musicjune-957-115337 Reviews

The Holiday (2006)

In a class by itself!

[10/10 · 31 August 2015]

Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet are beyond belief and so are Jude Law and Jack Black. I stumbled across this flick a few weeks ago and I have watched it 14 times which is a record for me. The writing is superb and the acting is more than superb. Just when the viewer might suspect that a real argument is about to break out things are beautifully smoothed out and in a very sensible manner. I have recorded this film and plan to watch it again and again. If ever there was a film that is a must have this is one. Do yourself a favor and get hold of this gem. It will leave you with a warm feeling. Cameron Diaz is a special person and so is Kate Winslet. The young girls are great. The script leaves nothing to be desired. Just a wonderful work of art. Bill Cheney

The Glenn Miller Story (1954)

Finest musical ever.

[10/10 · 16 March 2015]

I just saw this Glenn Miller release on my own computer and it is superb. The VHS I have is fine but the DVD which arrived today is a must have for any collector or lover of great music. Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson are superb choices as are all of the musicians. Do your self a favor and get this DVD. The sound, the color, the clearness is a knockout. So many Hollywood musicals are lacking in sound and musical arrangements but not this one. I knew many of the musicians in this film and they were all nice people. Love this film. Jimmy Stewart made 79 films and in every one of them he performed as a kind, warm hearted person and in this great film he certainly performs that way. June Allyson is lovable as always. Just a nice person also. Get this one, it is a must have.

The Benny Goodman Story (1956)

Great music and greater musicians.

[10/10 · 7 March 2015]

This is a superb flick with the finest music and musicians ever put into one great flick. I knew most of them and used to listen to them in the Metropole Cafe, The Famous Door, Birdland and more. They were all gentlemen and were genuinely pleased to hear people say how much they loved their efforts. One night in the Metropole I was standing at the bar listening to Charlie Shavers and Sol Yaged came in off the street and challenged Shavers to a Battle Royal. Shavers and Yaged went at it for 25 minutes and finally we all gave the nod to Shavers. Yaged briefly got angry and I heard him mutter an expletive under his breath. But the surprise was the smile and the sweat covered hand shake that he offered to Charlie Shavers. These were wonderful people of which I cannot say enough good things about. Please do not miss this one. It is in a class by itself.

Gentleman's Agreement (1947)

Superb in every way!

[10/10 · 10 February 2015]

I admire this great film. Gregory Peck is wonderful as well as all the rest of the cast. I am 80 years old and I'm proud to list some of my past experiences. In high school I played for an undefeated State Champion football team. We had some great black players who stood out on the field. After one play I noticed that our right end had a broken arm. He gave me strict orders to shut up about it because he said he wasn't going to sit on the bench. Our full back was Jewish and he was one of the most admired guy any of us could hope to know. It was the same story in Prep school and in college. Going to class with Jews and being friends was something I have good memories about. Today my son is a Green Beret-Navy Seal and his beautiful wife is Jamaican. My daily greeting to her is--"Hello beautiful- I love you". Count Basie was a good friend of mine. So was Duke Ellington. I owned a house and one day some idiot knocked on my door and wanted me to sign a zoning agreement saying that I would not sell to Jewish or black people (1960). I told him that I had a black customer who was going to buy my property and if he or they didn't like it----. My 22 year old Grandson is a Fireman-EMT man and a Police man. He has saved many lives. I am proud to be an American and this is the greatest country in the world. There is no room in my heart for hate. Thank you.

The Naked Civil Servant (1975 TV Movie)

Brilliant and Beautiful

[10/10 · 5 October 2014]

The scene in the court is truly wonderfully done. John Hurt's dialog in court is brilliant and unlike anything you might expect. John Hurt won the British Academy Award as Best Actor for his performance as Quentin Crisp. Crisp was a brave free spirit and John Hurt brings this out very clearly. This movie is drawn from Quentin Crisp's own book and that fact makes the story very exciting and pleasing. The cast is obviously sympathetic to the brave Crisp's travails and it all adds up to a great film. This film is one not to be missed and is available for purchase on line. I especially liked the friends he had who showed up in court to speak on his behalf. They simply said that he, Quentin Crisp, was a nice person and a great friend that they were proud to know him. He is a good honest man and had the courage to face the world with the truth. In spite of the ostracism and violence visited upon himself he remained the same, a witty non-violent good human being. This is a good movie about a good man.

