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Reviews
A Ghost Waits (2020)
Flawed but decent
"A Ghost Waits" has a great promise, where a lonely man meets a lonely ghost and they start to like each other very much. While there are some negatives, they don't really stop the film from being an enjoyable viewing once.
The story does start off a bit slow and dull, and frankly the "romance" between the handyman (paid to fix up an unoccupied home so others can move in) and the centuries-old pretty ghost happens way too fast and seems too contrived. A better ides would have had the man move in the home as the owner, so the relationship can grow over time. Here's it's just way too rushed.
The movie is also partially described as a "comedy," but I'm guessing that wasn't the initial case. There seems to be some instances that were intended to be serious, but they came off an unintentionally funny, so to play it safe, "comedy" was added to the film's basic description.
"A Ghost Awaits" is shot well given the budget, and the actors try their best and do a decent job, no worse than anyone in a major production really.
The ending is done well, but we're not really convinced as to why that had to be done, at least not yet. Again, way too much too soon in the relationship.
If this idea was done on a higher level, the film could have been much better. But for what it is, "A Ghost Awaits" is good, just more likely than not, something you won't view a second time.
Samaritan (2022)
A good one
No, "Samaritan" won't go down in history as a great superhero movie, but it is pretty enjoyable with an interesting plot.
This movie kind of seems a few steps above a TV-movie of the Week, and a few below a big superhero theatrical release. Which in my opinion is a good thing - it's not overrun from start to finish with annoying and obviously fake CGI. Of course, there is a lot of CGI but when you don't spend $200 million on it, it's nice not to have it suffocate you.
I didn't even see the big twist in the plot coming, that was a decent turnaround and a nice surprise. Especially if you're a Stallone fan, "Samaritan" isn't a bad way to kill some time.
Street Smart (1987)
A great opportunity wasted
"Street Smart," a Christopher Reeve pet project, sounds like a fantastic movie - a journalist (Jonathan, played by Reeve) needs a great story, so he creates a fictional pimp and passes the pimp's story as real for the magazine he works for. However, the fake story seems like the real life of an actual pimp named Fast Black (Morgan Freeman) and all sorts of trouble happens from there.
Despite a great job by most of the cast overall (Freeman in particular), "Street Smart" is watchable but not that good of a film. One big problem is that the editing seems very choppy, with scenes popping up seemingly kind of random without much rhyme or reason. That makes the appear to have gaps, it seems like things are missing.
For example, it seems very odd and out of place that Jonathan gets intimate with one of Fast Black's hookers, and so early in the film. It comes out of left field and doesn't seem to make any sense. It would have been better if he merely started to gradually like her a bit. The entire film is full of oddball things like this.
Another problem is the poor placement of certain music, sometimes it really doesn't seem to make any sense. It's often downright amateurish, just like most of the direction.
Reeve also seems miscast. It's interesting how this film is his pet project, but he kind of looks like he's being forced to do it. The reality is, this film was given the green light for Reeve because he agreed to do Superman IV, however Reeve's performance strangely makes it seems like the other way around.
Morgan Freeman definitely saves the day as pimp Fast Black, as he is a blast to watch. The film kind of sleeps when he's not on screen, and wakes up whenever he appears.
There's really no other reason other than Freeman to watch "Street Smart," unless you're curious about a Christopher Reeve role that really wasn't seen by too many people.
The Partridge Family: Each Dawn I Diet (1972)
How times have changed
Danny wants to lose weight, Reuben wants to quit smoking, so of course they make a bet with each other about who can hold out temptation longer.
Kind of funny seeing Reuben smoke and being portrayed as a big smoker, as I don't believe he's seen smoking in any other episode. Danny is also portrayed as a huge eater who can't stop eating, but that was never really the case. So a lot of license was definitely needed here.
It is funny though seeing just what constitutes as "fat" half a century ago. The "fat" people then would be just normal people nowadays.
So yeah this episode is ok but nothing too special. The funniest thing about it is Reuben sleeping in Danny's room with him (to keep an eye on each other), and Danny checking out Reuben's "Playboy" magazine (it isn't named Playboy but that's what it's supposed to be). And then after Reuben busts Danny with the magazine, Reuben then proceeds to read it right in front of 10-year old Danny!
Dave Madden of course is great as Reuben, as is Danny Bonaduce as Danny. Even with underwhelming scripts here and there, they always did a hilarious job.
