OCTOBER 2022 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: 20 (14 features & 6 shorts)
REWATCHES: 0
SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN: 0
HORROR FILMS: 6
MOST WATCHED ACTOR: Buster Keaton (5 in total)
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Buster Keaton, 1928
Okay, I thought I might have been too optimistic when I said in the previous round-up that I was going to try and reach 200 films this year. But yay ... in October I managed to watch 20 films so my goal is still doable! The last time I watched 20 films in a month's time was in March but after that I only managed 5 or 10 films at the most.
The reason for this achievement (lol) of 20 classic films watched is that at the beginning of the month I was still waiting for the last few episodes of the Korean drama series Little Women to be aired, and because I didn't want to start a new series before I had finished watching Little Women, I watched classic films in the meantime. Then I was sort of on a roll and really enjoyed watching the classics again and decided to divide my time more equally. Now I need to watch another 45 films the coming two months. Hope I can do this!
It means that I didn't watch as many K-dramas in October as I would have liked to. I also opted for shorter series with less than 16 episodes, as I have the tendency to binge-watch the whole show.
What I watched: the already mentioned last episodes of Little Women (in total there are 12 episodes), Choco Bank (6 episodes of approx. 15 minutes each), You Drive Me Crazy! (4 episodes of approx. 30 minutes each), Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (16 full-length episodes), Yonder (6 episodes of approx. 30 minutes each), and If You Wish Upon Me (16 full-length episodes). I also watched one episode of Once Upon a Small Town but found the leads not very appealing and put the series on hold for now. I basically liked all the finished shows but the ones I loved most are Little Women, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and If You Wish Upon Me.
Boris Karloff and Anna Lee in Bedlam
October is the month of Spooktober and Halloween and of watching horror films. I didn't watch that many, but still a fair amount (6): The Man Who Changed His Mind, Bedlam, Double Door, The Devil Commands, The Cat and the Canary, The Mad Doctor of Market Street.
I watched a fairly good amount of silent films too, 7 in total: 5 shorts (The Bell Boy, When a Man Loves, The Mender of Nets, The Garage, Out West) and 2 feature films (The Saphead, The Winning of Barbara Worth).
I watched one talkie short: Blue Blazes with Buster Keaton.
Still no visits to the Filmoteca and no rewatches.
My Most Watched Actor is Buster Keaton with 5 films watched: The Saphead, The Bell Boy, Blue Blazes, The Garage, Out West.
My Most Watched Actress is Jean Arthur with 3 films watched: Most Precious Thing in Life, Whirlpool, Danger Lights.
Other actors with more than one film watched: 4 with Boris Karloff (Night Key, The Man Who Changed His Mind, Bedlam, The Devil Commands), 3 with Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle (The Bell Boy, The Garage, Out West), 2 with Anna Lee (The Man Who Changed His Mind, Bedlam), 2 with Donald Cook (Most Precious Thing in Life, Whirlpool), 2 with Ward Bond (Most Precious Thing in Life, Whirlpool), 2 with Mary Pickford (When a Man Loves, The Mender of Nets), and 2 with Anne Revere (Double Door, The Devil Commands).
I watched a fairly good amount of silent films too, 7 in total: 5 shorts (The Bell Boy, When a Man Loves, The Mender of Nets, The Garage, Out West) and 2 feature films (The Saphead, The Winning of Barbara Worth).
I watched one talkie short: Blue Blazes with Buster Keaton.
Still no visits to the Filmoteca and no rewatches.
My Most Watched Actor is Buster Keaton with 5 films watched: The Saphead, The Bell Boy, Blue Blazes, The Garage, Out West.
My Most Watched Actress is Jean Arthur with 3 films watched: Most Precious Thing in Life, Whirlpool, Danger Lights.
Other actors with more than one film watched: 4 with Boris Karloff (Night Key, The Man Who Changed His Mind, Bedlam, The Devil Commands), 3 with Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle (The Bell Boy, The Garage, Out West), 2 with Anna Lee (The Man Who Changed His Mind, Bedlam), 2 with Donald Cook (Most Precious Thing in Life, Whirlpool), 2 with Ward Bond (Most Precious Thing in Life, Whirlpool), 2 with Mary Pickford (When a Man Loves, The Mender of Nets), and 2 with Anne Revere (Double Door, The Devil Commands).
Judy Garland and John Hodiak in The Harvey Girls (screenshots by me)
My highest rated film of the month is The Harvey Girls, followed closely by Bedlam, Whirlpool, The Winning of Barbara Worth, The Mender of Nets, The Garage and The Cat and the Canary. I also enjoyed Night Key, The Saphead, The Bell Boy, Blue Blazes and The Devil Commands.
