August 2020 Round-Up
TOTAL FILMS SEEN IN AUGUST: 22
(see the film posters at the bottom of the post, arranged in watching order)
NEW-TO-ME: 21
REWATCHES: 1
SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN: 2
WESTERNS: 9
MOST WATCHED ACTOR: Joel McCrea (5 in total)
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Eleanor Parker (7 in total)
I cannot believe how summer has flown by! It's been the weirdest summer of my life — I guess this feeling is shared by a great many people — also because Barcelona and Spain have become territory non grata and my hometown is almost void of tourists. We live near the beach and our neighbourhood is still lively with locals. But we went downtown today, and though it's nice that there are hardly any tourists, it's kind of sad to see so many businesses closed (maybe never opening again) and the normally bustling city is pretty lifeless. On a personal level it's sad that the regular visits we get from our siblings during the summer months didn't happen.
This month I managed to watch a total of 22 films. I can happily report that I finally made two trips to the Filmoteca and saw two Kirk Douglas films on the big screen. Furthermore I started the month watching Eleanor Parker films and ended up binging westerns. I also watched a couple of random films.
So now on to the films I watched this August, starting with the two films seen on the big screen, two films starring Kirk Douglas (part of the Filmoteca's In Memoriam special). One was a rewatch (the only one of this month) — Lonely Are the Brave — and the other one was a film I had been wanting to see for a long time and I was actually waiting for it to be shown at the theater. Lucky me! The film is Detective Story and it enticed me to see more Eleanor Parker films.
Detective Story is the first film seen at the Filmoteca since the lockdown in March. There was a fairly small audience, all sitting at a safe distance from us. Watching this Kirk Douglas film (directed by the versatile William Wyler) with a face mask during the entire duration of the film was less horrible than I thought it would be. In fact, it didn't bother me so much, also because I was totally immersed in the film. Admittedly, it starts pretty slow and I had to get into it first. It's also stagy (based on a play) and Douglas is not very likeable (especially when he behaves like a macho, calling his wife a tramp and not pure because there have been other men). He has an interesting character, though, and Douglas portrays him very well. Other performances are also strong. Eleanor Parker is good and I loved William Bendix. We see Lee Grant in her debut role but her neurotic behaviour started to get on my nerves. Cathy O'Donnell is sweet, her love interest Craig Hill has beautiful eyes and the cinematography by Lee Garmes is striking. This film has a modern feel and reminded me of police TV-series from the 1970s/80s.
I had seen the modern-day western Lonely Are the Brave once before but couldn't remember much of it except the ending in the rain. I now had the opportunity to see it on the big screen in a sharp print and I was very excited. Apparently this is Kirk Douglas' favourite film and it's not so difficult to see why. He's outstanding and fits the lone cowboy role as a glove. I didn't care much for the prison sequence but I love Douglas' scenes with Gena Rowlands. Their relationship isn't spelled out but it is evident they had a thing going before her marriage to his best friend, yet Douglas preferred the life of a wandering cowboy over a domestic life with a wife and kid. I was even wondering this time whether the son was his and not her husband's. (This reminded me of The Searchers and the relationship between Ethan and Martha). I also love the mountain chase. It goes on and on but stays thrilling and the views are spectacular (cinematography by Philip H. Lathropit; I think this film must have been great in colour!). Douglas' relationship with his horse Whisky is memorable and touching, and the final scene with Douglas' face in close-up, knowing what's going to happen to his wounded animal friend, is a great piece of acting. So much emotion in that shot, the way Douglas' eyes speak without words. I actually forgot it was an open ending and it's a very good one. Still a bit doubtful whether Walter Matthau as the sheriff was a good casting choice but his comic relief (and also by his not-too-bright deputy) makes the film lighter, and I liked how sympathetic he seemed to be towards Douglas.
Like I said, Detective Story made me want to see more Eleanor Parker films. I really like her and the more I see of her films, the more I appreciate her as an actress. She's quite underrated (though she did earn three Oscar nominations). I watched another 6 of her films which makes her my most watched actress of the month (with a total of 7 films).
The other 6 films are:
The Woman in White (with Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, Gig Young and Agnes Moorehead)
Pride of the Marines (with John Garfield and Dane Clark)
The Last Ride (with Richard Travis)
Lizzie (with Richard Boone and Joan Blondell)
Chain Lightning (with Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey)
Caged (with Agnes Moorehead)
The Woman In White is an enjoyable adaptation of Wilkie Collins' famous novel of the same title. I read it a long time ago so I didn't remember the story that well. Too bad Gig Young is not a strong lead actor and I would have preferred to see someone else as the male protagonist. Eleanor Parker plays a double role and I liked her as Ann in her ghostly appearance. The main problem I have with this film is that they changed the romantic interest at the end. Instead of ending up with Parker (like in the book), Young ends up with Alexis Smith (as Marian). Smith has first billing and was probably the bigger star at the time, it's the only reason I can think of why they changed the romantic part of the story. Also some fine gothic photography by Carl E. Guthrie.
