Thalberg is such an engimatic figure in Hollywood history but Viera does a good job of digging into the primary sources and making him into a real person. It's hard to ascertain the contribution of a producer but Viera rises to the occasion.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Book review - "Operating Biting" by Max Hastings
Hastings' smaller books aren't as good as his epics - he gets bogged down in detail, lacks the big sweep, characters and gift of zooming in on the telling anecdote. As a book on it's own merits it's fine, just not as good as his bigger pieces. No mention of the Alan Ladd film The Red Beret.
Book review - "Scripts from the Crypt: The Brute Man" by Tom Weaver and Scott Gallinghouse
Definitive biography of Rondo Hatton and The Brute Man. Exhaustive, moving, affectionate, not too long. I enjoyed it.
Book review - "Touch the Devil" by Jack Higgins (1982) (warning: spoilers)
Brisk and easy to read though it feels like reheated left overs - not just one IRA dream hit man who is artistic and has a conscience but two, an enigmatic French woman who actually doesn't do that much in the story, an escape from prison, a woman turned traitor because of a big dick, a chase after a psycho,getting out of troubl with a hidden gun, a confrontation at the end between a Prime Minister and an assassin. Really Brosnan (one of the dreamy IRA men, Liam Devlin is another one) should have died at the end but Higgins couldn't bring himself to do it.
Book review - "The Future was now" by Chris Nashawaty
Not bad look at key films from 1982 - ET, Poltergeist, The Thing, Blade Runner, etc. I didn't learn anything new and some of the prose was a little purple but it passed the time.
Book review - "Universal Terrors 1951-55" by Tom Weaver, David Schecter and Robert Kiss
Exhaustive. Thorough. Definitive. Probably best read in small chunks when watching the films.
Book review - "Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time" by Barry Sonnenfeld
Hugely entertaining second volume of memoirs, more fun than the first because it's just about movie stars and he doesn't go on as much about his wife (sorry to be blunt, it just gets wearying).
Great stories about self hating Gene Hackman, fun but mercurial Will Smith, lazy John Travolta, difficult Walter Parkes. No punches pulled, it seems.
Book review - "Fan Mail" by Nick Hornby
Entertaining collection of non Fever Pitch soccer writings by Hornby. As with that book sometimes I didn't follow what was going on but always worth reading.
Book review - "Hell Hath No Fury Like Her - Story of Christine" by Lee Gambin
Solid book, slightly odd structure, excellent interviews (John Carpenter, Bill Phillips, Keith Gordon, Alex Paul though weirdly no John Stockwell or Steven King). No big behind the scenes dramas, just professionals doing a good job.
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Movie review - "The Seekers" (1954) ***
Few seem to have kind words for this melodrama but I liked it. Robust Ken Annakin direction, colour, location shooting in New Zealand, silly storyline but full of action, Jack Hawkins not entirely well cast as a tormented man but still authorotative, ditto Glynis Johns as his wife. Noel Purcell solid as Hawkins sidekick Kenneth Williams as another Britisher - I think Anthony Steel should have played this role, maybe even Hawkins' role... who wants to see Hawkins commit adultery? Laya Raki is the Tondeleyo part.
Not great, but always something going on. I had fun.
Movie review - "A Day to Remember" (1953) **
Harmless Betty Box-Ralph Thomas comedy made just before Doctor in the House which has some location filming in France but isn't in colour and doesn't quite have the stars. Rank was giving Donald Sinden a big push here he's the romantic lead of a team of men from a London pub who go to paris.
Sinden is a war vet visiting a grave and falling in love with once young now nubile Odile Versois, both of whom who are fine and can act but neither are as captivating as say Dirk and Brigitte in Doctor at Sea. Sinden has a girlfriend Joan Rice but fortunately she goes on a date and falls in love with a visiting Yank on the same day. Phew. No stakes though.
I liked Bill Owen wanting to join to foreign legion because he's embarrassed his girlfriend is too tall. There's a not bad one about a guy trying to smuggle watches.
