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Reviews
Champion (1949)
Iconic Performance By Kirk Douglas
"Champion" is a very good movie that is sustained by an amazing performance by Kirk Douglas in the title role. The tale of a determined individual rising from poverty to riches through sheer will is not a new story. Douglas' Midge Kelly is determined to become someone no matter what he has to do and he succeeds; trampling everyone in his path. He alienates those who love him as his lust for personal glory consumes him fully.
Anyone seeking for an example of what a charismatic movie star looks like need go no further than Kirk Douglas in this film. He is an absolute powerhouse of physical energy and blows everyone else off the screen. Whether stalking his prey in the ring, hitting the speed bag, effortlessly skipping rope, or launching himself to his feet by pushing his hands off the floor Kirk is just phenomenal. Probably one of the greatest physical performances of all time; echoed many times in the future by action stars like Stallone and Johnson.
Supporting performances are excellent as well. The three leading ladies (Maxwell, Albright, and Ruth Roman) are all beautiful and have their chances to shine. Marilyn Maxwell is particularly shallow and her come-uppance at the hands of the even more shallow Douglas is a great scene. Paul Stewart is terrific as the weary manager who protects his fighter's image as a great champion despite knowing what he really is. And Arthur Kennedy turns in a pretty subdued performance that deserves commendation.
Although the theme of corruption in boxing is pretty standard stuff in films the character study of Midge Kelly elevates the movie to great heights. And the performance of Kirk Douglas stamps this movie as a classic.
The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
"Better death than a life like this . . ."
"Ghost of Frankenstein" is easily the best of the 40's films dealing with the adventures of cinema's most famous monster. It is also the first film to feature someone other than Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein Monster. By this point Universal began churning out horror flicks as programmers with shorter running times and an emphasis on making a quick buck. As a result you hear the same music over and over, view the same sets repeatedly, and witness stock footage from previous films to pad the running time. And I can never get enough of it!
Having grown up on these fright films I enjoy the nostalgia every time I re-watch one. This particular film was sort of a Holy Grail because it was the least seen of the Frankenstein series so I suppose I have a particular fondness for it. It was made immediately after "The Wolf Man" and contains many of the cast members from that film: Bela Lugosi, Ralph Bellamy, Evelyn Ankers, and of course Lon Chaney, Jr. The story is nutty and really fools with the continuity of the series. Two town officials who were murdered in the previous film, played by Lionel Belmore and Michael Mark, appear in virtually the same roles. Castle Frankenstein looks completely different and apparently the sulfur pit, which was in a separate building in the previous film, is now in the basement. I could go on but why bother; this is part of the charm these films have.
As directed by Erle Kenton the film has many impressive moments. Particularly solid are the shots of the Monster emphasizing his size: towering over the little girl, ducking through doorways, and casting his shadow everywhere. Also interesting are many instances of characters playing to the camera as if the movie were in 3D. Plus you get two Frankenstein torch-bearing mobs instead of the usual one.
The acting is always the aspect that interests me most. The two top-billed actors, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Ralph Bellamy, are very uninteresting to say the least. Bellamy is just plain dull; Patric Knowles would have been a better choice. Hardwicke seems bored throughout. He is monotonous and just plain miserable; never cracks a smile and is completely unconvincing as a driven scientist. Luckily everyone else on hand contributes to the fun.
Lionel Atwill, although given little to do, is the real mad scientist here. He underplays and doesn't go off the deep end like in "Man Made Monster." As always he commands attention and gives a top performance. Miss Ankers is a joy as she is in any of these genre films. Beautiful and with an ear-piercing scream she adds a touch of class to the proceedings. Lugosi gives one of his best performances as Ygor, somehow surviving being shot in the previous film. He also seems to be missing his gnarled teeth and has a new outfit. Lugosi underplays for the most part and is a brilliant manipulator. And the scene where he blackmails Hardwicke is masterful; he completely wipes the floor with that accomplished actor and owns that sequence.
Of course the performance everyone wants to analyze is Chaney as the Monster. He is a mixed bag for sure. His monster doesn't make a sound and doesn't possess any of the pathos Karloff brought to the role. Instead he is just a frighteningly large creature with minimal humanity. The scene with him bursting into Frankenstein's home, stalking, and then murdering Dr. Kettering is truly frightening. But we never feel sorry for him as a misunderstood "person." However it is fun to watch Chaney the actor come to life in all the physical scenes; he clearly enjoys mixing it up with the stunt men.
