Movie Classic Films — Let's Discuss

[Asgardian]

Have only just discovered this thread - count me in as interested.

I'm more of a silent movie fan, followed by the 1930s - but your write-ups make very interesting reading

I've just received a new silent in this week, The Heart of Humanity made in 1918. It's a rather controversial movie starring Erich von Stroheim & Dorothy Phillips. It has von Stroheim perpetrating a rape on innocent Phillips.

I'll do a review after I've watched it.

 

[placebo]

It's my hobby, collecting movies that interest me, mainly pre-1970's

My favourite genre are war, sci-fi, horror, film-noir, crime & fantasy.

I will stray into other genre if there is something special or interesting.

What are some of your favourite noir films, Asgardian?

 

[Asgardian]

What are some of your favourite noir films, Asgardian?

This is some that I have in my collection

Touch of Evil (1958)
While the City Sleeps (1956)
The Killing (1956)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The Phenix City Story (1955)
The Big Combo (1955)
City That Never Sleeps (1953)
The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
Pickup on South Street (1953)
Kansas City Confidential (1952)
The Hoodlum (1951)
The Damned Don't Cry (1950)
The Sleeping City (1950)
The Sound of Fury (1950)
Night and the City (1950)
The Tattooed Stranger (1950)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Woman on the Run (1950)
D.O.A. (1950)
Obsession (1949)
The Third Man (1949)
I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (1948)
He Walked by Night (1948)
Cry of the City (1948)
The Naked City (1948)
I Walk Alone (1948)
Call Northside 777 (1948)
Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948)
Crossfire (1947)
Brute Force (1947)
Dark Passage (1947)
The Dark Mirror (1946)
The Stranger (1946)
The Killers (1946)

 

[RobbyRoy]

Here's one I think fits in this thread - Brief Encounter. Watched it the other night and enjoyed it quite a bit. Obviously it's impact in 2013 is nothing like what it would've been in 1945, but I found it quite easy to go back in my mind and appreciate it more. Has a great mood to it, more akin to noirish type crime film, and the performances from the two leads are excellent. Most interesting, was seeing an early David Lean film, being familiar with his later, more epic work.

 

[CURVE]

This is some that I have in my collection

Touch of Evil (1958)
While the City Sleeps (1956)
The Killing (1956)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The Phenix City Story (1955)
The Big Combo (1955)
City That Never Sleeps (1953)
The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
Pickup on South Street (1953)
Kansas City Confidential (1952)
The Hoodlum (1951)
The Damned Don't Cry (1950)
The Sleeping City (1950)
The Sound of Fury (1950)
Night and the City (1950)
The Tattooed Stranger (1950)
The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
Woman on the Run (1950)
D.O.A. (1950)
Obsession (1949)
The Third Man (1949)
I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (1948)
He Walked by Night (1948)
Cry of the City (1948)
The Naked City (1948)
I Walk Alone (1948)
Call Northside 777 (1948)
Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948)
Crossfire (1947)
Brute Force (1947)
Dark Passage (1947)
The Dark Mirror (1946)
The Stranger (1946)
The Killers (1946)

Nice list Asgardian, but there seems to be a very well regarded one missing from your list. Double Indemnity. A Film Noir collection is not complete without it's masterpiece.
My collection of Film Noir films is fairly small, but the ones I have bolded are in my collection. A few other that I have include

The Burgler (1957)
Drive A Crooked Road (1954)
The Mob (1951)
The Prowler (1951)
Razor's Edge (1946)
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945)

 

[Asgardian]

Nice list Asgardian, but there seems to be a very well regarded one missing from your list. Double Indemnity. A Film Noir collection is not complete without it's masterpiece.

Very true ...

I stopped at 1946, so there are still several favourites for me to list, I'll do that in another post below.

