Friday, July 30, 2021

TCM: Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics by John Malahy

Summer Movies
30 Sun-Drenched Classics 
by John Malahy
Foreword by Leonard Maltin
TCM and Running Press
Hardcover ISBN: 9780762499298
June 2021
208 pages


Summer Movies: "an underappreciated category of movies — those that depict the experiences, traditions and delights of the summer season." — John Malahy

Summer is my favorite season and there is just something really special about movies set during this time of year. Whether they depict the joy (or stress) of vacation and travel, different rites of passage, reconnecting with nature, transitions in life or the imminent danger that sometimes comes with hot weather, there is something unique about these films that make them highly watchable all year round. 

In Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics, author John Malahy spotlights 30 summer themed classics from Lonesome (1928) to Call Me By Your Name (2017) (which just happened to be two of my top favorite movies). Each film is selected not only for its summer setting but also for its cultural impact. Each film is presented with 6 pages including an article, photos, stats, Vacation Inspiration which offers advice on how to turn the film experience into a real life vacation, and a companion film. Movie plots are summarized for the main titles which can be either a nice refresher if you've seen the film or give a bit too much away if you haven't. The Make It a Double Feature section was the highlight for me as Malahy perfectly pairs an often lesser known film that ties in beautifully with the featured one. There are lots of gems to discover there. 




Some of the films featured include: Moon Over Miami, State Fair, Key Largo, Rear Window, The Seven Year Itch, Picnic, Gidget, Parent Trap, The Endless Summer, The Graduate, Jaws, On Golden Pond and much more.

The author has a way with words that makes this book a delight to read and the design of the book is just absolutely stunning. It's a compact size which makes it the perfect book to pop into your summer tote bag and bring with you to the beach.

Summer Movies features an introduction by Leonard Maltin. The lack of diversity in the book is addressed in the opening chapter (I really appreciate that this was addressed!). The book offers a light dose of both trivia and context with some wonderful images and quality design. This is another winner from the TCM and Running Press line of books!





This is my second review for the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge.


Thank you to Running Press for a copy of the book for review.

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

They Won't Believe Me (1947)

 


"I can't walk out Harry. You'll have to do the walking."

This is the story of one man and three women. The man in question, stockbroker Larry Ballentine (Robert Young), is on trial for the murder of one of those three. A flashback takes us to when it all started. Larry was having an affair Janice Bell (Jane Greer), a delicate rose, who is falling in love with Larry but conflicted by the fact that he's still married. The wife in question, Greta (Rita Johnson), has no plans on letting Larry go. Their marriage was more of a financial arrangement for Larry. But when Greta hears that Larry is about to travel to Montreal with his new flame, she tags along to shake off Janice. At work, Larry falls for an employee at the brokerage, Verna (Susan Hayward). Verna is very different from both Janice and Greta, something that excited Larry greatly. When Verna and Larry plot an escape, a way for Larry to finally get a divorce without sacrificing his financial situation, things take a turn for the worst.

Directed by Irving Pichel, They Won't Believe Me (1947) is a captivating film noir and a must see for anyone who loves this style of filmmaking. Produced by Joan Harrison for RKO, this was her first sole producer credit (learn more about Harrison here.) It flips the femme fatale trope on its head presenting us with what TCM's Eddie Muller calls an "homme fatale." Robert Young as Larry has all the traits you would expect from a femme fatale but in a male role. And a credit to Harrison's handling of the project, the female characters are fleshed out and just plain interesting. They Won't Believe Me is based on a story by Gordon McDonnell and adapted to the screen by Jonathan Latimer. The ending is abrupt and a little ambiguous, a way to get around strict Hays Code guidelines of the time.