Unfortunately for the Frankenstein series this would be the high point in the forties; the subsequent films would go steadily downhill as the Monster gets pushed further into the background. Chaney is easily the best of the post-Karloff monsters. If anyone wishes to pass an entertaining 67 minutes then "Ghost of Frankenstein" is your ticket.
The Noose Hangs High (1948)
Surprisingly Funny
Having recently watched "The Noose Hangs High" for the first time in probably 25 years I was delighted to find it extremely funny. Having grown up watching Abbott & Costello on Sunday mornings I have subliminally memorized many of their movies in the deep recesses of my brain. While the gags from this movie kept coming back to me seconds before they actually happened I found myself laughing out loud and enjoying this film thoroughly.
"Noose" is essentially a series of gags held together by the flimsiest of plots. The boys run afoul of gangster Nick Craig and must return the $50,000 Lou has misplaced or else. In the midst of this A&C manage to shoehorn in many of their most famous routines; all of which are well-known to their fans but within this film they are done with such gusto that one overlooks their familiarity. The film also dispenses with the insufferable romantic subplots that derail many of their films and the annoying musical numbers that further slow down the story. Cathy Downs, who portrayed the title character in John Ford's "My Darling Clementine," adds a touch of feminine interest but doesn't bog the proceedings down.
Two standout sequences for me were the dentist scene and the scene where Lou gets attacked by an automobile. At the beginning of the film Lou has a toothache and finds himself in the chair of nearsighted dentist Murray Leonard, who portrayed the wacky prisoner tormenting Costello with the "Slowly I Turned . . ." bit in "Lost In a Harem." The scene is so fresh and spontaneous I defy anyone not to laugh. And watching Costello tangle with the unruly car nearly had me in stitches.
Besides A&C, who are superb, the supporting cast is very strong. Joseph Calleia as Craig is both menacing and hilarious minus his trademark mustache. Leon Errol, whom I find annoying in almost everything, is actual entertaining as a goofy gambler that never loses. And Mike Mazurki is really hilarious in a scene where he gets scammed out of $10 first by Bud and then Lou. He stumbles over some words in his exchanges with the fast- talking Costello but this only adds to the humor.
A pleasant surprise, "The Noose Hangs High" is a delightful film that is superior to anything the boys did after 1946 with the possible exception of their classic rumble with the Universal monsters in "Meet Frankenstein."
Bullets or Ballots (1936)
Robinson Squares Off Against Bogie
"Bullets or Ballots" is a fast-paced, hard-hitting crime melodrama from Warner Brothers. Responding to the criticism leveled against their films regarding the glorification of hoodlums, Warners put their top tough guy, Edward G. Robinson, in the lead role as a cop out to bring down the mob. Squaring off against Edward is stock bad guy Barton McLane as the rackets boss and a relatively new contract player, Humphrey Bogart, as his treacherous second in command. Providing some glamor is the wonderful Joan Blondell as a nightclub owner and close friend of Robinson.
Robinson is Johnny Blake, a veteran cop who is seemingly fired from the police force and recruited by McLane's Al Kruger to help him run the rackets. Of course Blake is going under cover to smash the mob; a plot point the audience and Bogart's Nick Fenner will guess pretty quickly. In standard Warners fashion the plot moves quickly and the pace never lags.
Robinson is more cerebral and less flamboyant than in most of his crime pictures but he is terrific in the role. He carefully plots his moves and outwits Fenner at nearly every opportunity while completely fooling Kruger. Even so his quick fists are demonstrated on several occasions. Fresh off his success in "The Petrified Forest" Bogart assumes the first of a seemingly endless series of evil supporting roles that would occupy the next five years of his career. Although the part is fairly one-dimensional Bogart shines and is a formidable adversary. Barton MacLane gives his standard tough guy performance but is a little more likable than usual. Joan Blondell does a great job as well; she is warm and funny while having some hard boiled moments. And she is very easy on the eyes. The rest of the Warners stock company is in fine form, headed by Frank McHugh in one of his typical comedy relief roles.
Known for their crime films, Warners serves up one of their best with "Bullets Or Ballots."
Godzilla (2014)
Lamezilla
All I can say about this movie is that I was really disappointed. After a while I couldn't wait for it to end so I could express my disappointment and apologize to my girlfriend for making her sit through it. I am a casual fan of the Toho Godzilla franchise and while I acknowledge the stupidity of grown men dressed in monster suits trashing toy cities I enjoy these films immensely. The human back story became progressively loopier as the series progressed and I longed for a Godzilla film that would deliver the monster goods while providing characters that I cared about.
I had high hopes for the 1998 "Godzilla" that has been the scorn of fans and critics since its release. The movie is pretty bad for many reasons, from the horrendous performances of the cast to the awful design of Godzilla. While it was stupid it did deliver some pretty good action sequences and provided the mindless entertainment associated with the genre.
