cobrazulu Reviews

The Sea Wolf (1941)

Fine acting but story full of holes

[6/10 · 4 July 2005]

In San Francisco harbor a giant ship on a foggy night crashes into a passenger ferry and apparently all are killed except for two passengers clinging to a raft. Apparently there is no rescue effort and they are allowed to drift to who knows where, where they are picked up by an ocean schooner which kidnaps them and continues the mysterious voyage to who knows where. If the captain is on such a secret mission why would he pick up the two? On board it appears that except for the captain and his mate, all hate the captain and his cruelty and to beat all know nothing of the nature of the voyage. A few mutiny and throw the captain overboard but with super human strength the captain climbs back on board! He then confronts what looks like the entire crew and fights them off in the hold of the ship, this from the smallish old captain that has just been beat up and thrown overboard. He then tells the men he will make them rich not by fishing but by stealing seals from other boats but no explanation how this is to be done as no arms are ever shown on the ship. Apparently he has done this before and has many former crewmen now wealthy and comfortable living on land. And then there is the brother that apparently has been sailing the seas since the beginning of time with a canon ready for the Sea Wolf. And at the end the ships is in ruin apparently from the brothers canon but the captain is still with the ship waiting for the end. Apparently the brother was after the ship and not the captain. If this is an example of the kind of stories that captured America in those days, it shows the naiveté of people that were setting themselves up for the tragedy of the early 1940's. Edward G. Robinson, John Garfield, and Ida Lupino are superb but what a ridiculous story.

You'll Never Get Rich (1941)

Hayworth-Astaire are a perfect match.

[9/10 · 12 June 2005]

I have to differ with the viewer who feels that though Rita Hayworth was a marvelous dancer she did not measure up to Ginger Rogers as the partner of Fred Astaire. Rita's dancing was so graceful that she was the perfect match for the stupendous Astaire. Her beauty in this movie is a thing to behold. Now after all these years we can only wish that they included a bunch of other dances instead of all the silliness. How can it be that such a lovely as Rita would have such a difficult life? I wonder if the talented Hayworth ever realized that it would be her early dancing that would really be her lasting legacy and if she did would she have given us more to appreciate for the years. Watching her dance as a young woman is a joy that will be repeated for generations.

Irene (1940)

Surprised by an exceptional beauty

[10/10 · 18 March 2005]

Watching this delightful movie I was captivated by the beautiful Anna Neagle. While watching the early part of the movie and appreciating more and more the beauty of Miss Neagle, and the beautiful dresses she was modeling, I wished that this was a movie that they would convert to Technicolor. Lo and behold suddenly the movie becomes Technicolor and the vivid red hair and Alice blue gown come alive. Her graceful movements in the dancing and modeling are memorable. I have seen some comments that her dancing was not first class but I do not recall a more alluring dance than her solo dance on the patio near the movie's end. Unfortunately at this time the movie has reverted to black and white but this detracts little from the beautiful Anna. Of course the music is dated but this movie taken as a whole is a musical comedy classic.