My collection of Film Noir films is fairly small, but the ones I have bolded are in my collection. A few other that I have include

The Burgler (1957)
Drive A Crooked Road (1954)
The Mob (1951)
The Prowler (1951)
Razor's Edge (1946)
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945)

I do not .......... yet .............. have the following in my collection

The Burgler (1957)
Drive A Crooked Road (1954)
The Prowler (1951)
Razor's Edge (1946)

The Mob (1951) is not one of my favourites

 

[Asgardian]

More favourite film-noir

Somewhere in the Night (1946)
Notorious (1946)
Shadowed (1946)
Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Spellbound (1945)
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945)
The House on 92nd Street (1945)
Detour (1945)
Allotment Wives (1945)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Phantom Lady (1944)
Ministry of Fear (1944)
Laura (1944)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
The Fallen Sparrow (1943)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
High Sierra (1941)

 

[little graham]

Blue water white Death

1971 doco focusing on 5 adventure seekers trying make a name for themselves by being the first ones swimming with and filming Great white Sharks feeding. Film starts off in Durban South Africa where they pay a whaling boat to harpoon whales and leave the dead animal floating in order to attract sharks.Cast show off the fancy equipment (shark cages) and new cameras. Unfortunately (or fortunately) no white sharks turned up so the cast in order to create something worthwhile for viewers, swim with harmless blue sharks and white tips. to make it even more dramatic for no reason they spear a small shark and show it dying, in obvious agony trying to escape with a fatal wound.

Most of the dialogue in this move centers around demonizing sharks and how brave the cast is. Later on in the movie they decide to go diving off a ww2 wreck in dangerous conditions, again just to add spice to the doco as no white sharks turn up at all while they're in south Africa.

Towards the end of this boring staged and sick movie they decide to head to Port Lincon to find the great white shark they spent the whole movie demonizing.

Two noted Australian underwater photographers were present in South Africa and they go to South australia and join up with another noted Australian animal conservationist (who thinks killing,teasing and bating is somehow good for the specie)Rodney fox.

They do find white sharks, a number of them, the vision is extraordinary but numerous animals were harmed and/or killed so the cast could show off and get notoriety. Listening to the exhilaration and ego tripping of the cast at the expense of animals life and suffering, one questions how could they ever care about any life form or be attributed as pioneers and scientists?

Some of the cast employ tricks used in this film today to make a commercial dollar at the expense of the very animals the Doco is centered on.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Blue water white Death

1971 doco focusing on 5 adventure seekers trying make a name for themselves by being the first ones swimming with and filming Great white Sharks feeding. Film starts off in Durban South Africa where they pay a whaling boat to harpoon whales and leave the dead animal floating in order to attract sharks.Cast show off the fancy equipment (shark cages) and new cameras. Unfortunately (or fortunately) no white sharks turned up so the cast in order to create something worthwhile for viewers, swim with harmless blue sharks and white tips. to make it even more dramatic for no reason they spear a small shark and show it dying, in obvious agony trying to escape with a fatal wound.

Most of the dialogue in this move centers around demonizing sharks and how brave the cast is. Later on in the movie they decide to go diving off a ww2 wreck in dangerous conditions, again just to add spice to the doco as no white sharks turn up at all while they're in south Africa.

Towards the end of this boring staged and sick movie they decide to head to Port Lincon to find the great white shark they spent the whole movie demonizing.

Two noted Australian underwater photographers were present in South Africa and they go to South australia and join up with another noted Australian animal conservationist (who thinks killing,teasing and bating is somehow good for the specie)Rodney fox.

They do find white sharks, a number of them, the vision is extraordinary but numerous animals were harmed and/or killed so the cast could show off and get notoriety. Listening to the exhilaration and ego tripping of the cast at the expense of animals life and suffering, one questions how could they ever care about any life form or be attributed as pioneers and scientists?

Some of the cast employ tricks used in this film today to make a commercial dollar at the expense of the very animals the Doco is centered on.

SPOT ON!

 

[Asgardian]

I just watched a new film I got in today, it was on a bargain disc, 2 films on one disc for the price of one.

The Brothers made in 1947, set in the early 1900's.

Wow ... what an absolutely stunning film.



Patrica Roc plays a waif, Mary, who has been brought up by nuns and shipped off to an elderly man & his 2 sons, the Macrae's, who live on a west Scotland island, to tend their house and cook for them.

The Macrae's are sworn enemies of the McFarish's, however due to island custom they refrain from actual violence, preferring to string a multitude of insults together, throwing something on the ground between each individual insult, then at the end, as each family is duly insulted they have a physical contest. The father of each clan & 2 sons all get together in a row boat, all six of them start rowing until each one can row no further, as each one stops rowing, he cannot resume, so the contest lasts until just one man is left rowing, the losing clan admits defeat and the argument is settled ... until the next one arises.

