Keith Carradine Top Ten

 

Re watching Southern Comfort (1981) prompted me to revisit Keith Carradine's filmography. I haven't seen all he's done, esp in recent years, but his run in the 70s-80s alone is easy for a top ten.

1) McCabe and Mrs Miller (1971) - one scene but maybe the best scene in the movie

2) Thieves Like Us (1974) - astonishingly good and touching in another Altman masterpiece

3) Nashville (1975) - another Altman: I'm not actually a huge fan of the movie but he's terrific

4) Emperor of the North (1973) - counter balances Marvin and Borgnine wonderfully

5) The Duellists (1977) - I feel like this movie gets rediscovered every seven years or so; he's great

6) Pretty Baby (1978) - this film would be illegal if made today - he's very good

7) The Long Riders (1980) - the brothers should've worked more together, they all rock in this.

8) Choose Me (1984) - I'll put this in for all the other Alan Rudolphs I haven't seen

9) Chiefs (1983) - splendid mini series

10) Southern Comfort (1981) - my favourite Carradine performance I wish he and Powers Boothe had worked together again

NB recognise he has done much fine work post-1984 this is just to cover that first 15 years

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.

Robert Aldrich Top Ten

 1. The Dirty Dozen

2. Vera Cruz

3. Apache

4. The Longest Yard

5. Flight of the Phoenix

6. Kiss Me Deadly

7. Attack

8. Ulzana's Raid

9. Baby Jane

10. Twilight's Last Gleaming

Book review - "Killin' Generals: The Making of The Dirty Dozen, the Most Iconic WW II Movie of All Time" by Dwayne Epstein

 I love the movie and enjoyed the book though I'm not sure there's enough material here for a whole book. The film wasn't too complicated - man heard rumour from Russ Meyer, wrote book, book sold to MGM, book was turned into script and then film quite quickly, made relatively easy. It was a guys on a mission WW2 action movie, they weren't inventing the wheel. The film was fortunate in its timing and stars - got it cresting at the right time. There's an interview with Ken Hyman which is a coup - a book on his career would've been better. The film had some colourful actors but under Robert Aldrich everyone was kept in line. I enjoyed it, just think maybe this was better as an article.

TV review - "DuPont Show of the Week - Legend of Lylah Clare" (1963) ***

 The origin of the 1968 Robert Aldrich film. Franklin Schaffner's direction is more restrained and less fun than Aldrich but the material is bonkers and Tuesday Weld stunningly good - she got madness and is perfect as the young starlet going mad. It's a silly story but everyone commits - Weld but also Alfred Drake, Boss Hogg as the studio head.

Book review - "Ernie" by Ernest Borgnine

 The sort of book you'd imagine Ernest Borgnine to write - it has an "aw gee I can't believe I did it" quality. He was lucky he came along when he did. But you also make your own luck - he worked hard, took all sorts of roles, could act, could play leads and support parts. He was lucky to get Marty which put him in a new league but he never really became a star. On TV it was different. Spent something like ten years in the navy but never saw active service.

This book is hazy is some stuff, notably his love life. He had a number of divorces (including with Katy Juarando and Ethel Merman) before getting lucky with number five... a woman who became a make up tycoon.

Sam Peckinpah told him to fuck off several times, Gene Wilder was meant to play Red Buttons' role in Poseidon Adventure, he was briefly sacked on The Adventurers for giving direction to an actor, he doesn't mention Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, he said Lee Marvin referred to Jim Brown as a n*gger and had to be pulled into line by Bob Aldrich, he wanted to play the warden in Escape from New York, he calls Chuka undistinguished.

Not a great memoir, too chipper, but not bad.

Movie review - "Taras Bulba" (1962) **

Odd that this was such a hot property - Robert Aldrich tried to make it for five years. It's got spectacle but it's not too hard to find spectacle stories, surely. I suppose it has three decent leads - the imposing Cossack Taras, who loves his sensitive son but turns against him when his son falls for a Pole.

That is a strong simple conflict that should work. And this film has its moments - some spectacle, the horse duel over a cliff. Christina Kaufman is pretty. Yul Brynner is idea in the title role and Tony Curtis gives a good performance. But Curtis is simply spectacularly miscast - he's like twenty years too old for a role that needed someone who was clearly Brynner's son. I could've handled Curtis as a Cossack - I've gone with him being a Viking and a Persian prince - but not Brynner's son and that is the heart of the piece.

