana has a plot with her sister but it feels overshadowed. I found it hard going and not that interesting.
Sunday, May 06, 2018
Bob Cummings Top Ten
1) Kings Row - a bunch of people with minimal reps (Cummings, Ronald Reagan, Anne Sheridan) really stepped up to the plate with this one which remains a classic
2) It Started with Eve - probably the best film of Deanna Durbin and Norman Krasna, a delightful musical comedy with Cummings ideal as Durbin's love interest
3) The Devil and Miss Jones - the other claimant for Krasna's best script a terrific pro-Union comedy
4) Saboteur - Hitchcock didn't want Cummings for this role but he's very likeable and the film is fun
5) Twelve Angry Men - the original 1954 presentation - only 60 minutes but it's all there and Cummings is superb in the Henry Fonda role
6) The Bob Cummings Show - a good sitcom with Cummings perfectly cast
7) You and Me - Cummings is good in this "male weapie" directed by John Farrow and written by Ayn Rand!
8) The Carpetbaggers - many nice guy actors like Fred MacMurray make superb slimy villains and Cummins is no exception
9) The Black Book - weird to see Cummings in a French Revolution piece but I liked it
10) Bomber's Moon - Cummings for Playhouse 90... a bit of a flat story but he's really good
2) It Started with Eve - probably the best film of Deanna Durbin and Norman Krasna, a delightful musical comedy with Cummings ideal as Durbin's love interest
3) The Devil and Miss Jones - the other claimant for Krasna's best script a terrific pro-Union comedy
4) Saboteur - Hitchcock didn't want Cummings for this role but he's very likeable and the film is fun
5) Twelve Angry Men - the original 1954 presentation - only 60 minutes but it's all there and Cummings is superb in the Henry Fonda role
6) The Bob Cummings Show - a good sitcom with Cummings perfectly cast
7) You and Me - Cummings is good in this "male weapie" directed by John Farrow and written by Ayn Rand!
8) The Carpetbaggers - many nice guy actors like Fred MacMurray make superb slimy villains and Cummins is no exception
9) The Black Book - weird to see Cummings in a French Revolution piece but I liked it
10) Bomber's Moon - Cummings for Playhouse 90... a bit of a flat story but he's really good
Saturday, May 05, 2018
Paula Prentiss
tip of the hat to Paula Prentiss, the tall, gawky, brilliantly talented actor who lept to fame in her first movie "Where the Boys Are" but who never became a star despite being the best thing about pretty much every film she made in the early 60s...
There were a few reasons for this, including the fact that the films were often not that good (The Horizontal Lieutenant, Follow the Boys), or considered disappointments (Man's Favourite Sport - though Howard Hawks loved her).
She had brilliant bits in The World of Henry Orient and What's Up Pussycat? but during the making of the latter had a nervous breakdown that saw her retire from acting for a while.
She went back to it but never regained her former career momentum (the late 60s and 70s weren't a great time for female stars in Hollywood) but always could be counted on to turn in great work, whether in The Parallax View or the Stepford Wives. She also had a family and is still married to Richard Benjamin after 50 years. If you like screwball comedies and aren't familiar with her work she is worth checking out.
A top five
1) Where the Boys Are (1960) - great debut
2) The Honeymoon Machine (1961) - a rare Steve McQueen comedy, quite fun, and Prentiss steals the show
3) The World of Henry Orient (1964) - Prentiss hilarious as a nutter
4) What's New Pussycat? (1965) - see above
5) The Parallax View (1974) - only a small role but very effective
There were a few reasons for this, including the fact that the films were often not that good (The Horizontal Lieutenant, Follow the Boys), or considered disappointments (Man's Favourite Sport - though Howard Hawks loved her).
She had brilliant bits in The World of Henry Orient and What's Up Pussycat? but during the making of the latter had a nervous breakdown that saw her retire from acting for a while.
She went back to it but never regained her former career momentum (the late 60s and 70s weren't a great time for female stars in Hollywood) but always could be counted on to turn in great work, whether in The Parallax View or the Stepford Wives. She also had a family and is still married to Richard Benjamin after 50 years. If you like screwball comedies and aren't familiar with her work she is worth checking out.
A top five
1) Where the Boys Are (1960) - great debut
2) The Honeymoon Machine (1961) - a rare Steve McQueen comedy, quite fun, and Prentiss steals the show
3) The World of Henry Orient (1964) - Prentiss hilarious as a nutter
4) What's New Pussycat? (1965) - see above
5) The Parallax View (1974) - only a small role but very effective
Friday, May 04, 2018
TV review - "Playhouse 90 - Bomber's Moon" (1958) **1/2
Like a lot of stars, Robert Cummings got chances on TV that he never did in films. He gives a superb performance as an air force officer in World War Two who cracks under pressure. It's really good work - sensitive, tough, never over doing it.
The rest of it is less good. I mean it's fine - Rod Serling wrote the script, John Frankenheimer directed (using lots of tight two shots and impressively employing shadows over characters' faces at the end). The cast is very good, including Martin Balsam and Rip Torn without a beard (as a cowardly pilot).
