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planktonrules
I also write for Influx Magazine--where many of my opinions and reviews are also posted.
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Against All Odds (1984)
A confusing and sexified remake of "Out of the Past"
"Out of the Past" was one of Robert Mitchum's better films. It was a lovely piece of film noir with an unusual romance with Jane Greer. "Against All Odds" is a 1984 remake which turns out to be a lot more confusing and 'sexified' (with some very rough language to boot).
Jeff Bridges is Terry Brogan, a pro football player at the end of his career. Now you'd think he'd have some sort of plan for his future, but he doesn't...nor does he seem especially bright. The rest of the film seems to confirm this...as well as that he's not an especially likable guy either.
After Terry is dropped from his team, a severely mentally unstable rich friend (James Woods) hires him to go to Mexico in search of the team owner's daughter...a woman who is also highly mentally unstable. Once in Mexico he finds her (Rachel Ward) and instead of telling his unstable friend, he begins a hot sexilicious romance with her. Then, things get really weird, dangerous and confusing.
I think the film, while interesting, has two problems. First, there are so many plot twists that I think the film might have been better with a simpler script. A good example of this is late in the film when Richard Widmark's character actually has to explain to the unstable woman what is happening and why! Second, and this is much more important, none of the characters in the story are the least bit likable...including Terry. They're all scum....and this makes it hard to care about any of them. Unless you have a film like "Downfall" or "The Bunker", it's important that you have someone to root for in a film...and here I just wanted bad things to happen to all of them.
On the plus side, the film has some lovely location shooting in Tulum, Mexico. It also has some nice music. In other words, it's a pretty slick looking movie. Slick...but hard to connect to as you watch.
My advice? Watch "Out of the Past" instead.
Taps (1981)
The acting was tremendous.
The plot to "Taps" is difficult to believe and is by far the weakest aspect of the movie. It's sad, as the acting is stellar...with the likes of Oscar-winners George C. Scott and Timothy Hutton in the lead and a lot of incredibly talented newcomers, such as Sean Penn and Tom Cruise. They are all terrific...and I have no complaints about the acting. As far as the plot goes, it really requires you to completely suspend disbelief in order to watch it.
The story is set at a military school. General Bache (George C. Scott) is a career military man who has a dynamic personality and is idolized by the kids in the academy. However, the school's board of directors has decided to close the school after the next school year. To make it worse, soon some neighborhood jerks create a confrontation with the cadets during a dance held at the school. In the commotion, the General accidentally shoots one of the ruffians. To make it worse, the General soon has a heart attack due to the stress of the events. The kids respond by deciding to hold on the the school...arming it like a garrison and daring outsiders to close it! As the story progresses, things escalate...due in part to idiots who didn't just ignore the kids and let them play soldier until they tired of it.
The film is interesting...but as the film progressed, the story just became less and less believable. If you can ignore this, it is pretty exciting and the ending full of energy and chaos.
Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
Well made...but the film made a hero, of sorts, out of a monster.
"Birdman of Alcatraz" is a very well-crafted movie. The acting is very good and the script really make you respect and perhaps even love Robert Stroud, the so-called 'Birdman'. And, while it is true that Stroud loved birds and made himself an expert on them, the film does a great disservice by making him seem soulfull or decent. In reality, Stroud was a monster who was sent to prison for killing someone...and one there, he was incredibly violent...stabbing one inmate and murdering a guard. Clearly he was no hero. Yet, the film glosses over this and Burt Lancaster (a fantastic actor) makes him seem likeable...or at least decent.
The bottom line is that if you want the true story of Stroud, look elsewhere. If you just want an entertaining but fictional film, by all means watch it.
Secrets & Lies (1996)
a phenomenal movie...as well as a very emotional and painful one.
Script that was improvised.
Photogrpahs telling little stories
music a bit intense==good but loud.
Don't seem like actors.
Some might struggle with accents/dialects.
Awkward scenes other films might avoid.
