October 2019 Round-Up
TOTAL FILMS SEEN IN OCTOBER: 20
(see the film posters at the bottom of the post, arranged in watching order)
NEW-TO-ME: 19
REWATCHES: 1
SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN: 2
MOST WATCHED ACTOR: Edmund Lowe (6 in total)
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Ava Gardner & Margaret O'Brien (4 in total)
I started the month with a rewatch of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, my only rewatch this month. Normally I only rewatch movies at the cinema but there was a special reason to watch this film starring Ava Gardner and James Mason. I went on a holiday with my sister to Tossa de Mar, a lovely town on the Costa Brava coast, where this film was shot. (I wrote a post about it, see here.) My sister hadn't seen the film yet so we watched it on my tablet at our hotel in Tossa.
The only place of recognition in the film are the scenes taken on the beach in front of the castle and the walled old town. I love the story and the romance between Pandora and the Dutchman. In the film, the Flying Dutchman is not a ship but a captain who murdered his wife and has to roam the seas until he finds a woman who loves him enough to die for him, thus breaking the curse. The story is set on the Mediterranean coast of Spain during the summer of 1930 and the town's name in the film is Esperanza. Ava looks absolutely gorgeous here and her beauty does make it somehow believable that men would commit suicide, run a car down a cliff or fight a bull for her. Great Technicolor and cinematography by Jack Cardiff who photographed the Powell and Pressburger films A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus, and The Red Shoes. The surreal shot of Ava Gardner lying on her back with a close-up of her face in profile is great. It's a very unusual shot but quite creative.
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Ava Gardner & Margaret O'Brien (4 in total)
It was going to be a rather sad movie count this month but when on the 22th of October I still hadn't seen more than 12 films, I decided to do something about it and fortunately ended the month with 20 films watched. The unfortunate thing was that again the Filmoteca had little to offer in terms of classic Hollywood films and I only watched two films on the big screen (None Shall Escape and 7 Women).
I started the month with a rewatch of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, my only rewatch this month. Normally I only rewatch movies at the cinema but there was a special reason to watch this film starring Ava Gardner and James Mason. I went on a holiday with my sister to Tossa de Mar, a lovely town on the Costa Brava coast, where this film was shot. (I wrote a post about it, see here.) My sister hadn't seen the film yet so we watched it on my tablet at our hotel in Tossa.
The only place of recognition in the film are the scenes taken on the beach in front of the castle and the walled old town. I love the story and the romance between Pandora and the Dutchman. In the film, the Flying Dutchman is not a ship but a captain who murdered his wife and has to roam the seas until he finds a woman who loves him enough to die for him, thus breaking the curse. The story is set on the Mediterranean coast of Spain during the summer of 1930 and the town's name in the film is Esperanza. Ava looks absolutely gorgeous here and her beauty does make it somehow believable that men would commit suicide, run a car down a cliff or fight a bull for her. Great Technicolor and cinematography by Jack Cardiff who photographed the Powell and Pressburger films A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus, and The Red Shoes. The surreal shot of Ava Gardner lying on her back with a close-up of her face in profile is great. It's a very unusual shot but quite creative.
I didn't really have any plans beforehand what to watch this month or what actor to explore. A fellow classic film lover on Letterboxd mentioned the term whim-watching as opposed to goal-watching and binge-watching. I like the term because I do a lot of whim-watching. Lots of times this leads to binge-watching films of a certain actor. The same happened this month and I watched films of several actors, namely Edmund Lowe, Margaret O'Brien, Marsha Hunt, Anne Bancroft and Robert Young. Also Ava Gardner was one of the actors of whom I wanted to see some more.
One Touch of Venus is another Ava Gardner film I watched and it is a bit silly but young Ava is lovely. Robert Walker seems uncomfortable in his nerdy role and actually is no match for Ava. The stand-out and most interesting part was reserved for ever reliable Eve Arden with her deadpan remarks. I was glad Venus worked her magic and Arden ended up with Tom Conway.