Which brings us to the 2014 incarnation of "Godzilla" in the era of making fantastic stories seem realistic and having flawed heroes battle their inner demons while failing to embrace the absolute awesomeness of being super. I am so sick of all these "dark" fantasy films that want to make a serious statement while avoiding any sense of fun. This film would fall into that category. It's about ridiculously enormous monsters destroying things! Godzilla should be about entertainment not addressing our disdain for nature; a topic that's been beaten to death in better films than this and one we have to see in the news every day.
As for this particular film I was disappointed by numerous things. First of all too much time is devoted to the MUTOs and not enough to the title character. In fact Godzilla is not on screen that much at all; several times the action cuts away just as a fight is about to start and instead of witnessing destruction we only see the aftermath. While this technique can be affective it occurs too often. There are some impressive shots and a few awe-inspiring moments but for the most part the film focuses on the human characters.
The second problem is the aforementioned humans. They are poorly drawn with minimal back story and about whom we care nothing for. It is impossible to be emotionally invested in any of them because they are all so colorless. The plot is nonexistent and is sewn together by Aaron Taylor-Johnson who somehow witnesses nearly every major happening in the movie. It becomes comical how he consistently dodges death while everyone around him gets wiped out.
Another huge issue I have with "Godzilla" is the performance of Taylor-Johnson who is a cipher in the center of the story. To be fair he is given little to work with but his performance is maddeningly awful. He is neither courageous, heroic, funny, or resourceful; just lucky. An absolute blank slate. Veterans like Ken Watanabe and David Strathairn, who are usually a joy to watch, are defeated by the trite dialogue and inane script. The only actor I enjoyed was Bryan Cranston and that is probably because I'm biased: I think he's fantastic. If he was the star his presence alone would have lifted the entire film.
I am still waiting for my ideal Godzilla film that provides interesting characters, a solid plot, and thrilling action sequences. If you are interested in giant monsters (and/or robots) grappling with each other then "Pacific Rim" is the gold standard. As for Godzilla films, watch the original Japanese version.
The Great Gatsby (2013)
Entertaining Film; Not a Fan of the Novel
This is a movie I wouldn't have watched under my own initiative; my girlfriend wanted to see it. That being said I'm glad I did. I read the novel in high school and it bored me to tears; I also slumbered through the Robert Redford version many years ago. I never understood why the novel is considered such a classic and truth be told I still don't. However, this version held my attention and kept me interested for the entire running time.
Assuming everyone knows the story I will not rehash the plot. Toby Maguire is Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel and the narrator of the film as well. Carraway is a cipher; all of the pivotal moments in the story involve other characters while he merely recounts them. The central figure is the mysterious Jay Gatsby; a fabulously wealthy man who throws decadent parties and about whom nothing is known. The buildup to his first appearance is nicely handled and when Leonardo DiCaprio arrives about a half hour into the movie he is equal to the anticipation.
Unfortunately, the payoff does not match the buildup. The reason for everything Gatsby does is to rekindle his love affair with Daisy Buchanan, currently the wife of jackass Tom Buchanan. This is where the story falls apart for me and possibly in the translation from novel to film. In my mind Daisy should be a paragon among women: beautiful, smart, sexy, nurturing, and loving. In short a lady worthy of a man's undying devotion. While I understand this is also part of the tragedy of Jay Gatsby, i.e. loving an undeserving woman, Daisy does not fulfill any of these qualities. She seems weak and easily manipulated by the two strong men in her life: Gatsby and Tom. In short I just don't see why Gatsby would devote all his energy to winning her over. One can have sympathy for her because her husband is a bastard but she can't seem to be her own person.
This brings me back to the character of Gatsby. To do everything for the love of a woman appeals to the romantic in me but to do it for this woman seems plain stupid. For someone as clever and driven as Gatsby is he seems really delusional about his chances with Daisy. Not only does he want to rewrite history with her but Daisy needs to come to him on his specific terms. Winning her is not enough but must be done within the elaborate fantasy world he has created. One can feel sorry for him because even if you have not read the book you can see where the story is headed. The crucial scene where Gatsby announces his plans for Daisy in front of Tom is heart-rendering. Everyone knows Daisy is not going to leave Tom except for Gatsby and he refuses to accept this even after he is brutally exposed as a fraud by Tom. Daisy becomes an emotional wreck, commits a horrible crime for which Gatsby takes the blame, and then deserts him completely. Unable or unwilling to accept the truth, Gatsby foolishly clings to his fantasy up to his dying breath.