DIrector Mike Leigh specializes in making films about real folks...not the sorts you see in most other movies. Occasionally, he's made other sorts of pictures, such as his Gilbert & Sullivan bio-pic, "Topsy Turvey". But what he's really known for and specializes in are stories about seemingly ordinary English working folks. I've seen a few and really enjoyed them, so I thought I try his most famous movie, "Secrets & Lies".
The story is told through small vignettes...vignettes that aren't obviously related. However, as the story progresses, the parallel stories eventually merge. It's a most unusual style of storytelling...and he's really mastered this style.
As far as the story goes, I don't want to say too much, as it would spoil the plot. Suffice to say, it's about a young woman who is searching for her birth mother....and the fact that the woman is black and mother are white are the LEAST of the concerns when all is said and done. The story culminates at a VERY emotionally charged birthday party...one where all sorts of secrets are revealed...and, hopefully, this results in a stronger, happier family...or not.
This is a film that is NOT for all tastes. It is told almost like a series of home movies, with actors who don't act or look like actors but real people. But its unconventional style really work and I beg you NOT to stop watching the movie...as it really kicks into high gear the last half hour or so. Not to be missed.
12 Angry Men (1997)
The word 'unnecessary' certainly comes to mind.
Originally, "12 Angry Men" was a live teleplay which was performed in 1954 for "Studio One". A few years later, many of the same cast members returned...and this time with Henry Fonda in the lead. The film turned out to be a masterpiece...one of the strongest movies of the 1950s and one that proved that WRITING and CHARACTER ACTORS are more important that action and big budgets. In 1997, for some inexplicable reason, some folks decided to remake it. Why? Were the TV version or first film flawed in some way? No way! So why did they produce this remake? I dunno...laziness?! Perhaps.
In most ways the film is like the previous versions, though when the story begins, you have a courtroom scene...something NOT in the other versions and something that is really unnecessary. Not bad...but unnecessary. Likewise, the portion about the psychiatrist is new...not in the originals. Why was it so otherwise similar? Well, the same guy who wrote the teleplay ALSO wrote this updated version.
So is the film necessary? No. The first film was perfect and featured some of the best character actors Hollywood could offer...as does this remake. But why see a remake when the first movie was perfect? In other words, there's nothing wrong with this 1997 version...but it just isn't necessary when we have a classic film already. The only big improvement in this 1997 film is that it's nice to see a more racially diverse jury...though it does exclude women...and as IMDB indicated, it was because the title "12 Angry People" wouldn't have the same impact.
Overall, an exceptionally well made movie...one that deserves to be seen...but only if you try one of the earlier versions first. It has many powerful moments...and I cannot discount that. It just isn't exactly original.
Angus (1995)
A must-see for teens.
"Angus" is a movie I had little interest in seeing. After all, it's more a film designed for teens. However, as I've recently been trying to see as may of George C. Scott's movies, as he was one of the greatest actors of his generation, I thought I should try "Angus"...even though it's a teen movie and Scott is only a supporting actor. In hindsight, boy am I glad I saw this picture!!
"Angus" features a story we can all related to. It's about an awkward chubby kid (Charlie Talbert) in high school whose life has been hellish thanks to a vicious, yet inexplicably popular bully, Rick (James Van Der Beek). Rick's latest attempt to make Angus feel like dirt is his fixing the voting to make Angus the prom king...so that Rick can mock him. Much of the movie is about Angus trying to sum up to courage to attend the dance...or just quit and walk away instead.
This touching film is one you might want to see with some Kleenex nearby. It's quite sad in places and there's a very good chance you can relate to him, as there are a lot of 'Ricks' in school...kids who look good but are down deep little monsters.
Overall, a very well written movie that strikes a painful nerve in nearly all of us. Well worth seeing, not just by teens, but anyone.
By the way, the language does have a bit of tough language. Well, while as a parent it made me a tad uncomfortable, as an ex-high school teacher, it also sound REAL....so I cut it a lot of slack.
The Whipping Boy (1994)
Surprisingly watchable for adults.