From the get go the girl is trouble, the eldest son, John, is keen on her, however she is keen on the younger Fergus. Unfortunately Fergus shows no interest, so she then starts to show interest in a hated McFarish, Willie. This is a ploy to get Fergus jealous, but it doesn't work, and Willie turns out to be a chap who knows not the meaning of "NO" and attempts to have his way, until Fergus comes across them, a fight ensues, Fergus is the victor, but the McFarish's want to take it further, so the customised insulting etc happens followed by the rowing.

The Macrae's win, but it was too much for the father who soon dies from a heart attack, with John taking over the family & immediately impresses his will on Mary to marry him, but she wants nothing to do with him. John marry s another, but Mary is always in his thoughts and she again rebukes his advances, so a dire plan is hatched by John, one which will be tragic beyond his imagination.

This is a movie full of whimsy, emotion & dire events with people who have no idea of compromise or forgiveness.

I thoroughly recommend it ...

 

[Asgardian]

Watched another new film tonight, one that I previously had never heard of, Boys in Brown (1949)

Set in London just after WW2, starring Dirk Bogarde, Richard Attenborough, Jack Warner & Jimmy Hanley.



First you have to suspend belief, because the "boys" who are put away in a British Borstal reform institution for young criminals, are all very clearly adults. Next you have to accept this is a land of 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th chances.

That aside it's a film that is easy to accept as true to life. Young Jackie has got himself mixed up with a bad lot, already free on probation, he's the driver for a few lads who knock over a jewelry store, naturally things go wrong & Jackie is convicted to 3 years in the Borstal.

Unfortunately because of the company he keeps there Jackie seems to become an even worse criminal, despite his intentions to go straight. He gets mixed up in an escape attempt, where he knocks out a guard, fearing he has killed him Jackie starts to fall apart. Fortunately the guard lives, Jackie admits his part in the escape and his girl promises to wait for him until his release.

Just under an hour 1/2, this is decent British film making, no pomp & ceremony, just good acting by a cast of pros.

I gave it 7/10

 

[Asgardian]

Came across another obscure Pommy film post WW2, Cosh Boy (1953) (aka The Slasher) Starring James Kenney, Hermione Baddeley (Mary Poppins fame), Ian Whittaker and in an early role, looking particularly lovely, Joan Collins.

Directed by the prolific, and usually excellent, Lewis Gilbert (Time, Gentlemen, Please!, Albert R.N., The Sea Shall Not Have Them, Cast a Dark Shadow, Reach for the Sky, Carve Her Name with Pride, Sink the Bismarck!, H.M.S. Defiant, The 7th Dawn, Alfie, You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine), a résumé just about any director would be proud of.



The title, Cosh Boy, refers to the weapon used by the punk kids in the film, a cosh, which is a kind of blackjack, which they use to bash old women and pinch their handbags, usually for only a few pound. Which was a lot of money for those boys growing up in the remnants of bombed out England.

One particular lad, Roy Walsh, "Walshey" reckons he has a brain & is tough so he lords it over the other lads in the gang, especially Alfie Collins, who is quick with the cosh, but slow with the thinking. Walshey is smart and cunning, he directs the action, taking the lion share of any money they pinch, but never actually doing any of the violence, so he cannot fingered for any of the crimes, which seem to be escalating in brutality.

Walshey & Collins are picked up and tried, but with no concrete proof, and fingers being pointed everywhere, they are let off on probation, but they have to attend a local youth club which has games, dances etc. This turns out perfect for Walshey, because he now sees it as the perfect alibi, claiming whilst the crime is being committed, he's at the club, which can always be verified by a few of the other lads in his gang.

On one evening at the club, when a job is planned for a few of the gang to commit, Walshey spies a lovely young girl who happens to be Collins' sister, Rene (Joan Collins). So he puts on the tough guy act, pisses of the boy she's dancing with & moves in, however she's gives him his comeuppance and leaves him be. The job proceeds, but once completed he orders Alfie to arrange for his sister to meet with Walshey for a date. Finally his good looks, confidence & boasts impress Rene to the point where she is no longer a "good girl" and soon needs the help of the medical profession. Expecting Walshey to do the right thing, marry her, she is given a rude shock when he declares he is finished with her now, never wanting to see her again. This tips her over the edge causing her to attempt suicide ... unsuccessfully, but the baby is lost.