The Bribe has Ava Gardner starring with Robert Taylor, Charles Laughton, John Hodiak and Vincent Price. Quite an impressive cast. There's not much wrong with this formula noir. It has all the elements: the moody black-and-white photography, the hero, the femme fatale, the villain, the voice-over and flashbacks. But there are no surprises and it's all pretty straight forward. Enjoyable but not suspenseful. Taylor is okay, though an actor like Robert Mitchum would have done a better job. Gardner is young and beautiful but not really convincing in the femme fatale role, she's too sweet. Not enough of Hodiak, who — come to think of it — might have handled the leading role also better than Taylor. Laughton and Price give the best performances. The villain role is nothing new to Price but he's still good. Laughton plays a sleazy character and pulls it off wonderfully, even though his character or his performance (I don't know exactly which) verges on being irritating at times. The firecracker ending is great, probably the most exciting moment of the film.
The Bribe has Ava Gardner starring with Robert Taylor, Charles Laughton, John Hodiak and Vincent Price. Quite an impressive cast. There's not much wrong with this formula noir. It has all the elements: the moody black-and-white photography, the hero, the femme fatale, the villain, the voice-over and flashbacks. But there are no surprises and it's all pretty straight forward. Enjoyable but not suspenseful. Taylor is okay, though an actor like Robert Mitchum would have done a better job. Gardner is young and beautiful but not really convincing in the femme fatale role, she's too sweet. Not enough of Hodiak, who — come to think of it — might have handled the leading role also better than Taylor. Laughton and Price give the best performances. The villain role is nothing new to Price but he's still good. Laughton plays a sleazy character and pulls it off wonderfully, even though his character or his performance (I don't know exactly which) verges on being irritating at times. The firecracker ending is great, probably the most exciting moment of the film.
Singapore is another noirish film that I watched for Ava, co-starring with Fred MacMurray. She's also young and beautiful here but I start to find her soft voice and the way she talks a bit annoying. Still, this is entertaining and MacMurray and Gardner have okay chemistry. Probably the most remarkable thing about this film is how reminiscent it is of Casablanca (though not nearly on the same level). It even ends with an airport scene but this ending is happy.
Edmund Lowe is my most watched actor of this month with a total of 6 films seen. I really start to like him, also his voice and the way he talks. His films have a short running time which makes them perfect for bedtime watching.
I saw the following films: Black Sheep (with Claire Trevor), Chandu the Magician (with Irene Ware and Bela Lugosi), Seven Sinners (with Constance Cummings), Attorney for the Defense (with Evelyn Brent and Constance Cummings), Espionage (with Madge Evans and Paul Lukas) and Grand Exit (with Ann Sothern).
Black Sheep is a fast-paced film and so much fun, much more enjoyable than I had expected and better than so many of these standard 1930s films. It actually has a good script. I love the snappy banter between the leads Lowe and Claire Trevor. They have great chemistry, too bad this is their only film together. I also like Lowe's debonair manner and this film made me want to explore more of his work. So I did with Chandu the Magician. This is a campy movie and complete nonsense but nonetheless enjoyable. Nice special effects for a 1930s film and it also packs enough thrills to be entertaining until the end. I prefer Lowe in another type of role but it was still nice to see him play, though some of his scenes verge on the ridiculous. His magical tricks were fun to watch. I'm no Bela Lugosi fan but of course he suits his role here. (Did he ever play a normal role? I have to look that up!) Herbert Mundin provides the comic relief and there's some nice photography by James Wong Howe.
Seven Sinners is a very enjoyable Hitchcockian mystery film reminiscent of The Lady Vanishes and The 39 Steps with some impressive train wreck scenes. Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings make a believable and likeable screen couple and their playful banter is witty and snappy (the script was written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder who also worked together on the script for The Lady Vanishes). I have to go back to this soon to hear the dialogue again because I might have missed some of it due to my sleepy state while watching this. Everything moves at a fast pace and with such a short running time it's over before you know it, which is actually a shame. I would have liked to see more of Cummings and Lowe together. The happy ending is obligatory but the last lines make the mind boggle. Glad to find out Lowe and Cummings made one more film together, Attorney for the Defense.
I saw the following films: Black Sheep (with Claire Trevor), Chandu the Magician (with Irene Ware and Bela Lugosi), Seven Sinners (with Constance Cummings), Attorney for the Defense (with Evelyn Brent and Constance Cummings), Espionage (with Madge Evans and Paul Lukas) and Grand Exit (with Ann Sothern).