"The Whipping Boy" is a movie made for the Disney Channel and is based on a popular children's book of the same title. I mostly saw it because I've been trying to watch as many of George C. Scott's films as I can find...though, as it turns out, he plays only a relatively minor character.
Based on the costumes, the story appears to be set in the fictional country of Bratenberg at about 1800 (give or take a week). The story begins with two very poor orphans scraping to get by. However, when the odious young Prince sees them, he decides to have the boy taken prisoner and made his new whipping boy. Now, I have no idea if a 'whipping boy' is a real thing or something made up by authors. Regardless, the whipping boy's job is to be beaten instead of the Prince every time the Prince is bad...and this horrid monster is VERY bad and the whipping boy pays the price.
After various shenanigans, the whipping boy decides to run away...and the Prince follows him because the King is so angry at the Prince he's planning on actually whipping the horrid Prince instead of his proxy. Soon the pair are kidnapped and are going to be held for ransom. Can they manage to escape? And, will the Prince remain a horrid monster for the rest of his wretched life? And what about the whipping boy's sister...what happened to her in all this?
This story clearly is focused on entertaining kids, though it is still enjoyable for adults...so if your kids sucker you into watching it with them, then it won't be so bad! The story is interesting and the acting generally good. Plus the location shooting is actually very nice and the film has a few decent object lessons for kids. However, I wouldn't show it to really young kids...a few scenes might be too intense for the 5 and under crowd.
Pals (1987)
Not bad...but I can't help thinking it could have been a lot better.
"Pals" is an okay made for TV movie starring George C. Scott and Don Ameche. It's a comedy and both actors have done SOME comedic work...but neither seem to be innately funny nor have the comedy instincts the film could have used. Additionally, the script makes the mistake of having one of the characters transform himself into a jerk.
Jack (Scott) and Art (Ameche) are two old men who are friends. One day, they're on a road trip with Jack's mother (Sylvia Sidney) and they stumble upon a car with a suitcase full of money in the trunk. Soon, the hitman who owns the car arrives and tries to shoot them as they run away with the money.
When they later count the money, there's more than $3,000,000 in cash and so the two come up with a plan. They fake their deaths, abandon their homes and create new identities and buy a mansion as well as a fishing business. Soon the killer is on their trail...as Jack behaves like a jerk and pretends to be from 'old money'. And, considering how jerky he's behaving, I'm rooting for the hitman!
I think making the characters more sympathetic, having funnier actors in the leads AND eliminating the slide-whistle would have helped this movie a lot. As it is, it's not bad but you can't help but think it should have been better. Additionally, the longer I watched the film, the more I just wanted it to end.
The Ryan White Story (1989)
Get out your Kleenex.
Because I lived during the era when HIV/AIDS was a HUGE worry, I remember pretty clearly the sad case of Ryan White. The boy contracted AIDS as a result of his treatments for Hemophilia...and folks in his community were so scared of the illness. After all, not a lot was known about the illness at that time. The school board responded by expelling Ryan...and the boy was the center of a media frenzy. It was a sad story...especially when so much of the rhetoric surrounding this was hateful by the folks in his community and the White family was treated abominably. Because of this, I basically spent much of the film in tears...and I think this is going to be the case with most viewers. It's a sad, awful story...no matter how it's told. This film is a made for TV movie that came out a year before Ryan's death.
So is the story well done? Yes. I am not sure how much they changed facts to make the story more cinematic...but it is very effective in presenting the story. Well acted as well...and well worth seeing.
Curacao (1993)
Curiously uninvolving.
As the title would suggest, this film was made on the Caribbean island of Curacao. However, though this is a beautiful location and the film is about spies, it's a surprisingly uninvolving tale...one that never really piqued my interest.
The story focuses on two men. Stephen (William Peterson) is ex-CIA and apparently he ticked off his bosses...so they banished him to this island and took away his passport. The other is an older man, Cornelius (George C. Scott). He was involved in some insurance scam and was also pretty much banished to this island. None of it is very exciting...and sorting it all out by the end of the film is a chore.