Meanwhile Walshey's widowed Mum is keen on a chap who is a bouncer at a theatre, hearing this Walshey flies into a rage threatening to kill him if his Mum sees him again. Not satisfied with that bit of domestic violence, Walshey steals his Gran's life savings, 30 quid, from under her mattress and sets his sights on a good time. As his plans for his gang grows, so does his ambition and readiness to inflict great harm, so he gets hold of a gun and instructs Alfie to use it on his Mum's boyfriend whilst the rest of the gang rob the theatre where he works, but somehow Walshey ends up with the gun and shoots

However it's impossible for things to go on like this, creating new enemies by the hour, some of whom can see through the tough exterior only to find a coward, great at getting others to do the dirty work, the more violent, the better, but scared to death of anyone using violence on him. His Mother's boyfriend becomes his step-father and is ready with the leather strap, keen on revenge because the lad shot at him, missing, nearly killing his boss. Rene's mother is out after blood from him and the police seeing the new step-dad's intent, is happy to leave Walshy to his new step-dad's tender care for 10 minutes or so.

Great movie ... if you can find it ... I rated it 7.5/10

 

[RustyHawk]

More favourite film-noir

Somewhere in the Night (1946)
Notorious (1946)
Shadowed (1946)
Tomorrow Is Forever (1946)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Spellbound (1945)
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945)
The House on 92nd Street (1945)
Detour (1945)
Allotment Wives (1945)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Phantom Lady (1944)
Ministry of Fear (1944)
Laura (1944)
Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
The Fallen Sparrow (1943)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
High Sierra (1941)

Not a fan of the THIRD MAN (1949) Orson Welles & Joseph Cotten?

Well written, filmed, directed & acted with a memorable and appropriate music score & setting of a city devastated by war.

 

[Roobs321]

RobbyRoy

Brief Encounter is indeed a timeless film, it's in my 2-3 favourite films of all-time. You should check out his other 40s work, in many ways it is more faultless and less bloated than his more famous epic films.

Great Expectations from him is another great film.

I also really enjoyed Blithe Spirit, In Which We Serve and particularly This Happy Breed. I am still to see his Oliver Twist, but have heard that is the go to adaptation as well.

 

[RobbyRoy]

RobbyRoy

Brief Encounter is indeed a timeless film, it's in my 2-3 favourite films of all-time. You should check out his other 40s work, in many ways it is more faultless and less bloated than his more famous epic films.

Great Expectations from him is another great film.

I also really enjoyed Blithe Spirit, In Which We Serve and particularly This Happy Breed. I am still to see his Oliver Twist, but have heard that is the go to adaptation as well.

Yeah I plan to. I have Oliver Twist ready to go so hopefully will start getting into his filmography soon.

 

[Asgardian]

Not a fan of the THIRD MAN (1949) Orson Welles & Joseph Cotten?

Well written, filmed, directed & acted with a memorable and appropriate music score & setting of a city devastated by war.

G'day Rusty, definitely a fan of The Third Man, see below

This is some that I have in my collection

The Third Man (1949)

It's a combination of style, content & ambition that is irresistible ...

 

[Asgardian]

Watched another new film in my collection notable for the fact it is regarded as Sean Connery's film debut, however IMDB does show a credit or two, plus some TV stuff, as prior appearances.

No Road Back made in 1957. Starring Margaret Rawlings, Skip Homeier, Paul Carpenter, Patricia Dainton, Alfie Bass & Connery. Directed by Montgomery Tully, who also directed Boys in Brown a few posts above, was mainly a British "B" director ... which means several of his movies are in my collection ...



Despite her lowly credit, Margaret Rawlings dominates this movie. She plays a blind & deaf lady who is a fence for a gang of crooks led by Paul Carpenter, which includes Connery, who plays it cheap & common with a terrible stutter. The heists are planned between Carpenter & Rawlings, who uses Dainton as her interpreter. Apart from an occasional knock on a head, the jobs are supposed to be violence free, Carpenter does not quite see it that way once at work. Rawlings runs a high class club where members can get a good drink & enjoy sociable company, her motivation for the extracurricular activities is to finance medical schooling for her son, Homeier, in America. Homeier is engaged to Dainton, they plan the marriage to happen once he is a qualified doctor.

The action starts during a heist, unfortunately for the crooks the police come across the action, in mid-action, and the get away, whilst successful, cost a crate of furs and one of the lower class crooks, never to be seen again, although discussed as one who may talk. The police visit Rawlings' club, but with no direct evidence, the case goes cold. Meanwhile the son, Homeier, turns up unexpectedly for a quick visit and he sees one of the crooks, Alfie Bass, paying some unwanted attention to Dainton, causing a fight and bad feelings.