Pride of the Marines has basically three parts and they're all a bit different in tone. Part one, the courting, plays out like a romantic comedy, and John Garfield and Eleanor Parker display great chemistry (this was my fave part and I wouldn't have minded if it would have stayed light and gay). Then we come to the second part with the Guadalcanal battle sequence which is suspenseful and gruesome and we're in the middle of a war film. The third part deals with Garfield's rehabilitation (he's blinded by a grenade) and his refusal to reunite with his sweetheart Parker out of pride and fear. This dramatic part really shows Garfield's acting chops and Parker puts in a fine performance too. Though it's a good film, I was a bit underwhelmed, yet I cannot really pinpoint why it's not the great film I was hoping for.
The Last Ride I watched for Parker but she only appears for a couple of minutes, looking lovely and her voice sounding young and light. Needless to say she was greatly underused. Fortunately this mystery film was surprisingly entertaining and fast-paced and I liked the male lead Richard Travis. And with a running time of 57 minutes it didn't outstay its welcome. I also chose Chain Lightning for Parker. Strictly routine film with Humphrey Bogart playing a test pilot, how weird this may sound. Still, with some thrilling aviation scenes. The romance between our leads is not very exciting but Parker looks lovely. Raymond Massey is here too but could have used more screen time.
Lizzie and Caged have the most challenging roles for Eleanor Parker, probably the most challenging of her entire career.
WESTERNS: 9
MOST WATCHED ACTOR: Joel McCrea (5 in total)
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Eleanor Parker (7 in total)
I cannot believe how summer has flown by! It's been the weirdest summer of my life — I guess this feeling is shared by a great many people — also because Barcelona and Spain have become territory non grata and my hometown is almost void of tourists. We live near the beach and our neighbourhood is still lively with locals. But we went downtown today, and though it's nice that there are hardly any tourists, it's kind of sad to see so many businesses closed (maybe never opening again) and the normally bustling city is pretty lifeless. On a personal level it's sad that the regular visits we get from our siblings during the summer months didn't happen.
This month I managed to watch a total of 22 films. I can happily report that I finally made two trips to the Filmoteca and saw two Kirk Douglas films on the big screen. Furthermore I started the month watching Eleanor Parker films and ended up binging westerns. I also watched a couple of random films.
Breaking the 22 watched films down in decades (not so surprisingly, 1950s is my most watched decade due to the westerns):
1910s - 0
1920s - 0
1930s - 4
1940s - 5
1950s - 11
1960s - 2
Before I start with the films watched this month, I want to mention something in regard to the Filmoteca. Covid has caused many cancellations of cultural events, planned holidays and whatnot. In the grand scheme of things, considering the high fatality rate worldwide and the depressing unemployment figures, it's of course foolish to be upset about the great film program the Filmoteca had scheduled this summer. Well, upset is a big word but I would have loved to see some of the scheduled films. I will give a short overview here what was scheduled (according to the published booklet for 2020 that became available at the beginning of the year) — to torment myself a bit more, haha.
June: Dorothy Arzner special
With among others: The Wild Party, Sarah and Son, Anybody's Woman, Working Girls, The Bride Wore Red and Dance, Girl, Dance.
July: Marilyn Monroe special (with a dedicated exhibition with photos by Milton Greene)
With among others: The Asphalt Jungle, Niagara, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How To Marry A Millionaire, River of No Return, The Seven Year Itch, Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot and The Misfits.
August: Melodrama special
With among others: Imitation of Life (both 1934 and 1958 versions), Magnificent Obsession (both 1935 and 1954 versions), Only Yesterday, Letter From an Unknown Woman, An Affair to Remember and Brief Encounter.
I have seen some of these already on the big screen (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, River of No Return, Brief Encounter and Dance, Girl, Dance) but I would have loved to see the other Marilyn films at the theater, especially The Misfits and How To Marry A Millionaire. Also An Affair to Remember is one of my many favourite films and would have been grand to see on the big screen, as well as the other programmed melodramas. Hopefully the Filmoteca will schedule these specials in its entirety later on, or maybe next year. Fingers crossed! (By the way, there is a Sam Peckinpah special scheduled for the end of the year in December with screenings of Ride the High Country and The Wild Bunch, so I hope they will go ahead as planned.)
So now on to the films I watched this August, starting with the two films seen on the big screen, two films starring Kirk Douglas (part of the Filmoteca's In Memoriam special). One was a rewatch (the only one of this month) — Lonely Are the Brave — and the other one was a film I had been wanting to see for a long time and I was actually waiting for it to be shown at the theater. Lucky me! The film is Detective Story and it enticed me to see more Eleanor Parker films.
Detective Story is the first film seen at the Filmoteca since the lockdown in March. There was a fairly small audience, all sitting at a safe distance from us. Watching this Kirk Douglas film (directed by the versatile William Wyler) with a face mask during the entire duration of the film was less horrible than I thought it would be. In fact, it didn't bother me so much, also because I was totally immersed in the film. Admittedly, it starts pretty slow and I had to get into it first. It's also stagy (based on a play) and Douglas is not very likeable (especially when he behaves like a macho, calling his wife a tramp and not pure because there have been other men). He has an interesting character, though, and Douglas portrays him very well. Other performances are also strong. Eleanor Parker is good and I loved William Bendix. We see Lee Grant in her debut role but her neurotic behaviour started to get on my nerves. Cathy O'Donnell is sweet, her love interest Craig Hill has beautiful eyes and the cinematography by Lee Garmes is striking. This film has a modern feel and reminded me of police TV-series from the 1970s/80s.