RKO re-released They Won't Believe Me in 1957 to play as a double bill in theaters. They cut 15 minutes from the film creating a new 60 minute version. The complete movie was elusive for years. Prints languished in archives but the public only ever saw the cut version. Thanks to the Warner Archive's George Feltenstein who championed the restoration, this film noir is now available in its entirety. The Warner Archive collection has released a new Blu-ray restored in 1080p HD from a 4K scan of the original nitrate print. This restoration premiered at the 2021 virtual TCM Classic Film Festival back in May.

If you haven't seen They Won't Believe Me yet, you're in for a real treat. I found myself really engrossed with this one. It hits all the marks I expect a good film noir should. There are a few twists and turns but nothing is over the top. For me, I really enjoyed the different elements like the court room trial, the escape to the countryside, the backdrop of the stock market, the Caribbean cruise, etc. There's a lot going on but it's so streamlined and seamless that it just flows. I'll definitely be watching this one again and again.



Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I feature titles from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you to Warner Archive for sending me copy of They Won't Believe Me (1947).


Monday, July 12, 2021

Mae West Blu-rays from Kino Lorber

Source: Kino Lorber


Mae West was a force of nature. Born into a showbiz family, West seemed destined to take the industry by storm at an early age. After a successful career in vaudeville and theater, West made her film debut at the age of 40 with Night After Night (1932). West wasn't conventionally beautiful, she was older than most actresses playing romantic leads and she broke the mold of how a movie star should look and act. The fact that she became such a huge movie star seems to defy logic. But West just had this presence that drew people to her. She was confident, in tune with her sexuality and could deliver a sexual innuendo like nobody else. West was a self-made woman and when she told you she was hot stuff, you believed her. 

West wrote much of her own material and many of her movies are based on her plays, original stories and featured her special brand playful dialogue. West was such a huge star, especially in the 1930s, that she helped her home studio Paramount avoid bankruptcy. Over the years, she battled with censors and many of her films faced heavy editing. The Pre-Code era was her time to shine but she was able to carry on her special brand of sexuality into an era of increased censorship. 

Mae West starred in 12 films and 9 of them are available on Blu-Ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Below are my reviews of 7 of them (I forgot to ask for two of them hence there only being 7). Each Blu-ray features brand new audio commentary as well as English subtitles. She Done Him Wrong has undergone a 4k restoration for the Blu-ray release.



Night After Night (1932)

directed by Archie Mayo
Starring: Mae West, George Raft, Constance Cummings, Wynne Gibson, Louis Calhern



When Night After Night (1932) came out, star George Raft joked that Mae West stole everything but the camera. West had a small role as a party gal who crashes Raft's club and while she only has a few scenes boy does she make them count. Raft plays a boxer turned club owner during Prohibition. He turns a mansion, formerly owned by Jerry (Constance Cummings) and her family, into said club. Joe is determined to obtain the one thing he doesn't have: class. West was unhappy with the scenes she was given and insisted on writing her own dialogue. This gave her the opportunity to deliver one of the best opening lines for any character ever made: "Goodness, what beautiful diamonds.... Goodness had nothing to do with it, Dearie." This is a subdued little Pre-Code until West arrives and livens up the joint. She's fourth billed but she might as well have been the star. I recommend this curio for its fun little story and West's epic debut.




She Done Him Wrong (1933)

directed by Lowell Sherman
Starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Gilbert Roland, Noah Beery
 


She Done Him Wrong sees Mae West in her first starring role and boy does it suit her. West is perfect for a tale set in the Gay Nineties (1890s). Hollywood loved this time period because it was a great way to show revelry in the time frame that's both recent and distant. West plays Lady Lou, a lounge club singer who has caught the eye of many men including an ex-con and a Salvation Army missionary. The latter is really Captain Cummings, an undercover Federal agent, played by Cary Grant. The two films West starred in with Grant are Pre-Code gems. Grant is at the very beginning of his career and just achingly beautiful. 