I think one of the worst things about this mediocre film is how often instead of really SHOWING things, they talk about them. There is some action at the end...but otherwise, it's a curiously uninvolving story. I think they actors tried...but the script felt like it was riddled with plot holes and was re-written one time too many.
China Rose (1983)
This should have been more interesting than it actually was
"China Rose" is a made for TV movie starring George C. Scott. Now considering the location shoot and that Scott was a magnificent actor, I really expected more from this film. It wasn't terrible...but it also really wasn't good.
Burton (Scott) has come to China looking for information about his son's whereabouts. It seems he went to China over a decade before and has not been heard from since. However as he and his guide (Ali McGraw) travel in mainland China, the trail seems to lead back to Hong Kong. There, he keeps getting conflicting stories...that the son is dead as well as that he's alive! What is really going on here?!
With this plot, it was surprising that the film itself was just okay. You'd think organized crime and the rest of the story would have been pretty exciting. Additionally, the Scott-McGraw matchup didn't work for me...especially when, out of the blue, there was romance. Overall, an okay film with a downbeat ending...nothing more.
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
Not necessary....but still pleasant
This film is about the further adventures of Bernard (Bob Newhart) and Bianca (Eva Gabor), two sweet mice to have dedicated their lives to helping animals in trouble. The first film was a nice diversion and is worth your time.
As I watched "The Rescuers Down Under", I wondered if there was any compelling reason to make the film. After all, was "The Rescuers" THAT popular a film to merit a sequel? And, aren't there other Disney franchises that would have worked better as a sequel? The answers to both is yes....but the film is worth seeing. Why? Well, the animation, while not among Disney's best, is still quite nice. And, Bernard and Bianca are pleasant characters. I just think that perhaps the hunter (George C. Scott) might be too intense a character for younger viewers. Worth seeing but far from a must-see.
The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1986)
Very good...aside from the accents.
"The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a story by Edgar Allan Poe and it's set in Paris. However, oddly, the accents of most of the actors are American...with a few Brits thrown in as well. In fact, no one sounded very French...and that is a problem with this TV movie. However, apart from that, it's closer to the original story than the more famous 1932 version and is well made.
Sort incredibly violent murders have taken place. Some folks have been ripped to pieces, another shoved up a chimney...and it took five people to pull the body out when the police discovered the murder scene. The local police are perplexed and when they arrest a man who obviously did NOT do it, retired Police Inspector August Dupin (George C. Scott) is awakened from his lethargy and he decides to investigate.
The acting, generally, is very good. Scott was a genius actor...and here he's, as expected, terrific. I thought Rebecca De Mornay was a bit weak (she seemed the least French-like of any of them) and Val Kilmer was fine. The best part of the film is the location shooting in Paris. Overall, a very good film version of the story.
The Exorcist III (1990)
Rarely did I expect so little yet got so much out of a film.
I expected "The Exorcist III" to be a giant dumpster fire of a movie. After all, "The Exorcist II" is among the worst films of the 1970s. Yet, surprisingly, even with the changes being added to the film last minute, it's a fascinating and chilling picture.
Some truly horrific murders have been taking place....murders that were deliberately cruel and sacrilegious. Now here's the creepy part...the m.o. Of the killings are identical to those of the Gemini Killer...a man executed years ago! Obviously, something extraordinary is going on and Kinderman (George C. Scott) is assigned to investigate the case. The trail leads to a maximum security ward in a hospital...one where it seems impossible for any of the dangerous psychotics to get out to commit these problems. To quote Bobby Boucher's mother "It's the devil" that is behind these horrific killings and how a mere human policeman can stop them is a puzzler!
The film's plot isn't perfect but it never is dull and the final ten or so minutes of the film will possibly scare the crap out of you! A very good film...I just wish they hadn't called it "Exorcist III", as it made me incorrectly assume it would be crap.