The Partridge Family: All's War in Love and Fairs (1972)
Partridges are victims of a con
En route to vacation, the Partridge Family's bus breaks down and they end up among some Indians, and are conned by them and some palefaces into playing a charity show.
The people in town who take the Partridges in and promise to fix their bus keep coming up with excuses why the bus can't be fixed in order to get the family to perform the show.
Some stuff here that would never fly today, such as the Indian's getups, Reuben referring to them as "savages," and heck even the very word "Indian" make this a very non-PC episode. It's not a very good one, there are much better Partridge Family episodes, but good enough for one viewing. And isn't Laurie so beautiful!
Boys Beware (1962)
Is the advice really bad?
No matter how one feels about the attitude towards gays in "Boys Beware," can anyone deny that it gives some sound advice?
For example, whether the "gay" aspect is present or not, a young boy should definitely not take rides from strangers, and especially not befriend them and take gifts from them. This is a popular method for gay men who are bad to earn the trust of young boys, so pointing this out really isn't wrong at all.
If your friend is stupid enough to get into a car with a complete stranger, yes, taking down the plate number is also a good idea. And if you are walking towards an area where you will be particularly vulnerable, like under a pier as in the film and you see a strange man following you, yes, it's a good idea not to go in there.
Yes, the narration may be a little off, as well as the overall attitude. The film doesn't stress that not all gay men are bad, and that is wrong, sure. But it's just as wrong to deny that many of them, enough to be concerned about, are predators, just like many heterosexual men, and women. The obvious bias against gays in the film doesn't negate that the methods shown in the film for getting the young boy's confidence are indeed used, always were and always will be.
And of course that doesn't stop at gays towards young boys - it could be any kind of adult looking to groom and mold an innocent kid.
So the film is a relic in its execution, but like mommy and daddy always would say, "Don't take candy from strangers."
The Odd Couple: Felix Directs (1973)
Should be called "Felix Directs...A Porno"
Another fun episode of "The Odd Couple," where Felix (at the prompting of Murray the Cop) makes a documentary about Oscar, then unknowingly accepts an offer to direct a porno film.
Murray actually has a good moment when he tells Felix off. As they both watch a documentary, Felix complains about the directing, which sets off Murray who leaves in a huff, and who challenges Felix to do better since he says he can.
Felix decides to do a film about Oscar, but it's really just home movies, like Danny and Keith Partridge did in the episode of "The Partridge Family" where they decided to be film makers, and filmed the family.
The fun really starts when Felix accepts an offer from a friend of Oscars to do a film (starring Oscar), not knowing it's a porno film.
They set up the porno shoot in the apartment, and Oscar is quite happy rehearsing with the star of the movie, a very gorgeous woman, actress Doria Cook-Nelson. Oscar finally realizes he's about to star in a porno film with Felix directing, and puts a stop to the whole thing.
What's kind of odd about Oscar's revulsion to the very idea of a porno film. He even describes porno films as "the smut you see on 42nd Street." Now, that's true, but in this very same episode, we see Oscar walk into a topless bar, and even in the show's former intro during the credit titles, we see Oscar peek into one (with the cop watching). So Oscar's sudden moralizing about "smut" seems a bit off.
Overall another funny Odd Couple episode of so many.
Happy Days: No, Thank You. (1981)
Fonzie the near-rapist
This is a great episode to illustrate how horrible the show had become. The basic plot is that there's a pretty new teacher at school, the Fonz asks her out, and she says no.
Fonz seems like his entire world collapses from the "no" and he is desperate to have the woman say yes. This is where the Fonz gets pretty unlikable.
First, under the guise of taking her home after school, he takes her to the Cunningham home instead. Then he gets very pushy, so much so that the woman even tells him to stop pressuring her. The Fonz keeps on getting pushy and the woman keeps on backing away, even accusing Fonz of being worked up. At this point, Fonz is ranting like a lunatic, like he may even rape the woman.
So what does the Fonz do? Does he finally get the message and back off? No, as she tries to leave the house, Fonzie stops her, grabs her, forces her towards him, and plants a big kiss right on her lips.
Terrified, the woman runs out of the house, leaving Fonzie all confused. It turns out the woman was a nun! The episode goes on about Fonz's guilt, and the two eventually reconcile. It is interesting to note that Fonz's guilt was mostly because he kissed a nun, and not because he got so "rapey."
So this is an episode where we've never seen Fonzie actually force himself upon someone like that. He even tried to explain to her that he's never done that before. Is that good enough though? We saw a weak Fonz so insulted by a woman saying "no" to him, that he actually lured her somewhere, blocked the exit so she could not leave, and forced himself upon her despite her objections.