My lowest rated film is The Mad Doctor of Market Street. I also didn't really enjoy Most Precious Thing in Life, Danger Lights and Out West.
My lowest rated film is The Mad Doctor of Market Street. I also didn't really enjoy Most Precious Thing in Life, Danger Lights and Out West.
My absolute favourite screen couple of the month is Ronald Colman and Vilma Bánky. Their romance/love story in The Winning of Barbara Worth is not even that special, but they have great chemistry and I loved all their scenes together. I also really loved Judy Garland and John Hodiak as a couple in The Harvey Girls.
Ronald Colman and Vilma Bánky in The Winning of Barbara Worth
Breaking the 20 watched films down in decades:
1900s - 0
1910s - 4
1920s - 3
1930s - 9
1940s - 4
1950s - 0
1960s - 0
Angela Lansbury in The Harvey Girls (screenshots by me)
I also want to briefly reflect on the passing of Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury, born on 16 October 1925 and passed away on 11 October 2022. With a career spanning eight decades, she was one of the last surviving stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I always get a bit sad when we lose another one. Even though I'm not a Lansbury fan, I do like her and I will definitely watch more of her films. This month I only watched The Harvey Girls.
NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO THE FILMS!
(read notes with caution as they might contain spoilers; with ratings going from ½ to ★★★★★ and watched date)
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If you're looking for a Boris Karloff HORROR film, better skip NIGHT KEY (Universal Pictures, 1937). But if you're in for a lightweight crime drama with a touch of sci-fi, where Karloff has a likeable role, then this might just be the film for you. Karloff plays a gentle and aged inventor of a burglar alarm (but it's not the usual mad scientist trope), taking revenge on the scheming Samuel S. Hinds who stole his security system many years ago and profited off his hard work. Jean Rogers is Karloff's spunky daughter (both pictured, top photo) and Warren Hull as the security officer plays her love interest (pictured with Rogers and Karloff, middle and bottom photo). Hobart Cavanaugh, Alan Baxter and Ward Bond give further support. I found it an enjoyable and fun watch — though I was a bit sleepy and dozed off a couple of times — and with a short runtime of 68 minutes it doesn't outstay its welcome. Lloyd Corrigan directed. ★★★ / 03.10.2022
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Watched another Boris Karloff film with a short runtime (66 minutes), THE MAN WHO CHANGED HIS MIND (Gainsborough Pictures, 1936). This time it's a British production and it ís classified as science fiction/horror. Karloff plays a mad scientist here, who's experimenting with transferring the mind from one being to another. First he's switching the minds of monkeys, then human beings. The plot is of course a bit preposterous and not spooky at all, but it's all good fun and fast-paced. Anna Lee (portrayed with Karloff in three photos) and John Loder provide the love angle, Frank Cellier (from The 39 Steps) and Cecil Parker (from The Lady Vanishes) round out the British cast. Robert Stevenson directed. ★★½ / 05.10.2022
BEDLAM (RKO, 1946) is a thought-provoking horror drama film about the inhuman conditions in mental institutions. Great performance by Boris Karloff as the sinister man who rules the asylum. Anna Lee in the female lead impresses with her role as a wealthy woman wanting to make a change at Bedlam and helping the mentally ill, only to be submitted to the institution herself by the wicked Karloff. One scene in particular is very strong: when Lee plays cards with the intellectuals at the asylum, Karloff points out to her that despite her lofty morals she also shies away from the lower class and associates with people from her own standing. There are truly gorgeous images with stark chiaroscuro — the black-and-white photography is by none other than Nicholas Musuraca (bottom photo). Solid support by Richard Fraser (pictured with Lee, top photo, & with Karloff and Lee, middle photo) and Billy House. Produced by Val Lewton and directed by Mark Robson. ★★★½ / 06.10.2022
THE SAPHEAD (Metro Pictures Corporation, 1920) is a slow-paced Buster Keaton film — not really a comedy, but more of a humorous drama — where Buster plays a clueless millionaire's son. There are no stunts nor slapstick (except for the finale), just Buster being adorable and cute, so I'm not complaining. I can watch the man for hours, he's so beautiful and mesmerising. I felt really sorry for Buster (pictured, middle and bottom photo) when his wedding was called off because of the scheming ways of his brother-in-law. But of course all ends well with Buster saving the day on the stock exchange floor. His love interest Beulah Booker (pictured with William H. Crane and Buster, top photo) is appealing, reminding me a bit of Buster's frequent leading lady Sybil Seely. First feature-length film of Buster — he wasn't involved in neither writing or directing. Directed by Herbert Blaché and Winchell Smith. ★★★ / 06.10.2022