I had seen the modern-day western Lonely Are the Brave once before but couldn't remember much of it except the ending in the rain. I now had the opportunity to see it on the big screen in a sharp print and I was very excited. Apparently this is Kirk Douglas' favourite film and it's not so difficult to see why. He's outstanding and fits the lone cowboy role as a glove. I didn't care much for the prison sequence but I love Douglas' scenes with Gena Rowlands. Their relationship isn't spelled out but it is evident they had a thing going before her marriage to his best friend, yet Douglas preferred the life of a wandering cowboy over a domestic life with a wife and kid. I was even wondering this time whether the son was his and not her husband's. (This reminded me of The Searchers and the relationship between Ethan and Martha). I also love the mountain chase. It goes on and on but stays thrilling and the views are spectacular (cinematography by Philip H. Lathropit; I think this film must have been great in colour!). Douglas' relationship with his horse Whisky is memorable and touching, and the final scene with Douglas' face in close-up, knowing what's going to happen to his wounded animal friend, is a great piece of acting. So much emotion in that shot, the way Douglas' eyes speak without words. I actually forgot it was an open ending and it's a very good one. Still a bit doubtful whether Walter Matthau as the sheriff was a good casting choice but his comic relief (and also by his not-too-bright deputy) makes the film lighter, and I liked how sympathetic he seemed to be towards Douglas.
Like I said, Detective Story made me want to see more Eleanor Parker films. I really like her and the more I see of her films, the more I appreciate her as an actress. She's quite underrated (though she did earn three Oscar nominations). I watched another 6 of her films which makes her my most watched actress of the month (with a total of 7 films).
The other 6 films are:
The Woman in White (with Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet, Gig Young and Agnes Moorehead)
Pride of the Marines (with John Garfield and Dane Clark)
The Last Ride (with Richard Travis)
Lizzie (with Richard Boone and Joan Blondell)
Chain Lightning (with Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey)
Caged (with Agnes Moorehead)
The Woman In White is an enjoyable adaptation of Wilkie Collins' famous novel of the same title. I read it a long time ago so I didn't remember the story that well. Too bad Gig Young is not a strong lead actor and I would have preferred to see someone else as the male protagonist. Eleanor Parker plays a double role and I liked her as Ann in her ghostly appearance. The main problem I have with this film is that they changed the romantic interest at the end. Instead of ending up with Parker (like in the book), Young ends up with Alexis Smith (as Marian). Smith has first billing and was probably the bigger star at the time, it's the only reason I can think of why they changed the romantic part of the story. Also some fine gothic photography by Carl E. Guthrie.
Pride of the Marines has basically three parts and they're all a bit different in tone. Part one, the courting, plays out like a romantic comedy, and John Garfield and Eleanor Parker display great chemistry (this was my fave part and I wouldn't have minded if it would have stayed light and gay). Then we come to the second part with the Guadalcanal battle sequence which is suspenseful and gruesome and we're in the middle of a war film. The third part deals with Garfield's rehabilitation (he's blinded by a grenade) and his refusal to reunite with his sweetheart Parker out of pride and fear. This dramatic part really shows Garfield's acting chops and Parker puts in a fine performance too. Though it's a good film, I was a bit underwhelmed, yet I cannot really pinpoint why it's not the great film I was hoping for.
The Last Ride I watched for Parker but she only appears for a couple of minutes, looking lovely and her voice sounding young and light. Needless to say she was greatly underused. Fortunately this mystery film was surprisingly entertaining and fast-paced and I liked the male lead Richard Travis. And with a running time of 57 minutes it didn't outstay its welcome. I also chose Chain Lightning for Parker. Strictly routine film with Humphrey Bogart playing a test pilot, how weird this may sound. Still, with some thrilling aviation scenes. The romance between our leads is not very exciting but Parker looks lovely. Raymond Massey is here too but could have used more screen time.
Lizzie and Caged have the most challenging roles for Eleanor Parker, probably the most challenging of her entire career.
Lizzie deals with mental illness, and to be honest I'm not too fond of films with such a topic, but I was here for Parker and she gives a good performance as Elizabeth/Lizzie/Beth. The plot development didn't really hold many surprises. Since multiple personality disorder is likely to be caused by childhood trauma, it was not so difficult to guess what had happened to Elizabeth. Richard Boone plays the psychiatrist and Joan Blondell is Lizzie's aunt with a fondness for the bottle. It was not very credible that Elizabeth was instantly cured at the film's ending but that's Hollywood for ya. By the way, I really loved the singer behind the piano at the bar and read afterwards it was Johnny Mathis. Based on the novel The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson.
Caged is a pretty grim women's prison drama, I was actually surprised how grim it was. Parker is good, better in the toughened up part than in the naive part. I have to say that Parker's transformation from innocent to tough is quite abrupt. The supporting roles are solid, I especially liked Jan Sterling. Agnes Moorehead has one of the more sympathetic parts as the prison director. Though the plot is pretty predictable (with a matron everyone hates, isolation cells and prison uproars), the bleak ending came as a surprise and is very good. And Parker saying "Thanks for the haircut" is unforgettable.
