2020 Summer Reading Challenge: Second Round-Up

I am so incredibly impressed with not only how many books the participants have been reading but the variety of books and the quality of reviews. This is the best year yet! I encourage you to give these all a read. I guarantee that you're TBR (To Be Read) list will grow.

A big congrats to Breanna, Carl and Vanessa who have already finished the challenge! For the rest of us, we still have until September 15th to send in reviews.

Happy Reading!


Andy of AndyWolverton.com 
Robert Wise: The Motion Pictures by J.R. Jordan
Seconds (1963) by David Ely

Breanna of Bresfilms41
Dark Star: The Untold Story of the Meteoric Rise and Fall of the Legendary John Gilbert by Leatrice Gilbert Fountain
Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War by Mark Harris
Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin

Carl of The Movie Palace Podcast
The Age of Movies: Selected Writings of Pauline Kael edited by Sanford Schwartz
Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society by Richard Dyer
Hitchcock Films: Revisited by Robin Wood
Letters from Hollywood: Inside the Private World of Classic American Moviemaking by Rocky Lang and Barbara Hall
A Long Hard Look at Psycho by Raymond Durgnat
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Photo Source: Jess of Box Office Poisons

Jess of Box Office Poisons
Considering Doris Day by Tom Santopietro
Life is a Banquet by Rosalind Russell
No Bed of Roses by Joan Fontaine

Molly of Classic Mollywood
Jean Arthur: The Actress Nobody Knew by John Oller
Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne by James Gavin

Pacia of Sylvia Plath, Shirley Jackson, and Dorothy Parker Walk into a Bar…
A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London, and New York by Angelica Huston

Raquel of Out of the Past
Letters from Hollywood: Inside the Private World of Classic American Moviemaking by Rocky Lang and Barbara Hall
The Lives of Robert Ryan by J.R. Jones

Rich of Wide Screen World
The Dreams of the Dreamers: Adventures of a Professional Movie Goer by Hollis Alpert

Photo Source: Robby on Instagram

Robby on Instagram
Hollywood Black: The Stars, The Films, The Filmmakers by Donald Bogle

Sarah on Goodreads
Gun Crazy: The Origin of American Outlaw Cinema by Eddie Muller
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
Swanson on Swanson by Gloria Swanson

Shawn of The Everyday Cinephile
The Art of Film Projection: A Beginner's Guide by George Eastman Museum
Frame By Frame: A Materialist Aesthetics of Animated Cartoons by Hannah Frank
Herr Lubitsch Goes to Hollywood: German and American Film After World War I by Kristin Thompson

Steve on Goodreads
Anthony Mann by Jeanine Basinger
Horizons West: The Western from John Ford to Clint Eastwood by Jim Kitses
Hitchcock on Hitchcock: Selected Writings and Interviews by Alfred Hitchcock and edited by Sidney Gottlieb

Vanessa of Super Veebs
Bombshell: The Life and Death of Jean Harlow by David Stenn
MGM Style: Cedric Gibbons & the Art of the Golden Age of Hollywood by Howard Gutner


If I missed your review, don't worry! It'll be on the next and final round-up.

A Life of Endless Summers: The Bruce Brown Story

"A life well-lived goes on and on."

If ever a documentary filled me with hope and broke my heart at the same time, it's this one. A Life of Endless Summers: The Bruce Brown Story is a poignant film about a visionary filmmaker who followed the beat of his own drum and inspired generations of others to do the same. It's also about the heroes in his life, fellow visionaries, inventors, athletes and filmmakers who weren't afraid to pursue their dreams and while doing so made their mark.