MAID'S NIGHT OUT (RKO, 1938), directed by Ben Holmes, is a silly but harmless comedy and a fairly fun watch. I like Joan Fontaine in comedy, here she reminded me very much of her sister Olivia. She plays a debutante mistaken for a maid by Allan Lane, fish enthusiast and son of a wealthy dairy owner, working as a milkman for a month to win a bet with his father. Lane is okay and he has decent chemistry with Joan (both pictured in three photos). Best scene is the one with the milk truck being chased by the police and Joan throwing milk bottles. I also like Cecil Kellaway as the butler and Hedda Hopper as Joan's mother. Small parts for Jack Carson and Lee Patrick. The last shot with George Irving (Allan Lane's father) and Hedda Hopper kissing was unexpected fun. ★★½ / 06.10.2022
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Watched MOST PRECIOUS THING IN LIFE (Columbia, 1934) for Jean Arthur and knew beforehand it wasn't one of her best. The most noteworthy thing about this film is how Arthur's old-age makeup is handled. When the film starts she plays a young woman in her twenties, romantically involved with a rich and snobbish boy (Donald Cook — both pictured, top photo, screenshot by me). They marry, have a son, but when they grow apart and separate, Jean finds herself ousted from the life of her husband and son. Fastforward to about twenty years later and Jean looks like an old maid (pictured, bottom photo, screenshot by me), unattractive, with old-age makeup that makes her look like she's close to her seventies instead of being in her forties. It's not only her makeup but also her manner and speech that make her look like a granny. She reminded me a bit of Beulah Bondi, lol. Poor Jean! She tries her best in this drama but cannot save it. It's the familiar trope of secret and selfless maternal devotion, the mother being separated from the child she was forced to give up, only to find the child again years later when he's grown up (she works as a maid at her son's college dorm). Richard Cromwell plays the son, Anita Louise (pictured with Arthur, middle photo, screenshot by me) is lovely as his love interest, Ward Bond has a bit part as an amiable football coach, and Jane Darwell rounds out the supporting cast. Overall more watchable than I thought it would be, but there's little here of the Jean Arthur I know and love. Directed by Lambert Hillyer. (By the way, in real life Jean Arthur looked absolutely radiant and beautiful around age forty and in her forties — those were her glory days in Hollywood.) ★★ / 07.10.2022
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I craved another Jean Arthur film with a 'normal' role for Jean and still hadn't seen WHIRLPOOL (Columbia, 1934). It's a pre-code drama where she stars with Jack Holt (I've already seen their other collaboration The Defense Rests from the same year). Holt (pictured with Arthur, top and middle photo, screenshots by me) plays a carnival owner who lands in jail (sentenced to 20 years) after accidentally killing a man in a fist fight. He doesn't want to burden his pregnant wife and forges a letter, making it look like it's from the warden, informing her of his death by drowning in a whirlpool after escaping. After his release Holt takes an alias name and builds a shady business. Jean Arthur plays his reporter daughter. I liked the fact that already early on in the film she finds out that Holt is her father (so there was no chance of an incestuous romance) and the focus is on the developing bond and relationship between father and daughter. It was handled with tenderness and their scenes together are sweet. Of course their secret meetings arouse suspicion and Donald Cook (portrayed with Arthur, bottom photo, screenshot by me) as Arthur's boring and bland boyfriend thinks they're having an affair. I'm not much of a Jack Holt fan but he is okay here. I thought the ending was very sad and it got me a bit teary-eyed. Also with Allen Jenkins and Ward Bond. Roy William Neill directed. ★★★½ / 08.10.2022
Chose DOUBLE DOOR (Paramount, 1934) for its short runtime and for being classified as horror. Well, this pre-code is more of a mystery/thriller with some horror elements (like the old-dark-house theme, a secret soundproof chamber) than really horror. The film betrays its stage origins, and both Mary Morris (in her only film appearance) and Anne Revere (pictured with Evelyn Venable, bottom photo) reprise their stage roles. Morris (pictured with Evelyn Venable, top photo) as the villainess is good and overtly wicked, but at times she's a bit over the top, too theatrical. She's also constantly lit from below with the purpose of adding to the spookiness of her character. I think some subtlety and a more subdued performance on Morris' part would have been more effective. It's also the reason why I didn't love this as much as other reviewers. I thought it wasn't scary enough (I found Morris just very unpleasant, more than anything) and the ending was predictable, even that last shot. Evelyn Venable and Kent Taylor (both portrayed, middle photo) are believable as a couple in love and Venable looks lovely, but I would have run off with the doctor if I were her. Great cinematography by Harry Fischbeck. Directed by Charles Vidor. ★★½ / 08.10.2022
A lot is happening in the fast-paced THE BELL BOY (Comique Film Company, 1918). Not all of it is funny, and there's a lot of silly slapstick, but I also chuckled a lot and overall I had a good time with this Buster Keaton/Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle short (both pictured, top photo, screenshot by me). I don't really understand the appeal of Arbuckle, and I have mainly eyes for beautiful Buster (who isn't even mentioned in the opening credits), still, there were some funny segments where Buster wasn't part of, e.g. the very funny barber session with Fatty. It was also nice to see Buster laugh/smile a couple of times (pictured with Arbuckle, middle photo, screenshot by me), but clearly, there is not enough of him in this short. Buster also didn't get the girl (pictured with Alice Lake, bottom photo, screenshot by me). Apparently this film served as a source of inspiration for Buster when he was making his own films. Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle directed. ★★★ / 09.10.2022
In BLUE BLAZES (Educational Pictures, 1936), directed by Raymond Kane, Buster Keaton (pictured, top and bottom photo, screenshots by me) plays a clumsy and not too bright city fireman who gets transferred to a small town firestation. There he saves the day by rescuing three women from a burning building. This is one of Buster's Educational talkies and the spoken dialogue is very stilted — not only Buster's line delivery but also from the other actors. There's some great visual comedy, with Buster falling from the firetruck numerous times. He looks adorable again, carrying the firehose over his shoulder. His own makeshift firetruck (pictured, middle photo, screenshot by me) is also very funny. No big shakes here but I enjoyed it and was laughing out loud a couple of times. ★★★ / 09.10.2022
THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH (United Artists/Samuel Goldwyn Productions, 1926) is not the close-to-masterpiece I thought it would be, but it's still a compelling watch and definitely worthwhile. Greatest asset is Ronald Colman, he's so beautiful here. He falls for Vilma Bánky right away (both portrayed, middle photo/poster and bottom photo), and though I would have preferred a stronger development of their romance, there's no mistake they have amazing chemistry. At first the pace of this silent western is pretty slow, but fortunately it picks up speed after about an hour with the drama increasing. Poor Gary Cooper (pictured with Colman and Bánky, top photo) ... the moment Bánky had laid eyes on Colman he didn't stand a chance, but either way it would have been a win-win situation for Bánky. Two gorgeous men and their characters are likeable too. I'm glad they bonded in the end and also glad Coop didn't die. I had expected a bit more from the Barbara Worth character, she wasn't as strong-willed and sassy as I had hoped she would be. The music score with the incessant organ music got a bit on my nerves but I love the colour tinting. Cinematography by Gregg Toland and George Barnes (the flood sequence is spectacular), and Henry King directed. ★★★½ / 10.10.2022
THE HARVEY GIRLS (MGM, 1946) in bright glorious Technicolor is a feast for the eyes! Judy Garland and John Hodiak (both portrayed, bottom photo, screenshot by me) make a nice couple and have surprisingly good chemistry. I like the contrast between her sweetness and his roughness, I also liked their romance. I love Judy when she plays a character who's a bit on the neurotic side. She's completely delightful and funny. Highlight is the scene where she takes two guns and barges into the saloon in order to get the meat of the restaurant back (pictured, top photo, screenshot by me). I actually sought this film out for Angela Lansbury, in memory of her passing just yesterday, on the 11th of October, at the age of 96. It's a good thing her role here as a saloon girl is significant, and she's dressed in gorgeous outfits. Too bad her singing is dubbed. I love one of the final scenes, with Judy and Angela sitting on the train, Judy realising they're not so different from one another, it's just a question of style and wearing other dresses. Further support by Cyd Charisse (very young and doing a solo dance), Virginia O'Brien (pictured with Garland and Charisse, middle photo, screenshot by me), Preston Foster (as the bad guy), Stephen McNally, Marjorie Main and Ray Bolger (who really impresses with his dancing). The song On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe, written by Harry Warren with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, won the 1946 Academy Award for Best Original Song. Also great cinematography by George J. Folsey. I love how the waltz scene is photographed and how the camera catches the women's faces. In case it's not clear ... I totally loved this film! George Sidney directed. ★★★★ / 12.10.2022
Watched DANGER LIGHTS (RKO, 1930) for Jean Arthur and not expecting too much from it. Indeed, she's not very memorable here but I like seeing her this young. I thought the first part was pretty boring, only getting a bit interesting when the love triangle with Robert Armstrong (pictured with Arthur, top and middle photo) and Louis Wolheim (pictured with Arthur and Armstrong, bottom photo) kicks in. After about an hour tragedy strikes and it gets more exciting. I'd never seen Louis Wolheim before and I can't say he made much of an impression. The performances overall are a bit wooden. Best thing about this pre-code are the trains and the often striking photography by Karl Struss. Directed by George B. Seitz. ★★ / 13.10.2022
Watched the short WHEN A MAN LOVES (American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1911) for its runtime of 15 minutes. Fortunately it was enjoyable and the restored print was clear. The story is not really special. Mary Pickford (pictured, top and middle photo, screenshots by me) is in love with Charles West (pictured with Pickford, bottom photo, screenshot by me) but her father wants her to marry his rich friend Dell Henderson. Mary and her favoured man are planning to elope but the father locks Mary up in her bedroom. The outcome of this short is the surprising thing. It's of course a happy ending but it's the rich friend who decides to help the lovebirds escape and get married. For such a short film it's a pity that Mary disappears from the screen for a considerable amount of time when she's locked up and the screen time goes to her beloved and the rich friend. She looks pretty, though, but I didn't find the men particularly appealing. D.W. Griffith directed. ★★½ / 15.10.2022
Another short starring Mary Pickford (pictured, bottom photo, screenshot by me), also directed by D.W. Griffith, THE MENDER OF NETS (American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1912). I liked this better than the previously watched When a Man Loves because of its heightening drama. It's also more visually appealing with the seaside location. Charles West (portrayed with Pickford, top and middle photo, screenshots by me) is the same leading man as in When a Man Loves but he looks better here with the dark coat and wool hat. When the brother of West's former girlfriend (Mabel Normand) finds out that his sister is heartbroken because of West's new love Pickford, he sets out to kill West with a gun. The suspense is built well and leaves the viewer wondering who's going to be killed. I found Mary's performance a bit too melodramatic, though. The ending has an unexpected turn of events, no one gets killed, and Mary performs an act of selfishness by bringing back together her lover with his former girlfriend. Good and fitting music score and again a good print. ★★★½ / 16.10.2022
THE GARAGE (Comique Film Company, 1920) is a funny short starring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle and Buster Keaton — the last short they made together — where they play mechanics at a garage. At first there are a lot of slapstick hijinks, with the leads slipping and falling multiple times, then it gets really funny while they are attending to different customers at the garage, and there's a great spinning turntable car wash. Arbuckle and Buster also lend their services as firemen. There's a great scene where they're lying in bed and the fire alarm goes off, and their blankets and pyjamas are being pulled off by an inventive pull-rope-gadget. There's also a great visual gag with Buster cutting a Scottish kilt out of a billboard and him being stuck in a fence while being chased by a dog (credited as Luke the Dog). Buster and Arbuckle play well off each other here and Buster (pictured, three screenshots by me) looks so adorable again. Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle directed. ★★★½ / 19.10.2022
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OUT WEST (Comique Film Company, 1918) is another short starring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle and Buster Keaton, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped I would and there's clearly not enough Buster (pictured, two screenshots by me & one gif). It also took too much time for him to make his first appearance and just to have Arbuckle on screen wasn't very exciting and made me lose interest. Yet even with Buster around there isn't enough to enjoy and the funny moments are scarce. I also suffered from sleepiness while watching this and dozed off a couple of times, so that also hindered my enjoyment. Directed by Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. ★★ / 25.10.2022
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THE CAT AND THE CANARY (Paramount, 1939) is a horror comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, which I watched for Spooktober. It stars Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard and is a remake of the 1927 silent film of the same name (haven't seen that one yet). I had expected Hope to act silly and dopey but he was okay and not annoying. He definitely brought some humour to the film with his wisecracks. I liked the old-dark-house vibe and the mystery. Hope and Goddard (both portrayed, top photo) have nice chemistry and are supported by John Beal and Douglass Montgomery (both pictured with Hope and Goddard, middle and bottom photo), also Gale Sondergaard, Elizabeth Patterson and George Zucco. It's good ol' fun but probably the best thing here is the beautiful cinematography by Charles Lang. ★★★½ / 30.10.2022
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Well, that's another round-up! Let's see what I can accomplish in November. I really want to make an effort to reach 200 films this year, but I also have so many K-dramas watchlisted. And we have to move house in December, so I'll be spending some of my time apartment hunting. Also, we have two holidays planned in November so if I manage to watch 10 classic films, I'll be happy. In any case, I will exclusively watch film noirs for Noirvember. See you next time!