By the way, this is probably one of Scott's best and most underrated performances.
The Secret (1992)
An important film, considering how common the problem is.
The setting for "The Secret" is most unusual, and I appreciate that. It's about a family of cranberry farmers who live in Nova Scotia, Canada...and I liked seeing the unusual locale.
The Dunmore family lives in Nova Scotia. Grandpa Mike (Kirk Douglas) runs a small store and his son Patrick (Bruce Boxleitner) is a cranberry farmer. The two do NOT get along very well...and Patrick really resents all the time and attention Mike pays to his grandson, Danny. This stems from Mike not being there much for Patrick as he grew up. Mike never read to Patrick or helped him with his homework...and Patrick seems REALLY bent out of shape about this.
While Danny is a terrific athlete and a nice kid, he has a secret. The boy cannot read and has been faking it for years. But now his teacher has noticed and is trying to get the Dunmores to get Danny tested to see if he has a learning disability. But, inexplicably, Patrick is so against it that he seems a bit crazed (a MAJOR problem with the story actually). So, Grandpa takes Danny to Boston to be assessed...and when Patrick learns he puts a stop to it. But this abortive visit to a clinic isn't all a giant mistake, as Mike decides to take the appointment because he, too, has a secret...he cannot read either.
The film is odd. The acting is generally very good (especially for Douglas). But the character played by Boxleitner is poorly written...too extreme, too angry and too unlikable. He is almost like a caricature, not a real person like everyone else in the story. It's a shame, as otherwise it's an excellent film and Boxleitner is a fine actor...given the parts for him are well written. The film talks about a very common and important problem, dyslexia...so common that it's very possible you or someone you love is struggling with the disorder...so try to look past this problem with Patrick.
The First of May (1999)
A bit schmaltzy but still a nice family film.
Cory (Dan Byrd) is an 11 year-old who has been bounced around in the foster care system for years. Not surprisingly, he has some behavior problems (who wouldn't in a case like this) and he's going to yet another foster home. Cory isn't easy to love and when he learns that the foster family is having a child of their own, he assumes they don't want him and he runs away with a most unusual old lady he's met...Carlotta (Julie Harris). Carlotta hates the old folks' home she's in...and loves to find an excuse to leave.
Eventually the pair find a circus...which is great since Carlotta worked most of her life in circuses. The pair get jobs with the circus and things seem to be going pretty well...though you know sooner or later, they are bound to be caught.
The film was made somewhat on the cheap. Despite this, it did have some familiar faces. Aside from Ms. Harris, Mickey Rooney and Charles Nelson Reilly are in the film. Overall, it's a bit schmaltzy and predictable...but it's also a family film that adults won't hate...which is a big plus!
By the way, you might want to have some Kleenex ready...just in case.
The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)
A most atypical sort of war picture.
"The Bridges at Toko-Ri" is a film based on a story by James Michener. It came out just after the Korean War and perhaps this is why they made the film with such a downbeat ending. Regardless, it added an element of realism you don't often see from war films.
The story is set mostly aboard an American aircraft carrier in 1952. The main characters' jobs are to attack various targets in Korea...in particular some difficult to hit bridges at Toko-Ri. The main character is played by William Holden and he plays a man very reluctantly forced into the war and Grace Kelly plays his wife.
This film lacks many of the usual cliches in war films. That, combined with the downbeat ending, make it well worth while because it's not just like other war films. Excellent cinematography and stunts make this one that must have been great to see on the big screen.
The Woman Condemned (1934)
Wow...what a script! And, I don't mean that in a good way!
The plot to "The Woman Condemned" is pretty bad. A woman is found on the fire escape and she can't explain why she was there...so the police take her to see the judge. Before she can say anything, a seemingly looney reporter jumps up to her aid. He tells the judge she is his fiancee...and it's all some sort of practical joke!! Weird, huh? Well, it gets weirder. The judge then orders the pair to marry...and they do...even though they only just met!
