Reviews

I was truly impressed today by the film, "The Other Boleyn Girl" for me its getting the new film year off to a very good start!! Weve known about Ann Boleyn and her beheading but this film gives new insight into reasons why ,and the amazing relationship between Ann and her sister Mary.. The plot line never gets dull and moves at a great pace..(usually historical films can be stodgy and boring) This one never lets up..The performances are wonderful , especially,Natalie Portman as Ann and Scarlett Johnansen as Mary... the entire supporting cast is outstanding..The sets and costumes are very authentic.,and the cinematography is beautiful Im not sure how historically accurate this film is ,but as a movie its well worth seeing Don't miss "The Other Boleyn Girl"

Broderick Crawford stars in this exciting film noir from 1952..Fast paced & keeps viewer in suspense till the end..Excellent cast, including Crawford, handsome John Derek, intelligent beautiful, Donna Reed.and Harry Morgan..However..ROSEMARY DeCAMP, is outstanding in her brief but important scenes.. This is unlike her other screen work..Rosemary ,for me, steals the show!.Worth seeing ..Thanks again to TCM for showing this today on Broderick Crawfords day a fine, underrated actor . I started watching @ 20 minutes after film began ( I don't usually do this)and I was "hooked" as I saw Rosemary DeCamps close up at rally for "forlorn lovers" DeCamp recognizes Crawford ,her former husband, who has now changed his name and persona.. I stopped everything and could not stop watching till the end I wont tell you what happens.I hope TCM shows again soon so I can view the scenes I missed at the beginning

Okay this film the Tall Target may not be historically accurate but it is based on a situation that occurred on the Abraham Lincoln Inaugural Train.. It is an excellent movie brilliantly directed by Anthony Mann It is a film that was way ahead of its time.. Dick Powell stars and gives an outstanding performance Differrent than most of his film noir films of that era.. I was watching TCM @1am this morning (insomnia was setting in) when their brilliant host Robert Osborne announced and described this unusual film that most people had never seen or heard of! But he recommended & once again Osborne was correct. Wonderful powerful film made years before Suddenly and a decade or so before The Manchurian Candidate (other films dealing with presidential assassinations)The writers & director took an incident from history and created a fictionalized yet believable and riveting film .Is great definitely worth seeing & seeing a very young Ruby Dee in a small but important role as a loyal but concerned 'slave" also Leif Ericson and Barbara Billingsly (Beavers mom) have minor but important roles..& Adolphe Menjou is outstanding and quite believable a corrupt military official Powell is really good in this film A great surprise Don't Miss, another hidden gem revealed from the TCM film library.Thank you Ted Turner and Robert Osborne

Don't Miss United 93..an excellent depiction of possibly the worse day in American History.. a documentary which brings to life the confusion, the shock, the horror of 9/11/01.. Our country was under attack... our defenses were totally down Our President was in a grade school and refused to leave at once(when informed)..Those precious moments with decisions only he could have made caused thousands of lives..And where was Dick Cheney?? more precious minutes wasted..Our security failed us so did our Presidency and his administration..& those brave individuals abroad United 93 fought tooth & nail to save another major destruction on that horrible day from occurring and saved hundreds of lives !Dont Miss Not easy to take People were squirming, crying and visibly upset. in theatre today.Yes blame the terrorist they had and still have a mission to destroy us but blame must also go to our administration at the time which ignored warnings all summer long July/August 2001... we had no security that day.This should be GW's legacy... how he let this nation down that horrible day 9/11 for which he was forewarned.. A Riviting film.. Excellent direction Do Not Miss!!

I enjoyed the movie Take The Lead very much today..Okay it reminded me of other films such as Blackboard Jungle,To Sir With Love,Fame etc..but it was fun...Enjoyed hearing some wonderful recordings on soundtrack: Lena Horne! June Christy! Nat King Cole & others..& i enjoyed the talents of the very young cast as well as sexy hot Antonio Banderas..very good performance (wanted to see him dance again) & Alfre Woodard..shes a very talented actress..OK the ending was predictable and maybe implausible..but it was fun getting there.. I'm a retired inner city teacher so i could relate to some of the situations Mr. D.(Banderas) had to encounter.I tried innovations in my science classroom some of them didn't work...but many more did..I even used good pop music in the classroom to motivate my students while they were doing their science labs.played quietly like background music..Sinatra/Streisand/Ella/Nat King Cole/The Girl Groups etc...in the mid 1970s(rap was just beginning) i would hear from them. at first."whats that?" thats corny!!" to eventually they would hum along quieted down & did their labs well and even asked questions about the music /singer/composer i was playing..so i could relate in my own way to this fine film...Go see It!