I'm No Angel (1933)

directed by Wesley Ruggles
Starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Gregory Ratoff, Edward Arnold


In their second film together, Mae West has an even better opportunity to be seen the handsome and debonair Cary Grant. West stars as Tira, a circus performer who, of course, has caught the eye of many a suitor. Perhaps too many. When she becomes smitten with an otherwise engaged man about town, Kirk (Kent Taylor), she gets in over her head. Kirk's cousin Jack (Cary Grant) comes to the rescue only to discover he's falling in love with the glamorous Tira. It's with this film that you start seeing POC (people of color) characters pop up. They become more and more prominent in subsequent films and unfortunately that means more stereotyping. Libby Taylor plays Tira's personal maid and Hattie McDaniel has a very small role as a maid/manicurist. I'm No Angel and She Done Him Wrong pair well together and if you had to watch any Mae West films, I recommend trying these two.






Belle of the Nineties (1934)

directed by Leo McCarey
Starring: Mae West, Johnny Mack Brown, Duke Ellington, Katherine DeMille, Roger Pryor
 

It's back to the Gay Nineties for Mae West! She stars as Ruby Carter, a nightclub performer who flees to New Orleans to escape her prizefighter boyfriend Tiger Kid (Roger Pryor). Supporting players include Johnny Mack Brown as one of Ruby's handsome admirers and Katherine DeMille a jealous society girl. This film has a little bit of everything, musical numbers, a jewelry heist, murder, and a lot of Mae West. Belle of the Nineties was based on West's original story It Ain't No Sin, which due to censorship had to change to something more "respectable." West looks her best adorned in period clothing and dripping in jewels. The film lacks in viable leading men and from what I read George Raft turned down the role of Tiger Kid. Duke Ellington performs in one of the musical numbers.






Goin' to Town (1935)

directed by Alexander Hall
Starring: Mae West, Paul Cavanagh, Gilbert Emery, Marjorie Gateson, Tito Coral

Saloon performer Cleo Borden (Mae West) is preparing to marry a wealthy rancher when he's tragically killed in a robbery. Even though they hadn't married yet, she still inherits his estate. It doesn't matter how much money she has, Cleo can't buy status among the snobby elite. This is another example of a West film exploring the intersection between monetary wealth and social status. The story features West traveling down to Buenos Aires and agreeing to marry a degenerate gambler in order to inherit his status. She gets involved in horse racing which is where Taho, an indigenous character played by Venezuelan actor Tito Coral, comes in. I found this one to be quite enjoyable even when the storyline got a bit convoluted.






Go West Young Man (1936)

directed by Henry Hathaway 
Starring: Mae West, Randolph Scott, Warren William, Alice Brady, Lyle Talbot

AmazonBarnes and Noble Deep DiscountKino Lorber TCM Shop

Go West Young Man has the best line-up of supporting male players of all the Mae West films I've seen thus far. West plays Mavis Arden, a much beloved movie star, is bound by her employer, A.K of Superfine Pictures, to not marry. At least until her 5 year movie contract expires. This proves to be too much for Mavis when she falls for both mayoral candidate Francis X. Harrigan (Lyle Talbot) and small town engineer Bud Norton (Randolph Scott). Warren William plays her press agent and caretaker who is constantly trying to prevent her from marrying one of her beaus. There is a fun fish-out-of-water element to this story where we see the glamorous movie star residing at a quaint boarding house in rural Pennsylvania. This is by far my favorite from the batch specifically because of the leading men. Unfortunately, it does feature Stepin Fetchit type character performed by Nick Stewart.






Klondike Annie (1936)

directed by Raoul Walsh
Starring: Mae West, Victor McLaglen, Phillip Reed, Helen Jerome Eddy, Harold Huber


Groan! Klondike Annie is one of the most cringe-inducing films I've seen from this era. It's a hot mess with how it depicts Asian stereotypes, miscegenation, religion and female purity standards. West plays Rose Carlton, a nightclub singer in San Francisco's Chinatown who is being held captive by her beau Chan Lo (depicted in yellow face by Harold Huber). In scenes cut due to censorship, Chan Lo is murdered and Rose flees to Alaska via shipping vessel to avoid criminal prosecution. Along the way she falls for the ship's captain (Victor McLaglen) and tends to dying religious missionary Sister Annie (Helen Jerome Eddy) whose identity she takes over. West essentially plays a woman of the world pretending to be a religious figure and it just doesn't work. There's a lot of "othering" here which makes it painful to watch through a contemporary vantage point. 