He's also too old for a role that requires someone callow. They would've been better off getting some teen idol - or cast Brynner's part a lot older.

The drama is muted. The character of the brother, played by Perry Lopez, is wasted (what's his dramatic point?). Curtis' mother character is wasted. Guy Rolfe's villain feels undercooked - oh for Frank Thring to have played this. Kaufman feels too young for Tony - I get they hooked up in real life, but he's too old for the character as written.

It doesn't feel real. Films have to make their own reality. This feels odd with its colourful costumes, and Cossack dancing and singing (sometimes it's like it's going to spill over into a musical).

Also the Cossacks just feel dumb. The opening scene Guy Rolfe tricks Brynner into defeat. They have a silly dispute resolution process where they jump over a gap - it's an exciting scene but it makes you worry about the stability of this society.

I admit I'm influenced by knowing nothing about this period. Maybe if the storyline had been changed to say the Goths and the Roman Empire.

I do think having cast Brynner and Curtis they should have changed it so that they were brothers rather than father and son.

Still, it is a big expensive Hollywood epic set in medieval Russia so it has points for novelty. And a gorgeous music score.

Movie review - "Apache" (1954) ***1/2

Breakthrough film for Robert Aldrich and also Burt Lancaster, as it was the first he did for United Artists. It gets off to a strong star - James Webb was a good writer - with Lancaster refusing to surrender along with Geronimo and being arrested, then escaping and going for revenge.

But the thing is what sort of revenge is he going to do? How is he going to keep up the fight? He doesn't really have a goal - just random acts of terrorism. He kidnaps Jean Peters, who adores him and they have this uncomfortably abusive relationship where he treats her badly but she can't help loving that man. Eventually she persuades him to grow corn but them the others come in.

For me the frustrating thing about the movie was it lacked a proper baddie - there are two candidates, a slimy dude played by John Dehner who hates Indians and tries to kill Lancaster, but he's killed half way through. There's also Charles Bronson's Uncle Tom Indian... but the thing is the whole movie is about Apaches learning to live with the white man so he can't really be bad. I feel they say needed someone ripping off the Apache, or someone who did sell out Geronimo, or make Peters' father really evil or something.

Having said that it's still fresh, even now, to have an Indian as the hero, even if Lancaster is in brown face. He's determined, brave and tough - but a fanatic. So the film in a way is an interesting take on terrorism - he's one of those hard core dudes who refuse to believe the fight is over, but is eventually tamed by domesticity. And while Lancaster just causing random destruction is frustrating dramatically it is truer to life about terrorism.

The film offers an interesting relationship between Lancaster and John McIntire's Indian agent. I liked they cast an old hand like McIntire instead of some young spunk - he seems old, tired, wise. He does well.

Aldrich and Lancaster wish the ending could have been changed to Lancaster died. But I totally bought the sold out ending -the film builds towards his domesticity, and the dramatic device of having the baby cry out works. I do have doubts with everyone just standing around letting him walk off. I mean, he did just kill a bunch of people. (Aldrich had a soft spot for such illogical endings eg Too Late the Hero).

The handling is vigorous. It's not a big budget movie - lots of two handers between Lancaster and someone else, normally Peters.  It's entertaining.

Movie review - "Vera Cruz' (1954) ***1/2 (warning: spoilers)

Fun Western which I think I'd really love if it didn't have Gary Cooper in one of the lead roles. I've developed such an intense dislike for Cooper - he's so gaunt and worn out here he looks like he already has cancer (maybe he did), and he's so weak and whiny, playing a, gee, poor old Confederate who's lost his land so is moving around Mexico. He seems to be after a pay day but he's as honorable as anything - you never think for a moment he might do the wrong thing.

He's blown off the screen acting wise by Burt Lancaster who is superb as a smiling villain. Mind you Lancaster does have the best part - all flashing teeth, and eating like a pig, and getting offended easily, and having a bromance with Cooper, and being super brilliant fighter. You get the sense that Lancaster really likes Cooper but you never get the feeling Cooper likes Lancaster.

Super impressive gallery of supporting rogues including Charles Bronson, Jack Elam and Ernest Borgnine - you wish they'd been given more to do. Maybe that's unfair, they do have a bit to do, but they are generally lumped together and its hard to tell them apart.

Denise Darcel (countess) and Sara Montiel (local) have quite large roles but neither are particularly good actors.

The budget was big and the film was shot in Mexico. Aldrich uses it well - production values are high, and there's lots of shots from a distance with soldiers on the horizon.

