AUGUST 2023 ROUND-UP

AUGUST 2023 ROUND-UP

• 1.9.23

TOTAL FILMS SEEN IN AUGUST: 30 

(see the film posters at the bottom of the post, arranged in watching order) 

NEW-TO-ME: 30 (30 features & 0 shorts) 

REWATCHES: 0 

SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN: 0  

SILENT FILMS: 0  

MOST WATCHED ACTOR: Gregory Peck & Charles Ruggles (3 in total)   

MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Gail Russell (3 in total) 

Paul Lukas in Downstairs (screenshot by me)

This month I tried something else with my classic film watching (I still didn't hop back on the K-drama bandwagon!). I decided to do chain-watching. Came up with the term myself. What it basically means is that the next film I'm watching has to include a person from the cast (preferably leading cast) of the previously watched film. The last film of July was The Garden Murder Case and I picked Virginia Bruce for the first film of August. The chosen cast member will be mentioned in red capitals at the beginning of each film entry. I really had fun with this watching game but I'm not sure whether to continue next month because I feel like watching random films again without any limitations. 

I'm listing the 30 films (all feature films and no silents!) watched this August in watching order and the only film stats to be found are at the top of the post. 

So here goes! 

NOTE: Read notes with caution as they might contain spoilers; with ratings going from ½ to ★★★★★ and watched date.

VIRGINIA BRUCE 》I didn't know what to expect from Downstairs (MGM, 1932) but I didn't expect John Gilbert (right) to be such a sleazeball. He gives a good and believable performance, though, as the chauffeur who chases women and has no morals but still has charm to boot. Virginia Bruce (left — who married Gilbert some time after this film) plays the maid, married to head butler Paul Lukas (looking very handsome this young and without moustache — see photo at the top of this post) and she's very memorable in her outburst directed at Lukas after she's been with Gilbert. I'll quote the interaction between her and Lukas here, courtesy of IMDB:

Bruce as Anna, Albert's wife [about her evening with Gilbert as Karl]: "Now you just wait a minute! I don't deserve to have you and me go all to smash. I've found out for the first time in my life — for the first time — that there are more than two kinds of feelings in the world. Is that my fault? There's a kind of way of making love that drives you mad and crazy, so that you don't know what you're doing. Are you going to throw me out in the street because I never knew this before?"
Lukas as Albert, the Baron's butler: "Now you stop this kind of talk! And stop it right now! You learned something vile from a rat, and you forget that you're my wife — that I love you, and you bring him in here!"
Bruce as Anna: "All right, you good, good man. I'll stop this kind of talk. You believe exactly what you want to believe. But you listen! Whatever's happened, some of it's your fault — some of it. You think you can make love in the same frozen way you do everything else. And you think that's all I'd ever have any wish for. Well, I tell you plain and straight right now — it's nothing of the kind. I meant no harm. I don't want anything but you in my home. But if you're going to be so good and so perfect and so unforgiving — that I can't have that, then I thank heaven I found that there is something else. Something that makes you so dizzy you don't know what's happened and you don't care. Now you go ahead and believe anything you like!"

This film has pre-code written all over it! Fun fact is that it's based on an original story written by Gilbert himself which he reportedly sold to MGM for $1.00. I liked the ending with a cameo for Karen Morley and there's some nice photography by DP Harold Rosson. Monta Bell directed. ★★★½ / 03.08.2023

PAUL LUKAS 》Address Unknown (Columbia, 1944) is a compelling drama based on the story of the same title by Kressmann Taylor. (I want to read the book, which is written as a series of letters.) Paul Lukas (pictured) plays an art dealer living in the USA who returns to Germany with his family and starts to sympathise with the Nazis. There's a shocking scene where the daughter (K.T. Stevens) of Lukas' Jewish friend and business partner in the States (Morris Carnovsky) is involved. There's also a great build-up of tension, leading to a grand finale and a great twist ending. The story is thought-provoking and important as it shows the public the dangers of Nazism early on, but the most striking thing about this production is Rudolph Maté's amazing and gorgeous black-and-white photography. Especially the finale is a work of art. Seeing these visuals, it's not so difficult to understand why this film gets classified as a film noir. Lukas' central performance is strong, and he is well supported by Mady Christians as his wife, Peter van Eyck as his son, and Carl Esmond as the Nazi. William Cameron Menzies directed. ★★★★ / 03.08.2023

MADY CHRISTIANS 》All My Sons (Universal, 1948) is a drama based on a play by Arthur Miller about industrialist Edward G. Robinson (2nd left) committing a crime during WWII and framing his business partner. Fortunately the film is not that stagy. I liked how the story slowly unfolded, and there's not a bad performance among the cast. Although the drama could have been more intense, it's still a captivating watch. Edward G. and Burt Lancaster (right) make an unlikely father and son but their scenes together are strong, especially the final confrontation. Mady Christians (2nd right) is good as the mother, and Louisa Horton (left), Howard Duff, Frank Conroy, Arlene Francis, Harry Morgan and Elisabeth Fraser round out the supporting cast. Horton is a bit nondescript as Lancaster's love interest, but I love Arlene Francis as one of the neighbours (I know her primarily from her panelist role on the television game show What's My Line?). All in all, worth a watch, and it doesn't hurt that Russell Metty shot this film beautifully. Directed by Irving Reis. ★★★½ / 03.08.2023

EDWARD G. ROBINSON 》 I enjoyed the drama/ gangster film The Last Gangster (MGM, 1937) and the way the story developed, even the predictable bits (e.g. there was no other way for this film to end). Edward G. Robinson (left) gives another great performance and is well cast as the tough gangster who also shows a softer side of his character (notably in his interactions with his son), and near the end he made me teary-eyed and feel sorry for him. I didn't really like the casting choices of Rose Stradner (center — Mrs. Joseph L. Mankiewicz, she committed suicide at age 45) as Robinson's naive wife and Douglas Scott as the son. But probably the most noteworthy thing for me was to see beautiful fresh-faced Jimmy Stewart (right) with a tacked-on moustache, just to make him look older and let the viewer know some years have passed. It looks plain ridiculous. Unfortunately he doesn't have a lot to do, could have used a meatier role, and it's also too bad he didn't share a proper scene with Robinson. Would have loved to see them together showing off their acting chops. There's some fine cinematography by William H. Daniels, the story is co-written by William A. Wellman, and there's a good supporting cast of Lionel Stander (providing comic relief and then getting surprisingly brutal), John Carradine, Sidney Blackmer, Grant Mitchell, Edward Brophy, Alan Baxter, Frank Conroy and Louise Beavers. Edward Ludwig directed. ★★★½ / 05.08.2023

ROSE STRADNER 》Based on the novel by A.J. Cronin, the epic drama The Keys of the Kingdom (20th Century-Fox, 1944), where Gregory Peck (right) plays a young priest (who's sent to China as a missionary to set up a Catholic parish), is overly long. I enjoyed this film to some extent (mainly because of Peck who looks beautiful this young,) but unfortunately it all stays rather meek. In China Peck meets resistance but he's determined to make it work. I didn't feel his inner struggles and I didn't find the drama strong enough. I did like Rose Stradner (left) as the Reverend Mother, though. Fortunately there are good production values, as well as a great supporting cast (Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Edmund Gwenn, Cedric Hardwicke, James Gleason, Anne Revere, Philip Ahn, Arthur Shields, Sara Allgood), good cinematography by Arthur C. Miller and a fine music score by Alfred Newman. John M. Stahl directed. One more thing: I really liked seeing young Roddy McDowall (as the young Gregory Peck) and Peggy Ann Garner together. They made a believable young couple and it was a shame they didn't have more screen time together and that the story moved too quickly to grown-up Peck. ★★★ / 06.08.2023

GREGORY PECK 》 I hate big-game hunting for trophies so it was hard for me to sympathise with the lead characters in The Macomber Affair (Benedict Bogeaus Production/ United Artists, 1947), who take part in these activities. On top of that the characters themselves are not very likeable. Gregory Peck (left) is a professional hunter who takes married couple Joan Bennett (right) and Robert Preston on an African safari. Bennett's character treats hubby Preston with contempt after he gets scared during the lion hunt and chickens out, and she becomes chummy with Peck (I had expected an affair but there's none of that). The camera shots of Bennett and Peck inside the truck look as if these were actually taken while being on location during an actual safari, and I love their genuine smiles. Joanie looks very beautiful here and Peck too. So I didn't care for the characters at all but there is some nice photography by Karl Struss. Film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, and Zoltan Korda directed. ★★½ / 06.08.2023

JOAN BENNETT 》Moby Dick (Warner Bros, 1930) is not a faithful adaptation of Herman Melville's famous novel about a sea captain hunting down the big white whale who took his leg, but it's more enjoyable than I thought it would be. A big part of the film takes place on land, with John Barrymore (right) as Captain Ahab falling for pretty Joan Bennett (left), the pastor’s daughter whom his brother Lloyd Hughes fancies too. Both the brother and the love interest don't play a role in the actual novel, but I liked the addition, even though this love triangle part didn't feel like Moby Dick at all. Barrymore is well cast as the roguish captain, playing it with flair in swashbuckling style (he reminded me of Errol Flynn, who played Barrymore in Too Much, Too Soon), and he's better playing mad and obsessed than Gregory Peck in John Huston's famous film adaptation (I thought Peck was miscast and I wasn't too impressed with the film). Joan has a much bigger role than I had expected and she makes this film very watchable. The sea scenes with the whale are far less impressive and thrilling than from the Huston version, though. On the whole, an entertaining watch with good and moody photography by Robert Kurrle and a predictable happy ending, but Moby Dick it ain't! Lloyd Bacon directed. ★★★ / 08.08.2023

JOHN BARRYMORE 》Dinner at Eight (MGM, 1933) is a good mix of comedy and drama, boasting a wonderful cast. My fave persons are Marie Dressler and Jean Harlow, both women are just great fun. Billie Burke is also perfectly cast as the hostess of the dinner party, constantly in a fluttery state. When the couple whose attendance is highly anticipated cancels the dinner appointment, Burke completely loses it and she's very funny. The character of John Barrymore (right) is a tragic one, a washed-up silent actor with a drinking problem. This hit close to home for Barrymore but he gives a good performance. His final scene is incredibly sad. The ending is great with Dressler and Harlow sharing the last scene, Dressler having the last memorable line. Look at the rest of the cast members I haven't named yet: Wallace Beery, Edmund Lowe, Lionel Barrymore, Lee Tracy, Madge Evans (left), Jean Hersholt, Karen Morley, Louise Closser Hale, Phillips Holmes, May Robson, Grant Mitchell and Elizabeth Patterson. And not a bad performance among them, but Dressler, Harlow and John Barrymore are the stand-outs. Costumes by Adrian and George Cukor directed. ★★★½ / 08.08.2023

LIONEL BARRYMORE 》What a nice surprise On Borrowed Time (MGM, 1939) is! Lionel Barrymore (2nd left) is absolutely great as the grumpy grandpa who lives on borrowed time while Cedric Hardwicke as Death is trapped in a large apple tree, tricked by Gramps, and cannot come down to claim lives. Barrymore has good rapport with the boy Bobs Watson (left, as his orphaned grandson), and the most enjoyable moments of the film are the scenes where both are being mean to Eily Malyon (right), the horrible aunt, and keep calling her names. Love the fantasy elements of this film and the ending is poignant and unexpected. Beulah Bondi as the grandma has little screen time, unfortunately, but I love Una Merkel (2nd right) as the sweet maid and Phillip Terry as her boyfriend. Also with Henry Travers, Grant Mitchell and Nat Pendleton. Directed by Harold S. Bucquet. ★★★½ / 08.08.2023

UNA MERKEL 》Wow, what a mess Murder in the Private Car (MGM, 1934) is! Too much plot and simply weird, but somehow it was mild fun as well. Definitely benefited from the presence of the charming ladies Una Merkel (left) and Mary Carlisle (right), and also eccentric Charles Ruggles, a so-called deflector (a detective who prevents a crime from happening). Switchboard operator Carlisle appears to be a rich heiress, the long-lost daughter of a railroad magnate, and all of a sudden everybody boards the private car of one of Carlisle's father's trains. There's a gorilla (or rather somebody in a gorilla suit), a little monkey (the gorilla 'shrunk'), a runaway train (this sequence is quite thrilling but goes on for too long), and really nothing makes sense. But I was entertained. Some great photography by Leonard Smith, and Harry Beaumont directed. ★★½ / 09.08.2023

CHARLES RUGGLES 》Ruggles of Red Gap (Paramount, 1935) is a comedy that I've been meaning to see since forever, and now I finally did. What a gem! A great story premise, with wonderful, likeable and well-written characters, and a good script. Charles Laughton (left) and Charles Ruggles (center) are the stand-outs here. I liked Ruggles even more than Laughton. What a great character and performance, and those chequered suits ... so funny ... But the rest of the cast all gets their moment to shine as well: Mary Boland (right), Zasu Pitts, Roland Young (love him so much!), Leila Hyams and Maude Eburne. Also, I love the sweet romance of Laughton and Zasu Pitts, and Laughton has some adorable and endearing moments. An usual role for him, totally lovable. Directed by Leo McCarey. ★★★★½ / 10.08.2023

MARY BOLAND 》Three Cornered Moon (Paramount, 1933) is a pre-code comedy about an ecclectic well-to-do family affected by the Depression. Mary Boland (left), in a Billie Burke type of role, plays the widowed mother of three sons (Wallace Ford (right), William Bakewell (2nd left) and Tom Brown) and one daughter (Claudette Colbert, 2nd right). She has lost the family's fortune as a result of the Stock Market crash and this means the adult children have to get jobs. I liked the story premise and thought Colbert and Boland were giving the strongest performances. The male parts are okay, and Richard Arlen has a likeable role as Colbert's love interest, though there's a lack of romantic chemistry between the two. There are no big shakes here, both the humour and drama are mild, but it's nonetheless enjoyable and Colbert looks pretty this young. Elliott Nugent directed. ★★★ / 12.08.2023

CLAUDETTE COLBERT 》Douglas Sirk's Thunder on the Hill (Universal, 1951) benefits from the great and moody black-and-white photography by William H. Daniels and I like the setting of the story (a convent). Claudette Colbert (right) is very good and believable as the nun plagued by a guilty conscience over the suicide of her sister and believing in the innocence of Ann Blyth (left), a convicted murderer on death row. I also liked Blyth in her role, but it was Colbert who convinced me what a fine dramatic actress she was. The mystery story itself, with nun Colbert playing detective, is not very exciting and the identity and motive of the killer is already clear early on. Gladys Cooper is good too, as can be expected, as the Reverend Mother, and overall I had a good time with this. ★★★ / 12.08.2023

ANN BLYTH 》The World in His Arms  (Universal, 1952) is an enjoyable adventure yarn but the romance between Gregory Peck (left) and Ann Blyth (right) is incredibly rushed. It doesn't come as a surprise, as this is often the case, yet I found the romance itself a bit stupid and I didn't like how Peck already tried to force a kiss during their first meeting. But yeah ... he wanted to marry her the next day so he had to move fast. I actually didn't really like Blyth here, playing a Russian countess (luckily without the accent), and I think Peck looks way too good for her. Fortunately the action scenes at sea are quite thrilling — though the boat race was a bit too long — and the schooners look beautiful with their big masts. The rivalry between Peck and Anthony Quinn is pretty amiable and the real villain is Carl Esmond. I'm so used to seeing Esmond play Nazis that at one point I was thinking, what's a Nazi doing in this pic? Further support by the great John McIntire (he's a good buddy to have), Sig Ruman and Andrea King. Too bad about the fake backgrounds with the seals because the rest of the production looks fantastic in lush Technicolor, shot by master DP Russell Metty. Also fine music score by Frank Skinner and directed by Raoul Walsh. ★★★ / 13.08.2023

JOHN MCINTIRE 》The Phenix City Story (Allied Artists Pictures, 1955) is a riveting film noir directed by Phil Karlson and based on the true story of the murder on Albert Patterson. He'd just been nominated as the Democratic candidate for Attorney General of Alabama in order to reform Phenix City when he was shot and killed in 1954 outside his office. The film deals with the corruption in the lawless city, controlled by organised crime, gambling and prostitution. Well shot by DP Harry Neumann, this noir is raw and gritty, with a realistic depiction of brutal killings and violence (e.g. the death of the black girl). I was teary-eyed and enraged near the end. I think most of the plot is historical (not the killing of the black girl), also the final bit where the city is put under martial law. John McIntire (center) gives a good performance as Patterson, and Richard Kiley as his son is equally good, especially in his heartfelt and impassionate speeches. Furthermore there's fine support from Kathryn Grant as the brave girl helping the Pattersons (paying for this with her life) and Edward Andrews as a member of the mob. After the film I read up on the Pattersons a bit and found out that John Patterson, the son, served one term as Attorney General of Alabama from 1955 to 1959 after his father's death. Yet his political record was stained by his support of segregated schools, something which he deeply and publicly regretted later in life. (NOTE: I watched the film print which included a 13-minute newsreel-style preface where newsman Clete Roberts interviews several townspeople who were involved.) ★★★★ / 13.08.2023

KATHRYN GRANT 》 Reminiscent of M*A*S*H (but not nearly as good), the much beloved hit TV-series that I grew up with, Operation Mad Ball (Columbia, 1957) is a silly military spoof, still more enjoyable than I had expected. Jack Lemmon (left) and Kathryn Grant (right — Mrs. Bing Crosby) have good chemistry and the supporting cast is solid: Ernie Kovacs, Arthur O'Connell, Mickey Rooney, Dick York and James Darren. I especially like O'Connell and Rooney (in a late and short appearance, almost stealing the show from Lemmon). There's not a lot of plot, just Lemmon organising a big party so the soldiers get a chance to meet up with the army nurses and have a good time. But the way he has to go about it without his commanding officer finding out makes it fun, especially the part with the live corpse. Richard Quine directed. ★★★ / 15.08.2023

JACK LEMMON 》I totally enjoyed the comedy It Should Happen to You (Columbia, 1954), and it's all thanks to the two leads Judy Holliday (left) and Jack Lemmon (right) and their wonderful and natural chemistry. Both characters are likeable despite some flawed character traits. I don't understand the desire to be famous for fame's sake and having your name plastered on billboards, so in that respect I couldn't understand Judy at all. It makes her a bit dumb, but fortunately she shows a lot of spunk and also stands up for herself. Lemmon filming everyone in the park made me think of privacy laws, and the fact that (after his first meeting with Judy) he moves into the same building as where she lives makes him look like a stalker. But I didn't think he was a creep which is the opinion of a lot of online reviewers. He's a lovable stalker in any case. He had a point about the empty fame, because fame for fame's sake doesn't make any sense and it should stand for something. He was also right to criticise it but he expressed himself a bit too agressively, basically being out of line judging the way Judy spends her own money. (I liked them bickering, though.) Many reviewers are disappointed in the ending with Judy giving up her career and fame for a man. I was mainly disappointed that the ending was rushed and there was not an extra scene between them. I think she gave up the job because she came to her senses, finding out herself how senseless it all was, not because Lemmon disapproved of it. Further good support by Peter Lawford (there's a creepy guy forcing himself on poor Judy!) and Michael O'Shea. Funny guest appearances by Constance Bennett, Ilka Chase, Wendy Barrie and Melville Cooper as part of the panel of a show. The great George Cukor directed. ★★★★ / 15.08.2023

JUDY HOLLIDAY 》The Solid Gold Cadillac (Columbia, 1956) is another entertaining Judy Holliday film, enlivened by her bubbly energy. She plays a minor stockholder who walks into the stockholder's meeting of a big company and questions the high wages the board executives (Fred Clark, John Williams, Ray Collins) receive. To shut her up they offer her a meaningless pretend job. Of course Judy will show them this was a big mistake. Holliday (right) and leading man Paul Douglas (left, as the founder of the company) have good chemistry and make a nice pair (I really like Douglas). I also like Neva Patterson as Holliday's secretary and her romance with Arthur O'Connell (too bad we didn't see more of the development of that). I had already read about the screen turning from black-and-white into colour in the last scene, in order to show the gold cadillac, so that ruined the surprise. All in all, this was good fun. Directed by Richard Quine. NOTE: This was the only film Holliday and Douglas made together, but they had starred with one another in the stage production of Born Yesterday. It explains how at ease they seem to be with each other. When the play was being filmed, they unfortunately replaced Douglas with Broderick Crawford. ★★★ / 18.08.2023

PAUL DOUGLAS 》It Happens Every Spring (20th Century-Fox, 1949) is an enjoyable and harmless baseball comedy with a fantasy element. It's about scientist/professor Ray Milland (center) discovering by chance a formula for a chemical liquid that makes a baseball into a magical object, being repelled by the wood of the bat. Jean Peters (left) is lovely as Milland's girlfriend, but unfortunately doesn't have a lot to do. I actually prefer the bromance between Milland and Paul Douglas (right), it was very sweet. I like the ending and how they resolved the issue with Milland's success as a pitcher. I also love the Mabel telephone gag and the hair tonic scenes. Fine support by Ed Begley, Ted de Corsia, Ray Collins and Jessie Royce Landis. Directed by Lloyd Bacon. ★★★ / 19.08.2023

JEAN PETERS 》I didn't like the adventure pirate film Anne of the Indies (20th Century-Fox, 1951) as much as I'd hoped I would. A lot has to do with Jean Peters (left). I love her but here she doesn't convince as the ruthless pirate captain. It was inevitable but disappointing that she fell for Louis Jourdan (right) so quickly. Admittedly, Jourdan is delicious eye candy here. Poor Debra Paget, who looks beautiful but has a thankless role as Jourdan's wife with hardly anything to do. She's mainly the object of revenge by a scorned woman who unfortunately happens to be a cruel pirate. I thought the scenes between Peters and Paget were a bit laughable. I was looking at two beautiful actresses who were playing dress-up. Also poor Herbert Marshall with his underused role. I would have loved to see more of him. All in all, it wasn't too bad and maybe I was just not in the right mood, but it's not the fun watch I had hoped for. Directed by Jacques Tourneur. ★★½ / 19.08.2023

HERBERT MARSHALL 》 I watched a blurry copy of the mystery film The Unseen (Paramount, 1945) which may have influenced my viewing experience slightly. I didn't find the film scary at all and I'm sure the state of the print had nothing to do with it. The moody black-and-white photography by John F. Seitz gives the film a lot of atmosphere but it wasn't enough. The plot is feeble and confusing, and one can tell the identity of the killer from a mile away, in fact there are not that many characters to choose from. Luckily Herbert Marshall (center) plays a significant bigger role than in the previously watched Anne of the Indies and he exudes plenty of charm. But there's little screen time for leading man Joel McCrea (left), and when he's on screen he's not that likeable. It's actually an unusual role for him, playing such a brooding character, and I also thought his performance was pretty wooden. Gail Russell (right) looks lovely and is the best thing here, even though her role is not very exciting either. The kiss shared between her and McCrea and the romantic happy ending didn't make much sense. Directed by Lewis Allen. ★★½ / 20.08.2023

GAIL RUSSELL 》Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (Paramount, 1944) is a charming and entertaining film starring Gail Russell (right) and Diana Lynn (left), based on the book Our Hearts Were Young and Gay by Emily Kimbrough and Cornelia Otis Skinner, with an account of their European tour in the 1920s when they were fresh out of college. Russell plays Cornelia and Lynn is Emily. I really enjoyed the misadventures of these two teenage girls and got Anne of Green Gables vibes. Some issues/problems the girls encounter: a case of the measles, the pocketbook gag, the fake fur coats (very funny), getting stuck on the balcony of Notre Dame cathedral (also funny how they drop down various items of clothing to attract attention) and the predictable ending with another pocketbook. Russell is lovely in a light comedy role, looking relaxed and like she's having fun, flashing her beautiful and sunny smile. Lynn is perfect as the best friend who is a bit of a scatterbrain (like Anne of Green Gables). Their love interests James Brown and Bill Edwards are not very exciting, but Charles Ruggles, Dorothy Gish, Beulah Bondi and Alma Kruger give good support. Oh by the way, I love the girls' 1920s fashion! Lewis Allen directed. ★★★ / 23.08.2023

DIANA LYNN 》Our Hearts Were Growing Up (Paramount, 1946) is the sequel to the successful Our Hearts Were Young and Gay and relates more (mis)adventures of college students Gail Russell (left) and Diana Lynn (right). It's as charming and enjoyable as the prequel, with the addition of Brian Donlevy (center) as a kind-hearted bootlegger who turns into a fairy godfather/cupid. James Brown and Bill Edwards play the boyfriends again (Donlevy helps the girls to get back with them), William Demarest is Donlevy's sidekick, and Sara Haden plays the dean. I don't find Billy De Wolfe (as a Bohemian artist) funny at all but he's here for comic relief. Probably the most memorable scene is the one where Diana Lynn pours out the bottles of champagne in the sink. Also with an uncredited Mona Freeman in the last scene. William D. Russell directed. ★★★ / 23.08.2023

BRIAN DONLEVY 》Hoodlum Empire (Republic Pictures, 1952) is not one of the best film noirs around but it has the benefit of having Claire Trevor (top left) in the cast, even though her screen time is very limited. Too bad Brian Donlevy (top right) and Trevor are not a couple here (since I have enjoyed them together in Human Cargo, seen a while back) and the only scene they share is during the congressional hearing on illegal gambling, when Donlevy (as the senator) interrogates Trevor. She's great in that scene, by the way. Unfortunately Donlevy hasn't much screen time either. In fact, John Russell is the main character here who wants to leave his gangster past behind after his service in the army (of course the mob doesn't want him to) but he's not a strong leading man and the film suffers from it. Also, the numerous flashbacks make the film a bit messy. It was fun to see the cameras in the hearing room, though, and how the hearing was live broadcasted on TV. Able support by Forrest Tucker (as the bad guy), Vera Ralston (as Russell's wife), Luther Adler (as Russell's mob boss uncle), Gene Lockhart and Grant Withers. Joseph Kane directed. ★★½ / 24.08.2023

JOHN RUSSELL 》The Sun Shines Bright (Argosy Pictures/Republic Pictures, 1953) — depicting, among others, the glorification of Southern values and the confederacy — had been sitting on my watchlist for some time now, and though it was a bit underwhelming, there was still enough to love here and the film has a lot of heart and sentiment. Reportedly director John Ford's personal favourite of his films (a remake of his own Judge Priest (1934), starring Will Rogers), this has Charles Winninger (center) in the role of Judge Priest and I think he gives a fine and convincing performance. (I haven't seen the Rogers' version yet, and I can imagine him being perfect in the role and bringing a different vibe to the film.) I love the eccentric bunch of characters and strong community sense, though the portrayal of the black characters is cartoonish and uncomfortable. I didn't understand Stepin Fetchit's character and just found him annoying. There are three powerful scenes that made me bump up my rating. First of all, Charles Winninger preventing the mob from lynching a black boy (reminiscent of scenes from Stars in My Crown and To Kill a Mockingbird). Undoubtedly the best moment of the film: the beautifully choreographed and photographed funeral procession, walked in complete silence, followed by a small ceremony in the little church. The third powerful scene is the parade going past Winninger's house after the election victory, with Winninger witnessing this and becoming all emotional and withdrawing quietly into the house, a great last shot, reminiscent of the last shot of The Searchers. Other cast members: John Russell (left) and Arleen Whelan (providing a rather dull romantic subplot), Dorothy Jordan, Jane Darwell (right) and Clarence Muse. Fine music score by Victor Young and cinematography by Archie Stout. ★★★½ / 25.08.2023

CHARLES WINNINGER 》Enjoyed Little Nellie Kelly (MGM, 1940) more than I thought I would, mainly because of the charm and loveliness of a very young and radiant Judy Garland (center). She plays the double role of mother and daughter Nellie Kelly from Irish descent. Mother Nellie immigrates to the States with her husband George Murphy (right) and her father Charles Winninger (left) and dies after giving birth to a baby girl (Nellie II). The daughter tries to reconcile her father and grandfather who've had a bad relationship from the beginning. It's not really clear to me why grumpy Winninger has resented Murphy so much for decades and it isn't explained why Winninger turns around in the end. Or I must have missed something. Judy gets to sing a couple of songs, including an early rendition (a swing version) of the famous Singin' in the Rain. Some inconsistent Irish accents here but it wasn't annoying, fortunately. Directed by Norman Taurog. ★★★ / 27.08.2023

GEORGE MURPHY 》Talk About a Stranger (MGM, 1952) is a surprisingly good little B-programmer with a runtime of 65 minutes, a dark coming-of-age story with Billy Gray (left) suspecting the new stranger in the neighbourhood to have killed his dog (sob ... that dog was so cute!). The first part is a bit slow in pace but the film picks up speed after the dog is found dead and Gray becomes obsessed and unhinged. The child actor gives a good and natural performance. (I've seen Gray in the Doris Day films On Moonlight Bay and By the Light of the Silvery Moon and like him.) Made during the McCarthy era, I read that this is an allegory for the witch-hunt paranoia. I merely saw the similarity with Boo Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird. With George Murphy (right) and Nancy Davis (center) in support as Gray's kind-hearted parents (Murphy and Davis are first- and second-billed but have far less screen time than Gray) and Kurt Kasznar as the stranger, it's John Alton's great photography (with interesting framing and camera angles, shadow and light contrasts, over-the-shoulder views, striking night scenes in the orchard) which elevates this 'kid noir' to a higher level. Directed by David Bradley. ★★★½ / 27.08.2023

NANCY DAVIS 》The Next Voice You Hear ... (MGM, 1950) is a rather unexciting film in the impressive oeuvre of William A. Wellman. The story premise is interesting: a voice over the radio (heard for days on end, all over the world and in different languages) claims to be God and says he will be around for the next few days. But nothing much really happens, no end-of-the-world scare or anything. Still, the central message of living in love and peace together is an important one. James Whitmore (left) and Nancy Davis (center) play a typical American couple, married with a son (Gary Gray, right) and a baby on the way (with Davis having the smallest pregnant tummy you've ever seen). The best thing about the film are the family dynamics, and I like Davis, here in a prominent role playing a gentle and plain-looking character, and she has good chemistry with Whitmore. The film ends with Davis' baby being born, and having the characters of Whitmore and Davis named Joe and Mary, there's a parable for you. Based on a short story of the same name by George Sumner Albee. ("You know," G.S. Albee said, "wouldn't it be something if God would come on the radio and give people such a bad scare they'd wake up and behave themselves!") ★★½ / 28.08.2023

JAMES WHITMORE 》Them! (Warner Bros, 1954) is a well-made sci-fi film, starring James Whitmore (right), James Arness, Joan Weldon and Edmund Gwenn (left). Gigantic, violent mutant ants appear in the American desert, descendants of ants present during the first testing of the atomic bomb. A father-daughter team of entomologists team up with the state police officer, an FBI agent and the US Army to destroy the ants, before it threatens life on earth. I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought the story was well told and well plotted. The images of the huge ants aren't that frightening, though the special effects are decent. I was actually surprised that the ants didn't have that much screen time, the emphasis is more on the investigation and finding the whereabouts of the ants' nests before the queen ants fly out and spread more eggs. I also think that the characters are better drawn than in the average sci-fi film. Whitmore is portrayed as a likeable guy so you actually care about what happens to him. I also liked the little presentation Gwenn gave about ants, even learnt something from it. With solid performances of the cast, fine cinematography by Sidney Hickox and a good ominous music score by Bronislau Kaper, this is a fun watch! Directed by Gordon Douglas. ★★★½ / 29.08.2023

JOAN WELDON 》Riding Shotgun (Warner Bros, 1954) is a better-than-average western, starring Randolph Scott (left), Wayne Morris and Joan Weldon (right). Scott plays a guard on a stagecoach, warning his town of an impending robbery on the casino but the stupid townspeople think he's part of the gang. The film suffers from an unnecessary use of Scott's voice-over narration and there's not much plot but it's an engaging watch with great visuals (photography by Bert Glennon, DP from Stagecoach). Joan Weldon as Scott's love interest has little to do but we love her for standing by his side. The stand-out here is Wayne Morris as the sympathetic loser deputy sheriff with a big appetite for food, I really liked him and his performance is great. Look out for young Charles Bronson as one of the gang members. All in all, pretty good. André de Toth directed. ★★★½ / 31.08.2023

So that's another round-up, chain-watching style! Greetings from the cast of Dinner at Eight (see photo below).

I started this post with a screenshot of Paul Lukas to show you how handsome he looks in Downstairs. I'll also add a screenshot (below), taken by me, of Gregory Peck in Technicolor from The World in His Arms. Just look at that gorgeous man! Will maybe continue his filmography next month! 

On a side note: The Filmoteca Barcelona had once again an outrageous program for the summer months July and August. In the years that we have lived in Barcelona they always had a huge summer program (in Valencia it's always more quiet during the summer, with only a couple of screenings in the open air). To torture myself, I will mention here the films that were showing in BCN. The best of the specials was the Warner Bros one (100 Anys de la Warner. Gàngsters i Detectius) with the following quintessential titles: I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, The Doorway to Hell, White Heat, Marked Woman, The Roaring Twenties, The Public Enemy, Angels With Dirty Faces, High Sierra, Key Largo, Little Caesar, The Petrified Forest, Dark Passage, The Big Sleep, Strangers on a Train and The Maltese Falcon. There was also a special about actresses who became directors with, among others, Ida Lupino films: They Drive by Night and Outrage. Another big special was Godard. Històries de Cinema with titles from different countries: À Bout de Souffle, Fallen Angel, M, Nana, Carmen Jones, Two Weeks in Another Town, Faust - Eine Deutsche Volkssage, Rancho Notorious, Nanook of the North, Rebel Without a Cause, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Bronenosets Potemkin, L’Âge d’Or, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, Dracula, The Birds, La Règle du Jeu, The Lost Patrol and Roma, Città Aperta, and many more. Also two films in the Estiu a les Ciutats (Summer in the City) special that I would have liked to see again: Summertime and Roman Holiday. Wow! What a great program, but quite overwhelming. Maybe it's a good thing that I'm living too far away, because I would have wanted to see them all and it just wouldn't have been possible time-wise and schedule-wise. (Money-wise it wouldn't have made a dent in my spending budget: I had a year pass of only €90 which gives unlimited access to all films.) To be able to watch some would have been better than none, of course, but it wasn't meant to be. Hopefully the Filmoteca in Valencia will have a nice autumn program. 

I'll leave you with the breakdown in decades of the 30 watched films:
1900s - 0
1910s - 0
1920s - 0
1930s - 8
1940s - 9
1950s - 13
1960s - 0

See you with the next round-up!