Movie review - "Scout's Honor" (1980) **

 Henry Levin died of a heart attack on the last day of filmng apparently. The film is dedicated to him. I wish it was better. This is dull and slow. Set up has potential - high falutin Katherine Helmond is assigned to manage a scout troupe including Gary Coleman. But Coleman's mischeviousness is restrained, Helmond pulls back. There's no villain, no stakes. The last half hour they're stuck in a cave. There's no life, no vivacity, no fun. 

Coleman still has a lot of charisma. He deserved a better vehicle as did Helmond. I probablt would have liked it was an eight year old because I loved Coleman.

Movie review - "The Desperadoes" (1969) ** (warning: spoilers)

 Odd sort of late 60s Western from oldies - Henry Levin, Irving Allen, Jack Palance - with the spaghetti influence, also more violence. Levin shoves in lots of scenes of people blasting guns and horse galloping.

Story - Palance is a Southern raider with sons George Maharis and Vince Edwards, going overboard with the killing and raping so Edwards drops out. Years later Palance and Maharis are still running riot and they cross with Edwards.

This was shot in Spain so there are English actors in it -Sylvia Syms doing a topless swim (she went nude a bit, was she ask or offered) as Edwards' wife.

Edwards seems bored - it's not hard to see why he didn't become a star, at least not based on this. Palance hams it up. Maharis is a blank presence. Neville Brandis is a sympathetic marshall.

Down beat - Syms is killed, Palance and Edwards kill each other, a lot of rape.

Feels kind of... stockly nihilistic. Written by Walter Brough who worked with Levin on The Treasure Seekers. 

Movie review - "The Fighting Guardsman" (1945) **1/2

 Willard Parker was a third tier leading man who Columbia had under contract for a while. this is a gift for an actor playing a Scarlet Pimpernel type - an aristocrat who robs nobles and gives to the poor This is the time of Louis XVI who appears. There's decent complications - Parker is in love with Anita Louise whose brother George Macready (excellent as always) is an aristocrat, Parker's men don't trust him because he's an aristocrat, ally Janis Carter (hugely fun) becomes a mistress of Louis.

Parker is dull and wooden. There's no difference between the characters. John Loder is a sympathetic Pom. He's also blank. Carter and the support are great; Louise is fine.

A strong story, solid Henry Levin direction. Just let down by its lead. 

 

Movie review - "That Man Bolt" (1973) **

 Fred Williamson as a sort of black James Bond, a courier who gets involved in international shenanigans. This is quite fun, in part because they don't make 'em like it anymore.

Two directors are credited - Henry Levin and David Lowell Rich - I assume one got sick/sacked. (Levin often pinch hit for other directors eg Charles Vidor - doesn't mean that happened here.) 

The film isn't very good but it's so dumb that it's endearing, with Williamson going to Hong Kong and beating people up and sleeping with women, and British character actors give it novelty. 

Movie review - "Sergreant Mike" (1944) **

 Should have been a slam dunk - army story about soldier Larry Parks assigned to train a dog, romacing a widow who has a cute kid. It's alright but there's not nearly enough dog stuff - we want more scenes of their relationship.. The scene with Parks and the kid goes on way too long. There's too much war stuff.

The copy I saw was murky too which didn't help and may have influenced me.  Henry Levin's second film as a director.

Movie review - "Genghis Khan" (1965) ***

 This doesn't have much of a reputation and some things are cringe inducing like James Mason in yellow face and Fu Macchu moustache and Robert Morley as the Emperor of China. But the script by Beverly Cross is literate and strong, and if the Chinese are improperly played by English actors their characters are clever.

 The photography is divine, the production value spectacular. They tried to make a good movie. 

Omar Sharif suits Genghis Khan far better than John Wayne did all those years ago. Stephen Boyd is another mongol - Francois Dorleac is Khan's love interest! Telly Savalas stands out, as usual, as a warrior ally of Sharif.

Has very very little to do with reality. 

 

Movie review - "I Love a Mystery" (1945) ***

 The first of three films based on a popular radio series. This has the two stars of that, neither familiar, investigating a crime. It's an enjoyably lurid crime with George Macready worried his head will be lopped off.

It runs at an hour, the photography is splendid, Macready adds class as does Nina Foch.  Satisfying mystery, stylishly made. I enjoyed this.