Also available from Kino Lorber



Every Day's a Holiday (1937)

directed by A. Edward Sutherland
Starring: Mae West, Edmund Lowe, Charles Butterworth, Charles Winninger, Lloyd Nolan, Louis Armstrong





My Little Chickadee (1940)

directed by Edward F. Cline
Starring: Mae West, W. C. Fields, Joseph Calleia, Dick Foran, Margaret Hamilton, Ruth Donnelly




Thank you to Kino Lorber Studio Classics for sending me these titles for review. 
Using the buy links helps support this site. 

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

2021 Summer Reading Challenge: First Round-Up

 



I've never been more impressed with the summer reading challenge participants as I have been this year. They have been killing it with some awesome reads and even more awesome reviews. Keep up the good work! Seeing their social media mentions and the #classicfilmreading hashtag pop up and reading/watching/listening to their reviews brings a smile to my face every single time.

Congrats to Woodson for being the first to complete the challenge!

Here is the first batch of reviews!*


Andy of Journeys in Darkness and Light

""a great book for any classic film lover, and perhaps an even better book to read with another classic movie fan, leading to many opportunities for discussion, agreement, or maybe even knock-down-drag-out arguments"

The Art of American Screen Acting, 1912-1960 by Dan Callahan

"Holding has crafted not only a suspenseful tale, but also an examination of relationships, race issues, moral dilemmas, gender roles, and much more."

The Blank Wall by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding

"provides a good overview of the actor’s life and work and will no doubt make fans want to check out as much of his performances as possible."

Edmond O’Brien: Everyman of Film Noir by Derek Sculthorpe

"Although time and budget were constant woes, the stories of how these creators overcame such constraints are remarkable, compelling, and often jubilant."

Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup by Tom Weaver

"The characters of the kidnappers are less well-developed and their motivations somewhat standard, yet taken as a whole, the novel is a tightly knit page-turner that’s quite satisfying."

King's Ransom by Ed McBain 


Breanna of Bresfilms41

"As a movie trivia lover, this was a treasure trove of information, and I loved every bit of it." 

52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter by Jeremy Arnold

"The discussion between the two directors is relentlessly fascinating, sometimes funny, and occasionally poignant."

Hitchcock/Truffaut

"[Vieira's] research is incredibly thorough, and he crafts such a compelling, living image not only of Thalberg but of every other character in his story..."

Irving Thalberg: Boy Wonder to Producer Prince by Mark A. Vieira 

"McGilligan manages to pull back the curtain and create an incredibly compelling narrative study."

Young Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane by Patrick McGilligan


Brittaney of The Story Enthusiast

"Having now read about Cukor’s life, I can appreciate his pictures even more."

George Cukor: A Double Life by Patrick McGilligan




Carl of The Movie Palace Podcast 

"will prove most satisfying to those who already actively admire the film, because Tarantino uses the novel to expand on various aspects from the movie."

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino

"this book is highly readable, concise and persuasive, therefore I recommend it to all cinephiles who admire Rebecca."

Rebecca by Patricia White


Chuck on Twitter

"The book is a quick read at a slim 144 pages and I was informed and entertained reading it.  It's a irreverent look at this classic film, kind of like the brothers themselves."

Hail, Hail, Euphoria!: Presenting the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, the Greatest War Movie Ever Made by Roy Blount Jr.

"the book is informative without being overly academic in its analysis."



Source: Jess of Box Office Poisons


Jess of Box Office Poisons

"It's light and refreshing, just like Ann-Margret!"