Some clever bits of writing such as getting out of being surrounded by Mexicans by using kids. Aldrich's misogyny was already apparent - he's got Lancaster slapping Darcel, and a really uncomfortable attempted rape by Bronson on Montiel. I know everyone's tough and has a rough time in Aldrich films, but he doesn't have women inflicting the violence.

Still a good example of how to make a vehicle for two stars.

Movie review - "Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?" (1969) ***

The third in Robert Aldrich's psycho biddy trilogy although he didn't direct this, just produced it. Bernard Girard originally directed and was replaced by Lee Katzin.

The plot has recently widowed Genevieve Page  realise she's short of cash so she starts murdering housekeepers who have savings, and lives off said savings. A new housekeeper (Ruth Gordon) proves troublesome because she's looking into the death of a friend.

Page and Gordon are great fun - Page is clearly a bit too young but plays the role to the manor born. You know something, though? This really needed Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and it's a shame Aldrich found both so hard to work with. They simply have more charisma, and were more compelling on screen.

there's also far, far too much time devoted to Page's dull neighbour (Rosemary Forsyth), her young son, and Forsyth's romance with Gordon's nephew (Robert Fuller). Peter Brandon and Joan Huntington are better value as Page's nephew and his wife - but even with them the punches are pulled. If you make a film like this you've got to go for it.

I do love how Page is so smart and figures out Gordon's antics fairly early and Gordon's death is a genuine surprise. It's a solid film, worth watching, but falls short of a classic.

Tv review - "Four Star Playhose - The Squeeze" (1953) **

Dick Powell runs a gambling den which is visited by the son of the DA (Richard Jaeckel, who appeared in many films directed by Robert Aldrich, who did this). The story was written by Blake Edwards. This isn't bad. Joan Camden isn't much as Jaekel's sister.

TV review - "Four Star Playhouse - The Gift" (1953) **

Geez, some of these golden years of TV drama shows were pretty dull. This is set at Christmas and is kind of a Christmas Carol knock off. Charles Boyer is rich and lonely. Maureen O'Sullivan is in it. This was a hard slog. Robert Aldrich directed it but it has no passion.

TV review - Four Star Playhouse - The Bad Streak (1954) **

Very dull episode which was directed by Robert Aldrich but has none of his vigour in the handling. Charles Boyer is at least well cast as the manager of a gambling den suffering financial strife. He's confronted by his son, Robert Arthur who is not well cast - he looks like a little boy and tries to act tough but is not convincing. It's uninteresting drama not well done.

Movie review - "The Garment Jungle" (1957) **

Columbia would have dreamt of another On the Waterfront with this one - a fact based tale of organised crime in the garment industry. They got in Waterfront's Lee J. Cobb and while they couldn't get Rod Steiger they got in Richard Boone who is pretty awesome, and there's no Eva Marie Saint but Gia Scala isn't bad, and while there's no Karl Malden there's Robert Loggia who is great. Instead of Marlon Brando though they got Kerwin Matthews, who, for all the residual affection I have for him off the back of his performance in kids adventure movies, isn't good.

Mind you he isn't helped by a script which makes him passive a lot of the time - he rocks up and tells dad Cobb that he wants to work in the family garment firm, but then gets all golly gosh offended when he finds dad has links with the Mob to shut up the union. But then he doesn't do much just whinge to dad and hang around the wife of union leader Robert Loggia, as if waiting for Loggia to die. I think they needed to have Matthews more active - go undercover to find out info on his dad or something (there are account books but Cobb just tells him about them and Valerie French goes "oh I have them").

I don't know what Valerie French is doing in this film - she plays Cobb's girlfriend, and she does have a copy of the secret accounts but doesn't seem to serve much purpose dramatically. Maybe they just wanted another girl in the story... She doesnt really offer any sort of different position. Maybe they should've made her a villain - someone who tries to seduce Matthews, or something. Or a daughter of Richard Boone, who is torn over what her father is doing.

Cobb is fine in his role though you get the impression his character is softened. Loggia is very good in the most fleshed out part - a fanatical union leader fighting for good but neglecting his wife and new baby. Gia Scala was a surprise - I really liked her. Loved her intro dancing. Boone is an excellent villain. Wes Addy is a bit too smooth and Sir Percival Evil as a baddy.

Some of the handling does seem flabby others tougher - I'm not sure how much as original director Robert Aldrich and replacement Vincent Sherman. The location shooting helps.