I also watched a bunch of westerns (the western Lonely Are the Brave is already mentioned with the two Filmoteca visits). Four of all westerns watched this month (9 in total) starred Joel McCrea. Together with the comedy The Richest Girl in the World (coming to that one later) I saw a total of 5 McCrea films which makes him my most watched actor of the month.
Joel McCrea had two film careers, a pre-western career and a western one. He appeared exclusively in westerns from 1946 until his retirement in 1976 (except for the 1953 thriller Rough Shoot).
The McCrea westerns seen this month are:
Trooper Hook (with Barbara Stanwyck)
Stranger on Horseback (with Miroslava and Kevin McCarthy)
Saddle Tramp (with Wanda Hendrix)
The San Francisco Story (with Yvonne De Carlo and Sidney Blackmer)
I watched Trooper Hook with my sister because two people recommended this on a film blog. Admittedly, I didn't pay full attention while watching this but I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed. Yet Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea both give good performances here — I especially liked Joel, he's natural and laid-back — and the film touches upon racial issues. It has some bad background projection and I thought it had the feel of a TV-film because of the low production values and pretty poor music. Stanwyck and McCrea made 6 films together (I have Union Pacific still left to see) and this was their last one.
I also watched a bunch of westerns (the western Lonely Are the Brave is already mentioned with the two Filmoteca visits). Four of all westerns watched this month (9 in total) starred Joel McCrea. Together with the comedy The Richest Girl in the World (coming to that one later) I saw a total of 5 McCrea films which makes him my most watched actor of the month.
Joel McCrea had two film careers, a pre-western career and a western one. He appeared exclusively in westerns from 1946 until his retirement in 1976 (except for the 1953 thriller Rough Shoot).
The McCrea westerns seen this month are:
Trooper Hook (with Barbara Stanwyck)
Stranger on Horseback (with Miroslava and Kevin McCarthy)
Saddle Tramp (with Wanda Hendrix)
The San Francisco Story (with Yvonne De Carlo and Sidney Blackmer)
I watched Trooper Hook with my sister because two people recommended this on a film blog. Admittedly, I didn't pay full attention while watching this but I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed. Yet Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea both give good performances here — I especially liked Joel, he's natural and laid-back — and the film touches upon racial issues. It has some bad background projection and I thought it had the feel of a TV-film because of the low production values and pretty poor music. Stanwyck and McCrea made 6 films together (I have Union Pacific still left to see) and this was their last one.
Stranger on Horseback is one of McCrea's better and lesser-known westerns. It's a tight little film with a runtime of about an hour. McCrea plays a judge who wants to bring to justice the trigger-happy son (Kevin McCarthy) of an influential land baron (John McIntire). I didn't really like McCrea's love interest, the actress Miroslava, nor their relationship (she's definitely the weakest link here). I did like his relationship with the sheriff Emile Meyer who was on his side. The cinematography by Ray Rennahan is very good, though the colours look a bit weird in the digitally restored Ansco Color print.
I also watched a couple of westerns without McCrea:
The Gal Who Took the West (with Yvonne De Carlo, Charles Coburn, Scott Brady and John Russell)
The Stalking Moon (with Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint)
Ride Lonesome (with Randolph Scott, Karen Steele and Pernell Roberts)
Cave of Outlaws (with Macdonald Carey and Alexis Smith)
The Gal Who Took the West I watched because of a good write-up from a fellow movie blogger. I'm indifferent to Yvonne De Carlo, only saw a couple of her films, but I really liked her here. She's sassy, looks beautiful in Technicolor, and sings a couple of songs (I didn't know she was a singer and dancer). In this western-comedy the love triangle is poorly developed (and love comes way too quickly) but overall it's fun. The story being told from three different points of view (by three old men) is a nice angle. Scott Brady and John Russell get into a great fist fight at the end (apparently no stuntman was used) and it's not so difficult to guess with whom our leading lady ends up. Reliable support by Charles Coburn and a small part for John Litel. By the way, did you know that Brady was Lawrence Tierney's real-life brother? They sure do look alike.
The Stalking Moon is a film I had never heard of before but I was looking at westerns starring Gregory Peck I hadn't seen yet and this one came up. I watched the film's introduction for the TCM premiere on YouTube and Robert Osborne says that for this film director Robert Mulligan surrounded himself with actors who were familiar with Hitchcock's style because he wanted to make a Hitchcockian western. So he worked with Gregory Peck again (they worked together on the successful To Kill a Mockingbird) and he succeeded in making a very suspenseful western. It's an unusual one, with little dialogue and low in action. What we get is beautiful cinematography by Charles Lang (lots of images that look like paintings), a great yet grim mood, and solid performances by the leads. This western is very similar in story premise to Trooper Hook, also watched this month. Eva Marie Saint is a white woman captured by the Indians, just like Barbara Stanwyck, with an Indian son as a result, and both Peck and Joel McCrea in Trooper Hook escort our leading lady to her destination. I liked the fact that we never really get to see our villain, the Apache warrior. This film needs to be wider seen.
I started watching Ride Lonesome late at night but was supersleepy and kept dozing off and had to watch the same scene again and again. I wasn't doing this film any justice and didn't want to spoil my viewing experience because it's supposed to be one of Randolph Scott's best westerns. So I watched parts of the beginning again the next morning and finished the rest of the film. I really enjoyed it and can see why this is highly rated. First of all, the cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr. is stunning. I can only imagine how fabulous this film (shot in CinemaScope) must look on the big screen. I also liked the music score by Heinz Roemheld. Other great asset is Pernell Roberts and his likeable and cool character. He brings a lot of humour to the film, especially in his interactions with an almost unrecognisable young James Coburn and I liked their often touching friendship. This revenge story is low in action (there's hardly any to speak of during the film's climax, but there is a gunfight with Indians early on in the film). It is mostly following the party on their journey to Santa Cruz, and honestly, I could have watched them ride through the beautiful landscape forever. Scott is doing his usual thing as the bounty hunter — no surprises there — and his quiet stoic manner (he's even less animated than usual) stands in sharp contrast with Roberts' lively and energetic character. The weak link is Karen Steele. I didn't really like her nor her boring character, and her pointy boobs (no doubt wearing a bullet bra) annoyed me. But despite the sexual tension and the objectification of her character, I appreciated the fact that none of the men tried to get their hands on her. The ending is satisfying (though a lot of reviewers disagree, probably because of the lack of action) and that last shot of the burning tree is beautiful and memorable.
Cave of Outlaws is not very exciting. But I wanted to watch a western that I expected not to like too much because I was watching this while working from home and knew there would be constant interruptions. Though I like both lead players, Alexis Smith and Macdonald Carey make an unlikely couple. The sharp print online was a plus. Though Smith wears the most garish dresses, she looks good in Technicolor. I was a bit disappointed with the cinematography but the caves scenes shot on location (in the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico) look impressive. Also with Russ Tamblyn in a small part as young Carey.
So what else did I watch? Another Barbara Stanwyck film, Ladies of Leisure (with Ralph Graves and Lowell Sherman), a film noir Bodyguard (with Lawrence Tierney and Priscilla Lane), a drama The Marrying Kind (with Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray), a 1930s comedy The Richest Girl in the World (with Joel McCrea, Miriam Hopkins and Fay Wray), the iconic horror film Dracula (with Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler and David Manners) and a disaster film Deluge (with Peggy Shannon, Lois Wilson and Sidney Blackmer).
Ladies of Leisure is more enjoyable than I thought it would be. One of Frank Capra and Barbara Stanwyck's many collaborations, this pre-code doesn't hold any surprises. It's the well-known story of a girl falling for a rich guy. She comes from different circles (in this case she's also a golddigger) and the rich guy's parents don't approve of their involvement. Stanwyck carries this drama, her tears fall frequently but she's good in these emotional moments. I love the sparkle in her eyes. I liked Lowell Sherman but Ralph Graves is so bland. Marie Prevost gives good support as the roommate/friend. Beautiful cinematography by Joseph Walker who had a lot of well-known classics to his name (just look him up). Some fave scenes: the rainy night sleep-over (beautifully shot) and the confrontation between Stanwyck and Graves' mother (Nance O’Neil).
Bodyguard I watched because of its short running time (I was actually watching this while working from home). The plot is easy to follow but clearly lacking in excitement. I don't care much for Lawrence Tierney but I stayed for Priscilla Lane (because I like her, though her role wasn't very interesting). The leads make a weird couple and have little chemistry. Apparently this was Lane's last film.
Saddle Tramp is a feel-good family western with McCrea in a likeable and gentle role again, here taking care of four orphan boys after the sudden death of their father. Wanda Hendrix as a 19-year old joins them. She ran away from home to escape her uncle's sexual abuse. I enjoyed this film, yet at first wasn't sure whether Hendrix played McCrea's love interest because she looks like a child. But when her age is revealed, I went along with their relationship despite the age difference. Funny how people/reviewers frown upon a relationship with a huge age gap (probably 15 to 20 years here) or even call it creepy, when back in the Old West big age differences were probably more common than they are nowadays, and by the way, being 19 years old is considered an adult. Also with John Russell and John McIntire.
The San Francisco Story has McCrea paired again with Yvonne De Carlo. I watched Border River a while ago and thought there was little chemistry between McCrea and De Carlo. But here they clicked and I enjoyed their relationship and its development. With an above average script and tongue-in-cheek dialogue, this is a compelling western. It also has some fine photography by John F. Seitz and I liked McCrea's sidekick Shorty played by Richard Erdman. I prefer De Carlo in Technicolor, though.
I also watched a couple of westerns without McCrea:
The Gal Who Took the West (with Yvonne De Carlo, Charles Coburn, Scott Brady and John Russell)
The Stalking Moon (with Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint)
Ride Lonesome (with Randolph Scott, Karen Steele and Pernell Roberts)
Cave of Outlaws (with Macdonald Carey and Alexis Smith)
The Gal Who Took the West I watched because of a good write-up from a fellow movie blogger. I'm indifferent to Yvonne De Carlo, only saw a couple of her films, but I really liked her here. She's sassy, looks beautiful in Technicolor, and sings a couple of songs (I didn't know she was a singer and dancer). In this western-comedy the love triangle is poorly developed (and love comes way too quickly) but overall it's fun. The story being told from three different points of view (by three old men) is a nice angle. Scott Brady and John Russell get into a great fist fight at the end (apparently no stuntman was used) and it's not so difficult to guess with whom our leading lady ends up. Reliable support by Charles Coburn and a small part for John Litel. By the way, did you know that Brady was Lawrence Tierney's real-life brother? They sure do look alike.
The Stalking Moon is a film I had never heard of before but I was looking at westerns starring Gregory Peck I hadn't seen yet and this one came up. I watched the film's introduction for the TCM premiere on YouTube and Robert Osborne says that for this film director Robert Mulligan surrounded himself with actors who were familiar with Hitchcock's style because he wanted to make a Hitchcockian western. So he worked with Gregory Peck again (they worked together on the successful To Kill a Mockingbird) and he succeeded in making a very suspenseful western. It's an unusual one, with little dialogue and low in action. What we get is beautiful cinematography by Charles Lang (lots of images that look like paintings), a great yet grim mood, and solid performances by the leads. This western is very similar in story premise to Trooper Hook, also watched this month. Eva Marie Saint is a white woman captured by the Indians, just like Barbara Stanwyck, with an Indian son as a result, and both Peck and Joel McCrea in Trooper Hook escort our leading lady to her destination. I liked the fact that we never really get to see our villain, the Apache warrior. This film needs to be wider seen.
I started watching Ride Lonesome late at night but was supersleepy and kept dozing off and had to watch the same scene again and again. I wasn't doing this film any justice and didn't want to spoil my viewing experience because it's supposed to be one of Randolph Scott's best westerns. So I watched parts of the beginning again the next morning and finished the rest of the film. I really enjoyed it and can see why this is highly rated. First of all, the cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr. is stunning. I can only imagine how fabulous this film (shot in CinemaScope) must look on the big screen. I also liked the music score by Heinz Roemheld. Other great asset is Pernell Roberts and his likeable and cool character. He brings a lot of humour to the film, especially in his interactions with an almost unrecognisable young James Coburn and I liked their often touching friendship. This revenge story is low in action (there's hardly any to speak of during the film's climax, but there is a gunfight with Indians early on in the film). It is mostly following the party on their journey to Santa Cruz, and honestly, I could have watched them ride through the beautiful landscape forever. Scott is doing his usual thing as the bounty hunter — no surprises there — and his quiet stoic manner (he's even less animated than usual) stands in sharp contrast with Roberts' lively and energetic character. The weak link is Karen Steele. I didn't really like her nor her boring character, and her pointy boobs (no doubt wearing a bullet bra) annoyed me. But despite the sexual tension and the objectification of her character, I appreciated the fact that none of the men tried to get their hands on her. The ending is satisfying (though a lot of reviewers disagree, probably because of the lack of action) and that last shot of the burning tree is beautiful and memorable.
Cave of Outlaws is not very exciting. But I wanted to watch a western that I expected not to like too much because I was watching this while working from home and knew there would be constant interruptions. Though I like both lead players, Alexis Smith and Macdonald Carey make an unlikely couple. The sharp print online was a plus. Though Smith wears the most garish dresses, she looks good in Technicolor. I was a bit disappointed with the cinematography but the caves scenes shot on location (in the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico) look impressive. Also with Russ Tamblyn in a small part as young Carey.
So what else did I watch? Another Barbara Stanwyck film, Ladies of Leisure (with Ralph Graves and Lowell Sherman), a film noir Bodyguard (with Lawrence Tierney and Priscilla Lane), a drama The Marrying Kind (with Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray), a 1930s comedy The Richest Girl in the World (with Joel McCrea, Miriam Hopkins and Fay Wray), the iconic horror film Dracula (with Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler and David Manners) and a disaster film Deluge (with Peggy Shannon, Lois Wilson and Sidney Blackmer).
Ladies of Leisure is more enjoyable than I thought it would be. One of Frank Capra and Barbara Stanwyck's many collaborations, this pre-code doesn't hold any surprises. It's the well-known story of a girl falling for a rich guy. She comes from different circles (in this case she's also a golddigger) and the rich guy's parents don't approve of their involvement. Stanwyck carries this drama, her tears fall frequently but she's good in these emotional moments. I love the sparkle in her eyes. I liked Lowell Sherman but Ralph Graves is so bland. Marie Prevost gives good support as the roommate/friend. Beautiful cinematography by Joseph Walker who had a lot of well-known classics to his name (just look him up). Some fave scenes: the rainy night sleep-over (beautifully shot) and the confrontation between Stanwyck and Graves' mother (Nance O’Neil).
Bodyguard I watched because of its short running time (I was actually watching this while working from home). The plot is easy to follow but clearly lacking in excitement. I don't care much for Lawrence Tierney but I stayed for Priscilla Lane (because I like her, though her role wasn't very interesting). The leads make a weird couple and have little chemistry. Apparently this was Lane's last film.
The Marrying Kind is a bittersweet comedy/drama about a marriage on the rocks. This film, directed by George Cukor, works so well because of the great chemistry between Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray and their natural interplay. I love the way Ray sometimes looks at Holliday. Like he's really in love. I was a bit swooning over his good (contemporary) looks and husky voice. His way of acting is so natural, it's great to watch him play. Definitely going to check out more of his films. Also lovely music score by Hugo Friedhofer and good script by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. Yes, it was one of the best films seen this month and I really enjoyed it!
The Richest Girl in the World is an enjoyable comedy with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea who have great chemistry (they made a total of 5 films together). This film deals with a case of mistaken identity and I used to dislike stories like that but not so much anymore. I really like Hopkins here, not acting hysterically, her performance is rather subdued with a serious undertone. I also love her in the outfit with the white baggy trousers, striped shirt and sport shoes. Joel is very young and handsome and I love him in his pre-western films. So I had a really good time with this but felt cheated with the rushed ending and that we didn't get to see the revelation of Hopkins' real identity and actually not knowing for sure whether it was revealed.
My sister wanted to see Dracula so we watched it together. It has some great production design (by John Hoffman and Herman Rosse) and cinematography (by Karl Freund and Joseph Brotherton) but this adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous novel lacks excitement and suspense. The moody atmosphere is there but the performances by our romantic couple Helen Chandler and David Manners are stilted, and even though the close-ups of Bela Lugosi's Dracula are iconic, his performance is overdone and doesn't instil fear at all (he's close to laughable). The most exciting and memorable scene is the one where Professor Van Helsing looks in the mirror of a cigarette box and notices Dracula doesn't have a mirror reflection. But I'm glad I can finally tick this off my watchlist despite it being disappointing.
Last of the films to mention is Deluge, an obscure and for me unknown pre-code film. I came across this film on a film blog as an entry for a disaster blogathon and it sounded intriguing so I looked it up online and decided to watch it. Apparently this was a lost film until a dubbed Italian print was discovered. In 2016 an English version, far superior than the Italian print, had been found in the French National Archive. The restored version for the Blu-ray release of 2017 was based on this print. I knew it was a disaster film dealing with an earthquake but I didn't know it was more about the aftermath, set in post-apocalyptic times. The film opens with the disaster (with Samuel S. Hinds as the forecaster). Shown is what devastating effect the earthquake and ensuing flood have and how everything is wiped off the earth. Skyscrapers collapse like they are toys, and though the special effects look dated, the images still get the message across that's something horrifying is happening. The story concentrates on the few survivors of the disaster. Pre-code signs are evident: a man (Sidney Blackmer) loves two women, finding himself in a bigamous situation; Peggy Shannon showing a lot of skin in a two-piece bathing suit; horny men lusting after Shannon because she's one of the last surviving females; suggestion of a murderous rape; and an ending that looks like suicide. I rather enjoyed this and liked how contemporary Blackmer and Shannon looked. But although the film certainly is interesting and unusual, it was also a bit strange and I don't think it's likely I'll be seeing this again.
So that concludes another round-up! It's crazy how we are already going towards autumn and before you know it, it's the end of the year again. At the rate I'm going I can definitely beat my total films watched in 2019 (250) because I'm now already at 196 and we still have 4 months to go. If I'd set my goal at 300 films, I need to watch 26 films a month on average for the next 4 months. It should be doable. I'd better start watching some films then. See you with the next round-up, or maybe even sooner!
PHOTOS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Eleanor Parker, most watched actress of the month;
*Detective Story (1951) with Kirk Douglas and Eleanor Parker;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Kirk Douglas;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Kirk Douglas;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Gena Rowlands;
*The Woman in White (1948) with Eleanor Parker;
*The Woman in White (1948) with Eleanor Parker;
*Pride of the Marines (1945) with Eleanor Parker and John Garfield;
*The Last Ride (1944) with Eleanor Parker;
*Chain Lightning (1950) with Eleanor Parker and Humphrey Bogart;
*Lizzie (1957) with Eleanor Parker;
*Lizzie (1957) with Joan Blondell, Eleanor Parker and Richard Boone;
*Caged (1950) with Eleanor Parker and Agnes Moorehead;
*Caged (1950) with Eleanor Parker;
*Trooper Hook (1957) with Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea;
*Stranger on Horseback (1955) with Joel McCrea, Miroslava, Kevin McCarthy and Nancy Gates;
*Saddle Tramp (1950) with Joel McCrea and Wanda Hendrix;
*The San Francisco Story (1952) with Joel McCrea and Yvonne De Carlo;
*The Gal Who Took the West (1949) with Yvonne De Carlo and John Russell; (screenshot by me)
*The Stalking Moon (1968) with Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint;
*Ride Lonesome (1959) with Randolph Scott and Pernell Roberts;
*Ride Lonesome (1959) with Karen Steele;
*Ride Lonesome (1959) with Pernell Roberts and James Coburn;
*Cave of Outlaws (1951) with Alexis Smith; (screenshot by me)
*Cave of Outlaws (1951) with Alexis Smith and Macdonald Carey; (screenshot by me)
*Ladies of Leisure (1930) with Barbara Stanwyck; (screenshot by me)
*Ladies of Leisure (1930) with Barbara Stanwyck; (screenshot by me)
*Bodyguard (1948) with Lawrence Tierney and Priscilla Lane;
*The Marrying Kind (1952) with Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray;
*The Richest Girl in the World (1934) with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea;
*The Richest Girl in the World (1934) with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea;
*Dracula (1931) with Bela Lugosi and his brides;
*Dracula (1931) with Helen Chandler and David Manners;
*Dracula (1931) with Bela Lugosi;
*Deluge (1933) with Peggy Shannon and Sidney Blackmer; (screenshot by me)
*Deluge (1933).
The Richest Girl in the World is an enjoyable comedy with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea who have great chemistry (they made a total of 5 films together). This film deals with a case of mistaken identity and I used to dislike stories like that but not so much anymore. I really like Hopkins here, not acting hysterically, her performance is rather subdued with a serious undertone. I also love her in the outfit with the white baggy trousers, striped shirt and sport shoes. Joel is very young and handsome and I love him in his pre-western films. So I had a really good time with this but felt cheated with the rushed ending and that we didn't get to see the revelation of Hopkins' real identity and actually not knowing for sure whether it was revealed.
My sister wanted to see Dracula so we watched it together. It has some great production design (by John Hoffman and Herman Rosse) and cinematography (by Karl Freund and Joseph Brotherton) but this adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous novel lacks excitement and suspense. The moody atmosphere is there but the performances by our romantic couple Helen Chandler and David Manners are stilted, and even though the close-ups of Bela Lugosi's Dracula are iconic, his performance is overdone and doesn't instil fear at all (he's close to laughable). The most exciting and memorable scene is the one where Professor Van Helsing looks in the mirror of a cigarette box and notices Dracula doesn't have a mirror reflection. But I'm glad I can finally tick this off my watchlist despite it being disappointing.
Last of the films to mention is Deluge, an obscure and for me unknown pre-code film. I came across this film on a film blog as an entry for a disaster blogathon and it sounded intriguing so I looked it up online and decided to watch it. Apparently this was a lost film until a dubbed Italian print was discovered. In 2016 an English version, far superior than the Italian print, had been found in the French National Archive. The restored version for the Blu-ray release of 2017 was based on this print. I knew it was a disaster film dealing with an earthquake but I didn't know it was more about the aftermath, set in post-apocalyptic times. The film opens with the disaster (with Samuel S. Hinds as the forecaster). Shown is what devastating effect the earthquake and ensuing flood have and how everything is wiped off the earth. Skyscrapers collapse like they are toys, and though the special effects look dated, the images still get the message across that's something horrifying is happening. The story concentrates on the few survivors of the disaster. Pre-code signs are evident: a man (Sidney Blackmer) loves two women, finding himself in a bigamous situation; Peggy Shannon showing a lot of skin in a two-piece bathing suit; horny men lusting after Shannon because she's one of the last surviving females; suggestion of a murderous rape; and an ending that looks like suicide. I rather enjoyed this and liked how contemporary Blackmer and Shannon looked. But although the film certainly is interesting and unusual, it was also a bit strange and I don't think it's likely I'll be seeing this again.
So that concludes another round-up! It's crazy how we are already going towards autumn and before you know it, it's the end of the year again. At the rate I'm going I can definitely beat my total films watched in 2019 (250) because I'm now already at 196 and we still have 4 months to go. If I'd set my goal at 300 films, I need to watch 26 films a month on average for the next 4 months. It should be doable. I'd better start watching some films then. See you with the next round-up, or maybe even sooner!
PHOTOS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Eleanor Parker, most watched actress of the month;
*Detective Story (1951) with Kirk Douglas and Eleanor Parker;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Kirk Douglas;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Kirk Douglas;
*Lonely Are the Brave (1962) with Gena Rowlands;
*The Woman in White (1948) with Eleanor Parker;
*The Woman in White (1948) with Eleanor Parker;
*Pride of the Marines (1945) with Eleanor Parker and John Garfield;
*The Last Ride (1944) with Eleanor Parker;
*Chain Lightning (1950) with Eleanor Parker and Humphrey Bogart;
*Lizzie (1957) with Eleanor Parker;
*Lizzie (1957) with Joan Blondell, Eleanor Parker and Richard Boone;
*Caged (1950) with Eleanor Parker and Agnes Moorehead;
*Caged (1950) with Eleanor Parker;
*Trooper Hook (1957) with Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea;
*Stranger on Horseback (1955) with Joel McCrea, Miroslava, Kevin McCarthy and Nancy Gates;
*Saddle Tramp (1950) with Joel McCrea and Wanda Hendrix;
*The San Francisco Story (1952) with Joel McCrea and Yvonne De Carlo;
*The Gal Who Took the West (1949) with Yvonne De Carlo and John Russell; (screenshot by me)
*The Stalking Moon (1968) with Gregory Peck and Eva Marie Saint;
*Ride Lonesome (1959) with Randolph Scott and Pernell Roberts;
*Ride Lonesome (1959) with Karen Steele;
*Ride Lonesome (1959) with Pernell Roberts and James Coburn;
*Cave of Outlaws (1951) with Alexis Smith; (screenshot by me)
*Cave of Outlaws (1951) with Alexis Smith and Macdonald Carey; (screenshot by me)
*Ladies of Leisure (1930) with Barbara Stanwyck; (screenshot by me)
*Ladies of Leisure (1930) with Barbara Stanwyck; (screenshot by me)
*Bodyguard (1948) with Lawrence Tierney and Priscilla Lane;
*The Marrying Kind (1952) with Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray;
*The Richest Girl in the World (1934) with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea;
*The Richest Girl in the World (1934) with Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea;
*Dracula (1931) with Bela Lugosi and his brides;
*Dracula (1931) with Helen Chandler and David Manners;
*Dracula (1931) with Bela Lugosi;
*Deluge (1933) with Peggy Shannon and Sidney Blackmer; (screenshot by me)
*Deluge (1933).