Unfortunately the story isn't that interesting. An officer finding it hard to send men to die - that was done in Twelve O'Clock High, The Dawn Patrol, Command Decision. It's not fresh.
Like I said it's fine but that's it.
The rest of it is less good. I mean it's fine - Rod Serling wrote the script, John Frankenheimer directed (using lots of tight two shots and impressively employing shadows over characters' faces at the end). The cast is very good, including Martin Balsam and Rip Torn without a beard (as a cowardly pilot).
Unfortunately the story isn't that interesting. An officer finding it hard to send men to die - that was done in Twelve O'Clock High, The Dawn Patrol, Command Decision. It's not fresh.
Like I said it's fine but that's it.
Thursday, May 03, 2018
TV review - "Studio One - Twelve Angry Men" (1954) ****
One of the best ideas of all time very well realised by Reginald Rose. This is the original version clocking in at 60 minutes but all the good stuff is there - the liberal hero expressing doubt, the hard arse pushing for conviction, the bigot who everyone turns their back on (this bit felt a little clunky), the immigrant, the old man sympathetic to the old witness, the crafty juror (played by EG Marshall in the film - his part felt smaller here).
There's a lot of arguing over details of the case but it's very well thought out by Rose. The acting is extremely strong - Franchot Tone (main adversary), Edward Arnold (racist), Norman Fell. Bob Cummings plays the hero and it's one of his best performances - restrained, conscientious.
Franklin Schaeffner directed. Cliff Robertson introduces it.
There's a lot of arguing over details of the case but it's very well thought out by Rose. The acting is extremely strong - Franchot Tone (main adversary), Edward Arnold (racist), Norman Fell. Bob Cummings plays the hero and it's one of his best performances - restrained, conscientious.
Franklin Schaeffner directed. Cliff Robertson introduces it.
Tuesday, May 01, 2018
Michael Anderson
Michael Anderson isn't a name particularly well known even among film buffs (hint: he's a director) but it wasn't too hard to compile a top ten... And 98 is a very good age
1) Around the World in 80 Days (1956) - traffic cop more than director and more Mike Todd's film than his but this is a fun movie
2) The Dam Busters (1955) - the name of the dog is jarring but a very sensible very British very good war film
3) Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958) - enjoyable thriller with Richard Todd
4) Operation Crossbow (1965) - one of my favourite guys-on-a-mission-to-blow-something-up film, full of great moments (the fate of Sophia Loren and Tom Courtney, the climax)
5) Logan's Run (1976) - very flawed, very groovy, and very fun
6) The Yangtse Incident (1957) - an attempt to recapture the success of the Dam Busters, only set in post war China with Richard Todd battling the commies - engrossing and interesting
7) Orca (1977) - Richard Harris goes all Captain Ahab on a killer whale... to be fair I haven't seen this for years and it might be terrible but still... come on... Harris vs a killer whale!
8) The Martian Chronicles (1980) - spooky sci fi on Mars from the Bradbury book... I remember this being good as a kid... have no idea if it holds up
9) All the Fine Young Cannibals (1961) - the film that inspired the name of the band, it has Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and George Hamilton pretending to be horrny southerners and whimps out on its miscegenation storyline. A mess but an interesting mess.
10) The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968) - utterly bizarre film based on Morris West's best seller set in the near future about a humble man who becomes pope... there's groovy 60s dancing, a dull subplot involving David Janssen's marriage, troublesome Chinese, a sense of punches being pulled and a superb cast... even if the book sold well it's completely weird this was given the blockbuster treatment by MGM
1) Around the World in 80 Days (1956) - traffic cop more than director and more Mike Todd's film than his but this is a fun movie
2) The Dam Busters (1955) - the name of the dog is jarring but a very sensible very British very good war film
3) Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958) - enjoyable thriller with Richard Todd
4) Operation Crossbow (1965) - one of my favourite guys-on-a-mission-to-blow-something-up film, full of great moments (the fate of Sophia Loren and Tom Courtney, the climax)
5) Logan's Run (1976) - very flawed, very groovy, and very fun
6) The Yangtse Incident (1957) - an attempt to recapture the success of the Dam Busters, only set in post war China with Richard Todd battling the commies - engrossing and interesting
7) Orca (1977) - Richard Harris goes all Captain Ahab on a killer whale... to be fair I haven't seen this for years and it might be terrible but still... come on... Harris vs a killer whale!
8) The Martian Chronicles (1980) - spooky sci fi on Mars from the Bradbury book... I remember this being good as a kid... have no idea if it holds up
9) All the Fine Young Cannibals (1961) - the film that inspired the name of the band, it has Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and George Hamilton pretending to be horrny southerners and whimps out on its miscegenation storyline. A mess but an interesting mess.
10) The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968) - utterly bizarre film based on Morris West's best seller set in the near future about a humble man who becomes pope... there's groovy 60s dancing, a dull subplot involving David Janssen's marriage, troublesome Chinese, a sense of punches being pulled and a superb cast... even if the book sold well it's completely weird this was given the blockbuster treatment by MGM
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