The cast and charm isn't quite right. It's not bad, mind. Just not quite there. Sinden loved it but that's not surprising - he gets the girl, gets to be charming and moody and all that.
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Movie review - "The Million Pound Note" (1954) **
Mark Twain's story had enough potential to be a decent film but it's not a good adaptation - no sense of character for the lead, no wish fulfilment, lack of subplots (needed a femme fetale, needed a villain, needed hero to do more cool stuff). Feels written for Alec Guinness. Gregory Peck isn't very good. No one is good, really, Sidekick valet doesn't even talk.
Colour is wasted. As are character actors. Dull female lead who seems greedy. Were there no others available?
Misfire.
Movie review - "The Kidnappers" (1953) ****
Charming account of two little brothers whose father has died going to live in Canada (shot in Scotland) with their grumpy grandad (Duncan Macrae) his nicer wife (Jean Anderson in make up) and single daughter (Adrienne Corri, beloved for her 70s efforts).
The stars are the kids, Jon Whitely and Vincent Winter, who are sensational. I loved the atmosphere. It's a little hairy they're looking after a baby - the baby is cute too.
I loved the Boer War stuff - Macrae is annoyed at all this Boers who've moved to Canada, which I assume is based on a real thing.
It feels like Nova Scotia to me even though I've never been there and it was shot in Scotland. Worked for me though!
J Arthur Rank loved this movie. I think the great northern nepo baby related to all those tactiurn gruff characters (grumpy grandad who wants the kids to go to work at age eight, the Afrikaaner farmer) melting just slightly because of the kids. (Though the farmer makes a point of blaming his daughter.) This is the northern methodist equivalent of a guy cry movie.
Sidebar: Vincent Winter made a bunch of other films then moved into behind the scenes, production managing and assistant directing. Like Kevin Corcoran. Had a good career, but died of a heart attack aged only 50. Smoker, I assume.
Movie review - "Top of the Form" (1953) **
Ronald Shiner was once a huge comedy star - he had been plugging away for years then had some monster hits on stage and screen. This was at his peak. If you like him, great. I found it dull and unfunny despute a funny set up - bookie winds up as headmaster, chaotic school.
Fun to see Ronnie Corbett and Anthony Newley as school kids.
Audiences at the time liked it.
Movie review - "Desperate Moment" (1953) **
Dirk Bogarde and Mai Zetterling prop this up by virtue of sheer star power. Location filming in Berlin helps. But it's not much of a story. Bogarde confesses to a crime he didn't commit because he thinks Zetterling is dead, then discovers she's alive and escapes to clear his name.
Again one senses Rank was hoping for some Third Man style grosses. Bogarde is full of charisma but his character is an idiot and I couldn't care about his adventures. This film just felt dull and sluggish. Location filming in Europe is interesting but that's about it. Philip Friend, who loves Zetterling, is dull, Albert Levien twirls his moustache. I just didn't care.
This is a negative review. Sorry. But it was dull.
Play review - "Hail to the Thief" (May 2025)
Well directed. Nicely stylish. A little overpraised. If you don't know the play it's hard to follow. A friend said of this show it's a red flag when you watch a show and can think of its parody. I like the Ophelia-Hamlet dance - she was great.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Ralph Thomas Interview
Thomas, Ralph, 'My Way with Screen Humour', Films and Filming, Feb. 1956, p. 5
Sunday, May 11, 2025
Book review - "The Secret Life of Ealing Studios" by Robert Sellers
A book to be enjoyed as a collection of anecdotes from lesser known figures at Ealings - assistants and what not. It does provide an interesting take. Not sufficient depth to be regarded as a stand alone book more something to be read in association with other histories on the studio.
Book review - "John McTiernan" by Larry Taylor
I enjoyed this I just wish it was better, had more research done. Felt like an extended magazine article. Needed less skim analysis of the films, more of a deep dive.