Soon Carpenter comes to Rawlings with a plan, a big plan, a quarter of a million pounds worth of diamonds, far bigger than anything they have ever pulled off. Reluctantly Rawlings agrees to the plan, but she has her own reasons other than the fabulous wealth promised by the haul. All goes okay in the heist until the nightwatchman breaks free of his bonds, surprising the crooks, however Carpenter shoots & kills the bloke, then he & Connery get away with the diamonds, keeping the murder secret from Bass & then from Rawlings. Bass learns of the murder, something he has never been involved with, so he starts to call the police, but Carpenter interrupts him, sends Connery home & then kills Bass.

Meanwhile Homeier has learned of the plan from Dainton, but he turns up too late for him to stop it, all he can do is phone the police anonymously after he discovered the nightwatchman's body. He then returns to the club finding Bass' car outside, not seeing Bass' body in the back which Carpenter had put there earlier. Homeier drives the car to Bass' home, but he is seen by someone there who later discovers the body, the police are called and Homeier is soon in police custody.

Not knowing of Homeier's arrest, nor of the murders, Rawlings tries to buy her way out of the whole game using her share of the diamond haul, giving it all to Carpenter, but he will not accept that deal because he does not have to contacts to move that amount of diamonds. Things are moving quicky though, too quickly for all involved, Rawlings learns of the murders, she learns of Homeier's arrest, she learns of Carpenter's bloodied hands, so puts a new plan into action.

Taking into account that she is blind and deaf, she sets into motion a plan to confront Carpenter, setting out her office so she'll know where he is sitting. She has had a confession already typed out, just needing his signature, to be signed by him under gunpoint from her because she knows where he'll be sitting, plus she'll have her guard dog with her. Naturally this cannot work as Carpenter moves, with Rawlings relying on her dog to point her in his direction, she starts shooting.

Tragedy is the outcome, but I'll leave it for you to watch to learn of what that actually means.

It's an involved movie, with non-linear action that really needed a better director to pull off. The movie still works, but it could have been a lot better, however it's still worth watching.

I give it a 5.5 / 10

 

[Crows_United_FC]

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 4/5 stars! One of my favorite black and white movie of all-time.

But my all-time favorite classic movie is definitely 'The Wizard of Oz'! I can watch it over and over again and never get bored of it. Still can't believe it was made in the 30s. It's seems like a 50s movie! Also just to mention that the last cast member (one of the Munchkins) died last week aged 95!

 

[Roobs321]

It's amazing to think that Olivia De Havilland played an adult woman in Gone With The Wind, and is still alive.

There is also an actress (Rainer) who won 2 consecutive Best Actress Oscars in the 30s and is still kicking at 104.

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

Came across another obscure Pommy film post WW2, Cosh Boy (1953) (aka The Slasher) Starring James Kenney, Hermione Baddeley (Mary Poppins fame), Ian Whittaker and in an early role, looking particularly lovely, Joan Collins.

Directed by the prolific, and usually excellent, Lewis Gilbert (Time, Gentlemen, Please!, Albert R.N., The Sea Shall Not Have Them, Cast a Dark Shadow, Reach for the Sky, Carve Her Name with Pride, Sink the Bismarck!, H.M.S. Defiant, The 7th Dawn, Alfie, You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine), a résumé just about any director would be proud of.

View attachment 40973

The title, Cosh Boy, refers to the weapon used by the punk kids in the film, a cosh, which is a kind of blackjack, which they use to bash old women and pinch their handbags, usually for only a few pound. Which was a lot of money for those boys growing up in the remnants of bombed out England.

One particular lad, Roy Walsh, "Walshey" reckons he has a brain & is tough so he lords it over the other lads in the gang, especially Alfie Collins, who is quick with the cosh, but slow with the thinking. Walshey is smart and cunning, he directs the action, taking the lion share of any money they pinch, but never actually doing any of the violence, so he cannot fingered for any of the crimes, which seem to be escalating in brutality.

Walshey & Collins are picked up and tried, but with no concrete proof, and fingers being pointed everywhere, they are let off on probation, but they have to attend a local youth club which has games, dances etc. This turns out perfect for Walshey, because he now sees it as the perfect alibi, claiming whilst the crime is being committed, he's at the club, which can always be verified by a few of the other lads in his gang.