Black Sheep is a fast-paced film and so much fun, much more enjoyable than I had expected and better than so many of these standard 1930s films. It actually has a good script. I love the snappy banter between the leads Lowe and Claire Trevor. They have great chemistry, too bad this is their only film together. I also like Lowe's debonair manner and this film made me want to explore more of his work. So I did with Chandu the Magician. This is a campy movie and complete nonsense but nonetheless enjoyable. Nice special effects for a 1930s film and it also packs enough thrills to be entertaining until the end. I prefer Lowe in another type of role but it was still nice to see him play, though some of his scenes verge on the ridiculous. His magical tricks were fun to watch. I'm no Bela Lugosi fan but of course he suits his role here. (Did he ever play a normal role? I have to look that up!) Herbert Mundin provides the comic relief and there's some nice photography by James Wong Howe.
Seven Sinners is a very enjoyable Hitchcockian mystery film reminiscent of The Lady Vanishes and The 39 Steps with some impressive train wreck scenes. Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings make a believable and likeable screen couple and their playful banter is witty and snappy (the script was written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder who also worked together on the script for The Lady Vanishes). I have to go back to this soon to hear the dialogue again because I might have missed some of it due to my sleepy state while watching this. Everything moves at a fast pace and with such a short running time it's over before you know it, which is actually a shame. I would have liked to see more of Cummings and Lowe together. The happy ending is obligatory but the last lines make the mind boggle. Glad to find out Lowe and Cummings made one more film together, Attorney for the Defense.
So I decided to watch Attorney for the Defense right away which has a good performance from Lowe, it might be the best I've seen from him so far. This pre-code is very entertaining, not a dull moment, though the turns the story takes do stretch the imagination a bit. Constance Cummings puts in a likeable role as Lowe's faithful secretary. Since she has third billing, I had no expectations of her and Lowe becoming the romantic couple here (which I thought was really a shame because I loved them together in Seven Sinners) but from the start you kinda hope they will end up together. Fortunately Evelyn Brent was the bad woman who gets killed, so that was a good thing. She also gives a fine performance, by the way.
Two more Lowe flicks seen this month.
Two more Lowe flicks seen this month.
Espionage has him paired with lovely Madge Evans and they have great chemistry. They play reporters from rivalling newspapers and I like their playful interaction. The film is tonally uneven, though, and gets really silly once the lead characters get off the train and are in Switzerland, with Lowe wearing the unbecoming traditional clothing and a big moustache. But all in all, it was enjoyable and due to the short running time didn't overstay its welcome.
Grand Exit is an enjoyable B-mystery with Lowe playing an arson investigator and Ann Sothern looking impeccably dressed throughout the film. With all 1930s films I've seen from Lowe so far he has good chemistry with his leading ladies, and Sothern is no exception. Lowe's character is a bit of a womaniser, especially when it comes to his secretaries. I didn't like that side of his character and somehow don't think it suits the actor Lowe. The film has some impressive fire sequences, probably taken from real live footage.
Like I said earlier, there were only two trips to the Filmoteca this month, fortunately new-to-me films. The first film I watched was None Shall Escape (with Marsha Hunt and Alexander Knox), seen in the restored version. Fast-paced and well-acted, this made an impression. Both Knox and Hunt give great performances. Knox is so loathsome that you want to do more than just punch him in the face. And I've never seen Hunt in a dramatic role before (I think), in any case not in such a serious one, and she's really good, especially in the confrontation scene with Erik Rolf as Karl Grimm. Known as the first Hollywood film (made during WWII) to have the Holocaust as its subject.
I also watched 7 Women with Anne Bancroft on the big screen. There have been previous screenings at the Filmoteca of this last feature film directed by John Ford but I never felt like going out to the cinema to watch this. But since there were hardly any Hollywood classic films showing on the big screen this month, I decided to check it out and fortunately enjoyed most of it. I actually thought this was a western and was surprised it wasn't. Star of the show is the cinematography by Joseph LaShelle (who also shot Laura). There are many great shots with beautiful lighting and warm hues. My fave shot is the one where Anne Bancroft appears in the corridor in Asian clothing holding a burning lamp. As for the film itself ... it held my attention throughout, even though I didn't like the part with the caricature Mongols (being depicted as savages and morons). The lesbian subtext is interesting and Margaret Leighton is quite good as the frustrated sex-deprived head of the mission. No doubt Anne Bancroft has the most likeable part, cursing and smoking her way through this film, and her ultimate sacrifice is quite brave and sad. It's not very likely I will ever see this again but I'm still glad I had the opportunity to watch this in a 35mm print.
Both films at the Filmoteca induced me to watch more films starring Hunt and Bancroft and I saw the following films especially for them: Lost Angel (with Marsha Hunt, James Craig and Margaret O'Brien), The Affairs of Martha (with Marsha Hunt and Richard Carlson), The Raid (with Anne Bancroft and Van Heflin) and Nightfall (with Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray).
Lost Angel is meant to tug at your heartstrings and it does. Margaret O'Brien steals the show, she is endearing most of the time, though her crying fit is overacted and unnatural. James Craig and Marsha Hunt make a nice pair. The scenes with Keenan Wynn and O'Brien are among the most enjoyable, especially the reading parts. Watch out for Ava Gardner in an uncredited role as the hat check girl.
I also watched 7 Women with Anne Bancroft on the big screen. There have been previous screenings at the Filmoteca of this last feature film directed by John Ford but I never felt like going out to the cinema to watch this. But since there were hardly any Hollywood classic films showing on the big screen this month, I decided to check it out and fortunately enjoyed most of it. I actually thought this was a western and was surprised it wasn't. Star of the show is the cinematography by Joseph LaShelle (who also shot Laura). There are many great shots with beautiful lighting and warm hues. My fave shot is the one where Anne Bancroft appears in the corridor in Asian clothing holding a burning lamp. As for the film itself ... it held my attention throughout, even though I didn't like the part with the caricature Mongols (being depicted as savages and morons). The lesbian subtext is interesting and Margaret Leighton is quite good as the frustrated sex-deprived head of the mission. No doubt Anne Bancroft has the most likeable part, cursing and smoking her way through this film, and her ultimate sacrifice is quite brave and sad. It's not very likely I will ever see this again but I'm still glad I had the opportunity to watch this in a 35mm print.
Both films at the Filmoteca induced me to watch more films starring Hunt and Bancroft and I saw the following films especially for them: Lost Angel (with Marsha Hunt, James Craig and Margaret O'Brien), The Affairs of Martha (with Marsha Hunt and Richard Carlson), The Raid (with Anne Bancroft and Van Heflin) and Nightfall (with Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray).
Lost Angel is meant to tug at your heartstrings and it does. Margaret O'Brien steals the show, she is endearing most of the time, though her crying fit is overacted and unnatural. James Craig and Marsha Hunt make a nice pair. The scenes with Keenan Wynn and O'Brien are among the most enjoyable, especially the reading parts. Watch out for Ava Gardner in an uncredited role as the hat check girl.
Since I still wanted to see more Marsha Hunt films, I ended the month watching The Affairs of Martha. I saw this late at night and missed quite a bit due to sleepiness so watched many scenes again the next morning. It's an enjoyable comedy with nice performances from the leads Hunt and Richard Carlson. I also love the supporting roles, especially the one by Allyn Joslyn as the publisher. I really liked the romance story, it was sweet and tender. Too bad Hunt played so few leading roles because she can certainly pull it off.
Though I chose to watch The Raid for Anne Bancroft, it also has Van Heflin in the leading role, and since I love him and read some positive reviews about the film, it was an extra incentive to watch this. It's a western based on true events and a bit different from the standard fare. First of all the Rebels are the good guys here and it's them with whom our sympathy lies. Furthermore it feels more like a heist film than a western. The characters are better written than usually is the case with a western, also the supporting roles. Lee Marvin's character is depicted as the villain. He's hot-headed, providing the tension, leaving us wondering whether he will do something stupid, and will they be found out or not? Still, he's not entirely unlikeable because you understand where he's coming from. Another distinctive feature is the ending which is quite a surprise. It's Mission Accomplished, with our anti-hero Heflin riding off with the rest of the confederate soldiers, leaving the town and his potential love interest Bancroft behind. It is somehow refreshing that the obligatory romance is left out, even though the mutual attraction between Heflin and Bancroft is evident. But like the romantic at heart I am, I could still fantasise about a possible romance between Bancroft and Richard Boone who plays a sympathetic character. I also want to emphasise here how excellent Van Heflin is in his role as the leader. He is such a reliable actor and always infuses his characters with depth and emotion. Really need to see more of his work. Also great cinematography by Lucien Ballard.
Though I chose to watch The Raid for Anne Bancroft, it also has Van Heflin in the leading role, and since I love him and read some positive reviews about the film, it was an extra incentive to watch this. It's a western based on true events and a bit different from the standard fare. First of all the Rebels are the good guys here and it's them with whom our sympathy lies. Furthermore it feels more like a heist film than a western. The characters are better written than usually is the case with a western, also the supporting roles. Lee Marvin's character is depicted as the villain. He's hot-headed, providing the tension, leaving us wondering whether he will do something stupid, and will they be found out or not? Still, he's not entirely unlikeable because you understand where he's coming from. Another distinctive feature is the ending which is quite a surprise. It's Mission Accomplished, with our anti-hero Heflin riding off with the rest of the confederate soldiers, leaving the town and his potential love interest Bancroft behind. It is somehow refreshing that the obligatory romance is left out, even though the mutual attraction between Heflin and Bancroft is evident. But like the romantic at heart I am, I could still fantasise about a possible romance between Bancroft and Richard Boone who plays a sympathetic character. I also want to emphasise here how excellent Van Heflin is in his role as the leader. He is such a reliable actor and always infuses his characters with depth and emotion. Really need to see more of his work. Also great cinematography by Lucien Ballard.
My third Bancroft film was Nightfall. This was actually a Bancroft film that's been on my watchlist for some time and now was as good a time as any since I was in the mood to explore more of her films. This film is a taut noir by Jacques Tourneur which for a great part takes place in the daytime. The day/night and city/country contrast is reminiscent of On Dangerous Ground where the day sequence also takes place in the snow. Noteworthy is the beautiful cinematography by Burnett Guffey. I love the dark opening scene with the credits and neon lights. The film itself is entertaining, low in suspense, though there are some suspenseful moments (the fashion show and the ending with the snowplow). The best thing about it are the lead actors, especially Aldo Ray. I have seen him before in the enjoyable and recommendable We're No Angels and liked him, and after seeing this film I like him even more. What stands out is how natural his performance is, he doesn't seem to act. He looks like a boxer, no neck, beefy, big, but there is something gentle and sensitive about him. And then that raspy hoarse voice ... He makes a nice pair with Bancroft who looks beautiful this young. It's a quick romance but they make it believable. The film suffers from some plot holes, the major one being the switching of the bags, how stupid is that? I like James Gregory as the insurance investigator and it was good to notice he was on Ray's side. His scenes with Ray are particularly good. By the way, his wife is being played by Marlon Brando's sister Jocelyn Brando.
Lost Angel (which I watched for Marsha Hunt) also starred Margaret O'Brien and I was eager to see more of her films since she is such a remarkable child actress. I chose Journey for Margaret, also starring Robert Young and Laraine Day. This is Margaret's second film. (She made her first film appearance in Babes on Broadway at age four.) It was also her breakthrough role at the age of 5. She isn't great in all scenes but that first scene where she appears ... with the pointed hat, rubbing her eyes repeatedly, that great first close-up of her face ... she makes an impression right away.
While I didn't like O'Brien's crying outburst in Lost Angel, her crying fit in her first scene here is close to heartbreaking. I also thought that Laraine Day was very good in her emotional scene after losing the baby, saying: "They gave me something. To make me sleep, they said. It's coming fast. Only it doesn't feel like sleep. It feels like dying. (...) They've killed our baby. All our babies. Tomorrow's baby. The day-after-tomorrow's. All our babies. Forever dead." Also noteworthy is that Margaret O'Brien took the name of her character as artist name, changing her first name from Angela to Margaret.
I also watched another film starring both Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien. The Canterville Ghost is a lovely film, based on a story by Oscar Wilde, but I have no idea how faithful it is to the source material. In any case, it was thoroughly enjoyable with likeable characters and a great story. Margaret O'Brien has a fairly big role and she is adorable. Charles Laughton is very amusing as the ghost and Robert Young gives a solid performance and looks good here. The three leads have great chemistry together and the special effects are pretty good for its time.
The last O'Brien film I watched this month was The Secret Garden and I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I've never read Frances Hodgson Burnett's children's classic and that I didn't even know what the story was exactly about. This is a lovely adaptation, presumably faithful to the source, and I enjoyed all performances, especially the ones by Margaret O'Brien, Herbert Marshall and the boy who played Dickon (Brian Roper). I have to say that I was less impressed with Dean Stockwell, though I really love him as a child actor, also his attempt to do a British accent failed hopelessly. I really love the gothic atmosphere and the beautiful black-and-white photography with moody shadows and lighting. The garden scenes in Technicolor are gorgeous and it was too bad that I knew of them beforehand, otherwise it would have been such a nice surprise. The ending was a bit abrupt but I was glad that it was a happy one. Not that I had expected this to end any other way.
Red Salute I watched for both Robert Young and Barbara Stanwyck. I had already seen 2 Young films this month and wouldn't mind seeing more of him and I really need to continue the filmography of Stanwyck. Red Salute is a romantic comedy that doesn't make much sense and is overall silly but the leads make it watchable and also have okay chemistry. A bit reminiscent of It Happened One Night with a similar story premise about a rich and spoilt socialite (whose father doesn't approve of her fiancé ) and a road trip. The dislike the leads have for one another seems to come out of nowhere and some of their banter is quite ridiculous but there are some nice lines too. Certainly not required viewing but for fans of Stanwyck and Young it's not so bad to get through.
Coming to the end of this round-up, my wish for November is to watch more films (this is always my film wish!), and hopefully I can finally make an average of one film a day again. Fortunately it's Noirvember and my focus will be on film noir, one of my favourite genres. Seeya next time!
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner; (2 gifs and 1 photo)
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner and James Mason on set;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner and James Mason;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951), shot on location in Tossa de Mar, Spain;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner and Nigel Patrick;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner on the beach of Tossa de Mar;
*One Touch of Venus (1948) with Ava Gardner;
*One Touch of Venus (1948) with Ava Gardner and Robert Walker;
*The Bribe (1949) with Ava Gardner and Robert Taylor;
*The Bribe (1949) with Ava Gardner and Robert Taylor behind the scenes;
*Singapore (1947) with Ava Gardner and Fred MacMurray;
*Black Sheep (1935) with Edmund Lowe and Claire Trevor;
*Black Sheep (1935) with Edmund Lowe, Claire Trevor, Adrienne Ames and Eugene Pallette;
*Chandu the Magician (1932) with Edmund Lowe, Irene Ware and Bela Lugosi;
*Seven Sinners (1936) with Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings;
*Attorney for the Defense (1932) with Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings;
*Espionage (1937) with Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans;
*Grand Exit (1935) with Edmund Lowe and Ann Sothern;
*None Shall Escape (1944) with Marsha Hunt and Alexander Knox;
*None Shall Escape (1944) with Marsha Hunt and Alexander Knox;
*7 Women (1966) with Anne Bancroft and Margaret Leighton;
*Lost Angel (1943) with James Craig and Margaret O'Brien;
*Lost Angel (1943) with Marsha Hunt and Margaret O'Brien;
*The Affairs of Martha (1942) with Marsha Hunt and Richard Carlson;
*The Affairs of Martha (1942) with Marsha Hunt, Richard Carlson and Barry Nelson;
*The Raid (1954) with Van Heflin, Peter Graves and Lee Marvin;
*The Raid (1954) with Van Heflin and Anne Bancroft;
*Nightfall (1956) with Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray;
*Nightfall (1956) with Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray;
*Journey for Margaret (1942) with Margaret O'Brien; (2 screenshots by me)
*Journey for Margaret (1942) with Margaret O'Brien, Laraine Day, Robert Young and William Severn;
*The Canterville Ghost (1944) with Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien;
*The Canterville Ghost (1944) with Robert Young, Charles Laughton and Margaret O'Brien;
*The Secret Garden (1949) with Margaret O'Brien, Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell and Brian Roper; (screenshot by me)
*The Secret Garden (1949) with Margaret O'Brien, Dean Stockwell and Brian Roper;
*Red Salute (1935) with Robert Young and Barbara Stanwyck;
*Red Salute (1935) with Barbara Stanwyck and director Sidney Lanfield.
Lost Angel (which I watched for Marsha Hunt) also starred Margaret O'Brien and I was eager to see more of her films since she is such a remarkable child actress. I chose Journey for Margaret, also starring Robert Young and Laraine Day. This is Margaret's second film. (She made her first film appearance in Babes on Broadway at age four.) It was also her breakthrough role at the age of 5. She isn't great in all scenes but that first scene where she appears ... with the pointed hat, rubbing her eyes repeatedly, that great first close-up of her face ... she makes an impression right away.
I also watched another film starring both Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien. The Canterville Ghost is a lovely film, based on a story by Oscar Wilde, but I have no idea how faithful it is to the source material. In any case, it was thoroughly enjoyable with likeable characters and a great story. Margaret O'Brien has a fairly big role and she is adorable. Charles Laughton is very amusing as the ghost and Robert Young gives a solid performance and looks good here. The three leads have great chemistry together and the special effects are pretty good for its time.
Red Salute I watched for both Robert Young and Barbara Stanwyck. I had already seen 2 Young films this month and wouldn't mind seeing more of him and I really need to continue the filmography of Stanwyck. Red Salute is a romantic comedy that doesn't make much sense and is overall silly but the leads make it watchable and also have okay chemistry. A bit reminiscent of It Happened One Night with a similar story premise about a rich and spoilt socialite (whose father doesn't approve of her fiancé ) and a road trip. The dislike the leads have for one another seems to come out of nowhere and some of their banter is quite ridiculous but there are some nice lines too. Certainly not required viewing but for fans of Stanwyck and Young it's not so bad to get through.
Coming to the end of this round-up, my wish for November is to watch more films (this is always my film wish!), and hopefully I can finally make an average of one film a day again. Fortunately it's Noirvember and my focus will be on film noir, one of my favourite genres. Seeya next time!
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner; (2 gifs and 1 photo)
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner and James Mason on set;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner and James Mason;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951), shot on location in Tossa de Mar, Spain;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner and Nigel Patrick;
*Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) with Ava Gardner on the beach of Tossa de Mar;
*One Touch of Venus (1948) with Ava Gardner;
*One Touch of Venus (1948) with Ava Gardner and Robert Walker;
*The Bribe (1949) with Ava Gardner and Robert Taylor;
*The Bribe (1949) with Ava Gardner and Robert Taylor behind the scenes;
*Singapore (1947) with Ava Gardner and Fred MacMurray;
*Black Sheep (1935) with Edmund Lowe and Claire Trevor;
*Black Sheep (1935) with Edmund Lowe, Claire Trevor, Adrienne Ames and Eugene Pallette;
*Chandu the Magician (1932) with Edmund Lowe, Irene Ware and Bela Lugosi;
*Seven Sinners (1936) with Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings;
*Attorney for the Defense (1932) with Edmund Lowe and Constance Cummings;
*Espionage (1937) with Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans;
*Grand Exit (1935) with Edmund Lowe and Ann Sothern;
*None Shall Escape (1944) with Marsha Hunt and Alexander Knox;
*None Shall Escape (1944) with Marsha Hunt and Alexander Knox;
*7 Women (1966) with Anne Bancroft and Margaret Leighton;
*Lost Angel (1943) with James Craig and Margaret O'Brien;
*Lost Angel (1943) with Marsha Hunt and Margaret O'Brien;
*The Affairs of Martha (1942) with Marsha Hunt and Richard Carlson;
*The Affairs of Martha (1942) with Marsha Hunt, Richard Carlson and Barry Nelson;
*The Raid (1954) with Van Heflin, Peter Graves and Lee Marvin;
*The Raid (1954) with Van Heflin and Anne Bancroft;
*Nightfall (1956) with Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray;
*Nightfall (1956) with Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray;
*Journey for Margaret (1942) with Margaret O'Brien; (2 screenshots by me)
*Journey for Margaret (1942) with Margaret O'Brien, Laraine Day, Robert Young and William Severn;
*The Canterville Ghost (1944) with Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien;
*The Canterville Ghost (1944) with Robert Young, Charles Laughton and Margaret O'Brien;
*The Secret Garden (1949) with Margaret O'Brien, Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell and Brian Roper; (screenshot by me)
*The Secret Garden (1949) with Margaret O'Brien, Dean Stockwell and Brian Roper;
*Red Salute (1935) with Robert Young and Barbara Stanwyck;
*Red Salute (1935) with Barbara Stanwyck and director Sidney Lanfield.