Book review - "The Eagle Has Landed" by Jack Higgins
Splendid book. Really terrific storytelling. Bold idea well worked out, plenty of twists and obstacles. Benefits from slightly unusual angles eg IRA working with Germans, British Free Corps soldiers, Channel Islands in wartime. There's a superhero honorable German, a superhero honorable German - these were more novel then. A nubile seventeen year old girl who just wants It. This is less good. Still, a great yarn.
Movie review - "The Long Memory" (1953) ***
Robert Hamer effort is very well directed, with plenty of style and snazzy use of locations. John Mills is a little bland as the man wrong sent to prison for 12 years - the sort of part that would've really suited say Stanley Baker, who wasn't established at the time yet. Dirk Bogarde could've done it (even if perhaps too young). Jack Hawkins. Richard Todd.
Elizabeth Sellars is the woman who helped betray him and is now married to cop John McCallum. This is really intriguing only not much is done with it story wise except McCallum worries, feels guilty and get Sellars to confess. McCallum really needed to try to kill Mills - or to be killed by the baddy, to give it a kick. Or Mills needed to die or still be in love with Sellars. It's too easy for him to forgive and have the nice horny foreign girl come along.
Still, a pretty good film.
Movie review - "The Farrows of Hollywood: Their Dark Side Of Paradise” by Marilyn Ann Moss
John Farrow is a fascinating, under appreciated director and character in Hollywood history. He deserves a really strong book. This isn't quite there though it's got some good stuff. It also has a lot of waffle and psychology. I was hoping for more research, such as analysis of Farrow's writings (of which there were a lot eg his book on the popes and Damien the Leper). Being fair, there's some research, I wanted more of it and less psychology. Maureen O'Sullivan and Mia Farrow get decent airings as well.
Movie review - "The Venetian Bird" (1952) ** (warning: spoilers)
I think the filmmakers and Rank were hoping for a new Thin Man in this tale of Richard Todd investigating a mystery in Venice. There is some location work in Venice but the movie is rather gloomy. The photography feels overcast and Todd is grim, as is Eva Bartok.
Director Ralph Thomas and Betty Box became known for breezy entertainments and a lighter touch might have helped this - imagine say David Niven in the lead instead.
The story is both confusing and simple. Todd's looking for a guy, everyone says he's dead, we know he's not because John Gregson is billed third. Gregson is with Bartok and Todd doesn't know Gregson so Todd doesn't have a strong personal connection to the cast.
Location shooting helps and Gregson has a decent fall to his depth. Reality is undercut by all the non Italians playing Italians eg Sid James, Gregson, Geogre Colouris.
Thursday, May 08, 2025
Movie review - "Something Money Can't Buy" (1952) **
This starts off as a lovely surprise - a look at a young married couple, Anthony Steel and Pat Roc, starting out on marriage after the war with kids, Director Pat Jackson has clearly done work with his leads who are much better than in other films - both gorgeous, especially she who is very sweet.
Then things go wonky as the couple go off separately - not as in separate separate but spend tome apart - working for an agency. He's a chef with a food truck and she has an agency and all the relatable stuff goes. The film loses its way.
Still one of Steel's best performances, ditto Roc.
Theatre review - "Back to the Future The Musical" (May 2025)
A surprise - my expectations were low, I'd heard some songs that weren't much but this is a really colourful, fun show, a reminder of what a terrific film its source material was, bright 80s and 50s fashion and fun, energetic numbers. I liked some changes - swapping terrorists for plutonium, and having the car only respond to Doc's voice not Marty's. The heart of this is George but the by play between Marty and Doc is joyout and the horny mother gives it an edge.
Wednesday, May 07, 2025
Book review - "George Cukor's People" by Joseph McBride
Interesting take on Cukor's career, focusing on performances and acting. McBride isn't an actor or director but is a good writer and it's a fresh take. He doesn't seem to want to write in depth biographies any more but it's worth a read.