Strike Up the Band (1940)

A True Classic not to be missed.

[10/10 · 21 September 2014]

This movie is perfect. Busby Berkeley directs and it is his greatest effort among many great efforts. Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland are just superb and are helped by a sweet June Preisser. This movie is two hours long and there are 29 songs within. As usual in the musicals of this period the plot takes second place to the great music. Mickey is 20 years old and Judy is 19 and they are beautiful beyond words. The sweet June Preisser (wait till you see her dance) is 20 and they all come across like the greats that they are. If you love Hollywood musicals from the 1940 era this one is an absolute must have as well as a must see. Paul Whiteman is here with a nice contribution as he donates money to the youngsters to help them to put the band together. That was a nice touch and meant a lot to me. The girls, the gowns, the dancing and singing could not be better. A one of a kind classic.

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966)

A funny true to life movie on a small off-shore Maine Island.

[10/10 · 12 September 2014]

Having lived on an off-shore Maine island for years I have always loved this movie. We had a Jonathan Winters cop who was so incompetent that he was not allowed to carry a gun and made Barney Fife look like a genius. I observed him one day trying to stop a speeding motorist who ignored him and his comment was "Go ahead, I hope you kill yourself". The island airport was off-limits even for emergencies. The island jail was one room and the door lock was broken so the cop would tell people he wanted to arrest to go home but to be sure to be on the ferry boat in the morning to go to jail on the main-land. He usually got on the ferry alone. Incest is rampant on the coastal islands of Maine so there were 600 village idiots in this small village of 1300 people. You could find out who was sleeping with whom by asking the town phone operator. I knew a guy whose wife broke their telephone over his head. He remarked that it was OK because even though he could not receive he could still send. Another guy I knew got a hunting knife from his wife for Christmas and liked to brag that he gave it back to her in the stomach. A friend of mine had an awful smell in his car but said it was OK because it was his wifes "after birth" which he hadn't had time to throw on the dump. If you were not born on the island you were considered a "from away" person and therefore a secondary citizen. One fellow took umbrage at this and spoke up because he and his father were both born and raised on the island. He was told yes but your grandfather was not born here so you are from "Away". I knew another guy who was having an affair with a young girl and was told by his wife to stop because unknown to him she was his daughter. Lots of fun in this movie don't miss it.

Design for Living (1933)

Just a great one.

[10/10 · 12 September 2014]

Sure it's great. A fun movie with a grand script and funny refreshing silly dialog. Wonderful actors who are really having a good time and keep in mind that Edward Horton was a very well known swish but very much well liked and respected. Coop and Fred March and Miriam Hopkins most assuredly knew this at the time and that,to me, makes their vocal interplay all the more delightful. This flick is pre-code and keeping this in mind makes this movie even more interesting. Noel Coward was a great one also and a true fag. Miriam Hopkins is beautiful and when you put it all together you've got to love this one as I hope you all will and should.

Convicts (1991)

This is the worst movie I have ever seen.

[1/10 · 24 April 2014]

Why? To continue. If there is a reason to like this flick it is the fact that you may turn it off. Do not think that I am knocking the members of the cast because I am not. Horton Foote has done some great things but whatever prompted him to lend his effort to this boring mishmash is a mystery. It's impossible for me to say anything good about this train wreck except that I presume the actors got paid for their efforts. If you like to listen to people curse this is for you. If you like people to wander about the fields shouting nonsense do not miss this one. If you like people who are mentally disturbed don't miss this one. Watching paint dry would be greater interest than this waste of time.