What would Potsie, Ralph, and geez, Richie think of the Fonz after that?
Uncool, Fonz. Uncool.
Happy Days: Joanie Busts Out (1979)
Boys will be boys
In short, Joanie wants to be a model and goes to a photographer Chachi works for (after finding a brochure Chachi left behind), not knowing the guy only takes nudes. She refuses to pose nude, but not before Richie, Fonzie and Chachi freak out thinking she did it.
The guys are funny in this episode, because they are all against Joanie posing nude for the guy, but they themselves all drool like rabid dogs (even Fonzie) at the sight of the guy's absolutely gorgeous models. Heck, Fonzie even freaked about Chachi working there and made him quit, despite that Fonzie Mr. Morality himself dates up to six girls at one time.
Ralph even took it as far as kissing the nude negatives he took from the photographer's studio. Even horny as heck, he's still got it.
One peculiar thing is that the photographer isn't really portrayed as a sleazy character, just a guy who happens to take nude shots. He's actually a pretty nice guy, he's good to his assistant Chachi, and is even respectful to the models. That's why when Richie says to Joanie that she should be upset at him for "even thinking for a second" that "she would pose for that guy" (as opposed to simply posing nude), it sounds a bit out of place, as "that guy" seemed like a decent guy.
Not too bad an episode considering it's in season seven.
Happy Days: They Shoot Fonzies, Don't They? (1976)
I'll say it...Donny Most is a better singer
This is a lightweight episode of Happy Days (I guess like just about all of them) where a tired Fonz just rolled his broken motorcycle twelve miles home to dance in a marathon with Joanie.
For Joanie/Erin Moran fans it's a great episode as her character pretty much dominates here, and she even has a sweet moment with brother Richie.
The as always unnamed band, consisting of Richie, Potsie, Ralph and the mystery girl drummer who never speaks again (played by an extra who is in tons of Happy Days episodes) are slated to provide the music for the marathon, and at one point many hours in, Potsie says he can't sing anymore, so Ralph sings a tune.
Donny Most does a great job, and in my humble opinion, has a better voice than Anson Williams, who is supposed to be the "singer" on the show. Donny's voice just has a better resonance, and is more pleasant to listen to. Anson's voice sounds way too smooth and frankly, dull (remember "Dull Potsie"), like a one-trick pony.
The funny thing is, Donny Most is the one out of the two who actually recorded a full album, while Anson just recorded singles. Donny's album came out around the time of this episode so it seems they were trying to promote him a bit. I wonder if any commercial time was bought during Happy Days airings for advertising the album.
The album didn't chart, and both Donny's and Anson's singles lingered at the bottom of the charts (others they did didn't make the chart at all). It's a bit surprising considering how gigantic the show was.
Donny's one pop album from 1976 is on Spotify, and the production is poor unfortunately, like many quickie cash-in attempts then when TV shows churned out record albums featuring stars from the shows. He was a Barry Manilow fan though, and there is a nice version of Manilow's "One of These Days" on it.
Of course, nowadays Donny records jazzy/swing music, and he sounds darn good.
So that's really the highlight of this episode, seeing Ralph Malph sing. Of course, Joanie is cute as is her main competition, Charlene Tilton.
Happy Days: Fonzie the Salesman (1976)
Great guest stars
The plot is simple: a new boss now owns the garage Fonzie works at, then Fonzie quits due to ridiculous demands by the new boss, and tries out a bunch of jobs.
This episode is fun to watch mainly because of the guest stars. The new boss at the garage is none other than the great Richard Stahl, a TV legend especially in the 70s, a guy whose face everyone knows even if they may not know his name. Stahl is sharp as a tack as always and a blast to watch.
When Fonzie tries to get a business loan, the loan officer is none other than Dick Van Patten, yet another TV legend. With these guests, a show is always worth watching.
One particularly funny sequence is Fonzie going door to door (with Richie's help) selling encyclopedias, and encountering a bunch of different people. The last door he tries is answered by a gorgeous woman, who invites Fonzie in, leaving Richie carrying the bag, literally.
There's even somewhat of a risque finale, as Richie, Potsie, and Ralph all go to the woman's apartment (one by one, unaware of the other) and she invites them all inside, presumably to have a good time with. Of course, the Fonz then comes around and kicks them all out.
We also get a great view of Ralph's hot rod in the garage, so that's another bonus. Overall, a decent episode for one being after the first two great seasons.