Book review - "The Girl on the Balcony" by Olivia Hussey (2018)
The sort of book I expected Hussey to write - sweet, a bit scatty, full of love and emotion. She was Argentinian but went to England as a girl, didn't have a lot of money but was blessed with beauty. Had a long stage run in The Prime of Miss Jean Bodie then got Romeo and Juliet. Admits she didn't take her chances -blew True Grit and Anne of a Thousand Days and did All the Right Noises, was prone to taking off long slabs of time but developed a niche for being in ensemble pieces such as Death on the Nile and was especially good at played scared girls. She seems like a lovely person.
Movie review - "Made in Heaven" (1952) **
Dimwitted British comedy from the Rank Organisation which wastes color photography. How's this for high concept - a couple (David Tomlinson, Petula Clark) hire a maid from Hungary who is hot so all the men want to root her. Tomlinson and Clark are in some competition where they have to be happy for a year - this is based on a real thing and that's a basis of a good movie. I think they needed several couples in competition.
Clark is too young (19) and too pretty for Tomlinson. Everyone tries.
Maybe the film would've been better had they cast Yvonne de Carlo, who'd been in a comedy from the same producer (George Brown) Hotel Sahara - her being a man-trap maid would've been fun. But Sonja Ziemann is just amiable.
Movie review - "It Started in Paradise" (1952) **
This film sucked. Basic idea is good - All About Eve in world of woman's fashion. Plenty of clothes and Jack Cardiff colour photography. Crap script which fails to dramatise and create differentiated charaters. The stars aren't up to it - Jane Hylton dull, and Muriel Pavlow. The men aren't better - Ian Hunter, Terence Morgan.
Thing is they had Kay Kendall in the film! In a minor role! Ditto Dana Wynter!
Director Compton Bennett does a bad job. This is the sort of movie Ted Black would've knocked out of the park.
Problems - bad pacing, inadequate stars, confusing story. No sex, no decent romance, no delienated stars.
Tuesday, May 06, 2025
Movie review - "Meet Me Tonight" (1952) **
Anthology films were briefly the rage in Britain, which explains this not very good adaptation for three Noel Coward plays.
I disliked the first two. Red Peppers, about the feuding couple (Ted Ray, Kay Walsh), felt like a star vehicle that would work if you liked the stars but I didn't know Ray or Walsh (yes I know they're famous back then but not to me). It was a drag.
Fumed Oak was dreadful - a whingeing Stanley Holloway.
Ways and Means, about a dodgy couple, was more fun, with Nigel Patrick and Valerie Hobson animated.
The color photography felt wasted.
Monday, May 05, 2025
Movie review - "The Importance of Being Earnest" (1952) ***1/2
The play is actor proof, and this has a fine cast, even if Michael Redgrave was a little old. Michael Denison is a lot of fun and one wonders why he didn't have more of a film career. Joan Greenwood is sexy, Dorothy Tutin bright and sparky, Edith Evans as excellent as you'd think, ditto Margaret Rutherford.
Rank's films under the British Film Makers scene via the NFFC and Earl St John were of solid quality, on the whole. This, The Card, Hunted... it's not a bad effort.
Sunday, May 04, 2025
Movie review - "The Card" (1952) ***
I know Alec Guinness has a lot of fans. For me he's a little too twee, too smug, too ethereal. This isn't a bad film. It helps his character has some get up and go. Ronald Neame directs with aplomb and Glynis Johns is sexy and greedy. Petula Clark is the dim ever loving young thing Guinness goes off with at the end. More could've been done with Valerie Hobson's aristocrat.
Not an Ealing Film, made by Rank.
Saturday, May 03, 2025
Book review - "The Violent Enemy" by Jack Higgins (1966) (warning: spoilers)
Read this because of the movie. One of Higgins' IRA supermen (brave, smart, World War Two hero, worried about violence) busts out of prison to help with the cause. Young woman finds him hot. Dodgy collaborators. Javert like cop. Plenty of action and pace, though Higgins as he admitted hadn't learned the art of characterisation yet. The happy ending felt a little odd.
