Reviews

Judy Holliday is absolutely fabulous in "Born Yesterday". That sweet face, the intoxicating voice? And Bill Holden playing down the fact he is drop dead gorgeous? I have watched this movie over and over and find with Judy, yet another great inflection she emits. I love when she just bellows out when every one is around her, trying to beat her down. Or she runs to the dictionary and slaps those pages until she finds her answer. Or calls Broderick Crawford a "facist". And he doesn't even know what she called him. She was and still is FABULOUS.

Judy Holliday is marvelous. Her life was short. Her legacy is magnanimous.

Gable - came into his own with "Red Dust". Harlow? My lord! She went from "Red Headed Woman" to "Blonde" magnificent in this movie. Here's old Mary Astor talking like the Queen Mother and Gene Raymond (well he actually was what the character was supposed to be) and then you have Harlow, dousing in the water-drinking barrel, scraping off bird poop and exclaiming, "Whatcha been eating' - cement?" to the unwitting bird. Gable goes from Mary Astor, seated on a stool to even kiss him in one of their "magic" moments to Harlow, sawing her nails and pulling up her dress over those gorgeous legs - heck, was there nothing gorgeous about Jeanie from KCMO? Red Dust? I have seen it so many times I could do the dialog. The star in "Red Dust" - well Clark Gable is a close but Jean Harlow wins.

Charlotte's Web is one of the most touching, lovely movies I have seen in decades. That sweet girl, Fern, who saved the runt pig, Wilbur, and raised him, is magnificent. Wilbur is wonderful. But the award goes to Julia Robertson as the spider, Charlotte. She is enchanting. The webs she wove?!?!? Just marvelous. And the other animals were fabulous. What a cast! What an interpretation of how animals live and interact. Oh, and did I forget Templeton, the rat? A surprise character that just keeps everything running great as only a rat can do. John Cleese as the head sheep with his "quit following" orders to the other sheep is just cheeky! And those two bovines - gotta love 'em - and the geese? Oprah, thank you for Gussy! The horse is wonderful - thank you Robert!

I will not forget this marvelous movie soon. Everyone needs some lovely simple magic - this movie will give it. See it and come out very happy.

That Lana Turner played her beauty down so much in this movie, that she acted like a dream - this is the real Lana Turner. She was marvelous. This movie is a heart breaker. That darling son that defends her, not knowing she was his mother, and yet, had an instinct? This is Hollywood and Lana Turner at their finest. If you want true soap opera and none of the tripe, go for this. John Forsythe, Constance Bennett? Even they are tearing up at Lana's performance. Marvelous is all I can say. Marvelous!!!! I loved Lana Turner when she was younger, but her later movies such as this and Peyton Place? She was and will always be fantastic.

I just happened to tune into this movie on Lifetime yesterday. I was bowled over. It was wonderful! The child actress that plays Shirley was magnificent. The scenes with the actor that played Bill Robinson (Bo Jangles) and little Shirley dancing up and down the staircase just made me cry. And the actress that played Gertrude Temple - she was fabulous! The fact this movie could have been so syrupy sweet, but was straight to the point kept me watching. I especially liked the actor that played John Ford; and the Lionel Barrymore actor.....that quote he spews when little Shirley makes peace with him, "Are you a 50-year old midget?", during the filming of the "The Littlest Rebel". Great. Just plain great! This is a movie anyone of any age can watch and love.

I am a descendant of John Wesley Hardin, of whom this movie was made. My great grandmother was his niece. I think this movie was a marvelous tribute because John Wesley was an educated, cultural person. He just didn't have a lot of patience when it came to certain factors. Like shooting a man for snoring. I am honored that the Hollywood "factor" would cast Rock Hudson as John Wesley, as John W was a very handsome man according to the tintographs I have of him from my g-grandmother. This is an under-rated movie worth watching and the female lead is indeed an actress under-rated - she is lovely and supportive. A grand western! AMB

First of all, you can take all the latest "critics" of this movie and hang 'em on the yard arm. This movie is pure "treasure"! Yes, it's long. I loved that - I didn't want to leave. Yes, it twists and turns the plot or plots - so? This is classic Hollywood - pure fantasy and escape and well, go see it - it is magical! And Johnny Depp? HE is CLASSIC Hollywood - thank you, we have so few actors of that genre left. He is mesmerizing as Captain Jack Sparrow - that beautiful face, that character he has created? He's almost type cast himself - but knowing Johnny - he'll do something even more fantastic later.

Pirates II? Go go go!!!! You will be taken away to another place, time, and planet.

AMB

Quite frankly if you are looking for magic and fantasy and fantastic costumes and beautiful women AND beautiful men, "Prince Valiant" is great! Yes, it's the gorgeous Robert Wagner at 24 in a black page boy wig. And.....Janet Leigh with those torpedo breasts that were so typical of that time when whatever women were supposed to be girded up in. But look at some of the other performances. James Mason is as always consummate and thorough. Brian Aherne as King Arthur - well he always looked like royalty - might as well act it. If you want escape from the stark "horrors" that THIS RED STATE millennium has "wrought" - watch this movie. It is Hollywood entertainment at its costly costumed legendary finest! PS - Robert Wagner is gorgeous - he is more beautiful than the women if that is possible.

Ahhhhh, Hollywood...............

PPS - Debra Paget is under-rated - what a sensitive lovely girl she is.

Johnny Depp is single handedly one of the finest actors I have seen since the days of classic film (MGM 30's-40's). To take the role of "Edward" where he hardly speaks during the whole film and make it so deeply moving - well, what can I say that probably hasn't been already? Tim Burton took prejudice and slapped it finely in the face with this film. Johnny Depp took his character as the "prejudiced victim" and there was never a moment when anyone with the sense of a goat wouldn't feel compassion for Edward or just outright love him. Beautiful film - just simply beautiful. Supporting characters were marvelous and recognizable from other great efforts, and Vincent Price - well, that's another effusive declaration.

AMB