Leonardo DiCaprio is marvelous as Gatsby. He is everything the character should be: dashing, handsome, mysterious, curiously naive, boyish, and noble. I read a review that joked how a good drinking game could be made out of how many times he says 'Old Sport." I doubt many would make it past the 60 minute mark before calling an ambulance since he punctuates nearly every sentence with this phrase. The sequence that really cracked me up was the staged first meeting with Daisy. Gatsby is as nervous as a schoolboy; blushing, stammering, and charmingly awkward. But come on Dude, have you looked in the mirror recently? You're Leonardo DiCaprio for God's sake!! All kidding aside I couldn't stand him as that twerp in Titanic but he has really impressed me over the years not only as an actor but as a charismatic movie star.
The rest of the cast is a notch below but still effective. Toby Maguire is an excellent narrator and blends into the woodwork during the most pivotal scenes which is not an insult. Carey Mulligan does as well as anyone could in a role that is probably impossible to play. Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan does a fine job as a character that could have easily devolved into the standard bad guy part. Tom is a really despicable person to be sure but at least he knows it; he's honest about being a crud and doesn't seem to suffer any pangs about it. To him Gatsby is worse because he is a phony.
The look of the film is clearly the selling point. The visuals are beautiful, the colors vivid, and the CGI recreation of New York in the Roaring '20s looks fantastic. The party scenes give a real sense of how decadent the times were before the stock market crash ended it all. The use of modern musical updates to some classic songs works very well and breathes fresh air into what could have been a very stale retelling. And I love how the shot of Gatsby's corpse floating in the pool is directly lifted from 'Sunset Boulevard.'
While the story itself does not really appeal to me this version of The Great Gatsby was worth the investment. I can appreciate what the narrative is trying to convey while quibbling with some of the execution. The visuals alone make it worth a look but the performance of DiCaprio should not be missed by anyone who appreciates the actor and what star power is all about.
Bombshell (1933)
Great Harlow; OK Movie
I had high hopes for this film when I began watching it. I enjoyed the premise, taken from the life of Clara Bow, about a major Hollywood star who is taken advantage of by everyone around her. Jean Harlow, as Lola Burns, was essentially playing herself; she also had leaches of her own bleeding her dry. Unfortunately her character is written in such a way that she appears more stupid than sympathetic. The character Space Hanlon, annoyingly portrayed by Lee Tracy, spends the entire film manipulating her and writing sensationalized stories about her to sell newspapers. While supposedly in love with Lola he has no problem creating chaos for her and reaping the benefits. All this is played for laughs but there is something aggravating about the way Lola keeps forgiving him and setting herself up for more grief.
Lee Tracy is particularly irritating as Hanlon. He can certainly rattle off sentences in staccato fashion but his portrayal is such that one wishes Lola would put her fist in his face. I would have preferred Pat O'Brien in that role; he could spit out words with machine gun-like precision and would have brought a more appealing shade to the character. As it is he's wasted as Lola's director and suitor. Frank Morgan is his usual blistering, insufferable self and Una Merkel is underused as Lola's larcenous secretary. Equally wasted is Franchot Tone in the small role of a rich suitor and saddled with some of the worst dialogue ever uttered in a contemporary film.
Of course none of this matters because the film is a vehicle for Jean Harlow and she is fantastic. Providing the usual wisecracks and hilarious histrionics she also shows another side that is quite poignant. Lola is trapped in her career by a family that pushed her into it much like Harlow herself was; both the character and the actress were unable to escape. Watching Harlow in character regarding her success with some disdain and charmingly handling autograph-seekers provides insight into her true self. The sequence where Lola decides she wants to adopt a baby and she interacts with an infant and the ladies from the adoption agency is incredibly touching for anyone who knows about Harlow's life. She wanted nothing more than to ditch her screen career and become a wife and mother. Sadly this was not to be.
Overall 'Bombshell' is a pretty entertaining film and a great showcase for Jean Harlow. Fans of hers won't be disappointed.
Saratoga (1937)
Farewell To a Beloved Star
Taken as a diverting bit of fluff, "Saratoga" is a pleasant film not worthy of the talents of its cast but easy on the eyes. The plot is in the screwball vein but lacking the manic intensity of the genre; it revolves around a bookie trying to save a horse farm by luring a rich "chump" to lose racing bets & finance the endeavor. Clark Gable, looking alarmingly thin, is the bookie and he delivers his standard performance. Scenery-chewing Lionel Barrymore and blustering Frank Morgan are on hand playing characters they perfected during their careers. Also on board are Una Merkel, Walter Pidgeon, and in a bit role Dennis O'Keefe. Unfortunately all of this is secondary to the only reason this film merits attention: it is the final film of legendary Jean Harlow.