"Get your ass off the couch and go have an adventure... make the most of our limited time here. And most of all, have fun and be good, the best good you can." — Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown made waves with the seminal The Endless Summer (1966), a surfing documentary that followed two professional surfers as they traveled the world in search of the best beaches while chasing the warm weather and sunshine. "An endless summer" has become synonymous with pursuing your dreams and living the best quality life you can. The film elevated surfing as a sport and inspired countless athletes. It also motivated others, who had no intention of hanging ten, to shape their own destinies and not settle for the status quo. Brown went on to make another important sport documentary, On Any Sunday (1971), which followed motorcycle racers and enthusiasts, including Steve McQueen. It was nominated for an Academy Award. Brown retired from filmmaking only to revive his career by making The Endless Summer 2 (1994) with his son Dana Brown. 

Bruce Brown spent the years after the 2006 death of his wife Patricia in relative isolation. He preferred to spend time at his home with his beloved dog Rusty. In 2014, his children encouraged Bruce to go on a road trip to visit the important figures who helped mold his life. Bruce agreed... as long as he could bring Rusty. Directed by Dana Brown A Life of Endless Summers: The Bruce Brown Story follows Bruce Brown on this road trip. Along the way we learn about him as a filmmaker, father, husband and friend. During their travels, Brown meets up with his old friends including surfer and inventor Hobie Alter, friend and founder of Clark Foam Grubby Clark, motorcyclist from On Any Sunday Mert Lawwill, surfer and inventor of the neoprene wetsuit Jack O'Neill and others.

"If you're willing to take a leap of faith, get off your butt. Who knows how many great things in the world are out there?"

A Life of Endless Summers: The Bruce Brown is a beautiful tribute to a filmmaker who paved the way for many who followed. I was particularly moved by the message of the documentary that life is fleeting, do what makes you happy.

Bruce Brown passed away in 2017 but his legacy lives on. I had the pleasure of meeting Bruce Brown at the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival. He was one of the only guests who asked to meet with fans after a special event. Attendees were treated to the 50th anniversary screening of The Endless Summer and I had a brief chat with Bruce. He was warm, friendly and down to earth. I told him I thought The Endless Summer was a wonderful film. He joked "it's old!" God speed Bruce Brown.

A Life of Endless Summers: The Bruce Brown Story is available on digital and on demand platforms including Amazon Prime and iTunes.

Letters from Hollywood

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Letters from Hollywood
Inside the Private World of Classic American Moviemaking
by Rocky Lang and Barbara Hall
foreword by Peter Bogdanovich
ABRAMS Books
352 pages
Hardcover ISBN: 9781419738098
September 2019

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powells


Letters from Hollywood is truly a gift for classic film lovers. It's a time capsule of film history, preserving letters, telegrams and other missives that demonstrate the intricacies of relationships within Hollywood. Writer and filmmaker Rocky Lang and archivist Barbara Hall have curated an excellent collection, spanning from 1921-1976, and provide readers not only with a beautiful scan of the letter in its original form but also a detailed annotation that helps clarify, inform and give the letter context. These letters did not exist in a vacuum. Reading them on their own without knowledge of the circumstances which served as the catalyst for the message would make them infinitely more difficult to understand or appreciate. The annotations are key and I recommend reading them before the actual letter. Once you read the annotation and the letter, pore over the details of the image. That's half the fun. The creases and tears, the signatures, the handwritten notes and illustrations, the elegant corporate letterhead, all add additional charm.

The letters range from gravely serious to light and amusing and everything in between. Some notable letters include:

• Irving Thalberg's scathing letter to Erich von Stroheim firing him from Universal.
• Boris Karloff feeding writer Albert Hergesheimer a trivia tidbit for movie magazine fodder.
• Henry Fonda's Western Union telegram announcing Jane Fonda's birth to William Wyler and Wyler's response.
• Bette Davis's letter to studio executive Jack Warner pleading for better working conditions.
• The intricately designed letterhead on which publicist Lou Marangella's puff piece informs Irving Thalberg of the production of Ben-Hur (1925).
• Hattie McDaniel's carefully written rebuttal to Hedda Hopper regarding the NAACP's call for better roles for African Americans.
• Ingrid Bergman's gushing letter to Cary Grant about learning of her Oscar through his radio broadcast.
• Ronald Colman's letter to studio executive Abe Lehr on the advent of talkies.
• Jean Bello's letter to her daughter Jean Harlow's agent Arthur Landau about "the baby" and the making of Bombshell (1933).
• Paul Newman's hilarious letter to William Wyler turning down a role in Funny Girl (1968).

