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kenjn60
Reviews
The Gay Diplomat (1931)
worst leading man?
This odd film plays like an operetta, but without the music.With Ivan Lebedeffs weird looks, thick accent, and stiff acting, its surprising he was ever given a lead role. I saw a documentary on RKO studios once, in which someone claimed that Lebedoff got hold of some of the studios audience review cards, and filled them out himself, with such glowing comments as "...a new sensation. Ivan Lebedoff has "it". Did the studio executives fall for this? must be, it the ad-line was 'film fans voted him a star'. At any rate his other film appearances were in small roles, as princes, gigolos,etc. The women in the film are somewhat better. Betty Compson is effective as a femme-fatale type counterspy. Ilka Chase has a few brief comic moments.The heroine Genevieve Tobin is attractive, but has one wildly melodramatic moment in which she cries out to Lebedeff "What IS your mission??" which typifies some of the overacting in the early talkies.
Tammy and the Millionaire (1967)
corny but cute
I suppose it would be silly to speak of the "Tammy" films as having depth, but the theatrical ones had more characterization than this does. Debbie Watson doesn't seem quite right int the role, but she's OK.Even so, I always enjoy this film, and think it would be fun to see all the episodes of the TV series its taken from. Here Tammy is miss super secretary... when she takes dictation she doesn't need to write on a pad, she can type directly on the typewriter as her boss is speaking.A mean rich woman and her foolish daughter keep trying to make Tammy look bad in the eyes of her employer, the millionaire. All their schemes fail. My favorite scene is at the end. The now-humiliated villainess is forced to go "root-boggin" (whatever that is). She comes out of the woods drenched and mud covered, only to encounter her spoiled daughter who starts whining and complaining. So mama gives her a good hard kick in the rear! Then starts limping around because she hurt her toe!