One of the most over rated over Awarded movies of all time. I didn't walk out because I was with others who were moderately enjoying..No One Loved It..Maybe Cuba Gooding got noticed but didn't deserve that Oscar that Year.& Tom Cruise is one of the most over rated/ over paid film stars ever..OK Passable in Rainman & Born On The 4th Of July but all that other garbage. he's made since including this & Eyes Wide Shut & I cant tell you how much I disliked the War Of The Worlds *(2005 Yuk).. and it bothers me that much better and more attractive actors are struggling in Hollywood & Broadway too.... * please buy or rent the 1953 original with the far superior Gene Barry....and superior production as well

At last a real true to life love story about 2 gay men Macho Cowboys not swishy queens their love, their passion their real feelings for each other. their heartbreaks their problems etc It happens and will continue to happen in America and worldwide whether in Wyoming, Texas, California or New Jersey ,Paris France or Antartica Bravo Ang Lee & cast you've created a modern masterpiece!!! The settings are beautifully photographed and the performances are outstanding.The audience today was mesmerized no one made nasty remarks/ no one walked out and many were teary eyed leaving this theater! Gay lifestyle has never been better presented on the screen..Every detail of this film is perfection,... a bit slow paced but we've come to expect that from Ang Lee it adds to the mood of the film.. since The Ice Storm go see ! Don't wait till Oscar Time

I really enjoyed this wholesome, thought provoking and inspiring film "I'D Climb The Highest Mountain" Susan Hayward is magnificent as the Preachers wife.. Shes not playing an alcoholic, a murderer or a tramp here/(roles usually associated with Hayward) yet she is wonderful beautiful and touching You feel her conflict regarding her religious/life convictions with every movement & gesture She underplays and plays so well Also very good is William Lundigan in one of his better roles as the Preacher Thompson Fine supporting cast including Ruth Donnelly and Leo Genn as the atheist neighbor..Beautifully photographed.. I really enjoyed this film a an unexpected gem

I never heard of this film..During my recent insomniac attacks The Sidewalks of London was shown on WLIW TV (It must have been aired @ 2 am..Long Island NY station) I missed the beginning by a few minutes..but thoroughly enjoyed this film..a wonderful surprise great story and a dream cast: Charles Laughton, Vivien Leigh and "sexy" Rexy Harrison all giving wonderful performances... was not a good copy however will be looking for a better in the future..Miss Leigh made this film I believe just before GWTW ..and she sings and dances surprisingly well as does Laughton Don't Miss ! The plot involves London Street entertainer, Laughton & Leigh are friends living together (with Ms. Leigh;'s {Liberty}family) barely making a living Laughton is older than Leigh loves her but along comes Rex.. and things change Leigh becomes a musical comedy star Laughton becomes a street begger and goes to jail for a time.. very moving .& fun also. Don't Miss!!

Saw "Must Love Dogs" yesterday and since I'm not too crazy about pets this took some effort.. However, really enjoyed this film thanks to the witty plot and wonderful cast .. Diane Lane is wonderful, shes becoming the queen of the romantic film (Under The Tuscan Sun, etc) we need her talents and beauty and we need this genre of film.. Good supporting cast, John Cusack is very good also/ as is sexy Dermont Mulrooney,, Elizabeth Perkins is a stand out but most memorable for me is Christopher Plummer as Lanes father... great scenes between father and daughter.. Also good is Stockard Channing as Dolly great character role for her... she looks so frumpy but makes her character so vulnerable... Go see ! just about my favorite film this summer

I couldn't believe how this unrecognized unheralded film of the mid 1960s captured the sleaziness & the downfall of NYC during that time The photography is amazing.. the score capturers the early disco era... Sal Mineo is unbelievably sensuous, erotic, neurotic, as is Elaine Stritch who plays the Lesbian, Marian wonderful performances.. Juliet Prowse is good in this role..Plot is a bit confusing.. and why did they cast Jan Murray (great TV comic game show host of that era) in this role? Ill never know.... But as I stated before, this film captures the sleazy, unclean, dark, cold snowy sado masochistic, days of NYC in the mid 1960s when that city was on the decline.. Broadway might have been booming, Babs was on B'WAY live in Funny Girl, The Merm was still around. ETC .but the side streets, the crime, the sex shops were running abound..this film captures it all..worth seeing and or buying if it becomes .. available, Bravo ,Sal Mineo. Elaine Stritch, and the director...

