pmcenea Reviews

Too Late for Tears (1949)

It could have been a classic

[7/10 · 17 September 2004]

This is a well-plotted movie with many twists and turns. Dan Duryea's role was a notch below the demonic type he usually played in noirs, but he carried it brilliantly, especially the drunk scene. His delivery of the "don't ever change, Tiger..." line alone was worth the price of admission.

Arthur Kennedy and Don DeFore were more than competent, although I felt DeFore didn't fully extend himself, but I wouldn't go to the wall with that opinion.

Kristine Miller didn't have that much screen time but made the most of it, although had a few flat scenes.

Lizabeth Scott, in my opinion was pretty bad. The more tense the scene was the more low-keyed and withdrawn she seemed to become. It seemed that she didn't have any feeling for this character at all...one can only imagine what Joan Crawford would have done with the role. Having said all this, I am going to lay most of the defects at the feet of the director, Byron Haskin. While the characters of Duryea and Kennedy were well defined, the rest seemed to be struggling to find their respective levels. At the end of the movie, I felt like I had been cheated. In a lot of senses the movie is almost unique and should enjoy a larger noir status, but it is a classic case of having all the elements and not having them put in their proper places.

My conclusion? Watch it, you'll enjoy it, but it could have been so much better.

Kiss Me Kate (1953)

Beyond the Music and Dancing...Nothing

[3/10 · 11 February 2004]

A lot of people associated with this movie have a lot to answer for. The music was very good although it was changed from the Broadway play. If you ever saw the play you will see that the original was not only different but so much better. I am not an expert on dancing, so I will not comment on that part. The direction was awful. I you see Howard Keel in "7 Brides for 7 Brothers" you will see him under control. For some reason, the director thought everyone should play their part way over the top. The product cheaped out with Ansco color which was really glaring, especially the stage costumes. The sets were also cheap. Check out the rooftop scene in the opening. The cinematography made me crazy. Why show Ann Miller from the waste up when she is dancing? For that matter, with her legs, why show any other part? (Just kidding). I could go on with the second unit and whatnot, but I will summarize by saying the production values were shockingly poor. 3 of 10.

Hi Diddle Diddle (1943)

Serious Problems

[5/10 · 3 February 2004]

This movie presents serious problems for me. First, I couldn't stand the fact that an admitted felon, a swindler (Barton Hepburn), was wandering through the movie without anyone thinking to call the police. Not only did he swindle Billy Burke of everything, but then proceeds to disrupt everyone's life and PEOPLE LISTEN TO HIM!!! I also have no patience for Ms. Burke's as a ditz. She is capable of so much more.

Murder at the Vanities (1934)

Even the Duke couldn't save this one.

[5/10 · 23 August 2003]

I rented this movie because of the title and the cast. I was taken with the fact that Kitty Carlisle, Jack Oakie and Carl Brisson (terrific in "The Manxman") were in it, not to mention the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

I can't complain about the thin plot line because I didn't expect much more, to be honest, but I was disappointed with the flat acting and production numbers. This movie really cried out for Busby Berkeley and, I think, Zazu Pitts (I have to admit Dorothy Stickney was excellent at the crazy maid).

All of this would be acceptable if it wasn't for the way they handled the Duke Ellington Orchestra number. It was shameful to give him so little time and use that particular number. But, I think it was reflective of the way the movie was directed. I find it amazing this movie didn't bury Mitchell Leisen's career. I gave it a generous 5/10.

Horse Feathers (1932)

70 years old and still hilarious

[9/10 · 16 June 2003]

The Marx Brothers comedy has shown itself to be durable and this movie is probably the best example of it. Even though the studios felt they worked better in a more structured vehicle - and they were funny (see "Night at the Opera") - this movie works at all levels, even in the 21st Century.

But what is a college widow?

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

One Hour Too Long

[6/10 · 25 May 2003]

If the Joseph Levine hadn't been obsessed with making this movie, I doubt it ever would have ever existed. The material was fascinating, the acting first rate, direction flawless and the overall production values top flight. But, at 3 hours and a few hundred characters, it was just too long. Watching the movie, it seemed obvious to me that there was just no way to cut the movie down and maintain the integrity of the story and moral. It is a shame that it is difficult to watch since the potential impact is very affirming.

Wildcat (1942)

An excellent B movie

[7/10 · 15 May 2003]

Paramount really did this B movie right. The script was well-thought out and the acting was, for the most part, terrific. The lone exception was Arline Judge, who seemed to be walking through her part with her jaw partially wired shut. Comic relief was amply supplied by William Frawley, John Dilson and, especially, Arthur Hunnicutt. Richard Arlen seemed to be inspired in this movie and Buster Crabbe was convincing as the bad guy. What a wonderful surprise this movie turned out to be.