I have more thoughts about this book which I share on The Movie Palace Podcast. Give it a listen! Thank you to host Carl Sweeney for the opportunity to discuss this book on the podcast.

This is my third review for the Summer Reading Challenge.

The Lives of Robert Ryan by J.R. Jones

The Lives of Robert Ryan
by J.R. Jones
Wesleyan University Press
May 2015
Hardcover ISBN: 9780819573728
376 pages

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powells


Robert Ryan was endlessly likable, despite the many villainous characters he portrayed on screen. There was just something about him. He brought a sense of authenticity to every role and you could tell he loved his work. Behind that wrinkled brow and severe scowl was a man who was an average Joe who just happened to be an extraordinary actor. Chances are, if you're a classic film fan, you count Robert Ryan as one of your personal favorites.

Born and raised in Chicago and educated at Dartmouth College, Robert Ryan tried out many jobs before finding his true calling: acting. As a child he appeared as an extra in Essanay Film Manufacturing Company films. After college he was invited by a friend to participate in a theater production and he was hooked. Ryan made his way to Hollywood where he studied at Max Reinhardt School of Theater. It was there he met fellow actor and soon to be wife Jessica Cadwalader. After playing some bit parts in Paramount films, Ryan was drafted into the Marines during WWII. When he came back he concentrated on his movie career at RKO. He took a huge gamble starring in Crossfire (1947) as violent Anti-Semite. The liberal minded and gentle Ryan was the complete opposite character. However, he excelled at playing bad guys and Crossfire would jumpstart his career and earn him his first (and only) Academy Award nomination.

“One thing Ryan had understood… a controversial role can help an actor’s career.” — J.R. Jones

Many films followed including Berlin Express (1948), The Boy with the Green Hair (1948), The Set-Up (1949), Clash By Night (1952), The Naked Spur (1953), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), Billy Budd (1962), The Longest Day (1962), The Professionals (1966), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Wild Bunch (1969), and his final film Executive Action (1973). Ryan would often play loners, outcasts and those figures on the perimeter of society. Off screen, Ryan was a fiercely private man. He opted out of the Hollywood scene and preferred to spend his off time with his wife and three children. Ryan became an outspoken critic of war, was a member of the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy and partook in Civil Rights efforts alongside his friend and Odds Against Tomorrow co-star Harry Belafonte. He had a penchant for booze and was troubled by bouts of depression. But he never let any of that get in the way of his work. Ryan built a reputation for coming to work on time and prepared and for befriending crew members as well as his fellow actors. Ryan passed away in 1973 at the age 63 which is a damn shame because he at least had a good decade or more left in him to continue his excellent body of work.

Robert Ryan and Jessica Cadwalader. Photo Source

The Lives of Robert Ryan by J.R. Jones offers a compelling look at the life and career of one of the finest actors to ever grace the silver screen. The author has clearly done his research as he pieces together the story of a man who was far from being an open book. The book benefits from extensive interviews with Ryan's children, especially his daughter Lisa Ryan, as well as access to the 20 page memoir Ryan wrote for his family shortly before his death. There are lots of great anecdotes, insightful observations and eye-opening revelations. The book leans towards the positive but the author isn't shy to share some of the darker elements of Ryan's life.

Classic film enthusiasts will love the behind-the-scenes information and following the trajectory of Ryan's acting career. The book does gloss over Ryan's later films and extrapolates more on his early work, especially some of the notable performances in films like Crossfire and The Set-Up. Some hardcore classic film enthusiasts won't mind this but I wanted the author to linger more on some of his later films.

