Radio review - "Unmade movies - Mary Queen of Scots"

 Famous unmade script by Jay Presson Allen which almost got shot by Alexander Mackendrick starring Mia Farrow before being cancelled in the great British film crisis of 1969. It was famous because Mackendrick pretty much retired soon after to go into teaching and because it sounded better than the 1971 Hal Wallis movie that was made on this queen.

The result actually isn't that great. It's fine. But it doesn't fix the problems in the story - Mary's state of mind. She gets knocked around too much - Rizzio gets killed, her husband hits her, her husband gets killed, Bothwell goes away, she winds up in prison.

I think Mary is one of those characters too complex to be a lead she might be better off as a support character. She feels real here and it's a good gutsy drama but it's unfocused. 

Movie review - "Linda" (1960) **1/2

 Engaging B picture from Independent Artists/Bryanston directed by Don Sharp. It focuses on young people in love - Carol White, eventually to be legendary, and Alan Rothwell.

White was cast by the producers after working for her in Never Let Go. She was just seventeen. She and Rothwell genuinely seem young - I mean, they are, but seeming it is a different thing to being it. 

The plot has Rothwell hanging around with a Bad Lot (milk bars, table tennis, juvenile delinquency), on the verge of being a criminal, to the worry of a smug, friendly local vicar. He romances local girl White - they have a nice day trip (pleasing location scenes), then he paws her, she says no, she goes on a date, he thinks she's putting out, he sulks and acts possessive and controlling, then they get together, and agree to get married. So it's a film of it's time.  The structure is solid. You just sense he's going to be bashing her in a few years.

White hadn't grown into her looks let, she seems to be a kid. Rothwell is fine - everyone can act.

Don Sharp directs quite well. 

For a long time this movie was considered missing.  It's not a msterpiece or a gem, it feels like a television episode with decent production values, but ti's not bad.

Movie review - "Royal Hunt of the Sun" (1969) **

 Chat, chat, chat. Peter Schaffer's stage play about Spaniards and Incas as a hit - a literate look at colonialism with some impressive staging. I can see the thought process - "well take this and add scenery and it'll be a literate blockbuster".

Maybe. Some people will like it. but it's a lot of talk. Christopher Plummer is the Inca king in make up. Robert Shaw has grey in his hair. 

Some effective moments - a battle sequence in slo mo with flameno, the death of Plummer.

Too much chat especially about God. There's a third act lecture from a priest, in common with many Phil Yordan scripts. 

Movie review - "The Birthday Party" (1968) **

 The photography is stunning, the art design perfect, the acting excellent. Good on Friedkin for making it and Palomar (ABC) for backing it. It's a faithful version of the play.

I note Pinter's talent. But sorry this is a 40 minute story at most. It might play better on stage with the intensity of the actors being there. On film it doesn't work.

If you love Pinter go for it. 

Movie review - "Shalako" (1968) **1/2

 The press got hysterical about this movie - Sean Connery in a Western. Connery appearing opposite Brigitte Bardot. 

It's a strong story, and looks great (vistas etc). But it's an ensemble piece - sort of like Stagecoach, about Europeans on a hunting trip encountering Apaches. There's various subplots like Jack Hawkins' wife Honor Blackman having it off with Stephen Boyd. Connery is a former cavalry officer who advises them to get out and they odn't.

There's too many characters to service so the strong cast don't have anything to do. Connery and Bardot don't have anything to play. They should have written him as taciturn and explosive but unused to women - or something. He's just a guy. She's just Bardot, and not attractively costumer. Honor Blackman is better because she's got something to play. Connery isn't even that tough - he doesn't do much through the film.

There's also Peter Van Eyck, Eric Sykes, Alexander Knox, Woody Strode. 

Also never makes sense why posh types are hunting in New Mexico which is really rocky and desert-y. The plains would have made more sense. 

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 - "633 Squadron" (1964) ***

 Plane buffs love this movie. Solid guys on a mission flick the mission being to blow up something in Norway. Not well directed and the casting of the leads seems off - Cliff Robertson as an American, George Chakiris as a Norwegian.

But the support cast are fine - including John Meillion as an Aussie. It gets points for wiping out most of the squadron. Final attack influential on Star Wars. 

Movie review - "What a Carve Up!" (1961) **1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 One of those sort-of Carry On films made around this time with their ensemble casts and Carry On personnel. This has Sid James, Kenneth Connor and Shirley Eaton.

Connor and James spend a night in an old dark house with black cats, eyes through paintings, creepy buter, etc.  There's some good old spooky actors like Denis Price, Michael Gwynne, and Donald Pleasnace. It loses a bit of steam and why not have Connor get with Eaton. I mean funny Adam Faith gag but better to go emotion, Eaton would have been better as a femme fetale.

Movie review - "The Seventh Dawn" (1964) **1/2 (warning: spoilers)

 Big budget Malayan Emergency film didn't have to have a big budget. It actually felt like it could be a TV play - suspenseful account of Erusian woman (Capucine) framed by commie (Testuro Tamba) so she'll be shot by Brits, so British woman (Susannah York) hands herself to commie so American (William Holden) who loves Eurasian woman goes to rescue British woman.