There's some good moments - the opening pre credit sequence which leaps right into it (this would be a Robert Aldrich trademark), some performances, the execution of Loggia (especially when he realises his mates have betrayed him). But its pretty undercooked stuff. Just thinking about it really Matthews should have died and Cobb lived - that would've been more moving.

TV review - "Four Star Playhouse: The Witness" - Season 2 Ep 5 (1953) **

Four Star Playhouse was an anthology run by Dick Powell, David Niven, Frank Lovejoy and Charles Boyer. Apparently Powell did the bulk of the work behind the scenes! He's in this one, and produced it. He plays a lawyer defending a young Charles Bronson, when he was called Buchwinki. Strother Martin is in it as well.

The most interesting thing about it is that it was directed by Robert Aldrich - it's hard to discern his personal touch, though it's a workmanlike job - and that Powell's lawyer character uses delaying tactics to get his way. The ending where the guy confesses is far too abrupt. This felt like it was better suited to one hour instead of half.

Movie review - "The Last Sunset" (1961) ** (warning: spoilers)

Weird. So weird. I mean, it starts off okay - you've got Kirk Douglas as a cowboy meeting up with old flame Dorothy Malone who's married to Joseph Cotten. And then Rock Hudson turns up to arrest Douglas for murder but he can't do it because he's in the wrong jurisdiction. That's fine. And Hudson and Douglas wind up on a cattle drive together and they're harassed by Neville Brand and his gang. That's good, solid, if formulaic stuff. They spice it up by having Rock Hudson fall for Malone, and Cotten be a coward in the civil war.

Its the subplot of this that'll get you. Malone and Cotten's daughter Carol Lynley has a crush on Douglas, which is good dramatically, even if at 15 it's a bit too young. But instead of a love triangle between mother and daughter, which would've been ideal, Malone falls for Hudson. Lynley falls for Douglas. There's a reveal that Douglas is her father... then if I'm not mistaken HE GOES AND SLEEPS WITH HER. I mean we don't see them kiss but they sort of embrace then cut to them lying on a hay bale together looking tired and happy - that's sex in 1961 Hollywood. He finds out she's his daughter and goes and sleeps with her!!!!

Hudson is affable, Malone good. Douglas recites some poetry and acts up a storm. I wish Cotten had had more to do - they get rid of his character far too earlier. He would've been a useful threat - they should've kept him alive until the end.

Carol Lynley isn't up to the demands of her role. She's adequate - but it needed someone better. Sandra Dee, who was offered it, would've been better - though I think the best choice would have been Tuesday Weld, who apparently was going to do it.

Neville Brand and Jack Elam and their young sidekick look like they're going to do something interesting, but don't really.  

It's a really muddled film. Aldrich disliked it. I'm surprised the incest of this isn't better known.

Movie review - "The Legend of Lylah Clare" (1968) **

Robert Aldrich liked his Hollywood stories - The Big Knife, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, The Greatest Mother of Them All. This one has divided his fans, even though there's a cult around it.

I think I get what this was meant to be (I could be wrong) and feel Aldrich doesn't get there. It's a kind of gothic film - a woman is hired to play the role that was once played by a now-dead movie star. The director who was married to the movie star becomes obsessed with her.

There's much debate over Kim Novak in the lead - is she good or bad? I don't think she's effective here - the film needed someone really able to go there, like Bette Davis did. Tuesday Weld, who played the role on TV, could have done it - she had the touch of madness about her. Jeanne Moreau, originally announced, would've been great. Vivien Leigh if they wanted to go older. Joanne Woodward. Genevieve Page. Reading the lead was inspired by Greta Garbo/Marlene Dietrich made me go "that's who they should have cast - someone like that". There were people around

In Novak's defence her voice is dubbed at the end - when she "turns into" Lylah Aldrich uses a German actress voice for her. It's silly.

You don't get the sense Novak loves Peter Finch, or Finch loves her (or the memory of Lylah). Actually you don't get the sense anyone loves each other which is what this needs - Baby Jane had strength because it was about family, and this should be about a makeshift family but isn't.

Also the action should have stuck more at the house - like Sunset Boulevard. They leave the house too much.

Actually now I think about it Sunset Boulevard has the creepy vibe they should have gone for here -references to the old days, old Hollywood. We should have seen more clash with the new Hollywood (which Sunset could do because of the sound-silent break but was easy enough to do with old Hollywood and new Hollywood).