Happy Days: Fonzie's Getting Married (1975)
The episode that would change 'Happy Days' forever
In the middle of season two, it was decided for this episode to film in from of a live studio audience for the first time.
It's definitely a different feel, as all the actors act just a little bit differently (and sillier), and the crowd's laughter is obviously not piped in. The Cunningham house was even starting to change. Ron Howard said that the experiment in front of a live audience was the last episode of season two, but maybe he meant the final filmed episode, if they shot all these way ahead of time and out of sequence.
The plot is kind of weak and cliche, where Fonzie suddenly reveals he's getting married, only to find out his (pretty hot) wife-to-be Maureen, who was never seen or mentioned before, is a stripper.
There's even a cliched "freeze frame" to emphasize the drama as Fonzie runs towards Maureen after she leaves the strip club stage, shocked that Fonzie found out the truth.
It's just very odd how well this method of filming the show worked from season three on. The show was even almost canceled due to ratings going down in season two. It's generally accepted that the first two seasons of "Happy Days" were easily the best, as it was shot like a little movie, and the gang still did basic teen stuff. Fonzie also didn't have superpowers yet, even though a few minor instances were creeping in.
Fonzie though was exploding as a popular TV character, but in this episode, like all the ones from season three on, Fonzie doesn't seen quite as cool as the non-studio audience shows. But history is history, and the show enjoyed great success for the rest of the 1970s due to the change, even becoming the #1 show in season four, taking the #1 spot away from "All in the Family" after that show owned it for five straight seasons.
So obviously something worked, love it or not, and it all began with "Fonzie's Getting Married."
Happy Days: The Best Man (1974)
The Cunninghams get down
Almost two years before the great Sticks came to town, Howard's old army buddy Fred, who happens to be black, comes to town to get married.
At first he's merely staying at the Cunningham household, but after he can't get a venue for the wedding, in true sitcom fashion the wedding takes place in the Cunningham living room.
Doing a "race" episode so early in the show's run may have risked alienating some viewers, as these kinds of episodes can tend to be a little preachy. I doubt anyone is going to second-guess their beliefs after watching a lighthearted sitcom show.
The episode wastes no time getting down to business however. Right at the very beginning as Marion/Mrs. C and Richie come home from shopping, we can see a huge watermelon sticking out of a grocery bag, so you know that's going to be used somehow.
Less than a minute later, Howard enters with Fred and introduces him, and of course right at that very moment Marion is holding the watermelon. Taken by surprise at a black man in her kitchen, Marion then exclaims, after fumbling a greeting, "We have watermelon all the time!" as she pats it. So right there, you know we're it for a heckuva ride.
As a matter of fact, Marion pretty much admits she's a bigot (after Howard accuses her), and it even comes to light that she had the idea to have the wedding in the house due to White Guilt.
Of course, there have to be the obligatory 'racist' incidents. A snooty neighbor comes over to use the phone and can't handle Fred's presence. A cop finds Fred walking outside and brings him to the Cunningham house to check out his story. Heck, at the beginning, even Richie seems a bit apprehensive about Fred.
Later, Richie and Fonzie have a brief talk about race. One funny thing is that after Fonzie refers to guests at the upcoming wedding as "black people," Richie mildly scolds him and says, "I don't think they like being called 'black'. They're negroes." Things certainly have changed in fifty years. Heck, even today, some find both of those terms racist for whatever reason.
Fonzie of course says "I'll take any guy as long as he's cool," laying some perspective on things.
The wedding goes off and of course the obviously nerdy white people (Marion, Richie and Joanie) unsuccessfully try to keep the black guests entertained after the groom runs off and Howard tries to get him to come back. The wedding is complete, and of course the bride's father then shows nerdy Marion how to get funky on the piano.
Noteworthy is that this is a very rare episode (the only one actually) in the earlier years where Potsie and Ralph Malph do not appear, which is quite odd. Their comedic reactions to the situation would have been quite welcome due to this being one of the weaker early episodes. Without them, the show kind of turns into a sitcom called "The Cunninghams" and Fonzie makes a brief cameo.
Also in true sitcom fashion, Fred, who was even considering buying a house in the 'hood, is never seen or heard from again.
The actor playing Fred, Robert DoQui, has a very impressive TV show resume and is quite good, rising above the material. Tip: check him out in the "Insight" episodes he is in, especially "The Jesus Song."
So as Mrs. C enjoys her huge watermelon, this is an episode that is good to see but most won't be in any rush to watch again.