I received this great documentary as a Xmas gift & finally got around to watching Other night..Its a wonderful experience... Martin Scorsese's enthusiasm for the Italian cinema .. is so honest so exciting.. he has a passion for this topic...& it shows..He anaylyzes the Italian film industry from the neo realist films of the mid 1940s thru the 60s the films of his childhood.. I'm an Italian American of similar age and background.. and I was so thrilled by this documentary i was moved to tears several times..He mentions the obvious films such as Open City, La Dolce Vita etc & mentions obscurities as well such as Rossellinis "Vacation in Italy" with Ingrid Bergaman & George Sanders never knew of this film.. I loved it..I regret a few omissions such as the mention of Rocco and His Brothers, and no mention at all of Silvana Mangano & her films esp..Bitter Rice..oh well maybe Scorsese is working on a part 2..please wonderful film documentary!!

Just sat through" House Of Sand and Fog"...many aspects of this film are really implausible...but the overwhelming drama is so powerful, you just have to stick with it and really can't stop watching... This is due in part to the direction by Vadim Perelman, and outstanding performances by the cast, most especially, Ben Kingsley , who more than deserved his oscar nomination... Jennifer Connelly, was very good also but felt her to be a bit one dimensional, the entire supporting cast is wonderful, but for me, its Kinsley's show, he made the implausible plot lines beleivible & riveting... dont miss this in your neighborhood theatre or on DVD (its already out there)

Saw this early am today 2/10/04 on TCM want to see again..sentimental, weepy yes but so well done, and a beautiful Oscar Nominated performance by Marie Dressler... have not seen this before was impressed good cast, Jean Hersholt (who has an award named after him I believe ?). a very young Myrna Loy, and Richard Cromwell as Ronnie... couldnt place hin, seen before, thanks to Imdb I was reminded that he played Julie (Jezebel) other boyfriend(Ted Dilliard) in the classic Bette Davis film Jezebel... Emma is a little gem, and Dressler more than deserved her Oscar nomination ..She was so funny in the airport scenes & the train station scene where she losses (amongst other things)her corset...and so moving in the final scenes...Watch again,, thanks TCM & Imdb for the info....

Spin offs, copy cats clones, Three Secrets is easily compared to its earlier & far better film A Letter To 3 Wives Basically both plots involve 3 women in a quandry.or a dilemma..in 3 Wives .one of their husbands has run away with another woman (Miss Addie Ross).. who which ? stream of conciousness flashbacks..witty & brilliantly directed by Joseph L.Mankiewiecz a superb cast & even better supporting cast "Letter "is one of the all time great films.."Tree Secrets 3 women face another dilemma, a boy is involved in a plane crash in the mountains. Boy was adopted by parents who were killed in crash..Boy survives crash 3 women gave birth to a boy same day..& gave up for adoption to the same shelter..Whos child is this? Does anyone care.?Yes it is agood film very a sorbing & very well acted. 3very good actresses Eleanor Parker Patricia Neal & Ruth Roman are the 3 women in despair,,and give very fine performances.Direction is very good also by future Oscar winner Robert Wise.. but a lot is borrowed from "Letter" the basic 3 women plot, the miasma, and the stream of concsiousness flashbacks.They worked well for "Letter" & work well here also... but the conclusion is smaltzy & the film lacks the wit and intelligence of its predecessor.. Worth seeing.. a "Chick" flick & some good actors involved..but Letter to 3 Wives is an original & a masterpiece !!

To me this film shown on TCM @ 2 wks ago early am! (end of NOV. 03) left such an impact. on me Never Heard or seen before!! . wow..better than I AM A Fugitive From A Chain Gang!! before the code was in progress.. A prison drama depicting the harsh realities & also the racial & sexual innuendoes which awhile later would have been censored: WATCH!!! Observe the cook in the Prison..obviously gay or "Pansy" being slapped on the behind by one of the male wardens.. & later talking about a funeral which he'll never forget, where the Pansies were sooo large"!! & the immortal Louise Beavers visiting her boyfriend in same prison"rolling her eyes" & making it clear that she wishes her "Handy Man" was free.. so she could feel so much better!!!& he sees her & states he"aint well since he ain't had no 'sugar"...wow could not believe my eyes & ears !!& the relationship between the imprisoned brothers..THIS FILM SHOULD BE ON DVD/and or VHS has a lot to say about prisons of the South at that time (early 1930s) & sexual mores & racial attitudes way back then.. should not be missed !an Historic Document!!! How did we let this one pass?? & Rochelle Hudson? gorgeous & beautiful Want to see again..Thanks TCM once more