Frustrating. Aldrich didn't nail this but a few changes and he could've had another classic.

Movie review - "World for Ransom" (1954) ***

Robert Aldrich's second feature as director is his first real "Aldrich" picture - he used many of the cast and crew from the China Smith TV series he'd worked on and was one of the producers. Many of the crew would work on his later films - especially DOP Joe Biroc whose style is all over this, with weird camera angles and characters having sweaty faces. Writer Hugo Butler uses a flowery dialogue style that Aldrich would often use.

It's a pretty entertaining picture. I was never sold on Dan Duryea as a star - far better in support roles, particularly villainous - but it was low budget and he's fine. There's a strong support cast including Nigel Bruce in his last film, Gene Lockhart excellent as a villain, Marian Carr interesting as the femme fetale who Duryea touchingly loves, Patric Knowles good as her slimy cousin (I never liked Knowles much but I didn't mind him here).

It's set in backlot Singapore which I always like. The story revolves around kidnapping a scientist. There's plenty of betrayal and double cross and I thought this was pretty good.

Movie review - "The Grissom Gang" (1971) ***1/2 (re-watching)

I really liked this the second time around. Maybe I was more prepared going in. Maybe its bleakness and toughness was kind of refreshing. The conflicts were big, the dramatic lines clear, the handling strong. Joseph Biroc has a field day making everyone sweaty.

it's not always an easy watch. Rich Kim Darby is kidnapped by some guys who killed her rapey boyfriend - she's then kidnapped again by basically Ma Barker and her boys, one of whom (Scott Wilson) falls in love. Wilson and Darby act all over the shop - Wilson playing someone who is mentally regarded, does a giggle and curls his lips and throws his voice into it; Darby screams and seduces and panics and is scared. Darby is excellent - Wilson has excellent moments.

There is strong support from Wesley Addy (Darby's dad), Tony Musante (brother - Mustante should've been a star), Irene Dailey (crazy Ma), Connie Stevens of all people (just weird to see her in an Aldrich film but she's fine, does a few numbers and gets shot... she plays the girlfriend of one of the original kidnappers), Robert Lansing (a private eye type working for Addy).

Lansing is the one thoroughly sympathetic person in the film, although you definitely feel for Darby - who is in a horrible position and has to sleep with Wilson to survive. I wasn't wild about her falling for him - I guess there's Stockholm Syndrome and all that, but it made me uneasy. Maybe I'm worrying too much but Hollywood always glamorises kidnappings of hot women via a love story which makes dramatic sense but in real life I feel adds to rape.

Still like I said I enjoyed this more on a second viewing. It's Aldrich at his uncompromising peak, a sweaty intense melodrama with action.

Movie review - "Big Leaguer" (1953) **

Notable mostly as the directorial debut of Robert Aldrich - and an example of how MGM forgot how to make fun movies under Dore Schary. This really should have been an easy, fun film - about a bunch of baseball players trying out in the major leagues. You can see what it should have been - something light and breezy with a bit of seriousness and romance; showcasing some young talent, with a veteran actor to headline.

But they stuff it. I don't blame Aldrich - the direction is competent enough. But it's not a good movie. There's no laughs, no charm, no songs. No drama, no excitement.

The script is so clunky. There's endless narration, describing characters and backstories and situations that needed to be dramatised. It's all so serious and self important. Everyone is reflective and philosophical. Okay so they didn't want to make it light, fine - but they don't make it really dramatic either. You don't feel the exhilaration of the sport, or the stakes. It's dull and serious.

Occasionally it threatens to get interesting - it's moving when a player get cut. But don't worry he's back at the end! Or there's some potential drama when a father turns up not wanting his kid to play ball - but don't worry there's no confrontation or any real conflict, he just watches the game and that's that.

Vera Ellen is hideously awkward as Edward G Robinson's niece who loves Jeff Richards. Don't worry - there's no conflict there! Why have conflict when you can have narration?

Richards is tall and good looking and a real baseball player but is very awkward. He's like a young Clint Eastwood.

Other young up and comers include Richard Jaeckel and William Campbell. (Dore Schary wasn't a great spotter of talent... though these guys are better than Vera Ellen who is dreadful.)

Robinson is always a pleasure though not entirely convincing as a former top player - they really shouldn't have included that scene where he goes up to the plate and has a swing.

Just a stiff, dull pointless film with no life in it. I guess the baseball scenes feel real.