Happy Days: Because She's There (1974)
Howard the Jerk, Richie the Fool
Richie of course has a blind date with a pretty girl much taller than him, and he's a bit insecure so he has a hard time handling it.
It's particularly frustrating to watch Richie here because he's just so lame in this episode. It's blatantly obvious that the girl wants to make out with Richie (at Ralph's costume party) and that him being shorter than she is does not bother her. However, Richie still can't handle it and he fumbles through an embarrassing folly of an evening where he even stoops so low (pun intended) as to give the girl a tour of the town, pointing out the "landmarks." Talk about no game!
Even when they run out of gas, the girl is practically begging for a kiss, and Richie instead wants to find a gas station. You want to root for him, but he's just so incredibly lame and dull in this episode, you simply feel embarrassed for his pathetic existence.
One interesting note, as Richie and his date are walking in search of gasoline (because Richie is so much fun on a date), Fonzie on his bike spots them. Henry Winkler/Fonzie almost never did his own riding (there are a few rare instances), and it's very obvious the rider on the bike (while the bike is in motion) is not Henry. Fonzie did a U-turn, maybe Henry had trouble maneuvering through that.
Meanwhile, Richie's parents are playing cards with Ralph's parents, and Howard is acting like a total fool, giving Marion a very hard time about her playing. He even keeps saying "it's only a game" but he's the one losing his cool over it. He treats his wife poorly, and it's also embarrassing. This was not a good episode for the Cunningham males.
Richie, to his credit, finally did make out with his date...at her doorstep at the end of the night. The entire night was wasted.
Good episode though, as they all were the first two seasons before the show started being filmed before a studio audience. Potsie's date was especially cute with a great pair of legs, proving the even Potsie can get a nice looking girl sometimes. There's hope for everyone.
Happy Days: The Howdy Doody Show (1975)
Howdy Doody gets lucky
This episode has a funny plot: Richie enters a convenient Howdy Doody lookalike contest in order to get a photo of Clarabell the Clown without makeup for the school paper.
The editor of the paper (who happens to be the same school paper editor who threatened to print Laurie Partridge's diary) says Richie is off the paper unless he gets a scoop, so Richie has his sights on Clarabell. He does manage to get the photo, which Life Magazine offers to buy for a huge $300 (huge in the fifties for a teenager).
What happens after that doesn't reflect well on Buffalo Bob and Clarabell. The pair go to the Cunningham house to try to convince Richie not to sell the photo, due to Clarabell's mystique, and how they don't want to ruin the fantasy for the fans. It's actually kind of like the band KISS and their makeup, who were just rising in popularity at this time.
Well, Buffalo Bob and Clarabell got what they wanted, as Richie rips up the photo. However, what do they do for Richie in return? Nothing! No money, no gifts, no courtesy, no nothing. Matter of fact, as soon as they got what they wanted, Bob and Clarabell hi-tail it out of the house and split as fast as possible, and they even do so knowing full well that Joanie has invited her friends over to see them!
So not only do Bob and Clarabell ditch Richie, but they ditch fourteen friends of Joanie's who are coming over. Talk about rude and selfish!
Still, good episode, especially when Richie and Fonzie try to get Ralph to enter the contest. Oh those poor kids, left behind....
The Jackie Gleason Show: The Honeymooners: The Curse of the Kramdens (1966)
Good entertainment
The Kramdens and Nortons end up in Ireland, where Ralph has to sleep in a haunted castle for a night, in order to break a long curse. Of course, he drags poor Norton with him.
In the castle, it's all various spooky shenanigans and antics as the "ghosts" haunt the boys, who later of course solve the mystery.
This is one of the episodes where they expanded the Honeymooners a bit to include song and dance numbers, and it's all pretty impressive. There are lots of pretty girls and well-choreographed routines, making for a very good time.
The best musical sequence however is just the four main principals of Ralph (singing lead), Norton, Alice and Trixie singing a song about ghosts. This comes across amazingly well, but not ""too" perfect, which keeps it well within the bounds of being quite enjoyable without feeling sterile.
The only downer in this episode is at the beginning, where we see two guys in the Irish town discuss the curse and why Ralph has to stay in the castle. Of course this is to get the plot across for the audience, but it comes across as a drag and goes on too long.
Other than that, this is a fine episode, and we even see the curtain call.
The Honeymooners (1977)
The final Honeymooners
Of course "The Honeymooners" is one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and the skits before and after "the classic 39" on Jackie Gleason's various TV shows are just as good. Many don't even realize that the Honeymooners had versions in the '60s and '70s.