Bravo Blassetti ! Bravo Massimo Girotti ! What a surprise from Italy! An Epic saga..Mythological & religious...Sort of an Italian Star Wars meets Robin Hood meets Ben Hur ! Action ! Lust ! Mythological settings ! Forests, loincloths ,moats,chariots, swords, jousting & a story line which never loses your interest!!What a Spectacle !! predates most of our great spectacular films of the 1950s by many yrs (Ok, we had silent films King of Kings & 10 Commandments & some other De Mille Films, Sign of the Cross etc) but this mythological setting was unusual for the times... Cant wait to see again.. Massimo Girotti whose work I know from Senso & later Medea is excellent... rest of cast were not known to me & also not aware of director, Blassetti.... now I am !Will look forward to viewing The Iron Crown again,.and other films by Blassetti..Thanks again TCM !!

Why is this a film I dont wanna watch...because it moves me to uncontrollable tears everytime...It hits home...Thornton Wilder must have known my family ,understood my psyche..It hits home... Americana at the turn of the century.. my parents born... not in samll town america but Mid size city... still the thought the virtues the principals, the ideals were the same the happiness of a a home in America.. Mom & Dad providing a home, warm morning breakfasts on a cold winter day.. family members irrelevant yet unforgettable... the birthdays the graduations & the weddings the changes & the phases of life... and death are simply adequately & beautifully presented by Thornton Wilder & his play & screen play.. Emily portrayed by Marhta Scott is superb... if this doesnt bring a tear to your eye, you are not human... & George played by William Holden perfectly & the best supporting cast ever assembled.. Fay Bainter, Beulah Bondi, Thomas Mitchel, Guy Kibee,Dora Merande etc etc...non stop emotions.. non stop truth.. and the score ,all so memorable... i shouldnt watch this film..becsause its non stop tears everytime... but to me its an American Classic,,, maybe underrated...watch it absorb every line & cry your eyes out..

Yes 1939/Robert Donat-Greer Garson version was the best...Perfection..Donat won the Oscar in a very tough year..Gable in GWTW & James Stewart as Mr. Smith. were 2 of his competitors. .wow was that a rough year.. Most critics in NY hated this version. so.didnt see in theatre! Finally saw this A.M. on TCM & enjoyed..Peter O'Toole was excellent & glad he was Oscar nominated for this,,& esp pleased Oscar finally gave him a special award this past year... Petula Clark was good as Mrs. Chips but her character,i feel was poorly written...Some good songs esp. You & I... sung by Ms.Clark & later recorded by many others including T.Bennett/S. Bassey & Carmen MacRae.... the b&w version was more authentic.. but this is a good film beautifully photographed in color & panavision... enjoyable worth seeing & Bravo, again, Mr. O'Toole!

Crawford was great but not my favorite actress..Bette Davis was.. but this performance in Humoresque can only be portrayed by Crawford! She was absloutely perfect for the role of Helen Wright.. and yes was brilliant..To me this is her best role: not sudsy or sappy... beautiful,sophisticated, society bitch who sexually longed for a man & did everything in her power to control & possess him..I feel the chemistry between she & co star John Garfield was ELECTRIC!! He portrayed the violinist,Paul Boyar so well.. the man she lusted for and wanted to possess for herself... The score, the photography the direction Brilliant..Ive seeen this film many times & each time it gets better... Im very critical of Miss Crawfords work but 5 or 6 of her films are outstanding.. This is a notch above Mildred Pierce for me because the character she is portraying is so similar to herself (according to bios etc)..& her beauty & class are unquestioned..the closeup of her ,as she observes Garfield in the rehearsal hall..is comparable to Garbo's closeup ,final scene , of Queen Christina!!! This is a film that never ever bores me..I rate it a 10 !!! Watch It....

