joedonato234 Reviews

Accident (I) (2017)

My Big Toe could make a better movie.

[1/10 · 18 July 2020]

My wife begged me to turn this off. I wouldn't. I left it on to the bitter end. We are headed for Divorce Court.

Boy Meets Girl (1938)

Cagney has a field day. Actors take note.

[7/10 · 11 June 2014]

Cagney was always trying to break away from his tough guy image, and is obviously relishing this FAST paced screwball comedy (think THE FRONT PAGE/HIS GIRL Friday) about two zany screenwriters. He mugs, he shouts, he dances, he wise-cracks, acts fey-you name it, he does a million bits of business here. Not until ONE,TWO,THREE 25 years later will you see Cagney in this mode again. FRONT PAGE vet Pat O'Brian easily keeps up the pace, but he's playing the "straight" funny man here. Ralph Bellamy is a riot as the idiot producer (college-man) as is Dick Foran, who sends up his own cowboy image (who knew Foran was this good?). At times the pace gets away from the actors and certain scenes are TOO frenetic, and laughs are lost, but generally this is such an off-beat surprise, that despite an ugly, washed out print that makes the film feel even older and less stellar, there is enough entertainment here for those who can plug into the farcical tone of a film that pulls the pants of Hollywood down.

Me, Natalie (1969)

Little seen, Hardly forgotten

[8/10 · 21 September 2012]

This is an audience movie. You can pick apart the minor faults, but in the end it doesn't matter. If you click with Patty Duke's character/performance you're going to love this. And she's tremendously good here, easily her best adult performance. She's funny, bitter, innocent, sweet, conniving, honest, temperamental, gentle, loving and cold. Her facial make- up is by Dick Smith (who later transformed Marlon Brando in THE GODFATHER) and is completely believable and natural-looking. The supporting cast is an embarrassment of riches: Nancy Marchand as the nervous Mom who refuses to admit she has an ugly duckling daughter, Martin Balsam as the kind, understanding Uncle whose actions ultimately belie his words, Salome Jens who makes a big impression in a small part as the ex and future stripper, Deborah Winters a year before her starring role in THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR as the beautiful friend and Bob Balaban as one of Natalie's horny dates. There's also Cathy (LAST SUMMER) Burns and Al Pacino in blink and you'll miss 'em debuts. James Farentino is the male lead and he's aces. Filmed all over Greenwich Village and Brooklyn in the late '60's the film will offer New Yorkers a nostalgic look-back. There's a beautiful score by Henry Mancini, for those that like his work (in the mode of TWO FOR THE ROAD) and a couple of vocals by Rod Mckuen.

Inexplicably a box office dud, the same year THE STERILE CUCKOO was a hit., I think the film's horrendous poster sheet was the reason. They obviously wanted to keep Duke's appearance a secret and it back-fired.

Never released on video or DVD as of yet, and hardly ever shown on TV (National General Pictures, anyone?) this funny, perceptive coming-of-age story is probably only available on bootleg.

The Breaking Point (1950)

Garfield in one of his best

[9/10 · 25 May 2011]

This is a remake of TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT that supposedly from what I've read sticks closer to the Hemingway story. Garfield could play the strong but tormented guy like nobody's business, here however we have most of the information needed in understanding just what's eating at this guy, wearing him down and making him afraid. "A man alone hasn't got a chance," he keeps repeating. But Harry isn't alone. He's got a family that loves him, a plain but good woman he adores, and who adores him. A best friend who is his shipping mate, yet he still can't shake the feeling that somehow the universe is against him, working overtime. He's like a man that needs some spiritual guidance. Something is missing. On first viewing this plays like a well done yarn. On subsequent viewings however, this film begins to haunt. The characters and scenes play on a deeper, more meaningful level. The domestic scenes, usually the throwaway, boring parts of a story like this, become the rock and Garfield and Phylis Thaxter emit genuine emotion and affection for one another that is unusually realistic. Patricia Neal is the temptress here, and in an unusual move, we're not supposed to fall in love with her or maybe even like her, which is evident in how she's physically presented. Her haircut is really bad and she's basically unflatteringly lit and photographed. She too looks realistic: like a once beautiful creature who's been around the block too many times and is starting to look all used up.

Juano Hernandez rounds out the main players as Garfield's friend and shipmate. It was Garfield who insisted the character be a black man and had the relationship between the two beefed up. According to Garfield's daughter, the studio didn't like the idea and tried to talk him out of it, eventually giving up. This casting led to someone (director Michael Curtiz?)coming up with that final shot in the film that hits like a sucker punch to the gut, unexpected and unforgettable.

Watch this one a second time and see if you agree.