With this, "The Honeymooners Christmas Special" or whatever the proper name is, the era finally ends on a decent note.
The first thing about this Christmas special is that it pretty much has nothing to do with Christmas. You see some gifts and some decorations, but even a Christmas tree that appears at the start disappears quickly. There's really no mention of Christmas again.
The plot is kind of silly even for the Honeymooners, where Ralph buys a lot of lottery tickets (and with money that isn't his) because of something a gypsy woman told him. Now Ralph has always been a bit naive concerning getting into get-rich-quick schemes, but this one seems a little weak.
There are some decent laughs though, even if nothing outstanding. Ralph is still a bus driver (with that lame mustache now) and Norton is still a sewer worker, and still wearing his hat and vest. Audrey Meadows is Alice again, but her hair is seriously dated even for 1977, and there is no Joyce Randolph as Trixie which is a disappointment; Jean Kane instead takes the role. She's very pretty though especially towards the end.
It is curious how everything is the same, because if you go back to the early fifties, Ralph and Norton have been at the same jobs for almost thirty years, and the apartment still has appliances from the 1940s. I know the audience (taped in Atlantic City) wants to see the familiar stuff, but this kind of emphasizes what losers these guys must be, and who wants to think that?
Given that this was the final original show with the cast in action as their characters (anything after this was a clip show or anniversary show), it would have been nice for a few old school Gleason cast members to appear, who have been in seemingly countless Honeymooners shows and sketches like George Petrie and Frank Marth (you may not know the names but you know who they are).
One curious thing is that a few jokes are in there that are definitely of the times. Like, when the gang is making plans to eat at the Hong Kong Gardens, Trixie, mimicking a Chinese person, says "Ah, so!"
Another funny joke is how Ralph is caught by Alice's mother rubbing Norton's back (to get him to fall asleep) and singing to him, and his mother-in-law looks with disapproval and says she's going to call Anita Bryant. Anita of course hooked up with a coalition called "Save Our Children" (against homosexuality) and was a very vocal leader for it.
One thing missing was an abundance of fat jokes, which Gleason was never shy about doing, but seeing how Art Carney was pretty much about Gleason's size at this point, fat jokes wouldn't serve much of a purpose. Carney however, like the old days, gets the biggest laughs and is as pro as ever.
We do get to see the final curtain call after the show, one final introduction to the actors.
So really, this is an ok special although it would have been great for the characters to have actually celebrated Christmas and with a better script. Definitely good for some laughs though.
The Jackie Gleason Show: Glow Worm Cleaning (1953)
Norton thinks Alice is hot
We'll get to that in a minute.
This is a pretty standard early Honeymooners sketch. Alice gets chosen to be in a sink cleaner advertisement, and of course Ralph ruins everything. It's not the best Honeymooners you'll see, but it's packed with enough laughs to make the ten minutes worthwhile.
However, there is one part where we see something that I don't believe is on any other Honeymooners sketch or episode - Norton expressing very candidly how he feels about Alice's looks.
Ralph isn't home yet, and as always, Norton walks in and as usual he spends time with Alive even though Ralph isn't there. Now, Alice tells Norton about the ad, and after some banter, Norton finally says, "Alice, if you ever get your picture on a calendar, lemme have one will ya? Geee!" And then Norton makes a motion with his hand as if to signal 'Va va va voom!'
The live studio audience definitely took notice of Ralph's best friend flirting with his wife, and some audience members howled out their surprise and comedic approval with various "whoo whoo" calls. Alice smiled at Norton's gesture and loved it.
Trixie of course would not have liked all this one bit!
Happy Days: Guess Who's Coming to Visit (1974)
The best Happy Days episode
Just about everyone is pretty much in agreement that the first two seasons of "Happy Days" are by far (and I do mean by far) the greatest seasons. Kids hanging out, trying to score chicks, Fonzie being quiet and cool (with virtually no superpowers), hot rods, burgers and milk shakes, rock and roll, the whole bit.
To give you an idea of how ridiculous the show became, besides things like an alien from space showing up and Fonzie jumping a shark, there's even an episode where Chachi sells his soul to the devil, and Fonzie must battle to get it back. Yes, you read that right. (And incredibly, this low-rated episode even spawned a brief failed spin-off ("Out of the Blue").
But way back in the beginning, the show was great, and "Guess Who's Coming to Visit" has all the ingredients that make for a defining "Happy Days" episode.