The New Adventures of Tarzan (II) (1935)

If you like jungle shots, a movie for you; otherwise, skip it

[3/10 · 14 May 2003]

How do you say slow in chimpanzee? Now consider this: this is the condensed (70 minutes) version of a 12 episode serial, a total of 257 minutes. If you remove the long jungle pans and the many shots of the jungle fauna, this movie is maybe 40 minutes long. The plot is pretty thin and confusing until the end. One tends to lose sight of the fact that Tarzan is on this journey to find a lost friend. There is also another person, a Ula Vale, who's motives are never made clear. If you are going to watch this movie on tape, I would suggest you keep your finger on the fast forward button and use it liberally. If you do like jungle shots, you will love this movie.

Queen of the Yukon (1940)

Decent movie by a bad studio

[5/10 · 13 May 2003]

If this movie had been made by 20th Century Fox, it probably would have been a classic. I don't know how it happened, but Monogram got the rights and did the picture. That meant everything was done on the cheap, including the direction, the writing and the acting. While there were some journeyman performances by Charles Bickford and Irene Rich, a lot of that was lost by the bad lines they had to deliver and the uninspired directing. Also, June Carlson was awful. The only ones who seemed to try to rise above it all were George Cleveland and Guy Usher as Grub and Stake. Even though it is now defunct I still hate Monogram Studios.

Cast a Dark Shadow (1955)

Very good for its kind

[7/10 · 8 May 2003]

This is a movie that has almost all the parts working, in varying degrees. Direction, cinematography, screenplay, editing all were professionally done. The acting was superb. Dirk Bogarde couldn't have been better. Margaret Lockwood gave an award caliber performance. Kathleen Harrison as the maid played her character superbly while keeping her in the background, so to speak. The one obvious flaw was the predictability of the story. I found this to be a minor irritation only.

Nabonga (1944)

I think "Nabonga" is Swahili for "Slow"

[2/10 · 8 May 2003]

I watched the first 45 minutes of this movie and had to give up. It is dull! dull! dull! Even Buster Crabbe seemed to have been affected by the dullness. He seemed to be walking through his part. I gave the movie points for the shots of the real animals.

Dinner at Eight (1933)

Let it all hang out

[7/10 · 8 May 2003]

Did someone say "over the top?" A lot of actors in this movie seemed to have a lot of fun with their parts and the results were surprising. It was (and still is) a very funny movie. Kudos to Marie Dressler, Billy Burke and Jean Harlow, especially Dressler. She had those eyebrows working overtime. And the take at the end when Harlow said "I was reading a book" was priceless. We have not seen her like again.

Dangerous Females (1929)

Marie flaunts her sex appeal!

[9/10 · 6 May 2003]

This is perhaps the funniest short I have ever seen. It is obvious and campy, but Marie Dressler dances (Jackie Gleason must have seen this film) and parades herself for the man. Absolutely priceless. The film is 74 years old but the comedy still holds up. I was laughing out loud and that does not happen to me very often.

Hail, Brother (1935)

Interesting premise, poor execution

[5/10 · 6 May 2003]

The plot line of this film was one of its best features. A man gets hit on the head and decides to give his fortune to artists. Then comes a bunch of craziness and he gets hit on the head again. OK, that was obvious, but I would watch the film again just for the dance sequence. Call me crazy, but I like it.

Africa Speaks! (1930)

Awful grandeur

[7/10 · 3 May 2003]

This film is striking for several reasons. The obvious footage of animals and insects was magnificent, and so was the scenes of the veldt, regardless of the animals. But, beyond that, the whole feeling of the daily hardship of life on the African continent 70 odd years ago was almost overwhelming. This film brought the living in fear of lions, locust, tsetse flies and other dangers into sharp relief for me. It was well worth watch if only to get the historical sense of life on the dark continent.

The Battle of Midway (1942)

WW II propaganda ala John Ford. Great!

[4/10 · 30 April 2003]

The first 9 minutes of this documentary of the battle of Midway was divoted to the fighting by the US ground troops on Midway. This was actually a minor part of the battle, but provided great footage for the film. The overall effect was very stirring, especially the biplay between Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell. This must have been very comforting to the folks at home when shown in the theaters. I enjoyed it very much.