Never heard of this film until yesterday 7/15/03..and I am a film buff Thanks agaim to TCM... not sure of the historical 100 % accuracy but the main story is history: re: Andrew Johnsons Impeachment /came up during the Clinton impeachment trial... never knew this was filmed.. Van Heflin is brilliant..as the maligned president... as is the rest of the cast...Lionel Barrymore is especially excellent as he hams up the screen. Missed the first few minutes..cant wait till TCM schedules again!! Lost in the shuffle of great films released in late 30s early 40s ! Not to be missed

Finally found a vhs copy of Anna(1951) via Movie Classics...Bad copy chopped..sniped together but the essence of this sultry exciting Italian neo classic film is still there...Over 50 yrs since I first saw this film in the Regent Theatre in Newark,NJ with my family..but those images remain...Anna the Nun.,Anna the nurse, Anna the night club samba singer dancer, Anna the whore who loves one man & sensually lusts after another!!!!The songs "Anna" sung by Mangano(#1 Hit record) & also "Non Dimenticar" are unforgettable.. beautiful Mangano, the face of Italy has made some US films notably, Ulysseus,5 Branded Women, & The Tempest, but will be remembered by aging audiences as the supreme siren of neo classic Italian films, Bitter Rice,ANNA, & Gold of Naples etc...dont miss..& lets hope we get a better copy!!!

THE YEARLING, WHICH WAS FIlMED IN 1946, HAS ESCAPED ME UNTIL TODAY 6/16/03 I TUNED INTO TED TURNERS TCM, late afternoon & A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF MY HEROS & ONE OF AMERICAS GREATEST FILM ACTORS, GREGORY PECK, WAS BEGINNING.. STARTING WITH THE YEARLING... I WAS TOTALLY MESMERIZED BY;the story; the photography;, the acting, the direction, the score;& just about every aspect of this film... cried my eyes out for 2 & 1/2 hrs.. mourning the death of one of my heroes & one of our greatest actors, Gregory Peck, and admiring & worshipping every aspect of this film by Clarence Brown, in 1946,, which depicts a saga of Americana at its best !! Bravo !!! to all, Clarence Brown, Jane Wyman, Claude Jarmon,Jr, and above all the epitomy of: acting:supperlative taste; strong voice, macho image; a hero in every aspect of the word... God Im gonna miss him.Mr. Gregory Peck!!! adieu...

Bette Davis In this Our Life Directed by John Huston,.. not only steals the film in the role of Stanley...she proves that she was is and will always be the screens ultimate absolute B_ _ _ _H!! I dont think I can use the word here!! No one compares to her: trampy/twitchy/ impetuous/tempramental/hysteria/Ive seen this film many times cant get my eyes off of her each time and the cast was stellar/ Olivia DeHaviland as the good sister ,Roy,/George Brent/Dennis Morgan, and 5 of the screens great character performers: Hattie MacDaniel/Charles Coburn/Billie Burke/Frank Craven & Lee Patrick.*..despite their efforts its Bettes film...she eats it up swallows it & takes it away..This is considered one of her lesser films coming after The Little Foxes & just before Now Voyager...no Oscar nomination here!! Her portrayal of evil has only been topped on screen twice by Bette herself in The Little Foxes and later on In Baby Jane....* a word should be said about Ernest Anderson very good as Parry the young black man who almost takes the rap for Bette he gives a fine performance...and this film does make a minor statement about racism in the country at the time...brave for the early 1940s! Watch the scene where DeHaviland talks to "Parry" about his future law career..that little scene says much!! Bravo Huston! Bette! Olivia & Ernest Anderson!!!

This film recaptures a time that i lived thru & loved & sorely miss/late 50s early 60s I was an adolescent so a bit young to be a true part of this swinging-Pre Viet Nam Yrs era!!Glamour style excitement/ great music/ wonderful movies/early TV !!! the colors the sights & the sounds are all recalled in Down With Love.. Doris Day (retired) Rock Hudson(deceased) no longer here so they selected wisely Renee Zeilwegger & Ewan MacGregor to step in and they step in well! Frasiers David Hyde Pierce is wonderful in the Tony Randall type roles(2nd banana) & Randall himself is in a few key scenes.. Sarah Paullson is a new find (for Me) Nostalgic yet contemporized... I really enjoyed what director Peyton Reed did with the split screen segments(derived from Pillow Talk).. but oh boy really hilarious... Loved the score seeing & hearing the real Judy Garland sing the title song was wonderful!! hearing Sinatra on the soundtrack/Astrid Gilberto & others took me down memory lane to music I really miss hearing on the radio today!!(dont get me started !!) Thank goodness for Thomas Alva Edison & his invention of the phonograph record & player which led to stereo & todays cds / and im glad i saved most of my vinyl..Oh well go see this very pleasant film..more than just a trip down memory lane!!