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Reviews
The Missing (2003)
bad remake of the searchers
i felt this was a blatant rip off of the classic John Wayne/John Ford movie The Searchers. The plot was quite similar and the last line from Cate is probably Director Howards nod to Ford. The Missing was too long , not enough substance. I wanted to know more about the characters and other than a few superficial facts there was no insight into these people. We are to assume the Healer just came to this area , had an illegitamit child with a stranger? and then got married ? It was a very sloppy job of providing us with potentially interesting people and then giving us zippo in the way of character study. The acting was fine, the little girl and the leads were quite good, but again, this was just a bad reworking of a classic western. What a shame to waste great actors and scenery.
Shane (1953)
Great Western
Alan ladd never better. having seen this movie as a child, i defy any movie going guy not to say that Shane isn't the coolest cowboy/gunslinger in any movie. he's not the big heroic duke or the laconic Gary cooper cowboy, he's more one of the first anti hero cowboys.He knows he's cool but doesn't seem to need to advertise it. Jack Palance is incredible as the direct opposite of ladd. ladd is light colored and clothed, palance completely dark. ladd is short to palance's being a good 7 to 8 inches taller. you want to root for Shane while there is nothing to like about Palance's Jack Wilson. Van Heflin is terrific as usual as the homesteader leader and Jean Arthur was equally Oscar worthy. The Riker brothers, whoever they were, were perfectly cast and the Riker speech about carving out the frontier to Joey was even sympathetic. Don't forget Elijah Cooke JR. playing the bragging johnny reb or the other dozen or so perfectly cast character actors. Ben JOhnsons scenes with Shane are also brilliant, especially the last when they shake hands as brothers. great George Stevens movie-making.
In Harm's Way (1965)
Greatly Compelling Film
On the surface this has every reason to be considered among the lesser works of all involved. However,there must be a reason that i will sit through countless screening of this film, cause it is addictive. The soap opera war story features an outstanding lead and supporting cast. From the likes of heavyweights Dana Andrews and Franchot Tone playing small supporting roles, to the even smaller role played by a very young Carroll O'Connor. John Wayne is probably greatly miscast here age wise, but the Duke couldn't botch a role is he tried.DeWilde is excellent as his snotty son who grows to manhood before his untimely death. Kirk is outstanding as the somewhat laid back , somewhat psychotic second banana. The by play with Burgess Medidith and Kirk and Duke shows what movie acting is about when done right. Patrick ONeal is excellent as the cowardly status seeking backstabber. Again, for some reason , this movie has proved to me to be compellingly watchable and enjoying time and time again. Preminger has never received full credit for the great work he has done. Critics treat him as an afterthought to his great work which in wrong. But the proof is in the pudding
The Errand Boy (1961)
The king of all comedies
I usually don't laugh out loud at jerry lewis movies, tho i almost always am entertained by him and appreciate his genius. The errand boy makes me repeatedly laugh out loud and has for almost 45 years. i never tire of the hilarious routines and i think its a shame that jerry was never nominated for his work. as far as I'm concerned, the Jim Carey's and Eddie Murphy's of the world should send jerry a cut of every check they get since they have stolen from him enormously. i usually don't agree with the french, but jerry is a genius and he did his great works with only the special effect of being jerry.The underwater diver scene and the Leo Durocher scene are classics as is the musical boardroom scene which never tires as many times as i have scene Jerry do it on the telathons