Movie review - "Tangerine" (2015) ***
Watched this after Anora and it's striking how much the works have in comment (observation not criticism) - story of sex worker, narrative is tracking someone down, lots of driving around town at night searching for someone, person throws up in cab, Armenians (same actor), ending cut to black, story light. Absolutely worth watching.
Book review - "Woody Allen - A Travesty of a Mockery of a Sham" by Patrick McGilligan (2024)
Big tome. Like all McGilligan books it's very thorough, goes into detail on it's subjects ancestors, possibly wastes too much time going on about critics and critical reputation. Goes through the allegations with admirable thoroughness which also makes the book really depressing to read. Not McGilligan's fault. He tries to be objective but his sympathies are with Allen, invoking the blacklist, Allen's donations to progressive causes, invoking The Bad Seed and The Children's Hour as well as the Scottsboro Boys and the McMartin case (like, seriously?) without seemingly having done too much research into reports of sexual abuse or empathy as to why women especially got so upset. We are all prisoners of our age, race, gender and class I guess. Also is there no better source for box office than Buzzfeed? Wikipedia was cited there too.
I'm nit picking. It's very thorough and will, like all McGilligan biographies, stand the test of time.
Movie review - "Millers in Marriage" (2024) **1/2
Ed Burns in more contemplative mode - less jokes, actually no jokes, a lot of philosophising as former 90s heartthrobs flirt. Juliana Margulies, Burns and Gretchen Mol are siblings, all having relationship dramas - Margulies is a best selling author with whiny Campbell Scott as husband, Mol has alcoholic Patrick Wilson and flirts with Benjamin Bratt, Burns is with Minnie Driver and deals with eccentric ex Morena Baccarin. A plot involving Brian d'Arcy James and Margulies is teased but not developed. The intensity of Baccarin gives the film some needed energy. It's very laid back. Kind of Burns' Interiors I guess.
Movie review - "High Treason" (1951) **
Semi sequel to Seven Days at Noon isn't as good. No ticking clock, no compelling lead just a smug copper and a dull stressed agent, no humour, no interesting characters.
Red scare movies are fine if there are scares but this doesn't have any.
Stylishly shot and professionally put together. Just annoying, somehow. The posh commie villains lack the pizzaz of Hitchcock's foreign agents.
Movie review - "Pillow Talk" (1959) **** (rewatching)
Really good script. Witty. Well structured. Maybe Thelma Ritter could've been used more (her suggestion to Rock is something Rock could've thought up). Risque - bathtub scene, jokes about Rock being gay and Rock having a baby. Rock is handsome and winnings. Doris terrific. But Tony Randall also superb. Everyone is terrific.
Saw this on the big screen. Stylish. Fun.
Movie review - "Return of Swamp Thing" (1989) **1/2
Fun Jim Wynorski where it's great to see Heather Locklear out of soap stuff having a fine old time. Sarah Douglas is lots of fun and Louis Jourdan. The Jaws spoof of people showing scars was not originated in Clerks - Wynorski does one here with Monique Gabrielle.
Movie review - "Top Secret!" (1984) **** (re-watching)
Bewildering this wasn't a hit as the jokes are great. Maybe it doesn't have the same heart. Maybe it lacked cameos. Maybe the central romance isn't as strong. Who knows?
A lot of big props gags.
Movie review - "Anora" (2024) ****
Confident, very well done. Maybe could've had a half hour cut out - all those searching scenes. Excellent acted. Ideal for Mikey Madison - cheerful, not too bright, likeable girl with spine. Yura Borisov is a standout too.
Movie review - "Juror No. 2" (2024) ***
If this is Clint's last film it's a classy one to go out on - confidently made, interesting, no clear hero (maybe the lack of a star hurt it at the box office - Clint could've played the Nick Hoult role even, just adjust the kid plot for a grandkid or something), amibiguous ending. The spirit of the 70s goes on. Shame it didn't get a proper push.
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