On one evening at the club, when a job is planned for a few of the gang to commit, Walshey spies a lovely young girl who happens to be Collins' sister, Rene (Joan Collins). So he puts on the tough guy act, pisses of the boy she's dancing with & moves in, however she's gives him his comeuppance and leaves him be. The job proceeds, but once completed he orders Alfie to arrange for his sister to meet with Walshey for a date. Finally his good looks, confidence & boasts impress Rene to the point where she is no longer a "good girl" and soon needs the help of the medical profession. Expecting Walshey to do the right thing, marry her, she is given a rude shock when he declares he is finished with her now, never wanting to see her again. This tips her over the edge causing her to attempt suicide ... unsuccessfully, but the baby is lost.

Meanwhile Walshey's widowed Mum is keen on a chap who is a bouncer at a theatre, hearing this Walshey flies into a rage threatening to kill him if his Mum sees him again. Not satisfied with that bit of domestic violence, Walshey steals his Gran's life savings, 30 quid, from under her mattress and sets his sights on a good time. As his plans for his gang grows, so does his ambition and readiness to inflict great harm, so he gets hold of a gun and instructs Alfie to use it on his Mum's boyfriend whilst the rest of the gang rob the theatre where he works, but somehow Walshey ends up with the gun and shoots

However it's impossible for things to go on like this, creating new enemies by the hour, some of whom can see through the tough exterior only to find a coward, great at getting others to do the dirty work, the more violent, the better, but scared to death of anyone using violence on him. His Mother's boyfriend becomes his step-father and is ready with the leather strap, keen on revenge because the lad shot at him, missing, nearly killing his boss. Rene's mother is out after blood from him and the police seeing the new step-dad's intent, is happy to leave Walshy to his new step-dad's tender care for 10 minutes or so.

Great movie ... if you can find it ... I rated it 7.5/10

Thanks for the review Asgardian, will attempt to getta hold of it somehow.

On the subject of film noir, one of my faves, that I've not seen mentioned is "The Set-up" starring noir-god, Robert Ryan

 

[Asgardian]

Thanks for the review Asgardian, will attempt to getta hold of it somehow.

It's on Amazon UK as a double feature, plus there are a few underground sources

On the subject of film noir, one of my faves, that I've not seen mentioned is "The Set-up" starring noir-god, Robert Ryan

That's a movie I've never seen, it comes under one of my rules of collecting, never buy old boxing movies.

Every time I've seen a pre 1970's boxing movie it invariably is about a boxer taking a dive, added to that about 75% of the time it involves a boxer well past his prime age wise.

Those that I have seen annoy the crap out of me, hence I avoid then like the plague.

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

It's on Amazon UK as a double feature, plus there are a few underground sources



That's a movie I've never seen, it comes under one of my rules of collecting, never buy old boxing movies.

Every time I've seen a pre 1970's boxing movie it invariably is about a boxer taking a dive, added to that about 75% of the time it involves a boxer well past his prime age wise.

Those that I have seen annoy the crap out of me, hence I avoid then like the plague.

I hear what your saying, however in the masterful hands of Robert Wise this is anything but the hackneyed boxing movie you describe. As a lover of noir, I think you're doin' yourself a great disservice

 

[Asgardian]

Caught up with another new one in my collection.

Thunder in the City, made in 1937, starring Edward G. Robinson, Nigel Bruce, Luli Deste & Ralph Richardson. Directed by ex-Russian Marion Gering, whose stage background ignited interest from Hollywood. However despite being given good projects and major stars, Gering never made it, surfacing decades later doing weird stuff in Japan.



Suspension of belief time. A sales manager, played by Edward G., is so successful, his employer is worried. You see Eddie is a hard sell merchant, he's flamboyant, he's an extrovert who could sell computers to Bill Gates. However now that his employer is at the top of their field they feel they need to become dignified, they feel they need to be suppliers to the rich and famous, while still making money of Joe Average. In short they want their sales campaigns to attract the right kind of clientele in addition to the bread & butter, so they sack their super successful sales manager, suggesting he goes to England so he can learn their dignified way of doing business.

Edward G. takes this to heart, plus knowing his family background of being a grandson of a "black sheep" of a titled family, he decides to visit the rellies. They hear of his arrival & of his successes, thinking him to be just another American millionaire, they plan to welcome him, because it turns out that apart from the family title and estate, which is mortgaged to the eye balls, they are flat broke. Edward G. turns up in England, loving everything he sees there, even the buskers on the street which he invites to his hotel room and they slash out on champagne, Eddie figures why not after all he is blowing the last of his meagre funds on having a good time.