The true star of the book for me was Robert Ryan's wife Jessica Cadwalader. I gobbled up any information offered to me about her extraordinary but ultimately sad life. There is extensive information about how she transitioned from being an actress to being a writer, how she and Ryan were fundamental in starting the Oakwood School, a private progressive elementary school in Los Angeles that is still going to this day, and how she suffered from the limitations posed on women, wives and mothers in the '50s and '60s. She had a mental breakdown in 1958 and reading about the circumstances that lead to it made me want to throw the book across the room in anger.

The Lives of Robert Ryan by J.R. Jones is an excellent biography that delves deep on the life and career of a beloved classic film star.

Thank you to Wesleyan University Press for sending me a copy for review!

This is my second review for my Summer Reading Challenge.

This happens to be my 100th book review! Check my book review page for the full list!

2020 Summer Reading Challenge: First Round-Up

It's that time again! It's time to share all of the wonderful reviews that the participants of this year's Summer Reading Challenge (winter for those of you on the Southern Hemisphere!) have been writing. I have a whopping 38 participants this year including my husband who joined at the last minute. And I'm so proud of this eager group of classic film lovers because they have really dived into their TBR stacks with great enthusiasm. I encourage you to read every single one of these reviews (I did myself, why shouldn't you?)

Happy reading!

Andy at AndyWolverton.com
Painting with Light by John Alton
The Psycho File by Joseph W. Smith III
The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin

Breanna of Bresfilms41
The Selected Letters of Elia Kazan
Jimmy Stewart by Marc Eliot
Olivier by Anthony Holden

Carlos of Live Fast Look Good
The Man Who Seduced Hollywood: The Life and Loves of Greg Bautzer, Tinseltown's Most Powerful Lawyer by B. James Gladstone
Hollywood Godfather: The Life and Crimes of Billy Wilkerson by W.R. Wilkerson III

Jess of Box Office Poisons

Every Frenchman Has One by Olivia De Havilland

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: My Life by Sophia Loren

Lee from Lee Mac on YouTube
Christmas Holiday by W. Somerset Maugham
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: My Life by Sophia Loren
TBR list

Pacia of Sylvia Plath, Shirley Jackson, and Dorothy Parker Walk into a Bar…
Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood by Karina Longworth
West of Eden: An American Place by Wendy Vanden Heuvel

Raquel of Out of the Past
Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock by Christina Lane

Rich of Wide Screen World
The Real Tinsel by Bernard Rosenberg and Harry Silverstein

Photo Source: @_robby_c on Instagram

Robby on Instagram
Growing Up in Disneyland by Ron DeFore

Sarah from Goodreads
American Prince: A Memoir by Tony Curtis

Photo Source @classicsarah_ on Twitter

Shawn of The Everyday Cinephile
Migrating to the Movies: Cinema and Black Urban Modernity by Jacqueline Najuma Stewart

Steve from Goodreads
Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman
The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend by Glenn Frankel

Vanessa of Super Veebs
Complicated Women: Sex & Power in Pre-Code Hollywood by Mick LaSalle
Swanson on Swanson by Gloria Swanson
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
Silent Stars by Jeanine Basinger


If I missed your review, make sure you submitted it to the Book Review Links form at the bottom of the challenge page.

Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock by Christina Lane

Phantom Lady
Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison
The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock
by Christina Lane
Chicago Review Press
Hardcover ISBN: 9781613733844
400 pages
February 2020

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powell's

"Alfred Hitchcock would not have become 'Hitchcock' without her." — Christina Lane

I first learned of Joan Harrison when I saw her name pop up in the title credits for The Alfred Hitchcock Hour television show. I was deep into my binge watch of that series when I noticed that Harrison was replaced by Norman Lloyd as executive producer. It was only when I read Christina Lane's excellent biography Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock that I learned why Harrison left the show. While Harrison had been fully involved in the original series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, she was less enthused with the new format coupled the pressure to find original stories that would work for the hour long presentation. According to Lane, Harrison "was a woman who liked to be in control." If she didn't feel the work was suited to the best of her abilities or that she could do better elsewhere she removed herself and moved on. This is a woman I needed to learn more about.

Christina Lane's biography offers readers a portrait of a headstrong woman with a passion for both storytelling and the business of movie making. Harrison refused to take the path set for her as a woman. She wanted more and she was determined to get it. Harrison got her start in the business when she answered Alfred Hitchcock's want ad for a personal assistant/secretary. She was a terrific writer, editor and visionary and she quickly rose in ranks to writer and eventually to producer. According to Lane, Harrison "championed women's stories and alternative narrative methods." She believed that films should have complex and dynamic female characters. Highly collaborative, she oversaw continuity of story and vision and had a hand in procuring stories as well as launching writer's careers. Harrison helped groom Jane Greer for her career at RKO (but quickly left when Harrison saw Hughes was bad news) and was instrumental in Robert Mongtomery's career at Universal. She was nominated for two Oscars in the same year, for best adapted screenplay for Rebecca (1940) and best original screenplay for Foreign Correspondent (1940). I admire the fact that Harrison felt strongly against the blacklist and when she transitioned to television work, producing shows like Janet Dean, Registered Nurse and the two Alfred Hitchcock anthology series, she used the opportunity to help blacklisted talent get back to work.

“She was realizing that the women’s angle -- the persistent search for filmic ways to penetrate the mind of a sympathetic female character -- was her greatest motivation.”— Christina Lane

Phantom Lady is an exquisitely written and thoroughly researched biography of an extraordinary woman. Author Christina Lane is an associate professor of film studies at the University of Miami and writer. Lane offers readers tons of interesting information, beautifully crafted sentences and thoughtful observations. There are extensive interviews with surviving members of Lane's circle of friends and colleagues including living legend Norman Lloyd. Films discussed include: Rebecca (1940), Foreign Correspondent (1940), Suspicion (1940) (lots of information about that darned ending!), Phantom Lady (1944), Nocturne (1946), Ride the Pink Horse (1947), Once More, My Darling (1949), etc. There are plenty of spoilers so if you're not familiar with the film plots you may want to skip ahead a paragraph or two when the synopsis is discussed in the text. There is quite a bit of information about Harrison's love life which may or may not be interesting to the reader. Lane offers juicy tidbits while being careful not to cross over into the territory of salaciousness.

I'm particularly interested in learning more about people behind the scenes of film making, beyond actors and directors. The role a producer is not fully understood or appreciated by many and there was much to learn from here through Harrison's involvement in various projects. Lane does an excellent job deciphering what Harrison's contributions as a screenwriter and producer would have been based on research but also educated guesses where information was lacking.

A truly enlightening and empowering read. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Chicago Review Press for a copy of Phantom Lady for review.

This is my first review for my Summer Reading Challenge.

The Assassination Bureau (1969): Review by Kate Gabrielle

The Assassination Bureau (1969) is an energetic, suspenseful, and imaginative romp through an alternate version of turn-of-the-century Europe where the chair of a secretive murder-for-hire organization, Ivan Dragomiroff (Oliver Reed), teams up with feminist journalist Miss Winter (Diana Rigg) to prevent World War I. Sure, he might be partially to blame for the Archduke Ferdinand's accidental assassination by tossing him a bomb concealed inside of a large sausage, but his heart is in the right place!

This dark comedy begins with Miss Winter seeking out The Assassination Bureau to commission a hit on Ivan Dragomiroff himself! Miss Winter believes that his demise will put an end to the increasing number of senseless murders being committed, and her first assignment as a newly minted journalist will be to trail Dragomiroff and cover his ultimate end for the paper. Driven partially by amusement at the offer and a desire to reset the moral compass of his increasingly mercenary institution, Dragomiroff accepts Miss Winter's request, with one caveat. If he is able to kill the other members of the board - corrupt men willing to trade an indefinite number of human lives in exchange for more power or wealth - then The Assassination Bureau can remain intact with him as chair, and restore its original mission to only eliminate those who are really and truly deserving of death.

Bedecked in a series of outlandish disguises, the members of the board all begin drawing up dastardly and inventive ways to kill each other off. A match sparked in a gas-filled room, bombs in briefcases, bombs in headboards, the aforementioned bomb in the sausage, and a particularly surprising death by helium! As Dragomiroff traipses across Europe leaving fiery, smoking buildings in his wake, Miss Winter follows along to cover the story and - predictably, but nonetheless adorably - becomes increasingly worried about the safety of the man that she just paid twenty thousand pounds to kill!

Diana Rigg and Oliver Reed have great chemistry here - in one scene when they are still in the verbal sparring stage of the "mismatched romantic duo" trope a hotel porter mistakes them for a married couple, and you could easily see how he could make that mistake. Dragomiroff remarks "it seems we have a married look ... because you're after my blood, no doubt." Of course, she's not the only one after his blood! Dragomiroff's second in command, Lord Bostwick (Telly Savalas) is so determined to see Miss Winter's hit carried out that he offers an additional ten thousand pound bonus to the person who does the deed. Savalas plays Lord Bostwick as a congenial villain, a man who delights in the game of death as much as the power he stands to gain from it. He is the perfect foil for Reed, who manages to portray an idealistic and upstanding hero with his characteristic devil-may-care flippancy.

The Assassination Bureau is as visually bright as the humor is dark - so many rich velvets, and so much attention to detail! In particular I was fascinated by a series of paintings lining the walls of the Bureau's conference room (a round room hidden behind beautiful curved bookcases) that depict famous assassinations throughout history, and a duo of beds in a brothel that are built to look like a swan and a peacock. Combining colorful, jaunty imagery with inset vintage newsreel footage, The Assassination Bureau puts a groovy 1960s twist on a fun turn of the century story.

The Assassination Bureau is available to purchase through the official

  Out of the Pat MovieZyng Store.

Kate Gabrielle is an illustrator and classic film fan. You can find her classic movie inspired artwork on her website, kategabrielle.com, and 10 years of film musings on her blog The Films in My Life.

The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953): A Review by Kyle Edwards

The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) is an early-1950s British comedy which tells a story similar to many real occurrences throughout the world. After Britain's large, nationalized railroad company "British Railways" decides to cease operations over a rural branch line, a small group of concerned locals spring into action to buy the lot of it and save their treasured train. Despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the ragtag group manages to defy the odds and preserve the rail line.

This film is the Orient Express of cinema, providing a scenic, entertaining connection between varied points; these being suspense, clever humor and heartwarming satisfaction. The primary antagonists in the film are a pair of gentlemen who wish to gain from the closure of the rail line by offering bus service in place of the train. After these men fail to block the new railroad from gaining government approval to operate, they take matters into their own hands. Several devious attempts at sabotaging the railway are made — all appear successful at first. However, the ingenuity, determination and teamwork displayed by the group aboard the train prevails every time. Throughout the film, the rails are blocked, the critically essential water tower is ruined and drained, and the entire train is even set loose and forced to derail. Wherever the bus company men do their worst... the railroad men and women do far better.

The Titfield Thunderbolt has a captivating storyline, solid cinematography and a skilled cast. The plot itself, though fictional, is based on the story of the Talyllyn Railway in Wales — which became the world's first railway to be preserved by volunteers in 1951. In a broader sense, the film is very representative of things to come in the years that followed. As railroads around the globe experienced increasing overall decline throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, many groups appeared from thin air and saved historic railways and equipment from total destruction. In this film, there's some truth behind the added element of the seemingly-evil bus operators trying to destroy the railway. Motorcoach, trucking, automobile and airline companies all applied heavy pressure on the railroad industry in their formative years — both directly and by pushing for government regulations that lined their pockets at the expense of the high iron.

This movie beautifully captures the inherent nostalgia of the railroad and the love that many people — of all ages — have for the steam train. Although many historic rail lines have been lost forever, The Titfield Thunderbolt's success story, though fictional, provides a burst of joy that makes the viewer grateful for the existing real-life success stories. As with the preservation of any object, machine or place, there must be a lot of care and determination for there to be any resulting positive outcome. This film, though light and humorous, highlights the perseverance of those who wish to save things that are at risk for obliteration. Just like a real rail line, this film has plenty of ups, downs and unexpected twists. But it's fun, thrilling and very much worth the ride.

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Deep Discount — Film Movement — TCM Shop

The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) is available on Blu-ray from Film Movement.

Thank you to Film Movement for providing a copy for review.

Kyle Edwards of Trainiac Productions

"I enjoy long walks on the beach, but prefer to study railroad history, photograph the giant machinery in action and enjoy any films from days gone by. I love to create as much as I love to enjoy the creations of others."

Whisky Galore (1949): Review by Kate Gabrielle

It’s 1943 in wartime Scotland and the residents of the small island of Todday are fighting a battle far worse than anything they could have ever imagined when World War II began — they are plumb out of whisky! In Whisky Galore, a colorful group of characters band together to salvage cases of alcohol from a sinking supply ship that ran aground near the island, while the daughters of the town’s postmaster (and most fervent admirer of whisky) contemplate marriage to their respective suitors. After the initial comical scenes depicting the moment when the "water of life" went dry, the film drags a bit, spending a little too much time on exposition for storylines that don't pay off until the end.

But once the townspeople concoct their plan to plunder the ship full of whisky, things really pick up the pace and all of the exposition starts coming together. In what is perhaps the most rewarding payoff, a mild-mannered man who lives under the roof - and thumb - of his overzealous fire-and-brimstone mother finally works up the nerve to speak up for himself once he's poured several glasses of pilfered whisky down the hatch. And an early scene on the effectiveness of roadblocks on an island with only one main thoroughfare finally comes full circle during a thrilling car chase!

A cast of regular Ealing players combined with local extras from the on-location island of Barra makes for a realistic, vibrant, and distinctive bunch that's reminiscent of Ballykissangel (1996-2001) and Waking Ned Devine (1998). The star of the film is definitely the town as a whole, but top-billed actors Basil Radford and Joan Greenwood (ironically the only non-Scottish members of the cast) pull their weight as the Home Guard commander and one of the postmaster's daughters.

Greenwood doesn't have very much to work with here -- her scenes consist of pretty much a loop of applying lipstick, answering the telephone in her father's shop and gazing lovingly at her fiance -- but, as was her custom, she takes those small scenes and turns them into works of art. Exuding composure and calm indifference, every line that she utters in her signature gravely voice elevates the script beyond the written words.

Radford - who you may recognize as one half of the popular Charters and Caldicott duo - transitions throughout the film from a somewhat bumbling Home Guard commander into something of a Javert character, determined to sabotage the whisky theft and hold accountable any and all townspeople who had anything to do with the heist. It is a small saving grace that his wife seems to be rooting for him to fail, and finds great pleasure in the moment he gets his comeuppance!

Despite the lag in pace in the first quarter of the film, this was a very pleasant and delightful film! Once it found its footing it was so lively and cheeky! And there are so many small moments that feel like they could only come from a British film of this era. An elderly man storing whisky in his hot water bottle; the sound of bagpipes being used to drown out the ranting and raving of a stuffy old woman; a man agreeing to allow his daughter's betrothal on the condition that his future son-in-law procure him whisky for the rèiteach. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my favorite scene in the film, a montage of villagers hiding their whisky in the most inventive and creative places in their homes. It's reminiscent of scenes from other wartime movies where people banded together for the good of the country - or in this case, for the sake of whisky!

The Film Movement Blu-Ray is a beautiful print with crystal-clear sound, something that I appreciate all the more in movies like this one that take place in a seaside setting, where the sound of the waves and seagulls are an essential part of the experience. Bonus features include an audio commentary by John Ellis, a documentary about the film, a featurette about the real life events that inspired the movie, and a 16-page booklet. You also get the 1954 film The Maggie, starring Paul Douglas.

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Deep Discount — Film Movement — TCM Shop

Whisky Galore is available on Blu-Ray from Film Movement.

Thank you to Film Movement for providing a copy for review.

Kate Gabrielle is an illustrator and classic film fan. You can find her classic movie inspired artwork on her website, kategabrielle.com, and 10 years of film musings on her blog The Films in My Life.

The Ghost of Peter Sellers

"For 43 years I covered up this very dark spot of my life. I carried this grudge against myself. After all these years, I'm here and I'm lost. What have I done?" - director Peter Medak

Peter Sellers developed a reputation for being difficult. By the time he started filming Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1974) he was not in a good place. He and Liza Minnelli had just broken up and he was feeling lonely and out of sorts. And he was about to make director Peter Medak's life a living hell. Four decades later Medak would live to tell the tale.

The new documentary The Ghost of Peter Sellers paints the portrait of a temperamental star on the path of self-destruction and a young director with a tormented past who remained hopeful even in the most dire of circumstances. Directed, narrated and starring Medak himself, this is a cathartic exploration of a production that has haunted him for many years. Viewers follow along as Medak interviews those who were involved with the film or had a connection with key players especially Peter Sellers himself. Interview subjects include writer Spike Milligan's agent Norma Farnes, producer and financier John Heyman, directors Joe McGrath and Piers Haggard who had worked with Sellers on other films, Sellers' personal assistant Susan Wood, actor Murray Melvin, Tony Franciosa's widow Rita Franciosa and many others. For a brief moment we hear from actor Robert Wagner who co-starred with Sellers in The Pink Panther (1963). Medak sits down with his friends and colleagues trying to reconstruct what exactly happened and takes us to Cyprus where the filming took place.

Medak interviewing McGrath and Haggard

"Making this documentary film was probably the craziest exercise I have ever done. It meant reaching deep inside and travelling alone through the memories of the worst directing experience of my entire life, reliving every moment again and walking in my own shadow of what happened on my movie 46 years ago." - Peter Medak

Ghost in the Noonday Sun was a high seas comedy starring Peter Sellers, Peter Boyle and Tony Franciosa. If you've never seen or even heard of this film there is a reason why. It was a disaster of a production and Columbia Pictures decided not to give it a theatrical release. Medak was an up-and-coming director. His film The Ruling Class (1972) had been nominated for a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His wife was pregnant with their second child, money was tight and he needed his next production to be a sure thing.

Sellers was at the height of his fame. A new Sellers production had the potential to be bought sight unseen. Resting on the laurels of the Sellers dynamic was Medak's biggest mistake. What the hell had he just gotten into? Even with the foreboding sense of an impending disaster the hopeful young director trudged forward.

 "I have a name of being difficult but I'm not difficult at all. I just can't take mediocrity. I cannot take it on any level." - Peter Sellers

You'd think that Sellers would be the villain of the story but that really isn't the case. Yes his behavior is inexcusable but it is clear that there was more going on behind the scenes. Medak clearly admires Sellers comedic genius and mourns his long lost colleague.

The Ghost of Peter Sellers is an enthralling documentary that offers insights into the filmmaking experience and how a person's actions have ripple effects that last long after they have passed on. If you're at all interested in Peter Sellers, film history and the filmmaking process, give this documentary a watch.

The Ghost of Peter Sellers is available today on VOD including Amazon Prime and Google Play.