ekruper Reviews

The Long Gray Line (1955)

Still Love it!

[9/10 · 28 May 2007]

Just watched this movie (again) last night and still love it after more than 50 years!

Having read all 27 comments posted here up to this point, there's little to add, but this might be of some interest to Patrick Wayne fans. I thought Wayne looked a bit young to be a West Point cadet, so checked his biography on this site, which said he was born in 1939. That makes him only 15 during the making of this film (assuming it was made in 1954, as it was released in 1955.) Nevertheless, he pulled the part off well, as lots of college-age students look younger than they are.

I noted in other comments that Ford had initially wanted John Wayne for the part of Marty, which I can't imagine. Tyrone Power was perfect for the role.

No Highway in the Sky (1951)

Check library to borrow "No Highway" and other videos/DVDs

[5/10 · 28 March 2007]

Karen M. said she had to spend $19.95 to buy this film in order to see it. She should have saved her money and read the book instead. It's so much better than the movie.

After recently re-reading the book, entitled simply "No Highway", I wanted to compare it to the movie and got the video from our library co-op. What a disappointment. To begin with, James Stewart is all wrong for the part of Theodore Honey, at least for anyone who's read the book. And the movie left out huge sections of plot that were important to the story, especially in building up to the climactic scene.

Nevil Shute also wrote "A Town Like Alice", a book with a wonderful plot of substance during World War II, as well as a beautifully unfolding love story. PBS did a nice job of putting that one into a mini-series several years ago.

Shute is an excellent author. Treat yourself to any of his 24 novels. Those I read (the two I've mentioned here) were most enriching.

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)

This one stayed with me

[10/10 · 29 July 2006]

I saw this film at the age of 19 or 20 and it colored my days for some time afterward. The subject matter was heavy for me, as it probably was for most young women living in small towns in the 1950s. Most of us were anything but sophisticated and mature in our late teens.

The plot examined those sensitive subjects we were old enough to be aware of and wondering about, but too repressed or timid to discuss with our parents. And my girl friends were little help, as their experience, or lack thereof, was much the same as mine.

Preston was great, and I'll never forget Dorothy McGuire, Shirley Knight or Eve Arden for their roles in this fine film. When seeing this movie, I was closest in age to Shirley's character and completely sympathized with her. Had I been going through the heavy stuff she and her family were dealing with, I would likely have been affected in much the same way.

What a shame this is not available on video or DVD. It's a film of real substance---far better than much of what passes for good viewing these days.

Touch the Top of the World (2006 TV Movie)

Inspiring and important--not just entertainment

[10/10 · 18 June 2006]

I found this movie a pleasure. As a mom, I noticed this film was free of anything parents wouldn't want their kids to see. Most would want them to see it, because it's not only good entertainment, but inspiring to people of all ages.

As this is a true story, the message is all the more powerful. Many people lack confidence and will power, which often keeps them from setting goals and experiencing the fulfillment of achieving them. This film shows viewers what a person can do (conquer Mt. Everest) in spite of a significant disadvantage---complete blindness! And, as one might expect, the scenery is breathtaking!

Erik's autobiography is the same title as the movie, and will provide further insights about this remarkable man.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (1970)

This film awakened my interest in Stalin's regime and how people suffered and died under his dictatorship.

[9/10 · 18 March 2006]

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who wrote "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" on which this film was based, is one of my heroes. He suffered greatly under Soviet dictatorship and had the courage to risk his life by writing of his experiences. His work brought world attention to the plight of the many thousands of Soviet citizens unjustly imprisoned in Stalin's era and beyond.

In 1974, the Soviet government deported Solzhenitsyn after publication in the West of "The Gulag Archipelago", his major work exposing the Soviet prison system. He made his way to the U.S. where he lived for eighteen years. His citizenship was restored shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and he returned to Russia in 1994.

I found "One Day in the Life. . ." most depressing as I absorbed it, but I didn't seek it out to be entertained. The subject matter was of course not pleasant, but the fact that this is a realistic depiction of what Soviet prisoners experienced makes it an important historical work.

Though I saw this film over thirty years ago, I still remember the surprising reaction that engulfed me when leaving the theater. My husband and I walked to the car in silence. When we were seated inside the car I turned to him and said words to this effect: "I have a strange sense of well-being and. . .comfort, or. . .triumph or something." He said, "So do I." We sat there for a few moments, rather surprised at this because the film was so depressing.

We came to the conclusion that the main character and many of the other prisoners, maintained and conveyed an awareness of their own human dignity despite the severe hardship and hopelessness of their days. They did this by respecting each other, sharing some of the very meager food or other items they had and carrying on their agonizing work with quiet acceptance. There were exceptions, no doubt, which I don't recall specifically. But, overall, the triumph of the human spirit came through clearly.

This film enriched our lives by making us grateful for our freedoms and the abundance of resources we enjoy here in the United States. In the current state of the world, we can take none of these things for granted.