If this doesn't sound dopey...it gets worse. Shortly after the wedding, the lady is caught in another woman's room...and the woman was shot and this other woman is holding the gun!! But that's not the end of the silliness...the woman comes back to life a couple times! And then there is the bizarro finale...what were they thinking?!?!
If all this sounds stupid...well, you have the right idea. Some of the acting is good...some isn't. But the one constant is that the script makes no sense...and the ending...uggh!!!
Little Gloria... Happy at Last (1982)
Interesting....but also very sad.
"Little Gloria...Happy at Last" is a two-part television mini-series about the unhappy childhood and child custody trial for Gloria Vanderbilt.
The story begins with Gloria Morgan meeting and falling for Reggie Vanderbilt. They soon marry, have a child and then Reggie dies...all withing about 2-3 years. The widow soon learns how dire her financial situation is. The alcoholic Reggie apparently blew through almost his entire fortune. Apart from a couple properties, the only other asset is a trust fund for $2,500,000. But since Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt is not yet 21, an executor is appointed to dispense money for little Gloria.
During the next eight or so years, the mother mostly parties and has fun in Europe...while leaving the child to be raised by a goofy nanny...often in a different country. To call the mother neglectful and selfish would be reasonable. When Gloria Morgan later petitions to have herself appointed little Gloria's guardian (and get rid of the court appointed executor), the trial has a surprising twist, as Gloria Morgan's own mother and step-sister file for custody of the child. Is this a selfless thing being done to save poor little Gloria...or is a bid to try to take control of the child's trust fund?
Part one of the story consists of Gloria Morgan and Reggie Vanderbilt meeting, marrying, Reggie dying and the mother and child leaving to live in Europe. Part two picks up just after the petition by Gloria Morgan's mother and step-sister is filed. Most of the second part is about the hysteria and ensuing trial. Through all this, what's best for little Gloria seems secondary...at best.
The reason I watched this mini-series is mostly because it's one of Bette Davis' final performances. She was just fine though wasn't a major character in the shows. Now this doesn't mean the mini-series is bad...just that if you only care about Davis, you might be disappointed.
Overall, this is a very good but also an incredibly sad mini-series. Well acted and well made throughout.
The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978)
Long, confusing and not up to the hype surrounding it.
"The Dark Secret of Harvest Home" debuted when I was a teen and all the kids in my high school seemed to be talking about it. Well, I missed it and assumed I was really unfortunate. However, after seeing it decades later, I wonder what all the hubbub was about in the first place. It's NOT a particularly good mini-series....and certainly not among Bette Davis' better films in the latter part of her career.
The problem with this film comes down to one thing...PACING. The original film version (it was edited down several times) is 3 hours and 48 minutes (not the 5 hours listed on IMDB) and I really wish I'd seen the heavily truncated 2 hour version. Otherwise, it's an endurance contest and feels like the film is keeping its secrets as long as possible in order to pad the story out to such a long running time.
As Summers Die (1986)
Not nearly as interesting as I'd hoped.
The main reason I decided to watch "As Summers Die" is that I am nearly finished with my goal of seeing every Bette Davis movie...and after this film, I only have a few more to go.
"As Summers Die" was filmed following Ms. Davis' stroke....and it's pretty obvious when you see her facial paralysis and slightly slurred speech. However, the film role fit her condition and she was fine in this part.
The story is about a disagreement over land rights back in the south in the 1950s. A rich white family claims a parcel of land, though the family patriarch apparently gave it to his black lover and her family. Scott Glenn plays the attorney representing the black family, as the case eventually arrives in court.
This film isn't bad at all. But it also seems very muted and not nearly as exciting as I'd hoped. In other words, it's okay...nothing more. And, you'd think given the subject matter that there'd be more excitement in the story.
Skyward (1980)
An enjoyable family film.
