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Now, Voyager

starring: Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Gladys Cooper, Bonita Granville
directed by: Irving Rapper

September 01, 1998
Based on Live Prouty's novel, this Hal Wallis production is one of the best films the studio system produced. The story, improbably romantic though it is(the novel at least makes some effort to provide some motivation for the romance)" moves along smartly, the setting are sumptuous, the writing deft. Now Voyager is one of those magical movies than can be watched over and over. One of my top ten favorites.

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Miracle, the

starring: Carroll Baker, Roger Moore, Walter Slezak, Vittorio Gassman, Katina Paxinou
directed by: Irving Rapper

February 05, 2002
This is one of those Hollywood dramas that escaped most peoples attention over the years and I found it hard to get on video and I never seen it on TV. Despite the critics panning of the movie (religious tones etc)it has superb production values,great score and the storyline broken into vignettes make it a must see. I'll hold on to this video for future viewing and hopefully it will be released sometime on DVD

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The Brave One

starring: Michel Ray, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Elsa Cárdenas, Carlos Navarro, Joi Lansing
directed by: Irving Rapper

June 25, 2002
This is one of those Hollywood dramas that escaped most peoples attention over the years and I found it hard to get on video and I never seen it on TV. Despite the critics panning of the movie (religious tones etc)it has superb production values,great score and the storyline broken into vignettes make it a must see. I'll hold on to this video for future viewing and hopefully it will be released sometime on DVD

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Deception

starring: Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, John Abbott, Benson Fong
directed by: Irving Rapper

September 01, 1998
I checked this out of the library on the recommendation of Julian Lloyd Webber (in his "Travels with my Cello"). I didn't expect it to good; I expected it to be good fun, like the equally idiotic but inadvertantly hilarious "Humoresque" (another 1946 movie having to do with the fledgling career of a string player, promoted by a dark, emotionally unstable, woman caught between two lovers). Well, I was disappointed. It's idiotic, all right, but it isn't any fun--or, rather, it wouldn't be except that the cello concerto depicted within was written (in real life) by Erich Korngold, and it's brilliant! Six stars for the music; zero stars for the movie.

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Marjorie Morningstar

starring: Gene Kelly, Natalie Wood, Claire Trevor, Everett Sloane, Martin Milner
directed by: Irving Rapper

October 14, 1992
My wife and I laughed so hard we GUFFAWED at this sublime example of cheesy 1950s film-making at its cheesiest. Gene Kelly blowing his stack at a trio of Broadway producers is so off-the-wall and over-the-top it's worth the price of admission by itself; all that's missing is his stepping out of character at the end of the scene and exclaiming "ACTING!" a la SNL's classic "Master Thespian" gag. We truly did not want this movie to end -- and never for a moment believed it was what Herman Wouk had in mind.

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Forever Female

starring: Ginger Rogers, William Holden, Paul Douglas, Pat Crowley, James Gleason
directed by: Irving Rapper

February 24, 1993
It's William Holden night, here at Chez Sixpack... Here, Holden stars as a brash, principled playwright who hitches his star to a famous-but-fading broadway star, played by Ginger Rogers. Rogers's Beatrice Page is an interesting character -- she's at the top of her game, but only for as long as she can keep up appearances and fend off her younger rivals. Among these is a chirpy, headstrong, would-be starlet (played by Pat Crowley) who attaches herself to Holden's coattails, at first out of mere opportunism, and then for true love. The Holden character is a bit too mannered -- too anchored in the old, pre-'60s fixation with The Moody Writer as a great dramatic character; Crowley is herself a bit irritating as well -- this was supposed to be her big breakout ... Read More:

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Marjorie Morningstar

starring: Gene Kelly, Natalie Wood, Claire Trevor, Everett Sloane, Martin Milner
directed by: Irving Rapper

July 06, 1999
My wife and I laughed so hard we GUFFAWED at this sublime example of cheesy 1950s film-making at its cheesiest. Gene Kelly blowing his stack at a trio of Broadway producers is so off-the-wall and over-the-top it's worth the price of admission by itself; all that's missing is his stepping out of character at the end of the scene and exclaiming "ACTING!" a la SNL's classic "Master Thespian" gag. We truly did not want this movie to end -- and never for a moment believed it was what Herman Wouk had in mind.

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The Adventures of Mark Twain

starring: Fredric March, Alexis Smith, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, C. Aubrey Smith
directed by: Irving Rapper

September 01, 1998
Twain was someone who lived a full life in his 75 years. He was a Mississippi riverboat man in his early years, and he experimented with gold mining in California. As a writer of growing stature, he courted and won the well-bred Olivia Langdon who traveled with Twain around the world. Twain was in deep bankruptcy after publishing disasters and he became exhausted by work in order to clear his debts. Entertainment derives from Twain's epigrams and comments on humankind; in later years, he became a kind of performing pundit: rather like a nineteenth century version of Will Rogers. Fredric March gives a genuinely spendid performance as the beloved American writer who lived from 1835-1910. A trivia note: Because he was born while it was in orbit, Twain once remarked that he expected ... Read More:

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The Corn Is Green

starring: Bette Davis, Nigel Bruce, Rhys Williams, Rosalind Ivan, Mildred Dunnock
directed by: Irving Rapper

September 01, 1998
Bette Davis stars as Miss Moffat, who inherits a home in a Welsh mining town and decides that she will educate the young, especially the boys, who are otherwise doomed to a life in the mines. One student, played by John Dall, gets her attention when he reveals depth beyond what she expected, and before long, they are working hard towards getting him a scholarship to Oxford. However, the housekeeper's conniving daughter threatens to ruin everything. Davis is very good as the crusading, very emotionally controlled middle-aged teacher, only once in a while letting us see her act. The supporting cast are all good, with Dall especially strong as the student fighting against his background. There is the occasional moment of stiff dialogue, but there are also some terrific lines as ... Read More:

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Another Man S Poison

starring: Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, Emlyn Williams, Anthony Steel, Barbara Murray
directed by: Irving Rapper

January 11, 2000
The statment, "One man's meat, is another man's poison" is so true and so ironic in this case. I was so intrigued by the mixed (and bad) comments that this movie got, that I had to purchase it myself. Yes, the entire setting is dark and the plot at times bordering on hammy and cheesy, but it's fun to watch all the double crossing attempts and the extent to which persons will go to commit crimes (the characters of course) and hide them. Davis' husband I think is excellent, his rough and ominous disposition adding to the dark humour of the entire piece. Oftimes, we like movies because the critics say that they are good metaphoric vehicles with symbolism and motifs woven into them...whether or not the movie is trash. There are far worse movies that she has done in my estimation (Oh God..."The ... Read More: