Wednesday, January 9, 2019

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (12)

New year, new books! I'm excited to present to you another classic film book round-up. There are so many new releases that I had to be a tad more selective this time. I didn't include some of the higher priced scholarly books and kept mostly to trade and books that I thought you all would be interested in. If you think I overlooked an important title, let me know and I'm happy to add it in!

Are you new to my list? Here are the details. Links lead to Goodreads or buy pages where you can order or pre-order the title. Books include biographies, memoirs, scholary texts, coffee table books and more from a variety of publishers. Publication dates range from January to July and these are subject to change. Using my buy links helps support this site. Thank you!

If you want to hear me chatting about classic film books (and why wouldn't you?) I was a special guest on two episodes of The Movie Palace Podcast including one recorded with the host Carl Sweeney, Classic Film Books episode, and one recorded with Carl and my good friend Vanessa, Gift Ideas episode.

Now on to the books...


A Kid’s History of the Movie Image From Dawn of Time to About 1939
by Jennifer Churchill
CreateSpace
33 pages – Available Now
Amazon – Official Website




by Murray Pomerance
SUNY Press
274 pages – January 2019




The Man Behind Creepy, Vampirella, And Famous Monsters
by Bill Schelly
Fantagraphics
272 pages – January 2019



Fighting Words, Moving Pictures
by Adina Hoffman
Yale University Press
264 pages – February 2019




A Biography of Vivien Leigh
by Alan Strachan
I.B.Tauris
336 pages – February 2019




by Ralph Hancock and Letitia Fairbanks
Lyons Press
296 pages – February 2019



A Hollywood Memoir
by Victoria Riskin
Pantheon Books
416 pages – February 2019



by Jan Wahl and Morgana Wallace
Penny Candy Books
36 pages – February 2019




edited by Martin F. Norden
University Press of Mississippi
272 pages – February 2019




American Silent Cinema and the Utopian Imagination
by Ryan Jay Friedman
Rutgers University Press
232 pages – February 2019


Creating Marilyn Monroe
by Amanda Konkle
Rutgers University Press
280 pages – February 2019




Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and the Making of a Legendary Film
by W. K. Stratton
Bloomsbury Publishing
352 pages – February 2019


A Century of Screen Sex Scandals
by Nigel Blundell
Pen and Sword History
176 pages – February 2019



by Patrick McGilligan
Harper
640 pages – March 2019



The Hidden Environmental Costs of the Movies
by Hunter Vaughn
Columbia University Press
265 pages – March 2019



All That's Left to Know About the Provocateur of Bad Taste
by Dale Sherman
Applause Theatre & Cinema Books
400 pages – March 2019



Quick Takes
Dahlia Schweitzer
Rutger University Press
188 pages – March 2019




The Influence on Costume and Set Design
by Lora Ann Sigler
McFarland
162 pages – March 2019



Iconoclastic Writer and Militant Zionist
by Julien Gorbach
Purdue University Press
484 pages – March 2019




Shooting a Masterpiece
by Christopher Frayling and Angleo Novi
Reel Art Press
336 pages – March 2019



Sinatra of the Seine, My Dad Eddie Constantine
by Tanya Constantine
Feral House
202 pages – March 2019


More than a Scarecrow
by Holly Van Leuven
Oxford University Press
256 pages – March 2019
Amazon – Barnes and Noble 



Smile
How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry)
by Gary Golio and Ed Young
Candlewick Press
48 pages – March 2019
Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Powells




The Phenomenology of Spectacle
by James Phillips
Oxford University Press
136 pages – March 2019



Betty Comden & Adolph Green’s Musicals and Movies
by Andy Propst
Oxford University Press
288 pages – March 2019



Quick Takes
by Rebecca Bell-Metereau
Rutgers University Press
130 pages – March 2019




Performing the Modern
by Shirley Jennifer Limv Temple University Press
262 pages – April 2019


Audrey Hepburn and World War II
by Robert Matzen
GoodKnight Books
400 pages – April 2019




The Pre-Code Era (1930-1934): When Sin Rules the Movies
by Mark A. Vieira
Turner Classic Movies and Running Press
256 pages – April 2019



An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies
by Jill Tietjen and Barbara Bridges
Lyons Press
400 pages– April 2019





by Caroline Jones
Carlton Publishing Group
160 pages – April 2019


Lady Triumphant
by Victoria Amador
University Press of Kentucky
406 pages – April 2019


An Animal Rights Memoir
by Brigitte Bardot with Anne Cecile Huprelle
Arcade
200 pages – April 2019


Every Film, Every Role
by Ellen Cheshire
Sonicbond Publishing
144 pages – May 2019


25 Movies to Make You Film Literate
by Vincent Lobrutto
Praeger
299 pages – May 2019




Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont
by Shawn Levy
Doubleday
384 pages – May 2019



Duke's Solutions to Life's Challenges
by the editors of the Official John Wayne Magazine
Media Lab Books
224 pages – May 2019



The Films of a Hollywood Giant
by Neil Sinyard
McFarland
238 pages – May 2019



The Corleone Family Cookbook
by Liliana Battle and Stacey Tyzzer
Insight Editions
208 pages – May 2019



by John Billheimer
University Press of Kentucky
360 pages – May 2019
Amazon – Barnes and Noble




The Stars, the Films, the Filmmakers
by Donald Bogle
Turner Classic Movies and Running Press
264 pages – May 2019



by James L. Neibaur
McFarland
134 pages – May 2019



Actress and Humanitarian, from The 39 Steps to the Red Cross
by John Pascoe
McFarland
208 pages – May 2019



Every Movie, Every Star
by Sam Proctor
Sonicbond Publishing
144 pages – May 2019



A Life of John Buchan
by Ursual Buchan
Bloomsbury Publishing
496 pages – June 2019


Exquisite Ironies and Magnificent Obsessions
by Tom Ryan
University Press of Mississippi
320 pages – June 2019



A Contrarian History of American Screen Comedy from Silent Slapstick to Screwball
by David Kalat
McFarland
247 pages – June 2019


50 Leading Ladies Who Made History
by Sloan De Forest
Turner Classic Movies and Running Press
248 pages – July 2019


The Gabors Behind the Legend
by Sam Staggs
Kensington
352 pages – July 2019



A Remarkable Woman
by Anne Edwards
Lyons Press
448 pages – July 2019


Inspiration from the Goddess of Glam
by Michelle Morgan
Running Press
208 pages – July 2019


Movie Culture in the Age of Reagan
by J. Hoberman
The New Press
400 pages – July 2019


Displaying the Moving Image, 1926-1942
by Ariel Rogers
Columbia University Press
288 pages – July 2019


Male Beauty, Masculinity, and Stardom in Hollywood
by Gillian Kelly
University Press of Mississippi
224 pages – July 2019


Previous Round-Ups
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Monday, January 7, 2019

My Cinema Shame Statement for 2019


For my 2019 Cinema Shame challenge I'm shaking things up a bit by watching films from the year I was born. And there is no shame in telling you that 1980 happens to be my birth year. Although there is a bit of shame in admitting how few films released in 1980 I've actually seen. Not very many. So I plan to correct that in 2019 with this new challenge.

If you're not familiar with Cinema Shame, make  sure to visit the official website for details.

Which of these films from 1980 have you seen and which do you recommend? Here is what I'm planning on watching this year:


American Gigolo (1980)
dir. Paul Schrader
starring Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton and Hector Elizondo



The Blues Brothers (1980)
directed by John Landis
starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd



Caddyshack (1980)
directed by Harold Ramis
starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Henry Wilcoxon




Dressed to Kill (1980)
directed by Brian De Palma
starring Angie Dickinson, Michael Caine, Nancy Allen



Fatso (1980)
directed by Anne Bancroft
starring Dom DeLuise, Anne Bancroft, Ron Carey



Flash Gordon (1980)
directed by Mike Hodges
starring Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Max von Sydow


Hopscotch (1980)
directed by Ronald Neame
starring Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston



Tom Horn (1980)
directed by William Wiard
starring Steve McQueen, Linda Evans, Richard Farnsworth, Elisha Cook Jr.




Urban Cowboy (1980)
directed by James Bridges
starring John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn, Madolyn Smith Osborne




Xanadu (1980)
directed by Robert Greenwald
starring Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, Michael Beck, James Sloyan


What's on your Cinema Shame list for 2019? Tell me in the comment section below!

Also make sure you listen to the most recent Cinema Shame podcast episode. I'm the special guest!
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Friday, January 4, 2019

The Black Windmill (1974)




Two young boys are kidnapped. The men hired to do the job are blown up as they drive away. Corruption runs deep as two IRA arms smugglers, Celia (Delphine Seyrig) and Mckee (John Vernon), plot against undercover MI6 agent John Tarrant (Michael Caine). Tarrant soon discovers that one of the boys kidnapped is his son David. The other boy is let go but not before he's heavily drugged with a hallucinogenic that prevents him from providing any crucial information. Tarrant finds himself in a state of limbo having to deal with his distraught wife Alex (Janet Suzman), his bosses at MI6 Harper (Donald Pleasence) and Sir Julyan (Joseph O'Conor) and the smugglers, who go by the shared name Drabble. They're the ones holding his son at ransom. And their ask is a big one. They want the £500k worth of uncut diamonds that recently came into the possession of the MI6 department. Harper and Julyan have no plans to give up the diamonds but continue to string Tarrant along. Once Tarrant discovers that the government agents won't back him up, he decides to go rouge and to use his skills as a secret agent to save his son. The corruption is more prevalent than Tarrant expected and with the help of his wife Alex, he begins to uncover the clues of where his son is hidden and how he can rescue him.

The Black Windmill (1974) is based on British author Clive Egleton's debut novel Seven Days to a Killing published in 1973. The film rights to the novel were snapped up fairly quickly. Egleton went on to write numerous spy novels but this is the only one so far that has been adapted to film. According to cinematographer Ousama Rawi, the film was originally called Drabble, a reference to the shared psuedonym used by the kidnappers. Universal Pictures didn't think the name would go over well with audiences so it was on Don Siegel, who served as both director and producer, to work on a new title that would please the studio. The title changed from Drabble to The Two Windmills, then The Twin Windmills before they finally settled on The Black Windmill.

Siegel's film was shot on location in West Sussex, Kent, London and with some scenes shot at Universal Studios. The scenes inside the windmill were actually shot inside one of The Clayton Windmills in West Sussex. Rawi says the stunt man who performed the big fall inside the windmill was seriously injured on the set.  The windmill itself is a crucial part of the film and including it in the title is in itself a spoiler.





The Black Windmill suffers from a lack of real tension and a convoluted plot. I didn't see the plot twist coming but when it did it made sense for the plot but it didn't add any real entertainment value. The film as a whole could have benefited from a better story treatment. The villains are rather flat and one dimensional and I felt they could have been a bit more interesting. Michael Caine turns in a wonderful performance as secret agent Tarrant. He's the main reason you should watch this film. I enjoyed his scenes with frequent collaborator Joss Ackland who plays Chief Superintendent Wray, Tarrant's only ally except for his wife Alex. I'm always looking for how women are portrayed in films of this era and was happy to see that Alex, played by Janet Suzman, has an active part in her husband's mission to save their son and isn't just the helpless distraught housewife.




I'm working through Don Siegel and Michael Caine's respective filmographies so while this wasn't as captivating as I'd hoped it would be, ultimately I'm glad I watched it.





The Black Windmill (1974) is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. When you use my buy links you help support this site. Thanks!

The movie looks great on Blu-ray. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray and DVD includes includes audio commentary by filmmaker Mike Siegel, a great 18 minute interview with cinematographer Ousama Rawi, radio clips, a gallery and Kino Lorber trailers.


 Thank you to Kino Lorber for sending me a copy of The Black Windmill (1974) for review.
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Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Hide-Out (1934)



Playboy racketeer Jack "Lucky" Wilson (Robert Montgomery) is out on the town, breaking hearts and taking names. His latest racket is coercing two New York City night club owners, Shuman (Henry Armetta) and Jake (Herman Bing), into a partnership with his laundry syndicate. But the cops, including detectives MacCarthy (Edward Arnold) and Britt (Edward Brophy), are hot on his trail. After a confrontation with the police Wilson is shot but manages to escape and drive off. He heads upstate but passes out from his injury. Wilson is rescued by a local town clerk and farmer, Henry Miller (Whitford Kane), who brings him to his home to recover. Wilson tells Miller that he escaped a gangster, and hides the fact that he's one himself, and insists on having his doctor check up on him to not raise suspicion. While Wilson recuperates from his gunshot wound, he meets Miller's daughter Pauline (Maureen O'Sullivan), who is his polar opposite. She's a simple country gal and he's fast talking city guy. The Miller family is kind, generous and patient. Ma Miller (Elizabeth Patterson) fusses over Wilson and their young son William (don't call him Willie!) (Mickey Rooney), makes every effort to befriend Wilson. He learns to feed chickens, milk cows, chop wood and bring in the hay and enjoying the country life. Wilson stays longer than he should, falling in love with the beautiful Pauline. Will Wilson fess up or will he go back to his life of crime?

Hide-Out (1934) is based on an original story by Mauri Grashin and adapted for the screen by husband and wife writing team Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. Grashin received an Academy Award nomination for his story which was remade in 1941 as I'll Wait for You. The film was released August of 1934, just a month after Hollywood began to enforce the Hays Code began in earnest, officially ending the Pre-Code era of Hollywood filmmaking. I wonder if this affected the outcome of Hide-Out. What kind of story would it have been as a Pre-Code?

The film was directed by W.S. Van Dyke for MGM. He also directed The Thin Man movies, a point referenced in the marketing materials for this movie. Van Dyke, known as One-Take Woody, was MGM's go-to guy. He built a reputation on being a reliable director who would take on any production and keep it on schedule and under budget. Hide-Out was filmed, edited and released in a two month span. There was some delay however. According to the AFI, during pre-production Maureen O'Sullivan had to drop out to visit her ailing father in Ireland. Loretta Young replaced her only to have to drop out herself due to illness and was replaced with O'Sullivan.

Hide-Out is one of my favorite 1930s films. It's a sweet and charming romance. I love the concept of a city gangster out of his element in the country. Montgomery's Wilson and O'Sullivan's Pauline really develop as characters. He teaches her to be more bold. She teaches him to take pleasure in the simple things in life. Mickey Rooney is just adorable in this movie as Pauline's little brother. If you're not a fan of his on screen intensity, you might like his more subdued performance here as William/Willie. 




Hide-Out (1934) is available on DVD-MOD from the Warner Archive Collection. When you use my buy link you help support this site. Thanks!

This is Hide-Out's DVD debut. I always watch this one when it's on TCM and was very excited to see it get a DVD release. George, Matt and D.W. discuss the movie on the November 13, 2018 episode of the Warner Archive Podcast.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you to Warner Archive for sending me a copy of Hide-Out (1934) on DVD for review!
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Monday, December 31, 2018

Strange Bedfellows (1965)




"She knew what she wanted when she saw what she wanted."

Strange Bedfellows (1965) stars Rock Hudson as Carter Harrison, a strait-laced American executive living in London. One day he meets feisty activist/painter Toni Vincente (Gina Lollobrigida). The two have instant chemistry and just 24 hours later are married. But they are as different as two people can be. She's an outspoken bohemian with a temper. He's a professional who likes to maintain the status quo. The two separate and don't see each other for 7 years. When Carter is up for a major promotion, his company's PR agent, Richard Bramwell (Gig Young), works on cleaning up Carter's image. They have two weeks to get Carter back together with his estranged wife. However Toni is already engaged to fellow Bohemian activist Harry (Edward Judd). When the two meet again, planning a divorce, they rediscover their undeniable attraction. Their physical chemistry brings them together and their personalities pull them apart. Things begin to escalate as Harrison prepares for his boss' visit to London at the same time Toni is planning to protest against censorship at the American embassy. What results is an outrageous series of events complete with Lady Godiva riding into London on a horse.

This film reunites Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida after their romantic comedy Come September (1961). It's not nearly as good as their first collaboration but it does show what great chemistry and screen presence these two had. This movie is steaming hot. It puts the sex in sex comedy. There are two scenes in particular that are rife with sexual tension. In one the two meet with their lawyers about a divorce and cannot keep their eyes off each other. Toni tries to look away but can't help but steal glances and Carter boldly takes in every bit of Toni's figure while failing to light his cigarette. In another scene, Carter drops Toni off at her place and he makes this seductive walk in her direction and Toni can't help but be completely flustered. It's such a delight to see these '60s icons at their prime.

There is also a lot of gay subtext in this film. Rock Hudson frequently meets with Gig Young while in some state of undress. When Young's character Richard discusses Carter's state of affairs, he proclaims, "no more gay, married bachelor. It's got to be Carter Harrison, family man." There is a ridiculous scene in which Carter tries to communicate to Toni while she's in another cab via their two cab drivers and a radio dispatcher. Willful miscommunication has one cabbie telling another that Carter wants to have a baby with Harry Jones, Edward Judd's character. When the cabbie tells the radio dispatcher that the "husband has shown up" when Hudson enters Lollobrigida's cab, the dispatcher asks "his or hers?" And in another scene Toni invites protestors to stay at her place. Carter thinks he's going to bed with his wife Toni while the protestors sleep elsewhere. But while in bed he turns around to find that he's actually in bed with Harry.

Strange Bedfellows was a collaboration between filmmaking partners Norman Panama and Melvin Frank for their Panama and Frank Productions company. Panama and Frank met while studying at the University of Chicago and worked together for many years. Their collaboration resulted in such films as Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), White Christmas (1954), The Facts of Life (1960), and ended with The Road to Hong Kong (1962). Strange Bedfellows was an original idea by Panama and Frank and Frank went on to adapt the screenplay with writer Michael Pertwee. Frank also directed the film. It was shot on the Universal Studios lot (not in London alas!) and in Technicolor.

The costumes in Strange Bedfellows are to die for. Costume designer Jean Louis dressed Gina Lollobrigida in the most fun and colorful wardrobe. It was a bit too sophisticated a look for her character but made for great eye candy. Rock Hudson looks chic in his professional attire and I love Edward Judd's bohemian wardrobe.

As I mentioned before, Strange Bedfellows is not as good as Come September but worth watching to see Lollobrigida and Hudson together again. The part of an outspoken and feisty artist fits Gina Lollobrigida like a glove, even if her wardrobe doesn't always quite match. And Hudson is in his element as the suave bachelor. The beginning of the film is heavy on the narration which felt unnecessary. And the final 30 minutes of the film are one ridiculous scenario after another. The script tries to be too zany and had the writers pulled back a little bit it might have been more fun with a lot less of the craziness. I wish Judd's character Harry was more of a threat to Hudson's Carter. He seems more like a plot device than an important member of the love triangle. Not a perfect film but still fun if you enjoy zany '60s comedies.






Strange Bedfellows (1965) is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Universal Studios. You can purchase a copy at my MovieZyng store.



Thank you to Allied Vaughn for sending me a copy of Strange Bedfellows (1965) for review.
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Friday, December 28, 2018

Cinema Shame: Get Carter (1971)


I'm ending my 2018 Cinema Shame challenge with a bang! I continue my exploration of Michael Caine's filmography with a first time viewing of Get Carter (1971). While I was expecting a great thriller, what I wasn't expecting was one of the most brutal revenge stories of all time.

Directed by Mike Hodges, Get Carter stars Michael Caine as Jack Carter, a ruthless gangster working in London. When his brother dies in a car accident, he travels home to Newcastle to attend his funeral. But something is fishy about how his brother died. As Carter starts to uncover clues he finds out that not only was his brother's death a murder it was also a personal attack on Carter himself. Carter will stop at nothing to find out what happened and to destroy every one involved. 




Michael Caine's Jack Carter is one of the most cold-blooded and merciless characters I've ever encountered in a film. Several scenes sent chills up my spine. While Carter is sadistic in his actions he's not completely unsympathetic. He's clearly affected by the death of his brother and it's the motivation for everything he does in the film. And one element in his complicated revenge plot is the discovery that his niece, Doreen (Petra Markham), was involved in a pornographic film with the same people who sought out her father's death. If Carter wasn't already mad, this discovery set him on a course of no return. 

Caine's performance as Carter is brilliant. He's cool, calm and collected but there is a fury behind his eyes that lets you know every single move is a calculated one. And Carter is one sexy gangster. He's got a way with women it's no wonder why they all fall victim to his charm. He seduces several women including Britt Ekland as Anna, Geraldine Moffat as Glenda and Rosemary Dunham as Edna. The biggest victim of Carter's wrath is Dorothy White's Margaret, his brother's girlfriend and a key accomplice to the gangsters who were out to get Carter.

SPOILER STARTS HERE

 It's too bad about the ending. It makes sense for the story arc because its clear that Carter was on a path of destruction and there was no turning back. But had he survived this tale, Jack Carter films would have made a nice 1970s franchise. 

SPOILER ENDS HERE





Get Carter was remade in 2000 with Sylvester Stallone. Some of the actors from the original, including Michael Caine, appear in the remake. It would be interesting to see the 2000 version but I'm in no particular rush to do so.

While I didn't finish all of my 2018 Cinema Shame movies I tackled quite a few and will finish the rest on my own time. I'm excited to work on my challenge for 2019. Big thanks to Jay of Cinema Shame for hosting and encouraging us cinephiles to finally see those films that have been on our to-be-watchlist for way too long.


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Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Ask Us Anything About Movies



I so enjoyed doing the Ask Me Anything: Classic Movies Edition that I decided it would be fun to do a couples version with my movie-loving husband Carlos! I solicited questions from Twitter and Instagram and we got some great responses. Some thought-provoking prompts and some fun questions too. A big thank you to everyone who participated.

Here are the questions that were asked (edited for clarity):

  • What were the first movies you watched so many times that you could recite all the lines? What films would you consider “your movies” as a couple - mutual favorites, films that evoke memories in your relationship, remind you of each other ... ?
  • What's one film you wish your spouse didn't like?
  • What's one film you wish you could watch again for the very first time?
  • What are your fave romantic comedies?
  • What's the first movie you watched as a stay at home date together?
  • Can you each choose one film from each decade 1940-1990 that holds a special place in your heart?
  • What's your favorite Pre-Code?
  • What's your favorite noir?
  • Who is your favorite on-screen couple?
  • As a couple, is there a movie pair that you aspire to emulate?
  • What movie makes you cry the most (or makes you the saddest, if you aren't a crier)?
  • Most disappointing film you waited years to see?
  • Name a character who reminds you of your spouse - either in traits, looks, quirks?!
  • Thoughts regarding Classic Films on Blu-ry and how titles in that format compare in quality to their DVD releases.  Is there any significant reason to choose one over the other when purchasing a film produced decades ago??
  • How would you cast a new remake of Maltese Falcon? Also would you set it today or back in the 30s or 40s?
  • Last movie you two watched together? Worst classic film aimed at a female audience?
  • Among the films that you introduced to each other, what is a movie that Carlos was reluctant to watch but ended up loving, and a movie you were reluctant to watch but ended up loving?
  • Which films you introduced to each other and thinking the other would?
  • What film do you (or Carlos) pull out that makes the other groan because you (or Carlos) just can’t stand to watch it one more time.
  • What film(s) do you guys like to watch when you’re feeling down and need a pick-me-up?
  • What is a classic film that you both would love to see remade now?
  • Do you insert tag lines or favorite quotes into your daily conversations?

Enjoy the video! And if you'd like to watch more of my videos, please make sure to visit my YouTube channel and subscribe.


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Monday, December 24, 2018

Lisbon (1956)


Lisbon: City of Murder, Intrigue and Excitement!

Captain Jack (Ray Milland) is a professional smuggler with an eye for the ladies. He goes by a strict code of ethics: no murder, no narcotics, just straight smuggling. When Jack arrives at Lisbon port he finds Inspector Fonseca (Jay Novello) hot on his trail. But luckily Jack and his shipmate Tio Rabio (Humberto Madeira) hide their loot before the Fonseca and his team can find it. In Lisbon, Jack meets with career criminal Mavros (Claude Rains) who has an assignment for him involving the wife of an American imprisoned in a Communist country. Jack is to arrange for Sylvia Merrill (Maureen O'Hara) to have a clandestine business meeting with Mavros and to help Mavros' team smuggle Sylvia's husband Lloyd Merrill (Percy Marmont) into Portugal safe and sound. However Captain Jack is about to get more than he bargained for with this new job. He's equal parts smitten and confused by the beautiful Sylvia. It's clear that she married her much older husband for money. Is she really concerned about her husband's well-being or are her efforts to ensure her financial security? Sylvia quickly becomes enamored with Captain Jack. And she's not the only one. Mavros' live-in girlfriend/employee Maria Madalena (Yvonne Furneaux) also develops an affection for him. But the mercy of her boss and the infatuated Seraphim (Francis Lederer). When Mavros plants an idea into Sylvia's mind to ensure that her husband doesn't make it back alive, she dismisses the idea at first. But $24 million dollars and the chance at real romance with Jack is much more alluring. Will Jack break his code of ethics or will he stay true to himself?

Lisbon (1956) was shot on location in Portugal for Republic Studios. Filming in Europe was big business for Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s and this film has the notable distinction of being the first film entirely shot in Portugal. The story was based on an original idea by Martin Rackin and was adapted for the screen by John Tucker Battle. Paramount held the rights to the story before it was purchased by Republic.

Ray Milland not only stars in the film but he also produced it and directed it. In the credits he goes by R.A. Milland for his producer role and R. Milland for the director role. After making Dial M for Murder (1954), Milland took his career in a different direction and Lisbon was the second film he directed and the only one in which he received credit as producer.

I'm half Portuguese so for me Lisbon (1956) was like time traveling back to my dad's home country around the time he was living there. He emigrated from Portugal in the late 1950s and moved to Brazil before moving to the United States in the early 1960s. I've spent time in Lisbon and it's a gorgeous city. And 1956 Lisbon looks beautiful shot in Naturama and Trucolor. There are lots of great shots of the city and Milland used a variety of Portuguese actors in the film including Vasco Santana, Joao Benard da Costa, Humberto Madeira and singer Anita Guerreiro. Nelson Riddle composed the music for the film and his rendition of Lisbon Antigua was a huge hit in the US. It's a  fado song (a type of traditional Portuguese folk music) and is sung by Guerreiro in one of the scenes.

Story-wise, Lisbon was kind of a disappointment. It took too long to get to the point and when it did I didn't care much. The beginning and ending scenes were great. I loved the resolution to the story. It's very satisfying for Milland's character. And the opening scene shows Claude Rains as the heartless Mavros as he lures and kills a bird to feed to his cat. It gives us some insight into his cruel nature. Maureen O'Hara is absolutely stunning in this film. She has the most complex character of the cast which isn't saying too much because a lot of these characters are rather two dimensional. It's worth watching Lisbon for the beautiful on location shooting by Jack A. Marta, the brilliant color made even more beautiful with the newly remastered Blu-ray, for the great cast and O'Hara and Furneaux's amazing wardrobe.




Lisbon (1956) is available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Kino Lorber. When you use my buy links you help support this site. Thanks!

The Blu-Ray comes from a new high definition master from a 4K scan of the original Trucolor negative. It also includes audio commentary by film historian Toby Roan and a variety of Kino Lorber related trailers.

Thank you to Kino Lorber for sending me a copy of Lisbon (1956) for review. 
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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Wallflower (1948)

Robert Hutton, Joyce Reynolds and Janis Paige in Wallflower (1948)

Sisters Jackie (Joyce Reynolds) and Joy (Janis Paige) are polar opposites. Joy is the flirtatious fun-loving one, always getting attention from the opposite sex. Jackie is the sensible one. A bit too sensible. She scares all the guys away with her straightforward demeanor. While on leave from college, Jackie and Joy are back home with their rather ditzy but well-meaning parents Mr. Linnett (Edward Arnold) and Mrs. Linnett (Barbara Brown). Jackie is excited to see her old pal Warren James (Robert Hutton). Warren is smitten with Jackie and the feeling is mutual. After having not seen each other in 5 years they both are surprised and pleased to see each other again. However, the voluptuous Jo, clad in a scintillating bathing suit, catches Warren's eye. Much to Jackie's chagrin those two start dating. When Mr. and Mrs. Linnett sponsor a local country club dance, everyone's got a date except for Jackie. Will Jackie be able to come out of her shell and blossom from wallflower to desirable match for Warren? Will Warren realize that Jackie, not Joy, is the girl for him?

Released by Warner Bros. Wallflower (1948) is a whacky screwball comedy. Just the sort of light fare needed for a post-WWII generation. It's directed by Frederick De Cordova who is best known as the longtime executive of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He worked on the show for 22 years and stayed on in an advisory capacity when Jay Leno took over and did so until his death in 2001. In the mid-to-late 1940s De Cordova was mostly working on romantic comedies. Wallflower was based on a play by Reginald Denham and Mary Orr. It was adapted to the screen by husband and wife team Henry and Phoebe Ephron. The Ephrons worked together on numerous films including There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), Daddy Long Legs (1955), and Captain Newman M.D. (1963). They're also the parents of one of my favorite directors/writers Nora Ephron.

The story starts off as a sweet family comedy about two very close sisters, as different as can be, and their meddling yet clueless parents. When Hutton's Warren steps into the picture it escalates into a screwball comedy complete with a drunken attempt at elopement. Several scenes in the film reminded me of Good News (1947) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). There's nothing earth shattering here. This is light 1940s fluff for people who love 1940s fluff. And if that's not your thing then this movie is not for you.

As of the publication of this article, female leads Joyce Reynolds and Janis Paige are still with us. This is quite remarkable for a film from the 1940s! Reynolds had a very short lived career with Warner Bros. Just as she was getting more starring roles in films, she abruptly retired from the film industry after making her final movie Girl's School (1950). Paige went on to have a long career in TV and film. Reynolds and Paige are a delight in Wallflower. I love that their characters are not pitted against each other even with their differences and competition for the same man. There's no real animosity between the two.




Wallflower (1948) is new to DVD and available from the Warner Archive Collection. When you use my buy links you help support this site. Thanks!

George, Matt and D.W. discuss Wallflower on the Warner Archive Podcast's October Sweet Horror episode (about 18 minutes). George Feltenstein calls the film "buoyant and charming".

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Thank you to Warner Archive for sending me a copy of Wallflower (1948) for review!
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Monday, December 10, 2018

Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers





Kino Lorber's 
Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers Blu-ray Set
curated by Shelley Stamp

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In collaboration with the Library of Congress, Kino Lorber and film historian Shelley Stamp have curated an impressive and comprehensive collection of early female directed films. Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers is a 6 disc Blu-ray set (also comes in DVD format) that contains over 50 films ranging from shorts, feature films and incomplete movies. The set also includes 8 short informational documentaries, various commentary tracks and original music. What began as a Kickstarter campaign now is is a bonafide piece of film history that any movie buff would be proud to own.

We talk about Pre-Codes, that time period after the silent film era and before the strict enforcement of the Hays Code, when filmmakers had more free rein on releasing films with explicit content. But what about the pre-studio era of silent films? In the early days of motion pictures, the art form wasn’t taken seriously. This opened doors for African-American, Jewish and Female filmmakers to use their creative talents in a new field. Being a film director was a viable career for women because there was no set gender standard. According to film historian Cari Beauchamp, there were over 100 movie studios in the 1910s and between 1920 and 1933 those consolidated into only 7. Along with the male-dominated unions and guilds that sprung up during this time, female filmmakers were shut out making room for the male directors who would take over Hollywood. For one glorious period in early film history however, there was an output of great films that ranged in breadth, depth and subject matter.

“The films that these female pioneers wrote, produced, and often directed have an emotional depth one doesn’t find in other films.” – Ileana Douglas

Included in Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers are 58 of these films, each offering a look into an incredible time in the early history of film. Each disc is arranged by theme and a handful of the films included are exclusive to the Blu-ray set which makes that one even more valuable. With 80% of silent films lost, it’s incredibly important to appreciate what we have and that includes incomplete films. According to Rob Stone, Moving Image Curator for the Library of Congress, fragments tend to languish in vaults and are even more forgotten than whole surviving films. I’m grateful that the Pioneers set includes fragments as well films with some damage, restored to the best of the ability of the preservationists who worked on this project.

Each of the 6 discs contains extras, either commentary tracks or documentaries, averaging about 15 minutes each, on different subjects. These documentaries add real value to the set and I encourage you to watch them before tackling any of the films. They provide context and background information that is crucial to appreciating the movies you are about to see. The talking heads in these docs include principal curator Shelley Stamp as well as other curators, film historians, experts, archivists, preservationists, etc. My only small critique is that these extras start rather abruptly and could have used a short intro for more ease in viewing.

In addition to the docs and commentary is a 76 page booklet which includes an introduction by Ileana Douglas, an essay on the history of female filmmaking by Shelley Stamp, essays on the restoration and spotlights on one particular film and one particular filmmaker, information about the Women’s Film Preservation Fund and a thorough index of credits for the films included in the set. It’s a substantial booklet that reads like a film history book on its own. Another element that adds a lot of value to the set is the original music by silent film accompanists and composers such as Ben Model, the Berklee Silent Film Orchestra, Renee C. Baker, Makia Matsumura, Maud Nelissen, Dana Reason, Aleksandra Vrebalov, etc. I was particularly struck by the score for Back to God’s Country (1919) by Dana Reason and Salome (1923) by Aleksandra Vrebalov.

Going through the Pioneers set was an education in itself. It’s feminist film history in a box. These trailbrazers set a precedent that film history has forgotten and it’s up to us to make sure those lessons are not lost. The subject matters range from gender identity, marriage, adultery, birth control, religion, sexual abuse, etc. However not all of these directors were progressive proto-feminists. Lois Weber for example was a former missionary and had very conservative views. As we’ve learned over the years of studying the history of film, the more perspectives the better.

Some of my favorite films in this set include Mabel Normand’s comedies, Alice Guy Blache’s rags-to-riches-to-rags short A Fool and His Money (1912), Zora Neale Hurston's ethnograph vignettes of African-American life in rural Florida circa 1928, Lois Weber’s controversial feature Where Are My Children? (1916) (starring Tyrone Power Sr.!), Weber’s marital drama Too Wise Wives (1921) (featuring a very young Louis Calhern), Nell Shipman’s Back to God’s Country (1919) (she’s my favorite of the early female filmmakers) and Nazimova’s fantastical Salome (1923).

The Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers set contains the following:

Disc 1: Alice Guy-Blaché 
Disc 2: Lois Weber
Disc 3: Genre Pioneers
Discs 4 & 5: Social Commentary
Disc 6: Feature Films Era

Directed by Alice Guy-Blaché 
Greater Love Hath No Man (1911)
Tramp Strategy (1911)
Algie the Miner (1912)
Canned Harmony (1912)
Falling Leaves (1912)
A Fool and His Money (1912)
The High Cost of Living (1912)
The Little Rangers (1912)
Burstup Homes' Murder Case (1913)
The Coming of Sunbeam (1913)
A House Divided (1913)
Matrimony's Speed Limit (1913)
The Ocean Waif (1916)

Directed by Lois Weber
On the Brink (1911)
Fine Feathers (1912)
From Death to Life (1912)
Hypocrites (1912)
The Rosary (1913)
Suspense (1913)
Lost By a Hair (1915)
Sunshine Molly (1915)
Idle Wives (1916)
Scandal (aka Scandal Mongers) (1916)
Where Are My Children? (1916)
Too Wise Wives (1921)
What Do Men Want? (1921)

Directed by Helen Holmes
Hazards of Helen Ep. 09: Leap From the Water Tower (1915)
Hazards of Helen Ep.13: The Escape on the Fast Freight (1915)
The Hazards of Helen Ep. 26: Wild Engine (1915)

Directed by Grace Cunard
Purple Mask, The; Episode 5, Part 1 (1917)
Purple Mask, The: Episode 12 (Vault of Mystery) (1917)
Purple Mask, The; Episode 13, Part 1 (The Leap) (1917)
A Daughter of "The Law" (1921)

Directed by Mabel Normand
Caught in a Cabaret (1914)
Mabel's Blunder (1914)
Mabel Lost and Won (1915)
Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day (1916)

Directed by Nell Shipman
Back to God's Country (1919)
Something New (1920)

Directed by Ida May Park
The Risky Road (1918)
Bread (1918)
Broadway Love (1918)

Miscellaneous
49 - '17 (1917) directed by Ruth Ann Baldwin
The Colleen Bawn (1911) script by Gene Gauntier
That Ice Ticket (1923) directed by Angela Murray Gibson
Ethnographic Films (1929) directed by Zora Neale Hurston
The Call of the Cumberlands (1916) directed by Julia Crawford Ivers
Motherhood: Life's Greatest Miracle (1925) directed by Lita Lawrence
Eleanor's Catch (1916) directed by Cleo Madison
Her Defiance (1916) directed by Cleo Madison
The Song of Love (1923) directed by dir. Frances Marion
Salome (1923) produced by Alla Nazimova
The Red Kimona (1925) directed by Dorothy Davenport Reid
Linda (1929) directed by Dorothy Davenport Reid
When Little Lindy Sang (1916) directed by Lule Warrenton
The Cricket (1917) directed by Elsie Jane Wilson
The Dream Lady (1918) directed by Elsie Jane Wilson
Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingle with the West (1916) directed by Marion E. Wong

Extras/Short Documentaries
An Introduction to Series
About the Restorations
Alice Guy-Blache
Lois Weber
Mabel Normand
Serial Queens
Social Commentary
The End of an Era








 Thank you to Kino Lorber for sending me a copy of Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers for review.
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Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season by Jeremy Arnold

Christmas in the Movies
30 Classics to Celebrate the Season
by Jeremy Arnold
Turner Classic Movies/Running Press
Hardcover ISBN: 97807624924801
October 2018
208 pages

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Powell's— TCM Shop


You can’t watch 30 Christmas movies in one day. But you can experience them all in one afternoon with Jeremy Arnold’s new book Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season. Starting with Miracle on Main Street (1939) and ending with Love, Actually (2003), this new genre book from Turner Classic Movies’ joint imprint with Running Press captures the spirit of the holiday with the most beloved of the beloved Christmas classics.

Each of the 30 films gets a 5-6 page treatment with photos, credits, an overview of the plot, and information on how the movie came to be made and how it uses the holiday to tell its story. There is also a Holiday Moment aside which describes a particularly Christmassy scene from the film. All the classics are here including Remember the Night (1940), Holiday Inn (1942), Meet Me In St. Louis (1944), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), The Bishop’s Wife (1947), White Christmas (1954), etc . And my personal favorites Christmas in Connecticut (1945) and Holiday Affair (1949) are in here too. Arnold spotlights films that either completely framed within the holiday or they feature Christmas in a significant way. Some of the latter include The Apartment (1960), Gremlins (1984), and Die Hard (1988) (which people love to proclaim is or is not a Christmas movie). Modern classics featured in the book include Little Women (1994), Elf (2003) and Love, Actually (2003) among others.








Why are Christmas movies so enduring? Arnold explains that they conjure up feelings of nostalgia, they focus on family dynamics, they lend themselves to the rituals of the holiday and their feel-good vibes and happy endings make them utterly enjoyable to movie going audiences.

Reading about each of these movies taps into the pleasure that the films themselves. I really enjoyed Arnold’s narrative voice which is very welcoming. The book goes down easy like a cup of hot cocoa with extra marshmallows. While the articles featured are not ground-breaking, I found some nugget of information to take away from almost every single one. You may know everything there is to know about Christmas movies (or can easily Google the information you need) but I don’t think that will hamper your appreciation of this book. I learned the most from the Love, Actually article, a film I used to adore but have grown to dislike over the years and have been meaning to revisit, and was interested in the background of how the story came to be. And there are a few films I had never seen before, including Miracle on Main Street and The Holly and the Ivy (1952) that I bookmarked for future viewing.

Some interesting tidbits include:


  • The original and final lyrics for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", the song written for Meet Me In St. Louis, are presented side by side in the book. I’m glad they were changed because the original song was quite dark.
  • There was a backlash against Alastair Sim starring as Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge. 
  • Warner Bros. threw a parade in Norwalk, CT for the premiere of Christmas in Connecticut.
  • I got a newfound appreciation for how TV was instrumental in making so many overlooked Christmas movies into widely appreciated classics.
  • The idea for The Apartment came to Billy Wilder after he saw one particular scene in Brief Encounter (1945)


Christmas in the Movies is a keepsake treasure perfect for gift giving. And it’s very likely that if your loved one doesn’t watch classic movies that they’ve seen several of the classic Christmas films listed in the book. It’s beautifully designed and I particularly liked its more compact size. If you’re looking for a coffee table type book this is not it. It’s better suited on your mantle next to your Elf on the shelf and above your Christmas stocking.

Thank you to Jeremy Arnold and Running Press for sending me a copy of Christmas in the Movies for review.
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