Simply put, a local hotrodder named Skizzy challenges Ralph to a drag race, but due to Ralph's inexperience dragging, Fonzie takes Ralph's place and drives his car. Potsie and Richie then must sneak out for the midnight drag, and there's a subplot of Richie chasing after Skizzy's pretty girlfriend.
Richie even gets (for him) oddly bold, trying to make time with Skizzy's girlfriend at Arnold's when Skizzy is there!
There's the great hot rods (and those engines sound incredible), pretty girls, Fonzie being cool, the guys hanging at Arnold's having some laughs, and more high school hijinks.
One of the episode's greatest moments is Fonzie talking to the police chief, who knows Fonzie, and is surprised that Fonzie would be drag racing Skizzy, feeling that particular competition is beneath the Fonz.
There's a real lot to enjoy in the first two seasons, and the occasional scattered moment afterwards, but in my opinion it gets no better than this, the fourth episode of the series. It's an early time to peak, but again, the entire first two seasons are full of great shows.
The Jackie Gleason Show: The Honeymooners: Principle of the Thing (1955)
That's a landlord for ya
More apartment troubles for Ralph and Alice as everything in their place keeps on falling apart. Of course all their complaints to the landlord go unanswered, and Ralph decides to finally fix the apartment up himself on the landlord's dime, according to a clause in the lease.
As always, the Honeymooners manage to pack in a hilarious tale in one or two locations, this time being the apartment (of course) and the pool room. And as always, Joyce Randolph as Norton's wife Trixie has very little to do, is underused and is only seen very briefly.
Still, watching Alice, Ralph and Norton argue about the apartment (including some hilariously bad wallpaper Ralph wants to put up) is as always great to watch. Having these "lost episodes" of the Honeymooners finally emerge was a huge break for fans, a real treasure trove.
But anyway, of course things don't go as planned, and Jack Benny finally appears as the dreaded landlord. He never gives a name, so it's never really clear if Benny is "playing" the landlord, or if the landlord happens to be Jack Benny.
Whatever the case, as par for the course, the landlord gives Ralph and Alice a very major screwing at the end. But, as residents of big cities especially know, landlords s*ck.
The Jackie Gleason Show: Catch a Star (1956)
Fun episode
Blabbermouth Ralph says he is buds with Jackie Gleason and can get him to perform at the Raccoon Lodge dance, and he better come through because that news made the lodge sell a thousand tickets (up from zero before Ralph said he can get Gleason).
Then we see Ralph and Norton on a conquest to meet Gleason and invite him, and in the meantime we see the four principal Honeymooners players (Gleason, Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph) play themselves as they encounter Ralph and Norton.
This leads to some very funny exchanges between the "real" stars and the characters they play (of course, they only interact with the other characters). However, the highlight of this show is easily an exchange between Ralph and Norton, as they argue about who is the better and funnier TV star, Jackie Gleason or Art Carney (Ralph is for Gleason while Norton is for Carney).
It all comes down to a very convenient resolution, kind of an easy way out but still funny. Not one of the funniest Honeymooners shows overall (here of course being on the Jackie Gleason Show), as cast members playing themselves is always a little iffy (though not as bad as an actor playing two fictional character roles), but it's passable here and still good for a nice amount of laughs.
The Irish in Us (1935)
They can't all be winners
James Cagney is one of Hollywood's true legends, and he's really the only reason to sit through this oft-painful comedy that is more miss than hit.
Lots of familiar Warner's faces in this one, including three brothers, Cagney (the troublemaker boxing promoter), cop Pat O'Brien and fireman Frank McHugh. For some reason they all still live at home with Ma, who's a friendly gal. Cagney takes in a boxer (Allen Jenkins) who goes nuts when he hears bells or sirens.
Mixed in with the plot of Cagney training Jenkins for a big fight, Cagney falls for his brother's (O'Brien) date, Olivia de Havilland, looking quite gorgeous. She in turn falls for him, because what girl wouldn't take Cagney over O'Brien, who always seems to play wallflowers? The bros then have a big spat. O'Brien was even talking marriage with this girl, which was news to her, as they've only known each other a few weeks.
The big problem with "The Irish in Us" is that the comedy is so forced and strained. McHugh and Jenkins especially go way overboard, and are painful to watch as they are obviously trying way too hard. They're usually fantastic as comic relief but too much is simply too much.
Also, Olivia de Havilland is pretty much virtually the only young woman in the movie with lines, with rare exception. Ma gets a real lot of screen time and lines, and some scenes with her are way too long. She's sweet and all that but again, with Ma, too much is too much. Her comedy at the boxing match is also pretty bad.
