Average Rating:

.

Gallant Hours

starring: Raymond Bailey, Robert Burton, James Cagney, Richard Carlyle (II), Ward Costello

September 01, 1998
Great performance by Cagney. As everyone else has mentioned - with so many BAD war movies out - where's the DVD of this?

Average Rating:

.

Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

starring: James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O'Brien
directed by: John Ford

February 19, 1997
Stylistically, this is a very interesting film from director John Ford. The film begins with alot of colorful characterizations familiar to audiences with films as diverse as "Stagecoach" and "The Searchers". There's also alot of brutal realism which would anticipate the work of Sam Peckinpah. It's also interesting that Ford contrasts the traditional western as represented by John Wayne with the new west represented by James Stewart who made a series of "psychological" westerns in and around this time. Also noteworthy is the presence of Lee Van Cleef who made his mark in the terrific Sergio Leone westerns in the sixties. What is Ford trying to say here? Probably sensing that his days behind the camera were nearing an end he probably understood ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Thrill of a Romance

starring: Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Frances Gifford, Henry Travers, Spring Byington
directed by: Richard Thorpe

September 01, 1998
Just watched on TMC while ill. Expected romantic soap opera and to turn it off. Instead was rewarded with great music: Tommy Dorsey AND opera and more, as well as fabulous Technicolor 40's fashion, cars, interiors, and kitsch, not to mention the stupendous Esther Williams' diving and pool scenes. Also, great scenic outdoor shots of hiking in the high Rockies. Actually, came on web to find out where it was shot, and left this review. Better than expected. Actually this is a good intro to the opera-phobic to see how great and fun it can be in an updated, non-formal staging context.

Average Rating:

.

Sergeant Rutledge

starring: Jeffrey Hunter, Woody Strode, Constance Towers, Billie Burke, Juano Hernandez
directed by: John Ford

July 22, 1994
Ex-pioneering footballer Woody Strode, gives a powerful performance as top sergeant of U.S. cavalry troop 9 Braxton Rutledge, stationed in Arizona territory in the 1880's, in John Ford's underrated "Sergeant Rutledge". Rutledge, a proud, brave and heroic soldier and ex-slave has been unjustly accused of a double homicide and is standing for a court martial. His long time comrade Lt. Tom Cantrell played by Jeffrey Hunter is acting as Strode's defense counsel.

Braxton is a member of the celebrated Buffalo Soldiers, an all black squadron known and feared by the troublesome Apaches who inhabit a nearby reservation. Using flashback sequences, we see the actions that brought Strode to the predicament he finds himself in. Constance Towers playing ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Julie

starring: Doris Day, Louis Jourdan, Barry Sullivan, Frank Lovejoy, Jack Kelly
directed by: Andrew L. Stone

September 01, 1998
1956's "Julie" stars Doris Day, Louis Jourdan, Barry Sullivan, and Frank Lovejoy. Parts of the plot aren't exactly brimming over with realism, but this black-and-white thriller/suspense drama remains one of my favorite Doris Day pictures.

Doris portrays "Julie Benton", a woman who suddenly realizes her husband is a murderer. Jourdan plays the obsessive husband, who (it seems) will go to any lengths to track down and do away with the scared-stiff Mrs. Benton.

Both Day and Jourdan do a nice job in this film, IMO, but Sullivan is a tad bit on the "cardboard" side here (playing a friend of Julie's who tries to get her out of harm's way). Jourdan, though, is quite creepy and believable as "Lyle Benton", whose "bent on" (~wink~) seeing Julie suffer. ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

starring: Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre, Robert J. Wilke
directed by: Richard Fleischer

March 04, 1997
A classic tale, not as good as i remember it to be as a child but still good clean entertainment for the the whole family, better than commercial TV has to offer.

Average Rating:

.

Torpedo Alley

starring: Mark Stevens, Dorothy Malone, Charles Winninger, Bill Williams, Douglas Kennedy
directed by: Lew Landers

January 01, 1998
A classic tale, not as good as i remember it to be as a child but still good clean entertainment for the the whole family, better than commercial TV has to offer.

Average Rating:

.

Flying Leathernecks

starring: John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Don Taylor, Janis Carter, Jay C. Flippen
directed by: Nicholas Ray

May 13, 1992
*** 1951. Directed by Nicholas Ray and produced by Howard Hughes, RKO's owner at that time. John Wayne and Robert Ryan don't agree with the way to handle the young pilots of the Wildcats squadron during the battle of Guadalcanal. A lot of actual World War II footage, a few air battles but no Nicholas Ray in the picture here except maybe in the scenes between Wayne and Ryan. Average.

Average Rating:

.

Kansas City Confidential

starring: John Payne, Coleen Gray, Preston Foster, Neville Brand, Lee Van Cleef
directed by: Phil Karlson

October 09, 1998
What an improvement over my public domain disc of this superb little noir! The cast is excellent, especially the three bad guys in early roles. Preston Foster is far more interesting than he usually is. And John Payne is far stronger than usual. Interesting to see the same pool that was used in "Kiss Me Deadly" substituting for a resort in Mexico.

This film is a perfect example of why I collect film noir! Thanks to MGM.

Average Rating:

.

The Fighting Devil Dogs

starring: Lee Powell, Bruce Bennett, Eleanor Stewart, Montagu Love, Hugh Sothern
directed by: John English, William Witney

May 30, 1995
Republic Pictures present "FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS" (1938) (206 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Lee Powell, Herman Brix, Eleanor Stewart, Montague Love, Sam Flint & Hugh Sothern, relive those thrilling days week after week venue brought you to the theater, as you were mesmerized in your seat waiting for the final chapter ... exciting action within 12 episodes from the Republic Serials department, released in June 9, 1938, the plot line thus far in Singapore, two US Marine Lieutenants, Tom Grayson and Frank Corby, discover the threat of a new villain called "The Lightning", a masked villain who uses a powerful lightning based weapon in his bid for world conquest ... unfortunately, the battle becomes personal when "The Lightning" annihilates ... Read More: