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Foreign Correspondent

Made in 1940. This film is a true gem, that had all of the touches we have come to associate with films of Alfred Hitchcock. While "Rebecca" (from the same year) may have garnered more recognition, it was an extremely brooding film that lacked the trademark Hitchcock sense of humor. "Foreign Correspondent" however, had it all. The suspense is unrelenting, building to a spectacular climax. It had many of those dazzling Hitchcock sequences: the assassination in Amsterdam, the scene in the cathedral tower and, especially, the sequence in the windmill, which is pure magic!

Of course, it also had that classic sense of humor and a slew of terrific character roles, including Edmund Gwenn as the most cherubic and cheerful hit man you've ever seen! The final scene was strictly American propaganda, but that can probably be forgiven considering the subject matter of the film and the time of it's release. All in all, a wonderful example of the master at his best, that deserves to be dusted off and enjoyed alongside some of it's more celebrated cousins!
 
Yellow Canary


Made in 1943. In 1940 Sally Maitland is forced to leave England, ostracised as a Nazi sympathiser by everyone including her well-to-do family. On the ship to Halifax, Canada, she is courted by Polish aristocrat Jan Orloch and by awkward British navel intelligence officer Jimmy Garrick. She shows herself somewhat more amenable to Orloch's advances, and agrees to meet his mother in Halifax. Once there however, it becomes clear no-one is really who they say they are.


British, made in 1943, which tells you the ideological basis of the film. It's a well-worked story of deception and counter-deception, mostly set in Halifax, NS. Evil Nazi agents and heroic British agents, with Richard Greene looking handsomer than ever in the van, mount operations against each other. Anna Neagle plays a double agent, which means she has to act acting, a test of ability which she carries off very well. Margaret Rutherford has a stormer of a cameo role, shamelessly stealing every scene she's in. Her line "Wouldn't it be nice to do something violent?" is a classic. Well above average example of routine genre.
 
Born Yesterday

Made in 1950. Delightful! Hilarious! How often do we get to see a perfect performance? We're closing in on a century of movies and, as we can see, it's pretty rare. So flawless was Judy Holliday's portrayal of Billie Dawn that, as a relative unknown, she came from behind to beat out two heavyweights for the Oscar in 1950. I'm sure this was due in no small part to her refining the role for nearly three years on stage.

Everything else fell into place as well. Broderick Crawford was just excellent as Harry Brock. Crawford is able to swing you back and forth between anger and sympathy for his character. Not an easy task! William Holden is perfectly calm and reserved as Paul Verrall. His character forms a wonderful opposite to Billie. And, with direction, George Cukor worked his usual magic. Most of the themes are timeless. A person lives in ignorant bliss until their eyes are opened. They realize that there is a better life for them and begin their struggle for improvement. They discover that their greatest opponents to advancement are not those above them, but those at their current level. A few of the elements are dated. Particularly Jim's speech about how hard it is to find a corrupt politician in Washington. Wow. Maybe that was the case in 1950. Now it's impossible to find an honest one. It all comes back to Judy Holliday. This movie is her vehicle. She was a rare talent who we were only able to see for a very short time. I love all of her movies and this one, Born Yesterday, is my favorite.
 
Champion

Made in 1949. Directed by Mark Robson and featuring a cracking script from Carl Forman.Champion gives us a real rags to riches tale of a man who's good at only one thing and that is fighting. The film stars Kirk Douglas, Arthur Kennedy and Ruth Roman. What is so great about Champion is that it does not shy away from the brutality of the matches nor from the coldness of many involved both in and out of the ring.

It's the story of out of work tough guy,Midge Kelly(Kirk Douglas)wandering all over the US looking for work with his brother Connie(Arthur Kennedy).The two through a mistaken takeover promise think they are now shareholders in a diner.They find out this promise was part of a big con but are offered work there by the owner Lew Bryce(Harry Shannon).The brothers befriend Bryce's young daughter Emma(Ruth Roman)and Midge falls in love with her.Forced into a marriage by Lew, Midge and Connie leave a brokenhearted Emma behind and head off. Midge finds his big break courtesy of boxing manager Tommy Haley(Paul Stewart)who helps turn Midge into The Champion, the best boxer in the world.As he wins more the richer he becomes and with his eye firmly on the boxing ring becomes colder towards those he most cares about including Connie and Tommy. Along the way he has affairs with wealthy women including the beautiful and heartless Grace Diamond(Marilyn Maxwell)and the gentle Palmer(Lola Allbright).Kirk gives one of his best performances and the film is a powerful,unflinching look at the effects of boxing on all those involved and makes you think just be careful what you wish for....you may get it.
 
Dear Ruth


Made in 1947. This Norman Krasna play of the war era was a surprising Broadway hit and makes for an above average domestic comedy where surprising performances and a charming light-heartedness make it much better than predicted. Joan Caulfield is Ruth, the 21-year old bank employee who still lives at home (with parent Edward Arnold and Mary Phillips, and pesky teenaged sister Mona Freeman) and finds herself the victim of an unintentional deception which the impish Freeman played by writing letters in Ruth's name to a lonely soldier (William Holden). Freeman, a teenaged champion of causes, is an amusing pest to everyone in the house who can't help but be bemused by her devotion to war causes, particularly her fight for peace and her devotion to the poor soldiers drafted all in the cause of freedom. Caulfield has somehow became engaged to bank executive Billy De Wolfe, a stuffy older man who gives impressions of interests other than in women, especially when being offered a drink and asked if he'd like it "straight". Holden shows up and all is revealed in time, and when Caulfield meets the lonely soldier on leave from Europe, she can't help but be charmed by him.


The best performances in these types of films are those which really don't seem to be acted, and in the case of romantic leads Caulfield and Holden, they do their job so effectively it really seems as if they are real people, not movie stars giving a "performance". Arnold, of course, displays his usual boundless energy, showing that while more grandfatherly in appearance towards the two young girls, he still has what it takes to rule the roost, chew the scenery and steal the moment every chance he gets. But for me, the real star of the show is young Mona Freeman who takes what could be truly an obnoxious character and turns her into someone very likable. What Shirley Temple was doing at the same time shows the difference that less is more, and Freeman's ease in her portrayal makes for a much more tolerable character than Temple and certain other young actors were doing at the same time in films somehow more remembered today.
 
Dream Girl

Made in 1948. Surprisingly funny little comedy about a day-dreaming young woman who meets her match in a tough sports writer. Based on a hit play by Elmer Rice. Betty Hutton stars as the dreamer, a woman who walks through life and dreams about "something happening." Then boorish Macdonald Carey arrives for her sister's wedding and he spends the rest of the film trying to get her to live her own life. The "Walter Mitty" stuff is kept to a minimum. and the plot drags in a few places, but the actors are excellent and the one-liners are very funny.

Zamah Cunningham is a total delight as the music teacher, stealing the long scene with her spastic movements and great voice.. Patric Knowles is the brother-in-law, Walter Abel and Peggy Wood are the parents. Virginia Field is the sister. Carolyn Butler is Claire. And Lowell Gilmore is the roue. Hutton is low-keyed and still very funny. She plays a saloon singer in one dream and sings "Madame Butterfly" in another. As usual, Hutton is excellent. And this is one of the few films I've liked Macdonald Carey in. A must for Betty Hutton fans.
 
Week-End at the Waldorf


Made in 1945. This film is a reworking of the plot from the magnificent GRAND HOTEL (1932). While both films were made by MGM, it really isn't fair to compare them, as there were many differences between them (all the many plots were changed or enormously reworked). Plus, GRAND HOTEL was so perfect that any film compared to it will no doubt be seen as a disappointment--but WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF was anything but a disappointment. There was enough fresh and new plot as well as excellence all around that I strongly advise viewers to watch them both and consider each a unique viewing experience.

While Walter Pidgeon, Ginger Rogers, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold and Lana Turner (among others) can't quite compare to the cast of GRAND HOTEL, this is still an amazing lineup of stars--even for the star-laden MGM. Plus, all the stars were at their best--thanks, in part, to exceptional writing and slick production values. Each of the subplots worked very well--particularly the one with Rogers and Pidgeon, as it made me laugh out loud many times! I could explain all the plots and critique each one, but other reviewers have already done this. The bottom line is that this film exudes quality and is highly entertaining. By the time the film is completed, you will no doubt feel quite content with the resolution of the film.
 
Unguarded - Chris Herren was a "can't miss" basketball superstar until drug addiction eventually destroyed his career. With the support of his wife and family, Herren struggles to conquer his demons and reclaim his life.
 
Champagne for Caesar

Made in 1950. On one level, Champagne for Caesar showcases the comic talent of Vincent Price and Ronald Colman in one of the best screwball comedies to come from the tail end of Hollywood's golden age. Colman and Price are not two names commonly associated with comedy but as this movie shows they should have been.

This movie deserves to be rediscovered by an audience niche who will appreciate it. On a deeper level this movie displays the willful innocence of the Fifties with a tongue-in-cheek manner. The comedy is both of it's time and mocking the institutions of its time. It is the first movie I know that examines the emerging world of television, crass commercialism and the hypocrisy and hype that it brought with it. You might consider it the grandfather of the Truman Show. A comedy that goes deeper than it first seems. Besides any comedy that uses Mel Blanc as the voice of a parrot is worth looking into.
 
Singin in the Rain


Made in 1952. The transition from the silent film era to the newly arrived technique of the 'talkies' proved to be the ruin for many well established stars that were great on the screen, but who had no professional training in the theater, or otherwise, and had horrible speaking voices. Thus, a star of the magnitude of Lina Lamont, suffers a hard blow to her career and ego. That's the basis of one of the best movies about old Hollywood of all times: "Singin' in the Rain". The film is one of the classics it is because of the marvelous direction of Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, two men who knew a lot about musicals. The screen play is by one of the best people in the business, Betty Comden and Adolph Green.


MGM was the studio that employed all the stars one sees in the film, and what a cast they put together: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Cyd Charisse in a dancing part, Millard Mitchell and Rita Moreno. As if those names weren't big enough, there is the fantastic musical numbers that even, viewing them today, have kept their freshness because of the care in which this film was crafted. "Singin' in the Rain" is one of the best musicals of all times. It's right up there with the best of them thanks to the vision of Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen and it will live forever as more people discover this wonderful example of entertainment.
 
Chocolat

Made in 2000. This is simply one of the best movies I have ever seen, and I have seen quite a few. Juliet Binoche is magnificent as Vianne--perfectly cast. Her daughter is a true gem. The story line is completely engaging. I loved this movie from beginning to end. It made me hungry, happy and utterly at home in the mysterious and yet somehow familiar landscapes and plot lines that the author creates for the audience to enter. The writing is almost poetic and the characters are all completely believable andtrue to type. The chocolate shop is not a shop at all, but rather a metaphor we are all drawn into. I was inspired by the courage of the protagonist, a strong female role model, and the events of the film that never let us rest for a moment. Definitely, this one gets two thumbs up.

What a pure delight Chocolat is. Gentle, Beautiful and heart warming. That could describe many films but unlike others it displays no clichés or tired ideas. It is refreshing and pure. The cast is superb, Binoche is a wonder who glides effortlessly through the part of the mysterious and beautiful Vianne. Molina is excellent as the repressed yet lustful Comte Renauld. Depp is as eccentric and wonderful as always. In fact the whole cast is fantastic. The story has all the elements of a wonderful fairy tale yet the perfect direction and the delightfully authentic french setting makes it serious movie. You really care about the characters and the many inter-twinned story lines keep you watching with joy. It also has a wonderful score and excellent costumes and sets, in fact in writing this review I cannot think of any criticism I could make. It is that rare thing : a truly perfect movie.
 
Bridget Jones's Diary

Made in 2001. Bridget Jones's Diary is of course the book that was made into a movie. This movie was released in 2001 mostly for European countries. Renée Zellweger plays the main character called 'Bridget'. Bridget is in her late 30's and is not married; she is very concerned and starts to keep a diary. Now starts the movie. Colin Firth and Hugh Grant co-star as amiable men that she falls for. Other actor/actresses like Jim Broadbent and Gemma Jones also co-star. I would give this movie a 10/10 for an excellent script. The movie is very humorous and shows different personalities of all the actors.

The movie does contain sexual references and swearing so watch out if you are seeing it with younger children. Renee shows how wonderfully she can fake an English accent in this movie as well because of course she is American. This is probably one of the best pieces of works i have seen from Colin Firth as well. The movie must have been good you may think because there was a follow-up. The movie soon spread to America and critics from over here also give it wide remarks. I would recommend this movie too you 100%.
 
A Royal Scandal

Made in 1945. The history of this film has been documented well, and its failure, at the time, has taken its toll on its reputation. Perhaps, it was made at the wrong time; perhaps Tallulah Bankhead was not the 'darling' of the film critics as she had been by theatre critics; perhaps it was an easy target because Lubitsch had been ill and Preminger substituted - a simple target to call a film 'not of a piece'. I do have a copy of it, though, and, today, it stands as a comedy of wit, charm, and delicious mischief.

Bankhead is 'marvellous' playing it to the hilt and offering superb takes on all of her lines. Her reaction shots are among the funniest yet captured on film. No, it is not Catherine -- it is Tallulah--but this is a satirical romp and not meant to be faithful to Russian history. William Eythe, forever underrated, is perfection. A stellar comedic force (he was equally fine in more serious roles e.g. The House on 92nd Street). Coburn is in the right frame of mind and action; Anne Baxter does not quite capture the spirit of the madness, but she is not bad. It is probably insane to think that 'A Royal Scandal' finally can get the credit it deserved. But it is a tasty and wonderful cinematic morsel to enjoy again and again.
 
The Dark Mirror

Made in 1946. A man is murdered, and a woman called Ruth Collins is seen at the scene of the crime. The case gets tricky, when is found out that Ruth has a twin sister, Terry. They both have to then go see a psychiatrist, Dr.Scott Elliott. The doc falls for the normal sister, but which is which? The other one of them is capable of committing a cold blooded murder, but which one? Robert Siodmak's Film-Noir The Dark Mirror (1946) takes some Freudian turns as it goes on. Olivia de Havilland shines in a dual role. She's terrific as the psychotic sister as well as the normal one. Lew Ayres is great as the Shrink. Character actor Thomas Mitchell does very fine job as Lt.Stevenson. This movie was very fascinating to watch.It gave some challenge finding out which one did it. More than 60 years has done no harm to this film.
 
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