Julie (Suzy Barbieri) is a teenager who is confined to a motorized wheelchair. She also is about to experience her first taste of independence...she's being mainstreamed and is going to attend her local high school. But like many disabled people, she doesn't like being the oddball and doesn't want to be held back. So, it's not surprising when she decides that she wants to learn to fly! But there is a problem.... Julie is afraid to ask her parents' permission so she forges their signatures. What's next? And, what will her overprotective parents do when they learn the truth?
The film deserves kudos for actually casting a disabled person to play the lead (though oddly she's listed 7th in the credits on IMDB). Too many films and TV shows (such as "The Shape of Water" and "Glee") just hire able-bodied folks...taking away jobs from needy disabled folks. Plus, considering they aren't actually disabled, they often don't do a great job in the parts.
As far as the acting goes, Barbieri is good and it helps that she has the able support of some fine actors, such as Bette Davis, Howard Hessman, Marion Ross and Clu Gulager. Well worth seeing.
By the way, this was Ron Howard's first film as a director. The script was co-written by Anson Williams and Marion Ross acts in the film...and it's like a "Happy Days" reunion!
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino (1982)
An important topic rarely talked about in films.
When the story begins, Mrs. Cimino (Bette Davis) is being forcibly taken to the hospital. Why? Because she is pretty much out of her mind. So it's not surprising that she is adjudicated as incompetent and a conservator is appointed to watch over her finances. She also is fortunate to be placed in a memory care facility which focuses on working with dementia patients. Over time and with assistance from the program, Mrs. Cimino regains her faculties and what she wants next is a return of her rights...such as the right to control her own money.
The film is important because films almost never talk about the elderly and especially dementia. Here, the story not only talks about it but provides hope. A nice film with some lovely acting...it's well worth seeing and is yet another terrific made for TV movie starring Ms. Davis.
Appointment for Love (1941)
Who thought this script was a good idea?!
Margaret Sullavan and Charles Boyer were good actors. So, you naturally would expect "Appointment for Love" to be a good film...but it isn't. The problem isn't their acting but the basic story idea...which just doesn't make any sense at all.
After a whirlwind romance, Andre Cassil (Boyer) and Dr. Jane Alexander (Sullavan) marry. However, soon he realizes her number one love is her job working at the hospital. In fact, she leaves on her wedding night to work on a case and Andre gets no nookie whatsoever. Later she returns and has a brilliant idea...because of their jobs, she'll get a separate apartment! So, no sex...and living in separate homes...it's as if they never got married in the first place.
Sometimes a script idea is so patently absurd, you can't help but wonder how it got made. This is clearly the case with "Appointment for Love". The story idea makes zero sense and is so fundamentally absurd you cannot help but feel baffled. The actors tried their best...but the story is just inexplicably bad.
By the way, it's a sad coincidence but both Sullavan and Boyer in real life committed suicide.
Family Reunion (1981)
Well worth seeing.
During Bette Davis' later years, it's surprising that most of her best work occurred on films she made for television. I just finished watching "Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter", a film I scored a 10, and not with "Family Reunion", I score it a 9.
When the story begins, Elizabeth Winfield (Bette Davis) is retiring from teaching. She's a bit of an institution at the school, having taught there for five decades...and she's not retiring by choice. The school board offers her a present that isn't as wonderful as it sounds...a ticket for unlimited bus travel. She reluctantly decides to travel to visit extended family...not realizing they gave her the ticket to get her out of town. It seems that developers want to put in a mall...and don't want Winfield to raise any objections since they would be using land owned by the Winfield family! It seems that Senator Chester Winfield (David Huddleston) is leading a secret family plan to sell the land...and he is using all the power at his disposal to ram this land grab past everyone.
When Elizabeth learns what is happening, she decides to fight. Part involves suing and part involves throwing a big family reunion and trying to get folks to see the value in saving the family homestead. What's next? See this enjoyable and sentimental picture.
The acting in this one is excellent. Davis is great, as you'd expect, but David Huddleston and the rest seem to be at the top of their game as well. I was also impressed by Davis' real life grandson, as J. Ashley Hyman seemed very natural. Overall, a lovely story, filled with sentiment and charm.