The tragedy of Miss Harlow has been well documented. She was literally dying while shooting this movie and it is a difficult film to sit through knowing this. In the final 20-25 minutes her character is clearly played by a double hidden behind binoculars, a large hat, or shot from behind. Nobody wanted to finish the movie after Miss Harlow passed away but there was such an outcry from her fans that the picture was completed by a heavy- hearted studio. Ironically it was her biggest hit film largely because everyone wanted to get a final glimpse of her. Her performance is not one of her best; she is lacking her usual energy & effervescence. But it is an incredibly poignant performance knowing the terrible physical pain she must have been suffering during the shoot.
By all accounts Jean Harlow was an amazing individual; beloved by all and someone who valued the happiness of others over her own. She was more concerned about letting the cast & crew of "Saratoga" down than getting help for her illness. A class act to the end.
Strange Cargo (1940)
Worth A Look
The aptly titled Strange Cargo is both strange and carries a mixed cargo of entertainment nuggets for the casual viewer. It begins as a prison yarn, skirts the boundaries of a religious epic, and ultimately winds up a story of redemption for the hero, Andre Verne. As portrayed by Clark Gable, Verne is tough and cynical; not to mention lecherous and self-serving. His conversion is never convincing but how it comes about is both unexpected and unusual for a studio picture from the era.
Verne is a tough con who is locked up on the infamous Devil's Island, territory that would be trod in further depth in Passage To Marseille with Humphrey Bogart and to a more realistic degree in 1973's Papillon starring Steve McQueen. He is constantly trying to escape; so often that he makes the penal colony look like a ramshackle hotel rather than a brutal work camp. During one of his escapes he is replaced in the prison lineup by a mysterious man who calls himself Cambreau and who seemingly materializes out of nowhere. Verne crosses paths with a dance-hall tart named Julie (Joan Crawford) who fires his interest and her scorn. She turns him in but is herself ordered off the island for having spoken to the convict in the first place; apparently this is a serious no-no. Ultimately Verne joins a prison break that includes Cambreau and he later enlists Julie into the group by some plot turns that will leave a viewer scratching his head. From this point the story switches gears and becomes a story of redemption as Cambreau helps the evil convicts discover the good in their souls before they die off one by one. Julie falls for Verne and he for her although Julie takes it one step further by renouncing the wickedness in her life while failing to persuade Verne to do likewise. After Julie goes off on her own so Verne can escape to America he has an epiphany and returns to prison to finish off his sentence before marrying her.
This is the final Crawford-Gable picture and while Crawford assumes top billing (as she always did) Gable is the real star of the film. Hot on the heels of his success in Gone With the Wind he was at the zenith of his popularity while Crawford was on a downward spiral. As Verne Gable is his typical self: cocky, tough, and faithless. While his character comes across as a smug bastard there is no denying the actor's virility and star power. When he is on screen he wipes nearly everyone else off in a fierce display of animal magnetism. Crawford matches him in wisecracks but her subtle underplaying makes her conversion to the righteous life more convincing than his. There is a sadness and weariness to her performance that suggests her character has lost her way in life and is looking for some method of finding herself again. This she does through the mechanizations of Cambreau and it is a tribute to her acting talents that she pulls it off.
The supporting cast is uniformly good; Peter Lorre is loathsome in a stereotypically slimy role as the prison stooge while Paul Lukas is chilling as the evil Hessler, a murderer of rich women. However, it is the performance of Ian Hunter as Cambreau that is the gem in this film. There has been debate about who Cambreau is and to be sure the movie doesn't come out an say it but to me it is obvious he is Jesus Christ. He has come to redeem Verne and along the way to provide a righteous path for the other characters in the picture. As played by Hunter the character is saintly without being sappy and inspirational without being corny. His interplay with Hessler on several occasions is extremely interesting and one wishes the film focused on this more. Hessler is referred to as the devil on more than one occasion and in the end he is the only one who does not succumb to Cambreau's powers of persuasion. In their last confrontation Hessler comments on how they may cross paths in the future; Cambreau replies in no uncertain terms that they will never meet again. Clearly Hessler is headed South for eternity.
Strange Cargo is an interesting movie from a studio system era that was reluctant to take chances with its stories. Here is a film that covers a lot of ideological territory and does so energetically while retaining the star-making essence of its two leads. On top of this you have a supporting actor stealing the film with a masterful portrayal of Jesus in a modern setting. Enjoy