He finally turns up at the family estate, where they set their plan in motion, which is short lived as he explains he too is flat broke. There is though something of great intest to Eddie, the Lady Patricia who very much becomes part of his future plans. There's a catch though, he has no money and she makes it very clear that money is what she wants, something her other admirer has in spades, the merchant banker played by Ralph Richardson. Eddie and Ralph become declared rivals, Patricia likes Ralph's money, but she likes Eddie. This is of no worries for him because he has confidence in his ability to raise funds when he needs them. Also visiting the estate are titled friends of Eddie's rellies, who are also flat broke ... well not quite ... this particular Duke has an under-developed mine in Africa which is the sole source for Magnalite. An ore which neither Eddie, nor anyone else, just about, knows anything about. There is though a French scientist who has discovered processes using Magnalite which could make the owners of the ore fabulously wealthy, this fact is also very sparsely known. Hearing of this, but having no money, the same straights in which the Duke finds himself, Eddie goes to work. Firstly he buys into the mine with promises of money, lots of money, huge amounts actually, declaring he'll pay 10% in cash, which he doesn't have. He creates a company, making the Duke the managing director, and goes about selling the company to the unsuspecting and ignorant English public. Eddie's born salesmanship creates huge interest, money starts flocking in, all on the basis of a hot air idea which is naturally not disclosed. The ball is rolling fast and even the very best in England society want in, Eddie and the Duke are suddenly bathing in cash, so he goes to France to purchase the rights to the processes discovered by that scientist.

There's a knot in the wood though, Ralph has got there earlier, buying the patents from the scientist, without which the mine is virtually worthless. Eddie & the Duke have the mine and the company, Ralph is the only person who can put it to good use. The castle of promises starts to collapse, people want their money back from the company, a run on the funds occurs.

There is only one way left to solve the problem, because Ralph has the money to sit back and wait, Eddie doesn't, he goes to Ralph to go into business with him, well the company does, but not Eddie, so everyone's money is safe again.

Eddie is left broke again, on his way back to America, but the Duke and the rest of the investors want Eddie back, and so does Patricia, what a happy ending.

This is a fun movie on a fairy floss basis, but I do recommend it.

I give it 6.5/10

 

[Asgardian]

Watched a relatively modern (for me) film last night, The Hellions, made in 1961. Starring Richard Todd, Jamie Uys, Lionel Jeffries, James Booth, Anne Aubrey, Zena Walker & Ronald Fraser. Directed by Ken Annakin, well principally by Annakin, but producer Irving Allen also stuck his nose in to get a screen credit.

Irving Allen is an interesting character, not to be confused with sci-fi TV shows & disaster movie impresario, Irwin Allen.

Irving Allen was a partner with Cubby Broccoli, later of James Bond fame. In the latish 1950's when the two were discussing bring Ian Fleming's character to life, Allen was of the opinion the stories were not good enough, Broccoli knew they were, the partnership split & the rest is history.

Irving Allen later tried to cash in on the super spy genre by casting Dean Martin as Matt Helm in a few terrible Bond rip-off's.



Anyway, back to business, The Hellions is a High Noon rip-off. That's about it, sometimes scene by scene. I'll try to do it justice.

An older bloke, Luke Billings, and his four sons, Matthew, Mark, John & Jubal. Notice the Biblical reference? Well they are a bunch of no good dirty rotten thugs on horseback set in late 19th century South Africa, when barbed wire is starting to be introduced to the pastures. The Billings, led with an iron hand, whip & gun by Luke do not like barbed wire because it gets in their way, so coming across the property owner who has started using it, they impress their will on him by gun & a bullet in his leg. The farmers wife gets him onto a dray to take him to the nearest township where the local sheriff is Sam Hargis, a man with whom the Billings have a personal hatred.

The shooting is no accident, it is meant as a message from Luke Billings to Sam Hargis. So to is the next confrontation a bloke has with the Billings. Ernie Dobbs is the local hardware store owner and agent for the barbed wire manufacturer, he comes across the Billings with his dray loaded with the wire for another customer. The Billings are only too happy to make his acquaintance, especially so they can cut some wire & use it to whip him, another message for the sheriff.