The Great Dan Patch (1949)

Loved the movie, even though it isn't history

[8/10 · 29 April 2003]

This movie is about 30% accurate, but manages to capture the essence and appeal of the big horse, Dan Patch. The horse was unbeaten in 11 years of racing on the track and, by all accounts, kind and gentle off the track. The level of the horses appeal can be measured by the fact that the day after the horse died, the owner, M. W. Savage, also died. I believe the two female leads turn, Gail Russell and Ruth Warwick turned in exceptional performances, with Ms. Warwick giving a performance of award-Winning caliber. Maybe Claire Trevor deserved the best supporting actress Oscar that year, but I think Ms. Warwick deserved at least a nomination. The rest of the cast gave workmanlike performances. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but, in this case, fiction can make a better movie than fact.

Gangsters of the Frontier (1944)

Better than ordinary movie, until the end!

[6/10 · 29 April 2003]

This movie has a lot going for it - Tex Ritter, his singing and his wry sense of humor; Dave O'Brien and his presence; Guy Wilkerson as comic relief and the worst telegraph operator in history; Patti McCarty as a together woman; Betty Mills as a tough frontier woman. On top of this, the story is not a warmover of other "B" movie plots. It created real tension and delivered a WWII message about despotism and freedom. All of that goes to making this movie enjoyable, but the best is still the way the gang leaders came to justice! I have never seen that in any other movie. You shouldn't miss that.

Fighting Valley (1943)

Could have been so much better

[6/10 · 29 April 2003]

In B Westerns, one gets used to fillers like overlong shots of people riding away, overlong fights, songs, etc, but when these appear in a 49 minute movie in abundance, one senses that something is not right. The story created a good deal of tension that was diluted with the filler. An otherwise good movie was flawed by this and by Patti McCarty's bland performance. I have seen her do much better. But, the movie provided a cinematic first when Ms. McCarty called Dave O'Brien a "cowperson". This alone made watching the movie worthwhile.

Paper Bullets (1941)

Film Noir without tension

[3/10 · 25 April 2003]

My question is what was the worst element of this movie? Was it the acting? directing? script?. Maybe it was the waste of Alan Ladd and Jack LaRue. LaRue and, especially, Ladd are capable of bringing extreme sinisterness to a role. In this movie, it was hard to tell who the bad guy was. Granted, Ladd was playing an undercover good guy, but even in his good guy roles, he could be very chilling. So, the net result was a potentially good movie bereft of any feeling of conflict.

Take Me Back to Oklahoma (1940)

Saved by the music

[4/10 · 24 April 2003]

This B Western has it all - a really shaky frame-up, a posse chase aborted for no apparent reason, a stagecoach race featuring not one, but two coach top fights and a disintegrating wheel on the winning coach. It also has the music of Tex Ritter and of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. That and some funny bits here and there earned this movie a 4.

The Hours (2002)

What were they thinking?

[2/10 · 16 April 2003]

I have seen very good movies that I hated (The Bishop's Wife). I have seen "Chick Flicks" I didn't like but I knew were good (Thelma and Louise). Given this, I feel I can say safely "Hours" was just a bad movie. Someone decided that throwing three self absorbed,depressed women together - years apart - who had read Virginia Woolf, giving them meaning lives and a sever lack of wisdom would make a good movie. Wrong! The words boring and tedious do not do this movie justice. Nicole Kidman may have deserved the Best Actress Oscar for her role in "Moulin Rouge!" in 2002, I don't know. But to give her the Oscar for this one note role of Virginia Woolf was a joke. Also, the background music was a bad as the rest of the movie. It was annoying, inappropriate and, worst of all, intrusive. I gave the movie a two for its production values.

Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)

Lots of complications, neat ending

[7/10 · 8 April 2003]

This is one of Warner Oland's best, in my opinion. I found it to have a very clear plot line with a neat twist at the end, albeit somewhat predictable. Oland made a terrific effort and Keye Luke was marvelous, without being "over the top". They could have left the singing out, though.

City in Darkness (1939)

What happened to Charlie?

[4/10 · 29 March 2003]

In my opinion, this has to be one of the worst Sidney Toler's Charlie Chan's. I say this for two reasons. This first is Charlie seemed to be a minor character in this movie. Somehow, the movie was taken over by Harold Huber's loud and chaotic character, Marcel. Somehow, someone, I suppose the director, Herbert I. Leeds, let him run wild spouting a lot of nonsense in a loud voice. Maybe the first "I see it all now!" was funny, but it was definitely overplayed. This movie could have been so much better if they had just allowed Paris to co-star with Charlie.

Duets (2000)

A great "bad" movie, in the vein of "Ed Wood"

[10/10 · 26 September 2000]

OK, some of the acting was awful (Scott Speedman, Huey Lewis), but some of it was terrific (Paul Giamatti, Andre Braugher). The stories were riveting. I found myself caring about most of the characters. If you ignore the bad make-up it was a thoroughly professional movie. The editing, I thought was top rate, especially considering Braugher did not do his own singing.