You could play that out simply. There's two big battles - at the camp and later on - which aren't needed as are the big protests. Acting is fine. York is a bit of a middle aged man fantasy - horny, nubile, brave, who just wants to shag Holden. Capucine carries history and gives one of her best performances. Holden is fine in these self loathing roles. The guy who plays York's dad is undercast, I got him mixed up with a military guy. A british soldier should've loved York.

As a drama this isn't bad. Hurt by French Capucine as Eurasian and a Japanese as a Chinese communist and an American as a planter in Malaya. Some memorable moments. Malays are mostly background. 

Ben Hecht worked on script.  But it's a depressing story. Malays have their village burned down. Capucine is excuted. Tamba is killed. Holden gives up his plantations and goes off travelling and doesn't even root York. York is left alone. Just depressing.

Probably better dramatically if York had died. The true Malays - Capucine , Tamba - die.

Movie review - "The Trap" (1966) ***

 Gorgeous Canadian scenery. Oliver Reed looks like a trapper. But they dub him. Why? Rita Tushingham lovely. Simple taming of the beast story. Some strong action sequences. Sidney Hayers was a skilled director.

Movie review - "Kiss of the Vampire" (1963) ***1/2 (rewatching)

 Started slow for me - because I know what's happening I guess. Lacked star power. But second half gets better when more things happen. Looks like a dream.

Book review - "Funny Girl" by Nick Hornby

 Not amazing but fun. Better on the men, like the writers and the hopeless sex addicted lead. They're more interesting than Sophie who seems mostly to be hot and keen. She becomes famous very quickly - more of a struggle wouldn't have hurt. Actually making it in England seems to be quite easy. Fun throwbacks to culture. Love the mentions of things like Anthony Newley. I like the big time leaps.

Movie review - "Piccadilly Third Stop" (1960) **1/2

 Not bad heist film helped by some excellent actors and the novelty of Yoko Tani as a female lead. Dennis Price great fun as a casino over I wish his part had been bigger, same for Mai Zetterlin. Terence Morgan is fun as a cad. Lot of heist films made around this time.

Movie review - "Snowball" (1961) ** (warning spoilers)

 Interesting drama from Indepdenent Artist about a kid (Dennis Waterman!) who lies about getting kicked off a tram by a conductor (Kenneth Griffith) that leads to a newspaper smear campaign (really?) and the conductor's death. A little extreme but it's watchable, sensitively done, well acted. Gordon Jackson's dad shakes the truth out of his son. Nice dad!

Movie review - "Too Young to Love" (1960) *

 Cripes. Hard to explain. Melodrama about a teen girl busted by a busy body for hosting a party. She's been sleeping around. The judge, Thomas Mitchell, investigates. Asks a lot of questions. The parents over act and cry. The judge scolds everyone. The boyfriend can't act. It's set in America filmed in Britain. Mentions abortion and syphillis - the girl goes through both. She's sentenced to a home for three years. 

A potential camp classic. Sydney Box made so much crap. Overly talky. Not well acted. So much tut-tutting. I kept wanting to slap Thomas Mitchell.

Movie review - "October Moth" (1960) **1/2

 Feels like an ep of an anthology show rather than a feature but it's stylishly directed and well acted by Lee Patterson and the girl who plays his sister. A melodrama rather than a noir but done in a noir style. Not enough story for a feature but done with conviction by a director and cast who care.

Movie review - "League of Gentlemen" (1960) ***

 The first effort from Allied Film Makers - it has a splendid central idea, and Jack Hawkins having fun. A bit smug in places as Bryan Forbes scripts could be, but has a heist locomotive. Closest relationship was between Hawkins and Nigel Patrick. Lots of interesting people in it like Richard Attenborough, Keiron Moore. A little more sexy - Nanette Newman in a. bath.

Movie review - "Faces in the Dark" (1960) **

 Little known gaslighting thriller where John Gregson goes blind then starts to worry if his wife Mai Zetterling and business partner Michael Denison are trying to kill him. There's also a mysterious chauffeur, Tony Wright. 

Not bad, lacks flair- no Hammer thriller. Gregson miscast. But it tries.  

Book review - "Space Odyssey: The Making of a Masterpiece" by Michael Benson

 Exhaustive, detailed, surely definitive. Kubrick comes out of this very well but the movie shows him at his best - all the attention to detail paid off. The critics come out of it badly most missed the point.

I like the human touches - Keir Dullea's contributions, William Sylvester stuffing his lines take after take, Arthur C Clarke having to pay off the debts of his dodgy married boyfriend caused by a Sri Lankan James Bond spoof. I like the tribute to the fighting qualities of Robert O'Brien at MGM too. 

Movie review - "The Bulldog Drummond" (1960) **

 These Norman Wisdom films are getting me down. This one starts with a decent idea - love sick Wisdom is about to kill himself and decides to enlist in the Navy - but what follows is slapshash. There's two extended sequences which don't lean into the navy idea - him mountaineering and at the end launched into space.

Michael Caine and Oliver Reed can be glimpsed.