Cagney though saves the viewing experience even if he can't save the movie, because he's always fun to watch.
You may sit through "The Irish in Us" once, and once will be enough.
Hell's Kitchen (1939)
"The Mayor of Hell" was better
That doesn't mean "Hell's Kitchen" isn't worth a viewing though. The cast is fantastic, where you have the Dead End Kids, Ronald Reagan, the gorgeous Margaret Lindsey, and other familiar faces. Stanley Fields is a decent mug leaving the rackets, and Grant Mitchell also plays a fantastic evil head of the reform school.
Fields plays Buck, who is on probation and wants to clean up the school. There are some decent curiosities, like hockey footage that resembles a 1939 version of "Slap Shot," and Frankie Burke, the Cagney lookalike (and soundalike) first seen as a young Rocky Sullivan in "Angels with Dirty Faces." His film career lasted only four years but he managed to appear in no less than eighteen films.
As good as Stanley Fields is, it's tough to beat Cagney in "The Mayor of Hell," which also had the advantage of being pre-code. The Dead End Kids take over the movie, with Billy Halop and Leo Gorcey getting the most lines.
Overall, a decent enough movie, but not one you'll be in a rush to view again. Still, decent.
The African Queen (1951)
Bogie Goes Disney
Of course Disney didn't make this film, but it sure seems like it. "The African Queen" is very much revered, and despite the legendary Humphrey Bogart in the lead role, it's a mystery exactly why.
He even won the Best Actor Oscar, kind of a surprise. He certainly was good, but like the rest of the film, his performance seems cornball and forced. The whole movie seemed very contrived, and Bogie's romance with Katherine Hepburn being particularly rushed, forced and silly.
The scenario, the music and the bad dialogue have "Disney" all over it. "The African Queen" really plays like a kiddie film. I almost expected Bogie to start swimming with the crocs as they help him tug the boat through the reeds, and for Hepburn to break out in song with the birds. Even the rubber leeches seemed like they were going to sing an evil tune as they clung to Bogie's body.
So much of the film seems way too fake as well. Maybe the worst scene was when mosquitos or whatever they were swarmed over our couple. They were very obviously only on the film's surface. When Bogie threw a tarp over Hepburn to protect her, he should have also covered a big part of the swarm too, but no.
Other obviously fake scenes were poorly filmed scenes with a miniature boat, and the obvious shots where they were in front of a giant screen. Some shots in the water you could hear the echo of their speaking voices because they are in a studio tank.
But not to be all negative, because it is Bogie on screen, even if he's acting silly and saying bad lines. Hepburn even looks a bit sexy all messy, and thankfully her performance is a bit toned down. There are also some beautiful location shots.
Best scene in the movie is when a drunk Bogie starts razzing Hepburn a bit. Best line in the film: "Well I ain't sorry no more, you crazy, psalm-singin' skinny old maid!"
More drunken Bogie and some singing elephants may have helped the film a bit. Glad I watched because I love Bogie, but doubt I'll ever watch it again. It makes sense that this film was a favorite of Walt Disney, because this is totally a Disney film without his name on it.
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)
Just fantastic
Even though I love Edward G. Robinson and Bogie, the title and premise of this film made it seem a bit goofy, almost like a Disney film. However, I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that this is a GREAT movie, a tour de force for both actors as well as Claire Trevor, who plays Joe, the female leader of a gang of criminals.
Edward G. Plays the good doctor, who has been stealing jewels and eventually infiltrates a gang of thieves all for the sake of researching the criminal mind, and eventually putting his findings in a book. He's a pretty darn good crook, and gets to like the "life" more and more. The female leader of the gang even starts to fall for him.
Bogie however, who plays "Rocks," is the one gang member who is skeptical about Dr. Clitterhouse, and is envious that the sexy Joe likes Clitterhouse over himself. Rocks is also the most brutal in the gang, who are basically a bunch of nice guys. Even Joe as the leader lays down her case to Clitterhouse as to why she's a crook, her poor upbringing and how she's no worse than all the "legal" crooks out there.
Robinson plays the well-spoken Clitterhouse effortlessly to perfection, and Bogie of course makes for a great mean brute who doesn't like Clitterhouse giving him orders. The rest of the cast is made up of a lot of familiar Warner Brothers faces and everyone does a great job.
This is an extremely enjoyable ride which turned out to be a much more than decent Warners gangster tale with a twist.