My Story by Ann-Margaret


Kara on Goodreads

"I came away from this book feeling that I know Audrey Hepburn better and that our world is a poorer place without her in it."

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen


Lee of Lee Mac on YouTube


"It was fantastic. 5 stars. Amazing. Love hearts raining everywhere." 

Captain Blood: His Odyssey by Rafael Sabatini


Miriam of Cine Gratia Cinema on YouTube


"one of the most magnificent books and cookbooks that I've ever come across... quote me on that."

A Treasury of Great Recipes by Mary and Vincent Price 


Molly of Classic Mollywood

"As a TCM lover, every time I saw quotes from Robert Osborne I felt enormous joy. It was like hearing Robert talk about these films all over again."

The Essentials Vol. 2 More Must-See Movies and Why They Matter by Jeremy Arnold


Nathan on Twitter and YouTube


"Through various anecdotes, he reveals tragedy, humor, and transparency within that fractured world."

Kieślowski on Kieślowski 

"Thomson shines a light with sensibility, wit, and with a love of cinema."

A Light in the Dark: A History of Movie Directors by David Thomson

"an excellent insight from a genuine filmmaker about the process of filmmaking."

Making Movies by Sidney Lumet

"It's not a pretty story, but there's a strength in telling it and I'd implore you to give it a good read."

What Falls Away: A Memoir by Mia Farrow


Raquel of Out of the Past

"paints the portrait of a complicated woman who stumbled upon fame and soon found her calling as an internationally renowned entertainer."

Mean... Moody... Magnificent!: Jane Russell and the Marketing of a Hollywood Legend by Christina Rice

(Plus an author interview for TCM!)


Robert of Robert Bellissimo At The Movies on YouTube


"some of these stories are dramatic, engaging and brutal"

Conversations with Ava Gardner by Lawrence Grobol

"a real page turner"

The Marlon Brando Western - The Making of One Eye Jacks by Toby Roan


Sarah on Goodreads

"Reading about her time in Hollywood and her experiences in silent and early film-making were interesting and fun- she was definitely a '20s spirit!"

Lulu in Hollywood by Louise Brooks

"such a fun summer read! This book has a little of everything- animals, starlets, dancers, child stars and more."

This Was Hollywood: Forgotten Stars and Stories by Carla Valderrama


Steve on Goodreads

"This book serves as a testament to how the film was made but also why it will be eternal. It’s a fascinating read for a legendary film. Read it twice."

Singin' in the Rain: The Making of an American Masterpiece by Earl J. Hess, Pratibha A. Dabholkar


Woodson on LibraryThing

"Spoto is quite adept at pointing out the many interesting motifs which run throughout the film maker's works..."

The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years of His Motion Pictures by Donald Spoto

"This book is a finely crafted balancing act: serious without being grindingly academic, honest without being salacious, adoring the art without basking in the rosy glow of nostalgia..."

Buzz: The Life and Art of Busby Berkeley by Jeffrey Spivak 

"Sadly, the author has only written one other book concerning that film world... That he hasn't continued writing about film is the cinematic world's loss" 

The Great Movies by William Bayer

"Though all of the essays would make sense to the layman, this is really more of a work for the hard core cultists. As such, it is wonderful."

Film Noir Prototypes: Origins of the Movement edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini

"Some books tell us a lot. Some books delight us a lot. Quite often the two types don't intersect. By the happiest of circumstances, a book concerning the subject of films which delight is at once informative and as delightful as its subject."

Romantic Comedy in Hollywood: From Lubitsch to Sturges by James Harvey

"In some sense this book is a bit of a parlor game with smart cinephiles identifying films, roles, actors. However, Thomson is also making a big point about that and the very fact of watching as opposed to doing."

Suspects by David Thomson 


*If for any reason you don't see your review here, it's because it's missing from the link submission form. Make sure you submit and it'll be included in the next round-up.



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