Now the sheriff isn't stupid, he can read, and so can his pregnant wife who begs him to leave town & get away from the Billings, something he'd like to do, but cannot. Meanwhile Ernie Dobbs has made it back to his store with his son who saw him whipped, now Dobbs is a meek & mild man, he doesn't even know how to work a gun except for the quick instructions the salesman gave him when delivering the goods. His wife also wants to get out of town before the Billings move in & try to take over.

Now the good folk of this frontier town wont take the threat of the Billings lying down, they order, through the Mayor, that the sheriff has to take care of this new problem, however they are all a bit too busy to help.

Finally the Billings arrive and they are in no hurry, they see the sheriff and piss him off with threats, stares & bad intentions, however before they finally confront him, they have some drinking to do first, along with any other mayhem they can think of. Luke makes his way to the hardware store gets all over Dobbs' wife, they boys generally scare nearly to death anyone they see while having some good whisky. One of the sons, Mark, decides to go to the hardware store to get a new gun, by this time Dobbs is back and shows him the gun, damn near scared to death, and tries to show him how to load it, but the gun goes off, killing Mark. Dobbs panics, so does his wife, so they try to hide the body and take off as fast as they can to the railway station to get out of town to safety. However as the train starts off, he finds out from his son that Luke damn near had his way with his wife, in a rage to temper, he jumps the train heading back to town to confront the Billings.

By this time the sheriff is starting to get in on the act. The sheriff & Dobbs start to fight Luke & Jubal, while this is going on Matthew & John are about to be confronted by the local citizenry who seem to have grown a pair & in numbers.

I wont give away all of the ending.

It's not a bad rip-off, set in an unusual locale with some good steady actors, I give it 5.5/10

 

[Asgardian]

Finally caught up with John Steinbeck's infamous soap opera turned film potboiler, The Wayward Bus, made in 1957. It has a killer cast, Jayne Mansfield, Joan Collins, Dan Dailey, Rick Jason (later of Combat! fame), Larry Keating, Kathryn Givney & Dolores Michaels ( who had the very public feud with Joan Collins). Directed by Victor Vicas who was notable for almost nothing at all.



Imagine almost any of the "Airport" films if they were made in the 1950's and you immediately have the story "The Wayward Bus" follows.

Rick Jason & Joan Collins own a small town roadside diner & bus stop, Rick also drives his own bus, taking passengers from Hicksville (sic) to LA. Rick & Joan have a tempestuous marriage, she drinks ... a lot and he does just about nothing wrong Except he's attractive to most of the ladies passing through, something Joan notices & frets about constantly. This, along with her drinking, causes them to be in an almost constant state of argument.

A host of new passengers arrive for Rick to take, through the storm, to LA, there has to be a storm . The lovely Jayne, as blonde & beautiful as usual, is a rather loose woman with an appropriate occupation. Dan Dailey is a fast talking gimmick salesman, travelling USA selling his novelty items, whoopie cushions, jack in the box', phoney vampire teeth, etc, and always on the lookout for a "dame".

Keating & Givney are a stuck up wealthy couple trying to take their wayward daughter, Dolores, away from temptation. Plus the usual assortment of characters are along for the bus ride to keep it moving.

There are landslides, nearly taking the bus with it over a cliff, crossing a raging swollen river, (remember the storm) over a rickety wooden bridge which nearly sweeps away the bus, muddy impassable roads trapping the bus. Plus improbable events when Rick, our bus driver, heads off to a farm seeking a farmer & tractor to save his bus from the mud, only to find the farmer away & Dolores has followed him, waiting in the barn with him.

No, the improbable part is that no hanky panky happens, Rick is true to Joan, well who wouldn't be. The farmer arrives, agrees to help and makes it to the bus before Rick & Dolores gets back. In the meantime a helicopter has delivered Joan to the bus coz she needed to see Rick and make up again. However the farmer tells tales out of school about Rick & Dolores, Joan jumps to the wrong conclusions, the fight is back on. Not only is Rick, Joan & Dolores all hotted up, Dan, who has got on real well with Jayne, proposing & all, finds Jayne aint wholesome, more like a sex toy in the magazines, which is where he discovers her.

This is more soap opera than day time TV.

I wont give away the ending, to any of the threads, if I did I'd have to damn near type out a novel, suffice to say this is an adaption of a Steinbeck novel, probably his worst one.

I give it 3/10

The lovely Jayne, Joan, Dolores & Betty Lou Keim I give 8.5/10